Forgotten Memories

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King.

Chapter 15: The Reawakening

There was a big celebration in the village that night. The Shaman Fight had come to a conclusion which meant the ending of the busy months for the Patch tribe. Although no king was declared, everybody was joyous because the biggest threat that ever existed had been successfully exterminated. The man, Yohken Asakura, who should have been Shaman King if not for his untimely death was able to defeat his greatest foe. The original Hao was said to be a member of the famous shamanic clan, the Asakuras. They said Hao was the reincarnation of one of the Asakura clan members who sought the annihilation of ordinary humans. They said also that he had the ability to reincarnate himself whenever, wherever and whomever he chooses.

While everybody drunk and danced around a huge bonfire, Argon withdrew himself from the crowd. He walked towards his hut pondering on the recent events that took place in his life. He had lost both the man he had known as father as well as the woman he had loved to an evil priest who had just died recently. Justice had been served but he was not entirely happy. He couldn't bring his father back and his one true love was far away -- never to be heard of until he flicked open the lamp to illuminate his hut. There she was sitting on his straw bed and crooning a little infant to sleep.

"Anya, you're back!" Argon hurried to her and enclosed her in a tight hug.

"I've come back to see my husband or what remains of him…." The woman broke from the embrace and closed her eyes as tears began to flow down her cheeks.

"They threw his body out in the desert. I tried to convince the council for his proper burial but they objected."

The young woman let out a bitter sob upon hearing the inhumane decision of the tribal council.

"Why did you come back, Anya? He left you there to save you. You and your son are in grave danger here."

"I want to be closest to Hao as much as possible and my home is here Argon. There's nowhere I could run to."

"Up to the very end, it is Hao that you still longed for…" Argon's voice trembled with hurt. "Although my father made very unpopular decisions, the council always respected him. But alas, my father is gone because of your husband…" Anya lowered her head in shame and despair. "Nonetheless, I will fill in the position and will try my best to persuade the council to let you stay here."

Argon brushed off the hair covering the fainted girl's face before he placed his right palm over her bleeding forehead. His master, Hao Asakura had laid her by the bonfire so she can be dried without removing her clothing. The shaman had ordered him also to heal her wounds before retreating into the deeper part of the cave. It was a rather odd instruction coming from Hao since he was enemies with the itako and her friends.

Hao must have liked this girl really well. Argon thought. He remembered the first time Hao showed him a picture of the girl he was going to haunt in her sleep. There was a great resemblance between Anna Kyouyama and the troubled young woman who came to him 15 years ago. Argon smiled when realization had dawned on him. This is her fate. Ayako's daughter would continue her unfinished business.

Anna's wounds had finally healed. Argon stared at her tear-stained cheeks and caressed them lovingly. Anya, it's been more than 500 years since we last saw each other. We will never part again….

Anna jolted upwards when she heard angry shouts coming from outside. She was lying on a straw bed in one of the Patch village huts again although this one was smaller than the previous. There were no divisions or rooms much like a bachelor's pad in the current days. She felt a bit dizzy and there was a throbbing ache in her right temple. She went to the hut's entrance and hid behind the wooden door so nobody could spot her snooping around. She saw again the young woman called Anya crying hysterically while being held firmly by a man who looked a lot like Hao's new spirit, Argon.

"It's true. We have been investigating and documenting Hao's atrocities for the village repository," Anna heard the man say. "It all made sense. Hao was out in the desert the night when your whole tribe was murdered."

"But it couldn't be… How come he helped me? He could have just killed me in the oasis," Anya was trembling all over.

"You possess something that he wanted."

Anya covered her mouth. "The spirit of fire…"

"No, the power to call forth the spirit of fire from the gem and the ability to merge souls permanently."

The woman howled and dropped to her knees. "He used me. He used me all along!"

The man gently pulled the hysterical woman up. "Although you helped him awake it, it was wise for you not to merge him with the Spirit of Fire. Otherwise, he would have become more destructive."

"I was against it because I was afraid it would make him unstable."

The man did not respond for a while as if gathering enough courage for what he was about to say next. "Anya, they are going to pass a judgment tonight…." He clenched his fists as he breathed deeply, "Because of your involvement with the recent events, they have decided to punish you…"

Anya did not show fear in her eyes. "Why are you telling me this, Argon?"

"Because they asked me to do the one thing I could never do to the woman I love. They want you dead by my own hands." He dropped to his knees begging, "Anya, please leave this place. I will come with you. We will escape tonight before they come here."

The woman remained silent while she stared down at the weeping man. Her eyes reflected an unexplainable coldness -- a resignation to her fate. It was her turn to slowly pull up the man whom she considered her one true friend from his pitiful state.

"What about my son? What's to become of him?" she asked.

"The council will let him live. It is against the law to kill an innocent child. We will take him along with us. I'll treat him as my son as my father Aureum had treated me as his own."

"What time will they come here to check?"

"At exactly 3 hours before midnight. I should have done the atrocious deed before they come."

"Then fetch me half an hour in your hut before they come. I need to do something first…"

Argon kissed her at the forehead as he felt relieved. "Thank you Anya for choosing to leave with me."

Anna felt her world spinning as the images before her melted into nothingness. She was again woken up by the yells for help of the man whom she confirmed earlier as Argon and the wails of a baby beside her. She immediately sat up from the straw bed only to find a gruesome scene. Argon was holding a very weak Anya in his arms. There was a pool of blood around them which had begun to coagulate. Anya's two wrists were slit open. Beside them was a crude blood-stained knife which the Patch people use in the kitchen.

"Why did you do this Anya?" Argon held to her tightly. His whole world had entirely collapsed.

Anya was whispering to him with the last strength she got. "I'm sorry Argon. As much as I wanted to, I don't think I could love you now that my heart is full of hatred. It is clamoring for nothing but revenge. I will follow Hao to his grave. I will follow him wherever he goes." Anya coughed out blood as she reached to touch Argon's face. "Will you help me?"

Argon nodded and held her hand. He then laid his finger on her forehead which emitted a green light. Anya smiled at him and whispered with her last breath, "Please bury me at Osorezan."

Argon wept silently and kissed the lifeless woman on her forehead. "Your memories will stay with me Anya until we meet again."

Anna was overwhelmed with grief. She sank to her knees and could feel deep sympathy for the woman who loved the most terrible man in the world. The itako's eyes turned blank. "I will also help you exact your revenge."

Argon gently caressed the young girl's cheek as he wiped the streaks of mud from her face. His right hand froze in mid-air when the blonde itako suddenly blinked her eyes open. He waited and readied himself for whatever attack the girl might do but instead of giving him her killer glare, she let out a smile.

"Welcome back Anya," the Patch spirit smiled back.

End of Chapter 15

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