Author's Notes: Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing! I have revised the chapter a bit in order to answer more questions, and also to make things flow better. --Kero
Chapter 10: Reviving the Dragon King
Chihiro pulled back a bit, staring at him questioningly to inquire if she had heard him correctly. Her blood was racing through her veins and her heart was soaring. She suddenly found it difficult to breathe again.
Kohaku held her closer this time, and leaned his head in to kiss her. She closed her eyes as his lips gently touched hers. In the silence of that moment, they shared a sweet, uninterrupted kiss. Once again, Chihiro felt her knees buckling underneath her and her body being supported only by Kohaku's arms. When it was over, he touched his forehead to hers and she opened her eyes to see his sheepish smile.
His father is really gonna hate me now, she thought as she smiled back.
"Kohaku, I—" she began, wanting to tell him that she loved him too, but he only put a finger to her lips, as if he already knew what she was going to say and her feelings had been clearly conveyed in their previous gesture.
"Shall we go?" he asked softly.
Despite her true wishes, she nodded and Kohaku took her hand and led her to the outside. As she walked, she touched her lips with her fingers and couldn't stop thinking about their kiss.
Still blushing, she followed him out of the room. The exit's frame was a natural stone archway that looked a lot like a Shinto religious arch. Outside was a dark corridor lined with orbs of soft blue light, and at the end of it were a pair of golden double doors to what Chihiro concluded was the entrance to a vast hall. Kohaku raised his hand and the doors swung open. Gingerly walking out into the light, she gasped at the beauty of this palace. Pillars of glittering stone finely carved stretched up to the high ceiling. Carved dragons wound their way up each pillar and disappeared into the darkness above. As she walked, Chihiro listened to her bare feet against the cold marble floor. Up ahead, she could see a dais and throne. Tall staffs thrust into the ground held up large white orbs that appeared to be made of translucent glass to light the path to the throne. Each orb was held by giant gold talons grasping upward. Chihiro eyed the orbs curiously as she walked past them down the long hall. She was half expecting them to burst into flame, but they did not.
Then she saw him. A figure slightly taller than Kohaku standing beside a silver throne encrusted with gems. His kimono was black with gold accents. He wore his hair long, and it flowed behind him as he moved, just like in ancient paintings of celestial beings Chihiro saw in art museums. He resembled his youngest brother but did not have the same soulful expression in his eyes. His dark, scrutinizing eyes watched her carefully as she approached the dais. She forced her fear aside.
Kohaku released her hand as they approached. Chihiro recalled the dream she had in which his brothers were chastising him for caring about a human girl. She felt a little dismay at the thought of having to part with Kohaku, even if the war was won. Chihiro half hoped that the war would either continue or be lost and perhaps she could find a way to stay with Kohaku from then on, free of any constraints.
In a worldess exchange, the eldest brother noted to Kohaku, So this is the one who has befuddled my youngest sibling and enchanted his heart?
Do not mock me, Sihomitutama, cautioned Kohaku.
Relax, brother, I do not mock you. She has a strong spirit, I can see why you are drawn to her. But will she be enough to summon our great father? wondered Sihomitutama.
It is you, not I, who would risk her life to try it, Sihomitutama, said Kohaku masking his anger.
If you love her, then do not let her come to harm when the time comes, Kohaku. You know this must be done; and out of her devotion to you she has volunteered herself for the task, said his eldest brother.
Do not speak of her as if she were expendable, said Kohaku, this time allowing his brother to sense his warning and displeasure.
Mortals are all expendable, was his brother's only response.
"Welcome, miko," said Sihomitutama in an indifferent, but booming voice that echoed against the stone in the hall. "To my father's palace." He stood up and gave a slight bow. Chihiro, a bit startled by his reception, bowed uneasily.
