The mortals who the White Dragon was visiting witness what happen and the men go after the Samurai whilst the women rase the alarm.
Yūrei, Chūnfēng and Zhìhuì all dash over to hear Xuě yuè is sound asleep. The Dreamer quickly realises he has been put under a spell and places his hand to the Dragon’s nose. “It is nothing more than a crud, simple… very simple sleeping spell,” he tells the others and begins to chant.
The Great Warrior and Elemental are relieved when Xuě yuè’s eye begins to open and the Dreamer says, “Easy, you might feel a little—”
“Groggy,” blurts the White Dragon with a sigh.
“You took the words right out of my mouth. It is one of the reason this kind of sleeping spell is no longer used,” explains Zhìhuì whilst stroking the Dragon’s nose. “It should wear off in a moment.”
Xuě yuè inhales and breathes out slowly. “Thank you for awaking me.”
“Think nothing of it, it is what us Dreamers do. I guess the reason our mystery Samurai inflicted it on you, is because it is fast acting and like I have already mentioned not a well known spell theses days.”
“Mother, are you suggesting he could have remind asleep?”
Zhìhuì shakes his head. “No, like with all spells it would have broken in the end. If I recall correctly this would have lasted around a year.”
Xuě yuè rests his chin upon his left forearm and questions, “Why did he want me out of the way? Before he did it he asked if I was friends with Yūrei Samurai not King Mèngjiàn.”
The Masked Warrior folds his arms and states, “That is exactly what the Siren called me. It goes to show this Lost King only knows about me since I became the legendary Samurai. Did he target this town to show off his power or to just get my attention?”
“I would say both,” expresses Chūnfēng slightly raising his left hand. “If I recall non of your kind can create an ice producing crystal, or am I wrong?”
The Dreamer starts to chuckle and pats his son’s hand. “I like the way you look to me for answers. No, no Eternal is capable of that. I would say that is more an Elemental thing, isn’t it?”
Chūnfēng plays around and answers in a sarcastic manner, “Yes, it is second nature to us.”
They all laugh and Xuě yuè points out, “A crystal like that must have come from an Ice Dragon. Then that begs the question, how on earth did that Samurai get it here without being frozen to death?”
The Masked Warrior rubs his hands together. “Good question… All that comes to my mind is he might have an Ice Dragon as a pet, if that is even possible?”
“Let’s not rule it out, son.” Zhìhuì places his hands behind his back and starts to rises and fall on to his tiptoes. “Think about it, we are winning, so this is making him retest the water to see what, we as a team can do without the Soul Drinkers, because he is afraid of them taking his soul.”
“He is an Eternal who has had a run in with a Soul Drinker… Tenjō.”
“Go to him, son, make sure he is all right.”
“I’ll go with him.”
“Bless you, Chūnfēng. Be careful and stay together.”
“Yes, Mother,” answers the Great Warrior opening a portal to a coastal town.
✫✫✫
An ice cold wind is coming up from the sea and fresh snow is drifting down as they make their way up the hill to the Soul Drinker’s home. The king knocks on the door which a moment slides open and they hear Tenjō call, “Come in.”
Yūrei and Chūnfēng take moment in the hallway to slip off their boots and make their way down the corridor to find Tenjō in the kitchen preparing a meal. “This is unexpected,” he says placing two cups down on the table.
The Great Warrior gives him a hug. “I am just pleased to see you are all right.”
Tenjō does not know how to react and asks, “I take this as a sign something has happened?”
The Elemental goes on to tell him everything that has tuck place so far making the Soul Drinker frown and stare for a moment into the king’s eyes.
“You really are clueless,” he says a moment later and gently pats the side of his friend’s neck. “I think this all began before you became an honorary member of the Ogawa family. It was autumn and the leaves were changing to shades of red and golden. We were in the Golden Forest with those feather like leaves falling all round us and the light was beginning to fade. When from out of the shadows loomed a Whisper in the form of a huge Samurai and standing between his feet was his master Seong-yeog; otherwise known as the Lost King. I thought we were in for a battle and we did stand there with our hands poised to draw our Katanas. Thankfully the wind began to destroy the Whisper and the moment I placed myself in front of you the Lost King vanished.”
“Why do I not remember any of that? Why were we in the Golden Forest?”
“According to my journal we were getting rid of Pixies. I’m afraid I neglected to write what spices they were. However, once I had read more I soon established we were dealing with Paranoid Pixies. That is when I started to remember you grumbling the whole time that this is wrong they shouldn’t be here, this has all the implications of a trap. Despite all those alarm bells, Chūnfēng, he still entered the forest and if I had not been with him, he would have been caught a lot sooner.”
