HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I wish you all a wonderful year, and thank you all, new and old readers, for following and reading my story!
I hope you're enjoiying it and its developments, and do not hesitate to drop a comment if you feel like it!
Enjoy and until next time!
Weeks passed, and spring arrived. The days were starting to get longer, warmer, and Yukimura more worried.
All the people of the Alliance were training daily, doing simulations for when they'd fight Hyoutei. The only ones that weren't joining those practices were the Magicians, who were struggling day and night to find a way to break the barrier; yet until now, there had been no results. Even the few spells that they had come across, and tried, had all failed.
May had just started, and no news had reached the Triple Alliance. In one of their most recent meetings, the three leaders had arrived to the conclusion that Atobe knew that Oshitari was, in fact, Niou, for in his reports he had never mentioned anything about Hirari, even though he did say that she was there in Hyoutei.
'He keeps her secluded, I never managed to see her', he had written once. 'I'll try to sneak in and find out something, but it won't be easy.'
Yet nothing came after that, and they had therefore assumed that Atobe was keeping Niou away on purpose.
It was nearly noon when Yanagi called the others in a hurry. Some time earlier, Inui had discovered the kind of barrier that Hyoutei had put around their HQ's mansion, and recreated one in small in the room where they were trying their spells.
"Look." He said, and chanted some words in Latin, his palms towards the small barrier. It suddenly seemed to freeze, as if ice was covering it, then began to crack until pieces started to fall down, effectively creating holes in it.
The other Magicians gasped, watching in awe and relief.
"You broke it!" Ann rejoiced, smiling big.
"Technically, only parts of it." Yanagi answered, but he was smiling lightly too. "And it is going to be more difficult with the real thing, since it is bigger."
"But we'll all help!" The Magician from Fudoumine exclaimed at the same time.
"And there is Inui-kun, together with whom you'll be able to plan everything out perfectly." Yagyuu added, adjusting his glasses as to hide his curving lips.
"True that." Inui agreed, his own spectacles glinting,.
"I'll call the leaders; as soon as everyone gets into position, it is going to be our turn to act." Yanagi said, serious again.
"Aright!" Everyone else shouted, suddenly excited and tense at the same time.
Yukimura's heart jolted when he heard the news. He had to use all of his self control to keep calm. "Very well, Yanagi. Let us begin the chase."
He smiled, yet around him a powerful and dark aura appeared. Nobody messed with him and kept alive. He had sworn that he'd bring Hirari back home, and now was the time to finally do it.
The people of the three clans were spread all around the mansion of Hyoutei, hidden in the forest and ready to attack.
The Vampires were in the front lines, ready to teleport inside as soon as the barrier was down, spell on which the Magicians were already working on.
With them, a very excited little Demon was, moving nervously on his spot; more than once Yukimura had to smack his head to calm him down, not even too gently.
Right behind them, the Shapeshifters were patiently waiting, still in their Human forms; though as soon as the barrier disappeared, they'd turn and attack.
The Warriors, sitting beside them, were inspecting their own weapons and armours; they didn't have magic by their side, so they could only count on their own strengths.
Last, in a small camp with a few tents, were the Healers and Ann; since the girl was too young to participate to the battle, she'd help Sakuno and Oishi with the wounded, even though they dearly hoped that their skills wouldn't be needed.
Suddenly, a crack could be heard, and the barrier around the mansion became visible; everyone tensed, and those who were resting, seated, immediately stood up. They got ready to enter, even though they were incredibly nervous: this wasn't some puny little clan, it was Hyoutei that they were going to attack.
The cracks in the barrier spread, and soon enough, the spell broke, leaving the building free to be invaded.
Yukimura was the first one to teleport inside; he appeared in what seemed to be a living room, with several Hyouteians there relaxing.
There was who was reading, who was napping, who was playing darts.
They didn't even have the time to realise that an intruder had arrived before being all swiftly killed; the Vampire was not going to make any distinctions between race or gender.
This was war. And in war, he'd be merciless. In war, he'd slaughter anyone who was in his way.
Before the people inside the mansion could realise that they were under attack, the members of the Triple Alliance had stormed inside, riding the wave; they were going to use the advantage of surprise for as long as possible.
Unfortunately, the invaded were quick to react. The alarm was rung, and they started their counterattack.
