ISHIKOZUME by Kondoru
Part One -The Bird in a Cage
Standard disclaimers
Thanks to JP for Betaing.
Lord Edogawa walked slowly down the stairs, lost in thought.
He was a short man of early middle age, dressed in his best `not quite formal` robes. At his side was his family Dai sho, a set that he was always too painfully aware he was not able to use.
Still, he was a popular daimyo...Sometimes however, he would have put `memorable` over `popular`.
This was one such day. Lord Edogawa allowed himself a sad smile. Today he was `memorable` rather than `popular`. In fact at the moment he was the talk of Edo. Ironic that he should feel uncomfortable about it.
He stopped at a heavy door at the bottom of the stairs. It was oak plated with iron, now blood red in the lamplight.
Lord Edogawa gave a pre rehearsed knock.
A bar was drawn back from behind the portal, and it was pushed slowly open.
Behind it was a guardroom, now packed with fully armed and armoured samurai. They bowed at the sight of their lord.
Lord Edogawa returned with a nod. "Just checking." He said. Hatorji Enza, one of his captains waved him in.
"Have had no trouble, my lord, if you want to go see for yourself I'm sure Minamoto Raikato and Ichinomiya Akai Kiri will be pleased to see a new face." He paused. "They have been stuck in there all of ten days."
"They are the bravest of men." Lord Edogawa said.
"Yes, locked in with the..." Enza shuddered at the thought. "Anyhow, I must request you to give me your swords." He paused. "It was you who ordered no man should go in there armed." He added unnecessarily.
Lord Edogawa handed over his Dai sho, he felt better, less fake without it. He looked over his men; the hardened warriors were pale faced. Lord Edogawa gave them smiles of encouragement. This ordeal would not last many days.
The door on the other end of the guardroom was unlocked and Lord Edogawa stepped though. It was locked again behind him.
The corridor had a constriction here, so he had to bend double to get though. After it opened out.
Before the final door, one of Lord Edogawas few cannon was aimed. Two gunners and a third samurai sat beside it, fully in the knowledge that if they had to fire it off in such close confines, all would die in the blast.
Lord Edogawa gave them nods again. This was a pretty stressful position to be in, in fact a few days before Lord Edogawa himself had done a turn of guard duty though he was not sure what he might have done if there had been any incidents.
He was a popular Daimyo after all.
He stopped to contemplate the final door. Again of heavy iron plates.
The door was pasted with paper bearing various charms and spells.
Having come this far he could not back down now. He turned to the samurai. "I'll go in." he said with a lot of bravura.
The warrior swallowed. He picked up the keys and banged on the door. Then opened the spyhole. "It's our Lord." Was all he said.
Someone inside spoke assent. The samurai unlocked the door, pulled it ajar. Lord Edogawa stepped though, it was pushed shut, almost catching the back of Lord Edogawas robes such was the guards haste to relock the cell door.
Lord Edogawa stopped to get his bearings.
Inside the cell was lit brightly by oil lamps. In the corner was a camp stool upon which was sat a grim man all in full battle array, a finely made katana rested unsheathed on his lap.
Next to him, someone lay sleeping on a mat, bundled up in a futon printed with cranes.
The bulk of the cell was taken up by a stout steel cage, which was surrounded by a Taoist mirror diagram inked on the floor. Ofuda and charms were pasted seemingly at random all over the stone walls and metal bars of the cage. Topping this was a gohei delineating a sacred space.
`such a lot of magic to control someone who is so harmless looking` thought Lord Edogawa, as he stepped forwards to regard his `guest.`
Inside the cage a young man was seated primly upon a mat, he was dressed simply in a neat white kimono, and looked like one of the pretty boy courtiers that Lord Edogawa had (sometimes) high hopes for. He was tall and well formed, with a noble aquiline face.
This comely appearance was somewhat put off by the rough hair, once long and elflocked, but terrified servants had chopped off the worst of it, when they had bathed (scrubbed was a more realistic term) their unconscious captive when he had been brought in a few days before.
Lord Edogawa was still having nightmares over the thunderbolt casting, sword and tessen wielding demon, clad in blood stained robes and wearing red hakama made from the skins of oni who had literally cut a swathe though his samurai. The reality was...So different.
Lord Edogawa would have quite happily bedded this individual.
He hurriedly hid this thought. Tengu were said to be able to read others minds.
