::the author turns to the skeptics::
Kishi: Pay up!
***
Jikoken'o Muyo!
Chapter 12
***
"Sir!" Shino looked up from his tactical reports. If indications were to be believed, their troops were handling admirably and reinforcements were aiding the beleaguered Jurai army.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Sir, I'm reading a large build-up of negative energy at the location of the Third Division."
"What's generating it?"
"No idea, sir. According to our most recent reports, there shouldn't be a generator of any kind at that location."
"Does it look like it will do any sort of damage?"
"No, not yet—" His words were cut short as his instruments began to short out. On the visual screen at the head of the bridge, clouds began to part at the coordinates of the Third Division.
"Can anyone give me a reading of what the Hell's going on down there?" asked Shino.
The science officer climbed back to his console, which seemed to be functioning normally again. "Energy anomaly of some kind or another. It looks like whatever it was cancelled out all the energy within a 12-mile radius. Energy loss equals" the ensign read the figures. "No no, that can't be right."
"What is it, ensign?"
"Sir, I just ran a bio scan on the 12-mile radial area. Everything within that area is dead."
Shino's eyes narrowed. Turning to the comm. officer, he asked, "Have we re-established contact with the Third?"
"Nothing, sir," the officer replied. "It's like they were never there."
Turning back to his science officer, he asked, "Can we track the anomaly?"
"Yes sir. Allow me a moment to track the anomaly's frequency." The sounds of rapid typing filled the air. "All right, we've got a lock," said the officer. The scanner screen that Shino was looking at suddenly showed a negative surge of energy that actually seemed to be moving with a purpose.
"Can you give me a projected course?" Shino asked. He was answered when the map was overlaid with tactical information. A red line indicated the course it looked like it would take. Shino couldn't help but notice, to his dismay, the amount of smaller regiments that were possibly in the way of the projected course. But that was nothing – if the course was correct, the anomaly would end up right in the middle of Tsunami.
"Shit," he swore. "Is it possible to locate Washyuu?"
"Yes sir, one moment please." Within moments, Washyuu's face was on a screen.
"What is it?" she asked tersely.
"Some sort of negative energy force just came out of nowhere and killed everything in a 12-mile area."
Washyuu sighed. "A spontaneous burst, I assume?" Shino nodded. "Well, good. We could've been in for worse."
"It very well may be worse. It's moving on a direct course for the Jurai Capital."
"Not good. Can you give me its frequency?" Shino responded by pressing a button that transmitted all his data to her computer system. She studied it for a moment. "Oh me"
"What is it?"
"Shino, I don't care how you do it, but you've got to help us get people out of the city as quickly as possible!"
"What? Why?"
"Don't you get it? This is no random burst. I should have seen it when Kyrin collapsed"
"Wait a minute. That can't be –"
"Oh, it is." Washyuu's face firmed, and her voice became dead serious. "Kain is loose again."
***
"Kain's loose? Whaddaya mean Kain's loose?" shouted Ryoko.
"Just about what I said," replied Washyuu in a calm voice.
"What about keeping him in line? I thought your patches were doing their job!"
"So did I. Something interfered, in a major way."
"But what?!"
"I feel it's Tokimi, but I still can't sense her." Washyuu turned to Ryoko and said, "I'm sorry. I want to get her for this just as much as you do. But I can't figure out where she is, so we have to play her games."
"And this is the result," Ryoko muttered angrily, turning to look at Kyrin. He was lying on one of Washyuu's floating beds, staring up at the ceiling. She would've rather had him close his eyes so she wouldn't have to see that soulless glare.
"So what are we going to do?" she finally asked.
"Whatever we can," replied Washyuu. "We've got to start evacuating people out of this place. We'll gather our military might here and try to stop him."
"No need to stop him. He'll be stopping here of his own volition."
"Kyrin?" Ryoko turned to look at him, as he continued to talk, without listening.
"He's stopping here because of me. They want me dead. They want me to pay for Your interference. I wouldn't mind but I have nothing left to fight with. He's coming. He's coming, my brother, with an innumerable host of warriors."
"Is that possible?" asked Ryoko.
"Maybe. Tokimi seems to have a lot of tricks at work here."
