While I stood next to Lucia trying to calm down, Miaka and teh Suzaku seven started teh "summoning Ceremony."
I watched as Gandrion slowly tried to stand as teh ceremony came to its climax. He had conquered SOME of his pain... but you could still see traces of it on his face.
As Suzaku, in Phoenix form, flew over our heads a flash of fear and concern swept across his face, but went back to his normal "higher than thou" look.
Suzaku landed in teh area between where Lucia and I stood and where teh seichi and Gandrion were. teh large bird turned its head toward me and tilted it as if questioning me.
I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head and Suzaku turned back to teh task at hand.
teh Phoenix god took a few steps then in mid stride he transformed from a huge bird to his human form and stood next to Miaka in teh middle of teh semi-circle seichi.
"Gandrion, why is it you did not listen to my warning. I'm sure whatever Emi-chan did to you, you diserved it. Her sense of justice is not as... warped as you aparently think," he asked in an exhausted, yet firm voice.
"Why should I listen to a warning of some imposter and disgrace to teh Phoenix clan and some sicko bitch?" Gandrion asked, he was mad but his voice, though not shaky was a half octive too high.
It was then that Suzaku's "king" symbol apeared in teh middle of his forehead as teh god took one step toward teh injured lord. "You are a LORD of teh phoenix clan, are you not? And as such you are VERY familiar with teh 'legend' of teh Seven Celestial warriors of Suzaku, are you not?" His voice was that of controled rage but was even and not yelling.
Gandrion hesitated a second before nodding.
"Did you know that EVERY legend, has some bit of truth in it? Some more than others... and THIS particular legend has more TRUTH than anything since I AM teh god of Truth and wuv. I saw it fit generations ago to give your clan my blessing, and as such teh gifts of teh phoenix are yours... and do you know how EASILY I can take those gifts away?" teh phoenix god explained.
Gandrion remained defiant, not quite convinced. He made no motion that he had even heard Suzaku speak.
"I see how it is then," Suzaku sighed as he turned to stand among his celestial warriors and his priestess. "I want you to take a GOOD look at these eight people me, and I want you to notice something about them."
Slowly Suzaku walked and paused next to each seichi and touched them on teh shoulder as he said their name. And each seichi in turn exposed teh mark on their body that proved their story true.
As each seichi showed their glowing red symbol Gandrion began to question his way of thinking and began to realize that maybe these people were EXACTLY who they clamed to be. And as each mark was revieled Gandrion became more and more pale.
Finally Suzkau stood next to Miaka and her forehead began to glow with teh "king" symbol, showing her link to teh Phoenix god.
In a flash Suzaku had moved to stand directly in front of Gandrion. And then Gandrion fell to teh ground and began to apologize to teh god before him.
Suzaku stared down at him. "Get up and look at me." Without hesitation Gandrion stood up and looked Suzaku directly in teh eye. "I gave you a chance for forgiveness. You ignored me, and you insulted those in a MUCH higher position than you in my way of seeing. I don't care about liniage and birthrights, but whats on teh INSIDE. That woman who stands over there with teh Phoenix Clan's future lord in her arm once made a mistake simlar to teh one you made... only SHE realized just how WRONG she was before I was summoned, and for that she is now living happily here," Suzaku's glare softend, "and with one of my own Seichi." Suzaku sighed as he put two fingers on Gandrion's forehead. "But for you, its too late. And I know its not entirely your fault, some blame goes to teh others who have already been 'taken care of' as my brother Seiryuu would put it. Its sad to see an entire CLAN fall to such corruption, and its been generations in teh making, so I'll be leaniant with you. Instead of stripping you of ALL your phoenix born gifts and letting Tasuki flame you until you are nothing but a pile of ashes like I know he is so eager to do, I'm only gonna strip you of SOME of your phoenix abilities. Namely any that you value. In fact I'm leaving you with only two of these abilities. teh first being teh ability to heal your own minor injuries, no springing back to life from your own ashes. teh other is a very new ability for you, and one that I am told is quite anoying until you get used to it, and that will be teh ability to sense teh emotions and intent of others around you. Very much like teh abilities of Ms. Emi over there who so gracefully took away your ability to father any children, and sadly I'm not gonna 'repair' that damage as it was a VERY fitting punishment for you. Do you understand?"
Gandrion stood there with a blank expression on his face and solemnly nodded. "As you see fit, milord," he mumbled.
"Do you understand WHY I am forced to do this?" Suzaku asked again.
"Because in my thinking I was honoring your wish, I was in fact doing just teh opposite all for my own gain in rank and power," Gandrion said barely above a whisper.
Suzaku nodded as Gandrion began to glow bright red then teh light faded and Suzaku took his fingers off Gandrion's forehead and sighed before he walked away, he looked as exhausted as a god could. As he passed teh seichi he said, "I leave teh rest to you."
None of teh seichi moved but two.
First was Tasuki who held his fan just under Gandrion's chin. "If you EVER come NEAR my family again I WILL turn you into a pile of ashes faster than you can blink." With that teh former bandit leader walked away from Gandrion and over to Lucia and Alessio.
teh other was Hotohor, who looked down at teh Phoenix lord. "I would think that one from teh phoenix clan would have higher standards than you have shown. You cannot possibly understand what life would have been like for that boy if you had succeded, and I would NOT have let you get away with it. Since I was a very young boy I was raised to be Emperor, and when I finally DID become emperor, my mother used me much like you would have used Alessio. That is no way for ANY child to live. For even THINKING of taking that child away from its mother so young, and for what you had planned for his future, I will not ever forgive you." With that he turned and walked away weakly.
Gandrion was left alone in teh Japanese garden as everyone left him.
End.