And the adventures of the Priestess and the Vampire Continues! well done!
Fanfiction ► The Riyona Village
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XDDD Vampire? Errr, that's a first. Awesome posts! Seriously, check out the site if you like the story.
The Riyona Chronicles - Version 1.0 Simple Origin
And Kikyo's not even around at this point. xDD Also, I didn't have time to fully proof this chapter, so please pardon any errors; I'll fix them soon.
While Vincent and Kohana indulged in the outdoors, Miyo was in the kitchen, tediously making breakfast for everyone. She had cooked a healthy sum of meat, prepared fruit from the garden, made pancakes, and freshly squeezed orange juice. She looked out of the small window in the room and saw Vincent and Kohana in the distance, at the gazebo, talking to one another.
Miyo smiled and soon rushed out of the house's front door and began along the towards the garden and pond, stopping when she was able to see Vincent and Kohana again.
"Breakfast!" she called out. "Come back inside you two!"
Vincent looked over to Miyo and nodded. He glanced over to the girl standing beside him. "I don't know about you, Kohana, but I'm starved," the man said with a small smile and he began to walk toward the house. "Are you coming?"
"Of course!" Kohana yelled with excitement.
Miyo smiled at the picture perfect moment and went inside to set the table. She soon grabbed the plates of food in the kitchen and spread them out along the dining table. In the center, she placed a bouquet of fresh flowers in a vase. She moved back, admiring the sight with a smile.
As an idea struck her, Miyo quickly rushed back outside. Vincent and Kohana were a few feet in front of the door when they were halted by Miyo. She walked up behind the Turk and covered his eyes with her hands.
"Wait," she said "This is your first breakfast here and I want it to be a surprise."
Vincent gave a short laugh as Miyo began guiding him inside. "Miyo, you didn't have to do this for me," he said with a smile. "I'm not worth all that trouble. Really!"
"Wait, Kohana!" Miyo said, noticing her younger sister who was not at the table, about to begin eating. The young girl folder her arms across her chest in a huff.
Miyo then said, "You're well worth it, Vincent. You deserve a good breakfast."
"I suppose," Vincent replied, eyes still covered. "Well, I haven't had a breakfast at all in a while, either. This'll be a real treat, no matter what."
"Ready? Alright," Miyo said, lifting her hands from his face.
The man looked upon the meal with great surprise. He stared at all of the food in silence for a bit and then turned to the woman beside him after several moments. "Miyo," he said a little stunned. "It's a beyond perfect meal. You did this all... for me?"
Miyo blushed. "Yep, it's my pleasure," she said simply. "Take a seat. I'll pour you some juice."
"Miyo usually cooks like this when it's a special occasion or when she wants to impress someone she likes," Kohana said to Vincent, taking some toast hastily. "It's always really good."
The man nodded and walked over to one of the chairs. "It looks great," he said happily. "I can't wait to have some."
As Vincent sat in his seat, he smiled at Kohana's remark. "It could be," he continued in a soft tone. "Maybe she does like me a little. Or perhaps she wants to show hospitality. Or it could be both." He lowered his head to hide his face.
Miyo blushed again, placing her hand on top of his before taking a seat. "Well this is a special event," Miyo replied. She leaned over to Vincent's ear and whispered, "And it might be that I do like you." Miyo gave the Turk a flirtatious wink.
"Hey, I saw that!" Kohana said pointing her fork at her older sister, "What did she whisper Vincent?"
Vincent widened his eyes as he looked up at Miyo. He felt his face turn red and he looked down in embarrassment, knowing the feelings were mutual. After a moment, he looked up at Kohana and waved his hand.
"It's alright, Kohana," he said with a blank expression. He looked up at Miyo and smiled. "Your sister was just telling me that if you don't finish your breakfast, we won't be going out today. So get eating, alright?"
Kohana thinned her eyes at Miyo and continued to eat. Miyo grinned and began to eat as well. She soon paused, staring at her food, and said softly to Vincent, "Sorry if I'm coming off too strong. I'm not used to feeling this way."
After Vincent swallowed a mouthful of food, he nodded and whispered softly in her ear, "Don't worry, I feel the same. You were just expressing what we both felt. I haven't felt anything like this in quite some time, either." He smiled and placed his hand and the table.
"This food is wonderful, Miyo," he said aloud truthfully and to cover Kohana's suspicions. "It's magnificent."
Miyo smiled and replied, "Thank you, it was no trouble. You're very kind fro saying so."
