Thank you guys for your wonderful reviews! I've had a bad several days and it's more upsetting knowing that my year isn't off to a good start, but your feedback has put a smile on my face, once again, thank you! Also, sorry for the delay this week, I've had to prepare for finals all week so I couldn't allow myself to get distracted. Anyway, I won't say anything else because I know you're all looking forward to the story (be ready for a lot of dialogue b/c this is a long chapter), so as always, enjoy!
Chapter 25: Night of Reckoning
'You've gotta be kidding me', was one of the many thoughts that ran through Souji's head. Kazama must have seen Souji's shocked expression when he chuckled in response.
"Just when I thought this was finally over...", Souji muttered out loud. This was just like his dream. The running away, not being able to see where they were going, the indescribable force that was the explosion; but most importantly, Kazama. It was way too similar to be a coincidence. Not taking any chances, Souji turned to Chizuru while drawing his sword.
"Chizuru-chan, get behind me", he commanded.
"Right", she did as she was told.
"I didn't think you were in Edo. But you made your presence quite known to everyone with your little fire display", Kazama spoke of the explosion like it was just a festival, in complete disregard that the men that had just died were on the same side as him. Everything that did not interest him was worthless.
Kazama was still the same arrogant oni that Souji met at Ikedaya, though he wore western garb now. From what Souji could see, Kazama wore a long Byzantium-purple coat. It displayed his power, wealth, and pride; all of which collided into a deadly combination.
"What is your purpose here?", he asked Souji. Souji wanted to spit at him, but the oni stood several yards away out of range.
"Hmm, yeah, I don't really think why I'm here or what I'm up to is any of your business", Souji shot back sarcastically.
"True", Amagiri surprisingly agreed, causing Kazama to shoot a quick glare at him.
"Indeed...", then Kazama's eyes traveled to Chizuru's.
"It seems fortune has smiled on us...", his eyes were glinted with greed, causing Chizuru to shudder in fear. After getting a good look at her, Kazama returned his attention back to Souji.
"I will be taking my wife now. You, abomination, I will simply be disposing of", he spoke with such arrogance that Souji had to find a way to piss him off.
"You aren't taking her anywhere, and if you think you're gonna 'dispose' of me, you got another thing coming...", Souji replied back with a confident grin. Without any hesitation, Souji let his fury nature consume his body, which allowed his previous headache to vanish. He was not going to play around. Even if Souji's dream was an exaggeration, Kazama was too big of a threat to Chizuru.
"So you're getting serious... Interesting, for a human...", Kazama regarded the fury in front of him before he drew his own sword with a smirk. Amagiri's expression hardened when he turned to Kazama.
"Kazama, don't prolong this any further than it should be. Our objective is the woman, nothing more", Amagiri advised seriously. Kazama merely glanced at him.
"Hmm... So you're not going to interfere this time? If you do try, I won't have any compunctions for cutting you down if you get in my way", Kazama claimed without any emotion.
"I don't plan on it. Besides, I don't believe this man will stand down so easily. A conflict is unavoidable at this point...", Amagiri responded coldly, almost with a bit of remorse for some odd reason. It seemed as though he directed his words to Souji.
"You heard that, didn't you, Okita? I hope you don't run away like a dog with its tail in between his legs. I intend to enjoy killing you", Kazama smiled cruelly.
"Unfortunately for you, I don't intend to go easy on you...", the corners of Kazama's lips were still turned, but something in his eyes hid back another message. Souji and Chizuru watched with astonished expressions as Kazama began to transform. His golden-blonde hair transmogrified into a pale white that gleamed like silver in the moonlight. The ends of his ears became pointed while his crimson colored eyes were replaced by a luminous gold hue that shined brighter than fire. Two sets of horns emerged from his forehead, one set being larger than the other. Compared to his previous physique, Kazama looked more intimidating. No wonder there are so many legends about oni, their existence was like that of divine beings. Seeing an oni's true form was like being in front of a revengeful god.
