The Shrine Maiden: Chapter 3 [*/F][FF/F]

[FeatherDaemon1]

The Shrine Maiden
Chapter III
[*/F][FF/F]

By FeatherDaemon
Copyright 2009

The sky was black and dark. The celestial ceiling was hidden by a wall of bluish-grey clouds. They promised of torrential rains which could fall in a deluge. The only lights which illuminated the surrounding area were that of the shrine's lanterns. The road leading to the shrine was not important enough to warrant any lights. The lights of the neighboring village miles away served as far off beacon.

Between that beacon and the shrine was a hill and on that hill stood Mr. Donzu. He was glad to see that the target of his visit across the portal was where she was supposed to be. He was also glad to see that the shrine was still standing here after so many years. It seemed like an eternity since he had visited this shrine as a delegate from the imperial Chinese court of the Southern Song dynasty. But that was so long ago and it had it had no bearing on his duties here now, at least not directly.

Mr. Donzu watched the shrine for any sign of ethereal activity. He knew that the miko had some training, but also she seemed to be quite lacking in the true potential of her home. If she had only seen it during the height of its importance she would certainly have made defensive preparations. Alas, that knowledge was lost as the Physical World and Limbo split further and further apart. However, he was not here to execute her or she would have already been killed. The tepataloi are much more deadly when they are not ordered to port back home at the slightest sign of damage. Oh surely their feelings are hurt, but they'll get over it. They are useful, but impetuous beasts at times.

The miko and her party would be allowed a bit of the night's peace before the ultimatum is delivered. The ultimatum would be delivered in a straightforward and effective manner. In the morning Mr. Donzu would approach the shrine in his usual and efficient manner.

** ** **

Nobuko and Arisa were sitting at the top of the steps leading up to the shrine. Nobuko had just explained the situation as far as she knew it to Arisa.

"I'm sorry for not explaining all of it to you. I was just trying to protect you from the situation I am in, plus I didn't want you to think I was crazy." Nobuko said solemnly." Please forgive me for not explaining more to you. I just ended up getting you involved anyways. The shrine seems to be safe, but you're trapped in here with me." Nobuko continued while sipping her tea.

Arisa looked to Nobuko and laughed, "Look Nobuko, I probably would have done the same thing. There is no need to apologize so hush up on that." Arisa replied while trying to hold the yumomi with the same precision as Nobuko."

Nobuko looked at Arisa with relief.

"So that's it." Arisa replied after hearing a little more of the story. "Count me in, no way in heck I'm passing this up."

Nobuko sighed and nodded.

Suddenly a scream from Reika came from inside the house. A wail of betrayed horror echoed like a banshee's howl.

Nobuko just smiled knowingly and continued to sip her tea. Arisa stared blankly at Nobuko. Nobuko just smiled.

Arisa jumped up, "Reika's in trouble. We need to go help her!"

Nobuko looked at Arisa with an uncharacteristic display of revenge. "Ohh, Reika is in trouble. Not like you think though. Oh, she'll fly down here in a few moments." Nobuko said calming Arisa. "We are quite safe behind the walls of the shrine. We're perhaps even a little safer now."

Arisa looked at the house, then back to Nobuko, then back to the house again. The rapidly approaching form of Reika flew down in a hasty fashion. Anguish and despair were clearly evident of the face of Reika.

"Nobuko! No-Nobuko-chan? How could you? We're friends aren't we? Please. Please send her away!" Reika said prostrating herself before Nobuko in traditional form.

"Get up Reika." Nobuko said, exasperated.

Reika raised back up then clung to the collar of Nobuko. "It's not fair, not fair at all I tell you."

Nobuko whispered in soft tones to Reika, "You weren't exactly playing fair yourself. Now take your medicine. You'd better stop begging. I see her coming. You wouldn't exactly want to be caught so, humbled, not this early in the game." Nobuko whispered, winking.

Reika let go of Nobuko and sighed. "You just wait, Nobuko. This is war. You'll get yours. I swear it!"

Arisa, surprisingly, was taking all this in a more comfortable stride. "Well, it's not demons attacking." She thought as looked at the approaching newcomer. For a split second Arisa thought that she saw a Yuki-Onna, a Lady of the Snow, but she shook off that feeling remembering Nobuko's words of the shrine's protection.

A woman of the same proportions as both Nobuko and Reika floated calmly towards the three. She was clad in a white silk robe. The frills of the robe where laced in gold trim. A habit adorned her head. Just inside the habit lacework covered her forehead as if it were cloth chain mail. A red rose flower and stem was stitched onto the robe directly over the left breast, directly over her heart. Delicate red slippers covered her feet. She looked composed and serene. She was the complete opposite of the panicked Reika.

Nobuko walked a few steps over to Arisa. "Allow me to introduce you to Galena. Isn't that correct?"

The mysterious woman nodded her head in agreement, "Yes. That is my name, Nobuko." Galena smiled peacefully as she replied to Nobuko.

Reika folded her arms and shot a sour look at Nobuko and Galena.

"There's a history here that I am not so sure I want to know about." Arisa looked at the three. Arisa finally got a good look at Reika. She then looked at Nobuko and then to Galena. They could be identical triplet sisters. Galena's face was somewhat hidden by her habit, but Arisa could see the similarities.

Nobuko tried to explain to Arisa, but she found that she was explaining this to herself as well. "I told you that the spirits of this shrine, the Kami, are real. I have no intention of delving into the theological implications of this, but they are. It is just simple reality. In the Kami's infinite wisdom they decided to give life to Reika. She is a reflection of an - aspect of my personality."

Reika was about to slide in a lurid interjection, but was immediately shushed by Galena. "Allow Nobuko to speak." Reika bit her lip and kept quiet. Reika looked like a scolded, pouting schoolgirl.

Nobuko continued, "The Kami apparently want me to move on with my life. That is something which I've been putting off, for my own reasons."

Reika chirped but kept quiet.

Nobuko looked to Reika, "Reika's methods of persuasion are little too graphic for my tastes."

Reika pointed to Galena in anger, "Her tastes, not yours! You've been a slave to her all your life."

Galena didn't saw anything. She just allowed Reika's tantrum to subside.