Kohana shrugged and continued to eat huge portions of panckaes at once.
Miyo giggled softly and said, "You know, we didn't get to go Riyonia's shrine yesterday. Maybe we should go there today."
"Yeah! All of those people that were here yesterday messed up our plans," Kohana said quickly after swallowing her food. She looked at Vincent continued, "It's really old. People don't go there very often anymore. These boys that live not to far from us says that it's haunted."
"I remember the shrine clearly," Miyo added. She turned to Kohana and smirked. "And don't you worry about seeing and ghosts. Vincent will be there and he'll protect us. In fact, if he stays he'll be able to protect us all the time."
The young girl looked at Vincent and asked, "Are you really staying? What about your world?"
Vincent froze and looked down at the young girl. After a moment, getting up from the table, he placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled.
"It's yet to be discovered if I can even get back to my world," he said, glancing over to Miyo and looking back down at the girl. "But, for the time being, my place is with you and your sister, alright Kohana? I'm going to protect you two, understand? Unless you want me out for any reason."
"Of course not!" Kohana exclaimed. "You should stay with us. I... want you to stay."
Miyo looked at Vincent, then back at Kohana with concern. She thought about the ghosts her sister mentioned. She knew the tales of ghosts at the shrine were just silly stories the children of RiyonA village told, but couldn't help connecting the thought with her strange dream. She lowered her head a bit and became tense.
"Why am I nervous all of a sudden?" she thought, "It was only a dream... just a dream."
"Miyo?" Vincent asked with concern in his voice. "Is something wrong? You're as white as a sheet." Slowly but gingerly, he touched the side of her face and looked into her eyes. "Are you feeling alright?"
With the touch of Vincent's hand, Miyo felt tingle in her face moving down through body. It was a good, but rare feeling for the woman. She placed her hand atop his and snapped back from her thoughts. She showed off a warm smile and replied to Vincent, "I'm okay."
Vincent wanted to believe in the smile that Miyo expressed, but found himself feeling uneasy. He looked into her eyes and knew something was troubling her. Although he didn't present his expressions on his face, he was worried on the inside. He looked at her for another second and then looked at Kohana, who was lso looking at her sister with curiosity.
"What's wrong Miyo?" Kohana asked.
"It's nothing, really. Your food is getting cold," Miyo replied.
Kohana shrugged her shoulders, continuing to eat, and began, "Anyway, those boys said that there are ghosts and monsters at the shrine, but I don't think I believe them. If there are ghosts, you're going to protect us, so I won't worry. The shrine is deep in the forest, so it'll be good to have you if we get lost. I can't way to go!"
The Turk nodded. Miyo got up from her seat solemnly, beginning to clean the table.
"Do you need a hand?" Vincent offered.
Miyo smiled. "That's alright. Hey, Kohana, why don't you take Vincent to get an offering?"
"Okay! We have to pick some flowers for the shrine," she said, "I feel bad that we missed going there yesterday, so we've got to pick a lot!"
"Well then, let's go get some," Vincent said kindly.
Kohana began to lead Vincent back towards the garden as Miyo continued her cleaning.
After the duo reached the garden, Vincent said casually, "I'm sure it's fine we didn't go to the shrine yesterday. We are going now, after all." Kohana shrugged and began to pull flowers out of the ground.
The Turk looked down at a group of flowers growing along the path. Vincent bent down and picked one particular violet flower that was in full bloom. He smiled and looked over to the young girl. "Think Miyo would like this flower, Kohana?"
Kohana stopped picking flowers and looked over at the one Vincent was holding, "That's one of her favorites," she replied. "How did you know?"
Vincent smiled and shrugged. "I didn't," he answered as he looked down at the flower. "I just assumed that she'd like it."
"Well that's the one she likes the most," Kohana said grabbing more flowers. "It's called the Majesty Jasmine. She says it was our mother's favorite too."
The young girl stood up from the ground and showed Vincent her rather large collection. Kohana held them up towards Vincent and asked, "How about these?"
Vincent nodded and smiled. "Those are nice," he said. He gave out a quick chuckle and shook his head. "I never thought I would be talking about flowers after everything that's happened in my life."
Kohana pulled the flowers towards herself and smelled them, giving a bright smile. "Well, we grow lots of them, so you've got know choice to become interested in them, okay?"
The Turk chuckled and Kohana grinned. Due to her lack of attention, her arms soon buckled and she dropped her collection of flowers. "Nuts!"