While the corridors and rooms were echoing with the sounds and cries of the ongoing battle, Atobe looked up, smirking smugly. He didn't seem bothered in the least.
Slipping an arm around the waist of the girl that was napping beside him, he sat up, making her follow him.
"Come, Hirari~. Let us greet your dear Vampire." Atobe chuckled.
"Hai, Atobe-sama." The girl replied; both her tone and eyes were emotionless.
Yukimura was starting to internally panic. He had cleared two whole upper floors by himself - and by 'cleared', it means that he had literally wiped out every single Hyouteian that had been unlucky enough to cross paths with him, but there was still no sign of Hirari, nor Atobe. He had even tried to ask random people – not necessarily in a nice way - but to no avail.
Yukimura wiped away some of the fresh blood that was dirtying his hand, causing it to become slippery; due to it, he had nearly missed his chance to kill the Demon whose lifeless body was now lying at his feet.
Suddenly, he froze. Just in that moment, a scent which he knew very well had just reached his nostrils.
"Hirari…" he murmured and dashed towards its direction, not even caring that it might be a trap; he'd destroy anyone and anything that went in his way, as if all the trail of dead bodies that he left behind him weren't proof enough of his resolve.
The Vampire went up two floors, and once there, Hirari's scent had gotten stronger. Walking carefully, being wary of his surroundings and any enemies that might appear, Yukimura followed it, attracted by it like a moth to a flame.
Eventually, he reached a door, and stopped. He took a deep breath, getting mentally prepared for what might be inside: enemies, spells, and let's not even start to mention in what conditions Hirari herself could be.
Thus, when he opened that door he was completely tense, each muscle ready to snap.
Yet not even all the preparation in the world could have made him foresee the scene inside.
"Good morning, Yukimura." Atobe greeted him, calm and relaxed as usual. "How nice of you to visit ore-sama."
Yukimura's eyes narrowed at the enemy, yet his heart skipped a beat when he saw her.
"Hirari...!" He took a step inside, but then stopped. Something was incredibly off.
Atobe had an arm around her waist, holding her close to himself; his other hand was holding a leash that was attached to a collar around her neck. Not only that, but the girl herself didn't even seem to mind, for she was snuggled up against the Vampire.
"What did you do to her?" Yukimura growled, baring his fangs at the rival.
"Ore-sama's charms are not a fault." Atobe answered arrogantly, flipping his hair.
Yukimura looked at him coldly, while the dark aura around him intensified. "Do not test my patience."
The Ice King didn't seem bothered by it. In fact, he found it amusing. Going to such length for a Human – though, she was no ordinary Human, after all.
"Hirari." He suddenly purred. "Do you want to go to this man?"
The girl shook her head, and Yukimura tensed.
"What do you want to do~?"
"I want to stay with Atobe-sama."
The leader of Rikkai froze; not only her words felt like a stab in his heart, but her tone… That wasn't the Hirari he knew.
No, she would have struggled, fought. She would have done her best to go back to him.
There was only one possible answer to his doubts: she was being controlled. By whom, he didn't know; surely it wasn't Atobe. He knew very well what kind of powers he had, after all.
Despite her words, Yukimura would bring her back. He would not allow him to take her away from him as well.
He took a deep breath.
Calm down, Seiichi. She isn't Fleur.
Suddenly, Atobe let out a gasp; he was in the nothingness. Yukimura had dared to use his power on him? With the girl in that state? He had underestimated him.
It took him a few instants to recover from the shock of being deprived of all his senses. As soon as he could, he froze the whole room and everyone inside there except for himself – but he had been a split second too late. Yukimura had taken his chance when Atobe had hesitated, grabbed Hirari and teleported away from there.
As soon as they were somewhere safe, away from Hyoutei, the leader of Rikkai quickly ordered the retreat to his men – they had come there to save her, not to annihilate Hyoutei – yet.
Suddenly, he frowned and looked at Hirari: the girl had started to struggle against him.
He sighed deeply, looking at her with sad eyes. Probably, because she was away from Atobe she felt the urge to return to him. For now, all he could do was to keep her away from that monster and from harm.
Swiftly, yet as gently as he could, he pinched her neck, knocking her out.
Then, he joined the others, holding the unconscious girl tightly close against himself. They did it. She was safe. He had her back. His precious girl...