Chapter 3 ~The calling~

Early hours of the morning…

Biting rain began to pelt the old man as he cast his gaze to the horizon where crimson clouds formed. This isn't a good sign, he thought.

"Welcome, Master Akira." A young lad bowed to him as he entered the council room.

The council room was wide and rectangular, an incense in each corner. It was a belief among them that incense can create protection from evil spirits, not just for the fresh smell. All of the village masters are already present sitting around a low table in the middle of the room. The constant noise in the room made it seem like a beehive in stress. He tugged at the bag he carried with him, worried about what might become of this. In his final desperate act, Old Man Akira brought with him a memento he concealed beneath the floor of his house two decades ago, vowing never to show it to anyone ever again. A secret he will carry with him to the grave.

However, the current situation called for it. He couldn't ignore that innocent girl Chizuru and her husband. He heaved a sigh and took his seat near the end. A middle-aged man with a long black beard clapped his hands to silence the constant chatter that dominated the place. He is Makoto, the leader of the meeting.

"Please be quiet. This meeting shall begin now." His voice was warm and soothing to the ears, no one can help but feel enchanted by it.

A blonde man spoke first, stress lines were evident on his face. "All the signs have been shown to us so far." He paused for a moment taking his breath.

"That man and his wife are the ones. Their bloodline will surely be our downfall."

Another man spoke over him. "It was said Michaelis shall come and our lives shall be forfeit unless we put a stop to this."

The head of the meeting rubbed at his temples. It seems this meeting is causing him a great deal of stress. "What does Michaelis even mean?" He asked.

Old man Akira chose to speak up this time. He is known to be wise and his views are valued in the village.

"It means he who is like God. Please, everybody, there is no need to panic." Akira continued."The Prophecy says Michaelis shall bring forth thy wrath, however, part of the text has been lost through time which means we cannot just take that prophecy to heart."

"So," said one of the master merchants in the meeting. "You're asking us to ignore the obvious signs of our doom. Our sisters, wives, and children are in danger. Are you asking us to sacrifice them? Have you lost your mind, old man?!"

"What?" Akira asked. "I said nothing of the sort. I'm simply asking for more time to look into this. There is no need to be afraid this soon especially when we really don't know what it actually means."

"Akira is losing it. He rejected all of my earlier messages for the protection of his home and his neighbors," said another Assemblyman.

"I'm not surprised by his stand about the prophecy, we have known for generations."

Yelled another one who wore a hat. A man was known to have an extended rich family everywhere in Japan. At least it's what he told everyone.

"We're approaching this wrong! We cannot immediately assume that the signs are true. Please," Akira spoke again. "No need for heat."

One of the other Assemblymen spoke up as if he never heard Akira's words.

"You say that because you have a home in Ezo." He said and pointed at him. "You have very little to lose."

The nobleman grabbed his hair in frustration. "Very little to lose?! My daughters and their children live here!"

"Bah," said one of the merchants. "This is all pointless. We should just carry our blades and kill them in the middle of their home, as I'd suggested the moment I heard of their arrival."

"Gentlemen!" Akira said. "Gentlemen!" Akira repeated in a louder tone. This finally garnered him some attention from everyone. "We cannot kill someone just because. We are not savages. We should just let them be."

"Nonsense, stop being such a softy." The man repeated again. "Their house should be burned to the ground."

Akira slammed his fist to the table, and that was enough to silence the argument for a few moments.

"Years ago, a man with a silver mane saved my life from impending doom. These people aren't really as dangerous as we assumed they are." He pulled the object from his bag and raised it high for everyone to see. It was a bottle containing a shiny blue liquid inside. A remedy that survived years with him. Akira began to tell them how this bottle saved his life and the life of his granddaughter who fell ill with an unknown disease.

"Just stop it, you are losing your mind from old age, Old Man." They retorted.

The leader of the meeting sat back and watched as the men started to argue with each other again. He agreed with Akira, that murder should never be taken lightly. But at the same time, that Merchant had a point. Maybe if they didn't kill them, their doom would come and the entire village would be wiped out.

