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| False Light of the Four Gods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| by: Asurahime | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Stars, The Sun, The Moon, Are Their Only Guides | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ne, you aren't still angry at Chichiri because he brought his staff down upon your head, are you?" Azeruse smirked at her companion, who was preventing himself from screaming out all sorts of profanities. "Don't be mad, Tasuki. You were the one who spoke so vulgarly." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passing through the streets of Hokkan, Azeruse and Tasuki have begun their search for the famed Shinzaho of Genbu: a necklace of pure gold and amethysts which the Priestess of Genbu wore during her summoning ceremony. Neither of them actually realize the weight of the mission which rests on their skills and their willingness to work together, for the Majin Tenkou is determined to prevent them from succeeding. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| _You are stubborn, Azeruse.... but never as stubborn as that boy next to you. He is beyond reason and beyond transformation; even I, your closest confidante and guardian blade do not know why you allow him to bother in your affairs._ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| With a thoughtful look on her face, the blue-haired girl smiled at her sword and shook her head. "Asura... you never cease to amaze me..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tasuki turned around and focused his gaze on his 'little sister'. He noticed that she had a far away look on her face which signified that she was discussing something with her crimson sword. Taking a glance at Azeruse's weapon, he blinked and sighed in exasperation. He knows that the sword is sentient and capable of communication, yet he can only perceive what is it saying at certain instances. "...................." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seiryuu's seishi noticed that Tasuki's gaze was directed towards her, so she looked up and gave him a bright smile. Azeruse wasn't as naive as she pretended to be, and she knew that Tasuki loved her..... but she feigns innocence for no one, not even Tasuki himself, can discern whether or not his affections are presented towards her.... or what she used to be. Yet, despite all that has happened, Azeruse still has the spirit of the Priestess of Suzaku within her that her conversion into a Seiryuu Shichiseishi could not erase. "We should investigate what has happened to Genbu's Shinzaho, for I doubt that most of the people of Hokkan knows where it resides." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know about that myself, Aze-chan. I also don't want to walk around in this fuckin' cold and freeze to death just 'cause we can't find out where that damn thing is." Tasuki led the way and glance every now and then to the agitated girl walking behind him. How much he was willing to sacrifice for her... no one knows. A few minutes later, he found that he could not walk any further because his progress was stopped by an immense stone pillar with indecipherable writing on it. "Oi, Azeruse. I may be hopin' for fuckin' much, but can either you or your loud-mouth sword translate what's written on this huge rock?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asura suddenly gave off a vicious, angry burst of vermilion light, drawing the stares of several people towards Azeruse. _How dare that fanged thief call me a 'loud-mouth sword'!!? He should know that this loud-mouth sword has more sanity and deserves a lot more value than he does!!!_ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Azeruse couldn't help but sweatdrop as she tried to console her seething weapon. "A-Asura... please... people are watching!!" she whispered feverishly. "S-stop... come on!!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So I guess that your sword really can communicate in some way." Tasuki smiled wolfishly and turned back to face the stone pillar. "Can Asura translate what this piece of *%$* is saying, Azeruse?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| _Translate that thing?!! As in relate information to that red-haired jerk?!! You have got to be kidding!! Besides, is he blind to see that I do not have any eyes to see with? I can only feel your connection towards me and that is the only reason why I even convey anything. I'm a sword, not one of those puffed-up palace scribes!!_ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Asura, please... you're making a big scene!!!" Azeruse glared at a beaming Tasuki and prevented herself from throwing a snowball to erase the smug expression from his face. "Tasuki, that was quite unnecessary.... Asura has a temper even if it's a sword and you should show it respect. Next time, Asura may just jump into my hands and guide me into hurting you..." Azeruse hid an involuntary smirk behind her hand. "and I won't even try and stop it." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tasuki whipped back to face Azeruse and saw the mocking smile on her face. Not bothering to take the challenge, he focused his attention once again on the block of stone. Neither Tasuki nor Azeruse and Asura noticed that they were being watched... and the focus of the entity's attention was on the red sword sheathed on the female seishi's waist. