Chapter 34:
Part 2:
Faraco felt Lee's gay laughter wash over him. It was clear that Lee was enjoying herself greatly in the absurd games she and the children engaged in and he was happy to bask in her undisguised glee. It was almost dark now and he could see her resting in the shadows one of the magnificent trees that dotted this garden. The children sat around her feet listening with avid interest to the story she narrated to them, lounging on the green grass that spread like a soft carpet under them.
' This is like a perfect picture. She looks so happy.' Faraco frowned. ' Then why the hell do I feel apprehensive of my own shadow?'
The nagging feeling of unease that has assaulted him ever since he set foot on Fa Sang did not abate. Instead it increased exponentially as the day progressed, clawing like a crab in his gut.
' It would seem that Menesku has succeeded into inducing some of his paranoia in me.'
Lee looked happy and even though seeing her smile always made him happy, his happiness was soured by a nagging sense of fear in his heart.
' What am I afraid of? '
He had turned this question over and over in his mind but he received no answer. That was what, he decided, troubled him: the very fact that he could not rationalize his fears.
Twilight would soon give way to night and Faraco found himself wishing that Lee would head back to her room. The trees that surrounded him suddenly seemed like ominous shadows and the wind that sifted through the dark leaves seemed to whisper a frightened warning into his ear.
' What rubbish!'
He saw Lee getting up and dusting her tunic. He saw her smiling at one of the children who was relating something very animatedly to her. In the end she nodded. The child who was talking to her pulled at her sleeve coaxing her to follow them.
' Where are you going Lee?' He frowned at her retreating figure. ' That is not the way to your room.'
His vision had reduced drastically because he was in the form of a bird and all birds don't see so well at night. Sighing he transformed back into his human form and lightly landed on the ground.
'Che. Like this makes a difference.' Faraco always rued the fact that he was unable to complete the transition from one form to another almost immediately and now his weakness rankled even more. He could understand that Lee had almost moved out of earshot and hurried to catch up with her. ' Lee, do you realize that Menesku will chew me up for letting you wander so far from your quarters?'
His feet made little noise on the grass as he walked briskly. 'Damn human speed and damn human hearing. I can't sense Lee anymore. Well, I guess I'll have to walk faster and when I meet up with her I'll have to coax her to return.'
Night descended suddenly, thrusting her dark cloak over the lands.
'Oh joy.'
There were several marble fairies scattered throughout the garden. Each held a shallow dish in their hands. With the coming of night all of these trays burst into flames.
' Wow! ' Faraco was amazed, his legs stilled of his own accord. ' This is so magical.'
The flickering yellow flames cast leaping shadows on the garneled trunks and even though their light succeeded in liquefying the darkness somewhat, it failed to disperse the concentrated darkness that formed under the trees and for a while Faraco felt that the shadows around him were alive.
' Do get a grip on yourself Faraco. ' He gave himself a little shake and started to walk ahead.
He found himself unable to take another step. 'What the...' It seemed something had coiled around his leg and refused to let him go. He felt something akin to dread creep up his spine as he looked down to ascertain what held him. His eyes widened a little. 'By Suzaku...'
He could see white skeletal fingers wrapped around his ankle poking out through the rotting flesh that still clung to it like tattered cloth ...
His hands almost instinctually gripped the handle of the short sword he carried and he swung it without a second thought.
The hairs at the nape of his neck rose as a scream from some unknown source echoed through the garden; the sound so unreal that it seemed to come from the mouth of some creature burning in the fires of hell as rotten foul smelling blood emerged from the wound he had inflicted. He watched horrified as the severed hand shriveled into nothingness...
'What the hell was that?' Before his mind could provide an answer Faraco felt himself violently pulled onto the grass landing ingloriously on his back.
He felt several hands grip his body in their cruel grip, the smell of rotting flesh and putrid breath assaulted him and he struggled to be free. He felt something sink its teeth into his calf. His eyes widened in horror when he realized that it was a skull that gnawed into the muscles of calf blossoming from the ground like some macabre flower.