Kyrin continued, "There's nothing left. My spirit is torn, my body is in shambles and my sword has lost its shine. I can't fight anymore. I can't protect the ones I love any more." A lone tear traveled down his cheek as he continued in an emotionless voice, "Tenchi, Aeka, Yosho, Sasami, Mihoshi, Kiyone, Washyuu, Ryoko. Lord, You let them spare me. They've done their best to help me and protect me after I tried to kill them. And now, I can't even return the favor."
His voice trailed off, though his mouth continued moving as he continued to stare at the ceiling.
"DAMN IT, this is driving me crazy!!!"
"Then get to work, Ryoko. We've got plenty to do and almost no time to do it." Ryoko nodded determinedly and teleported out. Washyuu, meanwhile, re-contacted Shino and filled him in.
"What? More?" A note of incredulity tinged his voice.
"Yes, a lot more. We have reason to believe that Tokimi's hiding a force even larger than the one we're fighting already."
"Aw, no."
"What are you worried about?"
"Mom, the weight of numbers has to come down on us sometime."
"I know. Get ready to move like mad. The entire battle is going to be focused on Tsunami, if Kain's coming here."
"More than likely. Kain's their trump card in this whole thing, so they'll be focusing the assault where he is."
"Yep. Forget about Sakurakaze. Move all your transports over here immediately and brace up for a big fight." Shino nodded and cut the transmission. Washyuu sighed and cracked her knuckles. Nothing I can do now, she thought. Not without possibly provoking Tokimi into action before we're ready.
***
"Kain's been cut free?" Tenchi looked at Ryoko, who stared back quietly.
"Yeah, he's out. Kyrin's gone off the deep end, the Third Division was wiped off the map, and Kain's moving toward Tsunami with all speed."
Father Mother. "Are my parents out of there?" asked Aeka.
"No. They're insisting that they stay to lead what's left of their armies. The citizens are getting out of there, though."
"At least no innocent people will be there," said Yosho in a cool, calm voice.
"Anyway," continued Ryoko, "Mom wants us to get back there and help set up. Something big is getting ready to happen."
***
"That explains what we feel right now," said Kiyone.
"You mean you knew without me coming all the way out here?" asked Ryoko.
"Well, when a powerful malevolent psychic force appears from nowhere and blows everything away within twelve miles, how couldn't we?" Mihoshi replied, as though she were explaining to a child.
Kiyone shook her head. She'd had no clue Mihoshi could even say 'malevolent.'
***
He could have flown there in an instant. He could have traversed the distance between himself and the city in a mere blink. He could have ended it all with a sweep of his hand. But that would have been no fun.
He preferred to walk instead. He liked the feeling of the grass being crushed beneath his feet, of withering and dying at his touch. He wanted time for the Jurai cowards to rally together. He wanted to see all of them cower in fear of his power. He wanted to hear the collective scream as he wiped them out.
He was Kain, the Murderer. He was ready.
***
"Now, we weren't counting on that, were we?"
"No, we weren't," said Tokimi in an icy voice.
Asrael was unperturbed. "How was I supposed to know they'd see each other's thoughts? For that matter, how was I supposed to know that Kain knows about the army I've brought with me?"
"I suppose it can't be helped," sighed Tokimi. "In any case, marshal your army in subspace. I'll gather the fleet together. We'll strike as soon as all's in place."
***
A few hours passed. The Jenshin fleet, which had been engaging the enemy, suddenly pulled away and gathered over the city of Tsunami. The enemy, meanwhile, began to regroup into a large, still formidable cluster that blotted out the sky.
In the city of Tsunami, force shields were being erected everywhere. Soldiers ran about in a state of controlled panic, being assigned to various defensive stations. Defensive cannon were rapidly deployed all along the walls and gates of the city. Citizens were ordered to leave and take only what they could carry on their back and were subsequently placed in a subspace pocket Washyuu had set up.
While Kyrin was still a semi-vegetable, Ryoko was at work helping to place some of the heavier cannons in position. Aeka, Tenchi, Yosho, and Nobuyuki were busy planning the defense of the city. The Knights were briefing the troops, and the GPs busily patrolled the skies and kept watch.
But there were two who were mysteriously absent.
***
Deep in the palace arboretum, a supernatural light permeated everything. The wooden walls shone gold. On white platforms stood the most ancient of trees, Tsunami's first children. They were large and grand, each more powerful than even the tree the palace had been built into. Standing in this place, Sasami felt a mix of Juraian reverence and megami-jin affection.
