Yui was drowning as the water closed over her head. She couldn't breathe. She opened her accidentally only to swallow a great gulp of bitter water. She tried to swim up but she didnīt know where up was. She was overwhelmed with fear as she began to slip into unconsciousness.

A strong hand took her and dragged her up. She felt the open air. There was some light. She tried to breathe, but she couldn't do it. Her gullet was full of water. She felt somebody striking her back, and she coughed up water. She began to exhale with all her strength.

Somebody embraced her until she opened her eyes.

A young man looked at her. His eyes were golden, almost hidden under a fringe of black-silver hair.

"Yui-sama!", he cried. He was surprised and got up, beginning to look over her, as if she had appeared from the air like a ghost. "Are you all right?", he asked.

Yui didnīt know who he was, but nodded. "Thank you for saving me. Who... who are you?", she asked warily.

The man looked over her again. He seemed to search for an answer in the horizon. He smoothed his hair, sighed and said, "I am Tomo."

Yui felt like somebody had hit her. "Tomo?". She tried to think quickly, but her mind was in shock. "Tomo?."

A breeze blew and she began to tremble with fright and cold. "You are soaked. You must get dry," he said, and he took her in his arms and began to walk towards an old building.

Yui looked around her. He had dragged her from an old fountain. There was the old building where he carried her. Nothing more. The place seemed a desert. The view was desolate. The land was grey, like ashes. Some plants tried to grow. She could see some trees white and involved in the distance. It seemed to be dead.

Tomo crossed the rubble of a old door, and entered the building. He put her on the floor and began to search around him. The inside was dark. There seemed to be only one room, full of rubbish.

"Where are we?", Yui asked.

"In an old temple of Seiryuu," he answered, pointing to a sculpture on the floor. It was the form of a dragon. Next to the statue was an altar with charcoal. Tomo found some flint and tinder and lit a soft fire. He looked at her and he took off his coat. Under it he only dressed black tunic and pants. He offered her his coat. His nails were short and unpainted. "Get dry, Yui-sama," he said, and left the room.

Yui put on her undergarments and then hesitantly put on Tomoīs coat. It was of leather, and the internal was of wool.

Her head was full of doubts. Why Seiryuu had brought her to this place?. The god told her that the Heaven was collapsing. What did it mean? Who or what could cause Seiryuu, the War Dragon, to cry?. Why was Tomo in this place?. The underwear dried quickly, but the rest of her clothing was heavy and dripping with water. Her bag was waterproof and it kept her things almost intact. Impatient, she rose and laughed at herself. (/What I was hoping for?/), she thought (/To fall down in a bed of roses where Suboshi was waiting for me?/). She began to walk around the room. In a corner, Yui saw a strange pile of rags. In another time, it could have been colorful, but now it was putrified and covered in filth.

"It was my clothes," Tomo said. "There I died."

Yui wheeled. The tall figure of Tomo stood in the door. She suddenly felt afraid. Tomo tried to use her under the rule of Tenkou. But the man who was looking at her couldnīt be Tomo.

She remembered the Seiryuu Shichiseishi who seemed as powerful as Nakago. She kept in her thoughts the image of that night when Suboshi kissed her. She repulsed him and then... and then Tomo appeared.

He seemed like a big bunraku doll, with his strange clothes and his face painted like porcelain. In that moment, she wasnīt afraid, only surprised. But then she listened that he was cruel like Devil, that he liked to torture his enemies before killing them. Really, she never saw Tomo killing, but in the few moments which she thought about him, she imagined him laughing like a demon while he lacerated his victims.

This man wasnīt Tomo. Yui looked at him. He was so beautiful. His eyes, which with the makeup on were yellowish, shone like amber under his thick eyelashes. He had skin as pale and smooth as cream.

This man couldnīt be Tomo. Without thinking about her action, she put out her hand towards his clothes, and she raised his tunic a little. But the pants were waist tall, and Yui couldnīt see Seiryuuīs symbol. She felt him go rigid and he pushed away her hand with a soft slap. He let down the pants a bit, just on his hip, and she could see the kanji on his skin. Root.