Gritting his teeth he forced his sword arm free and hacked himself out of the bonds that held him, all around he heard the screams but now they seemed like the call of a predator when they have smelled their prey. Wincing he saw the skull still hanging to his leg like a bulldog. Savagely he thrust the sword into the hollow of its eye and wrenched himself free.
All around him the grass parted and skeletal hands snatched at his feet like hungry sharks, trying to draw him into their deadly embrace. Faraco gritted his teeth and vaulted himself on a thick branch of the nearest tree.
' Well, I'll be damned.' He could hear the loud thump of his heart and his tunic was wet with sweat as he hurriedly tied a handkerchief around the wound in his leg to stem the flow of blood.
He saw the hands search for him blindly. Then the tone of the cries that echoed through the garden changed, now they sounded angry and Faraco could almost feel a strange sort of hunger in their unearthly call. He saw the ground being churned under him as clumps of moist earth was expelled upwards and something began to rise ponderously from its depths.
' Ugh.' Faraco could not suppress the shudder of revulsion that ran through his being. ' What manner of horrors are these?'
The creatures hobbled under the leafy canopy of the tree where he hid, still rotting flesh hanging onto their white bones, their gait slow and fumbling, and for a while Faraco imagined that he could see worms burrowing into the hollow of their eyes. To his horror they began to mill around the base of the tree, socket less faces turned upwards. Their tone changed again. Now they were begging and Faraco has the unplesant sensation that they were like dogs begging a choice morsel from their master.
' Yeah that's a disturbing thought, especially if you realize that you are that morsel.' Faraco frowned. ' No matter. They will not reach me here.'
The dark leaves around him rustled in some kind of mocking laughter and Faraco felt something coil around his leg, violently wrenching him up and suspending him upside down over the creatures that hankered for his blood. Faraco's eyes widened as the thick green creeper that held by his ankle slowly began to uncoil.
"Oh no, you don't." Clawing in the air he fell in the midst of the creatures, almost immediately coming to his feet his sword rising and falling in an infallible rhythm.
But the creatures crowded around him, not heeding to the wicked steel, instinctively knowing that their sheer number would eventually overcome him. Faraco understood that as well, vaguely aware the teeth that sunk into his flesh.
' Well, desperate times call for desperate measures.' The sign on his chest glowed a vivid red, and his normally brown eyes swirled into a predatory yellow color.
With a growl Faraco broke through, claws gutting the corpses into shreds as he leapt clear of the creatures to land soundlessly on his padded feet. His yellow eyes betrayed his bloodlust, his black pelt was sticky with his own blood, sinews taught and sharp canines bared savagely.
The creatures moved towards him, driven by some kind of perverse hunger.
He crouched, tail lashing in a warning rhythm behind him, a low feral growl rising from deep within his chest. ' Come and I will send you back to where you came from.'
Without a warning he leapt into the fray, knowing that he was cornered by something akin to a pack of rabid dogs, and like rabid dogs they should be disposed of. The thrill of war danced like a drug in his system and he became almost drunk with the mournful cries they emitted, when he smelled something.
It was the smell of blood, fresh blood, which drew his attention over the overpowering putrid smell that surrounded him, connecting with something very dear in his head. Rearing up his head Faraco gave a roar of rage.
' Lee...'
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
"We are here!" Toru declared throwing up his hand happily.
Lee gaped. Nothing had prepared her for anything like this when she had stepped through the lovely ornamented archway.
' This is so Indiana Jones.' The voice in her head whistled.
Lee had to agree. She seemed to standing in front of an ancient ruin. Broken columns rose dejectedly from the thick undergrowth, creepers curling around their girth lovingly as they spiraled upwards. Crooked gnarled trees emerged from the cracks in the once grand masonry and a narrow path of cobbled stones disappeared in the greenery.
