Ekkusu [X] :: Clamp
 VOLUME 3
:: translated by tenno yukie ::
:: volume 02 :: Seven Stars (SHICHIYOU I) :: volume 04 ::

volume 03

THEIR DESTINY WAS FOREORDAINED, 1999
X Seven Stars (SHICHIYOU I)

people (at the funeral) : the reverend was only 45! I heard his heart was pierced! it was murder! who could do something like that...... (offering their leaves at the funeral service) and his wife saya too, I think she got attacked by some beast and her body was torn to pieces! what's wrong with the togakushi shrine?

(fuuma just sits there quietly watching the people come and go, he remembers what his father said)

kyougo : it has begun...... the world... the first arrow... signaling the end... of the world... has... been... shot... fuuma... you... are... ka... mui's...

(kamui standing outside in the rain, also thinking about kyougo)

kyougo : ... ka... mui... get... the ...holy sword... kekkai... before the... seven... seals... are broken... the angels... (is it the rain? or maybe kamui crying for kyougo)
sorata : [grandfather... ... it has finally started...... just like what you saw in the stars...]

(it's still raining, meanwhile, kotori is in that wide-eyed traumatized look)

kotori : da... ddy... (flashback to the other night) onii-chan, what's wrong? is daddy home yet? (fuuma is quiet and he blood on his shirt) onii-chan, what is it!? are you hurt!?
fuuma : kotori... please calm down, listen to me.
kotori : what is it?
fuuma (painfully) : father is... dead...
kotori (shock) : da...ddy...?
fuuma : he died... in the main hall of the shrine. (kotori runs out) KOTORI!!
kotori (run to the main hall) : daddy! daddy!! daddy... ...!! (crying, suddenly chest pain strikes and she falls unconscious)
fuuma (who was after her) : kotori!
kotori : [daddy... daddy... (an image from her childhood of a kind father with a son and daughter, and she falls down in kamui's arms)] daddy... (in her half dreamy/traumatized state, she remember a similar thing when she was young, her mother's decapitated body, blood all over the place.) [what was that just now!? it's not mom. it's not... mom died from illness! she died from illness, but...]
text : forget it, kotori!
kotori (leaning again the window, it's raining like crazy outside) : mother was...

(sorata, fuuma and kamui standing in the rain at the funeral.)

hinoto (in her dream world) : [where is... kamui? that's... an egg? (she sees an egg) the holy sword is inside the egg... (when she tries to touch the sword, she feels a mirror instead) MIRROR!!? (a reflection of the holy sword) the sword is in there! there're two swords... (and then she sees two kamui) kamui...? two of them...!? (the mirrored eggs crack and both kamui's take the swords inside. and they both raise the swords over their head) there are two kamuis...!! (wings grow out on both of their backs, one white angel feathery wings, one with black bony devil wings.) WING... (the two fight each other, their swords clash.) AHH---AHHHHH--- (suddenly all that stops and hinoto is alone again.) kamui... is gone... (waking up) what was... that dream...]
hien : princess!
souhi : princess! did you get hurt in your dream again?
hinoto : ...there are two... holy swords... there are two kamuis... why... hien, souhi. (look at the two girls) find arashi-dono now, kamui's holy sword was taken by someone...

(kanoe is in her room, waking up from a dream too. yuuto is by her bedside)

yuuto : how are you, kanoe-san? you don't look too well. (smile) don't tell me you had a nightmare.
kanoe (getting dressed) : even worse! the holy sword has been stolen!
yuuto (smile) : so someone was ahead of us! was it that cheerful oosaka boy?
kanoe : no! the boy you met was a visitor from kouyasan. kouyasan... the head temple of the shingon sect. one of the few existing religious holy lands in japan... so one of the seven seals... was hiding in kouyasan! (a girl appears at the door)
yuuto : that boy is a monk, I would've never guessed!
kanoe : satsuki, can you find the holy sword? the one who took the holy sword should at least leave some traces in the computer networks!

