Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ Bridge Over the Abyss ❯ Vortex of despair ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: The characters from Fushigi Yuugi are the creations and property of Yuu Watase and related enterprises. The character of Doctor Who is the property of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). I do not own them and do not make any profit from this fiction except for my own enjoyment in spending time with them.

However, the original plotline and all original characters in this story do belong to me and may not be used elsewhere without my permission.

*************************************************************** *************************

Chapter 5. Vortex of Despair

The clouds gathered in thick clumps in the western sky, obscuring the late afternoon sun and lending a feeling of oppressive dread to the atmosphere. The air was heavy and stagnant, all of nature seeming to hold its breath in apprehension at the oncoming storm. The stillness of the landscape threw into sharp relief the one moving object on its surface: the figure of a man crouched low over the neck of his galloping horse, his cloak swirling in the winds of his passage as he sped over the gently rolling hills.

He crested the last hill before the river and pulled up sharply, the sudden halt causing his horse to rear and plunge in protest. His eyes anxiously scanned the riverbank for motion. Finding none, he urged his mount down the hill to the river. They cantered up and down the riverbank, panic growing in the young man's breast as he found no sign of habitation. Finally overcome by his fears, the young man burst out, "Doctor! Doctor!" the calls as panic-stricken as a child's. Immediately, he felt the rainbow fireflies of the Doctor's ki descend upon him, settling gently upon him to soothe and hold him like a parent's arms lifting a lost child out of a crowd. He caught his breath in relief, pulling together the shreds of his self-possession and following the shimmering trail of the ki into a grove of trees nearly a quarter-league upstream of their usual meeting place.

Weaving his way through the trees, he noted the steady uphill rise of the land, the growth occasionally giving way to the sheer stony walls of the backbone of the hill. He rounded a thick clump of sandalwood trees to find himself facing a steep embankment of granite against which nestled the Doctor's campsite. Only then did he feel his anxiety begin to abate, as he looked around at the foreign objects and materials he now linked with the comforting familiarity of his friend. At that moment, he felt the strong presence of the man himself, and he looked up to see the Doctor strolling down the hillside path leading a small shaggy horse of a type usually seen only in northern Hokkan.

"Ah, Shouryuu," called the Doctor, his eyes twinkling in genuine pleasure at the sight of his young friend. "I was hoping that you would find me here. Good work!" He led the sturdy little horse to a lean-to next to his campsite and tied the reins loosely to a convenient branch.

Shouryuu dismounted, suddenly shy. He knew that the Doctor had to have known of his childish fit of panic, since he rescued Shouryuu by sending out his ki. Yet the Doctor chose to leave Shouryuu with his dignity intact by acting as if the young man had found him by his own efforts alone. The young magician flushed under his mask with a combination of gratitude and shame. He turned back to the Doctor after tying his horse next to the mountain pony. "You moved. I didn't know where you were, so I..." he broke off, embarrassed.

The Doctor placed a comforting hand on Shouryuu's shoulder. "I would never leave without telling you, Shouryuu." The lilting voice reassured him without a trace of condescension. "There is a storm of significant magnitude approaching within hours, and I felt that it was wise to move to higher ground, further back from the river." The blue eyes met his directly. "However, your fears aren't entirely unfounded."

Shouryuu felt his heart drop once again. Numb with desolation, he let the Doctor lead him to a fallen log, pulling Shouryuu to sit beside him and clasping the youth's hand between his own. Shouryuu dimly noted the coolness of the Doctor's skin. No matter what the ambient temperature might be, the Doctor's touch remained cool, alien, invoking images of distant, exotic lands. Distant lands to which the Doctor was destined to return.

Shouryuu struggled for control. "So you're leaving, then?" he asked, his voice soft, trembling with sadness.

"Not tonight, but soon thereafter, yes. Perhaps as soon as the weather clears." The azure gaze caught and held his. "There are others that will need me very shortly, and I must be making my way to them."

"I see..." breathed the young magician. "Your work here is done, is that it?"

"No, not at all. You are not my work, Shouryuu--you are my young friend. And I feel that we are far from finished with one another."

Shouryuu's heart filled with hope. "So you will come back?"

The Doctor sighed. "I wish I could tell you all that will happen, but unfortunately, I'm not the one pulling the strings of Fate in this case. I honestly do not know all the turns in the road ahead. However, there is one thing I am certain of. I would like you to accompany me, Shouryuu."

The mystical eyes behind the mask widened in shock. "Me? Travel with you?" For a moment, the eyes grew bright with joy and wonder, imagining the life that lay before him. He could see himself traveling to distant lands, learning about foreign cultures and exotic customs, meeting and helping others along the way...and all the while enjoying the companionship of a friend who respected him, stimulated his mind and challenged his intellect while remaining a caring confidant. "Heaven on earth..." he whispered to himself--then felt the darkness of the past catch him in its cold embrace.

Visions of a storm-swept landscape passed before his eyes: churning water, a hand disappearing beneath the waves; two figures huddled together, their hair swirling and entangling with one another's in the receding waters. He choked aloud, once more consumed by guilt and grief. Who was he to deserve heaven on earth, he who had dealt death and allowed destruction to follow through neglect?

A hand reached out and gripped his, its touch cool in temperature but warm in compassion. "Stop this," the Doctor chided. "We none of us are perfect; that is why we need one another."

Shouryuu bowed his head in shame but kept his hand in the Doctor's, drawing comfort from his friend's touch. He felt his own desire for self-punishment recede beneath the Doctor's understanding gaze...and once more felt hope glimmer faintly in his heart.

A sudden gust of wind stirred the leaves in the trees above, making them whisper and hiss as if sharing secrets about the humans below. The Doctor looked up, his eyes narrowed in concentration, and seemed to almost sniff the air in suspicion. Even in the darkness of his thoughts, Shouryuu noticed the Doctor's tense alertness. "Doctor?" he queried softly.

The azure gaze was turned upon him, and the familiar reassuring smile made its appearance. "It's nothing," replied the Doctor. "But the storm is moving in quickly, and you should leave for home immediately."

Shouryuu felt the tightening in his chest that occurred whenever the winds of monsoon began to blow--and that feeling was compounded by his apprehension at losing his one friend.

The Doctor smiled at him once more. "I will not leave tonight, not with the storm moving in," he promised gently. "I'll wait here for your answer as long as I can, but as I mentioned before, I am not the one setting the schedule. So please, Shouryuu, think carefully about my offer...and make your decision as soon as possible." He gazed around their surroundings, a frown of uneasiness darkening his features. "I think it would be best if you left now, without delay." He stood up and placed a hand on Shouryuu's shoulder, squeezing it affectionately and looking into the young magician's mystical eyes. "Take care, my young friend, until we meet again."

