Chapter 13: The Light in the Dark Part I
Kiyomi said nothing as she watched her sister slam her shackled wrists against the metal door of their prison. As powerful as Kazumi was, it refused to yield. Kazumi hissed like a feral animal. She knew it was unladylike but didn't care.
Kazumi tried to use her magic, but the light was quickly absorbed into her manacles.
"Damn it!" Kazumi cried and banged her shoulder against the door.
A guard's muffled voice told her to be quiet. Kazumi ignored him and continued her assault.
"Kazumi, stop!" Kiyomi begged, but her plea fell on deaf ears.
Kazumi rammed herself against the door repeatedly, but no matter how hard she kicked or screamed, it was all for naught. Eventually, she grew tired and fell to her knees, dissolving into frustrated tears—a gentle hand placed on her shoulder. Kazumi looked up to see her sister's sad face.
"Onegai, Kazumi…" Kiyomi whispered. "Please, stop. It's hopeless." She waved a hand, indicating their surroundings. Prince Katsura, the shogun, had his guards throw them into a crypt—a private and posh cell, but a prison located deep beneath the Imperial Palace. Their only light source was an old gas lamp hanging above their heads.
Kazumi sniffed angrily and sat up. "We can't give up, Nee-san!"
"Look around, Kazumi-chan. No one knows we're down here," Kiyomi said in a defeated voice. She lowered her gaze, staring at their shackled wrists. "Without our magic, we are powerless." She reached out for Kazumi's hands. Kazumi tried not to wince when her sister's fingers brushed against the raw blisters on her knuckles. "And I can't keep watching you trying to hurt yourself like this."
Kiyomi turned away to tear a piece of fabric from the hem of her skirt, turning it into a makeshift bandage. Kazumi thanked her and shifted into a more comfortable position.
"There must be a way out," Kazumi insisted. An expression of remorse painted her face. "We have to find the Guardians. After what we've put them through, we must make things right between us, especially with Kimi!" She paused. In the distance, they could hear the rumbling sound of thunder, or was it war? It wasn't easy to tell. "She must hate us, Nee-san, and I don't blame her for it."
"I do not think so," Kiyomi reasoned. "Kimi did try to reason with you back in Annam before…" The words hung on her lips.
Back in Annam, Kimi had found the two sisters on Kenji's side and had tried to reason with Kazumi, slowly breaking through the years of bitterness between them. She'd almost succeeded, but Zhu Que's Wrath quickly enthralled Kazumi and brought out the worst of her anger and hatred. Kazumi nearly overpowered Kimi and could have killed her, too, had it not been for the Jewel of Life. It cleansed Kazumi of Wrath but also sent her a vision that left her in tears. It wasn't until later when they were home in Nihon, that Kazumi told her sister what she had seen.
"You said it wasn't Kimi who'd kill Seiji," Kiyomi said. In Joseon, Kenji showed them a report detailing Seiji's death. Thinking back, she realized it had been another one of his ploys to manipulate them. "If it wasn't her, then who? And why would Kimi lie to us?"
A troubled expression crossed Kazumi's face. She turned away in shame. Kiyomi raised her eyebrows. "Kazumi?"
Her twin was silent.
Kiyomi bit her lips. "Kazumi-chan, please! Don't hide secrets from me, especially not now."
Kazumi turned to look at her, unable to mask the heartbreak in her eyes. At last, Kazumi relented. Without warning, she grabbed Kiyomi by the lapel of her shirt and buried her face in her breasts, sobbing uncontrollably. Taken aback, Kiyomi saw her sister's distraught and immediately wrapped her arms around her as best as she could with her shackled wrists. She ran her fingers through Kazumi's long hair and whispered comforting words into her ears.
She waited patiently until her sister's tears ran dry. Kiyomi gave her an encouraging smile. "Why don't you tell me everything? Start at the beginning…"
Kazumi sighed. "It's…a long and complicated story…even I don't understand parts of what the Jewel had showed me."
"Try. We have all the time in the world right now."
Kazumi nodded and began her tale.
Kiyomi had always been a good listener. Although it shocked her, she didn't interrupt when Kazumi revealed that Seiji was the yokai that plagued Shinrinkage. Someone or something had cursed him, turning him into a terrifying and dark creature of malice as it slaughtered thousands of innocents every few nights. Mercifully, Seiji hadn't recalled or realized it until before his death. When the truth was revealed, he'd begged Kimi and Kyochi to kill him, but they had refused, hoping against all hope to save him. When the creature within him took over again, Seiji overpowered the Guardians and nearly killed them.
"Kimi had sent Kyochi away to protect him because he was susceptible to the creature's power," Kazumi explained. "Kimi did try to save Seiji. Maybe she could have, but he somehow got the upper hand and injured her. She couldn't use the Jewel to save him…she'd used too much energy, and Seiji was too quick. He was about to kill her when two arrows struck him in the eye and chest."
Kiyomi nodded. So the part about the two arrows hadn't been made up. But if Kimi hadn't shot it, then who did? The answer came to her, and her heart shriveled.
Kazumi nodded, her face crestfallen. "They were Kyochi's arrows. He'd been the one who shot Seiji so he could save Kimi." She paused again, fighting back the sobs and her quivering lips. "That…that was when Seiji reverted into a human, long enough for him to beg her again. Still, Kimi was hesitant to deliver the final blow, but at that moment, Seiji ran himself into her sword, guiding her hand so the blade would pierce through his heart." She turned to Kiyomi and said, "Don't you see, Onee-chan? Seiji did die by Kimi's hand, but she hadn't been the one who killed him!"
