Sign of the Seal

Prologue:

He was the most powerful mage of his time. Shiro-oni, the white demon. He was powerful and uncontrollable; a menace that now plagued the country and beyond. He had killed countless people, and destroyed many homes and cities. There was thought to be no way of stopping him, but he some how he was.

That was ages ago and now there are very few who even remember his name. Only the small order of priestesses and sisters that were guardians of the Haramashi temple remember the story and only the high priestess knows it fully. The memory of the dark and evil days that had been known during the oni’s existence had been all but forgotten, and people lived in peace.

In the Haramashi temple, life goes on as usual. The sisters go about their morning prayers and chores, while the forest just out side their door bustles with the new morning. However there was an unexpected package lying on their doorstep, that was more then they would have ever expected.

The head priestess had been growing weaker by the weeks and no one could understand why or how. It had started a while ago and had now worsened exponentially. She would sometimes spend whole days in her bed raving that the others should not let her up no matter what, others she was perfectly fine but for the heavy lines beneath her eyes. Something was troubling her sleep and recently even, her waking.

They did not know about the catacombs beneath the temple. They did not know about what was under their very feet. She was there now. Her feet took her there of their own bidding now. She had lost almost all control. Now her hand was lifting the keys. No, no I mustn’t! I must not give in! I don’t know how much longer I can keep myself from it! Without her consent, her hands turned the key, and opened the door.

Inside laid the one thing she both feared and loved. A massive glowing orb. Shimmering, the insides shifting and churning, but at the core was the source of the great power that pulsated throughout the entire room.

She stepped inside the threshold. Immediately she felt the warmth surround her. Caressing her cheek and holding her close. Drawing her near, closer and closer. She longed to reach out and touch it. NO! Of all things not that! To touch it would be to release it! ‘Twoud not be long before it found its body. No.

Her spirit had become weaker with each visit she paid to this place and his soul was very enticing. Sealed into this prison by the first Haramashi priestess who had seal him away with her own life. She was the one thing that held him captive now. Were this priestess to touch the orb he would fill her being and through it find the body they had stolen it from.

They had locked both parts of him in two separate places and knowing them had probably sent his body to another continent. But it knew better now. It could sense its body closes by. Now was it only chance to be freed from this oppressive place. It drew her closer. Her spirit was weak but the first’s was not, it was with that that he contended with.

The First’s sacrifice held strong, but she did not. The constant torment of the soul on her mind had taken too much out of her. Her hand touched the orb that had tormented her dreams and waking hours for so long.

An instant rush went through her and the very foundations of the temple shook. The other sisters cried out as they were thrown to the ground. The priestess screamed as her very soul had to now vie for space in its own body. The wretched thing threw her about and forced her up the stairs, to the alter room. The other sisters saw their tormented headmistress and did what they had been trained to do since the beginning of their sisterhood.

“Prepare the altar!” cried one, while others grabbed the sacred candles, the rest grabbed the headmistress and brought her to the altar.

They never made it. As soon as they passed the doorway, the sisters were thrown off the priestess’s body. It charged to the chest the lay on the doorstep.

One touch and it opened. A strange gel-like substance poured out and the pale body that lay inside was revealed. Another rush and the priestess was emptied of the contending soul as it entered its own body. She was left gasping on the floor in a pool of sweat while the other sisters stood in stunned amazement. The body rose and as it did elegant sapphire robes formed around its pale completion. Braids entwined with colored beads formed in its hair as an ocean of cobalt blue met their eyes. Its snow-white hair flowed around its shoulders, as he reached full stance.

They looked on in awe of his beauty, power, and glory. His very body glowed, and they could feel his power breaking upon them. All that they had been prepared for stood before them and they were frozen in place. He stepped out of the chest and regarded them coolly, waiting for any movement on their part. However, the only one moving was the priestess who was slowly recovering from her body sharing experience.

“Stop him.” was all she could manage in a quiet voice.

As if a shot had gone off, they started to move at a rapid pace. Instinct replacing thought they set to the work they had started. The candles were lit and the altar ready.

