Did you know, little girl, that his gift is over life?
'Yes, the power to take it away.'
Hmmm…. the voice in her head was distracted.
Chapter Eight: The Gift of Blood
Tsubame watched the pair who sat in the middle of the grand room. She couldn't move and neither can the others pull away from the sight. Lord Himura's eyes blazed, his voice grated at the walls. Full of pain and lust and love. The earth began to quake. Thunder roared.
The amber light filled the grand room in a glorious golden wash. Its force oppressed the air in Tsubame's lungs, she found that she had trouble breathing. Yahiko grabbed her arm and urged her to leave, but she couldn't leave them. The two beautiful creatures that she had been quietly observing from afar in the past three months were no longer beautiful. A shriveled body, bloodless and pale. A monster in the making, lustful and angry. This was her fault.
Yet Yahiko was insistent and swept her out of the grand room to find refuge somewhere else. Outside the palace, they saw the streak of lightning that halved the abyssal skies. Darker than night, their only source of light was the thunderstorm that threatened to rip the heavens. Tsubame wanted to dash inside the palace again in sheer fright, but when she looked back at the palace, it was no longer recognizable. The proud pillars started to crash, the palace started to implode, trapping her master and his mistress. But just as the roof started to fall in, the palace erupted in a heavy flow of amber shooting straight to the skies, mixing with the defiant lightning. She saw… no … she experienced the most terrifying beauty of their powers.
Kenshin held her in his arms, cradling her lifeless body, as they levitated above the ruins. A stream of blood followed them as if a long trailing piece of cloth. It swirled around the two beings, encompassing them in its crimson hold. A sheen of sapphire and gold washed over the scene, causing Tsubame to shield her eyes from the brightness. When she opened her eyes again, the skies were clear, and, if not for the ruins in front of her, she could have sworn that nothing happened. Tsubame looked around, and then up. She saw in the sky two figures falling.
Aoshi dashed towards the ruins, closely followed by Misao and Sano. He scrambled up and leaped into the air to catch Kenshin. Kenshin's clothes were gone, his hair freely flowing like the spread of skies in sunset. Misao caught Kaoru in midair as well, her hair flowing like midnight tresses in the air around her. Sano took off his shirt and placed it on Kaoru's naked form when Misao landed. Tsubame ran after Aoshi, who was in the process of dressing Kenshin in his own coat. She looked at her master's face and sighed in relief: he was breathing.
"Kaoru's not breathing," Yahiko whispered.
Kaoru's body no longer held any wounds, the gash in her chest was gone, and it seemed that she was even a little flushed. Yet no air filled her lungs and she made not a sound. To their surprise, Kenshin stirred and started to stand up. Aoshi helped him up when he saw Kenshin's eyes, full of determination. Aoshi held him steady as he forlornly walked over to Kaoru, dropping to his knees by her side.
Tears streamed freely after he had looked at her for a long time. It seemed that even with the blazes of hell itself, nothing could bring back the blind priestess.
Unlike the first time, when he dropped his head towards hers, his eyes held no lust. He kissed her.
Her slightly parted lips were warm in his, and a feverish chill went through him when he realized that he was kissing a dead body. But he didn't stop, he caressed her cheeks and willed her to live.
His eyes opened wide when he felt the air in his lungs sucked away—and it wasn't just air that was taken from him. He closed his eyes again and let Kaoru take a drink of his life. When they were finished, he fainted on her chest in a deep sleep.
Kaoru opened her eyes. She blinked. She closed them tight and opened them again. She sighed. She was still blind. She tried to get up but found the warm smell of ginger pressing upon her body. She stroke his hair and contentedly let her eyes close again as she fell in tune to the rhythm of his heart through her skin.
Kaoru rode with Misao on Kenshin's horse, while Aoshi held Kenshin steady on his. Both were still asleep murmuring sweet nothings as if they were in the same dream. Aoshi looked down at his lord and almost smiled for Kenshin looked as young and as innocent before he was ever taught the ways of the sword.
The group had to take a different route back to camp since the quickest pass was blocked by a landslide caused by the quake. There was only one route out of the mountains and that was through a dry riverbed.
Yet Akai River was no longer dry.
"Is that blood?"
The weather had been poor since the war started. It had rained mercilessly on the battlefield, creating a mesh of mud, blood, and entrails. Aoshi winced at the image. The water that washed away the fields ended at the river, and there he was. The group witnessed the mixture of blood between enemies, friends, and beloveds. It swamped the riverbed.
Kaoru suddenly woke up and found the strength to walk. Her fingers crackled blue and she jumped into the thick syrupy water.