Steeling herself, she stepped on the teleportation pad that led down to the next tree. She traveled deeper and deeper, the trees becoming older and older and the light becoming more and more surreal. She felt as though she were in a dream.
When she stepped off the final pad, she felt a dual sense of awe and familiarity. Before her stood a great tree, a giant on a small island surrounded by a moat of crystal blue water.
"Hello Tsunami," said Sasami. Although she'd had to use the Prayer to link with Tsunami back on Earth, here it was a matter of just talking to the tree. She looked down to the pool and saw her reflection, only hers. On the other side, the human form of Tsunami appeared.
"Are you ready?" asked that quiet voice.
"I'm scared," said Sasami in a small voice, "but I'm ready."
Poor child. "Then let's go." With that, they disappeared from the arboretum. When Sasami could see again, they were standing in the central computer core of the ship Tsunami. A single tree illuminated a dark scattering of blocks, and a great silence pervaded everything. "Touch the tree," said Tsunami in a soft voice that was half plea and half command. With her heart beating a mile a minute, Sasami reached out and just barely stroked the bark before disappearing in a flash of light.
All was dark. Sasami couldn't see, couldn't physically move. And yet, she felt a strange sense of power. It was almost like the tingle of adrenaline, only much subtler, and much stronger.
"Where am I?"
"You are within the main computer core of the ship," said Tsunami. "You are also within subspace."
"That's all fine and good, but how do I get out?"
"Imagine your destination."
Sasami had just done this when a hole opened in the eternal blackness in front of her, showing the light of stars. "Now," said Tsunami's voice, "will yourself forward. Just like I taught you, remember?"
Soon, the ship Tsunami emerged from nowhere, high above the planet Jurai.
Something Sasami noticed immediately was that it appeared as though she was floating in space without anything surrounding her. "Hey, I can't see the ship!"
"The ship looks everywhere; its eyes are yours now."
"It's so beautiful out here," said Sasami in an awed voice.
"Do you wish to help keep it that way?" asked Tsunami. Sasami nodded. "Then help me, Sasami," she said. "Help me defend our world."
***
Genjo watched the preparations as the city made ready for war. He wasn't a lazy person by nature, but he'd done everything he was assigned to, and his offers to help had been shunned. He could see it easily – they wouldn't be ready in time.
There was only one thing to be done. Quietly, he slipped over the wall and out to the path. He'd meet Kain and give the others the time they needed. But still, there was a small part of his mind that resisted. Why? Why are you doing this?
Because, he answered, it's time for me to do some good for a change.
***
"Oh, no you don't. You said so yourself, you don't have the power."
"Whether I do or not is irrelevant. Kain is coming. I must be there to meet him."
"But why you?"
"Because until he has me, he'll kill and kill and kill. If I can stop that with my death, and die for my Lord at the same time, then I have no regrets."
"You idiot, it's suicide! Your own Book forbids it!"
"For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places," Kyrin quoted softly. "I fight this evil in God's name. It isn't suicide."
"What about the people you'll leave behind?" asked Washyuu.
He was quiet for a moment, then, "They won't take it too well, will they?"
"You think?" she asked dryly. "Would you risk hurting everyone for the sake of your own perceived truth?"
"I'd rather not," said Kyrin. Washyuu smiled triumphantly. "I'd just better make sure I don't lose, then," he said with a quiet little smile. Washyuu face-faulted.
What followed was a flurry of activity. An alarm sounded. Ryoko appeared. "It's Kain! He's here!"
At almost that exact instant, Washyuu looked skyward. "Tokimi's appeared!"
Tsunami stiffened. "What's the matter?" asked Sasami.
"She's here," said Tsunami in a soft voice.
Amongst the Jenshin fleet, the alarm went out: "The enemy has been spotted! Battle Stations!"
Finally, the battle was joined.
***
Ah, at last. Kain smiled to himself as he continued walking. He moved with a slow deliberate gait towards the walled city of Tsunami. Nothing would stand between him and his brother. Not even this mid-height, brown haired man who stared at him intensely with a pair of silvery daggers in his hands.
Kain smirked to himself. This was their best defense, right in front of the city gates? Who were they kidding?
"Halt!" the man called out.
"Who is this that would presume to order me?" asked Kain.
"I am Hakubi Genjo!" said the man. "In the name of Tsunami, you shall not pass!"
"In her name, eh?" Kain sneered derisively. Two black balls of energy coalesced in his hands and turned into two black daggers. "I don't care whose name you call on. You can't stop me."