(satsuki reaches her hands into the computer, wires wrapped around her body.)

yuuto : it's always an unbelievable view!
kanoe : in the modern world, nothing goes without computers. every family has its PC, not to mention electronics, electricity, gas, water supplies, etc. are all controlled by computers! and the best category of computer use is in the intelligence business. no matter what means of transportation the one who took the holy sword uses, he'll leave his trace in the computer networks.
yuuto : how long is the holy sword?
kanoe : about 1.03 meters.
yuuto : carrying such a large object around will surely attract attention. whether it's escaping by taxi or bus. the reports are probably all in the computers!
kanoe : satsuki can enter all computer networks from any terminal and manipulate or steal data. nothing can stop her! because, satsuki is the computer's love! that's also why the Freemasons want her badly. in the past in tokyo, there has been a partial black out.
yuuto : all the bank data deleted, the phones don't work.
kanoe : that's her work too! I asked her to get data from the imperial household agency, and the ministry of inquiry chambers that I really wanted. from beneath city hall, she created this computer "beast".
yuuto : oh! so that's the thing that looks like a refrigerator, that cold and scary room. what an adorable pet!
satsuki : back then, the imperial household and the ministry of inquiry were both following the intruder into their network. so shake off the tracing programs after me, I cut off all the power.
yuuto (@.@) : that's the black out? you're so different from your adorable appearance! such a strong personality! the bank manager looked like he was about to commit suicide on TV.
satsuki (smile) : not only did all the clients' data disappear, they need to reformat all the files damaged during the black out. it'll probably take them a few month! kanoe. (the wires leaving her body, she takes off her glasses) there's no trace of riding a taxi or bus, but a police patrol did see a young man holding a long, wrapped package.
yuuto : young man?
satsuki : and he had blood on his left hand.
yuuto (smile) : this is getting dangerous!
satsuki : on the forehead of the young man, there was something like a flower peddle pattern...
kanoe (shock) : could it be!?

(kamui walking away from the funeral on that still rainy day)

sorata : kamui. (get ignored) kamui! (kamui looks at him) it has finally begun, kamui! the final battle over this earth! (kamui walks away, sorata grabs his arm) listen! the stargazer knew this. that's why he has sent me here. I am one of the seven seals, my name is arisugawa sorata! kamui, i... don't even remember the faces of my parents! the monks from kouyasan told me that when I was three, they took me away as the stargazer has ordered. when my mother handed me over, she clanged on to me and wouldn't let go until the last second. it was the same for me that day, mother was crying as she watched them take me away. in the rain, the whole time! probably a rainy day like this. (big smile) but of course, I don't remember any of that! (kamui glares at him funny) kamui, although I can't understand your pain for losing your only relative, but I think I can understand the burden fate has placed on you! kamui, whether you like it or not, the war has begun! now, the master of this temper was killed, it's only because of the holy sword!

(kamui's mind flashes back to when he was a little boy, the kind reverend caring for him and his own children.)

kamui : who killed oji-san?
sorata : ...according to the stargazer, "kamui's holy sword was taken by one of the seven angels. and when that sword appears before kamui again, it may have changed completely!"
kamui : ... I came back to get the holy sword. I was going to leave once I got it from the temple.
sorata : how did you know about the holy sword?
kamui : ......
sorata : your mother told you? kamui, after your only relative died, and more people dying in front of you, I guess you can't really trust anyone! but, this is reality! we're all gonna be in big problem if you can't understand that your slender shoulders carries the fate of the entire world!

(a woman appears in the rain)

tokiko : that's right.

(both sorata and kamui turns around in alarm)

sorata : who's there!?
tokiko : gallant boys.
kamui : aren't you from school... (remembers the nurse's office)
tokiko : that's right. I'm the doctor whom you sent monou-san to.
sorata : doctor?
kamui : what do you want?
tokiko : you don't remember? (takes off her glasses) don't you think I look familiar? (without her glasses she looks very like another woman, just different hair) kamui.
kamui (stunned) : m... mom...
tokiko : finally!
sorata (sharp hearing) : EH? (all confused) kamui's mother is so young and pretty? [you don't look alike! that pretty woman has a 15 year old son!?]
tokiko (laugh) : if that's true, kamui would mean that I was pregnant at 14!
kamui : ...... ... who are you?
tokiko : I am your only relative! kamui.
kamui (shock) : [RELATIVE!?]

