The previous part

New characters: Keiko, a little girl, that travels with Jei, Keiko and her husband Neko (my invention), Princess Takani (her picture can be found in part 4), the Zen-priest Sanshobo.

Truths

"We will prepare a room for your companion," the servant offered but Pau refused the offer.

"It would be better if Usagi would accompany us to the Shogun because he will be summoned shortly after I've talked to him. This way, we can spare the Shogun some unnecessary waiting."

The servant blinked in surprise and then bowed. "Please, follow me."

Usagi was almost happy about the long walk because that allowed him to collect himself and regain his calmness. In the meantime, he didn't bother to worry how Pau had known that the Shogun would summon them. Instead, he tried to prepare for his task as good as he could. Unfortunately, he had no idea what the connection could be between his task and the wish of the Shogun to see them.

When they finally arrived, Pau asked Usagi to wait outside until he was summoned. A servant brought a comfortable chair for him so he would not have to stand. It didn't take long until the door to the room in which Pau had gone was opened and a long row of people with faces of stone left, many samurai amongst them. A servant stepped to Usagi and asked him to come inside. Usagi managed to keep his face straight. Even here, everything was as Pau wanted it to be.

He entered the room and knelt before the Shogun. "Please, sit," the Shogun asked him and offered him a chair. Three chairs stood closely next to each other in the middle of the room. On one of them sat Pau and the Shogun on another. A bit uneasy, Usagi sat down on the last one. He was uncomfortably close to the Shogun, he could have touched him if he had dared.

"Now, all your demands have been fulfilled. Would you please come to the point because my patience is running out," the Shogun demanded.

Pau nodded and turned to one of the four guards that was left in the room. "I know that you can read from my lips. I would like to ask you to refrain from using your talent. Should you try to follow our conversation, I will have to kill you."

"What is the meaning of this? They will hear what we say anyway!" the Shogun said angrily.

Pau sat back comfortably and concentrated. The world became utterly quiet. "No," he contradicted, "not anymore."

"Now you may ask," Pau allowed.

"Why is he present?" The Shogun pointed at Usagi.

"He wants to become my pupil and for this, he has to fulfill certain tasks. This conversation is part of one of these tasks," Pau replied.

With this, Usagi became an insignificant part of the conversation. The Shogun didn't notice him anymore and concentrated completely on Pau Tai.

"Well, we could experience a wonderful play today performed by you. I would like to know what your motivations were."

Pau shook his head. "What you really want to know is if I am a threat to you or an ally. I think, I should explain the situation to you as I see it and then we can turn to questions like these."

"As you already know, Okii is in fact innocent," Pau started and Usagi almost didn't trust his ears.

"Unfortunately, he is under a certain control from Lord Hikiji. Ideally, I should have eliminated Hikiji himself but there is no suitable replacement for him at this time. Therefore, I trim his powers a bit to make sure he is still a threat for your power but not a real danger anymore."

"This way, the stability of your power is assured. By forging an alliance between the lords around the Geishu province, I have created a second center of stability in your realm which should be sufficient to counter the plots of Hikiji. Through this constant threat your lands will prosper slowly and not degenerate. On the other hand, with an opposition like this, Hikiji is unable to seize power and to throw this land into chaos."

"You planned for this from the beginning," Usagi managed weakly, "everything. The attempts on the life of Lord Noriyuki, the attack by Lord Tenekka, the travel to Edo, this here, now." A gigantic, monstrous plan spread before him. Thousands of fates pulled on delicate strings by Pau. The small intrigues that Hikiji plotted were nothing compared to what Usagi had just exposed.

"Correct," Pau confirmed.

"Why?" Usagi asked in bewilderment.

"The stability of a young civilization like yours depends a lot on the quality of its enemies. Just like an ordinary swordsman becomes better by being attacked over and over again, the land grows. Your civilization has not yet achieved the necessary inner strength to grow without such enemies."

"Should Lord Hikiji die unexpectedly, a short phase of wealth and prosperity would follow. But since the people who form this civilization, cannot cope with this, yet, they would be ruined by this unusual luxury. Your culture would be set back quite a bit."

"A similar train of thoughts applies should Lord Noriyuki die. In this case, Lord Hikiji will quickly gain the upper hand and be able to seize power. True, he has some of the necessary qualifications for a ruler but he is missing the necessary mental stability. Sooner or later, he would become paranoid and the land would be destroyed as well."

"Therefore it's currently of utmost importance to make sure that neither of the sides can gain any advantage. This way, the land has the necessary enemy and the population will stay alert. Through the two stable centers, a slowly growing wealth is guaranteed and that will offer the opportunity for the people to invest some of their time in the necessary spiritual growth to advance this culture."

In bewilderment, the Shogun and Usagi stared at Pau. "Do you really believe what you just told us?" the Shogun finally asked unbelieving.

"I know for sure that this is true," Pau replied composed, "and you know it, too. It's just that no one ever told you in such open words."

"I can give you an example. This morning, Usagi and I had lunch in the inn 'Laughing Sushi'. The bill was 80 ryo. This money allowed the landlord to pay a bill one day earlier than he had expected. The money will pass through various hands and in the end, a poor peasant will get his money one month in advance because he will be able to collect it on the spot instead of when he sells his goods on the market the next time. His sole child will become ill. Since he can afford it now, he will be able to summon a healer and to pay for the medication and the child will live. The child is the ancestor of a couple of people who will live in about 400 years from now on who will found something that will be called a company group at that time. About 15 million people will work for this company group. It will have an important impact on this world."

"You did know in advance?" Usagi asked.

Pau nodded. "All the things that I do usually are more than they appear to be. Major Xan, for example, did listen closely when I told you about the works of art which we passed. I mentioned one in which he had not yet seen anything of significance. This has now changed. In a future time, a poet will be able to see this work of art because it will be moved and this way, it will escape a conflagration which will lay waste to a large part of this palace. The poet will then create some important works of art himself that will be important for many people."

"And what did really happen today?"

"A few weeks ago I stole the document from Okiis rooms which I presented today. I wiped the text out and replaced it with what you saw. I passed the document to one of the ninjas who carried out the attempt on Noriyukis life. They got a special poison from me which weakens the body a lot but does not kill. If I had not stepped in, Noriyuki would have recovered on his own devices after a couple of days."

"Lord Tenekka was informed indirectly about the attempt. After the successful attempt, one of the ninjas gave the expected signal and he arrived at the castle to put pressure on the deputy of Noriyuki to form an alliance with him. With this alliance, he would have had total control on the south west tip of Japan and could have eliminated one lord after the other in his leisure."

"Unfortunate for him, he met with a Lord Noriyuki that was pretty much alive and healthy and he had to change his plans. Through these constant surprises which I arranged for him, I prevented that he could discover my plans. On the side of Lord Noriyuki, I was the hero whose motives some would have found interesting but no one would really question."

"To pretend my fallibility, I sent Kaneda with a small group of trustworthy people and the order to kill Lord Tenekka in case something would go wrong. Interestingly enough, Lord Noriyuki did notice this detail and he interpreted it correctly."

"After that, the big battle happened which I stopped by putting everyone in fright and terror. This way, I could kill Lord Tenekka and gain the gratitude of everyone present."

"Through the days which the lords spent together, their mutual respect grew and will go on growing in the next years. This way, they will become a counter-weight for Lord Hikiji."

"The weak Lord Mono was under the influence of Lord Hikiji and could have been used by him to drive a wedge between this alliance and break it up. Therefore, he had to die as well. The successor of Lord Tenekka will either be his former adviser Nirai or General Yamamoto. Both are suited, Adviser Nirai knows the situation better and Yamamoto is the more experienced leader. Ideally, Nirai should advise Yamamoto but because of their clan affiliation, this will not be possible."

"For my play today, Okii-San had prepared everything himself. His finger-prints were on the letter, his writer was an often seen visitor of the forger Rameka and he already had to make sure that Rameka was gotten rid of because the forger had tried to blackmail him. This saved me the annoyance of disposing the unwanted evidence myself."

"Finally, writer Nokohama had no idea what he went into. When he let himself drop and I touched him, I erased his mind and from then on, I more or less spoke with myself. I harassed Okii until he lost his self-control and this way, I could eliminate the last proof for his innocence. While we speak, Okii has bribed a guard and committed seppuku. In a few moments, a servant will come running to relate these news to you."

The sounds came back and really, a few moments later, someone knocked at the door. With an unmoved face, the Shogun invited the person in. It was a servant and he told them that by unknown means, Okii-San had got himself a weapon and committed seppuku. The Shogun nodded and the servant retired. When the door had been closed once more, the sounds vanished as well.

Usagi shivered. He just couldn't believe it. Pau had planned all this. Nothing had happened just out of the blue. Masterfully, he had pulled at their strings as if they had been puppets and they had believed it was their own will.

"What are your plans with me?" the Shogun asked calmly.

"You will make the necessary adjustments to keep the balance between the lords. Since you know your friends and foes and since you now know how this situation came to be, you should be able to give peace and stability to your realm until you die in about 17 years. Right now, I've started to look for suitable successors."

"Just as you chose me?"

Pau nodded. Calmly, he recited the potential candidates of that time, their advantages and disadvantages. Who would have had what allies, how he had done away with unsuited candidates or how he had made sure by other means they would not make it.

"Lord Hikiji was a great help in this process. In a certain way, it's his doing that you are Shogun today because he has either persuaded your competitors to join him or had them disposed because I made him believe he could succeed."

He smiled thinly. "Unfortunately for him, all others could agree that he must not become Shogun no matter what and that made him fail in the end without me having to intervene."

With this, Paus report ended and he waited patiently for the questions of the Shogun.

"You know things which only someone can know who has been there," the Shogun said after a while. "Of course I have studied the reports by Major Xan and from ... other sources. As I see it, there is nothing I can do but believe your words."

"There are many things you could do, but nothing that would change anything," Pau replied simply. Then he almost smirked. "Of course, I would say the same words if there was something you could do."

"Very well. I have to think about your words. You may go," the Shogun decided.

