The Ryos Flame

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Miyako's words were as deep as her warrior spirit. She had taken a stand by his side, but spoke of distrust in the woman and about her removed mark. Kehario understood whay she wanted to bear the mark, other than the fact that she wanted it to be a reminder of her carelessness. Though she had no full trust in Minata, the little she gave to her was pleasing enough for him. He touched Miyako's shoulder gently and then nodded at her in response. Minata made no remark to her comment, knowing full-well that she would react that way to her prescence long before she had even spoken one word to her.

She was, after all, a hold priestess. One on the few chosen ancients who still lived on. Minata turned and spoke softly. "Rest for now, in a few hours, we will begin the journey to the beast layer and begin the final battle. The final chapter is lingering upon us and the book will soon be closed, as well as history will be rewritten, so that a bright future blossoms for us all." she placed her hands together in front of her chest. Kehario nodded and reaplied, "Yes, this is the battle for the future. The future of all of our land and the generations to come and live. Miyako, I believe in your strength." With that being said, he grasped her free hand in his own and raised it to his lips, kissing the back of it softly. "Let us rest for now." He turned to face the hut and held on to Miyako's hand and lead her towards the hut.
 
Miyako watched the woman for a moment more before she followed him into the hut, clutching the bow to her chest. She felt something was starting and that she might not like the outcome. As the flap to their hut slipped close behind her, Miyako's gaze turned up to Kehario. She stared into his face before pulling her hand gently from his and turning to put the bow next to her mat, her silence continuing. She stared at it and then turned to him. Her eyes held commitment.

"Kehario," she whispered softly as she walked over to wrap her arms around him. "Is it wrong? Is it wrong that I do not trust that priestess and that I fear one or both of us should not see the end of tomorrow?" She would not let her body show it but her voice held the smallest bit of fear--fear of losing her life, of Kehario losing his and leaving her,of not defeating the demon and leaving the world to die at its hand.
 
The grasp of Miyako's arms around his waist was tight, but loose at the same time. Her voice resonated softly in his ear and he closed his eyes momentarily. Right now, the quietness of the room was all that he needed for the moment. The night birthed a soothing wind that swayed gently through the slits of the huts entrance. It touched his skin gently and he sighed. With his left, he placed it gently on her forearms as he spoke in a soothing voice, "No, Miyako, I understand you limited trust in the priestess. But, she is one of the ancients that had taken on the plight of her ancestors. she is a holy messenger who is here to bring peace throughout the world," He looked back at her.

"Let us think no more of this matter. We must sleep now." He said, softly before looking back ahead of him.
 
The young woman stared up at him before pulling back, her arms going to encircle herself as she put on a tough smile and nodded, "Your right," she answered before turning smartly and going to the pallet that they had made love on not an hour before. She froze as she saw the mess on it before she bent and started to roll it up. She couldn't tell him that the reason she didn't trust the woman was because he did so readily; that she was jealous of that trust, of the priestess. Once she had rolled up the pallet she shoved it out of the way and rested her body down next to her own packs, her back to the room. "N... Night Kehario," she said before she closed her eyes. If she couldn't get over her jealousy by the morning, she feared that she'd put them all in danger.
 
Kehario gave Miyako a small smile and said, "Goodnight, Miyako. Sleep well," before laying down on the floor on the opposite side of her and falling asleep.

The day came as quickly as the night slowly drifted away. Birds chirped and a horn sounded off throughout the village. Kehario rolled over and mumbled a little. The horn sounded like it was right in his ear, so he really couldn't maintain his sleep. His eyes opened slowly and he sat up. A rush of dizziness hit him from getting up too fast and he shook his head. A yawn escaped his lips and he stood up and stretched. Mornings were never really his strong point but, he knew that they had a mission to complete. Today was the day that marked the final battle against the dragon. Kehario looked over at Miyako. She was quietly asleep. The night must have been really long for her.

The movement of the hut entrance startled him slightly, and he looked towards it. Minata walked inside and bowed formally. "Good morning, Kehario. I trust that you have slept well," She said, politely as she raised up straight. Kehario nodded in response. "Yes, I have rested well. It also seems that Miyako has rested peacefully as well. Forgive her for the way she has been acting, she had been through much since our travels together. Do not think Ill of her, priestess." The priestess only nodded her head and smiled, "I do not think less of her, Kehario. I understand what has befallen her physically, mentally and spiritually."