He was weak. His muscles were weak from their confinement and the long separation from himself had tired his being. It took almost all he had to stand. He dispersed the illusions that covered him and slumped to the floor. The First’s presence oppressed him still, crushing and holding him there. But he had to get out, and he would. Slowly, he crawled to the entryway. The smoke from the candles made his head dizzy as the sisters surrounded him in a ring of them. The priestess was helped up as she finally recovered herself. The remaining sisters came into the circle, lifted him off the ground, and brought him back to the altar.

He cried out to them desperate, pleading with them to free him, not to do this. None were moved and he knew it. The priestess was susceptible but in control now, as the First protected her once more. He felt their minds and found only one who might help him.

“Help me please, I beg you! Don’t do this! You know not what it is you are doing! Both to yourselves or to me! Please!” He looked to her that might hear him. She was new and was the least protected.

“Do not listen to his plies or the world will be doomed by you. He it a master of deception, pay no heed to his words!” the priestess cried as the dagger was placed in her hand.

“No, please.” they chained him to the altar and held him well.

The priestess approached the altar and looked down at him with a fury in her eyes.

“’Tis a lie you lead and nothing more.” he whispered to them.

The new one head this and it struck her. She looked around not moving her head. She saw what they were doing. HE was innocent, she had to free him! But no that could not be right, could it?

The priestess started to carve the signs into his flesh. His cries echoed upon the high temple walls. She whispered the words of sealing as she marked the signs upon him, the seal that would separate him body from soul. She was in a trance now, not to be stopped until she had said the final word and stabbed him through the heart with the same dagger with witch she had carved the seal. Almost done, his cries growing ever louder as the pain filled his mind.

Why were they doing this to his? The new one could not understand why this was happening. Why were they hurting him? No. This was not right, they shouldn’t be doing this. She had to do something. Slowly his head turned to face her, his eyes begging her to help him. The priestess said the final word and raised the dagger into the air.

“NO!” with that, the new one dropped her candle and tackled the priestess onto the marble steppes of the altar. The moment she did so, he smiled his thanks and was gone.

*

CHAPTER 1:

Her naked body ached. The blood-spattered dagger in her left hand now felt heavy, after all the adrenalin was gone. She was now left weakened and sore all over. She should get out, the village would wake soon and notice the men missing. She looked around for cloths, dressed and dropped the dagger on the floor. They would know it was her, but she didn’t care. They could all rot the whole lot of them. With their sick men and loose laws. They would come for her though. Half the village men, who were of age, were here and now were dead. It would not be looked at lightly, even if they had gang raped her.

She dashed out the door of the hut and, wrapping a shawl about her, ran to the forest. She knew the paths well and would have no troubles losing them in there. She tied her long russet hair into a leather band so as to stop it from snagging on ever branch she would pass. Her worried eyes darted from one hut to the next awaiting the rising of the village, seeing them all coming for her.

Emerald danced from one to the other, once satisfied, focused on the path before them. She was not a weak women, but rather a hard worker and not one to slack off. She had cared for her families land on her own for all her life and it had put some muscle on her bones. Her skin was constantly tanned from long hours in the sun working in the fields or with the livestock.

All that would be gone now. They would take her land and animals and divide it among the women folk whom husbands she had killed. They didn’t disserve it, their husbands. The whole lot of them were unfaithful sots, who would rather laze about them actually do a days work; it was mostly the women folk of the village that did the work and harvesting. Not that all the men were bad, just most of them.

The forest was already bustling with activity and life. Rustlings and other such noises could be head, but it was for hoof beats that she now listened. Her own imagination was playing trick with her already. A nut falling sounded like a man dismounting, and the singing of the birds, a signal whistle. Soon she was in a full-out run, dodging branches and leaping over logs; always looking behind her for any sign of the villagers.

“Ouch!” she had tripped ore something rather soft and large.

After spitting out the face full of dirt and leaves, she turned to inspect what she had tripped over.

“Oh.” was all she could manage.

There before her was the naked body of a man, possibly a boy, who was draped over a log as if he had been dropped from the sky onto that very spot. His skin was so pale it was almost white, which was exactly what color his hair was. There seemed to be an almost white light coming off him, as if he were some sort of holy creature sent from Heaven.

Just what I need, an angel to guide me to Heaven.

