The Dragon Saga Box Set

by Nicolette Andrews

  "Try me." She leaned in closer to him, in a way she would have done back at the palace when she was trying to flirt with a would be suitor or trying to draw information from a reluctant ally. It was somewhat awkward when the object of your flirting was tied to a tree however.

  He blushed and his gaze flickered towards Rin who was frowning in their direction. It wasn't the first time Suzume had felt that sort of gaze on her back. There were plenty of jealous woman back at the palace who envied her power and position, many of them Suzume would have called friends to their faces. Whoever Makato was to Rin, it didn't matter to Suzume. Because she could see what sort of asset Makato could be to her now.

  Makato cleared his throat and then said, "Well the flow of spiritual energy goes through different gateways that all control different things and..."

  Suzume lost interest not long after, and watched Rin from the corner of her eye. The kitsune disappeared in the direction of where Kaito had gone off to pout. Most likely to tell the dragon she was fraternizing with the enemy. As Makato prattled on, Suzume prepared for Kaito to come over in a jealous rage and break them apart. As the minutes ticked by, and Kaito didn't arrive and Rin didn't return, Suzume started to wonder if there really was something wrong with Kaito.

  Instead of a charging dragon, Akira approached them after a quick look over her shoulder.

  "I couldn't help but overhear what you were telling Suzume," Akira said with a charming smile.

  Suzume scowled at Akira, wondering what she was getting at but she held her tongue. Akira had kept her secret from Kaito, she owed her that much at least.

  "Would you know how to separate two souls from one another?"

  Makato frowned and thought for a moment. "I did not even know it was possible to combine to souls."

  Akira gave a delicate shrug. "My brother and I proof that is true." For a moment half of Akira's face was taken up by Tsuki's who was grinning out at him.

  Makato did not seem surprised by this, only curious, and he leaned closer to inspect them. "Fascinating," he said under his breath.

  "If you can help us regain our separate bodies, we can help convince the dragon to untie you."

  "You're going to convince Kaito?" Suzume said with raised brows.

  Akira smiled at her with a hint of condescension. "Well that's where you come in, Suzume."

  Suzume threw up her hands. "We're not exactly on good terms right now."

  "We don't need the dragon to make decisions any longer."

  "Are you crazy? He'll kill you for saying that," Suzume hissed and glanced over her shoulder in the direction where Kaito was hidden.

  "The dragon cannot harm us anymore. His power has been sealed. And I know by whom." Akira turned to look at Makato

  The priest stared back at her, unblinking.

  "What are you talking about?" She looked between the both of them searching for answers.

  "I had to do it to protect him from Hisato. He ordered me to kill him but I could not..."

  As if she needed any more proof that Makato had a piece of Kazue's soul inside him, it seemed Kazue's feelings influenced even him.

  "Then what you're saying is Kaito is basically mortal?"

  Makato nodded. "I can reverse it."

  Suzume held up her hand. "No, let's wait on that." This will teach him for thinking I am not as powerful as him. Let him stew in his own weakness for a while. Then and only then will I let Makato return him to normal.

  20

  Pain wrapped around his torso, like a thorny vine digging into his flesh, compressing his lungs and forcing the air out of him. Kaito had never experienced pain quite like this. No stranger to battle wounds, he had fought humans before and other than priests and priestesses, they were no match for him. Even priests and priestesses had been minor annoyances in his prime. Humans were inferior in all ways. But this pain was far greater than anything he had ever felt before. Even the smallest movement tugged against the tender skin surrounding the numerous wounds he had taken. His skin felt stretched tight over his bones and itched to a maddening degree. Why have my wounds not healed yet? They should have healed by now.

  Kaito reached for his spiritual energy, thinking to draw upon that deep well of power to speed up the healing process. But just as when he had tried to access it when he first woke up, he felt nothing. It was as if he had been struck blind, mute, and deaf all at once. Because his spiritual energy was more than just power, it was the life force that flowed through all things. The only other time he had felt this disconnection was when Kazue had sealed him. He had swore to himself that never again would he feel that. He'd rather die.

  But his attempt to connect came up with nothing. The ebb and flow of energy, the warmth of life was gone.

  The injuries he had sustained must have drained his spiritual energy while healing, that was all. He would be back to normal in no time. Then why haven't I healed myself? The wounds remained open, though they were not longer bleeding. He reached again for his spiritual core, needing the energy more than ever. He was the dragon, the ruler of Akatsuki. But try as he might, he could never reach that internal river within him, the life blood that make him yokai. He told himself it would return with time, but as almost a day had passed and it had not returned, he was starting to feel an inkling of doubt.

  The ground beneath him was covered in boulders, and the trees grew too close together to see beyond much more than a couple feet. As the night crept in so did his field of vision. Before he had been able to see nearly as well in the dark as in the light. But as darkness fell, his feet got caught up in roots and vines that blocked his path. Hisato was out there somewhere, watching him, mocking him. They should not linger here much longer, but before they headed out he had to prove to himself that he was capable of keeping up the speeds he had when he was uninjured.

  Though his body demanded rest, he had to keep pushing forward. Showing weakness was not an option. The others could not find out how extensive his injuries were and that they were still not healing.