Kiyomi didn't know what to say. Instead, she drew closer to her sister until their shoulders touched and hands clasped. For a long while, they sat together in companionable silence.
Kiyomi closed her eyes and imagined what that ordeal must have been like three years ago. Her sister's description of Seiji's corrupted form was vivid and chilling. She could see a creature covered in living and writhing shadows, its eyes flashing red in the sockets of a skull beneath a mass of bubbling darkness; pitiless and evil. She couldn't fathom what Seiji felt when he realized what he had become. Did he feel pain and anguish as the curse tormented him into that twisted nightmare? In a flash of empathy, Kiyomi hoped that Seiji had felt nothing. If he did, being such a thing must have been a nightmare beyond imagining.
"Seiji's death had been a kindness," Kazumi said softly. "If the world had known what he'd become, even if it hadn't been his fault, he would have been ostracized, and his closest relatives would have been disgraced beyond imagining." She blinked back a fresh wave of tears. "I understand now why our cousins lied about the details of his death. They wanted to preserve Seiji's honor as well as mine." She smiled ironically to herself. "Given the choices, it was better for me to be seen as the unlucky bride than the wife of a yokai, right?"
A thought occurred to Kiyomi. If some dark sorcery had twisted Seiji into that thing, then… "Kazumi…who or what cursed him and why?" Kazumi stared at her, and silence filled their prison. "Kazumi, did the Jewel show you who or what was responsible?" she pressed. Again, Kazumi shook her head.
Kiyomi's eyes darkened. A loud rumbling sound startled them, and they both glanced up at the ceiling. "I fear that whoever was behind it may be involved with this siege."
"We must escape!" Kazumi declared. With renewed determination, she got to her feet. "Now that I know why Kimi did what she did, I have to make things right between us."
Kiyomi sprang up as well. "How?" she asked.
"I don't know, but we'll think of something."
Kazumi glanced down at her shackled wrists; the feel of the dark iron felt cold to the touch as if it had absorbed some of her body heat. Even if we escape, we'll still be powerless with these things, Kazumi thought.
Silently, she walked closer to the dim lantern and held up her manacles to study it. Dark irons are some of the rarest metals on Lusteria, mined from the depth of the earth where few ventured. They absorb magic and energy and are difficult to mine, shape, and wield. She'd heard rumors of slivers being sold in the black market for obscene amounts. To have enough and shape it into manacles indicated the wealth and power of the shogun.
The light flickered as Kazumi turned her wrists to study the carvings of her cuffs. The entire thing was black as obsidian, so it took her a moment to finally spot a keyhole. The only way out was by physically lock-picking it or having someone cut their hands off. The latter didn't seem appealing.
Turning to her sister, Kazumi said, "There must be something here that we can use as a lock pick. Help me search."
Kiyomi didn't argue as she got to her knees and began to rummage around for something small and sharp. She didn't yelp when her fingers brushed against the bones of a rat. Hope gleamed in Kazumi's eyes for a moment as they tried to use it. To their dismay, the bone was too brittle.
"Keep searching," Kazumi urged, refusing to give up. "Perhaps a needle or a hairpin!"
After several more minutes of rummaging in the dark, Kiyomi heard a faint crash. She paused and looked up.
"Did you hear something?"
Kazumi paused to listen and shook her head.
"No, I don't think—"
CRASH!
They jumped and stared at their prison door.
CRASH! CLANG! CRASH!
Kiyomi quickly moved closer to her sister. "What was that?"
Before Kazumi could answer, one of their prison guards shouted, "HALT, STRANGER!"
A whoosh of fireballs could be heard; its glow glimmered from beneath the door. Suddenly, beams of light flashed, and the guards cried. A loud THUMP rattled their entrance, followed by moaning and silence.
The two sisters clung to each other as footsteps approached. Their throats tightened, unsure if whoever was on the other side had come to save or finish them off.
The door opened, and a tall, young man clad in white stepped in. A glance behind him revealed their guards slumped unconsciously on the ground. A soft aura glowed around him, lighting this chamber if only a little: he was a light-wielder, and a skilled one if he could take down five men and women single-handedly. The sisters bristled, first thinking he was a spirit because of his white mask. "Are you Kinomoto Kiyomi and Kazumi, daughters of General Katsumi?" asked the masked stranger. He couldn't be that much older than them! His voice was sweet and serene, like a melody on the wind or the honey hidden in a tree.
Kazumi's face tightened into a scowl. She had to remind herself that this stranger could still be dangerous to them. "What is it to you, stranger?!" she barked, hoping to sound haughty.
He turned to her. "I do not like to think that I've wasted my time coming here to their rescue if you are not them," he replied, unfazed by her wildness.
Kiyomi blinked. So this stranger is here to rescue them after all? Hesitantly, she nodded.
"Good, we must leave."
Kazumi bristled. "Wait! Who are you? And how did you know we were down here? We've told no one of our espionage."
The white figure stepped closer and reached for his mask. "I am a distant kin of yours, and I've known of your plight because we share a common enemy," he said, almost smirking.