Kain was pleasantly surprised to see that Genjo hadn't wasted more time on words. As soon as he'd finished talking, Genjo leapt into the air, so high that the sun was behind him. It was a good tactic against a normal combatant, but made little difference to Kain. His eyes followed Genjo up, and kept him in sight as he came down, daggers poised to slash.
Two sets of daggers met in an explosion of dark energy.
Meanwhile, on the battlements above, Kyrin narrowed his eyes. "Fool! What's he doing down there? This isn't part of the plan! He was supposed to be planning the defense!"
"I don't know," said Ryoko. "But we aren't ready yet. Let's just pray that the guy can hold together a little while"
***
In a dimension just a little higher than ours, 3 sisters appeared. Two of them, a red head and a blue head, stared coldly at the third, a brunette.
"Well, well, well," Tokimi said dryly. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"It has," affirmed Washyuu.
"Why, sister?" asked Tsunami. "Why does it have to be this way?"
"You don't know the reason?" asked Tokimi. Tsunami shook her head. "Hah! My master has blinded you!" she cackled.
"Blinded?" Washyuu thought. Blinded Sightblinder one who blinds others the Devil "You mean to tell me that your master is that being referred to on Earth as the Devil?"
Tokimi sighed. "Oh, you weren't supposed to figure that out sister. But since you are going to die anyway, I guess I could afford to let that slip." With that, a dark burning power began to emanate from her. Tsunami and Washyuu responded by forcing their power against hers.
Washyuu grit her teeth. Damn, she's stronger than I thought!
Tsunami winced. Can we really win?
We have to, said Washyuu.
Yes, we do, said Tsunami. They set themselves firmly, and forced all their power against her.
***
In the space above Jurai, ships danced and intermingled with each other, trying to kill each other at the same time. Jenshin ships fired, were fired upon, pulled through or were destroyed.
The problem was in the numbers, Shino reflected. This was exactly the situation he'd feared. It was almost a battle of attrition now, which was not something he could afford. Reports swarmed the net of task forces being damaged, ships being destroyed. He sighed. "All ships pull back and regroup!"
Over the better part of an hour, the Jenshin slowly disengaged and Shino took stock. They'd taken about 30% damage, as opposed to the enemy taking about 12%. Shino steepled his fingers quietly as the comm. officer reported, "Sir, one of the enemy leaders is demanding our surrender."
"In the words of a famed Earth admiral," replied Shino, "I have not yet begun to fight."
"They're coming around!" called out the tactical officer.
Shino looked up and saw them reorganizing. "All ships split off into groups! We'll lead them into traps and try to catch them in a crossfire!" Ships began moving into smaller formations. The situation looked grim as the enemy fleet rushed forward. Bursts of light shot back and forth as they traded blows while splitting off at the same time.
Shino growled to himself. Damn it! Unless we can buy some time, this isn't going – what the Hell? Quite out of the black a large ancient Juraian ship had appeared, relatively above the enemy fleet. Blue beams of light shot down into the enemy fleet, pounding shields and tearing weakened ships apart.
Capitalizing on the appearance of Tsunami, for that was what it was, the Jenshin fleet reformed itself and began to lead ships around in a graceful, hunting dance.
***
"You're losing," said Tokimi.
"How so?" Tsunami asked. "The cards are in my hand right now."
***
Genjo fell back, heaving for breath. Kain stood at ease, a derisive look on his face. "What?" Kain asked. "5 exchanged blows and you're out of breath?"
Genjo was too busy breathing to respond. The problem wasn't in their individual skill; so much as it was in power. Genjo was skilled enough to match technique with technique, but the raw power he was fighting with strained him greatly every time they made contact. His arms felt like rubber, but he couldn't quit. They weren't ready. He had to give them time.
Glaring balefully at his opponent, Genjo waited for him to make the next move. Kain merely smirked back and moved forward at a great speed. Their weapons clanged as they connected together again and again.
Genjo deflected a thrust at his head in a spinning motion and used the force to slash at Kain. Kain merely ducked and stabbed forward. Genjo's other arm shoved the daggers aside though, and the first arm came down towards Kain's head. Kain rolled and came up.
Kain merely smirked. "Not bad, kid. Not good enough to win, but decent."
"Personally, I expected to be dead in the first minute," replied Genjo nonchalantly, "but you haven't pulled it off yet. Either you're holding back or you're not as good as they say."
