Author's Note: So it's been quite a while since I wrote anything for this but I do plan on finishing this fic. It's now half-done and has three more parts/chapters to go, though I'm sure you can guess generally where this is going to go now based on this chapter. I tried to keep the tone of the original chapters but it's been so long that I'm not sure I nailed it. Hopefully I did, ya?
It was such an easy thing, to retrieve that which would fully revive my power. To think that I had lost it…that my power had been taken from me. It was enough to infuriate me, or at least it had been, but it mattered not. I was restored now, after all, and that was what mattered, especially when I had been caused so much trouble.
Blight was supposed to have the city under his power, spreading his oppressive poison so that we could rule the lands, especially now that Yamato-no-Orochi was out of the way, but he couldn't even manage that much. I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. If you wanted a job done correctly, you had to do it yourself, and I would be certain to do the job right this time where he had failed.
I had one of three obstacles out of my way. The Water Dragon was dead, and soon, so would the troublesome Empress who was determined to locate and fell my fortress, and I along with it. With those two fully out of my way, I would no longer have to worry about the third obstacle, though truth be told it would not be as unwelcomed as the others. After all, it was thanks to thy Origin of All That Is who was to thank for my full revival, even if that had not been her intent, though I had at first been beside myself with disbelief when learning of her resurrection. Though I suppose it seemed death was not truly forever for either God or Demon of great power.
With a careless shove, the last of the doors was pushed open to reveal the Empress' throne room, an impressively sprawling chamber large enough even for me in my full form and every nine of my tails, and even more impressive when compared to the much smaller size of the Priestess whose body I had acquired. Such a pity, that she had met her end at my power, as many other cowering and pathetic humans had, though I had hoped for a little more of a fight and at least some more bravado from this one. But perhaps I asked too much. I was such a fearsome monster, after all, bending all of the very darkest power to my will, only bested by two other demons, one of which was already slain.
Oh so casually, I stepped forward towards where the Empress stood, staring up at her crystal ball, one large enough to match the size of my head when in my true form. It really was a marvel of a stone, especially in the hands of this particular woman, and thusly all the more troublesome to me. The Empress turned to face me, her face betraying her naiveté, unawares to the imposter who had claimed the appearance of her closest disciple, and I found myself fighting a smirk into hiding as I drew near.
"Welcome back, Priestess Rao," Himiko greeted cordially, her eyes expectant. What a foolish woman. Very foolish. And soon to be dead at my lack of mercy.
"Thank you, my Empress." I returned, stopping some lengths away and giving her a respectful bow. There was no harm in playing the part, after all, if only for the sake of seeing her shock and horror when the truth became unveiled at last. "I come bearing news. The Water Dragon has perished, though Amaterasu has returned from within the beast, alive and well."
"That is good to hear," Himiko acknowledged. "And I trust that the goddess was able to retrieve the instrument lodged within the belly of the beast?"
"Yes, my Empress," I cooed, holding out the connected tubes of cut bamboo, each with the open tops covered by cloth. "I had taken the liberty of retrieving them for you, Highness, and transporting them here so we can finally be rid of the Dark Lord and Oni Island."
"I see," Himiko hummed, stepping down the short steps of her throne and towards me across the dark green carpet. The large crystal ball floated through the air above her, and I could sense its protective power shrouding the woman, erecting an invisible shield which protected her from most harms. Of course, it would be no match against me at full strength, as old and powerful as I was compared to this pathetic Mortal. "That is good to hear," Himiko continued, watching me carefully, her expression impossible to read. "Or at least, it would be, were you the Rao whom I knew."
I must admit, I had not expected this revelation, and for a moment I frowned, playing on confused and hurt."My Empress? What do you mean? There could be no other Rao except for I, your humble familiar."