The mask fell, and the twins' breaths were caught in their throats as they saw the distinct features of his facial outlines in the fading light of his aura; He was utterly handsome, his dark hair tied neatly in a top knot, and his eyes a blend of both green and blue like the forest meets the sea. The twins had seen that face in a photo before and knew who he resembled.
"Kohaku-san?" Kazumi whispered. She shook her head. No, it was impossible! Their uncle, the father of the current Guardians, was killed by Xuan Wu, the corrupted Celestial Warrior of Water. Still, the resemblance is uncanny.
The young man shook his head and greeted them with a bow. "I am Watsuki Hikaru, son of Lady Sora. The daimyo sent me here discreetly for any signs of insurrection and treachery against the working of the Light. During my mission, I saw you getting captured." He straightened and smiled at them.
Kazumi's face flushed red, and she was grateful for their dark surrounding.
"You're a spy?" Kiyomi gasped. Her eyes narrowed, scrutinizing him. "Then, you know Kenji's dealing with the Dark and the shogun's involvement?"
"All that and more."
"How do we know we trust you?" Kiyomi asked.
Hikaru grinned and held up a ring of keys stolen from one of the unconscious guards. Swiftly, he unshackled them, the dark iron manacles falling harmlessly to the ground. The sisters rubbed away the aches in their wrists and flexed their fingers. To their collected reliefs, tiny sparkles of light and ribbons of shadows danced in their hands.
Kiyomi bent down to pick up their manacles.
"What are you doing, Nee-san?" Kazumi asked.
"These may be useful later," Kiyomi said, pocketing them in her sleeves.
"We'd best not linger any longer than necessary," said Hikaru. He turned to leave.
The palace was in an uproar, and no one minded them as they were all too busy scrambling to escape to safety.
"You three! You shouldn't be here!" a guard shouted. Kazumi and Kiyomi bristled and readied themselves should he try to apprehend them. To their relief, he was just an ordinary palace guard and not one of the shogun's goons. To Kazumi's alarm, the guard grabbed her by the arm. "Don't you know that Seiryuu's armies are at the border?! We're trying to evacuate everyone! Come with me, and I'll take you to—"
Kazumi dug in her heels and yanked from his grip. Before she could reprimand him, Hikaru stepped in and pinned him with a look. "That will not be necessary. Continue with your orders and help evacuate the others."
The guard studied him and nodded. He gave them a swift bow and apologized to Kazumi for his impertinence before rejoining the evacuation procedure. Kazumi blinked and stared at her savior. Aside from Seiji, no man had ever come to her defense like that, and Hikaru did it so calmly and with such elegance that she couldn't help but admire it.
"What is happening?" Kiyomi asked.
"They're evacuating the stragglers," Hikaru replied.
He sprung for the doors and the twins followed suit. They ran outside into the central courtyard. Above their heads, storm clouds gathered, growing bigger and darker from the added columns of fire on the battlefield. The sound of swords clashing, cannons blasting, and magic-wielding could be heard in the distance. Seiryuu's war against Nihon, raging for months, now came hammering at their doorsteps. Armies on both sides were fighting ferociously on the horizon.
"Oh…" Kiyomi gasped. She turned toward the Kinomoto's district, and her hands flew to her mouth.
Kazumi followed her glance and stared in shock. The famed Hall of Legacy, a grand building that could be seen for miles dedicated to the Guardians, had collapsed. A large mountain of something black and shiny lay over its broken frame. Looming over it is Silverlore, Kyochi's dragon. He gave a thunderous roar that made the sky and earth tremble. Finishing his kill, he took flight into the dark clouds.
"What's happened?" Kazumi asked, turning to Hikaru.
A dark expression crossed his face. "A battle had taken place there," he said grimly. He pointed to the black mound. "A dark and evil creature was summoned to kill the Guardians—an omukade!" The sisters exchanged looks of horror. They've heard of such a yokai. Had the omukade been a part of Kenji's plot to destroy the Kinomoto and the Guardians? Had he become that powerful? Or was it something else at play?
Hikaru turned back to them. "The Guardians survived, but barely, thanks to that silver dragon. Several of your kin have decided to flee with everyone. They believed it was Seiryuu who had summoned the omukade to infiltrate the city. Amongst them is your mother, who'd taken it upon herself to head the evacuation."
"And our father?" Kiyomi asked, almost nervously.
"He's leading the charges against Seiryuu's armies at the border. From the sound of it, I would say his forces are doing well in holding the line. Will you join him or help your mother evacuate the sick and the young?" Hikaru asked.
Kazumi shook her head sadly. Their parents, like Chancellor Komei, are among the few strong-willed Kinomoto members who aren't easy to be taken down. "Our destiny lies elsewhere," she said with conviction. "We know of Kenji's involvement with the Dark and the shogun's coup."
Kiyomi nodded approvingly. "If fate had brought you to our rescue, then we must play our part in preserving the Light."
"Then this is where we part ways," Hikaru said. "If you can find the Chancellor, he'll help you."
Kazumi tilted her head and rested a hand on her chest to stop her heart from jumping out. "What about you?"
"I must go into the Dark Forest and assist the Guardians," Hikaru said. "Kenji's plot to get them there is a trap. I have to find them and bring them back here."
Kazumi nodded, but some of her didn't want to see him go. Hikaru was so gallant when he came to their rescue and again when he came to her defense. And the way he smiled at her made her heart rattle in its ribcage. "Will I see you again?" Kazumi asked, almost in a low whisper. Realizing what she just said, she flushed. If he'd noticed, he didn't mention it. She quickly glanced away. Hikaru smiled and reached for her hand.