Akira laid his head down on the desk, tired of it all. He tried. This meeting seemed like talking to a brick wall. So he made his choice. He stood on his feet and addressed them all one last time.

"I will relinquish my position in this council. I will never support murder."

Makoto hurried towards him for he considers Akira a good friend who he holds dear. "Wait, Milord. What do you all say if we let these people be, for now, if we saw any more signs of the Prophecy then it would be settled and we will defend ourselves."

That was not satisfying, however, it seems to be the only solution to the current conflict of opinions that Akira and the Council Members can agree upon.

Akira was quite glad about that. At least unnecessary murder has been stopped for now. Maybe he can find a way to understand this Prophecy better. What are the lost texts and what it could mean for this village of theirs?

Meanwhile, at Present time.

Chizuru could see signs of anxiety reflected in the village. Workers milled anxiously and markets bustled with an edge of concern—showing that same apprehension that one might see in a cornered rodent. Frightened, but not sure what to do. Doomed with nowhere to run.

"Do you feel this?" she asked Toshi. He was by her side, watching the people around them in a great sense of confusion.

They chose to walk out and meet the locals after they were done with breakfast. However, it seems their decision wasn't a sound one. At least it's how Chizuru felt.

Toshi went closer to a stall that sold women's clothing and tried to show the best smile he could muster, though he knew he was never any good at it. Souji, one of his Commanders in the Shinsengumi and someone who sort of grew up with Toshi, always made fun of him encouraging him to smile more since the only time he genuinely smiled was when he was torturing someone or when Kondo, the leader of the Shinsengumi and Toshi's mentor and oldest friend, praised him.

"Good morning Mister, fine weather we're having, wouldn't you say? My name is Toshi."

However, the silence was all the response he got. The man stared back at him with a great deal of hatred. Something he couldn't understand. Toshi's expression changed into that of confusion. "Leave me be." The man spoke at last. "I'm not selling anything to that filthy whore of yours."

A word Chizuru never imagined would be hurled toward her like this, she froze in her spot…speechless.

Toshi felt his anger bubble up. He grabbed the man by his lapel and dragged him forward so that he was inches from his face.

"You better apologize to the lady right now before I break my promise to my wife and your blood ruins your merchandise," Toshi threatened.

His voice was dark and cold. The man was afraid, there was no doubt about it. He could see it in his eyes that Toshi wasn't lying but oddly enough he stood his ground.

"What, are you really going to kill me like the savage monster you are?"

Toshi tightened his grip around the man, so many emotions bubbling through him. However, what really matters is this man disrespected Chizuru right in front of him.

He grabbed the man's throat and lightly squeezed. His eyes shimmered gold, showing him a bit of what his true nature is like.

"Apologize right now, I will not repeat myself." His voice was low and dangerous. "You don't want to see me angry."

The man swallowed a lump in his throat, he wanted to be brave but that bravery came to an end at that very moment he saw his golden eyes.

"I'm sorry…for my insolence." He spoke but the tone of his voice was obvious that he didn't believe what he said, but that was good enough for Toshi. He pushed the man back. The force made him tumble and slam against his own table. Some of his belongings were scattered on the ground.

Toshi took Chizuru's hand and started walking. His mood was positively sour. He took a breath to try to calm his nerves.

"So much for befriending the locals huh?" Chizuru stated sarcastically. Toshi glanced down at his kind and beautiful wife and genuinely smiled. He laughed out loud. Chizuru raised a brow at her husband who seemed to be losing it. Only she has that effect on him.

"You are weird," she commented.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you," he replied.

The more they walked, the more they began to realize that people are keeping their distance from them. It almost felt like they were invisible. Chizuru couldn't take this any longer so she got closer to a place serving Dango. There were several people occupying the tables outside of the place. The cook was at the door talking to a woman.

"Excuse me," Chizuru called with a smile. However, the moment that man saw her, he froze and started to backtrack slightly. The woman glanced back at her and let out a loud gasp. She started walking to the opposite side. Chizuru stopped in the middle of the street, confused.

All eyes were on the two of them. They were looking at them like they were the boogeyman and his lady.

