Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Saiyuki Outside ❯ Chapter 28: Fury Flame that Guards the Gate ( Chapter 20 )

Chapter 28: Fury Flame that guards the gate…

Shyirin peers outside the window, wondering what is going on out there. Summer blue sky a moment ago suddenly turned to dark misty clouds. The clouds burst and it began to rain heavily. Shyirin saw her `prison' suddenly turn all so dark. She clung to her necklace as her only support of faith. Then, she saw gleaming blue eyes staring back at her.

"Is that you, Akiyoshi?"

Lightning struck, thunder followed and the face could be made out. Akiyoshi was sitting there, with his face all bruised and bled.

"What happened? Never mind that now, you're hurt."

She approached him and wiped the blood with her handkerchief on his head. Lightning struck once more and thunder rumbled. Shyirin winced as she hated thunder and lightning more than anything else. She looked at Akiyoshi as he tried to look away from Shyirin. He sat there and stared at the empty cold floor.

"Who did this to you?"

He kept silent as Shyirin asked. Shyirin continued wiping his head.

"She did it to me. She sent her men after me and asked me to hurry up with the job."

"What job? Who's she?"

"I can't tell. I'm under her oath."

Shyirin shook her head and put her hand on his wound. Bright light emerged as Shyirin used her magic to heal him. Akiyoshi felt his wound slightly disappearing. Finally, it was healed but Shyirin felt weak and moved back. Her breathing became heavier and her movement became slow.

"Your wound was different from what I've seen…. Not human…. Took me almost all of my energy to heal you…. What did hit you?"

"I… can't tell you."

"It's alright. Whatever it was, it was definitely unearthly."

She laid herself down and put her head to rest.

"I'm feeling so tired………."

She shut her eyes and fell asleep. Akiyoshi gazed at the exhausted Shyirin. He touched his head, which was now woundless. He sat there and started to ponder as the rain continued.

Rain hit on the ground heavily as Sanzo's party finally reached the Gates of The Great Fortress of Sen no Kanashimi, the hide-out of the Son Of God's Followers. Sanzo began to feel irritated as the rain destroyed his mood. They were standing on a desolate desert ground with nothing around except the Fortress which was situated here.

"Let's take care of things fast. Otherwise, Master Sanzo's mood becomes worse." Gojyo commented.

The other two agreed and nodded to Gojyo's words. They don't want to lose control of Sanzo as his mood becomes easily uncontrollable under these kinds of conditions. They walked towards the Gate and tried to push it opened when suddenly, they saw ball of flames heading their way. The four of them leapt back as the flame hit the ground, still burning.

"Let me guess: The Third Guard is here."

"Whoever he is, I'll take care of him."

"Careful. We don't know who we're up against. Sanzo, what are going to do?"

The three of them turned to look at Sanzo as the rain began to pour heavily on them. He looked up at the top of the Gate. They were already so close to where they've began. They can't stop now. This is where they're fighting for and they won't stop now. Not now, not ever.

"Let's kick the hell out of this bastard and take care of the rest like puny animals!"

The rest of them, and smiled.

"Finally, Master Sanzo is beginning to speak our language."

"Let's not waste anymore time and take care of things!"

"Oh boy… Here we go again…"

Someone was waiting for the under the Gate, with fiery glares. The four of them ran towards the Gate to meet their next adversary.

"Is it completed?"

"Yes, it is, Master."

"Good work, Venus. I want you and Kikka to head there right away and begin work straight away."

"Yes, Master."

"Don't fail me… or this is will be your end."

The door closed softly. Shyirin opened her eyes and saw Akiyoshi sitting beside her. She wiped her eyes and sat right up.

"What was that all about?"

"It's nothing."

He gazed at her and held her hand. Shyirin felt her heart throb.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know… I don't know what's come over me. All since…"

"What?"

Suddenly, Shyirin felt herself being pulled towards Akiyoshi. Her body rest against his warmth. She felt her heart jerk. He held her tightly, not wanting to let go.

"Shyirin, what did you do to me that made me like this?"

"I did nothing at all… I swear…"

"Shyirin, you make me feel so different… I feel so loved when I'm around you… Why don't I feel it when I make love to either Kikka or Venus? Is this love and what it's supposed to feel like?"

He closed his blue eyes and gently caressed Shyirin.

"Shyirin… tell me… What have you done to me? Why are you making my heart long for you every single day? Why do I feel so hard to breathe when you're not around? Why do you always make things feel so hard for me?"

Shyirin felt sympathy in her heart for Akiyoshi but at the same time, she felt her heart troubled.