Shouryuu nodded but was unable to reply due to the lump in his throat. He blinked back the tears in his eye, knowing that this might be the last time he saw his friend. Suddenly, he abandoned all thought of control or dignity and flung himself at the Doctor's chest. Strong arms went around him, patting his back gently as he bit back his sobs. Waves of compassion swept over Shouryuu, comforting and calming him until he finally regained control over his emotions.

Shouryuu pulled back from the Doctor, filled with a sudden resolve. "I will come back," he promised. "No matter what my answer is, I will come back and tell you in person."

The Doctor smiled at him. "I will be waiting then, as long as I am able."

The wind gusted stronger at that moment, lifting dead leaves to swirl around them. The Doctor gently pushed Shouryuu towards his horse. "Hurry," he urged gently. "I don't want you to be caught...in the storm."

Shouryuu nodded, mounting and spurring his horse towards the downward path. The Doctor held up a hand in farewell until the youth disappeared around the first bend in the path. He turned back to his campsite, tapping his fingers against his chin. "What to do, what to do?" he mused silently. "Oh, that's right--act normal!" He began puttering around his campsite, picking up various supplies and storing them away.

Meanwhile, hidden deep within the trees, a small figure backed silently away from her vantage point above the campsite. Narrow yellow eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she retreated down the hill, winding her way along the hidden paths between the trees. "So that is your plan, most honorable traveler," she mocked in a low, vicious tone. "You think that you will take him away with you, but little do you know that you will be the only one departing--and it will be tonight!"

*************************************************************** *********************

Shouryuu stood at a side door to the compound, looking out into the early darkness, listening to the wind alternately moan and howl as it lashed the rain into the storm-tossed trees. He shuddered at the desolate sound, feeling anxiety and melancholy seep into his heart. He dreaded when the winds of monsoon began to blow; the dark power of the storms always brought back the bitter past, invoking feelings of pain, grief, loss. Tonight brought even more pain than usual, the possibility of another loss looming up before him.

He had returned to the gakkou just ahead of the storm and sleepwalked through his afternoon classes, then spent the evening meditation wrapped in his own thoughts. Magus-sensei had not commented on his dark pensiveness--nor had Maboroshi. In fact, the younger student had avoided him throughout the day; behavior so unusual in the youth that had Shouryuu not been caught up in his own troubles, he would have found the circumstances odd enough to investigate. As it was, however, he was merely dimly grateful that he didn't need to fend off the attentions of his younger classmate, leaving him free to ponder his dilemma in relative peace.

Relative peace--except for the keen, assessing glances he kept receiving from his newest colleague. Kurayami had been presented to the rest of the students and welcomed politely into their midst. Due to the strict rules of privacy, there was none of the flurry of questions-and-answers that surrounded a new student in a normal school; in the school of the magicians, there was only acceptance of a person at face value instead of judgments made on family background or past experience.

'Face value,' thought Shouryuu, shaking his head as he turned and walked the corridors back to his room after the evening meditation. He had felt uneasy under the focused gaze of those faintly mocking eyes. If Kurayami truly considered herself a step above the rest of the students, why did she evince any interest in him at all? Unless she considered him her foremost competitor. He snorted softly to himself. If only she knew how eager he was to cede the battle to her, his most heartfelt desire being to leave this place forever as he traveled to a new life.

"Shouryuu," rumbled the Sensei's deep voice behind him. The young magician jumped guiltily, convinced that he had just spoken his thoughts aloud. The master magician merely smiled faintly at his apprentice's startlement. "If you would join me in my study," he continued smoothly. Shouryuu bowed and followed the master back to his ornate office, his heart sinking with every step.

Once there, Magus waved Shouryuu into a seat across from his desk, then studied the young magician's mystical eyes for a moment. "Shouryuu," the deep voice rumbled gently. "Something is...troubling you."

Shouryuu raised startled eyes to the sensei's mask. The pale, glittering eyes creased briefly in amusement. "No, I have not been reading your ki," reassured the Master. "But I must tell you that your aura has been proclaiming your distress so openly that some of the youngest students have inquired anxiously after your welfare."

The young magician lowered his eyes in embarrassment. He had no idea that he was being so obvious. Of course, he was popular with many of his younger classmates for his gentle yet wise instructions, so it was not unexpected that they would notice his sudden distraction these past weeks. "Gomen nasai, Magus-sensei," he apologized, noting that he seemed to be constantly apologizing to the master in recent days.

"Tell me, Shouryuu, are you...unhappy here?"

Shouryuu stared down at his hands in his lap. The passionate part of him wanted to leap up and shout, 'Yes! Yes, I'm miserable! Let me go!', but the responsible part forced him to keep silent as he carefully thought over his answer. A recent exchange with the Doctor suddenly reverberated through his mind.

"Remember, Shouryuu, it is always best to tell the truth. Much easier to keep track of that than the invariably more complicated lies. However, circumstances may advocate that you tell as littleof the truth as possible..." The blue eyes had twinkled at him mischievously.

The student brought himself back to the present, not wishing to insult Magus-sensei with his silence. He pushed thoughts of the Doctor out of his mind, focusing on when exactly he had found himself growing dissatisfied with the school of the mages. The answer stood out clear in his mind: it was the second time he had utilized the soul-destroying power.

It had taken months of study to learn the tenets of the soul-destroying magic, and several weeks of practice to learn how to wield that ultimate spiritual weapon. The first time he had used it--on an annoying but ultimately less-than-lethal demon--he had been overcome by feelings of triumph in mastering the spell. The fierce killing joy had masked his inner suffering and sickness after the spell had been cast.

The second time he had used it, however, the subsequent feelings of weakness and nausea were impossible to ignore. His conscience began to nag him about the ethics of destroying an actual soul across all planes of existence: good or bad, right or wrong, was he truly qualified to pass judgment on the darkness of another soul? His own guilt and self-doubt added to the physical after-effects of the draining magic. He had tried to approach Magus-sensei with his concerns about the spell, but the elder mage had been so pleased with Shouryuu's skill that he had dismissed the young magician's hesitant questions with enthusiastic expressions of confidence and congratulations.

Perhaps the sensei was willing to listen now. "Magus-sama," Shouryuu began, softly and respectfully. "I have been very grateful for you taking me in and giving me something to live for, something to believe in...but I must be honest with you and with myself. Lately, I have been struggling with some of the requirements of my training. Lately, it has become more...difficult to live up to expectations."

The pale eyes of the Master fixed on his apprentice's mask. "Can you be more specific, Shouryuu?" he inquired, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice.

"It's the soul-killing magic. It...diminishes me." The student's voice trailed off uncertainly.

The Master widened his eyes in amazement. "You feel it is beneath you?!" he asked in incredulity. Magus wondered if Shouryuu had come to realize the extent of his powers--and if he now felt his training to be a waste of time.

