Note: For those who celebrate it, have a Merry Christmas!
Note #2: Do not forget to vote in the poll, gotta keep Ao-Ju the most popular character ;P
What came before: Rihan, Shiori, Ao-Ju, Awashima and Dohiko are invading the Temple where Sanmoto Gorozaemon's Golden Shrine is located. They are well aware that a terrifying guardian protects the shrine, but for Rihan the terror runs deeper than that…
Chapter 54 – Bounnoma's Sermon
The black and gold temple was swarming with humans, Koshin's demonic monkeys and the demonic Yashas, who looked like oversized humans with wrathful expressions on their faces, spiky manes, wielding various Asian weapons in their hands.
However, the group had no trouble with them. Awashima fought with a great amount of elegance, which made it possible for her to evade many attacks and hit where it hurt the most. Dohiko possessed great strength and agility, so he moved a lot around the halls and took down many enemies at once, almost never falling into the danger of being hit. Rihan just sliced everyone with Nenekirimaru, which killed youkai and only brought pain to the humans. In order to protect the powerless Shiori, Ao-Ju stood beside her and shot at his enemies from afar.
The battle was going easy and Shiori did not like that, not in the slightest. You guys better not get full of yourself. Shoumen Kongo likes raising hopes and then crushing them.
The unimpressive battle continued for about ten more minutes and the invaders did not even break a sweat. The monkeys had disappeared, the several Yasha that fought have been killed and most humans have been knocked unconscious. It was a complete victory, just as expected.
"Man, this was boring!" Awashima stated the obvious, "If not for the warming up, I'd call this a waste of our time."
"You can say that again," Dohiko agreed, "I am not saying that I want to overexert myself before facing Bounnoma, but this is really just disappointing."
"While I was still a policeman, my colleagues said that several times," Ao-Ju spoke to the two Toono youkai, "And each time destiny felt like making them regret saying that."
"Now that I think about it, that happened to us as well several times, didn't it Awashima?"
"Yes, you're right." Awashima scratched her ear. "Maybe we should stop saying that."
Rihan sighed at the laidback atmosphere. "Let's get on with it," he said and started to walk.
But then Awashima blocked his way with her weapon. "Wait! There is something I want to ask you," she said and looked at Dohiko who nodded.
"What is it?"
Dohiko was the one to answer: "Your fighting is quite weak compared to your father's."
Shiori could not see Rihan's face, but she noticed that his hand shook for a moment. "So you are saying that I am weaker than Dad," he spoke while Shiori moved forward so she could look at him, "You are not the first one to say that," he said with a weird smile on his face.
"No, we said your fighting is quite weak," Awashima corrected him, "We are going to be facing Bounnoma so we'd prefer if you did not hold back."
For some reason, Rihan looked agitated, as if he would have preferred if he was called weak. "What do you mean hold back?"
"There is little substance to your Fear," Dohiko started explaining, "You don't use your father's techniques to even half of an extent your father did."
"And none of your mother's Fear," Awashima crossed her arms, "You use Meikyou Shisui and Kyouka Suigetsu to some extent, but it is meek. You are mostly depending on your raw strength while barely releasing any of your Nurarihyon's Fear."
"I imagine that those amateurs in your Clan just think you are not as strong as your dad… But we of Toono can see better." Dohiko's eyes narrowed. "You don't like a technique and you know exactly what you are doing. You are intentionally holding back your Fear, aren't you?"
Rihan clenched his teeth, a gesture which Awashima did not fail to notice. "We won't ask why you are doing it, but know that we all might get killed if you hold back. Keep that in mind." Awashima and Dohiko turned their backs to him and took a step forward. "Well then, let us see what these Shima are made of!" Awashima said, returning to her usual laidback tone.
"Rihan, what-" Shiori started her question, but by just walking away Rihan made it clear that he would not talk about it. It is true now that I think about it… there is something off about his strength.
"The boy has his own inner demons." Ao-Ju walked up to her. "If you want to help him, you should get to know all of them."
Shiori nodded to his comment and both of them joined the others on their way to the Golden Shrine.
"By the way girl…" Dohiko looked at her, pulling her away from her thoughts. "What's with that tattoo?"
"Yeah, it looks kind of morbid." Awashima also looked at Shiori from the corner of her eye. "And I can feel some Fear around it… quite strange seeing as you are a human and all."
"Ah…" Shiori's eyes widened when she realized that she still wore a T-shirt so her tattoo was open for everyone to see. Idiot… I am such an idiot! Since the tattoo practically revealed to others that she was Shiori, this was no good thing. What the hell am I going to say?
"It is a complicated matter and I'd be grateful if you could drop it," Rihan spoke instead of her, "And if I could ask you for a favor, please don't tell anyone about it… if my clan learned just about the tattoo, they could cause trouble for her."
"Wait, is your girlfriend some kind of rival or enemy to Rikuo or your clan? Or someone else?" Dohiko put his fingers under his chin. "It is a convoluted drama of forbidden love maybe?"
"You could say so." Rihan's eyes narrowed. It was clear to her that he himself was not sure what their relationship was, but it seemed like even in this situation he did not want others to find out about her identity. "So please…"
"Come on, lighten up!" Awashima grinned and tapped him on his back. "It is not our concern what goes on with you and your clan, and if you ask us to not push our nose into this, we won't."
"Thank you." Rihan said the words that were on Shiori's mind, although she was not sure if she would have directed them at the Toono youkai or at Rihan.
In any case, I am an idiot.
~)(~
"You are late," Sanmoto Gorozaemon said to the one who landed just behind him. He did not turn around to look at him and instead continued sitting and meditating, which allowed him to use one of his Golden Shrines as his eyes and ears.
"Shut up, it is good I even managed to leave the place. That bastard tried to stop me just because he felt it would be the right thing to do," Shoumen Kongo said and sat right beside him, "But the boy still did not confront Bounnoma."