(still raining, but kamui and sorata is inside a nice house)

sorata : kamui, weren't your mother your only relative?
kamui (ignores him, look outside the window) : [from this window, I can see the old ruins of my house. why do you live in the house next to my old address? and your eyes...... look the same as my mother... why...] (he's still dripping wet, and suddenly tokiko throws him a towel)
tokiko : you'll catch a cold like that! (hand him hot tea, and kamui thinks that she looks like his mother even more)
kamui : [so like... mother... (taking the tea, tokiko hands sorata tea too)]
sorata : thanks!
tokiko (sit down now) : it seem you two have lots of questions! especially kamui!
kamui (serious) : ...who are you...
tokiko : my name is magami tokiko. as you already know, the doctor at your local high school! and... (smile) my older sister is named tooru. that would be... kamui's mother!
sorata (shock) : then doesn't that make you kamui's...
tokiko : yep. aunt. and that's all.
kamui : these things... mother...
tokiko (smile) : never told you, right? the last time I saw my sister was when I was still in middle school. (look a little sad) you weren't born yet!
kamui : mother never mentioned that she had a sister...
tokiko : you probably never told you. she disappeared from the magami family soon after she graduated from high school!
kamui : magami?
tokiko : yes, your mother's maiden family name was magami!
sorata (shock) : wait!! did you just say magami? shin *the kanji character for MA* as in shinjitsu *truth*, and kami *kanji character for GAMI* as in kami-sama *god*?? MAGAMI!? if you really mean magami, then...!
tokiko : knowing the name magami, you're not an ordinary man either!
sorata (recovering) : that's right... kamui's mother is from the magami family...
tokiko : my sister tooru probably didn't tell you about the magami family either! kamui. do you know anything about your father?
kamui (shock) : ......
tokiko : didn't you hear anything from tooru nee-san? oh, I see! didn't she even... tell anything to her own son? kamui, the night before my sister's disappearance, she said to me... (in a night snowing sakura peddles... a woman - tooru brings her little kid sister out of bed) "I will bear the child of a man." (shock kamui) "it is a child I bear for the sake of the earth!" hm.

(meanwhile, at the funeral, a girl is standing behind a pole looking at the ceremony. sometime before, she was brought to hinoto who said to her...)

hinoto : kamui's holy sword was stolen! the one who took it is probably one of the seven angels. right now there's a visitor from kouya with kamui.
arashi : and he is...
hinoto : one of the seven seals. same as you, arashi-dono.
arashi : then one of the seven seals was at kouyasan!
text : no one can stop it now.
hinoto : the final battle over this earth has finally begun. arashi-dono, no matter what happens, please protect kamui. and this earth!

(so arashi is at the shrine now, walking back from there actually)

arashi : [... the holy sword was taken... togakushi *hidden sword* shrine. just like the name implies, this place hid... (she sees an image of kamui) ...kamui...] (then she's suddenly alarmed) !! (she sees a nice looking man walking past her, with glasses and holding some documents. the usual businessman in suits) [that man...!! (she just keeps on staring at him) who is he?]
seiichirou (???) : [errr? (smile with sweatdrop)]
arashi : [I don't feel any hostile or homicidal intents. but... (the guy just smiles at her) there's something...]

(but her attention was soon taken off of him because a bunch of guy are rushing her)

seiichirou : !

(a bunch of guys who are just MIB... arashi forms a magical window with her hands and she could see that all of them are paper spirits.)

arashi : [shikigami! and they're human formed shikigamis... ... must be a very strong sorcerer... (and seiichirou just looks around in confusion) there's going to be trouble if we fight here, plus I don't know that guy's real identity. but there's no reason to involve him. guess I'll have to do this in a kekkai!]

(she forms a pyramid in her hands and it gets larger and larger until it covers this whole part of the city, dragging in all the paper spirits, the guy was very surprised to see her do that. and now they're cut off from the rest of the world. meanwhile, the guy, in this alternative dimension, is putting aside his umbrella, realizing it's not raining inside the kekkai.)

arashi (shock) : he's inside the kekkai!? I should've only included the shikigamis into the kekkai! but... why!? (seiichirou smiles at her)

(meanwhile all the paper spirits attack her, arashi's hand glows and a sword extends from inside her palm like it came from inside her body. she begins to destroy all the shikigamis)

arashi : [even facing the shikigamis or being inside my kekkai, he doesn't look shocked at all. when I first saw him, there was something... (a few of the shikigamis begins to attack the guy, arashi couldn't help him in time) too late!]