After she finished cleaning the table, Miyo poked her head outside and called out, "Hey, we don't have all day!" She briskly jogged up beside them and continued, "I'd like to be back before it's late."
Vincent looked over to Miyo and smiled. He slowly lifted his hand with the flower in his grasp and lowered his head in shyness. "For you," he said after a long moment of silence. "Thought you might like it."
Miyo saw the flower and her eyes gleamed with joy as she accepted it, giving Vincent an automatic hug. "Thank you!" she said happily. "I love this flower."
Vincent's eyes widened as Miyo embraced him. He smiled, and after a brief moment, he put his arms around her in reply. "You're welcome," he said softly.
The man felt his entire faced blush with color. It had been a long time since he had been so close to a woman like as Miyo and he was enjoying every second of his time with her.
Kohana stood up after gathering her dropped flowers and thinned her eyes. "Hey you huggers," she said, wedging between the two, "Are we going or not?"
"Of course." Miyo replied with a chuckle, releasing her grip on the Turk. She looked down at her younger sister and glanced back up at Vincent, saying, "Are you ready?"
After snapping out of his romantic daze, Vincent nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I am," he said softly. He crossed his arms and stepped forward. "So, you think you girls can lead the way?"
"Sure, come on! We've gotta show those boys that there aren't any ghosts!" Kohana said, taking Vincent by the hand. Miyo followed behind closely.
After a bit of walking, they pasted by the village circle where the festival was held. Soon after, they reached the flower fields, noticing that the Spider-lilies were slowly dying, while the others were still in bloom.
Chapter 12, Breakfast
While Vincent and Kohana indulged in the outdoors, Miyo was in the kitchen, tediously making breakfast for everyone. She had cooked a healthy sum of meat, prepared fruit from the garden, made pancakes, and freshly squeezed orange juice. She looked out of the small window in the room and saw Vincent and Kohana in the distance, at the gazebo, talking to one another.
Miyo smiled and soon rushed out of the house's front door and began along the towards the garden and pond, stopping when she was able to see Vincent and Kohana again.
"Breakfast!" she called out. "Come back inside you two!"
Vincent looked over to Miyo and nodded. He glanced over to the girl standing beside him. "I don't know about you, Kohana, but I'm starved," the man said with a small smile and he began to walk toward the house. "Are you coming?"
"Of course!" Kohana yelled with excitement.
Miyo smiled at the picture perfect moment and went inside to set the table. She soon grabbed the plates of food in the kitchen and spread them out along the dining table. In the center, she placed a bouquet of fresh flowers in a vase. She moved back, admiring the sight with a smile.
As an idea struck her, Miyo quickly rushed back outside. Vincent and Kohana were a few feet in front of the door when they were halted by Miyo. She walked up behind the Turk and covered his eyes with her hands.
"Wait," she said "This is your first breakfast here and I want it to be a surprise."
Vincent gave a short laugh as Miyo began guiding him inside. "Miyo, you didn't have to do this for me," he said with a smile. "I'm not worth all that trouble. Really!"
"Wait, Kohana!" Miyo said, noticing her younger sister who was not at the table, about to begin eating. The young girl folder her arms across her chest in a huff.
Miyo then said, "You're well worth it, Vincent. You deserve a good breakfast."
"I suppose," Vincent replied, eyes still covered. "Well, I haven't had a breakfast at all in a while, either. This'll be a real treat, no matter what."
"Ready? Alright," Miyo said, lifting her hands from his face.
The man looked upon the meal with great surprise. He stared at all of the food in silence for a bit and then turned to the woman beside him after several moments. "Miyo," he said a little stunned. "It's a beyond perfect meal. You did this all... for me?"
Miyo blushed. "Yep, it's my pleasure," she said simply. "Take a seat. I'll pour you some juice."
"Miyo usually cooks like this when it's a special occasion or when she wants to impress someone she likes," Kohana said to Vincent, taking some toast hastily. "It's always really good."
The man nodded and walked over to one of the chairs. "It looks great," he said happily. "I can't wait to have some."
As Vincent sat in his seat, he smiled at Kohana's remark. "It could be," he continued in a soft tone. "Maybe she does like me a little. Or perhaps she wants to show hospitality. Or it could be both." He lowered his head to hide his face.
Miyo blushed again, placing her hand on top of his before taking a seat. "Well this is a special event," Miyo replied. She leaned over to Vincent's ear and whispered, "And it might be that I do like you." Miyo gave the Turk a flirtatious wink.
