Red River Fan Fiction ❯ A SHINTO PRIESTESS IN THE ANCIEN HITTITE EMPIRE ❯ Vol 2 Chap 1 Coming back home? ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: Baran

Kail and Miyuki attempted to rescue Tito from the Queen.
Miyuki found only his cadaver and made a blood oath to avenge him.
Kail is beginning to cast the ritual to send back Miyuki but Zuwa of the Kaska clan and underling of the Queen confronted them.

Anime/Manga: Red River Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Romance / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 02.08.2007 | Updated On: 02.11.2007 | Pages: 11 | Words: 9.6K | Visits: 223 | Status: Work In Progress

A SHINTO PRIESTESS IN THE ANCIEN HITTITE EMPIRE

WHERE THE RED FIRE AND RED RIVER MEET

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Miyuki Kanzaki.

Notes: A warning, dark scenes in this chapter. The ancient world was violent… This one is also violent, but we are jaded by the media until `it' happened to us.

Sorry, this is my personal opinion…

Vol 2 Chap 1:Coming back home?

Summary of the last volume:

The main characters:

Miyuki: Long black hair and emerald eyes. She was a third-year middle schooler. She was also a powerful Miko (Japanese priestess) fighting with a group of friends to protect the NEXUS, a formidable gate to other worlds. She was brought by force to ancient Turkey (Hittite kingdom).

Kail: Blond hair and amber eyes. He is the third prince of the Hittite Empire. He holds the rank of a high-priest.

Queen Nakia: Long blond hair and violet eyes. She is planning to use the sacrifice of Miyuki to put her own son into the throne. She is the high-priestess of the Storm-God Teshub.

What happened before:

Miyuki is an atypical middle schooler.

At night, she fights as a Miko with the “Circle”, a group of super-powered friends dedicated to protect the “NEXUS”, a gateway to other worlds.

However, in the middle of an enjoyable date, she suddenly got pulled into a puddle of water.

The place where she woke up was the ancient Hittite Empire.

As part of the Queen Nakia's plot, she was brought through space and time to be sacrificed.

Cut off from her powers as a Miko, Miyuki, whose life was being targeted by the Queen, was saved from a dangerous situation by Prince Kail, and was hidden in his palace as his “concubine”.

Miyuki wants to return to 20th century Japan, but to do so, three conditions must be satisfied.

One is Kail's priestly power, one is for the seven springs of the capital Hattusa to be full, and another one is the clothes that Miyuki was wearing.

Those clothes were in the Queen's palace. So, along with Kail's servant Tito, she snuck into the Queen's palace.

However, that was the terrible Queen's trap.

The captured Miyuki was once again powerless and about to be killed as a sacrifice.

Because of Tito's action, Miyuki escaped that place, took back her clothes, and headed to leave the palace.

With the pursuer only one step behind, Miyuki was able to escape outside the gate with Tito's help.

Unfortunately, the boy Tito was caught by the Queen's savage underling…!

1234567890987654321

“ANSWER!” Kikkuri knocked hard to the front door of the Queen's palace. “ANSWER QUEEN!”

Prince Kail and Miyuki were waiting anxiously in front of the door. Miyuki was clad in the cloak of the Prince since she didn't want to wait to save Tito.

A still sleeping servant opened the door. “You idiot. Coming here in the middle of the night like this. Come back when the sun's not down.” He stopped suddenly when he realized who was in front of him.

“I'm the third prince Kail Mursili. I have urgent business with her imperial majesty, and wish to have an audience with her.”

The poor bewildered servant cringed. “P-PRINCE KAIL!? Yessir, immediately! Please wait a moment.”

Miyuki was trying to calm herself. Her exhaustion added to the close call when she had confronted the Queen and her incertitudes about the young boy were wrecking havoc in her being. `Tito, please be safe.' Her body trembled as her nerves short-circuited spasmodically. `We'll rescue you soon, just please be all right!'

Finally, the Queen Nakia appeared in a night-robe. Her servant knelt and present Kail and Miyuki. “I present Prince Kail.”

