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Todays Chosen installment. :)
"It's hot..." Shin said, face mildly pained. He looked down at his chest where amulet rested and his face grew slightly fearful. "Jack... get Kaworu... please..." he said in a very soft and shaking voice as he stared.
Jack paused a moment, then ran out of the room calling Kaworu's name. The boy found him.
"What's wrong?" he asked sleepily.
"Shin..."
Kaworu snapped awake and raced to Shin's room. "Shin!"
The boy looked up, eyes fearful. "It's burning..." he almost whimpered.
The amulet around his neck was red with heat.
Kaworu took the amulet in his hands, surrounding it with cool water that flashed to steam. He frowned, pouring more cold water between his hands.
"Kaworu..." Shin's voice was almost desperate. Purple was invading his eyes. "Has to be touching the skin to work... but it'll burn me...." He tensed, eyes clenching shut. "Afraid... don't want.... fire..." he whispered, coherency fleeing.
"No!" Kaworu abandoned the amulet to pull energy out of Shin. "I WILL keep you safe," he said emphatically, holding the boy as tightly as he dared.
"Sorry..." Shin whimpered, clinging to Kaworu. "Calling..." The air around him began glowing a vague purple as he began crying. "Don't want.... to go... Can't..." His form began fading.
Kaworu clung to him desperately. "I'll kill him before I let him hurt you more. Shin, fight him with all you have!"
"Trying...." Shin's voice sounded weak and far away. "Kawo...." His voice and form faded completely into the purple light, which vanished after.
Kaworu fought down his rage, searching for Shin. Unable to find anything, he allowed himself a scream of frustration.
"Kaworu..."
"He's GONE. I will destroy this god who sees us only as his playthings. Shin is NOT the property of this god!"
"Kaworu..." Jack started, stopping when he saw the boy's tears. "We'll find him."
"Kaworu?" Houjun asked, appearing in the doorway, hair soaking wet, towel held tightly around her. Her eyes went wide and she hurried over to her love, hugging him tightly. "What happened?" she asked softly.
"Shin's gone," Kaworu whimpered. "I couldn't hold him."
She hugged him tighter. "We'll get him back... and I'll make those miserable gods pay..." she whispered emphatically.
Kaworu curled to her, face buried against her shoulder. "I've failed, Houjun. I can't protect him."
"You haven't," Jack said. "You're the only thing that keeps him together."
Kaworu looked up, expression disbelieving. He looked at Houjun, then back to the priest. "Please, Jack..."
Jack nodded. "I have elements to reverse."
"Thank you," Kaworu whispered. When Jack had left, he broke down sobbing into Houjun's shoulder.
She cradled him, comforting him as best she could. "Don't worry... He can't kill the boy until after he's been released, and he has at least two more seals..." she trailed off, feeling a large fluctuation in energy. "Shit..." she swore. "Kaworu... which seal? Which seal did he break? We can find him..."
Kaworu looked up. "Broke a.... Wind. Wind or I'd have felt it..." He closed his eyes. "He's at the middle temple."
"Priest! We're going!" Houjun snapped before turning back to Kaworu. "Go to him. You know the way better then I, I'll follow." She hugged him tightly a moment before letting go to quickly dress.
Kaworu nodded, composing himself quickly before sliding to the temple through the shadows. He arrived to find Shin chained to the altar by both wrists as well as an ankle. He stood startled a moment before moving closer. The vines entered Shin's arms, precluding any chance that they could be ripped off. The altar was starting to glow purple.
"Shin," he whispered.
The boy stirred slightly, head moving towards Kaworu. "Trying..." he breathed. His eyes opened to a slit showing a strange silver colour that was being attacked by a dull grey purple.
Kaworu held the boy's face in his hands, stroking his cheeks, and kissed him gently. He gave Shin some of his own energy, knowing that if he tried taking any it would hurt them both. "I'm here," he said. "I won't leave you unless I'm forced to."
Shin gave a weak smile. "Kaworu..." he sighed. "He listened... to you..." His voice was barely audible. "Draining off... the excess... into the stone..." His eyes closed fully. "Feel so strange..."
Kaworu looked at the shackles, stroking Shin's arms lightly where the vines were. After a moment he realized that the vines were pulsing under his touch. He looked at them closely, alarmed.
"Your blood," he murmured. "Oh Shin..."
"So strange..." Shin murmured again. "I can feel it... leaving... coming back..." His eyes opened slightly, this time his normal colour with a thick ring of silver around them, almost like a barrier. Very slowly, his fingers flexed. "Kaworu? The amulet?" he asked softly.
Kaworu held it out and let it brush Shin's skin.
The boy gave a small pained noise, face tensing. Slowly, his fingers curled around the jewel. "He doesn't want... but I'd rather you have... them him..." Shin breathed, eyes closing again. "So strange.." he repeated. "Why aren't I asleep?"
"Kaworu?" Houjun's voice called tentatively.