Nobuko looked to the clouded sky just wanting everything to go away, but she continued, "I implored the Kami's mercy. The stresses of the current, abnormal, events were too much. So I prayed for Galena to be real as well. I knew my prayers were answered when I heard Reika. I understand that all this sounds totally weird, but here we are. I just wanted you to know who you are dealing with and that it all has a logical explanation."

Arisa took it all in with a deep breath and a smirking expression. "I knew that there was a lot more to you back in high school. Still waters run deep. We should have hung around more in high school, you know. Well, anyway, here we are. Demons want to kill us. What do we do now?"

** ** **

Grand Commander Bellisar looked over his strike force. He stood proud and strong with his short cropped red hair tussled from the long days of riding. The sides of his hair were graying after years of battle against the dark forces of the world. His strike force consisted of 500 horse. All of his mounted soldiers were proficient chevaliers, hand picked and trained. He knew that his force was small in comparison to the other forces of the world, however they were skilled and comrades. They would battle together when larger groups would break apart in chaos. They all wore the gleaming armor of The Order of the SanGreal. The sacred chalice emblazoned on their shields.

He surveyed the scene a few miles below from the crest of a hill with his spyglass. It was a handy little magic gadget which was as important to him as the sword at his side. Trustworthy magic was hard to come by in this world. The times were not as easy as they were in years past. It seemed that what magic was taken as commonplace now came with greater increasing danger.

He'd neither been to 'the other side', nor did he desire to go but he heard the tales of wonder of what lay there. Yet, that feeling of wonder could not allay the fact that his spies within Vortigern's regime spoke true that Vortigern had dealings on 'the other side'. Those dealings were to bring something of great importance through the portal. What it was, unfortunately, was a mystery to him. He knew that he could deal a blow to Vortigern if he could disrupt the proceedings. He saw that his information was verified when he saw the assembled forces at the portal.

That damned portal was the cause of such misery in the world. Vortigern had controlled it for centuries using the mysteries of 'the other side' to his advantage. He was sure that he could crush Vortigern if he could only break Vortigern's control of it. Unfortunately, Vortigern's control of the Basalt Fortress ensured his military control of the portal.

Luck was on Bellisar's side in this matter of the portal. The portal always moved, therefor no permentant fortifications could be make around it. Vortigern did know beforehand where the portal would be. That was Vortigern's secret. Bellisar's informant gave him those coordinates for this transference. Thus he could attack.

The word, 'unfortunately', seemed to be at the apex of usage his vocabulary lately. Damn it was hard to find loyal soldiers in these times. Once again he surveyed the scene below. It had been hours, almost a day since Donzu had crossed over. Who knows how long Donzu's visit would take? He had to be ready for the assault. Something inside him was telling him, insisting to him that this strike was important. He had to be ready.

Bellisar looked to his Lieutenant, Tora. "Lt. Tora! Have all the enemy scouts been eliminated?"

Lt. Tora snapped to attention, her hair was cut short in a similar fashion to Bellisar; her blue eyes were primed for any call to duty. "Yes, sir. All detected scouts have been dispatched. You'd think that they would change their tactics by now." Tora said with a little bravado.

Bellisar looked to her with the experience of his command and years, "They have been. We're just better. Our training is the only thing keeping us alive in this fight. Remember that."
Bellisar handed Lt. Tora his spyglass. "Look at their pike formations down there. They have learned since our last battle."

Lt. Tora took the spyglass and looked through it. "I see what you mean. They're tighter, more disciplined. They're waiting for an attack. Could this be a trap?"

Bellisar drew a breath and exhaled calmly. "It could be, I've thought of it. Yet, I don't think so. We haven't called on our contacts in some time. They should be well hidden. No, I believe their information is true. No, those poor souls down there were ordered to defend that portal or face execution. I've seen that look in their eyes before. It's not a good way to lead an army, but it has it's moments. Tell the other lieutenants to prepare for an Omega Delta attack."

Lt. Tora returned the spyglass. "Sir," she paused with uncertainty then continued, "I will do as you command."

Bellisar smiled. "Look, if I though that not one soldier could perform that feat with perfect execution then I never would give the order. Have faith in your comrades."

Lt. Tora nodded then saluted. She returned to the squad carrying the orders for the attack.

** ** **

A far off rumble of thunder reverberated across the forest. It gave a start to the four women who now looked at each other. The four had been standing there in silence before the distant crack of thunder.

Reika feeling persecuted and not wishing to be a part of the group floated away. She floated up to the top of the wall to see if she could see any lightning. She was always fascinated with lightning. Every good story always had thunder and lightning in it. Those stories always reminded her of the world outside the shrine. They called and beckoned to her.

Reika scanned where she felt was the origin of the thunderclap. She was shocked when she saw a lone figure standing on the hill. She could she that it was an old man. He was looking directly at the shrine and right at her. She immediately dropped downward in a fright. Slowly she poked her head over the wall, but the man was gone. Quickly and quietly she floated down to warn the others.

The three women were discussing their limited options when Reika brusquely interrupted them. "Hey, quiet you three! There was some weird old guy up on the hill looking down at the shrine. He was really creepy looking!" Reika paused for a dramatic effect. "I turned my head for a second then he was gone."

Nobuko sighed, "Great, that's all we need, more trouble."

Galena turned and floated up to the spot where Reika was last. She didn't see anything. She quickly flew around the perimeter but saw no sign of the old man. She returned to the group.

"Did you see anybody?" Arisa asked with concern as her high normally high pitched voice rose an octave. She clutched her gunny sack like a surrogate parent.

Galena spoke in a soft soothing tone. "I did not see anybody out there. Perhaps, you saw some villager who was returning home before the storm." As her eyes were partially hidden by her habit her ruby red lips dominated her face.

Reika did not address Galena directly but instead spoke to Nobuko. "That man out there was no villager. He was wearing some suit. He was up on the hill just standing and staring. He was looking directly at me! I turned my head for a second and he was gone!"

A flash of light and a louder crack of thunder coupled with an increase in humidity proclaimed the approaching rain.

