Summary; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.
Ah, more drama, angst, and twists! Not much fluff in this, though - the story is getting darker! Oh, Yong Tien-Meimeans "evil celestial beauty" for reference later. I did the best I could at finding accurate names...darn Google. Anyway, this chapter is slightly longer than usual, and I think there's a lot packed in. Review fast, because we're reaching a critical point here! Oh, and Chichiri HAS smacked people with his staff! It's further in the manga, though, but there!
Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism welcome.
Kae was unable to form coherent thoughts as she raced past the bandits inside the building, who stared after her in surprise as she tore past them, gasping for breath as she pushed her body to its limits, trying to go as fast as she was able to. She reached the gates after what seemed like years, and rushed outside without a second thought, darting past the half-awake guards and surprising them in the process, and heading into the forest. The only thought that she was able to listen to clearly was to get away from Tasuki, as fast as she could and as far as her legs would take her.
Tears trailing down her cheeks, she sobbed brokenly as she headed into the trees, welcoming the painful scratches and cuts the branches gave her as proof that she was still able to feel through a broken heart. After running as far as her legs were able to take her, she collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily through her soundless cries of sorrow. She hid her face in her palms as her shoulders shook violently, feeling numb all over. She didn't even look up when the storm broke, emptying its torrent upon the earth in an instant sheet of water and immediately soaking anything unlucky enough to be caught in its path. Kae hardly felt the pounding drops on her back, and the thunder seemed like a distant echo to her ears, overpowered by Tasuki's thoughtless words.
"I'm not gay! See, ya guys were all wrong!"
"How…I…" Kae's tears mixed with the raindrops on her face, and she dropped her palms to the muddy earth and hung her head in defeat, completely unaware of the evil aura beginning to swirl around her. It barely parted the raindrops as it moved toward her, free from any resistance the ward or the Warriors' presence might have created.
"He's going after her," Knei-Gong said, stopping by Chichiri's room.
"I thought he had, no da," the monk nodded, having sensed Tasuki's chi suddenly elevate.
"What a mess," the bandit shook his head, sitting down for a moment. "Was it this complicated when Miaka was here?"
"Hard to say," Chichiri shrugged, and earned a baleful glance from Tama.
"Who're you kidding?"
"Stupid girl!" Tasuki thought in anger, the drops scarcely reaching him as he raced through the trees, trying to concentrate his chi to sense Kae's presence. "Damn monk – can't even go look for her!" he growled, pausing for a moment to look around. "I can't sense her damn chi! He's the one that can do that shit, so why didn't he go?" Still complaining, the bandit continued to blindly search the forest, finally realizing something was keeping him from sensing her presence at all.
Unable to see clearly in the darkness and pounding wind and rain, Tasuki relied on his bandit's senses to try to find anything around him, but continued to come up empty-handed, much to his frustration. He felt a knot of panic twisting inside him, but pushed it aside in annoyance as he pursued the lost young woman.
"There she is!" Tasuki gasped in relief, barely able to see the crouched form on the ground several feet away through the brush and rain. "Damn girl," he muttered half-heartedly, making it to her side in mere seconds. "Kae! Kae?" he repeated carefully, dropping to a crouch beside the unresponsive young woman. "Kae! Hey, wake up, damn girl!" he urged, shaking her shoulder a little more roughly than he meant to. He groaned when he saw her closed her eyes and flushed cheeks, and glanced up nervously at the flashing sky. "Damn it!" he muttered, scooping her up in his arms and turning around. Suddenly, something held him to the ground, but he was unable to see anything.
"What the hell's goin' on?" he demanded loudly, looking around in anger. "I gotta get her back ta the place, damn it!" he yelled, becoming pretty damn annoyed. "So whoever the hell ya are, lemme go!" He tensed further when the invisible thing's grip tightened slightly, but relaxed when the tight hold was released and Tasuki was unable to sense any other chi nearby.
"Damn girl, gettin' sick now," he grumbled, racing through the rain towards his home. Kae, unconscious and breathing heavily, moaned something into his chest, but he was unable to make it out due to the clap of thunder that rendered him momentarily deaf.
