Chapter Thirty-Three: Hikari's Opal
"So then where should we start searching for my youngest sister's opal?" Haku asked.
"Well… we could start by returning to her river," Sakura advised dryly, "but I won't be able to help you as I cannot exit Spirit World no matter how weak the barrier is. I'm bound by an ancient law as old as the world itself that forbids me to. I'll take you to the portal that leads to her river, from there on you'll have to manage to find her opal yourselves."
"Well then let's go this portal and get my opal," Hikari said impatiently.
"Not now Hikari," Zeniba told the young dragon, "first we rest then we'll look for the opal."
"But then the Evil One will find the opal before we do!"
"Well it's a risk that we'll have to take! We'll leave for the portal first thing tomorrow." Hikari didn't reply, her countenance that of great disgust and displeasure. Despite her wish to start searching for the first of the two opals that would lead Great Opal and defeat of the Evil One, she had to admit that she was starting to feel a bit tired and rest would do her good.
"Then it's settled we'll rest here overnight and leave for the portal first thing tomorrow," Zeniba said authoritatively, "No-face could you help me set up the futons and help me cook dinner." No-face nodded and headed towards the loft where the futons were kept while Zeniba began chopping vegetables in preparation for a soup that she planned to make. Chihiro assisted her soaking rice in water which was then in a large pot. She then hoisted this pot onto a hook just above the dancing flames of the fireplace and waited for the water to boil.
Hikari watched silently as Zeniba and Chihiro made dinner, occasionally assisting whenever possible. Her thoughts intent on the quest that they were about to set upon she spent most of her time with Sakura and Kai chatting about what could happen and what should be done. "Don't worry so much Hikari," Sakura advised her cheerfully, "when the time comes to claim the opal, hold it within your hands. It'll recognize you and allow you to merge a portion of its energy with yours to fend off the Evil One if need be."
"What if the combined energy of the opal and my own isn't enough though?" Hikari questioned. "The Evil One has been growing stronger in the past few days and I'm worried that I won't be able to fend him off even with the extra power."
"Hikari," Kai retorted annoyed, "realize that your opal is connected with the Great Opal, and despite the connection being unfathomable and possibly quite fragile, the Evil One is not so powerful that he can resist its power."
"I can't help but worry though, we're nearing the end of our mission and things are becoming more and more dangerous. The chances of us being killed increases with each passing day."
"I realize that Hikari, but you mustn't worry so much." Sakura insisted imploringly. "Everything will go well, and we will succeed in our mission. If your opal is anything like my opal it has the strength and ability to resist the Evil One no matter how strong He gets, for it relies on the Earth as a power source while the Evil One can only rely on himself to supply needed energy. He will be defeated by the opal, no matter how powerful He grows, for the strength of one soul isn't enough to outlast that of the world around us."
"You're right," Hikari sighed, "it's just that I'm so nervous about the Evil One and what might happen that I'm not exactly thinking clearly thanks for abating my fears Sakura you too Kai. I really appreciate it."
"No problem," Kai told her kindly, "as long as you're feeling better." Hikari smiled, a tiny barely noticeable smile, but Kai noticed and smiled back. He realized that she was still troubled about what could happen to them when they went to search for the opal. After what occurred to Chihiro, she had become more and more unnerved about the powers of the Evil One. No-face walked over to the three and scolded them for not eating dinner with the others.
"Well I guess it's time for dinner," Kai chuckled good-naturedly as No-face whacked him in the head with a wooden spoon. He winced upon impact, but otherwise didn't reveal that he noticed that No-face had hit him with the cooking utensil. He stood up and walked towards the long wooden table where the others were enjoying their meal. As No-face moved on to Sakura, she stood up and followed Kai towards the table sitting between Zeniba and Chihiro.
No-face then turned towards his final victim: Hikari. As he prepared to whack her, she grabbed the spoon and yanked it out of his hands. "Do not use wooden spoons to whack people on the head," Hikari told him furiously and whacked him on the head with the spoon, "first, it hurts a lot and secondly, people find it very annoying."
"Ah…ah…ah…ahhh…ahh…ah…ah…ah." No-face told her softly.
"I'll starve myself if I want to just stop hitting people with a wooden spoon and I'll have dinner!" She threw the spoon onto the wooden floorboards and walked towards the table, choosing a spot between Haku and Kai.
"I'm guessing that you didn't like being hit by that spirit," Kai teased her.
"His name is No-face, and yes I do not enjoy being hit in the head with a wooden instrument of whatever type." Hikari sniffed before beginning her meal.
