Yūrei takes a seat beside him and questions, “You know who I am on about?”
The Elemental is a little confused and seems to ask himself, “Why did I just say that?”
“I do not think I have ever heard you sound so baffled. Let me guess it is a god posing as one of your kind?”
“I… I honestly do not know. Yet I feel like we have been down this route before… I am sure it was your husband last time who was warning us about the thing that lurks in the shadows.”
The Great Warrior rises and questions, “Do we succeed in discovering what it is?”
Chūnfēng slightly raises his left hand and emits a soft, “Hmm?”
“Let me guess you have no idea?”
“I… I only remember the warning. This what we are doing now is new. I do not remember discussing it with you before. I can tell you are more confused. You do not even remember the warning do you?”
The Masked Warrior crouches and shakes his head. “No, I do not recall the girl that is this things helper and that, whatever this thing that lurks in the shadows is Fate’s master. You seem to be implying I ignore the warning and just throw myself in to danger.”
The Conjurer adjusts his mask and ponders, “No, it is more like you are lead in to danger. I think it might be the girl with the mark that leads you to her master… to your end… hold on, we never had this conversation.”
“You’ve said that… oh, the thing that lurks in the shadows kills me. I know Death will not let me die so we are thrown in to a loop. A loop which Chaos has stopped, because he is wanting it to end. Death warned me the remaining traps are not so easy to see. Could they be the girl and the shadow?”
The Elemental rises and states, “Fate’s traps do seem to be the key to unlocking everything. Could that be why his master is after you? Because you got his fateful lapdog imprisoned? Or undoing the remaining traps leads you to the master? Wait, think back you used an age old bracelet to open a door. Why did Fate lay a trap in that tower?”
Yūrei rises and utters, “The Lost Tower.”
“When did Einar say it was built?”
“Between the Battle of the Black Birds and the Dark Time… No shield or barrier could last that long. Yet there was and my husband told me I took it down. How when I was in a trance?”
“He told me it was an Eternal barrier… you are right, the moment you placed your hand to it, it popped. It was set up to disappear the moment you came in to contact with it. It must be one of your many incantations or your—”
“Nichibotsu,” says the king, placing his right hand to the left side of his chest. “It was her who stopped me from opening the box. Why did she not prevent the voice from leading in to the tower?”
“You are right, it does seem a bit strange when we were unable to stop you. Everything spell your mother and I did to stop you broke in a matter of seconds. Only when you were inches from opening the box Nichibotsu jumped in. Why did she take so long to—”
“The voice was a woman’s and I get the feeling I have heard it before. A voice being carried on the wind, drawing me in to danger. That is how I am lead to the thing that lurks in the shadows. Wait, the door to the Lost Tower is still open, right?” Yūrei watches Chūnfēng nod, this makes him open a portal to the Gate Guardian domain and steps through. He runs down to the open gate and Xiàjì comes rising out of the shadows.
“Just what are you up to, Eternal?”
“Answers,” replies Yūrei pointing his hand at the lonely tower. “Why was I drawn to it? Why was I pulled in by a woman’s voice? Why did the barrier fall the moment I touched it?”
“You are right and I will add to that, why was this gate left open?”
“The key is fused in the lock why has no Soul Drinker sorted it?”
“Or Elemental,” implies Chūnfēng trotting over to them, “after all we did build some of the gates. If you plan to go to that tower, my good friend, then I am coming too, in case you are once again thrown in to a trance.”
The Masked Warrior rests his hands upon his waist. “Hopefully not. The question I would like to ask, does it feel like we have done this before?”
The Conjurer shakes his head. “No, I am not getting that vibe.”
The Gate Guardian folds his arms and implies, “If you are trying to work out why Fate left a trap in such a place, and why you were lead there I cannot see the answers you are seeking being here.”
“No, the answers are within the barrier that was around the tower. Who has been maintaining it all this time?”