"Behold. This is what a real oni looks like", Kazama spoke with an omnipotent voice. He held out his gleaming sword towards Souji.
"And? What's the real difference?", Souji was compelled to laugh at him.
"You're so shamelessly stuck-up. Transform all you want, you're not going to lay your overpriced hands on Chizuru-chan either way. So shut up, okay?", Souji retorted lightheartedly.
"Damn you, how dare you talk to me like that?", Kazama's eyes narrowed while holding his sword suggestively.
"Okita-san, what're you thinking?!", Chizuru whispered harshly from behind.
"You should be more careful!", she continued in a concerned tone.
"Who do you think you're talking to?", Souji grinned at her with assurance.
"You don't have to worry about anything, this will all be over before you know it", Souji prepared himself into a fighting stance.
"Precisely...", Kazama agreed assertively in a low voice.
For a seemingly long moment, nothing happened between the two duelists. All was silent except for light whisper of the wind. It was only until small sakura petals started to dance within the wind's invisible veil that their swords clashed. It was nearly impossible to spectate every move made. Both moved within a blink of an eye. Along with their speed, their strength appeared to be paralleled, but only for each other. Their swords flashed bright lines, it was almost like looking at a meteor shower. But nothing about the sight was beautiful. The entire scene screamed violence and bestiality. The coercion was no simple battle. This battle was meant only for beasts such as oni and furies. There was no room for humanity.
Every time one attacked, the other dodged. Every time one blocked, the other broke through. Grunts, growls, and groans were the only sounds voiced by Souji and Kazama. Their swords served as mediums to their unspoken words of malice. The fight seemed endless. Kazama's sword scratched Souji several times, but his wounds healed almost immediately. The clanging sound of their swords rang in a high and loud pitch, as though lightning had struck the earth. Sparks flew every time the swords grinded against each other.
Though Souji was an exceptional swordsman, his skill was barely a match for Kazama's demonic might. A fury's power was supposed to have matched that of an oni's, but how could anyone measure an oni's strength? From what Souji had learned about oni, the ones with pureblood were the strongest. Sen had informed the Shinsengumi before that Kazama had the strongest bloodline in the West. The results of the battle were made clear by blood alone.
Despite the odds against him, Souji refused to acknowledge himself as the loser. He only fought to win. He had to win. Losing was not an option for him. If he lost, it would be more than his life that would have to serve as payment for the consequences.
At one point, Kazama and Souji were on a standstill. Kazama smirked victoriously while Souji focused on restoring his energy. Amagiri merely watched their engagement with an expressionless face and folded arms. On the other hand, Chizuru stood far behind Souji, anxiously waiting for the assault to be over.
"You should know the outcome of this battle by now, Okita. You might as well hand over my wife now", Kazama decried confidently. In response, Souji chuckled.
"Still with that bullshit? You should just give up on Chizuru-chan. She's clearly not interested in a snob such as yourself. Anyway, chances are that she's got her eyes set on somebody else", Souji grinned mischievously, making Kazama glower at him.
"What do you mean by that?! You're not saying-! Damn you...", Kazama sneered.
"Putting that aside, she's still going to be my wife, that hasn't changed. You'll still die at my feet as well", Kazama stated.
"Did I stutter before? You aren't taking her anywhere", Souji repeated. Kazama let out a short mocking laugh.
"Even if you do manage to get away with Chizuru, which you won't, how long do you think you'll survive?", the question caught Souji off guard.
"What're you saying?", Souji inquired.
"Every time you activate your fury powers, your life force is drained", Kazama explained.
"Life force?", Souji questioned while lifting a brow.
"All living organisms have a life force. Essentially, it's one's lifespan, as well as the energy that helps sustain that life", Amagiri clarified.
"W-Wait, you don't mean-?!", Chizuru cut herself off.
"A fury's strength, agility, and incredible healing abilities are derived from that life force, they are by no means a holy gift. But a life force is limited, it doesn't get replenished. Furies are merely using up power that was supposed to be used slowly over their lifespan", Amagiri continued.