She gazed on the couple. “Isn't it rude to disrupt the rest of your Queen?”

Kail acknowledged her. “Your Imperial Majesty!”

Nakia yawned. “Ooh, I'm so sleepy.”

Nerves still shot, Miyuki reacted hotly. “You were asleep, what a lie!” The words erupted under the control of her anger and fear. “Just a moment ago you were…”

Kail held imperiously his hand in front of the stricken girl to stop her and addressed Nakia. “I know that this is rude. I sincerely apologize.” Kail braced himself and looked squarely to his step-mother. “But by some mistake, a boy that I've been employing as my servant strayed into your palace here.” The Queen listened calmly. “Please return him to me…!”

A little smile seemed to glide on her lips. “A child? I don't know what you could mean…”

Miyuki exploded. “You don't…!” By a supreme effort of will, the Miko stopped herself and took a cleansing breath. Ice entered her emerald gaze as she looked into the violet eyes of the Queen. “I apologize for my earlier burst, your Majesty.”

Kail glanced sideway, a little worried about the change in the tone.

Using all her cultural heritage, the Japanese continued her polite dialogue with the person who wanted to kill her. “I and Kail's servant have been aggressed in the vicinity by…” She seemed to search a good description. “…scum.”

Kail internally winced: The insult had been masterfully delivered but Miyuki will have to pay for it. Nakia was an expert in this kind of word duel.

The gaze of the two priestesses crossed like two blades naked. “I am still shaken by the ordeal. But I have been able to escape.”

The Queen nodded. “Ooh! Dear! What a dreadful thing! It is fortunate that Prince Kail managed to reach you before the…scum did unspeakable things to you.”

Miyuki smiled a completely heatless smile. “I thank your Majesty for your kind words. I was indeed very fortunate. However, my servant has no such luck and was reduced to fly in another direction. Your palace is the most secure location near the area of our aggression. Tito could only have taken refuge in your walls.” Miyuki forced herself to bow. “I'm asking you that you return our servant.”

Nakia lightly giggled. “Asking? What a thing to say to a queen. If you keep someone like this at your side, you'll need her to learn better manners or you'll harm your social standing, Prince Kail.”

Miyuki almost lose her countenance here. Something ignited in her being. Both priests, Kail and Nakia perceived the sudden concentration of energy. It was like a fire banked, hidden under a layer of embers. “You're perfectly right, your Majesty. I apologize again and I thank you for the…lesson. But surely in your kindness, you could surely find in yourself to give us Tito back.”

Nakia's eyes narrowed. “…So mouthy. You are fortunate that I am generous, concubine of the prince, or you could get the death penalty for that disrespect to royalty.”

Miyuki couldn't stop her tears of anger and frustration as her efforts were torpedoed. The Queen had drawn the line. She clinched her hands in front of her, bowed very low and whispered. “Please…I'm begging you…”

Nakia whirled around to regain her palace. She was rather happy to have forced her future sacrifice to beg her. “Humph. I suspect you're just passing on some dream!”

“Wait!” Kail intervened as he held Miyuki to prevent any desperate and doomed actions. “You majesty, please permit me to search in your palace.”

The Queen stopped still. “If by some chance the child snuck in here for safety, I can surely find him.”

“There's no need for that. Return home, Prince Kail.”

“Your majesty, certainly…”

This time, Nakia whirled back in anger. “Prince Kail, have you forgotten!? I am THE QUEEN! The person who holds the title of TAVANANNA! None but the Emperor himself may give me orders! GO HOME!”

Kail winced. The warning was very clear. Eyes still blurred by her tears, Miyuki asked herself what that title meant. `Tavananna…!?'

As the front door was closed in front of them, Miyuki rushed to Kail. “Prince! We can't go home, Tito's really here!”

“I know.” Kail was clearly as frustrated as Miyuki but he could control himself better. “But since I was refused by the authority of the Tavananna. There's nothing more than this that I can do.”