Himiko looked saddened and shook her head, resigned. "You may drop your charade, for I am no blind fool, demon fox. My crystal ball sees many things, and the truth of your nature is no exception." I suppose perhaps I gave the Empress too little credit. This human was quite a bit cleverer than I had anticipated, but then, that only made the game more interesting. Where was the fun in a perfect plan, without even the smallest of challenges thrown to bar my victory, after all? "And even had my divination not revealed you to me, the darkness and bloodlust which surrounds your being would have."
I let my carefully crafted mask slip, a toothy grin blossoming as my eyes gleamed red and menacing. "How long was thy Empress aware to my presence, without a word about it?" I challenged, finding amusement work its way to my voice.
"You have been here for some time, and I was aware not long before it began." Himiko challenged with cool resolve, not so easily made afraid as the Priestess had been. It was these kinds of humans whom I reveled in destroying most, breaking those of strongest will. "Ever since the curse of the demon which possessed my husband fell down upon my city. You had hoped to slip undetected into my presence, hoping none would notice, to regain your power and destroy me thinking I was ignorant, did you not?"
I laughed aloud cruelly, finding great enjoyment out of how thoroughly the Empress had predicted my plans. It was such a shame, that a mortal woman so clever as her need be destroyed to ensure I retained my power, but I would not regret it in the end. "And yet, you had not turned me away, knowing what I truly was. Curious notion, that you should choose to play naïve to the matter."
Himiko regarded me calmly, and I knew that she was ready to perish if that was what fate delivered, though perhaps not without reluctance all the same, though even so, it was indeed noble of her.
"I do not decide the fates which are thrown into motion, and I knew that your demise was not my history to write, so much as I was to guide your destroyer to you." Himiko stated faithfully, and I knew whom she spoke of; the goddess in wolf form. Were I of a nature which was thankful for anything, I may have commended her for her consideration, that my battle was with the Origin Of All That Is, rather than with her. Alas, to thank her for that went against everything I stood for, even though I preferred it to be this way.
"Very well, then," I began, black and red energy flickering to life around me as I heeded the darkness to answer me, feeling my bones and flesh molding from human to a great, bestial fox larger than the greatest ox, nails elongating into wicked claws. As my body morphed, so did my voice, taking on a quality which rent even the bravest of mortal Men to their core and caused them to cower in pitiful fright. "Then I shall guide the way to your last fate, O mortal queen."
Much unlike many mortals before, the woman barely flinched, knowing in her entirety how this would end even as she lifted a hand, the crystal ball glowing radiantly with a holy light. I cackled darkly, only finding greater enjoyment that she would even attempt to put up a fight, knowing the outcome already, but I supposed it was well within her rights to go down with dignity, a right that few other mortals had exorcised when I had extinguished their lives.
With my tails arched, I thrust them forward like blades, and the crystal ball's barrier shattered like glass with very little effort from me, my tails tied in a spray of blood as they ripped through the Empress' body even easier than they had the barrier a moment before. Her body fell to the floor, nothing but a mere doll now, a deep fissure cracked along the surface of the crystal ball, and I could feel it's power waning with Himiko's life as it spread away from her body in a pool of deep red.
To think, someone who had caused me such great trouble could be crushed so easily, and yet I still held a certain respect for the dying soul. As much as I ever could for a Mortal, at least.
With a small little laugh, I returned to the stolen form of that priestess, walking forward and gazing down at Himiko, who was rapidly looking more of a corpse than the seconds before. She had made a fine Empress, and an even finer enemy, but all mortal lives eventually came to an end. It was somewhat sad, really. Few mortals could stand to such great heights, and not simply in status, and in a different time or place where she had not been in my way, she might have lived long and prosperously. But then, Fate was often cruel like that.
My gleaming eyes were drawn away from her and to the instrument of her amazing power, faintly reflecting the object of my greatest interest, rushing forth with the greatest of urgency, and it was easily known to me that I would soon face her again, after many long decades, and I could only hope that She would not disappoint me.
It was time for us to dance together once again.