-CHAPTER 5-

Assault

There was a city, although not a particularly large one. It was, however, well defended.

Stone walls surrounded it on all sides, constantly patrolled by youkai sentries.

"Say, you don't think they have our description, do you?" Gojyo said to Kougaiji.

"One fervently hopes not."

"All the same, I think it's better that we sneak in," Gojyo looked at the city walls. "I don't fancy a being totally overwhelmed."

"What do you think?" Kougaiji asked Hakkai. "Break and enter, or trust that we won't be recognized?"

Hakkai looked doubtfully at the main gates – tall, impressive things of solid iron.

"We're on a dragon. Let's just fly right in. Who's going to stop us?" Goku suggested.

"Those archers on the walls, bakazaru?" Gojyo pointed out.

"Oh." Goku looked a little crestfallen. "Alright, then let's just fight our way in, Kougaiji!"

The fire youkai smiled humorlessly. "Even I don't wish to engage in more combat than necessary."

"Who's the most likely to be recognized?" Hakkai said.

Kougaiji shrugged. "They might know me, or they might know you. There's an equal chance, I would say."

"Alright, let's just walk up to the gates. If they don't let us in, we'll break in."

"Well said."

They left the flying dragon outside the city, and walked up to the gates.

"If I guess aright, the Enemy's stronghold is the tower in the middle of the city," Kougaiji told them quietly. "Someone who walks around with a visible aura isn't given towards subtlety."

"Hey you! Identify yourselves!" the sentry called out.

"Travellers!" Hakkai responded, with his usual smile. "We're heading East, and seek accomodation for the night!"

Two guards stomped up.

"They look alright. They're youkai, at least," one of them said to the other.

"Yeah. Guess so. You guys have your travel passes?"

Hakkai's smile didn't even twitch. He handed over a sheaf of papers.

"Eh, these are papers for three. Where's the four—"

He fell without a sound, as Gojyo neated whacked him over the head. Goku disposed of the other guard.

Kougaiji sighed. "I'll deal with the doors. Stand back!"

There was a massive explosion and spirals of fire. There was smoke, heat, light. And shards of flying iron. The doors groaned, then blew inwards as Kougaiji's fire-ball slammed into them. Torn off their hinges, they collapsed, crushing several unfortunates standing behind.

"YEAH! Up and at them!" Goku rushed through, Nyoibu materializing in one hand.

"Let's show 'em, zaru!" Gojyo said, rushing after him. Several guards, caught by surprise, were sent flying.

"After you, Kougaiji-sama," Hakkai smiled.

Kougaiji grunted noncommittally, and stepped through. "You two! We're not here to kill everyone in sight! Follow me!" he snapped at Gojyo and Goku.

"Eh? We're not?" Goku asked.

"Speed is of the essence," Hakkai said, giving him a push in the right direction. "Let's go!"

Goku leapt ahead of the rest, sending enemy youkai flying with powerful sweeps of Nyoibu. The ordinary citizens fled as they rushed through the streets, Kougaiji hollering out directions to Goku.

"They're following!" Gojyo yelled to Hakkai.

"Cover me," Hakkai directed.

"Right." They screeched to a stop. Gojyo sent the blade of his shaku jou spiralling towards the oncoming youkai. Two dodged, two others went down in a spray of blood.

Light grew between Hakkai's fingertips, as it formed a ball of glowing white, bordered in pale magenta. He let it go.

The blast tore through the pursuing youkai, leaving only charred fragments in its wake.

"Great, let's go!" Gojyo grinned, and chased after Kougaiji and Goku.

Kougaiji didn't see the attacker until he was almost on top of him. Literally.

Twisting, he spun out of the way, as the enemy youkai landed heavily on the ground instead. Without a pause, Kougaiji leapt forward, slamming a fist into the enemy's midrift. He snapped his hand open, claw drawing long trails of blood as he gutted the attacker.

A shadow fell over his to his right. He ducked, as a blade narrowly curved past his face. "I'm going to get you for that," Kougaiji snarled.