Xiàjì lowers himself so his face is level with the tiny gods. “I have not seen anyone maintaining that barrier. I was not even aware of its presents until the handsome Soul Drinker mentioned it after he used that device of his.”
“He used his compass?”
“Yes, he sent the stone through and then got out his compass and told us about the barrier… an Eternal barrier. None of your kind can sneak past us, only Soul Drinkers.”
“Unless the Eternal used a Soul Drinker’s door or gate to reach this tower.”
“You could be right, Ink Summoner. I say be careful you could be placing yourself in danger again.”
Yūrei steps through the gate and listens to the wind howling around the old tower. “No voice on the wind this time,” he says with an uncertain laugh.
Chūnfēng places a hand to his chest. “I will do my best to protect him.”
“I know you will, Elemental, still be careful.”
The Conjurer gives a sharp nod, then joins his friend who is still staring at the tower. “It really is in the middle of nowhere.”
“My race abandoned the bracelets and fled far and wide. It is not just to escape Fate and prevent him from taking them down. Yet some of my family became imprisoned and the only reason they survived is because Chaos turned back the Sands of Time… which he has done before.”
The Eternal is trying to understand his good friend’s ramblings. “Wait, is there not a higher gods in charge of the Sands of Time? Yet Chaos was able to go in and turn them back two centuries and Death is implying it is not the first time he has done it. How many times has he made us repeat two centuries in order to save your life?”
“Yes, there are higher gods and it is them who is playing with us, why else would they allow Chaos to turn back time as many times as needed. Yet neither you nor my husband prevented me coming here and get thrown in to a trance.”
Chūnfēng grabs hold of his friend’s shoulders and gives him a soft shake. “That is because when that happened there was no feeling we had been through this before. It is Einar who knows about this place from stories and pictures. The trap was meant for him not you… someone changed it.”
“Chaos,” whispers Yūrei almost as if he was saying to himself. Then he turns to face his friend and continues in his normal voice, “It is something he said when he came to claim Fate’s last daughter, nothing can exist without him. So, I am guessing he has been changing things to prevent my husband and I from being trapped. He knew my Ink Dragon would eventually kick in and knock me out, because my husband does not have the same protection as I do. So, does Death’s warning mean Chaos cannot intervene with the last two?”
“Because they have never happened. You never got your family home. I was sitting in that room alone because that is what I am releasing. Nor do I remember going through the gate Einar built and unlocked.”
The Great Warrior crouches down and begins to draw in the snow. “I do not remember any of it. In truth he is a stranger to me and you are the only one apart from Death who seem real.”
“That would be my fault,” comes a soft voice from the open doorway.
“Chaos, how long have you been there?”
“Long enough, Ink Summoner.” Chaos comes stepping out of the shadows. “I knew you both would start figuring it out, what happened, and what didn’t happen. I might as well tell you, first time I turned back the sands was to stop you, Mèng, from being caught by that voice which is after you. Second time was because you all died in the fortress as it began to collapse. I cannot allow you, the last of the true Eternals to die. I need you to draw out the thing that lurks in the shadows, so I can finally find out who is the real culprit, for it is certainly not Fate.”
“Hold on, are you implying the trap I am placed in no one can undo it?” Yūrei takes Chaos’ silence as a yes. “Ah, I see.”
“You did not heed their warnings to stay away from the shadows, thus you were caught and pulled in to a domain which I nor Death can reach. I could not allow that to happen when this world needs you… Well, more like Death and I need you. You represent us… you bring order to chaos and you can prevent death from occurring. It is why Death considers you his son. You have to understand, Mèng, I am not responsible for the chaos which happens in this fragile world. It is the mortals themselves who cause it when they turn on one another over land, religion, power. Mortals are greedy, pathetic creatures, which this world could do without. Then us god would be without the best entertainment. They are nothing more than pawns to us.”
The Great Warrior emits a soft chuckle. “You are right we would be board if we did not have mortals to play with. Chaos, answer me this, is Einar really my husband and do we have children?”