Kaworu wrapped his hands around Shin's and the amulet. He looked up. "Over here, Houjun. What can we do?"
Houjun hurried over, then stopped, eyes wide. "Miserable gods..." she breathed before approaching. She lightly touched on of the red vines and swore again. "The elements are being bound to bind him..." She turned to Kaworu. "Can you heal them out of him at all?"
Kaworu shook his head. "They're pulling his blood out of his body to take the energy to the stone. If I try anything he'll die."
Houjun swore, then turned to Jack. "You... you're the information person, any ideas?"
Jack raised his hands and shook his head. "I've never heard of anything like this. From my reading, the gods never expected him to get this far in the first place." He looked at the altar, face twisting in empathic pain. "And I can't blame them."
Shin raised his head slightly. "What... were the conditions?" he asked, voice slowly regaining its normal stability. "How... was he..." His face grew pained a brief moment as he accidently tugged one of the vines holding him down. "How was he to be reborn?" He looked down slightly. "A seal on my chest..." he said, eyes vaguely tinged silver a brief moment.
Jack ticked things off on his fingers. "He had to find someone from another world, who was an adult and still innocent, one with magic of their own, and in a time when the Chosen hated the gods. All five seals had to be broken, and there had to be something for him to be reborn out of."
"There's one left," Kaworu said.
"Two..." Houjun corrected. She pointed at Shin's free ankle. "The Earth seal, and the one here..." She paused. "The altar's like a map... HE'S like a map..." She pointed to the blue bond at Shin's wrist. "The water temple..." She pointed at the red one. "The fire temple, and then the air one..." She pointed to the white bond and vines. "It matches the altar..." She gestured to the patch of pale stone around the white bond. She paused a moment. "Shin, I'm going to take your clothing off, that okay?"
"What are you thinking?" Jack sputtered.
"Houjun? What...?" Kaworu looked at her, struggling to understand.
"I want to see how far the vines go..." She paused. "And if anything else has been done." She looked at Shin expectantly.
The boy hesitated a moment, then leaned his head back against the stone. "Just be careful..." he said softly.
Houjun nodded. "I will." She pulled out a small knife and gently slit open the boy's shirt and pulled it open.
There was a tense silence. "Well... it's safe to guess what he plans to be reborn from..." she said darkly.
The vines were spread across Shin's chest, turning the god's grey purple as they reached the area over the boy's heart. There they formed an incomplete ring, as if building a portal. "Shin..." She placed a hand lightly over the bare spot. "Is this where you feel the seal?"
He nodded, biting his lip to keep his eyes from watering.
Houjun muttered a dark oath that nearly made the air ripple in intensity. "The instant the last element seal is broken, this ring will be complete. And the moment this seal is gone... he's going to be reborn from the boy...." Her voice was almost trembling in rage. "You!" She turned to Jack sharply. "Find out how he was sealed. Every bit of information you can. Also see of any weakness this despisable one has... I will not let a god who uses people in this way stay in power... or alive...."
Jack stared at her a moment, then nodded and hurried for a flight of stairs.
"Jack?"
"I won't have anything on it. The gods destroyed all information on the god," he explained over his shoulder. "Anything useful has to be here." He raced down the stairs.
Kaworu nodded and looked up at Houjun. "What should I do?"
"Stay with him... I'll go keep the priest out of trouble incase there's any traps or anything down there." She gave Kaworu a quick kiss. "Oh, and see how bad the vines are on his legs as well. If he has to use the bathroom he's going to have troubles...."
Kaworu nodded again. He pulled out his own knife, then looked uncertainly at Shin, expression asking permission.
Shin gave a soft sigh, then nodded.
The vines on Shin's bound ankle were twined up and around his leg, sometimes plunging into the stone and reemerging later, completely immobilizing the appendage. The vines thankfully stayed clear of Shin's undergarments, almost tracing the line of it before spreading over the boy's stomach like a tree branch, some times going underneath the skin.
Kaworu traced the vines lightly. "Not as extensive," he said, "But they're newer." He returned to take Shin's hands. "Is there anything I can do? I know I can't do anything about this, but if you're in pain I should still be able to do something about that."
Shin smiled slightly. "Just... stay with me..." he said softly. His eyes closed. "He's inside me, Kaworu... running with my blood..." He shuddered slightly. "I'm afraid... I don't know what he'd doing... but he's rearranging me from the inside..." A tear escaped and slowly slid down Shin's paling cheek. "And I can barely even move..." he continued in a whisper. "I'm frightened... and I can't even hug you... it's like I'm being separated from everything...."
Kaworu squeezed Shin's hands. "We'll get you back. Houjun won't let anything stop her, and Jack can find anything, even if he says he can't. And I won't let anything take you away." He wiped the tear away, caressing the boy's cheek. "I love you," he said quietly. "Whatever happens, let that give you strength."
Shin smiled, blinking his eyes clear of tears. "I love you as well..." he said softly. He paused a moment. "Is... is there a blanket somewhere? I.. I don't want to see..." he trailed off a moment. "I don't want to see what he's doing to me..."
