Divine Worlds

By: S.R. Shinohara

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Chapter XI

Tears of Darkness

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Shiko lounged in the back against Kageshiro’s cool outer walls, listening as some of the Nayami sparred, their weapons clanging and the battle cries echoing in the air soothing. Saori was somewhere brooding, plotting ways to break free no doubt, he mind completely closed off to her as she remained eerily quiet. It was mildly disturbing, but she forced herself to ignore it. The new day and the gentle light, bright enough just to light up the cold kingdom and leave those who dwelled here pale in the skin. It was just too nice and relaxing to worry about something as irritating as Saori or anyone else.

“So I see you rose up, Shiko.” Kakure cracked a smirk, sitting down beside her and resting his scythe against the building. “What happened now?”

“I wanted out,” she said flatly, “So when Saori wavered at something the War God said, I nudged her into a doubt-induced depression so I could take control.” Her face twisted in displeasure, arms folding behind her head. “She’s out of it now but being quiet.”

“I see.”

“And what were you off doing?”

“On Phylos enjoying a meal,” he smirked.

“Soaking up feminine praises too?”

“Of course.”

“Narcissist.”

“Masochist.”

“I almost forgot how ridiculous you two are,” a handsome youth with blood red eyes and dark wings muttered, arms crossed as he watched them from the inside of the doorframe a few feet away.

Their eyebrows arched in unison, clearly not amused.

It only made the Nayami leader chuckle though.

“Shouldn’t you be with Aori?” The small tick on Kakure’s forehead showed his irritation with his very trusted right-hand man. Takeru, leader of all Nayami, was his smartest underling. It was only fitting he’d become leader of his people. And he held deep respect for both he AND Shiko so it was a definite plus…when he wasn’t cracking stupid comments like he did now.

Takeru’s eyes twinkled wickedly. That was more like it. “Yeah, I know, I’m going. I was just checking if everything is alright, Lady Shiko.”

She waved him off airily, dark blue eyes closed. “Fine, fine. Go be with your woman already. You’re acting like a giddy sprite at the mere fact she’s within your reach.”

His face twisted. “No need for insults. I’m going.”

Shiko snorted. He was the only one who never reared up when she called him a sprite. Anyone else would’ve started hollering and screaming so loud her ears would’ve bled. It was one of the reasons she was particularly fond of Takeru. “Idiot.”

“He’s lovesick,” Kakure said easily, closing his eyes in case they showed anything.

“It takes one to see one, huh?”

Kakure easily latched onto her neck with his arm and squeezed, eyes still closed calmly. “What was that?”

He only received a few croaks and a rapid shake of her head in return. Better.

Shiko growled as she inhaled deeply, rubbing her neck. “Brute.”

“Witch.”

“How long has it been?”

Kakure waved his hand airily, though it brought more sadness then it appeared to. “Half a century.”

“You could always just abduct her. I could change plans while the-” Shiko seemed to finally remember who she was talking to, his eyes opening and looking at her sharply. “Never mind.”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

He grabbed her in a double chokehold. “Shiko.”

Shiko flailed viciously before nodding, hacking as she finally took in air again. “I sent a Nayami unit to send them my message clearly.”

Ah, there it was. The starts of a RARE headache. And only Shiko could give him headaches. He cursed her to this day for introducing the common ailment of those above ground to him. “Shiko~!”

She grunted irately. “Not only were they rude, Aiko struck me and a few even spat at me. Are you asking me to let that GO?”

Kakure rubbed his temple. Damn, it was growing. “What have I asked of you? I don’t mind letting you stay here, nor do I care that for some reason you’ve gained control of the Nayami to a point where I think you’d supercede my authority, but what was the one thing I PAINSTAKINGLY asked of you?”

Shiko muttered something inaudible.

“WHAT?”

“To get the OK from you before sending Nayami to torture the Tengoku idiots…” she grunted.

Kakure grunted too, pushing down on her head roughly for a second despite her attempts at smacking it away. “Did you at least do the other thing?”

