5 Interlude

She sits on her desk, her laptop open in front of her. Her brows knitted as she tries to make sense of the document in front of her. She bites the end of her pen.

"Having a hard time?"

Saki groans in frustration. "Why do they make it so hard to understand? Don't these people want to pass their knowledge on to the future generations?"

"Most intellectuals guard their secrets jealously. They hide them under layers of protection, misdirection, and sometimes even curses. It is not because they wish to keep it from everyone, but from undeserving eyes that wish to use that knowledge for something other than its true purpose."

"But how can we unlock it?"

"One must remove what blocks the eyes to see what is hidden."

Saki rolls her eyes. She knows that much. "How do you propose we do that?"

"It is just as I said."

"I suppose you're an expert in these?" Saki asked sarcastically.

"I was able to decipher a handful of these, yes."

"What were they about?"

"One must needs find the answer to the first before they can question the next."

"More riddles," Saki sighed. She rests her chin on her hand. "I'm not really in the mood for those right now." After everything that happened to her today, she feels exhausted.

Saki decides to ask another question, one closer to her heart: "Have you ever been forced to do something that could change the course you've planned for your entire life?"

"Yes."

"Really? What was it?"

"I needed to marry someone against my own will, someone I know nothing about."

She sighed deeply, her head sliding down to her arm. Her eyes are becoming heavy. "Hmm.. I guess we're the same then." She yawns. "I don't.. want to.. get married.. though.."

As she closes her eyes, she felt a hand stroke her hair. "One must do one's duty, regardless of what one feels." That sentence echoed through her mind.

----

A dimly illuminated hallway. The light was flickering, coming from the end of the hallway. She walks towards it.

A door.. intricately carved with symbols. She runs her fingers over them feeling their grooves. A voice calls her from inside the room. She pushes, going through the other side.

"You're here," a woman said, smiling. She was wearing what seems to be a red robe embellished with clusters of maple leaves, her face hidden by shadows. "Come," she gestured her to come and sit beside her in the divan.

Saki obeys the woman. As she walks near, she noticed that the woman's face looked familiar, yet she didn't seem like someone she knew. Sitting beside her, the smell of sacred frankincense invaded Saki's nose.

"My beautiful little Neve," the woman said, endearingly, as she brushes a strand of hair from her face.

Saki's eyes widened. Mom! Is it you? No wonder she doesn't recognize her. She died when she was 5!

"Mother," she heard herself say. "Do I really have to do this?"

The woman held Saki's shoulder and turned her around so that her back faces the woman. Saki could feel the woman's fingers running through her hair.

"For the sake of our clan, you must get married," the woman said. "It is your duty. It is your destiny."

The woman takes her hand and places something on top of her palm. "Take this and keep it with you. It's a protection charm."

Saki saw that it was a chrysanthemum charm pendant made from red jade. She felt her heart grow heavy. But before she could say a word, her world began to spin.

This time, she was in another room. It was dark and the only light was coming from the middle of the room. Saki could feel heat radiating from it. She tries to look around her, but could see nothing but shadows.

She shields her face with one hand, squinting her eyes to get a better look at the source of light.

Then she heard it.

Someone was calling her name.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Again, her name echoed in the room. The voice laughed playfully like a child.

"What do you want?"

"Come," the voice whispered in an exciting, playful tone. "Come."

The light source flickered. Saki saw a small columnar stand in the middle of the room. Hovering right above it, emitting the light that illuminates the room, is what seems to be an orb.

"Come here." The orb flickered as the voice spoke. "Come play with me."

Curious, Saki approached it. And with every step she took, the orb shined brighter, its heat intensifying. It was made of something clear, probably glass. And inside it was a flame, coiled into itself. The flame flickers, but shines back brighter every time. The voice giggled happily, calling her name over and over again.

She stretches out her hand, wanting to touch it. As her hand drew near, Saki could hear a chorus around her singing.

The tips of her fingers were only inches away from the glass. The chorus rising into a crescendo.

Suddenly, her wrist was pulled back.

"What are you doing here?"

Saki turned to the one holding her wrist. It was another Saki! Only this time, her hair was red and her eyes were purple

"Who -?" Saki began but was cut off as she was pulled way from the orb.

"You need to leave," 'Saki' said. "Go back. You shouldn't be here."

"But -"

"Go back."

Once again, Saki's world spun, the words echoing through her mind.

Saki opens her eyes and finds herself in her study. She had fallen asleep on her desk.

What a weird dream. She glanced at the clock. 5:00 AM.

She groaned as she sat up. Her back hurt from the uncomfortable position she slept in. She felt the familiar signs of a migraine coming. As she lifted her right hand to support her head, she realized she was holding something.

Clutched in her hand was a chrysanthemum charm pendant made of red jade.