Abruptly the assailant flew forward, slamming into the ground. The next moment, Nyoibu came crashing down onto his skull. There was a sickening crunch.

"Thought you might like some help," Goku grinned.

"Idiot, he was mine," Kougaiji replied. He shook blood off his claws, and inclined his head towards the building towering ahead of them. "Looks like this is it."

Hakkai and Gojyo drew even. "Nothing for it, let's storm it," Gojyo shrugged.

*

Goku stared at the tower. Sanzo… he whispered. Sanzo was in there somewhere, and if he had to kill everyone to get to him, he would. Sanzo…

I'm hungry.

*

Rogue youkai have been killing both humans and our own followers, Doku had reported to him, almost a month back. We've found corpses… unpleasant sights. They look like they were torn apart – slowly. They didn't die in a fight.

Yaone and Dokugakuji, blood-splattered.

Kougaiji's hand curled into a fist. Empress' orders or no, he was going for revenge.

*

Is it justified? Hakkai wondered vaguely, looking at their objective looming up ahead of them. Killing all those youkai… certainly, they've been attacking us, they hurt Sanzo badly, but… all those lives, for one of ours? I knew that killing would be a part of our journey, but isn't this too much? Isn't there a better way?

Memories flashed across his mind, corpses lining the halls as thunder crashed outside. Violence hadn't availed him that time, when he had gone after Kanan. Killing all those youkai… had achieved… what had it achieved?

*

I can't believe I'm doing this for mister worldly monk… Gojyo thought sourly. Can't believe I'm risking life and limb for him. Oh hell, he'd better buy me a whole round to myself when we get back. And he does hold on to the cash, anyway.

Yeah, I'm not that shallow, he told a naggy little voice inside, but some things are better when put in a lighter perspective, aren't they? Life would be too serious otherwise. Unbearable. I'd go around all day with a chip on my shoulder like mister Sanzo-sama.

Speaking of which…

"Yo. Let's make a move."

Abruptly, ki-blasts zapped past their heads. Hakkai flung up a barrier, wincing as the next barrage slammed into it.

"Kougaiji! Trying to enter by the front is madness!"

"Back," Kougaiji directed, narrowing purple eyes.

They retreated down the streets. "Goku, you fend off any incoming youkai," Hakkai said. "Gojyo, keep an eye for any sneak attacks." He turned back to Kougaiji. "How on earth are we supposed to get inside? There are way too many enemies guarding it!"

"Without knowing the lay of the land, we can't find out if there are alternate entrances. Given the havoc that we've raised thus far, no doubt they will be on the alert." He shrugged. "I can see no alternative but to force our way in."

"Impossible," Hakkai said flatly.

"What kind of resistence do you anticipate?"

"I don't anticipate. I saw at least 20 guards. Long and short ranged. I'm sure that they have reinforcements waiting. Whatever this guy is, he certainly knows how to arrange a defense."

"HAKKAI!" Goku yelled.

Hakkai felt something slam into the side of his head even as Kougaiji fired. A youkai tumbled to the ground, a blackened ruin where his chest had been. Hakkai massaged his throbbing head.

"We could try a two-fold attack," Kougaiji suggested.

Hakkai frowned. "Do you think we can pull it off?"

"You and Gojyo. Goku and I. I'll create a distraction. You slip in behind their defenses, and take out any snipers. Once inside, cover us while we get in."

"And after that?"

"Whatever waits for us."

Hakkai nodded, a chill in his stomach. We may all die here…

"Good luck."

Kougaiji nodded. "GOKU!"

***

They attacked.

Kougaiji's fire demon tore through the barricade, devastating most of the resistence. As more guards swarmed through the entrance and took cover behind a ki-barrier, they went in for the kill with Hakkai holding a shield up to deflect hostile ki-blasts.

Gojyo hit them first, the shaku jou snapping out and claiming three youkai that were too careless to avoid it. Goku was there the next instant, wielding Nyoibu with deadly efficiency. He went straight for the captain, catching him in the stomach with the staff, then parrying the captain's sword thrust before sweeping him off his feet. The next blow caught the captain right across the throat, shattering his neck.

