Constraint
As darkness began to fill the space, there was a chill of nervousness that ran down the length of Tamao's spine. Night was coming rapidly, and she hated wandering in the dark. The cool wind tickled the skin of her arms and blew softly through her waist-length hair. The pink strands were caught in the air randomly and slapped lightly against her shoulders and back with a few pulling across her neck. She was staring at Junichi with eyes that revealed her discomfort. His silence made her feel queasy, and she desperately wanted him to say something.
Someone needed to speak. Anyone.
"How did you know we were going to Hao's camp?" Ren asked finally. He took a few steps forward until he was close enough to touch the boy, and he folded his arms tightly across his torso.
Junichi didn't respond and stared at the trees in the distance with a worried frown. His short, black hair feathered against the wind that was picking up in pace, and he began scratching the tattooed arm with his fingers.
"You saw it when you touched Tamao's hand."
Lyserg's declaration startled Junichi, and he was unable to hide his surprise. He stared at the man with slightly widened eyes but remained silent. Lyserg picked up a large broken tree branch and waved his hand over the tip of it for a few moments. There was a small, orange flame that grew in size, quickly illuminating the branch like a torch.
"Who needs a flashlight when I'm here?" he asked proudly. "Let's keep moving."
"What do you mean he saw it?" Ren demanded with irritation.
"I told you I remembered his name," Lyserg said. "Junichi can see the future. That's his ability."
Tamao choked on her saliva and coughed a few times with her hand over her mouth. There was a long pause as Ren and she stared at the boy with expressions of mixed discomfort and curiosity. Lyserg carried the torch past them and began walking further into the woods.
"Get back here," Ren called. "We need to talk about this."
"You said we had to keep going, Ren," he sighed. "It's already nightfall."
"How do you know me?" Junichi asked gravely and took a few steps forward.
"I met your mother once," Lyserg replied with a smile. "She was with her sister, and they were looking for a gift for you. It was a long time ago, but I still remember them. Junko and Kiyomi. They were so beautiful."
Junichi stared at his feet and exhaled without a response.
"How is she?" he asked.
"My mother's dead," he replied softly.
Tamao immediately looked away and glanced at Ren. She noticed his expression softened, and they both waited in silence for Lyserg to continue.
"How did she die?"
"She was killed in the raid when I was four," he answered without lifting his head. "I can barely remember what she looks like anymore."
"Raid?" Tamao whispered.
"She was a wonderful woman and a great mother," Lyserg said reassuringly. "She loved you very much."
"My father said she was very brave." Junichi rubbed one of his eyes with his hands and turned his head to stare into the trees. "I can't remember what she did to save us."
"What's your father's name?"
"Tamotsu," he said proudly. "He's a hero in our village. Many were killed that day, but if it weren't for him there would be no village at all."
"So he's a warrior," Lyserg said with a smile. "That's great. I look forward to meeting him."
Junichi stared at the torch with child-like excitement. He took a few more steps toward it but stopped far enough away to not get burned.
"You're a fire-wielder," he said cheerfully. "I would love to have that power."
"Your power is amazing, Junichi," Lyserg replied. "It's far superior to this."
"I can't fight," he said reluctantly and lowered his head. "What's the use in having power I can't fight with?"
"With an ability like that you don't need to fight," Ren said. "That's the point."
Tamao nodded her head in agreement and smiled. Junichi definitely seemed more comfortable now, and Lyserg was even able to get him talking. She decided this a good opportunity to get more information.
"Um..." she started. "Why were you so surprised to see me when we ran into each other?"
"This was the first time I've ever left my village..." he admitted and bit his bottom lip. "I didn't think I would run into a woman...but I did...and you're just as beautiful as I imagined you'd be."
"You're not allowed to leave your home because of your ability?" Lyserg asked with concern. "Tamotsu is afraid of someone coming after you?"
"You sound like you've never seen a woman before," Ren sighed. "You don't have women in your village?"
"This...Tamao angel is the only woman I've ever met in my life other than my aunt and my mother," he replied.
"There are no women in your village? At...all?" Tamao asked and left her mouth agape for a response.
"Every woman and child was slaughtered during the raid," Junichi said. "I survived because my father hid me."
"Why?" Ren asked with a frown.
"I don't know."
"It's the easiest way to kill off an entire region of people," Lyserg said. "You need women to make children...to extend the bloodline."
"What about Kiyomi?" Tamao asked timidly.
"My aunt is barren," Junichi said. "She has never been able to have children."
"Which may have been why she was spared," Lyserg suggested.
"Who would do something like that?" Ren demanded angrily.
"I don't remember his name," he said sadly and scratched his neck. "He was covered in blood when I saw him that night. I don't know if that was real or just a nightmare I keep having."
"You saw him?" Lyserg asked.
"Was it just one man?" Tamao added fearfully.
"Everyone in my village calls him..." He paused and bit his bottom lip again as his hands began to tremble. "...the demon Asakura."
