Zakuro sat on the ground panting. Her arm seemed to be on fire and beads of sweat dripped down her face. She must have been a very pretty sight.
"Zakuro." She heard Suzahara's voice mumble from nearby.
She immediately raised her sword. Silence followed.
"Toya?" Zakuro called out. "Sensei? Does it say how we can get out of here?"
-X-X-
"No." Toya replied. "Zakuro, you have to hurry and get back here." Toya looked at Tomoko, who was lying on the couch. There was a blood spot on Tomoko's arm and she was having a high fever.
-X-X-
Zakuro frowned. How was she supposed to do that?
"Aaargh!" Zakuro shouted, clutching her hair in frustration.
All around her, the demons mimicked her.
"How the hell are we supposed to get out of here?" Zakuro spoke to the ceiling. "I don't even have long shots."
"Calm down!" Zakuro heard Suzahara mumble.
She could hear Nuriko quietly sobbing. Zakuro put her palm on her forehead and willed herself not to cry.
"Come on." Zakuro said, desperately. "I'm OK with any idea. Tell me. What do you guys see around here?"
Suzahara and Nuriko were quiet.
"Great!" Zakuro mumbled. "They're not even here."
"We're down to our last torch." Zakuro heard Nuriko reply.
"There are so many of these weak little demons." Suzahara added. "Their strength comes from numbers."
Zakuro was taken aback. Her friends sounded defeated, consumed in despair. They seemed to have given up.
"You guys sound like you've been blinded or something." Zakuro said, the ghost of a grin on her face. "What's with the assumed long faces? This is a God challenge, right? There is bound to be a way out. I bet if we all put our minds together, we can be passably called genius."
"There is no way out." Nuriko said, full blown crying. "We spent all this time chasing you and now it's too late."
Misery does love company. But Zakuro wasn't going to let her friends hide in a corner. They were going to see this through and live long, happy lives.
"The river does come over-ground at some point." Zakuro heard Suzahara mumble after a while.
"That's right." Zakuro said, her hopes rising. "They come up at the hot springs. We just need to find the river."
"How?" Nuriko said bitterly. "Last time was a trap, remember?"
"These caves mean that the river was here at some point of time." Suzahara said, taking a shot in the dark. "Maybe the walls have clues."
She heard footsteps shuffle away from her.
"I bet if we all put our minds together, we can be passably called genius." Zakuro's voice echoed through the walls.
Zakuro clutched her sword but didn't swing. She was running on fumes and it wouldn't be good for team morale if she just dropped dead.
"Nothing." Zakuro heard Suzahara grumble after a while.
"I'm scared." Nuriko said, grabbing Zakuro's injured hand.
Nuriko immediately let go and put her hand on Zakuro's forehead instead.
"You're burning up." Nuriko chided. "What the hell were you doing running around? You should have let us take care of you!"
"I'm sorry." Suzahara said, his voice glum. "This is all my fault."
"Yeah." Zakuro replied. "It kinda is. If only you could let go of the reward."
Suzahara grunted in reply.
"We've to think of something!" Suzahara continued.
"We should have tried the thinking part when we had torches!" Nuriko said angrily. "Now, we're going to all die."
"We can't die yet." Zakuro mumbled. "I promised Suzahara I would help him become a God. And he promised me he would send me back to my time, where I will be strangled by my best friend. I'm assuming he would feel bad about it later."
Zakuro wanted to run. She wanted to do something instead of standing still. Standing still was the worst.
"Devoured Spirits! Light the way!" Zakuro heard Suzahara call out suddenly.
It was followed by a punch and Suzahara moaning.
"You mustn't do that." Nuriko said, her voice scared. "That's what got us here in the first place!"
At that point, Zakuro saw a golden ray of light shoot by.
"I had to do something!" Suzahara said grumpily. "Waiting to be eaten is nerve wracking! I really want to keep you out of danger."
Zakuro was still looking for the golden light, which was dancing at the edges of her non-existent vision. She squinted at the darkness, trying to make out if anything was illuminated by the ray. But everything around the ray seemed dark. It was strange that the light did not cast any shadows.
"Zakuro-chan." She heard the old woman call out to her.
Zakuro raised her sword and looked around wildly. But the ray danced around Zakuro.
Devoured Spirits. Zakuro thought.
The ray zoomed away from Zakuro.
"Wait!" Zakuro called out, chasing after the ray.
She tripped and fell, scraping her knees again. She felt a hand clutch her shoulders. She couldn't be weak. Not now. When they were out of these caves, she would cry and scream. But just not now.
