Edge 5: Shattered Hopes

The group of people rushed to the direction of the imperial palace with Hikarou following them. Min You suddenly grabs her friend's wrist.

"Hikarou, what are you planning to do?" Hikarou breaks the hold. "We must go back! I want to know what's happening there!"

Hikarou tried to follow the people, but Min You grabbed her wrist again. "Leave them alone! It's not your problem anyway, it's theirs. Besides, what do you want to know about?!"

"Leave them alone? Who do you think I am? A heartless person who doesn't care about anyone that surrounds her?"

Hikarou stands still, not breaking the grasp, and looks back. She replies in a very arrogant way.

"What do you want me to do, just stand here and watch? I want to know the mystery behind that! Something fishy is happening here." Breaking the grasp, she runs away from Min You. Hikarou's trusted maid stands still, as she watches Hikarou go towards the palace.

"Hikarou..." Min You said in a sad tone.

The small group finally arrived at the imperial palace. Several subjects, mostly doctors and healers, attended them. Hikarou followed, quickly hiding herself behind a pillar, as she eavesdropped and watched closely.

"Doctor, how is she?" The worrying father asked the imperial palace's doctor.

The doctor checks the girl's pulse. The girl was breathing hard and her feet had turned into stone. He looked shock with panic. He shouted at the other imperial servants. "Call Empress Ying immediately and fast! This girl is going to be a living statue any minute!"

One of the imperial servants quickly nods and promptly leaves. The other healers assisted the imperial doctor.

"How did she get this?" The doctor asked the family, while he gives first aid to the girl's feet. He pours a potion on a certain cloth and puts it on the wound. Others helped him by using their healing magic to cure the girl.

"My daughter went to the forest a while ago. We already warned her but she didn't listen to us. We searched and found her, lying on the ground, breathing heavily and screaming in pain. So we decided to seek the Empress herself." Another scream of pain was heard from the little girl. The poison at last went upward quickly by transforming her human legs into solid rock.

"Kai Lin!" The girl's mother screamed.

However, their magic hasn't affected the girl.

"This is of no use! Our healing magic can't cure it. The poison is too powerful!" One of the healers exclaimed.

Emperor Yang and Empress Ying finally arrived, and with her is her mystical crystal ball.

"Your Grace!" The imperial subjects greeted as she arrived.

"This is no time for courtesy." The Empress heeded quickly to the girl and continued to assist the doctor. "What's the girl's condition?"

One healer checked the girl's pulse, and his eyes went in horror. The girl's chest slowly turns to stone.

"This is bad, Your Grace! The poison had reached the heart!"

Horrified, the Empress commanded the healers. "Healers, use all of your powers! We must not lose this girl." The Empress tried to use her crystal ball to cure the girl, but it failed to slow down the poison's spread. The poison's potency was too strong. She tried a couple of times, but to no avail. The girl suddenly slowly moved her hand and grabbed the Empress' hand.

"Your Grace… it's…not…going to work…" the 10-year-old girl gulped, and finally uttered her dying words.

"I was wandering…. around the forest… to give something for the country's miko. I heard from the palace people, that… she's kind and gentle. So, I decided to meet her personally…" The pain resumed again, as the poison slowly flowed towards her shoulders. She slowly gets something from her dress and showed it to the Empress. It was a hawthorn flower.

After hearing all about it, Hikarou slowly appeared from behind the pillar and watched the girl lying on the Empress' lap. Min You appeared later and stood beside her.

"I found this flower… beside the river. I… find it beautiful… So I pick it up… but a snake suddenly… appeared. It bit me. After that, it left without a trace." The pain again continued to affect the girl as her left hand then turned to stone.

"Speak enough, child. I will do everything to save your life."

The girl shook her head. "I..am… going… to…die…soon. But I am… not afraid. Your Highness… Please tell her that I'm really wanted to see her gentle smile…." Suddenly she sees Hikarou and smiles, weakly. She stretched her right hand holding the flower, as if she was trying to give it to her. Hikarou slowly walked towards the girl and tried to take it. She lets out her gentle smile once more. However…

The girl's right hand finally turned into stone, following her left hand, neck and face. The girl became a solid, living statue. Hikarou was left shocked.