Kehario turned to her. "Thank you, priestess."
 
Miyako had not slept well at all. She had as silently as she could tossed and turned, watching Kehario from her side of the hut with a mix of longing and worry. It wasn't until almost the middle of the night that she'd fallen asleep, begging the gods for Kehario's life to be spared the next day during their fight. She heard the horn calling those to wakefulness and had slowly let her senses spread out around her to see if Kehario had left to see that priestess again. She'd been about to turn over and beckon Kehario to her for one last kiss before getting up when she heard the Priestess enter the hut.

Miyako calmed her nerves as she heard Kehario speak so on her behalf. As if that priestess knew what it was like to have her virginity take and then have the man that took it return with another woman--even if that woman was a priestess. Miyako pushed herself quickly to her feet, grabbing her pack and leaving the hut without a word to either of them, going in search of some place to wash without having Kehario or the Priestess talking. She found the girl that had fluttered over her well being and let her show her to a bath house where she curled up in the water as her heart started to crack. She knew that Kehario wouldn't have returned the night before if he had had any intention of just leaving her after taking her maiden hood, but a part of her couldn't shake the feeling that she was about to loose Kehario somehow.

The girl that had fluttered listened to the crying from the private room she'd shown Miyako to before running to slip into the hut next to the priestess, "My lady, I believe the woman warrior needs to be consoled. She is sobbing in the bath as if someone has died," she said, her voice soft, but audible for anyone close to hear. "She will not be able to fight if she is in such a state."
 
Kehario was lead to the menn's bath house shortly after Miyako left. He followed the tall, broad shouldered man without a word. He was in deep thought about Miyako, when they made love and the final battle they were about to engage in with the beast. He walked inside the room and could see an exchange of clothes placed neatly on a mat to his left. The man nodded to him and closed the door, and then left. Kehario undressed and stepped under the shower and turned it on. The water was cold, but slowly warmed up. He closed his eyes and lifted his head as he thought of that night of love making once more.

She was now his and he was now hers. They had a bond that was like no other. In a moments time, the beast flashed in his thoughts. He could see it lingering above Miyako, as she laid helplessly on her stomach. She was reaching out to him and he could see himself from a first person perspective. He was reaching out to her, only to see her squished under one of the beast's feet. He blood snaked towards him and puddled under his knees as the tears formed in his eyes. He looked down at the blood, then back at Miyako's crushed remains. Just as he looked back up, the beast was lingering above him. It peered down at him and opened his mouth.

Kehario was frozen in fear and shock, as a barrage of fire sprayed down on him, but he opened his eyes and stared blankly at the wall as the water ran down his body. He leaned his head against the wall underneath the shower head and looked down at the floor. "This is no time to loose my nerves. I have to get it together," he said, before finishing his shower and getting dressed. He grasped his sword tightly and walked out the shower room. He sighed a bit and cleared all his thoughts. After he was outside, he made his way to the center of the village to wait for Minat and Miyako, looking down at his sword.
 
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Miyako stared across from her as she cried as the worst case scenerio's played through her mind. Slowly she pushed herself from the bath after she'd finally pushed aside the thoughts. She opened her packs and took out a piece of clothing that she'd kept hidden at the bottom of her pack to keep it clean. Much like a ninja's outfit, there was a form fitting pair of pants and a shirt. On top of that pieces of dark green armor splayed over the most vital parts of her body. She pulled her hair back and braided it so that it would stay out of her way before she pinned it back.

She paused as she looked at the bow that she'd been given. She knelt in front of it and reached out, her fingers stopping a few inches from it. Was she worth it? Could she really be the woman that the ancient one's believed she'd be? Taking the bow in her hand she looked at it with the look of a woman that was dedicating herself to something that she would never return from.

She pulled her quiver of arrows over her her head, getting it into position before picking up her pack. At the last moment she stopped and pulled out a pendant with her families symbol, a bowman with an unstrung bow, out of her pack. She then stepped out, the pendant in hand as she joined Kehario in the middle of the village. She didn't speak as she stepped up to him and lifted the pendant up and pulled it over his head. Her gaze was on it rather than on his face.

"I have treated you and the person you trust wrongly," Miyako whispered. "For that I seek your forgiveness and ask that you return this to my family after we beat the dragon if I should not make it. Or, better yet, if you would keep it upon your person as a reminder of our night together. The better parts of the night I mean." She looked slowly up into his gaze before leaning in to give him one last, tender kiss.
 
