"Wow," I exclaimed, looking at Quil who opened his eyes and smiled.
"Aki can't stand blood on his fur. I think it's a Kitsune thing,” he revealed.
"Maybe," I considered. My Kitsune retreated, curling up in her spot, content now that we were blood-free. My tails and ears disappeared, and I took a deep breath before letting it out.
"So this was a trap?" I wondered.
"Maybe. Seeing as Malachi killed that lion last week, they could have realized we'd been searching the same spots they had and decided to get rid of us early," Quil replied.
I nodded, and he removed his hands from my cheeks. I put my swords back in their scabbards on my back and looked for Haru.
"Haru?" I called out, realizing he wasn't next to us. Quil lifted an eyebrow, and we both started to search the area.
"Haru?!" Quil yelled. My Kitsune opened its eyes, and her ears twitched a few times before she got up and dashed to the surface, which caught me off guard. My tails and ears resurfaced, and that was when I picked up on the sound of labored breathing to my left.
"Shit, HARU!" I called out. I darted to my left, following the quick inhales and exhales until I spotted Haru, who was on the ground with a pained expression on his face.
"Haru!" I dropped to my knees, and my gaze landed on where his hands were pressed firmly on his stomach, his white and black shirt stained with a large amount of blood.
"It's...not too bad." Haru struggled as he tried to sit up, but I stopped him, pressing him back down.
"Oh no, you don't. Lay down. QUIL! We need Itsuki!" I shouted desperately.
Quil was at my side in seconds, and his eyes grew wide when he saw Haru's wound. "Shit, Haru, I'm sorry. I didn't take into consideration you were behind us."
Haru shook his head. "Nah, don't worry. It's...not serious...as long...Crim...okay,” he panted. I didn't like how pale he was, or the effort it was taking him to speak and breathe.
"No more talking. Quil, Itsuki!" I urged.
Quil nodded. "I'll be fast,” he promised before darting back to where the house was. Itsuki wouldn't be too far from the house, but time was of the essence and with how weak Haru was beginning to look, I didn't know if he'd last that long.
"Haru, I'm sorry. Just hang on," I encouraged.
He gave me a weak smile. "It's...fine. I'll...be...fine,” he replied, but his eyes were already beginning to close.
"Haru, keep your eyes open. Don’t fall unconscious," I whispered insistently, tears forming in my eyes as fear began to pulse through me. I slid my arms beneath his head to cradle him in my hold. He continued to smile, but I noticed his trembling lips began to turn purplish, which only let my fear escalate.
"Haru, what do I do? Can I heal you? Please tell me I can. Please!" I begged, moving his silver-gold hair away from his face that was drenched with sweat as his shoulders lifted up and down with each breath.
"It's...gonna be...difficult...Crim. A lot of energy,” he replied.
"I don't give a shit how much energy it takes, Haru! I can't lose you! We...we didn't get to make cupcakes...and you said we'd make ice cream from scratch...and...and we haven't even gotten to know one another. Please! Tell me what I should do!" I cried.
"Crimson." He lifted his eyes to meet my glossy ones, using a hand to wipe away the tear that escaped my left eye.
"Don't cry. Just...concentrate. Think of patching...patch...ing...up...something." He fought to breathe, tears forming in his mismatched eyes.
"Hang on, Haru. I'll try. Just hol-" I began, but he moved his hand that was on my cheek, sliding it into my tied hair and pulling my head down to give me a solid kiss. He broke the kiss and gave me a wide smile as tears rolled down his cheeks.
"I...I've wanted...to kiss...you for a while..." he admitted. "If...I don't...make it...I...love...you, Crim..."
"No, no, no. Don't give up! I love you too, Haru. Just don't give up. Fight a bit longer. I'll heal you, okay? Just hang on!" I choked out, quickly laying him back down and pressing my hands over the wound. I knew it would be painful, but I was determined to heal him. I couldn't lose Haru. Not now.
"Crim..." he started, sounding a little afraid.
"Hang on, Haru. I'm gonna heal you!" I cried, my Kitsune pulling as much energy as she could from our very core, sending it rushing to my hands that instantly grew hot.
