The Sun and the Moon

Part 4
Tracks in the Snow

By Isis and Archdruid Unacera (Yeah both of us worked on this!)

Unacera walked down the hill with Dragon Wind by her side. Her white staff went back and forth as well. Suddenly a feeling caused her to turn. She gazed off into the forest. The first thing she noticed was the familiar chime that rang in the air. Then a man appeared holding a staff and his eyes were hidden under his hat. A white tiger walked by his side. The Archdruid bowed in respect and the large winged leopard did something similar.
"Archdruid Unacera. It's good to finally meet you." The man finished walking up and motioned for her to sit. They both sat on the cold ground cross-legged. The two cats lied down and regarded each other. "As you may or may not know, I knew your grandparents. They journeyed all the way here, as you did, to help me. They were a great asset. What has happened since? I've only had glimpses in visions."
"Dynasty demons destroyed my village, slaying everyone including my family."
"I had feared that." He looked at her, his eyes almost visible. "I'm sorry. I can only comfort you by telling you how your grandparents were like, and by helping you now."
She sighed and shrugged.
"The celebration of winter and of death, leaving room for new life, has left you with a heavy burden tonight."
Unacera gazed up at the star filled sky. The normal sounds of the night continuing on without disturbance. Even the wind carried with it the hint of winter to her. "It seems there are a lot of burdens on me lately."
There was a pause. "Such as?"
"I need to find the one to next wear my armor and pass it on. I can't now because I am trying to guide another. I am stuck between them."
"You can't leave this person?"
"No. She is a General of Talpa that I captured. Perhaps you've heard of her. Isis is her name."
"Isis?" His voice questioned. "Are you sure?"
She returned her gaze, puzzled by the man's change in voice. "Positive. Why?"
"There was a child stolen from one of the villages of our clans of Ancients. The child's name was Isis. It is said that her mother was raped by a demon of Talpa..."
Michael quietly stepped through the forest, following the person he saw. The strange woman just continued walking, focusing on nothing but the path back to the camp. The man, still in full armor, almost chuckled as she started to reach where he left his zebra Zuki. The zebra was untied, just standing around until it saw the woman. It looked casually at her.
Green eyes glanced up and saw the strange striped horse. What manner of creature is this..? Zuki shook his head for a second, its armor making a little noise. The woman stopped and watched the creature with some curiosity. She first examined the armor which was dark green with a bit of red.
"It's called a Zebra. His name is Zuki." A man's voice said from behind her.
She spun around, brown hair flying, to see the person standing behind her. Startled, she took a few steps back and watched him in silence. The man chuckled softly at her reaction. "Who are you?" She started to draw a small slender dagger for defense just in case she needed it.
"Sorry if I startled you. I noticed you before... My name is Michael. I'm a friend of Unacera's."
The woman's hand reached behind her back and put the dagger back in its sheath. "Oh..."
Michael smiled. "Again I'm sorry." He paused. "Are you a General?"
"I am... or.. was.." She continued to watch Michael suspiciously, a little discomforted by the strange yoroi.
"Oh." He said, almost in echo of the woman's similar response before.
"Depends on how one looks at it.. I don't care to discuss it."
Michael sensed a little unease in her voice. He returned to a thouht he had as he began followin her. "Well do you have any sake by chance?"
"Not on my person, no."
"In your tent maybe? I used up mine."
"And what makes you think I'll let you in my tent?"
Michael laughed. "Oh and like you'll get in mine either." He teased.
"Why would I want to?"
The man chuckled again, now getting thoroughly amused in the conversation. "Dear lady. I do not mean to offend you. How about a neutral spot then?"
The woman pressed to see how many questions she could get answered. "How do I know I can trust you?"
The man just seemed comfortable none of the less, like they had always been friends. "Do either of us really have a choice? However.." He cast away his yoroi, leaving himself with the brown bicolor body armor. "Is that better?"
The woman put her head to one side, looking at him out the corner of her green eyes. "There is always a choice. Maybe I can trust you, but can you be so certain you can trust me?"