Miyuki shook her head. “What's Tavananna!?”

“It's the title of the most powerful woman in the Empire, the Empress.” Kail began to walk, plans already forming in his mind. “The only one of higher up that could change this for us is my father. Let's hurry to the Royal palace!”

Miyuki looked desperately to the edifice where her friend was held. `Tito!' She forced herself to not burst into wails as her imagination supplied atrocious images of what could happened to the young boy. `Tito, forgive me. It's my fault that such a thing would happen to you, forgive me.' She could see the blood on the tortured body. `We'll be back soon, so hold on for just a little longer!'

1234567890987654321

In the palace of Kail, Miyuki had finally changed into a new tunic and was letting Kikkuri dressing her wounded hand.

Kail came back from the Royal palace. “I passed it on to the chamberlain. He'll reserve an audience with my father for us. Because of the hour, it'll probably be difficult.” He turned to the young girl. “Now would you give me the reason Tito went with you to the Queen's palace?”

Miyuki blinked. She only heard the first part of the phrase. “Don't tell me you're going to wait for an audience… Why don't you wake him up!?”

Kikkuri palmed his face. “Lady Miyuki, you can't do such things to his Imperial Majesty.” He attempted to finish the dressing of the wound. Fortunately, it had been a clean puncture which didn't touch anything important.

A voice sounded from the corridor. “Your highness. What is the reason for this noise?” A serious man with long brown hair and small inquiring eyes entered. A small bead ornamented his forehead. “I believe the requirements have been met to send Princess Miyuki back home. If you would just forget about the child and stuff, and send her back right away.”

Kail addressed the man. “Ilvani!” He then turned to Miyuki who was curious. “Ah, this is the first time you've met, Miyuki. This is the clerk of the Imperial palace, Ilvani. My foster brother.”

Miyuki cringed as she was reminded of the price paid to take back her property. `I-I certainly got my clothes back though…' She shook her head and tightened her fists. “I can't go home now. I can't go home and leave Tito in this situation!”

Ilvani bowed to the distressed Japanese. “Tito must have been killed. Please give up. Please prepare for your return.”

The displaced student blinked, dismayed by the coldness of the man. “WHY!? Why are you saying something like that!?”

Ilvani continued still serious. “According to what I've heard, the Empress has been using a large sadistic man…”

Miyuki snorted and nodded. “Yeah. You could say that.” She vividly remembered the cruel monster. “He wore all these jingly accessories.”

“That would be Zuwa of the Kaska clan.”

Miyuki frowned as she remembered Kail saying that she didn't have the type of this clan when he had examined her features after her first aborted sacrifice. `Kaska clan?'

“He alone leads the Kaska, a savage northern tribe. He loves silver and gold. The stories of him collecting the skins of the people he's murdered himself are famous.”

It was even worse than the young priestess suspected.

“There are rumors he likes the smooth skin of children in particular.”

The heart of Miyuki missed a beat and her eyes widened as Ilvani finished his cold and logical analyze.

“And I don't think he would overlook Tito.”

Miyuki swayed. “If…If that's the case. All the more reason we need to hurry…” She whirled around, decided to force the Queen's palace if need be. Her body trembled as she tried to summon the energy necessary for such a task.

Kail saw the danger as the Miko was dangerously overextending herself. “Miyuki!” He seized her.

“STEP ASIDE!” The young girl was gesticulating wildly. “I CAN'T LET TITO BE KILLED.”

“Miyuki, calm down!” The black-haired teenager was falling into pieces.

“LET GO.” Kail had no difficulty to dodge the feeble attacks of the exhausted girl.

“LET ME GO!” Kail needed to do something quickly as she risked to drawn into her very life-force if she continued to gather her energy like this. He yanked her to him.

He kissed the crying girl hard, holding her head and one arm. She blinked under the sudden assault of her senses and mouth. Ilvani's eyes widened under the shock of the intensity of the scene and Kikkuri gasped. The Japanese closed her eyes and tensed. Her heart seemed to burst into her chest. Warmth invaded her body and attacked the tension in her muscles. She melded in the embrace of the young man.