"Wow!" Her voice was awed. "What is this place?"
"Oh, its only the old temple." Toru shrugged. "It has been like this forever. Come on. We always play hide and seek here. "
"I see." Lee smiled.
It was dark now. Lee saw that somebody had lit the torches that were built into the columns suffusing the darkness with their flickering yellow lights.
"Come on." Toru pulled at her hand. "Don't you want to play?"
"Sure. "Lee shrugged.
' I say lets head home.' The voice in her head sounded uneasy. ' This place is disturbing me. Besides Menesku said that he would call on you this evening. If he finds you wandering, without protection, then he will give you a handsome trimming, miko or no miko.'
"Oh shut up." Lee growled. " Look, I actually enjoyed myself this afternoon. When was the last time we enjoyed so much? I must admit that this place is a trifle creepy but it is sort of interesting. "
' Well suit yourself.' Her inner voice said bleakly. ' But don't say I didn't warn you.'
"Lady."
Lee felt a tug on her sleeve. Looking down she saw the golden haired girl try to gain her attention. "Yes Leila?"
Leila frowned. "What are you thinking Lady?"
"Nothing. Say, do you want to play or not?"
"Yeah!" The children chorused.
"Very well then. Get into a circle and let us find the seeker. "
They scrambled into a circle around her. In the end, after several eliminations only Toru was left.
"Toru." Lee smiled at the boy. "We will hide and you will have to find us. "
Toru's cheeks puffed angrily. "Fine. " He grumbled, turning to face the column.
"Remember, count till ten and no peeking. " With a giggle Lee dove into the shrubbery.
'Well this is certainly a good place to play hide and seek. But I would like to reiterate what I said earlier.' The voice in her head said mulishly as she parted the large leaves to find a hiding place for herself. ' We should go back.'
'Oh shut up.' Lee squashed her inner voice ruthlessly, finding a cozy hiding place behind a broken wall. A cluster of large dark leaves formed a canopy over her head and a curtain of creepers created a perfect camouflage for her.
But as she sat there, she felt something akin to unease coil in her heart. She concluded that it was this sudden silence that had engulfed her that put her on the edge. She was already missing the rambunctious yells and cheerful giggles that had surrounded her all through the afternoon.
She heard a small sound. Something seemed to be approaching her.
' Finally.' She grinned and sat absolutely still.
She felt somebody stop a little further from her hiding place. In the fickle light of the dancing shadows she saw tiny padded feet pause not far from where she crouched.
' Toru?' She grinned soundlessly and waited for the appropriate moment to jump up and surprise the boy.
There was a swish and Lee instinctively stiffened. She had heard that sound one too many times these last few days, the sound made by a naked blade as it violently through the air. The canopy of leaves that covered her went flying and she rolled away, an action fuelled by some instinct of survival in her mind. Something bit into her arm that she had flung up to defend herself and even though the cut was not deep it bled copiously.
She grasped the wound, looking up at her assailant. ' What?'
Toru looked down at her, his hand fisted over a katana that should have been normally too heavy for him to even up, blood dripping from its razor edge. Horrified she realized it was her blood. Toru looked at her with emotionless eyes, a ghost of a smile touching his pale lips.
"Found you." He said in a singsong voice.
' What? Toru ... is he possessed?' Lee tried to keep her voice from shaking. " Toru. Its me."
Toru inclined his head, studying her with dead blue eyes. "I know." He raised the katana again.
' I don't give a shit if he is possessed. ' The voice in her head snapped. ' Run!'
Lee scrambled away, narrowly escaping the blade as it swished down again, dashing through the forest. ' What the hell happened?'
The forest seemed to be impeding her progress, the shrubs snagged her clothes, and the undergrowth seemed to curl around her legs. In her blind haste she tripped over the edge over a root of a tree and went tumbling down in a inglorious heap.
' Ouch.' She grimaced grasping her wounded knee.
