Chapter 9

It doesn't take us long to reach the temple. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. The temple looks less like a temple and more like multiple trees grown into a dome structure. The branches of the trees were attached in a lattice form. Stone steps lead up to the temple's only entrance. I'm sure it looks beautiful in the spring but in the dead of winter it looked like it came straight out of a horror movie. I only saw death when I looked at it now.

Kaito dragged me up the stone steps by my shoulder and into the building's large courtyard. A large, circular skylight centered the building and the full moon shone down from above. When I look up towards it I notice that it was half red. I remember the prophecy: the moon burns as red as the sun. Was it talking about a lunar eclipse? Is that why there was a time crunch? Why hadn't I noticed this before? No, that can't be all there is to it. Kaito said he'd only have to wait a month to try this ritual again and there won't be another lunar eclipse for at least two or three. Asking him to clarify would probably be too dangerous.

I'm on pins and needles as we wait for any word from Kaito's men. We've been sitting here for at least an hour; they must be fighting someone, it's the only excuse for why they're so late. That's probably for the best for me, if they got back quickly and told Kaito there was no pendant I'd be screwed. With how angry Kaito was when I told him I didn't have it, I'm scared to face him when they come back empty handed. I could lie and say my parents took it after I was kidnapped but something tells me my luck is running out on him blindly believing me.

I sense them before Kaito does. Three people coming fast from the east. Who are they? Their emotions are a mix of anger and fear with one having an overwhelming feeling of sadness. They stop by the temple, but don't come in. Two crouches in the tree line and one on the lattice of the building. This is good for me, right? If they were Kaito's men they would have come right in, not hide in the shadows. Especially since the pendant isn't behind the waterfall like I said it was.

I think this is my only chance, I can't imagine any other one. I just need to make an opening. I need to get outside but without causing suspicion. "I need to use the bathroom." Both men look at me after my sudden outburst. They both look me up and down but I press on, "I really need to use the bathroom." I bite my lip. Please believe me. As soon as I'm outside I can make a break for it but I have to get outside first. I could feel Kaito's anger increase but thankfully he lets me go. "Daichi, take her outside but be quick. The eclipse is almost at full mast." The other man nods then drags me outside.

Unknown to him, he takes us right to where two of the people from before are hiding. I try to hold my giddiness in and focus on the task at hand, but this might actually work. I may actually escape. Daichi doesn't let me go but instead tightens his hold on my upper arm while glaring down at me, "I don't know what you're planning but I see right through you." My heart started racing and my face became hot. This has to work. I needed this to work. "I…. I have to use the bathroom." I can tell that I've started trembling. I needed him to let me go so I could run. Daichi only grips my arm tighter, "Why did you really want to come outside?"

Before I could even come up with a lie I saw grains of sand begin to circle around the two of us. Gaara! He did find me. Daichi doesn't seem to notice the sand around us, instead his eyes were trained on me. I need to figure out a way to get him to let me go before the fighting begins. I try to pull my arm out of his grip, but he only tightens it. I yelp and then sense an intense anger coming from the tree line above us. Not good. "I..I have to use the bathroom. Please let me go." Daichi stared me down then tsked but let me go. The sudden release of pressure surprised me, losing my balance I fall to the ground. "Fine. Hurry up."

Is this actually going to work? I stand up and turn towards the people I sense near us. Before I could move Daichi senses them. I can tell by the anger coming off him and the glare he gives me that he knows exactly why I came outside. Daichi grabs my arm and holds a kunai to my throat. He quickly yells into his headset, "Kaito! Intruders!" Kaito, Gaara, Kankuro, and one of my father's guards enter the clearing at the same time.

A standoff ensues in the clearing between the tree line and the temple. I need to think of an escape plan. Tempers are running too high; I could actually get hurt in the crosshairs of the battle. Daichi is holding the kunai too close to my neck, I can't just make a break for it. What should I do? What should I do? How can I get Daichi to let me go so I can run away?

Kaito is the first to speak, "Gaara of the sand, we meet again." Gaara just glares at his words, "Hand over Princess Aiko and we'll go easy on you." Tempers were flaring. Before I could react Daichi threw me towards the temple and began to perform a powerful jutsu. I land on the ground with a hard thud and a rock wall quickly forms behind him sealing Kaito and I inside.

Kaito picks me up off the ground and pulls me towards him. He quickly reaches for the chain I didn't realize was hanging out of my pocket, "How long have you been lying to me?!" I don't need to sense his emotions; I can read the anger and hatred clearly on his face. I scramble out of his grasp and back away from him, tripping on a tree root behind me. I need to run, but where? We're surrounded on all sides. "I asked if you would cooperate, and you said you would. Why did you lie?" Oh god, I think I'm going to die.