Kail terminated the kiss and looked to the relaxed face. The young girl had completely let herself go into his arms. He softly asked. “…will you calm down and listen to me?”

She opened glazed eyes as she attempted to breathe enough oxygen to reboot her brain, but nodded firmly.

“I haven't given up on Tito.” His words reached his foster-brother and Kikkuri. “If I forgot this I would become the same as the Queen. Regardless of social class, people should have an equal respect for life.” He nodded firmly. “I'll stop at nothing to get Tito back.” He turned to the serious man. “Okay, Ilvani.”

The cold man considered his Prince and bowed. “I apologize for earlier, I was out of place. I'll put in an extra word.”

`Prince Kail…' The words of the amber-eyed prince had touched something deep into her. `“Regardless of social class, people should have an equal respect for life.”'

Kail began to walk outside again to the Royal palace. “Is father awake yet!? Get the chamberlain to hurry!”

He stopped as he heard the loud chatter of three of his servants. “What's this uproar?”

“I…It's his highness Kail. A story like this would dirty your ears, your highness…”

“It's fine, now tell me.”

“Just now, a sentinel came with a notification.”

Dread seized the heart of Miyuki.

“A corpse was rolled down outside the eastern ramparts. Also, it seems to be a child of around 12 or 13…”

Kail and Miyuki's hearts stopped.

1234567890987654321

Outside the eastern ramparts, the rising sun revealed a macabre scene. A flight of vultures was circling above a little group of persons. Five soldiers were gathered around a shape on the ground. Two of them had covered it with a cloth that was already showing large spots of blood.

Kail, Miyuki and Kikkuri came, running to the scene.

A soldier turned to the sound of their feet. “Your highness!”

Miyuki stopped, breathless, before the humanoid shape. She must know! “Sh…Show me. SHOW ME THE FACE!”

The soldier hesitated then revealed the face of a young black-haired and black-eyed boy who was gazing into eternity. Blood pearled from his nose and mouth. His features were stilled in a grotesque mask of pain.

“KYAAAAAAAA!” The Miko stepped back until Kikkuri put his hands on her shoulders. She couldn't detach her eyes from the martyrized face. The Japanese priestess had already seen death before as she protected the Nexus. But this one was too close to her.

As dismayed as the young girl, but better shielded, Kail forced himself to examine the macabre body. A soldier stopped his hand as he was trying to see the rest of the corpse. “Your highness, I don't think you should go further than this.”

“What?”

“From the neck down, all of his skin has been torn off.”

The gaze of Miyuki was immediately dragged to a hand showing from under the bloodied cloth: A young hand, showing its muscles because the skin had been ripped off. Fragments of it were still present and a few nails had been torn off.

“HII…” Miyuki bit her wrist to stop herself. If she started to scream now, she knew she couldn't stop herself for a long time.

The displaced Japanese trembled. `Tito… He looked so much like my little brother Kaneda.' Mercifully, a soldier replaced the cloth to hide the body, but the image was branded in her memory and her soul. `Tito was the first person in this country who could make me laugh.'

Vision blurred by tears, she approached again, like a zombie. A soldier tried to prevent her to touching the body. “NO! You'll get blood on your hands.”

She grabbed the bloodied shape and embraced it. “TITO!” Her naked grief seized everybody present by the throat as she wailed the name of her friend. `What do I say to apologize!? It's all my fault!' She keened as she fiercely held the corpse, as if she wanted to deprive Death of her already picked up prize. `I was the one that killed Tito!' Once again, she screamed to the Heavens. “TITO…!”

Kail could only observe, impotent, the grieving girl. She suddenly stopped and opened pupilless eyes. The emerald orbs were almost glowing with internal fire. She continued to hold the broken body and looked her bloodied trembling right hand. Her whisper reached the heart and froze the blood of everybody around her. “Gods above be my witnesses. By your blood on my hands, I will appease your soul!”