Shouryuu shook his head. "No, I didn't mean it that way. I meant that it takes something away from me. It makes me feel somehow...thinner, weaker; as if I were losing substance, as if I were...diminishing."

Magus steepled his fingers and rested his chin on the tips, deep in thought. He was glad for the mask that concealed his sudden uncertainty from Shouryuu. Could the young mage be telling the truth? Magus gave an internal shake of his head. Of course he was. Shouryuu strove to be truthful, and when he felt compelled to deceive--as in the case of his secret meetings with the traveler--he was quite inept, allowing even the false eyes of his mask to give away his guilt.

He himself had seen Shouryuu withdraw into solitude after eliminating a demon, sometimes rushing off in such haste that Magus wondered if the youth had become physically ill. He had never expected this of Shouryuu, principally because the young mage was so highly skilled at the soul-destroying magic, far ahead of any other student at the gakkou...and if he were to be completely honest, Shouryuu's abilities in that particular arena outstripped his own. Overpowering and physically killing demons were skills that most of the students would acquire during their tenure at the gakkou, and although risky, were fairly easy techniques to employ if one followed the precautions as taught. The destruction of a soul, however, involved the killing of a powerful life force over many planes of existence, thus requiring a power that could cross dimensions and timelines, yet remain within the control of the magician who wielded it. A precarious and difficult combination to find: ultimate power coupled with maximal control.

Shouryuu probably believed himself to be Magus' first student-apprentice, but that was sadly untrue. There had been two other young magicians in whom Magus had invested his time and energy. The first had slipped up while performing the soul-destroying magic against a demon with the ability to mirror his opponent's powers. The demon had reflected the spell back at the young magician, utterly destroying him for all eternity. Magus felt his heart clench in grief as he thought of that hopeful young man. The second had been a fierce and vibrant young woman who had wielded the power with enthusiasm and skill. But something had happened in her third exorcism. She had destroyed the demon, but subsequently couldn't seem to stop killing. His two younger apprentices fell victim to her deadly bloodlust before Magus had been forced to stop her...permanently. He had nearly given up at that point, despairing of ever finding the psychic warrior he so desperately needed until he detected the intriguing ki force emanating from an area in the north of Konan.

The force had radiated outwards in all directions, telling of white magic power of impressive magnitude; raw power that was becoming tinged with black. Magus had rushed to the area, finding Ri Houjun at the center of this ki force, bleeding, grieving, gathering his energy together to finish himself off. He had pulled the despairing youth from the ruins of his village, tending his wounds and trying to assuage his pain. Magus had had no experience in comforting young emotional humans, so he did the only thing he knew: he diverted the youth's self-destructive impulses into a moral cause, imbuing him with a strong sense of purpose. However, it seemed that this sense of purpose was faltering.

Magus frowned behind his mask. This was a far more serious problem than Shouryuu's infatuation with the itinerant traveler, Perhaps the time spent with the traveler was just an outward manifestation of the young magician's dissatisfaction with the entire mission. Kurayami's statement last night confirmed his own suspicion. Shouryuu was the critical element in his strategy: the psychic prism through which the all of the powers of the entire student body could be combined and focused in a single lethal dimension-crossing beam.

Yet Shouryuu must participate of his own free will; a reluctant weapon was a dangerously unstable factor in any battle. He must be brought back in such a way that he no longer questioned the purpose of their crusade, and he must be made to believe in the importance of mastering the soul-killing magic. Magus knew of Shouryuu's pain; he might even once have empathisized with it--but no amount of empathy could be allowed to interfere with the Greater Goal of the mission.

He looked at the young magician who waited patiently for his reply, lost in his own thoughts. "Shouryuu…" he spoke at last. The youth lifted his mystical eyes to the sensei's mask. "Perhaps I erred in allowing you to use the soul-destroying magic without making certain that you understood all the ramifications of wielding such power. Power such as that draws from our own life force, so it is not unexpected that you should feel somewhat diminished by its use. However, the symptoms are only temporary and seem to have no lasting effect, so perhaps I had assumed that you would not be overly troubled by these side-effects."

Shouryuu hung his head, suddenly ashamed of his complaints. He felt like a whining child unable to bear the least discomfort. Something deep inside him whispered, 'The Doctor never made you feel like this…' but he pushed that voice away, sitting up straighter. "My apologies, Magus-sensei. I did not mean to sound ungrateful. I will strive to master my weakness."

Magus nodded, satisfied at Shouryuu's response. "I'm certain that you do not mean to be ungrateful. I will remind you, however, that you came here seeking purpose in your life, a way to atone for past…failures." Shouryuu flinched at the reminder, but the sensei continued mercilessly. "We are just beginning to enter into the last phase of your training, preparing you for the ultimate battle against evil. I will be honest with you, Shouryuu. I do not speak of some vague future possibility, but a very real threat that is destined to arrive in this world before another year passes!"

Shouryuu's mystical eyes were wide with surprise. "You sense something, Magus-sama?"

The master magician's gaze was flat and direct. "Yes! Why else do you think I am driving all of you so hard? We must be prepared to fight--or be prepared to die! There is no other choice and very little time! So if the defense of your home wor…country means so little to you, you may withdraw at your discretion. The sooner I know who I can--and cannot--count on, the better!" He twisted the knife once more. "You have worked very hard, Shouryuu. No one would say that you have not already done more than enough to atone for the past."

The young magician hung his head again, obviously fighting back tears. "Nothing…" he murmured, biting back a sob. "…nothing I do will ever atone for that." He finally won control over his emotions, lifting his mask and meeting the Master's gaze. "I apologize one last time, sensei. I promise that you will never need to remind me of my duty again. From now on, I live only for our cause."

*************************************************************** *********************

Later that same night, high in the hills above the now raging river, a cloaked figure observed the Doctor's campsite, a muttered spell shielding her against the worst of the elements. The strange cloth walls of the Doctor's small tent fluttered and rippled in the gusts of the storm wind but held fast to their curved light metal poles. All seemed quiet and peaceful within the tent, the glow of lamplight shining between the seams of the walls. Finally, the light went out, leaving the single inhabitant in darkness.

The watcher held her position for another thirty minutes with the patient attentiveness of a spider, then withdrew her hand from her cloak. In her hand, she gripped the wide skull of a large, weasel-like creature that resembled a wolverine, one of the few creatures in nature that seemed to enjoy killing for pleasure instead of just for sustenance. She set the skull on the ground and breathed a spell. The skull duplicated itself once, and again, so that there were now four wide flat skulls lying in a row, the vicious pointed fangs and empty eye sockets seeming to leer in menace.