"But...Storm...wants...me to...wants me to join her?" His voice was barely audible, and I opened my eyes to look at him. He was staring at the sky above, his eyes looking lost and duller than they had before.
"Ignore her! She can't have you! You're my lover...I...I won't let her take you from me." I sobbed, pooling even more of my energy into my hands as I took a few deep breaths, needing to concentrate.
"Hmm...I know...Crim. I'm yours now," Haru mumbled. I squeezed my eyes shut, realizing if I wasted any more time, I'd lose him.
Please... Please work!
I felt the pocket watch on my chest grow hot, and I opened my eyes to see a yellow flame burst out of the yellow crystal and spread out. The large being extended its wings and looked down on me, and I realized everything had stopped moving.
"Please...I need to save Haru. I can't lose him. He's loved me and stayed dedicated to me, even though I haven't given him enough of me yet to deserve such love. Please, I beg you. Help me save him. I can't lose him!" I cried as I stared pleadingly up at the familiar.
It nodded, and then its body was immersed in light before revealing a massive eagle. Its feathers were white, transitioning to gold at the tips.
I knew right away it was a she, and I watched her lower to the ground next to Haru, who had been affected by the freezing of time.
"Kiku!" she shouted out, spreading her wings as a giant gold magic circle formed beneath us. I stared into her gold eyes and nodded, feeling a wave of reassurance leak off her. He'll be okay, I should be able to heal him.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, letting out a small stream of air as I focused on the image forming in my mind. I could visualize the wound and with sight almost like X-ray vision, could see what it looked like. I noticed the lingering bullet in the lower right quadrant of his stomach and lifted my hands up to hover over it.
I imagined the bullet exiting his body, slowly lifting out of him without leaving any damage or scarring. Once I was confident the deed was done, I pressed my hands back onto his wound and imagined a patch of strings, one after another beginning to thread themselves together.
I was about halfway done when I started to struggle, recognizing I needed a lot more energy to be able to patch up the rest. It made me realize how Haru made healing look almost too easy when it was actually a lot harder than casting an elemental spell or using weapons to fight.
I gritted my teeth, focusing on the desire to heal Haru, and pulled even more energy out of myself. My eagle made another calling sound, and I felt a burst of added energy run through me and to my hands, which began to tremble. I will do this!
When the last of the threads completed their magical knotwork, I opened my eyes and removed my hands from the spot. I sighed in happiness and had to hold back a sob when I saw the wound was completely healed, with only a tiny scar still visible.
"We did it," I whispered, looking up at my eagle familiar who stared proudly back at me.
"Kiku!" She beamed, flapping her wings so she could hover in the air. She moved to press her head against mine, and I smiled.
"Arigato Gozaimashita,” I sobbed, my shoulders shaking with the force of my tears.
"Kikkuuuu,” she replied, sounding a little sad.
I gave her the best smile I could and lifted my arm up to allow her to sit on it. She did exactly that and then her name came into my mind.
"Chiryoshi," I declared. She chirped happily before her body began to glow, and her energy returned to the pocket watch on my neck. I grinned weakly, pressing my left hand to the silver watch with a smile. Thank you, Chiryoshi, for helping me heal Haru.
I knew she must have retr
eated because I had no energy left to spare. I struggled to keep my eyes open and noticed time began to move again.
"Crim?" Haru's voice sounded a bit stronger, and I turned my gaze to meet his astonished expression.
I smiled weakly. "My Haru. You okay?" I whispered. I was fighting my heavy eyelids that longed to close as I tried not to sway.
"You...healed me? How...that…" Haru trailed off as tears rolled down his cheeks.
I grinned, reaching my hand out to brush his cheek. "You can't leave me. We didn’t...get to make...cupcakes. Or ice cream...or get to spend more time with each other," I acknowledged.
"CRIMSON! HARU!" I heard Itsuki call out. I looked in front of us to see Malachi in his human form racing towards us, with Itsuki and Quil right behind him.
The relief of seeing them took its toll on me, and I gave up the fight I was trying to win against the exhaustion that tugged at me. I fell to the side, expecting to hit the ground, but strong arms caught me.
"Shit, Crim!" Haru sounded panicked, but I let out a weak giggle.