The higher god puffs his cheeks and a moment later releases the air which almost sounds like a sigh. “You did love him once a long time ago and together you had twelve children. Once all the children were grown up and had their own lives you and Einar drifted apart. He eventually returned to his tower and you returned to the castle and started to spend more time with your mortal family. I put you two back together to try and rekindle that lost love as you are meant to be together in order for the protection to work.”
“What protection?” Chūnfēng questions looking to his friend who is just as confused as he is.
“Love, is the greatest protection of all,” responds Chaos clutching his hands to his slightly exposed chest. “I remembered how they were during the Dark Time. They really supported each other through it and that is what I wanted to see again and I am glad to see my plan is beginning to work… well, I thought it was.”
“I guess reliving things for a second time has taken its toll on me,” informs the king rising. “I do feel something for him… yet I know I am in love with Haruki.”
“Well, of course, you made him your queen. Oh I really have made a mess this time. Yuki Castle was not meant to fall again and nor were you meant to be training a replacement. You are king and Haruki is meant to be by your side as queen. It was you who awaken one morning and decided to throw in the towel and return to your mortal family and allow your queen to remain at his establishment. I know it was that voice you keep hearing that made you change and it has happened again since you have heard it. Why is not a single one of your protection spells preventing it from controlling you?”
“I have to admit you have been a little different… you seem distant yet at the same time you are wanting to uncover everything. Almost like there is a hidden drive pushing you to uncover all of Fate’s traps.” The Eternal grabs hold of his friend’s chin. “You know you have not found the lost king why else are we back here, catching a chill?”
“This is were Death revealed Fate has laid out five traps and it was… I think the voice is what stopped me or awaken Nichibotsu. This is why I change because the Ink Dragon is awake,” explains Yūrei a little baffled to heard himself speak it. “Why did I just say that?”
Chaos points his hand at the Elemental. “You undo all the blocks, right?”
“Yes, and his mother did the one within his mind.”
The higher god begins to laugh and explains, “She is not awaking, like a living creature that has been asleep for a long time. It is the way your mind is connected to the Ink Dragon, which occurred whilst you are still within your mother. All your marks are linked to that tattoo because your father made sure you gain everything. This is why your bound with that tattoo is so strong because he did things he should never have done. Yet I would do the same if you were my son. The other reason you are feeling more yourself and awake is because you held your Black Katana, which your father gave you as an extenuation to the Ink Dragon.”
The Masked Warrior pulls out the Katana and expresses, “This is just normal sword where the Black Katana is covered in incantations. She is still with Chief Hashim.”
“I suggest you retrieve her before you are pulled in to another trap,” suggests Chao as he sinks back in to the shadows. “Do not say I did not warn you.”
“I will not,” calls Yūrei in the hope he heard him. “I am yet to see my mother… could it be her voice which I am hearing?”
“I cannot help you when I heard no voice within your mind. It was Raven and Einar who heard it. Think about it you are in the process of getting to know your true parents. Yet instead of doing that you are here in the freezing cold trying to work out why you were drawn to this place and if it was your mother’s voice, why was she leading you to a trap? Please can we think about it someplace warmer?”
The Great Warrior wanders over to the gate and asks, “Are you able to release the key?”
Chūnfēng blows in to his hands to warm them before he holds out the left one and his eyes partly close. The key begins to move within the socket making it shatter and the gate closes with a rush that knocks them over.
“Oops I did not mean for that to happen.”
“Do not worry about it, it was an old key, I am amazed it… Yes, I hear you.”
The Conjurer quickly takes hold of the Ink Summoner’s hand and pulls back the sleeve to find the bracelet key, only to discover he is not willing to let him have it. “Mèngjiàn, stop! Do not follow that voice. Give me the bracelet.”
Yūrei Samurai does not hear him, he carries on walking towards the entrance of the tower. All his friend can do is follow him and try to get him to snap out of it. “Mèngjiàn, listen to me, this is not normal. Stop!” The Great Warrior just carries on to over to the centre of the hallway.
