Chapter 18: End game
Kenshin suddenly finds himself pressed in a way that he had only twice before. Both times, it had been against Seta Sojiro, the boy who, not only matched his speed, but surpassed it. So it is now, with Atarashiikami moving so fast that Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi predictions barely warns him in time to avoid.
Not far off, he sees Yoake standing with the enchanted mirror that was part of their plan, her sword in the other, waiting for a chance to strike. Atarashiikami, it seems, is making a conscious effort not to look in her direction. Rolling to avoid a slash from Atarashiikami's tachi, he comes to his feet with Yoake to his back.
As the creature comes in for his next attack, he hesitates, giving Kenshin the opening he needs to finally open an offense. Sakabatou leaping from its scabbard, Kenshin plants it hard into the creatures ribs. As it lands hard, Yoake moves forward, mirror before her, trying to get the creature to stare into the mirror.
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Metal on metal sounds hard as Kenshin and Shishio clash. The battle is starting to take it's toll on the warriors. Shishio's breathing is rougher than before, several small wounds cover his chest and arms. Kenshin, however, doesn't seem to be tiring at all.
With a roar of anger, Shishio rushes in. Kenshin ducks to the side, ready to bring his weapon down on Shishio's exposed head. The reborn man-slayer, though, has seen this move before, and spins, slashing down hard.
A roar of pain tears from his lips. As he falls back, "Kenshin" melts away, leaving a strange creature of ebony skin.
The creature rolls back, away from the melting illusion, clutching the ruined right side of his face. He stands and resheaths his katana, the sword seemingly disappearing under his cloak.
"What are you?" Shishio can barely ask, fear and awe mixing as he stares at the creature who wordlessly stands and sheaths his sword.
His hand falls from his face, showing the deep wound carved by Shishio's blade. "I am the Akumu." he says softly. "I am here to drag you back to hell."
Shishio stares at the creature, his mouth working slowly, soundlessly.
"What's the matter, Shishio Makato?" the advancing creature asks him. "Surely you knew you are not the true ruler of hell."
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Taiyoryu was only guessing about Shishio's believed position in the worlds hell. It would not surprise him overly is this Shishio staged a revolt in hell. The one illusion ruined by the strike to the face, he works about creating a new one with merely words.
"We knew all along you would be returned. We wanted you to believe you ruled and would rule again when you returned." He advances another step towards the now shaking Shishio. "When you are returned to hell, you will not be in any condition to rule. I am here to guarantee that."
With mild pomp, he draws his favored blade, the strange curved one that rests against his back. "You showed me your burning blade." he says. "Let me return the favor." The curved blade erupts in blue flame as Taiyoryu holds it before him.
Shishio looks as if he is about to crawl inside himself. "Stand up, pathetic usurper."
Shishio roars in an anger unknown to the sane. Katana in hand, he charges Taiyoryu. Taiyoryu slips to the side, opposite what he had moved to last time, and rakes his flaming sword across Shishio's body. Taiyoryu continues slashing Shishio's body, taking him apart, literally, piece by piece. Finally, when nothing remained but a bloody body unable to move, Taiyoryu stands over him.
"Time to return to hell." he says softly as the light begins to fade from Shishio's eyes. A strong downwards slice removes Shishio's head from his shoulders. "Let's see you rule hell like that."
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Yoake moves closer to Atarashiikami from the front, Kenshin comes from the side. Yoake's mysterious I Ching mirror is held before her. Atarashiikami looks like he's about to charge in, when Yoake lashes out with her sword, trying to force the creature to look at the mirror. Roaring in pain, it lashes out, striking Yoake in the chest with his tachi.
Screaming, she falls back, careful not to break the mirror that was their only hope. Kenshin rushes in, grabbing her and pulling her to the side.
"Yoake-dono. Are you okay?" he asks her.
"No." she says, her voice quiet. Motioning her head towards their advancing attacker, she says, "Finish the fight. I'll just sit here and watch."
Kenshin knew that she probably wouldn't make it back out of the keep alive, but they both new they had a duty to do. Nodding, Kenshin steps before her, sakabatou in sheath.
"This ends now." He waits for Atarashiikami's charge to nearly reach him, then yells, " Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ouki Ama-Kakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki!"
Charging forward himself, Kenshin waits for the last possible moment, before unsheathing his reverse-blade sword and smashing it hard into the chest of Atarashiikami. As the creature flies over him, he pivots, barely slowing. "Ryu Sho Sen!" he yells, leaping into the air. As the sakabatou crashes against the creatures shoulder, Kenshin turns in air, yelling, "Ryu Tsui Sen!" By the time Kenshin has finished turning in the air, Atarashiikami is beneath him, lined up perfectly for the falling strike of Ryu Tsui Sen.
The strange rock floor shatters as the powerful technique crashes into the demon leaders prone body. Yoake staggers over to the shattered body of Atarashiikami, it's human form starting to waver and smoke. Holding the mirror before her, she forces it into the demon lords sight. The smoke immediately starts being drawn into it. With in seconds, the creature is nothing but smoke, blowing straight into the mirror.
"Go." Yoake tells Kenshin.
"Iie, Yoake-dono." Kenshin says, standing next to her. "We came in together, we walk out together."
The glow of the mirror grows brighter as they stand there arguing. Yoake finally just nod, turning to head for the door. Instead, she pivots quickly, planting her fist on Kenshin's jaw. "Stubborn human." he hears her mutter as she staggers into a corner.
Wrapping the mirror with her body, she can only hope that it will be enough to shield Kenshin from the blast.
Even as the mirror erupts, she hears her father yelling her name.