She got herself together and slowly crawled toward him. His face was turned slightly to the side do to the shape of the tree, one arm was caught in the branch above him and the other draped down over the trunk of the fallen tree. He was lying on his stomach and his back was in full view while below the hips was blocked by a branch that protruded from that spot. In a sense, he was only half on the tree.

As she got closer, she saw that he was still breathing. She reached out a hand to try to wake him. A strange tingle went up her arm, but she didn’t pull back. Her whole hand was on his back. He was so warm.

It was only then that she noticed that his eyes were open.

She jumped back in fright, as the cobalt regarded her for a moment, then a forest green did.

“Hello.” Said the brown-haired, green-eyed stranger.

He was dressed rather plainly with earthen colors; his skin, like hers, was tanned from a life out of doors. He had a friendly air about him, and mischievous eyes. Something about him told her he was a thief.

“Are you def?” he asked with a smile.

“No!” she said with a hint of shock.

“Oh, well I just thought since you didn’t say anything that you might be def. No harm by it ‘course.”

“What are you doing here?” she quickly replied, off set by his casual address.

“Well, now. Could I not ask the same of you? But then you probably would only say that you started this whole interrogation-”

“I am not in-” she tried to say but was promptly cut off.

“So I suppose that it ‘twud only be fair to answer you first, as you indeed were the one to ask first.”

“Look if it’s all the same to you-” she tried once more but was cut off again.

He sat cross-legged, which at first was a little difficult as his hand was still caught on the branch above him, and looked at her with a questioning eye.

“I am here because I tripped on a rot back there and landed on this here log, and was knocked out for awhile, and judging from where you are you tripped over me while running, unless you like falling on your face on purpose, that is. If that were the case that I would say you have nothing to fear of the riders who are coming this way. But then judging from your facial expression right now I believe it ‘twud be safe to stick with my first assumption.”

She sat straight up when he mentioned riders and could now hear them quite clearly. He jumped across the log that separated them and quickly pinned her to the ground covering her mouth with his hand and shielding her with the rest of his body. His eyes went from humorous, to dead serious, as the riders slowed and stopped just a rabbit hop from them.

“Do you see her?”

“No sign, but I swear that I heard voices coming from this direction.”

“Well let’s try back the way we came, maybe we missed her.”

“Sure.”

the two riders mounted up and turned around and headed back the way they came. Once they were a goodly distance away, he let her up and sat back on his heels.

“You have a lot of nerve doing that to me!” she yelled at him, embarrassed at how he had lain on top of her.

“Well you have a lot of nerve brining those guys here. And as for the way I treated you, next time I’ll just duck and cover for myself and let you just gat caught. But then what would stop you from pointing out that there just happened to be a lovely man that you were having a rather pleasant conversation with just over in yonder bushes!” He seemed honestly frightened.

She hadn’t thought of that point, if they found her they would find him as well and it seemed to her that he had just as much inclination to be discovered as she did.

“Sorry, but if you’re going to be pointing the fingers, I might remind you that it was you not I that was doing all the chatting.” she pointed out looking at him with an accusing expression.

“Well, that may be so”, at this his expression lightened up, “You have no idea the irony of our meeting.”

This random comment caught her off guard.

“What do you mean?”

He looked at her for a moment, then got up and pointed westward from their current position.

“Follow me and you’ll see.” he had a rather wily look on his face.

With that, he sprang into action and ran in the direction he had previously been pointing.

“Hey, hold dup there!” she yelled after him as she followed after.

They ran for only a fox’s sprint before they reached the end of the forest. There before them stood two of the most glorious looking horses she had ever seen.

“They’re magnificent!” she couldn’t help saying.

“Are they not? Now do you see the reason for my caution and the irony of our present situation?” he said with a proud smile.

“Quite. This confirms what I first thought of you,” she said with a smug smiled on her face.

“Oh, and what was that.” he asked mounting one of the creatures, for both had full gear on and even had traveling packs behind the saddles.

“That you were a thief,” she said doing like wise after he signaled for her to do so.

“Well you would be right in that! Aiden the thief, at your service! And you are?” he said with a flourish and slight bow.

“Ethne.”