  As he forced his way up the hill, his breath pricked at his lungs, and each footstep was more difficult than the last. The terrain pushed back. Loose gravel made the footing unsteady, and he slid backwards. He grasped for a nearby branch to keep from falling onto his backside. The sudden jerking of his torso tugged at his wounds, and sharp pain shot through his entire body.

  Kaito clutched onto the branch, it was the only thing keeping him standing as he gasped for breath through the pain. In front of him was a group of large boulders, and just beyond that the crest of a hill where he hoped to get a better view of the surrounding valley and pinpoint the general's location.

  Scaling that few feet of rock felt like an insurmountable task. He leaned against the nearby tree and tried to catch his breath as he clutched at what was likely a bleeding wound. Blood seeped through the bandages, mingling with his sweat and making his clothes stick to him. Even the sounds of the twilight forest were diminished by his ragged breathing.

  Kaito glanced over his shoulder, back where he had come from. He could not even see the shrine building through the trees due to the growing darkness around him. He could not see anything, could not hear anything. He had been, in essence, made mortal and that fact terrified him. In his very long life he had never felt weak, never helpless, and he wouldn't give into those feelings now.

  Kaito turned around, burning with the need to prove his strength. He clawed at the boulders before him, fingers jammed into whatever crevices he could find, half dragging his shaking limbs over the rough surface. Nevermind that in his prime he could have leapt up here without a second thought. Nevermind that he was leaving a trail of blood on the rocks and the world spun as the air thinned. He was forced to stop half way up as his legs and arms trembling demanded he stop. But he refused to give in until he had reached the top.

  The blood had completely soaked through the bandages and he'd reopened most of his wounds if not all. His clothes would be soaked in blood before the night w
as through, and if any of them saw they'd know the truth in an instant. And the already shaky ground upon which he had placed his control over the group would crumble beneath him. Even Rin, whose loyalty he thought unwavering, was being called into question. All because of Makato. Host of yet another piece of Kazue's soul.

  Kaito sat on the boulder, not bothering with the view. He laid down on the stone, which was still warm from the sun and stared up at the bruised purple of the twilight sky. A few stars had started to push through already. Is this how you gained immortality, Kazue? You live on in them? There must be others: if there were two, it was no stretch to believe there were more like them.

  Even lying on his back tugged at his wounds and he was forced to roll over into a more comfortable position on his side. The sun held one last toe hold on the horizon, just the barest glimpse of golden life lining the mountains in the distance. Gold faded into pink, and then purple. That was how he imagined his own power, stubbornly clinging, hidden, but it would return. The only question that remained was: would the sun rise before anyone found out? How much longer could he carry on this farce before they caught on? Would even Suzume turn on him?

  He laughed aloud. "She'd be the first to betray me."

  His laughter echoed through the valley around him and came back as if the hills themselves were mocking him for his weakness.

  "You're right not to trust her," a voice purred near his ear.

  Kaito leapt up, tugging at his wounds. His night-blinded eyes made it impossible to see but he knew that voice.

  "I knew you wouldn't be far away," Kaito growled.

  "Don't open your wounds on my account," Hisato said from his right.

  Kaito spun in that direction. "Ready to finish this now?"

  Then from behind Kaito Hisato said, "I cannot stay away from you. That's Kazue's curse I suppose."

  Kaito resisted the urge to spin around and chase Hisato's voice which he couldn't see in the dark. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest and stared forward.

  "You're taken in by my sex appeal as well. I can understand it."

  Hisato's laughter drifted to his ears like a caress. "Yes, you are irresistible to all of us. But we also resent you, for the child we left behind, for the soul which was destroyed to become your equal," Hisato spat the words.

  Hearing mention of the child Kazue had borne pricked at his anger, but he didn't want to reveal that wound to Hisato. If he could find him he would have grabbed him by the throat and destroyed him.

  "If you want to fight me, then come out and fight me."

  "You know I cannot." A hand brushed against his arm, Kaito reached for it on impulse, stumbled forward and then caught himself.

  Hisato's laughter surrounded him. The dragon should have known better than to fall for his tricks.

  "You've been trying rather hard to kill me for not being able to."

  "That's the problem, isn't it? The echoes of Kazue lives on inside us. If only one of us was strong enough to overcome it." There was a long pause as if Hisato was thinking about this. "Suzume has potential."

  It was Kaito's turn to laugh. "She will never be Kazue's equal."

  "That was always your problem. You underestimate the ability of humanity. It destroyed Kazue and perhaps it will destroy you in the end."

  "Do you think you're going to scare me with your cryptic words?"

  There was no reply, just silence. Hisato had made his point and left, as was his intention. He had sowed doubt in Kaito's mind. He waited a few more minutes to see if Hisato would return, and when he didn't Kaito decided he had wasted enough time.

  Getting back would be difficult. He'd used too much energy on the way up and he could already feel his legs trembling beneath him. But he'd pushed through worse pain and in more dire circumstances before. He reached the ledge that he had just climbed up and carefully lowered himself over the edge, but as he did so he lost grip and slid down several feet before catching his fall on a branch. The result was him landing hard on the ground, blood seeping through his clothes and staining his hands.

