Come Down to Us!

The Suzaku Summoning Ceremony!

Episode 17

Summing Suzaku was easier said than done. This Lina learned the next day as Hotohori began nitpicking over the exact placing of the rug, the brazier and the candles. The servants ran themselves to the bone trying to keep up with his demands. First they had to prepare the temple and then Lina had to go through some purification rite while the Shichi Seishi gathered their powers. Then there was a whole ceremony she had to go through and chant something, and after that, throwing the scroll on the coals, and then (and only then) Suzaku would appear.

It was a lot of work. Lina was already getting tired. Summoning gods wasn't her domain. Still, it wasn't like she had a choice or anything.

"Lina?" Hotohori broke off from the preparations as he noticed her in the temple. "Lina... I need to talk with you for a moment."

"Sure, what's up?"

"You know how the ceremony goes? Suzaku grants you three wishes. The first wish will be for Konankoku's protection from Kutoukoku, but the other two..."

Lina blinked. She had forgotten about that part. She had assumed that summoning Suzaku would save Konankoku, end of story. The two extra wishes were one big bonus.

"What were you planning to do with the other two?"

She looked at her hands. "Well... I'll wish Naga free of that slimy Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi, Nakago."

"Wish wisely, Lina-chan. It's not often you get an opportunity like this."

"No kidding," muttered Lina under her breath. "One wish left... hey, this could finally be the opportunity to grow a little bigger! Why, that's perfect!" She winked and smiled widely. When she opened her eyes, she saw Tamahome talking with Chiriko. The two were smiling at each other.

Tamahome... Lina blinked a few times as a bee passed in front of her vision. What would her last wish be?

"Lina..."

She looked up at the emperor.

"It's time."

Time meant time to get ready for the ceremony. This involved a long purification rite. She mumbled to herself the lines she was supposed to say as she entered the ... well, washroom didn't do justice to it. It had a large pool complete with a waterfall and lots of other strange things used for the purification portion of the ceremony.

Lina raised an eye skeptically as she looked around. "Strange," was her only comment as she slowly began to undress.

"The four directions of the sky, the four directions of the earth..." Lina stepped into the pool, where several maidservants waited. They took her through the ritual, which required little work on the part of Lina. "Um, the protector of the south, Suzaku...err... Come to us physically. Please make extinct every... kind of evil... umm... By using your divine powers, uhh, protect us... only... only... only...only I wish... please listen to this... please come down to us from the sky..."

"Miko-sama, this way please."

She followed them automatically as they led her under the waterfall. The fine spray of water misted over her skin and felt comforting. She was nervous. The eyes had scared her to the very core, and she still could not figure out why. Somehow, they had made a mistake. She could not figure out what it was. It still worried her. The vision she had was even more troubling.

"Miko-sama, this way please."

They dressed her in a special outfit and brushed out her long hair into a strange bun on top of her head, surrounded by a circlet. It felt strange not being in her normal garb and without any of her usual accessories. The loss of the headband worried her the most since that was the link to Gourry. Still, Gourry had not shown up since they had found Tasuki.

Worry later. Work now. Summon Suzaku.

It took the greater part of an hour for Lina's purification ceremony to be completed.

Lina was extremely tired and bored by the end of it.

She was led into the temple, where the lit candles offered a soft glow to the room. In the center, on top of a small platform, was a round brazier. Little flickers of flame leapt out of it from time to time. Surrounding this were the Suzaku no Shichi Seishi, aligned according to their constellation. Down the center was a clear path to the brazier.

"Okay, let's get this show in the road!" said Lina cheerfully.

The Shichi Seishi gave her an odd look. Nuriko got a sweatdrop.

"Dang. It's one of those serious moments again." Lina twirled the scroll of the Shijintenchiso in her hands and asked, "Okay, so are we all ready?"

Seven nods confirmed this.

"Right. Let's get started."

Tamahome's eyes held her gaze for a long second before he bowed his head and concentrated his ki along with the other Shichi Seishi.

Lina gulped. This wasn't going to be easy. Still, follow the procedure. Walk up to the brazier, and then say...

"The four directions of the sky,

"The four directions of the earth,

"The protector of the south, Suzaku,

"Come to us physically.

"Please make extinct every kind of evil

"By using your divine powers, protect us.

"Only I wish, please listen to this.

"Please come do to us from the sky!"

... And throw the scroll over the fire in the brazier, and wait for the big bird himself to show up.

Lina intoned the words slowly and carefully as lofted the scroll over the brazier. It arced like a bird in flight and landed in the center of the flames. They jumped up as if catching it.

"Please come down to us from the sky!"

There was a long pause.

Lina raised an eyebrow, scratched her forehead, cleared her throat, and said loudly:

"Please come down to us from the sky!"

There was a long pause. The Shichi Seishi started looking around confusedly.

"What, do you need an invitation or a bribe or something? Come down already!"

A long note floated into the air.

Lina turned. "Chiriko..."

His eyes caught hers for a spit second. "Gomen nasai," he whispered softly.