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Itai!!!" Azeruse fell upon the floor as a young boy knocked her over and wrapped his fingers around Asura. Then he jumped up and sprinted off. "Yamete!!! Tasuki, he's running off with Asura!!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| _Unhand me!!!_ Asura sent forth a blast of white light which blinded the boy and knocked him into Tasuki's waiting hands. _No one, but no one harms my mistress! Especially not petty thieves like yourself!_ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The thief and Tasuki looked at the sword in shock and amazement. "That.... that sword talks??" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Azeruse picked herself up off the floor, dusted her clothing, focused her blue-violet gaze at the motionless men, and retrieved Asura. It was not everyday that Asura handled a situation by itself, but it seems that this was one of those times. -Are you all right, Asura? Thank goodness that he didn't get a chance to run away with you... What did you do with them??- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| _I didn't do anything.... neither of them are used to a common-looking artifact like myself being sentient and speaking as if I was a normal human being. Besides, I was worried about you. You took quite a nasty fall when that uncaring cretin knocked you down._ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| -Don't be harsh on him, Asura. You have seen how things are here in Hokkan. It's always snowing and he most likely didn't have any other way to survive.- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| _It doesn't matter if you sympathize with that boy or not, we are still lost and in dire need of help._ replied Asura. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Finally!! At least I can now hear you when you speak, Asura." The red-haired seishi shook his head in simulated confusion. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| _Kono.... bakayarou!_ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| -Asura!!! Now who's talking improperly?- Azeruse refastened her weapon to her belt and walked up to the proposed 'thief'. Inspecting the boy, she noticed that he was actually older than her, seemingly by a couple of years. He had platinum hair which was beautiful but has been mussed apparently from a life of hard work. A dreamer's blue-violet eyes, so much like Azeruse' own, accented a face with a stubborn chin and fair complexion. All in all, the boy was handsome... very handsome. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do what you want with me, but you can never break my spirit!!" The boy had anger, and a lot of it. He was also behaving recklessly and was not about to go down without a fight, Azeruse had to give him that to his credit. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What is your name?" asked the blue-haired seishi. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It means nothing to you!!" Trying to get free, the young man grabbed on to the arm Tasuki used to confine him and flipped the red-haired man over his shoulder. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unfortunately, Tasuki's gift had always been speed, so he had more than enough time to change his position and sweep out the culprit's feet from under him before he could escape. Before the silver-haired boy can move, Azeruse glided in as smooth as butter and whipped out Asura from her sheathe to kiss the enemy's throat. "Please don't try that again." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The boy looked up and saw the coldest stare that he has ever seen in his life. If you kill me now..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We don't do that. I hate to kill something or someone who hasn't actually posed as a threat to my life. Now what is your name?" whispered Azeruse dangerously, not moving her sword even the width of a hair from his throat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "My name is Shosei. If you kill me right now, you will never find the way to the Genbu Shinzaho." He stood up defiantly and looked down at Azeruse. Amazed at the power of her gaze and the spark of life and determination in her eyes, he could not tear his gaze away from hers. "Who.... are you?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tasuki did not like where this was going and so he chose that moment to unsheathe his tessen and smack Shosei on his head. "Kid, I wouldn't do that if I were you... If you stare at something for too long, you'll turn to stone." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A dawn of a smile appeared on Shosei's face as he blushed red. He bowed his head in embarrassment but then it whipped back up again when he realized what Tasuki said. "Why do you call me 'kid'? I'm just as old as you are." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Azeruse cocked her head to one side in a gesture of confusion and walked towards the stone pillar containing the inscriptions. "Shosei-san, do you know where the Shinzaho of Genbu is? We have come in search for it... and..