The Blazing Tempest

DISCLAIMER: This story is a non-commercial work of fiction based on the anime/manga Samurai 7. Original copyright of Samurai 7 belongs to Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni, MICO, GDH, GONZO. Absolutely no monetary gain has been made with this work.


THE BLAZING TEMPEST
By Rory V. Pascual (Edited by Saiyukihana)
© Original Version 2001; Samurai 7 Version June 29, 2006


CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE:

Kikuchiyo paced back and forth inside the chapel, shaking his head furiously. "No! No! NO! Shichiroji, this is utter lunacy! It's too dangerous!"

"Can you think of a better plan?" Shichiroji queried in a casual tone. With a wave of his hands, he added, "If you could, I'm open to suggestions."

"Where are Masamune and Gorobei? If they are privy to your schemes, I fear for their lives."

"I've spoken to them singly inside this chamber. My return has been most fortuitous. Now that he has fulfilled his duty of playing escort to the concubine during his travels, Ukyo has ordered Gorobei to return to his master, the Sultan. He has also seen fit to dismiss
Masamune as well, saying that his services were no longer needed. They left early this morning."

"Ukyo obviously does not want anybody interfering in the ritual. Little does he know where those two are actually headed and what they are tasked to do."

Shichiroji crossed his arms over his chest and remarked, "I trust you're not going to tell Ukyo or Hyogo."

Kikuchiyo scowled at his fellow samurai. "If you didn't trust me, you wouldn't have invited me here in the first place."

"As Ukyo's left hand, I don't trust you," the Samurai said frankly. "But I trust in the love that you hold for Kanbei. I can't do this alone, Kikuchiyo. If I'm to free Kanbei from this hellhole, I'm going to need your help."

"I'll do anything to help. I'm just as interested as you in seeing Kanbei escape from Ain Mehira and from the clutches of the Odalisk." Kikuchiyo gave Shichiroji a quizzical glance. "What I don't understand is why you need to find the Amesha Spenta Stone. All we need to do is to simply take Kanbei as far away from this place as possible, halfway
across the world if necessary."

"We have to bring the crystal with us. The Odalisk knows it exists, that it is hidden within the walls of this Palace. You've participated in Ukyo's rituals. With the three of you as
channels, you've allowed the demon to tap into its powers that lay trapped inside the Stone. It's been using it manipulate Kanbei. If the Odalisk should get its hands on it, the Earth is in jeopardy. As long as we keep it far away from the demon, the whole world would be safe."

"And the demon would remain trapped here in Ain Mehira. It's a good plan," Kikuchiyo commented, nodding his head. "There's just one problem. If you're going to ask me, I don't know where the Amesha Spenta Stone is."

Shichiroji groaned, rubbing the point between his eyes with his fingers. "I guessed as much. I suppose Hyogo doesn't know either."

"Come now, Shichinoji! You know you can't trust Hyogo with anything."

The Samurai shook his head, unable to hide his dismay. "I was hoping we could take it with us. Getting Kanbei out of here... I guess that is all we could do. But we have to do it tonight!"

"The solar eclipse is still two days away. We have to plan this carefully. We can't leave any room for errors."

"There's no time. The more we delay this, our chances of escaping become slim."

"Why are you in such a hurry? Is there something you're not telling me?"

The hurt was immediately reflected in Shichiroji's bright blue eyes. "Kikuchiyo, while I was gone, I was in the Ahaggar Mountains, a mindless prisoner of the Oracle residing there. The Oracle... It was Kirara."

Kikuchiyo looked at the Samurai in shock. "Kirara! All this time! I
thought she died years ago, after she escaped..."

"Well," Shichiroji shrugged, "she's dead now."

The mechanical warrior immediately understood what the Samurai was saying. Clapping a hand of comfort on Shichiroji's shoulder, he said, "I'm sorry. I know how much she meant to you."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. It was Kirara who started this terrible mess in the first place. She and that damned Amanushi!"

Kikuchiyo's eyes flew wide. "She was a sacrifice?"

