Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ The Kaf ❯ Part Two ( Chapter 2 )

The Kaf - Part Two
By Djinn Hashiba-Maxwell

*IMPORTANT!!*
In the notes it says that the fravashis were all female, which in mythological terms is true, but for the purposes of this fic I really need them to be... uhm... 'co-ed', so I'm just changing it a little, okay? Didn't want you to get confused.

(Touma: Just warning you that Djinn's been listening to a lot of Billy Joel lately and it's put her in a really weird mood... and most of this chapter was written in her psychology class...)

*~*~*

"Wait." Touma said as they approached a large building cut right out of the living rock. Seiji obediently paused. "Listen... when you enter... don't look at Ibilis."

Seiji blinked. "...Why not?" He asked reasonably.

"Just trust me!" He snapped, then immediately softened. "Do as I say. When you enter, press your forehead to the floor in genuflection and no matter what happens... don't look up." He leaned closer. "You are too pretty to die so easily."

Seiji didn't know how to respond to that; it was not the first time he had been so complimented, but it was the first time that he had actually welcomed the praise. For some reason he was not frightened as he should be by the djinnee. For long as he could remember he had been a slave; valued for his beauty and lusted after by the lechers who would call him 'theirs'. He had become accustomed to the degrading, searing glances and intimate demands, but now... though Touma had declared possession of him he did not treat him as if he were a slave. He addressed him as an social and intellectual equal, not even behaving as if offended when that mala'ika insinuated that they were lovers.

And Seiji despite himself still found him too beautiful to describe.

"Do you understand?" Touma prompted, and Seiji nodded mutely, hating himself for the covetous direction in which is thoughts were heading. "Then come."

With ease Touma pushed open the large wooden doors and Seiji, doing as he was bidden, immediately dropped to the floor. How to bow was something he had learned and perfected as a slave. Touma stepped closer to the dimly lit, exceedingly large throne at the other end of the chamber.

"Here I am, my lord." He said grandly, and at his call the two leathery black wings folded around the seated figure unfurled, revealing the monster to the dim light.

Ibilis too had once been counted among the ranks of the mala'ika. Once he had been called Azrael, the angel of death. (AN - this is mythologically true, Ibilis was the fallen Azrael) He had been the first and most powerful of the mala'ika ever to fall, and it was he who ruled unquestioned over the djinn.

He was hideous, horrifying to behold. It was unfathomable to Touma that the twisted, deformed, barely human-like creature before him had once possessed the angelic beauty of the mala'ika. His hideousness was his retribution for turning away from Islam, or so it was said, but his powers could not been taken from him and made him superior to even the strongest of the djinn.

"Who is the mortal you dare to bring before me?" The demonic angel's voice echoed in the bare room.

"I acquired him in the desert, my lord." Touma answered without batting an eye. "I have laid claim on him."

"If you desire a pet, you can create one." Ibilis said.

"I don't desire a pet, I desire HIM." Touma responded. "He's real; there is no fun in an illusion."

"You approach your eighteenth year." Ibilis swiftly switched the topic. "Then we shall at last see how truly powerful you are."

"I am powerful enough." Touma shrugged. "And your lackeys can vouch for that."

"Hai, so you say." Ibilis responded darkly, non-committal. "But upon your eighteenth birthday we shall see."

"Is that all?" Touma inquired.

"Yes. You have leave to go." He growled, and with a bow Touma turned. He paused at Seiji's side and whispered instructions to him

"Stand, but keep your eyes on the ground. Back away slowly." He instructed. Haltingly, Seiji once again obeyed, blindly taking small steps backwards until he reached the step, and when he stepped back the next time there was nothing but air for him to stand on. He stumbled backwards.

Strong arms closed gently around his waist, steadying him, and an almost teasing voice brushed against his ear. "Careful." Touma whispered, holding Seiji against him tight enough that the mortal could feel the steady rise and fall of the djinnee's chest as he breathed. Seiji tensed, and he wasn't sure if it was fear or... something else.

As quickly as it had happened, Touma released him, leaving a vague cold sensation across Seiji's back and shoulder blades. He turned to Touma uncertainly, eyebrows furrowed. "Toumawashi-sama..."