' Now calm down. We don't need a broken ankle at this time as well.' Lee wondered how the irritating voice in her head could sound so calm. ' You are bleeding like a pig all over this place. You might feel faint with so much loss in blood. Stem the flow of blood you stupid girl.'
Obediently Lee whipped up the handkerchief she carried and tied it over her wound.
' Good girl. Now our next order of business is to get out of here. We have to find a way out of this place.'
The leaves in front of her rustled. Lee stiffened. Soon a head with tousled golden curls came into view. Lee couldn't help but let out a smile of relief. " Leila. Are you..."
She had hardly finished when she felt something sting in her shoulders. Horrified she saw a small dragger stuck in her shoulder. Her eyes widened as Leila raised her face and Lee saw the same dead expression in their depths as she raised her hand to throw another dragger. Lee ducked, the dragger buried itself in the trunk above her head. Acting on instinct she turned and ran hearing Leila's piping voice call after her.
"Why are you running away Lady? Don't you want to play with us any more?"
After sometime she became vaguely aware that she wasn't being followed anymore. She sank to the ground. The deep wound at her shoulder dyed her tunic red and she was feeling a little faint.
' Don't you dare faint.' The voice in her head growled. ' By the way, do you realize that you have a knife stuck in your shoulder?'
Lee turned and saw the hilt poking through her tunic and felt something nauseating coil in her stomach.
She doubled over and was violently sick.
' Are you feeling okay now?' The voice asked gruffly. 'Very well. Now wipe your mouth and pull that out of your shoulder. It will help you when those brats from hell attack you. But what with the Jekyel and Hyde thing?'
"Shut up." Gritting her teeth she pulled the dragger out." And to think I used to throw a tantrum even I got pricked by a needle."
' Yeah, yeah. That's all very well. I am sure that Menesku would be going berserk by now because you are not in your room. He will come searching for you. All you have to do is to survive till then.'
"Yeah. But how?" Lee thought grimly, tearing the sleeve of her tunic to stem the flow of blood from her shoulders.
' Find a hiding place and hide, you moron.'
OoOoOoOoOoOoO
Liang paused, taking a large whiff of the fresh sea air. The chariot of the Sun God had almost disappeared behind the wall of fog that surrounded Fa sang like a veil. Night was coming, the red gold color of the sky slowly completing their transition to the deeper shades of darkness. A strong wind blew from the sea, playing with his hair and wiping the sweat from his brow. The ship in which they came in bobbed peacefully on the serene blue waters where it was anchored.
Turning around he saw that the lamps were being lit, their yellow light shining through the windows. The fires in the hearth must have been lit as he could see smoke curl up from the crude chimneys that rose from the thatched roofs. He turned towards the ship again.
' What are them morons doing?' Liang frowned.
The ship bobbed silently, a dark, looming shadow totally out of place in this warm homely picture. The lanterns that hung from the mastheads were not lit, nor could Liang hear the strange songs that Timur and his cronies always seemed to hum or their rambunctious yells when they gambled in the evenings. This could mean only one thing.
' Them bastards got their hands on me sake!' Liang growled. Walking briskly up the inclined platform he stepped on the deck.
"Yo." He called out. "Come 'ere."
The ship bobbed silently and only the soft wind rustling through the sails answered him. ' Them bastards must be totally drunk. Well, me self's gonna throw them into the sea.'
He brought down a lantern and lit it, its leaping yellow flame casting some light on the now dark deck. Night had come suddenly.
' Damn inconvenient.' Liang held the lantern up and slowly climbed down the narrow ladder into the hollow belly of the ship.
The sweeping beam of the lantern found no drunk sailor wallowing on the sooty floorboards. It fact it fell on nobody. The entire place was empty. Liang frowned. He had not sensed anybody in the cabin upstairs, and nobody was down here either. That would mean the entire ship was empty.
' Them fools went ashore?' Liang shrugged. 'Oh well.'