"After oh.. over 500 years or so I think I'm a good judge of character." He smiled, secretly knowing why he tried to trust the woman. He could sense before something about her. Now near her, the sensation was stronger, coming from the woman herself. It wasn't any sort of animal attraction. Nothing of the sort at all. There was something there, like a little bit of his armor's essence inside of her.
The former Dynasty General thought to herself, Relax... he's not one of your clan. Perhaps that is a good thing.
"So do you want some sake or not?" He looked on with amusement in his brown eyes.
"I think there is a tavern nearby.."
"Sounds good to me."
The woman turned and started walking again in the direction of the tavern.
Michael reached for Zuki's reigns. "Want a ride instead?"
"Quite all right, I think I'll walk." The man shrugged and took the reigns as he followed her. He preferred not to ride and be disrespectful since the woman wasn't riding.
"You know, I didn't catch your name."
"I apologize if my demeanor seems a bit... distant. I don't find it easy to trust many people."
"Oh? Always on guard eh?"
"One might say that.."
"Yes often trust must be earned." He shrugged again as he placed a strand of brown highlighted blonde hair back in place. "So..." He cleared his throat. "The name if you don't mind. I gave you mine already." He smiled.
The woman debated on whether using her real name or the one Unacera gave her. She decided on the latter. "I'm Silverbird."
"Ah Silverbird nice to meet you." There was silence for a moment as they walked. "So where is this tavern?"
She pointed to a village up the road they were nearing. "There."
"Well at least we'll work up an appetite walking there." He chuckled. "Or should that be thirst?"
She chuckled in reply "Perhaps both.." Michael let the reigns go, and Zuki walked a little to be beside Isis. The woman eyed the strange steed again. "Where did you find such a creature?"
"In Africa. Zuki outraced a cheetah." He chuckled.
"Africa? Sounds like an.. interesting place."
"It is. Lots of wild animals. Cheetah's being wild cats that are the fastest of all the animals.. except Zuki." The zebra nudged Isis. "I think he likes you."
She smirked silently and passed into the town, stopping near the door of the tavern. Michael lightly tied Zuki, not that he was worried of the zebra running away or anyone taking him for that matter.
"Maybe I should get in more appropriate attire." The woman nodded and waited for Michael before entering the tavern. Michael banished the body armor for a dark green kimono with a red sash. The man then walked up to join her. "After you." He motioned politely.
The woman replied with a smile and a simple "Arigato," before entering the tavern. She held the door for Michael after she entered.
He took the door and looked around for a seat for them. "So where would you like to sit?"
Isis approached a corner table, shadowed from the main light of the room. She sat down and looked around at the room. "Here will do I think." The woman smiled.
"You act like Unacera. That sitting in the shadows." He chuckled as he sat down. "Guess I should be used to it."
"Birds of a feather I suppose." Isis grinned.
"You didn't fight in that darkness during the night. Guess when you're with that armor it's the General idea." He chuckled.
The woman smirked in reply to the obvious pun. "Oh I've fought in darkness many times... and won."
Michael raised a brown highlighted blonde eyebrow. "Oh? Don't suppose you wish to discuss how long you were a General..."
"A few years anyway... but I've been training for it as long as my memory serves me."
"Ah. Me.. about as long as I lived. I used to be a fisherman. That was bound to end."
"A fisherman? Really? One way of putting one's life on the line I suppose." She grinned and Michael laughed in response. Isis then raised a slender, gentle, yet firm, hand and ordered the first round of sake.
"I got in a hurricane and awoke on the shores of Africa wearing that armor you saw. Yoroi is strange. Even after 500 years I'm not sure I understand it all." He pulled the subject back intentionally. He hoped to find any explanation why he felt some of his armor essence in the woman.
The woman perked up with sudden interest "Yoroi? Very interesting." Something like that in the hands of the Dynasty... we would be unbeatable! What are you thinking Isis? You're so far removed from them now....
