CHAPTER 4 – The Binding

After almost a month with Hiro and his family, Kira was beginning to feel more at ease. She still remembered almost nothing, but at least she had a sanctuary. She and Hiro were fast becoming solid friends again, and although there was still the strange feeling in her mind, Kira had quickly resolved to let it solve itself and to leave it be. Hiro lay next to her on the beach, staring up at the sky, Heart's twin suns casting the double shadows of a flock of birds over the dunes. Kira gave a contented sigh and unconsciously nuzzled closer to him. Hiro didn't say anything, merely smiling into the sky. Kira turned to him, propping herself up on her elbow. "So.. are you going to finish my tour of the island or what? You haven't shown me any more of the island in almost a week and we've barely started!" Hiro laughed along with her. "Yeah okay, though this sand is so warm and comfortable that I can hardly be bothered to get up."
"Oh come on you lazy little.." Her voice trailed off as she pouted, her mouth then curving once more into a smile. Her eyes danced with laughter that he was compelled to share. "It'll be fun!" Hiro sat up, body and mind slowly releasing its longing pressure on the sand. "And you can protect me from the big bad monsters!" She added, pronouncing the 'R's as 'W's in a girlish voice. Hiro burst out laughing. "Okay, okay! You win, and yeah it'll be fun. We can take lunch with us if we stop off at the tavern beforehand!" Kira gave a little squeal of joy at the idea and hugged him. "Lets go!"
With that they set off towards the woods in the distance, lazily following the beaten path back towards the village. As they were walking, the path they were following began to thicken and became denser, to the extent that it was almost impossible to follow. It wasn't long before even Hiro wasn't entirely sure where they were. Kira was getting worried. "I don't remember the path being like this earlier, we must have taken a wrong turn somewhere.. but where?" Hiro shook his head. "I don't know, I know the route like the hilt of my sword, and we've been following it exactly.. at least… I thought we were. Apparently we weren't!" To make matters worse, the sky was growing dark with ominously heavy looking clouds, where only minutes ago the sky was clear. Remembering similar clouds in her dream Kira began to panic. "H..Hiro, I think a storm is on its way. The clouds are really really dark. Even if we can't find our way back now, we have to find shelter; I don't think we have long!"
A distant, but foreboding growl of thunder mid-sentence added urgency to her tone.
Hiro glanced up and nodded. "Well... the trees will offer us some protection, but it doesn't look like I'll have time to make any roof to go over our heads." They began to search for any cover that they could find.

Before long, big heavy drops of rain began to cascade through the undergrowth, and the thunder rolled ever nearer. The wind slashed the rain at their bodies, and turned the normally simple task of walking through the woods into a battle for each step through what was quickly becoming mud. There was a flash of lightning, and for a split second, Kira saw the rain sluicing across the deck of the fated ship, saw the wave that would end her life, and then she was standing in the woods again, close to Hiro and searching for shelter. Before she had taken another step, there was another blinding flash as she closed her eyes, and she found herself being dragged underwater, the tide rising rapidly around her body to engulf her. Then once more she was safe, if still wet, standing in the pouring rain. Without warning or any seeming provocation, the flashes began again, starting and finishing almost too fast to decipher reality from memory. Kira gave a cry of pain and grabbed her head in her hands, crouching down and almost screaming from the sensations that pounded her skull. Hiro ran over to her, a worried frown creasing his brow. "Kira! … Kira! Are you okay?" He helped her to stand up. She still held her head with her hands, agonised tears lost in the downpour. "I've found some shelter. Its not much, but its all we have. Come on!" Kira nodded weakly and, bleary eyed with rain, their clothes heavy on their skin, Hiro led her over to a plant that she hadn't seen during her search. It was huge, the leaves surrounding the bulbous flower easily towering over them. The base of the flower, where leaves met petals met soil was elliptical in shape, and translucent. Inside there appeared to be liquid. It looked to be the most guaranteed source of shelter for any foreseeable distance, and the rain was only falling more heavily.

The mud was more abundant now, and as they ran for shelter, both Hiro and Kira slipped frequently. Kira caught her foot in a loop of root and stumbled. She let out a scream of surprise that was all but lost in the thunder, instinctively putting her hands out to cushion the fall. Hiro heard her over the storm, and turning, ran back to help her up. A flash of lightning forked overhead, followed by yet another sky-tearing clap of thunder, and they ran for the shelter of the colossal leaves.