1234567890987654321

As the sun reached its zenith, Miyuki was gazing upon nothingness. She was barefeet and clad in a clean tunic. An abandoned and intact plate of food didn't register to her consciousness. She was sitting in the interior garden above the pond.

“Aren't you going to eat?” The soft voice managed to bring back her thinking process. She turned to a worried Kail. “I don't think you've eaten a thing since this morning.”

She closed her eyes and shook her eyes. “I don't need it. I don't want anything.” What was food compared to what she had done. “It's my fault Tito got killed…”

Kail's eyes narrowed. He knew that this was what mined the young girl. Worse, by the facts alone, she was right.

She rushed into his arms, tears she thought dried, shedding anew. “Everybody, it's all my fault! Prince, tell me what should I do!?”

He fiercely squeezed her back.

The intensity of the mutual embrace shook the Miko of her grief. “P…Prince!?”

He sighed. “Don't cry. For some reason I don't really understand…” Amber eyes plunged into the twin emerald mysteries. “I don't want to see you sad.”

“Prince Kail.” The young girl melded into the powerful embrace and absorbed the offered comfort. But she wasn't the only one who found something missing.

Behind a column, Ilvani was silently observing the couple. He decided to break the moment and approached. “Pardon me, your highness. You may want to hurry…”

Startled, the pair separated. Kail turned to the brown-haired man. “Ilvani!? Hurry for what?”

“The preparations to send Lady Miyuki to her own country, of course.”

Miyuki blinked under the reminder. Her grief had drown everything, even that.

“The astronomers have been investigating. Tomorrow at dawn when you can see the morning star is the limit of this year's water season. If you miss this, you will have to wait for one year. Please prepare swiftly…”

The two priests looked to each other, incapable to name yet what was reflected in the eyes of the other.

Kail blinked. “Send…Miyuki back?”

The Japanese student gasped. `Tomorrow…I'll return home!?'

As she prepared herself for the ritual, a precise thought was constantly in the mind of the displaced teenager. `I can return to the 20th century!'

Kail had emerged from the small temple of his palace. “The water levels of the 7 wells within Hattusa's walls are rising. There's still another quarter of a day before dawn when they'll be completely full.”

`In 6 hours I can go home to my family!'

“I've done my preparations. We can begin at any time.” He approached the Miko who was in a curious posture for him. “Miyuki.” He lightly touched her shoulder. “Are things ready on your end, too?”

The Miko opened her eyes as she emerged from her meditation and uncrossed her legs. She was clad again in her winter 20th century clothes. Amazingly, she had managed to replenish her severely depleted reserves of energy since her arrival in this time period. “…uh huh…” She felt strange. `I should be cheerful and yet, I'm not…?'

Kikkuri smiled to the young girl. “Lady Miyuki, you're really going home, aren't you?” He sighed sadly. “We'll miss you.”

The smiling face of the Hittite young boy surged in her memory. `“Princess Miyuki, I…want you to stay here.”' She shuddered under the powerful emotion. `TITO!' She never forgot the conversation about her eventual departure with the black-haired boy. `Wh…What can I do in this country where I'm cut off from my powers? In the 20th century, I'm an important member of the Circle, not just a middle-school kid in Japan! I don't plan on forgetting Tito, but I can't do anything about it. I have my duty.'

She repeated the almost magical phrase. “I'm going home… I can finally go home, I'm going home!”

Kail looked to the young girl as she was guided outside by Kikkuri.

Ilvani approached his prince. “Your highness, you are going to send Lady Miyuki home, right?”

Kail frowned. “That's what I've said. Why are you reminding me, Ilvani?”

Ilvani bowed in excuse. “It's just fine, then. When I heard that you had taken in a concubine...” Kail gazed on the moon. “Up until now you've turned down all marriage proposals and lived as a bachelor for some reason. I was a little worried that you had forgotten…”

“I haven't forgotten my goal. It was on a whim that I ended up making Miyuki my concubine…” He looked to a closed flower. “…and yet…” Ilvani listened attentively. “…no. Anyway, I think it's best for Miyuki to return to her country.” He nodded to himself. “Even if this wasn't the case, your concerns are unnecessary.” He remembered when he tried to make love to her and her crying face. `“Eric is the one I like. I hate you!”'