Seeing the questioning look in Shichiroji's eyes, Kikuchiyo explained, "I was not a participant in that particular ritual. Ukyo had a sorcerer and Hyogo to help him. They failed though." The cyborg shuddered all over. "You just couldn't imagine the massacre that followed when the Odalisk went on a rampage. I thought we wouldn't be able to stop it, but then…." Kikuchiyo did not say anything more, but Shichiroji could tell that the mechanical samurai was keeping something from him.

"They got what they deserved!" Shichiroji let out a wry laugh. "Isn't it funny? Kanbei is now placed in the same position Kirara was in back then."

"The difference is that Kirara was not pure of soul. The Odalisk needed a sacrifice with a pure soul. I KNOW Kirara. I never liked her, Shichinoji. Even when she was still with us, she was a sly one, full of guile. I believed that Ukyo did you a favor when he took her from you."

"Kirara was one of a thousand regrets. Up to the very end, she was unrepentant for the misery she had caused."

"You know. Sometimes I wonder if all those deaths would have been prevented if it were truly a pure soul that was sacrificed to the Odalisk. The demon itself admitted to Kanbei that it never liked Kirara as well."

"That is why I do not want Kanbei to be sacrificed to it. Lord only knows what might happen. First and foremost, I do not want to lose Kanbei."

"And I agree with you on that." Kikuchiyo then inquired, "You said that Kirara passed herself off as an Oracle. She had the gift, didn't she? Did she tell you anything that might prove helpful to us?"

"Just a vague prophecy." The Samurai recited it for the cyborg. "Like the phoenix, a warrior shall arise from the ashes of broken hope and dreams to battle the Ultimate Evil that threatens to consume the world in darkness. Only by the might of his heart and soul could he vanquish the One True Evil to eternal perdition."

A gasp escaped Kikuchiyo' lips. "But...but the warrior! That's Kanbei! Are you saying he's some kind of champion, an avatar? But how can he stop the Odalisk? From the tone of her prophecy, it sounds like Kanbei will have to fight the demon! What else did she tell you?"

"Nothing else, I'm afraid. Kirara was insane to begin with."

The mechanical samurai cursed in frustration. "Damn that witch! I know you were lovers once, but I'm sorry, Brother. I hope she is burning in Hell right now."

"Believe me, Kikuchiyo, I share your sentiments. Kirara was actually very pleased to find out that Kanbei, who is my lover now, is going to be sacrificed to the demon. She would not say anything more about the prophecy, except gloat over my impending loss. Frankly, Kikuchiyo, I'm afraid for Kanbei."

"I understand your concern. But I have to ask you this, Shichinoji. You, yourself, helped train Kanbei in the martial arts and swords work recently. If he were to face the Odalisk in mortal combat, do you think he would stand a chance of defeating it."

Again, the Samurai shrugged his shoulders. "To be honest, I really do not know. It's been fifteen years since he'd been in actual combat, but he still possesses the skills."

"I agree with you there. I saw how he killed Tessai with relative ease, and that thug
was a devious assassin."

"However, this is a demon from Hell we're talking about. Kanbei could put up a good fight, but I doubt if he would win in the end. My greatest concern, though, is that I don't think he would be willing to fight the Odalisk. He has this crazy notion running through his head that the demon is not truly evil and that its soul could still be saved."

"Kanbei has told me about this," Kikuchiyo confirmed. "Do you know that I actually stumbled upon them in the hallway. It was that night you arrived. They were walking down the corridor like one happy family -- the Odalisk, Kanbei, and that runt of a horse Mini Moe."

At the mention of the tiny colt, for the first time, Shichiroji felt the tension fly out of him momentarily as he laughed. "Kikuchiyo, don't you know that you're courting trouble when you tease Moeru constantly about his short stature?"

Breathing in deeply, Kikuchiyo exclaimed in resignation, "I know that, but I just couldn't help myself! Do you know that the first time I called him 'Mini Moe' the wee bugger bit my cock? You couldn't get him off. He was like a stubborn crab. If Kanbei hadn't threatened him with weaning, he wouldn't let go!" The cyborg fumbled with the ties
of his trousers. "Here! Let me show you! I think I still have the dents he made with his teeth."

