The Tablet

Chapter 6: The Temple of Daigi

       The closer they got to the five kilometer mark, the worse Botan felt.  It wasn’t like nausea or any other physical ailment, it wasn’t even really a sensory thing, it was just this ever increasing feeling of weight hovering over her, and a frighteningly powerful pull.  But even that wasn’t consistent, so she tried her best to hide it from the others, only commenting that she was tired.

       Everyone was just a little on edge, even Kurama.  The forest seemed to grow darker with each step, and it had been two kilometers since they had heard a bird’s call or seen an animal.  There was something ominous about this place.  There was little underbrush, for the trees grew so closely that almost no sunlight reached the forest floor, and the soil was dark and soft, kept constantly damp by the moist air that surrounded it.  Itani half expected to see mist rising from the ground and swirling about their legs, but she realized it would have been cliché, and there was nothing cliché about this place.  Nervously she tucked her hair behind her ears.

       As the forest became more compacted, darker, Botan drew back hesitantly - as though something had sparked some emotion in her that she could not place.  Her brow furrowed and she frowned.  Noticing her reluctance the others stopped.

       “What is it Botan?” Kurama asked quietly.

       Her eyes widened, “I don’t know,” she closed them tightly, “I’m sensing... something.”

       Yusuke eyed her thoughtfully, “they were right then?  This is it?  Koenma said you would know.”

       She shook her head so minutely they couldn’t be sure she had done it on purpose.   “I’m not sure, there’s just, I’ve never...”

       “This is it.” Itani’s voice was absolutely calm, almost surreal.

       Yusuke turned in surprise, “What do you mean?”

       Her eyes, which had been distantly focused a moment before, came to sharp focus on him, “It’s here – somewhere.”

       “How do you know?” Kuwabara asked.

       Her gaze didn’t shift toward him, but remained fixed on Yusuke, the absolute certainty there seemed to burn into his soul, “I just do.”

       And somehow no one doubted it.

       Koenma had said they would need her, that she had some connection to the power as the one who had released it.  It was possible that this connection gave her increased sensitivity to its nearness.

       “I agree.” Botan had finally gotten a hold of herself.  When they had first approached she had been overwhelmed, but as she grew accustomed to the feeling she began to recognize it.  It was a shying away of her soul, a greater measure of what she felt when in the presence of an evil heart.  She had felt it most in the presence of Toguro, but that paled in comparison to this.  Even the feeling of dread when the artifact had been activated could not compare.  Whatever this power was, it was incredibly evil.

       “We should continue.” Kurama urged gently, and Botan nodded.

       Now the thickness of the air seemed oppressive, perhaps more so because of the ominous prediction that the sphere was near by.  The trees seemed to close in around them, as though attempting to suffocate them, or trap them.  And then - they were gone. 

       They had stepped through the dense forest into open fields filled with aging buildings.  The foremost building immediately drew their attention.  It was large, with red pillars and gold trimmings. Ornate carvings were etched in the walls and statues lined the steps to the large double doors.

       “A temple?” Itani stepped ahead of the others, only to be stopped by Kurama’s hand on her shoulder.

       “We should proceed with caution,” he advised, “someone lives here, the ground are too well cared for.”

       Itani nodded and waited for the others to come up beside her.  Together they approached the temple.  They decided that an open approach would be best; after all, they didn’t know who the temple caretaker was, or what kind of person they might be.  It would be best to feign ignorance – though, truthfully, for the most part they were completely ignorant.  They had not known a temple was out here.

       By unspoken agreement they let Kurama go first.  He was the most diplomatic of the group after all.  Yusuke and Kuwabara held open the heavy doors so that the girls could follow him, and then entered themselves.

       The inside of the temple was draped with elaborate tapestries and large wall hangings.  It was a breathtaking sight.  There were no furnishings in the large chamber, although there were several high, small tables each holding a vase or statue.  And in the center of the room, seated cross legged on the floor with eyes closed in meditation, was a young man.

       The young man stood out in stark contrast to the room.  His feet were bear, his head shaved bald, and he wore Buddhist style robes in a light orange.  They hesitated, not wishing to disturb him, but he appeared to have already noticed their entrance.  For, though he did not open his eyes, he spoke to them.

