The Shinzahou Chronicles Vol 5: Suzaku No Unmei

by VraieEsprit

Hikari's true purpose in the Shijintenchisho has finally become clear, but is she strong enough to fulfil it? Hyoushin & Maichu head south in search of aid but a shadow stalks them with murder on his mind. Meanwhile the evil in the East continues to grow, and time is running out. Can Toroki's prediction of a world of death really be prevented or are they all doomed?

7. Chapter 7

Chapter Six

The village was eerie and silent as Aoiketsu crept between the rows of houses, his hand firmly clutched around the hilt of the blessed sword as he made his way carefully and slowly towards the perimeter of the small southern settlement. Inwardly he knew that what he was doing was foolish, for Miramu was a master of concealment and with the onset of darkness, the young soldier realised that he was at even more of a disadvantage. Miramu was, after all, the Shadow of the West - and Aoiketsu knew only too well from his reputation that the first indication of his presence might well be a fatal bolt from the black.

But even despite that fact, he knew that he had had to leave the farmhouse.

"I don't know what's been wrong with me since we got back here." He reflected, as an owl hooted suddenly from the trees, making him start and half-draw his weapon before he realised what the sound was. "I really am on edge. Was it all those things that Chichiri told me about my father? Or is it just worrying about the fact we're going back to Kutou? Hikari's working as hard as she can, dammit - I can see that, even if I don't understand the power she has. And I want her to get stronger - I want her to be able to save Kutou. But...if she does that...I'm also going to lose her. And I don't want that to happen either."

He glanced up at the sky, taking in the colour of the moon with a frown.

"It's not long before dawn." He realised. "The sun rises early in the south, and I've had no rest at all. I'm a fool, aren't I? What use am I to Hikari if I don't at least get a night's sleep? But like this I can't sleep - I need to work it out of my system, whatever 'it' is."

He groaned, shaking his head as if to clear it.

"Get your head straight, idiot." He berated himself firmly. "You knew that Hikari would go back to her world from almost the start. It's just how it is. Your responsibility is to make sure she manages to save Kutou safely - whatever the reason you're here to do it. If you really love her, after all, you'll do the right thing about it and step back...you can't try and tie her to a world in which she doesn't really belong."

At this moment he reached the rough cluster of briar and hedgerow which made up the southern perimeter of the Eastern Village and for a moment he paused, glancing all around him for anything unusual. There was nothing, however, just the gentle rustle of tree branches as the summer breeze teased through the leaves above his head, and with a sigh he stepped forward into the forestland, his senses on full alert as he searched for any hint of Miramu's presence.

But there was nothing.

"I shouldn't be surprised by that. Even Chichiri can't always sense when he's around, so I've no chance." He realised. "What the hell is he doing here, anyhow? Is he here for me? Dammit, to kill me? Or to talk to me? Maybe he's brought a message from Kutou - but shit, I don't want a conversation with him this close to Chichiri's village! After what he did to Meikyo - this isn't a place a man like him should be. Not when there are small children around."

As he stepped over the criss-cross track of a night creature, he heard the faintest sound of movement from the trees beyond and he froze, every nerve strained as he tried to work out whether it was his overactive imagination or whether there truly was someone else lurking around the undergrowth. Common sense told him that anyone moving around at this time of night would most likely be someone up to no good, and he tensed, ready for action as his grip tightened once more around the hilt of Reizeitei's precious shinken.

But there was silence, and Aoiketsu frowned, taking a deep breath into his lungs as he struggled to calm down.

"Stop it, idiot. You'll hallucinate something next." He scolded himself, stepping absently into the fragmented moonlight that broke through the branches from the clear sky above. "You can't see anything, and every bird movement or animal noise you're ready to draw your weapon. Damn, it's a good thing Maichu can't see you right now. He'd be laughing his head off, watching you freak out and prepare to decapitate some poor defenceless forest creature!"

Just as he was about to relax his grasp on the red, gold and white hilt between his fingers, something came out of the darkness towards him, and instinctively he leapt back, drawing his sword as it clattered loudly against the steel of another blade. He muttered a curse, feeling the slick wetness of blood drip down his fingers as the swing of the assailant's weapon caught the edge of his hand, and in that instant he thanked the stars for the darkness, aware that if he could not see his wound, he would be less susceptible to a squeamish reaction.

"Who the hell are you!?" He demanded. "Miramu, if that's you, dammit, show yourself and explain why the hell you're here! You think you're hiding, but dammit, we know you're in Kounan! You might as well give it up - I don't want to fight with you!"

There was no answer, merely the swooping sound of a sword arm cutting through the air, and a sudden glint of silver light as the stranger's weapon clashed once more against the glimmering blade of the holy shinken. Aoiketsu's eyes narrowed as he parried the shot, pushing his assailant back as he steadied his stance, preparing himself for another onslaught.

"This isn't funny!" He exclaimed. "I don't want to play games - show yourself, and state your business!"