"If the Light wills it, then yes, I believe so," Hikaru said. He gave her and Kiyomi a courteous bow before turning to leave.
He donned his mask, and his white cape fluttered in the wind. Kiyomi and Kazumi watched in amazement as a white aura encased him. They grew brighter until he was nothing more than a cluster of light orbs flying off into the distance like petals on the wind.
"Kazumi?" the older twin blinked curiously. "Are you all right?"
"Yes! Why wouldn't I be?" Kazumi snapped almost too quickly.
Kiyomi smiled. "I haven't seen you like this in years! You seemed a bit smitten."
Kazumi said nothing but glanced down at her hand where Hikaru had touched her and brushed it with her fingers. She couldn't read auras, but his magic felt pure and bright. Since Seiji's death, her world has been so dark. Yet, this young man's light pulsated something within her, reminding her of her inner light. Her light in the dark.
"Let's go," Kazumi said, and they returned to the Imperial Palace.
Taranee remembered a recent camping trip her family had taken. It had been such a hot summer that her parents opted for a lovely forested campground by a river. Taranee closed her eyes, and the memory came as vividly as yesterday. She could hear the babbling brooks, the rustling of pine leaves in the wind, the crackling and snapping of the flame as it licked her marshmallows, and the birds' singing carried in by the wind.
"Taranee?" a voice whispered in her ears.
Her eyes snapped open, and her memory snuffed out like a candle. Taranee blinked and turned to see Will glancing at her with concern.
"Will?"
The Keeper of the Heart nodded. "You seemed so far away. Something on your mind?"
Taranee sighed and pulled her knees closer to her chest. "Yeah, lots of things."
The Guardians were sitting on the edge of a fountain in a desolate village. Will turned to the sight before them. "Aren't we all?"
Shinrinkage. Its name meant "forest shadow." It had none of the campground's beauty and serenity. The air was so silent that it was deafening. The sky above their heads was so dark. The surrounding forest faded. The waters of a nearby lake were as still as a pond. Taranee glanced up and realized that not even birds flew over their heads. It was as if they'd sensed the sadness and evil that had befallen this village and knew to avoid it. There was no wind. No sunshine. No water lapping against the shore. No birds singing their songs.
Nothing. It was completely and utterly silent.
"I don't like this place," Hay Lin whimpered. She said it in a low voice, yet it cut through the silence like a knife. "The air here is so sad. It's unbearable!"
"I know what you mean, Hay Lin," Cornelia replied, her face crestfallen. "I can hear the voices of nature; the trees around us still remember the screaming. And the ground beneath our feet…" She shuddered as if she could feel the blood that had been spilled, soaking the earth and rendering it barren and fallow.
"This place gives me the creeps," Irma scowled. She didn't have to tell them she could sense the sad memory retained in the waters of a nearby lake. It echoed to her like ripples in a pond.
An hour ago, Kimi had an audience with the Kinomoto elders. She declared her independence and tried to walk away from their control. Unwilling to let her leave, the elders subjected her to torture that would have killed her. The Guardians and Orube had burst in to save her and fought the elders. The Heart of Kandrakar revealed the truth—much to their shock; they'd learned that not only did Isamu and his cohorts orchestrate the genocide of an entire village but also the demise of Minamoto Seiji, Kimi's cousin-in-law.
Lord Isamu and his twin, Lord Osamu, were cold, cruel, power-hungry, and controlling. But the worst is Isamu's wife, Lady Kazue, who turned out to be a blood witch. The Guardians shuddered as they could remember the sick pleasure painted on her face as she watched Kimi suffer under her curse. There was so much malice in those dark eyes. If evil could ever be born in human form, Kinomoto Kazue would perhaps be it.
After their revelation, Kimi sought justice and vengeance against the elders, but Kazue summoned a giant centipede demon, an omukade, to distract them while she and her cohorts escaped. Kimi had wanted to go after them, but her grandfather and uncle appeared, sending them into the Dark Forest to continue their mission. Would Lord Kyosuke be able to catch up to those elders and end their duplicity? The Guardians would have liked to think so. Despite his old age, Kimi's grandfather is still a fearsome warrior.
Taranee tried to distract herself by studying their surroundings. The sight of it in Kimi's memory had been chilling, but being here in person felt surreal.
This place must have been lively and beautiful, Taranee thought.
She tried to picture shadow-wielders bustling around these streets. Shops would be open to selling their goods. Lanterns would have lit up the main town square during festivals, and children would've played and chased one another throughout the streets. Adults would converse and show off their best robes while partaking in the festivities. There would have been contests where young shadow-wielders displayed their talents. But now, Shinrinkage is a shadow of that once glimmering light in the Dark Forest.
It had been three years, and the vegetation had grown everywhere in that time. The vines climbed over the skeletal frames of buildings. A thin layer of moss covered the stone pillars. Tall grasses shot through the cracks of wooden planks. Even this old fountain they were sitting on is clogged with dead leaves. Taranee gazed up at the stone statue of Kazuhiko, the first Guardian of Darkness, erected on a pedestal in the middle of the fountain. Unlike the hologram version in the Hall of Legacy, he was hardly recognizable underneath all that dirt and vine. In a few more years, Shinrinkage would be swallowed up by the forest and become one with it.