He turned to go, but something drew his attention. He swung the light to shine it on the rickety table that served as their dining table during their journey here. He could see dinner laid out on the table, the plates had been laid out and one of the sake bottles was brought out. He moved closer. He saw half eaten breads on the plates and the stew that still simmered over the charcoal fire. Apparently, they had sat down for dinner.
' Where did they ...' He froze squinting his eyes. ' What is that?'
He moved closer, something unpleasant coiling in his stomach. In the darkness, and from his position near the stairs, it had appeared like a spray of some dark glistening liquid over the table ...
' Blood.' He grimaced.
The dark liquid stained the table, sluggishly dripping over the edge and forming a pool on the floor. There was no other sign of struggle.
' What does this mean?'
"Hello there. "
Startled Liang turned around. He recognized the burly shilloutes to be that of Timur's standing just outside the perimeter of the light, but the voice that came from his throat was certainly not Timur's. It was a low silky voice, slightly mocking, yet the tone made him feel that something evil was crawling up his skin.
"Do you like my handiwork?" Timur continued. "Notice, how I have perfectly maintained the ambience. "
Liang inclined his head a little, his voice was casual but his hands curled around his tessen. "Well, I don't give a shit about that. You gotta explain this before meself beat the fucking daylights out of ya."
"Ah! Such language. I am shocked. I hate it when people can't appreciate art. No matter. I will still include you in my new masterpiece. "
"Well here's me answer." Liang growled. "Rekka Shien !"
Red-hot flames roared, swirled through the darkness, singing everything it touched, but it failed to find its mark. At the last instant Timur deftly leapt aside, his agility surprising Liang. Timur was a large man, powerful but not so agile and quite unable to perform the double somersault he did now to get out of the way.
Liang tensed. "You ain't Timur. Who are ya?"
Timur laughed, and once again he had the sensation of something creeping up his skin. "What's in a name O' fanged one ? But you may call me Butcher. "
"Butcher, eh? Now look 'ere bastard, what did ya do with them others?"
"Nothing. I merely added them to my collection and such fine specimens they are too. "
Liang blinked. "Why can't ya just say that ya killed them ?"
Timur or Butcher, whatever his name was, laughed once more. "Come, come, O' fanged one, why bother with such insignificant details? But I must admit that you will be amongst my finest creations."
"Yeah ?" Liang's lips curved into a predatory smile. "We'll see. "
Moving fast he vaulted over the table, his foot connecting heavily with Butcher's jaw. The force of the impact send Butcher flying into wall knocking over the large barrels that stored smoked meat. He lay there silent, head twisted in an odd angle, hands loosely curled around the short axe he carried.
' That was easy. ' Liang frowned. ' Did meself break his neck ?'
Liang edged forward. He had hardly taken a step when Butcher got up. It was almost as if a string had been attached around his body jerking it into an upright position. The head still lolled in that odd angle and it looked like his neck was indeed broken.
"Look at what you have done. " Butcher's voice was angry now. "You dirtied this beautiful skin. "
Liang blinked. ' Skin?'
"It does not matter. Your skin is so much better O' fanged one."
Almost instinctively Liang flung up his tessen to defend himself. The axe came down with a swish, its impact jarring Liang's arm. Liang curled his free hand and dug it into Butcher's abdomen. His eyes widened. His hands passed through the tunic hitting nothing.
He was so off guard that he did not notice one of Butcher's foot coming up to connect with his solar plexus. He was thrown back and almost instantaneously the swishing axe came down again. He rolled aside desperately, just managing to prevent his arm being chopped off.
"Sorry about that." Butcher rolled up the tunic to reveal a gaping hole in his stomach. "I forgot to stitch that up after I removed the guts. "
Liang felt bile rise in his throat. "You sick fucking bastard. "
He moved in, his mouth pursed into a thin straight line. ' Suzaku, why the hell did that batty old hag hide that damn scroll in this hell hole?' He vaulted aside, narrowly escaping the axe. ' Me dad's right. Them women, nothing but trouble. Speaking of women ... Chulivey... Oh man.'