Touma reached forwards and traced the crease between the blonde's eyebrows with one finger. "I was only joking about that. You may call me Touma." He said. "After all, you are going to be staying here for a long, long time."

Seiji quirked an eyebrow. "Hai, Touma-san..." Was that a threat?

"Would you prefer it to be a threat?" Touma asked with interest, leaning closer and arching an eyebrow curiously. "Would that make you feel as if you knew what was expected of you?" He leaned so close that his lips brushed Seiji's as he spoke. "It wasn't a threat... it was a promise."

Seiji repressed the urge to lean forward that extra inch and meet those full lips that teased so dangerously close to his. Surely this was some sort of trick - a power of the djinn?

Touma stepped back, a slight smirk on his rose-colored lips. "A power?" He voiced. "Does believing that make you feel better?" He laughed slightly, shaking his head. "Come, are you hungry? It is about time that we ate." And he turned, knowing without looking that Seiji wouldn't hesitate to follow.

*~*~*

"He won't need us, will he?" Shuten agreed quietly. "When Toumawashi is eighteen, we will be redundant."

"And we'll be killed!" Anubisu exclaimed. "That doesn't appeal to me, Shuten!"

"There is nothing we can do." Shuten murmured. "Toumawashi has powers even he doesn't know of, there is no way we could hope to kill him."

"So you suggest that we just sit here?" Naaza demanded.

Shuten glared. "Yes." He replied. "If worst comes to worst... we can always think of something. But Toumawashi is half fravashi; for all we know, his full powers might not even manifest themselves. So we wait."

Rajura growled. "BORING!"

Just then the curtain at the doorway was pushed aside and two curved figures stood in the doorway. The taller was dressed in an angel white slitted skirt and an olive green belly top with a white lace veil, beaded at the bottom. The smaller was dressed similarly, but her skirt and veil were black and her top was dark violet. Both has strings of jade beads twisted into their plaited hair.

"The korybantes are dancing tonight." The smaller - Kayura - said softly.

"We seem to have misplaced our partners." Nasutei continued. "Won't you came and dance with us?"

The four men blinked in disbelief at the alluring feminine forms in their doorway. "You want... us?" Naaza whispered in disbelief.

"Oh why not, koibito?" Nasutei floated over to the poison spirit's side. "There are so many things you have to offer." She whispered, tracing a finger along his jaw line.

Kayura advanced on Rajura, tilting her eyes up to him seductively and licking her lips beneath the transparent veil. "And there are so many things we can offer you in return." She traced a hand up his arm to finally cup his cheek. "Would you like that, Rajura-chan?"

Nasutei was snuggling against the green-haired man's cheek, laying soft kisses through the gauzy veil, and Naaza looked as if he were in a pleasant trance. The two women exchanged conspiratorial smiles.

'They are ours.' Kayura thought.

*~*~*

"Haurva?"

The elder mala'ika turned to her sister, raised one golden eyebrow. Though easily in her hundreds of years, Haurvatat looked no older than a teenager, her golden hair and watery green eyes as young as ever, her wings folded modestly behind her. "What is it, Sraosha?"

The other girl, her duplicate save for looking a few years younger, licked her lips while her eyes fretted, her wings clenching and unclenching, mimicking her hands. "You know the time..."

"I know." Haurvatat sighed. "I never dreamed that he would stray so far from us. But you are correct - we cannot permit him to remain with the djinn any longer." She shook her head. "Call to me the fravashis."

Sraosha bowed and pushed open the doors. Lines of dark haired men and women entered the room, forming ranks before her. They carried an assortments of weapons in their hands: yumi, naginata, yari, even one or two nodachi. Almost before they'd had a chance to bow, Haurvatat spoke. "Shuu Rei Fuan."

A single figure paused mid-bow and straightened. "I serve the amesa spentas." He said by rote.

"Approach. The rest of you are dismissed." She said, and Shuu sheathed his naginata against his back as he approached her throne, lowering himself to one knee in a bow before her.

"My lady." He said quickly.

"Shuu, you have the blessings of Spenta Armaiti*." Haurvatat said. "Do you fear death?"