"He will now."
"Good, then I came just on time. Let us make him ours, Sanmoto."
~)(~
"This must be it," Awashima said when the group reached large wooden gates, colored in black and gold. Two figured were painted on them, facing one another with their backs. One was a man dressed in a yukata and with a skull instead of a head, while the other was a wrathful, six-handed demon.
"These are Sanmoto Gorozaemon and Shoumen Kongo," Shiori recognized the characters, "As the part of this unholy pact between youkai who fancy themselves as gods, Shoumen Kongo's servant protects Goroazemon's shrine behind these gates."
"Thank you for stating the obvious," Dohiko said in an annoyed tone but Shiori did not show signs of care, "So, shall I open them?"
"Yes, please do," Shiori said and moved backwards so she would be the last one in the group. "Let us see what this Bounnoma is made of," she said and looked Rihan into his eyes. The expression on her face made it clear that she was worried.
Why are you worried about me? He wanted to ask such a question, but he did not. The source of his darkness was related to the youkai she mentioned. That is, she had a good reason to be worried about him.
"Alright guys, prepare yourselves!" Dohiko shouted and started pushing the heavy gates. Rihan felt his body stiffening as the crack appeared. It did not take too long for Dohiko to open them fully.
What ensued was primal fear.
Rihan felt his skin boil, his heart freeze and his bones crack. He felt death itself… and so did the rest.
And then Rihan regained his senses and what he saw was a large monkey-like demon sitting in front of a large, golden skull. His fur was a very dark shade of blue, dark as night, and his eyes and expression showed pure rage. The palm of his left hand was in front of him, as if he was praying, while his right one held a giant, spiky mace.
Rihan looked at the others from corner of his eyes, hoping to take in some of their confidence. But even the veterans like Awashima and Dohiko looked startled just like he was.
Then Shiori walked into his field of vision. "Oh good, I feared someone else would be with him." She looked around the hall. "But when we sum it all up, this is still worse than I expected."
"If you already look unfazed, could you not sound so pessimistic please?" Rihan asked her. I mean, even the Toono are afraid.
Shiori smirked and only now did Rihan notice that her hands were shaking. "Unfazed? You jest, my love."
"Since Tsuchigumo I did not feel so much Fear from someone," Dohiko said, "This will be good."
"I don't know… the thing with Tsuchigumo did not end well for us," Awashima added.
"Welcome, visitors." When Bounnoma spoke, the faces the Toono youkai made proved that they were far from courageous. "Please do tell, what brings you here?" The large monkey-like youkai rose up, casting his shadow over them.
"Maybe we should go and come back with more people?" Awashima suggested in a whisper, "I have a bad feeling that this won't end well."
"Idiot, you think he would let us just walk away after we found his super secret shrine?" Dohiko noted.
"Indeed, it might have been too late the moment we opened the gates," Ao-Ju agreed with Dohiko. His mask hid expression so one could not see if he was afraid as the rest, but Rihan wagered that he was.
"It was too late the moment we entered this land's memories." Shiori shook her head. "If we tried to leave sooner, this guy would have left the temple and attacked us."
"The girl is right, your fates have been sealed since the moment you stupidly entered this land's memories." Bounnoma cut into their conversation. "Anyway, it is bad manners to ignore someone," he said something outrageous. "So I ask you again: what bring you here?"
"We are here to throw your ass onto that ugly skull behind you!" Awashima pointed her finger at them.
Bounnoma made a vicious smile that made everyone take a step backwards. "I love your sense of humor." Bounnoma looked around, and then his eyes met Rihan's. "Rihan, son of Rikuo… I prayed for ages to be the one to offer your soul to my lord and master."
Rihan felt like the whole world, besides him and Bounnoma, turn black. What the hell is this…? Rihan felt an uncomfortable streak of cold fill his body, so cold he wondered how he was still alive. Why… He felt a need to run away… but even more so, he felt a need to go to Bounnoma and kneel. Who the hell is this guy?!
"Rihan… Rihan!" He heard Shiori shake his shoulder and call to him. "Riha… Ri…h…n…" But her words gradually disappeared, until he could hear her no more. At the same time, he could see a six-handed blue figure appear behind him.
And Bounnoma's words became so loud that they shook every bone in his body. "Welcome to this place, where you shall learn to respect the gifts my Lord offers you." Rihan had to fight his urge to squeal when Bounnoma looked at him with an even greater intensity than before. "I am Bounnoma, one of the Koshin's Shima! I torture one's body and mind… and I will torture your body and mind until you realize just how pitiable you truly are." Sadistic excitement could be felt from his smile.
Rihan could already feel his skin being peeled off. He could feel his neck twisting, his hearts being squashed, his eyes molting… he could feel all kinds of tortures, as if Bounnoma was in the midst of doing it.
Finally, Rihan broke. "AAAAAHHHH!"
~)(~
Everyone was taken aback when Rihan suddenly fell on his knees and started screaming with his hands on his head.
"What the hell is going on with him?" Awashima looked at him in astonishment. "Bounnoma did nothing but… SHIT!"
Awashima put all her Fear in her spear and Dohiko, who came to the same conclusion, put all his Fear into his fists. Both then attacked the air, cutting the Fear between Bounnoma and Rihan. As a result, Rihan stopped screaming but still seemed horrified.
"Rihan…" Shiori kneeled down to him. He looked at her with a horrified stare, showing that he was still affected by whatever Bounnoma did to him. "He won't be able to fight…"
"Tz, he took one of us down while we were not watching," Dohiko noted and then both he, Awashima and Ao-Ju turned all their attention at their smirking enemy, "Still, I would have thought that Rikuo's son would have fared better."
Shiori felt like punching the ape. "He will get better, just you wait!" She was not sure why she said it, but she made herself believe those words while hugging Rihan.
"Doesn't matter, we shall deal with this one before he even musters enough courage to raise his head up," Dohiko said and prepared to run at Bounnoma.