`He looks so unlike a tengu, let alone the dreaded Onikui Tengu...`
The captive regarded his master with the unreadable eyes of a wild bird. Lord Edogawa decided to say nothing. He was getting used to his prisoners insolence.
The man on the mat yawned and stirred, he pushed his head out from under the futon, revealing long shaggy white hair and the red eyes of an albino. He focused them with difficulty. "Oh-ho. "The young man sat up with a weak laugh. "So nice to see you, my lord." Smiled Ichinomiya Akai Kiri, he turned to the cage. "Onikui Tengu thinks so too, don't you, Onikui?"
That individual had the good grace to look affronted at this.
"Show some respect, Onikui," growled Minamoto Raikato from his corner (but his tone showed he had little hope of compliance.)
"Thanks for the food and sake, my lord." Ichinomiya Kiri nodded to himself in happiness, "both me and Minamoto Raikato have eaten well, I mean Raikato has...I am still on an ascetics diet." He turned to the still sulking Onikui "Onikui is grateful for your generosity to someone who really does not deserve it. " (This last was delivered in a rapid snarl.) "He has eaten well and in particular enjoyed the sake."
Lord Edogawa had to smile. "I'm happy you are satisfied with my poor abode."
The look on the caged tengus face was priceless.
"Just making sure that everything is going well. Do keep up the good work, all `three` of you."
The lord made his exit; Ichinomiya Kiri settled down to sleep again, the Onikui Tengu continued his brown study.
Minamoto Raikato stretched out his legs, armour creaking. "I just wish you would behave!" He growled at the caged tengu. Getting more affronted glares. "If you were a human I would have knocked some sense into your otter skull."
The Onikui tengu did react to that, he gave a grin, revealing the fangs of a fearsome supernatural predator. "Ah, but I'm not a puny human, am I?" He gave a fey laugh, "Once I get out of this cage..."
"Will you quit your whining! Who sees to it you get all the best things to eat, you get plenty of sake to drink, you have clean, comfortable bedding. Not to mention regular baths." Ichinomiya Kiri said sadly.
"I get ofuda stuck all over me." The Onikui Tengu added.
"We play games with you." Growled his companion who was heartily sick of getting beat at shoji and go.
"Yes, you are playing one hell of a game with me, aren't you?" their captive added snarkily.
The exorcist ignored this. "You are not chained up; you are free to move around."
"I cannot stretch my wings." Complained the Onikui petulantly.
It was true, the tengu had to sit with his flank up against the bars, and unfurl one great black pinioned wing at a time. He spent hours at a time in this interesting activity, and the rustling of his feathers were driving his captors quite mad.
"You wouldn't treat a bird like this." He growled bitterly.
Minamoto Raikato shook his head, "you are no bird, but a monster..."
"...And a sentient being," Ichinomiya Kiri added thoughtfully.
The day before yesterday had been the trial of the monstrous `oni eater`
This was not a conventional trial, by any means, but the Onikui was not a conventional criminal.
A wooden dais had been erected in the marketplace of the castle town, shaded with drapes in the colours of Lord Edogawas damyiate. Townspeople stood around. There were many of Lord Edogawas men in the crowd, unusually for these peaceable times fully armed and armoured.
There were also a fair few yamabushi. Ichinomiya Akai Kiri had called in many favours to see to it the environment was well occupied with magic users. You never knew when you needed supernatural support.
Lord Edogawa came riding in on his white horse. He wore the dark brown robes to match the town magistrates, who would be lending an air of proper procedure to this trial. His face was pale and expressionless. This day would make or mar his career.
Lady Edogawa came in a light ox drawn carriage; she stepped out, a grim look on her face, naginata in hand. It was obvious that if the Onikui got within slashing distance he would stand no chance.
And then came the unwilling star of the show.
Twenty handpicked warriors, all bearing matchlocks, followed by four kagamen, bearing a study wooden kaga, the doors bound shut with heavy bamboos poles lashed over them diagonally.
After that was another twenty gunners.
The kaga was manoeuvred to a place just before the dais, and put down; the warriors formed a solid square around it. The kagamen retreated to safety with warrantable haste.
It was Ryosukai, Hatorji Enza and Minamoto Raikatos duty to remove the poles and give the townsmen their first look at the infamous Onikui Tengu. This was sure to be good. The terror had been resident in their mountain range now for several decades, long enough to become something that mothers warned would get their children if they did not behave.
Ryosukai pulled away the last pole and unlocked the kaga door. "Come on out, tengu" he ordered gruffly.