Shichiroji quickly raised his hands, shaking his head. "Please! Don't bother! I don't want to see it! I just ate!"

Kikuchiyo gave the Samurai a baleful glare as he pulled up his trousers. "Nee, Shichinoji, you wound me with that remark."

"Let's forget about cocks and Moeru for a minute." Turning somber, Shichiroji looked at his cyborg. "Would you help me, Kikuchiyo? For Kanbei's sake?"

"You don't have to ask. I'll do anything to help free Kanbei. The question is could we help him escape from this dire prophecy that is hanging over his head?"

"Frankly, I don't know," the Samurai said truthfully. "But we must try." Shichiroji glanced worriedly at the door. "Speaking of Kanbei, where the hell is he? He should've been here thirty minutes ago."

Before Kikuchiyo could speak, a furious cry followed by a blood-curdling scream of anguish pierced the silence. As the two men turned towards the door once more, it banged open, revealing a trembling Moeru, coal black eyes wide with terror, blood trickling from his mouth.

~~~~~~~~~~

Kanbei was sneaking through the hallway; he was stealing glances at the closed door of the chamber he had just emerged from. In truth, there was no need to be furtive, but for the past several minutes, he was having trouble ditching Moeru. Already late for his rendezvous with Shichiroji in the chapel, the whoremaster had to coax the colt to go to
sleep on his cot inside the Samurai's chamber. When he had at last succeeded, Kanbei quietly left the room and padded down the corridor on bare feet, much to the amusement of the servants he passed by, seeing him with his slippers hanging from his fingers.

The concubine grimaced, feeling his raw, sensitive nipples scrape against the fabric of his caftan. As his hand flew up to massage his aching breast, he muttered under his breath, "After this, I am definitely weaning you, Moeru!"

Just as the words flew out of his mouth, Kanbei's heart suddenly gave a lurch, hearing the staccato clip clop of galloping hooves on stone. Swiftly, the whoremaster hid at the next small corridor. He held his breath, waiting for the colt to pass by, but no one appeared. As he listened closely, even the sound of hooves have stopped, leaving only silence. Kanbei cautiously peered into the hallway he had come from, but there was no sign of Moeru anywhere.

Emerging from his hiding place, the concubine bent over forward and breathed in relief, hand rubbing over his pounding heart. However, a frown formed on his brow, feeling a gentle breeze caress his bare legs and rump.

"That's strange," the whoremaster mumbled curiously. "Why did it get so drafty all of a sudden?"

Suddenly, a cold, wet nose pressed on the crease of his butt, followed by warm, sniffing puffs. With a cry, Kanbei jumped in surprise. Whirling around, he saw Moeru blinking innocently up at him.

Tense and exasperated, Kanbei rounded on the poor colt. "Moeru, I told you I must speak with Shichiroji alone. I thought you were a smart little horse. What part of the word 'alone' did you not understand? Are you so stupid that you don't realize that there are
times when I don't want you around?"

Moeru stared at his Master in shock, taking a step back in fear. He had never heard the concubine speak to him in such a hateful, hurtful tone before.

Kanbei started, seeing the glimmer of tears in the colt's ebony orbs. Lowering his head, Moeru turned his back to his Master and sadly began to walk away.

Before the colt could depart, Kanbei fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around Moeru's neck. "I'm so sorry, Moeru! Please forgive me! I didn't mean to hurt you like this. It's just that I'm terribly afraid. I know what's about to happen to me in the next two days, but I'm terrified of the fate that awaits me. I don't want to be alone, Moeru. I would give anything to be with you and Shichiroji and all my friends forever. But that cannot be. You don't know how much it breaks my heart that I'll be leaving you very soon."

Moeru tenderly licked the concubine's face. Bussing Kanbei on the lips, he laid his chin on his Master's shoulder.

Kanbei embraced the little horse tightly. "I love you too, Moeru." Kissing the colt on the nose, he invited, "Let's go! Shichiroji would be worried sick about us by now."

Man and horse went on their way. Moeru was very happy, trotting with sprite clip clops of his hooves. For a moment there, he thought that his Master was angry with him. He did not understand everything that Kanbei told him, but he caught the tone in the concubine's voice that he was going to leave soon. In his little mind, he remembered the promise that he and Katsushiro made. He will not allow that his Master come to any harm.

As they reached the wing of the chapel, however, Moeru failed to notice that Kanbei had slowed his pace. In fact, the whoremaster's breath was slowly changing into labored gasps. Hearing the soft pants behind him, the colt turned to find his Master leaning against the wall, hand clutching his chest, eyes shut tight in pain. Moeru approached him worriedly and nudged his leg. He was surprised when the concubine's eyelids fluttered open to reveal sheer terror in those beautiful brown orbs.

"I can't go there, Moeru," Kanbei gasped out, shaking his head vehemently. "Tell Shichiroji we could talk elsewhere, but not there."

The colt, however, by instinct alone, knew that the chapel was the safest place in the entire Palace. Instead of going to the Samurai who was waiting for them inside the small room, Moeru bit on the hem of the concubine's caftan and began tugging him urgently.

"I said no!" the whoremaster cried, trying to yank his clothes back. "Moeru, you're not going to make me go in there!"

Moeru was insistent. Fiercely, he tugged and tugged on his Master's clothing, forcing Kanbei to follow an inch at a time.

"NO! STOP IT! LET ME GO!" he screamed in terror. "I DON'T WANT TO GO
IN THERE!"

Suddenly, there was a low growl. As the colt looked up in horror, he saw that the concubine's face has transformed into a hideous mask of rage, more demon than human. Kanbei's eyes glowed fiery red, his face pasty white, his lips blood red. There were fangs inside his mouth as he snarled at the startled horse.

"I SAID LET ME GO, YOU DAMNED RUNT!" At this furious cry, Kanbei backhanded Moeru. Such was the power of the blow that it sent the colt crashing into the wall.

"NO! MOERU!" the concubine screamed, seeing the blood pouring out of the colt's mouth. "OH, GOD! I'M SORRY!"

Moeru shook the haze of pain from his head. He was about to flee from his angry Master, when he stopped. Kanbei was cringing against the wall, hands over his heart. Blood tears were flowing from his red eyes.

"MOERU, RUN!" Kanbei called out to the little horse. "I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU!"

Instead of running away, the colt hurried to the chapel and kicked the door open.

