Wow 3 chapters all in a few hours :)
Chapter 3
Time stretched on as she laid there, ragged breaths gasping in and out, smoke filling her lungs and crowding out the oxygen she so desperately needed. Her eyes tried to tear up to ease the dryness but the fire had already consumed them. The crashing of a beam sounded as part of the roof caved in, feeling the heat even closer as her skin heated to an almost burn. Whispers danced around her like the flames themselves as they spoke of her failure with words that felt like they bit her very soul as she flinched.
Most of the circulation had slowed down as all of the wounds burned with a vengeance as the fire neared almost licking at her feet. She only wore priestess clothes that had been torn into rags as the remaining had been almost entirely consumed with her blood. Dark spots on her red hakamas shown through deeper as it continued a downward flow as the red stream gathered into the joining masses below the steps, seeping into the wood.
Her memory flowed to the other shrine she lay burning in during the reign of the Band of Seven as the mercenary Renkotsu took advantage of their poisoned states to take her jewel shards and burn them alive, that is if the poison didn't kill them first. Her memories triggered by the harsh voices making her feel like she is going crazy as she wished she could clutch her head and scream, sounding out her frustration to anyone who might hear.
Part of her wondered why the villagers haven't come to save her, seeing her plight as she continued to lay there wondering what will become of the jewel and what will happen to her soul. The thought of it being reincarnated to the future beyond her time and that person being dragged into this almost ripped her heart out. Inside her head she screamed and cried at the injustice they would have to endure if she does fail. She wished she could move but her strength wouldn't come back as if she is paralyzed. The sound of crashing barely registered, the groans of the main beam sounded, the beam that ran parallel to her small form below it.
Finally he reached it and smelled fire. He landed outside and from what was left of the building he knew it had been the main structure of the shrine he landed at. As much as he didn't wish to run into the flames much like he had before he died, he knew that he must. Pushing open the burning door it went crashing to the ground. He had found blood all over in spatters along with barely remaining ash of demons. Straight ahead of him at the steps to the altar he could see the petite figure of a priestess, a trail of blood followed her until she could move no more, hand still outstretched to reach the powerful jewel.
Hearing the groans of the beam above her, he wasted no more time dashing in as he knelt down next to her form, staring into the familiar meridian blue eyes that remained unfocused he felt a pulse and looked at the jewel of power, with a light growl he picked it up and carefully scooped up the priestess as he raced out of there knocking the blazing beams away as they fell around them. He didn't stop once he got outside, he kept running till he could breathe more clearly, but knowing the woman that lay limp in his arms would need it most.
Golden eyes took in the petite body that had woken him on more than a couple occasions. He then turned to the villagers that he had ignored until then. "Do you have another healer?" He questioned, his voice commanding there attention.
A few of them glanced to the opposite hillside before speaking, "I'm afraid her hands are already tied with the birth of a child up in the fortress of our protectors."
Not bad eh?