Out stepped the horror. The Onikui Tengu had been given another bath, and a clean robe, "the result of the trial is a foregone conclusion," Ichinomiya Kiri had warned his feathery charge with an unusually stern voice "you are going to be sentenced to death, but on your behaviour may well depend whether it is a quick, honourable death, or something nasty and slow."
"I'll be good," the Onikui promised, he would do anything to be allowed to see the sun again.
The Onikui Tengu stood up, gratefully after the cramped confines of the kaga. He looked around, regarding the townsfolk with an innocent expression.
The citizens had been expecting something awful looking; not this harmless appearing youth, there were some murmurings.
"Who's a pretty boy then?"
"No way is that guy a tengu!"
"Looks like one of our lords boy toys to me"
"If he is, Lord Edogawa has strange tastes in playfellows."
There were a few laughs at the back.
"So you don't think he is a tengu?" Lord Edogawa said sadly.
"May I?" The Onikui asked with dissembling humility.
Ichinomiya Kiri nodded; mentally he dispelled the ward that prevented his charge from using his wings.
And the Onikui unfurled great black feathered wings and had a vigorous flap, like a bird fresh from its bath. He pulled a wing in front of him and ran his feathers though his hands.
The crowd gave a collective gasp and stepped back. They had not expected this.
His pinions unkinked, and with a smug look on his haughty face, the Onikui hid his wings. "Satisfied now?" He asked.
Kiri replaced the wards; he walked with the Onikui to the magistrate's dais, Minamoto Raikato following.
Next to it was the town's chief watchman, jittes in belt and a pale face. In his hand he bore a set of heavy handcuffs. The man had been quite surprised to see the fearsome criminal climb out of the kaga seemingly completely unrestrained. The watchman gestured with the handcuffs.
Ichinomiya Kiri shook his head. He knew full this time the annoying creature would comply.
The watchman backed down, Onikui looked smug.
And he wanted all to see the power he had over the strongest tengu of all. (Be humble, Akai Kiri, lest you yourself fall on the Tengudo...)
But the Onikui was being humble himself; he approached Lord Edogawa with modestly downcast eyes. The Onikui gave a suitably submissive kowtow, then he knelt on a reed mat before the dais, Minamoto Raikato and Ichinomiya Kiri stepped up to watch over their supernatural penitent.
It was a simple trial.
"What is your name, tengu?" Asked the Chief magistrate.
"They call me the Onikui Tengu" said that individual.
"Is that a title or a name?" the Magistrate pressed.
"It's a title," the Onikui Tengu told him firmly, "I don't have a name."
"Everyone has names."
The Onikui Tengu shook his head. "We tengu are beyond names. We have titles and that is that."
The Magistrate sighed and gestured to Lord Edogawa, who was holding a fat scroll.
Lord Edogawa read out the charges, which were numerous and somewhat serious.
Over sixty years of roaming the mountains in Lord Edogawas territory, the Onikui tengu had gained quite a reputation for himself. He had cleaned the region of youkai (including his fellow tengu) indiscriminately, and had been implicated in the demise of several people.
Most of those cases were simply of sporting members of the public who had believed they were capable of fighting and defeating a powerful member of a race far famed for its interest and skill in martial arts. Not a lot could be done about this.
The legally problematic instances concerned victims of possession. No less than seventy four posessees had been killed and eaten raw...This included Kiku, lord Edogawas little daughter. And that was only the well documented cases.
A few witnesses came forwards, family members who had their house broken into, and the sick person killed, in many cases torn to pieces and partially eaten. This was the act of no natural predator, but something much worse.
Several priests spoke up, describing similar sanguinary scenes they had been called to. All the physical evidence and results of divination had placed the blame firmly on the Onikui Tengus black winged shoulders.
Lastly was Lady Edogawa, who told all of the murder of her youngest daughter in a calm, severe voice. She described how Kiku had been possessed by a fox, how she was being taken to a shrine specialising in the eviction of such pests.
Their contingent had been apprehended just below the pass by some creature dressed in mismatched armour and the red skins of the slain oni, the creature had gleefully hacked the retainers and guards of Kikus kaga to pieces, blasting some with lightening and braining others with his tessen, He had then hauled her daughter out of her conveyance, killed her and devoured the fleshy parts.
"That creature belongs in the lowest of Hells; in fact such a place would be too good for the likes of him." Lady Edogawa said "He can eat as many oni as he pleases there, as long as he is as far away from the Ningyo as possible."