Her blood pumped rigorously in her veins as she felt the kindred feeling around her.
'This is where you came from…' Kaoru moaned in satisfaction as the river flushed her with absolute warmth, like that of a lover.
Above the surface, Kenshin gained consciousness and stared down at the river. He knew what had happened and jumped in after the girl. Yet the water was so thick, he didn't know where to start looking—its not like she was in trouble anyways.
I suppose you could call it that. It's my dwelling. This river is as old as the lands itself.
'You have something to tell me.'
I love this place.
Kaoru felt her own blood pass through her luminescent skin and mingle with the particles of life that swam around her. A river of blood… it didn't even bother her that it was the blood of many others, of dead people, of lost loved ones. Blood is life. She was determined to know where her blood will lead her.
'Tell me.'
There's so much to tell…
'I've died twice already. You owe me much.' The voice inside her twisted in discomfort.
Kaoru snorted and laughed—underwater… actually, underblood.
This river flowed during times of peace. Not with blood, mind you, but with clear water. Sweet water that could run down your throat and give you pleasures unimaginable. Give you strength eternal. It stopped flowing when the wars started. The war between the Mitsurugi and the Ryu and the war of the Carnelians. The spirits saw to it that the wonders of this river would not be used for vile purposes.
Kaoru, the river flows now because of a prophecy. That prophecy is about you. Your gift is my curse. My redemption is your life.
'Who are you?'
I am Fate.
The water and the blood around her swirled and cleared. A light effused out from Kaoru's body and in front of her emerged a beautiful woman swathed in blue light. She was a mirror-image of Kaoru. Yet this woman held a certain aura around her, the aura of a goddess. Kaoru shrank away from the divine being that graced her with such magnificence.
Do not cower from me, it is I who should humble myself to you. I have chosen you and you've met my challenge with more than can be expected.
'You look like me' Kaoru choked.
Yes, because I was reborn in your body. You are still yourself, and your body is yours. Yet it took its physical form from my mold, which is why you look so stunning yourself.
'Reborn?'
Your mother, may she rest in peace, made a deal with me. I used her as my vessel so that I could serve my term of punishment.
'What?'
Do you know what love is, Kaoru?
Kaoru was taken aback by the question. She stammered. 'I-I don—'
Of course you do.
'But you told me I could never love anyone, it was part of my pact with you.'
No, I told you, you cannot makelove to anyone, as in 'you must be a virgin during my indefinite time with you.' But you can love someone…
You love the assassin. A plain and simple statement that left Kaoru speechless. Good. The goddess's face softened towards Kaoru and she grabbed Kaoru's hands. Love him, Kaoru, for my sake.
'But—I can't. I can't if you… if you want me to stay as I am.' Kaoru blushed at her words, she didn't recognize herself. She had been so adept with Kenshin's consciousness, she never once considered her own feelings, the desires of her own body.
You are just like your mother. Kaoru's eyes snapped up to meet the goddess's playful gaze.
Kaoru sit down. Kaoru obeyed. As a goddess certain rules apply to me, I broke one of them. Now I must find my redemption in the human world. A human is gifted when they are born with fallen spirits who are cursed to punishment. It is not a good life, and often it destroys the human, but it is the only way to control us spirits.
I was looking for such a human and met your mother. She was sent away right after her marriage to the King of Carnelia. Poor girl, she did not even have her wedding night. Which suited my purposes, for she needed to be a virgin and a woman of considerable authority for me to act. I told her in a dream that I needed to be reborn. She wouldn't agree. She felt as if she was being robbed of her own womanhood. In other words, she wanted to have love. She didn't just want to get pregnant. The goddess gave Kaoru a mischievious eye and smiled at her seductively. Kaoru backed away…
'You didn't, my mother—you're both women!'
No! Heavens no. But as you may well know, my powers do extend to human consciousness… And with that, the goddess touched Kaoru's forehead.
Kaoru felt her body pushed down and pressed upon heavily. She opened her eyes and found herself staring at another pair of eyes. Amber eyes. A hand creeped up her kimono, tenderly caressing the side of her thigh. She moaned and threw her head back. A swirl of wet flesh dragged itself down her collarbone, scraping at her skin with teeth. She felt him sucking down at the side of her breast. She opened her eyes and pulled at his red hair, flowing freely and around her, encompassing her body in the glow of crimson. She pulled his face up, and he dragged his body up her already exposed legs. She felt the hardness of his arousal and wedged herself in between his legs.
But before he could go any further, Kaoru felt a finger lifted from her forehead. Everything disappeared, and the goddess was smiling at her.
