Disclaimer: El Hazard is the copyright of AIC and Pioneer LDC. The author owns only the writing. Chapter 9: Shrine of Wind Moments later their schooner was racing over plains and forests to the mountains which host the Shrine of Wind. Fujisawa stood on the bow and scanned the mountains surrounding the Shrine. While there were still too far away to see any details, he did see the whirlwind reaching up to the clouds above. "How much longer before we get there?" he called out. "About half an hour before we reach the base of the mountain. Then another half hour for us to navigate our way up to the shrine." Londs returned. "Shit! By the time we get there, he'll be gone." Shayla said as she stomped around the deck. "Any way we can get some more lift out of this?" asked Hiashi. "Perhaps I can help. I still remember Afura's wind powers." volunteered Ifurita. Her powerstaff began to glow. The schooner became wrapped in its own whirlwind. This one was not as powerful as the one around the Shrine, it wasn't meant to be. The high winds pushed on the schooner, lifting it up and accelerating it forward. Ifurita's face betrayed absolute concentration as if any disturbance would disrupt her powers and send them crashing into the ground. "Makoto..." said Miz. "Her powers were meant for combat, not for something like this. Unless she maintains absolute control, this wind will instantly transform into an attack." he explained. "Well aren't you suppose to have a connection with her? Help her out!" Hiashi suggested. Makoto nodded and entered into a trance. It was a technique he became aware of as he and Ifurita returned to El-Hazard only yesterday. He could see what she was doing and used his own will to help, subtly at first, just enough for her to notice without losing control. Then together the tornado attack became tamed. Ifurita's learning program memorized this power. Next time it would be easier. The schooner shot forward and up so quickly, several of them stumbled and fell. Hiashi pulled himself to the bow and squinted at the shrine. They were approaching fast. He could see the road leading to the mesa and some of the area around the shrine. Then he saw something flying out of the whirlwind. "Look!" he said pointing to it. The object was cast out without direction, like it was garbage thrown away. "It's a person!" he shouted. Shayla activated her powers and jumped off the boat. Hiashi followed her. The wind was getting worse. He could feel his descent was being effected. He remembered the few times he went sky diving at school and tried to steer toward the person. He was a natural sky diver, almost instinctively knowing how to act in free fall. Fire powers, he felt, would only interfere so he chose to wait until he caught the person to activate them. But Shayla was blown off course by a sudden gust of wind. The howling gale was too loud for Hiashi to hear her warning that he was well past the 100 foot limit. He was approaching fast. Now he could tell the person was a woman dressed in blue. She was barely conscious. The rocks at the foot of the mountain grew bigger with each second. He reached out and managed to grab her around the waist. His mind summoned his fire wings for maximum speed but nothing happened. Looking up, he saw Shayla racing down. But he knew she would not make it in time. Not even Riho can save the three of them from being impaled on the rocks below. He was in the middle of apologizing to Riho when he became aware of something else, another power. He felt it before when Afura was on the boat. With only seconds to spare, he put everything on one desperate gamble. He willed the wind itself to lift them up, to save them from a fatal crash. The wind responded, slowing them down and finally stopping them about twenty feet above some very sharp rocks. Then he made it take them back up into the air and to the schooner. Shayla-Shayla, still at full speed, swooped down to meet them. She looked at the woman and said, "Hey she's Rhyna Dura. I think she was runner-up for Afura's position. Bet this is who the Grand Priestess said would meet us at the castle." Rhyna moaned once then realizing she was save, let herself fall into unconsciousness. The two fell for an instant before Hiashi managed to activate his fire wings. As they raced back up to the boat Shayla said, "That was a pretty brave thing you did. But be more careful next time. Don't get too far away from me...I mean a Priestess." "I will. It took me a moment before I realized she had active elemental magic. Wind feels different than Fire." "What do you mean?" "Well I sampled Water, Wind, and Fire so far. Each one has a different taste. I can't explain it. But I do think I should try to broaden my palliate sort to speak. Familiarize myself with all the different schools so I'll know when and what magic I can use." Part of Shayla understood, but another wanted to say, "No, stick with fire...with me." The former won out, if only because she didn't want her feelings known. "Ahhhh good idea." Rhyna awoke as the schooner landed at the edge of the shrine grounds. "What happened?" Fujisawa asked as the others disembarked. "Afura...Kazusa came in like a storm, most of the clergy was able to escape without serious injury. She went straight for the focal point of power and created the whirlwind. I tried to dissipate it, but...she...the