"What's going on?" Chizuru tried to get closer, but the man's eyes were almost in tears. "Are you afraid of me?"

The man placed his hands together, pleading, "Please leave me be. I'm just trying to live."

Toshi glanced back at the crowd sitting at their tables and addressed them.

"Why do you people fear us? We are new residents, we desire to get to know you all and the type of food you make, here."

A woman was with her two children, left her chair, and held onto her kids' hands, ready to make a run for it at any moment. She pointed at Chizuru with her index finger. "You are the one who will birth Michaelis. The false god who would kill us all."

Chizuru was about to say something but the woman walked away, ignoring her.

"False god? What the hell does that mean?" Toshi asked loudly, but no one answered.

Everyone left their tables and went inside. The owner closed the door on them without another word. It took Chizuru a couple of seconds to realize what they meant and it was something that caused her a sense of uncertain fear.

"That boy we saw," Chizuru broke the silence while they aimlessly walked, no destination in their mind. "Could that child be our son?" She asked.

The idea that someone was able to predict their lives still didn't sit well with him, but there could be some truth there. The two of them are destined to be together and start a family, that much is true. False Gods is something he didn't anticipate hearing.

"To be honest with you, I don't know what to think?" He replied. "We never really thought about what our children are going to be like thanks to the water of life."

A point she hasn't thought too much about. All that mattered was that the two of them are together so that they can find their happiness.

"A pure-blooded demon from a father who was not born a demon." She spoke. "Still does not explain why people treat us like this. We aren't monsters."

He sighed. On their way, they passed through a farm of fields of wheat that stretched for miles. There was a young man working with a scythe. The man had shiny brown hair and he looked about twenty years old. This brought back good memories from his own family farm. Ironically, he refused to work there because his dream was to become a samurai and make a name for himself.

Toshi nodded and waved hello at the young lad. At least he secured a possible job for himself so they won't be left helpless.

To his surprise, Chizuru had a blank look on her face. Like she was lost in her own world. "Darling?" He spoke and shook her arm slightly. "Are you okay?"

Chizuru felt it in her heart that something was off in the air but she couldn't tell what. It came upon her out of nowhere and she was unsure what this meant.

Something was calling her. Her eyes drifted from Toshi and searched around past the wandering villagers and their residences before finally seeing it.

The trees were veiled in the lightest of mists, their trunks somber brown with sable cracks that gnarl the bark. As her eyes traveled to the edge of the woodland, they became silhouettes against a blanket of white encircled by light, as if it was only daylight where she stood.

That forest was located a mile from where their home was located. How come she hasn't noticed it before?

Something in there is calling for her, a nagging urge to go inside the fog-coated forest.

"Mother of the demon."

"Chizuru."

The voice was incessant and gruff, blocking out all other sounds. She should have heard the bustling sound of the villagers around her, moving about and working or selling there, she should have heard Toshi's voice speaking to her. He faced her and blocked her view of the forest. She could feel his warm touch on her cheeks. His lips were moving, but she no longer heard any sound other than that disjointed voice calling her, she couldn't fight this anymore and allowed her eyelids to close.

…

Chizuru felt her head pounding as a ringing noise pierced her ears. She felt herself shaking.

"I….you…..sh….alright ." She heard voices but they sounded far away, she couldn't make out the words.

"Zuru . . . better . . ."

She tried to move but felt like her body was chained to a soft surface she lay on. Every part of her hurts.

"What is happening to her?" She finally heard it clearly. Toshi's voice, talking to someone.

"I'm not sure. I examined her and she appears to be alright, physically," an unfamiliar voice answered him.

Chizuru felt the vibrations of each heartbeat pulsating through her body. She felt so hot that if she didn't know any better, she would have sworn that she was on fire. Chizuru wanted to open her eyes and cry out to Toshi that something is seriously wrong with her, but she couldn't. She felt a pair of hands wrapped around her in a gentle embrace. Fingers touched her fringes.

"Please…" Toshi spoke admonishingly to her ear. "Don't leave me."

Warm droplets fell gently on her cheeks. It took her a moment to realize he was crying. Pulling every drop of strength she had, Chizuru willed her eyes open. Everything was fuzzy at first, but it began to clear. Toshi's face was the first thing she saw. His eyes were red and his cheeks were stained with his tears.