"Hey, I saw that!" Kohana said pointing her fork at her older sister, "What did she whisper Vincent?"
Vincent widened his eyes as he looked up at Miyo. He felt his face turn red and he looked down in embarrassment, knowing the feelings were mutual. After a moment, he looked up at Kohana and waved his hand.
"It's alright, Kohana," he said with a blank expression. He looked up at Miyo and smiled. "Your sister was just telling me that if you don't finish your breakfast, we won't be going out today. So get eating, alright?"
Kohana thinned her eyes at Miyo and continued to eat. Miyo grinned and began to eat as well. She soon paused, staring at her food, and said softly to Vincent, "Sorry if I'm coming off too strong. I'm not used to feeling this way."
After Vincent swallowed a mouthful of food, he nodded and whispered softly in her ear, "Don't worry, I feel the same. You were just expressing what we both felt. I haven't felt anything like this in quite some time, either." He smiled and placed his hand and the table.
"This food is wonderful, Miyo," he said aloud truthfully and to cover Kohana's suspicions. "It's magnificent."
Miyo smiled and replied, "Thank you, it was no trouble. You're very kind fro saying so."
Kohana shrugged and continued to eat huge portions of panckaes at once.
Miyo giggled softly and said, "You know, we didn't get to go Riyonia's shrine yesterday. Maybe we should go there today."
"Yeah! All of those people that were here yesterday messed up our plans," Kohana said quickly after swallowing her food. She looked at Vincent continued, "It's really old. People don't go there very often anymore. These boys that live not to far from us says that it's haunted."
"I remember the shrine clearly," Miyo added. She turned to Kohana and smirked. "And don't you worry about seeing and ghosts. Vincent will be there and he'll protect us. In fact, if he stays he'll be able to protect us all the time."
The young girl looked at Vincent and asked, "Are you really staying? What about your world?"
Vincent froze and looked down at the young girl. After a moment, getting up from the table, he placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled.
"It's yet to be discovered if I can even get back to my world," he said, glancing over to Miyo and looking back down at the girl. "But, for the time being, my place is with you and your sister, alright Kohana? I'm going to protect you two, understand? Unless you want me out for any reason."
"Of course not!" Kohana exclaimed. "You should stay with us. I... want you to stay."
Miyo looked at Vincent, then back at Kohana with concern. She thought about the ghosts her sister mentioned. She knew the tales of ghosts at the shrine were just silly stories the children of RiyonA village told, but couldn't help connecting the thought with her strange dream. She lowered her head a bit and became tense.
"Why am I nervous all of a sudden?" she thought, "It was only a dream... just a dream."
"Miyo?" Vincent asked with concern in his voice. "Is something wrong? You're as white as a sheet." Slowly but gingerly, he touched the side of her face and looked into her eyes. "Are you feeling alright?"
With the touch of Vincent's hand, Miyo felt tingle in her face moving down through body. It was a good, but rare feeling for the woman. She placed her hand atop his and snapped back from her thoughts. She showed off a warm smile and replied to Vincent, "I'm okay."
Vincent wanted to believe in the smile that Miyo expressed, but found himself feeling uneasy. He looked into her eyes and knew something was troubling her. Although he didn't present his expressions on his face, he was worried on the inside. He looked at her for another second and then looked at Kohana, who was lso looking at her sister with curiosity.
"What's wrong Miyo?" Kohana asked.
"It's nothing, really. Your food is getting cold," Miyo replied.
Kohana shrugged her shoulders, continuing to eat, and began, "Anyway, those boys said that there are ghosts and monsters at the shrine, but I don't think I believe them. If there are ghosts, you're going to protect us, so I won't worry. The shrine is deep in the forest, so it'll be good to have you if we get lost. I can't way to go!"
The Turk nodded. Miyo got up from her seat solemnly, beginning to clean the table.
"Do you need a hand?" Vincent offered.
Miyo smiled. "That's alright. Hey, Kohana, why don't you take Vincent to get an offering?"
"Okay! We have to pick some flowers for the shrine," she said, "I feel bad that we missed going there yesterday, so we've got to pick a lot!"
"Well then, let's go get some," Vincent said kindly.
Kohana began to lead Vincent back towards the garden as Miyo continued her cleaning.
After the duo reached the garden, Vincent said casually, "I'm sure it's fine we didn't go to the shrine yesterday. We are going now, after all." Kohana shrugged and began to pull flowers out of the ground.