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes, I know that you are in search of it. I also know that the Seiryuu and Suzaku Shichiseishi have formed an alliance to defeat the Majin Tenkou... and to do that, you must solve a mysterious riddle." Shosei smiled quietly and motioned for them to follow him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tasuki's eyes narrowed in distrust and he rushed before the boy to stop his straight in his tracks. "Matte! How in the hell do you know all these things? Just a damn moment ago, you were about to fuckin' rob me 'n Azeruse, and now, you are sayin' that you know what we came here for and are about to fuckin' lead us there just like you're some damn moronic psychic who knows everythin' there is to fuckin' know in the world!! How in the hell do we know that this whole shit isn't just another trap set by that Majin?!!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sighing, Shosei dragged Tasuki and Azeruse out of the town and on to the middle of the snowy field. There, he approached Azeruse and kissed her forehead. The character 'Ko' appeared and was followed by the character 'O'.... the two characters which signifies that the bearer was a servant of Seiryuu and the Priestess of Suzaku. "I know what you have gone through because I am one of your guides sent by Genbu." Shosei suddenly moved his platinum hair away from his forehead and the image of a silver-white star appeared. "I know the riddle, and the part of the riddle goes: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'The stars... the sun... the moon... are their only guides...' | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And if either of you accept it or not, I am one of those guides. I represent the stars who have been watching you nightly. A minion of Tenkou named Renhou has already been sent to destroy you, and even your mage 'Chichiri' has not been able to track him down. My gift is a little of fortune-telling and to sense change is the balance of an area's life-force... these talents should come in handy and I am ready to guide you on your journey." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I believe you..." Tasuki nodded his head and took out the piece of parchment from his coat pocket. "So you are one of our guides.... you are the star... but who is the sun and the moon?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Azeruse shrugged and smiled at Tasuki and Shosei. "We'll just have to find out who they are in the future... right now... we need to find the Shinzaho of Genbu." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will take you there right now... but should we even get past the door is a task by itself..." Shosei looked at his new companions with an intent gaze. Tasuki's life-force was in perfect balance, but he can tell that Azeruse isn't what she seems to be. The sword was an enigma by itself, for although he can detect a source of ki in it, the amount was almost impossible to discern. Anyone could easily tell that the bond between the sword and its wielder was strong, almost impossible to break, yet...... there seems to be another extra motive which Shosei could only presume of its origination. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ~*~*~*~*~ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The frigid breath of an eternal winter blew Tasuki's clothes around his frame as he glance worriedly at Azeruse. He was in love with her from the very beginning, yet she doesn't appear to be acknowledging him. If only she could quickly answer with a 'yes' or a 'no' and put him out of his misery; but instead, she only smiles sweetly and gives him a neutral answer. Before they came to Hokkan, it was apparent that Azeruse felt something deeper than friendship for Tasuki. Now that they are in Hokkan and have met one of their guides, the blue-haired seishi felt more inclined to focus on the task at hand and at nothing else. This was tearing Tasuki apart, filling him with a desperation which encompassed his entire being. The feeling was so ardent that not even the icy breath of winter, the weariness brought by a long walk, or the semi-annoying preaching of Shosei could bring him back to reality. "....................." Nonetheless, a quiet whisper and a gentle laugh coming from the object of his affections was enough to induce him out of his daze and to help him regain his concentration. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We are here." Their guide stopped next to an immense stone which blocked passage to a steel gate. Shaking his head in pity, Shosei removed his gaze from the stone and directed it towards Azeruse and Tasuki. "Now what do either of you propose we do?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well psychic, you know about the future, so what do you suppose we do?", asked Tasuki. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can't say it. Fate refuses to let me... and besides.... I just can't!!", retorted the silver-haired young man with a dark scowl. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then you're not a very good psychic, are you?", mocked Tasuki. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Meeting the seishi stare for stare, Shosei noticed that Azeruse was watching intently, so he forced his temper down and tried to reply calmly so that his voice wouldn't shake in anger. "No, I meant that I can't see anything. I could see into the future before because it didn't concern me much. But this," He pointed to the stone. "concerns me a great deal and is related to my future. Psychics and seers can't look into their future because it is like cheating death and fate... since I can't see what is going on right now, it means that moving this is going to affect my life is some wa--!!!!!!" His reply was cut short by a violent blast of wind which sent him crashing into the stone with a sickening crack. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "SHOSEI!!!!" Azeruse and Tasuki cried out in unison as they rushed to where their friend lay still. "Shosei!! Shikarishite!!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All of a sudden, the sound of evil laughter was present in the air. "Pathetic humans... you think that you can just crawl wherever you wish and no one will care..." A young man who strongly resembled Shosei appeared in the air in front of the three companions. "I am Renhou... and I am amazed that you have even gone this far." He suddenly glared darkly at Azeruse. "So you are the girl Tenkou is after... you don't seem so special at all. So scrawny and weak... however, I cannot underestimate you. Your seer has saved you in Hokkan, but now you are to be taken as my captive." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tasuki growled and unsheathed his tessen in rage. "Kuso!! Kono aho!!! How dare you fuckin' talk to her like that!! Azeruse is much stronger that you will ever be you son of a %#^%$!!!!! I'm goin' to make you pay for fuckin' smashing Shosei into the wall!!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh, so you are her knight in shining armor aren't you? What was your name again..... oh yes... Tasuki." Renhou smirked with evil laughter, raised his right hand, about to send Tasuki to the same fate as Shosei. "Let's do this now... I may kill you... I was only told to take that wench." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Tasuki.... fall back." Azeruse's ki cloaked her figure like a second skin of pure fire. Her fury was causing her to enter into a moment of pure insanity as she looked down as her unconscious companion. Standing up, she motioned for Tasuki to stay with Shosei. "This one is mine." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Smirking in smugness, he floated down to the floor and met Azeruse's dark glare. "All right... then let's start this." Renhou immediately dropped to a crouch and lunged at the girl to try and pin her under him, yet he did not know that Azeruse was more than used to these kind of paltry tricks to be caught by them. She waited until he came close before she stuck Asura to the ground to free her hands, then she grabbed his left arm and used his momentum to throw him over her hip and crashing to the floor several feet away from her. However, the demon recovered amazingly fast as he got to his feet and brought up a sword which shone blue. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't make me do something like that again." Azeruse warned before she parried her opponent's lunge. Then, she ducked beneath the silver-haired boy's horizontal cut with only her instincts saving her. Darting away from the man's blade, she glared and glanced quickly at Asura. Not about to lose any more time, the blue-haired seishi held her sword into a two-handed guard position and waited. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Her opponent took a moment to look her over and noticed that she was serious about the duel. Her parry against his slash almost severed his sword arm off. He knew that he had to be careful about her from that moment forward. Smiling with pure evil, addressed her. "You're much stronger than you look..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Azeruse looked at Renhou carefully as they circled each other, waiting for an opening, any opening which they can use to their advantage. Refusing to fight under his terms, Azeruse brought up Asura into a defensive position and waited again. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You can't win any battle defensively, didn't anyone teach you that?" smirked Renhou. "Prepare to die, Seiryuu Shichiseishi." Lunging forward once again to try to shatter Azeruse's defensive stance, the demon suddenly found himself face to face with the ground. "What in the hell did you do?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Noticing that her silence was getting to her enemy, Azeruse remained emotionless as she whipped Asura into a rapid vertical butterfly which cut through cloth and left a shallow cut along Renhou's left shoulder and middle. She then stepped back quickly to escape his counter-cut. He sidestepped her next pass and attacked her with a downward-sweep, which she only saw on the last second. The blue-violet eyed seishi brought Asura up with all her strength, locking their blades hilt-to-hilt. After was a ring of clashing metal and the boy's chopping blow was stopped. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Then Renhou's blade shattered, cut off near the hilt. Azeruse immediately saw a change in his facade as a maniacal gleam became visible in his eyes. Her opponent moved away from her and looked at his blade. Without another word, he simply picked up the shattered pieces and placed his right hand above them. An eerie violet glow soon covered his entire figure and the broken weapon became whole again. "You will not get rid of me that easily, Azeruse." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| _His sword is spelled!!! ..... Be careful mistress, he's dangerous._ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Azeruse merely nodded and raised Asura once again as she saw the ribbon of Amiboshi's flute escape from her belt. She could not afford to lose sight of her opponent, yet she knew that Tasuki was still watching the fight. With a smile on her lips and her sword extended, the seishi slid away from Renhou's vertical blows which try to limit her defense. Then, she edged on to one side and kept him turning until he faltered. Unfortunately, he wasn't a disoriented as he seemed, and he managed to cut a back-handed slash at her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time stopped; Azeruse and her opponent stared at each other in surprise as something thin and light floated down to rest on Renhou's hand-- a ribbon. He looked at it for a moment and saw that there was a diagonal cut down its center. Looking at his adversary, Tenkou's lackey smiled and tore the bit of ribbon further. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| _~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preview of Chapter 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To Seek the Truth, or Seek the Illusion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Miaka.... what have I done to make you treat me like this? I love you.... yet I hate you..." Tamahome looked at the crystal ball in the center of the room and viewed the face of a blue-haired girl. Suddenly, Azeruse was shielded from his vision by two figures: boy with silvery hair and blue-violet eyes and another boy with red-hair and amber eyes. "Move out of the way you cretins or I will destroy you!!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moving back, Tamahome lost his composure as his character appeared on his forehead with a dark violet light. He extended a hand before him and out of it, a ki-ball shot out and shattered the crystal sphere into sparkling motes of dust. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Tamahome... you should really learn to control your temper. What would Tenkou-sama say if he saw what you did just now?" A tall, blue-haired man stepped forward and gestured to the corrupt seishi. "Your version of revenge is nothing compared to mine, so deal with what you have." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Shut the hell up Hikou!! I don't need up preaching your crap at me today, or ever!!!" The violet-eyed boy stood up and faced his companion. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hikou's gaze narrowed as he glared at Tamahome. "Don't try my patience, Tamahome. My power is beyond your imagination and you would not stand a chance against the illusions and phantasms which I can summon to destroy whatever soul you have left. I would hate to use my dominion over the potency of water just so that Tenkou-sama could reprimand me for killing one of his dogs." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chapter Notes: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| X_X *gets maimed by her angry readers* Gomenasai... I know that you guys have heard this before, but I haven't had that much time to write... I'm sorry to say that I am even amazed that I got this chapter out this soon. *dies* *sighs joyfully* This chapter is longer than normal!!! Yes, yes.... I'll get the next chapter out a.s.a.p. If not sooner because I left off this chapter on one of my infamous *gasps* cliffhangers. Shosei is my own character, *starry-anime eyes* based on my b/f!!! *sigh* I must admit that Asura is my favorite character in this story, Azeruse/Miaka is second, and Tasuki and Shosei are tied for third. I just can't choose, but my favorite has to be my namesake sword!! Ugh... I just realized after all this time that I haven't even put my name on my fanfics... so I decided to start now!! ^_^;;;; Gomen!! Please send me life-giving, author-inspiring reviews!! Forgive me if the battles get boring, but I'm more used to writing romance and not enough action... a.k.a., I'm a terrible sap for romance stories. Tell me what you guys think, k? And also, I haven't updated my site for quite some time... but I'm working on it!! Please keep your eyes open for my oncoming gallery of this story!! E-mail me at [email protected] and if any of you want to talk to me, just catch me online sometime at Yahoo! Messenger. My s/n is of course, asurahime or the other one is miryoku_hime_asellus. I'd love to talk to any of you guys!! ~_~;;;; Some of you guys are right... this this IS starting to turn into a novel instead of just a fanfic... ^____^ Oh well!! I've changed my mind about some things which I was going to lead this fic towards, and still am.... *smiles* Bye for now!! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disclaimers: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Standard disclaimers apply...... as always... and forever!!! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho^^Chapter Fourteen^^Chapter Sixteen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||