Hay Lin let out a long sigh before gazing toward the cemetery. "How could anyone be that cruel?" she whispered. "How could those elders do such a thing to Kimi? She's family, and they just…they just…" the words died in her throat as she choked back a sob. Hay Lin had never felt so helpless when Kimi grasped her by the arm and begged her to remove the creature eating at her mind. The sight of her friend convulsing in pain was fresh in her mind.
A hand rested on her shoulder, and she turned to see Cornelia sharing in her distress. "I don't know, Hay Lin. I suppose some people are just so wicked that they have no room for love in their hearts. All they know is hatred and pain. People like Kazue, Phobos, and Kenji had never had anyone love them before. So they don't know how to love and care for others."
A clattering sound echoed loudly to their right. The Guardians turned to see Orube emerging from a broken-down shop.
"Could you be any quieter?" Irma huffed.
Will leaped to her feet. "Did you find anything?"
Orube shook her head. "Hardly. There's nothing but broken tools and furniture—all covered in dust."
Taranee blinked curiously. "Really? No rodents or crows or any of those scavengers?"
"None of my senses could pick up on anything alive aside from us."
"Well, that's good, I supposed," Irma said. "At least we know there's nothing else here that will ambush us."
"C'mon. Let's get out of here," Will said almost hotly. "This place gives me the creeps." Remembering that Matt was still somewhere in this kingdom, she was itching to get a move on and find him along the way. "Where's Kimi? I thought she was with you."
Orube turned her head in the direction of the cemetery. "She went off to pay her respect to the dead. She should be nearly done by now."
"Then let's go get her."
The walk to the cemetery wasn't far. Located on a grassy field, it sits next to a large lake with water as dark and still as the night. They passed under a shabby torii gate with faded writings. The cemetery was spacious with hundreds of little mounds of earth. Many of them have stone monuments to mark their places. Some were carved in the shapes of lanterns, while others were simple.
They found Kimi kneeling before a large stone monument in the center of the cemetery. Like the torii gate, there was calligraphy elegantly etched in stone. She pretended as if she hadn't heard them.
"Here lie in memory the 1,219 shadow-wielders of Shinrinkage Village. Unknown by name or title, they are buried with honor and dignity."
Will bit her tongue. The number of dead sent a cold chill down her spine. Kimi mentioned that her brother returned alone to bury the dead while she recuperated in Kandrakar. The thought painted a grim picture in her mind. Shinrinkage must have also had a lasting effect on Kyochi, Will thought sadly. She ran her hand over the words, feeling the coldness of the stone beneath her fingers. He must have carved these words. She placed a hand on Kimi's shoulder. "It will be all right, Kimi."
Kimi shook her head. "I'm tired, Will. I'm very tired." Her voice was so soft that she sounded like a ghost.
Will frowned, not liking her tone of defeat. "What do you mean?"
Kimi slowly rose to her feet. "I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of this!" She gestured to their surroundings. "I am a Guardian! I am the most powerful light-wielder in the universe! And yet, I couldn't save any of them! I couldn't save Seiji!" Kimi shook her head and lowered her gaze. "I couldn't save my father or my mother. And now I'm afraid I can't save my brother…" She paused and her eyes seemed to stare off into the distance. "Not for the first time do I wish we'd been born under a different star. I wished my parents had run far away from here like that aunt of mine. I wished she had taken my parents to whatever world the Sword would have taken them. Perhaps they could have fled to Earth," she mused. "Maybe then, Kyochi and I would have grown up in Japan."
Cornelia's hands flew to her mouth. "But we wouldn't have met!"
Kimi shrugged. "Perhaps or perhaps not."
"But you wouldn't have been a Guardian! You wouldn't have met Orube!" Taranee added. "We wouldn't be as close friends as we are now!"
"A good price to pay in never suffering under the thumbs of my elders, wouldn't you say?"
Will scowled. She wanted to slap some sense into this girl. "Don't say that! Don't even think about it!" she snapped.
"Will's right! None of this is your doing!" Irma insisted. "It's that damn blood witch's fault! She and the rest of the Kinomoto elders!" She glanced at the others, pleased to see they shared her sentiment.
"You can't blame yourself," Taranee added. "And don't ever think you're alone in any of this."
Hay Lin took Kimi's hands in hers. "We're your sisters, too, Kimi! Can't you see that? And sisters share in each others' pain and joy."
Kimi blinked, an expression of uncertainty washed over her face. She wanted to believe them but was afraid to.
Orube stepped forward and placed a hand on Kimi's shoulder. "Yes, you're all Guardians, but you're all still so young," she said, gazing at them all. "Even with all the power, there are times when you are helpless to save those closest to you." Her eyes turned back to Kimi, and she tightened her grip. "Do not blame yourself for the death of so many and the misery of your kin."
Kimi opened her mouth but immediately closed it. She glanced at Will, Cornelia, and Irma, who had earned their newfound powers through their ordeals. She glanced down at her own hands and wondered why the things she'd endured these past few years didn't constitute. Then again, she and her brother were still in their first form three years ago. Would it have made a difference if she had her secondary form then? Would having the third form—her own "Power Girl," as Hay Lin had put it—have helped her stand up to her elders' influences? Somehow she doubted it.
"What are you going to do?" Orube asked, her tone almost challenging. "Now that you know that all of this was your elders' doing, what will you do? Are you afraid?"