Again there was no answer, though for the briefest of instances Aoiketsu thought he saw the outline of a figure silhouetted against the trees. Then the illusion was gone, but in that brief moment both relief and apprehension flooded through him anew as he realised whoever he was now fighting was too tall and broadly built to be the elusive, sardonic assassin.

"And Miramu fights with a bow or a dagger. Not with a sword." He realised. "Shit, so is this...one of Kaou-zan's thugs? Shishi did say that they're always trying to stir up trouble for Tasuki on Reikaku-zan. Maybe they're raiding the Eastern Village - perhaps this has nothing to do with us or Suzaku at all! Dammit, of all the times...but at least I'm here. And shit, I'm not going to lose to some thug of a bandit. I'll show him just what Imperial training means!"

With that he gathered his resolve, swinging his sword with a yell as he launched himself forwards. There was a quick succession of parrying and slashing as the two swords met and pushed against one another through the trees, and Aoiketsu soon realised that whoever he was fighting was also no novice fighter. He had both the quick reflexes and careful skill of someone who had been professionally trained, and absently the soldier began racking his brains as he struggled to identify the man's particular fighting style.

"Noone told me Kaou-zan's lot could fight like proper men." He muttered. "Well, fine then. I'm no average soldier, either. In the dark, I can't see blood, so it can't affect me. I can't see my opponent, but I don't have to do that to bring him down. If this guy means mischief for the Eastern Village then shit, I'm going to make sure he changes his mind. I'm here to protect, dammit - and that's what I'm going to do!"

He raised the shinken again, catching another fleeting glimpse of his assailant in the flickering moonlight and he let out a yell, charging forward as he pumped renewed resolve into wielding the heavy blade. This time his determination seemed to pay off somewhat, for he was aware of his foe pulling back, and despite himself a smirk touched his lips.

"You were lucky that time. A couple of inches closer and I'd have killed you." He said frankly. "You should withdraw now, because I'm not letting you past me. This village is out of bounds to rogues from Kaou-zan, or thugs or bandits from anywhere outside of Reikaku-zan's territory. I'm here to protect the people and I'm damn well going to protect them. And I'm not a pushover. My Commander taught me to fight better than that."

There was a rustle of branches, then a fresh glitter of steel, and Aoiketsu brought the flat of the shinken up before his face, parrying the blow as he pushed the attacker back.

"I told you. You're not going to take me down." He said bluntly. "I don't want to kill you, but if I have to, I will. There are innocent people living in this village and they don't need a visit from someone who likes attacking strangers in the dead of the night. I'm not going to let you through and I won't give up. I was trained only to kill when necessary - but if it means protecting the people here, I'll do whatever I have to do."

There was a moment of hesitation, and Aoiketsu wondered if his attacker was having second thoughts. He smirked, tossing the shinken briefly from his right hand to his left and then back to his right as adrenalin surged through his body.

"Are you scared?" He asked softly. "I'm not just another mountain bandit you've picked a fight with tonight. I'm a soldier of Kutou's Imperial Guard and I'll show you what it means to be a member of the Emperor's retinue! My Commander taught me never to give up when there's something worth fighting for and I mean to do just that!"

For a moment there was nothing, and Aoiketsu almost wondered if his opponent had somehow slipped away through the trees. Then, from the blackness behind him was the sudden sound of someone moving and even as Aoiketsu swung around, something clashed against his sword arm hard and fast, sending the shinken flying from his fingers. He let out a curse as it spun through the air, glittering in the moonlight as it embedded itself in the trunk of a nearby tree with a thud. He made a grab to retrieve it, but his companion was too quick for him, and he found himself knocked roughly off his feet as something pinned him down to the ground. He struggled to get up, but even as he did so, he saw the glint of silver and felt the gentle prick of a blade against his throat.

And then, for the first time, his assailant spoke.

"Your Commander also taught you to concentrate, Aoiketsu."

At the sound of the voice, Aoiketsu's eyes widened with disbelief and he let out an exclamation, trying in vain to make out the other man's features in the gloom.

"H...Hyoushin-sama?!"

"Well, so it seems that you do remember my name, at the very least." Hyoushin's voice was thick with irony, and Aoiketsu felt the blade point pulled back from his throat as the weight pinning him to the ground was removed. He scrambled into a sitting position, staring up at his companion in bewilderment as the Meihi got to his feet, the sound of him brushing down his own clothing audible in the silent forest.

"Shit, sir - are you trying to kill me?"

"I rather thought you were trying to kill me, actually." Hyoushin replied simply. "You seemed keen to fight, and I thought it would be as well to let you have your way. It was a good way of gauging your present state of mind...after all, you did come at me with Suzaku's holy sword."

He reached for the discarded weapon, pulling it from the tree and glancing at it in the dim moonlight before handing it back to the confused soldier.

"Things are not always what they seem. Besides, if I had wanted to kill you, you would be dead. We both know that, I think. I was simply testing you. That's all. On your resolve and your strength. There is no better way of reading a man's motives than to see him in his natural environment - in battle, I can see much more clearly exactly who you are."