"KAI LIN!!" The grief-stricken mother cried with all her might as her child silently passed away. She cried on her daughter's chest, which has turned to stone.

The Empress bowed her head. "I'm sorry. We did everything, but we haven't saved your child." she apologized.

"No, Your Grace. We don't blame the miko or everyone in the palace." The man spoke calmly. "Those brutes… Seimitsu's allies…" he clenched his fists and raised one of them, "are the ones who should be punished! They have no mercy…" A teardrop fell from his face.

While the mother is crying at her daughter's sudden death, Hikarou is still in the state of shock. She tried to touch the tiny stoned hand of the girl. As she placed her hand on it, she felt an unexplainable feeling. Her heart pounded as fast as the rays of light, as a loud as a beat of a drum. She quickly closed her eyes, as flashes of various images came to her mind.

The scenes went by quickly, just like how a film rolls in a movie house. Fast, but slightly blurred. Images of how the girl tried to get the flower for her, and how she was killed were shown. She was bitten on the foot by the snake. Sadly, it left the injured girl, panting and sweating, alone in the forest, without any trace. (Author's Note: Imagine in this paragraph, Hikarou is sweating and pain is obviously seen to her face)

She can't take the sight of the images, and promptly removed her hand. The rapid thumping of her heart stopped. She opened her eyes quickly and realized she was heavily sweating and panting. She looked at her palm and thought,

"What is this? Why am I able to see such horrible things?"

She looked back at the Empress. She saw her face. It didn't show a gentle glow, rather a heartrending gloom. She bowed her head as her husband, the Emperor, tried to comfort her. She saw her clenching her fists, but still remained calm and with authority.

"Your Majesty… Please, excuse me." She turned back, followed by her servants. "Make sure you give these people assistance. I'm going for a walk." She told one of her advisers, which they promptly bowed down on her. The Empress left, followed by her maids.

"Empress Ying…" Hikarou thought as feelings of pity and anguish ruled in her heart at the moment. She watched sadly as the palace subordinates helped the family of the girl carry the statue outside the palace hall.

"How could be THEY be so cruel? They didn't even consider sparing the life of an innocent child…"

Then, a voice was heard behind her… it was her trusted maid and friend Min You, standing before her with arms folded, frowning.

"That girl is already the third victim of that killer snake. First are two farmers, then an old lady, and she the last one. Seimitsu's forces are quickly approaching our borders. If this continues on, we'll be just like the other four kingdoms." She said with a sigh.

"I'm sure Empress Ying is depressed and disappointed. It's now her fourth failure to save a life. She never expected the poison to be too strong to cure. Poor Empress… she'll probably spend her days at the Bronze Temple."

Hikarou just blankly watched the sky as she remembered what the Empress said.

"Maybe you're really fated to be the miko of this country, because I surely sense… that there's a blood of a miko flowing in your veins…"

"There's a blood of a miko flowing in your veins…" The phrase was repeated again on her thoughts.

"There's a blood of a miko flowing in your veins…"

"Do I… really have a miko blood flowing on my veins?" She mumbled to herself, as she stares at her palm.

"Do…I?"

Back at Konan Empire, Miaka was sleeping peacefully in her room, where she lies formerly during her priestess' times. She wakes up to see Taka, dozing off. "Probably, he fell asleep while waiting for me to wake up."

Still, he holds Miaka's hand firmly on his.

"Taka…?" She uttered. Hearing Miaka's voice very fast, Taka woke up quickly, then smiled and touched one of Miaka's cheeks when he saw her.

"Thank goodness you're awake. I was worried about you. I'm glad you're okay." He seated back, not letting go of his wife's hand.

Miaka touched his hand. "You don't have to be worried about me. I'm always fine." She gave a warm smile to ease Taka from being anxious. He just smiled back.

"Miaka…"

"Taka…"

Then, as they try to kiss…

"After all these years, you guys still haven't change…" an annoyed Kansai accent voice echoed inside the whole room.