A vine-like tendril shot out of the ground and wrapped itself firmly around Hiro's ankles. Unsteadied, Hiro fell. Yet more tendrils burst forth from the ground, endeavouring to secure themselves around his arms, legs, and chest. Kira screamed in terror as she saw the flower open to reveal a gaping set of jaws.
The vines sprouted from the base of the carnivorous plant, running underground and popping up at various intervals, where the slightest touch could awaken the flower to a potential meal. Hiro shouted at her. "Kira. RUN!!. Go get help!.. GO!!" Kira hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave Hiro at the mercy of the plant, but after another strangled shout from Hiro, she obeyed. Turning she ran in what she new to be the general direction of the village. With difficulty, Hiro managed to unholster his sword and began hacking at the tendrils securing him. But new vines replaced the severed ones almost as soon as he had cut them. In response to his assault the tendrils began to constrict around him, robbing him of his breath and, consequently his strength. His vision began to blur, and as Hiro's world got darker and darker, his strikes grew weaker and weaker, until he could no longer even hold his sword. It fell to the ground and Hiro fell into unconsciousness. The plant slowly began to drag its prey toward itself, lifting Hiro into the air and opening its mouth wide. Hiro was oblivious as the tentacles guided him to his demise.

Kira hadn't stopped running. She was so distracted by Hiro's plight that she barely knew where she was going. She knew that she had run in a circle more than once, and one tree looked very much like another even at the best of times, let alone to a distressed mind. It was more by luck that by knowledge that Kira found the village. She ran up to the first person she saw, Hiro's mother Kimiko, but was gasping so hard for breath that she couldn't utter a word. Nevertheless the tears streaming down her face and the look of terror crossing her features told the growing crowd of villagers that there was something very wrong. When she could finally speak, Kira's voice was high and shaky.

"H…Hiro.. plant… attacked...us…He's…in danger. Please… !!"
Kimiko marshalled the village-folk into a search party with surprising rapidity, and Kira led the way as best she could, struggling to keep up with Kimiko as she ran to help her son. They neared the plant, slowing to a wary gait as they drew close. A vine shot out of the ground and grabbed one of the men, hauling him high into the air. A torch carried by another villager burnt it back and several strong arms caught the man. No more tendrils were aimed at them, at least for the moment. There came a scream of dismay from both Kimiko and Kira as they saw Hiro submerged in the clear, liquid-filled belly of the plant. Hiro's eyes were closed, but bubbles of air could periodically be seen drifting up from his mouth. A vine was wrapped under his nose, supplying him with air. For whatever reason, the plant was keeping Hiro alive. Enraged, one villager hurled his flaming torch at the plant. It hit an exposed petal and scorched it, before falling to the ground. With astonishing speed, the thick waxy leaves closed up, forming a hard shell around the vulnerable centre of the flower, and the loops of vines retracted back into the ground, only to explode to the surface by the plant. Their entire length was visible, and they whipped slowly back and forth.
As if sensing where the fire's source was, a vine shot out and wrapped itself around the now weaponless man's neck. He too was lifted off the ground, rasping for air through a crushed larynx, before being thrown back into the crowd, choking to death. The angered mob fell silent, until a second vine entangled another villager. The woman was quickly saved from the same fate as the now dead villager as the rest of the rescuers began assaulting the plant. Still more vines burst from the ground, grabbing individual men and women at random and strangling them. The fire did little to damage the waxy leaves, but the vines were lethal.

So much death was more than Kira could take. It broke her heart to see such a loss of life. "Stop…" She went unheard amidst the shouts of anger and screams of pain. "Please…stop!"
The plant was relentless in its defence. The vines were working together now, co-ordinating against individual people; snapping and rending and throwing.
One villager, a giant of a man who was actually making good progress against the leaves was singled out. Several vines attacked him. Each took hold of an extremity and pulled. The man's arms, legs and head snapped off like twigs, amid screams of agony. More blood spilled across the ground. Kira couldn't stand and watch any more. She collapsed to her knees whimpering. I. I caused this.. I should have helped Hiro, instead I just dragged these people to their deaths! It should be me in that plant… She felt more than heard another voice in her mind. Calm down Kira.. its ok.. try to clear your mind. Give me control. Kira didn't know what the voice meant or why she trusted it, but she knew she had to. She tried to block out the sounds of torture around her, and cleared her mind, allowing it to drift. Then she heard herself speaking. She began to panic once more. B..But I'm not saying that.. what's going on?! The pain returned, when she had tried to block out this feeling the first time. Still crouching on the floor, Kira began to hyperventilate. "W..Whats happening to me?!" The voice cut through her mind sharply, and then relaxed to a more soothing tone. Listen to me. I wont hurt you, just let me handle this. Please! The voice was urgent, but calming. Against her own judgement Kira allowed the voice to resume control. Meanwhile the villagers were still unsuccessfully attempting to free Hiro. Bodies were strewn everywhere and blood was turning the ground a deep crimson. It made the voice angry.