"I fear nothing." He replied.

"Then hear what is asked of you. You will travel to the land of the djinn and return with Anahita's son." Haurvatat stated solemnly.

He blinked, then pressed his forehead to the ground in obedience. "H-hai. I will do as I am bidden." He said simply.

"Whatever you must do, then do it. I do not need or wish to know. Just bring him back unharmed." She instructed. "Should you need help, pray to the Hearer of Prayers. Sraosha will assist you."

Sraosha began to nod, but before she spoke she paused, eyes going wide as she listened to something that only she could hear. She tilted her head for a second, listening with rapt attention, before quickly rushing up to her sister. "Haurva, might someone else go with him?"

"Why." The elder asked, not intoning it as if it were a question.

"Because there is another with..." she paused, considering, "...a great reason to go."

"What is the reason." Again, it was not a question.

"I cannot say. Gomen, neesama."

Haurvatat looked for a moment as if she might insist, but then nodded. "Who?"

Sraosha bowed low. "Arigato." She darted to the door and pushed it open wide; almost immediately a young mala'ika entered. His hair was ruddy brown and his eyes a rare sort of aqua green. His soft wings were folded tightly behind him and he bowed deeply, giving deference to the yazata and amesa spenta before him.

"My name is Shin." He said solemnly. "The angel of trust."

"Greetings Shin, angel of trust." Haurvatat said formally. "Will you also go to the land of the djinn?"

"With your permission, hai." He replied.

"You have my permission." Then, to both boys, "You will retrieve our wayward son."

Shin and Shuu both nodded, and then Shuu turned towards the door. The fravashi bowed his head slightly to the mala'ika, and then solemnly shook his hand, accepting him as a comrade.

*~*~*

Seiji cocked his head at the sound of not-so-distant drums. "What is that music?" He asked curiously.

Touma frowned into the potent liquor in his glass. "The korybantes are having another of their... 'dances'." Touma answered disdainfully. "Get used to the noise, it will go on long into the night."

"Oh." Seiji racked his brain for what he had been told about korybantes. Not Islamic by birth he often had trouble keeping all the stories straight.

"Korybantes are sluts who worship Cybelle by f*cking around, quite literally." Touma supplied. "Just about every other night they get together to dance around a bonfire before slinking off and getting to know each other better. I've been invited to join but..." he made a face, "such activities do not appeal to me. I'd rather wander the deserts and look at the stars."

"The stars?" Seiji repeated. Slaves like him had not leisure to notice such tings as the stars. "I've never looked at the stars just to look."

"No? I'd suppose you haven't." Touma said with a raised eyebrow. "That's unfortunate." Slowly he stood, stretching his limbs like a cat before walking around to the other side of the table and offering Seiji a hand. "In that case, come along."

Seiji blinked. "Nani?"

"Give me your hand." Touma said, and uncertainly, Seiji did as he was asked. As soon as the djinnee's hand closed around his the surrounding rippled and reformed and he found himself in a starlit desert. The moon was new and above him the sky was clear and a myriad of stars winked and danced in the blackness. Touma arms were looped carefully around his waist, his body radiating magical warmth to keep the human from freezing. Seiji inhaled sharply.

"It's beautiful..." he murmured without thinking.

"It is, isn't it?" Touma whispered, and Seiji couldn't see that the djinnee was looking only at him as he spoke. "They all have their stories..." He pointed to a w-shaped arrangement of stars to the north. "That is Cassiopeia. She was turned to stone by Perseus. And there to her right? That is Andromeda, her daughter. She was Perseus' wife." He related.

"Is that true? Or is it a story?" Seiji asked.

"Are the djinn real?" Touma replied with a shrug. "The line between reality and fantasy is surprisingly thin." Suddenly the arm around Seiji's waist tightened marginally and Touma pointed up to the sky where a star flared in a ball of bright red-orange light. "Look."

Seiji watched in fascination as it flared, overpowering the light of the nearby stars, and then suddenly retreated and vanished from the sky.**

"Is it dead?" He asked in shock.

"Stars are brightest right before they die." Touma replied. "Here, things fade away, but above..." Touma looked up, "...death is a flash of light. That is how the gods intended it."