“Yeah, yeah. I checked. She’s going to Illusian to see HIM and I ordered them not to touch Illusian Forest as usual.”

He let her up, dark blue eyes exactly like hers narrowing slightly. “Fine. I haven’t paid my DEAR brother back yet for some things anyway.” Standing, he grasped his scythe and absently patted the long snake coiled halfway down it. “It’s been awhile since the last attack.”

“You’ll get one hell of a biting letter…and I do mean biting. He has a thing about writing on that living paper stuff that expresses its writer’s feelings lately.”

Kakure shrugged. “Like I care?” A slow nasty smile curled his lip. “I burn anything they send me anyway.”

Shiko actually smiled as she watched him walk away. This was why she liked it here. They were fun and Kakure understood her best.

Too bad she couldn’t stay here forever. Saori would eventually take over again and lock her away, even tighter then before. Then she’d never see day again for years like last time. The question was ‘when’.

“Soon, Shiko,” Saori’s voice said evenly in her mind, “Soon…”

Though she didn’t doubt that, she wasn’t about to let her know that. “Whatever…”

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Ryu had heard the first clash of swords and battle cries instantly, eyes darting around, brow drawn down in concern. It intensified as he felt STRONG magic shoot to life all around, standing from his kneeling position as he roamed the forest to see that barrier of light Saori had once mentioned in place, visible by its rainbow tinted glow. The barrier around Illusian was up. That meant there was an attack.

Stepping inside it as he’d been told, Ryu began walking back through the tunnel of light, his warrior side of him itching to go out and join. The more realistic part of him, however, beat that other side of him down with a large mallet that went ‘whomp’. Those days are over, Ryu. The day Karyuudo was torched, it ended. I’ll never enter a battle again. Especially with any kind of weapon.

“Is that so…?” That chilling voice made a shudder run down his spine, standing to see that dark cloaked woman again on the other side of the tunnel barrier. “You deny…your nature…?”

Chills ran up and down his entire body. “Fighting is not my nature.”

Those lips appeared from within the dark hood, smiling. “It is none of my business anyway…but Kosuke-otouto will make you see the error of your actions…I am here now only to help…”

“Help who?”

If possible, that smile of her became freakier, her thin and pale as a ghost hand resting on the barrier, waiting for him to do the same. “Help…help you understand…help my niece along her destined path…put your hand to the barrier…I will take you to see what few know happened…”

Ryu hesitated, staring at her outstretched hand as if it would bite him. Maybe it would. Who knew?

“I don’t bite,” Isako cackled, though he didn’t find it all that comforting. In fact, it made the mental image of that hand that could bite grow a taunting pair of eyes and fangs. “Do you not wish to know what that child did…?”

His eyebrow twitched. Her tone was taunting him. It was daring him to suck it up and take her hand. He didn’t need to watch after Illusian, the barriers were more then strong enough protecting it, so he had no reason not to go ease his curiosity of this particularly intriguing subject.

Should he? He was already well informed that Isako was somewhat of a wildcard goddess, ranging from frighteningly malicious to surprisingly benevolent depending upon what she felt like. For all he knew she might take him to the fiery depths of Inferno and hang him over a pit of molten lava by his toe nails.

Ryu shook his head rapidly. Where had that come from?

“Do you not want to know…?” Isako looked vaguely pressed for patience from the tensing of her body as SOMETHING slammed quite hard into Illusian Forest’s barrier, screeching in pain as the barrier rejected it with powerful waves of energy.

He was of Karyuudo. He was no chicken! What was there to lose? Outstretching his hand, he made his choice, not even at all surprised when he felt himself falling into darkness…

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“Lord Hiiro!”

Hiiro took down the last of his opponents before turning around, looking at Tetsuo who was busy cleaning his long nails of gore. “What?”