"Do you understand now? You shorten your life every time you utilize your powers. Eventually, you'll turn into a worthless pile of ash", Kazama stated blatantly to Souji. Chizuru covered her mouth to suppress a gasp, while Souji stood motionless with a blank expression. Taking Souji's silence as an answer, Kazama laughed.
"What's the matter? Did I leave you speechless? Did you really think that drinking blood like a savage was the only price to pay for drinking the Water of Life?", he laughed more.
"That's rich. But at the same time, it's pathetic", his smile had split cruelly.
"What're you smiling about?", Souji asked teasingly. Kazama lifted a brow in confusion.
"So you're not worried? You'll live a short life, I can guarantee you that", Kazama pressed on.
"That just means that I'll have to kill you quickly", Souji snickered while preparing himself into a fighting stance again. Kazama chuckled in response while following by Souji's example.
"I'm thankful you haven't disappointed me yet, Okita. You're really entertaining to combat with, but I'll kill you now. However, I'll ask something else before you die...", Kazama's features shifted into a stern expression.
"Why do you so recklessly insist on attacking me when you know that death is all that's waiting for you? Why are you in such a hurry to die? That woman isn't useful to you, she's better off fulfilling her purpose with me, yet you still risk your life trying to protect her. Why is that?"
"I thought you were only gonna ask one question", Souji commented.
"But to get you to shut up, I've known all along that death is my only outcome. Still, if I'm going to hell, then I might as well drag you along with me. As for Chizuru-chan... She's clumsy and quick to get depressed", Souji began. The direction of his statement dumbfounded everyone.
"Surprisingly, she can be handful to look after. Well, I guess I'm that way too...", Souji did not seem to be talking to Kazama anymore.
"Even if Chizuru-chan tries to hide it, she gets pretty lonely without company. That's why I'm going to see things through until the end with her. You can cut me down as much as you want -that is if you think you can- but I'm not dying here. There's still a lot of things I have to settle first. That's my answer, are you happy now?", Souji looked at Kazama squarely.
"So you fight to live while risking your life... That's a foolish way of thinking, but that doesn't surprise me. After all, you're an imbecile", Kazama scoffed.
"Say what you want, I honestly don't care what you think of me. We've talked too much, let's settle this now...", Souji replied.
"My sentiments exactly...", Kazama hardened his gaze while his lips formed into a twisted grin. After a split second, the two resumed their duel. The force from Kazama's sword became stronger with every blow, but at the same time Souji's sword flew faster than lightning. Every swing made an audible sound of the air being cut. The constant clanging of their swords resounded within the trees.
In one motion, Kazama swung down towards Souji's heart. Souji did not have enough time to dodge the blow, so he took the hit. His shoulder burned with immense pain while his hand trembled, forcing a pained groan. Blood exploded from his wounds, but he was able to stop Kazama's sword from hitting his heart. His trembling hand stung with pain as he held Kazama's sword by its edge. Kazama furrowed his brows and pulled out his sword roughly from Souji's shoulder. But as he was pulling away, Souji took his opportunity to jab his sword directly towards Kazama. In an instant, Souji's sword sliced down onto Kazama's left shoulder. The oni backed away with a searing growl as blood began to travel down his sleeve.
"Damn you... Damn you, Okita! How dare you mar my shoulder?!", Kazama snarled at Souji.
"Eye for an eye", Souji smiled triumphantly.
"Okita-san!", Chizuru started to run towards Souji.
"I'm fine! I can still fight", Souji yelled to halt Chizuru's advance.
"But your arm!", she insisted.
"This is nothing. It'll go away in sec", he assured. In fact, he could already feel his hand and shoulder starting to repair. He began to straighten himself, but that was when Kazama charged at him with full speed.
"You're nothing but a sinful creature! You disgust me! I'll perish you away until there's nothing left of you on this earth!", Kazama roared as he swung towards Souji's head. Souji intercepted his blow, but the force of Kazama's swing made clouds of dust form around them. All anyone could see of their swords were faint lines of silver. Whenever Souji attacked, Kazama evaded the attack and countered. With his shoulder healed, Kazama swung down again with brute force, only this time, Souji anticipated his attack and was able to clear himself out of the way.