Kain's response was to toss his daggers at Genjo. Genjo simply blocked, and this time he smirked until he remembered that Kain could make however many bolts he wanted. Kain began to form them as darts and shot them at Genjo. A flurry of bolts shot towards Genjo, who blocked and dodged as best he could. He was having a reasonably easy time of it until the flurry suddenly stopped. He looked up to see nothing where Kain was supposed to be.
Where in – the thought was suddenly cut off when his throat was caught in a crushing grip. He struggled to release the grip as Kain lifted him off the ground.
I know you can hear me, brother! Kain shouted.
I can.
Your friend here is going to die if you don't get out here.
"No need for that," said Kyrin as he jumped out of a tree. "I'm already here."
"Good," said Kain. Then with a sinister grin, he said, "Oh, that's right. He dies whether you show up or not." With that, he tossed Genjo up in the air. With his other hand, he shot a beam of dark energy up after him that connected right through the chest.
***
"NO! GENJO!!!!!!" Washyuu screamed in helpless rage and anguish as she saw, in her mind's eye, her grandson's life extinguished.
"My, my," said Tokimi in a cruelly amused voice, "'family' and 'Washyuu' just don't go together, do they?"
With a growl of rage, Washyuu redoubled her efforts. Her power lashed out against that of Tokimi, and suddenly Tokimi was harder pressed to maintain herself.
***
"They're splitting up again," reported Zisho.
"Apparently!" came Cenus' terse reply. "Can't you do anything about that blasted wood heap up there?!"
"Not a thing," she replied. "The enemy's surrounded her with fighters, we can't touch her."
Nor can we, snarled Cenus in his mind. The ten Wings that Tsunami possessed were constantly being employed to shield her from their blasts. Zisho's forces couldn't get close because Jenshin fighters had been sent up to act as an escort screen.
"What are your orders, Indoran?" asked Zisho.
"They're trying to lead us around by the collar," said Indoran. "Forget that. Split off into your task forces and take the fight to them!"
"What about that wood heap?" Cenus inquired.
"All ships with Tokimi priests! Gather and prepare to attack Tsunami!"
***
"Can that child of yours hold against dozens of my followers?" asked Tokimi.
Tsunami didn't respond, except to narrow her eyes. You can do it Sasami. Hold on.
***
"How could you do that?" asked Kyrin in that horribly calm voice.
"I am the Murderer," said Kain, as Genjo fell into the bushes with a sickening whump. "Such comes easy to me."
Without his emotions, he couldn't argue the point, so Kyrin simply pulled his sword out. It had a dull shine as opposed to the brightness when his soul had been in there.
"I know what you'll say," said Kain. "You'll say something along the lines of, 'In God's name, thou shalt not pass!' or some such garbage. Unfortunately for you, God's not here. He was never here for you, and He'll never be here for you. You're supposed to die, got it?"
"Be that as it may," said Kyrin with a shrug, "I haven't heard any objections to taking you with me."
"If you can," said Kain as he formed a black sword in his hands. "Shall we dance?"
"Just try not to stumble," said Kyrin, before leaping at him. Blades met and sparks flew. A wild flurry of blows and blocks forced them one way or the other, one backing one way only to leap forward and redouble his efforts. Kyrin fought with everything he had left in him to fight with. Kain fought with seemingly little effort.
"My God," said Tenchi in an awed voice. "Look at them go."
"And to think he's not even at half strength, to hear it told," said Aeka.
"If that's the case, then I'll have no chance if Kyrin falls."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," said Ryoko. "I mean, you haven't exactly gone to the bottom of the barrel yourself yet, and Kyrin has to scrape the bottom to keep up right now."
"Yeah, that's something I don't get," said Tenchi. "Kain should be able to obliterate the entire place with a wave of his hand, so why is he wasting time like this?"
"Probably some psychological warfare thing," said Ryoko.
"Wow, psychological," said Aeka in a half-wonderment voice. Then, in a half-hearted dig, she asked, "Did it hurt your head to say that?"
"Not half as much as yours will if you don't watch it!" said Ryoko with a glare in her eye. Tenchi was about to reprimand them when they both sighed.
"It seems so pointless now, doesn't it?" said Ryoko in a tired voice.
"After everything we've been through on this whole damn trip, it really does," said Aeka. Then she noticed their stares. "What?"