"Oba-san!" Zakuro called out and started running again, wriggling free of her friend.
She tripped a couple of times again. Most of the times, Suzahara caught her and Zakuro cut him with her sword, still scared of being blind. All around them, they could hear the demons getting louder and closer.
"Zakuro!" Nuriko called out desperately. "Please, stop running. There are more demons there."
But Zakuro didn't relent. Zakuro swung her sword around her knees and kept following the ray.
"Wait!" Zakuro called out again.
She thought back to the short week she had spent with the old couple.
There were so many things that could have gone wrong. She could have been killed by wild animals or thieves. She could have been kidnapped and sold.
But she was fortunate to have met the old couple. And she was the reason they were gone. They kept her safe. And she repaid them by killing them. Zakuro's eyes stung as she pushed those thoughts from her mind.
"OBA-SAN!" Zakuro shouted as loud as she could.
This time her voice echoed through the caves. She kept her sword out and followed the light.
She was sure that it wasn't a trick. She was sure that the people killed by the demon dog were now a guide to Suzahara. She was sure that the light was the old woman to whom Zakuro owed an apology.
Zakuro could feel a cold mist settling on her hand. The smell of water and the gushing of a river overwhelmed her senses. Instinctively, Zakuro slowed down.
Zakuro felt the air tingle before anything happened. She was so occupied with the light dancing in front of her that she reacted too late.
"ZAKURO!" Suzahara and Nuriko shouted as Zakuro's feet left the earth.
Zakuro felt herself rise higher into the cave. Sharp claws scratched her back and neck, greedily trying to take chunks of her flesh. But the demons fell to the ground in their attempt.
Zakuro was being pulled up by a line of demons holding each other's legs. They quickly ascended higher into the air, pulling Zakuro by her braid. But Zakuro's eyes were fixed on the golden light as it waited patiently for Zakuro to come back to her.
"Suzahara!" Zakuro heard Nuriko call out. "We've to climb faster. ZAKURO! DON'T GIVE UP!"
Zakuro made a quick decision.
"Catch me!" She called out.
Zakuro raised her sword and cut out her hair. She fell freely to the ground and flipped off the demons who saw her falling, a huge grin on her face. She fell on something soft that grunted.
"That's the second time today." Zakuro heard Suzahara mumble from below her.
Zakuro quickly got to her feet and scanned her blindness for the golden ray. It was patiently waiting for Zakuro at the far end of her vision. Zakuro rubbed her vacant neck. The necklace that Tomoko had made for her now belonged to the demons. Her neck felt strangely naked without it.
"Umm..." Zakuro mumbled. "Guys. Those things are getting closer."
"There." Zakuro pointed. "What is there?"
"I can't see a thing." Suzahara mumbled.
"But the light is right there." Zakuro insisted. "You summoned it, Suzahara."
"I did?" Suzahara asked confused.
"You called the devoured spirits." Zakuro said, rubbing her temples. "Oba-san answered. She is right there."
Zakuro started moving towards the light. Nuriko grabbed her arm.
"You'll fall into the river." Nuriko chided.
"I thought we were going to follow it upstream anyway." Zakuro retorted.
"It's too fast here." Suzahara said, agreeing with Nuriko. "We'll have to find a smoother current."
Zakuro sighed. The way she felt, it didn't seem like she had much time.
"I think that's the exit." Zakuro said, her voice urgent. "Can the all-seeing ones see a bridge or something?"
"None." Nuriko replied immediately.
"Zakuro." Suzahara said, hesitantly. "Are you sure it's not your mind playing tricks on you?"
But Zakuro was sure. Well, sure enough.
"Nuriko." Zakuro said, making up her mind. "Is there enough space for a person to stand on the other side?"
"Yeah." Nuriko said, confused.
"Throw Suzahara across." Zakuro said, pointing straight ahead. "Worst case, Suzahara drowns and we get eaten by demons. Best case, the chalice is there and we win."
Suzahara chuckled.
"Glad to see that your murderous intents are back." Suzahara said, stroking Zakuro's head.
"I wasn't kidding." Zakuro said pointedly. "Nuriko, listen to the mortal who cannot see."
Almost immediately, Zakuro heard Suzahara shout as he shot across the river. One had to hand it to Nuriko. She was freaking strong.
Zakuro heard Nuriko stomp demons.
"That hurt!" Suzahara shouted from across the river.
"Do you see the light?" Zakuro said, her voice edgy.