"Let us cut to the chase," he said as he descended the dais steps, leting his elegant, long kimono flow gracefully behind him as he came down to her level. "As you know, there is currently a war between gods and demons. The dragon lords are among the last line of defense for the powerful spirits. After that, all of the lesser spirits will be in grave danger, their domains may well be lost. You are come here as we respectfully request your assistance. As a miko and our chosen priestess, you have unique powers to lend. It is our understanding that you will help us in this regard?" he asked. Chihiro nodded. She was still uncomfortable with his formal manner of speech and his high and mighty use of the royal "we," but she knew enough to show respect to the eldest son of the dragon king.
"What can I do to help, gracious river dragon lord Sihomitutama?" she asked carefully, hoping she had remembered the correct use of ancient titles from her Classical Japanese lessons.
"We will perform a ritual to call forth our great lord and father. As we only have three relics and three dragon lords, we are in need of your spiritual aura to hold the fourth relic in the incantation circle we have prepared. That would be the relic that you had already touched; the one that transferred some of its power to you, miko. The spell will draw power from you, miko, and it may endanger your life, depending on your strength. It is our understanding that you come here of your own free will?" he asked. Chihiro glanced at Kohaku, who was still glaring at his brother. She looked back to Sihomitutama and again nodded her head.
"Very well, prepare yourself in the sacred pool and don the attire that has been set aside for you," he directed. Clapping his hands twice, two beautiful twin river nymphs with flowing blue hair that almost swept the ground appeared from a side door. They bowed to Sihomitutama, then Kohaku, and then the tardy Sihohirutama who just came in from the hall entrance.
"Prepare the miko and bring her back here for the incantation," he ordered. The nymphs bowed again and escorted Chihiro towards the exit.
"A miko's heart is pure and untarnished by worldly thoughts. The purification ritual will assist you in this," added Sihomitutama as she exited, responding to Kohaku's glare with an careless shrug towards his youngest brother.
000
Chihiro took the coldest bath of her life in the sacred pool as the two river nymphs consistently and repeatedly poured basins full of icy, sparkling river water over her her head. A light mist, much like that derived from dry ice, hovered over the pool. The pool itself was being constantly fed by a waterfall flowing into the chamber on one side, and Chihiro was surrounded by white water lilies everywhere. She was dressed in her white shift that billowed out around her on all sides, itself resembling the blossom of a giant water lily, as she stood waist deep in the pool with her hands pressed together as if in prayer.
Purification, scoffed Chihiro, stifling a sneeze. More like cryogenic freezing….
She could think of nothing but the numbness in her fingers and the shivering breaths coming from her lips. The water nymphs quietly recited lines of ancient prayers as they poured, the meanings of which was unknown to Chihiro as her classical Japanese didn't extend into that sort of depth. She then heard gentle footfalls behind her as someone entered the chamber. Chihiro turned her head to see Kohaku standing there and watching her. Almost instinctively, she crouched low until the water covered her up to her chin.
"K-Kohaku," she said involuntarily, lips still shivering.
Doesn't this defeat the purpose of the purification ritual…? thought Chihiro to herself, feeling the blood come back to her face.
"Leave us," said Kohaku to her attendants. The nymphs bowed and exited the room. He closed the curtain of the entranceway behind them. Kohaku stepped around the rim of the round pool looking at her thoughtfully. Chihiro then realized that he had a nice, warm looking towel on one arm. He offered her his hand and helped her out of the pool.
"Thank you," said Chihiro, gratefully wrapping the towel around her.
"Don't let my brother intimidate you," he said quietly. Chihiro could not at that moment read the expression on his face.
"I'm not afraid," said Chihiro willfully, thought it wasn't exactly true. Kohaku smiled again, placing his hands on her shoulders, and touched his forehead to hers.
"I didn't think you were," he responded gently. "At the time of the ritual, I won't be able to speak to you. Whatever happens, don't be afraid. Also, don't leave the safety of the circle, no matter what you see. The circle can protect you as long as you stay inside. All you need to do is listen to the words we chant, and clear your mind. My brothers and I will do the rest." He turned to leave the chamber but Chihiro's hand caught the end of his sleeve.