"Something must be wrong if you can swear," said Ryoko, shaking her head.
Down below, Kyrin moved his sword in a series of deflections. Kain stabbed rapidly, each strike deflected off. Taking advantage of one, Kyrin swung his blade in a downward arc, pinning Kain's blade. Then, before Kain could form another, Kyrin backhanded him. Kain stumbled back, his sword dissolving. Kyrin brought up his sword and charged, slashing at Kain just as he regained his footing. The sword connected.
"Is that it?" asked Ryoko peering down. "Is it over now?"
For a moment, it seemed as though it might be. Kyrin turned towards his fallen opponent, who lay still as death. But it was only half-a-moment, as Kain suddenly sprung up from the ground. Blood dripped on the ground from a shallow cut along his right rib. "You missed," said Kain in a smug voice.
"By Heaven," said Aeka. "Can nothing stop this thing?"
"Yeah," said Ryoko. "I can. It's what I was programmed to do."
"There's no stopping you from this, is there?" asked Tenchi. Ryoko nodded. "Stay safe out there," said Tenchi. "Pull yourself and Kyrin back if you have to and I'll take over."
"No problem," said Ryoko with a fierce grin, as she leapt down from the battlements.
***
"Two on one?" asked Tokimi. "That's hardly fair."
"You don't know the meaning of the word," spat Washyuu.
***
In the skies above, a force of enemy ships confronted the Tsunami. The priests of Tokimi, dressed in orange robes with white runes inscribed all over, began to chant in an ancient, dark language.
What are they doing? Sasami wondered. Suddenly, her mind was gripped with fear. She couldn't concentrate. She couldn't think. Couldn't feel. Her focus began to dim as a nameless terror began to take over
*
"No! The Black Dream!" Tsunami's hand went to her mouth. "Tokimi, please, she's just a child!"
"You're the one who involved her," said Tokimi. "You knew the risks, but you put her here. You are the one to blame for her predicament, not me."
*
Indoran watched with grim satisfaction as the Wings surrounding the ship began to fade. Nothing, he thought, nothing can stand before the Black Dream. Nothing has the bravery or the purity to let outshine it.
*
You're going to die.
No I'm not!
Yes, you will. Tsunami has abandoned you.
No she didn't! I went to this willingly!
Did you?
Yes!
But she's you, and you're her. Couldn't it be that you're affected by what she wants you to do?
Well
What about the rest of your family?
What about them?
They'll abandon you just like she did.
No they won't!
Now really, what proof do you have?
I don't need it! I have faith in them!
Is it truly your faith? Or perhaps it's a notion set in your subconscious by Tsunami to make you more complacent, hm?
No! She wouldn't do that!
Please, Sasami. What sort of person acts as cook, housemaid, princess, and emotional support without complaining?
They're using you.
No!
Yes.
NO!
Yes.
NOOOOOO!!!! As the Black Dream consumed her, Sasami curled into a little ball and wept.
*
"Good," said Indoran. "Tsunami has been dealt with. When we finish with the rest of this rabble, we'll dispose of this heap as an example to all that oppose us."
*
"Have you no heart, Tokimi?!" shouted Tsunami in anger.
"Not anymore," said Tokimi, casually. "Too much trouble."
***
Back on Jurai, an all-out brawl had ensued between Kyrin, Kain, and Ryoko. Ryoko's phenomenal strength had helped offset Kain's advantage. That was before he started drawing on the part of Kyrin's soul that was inside him. Quickly, it became all they could do to hold him back.
Kain, having formed another two swords in his hands, attacked like a bladed whirlwind. His power was enough to knock back either Kyrin or Ryoko a few feet with every landed blow.
Even without his strength, Kyrin had lost no skill. He was able to dodge or deflect every blow that came at him.
Ryoko had the best of both worlds, and her sword was a gleaming blue light against Kain's darkness. She was living up to her programming beautifully. Kain shot a concentrated beam of darkness up towards her. She, in turn, teleported behind him and blasted a beam of blue light into his back. Kain was knocked forward and whirled on her, his left sword blocking an overhead strike by Kyrin. Ryoko flew toward him, her sword poised to stab him. He rolled out of the way and she had to phase-shift in order to avoid hitting Kyrin.
"You're better than you look," said Kain.
"Better than you could imagine," she replied.