I crawl as quickly as I could backwards hitting the stone steps of the temple. "Well I got what I needed," Kiato held up my necklace with the blue pendant attached to it, "so no we can finish the ceremony in piece." The wall surrounding us began to rumble, Daichi must be fighting the others outside. I'm completely on my own while my rescue team is distracted. "Looks like they'll be busy for awhile." When he reaches for me I regain my footing and run inside. What am I doing? He wants us to come in here. I can't run to the only place he wants to take me right now to get away from him. Where else can I go though?

I run up the stairs every two steps until I reach the opening. I stop in the doorway and my heart sings once I reach the top. Gaara! He made it inside. He came to rescue me. I was too scared to notice him before. I look up and see the skylight isn't covered. That's right! They needed the lunar eclipse for whatever ceremony Kaito was going to perform. A perfect opening to get inside and Gaara used it to come rescue me.

I start to sprint towards Gaara but someone grabs me by my hair and pulls me back. I land on my knees and scream out in pain. I look back and see Kaito and he has a strong grip on my head. It feels like he's going to rip the hair out of my scalp. He's holding me so tightly there's no way I can escape his grasp. Ignoring me he speaks directly to the Kazekage, "I'm getting tired of our interruptions. I told you not to get in my way Gaara."

Through squinted eyes I see sand beginning to fill the room. Both men radiated anger. Now that I'm focusing on them I can feel the full brunt of their emotions and it feels like they're punching me in the gut with them. Kaito throws me to the ground and I hit it with a loud thud. A sharp pain radiates from my side where I land. He steps on my neck, keeping me in place. My necklace falls next to me; I can hear it hit the floor in the quietness of the room.

I hear the start of the battle more than see it. I'm too busy focused on how I plan on getting out and near Gaara. I need to focus on an opening, any opening. As the fight goes on, Kaito adds more pressure to my neck and it gets harder and harder to breathe properly. Oh no, oh no, oh no! am I going to die here?

No, don't think like that. I'll be ok. Gaara is right there. I just need to focus on getting to him. Kaito releases pressure on my neck for a second and I take my chance. I roll from under him and can finally breathe again, but his foot slams down on my hair. So close. I'm so close. I begin thrashing and kicking at him. I need to do anything I can to escape. Kaito is surprised by my flailing and Gaara takes his chance to attack. Kaito has to jump back to dodge the attack or risk being grabbed by the sand. And just like that I'm free. I start to choke on the air as I take labored breathes. I'm free.

I crawl to my knees, getting ready to run. My necklace glitters in the moon light and I grab it remembering how important it seemed to Kaito. Kaito goes to grab me again but is stopped by Gaara's sand. After grabbing the necklace I look to Gaara and sprint towards him. I can feel fire and heat on my back but I focus only on him.

When I reach the center of the room, I'm under the skylight with the light of the red moon washing over me. The carvings on the stone floor begins to glow an iridescent light blue. I skid to a stop as quickly as I can when the floor begins to move, creating a platform that started to lift me towards the ceiling. It stops when I'm 25 feet above the ground. I should have jumped off when I had the chance, if I tried now I'd probably break a leg.

I peer over the edge of the platform and look at the battle happening below me. Gaara was on his own platform made of hardened sand. Kaito was on the ground, fire balls rapidly ejecting from his hands. Tentacles of sand blocked every blow, Gaara barely having to move a muscle for his defense. With each shot of fire, Kaito runs up the wall getting closer and closer to the platform. My heat pace quickens; he can't get up here. Gaara moves closer to me matching Kaito's pace.

After some rapid hand signs a fire dragon shoots directly at me. I fall back, prepared to take the full front of the attack. Instead a wall of sand blocks the dragon, coiling around me to completely protect me from the flames. I jump at the sudden touch on my shoulder; Gaara pulls me behind him when I turn around. I'm too scared to feel any actual relief from his presence. I clutch the back of his shirt and bury my face into his side, trembling into him.

The pendant I dropped at our feet began to glow so brightly we all had to shield our eyes. A blue forcefield rose up from the carvings on the platform, trapping Gaara and I inside. I heard Kaito roar, "Noooo!" then the red moonlight turns a light blue, bathing us underneath. "Next time you'll pay." And with that Kaito flees the temple. Gaara tries to follow him but the blue field holds him back. Images of blue herons begin circling around us. The tattoos on my skin return and begin to burn me. I crumple to the ground in pain as my entire body begins to boil. The last thing I see is Gaara hunched over me asking me what's wrong, then I pass out from the pain.