There was the sound of something scraping against a tree, then a flicker of flame, and Aoiketsu was able to see his assailant clearly for the first time as Hyoushin touched a discarded tree branch to the spark of light.

"I have been looking for you." The Meihi continued. "Though this encounter was somewhat by chance, I am not displeased by it's occurance. Quite clearly you are in good health - which pleases me to see also."

"I...you..." Aoiketsu stared at his commander, lost for words as he tried to understand what was going on. "You...were testing me? Why were you testing me? For what purpose? I don't understand! And what if I'd have hurt you? What then? I didn't know who you were...if I had..."

"You would not have acted with such resolution." Hyoushin offered him a faint smile. "I told you. I wanted to see what your resolve was. To protect people in the southern village...may I ask, is Sukunami Hikari one of those you now seek to protect?"

Aoiketsu flinched, staring at his Commander in horror, and Hyoushin nodded.

"We have things we need to speak about." He said softly. "You carry her sword, and you fight in her name. A soldier of Kutou you may be, but your motives would fox most outside observers."

"I...I can explain." Aoiketsu got slowly to his feet, dusting down his own clothing as he eyed his Commander hesitantly, and Hyoushin shook his head.

"You told Maichu that something was afoot in Kutou." He said softly. "And that you acted in the Emperor's name, even if it did not seem like that was the case. I trust you, Aoiketsu. And I trust your integrity in this matter. I raised you better than that, I think - I taught you the values you yelled at me during that fight. You as much said so...and I was glad to hear it. Whatever you think you are protecting, you still think of yourself as one of my soldiers. And that means you have not betrayed your homeland at all."

"I want to save Kutou." Aoiketsu said softly. "That's all. And Hikari said she'd help me...somehow. Myoume - Toroki - she says Hikari's the only one who can - the only hope we have. So...I...I want to protect her, sir. That's all. But...shit, I can't talk to you about all of this. I can't, because it might...when you go back to Kutou, someone..."

"I am not going back to Kutou." Hyoushin shook his head. "At least, not presently. It seems I am an unwelcome acquaintance for the time being."

"Unwelcome...?" Aoiketsu stared, and Hyoushin nodded.

"Toroki's prophesy has unleashed some suspicion, and I am the prime subject of those suspicions." He said evenly. "I have been relieved of my command, and essentially exiled from Kutou."

"What?" Aoiketsu's eyes almost fell out of his head. "For...for real? Even...Kintsusei-sama thinks so?"

"I am unsure." Hyoushin admitted. "But I have decided not to contest it - not at present, anyhow. I have come South to find you, instead. Maichu is with me - although we split up to better find you in all of this forest and mountain land. I have never been to Kounan before...and he has not visited quite so close to Chichiri's village. Hence we were not certain of your whereabouts. When you came out into the forest, I felt that it was time to fully ascertain your mindset before we had a chance to speak. I trust in you, but I wanted to see it for myself. A lot has become uncertain. I needed to know that you were not."

He reached over to touch the shinken.

"This is, after all, Suzaku's sword." He added. "And you aren't yet wholly confident in wielding it. Perhaps because of that fact...because it was the property of the man slain by the Shougun."

"Yes. It is." Aoiketsu reddened. "Hikari sort of lent it to me. It's true, I suppose, I've defected. I mean...Hikari is..."

"Seiryuu no Miko." Hyoushin said quietly, and Aoiketsu faltered, his head jerking up sharply as he stared at his companion anew.

"Seiryuu no...?"

"Ah. So you had not worked that out yet?" Hyoushin eyed him keenly. "And yet you still protect her and seek her help?"

"She's not Seiryuu no Miko. She's Suzaku's." Aoiketsu gathered his wits. "She's Suzaku's Shinzahou - that's why she promised to help."

He bit his lip.

"Shit, I wasn't meant to tell you that, either." He said guiltily, and Hyoushin's eyes narrowed.

"Suzaku's Shinzahou is Sukunami Hikari?" He asked softly, and slowly Aoiketsu nodded.

"And yet she is a girl come from the other world...this is also true?"

"Yes. How did you...?"

"Words the girl said to me herself." Hyoushin responded simply. "It would appear that the Gods are more intelligent than I gave them credit for. To make Suzaku no Shinzahou Seiryuu no Miko is a bold step indeed."

"You're serious about that." Aoiketsu realised. "You really do think she's Seiryuu no Miko."

"I have no doubts that it is what she is." Hyoushin agreed. "But this is not a good place to discuss such things."

"True enough." Aoiketsu acknowledged, glancing around them sheepishly as he realised the truth in his companion's words. "In that case, come back to the village with me."

Hyoushin hesitated for a moment, then he shook his head, and Aoiketsu was aware of a sudden clouding of his Commander's expression.

"I think that would be unwise at present." he said cautiously. "I am a known enemy to your present companions, and I do not wish to create disharmony. Besides, you thought at first that I was Miramu - you said that you knew he was here in Kounan. I do not know by what manner you came by that information, but it concerns me. It seems very likely that, if the man is in the South, it is me he has come here to see. And if that is true, I will not bring other people into danger."