"Satisfied?, he asked, dryly.

She blushed and whispered "sumimasen, sumimasen."

"Seiryuu, or whatever the Hell did it, brought me with this outfit. I arrived here a few moments before you did.

She didnīt know how to change the question and look again the old clothes.

"I ran of the desert and arrived here. I was injured and died."

/Thatīs why Nakago couldnīt find him,/ she thought. He arrived in this place and died. Alone/. The site was sordid. She felt a twinge of pity.

"If you hadnīt gone, he would have found you." Immediately, she wished she hadnīt said anything

"Who would find me?." He looked her in the eyes, maybe not realizing. She looked at him, and he blushed and bowed his head.

/He doesnīt like others to look at him,/ she thought, surprised. /He doesnīt know how to be without makeup./ Yui understood him. With all the makeup, it was unpleasant to look at him. He knew it and approached with this disagreeable sensation against his enemies. But with the makeup off, he was fascinating.

"Nakago wanted to find you. He was angry when he knew you were dead. He went out to find you. But you had disappeared." He didnīt answer, and sat in front of her.

"Yui-sama. What are you doing here?", he asked, seriously.

/What are I doing here?. I donīt know. I think I couldnīt escape from Seiryuu if I tried. I am searching, but I donīt know for what. Maybe Iīm searching my happiness. Before I came here, the first time, I was happy. I had a great friend. And the world was normal. But I came here and I lost my heart in the book. Perhaps Iīm here to have the book return my heart to me. Miaka found the Love. I rejected it./

A quick vision of Suboshi crossed her thoughts and she looked at Tomo. /Suboshi killed him. He must hate him. Damn Seiryuu. He brought me towards Suboshiīs enemy. / She whispered. At least, the Dragon didnīt bring her in front of the wolf so it could eat her.

" I donīt know. Seiryuu called me. From a mirror, and from a fountain. He said to me that the Heaven is collapsing," she said.

********************

Miaka and Taka walked towards the house of Taiitsu-kun. Something was wrong. The wood was silent. There weren't Nyan Nyans , active as bees, to welcome them. There was a calm, morbid, tenseness, like something violent went to break it. Something was wrong and it was frightening, because in this place things were never wrong. Miaka walked closer to Tamahome, and he embraced her strongly.

Taiitsu-kun was waiting for them at the entrance of her house. Some Nyan Nyans were with her. The creator seemed devastated.

"Thanks for coming here, my children. The Heaven is collapsing."

********************

Tomo half-closed his eyes.

"What does that mean, the Heaven is collapsing?," he asked. He rose and left. Yui came with him. Night had arrived. They looked at the stars. The seishi constellations were shining brighter than fire. "The Heaven is not collapsing," said Tomo. "But all the seishi constellations are shining again."

"And what does that mean?", asked Yui.

Tomo cackled softly.

"Suboshi never brought you to see the stars at night?," he asked, sardonic.

"It means that all the seishi are preparing for the war. The dead and the living. It means that all the seishi have returned."

********************

"But what the Hell happened" Taka asked.

Taiitsu-kun brought them into a small room. The Nyan Nyan served tea. Them silence was painful.

The Creator shook her head.

"It began with Seiryuu. He called me. He said that he was afraid, and called for my help", she said. "But I didnīt listen to him. I never listen to my son of War. I thought he was trying to trick me, as so many times before. Taiitsu-kun looked out the window. And Seiryuu cursed me, again. He said that I love my sons, except him. He said that I hate him". Taiitsu-kun covered her face with her hands. She seemed like old human woman.

"Itīs so wrong. But I never pay attention to my child of War. Miaka embraced her and took her hands. "Taiitsu-kun", she whispered. The old woman looked at Taka. "And Seiryuu went away. Later, I heard the cries of all my sons. All of them, even Genbu, the older and more powerful. Something was hurting them. And suddenly, they were silenced. I began to search for them, but they were nowhere.

"The gods... are nowhere?" Taka asked.

Taiitsu-kun shook her head.

"No. They werenīt where I could find them", she explained. "My sons are lost. Something, or somebody stole them. I only know that before they disappeared, they brought all of you again."