She reached out to him. "Chiriko?"

He shut his eyes and began to play.

This time, his song was not soothing and relaxing, full of mellow tones that drifted in a beautiful melody.

This time, his song was loud and discordant, shrieking and piercing through Lina's ears.

She fell down to her knees, clutching her hands over her ears. Around her, the other Shichi Seishi were doing the same. There was no escaping the shrill flute.

"Chiriko..." gasped Lina. This was it. This was what was wrong. This was why the eyes laughed at them. This was...

This was...

It was becoming difficult to think. Lina did the first thing that came to her mind.

"Digger Bolt!"

She resorted to violence. The spell fizzled as it formed, and spat as it sped towards the flute player. It wasn't nearly up to Lina's standards, but at the moment, she wasn't worried about it.

The blast caught him on the shoulder and knocked him backwards. The notes died down immediately, and everyone started to recover.

Chiriko grabbed his flute swiftly and began to play again. If anything, this time was worse. Through clenched teeth and fists, Lina could see a blue symbol shining on the boy's right shoulder.

High spirits.

It glowed the same way Nakago's heart symbol had.

Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi!

Lina tried to cast another spell, but her energy had been spent in the first blast, and the relentless music pummeled her skull. She and the others were down for the count...

Another shrill note tore through the air and broke the spell.

"Na...nani?" gasped Chiriko. He started to play his flute once more.

The same note stopped him. A small figure stood in the doorway, clutching a piece of grass between his thumbs. It was a grass whistle.

Hotohori was the first on his feet, with Tasuki not far behind him. Hotohori grabbed his sword and Tasuki his tessen, as Chiriko stumbled backwards a few feet. Finally, he turned and dashed out another exit. Hotohori, Tasuki and Tamahome were not far behind.

"Wait..." said an exhausted Lina, slumped against the podium. "What happens now?"

They ran through the streets of Eiyo, pushing over everything in their way. If this angered people, they were wise enough not to press their luck. An angry emperor dashing through the streets was not a good person to antagonize.

Chiriko pushed past a large crowd, only to find himself between a rock and a hard place. Or rather, three angry Suzaku no Shichi Seishi and a river.

"Who are you?" Hotohori demanded to know.

Chiriko leapt onto the wall surrounding the riverbank.

"There's nowhere to run," yelled Tasuki. "So why don't you be a good boy and tell us what the %#$^&@ you're doing with your flute!"

Tamahome glared. "That symbol on your shoulder. That's not Chiriko's symbol! It's the symbol of a Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi!"

The boy who was not Chiriko clutched his flute tightly. "That's right... I am the Seiryuu no Shichi Seishi known as Amiboshi."

"Why did you pose as Chiriko?" asked Hotohori. "Why did you pretend to be a Suzaku no Shichi Seishi?"

Amiboshi's eyes softened. "I was ordered, by Nakago. I... he told me that you would invade Kutoukoku and destroy us if you summoned Suzaku. But... I... I don't know what to think anymore!" He clutched his head in his arms. "When I was with you, you didn't seem so bad. But Nakago assured me you were evil. So did my brother. But... but..." A lone tear snaked down his cheek.

Tamahome's anger lessened. He reached out to the confused boy, saying, "Wait, let's talk this out..."

Amiboshi jerked back as if Tamahome's hand was on fire. He slipped on the wet masonry, falling backwards... backwards toward the river...

"NO!" Tamahome snatched the end of Amiboshi's flute.

The younger boy was stunned. The rushing waters gurgled not far from his dangling feet. He was quite literally hanging by a thread.

Tamahome winced, his grip on the flute slipping. "Give me your hand!" he yelled, reaching out with his left hand. Amiboshi stared up at him. Beads of water where on the younger boy's cheek, mist from the river or tears, Tamahome couldn't tell. But then, the boy closed his eyes with finality.

His fingers opened.

"NO!" screamed Tamahome as he was left holding the flute. "STOP!"

It was too late. Amiboshi disappeared into the raging river.

The others were stunned. Tamahome slumped against the wall, holding Amiboshi's flute. His body was racked with sobs. He and Amiboshi had just exchanged a friendly chat earlier before the ceremony, and the younger boy's story had revealed much. He had a younger brother who he cared deeply for and would protect with his life. His parents had died in a war, leaving him and his brother alone, but they had helped each other and survived.

And now, he was gone.

Tasuki patted him awkwardly on the shoulder. "Eh, that was kind of strange, eh, Tama-chan? I mean, he's one of the Seiryuu Shichi Seishi, but then you're just about to save him and he let's go...? I... I don't understand. Why did he do that?"

"I don't know," said Tamahome softly, holding the flute close to his body.

"We must return to the temple at once!" said Hotohori, not once loosing his cool. (He was the emperor after all, and emperors had a public image to uphold.) "Suzaku-sama... Suzaku-sama..." He couldn't complete his sentence. "Hurry!"

They rushed back to the temple.

Continue: Episode 18: Search! A New Quest for the Genbu no Shinzahou!