The four all hid their nervousness in different ways. Nobuko looked to the Ryu-Tori where just a few hours ago two giant mystical dragons had flamed out some unknown horrors. She knew that Reika was single-minded and impetuous, but she doubted that she was liar. Reika must have seen something. Plus, she did feel the truth from Reika. She did have that connection.

"Whatever Reika saw out here, we do know that there are some bad things about. We should not take it lightly. It's going to rain soon, let's go spend the night in the shrine." Nobuko suggested earnestly.

"Sounds good to me. All this is pretty damn freaky. I hope that you have some holiness packed up your sleeve!" Arisa looked to Nobuko for support. Arisa was normally someone who could take high levels of weirdness without trouble. It was a hobby of hers in a sense, but this would take some time.

The four proceeded to the shrine after gathering some supplies from the house. The first drops of rain landed like little bombs kicking up small puffs of sand. The winds gusted through the trees blowing the branches about wildly.

Reika looked annoyingly at Galena. "We don't sleep. So we'll get guard duty. It's not exactly fair but it makes life easier for them."

Galena looked at Reika with mildly chiding expression. "There is no need to be angry, Reika-kun. We are all in the same situation, me included. We'll simply do whatever we must."

Reika sniffed and ignored Galena and slouched over by the door. She looked at the little mirror which was over near the door. As she looked into it she marveled at her face. "Nobuko could be so beautiful if she'd give herself a chance. Hah! In all this excitement my make-up is still perfect. I guess that is one small advantage to my being." She forgot about Galena and the days troubles lost in a narcissistic haze.

Galena looked over at Reika. Reika was a wayward sister in her eyes who needed to be reigned in. She feared what Nobuko would have become if she hadn't come to be. She didn't hate Reika, far from it. Reika simply didn't know when to quit and that was dangerous. She then cast her gaze over to Nobuko. Galena would do anything in her power to protect Nobuko. Galena had always vowed to insure that Nobuko would reach her full potential without any needless diversions. Perhaps it was time for Nobuko to move on in life, maybe she had been a bit repressive, but even so it was for Nobuko's own good. Finally, her gaze settled on Arisa. She had always disapproved of Arisa. Arisa was just a little too odd. Nobuko would have never been able to focus on her school and duties if she had allowed her to hang around Arisa. People who listened too much to people like Reika turned into Arisa. Galena could not allow that to happen. Arisa is fine being Arisa, but not her Nobuko. Arisa would bear watching.

Arisa and Nobuko laid two sleeping bags together in the center of the shrine. They were both exhausted from the day's adventure. They exchanged a little small talk with their heads next to a small lamp. They didn't last long before sleep quickly washed over them. Galena wafted over and grabbed the lamp and moved it away hoping to allow them a little easier sleep. The sounds of the rain pattered on the wooden roof of the shrine with the occasional flash of lightning and crash thunder.

** ** **

Nobuko awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of thunderclap that seemed to shake the foundation of the shrine itself. She felt very troubled by the unnaturally loud sound. It was dark, but since she was used to being in the shrine in low light during her times of meditation her eyes adjusted quickly. She was startled to see that she was alone. Where were the others?! She ran around the interior of the shrine in a panic. They were nowhere to be seen. She looked down at where she was sleeping, but nothing was there. There was no sign of her bedroll at all or Arisa's.

She looked at herself for a second. She was just wearing her nightclothes, a shift and her underclothes.

"But I went to sleep fully clothed!" Nobuko spoke aloud in a panic. She ran to the sliding front door. She set wards before they slept, but they were gone! The sky was clear with a bright full moon illuminating the courtyard. Where was the rain? It was raining when she slept, but the ground was dry.

"Reika! Arisa! Galena! Where are you?" She yelled as concern grew in her stomach.

A buzzing noise began to sound in the shrine behind her. It sounded like the white noise crackle of a bad radio signal. Nobuko spun around to face the noise. She was shocked to see a light blue cloud of energy. It was floating roughly at her eye-level and was spinning; looking as a small galaxy would look through a telescope. Suddenly a small object dropped to the ground with a clatter. It was that box.

When the box fell to its rest the cloud of energy disappeared. All was silent again. The small wooden box set there unmoving. Not a sound could be heard anywhere. Nobuko approached the box cautiously.

"What is the secret to this thing?" She focused on the box willing away the growing fear in her stomach. She lowered herself; kneeling towards the box. She extended her finger slowly to the box. Just as she was just about to touch it and second thunderclap was heard outside louder than the first. She lost her balance as she was bending down. She lost her focus on the box and it disappeared.

Slowly she stood back up.

"Damn this thing!" She spat. "I have to find the others."

She ran out of the shrine, barefoot, onto the smooth stone path. The paths meandered in its trails around the compound. As she ran towards the main gate she saw them and the pit in her stomach grew exponentially. She saw Reika's and Galena's crumpled forms flanking the gate. They both looked pale and limp, maybe worse.

Arisa was being held by some large, muscular, grotesque beast with eight arms. It stood 10 feet tall. It was wearing some old ceremonial armor. Its teeth were long and pointed. Its eyes were overly large for its face. Ridges outlined its face. Its expression was that of evil amusement as it held the struggling Arisa. Arisa dressed in her white and blue sailor fuku. Her newly long blonde hair draped over the arms of the beast.

Just inside the gate stood the old man whom Reika had described. He calmly walked towards Nobuko. With his hands he gestured at Reika and Galena.

"Your spirit guardians insisted on interfering. It is most unfortunate that they had to be dealt with so rudely." The old man drew his hands close touching his fingers together. "My business is with you, young lady. You have something which will be taken and delivered back to its rightful owner." The old man said with a flat, even cadence.

"I-I don't have it." Nobuko responded trying to force her courage to return.

The old man did not change his expression. He simply continued on with his droning tones. "I would advise you not to lie to me. You may have fooled the hengeyokai, but the truth is known to me."

Nobuko began to piece together a ward in the back of her mind perhaps if she caught the creature by surprise Arisa could wiggle free and run. Nobuko began to open her mouth to incant.

"Don't be foolish girl. I could clearly counter any such spell. You are too young and immature. Sadly, such actions must result in punishment." The old man looked to the beast and nodded.

