Heart of the Dragon Ch. 03

Gabriel's eyebrows shot up at the suggestion.

"What's going to happen for that while, exactly?"

Grace traced his sensual lips with her fingertips. "You're going to kiss me for that while."

He grinned. "How can I resist such a demand?"

"You can't," she muttered in the last second before his lips met hers.

* * *

On the other side of the Nakimura property, far away from the house, was a very modest cabin. It was only large enough for one person, and its occupant made his way back to his humble abode. Takeo entered the cabin and sank down onto his cot in the bedroom area of the one-room cabin with a weary sigh.

She has returned,Takeo thought as he quietly listened to the sound of chirping crickets and the nearby ocean. He leaned back onto the cot and remembered Grace as a small child. The image of her was branded into his memory.

She was so innocent, so pure. Such a sweet child, full of joy. She remembers nothing of what happened, for that she is the luckiest of us all.

He stared at the ceiling, remembering a time when the family was not plagued by its current troubles. His eyes slowly grew too heavy to remain open, and he found himself drifting towards another place...

* * *

He opened his eyes and was almost blinded by sunlight. He threw his arm up to shield his eyes, and he took deep breaths of the clean, crisp air. As soon as his eyes became adjusted to the light, he looked around and was shocked to find himself in the middle of a field of wildflowers. A warm breeze passed overhead, and Takeo watched as some of the flowers' petals began to break free and float towards a gathering of trees. Takeo rose from his grassy spot and was drawn to the path that the flower petals had taken.

As he neared the forest, Takeo noticed a flash of red light from among the trees. He continued walking, and he followed a narrow pathway that weaved its way between the trees.

I know this place. Tatsu. It's been so long since I've seen this.

He felt the lump forming in his throat, and he turned away to look upon the ground, fighting to control his emotions. He was startled when he heard a twig snap nearby. He thought that he had been alone in the forest. His eyes darted around the multitude of trees, searching for signs of another person. There were none. Takeo continued to tour the forest, and he began to feel a peculiar tingling on the back of his neck. Nervously, Takeo pushed on.

Many long moments had passed when Takeo finally stopped to figure out where he was. The sun was beginning to set, and the forest came alive with the sounds of crickets and other nocturnal animals. Takeo was able to see where the forest ended, and he was about to go there when again he noticed the red light from earlier.

Takeo was mesmerized by the glow in the distance, and he felt his body leaping to find the source. It was as if his body completely divorced his mind, and Takeo had no choice but to follow where his legs took him. A twisting sensation began in his stomach, and he increasingly became aware and fearful of his surroundings. His body stopped in its tracks, and Takeo was horrified as he realized what was happening.

Oh, God. I'm reliving it.

His fears were confirmed as the sound of a child's laugh floated on the wind to reach his ears. The red light came closer and closer to him, and Takeo closed his eyes and frantically tried to wake himself up from the dream. He heard the sound of light footsteps making their way towards him. He cringed as he was forced to witness his dream melt into past reality.

No, please. No.

Takeo felt a small hand grab one of his. "Uncle Takeo?"

He opened his eyes and a small child was staring up at him with unmasked admiration. The red light had come from the jewel that was hanging from the child's neck.

"Uncle Takeo, what's wrong?"

Tears gathered and spilled from his eyes as he stared down at a young Grace. He couldn't speak, couldn't move. He had no control.

A sudden gust of wind tore through the forest, and Takeo was shocked to his core. From far away, he finally found his voice. "We have to get out of here now!"

He held on tight to Grace's hand and they began to run. The sound of insane laughter floated on the wind towards the fleeing Takeo and Grace, and Takeo picked the child up and tried to run faster.

The forest's exit is just up ahead. It's so close.

The cracking of wood sliced through the air, and a tree crashed to the ground in front of the exit. The young Grace screamed. Takeo cursed, knowing they were trapped.

He placed Grace on the ground and fell to his knees, the tears flowing freely down his face. He saw the shadowy figure walking towards them, and he cried out and covered his ears with his hands. Takeo heard Grace crying and shouting out his name, but he was paralyzed with fear.

I'm so sorry, my Grace. So sorry.

The laughter was louder now, closer. Takeo's hands fisted and he began to pray that the nightmare would end. A sob broke from his throat as he heard Grace scream again...

* * *

Takeo jolted awake, his throat raw from his shouts. He was dripping with sweat, and it took a few moments before he realized that he wasn't in the forest on Tatsu Island, but in his cabin. He bolted out of the cot and raced over to the window that faced the main house. The sky was dark and cloudless, and a few hours had passed since Takeo returned to his cabin. He could see the many lights of the house shimmering in the distance. He continued to stand there, staring at everything but seeing nothing. He was too caught up in the past.

She is the Dragon, the one that our family has been waiting for so long to bring into this world. No wonder it wanted her so badly.

Takeo tore his gaze from the window and paced around the cramped cabin, finally stopping at a small cabinet in a dusty corner. He opened it to reveal a small chest. Takeo blew off the many years worth of accumulated dust that was on the chest before he opened it. Inside the chest were many drawings made by a child. They were very old; they came from a different time and a different world. One was drawn of the ocean, another was drawn of the Nakimura castle. The one that drew Takeo's attention the most, however, was a very different drawing. It was much more intense than the others. It showed a golden dragon, eyes blazing and breathing fire. At the bottoms of these sketches, there was the same inscription in Japanese: "Nakimura Grace, June 1970."