The Turk looked down at a group of flowers growing along the path. Vincent bent down and picked one particular violet flower that was in full bloom. He smiled and looked over to the young girl. "Think Miyo would like this flower, Kohana?"
Kohana stopped picking flowers and looked over at the one Vincent was holding, "That's one of her favorites," she replied. "How did you know?"
Vincent smiled and shrugged. "I didn't," he answered as he looked down at the flower. "I just assumed that she'd like it."
"Well that's the one she likes the most," Kohana said grabbing more flowers. "It's called the Majesty Jasmine. She says it was our mother's favorite too."
The young girl stood up from the ground and showed Vincent her rather large collection. Kohana held them up towards Vincent and asked, "How about these?"
Vincent nodded and smiled. "Those are nice," he said. He gave out a quick chuckle and shook his head. "I never thought I would be talking about flowers after everything that's happened in my life."
Kohana pulled the flowers towards herself and smelled them, giving a bright smile. "Well, we grow lots of them, so you've got know choice to become interested in them, okay?"
The Turk chuckled and Kohana grinned. Due to her lack of attention, her arms soon buckled and she dropped her collection of flowers. "Nuts!"
After she finished cleaning the table, Miyo poked her head outside and called out, "Hey, we don't have all day!" She briskly jogged up beside them and continued, "I'd like to be back before it's late."
Vincent looked over to Miyo and smiled. He slowly lifted his hand with the flower in his grasp and lowered his head in shyness. "For you," he said after a long moment of silence. "Thought you might like it."
Miyo saw the flower and her eyes gleamed with joy as she accepted it, giving Vincent an automatic hug. "Thank you!" she said happily. "I love this flower."
Vincent's eyes widened as Miyo embraced him. He smiled, and after a brief moment, he put his arms around her in reply. "You're welcome," he said softly.
The man felt his entire faced blush with color. It had been a long time since he had been so close to a woman like as Miyo and he was enjoying every second of his time with her.
Kohana stood up after gathering her dropped flowers and thinned her eyes. "Hey you huggers," she said, wedging between the two, "Are we going or not?"
"Of course." Miyo replied with a chuckle, releasing her grip on the Turk. She looked down at her younger sister and glanced back up at Vincent, saying, "Are you ready?"
After snapping out of his romantic daze, Vincent nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I am," he said softly. He crossed his arms and stepped forward. "So, you think you girls can lead the way?"
"Sure, come on! We've gotta show those boys that there aren't any ghosts!" Kohana said, taking Vincent by the hand. Miyo followed behind closely.
After a bit of walking, they pasted by the village circle where the festival was held. Soon after, they reached the flower fields, noticing that the Spider-lilies were slowly dying, while the others were still in bloom.
End of Chapter
I'm sooo getting this story up and going again. XDD
Traveling through the clear paths of the underbrush, the group finally stopped in the middle of the forest as they noticed a small shrine in the distance. It was hidden within the growing wave of dense foliage, but it was still clearly visible in the sun's light. It housed a series of stone carvings that meant nothing in particular to the Turk.
"We're almost there!" Kohana exclaimed. "This is going to be great!"
Raising a curious brow, Vincent halted as he looked upon the small sanctum; in his mind, he had envisioned something far more elegant and vast in size. "This is the shrine?" he questioned, finally proceeding forth toward the structure.
Giggling, Miyo's shoulders lightly shrugged in laughter as she set down her large basket. "Sort of," she replied, shifting about the array of objects. "This is simply a fragment of the original, a resort for anyone who can't make the pilgrimage to the real one, if you would. A few decades ago, part of the original shrine was destroyed, and it was Riyona who told the villagers to make a smaller shrine here."
Sporting a smile, the woman continued, "It may almost seem selfish, to be ordered around by a deity, but I find it... beneficial." Pulling out one of the bouquets that had gathered the night before, the older sister handed the child the flowers, and the two smiled in delight.
"I think that by praying to Riyona, we give him a bit of our own strength," Miyo began once again, turning to Vincent and offering a pleasant expression. "In return, he protects us from any danger. To offer prayer in exchange for safety... I find that to be a good trade, don't you?"
Silence was conceived between the three, and the two sisters approached the small shrine, bowing to it in respect. Vincent felt he should have been doing the same, but he was left remaining uncertain. Stepping forward, the young girl placed the collected bouquet on a stone tablet in the center of the roofed area. The duo knelt down to the ground, while Vincent observed the scenery of the shrine's lush area.