"And just who are you people?" Bounnoma said. Shiori did not fail to notice that he showed no interest in them. "Well, I guess I will have to remove the mosquitoes before I get to business."
"Awashima, he is underestimating us." Dohiko punched one fist with another and Fear started to be released from him.
"Well, he will learn that these mosquitoes can give quite a bite." Awashima smirked while Fear also started to be released from within her, giving her a more demonic atmosphere. "Let's go Dohiko!" She said and ran towards Bounnoma.
"Hai!" Dohiko followed after her while Ao-Ju continued to stand where he was, but with his guns ready to fire.
"Mosquitoes," Bounnoma said in a bored tone and swung his mace with speed that Shiori found amazing. However, with even more amazing agility, Dohiko avoided the mace by jumping far into the air and Awashima avoided it as if she were dancing.
Ao-Ju then pulled his triggers, hitting Bounnoma into his face with explosive bullets and continued shooting as if the pistols were machineguns.
"Are we still mosquitoes, huh?!" Dohiko shouted while still falling towards Bounnoma, whose face was hidden amongst smoke and flames. The Fear he created in his hand was so strong that even Shiori's human eyes could see it.
"Indeed, seems like I was mistaken," Bounnoma said in a calm tone and then, when Dohiko was close enough, his fist came out of the smoke and grabbed Dohiko by his hand, after which he turned around and used him to hit Awashima.
The temple floor got destroyed as Awashima flew through it, until finally hitting a pillar which collapsed onto her.
But Bounnoma did not stop turning around. "Shit!" Shiori's intuition told her what might happen so she grabbed Rihan and pushed him onto the ground. "Ao-Ju, run!"
But she was too late: Bounnoma had already thrown Dohiko who hit right into Ao-Ju, taking both of them into the hallway they came from while Shiori and Rihan were showered with rubble.
"You are not even mosquitoes," Bounnoma said while taking the mace back into his hand and then rested it on his shoulder. "Now, onto the main dish…" After saying those words, Bounnoma looked at Shiori and Rihan.
Come out! Shiori tried to force the Black Skeleton to appear but, like usual, she rejected to come out in times of actual need. Is there no way to fight him? Without turning her eyes away from Bounnoma, Shiori spoke to Rihan. "Rihan, can you stand?" Can you run?
"I…" Rihan raised himself up and turned towards Bounnoma. "I… am not sure… if we can win this."
~)(~
Dohiko and Awashima, two youkai from the strong Toono Clan, were thrown around by Bounnoma like he was a child and they were his toys. Even Ao-Ju blowing up his face multiple times did not leave as much as a scratch on him.
How are we supposed to survive, let alone win? Rihan could not even muster strength to take out the sword from its sheath. He remembered all the sensations of torture that he felt a few minutes ago and he felt like running away. And he would have, if he thought there was a chance to flee.
"Rihan, get a hold of yourself!" Shiori shook him by his shoulders. "You need to-"
And then suddenly a wooden pillar flew from the hallway and struck right into Bounnoma. "I am still not done!" Dohiko yelled and stormed back into the hall.
"And neither am I!" Awashima rose from the ground, cleaned some blood from her mouth and ran at him. Rihan felt whole at seeing both of them be alright, but Shiori's worried expression was contagious.
"Arhhh…" Bounnoma sighed and moved the mace away from his shoulder, prepared to use it again.
And then Ao-Ju ran back into the hall and jumped into the air. He pulled the triggers, but did not aim at Bounnoma. Instead, he aimed at the ground around him, causing dust to rise up and block his fields of vision.
Awashima was the first to attack and while Rihan could not see clearly, he could see the two silhouettes fight with Bounnoma trying to hit her while Awashima elegantly avoided his strike and slashed her spear at him. At one moment it looked like he was about to score a hit, but then Ao-Ju shot a bullet at the mace. The mace was thrown a bit backwards, giving Awashima enough time to move away.
In meantime, Dohiko had stopped moving and lowered himself on all fours, releasing Fear in amazing quantities. He was still standing when Ao-Ju ran past him and gave Dohiko thumbs up.
For a moment, Awashima jumped out of the dust cloud, breathing heavily. She threw a look at Rihan, and he could feel something soft in her eyes.
"Awashima's Fear is strengthened by motherly and fatherly feelings," Shiori explained, as if she knew what was on Rihan's mind, "In a way, your current situation is beneficial for her as it might make her feel worried about you to the desired level."
Awashima then turned her attention back Bounnoma, who was no longer hidden inside the cloud, and her Fear rose to the point that even Rihan could feel it from a far away distance.
Ao-Ju was the first to strike: he avoided the swing of Bounnoma's mace by ducking and then jumped up, grabbed Bounnoma by his ear and started shooting right into his mouth. Once again, the scene was hidden behind smoke.
Dohiko finally started moving, and he ran with such speed and power that he destroyed the ground in his path.
"Perfect Fatherhood, Izanagi!" Awashima shouted and swung her spear at Bounnoma. Both she and Dohiko hit at the same time, causing an explosion. Although Rihan could not see it, he could clearly hear that they made multiple attacks at Bounnoma.
"Wow…" Even Shiori was impressed, and even hopeful. "Did they get him?"
Dohiko, Awashima and Ao-Ju jumped backwards, to the safe distance away from where Bounnoma stood. "Did we get him?" Dohiko asked, also hopeful.
Awashima raised her now broken spear. "I felt as if I could not cut anything but some of his skin."
"Dammed…" Dohiko looked at his fist, which were bleeding from many places. "What is that guy made of…?"
"Half power, half despair and one hundred percent faith." Bounnoma's voice spoke after which enormous black Fear started pouring out from the smoke, as if there was a pyre of black flames. Everyone in the hall gasped in awe and terror. "It is time to squash some flies!"