wind...", she said growing ever more nervous. "That's all right. Kazusa has more power than you and he was at a center of your magic. There's nothing to be ashamed of." Fuji said soothingly. "How can Afura let herself be used in that matter?" she said standing then half-stumbling down the gangplank. "She obviously has no choice. Do you think she'd do this willingly?" Shayla-Shayla said. "Humph! We'll see about that." "Miss Rhyna, what is Kazusa doing? What is he using the whirlwind to hide or protect?" Makoto asked. "She's using the central rune to search the wind for something. If it is touched by the wind, she can find out where it is." "The Lamp of Rock." "Do you think he'll be successful?" asked Fuji. "Don't ask me why, but I don't think so. Izeria's Heroes had reason do doubt the Theocracy. My guess is that they tried to hide it someplace where these types of searches cannot reach." "But he doesn't know that, so let's try to keep him in the dark. Hiashi, let's cook this phantom!" Shayla called out, practically pulling Hiashi with her. The whirlwind was amazingly tight, closer to resembling a wall. Less than a centimeter separated this gale force from a normal strong wind. Makoto yelled to make himself heard. "Hiashi, fill the whirlwind with fire! Shayla, see if you can try to control it, get us a doorway or tunnel or something!" Hiashi allowed the fire to build within himself, meditating on what it was, trying to understand it. Fire, not a substance, but a release of energy, heat and light suspended in an aura of glowing, volatile vapors. Hydrogen and oxygen could feed a fire, albeit in different ways. He reached out with his mind and tapped fire's potential in the whirlwind. The high speed distributed the energy too quickly, but it was still there. He and Shayla could feel the air around them grow warmer. A mental command tried to contain the heat as he summoned the fire to feed on the whirlwind. For an instant, the target flickered into a firestorm. A moment later it happened again, but longer this time. He could do it, almost there... Whoosh! The whirlwind transformed into a funnel of fire, almost as bright as the sun. Hiashi directed it to draw oxygen in from the center, forcing it to use the fuel Kazusa was breathing. Shayla formed a tunnel, small at first, barely big enough to see through. Afura stood there, sweating, struggling to remain conscious and continue the search. The strained proved to be too much for even her young body and there was nothing the phantom possessing her could do to keep her from falling. The flaming whirlwind vanished with a pop as fresh air filled the void it had left. Hiashi, Miz, Fuji, Ifurita, Shayla and Rhyna surrounded Kazusa, ready to strike if anything happened. He was on his hands and knees. At first everyone thought he was gasping for air, but in a few seconds it was clear he was laughing at them. "Rather cleaver of you, using my own vortex to foul my air. Who's idea was it? Makoto? Hiashi? Certainly not that fool Shayla." "Watch who you're calling a fool, Phantom!" challenged Shayla who took a step forward. "How do you know about us?" asked Makoto from the rear. "It's simple. He and Afura are working together. What she know, he knows." Rhyna stated. "Oh it's no wonder why you came in second, Rhyna. I've always thought you would have done better in the school of fire. You have such a temper. But then wind can switch from calm to violent quickly and can go around in circles. When it blows it does so with broad strokes. Much like you. Your friend Afura is mine to control, mind, body, and soul. My grip on her is so complete, she cannot even THINK about resisting me." Kazusa provoked. "What are you waiting for. Either fight or surrender Afura's body!" said Fuji. "So what makes you think I'll do either, alkie?" he returned summoning a quake around the search rune sending everyone off balance. Before anyone could recover, walls of hard stone rose up and protected Kazusa. Fuji was the first to regain his footing and pounded at the walls, shattering them after the third blow. There was a circular depression. Some of the search runes were still visible, but most had been lost. "Forget it Sensei," said Hiashi, "he's long gone. I can't detect his power." "Shit! I can't believe he got away like that!" Shayla-Shayla said stomping around. "Where do you think he'll go next?" asked Makoto. "That depends on if her search was successful." Rhyna said. "It wasn't. Bastard didn't boast enough." Shayla-Shayla said. "He can't access the other temples without our Lamps." said Miz, "Do you think he might come after us next? Oh Machimichi protect me." She hugged her husband tightly as she was known to do under any excuse. He returned the embrace slightly and wondered if she just might be right. "Well this trip was a waste of time. Kazusa got away, half of us are exhausted, and Hiashi was almost killed." muttered Shayla. Rhyna humphed and said as she walked over to Hiashi and Shayla, "He risked his life to save mine. If you didn't come, I'd be dead. So I wouldn't call this a total waste." With that she kissed Hiashi lightly on the cheek as thanks. Shayla was furious, barely able to contain her anger. Hiashi himself was too surprised to resist or notice Shayla. Shayla grabbed his hand and half-dragged him to the boat saying, "Let's just go home."