Fushigi Yuugi Fan Fiction ❯ The Prophecy of Genbu ❯ The Gaze of Sorrow ( Chapter 2 )

Title: The Prophecy of Genbu

Series: Fushigi Yuugi

Rating: MA

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THIS SERIES. The Fushigi Yuugi universe belongs to Watase Yuu-san and I do not claim this universe whatsoever. I am only writing a story for fun, not profit. For other notes, please refer to chapter one.

 

 

Chapter Two

The Gaze of Sorrow

 

Cassandra and Iname rode over rocky and barren territory on their way towards the capital. Snow was falling frequently and they often took shelter in a local inn when night came or if the option wasn't available, a local home where Iname used his powers to help the family in exchange for the shelter. As the days passed, they began to get to know each other more. They talked about their families, childhoods, dreams, anything they could think of. Most of the time Cass confused Iname beyond belief, but he went along with her to make sure she didn't suspect anything. He hadn't found the courage to tell her the reason he was bringing her to see the Emperor, a man called Tokoyami. Iname knew the time was drawing near; he would have to tell her. The question was: how? The answer came in the form of a man called Dong Jia in a small hunting village near the sea. When the pair arrived, Iname immediately felt uneasy. Cassandra's ankle had healed and while she did ride on the second horse once in a while, she preferred to ride with him. This was one of those times she was sitting sideways in the saddle in front of him and he placed an arm around her waist while keeping the other near his glaive. He felt eyes on them and looked around. For the briefest of moments, Iname's eyes scanned the area, but he didn't catch the silver pair of eyes that watched them so intently. The steel-like gaze followed the pair as they arrived at the local inn to book a room for the night.

“Make sure they're watched. Don't let them leave until I've had words with them. Also…” the silver-eyed speaker trailed off, his eyes on Cass. “Bring me that girl. But do it discreetly.”

“Of course sir.”

The man's eyes narrowed. Those two…there's something about them I don't like, he thought and adjusted the silver scarf around his neck and shoulders. Cassandra was feeling tired from the journey and decided that she was going to go to bed early. Nodding, Iname made sure that she was safely in the room and in her bedroll before he headed outside. He went into the market, gathering news and gossip about the capital and recent events. But the moment he was deep into the village market, men converged on the inn and made their way towards their room. Their footsteps were quiet and the only sounds were the rustling of their clothing, their grunts and whispers, and their heavy breathing.

“Keep quiet, we don't want to attract any attention,” the leader hissed as he slid the door open.

Slipping easily into the room, they began to rifle through the bags and belongings of Iname and Cass. They examined the contents but didn't take any, whispering comments to each other.

“Such fine food…”

“Clothing comes from a town east of here. From the looks of it, a farmer's son most likely.”

“Herbs, bandages, and all sorts of medicines are in this basket. They seem recently used.”

The hushed voices carried and stirred Cass out of her light doze. Sitting up, wearing a camisole and the jeans she'd had when she landed in Hokkan, she frowned. The whispers caused a chill to go down her spine and she collected the long-sleeved shirt she'd been wearing and slipped it on. Heart pounding loudly in her ears, Cassandra pushed the covers aside slowly and swung her bare feet out of the bedroll. Carefully she slipped from her blankets and began to move towards the door. Bare feet ghosted over the wooden floor as she pressed her ear against the door. Suddenly, the screen was jerked aside and with a yelp, she toppled forward. Pain shot through her arms and her chest and she'd just narrowly avoided smacking her chin on the hard wood. With a wince, she looked up.

“Well, well, lookit what we have here.”

“She's been spying on us…”

“Damn, what the hell's this wench wearing?”

“Enough! Orders are orders and we're to take her straight to Jia so he can have a word with her.”

“Uh…boys…” she finally spoke up, smiling at them sweetly. “I'm not going anywhere with you.”

“Oh yes you are. Come on, you're coming with us,” the leader said and reached for her and ended up getting smacked as a result. “Ouch! You damn bitch, what do you think you're doing?”

“Like hell I'm going anywhere, so keep your paws off me!” she snapped and leapt to her feet.

“Come on, girlie, don't make a fuss.”

Simply choosing to remain quiet, Cass ducked under the legs of one man and proceeded to crawl towards the door. All efforts of silence gone, the men began to fumble for her in the dark. One actually gripped Cassandra's ankle before she wrenched it loose and kicked him in the face. The man howled and she scrambled into the hallway, closing the door behind her. Scrambling to stand, the teen tripped over the hem of her jeans and landed face-first on the floor. Wincing, she struggled to stand again and this time managed it and began to run down the hall. Tawny hair flew and green eyes were alight with panic as she hurried down the stairs. People were starting to shout, causing quite the ruckus as the frightened girl continued to flee from her pursuers. Wrenching open the front door of the inn, she ran barefoot into the snow-covered street and shrieked at the cold on her bare skin.