"I...just need...five minutes...maybe...ten..." I trailed off, struggling to stay conscious. I just wanted to stay awake long enough to be sure the others were right beside us.
"Crimson!" Itsuki's voice sounded the closest, and I felt myself being pulled into another set of arms. "Haru! What happened?!" he demanded.
"Holy shit, Haru. Your wound..." Quil trailed off suddenly.
"Wait, did Crim heal your wound?! Her first time?" Malachi sounded shocked.
"Yes, now stop stalling and help me sit up properly. Her magic is out of balance, and she'll get sick if we don't do something," Haru snapped.
"I got her. You're in no shape to heal anyone or anything," Itsuki insisted.
I opened my eyes slightly, trying my best to see a less blurry image of Itsuki. My vision cleared for a few seconds and I saw that Itsuki had a prideful smile on his lips and his purple orbs were filled with joy.
"You did amazing, Crimson. Haru’s gonna be okay. Just sleep and let us do the rest,” he consoled and gave me a soft kiss.
"Sa...fe?" I asked, needing to know for sure I wouldn't wake up to my men being gone.
"We're safe, thanks to your help. Rest, Crimson. We'll be fine."
I sighed in relief, letting go of the tension in my limbs. Thank you, ancestors. Everyone's safe, and I met Chiryoshi. Good...
And with that last thought, the world went black.
"Say ‘Ah.’"
I pursed my lips and looked away stubbornly, ignoring the spoonful of hot soup that tempted me with its scent. Itsuki had a big grin on his face as he lowered the spoon in his hand.
"C'mon Crim, you’ve got to eat,” he insisted.
"Not being spoon fed by you," I huffed.
He chuckled. "Jeez. I need Haru's charm for this or we’re never getting food in you."
"I'm not hungry," I countered, but my stomach took the opportunity to roar so loudly, you didn't need Kitsune hearing to catch the sound. I blushed and glanced away as Itsuki snickered.
"I think your stomach disagrees with you,” he teased.
I sighed, uncrossing my arms and relaxing against the layer of pillows supporting me in my upright position.
"I don't need your help," I grumbled.
"I know you don't, Crim. However, you're still sick, and the last time we let you try to eat on your own, you missed your mouth."
"It was a miscalculation."
"You missed it five times and fell asleep after the sixth attempt."
"..."
"Ah. You hate when we prove you wrong, don't you?"
"Hmph." My eyes slowly drifted to the bowl of soup, attempting to ignore the clenching hunger pains in my stomach.
"Crimson, please? We just want you to get better," Itsuki pleaded.
I lifted my gaze to stare into his purple eyes. "I shouldn't have gotten sick to begin with," I pointed out.
"You got sick because you did a healing spell that can heal even a wounded heart. Storm was one of the few in all of Japan who could use that skill, and Haru explained your ability was of a higher caliber, " Itsuki elaborated.
"Still doesn't help make me feel any less useless." I sighed, giving up on my failed hunger strike.
"Crimson," Itsuki said stubbornly, and I gave him a sheepish look.
"Ah, evil Itsuki tone," I mumbled.
He blinked, looking deep in thought. "Why does everyone say that?" he questioned, more to himself than to me.
"You have a soft voice most of the time, so when you talk like that you sound like an evil mastermind ready for world domination," I explained.
"Hmm. Storm said something similar,” he revealed before sighing. "What's been going on with you lately?"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Malachi told me what happened in the forest and I've already spoken with Yoshi and Aki. We're worried about you, Crimson."
"I'm perfectly fine. See? No wounds on my body. I'm physically healthy aside from my exhaustion," I defended. Itsuki shook his head and placed the bowl of soup on the side table next to him.
He looked back at me with a stern expression and lifted his right hand, tapping a finger to his right temple. "No, Crim. What's happening up here? Mentally."
I was silent for a long moment, looking down at my fingers in my lap and debating what I could say that hadn’t already been stated.
"I don't know..." I whispered.
"Since the mountain incident, how have you felt?"
"Explaining how I feel will just sound like a broken record," I brushed off, trying to avoid the topic.
"A broken record I've yet to hear, Crim," Itsuki countered.
