Chronicles of the West

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!

Chapter Twenty Five

Darkness surrounded them, the stones lit eerily by the bouncing green flame of Shippo's power. Kurama looked at the injured persons with him and sighed, "We have to stop Toga. The human is badly wounded, and Silvana is in danger of bleeding out. We must stop and tend them". Toga disliked the idea of stopping within this corridor. His ears told him that the fortress was crumbling and there was no guarantee that this place would survive that fate.

"We have to get out" he said firmly, "I can't risk the walls burying us". The human over Shippo's shoulder moaned slightly, trying to lift himself. "Way..out.…. Ahead….symbol… on wall" he panted out. Ryu nodded and he and Shippo slowed the pace, searching for the place.

Minutes ticked by and Toga was about to roar with impatience. "Here!" Shippo called out. He turned, allowing the human to trace his fingers along the wall. The stone shifted and revealed a cavern. "This..way" he whispered. Kurama entered first, his senses scanning for dangers. Finding none, he motioned the others in.

When the wall was back in place, they caught the scent of green moss and fresh water. They had found an underground spring. "What is this place?" Shippo asked. Victor took a ragged breath, "The way out". Ryu Keh'd. "The way out is several hours in the direction we were headed" he reminded the man.

Victor shook his head as Shippo settled him against a round mossy boulder, "Illusion… you walked in circles. You got in because I let you in". Kurama's ear twitched, "Say again?" he asked softly. The human nodded, wincing as Shippo began to peel away bloodied clothing, "I needed you to come".

Ryu glared at him, "For what purpose? To serve that freak?". Victor sighed, "At first yes, it was what he wanted" he admitted, "But then I spoke to her". Ryu glanced down at the woman in his arms, "I could never get her out alone" the human told them. Kurama looked over at Ryu, "She's still bleeding Ryu" he gently reminded. The hanyou's ears drooped, "Yeah".

He made his way to a more secluded area. A soft mossy spot near the water. Kurama brought him herbs and a gourd of water soon after. "You'll have to get rid of those seals too" he said. Ryu nodded and took the clean linen strips from his shirt.

While Shippo saw to the human's wounds, Kurama turned to Toga. "Come on pup, let's get you settled" he said lightly. Toga growled at being called a pup but he removed his haori, allowing the fox to look upon his injuries. "Well they aren't all that serious, but some of these are rather deep. They need to be closed before we continue on". Toga nodded, understanding what needed to be done. He couldn't very well lick his own back wounds.

Ryu worked with methodical slowness, wiping the red-black smears from ivory flesh. Her wounds were revealed to him. Large slits, that bled freely. She'd warmed as they'd moved, cradled against his flesh. As a result her blood was no longer sluggish and was fast becoming a problem.

Ryu lifted her arm gently and lowered his head. Lapping and licking at long wounds, his healing saliva clotting the blood, sealing the wound. Her blood was sweet and tangy on his tongue and he reminded himself that he was not supposed to enjoy this. He was saving her life for crying out loud.

Kurama looked over the now cleaned wounds, "There are three that need to be sealed" he told the inu. Toga nodded his agreement. Kurama lowered his head and ran his tongue over the deeper punctures. Toga winced as the sting of the healing began. As quickly as it started, it was done. "That should hold you. The rest we need to keep salve on and bandage" Kurama announced.

Shippo had wrapped the wounds of the human in his care with efficiency and speed. "What's your name?" he asked. Victor turned eyes the color of cinnamon sticks to him. "I am called Victor, Victor Stratavarion" he replied softly. Shippo had sensed many things about this man before him, but nothing that indicated he was a cold blooded, driven killer. Shippo leaned back, "I'm Shippo, this is Kurama and Toga, that's Ippiku. Ryu is the one with Silvana" he offered.

Victor nodded, "I am pleased to meet you" he said politely if a little strained. Toga glared at him, "I wouldn't be so sure about that" he remarked coldly, "It's your fault that she's in such shape, after all". Victor stared at the ground, "Yes I suppose that's true". Kurama probed at the human's mind, softly, undetected.

This was not an evil man. A naïve man yes, and one who'd been sadly misled. His guilt was heavy on him. "Is this your way of making amends?" the fox asked, "An attempt at redemption for your many crimes against life and nature?". Brown eyes narrowed in thought, "No" he said finally, his voice dropping to a saddened shiver, "There is nothing that can redeem me. I didn’t do this for myself".

Toga still didn't trust him, but he was no threat. Not to them. "What did you do it for then?" Ippiku asked, slowly sitting up and holding his little blue head, "The goodness of your heart?". The imp's words were like icy razors to the human's heart. Victor sighed, "The goodness of the world…or at least I hope so".

Shippo sensed his distress, "No sense worrying about it now" Shippo said, "We have to get them stable enough to make it back to Silvana's wood. We can sort it out then. All that matters right now, is that he made a better choice in the end. Leave it at that for now".

Wise words and at the moment the only thing they could solidly follow. Shippo set about making a small fire to ward away the chill of the stone walls surrounding them. Ryu sighed and continued his ministrations on the deathly still woman. He'd stopped her bleeding, but he knew that she'd be needing time to recover. Several days at least.

He licked his lips of the remaining blood that lingered there. His golden eyes roving over her features. His clawed fingertips brushed against pale cheeks and blued eyelids. A low growl rumbled from his broad chest. "Don't you die on me woman".

With gentle hands, he sought out the seals on her flesh. Wet fingers stroked over the edge of a seal on her arm, breaking the integrity of the circle. It flashed softly in the dimness as it's power was released. He lifted her skirt to search her ankles and calves.

A hint of a seal peeked at him from the soft flesh of her thigh and he almost groaned. Callused fingers stroked over the flesh, brushing the marks away. Her limbs were free now, where else would they be? He lifted the lacings of her bodice, and the edge of a seal made itself known on her chest. Another on her stomach.

He washed them away with damp fingers, telling himself that this was to help her, not to feel her up. Lifting her limp form against his chest, he peered down the back of her dress, feeling like a pervert as he did. A very happy pervert, but a pervert nonetheless.

There at the small of her back lay another. His hands swept around her and down to remove it. Her head was tucked against his shoulder as he worked to remove the final seal. A shuddering breath ran through her as her body was freed from the painful restraints. She moaned softly, the first sound she'd made in a while. He pulled back to look at her.

Blue eyes opened slowly to lock with gold. Ryu felt relief rush through him, seeing those thick lashes lift. The pale brow furrowed, "R…Ryu?" she breathed. He smiled softly at her, "Yeah". She leaned against him, "…sssoo, c-cold". He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her gently. "I'll take you to the fire".

The others looked up as he carried her into the soft golden light of the fire. She was fast asleep in his arms as he sank to the moss covered ground. The air was subdued, weariness and worry filling their heads. Kurama stood and walked to the water, "I should catch some fish.. Or something for dinner" he said.

Victor looked down at the moss and grasses. He scratched a circle into the vegetation and before their eyes it became wheat. From the wheat he made bread. They were quite surprised by his ability, but said nothing for a long while. Kurama returned with fat fish and they were spitted over the fire.

Silvana was too tired to eat, but Ryu made her. Tearing tiny bits of fish away, he pressed them between her lips. So small, she need only swallow, but even that wore her out in a short time. They said little that night, too concerned with tending the wounded and preparing to leave.

In the small discussion that did occur, it was decided that the wounded would be carried until they could walk. One way or another, they would leave this cursed place behind them forever Toga and the others now recognized the strange ozone-like scent as that of alchemy, the scent that clung to certain members of their family.