Takeo shifted the drawings into his left hand, and he used his other hand to dig deeper into the chest. He didn't remember exactly what it was inside the chest that he wanted, but... his hand closed around something. He slowly brought his hand out of the chest, and he saw that he was holding something that was wrapped in an old cloth. Takeo unwrapped the material. What he saw made him feel like he was being kicked in the chest. He was holding a dried flower, a white lily that the young Grace had once given to him. He had kept it all these years; preserved it.

Takeo wasn't aware that he was crying until he saw a drop land on one of the lily's dried petals. He felt himself collapsing, and he kneeled on the floor, tears flowing heavily. He dropped the drawings and the flower onto the floor and buried his face in his hands.

She trusted me, and I betrayed her. Oh, dear God. I've never forgiven himself for what happened, and I never will.

He remembered the presence of that creature so many years before, and its power over him. He swore that Belial would not conquer him again, but he felt himself slipping.

Don't let anything happen this time. Help me find the strength to resist the Demon. Let him not find his home in me again.

His prayers were suddenly interrupted by a gust of wind that slammed open the door, almost tearing its hinges off of the door frame with the strength of it. Takeo flinched as he felt an unusual chill against his skin. He quickly rose and went to close the door when he heard a strange noise. He paused, looking around the cabin for the source of the noise. Nothing. He went to the door and started to close it, still looking around and listening for what made the noise. There was nothing out of the ordinary on the outside, but several clouds were gathering; a storm was on its way at a great speed. Takeo shrugged, grabbed the knob, and closed the door. He leaned against it, trying to still the rapid beating of his heart.

What's wrong with me? It's just a little wind. A summer storm, that's all. Nothing to worry about.

While he was trying to convince himself that there was nothing wrong, he knew that he had been found. He had been found byit. Outside, the sky darkened further and the rain speared the night.

He heard scratching at the door behind him. The sound echoed inside Takeo's head; the scratching of unearthly long nails against the cabin's exterior. He reached an arm behind himself, frantically searching for the deadbolt to secure the door. The scratching was accompanied by steady pounding, and Takeo felt his heart in his throat. He felt as if the walls were closing in on him, and he was terrified as he finally found the deadbolt and slid it into place. The pounding at the door grew stronger as Takeo slowly backed away. The old wood creaked as it began to weaken as a result of its punishment.

Takeo glanced around the cabin frantically, trying to find something to block the door with. An old writing desk was on the other side of the cabin.Please let it be enough.

He scrambled to grab the desk as some of the door's wood began to give, revealing a clawed fist. Takeo watched in horror as the ungodly fist's fingers unwound one by one, the razor-sharp nails tracing the hole in the door before poking through. Takeo couldn't look away from those nails. He felt rooted to the floor as the fingers motioned for him to come forward, to let it in.

Takeo found himself taking a few steps forward before he caught himself, screaming at the top of his lungs. "NO!!"

The Demon Belial answered with a laugh that made Takeo's stomach clench. An inhuman eye peered through the hole in the door at him. The storm still raged outside. The little cabin vibrated with the constant thunder.

"Why are you bothering to scream, Takeo? You are too far away from the house. Besides," the blood-red eye winked at him, "You don't really want to resist me. Do you?"

Takeo turned away from the battered door and succeeded in moving the desk away from its original spot. He was going to push it against the door when he heard Belial again.

"Takeo. Takeo, my friend. Remember how powerful you felt when we were one, Takeo? You were transformed from the weak soul that you've always been into a fierce warrior! Don't you want that feeling again, my friend?"

Takeo kept his eyes away from Belial, and he tried to concentrate on his task. He thought again of that long ago forest, the screams of the helpless Grace, and the weakness of himself.Never again. He raised his head to look first at the claw inside the door, then at the desk in front of him. Takeo allowed his bottled-up rage against the demon to explode as he rushed forth, pushing the desk against the door and crushing the demon's claw between the two in the process.

Feel THAT, Belial.

Belial screamed, and he tried to yank his claw out of the door. It was stuck. The cabin shook with the angry roar that burst out of Belial's throat. Takeo used the opportunity to climb out of one of the cabin's windows. He landed into the cold mud, and he raced for the main house as if Hell itself was on his heels.

It is, Takeo thought as the sound of Belial's screams melted into the distance. It is.

Belial heard nothing as he was screaming, but as he started to calm down, he realized that Takeo had escaped.Damn him!

Belial stood still as he changed his form, metamorphosing his claw into a human hand and allowing it to slip free from its trap. He examined his torn hand, and he took a deep breath and released it and his hand proceeded to glow, to heal. He then made his way from the cabin to stand underneath a nearby tree and ponder the situation.

My former host has escaped for now, but it may be for the best.

Belial imagined Takeo arriving at the house, frightened and out of breath, the grandfather and niece that will be concerned for his safety, and the havoc that would certainly follow.

Takeo will frighten them with his story, and they will have no choice but to advance. She will not be ready for me, but I'll be more than ready for her.

Belial waved his hand, and all of the traces of the struggle were erased. Belial laughed insanely as the lightning struck again, and he disappeared into the stormy night.