"She's not dead, is she?" Knei-Gong asked worriedly, he and Chichiri meeting Tasuki at the entrance to the hideout.
"No," Tasuki panted, and sighed in relief as Chichiri gently took her from the sopping bandit.
"Let's get you cleaned up – you look like a drowned rat, no da," the monk added, looking down at the sick young woman as he addressed Tasuki. "It won't do us any good if you get sick. I'll take care of her while you're gone, no da."
"C'mon," Knei-Gong took a weary Tasuki's arm and led him down the hallway, and Chichiri brought Kae to her room, where he calmly stripped her of her drenched clothing, dried her off, and carefully dressed her in the long tunic she wore as a nightgown. Placing a palm on her forehead, he frowned at the high fever she had, and looked down at her in sorrow.
"You're in such pain…" he shook his head to clear his thoughts, and began to use his chi to purify her.
"So, what's wrong with her?" Knei-Gong demanded, he and Tasuki returning to Chichiri once Tasuki was dried off and wearing a change of clothes, which were an exact copy of the clothes that had been dripping wet. Tasuki never admitted it, but he used his harisen to dry his clothes, as well as himself, off instead of just changing and drying off.
"That thing you brought into the building – when it evaporated, it released a toxin specifically targeting Kae," Chichiri informed them wearily. "I've been trying, but I'm unable to use my chi to purify her aura from it – it's too deeply embedded in her at this point, no da. She's also running a high fever, and I'm afraid she's in a lot of pain right now. She may not make it, no da."
"What?" Tasuki yelled, but Chichiri shot him a look to quiet him down. "What're ya sayin'?" Tasuki continued, continuing in a quieter tone of voice.
"She's lost her will to live, I believe," the monk told him. "There's nothing I can do if she doesn't want to live, no da. Her kanji isn't glowing either."
"Damn it," the bandit swore, punching the floor in frustration. "So we're just supposed ta sit her and let her die?" he asked in disbelief, and Chichiri sighed.
"I tried to contact Tai Yi-Jun – something is blocking me," he said. "I think Keung Xi-Wang is making his move on us."
"I'll go keep an eye on her," Tasuki said abruptly, getting to his feet and stalking out of the room the three men were in. Chichiri and Knei-Gong looked after him curiously, and then exchanged a glance.
"What d'ya think we should do?" Knei-Gong asked. "I mean, this thing's some kind of evil spirit, right? So how do we guard ourselves against it?"
"Hm?"
"What, you thought we'd throw you out?" the bandit laughed shortly. "If you can't leave yourselves, might as well stay here. And Huan-Lang's our leader, after all. We follow him," he added thoughtfully. "So, what should we do?"
"I'll try to strengthen the ward on Ligé-San Mountain," Chichiri said finally. "Have your men increase the guard, but order them to retreat if they encounter something odd. These things can not be harmed by regular weapons."
"Got it," Knei-Gong nodded in agreement and strode out of the room. Chichiri remained thoughtfully for a moment before leaving and attending to his own self-imposed duties.
"She really don't look good," Tasuki murmured, crouched next to Kae, who was moaning softly in pain. He glanced over at Tama briefly as he adjusted the cloth on her forehead before stopping and realizing what he was doing. "Look what I'm doing! I'm talkin' ta a cat!" he groaned, and plopped down in defeat, bending his knees and resting his palms on them, gazing at Kae. "I really am an idiot," he sighed, resting his forehead on his knees. "Chichiri's right for smackin' me after all."
"Meow," Tama nodded in agreement. "You got that right, red."
"Damn toxin," the bandit muttered, and jumped when Kae suddenly grabbed his hand and gripped it tightly. "Huh?" he peered down at her curiously, but relaxed when he realized she was still in a feverish sleep. "I wish I had realized it," he groaned.
Kae, although her body was present in the real world, was emotionally trapped on a plane created by Keung Xi-Wang and the toxin, and was currently fighting her own battle with the demon spirit.
"Where am I…?"
………
"That's right…I'm dying…"
"I wonder what's going on…"
"Am I still in the rain?...It's so cold here…and dark…"
Kae uncurled from the fetal position she found herself in and sat up painfully, looking around the blackness surrounding her.
