Badr stood, his arms and legs and tail pinned to his side by Zorari's duplicate. Zorari was looking at him.
Badr began his tale. "I was born the youngest son of Qadim Ajam, the White Walker of Wittam. You may have heard of him... he was quite famous a long, long time ago. My family were poor, so I entered a tournament, and won. I married into tge House of Tamod. My wife and I had one daughter... but she was killed. The House of Tamod have always married their children to the victor of the Five Tasks of the House of Tamod. I arranged that my daughter be allowed to choose her victor and future husband. The jealous rabbit lost halfway through and killed her with his mutant bear!"
That was bullshit... not even he could truly believe that. Could he?
"Your fight is none of my concern. You tried to destroy my village, you will be punished." She placed her paws together, the roots that made up the floor of the town had sprung up around Badr now, and were pulling him into the ground. Her duplicate vanished, and Badr was left with one paw to struggle with.
"NO! I can't-I won't die!"
"Oh by no means am I killing you. I am merely taking back what is mine. You destroyed this village, now your chi shall give me the strength to rebuild it all. I shall give your lackeys a fair trial, but you will never be seen or heard again." The roots were at his chest now, pulling him in deeper and closer to his grave, he was clawing desperately, but received no grip nor any mercy.
Li II was stunned, he couldn't believe his eyes... Badr had always acted like he was invincible...apparently he wasn't. The rabbit slunk away, he would not stay here, fair or not he did not have time for a trial.
Zorori turned the corner just as it happened. His cry of "Mom!" Came too late.
Zorari was staring at the blade sticking out of her chest with curiosity. Her robes grew red around the wound, she grew faint. Then the Thing threw her away as if she were nothing. She landed hard, and slipped down onto her back. The lion tore through the roots around Badr and pulled him free of his burial.
Zorori was watching with wide open eyes, tears welling up around them... this could not be...real. Badr stalked forwards and spat on the Soncho's now pale face.
"I will have my revenge, and none shall inter-"
"I will!" Zorori shouted, throwing a rock at Badr's head. The black cat turned around.
"Kill him." He ordered the thing. The wooden lion charged.
"No..." Zorari tried to call out. She had already been drained, she couldn't do anything. She felt helpless as her son stood his ground, the wooden lion rapidly approaching.
Kunjingle managed to get up and with the rest of his strength shielded the young kitsune from harm. The bear then fell to his knees, exhausted. The Thing went for his head- Li I blocked the blade with his fan, he couldn't keep this up any longer.
Zorari watched the strain. The determination in his eyes had not died out, but he lacked the strength to carry on. Zorari sighed. She knew this was it for her, she could only use her last moments to help them. She placed her paw on the ground, and used all the chi left in her body. She collapsed. Goodbye Zorori...I'm sorry it had to happen like this... after that she had no thoughts left.
Badr cackled with glea as the Deathworm broke through it's bonds and dove into the earth. He stopped laughing when he noticed the roots surrounding Zorori, Li I and Kunjingle.
"No! Thing get them!" But the thing was unable to follow that order, it couldn't even move. Badr charged, but it was too late, his fist hit the floor and they were gone.
He could not describe the anger he felt-the injustice. He had been so close again! It had been that woman. He turned to the kitsune and punched her limp form. Once, twice, again, and once more and again and again and again and again and one more time and again. "Thing, plunge your sword through her snout. That way she can't scream."
The lion did as he was bid. Zorari now was a bloody mess, her robes stained crimson, her muzzle almost cut in two by the lion's sword.
Han gasped. He blinked. That had happened to a black wolverine before in Tokyo, an orange jackal as well, but more recently. And Han Hoki Tokugawa Shinza Guan had seen it happen twice. But who was Han Hoki Tokugawa Shinza Guan? And why did that name sound so bloody familiar. Badr had killed someone... and he had helped. Without a word Han Guan pelted into the forest. He had helped kill her, blood was on his paws, he was a monster. He was a killer. He was crying, who was he? He ran head-first into a waiting fist, and knew nothing more.
Footnote: Kinda sad chapter, closer to the rest of my stories now. Is this the last of Zorari-no it is not, we still have to develop more on her past, but she is dead.
As for Han Guan, well now that some kind of trigger's been activated in his mind, let's see what'll happen.
So Li I, Kunjingle and Zorori have escaped Badr by an inch, Danzaburo is still around somewhere, Han Guan is going to have to go through a lot of emotional stuff and Li II has gone off who knows where? And what about the rest of the kitsune. Where did they run off to? And how are they meant to stay hidden from Daimyo Masuta.
I admit it feels like a rip off giving you such a short chapter after so long a wait, but it's been eventful. Thus ends the Kentikarukage Arc.