There was once a town by the sea; the neglected fingertip of a larger kingdom, and thus often assailed by folk of less honorable purpose.

It was where the enchantress, Lady Gyokumen, was said to have taken refuge from the Ox-King, after turning the king's wife to stone.

It was also where Gojyo and Sanzo, two mercenary huntsmen employed by the king to find the enchantress, hoped to arrive soon, as they'd been walking for days and were very tired.

"I'm starting to think those directions the old man told us were wrong," said Gojyo. "We should have arrived hours ago."

Sanzo sighed. "More walking, less complaining." He adjusted his pack and gave Gojyo a look that dared him to speak again.

Gojyo just smiled, and Sanzo tsked and looked back toward the path.

"At least it's a pretty day."

Sanzo grunted.

"No marsh lights or goblins. No foul little pixies in our hair -"

"Quiet! Can't you just be quiet?" Sanzo reached over and shoved him away, and Gojyo chuckled.

He'd thought he'd hate working with the blond-haired man beside him, but in the month they'd travelled together, he'd come to appreciate his level-headed ways. Holding a conversation was a still a challenge and Sanzo was still quick with a sharp word. He didn't share Gojyo's base sense of humor, and Sanzo's tendency to take everything as a personal affront had made for a wretched few weeks.

But then they'd been attacked on the road by goblins looking for treasure. It was a nasty fight and they took a fair beating themselves. They'd made their way into the next town, ordered a mug of ale and sniped at at each other about how poorly the other had fought. And then Sanzo had stared off into the darkened corners of the inn's tavern.

"I'm tired," he'd murmured.

Gojyo had chuckled and draped an arm over his shoulder, intending to antagonize him just a little more. "I could tuck you into bed quite easily."

Sanzo had slowly turned his head to look at Gojyo, and Gojyo's laugh died away, because there was something in that gaze, an openness he'd only seen a few brief times. He studied Sanzo's eyes and could see no drunken haze, only the fatigue and a muted want Gojyo suddenly understood he'd never admit.

Upstairs, Gojyo found the animosity and discord disappeared between tangled sheets, and their harsh breaths and muttered encouragements were the only words between them.

"There it is," Sanzo said, interrupting Gojyo's thoughts.

From the top of the hill they'd crested, they could see the town was sprawling and lively. It's south edge followed a beach where a small port jutted into the water. There were no gates into the town, just a road dotted with small homes that led to merchant shops packed tightly together. Most folks ignored them as they entered the town, but there was the occasional friendly nod or suspicious glare.

Gojyo was taller than many of the folk, and a quick glare would turn suspicious eyes away. He glanced at Sanzo, who stood nearly as tall, but Sanzo either didn't notice or actively ignored any looks sent his way.

"Think they know we're hunting someone?" Gojyo felt someone brush against him and automatically checked that his coin purse was still attached.

"Who cares. They'll know when we start asking questions."

"True enough."

The road took them into an open square surrounded by merchants and a stray house.

"That vendor - smells good." Gojyo stopped and purchased a skewer of meat and some bread. "Want some?"

Sanzo wrinkled his nose, but reached over plucked away a piece of the meat.

They walked slowly around the square as they ate, listening to conversations and examining the townsfolk. When they'd returned to their starting point, Gojyo shrugged.

"Sounds like a normal town to me. No whispers of fear, no call to arms."

Sanzo hummed in agreement, and then nodded at one of the roads intersecting the square. "I'm going that way. You go where you like. Let's meet here in an hour - not more than two." He turned and jabbed a finger in Gojyo's chest. "And don't linger around chatting in the shops this time! I don't want to have to look for you."

Gojyo batted his finger away. "Said like you're some kind of leader - and you're not."

"Tch! Can you just make this easy?"

"I can make a lot of things easy." Gojyo leered.

Sanzo rolled his eyes.

"Very well. What if one of us finds her? You've made a plan?"

Sanzo clenched his jaw. "Do what you want. But if you get killed doing it by yourself, don't cry to me. I plan to catch her."

"Not if I catch her first."

They both smirked and then departed the public square.