"To see you?" Aoiketsu frowned, then as realisation dawned in his blue eyes, he stared at his Commander in alarm.

"You mean...to..."

"Yes." Hyoushin said simply. "It would appear that I am in the way."

"That's insane! No way would Kintsusei-sama stand for that!"

"Perhaps not." Hyoushin leant against the trunk of the nearby tree, shrugging his shoulders. "But I do not think he has had much say in the matter. It is hard to explain so much to you in this exposed place, yet I can see nothing else for it but to disclose to you as much as I possibly can, just in case I do not have another chance. Perhaps you are already wiser to it than me in some ways - you must have spoken to Toroki about the predictions she's made - particularly the one she made in the cave in Sairou. Maichu has intimated to me that you have discussed this topic...I would have your perception of it, please."

"You mean about the man of a tribe betraying the East?" Aoiketsu's brows knitted together angrily, and Hyoushin nodded.

"Yes. That precise thing."

"Well, I know it isn't you, if that's what you're asking me, sir." Aoiketsu said frankly. "Maichu and I both were sure of that, even if we weren't sure of anything else."

"That gratifies me, although I have not really doubted it." A faint smile touched Hyoushin's face, barely visible in the flickering light of the flame. "You have had far more time to observe Toroki than I. Maichu seems to think you believe her words true. This is the case?"

"Whatever Myou...Toroki has seen, it's true." Aoiketsu said slowly. "Since I've been here - and even before that - she's known things that she couldn't have known except by the powers she claims to have. So...someone will betray his Highness, Commander. That's beyond doubt. And I want to stop it from happening. So...so does Toroki - and Hikari and the others. It's sort of become obvious that to protect Kounan, Kutou has to be saved. So...in the end...I think we're fighting the same battle. Which...is why..."

He trailed off, looking sheepish, and Hyoushin rested a hand on his shoulder.

"You took it upon yourself to defect and take up with Suzaku's people." He said softly. "And yet I cannot fault you. Hikari is without doubt Seiryuu no Miko. You have succeeded in doing what everyone else has failed to do, Aoiketsu. You have located and gained the trust of the only one who may save our land from destruction. And yet things are already in motion. There is one thing you do not know - one thing that only my Emperor and I were clearly aware of, and I only by his word. There is another tribesman who serves Kintsusei-sama - as closely as do I. A man who has the Emperor's complete trust - who assisted him in claiming the throne in the first place, and who also helped shield him from harm in the early weeks and months of his reign. A man who should be beyond suspicion - which is why even I have taken this long to come to the conclusion. And yet, with things moving the way they have..."

He sighed, and Aoiketsu got the fleeting impression of his companion's weariness.

"Lord Kikei was born a member of the Hin tribe." He said softly. "He was preserved by Shoukitei when the Hin were slaughtered - he and Nakago alone survived the cleansing, but for entirely different reasons. I have long been suspicious of the manner in which Kikei ingratiated himself into Imperial favour, and now I am quite sure that his methods were base ones. Though Kintsusei-sama has always preferred to dismiss the past in favour of the present, as a man of a persecuted tribe, I find it harder to be so dismissive. I believe Kikei may have been the one who betrayed the Hin to save his own life. And if that is the case, to protect his position and gain power...I cannot imagine there is much else he would not be capable of doing."

"Kikei-sama?!" Aoiketsu's eyes almost fell out of his head. "Are you...sure?"

"Yes. Quite sure." Hyoushin said evenly. "My dismissal came in his hand, though confirmed by the Imperial seal. The notice was sent directly to Kayu, Kikei's most advanced protégé. And although the seal did confirm the order, I find the nature of the command at odds with Kintsusei-sama's normal modus operandi. I am quite certain that Kikei is the man behind Kutou's throne - the one who is the true enemy of the East."

He spread his hands.

"The antics of the South have proven a distraction, but we have been on the wrong quest from the start." He added. "It seems that these beast Gods are schemers beyond all human perception. To force the East to ask for the help of the South seems to me a rather grandiose way of attempting peace between the two lands. But if Sukunami Hikari is truly as you say...Suzaku's Shinzahou in human form...then I will have no choice but to believe it. And that this is the path we must follow. If we have time still to do so."

Aoiketsu was silent for a moment. Then,

"Hikari will be cross, when she finds out I told you." He admitted. "Although she did say that she didn't think you were our enemy. I've never believed you were, either. In fact..."

He faltered, then,

"I half wondered if it was me." He admitted. "Because...I am...Nakago's son. Aren't I? Because Myoume...Toroki says that that's why I'm so involved with Hikari. Because of who my father was - it's in my blood to protect her, somehow. And if she is Seiryuu's Priestess, then...then that makes a strange sort of sense. He's dead, but I...I'm not. I'm here to finish his job."

Hyoushin's eyes narrowed, and at first he did not reply. Then, slowly, he inclined his head.