“Yes, I am here,” says Yūrei in a sleepy voice. Then he draws the Katana and Tanto and drops them. “I have no other weapons… my friend will not harm you… who are you? Why do you want me?” He listens to the voice telling him to not listen to Chūnfēng and only follow it. The woman keeps telling him to come to her and he continues on up the steps to the first floor.
“Come. Come to me, Mèngjiàn. All the answers you seek are within this room.” The voice is becoming stronger. Who does this strange voice belong to?
The room is completely empty, the floorboards creak as the Elemental makes his way across to stand in the centre. It is when the Elemental notices under the dust is an incantation. He quickly uses his abilities to uncover it and calls, “Mèngjiàn, get off that.” But it is too late and king is vanishes. “No, you idiot! Why did you do that?” Chūnfēng quickly opens a portal to Tower Island and beings to call, “Einar! Please be here.”
A door to the second tower opens and some butterflies surround the Elemental’s head and return to the tower. Chūnfēng quickly follows them to hear the Westerner call, “I am upstairs, keep following the butterflies.”
The Conjurer does as he is told to find Einar is within his library studying a at a map. When he tells him what has happened to Mèngjiàn the Soul Drinker gives him a hug. “Thank you for being with him. Why did he go back there?”
“Answers to a lot of why questions. It is my fault I made him remember he was yet to really explore the Lost Tower.”
“No, it is not your fault when it is clear you both were pulled there to meet Chaos. It is him who is pulling all our strings and making us do odd things. Did my husband this time say who the voice belonged to?”
“He thinks it is his mother, which I know is impossible when he has never met her.”
“Right, I will go to his parents. I mean his real dads and could you grab Raven and Zhìhuì?”
“And his Black Katana.”
Einar blinks his eyes and questions, “Why do you need that?”
The Elemental removes his mask and emits and angry cry. “I am an idiot. Chaos was warning him, he needed it but it is still with the Sword smith.”
“Chief Hashim… no, he is a Murakami, he will not just give the Katana to just anyone. That is why my husband gave it to him because he knows he follows the rules of an honourable swords smith.”
“Ah, what if I explained to him without it we will never see our king again.”
“Hmm, that might work. It is worth a shot. All right, I go to the First City and we will meet back here.”
Chūnfēng nods and opens a portal to Moon Tower and steps through. He quickly trots over to the door and knocks on it. A few minutes later it opens and Raven’s voices comes from inside, “Come in Chūnfēng.”
The Elemental stomps the snow from his boots and steps inside to see Raven is on the landing above looking down at him. He goes on to tell him what has happened to his son which brings the Soul Drinker down to him. “You, my boy, are not to blame for this. Mèng has a dreadful habit of not reading between the lines. It is why he needs us to point it out to him.”
“I am meant to be his conscience, yet I felt nothing even when I got him to remember the place.”
Raven gives him a hug. “It is not your fault. You are not going foresee everything or sense it. I am just glad you were able to get back to tell us. I tell you now his mother is going to kill him.” He opens a portal to a well decorated hallway and calls, “Zhìhuì, our son is in trouble.”
A door in the poky corridor opens and the Dreamer comes storming down to the portal. “Let me guess he followed the voice?” He watches the Conjurer nod and begin to look quite worried. “Son, this is not your fault.” Zhìhuì puts on a pair of boots and slips on a thick coat before joining them. “Right, where next, my boy?”
Chūnfēng rubs the side of his neck. “I need to somehow collect the Black Katana from Chief Hashim.”
“Ah, good luck. We will see you back at Tower Island,” says Raven opening a portal.
The Dreamer takes hold of the Elemental’s hand. “Be honest with him and you should be fine.”
“Thanks for the tip.” Chūnfēng puts on his mask before he returns to the mortal town and makes his way over to the Swords smith home. It is his daughter who answers the door. “Why good afternoon,” releasing the Elemental does not know Japanese, so she repeats her greeting in Chinese.