“Iname! INAME!” she screamed her friend's name loudly, causing many in the street to stare.

“There she is!”

“Get her!”

Cassandra spun and darted forward only to run smack dab into something solid. Firm, callused hands gripped her shoulders tight and she struggled valiantly against the grip. Looking up, she saw the man had silver eyes and…blue hair? Where the hell did that come from? The man's hair was a deep sapphire blue and slicked back and away from his features. These were features hardened by time, weather, and age. Gazing a bit closer, Cassandra saw a deep sorrow radiating beneath the hard exterior of his eyes. It was a grief that she knew and understood too well. He gazed at her imperiously and sneered as the men approached. All of them were panting and out of breath, giving her looks of deep loathing.

“Jia-san, we can-”

“Spare me your excuses. I send you to do a simple task and you botch it,” he snarled.

“Sir, we really-”

“Silence!” he barked, his voice rough and growling. “You're all pathetic imbeciles. And you, young lady, are coming with me. I have some questions that I want to ask you.”

“No! Let go of me!” Cassandra wailed desperately, struggling in his tight grip. “Iname!”

“What did you say?” Jia whispered in shock, his eyes widening as he gripped her tighter.

Before she could answer though, a grunting sound was heard and one of the men went down. Behind him was Iname, his green eyes blazing with fury. The glaive his father had given him was held firmly in his hands and he lowered it before slowly approaching. Silver flashed in the night and one by one, the rest of the men went down as the flat of his blade struck their heads. Finally, it was only Jia left with Cass struggling in his arms.

“Iname!” Cass cried in relief.

“Bastard, let her go,” he said firmly, looking Jia straight in the eye. “I won't tell you again.”

“Hmph,” Jia smirked, his expression amused as he glanced at Iname. “How old are you, boy?”

“Huh?” that question caught Iname off-guard and he faltered for a moment before recovering. Then a flush came to his cheeks and he coughed. “I'm fifteen, what's it to you, jerk?”

“Thought so. You're nothing but a kid with a fancy stick. I'm ten years your senior and you're a punk.”

“Hey!”

“Now if you're through, I have some questions for this young woman. Goodnight,” Jia mocked and, keeping a firm grip on Cass' shoulder, began to pull her away.

“Let go of me, you jerk!”

“And why should I do that?” he asked, continuing to drag her away, no matter how much she fought.

“You…bastard…” Iname growled and glared harshly at Jia. “Release the Genbu no Miko!”

That made the entire street fall deathly silent. Spectators had gathered around when the conflict had first broken out, and now there was nothing but silence. The silver-eyed man was also shocked. Iname's words had startled Cass so much that even she couldn't speak. What in the world is he talking about? I'm no miko, she thought and gasped when Jia released her. Whispers began to break out and people began to run to spread the word. Iname panted as he glared at Jia, daring him to contradict what he had just said.

“What right do you, a punk kid, have to say such a thing?” he hissed as his eyes were agleam with suspicion. “Just who do you think you are, kid? One of her warriors or something?”

“Who am I?” Iname mocked and then moved his glaive to rip his shirt on the small of his back. A sigil for the word “cow” glowed black on his skin in the center of the small of his back. He turned so Jia could see it. “I am Iname, one of the Genbu Seishi!”

Jia's eyes widened as he took in the gleaming symbol. There was no doubt about it…the kid was one of the seven warriors that were supposed to guard and protect the Genbu no Miko. Not only that, but live and die for the young girl as well if need be. That was all part of the duty of being one of the chosen warriors. So, it really is true, he thought and frowned. Pushing Cassandra off to the side, he walked forward so he and Iname were a foot apart.

“Cassandra…” Iname began.

“Yes, Iname?”

“Go back inside before you get sick.”

“But what about you?”

“Don't worry about me,” he said, his eyes never leaving Jia's. “Just go, so I don't have to worry about you.”

At his words, Cassandra hurried back inside the inn. What Iname said confused her. Just what did he know that she didn't? She raced inside, her min still teeming with thoughts as she left her friend behind. The two males remained in the now-empty street, facing each other down in the snow.

“Do you honestly think you would stand a chance in a fight with me, boy?” Jia finally spoke, breaking the icy silence. “And if she is the one, why doesn't she know? You should tell her.”

“Just who do you think you are, my father?” Iname demanded furiously.

The silver eyes softened and he turned. “No, but I was a father once. A long time ago.”

With that, Jia departed into the night. Iname stared after him with a curious expression before heading back for the inn…and Cass. He walked up the stairs and debated on how he should tell her. When he opened the door, he saw that she was waiting up for him. She was sitting cross-legged on one of the pallets and looked up at Iname.

“Sit down please,” she said softly and indicated the pallet next to her. “Tell me what is going on.”