This was his chance. Souji quickly and fluently launched towards Kazama. His sword aimed for Kazama's heart. The oni's eyes were wide in shock; all he could do was watch Souji's sword heading towards him. The aim was perfect. In a split second, Kazama could have been dead. But Souji's sword never reached its destination.
Souji's arm fell limp and weak beside him while he landed roughly on his knees. Wet and tearing coughs had caught him off guard. Immediately, Souji covered his mouth with his hand. He could feel blood trickling down his fingers. The white of his hair began to recede back into its natural hue while his eyes returned to its forest-green color. As much as Souji wanted to get up and finish Kazama off, his body had a different intent. In a short moment, Kazama regained his composure and stood over Souji while chuckling.
"I'll admit you have some skill... But your disease weakens you. Did you really think you could defeat a true oni in this sorry state?", Kazama peered over at Souji with a triumphant grin. Souji's eyes met his in a cold hard glare. The only thing he could voice out were strained and raspy breaths. It did not surprise him that Kazama knew about his disease. The oni worked with Kodou and Kaoru, so he must have discovered about Souji's illness from one of them.
"What...?", Chizuru took a step towards them. Souji cursed weakly under his breath.
"Okita-san, you... You still have tuberculosis?", her voice trembled with sadness and desperation. Even if Souji could speak clearly, he did not want to answer her. His secret that he was desperately trying to protect her from had finally come out into the open by a violent cough. Kazama chuckled again and faced Chizuru.
"The Water of Life gives physical strength, but it can only restore fresh wounds. It cannot cure a disease", Kazama explained.
"No... That can't be true... You're lying!", Chizuru defended, but nothing could hide her despondent tone. Kazama let out a disapproving sigh.
"Believe what you want, but just look at him", Kazama turned his head to Souji's crouching figure.
"His exterior might seem healthy, but his body is broken. He's rotting away from the inside out. The only cure for his disease is a quick death"
Whatever was going through Chizuru's head, she was not going to let Kazama touch Souji. Her hand trembled with fear, but it was slowly reaching towards the hilt of her sword. Both Kazama and Souji noticed her intent.
"Hmm... Are you planning to draw your sword against one of your own kind? How noble to your friend... But you're better off becoming my bride", Kazama persuaded. Chizuru's hand stopped.
"Wait. What do you mean by that?", she asked suspiciously.
"It's no fun cutting away at something that's useless, but that does not mean that I will spare him so easily... What do you say about making a deal?", Kazama inquired.
"A Deal?"
"You put your sword away and come with me. It's our marriage and future children for that mongrel to live, or...", Kazama began.
"Or what?"
"Or you can refuse me and defend that insignificant human's life, but he'll die at your expense. Either way, I'll still be taking you", Kazama smirked wickedly. His proposition had left Chizuru with barely any options. Her skill with a sword was more than a longshot away from Kazama's. She had no escape route. Her woeful eyes trailed to Souji for a moment, then she inhaled deeply and faced Kazama again.
"You'll let him go if I leave with you?", Chizuru asked sternly.
"It's not the oni's way to make empty promises", Kazama cajoled.
"...Okay, I understand... I'll go with you", Chizuru's hands fisted on her side, but she made her way towards Kazama. Ignoring the condition of his body, Souji hurled his sword towards Kazama. Since Souji was still weak, Kazama could easily intercept his attack. He summoned an incredible amount of power and kicked Souji several yards away.
"Okita-san!", Chizuru cried out. Souji's body shook immoderately as he used all of his energy to stand. More blood dripped from his mouth. Kazama glared at Souji sourly.
"Why don't you just give up already? It's obvious as to which one of us will be victorious", Kazama taunted.
"Shut up... I... I won't lose... I'll kill you without a doubt", Souji panted out.
"Hmph, you're stubbornness is pointless. You irritate me", Kazama sneered.