1234567890987654321

Hattusa, before dawn. A golden celestial body shone above the horizon and the ramparts of the capital.

Kail gazed up to the golden point. “The last morning star of this year's water season is rising. After tomorrow, we enter the fire season and we'll have a dry spell. The wells won't be full again until next year.”

The Miko observed what she knew to be the planet Venus. “The dry season starts tomorrow.” She gulped as the seriousness of the situation reached her. “So if we miss it today, I won't be able to go home for another year…”

Kikkuri arrived to report to his lord. “Prince Kail, the troops have been deployed around the 7 wells. We can probably protect you even if the Queen's personal soldiers attack.”

Kail nodded. “Good.” The prince walked with the Miko to a water point. “Miyuki, this is the well you appeared from. Get in the water and I'll send you back to your homeland.”

“Prince! The Queen can manipulate water and the ritual will emit enough energy to be detected easily. She will surely interfere.”

Kail smiled. “She might try to oppose us. But I can use an equal magic and I'll stop her.”

Miyuki blinked. It was a rare occasion for her but she felt complete trust to the Royal Hittite. `Prince Kail.'

“Go ahead, don't worry.”

The Japanese priestess turned to the well and took a cleansing breath. A thought lingered in her mind. `If I go home… I'll never see the Prince again.'

She refocused and firmly stepped into the water. As soon as she touched it, she felt the touch of the foreign magic. The water erupted around her and attempted to enshroud her. “KYAAA!”

In her sanctuary, the Queen Nakia smiled as she brought her power on the task. “Water, don't let the girl escape. I've finally found my sacrifice. Capture her and bring her back to me!”

Kikkuri was alarmed. “IT'S THE QUEEN'S MAGIC!”

Kail stayed calm. “NOBODY MOVE!”

Miyuki forced herself to stay still as the water began to submerge her. She looked squarely to Kail. `I trust you!'

The Priest-Prince summoned his power. Miyuki blinked as his invisible aura manifested in a superb forest green. By comparison, she had a fiery crimson aura and the Queen a sickly blue one.

An intense air current manifested on the place, Kikkuri protected his eyes. “Ugh…!”

Miyuki felt the touch of another but familiar magic. “Th…The wind!?”

Ilvani turned to her. “Be quiet! His highness is controlling the wind!”

She whispered in awe. “By all the gods…” Cloak swirling in his own wind, haloed by his powerful green aura, Kail brought on his target the full might of his power. The Miko relaxed and accepted the embrace of the wind.

The water basin erupted in the sanctuary of Nakia who jerked back under the backlash of her broken spell. “AAAGH!”

The water trap around Miyuki dispersed. The young girl looked and smiled to the young man. `The wind pushed the water away? Awesome!' The Prince smiled back to the Miko.

The Queen swore as she contemplated her water basin. “My water was pushed back!? Only Kail could do something like this!” Her eyes narrowed. “Curse him for thwarting me again!” She snarled as she considered her next move. “It's too early to relax. She hasn't been sent home yet.” However, during the brief contact she had with her prey, she had remarked that she didn't use her own power.

Miyuki frowned as she perceived that Kail had used a good portion of his energy. “Prince Kail!”

“Get back in the spring, Miyuki. It's almost dawn, if you keep hesitating, you won't be able to go home.”

The young girl nodded and retook her place. Kail began his incantation. “God of Space and Time. Return this girl of a foreign land to her former place.” A vast power seemed to take notice of what happened here and turned its attention to the place. “Please grant my wish… !” Kail stopped suddenly as he remarked something above them.

Miyuki whirled as her sixth sense screamed to her. Kail seized his sword. “LOOK OUT!”