With a heavy sigh, Iname sat. “Now what I know is mostly legend and a few facts. However, it's time you found out. There is a tale of the four gods of legend. Seiryu of the east, Suzaku of the south, Byakko of the west, and finally, Genbu of the north. Hokkan is protected by Genbu. Konan is the land of Suzaku. Sairou is Byakko's domain. And Kutou is where Seiryu rules. Each god has seven constellations associated with them. Genbu's are Hikitsu, Tomite, Uruki, Namame, Urumiya, Hatsui, and…Iname.”

“That last constellation. Why do you call yourself by that name? And why do you have that symbol on your back? What does this all have to do with me?” she wondered.

“I'm getting to that. Be patient. Now, each country also has a miko, a priestess, so if the time comes when the country is on the verge of collapse she can summon the beast god. However, this can mean that if one country has a miko and the others don't, one of the countries may send someone to kill her. This is where the constellations come into play.”

“Go on,” she urged.

“The constellations are significant because the seven of them are the names of the men and women chosen to fight, live, and die for their miko. They are called the Shichi Seishi, or the Seven Star Warriors. They wear the mark of the constellation they're named for and are blessed with special powers. I, as you know, became blessed with the name, powers, and sigil for the constellation Iname. I am one of the seven whose duty it is to serve the Genbu no Miko, which I think is you. What puzzles me is that almost 200 years ago, there was another Genbu no Miko. Legend states that she gathered all of her Seishi and managed to summon the beast god, Genbu. After that, she vanished from our world and no one ever saw her again. The legend also says that the miko herself…has to come from another world.”

Cassandra sat there with shock written all over her features. The pieces of the puzzle were finally starting to come together in her mind. Why she was suddenly here, the atmosphere, the people, Iname's confusion as she spoke of her home…it all makes sense. I must have been brought into the book when I read it somehow. That's when she remembered one of the first lines in the book: that once the page was turned, the story became true through a spell. So that's why this place seems so strange. It really is another world.

“Iname…what's going to happen to me now?” she finally asked, her bangs hiding her eyes.

“Well, I-”

He stopped speaking as he looked at Cass. Tears were flowing down her cheeks and her hands were trembling in her lap. They were balled into fists to keep her from losing it completely. A blank look came to Iname's features before he reached over and touched Cass on the cheek. She looked up at him for a moment before throwing herself forward and sobbing wildly into his chest. At first, Iname balked, but then relaxed and stroked her hair.

“It's all right, Cassandra. I'm always going to be here to look out for you and protect you. You don't have to worry about anything while I'm here.”

“How am I going to get home?”

“There's only one way I can think of. Become the Genbu no Miko and summon Genbu. He is the only one who can successfully send you home. But…” Iname looked down at her with hurt in his eyes. “Am I really that terrible of a person that you don't want to be around me?”

“No! No, Iname, it isn't that at all!” she insisted, swiping at her eyes. “You've been so kind to me. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't met you when I did.”

He smiled and brushed the tears from her cheeks gently. “Good, now let's get some sleep.”

With that, Iname ruffled her hair and went to his pallet to lie down. Cassandra blew out the lamp and lay down as well. Even as Iname's snores filled the room, she couldn't get the image of Jia's silver eyes out of her mind. They looked so heartbreaking. Why is he like that? Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Sitting up, Cass reached for her coat and put it on. Gathering her boots, she crossed the room quietly and went to the door. Every creak in the floor sounded so loud in her ears, but Iname continued to snore loudly.

“He may be a good friend, but he sleeps like a rock and saws logs with a passion,” she mumbled as she closed the door in the hall and slipped on her boots. “Better for me though.”

Tapping her feet to make sure that her boots were snug and on all the way, Cass slipped downstairs. Making her way out of the inn, she shivered as she emerged into the snowy street. Clutching her collar tight, hands buried in the soft rabbit fur, Cassandra knocked on the first door she came to. Lights were gleaming within and she could hear a family just sitting down to supper. A deep longing came over her and she missed hers for just a moment.

“I wonder if my family even knows I'm gone,” she mused as the door opened slowly.

“What do you want?”

The man that spoke was gruff, a patch of gray hair stubbornly clinging to the sides of his otherwise bald head. He had a straight nose and serious brown eyes. Cassandra bowed politely to him and looked up. Even though he skulked in the doorway, he was tall and rather imposing.

“Excuse me sir,” she said and shivered. “But I was wondering if you knew someone by the name of Jia?”

He looked startled for a moment and his expression softened. “Aye, lass that I do.”

“Can you tell me where he is?”

“Yes, but first come inside. It's freezing out here and you're barely wearing anything.”

“Oh no, I couldn't impose-”

“You'll come in and that's that.”