The bright sun above them quickly vanished away within a thick blanket of dark clouds, and the surrounding forest became as black as night. The Turk whiffed in some of the air and wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"The air is foul," he said, interrupting the girls' meditation. Vincent turned to them with a grim face. "It's some kind of potent dust, maybe smoke, and I don't think it's safe for human lungs. We should find a place to stay until this passes over."
Kohana gave a cough which warranted Miyo's attention. The woman then looked up and saw the thick cloud of smoke too. Holding the child close to stop her from inhaling the air, she turned to Vincent with a confused look saying, "What's happening? Where is that smoke coming from?"
Vincent thinned his eyes and looked toward the direction in which the smoke was coming from. "South," he simply replied as he took a step into the dusty air. The man coughed once more and felt his eyes slightly water from the intense fumes. His red eyes looked over to Miyo and he nodded, confirming her fears. "Come on. We have to get out of here."
The woman's vision darted about the area, and clinging to her younger sister, she exclaimed, "Where are we supposed to go? The village is miles away, and we're far off from the house!"
Snapping his head about, the Turk's eyes thinned as he managed to locate a particularly large tree. Following its trunk, the roots had penetrated through the soil, and it appeared as though it had formed a hollow cage under the earth.
"Quickly, follow me," Vincent urged, beginning to take off in the tree's direction.
With the girls following him suit, the smoke began to thoroughly pollute the air around the small shrine. Helping the two sisters into the convenient refuge, the man turned his back to the entrance, providing a makeshift shield from the dust's harmful consequences for the two women.
As the dust storm continued to rage on outside, the Turk saw a flash of light coming forth from the forest. It was dim, but he could see that it was moving upward toward the cloud of smoke. As the intense wind gusted on, the powerful aura suddenly emerged from the the top of the forest. It has the shape of a man, but it was as if its entire body was composed of light. Vincent closed his eyes and felt the energy move about.
"What is that?" he whispered, taken by the amazement of the moment.
Miyo's eyes widened, and stricken with awe, she gasped, "Riyona."
Catching a glimpse of the entire scene from beneath the Turk's cloak, Kohana's jaw dropped in true astonishment. "No waaay," she commented slowly, grinning from ear to ear.
Outside of the tree's roots, the spiritual energy of Riyona gracefully moved up and down to sway the harmful dust away. After a few moments of the process, the air in the trio's area became fresh and the sun emerged from its covered slumber and nature returned to its former self. The energy continued its work and a sudden gust of wind began to blow the entire cloud of smoke to the south, away from the village.
Just as the energy appeared, it vanished suddenly into the forest without a trace. The Turk turned his head once more to the direction of the previous events, and he carefully looked around the area. "Gone," he whispered, turning his attention to the ground. "It's gone."
Her head still lowered, Kohana remained under the Turk's solace, shielding cloak. Although ambiguous of the situation's outcome, Miyo bent down to retrieve the basket of goods that she brought along. Standing up once again, she, unexpectedly, brushed her cheek against Vincent's. The young woman's face blushed a bright pink, and she bit her lower lip while the man, who barely noticed the young woman's actions, shot a glance toward the forest once more.
Just an inch away from the Turk's face, Miyo felt her heart pound uncontrollably as she set her grayish-blue upon the man's face. She could no longer restrain the growing desire inside of her, and biting at her lower lip, she continued to blush in silent, blissful content.
Continuing to gaze out at the outside, Vincent's eyes attempted to scan and search for the energy. He grew increasing curious of the mysterious force that was Riyona. "Miyo, do you-" The Turk turned his face toward the young woman and found himself barely an inch away from her face. His heart began to rapidly beat and he could feel it pounding through his chest.
The man placed a hand upon his uncontrollable hammering chest. Vincent felt his entire face become red. Parallel to Miyo's feelings, the Turk began to develop a blazing yearning, and to much of his surprise, he was enjoying every second of this strong, new feeling.
"That... was sooo cool!" Kohana interjected, snapping the two out of their enchanted daze. "Did you guys see that?!"
Offering the girl a gentle smile, the older sister emitted a chortle, saying, "Yeah, it sure was."
After the two sisters submerged themselves into their brief laughter, Miyo looked to Vincent once again as she tried to contain her true emotions from him. "Vincent, do you think it's safe to go outside now?" the woman questioned, using an uncertain yet firm tone of voice.