"It's like when I first came…but it's so dark…" she thought, and winced at a sudden pain in her chest. Glancing down, her eyes widened in shock when she saw her right hand, which had gone to the spot the pain had occurred, was covered in her own blood, which was pouring down from her chest. "What's…what's going on?" she asked in panic, and doubled over as the pain shot through her again, this time much more intense.
"So, you're back. And Suzaku isn't here to interfere like last time."
"Hm?" Kae looked up in fear, and saw a tall man, all in the shadows and blackness, gazing down at her coldly. Eyes as dark as coal seemed to shine out of the surrounding darkness, and seemed to glow with a light of their own. "Ke-Keung Xi-Wang?"
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you face-to-face," the demon spirit purred. A hand, white as bone, appeared and cupped her face, forcing her to look up into his eyes. "As beautiful as I thought you would be."
"What do you want?" she demanded, taking quick breaths to ease the pain in her body. Keung Xi-Wang smiled in her mind, and she tried to pull away from his icy grip.
"I can cure you of this wound, dark priestess," he informed her, and his voice seemed to fill her mind.
"What…where did I get it?" she asked hesitantly, unable to remember how she could have inflicted such a wound on herself.
"You did not inflict this wound, Yong Tien-Mei – the Warrior of Suzaku Tasuki injured you like this."
"Tasuki…?"
"He broke your heart, did he not?" Keung Xi-Wang pointed out calmly. "This is a realm where emotional fears and needs become part of your physical body. And this wound – this death-sentence – is the remainder of your broken heart," he told her, and his hand seemed to sweep disdainfully toward her bleeding chest. Kae tried to focus on him, but only gave herself a headache and realized he wasn't physically present, but only creating an illusion inside her mind. "But I will heal you, priestess of mine," he continued, his voice suddenly tender. "I can not let you die, for you are my chosen one."
"I don't want to serve you!" she yelled, managing to wrench her chin from his grip. "I don't want anything more to do with this world!" she cried, both hands now stained deep red as the wound suddenly seemed to grow larger. "I hate it! I hate it here – I never wanted to come here!"
"So, you do not wish to serve me?" the spirit asked calmly, smiling down gently at her. "You will serve Suzaku instead? Or one of the other gods who sealed me away so long ago?"
"I don't want to serve anyone!" Kae screamed, tears running down her cheeks. "I want to go home – and I never want to come back! I hate it here – I hate it! I want to go home!"
"Then I shall bring you home, my dark priestess," Keung Xi-Wang offered, and she glanced up at him, hope and suspicion both apparent in her eyes.
"For what?"
"In return for your trust – do you see Suzaku, the god who told you that you would never be alone – anywhere? Is Byakko here to bring you to your world? Is Genbu here protecting you from me? And what of Seiryu? None of them have come to save you, you whom they appeared to aid," he said coldly. "And the Warrior Chichiri is not here either – he is not using his chi to help you, even though he swore to protect you. And the Warrior Tasuki – the one whom you fell in love with," he continued cruelly, smiling bitterly down at the weeping young woman. "He used you for his own purposes. He does not love you, and he never will. You are just a chore to him, something else he must do."
"Enough!" she cried, holding her hands to her ears. "I don't want to hear anymore! Leave me alone! I don't want to be here anymore – I never asked to come here. I didn't want to! I want to go back home, and never have to see him again!"
"As you command, priestess," Keung Xi-Wang said mockingly, and his presence suddenly disappeared from the plane. She looked up in fear, abruptly aware of a feeling of great loneliness and despair. All of a sudden, a black light erupted from beneath her, and seemed to swallow her down into its depths. She tried to scream, but nothing came out of her lungs, and she sank deeper into the pit until it closed over her head and disappeared.
"Home…"
"I want to…"
"…go home…"
"…home…"
"What the hell?" Tasuki yelled, jumping to his feet. He yanked his hand from Kae's grip and saw his flesh was burnt a bright red. "Damn it! What's goin' on?" he shouted, stepping back as she rose into the air, a black light glowing from her.
"This isn't good, no da!" Chichiri said, appearing into the room in an instant. "Her aura is changing rapidly – and her chi is disappearing! I can't sense her anymore, Tasuki!"