Without another word, he walked inside and Cassandra, this being her only lead, followed. The inside was warm and smelled of rich stew, fresh bread, and spices. Looking around, Cass saw a large family sitting down to dinner. The children looked at her with wide eyes and she flushed. Of course, I'm still wearing my jeans. The old man sat down with a groan and gazed at Cassandra with a serious eye. She shivered in her coat. The man's gaze was like steel, even if his eyes weren't that color. A few moments passed in silence then he turned to the children and frowned as he noticed how they were gawping.

“You stop staring, youngsters,” he admonished and one turned to him with a guilty expression.

“But grandpa, she's the Genbu no Miko! You heard what that man said in the market today!”

“I know, but staring is rude and you know that. So,” he turned to Cass. “You're looking for Jia?”

“Yes, you said you know him, sir,” Cass answered, startled at being addressed so suddenly.

“And I do indeed know who he is and where. Why you be looking for Jia, missy?”

“Well…” Cassandra paused and looked at her hands as she twisted her fingers together. “When I looked at him, there was just something in his eyes that shone of a great loneliness. A loneliness that I understand all too well. I couldn't stop wondering about him. Plus, he tried to kidnap me and I wanted to know why. I didn't do anything to him so why did he try?”

The old man looked at the fire in the hearth for a moment, his eyes serious. “Are you here alone?”

“Yes! I-I didn't want Iname to come in case they got into a fight again. Jia's older than him and it would just result in them getting hurt. I don't want them to get into another argument.”

“Well missy, you're right about one thing. My boy Jia is a strong warrior and won't be defeated so easily.”

“S-so he's?”

“My son.”

“Oh!” Cass gasped and then looked down at her hands again. “So that's how you know him.”

“Missy, why do you really want to see Jia? Even I haven't seen him for nigh on five years. Ever since that accident, he hasn't been the same and hardly anyone approaches him.”

“Accident?”

The old man looked at Cassandra for a moment and then rose to his feet. He walked stiffly towards her and placed an arm on the small of her back. Guiding her to the door, he began to explain the route to find his son. Cass listened eagerly and as soon as he finished, she thanked him profoundly. Quickly, she hurried into the street and rushed down the way that he had indicated. For a while, the man watched her run of and sighed. Dong Yao closed the door behind him and returned to his chair next to the fire as his family looked on.

“Grandpa, why did you tell the miko-san about Uncle Jia's family?” an older teenage girl inquired as she set down a loaf of bread on a stone plate. “You know that it wasn't an accident. It was murder and we all know that. So why did you lie to her and say that?”

“Sakura, an old man has his reasons. Now do me a favor and poor your old grandpa a drink.”

As he sat back in his chair, he looked out the window as snow began to fall. Perhaps that young thing can help my boy. After all, his daughter looked a lot like that lass. He smiled as he drifted off into his mind, lost in the happy memories of when Jia still had his family. Cassandra meanwhile was plowing through the deep snow banks on her way to the edge of town. It seemed the further away she was from the town, the deeper the snow got. Huffing and puffing, she continued until she spotted a small cabin in the distance. With her breath coming in puffs before her, she continued plodding through the snow. Each step made her boot sink further into the bank and she yelped as it fell into her boot.

“Oh damn that's cold!” she whined and began to try and scoop it out. “Oh that's really cold!”

No matter how hard her cold, red hands tried, snow kept falling back into her boots. Cass finally gave up, her hands becoming redder and chapped from the cold. Clutching her coat close, she trekked on. When she got closer though, her attention was drawn to three graves underneath a tall fir tree near the cabin. Graves? Was this the result of the “accident” that old man was talking about? Panting heavily, Cassandra finally stepped up to the door. Raising her hand, she rapped loudly on the wood and then waited. When she didn't hear anything for a few moments, she frowned and tried again. Still getting no answer, Cass jumped down to move behind the cabin. Shivering as the snow touched her skin, the tawny-haired teen cursed at finding no back door. When she turned to head towards the front door again…she heard low snarling. A chill went down her spine and she turned around. Please don't let there be anything out there, she pleaded.

“Please…” Cass whispered as her heart began to race as she pressed against the front door. “Oh no…”

It was her worst fear come to life. She was alone and in the trees she saw silhouettes she'd only seen in her nightmares. It was a pack of wolves and because of the harsh winters and scarce game in Hokkan, they were now becoming rabid with hunger. They'd slipped quietly towards Cassandra without her being any the wiser and now had her surrounded. Panic rose in her throat and she opened her mouth to scream, but it was stuck. Her heartbeat roared in her ears and she felt tears stinging her cheeks. Trembling with fear, she winced as the wolves howled into the night. Run! I have to run! But…I can't move! I'm too scared. She whimpered and felt her entire body shaking in pure terror. Widened green eyes watched as the pack began to move closer to her, snarling and growling.

“Help me…” she whimpered in a small, trembling voice. “SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!”