"Yoroi tends to lean to someone though since about they are born. I guess its picky." The man looked at her, considering about why she was picked, and for what reason.
Isis nodded and picked up a bottle of sake. She handed one to Michael "Bottoms up.."
Michael took it and drank the sake. "Not bad." He commented.
"It's some of the better sake I've had."
"Other sake from?..."
Isis shrugged and answered with a slight smirk "I get around."
"Oh." He sipped again and finished up the bottle. "So.. any more questions for me?" He grinned.
"Not really. What is Africa like though?"
Michael shrugged. "What do you want to know? It has deserts, animals, pyramids dedicated to ancient priests and gods..." He paused for a moment. "There's even an Egyptian god of the dead with a Jackal for a head. One of the two symbols of Yami. It would weigh the heart of the dead against the feather of justice. That god's name is Anubis."
"Anubis... I've heard that name before. I don't think it was mentioned for the god though.."
Michael shrugged again, looking at his empty bottle of sake. Isis momentarily shuddered slightly, recalling her dream about Hesus. She shook it off and ordered a second round.
Michael didn't notice her shudder as he continued. "There's a second god and symbol of Yami. That one belongs to the Celts of Ireland. A similar dog headed god of war named Hesus." Isis shuddered a little more visibly, the thought plaguing her deep inside, trying to swallow her. The man looked around, not noting her reactions. "I think the representative of that one is a wolf, not a jackal though."
"Yes... I'm quite aware of Hesus.." She said through gritted teeth.
Michael raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?" He handed her a drink as second round of sake came.
"Uhhhh... I've studied some mythology of other lands." Good going.. almost give yourself away..
"Oh. I didn't know that they studied that here.." He paused.
"Some of us do.."
"Must be how the Archdruid fought with the Ancients when Talpa first entered our world with his army and armor. The tales spread about their people and the other lands." Michael sipped the sake.
Isis nodded. "Well, yes.. I've found archives of those battles." The woman picked up her second bottle of sake and drank it quickly.
"I've heard of instances that the symbols of the armors can appear to a few people in dreams." Michael finished off his sake as well.
"Indeed? Interesting."
"Yes. Said to be rare. Rumored to perhaps be the gods themselves communicating with that person." Michael sighed as he looked at his second empty bottle. I guess she can't tell me any reason for feeling the essence of my armor in her after all. "When this is all over I think I shall want to go back to Africa." He changed the subject to avoid getting deeper in a lousy mood from his failure.
"Really? And what's there? You said nothing but animals, dry land, and pyramids..."
"It's where I got my yoroi from. Some people there guarded its hiding place. They treated me well. Zuki would probably like to be back with others of his kind too."
"I should think so. The snow doesn't exactly seem his element. Must be the stripes." She smiled.
"Well I prefer autumn myself."
Isis called for a third round of sake. "Autumn is a nice time of year. Somehow though, I prefer the spring. It's warmer."
"I like the color of the leaves. Like nature is doing some sort of show or something. Kind of like spring." Michael sighed again. "Africa is beautiful though. Especially the sunsets. Although it is warm there."
"Africa sounds like a nice place." She paused. "I guess I might like to go there at some time, just to see the animals there if nothing else."
Michael mused. "And some still look for a mysterious fountain of youth.." He chuckled softly as the 3rd round comes.
"I suppose some of us don't need to." The woman grinned as she picked up the third bottle.
"Well I know something like it, but it's more like a fountain of healing." Michael picked up the bottle as well.
"Hmm.. do tell."
"Wha? Tell about it?" He said while drinking the sake.
Isis shrugged. "Never mind. It's not that important." She drank the sake.
Michael just drank the sake as he watched Isis. I wonder how many she can drink.
The woman finished her sake I'll bet I can drink this guy under the table. Two more rounds should do it. "Fourth round?" she offers.
"Oh yes a fourth would be delightful." The man said as he finished. "Anything to eat here? I'm a tad hungry."
