Curse of the Zodiac Serpent
The Island

Ayako wasn’t quiet as she entered Kenji’s quarters, she was there to wake him up anyway, she didn’t see the point.

Also, it would have been nice to be told about the transforming snake crew. Though Dimitri had told her they were cursed, she hadn’t believed it until this moment. She didn’t want to admit it but she was shaken by what she had witnessed. Even more so the fact that they were soon to find out that she wasn’t the one they needed to break their curse.

A lingering thought pestered her. What if it was to become her fault that they would remain cursed forever?

“Rise and shine Captain!” She tried to sound perky but couldn’t force it.

When he didn’t respond she walked over to his bed and took ahold of his blanket, yanking it from his form she yelled his name.

“KENJI”

He bolted awake and sprung into action. He grabbed hold of her, flinging her to the bed, an instant later his hands were aiming for her throat. She was quick to respond. The blanket still in hand, she wrapped it around his wrists and yanked forward knocking him off balance. Her legs wrapped around his waist she flipped the situation and him, so she was the one straddling him.

He blinked up at her surprised.

“Bit of a touchy sleeper?” She questioned.

“Not used to being woken up by a woman.” He looked over to his restrained hands. “Though if you’re into restraints, I could get on board with that.”

Her mind went absolutely blank, had he just said that? A light flush settled on her cheeks, not even the shogun would joke with her that way. He couldn’t be serious, could he?

“I’ll tie you to a post in here, so you stay out of my damn business!” He added.

And that weird giddy feeling was gone. She sighed and removed herself from him and his bed. “Land is on the horizon.”

“Didn’t think you would be one to help in this situation.” He commented as he untangled his wrists from the thin blanket. Tossing it aside he stood and strode past her, exiting the room. “Get some sleep.”

“You think I can sleep with the thought of my impending doom on the horizon?” She pointed out.

“You’re not trying to gain my trust and run as soon as we hit land are you?” He glanced over his shoulder at her as she hurried to follow behind him.

“Can’t say that the thought hasn’t crossed my mind.” She shrugged.

He huffed. “At least you’re honest.”

It only took a few short hours to reach land. Again the morning had been spent with Kenji mostly ignoring her. At this point she’d given up on trying to ask him questions, he’d just grunt and walk away.

As the entered shallower waters and approached the docks she was unable to help him with the ropes and anchor. Since he had bound her hands behind her back.

“Are you really not going to tell me how you were cursed, don’t you think I deserve that?” She tried again.

“I owe you nothing.” Was his short response.

“I think if this works you’re going to owe me a heck of a lot.”

“If you survive.”

She cringed. “This isn’t going to be some cannibalism ritual is it?”

He stopped what he was doing to turn to look at her with a disgusted expression.

“Well, how am I meant to know? You haven’t told me anything.” She added.

“What does it matter?” He shook his head and turned his back on her again.

“It matters to me! I’m at the centre of this, and how do you know if it’s even going to work?”

“I knew I should have brought a gag.” He muttered.

She sighed slumping against the railing and slid to the deck, sitting down. He finished tying down the ship to the dock. She watched in silence as he retrieved the plank that was used as the ramp. Once he was done he approached her and extended a hand to her. She glared at him looking down at her bound arms that were restrained behind her back.

“Oh, thank you for being such a gentleman!” She exclaimed sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

He took hold of her forearm and pulled her to her feet. “Down the ramp.”

With a sigh, she complied. “So why aren’t you cursed, but the crew is?”

“Don’t you ever shut up!”

“Nope.” She smiled happily as he shoved her forward down toward land.

In a few short steps, she was off the boat and past the wooden dock, her feet touching soft soil and sand. The dock they were anchored at was nothing special, it was a wooden runway leading to a path that extended into a dense-looking forest. The island was vibrant with colours and lush with shruggery. His hand never left her arm as she was forced to proceed along the path and deeper into the island.

“If you must know, the crew and I hit some bad luck about a year ago. We stole something we shouldn’t and have been working off our debt ever since.” He took her by surprise as he began to speak.

“You were cursed because of something you stole?”

“To be exact, it was what we stole that cursed us. We tried to return it but the damage was done.”

She frowned. An object cursed them, not a person? “You’re going to offer me as a sacrifice to this object to lift the curse?”

He laughed. “Something so simple-minded wouldn’t work. The person it belonged to can remove the curse since they cursed the object.”

“What was it?”

“A sword belonging to the Tokugawa.”

“A blade of my clan!?” She exclaimed surprised. Inside she was cursing, it was starting to make sense as to why they needed the royal bloodline.

He frowned at her choice of words but didn’t question it.

“We’re here.” He pointed out as he moved aside some thick leaves that were blocking the way.

The scene before her blew her away. Hidden away on this luscious island was a number of shines, each standing tall. She counted twelve in total. The path turned to a paved road that twisted and bent in various directions, leading to each temple-like shine. They walked through a set of Tori gates at the entrance and continued down the path. Each Shine was a pagoda with three stories, each adorned with different colours and symbols.

After passing the fourth one she started to notice a pattern, they were all animals. Monkey, Dragon, Pig, tiger.

These, she soon realized, were shrines dedicated to the Zodiac.

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