Kyrin leapt forward and deflected a cross-slash with an upward cut. He failed to catch Kain on the downswing though. Kain had stepped back, then squatted low to avoid a bolt that would have gone through his head. Kyrin and Ryoko both leapt so that they were coming down on top of him. In an explosion of telekinetic fury, however, Kain blew them both away.
Kyrin flew through the bushes and hit a tree. Landing in a slump, he felt a hand shaking him. His eyes opened, and then stared. "You."
"Yeah, me. Listen, I need your help."
Ryoko had recovered quickly and was fighting even more fiercely than before. Her sword danced between his blades, blocking and deflecting them in all directions. Kain's strength was still at an insane level, tiring her arms out and pushing her to her physical limits.
Their blades met and locked, and they peered into each other's eyes. No fear shone in either, but Kain's soon showed painful surprise. They widened, and he backed away from her, stumbling, his hands going to his back.
What the? Kain seemed to have some sort of devastating pain in his back. Then she heard something - a faint thuk. His eyes widened even more, and he seemed paralyzed. Seeing about the best chance she'd get, Ryoko stabbed her sword straight through the Murderer's heart. Dissolving it, she stepped back just as Kain finally fell to his knees and slumped down on to the ground. That was when she saw what stopped him – two silvery daggers, one in the back, and the other in the head. Looking past him, she saw Kyrin kneeling on the ground, panting. Sitting down against the tree was – Genjo?!
Teleporting over she knelt down next to Kyrin. "Are you OK?"
"I think so," said Kyrin. "I threw the daggers with all the strength left in me, so I'm a little tired."
Then she looked at Genjo, who was quite alive. "How can he be alive?"
"I have two hearts," said Genjo. "He got the main one in the chest, but he missed the other one."
Kyrin looked at his brother. "Well, maybe it's presumptuous," said Kyrin, "but I can feel my soul returning to me. I think we got the bugger."
"WE DID IT!!" exclaimed Ryoko, hugging Kyrin on a celebratory impulse.
*
"Well, how do you like that?" asked Washyuu smugly.
"Very much," said Tokimi with a dark grin.
*
Without warning, a column of flaming black energy erupted from Kain's corpse. A great wind sprang as if from nowhere as the column climbed higher and higher into the sky. Clouds recoiled from it as it rose into space. It went past the battle, past the Tsunami, finally exploding into black nothingness.
And yet, it was something. It was an opening in the fabric of space and time, an opening to a forsaken realm. Through this opening came ships the color of blood. They were long and narrow, vaguely reminiscent of a spinal column in that the structure seemed to be of squashed vertebrae with little spaces in-between. Spines protruded from the bottom, and they seemed to taper to a point at the front and widen out at the back as powerful engines propelled them forward at a great speed. Wave after wave emerged from the opening, reforming to surround a ship that seemed to be the largest of them all.
Tsunami's incapacitated, we've taken 40% casualties, and now this has to happen? Shino shook his head. We're so screwed.
*
"Oh no," groaned Tsunami.
"Oh yes," said Tokimi.
*
On Jurai, black openings appeared, surrounding the city for miles. Out of each stepped a towering warrior, dressed completely in golden armor that was decorated with skulls. There were horns on their helmets, and all were at least 6' 9", with reptilian wings out of their back. They all carried an axe, or a sword, or a spear, or a mace, or some implement of pain.
That was almost nice compared to the final surprise. The black flame sank back down into Kain's corpse. Only it rose again, this time taking the vague shape of a man. Two white hands appeared, and a white face with a vertically slit third eye in the forehead. The being was pure darkness.
"Kain," whispered Kyrin.
*
In the higher realm, a man in black armor appeared. "Well, Asrael," said Tokimi, "you sure took your time about things, didn't you?"
"You know I love an entrance," he said, grinning darkly. Then turning to the other megami, he began to extend his own power, the same dark burning as Tokimi's. "Now we end this," he said.
***
Kishi: I'd write more, but I'm leaving on vacation soon and I'm out of time.
::the author is standing in a forest clearing::
Kishi: Wow two chapters a month is rewarding, but my mind is blown. Can't think of witty joke.
::keels over, asleep, and Washyuu comes on and covers him up::
Tenchi Muyo and all related paraphernalia are copyrighted to AIC and Pioneer.
The only things that are mine are those things that I perceive as original, and thusly are mine. If you recognize an idea that you came up with first, all credit goes to you.
You can contact me at: Kirisutono_Kishi@robofan.com