Taka rose and looked at the window. "I canīt understand it. I canīt understand anything. What is powerful enough to hurt the gods?. This is impossible." He wheeled and asked Taiitsu-kun, "Where are Tasuki and Chichiri?." "I send them to find the others three days ago."

"The others?", asked Miaka and Taka.

"The other seishi. The seishi that the Gods have summoned."

********************

Yui awoke.

The sun hadnīt risen yet. She had slept uneasily. She thought she heard moans while she was sleeping. Tomo wasnīt there, but she had been covered with his coat. She thought that he was slept as far as he could from the place where he died. She exited from the shrine. Her seishi was looking at the path which started from the shrine. He looked at Yui.

"Yui-sama. Iīm leaving. I donīt think anyone will come here to find us" he sighed.

"But... where we are?" Yui asked.

Tomo sighed. "We are in the damn borders of the Desert of Sairou. This is the part of the Byakko country where the army of Kutou made attacks before the arrival of Byakko no miko. I suppose the army built the shrine and then left it when it must was driven back to Koutou. He kicked a small stone, and it landed in the fountain. "You can come with me until you find somebody that could help you," he said.

She looked around her. The sun hadnīt risen. There werenīt clouds in the sky, but it was grey. She was sure that it was that color all day. She looked at Tomo out of the corner of her eyes. He was tightening the laces of his boots. /At least he isn't made up with... with those things./ Without the outfit, he seemed almost normal.

/He tried use me. He was under the management of Tenkou, and he could have destroyed me. He has died twice. What humanity could remain after that?/. But she had folded the coat with care, and when she awoke, the coat was on her, like a blanket, to protect her from the cold night. Despite the fact that he had slept outsode from the temple, he chose to protect her from the cold. /Suboshi killed him. They must hate each other, and he saw Suboshi kissing me, and heard him tell me that he was in love with me. Days later, Suboshi destroyed him./ But she was sure that she had heard somebody crying, and she didnīt. I was stupid, egoist and ambitious. I have the seishi I deserve/.

"Okay. Here we go", she said.

********************

"Tasuki, look", said Chichiri, pointing at the sky. The bandit obeyed him.

"Shit," he snarled.

The two had hoped this thing would never happen. The deaths are that, deaths. They canīt rise one day and begin to live, with their bodies healed and their souls inside their bodies. Not without a good reason. What could be the reason of a death?. But there were the stars of the seishi, shining defiant. Chichiri was worried, but happy too. He could hug his friends again, and the evil couldīt make it impossible. The evil. Because there were the constellations of the Dragon, too. "Damnit", he said.

"So Nakago and his couple of sons of a bitch have returned", groaned Tasuki.

But Chichiri didnīt answer him. He was lost in his thoughts.

********************

They began to walk soon. Tomo was a few steps before her. He didnīt turn to see her, but she know that he was listening her steps, alert. And he carried the bag. He took it, explaining to Yui that the way was long and it was better for her to be as refreshed as possible. She remembered there was still meal and tea in the bag. /The way will be long. Itīs better to eat it later/, she thought. The way might have been an important route years ago, but it seemed abandoned. There were plenty of undergrowth, holes and rough stones. She walked carefully, trying not fall down and hurt an ankle, or make Tomo angry with her.

The sun rose. It was small, white. The sky still was grey and the weather cold. They made some brief stops, but Tomo didnīt want make a long rest time.

********************

"I go to find them", decided Taka. Miaka was scared. "But where you will go?", she asked.

"To the capital of Konan. I will talk with Houki. She could give orders to search for all of them and find them quickly. And then, weīll know what the Hell is happening".

"There is a way to know where they are. But it isnīt sure. Come with me", she said, and rose. The Creator walked carefully, as though she was an old human woman. She took them to a small room. There were only a table with the form of a cherry blossom, some little chairs and a incense burner in a corner. On the table were a cup and a jar of ceramic green and golden. The three sat up and Taiitsu-kun took the jar and filled the cup with water. "Look", she ordered.

Miaka and Taka approached the cup. When the water stopped rippling, the water seemed to turn black and then red. The colors mixed and they could see a head of red fire.