The beast laughed in a deep bellowing voice. "Ahh! Such a delicate morsel I have here! It would be shameful if I broke her. Ha! Ha!" Three of his arms held Arisa tightly and she struggled to break free. One covered her mouth. His four other arms began to explore. But to say they were roughly or luridly groping is not exactly true, they were looking; probing.

"Get your hands off of her!" Nobuko screamed. However, as she tried to run she found that she was being held by black tentacles. She struggled and fought against the tentacles but they held her fast.

Nobuko began to hear muffled chirps and high pitched squeals from Arisa as the beast began to worm his large powerful fingers into Arisa's tiny frame. The hand that held Arisa's mouth firm could not stop all the sounds. Arisa's eyes were closed, but her face was turning a bright pink. A loud muffled chirp erupted when one finger scribbled against her ribs. Mewling squeaks exploded when the beast lifted one of her arms with ease and tickled her armpit. A struggling leg of Arisa was lifted as the beast tickled behind her knee sliding about in the sweat behind her knee. Arisa was a squealing struggling doll in the arms of the beast. The beast just laughed at her muffled whelps.

"Please stop doing that her!" Nobuko shuddered at the thought of those arms tormenting her body especially considering the recent ticklish encounters she, herself, has had. "Leave her alone, your fight is with me not her! She's innocent."

The old man looked at Nobuko with a raised eye. "You would truly trade places with her. I find that quite surprising, you barely know her.

Nobuko looked at Arisa once more as the beast tickled Arisa faster. Arisa's limbs were no challenge to the beast as he enjoyed toying with her strength. Her flailing pummels raised an ineffective hail on the beast. Arisa's squealing and muffled laughter reached a fevered pitch as she looked quite ready to explode. There was a poke behind her knees, then a tweak of her knee. With every kick of her legs a quick flash of her panties was given.

The beast grabbed one of Arisa's feet and flipped off her shoe and wiggled a finger just under her toes. Her leg was raised as her skirt fell back to revealed a portion of her inner upper thighs. Her toes curled down on his finger as he played with her foot. More giggles and chirps exploded past the beast's hand. The beast held her foot firm. Another hand pulled back her toes. The tickling continued unimpeded. The struggles from Arisa were pushed higher by a notch.

Arisa looked at Nobuko and then to the beast her muffled laughter roaring behind the hand. The beast had opened his fingers a little to allow more of the laughs to be heard,

"I'm going to play with you next!" The beast growled at Nobuko.

Nobuko looked to old man. "Please leave her be and take me instead."

The old man snapped his fingers once and the beast stopped. The heavy breathing of Arisa's limp, exhausted body cascaded over the new silence.

"Tomorrow at Noon I will come to this gate. You will hand the object over to me. If you fail to do so I will ensure that your life becomes a living hell. I take no pleasure in this. It is simply my job. So it will be easier for all involved if you cooperate. You would not want your family or friends to suffer needlessly for something that truly you have no reason to get involved in. Noon, tomorrow, it is. I leave you to enjoy your need to sacrifice yourself for that of your apparent friend." The old man, the beast, Arisa, Reika, Galena all disappeared as he finished his speech and turned away.

The tentacles were no longer holding her which surprised her. She was certain that they were going to rape her right there on the spot. Such things like that always seemed to happen. They just felt so constricting. But they were no longer present. She took a few hesitant steps. Where was she? Where did everyone go now? That old man had said she was going to get attacked, but maybe he relented. She relaxed a bit more. This sudden panic then relaxing afterwards was actually getting easier.

A noise from the house alerted her. Lights were on inside, but who? Reluctantly she turned to investigate. As she continued on to the house she really wished that she had her regular clothes on. She felt totally exposed just wearing her nightclothes. The night air was a little chilly which became rather apparent as the material of Nobuko's shift was quite revealing.

As she walked onto the porch she saw that the door to the house was open and the kitchen light was on. Slowly, her head peeked through the open doorway. There was nobody in the room. It was completely silent. This was getting too strange. Who opened the door and left the light on? She completely entered the room and walked over to the kitchen window. She then pulled over a curtain and looked out the window which looked over the courtyard. It was quiet and empty, just like the house.

A creak from the ceiling above immediately grabbed her attention. They must be hiding upstairs, somehow they got away. She had no intention of going upstairs unarmed though. She grabbed a kitchen knife. It wasn't her katana, but it was something between her and whatever was waiting to accost her. With a little more energy she crept as silently as she could up the stairs. She kept her body low to reduce her profile to any would be attackers. At the top of the stairs she looked back and forth as she scanned the hallway. Her bedroom door and light was on which made sense since her room was over the kitchen.

As quietly as could she padded down the hall and slowly peered into her room. She saw - Arisa, looking, standing in her room holding the two dolls of Reika and Galena. Arisa was quizzically looking at them. Nobuko quickly stole into the room and closed the door.

"Thank heavens you're safe!" Nobuko said wearily.

Arisa's eyes changed from a quizzical expression to an evil expression. Her face sneered in a wicked smile. "Safe? Who's safe, certainly not you!" Arisa dropped the dolls and lunged at Nobuko and began to dig her hands into Nobuko's sides. Nobuko's hand slammed against the door and in a freak reflection of the hilt impacting the door the knife popped out and clattered away.

"Wha... ieieieeeeeeeeee!" Nobuko stammered out in shock. Arisa's hands were quickly under the arms of Nobuko. Her flimsy nightgown offered little protection. Arisa's fingers frantically dug into Nobuko's underarms.

"Hee hee eeeyaaaaaaaiiiiiii!" Nobuko had instinctively brought her arms down to protect herself, but it only served to pin Arisa's devilish little fingers tighter to her.

Nobuko tried to wrestle off Arisa, but Arisa was far stronger than Nobuko had anticipated. Arisa's face was eerily demonic as she taunted Nobuko.

"Teekle, teekle, teekle!! You bad girl, you left me all alone with that Oni. Now I am getting you back." Arisa taunted.

"Sta! Sta! Stop it! Pleeeeeeease!" Nobuko sputtered out between her laughter. "I t-t-tried to help y-y-you."