The Elemental removes his mask and shakes his head. “Why do you do that throw yourself into danger when you obviously know it is a trap?”
Both gods wait for their king to give them an explanation, they watch his eyes grow wide and presses his lips together for a moment before he answers, “I have no idea.”
“That is not much of an answer,” declares Tenjō looking to the Conjurer who is nodding in agreement. “Wait, you did not come to hear about our past adventures. What drove you to come and make sure I was all right?”
“Because you are the only Japanese Soul Drinker I know of who has known me since the mortals started to call me Yūrei Samurai.”
“Oh I see, he only knows you by that name… how interesting. You will be then pleased to hear I have not encountered him since that day we faced him in the forest. How do you know when he is around?”
“Golden red leaves that belong to a Forest Pixie with a blue Opal around its neck. He only opened the window and called it in to Einar’s tower,” informs the Elemental folding his arms. “That’s a point how did you know it would come to you?”
The Soul Drunker slaps the king’s arm and tries to sound worried, “What were you thinking calling it to you? Have you seriously lost your mind?”
The Great Warrior runs the fingers of his left through his fringe. “I have to confess that was purely impulse. I just wanted to discover what was controlling the leaves and now we know.”
“Yes, at what cost, Yūrei? That Pixie is going to fly back to its master and tell him exactly where you are, putting your family in danger,” expresses Tenjō slapping the same arm. “What is with you?”
“I blame the Siren that pulled him into a trap,” remarks Chūnfēng. “You really have not been yourself since you have been hearing it.”
“Back up. What Siren? When did this happen?” The Soul Drinker listens to everything that took place at the Lost Tower, then he grabs the front of the Masked Warrior’s robes and pulls him down so he can see into his eyes. “Even tough you are free of it, the hypnotic voice can still control you long afterwards. Your family should have known this? Unless it is only us Light ones that are aware of it?”
Yūrei gets an overwhelming sense that he needs to get away from Tenjō which he finds confusing for he is used to the Soul Drinker’s penetrating his thoughts. He tries to relax but the urge to flee becomes too much and he demands, “Chūnfēng, please pin me down.”
The Conjurer does as his friend asks and a moment later Tenjō places his hands upon the back and front of the king’s head. “Found it,” he says and begins to chant, which makes Yūeri start squirm and groan.
After a few minutes they both flop to the floor panting and the Soul Drinker smiles telling the Elemental he has been successful in removing the strange voice from deep within their friend’s mind.
The Great Warrior sits up like a rag doll and moans, “Ooh I feel sick. I should have tried harder to resist her.”
“I am afraid,” says the Soul Drinker taking another deep breath, “once they have their claws in you, you are unable to resist that…enchanting voice. I know what you need a blocker in the form of a crystal.”
“I was going to say to you, my good friend, go on your instincts as I know you will make sure it does not happen to me again.”
“I like the way he thinks I know what I am doing… I hate to break it to you, I have never done this before.”
“I trust you, Tenjō.”
The Soul Drinker looks to Chūnfēng who smiles and quickly says, “Please do not ask me, for I too have no idea what crystal to use as a block.”
Tenjō slowly stands up and announces, “I will just do as Mèng suggested and go with my instincts. Just do not blame me if it has no effect whatsoever.”
The Masked Warrior flops down on his back and tells him, “Have more faith in yourself.”
The Soul Drinker shakes his head. “Listen to him, this could go all wrong.”
“Really it is going to be fine.”
Tenjō points his hand at the Elemental and orders in a playful way, “Don’t you start.”
“Ooh, why, what are you going to do to me?”
They laugh and the Soul Drinker goes on to take a look at the crystals that lie upon a table near a window. His hand hovers between a piece of Peridot and black Tourmaline. He picks up the small green stone and returns to the king. “Here this is very good at protecting you from spirits and hopefully it will prevent you from hearing the Siren.”
The Great Warrior sees the translucent green stone is sitting within a mesh cage made from red string. “Here I go again questioning why isn’t Einar helping more? I mean surely he could have done this when I was first taken by the Siren, why didn’t he? And I still have that nagging feeling I should not trust him and I have no idea why.”
Chūnfēng pats him on the shoulder and tells him, “Think about it, you only called him friend until you restored time then you remembered Einar was your husband. Even now you are barely with him and you have been spending time uncovering more of Fate’s traps. If you were hopelessly in love with him you would not leave him for days or weeks.”