  He growled low under his breath. Wonderful.

  "You are in need of assistance?" said a familiar and unexpected voice.

  "Stand back," Kaito snarled as he pushed himself into a standing position while he clutched the bleeding stomach wound. Kaito squinted into the darkness, trying to pinpoint the speaker. He bared his teeth in a would be intimidating posture.

  "You can't see me, can you?" The voice held no judgement, just a simple statement of fact.

  It seemed all his enemies were going to be visiting him tonight. Kaito spun in place. The voice had moved, now to his right where it had been to the left before. "I can see you just fine." He directed his gaze in the direction the voice had come from.

  Noaki tapped him on the shoulder from behind and Kaito swung his fist in his direction, but found nothing but air and almost toppled off the rock before he was yanked backwards by a tight grip on his bicep.

  "Come for your revenge then?" Kaito snapped as he knocked away the swordsman's grip.

  "I harbor no ill will to you," Noaki said, his tone lacking any inflection.

  "Why did you follow me?"

  "To warn you."

  "Of what?"

  "Kazue is awakening inside of Suzume."

  A chill ran over Kaito's skin. As if the specter of Suzume stood between them, Hisato's words echoed inside his skull, more a real threat than before.

  "Are you working for Hisato as well?" Kaito balled his hand into a fist.

  "I am bound to the one who knows my true name."

  A yokai's hidden name, or true name, had power in it. If another was to learn that name, they could use it to bind that yokai to their will. Kaito had taught Kazue that, though he had never dared give her his hidden name. She had asked about it from time to time. At the time it was a game, that was how she had given him the name Kaito, because he refused to speak his hidden name. Perhaps he would have shared Noaki's fate had Kazue learned it.

  "Kazue is dead, so you should no longer have to serve her. Unless you're telling me she is alive somewhere?"

  Noaki only stared at him without response. Kaito shook his head. Why did he continue to taunt himself with the idea that Kazue lived on, in any form. Just that one brief moment on the mountain top had shook his resolve to hate her. It took Hisato to remind him why he could never forgive her. Kazue had ruined his life because she envied his immortality. This was why humans and immortals could never be together. There was some gaps that could not be crossed. His thirst for revenge had been appeased, but he had to let go of Kazue, of the life they could never have together.

  "Leave me." Kaito turned away, thinking to dismiss him.

  "She is drawing power from others."

  Kaito froze in place. It was in Noaki's nature to speak little and only follow commands. He had been created by the Kami to protect and serve. Whether it was Kazue of five hundred years ago or some shade of her that lived now through Suzume and the others. He would not have come here and revealed this much if he had not been ordered.

  "Why are you telling me this?"

  "Because I was ordered to."

  "By whom? Hisato, Suzume, Makato?"

  He did not answer straight away. Kaito had to strain through the darkness to even get a glimpse of the silhouette of Noaki's face.

  After a few moments he said, "Kazue wanted you to know she is going to return to you."

  Kaito hesitated for a few heartbeats, letting the words wash over him. It was a promise that could never be fulfilled. Even if Kazue could somehow come back to life, he would never return to her side.

  "Don't say useless things," Kaito growled before hurrying through the darkness.

  Noaki followed him all the way back to camp like a ghost, not speaking but his presence known just the same. The subtle snap of a twig, heavy footsteps trailing him when Kaito knew he was capable of moving silently. Kaito allowed it. There was no use fighting him, not in his current condition.
There was strength in knowing when there was a battle you could not win.

  They were closing in on the camp when something came at him quick from in front of him. On reflex Kaito reached for his spiritual energy but once again came up empty.

  "There you are. I've been worried." He recognized Rin's voice before he saw her. The dark had essentially left him blind.

  Kaito growled low in his throat in warning. She couldn't have suspected already how weak he was.

  Rin ignored his anger as she said, "Suzume has been kidnapped."

  21

  This had to be the stupidest idea she'd ever had. Suzume stomped through the forest, her arms swinging as she walked. But as with most of her less than brilliant ideas, she was committed to this idiotic plan. And if worse came to worse, someone would come to her rescue just like any other time. It might have been in poor judgment to trust the same people who convinced her wandering into yokai infested woods to lure out a said yokai to fight was a good idea. Not that I'll need their help. I can handle this myself.

  Because the only time her power was effective was when she was in real danger, Tsuki suggested they set up a scenario in which Suzume appeared to be in danger, forcing Kaito to expose his own weakness and allowing Suzume to take control of their group. In theory it made sense, but as with most of her plans nothing ever seemed that simple. Something was bound to go wrong. But here she was, wandering the woods, feeling like an idiot, but she wasn't going to admit it.

  All she needed was for some horrid creature to come slither out of the shadows and challenge her. Then she'd burn it to a crisp and the stand triumphantly over it's charred corpse as she gloated to the dragon. Easy.

  "Suzume, wait!" Makato shouted from somewhere behind her.

  Suzume spun around to face him, grabbing onto her staff but not drawing it. Akira seemed to trust the priest but that didn't necessarily make him trustworthy. Suzume had not even realized Akira had untied him.