"Hao," Ren muttered under his breath. "Why am I not surprised?"
"No," Junichi said and glanced at him with a frown. "That's not his name. I know Hao. He visited my aunt all the time when I was a kid. He looks like Hao in my nightmares, but I don't know him."
"It has to be Hao," Lyserg countered. "Maybe he looks strange to you in your dreams because of the trauma from the raid."
"I guess," he said reluctantly and lowered his head. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Silence abruptly filled the air and was gently subdued by the swaying trees in the distance. Tamao folded her arms over her torso and stared at the boy with worried eyes.
"You saw a vision when you held my hand?" she asked.
Lyserg and Ren were visibly caught off guard by the sudden change in subject, but she presented an issue they were curious about. Ren began tapping his foot against the dirt impatiently as they waited for a response.
"You shouldn't go there," Junichi replied sadly.
"Can you tell me what you saw?" she asked politely. "Do you need to hold my hand again?"
"It won't matter," he said.
"What was it?" Ren demanded. "What did you see?"
Junichi took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Lyserg noticed his apprehension but decided not to address it. They watched silently as the boy clasped his hands together and heavily exhaled. He opened his eyes again, but the beautiful hazel color was replaced with black, empty orbs. The tattoo on his arm began to glow with shades of red, and Tamao backed away a few steps at the sight of it.
"The woods are covered in snow," he said evenly. His eyes were distracting; he stared blankly into the trees as he spoke. "Everything is...cold. The snow is quiet and thick. She can't stop shivering."
Ren glanced at Tamao who was staring at the boy with frightened eyes but didn't speak.
"The fight is impossible," he continued, "but she has to continue. He's stronger, and she knows it."
Lyserg scratched his neck with his free hand and watched him with a frown.
"She can't breathe. Her limbs are frozen; her body is too weak to move. She falls to her knees and knows the battle is over. Her power is completely drained. He's standing over her and doesn't speak. She wants to say something but can't. His face is the last thing she sees on this earth."
Junichi's hands began to tremble suddenly as he dropped them heavily at his sides. Although his face was emotionless his black eyes were filling quickly with tears. Tamao clenched her teeth weakly as they stared at him.
"He will kill you," he said gravely without looking at her. "This...Usui Horokeu."
She gasped loudly and covered her mouth with both hands as she stared at him in shock. His eyes returned to normal almost immediately, and the red hue against his forearm faded. He stared at a nearby tree and blinked his eyes several times without speaking.
"You...saw her die?" Ren asked. This was something he needed to confirm in his brain.
"Yes."
When Yoh entered Kiyomi's building the surroundings were greatly unexpected. The smell of fresh flowers lingered in the air with each step he took, and the stone walls were painted gold. Fine silk curtains sealed off several rooms along the hallway he entered, which was a discovery that seemed out of place, and the path led him to a large winding staircase that had the appearance of marble. He ascended the staircase quickly; he wanted to find Ryu and Manta as soon as possible. At the top of the stairs there was a long hallway that encircled the entire second level. A thin, metal railing lined the edge of the walkway, leaving the space open to view the bottom level from the center. He was certain the house would be smaller judging by the outside, but he was greatly impressed that a building this magnificent could be nestled away in the middle of the woods without his knowledge.
The smell of jasmine disturbed his thoughts, and he was momentarily unable to move. An intoxicating aroma filled the air around him, and as it grew stronger he knew it was more than that. He walked slowly along the hallway with his eyes half open as fatigue filled his body. There was a large door that had been left ajar when he reached the opposite side of the stairs. He pushed against the wood very gently and stepped inside the room. A large, rounded bed was placed at the center of the space and was adorned with silk linens of gold and ivory. Rose petals were scattered along the floor, but he didn't notice them. He increased his pace and went straight for the bed, collapsing onto it with a heavy thud and briefly closing his eyes as the smooth bed covering caressed his face. His shoes slid off of his feet very slowly, but he didn't move until he felt a gentle hand against his ankle.
"You must be exhausted," she said softly.
He sat upright quickly, planting his feet against the floor, and stared at her with a frown. Kiyomi smiled at him with a vicious warmth that melted his irritation, and he found himself unable to turn away from her beautiful eyes.
"Manta and Ryu are in the infirmary with Thalim," she offered. "You shouldn't worry."
"I never told you their names," he replied plainly.
"There are many ways of gathering information, Asakura," she giggled.
She was making him uncomfortable. There was something very specific about this woman that bothered him, but for some reason he couldn't pinpoint it. The scent in the air was clouding his thoughts; reasoning became extremely difficult. She was smiling at him, but there was anger hidden in her expression. He needed to get away from her quickly, but for some reason he couldn't seem to move.
"We're finally alone," she whispered.
"Who is Junichi?" He decided to change the subject. Yoh was unsure of her aim, and the more she spoke the more uncomfortable he became.
"He's my nephew," she replied. "Tamotsu's son."