“You both make a good points and I will add to that, he has to be incredibly powerful in order to willed an Ink Heart, yet I have witnessed he keeps a tight lid on his capabilities. You are right, Yūrei, he should be the one giving to that crystal and not me. Especially when he has that compass.”
“Mother pointed that out when we were in the third tower, I do not believe Einar did not know about the Moonstone that was imbedded in the window frame and what was his true motive for blocking the hole in the shutter? To prevent me from finding out sooner who is after me. He claims his memory has been effect yet he is doing far better than the rest of us.”
“It is Ink Heart,” implies Tenjō, “it will help him to remember, yet he is keeping that from you, right?” The Soul Drinker watches his friend nod. “This could be why you left him because you discovered he could have done more to help you. I think you should confront him.”
“I agree, for it is the only way you are going to uncover the truth. Go, and I will return to Kondō to inform your mother and see how the town is doing.”
The Great Warrior portals back to Tower Island to find the Westerner is cooking the evening meal. “Hungry? I have done you fried rice with vegetables.”
“What is going on with you? Why did you not stop the Siren from taking me again and why are you holding back with your capabilities?”
Einar slightly rises his hands and confesses, “In the Dark Time you became afraid of me, when you saw what I was capable of. You know you cannot trust me to keep a lid on my abilities. The reason I am not helping you much is because the last time I did I almost killed you when I realised at the hidden fort we were in was one of Fate’s traps. I should have realised a lot sooner and got you back. I used my abilities to stop that fort from collapsing to get everyone home because I cannot live in this world without you. I love you even though I let you go because I could see you will always be afraid of me… Afraid of who I am.”
“I do not understand, how could we have had children if I was that afraid of you?”
“We both wanted a family and we did not want to do it on our own. So we both found women who was willing to give us children and we got busy. It helped you to see I would never hurt you or our family. When I children were gone you again became afraid of me and one morning you were gone. I knew in my heart you would come to me when you needed me and I was right. Are you still afraid of me?”
“I do not want to be, because I want to be with you and discover why I fell in love with you. It cannot just be because you are great in bed.”
“No, it is not just that, we have a good bond because we are two enhanced gods who did not ask to be this way.”
The Great Warrior pulls him close and looks into his eyes. “You are right that is what I should remember, you cannot help being the way you are. Without your Ink Heart you would be just another Soul Drinker, Shadow makes you unique.”
“Just like your Ink Summoning abilities make you amazing and different. It is what I love about you, you are not just an Eternal. I want you back in my life and discover you all over again. How you like your meals and how you like to be taken.” The Westerner reaches down and smiles when Yūrei allows him to touch him.
“That feels so right, but I really need to eat and grab some blood.”
“In that case let’s eat and you can have your fill of blood.”
They kiss and settle down to the meal and begin to feel each other under the table, then before they are finished the king picks up the Westerner and takes him upstairs to their room. They help each other to get undressed and start to get intimate when a loud boom comes from outside making the tower shake.
Yūrei stands up and rushes over to a window to see standing in front of the tower is a huge Samurai who is swinging its Katana to hit the tower again. Einar stands up, he crosses his hands and his husband tells him, “Do it, my love, destroy him,” stepping to one side.
The Westerner unleashes a pulse of energy which chops the Whisper cleanly in half and it starts to disintegrate. “Yes, I got him. Where is its master?”
They both take a window each but the Lost King is nowhere to be seen. They hug and Einar notices there is something shining in the snow where the Whisper’s upper body fell. “What is that?” he questions pointing it out to the Masked Warrior.
“I’ll go and find out,” answers the Great Warrior as he puts on his clothes. He gives his husband a hug and a passionate kiss before he leaves. He runs down the stairs, puts on his boots and heads outside. The ice cold air stings his cheeks as he makes his way over the shiny object that is partly submerged in the deep snow. Yūrei pulls his right sleeve over his hand before he picks up the object to discover it is some kind of crystal he has not seen before. He quickly returns to the warmth of the tower to show Einar.
“That is purple Fluorite,” says the Westerner tapping it. “What is a Dreamers crystal doing inside a Whisper?”
“It is a message to tell me he has mother or is going after him.”
“Go and see if he is still at the town you helped… I wish I could come with you.”
“No, that wind is just awful, you will be coughing your heart up. You know in your heart mother is going to fine and so am I.”
They kiss before the Great Warrior portals to Kondō. The left side of the inn has been taken out and in the yard stands a Dreamer along with a man who is dressed as a Samurai warrior.