At horrifyingly high speed, Bounnoma ran from the cloud. Although for some reason his body had become only twice as large as average human's, he was no less terrifying.
Dohiko moved in front and was the first to engage him. But Bounnoma ducked and avoided his punch, after which he hit Dohiko's legs with his spiked mace. When Dohiko started falling, he grabbed him by his head and pushed into the ground. Then he pulled him up, threw him into the air and hit with his mace. Dohiko flew into the wall and through it, out of the temple.
Without taking a break, he moved at Awashima and hit her with his mace as well, pushing her into the same direction as he did Dohiko.
"My brethren!" He called after which a two dozen Yasha appeared in large the hall. Rihan could feel that their Fear was far above the ones the group fought before. "Keep those pests away from here. But do not kill them, I wish to…" Bounnoma made his sadistic grin again. "… have some quality time with them later."
At his command, the Yashas ran through the hole in the wall.
"Now…" And then Bounnoma returned his gaze at Rihan. While his size increased again and while still having that sadistic grin on his face, he spoke to Rihan: "Let us start the sermon, little boy."
~)(~
"Ah… ah…" Rihan felt horrified while looking at Bounnoma. How am I… supposed to deal with him… when Awashima and… Dohiko were…
"Rihan, listen…" Shiori put her hands on his shoulders. "Your grandfather killed his master and the Nura Clan did not lose anyone in the battle against youkai like these and a much stronger one leading them. If someone here can kill him, it is you."
"No… no, I can't…" Rihan shook his head without moving his eyes from Bounnoma who slowly walked towards him. I am not nearly as strong as grandfather was… I can't even stand up to my sister…
"You can… I know you can," Shiori said and let go of him.
He could hear her walk away and wanted to beg her to stay and not leave him alone. But he remembered that she was only a mere human and would die from one hit.
He was alone, facing an enemy he could not hope to stand up to. And worst of all, this was not the first time he felt such a horror: the memories of Gagoze's sadistic treatment of his eight years old self became vivid like never before.
He was so afraid that his left hand moved backwards, as if he hoped that he could catch Shiori's hand. He was at the point that even a human girl felt like decent protection. But of course, Shiori had already moved away.
I am done for. Rihan thought as the enormous Bounnoma got closer and closer, walking with such a slow pace that it was torture for Rihan. The boy took out Nenekirimaru, not because he intended to fight but rather because his own body moved instinctively. I don't want this…
"Stay strong, chief," Ao-Ju appeared between Rihan and Bounnoma, "I know how afraid you are. I felt horrified as well the first time I found myself in a situation when I thought that I would die for sure." Ao-Ju aimed his pistols at Bounnoma, who just seemed annoyed by Ao-Ju's resistance. "I wish I had advice on how to deal with it, but the truth is that there is none as the answer varies from person to person. But you see…" Ao-Ju released his Fear and the aura around him became more terrifying. "…once you manage to stand up to such terror, you will not be as terrified anymore." Ao-Ju took a pose of someone who was preparing to start running. "I will buy you some time, and you try to find a reason to fight."
And then Ao-Ju ran at Bounnoma before Rihan could stop him and tell him to just leave while he still could.
Bounnoma sighed in annoyance and then moved at speed which Rihan's eye could barely follow. He swung his mace even faster, but Ao-Ju fired a bullet at it and used the moment, in which the mace was pushed away, to move behind Bounnoma and shoot him in the back.
Naturally, it did not do any serious damage to Bounnoma who just turned around and swung his mace again. While Bounnoma's face was looking downwards, Ao-Ju created some grenades and threw them into the air. By the time Bounnoma raised his eyes, what he saw was Ao-Ju still armed with guns. Bounnoma took a step at him, but Ao-Ju fired a bullet into his head.
Bounnoma no doubt expected another harmless attack, but Rihan could see that Ao-Ju put far more Fear into this one than he did before. As a result, Bounnoma's head was pushed away. Due to the timing, the grenades fell onto his neck and exploded.
Rihan did not know how certain Ao-Ju was in his plan, but he himself prayed that he managed to destroy Bounnoma's neck. In any case, Ao-Ju moved at the safe distance from Bounnoma.
"I have had enough of you pests!" Bounnoma shouted and jumped into the air, almost breaking the rooftop. "Vanish, lowly mouse!" Fear collected around Bounnoma's mace, which he then threw towards Ao-Ju.
The blue-clad youkai moved away, but it was pointless: the mace may as well have been a military missile. Once it fell onto the ground, an explosive noise filled the hall, wooden and stone rubble flew in all directions and smoke filled the room. Even Rihan was almost thrown away by the sheer force.
He saw Ao-Ju fall, and then he saw Bounnoma falling at him, his fist raised high. For the first time, Rihan's foot moved, but one step was as far as he could go before the dark-blue ape caused another wave of destruction by punching right into Ao-Ju.
"A… A… Ao…" Rihan wanted to call to him and confirm his survival, but he was too shocked to speak.
"Oh, you are still alive? All three of you sure are enduring." Bounnoma spoke, confirming Ao-Ju's survival. Then he raised Ao-Ju by holding his arms with his own hands. "They say that, for a warrior, the most important is his heart. I disagree: I say it is the hands." After saying that, sounds of cracking bones could be heard, and even Ao-Ju could not hold back from screaming in pain. "Bye bye." And then Bounnoma grabbed Ao-Ju's entire body with his one hand and threw him away.
"Ao-Ju…" when Rihan saw Ao-Ju's falling body, he remembered the moment when this youkai promised to serve him. He remembered anxiety, as well as joy, at hearing that someone wanted to swear his life to him.
And that triggered something in Rihan who took a deep breath and stopped shaking. "You damn ape!" Rihan yelled and ran at Bounnoma.
"Finally." Bounnoma said happily and grabbed the handle of his mace and looked at Rihan with anticipation.