Kaworu nodded, fishing a blanket out of his pack and spreading it over the boy and smoothing it gently. "If you need anything, tell me and I'll do whatever I can."
Shin nodded, smiling. "Thank you... I-- I hope I can..." he hesitated a moment. "I hope I can hold out..." He paused a moment. "Kaworu? Why-- why do you think... he's trying to..." He hesitated. "He's trying to make me into someone else..." He sighed heavily. "I-- I'm afraid that even if I do survive this... I won't be me anymore..."
Kaworu kissed Shin lightly. "Whatever happens, we'll find a way to protect you. You will be you. Whatever he tries, it won't mean anything."
"How is he?"
Kaworu looked up at the priest. "He's still breathing," he said softly.
Jack nodded. "How much blood has it taken?" he mused aloud, "And how is it getting back in?" He put his fingers to Shin's neck, picking up a faint pulse. "When did his hair go white?"
"Not too long ago. Do you have anything, Jack?"
"Something, but I don't think you're going to like it." He looked at the scroll in his hand. "You can't reseal him until he's manifested. And he's not using Shin's body as a portal. He's using Shin's body."
"What do you mean?" Kaworu frowned.
The priest sighed. "He's going to stay in Shin's body and use it as his own."
Kaworu gripped one of Shin's hands tightly. "No wonder..."
Jack nodded. "Once in the body he's vulnerable, but I don't know what will happen to Shin then. He could just die."
The boy looked at the priest, eyes burning like liquid fire. "He won't. And we'll be ready for the god." He gestured and water formed in his hand. He threw it at Jack, and the priests robes weren't dampened.
Houjun smiled. "Farther then I am... I can only make lukewarm flame..." She demonstrated. "I don't know if it'll be enough..." She gave a small sigh. "Kaworu... if what Jack found on the sealing is the best way, we need to work on our second elements. It said the earth turned to liquid and the air became solid. I can make rock melt with heat... but it's not the same..." she bit her lip. "We might need to drain the amulet... to up our powers..." She looked over at where Shin lay, looking more dead then alive. "And maybe, if it won't hurt him too much, we can drain the god's altar through him...."
Kaworu frowned. "Liquid earth," he said musingly. He patted Shin's cheek lightly to wake him.
The boy stirred, eyes opening to show the rim of silver around his normal brown-green. He blinked a few times, then gave an almost pained sigh of resignation. "I barely look like myself anymore..." he whispered, eye saddened.
"You're still beautiful," Kaworu told him, caressing his cheek. "Houjun and I want to try draining power out of the altar. Do you think it would hurt you?"
Shin hesitated a moment. "I don't know..." he admitted. "Maybe if..." he pressed his lips together a moment. "If I pulled it from the altar and either you pulled it from me or I put it in the amulet?" he suggested.
Kaworu nodded, smiling. "That would be wonderful." He kissed the boy's forehead. "Could you try now to see if it would work?"
Shin nodded, closing his eyes. There was a strange feel in the air that built as the boy's brow furrowed in concentration. He clutched at the amulet, knuckles turning dead white. A small silver glimmer appeared in the jewel, and was quickly attacked by the grey purple. Shin gave a pained exclamation and his body went limp, breathing laboured.
Kaworu stroked his cheeks gently. "Are you ok, Shin?" he asked, leaning over the boy.
"I--" Shin took a deep breath of air. "Sorry, I-- I don't have enough of my own energy..." He exhaled slowly. He paused, looking up at the sky, blinking.
Slowly a large amount of elementals of different types fluttered down, clustering around Shin. He blinked a few times, then smiled, looking almost amused.
Kaworu blinked up at the elementals.
Shin relaxed, a few of the water elementals flitting about him. "They want to help... I think they're scared of him..."
A few elementals seemed to be communing with Shin's bonds.
Kaworu smiled and held a hand out to the water elementals.
About half of them floated over to him, a few perching on his shoulders and one hiding in his hair. Some earth elementals joined, playing with Kaworu's shoes.
Houjun blinked as the fire elementals danced around her, accompanied by some wind elementals.
Shin smiled, relaxing fully. "I... am going to nap now..." His eyes closed.
Kaworu stroked Shin's hair and addressed the elementals. "Can you help us? We need to make your opposites to seal him."
There was a brief conference between the elementals. Having reached an agreement, they split up into their two groups once more and approached the Chosen. A delegate from each group bobbed in respect to each Chosen before the elementals began gently merging with them.
Kaworu closed his eyes, feeling the energy fill him. He breathed deeply, acclimating himself to it and opened his eyes again. He bowed to the elementals. "Thank you." He stroked Shin's hair again and turned to Houjun.
The girl was smiling at a ball of fire in her hand. "Look..." she held it up. "It's solid... and it's cold..." She picked up a twig from the ground and fed it to the fire. It incinerated it in a second. She dissolved the ball and grinned at Kaworu. "We can do this...."