That night while the others had fallen asleep in their futons, Hikari lay awake. Her glimmering emerald eyes were peering at the ceiling above her, imaging what the nighttime sky beyond looked like. Her mind was occupied by thoughts of the upcoming search and its possible dangers. She sighed and rolled over to her side Sakura's right, I really shouldn't worry so much. She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.
The next morning found Hikari leaning against the walls of the large cabin. A thin plume of smoke rising into the blue sky as the sun slowly rose, illuminating the few silky clouds that still lingered with brilliant hues of pinks, oranges, and delicate shades of gold.
Hikari's own emerald eyes were seemingly glowing with the sunlight. "Hikari you're up early," she turned counterclockwise to face Kai who was leaning against the doorframe. "Had trouble sleeping last night and decided to come outside in order to calm yourself?"
"No," Hikari replied softly, "I just woke up early and couldn't fall back asleep so I decided to come out here and watch the sunrise."
"The others are going to be worried about you if you don't get back inside soon; your eldest brother was just waking up when I left." Hikari sighed and did as Kai advised expecting to find Haku climbing down from the loft where they slept within the next few minutes. She wasn't disappointed.
"You're up early Hikari," Haku said as he noticed Hikari walking towards the table where No-face was lying out ingredients for the breakfast meal, "were you unable to sleep or something?"
"No I just woke up early and found myself unable to fall back asleep," Hikari muttered placidly as she helped No-face prepare breakfast. Zeniba walked into the house from the front door, in her left hand was a bucket of milk and on she carried a dozen freshly laid eggs in a basket in her right. She set the ingredients on the table and No-face went about making omelets. The others all stumbled sleepily into the main room of the cabin one after another. Only Takeo, Kai, and Kasumi seemed awake.
Hikari watched in curiosity as they gathered into a small circle and began muttering darkly to each other. I wonder what they're talking about. She watched as No-face and Zeniba carried the finished omelets back to the table and everyone, except for the phoenixes, began eating.
No-face walked towards them, his normally placid countenance now a mixture of anger and distrust. In his hands was tightly clenched a wooden spoon. Guess he decided not to listen to me… oh well he'll learn soon enough how badly people hate being hit on the head with a wooden spoon. The phoenixes however noticed No-face hovering towards them, and hastily hurried towards the table, having been warned by Kai about what happened to those who didn't flock towards the table on time for their next meal.
Everyone except for No-face, Rin, and Zeniba, who had opted to stay behind, filed into the courtyard. Keiko waited for Yoshiro to transform into a dragon before mounting him. Once everyone was in their other shape did they soar into the sky. Sakura lead them above thick forests towards a line of pale in the distance, a small creek threading through the green forests. They could also see a building the forests, and they supposed that was the home of the first Dragon of Nature that Keiko and Hikari had visited to learn about Sakura and discover the opal.
Do you see the building? Sakura asked as they approached it. It marks the portal in the creek. The portal is underwater though so your phoenix friends might have some trouble getting to it.
Don't worry Sakura, Chihiro assured her grimly, they'll come. I'll just provide the shields of air I always provide for them when it rains or something. Sakura snorted and dived towards the river, the others following her.
I can accompany you no further, Sakura told everyone once they had landed near the creek. With her snout she pointed towards the calm waters of the creek, which proved to be deeper than they originally suspected. You'll have to find the portals yourselves as I cannot approach it.
Haku snorted and dived into the waters, Chihiro surrounded Takeo, Kasumi, and Kai in the usual bubble of air before following him. Hikari snorted and dived in after Chihiro and Natsuko after her. Hold onto your breath Keiko, Yoshiro advised her before plunging into the water. Kai and Kasumi followed him water colliding with their bubble of air. Takeo was the last to dive into the creek; he had sensed a presence close-by and was peering around him. Sakura had already left so he was aware that it couldn't be her. Unable to observe any signs of another sprit he dived into the river and followed his friends towards a portal hidden in a nearby underwater cave.
As he plunged into the creek, a dark serpent slipped silently out of the shadows in which he hid. Go on, he thought to himself. Lead me to this opal that you so desire…
Chihiro and her friends found themselves in another underwater cave; this one was engulfed in murky and polluted waters unlike the one that they had entered through. Yoshiro swam out of the cave and towards the surface of the river, so that Keiko could breathe. They then rushed towards the opposing bank of the river where they were to watch for any danger.
Natsuko watched them leave, unable to alleviate the thought that Yoshiro no longer cared for her. A small tear appeared in the corner of the left eye and was carried away by the murky waters of the cave. Well Hikari, she asked the youngest sister of her beloved, this is cave is located in your river and I'm told that you've been here before, which way do we go?