"So, do you plead guilty to these accusations?" The Magistrate prompted. (It was obvious that he wanted the Onikui Tengu to deny them so he could get out the instruments of torture to persuade him into the obligatory confession.)
"Yes I do," the Onikui bowed his head.
"Have you anything to say for yourself?"
"Excuses for my crimes?"
"Yes." Lord Edogawa said sternly.
The Onikui was a bit taken aback. He was under no illusions as to just how awful his crimes were. His fellow tengu (those who had not been killed and eaten.) Had made sure he knew what a monster he had become.
But he did not care. He had little status on the Tengudo; He was still a beardless young cock, and his bad background as a Heian court ladies pet bird did nothing to help. He had fought oni...Fighting was a natural and healthy part of tengu life, nothing wrong with that. So was battles with other youkai...The Onikui Tengu had first tasted his victims flesh in a winter famine. Inadvertently he had discovered that such a meal involved not only mere physical consumption but an intake of his victim's spiritual strength. After that, this got to be pretty much as bad habit as strong liquor or drugs. (Another vice tengu were prone to.)
He was surprised that these humans, a kind he had learnt though unpleasant experiences were not known for their good natures. (The Onikui had heard of that laughable word `humanitarian` and wondered how it could be applied to a being well known throughout the multiverse as being peculiarly imaginative with their badness. Certainly Fujiwara Tatsuhime had constantly surprised him with her abuses) were going to let him have his say.
Or was it their way of getting him to confess to even worse things? Humans were like that.
He had to say something.
"I've killed a lot of bad youkai, ones who would have caused much more trouble than I ever have. I ate them, it all added to my reputation as the strongest tengu of all." He announced with more than a hint of typical tengu pride in his voice. "I think I have done a lot of good."
"You are on trial for your bad deeds, not your good ones." The Magistrate informed him.
"Very well, I'm afraid I have fallen into bad ways." The Onikui Tengu had to agree. "But..." He paused. "Anyhow, I rather like the taste!"
"Is that all?" Lord Edogawa prompted.
Now for it. Something that would land him even deeper in the shit.
The Onikui bowed down to touch his forehead on the ground. (He remembered that Tatsuhime had liked him in that position a lot. He tried to put the memories of beatings he had endured out of his head.) "I'm really truly sorry for eating your daughter." he said in his calmest voice.
Lord Edogawa looked at Ichinomiya Kiri, who nodded slightly to say he believed the Onikui was sincere.
"She was possessed by a kitsune, but the kitsune fled before I killed her." The Onikui continued eyes on Lady Edogawa who fixed him with a gaze like Emma o. "I killed her quickly." He paused "I ate her, yes; human children are so tender and juicy to eat." The Onikui Tengu shut his eyes, partially at the memory, partially to get away from Lady Edogawas glare. "I should have let her go. "
"You are a monster" growled Lady Edogawa.
"I'm no better than an Oni myself." He whimpered, and then burst into tears. "I'm a disgrace to the Tengudo...Yes, I'm an outcast and if ever my fellow tengu get their claws on me..."
"You are fortunate it is humans who have captured you and brought you to justice." The Magistrate announced coldly.
The Onikui Tengu cried a bit. "Agh!" He whimpered, then dried his red rimmed eyes and looked up. "Do your worst, I truly deserve nothing less." He blew his nose on his sleeves in a manner that got nobodies sympathy.
All were silent.
"You are sentenced to death." Lord Edogawa finally announced. The crowd was silent. They had expected that. "But I grant you one boon." He paused, looking fully into the pools of madness that were the Onikuis eyes.
The Onikui flinched away. Tengu do not make eye contact.
"You yourself may choose the method of execution."
All gasped. This was unexpected.
What mode of death would a tengu, a being famed for their long (but not immortal) life choose?
"If you choose seppuku then I'll act as your second." Minamoto Raikato added helpfully. It would not be the first time he had done such a thing for a defeated youkai.
"I am honoured; however, that is not my choice." The Onikui paused. "I decide differently. I wish to die as a Yamabushi would, by Ishikozume rite."
There were some shocked looks at that. The Ishikozume rite was a dark ritual in which the victim was buried alive. It was the fate of those who offended against their sometimes harsh laws.
The Onikui Tengu had chosen the torture of the pit.
"Are you sure?" Prompted the Magistrate. "You may choose something quick and clean, it doesn't have to be too harsh."