"YET YOU STILL HAVE A NERVE TO DO A LUVEY-DUVEY SCENARIO?!" Genrou, well-known as Tasuki of the Suzaku seven bellowed at them.

Taka frustratingly replied back. "SINCE WHEN ARE YOU WATCHING THE 'LOVEY-DOVEY SCENARIO' YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?!"

He proudly pointd one of his eyes, "In perfect timing, señor. I just love keeping ya pissed off… obake-chan!" He taunted, sticking out his tongue. Taka can't control his anger anymore and quickly fought Tasuki. Of course, the mountain critters never run in a fight, so he fought back too.

Miaka was shocked at the sudden change of the events. She blinked her eyes a few times, not minding the noise created by the two brawling men.

"Taka… and I… came back to the book?"

Her mind stopped floating in wonder, when suddenly someone tapped her shoulder and seated beside her.

"They somehow aged, but they're still the same. Acting like kids… what a shame, no da."

"This voice… it couldn't be…"

Miaka looked back. As she turned her head, she saw the stranger took off his mask. The scar on his face is still there.

"Long time no see, Miaka. It has been years since we last see each other, no da." The stranger shows off his smile with a wink.

"Chi…chiri?" Miaka uttered.

The sun has set, and people in the palace went to their quarters as the chimes announced it is halfway past midnight. Still, Hikarou is outside and seated above the palace railings. Min You reminded her to go to sleep right away, but she disobeyed.

She can't sleep due to the events that happened a while ago. She looked at her hand while pondering what's on her mind, closed her eyes and sighed.

You are the maiden destined to fulfill that task.

Maybe you're really fated to be the miko of this country, because I surely sense that there's a blood of a miko flowing in your veins

You can change your destiny, because it is matter of a choice, which is not a thing to be waited for, for it, is a thing to be achieved… but fate, when it is marked, no one can claim that moment beyond what it has predestined to you.

Hikarou raises her head again, but it knocked on pillar behind her. One of the guards came to see the commotion but she manages by giving a signal that she's alright. The guards sighed in relief and reminded her to go to sleep already because it's late. When they left, Hikarou leaned back at the pillar.

"Geez, I should be more careful with my actions. I've quite become a drama queen, I mean a drama priestess already. Sheesh." She touched her forehead with frustration and looked again in her palm, deeply. She remembered the visions she encountered that afternoon.

"Somehow, it's kind of weird. Since I came here, I'm experiencing like a powers of a mutant. Could I really be… their so-called miko? Their 'golden myna'?"

Suddenly, she heard footsteps on the palace grounds. She quickly hid behind the pillar and sneaked a quick look. She saw a familiar figure carrying a torch as it walks away from the palace, going north. She turned back and thought,

"Empress Ying? Why did she go out from her quarters? Why she's still up on this hour? Most of all, where is she going?"

Suddenly she recalled on what Min You said earlier.

She'll probably spend her days at the Bronze Temple.

She quickly ran to her quarters to get her coat to protect her from the winds' cold breeze, and a piece of wood to serve as a torch. She went back and saw that the Empress hasn't lost to her sight.

"I have to follow her on where is she going. And, I must to do it secret and clean."

She leaped from the palace railings and secretly followed the Empress. She treaded softly and hid behind the tree trunks so that she will not notice someone is following her.

Minutes later, as Hikarou hid on the last tree trunk and peeped, she lost sight of the Empress. She blew off the strand of her hair in front of her face with her hands on her waist. "Even though she's aged, she's quick as a fox."

She looked at the Bronze Temple of the palace with amazement. It is similar to the Chinese pagodas back in their world, but this building is built literally in solid bronze, with railings made of marble, surrounded by copper statues of merlions.

"I'm beginning to say that this empire isn't also mysterious, but VERY RICH, as well."

She climbed up to the stairs and saw the temple doors open. She went inside and let her wooden torch lit up by one of the hanging lamps there. She got more astounded as she saw the life size statue of a nine tailed fox, made of gold, surrounded by carved, polished stones and silk yellow curtains, on the sides. Her mouth just gaped open.