She now began to chant a longer spell, utilizing many guttural words with double glottal stops. A dark mist rose up, swirling around the skulls and obscuring them, thick tendrils billowing out at odd intervals. Behind the roiling mist, the skulls began to change, growing and expanding, extruding bodies and limbs that formed thick, stocky creatures nearly two meters in length. They growled and snarled and slashed their fangs into the gusting wind, their thick fur rippling over their heavily muscled bodies. Four sets of feral yellow eyes turned to the equally feral gaze of their creator, whose narrow eyes tilted up in glee

.

"There, my beautiful ones," she purred to the demon wolverines, indicating the Doctor's tent. "There is your prey. Go now and feed!"

The four shapes glided swiftly between the trees, their snarls rising in excitement as they converged on their prey. They tore at the cloth of the tent, the material falling away instantly before the razor edges of their fangs and claws. Their creator watched in triumph as they leaped upon the recumbent form, slashing and tearing it to pieces before it could make a single outcry of pain or surprise.

The storm increased in intensity, the needle-like raindrops managing to penetrate the shield of the magician. She turned away from the scene with reluctantly, sending out one last message to her creatures to return to her when they had completed their task.

Kurayami picked her way down through the trees, her features smug with satisfaction. "One problem disposed of," she gloated to herself. "Sayonara, Honorable Traveler!" She mounted her horse and spurred it back towards the hidden compound to the west.

Perched on the cliff above the campsite, another cloaked and hooded figure watched the activities of the demon wolverines with interest. "Crude," he muttered as he watched the mindless beasts slash at his bedding and the rolled bundle of cloth which had rested in his sleeping bag. "Yet ultimately effective," he amended, watching as the down feathers flew up from the fangs and claws. "So the battle has been entered in earnest--but who is this new combatant in the lists? Is she the instrument of the Master Magician, or does she have her own agenda?"

The Doctor smirked at the rising frustration in the growls of the demon creatures as they failed to find the flesh and blood they so eagerly sought. "Not the sharpest tools in the shed, are they?" he mocked, then suddenly noted a change in the pitch of their snarls. He found himself looking down into the feral yellow gazes of the four creatures as they flared their nostrils, finally catching his alien scent.

"Oh, bother!" cursed the Doctor. "Time for Plan B!" He turned and darted through the trees as the demon wolverines raised their voices in the joy of the hunt.

*************************************************************** ***************************

The day dawned bleak and grey, the rain and wind continuing to lash the landscape. Shouryuu picked at his breakfast, finding himself with no interest in food or any of the other pleasures of life. He forced himself to actively participate in morning studies, remembering Magus' mild rebuke that even the youngest students were taking notice of his withdrawal and depression. Shouryuu frowned as he tried to concentrate. This was his life now, the life he had chosen, the life he...deserved. He couldn't turn away from his responsibilities as an upperclassman just because he felt his last chance at happiness escaping him, swept away with the howling wind. Shouryuu blinked back the tears behind his mask. This afternoon, he would go out into the storm and find the Doctor as he had promised...and say good-bye.

He continued on his way through the winding corridor, lifting his chin, hiding his pain. Suddenly, he felt a chilly presence behind him - and turned to look into the narrow yellow eyes of the newest student.

"Shouryuu-san," she said, bowing politely.

"Kurayami-san," he replied, discomfited as always by her penetrating stare.

"Magus-sensei requests our presence in his study," she informed him curtly, turning to lead the way.

Shouryuu followed, frowning behind his mask at her abruptness that crossed over into rudeness. He was hardly one to demand courtesies due to his upperclassman status, but her arrogance provoked his curiosity, making him wonder what relationship she held with Magus-sensei that permitted her to cross the bounds of respectful behavior expected from the other students.

They arrived at the Master's study, seating themselves before the ornate desk. The dark visage of the sensei regarded them both.

"Shouryuu, I have a task for you," Magus said, wasting no time in polite small talk. He held out a small scroll. "I have received a request for the school's help in an exorcism, a request sent by the priestess of a neighboring village in the foothills. I would like you to take care of this matter for me and to accept the assistance of Kurayami. She has some experience in these techniques, but I would like her to stand as your second and observe the methods employed by our gakkou. You must travel to our shrine in town, where the involved parties await you. Do you have any questions?"

Shouryuu was slightly surprised at the fact that only Kurayami was to accompany him; usually Magus-sensei preferred observing exorcisms himself, ready to step in if needed. He also usually sent a few underclassmen to observe and gather experience. Perhaps Magus was trying to show Shouryuu that he had faith in his abilities.

The young magician bowed in gratitude. "No, Sensei, everything is perfectly clear."

He failed to notice Kurayami's eyes flash in triumph. The Master did take notice, however. "And you, Kurayami. Have you any questions?"

"No, Magus-sensei." she replied respectfully, although her lips curved in amusement. "I will be honored to...learn from Shouryuu-senpai."

The Master frowned at the mockery in her tone. "You would do well to learn from him, Kurayami, make no mistake."

Kurayami bowed, apparently abashed. "Forgive me if I implied otherwise, Magus-sensei, Shouryuu-senpai. I am grateful for this opportunity."

Shouryuu sighed very softly. Try as he might, he could not shake his distrust of Kurayami; distrust that was giving rise to dislike. He frowned as he recalled his previous plans for the afternoon. It couldn't be helped; the exorcism took precedence over any personal time that he may have desired. He could only hope that it wouldn't take all day, or that the Doctor could wait another day for his reply. He forced back his grief once again; even if the Doctor couldn't wait, it made no difference, since Shouryuu's reply would send him on his way alone.

A short time later, two masked and cloaked figures left the compound, cantering through the rain on their mounts. The thunder and lightning had ceased but the rain continued to fall, gusts of wind occasionally whipping slivered needles of moisture against their masks. They turned towards the north, traveling over the foothills towards the prosperous town that lay nearly four leagues away. As they trotted over the bridge that arched over a small, winding river, Shouryuu noticed the swirling waters rising just short of the banks and felt a moment of relief that the Doctor had had the foresight to move away from his portion of the river. He forced the Doctor out of his mind, gathering his thoughts to begin the meditation that helped prepare him for spiritual battle.

The Temple of the Four Gods stood near the center of town, rain dancing off its curved roof, running down the elaborate carvings on its ornate doors. Shouryuu sighed in relief. He loved the shrine, its hushed interior fragrant with the scent of holy incense, the light of oil lamps dimly gleaming off artful representations of the Four Gods. Kurayami kept silent behind him, assuming her role as his assistant without her usual mockery. They had just shed their rain-soaked outer cloaks in the alcove when a figure moved towards them from the shadowed interior of the sanctuary.