Kaworu laughed and swung her in a circle, kissing her. "We'll win."
Houjun yawned, rubbing her eyes as she forced herself to stay awake. Kaworu and the priest were asleep outside the temple and it was her shift to watch over the boy.
She felt her expression soften as she looked at him. Kaworu was right, he was beautiful, even after all the changes. He looked almost like a mythical figure. Houjun laughed quietly at herself. 'He IS one... that is the Great One there..." she reminded herself. Somehow her mind had divorced the title from the boy. He was just another victim of the thoughtless gods who ruined lives. Her mind idly mused the contradictions that the boy embodied. He was a child... yet he was an adult, and the only other person she'd allow to even touch Kaworu in that way... She smiled slightly, thinking of the Great One as Kaworu's concubine.
She paused in her thoughts as Shin made a small pained sound, face tensing. She swore loudly as the grey purple glow of the altar began engulfing the boy. "Kaworu!" she called, trying to push through the energy to get to Shin before he vanished again.
Kaworu raced into the building. He saw what was happening and hugged Houjun tightly from behind, hiding his face in her hair. "It has to happen," he said softly, as much to himself as to her. "It all needs to be broken so we can seal him again." He held her to his chest. "Shin's strong."
Houjun tensed a moment, before her shoulders slumped. "It isn't right..." she said softly as Shin's form vanished. "One boy... fighting against a god who wants to possess him completely...." She was quiet a moment. "I swear, Kaworu.. I swear by what is still holy in this world that I will find a way to destroy this god if he destroys that boy...."
"He won't," Kaworu said, tears in his voice. He looked at her, cheeks wet. "Wasn't there anything I could have done?"
"Kaworu..." Houjun turned to hug the man tightly. "You did everything... you did more then everything..."
He kissed her, tears falling to dampen her face. After a moment he stiffened, eyes snapping wide open. "It's done," he said hoarsely.
Houjun found his hand and clasped it tightly.
There was a flash of grey purple energy and Shin rematerilized, a bond of black across his formerly free ankle. He made a pained sound of discomfort as vines grew up from the bond, dipping around and underneath his skin to mirror the pattern on his other leg. The branches reached up and completed the circle on his chest.
Suddenly the entire temple was flooded with the grey purple light, which illuminated the temple like a bizarre sun.
Shin gave a pained scream as the light funneled into the portal on his chest, the altar stone under him glowing as it pushed all of it's stored energy back into the boy through the vines that held him.
Houjun clutched Kaworu's hand tighter, burying her face in his shoulder as Shin's screams grew more tortured.
There was another flash of energy and a spout of energy bloomed from Shin's chest. The boy's cries faded as the form above him grew. Then slowly, it began to sink back into the boy.
Kaworu clung to Houjun's hand like a lifeline, watching, horrified, what happened to Shin, unable to turn away.
The energy merged with Shin's still form, the vines that held him dissolving. The light faded, leaving only a soft glow around the altar.
Slowly, the boy's form rose. A soft grey purple light surrounded him, almost like a haze, and he was almost unrecognizable, only a few of Shin's features lingering against the presence within him.
Kaworu closed his eyes tightly and sent the dry water and liquid earth to surround the form.
Houjun quickly sent her inverse elements to join in.
Shin's possessed eyes flashed and shields of intense energy were raised to meet the attacks. He gave a startled exclamation as the colours began leaching from the shields and cracks of pure silver grew out from the center.
"The elements..." Houjun whispered before concentrating harder. She could feel the air around her grow warmer and the wind curled around her dramatically. "They're abandoning him..."
More and more the grey purple dissolved into patches of blue, red, white and black, which fled over to merge into Houjun's and Kaworu's auras.
Shin's form was forced to it's knees as the inverse elements sounded it.
Kaworu felt the elements strengthening him and opened his eyes. "Reach for the silver," he whispered. "Help Shin." Closing his eyes again, he sent his power searing through the form in search of what was still Shin.
An inhuman cry escaped from the boy's possessed lips as the god's energy was slowly torn apart, being attacked by both inverse and true elements, form all but obscured.
The silver cracks wound through the gods aura, gaining strength from the elements feeding them.
There was a near audible crack as the aura was shattered, the energy splintering off and being absorbed by the elements.
Shin collapsed in a heap, looking like a marionette who's strings had been cut. The light around him faded so the only illumination was that of the almost full moon hanging nearly directly overhead.
"Shin!" Kaworu cried, rushing to the boy's side. He gathered Shin into his arms, holding the boy tightly to his chest. "He's still breathing," he called triumphantly. He hugged the boy, curling around him. "I knew you were strong enough," he whispered.
"Let's get him someplace to recover," Houjun said softly. "Some place that doesn't have all this energy...."
The elementals were practically dancing around the temple in celebration, some seeming to pat Shin on the head, while others dotted on the two Chosen.