"So.. much destruction... Such disregard for life.. " 'Kira' glared up at the plant, and her eyes turned purple. "They didn't have to die!!" Her hair turned a purple-black, and her markings glowed. The runite circle appeared on the ground around her, and she stood up. Those villagers that were still alive, upon seeing the mauve fires that were her eyes, turned and fled, filled with renewed fear. The being looked at the plant and spoke, her voice cold and overflowing with rage. "Conscious action or not, you will pay for the death caused here!!" Closing her eyes, she spoke but one word in another language, lowering her hands, palms upwards, and they seemed to become engulfed in purple flame. The flames instantly began to shape themselves into balls of violet energy that swirled with deadly grace. Sparks of black lightning crackled around them, occasionally arcing from one palm to the other. The figure opened her eyes, murmuring "Don't move Hiro, I wont let you die." With that she flew forwards, covering the distance to the plant with blinding speed. Somehow sensing the new, greater threat, vines shot out to try to spear her, but she twisted past them. They were fast, but she was faster. She blazed past them, her burning hands leaving them as ash in her wake. She skidded to a near stop to avoid a wall of thorned tendrils that sprung up in front of her to trap her in their embrace, and flipped over them.

Seeming to hang in the air above the plant, the being took aim and threw first one, and then the other sphere of energy at the vulnerable top of the flower. With each impact the plant convulsed, as if in pain. The blasts however, for all their power did virtually nothing to damage the protective shell of leaves. Upon landing in a graceful somersault, the being noticed tendrils attached to Hiro that she hadn't noticed before.
There was a look of agony on his face. "No you don't," growled the being, more energy blasts forming in her hands; "You're not draining his life to save yours!" Once again she flew at the plant. She dodged vine after vine until she once more neared the plant. Five tendrils stabbed at her at once, and the being threw herself into a backward tuck, her momentum carrying her forwards over the plant once more.
The razor pointed vines that would have skewered her collided below, tangling and writhing like serpents. The being copied her earlier assault, but aimed for one specific point on one leaf. Both energy blasts hit, and the plant screamed again.
Hiro, forgive me this pain She fired several more energy blasts, all hitting the same spot. The leaves began to crack and smoke, the vines swiping harmlessly below her.
Such a concentrated barrage was too much for the leaves to withstand, and one more burst of fire saw the leaf break free and fall, smouldering to the ground. The weak petals of the flower were visible. The being began to glide down, burning to a cinder any vines that threatened to attach themselves to her, and used the energy swirling around her palm to burn away the petals. An unnoticed vine began to wrap itself around her body, winding around her, but not touching. Far too late to react, the being noticed the tendril about her body. The vine enclosed itself around her and like lightning lifted her into the air. She was being lowered towards the now gaping mouth of dagger-edged petals. She fired another blast of energy, but several vines blocked her from damaging the sensitive jaws. Two more vines snapped around her wrists and held them so that she couldn't aim at the plant. Now defenceless, she was lowered into the liquid alongside Hiro, who tried to look at her. He was so drained of energy that his eyes couldn't focus. Now freed from the vines, the being passed one hand over the fist of the other and focused a ball of energy into a blade of dark fire. The liquid slowed her motions to a crawl, but with jagged thrusts, she was able to saw Hiro free. The same tube that was supplying Hiro with air sprouted another vine in her direction. She hacked it away using the blade. if its all the same to you, we wont be staying. Using the same blade, she began to hack at the clear membrane of the plant, hoping against hope that her energy would hold out long enough to break free. It did, and together with Hiro, the being tumbled out of the now ailing plant, drenched to the bone, but nonetheless alive.

Standing shakily, the being helped Hiro to his feet, slapping him gently, and then more forcefully across the cheek to wake him. Slowly, uncertainly, he opened his eyes, pupils wide and unfocused. When he could finally stand unaided, after several minutes, she spoke. "Hiro.. Hiro can you hear me?" He nodded slowly, still unsure of where he was. Before she had a chance to say anything further, the being heard a thud, followed by a volley of shouts, and more stones being thrown at her.
"Stone the witch! Kill her! She lured us to that monster!" Jagged rocks began to rain down all around her, only luck and her distance from the villagers sparing the being from a pummelling. "Time to go" She muttered to the barely conscious Hiro, quickly wrapping her arm around his waist and picking him up. I have to hurry she thought, sensing herself getting weaker. Wasting no further time on thoughts, she focused. A smaller version of the runite circle appeared around her feet, and a smoky purple glow floated around her calves. More stones thudded down as the villagers neared, each running step making them more accurate. And then, just as suddenly as that first hurled stone had fallen, she was gone. A small flash of light from around her feet, a wash of displaced air, and she was just gone. The villagers slowed to a stop in indecision.