Chapter Twenty-Six
The Un-Changing Flow of Time
Kurama let his fist strike the granite rock over and over again. Blood splashed with every new strike. Each blow brought more and more pain to his human body. Still her face lingered on the forefront of his mind.
He almost never let his anger loose as he did now. Always he kept his temper in check. Losing your calm in a fight always resulted in death. Yet now he was not fighting and his anger was higher then ever. How could Katani say she loved him and put her life on the line for Ty even after he betrayed her? Actions spoke louder then words and hers were the equivalent of a bull horn. The Katani he knew would have never acted such. Tithe had truly wrapped his fingers around her. Had every moment they shared been the result of Tithe? Had he allowed her to feel close, only to snatch her away just when he had let his guard down?
Pain caused his right arm to tremble as he struck the rock once more. Yet no matter how much pain he caused himself it did nothing to cover the anger and pain in his heart. Through the connection he still held with Katani he could feel that she was experiencing severe physical pain. Their connection was weak and he would have felt nothing, had her pain not been so deep. Kurama let his battered fist fall to his side. It quivered as blood trickled down the tips of his fingers to the hungry dirt.
The moon was nearly gone now, the earth blocking most of its light. Kurama knew he should be preparing for the battle. Tomorrow was the eve of battle. The day after they would set out for the Phoenix stronghold in hopes of destroying the tyrant. He couldn't abandon these people after spending all this time with them. In each one he had seen a flicker of Katani's spirit. Now when he looked at her he saw but a shadow of the inferno her soul used to be. On the night she had planned to kill him, it had returned only briefly to assert herself. But now her mind and soul were being torn down by the Hawk's own punishment. They were hurting themselves by allowing her to be weakened. All to rapidly she was becoming easy prey for Tithe once more.
The thread in his mind shook rapidly. Katani's punishment was reaching its peak. Only an hour before Ty had refused to say anything, even after Yusuke beat him. It was as if his soul had been drained from his body. From the second Katani had been dragged from the room Ty was like stone.
Rayson appeared to have vanished. Kurama knew he could feel Katani's pain, being the closest in blood ties, and it hurt him to know what his cousin had signed herself up for. Yusuke and the others had gone back to the guest house in hopes of sleeping. Kurama, however, could not and would not sleep. As he had exited the guest house a soft sobbing met his sensitive ears. Botan was weeping by the garden. He didn't need to go ask her what was wrong. Botan felt it too, being more sensitive to those close to death then anyone.
Kurama's anger began to cool as his mind tried to rationalize everything. Could he give up on her? A memory flashed through his mind as his bleeding hand tinged. "I give you my heart." Katani had said. That heart was not hers to give if she was a hollow shell being controlled by a spirit full of angst. Kurama allowed himself a brief second to remember the soft touch of her lips and the smoothness of her skin. For only a moment he let his mind recall the warmth of her body and the sparkle of her eyes. Had she faked all of it? Kurama's eyes fixed on a single blade of grass. To the world Katani was only one tiny piece of grass, one blade that would not be missed. But to him she was the only blade of grass in the barren field that was his life. If she came back to him it would be more then he deserved. All the people he had killed and all the things he had stolen separated him from any sense of entitlement. Katani had been an unexpected and undeserved gift. The more he had grown used to having her the more it felt he let himself relax until it was a given to see her smiling, or angry face (depending on if she saw Yusuke first) first thing in the morning.
Suddenly his mind traveled back to a few days before Katani's memory of him had been wiped clean. It had been one of those rare times when only the two of them were together. Katani needed to go into town for some supplies and had stopped to awe at the newest video game to be released.
"Isn't it beautiful?" her eyes shone like stars. "Don't you just want to touch it?"
"Honestly, no." Kurama gently guided her away despite her cries to read the system requirements.
"Come on, Kurama, you should really indulge yourself every once in a while. Haven't you ever gone wild and bought whatever you felt like or thought, 'to heck with it, I deserve another cookie after all my hard work' ?"
For a moment he had thought. "No, I have done nothing in my life to deserve anything."
Her face had fallen. "You're lying to me."
"Pardon?"
"I've seen some of the stuff you've done and it's far more then I could do. I know who you used to be, but you're not that person anymore. Sins can be forgiven, Kurama. All you have to do is ask. Besides," she had locked her arm with his with a bright smile, "if you don't deserve anything what did I do to deserve meeting you?"
At that moment he had fallen in love with her.
Kurama sighed and covered his bloody knuckles. This wasn't what it appeared. Katani's actions always were like those of an iceberg. Ninety percent was hidden beneath the surface.