Gojyo followed the road as it rolled gently downhill, past a tavern he'd be sure to bring to Sanzo's attention, and into another plaza smaller than the first. He passed through and followed the road where it turned and opened up to the port. There were a few small boats tied to the pier, a large ship out on the water in the distance, and another one unloading their catch on the dock. None of the vessels looked like the type to carry paying passengers, and Gojyo didn't feel inclined to speak to the fishermen just yet.

Gojyo turned back the way he'd come. He'd mentally mapped out a few areas where he could start asking questions, and there was another road off the small plaza he still wanted to explore.

When he reentered the plaza area, the road he'd intended to explore was blocked by a crowd of people.

As they moved and shifted, he could see a small procession of hooded figures cloaked in long, grey robes. The hood openings were covered with sheer fabric that obscured their faces. They flanked an attractive woman whom they carried on a silken swing strung between poles of bamboo. She wore a simple gown and cape trimmed with ribbons and gems, and even her long braid was woven with ribbon.

"Who's important today?" Gojyo elbowed a townsman who'd twice stepped on his foot, but before the man answered, screams and shouts came from the other end of the street. They both turned and Gojyo watched the crowd scatter away as a massive ox, tossing it's horned head and snorting foam, thundered downhill and directly towards the procession.

Gojyo looked from the ox and back to the woman and her servants stopped just inside the plaza. He looked to the crowd, but the people only pressed further against shop walls.

The ox would be upon the servants and the woman any moment, and he saw that no one intended to stop the animal. He withdrew his dagger and waited.

As the ox galloped by, Gojyo reached out, grabbed one long horn, and used the momentum to leap upon its back. He reached underneath and sliced the dagger through its throat. The ox gave a mighty roar and bucked and Gojyo tumbled over its head and onto the ground at its feet. It tossed its head and stabbed with its horns, striking a stunning blow to his cheek. He leaped up to avoid another blow, and turned to defend himself, but the ox only gasped and collapsed dead at his feet.

There were no cheers from the onlookers, only a moment of quiet suddenly punctuated by two soft claps.

"How heroic," said the woman from her swing. "Come!" She beckoned with a ringed finger.

Gojyo wiped his blade on the carcass and then approached the woman and inclined his head in respect. "I hope you've come to no harm, lady."

The woman laughed softly. "The Ox-King holds an old vendetta and turns his men to oxen to hunt and kill me." She held out her hand. "I would have cast down the beast with a simple spell. But I see you might make a valuable servant to me."

Gojyo froze as he realized the Lady Gyokumen was directly before him. He looked back at the fallen ox. But where had lain an ox, now lay a man in the armor of the king's guard. He immediately recalled a story that the enchantress had not only turned the queen to stone, but had turned the king's personal guardsmen to beasts of burden. But it had only been rumors and the king had denied it, telling his followers that he'd sent them to hunt down the enchantress.

And now here she was, within his grasp. They could capture her and collect their reward. Only Sanzo wasn't there, damn it. He needed to stall, to get closer.

"I would never want to see a lady come to harm, but I had no intention of killing a man." Gojyo carefully grasped her extended hand. "I thank you for the offer of service, but must decline. Be safe on your way."

He needed to be closer to ensure he could restrain her, and so he stepped forward and leaned in as if to kiss her hand, intending to grab with his free hand. But as he leaned toward her, two drops of blood fell from his wounded cheek; one onto the cuff of her sleeve, and the other onto the flawless skin of her hand.

The moment his blood touched her skin, it began to hiss and smoke, and she screamed and wrenched her hand away. She looked at her hand, and then back at him with a furious gaze.

"How dare you befoul me!" She pointed at him. "Let this disfigurement be reflected upon you!"

A wretched pain flashed upon him. His wound deepened and multiplied by three. His eyes turned to the color of the blood he had spilled, and the tips of his ears to the points of his teeth sharpened to the likes of a demon.

He writhed and groaned and clawed at his flesh, and some of the people, fearing the monster they'd never before seen, begged for mercy.

"He is a stranger to our town!" "He'll devour us with his sharp teeth!" "Take him away, Lady, please!"

The enchantress watched for a moment and then waved at two of her servants. "Remove him from my sight! Leave him somewhere that he may reflect upon his misdeed."

The servants caught him up in a sack of burlap, took him out to sea, and abandoned him on an island to be forgotten.