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Kehario placed his hands on Miyako's shoulders and gazed into her eyes. He was both concerned and worried about her. The way that she was thinking now would be her downfall. There was a moments silence from him before he placed his right hand under her chin and raised it slowly. His lips were placed gently on hers and he kissed her for a few moments. When he broke it, he grasped her hand which held the bow. "Listen to me, Miyako. We will survive this. We both need to stay focused and keep our minds cleared of negativity. You also do not have to apologize for being cold towards Minata. I understand completely." He said softly.

In the heat of the moment, Minata walked in. "Let us begin your journey."


 
Miyako had one last piercing thought about throwing a dagger at the woman that seemed to show up each time they wanted to have a romantic alone moment but then stopped and gave a soft sigh as she leaned against Kehario for only a moment as if she was seeking his comfort before she stepped back. "Whatever you think is best Priestess," she said as she picked up her pack against, looking at the priestess with dedicated eyes. She did not trust the woman, but she could at least be dedicated to killing the damned demon that had created so much evil in the world. "But may I first offer my apologies? I was not thinking straight last night, and for that I want to apologize for my rude behavior." She would not go into battle with worry at insulting a woman that could easily have blown her to bits if she was such a powerful priestess.
 
Minata smiled and bowed. "There is no worries, Miyako. I understand completely," She said, knowing why Miyako acted the way she did. The way she was always close to Kehario told her from the beginning. "For now, let us get going. I will open the portal that will lead you to the path of the beast. Please follow me," Minata said as she exited the hut. Kehario looked down at Miyako and smiled once again, and then turned to face her. He tight new sword to his back and then grasped Miyako's face in his palms. His thumbs slid gently across her cheeks gently. "Miyako, please do not worry so much." He said before kissing her lips gently. When he broke it, he tucked her hair behind her ears, and then kissed her forehead.

Kehario lowered his hands from her face, before he turned away. He walkd towards the entrance and stopped, then looked back at Miyako. "Lets make this land safe once more, Miyako." He said, with a look of seriousness in his eyes.
 
Miyako's grip on the pack tightened and she fell into step with Kehario, the emotions in her face sliding away until she had the same look on her face as she'd had the other day when fighting the demon in the other town. It was bland, serious, focused. She wanted nothing to distract her during the fighting. She wondered for a moment if the path this woman was putting them on was far from the demon and if they would need food for their travels before she put it out of her mind. She needed to focus. How many times had she done this before a fight? Worry about what she had and didn't have and if they'd (herself and whoever she was with at the time) had everything? More than she liked to remember.

Sighing she stepped near to Kehario, her energy rippling at the closeness as she felt people staring at them from inside their homes. Her eyes flicked around and saw eyes everywhere before she looked up at the sky and murmured a small prayer for these people. They had harbored them and protected them while Miyako was lovesick and wounded. They did not deserve any ill and she hoped her prayer would convey that to the powers that let one town be destroyed but another left alone. "Kehario, how are we going to do this?" she asked, always the strategist.
 
Kehario gripped the sword tightly as he walked outside with Miyako. Minata had lead the way for them into the center of town. "We will have to be careful and not attack it head-on. If we are careless and let our guards down for a second, it may be the end of us." Minata turned her back to them and laced her fingers together across her chest. She began chanting for a moment, followed by a soft song that brought the villagers out of their huts. Even Kehario himself seemed engulfed in the priestess's song. A bright light began to form under Kehario and Miyako's feet. It slowly rose up and began surrounding them, while Minata sung a little louder. Kehario looked around him in surprise and gasped slightly. He gripped his sword tightly and then pulled Miyako close. "Stay close to me, Miyako."

He didn't want to risk getting separated, if they were being sent to the beast lair. The villagers watched in awe as the two slowly disappeared with each second. Kehario looked down at Miyako, hoping that she was doing fine for the moment.
 
Miyako was looking around wildly, trying to figure out what the light was doing before Kehario pulled her against him. She looked up as her hand instinctively clutched his shirt. "I wouldn't ever think of doing anything else," she told him before she looked gasped. Above them the sky was changing. Well not really the sky but the surrounding features. Trees that had surrounded the village had wavered in and out of sight as they were transported to where they needed to go. She gasped as something in her stomach flopped and she hid her face in Kehario's chest as a wave of dizziness slammed into her. She didn't know what it was, but she didn't like it. She began to murmur prayers for safe travel.
 