~)(~
Shiori's hands shook while she watched Bounnoma deal with Ao-Ju. Although Ao-Ju was a human whom she merely turned into youkai, and even though that youkai pledged his allegiance to someone else, Shiori felt devastated as she would for any other youkai whom she created. She was glad that Ao-Ju merely lost consciousness, but that did not make up for the pain that was caused to him.
And then Rihan started moving towards Bounnoma. Although she wanted him to come and fight, she knew this was not it. Rihan, your Fear… don't just run at him!
Bounnoma did not even use his mace: he just swung his left hand and threw Rihan across the crater he had created earlier. It did no noticeable damage to Rihan's body, but Shiori could guess that Bounnoma's actual goal was to irritate Rihan, not harm him just yet. Make him forget about his fears and then remind him in a way that it would feel like a cold shower. Shiori felt her teeth clenching at that thought.
Bounnoma continued playing with Rihan in that manner, softly throwing him away and making Rihan more and more irritated, and his attacks more and more rough and wild. Rihan's face shone with anger, while in contrast Bounnoma's face shone with satisfaction.
After five or so minutes, Bounnoma finally used his mace. With it, he hit Rihan and propelled him into the wall, the spikes on the mace causing injuries to him.
Damn it… damn it… Shiori, who hid behind a pillar, started hitting the said pillar with her right hand. Come out Midori! Come out, I will give you whatever you want!
But the only thing the discarded part of her soul did was laugh at Shiori, the one whom she hated the most, just like how Shiori hated her.
Bounnoma grabbed Rihan, who wildly ran at him, by his head. Then he shoved him into the ground several times after which he threw him at the wall on the other end of the hall. "Do you feel it, Nura Rihan?" Bounnoma shouted at him. "Do you feel how hopeless you are?"
Damn it… damn it, damn it, damn it! Shiori felt pain in her hand, but she could not stop herself from punching the pillar. She wanted to go out and help him. She wanted to save him… but she was powerless here, and she knew it. Why… why did I think that bringing him here was a good idea? What the hell… why did I… why? She trusted in him being able to deal with whatever awaited them at this place, but her belief proved wrong. Why? A tear flowed from her eye.
It was an idiotic thing for me to think he would be able to deal with whatever was here. Shiori fell on her knees. Every time Bounnoma did something to Rihan, she felt her heart squeeze. I am such an idiot… I must be such an idiot as I still believe in him. She was not even sure where hope and trust ended and delusion started.
"Ah, I came just in time!" Someone said behind her.
Shiori cleaned her tears, raised herself up and turned around. "Yanagida…" She was surprised to see him here.
"Midori." He spoke her name with a smile, but she could feel malice come out of it. "I see you are still hard at work on sabotaging your honorable ancestor."
"Did you expect anything less?" Shiori's eyes narrowed at the man who now stood beside her and starred at the battle with satisfaction.
"You tried to bite more than you could chew this time," Yanagida spoke without looking at her, "Not only will one of Sanmoto-sama's plans come to fruition, but you treacherous girl will die."
"You should know better than anyone that Nuras are tough." She forced a smirk on her face, but tried to not look at Bounnoma and Rihan for she was not sure if she would be able to hold her facade while looking at the carnage.
Yanagida turned his face at her and gave her a different kind of smile, one that shone with joy. "So you did not notice it?"
Shiori no longer smiled. "Notice what?"
"Do you really think that the Koshin and his lackeys are the only one playing a role in this show?" Yanagida turned his attention back at Bounnoma and Rihan. "You at least should be able to see it."
"What?" Shiori turned around. When Rihan standing in one place, breathing heavily and bleeding everywhere, entered her field of vision, she turned to stone for a moment. But her worry for what Yanagida said prevailed so she closed her eyes and moved her head towards the Golden Shrine before opening them again.
And then she realized what Yanagida meant. "No…" She could feel a connection between the shrine and Bounnoma. She could feel tremendous power, on level of a Kami, mixed with Sanmoto's Tale. The two together made a Prophecy and, while gazing at the shrine, she could hear what the Prophecy said:
"Heroes and Villains come, but the Guardian prevails."
"No weapon nor magic can put him down."
"No words make him falter, no cunningness fools him."
"And none can flee to tell the others of his might."
"Horrors are all that awaits those that face him."
A Prophecy was, unlike popular belief, not prediction of future. Instead, it was a very strong tale that could force destiny to make it happen. It was near impossible to stop it from coming true.
"Do you understand it now, girl?" Yanagida spoke. "The Koshin and Sanmoto-sama put enormous amounts of their Fear to make this Tale ascend into a Prophecy. As such, if Bounnoma was ever threatened, in any possible way, destiny would force his victory to happen." Yanagida put a hand on her shoulder, which made her shiver. "But it was a waste as it seems like none of you have made him sweat so the Prophecy may never have to force itself upon anyone."
No… Shiori shook her head in despair. This can't be… Her hand fell on her purse, where she kept her tea. Maybe with this I could… No, even this can't help unless we find a way to defeat Bounnoma himself… just what should I do…?
~)(~
In this hopeless battle, blind hope was all that Rihan had left. The blind hope had become the only thing that allowed him to rise up again and again, no matter how much Bounnoma beat him up.
It was frustrating how powerless he was in front of this enemy.
It was frustrating how he, the son of Nura Rikuo, could do nothing to this youkai.
It was frustrating how he and his attempts to make him pay for what he did to Ao-Ju were fruitless.
And it was especially frustrating to listen to Bounnoma's lecturing. "You are powerless, just accept it already," he said and punched Rihan in the guts with such force that he was thrown into the air. "It is the first step towards salvation."
"Shut up." Rihan coughed some blood. "Shut up." Why do you play around like this? Just bring it to an end, like you did with the others.
"Do you remember when you were strong?" While Rihan was still regaining his balance, Bounnoma appeared behind him.