The sounds came back. Pau rose and bowed before the Shogun and Usagi followed suit and still stunned. A servant lead them through the palace to their rooms.

It had been a long and demanding day. Without undressing, Usagi just let himself fall on his bed but of sleep, he could only dream of. Behind his brow, there was a rage of feelings and thoughts. Unseeing, he stared at the ceiling.

Pau had revealed another facet of his horrible, endless power. He could do whatever he wanted. Pin thousands of soldiers to the spot by sheer terror. His body contained enormous forces and he manipulated whole dynasties.

It was impossible to imagine what someone like that would think or feel. 'Can he even feel something like an ordinary human? Would that be an advantage? Or a disadvantage?'

He realized that he had to talk with someone or he would burst. 'But with whom? Ask for a horse and ride to Tomoe?'

He was half up, when he sank back moaning. His second task! 'What could I say? 'Hello, Pau has manipulated all of us. He's the one behind the attempts on Noriyukis life and he protects Hikiji. Oh, and Okii is innocent'?'

'With whom could I share this knowledge? Should I ask for another audience with the Shogun? He was the sole person whom I could talk to because we share the same knowledge. Does the Shogun suffer under this as much as I do?' But the mere thought that the Shogun would receive him was absurd. Furthermore, it was probably dangerous or Pau would not have spent that much effort in making sure that none of their words could be heard by someone outside of their circle. That was something he couldn't do.

Like a trapped animal, Usagi began to stride back and forth in the room. In his mind, he went through the list of persons he could talk to. 'Noriyuki? Load this horrible knowledge on his friend? Hikiji? Ridiculous. Also, none of their advisers because they would have turned to their lords the moment I would have left. Konuri might have understood me but he is far away.'

He was trapped. Trapped by his honor and his thoughts. On the whole world, there was only one single person he could have talked to and just this person, he would have liked to avoid at all cost.

Pau.

The Second Task

Usagi sat down on the bed and hid his face in his hands. Once more, Pau had maneuvered him into a corner again without him realizing it. Probably his second task had only had this sole purpose to distract his attention so Pau had time and leisure to set up his trap.

Kenichi would have had a choice but not Usagi. Usagi could not step back, just forward. More away from Tomoe and more close to Pau. He sighed and gave up his futile resistance.

When he looked up, Pau stood next to him. "Is it always that bad?" he asked depressed.

Pau shook his head. "Most people try to fight against it. This way, they just extend their suffering needlessly by years and sometimes even decades."

The palace vanished and they were once more in the parkland of the station. Pau made the box appear and absent minded, Usagi put his swords into it.

They went along a path for a short distance and sat down under the tree under which Usagi had given Tomoe his love. "Are you feeling anything?" Usagi started the conversation.

"Not in your sense of the word," Pau replied. "I understand feelings and I can pretend to have them myself but in reality, I just pretend. For me, feelings are just another means to achieve something."

"Why are you here?"

"Because of you."

"No, I meant why? Why do you manipulate all these people? The Shogun, Hikiji, Noriyuki," Usagi stated more precisely.

"Because of you."

"Then it's true what Tomoe said?" Usagi asked with a husky voice.

Pau nodded. "You have all the necessary qualities to become a priest of Ookaa'h."

"You are not telling a lie or the truth thoughtlessly," Pau enumerated, "Power and wealth are necessary for you but they don't really mean something to you. You respect the wishes and feelings of others and you don't put your own will over the one of others without second thought. You are open for new and old things."

"But you are not yet able to decide if the road of the priest is suitable for you. That is why I am here. I try to take that much of your humanity so you can see how it would be like to be like me without ruining your whole life."

"Then my second task was really only to distract me from what you really did."

"I think," Pau replied amusedly, "that I'm not anymore able to carry out a plan that simple. You are the person that has spent the most time with me. While I spoke to the Shogun, he watched you closely. If you had refused my words openly, he would have followed your example."

"As it was, he saw that you were horrified what you had heard but you didn't reject what I had done. Your rejection was only against how I had abused my powers in your eyes. The Shogun does realize that there is a difference. Many things that he or Lord Noriyuki have to do as rulers will seem to the unprepared observer as cruel, inhuman or perverted."

"To kill someone can mean murder, self-defense or justice. If someone tries to kill you, then, for you, it's murder. If you kill him instead, it's self-defense and if an executioner does it for you, it's justice. But for the other person, murdering you can be justice at the same time."

Usagi nodded. This, he did understand.

"A lord has to do the very same things but on a different level. He has to use deception to keep two enemy lords at bay or to make someone support him to secure his power. It's a lie that saves lives."

"Your rejection for these things is good and useful, because it needs a careful instruction or a an exceptional mind to be able to do things like that without causing immeasurable damage. To oneself and to others."

"Lord Hikiji," Usagi threw in.

"Right. He could do anything a Shogun has to do but he doesn't trust. Therefore, he has to make all his decisions himself and always be in control. Should his power increase just by a tiny bit, now, he would be asking too much of himself. Of course, every mistake he would make, would be an attempt by someone else to deceive him. A vicious circle would get started that would make him see more and more enemies where in fact there are none. In the end, this would lead to the destruction of the land."

"I still don't understand why the same would happen if Hikiji would die."

"Right now, the realm has to use a certain amount of resources to keep Hikiji in check. This includes that many people and lords suspiciously watch his steps. If this inner enemy would be missing, these resources would be available for other things. Moreover, some resources would become available that Hikiji had needed to carry out his plans, for example the training for the ninjas that you are killing in such large numbers."

"This in itself would be good. Sure, some part of this would be used by others for different criminal activities but that would be acceptable, as well. The rest would be used to make the land prosper. That in itself would be good, too."

"The problem starts when too many people get wealthy and have no idea what they should do with all their spare time. Some will turn to arts and things like that. Others will just be bored. And boredom can be dangerous as you know."

"One starts doing things just to do something," Usagi agreed, "and often something of which one asks oneself afterwards how on earth one could have had come up with something so stupid."

Pau nodded. "In this state, it doesn't seem to be necessary anymore to show consideration for the feelings of others, because one doesn't seem to depend on them. The wealth will surely fix it. This turning away from real and the turning to artificially created problems is what causes the fall. Unfortunately, it's a very unobtrusive fall because at the start, all are much more happier than they had ever been before."

"Caused by the growing wealth," Usagi followed him.

"All these small problems one sees at the beginning seem to be unimportant. All warners will look like nuts because isn't everyone better off? And this starts a fatal process which can cause a more complete breakdown of a civilization than the reign of terror by someone like Hikiji could ever cause."

"Most people have a high resistance against brute force, aggression and terror. When it stops, they quickly return to their old life. They remember the horrible times but life goes on. You have seen this already happening with the soldiers which I had put into mortal fear. Most of them have already gotten over it and the battle had just happened four weeks ago."

"But wealth and decadence are received by the people with open arms. And if the time ends, people are unhappy and demand that their luxury be returned to them which is surely consumed by someone else, now. Suddenly everyone can become the target of public hatred if he seems to own more than someone else."

"In this way, too many 'good' lords would ruin the land with the same certainty as Lord Hikiji would," Usagi began to understand.

"Almost. Right now, the 'good' lords are prevailing. Hikiji cannot get through anymore. In fact, it's the mere existence or the missing of Hikiji which keeps the balance of the whole thing."

"After his death, someone with less skill for intrigues would follow him and the balance of powers would be upset that much, that the 'good' lords would have to be reduced in order to keep it. Lord Noriyuki is intelligent enough to be able to understand this and he has the necessary integrity against the people of this land to sacrifice his province for the good of all."

"And his life," Usagi added thoughtfully.

"As Lord Mifune had already told you, the responsibility of the lord for his subjects is much more important than the responsibility of the subjects to their lord. Noriyuki does understand this. If so much would be at stake, he would think of his life as but a small price."

For a while, they sat silently below the tree. Then Pau went on.

"You should not be ashamed of the disgust that you feel for the things that I do. It's important for you because you neither have the necessary training nor the knowledge to do something like this yourself. Therefore, your disgust protects you and others from being harmed. All you need to do is to realize that you reject what I do and not me as such."

Usagi had to agree with that. Pau had planned everything carefully. There had been only a very small number of fatalities, he had tried to respect their feelings and wishes and all in all, there really was no reason to complain. Only because of the disgusting way he had achieved this Usagi loathed him. And that in itself was a good thing.

For a short while, Usagi was lost in thought, then he had at last calmed down enough to be able to sleep. Pau brought him back into the palace and Usagi undressed really tired this time. He had hardly laid down, when he had already fallen asleep.

No nightmares disturbed his sleep and on the next morning, he was, despite the efforts of the previous day, quite rested. Calmly, he dressed after a servant had woken him up.

He met Pau at the breakfast. Polite, Pau asked whether he had slept well and Usagi thanked him. "And you?" he asked back.

"I've given up sleeping a long time ago," Pau grinned. Usagi laughed out aloud.

An unknown calmness filled him. He realized that he had fulfilled his second task whatever it had been.

And that he wasn't really interested in the third task anymore. The inner restlessness that had driven him for all his life was gone for the first time. He was free. At last.

For this, he thanked Pau. Pau held his drinking dish up. "On your future," raised his glass to Usagi.

Usagi nodded. "On my future," and drank.

Love

Late in the afternoon, the Shogun summoned them once more. During the day, Pau had showed Usagi more of the palace. Usagi had seen impressive works of art and admired their beauty. His newly won calmness had allowed him to see their spiritual value and nourish his soul from that.

Servants lead them to the audience. On the way, they met with the delegations of Lord Hikiji and Noriyuki. Polite, Usagi nodded to Hebi who didn't know how to react on this. Yesterday, Usagi would have celebrated his triumph but after tonight, these things seemed to be insignificant. When he had lost his hatred for Hikiji, the lord had lost all his powers over him.

Smiling, he greeted Lord Noriyuki who looked oddly at him while he returned the greeting. Next to Tomoe, he took his place. The whole world paled into insignificance in comparison to her and his love for her filled his self.

They reached the audience chamber and the servants lead everyone to their place after they had greeted the Shogun humbly.