Kaworu smiled at all of them. He picked Shin up and carried him to the horses. "I can hold him again, Houjun," he said softly, a note of wonder in his voice.
She smiled softly, following.
Jack paused a moment, then ran out of the room calling Kaworu's name. The boy found him.
"What's wrong?" he asked sleepily.
"Shin..."
Kaworu snapped awake and raced to Shin's room. "Shin!"
The boy looked up, eyes fearful. "It's burning..." he almost whimpered.
The amulet around his neck was red with heat.
Kaworu took the amulet in his hands, surrounding it with cool water that flashed to steam. He frowned, pouring more cold water between his hands.
"Kaworu..." Shin's voice was almost desperate. Purple was invading his eyes. "Has to be touching the skin to work... but it'll burn me...." He tensed, eyes clenching shut. "Afraid... don't want.... fire..." he whispered, coherency fleeing.
"No!" Kaworu abandoned the amulet to pull energy out of Shin. "I WILL keep you safe," he said emphatically, holding the boy as tightly as he dared.
"Sorry..." Shin whimpered, clinging to Kaworu. "Calling..." The air around him began glowing a vague purple as he began crying. "Don't want.... to go... Can't..." His form began fading.
Kaworu clung to him desperately. "I'll kill him before I let him hurt you more. Shin, fight him with all you have!"
"Trying...." Shin's voice sounded weak and far away. "Kawo...." His voice and form faded completely into the purple light, which vanished after.
Kaworu fought down his rage, searching for Shin. Unable to find anything, he allowed himself a scream of frustration.
"Kaworu..."
"He's GONE. I will destroy this god who sees us only as his playthings. Shin is NOT the property of this god!"
"Kaworu..." Jack started, stopping when he saw the boy's tears. "We'll find him."
"Kaworu?" Houjun asked, appearing in the doorway, hair soaking wet, towel held tightly around her. Her eyes went wide and she hurried over to her love, hugging him tightly. "What happened?" she asked softly.
"Shin's gone," Kaworu whimpered. "I couldn't hold him."
She hugged him tighter. "We'll get him back... and I'll make those miserable gods pay..." she whispered emphatically.
Kaworu curled to her, face buried against her shoulder. "I've failed, Houjun. I can't protect him."
"You haven't," Jack said. "You're the only thing that keeps him together."
Kaworu looked up, expression disbelieving. He looked at Houjun, then back to the priest. "Please, Jack..."
Jack nodded. "I have elements to reverse."
"Thank you," Kaworu whispered. When Jack had left, he broke down sobbing into Houjun's shoulder.
She cradled him, comforting him as best she could. "Don't worry... He can't kill the boy until after he's been released, and he has at least two more seals..." she trailed off, feeling a large fluctuation in energy. "Shit..." she swore. "Kaworu... which seal? Which seal did he break? We can find him..."
Kaworu looked up. "Broke a.... Wind. Wind or I'd have felt it..." He closed his eyes. "He's at the middle temple."
"Priest! We're going!" Houjun snapped before turning back to Kaworu. "Go to him. You know the way better then I, I'll follow." She hugged him tightly a moment before letting go to quickly dress.
Kaworu nodded, composing himself quickly before sliding to the temple through the shadows. He arrived to find Shin chained to the altar by both wrists as well as an ankle. He stood startled a moment before moving closer. The vines entered Shin's arms, precluding any chance that they could be ripped off. The altar was starting to glow purple.
"Shin," he whispered.
The boy stirred slightly, head moving towards Kaworu. "Trying..." he breathed. His eyes opened to a slit showing a strange silver colour that was being attacked by a dull grey purple.
Kaworu held the boy's face in his hands, stroking his cheeks, and kissed him gently. He gave Shin some of his own energy, knowing that if he tried taking any it would hurt them both. "I'm here," he said. "I won't leave you unless I'm forced to."
Shin gave a weak smile. "Kaworu..." he sighed. "He listened... to you..." His voice was barely audible. "Draining off... the excess... into the stone..." His eyes closed fully. "Feel so strange..."
Kaworu looked at the shackles, stroking Shin's arms lightly where the vines were. After a moment he realized that the vines were pulsing under his touch. He looked at them closely, alarmed.
"Your blood," he murmured. "Oh Shin..."
"So strange..." Shin murmured again. "I can feel it... leaving... coming back..." His eyes opened slightly, this time his normal colour with a thick ring of silver around them, almost like a barrier. Very slowly, his fingers flexed. "Kaworu? The amulet?" he asked softly.
Kaworu held it out and let it brush Shin's skin.
The boy gave a small pained noise, face tensing. Slowly, his fingers curled around the jewel. "He doesn't want... but I'd rather you have... them him..." Shin breathed, eyes closing again. "So strange.." he repeated. "Why aren't I asleep?"
"Kaworu?" Houjun's voice called tentatively.
Kaworu wrapped his hands around Shin's and the amulet. He looked up. "Over here, Houjun. What can we do?"
