The Other World

Chapter 18 - Death

Chapter 18 - Death

Chihiro sat up, clutching the scale. "No!" she cried out.

The door opened. Kitsune stuck her head into the room. "What's the matter?"

"Something's happened..." Chihiro whispered.

"What is it?" asked Kitsune. Then she noticed the palm-sized scale in Chihiro's hands. Her eyes grew wide. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked harshly. "Where did you get it?" When Chihiro didn't respond, she grabbed Chihiro by the shoulders and shook her.

"What?" Chihiro said. She twisted around. Kitsune stared at the scale in her hands, looking frightened and angry. "This? It's Haku... Kohaku's. Risuni gave it to me."

"The prince's?" Kitsune said. She gazed at Chihiro, trying to gather her thoughts. "Keep it hidden," she hissed when she finally spoke. "Hasn't anyone told you how dangerous it is, how vulnerable it makes the one it belongs to?"

Chihiro nodded mutely.

In the outer room, the door flew open with a bang.

"Girl! Master wants to see you," a gruff voice said.

"Hide it," Kitsune whispered emphatically. She rose to greet the oni at the door.

Chihiro reached for the towel, trembling. What could have happened? she thought. She pulled on the nightgown that Kitsune had brought her along with the towel without much thought and tucked the scale into the pocket. She opened the bathroom door and went into the bedroom to find not one but three red bearded and horned oni staring at her.

Chihiro flushed. She became intensely aware of how thin the silk of her white nightgown was, and how it clung to her skin and hid nothing. She stood there in her bare feet, shivering slightly. One of the oni stared down at her breasts where the silk rested against her skin, and licked his lips. There was a glint in his eye. Chihiro felt blood flush her cheeks. She stared at the floor and walked over.

The oni led her past Kitsune, who watched helplessly, saying nothing. They marched her out of the room and through the halls, one walking in front and two behind. She felt the oni's gaze on her back like a slimy touch, and shuddered. The oni laughed softly.

To distract herself, Chihiro reached into her pocket and brushed the dragon scale lightly with her fingertips.

Haku? She called out, tentatively.

A wave of pain and fear hit her, bringing bile to the back of her throat and making her head spin. It slowly faded away. Chihiro? The thought came through not quite focused, as though pushing through a thick fog.

Haku, are you alright? Where are you? She showed him the images she saw through her eyes, the blank hallways and the oni before her.

Chihiro... Chihiro heard Haku let out a ragged breath, as if he were panting. Lin told me... your memories were coming back... Haku seemed to have trouble forming coherent thoughts. She's... watching... us now. I'm... sorry... the promise... I'm ... so sorry...

Haku's voice faded away. She was left only with the weight of heavy foreboding pressing down in her chest and the sensation of the cold marble floor under her feet. Chihiro shivered with dread. She had never heard more than words through the connection before, and now all that pain... The walk through the hallways lasted an eternity.

They finally came to a stop before the room of stars. The doors opened and revealed what lay behind them. Chihiro screamed.

The white dragon from her dreams, the dragon, Haku, her Haku, golden chains bound him held in place by a thick golden collar and shackles. His fur was matted with rust, with drying blood. Her head exploded; dark spots danced across her vision and she was screaming something: NO! NO! HAKU! but she couldn't reach him. She strained against the ground with her feet, plunging forwards toward him but he didn't get any closer, she wanted to touch him to heal him why wasn't she moving? Tears streamed down her face but she wasn't aware of it only of Haku's chains rattling as he roared and lunged at her and the pain in her head blinding her and her screaming and when drops of his blood hit her they burned like acid they burned. The world was fading away everything was getting smaller and smaller but she fought against the unconsciousness threatening to take over and she screamed her defiance at the spell Haku was hurt there wasn't time for sleep. But the pain, it cleaved her head in two she tried to close her eyes against it but they were locked on Haku and she became aware that he was the source of her pain and he lunged again and she screamed because it was all she could do but now she screamed in anger and fear...