"I believe I owe you an apology on that count." He said regretfully. "If you are drawn to Seiryuu no Miko's side the way your father was...concealing this from you may have been counter-productive. But I did not want you to grow up with the idea that you were the Shougun's offspring. Rather I wanted you to become your own person, first. It was my decision - and the Emperor abided by it. I apologise for the deception, Aoiketsu. Perhaps it was overprotective of me."

"Overprotective?" Aoiketsu eyed his companion quizzically, and Hyoushin offered a faint, rueful smile.

"Sometimes rationality does not dictate all of our judgements." He owned. "The Shougun was a powerful man, but he had darkness in him, too. I understand better than many the things he suffered and the reasons he fought the way he did. But nevertheless, Aoiketsu, I made a promise to your mother that I would see to raising you with Kutou in your heart and on your lips. And I wanted that too. For you to grow up without being shackled by the bitterness of your father. You were a shred of innocence born out of all that bloodshed. It was perhaps naive of me, but I thought if I could keep that instilled in you, perhaps it would carry forth in the quest for Kutou's peace."

Aoiketsu stared for a moment. Then he grinned, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm not angry at you for not telling me." He said frankly. "You're right - it'd have been a lot to grow up with - a burden on my shoulders all the way. Besides, even if I was angry about that, I couldn't stay it, could I? You raised me. You trained me. You taught me - not just how to fight, but how and when not to, too. In a sense it meant you were the closest thing I had to an actual father, growing up. I've realised that all the more since I've been here and had to make decisions for myself so much. So really, considering everything...I owe you too much to be cross about one little thing."

Hyoushin's eyes widened in surprise. Then he shook his head.

"I do not deserve such a label, although I won't pretend I dislike hearing it." He said frankly. "I am not currently even your Commander, Aoiketsu. But that you will still listen to my word...there is so much that I feel we have to do and so little time to do it. I sent Maichu on an errand yesterday, and I trust he will rendezvous with me in Souun tomorrow. Or no, the first light is beginning to break on the horizon...so later today. I must return there else he will worry for my safety. That being the case, I think the best plan would be...for you to return to your Suzaku comrades and attempt to explain our coming. I do not expect them to greet us with open arms - however, I think that if Maichu and I remain in Souun, if you and any of your companions wish to speak to us, it would be a more neutral talking ground. And perhaps then negotiations could begin by which we could find a settlement. For Kintsusei-sama's sake...I feel we must."

"All right." Aoiketsu looked doubtful. "But really, I think it would be okay if you came with me. Even if you didn't stay very long. Chichiri's not the kind of person who holds onto grudges - he doesn't even hate my father for all the things Nakago did to Kounan, and he's forgiven me for lying to him and spying on his family. And Hikari...you said you needed to speak to her. Right?"

"Yes, but it will keep till a more gracious hour, and I must not leave Maichu stranded." Hyoushin said sensibly. "I am glad at least to have made contact with you. I would like to make it back to Souun before the sun rises too far, however. Kounan is a beautiful land, but sadly the climate does not suit a Meihi's constitution."

"Really?" Aoiketsu looked surprised. "You didn't fight like Kounan's weather bothered you - or am I getting rusty?"

"No - your skill is still sharp, and you should keep it so." Hyoushin assured him. "It is not so warm by night, that is all. And I have always had a good perception of movement in the darkness. If you work on your concentration, you will become yet stronger - if you had not let your confidence distract you, perhaps you would have disarmed me this time."

He shrugged.

"It is almost daylight." He added, moving to stamp out the flickering firelight as the sky around them began to brighten with the first light of the day. "Return to your companions and pass on my message. If all is well, we will reconvene in Souun later today. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Aoiketsu nodded. "And tell Maichu that I'm glad he came south with you too, Sir. He did say that if I got into any trouble, he'd be here like a flash. I figure he decided the same thing when they tried to oust you."

"His loyalty is beyond question, just like yours." Hyoushin agreed gravely. "However, loyalty is a delicate thing. Not all of those who you call friends may remain so, if this is the path we have to take."

"I guess you mean Kayu, huh?" Aoiketsu frowned, and Hyoushin nodded.

"He owes much to Kikei." He agreed. "At present he is nothing more than a puppet. I do not believe he realises the implications of his actions - he thinks he is protecting the Emperor. But even if he came to realise it - I do not think I could imagine he'd betray the man who put food in his mouth and provided him with shelter and education when the war left him without anything at all. As you depended on me, Aoiketsu, Kayu depended on Kikei. And in the end, it may prove a bond that is too difficult to fully break."

Aoiketsu sighed, glancing at his hands.

"Then that's how it is, isn't it?" He said at length. "I like Kayu - I won't pretend I don't. And I don't want him to be a traitor, or anything like that. But...if...if he's against the Emperor, then he's my enemy. And if he's my enemy...I...I will fight him, if I have to. That's just what it means to be Kintsusei-sama's soldier. Doesn't it?"

"Well said." Hyoushin said softly. "But the words are easier than the action...bear it in mind, Aoiketsu. If we return to Kutou, it may come to it that your resolve is tested."

"That's why you wanted to see how determined I was." Aoiketsu realised, and Hyoushin nodded.