"Brother Pau," the Shogun started, "the Shogunate has examined the proofs which you have offered us carefully and we have come to the conclusion that it was in fact Okii who was behind these disgraceful attempts on these two most loyal servants of us."

"The Shogunate feels obliged to thank you. Furthermore, we notice the great efforts both lords have made to help us to clear up this crime."

"General Yamamoto, who is in the possession of our undivided trust, will succeed Lord Tenekka in his former province. Furthermore, we declare that Adviser Nirai will succeed Lord Mono. We also would like to express our thanks to the lords Hirano and Fujitako for their support of Lord Noriyuki in the battle against the traitor Tenekka."

"Brother Pau, for the great services which your have rendered for us, the Shogunate would like to show its gratitude. Is there something which we could offer you?"

Pau bowed. "What I did, I did for the best of the Shogunate. I didn't expect a reward nor do I, now," he declined humbly.

"Your integrity serves as an example for us all. The audience has ended," the Shogun replied. Everyone bowed until he had left.

On their way back to the Geishu residence in Edo, Usagi told Tomoe about the wonders he had seen in the palace. Tomoe was almost envious that Usagi had been in the palace for a whole day. In the end, she had the greatest of the treasures back, now. Usagi had changed. He now radiated a calmness and composure that Tomoe could almost touch with her hands.

She was happy for him. Oddly enough, he seemed to be closer to her and more distant at the same time. Of course, she had noticed how self-confident he had greeted Lord Hikijis delegation and how unsure their reply had been. But right now, all she wanted was to enjoy his nearness without having to think what this was all about.

When they arrived at the residence, Usagi asked her to wait for a moment and went over to Lord Noriyuki. He talked shortly to him and she could see the surprise in Noriyukis face before he nodded. Smiling, Usagi returned and accompanied her to her rooms where he said goodbye.

Her face must have shown her fear to loose him again after she had had him for such a short time because he laughed: "Only until dinner!"

A bit confused, Tomoe went inside to change her clothes. Two female servants came to help her wash. By the orders of Noriyuki, pretty, new clothes lay ready. It seemed that for dinner, they expected important guests.

Meanwhile, Usagi went to his own room. As he had expected, Pau was already there waiting for him. Pau helped him with the necessary preparations. Ungrudging, Usagi had to admit that Pau was even skilled in this area. When Pau was done with him, he actually looked great. Pau had made new clothes for him and he would have passed for a small lord, now. He smiled at the thought.

Together, they went to the room, where Noriyuki, Tomoe and the others waited for them.

Calmly, Tomoe sat next to Noriyuki waiting for the honored guest that would have dinner with them tonight. Noriyuki had been very mysterious when she had asked who it would be. Then a servant opened the door and announced that Pau and Usagi had arrived. Together, they stepped into the room.

Tomoe almost forgot to breathe. Usagi looked absolutely marvelous. His white fur shone and he wore clothes that Tomoe identified with a sound judgment as coming from the station. His charisma maybe contained even more of the calmness and composure which she had noticed earlier.

Pau stayed next to the door and sat down while Usagi stepped in front and sat down before Noriyuki. Perfectly, he bowed before the lord.

"Welcome, Usagi, my friend," Noriyuki greeted him.

Calm and certain, Usagi replied. "Lord Noriyuki, I thank you."

"I, Miyamoto Usagi, Samurai in the service of the late Lord Mifune, have asked for this audience to ask for the hand of your Retainer Tomoe Ame in marriage, the woman that I love."

Tomoe could not believe what she had just heard. 'Could it be true?' She experienced feelings of highest joy. Yes, it was true. As if from a long distance, she heard the answer of her lord.

"And gladly, I give you my blessings."

Tomoe smiled and cried of joy and Usagi beamed even more. She wanted to rise and sink in his arms but of course, she controlled herself.

Lord Noriyuki smiled happily. "I think, we others should now go to dinner and you two can follow whenever you feel like it."

Noriyuki rose and his court followed him outside. No one took offense about the fact that neither Usagi nor Tomoe seemed to notice and forgot to bow as the protocol would have requested. Everyone was happy about the scene of joy they had been able to share. Pau closed the door and sat down in front of it to guard them.

Inside, Usagi rose and took his Tomoe gently in his arms. Deeply, they kissed and, at last, they were happily united.

They didn't show up during the dinner nor for breakfast. Rumors spread about a tight couple on the north tower of the residence, from which one had a wonderful look over nightly Edo, but the guards that had duty at that night swore that they hadn't seen anyone.

At lunch, their marriage was the main topic. Of course, it would have been possible to marry right now and here in Edo but Usagi didn't like the idea much.

"I would like to be married at a place," he said, "where I feel at home and where my friends live. Edo is just so ... impersonal."

So it was decided that the marriage would take place in five months in White Heron Castle. That would allow Tomoe to introduce her successor in his duties.

What they would do after being married, they didn't know, yet. Right now, they laughed, other things were more important for them.

This way, their time in Edo came to an end and Lord Noriyuki set off to return to his province in the deepest of winter.

Sorrow

Outside of the city, Pau asked Tomoe and Usagi to follow him and together, they rode to Lord Noriyuki. "Unfortunately, I have to leave you once more, Lord Noriyuki," Pau said.

"You will not return with us?" Noriyuki inquired surprised.

"That will not be necessary. You can master all dangers which lay ahead on this way, yourself. There are still some things which I have to arrange for the marriage, yet."

"To everyone else, I would have wished best luck or asked to be careful," Noriyuki bid Pau farewell. "You will keep your promise that the marriage will take place in five months?"

"Yes, Lord Noriyuki. There will be no unpleasant surprises," Pau promised.

Noriyuki thanked him and Pau rode away on his large, black horse.

Three months later, he appeared unexpectedly in White Heron Castle. Spring showed his first signs and Usagi greeted his Friend in a happy mood in the courtyard of the castle.

"How are you?" Pau asked.

"I'm well," Usagi smiled.

"No worries about your freedom?"

Usagi had to laugh. "Absolutely not!"

Soon, a servant arrived who lead them to Lord Noriyuki. As Usagi, Lord Noriyuki greeted the inconspicuous priest warmly.

"How was your time since we last met?"

"I had a good time and could complete all the necessary preparations for the marriage," Pau answered mysteriously.

"I guess that will be a surprise?" the lord asked.

Pau nodded. "Lady Tomoe and Usagi will find it very pleasing. For you ... well, we'll see about this," he smiled mockingly.

"I see. Something I can look forward to, then," the lord replied dryly.

"To take it good-humored might help," Pau laughed. He took a folded document out and passed it to a servant who delivered it to his lord.

"Here is a list of things I would like to ask you for the marriage," Pau explained.

Noriyuki unfolded the document and read for a moment in it. "I see ...," he lengthened. Carefully, he held the document so Tomoe could not read it.

After he had finished reading, he nodded. "I should think that I can arrange everything."

"You have my thanks, Lord Noriyuki," Pau bowed. "I would now like to prepare something in the city and return to the castle in the evening."

"Of course," the lord agreed and ended the audience.

On the way out, Pau asked Usagi about the advances the pupils were making which Master Katsuichi had entrusted to him. Usagi had cared for them in the last weeks and he seemed to like doing this.

"Who knows?" Usagi thought aloud, "maybe I will have my own pupils, once."

"Why not? If you like it," Pau replied with an odd expression.

"I'd like to go into the city with you," Usagi proposed.

Pau shook his head. "In that case, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore," he refused smiling.

"Ah," Usagi accepted and followed his friend with his gaze as he disappeared in the streets of the city.

Pau bought a few things and visited the tradesmen whom he had ordered to renovate the old building which he had bought last year. Together, they inspected the works and Pau made some final corrections. Openly satisfied, all parties separated again.

In the evening, Pau returned to the castle. He arrived just in time for dinner which they had together. After they had finished and sat together to talk, he explained the reason for his being here: "I have now carried out all the things which I could do alone. For the rest, I need the help of Tomoe and Usagi. I would like to ask you two to come with me for the next two months."

"How should I train Major Nega to succeed me in this case?" Tomoe protested.

Pau smiled. "I would guess that you will stay a while in the capital after you have married," he predicted mysteriously.

"Are you again manipulating our fate?" Usagi asked friendly.

"Well," Pau said amusedly, "I would call it offering you an alternative which you will find impossible to refuse."

"Ah," Tomoe pulled his leg, "that is something else, of course."

"I won't force you," Pau defended himself, "I'm just offering this to allow you to be an even happier couple."

"Soft pressure, then," Usagi translated, "Of course, the disadvantages would be horrible for us but we can decide as we see fit."

"Correct," Pau nodded.

"Well," Usagi said, "in that case, I guess, we'll decide voluntarily," he emphasized the word, "to come with you."

The next morning during breakfast, they discussed some details. Despite her former protest, Tomoe didn't feel very uneasy about leaving her lord in the competent hands of Major Nega. And she wasn't going to have her Usagi roam the lands alone anymore.

The morning after that, they were ready to leave. Pau let his horse behind in the custody of Lord Noriyuki and they left on foot. Some way in the city, the subject of their conversation became an old, decayed building which had been recently renovated.

The two wanted to walk past it to have a look at how far the works had advanced but Pau turned them down. A bit disappointed, they followed Pau out of the city.

"What will be our first stop?" Usagi asked boldly.

"Hirano," came the answer without delay. Usagi closed his eyes and made a sour face.

"Hirano?" Tomoe asked.

"Is that really a good idea?" Usagi asked.

Seriously, Pau looked at Usagi. "This is for you to decide. Hirano is just my proposal. If you refuse it, then there are other things as well, that should be done."

Now, Usagi hesitated. "What would be the consequences if I would refuse?"

"She is suffering and we can put a stop to that," Pau replied. Tomoe had no idea what he was talking about but Usagi seemed to understand.

Questioningly, she looked at him. "That's a long story," he evaded an answer. "Can we stop somewhere? So I can tell it over a cup sake(1)?."