Turning around to carefully venture outside, the man looked about in each direction, and giving the nod of approval, he answered, "I think so. Whatever that smoke was, it's gone, for sure. That light... It's also gone as well."
Looking out to where the entire scene had unfolded, Miyo cautiously stepped outside and saw that nothing had changed; everything was as normal as can be. She turned to the younger girl, who was walking just behind her, and continuing to bear her constant smile, she said, "Well, I think that without anymore unexpected twists, it's fairly safe to go to the shrine." Kohana nodded in agreement.
"How much farther is it?" the Turk asked, turning to the two girls.
"It's not too far away, actually," the woman replied, exchanging a pleasant expression with her sister. "It's just a bit deeper into the forest. I think it's less than a mile away.
Looking out into the forest before him, Vincent's curiosity increased rapidly and he gave a nod. "Deeper into the forest," he repeated with a blank expression, his true mood was masked behind such. "Alright, let's go check it out."
Smiling broadly, Kohana left her sister's presence as she dashed off to the man's side, and greeting him with a warm smile, stating joyfully, "I'll lead the way! I know where I'm going, Vincent!"
The Turk nodded and replied with a small, rare smirk. "Alright, Kohana," he said before turning to Miyo. "Let's get going then. We don't want to waste any of this sunlight."
Following her two companions close behind, the woman continued to bear her grin as she blissfully advanced forth toward the elusive Riyona Shrine.
Chapter 13, Light Within The Dust
Traveling through the clear paths of the underbrush, the group finally stopped in the middle of the forest as they noticed a small shrine in the distance. It was hidden within the growing wave of dense foliage, but it was still clearly visible in the sun's light. It housed a series of stone carvings that meant nothing in particular to the Turk.
"We're almost there!" Kohana exclaimed. "This is going to be great!"
Raising a curious brow, Vincent halted as he looked upon the small sanctum; in his mind, he had envisioned something far more elegant and vast in size. "This is the shrine?" he questioned, finally proceeding forth toward the structure.
Giggling, Miyo's shoulders lightly shrugged in laughter as she set down her large basket. "Sort of," she replied, shifting about the array of objects. "This is simply a fragment of the original, a resort for anyone who can't make the pilgrimage to the real one, if you would. A few decades ago, part of the original shrine was destroyed, and it was Riyona who told the villagers to make a smaller shrine here."
Sporting a smile, the woman continued, "It may almost seem selfish, to be ordered around by a deity, but I find it... beneficial." Pulling out one of the bouquets that had gathered the night before, the older sister handed the child the flowers, and the two smiled in delight.
"I think that by praying to Riyona, we give him a bit of our own strength," Miyo began once again, turning to Vincent and offering a pleasant expression. "In return, he protects us from any danger. To offer prayer in exchange for safety... I find that to be a good trade, don't you?"
Silence was conceived between the three, and the two sisters approached the small shrine, bowing to it in respect. Vincent felt he should have been doing the same, but he was left remaining uncertain. Stepping forward, the young girl placed the collected bouquet on a stone tablet in the center of the roofed area. The duo knelt down to the ground, while Vincent observed the scenery of the shrine's lush area.
The bright sun above them quickly vanished away within a thick blanket of dark clouds, and the surrounding forest became as black as night. The Turk whiffed in some of the air and wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"The air is foul," he said, interrupting the girls' meditation. Vincent turned to them with a grim face. "It's some kind of potent dust, maybe smoke, and I don't think it's safe for human lungs. We should find a place to stay until this passes over."
Kohana gave a cough which warranted Miyo's attention. The woman then looked up and saw the thick cloud of smoke too. Holding the child close to stop her from inhaling the air, she turned to Vincent with a confused look saying, "What's happening? Where is that smoke coming from?"
Vincent thinned his eyes and looked toward the direction in which the smoke was coming from. "South," he simply replied as he took a step into the dusty air. The man coughed once more and felt his eyes slightly water from the intense fumes. His red eyes looked over to Miyo and he nodded, confirming her fears. "Come on. We have to get out of here."
The woman's vision darted about the area, and clinging to her younger sister, she exclaimed, "Where are we supposed to go? The village is miles away, and we're far off from the house!"
Snapping his head about, the Turk's eyes thinned as he managed to locate a particularly large tree. Following its trunk, the roots had penetrated through the soil, and it appeared as though it had formed a hollow cage under the earth.
"Quickly, follow me," Vincent urged, beginning to take off in the tree's direction.