"She's awake," someone spoke. Chizuru tried to form words but her mouth felt like it was tied. Toshi breathed as he embraced her once more. Her head rested on his shoulder. She could feel him trembling ever so often while he held unto her.

"My god. Don't scare me like that again." He said. "What in the world happened out there?"

Behind him, Chizuru could see a brunette man watching her, he had a cup clasped in his hands. She almost swore this man was Souji who somehow found them and came in for a visit. They were in a small room the futon she lay on was next to a circular window.

Once Toshi let go of her, he helped prop her up against the wall, with the pillow behind her back. The Souji look-alike man got closer and placed his hand over her head, pressing his thumb upon the woman's upper eyelid to keep it open, examining it.

He brought his index finger close to her eyes and said, "I want you to follow my finger." He moved his hand left and right slowly. Confused by his suggestion she did as she was told and focused with all of her might. He did the same thing with the other eye, then he exposed her forearm and placed two of his fingers on her wrist. All normal. However, her temperature was slightly clammy now.

The man sighed and glanced back at Toshi. "She is fine, other than a bit of fever now."

The man placed the cup next to her futon and urged her to drink it to help get some of her energy back before leaving the two of them alone and closing the door behind him.

"How are you feeling?" Toshi spoke. "What happened back there?" Chizuru moaned slightly and rubbed both of her temples. Her memory seemed to be slightly fuzzy.

"Someone was calling me," she quavered. "I felt a great urge to go to that foggy forest. I don't know why."

Chizuru's face drooped from confusion to worried.

The weird look Toshi was giving her was sincerely confused. Like he didn't know what she was talking about. "What foggy forest?" He asked.

She heaved a sigh. "I'm not in the mood for jokes, please. The forest was a mile away behind our house. It seemed to be dark like light cannot penetrate it no matter how strong the sun is."

Toshi touched her forehead for a second. "You are not too feverish." He straightened himself and looked her dead in the eyes. "Chizuru, what day is it?" he asked.

She rubbed her temples again. What was he doing? What the hell is he talking about?

"Friday," she answered.

"Can you count back from fifteen?" He asked again.

Too drained to argue, she relented, "Fifteen, fourteen. . . Five. . . Seven. . . Shelubist. . ." She trailed off.

Once again, she could see concern return to his handsome face. He looked to be very worried and trying to think of something to say. Without another word, he held onto her arm and helped prop her up on her feet.

"Let's go home. You need to rest.." Chizuru felt like the world was tilting ever so slightly, she leaned on Toshi's chest for support.

Did she want to ask, where were they? Who was that man?

But her energy was slipping away from her again. No, I need to be awake. She thought to herself. Her mind did not fight back. Darkness consumed her vision once again and she no longer felt anything.

...

...

Chizuru's head hurt for a while.

She'd been half-dreaming covered somewhere, remembering things, reliving parts of her history out of order, until the faraway sound of thunder surged through her skull, pulling her closer to wakefulness. She dreamt of the moment Kodo taught her that song. Even though an almost-conscious part of her knew it was nothing more than a dream, it still seemed too incredible to be true. Flashes of what happened, post-Kyoto trip, as it were, kept rising to the surface. "You are the great hope for all your ancestors, all the other demon clans." Kodo's voice echoed, a memory she had forgotten for some reason.

Great hope?

Thunder again, louder this time. She realized something was wrong but she couldn't seem to wake up to stop herself from remembering. First, she heard a call from the forest which sapped her strength and made her ill.

Second, she was freezing now which made her head throb, yet she didn't know why.

Opening her eyes, she saw Toshi sleeping with his head resting on her belly.

Something cold was placed on her forehead. As soon as her eyes shut again, a voice tormented her. Words echoed in her head, reverberating down every corridor in her mind. "Chizuru, mother of the demon, come."

Again and again, the voice rose to a crescendo. She stared at the backyard door. Her eyes lost their sparkle. She pulled herself off the bed without much care whether Toshi would wake from the rough sudden movement.