"His words don't change anything, Kohaku. Not about my decision…not about…the way I feel," she said hesitantly at first, and then with more determination. Kohaku's smile went wide and he turned around to fully embrace her with both arms in one sweeping motion. She couldn't recall when she had seen him so happy. Chihiro also wondered if she'd have to redo the purification ritual all over again when he left as now her mind was filled only of thoughts of Kohaku….
000
An hour or so later, after she was fully dressed by the two nymphs, Chihiro stepped into the dark throne hall, now only dimly lit by a few free floating orbs. All other lights were put out. Wearing traditional zori sandals and tabi socks on her feet, Chihiro felt a bit uncomfortable in her attire, which included wearing a starchy white kimono shirt with long sleeves and red hakama, exactly like a betsushikime Shinto priestess. She slowly approached the dais where the silver throne had been romoved and the three dragon lords and their attendants were waiting for her. A glowing circle of weird scrawls, arrows and archaic symbols denoting the earth, wind, fire and water, the moon and sun and the eight directions denoted each inner partition of the circle. Chihiro marvelled that it looked like a giant glowing white net or spider web in which to catch the dragon king.
"Well met again, miko. Please take your place in the fourth quadrant and take the relic in your hands," instructed Sihohirutama. They were all holding a relic, and there was one last relic on the floor in an empty section of the circle. Chihiro did as she was told and stole a glance at Kohaku, who said nothing and only looked straight ahead. The second brother then nodded to his elder brother to begin. All three lords took a deep breath and closed their eyes, simultaneously beginning the chant to locate and retrieve their father. Chihiro closed her eyes and clutched the statuette in her hand.
She could immediately feel the warmth in the incantation circle, with all three dragon lords combining their power for the summon. Her knees felt a bit wobbly as she felt strength being drawn from her. The words wound their way around the inside of the circle, and mesmerized her mind. She couldn't help thinking of water. Though she had no idea what the chant meant, but she imagined herself in a place surrounded in mist; a world of silence and timeless reflection where the oceans, rivers and bodies of water in the natural world stretched out as far as the eye could see.
I have seen this place before in a dream, thought Chihiro, though she could not now recall the particulars of that dream.
Indeed you have, said a voice in her head. It was not the voice of Kohaku or either of his brothers, but it was a voice she had heard before.
I had brought you here before, carried by a thought in your sleep. In your dreams, you have also seen me and know who I am, said the voice. Chihiro thought for a moment and realized who was speaking to her. But where was this voice coming from?
I have been sleeping between the spirit world and your world, the twilight world of the gods. These days I have lost my strength. My rivers are dirty and weakening. I did not tell my sons where I would be. I feel the old spirits slowly dying away as there is barely a trace nowadays of the ancient world, the source of my power.
Why was this voice in her head?
I had hidden myself and sealed myself away where my enemies could not find me. You and I however, are linked by the dragon scale which you carry in your pocket. I understand now how your role will be played in the fabric of all that is. I ask your forgiveness for my failure to understand this before, and for sealing away your heart and hiding it from my youngest son. I now know that only you can play this part; our own priestess who will protect our domains and join the old world with the new in harmonious existence. Since you were young, the fates have been preparing you for this role….
But how was she to do this?
You will find a way to do what must be done, lady of a thousand depths, whose name is a reflection of your significance to us.
Chihiro opened her eyes and saw the face of a grinning old dragon with a long, sea-green beard tinged with gray, drifting lazily like water waves in every direction. His entire body was a great ball of white light, hovering inside the circle.
The enemy approaches, she thought he said.
Around the dragon king, his sons were still chanting the summon. In a flash, the white light shot up into the topmost part of the hall, where Chihiro realized was not really a ceiling but the bottom of the Singing Sea. Immediately, his three sons transformed into their dragon forms, and raced up after their father, disappearing beyond the barrier between the palace and the sea, leaving Chihiro alone amid the circle. Only the stone statuettes remained. She placed her statuette on the floor and looked around the dark hall. Up above, Chihiro could hear the roaring ocean and thunder above as the last battle was about to begin. She needed to return to the surface.
"Bo, Kaonashi? Yu-Bird? Are you out there?" she called out. She thought she could hear the sound of a scurrying rat approaching.