He was a small man, the top of his shaved head just reaching Shouryuu's shoulder, his sober brown robe brushing the ground. Even Kurayami stood a few inches taller than him. His short stature was that of a child's, but his eyes were wise with experience, their wrinkles showing his advanced age. Those eyes now sparkled with delight as he greeted the two young magicians.

"Welcome, welcome!" he cried, as Shouryuu and Kurayami bowed deeply in respect.

"Oshou-sama," replied Shouryuu with genuine affection. "Thank you for making us welcome in your shrine once again."

The small monk waved his hands in pretend agitation, signaling them to keep their voices down as his eyes sparkled in merriment. "We have visitors!" he whispered conspiratorially, then spoke loudly. "Yes, the rest of the students have finished their studies and returned to their rooms. You are free to proceed."

Shouryuu's glittering eyes softened in gratitude. The temple master, Oshou-sama, allowed Magus-sensei to use the Temple of the Four Gods as a front for the school of young magicians. He understood the importance of concealing the school's true location from evil entities who might wish to strike at the students before they completed their training. The temple subsequently served as the place where hopeful would-be magicians submitted petitions for entry, and where others petitioned the magicians for spirtual help in their troubles.

Shouryuu hung back for a moment. "Oshou-sama," he requested gently. "Would you be so kind as to help Kurayami-san gather materials suitable for an exorcism? I would like some time alone to... meditate."

The temple master beamed. "Of course!" he exclaimed. "I was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of Kurayami-san earlier this week. It will be a pleasure to assist her." Kurayami bowed politely, to Shouryuu's relief. Oshou-sama hesitated one moment. "Should I expect Magus-sensei to join you here?" he asked.

"No." The brief reply came from Kurayami. She bowed before the warning glance in Shouryuu's mystical eyes. He would tolerate her insolence towards himself but not towards the kindly monk. "Gomen nasai," she apologized to Oshou-sama. "Magus-sensei is occupied with matters of great importance; he cannot come but trusts in your ability to oversee our activities."

The monk beamed at her again, taking no offense at her abruptness. "The students of Magus-sensei require little or no help from me!" he asserted, leading her towards the small storeroom to the side of the inner sanctuary.

Shouryuu moved among the statues of the Four Gods in the outer sanctuary, lighting sticks of incense before each one. Although Suzaku was the patron god of Konan, this temple paid respect to all of the seikun, the temple master wisely deciding that intervention from any of the four gods could be nothing but beneficial to the citizens of Konan. The temple also served as a welcoming place of worship to immigrants from other regions of the world, giving them the chance to commune with their patron gods no matter their country of origin.

Magus-sensei neither encouraged nor discouraged his students from prayers to their patron god. He himself did not seem to believe in the powers of any of the seikun, but he had no objection to his students paying respect to the god of their choice.

Shouryuu stopped before the statue of Suzaku, lighting the last stick of incense with a suddenly trembling hand. He prostrated himself before the upraised wings of phoenix-god, placing his hands and forehead on the floor and breathing out a brief, unformed prayer. "Onegai," he murmured. "Please...", uncertain of what exactly he was asking for. He had been raised to place his faith in the crimson phoenix-god with good reason--but ever since the terrible events of eighteen months ago, he felt unworthy before the god of his youth. He deserved nothing from Suzaku now; not forgiveness nor intervention nor even acknowledgement of his existence. He was certain that Suzaku wanted nothing more to do with him. It was only a matter of time before the seikun enacted his final rejection, and the mark of his favor fade from his once-disciple's body.

Shouryuu forced back the bitterly familiar feeling of despair, knowing that this was not the time for him to engage in self-recriminations or self-pity. He had to mentally strengthen himself for the upcoming battle. His prayer to Suzaku suddenly took form. "Not for me," he prayed. "But please help and protect the others in this undertaking. Help me to succeed for their sake, not mine." He rose from his prone position and moved towards the inner sanctuary, filled with a sense of purpose.

Oshou-sama and Kurayami awaited him there, along with several unfamiliar people. A woman approached him and bowed. She was middle-aged, with lines of wisdom and experience etched on her delicate features. Her slender form was clad in the ceremonial robes of her office.

"Arigato goziemasu, my lord magician," she softly addressed Shouryuu. "I deeply appreciate your assistance in this matter."

Shouryuu bowed in return. "If you could tell me the circumstances..." he prompted.

The miko sighed and met his compassionate gaze. "I am known as Midori. I am the priestess of Koudan, a tiny village that lies to the north. There have been disappearances in our small village in the last month. We have lost four of our young maidens to some strange beast that took them from their homes, tore them apart and..." she paused, pained, "...consumed them…parts of them." She rushed on. "I set up demon wardings each night around the perimeter of our village, but the murders continued in spite of the wards standing undisturbed. It was then I realized that the threat came from within our ranks. We began to search all homes for signs of connection with these crimes and found only one person who could be responsible."

Midori-sama raised tear-filled eyes to Shouryuu's mask. "But I knew that he could not truly be responsible. I have known him all of his life, and a kinder, gentler soul you will never find! I knew then that it must be a case of demon possession." She gasped in pain. "I managed to prevent the villagers from killing him, but only on the condition that I bring him to you. I could have performed a simple exorcism myself, but the headman of the village insisted that I bring him here for you to destroy this demon utterly. You see, one of the defiled maidens was his beloved daughter." She shook her head in despair. "There is so much pain in my small village and no true way to assuage it. I beg your assistance so that no more innocents are hurt!"

Shouryuu's heart sank at her words. This was not a simple exorcism then, but the soul-destroying magic he so dreaded. Midori-sama was right, however; if the headman were so prostrate with grief, nothing less than the complete and utter destruction of the demon would satisfy him. The young magician knew enough of human nature not to argue about the decision of the village elders.

"Very well," Shouryuu conceded in regret. "But you must understand that there are great risks associated with this technique, terrible risks to both the body and soul of the possessed person. I wish you to be certain that this is the only solution you will accept."

The priestess met his glittering gaze. "I have no other choice."

"I understand. Bring forth the afflicted man."

Lady Midori turned and signaled to the other figures in the shrine. Two people stepped forward, dragging a reluctant body between them.

Shouryuu gazed into the face of the possessed villager--and felt his heart drop. "Oh, dear Suzaku!" he burst out before he could stop himself.

*************************************************************** ************************************

The man was heavily built and muscular--but the eyes that widened at the sight of Shouryuu's mask held the innocent, fearful gaze of a child. He was obviously simple, his wide-set eyes and heavy bulky body indicating a fairly common form of birth defect. The simple man began to weep in fear, and Shouryuu felt something in his own heart contract in sympathy for his pain.

The young magician turned to the priestess in horror. "This type of exorcism requires the participant's full cooperation. Do you believe that this man truly understands what he must go through?"