"What is his ability? He's being sheltered for a reason."
"He can see the future," she said calmly.
"Like a fortune teller?" he asked.
"More like an oracle."
He was surprised that she was answering his questions so freely, but his head felt extremely heavy. There was definitely something wrong.
"He inherited it from my sister," she added, "although her ability was much more powerful."
Kiyomi stood in front of him and placed her hands delicately against his shoulders. He ran his hands against her hips and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. Confusion entered his brain but was quickly overshadowed by a fog he couldn't seem to fight off.
"What's your ability?" he asked and slowly blinked his eyes.
"I don't have any power worth mentioning," she said.
He suddenly felt drunk. As she ran her fingers along his neck and through his hair he closed his eyes and squeezed her waist. She allowed him to rest his head against her stomach. Her warmth was overwhelming. He needed to hold her for as long as possible. The fuzziness in his brain slowed the racing thoughts in his mind, and with each stroke of her hand against the back of his head he further relaxed his body against her.
"Your son is not in danger," she said randomly. "You know that in your heart."
"I know," he mumbled.
"Then you shouldn't worry."
She rubbed his back a few times, and he released a satisfied moan. He squeezed her tighter, pulling her slowly toward the bed, and she didn't resist him.
"You should forget about her," she said calmly. "She can't give you what you need."
"I love her," he rebutted weakly.
"You'll always be weak as long as she is by your side," Kiyomi said with a frown. "She'll never allow you to be yourself. I wouldn't stifle you. I would let you be free."
"She doesn't make me weak," he mumbled. "She loves me."
"You know I'm right. That's why you're here. That's why you came for me."
He pulled away from her abruptly and stared at the floor. She backed away and stared at him with blank eyes.
"I didn't come here on purpose," he said sternly. "I love my wife."
"If you love her so much, why can't you remember her name?"
"What?" It was a strange question, and he glared at her with offended eyes. "I know my wife's name."
Kiyomi didn't respond.
"Her name..." he mumbled. "Her name is..."
He scratched his head as confusion covered his face. Yoh glanced at the floor, his lap, at Kiyomi and then back at the floor. Her expression didn't change and increased his discomfort.
"I know her name," he insisted. "Her name...is..."
Why couldn't he remember his wife's name? Confusion began to melt into fear as he rubbed his face vigorously with his hands.
"She's not very important, is she?" Kiyomi's question was delivered in an accusatory tone that sent chills down his spine.
"That's not true," he said weakly.
"You can't remember her name because you want me."
"Eh?" He didn't intend to say it aloud, but it was already out there.
Kiyomi stood in front of him again and began slowly unbuttoning his shirt. He didn't resist her, an action that surprised him, and he stared at her stomach with inebriated eyes.
"Stop the restraint," she said. "You're trying to fight the demon for control, but you must realize this is impossible. They are not separate entities. You are the demon, and the demon is you."
He closed his eyes as she ran her small fingers against his collarbone and neck. She sat in his lap with her knees straddling his legs, and the long fabric of her dress spilled onto the floor. He held her tightly in his arms and exhaled when she kissed his neck.
"I know it's there," she whispered. "You have to remember."
"Stop." The request was barely a whisper, and he closed his eyes as she pulled a few strands of his hair away from his face.
"Try to remember," she pleaded and kissed his forehead.
He clutched the fabric of her dress as a blistering heat filled his body. Her smell was intoxicating and disgusting. He wanted to run away from her as far as possible and find somewhere to vomit. He needed to remember his wife's name and block out everything else. She placed her hands gently against his ears and planted her soft lips firmly against his.
The smallest amount of control he had left dissipated the moment he felt the warmth of her kiss. He attacked her like a wild animal, clawing at the back of the dress as if his aim was to rip it into pieces. She wrapped her arms firmly around his neck and held on for dear life as he hurled her body onto the bed. Kiyomi fell onto her back and bit his bottom lip. They wrestled in the bed for several minutes with each fighting for control, but eventually the spar was settled by a long, passionate kiss they couldn't seem to tear themselves away from.
He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. He couldn't stop his heart from racing. His skin was burning all over, and for only a moment she sat on top of him.
Then she was thrown from the bed and hit her back hard against a far wall.
Kiyomi released a pained moan as her hair fell wildly into her face and over her shoulders. She covered her face weakly with one hand, and there were drops of blood on her fingers when she pulled it away. The force was enough to cause a nosebleed. She watched as he stood from the bed, and as he began walking toward her she narrowed her eyes.
"You're so violent," she said with a coy smile.
Yoh stared at her with a blank expression that forced her smile to fade. White curtains that were hanging from the wall behind her head began to twist into ropes and wrapped themselves around her neck like a noose. She was pulled upright until firmly on her knees, and the pressure from the fabric forced her head back. Her hands went limp as the muscles in her body went completely numb, and she stared at him with widened eyes that revealed partial fear.
"That's some trick," he said.