Kimi said nothing as she turned to face the monument. Seiji wasn't buried here. Her brother had returned his body to his parents so they could give him a proper funeral.
"I may not have known Seiji that well, but that doesn't change the fact that he was one of the most kindhearted people I've met. Like my mother, he wanted to help the common folks. He believed that if he could climb to the top and use his influence to save people, he would do it. But none of that saved him, just as it had not saved my parents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.
"What happened earlier in the Hall of Legacy shows that the elders don't care if you're blood. They'll kill you just to get what they want. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. I'm scared of failing. I'm scared of losing Komei and my grandfather, and my brother. I'm scared of losing all of you."
Her friends exchanged glances, their eyes full of pity but said nothing. Kimi let out a breath and turned to face them.
"But I can't stop. I have to keep pushing forward. Minamoto Seiji had aspirations and dreams for this world. I will take what was his as my own; his dream for Lusteria will become my own. I will tell Kazumi the truth and help her move forward. And I won't stop there. I want to help my mother's clan and give them back the choices that were denied to them. I will shed light on my elders' duplicitous reign and put an end to those like them throughout this kingdom! All of this, I swear."
Relief and pride swelled in her friends' hearts. Motivated, Cornelia stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Kimi's shoulder. She made a circle with her forefinger, and vines of thorns grew from the ground and coiled themselves around the monument. With another flick of her finger, white roses bloomed to honor those who lay at their feet.
Without a word, they all lowered their heads, silently remembering those who had perished here but never forget that, like the roses, hope still blooms somewhere.
Feeling a tear coming, Irma brushed them away and cleared her throat. "Well, now that we've gotten the mushy stuff out of the way, let's get out of here!"
They barely walked five hundred yards towards Seiryuu's fortress when Orube stopped in her track. Her ears twitched as she glanced around.
What's wrong? Taranee asked, switching to their telepathic channel.
Orube's hand flew to the hilt of her sword. Someone is coming!
Alert, the others slipped into their defensive positions.
Who's coming? Cornelia asked. She glanced around, expecting a dark creature to loom over them. Nervously, she clutched the handle of her ribbons tighter.
Tapping into her aura magic, Kimi immediately caught the approaching scent and saw it wasn't human. Yokai! She gasped.
The realization barely registered in their minds when a whirling sound sliced through the air. Hay Lin gasped in surprise as she caught a glint of the blades coming for her exposed neck. She barely held up her fans when Will grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down. The two spinning blades circled back and flew straight for Taranee. The Fire Guardian gasped and tried to dodge. The tips of her dreadlocks were sliced off by one, while the other left a thin line of red on her side. It happened so fast she didn't feel the burn until several seconds later. She winced and glanced down at her side.
"Taranee!" Cornelia cried.
"I'm…okay! It's just a scra—"
The two spinning blades circled at them again, aiming for Will and Hay Lin. Like the wind, Orube and Kimi appeared before them, knocking back the weapons with their swords. They watched in amazement as a streaking shadow caught the rings in mid-air. It stopped atop a building spire, revealing a silhouette of a slender woman with long, flowing hair.
"Who are you?!" Will demanded. "Show yourself!"
In response, ghostly blue fireballs appeared around her, illuminating her half-burned face clear enough to see.
Orube growled, flashing her canine teeth like a feral beast. "You!" she hissed, tightening her grip on her sword. "Kitsune! I should have known!"
The fox spirit gave Orube a grin that was both condescending and mischievous. She would have been beautiful without the cloth covering half her face. She gave a mocking bow. "Hello, little kitten. It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Orube's eyes burned with righteous fury and pure hatred. Of all the spirits of the Dark Forest, why did it have to be her?! It's because of her that Zhu Que is dead! Because of her, Lady Ngọc Long fled, and why I can't find her!
Sharing in Orube's loathing, the Guardians shot Kitsune murderous looks as they brandished their weapons.
"You have some nerve showing up here!" Irma sneered.
Kimi's voice rang through their mind. Keep her talking! A kitsune is known for its fire and illusions. We need to shift the terrain to even the odds.
How? Cornelia asked.
"Are you keen to lose?" Cornelia challenged, keeping her eyes on the enemy. She flicked her wrist, and her ribbon snapped like a whip. "Believe me when I say we have a few bones to pick with you."
I have an idea, Orube replied. She sent them images of her plan. Irma, be ready to start us off.
Kitsune gave them a bemused smile. "My, such bold words from little girls who think themselves smart enough to enter the Dark Forest without our notice."
Will, Irma, and Cornelia! You three are the big guns, but be weary! Even with all your powers, Kitsune can still slip through our fingers with clever tricks! Orube instructed.
Got it, they affirmed.
Irma scoffed with derision and rolled her eyes at Kitsune. "My, such arrogance from someone who just got her face half burned!" Her snarky comment oozed sarcasm. To her delight, it affected Kitsune as the fox spirit shot her a poisonous look, but Irma ignored it. She was far from done. "How does it feel to wear that thing so no one can see how ugly you are? Ooh! I'll bet that Seiryuu is reminded of your failure whenever she looks at your face!"
Kitsune aimed a chakram at her. Irma was unfazed as she stood there with her arms folded, looking impertinent as ever, much to Kitsune's chagrin. "Quiet that insolent tongue of yours, human, or I'll cut it off myself!" she warned.
Irma arched an eyebrow. "Yeah? Come and take it!"