"I thought the djinn rejected the gods." Seiji said logically. Touma smiled.

"You're right of course. A little backwards, but right. The gods did reject the djinn. But I was raised among the fravashi, and I can't help but respect the ways of order."

It was on the tip of Seiji's tongue to ask why a djinnee had been raised among the fravashi, but in the end he decided that it would be best not to ask. He sighed up at the place where the star had once shone.

"To die in a blaze of glory... that would be true peace." He commented solemnly.

"No, you're wrong." Touma replied. "True peace... is to die as you have lived." He let that comment sink in for a moment before adding. "Come. It is late, and do you not need to sleep?"

The surrounding once more rippled and reformed, placing them back inside Touma's home in the Kaf.

*~*~*

Shuu held up his hand to shade his eyes from the light of the Kaf suns, as a vaguely unnatural wind whipped his earth-colored orange-brown tunic around his legs. He could see a sandstorm ahead of them, the barrier to the land of the djinn. He sighed, realizing that they would have to pass through it.

"I am not completely sure that this mission is wise." He commented to the mala'ika behind him.

"Hmm." Shin replied.

Shuu turned to look at him. He was dressed in pure white, of course, it was practically a uniform among the mala'ika. The tunic was gathered at his left shoulder, leaving his right bare, and he had a yari strapped against his back, between his wings. Shuu appraised him; he did not look exceptionally strong or brave.

"I go because this is my duty." He commented. "I serve the amesa spentas, their will is law. Why do you throw your life away?"

Shin jumped slightly, surprised at the question, then smiled sadly and glanced up at the sky reminiscently. "A long time ago..." he trailed off and shook his head. "Nevermind. It is my own concern that brings me here." He responded cryptically.

"If we are to be allies, you should trust me. I thought you were the ANGEL of trust."

Shin laughed. "I am! And I do trust you. It is myself I don't trust." He said with a smile. "I'm a fool, you see. I fell in love once, a long time ago, and I keep believing that maybe my affection was returned."

"Hm." Shuu said. "Is that all? That is not foolish. Everyone and everything wants to be loved."

Shin smiled at him, but suddenly both their faces went hard when a shadow soared over them. Both looked up to see a dark shadow flying across the sun. It was far too large to be any bird, and Shin breathed in sharply. He slid the yari off his back and slowly handed it to Shuu.

"Wait here. I will go see." He whispered.

"But... your yari! You may have need of it." Shuu protested.

"Trust me." He said with a slight smile, and then he spread his wings to their full span and took to the air, keeping his eyes set firmly on the quickly retreating dark shadow.

When he was no more than a hundred feet off from his quarry he could clearly see that the figure sported soft wings with soot-black feathers. Finally finding his voice and he called out uncertainly "Ryo?"

The figure paused.

"The angel of perfect virtue." Shin breathed, scarcely above a whisper.

Slowly, deliberately, the winged man turned in midair. His blue eyes flashed in recognition. "First of all, Shin, you've never once called me by my title. And secondly, it is no longer my title in the first place." Then, that being said, he crossed his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"That I can't tell you." Shin responded.

"Well whatever it is, I suggest you forget it and turn around. The djinn aren't terribly fond of goodie-two-shoes mala'ika. And don't expect me to stand up for you, either." He turned to continue in the direction he had been going.

"Ryo!" Shin called after him and he paused again.

"What is it, Shin?"

"You..." he took a deep breath. "You said you loved me once."

Ryo's eyes went wide and he blinked, and then he let out a sharp laugh. "You? YOU, Shin?" He smirked. "You're nothing but a brown noser who does anything the amesa spentas ask. How could anyone love YOU?"

This time, when he left, Shin was to shocked to stop him.

~*~*~*~

* Spenta Armaiti - An amesa spenta, name means devotion, had dominion over the earth (hey, Shuu is the warrior of earth! It was as close as I could get.)
** Okay, okay, I know that a supernova would take way longer than this, but cut me a break, ne? It's a fic!

Ack! *dodges rotten fruit* Please don't kill me! I swear there's a reason that Ryo's being so mean!