It was only a few more moments when Kehario and Miyako were transported. The light faded and they were dead center in front of the cave of the beast. Miyako had leaned against him and he quickly caught her in his arms. The village soon disappeared from their view as they vanished in a flashing light that faded away to nothingness. "May the gods watch over you, warriors." Minata said softly. Kehario and Miyako were teleported in front of a long path. The enviornment was somewhat different from the natural green that he always saw. It was masked with image of night all the time, although it was day out. There were pits of fire that scattered around the ground in tiny cracks, covered by bits of rock. Ahead, at the very top of of the path, a mountain could be seen.

It was most likely the protective shield to the entrance of the cave. There was no life around, only fire, jagged rocks, and now that he looked around, the path was very narrow. There was a wall on both sides of them. Kehario took a deep breathe before looking at Miyako, "Miyako, can you stand?" He asked softly.
 
Miyako only opened her eyes when she felt the flopping of her stomach stop. The prayers stopped on her lips as she looked up and around at the place that they were at. Slightly pale from the experience, she greatly hoped that they would not have to do a revisit of such a thing and be allowed to walk back home after defeating the beast. "I-I'll be fine," she said, stepping back to lean back against one of the walls enclosing them. "I told you there was a reason I didn't like that woman. Anyone that sends people to fight dragons like that is insane." She said this in an effort to sound joking, relaxed while she trembled a little from the effects of the traveling. She took a few deep breaths as she studied the landscape. Well there wasn't much for her to hide behind to get a good clean shot at the Demon. The strategist in her didn't like it, didn't like it one bit.
 
He chuckled slightly at her remark. It was good to see that she had recovered quickly from her shock so quickly. He removed a strand of hair from her eyes and gave her a brief smile. Now was not the time to be passionate, but he still took a few moments to show her that it would be alright, even in the face of danger. The ground beneath their feet began to shake and a mighty roar from the beast echoed. Lava shot up from various cracks around them. They were lucky that no lava rose up from the spot where they stood. It felt like the path was ripping apart, even though there were no signs. He took a deep breathe when the shaking stopped. A single bead of sweat formed on his right tempo as he gritted his teeth. It felt like his body was hit with some sort of energy. Right then and there, he knew that this would be an intense fight.

He looked down at Miyako, hiding his uneasy look with a more serious one, "This will be a very tough fight for us. We cannot afford to mess up."
 
((I am so sorry it has taken me so long to reply. >< I've been going through a bit of stuff.))

Miyako put her pack on the ground behind a small rock and pulled out two rags. She tied one around her wrist and offered the other to him. "Just in case you need to tie something off, you won't need to worry about ripping your shirt and taking time that way," she informed him before settling her quiver on her back more secure and reached back to grab and arrow to make sure it was within easy reach. She looked at her pack where it sat and then turned away, leaving it. She didn't need more to carry with her. She would have to be fast, determined, focused.

"Shall we split and take it from both sides, then? It can only focus on one of us at a time, and I can draw it's attention with my arrows," she said, standing straight as she strung her bow, readying for the fight that was to come. She said silent prayers to the gods for guidance and for Kehario's safe delivery through the fight as she rolled her shoulders and got comfortable in the clothes, knowing just how they would delay her movements.
 
(Its no problem at all.)

​There was still that shaky feeling dep inside Kehario. He wasn't sure about whether they should head to the cave now or wait a few moments. After all, Miyako looked as if she wasn't ready to move. He only sighed after a few moments when she readied her weapon. She had finally recovered and he smiled at her before reaching for the hilt of his blade. "Splitting up could cause issues. We need to think of a plan. Though yours sounds good, splitting up may cause other issues as well. But, we also cannot attack it head on. Now, he thought back about the scale that Miyako had picked up.

He looked at the caves entrance for a moment, then said," Miyako, do you still have that colored scale?"
 
Miyako blinked and knelt again by her bag and pulled the shiny thing out before rising and holding it out. She examined it with a frown. It felt heavier than it had before, though still shined brightly. "I don't throw pretty things away for the most part," she teased him gently before looking up at the cave entrance. "But if we attack this thing head on with the both of us we'll be easy targets to pick off. If we come at it from two sides it'll have to choose one of us to fight off first. It's riskier and one of us'll get hurt probably, but it would give the other person a chance to get in and kill it as well."
 
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