Tidal Florette - A Painted Soul I

Kaiya - 45

After the stunning display of Akkokaido's titanic form, it descended into the sea to wait for their call when Kaiya is ready to begin the assault on the capital temple. Kaiya left the other girls on deck, insisting she deal with Saito alone while they take a break.

Knowing she has to speak with Inei again makes Kaiya feel nauseous. She knows the priest is still the same unnerving man from before, but the fact he's been bombarded with commandments he has no way to resist has her struggling to see him as a living mortal. He only seems to respond to them because of being forced by the sword to answer with honesty. What he did to the girls... my father... my home... I can't forgive him, but I can't help feeling some pity... I know he'd be useful after this, but I think I'd rather just put him out of his misery.

Entering his quarters, he doesn't acknowledge her. "Inei? We've almost reached Taikira. You still understand what you have to do, right?"

Inei responds in monotone. "Gather the council, behave as usual, don't speak to anyone about any of you women, and return to the ship once the council of light is in the palace."

"Good... we have to add one more thing." Kaiya touches Shihai as she speaks. "Tell me if you know of any divine artifacts in the temple's possession."

Inei twitches slightly before responding. "Aside the blade in your possession, the Ignited Temple accumulated the five artifacts of the elder day gods."

"Do you know where they are?"

"Yes."

"Are they in the temple at Taikira?"

"Not all of them."

Kaiya sighs, I guess it couldn't be that easy. "Where are they?"

Inei hesitates. "Inside the temple are two of the artifacts. There is the Fathomless Cell, given to the temple during its construction by Eldra, God of Justice. And then we have the Dreamweaver's Torch from Eunoma, Goddess of Peace."

A prison cell? We definitely can't take that... But a torch shouldn't be that large... It doesn't matter what they do, right now we just need to get what we can away from the Ignited Temple.

"Two others belong to the Pavartis down in Nuvoluce. The Harvest Pitcher from Mitanshu, God of Harvest, and the Living Atlas from Markor, God of Conquest."

Kaiya is confused. "How did a crime lord get his hands on them? Did he steal them?"

Inei shakes his head. "Lord Pavarti's wealth is very persuasive."

Sure, just his wealth, as if a man of my father's status wouldn't be well aware of how quickly priests 'retire' in Nuvoluce. "Do we need to worry about Pavarti taking action after today?"

"The Pavarti Syndicate doesn't care if you don't affect their fortune or Nuvoluce. Horaizon doesn't matter to them, in fact, you're doing them a favor."

Less priests to pay off, I guess. "Can you bring us the torch when you return to the ship?"

Inei scowls. "You would rob us even further? You blasph–"

"You will bring me the torch." Just as I thought, still the same man.

Inei's eyes flash with the crimson glow of the blade. "As you wish."

Kaiya turns to leave, but stops at the door and looks back, caressing the blade's hilt again. "Tell me if you regret anything you've done."

Inei doesn't turn toward her, his silhouette still in the dim room. "All I have done has been my divine right. As it will be when Shihai is returned to me and I spill your blood in Aelionos' name."

"You don't feel any remorse over what you did to those girls?"

"They are mine, you would have enjoyed the same consummation once you were cleansed by the council of light."

Kaiya draws Shihai and the room flares awake with its glow. "You will never call anyone in this crew yours again." She grips the handle tightly. "The moment you would have tried to touch me, you would have lost more than a finger."

Inei laughs low and menacingly, "You stand there, clutching that blade, intoxicated by its power... And you think I'd have been foolish enough to give you any choice?"

Shihai crackles with fury, louder than it had the night the blade killed Jin. Kaiya can feel that all it would take is a single swipe, and the divine power would leave the priest without a head. Instead, she returns the blade to its hilt and slams the door as she leaves.

Kaiya rushes to her room, grabbing the half-finished bottle Michi had returned to the cabinet earlier. She yanks out the cork and throws it across the room, throwing back the bottle until it's emptied.

Dropping it to the floor, the bottle shatters and she stumbles toward the door. The wine had already made her feel hazy, but now it settles in and sends her vision into swirls.

She works her way up the hallway until she finds the main deck. Michi sees her and hurries over, grabbing her arm and steadying her. "Darling, what happened? Are you okay?"

Kaiya touches Michi's cheek clumsily, "He'll never touch any of you again, I promise..."

Thyra's face darkens and she turns away, muttering something to herself Kaiya can't hear. Michi holds Kaiya's hand to her cheek, smiling sadly as she closes her eyes. "I know... now come and see."

Michi guides Kaiya to the bow of the ship and points out. Kaiya has been to the capital before, long ago, yet the sight of the palace towering into the clouds is an overwhelming beauty to behold. Michi holds Kaiya's hand tightly, "This is it, it's time to change the world..."

Kaiya looks down and pulls Shihai from its hilt just enough to see it is still blazing with rage. I guess we're getting along pretty well, huh?

The chains wrapped around Thyra rattle as she hoists her anchor over her shoulder. "We must enjoy view while we have this."

Hiyoko joins them and pokes Thyra's shoulder, "We're targeting the temple not the palace."

Thyra shrugs. "Did you see how big Akko be? We know not what will get bumped into."

Michi giggles. "Akko? Should you really be using pet names with a god?"

Thyra stammers. "I... It said... It told me to!"

Kaiya steps forward from the others to the banister and reaches into a small pocket inside her bodice. She pulls out a folded parchment and holds it close to her heart. They'll suffer for what they did 'zumi... I'll make sure of it...