Arisa smiled in her rejection of Nobuko's excuse, "I saw you just standing there! Tickle! Tickle! Tickle!" Nobuko arched backwards trying to pull away.

Nobuko was going crazy by the incessant tickling and taunting of Arisa. Nobuko needed to get Arisa off her. The momentum of Arisa's lunge and the insanity of Arisa's fingers poking into Nobuko's sides completely destabilized Nobuko's balance. As Arisa realized that Nobuko was falling she tickled faster and pushed at Nobuko. They both fell to the floor with Nobuko pinned between Arisa the floor and the door. Nobuko's body was frantically squirming under Arisa.

"Let's see how you like it, Nobuko! I think I like being on this side of the tickling! Yes! Yes! I do! You look so helpless just squealing around like that. Where did all your dignity go?" Arisa playfully and sadistically taunted.

"Th-th-this is is is unnnnnn-called for herher hee hee hee hee." Nobuko stammered through her gritted teeth. "Hehehe!"

Nobuko managed to wrestle her leg up between herself and Arisa. Nobuko felt her leg slide up between the warmth of the two bodies. Her knee sat wedged between Arisa's breasts. With one spastic push, as Arisa had just hit a weak spot on Nobuko's ribs, Nobuko forced their separation as she giggled frantically herself.

Nobuko quickly stood up and backed away defensively from Arisa. Arisa hissed ferally at Nobuko, "You come back here! I'm not done!"

"Ooo, where was that spot?!" Reika sadistically queried from behind Nobuko. Reika quickly darted her fingers from behind.

Again Nobuko was caught unaware, she screamed in ticklish surprise. "Eeeeeeeeeeyaaaaaaaaah!!"

Nobuko arched forward ineffectively attempting to dislodge the new intruder. Once again she doubled over with her arms pinned to her sides. "Damn it!" She swore between her giggles. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" She giggled then collapsed back to the floor again.

Reika had the same evil look in her eyes as Arisa; that same predatory malevolence. "You're not going anywhere Nobuko-chan!" Reika chortled as she worked on that weak spot which Arisa exploited just moments ago. "I'll show you some things Arisa, lot's of things here about Nobuko!" Reika said more to Nobuko than Arisa raising Nobuko's level of fear.

"Y-you wouldn't... Nnnnnooo not again." Nobuko cried; her face was flushed pink with embarrassment. Her eyes were watering from all the tickles.

Nobuko looked up from the level of the floor to see Arisa quickly scampering towards her like a spider. Nobuko tried to get up, to force Reika back, but Arisa grabbed one of Nobuko's feet and curled her body around it. Arisa's small fingers gleefully danced all over Nobuko's trapped sole. "Yes, hold her Reika! She's going to be our little ticklish prisoner! We're never going to let her go!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha he he he he! Please! No, no, no! Not my feet! Noooo!" Nobuko pleaded with her crazed friends. Nobuko was pinned, prostrate, to the floor. Nobuko just had to escape from this torture. Reika's fingers attacked from behind while Arisa explored the soft ticklish flesh of her foot.

Until now Nobuko had not used any of martial skills against her friends, but were they actually her friends. Why were they doing this?

"Reika! Let's tie her down to the bed. We can really get her that way!" Arisa wantonly suggested to Reika.

"You read my mind." Reika said knowingly.

"Never!" Nobuko screamed as she spun around dislodging both Reika and Arisa.

As fast as she could she darted for the door. She opened it and slammed it slut. She ran to the waiting form of Galena who was hovering in the hall. Like a child seeing a waiting parent she ran to Galena.

"It's OK. It's alright. Galena's here. Let's go. I'll follow behind." Galena cooed into her soothing tones.

Nobuko turned with Galena behind her. Suddenly Nobuko felt her arms swiftly grabbed pulling them behind her back. Nobuko felt handcuffs quickly slapped on her.

Nobuko spun around to see that evil face on Galena. Her eyes were sparkling in a fiery angry red hue.

"You're not going anywhere! You bad, naughty girl! Galena saw what you were doing in there! Galena knows everything!" Galena croaked then began to cackle loudly.

** ** **

"No! No!" Nobuko awoke screaming. She jumped up from her bedroll looking around the room confused. She was back in the shrine. Everybody was here. She was clothed. She saw that all around her was back to normal. The way she remembered. It was just a nightmare, a bad nightmare.

Her waking cry had startled Galena and Reika and woke Arisa who groggily looked at Nobuko. Reika who was over by the door looking out at the rain jumped up in a fright. Galena, who was sitting over by the goshintai, immediately leapt over to Nobuko.

"Its OK, It was just a nightmare." Galena said as she helped Nobuko to relax.

Nobuko looked over to Reika with a silent question exchanged between them.

Reika held her hands up defensively. "It wasn't me." Reika pointed at Galena, "She wouldn't let me near you."

Nobuko drew her sheet to her closely. "I'm fine, really. It was just a dream. I guess a little nightmare is to be expected." Nobuko said as she calmed herself.

Reika smiled, "Perhaps I could watch your dreams as you sleep." Reika said hopefully. "I can assure you that you'll not have another nightmare."

Nobuko flashed a sour look at Reika as she raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure."

"I've seen Reika's concept of happy dreams. I don't approve." Galena looked at Reika with an over-emphasized mock disapproval.

Reika stuck her tongue out at Galena.

Nobuko stifled a chuckle at the two then got serious again. "We should expect something to happen at Noon." Nobuko relayed warily.

"Noon?" Arisa said wonderingly, her sleepiness dissipated allowing cognitive thought to once again flow freely.

"My dream was a little weird." Nobuko said tight lipped mentally clamming up the more erotic aspect to her dream.

Sensing Nobuko's burgeoning reticence both Galena and Reika pried at Nobuko's dream forcing the answers from Nobuko. They verbally cajoled Nobuko until she revealed her dream in toto. Nobuko knew that she couldn't hide the dream from them. They had their ways of finding out. Well at least Reika did. She assumed that Galena had the same access. Life was not fair. So eventually the tickling was revealed as well.

Once the juicer tidbits of the dream were revealed the three were unrelenting. Nobuko had long since retreated under her blanket. Her face was steaming red in embarrassment. She wanted to curl up and disappear. She was so glad that she never revealed her initial experience with Reika, all of it, to Arisa after seeing Arisa's peaked interest in knowing all the details.