"Shyirin… tell me why…"

"I… don't know…"

She pushed Akiyoshi away from her. She turned away from him. He gazed at her as her face changed. She wasn't the happy being he use to see. Now she was looking sad and sorrowful. He held his hands into his face.

"Am I ugly?"

Shyirin glanced at Akiyoshi. No, he wasn't ugly. He was very handsome. Who could ever resist his charming deep azure eyes, his fair face, his sorrowful face deep with hidden secrets and mysteries? Heck, he was much too good-looking to be called ugly. She shook her head in disagreement.

"Then, why are you hesitating?"

Shyirin looked away from him as Akiyoshi approached Shyirin and cornered her unto the wall. He put his hand against the wall and gazed at Shyirin's eyes.

"Do you… hate me?"

"No, I don't hate you… it's just that…"

"Is it because of Sanzo?"

His eyes were full of sadness as Shyirin gazed into them. She could never understand men like these, especially if Sanzo was one of them. Yet, this is what made her attracted to them so easily. Shyirin turned away from Akiyoshi. He gently put his hand on Shyirin's hair and placed it behind her ear.

"You remind me of my mother…"

"…"

"Her hair was as soft as yours and she had the same color. I used t that when I was small. But she never looked at me once. I wondered if she really hated me because my father was demon and I was his offspring. I've never seen my father… Mother must've hated him so much. Mother never shown me any love and yet, I tried to pursue it, through another way. Yet, I failed and found my self in a dead-end… But that was until you came… I've never felt so loved my whole life before…"

He wrapped his arms around Shyirin and began to cry. Shyirin felt scared but at the same time, she was overwhelmed with pity. She put her hand on his back and patted it gently. Akiyoshi held her tightly.

"It's alright to cry when you feel sad. There's nothing to be ashamed of. It's better to cry it all out than keep all of your sorrow deep inside you and kill yourself each day."

She gazed into the window outside and watched as the rain continued pouring.

`Sanzo…'

"Ugh!"

"Goku, are you alright?"

"Hang in there, you stupid monkey!"

"Who're you calling a stupid monkey? Ouch…"

Goku rubbed his back. He couldn't hit the guy at all. All his attacks seemed worthless, as if each blow were nothing but raindrops hitting him.

"Sanzo… I think this guy's not real at all… But he smells alive and burning…"

Sanzo shook his wet golden hair in the rain and aimed at their new adversary. Goku got ready to attack once more and began attacking.

"Careful not to get shot or I won't even pay for your funeral!"

"I got it!"

Goku began hitting the adversary hard on the stick as Sanzo fired at him. Goku leapt back and stood beside Sanzo.

"Sanzo, look!"

All of Sanzo's bullets fell unto the ground. Sanzo felt irritated and refilled his gun, aiming at the adversary once again.

"Not yet!"

"Sanzo, I think that he's some kind of made steel."

"Better yet, he's armored."

Sanzo gazed at Hakkai.

"So, your point is?"

"Well, noticed how he gets his fire from when we were shot?"

"From deep inside his armor!" exclaimed Gojyo.

"So?"

"What happens when fire touches rain?"

"It will burn out."

"Correct."

"But, didn't the fire nearly hit just now?" Goku asked.

"That was magic. Didn't you say that he smelled as if he was burning?"

"So, your hunch is that this guy is fire inside?"

"It could be possible. It was just a hunch."

Gojyo exclaimed, "So, when did Hakkai ever go wrong?"

Sanzo smirked, "You betting on it? Good. Let's do it. What's the plan?"

"We'll have to remove the helmet."

"How?"

"Okay, I'll explain. Here's what we do. Sanzo and I will become decoy and attack him. Meanwhile, Gojyo and Goku will take him on by surprise. Gojyo will cover for Goku. We need both of you to remove his helmet."

"That sounds weird but we'll go with it."

"Alright! Let's do it!"

Goku and Gojyo run off to corner the knight from behind. They attacked first while Hakkai and Sanzo rush in as well to attack. The knight fixed his attention on Sanzo and Hakkai, unnoticed that Gojyo and Goku were right behind him, thinking that they both might be down and out. Sanzo began shooting more as Hakkai tried to hit him with his Chi-Ball. Goku and Gojyo found time and began at once. Goku and Gojyo both raised their staff and attacked simultaneously, hitting the helmet, which caused pressure on both sides that made helmet immediately breaking into pieces. The armor man tried to escape and run for shelter but Goku and Gojyo kicked the armored man into the rain. Just as Hakkai suspected, he was made of fire. The rain poured down and their adversary screamed in anguish pain as he dissolved into nothing but ashes. Sanzo and the rest glanced at their win. They smiled and went through the gates of Sen No Kanashimi, fortress for the Dead.