Disclaimer: Please see the Prologue of Suzaku's Oracle for a blanket disclaimer.
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Warnings: Rated PG-13 or Fiction T. Language (Tasuki's a main character, what do you expect?) and adult situations.
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Notes: 7-4-14 Over the years I've had a few compliments on how I write action scenes, both here and with my Jonny Quest fan fiction (thank-you!). In all sincerity, I write them the same way I write any scene with movement in it. Every time a character moves, a writer has to consider where they started, where they're going, how far they are going, and how their body moves. It's jarring when a character is referenced as 'seated in a chair on the other side of the room' and the next thing you know they're standing next to so-and-so as if they teleported themselves there instantly. (True, that could happen in FY, but not all the time!) It's the same with high-action scenes, just more involved because there are more movements. I have been known to scribble diagrams of settings to help myself visualize where characters are in relation to fixtures, furnishings, and each other! ~Sapphire
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Oracles of the Four Gods
"Suzaku's Oracle"
By: Sapphire
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Part Twenty ~ Demon
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…...
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"Hold on, Aneko!" Tasuki shouted. Aneko watched him pull the tessen from its scabbard, the character for 'wing' on his forearm glowing red, visible even through his sleeve. "Lekkaaa Shiennn!" The searing blast of flames hit Aneko's tormentor square in the back. The large current of electricity pinning Aneko against the wall slackened as her captor took the hit. Sensing a chance at escape, Aneko grasped for the strength being drawn from her and used it, breaking free of her bonds, shattering the electric current like glass as she threw her arms wide. Physically spent, she slumped to the floor.
"You did very well," the voice praised before its presence withdrew from her, though what was left of the power remained. Aneko didn't have time to ponder it. This wasn't over yet. Her thoughts were underscored as she watched the brutish man's human form burn away, leaving only the glowing form of pure energy behind.
With a last surge of power, Aneko reached for the boy and held him protectively in her arms, shielding him from the creature trying to destroy them. She didn't have the strength for anything more. Closing her eyes tight, she held tight to the boy and trusted the rest to Tasuki and Chichiri.
"Chichiri! What is that?!" Tasuki exclaimed, realizing his power had done nothing to incapacitate the enemy.
"It's a demon!" Chichiri shouted back, "A demon of an unusual order, no da!" Suddenly the monster turned on them, flinging blasts of energy in rapid succession. Tasuki dove to avoid them, but there were too many to escape them all. "Ow, that hurts, no da!" Tasuki saw Chichiri was taking a beating much like the one he was receiving. As the barrage ceased, Tasuki scrambled to his feet and faced the demon again. Chichiri wasn't far behind.
"What do we do?" Tasuki asked, wracking his brain for ideas.
"I don't think either of us can beat it on our own," Chichiri speculated. "We have to hit it together."
"We'll hurt Aneko if we try it from here," Tasuki pointed out, noting Aneko was in the direct line of fire if the monster should dodge. Chichiri opened his mouth to respond, but was cut short as more blasts shot out at them, the demon resuming his attack. Tasuki felt himself sent flying backwards, right out the door into the courtyard. He landed with a jarring jolt. He heard the dull thwack as Chichiri landed next to him. Tasuki dragged himself to his knees and looked to the monk.
"I'll take care of Aneko," Chichiri told him, peeling himself off the ground, "You keep the demon busy a minute, no da!" Tasuki nodded, the glint of battle in his eyes, and charged back into the pavilion chamber.
"Lekka Shiennn!" he shouted, sending another blast of fire at the demon. The demon turned and flung more of the yellow energy his way as he dove into a roll, ducking out of the way. Coming out of his roll, Tasuki glanced at the other side of the room where Aneko sat curled up against the wall. Chichiri suddenly materialized and placed himself between her and the demon, then signaled to Tasuki.
"Let's take care of this thing, no da."
"You got it," Tasuki agreed, jumping to his feet. Chichiri's shakujo lowered as it was aimed directly at the demon. With careful control, the monk sent a powerful blast of life force energy through the staff, letting the staff amplify it.
"Lekkaaa Shien!" Tasuki shouted his incantation, sending the power of his fire to aid Chichiri's attack. With a screaming hiss the demon burst apart before his eyes, pieces scattering about the chamber. They glowed for a few moments, then one by one blinked out and disappeared. All except one. "We did it," Tasuki breathed with relief, lowering the tessen to his side. He stood there catching his breath a moment before he joined Chichiri who was standing over the small bit of the demon that hadn't disappeared. "What is it?" Tasuki asked, poking at it with the toe of his boot.
"I'm not sure," Chichiri said, bending down to pick it up. "It looks like a piece of jewelry, no da, but it's too damaged to tell." Chichiri handed it over, and Tasuki held the partially melted bit of metal and stone between two fingers.