He stiffened, feeling something move behind him, before he could whirl around he felt something hot thrust through his shoulders. Pain exploded through his being as he wrenched himself away, holding his shoulder. One of the other crewmen had slunk behind him and had thrust the narrow iron rod used to grill meat through his shoulders.
' Fucking bastards.' He growled all of a sudden becoming aware that he and the erstwhile Timur were not the only occupants of the room. He could see four other shadows surround him. ' Where the hell did they come from? And why did meself not sense them?'
"Slowly." It was not a single voice. Rather all the shadows spoke in unison, as it was the same entity divided into several bodies. "Let us not damage that skin. Make one single clean cut. "
' What is going on 'ere?' Liang crouched in the center, warily looking at the others that surrounded him. ' Us? How many butchers are there?'
They rushed in. Liang found himself on the defensive, unable to maneuver in the narrow place they had cornered him into. ' Well, meself gonna bust outta here. '
He raised his tessen, sweeping it in a circular motion around him. A roaring circle of white-hot fire circled him suddenly expanding in a vicious spiral, drawing in the men that surrounded him. There was a high-pitched screech that echoed through the ship, before everything was silent again.
Liang sifted the pile of ashes that had formed a circle around him and touched the scorch marks on the walls. A slow curving smile touched his lips. "Booyah!"
He climbed up the ladder into fresh air. He looked in the direction of the village. He could see that the thatched roofs were on fire, casting a red glow on the sun. The villagers were outside and the flash of steel made him understand that they held sharp weapons. Their posture reminded him of hungry jackals closing in on their prey.
He limped towards the village, and when he neared his eyes widened with shock. "Chulivey ?"
OoOoO
Chulivey leaned into the window. A strong wind had began to flow from the direction of the ocean and night had just began to fling her starry dark cloak over creation. Her room was quiet and cloaked in shadows, calm and peaceful. Chulivey made an irritating noise and turned from the window.
' By Suzaku, I never knew I could get so bored with peace. ' Chulivey frowned flopping down on the bed staring into the darkness. ' And why isn't Menesku sending any word? This is not like him. I am sure that the conference will have ended by now.' She got up. ' There is no use sitting here and moping. He must be caught up in something. I will go and get the news myself. '
Impulsively she got up, slinging her bag over her shoulders. ' I am sure Liang can handle things here. ' But her progress was impeded because she caught her foot in something and went tumbling to land in a disgraced heap on the ground. ' Ouch. That hurt.'
There was a small knock on the door. Chulivey looked up from her position on the floor, grimacing a little. "Come in. "
The door opened. From her prone position she saw a patterned skirt. Looking up she saw a girl enter the room bearing a small lamp in her hand. The light fell on her smiling, slightly plump face, as she studied Chulivey with amused brown eyes. "What are you doing down there?"
' What does this look like you stupid girl? I fell down.' Chulivey smiled." Hello Mina. I tripped over something."
Mina giggled. "Why were you sitting in the darkness? You could have called me. I would have lit the lamps. " Moving around the room she carefully applied the flame to the wicks of the lamps that hung on the walls suffusing the room with a cheerful golden glow. Turning, she offered her hand to Chulivey.
Grinning, Chulivey accepted the outstretched hand and pulled herself up from the ground. "Thank you. "
Mina looked at the bag that hung from her shoulders. "Were you going out?"
"Yes. " Looking down she saw that she had tripped over her staff. Bending down she picked it up. "I thought I will go and pay Menesku a visit. "
"Menesku? The gray eyed one?"
"Yes. "
Mina sighed. "I wish he would have stayed here also. "
Chulivey had the urge to roll her eyes, but she couldn't resist teasing Mina. "And why is that ?"
