"Those your last words?" His eyes shine brightly back at me.
This sicko.. is he actually enjoying this?!
"It won't open unless I draw blood from you too idiot!" Falling tears betray my brave facade.
Kiyoshi whips the thread, retracing the needle like spikes.
"Explain yourself, you won't get a second chance."
My dear idiotic brother I'm not possessed, I was reborn. In my past life we used this chest to hold our family weapons, medicines and treasures. Of course I know the prerequisite rules to opening it.
At the age of fifteen it can be shown and unlocked but it requires two family members (of Rai decent) to draw each others blood into the indent of the dragons mouth.
To bad I can't exactly explain myself or else you'd kill me either way for talking nonsense.
"Father said the only way to open the chest is to have two relatives feed the dragon blood from one another to confirm blood ties. Let me cut you and it'll open." I say after a moment.
"When did he show you?"
When I was fifteen.
"A long time ago."
Neddles pierce my neck sending heat bubbling down my throat. "When."
"Aghh.. yo..u w..on..t beli..eve.. me." I choke back bile.
"What did you take out?" He releases the needles.
"Father took out Master Tang's books."
"Volume one, page twelve, twentieth sentence.. what's name of the cultivation instruction."
"The first volume is a drunkly written memoir, page twelve, has a portrait of one of Master Tangs lovers with relationship advice written along the side:
'Be with someone who doesn't think they are good enough for you and vise versa. So that you become each other's reason to love unconditionally, protect passionately, fight with unrelenting conviction, and sacrifice or compromise willingly. Fight hard to love each other exceeding even your own expectations' there ...there's not a twentieth sentence."
"You memorized all the content of Master Tangs book at first glance?"
"No I had to study it just like father made you, Shen, and Akuma. Kiyoshi I know you have doubts, but you're really hurting me.. so help me draw your blood the chest will open."
He grabs my hand pressing the soft padding of my palm... shaking his head he pulls the thread twisting it around my index finger. He uses my finger to quickly slice across his palm, letting the blood stain the dragons mouth crimson.
Red aura seeps out the dragons mouth covering the box completely.
-clank clank clank clank- the top of the box rotates and pops open.
Kiyoshi looks back and forth at the box and his sister completely shocked.
He drops the box and his withdrawals his thread.
"...idiot." I breathe out and slump to the ground.
"Brother?" A soft voice draws our attention. "What's going on Kiyoshi, whys Little Shin on the ground ... look at her she's so pale." Soft arms pull me off the ground into a safe embrace.
"I... was... wrong... I don't understand. I was wrong. But she can't be .. she's not ... she changed. We all died ...she's a demon... I'm not wrong she must have done something Akuma put her down!" He twirls his thread pulling it apart breaking it into two daggers taking an offensive stance.
"Put that down! Are you crazy. What are talking about Kiyoshi she's our sister!" Akuma tucks Shinah into his inner robe tightening his belt securely.
Akuma pulls a light blue bangle off his wrist expanding it into a large circle above his head. He infuses his water elemental energy into the bangle letting it fall to the ground, creating a translucent like ice, water fall barrier protecting them.
Kiyoshi mad with rage attacks the water barrier relentlessly.
"I don't know what's going on Kiyoshi but we're family, Shinah is our sister no matter what she's done we cannot hurt her." His melodic voice infused with spirit energy sends out waves of tranquility.
Kiyoshi sways slightly affected. "Akuma she's not her, I tried to save her this time. But she's gone someone has taken her away from us again."
"What do you mean when was she taken? She's right here Little Yoshi. Shinah's fine, nobody took her. Just relax your weapon and we can talk—"
"THAT'S NOT MY SISTER!" Kiyoshi runs into the barrier clawing against the onslaught of restricting spirit energy. "Well get taken again and she's already been replaced, she'll betray us with the Evil Emperor and well all die ..again."
What the fuck!! Kiyoshi has memories of the past? Did he get reborn with his past memories or is he like me?
I peek out Akuma's robe looking through the water film...
An unexpected sense of heartache overwhelmed her causing her to feel suffocated.
Kiyoshi features etched in sorrow, his normally playful eyes...now dark-drowning in madness.
"Brother ... I ... I ... can explain... I ... I'm so .. sorry."
Complex emotions clouded his judgment. "Your ... sorry... your sorry? You know nothing to feel pity for us! I'll kill you!"
His spirit energy spikes as his flame element rages along with his surging emotions.
"Wait Brother Stop!" Akuma curls me closer, we're overwhelmed by an indescribable sense of oppression from his flames. The barrier crackles under the fire, web like cracks allow hot steam to seep into the barriers core suffocating us.
"KIYOSHI... IM SORRY I WASNT STRONG ENOUGH TO SAVE YOU BOTH SOONER! ...THE WEEPING WILLOW KINGDOM SENT... WE... I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE STILL ALIVE... ..... please... forgive me." I sob releasing the suppressed heartache within.
Kiyoshi's groans covering his eyes in attempt to hide his feelings of fear and weakness after hearing her confession.
He felt like his heart was being pierced by hundreds of needles, leaving him unable to breathe. He falls to the ground gasping for air...
Something snapped inside him, and he stops hyperventilating...
The edge of his mouth curves up..
Slowly displaying his killer dimples along with his.... evil side smile...
His fire element thrashes around uncontrollably with a mind of its own turning into globs of hot magma... Crackling against the water barrier...
Chucks of the barrier turn solid and crumble, crashing down on Akuma. He continuously makes hand gestures keeping Shinahs body from over heating. Protecting her with his body and the last of his elemental energy. Her stomach turned... nauseous from the pungent scent of his warm blood that bathed her.
"Stop it!!! Akuma's hurt! Stop it Kiyoshi! STOP! Please just stop!" She wept continuously.
Two red blades suddenly stab right though the barrier breaking it into a thousand tiny pieces.
Akuma falls faint.. with the backlash of the barrier attack.
Steam clouded the area... but unable to hide the shadow of their brother standing in front of them...