"Are you done, Chihiro?" asked Bo, jumping up the dais steps one at a time. Behind him were Yu-Bird and Kaonashi.
"They just left without me," said Chihiro, rather annoyed.
"Did you expect a picnic afterward? Sihomitutama had received word from one of his scouts that a demon army was approaching by air towards this location. It seems that swarms of demons have found their way here, led by the last son of Yamata no Orochi himself, Lord Hiei," said the rat, shuddering.
"I'm so glad I'm not up there," he sighed.
"We're going up there," said Chihiro plainly.
"Eh?" asked Bo, putting his little finger in his ear to clear out the wax, not believing that he had heard her correctly. Chihiro stepped out of the circle.
"Is that really a good idea?" asked Bo, scrutinizing the magic writing on the floor, now fading as the last participant had stepped outside. "You're not safe outside the incantation circle, and the dragon lords won't have time to protect you up there…."
"Bo! Please!" she exclaimed.
"Oh, all right!" he sighed, exacerbated. He scratched his head as if deep in thought. "Shall we try the bubble again?" Bo asked cheerfully. Both Yu-Bird and Kaonashi shook their heads violently in protest.
"Whatever, just get me up there!" said Chihiro.
So, the four launched themselves in the bubble through the barrier of the palace at an amazing speed. A stream of blue and green water, and endless trails of bubble clusters raced past her. High above, she could see the light from the other side of the water. It would flash irregularly with brightness as lightning struck. With her friends supporting her, Chihiro focused on the light and prepared herslef for battle by taking her last talisman from her waist band, as well as the dragon scale. Here we go, she thought.
The bubble burst out of the water like a launched underwater missile and continued its trajectory into the sky. When the water had fallen away, Chihiro could see the ferocious battle up ahead. The first thing she could discern from the melee was the great dragon king battling the hulking seven headed Lord Hiei in the clouds. With another strike of sporadic lightning, Chihiro could make out the glimmering scales of the three dragon lords in the sky, ducking and and weaving through the masses of demons. Chihiro couldn't believe how many there were. But then the thought came to her. If the demons were organized by a strong leader, the demons would flee if the leader were vanquished, just like those demons in the forest.
Suddenly, the bubble popped and Yu-Bird was instantly transformed into Giant Yu-Bird and the group flew up higher in the sky. Kaonashi patted Bo on the head as if praising his recently mastered skill. Bo grinned proudly.
"Bo, I need to get closer!" said Chihiro anxiously.
"How 'close' are we talking about here, Chihiro?" asked Bo with a frown.
"Close enough to use this," she said, looking at the last paper talisman in her hand. She thought she heard Bo mumbling that he was stuck on a giant bird with a crazy woman, but he directed Yu-Bird closer to the fray.
Author's note: AH! NAILBITING MOMENT!
But, I have to say, if it wasn't for the talented music writing of Joe Hisashi, I wouldn't have been able to finish this chapter. It was going very dry and went through much editing. It's the Spirited Away soundtrack that I believe best sums up the relationship between Kohaku and Chihiro, especially in the prologue "One Summer's Day", "Reprise" & "Day of the River."
I was wondering if I wanted to hold off on the kissing, and then I thought…Well, they better kiss now in case anything happens to her… Lol. Then I thought if I should change the rating to teen+ with parental guidance, lol; j/k. I bet some of you were thinking that in the pool scene! Hah, perverts!
I wanted to portray Sihomitutama as a bit of a jerk; I wonder if that came through?
FYI: Hiei is a mountain in Japan where gods and spirits were thought to gather (and is a demon in Yu Yu Hakusho/Poltergeist Report). Yamata no Orochi is an ancient seven headed serpent demon slain by the god Susanoo in Japanese mythology (the battle also depicted in Blue Seed).
FYI2: As for her name, the character for chi (also pronounced "sen") means a thousand in Japanese (pronounced q'ian in Chinese); and the word hiro means a fathom, the old term for measuring depth in deep water--or put it all together to mean "great depth."