"I saw a bright white one a few moments ago." Suzahara said, shouting back. "My life flashed in front of my eyes. Turns out, I did lose that bet all those years ago. Funny, right?"
"Suzahara!" Nuriko shouted. "Search harder."
Zakuro ran a few steps away.
"Oi!" Zakuro yelled out. "Stupid demons! Come and get a piece of me!"
Zakuro could hear footsteps scurry towards her. She swung her sword and cut through the weak demons.
"Suzahara!" Nuriko called out.
"I'm going as fast as I can!" Suzahara exclaimed. "Devoured Spirits! Light the way!"
But there was no effect. Zakuro was starting to get dizzy. But she knew she had to stay up for as long as she could.
Zakuro only heard a victorious "Found it" from Suzahara before the cave rumbled. Zakuro imagined a bright light sweeping the cave.
You've completed two quests in the God Challenge. We, the lost spirits, shall be your guide. We commend your effort and would support you in the future quests. Zakuro heard familiar disembodied voices speak.
Zakuro heard Nuriko sigh loudly as she fell to the ground. Zakuro imagined Suzahara doing the same on the other side.
But something was wrong. Zakuro still felt like crap. And she was still blind. A little part of her thought that after everything was settled, she would be back to normal.
"Zakuro-chan." Zakuro heard the old woman call out to her.
"Oba-san." Zakuro mumbled. "I wish I could see you."
"You did well, Zakuro-chan." Zakuro heard the old man join in. "We're really glad to have met you."
Zakuro smiled at the clichéd sentence. That was something good people always said. That was something benevolent people told when they forgave their murderers.
"Zakuro-san." Zakuro heard another unfamiliar voice call out to her. "I'm glad my grand-parents were happy for one final week."
Zakuro shook her head at the human capacity to forgive and love. These are the souls that made a God. These were the souls that demons covet.
"I'm glad to have met them, Mayuri." Zakuro answered.
It would be a while before Zakuro could forgive herself. But Zakuro suddenly had great faith in human capacity. She smiled to herself.
-X-X-
"Is Zakuro talking to herself again?" Suzahara called out from across the river. "This place looks like it used to be an alter. And how am I supposed to get back?"
"I thought we would be lifted out of here." Nuriko said confused. "Come on, spirits. Strut your stuff."
"Is it me or is the river getting wilder?" Suzahara said.
"SUZAHARA!" Nuriko shouted, scared. "The ledge is almost gone."
"STAY BACK!" Suzahara said, his voice tense. "Find a way back through the caves. Get out of here! NOW!"
"What's going on?" Zakuro asked Nuriko.
"SUZAHARA!" Nuriko shouted again. "He fell into the river. SUZAKHARA!"
"SUZAHARA!" Zakuro called out equally panicked.
She swirled around, facing the spot where the light was. She felt the river splashing on her feet.
"Nuriko!" Zakuro called out. "We've to get out of here."
But all was quiet.
"NURIKO!" Zakuro shouted at the top of her lungs.
But all she could hear was the river rising towards her.
"Toya?" Zakuro called out. "Toya? Where are they?"
But there was no answer.
Zakuro hugged herself.
"This isn't real." Zakuro mumbled. "I'm not here. I'm not alone. They're OK. They have to be OK."
Zakuro could feel her sanity slipping away from her.
"I'm not of this world." Zakuro mumbled. "I've to..."
Before she could finish, her leg slipped.
It seemed like Zakuro's little life was playing back to her in reverse. All the things that she had planned to do, all the things that she had the potential to do, were now forgotten memories.
She fell into the river with an insignificant splash.
The river carried her away with it, Zakuro struggling to stay afloat. Her arm felt numb. She wondered if she could ever use it again. Zakuro surfaced at a small cave gasping for air.
"Zakuro-chan!" Nuriko called out, struggling to stay afloat and get to Zakuro.
But they were soon pulled under. Zakuro thrashed against the current.
I don't belong here. Zakuro protested to the river. I have to get back home.
But the river seemed to be getting warmer. Zakuro could faintly see the bubbles escaping her mouth. She clasped her mouth with her hand.
In what seemed like hours, Zakuro could see light at the horizon. But it was too far away. Zakuro looked at her arm and saw blood pouring out into the river. Even though the river felt warm, the warmth didn't reach her core.
She felt cold.
She felt alone.
At this thought, the last of her air escaped her mouth. Her brain protested for oxygen and she inhaled water. The water seared her lungs, as her muscles thrashed trying to stay alive. Zakuro closed her eyes, the final memory of a flame approaching her.