"Tasuki!", they cried. The bandit and Chichiri were looking at something above their heads, and their eyes were worried. Chichiri turned quickly, as if something scared him.

"This cup project shows the images of those who we love and who frightened us. But we canīt decide which to see or not to see", explained the Creator. The surface of the water waved as if some drops fell on it, and the image changed. Now, the figure of a blonde-haired girl was in the cup. "Itīs Yui", said Miaka. Her friend walked by one desolated way. One man was with her. He had a long black-grey hair.

"Who is that guy?", Taka asked.

********************

It was beginning to get dark. Yui was exhausted. Her eyes were clouding. She had managed not to fall down, but she was limping. She felt pain in her legs and there were blisters in her feet, although she wore good shoes for the walk. But she didnīt dare grumble or talk. Tomo said nothing during the entire day, scarcely looking at her. She knew that there was noting to say to each other, but...

He stopped and turned to her. Yui couldnīt walk anymore. She sat on the ground, and she didnīt mind if there were scorpions, or snakes, or whatever the Hell were in this damn place. He spoke, and it was the second time that he had done it all day.

"You can rest here", he said.

"When we will stop to sleep?", she asked, praying for a soft place to rest.

"We donīt get to stop", he answered.

"What?!!. But we must stop to rest, please!" she demanded. She was so tired that she almost began to cry.

"Sorry, but it is impossible. Itīs too dangerous to stop. But donīt worry. I will carry you on my back."

Yui gulped. It wasnīt a good idea. "Okay, but first of all, we could eat something." She opened her bag and took the onigiri and the flask of tea. She offered one to Tomo, and he took it, but didnīt open it.

"Do you have only this?," he asked.

She had begun to eat one, covered of nori and stuffed with salmon. She stopped eating.

"Yeah. Yesterday, I thought that I was only leaving my home for one day."

He kept the onigiri and took a small gulp of tea.

"When you have finished, we will go on," he said, looking at the horizon.

/They will arrive soon/, he thought, but said nothing.

Yui almost choked on the onigiri. "Tomo, this will be bad to eat soon, itīs better to eat now.

"Okay. Then, eat now. You must be as strong as possible".

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENS TO THE DAMN MEAL?", she cried. "Itīs not good enough for you?". She threw the onigiri in the dust and began to cry. She was sick of this stupid walk to nowhere. Tomo scared her, and she cursed Seiryuu for making her search with a seishi who was absolutely foolish, and who she didnīt know at all. But now, she offered the meal like a companion, not like a stupid girl and he rejected it. She blushed with anger. He had a way of rejecting the things which were pridful and stupid. It seemed that she offended him offering the meal. But she had nothing more, and what she offered to him he didnīt want.

He moved back. He saw so many people crying. More of them cried because of him, and more did it before they died. But this damn child was crying out of pure rage.

/This damn child... sheīs my miko. I could at least not be rude with her/, he thought. But how could he resolve this?. He was used to receiving slaps, then rapes, then taunts about his sexual preferences and his past like a sex slave. And when nobody really dared to attack him, or touch him without permission, or even look at him, then he would receive the sharp slights of Nakago. But he was incapable of receiving even the smallest kindness. She was trying to make him an equal, not dirt or a fool or a demon, and it worried him. He couldnīt fight against her. When he cried, he had received a slap, or a beating, until one day he forgot the way to stop the tears. He couldnīt slap her. So he took the onigiri, cleaned it and ate a bit. She hiccuped, took a tissue from her bag and cleaned her face without looking at him. They rose. A soft wind began to blow.

/Soon it will be night, and they will arrive here/, he thought. He looked at Yui, worried. She tried to seem proud and strong, but he realized she would fall down soon. Tomo took her in his arms, and placed her on his back.

"Rest," he said softly. "I will walk." She couldnīt react. Didnīt know whether to put her hands on his shoulders or his neck. Finally, she relaxed and let him go.