Houjun hurried over, then stopped, eyes wide. "Miserable gods..." she breathed before approaching. She lightly touched on of the red vines and swore again. "The elements are being bound to bind him..." She turned to Kaworu. "Can you heal them out of him at all?"
Kaworu shook his head. "They're pulling his blood out of his body to take the energy to the stone. If I try anything he'll die."
Houjun swore, then turned to Jack. "You... you're the information person, any ideas?"
Jack raised his hands and shook his head. "I've never heard of anything like this. From my reading, the gods never expected him to get this far in the first place." He looked at the altar, face twisting in empathic pain. "And I can't blame them."
Shin raised his head slightly. "What... were the conditions?" he asked, voice slowly regaining its normal stability. "How... was he..." His face grew pained a brief moment as he accidently tugged one of the vines holding him down. "How was he to be reborn?" He looked down slightly. "A seal on my chest..." he said, eyes vaguely tinged silver a brief moment.
Jack ticked things off on his fingers. "He had to find someone from another world, who was an adult and still innocent, one with magic of their own, and in a time when the Chosen hated the gods. All five seals had to be broken, and there had to be something for him to be reborn out of."
"There's one left," Kaworu said.
"Two..." Houjun corrected. She pointed at Shin's free ankle. "The Earth seal, and the one here..." She paused. "The altar's like a map... HE'S like a map..." She pointed to the blue bond at Shin's wrist. "The water temple..." She pointed at the red one. "The fire temple, and then the air one..." She pointed to the white bond and vines. "It matches the altar..." She gestured to the patch of pale stone around the white bond. She paused a moment. "Shin, I'm going to take your clothing off, that okay?"
"What are you thinking?" Jack sputtered.
"Houjun? What...?" Kaworu looked at her, struggling to understand.
"I want to see how far the vines go..." She paused. "And if anything else has been done." She looked at Shin expectantly.
The boy hesitated a moment, then leaned his head back against the stone. "Just be careful..." he said softly.
Houjun nodded. "I will." She pulled out a small knife and gently slit open the boy's shirt and pulled it open.
There was a tense silence. "Well... it's safe to guess what he plans to be reborn from..." she said darkly.
The vines were spread across Shin's chest, turning the god's grey purple as they reached the area over the boy's heart. There they formed an incomplete ring, as if building a portal. "Shin..." She placed a hand lightly over the bare spot. "Is this where you feel the seal?"
He nodded, biting his lip to keep his eyes from watering.
Houjun muttered a dark oath that nearly made the air ripple in intensity. "The instant the last element seal is broken, this ring will be complete. And the moment this seal is gone... he's going to be reborn from the boy...." Her voice was almost trembling in rage. "You!" She turned to Jack sharply. "Find out how he was sealed. Every bit of information you can. Also see of any weakness this despisable one has... I will not let a god who uses people in this way stay in power... or alive...."
Jack stared at her a moment, then nodded and hurried for a flight of stairs.
"Jack?"
"I won't have anything on it. The gods destroyed all information on the god," he explained over his shoulder. "Anything useful has to be here." He raced down the stairs.
Kaworu nodded and looked up at Houjun. "What should I do?"
"Stay with him... I'll go keep the priest out of trouble incase there's any traps or anything down there." She gave Kaworu a quick kiss. "Oh, and see how bad the vines are on his legs as well. If he has to use the bathroom he's going to have troubles...."
Kaworu nodded again. He pulled out his own knife, then looked uncertainly at Shin, expression asking permission.
Shin gave a soft sigh, then nodded.
The vines on Shin's bound ankle were twined up and around his leg, sometimes plunging into the stone and reemerging later, completely immobilizing the appendage. The vines thankfully stayed clear of Shin's undergarments, almost tracing the line of it before spreading over the boy's stomach like a tree branch, some times going underneath the skin.
Kaworu traced the vines lightly. "Not as extensive," he said, "But they're newer." He returned to take Shin's hands. "Is there anything I can do? I know I can't do anything about this, but if you're in pain I should still be able to do something about that."
Shin smiled slightly. "Just... stay with me..." he said softly. His eyes closed. "He's inside me, Kaworu... running with my blood..." He shuddered slightly. "I'm afraid... I don't know what he'd doing... but he's rearranging me from the inside..." A tear escaped and slowly slid down Shin's paling cheek. "And I can barely even move..." he continued in a whisper. "I'm frightened... and I can't even hug you... it's like I'm being separated from everything...."
Kaworu squeezed Shin's hands. "We'll get you back. Houjun won't let anything stop her, and Jack can find anything, even if he says he can't. And I won't let anything take you away." He wiped the tear away, caressing the boy's cheek. "I love you," he said quietly. "Whatever happens, let that give you strength."
Shin smiled, blinking his eyes clear of tears. "I love you as well..." he said softly. He paused a moment. "Is... is there a blanket somewhere? I.. I don't want to see..." he trailed off a moment. "I don't want to see what he's doing to me..."