Lady Midori sighed in frustration. "I suspected as much and tried to explain this to the headman, but I received the same answer as before. The demon must be completely destroyed by you--or they will take the matter into their own hands." She reached out and placed a gentle hand on the simple man's head, calming him with her compassionate touch. "I have known Toumo for nearly all of his life. He is incapable of harming anyone of his own volition; that is how I knew this was a case of demon possession."

Her gaze hardened. "I admit to feelings of vengeance stirring in my own heart. This boy is as much a victim of this demon as those poor girls. A creature of such evil that feeds off innocence should not be allowed to survive!" The miko regained control of her emotions. "However, if you feel that you cannot perform this exorcism, I will take Toumo away from here and perform a simple exorcism myself. Where I will settle him to hide him from the villagers' wrath, I have no idea. There are few places that will accept a simple man, let alone one with his past history."

"You needn't fear. We will perform the exorcism as requested."

Both the priestess and Shouryuu looked up startled at the high-pitched, raspy voice that spoke with such confidence. Kurayami moved forward out of the shadows, where she had listened silently to the woman's tale. "Magus-sama has sent you his assurances that we will do whatever is necessary to eliminate this demon." She presented a small scroll to the priestess, who unrolled it and read it with obvious relief.

Shouryuu moved towards Kurayami and pulled her aside. "What are you doing?!" he hissed. "We can't do this! This man is obviously unable to understand what is going on. How can we expect him to fight alongside us? We must either refuse her, or at least put her off until I have an opportunity to consult with Magus-sensei."

The snakelike yellow eyes narrowed further in amusement. "Magus-sensei is already aware of this problem. He first received word of this situation when I arrived earlier this week. I had gathered the petitions from this temple before proceeding on to the gakkou. He has pondered the problem for the last two days and decided that you were the best person to handle this complex situation. He has faith in you, Shouryuu-san. The question is, do you have faith in yourself?"

Shouryuu glared at her mockery, then looked away. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps this was Magus' way of testing if his young apprentice really intended to stand by the vow he made last night. If he backed down from this difficult soul-destroying exorcism, it was as good as saying that his vow was nothing more than empty words.

The young magician gritted his teeth, then turned back to the priestess, trying to conceal all signs of his agitation.

"Midori-sama, would you permit me to speak with Toumo-san for a few moments?"

The miko nodded and led him back to Toumo. The simple man cringed back from the sight of Shouryuu's dark visage.

Shouryuu reached out a gentle hand towards the man. "Toumo," he spoke softly. "Will you take my hand?"

The larger man whimpered. "I don't like your face. It doesn't move. I'm scared!"

Midori-san placed a hand on his arm. "It's just a mask, Toumo. Do you remember the one you wore at the last festival? This is the same thing."

"Then let him take it off!"

Shouryuu sighed. "I'm sorry, Toumo, but I can't. It's part of my…duty to wear it. But let me assure you that I do have a face underneath it." The bitter thought crossed his mind 'Yes, and that would frighten him even more than the mask.'

He was diverted from his dark thoughts by a large hand warmly clasping his own. "That's all right," Toumo reassured him. "Don't be sad."

Shouryuu was startled by the insight of the simple man. Could he possibly be one of those people who possessed the natural ability to read the ki of another? If so, maybe this exorcism would go more smoothly than he hoped.

"Toumo," he began again. "I want to be your friend. I want to help you chase away the bad thing. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

Toumo's eyes filled with tears. "The bad thing--the mononoke. He hurt the pretty girls," he sobbed.

"Yes, you're right. We have to make him go away. Will you help me?"

The wide, tearful eyes met his. "Yes! I wanna help! Help make it go away!" His voice darkened. "Make it die!"

"Toumo, you must try not to think like that. Those kinds of thoughts give the mononoke its strength. I need you to help me by thinking about things you love. What do you love, Toumo?"

The big man frowned as he pondered this. He looked up with a triumphant smile. "I love red bean cakes!" he announced.

Shouryuu heard a snort of amusement from the shadows in which Kurayami stood. He sent a warning glance towards her corner, then fixed his attention on Toumo again. "Very good! But is there anything else you love more than bean cakes?"

"Anoooooooo… my kitty! Tama-chan! He's black with a white spot right on his nose! If you touch the white spot--ver-y-gent-ly--he purrs!"

Shouryuu smiled widely. "Very, very good, Toumo! Now listen carefully. I'm going to do some things like make some smoke with the incense here," he pointed at incense in their burners before the statues, "and wave my stick like so," carefully rotating his ash staff, "and say some funny words that you won't understand, but you mustn't laugh. You may feel a little sick or maybe feel something pulling on you, but you mustn't be frightened. You must think very hard about Tama-chan and bean cakes and anything else you love. Do you understand me?"

Toumo beamed. "Yes!" He became excited. "Oh, yes! I just remembered something else I love: Midori-sama! I love Midori-sama, too." The priestess smiled back at him, her eyes filling with tears. He went on, looking up at the kind, young magician. "And I think…I think maybe I could love you, too."

Shouryuu swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. "Thank you, Toumo. Maybe when this is all over, we could be friends. Would you like that?"

"Oh, yes! I don't have many friends."

"Neither do I," replied the magician very softly. He turned to the elderly monk who was standing quietly nearby. "Oshou-sama, could you please provide us with some prayers? Your spiritual help would be greatly appreciated."

"Of course," replied the holy man. "Although I must say that you seem to have all the spiritual strength you will need."

Shouryuu smiled at him in gratitude, then turned to Midori-sama. "My lady priestess, I must ask that all of your helpers leave the inner shrine. This is a very dangerous procedure, and only those with spiritual or psychic shields may remain."

The priestess nodded and dismissed her serving girls and the men who had been guarding Toumo. Now only she, Toumo, Oshou-sama and the two magicians remained in the inner shrine.

Shouryuu looked back towards the shadows. "Kurayami-san, if you please?" he asked with a polite bow. He was determined that her customary insolence would not cause him to forego his own manners.

Kurayami walked forward with the sacred incense and demon wards, her head bowed in submission. Shouryuu gave a mental shrug at her change in demeanor, deciding to be grateful for what little propriety she chose to display. She moved around the temple, lighting the sacred incense in a circle around Toumo, then placing demon wards upon his clothing, keeping well away from his face. He trembled in fear but remained staunchly in place. Kurayami then handed a demon ward to each person present. The priest and priestess fastened them onto their robes, as did Shouryuu. She continued on to paste demon wards onto the doors and walls of the shrine.

Shouryuu walked up to Toumo and gave him a reassuring smile. "Are you ready, my friend?" he asked softly. Toumo nodded, his eyes wide and serious. "Then let us begin."

