Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Tainted Love ❯ Chapter Fourteen ( Chapter 14 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
TAINTED LOVE
© May 12, 2005 By Rory V. Pascual


CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"According to the map that the good doctor gave us, the disturbance is right around this area."

" 'Good doctor', huh?" Kougaiji said with seething resentment, his face scrunching up in distaste.

Dokugakuji chuckled as he let the map that the demented Dr. Ni Jen Yi had given him fly out of his hand. "You know I meant it in sarcasm."

The disturbance in question was a surge of powerful demonic energy. A similar incident had been documented five years ago, which led to the destruction of a thriving town. There were indications that these disturbances were caused by the same entity. This time, however, the energy release was much stronger and sustained, indicating that whoever or whatever was causing it was in a fixed location.

As expected, desire for that kind of power prompted Gyokumen Koushu to send them out to find this entity, and enlist or capture him.

Needless to say, Kougaiji was half-hearted about this recruitment mission.

Yaone, who was sitting behind the youkai prince on the hiryu, noticed his disturbed silence. "I take it you don't approve of this mission, Kougaiji-sama."

"You're right, I don't, Yaone," Kougaiji confirmed. "There is something about this energy disturbance that bothers me. How could one being wield such power? I dread to imagine what would happen if Gyokumen Koushu had her filthy hands on it. Power is a double-edged sword. In the wrong hands, it could be disastrous."

There was a shocked gasp, and Lirin cried, "Oniichan, look over there!"

Kougaiji felt his heart stop. Quickly, he ordered, "Halt! Don't go any further!"

They immediately yanked the reins of their hiryu, bringing them to a hover.

The forest below them was slowly being consumed by fire, forming a circle of destruction that was about a mile wide. What was unusual was the fire itself. Instead of a blazing red, the flames were a flickering black and dark gray. As they watched, the black flames would gradually advance, eating away at trees and shrubs, and then recede a few feet, only to move forward again…as if something or someone was trying to pull the flames back.

It was an energy that Kougaiji thought he would never see in his lifetime. His father had once battled a being that could control this power. Although he had defeated his formidable opponent, Gyumao barely survived the encounter.

Kougaiji was horrified to see a baby rabbit cowering beside a small rock. Turning to the others, he said, "Stick close to me!"

Mumbling a spell, Kou erected layers of shields around them. Together, they swooped down at the edge of the fire. Getting down from his hiryu, the youkai prince rescued the terrified bunny, which immediately hid inside his clothes.

"What is this thing, Kou?" Dokugakuji asked as he looked at the wall of black flames, wincing at the strain of the fire upon the shield.

"It's called Dark Flame," Kougaiji answered, unable to hide the worry in his voice.

That tone did not escape Lirin's notice. "Is something wrong, Oniichan?"

"Dark Flame is a form of energy that is powered by the life force of one whose soul is in deepest despair, a hanyou to be specific. It can only be used once as a final strike. Once released, it would ultimately turn against its wielder, and create devastation like what you see now."

"Oh no!" cried Yaone. "Then that poor hanyou…"

Kou nodded solemnly, "…Is dying…right in the heart of this inferno."

"But…" Dokugakuji could not understand why his heart was beating so fast as it was filled with sudden dread. "…Whoever this hanyou is, he is still trying to control the flames. He doesn't want other living beings to die along with him."

"So I've noticed," Kougaiji quietly agreed.

"Can't we do anything to help him?" Lirin asked, deeply concerned.

The youkai prince smiled at his younger sister. Indeed, he wanted to help this hapless soul. Seeing the approval on the faces of Dokugakuji and Yaone as well, he knew he could act on what his heart wants him to do.