Galena looked at Nobuko with her own raised eye-brow and stern disapproval. Reika was doubled over in laughter as she threw some taunts over to Nobuko to egg on her embarrassment.

Arisa lit up and closed her eyes conspiratorially. "Oh, you ecchi thing, I wish that my nightmares were so good." Arisa gave Nobuko a quick poke at the body through the covers. Nobuko jumped up and threw the blankets off of her.

"Enough you three, this is serious!" We may have another visitor at Noon. It's about 7AM now. Let's get changed and I need to take a bath... Alone!"

Since it was really only Nobuko and Arisa which needed refreshing and food their preparations did not take long.

The rain had stopped and Nobuko and her 'guardians' were sitting at the shrine looking at the box waiting for Arisa to return from her bath. This box, maybe, was not worth the trouble of defending. Perhaps they would just hand it over and be done with it. But Nobuko could not just tolerate the idea of ever handing something over to anything she deemed evil. The repercussions could be disastrous. The thought of others suffering for her righteous stance could also be disastrous for them.

Suddenly the thought of her Grand-Uncle in clutches of tickling demons popped into her mind. That thought horrified her and she quickly waved it away. "If only Grand-Uncle were here we could share in his wisdom, but he is not so we must persevere." She said choking back the indigestion which threatened from her previous thought.

Nobuko spent some time gathering some materials. She did not want to be caught unprepared again should she be forced to flee even the shrine. She retrieved her katana and wakazashi with the scabbards and belts. When she done she looked positively prepared to wage holy war. She made sure that she had her oil and sharpening stone and was in the process of maintaining her blades when Arisa arrived.

As Arisa walked back to the others she voiced calling over to them. Her voice dropping in volume as she walked closer. She spoke as she toweled dry her now short pink hair. "At least these demons don't seem all that pre-occupied with death and violence. I mean, they only tickled you tickling is not so bad. But why tickling, you some kind of tickle freak or something?"

Nobuko was not looking at Arisa as she approached, so she did not see the face faults of Galena and Reika. It is also the same reason why her face was not also in the same state because had she been looking at Arisa her face would be shocked. As Nobuko was raising her head she was prepared to deflect Arisa's ridiculous (not so ridiculous in truth) probe.

"Look Arisa that is none of your... what the hell are you wearing?!" Nobuko could not believe what she was seeing. She thought that the sailor fuku was a little off. Now Arisa's hair was pink. She was wearing white boots with a gold band at the top, a tight body suit with black that came up from the legs and up her sides, the torso and bust formed a red diamond with a diamond cut showing off her ample cleavage, her suit did nothing to hide the swells of her breasts, her shoulders, upper back and arms were nude, her arms were capped in some thin white gloves-like gauntlets patterned like her boots, a thin white ribbon choker adorned her neck with a matching thin white ribbon bangle on her upper left arm.

"Hmmm... what? Oh this?" Arisa said looking at her clothes. It was just a little something I had in my bag. All my clothes are at my house." Arisa said as she sat down next to Nobuko. "So what's the plan?"

"Kawaru wa yo." Reika mumbled to herself chuckling.

Nobuko gave up trying to place where she saw that outfit before. "Is that a wig or did she somehow dye her hair?" She couldn't help but think, but again forcibly put away that thinking.

Nobuko pointed to the box, "we have roughly two hours to figure this thing out!"

The four once again took up the puzzle of just why this box was so important.

** ** **

The three hengeyokai sat across from each other at a circular table in their human forms. They were in one of the non-descript taverns which dotted the landscape of the southern district of The Polis. Ko'bal had just returned from his meeting with Mr. Donzu on the day prior. He wished that he hadn't spoken with Mr. Donzu directly. That was a foolish mistake. None of the usual bureaucratic tricks ever worked on him. The man knew everything.

The tavern was filled with 'normal people' as normal as people seemed to be in this world just trudging through life. There was the occasional odd-looking fellow here and there, but even then the person looked like a normal bloke enjoying a beer after work. There was no music or any other bawdy activities. Just the low din of conversation was present and the occasional opening and closing of the door. This was a tavern were people chose to blend into the background and not stand out.

"Well guys, I have some bad news. It would seem that Mr. Donzu did not agree to extend our services. We are still registered, but he will get back to us." Ko'bal said flatly dissembling the news.

Ner'gul had the look in his eye like he knew that that news was coming. "Well, we could always return to the highways. That was always fun. We set our own hours then."

"Getting chased by the Empress' troops, Vortigern's troops, The SanGreal and whatever other tin pot lord's land we stumbled upon." Met'zili thumped his blonde head on the table. "Those times were great." He said glumly while deep in his cups.

Ko'bal looked at his two companions who surprisingly had stuck with him for reasons he failed to comprehend. Ko'bal wasn't a bad leader. It just seemed that whenever he was ready to break through with success something always happened. "We could go legit." He suggested.

The three stared at each other like the thought had never occurred to them.

** ** **

The ladies back at the shrine were no closer to solving their puzzle. The sun was climbing higher in the sky.

Arisa stood quickly. Her breasts jutted towards Nobuko as she lunged up. Nobuko managed to scramble backwards a bit to avoid the offending ordnance.

Arisa giggled, "sorry bout that I guess I was sitting a bit close. But anyway, let's go back into the shrine. We must have missed something in there."

"But we've been through there countless times already. Nobuko and I searched this whole compound." Reika said with a controlled annoyance. "But it was found in there, maybe Arisa's right."

Nobuko and Galena agreed and the four quickly returned. Reika and Galena each decided to search the outside of the shrine. It was a long shot, but they were grabbing at straws and they did need some eyes outside.

Inside Nobuko and Arisa sat down again, not sure where to begin.

"Now what were you doing when you first found it." Arisa said focusing Nobuko's recollection.

"I was sitting here praying." Nobuko immediately shot a look with a smile which stated, 'how could I have been so blind'.

Arisa quickly scampered back over to Nobuko.

Nobuko stared at the object. "I was so concerned about its physical form. I never stopped to consider that this may be a spiritual object."