Oshou-sama began to read a sutra from an ancient scroll. Shouryuu closed his eyes, gathering his strength as the sacred words seemed to form tangible shapes in the swirling smoke of the incense. He began to feel the stirrings of jaki--evil power--as the demon within Toumo began to awaken. The young magician began to rotate his ash staff slowly, turning it in the directions of the four gods, gathering power with every deliberate rotation. He felt Kurayami move up on his left side--his blind side--and felt a brief shiver of apprehension until he heard her chanting the spells that would provide the underlayment for his own, more powerful spells. The jaki stirred harder, and Toumo's eyes suddenly flared red.

Shouryuu felt it, sending out his ki to investigate the mononoke. He sensed great evil, although thankfully no great cunning; this was not an ancient demon but a ravening spirit foolish in its relative youth. He judged it to be less than a half-century old. 'And to grow no older!' he vowed to himself, turning his staff to rotate between the pillars of heaven and the corners of the earth.

Toumo's features contorted in demonic rage as Shouryuu snapped the staff towards him, striking him with the exorcising force. The demon tried to leap out and attack, manifesting itself as dark shadows flowing out from Toumo's gaping mouth. However, the sacred incense held him fast in the circle, the demon wards paralyzing Toumo's body so that it was unable to move. The demon retreated into its host's body, but Shouryuu had already begun his exorcising chants. The words were strange and guttural, rhythmic and menacing. The darkness began to flow out of the simple man as the staff increased in the speed of its rotations.

Shouryuu felt the killing power washing through him, possessing him. Some part of him seemed to pull back in atavistic horror, but the surge of energy overcame his inner revulsion, lifting him into a state of near ecstasy. The staff flew around and around, drawing darkness out of the shadowed corners of the temple, surrounding Shouryuu until all that could be seen of his features were the mystical, glittering eyes of his mask. He held onto his consciousness with an iron grip, forcing himself to concentrate on separating the evil spirit from the man, bringing it into the open so that he could blast it into eternal nothingness.

Suddenly something shifted, and he nearly stumbled. There was another force joining with his--but from where? Still caught in the middle of the soul-destroying spell, he strained to make out the source of the other power. Was there something different in the accompanying chants coming from Oshou-sama--or Kurayami? He couldn't tell, still fighting for control in the vortex of the dark power.

Once again, he felt the touch of unfamiliar power, but suddenly it invaded him, flowing through his body, touching him everywhere. He nearly screamed aloud at the violation; he gasped and sobbed but couldn't stop, he couldn't stop! Panic-stricken, he decided to abort the spell. The exorcism would be a failure, but he didn't care! He had to get away from this violating force, he had to get OUT! Just as he relinquished his grip on the magic, the force leaped forward in him, taking him over, filling him with wrenching nausea. Somewhere, a distant voice screamed "Shi NE!"

His ash staff snapped at Toumo, exploding with black spears of light. The simple man screamed as blood burst from his eyes, nose and mouth. His screams were joined by the whistling shrieks of the mononoke, the demon howling as it was blasted into pieces, clutching spastically at a white light between its claws. There was an explosion of white light throughout the temple, blinding everyone within, their screams torn from their throats. Shouryuu felt the intense heat of the explosion, heard his own scream echo in his head…then all was darkness.

*************************************************************** *****************************

He woke slowly to the murmurs of concerned voices. He opened his eye, the mystical eyes of his mask opening in response to his returned consciousness. The first thing he noticed was that he was now in the outer sanctuary, someone having pulled him from the scene of the…the… He turned and focused blearily on the face of one of the priestess' serving girls, her features drawn and white. Pushing himself up into a sitting position, he looked down at his garments--and saw that they were spattered with blood.

Shouryuu trembled, not wanting to see what had happened, but knowing that he couldn't run away. A nearby voice cried out in relief. "She's alive! She's going to be all right!" He pushed himself to his feet, weaving unsteadily, watching as one of the village guards pulled Midori-sama up into a seated position. The priestess was very white, but she was breathing. A small form pushed past him and knelt beside her. Shouryuu was relieved to see that it was Oshou-sama, the tiny monk thankfully surviving the killing blast.

The killing blast.

The young magician turned towards the inner shrine. One of the doors hung crookedly, creaking eerily as it swung gently back and forth on one hinge. He gathered his courage and walked stiffly towards the inner shrine, moving past the broken door. The shrine was in darkness, the only light coming from the open doorway, where it glinted off the shattered glass of the oil lamps that lay on the tiled floor. He could barely make out the front of the shrine, but he moved forward anyway, determined to see…what he had to see.

The darkness seemed to increase around him, yet he could make out a still darker shape huddled on the floor. As he stepped forward, he felt his sandals slip in running liquid. 'The oil from the lamps?' he wondered dimly. But the lamps were behind him, and they were small, not holding much oil, and this was a immense pool of liquid, huge and spreading and viscous, and… He suddenly forced down his gorge. It was blood--the shrine was swimming in blood!

"Toumo?" he rasped, unable to help himself, all the while knowing that there would be no answer.

In the whispered hush of the temple, in the eerie creak of the door, he thought he could hear a distant voice. 'I love my kitty,' it whispered, 'I love Midori-sama…and maybe I could love you, too.'

He answered the phantom voice in his head. "Maybe we could be friends," he croaked, and sobbed. Lamplight suddenly flared behind him, illuminating the dark shape before him…and then he saw…he saw...

Toumo's body lay twisted on the ground, its limbs arranged in contortions he could never have achieved in life. His face was set in a grimace of agony and horror, the mouth gaping open, blood running everywhere, but he had no eyes, he had no eyes!

Shouryuu choked back a scream, backing away frantically, slipping in the blood and crashing into the person behind him. He was seized in a surprisingly strong grip and shaken. "Get control of yourself, Shouryuu!" hissed a raspy voice. "The exorcism was successful, the demon destroyed--so get control of yourself!"

Shouryuu stared back into the face of Kurayami. Her clothes were blood-spattered like his, and her hair was mussed, but other than that, she seemed normal.

"Successful?" he choked in horror. "You call this successful?!"

"Shut up!" she snarled at him. "You should be congratulating yourself instead of mewling like an infant!"

"Congratulating himself," repeated a dull and weary voice. Midori-sama moved towards them, her steps slow and stiff. "For what? The destruction of an innocent life?"

"He only did what you insisted he do for you!" snapped Kurayami, coming to the defense of her colleague. "So there was a mistake; a miscalculation."

"Miscalculation," repeated the priestess, kneeling before the body of her friend, her hakama soaking in his blood. She turned from them to breathe a prayer for the dead.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, she choked. "Gods!" she cried out. "I can't find his soul! Where is his soul?!" She turned raging, grieving eyes upon the frozen form of Shouryuu, still held fast in Kurayami's grip. "You destroyed it!" she howled. "You destroyed his innocent soul!"