“How dear you try to use your illusions on me, child! You are going to regret it,” snaps Zhìhuì producing a crystal from his cleavage. He emits a nasty laugh and announces, “Now I will show you what a true illusionist can do!”
Yūrei rushes over to grab hold of the Dreamer’s shoulder. “Mother, you will kill him.”
“No, I am not going to do that. I am just showing him, he picked the wrong Dreamer to mess with. Yes, child, you are witnessing your worst nightmares. You listen to me, fool, come after me or any member of my family again and I will not hesitate to tear your mind apart.”
The Samurai holds his throbbing head and releases a cry of pain.
Zhìhuì stops and orders, “You better heed my warnings, child, this is my son Yūrei Samurai, you will leave him alone otherwise you will be killed by something far worse than me, got it?”
The Samurai slowly gets to his feet and gives a sharp nod before he vanishes.
The Dreamer collapses in to the Masked Warrior’s arm. “Mother?” He calls and gets no response. He carefully picks him up and carries him inside the inn to be greeted by the owner.
“Yūrei, bring your mother in here.”
The room has a lit fire and futon has been placed near it.
“Katashi, take care of him, I am just going to get a Healer.”
“No need for I am here,” calls Guāngxiàn entering the room. “Zhìhuì knew this was going to happen tonight. Be rest assured your mother is fine, however, that man who left has broken ribs. I do not know how Zhìhuì did it, he throw the Lost King through the wall.”
“Oh, Mother you never cease to amaze me. I am pleased to hear you are all right.”
“The reason for the collapse is down to the fact he has not used those abilities in a long time,” explains the Healer, stroking the side of the Dreamer’s face. “I suggest you start explaining who this Lost King is.”
They move into the other room and it is not long before Guāngxiàn is frowning and responds, “Oh him,” with a very disproving expression. “He was locked up a long time ago for his crimes. That Eternal Zhìhuì dealt with was certainly not Seong-yeog. For starters he was way too young and secondly, Zhìhuì would have, I’m afraid to say it, easily been taken down by him.”
“I understand. So we are dealing with his son?”
The Healer nods and places a hand to his abdomen. “Seong-yeog was notorious for plucking young women and as a result the Southern Healers have stated he could have around twenty or more. I am guessing we are dealing with two of Seong-yeog’s children because he cannot be in two places at the same time.”
“I agree with you. Another thing as far as I know illusionists cannot summon Whispers. The one which appeared on Tower Island was not trying to harm us. It was more like a warning to inform us mother was being attacked, because when Einar destroyed it this was inside.” The Great Warrior feels inside the front of hid belt to bring out the purple Fluorite.
“A Dream stone,” gasps Guāngxiàn cupping his hand around the king’s. “That explains why you are here. Show it to your mother now he is beginning to come around.”
Zhìhuì rolls on to his side and slaps his dry lips together. He opens his eyes to see a cup of tea is being offered to him. “Mother, here let me help you sit,” offers Yūrei going on to hold him in his arms. “Try some tea.”
The Dreamer has a sip of the warm, sweet black tea, which helps him to come around. He looks up at his son’s masked face and smiles. “I knew you would come. As you can see I am all right… I am curious to know how you knew the Lost King was here?” Then something cold gets placed in to his hand he looks down. “Ah, that’s how.”
“When Einar used his pulse energy to destroy the Whisper that was lying on the ground. The thing is, Mother, I did not know what it was. Luckily my husband did and I came straight here. How on earth did you throw him through the wall?”
Zhìhuì pats the side of his son’s covered face and grins. “Yes, I am half the size of an Eternal it does not mean I am incapable of using your weight against you. In all honesty I didn’t intend to throw him that hard just enough to make him realise he picked the wrong Dreamer.”
“You certainly did that, Mother. Are you sure you are all right?”
The Dreamer sighs and calls, “Guāngxiàn, sweetie tell him.”
“I have told him, he is just being a worried son,” expresses the Healer patting him on the knee.
“You are just as adorable as your father, any minute now he is going to be gliding through that doorway.” They all turn to face the door and Zhìhuì starts to giggle as Raven appears in the corridor and comes rushing over to them. “Son, Zhìhuì, are you both all right?”
The Dreamer shakes his head and replies in one tone, “We are fine.”
“I am just making sure when both of you encountered an illusionist. Where is Einar?”
“At home, Father, the wind is too icy for him to leave.”
“I told him to come with me to Moon Tower, the air is less harsh there. He refused because he wanted to wait for you. I guess he knew what was going to happen.”
“If he did he kept it to himself.”