“It seems Lady Shiko’s pissed,” he noted, eyes glancing down at the body of one of the Nayami. Casualties hadn’t been many, but both sides lost a hand full. “And Lord Kakure isn’t pleased with King Joutei either.”

“Lord Kakure never is,” he grunted, silver eyes lowering as he said gruffly, “And I expected Shiko to be angry…”

Tetsuo’s furry ears popped up again, twitching. What was that tone? It was a new tone for Hiiro, his eyes gaining a distant look he knew well. The question was why he looked like that. “Lord Hiiro, what exactly is that look for? I thought you only got that look and used that tone of voice when speaking of Lady Saori.”

He didn’t know. Should he tell him? Hiiro hadn’t thought Tetsuo needed to know about Saori’s complex curse, simply letting him believe Shiko was someone entirely different from Saori. But it would be nice to blow off some steam and perhaps talk with someone about this. Tetsuo of all people would understand her lack of control over Shiko at the very least. But she did say she didn’t want anyone knowing anything unnecessarily when I asked… Shaking his head, he muttered, “It’s nothing. Just the effects of seeing a gorgeous woman, Tetsuo.”

His ears twitched again, reluctantly letting it drop with a nod. Something wasn’t right. He wasn’t telling him something. “If you say so, Lord Hiiro. And I do agree, she’s a very sexy woman when she goes dark.”

Tetsuo took off before the sword even left Hiiro’s hand, tail wagging behind him in the dust his shrunken body created while he ran. He wasn’t going to stick around for his reaction to that comment.

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CRASH!

Twitching as he landed none too gracefully and quite painfully onto a plain of wildflowers, Ryu rubbed his head before looking up and staring in amazement at what had to be the most beautiful hall he’d ever seen since he’d stepped foot on Tengoku. It’s ivory exterior positively shined in the light of the sun, trimmed with red and gold everywhere. It was the epitome of beauty, the flowers around them adding an intoxicating and exotic smell to the air around it. “What is this?”

She was nowhere around, but he heard Isako’s voice clearly as it echoed, “Aiyoku…Hall of Kosuke & Aiko before the fire.” As if willed, his head turned to where he could see them walking amongst the flowers, every bit the picture perfect couple in love as they laughed and hung on each other endlessly. “No one can see you…”

Ryu raised himself from where he’d crouched. That was good. He didn’t have to bother hiding then. “They look…”

“Yes…Kosuke-otouto was happy then…” He could almost hear her smile, if that was possible, laughter soon ringing in his ears and making him look behind him curiously to find its source. “But he was happiest with Saori-mei…”

“Kosuke-papa!” Saori came barreling through the wildflowers like a damn cannonball at such a speed she made him spin, falling to the ground painfully on his butt slightly dizzy. She was in the form he knew her in, rich violet hair in its same style.

“I don’t think so!” JUST as he was getting up SOUHI came shooting past him, sending him spinning and onto the ground even dizzier then before. Like sister like brother.

“Gah!” Apparently, she’d been running from him and had obviously failed, tackled to the ground by Souhi before he proceeded with his torture of choice, her laughter as his fingers ran over all her ticklish spots making her flail wildly, somehow managing not to knock the grinning doctor out. “Stop it! Stop it!”

“You give in then?”

“Hell no!” Her laughter got louder as he increased the speed of his fingers tht seemed to be in at least 8 different places at once. “Stop it!”

“Say it!”

“No!”

“Say it and I stop!” His grin was threatening to crack his face. Ryu hadn’t ever seen the guy this happy before. He wreaks of joy like I’ve never felt it before…untainted joy. Now that he noticed it, Saori did too. They wreak of untainted joy like children do when they are very young…who would’ve thought these two, who I know radiate a well concealed darkness, would radiate such a joy.

“No! Kosuke-papa!” Saori tried opening her eyes, reaching out for his help. “Make him STOP~! Souhi-ani!”

Kosuke’s face was alight in laughter as he detached from Aiko, standing over Saori and just out of her reach. “What did you do?”

“Nothing!”