"How do you think we execute offenders against our unwritten laws on the Tengudo?" Asked the Onikui blandly, "Don't forget I am a Tengu and no mere human."
"I am satisfied." Lord Edogawa gestured with his fan.
"I am too" Lady Edogawa agreed with a not nice glint in her eyes "Maniacs like him should be buried alive and forgotten about."
"I agree." Was all Minamoto Raikato said. It was obvious he wanted to use his sword on the Onikui Tengu.
Ichinomiya Kiri nodded, he looked satisfied, and this was playing to his plans nicely. It was `Just As Planned` in fact.
Lord Edogawa stood up, "The Onikui Tengu is to be executed by Ishikozume rite." He announced.
All were satisfied at that, including the Onikui Tengu.
"It's only going to be a few days more," Ichinomiya Kiri said sadly.
"Fortunately." Minamoto Raikato added nastily.
"Just wait until I get out of here! Just you wait!"
Ichinomiya Kiri groaned, "quit fighting you two, I have a headache." he paused, "I'm not going to allow Minamoto Raikato to beat the crap out of Onikui Tengu...And I'm not about to let Onikui Tengu eat Minamoto Raikato, am I?"
"I want the pot" The Onikui Tengu countered. (He was very good at switching randomly from one subject to another.)
"Let's get this right once more!" Minamoto Raikato banged his gauntleted fist on one armoured knee "Show some manners you damnable bundle of feathers!" He was weary of his captives appalling lack of basic good manners.
Ichinomiya Kiri ran his hands though his long hair in despair. "Did I tell you to stop fighting or did I tell you not to stop fighting?"
"Let me out of here, give me a sword and we shall see!" The Onikui Tengu hugged himself in delight at that thought.
"You will be the death of me!" Groaned the exorcist miserably. He had been continually in the cell for ten days...Listening to his two cell mate's bicker. It was driving him half mad.
"I do need to go. I'm not like our good Ichinomiya Kiri here who sits all day with a bamboo tube stuck on him." He gave that individual a knowing look.
Ichinomiya Kiri was silent. He knew that what the Onikui had not said that he was knew that the exorcist was losing strength rapidly, he could no longer meditate like he should have done...Though he could pretend to...And the Onikui was well aware his captor was weakening.
He had taught Minamoto Raikato a lot of simple techniques, that and made sure the brave demon hunter was supplied with plenty of fresh ofuda. The Exorcist was not sure it was enough. But he never let his self doubts get in the way of action.
"You could let me out to go behind the screen like you do." The Onikui suggested unreasonably.
"As if we trust you that far." Snarled Minamoto Raikato. The trial had stressed his nerves to breaking point. He was well aware that had the Onikui Tengu gotten loose during the trial, the creature would not have made a break for the sky (and getting gunned down by musketeers who had weapons enchanted by Kiri.) But no doubt would have instead butchered all in his reach.
"I've got to go myself." Kiri wriggled out of his futon, he waved a hand warningly at Raikato, who leaned forwards to help him up. Gasping he managed to find his feet and walk behind the screen.
Pretty soon he re emerged with the chamber pot. "Are you going to say please?" He demanded in a much more genteel manner than his youkai hunting companion, but one that still demanded cooperation.
"Please may this insignificant person use the chamber pot?" The Onikui Tengu said it to get Minamoto Raikato to scowl.
The samurai scowled on cue.
Luckily Ichinomiya Kiris back was turned. "That's better." He picked up the keys and unlocked the door, which was on a safety chain; it could be opened but not enough for the prisoner to wriggle out of.
"But I would like some privacy." The Onikui took the receptacle. He gave a wicked grin, "turn your backs or..." He laughed "...or I chuck it over the both of you."
Minamoto Raikato scowled some more but turned round on his stool. (He had suffered an impromptu bath early on in the ordeal.)
Before he turned his back, Ichinomiya Kiri rapidly reached though the bars and slapped a fresh ofuda on his victim's forehead.
His business done, the Onikui pushed the receptacle back out the cage door. (They had noted that though the Onikuis physiognomy was quite dissimilar to humans, -his blood was a rich dark red and his heart rate much higher than a human, his waste products were of no obvious difference.) "I'm finished now, thank you very much." He announced.
Kiri passed forwards the wash basin. Such niceties as hand washing seemed unfamiliar to their prisoner. Kiri, unable helped by Raikato had spent the last few days in coaching the Onikui tengu as to matters that any child should have known. Their guest when brought in had been in a disgusting mess of dried blood, pine sap, ash and general filth. Evidently baths were not high on the Onikui tengus agenda.
