Hello dear readers! I wanted to thank everyone for all the kind reviews! They made me so happy! I was out of town for a bit, but I will be back to regularly updating now. Thanks for reading this far!
Okumura followed Yukio as she deftly led them through the forest, drawing ever closer to the mountain. The ground was growing steeper, and he could actually catch a few glimpses of the star studded sky above through the arabesque of branches and leaves above. Occasionally something would rustle or growl in the forest beyond, but so far they hadn't been attacked.
"The son of Satan? Are you serious?" Yukio exclaimed, looking over her shoulder as Okumura finished explaining their situation, "Why would you bring someone like that here? You've only put us in more danger."
Yukio didn't answer, but Shiemi quickly rose to defend Rin, "Rin is a good person – he would never hurt us!"
"Maybe Rin wouldn't, but if Iha-naga gets him…"
"Rin is strong…he'll be fine. I know it," Shiemi said with determination, pouting a little and looking down at her feet, "I know it."
"We've told you all about us – I think it's only fair you tell us a little about yourself," Okumura said, turning the conversation away from Rin. He knew Yukio was right, but another side of him wanted to believe Shiemi and share her faith in his brother. However, the more he thought about it, the more he began to fear what Rin could do in the hands of the goddess.
"I'm not important. We should focus on-"
"Excuse me, but you are the reason we are here, after all. We've risked our lives to come find you, and the fate of Kono-hana and thousands of human lives depend upon you acting as a priestesss – we deserve to know what we are risking our lives for."
Yukio sighed, her shoulders slumping, "I was supposed to become a priestess and serve Konohanasakuya-hime – that was my purpose since I was born. The local priests raised me, training me for my future duties, teaching me about Assiah and Gehenna and all the creatures that lived in each. But I was scared of that responsibility and ran, leaving everyone behind. A wealthy family took me in, and raised me – I never came back here, never contacted Masaki-sama and the others. And now everyone is paying for my mistake. Is that enough history for you?"
Okumura remained silent, but in truth he sympathized with Yukio. They had more in common than name alone. She too, had been raised by priests, with the knowledge of Gehenna since a young age. And, like him, she had carried the heavy weight of responsibility as long as she could remember. There had more than one instance when he had considered turning his back and leaving it all behind – the Order, exorcism, demons…Rin. But he always stayed. Because Rin was his brother, and he loved him – but another part of him was afraid. If he left Rin, something terrible would happen. Yukio had left Kono-hana, and now destruction loomed over the entire region – what tragedy would befall Assiah if Yukio abandoned Rin?
He glanced behind him at Shiemi – she was so innocent and trusting. The thought of Rin going on a rampage would never cross her mind. Rin was his own brother, and yet she had more faith in him than he.
"Uh, guys? Something's happening on the mountain!"
Shima raised a trembling finger to point at the snowy peak of Fujisan, drawing attention to a dark cloud that was seeping from the crater.
"Is it erupting?" Izumo cried, but Yukio shook her head.
"It's Iha-naga – she's looking for me. Quick – we need to take cover."
Everyone jerked their heads around, looking for suitable hiding places nearby –but Konekomaru continued to stare at the dark shape billowing into the night sky, growing pale.
"Konekomaru, come on!"
"I think we're in trouble – look."
They all raised their eyes to the nebulous void descending the mountain – however, within the darkness, they could see a familiar blue glow.
"She has Rin," Yukio stated grimly. He had been berating himself for fearing Rin earlier, but now all his doubts and fears seemed justified. And now it was his responsibility to take care of it.
"Um, I hate to disturb you, but if you are right and the spell runs out at the end of the cave, wouldn't we burn up? The spell was the only thing protecting us from the intense heat, after all," Masaki asked somewhere behind Bon and Logan.
The three were still in complete darkness, feeling their way along the smooth rock corridor with painstaking caution – for Logan, it would be inconvenient to fall down an unexpected shaft, but for the kid and the priest it would be fatal.
"If you're scared, turn around and go back. But stop whining or I'll toss you back myself," Logan growled.
"It's a valid question," Suguro harrumphed, his voice coming from the shadows just behind Logan's left shoulder.
"When was the last time this hunk of rock erupted?"
"During the Edo period, in the 1700s," Bon answered.
"There ya go. If nothing's happened in 400 years, I think we're safe. We're pretty far from the lava pit now, anyway," Logan said gruffly. He didn't know jack-shit about volcanoes, or geothermal physics, or whatever – but he would say anything to shut these two up. He didn't care about magic spells or a little heat – he cared about getting out. And this was the only plan he had right now – keep walking, and hope they found something.
"We don't even know if there is a way out! Something could be happening inside the mountain right now, and we wouldn't know!"
Logan spun around and grabbed Bon by throat, "I'll tell you the same thing as the priest, kid. Shut up, or turn back. Do you have any better ideas?"
"Gentlemen – let's not fight! You are fighting, right?" Masaki's voice came, his footsteps cautiously tapping closer. Bon grunted, and Logan dropped him to the floor.
"I thought you said you wanted to help your friend."
Suguro looked up at him, glaring – and then suddenly Logan realized he could see the kid's expression. A soft, warm light had enveloped them, emanating from the air itself. Bon jumped to his feet and Logan dropped to a defensive stance, wildly looking around to see where the light was coming from. For a brief second he thought it was the lava Masaki and Suguro were so worried about – but it wasn't burning hot, nor was it that hellish red glow – it was gentler, almost like a spring breeze. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine he was standing in a garden, dappled sunlight sprinkling across the flowers as a cool wind rustled through the leaves of the still budding trees, carrying a familiar scent to his nostrils. He had smelled it before…
"Cherry blossoms?" Bon said softly, and Logan snapped his eyes open. The soft pink petals had appeared all around them, softly floating through the air and spinning around them, caught in an intangible wind. Masaki knelt and held his hands before him, reciting a mantra.
"It's the goddess Konohanasakuya," he informed them.
"The goddess? You mean that evil bitch's sister?"
"Yes…I am the sister of Iha-naga. This is the only form I can manage…to conjure…I grow weaker every minute…I would have come sooner…but you were too close…to my sister…"
"What message do you bring us, O Goddess?"
"The immortal one…you are the only one…who can defeat Iha-naga…"
"What? Me?" Logan sputtered, but the light was already fading away.
"You will understand…follow my light…I will show you…the way…"
The light faded completely, leaving them once again in darkness, but a few meters ahead there was a soft pink glow, glowing in the air like a ghostly lantern.
"Kono-hana is showing us the way out!" Masaki cried in excitement, but Logan was more relunctant.
"What did she mean, I was the only one who could defeat Iha-naga?"
"I don't know, but I'm going to follow her. Unless you have any better ideas, turn back," Suguro said, the pale glow ahead casting just enough light to illuminate Bon's sarcastic grin. Logan muttered a curse – this surly kid throwing his own words back at him riled him up. But it was true – this glowing flower goddess was just another chapter in the weird things he had witnessed tonight, but she was their best chance of getting out of this cave.
"Shut up and move then," Logan growled, heading towards the light.