Chapter 17: Losses
Tejina-shi flew in circles, sending burst of magic energy after burst of energy back at the creature. Smoke and steam streams from many places on its body. Much more of this, and the creature is as good as gone. the winged seishin thinks.
"Iie!"
It rings out from below, bringing the Akuma Ryoshi member's attention to the battle below. Blood and gore spread from the remaining demons mouth. He quickly scans the battle, finding two warriors for his side missing.
Turning behind him, he unleashes one final burst of energy at the charging beast, then dives hard towards the ground. The demon, wounded and angered, follows. Tejina-shi turns himself slightly during the dive, finding his target. As he nears the ground, he sees the silken clad remains of his closest friend and increases the dive. Howling in rage, his pursuer does the same.
Just before reaching his target, the demon below, he jerks himself hard to the side. The swooping beast, not as agile, is unable to avoid crashing into the other demon. As the two tumble, the smoke becomes thicker. With no mystical mirror to channel it this time, though, it merely rises until there is nothing left of either beast.
Tengoku, watching the demons dissolve, runs to Tejina-shi's side. The winged seishin crashed hard into the strange stone wall and now lies there, blood soaking his clothing and matting his hair.
"Owaru?" he asks weakly.
"Aa, Tejina-shi-san. It is finished. You won." Tengoku says softly.
He nods slightly, then lets his last breath out.
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"Konnichiwa, Battousai."
Shishio breathes deep the smoke from his pipe while Kenshin stands before him.
"You are surprised to see me? You thought I was dead?" He stares at Kenshin, who merely stands there, hand tensed before his sword.
"The silent treatment, Battousai? Something's not right with you. You haven't even asked about my miraculous healing." Shishio says, reaching up and pulling his bandages from his face. As the bandages fall, they reveal the unblemished face of Shishio Makato. He reveled in the lack of scars and the gentle breeze playing across his face.
"Other things have been changed, as well." he says, reaching for his katana.
Drawing and charging in one motion, his blade meets Kenshins as they dance and vie for position. Shishio brings his blade down against the stone, racking it hard across the surface. Sparks fly as the tip catches and flames shroud the tip.
Kenshin steps to the side as the sword arcs past him, coming in hard with strike after strike of his own. Shishio slips back, edging away from the range of Kenshin's sword. Sweat drips from his forehead as he circles Kenshin.
"Aa." Shishio says. "No quarter hour time limit on our battle this time. I have all the time I wish to kill you."
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"Chikusho, otosan, what do you think you're doing?"
Yoake slides to a stop just inside a large room. Large tapestries fill the corners, hanging from the immensely high ceiling. Statues of strange creatures line the walls, carved of the same strange rock as the building. Fine carpets of red and blue cover the floor, lanterns hang from the walls and ceiling.
Before Taiyoryu stands a man of middle age. His fine lacquered armour shines in the torch light as he pats the handles of his tachi with the right hand and katana with the left. His long, black hair is pulled back and tied in the top knot typical for the warrior class of the land.
"Do you like it?" his deep voice rumbles through the room, seeming to cause it to shake, his right hand moving to indicate his face. "I had to make it to get the humans here to follow me."
"Atarashiikami." Taiyoryu says loudly. "I give you this one chance to surrender."
Yoake turns to stare at her father. Surrender? A confused look crosses her face.
Atarashiikami evil laugh ricochets through out the large room.
"I knew they'd send you." Atarashiikami says. "I am ready for you. Do your worst."
Taiyoryu begins stalking towards Atarashiikami when a sudden burst of energy erupts from the floor. Taiyoryu is caught in the center of the blast while Atarashiikami laugh rises once more.
"Come now, Akumu. That was too easy." he taunts. "You must have been getting old and tired. I guess we fixed that, though."
"Murderer!" Yoake screams as she runs in, her double bladed sword leading the way. Atarashiikami's hand flies to his tachi, drawing and countering the young seishin's attack with ease. A kick to her stomach sends her backwards and to the floor.
Delight sparkles in Atarashiikami's eyes. "Mo, mo, mo. What have we here? It's been awhile since I've had any physical pleasure."
"Aa, Atarashiikami. At it will be longer yet." The voice sounds behind him.
Atarashiikami turns to she a human instead of Taiyoryu, as he had been expecting. "Who are you!" he demands.
"Himura. Kenshin. I will defeat you NOW!" As he yells 'now', his battle aura fills the room.
"Yoi, Himura-san. I could feel that even over here. Tell me, can you feel this!"
He releases bolts of energy from his finger tips that streak straight towards Kenshin, striking him square in the chest. Kenshin doesn't even blink.
"Your tricks will not work on me." His voice fills the room. "You designed them too specific for the Akumu."
With a wordless roar of anger, Atarashiikami charges Kenshin, his tachi striking hard against Kenshins sakabatou. Kenshin feints left, then rolls right as Atarashiikami slashes where he just stood, but finds himself just facing empty space. A swift kick straight back sends Kenshin rolling against the hard stone floor.
"Ah." Atarashiikami says softly. "The fabled god-like speed." An evil gleam fills his face. "Let's see how it does against the real thing."