"Whatever you say about me... It means nothing to me", Souji tried his best keep his voice steady. Kazama lifted a brow and smirked.
"Really... Then I'll kill you now so that I can make wedding arrangements", his lustful eyes glanced back at Chizuru, making Souji's blood burn with rage.
"I told you to shut up!", Souji let his fury powers consume his body once more while he charged ahead.
"Don't, Okita-san!", Chizuru screamed in panic, but Souji ignored her. His sword clashed again with Kazama's. Souji had lost control of himself. At that moment, he was Okita Souji; the fury; the beast. What were his human war cries shifted into strong animalistic growls and snarls. Kazama seemed to enjoy fighting against Souji. His laugh echoed eerily around the entire forest. Both of their eyes were widely berserk. Raving and twisted grins were plastered on their faces. They both craved for the taste of blood.
At the sight of them, anyone would call them monsters. By the pace of the fleeting battle, one of them was going to die, perhaps both. Near the peak of the conflict, both swords aimed for their opponent's kill zone. Souji and Kazama no longer bothered to counter or dodge. They were both swinging for the final blow.
"Stop!", Chizuru's voice screamed, but her plea fell on deaf ears.
Time crawled by. Both swords reflected the moon's silver light. What stood in front of both swordsmen was not their opponent.
Chizuru had placed herself in between Souji and Kazama.
Souji's sense of self returned immediately. He exerted his arm away to pull his sword back. His feet skid across the dirt ground. He stopped right in time before he could ram over Chizuru's back. His eyes flew up wide in what was in no doubt shock.
Kazama had the same instinctive reaction. He forced himself to stop the motion of his swing by holding his sword directly overhead. His fluorescent eyes widened for a quick moment before scowling at Chizuru, who stood squarely in front of him with a stern glare. Souji finally zapped out of his shock and his eyes pierced Chizuru's back.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! I could've killed you!", Souji scolded fiercely. Kazama must have felt the same way by the way he looked at Chizuru.
"I never thought you would be foolish enough to do something like that. Move", his voice and face were calm, but his eyes lit up with anger.
"No!", Chizuru snapped. She could defy Kazama as much as she had wanted, but Souji would make her listen to him.
"I told you to stay back-", he started but Chizuru cut him off.
"I don't care! I'm not moving!", she defied stubbornly while still facing Kazama, making Souji more irritated.
"Don't be an idiot-!", Souji yelled back, only to be interrupted again.
"I don't care!", she repeated.
"I'm not going to let you two fight anymore", her voice lowered but her tone was still strict. Souji was dazed by her. What made her so motivated to risk her life for his? There were some things he could not interpret about her.
"Does this mean you're accepting my offer?", Kazama asked while lowering his sword to his side.
"No. I don't want to leave with you", Chizuru answered firmly. Kazama's brows furrowed in response.
"You're in no position to decide that", his voice lowered to a dangerous tone. His free hand began to reach for Chizuru, but she smacked it away from her, surprising everyone.
"I told you, I'm not going!", she restated herself. Kazama opened his mouth to say, or yell, something back, but Chizuru interrupted him as well.
"I can't go with you either way", she claimed, though there was a slight amount of doubt in her voice. Kazama looked at her with a questioning expression.
"What do you mean by that?", he asked bitterly. Chizuru inhaled deeply while Souji softened his gaze. Already did Souji know what she was going to say.
"I'm a fury", the statement made Souji's chest tighten uncomfortably. Amagiri's eyes widened in disbelief before hardening into an icy glare. Kazama's mouth dropped slightly while his eyes looked more shocked than Souji had ever seen him muster.
"...That has to be false", Kazama insisted.
"It's not the oni's way to make empty promises", she assured with his own words. That was when Kazama did not attempt to hide his disgust.
"They made you turn into one of them, didn't they? The Shinsengumi, who you call friends", Kazama appeared to have hissed every word. Then Kazama's flared eyes darted impetuously to Souji.