"A moment of doubt may cost everything." He agreed. "You have always had great strength, Aoiketsu. It is now more than any time before that Kutou will need you to find it. I will be counting on you...and I am sure that you will not let me down."

---

Well, it was as good a time as any.

From his position in the trees high over the heads of the two Kutou soldiers, Miramu toyed idly with the string of his bow, watching absently as Aoiketsu and Hyoushin parted ways. For a moment he kicked his legs idly against the trunk of his chosen hiding place, mulling over the things he had heard.

"It seems that ghost picks up a lot more information than just the truth of my stellar identity." He reflected, a wry grin on his lips as he contemplated this thought. "Sukunami Hikari...so that explains it, then. The way she reacted in Kitora's shrine - that glowing red light, and the fact she knew Taiitsukun. Suzaku no Shinzahou...very clever, Suzaku. Hide your treasure in the heart of a young girl. Not even Kikei could imagine the genius of the treasure's hiding place. And Hyoushin's own assertions - are they true? Is this the delusion of a Meihi jumping to conclusions, or is it possible that this blessed prize of Suzaku is also Seiryuu's talisman? I wonder. It makes interesting thinking. And it gives me plenty of ammunition to take back to Kutou. If I want to pry information out of Kikei, I believe I have leverage to determine the true scope of his plans."

He shrugged, watching the disappearing figure of Aoiketsu as he descended back down the pathway towards the Eastern Village.

"You're not my target, so there's no sense in getting you involved." He mused. "Although you are consorting with the enemy - you are a naughty boy, Aoi-kun. What would your Emperor say, if he knew the extent of your involvement with the south?"

He chuckled softly to himself.

"Not that that's my business, either." He acknowledged. "I'm here for quite another reason. And now I've found out all that Hyoushin knows...he's no longer useful to anyone. Of all people he might seek to trust in, Aoiketsu seemed the most likely candidate to hear all of his theories and concerns. Now that he's relieved himself of that burden, I can relieve him of another one. His life. After all, he isn't doing anything with it, especially. And it's nice to be paid for something I'm actually going to enjoy."

His eyes narrowed, a hard gleam entering the indigo eyes.

"Noone messes with me, or makes threats against me and survives." He muttered. "You know too much about me, and if you haven't disclosed it to others yet, I'll silence you before you do. It suits me for Kintsusei and Kikei not to know that I'm Amefuri - things may become complicated if they understood the full nature of my power and my curse. You should have kept out of my business, Hyoushin - I'll show you what it means to cross the Shadow of the West."

He glanced down, watching his prey as he surveyed the land, clearly working out the quickest and safest route back to Souun. Perhaps he was also scouring the area for any likely assassin hiding places, Miramu mused, amused at this ironic thought.

"Well, you can look all you like for me, but my hiding place is somewhere even your stone cold eyes can't see me." He murmured. "As you're about to discover...to your detriment. I would say there's nothing personal in it - I dislike mixing business with pleasure. But to be honest, this time I think I'd be lying."

He hesitated for a moment, sizing up the surrounding trees as he worked out the best way to carry out his task. Then he gave a little shrug, cocking his bow in the Meihi's direction and pausing only to gauge the angle of his shot. As he fed the distinctive, carefully sculpted arrow alongside the gut of the weapon, he allowed himself a rueful smile as he pulled the thin wire taut.

"Time for the shadow to reveal himself." He reflected frankly. "It's too late, Hyoushin. This round goes to me."

With that he released his grip, watching critically as the thin barb of wood and metal shot evenly through the air, the sun glinting off it as it whistled towards its target. At the last second, Hyoushin seemed to become aware that he was under attack and he turned, but it was too late to avoid the sharp point of Miramu's poisoned weapon and it struck his left side, burrowing through the woollen fabric and deep into the pale Meihi flesh.

Hyoushin's reaction was instantaneous, as from his perch Miramu saw him wheel around, reaching his right hand up to yank the barb free from his skin. There was a glitter of icy fury in his amethyst eyes as he gazed around him, clearly looking for the source of the attack.

"Come out where I can see you, Miramu!" He exclaimed, his words carrying across the empty landscape. "Or are you a coward that hides behind his bow?"

"I'm almost impressed." Miramu dropped his shields, and for the first time the Meihi's violet eyes met the assassin's teasing blue ones. "You seem angry, Hyoushin. At last perhaps I've found the way to make you so."

"Who sent you?" Hyoushin tossed the blooded barb aside, his expression one of disgust as he glared at his assailant accusingly. "Was it Kikei? Is this his idea of cleaning up his messes? Or are you simply acting on your own dark impulses? Is this a characteristic of Byakko's people – to act always to other people's detriment?"

Despite himself, Miramu bristled at the mention of the tiger deity, and he glowered back, lowering his bow as he sat back against his branch.

"You have no idea what you are dealing with." He said coldly, a sinister edge to his western tones. "Didn't I tell you that in Kutou? You are no match for one born like me, even if I don't pay court to that overgrown housecat. I have Amefuri's power, Hyoushin. If you understand that, you should have known it was foolish to cross me."