"This must be the one I'm going to awake if I became their miko." She paused for a while, looked around and said, "Everything inside here IS A WORTH OF FORTUNE!" She grinned and sighed. "Hikarou, this is no time for money-making business. Now… where did she go?" She looked around the whole temple but can't find the Empress. She put one of her hands on her waist, while holding the torch on the other.

"This is harder than I thought." She panted. "I should take a seat for a while. God, I'm worn out following her all night. She's really a fox… just like the goddess they worshipped." She took a seat on one of the carved stones. Out of the blue, it lowered a bit. Before she could begin a scandalous reaction, one of the floor squares made of marble, opened.

"A secret passage?!" She exclaimed. She hurriedly crawled on the floor going to the direction of the passage and waved her hand on it, as if she can't believe on what she's seeing.

"It's really a secret passage, just like what I've seen on adventure stories on TV." She widened her eyes in amazement, then paused for a while. "I think I'm acting stupid. Better find out the mystery behind this." She stood up and went down.

As she went further, she discovered a tunnel and, thanks to her torch, she can easily know where she's headed.

"It's pretty dark here. Good thing I brought a torch with me. I wonder where I'm heading …" As she continued onward, she heard someone humming a lullaby. She quickly followed the direction of the sound and saw someone familiar. She hid again behind the pillar and peeped.

A woman, dressed in her imperial sleeping robes, is seated next to a reclined, human female stone. She caressed its hard, rough cheeks and the woman's eyes seem full of shattered hope and despair.

"What is the Empress doing down here? And what is her relation to that life size statue?" She mumbled to herself. Unknown to her, the flames quickly charred her torch and it got nearly on her fingers. Hikarou made a very speedy reflex.

"Kyaa!" She threw away the burning torch and used her coat to stop the flame from spreading. (Author's Note: Just imagine Hikarou acting like a hysterical weirdo using her coat to cease the spreading of the fire). Empress Ying suddenly became alarmed and suddenly saw Hikarou. She used her magic abruptly while holding her crystal ball.

"Sha!", she shouted, and a ball of sand appeared on her palm and went to the direction of the burning torch, then, "Huo... Bing Shi!". The flame disappeared without a trace. Hikarou stood still with amazement at the Empress' power. The Empress lowered her hand.

"What are you doing here, Lady Rou?" She asked Hikarou, She then paused and gave a stern look. "You didn't follow me here, did you?"

Hikarou didn't answer. She just gulped and stared at the Empress. Moments later, she nodded and bowed her head. "I'm sorry if I followed you without any permission, Your Grace. My curiosity instincts brought me here, I tried but I can't control it. If you want me to be punished, I would humbly accept it." She bowed down again, this time she had touched the ground.

Empress Ying sighed, arms crossed, and touched her temple with one of her fingers. "Stop blaming yourself. Don't overreact. Come, rise." She helped her to stand up. "In fact I should admire your keenness and your ability to follow me."

Her facial expression began to fill with wonder.

"I move as swiftly as a fox and no one has ever seen me going here except my husband, but I'm surprised that a mere mortal like you trailed me here. You have a very keen observation, Lady Hikarou. I really have a high regard for that." The Empress complimented.

Hikarou's head slightly bowed down. "Thank you, your Grace. May I ask…" She raised it again, "What is the significance of that over there to you?" she asked, pointing to the reclined human statue. The Empress walks towards to the direction of the statue with a glum expression. Rou tagged along. Empress Ying stood in front of the statue while Hikarou touched its hand. Various visions came in her mind. The faces are blurred, so she can't see it clearly.

She sees a girl praying in front of a statue of a nine-tailed fox, when a snake coming from nowhere crawled on the floor. The girl saw it and tried to protect herself, but it was too late. She got bitten by the snake, and then came Empress Ying as she opened the palace shrine doors. There, she saw the girl, lying on the floor. The snake was there and unexpectedly turned into a human being. She just stared at the Empress, smirked and disappears in a flash. The Empress stood in horror as she saw her turned into a living statue, just like what happened to the village girl this afternoon. She ran to her, not sure of what to do. Tears flowed from her cheeks, touching the girl's soft, rosy cheeks, now turned into a hard, solid rock….