Pau nodded. They vanished from the street and a ninja stared at the now naked ground. On the way back to his master, wild beasts attacked him unexpectedly and he died. Paus satisfied smile at the same time might have been a coincidence.

They reappeared on the street which lead into the residence city of Lord Hirano. Memories came back to Usagi and old pains.

They went into the city and Pau lead them to a welcoming inn. While they waited for their tea, Usagi started with his report(2).

"During serving Lord Mifune, I once had to escort Princess Takani Kinuko safely to Lord Hirano. She was expected to marry him in order to strengthen the bonds between the Takani and Hirano clans."

"One of those political marriages," Tomoe suspected and Usagi nodded.

Thoughtfully, he held his tea in his palms. "Lord Hikiji was against the marriage and sent his ninjas to kill the princess. If he had succeeded, not only would he have had prevented the bonding between the two clans but he would have brought shame upon my lord because he was responsible for her safety, as well."

"There were an awful lot of ninjas. Only by luck, I was able to secure the princess and get away with her alive. Many good men died that day. I think, we were the sole survivors."

"For a couple of days, we wandered around in the wilderness until we finally reached a city. It was the time of the Tanabata Matsuri," he went on.

"The two lovers that are separated by Amanogawa(3) and can only meet for one night every year," Tomoe remembered and began to guess what he was getting at.

"The princess was terribly afraid and I was afraid for her life. We hid in the crowd and spent the festival together," he went on with a low voice.

"And you fell in love with each other," Tomoe guessed. All Usagi could do was to nod.

"Of course, I was but a simple samurai and she was a highly born princess. A marriage was out of question," he sighed. "I've been ..." He shook his head and looked sad at Pau. "I'm still suffering."

"As usual, your advice has been more wise than I would have ever imagined. It was right, to come here," he thanked Pau.

"Good," Pau accepted his decision. He took a document out of his pockets and passed it to the waitress with a bit of money and the order to deliver this letter to Lord Hirano.

Then Pau gave them some money: "Have a look around in the city. In two or three days, I'll be back."

Smiling, he bid them farewell. In the evening, Usagi had to describe Lady Hirano more precisely. Tomoe wanted to know every detail about their adventurous journey. "Say, are there any more women in our marriage?" she asked after he had told her everything.

"Well," he lengthened and gave the impression as if he had to think. She nudged him. "Ouch!" he cried and took her in his wonderful arms. "I'm a much sought-after man," he said apologetic. This, she could not contradict.

A bit outside of the city, Pau stopped. From force of habit, he checked the paths of fate and adjusted his plans accordingly with the calmness of his long experience. Jei. He sent his senses for the messenger of the gods and vanished.

Motionless, Inazuma stood in the blood of her dead enemies. The usual horror in the faces of the dead was watching her. With skilled movements, she cleaned her sword and put it away.

"Aunty?" came a pitiful voice from a distance.

Jei/Inazuma didn't turn. His senses had long ago surpassed his eyes. Alone by the horrible sight which his dead face provided, his eyes were of some use to him.

"I'm cold," the voice complained. Jei tramped over to the small, trembling body. Coldness could not touch him but the small child was suffering. Almost in passing, he shook one of the dead out of his cape and wrapped the little Keiko in it.

It would give her some comfort but the coldness which he radiated would ruin most of the effect of the cape. If he had still been able to feel something, he would have felt concerned. As it was, he just carefully closed all openings in the small bundle and placed it in a spot under a tree that was free of snow. Then he put some distance between himself and her. 'Should I try to make a fire?' He had neither flint nor embers on him.

Mundane things like that were of no use to him. But maybe he could find something on one of the dead. He was about to turn when he heard something. With a movement too fast to follow with a human eye, he had drawn his sword, turned and plunged it into the source of the sound.

Barely a fingers width from the unnoticed visitor, the blade stopped. Jei could hardly make him out with his far developed senses but he still saw him.

"Dark," Jei greeted the newcomer.

"Jei," Pau greeted back.

Without a feeling in his face, Jei put his sword away as quickly as he had drawn it. He didn't ask what Philmann Dark was doing here. Curiosity had vanished with the rest of his humanity long ago.

"My name is Pau Tai," Philmann Dark explained unmoved. There was no sign that Jei had heard him.

Pau went past him to the small body who was still freezing in the cape. Without saying a word, he picked the bundle up and created warmth in his immediate vicinity. Jei didn't try to stop him. Jealousy was no longer something he could experience.

"There was," Pau started, "a bit of a ... commotion in the council of the gods some time ago."

"It was reported that about thirty Zen priests have been murdered in a cruel way."

Jei noticed that the shaking of the little Keiko had stopped. "It was an accident."

"Ohhh, an accident," came the answer with a tone of voice which Jei could no longer classify. "In that case, it's fine."

Then Pau snapped at Jei: "Damn! I had to spend a lot of effort to calm everyone down again! Something like that must not happen!"

Fear was unknown to Jei but he understood nonetheless. Dark ... Pau would eliminate him if he came to the conclusion that Jei had become a risk.

"I wasn't fully in control of my abilities," he explained. "You know how problematic it is for me to move on holy ground."

"You shouldn't have used them at all! The priests just wanted to help you!"

"Will I be punished?"

"You have to learn to differentiate better between positive and negative feelings. Until further notice, you will accompany me." Jei accepted the decision of the gods unmoved.

"And to make this clear, too: Usagi is under the protection of Ookaa'h. He is off limits for all of us. Do you understand that?"

Jei bared his teeth. Usagi! A snarl escaped his throat. Unwilling, he calmed down. With that, his chances to become a god himself had been diminished greatly. When they had met last time, Jei had been surprised how much Usagi had developed. But after some time, he had come to the conclusion that this was only to his advantage.

If he could kill Usagi now, he would get a highly developed soul. Unfortunately, Pau had already stopped his last attempt to kill Usagi outside of the home village of the ronin. To learn that the Kami Ookaa'h had extended her protection to the ronin was a terrible blow for Jei.

"Did you understand me?" Pau snapped once more and Jei nodded. Only a fool would ignore the will of a god, especially if it was someone as powerful as Ookaa'h. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

Jei could feel how Pau extended his awareness. He didn't like Pau but to tell the truth, he didn't really like anyone. Still, he was fascinated how skilled and ... gracefully Pau used his powers. He would have expected that Pau had lost his ability to do such delicate magic long ago but he mastered it effortlessly.

A transport followed. Jei hated this. For his highly developed senses, it was very unpleasant when the surroundings changed as abrupt.

They reappeared somewhere in the country. On the top of a hill, Jei could make out a large hut. There was smoke above the chimney. Inhabited. He could sense the inhabitants. They didn't seem to be very evil. He didn't ask what they were doing here. He just registered the facts. The people in the building were not evil and therefore of no interest to him.

Pau went up the hill and towards the hut. Jei scanned the area with his senses but there was no one else. Pau knocked on the door. Jei asked himself why he didn't simply go inside. He knew how strong Pau was. No lock would have been able to stop him. Still, he waited patiently for someone to come and allow them to enter.

A somewhat older woman opened. Surprised, she looked at the three strangers. Obviously, she hadn't expected any visitors. After a short glance at Jei, they were beconed to come in. The inside of the hut was one large room. Pau gave Keiko to the woman and took his shoes off. The dirt from his trousers was carefully brushed off.

In the meantime, Jei looked around. Noticed the properties of the room attentively. Where were the exits? Where were beams and where were the walls thin? What did the roof look like? He memorized the positions of various objects in the room so he would not stumble over them in case they would be attacked.

He was about to set his foot inside when his instincts warned him. He saw Paus look on his dirt-encrusted shoes. Jei decided not to try to find out what would happen if he would touch the inside of the house with that shoe and sat down to take them off.

Meanwhile, Pau followed the woman who examined Keiko with the many years of experience as a mother. And babbled way too much. When Jei had finally dusted off the dirt, he entered the house, too. Next to the fireplace, a man sat, probably the husband of the woman. A peasant. No threat.

Jei took his place at some distance from the others. Pau noticed his reserve as positive. He knew about the effect that Jei had on ordinary men and one could almost take this as showing consideration for the inhabitants. His work had started.

"Wouldn't you like to come closer to the fireplace?" the man asked politely even though one could easily see his uneasiness.

"Jei likes it to be a bit ... alone," Pau explained him. Jei snorted quietly. Paus friendliness was as much a fake as everything else about him. Men were so easy to fool.

The woman put Keiko down near her own sleeping spot which lay next to the fire. Keiko was probably only exhausted and was sleeping, now. Astonishingly, Jei felt a bit comforted. He didn't wonder why, maybe it had something to do with his new body. He had died before but in former times, he had always returned in his own body. It was possible that the new body still had some more surprises left for him.

Pau talked for a while with the couple before they all went to bed.

The next morning, they set off again. Jei wondered why they had visited these people. Pau had not said anything of interest to them and he also hadn't used his magic.

Keiko seemed to like Paus presence. Jei knew that as a person to talk to, he lacked something. In fact, he seldom uttered a word. Pau, on the other hand, talked and laughed with her. For a moment, he toyed with the thought to ask Pau to care for her but he dismissed the thought. If Pau had any interests in Keiko, he would have already asked by himself. Still, Jei realized this instant that he had to find some solution to this puzzle. Keiko could not stay with him forever.

He was not used to make plans, anymore. For the last centuries, his life had been to follow the will of the gods, travel the country and kill evil men. For that, no plans had ever been necessary. All he had to do was to put one foot before the other and make good use of his combat skills and weapons. Now, the future of someone he ... liked depended on him. He needed quietness to think about this.

They spent the next night in an inn after Pau had transported them once more. During the day, Pau had bought all sorts of things and put them into his storage. Jei had no idea how that storage worked. Even with his sophisticated senses, he could not really see what Pau was doing. The various things just vanished without a trace.

They stayed for two days in the inn and Keiko enjoyed to watch the other guests and travelers on the road. Jei, on the other hand, felt more and more uneasy. There was so much evil around here. Not without reason, he usually avoided the cities. But the warning glances Pau shot at him bode no good. Laboriously, he controlled his urges to kill.