I gave her one of my memories. She enjoyed it too. The goddess smiled mischieviously as she placed her own finger to her forehead. She released a moan, but shook herself from her stupor. Ah, it's not as good as the real thing.
'But your memory… that was Kenshin!'
I suppose you can say that, but not really.
'What the--?!'
That was my sin Kaoru. I broke my own pact to virginity and fell in love with a god. That god was Life.
'WHAT?!'
I didn't know it before. It's twisted really. I thought the prophecy was meant for my own punishment only. I mean, I am an important goddess, but then so is he. I didn't think the prophetess would be so creative as to put us together in the same prophecy. Quite the fox she is. I didn't know that the assassin would be him, reborn.
The goddess closed her eyes as if in remembrance.
'You're in love with Kenshin?'
No, I'm in love with the god in him. His gift, Kaoru. That primate of a god that took on his body. Baka…
Well actually, I'm the idiot. I should have known it was him. But you were blind this whole time so I didn't know.
'But I saw him, you saw him.. I dont understand'
The full extent of my consciousness was wakened the first time you died, its part of the prophecy. However, because of my waking, your eyes died, so I could not use them myself.
'But can you not see his image when I think of him?'
I don't recognize him. I know its him, but there are certain things that keep us from completely reading the minds of humans. Another aspect of control over us gods.
'Does he not recognize you then?'
No. He was stripped of his memory of me, its part of his punishment. It's worse for him.
'What now?'
Things are about to get worse.
'I know that.'
Very well, I'll tell you everything. Life and I fell in love. My sin was that I gave myself to him. His sins, however, are far more serious. He aided the war here, trying to make it a better world for the humans. I was sympathetic, but I wasn't one to fiddle with human destiny. He took the life of many, his hands the cause of many tears. It was how we met each other, he was trying to find atonement before his judgment. We were fools then, and we didn't know how we ended up in each other's arms. But because of it he was never able to find forgiveness, since another sin was added to his list.
I was on good terms with the prophetess who arranged our punishment. I asked her for one last favor. I asked her that my redemption be at the same time of his. I didn't exactly realize that she would give us the same scenario.
I hadn't realize it was him until he breathed life into you. I knew he could kill, but any god has that skill. Only one can give life. I wasn't able to save you myself, Kaoru, because your blood—in which I dwell—had drained out of you. It was through his power that I was restored to your body and you breathed again.
'He drove his sword through me. Twice.'
Prophecies are like that.
'Damn.'
The goddess looked at her and laughed. Kaoru joined in. Then she stopped, she realized that she was actually looking at the goddess. 'I can see!?' The goddess looked at her sadly.
No. It's just my power. You will be blind when I give you back.
'Give me back? Oh no! I'm in the river…'
Hold on. Let me just finish up, then you can leave. About Kenshin. You may love him. You can do anything you want with him. Just don't lose your virginity. And don't worry, I'll be there to shock him if he goes too far. As for the prophecy, leave that to me. I'm just glad this is almost over.
'What pact did you make with my mother? What did you give her in return?' Kaoru needed to ask this question—there was a hint of another emotion in her voice. Another question nagged at her: why did she die?
The goddess looked at her with a gaze that said 'are you sure you want to know?' Kaoru nodded. She asked for the death of the Kamiya dynasty. Except you, of course. She hated your father and the Carnelian throne. Silence. The goddess was not yet done however.
She asked for her life when she saw your eyes. It was my gaze that she saw, my desperation. I didn't anticipate her killing herself, but I supposed she thought it was best. She was right, you know. I don't know how I could have kept you a virgin if you looked like me. Priesthood was a better choice compared to the royal life, which would have been proper had she lived. The goddess gave her a wan smile. Kenshin is looking for you, walk towards the warmth and you will surface.
'When will this be over?'
Soon, I promise. But be prepared, you may not like the end.
'Will I still get my one wish of absolution?'
Yes, anything you want. My word still stands. Now go, Kenshin is trying to drown himself to bring you back.
Kenshin had been ducking and diving for the last thirty minutes. The others wanted to do the same but they couldn't touch the river, something snapped at them, keeping them at bay. Suddenly the river became as clear as crystal, the blood cleared and the water cleansed.
Misao screamed in surprise. Kenshin surfaced and saw what everyone was looking at.
Two feet away from him, the priestess walked out of the water. Naked in the afternoon sun, the water dripped languorously down her curves, her pale porcelain skin. She emerged calmly out of the water, her gaze dignified, her chin proud, and her back straight. Kenshin swam over and caught up with her, grabbing her wrist. Kaoru turned towards him and blinked. She was still blind.
"Kenshin?"
"Kaoru."
"My clothes please."