Souhi’s fingers mercilessly kept at their assault, to the point she couldn’t even talk anymore, transforming into child form in a puff of light lavender smoke.

Crouching low, Kosuke watched his daughter with a smile. Ryu recognized the look quickly. It was a look he;d had on occasion when he’d seen Ichiro playing in the gardens as a child. The look of a father who loves his child deeply… Fist clenching, he looked at Aiko who he felt giving off some bad vibes despite her smile as she walked to stand behind Kosuke lovingly. The image is still that of a picture perfect family but the aura is wrong…jealousy?

“Yes…” Isako breathed lazily, almost sounding bored, “Aiko was very jealous of Kosuke’s illegitimate children…but none more then Saori, who’d come into their lives and even took away some of Kosuke’s attention…but he loved them…he loved them all, especially his youngest at the time.”

“Obviously.” It made him a wee bit envious and disappointed he hadn’t had that with his own son. “And she seems much more pleasant in this time. Not nearly as irritating.”

“She was a little different,” she conceded, “Yes, its true. But she was relatively the same too. She honestly laughed and smiled more.”

Ryu nodded, watching as she laughed under Souhi’s torturous fingers. She was much more pretty that way, oddly enough. “Obviously, but this doesn’t explain anything.”

“Impatient,” she chuckled, the scene changing to what had to be one of the corridors in the gorgeous hall, “Watch.”

“How long is Kosuke-papa to be gone again?”

“The rest of the day,” Souhi chuckled as he noticed her frown, walking down the hall with her beside him “He’ll be back. And I just need to go get something on the far end of the fields.”

“Can I come with you?”

Souhi smiled widely and shook his head, tapping her nose as her eyes crossed slightly. “Nope. It’s a surprise for you.” He adjusted his bag on his shoulder, kissing her cheek affectionately. “I promise, I won’t be gone long. I know you don’t like staying alone with mother very much.”

“She scares me,” Saori said bluntly, making the older boy sweat-drop largely, “And Kayoko hasn’t been feeling very good so she’s off relaxing in the hot springs of Lake Furousen. She won’t be back until nightfall too.”

“I promise,” he chuckled with a last kiss to her other cheek, “10 minutes tops, OK?”

She finally nodded, waving as Souhi left, disappearing through the wildflowers with a wave and handsome smile that would make anyone else weak.

Ryu was twitching, sweat-drops running down his head. “What are they, a married couple!?”

“No one ever really knew,” Isako mused, obviously amused as she pondered it, “They were just always VERY close siblings…”

“Too close if you ask me…”

“That isn’t the point. Keep watching.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Saori walked down the halls, obviously bored as she sighed and contemplated what to do until Souhi got back. “Hiiro’s not around and Ruko is busy with a Faerie stuck on Phylos…but I guess I can just wait in my room until Souhi-ani comes back…he did say it would only be ten minutes…nothing I can’t handle.”

As she walked to her room she froze, seeing Aiko standing there seemingly waiting for her. “Lady Aiko…”

When she looked up, her azure eyes were so cold it made Ryu shudder as Saori did in front of him. This is…murderous… His eyes widened at his own thought, clicking into mind what was about to happen. No way…that isn’t possible.

“Yes…it is…” Isako didn’t sound all that happy. “People kill out of love…You as a former mortal should know that. Love can be wonderful and beautiful…but it has a dark side like everything else in the world. It can be hurtful…and dangerous…fatal…”

“Souhi doesn’t believe me,” she mused, setting her glass of wine down as she looked down at Saori with hatred in her eyes, “You…you come in here and steal my husband away…try to take him away from his family…”

“He’s my father,” she scowled, sweating as she backed away. She didn’t want to fight her. Her father had always asked that of her, to just not hurt Aiko, but from the looks of things it would be hard to keep that promise. Just that one thing he asked…never for you to like her, never to stop hating her…just never touch her or harm her. I can do that. I can still do that for Kosuke-papa and Souhi-ani who love her very much…why still being beyond me. That in mind she said more calmly and evenly, “He’s my father and I just want to be with him. There’s nothing wrong with a daughter wanting to be by her father when her mother never wanted her.”