In the end, he just stayed at his room. That had the side effect that the maids refused to make his bed but since he never used it anyway, he couldn't care less. The landlord was contented, too, since he saved the money for washing the sheets and the other guests only ordered drinks when Jei wasn't around.

In the afternoon of the last day, Pau returned with another priest. He payed their bills and went up to fetch Jei. In the meantime, The priest and Keiko waited downstairs. Then, Pau returned with Jei.

"Inazuma!" the priest called out in surprise.

Jei recognized him. He had been the head priest in the temple in which Inazuma, whose body he was using now, had been nursed. Sanshobo was his name. When light fell on Jeis face, the priest was shocked.

"Inazuma, what happened to you?"

"Priest Sanshobo, may I introduce to you Jei-San, the Blade of the Gods?" Pau interrupted.

"You are Jei-San?" Sanshobo asked unbelieving. "What has happened to Inazuma?"

"Her soul is lost," Pau answered calmly, "only her body does still exist and it now serves Jei."

Sanshobo remembered. Even in this new body, he could feel the same demonic radiation of Jei which he had had in his old form. Immediately, he guessed that Jeis body had been destroyed(4) by Kusanagi(5).

He was about to ask but Pau spoke first: "We should be gone."

Sanshobo asked himself, what had happened to the soul of Inazuma. After having saved the woman from the brink of death, it made him sad to see the horrible date which she had to endure, now.

Outside, Jei suddenly spoke to Sanshobo. "I regret the deaths of 27 of your priests," he said with his dead voice.

At first, Sanshobo couldn't tell if he was serious or not. His voice lacked any accentuation and also his expression held no clue. Eventually, he just took the statement as it was. "I accept your excuse, Jei-San. Why did you kill them?"

"After Usagi had destroyed his old body with the help of Kusanagi, his soul was in desperate need for a safe haven. The body of Inazuma was available so Jei manifested himself in it," Pau explained in Jeis place.

"Unfortunately, the body was inside of your temple. For some lifeforms, holy ground is ... difficult. Jei lost his orientation and when your brothers tried to help him, he suspected an attack. Therefore, he defended himself."

"I have been sent to make sure that something like that doesn't happen again," he finished his report.

They left the city. Sanshobo asked himself where Pau wanted to go at this time of day. 'Pau did say that he would go directly to Usagi but where was he? Was there something else outside of the city than fields?'

He was about to ask as the surrounding landscape vanished and a city appeared in front of them. Astonished, he stopped. 'What is this?' he wondered.

He turned around but he couldn't see the city anymore which they had just left.

"The capital of the Hirano province," Pau explained without turning.

That city was at least 10 days of travel away from the city they had just left. 'What has happened in the meantime? Have I been unconscious?'

"No time has passed," Pau went on, "it's still the same day."

Sanshobo was amazed. Pau had to be a quite powerful wizard to be able to do something like that. Above all, he had not noticed that Pau had concentrated or prepared in some other way. Until now, Sanshobo had believed that a wizard always needed some time to prepare his spells.

And he realized something else, too. He hadn't asked the question but he had still got an answer.

"Yes, I'm reading your mind. Usagi stays in the inn right to our left."

Shopping

Pau had been away for one day, when a servant of Hirano came to tell them the lord expected to see them. For a moment, Usagi thought if he should tell the servant that Pau wasn't here but then decided to go in his place. Tomoe accompanied him.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea? Maybe we should wait for Pau?" she asked on the way.

"I know what Pau is up to and Lord Hirano will ask for time to think about this. Therefore, it's a good idea to accept the audience without him. This way, we make best use of Lord Hiranos, Paus and our time. I think he'll be back when Lord Hirano has made a decision."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me," Usagi smiled.

"That," Tomoe replied with feigned seriousness, "is an answer I never want to hear again when I ask you this question."

In the palace, they had to wait for a short time and then were summoned before the lord. When he had been here last time, other things had occupied his mind but now, he found that he liked to look around. Of course, the castle of Lord Hirano was no match for the palace of the Shogun in Edo but still, some very nice works could be seen.

Humbly, they greeted the lord.

"Usagi, Tomoe, welcome," the lord greeted them. His wife was nowhere to be seen. "I was expecting Brother Pau as well?"

"I beg your pardon, Lord Hirano, when you summoned us, Pau was not present. I'm positive that it must be something important that held him back. But I know what Pau would have liked to discuss with you and wanted to avoid to appear to be impudent and refuse your summoning."

Lord Hirano showed no sign what he thought about this. "Speak, then."

"Lord Hirano, Pau Tai and I came to offer you to heal a shadow which lies over your marriage with Princess Takani."

"A ... shadow," the lord replied slowly.

"Lord Hirano, may I ask you to relate Paus offer to your wife? It's very important for ... all of us."

"It's important for Brother Pau?"

"It's also very important for myself. It was me who was responsible for the safety of the princess at that time and in some way, I'm still ... feeling responsible."

"I see," Lord Hirano replied composed, "It's my guess that you can be found for some time in the inn where you are staying?"

"Yes, Lord Hirano."

"Good. You will be told of our decision," Hirano ended the audience.

Thoughtfully, he watched the young samurai leave. He had changed, indeed. For the better and in only six weeks. Lord Hirano was impressed. He would talk seriously and conscientiously with his wife. Of course, he knew what Usagi was talking about. That there had been something between the two, everybody had noticed at first glance. Even more so, he had admired their reserve. Unfortunately, their marriage hadn't been as happy as he had hoped.

He loved his wife. She was intelligent, courteous and better than he could have hoped for in a political marriage. But when they were alone, he could feel her longing for the one. Usagi. He really hoped that Pau could help them. And that his wife would be able to summon the strength to decide for this offer.

Hopefully, she hadn't heard too many rumors about Brother Pau. Hirano sighed inwardly.

Meanwhile, his wife had watched the man she loved from a distance. With joy, she had seen the positive charisma which Usagi suddenly seemed to radiate. His calmness and cheerfulness. But the pain to see another woman at his side was almost more than she could bear. Terribly, it burned her insides and all she could do was not to break down in tears. She missed him so much and she suffered from the sorrow she was causing her husband. That he didn't complain was only making things worse for her.

Oh, how she wished she would have died in that ambush of the ninjas and Usagi with her.

Tomoe and Usagi returned into the city. They walked around, bought some sweets and looked at the displays of the merchants. In the evening, they returned to the inn.

"I was most impressed," Tomoe admitted during dinner, "how diplomatic you have expressed yourself during the audience."

"Well," Usagi replied a bit embarrassed, "if something is important to me, I can be diplomatic, too."

"Ah," Tomoe said knowingly. "So I'm just not that important to you, then," she mocked him.

In the evening of the next day, they were just having dinner when a small child stepped into the inn. Tomoe noticed her because she was looking around with gleaming eyes as if she had never seen an inn before. When she saw Tomoe looking, she waved. Tomoe had to smiled and waved back.

Usagi turned to see what Tomoe had seen and saw the small child, too. 'Somewhere, I've seen her before but where?' he wondered. Positively beaming, the child came running towards them.

Shortly after the girl, someone else stepped inside whom Usagi recognized at once.

"Sanshobo!" he called in surprise.

"Usagi, my friend," Sanshobo waved and came over, too.

Then Pau stepped into the room and someone else with him. Instinctively, Usagi grabbed the hilt of his sword but didn't draw it, yet. 'Inazuma. Jei. What was she doing here? He?'

All in the room felt his presence. The talks died away and everyone crept into what he was doing at that time. Completely ignorant to what happened around him, Jei followed Pau. The landlord came to look why it had become so quiet all of a sudden. Calmly, Pau ordered four more meals. He had to repeat his order until the landlord had really grasped it.

"Hello," Pau greeted them friendly and sat down. When everyone except Jei had sat down, only the place next to Usagi was left. Jei observed the situation for a moment, then wordlessly, he took an unoccupied chair from the next table and sat down on the other side of the table. Usagi took a deep breath. At the same time, he was ashamed because now, Sanshobo had to endure Jei.

The waitress brought the ordered meals but there was a small delay when she thought desperate how to serve Jeis meal without stepping next to him. In the end, Pau took the dish from her and placed it in front of Jei which earned him a grateful look from her.

Pau introduced Keiko to everyone who was sitting close to Tomoe who seemed to enjoy it. Usagi dreamed how she would hold his children in her arms and Pau had to nudge him to return Usagi to reality.

"As I've heard, you had an audience with Lord Hirano?" Pau asked.

Usagi nodded and gave a short report what had happened.

"A healing?" Sanshobo inquired interested.

"I will teach it to you," Pau promised. "That is the reason why you are here."

Sanshobo thanked him. "Who are you? All I know about you is your name and that you are a friend of Usagi. You seem to be powerful but the name Pau Tai is not mentioned anywhere in the scripts and I've never heard it anywhere else, either."

"Eizo Taku is mentioned," Pau answered calmly.

"The monster?" it escaped Sanshobos lips.

"Only my friends may call me like that," Pau replied.

Sanshobo almost choked on his meal. "You are Eizo Taku?" he asked ... horrified. Usagi could understand his friend. He asked himself what Sanshobo knew. And if it was a good idea to ask.

"Yes," Pau confirmed. "Priest Sanshobo, you don't know enough about these matters to be able to form an opinion about this," he went on. "Right now, it must be sufficient for you that the text in the book which you are referring to is correct but incomplete. The author of the text had no sympathy for what I did and omitted some important facts."

"Like what?" Sanshobo asked with an odd voice. His chopsticks and the food were forgotten in his hands.

"Like the fact that Nokuhera was behind all this and he was completely insane."

"Still no excuse for the horrible way you killed him ... if one can even call it like that!" Sanshobo carefully got excited.

Pau looked openly at him. "No one ever tried again, did they?"

Sanshobo frowned. "That was no accident?"

"Surely not," Pau laughed dryly. "One has only to go through the first part of the spell to find out that the whole story is actually true. After that, most would-be imitators are cured. And those, who really can't resist ..."

"Fall into the hands of Nokuhera," Sanshobo completed the sentence. He looked very thoughtfully.

