Chapter Fourteen: The Shrine
Trudging back to Miyo's home in a most aggravated manner, Kikyo angrily huffed as she marched along the dirt path. For the past several hours, she had dedicated her time to Oberon, the strange teenager she had encountered just days ago, and now, she had simply wished not to mention the boy's name due to his... previous actions.Walking on to Miyo's property, the priestess made her way to the front door where she promptly knocked twice. Silence followed.
Knocking once more, she called out, hoping someone would hear her, "Hello? Miyo? Kohana? Vincent? ...Anyone?"
Crossing her arms and looking about the house, the woman sighed before she knocked on the wooden frame of the front door. Releasing a sigh, she reached for the knob, and the door gently opened, emitting a squeaking sound as it slowly swung on its hinge.
Peering into the front room, she cautiously entering the home as she gripped the bow in her right hand. "Hello?" she questioned yet again, her voice firm. "Is anyone here?"
Failing to get a response, she gingerly pressed forth into the living room as her vision darted about the silent home. Her eyes met with the oak bookcase against the wall; it was, no doubt, the tallest object in the room, a few inches shy of the ceiling. Calmly walking toward it, she carefully read each title on the shelf until a particular novel caught her attention.
"The Athartan Affair," she read the spine aloud, removing it from its place. Wiping off the dust ridden cover, Kikyo sat herself in a chair, and opening to the first page, she continued, "This should be interesting..."
The trees grew taller and much denser as the trio ventured deeper into Riyona's forest, and the foliage reached toward the sky above. Penetrating the canopy, the sun's rays cast its warm light onto the forest floor below, brightening the path for the numerous travelers passing along. Watching in awe, Kohana gazed up to the high treetops above.
Clinging to her basket, Miyo looked to the sable haired man and began, "It's really calm here, isn't it? There's always a sense of tranquility."
Vincent nodded and folded his arms across his chest, taking in the lavish scenery. "I haven't seen a world this peaceful for over thirty years," he said, returning Miyo's glance. "It brings back a lot of memories. A long time ago, I'd escape the shielded walls of my home, Midgar, and would stay in the country for days at time. Free of duty, responsibility... That's the kind of life I'd always desired."
He continued, his voice dank, "But, after thirty years of solitude, I realized it wasn't the life I wanted at all. I was nothing more than a wandering spirit without purpose, an utter waste of life. So, I vowed to myself that I'd spend the next thirty years making a difference."
Eyes widening, Miyo shot a most shocked glance toward the Turk, thinking, "Thirty... years? I can't even imagine all of the things he's gone through."
Noticing the woman's evident mood shift, he let out an uneasy breath. "Don't worry, it went by much faster than what it seems," Vincent replied, averting his attention from her.
Miyo struggled to find the right words to comfort the man. She stared at the Turk with sorrowful eyes, and failing to draw the proper phrase, she simply placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder, uttering softly, "Vincent..."
Eyes widening, the man gave a timid smile, and unexpectedly, he placed his own hand on the young woman's.
Miyo gave a thoughtful smile in return, her heart racing slightly. She took in a breath and added, "At night, I enjoy going into our garden while Kohana is asleep. It's the time of night when the village is at its calmest." Her words faltered and Miyo gave a delicate smile, directing her sight to the flower given to her by the Turk. She grasped it softly in her hand and carefully placed it in her hair. She turned back to Vincent and continued,"It would be nice to have someone to enjoy that peace with."
Vincent looked over to Miyo and smiled. "I'd like that," he said to her softly. The man closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the air. "I only wish that my world was like this now." He opened his eyes and glanced at Miyo once more. "The flower... It looks nice."
Miyo touched the flower in her and smiled. Her face flushing, she uttered, "Thank you."
After a moment, Kohana caught the woman's eye as she playfully chased after a blue butterfly. Miyo's eyes soon widened as she recalled her dream. "That butterfly," she whispered. "In my dream?"
Vincent's ears perked. "What did you say?" he asked the woman beside him. The Turk placed his hand on her shoulder in concern. "Is everything alright?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I... just had dream last night," she answered. "I was following a butterfly through the woods and came across a waterfall--"
"We're here!" Kohana interrupted, stopping in her tracks and bouncing up and down.
Placed in a small clearing, the shrine consisted of two buildings; a rather large wooden structure that resembled a temple and a smaller building overshadowed by the former that seemed to be a private residence. Both buildings were roofed by bamboo shingling and gated by a small stone fence, barely two feet tall, that surrounded the perimeter.
Off to the side was a closet-sized building with a black awning, accompanied by a stone well equipped with a rope and bucket directly beside it. The entire lot was overlooked by a hill scattered with overgrown plants, flowers, and bamboo.
Vincent looked upon the sight with wide eyes. "Wow," he uttered in a soft voice. "It's beautiful. How old is the shrine, Miyo?"
Miyo glanced over at the man and replied, "I'm not sure of the exact age, but my brother once told me it's over five hundred years old."
Kohana tugged on her sister's sleeve, urging her forth and pleaded, "Come on, let's go inside!" Without hesitation, the child rushed ahead of the two adults as she ran into the shrine.