Zhìhuì takes hold of his son’s hand. “I cannot believe he is doing it again not telling you what he foresees. This is why you began to not trust him and it was not because you were becoming afraid of his abilities like you did in the Dark Time. You thought once you made him your husband he would open up to you.”
Yūrei shakes his head. “No it is me, I remember now, I told him he did not have to tell me what he foresees. I saw the hit of worry in his eyes when we were escaping the hidden fortress. He was worried that we would not make it again and have to repeat two centuries. Einar used his abilities to keep that place up until we were all out. That is why he was so tired and wheezing.”
“I had forgotten just how powerful he is,” expresses Guāngxiàn. “Just like back then when he used his abilities to perform a big task, his heart starts to beat really slowly his eyes drop to point he looks like he is about to fall asleep. His left hand was down by his hand directed at the floor and I could see energy pouring out of him. Einar did what he had to do to get us out even though he knew it would leave him weak, that is why he is home, I think he is still recovering and that pulse would not have helped.”
Raven grips his son’s arm. “Go, if he needs help bring him here.”
“I will do, Father,” answers the Great Warrior, giving parents in turn a hug before he portals home only to discover a barrier has been placed around the tower. The Masked Warrior hits it to try and get his husband’s attention but the barrier remains. This makes him return to his parents to inform them and Raven travels back with him.
The elder Soul Drinker places a scarf over his mouth and nose before he collapses the barrier and they both make their way inside to find Einar collapsed on the floor. Yūrei can hear his father is struggling to breath because of the icy air coming off the sea, he quickly wraps his husband in a thick blanket and they return to the inn so Guāngxiàn can help the Westerner.
The Healer discovers Einar is holding on to a crystal, he gently takes it from his hand and hands it to Raven. “Ah, that is how he put the barrier up, it is a protection stone,” he explains, handing it to his son.
The Great Warrior strokes Einar’s head. “You need to start to open up to me and tell me when you are weak.”
Zhìhuì notices the Healer has placed his hand to the black pouch that is always attached to his son-in-law’s belt. “Is something wrong with Shadow?”
“No, he is quite all right, he is just a sleep. That is what we all need to do. Mèng, make sure he rests and just call me if you need any help.”
Raven gives his son a kiss on the forehead and the Dreamer gives them both a hug. “Night you two,” he whispers and walks out of the room.
The elder Soul Drinker helps the Healer to rise and they also leave the room.
Yūrei gets undressed and settles down beside Einar and slowly drifts off to sleep. It is early morning when the king awakens needing blood. He rolls on to his back and hears his husband whisper, “Go, before you bite me.”
The Great Warrior rolls over to face him and they kiss. “Why did you not tell me?”
“Because it will only make you worry about me. Another thing, I had no idea that we were going to have a Whisper knocking on the tower. Nor did I know mother was in danger. Is he all right?” When the Masked Warrior tells him what their mother did even Einar is surprised to hear he was able to throw an Eternal through a wall. “He really is amazing.”
“He sure is. I will not be long—”
“You will be gone for a while, the mapmaker he needs to see you. I am not going to spoil it for you.”
“What you saying, that someone has left us a map?”
The Westerner pretends to seal his lips and smiles. Yūrei gives him a kiss and then gets dressed and portals to the town. Harumi has a nice cup of fresh pig’s blood ready to be warmed on the fire.
“Morning, your highness,” sings the butcher as he comes in from the back holding a chicken.
“Morning, Harumi, I see you caught your breakfast.”
They laugh and the butcher lays the bird on the counter. “This is one of my best birds for Lord Hanzō, his wife should be here in a moment to pick it up.”
“Oh, she did not want you to pluck it?”
“No, she asked for it to be whole for the Lord wants the feathers for arrows and she has a pillow that needs a bit more stuffing.”
“Ah, I see.”
The door slides open and a cold Watanabe Mitsuaki comes stepping inside. “Yūrei, thank goodness I caught you. You are not going to believe what I found this morning in the shop.”
“Someone left you a map?”
The young man looks up at him a little baffled. “More like made one. Wait, how did you know it was map?”
“Sorry Einar, my husband told me I would be seeing you this morning. So, come, let’s take a look a this map.”
They both make their way outside across the deserted marketplace to enter the mapmaker’s warm shop. “It is in the back,” he says leading the way. “Check this out.”
Upon the table in the middle of the room is a model of a forest made up of golden trees with a town on the outskirts and right at the heart of the forest is temple.
“Golden Forest,” whispers Yūrei taking a closer look.
ns 18.68.41.175da2