Mina's lips parted into a Cheshire cat-like smile, but she didn't answer Chulivey's question. Instead she sat down on one of empty chairs in the room looking very smug, an expression that made Chulivey strangely uneasy.
"You cannot go to the main island now. " She said smoothing the creases on her skirt. "The tide has come in. "
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"There is a bridge joining this island with the main castle. When the tide comes in it goes under water. You cannot cross until the tide goes down. " Mina sounded very happy. "So, I guess you are stuck here. Not that I mind. I will take excellent care of you."
Somehow Mina's overly gleeful expression served to increase Chulivey's unease. Studying Mina she could sense no guile in her smile, it was almost as if she really wanted them there, but her eyes shaded an unreadable emotion behind their happy sparkle and somehow, that made Chulivey worry. She hid her unease under a smiling form, hoping that her eyes did not betray the sudden seed of fear in her heart.
It was the same feeling she had when she had crossed the grasslands, the same presence of a vague evil that haunted her shadows, something she could feel like the air around her, but like the air she was unable to touch it. It worried her. This feeling was not there when she landed, but with the departure of the last rays of the sun she suddenly felt that very vague presence around her. Looking out of her window into the sleepy hamlet, she couldn't imagine what scared her so ...
Chulivey stood up, suddenly erect. "What is that ?"
Mina looked at her curiously. "What ?"
The evil she had felt earlier was suddenly more pronounced, coming from the direction of the ship. 'Liang is there!' Chulivey felt panic knot in her stomach and somehow she did not want to tell Mina the truth. She smiled shakily. "I am going for a walk. Please excuse me. "
"Oh calm down Sorceress." Mina smiled at her. "I am merely showing the Fanged one my art. "
Chulivey felt an icy sensation creep down her spine and it hit her like a vicious kick in her stomach. She could sense evil all around her, hanging in the air like a poisonous miasma. She tried to keep her voice calm. "I am not quite sure that I understand. "
Mina moved like a flash. Instinctively, Chulivey flung herself aside but she could not avoid the full force of Mina's assault, the shinning blade cut through her tunic making a violent gash on her shoulders.
She crouched at the door, gritting her teeth to shut out the pain, her uninjured fist curled around her staff.
"Why did you move ?" Mina pouted. "Now your skin will be damaged."
Chulivey raised an eyebrow. "My skin ?" Vaguely she could sense the malevolent aura closing around her. She concentrated. Green vines crept up the door covering it with a thick thorny bush.
Mina's lips quivered. Her irises melted away into a mass of swirling darkness and for a while Chulivey felt like she was looking into hell itself. "Now you are truly stuck with me. "
Chulivey's nostrils flared. "Not quite. " Using her staff as a balancing post she lifted herself into the air, her legs colliding with Mina's jaw in a vicious kick.
Taken by surprise Mina was thrown on the bed, the impact causing it to cave in with a resounding crash. Chulivey concentrated causing thorny thick green stems to spring up from around the bed pinning Mina cruelly to the bed, cutting into her pale skin.
Chulivey's eyes widened. Even though the thorns pierced Mina's body, no blood flowed from the wounds, it was almost as if she had pierced something hollow, held in shaped by something unholy inside.
"Look at what you have done. "Mina hissed, her dark eyes bleeding hate. "You have spoiled one of my excellent creations. No matter, your skin is much better. "
"Oh shut up. " Chulivey's finger curled over a ball of blue flames before she let it fly.
Blue flames licked at Mina's body, her mouth parted to echo a unearthly screech and just before the body turned to ashes something dark leapt out of the crumbling body and vanished like an elusive shadow through the window.
' What the hell was that ?' There was a heavy pounding on the door. Chulivey turned to see an axe break through the door, sending splinters flying everywhere. Very soon they would break through. The shadows leaping outside her window showed that the house was surrounded, and the flash of steel showed that they were all armed.