“Is your father home?”
“Yes, follow me.”
The Conjurer follows the young lady down the covered walkway and over to large building. “Father, the Elemental is here to see you.”
Chief Hashim bows to the god. “How may I help you, my lord?”
When Chūnfēng explains what has happened to the king the mortals gasp in shock and the Swords smith walks over to the table to pick up the Katana laying it across his palms. “Take this to him, for she is all finished.”
The god bows and lifts the Katana from the mortal’s hands. “Thank you.”
The mortals bow again and watch him disappear through a portal. Einar has managed to find King Jīngyì and King Yǔmáo who are clearly keen to return to the Lost Tower. They wait for the Elemental to use his skills to reopen the portal he used to get to Tower Island and step through.
Zhìhuì takes hold of both Soul Drinker’s hands. “I will help them to find him and bring him back. Chūnfēng, are you ready, lad?”
“I am,” he answers giving them a reassuring nod.
The Dreamer takes hold of his hand and they both step through to join the others in the room where Mèngjiàn disappeared.
“What we can gather,” informs the elder Elemental crouching down beside the incantation, “it is some kind of door. The only problem we have no idea where.”
Black mist begins to surround Yǔmáo and out of it steps his minions and they all begin to chant for Death.
“Ooh they are so adorable,” says the grim reaper as he comes emerging from the shadows. “It is such a shame I am unable to help, for you know it is Eternal and ancient. I have searched the map and he is not in this realm, mine or any other realms, he has vanished. All we can do is hope he finds his way back.”
“What if I am to go in after him?”
“Yǔmáo, no, my love, I cannot let you risk your life like that,” stresses Jīngyì pulling him close.
Chūnfēng could have sworn he felt the Black Katana move within his hand and he has the impulse to stoke it. “I do not want to alarm anyone, nonetheless, it seems to be reacting to something.”
Zhìhuì takes hold of the scabbard just as blade moves again within. “What is going on with that thing? I do not recall her doing that before.”
Death points his hand at the famous Katana. “Hummer me, set it down in the centre of the incantation. Chaos was also hinting to you, Chūnfēng, that you will need it.”
Yūrei’s conscience has an overwhelming feeling the god of death was right, and the Katana was vibrating to inform him it can help. He goes on to set it carefully down upon the centre incantations and steps back. The blue jewel that lies within the pommel begins to glow. The glowing continues down the handle to disappear into the scabbed. Then black mist starts to pour out from the narrow gaps to surround the top of the Katana. The mist seems to form in to a claw that rises above the Black Katana only to come crashing down and swirl round it. They watch the mist travel over the incantation and Death moves around to the left side.
“Now we have a destination,” he informs them pointing his hand at the misty writing. “Broken Cresent Moon Island? Of course that place is protected. Hold on, he met the Eternal there which the Healers know.”
“Wait, isn’t that the island where all the Eternals gathered to escape Fate?” Zhìhuì watches the grim reaper and the others nod. “My son did say the ground was littered with bracelets. Jade can also be used to protect and that much in one location would cut them off from the world. And the only way to get there would be through a gate or portal or door. Again my son is being drawn back to that island. Why?”
“Yè yì, Mèng’s uncle is on that Island, it was his brother Bunny who gave Mèng the bracelet to Piāoluò de shùyè, home of the Eternals,” informs Death. “It was not Chaos who drew him back there. It was the Ink Summoner’s own choice. Ooh duty calls.” He pulls an hourglass out of his left sleeve and returns to the shadows.
The Elemental grabs the Katana from the incantation and opens a portal. “Mù.”
“How might I assist you, Conjurer?”
“The gate to Broken Cresent Moon Island is closed, right?”
“Yes, the Ink Heart Summoner closed it the moment he released the lock on the jade bracelet. I am afraid I cannot reopen that gate it requires a bracelet.”