Nobuko began to focus her concentration on the object. She meditated on the object's true being, its secrets. A blue nimbus began to coalesce around the object. Then several small sparks of brilliant white light began to shower about the shrine. They blew about like snow. Then rapidly they gravitated towards the box. They whirled about the box in a storm and all eventually flew towards and struck at the box with a crackling, popping noise.

The wooden box disappeared and a glowing white, perfectly spherical stone sat spinning on the floor. Both Arisa and Nobuko each extended a finger towards the stone. The stone's spin slowed down to a stop, never once wobbling in variation. At the same time each finger touched the stone. A powerful shock of energy zapped each lady sending them flying back. A visible cascade of energy flowed up each arm. The energy surrounded each body outlining the natural form of each woman in a glowing light.

Both girls crawled back to the center of the shrine in a blinded daze. For several minutes each only saw spots, beautiful patterns of colors displayed like ever-changing fractals before their eyes. Eventually the fractals stopped on one final pattern then disappeared.

Both were silent for a few minutes trying to recall their senses.

"Oh crap!" Arisa sputtered breaking the silence. "It's gone! Now we've done it!"

Nobuko and Arisa looked around the shrine, inside the goshintai, the honden everywhere. The small box, the beautiful glowing sphere, all was gone.

They looked at each other again.

"Well, that is finally it. It's gone. Maybe we were supposed to release whatever was in there." Nobuko said tossing out an idea.

"I sure hope so, but..." Her voice trailed off as she heard a loud gong outside the shrine.

Nobuko immediately recognized the sound of the ancient summoning bell. "He's here."

The four women found each other outside the shrine. Nobuko immediately addressed the three. "We must speak with one voice. I will be that voice. I speak for this shrine, so please allow me to handle this."

The three voiced no objections and followed behind her.

Nobuko carefully opened the gate and saw the old man standing there. He stood there waiting patiently. Nobuko looked at the ancient bell, which was very large, and wondered how such a frail, wiry man could have sounded the bell so loud.

The man looked at them individually, assessing them. He then directed his attention to Nobuko. He adjusted his glasses and spoke. "I see that you have received my message. Do you have what I've come to reclaim?"

Nobuko looked around to see if any other creatures were hidden waiting to strike. When she deemed that there was none she replied to his query. "I am afraid that the object which you are seeking is no longer here."

"May I come in to examine the property?" Mr. Donzu asked as if her were on a simple errand.

Nobuko replied, "I am afraid that I can not allow that. The peace of this shrine has been bothered too much by all these recent events."

"I must insist, just a few steps." He spoke rejecting her words and crossed the threshold without difficulty.

Nobuko's throat tightened seeing him cross with ease. How could he? He was never invited.

"Miko Nobuko-san, from this point I could open a minor portal allowing any minions I so choose to cross over and burn this shrine to the ground. I could have destroyed you all while you slept last light. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chief Minister Donzu, primary adjutant of Archduke Teliv Vortigern. I can see what has happened." He said evenly.

Nobuko stood there in silence. The walls which once seemed like her only sanctuary were now useless.

"Allow me, to answer your puzzled and horrified look. Quite simply, I've been here before and was granted free reign to return whenever I so chose to do so. I do not have the time to tell all the details. It was simply a very - long - time - ago."

Nobuko quietly responded, "I understand, I want to comply with your request, but..."

Mr. Donzu replied cutting her off, "You will need to come with me. There is no leeway in this request. If you do not comply you will force me to take more extreme measures. Nobody wants that."

Nobuko looked at her companions then back to Mr. Donzu. "I'll go, leave them out of this."

Arisa looked to Reika then Galena. Each nodded in silent agreement. "Look, sir, she is not going by herself. We're coming with her."

Mr. Donzu looked to Arisa. "That is perfectly acceptable to me. I have no objections though you are responsible for yourselves."

Nobuko spun around to confront Arisa but Arisa cut her off. "We are going. There is no debate." She folded her hands and dug in.

Nobuko was very angry. She was furious! She wanted to slap Arisa for being so foolish. There was no need for all to go. But she couldn't stay angry at Arisa especially as Arisa looked as, as weird as she did; the foolish girl.

Nobuko turned back to Mr. Donzu. She retreated to her usual stoicism where she felt safest. "Then let's go and get this over with."

Arisa quickly grabbed her gunny sack which she always seemed to drag around with her. The sack was stashed just over inside the gate. Galena closed the gates behind them and placed a ward of protection at the doors incanting a spell which briefly caught Mr. Donzu's attention before he continued onward. Reika looked to Nobuko with concern, but also with instinctive desire protect Nobuko in any fashion required. Arisa fished something out of her sack and strapped a belt to her waist.

The small party walked a small way into the woods. Mr. Donzu pointed his finger and drew a large circle in the air. A small glowing pink line trailed off his finger as if he were drawing in the air. The circle grew as he drew it. The center of the circle shimmered blue and gold. Two large demonic looking men in phalanged plate battle armor walked out and flanked the party. Mr. Donzu walked through the portal without a care in the world.

The two soldiers poked their battle axes into the backs of the women. "Through!" They barked in a guttural command. The party heeded the orders of the soldiers without incident.

** ** **

Commander Bellisar looked out over from his vantage point. It had been over two hours since he dispatched Lt. Tora to act as a diversion. The wait had been too long and he could not take the chance that the enemy scouts would be discovered missing. A lone saboteur would be a possible explanation. She was ordered to be discovered by them then flee. He just hoped that Tora would be able to shake off their pursuit long enough for him to execute his mission then send help to her. He was confident in her skills, but the elements of chance had to be a factor as well.

A flurry of movement in the camp below indicated something was happening. He ordered his troops to mount. They would attack as soon as they had confirmation. He looked through his spyglass. The portal was opening. Donzu and a few others, strangers, were coming through. They were four strangely dressed women. They were under guard, but did not seem to be resisting. They must be the important delivery of which his spies spoke. They had to be separated from the main group of soldiers at all costs.

