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Empty Spaces	By : Macx Category: Descendents of Darkness/Yami No Matsuei > General Views: 3188 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Descendants of Darkness (Yami no Matsuei), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Empty Spaces
- 2-part 2
- 3-part 3
- 4-part 4
- 5-part 5
- 6-part 6
- 7-part 7
- 8-part 8
- 9-part 9
- 10-part 10
- 11-part 11
- 12-part 12
- 13-part 13
- 14-part 14
- 15-part 15
- 16-part 16
- 17-part 17
- 18-part 18
- 19-part 19
- 20-part 20
- 21-part 21
- 17
- 18
- 19
V. The Beginning

Terazuma had given Sohryu the time and space the dragon had needed to
cope with the loss and the pain of so long ago. Byakko had told him a few
things, but the tiger hadn't been there when the former Sohryu had died.
He hadn't even been born yet. So he just watched, kept an ear open for
whatever information he could get, and he left it to his lover to approach,
to come to him.
The party had been nice, though somber when everyone had discovered
that Genbu had simply left without saying a last good-bye. There had been
this strange expression in Sohryu's eyes, one he hadn't lost when they
had gone to bed. In the morning, when Terazuma had woken, his lover had
already been gone.
So it came as a surprise that he was suddenly there, throughout the
early afternoon, watching Terazuma as the shinigami made his rounds in
their lake. He had decided to get out, use his free time, his recovery,
to get in touch with is lion again, who had been strangely settled and
a bit too distant for Terazuma's liking. Too quiet. It wasn't like the
Black One.
Swimming helped. It calmed Terazuma, who was still worried about Sohryu,
and it drew out the cat.
When he returned to shore, Sohryu was waiting, smiling at him. He held
out his robe.
"Hey."
Terazuma slid into the light fabric and smiled. "Hey."
Sohryu leaned down and brushed their lips together. "I'm sorry, Hajime."
"About what?" he wanted to know, puzzled.
"Not being there. You and the Black One..."
"We solved the problem. It's okay. There was nothing for you to do anyway."
"I'm your partner and I wasn't even there for that."
Terazuma rested a hand on the broad chest, felt the warmth underneath
the robes. "You had your own problems."
And it was an offer to talk to him.
"Yes," the dragon murmured and sighed. "I did." He was silent for a
moment, then tugged carefully at Terazuma's arms, leading him to the tree
where everything had started.
Terazuma sat down cross-legged, waiting.
"I never told you."
"No."
"It was... is... my past. My father... died before his time and I inherited
his title, his responsibilities, everything. I was young," Sohryu said
softly, eyes distant. "Much too young. Father shouldn't have died for another
few centuries. He was young himself, healthy, there had been and wouldn't
be any wars, but he did die. And I was there, without any experience, and
the pain."
"You had Touda."
The blue-gray eyes were filled with sadness. "I had him, Hajime. He
was my friend, my lover... everything.... But when I became Sohryu, the
Protector of the East, I had responsibilities and I didn't believe that
they involved a male partner. We cut our ties and it was, at the time,
the second most painful thing after father's death. We became friends,
but I was now one of the four Gods, and he was not a Divine Commander yet.
Our status... it was different. We ended this relationship to insure our
future."
Terazuma looked at the other man, read so much pain in his voice.
"Tell me about your father?" he asked softly.
Sohryu smiled a little more. "Gladly."
° ° °
The rain had started somewhere throughout the afternoon and it was coming
down in sheets by nightfall, beating against the roof and the windows.
Ryu stood at the window of one of the many, almost countless rooms of the
Palace, watching the spectacle. Fat drops thrummed against the window panes,
blurring the world outside. Now and then there was a flash of lightning
n the distance.
In a way, the rain was a calming sound, the only sound in the room,
and Ryu listened to the force of nature. He didn't need to hear his lover's
approach. His fine-tuned senses had already been aware of Rikugo's approach.
As always, the shikigami seemed to sense when his partner was distressed,
leaving him enough time to ponder and then following him.
Hands came to rest on Ryu's naked shoulders, then slid down each arm
to the hands, interlacing their fingers. Rikugo gently coaxed his arms
to let their joined hands rest on his flat stomach. He, too, had forgone
much formal wear, only pulling on a pair of pants, though who did they
have to be decent for? There was no one else.
