Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Purgatory ❯ Daylight ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: Ditto as before. I just love to abuse innocent characters. NOT MINE!

 

Purgatory

 

Floating upwards, towards the lights. But right now those lights were bad they were hurting him. Pain came from those lights, so he tried to sink back into darkness. Back into the comforting cold. Cold? He was cold in the dark? It felt good earlier…or did he just not know that he was cold before he got to the lights? It didn't matter; he was being pushed up towards the lights. `It's okay sweetie…trust me … you need to wake up… Yulie sweetie please, you may not like what is going on but for you to get better you MUST wake up.'

 

`Mommy?' Was that mommy that he had just heard? But there was no time to dwell on that, lights were close and he was feeling a lot of pain. His lungs felt like they were on fire. Lungs? If he had lungs then he needed to breathe. He fought to take a breath but each try hurt so badly. He felt himself slipping back into the darkness…but then he thought of Ryo. Ryo would NEVER give up on something he could control, if he could still breathe then he would breathe. So if Yulie could breathe then he better try just like Ryo! Once again he tried to draw air into his body, this time succeeding, but it hurt so badly. He tried to think of all the times the guys had been hurt and they kept on fighting. This was his first fight and he wasn't going to lose.

 

Another breath, then release, another, now release, another breath, deeper this time, hold it now release. Breathe. In and then out. In and out. `That's right, keep it up Yules, it not as bad as when you started. One breath in, then let it out.' Dimly he could feel something cool on his forehead, he then realized that he was really hot. He could also feel his right arm, it was so sore. His legs hurt bad and one really really hurt. His head felt muzzy and full of cotton. But it was slowly clearing like fog in the morning light. Speaking of morning…

 

Yulie opened his eyes to see a beautiful blue sky above him, the sun shining down on his face. Safe, he felt safe now in the light. Where were the guys? Probably out looking for that crazy lady. Mia was taking good care of him as usual, even though he didn't deserve it. He had run away, like a little kid!! Run away and now look at him! Hurt, dirty, and tired. He started to relax back into sleep; he would apologize later after he slept for a little…

 

“Ute?” His eyes shot open, there above him looking down was the lady and in the suddenly terrifying light she looked even scarier. “My baby… your okay!” She leaned down to gently hug him as he realized that he wasn't safe yet. Not by a long shot.

 

 

Beautiful and elegant was the night. How gracefully it gave up in the fight against the dawn. He watched as the shadows slowly receded, backing away allowing the light to bring a stark contrast throughout the forest. Where once everything was softened and delicate in the night, daylight brought sudden realization to a watchers eye of the stout bulky forms and large imperfections of the world. Imperfections. Just like the scar on his face, now visible for the whole world to see and judge him by.

 

Sitting in the lee of a rock, Cale watched the dawn arrive. It was like watching on old friend leave and new once tentatively arrive. For so long he had viewed the daylight as an enemy, but now, now it seemed to be more of a friend. He still had trouble in the heat of the day but he was managing. Dawn now held no threat to him. After leaving yesterday evening he had been unable to convince himself to go back to that noisy brightly lit place. Noise and light just seemed to go together like a hand and a glove. He had wandered this new forest with interest. So many new things to see, there had been many new paths to explore. The lake itself had held many wonderful secrets within its dark depths.

 

On that thought had Torrent explored the underwater lake as thoroughly as he had? Surely he must have, but as deep as it had gone it would have been dark as any underground cave, even in the middle of the day. If Torrent had explored it thoroughly, as he must have, then he may have an affinity for darkness. This might explain the lack of real fear when Cale had confronted him alone in the Dynasty.

Perhaps he had been a little harsh on the smaller man. Perhaps he might be able to start an actual friendship with him. He snorted at that thought, him, friends? With anyone? Not likely. But still he needed to try. He couldn't ignore the Mortal Realm forever. He was going to need someone to teach him how to survive in this world. And he would be DAMNED if he was going to ask Halo. Or he could ask that little blue-eyed tart to `assist' him in `learning' things in this world. A small smirk appeared on his face at that delicious little thought. He definitely could eat her alive and if the glances that she gave him were on the same track as he thought they were, she may not try to stop him.

 

At that thought a nice heat began to course through his veins. Warm enough that he felt a little walk in the forest may be warranted. After four centuries Cale had a well-developed imagination and was entertaining his twisted little mind with everything he could do to get the little vixen in his bed when he heard a shout. It was a distant way off but to his sensitive ears it had a ring of fear to it. Picking up the pace he started in the direction of the sound. Something was not right, not right at all.

 

Pottery jars were sent flying across the room smashing on the far wall. A stool was sent milliseconds later into the same wall. Sekhmet stood in the doorway passively watching Kyra in her fit of unladylike temper. Tilting his head he was able to hear her rather colorful curses fly from her beautiful lips. It amused him to see this girl-child monk spewing curses that would make even Cale blush, but he understood her source of fury. These last days have been anything but normal.

 

It had started with the Koji girl, and then continued with the disappearance of the boy Yulie and Cale. Continued when late last evening when she had been summoned back to the Dynasty about Sprits causing major trouble. Then finding out that four whole villages had been massacred and some of the unfortunates were partially eaten. And not only that but the next Realm had refused to answer her calls and pleas for help, guidance, advice, even a freakin' recording! Anything!

 

Even Sekhmet had tried to contact his Temple priests, still no word from them yet. It was odd, it was as if everything that was spiritual had just up and vanished, but that was not the case. For the specters of this Realm still existed, they performed their duties created their magic's they had continued to exist. What had caused the sudden silence? It unnerved him a little to think that they had been abandoned by the higher powers.

 

A louder crash brought Sekhmet back to reality. He was as close to sanity now as he may ever get and seeing Kyra turn on him with a furious glint to her eyes caused him to rethink his normal `fight till someone drops' attitude. Reconsider, yes, but not change. Calmly he waited to see if she would strike or stay. She stayed; perhaps she saw the need in his eyes, the need for an all out intense, pointless fight.

 

Her heavy breathing displayed her aggravation and he couldn't help but get a sly dig in.

“Kyra, dearest, please settle down, we don't want unwanted rumors starting about you and I. Especially those that say how much more endurance I have than you. Seeing as how you're panting from your exertions and all.”

 

When all he got in reply was a mumbled answer his concern went up a notch. As the saying goes, old habits are hard to break and after the defeat of Talpa the former Warlords all had continued their constant bickering, if a little more respectful than before. It was not unusual for all of them to bicker daily and numerous times a day. Kyra was also included in this ritual; though she was now the newest bearer of the Ancient Staff she still needed the feeling that something was still the same. If she was too preoccupied to throw out even a half-hearted insult then something was not right.

 

For one moment Sekhmet had total and complete clarity. Sanity had a grip on his mind and he wished reverently that it would go away. No, sanity was not something he wanted right now. Something was not right, not right within the spiritual Realm and he knew within his soul nothing was right at all.

 

A/N: Crap is starting to hit the fan! Lookout! Rating may go up soon. Depends on how theses next few chapters come out. Sorry about any grammatical errors popping up, when I'm uploading, things just really don't go my way.