Kenshin suddenly finds himself pressed in a way that he had only twice before. Both times, it had been against Seta Sojiro, the boy who, not only matched his speed, but surpassed it. So it is now, with Atarashiikami moving so fast that Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi predictions barely warns him in time to avoid.
Not far off, he sees Yoake standing with the enchanted mirror that was part of their plan, her sword in the other, waiting for a chance to strike. Atarashiikami, it seems, is making a conscious effort not to look in her direction. Rolling to avoid a slash from Atarashiikami's tachi, he comes to his feet with Yoake to his back.
As the creature comes in for his next attack, he hesitates, giving Kenshin the opening he needs to finally open an offense. Sakabatou leaping from its scabbard, Kenshin plants it hard into the creatures ribs. As it lands hard, Yoake moves forward, mirror before her, trying to get the creature to stare into the mirror.
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Metal on metal sounds hard as Kenshin and Shishio clash. The battle is starting to take it's toll on the warriors. Shishio's breathing is rougher than before, several small wounds cover his chest and arms. Kenshin, however, doesn't seem to be tiring at all.
With a roar of anger, Shishio rushes in. Kenshin ducks to the side, ready to bring his weapon down on Shishio's exposed head. The reborn man-slayer, though, has seen this move before, and spins, slashing down hard.
A roar of pain tears from his lips. As he falls back, "Kenshin" melts away, leaving a strange creature of ebony skin.
The creature rolls back, away from the melting illusion, clutching the ruined right side of his face. He stands and resheaths his katana, the sword seemingly disappearing under his cloak.
"What are you?" Shishio can barely ask, fear and awe mixing as he stares at the creature who wordlessly stands and sheaths his sword.
His hand falls from his face, showing the deep wound carved by Shishio's blade. "I am the Akumu." he says softly. "I am here to drag you back to hell."
Shishio stares at the creature, his mouth working slowly, soundlessly.
"What's the matter, Shishio Makato?" the advancing creature asks him. "Surely you knew you are not the true ruler of hell."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taiyoryu was only guessing about Shishio's believed position in the worlds hell. It would not surprise him overly is this Shishio staged a revolt in hell. The one illusion ruined by the strike to the face, he works about creating a new one with merely words.
"We knew all along you would be returned. We wanted you to believe you ruled and would rule again when you returned." He advances another step towards the now shaking Shishio. "When you are returned to hell, you will not be in any condition to rule. I am here to guarantee that."
With mild pomp, he draws his favored blade, the strange curved one that rests against his back. "You showed me your burning blade." he says. "Let me return the favor." The curved blade erupts in blue flame as Taiyoryu holds it before him.
Shishio looks as if he is about to crawl inside himself. "Stand up, pathetic usurper."
Shishio roars in an anger unknown to the sane. Katana in hand, he charges Taiyoryu. Taiyoryu slips to the side, opposite what he had moved to last time, and rakes his flaming sword across Shishio's body. Taiyoryu continues slashing Shishio's body, taking him apart, literally, piece by piece. Finally, when nothing remained but a bloody body unable to move, Taiyoryu stands over him.
"Time to return to hell." he says softly as the light begins to fade from Shishio's eyes. A strong downwards slice removes Shishio's head from his shoulders. "Let's see you rule hell like that."
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Yoake moves closer to Atarashiikami from the front, Kenshin comes from the side. Yoake's mysterious I Ching mirror is held before her. Atarashiikami looks like he's about to charge in, when Yoake lashes out with her sword, trying to force the creature to look at the mirror. Roaring in pain, it lashes out, striking Yoake in the chest with his tachi.
Screaming, she falls back, careful not to break the mirror that was their only hope. Kenshin rushes in, grabbing her and pulling her to the side.
"Yoake-dono. Are you okay?" he asks her.
"No." she says, her voice quiet. Motioning her head towards their advancing attacker, she says, "Finish the fight. I'll just sit here and watch."
Kenshin knew that she probably wouldn't make it back out of the keep alive, but they both new they had a duty to do. Nodding, Kenshin steps before her, sakabatou in sheath.
"This ends now." He waits for Atarashiikami's charge to nearly reach him, then yells, " Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Ouki Ama-Kakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki!"
Charging forward himself, Kenshin waits for the last possible moment, before unsheathing his reverse-blade sword and smashing it hard into the chest of Atarashiikami. As the creature flies over him, he pivots, barely slowing. "Ryu Sho Sen!" he yells, leaping into the air. As the sakabatou crashes against the creatures shoulder, Kenshin turns in air, yelling, "Ryu Tsui Sen!" By the time Kenshin has finished turning in the air, Atarashiikami is beneath him, lined up perfectly for the falling strike of Ryu Tsui Sen.
The strange rock floor shatters as the powerful technique crashes into the demon leaders prone body. Yoake staggers over to the shattered body of Atarashiikami, it's human form starting to waver and smoke. Holding the mirror before her, she forces it into the demon lords sight. The smoke immediately starts being drawn into it. With in seconds, the creature is nothing but smoke, blowing straight into the mirror.
"Go." Yoake tells Kenshin.
"Iie, Yoake-dono." Kenshin says, standing next to her. "We came in together, we walk out together."
The glow of the mirror grows brighter as they stand there arguing. Yoake finally just nod, turning to head for the door. Instead, she pivots quickly, planting her fist on Kenshin's jaw. "Stubborn human." he hears her mutter as she staggers into a corner.
Wrapping the mirror with her body, she can only hope that it will be enough to shield Kenshin from the blast.
Even as the mirror erupts, she hears her father yelling her name.