(but all the attacking shikigamis are destroyed by that man's powers)

arashi : WIND!? (seiichirou knock out more of the shikigamis) it's wind! he controls wind!!]

(so they work together now to kill all the shikigamis, afterwards, seiichirou picks up a paper spell from the dead shikigami)

seiichirou : I knew it, shikigamis! (break the paper into pieces) that was a great kekkai! no way I can do that.
arashi : then you are...
seiichirou : I'm on your side!

(meanwhile in tokiko's house, kamui and sorata are both covering their ears)

sorata : [hey!]
kamui : [my ears are ringing!? no! that's not it...]
sorata : seems like someone make a kekkai!
kamui : kekkai?
sorata : shouldn't you know? only the seven seals can create kekkais. (concentrate) it's very close by! somewhere around here!
tokiko : so they have all gathered in this tokyo! they have all sensed the return of kamui. all those related to the end of the world.

(kamui is also sensing the kekkai)

kamui : [the heart of the kekkai...] (suddenly jump up) KOTORI!!
sorata (jump up too) : the kekkai's at... the togakushi shrine!!

(kamui rushes out the door)

tokiko : please be back! when you come back, I'll tell you about your mother, and the magami family. and your destiny.

(kamui takes one last look back and out he goes)

sorata : wait! kamui! I'm going too!!

(tokiko is alone in her room, meanwhile kamui is jumping over wires and pole to get to the shrine)

kamui : [kotori...] (meanwhile...)
arashi : you're also...
seiichirou : someone who creates kekkais.
arashi : one of the... seven seals! (beep, beep, seiichirou looks in his suit very alertly, looks at his beeper)
seiichirou : someone's beeping me! (look around furiously) phone! phone! (slap his forehead, seems to be in a hurry) in I don't get back to the editorial office now...!
arashi (sweatdrop) : ......
seiichirou (who was so calm just a minute ago) : so sorry! we just met, but I must get back to work now. we'll definitely meet again, for now, here's my card! bye! (run away, arashi looks at his card, he suddenly runs back, pick up the umbrella) oh dear, I just remembered... if you don't mind, please take this. (give her the umbrella) girls shouldn't catch a cold! this time it's good bye for real! (wave, run away like the wind)
arashi (standing alone, sweatdrop) : what... was that all about... (look at the card, aoki seiichirou, editor.) aoki seiichirou...

(kamui's running and running and all he thinks about is kotori, and suddenly they stop, he touch his ear again)

kamui : !
sorata : the kekkai's gone!

(the city looks normal and kamui suddenly gets an image of kotori dying. they see a girl standing in the middle of the street)

kamui : [that's the girl!] (remember when she saved daisuke)
arashi (looks up) : ! (immediately recognize...) [KAMUI]

(kamui and sorata jump down from the pole that they were standing on)

kamui : what are you doing here?
arashi : I came looking for you.
kamui : what do you want?
sorata (big smile, mediator when things gets flaming) : now wait, kamui! hey, pretty lady, were you the one who made the kekkai here?
arashi : you are... the visitor from kouyasan?
sorata : ...then... you're one of the seven seals too?
arashi : there was another one here before...
sorata : another one?
arashi : he got called away by a beeper.
sorata (totally confused) : ???
kamui : why did you stop me back then?
arashi : ... the battle was decided already, there was no point hurting him further! or... did you want to kill him?
kamui (smirk) : that's right! I kill anyone who messes with me! no matter who it is!

(just long silent pause between kamui and arashi... sorata jumps in with his funny face again)

sorata : hey! it's scary when two good looking people glare at each other! alright! quit it, both of you! (look at arashi) ...... (smile) you decide, sis!
arashi : ?
sorata (pokes his head around) : nothing seems to have changed! kotori looks fine too! great! kamui. that cute girl, kotori, right? when you found out that the kekkai was located at the togakushi shrine, did you see the look on your face? and you were screaming "kotori!"
kamui : you...
sorata (pat him on the back, smile) : we should be getting back to the magami house! (walking away) why don't you come with us, sis.
arashi : magami?
sorata : you're reacting to the name too, then it means you're not an ordinary person either! and sis, it's related to you too! whatever, it's the mysteries surrounding kamui!