"Kurama,"
He lifted his head, finally he dared to show himself. Long ago he had felt his presence but had ignored it as if he had been no more then a fly or bird. Ty was walking hesitantly towards him. By his body language Kurama could tell he was hesitant and afraid. As well he should be, he thought.
"Can I talk to you?" Ty asked.
"If you must." It took all his resolve not to rise and kill him.
Ty's eyes darted from Kurama's bloody wrist to the now red granite rock. He shivered slightly at the thought before sitting on the grass. "You won."
Kurama looked up at him in surprise and said nothing.
"She chose you. I should have seen it coming. The first time I saw her with you there was something different. Even though she continues to reject me I can't get her out of my head. How can I when she does something so incredibly selfless like putting herself in my place?"
Kurama was silent.
"She had me promise I would apologize to you. So I'm sorry, I guess."
"For what, betraying Katani or forcing yourself on her?"
Ty flinched. "Both. I could tell when I kissed her that she didn't love me." At the look in Kurama's eyes he knew he'd better change the topic quickly.
"Unless you have anything better to say, leave. You may have been spared the Hawk's judgment but you have not been spared mine."
"She was right, that I had been forced to betray her. They held my sister hostage. One of the Phoenix showed me footage of her with an assassin posed outside should I resist. The feed had been live. I know it's no excuse but I feel I have to say something." Ty sighed. He couldn't believe what he was about to do next. "Do you love her, Kurama?"
"Yes."
"Then protect her."
Kurama looked at him.
"I mean that I want her to be happy." Ty struggled to continue. "I love her more then anything but she isn't happy with me. If you make her happy then... then I want her to be with you. She loves you and I hate that but I can't do anything about it. I've tried winning her over since we first met but she never felt the same way. 'You're like a brother' she always said. I guess that's why she put herself out there for me. She was right, she's always right. But Kurama," his expression hardened "if you ever hurt her in any way I will come after you. I don't who or what you are but even if I died fighting you, it would be something. Katani might not love me, but we both know she would be very upset with you if I died by your hands. So you had better protect her with your life. I want your word on that or I will continue to do everything in my power to come between you two."
Kurama hesitated but consented. He did love her, and Kurama could respect that. Besides, he was right, Katani would cry for his death. Why, he could not see. "I will protect her, but she has a habit of throwing herself places I can not follow."
Ty scoffed. "I wish she did that for me. It's because she loves you that she wants to separate herself from you. Look at all the people who got close to her. Her brother killed, I was threatened, and you were hurt as well. She saw the pain you were in, God knows she told me about it enough times, and hated herself for not remembering. You need to let her know she can't push you away." With that he stood and walked away without looking back. For him the night would be long and slow, Katani's screams echoing in his mind.
Kurama felt for Katani's thoughts. Her mind and body were weak from the torture but she was still there. He latched to the chord and took the pain for her. Katani nearly knocked him unconscious from the force of her resistance but he dug in. As much as he hated it, Ty had been right. He hated himself for not seeing what Ty had known sooner. Keeping Katani's flaming will at bay, he stole from her the pain she felt she had earned.
Katani had pushed through the worst part of the torture. The whips had stung her back while needles had been driven under her nails. Hiei had tried contacting her but she pushed him out fiercely. It was her fault things ended up like this. Taking Ty's place had been an attempt to apologize for getting them all in this. Maybe if she suffered then it would atone for the suffering they had gone through. Also it was custom. It had been unspoken in the tribe but had she allowed Ty to be punished it would have made a large gap in the newly forged trust she had worked so hard to create. A leader not only took the glory for victories, but accepted the pain and punishment for the soldiers under his charge. Being the only Gilian among her friends she was seen by her people as the band's leader. Ty's betrayal had created a great commotion. Many began to question the loyalty of the red bloods all over again. To keep the others reputation in tact, she had no choice.
A couple times near the start Kurama had tried to merge with her so her pain would be less. Each time she had pushed him back more vicious then the last. Now he came at her with startling strength for one with no psychic gifts. Though she could not hear his words she felt his thoughts pulsate. After a moment she thought he was saying, 'I will protect you'. Now he had overcome her and took almost all the pain. As much as it angered him, she allowed it for despite her the stubbornness of her mind, her body could take no more.
Shortly after she was released. An attendant carefully wrapped her wounds before sending her on her way. It was all so business-like that it made her sick. Biting her tongue to keep the pain in check, she exited the dark basement and looked up at the slowly rising sun. Her mind tried to reason if she had spent one night or two beneath the ground. It had felt like such a long time.