The wind blew harder. Yui was so light. /How small is she. How fragile/. She wasnīt pretty, really. But there was something in her, because she was the miko. Seiryuu must have found some reason to choose her. /I could hurt her. Or rape her. I could make her feel all the pain I wanted, for as long as I choose. Nobody could hear or help her. Nobody could save her. As nobody saved me. Or I could give her to them. Soon they will come here/.

Suboshi kissed her before killing him. /And then I could give her to Suboshi. Used as I was used, and empty. Emptiness like mine. He could kill me, but she never would be of him. As I will never be of somebody/. He could do it, but at the same time, he knew that he couldnīt. This girl was as the other. But she had a strange pureness, even when all of them thought she was raped. /It is. She was pure even then, although nobody realized. Her heart was of her own, and not even Nakago could snatch it, like he snatched mine. Not mine. I never was pure. My heart was putrification./

They will arrive soon.

/Oh, yeah, I could hurt her, and revenge myself on Suboshi. And then, what?. My own stupidity was the thing that killed me. Suboshi only finished the work/, he thought. He was so tired of life and death. /It was my fault. I wanted to kill all of them. I wanted... I wanted to surprise Nakago, and make him look at me as an equal. I wanted him to be proud of me./

They would come soon.

/And what would I gain with that?. Congratulations. Or a little slap on my shoulder. Like when somebody slaps his horse after a good ride. Or his dog when it brings the shoes/.

He was crying softly. At least the miko slept.

/I wanted to defeat all of them, and a child killed me./ Neither of the bodies of Tomo had endured too long. All of the seishi who he attacked, had healed soon. /I canīt hurt her. She was above me, and I couldnīt hurt her even if wanted to do it,/ he sighed. Now he was really crying, but he couldnīt stop because they would come soon.

Yui felt his soft sobs. Suddenly, her weariness disappeared. She felt bad for making him walk alone in the night with her on his back. The wind blew strong now. His touch was strange. He wasnīt like Nakago or Suboshi. Nakago only wanted to use her and Suboshi only wanted to love her. Tomo needed nothing of Yui. He was soft but so strong. He remined Yui a whip, quiet and smooth until it strikes. She couldnīt know how long walked before diying alone in that place, but didnīt dare to ask him.

He stopped one moment and suddenly, four blue little fires surrounded them.

/An illusion which will light the way?/ she thought. A strange gust of hot and damp air beat at her. It smelled like things in putrification. She pulled her head closer to Tomoīs neck.

"I thought you were asleep," he said.

"I canīt. Something is wrong".

"Yes. Something is very wrong. Demons".

"What?", she asked.

"Demons", he repeated. "This place is full of them. This way was an old route for carrying slaves. There were boundary stones with images of Gods, symbols along the way. It protected the travelers, because the demons were frightened of the Gods and didnīt dare enter the way. But the passengers couldnīt depart from the route, or the demons would devour them".

"How do you know it?", she asked, frightened.

"I was a slave. I arrived at Kutou by this road. I was a very young child, but I still remember", he said.

"And now...", she began.

"Now there arenīt boundary stones. But donīt be afraid. The illusions have the power of Seiryuu and it will scare them. Remember. Donīt look at them. Donīt pay attention, and everything will be all right," he explained.

They shut up. And then the stars appeared, and then, they arrived. In the beginning, they were frightened by the illusion of Tomo. It seemed that the blue fire of Seiryuu could destroy them. But the demons realized that there were only an man and a girl, and began to approach at will. They had no set form. Changing and mixing like waves. "Donīt look at them", ordered Tomo. But she couldnīt obey him. Some of them had the form of animals like foxes, wolves or cats, smiling at her. Others seemed crippled humans and extended their fingers near her. One of them, which had the form of a black cloud of shadows, talked to her. "Come with me," she heard, and held Tomo more tightly.

A long pile of scorpions approached his feet. But still no one dared to cross the light. Their voices were soft, rustling, beautiful or menacing. But all of them had only one intention. They wanted to bring the humans out of the light. Tomo was trying to seem sure of himself. But really, like he was about to fall. It wasnīt the weight of Yui. She was really light. He could feel the little body on her back, her efforts to not feel loathing against the body of the man who tried to rape her friend.

