Chapter Title: Descending Edge
Series Title: Light of the Moon, Abyss of the Heavens
Author: Seoinage
Fandom: Juuni Kokki
Themes: "Drowned fields", "Midnight market"
Disclaimer: ©1991 Ono Fuyumi, Kodansha, and various companies who bought rights to it

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Light of the Moon, Abyss of the Heavens
(月の光、天の淵)

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CHAPTER 2

Descending Edge: Winter Moon

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Gyousou clearly remembered the time he first held a sword. Oh, not a metal one, not one of those. He had been four at the time and his father still needed to look out for him. So a miniature wooden one had been handed over carefully, with respect. Even such a toy can be deadly depending upon the one wielding it.

The clear light filtering down from the early morning sun did not give off much heat. Even though it was late spring, they also lived in Tai. As one of the northernmost countries, people liked to say that the snow hated making room for Tai's human inhabitants since it had been there first. Since the snow did what it wanted, the people learned to adjust to it instead. Was that not the way of the world?

Years later, his father entrusted him with his first true blade. It may have been battered, with the wrappings around the hilt worn, but his nevertheless and sharp. By then, he had learned to properly take care of a sword. He had also learned the proper ways of using one through much sweat and effort. At the end of everyday, he went to sleep bone-tired. Every morning he woke up eager to discover more.

Eager would not be the word to describe how he felt now upon waking.

With a gritted moan held low in his throat to muffle the sound as much as he could, Gyousou gingerly opened his eyes. Squinting, more against the pain than the light…or lack thereof, he remained in his sideways prone position for a moment longer. Strands of his white hair and clumps of grit matted themselves against his face and neck in an uncomfortable way. A bath would not be remiss.

The dirt floor underneath him gave neither leeway nor warmth. Instead, it greedily sucked away his body heat and the steadily seeping wounds all over his body, especially from the one in his upper thigh where a broken spear still imbedded itself. He shuddered, the stomach-lurching pain making his head swim. Hands and feet bound as they were made it difficult to maneuver even if he had the strength to do so. Gyousou doubted that his wounded leg could do much without treatment. Even then, there may be difficulty.

He felt gratitude that Taiki could not see him like this.

But one thing at a time. Right now, he needed to take stock of the situation.

Though his condition could be vastly improved upon, death would not be meeting his acquaintance just yet. As for his location, perhaps a tent of some kind as the sharp winter wind easily found its way through slits of the enclosure whose walls shook with each gust.

A flare of light opposite him abruptly entered, making him want to turn his head away, to close his eyelids. Gyousou did none of those things; he chose instead to stare with his red eyes unblinkingly at the intruder.

Or rather, intruders.

"Ever the emperor even under such conditions, Gyousou-sama." The man not holding the torch commented politely. "It seems that you're still carrying a part of the battlefield with you. Let's take care of it."

He made a shadowy movement with his hand and three others came in, all quite burly and clearly soldiers. They came upon him – thud thud thud – went the ground. One held down his shoulders. The second held down his legs. The third grasped the head of the spear in a single-handed grip, bracing himself against the wounded leg. Their hands were like ice. They did not look at him.

Gyousou kept his narrowing gaze fastened on the one speaker. Though the muscles in the cheek pressed against the floor twitched, and he gritted his teeth against what was to come, no one would bear witness to it. He could hear the wind outside scouring the frozen landscape. He envisioned the winter moon high up overhead.

The soldier yanked the spear shaft through unmercifully with one mighty pull. The rough wood scraped raw flesh and forced the ragged wound open even more.

Gyousou's entire body tightened in reaction as a red haze obscured his vision. However, he kept his eyes on his target, his mouth closed. He still needed to understand more behind this situation, though many things were clearer with that man's presence.

The ground continued drinking the blood that freely poured from the hole in his thigh. The three soldiers retreated and melted back out into the night.

"You should not have been made emperor. Because of the foolish Taiho's mistake, such a thing must come to pass in order to correct it." A feverish light like that of the blaze of the torch gleamed in the man's eyes. "Because of that Taiho, we have come to this. You have him to blame. You have yourself to blame."

"You believe that overturning the Heavens' will is the true path then?"

An almost snarl curled the man's upper lip. "Heaven's will? You believe that what you are doing is that? Perhaps there are those who will believe in such fairytales, but your actions were just that, your own actions. Heaven had nothing to do with your insanity."

The shadow of the man approached then. Gyousou could see the shining edge of a blade gripped by the figure.

"Ah, this? It's nothing as bad as you might think." He laughed a cheerless laugh, sharp in its brevity. "Or maybe worse."

In a fluid movement, the man crouched down next to the emperor's head and roughly grabbed the bound hair. Gyousou's neck jerked at the awkward angle, jugular exposed. Is this how it ends?

With one slice, the blade cut through the mess of a ponytail, the white locks falling, abandoned, upon the floor.

"I will take care of this Heaven of yours. And should you suddenly die one day for no apparent reason, you'll know what happened to that kirin you treasure." Asen looked at him mirthlessly. "You just won't know when."

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Constructive comments and critiques welcomed. :)