"Yue Lan!!" The Empress cried in grief.

Hikarou took off her hand immediately from the icon's stoned hand. She looked beside her and saw the Empress, with tears flowing in her eyes. She tried to stop her tears from flowing, but it still flowed. A long silence occurred, until Hikarou broke it.

"Is this icon… your daughter, Empress?" She asked suddenly.

"Yes." She sighed. "We placed her underneath the shrine, where it serves as a catacomb for deceased monarchs. She did suffer the same fate as the other victim. She was… the first to be victimized by this plague. But still, she's not yet dead. Her flesh has only turned to stone, but her spirit is still in her body. I'm hoping that if we defeat Seimitsu, everything would be back to normal. After that incident, everyone prayed hard that our fated priestess will come to save us from the brink of destruction. And…" She touched her daughter's cheek.

"I vowed to her that I'll do my best to protect the people of this country from Seimitsu, until the priestess come. Yet, I failed…. I failed to protect the innocent and find the golden priestess…" Tears flowed in her cheeks again as she closed her eyes.

"Your Majesty…" Then Hikarou saw something. A snake was crawling again on the floor, the same thing she saw on her vision. She picked a stone and threw it at the direction of the snake. But it evaded.

"Show your true form! You monster!" She bravely shouted.

"Lady…"

The snake suddenly turned into a woman. "Nice throw, young woman." She daubed her shoulder. "But I came here to assassinate the Royal Empress." Then, small snakes crawled up on her arms, as she hissed.

"How did you get here?! The shrine is surrounded with a barrier!"

"I may inform you, Your Highness that snakes are good dwellers." She kissed one of her pet snakes. "I bet you're emotionally down on what I have done to your daughter and to the other victims." She evilly smirked.

"You beast…" The Empress glared and tried to draw her sword, but Hikarou stopped her.

"So it is really you who did it, just as I suspected." Hikarou bowed down her head while the Empress filled with wonder on her words. She remembers Rou's actions when she touched the hand of the village girl and her daughter.

Can this girl possess psychometric powers?

"I am not talking to you, woman. I have traveled and suffered long enough to get here to fulfill my mission and you're just here to interrupt me? Step aside, amateur heroine! I'm going to kill her RIGHT NOW!" The snake charmer readied her fighting pose.

"Do you think I would allow you?" Hikarou suddenly smirked. "Your hunger for blood is unbelievable. You can't even spare a life of an innocent child, and now, you want to kill a broken-hearted woman who longs that someday she'll see her daughter return back to her normal state….?"

With her head bowed down, she draws a sword from a nearby displayed statue. She walked slowly towards the enemy. Her Highness tried to stop her, but she's several steps away from her.

"The heart is the only thing that, when it breaks, is still working. Like hope, when everything is shattered, people still believe in chances, and eager it will be granted because they believe… that a miracle could happen."

She slowly took off the sword from its scabbard.

"I will not let you kill the imperial mother of this country nor let you harm the resting people in here and the innocent. I am no ordinary girl you're talking about…. show some respect…"

She suddenly raised her head and posed like a graceful, yet brave swordswoman.

"TO THIS COUNTRY'S PRIESTESS… FOR I AM THE FABLED HOUSEKI NO MIKO!"

"Hikarou…" Empress Ying mumbled.

"Very well, then…" Both of them posed in their own fighting positions as the situation became intense.

Two women. Two different fighting principles. One goal. Who will win in this intense battle?

Guidelines:

Scabbard – cover to a sword

Lithomancy – art of divination to stones (Hikarou discovers her own power that she can see the past happenings of living statues)

Yokatta – 'Thank God' in Japanese

Obake-chan – nickname that Tasuki gave to Taka while he was Tamahome.

Sha – Chinese word for "sand"

Huo – Chinese word for "flame"

Bing Shi – Chinese phrase for "disappear"

Merlions – animals that are half-lions and half mermaids. They are considered as Singapore's national landmarks.