The rain beat against the window with renewed vigor and the wind rattled
at the shutters.
"Thinking?" Rikugo asked, voice soft, a rumble against his ear as the
blond head rested on one shoulder.
"Yes."
"About?"
"All of this."
Rikugo drew him even closer, both men back to front, feeling skin against
skin.
"I'm scared, Rikugo," Ryu whispered, never taking his eyes off the storm
outside. "Scared of what will come. I know Enma will remain Lord of Hades,
despite what has occurred. The other Lords can't come to a different conclusion.
With the ascension of Genbu there will be a new power for GensouKai, but
Meifu won't change."
"Meifu has already changed," the astrologer answered evenly. "Everything
has changed."
"Not everything."
Ryu was still a prisoner and Enma-Daiou was still his keeper. It was
as comforting in its traditional sense as it was scary. Ryu's role in this
whole fight had been quite prominent.
"Ryu... this is only the beginning. Nothing will be as it was before."
He didn't answer. He didn't want to. Maybe a few things for him had
changed. He was allowed to leave for forty-eight hours if Tsuzuki took
his place, but after the latest events he wouldn't ask the shinigami. Tsuzuki
had ha enough happening to him as it was. Ryu also had Rikugo, which was
thankfully a constant. He needed his lover, he needed to feel him, and
he was glad the shikigami had opted to stay here.
"Ryu," Rikugo murmured, squeezing the hands he held. "Have faith."
I'm all out of it. I never had much anyway, he thought, but didn't say
it out loud.
° ° °
The Ascension ceremony was held in front of a very illustrious group.
All four Protectors were dressed up in their ceremonial robes, looking
regal, reflecting their age, their power, their status. Rikugo was at Sohryu's
side, staring straight ahead at the throne that represented the Emperor's
seat in this world. He was aware of the power shift even before the new
Golden Emperor entered the hall and all four Gods went down on one knee,
bowing, paying their respect.
"Arise," the deep voice could be heard and they followed the order.
There was nothing of the old Genbu left, Rikugo mused as he looked at
their Lord and ruler. This was the Golden Emperor, tall and proud and powerful,
and no longer one of them; no longer a shikigami.
Eyes that held the knowledge of the universe fell on them and a slow
smile was on the handsome face.
"You are the four Protectors of this realm. It is your duty to serve
your Emperor, to protect GensouKai, to keep the peace. A new Emperor has
arisen and I ask of you to give me your loyalty."
It was a mandatory ceremony, despite the knowledge that all four of
them would serve the new Emperor willingly. Still, protocol demanded it.
As much Rikugo despised the old rituals, this was one that was needed.
He felt the power grow, felt it envelop him, brush over his very soul,
and he shivered at the veiled strength he felt.
"Sohryu," the Emperor said calmly and the blue dragon bowed again. "You
have served your world well. You protected it with all your strength and
you stood in my place, keeping a calm head and mind. It's not my plan to
relieve you of your duty as my representative. I ask of you to be my voice,
my eyes, my ears."
"I accept, my Lord," Sohryu answered firmly.
"There will be changes and you are no longer required to shoulder all
responsibility alone, Sohryu," the Lord of GensouKai went on. "You share
duties with all four Protectors and this is your priority."
"Yes, my Lord. Thank you."
"I ask of all of you to guide this world. We have survived a terrible
time and you are now the new hope for a peaceful future."
All inclined their heads in agreement and acceptance.
"My only concern is one of you."
Rikugo felt the aura focus on him and his face became a mask.
"Rikugo no Genbu," the Emperor spoke his name and he froze completely.
"You were chosen by your predecessor to be in his place until a new Genbu
can join the ranks. You are one of the Divine Commanders; you accepted
your place. But you are not their equal."
Rikugo's hands clenched a little. Of course he wasn't. He had cut off
his hair, reducing his power, and it would take decades, even a century,
to regain that power. Genbu had known when he had named him his successor.
"My Lord," he only said neutrally.
"My Lord," Sohryu interrupted the Emperor, "Rikugo is accepted as our
equal."
"He may be in rank, but not in power."

tbc...
- 17
- 18
- 19
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