       “Welcome, if you will give me but a moment...” And then he muttered something in an ancient dialect and bowed his head.  A moment later his eyes snapped open and he rose, a pleasant smile on his face.

       “Welcome to the M’har temple,” he bowed to them, approaching genially.  “How may I serve you this day?”

       Kurama appraised him for a moment before he spoke.  “Forgive us our intrusion, monk. We are in search of something and were told it may be nearby.  We did not intend to intrude.”

       The man smiled, “Interruption is not always intrusion.” He placed a hand to his chest, “I am Manoa, monk of the second order and primary keeper of this temple.”  Another man entered the room, stopping when he noticed the group at its entrance.  He scowled at them, but otherwise did not acknowledge their presence.  He was obviously a relative of the first man, as their features were quite similar.  But this man had a dark countenance and an unpleasant look.  

       “My brother, Tao.” Manoa offered, and then continued with their earlier conversation as though there had been no interruption.  “If you seek something, this is a good place to find it.” He said with typical Buddhist vagueness.  “We would be pleased to have you stay with us for as long as it suits your needs.”

       “We don’t wish to disturb you.” Kurama said diplomatically.

       The monk smiled, “As I said, interruption is not always intrusion.  It has been some time since we had visitors, and my brother is not much for companionship.” He added wryly.  “We would be honored to have you stay.”

       Kurama and Yusuke exchanged silent looks, and Kurama nodded.

       The monk accepted this without ceremony, “If there is anything you require do not hesitate to ask.  In the meantime, you are free to explore the grounds at your leisure.” Yusuke had to admit that the man’s open nature was a refreshing change.  Most people the spirit detective and his team met were rather antagonistic.

       Botan, now fully recovered, though still a bit uncomfortable, bowed gratefully.  “Thank you very much.”

       The man raised his hand as though to ward off her gratitude. “No need.”

       Nevertheless the others all bowed slightly, expressing their thanks.  Kurama inclined his head, but kept his eyes trained on the second young man.  Unlike his brother, who was warm, open, and friendly, this man was cold, angry, and dark. 

       His coal black eyes met Kurama’s.  They flickered darkly, narrowing for a brief moment before the man broke the contact by turning wordlessly and leaving the room.

       Manoa gave an apologetic smile.  “You’ll have to excuse my brother.  He is rather...” he seemed to be searching for an appropriate word, “serious,” he finally said, “and decidedly antisocial.” His smile widened, “but I am very pleased to finally have some company.  Come,” he turned toward the double doors at the other end of the large room, “I will show you to your accommodations.”

       They followed him through the double doors and out into a sort of covered outdoor hall.  Once outside the main temple the architecture became far less elaborate and ornate.  In fact, the further they got from the main chamber the less opulent their surroundings became.  In the distance they could see mere huts surrounded by fields.  As they walked Manoa began to speak quietly.

       “This was once a large conclave, home to dozens of monks, priests, and temple workers.  The most high ranking were housed nearest the ancient shrine, while the least of the workers dwelt in the further buildings... workers from surrounding villages would come and work the fields for periods of a few days or weeks, living in the huts and then returning to their homes when the next set of villagers came.” His expression remained, for the most part, neutral as he spoke, but at this point it seemed to fall some, “now, few even remember that this temple exists.”

       “Then this temple has been here for some time.” Kurama observed.

       The young monk nodded, “This temple has existed for more than ten thousand years.”

       Botan looked up sharply, “I didn’t realize Buddhism had traveled so far east that early.”

       Itani shook her head, “This isn’t a Buddhist temple, or, at least, it wasn’t originally.  It lacks the Spartan bareness of the religion.” 

       “It is far too ornate and expensive for a religion that denounces worldly possessions.” Kurama agreed.

       Manoa smiled, “You are correct.  The temple was rededicated to Buddha a mere four centuries ago.  Before that it was a Daigi shrine.  However, that was long ago.  And in the interim the temple remained unoccupied as believers of Shinto were wary of the Daigi aura.” 

       “What is Daigi?” Itani asked.

       Manoa turned to look at her as he walked.  “An ancient and obscure religion that many theorize may have been the basis for Feng Shui. It was deeply rooted in elemental and spiritual balance and harmony.  The Daigi also believed in a form of the Chinese concept of Yin and Yang, although they believed that the balance had been out of alignment since the coming of man.”