"But she's right there!" the bandit argued, and yelped when the light suddenly flashed brightly, blinding them. When they could see again, they realized in horror Kae was gone. "What the hell!"
"Tai Yi-Jun just showed up!" Knei-Gong told them, rushing into the room a second later. "She wants to see the two of you immediately."
"Daa," Chichiri nodded, and turned toward the door. "Tasuki, first we have to stop Keung Xi-Wang from breaking this ward, or else we'll all die. We can contact Kae later."
"Fuck!" Tasuki swore, running out as the monk disappeared from the room. Tama remained in the room, inspecting the futon nervously.
"Meow…" "This isn't good."
"Oh…god…" Kae groaned, her eyelids fluttering open. The first thing she realized was that the pain was gone, and the hole in her chest was healed. The second was that she was on the floor of her bedroom, and that she must have knocked over a lamp when she had arrived somehow. Getting stiffly to her feet, she looked around in shock, and felt her furniture to make sure it was real. She jumped in surprise when the door suddenly flung open, revealing Yoshino Amigawa staring at her in shock.
"Kae?" she gasped, her white hair pulled back into a bun. "Is that…really you?"
"Yes," she nodded awkwardly, unsure what to say. "Was it all a dream?"
"Where have you been?" the old woman demanded furiously. "And what are you wearing?"
"Wh…what do you mean?"
"It's been almost three months since you disappeared!" Yoshino yelled, and Kae took a step back in shock.
"Three…months?"
"I have to say, I'm disappointed in the two of you," the old woman informed them calmly, staring down at them from her floating cushion. "You couldn't even keep her from that toxin."
"Forgive us," Chichiri apologized, but she snorted.
"Save it. We've got bigger problems to deal with," she said briskly, and snapped her fingers. A small decorated mirror appeared in front of her, and with a gesture from her hand it floated down to the Warriors' eye-level. "Well? Look into it!" she ordered, and they looked at it curiously.
"What is it?" Tasuki asked, and she shook her head.
"It's a mirror that will allow you to observe the priestess," she told them. "She has returned to her own world with the power of Keung Xi-Wang and her own desire to escape her pain. You are not able to contact her, but at least you can see where she is."
"What of Keung Xi-Wang?" Chichiri asked, as Tasuki grabbed the mirror and peered at it curiously.
"He will make his move soon, have no doubt of that," she nodded. "Now that he has disposed of the priestess, he will act on his own."
"I thought he wanted ta use her power," Tasuki objected.
"Blockhead! She wasn't going to serve the darkness – therefore, she was an obstacle. Either use her or dispose of her is his policy," Tai Yi-Jun snapped, scaring the bandit. "He may not be at full strength yet, but he will bring her back at his own convenience, once her heart has been fully corrupted. But the time difference between the two worlds is now aligned – she has been gone an equal amount of time in her world as she has been here, unlike when Miaka came."
"Why?" Chichiri prodded.
"Keung Xi-Wang has interfered directly with her world in bringing her here, resulting in the distortion," she informed them. "I'll return to Daichi-San, but Lai Lai will remain here to make sure you don't screw anything else up too badly. Lai Lai!" she barked, and the girl appeared before them with a smile. "Now, behave and do what she tells you to," Tai Yi-Jun ordered, and promptly disappeared.
"Old hag," Tasuki grunted, still occupied with the mirror. "How the hell does this thing wor–augh!" He dropped it when a picture suddenly appeared on it, but Chichiri calmly rescued it and gazed into it, as Tasuki peered over his shoulder nervously. To their relief, they could also hear what the people were saying, not only see them.
"Some daughter you are," Yoshino scolded Kae, who had dressed in normal clothes once more and followed the woman through the house as she yelled at her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded, and the old woman turned to stare at her in shock.
"I can't believe you really don't know," she said stubbornly, but Kae's blank yet angry look provided enough convincing. "Your mother died almost a month ago – she was devastated when you disappeared. And when you remained gone, her heart simply broke and she lost the will to live."
"My mother…died?"
A MUCH darker turn! Ah, how will things turn out? What's going to happen to everything? I will tell ya this - all hell breaks loose! Please review!