We'll have to go back the direction that we came in. Hikari decided to explain her plan in more detail when Natsuko gave her a snort of shock and surprise I meant that we'll have to go back as in going past the portal. It's a bit tricky and I've only managed to do it once before. Basically think of the portal as a barrier and when you touch the portal imagine the barrier shattering beneath your weight. The difficult portion of it is that you have to imagine the barrier shattering at the exact time that you touch the portal.
I guess I'll go first then, Haku announced after his sister had finished speaking. Wish me luck. He dove towards the filmy and nearly translucent portal, and they watched as he swam past it and into the other side visible through the portal. Hikari went next, rushing through the portal with perceptual ease. Chihiro and Natsuko followed her, and both managed to arrive on the other side as Hikari had. The phoenixes were the last to pass through.
That wasn't too bad, Chihiro declared after rushing past the portal.
Well I was young when I first attempted to go past the portal onto the other side and that's probably why I remembered it as tricky, Hikari admitted.
From here where do we go? Natsuko asked.
Hikari pointed to the maze of tunnels that lay beyond and snorted do you see those tunnels? I threw the opal past the barrier and it ended up in one of them. I'm not sure which one though because I couldn't see past the portal when I threw it, back then the barrier between the two worlds were still very strong as you are well aware.
Then how are we supposed to find it?
Hikari grinned, and lifted a glowing opal pendent clenched tightly in her talons Sakura gave me her opal pendent before she left, it'll glow whenever it's in the presence of my opal.
Then let's see which tunnel it rolled into! Hikari nodded and lifted the pendent, and disappeared into the tunnel to the far left as the pendent glowed brightest when it was pointed in that direction. The others followed her, and so they went following Hikari who wield Sakura's pendent and the key to the first opal.
Hikari stopped suddenly. Is something wrong Hikari? Chihiro asked her, confused.
Hikari growled, the Emerald pendent that hung around her neck was flashing brightly. The Evil One's here. The phoenixes had also stopped and were grimly observing their Rubies that had also began glowing.
That would mean that…
Hikari pointed on the tunnel to the far right, where a bright shinning white light and writhing figures could be spotted. He's already found it…hold Sakura's pendent for me Chihiro. She'll kill me if I lose it, and I'm liable to if I'm fight the Evil One and his henchmen.
Be careful Hikari, Chihiro trembled slightly as Hikari handed her the opal pendent and swam off in the direction of the light. As she had suspected they were pounding against the barrier of light that surrounded a single glowing opal lying on the floor of the submerged cave. Tiny lines spider webbed across its glossy white surface. I have to do something… the barrier will shatter soon and they'll get the opal otherwise. What can I do though? Once I attack they'll probably kill me, unless…
Without a second thought she snarled threateningly into the chamber and hid in the shadows as a few serpents swam out of the shadows to search for the intruder. She blasted the five that dared exit the chamber away with a powerful combination of her own powers and that of the Emerald. Now that the dragons' attention was adverted to the supposed intruder she waited as they swam past before she swam towards the chamber.
She was surprised to find a single dark dragon waiting for her, and from the flashing light of her Emerald she was aware that it was the Evil One. Get out of my way before I blast you to smithereens! She snarled angrily at the serpent.
A feisty little dragon aren't we? The Evil One chuckled menacingly. Well here's a lesson that you'll never forget… never mess with the Evil One. A dark aura surrounded him and began to grow until the entire chamber was illuminated by its pulsing darkness. Hikari was illuminated by her own aura of brilliant silver, the Emerald pendent that hung around her neck was flashing brightly.
You'll never win; we'll find the Great Opal no matter how hard you'll try to stop us. Despite her own statement fears started to creep into her mind that they wouldn't be able to succeed no matter how hard they tried. Her vision blurred and images of future perceptions and present situations occupied her vision.
So clouded was her sight that she was unable to tell that if it was really Haku dying in her sight or whether it was the Evil One shattering the barrier before her sight that was perceived in reality and the present. A feeling of weakness and defeat overwhelmed her. Yet the more she thought about it the more clearer her vision became and the more determined she grew. I will not let the Evil One defeat me… I will accomplish my goal of getting the opal.
Over and over she repeated those simple phrases in her mind, and gathering courage she sped past the Evil One to grab the opal that lay on the ground. A brilliant milky white light surrounded the chamber and all remnants of the Evil One's failed attempt to trick her into believing that she had failed. The Evil One eyed her enraged and before he left a single phrase lingered in her mind. You may have found the first opal… but you will never find the second. Neither you nor your friends are going to accomplish your mission, I will prevail… never forget that Hikari for I will be back.
We'll see about that. Hikari thought to herself smugly as she cradled the opal in her talons and swam back to her apprehensive friends.