Walking as far as her body would allow, she got as far away from the door as she could before sinking into the long grass. The dew from the thick blades fell on the fresh bandages as she created a mental barrier around herself. Not even Kurama was going to be allowed in.
For a moment she thought of him. The old wound at her side flared and her body was engulfed with new pain that sent her body writing to the forest floor. Unable to contain it any longer, she screamed. Tears fell fast down her cheeks as she realized her fate.
"Good, sister. You see it now don't you?" Tithe hovered above her, whispering. She could still hear him for now her screams had changed to muffled whimpers as the pain grew. "Are you happy that I gave you that moment of bliss with him? That was my gift to you, Katani. I know you wanted him more then anything in the world so I allowed you some time at his side. But now duty calls. As I speak you are realizing it. You have fought well, I give you that. I expected nothing less. But now you see that it cannot happen. The Swift One is waiting. You can end it all with just a few flaps of your lustrous wings. Let go of him. Give him a chance at love with someone who has a heart to give and is not…" the ghost grinned, "tied down by responsibilities. You are lucky, the torturer pitied you. Your wounds will heal quickly. You have grown strong, sister. I always knew you would. Now come and let us end this silly game of tug and war between what you know to be true and the fantasies of love you have created. I will leave you for now, but remember what I have said." Tithe let his transparent hand rest on her shoulder. Katani chilled at the touch but the pain from her wound ceased. "Good night, sister."
Katani found her courage moments later and walked. From the trees Rayson stepped, his face changing from worried, to relived, back to worried all at once. Instead of hugging her, as he knew where the wounds were, he released his sparkling wings and surrounded her. Katani could hear it coming. He was going to say she was an idiot and it was her fault.
"You're a fool, Mithril. Are you alright?"
Well she was half right. "Yes. I just need to sleep. I feel very tired." In truth she was more then just tired. The torture put a heavy strain on her mind and body to the point where she trembled with fatigue. And something else, something evil, weighed her down. It made her shiver and the gold blood in her veins chill.
"Come, rest at my house." A smooth hand guided her through the halls and streets until she was standing before his modest estate.
Katani let him guide her to a guest room. All she could see was the bed and she went right towards it.
Yusuke sat with Hiei near the window as the sun rose. Kuwabara was snoring loudly in the corner and Kurama was nowhere to be found. Ty had hopefully gone to drown himself and Botan was sleeping fitfully in one of the armchairs. They were discussing whether they would fight tomorrow.
"I'm going." Hiei said when asked. "I did not come all the way to this stupid island to sit around. I'm anxious to see a bit of bloodshed."
"Yeah, no kidding. I have to do something though. Koenma's starting to get anxious."
"As well he should."
"How's Katani?" Yusuke asked. Her mental barriers no longer existed. Torture took them from her.
"She is sleeping now. That stubborn body of hers is rapidly repairing. I can sense her intentions. She'll fight tomorrow whether her cousin allows or not."
"I'm not going to fight with his regime. I think I'll just storm my way through and take out who ever I can. To hell with the chosen one deal. I'll take down this 'Swift One'."
"You underestimate him. Have you not felt his rei pulse through the island?"
"Yeah, I felt it when we first came. I wonder if the others can sense it. I know Kurama and Kuwabara can but Katani hasn't mentioned anything. Maybe that golden blood stops them from seeing what's right in front of them. Did you take care of that guy Ty claimed to be blackmailing him?"
"Yes. It was true. Count on humans to fold like the dead when something they care about is threatened."
"Can't help it, Hiei. But I still don't think Ty is completely innocent."
"What in the world gave you that idea?" Hiei asked bitterly. He didn't like it when people stated the obvious.
Yusuke sighed. "I'm worried about Kurama and Katani. Are you sure she's alright?"
"Yes."
"What about Kurama? Can you sense him?"
"I feel that he is wounded but it is not life threatening."
"What happened?"
"Eat your breakfast, Yusuke."
The spirit detective knew he would get nothing more from him. Katani was suffering the aftermath of torture, Kurama had been hurt from God knows what, and Ty was a traitor. Things couldn't get much worse. He played absently with his food until he head the screen door open. Kurama's unique energy flowed into the room. Without a word or glance he walked to another part of the house. They all needed a vacation.
A day passed like sand in a child's clenched fist. The armies amassed and the soldiers armed and mounted. Having been banned from any contact with the recovering Katani, the boys prepared themselves. Few slept that night and even fewer slept peacefully.