"You insolent bastard! You'll pay for disgracing the Yukimura name!", Kazama started to move past Chizuru, but Chizuru stood protectively in front Souji.
"No! It's not his fault! Neither is it the Shinsengumi's!", Chizuru defended. Anyone could tell that Kazama was clenching his jaw.
"Who's responsible for this crime?", he demanded.
"What...?", Chizuru questioned.
"I would find it hard to believe that you drank the Water of Life willingly. Someone forced it down, so who's guilty?", he demanded again with a cold tone. Chizuru froze. Perhaps she was not sure how to tell Kazama about everything that Kaoru had done, but Souji suspected that there was another reason behind her reluctance. After all, he was probably the one who knew Chizuru better than anyone else. No matter what horrible things Kaoru had bestowed on her, she was not capable of hate. It was not in her nature. She was not prepared to snitch on her brother.
"Why should she tell you that?", Souji questioned to drive the attention away from Chizuru. Amagiri stepped closer towards them.
"She should tell us because this is our business. Yukimura Chizuru is one of our kind, we have a right to know who is trying to tarnish our existence", Amagiri explained calmly despite his stern gaze. Souji stepped beside Chizuru and put a hand on her shoulder. He knew how difficult this was for Chizuru, so he looked at her face for any sign of uncertainty. She looked up at him with sad eyes, but she said nothing. Souji nodded and took her silence as a consent to start recalling all of what had happened. Before he began, both he and Kazama changed back into their normal forms. Their battle had ended on a stalemate.
Souji spoke for Chizuru to alleviate her from more stress. It was bad enough that she was the one who had explained everything earlier to Sen and Matsumoto, so now it was his turn to carry that burden. Kazama and Amagiri said nothing. Their faces were stoic, but Souji could see the hidden rage inscribed within their eyes.
"There, now you know everything", Souji finished off. For a long time, no one said anything. Kazama stared directly at Souji the entire time. It was like he was waiting for something to happen. Souji stood still and gazed back at him sternly. The air was tense. A wrong move could lead to a horrible conclusion. Kazama glanced at Chizuru for a moment before turning around and heading towards the opposite end the clearing. Amagiri followed him shortly after.
"What...?", Chizuru spoke Souji's mind. Kazama stopped and turned slightly towards them.
"You two are free to go"
"Why...?", Chizuru asked with strong sense of bewilderment and confusion.
"You are worthless to me as a fury. Your blood is no longer rare and pure", he almost sneered. Even if Chizuru was invaluable to him as a fury, both her and Souji found it surprising that Kazama would grant them freedom. For the first time in a while, luck had been on their side, but it was not enough to clear their problems.
"But oni blood still runs through your veins. It's part of our oni honor to allow you to live. Consider that the highest form of mercy you'll ever be granted" Kazama began to turn around, but Chizuru's voice stopped him.
"Wait! What're you going to do now?", she could not help but ask.
"To eliminate the other Yukimuras. I had a feeling that brat couldn't be trusted. Kodou let him loose on too long of a leash", he blatantly spoke ill of Kaoru. Chizuru opened her mouth to speak, but Amagiri's voice stopped her.
"Besides Nagumo Kaoru alone, Kodou must be exterminated as well", though Amagiri was usually tempered, the word "exterminated" set off a heart-racing meaning.
"My father? ...What has he done?", Chizuru asked desperately.
"They have both tarnished the name of the Yukimura clan. That itself is unforgivable", Kazama answered while his crimson-red eyes glowered.
"Kodou has abandoned the Satsuma clan and betrayed our kind. We'll have to kill him", he continued.
"The New Government Army took him in after we had left", Amagiri went on.
"Wait, are you saying-?", Souji cut himself off.
"We cut our ties with the Satsuma clan. We do not owe them anything else", Amagiri clarified.
"But Kodou is using the men, that the New Government Army supplied him with, to create an entire army of furies", he went on.
"An army?", Chizuru questioned.
"Why the hell does Kodou-san need an army?", Souji asked.