"What have you done to the Emperor?" Hyoushin's eyes narrowed. "I'm not fool enough to believe that you had nothing to do with my removal from his service."

"Tut tut." Miramu shook his head, a mocking, cold glitter in his seiran gaze. "Why would I speak to you about that? You're an exiled traitor and divulging information to you about Kutou's honoured Emperor isn't something I can do."

"I'm no traitor, and you know it as well as I."

"That's not the report I've heard." Miramu shook his head, his tone faintly taunting as he eyed the Meihi disparagingly. "As I hear it, you're the one who sealed your own fate. Consorting with potential enemies in Hokkan's mountains – even concealing secrets relating to the Shinzahou from Kintsusei-sama's attention. Or are these simply slanders, Hyoushin? I've always come to believe that there is no smoke without fire."

"The northern Meihi are noone's business but mine." Hyoushin said stiffly. "They have no part in my Emperor's requirements of me and I have not betrayed him by speaking with them. On the contrary, before it was forced from my hands, I obtained the Shinzahou by my dealing with them."

"And what about the corruption of the boys, Hyoushin? Shi Maichu left Touran not long after you, and you now hold the sword which it seems he chose to take with him. Now you're here communing with Kaiga Aoiketsu under cover of darkness. How will you answer that claim, then? That you are not only acting in guilt yourself, but turning the Emperor's loyal men against him with your deceptions?"

"Stop it." Hyoushin shook his head impatiently. "You are the fool if you truly think I would turn against Kintsusei-sama. Any man of sense who has ever served under me knows that as the truth. I am a Meihi, after all. Our word is broken only by death."

"Then you should start reviewing the promises you've been making, because you don't have long left in which to honour them." A predatorial glint entered Miramu's dark blue eyes, and he smiled, a cold, hollow smile. "I didn't expect you to pull the arrow so directly from the wound, and I give you credit for doing so without even the barest flinch. But it's already too late. I take precautions, you know. That arrow was laced with a venom that has no known antidote. Your choice is simply this. Submit to me and let me kill you quickly and cleanly right here and now. Or fight me, and die slowly from the effects of the serum. There aren't any other choices."

Hyoushin's expression darkened, and in that instant Miramu saw the wild, tribal rage that had instilled in Kintsusei the impulse to name his pale-skinned companion "Heart of Ice." No glimmer of warmth or compassion glittered in the cold amethyst eyes, and Miramu eyed him keenly, taking in with interest the transformation that had overcome his foe.

"Now I see how you got your name." He said conversationally. "You are truly an enigma, Hyoushin. Most would fly into a hot rage and declare their desire to spill my blood. But you…no, you're not the same. You truly do have a heart of ice beneath that pale ghost exterior of yours. And at long last I've seen it – the fury of a tribesman before he enters battle. This is the Hyoushin who has executed prisoners on the Emperor's behalf, is it not? The man who sliced off an enemy's head with one blow the first time he wielded a sword. I might almost be afraid of you – if I hadn't already taken that possibility into consideration."

Hyoushin's fingers closed around his weapon, hate glittering in his amethyst eyes.

"You underestimate me, then." He said softly. "I do not show mercy to the Emperor's enemies. Or did I not tell you, Miramu, that your wiles and your games cannot so easily kill a Meihi?"

"You did, but I think in the end your boast will amount to nothing." Miramu said easily. He hesitated, then hopped down from the tree, meeting the man's gaze calmly as he did so. "They do say that pulling an arrow from a wound quickens the bleeding, you know. And Meihi you may be, but you still bleed red blood. You are, in the end, a man just like any other man. Whatever you say or do, you are no better or stronger than any of the other poor fools I have slain. Not even that bandit Jin who fought so hard for his life. You are just another victim to the Shadow of the West…and you will soon be dead."

"It does not matter what you do." Hyoushin said evenly. "I have time enough to kill you before your antics kill me. Your aim was poor, Miramu. If you wished to kill me, you should have aimed for my heart."

"My aim was true." Miramu shook his head. "It would have been no fun to strike you down so quickly, after all. I wanted to see this you, Hyoushin. This man of rage and ice that I'd heard so much about. When I threatened Kintsusei's life, I saw a glimmer of it. But now, at last, I've drawn him out into plain sight. Your clothes are already soaking with blood – your left hand is slick with it, even as you clutch at your precious blade. Yet you face me as if you don't feel the slightest hint of pain. It's impressive, what the mind can do when faced with such a compelling distraction."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I aimed where I hit." He added. "Because the poison I used has paralytic qualities. And I know that if you cannot use your left arm, you cannot hurt me. You are a strong swordsman – almost legendary within Kutou, it appears. But you are also known for not being able to fight with your right arm. And therefore you are as weak as any other trained soldier. Remove the arm from the equation and you remove the immediate threat."

Hyoushin glared at him, defiance in his expression, but even as he did so Miramu was aware of the slight faltering of his companion's grip and his grin widened as he nodded his head.