Kougaiji entered the fray, lashing out with trails of fire. He grabbed the nearest youkai, slashed both his eyes out with one sweep, and finished him off with a sharp kick that fractured his skull.

Hakkai dived into the shadows, silently dispatching the one youkai that he encountered with a punch strong enough to shatter his jaw. Gojyo was at his side that instant, the blade of his shaku jou dripping red. They snuck round the side of the entrance, as Kougaiji illuminated the entire area with a massive fire display. Goku was a streaking blur amidst the enemies, moving almost too fast for the eye to catch.

"To your right!" Gojyo snapped. Hakkai ducked, as the half-youkai slammed his weapon into the face of one of the attacking youkai, the blade snapping out to take out another youkai from behind.

Kougaiji and Goku were being forced back. Without Hakkai and Gojyo, they were hard-pressed to hold their own. Ki-blasts, fire blasts and arrows went zipping past their ears. Goku took an arrow in the shoulder, and nearly fell to an attacking youkai before Kougaiji came to his assistance.

"This is where we get lost, and try to enter again when they're distracted," Kougaiji hissed at Goku.

"I thought we were supposed to join them!" Goku replied.

"Baka! Battle plans last only as long as it takes to encounter the enemy! Back!"

They beat a hasty retreat.

"They're following us," Goku noticed.

"Very well. We'll draw them off, lose them, then head back," Kougaiji answered. Easier said than done, he thought to himself. They know the area better than we do.

Hakkai clutched at his wounded side as the guards went charging off after Kougaiji and Goku. There was an inquiring touch on his shoulder.

"I'm alright," he whispered back. "Let's take out the remaining guards."

"Whatever for?"

"So that Kougaiji and Goku can get in when they get back! You don't think that we could take on the Enemy without them, do you? Nor could we storm the entire tower!"

"Right."

Kougaiji streaked down the alley, Goku a few steps behind. "What's wrong, ape? Your shoulder giving trouble?"

"I'll be fine," Goku grated.

"This way," Kougaiji hissed. "Move faster! I thought you were the one who could run like the wind."

"Yeah, yeah…" Tired. I'm tired. And I'm hungry… "You sure you know which way you're going?"

Kougaiji glowered back.

"I think we've lost them," Goku said, as they rounded another corner, with no sign of pursuit behind.

"Back. Back to the tower. Don't give up on me, you idiot ape!" Kougaiji said, as Goku's steps faltered.

Truth to be told, I don't think I can keep this up much longer either! By the time we meet the Enemy, we'll be no match for him! Kougaiji gritted his teeth and plunged on.

Even Hakkai wasn't smiling any more. This wasn't an attack. This was a blood bath. At least ten guards lay dead at their feet, and several more were rushing to the scene. How many followers did this guy have?

There was a stinging sensation in his shoulder. Gojyo clutched at it, and stared as his hand come away with blood. Arrow. "Hakkai! Sniper!"

"Huh? Where?" Hakkai was faltering. Hakkai was faltering badly. Sustaining the barrier and flinging back blasts of his own was far too draining. Gojyo lashed out with the shaku jou, but it fell short of the mark.

"DUCK!" two more arrows whizzed overhead. Gojyo fended off another attacker. Hakkai's breathing was becoming labored. And my shoulder is starting to hurt like a bitch as well!

They weren't attacking any more. They were too busy defending. There weren't that many enemies now – maybe 7, minus the ones sniping at them from the shadows. But it was 7 too many…

"NYOIBU!"

The cry jarred Hakkai out of the exhausted stupor he had almost fallen into. Goku leapt over them, Nyoibu flashinig into existence. He took a swipe at the sniper, sending him toppling off the ledge and crashing lifeless into the floor.

"Hakkai! Gojyo! Are you guys okay?"

"GOKU! DOWN!"

Too late. Goku didn't see the ki-blast that caught him, full-force, in the back. He slammed forward, blood spilling. Then he scrambled to his feet.

"I have him," Kougaiji's voice sounded from behind. The fire youkai leapt forward, sending a foot straight into the attacker's throat.

"FORWARD!" he ordered.