Katani threw off the covers. Besides a stiff neck she felt refreshed and rushed to get ready. Thanks to the unending stream of magic and encouragement given by Rayson she was at her peak and ready for the fight. He had gone for battle and left a young hawk maiden to brief her.
"The lord says you are to go now and catch up with your team. It is your decision how you will fight. He will no longer question you."
Nodding, she dressed in her battle garb with Torid around her neck and Kail already full size at her hip.
"Milady!" The hawk child called. Katani glanced over her shoulder, shuddering inwardly at the girl's title for her. "I just," the girl folded her fingers together and let her eyes drop to the floor. "I just want to ask if you will look after my father. His name is Matthew and he has smoky gray wings with flecks of black. Please, would you…"
Katani walked over to the child and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Young one, I promise you, we will win this fight." Giving it a small squeeze she winked and left.
"Ama day!" The young girl called the battle blessing.
"Ama dayto!" she replied.
Walking out the door she did not hasten her walk. Always before a battle a long prayer was said in blessing for the people. That was one tradition the Swift One did not honor. Gripping Kail tight as she walked she knew this battle would decide all. The way she handled herself on the front lines would determine her social status. And, most importantly, the way her people would view her. If she fought hard enough, if she survived, she just might be able to leave the island again, this time with Kurama at her side.
The vengeance wound burned sharply and she bit her lip to keep from shouting.
"Feeling ill?"
Katani gasped and swung the sword around. The blade hissed as it sliced through air. The tip meet the bare neck of a Phoenix seer.
"Ark!" Katani spat the name as if it were a curse.
"Been a while, hasn't it?" Ark smiled. He was tall, taller then average for the Gilian. His brown hair was short, but slightly shaggy and hung over his eyes. Every few minutes he tossed his head back to keep it from obscuring his vision. That was when you could see his gold eyes. They reminded Katani of cat eyes the way they glistened. He was, as much as Katani hated to realize, very handsome.
Now she adorned her battle mask. Hiding her emotions and feelings behind the need to protect she prepared herself. Without hesitation, she would kill. "What the heck do you want?" But she didn't say heck.
"Katani, that's what they're calling you now isn't it?" The blade pressed closer to his neck. "I guess so. Well, Katani, I am here to give you one last chance. Your ghostly brother has been working with you but he is weak."
"What?" Katani slipped her hand into her pocket while keeping his eyes locked on hers. Just keeping talking.
"You are all the Swift One wants. Surrender yourself, and he will surrender to your pretty boy cousin. The castle of Dea Reringme will be yours once more."
"A pile of stones is of no interest to me." There, she had it. Taking the sphere in her fingers she flipped the safety switch off.
"But, my dear, consider this." Ark pushed the blade down and grabbed her hand so fast she had no time to think. Kail fell to the ground as he squeezed her wrist tightly. Taking his other hand he pulled it from her pocket. Looking at the sphere he grinned. "I am a seer. Have you forgotten that? I can already see how the battle will end. That is how I also knew you would be here, at this time, with that smog sphere in your left pocket."
"You bastard." Katani spat at him.
Ark swiftly slapped her, hard. Cursing at her, he picked her up from the ground by her shirt front. "I have half a mind to kill you now."
"But you won't. You don't have the courage to end my life. You owe me, Ark. Now release me before I even your debt for you."
"Wasn't it you who said all promises were broken when you left this island? I owe you nothing, whether you saved me when we were children or not. Times have changed." His other hand slid to her thigh. "And you have changed, greatly."
"Do not touch me!" Katani screamed and green aura surged around her. To her anger and amazement, Ark did not flinch.
Instead he merely smiled. "It has begun."
Katani brought her knee forward and tried to crush his…well you know.
"Saw it coming." Ark dropped her and brought his hand down across his back. "Give in, Katani, it is over."
"Do not underestimate me." The aura distilled but in a flash Katani's wings burst forth and struck at Ark with the force of two large bats. Ark dodged them nimbly and stood on a large tree branch.
"My, you have gotten feisty." He ran his tongue over his lips. "It suites you."
Just as Katani was readying to swear again at him, a thick vine flew over her shoulder and aimed for Ark. The seer's eyes narrowed as he dodged and jumped to the ground.
Kurama ran from the trees and stood in front of Katani. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Katani stood up and placed herself beside him.
"Well you came sooner then I thought. I guess my calculations were off. Oh well. I will see you again at the castle. Fear not, Katani."
"Ark, leave now or you will wander through hell forever regretting that you touched Katani."