"What are you talking about?" Usagi asked carefully.

"The wizard Nokuhera experimented with raising the dead from hell," Jei answered to everybody's surprise. "He thought that all these poor souls had suffered so much, so they would be willing to serve him."

He giggled: "He was a bit surprised to find a few demons amongst the raised."

"Wide stretches of the land were devastated and one island completely destroyed," Jei went on.

"Nuro," Sanshobo added silently. Usagi had never before heard of a place or an island of that name.

"All this has happened so long ago, that no one remembers the names anymore. When it happened, I knew that adding a warning label in all books about necromancy would not have helped much. They would have ignored it," Pau commented.

"Therefore, I did something else. To find a soul for the spell, you have to go to a certain place in hell. For a mortal, it's a bit ... unpleasant ... to stay there. So I waited until Nokuhera went once more down to hell and pushed his body into hell, too."

"Since he doesn't know how to reverse the ban, he is damned to eke out an existence down there for eternity. Of course, he doesn't like it and takes it out on anyone trying to reach that place in hell."

"This way, I made sure that no necromancer will ever try to follow in his footsteps, again."

Sanshobo snorted. "Unpleasant ..."

He took a deep breath. "Maybe I've made a rather hasty decision. I would like to apologize."

Pau simply nodded.

The next day, a servant of Lord Hirano arrived and told them that the lord was expecting to see them in the afternoon.

The more time Sanshobo spent with the priest of the Goddess Ookaa'h, the more fascinated he was by him. The text he had read had been over 300 years old. Usagi could tell him that Pau was over 80'000 years old.

"Then he had already existed before there were humans," Sanshobo summarized his thoughts.

Usagi had not yet thought of this. He was interested in history as such but not in things that lay so far in the past. "If you want to know more, you have to ask Pau," he laughed. "But be careful! Usually, he answers!"

After lunch, Pau, Tomoe and Usagi prepared for the audience. As usual, Jei stayed in his room and Sanshobo was looking after the little Keiko that roamed the streets. Thoughtfully, Jei followed the two with his gaze. Seldom before, he had met such an innocent soul. He would miss her. In his own ways.

At the audience, the lord and his wife were present. Lady Hirano kept her feelings away from her face but Usagi could see her eyes. He hoped that she had decided to do the right thing or would do so if she hadn't decided, yet.

"Brother Pau, we do thank you for your offer," the lord started calmly.

"I'm not healing feelings," Pau interrupted him. "All I offer is to take away the pain so you can accept your feelings as the wonderful present they are."

Lord Hirano frowned. Pau had done terribly wrong by ignoring the protocol in such a way. Should he have him thrown out of the castle?

Usagi could see the change in the eyes of the lady. He didn't know what it was but Pau had reached her in some way. Probably, Lady Hirano had refused and Lord Hirano would have accepted the decision of his wife. But now, ... something happened.

Before the lord could say something, his wife spoke. "Your offer is a great honor for us. Gladly, we accept your help." She smiled! Usagis heart cheered!

Lord Hiranos face was unmoved as ever but his eyes smiled.

"Lord Hirano, Lady Hirano, I thank you for accepting my help," Pau replied measuredly. "What I offer you will need a whole day of your time. I would like to ask you to name a deputy for this time and make sure that we are not disturbed in any way."

He smiled friendly. "You will find the experience odd at times but also liberating."

Lord Hirano tilted his head and spoke quietly to his wife who nodded slightly. "In that case, we would like to ask you to come back in three days," the lord decided.

"I do thank you, Lord Hirano, Lady Hirano," Pau bowed. With that, the audience was over and they went back to the city.

"I'm finding it very fascinating," Usagi said to Pau, "how you manage to talk to people. I also talk to them but somehow, I can't quite reach them, as well."

Pau stepped to the side of the street and drew a square in the dust. "Please step inside and defend it," he ordered Usagi.

Expectant what would happen, Usagi followed the order. He got into a defending stance inside the square. It was a bit small but he managed. Pau waved Tomoe and went off with her. When Usagi realized they were really going away, he called after them.

Pau waved him over and confused, Usagi ran to them. "You didn't expect that we would simply walk off, right?"

"No," Usagi admitted, "I expected that you would attack me."

"Exactly. If people reject something, then they defend their rejection with everything they have. It is possible to overcome their rejection but it needs a lot of effort. But while they expect an attack, one can easily do something else. Lady Hirano, for example, knew some of the rumors about me."

"She feared that I would take her love from her. She expected me to be cruel and inhuman. When I turned out to be different, all her laboriously erected defenses were useless and I just walked past them into her heart. When I held her unprotected heart in my hands, I was gentle."

"That convinced her that I am no enemy because she had expected me to exploit my superiority immediately to force her to do what I wanted. Instead, I let her choose and gladly, she followed someone she now could trust. This way, I got what I wanted. And voluntarily."

"Zato Ino, the blind swordpig(6), rejected you because you tried to force his luck upon him. If you had put down your sword and offered him your life, he couldn't have done anything. Against aggression and brutality, he had erected a very effective defense but against friendship, he was helpless."

Usagi remembered and nodded. They had separated as enemies after Usagi had tried to force Ino to turn himself in and to accept the responsibility for all those he had killed.

"I will think about this," he promised. "What do we do, now?"

"Shopping," Pau grinned.

Jeis Soul

During the next two days, Pau sent them to buy various things. Every time, Keiko went with someone else. Usagi had to admit that the child made a pleasant companion. She was curious but respectful. Her open, polite way was taken well by almost everyone. Even a mean cloth merchant gave her a small piece of silk as a present from which she skillfully made a hair ribbon for herself.

In the evening of the last day, Usagi and Sanshobo collected ten white robes from a tailor. They were all different sizes and Usagi wondered why Pau had ordered them.

The next morning, everyone received one of the robes from Pau who asked them to give him their old clothes which he let disappear. In the end, Tomoe, Usagi, Sanshobo and Jei stood in their new clothes in front of Pau. Usagi felt a bit like a monk except for the color of the robe.

Then, Pau asked them to wait for his return, took two robes and took Keiko with him. They went to the castle of the Hirano clan. There, he gave the girl to a servant with the order to care for her until he was back. After that, he went to his audience with the lord.

Unusually warm, he was received. "Brother Pau, I'm happy to see you again," the lord greeted him and his wife smiled.

"Lord Hirano," Pau thanked.

"I've had a part of the castle cleared for us. There, we will be undisturbed," the lord told him.

"I do thank you," Pau replied.

Lord Hirano lead his wife and Pau followed with the servants and guards.

When they had reached the prepared rooms, the guards blocked all exits. Pau told them that he would close the doors and that it would be normal that there was no way to open them from the outside. Lord Hirano accepted this with a nod and this way, subdued the concerns of his subjects. Tonight, they would return.

To get rid of the servants was another matter. But Lord Hirano was able to impose his will on them. Finally, they were all alone.

Expectant, the couple waited for what Pau would do next. He gave each one robe and asked them to put them on. Surprised, the lord felt the rough cloth but since his wife didn't protest, he accepted gladly. In fact, she seemed to ... like to put these simple clothes on. Patiently, Pau waited for them to finish dressing.

"I do guarantee for your safety," Pau promised seriously. Lady Hirano nodded but the lord wondered why Pau had said that.

Then the palace vanished and they were in a much smaller room. Four more white clad people were already present. Amazed, he recognized Tomoe and Usagi. He didn't knew the other two but the demonic grin of the woman had its effect on him, too.

"There will be three more people joining us in a few moments, therefore I would like to postpone the introduction of everyone," Pau explained calmly.

Then, the room vanished and they stood in front of a hut. Surprised, the lord looked around. A thick, lush meadow surrounded the hut. The hut had been erected on a low hill. Smoke came from the chimney. And oddly enough, it wasn't cold. In the thin clothes which they were wearing, they should have felt the bite of the coldness of the air.

Gently, Pau knocked on the door and waited patiently until someone came to let them to come in. In the meantime, the lord felt uneasy. He wasn't afraid but the situation ... worried him in some way. The others seemed to know these strange changes of place because they didn't seem to care.

An older woman opened the door. Lord Hirano had never seen her before. He looked around once more but he couldn't say that he recognized the landscape. 'Where are we?' he wondered.

Pau talked shortly with the woman and she invited them in. Carefully, Pau cleaned his legs from dirt before he stepped into the house. All this happened without words as if they had made a vow of silence.

"Usagi?" someone called from the inside. Hirano looked up. Next to the fireplace of the house sat a rhinoceros in shabby clothes. He didn't look too trustworthy.

"Gen!" Usagi called back in delight. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, this is a great short cut if you want to go to Teifu," Gen answered.

"You got lost, again!" Usagi laughed openly.

"Who, me?" Gen protested, "I've never ever got lost!"

Then Gen suddenly got very quiet. Strangely, he looked at Pau. "It's you!"

"Gen," Pau greeted him with a nod.

"He, too?" Usagi asked with a low voice and Pau nodded again.

Pau gave the woman one of the robes that they were all wearing and asked her to put them on. The man, probably her husband, also received one package and the rhinoceros Gen, too. 'He will attend?' Lord Hirano thought and became uneasy. He was about to raise his protest when Pau asked him to be patient for a bit longer.

"I can't explain this to you just yet, but tomorrow, you will understand," he promised to the lord.

Pau also changed his clothes and Usagi watched him from the corner of his eyes. Really, Paus body was nothing out of the ordinary. If one saw him just like this, one would think he was an ordinary mortal.

Gen held his clothes in his hands decidedly. Eventually, he shrugged and changed, too. In the end, all sat around the fire and looked at Pau.

"I would like to ask anyone who came armed to deposit their arms next to the door," Pau started. Without hesitation, Jei rose, went to the door and came back without his swords. Tomoe and Usagi followed suit. On his way to the door, Usagi stopped next to Gen.

"Usagi," Pau said without any emphasis. Usagi smiled, bowed to Pau and went to the door without saying a word. He remembered his lesson. To try to force Gen would have just challenged his rejection. Unarmed, Usagi returned.