Shouryuu felt the shock hit him, taking his breath away, and suddenly he knew he was going to be sick. He wrenched out of Kurayami's grasp, running desperately for the side door of the shrine. He ran out into the side gardens, the grass and flowers wilting under the driving rain, and fell to his knees, becoming violently sick. He retched and heaved, all the while hearing the voices in his head rising in mocking derision. 'Poor little sick boy,' they mocked. 'No stomach for murder. No stomach for killing innocents. So why does he go on destroying souls?!'

He raised his face to the driving rain, weeping, wishing that it would cleanse him, knowing all the while that he would never be able to clean the blood from his hands. He couldn't stand this anymore, couldn't stand it! He had to get away, had to find the one who loved him!

Shouryuu rose shakily to his feet, then turned and ran to the side gate. He burst into the street, running, running in the gloom of nightfall. He thought he heard a voice calling his name; it sounded like the voice of Oshou-sama, but he didn't care. He had to get away and find him! 'Find who?' mocked the voice in his head. "Shut up!" he snarled, looking around for a horse. He saw one standing unattended outside an inn, and grabbed its reins. 'Thief now, too, are we?' mocked the voice. He paid it no heed, turning the horse and spurring it towards the river to the southeast.

He had no idea of how long he rode in the darkness and the storm, the rain lashing him and the wind howling in his face. The landscape slowly became more familiar, so he rode onward until he reached the raging waters of the once peaceful river; the place where he had spent so many happy hours in quiet contemplation. He released the horse, and ran up and down the riverbank.

"Doctor!" he screamed into the storm, his grief and guilt and anguish overwhelming him until he howled like a lost child. "Doctor!"he shouted until he was hoarse, the whistling wind drowning out his frantic cries. "Doctor, Doctor!" he wept, desolate at his abandonment by his last friend.

The wind whipped vicious needles of rain into his face, the prickling moisture mixing with the warmer stream of his tears. He no longer knew where or when he was. It seemed that he had been caught in this fierce storm for all of his existence, forever crying out his pain and anguish. The raging elements lashed him, blinded him, leaving him lost in this hellish landscape. In his mind, he was back once again at the outskirts of his flooding village, as Death rolled in with the cresting surge.

Suddenly, he heard a voice calling. "Houjun... Houjun..." The voice was distant, deep, seeming to emanate from beneath the turbulent waves of the once peaceful river. "Houjun!" The cry reverberated in his mind, its deep tones achingly familiar.

"Hikou?!" he blurted in disbelief, leaning over the riverbank to stare into the churning water. "Hikou! Are you here?!" He didn't know how or why Hikou should be in this river, nor did he care. He only knew his frantic need to see his best friend again.

"Houjun, come to me..." The thrashing waters seemed to calm near the center of the river. Houjun thought he saw a pale face take shape beneath the rippling surface.

"Hikou!" he cried, then waded into the shallows near the riverbank. Even here, the water rose above his thighs and swirled so viciously that he fell to his knees. The jolt of the cold water pulling at him and splashing in his face nearly brought him out of his trancelike state of shock--but then the voice resounded nearer. "Houjun..." The waters suddenly seemed to part, allowing him a tantalizing glimpse of Hikou's face, the copper ring of his circlet reflecting the lightning in the darkened sky as he stretched his hand towards the surface in appeal.

That was all Houjun needed to see. He plunged into the turbulent waters, reaching for his friend's hand, determined that this time, this time he would catch Hikou by the hand and never let go! He fought the raging current that swirled around him, reaching desperately for the phantom hand--but no matter where he grabbed, he felt nothing but water slip from his grasp.

He screamed in rage and frustration, "Hikou! Come back!" as the waters tossed him about. Time and again, he plunged beneath the surface, grasping blindly, then breaking into the open air to take a breath and scream Hikou's name.

Finally, exhausted from the wet, dragging weight of his clothes, he realized that he was not going to be able to reach Hikou. Not now...not ever again. All that he had seen and heard had been just a vision invoked by his distraught mind; no more than a mocking memory, a hopeless dream. With that thought, Houjun stopped fighting the river, letting the current drag him under, the water flowing into his nose and mouth and lungs. He felt a strange peace enter his soul. So this is what it was like, drowning. `How fitting,' was his last thought. `How fitting that I should die in this way,' and he opened his mind one last time, embracing the darkness and the peace.

*************************************************************** *********************

"Noooooooooooo!!" A scream of anguish echoed through the Reference Room of the National Library in Tokyo--but being the middle of the night, no one heard the frantic cries of the young woman locked within. She dropped the book and threw herself against the locked door.

"No! He can't die! I won't LET HIM!" she howled, pounding on the solid unyielding surface of the door. Glimmers of reason began to infiltrate her panicked mind, and she turned back to the book where it lay on the floor, kneeling beside it.

"There's no use in running for help out there!" she panted. "No one will ever believe me, anyway! I have to save him myself--and there's only one way that I can do that!"

Some strange force seemed to take hold of her, pulling her to her feet. She raised both hands to the ceiling, her head falling back as if she were in a trance. "The Four Palaces of the Heavens... The Four Corners of the Earth..." she intoned. "In the name of Sacred Law, Faith and Virtue, I summon thee, Suzaku..." Her voice caught in her throat and she sobbed, not understanding her own words but infusing them with desperate entreaty, with the frantic need to save the young magician. "I beseech you to appear... " She faltered again, something inside her head telling her that it was not her place to use this prayer. "But who else is there?" she demanded tearfully of the ether. "If not me, then who?!" The voice inside her head paused in its rebuke...then relented, allowing the words to flow through her mind once again. "Come to us!" she sobbed in relief. "With your mighty power, save us-- and grant me my wish!"

Far off in the distance, she thought that she heard the piercing cry of a mythical bird. A loud clattering of wings caused her to wheel around, startled. She saw nothing, but the mystical wind of its passage blew around her, ruffling her short wavy hair as a crimson glow emanated from the fallen book. Suddenly, she found herself falling through a fantastical scarlet landscape, brilliant stars sparkling in a deep magenta sky.

"Thank you!" she wept as she fell. "Thank you, Suzaku...oh, God, thank you!" she sobbed, unable to stop her tears. "Hold on, Shouryuu," she begged, her words a prayer to him and to Suzaku. "Oh, please, hold on...just a little while longer, please!"

*************************************************************** *************************************

*************************************************************** *************************************

Glossary of Japanese Terms:

Anooooo... - Ummmm...

Arigato goziemasu - Thank you (very polite)

Gomen nasai - I'm sorry

Gakkou - school

Ki - life force

mononoke - evil spirit; ghost

Sensei - master, teacher

Senpai - upperclassman

Sayonara - good-bye

Sama - lord or lady; term of high respect

Shi NE! - DIE!