Ark closed his eyes and turned his back on them. Shrugging his arms he sighed. "Are all boyfriends as easily angered as you? Oh wait," he turned around and grinned. "You will not remain as such for long. Despair Kurama, your mate will die today." With a laugh the air around him shook like ripples in water before he vanished.
Katani's eyes were cold and her body pumped with adrenaline. Picking up Kail and her sphere she turned to Kurama. Seeing him, her eyes softened. "Thank you for waiting."
"Katani," Kurama pulled her to him. She gasped in surprise as he held her close. Her cheeks flushed and her heart pounded against her chest. "Do not fear his premonition. The future can be changed." He kissed her softly on the cheek. "I will not lose you so easily."
Releasing her, he motioned that they should get going.
Katani was motionless. Her face was a radiant gold.
"Katani?"
"Yeah? What?" She jumped to attention and faced him. Seeing her startled face he broke into a smile.
"Did I make you blush?"
"N-no!"
"Oh, then should I try again?"
"What are you on?" Katani's wings twitched. Becoming serious she said, "Kurama, are you going to…to change for the battle?"
He stopped. "I will not regress unless I must."
"I know you don't like too… But don't feel like you have to for my sake." One night after she had known her memory was lost he had shared with her his distaste for his former self. When she asked if he had left that part of his life he had glanced away, saying, "I never leave anything behind."
"If it is to protect you, I will become anything I have to." Whistling, Kurama called a gold stallion into their presence. "Now, the ceremony is almost over. Hiei grows restless and Kuwabara and Yusuke worry." Mounting the battle-clad Feer he held out a hand. "We will get your memories back."
Grabbing it, she swung onto her stallions back. A part of her revolted but she pushed it back. At his words a part of her stirred that had long been buried. A rush filled her and she shouted, "Ama day!"
Hearing the battle cry, Feer neighed shrilly and took to the skies. The final battle was about to begin. The horse pumped his magnificent wings and glided higher and higher to where she could see the Hawks begin to rise to the sky. She broke into a grin. Tithe didn't matter, Ty didn't matter, not even her memories mattered to her now. She was going to end this, once and for all.
Half an hour later they reached the Phoenix castle. The large stone fortress jutted from the surrounding plain with striking clarity. It was as easy to see as a hunk of coal thrown in the snow. Yusuke was riding a large copper mare and Katani called to the gentle creature in Gilian. The mare turned, her copper coat glistening in the predawn light, and flapped awkwardly to Feer's side.
Yusuke and Katani nodded to each other. Dismounting from Feer, she flew beside him and his mount. In hushed whispered they discussed the strategy. Everyone in the group knew their role and even Rayson had consented in the end.
"What will you have me do?" she asked after he finished.
"Stay quiet until you are needed."
"How will I know?"
"You'll know. I want you to fight the boss with me."
"Alright."
Yusuke jerked up to look at her. "Are you feeling sick or something? That's the first time I've told you to do something and you've actually done it." his face fell. "Is it Kurama?"
She nodded.
"It'll work out. Besides, your people need you. They're going to be looking to you as a example."
"As an example you mean."
"Who cares? The point is-"
"Yeah, I hear you." Katani splashed some water from her canteen on her face. "I'm ready. My dear cousin leading the charge?"
"You bet. The 'prince' rallied the troops and now we're ready to kick some a-"
"Watch your tongue detective."
The castle loomed closer. From her high vantage point Katani could see dozens of dots scurrying to fight above the castle walls. Once they crossed the invisible boundary the two forces would clash. Rayson gave a few orders before nodding to Yusuke. Katani noticed he seemed to ignore her, or not see her. It seemed unlikely that eyes as sharp as his would miss her. Yet he said nothing and made no eye contact. Maybe he had accepted it. Nothing he could say would stop her anyway.
Yusuke and the others pulled away from the main group and landed on the ground. All those with mounts released them. Katani spoke to Feer and Ama before running off with the others. Feer would hold his own in battle; his hooves had been sharpened to be deadly as any sword. Ama would aid weakening warriors with her strong back and powerful wings.
Katani felt as one who has been studying for an exam for days but when finally confronted with the test wonders if she'll be able to recall all that she studied. Her mind ran with thoughts of her brother and Kurama. This was the place where she would have to choose once and for all. Here she would discover if blood truly was thicker than water.
TO BE CONCLUDED IN PART 3
If you all want to see part three then please review. I like when people review because it shows the time spent writing it was worth the effort. So please do so and you will see the conclusion!
Snowfire