Chapter 35: 22c

Kato arrived to a palace in chaos. The humans shouted to one another, their voices melding together into one agitated humming sound, the backdrop to his search for Ilumi. The Dragon was near, he could feel him and a human with immense spiritual power very close by. The Dragon would know what to do; together they would be able to stop Mikari. He found them running along the rooftops, hand in hand. When the Dragon saw Kato, he held up his hand to stop the woman. She looked at him, curious but unafraid. She was pretty, by human standards. He wondered what she was doing with the Dragon. A part of him had hoped he had come here to save Ilumi. But perhaps he had been hoping for too much. "Kato," the Dragon said. There was a threat in his tone and Kato took a step back. Kato bowed low to the Dragon. "Master, we've been looking for you." "And you have not found me." "Master?" "Do I need to explain? You cannot tell anyone we met here. If my enemies discovered…" His gaze slid to the side where the woman was holding his hand. The truth hit him like a punch to the gut. He had thought Ilumi and the Dragon… then the real reason he had disappeared was because of this woman. The Dragon had taken a human lover, more than that, a human with spiritual powers. Then the rumors were true. He never thought he would see the day. If Mikari, or any of his other enemies knew, they would use her against him. For someone in the Dragon's position, a human could be his greatest weakness. For a moment his loyalty to the Dragon warred against his desire to save Ilumi. In the end, loyalty won out. "I will keep my silence, Master." He bowed his head. The Dragon smiled and patted Kato on the shoulder as he passed by, whisking his woman off into the night. Kato let him go. If the Dragon lingered any longer in this place, then they would be found out. He would have to save Ilumi on his own. He ran along the rooftops in the opposite direction of the Dragon to Ilumi's room. He landed in the courtyard. The entire place smelled of her, but she was not there. He could tell right away. Nothing was disturbed, but he could not shake the sense that something was out of place. The humans were running around; blood was on the air. What is going on here? He crept out into the hall, and invisible to the humans, he listened to their conversations. "Report!" said a grizzled warrior in a blue mask. "Lady Bulan is missing, and we cannot find Lord Rizuma," said his underling. "Do not stop searching until you find them both," the leader snapped. The younger warrior bowed and hurried to do his bidding. He continued his search, following the scent of Ilumi. She had climbed over rooftops to the heart of the palace. The scent of human blood was everywhere. Ilumi's trail ended in a garden; he dropped down into it. Bodies of slain men lay on the ground, their limbs at odd angles. Kato walked through the carnage, searching for Ilumi, but her scent had been overpowered by the smell of death. She had been here. Perhaps moments before, but she was gone. "She is no longer here, Kato," said an unfamiliar voice. The hairs on the back of his neck rose up on end. He turned around to find an old woman grinning at him. "Who are you? How do you know my name?" She cackled. "I know much about you. As for me, I lost my name long ago." He frowned at her. His energy burned just beneath his skin, waiting to be unleashed to transform, should she prove dangerous. "Did you do this?" he asked, motioning to the dead bodies. "No, but you know who did." "Kina." He said his name like a curse. "He has your Zoldas." He swore and motioned to chase after her when her words stopped him. "You cannot hope to defeat him on your own." He stopped and turned to look at her. He had not felt her spiritual power at first, but now he could, and she was even more powerful than the woman who had been with the Dragon. "And you can?" She laughed. "I am only a human. But you can, with my help." He raised an eyebrow, inclined to be skeptical, but he wanted to hear what she had to say. "I have a charm here. If you use it, you'll be able to control Kina. Just place it on his forehead and he'll do as you bid." She held out a small stone with swirling markings on it. He stared at it, afraid to take it from her. Getting this on Kina would be no easy task. He was a skilled swordsmen, known all through Akatsuki as a great fighter. "Why should I trust you?" "Who said anything about trust?" He hesitated a moment longer before snatching it from her hand. "If this does not work, I will find you, old woman." She bowed her head. "I am counting on it." ***** ================= Chapter Twenty-Two (Part 4) Rizuma waited for what seemed an eternity. He wrung his hands to avoid pulling at the tattered threads at the edge of his sleeve. Then he saw the shadow approaching-two figures. He stepped out from within the room until he realized the two approaching were not Ilumi and the captain but an unknown man and Lady Bulan. At first he thought he should be alarmed until his wife reached for the unknown man's hand and squeezed. The look she bestowed upon the stranger held all the emotion and warmth Rizuma had never received from her. He held his breath and watched as they disappeared over the edge of the roof. In his heart he had known they were not meant for one another, but he was glad she had found her happiness. His only reservation was the ruined treaty. Before he could consider it further, the captain appeared with Ilumi in his arms. Her head lolled to one side. "What happened to her?" "It is safer to transport her this way," the captain said. Rizuma eyed the captain but held his tongue. Rizuma took Ilumi from the captain, despite his protests. She was his responsibility. The weight of Ilumi's head on his shoulder was reassuring; he could feel her heart beating against his, steady and alive. With the captain leading the way, they slipped into the night through the palace. "I saw a man with my wife. A friend of yours?" Rizuma asked. The captain hesitated and then with a nod said, "I know of him." "Care to explain? That's my wife he has with him." "Who do you care about more, your wife or her? I can only rescue one woman tonight." He felt guilty for not fighting for Lady Bulan, but there was only one choice for him. "Let's get out of here." They managed to steal their way into the courtyard, where horses were waiting for them. They were not like any horses he had seen before. They had hair that rippled in the wind as if their very manes were made of living fire. Their coats were pure white. Rizuma reached out a hand to touch their fiery manes. It was warm but did not burn. He gently laid Ilumi over the back of the first as the captain swung into the saddle of the other. The warm flames tickled his skin as he rested Ilumi's head against his chest. The gate to the palace was closed as they cantered through the courtyard. Guards stood guard, weapons drawn. Rizuma looked to the captain for guidance, but he did not break stride as they galloped full speed straight for the men. The guards held their ground, unblinking. Rizuma closed his eyes, prepared for a collision. But before they collided, the horses leapt into the air, sailing over the palace walls. He looked down as the ground came rushing back to them. The guards had not even turned their heads. It was as if they had not seen them at all. The animals landed silently and then they flew through the night, racing over the countryside. The horses' feet did not even seem to touch the ground. They were some distance from the palace when a wolf appeared. It was a massive beast, larger than any of the smaller forest creatures he was accustomed to. It ran alongside them and then abruptly cut in front of them. The captain brought them to a sudden stop and Rizuma nearly fell from his saddle. The wolf growled at them, its teeth bared. "Move, Okami," the captain said. Then from a rumbling throat the wolf replied, "I will not let you take Ilumi."