"Hmm.. I guess I am hungry too. I think I'd like some sushi."
"I'll have the same." He smiled thinking about his time as a fisherman again.
Isis nodded. She ordered the sushi and a fourth round. The bartender eyed both of them warily. "Haven't you both had enough to drink?"
The woman smiled. "Not yet.."
Michael turned stern. "You want to get money from us or not?" The bartender simply nodded and returned to his work. He chuckled. "Simple logic.. got to love it."
He held up the weapon again, aiming at nothing in particular. Suddenly he jumped into the air and did a move he was familiar with. He threw the other end of the weapon to the ground without calling his attack cry. It bounced off it, leaving only a little damage. Sotsuhiko landed again and smiled. He did it just as he always had, his form had not changed over the centuries. Soon I'll need to teach it to another. He looked at the sickle with his brown eyes. Strange how I fight yet I'm a priest. Yoroi is strange. He shook his head. Sotsuhiko was always the most different one of the four. He was more serious, more priestly, usually the one without an army. It wasn't that he didn't know how to lead one, it just wasn't something he wanted to do at the moment. He sighed again. Anubis is waiting, although he doesn't know yet that he is or why.
Isis' eyes slid with slower blinks. She regarded the man in front of her as she held her head in a palm. Was he drunk yet? She couldn't tell. Her own vision was fogged. Her hand reached for the sake, but slipped and it fell to the floor.
"Whoops." Michael laughed and caught it. "Had enough yet?"
"I'm fine." She grabbed the sake from the man and took another sip. "You had enough?" The woman said agitated.
"Not yet." He echoed her previous words even with the same tone.
"Humph." The woman tried to finish the sake, but her grip finally failed and this time the bottle fell to the floor. She didn't even hear it drop as her head hit the table. Her body quickly drifted to unconsciousness.
The man chuckled as he left money for the drinks and food and stood. He lifted her body up and carried her to his zebra. He gently placed the woman on top and untied Zuki. Then he held the reigns as he walked all the way back to camp. Michael weaved his way to her tent and entered. He laid her body on her bedroll and placed the blankets on top of her. "Good night Silverbird. May we meet again." He whispered. Then he walked out and almost stumbled. Michael shook his head, brown highlighted blonde hair moving with the motion. "I'll say one thing. Alcohol is an interesting poison." Then he smiled. "At least that was one great way to celebrate me leaving again."
Michael walked to the forest with Zuki. Finally he fell to the ground. Tomorrow I'll leave, and go back to leading my army. For now though, I just want to sleep. He drifted off quickly as Zuki watched.
Isis groaned. The hangover was enormous. She didn't see Michael all day. She walked through the forest and to a mountain, where Unacera said she'd be waiting. Isis walked up to the nearby mountain and followed the path. Soon she encountered snow and pulled her cloak around herself more. She knew perhaps why Unacera was here. In the mist of all this cold and snow there were natural hot springs. It wasn't unheard of for people to journey up here to relax. The woman stood with folded arms. "Where is she?" Annoyed, she swatted an evergreen branch aside as she walked to a spring. Then Isis stopped and gawked in surprise to what she saw.
A creature came out of the spring. It gently and gracefully walked and shook off the water. It didn't even seem to notice its weight as it walked. The creature was the size of a fairly large horse. A lion's tail swayed a little from side to side. The mane was even more majestic than the tail. All of the creature was a pure white. As white as the snow! Isis thought. The only exception was its blue eyes and gold horn. She had heard of such a creature, something even in Japanese Myth, but pictured differently. A unicorn! She saw that even the ground denied the weight of the creature, almost as if it was an illusion. A creature that has been argued whether to be real or not. Something seemingly between both worlds. I wonder if it exists in the myths of all countries?
A sound from behind caused Isis to jump, right hand over chest. "Dragon Wind," she scolded. The woman looked back but the unicorn was gone.
"Isis?" A voice asked.
"I'm here Unacera. You mentioned something about training?"

To Be Continued...