"I do thank you," Pau went on. Still, Gen had his swords and Hirano kept an eye on him. Calmly, Pau waited. Eventually, Gen rose, too, mumbled something under his breath and put his arms to the others. Hirano was amazed.

"I do thank you, Gen," Pau said seriously and Gen snorted.

Then Pau went on.

"I'm Tai. Just Tai. Today, I'm here on my own free will. No one forced me. It's my own free will. Just as I accept my own free will to be here, I will accept the will of someone else to leave. I will not try to stop him or her to leave us by walking through this door, neither by words nor by thoughts or deeds."

"Today, I'm here to offer anyone my help who asks for it. All that is told to me today, I will accept as the gift that it is. Nothing of what I'm told, I will pass on to anyone outside of our circle. I don't know what is going to happen here but I promise that I will do anything I can to help anyone who asks me to help."

He nodded to Usagi. "I'm Usagi. Just Usagi. I'm here on my own free will to help those who will accept my help," he started and repeated what Tai had said in his own words.

After him, Tomoe followed, the man who was called Neko, his wife Keiko, Lady Hirano who called herself Kinuko and the lord whose name was Kan for today. Sanshobo. Gen remained silent. Jei sat next to Pau like a statue.

"Gen," Tai spoke to the bounty hunter, "please choose someone from our group."

Gen looked at him in surprise. "Who?"

"Whoever you want."

Unsure, Gen looked at him and then shrugged. "Done."

"Go to him or her, please," Tai went on.

Gen rose and stomped over to Kan. "Please ask Kan if he allows you to step behind him."

Gen opened his mouth but Tai went on. "I know that this seems to be silly for you but it's very important that you repeat the question."

Gen frowned and sighed conspicuously. "Ken, can I step behind you?" he rumbled.

Kan looked straight ahead. He had no idea what Pau was up to. Now, Gen was unarmed and where he stood was of no importance. He just nodded.

Gen was about to move when Tai spoke once more. "Kan, this is also very important. I would like to ask you that you look at Gen and you answer to him loud and clear."

Kan frowned but suddenly, his wife put her hand on his leg. Such a personal gesture and in public! But when he saw her smile, his resistance melted away.

He looked up to the young man. "I allow you to step behind me," he said seriously.

And Usagi noticed it. Whatever it was, something happened to Gen right this instant. Almost carefully, Gen stepped behind Kan and stopped. He seemed to be surprised about his own reaction and looked a bit confused.

"Gen, I would like you to ask Kan if he allows you to put your hands on his shoulders," Tai went on calmly.

Gen opened his mouth but had to swallow before he could talk. With an odd voice, he asked, "Kan, may I rest ... my hands ... on your ... shoulders?"

Kan felt it, too. He could not see Gen but he felt something happening behind him. But what?

He turned his head a bit. "I allow it," he said to Gen.

Behind Kan, Gen sank on his knees. He stretched out his hands and they shook. Like a drowning man, he grabbed the shoulders of Kan. Tears ran down his face and he was trembling. Kan sat like a rock and offered support to the poor soul. When one hand was about to loose its grip, Kan immediately and without hesitation grabbed it and held Gen. And Gen sobbed. Years of agony forced their way to the surface.

"Father!" he cried, "Father!" Over and over again. Gens head sank against Kans back and he cried uncontrolled. For a long time, nothing could be heard but his sobs.

When it subsided slowly, Tai spoke again. "Gen, whenever you feel ready to return to your place, do it, please."

Tai looked at Jei. Jei stared at Kan. The demonic grin on her face was gone. Instead, it showed ... surprise?

Then Jei noticed Tais gaze. One moment, Jei returned the gaze, then he spoke. "I'm Jei. Just Jei. I'm here on my own free will. I'm here to offer my help to anyone who asks for it," and made his vow. Usagi almost couldn't believe it. Was there more in Jeis voice than yesterday?

Finally, Gen calmed down again. Slowly, he rose and stepped into the circle. One moment, he hesitated, then he knelt before Kan. "I do thank you," he said with a hoarse voice.

Kan was struck with astonishment. 'How has Pau achieved this? I didn't notice anything. Pau has just uttered a few words and with that, triggered this outbreak in the young man.' Thoughtfully, he looked in the sad and relaxed face.

Then he bowed before Gen. "I do thank you," he replied sincerely. He had no idea why but it seemed to be the only thing he could do. 'Is Pau manipulating us?'

"What we will experience here today comes from within ourselves," Tai went on, "I just make it visible but what we will see is just ourselves."

Gen sat down again and Tai looked at him calmly. He didn't expect something, didn't demand anything, just offered himself. Gen cleared his throat. "Today, I'm Gen. Just Gen. ...," he made his vow.

"Then we are all ready to begin," Tai said almost formally.

"Our reason is just an illusion," he explained, "and a dangerous one at that because if we depend on our reason too much, we become unable to see the world as it is. Instead we see it as we want it to be. This way, we loose the contact to our feelings and suddenly, everything seems to be sense- or hopeless. But that's just an illusion."

"Today, we're going to see some illusions. Our own. The ones of others else. But mostly our own. What we see in other people, is only ourselves. Our reason creates the illusion that the other is a bad person but we only see our own flaws. In the end, we lie to ourselves. We demand that someone else changes so we don't have to see our own flaws anymore."

"And thus, sorrow starts. Born from an illusion. Carefully nourished, the lie becomes so great in the end that it has to be true. Who could be so wrong?"

"But like anything else, being afraid of being wrong is also just an illusion. Today, we're going to see some illusions, fears and lies. We will see what they really are."

"Nothing."

"A nothing that we have given control of our own lives. A nothing which we fear so much that we don't dare to look at it. But if we do, we see what it really is."

"Nothing."

"An illusion created by fear or shame, without substance or support for us."

"Below is our own pure soul, because an illusion can never change the world. It can just make us see something that isn't there. When we look through it, then all that remains is ... nothing."

"Nothing but ourselves."

Tai remained silent for a moment. Calmness spread.

"I'm Tai. I offer my help to anyone who asks for it. Who asks for my help?"

Keiko rose. A bit ashamed, she searched for words.

"Words are completely unnecessary," Tai calmed her.

"Keiko, I would like to help you. But to be able to help you, I need your trust. Do you trust me?"

Hesitantly, Keiko nodded. Tai nodded to Usagi who repeated the words ardently. Tomoe. Neko. Kinuko. Kan. Sanshobo. Gen.

Then it was Jeis turn. Before Jei could say something, Tai spoke. "Keiko, this is for you and you alone. Only a few from our group have the strength to give their trust to Jei. If you don't trust him, he will be of no help to you. Therefore, it's very important that you honestly answer if you are able to trust him or not."

"We will all accept your decision as it will be and no matter what it will be."

Unsure, Keiko looked at Jei. Usagi felt her fighting with herself. She was afraid of Jei but she also didn't want to exclude her.

"Keiko," Jei suddenly spoke, "don't do this for me. Do this for yourself. I will accept your decision as it will be and no matter what it will be." There was still no trace of emotions in his voice but ... something ... else.

Keiko sighed and let her head drop. Wordlessly, Jei rose and went into the far corner of the room.

"Now we need a lot of empty space," Tai explained. All helped to clear the floor. In the end, they sat along a wall and Keiko stood in the middle of the empty floor.

A bit uncertain, she looked at Tai.

"Because the reason is just an illusion," Tai spoke, "it's so very important to be one with ones feelings. Unfortunately, the illusions and deceptions which our reason likes to create, block the access to our feelings."

"What we will do now is to depict one of Keikos illusions. Each of us will become part of the illusion, one aspect of it. If the whole illusion has been depicted, Keiko will be able to see what it really is."

"Nothing."

"Are you ready?" Keiko smiled brave.

"In that case, I would like to call the first aspect of this illusion. I call the aspect of shame. Kan, could you please impersonate this aspect?"

Kan was surprised but nodded and rose.

"Where is your position?" Tai asked.

Kan frowned. "My position?"

"Do you remember when Gen stood behind you? That was the right position for him. Where is the right position for the aspect of shame?"

Kan thought about this for a moment. Then he went to Keiko with a determined stride. He stopped behind her with his legs apart and stretched out his arm. This way, he blocked her movements without actually touching her. He felt that this was the correct position.

Keiko humbled herself before him but didn't try to escape.

"Keiko," Tai asked gently, "what do you feel?"

"The shame is crushing me!"

Tai nodded.

Fascinated, the other watched the process. One could see how strong the burden of her shame was. She had to be very unhappy.

"Now, I need the aspect of honor. Sanshobo, please?"

Sanshobo rose and stood before Keiko. He also stretched out his arms without touching Kan or her. Together, they fixed her on the spot. Keiko had no way out anymore.

"Tomoe, please become the aspect of love. What is your position?"

Undecided, Tomoe stopped. "You can't say what your position is?" Tai asked and she nodded.

"I need the aspect of her husband." Usagi rose. He couldn't quite say why. Wasn't Neko her husband?

"Please choose your position," Tai asked him. Usagi shrugged inwardly. He stopped to the left of Sanshobo so he could see Keiko and she could see him if she would raise her head. Right now, she just stood there with a lowered head. Usagi was irritated that Sanshobo stood there. If he would not have been there, he could have seen his wife.

Somehow, the thought settled in his mind. He made a grim face.

Tomoe still was undecided. She wanted to take her position but for some reason, she couldn't. There was a strong inner conflict in her. Was she doing it the wrong way? All the others had found their positions without problems!

"Tomoe, don't worry. This has nothing to do with you," Tai encouraged her and she relaxed a but. 'But what was so special about me? About love?' she wondered.

"Now, I'm going to become an aspect myself," Tai announced. "I'm the aspect of the rival." Keiko sobbed.

Usagis head jerked around. He had a rival?

Tai stooped besides Usagi but on the other side of Sanshobo. Usagi watched him with disgust. Not only was honor taking him away his wife, there also was a rival! Keiko cried quietly.

"Neko, I would like you to become an aspect of love like Tomoe."