“Mèng refused to give it to me, so I could use it to leave Lost Tower. Luckily I was able to portal back. Is there another way to that island?”
“Only through the Head Healer Wiseong. I happy to take you all to him.”
A large hand comes through the portal and they all climb on to it and the Gate Guardian carries them over to the gate of the Healers. A door to one of the houses opens and Guāngxiàn comes running over to them.
“What’s happened?” The moment he is told what has happened to the king he gets them to follow him to a gate which takes them to his father who goes on to activate the gate to the island and they all step through. The light is beginning to fade yet there are no lights on in the house.
“Strange,” mutters Wiseong, “Yè yì should be home.” He rushes inside the house to discover paper is upon the hallway floor and there is an odd smell in the air. “Yè yì, jib-eissda?” he calls and gets no answer.
The rest of the party soon join and they slit up to investigate the house. Chūnfēng and Zhìhuì along with the two kings are in the sitting room, there are feathers in the air because every floor cushion has been slashed with a set of sharp claws. The same three toed claws have climb up the far wall to the rafters.
Yǔmáo and his husband both call forth their armies of minions. King Jīngyì have bat like wings and take to the air. They fly around the rafters with their weapons poised ready to strike.
Then comes the sound of heavy footsteps passing through the room, but none of them see anything. Wiseong and Guāngxiàn enter the room and the Head Healer asks, “What was that?”
“No idea,” answers Yǔmáo. “Are we dealing with another realm overlapping with this one?”
“It would appear so, answers Chūnfēng crouching down in front of the Dreamer. “What do your eyes see?”
Zhìhuì emits a soft laugh and points out, “My eyes maybe able to see hidden spells, they cannot see…” he catches one of the feathers, “I am an idiot, this is a clue, the home the Eternals is also called?”
“Drifting feathers,” responds the Elemental. “Oh, the Lost Tower is not that place.”
“Ding! We need to get back to Einar he knows more about the towers and the take down of the Eternals,” says the Dreamer opening a portal to Tower Island.
The moment they step through glowing butterflies lead them to the third tower and up to a room that is covered in paintings of a battle and sitting in front of a plinth are the Soul Drinkers, who appear to be reading an old scroll.
Raven turns around and asks, “Not there?”
“No, and something has happened there,” informs Zhìhuì walking over to him. “What you both looking for?”
“Einar realised the incantation Mèng stepped on in Lost Tower is a key, which was, locked to that island, however, since he broke the lock on the bracelet it will take our son to the real home of the Eternals. He is just trying to find out where that is. He said the answer is in this room, we are just not seeing it.”
All the gods begin to scan the paintings for clues whilst the Westerner continues to read the scroll. After a few minutes the Dreamer points his hand to wall that lies next to the window.
“Follow the moonlight?”
Einar laughs and claps his hands. “Ooh, you will not believe how many times I have sat in here under different phases of the moon and saw nothing.”
Zhìhuì gabs the back of the Westerner’s hand and gently turns it towards the window. “What is sitting within that frame?”
“It looks like a Moonstone, but they do not produce moonlight.”
The Dreamer pats his shoulders. “You are a master of crystals, what can you do to Moonstone to make it appear as moonlight?”
“Moonlight that is reflected on to the stones makes them shine. Damn there is something missing from that window which made the moonlight reflect off each stone to reveal the real home of the Eternals. The problem is knowing what they used?”
“You are overthinking it,” implies King Jīngyì, “All we need is a shutter with a hole in it that will then channel the light on to the stone and reflect it to the next and so on.”
Einar sighs and shakes his head. “I am an idiot,” with one wave of his left hand a large shutters come out from the walls to cover the window plunging the room in to complete darkness. Then a single shaft of light shines through the left one and the Soul Drinker confesses, “I stuffed a piece of cloth in to the hole. All we need to do now is wait for the light to hit that stone and it does not have to be moonlight.”
ns 18.68.41.175da2