“ Tis’ a pleasure to meet thee. Now if thow hast no other needs here? No, well then let us leave this place to those who wish to have it!” he nudged his horse and with expert horsemanship galloped off.

She followed promptly, but with less talent. While she knew how to ride, she was no expert. Only the wealthy can afford horses and the last one she had had was long dead. All the same she hung in there rather well, as they shot off to the west. Out of that village, and on to the next, which would not be for five leagues.

*

18 Summer

12^th moon

In response to your majesty’s request, the following is an accurate gathering of all accounts concerning the events of tow moons ago:

The Haramashi temple, as you well know, is the home to the order sisters whose soul purpose is to guard the soul of the Shiro-oni. These sisters are lead by the headmistress, who is the lone keeper of the true secrets of the Shiro-oni and the dark arts that keep him prisoner. It is my unfortunate duty to report that she had indeed been tainted, as the roomers said. Unbeknownst to the other sisters she had touched the orb that held the oni’s soul. Just this one touch had been enough to taint her and to leave her open for the constant on slat of torment that would follow. The soul was wooing her own and everyday weakening the seal of the First that protected her from it wiles. But sadly she proved to be weaker then we thought and was almost everyday visiting the soul’s chamber and

Exposing herself further to it power until her symptom became utterly noticeable to her fellow sisters. She would spend days in her chamber to stop herself from going to it. Sadly, in the end, the soul over powered her and she released it. Through her body, it was able to return to its own. In addition, your majesty, that very same day the temple received a chest with strange markings on it. As you may have guessed, it was in deed the oni’s body, which had been in our neighboring country for the duration of the oni’s captivity.

As to how it came to the temple, said country has been having some internal control problems, as your majesty is well aware. A rebel group had just usurped the thrown and were sacking the capital when, by chance, they found the chest. Fortunately, one of them could read out script and was able to stop the others from opening the chest. Fearing what it contained they sent it back home.

It was there that a chance merchant found it and seeing the symbols matched a temple, he took it to Haramashi. That is how both body and soul found each other.

After the oni was whole once more, I have been told, it took on its full form and awed the sisters of the temple and thus almost escaped but do to it extensive imprisonment it was still weak. This is how the sisters were able to over power it and almost seal it once more. There was only one small fact they over looked: even at it weakest, the oni is still able to turn minds to its will.

That is how a new member of the order was as swayed as she was. She stopped the rite just before the final blow. I can now confirm that it was the fall on to the marble dais that was the cause of death for the headmistress of the order. The novice was dispatched that very night.

As of now we are still unaware as to the location of the oni. But I have taken the liberty of posting warnings and a bounty for its location and or capture. As it is pointless to post a description of his appearance, as he can change it with a thought. I have given the order that all people most be inspected for the sign. As it can take either male or female form I took the liberty of addressing it to all genders and ages. The only way to know if it is indeed the oni is to look at the chest; there it would bear sign of the seal, a burning mark that he can not disguise no matter how much he may try. It is our only chance to catch him.

I have guard posted everywhere, ready to apprehend the oni and complete the rite.

This is an accurate account of events. Spoken from my mouth and written by my hand.

Your humble servant,

Cleirach

CHAPTER 2:

They road for the better part of the day and made amazing time; the stolen horses never seemed to tire so it was only when their riders were exhausted and night was drawing near that they stopped for the night. Ethne took care of the horses while Aiden made camp. The horses were immaculate even after such a long ride, that could only mean they bewitched in someway most likely by a merchant who sells to wealthy clientele; quite the steal by Aiden, as they would not have been left on their own but most likely with hired guards to watch the merchandise.

She watched his every movement, not about to let her guard down for a moment around any man, not after what had happened to her. Though he had proved to be concerned for her welfare there was still the chance that it was all farce and that he would betray her at the first chance. There would no doubt be a bounty on her head and thieves were known to sell their own mothers if it would catch a fare price.

He seemed oblivious of her scrutinizing stare and continued to make a fire and start their supper. She walked over to the circle around the fire and began to set up her bed for the night. She wasn’t about to let her guard down even while she slept. He had caught her off guard before when she had found him in the woods but she would not let him take her for a fool and drop her guard again.