Now! Orube ordered.
Irma brought her tambourine to her lips, held it like an extension of her palm, and blew. Kitsune threw her chakrams at her, expecting them to meet an ice wall. To her surprise, Irma breathed out a blanket of fog like a water dragon. The chakrams disappeared into the curtain of mist before they were knocked back at her by two unseen Guardians. Kitsune caught her weapons expertly again and watched in amazement as the fog swallowed the entire village.
"NOW!" Orube cried.
Ribbons of elemental power glowed in the faintness of the fog before they flew straight for her. Kitsune jumped and landed in the streets of Shinrinkage. The Guardians flew after her, barraging her with their attacks and speed. Much to their dismay, Kitsune dodged and weaved around them gracefully. Whenever one of them thought they managed a hit, Kitsune would dissolve into smoke and fire, revealing to be an illusion or a decoy before smacking them with physical blows of her own.
"I will admit that you've impressed me, Guardians!" Kitsune declared. "You've made this game more challenging! I like it!"
Orube's cry could be heard as she appeared through the mist from behind, her sword flashing towards her neck, but Kitsune spun in time to block them. Orube seethed as she pushed down against her, sending sparks flying as their blades crossed.
Kitsune smiled. "Really, Orube? Don't you know a war cry alerts your enemies to your approach? How basic."
"SHUT UP!" Orube snarled and kicked her viciously in the stomach.
Kitsune rolled back, dodging arrows of light and fire from above. She returned to her feet and sent a whip of blue fire back at them. Shards of green crystals flew out to intercept them while vines burst from the ground to capture her. To Cornelia's frustration, they all grabbed air as Kitsune resorted to her illusions again.
I can't get her! Cornelia said. Orube! Kimi! What about you? Can't you sense her?
Yes, but she's too quick! Orube said.
Her aura isn't human, and it's erratic! Kimi responded. I sensed her all around us and nowhere at the same time!
I think this fog is starting to hinder us, Taranee noted. Initially, it had been an excellent idea, but it felt like their enemy was using it to benefit herself, too.
"Hello, little Guardian," Kitsune's voice cooed. Hay Lin gasped threw an air current, revealing herself. Kitsune spotted her and sent her chakrams flying.
"Hay Lin!" Irma cried.
A wall of displaced water appeared to protect her. The chakrams were knocked back again and were just about to fly back into Kitsune's hands when two chains of light snatched them. Kitsune turned to see Kimi's silhouette appearing out of the fog; her eyes glowed, looking like an avenging spirit. If Kitsune was frightened, she did well to hide it. Kimi spun her newly acquired weapons, mimicking Will with her bola but on a larger scale. With a flick of her wrists, the chakrams flew for Kitsune, threatening to slice her into ribbons. Resorting to her magic, she barely escaped the razor blades. Kitsune felt a trickle of blood running down her forehead. She shot Kimi a dangerous look, but the Guardian of Light disappeared back into the fog.
Snatching back her chakrams, Kitsune searched for sudden movements. Kimi's chains of light and Cornelia's vines reached for her legs and pulled. Kitsune gasped and swung a chakram, freeing herself only to be pinned against a wall by a torrent of wind. Once it let up, she fell and was immediately met with Orube's fist. The Basilíadian warrior punched her with the ferocity of a bear. She smiled with satisfaction when she felt flesh against her knuckles. They did well to give Kitsune no time to use her illusion.
The fog dissipated, and Kitsune saw all seven opponents glaring down at her. Kitsune coughed and held her side, feeling her ribs digging into her lungs. Still, Kitsune laughed.
"What's so funny?" Will demanded.
"I'd be careful of my answer if I were you, vixen," Orube warned. She pressed the blade tip closer to Kitsune's neck, drawing blood.
The fox spirit eyed her malevolently and gave her a grin that sent warning flags. "Even at your mercy, you've fallen for it," Kitsune laughed.
Before Will and Orube could blink, orbs of blue fire rained down, forcing them to jump back. Unable to see anything, Hay Lin created a dome of air, pushing back the fog until everything was clear.
Orube cursed and glanced around for her enemy. "KITSUNE! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
A peal of laughter echoed above their heads.
Irma pointed up at another spire. "THERE!"
"Well, that had been fun," Kitsune brushed off the dirt from her robes, looking as fresh and renewed as before. "I can do this all day." The Guardians gaped and exchanged confused glances. Had it all been a hallucination? Had Kitsune been getting into their minds and making them think otherwise?
This fox is toying with us! Taranee thought.
Anger and frustration boiled in them, especially in Will, Kimi, and Orube, for they each have someone to search for: Matt, Kyochi, and Ngọc Long. On top of that, they must stop Seiryuu and her forces from taking over Nihon, but they've been sidetracked left and right since arriving. Kitsune's lips curled into that annoying smirk upon their realization. She was determined to keep them with her games until all was lost.
Will screamed and threw her claymore. They watched as it passed through Kitsune, dissolving her into smoke. Another illusion. Damn it! Where is the real one?! Will thought. She glanced around and spotted Kitsune standing atop another building, eyeing them like a predator.
"Is that all? You're boring me," Kitsune asked.
Will spun her bolas. She had to be faster. Give her no time to teleport! "Get out of our way or else! We don't have time to play your stupid little game!"
Kitsune faked a hurt expression. "Oh, you don't? I'm sure you will change your mind once you see this!"