Chulivey concentrated. A ball of blue flames sizzled in her hand. She aimed it at the roof causing the dried fern to burst into flames. ' That should warn Liang that something is wrong. '
The door throbbed violently, it would not hold for long. Taking a deep breath Chulivey uttered the spell. For a while scarlet glow circled her before she disappeared with a slight popping sound.
Fresh air greeted her as she materialized outside in the darkness feeling a trifle light headed. Teleporting always sapped her strength. Looking up she saw that house where she was lodged burned merrily and the people circled it like vultures, their shadows long and ghostly in the red light of the burning house.
' Now all I have to do is get to Liang.' A slight twanging sound caught her attention, but she had not recovered her strength enough to fling up a shield. The hissing arrows fell all around her, some dangerously close. She had been spotted. Desperately she sought shelter behind one of the stray rocks that lined the shore. Just before she rolled behind a rock she felt something tear into her calf.
Gritting her teeth she saw the feathered edge of a arrow stick out of her calf. ' Oh joy.' The arrowhead was imbibed too deep in her flesh to be pulled out without causing serious bleeding and she had no intention of bleeding to death. Instead she broke the shaft off. ' Great. Now I am disabled.'
She peered from behind the rock, the people stalked towards her, their voices reflecting some kind of unholy glee, rising in unison as if coming from the same entity. "Come out, come out, where ever you are ?"
They were toying with her and she knew it. ' Well, I shall not go down without a fight. ' She rose from behind the rock leaning on it for support and flung up a shield around her. She lifted her hand over her head, her brow furrowed with concentration. A circle of light swirled within her upturned palm before shooting upwards and exploding in the sky with a brilliant flash of white light showering the planes with hot embers, causing the huts to catch fire. ' Suzaku, please let Lord Hotohori or Menesku see that. They will know that dangers stalks this paradise. '
"Your aim is bad Sorceress." They were nearly on her, banging her shield ruthlessly. "But your skin is smooth. You will be among my finest creations. "
Sweat trickled down her brow. Their sheer number would overcome her as most of her energy went in maintaining the shield. She sunk to her knees, digging into her reserves of energy to keep up the spell.
"Yo, morons!"
Startled Chulivey turned at the figure not far from her. Her lips parted into a relieved smiled. 'Liang ... he is safe. '
Liang lifted his fan over his head letting roaring hot flames burn into the crowd. They screeched falling back and once again Chulivey saw something black leap out of the charred bodies and jump away in the darkness.
She felt Liang vault to a place by her, sinking into the ground. "Hey Chulivey, did ya wanna 'ave all the fun yerself ?"
Chulivey's lips twitched. "So, what took you so long ?"
"Oh, meself was taking net practice. " He caressed the iron fan lovingly. "This is one good thing me pa gave me. Meself totally barbecued their sorry ass. "
"Not quite Ling. " Chulivey's voice was quiet. "Look."
Liang turned. Something dark crouched outside the periphery of the shield. Thin smoky overlong forearms hung over the long lanky legs ending in sharp silver claws. Coiled hair fell over red eyes, and over a wide froglike mouth, sharp yellow teeth parted in a parody of a smile.
"You two have been very troublesome. "
Liang instantly recognized that voice. ' Butcher? Didn't meself just toast 'em?'
"You destroyed my precious skins. " Butcher said quietly. "You don't appreciate my art at all. Maybe you will appreciate this one. Look." A long skeletal hand pointed in the direction of the ship.
Horrified they watched several dark figures mill around the ship, burning torches in their hand. Chulivey realized what they were up to. They wanted to torch the ship and thus cut them prevent them from leaving this place ... ever.
"You fucking bastard. " A strangled cry rose from Liang's mouth as the ship burned like some giant pyre. "You ... Me self's gonna kill ya. Be sure of that."
Butcher's voice was mocking. "I knew you would appreciate this one. It is a masterpiece. I call it ... The Burning Ship. " He broke into a amused cackle. "Now I guess you are really stuck with us."
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