With the girls following him suit, the smoke began to thoroughly pollute the air around the small shrine. Helping the two sisters into the convenient refuge, the man turned his back to the entrance, providing a makeshift shield from the dust's harmful consequences for the two women.
As the dust storm continued to rage on outside, the Turk saw a flash of light coming forth from the forest. It was dim, but he could see that it was moving upward toward the cloud of smoke. As the intense wind gusted on, the powerful aura suddenly emerged from the the top of the forest. It has the shape of a man, but it was as if its entire body was composed of light. Vincent closed his eyes and felt the energy move about.
"What is that?" he whispered, taken by the amazement of the moment.
Miyo's eyes widened, and stricken with awe, she gasped, "Riyona."
Catching a glimpse of the entire scene from beneath the Turk's cloak, Kohana's jaw dropped in true astonishment. "No waaay," she commented slowly, grinning from ear to ear.
Outside of the tree's roots, the spiritual energy of Riyona gracefully moved up and down to sway the harmful dust away. After a few moments of the process, the air in the trio's area became fresh and the sun emerged from its covered slumber and nature returned to its former self. The energy continued its work and a sudden gust of wind began to blow the entire cloud of smoke to the south, away from the village.
Just as the energy appeared, it vanished suddenly into the forest without a trace. The Turk turned his head once more to the direction of the previous events, and he carefully looked around the area. "Gone," he whispered, turning his attention to the ground. "It's gone."
Her head still lowered, Kohana remained under the Turk's solace, shielding cloak. Although ambiguous of the situation's outcome, Miyo bent down to retrieve the basket of goods that she brought along. Standing up once again, she, unexpectedly, brushed her cheek against Vincent's. The young woman's face blushed a bright pink, and she bit her lower lip while the man, who barely noticed the young woman's actions, shot a glance toward the forest once more.
Just an inch away from the Turk's face, Miyo felt her heart pound uncontrollably as she set her grayish-blue upon the man's face. She could no longer restrain the growing desire inside of her, and biting at her lower lip, she continued to blush in silent, blissful content.
Continuing to gaze out at the outside, Vincent's eyes attempted to scan and search for the energy. He grew increasing curious of the mysterious force that was Riyona. "Miyo, do you-" The Turk turned his face toward the young woman and found himself barely an inch away from her face. His heart began to rapidly beat and he could feel it pounding through his chest.
The man placed a hand upon his uncontrollable hammering chest. Vincent felt his entire face become red. Parallel to Miyo's feelings, the Turk began to develop a blazing yearning, and to much of his surprise, he was enjoying every second of this strong, new feeling.
"That... was sooo cool!" Kohana interjected, snapping the two out of their enchanted daze. "Did you guys see that?!"
Offering the girl a gentle smile, the older sister emitted a chortle, saying, "Yeah, it sure was."
After the two sisters submerged themselves into their brief laughter, Miyo looked to Vincent once again as she tried to contain her true emotions from him. "Vincent, do you think it's safe to go outside now?" the woman questioned, using an uncertain yet firm tone of voice.
Turning around to carefully venture outside, the man looked about in each direction, and giving the nod of approval, he answered, "I think so. Whatever that smoke was, it's gone, for sure. That light... It's also gone as well."
Looking out to where the entire scene had unfolded, Miyo cautiously stepped outside and saw that nothing had changed; everything was as normal as can be. She turned to the younger girl, who was walking just behind her, and continuing to bear her constant smile, she said, "Well, I think that without anymore unexpected twists, it's fairly safe to go to the shrine." Kohana nodded in agreement.
"How much farther is it?" the Turk asked, turning to the two girls.
"It's not too far away, actually," the woman replied, exchanging a pleasant expression with her sister. "It's just a bit deeper into the forest. I think it's less than a mile away.
Looking out into the forest before him, Vincent's curiosity increased rapidly and he gave a nod. "Deeper into the forest," he repeated with a blank expression, his true mood was masked behind such. "Alright, let's go check it out."
Smiling broadly, Kohana left her sister's presence as she dashed off to the man's side, and greeting him with a warm smile, stating joyfully, "I'll lead the way! I know where I'm going, Vincent!"
The Turk nodded and replied with a small, rare smirk. "Alright, Kohana," he said before turning to Miyo. "Let's get going then. We don't want to waste any of this sunlight."
Following her two companions close behind, the woman continued to bear her grin as she blissfully advanced forth toward the elusive Riyona Shrine.
End of Chapter
- Status