"Is it dangerous?" Tasuki asked, eyeing it warily.
"If it was, it isn't anymore," Chichiri said. "We should probably hang on to it, just in case." Tasuki gave the bit of metal another wary look, then shrugged and tucked it into a pocket. If Chichiri said it was safe, then it was. They turned their attention to Aneko, who was still huddled against the wall. Chichiri looked up from the woman, glancing at Tasuki with a questioning expression. Tasuki shrugged. He didn't know what was wrong with her. The monk lowered himself to his knees beside her and put a gentle, reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder.
"It's okay now. It's gone," Chichiri told Aneko softly. Cautiously she turned toward him, slowly revealing the boy she protected in her arms. "Prince Boushin!" Chichiri gasped in surprise. "I had no idea, no da!" Tasuki felt just as stunned. He'd thought Aneko was the target of the attack. Never would he have suspected she'd been protecting someone else. Chichiri slowly rose, helping Aneko up at the same time. Leaning against the wall for extra support, Aneko loosened her hold on the boy, and he timidly peeped out through one eye as he turned his head from where he'd buried it against her chest.
"Chiri!" cried the three-year-old frightened Prince, seeing his beloved wandering monk. He struggled from Aneko's grasp and transferred himself over to the familiar man's arms.
"Hey, look," Tasuki gasped, pointing at Aneko. As the Prince had moved away from her, he'd uncovered the glowing character on the upper left side of her chest. Tasuki wondered how many more surprises she had up her sleeve. "No possible way."
"Nuriko, no da," Chichiri breathed.
"Willow," Aneko said, looking down, reading the character. "It's the mark of a celestial warrior." Tasuki thought she seemed confused. As confused as he was. That woman was Suzaku no Orakuru, not a Suzaku Seishi. Suddenly the character's glow flickered and faded. All her remaining strength visibly drained away, leeching all the color from her cheeks as it went. Tasuki saw her waver, unable to support her own weight any longer, gravity pulling her downward.
"Whoa!" Tasuki exclaimed as she started to fall. "Gottcha!" He easily reached out and caught her, sweeping her up in his arms. She looked up at him with big, watery eyes.
"Thank-you," she uttered, then passed out cold.
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…...
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Chichiri dozed fitfully in a chair in Aneko's darkened bedchamber. After the attack, he was wary to leave Aneko without a guard. He'd placed himself at her side and intended to stay there. The appearance of the demon had the whole palace uneasy, and no one could ignore the fact that Prince Boushin had been the target. Tasuki was guarding the young Prince and Empress Houki. Chichiri wasn't worried about them at the moment. They were in capable hands. What worried Chichiri was how a demon of that order had been brought into the palace.
Demons like that didn't just come and go as they pleased; they had to be summoned. Chichiri knew that only a very powerful sorcerer could have called that monster. Who had that kind of power, he didn't know. Chichiri knew he was quite a powerful mage himself, but he could never hope to call fourth a demon of that magnitude- not that he'd ever want to.
In Chichiri's estimation, there were two likely possibilities. First, the evil that Suzaku had mentioned to them. It was quite possible it was responsible for the demon. If that were true, then they should expect more trouble. The second possibility came from Aneko's horrifying vision of a village's annihilation. She claimed something not human was responsible for the massive destruction and ensorcelled fire that had featured so prominently in the vision she saw. Something with that kind of destructive power could very easily have called the demon.
There was actually a third possibility, one that Chichiri didn't want to contemplate. Both the evil entity and the inhuman force from the vision could be one in the same. As disturbing as the idea was, he would have to think on it further.
"Chichiri?" the sound of his name woke him instantly. He saw Aneko watching him, tears glistening in her eyes.
"What is it, no da?" he replied, leaning forward in his chair.
"Chichiri, I- I can't move. I tried, but I can't move my arms or legs. I'm so scared..." she broke down sobbing. Chichiri moved from the chair and took a seat on the edge of her bed. He carefully lifted her shoulders from the soft pillows and took her in his arms to comfort her. Being moved was obviously painful for her, and she whimpered pitifully, but she didn't protest against his holding her. As Chichiri settled her against him, the physical hurts seemed to ebb and her sobs slowly quieted.
"It'll be alright, no da," Chichiri said soothingly. "I promise."
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…...
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To be continued…
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End Note: A little bit of trivia… I based this demon on an old favorite: the 10,000 Volt Ghost from The Scooby-Doo Show episode called "Watt a Shocking Ghost." My electric villain, however, didn't turn out to be Mr. Voltner in cahoots with Mayor Dudley, nor did it exclaim "And we would've gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!" Huh. I'm suddenly hungry for a Scooby Snack. Scooby-dooby-doo! ~Sapphire
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