She snapped her fingers, and they bristled for an attack. Blue lights from her fox fireballs flickered, illuminating a figure strung up in strange silk wrapping behind her.
The color on Will's face drained within seconds. The others gasped, recognizing the figure's face despite his bloodied and bruised face.
"MATT!"
Kimi glowered and muttered something unintelligible under her breath. She could feel Matt's aura flickering weakly and knew he was no illusion. But where had he come from? He hadn't been here before. Otherwise, she would have felt him. No, something else had brought him here.
Kitsune smiled, delighted by the surprised reveal. She reached out and grabbed Matt's face, forcing him to look up so they could see his face more clearly. "Wake up, boy. Aren't you happy to see your friends?" Matt moaned from his pain and tried to look as defiant as possible. Kitsune laughed and turned to the Guardians below. "This human thought himself a hero by trying to gather intelligence. Instead, he was sloppy and stupid! I don't understand why my lady wanted to play with him so much. He barely lasted an hour under her thumb. But I'll admit, he made a valiant effort trying to escape. But as you can see," she tightened her grip, her nails digging into Matt's flesh, causing him to wince, "he didn't do a good job."
Anger turned into pure rage, but Will did her best to suppress it. "You're lying! It's another one of your tricks! He's an illusion!" she retorted.
"Am I?" Kitsune turned to Matt. "What hurts more, boy? The fact that you've failed to play the hero? Or that your beloved doesn't believe that you're real?" Matt glared at her, refusing to give her satisfaction.
Will, I can see his aura. Kimi thought. That is Matt!
Will's hands fell to her side as she looked up at Matt in disbelief. "No…Matt…is it really you?"
Matt looked at her with such pained eyes that it hurt. She could see a glint of shame in his eyes. "Hey, Will…I guess I got in over my head, huh?"
Kitsune threw her head back and laughed before turning to Will and said, "If you don't want to fight me, then will you fight to save your little friend?"
Finding his strength, Matt shook his head and shouted, "NO, STAY BACK! IT'S A TRAP! THEY'RE TRYING TO—"
Kitsune backhanded him.
"MATT!" Will glared dangerously at Kitsune. An aura of sizzling pink energy bloomed from her. She didn't care who or what this yokai thought she was. Anyone who tried to hurt her boyfriend was going to pay. "Let him go!" Will ordered, her tone dangerously low.
"If you want him so badly, then come and take him!" Kitsune challenged.
Will screamed and charged blindly, her aura crackling and the rage in her eyes illuminating like a wild beast. She was lightning straying from the thunder, blind and deaf to her friends' pleading.
"Now that's more like it!" Kitsune grinned. She grabbed Matt, and they dissolved into smoke, only reappearing somewhere in Shinrinkage.
With their words falling on deaf ears, Orube and the others saw little choice but to follow Will. They chased Kitsune through the maze-like streets, doing their best to pin down the yokai, but without hurting Matt was proving difficult.
Foolish, Matt-boy! I told him to stay home! As Kimi followed them, a thought ran through her mind. What did he mean? What does the yokai have to gain?
She saw Orube make a sharp turn down an alley and followed. She glanced around, remembering that this was the street where she and her brother fought the dark creature that turned out to be Seiji. She hesitated, the sound of the chase fading to the back of her mind.
This place…it's…no! Stop! You must focus on the tasks at hand! Kimi shook her head and glanced around to find she'd fallen behind. Fluttering her wings, Kimi took to the air to see if she could spot her friends. She didn't notice a strange mist coming from below her feet. Her aura magic flared, warning her something was close. She turned around but saw nothing. She silently cursed. Was it Kitsune? Before she could get a better reading, a silk web wrapped around her ankle and pulled her down into the thick fog below. Kimi conjured a katana construct and cut herself free. Her eyes darted around, expecting Kitsune's blue fireballs to come at her. What she didn't expect was an explosion of pain in her neck.
Her hand flew to her neck and saw blood. Her vision began to swim, and her knees felt like water. No…not again…
Falling to the ground, she reverted to her human form. Kimi struggled to fight it, but it was no use. The venom was spreading quickly, and she was losing consciousness. She saw a woman's silhouette looming over her as her vision faded. "Who…are…you…?"
The woman didn't answer but caressed her face, brushing a strand of her hair out of her eyes. "Sweet dreams, little Guardian," was all she said, her voice a sweet lull of seduction.
Everything turned black.
To be continued…
Author's note: I can't believe it's been 10 years since I first posted this story! Time flies and we're almost ¾ of the way done! I'm sorry it had taken me a long time to finish this chapter. Originally, I wanted it up by last December to commemorate its 10th anniversary! But my life has been very busy at that time; job hunting and dealing with a hectic schedule. But I will try to push out more chapters this year! I really want to reach the end with this story and I do have a grand finale planned out!
I've been listening to music from RWBY as inspiration for these following chapters, if you couldn't tell.
To answer some questions:
Yes, I am still writing and this story will come to a conclusion. I thank you for sticking around for ten years and hope that you'll read until the end.
Some chapters are slow because they're meant to be character driven, while the action packed ones are mostly plot driven. Lately, it's been slow because I wanted to show character growth for Taranee as well as Kimi.
Yes, I would love to draw more scenes from this story. I'll add that to my list of things to draw.
The other yokai who caught Kimi is the jorugomo, the spider spirit.