-X-X-
Zakuro could feel strong hands on her chest, pressing down in a rhythmic motion. Somebody pushed air into her lungs.
"Zakuro!" She heard Suzahara cry out desperately.
But Zakuro felt tired. She wanted to sleep. It seemed pointless to get up.
"Zakuro-chan!" She heard Nuriko call her. "Please, wake up!"
It was at this that Zakuro remembered the pain she felt when the old woman did not get up when Zakuro called out to her.
Was Zakuro so twisted that she was going to leave Nuriko with that pain?
All she had to do was open her eyes. The feat seemed colossal. But Zakuro gave it her all.
Zakuro's body worked automatically. Her eyes snapped open as she coughed out water from her lungs. She turned over, her lungs burning as oxygen swept in. Even though the place was humid and dingy, Zakuro's entire being was grateful for the gift of air.
"Suzahara." She called out. "Nuriko."
"We're here." Nuriko said, claspingZakuro's hand.
"We need a doctor!" Suzahara called out desperately.
But Zakuro was feeling better. It seemed that the river had sucked out all the poison from her. She was able to see again. She slowly turned to her side and opened her eyes.
DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG!
A bell rang nearby. There was a flurry of footsteps.
"There are women in the men's bath." Zakuro heard an attendant shout. "Quick! Get towels for the customers."
"We need a doctor!" Zakuro watched as Suzahara ran around a group of unclothed men. "Is there a doctor here?"
"I'm a doctor!" Cried out a voice from the crowd.
He hurried towards Zakuro, his flabby belly dancing. He spread his legs and kneeled near Zakuro examining her.
"Nuriko!" Zakuro called out. "I want the demons back."
"Get the doctor's bag!" One of the attendants called out.
"No." Zakuro protested. "No! I want to be blind again. This is too much."
The closer the doctor got, the further Zakuro recoiled.
"We need to stitch up her arm immediately." The doctor said.
But Zakuro seemed hesitant to let the doctor touch her.
"You must let the doctor examine you, Miss." Zakuro heard an unfamiliar man's voice goad her.
She instinctively turned towards the voice and saw a man so beautiful, it was hard to believe that he was human. It was even harder to not drool at his muscular visage. Zakuro heartbeat rose, causing more blood to flow out. The doctor hastily tried to bandage the wound.
"There, there." The gorgeous man with the dark hair tied up in a high ponytail said, stroking Zakuro's forehead.
His strong cheekbones and square jaw were completed by a pair of delicious lips. His hand had a tough yet gentle quality to it. He smiled, his green eyes twinkling in the paled by comparison bath. His muscle rippled every time he stroked Zakuro's head.
Zakuro resisted the urge to admire his full form as she wasn't sure if she had enough blood to live through a nose bleed.
"Are you an angel?" Zakuro asked, confused as to the existence of such beauty.
In her world, he would easily be the best male model every year.
The man chuckled.
Suzahara appeared behind the man and put his hand on the man's shoulder.
"Thank you." He said, his eyes angry. "I can take it from here."
Zakuro watched as the man turned around to rise.
"I'm glad I could help." The man said. "Take good care of her, Suzahara."
Suzahara eyes narrowed for an instant. But he ignored the man and went to Zakuro.
"We can go to my house." Nuriko said. "But you're going to have to direct me out of this place."
It was at that point that Zakuro noticed that Nuriko's eyes were closed the entire time. She wanted to give Nuriko an eye candy alert. But something about the way Suzahara looked at her made her think it was better to keep quiet. Suzahara walked out of the bath carrying Zakuro. The doctor hastily dressed himself and followed Nuriko and Suzahara to Nuriko's place.
-X-X-
"So that was her." The gorgeous man said, scratching his chin.
His former indulgent appearance was replaced by a bored one.
"Yes, Bao Shou-dono." A woman's voice replied from the shadows.
Bao Shou smiled a little, immediately replacing it with nonchalance.
"Get me more info." He ordered, snapping his finger.
"Yes, Sir." The woman's voice replied.
AN:
Translations-
-dono: Japanese form of "Milord".
-X-X-
Torublossom- Thank you so much for the review. It really motivates me to continue writing the story. I hope you like this chapter too!
-X-X-
So, as it turns out, I can update a new chapter on Saturday and Sunday. Work and studying is taking up most of my times on weekdays. My mind is also swimming with an Inuyasha fanfic. But I have the bad habit of leaving things unfinished when I come across new ideas. So, I'm determined to finish this before starting a new one. This story is already formed in my head. I just need to type it out now. I will try to increase the number of uploads.
As always, keep reading!