"Very well," Kougaiji exclaimed, extending the shield around their hiryu. "Let's go!"

~~~~~

"Look down there!" Lirin cried excitedly. "I see him!"

Sure enough, what looked like a fire angel lay curled up on a slab of rock.

"I want you all to stick close to me," Kougaiji warned. "Our youkai skin accords us some protection from the heat. But this is Dark Flame. Eventually, the shield will break down. Let's hurry and see what we can do."

Jumping down to the ground, they let their hiryu fly off to safety. Swiftly, they ran towards that still figure, only to stop right in their tracks as they recognized him instantly.

Weary crimson eyes fluttered open, hearing their footsteps. A heartbreaking smile formed on those tender lips. "Aniki…I never thought I'd see you again. And…you've brought your friends with you."

"No, it can't be!" Yaone gasped out, her hands flying to her mouth.

"It's impossible!" Lirin muttered in disbelief.

Kougaiji was stunned speechless.

It was Dokugakuji who broke down, as his heart was gripped with horror. "GOJYO!"

He was about to run to his younger brother's side when Kou grabbed his arm. "Dokugaku, don't go near him!"

"But Kou…"

"Kougaiji's right, Niisan," Gojyo said softly. "Don't come near me or I'll burn you to death."

"Gojyo-san, what happened to you?" Yaone asked in deep concern. "Why did you become like this?"

"It was someone from my past…a blood magician I had the…misfortune…of meeting five years ago."

Kougaiji frowned. Five years ago…then that would mean that the past disturbance was….

Lava tears poured from Gojyo's eyes. "I did this protect them…especially Hakkai. I couldn't let him…hurt…Hakkai…the same way he and his friends…had hurt me."

Dokugakuji did not fail to miss the sexual meaning in those words. "Why did you have to do this? Was there no other way to defeat this blood magician?"

"How can you defeat a powerful ghost?" Gojyo asked in turn, and he saw Kougaiji nod in sad understanding. "There's no other way."

"What about Sanzo and the others?" Kou asked, frowning that the poor half-breed had abandoned him like this. "Where are they?"

"I left them. I didn't want them to die along with me. That's why I came here. At least it's far from anything living."

"Actually, the flames almost got this poor little guy here." Kougaiji produced the baby rabbit, looking pitifully at the dying young man.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Gojyo said, his voice filled with remorse. "Let me try to pull it back in a little more. It's so…difficult."

The attempt, however, caused the redhead to cry out in pain.

"Stop it, Gojyo!" the youkai prince said sharply. "I'll contain the Dark Flame with a barrier. Don't do anything."

Gojyo wanted so much to pet the bunny. "Forgive me, little one. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Gojyo, there must be something we can do to help you!" Lirin exclaimed, unable to hold back her tears any longer. Even if the half-breed was their enemy, he had done nothing to hurt her. She shook her head stubbornly. "No, you can't die like this!"

"Uh…" Gojyo hesitated, an embarrassed blush going up his cheeks. "Do you think you can give me something…for the pain? I really don't mind a little ache here and there, but this…" He let out another feeble cry as terrible pain lanced through his body. "It gets to be pretty unbearable, you see."

Kougaiji gave Yaone a knowing glance. Nodding, she handed him a vial containing a golden fluid. The youkai prince conjured up a very thick shield and approached the dying half-breed. As he lifted Gojyo up for a moment to pour the contents of the vial into his parted lips, Kou could feel the new shield breaking, the heat seeping through the cracks. Sensing the danger to the youkai prince, Gojyo pushed him away.

"You guys must go now," the half-breed dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Let me die in peace."

Dokugakuji wanted to go to his brother, but Kougaiji held him back. "No, Gojyo!"

"You don't know how long I've searched for you, Jien," Gojyo called his brother by his true name. "I wanted to tell you…how sorry I am. Because of me, you had to kill Kaasan. I've been nothing but a burden, and that drove you away. Please forgive me."

"No, it wasn't anything that you did!" argued Dokugakuji. "You don't know how much I…" Shame-faced, he turned away. "It had nothing to do with you. It's been…me…all along."

At first, Gojyo could not say anything as he looked at the troubled expression on his older brother's face. Then, realization dawned upon him.

Smiling, Gojyo's voice grew weaker and weaker as he said, "You…should have told me. I would never…deny…you anything. And…no one would know." This said, the half-breed closed his eyes.

Tears of guilt streamed won Dokugakuji's face. "I know," he said hoarsely. "That's why I left you to begin with." With an anguished cry, the youkai exclaimed, "This is all my fault! Oh, Gojyo!"

"He's not dead yet."

Whirling, Dokugakuji looked at Kougaiji in surprise.

It was Yaone who explained. "The drug I gave Gojyo-san will slow down his body's metabolism. I'm hoping that it will also slow down the effects of the Dark Flame."

"But this is a temporary measure," Kougaiji added. "As you can see, his body still continues to emit Dark Flame. I also must do something to contain it before his life force is extinguished. Perhaps…it could help prolong Gojyo's life. But I'm going to need all your help. As a fire magic user, I've never attempted to summon this beast before."

Lirin nodded, her face dead serious as she and the others followed her brother a short distance away from the half-breed. She then took Yaone's hand. Understanding, Dokugakuji gripped the little youkai's other hand and Yaone's forming, a circle around Kou. As Kougaiji began the chant that would summon a beast from the alternate dimension, they fed their energy into him, watching in awe as their red aura turned to white. Raising his hand to the slumbering figure, a portal slowly opened in the youkai prince's palm, an icy wind blowing out of it. Kou's face was contorted from the strain.

Then, the youkai prince called out the summoned evil's name, and a magnificent ice bird, its crest a fan of blue crystals, flew out. It hovered for a moment above the slumbering half-breed. Seeing Gojyo as someone it needed to protect, the ice bird gently settled on top of him, like a nesting mother, and sang a melodious song that sent twinkling snowflakes raining down upon them. Before long, the ice bird vanished and in its place was a glistening dome of ice that protected the sleeping angel within.

"KOUGAIJI-SAMA!" Yaone cried as the youkai prince fell on one knee.

Kou waved everyone away. "I'm all right. It just took a lot out of me," he said reassuringly as he slowly stood.

When he was finally up on his feet, it was Dokugakuji who prostrated himself on the ground. "Thank you, Kou! I will forever be in your debt. Ask anything of me and I shall do it."

Kougaiji looked at the youkai before him thoughtfully. "Good. Then you shall come with me. Yaone, Lirin, you two stay here and keep watch."

"Where are you going, Niichan?" asked Lirin curiously.

"We're going to get the one man who can heal him," was Kougaiji's simple answer. "And that's the same man who had broken his heart."

* * * * * * * * * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Seems like no one has been reading the last few chapters. Guess I scared everyone off with my previous notes. Okay, this time, I need to take a break from writing this story because I sure as hell don't know if anyone would still be interested in reading the remaining chapters. In the meantime, I need to clean up a major mess in the office. There's nothing much worse than having inefficient co-workers. So before potential interviewees start declining our requests, I have to take the reins of the situation otherwise nothing will get done. I'm NOT supposed to be doing this, but the higher ups, so it's frustrating. I'll conclude this story when able, or if anyone wants to read it. Now, I go to raise hell in the magazine! There must be an easier way to make a living.











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