"Do we need permission first?" Vincent questioned curiously.
"Usually there are swarms of villagers, but we've never gone inside without anyone else," Miyo responded. "I know the shrine has a grounds keeper who lives here to serve and protect it, but the last time Kohana and I visited they weren't here at all. Come to think of it, I can't recall ever meeting the current shrine keeper. I don't see them... maybe they stayed in the village after the festival."
Vincent nodded and continued to look at the shrine. "I see then," the man said as he took a step toward the building. He turned around, looked at Miyo and offered his hand. "Perhaps we should just go on ahead. It shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Blushing, Miyo offered a timid smile as she placed her hand in Vincent's. As the two proceeded forth toward the archaic building, the familiar butterfly fluttered overhead until it had hovered off into the distance. A feeling of hesitation loomed about her, but as she was led by Vincent, she carefully walked into the shrine.
Walking inside of the ancient dwelling, the interior was, surprisingly, in good condition. The long hallway of the main building was decorated with old statues of stone, carved in the likeness of the world's various guardians. In the center, the statue of Riyona stood mightily; flowers, offerings and many gifts graced his pedestal. The entire shrine offered a serene aura, but the persistent silence was notably eerie.
"Wow," the older sibling remarked, her tender voice slicing through the silence. "I can't believe that everything seems to be so... intact. It's just as I remembered it."
As Vincent stared at each of the individual statues, Kohana poked the base of one of the guardians as she proceeded to further investigate it. Making a fist, she lightly knocked against it; a solid sound ensued.
Looking to her sister, Miyo set her basket on the floor, and crossing her arms, she ordered firmly, "Kohana, hey, don't touch that!"
Gasping and placing her hands behind her back, the girl turned her head around the area as she attempted to create a reason for her actions.
"But Miyo, I'm looking for ghosts!" she finally retorted, offering an innocent stare. "The boys from the village say that they're suppose to be in here."
"Careful, Kohana," Vincent warned her. The man glanced over at Miyo and back at the young girl. "You don't want to mess with any ghosts now, would you? If you bother a bad spirit, it might come after you and haunt you. Do you want that happening?"
"Oh, no!" Kohana gasped, her eyes widening. Lowering her head, the child was certain to keep her hands behind her back, far away from anything's grasp.
"Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm starting to get a little hungry," the woman said, stepping outside near the shrine's stone wall, Kohana and Vincent following suite. Sitting upon the low structure, she nestled the basket near her and began to unpack its contents.
"Luckily, I packed plenty of food for the trip," she continued, settling the variety of food on a blanket. "Vincent, Kohana, would you like any?"
"I'm fine, Miyo," Kohana said, starting to walk toward the other building. "I'm gonna check this place out, 'mmkay?"
Vincent nodded. "Kohana, be careful," he advised, crossing his arms. "If you need me or your sister, just call for us, alright?"
Presenting the man with a warm nod, the girl ventured further on the shrine grounds. Watching her sister walk off, Miyo smiled, beginning, "I'm glad you decided to come. I won't deny it, but... your presence has certainly changed things around here."
Turning to her, the figure in crimson remained silent as he developed a somewhat puzzled expression. Giggling, she took a bite out of a peach before continuing, "It's hard to explain, but you've brought this strange new sensation to both of us. Look at Kohana; she's never been this adventurous before. She's always been shy, and she usually clings to me wherever we go. You've brought a sense of security in her life."
Finally sitting himself next to the woman, he brought his knee to his chest as he questioned, gazing at the sky, "And what have I brought to your life?"
Miyo lowered her chin, a smile blossoming. She looked Vincent in the eye as she said softly, placing a strand of hair behind her ear, "You've... brought a smile to my face."
Strangely, the man couldn't help but offer a small smile in reply.
Meanwhile, a curious Kohana went inside one of the main building's rooms to search for the elusive, fabled ghosts. Peeking into the clamored room behind the door, the child held her breath and tip toed inside. A large desk was placed in the center of the room, and on top of it, a mountain of dusty books and scrolls were piled in a messy arrangement. Behind the unorganized clutter, a wide bookcase presented its mass of crammed books. Several candles flickered about the room, offering a hint of light. Not long ago, someone had obviously been present.
"Those ghosts have gotta be around here somewhere," Kohana chirped with enthusiasm, checking underneath the desk. "I just know I'll run into one of 'em!"
Crawling out from under the structure, the girl patted the dust off of her knees as she stood up. A sudden shadow appeared upon the wall, startling the child, and beginning to become frightened, she slowly backed away. Her eyes instantaneously widened as she bumped into a tall, shadowed figure. Running behind the desk, she released a terrified scream, hoping that either Vincent or Miyo would come to her aid.
The Turk's ears perked to the sound of the child's cry, and shifting onto his feet, he turned to the woman, who also stood before urging, "That's Kohana! Hurry, it sounds like she's in trouble!"
Vincent nodded, and with Miyo in tow, he began to head in the direction of the clamor. "Come on," he uttered, dashing off to the scene.
Chapter Fifteen: The Keeper > >