"Was it when you were courageous?" He grabbed Rihan by the head and pushed him into the ground. There were few things as painful as getting one's head pushed into stone like this. "No, courage brought you only pointless hope."
"Was it when you chivalrous?" Bounnoma threw Rihan across half of the hall and then jumped towards him, hitting him with his fist into the guts like he did with Ao-Ju, just with less force. "No, chivalry only let you down."
"Was it love that brought you a sudden influx of strength?" Bounnoma raised Rihan by holding his legs and then punched his body with enough force that Rihan felt like his spine would break. "No, that was never your motivation, was it now?"
"The one thing that ever brought you strength was…" Bounnoma grabbed him by his hand and made him look at the ceiling, where a blue demon with six hands was painted. Rihan did not know him, but he recognized the black monkeys that surrounded him "…Shoumen Kongo's, the Koshin-san's, love. Do you not remember?"
"No…" Rihan closed his eyes, not wanting to listen to his words.
"Do not deny it! You know where your true strength lies!" He then moved Rihan so he would be facing Bounnoma's face. "And yet here you are, pointing your sword at your fellow brother-in-arms. Is that how you honor out master?"
"You are not… my brother." Rihan continued to reject his words.
"Then what are we to you?"Bounnoma grinned. "Why do you go so far to make Koshin-san your enemy?"
"You are evil, that's all the reason I need." Rihan said and looked him right into the eyes. "Besides… it was because of you… it was because of your monkeys that I…" Rihan remembered the member of the Nura Clan whom he sacrificed a few nights ago. "…it was you who made me kill a comrade."
"No, it was not us. You did it yourself." Bounnoma looked like he was on verge of laughing. "Koshin-san gave your power and he cleaned your desire of all the unnecessary noise."
"No, my true desire is not to-"
"What is your true desire, boy?" Bounnoma let go of Rihan who fell on the ground.
"I just want to be… a hero, like Dad and Grandfather and…" Rihan talked while trying to stand up, but his hand slipped and he fell face down on the ground.
"You want to be a hero, huh?" Bounnoma spoke in an entertained tone of voice. "Then tell me one pay-off that made it all worth it."
"What… do you mean?"
"Remember one time when someone you saved smiled because you saved him. But do not think too much about it, a hero who fights for the weak should remember a few immediately."
"One time that… one time that…" For some reason, Rihan's mind went blank.
"Hahahahaha! You don't remember any. Do you? Even if you got some, you did not bother memorizing them!" Bounnoma laughed so loudly that it echoed through the entire hall. "But do you remember all the evils you slew? Do you remember the faces on anguish… the faces of despair that they made… and do you remember the pleasures you felt as they made them?"
"No…" He wanted to deny it, but Bounnoma was right: he did remember it all. "No, I…" He tried to deny it while holding his weight with his hands, but he failed. He could not deny it.
"And now remember the moment you killed that comrade of yours…" Bounnoma knelled towards Rihan. "Even if you later regretted it, at the time you killed him… were you not pleased that you were able to sacrifice one of your own in order to keep fighting in what you desired?"
"No…" Rihan put his hands on his head. "No… no I was not…" Yet he could not say it, and that fact alone made him shake his head left and right. "I am not a-"
"Hate! That's what fuels you! Hate!" Bounnoma rose up and spread his arms. "There are certain kinds of people you hate and you want to see them suffer! You don't want to save anyone! You don't want to make the world a better place! You only want to see those whom you hate suffer!"
"I… I…" Bounnoma was right, that was the conclusion he was forced to come to.
"So accept Koshin-san!" Bounnoma kneeled down to Rihan again. "Accept him, and he will give you both the power and resolve you need to-"
"Do not listen to his deceptions, Rihan!" A girl's voice shouted at him. "He is full of shit, and you know it!"
"Araya-chan…" Rihan recognized her voice and turned his head in the direction of the girl who ran towards him. No… if you come too close, he will…
"Well, if it isn't Sanmoto Shiori herself." For whichever reason, Bounnoma did not try to stop her from running to them.
"Rihan!" She shouted again, put her hand into her purse and took out a plastic bottle containing some crimson liquid. "Drink this!" She then threw the bottle towards Rihan.
"Huh?" Rihan caught it. "This is… the tea?" He remembered the tea she made and how she put it into this bottle.
"You don't really intend to drink it, do you?" Bounnoma spoke in a mocking tone. "That drink is fishy no matter how you look at it… especially coming from someone like her."
"Trust me, Rihan!" Shiori did not give up. "It will help you, I swear."
Rihan's fingers instinctively opened the bottle, but he did not drink it.
"You must jest, Rihan-kun. You are going to just spill it, right?" Bounnoma tried to dissuade him in a calm tone. "After all, she is the very Queen of those you hate."
"Shut up you…" For some reason, Shiori's voice was shaking.
"Are you not?" Bounnoma spoke to her. "Listen Rihan, this girl is only seducing you and turning you into her plaything. Listening to her will make you into what you hate the most."
"What?" Shiori did not take well to his words. "How dare you, of all people, even suggest that-"
"Just how many people suffered due to her games, huh?" Bounnoma cut in and shouted so loud that she could not be heard even if she spoke. "She and her servants create evil, wicked youkai on daily basis. And those youkai cause grief and suffering on many!" Bounnoma turned towards Shiori again. "Do you deny it, Sanmoto Shiori?"
"You little…" Shiori clenched her teeth, but could not talk back.
"And she did not even begin! The Koshin-san knows what she plans… he knows that, if left alive, many humans and youkai will lose their lives in near future! He knows that she intends to return Japan to the Age of Superstitions! She desires to make Japan, once again, a place where every human takes existence of supernatural for granted, thus fueling the strength and birth of youkai! If that happens, the world will enter a new Age of Darkness for sure!"
"A new… age of darkness…?" Rihan found those words of his easy to believe. After all, she felt like a kind of person who would want something like that. No, maybe I am just wrong and-
"Sanmoto Shiori, do you deny it?" Bounnoma asked her for an answer.