But he hadnīt his shin, and to make this little illusion of fire more tenuous than phantom fire, was so difficult that all his body hurt him. He had never made illusions without the shin. And now he didnīt have it because Nakago had broken it.

The look of the demons make him sick. A little floating child, cackling like a rat, approached him. It tried to touch the fire, but it couldnīt and left. "Come with us," it said. "Come here and take me," he heard. A gorgeous blonde woman, a succubus, tried to touch him. But a violent flare consumed her arm to the shoulder, and she went away, howling. "You will be ours", she cried. He cackled like one of them. "Search for a male friend, or you and me will be bored", he joked. But shut up. It was the way of the demons. Frightening those who were scared of them, challenging those who werenīt. Until they found the weak point and then, they attacked. He had a lot of weak points.

He remembered, laughing dryly at himself, that one time he had tried to be like them. And it was a great mistake. He had tricked his enemies looking like a monster and making his face like a mask, and pretending to be a cruel and sadistic bastard, one thing which didnīt save him either from the pain or death. But he couldnīt deceive the demons. Tenkou had proved it. And his own pride suffered the pathetic result. He had died twice, enough to know that it is always better to be silent.

He felt like a waste. But there was her, trembling, trying not to hold too tightly, to not disturb him. And he had to walk al least to save her from death. Maybe, the miko could pray for his soul when he died again. He was so scared. "Come here, with us." Somebody was waiting him in the middle of the way. The demon didnīt move away and Tomo had to stop. He realized all the demons had shut up.

They were behind Tomo and Yui like a phantasmal procession. He was Tenkou. His hair was floating although even the wind had stopped.

"Give her to me," Tenkou said.

"I canīt. Iīm all she has now," answered Tomo.

"She is only a girl. You are mine, do you remember? Sheīs nothing."

"No. She was my miko before you were my master."

"Then, come to me, and bring her with you."

"No". Tomo tried to pass, but Tenkou didnīt move away.

"YOU ARE MINE, REMEMBER. YOU CHOSE TO BE MINE!!!!!", snarled Tenkou. Tomo tried to escape.

"I could make you mine again, and you know it" Tenkou approached him. It seemed that the fire didnīt scare him. "And I want you to come here NOW!."

"NO!" Tomo cried. He tried to flee, but he stumbled and fell, leaving Yui, and covering his ears.

"Tomo."

"No."

"Come here, my little slave".

"Nononononononononononononononononononnononononononononononononononono nononononononono..."

He began to cry.

"IT IS AN ORDER"

"I wonīt obey you ever again", he choked.

Tenkou cackled.

"You canīt avoid it. You are mine. There is a reward, do you remember?", whispered Tenkou.

He didnīt respond. He felt so weak and the illusion broke.

"And you come now", Tenkou said. The demons cackled and began to run towards them.

"TOMOTOMO DONīT LISTEN TO HIM DONīT LISTEN TO HIM," Yui snarled, shaking his shoulders. She heard the laughs of the demons. But she looked at Tenkou. "GET AWAY FROM US!," she cried.

Tomo heard her and opened his eyes. The demons had extended their hands to them. Yui was between him and Tenkou, with her arms spread. So small, so strong. Crying with all of his anger, Tomo made the illusion. A pale blue like a ray lit the desert and the demons fled from them. Tenkou disappeared, torn up like a cloth.

"They went away," said Yui.

"It wasnīt Tenkou, I donīt think. Only a clever demon," he answered.

"And what if it was him?. Come on, Tomo," she said, taking his hand. He was exhausted and had to lean on her shoulder. His face was already wet with tears, but she said nothing. He tried to lift her to carry her on his back again, but she prevented it.

"I will walk by your side", she said.

Sooner would be the dawn.

Continue on chapter two: The Child of the Tiger

Wrote by Tipan Kalima.
Beta-reader and Proof-reader, Aeanagwen.
Pre-reader, Dreamwalker.
Thank you to:
? Felicia, Tomo no Miko.
http://www.sempai.org/~felicia
Celleri-kun for draw the fanart of Suzaku-sama
Lynn Utsukushii for some information
http://www.geocities.com/ryochuin