Aiko’s smile was cold. “So you take my husband away? Usurping all his attention, and even my son. Don’t think I don’t see how he has become so loving with you, never even speaking with his own mother anymore!”

“I love Souhi-ani and I love my father…they love me in return. What’s wrong with that?” She pressed up against the wall, eyes narrowing as Aiko reached in her sleeve for something. This wasn’t good.

Aiko lashed out with the blade in her hand furiously, her eyes wild, partly intoxicated by her wine. “I won’t let you take my family from me!”

Ryu half wished he carried a sword by his side like he always used to during his warrior days. “This is irrational…”

“Love is irrational. There is never really anything rational about it to begin with.”

“She did nothing to merit this!” His warrior spirit was kicking to life from under the dust, the ashes slowly crackling with tiny embers.

Isako could feel it and smiled. “I know, but Aiko is a jealous woman…she feels like her family is threatened…and as any woman would, though perhaps not in the same way most do, she is fighting it…”

Kosuke threw open the door with a grin, happy he could cut his day short. He’d wanted to be home with his wife and children anyway. “I’m ho-”

“KYAH!”

His daughter’s scream of pain made him race around the corridors, around the corner just as he saw her slump to the ground, Aiko standing over her. His heart pounded as he took in the scene, a dagger dripping with blood in his wife’s hands. “Aiko!”

She didn’t seem to hear him at all. “I won’t have you take them away from me…I will rid you from my husband and son!”

“AIKO!”

“NO!” With a shriek she was enveloped in a black mist, the energy destroying everything around her and knocking both husband and wife back until they hit the walls, her body shaking. The only reason Ryu didn’t go flying was because he felt Isako put some sort of barrier around them, protecting him from the force of the choking darkness because of her own dark origins. “No…No one will touch her…no one will take me away from Kosuke-papa or Souhi-ani!”

‘Her’…? Ryu’s eyebrow arched. That must be Shiko talking…

His thoughts were confirmed as her body grew, filling out with her hair breaking free of its ponytail and growing longer. It darkened in color like her eyes, light blue turning dark and cold as the black mist became dark flames, lighting the corridors rapidly with Aiko unconscious inside. “I will kill you…before you take that child from the ones she loves…before your jealousy kills her. I will not allow her sadness and fear to cry in my ears any longer, Aiko of Tengoku…I will allow her being scorned NO LONGER!”

“Shiko being protective?” Ryu’s eyebrow really did arch high into his hairline, the scene changing so they were outside again, Kosuke by Shiko’s feet as she kept her hand out, willing the flames to become stronger. “She never struck me as a protective person.”

“She was created from Saori’s excess power and intensely dark emotions that she kept hidden…Shiko has her own mind and soul but shares her body and heart with Saori…they are alike. They hide what they feel.” She made Ryu watch as Souhi came running, horrified by what he saw and terrified as a badly injured Aiko was carried out by two maidservants. “Saori is technically her creator…the one who gave birth to her…her mother AND father in essence…of course she is protective…and when Shiko is out, Saori can hear and see everything she does…and Shiko can feel what she feels…”

“DEMON!” Souhi was full of rage as he held his mother, glaring at Shiko with such hate it was unbelievable that he’d just stared at Saori with such a tender look only minutes ago. “You’re not my sister! You’re a DEMON! Stay away from us!”

As he saw Shiko say something, his hearing and vision beginning to fade as Isako ended the flashback, Ryu’s eyes widened at the last sight and words he heard her utter. “I am a demon…but she is still your sister…”

And the world suddenly went black, his consciousness failing, the liquid which glinted in the light of the fire on her face fading from his sight, though imprinted in his mind like a sunlit diamond in darkness.

…The tears…of Darkness…

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