"A little longer and your arm will probably become more of a hindrance than a weapon." He said softly. "I'll give you the choice one more time, Hyoushin. The poison that now invades your system is powerful, and unlike with most herbal toxins there is nothing that can neutralise it. You will die either slowly, in fever and distress, with paralysis and delusion creeping up through your limbs and into your heart to still it. Such a death may take hours – even days to fully accomplish. I cannot imagine it to be a pleasant way to end your life."

He shrugged.

"But there is a better solution. You may submit to me, and I will take your life here and now. It will be quick, that way, if you surrender and admit to me your weakness. I will be merciful…after all, my orders are simply to remove you from the equation."

"Your orders." Hyoushin echoed flatly. "Then it is Kikei's will…just as I thought. He moves against the Emperor like a snake in the grass, baring his fangs for the kill in secret. And now…now he seeks to rid Kintsusei-sama of those who remain truly loyal."

"A snake…what an interesting analogy." Miramu snorted. "I might almost call it topical, considering the circumstances."

"Don't play games, Miramu! Tell me the truth." Hyoushin snapped. "What is Kikei about? What ill does he have in store for my Emperor?"

"The truth is that Kintsusei-sama's seal authorised your dismissal." Miramu said cruelly. "Face it, Hyoushin. Your master has abandoned you. You are nothing more than a homeless, pointless stray, now. He has no further use for you. His concerns are no longer your business. And I am here to dispatch you."

"But not on the Emperor's orders." Hyoushin was unmoved. "Because Kintsusei-sama is a man of honour - a soldier who plays fair. Even if he doubted in me, he would hear my case and judge it fairly. He would summon me and allow me to speak about things that Kikei does not want him to know. Things concerning Seiryuu no Miko, perhaps. Things concerning…"

"Sukunami Hikari." Miramu agreed cheerfully, and a flicker of anxiety flared briefly in the Meihi's gaze. It was gone in an instant, but Miramu had seen it, and his smile widened.

"Yes, I know about Sukunami Hikari." He said evenly. "I heard your conversation with your boy, Hyoushin. To be honest with you, such things aren't very important to me. Nor is the Emperor of Kutou or his wishes or otherwise. I had simply hoped to make you die doubting his fidelity – but you're annoyingly steadfast when it comes to your faith in him."

Hyoushin did not respond, his expression forbidding as he absorbed Miramu's taunting words.

"Still, orders are orders." The assassin continued evenly. "I'm being paid to take you out – even if you can't be made to believe it was at the Emperor's command. How I do it is really not an issue to me. I'd like to enjoy it, however. So I'll cut a deal with you. You surrender to me, and drop your sword…and I will make it clean and swift. That benefits both of us, does it not? Since there is no other outcome…in two days or less you will be dead anyway, regardless of whether or not you fight me now. Not even Seiryuu no Miko would have the power to alter that – even if you did somehow come to speak to her."

Hyoushin was silent for a moment, then he raised his gaze, and Miramu was struck by the cold stoniness of his amethyst eyes.

"Two days is a long time." He said softly, his tones edged with something the assassin had not heard there before. "I have told you, Miramu. I have fought adversity and lived through it – I am not so easy to erase. There will not be a day in this world where you live and I do not. If that means I will kill you and then die myself, so be it. I am not afraid of death. I am not afraid of anything – and I am not afraid of you. You underestimate the strength of a Meihi's will yet again. I can still hold my sword. And so long as I can do that, I will never surrender to anyone."

His grip tightened on the hilt of the weapon, although Miramu's eagle eyes noticed a first flicker of pain dart across the pale man's brow as he drew the blade fully from its sheath.

"So now we will see what men of Byakko are truly made of." Hyoushin continued darkly. "Arm your bow, Miramu. Draw your dagger. Let us fight as men, not as cowards hiding in the trees. If you are so much a stronger man than me, then prove it. Poison is a weak man's weapon. I wish to see you fight."

Miramu gazed at him for a moment, taking in the resolute coldness in his opponent's features. Somehow the man seemed paler than ever. Or perhaps, he mused, it was simply the direct contrast of the spreading stain of red liquid that now darkened the breast of his foe's clothing. To Miramu the stitching on the fabric held no meaning, but had he but known it the spread of blood had already obscured Lirayi's neatly stitched Meihi character for 'peace'. To his expert gaze, he knew that the Meihi was losing blood swiftly, and yet he showed no outward signs of it, his stance solid as he gazed at Miramu expectantly.

"Well?" He pressed quietly. "Are you that afraid that you cannot prove your conviction to me?"

"If that's how you want it." Miramu shrugged, pulling the dagger from his belt as he twisted it deftly in his fingers. "I'm not much for contact fighting, and I've no intention of meeting your legendary blade if I can avoid it. But if you want to fight, then yes, I'll fight you. In the end it might be more fun that way. After all, vigorous action like that will only spread the poison more quickly through your body – in the end that suits me as much as anything else."

"So be it then." A look of grim determination flared in Hyoushin's cold violet gaze. "Enough talking. This will settle it once and for all."