(so the three of them run back to the magami house, but then they see the place burning down)

kamui (shock) : that!
sorata : isn't that tokiko-san's house!? (the whole place in flames) ...... someone beat us here!
tokiko (flashback) : wait till you come back, then I'll tell you! about your mother and the magami family. and... your destiny!

(kamui remembers when he was younger)

kamui : mom! (running into the fire) mom! mom is still in there! come on! come on!! [she's in there! she's still in there...] MOM!

(he's ready to run into the fire, but sorata holds him back)

sorata : wait! kamui!
kamui : let go! she's still in there...!
sorata : there's no one inside...
arashi : it doesn't seem like anyone's still inside.
kamui : did she... get away?
sorata : or maybe taken away... anyway, it'll get worse if we don't leave now! police and neighbors will be here soon. sis, sorry to make you come! can you just stay a little longer? kamui, things are developing faster than expected! the holy sword stolen, the reverend killed, and your only relative, tokiko-san is missing. battle has begun!

(a woman sits on a nearby pole watching the three of them come and leave and she smiles and disappears from her place. meanwhile... fuuma is somewhere in a dreamy world.)

text : where... is this place... (sees a ball ahead of him) that's earth......
fuuma : [it looks like... (sees a woman inside the ball) someone's inside! (the woman looks up and comes out of the ball) it's a person! a woman...?
kanoe : I finally found you... help me.
fuuma : help you?
kanoe : save this earth!
fuuma : earth?

(fuuma sees an view of kids playing around, him, kamui and kotori. their mothers watch them lovingly)

children : ahahah... hahah...
fuuma (smiles as he focuses on one of them) : [kamui... kamui you must be lonely without a father, but you still smile so often... just looking at your smile, I feel happy too! (fuuma bends down and hug the imaginary kotori and kamui) only when kotori and kamui smiled... was the happiest times. (he then sees a woman smiling) ...mother... (looks sad) she was very happy! long ago...]
voice : YAAHHHHHH...

(fuuma runs quickly into a room, only to find the decapitated body of his mother)

fuuma : MOTHER!! (walks in slowly) mo...! (then he sees a little boy standing before his mother's severed head) [a child? (the boy picks up the head) who is that? (the boy turns around, he has a strange little smile, fuuma sure looks shocked, the boy slowly licks his hand dripping with blood... and then he looks up, and everyone sees his face. fuuma falls on his knees)] KAMUI...!!

(all the images disappear, and then his father appears before him)

fuuma (looks up) : father.

(kyouga points and fuuma looks around and sees photos all over the place, including tokyo tower and city hall)

fuuma : [that's... the destroyed tokyo? but why are tokyo tower and city hall still standing?]

(kyouga relives his death)

kyouga : fuuma... you're kamui's......
fuuma : FATHER!! (tries to grab him but all the images disappear) father...

(now he's taken to a different place, he sees kotori tied up on a cross)

fuuma : kotori!!
kotori : onii-chan.

(a kamui with black devil wings standing on top of the cross. he raises his holy sword and stabbed into kotori's heart. blood splashes onto his face, but he doesn't care)

fuuma : KOTORI---!! (all images disappear)
kanoe (calling him back to "reality") : fuuma...
fuuma (covering his face) : that's a dream! (kanoe doesn't answer, fuuma clings on to remaining feathers) that's a dream!
kanoe : yet, it's a dream. but it's also a possible future.
fuuma : future?
kanoe : but you can change the future! please save the earth, and save that girl. (a evil look) KILL KAMUI!

(fuuma wakes up, he was sleeping on the sofa)

fuuma : it was... a dream. why did i... have such a dream...
text : kill-- kamui!
fuuma : [kamui...]

end of volume 3
3 THE EMPRESS
SHICHIYOU
1) seven stars, the big dipper
2) seven kinds of radiance
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