Neko, who had watched the spectacle strangely distant, got up slowly. Then Tomoe and he went quickly to Usagi and Tai. Tomoe stopped behind Tai and embraced him tenderly; Usagi could almost not bear it. Then Neko stopped behind him and gave him strength. He would kill his rival and win his wife back!

But suddenly the love of his wife held him tight. He couldn't move anymore. As sure as shame and honor captivated his wife, as sure her love fixed him on the spot. He cried for this gift from her. There was nothing he could do. If he would kill his rival, her love would die and he would loose everything. What on earth should he do?

"Keiko," Tai spoke gently, "please look at your shame."

Keiko looked at Tai with tears in her eyes and Tai smiled back. "Look at the man who loves you as much as you do."

She looked at Usagi. Oh, how much he loved her! He just had to do something. He tried one step in her direction. And he could walk! Actually, he could walk effortlessly. Almost incidentally, he noticed that Tai copied his every step but that wasn't important anymore. He had to reach his wife.

Then he almost achieved it. Still, she was imprisoned between honor and shame but if he would stretch out his arm, he could touch her.

He did and together, they mourned their sorrow. With different eyes, Usagi saw his rival. The rival loved his wife as he did and she loved them both. It did hurt but oddly enough, he felt that this helped. What could he do?

"Keiko, you have to look at your shame," Tai asked quietly.

"I'm afraid," she sobbed.

"I know," Tai comforted her gently, "I know."

"We have to help her together," he told Usagi, her husband. Usagi nodded. Together, they waited until Keiko had calmed down a bit. Then they helped her to turn around. That was not quite simple because there was almost no room between honor and shame.

But they made it! Unfortunately, Keiko couldn't muster the strength to look up. Not yet. Usagi trusted her. Together with Tai and her love, he stood behind her shame. Patiently, they waited.

"I ...," she said after an eternity, "was so much afraid of you. Dark and powerful, you stood behind me. Took my breath. Happiness. My laughter. Now, I look at you and I'm not afraid," she said firmly.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Nothing," Kan replied and lowered his arms. "I had all the power about you which you gave me. Now, when you take it away from me, I'm nothing anymore."

He seemed to awake from a long dream and looked at Tai. "Do you think that your aspect has dissolved?" Tai asked and Kan nodded.

"Then you can step out of your role and sit down," Tai asked. Kan went away and Tai and Tomoe with him. At last, the path to his wife was open. Crying, Usagi and Keiko embraced each other and their love and honor united them.

"I love you," Usagi whispered into her ear.

"I'm so sorry," she cried on his shoulder, "all those years ... all those lost years ... all our happiness ... I'm so sorry ..."

Slowly, their roles also dissolved and in the end, they stood in a deep embrace. Held each other and just were here and now. But life went on and they separated again. Gratefully, Keiko smiled at Usagi.

"I do thank you," she said quietly and her husband nodded.

Usagi bowed. "I do thank you that I was allowed to help you." Lightheaded, he went back to his place and sat down. Only Sanshobo remained in the empty space, thoughtfully.

Finally, he looked at Tai. "I'm Sanshobo. I'd like to ask for your help."

"And gladly, I give you what I can," Tai replied.

"Do you you trust Jei?" he went on.

Sanshobo looked at the sinister figure in the corner of the room. Usagi could feel his fear. But in one go, he went to him. "I need your help," he said to Jei.

Jei didn't reply but also didn't show his demonic grin. Almost, he looked like he was waiting for something. Sanshobo held out his hand and helped Jei stand up. One moment, they just stood there, holding their hands and looked into each others eyes. "Then I will help you in any way I can," Jei eventually answered.

Together, they returned. There was no triumph on the face of Sanshobo, maybe satisfaction. He had looked at his fear and had stepped through it. Now, he was free. Usagi hoped that one day, he would be able to do something like that, too.

Jei became the aspect of fear. Together, they helped Sanshobo to look at his greatest fear. Oddly enough, the effect on Jei was much stronger than the one on Sanshobo. Usagi realized that everyone recognized himself in a part of the posting, discerned own problems and solved them for him- or herself.

After that, they ate something together and sat down under the canopy to rest a bit. It was cold and the air was pure and clean. One could see far. They were laughing and joking. Despite of having learned most intimate details about the others in the group, their mood was relaxed and open. Fascinated, Usagi noticed Gen talking to Kan. Not in his usual rough manner but quietly and honest.

Usagi asked himself what would happen when they would become lord and bounty hunter once more. Now, they were just themselves. Openly, they enjoyed not having to play a role for anyone. Gen said something and Kan laughed. They were enjoying each other very much.

Usagi talked with Neko and Tomoe with Keiko. Jei and Sanshobo sat under one blanket and ate in silence. Tai offered Kinuko something to eat and she leaned on him. Kan didn't seem to bother. He had noticed but turned to Gen again immediately. With a lot of gestures, he explained something to Gen and Gen listened carefully.

After lunch, they stayed under the canopy for a while and enjoyed the warming rays of the sun.

Then, they went back inside. Next, Tomoe stepped before them and asked for their help. Together, they helped her to overcome her fear that her marriage with Usagi would make her neglect her duties for her lord.

After Tomoe, Gen stepped in front and they helped him to make peace with his father. Kan, who had been the pride of the father for his sun, had dinner next to Gen, who had become very quiet. Kinuko, the love of the mother for her son, sat on his other side and together, they gave Gen a bit of the family he had never had.

Usagi went to Jei and sat next to her. Jei had been the revenge which had driven Gens father on and on, after the traitor who had ruined his lord and away from his own family. Gen had yelled at him, called him names, accused him, almost knocked Jei down.

With stoic calmness, Jei had endured everything. No muscle had moved in her face when Gen had yelled at her. Cold and unapproachable, his aspect had been, demanding and merciless.

Still, Usagi could feel that there was more. Jei had changed in this session, Gen had moved something in him. Without much appetite, Jei ate his meal. When Usagi sat down next to her, she didn't look up.

"Jei?" Usagi asked.

Slowly, Jei looked up. "Usagi?" she replied with her dead voice. As always when he saw Jei, his blood pounded in his head. He was afraid.

"Can ...," he trailed off. "Can I help you?" he managed finally.

"Help me?" Without any feelings in the voice, it was impossible to tell what Jei thought.

"You want to help me?" Jei repeated when Usagi didn't answer.

"Are you offering your soul to me so the gods will accept me as one of their own?" Jei asked.

Usagi tilted his head. "No," he said and Jei turned to his bowl again. "All I could do would be offering you your own soul," he offered.

Halfway to his mouth, Jeis hand stopped. It didn't tremble but it didn't move, either.

"You have no idea what you are talking about," Jei refused him and continued to eat.

Looking for help, Usagi looked at Tai but he was talking to Sanshobo and didn't return the look although Usagi was sure that he had noticed what was going on here.

After dinner, they were pretty exhausted. And they had completed only four positionings. Six of them had not asked for help and the day was coming to an end. Worried, Usagi hoped that Kinuko would step in front next but they all were surprised who did.

Jei stood up. "I'm Jei. I'd like to ask for my humanity."

Tai nodded seriously.

It took an eternity.

They saw Jeis madness. The mirror images of fear and terror which he created in others in himself. The hatred which he had accumulated in the centuries of his existence. His monotonous indifference. Other, even more strange aspects of an immortal soul in an immortal body.

When it was over, it must have been long past midnight. Usagi just lay on the ground. He felt so weak, he wanted to fall asleep on the spot. But there was still Kinuko. He could not abandon her, now. She and the lord had to return and this was the last chance.

He would just lay on the ground a bit longer and recover. A shadow was falling over him. He blinked and saw Jei. Jei looked down at him. Usagi smiled weakly. "How are you?" he asked quietly.

"Thank you," Jei said simply. Still, his voice had this odd dead sound but now, there was something more in it. Something had returned. Honesty? Thankfulness? Usagi couldn't tell.

"Thank you," he replied instead.

Jei sat down next to Usagi and just stayed there for a while. Then he stood up and went away. Usagi could hear him doing something and then return. In one hand, he held a bowl. He helped Usagi to sit and then to drink. Surprised and thankful, Usagi accepted the help. He didn't feel cold anymore. Jeis dead aura had lessened or he wasn't influenced by it anymore.

"Are you still wanting my soul?" Usagi asked in a jokey fashion.

No laugh showed in her face. "I think, I don't need it anymore," he replied seriously.

Usagi tried to sit up and Jei helped him. He felt so weak but for Kinuko, he would stand one more round. Unfortunately, Jei, Pau and he seemed to be the only ones who were still standing. So he just sat and thought if that would be enough. Questioningly, he looked at Tai.

Tai smiled and went over to Kan. Quietly, he sat down next to him. Kan sighed. "That took some effort," he admitted and Usagi could hear that he was as exhausted as anyone else.

Kan took a few deep breaths. Then he extended a hand to Tai and Tai helped him up. Swaying a bit, Kan looked around.

"Take me back," Kan asked and before Usagi could raise a protest, they were gone. What would happen now?

Kinuko smiled at him but he was sad. Groaning, he stood up and together with Jei, he helped everyone to drink and eat one of Paus sticky energy bars. Jei stayed with Sanshobo and Usagi sat down with Tomoe. Exhausted, they chewed on the sweet pastries.

Then Tai and Kan returned. Both had their arms full of blankets and bedrolls. Kan sat down, he was finished. Tai vanished once more. Gen brought Kan something to eat and drink. Sanshobo started to fan out the blankets and bedrolls and Tai returned with more of them.

Questioningly, Usagi looked at Kan. Kan swallowed, drank once more and then replied, "We're all way too exhausted to help anyone else tonight. We'll stay here for the night and go on tomorrow."

Kan smiled at his wife who came over to him, sat down and leaned on her husband.

They were really tired. No five minutes later, they lay in their beds. Gen stood undecidedly between the beds of Usagi and Tomoe and those of Kan and Kinuko. In the end, Kan waved him over. Usagi was happy for his friend. In the place of Gen, Tai slept with them.

A very short time later, they all had fallen asleep.

Next part