A quick review showed that all his troops were ready. Commander Bellisar ordered the charge. "For Salvation!" He screamed. His heavy cavalry prepared to execute a standard Frankish charge. The thunderous mounts charged. The clamor of mail and barding poured across the field as a momentous wave of hooves and steel.

The soldiers guarding the camp around the gate lowered and footed their pikes, ready to absorb the charge. Chaos ensued in the camp as the charge was seen rolling at the camp. Sergeants called all their footmen to arms. A volley of crossbows leveled a hail of missile fire on the attackers but was ineffective against the chargers' heavy armor.

The sudden influx of confusion did not rattle Mr. Donzu as he held onto Nobuko's hand with a firm grip. Nobuko and the other women were shocked at this most chaotic reception.

Mr. Donzu turned to address them. "This little matter is of no consequence. Please come this way."

The man's response was surreal in Nobuko's eyes but she had no choice but to follow the man's orders. The hellish language of the army around her was in no way inviting and Mr. Donzu offered a way through the madness. The other women followed Nobuko's lead. The four women were totally dwarfed in comparison to the size of the demonic soldiers around her. The women were poorly armored and did their best avoid the ever shifting obstacles. A guarded carriage was waiting what seemed like miles away but it was truly only a few meters. Nobuko had drawn her katana; however she did not feel confident using it against their armor. In addition, what of those attacking the camp? Were they worse than her captors? Were she and her friends pawns in some brutal power struggle?

Bellisar lead the charging pack through the volleys of bolts. "Lower lances!" He bellowed to his force as his Lieutenants repeated his order. The distance between the horses and the line of readied pikemen grew smaller and smaller. The pikemen steeled their pikes for the charge. Their immense weapons were ready to gut both horse and chevalier.

Closer and closer the horses drew to the lines. As the horses were just mere meters from the lines all the men dropped their lances and shields to the ground and drew a scimitar for each hand from their backs. All their horses stopped dead on massive whistle from all the chevaliers. They all then used the inertia from the charge to vault from their saddles. They directed their leap through the openings in the waiting pikes. The chevaliers used their scimitars murderously as they sailed through the lines. They skillfully exploited the openings in the lines and the armor of the defenders. Hundreds of pikemen were felled instantly. The horses retreated from the field of battle as they were trained to do.

If the chaos in the camp was at a fever pitch before it exploded like frenzied ants afterwards. The camp became a melee and slaughter ground as the forces collided. A mass of bodies fell across the camp like dominoes as the demonic soldiers were punched back on their heels. The chevaliers thrust through the camp directly at the women.

At Mr. Donzu's steady urging the women made their way through the melee. But the front line was moving toward them rapidly. Reserve soldiers started to flood into the camp as the alerts reached them at their post.

The plain they were in extended in all directions with a short patch of forest nearby. Mountains and a darker patch of forest were seen farther in one direction Nobuko could not tell the direction. It was just to the left of the carriage.

Within seconds a flurry of activity swelled around them. Mr. Donzu's grip on Nobuko had let go as he pointed to the carriage. A squad of demons surrounded it and it looked like an oasis in the maelstrom. The women ran with their demon escorts towards the carriage. Mr. Donzu stayed behind to monitor the battle to get every detail on the attackers. He knew that more troops would come and that this raid only had a limited duration before its surprise value would evaporate.

Bellisar saw the women run towards the carriage. He ordered a group to destroy that carriage. He had to get those women before Mr. Donzu could spirit them away deeper into Vortigern's territory. He sent a soldier to recover the horses as he held the camp. He expected more of Vortigern troops to start pouring from the forest. They too had mounted forces of their own.

Inside the carriage the women huddled. Nobuko and Arisa caught their breath.

Nobuko looked to Arisa, "This is madness." She said angrily.

Arisa looked to Nobuko as she fought down to urge to scream, 'No, this is Sparta!' but she relented and merely said, "You're telling me."

Suddenly the sounds of steel clashing echoed around the carriage.

Nobuko swore. "That's it! Follow me." Nobuko kicked open the door knocking the guard down who was defending the rear of the carriage for Vortigern's troops. "Run!" She screamed as she stabbed the prone guard. The women ran from both demons in their phalanged armor and the other marauding monstrosities who were chopping the camp to bits.

They ran as fast as they could as they skirted the plain and the forest. Nobuko did not know or care whether or not Mr. Donzu had seen them or not. This was intolerable.

Reika screamed, "We're being chased!"

"By who? The bad guys or the bad guys?" Arisa cried as she ran still carrying her bag.

"It doesn't matter just run!" Nobuko ordered.

Galena looked at the pursuers. Her eyes turned a glowing white as she turned to confront the pursuers.

"What are you doing?" Nobuko howled.

Galena halted. Her hands gestured as arcane kanji appeared in the air before her. After that was complete she hurried and caught up to the others. She then grabbed Nobuko and pulled her off the ground as a surprised Nobuko held on for dear life.

Galena then yelled to Reika. "Grab her!" She said as she pointed to Arisa. Reika complied and grabbed Arisa. Arisa's legs continued to run before she realized that she was being carried by Reika.

The pursuing foes who happened to be a squad directed by Mr. Donzu to retrieve the fleeing women did not see the glowing golden kanji which were motionless, hanging in the air. The explosion ended their pursuit prematurely.

Galena did not look back. She pointed to the looming forest in the distance. It did not look inviting, but it was not a battlefield.

** ** **

Vortigern took the news of the attack better than Mr. Donzu had expected. Vortigern always had something up his sleeve. Although Mr. Donzu knew perfectly well what that trick was, it was the matter of the spy in the ranks which should have concerned Vortigern. But then again, Vortigern was not unfamiliar with cloak and dagger politics. In fact, he enjoyed that sport immensely.

"Oh Brandi, would you come here dear." Lord Vortigern beckoned over to Brandi with his pointing finger.

The succubus wiggled her cute tailed behind over to her Lord. "Yes Vorti dear?"

Moments later Brandi found herself strapped down to a table in Vortigern's private torture chamber.

"Wha... what's this Vorti? Today isn't our usual play time?" Brandi asked nervously biting her lip.

"Oh you and have a little matter of espionage to discuss." The Archduke Teliv Vortigern said ominously as he slammed the door behind him.

*End of Chapter 3*