"We're unclear with that reason, but we're sure it is not for the benefit of the New Government Army. Also, furies are a failed experiment. They need a lot of blood to survive. You can probably imagine what will happen if Kodou lets his army run free", Amagiri replied.
"So you're going to kill Kodou-san before anything bad happens, right?", Souji inquired, to which Amagiri gave a short nod. Chizuru trembled. The man that had been her father was now nothing more than a butcher. Souji could tell that she was not ready to give up on Kodou. Kazama seemed to have lost interest and started to turn again, but Chizuru repeated the same action.
"Wait, Kazama-san! Please give me some time!", she pleaded. Kazama turned his head back but said nothing. He waited for her to explain herself.
"Please... I want to speak to my father. I know he's not my real father, but to me he is. If I talk to him, maybe he'll realize the mistake he's making. Please!", Chizuru bowed to him. Kazama looked at her for awhile, perhaps pondering the idea about whether or not to listen to her request. His expression was as stoic as ever, making it difficult for Souji to interpret exactly what he was thinking. Finally, Kazama turned to face Chizuru.
"Very well, I will give you a little time", he stated administratively. A sigh of relief escaped past Chizuru's mouth.
"Thank you very much", her words were sincere.
"Don't forget", Kazama began, catching Chizuru by dim surprise.
"Oni always keep their promises, you'll do well to remember that", Kazama advised.
"Also, remember to uphold the oni's honor, you know what will happen otherwise", he threatened her for her own good. Souji and Chizuru understood how merciful Kazama had been. Furies were abominations to him. If he had wanted to, he could have taken both of their lives easily.
"Yes", Chizuru promised firmly.
"I would solve your family matters as soon as possible if I were you. If you don't, we won't hesitate to step in", he counseled once more to her. After Chizuru nodded her head in agreement Kazama gazed at Souji one last time.
"Use your time wisely, that's all I can say to you", for once, Kazama had looked at Souji with acknowledging eyes. His eyes were always red, only this time, they did not have that usual glint that craved for bloody frenzies.
"I know", Souji replied while relaxing his tense muscles.
"We'll part ways here. I hope we don't see each other again", Kazama stated smugly with a small smirk. Though his farewell seemed rude, it made sense. If they ever saw each other again, the end would spell misfortune. With a small nod, Kazama turned and walked gracefully towards the black forest. Amagiri bowed to Souji and Chizuru and then followed Kazama's trail.
A warm breeze traveled around the clearing. The trees rustled softly like a whisper. Scattering sakura petals blocked the sight of Kazama and Amagiri's descending figures. By the time the soft pink petals had cleared, the two oni were gone.
Souji patted Chizuru's shoulder softly. They still had so much to do, but the chains of their misfortune were lessened by the cancelation of one threat, even though they were still treading a dark path. Souji gave a small wry smile to Chizuru. She responded with a forced smile, but her honey-chocolate eyes told Souji everything he had guessed. Sadness was engraved within her huge orbs at that moment. Despite not having Kazama as a threat anymore, dread still consumed her heart, and Souji understood why.
They were both furies, who were now ticking time bombs to a future filled with madness. Chizuru's father was building an army of mindless killers. Kaoru lived sadistically to make his own twin sister suffer, along with anyone she had ever cared about. Souji would undoubtedly live a short life. He had burned part of his life force already. And to make matters worse, he still had tuberculosis. His disease was slowly eating away at his lungs. Souji and Chizuru spoke nothing about their disadvantages. They both understood that dreading about them vocally would not erase them.
Instead, they traveled through the woods and moved on. Tomorrow would be a new night. Even if they faced more struggles, their fears were lessened because they had each other for support. They would walk through the black and uncertain future together.
Once again, I'm sorry I made you guys wait this long, but I hope this chapter could serve as a form of compensation. Please review and tell me what you guys are thinking! I love reading through what you guys post! I can't say when the next chapter will be posted, but I'll start working on it by Wednesday, so if I'm lucky, I'll have the next chapter done by the end of the week. Thank you for reading (and bearing through any errors), and as always, have an awesome day!