Kaworu nodded, fishing a blanket out of his pack and spreading it over the boy and smoothing it gently. "If you need anything, tell me and I'll do whatever I can."
Shin nodded, smiling. "Thank you... I-- I hope I can..." he hesitated a moment. "I hope I can hold out..." He paused a moment. "Kaworu? Why-- why do you think... he's trying to..." He hesitated. "He's trying to make me into someone else..." He sighed heavily. "I-- I'm afraid that even if I do survive this... I won't be me anymore..."
Kaworu kissed Shin lightly. "Whatever happens, we'll find a way to protect you. You will be you. Whatever he tries, it won't mean anything."
"How is he?"
Kaworu looked up at the priest. "He's still breathing," he said softly.
Jack nodded. "How much blood has it taken?" he mused aloud, "And how is it getting back in?" He put his fingers to Shin's neck, picking up a faint pulse. "When did his hair go white?"
"Not too long ago. Do you have anything, Jack?"
"Something, but I don't think you're going to like it." He looked at the scroll in his hand. "You can't reseal him until he's manifested. And he's not using Shin's body as a portal. He's using Shin's body."
"What do you mean?" Kaworu frowned.
The priest sighed. "He's going to stay in Shin's body and use it as his own."
Kaworu gripped one of Shin's hands tightly. "No wonder..."
Jack nodded. "Once in the body he's vulnerable, but I don't know what will happen to Shin then. He could just die."
The boy looked at the priest, eyes burning like liquid fire. "He won't. And we'll be ready for the god." He gestured and water formed in his hand. He threw it at Jack, and the priests robes weren't dampened.
Houjun smiled. "Farther then I am... I can only make lukewarm flame..." She demonstrated. "I don't know if it'll be enough..." She gave a small sigh. "Kaworu... if what Jack found on the sealing is the best way, we need to work on our second elements. It said the earth turned to liquid and the air became solid. I can make rock melt with heat... but it's not the same..." she bit her lip. "We might need to drain the amulet... to up our powers..." She looked over at where Shin lay, looking more dead then alive. "And maybe, if it won't hurt him too much, we can drain the god's altar through him...."
Kaworu frowned. "Liquid earth," he said musingly. He patted Shin's cheek lightly to wake him.
The boy stirred, eyes opening to show the rim of silver around his normal brown-green. He blinked a few times, then gave an almost pained sigh of resignation. "I barely look like myself anymore..." he whispered, eye saddened.
"You're still beautiful," Kaworu told him, caressing his cheek. "Houjun and I want to try draining power out of the altar. Do you think it would hurt you?"
Shin hesitated a moment. "I don't know..." he admitted. "Maybe if..." he pressed his lips together a moment. "If I pulled it from the altar and either you pulled it from me or I put it in the amulet?" he suggested.
Kaworu nodded, smiling. "That would be wonderful." He kissed the boy's forehead. "Could you try now to see if it would work?"
Shin nodded, closing his eyes. There was a strange feel in the air that built as the boy's brow furrowed in concentration. He clutched at the amulet, knuckles turning dead white. A small silver glimmer appeared in the jewel, and was quickly attacked by the grey purple. Shin gave a pained exclamation and his body went limp, breathing laboured.
Kaworu stroked his cheeks gently. "Are you ok, Shin?" he asked, leaning over the boy.
"I--" Shin took a deep breath of air. "Sorry, I-- I don't have enough of my own energy..." He exhaled slowly. He paused, looking up at the sky, blinking.
Slowly a large amount of elementals of different types fluttered down, clustering around Shin. He blinked a few times, then smiled, looking almost amused.
Kaworu blinked up at the elementals.
Shin relaxed, a few of the water elementals flitting about him. "They want to help... I think they're scared of him..."
A few elementals seemed to be communing with Shin's bonds.
Kaworu smiled and held a hand out to the water elementals.
About half of them floated over to him, a few perching on his shoulders and one hiding in his hair. Some earth elementals joined, playing with Kaworu's shoes.
Houjun blinked as the fire elementals danced around her, accompanied by some wind elementals.
Shin smiled, relaxing fully. "I... am going to nap now..." His eyes closed.
Kaworu stroked Shin's hair and addressed the elementals. "Can you help us? We need to make your opposites to seal him."
There was a brief conference between the elementals. Having reached an agreement, they split up into their two groups once more and approached the Chosen. A delegate from each group bobbed in respect to each Chosen before the elementals began gently merging with them.
Kaworu closed his eyes, feeling the energy fill him. He breathed deeply, acclimating himself to it and opened his eyes again. He bowed to the elementals. "Thank you." He stroked Shin's hair again and turned to Houjun.
The girl was smiling at a ball of fire in her hand. "Look..." she held it up. "It's solid... and it's cold..." She picked up a twig from the ground and fed it to the fire. It incinerated it in a second. She dissolved the ball and grinned at Kaworu. "We can do this...."
Kaworu laughed and swung her in a circle, kissing her. "We'll win."