~~~~~~~~~~

Shichiroji and Kikuchiyo stared in shock at the bleeding colt. What first entered their minds was that Moeru had made a mistake of bumping into the insane warrior.

"Moeru! What's wrong? Who hurt you?" Shichiroji demanded, bending before the frightened horse. "Was it Hyogo?"

With an urgent whinny, Moeru gestured to the hallway.

Before the two warriors could get out of the room, they saw that the corridor was filled with bright light. Emerging into the hallway, they were greeted by a most astounding sight.

Kanbei was floating in mid-air. His caftan was opened, baring his chest from which a shaft of red light shone. Seeing the contorted, nearly inhuman features of the concubine, the Samurai saw that not only was he possibly in the control of the Odalisk once more, Kanbei was also in terrible pain. Without hesitation, Shichiroji rushed towards his lover and grabbed him. As he did so, he at last beheld the source of the light emanating from the whoremaster's chest -- a large round crystal embedded in Kanbei's breastbone. Within the crystal itself, the Warrior could see tongues of flame.

"By the Gods!" Shichiroji gasped in disbelief, recognizing the crystal immediately. "THE AMESHA SPENTA STONE!"

Stunned was he by this discovery that the Samurai did not notice the commotion around them. Before Shichiroji could act, the hilt of a sword was slammed into the back of his head and, from the infernal light of the crystal, he fell into the blessed darkness of the insensate.


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