Her hands slid the door open and froze. Right above the well, stood a large winged shadow like a menacing gargoyle, unaffected by the rough rain. The darkness pulled back slightly, revealing red eyes.

"You are the mother," hissed the voice. The creature went down on his knees and bowed in front of her. "Blessed be."

"Who are you?" She replied. "What is…happening to me?"

Every time she looked at the creature, her strength was waning to an alarming speed. Deep down she wondered…Is this what death feels like?

"Milady, do not gaze upon me. You cannot handle my power." The creature spoke again. His voice was deep and echoey. "I need to speak to you before your child graces us in the future."

"What do you mean?" She asked. Her eyes are fixated on the raindrops upon the grass.

"You and your kind are our lesser kin. We are the original devils. We lived before your ancestors came about. However, a curse has been upon us all. We have been denied a living for hundreds of years. Recently, we were given hope. A boy would set us free at last."

Chizuru let his words sink in for a moment. Another race of demons? How come she does not know about them? Not even Kazama and Sen said anything about this.

"You are a great hope," Kodo's words played in her mind again. How come she didn't remember this?

"So the boy they call Michaelis, is my son?" she asked. The monster sniggered…a sound that sent a chill down her spine.

"Yes. Even Kodo Yukimura knew about this. He knew your path would lead to the Shinsengumi. He knew it was meant to be that a demon was born of a human."

Chizuru felt her heart slam against her rib cage, almost bursting out of her. This is too much to take, even for her. "Do not be afraid. You are a respected queen," the creature stated.

Tears slid down her cheeks. "That means my son is meant to be the monster everyone said he would be."

A wicked laugh echoed through the space. "If we are monsters," it cackled. "So are you," The creature paused. "You should be happy that your child will bring back the lost respect and dignity to the demons."

This does not feel right at all. This sounds a lot like what Kodo wanted to do.

"Not when it's at the cost of innocent lives. There are always better ways to take back what was lost. I will make sure of it."

Out of nowhere, she felt the air being sucked out of her lungs. She's gasping for air but couldn't breathe. Even more, tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. She wasn't sure if her vision was blurry or if she was crying.

"Chizuru?" She heard Toshi's voice calling out to her." Please wake up. Come on..."

…

Chizuru awoke from her slumber, her mind returning once more. The mere act of moving was a trial for world peace, ceasing all intelligent thought for the want of a motion.

She heard someone sniffle right next to her. "My god, Chizuru!" Toshi's voice echoed in her ear. Agonizingly slow, she was able to open her eyes, fluttering them open till they stayed ajar. Still, she couldn't see anything, just a mad confusion of colors.

"Thank goodness." She felt his hands touch her cheeks. At last her vision cleared and she was able to see her husband holding her in his arms.

"Toshi . . . what happened?" She whimpered slightly. He held her close to his chest.

"You have been asleep for almost two days. I'm on the brink of insanity here," he cried out. A reaction she never imagined seeing in him. "If I lost you…" he trembled.

The passage of time hit her like a brick wall: almost two days. That makes no sense at all.

That dream dragged out for two days? How?

An obvious sign of the great power that devil possessed. She touched Toshi's face with her hand, looking at him. So many things she wanted to say but was unsure where she should start."Oh Toshi.." she cried out and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Chizuru, why are you shaking?" His voice quavered. Her body was trembling like a leaf on a windy day. "Please tell me."

She remained in his arms as she told him everything she saw in that dream. He could do nothing but listen in silence. The sight of her terrified him.

Once she stopped talking, it is as if she has retreated inside of herself. Instead of being here with him, she's watching him in the same way she watches the sky, just staring as if she's looking through him. It's as if the sounds are arriving in her brain from far, far away and his touch is somehow disconnected.

He told her over and over that it was just a dream and he was really there and that he'll always be here by her side.

He propped her up on his lap and moved his hand through her hair to give her a sense of comfort. "Calm down, please. We will face this together, we will be fine I promise."

They remained in each other's arms until her sobs subsided. He gently let her down. "Wait here." He walked out of their room and went to make tea.