Houjun yawned, rubbing her eyes as she forced herself to stay awake. Kaworu and the priest were asleep outside the temple and it was her shift to watch over the boy.
She felt her expression soften as she looked at him. Kaworu was right, he was beautiful, even after all the changes. He looked almost like a mythical figure. Houjun laughed quietly at herself. 'He IS one... that is the Great One there..." she reminded herself. Somehow her mind had divorced the title from the boy. He was just another victim of the thoughtless gods who ruined lives. Her mind idly mused the contradictions that the boy embodied. He was a child... yet he was an adult, and the only other person she'd allow to even touch Kaworu in that way... She smiled slightly, thinking of the Great One as Kaworu's concubine.
She paused in her thoughts as Shin made a small pained sound, face tensing. She swore loudly as the grey purple glow of the altar began engulfing the boy. "Kaworu!" she called, trying to push through the energy to get to Shin before he vanished again.
Kaworu raced into the building. He saw what was happening and hugged Houjun tightly from behind, hiding his face in her hair. "It has to happen," he said softly, as much to himself as to her. "It all needs to be broken so we can seal him again." He held her to his chest. "Shin's strong."
Houjun tensed a moment, before her shoulders slumped. "It isn't right..." she said softly as Shin's form vanished. "One boy... fighting against a god who wants to possess him completely...." She was quiet a moment. "I swear, Kaworu.. I swear by what is still holy in this world that I will find a way to destroy this god if he destroys that boy...."
"He won't," Kaworu said, tears in his voice. He looked at her, cheeks wet. "Wasn't there anything I could have done?"
"Kaworu..." Houjun turned to hug the man tightly. "You did everything... you did more then everything..."
He kissed her, tears falling to dampen her face. After a moment he stiffened, eyes snapping wide open. "It's done," he said hoarsely.
Houjun found his hand and clasped it tightly.
There was a flash of grey purple energy and Shin rematerilized, a bond of black across his formerly free ankle. He made a pained sound of discomfort as vines grew up from the bond, dipping around and underneath his skin to mirror the pattern on his other leg. The branches reached up and completed the circle on his chest.
Suddenly the entire temple was flooded with the grey purple light, which illuminated the temple like a bizarre sun.
Shin gave a pained scream as the light funneled into the portal on his chest, the altar stone under him glowing as it pushed all of it's stored energy back into the boy through the vines that held him.
Houjun clutched Kaworu's hand tighter, burying her face in his shoulder as Shin's screams grew more tortured.
There was another flash of energy and a spout of energy bloomed from Shin's chest. The boy's cries faded as the form above him grew. Then slowly, it began to sink back into the boy.
Kaworu clung to Houjun's hand like a lifeline, watching, horrified, what happened to Shin, unable to turn away.
The energy merged with Shin's still form, the vines that held him dissolving. The light faded, leaving only a soft glow around the altar.
Slowly, the boy's form rose. A soft grey purple light surrounded him, almost like a haze, and he was almost unrecognizable, only a few of Shin's features lingering against the presence within him.
Kaworu closed his eyes tightly and sent the dry water and liquid earth to surround the form.
Houjun quickly sent her inverse elements to join in.
Shin's possessed eyes flashed and shields of intense energy were raised to meet the attacks. He gave a startled exclamation as the colours began leaching from the shields and cracks of pure silver grew out from the center.
"The elements..." Houjun whispered before concentrating harder. She could feel the air around her grow warmer and the wind curled around her dramatically. "They're abandoning him..."
More and more the grey purple dissolved into patches of blue, red, white and black, which fled over to merge into Houjun's and Kaworu's auras.
Shin's form was forced to it's knees as the inverse elements sounded it.
Kaworu felt the elements strengthening him and opened his eyes. "Reach for the silver," he whispered. "Help Shin." Closing his eyes again, he sent his power searing through the form in search of what was still Shin.
An inhuman cry escaped from the boy's possessed lips as the god's energy was slowly torn apart, being attacked by both inverse and true elements, form all but obscured.
The silver cracks wound through the gods aura, gaining strength from the elements feeding them.
There was a near audible crack as the aura was shattered, the energy splintering off and being absorbed by the elements.
Shin collapsed in a heap, looking like a marionette who's strings had been cut. The light around him faded so the only illumination was that of the almost full moon hanging nearly directly overhead.
"Shin!" Kaworu cried, rushing to the boy's side. He gathered Shin into his arms, holding the boy tightly to his chest. "He's still breathing," he called triumphantly. He hugged the boy, curling around him. "I knew you were strong enough," he whispered.
"Let's get him someplace to recover," Houjun said softly. "Some place that doesn't have all this energy...."
The elementals were practically dancing around the temple in celebration, some seeming to pat Shin on the head, while others dotted on the two Chosen.
Kaworu smiled at all of them. He picked Shin up and carried him to the horses. "I can hold him again, Houjun," he said softly, a note of wonder in his voice.
She smiled softly, following.