"I feel pathetic, Itsuki. I'm trying so hard to balance everything, and I tell myself, 'tomorrow will be a new day, and I'll be strong enough to stand on my own.' Then something happens, and I feel like all that confidence just vanishes. I’m placed in a situation where I’m vulnerable, which just makes me feel like I'm back where I started!" I exclaimed, running a hand through my hair before lifting my gaze to meet his.
"On the mountain, I killed the men who wanted me dead, but I died trying to escape. I got the gold crystal from the bottom of the pool of water in the clearing, only to be frozen in fear by that white-eyed lion. I fought off those men who were shooting us, only to pass out and get sick because I used too much energy and my body couldn't handle it. I just...for once want to do something and not feel vulnerable after. I want to walk out of a battle feeling as strong as ever and be able to go on with my day, even if it's for a damn hour before I pass out," I admitted.
I took a deep breath and put my face in my hands. "I’m just tired of feeling weak. I've been saying this since becoming a shifter, and even though I'm a part of the cool crowd now, I feel ten times weaker than when I was human and living my life. I don't get why I feel this way or even have an explanation for it. I just...this is how I feel. It sounds so stupid to me, but I don't have any other way to describe it. Not to mention Storm's essence that seems to be testing the guys when I struggle with control or I'm half awake, or the dreams I have of her memories with you guys. I'm a bunch of feelings right now, and to be honest, I don't know if they're all mine."
I hadn't gone into detail about the mental side of things. Sure, I explained how weak and vulnerable I felt to the others. However, I hadn't considered whether I was dealing with some shifter midlife crisis problem or just mentally struggling with the acceptance of being a shifter and the learning curve that comes with it.
Itsuki nodded in understanding, taking a minute to think before replying. "Have you ever considered your feelings or lack of confidence could be due to Storm's essence and not your own?"
"Huh?" I tilted my head in confusion. "Why would Storm’s essence try to make me feel less confident in myself?"
"Shuffle over," Itsuki instructed. I did, moving over to one side of the large medical bed and lifting the blanket for Itsuki to be able to sit down. He placed his phone on the counter
and sat on the bed, lifting his legs and sliding them beneath the blanket as he got comfortable beside me.
He then slid his arm over my shoulder and pulled me to rest against his chest. "Itsuki?"
"If I hold you while explaining, I feel it will help you remain calm, instead of freaking out," Itsuki explained.
"Oh...is what you’re gonna say bad?" I asked.
"Not necessarily. Just depends if what we assume is what’s actually going on here," Itsuki replied. He took a deep breath before continuing.
"The others and I have been talking. We noticed the shift in you lately, whether it's a physical, emotional, or mental one. We started to worry when you were allowed to go home and rest and went straight to the training room instead. Not because you were going against doctor's orders, but due to the random burst of anger. Then you were so emotional that evening with the party, which was expected, but I think we've known you long enough to know you don't cry often," Itsuki explained, breaking down everything for me.
"Then Yoshi told us what occurred with Erica and how Storm looked like she was going to take over like she had when confronting Konashi weeks ago, and how a few of the guys already had been tested by Storm, especially Aki," he disclosed.
I wanted to apologize, but Itsuki lifted his finger and pressed it gently against my lips, halting my attempt. He shook his head. "This isn't your fault. Storm's essence is only the lingering magic of Storm and nothing more. It's not her soul; it’s a piece of her magic that knew its owner so well it could basically replicate her with very little difference."
He removed his finger to allow me to speak. "But, what purpose does her magic have and how does that affect me? Well, aside from her essentially using my body to try and get her way with you guys?"
"Your powers are probably what’s causing this to happen," Itsuki suggested.
"How?"
"One thing I can say as a person who uses magic to craft weapons is that magic essence doesn't like to be outpowered. If I made a sword and a magical staff, inputting the same amount of magic into both, the weapons would be able to be used easily by the individual. However, in some cases, magic can sense its fellow weapons used by its owner or caster. If I made a staff stronger than a sword and they were both used by the same user, the staff's magic essence would ensure its magical strengths are proven the first time around, so the person thinks they're better at using a staff than a sword," Itsuki elaborated.
Calming the Storm (Crimson Storm Chronicles Book 2) Page 12