Minamoto Raikato would have been happy to leave him as he was, but Ichinomiya Kiri, had insisted his victim be cleaned up "We are going to have to be in close proximity to him until his execution; that's a fact." He had said "He smells like he's been on mountain retreats now since En no Gyojas time." (1)
Much to the castle servant's misery, the youkai hunters had a skimpy tub behind the screen every day. This was the only time the Onikui tengu was allowed out of his cage, Ichinomiya Kiri refreshed all the wards, and Minamoto Raikato stood over their captive with a drawn sword while he washed himself. It was fortunate that the tengu kept his wings hidden when not preening or exercising them. Having a huge wet bird about would have driven all parties beyond madness.
Though he said nothing, it was obvious the tengu was grateful for being reminded of normal life again. That and being treated like a civilised being and not some monster.
Business done, the Onikui tengu reverted to cheery mode yet again. "Do you want me to beat you at shoji again?" He asked his companions hopefully. (He was very good at shoji and go, though other games were less familiar to him.)
They were saved from that chore by a knock on the cell door.
"Watch him" Minamoto Raikato warned with excessive redundancy. Ichinomiya Kiri turned to observe his captive, who was seemingly in a harmless mood. (The Onikui Tengus moods switched like the wind.)
The Youkai hunter got up from his stool, and answered the door, it was opened, a tray shoved though and hurriedly relocked.
"Dinner!" Feeding times for the Onikui Tengu were a high point in his miserable life. His captors had realised that plenty of food was a possible way to keep their supernatural prisoner amiable and controllable. The Onikui was not stinted. Early on Lord Edogawa had wheedled a list of his favourites out of him. These came up regularly upon the menu.
Also sake...But only if he had been reasonably good.
The Onikuis dinner was that of an honoured guest, with one exception. He was not permitted any chopsticks. (Such things counted as items to be stabbed with.)
Not that such implements were familiar to the dreaded tengu. He would grab with both clawed hands and rip with his sharp fangs.
Minamoto Raikato took the Onikuis covered dish and the cage keys. The door was opened on its safety chain, and the dish was passed through to the Onikui who ripped off the lid without any grace and began to eat, though `devour` or `wolf` would be better terms for his enthused feeding.
"Revolting bird!" But Minamoto Raikatos jab went unheard. Ichinomiya Kiri picked up his bowl of fruit. He was indulgencing in ascetic practices, `tree eating. ` (abstinence from the five cereals) so his diet was rather austere. Raikato began his meal, with a few sidelong glances at the still guzzling tengu.
The Onikui was not always a hog.
Once lord Edogawas had spent a meal with his `guest`
Minamoto Raikato had told him bluntly that he had better be on his most refined behaviour or this time he would be beaten for sure. (For once his exorcist friend had not leapt to the poor creatures defence.)
To his credit, the wretched creature had been on his best behaviour. He had eaten and drunk with a delicacy that belied his true demoniac nature, and made polite small talk. Anyone would have thought he was a visitor rather than an extremely dangerous captive.
Lord Edogawa was pleased and when he departed sent down a whole keg of peach brandy.
The Onikui got royally plastered that night, and slept in a drunken stupor. His unwilling captors had to nurse him though a youkai sized hangover the next day. (But it kept him out of mischief.)
The famous (and infamous) trivurmate finished their meal in silence. Kiri lay back down. The Onikui did a bit more of his wing stretch exercises while Minamoto Raikato watched him, a bored look on his face.
Eventually he tired of this and the Onikui lay down upon his sleeping mat, curled up in his futon. He was soon asleep, (Minamoto Raikato noted the tengu slept a lot. Or he pretended to, at least.)
The youkai hunter stood up slowly, so as not to disturb his companions with the shuffling and creaking of his armour. He needed to stretch his legs. Minamoto Raikato stepped across the cell to his charges cage, ostensibly to check on the ofuda. He looked down at the sleeping face of his defeated rival. He sighed sadly.
The Onikui had been beaten, and it wasn't by Minamoto Raikato.
(1) The founder of Shugendo. A man of much magical ability. To quote the `Shoku Nihongi`
Rumor says, "En no Gyoja was able to enslave spirits and let them draw water and collect fuel wood. When they were against his order, he bound them with his sorcery."
Remind us of anybody?