Miyuki almost snarled as she recognized Zuwa on the roof above her. He jumped on her. Handicapped by the water up her tights, Miyuki couldn't dodge him. “KYAA!” He seized her with an arm and the other curled around her. The Miko's eyes widened as she remarked an engraved choker worn as a bracelet.

Kail drew his sword. “ZUWA OF THE KASKA!?” He attacked, forcing the huge man to released Miyuki.

The soldiers around the well sounded the alarm.

“AUGH! THERE'RE OTHERS!”

“IT'S THE KASKA!”

Kail pushed back the giant to gain a breather and turned to the Japanese priestess. “Miyuki, get in the spring. Once I finish the spell, you'll be sent home. Hurry!”

But the young girl had only attention for the right wrist of Zuwa. `That bracelet is definitely… IT'S TITO'S!' She remembered the cuneiform characters on it. `“My big sisters gave me this choker.”'

She gasped in horror as she remarked a new piece of garment of the giant Kaska. “Could that… Could that thing on your head be…”

Zuwa seemed to remark her horrified interest and smirked evilly to her as he caressed the object in question. “My headdress? That's right. This is that little boy's skin. I just helped myself to it instead of yours.”

Time stopped for the young girl as the joyful voice of the boy echoed in her. `“Princess Miyuki.”' A blood haze began to taint her vision. `“Princess Miyuki.”' The only sound she could perceive was the hammering of her own heart. Her fists tightened and cartilage cracked a little under the pressure. `To treat Tito…in such a way…for this monster to have Tito's choker…' She began to snarl as something seemed to weave itself into her being. `It's unforgivable!'

Kail parried an overhead attack. “Miyuki!! It's sunrise!! Hurry and go!”

“UNFORGIVABLE!” The young girl dashed out of the well right to the chief of the Kaska.

Kail's eyes widened in fear, he couldn't help her. “Get back in the water! Miyuki, don't be foolish!”

Zuwa turned to the rushing girl and prepared to take her head off. “I could kill you with one arm tied behind my back!”

An internal flame transformed the green eyes into two emerald pools. The Miko disappeared under the eyes of the surprised Zuwa. His sword passed through empty air.

In fact, the young girl had jumped straight above the giant and flipped around his head. She used her position to take off the macabre memory of her friend. Kail had never seen such a demonstration of agility before.

Zuwa snarled as the girl passed behind his back with his recent trophy. “The girl…!”

Miyuki received herself straight into the awaiting arms of Kail. The rising sun shone into the well.

Zuwa barked his orders to his men. “Dawn! The sun is rising!” He looked to the girl into the arms of the prince and the rushing numerous Hittites soldiers. “Th-That's enough for today! Draw back!”

As the soldiers gathered around their Prince and the Miko, Ilvani observed the scene.

Kail leaned to the knelt girl who was shedding tears on the skin she ripped off the head of Zuwa. “Why didn't you go home?”

Miyuki had only eyes to the last mortal remains of her friend. “Because…couldn't. Couldn't go home…” The rising sun captured her falling tears in its rays. “…even if I had gone back as it is, it wouldn't be over. I'm sure that if I hadn't taken this off his head, I wouldn't be able to keep on living like before.” She looked to her right hand. “I…I can't forgive Tito's murderers…!”

The young man hugged the young crying girl. “Miyuki.”

“I swore a blood oath! I…can't go back until I've avenged Tito or appeased his soul!”

Ilvani's eyes narrowed under this piece of information. Blood oaths were very serious matter.

Somewhere, someplace, a smile graced the lips of a mysterious entity.

1234567890987654321

Queen Nakia was very happy as she heard the report of Zuwa. “The girl is still here, right? Excellent work. Take as much gold as you want.” She smirked. “Now I can get her at my leisure.”

She laughed evilly. “My next plan is already in motion.” Her blue aura swirled around her. “And this time, there's no way Kail can thwart me!”

1234567890987654321

Notes: It has been difficult to write the scenes about the death of Tito. Perhaps because I'm working in the medical. I have seen death.

Send me your comment, ideas and reviews.

Please and thank you.