       “Interesting.” Itani fingered a lock of her hair, worrying her lower lip for a moment, a sure sign that pieces were falling together in her mind – or, at least, were becoming more clearly arranged.  Kurama watched her carefully.

       “For an obscure religion you know an awful lot about this Daigi stuff.” Yusuke scoffed.

       Manoa smiled, seeming not to notice Yusuke’s abrasive manner, “I must confess, I have a fascination with histories.  And especially with the history of this place the keeping of which has been entrusted to my family for generations.  I have had ample time to study.” He stooped, “Ah, here we are.”

       If not as opulent as the central temple, this structure was far from the rundown, simplistic rooms they had recently passed.  What was more, the rooms here were in far better condition than the other buildings had been.

       “These were the visitors’ quarters in the days when the temple was still in use.  These chambers were reserved for the wealthy and those of noble blood.  They are the only buildings, aside from our own quarters and the shrine, which we have maintained through the years.”  He smiled sadly, “our own tribute to nostalgia I suppose you could say.”

       He ushered them inside, “There are several rooms with connecting doors; and facilities, plumbing, and electricity were installed by our father.  If you should need anything,” he reiterated, “do not hesitate to call on either my brother or myself.  We reside in the small dwelling just south of here,” he indicated a rather Spartan building, and then stepped to the doors, “If you will excuse me.”  With a final bow he left, heading back toward the main temple.

       “Should have asked about dinner.” Kuwabara muttered, earning a swat from Botan.

       Yusuke ignored him, his gaze focused on Kurama.

       “What do you think?”

       Kurama moved his mouth thoughtfully, “he seems sincere enough, though perhaps a little cheerful for a monk.” His mouth quirked upward a bit.

       Yusuke snorted, “Yeah,” he agreed, “What about the other one?”

       Kurama crossed his arms, “I’m not certain.  I didn’t get a very good look at him, but there was something... vaguely disturbing about him.”

       “You talkin’ about Blacky?” Kuwabara interrupted, his words muffled as though he were speaking around something.  They turned to see that he had found a banana and had shoved it into his mouth.

       “You oaf – where’d you find that?” Yusuke demanded.

       Kuwabara swallowed, “On the table.”

       “So you just took it?”

       Kuwabara jumped to his feet, “Yeah, so?”

       Yusuke moved so that they were nose to nose, “So!  It wasn’t yours!”

       Kuwabara looked away haughtily, “I didn’t see a name on it.”

       “Now boys,” Botan interrupted as Yusuke slapped his forehead in exasperation.  “Let’s all calm down.” They crossed their arms and glared at each other, but made no further moves.  Botan sighed in relief, “Thank you. Now,” she turned to Kuwabara, “What were you going to say?”

       He shrugged, “Only that the guy gives me the creeps.”

       She nodded, “What do you think Itani?” Itani didn’t answer, so Botan turned to see where she was.  The blue haired woman was leaning over a desk, her books and tools already spread out and neatly organized.  She was flipping through a book, studying it intently.

       “Well, that was fast.” Botan observed with mild surprise.

       Yusuke rolled his eyes, but Kurama came up beside her.

       “What are you looking for?” he asked quietly.

       She didn’t look up, but she did respond – Botan noticed with interest that Kurama was the only one she had responded to – “The text isn’t Buddhist, or even Hindu, or anything else I recognize – so it could very well be Daigi.” She was speaking of the writing on the tablet.

       “So, you’re looking for information on Daigi.” He said with understanding.

       She nodded, “Yes, but I don’t recall ever coming across it, even in Genkai’s books.” She took on a thoughtful expression, “Perhaps Manoa would be willing to share some information.  He did say he had studied Daigi, he must have books or scrolls of some sort.”

       Yusuke groaned at her apparent excitement, but Kurama looked amused.

       “Just don’t forget that we have a job to do.” Yusuke said sourly before sticking his hands in his pocket and heading out the door.

       Botan looked back and forth between Kurama, Itani, and Yusuke for a moment before hurrying after the Spirit Detective, “Wait!  Yusuke! Where are you going?!” she called.

       He barely turned his head, “To look for the stupid sphere or whatever.”

       Itani threw a last helpless glance over her shoulder before hurrying to catch up with him.

       Kurama smiled, “We’d better get busy.”

       Itani nodded her agreement.