They had an herbal soup with bits of meat that Aiden had on his person. It was well made and left her full, as well as a bit sleepy. They talked for a bit about trivial things while Ethne was ever drifting off to sleep. It was only when she was lying on her bed asleep that he finally stopped his constant stream of chatter.

He secured the sleep upon her and finally dropped his guise. The pain shot him through like an armor piercing arrow, with no remorse. He collapsed on the ground and came to moment s later rolling over onto his back. The red marks seemed to burn with the very fires of hell, on the other hand knowing the dark arts of the Haramashi it probably was. They had no idea the dark forces that they unleashed upon the world when they used their arts, they could not even comprehend the things they did to him.

To have one’s soul separated from one’s body is like having your very core ripped out and split with you feeling every second of it. To make it worse they seal the soul in a karshi which is like being buried alive or constantly under unrelenting pressure. They then locked his body in a chest with it fully functioning, having only had the control over it removed.

His muscles ached! After being in disuse for a century they had shrunk and today he had demanded more then they were truly capable of. Only his power had held him. He had repressed the pain of the Seal and his muscles and now had to pay the price. If one represses pain then one can function as though it were not there, but one must then face all that had accumulated over the repressed period. That is what he now faced, a long night of agonizing pain that would come again the following night as he would have to repress the pain tomorrow and would have to continue to do so for what will be the rest of his life now.

Not a very appealing thought.

Though pain raked his body he was still bale to drift and almost separate him self from it, giving him time to think and meditate on what would lie ahead for him. Though one would think that he wound want to stay as close to his body as he possibly could, after being apart for so long it takes getting use to a body again and his mind could not help but revert to old ways.

He knew that he could not stay with this girl; she would only be trouble for him as he knew she did not trust him and with good reason too. Almost all that she had seen and done while with him was farce, illusions that he easily whispered to her mind so that she would not believe otherwise. The horses he had summoned, the food he had created with the matter around the site, the bedding and supplies were either illusion or redirected matter all a lie and only there to suet his needs. Even the friendly thief Aiden was nothing but a guise to hide the truth of what he truly was. His clothes were redirected matter as no illusion of his would be able to hide the marks on his chest as they were of the Haramashi.

They would have people looking for him, this he knew from far-seeking ahead of them. The next town was nothing important but there would be Queen’s men every where now, they must find him and Cleirach knew how to find him. Cleirach was not even a babe in his mother’s womb when last he had been but now he no doubt was the Queen’s advisor, just as his father was, and his grand father before him. They have kept the Queen’s ear to them selves and would be hard pressed to release that power. They were the Cunobelinus, hounds bent on power and that alone, it was all they longed for and all they sot after.

He knew their true longings for him and would not allow them to be granted their one wish: to obtain his power for themselves. They had been the knowledge behind his capture and possibly the power behind his escape, either way he would not serve them. He served no man.

He let his mind drift back to his pain wracked body and turned his head to look at Ethne.

How long had it been, sense he had last seen her?

He drove the thought from his head as well as to keep the remains of his stomach where they were. The pain was taking its toll and even when the initial repressed pain is over he will still have to face the burning of the mark. It seemed that none of it would end for him, the pain the sorrow, nothing. A vicious cycle was set into motion and would never end until he was some how freed from the mark. And that, he knew, could now never happen.

When she woke up that morning he was gone. Not that she was surprised; he was a thief after all. He had left her high and dry with nothing, not even the bed she had slept on, though how she had taken it with out waking her she did not know. Rather angry at her self for falling asleep and letting him fool her so but there was nothing to do about it now so she got up and splashed her face in the stream near by.

Grateful that the thief hadn’t stolen anything she walked to the road and started off towards the nearest town where she hoped to get a job and start a new life. If the news had traveled this far she would simple continue on until she reached a city far enough away that no one would care of have heard of the incident. Though the village was fairly small so she maybe lucky and the crime would never be reported at all!

With this bright though in her head she put a slight bounce in her step and continued on, thought there was the sound of hooves in the distance. She turned and saw a cart coming up behind her at a fair pace for the old looking mule that pulled the cart and the older looking gentleman that drove it. 1