Tejina-shi flew in circles, sending burst of magic energy after burst of energy back at the creature. Smoke and steam streams from many places on its body. Much more of this, and the creature is as good as gone. the winged seishin thinks.
"Iie!"
It rings out from below, bringing the Akuma Ryoshi member's attention to the battle below. Blood and gore spread from the remaining demons mouth. He quickly scans the battle, finding two warriors for his side missing.
Turning behind him, he unleashes one final burst of energy at the charging beast, then dives hard towards the ground. The demon, wounded and angered, follows. Tejina-shi turns himself slightly during the dive, finding his target. As he nears the ground, he sees the silken clad remains of his closest friend and increases the dive. Howling in rage, his pursuer does the same.
Just before reaching his target, the demon below, he jerks himself hard to the side. The swooping beast, not as agile, is unable to avoid crashing into the other demon. As the two tumble, the smoke becomes thicker. With no mystical mirror to channel it this time, though, it merely rises until there is nothing left of either beast.
Tengoku, watching the demons dissolve, runs to Tejina-shi's side. The winged seishin crashed hard into the strange stone wall and now lies there, blood soaking his clothing and matting his hair.
"Owaru?" he asks weakly.
"Aa, Tejina-shi-san. It is finished. You won." Tengoku says softly.
He nods slightly, then lets his last breath out.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Konnichiwa, Battousai."
Shishio breathes deep the smoke from his pipe while Kenshin stands before him.
"You are surprised to see me? You thought I was dead?" He stares at Kenshin, who merely stands there, hand tensed before his sword.
"The silent treatment, Battousai? Something's not right with you. You haven't even asked about my miraculous healing." Shishio says, reaching up and pulling his bandages from his face. As the bandages fall, they reveal the unblemished face of Shishio Makato. He reveled in the lack of scars and the gentle breeze playing across his face.
"Other things have been changed, as well." he says, reaching for his katana.
Drawing and charging in one motion, his blade meets Kenshins as they dance and vie for position. Shishio brings his blade down against the stone, racking it hard across the surface. Sparks fly as the tip catches and flames shroud the tip.
Kenshin steps to the side as the sword arcs past him, coming in hard with strike after strike of his own. Shishio slips back, edging away from the range of Kenshin's sword. Sweat drips from his forehead as he circles Kenshin.
"Aa." Shishio says. "No quarter hour time limit on our battle this time. I have all the time I wish to kill you."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Chikusho, otosan, what do you think you're doing?"
Yoake slides to a stop just inside a large room. Large tapestries fill the corners, hanging from the immensely high ceiling. Statues of strange creatures line the walls, carved of the same strange rock as the building. Fine carpets of red and blue cover the floor, lanterns hang from the walls and ceiling.
Before Taiyoryu stands a man of middle age. His fine lacquered armour shines in the torch light as he pats the handles of his tachi with the right hand and katana with the left. His long, black hair is pulled back and tied in the top knot typical for the warrior class of the land.
"Do you like it?" his deep voice rumbles through the room, seeming to cause it to shake, his right hand moving to indicate his face. "I had to make it to get the humans here to follow me."
"Atarashiikami." Taiyoryu says loudly. "I give you this one chance to surrender."
Yoake turns to stare at her father. Surrender? A confused look crosses her face.
Atarashiikami evil laugh ricochets through out the large room.
"I knew they'd send you." Atarashiikami says. "I am ready for you. Do your worst."
Taiyoryu begins stalking towards Atarashiikami when a sudden burst of energy erupts from the floor. Taiyoryu is caught in the center of the blast while Atarashiikami laugh rises once more.
"Come now, Akumu. That was too easy." he taunts. "You must have been getting old and tired. I guess we fixed that, though."
"Murderer!" Yoake screams as she runs in, her double bladed sword leading the way. Atarashiikami's hand flies to his tachi, drawing and countering the young seishin's attack with ease. A kick to her stomach sends her backwards and to the floor.
Delight sparkles in Atarashiikami's eyes. "Mo, mo, mo. What have we here? It's been awhile since I've had any physical pleasure."
"Aa, Atarashiikami. At it will be longer yet." The voice sounds behind him.
Atarashiikami turns to she a human instead of Taiyoryu, as he had been expecting. "Who are you!" he demands.
"Himura. Kenshin. I will defeat you NOW!" As he yells 'now', his battle aura fills the room.
"Yoi, Himura-san. I could feel that even over here. Tell me, can you feel this!"
He releases bolts of energy from his finger tips that streak straight towards Kenshin, striking him square in the chest. Kenshin doesn't even blink.
"Your tricks will not work on me." His voice fills the room. "You designed them too specific for the Akumu."
With a wordless roar of anger, Atarashiikami charges Kenshin, his tachi striking hard against Kenshins sakabatou. Kenshin feints left, then rolls right as Atarashiikami slashes where he just stood, but finds himself just facing empty space. A swift kick straight back sends Kenshin rolling against the hard stone floor.
"Ah." Atarashiikami says softly. "The fabled god-like speed." An evil gleam fills his face. "Let's see how it does against the real thing."