A warm tea helps to ease troubled minds. He always said. He watched her while she drank. Her expression seems to soften up, but she still won't look him in the eyes.

"Have you calmed down yet?" he asked.

"Yes." She faced him with a smile. "I apologize for letting my emotions get the better of me."

With a smirk he recalled. "Someone said, sharing your burden is better than hiding your pain."

She couldn't help but chuckle and stare at those beautiful eyes she always loved.

"What?" He broke the silence. Concerned by her reaction.

She tilted her head slightly. The way the light of the candle reflected upon his face was like a painted picture. "You are more beautiful every time I look at you."

A low peal of laughter escaped her open, unabashed admiration in his gaze. Toshizo Hijikata was speechless, by her sudden words.

Before she was about to speak again, he leaned closer and reached for her.

Her arms lifted to wrap around his neck of their own volition. Her eyes fluttered shut and her lips opened to welcome him in a kiss so hard, stealing the air from her lungs. Because of her position, she didn't have to crane her neck to reach him but he still slightly towered over her as he's pressing her shoulder blades against him. Toshi could sense her tensed nerves soon began to relax, and her troubles, her agony began to melt away.

Her eyes leisurely began to open, lids and lashes relaxed as she was slowly drunk in the cool air. They parted and he stared back, confused.

She rested her forehead upon his, placing her hands behind his ears and on his neck. He just stared.

He could see a small smile that barely reached her cheeks. A knowing look in her eyes. "I want you. I'm ready," she spoke.

"So do you want me to scold you first, would that get you in the mood?" He said with an expression of wicked mirth written on his face.

"Jerk." She couldn't help but blush, knowing what he meant by that. She leaned in again for a kiss. The kiss continued and continued, he angled his head and slid his hand down her back. She never wants it to stop…

She grew insistent, her tongue was parting his mouth, sending wild excitation along her nerves, inflicting good vibrations she had not known before.

The heat flowing throughout her body began to grow as she felt his hand pull her hair to let it loose and fall on her back. His other hand slid down her cleavage and to her leg lifting the kimono off of her. Her fingers made content with her thighs.

She slowly began to unhook her kimono, letting it hang loosely exposing part of her breasts.

They locked eyes for a moment. He lifted her right off her feet, carrying her toward the futon. He placed her down, it's surface fluffy and inviting.

Kissing from her toes upward, slowly his hands soothed her legs.

Her back arched in anticipation, and a loud moan escaped her lips as she felt his soft lips kiss her inner thighs.

He stopped for a moment and looked at one another knowing it felt right. She could see an obvious lust and happiness very clearly in his eyes.

She'd gotten his haori and clothes off and all his marks and battle wounds laid bare before her. She had already gotten used to them and thought of them as beautiful - it reminded her of his bravery and his determination to become a skillful samurai and one of the leaders of the Shinsengumi.

She rolled him under, laying atop his chest enamored. She ran her fingers through his hair as they remained unbroken in their kiss, eyes closed.

She felt his hands help shed her clothes off of her and felt the chill hit her bare skin.

…

An hour later, the two laid in one another's arms, nude, neither one of them wanting to speak. They didn't want to lose the pleasant feeling they were in.

She lay above him adoring his face, occasionally pecking at his chin or neck. He just held onto her, feeling her every bit of skin mixed with his own. Savoring the moment.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. For he knew she was a little tender, even though he was very careful to be gentle with her.

"I'm fine," she replied, pulling herself closer to his face again.

"Are you sure?" He asked again.

"Yes, I'm sure." She replied with a chuckle. She pulled herself slightly off, using her elbows, to get a better look at his face. "Maybe we should leave this village," Chizuru said with a smile. "Start over somewhere else."

He heaved a sigh. He is not against traveling, however. "Where would we go from here?" He asked. "This is the first roof over our heads that we got after days of traveling."

Chizuru placed her finger over his lips. "Anywhere would be fine. As long as we are together, we will make it work right?"

He couldn't help but chuckle at how much he loved this strange girl. "Alright. But we are going to have to wait for my sister to arrive."

Thank you for reading. Chapter 4 is on the way already.

Thank you Lilc77 for your help.