"I… do not deny it." And thus, Shiori confirmed the truth in his words.
"Do you see, Rihan-kun?" Bounnoma continued. "She is even admitting it."
"You are the one to accuse!" Shiori did not give up. "It is you guys who manipulated all those humans into committing carnage."
"No, it was Sanmoto Gorozaemon, your kin." Bounnoma looked unfazed. "I admit we helped, but it was the humans who accepted Sanmoto's call. You see, Rihan-kun…" Bounnoma turned his attention back to his victim. "The darkness is hiding everywhere and some would say that the world needs a crusader who will make the world pure of evil… And Koshin-san and you will get power to do so!"
"That's not what the Koshin faith is-"
"Do not listen to this witch, Nura Rihan!" Bounnoma yelled again. "Spill it and accept the Koshin as you master! Then kill her! Kill everything she had created! Kill-"
"Listen to him and you will kill Ao-Ju, like you did your other comrade!" Shiori managed to overshadow his voice by getting closer to Rihan. "If you do as he says, when will it be too late? When you stand upon the corpse of your-AH!"
"Silence!" Bounnoma kicked her away.
For a mere moment, he knew she was right. And before he could start hesitating again, he drank the tea. Rihan only gulped half of it when his body got paralyzed and his vision started to slowly turn white.
"I see you will need more sermons, Rihan-kun." Bounnoma put his left hand in prayer and raised the mace with his right. "I will send Koshin-san's word directly to you to protect you from this devilish woman's corruption." And then he swung the mace. "And when you return to your senses, I will show you that even with her help you are still powerless. The Koshin is the only path you have if you want to become strong."
The world disappeared in front of Rihan's eyes just before the mace reached him.
~)(~
With his eyes closed, Rihan waited for the mace to hit him. But no matter how long he waited, nothing came.
Still, he continued to wait without opening his eyes. Although he did not remember when he fell down, he lay on the cold, wet ground. Cold, wet ground… what, but the temple was not like this. When he also felt something small and cold fall on his face, he opened his eyes.
He was no longer in the temple, but somewhere outside. He lay on the ground and looked at the night sky while the snow fell. Why am I lying on the snow?
Although he knew neither what was going on nor where he was, he understood that Bounnoma and his mace were no longer in front of him. For that reason, he felt no hesitation in raising himself up and looking around.
And then Shiori's voice echoed in his head:
"Remember the warmth of parental love."
What? Shiori, where are you hiding? He tried looking for her, but he found someone else.
"Rihan, you sure sleep long!" His father said.
"Did you get a proper rest, dearie?" His mother asked.
"Come here and join us, stupid little brother!" His sister called for him.
All three of them were sitting under a blooming sakura so the landscape was filled with snowflakes and cherry petals. The three of them sat on a blanket, eating sweets and drinking sake and tea. "Ah, right…" Rihan had no idea what kind of dream this was, but he walked up to them and sat down.
"How are you doing, son?" His father asked him while his mother poured him some cold tea. "You look like you lost a brawl with a bear."
"I am fighting some extremely strong youkai." Rihan accepted the cup of his mother's tea. "I am getting beaten up like a ragdoll."
"Haha, I know that feeling." His father laughed. "When I first met Tsuchigumo, he beat me up continuously for what felt like eternity."
"Do not remind me, I actually thought you died back then," Tsurara said and drank some sake while her two kids drank tea, "It really felt like our entire future would disappear that day."
"But it did not," He put his arm around his wife's shoulders, "I defeated him and now I have a wife and two kids. It is a perfect future!"
But even though his father's words felt encouraging, Rihan did not feel persuaded.
"It is alright to be afraid, brother," his sister said, "If you are not afraid of your enemies, you can't get stronger."
"Ritsura is right." Their father nodded. "I am glad I fought someone like Tsuchigumo. He made me realize how weak I was and that I needed to get much stronger if I was to defeat my other enemies." He let go of his wife and stretched his hand to put it on his son's shoulder. "I know you are terrified and I know just how much you are afraid." He spoke with a kind and sympathetic expression. "But remember, you are my son, a child of the Nura Clan. You have the power to defeat him, no matter who he might be."
"I don't know about that…" Although Rihan said that, he did feel a bit better. He took a sip of the tea and suddenly found himself somewhere else.
"Remember that you are not alone."
He could hear Shiori's voice in his head again, but once again could not see her anywhere. Instead, he only saw a street in Ukiyoe as well as several members of the Nura Clan fighting some upstarts who thought of invading Ukiyoe and usurp his father's position.
And Rihan was fighting alongside them. It was a minor fight that happened around two years ago.
"Are you alright, young master?" Kurotabou, who stood beside him, asked.
"Of course I am," Rihan answered like he did back then, "These guys are small fries after all."
"They are, but what about your current enemy?" Kubinashi, who appeared behind Rihan, commented. "How is that fight going?"
"Huh?" Rihan was confused. This was not how the conversation went that time. "Kubinashi, you are not supposed to be here!" Only Kurotabou, Aotabou and a few others fought alongside him back then.
"What are you talking about, young master?" Kejorou, who was also not supposed to be here, said to him. "We are the Nura Clan."
"Even when we are physically separated…" Aotabou crushed one of the enemies and landed in front of him. "Our hearts are always together!"
"Indeed." A youkai whose face was hidden by papers, called Yami, agreed. "We are always there."
"We are the Nura Clan." Shouei landed on top of a large enemy youkai and slew him. "We are the strongest clan because our hearts are always aligned."
"You guys…"
"So do not fear any enemy, Rihan." Nurarihyon said while sitting on top of a ledge and smoking his pipe.
Someone's back touched his "We are always by your side." Ritsura said and he heard her run at someone.
"We are always there, protecting you." His father and mother deflected an enemy attack that almost hit him.
