Disclaimer: A young blonde woman is dressed in all black and looking rather sad.  "Hello, my name is Carrie and if this story ends up the way that it looks, the only thing anyone will own are The Sorcerer Hunter's dead bodies."  She wipes her nose with a little white hanky; "I don't wanna own that, so I guess Akahori and Omishi do instead.  *Sniffle*  Bye bye Tira."

Not So Fun With Names Part 5:

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There's nothing left to say.

Sorcerer Hunters:

The Necromancer's Marque

By

C M Forde

Marron wasted no time and within moments the ofuda was flying through the air, a massive white tiger roaring out its frustrations and rage in between crackling sparks of electricity as the mage screamed, "White Tiger Lightning Ring!"  The necromancer Senti just smiled at it as the beast crashed towards her, and as simply as she had dealt with the Phoenix earlier this day she sent a wash of black poison to drown the spirit animal.  Marron bit his lip in frustration and a slight bit of fear, this would be tough.  From within the inferno of the city, a voice called out to the sorcerer hunters, a voice that Marron recognized much to easily.

            "I would not appreciate seeing that again Yaksha, it might cause unwanted tension between us."  Marron turned to see Espirit, the leader of the necromancers, and the man who had taken his god, standing amongst the flames that he himself had created.  He was alone, where the remaining two of his entourage were hiding was anybody's guess.  "After all, you're the reason we're here and I would love to have your cooperation."

            Carrot stepped forward, "Don't play stupid with us you ugly piece of trash, we know that you stole the gods.  The only reason you could have for that is to unleash The God of Destruction, what do you need Marron for?"  The older Glace was now a bit separated form the group, so no one could help him when the two remaining necromancers, Entendu and Vue, suddenly seemed to appear out of nowhere and take him hostage.  Tira started forward, but Chocolat stopped her sister in her tracks.  Marron just cringed, seeing the giant Vue take his brother by the neck and suspend him above the ground, causing Carrot to choke and flail around wildly.  Again, Espirit spoke.

            "You will surrender Lord of Rebirth Yaksha to me, or I will dispose of this trash.  I have no use for a God of Destruction that I cannot control."  As the man spoke, Senti stepped to his side; their faces were untouched by the heat that seemed to draw sweat from Marron like a sponge.

            Marron shook his head, "What are you talking about, I can't give you Yaksha even if I wanted to, you stole him already.  Did you think I had forgotten the beach this morning?  You stole all of the gods, we have nothing left to give."

            At this, Espirit just laughed; a chuckle that could decay flowers and raise the dead.  "You still don't understand yet, do you?  Your blasted other self ruined our plans.  Now we have to deal with the Haz Knights as well boy, all because of you!"  The laughter turned into a vicious growl as the necromancer spoke, and his eyes seemed to catch the fire that surrounded his body and magnify it with guttural hatred.  "Do you understand that you have destroyed months of planning with your useless nature?"  What was this guy talking about?  Marron had done nothing except almost die at his hands.  "You and your damn reincarnation!"  Espirit withdrew a sword from his scabbard and tossed it upon the ground with a clatter of steel, "Do you know what's in that?  Not a god, but a ghost!  A blasted ghost from the east!"  Tenrinoh, the man who Marron had once been so long ago, he had taken the hit so that the God of Destruction would remain imprisoned.  There was no fifth God, just a sacrificing former life.  The necromancer called Entendu forward, and the tiny man pulled another blade from the recesses of his cloak.  This blade Espirt took and pointed at Marron, an evil grin spreading across his dark face, "Now, give me Yaksha, or the little one dies."  As he spoke, Carrot's gargling breaths suddenly ceased, Vue's massive arm flexing as he tightened his grip on the boy's neck.

            The mage swallowed and took a step forward, but Gateau's hand on his shoulder stopped him.  "You don't have to do this Marron, if Carrot dies then the world will be saved.  The Haz Knights can handle these necromancers; they'll be here any minute.  We can't let the God of Destruction loose."

            "How could you say that?!" Marron spun around and slapped Gateau across the face, "He's my brother, I can't just let him die!  What is wrong with you Gateau?"  The larger man stepped back and received evil glares from the Misu sisters before Marron turned to face the necromancers.  "Let my brother go."

            Espirit just laughed, "I have no intention of letting him go, I merely intend to let him live so that I can harness his power."

            Tira broke her silence, "Marron don't, we can save him without this!"  Even as she spoke, Chocolat threw her sister to the ground and glared knives at her.

            "We can't win Tira!  You know that!  This is Marron's decision, let him make it himself!"  The younger Misu gaped up at her older sister, disbelief splayed all across her features, but Marron didn't have time to watch.

            The mage took a step forward, his hands clenched to his side as he prepared himself for what he must do.  As soon as he was within range of the strike, Espirit took it, the large sword coming around in an arc that would've taken Marron's head off if the sword had been a conventional one.  As it was, it passed through Marron with a gaping tear of his soul, ripping out the God of Rebirth Yaksha as it swept through his body.  Pain like he had felt at the beach, only lighter, not as destructive, brought him down to his knees.  Marron couldn't get air into his lungs, his chest burned like the fire that was consuming the town, and from somewhere in the distance, he could hear Espirit laughing.  "It's mine!  The God of Destruction is mine!"  A firm, bare, feminine leg suddenly shot into Marron's vision, and he was whisked away from the fight instantly.

            He found himself laid down on a balcony overlooking the area, and from behind him he could hear Mama's voice.  "Cinnamon, get back down there, they need you."  Marron heard nothing; just a whisk of moving air and the presence that had saved him was gone.  "Daughter, take care of Marron."  Small hands took Marron by the shoulders and laid him down on the tile, the little winged girl was floating above him with a worried expression on her face.

            "Will he be alright Mama?"

            "He should be fine, the blow will not be much of a shock to him now, he's already experienced much worse." A sigh, "I should have seen this possibility, I should have known."

            And then another voice, a voice that brought joy to Marron's failing heart, "You couldn't have known Mama."  It was Rice; she was safe, though her voice had taken on the despairing tone as it had when she had told them about the gods.  "Daughter, sit him up, he should see this."  On command, Marron was lifted to see the ground he had been on a few scant moments before, and the sight made him want to die.  The God of Destruction was alive and well, the gigantic creature billowing flame and death in every direction.  Below it, the Haz Knights fought with the necromancers while his friends did their best to stay alive.  It was hopeless, somehow Espirit was controlling the God of Destruction, and with that force behind him, the Haz Knights could never hope to succeed.

            Now Mama spoke once again, "Rice…  I'm afraid that the time has come."

            "I know Mama."

            "I wish I didn't have to do this."

            "I know."

            "Are you ready?"

            "After what Sacher did to me, I will always be ready."

            "Be careful."

            "Don't patronize me, I know I'm going to die."

To Be Continued…