"From this world or another…" He felt hands of some man land on his shoulders. "…we will always be by your side." The unknown man assured him.
"I… see…" was all that the younger Rihan could say to their words.
"You know what you need to do… What you need to accept."
When he heard Shiori's words, the scenery changed once again: he had returned to standing under the sakura which bloomed in the middle of snow-filled winter.
But this time his sister was the only one sitting there. "Would you join me for drinks, little brother?" His sister asked him and raised a cup of sake.
"We are underage sister." Rihan said to her without moving from his spot.
"This is a yakuza ceremony, age doesn't matter!" Ritsura complained.
"A yakuza ceremony…" Rihan muttered. "Is this the Sakazuki Exchange?"
The Sakazuki Exchange is a very important ceremony amongst the yakuza, the Nura Clan included. Through it, one would claim servitude or brotherhood to the other person and that way join their yakuza group. To the youkai following yakuza traditions, it was the ceremony that made one an integral part of a Hyaki Yakou and, in extension, the youkai clan in question.
Although Rihan and Ritsura were siblings, it was expected from one to make a fifty-fifty exchange with another. Since Ritsura was the chosen heiress, exchanging sakazuki with her meant that he would accept her right of inheritance and support her for the rest of their lives.
"But this is not a real ceremony," Rihan spoke out, "This is only happening inside my head…"
"We are yakuza, brother. This ceremony is important for us not because of what it means to others, but what it means to us."
"Us? But you are not here," Rihan said and walked to her.
"But you know me well enough, little brother." Ritsura smiled. "You know I'd be happy to exchange sakazuki with you."
That's right… she did offer it to me in past.
"Come on, why are you standing there?" Ritsura tapped the ground in front of her. "Sit down."
"As you say, sis." Rihan did as she asked. "But what is the point of all this?"
"The point is that you defeat Bounnoma, of course."
"And exchanging some sake would help in that?" Rihan asked while putting his finger on a cup of sake and turning it around.
"Of course not! Sake can only get you drunk." Ritsura shook her head. "It is about rejecting what Bounnoma wants you to be and accepting that you are a member of the Nura Clan."
"And that will help?"
"Of course it will." His sister smiled. "Remember that above all else, this ceremony is important on the personal level."
"To me, it would represent acceptance of the fact that I am a part of the Nura Clan," he said before she could.
"Exactly!" Ritsura nodded. "No matter how strong he is and no matter how strong you are as an individual, nobody can stand up to the Nura Clan's Fear."
"So what exactly will happen if I drink this?" Rihan tapped on the cup again.
"You will win." Ritsura made a bittersweet face. "However, for reasons I can't understand, I also know that it will cause a short-term memory loss."
"Shiori… I will forget about her." Rihan's eyes narrowed. "That is the price for this."
"I guess so. Is that a problem?"
"No… the price is fair." Rihan shook his head.
"So, will you make a fifty-fifty exchange of sakazuki with me, brother?" Ritsura asked, raising her cup of sakazuki.
Rihan thought about her offer. For some reason, he could feel that what she said was true: if he exchanged sakazuki with her, all his doubts and hesitations would disappear. Drinking the sakazuki would mean that he swore his life to the Nura clan and that all of the decisions he would make would be for the clan. No matter what Bounnoma said to him, nothing could persuade him to turn into someone who would stand against his comrades, family and clan.
And, most of all, he could fight Bounnoma. He might even defeat him.
Rihan took the cup into his hand, which his sister took as a sign of acceptance. "With this, I would offer you to become my brother, not only by blood, but also by oath."
Rihan nodded and raised the cup. "By drinking this, I would confirm our siblinghood. Although we are already family, with this I would confirm that I put my family first. I would become member of the Nura Clan, both by birth and by oath." Rihan's eyes narrowed as he looked at the cup. "By accepting this, for the rest of my life, and after it, I will serve you and the Nura Clan. The Nura Clan will become my sole ambition. I will live to support you and my children will live to support yours." He looked into the air, knowing that Shiori was there somewhere. "All of the clan's enemies will become mine." He turned his eyes back down and looked into his sister's eyes.
He did not say anything more.
He just spread his hand and the sake cup fell on the ground and broke.
"For those reasons, I reject."
~)(~
The kick, that Bounnoma gave her, hurt like hell.
Fortunately, Shiori managed to persuade Rihan to drink the tea. If all went as planned, Rihan's weak bond with his clan would have become strong and the tea would force his Fear to grow. Bounnoma would no longer have a way to manipulate Rihan, Rihan would get enough power to battle Bounnoma and, as much as it saddened her, Rihan would lose his memories about her true identity.
When Bounnoma's mace reached Rihan, Nura Rihan would deflect the attack and attack Bounnoma, she was sure of it.
But, when she raised her head, what she saw was Rihan flying through the air, and hitting into a pillar. "No… way…" Rihan had lost and her last glimmer of hope had disappeared.
"Hahaha…" Someone above her laughed and then pushed her head onto the ground with his foot. "You lost, bitch!" Yanagida laughed. "Do you feel the despair? This is what you get for betraying Sanmoto-sama!" He kicked her head again and again. "We won!"
But Shiori did not care about his words. I am sorry Riha-chan… for bringing you here… for failing to help you…
I-I-I-I
Author Notes:
- The fight against Bounnoma kinda reminded me of Rikuo's fight against Tsuchigumo… which was even mentioned inside the story XD Although he is not as strong as Tsuchigumo, I do hope that Bounnoma left an impression of someone who is not to be toyed with
- Rihan and Shiori both are having their fits of despair and both are feeling helpless: Rihan for being unable to stand against Bounnoma and Shiori for bringing him here and not being able to help him
- And when Shiori did help him, Rihan JUST SPILLED TEH DAMN THING WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING YOU STUPID BOY?! Seriously though, you will need to wait a while to see why he did it and what happens next ;P
