Standard disclaimers apply. Written solely for enjoyment, not for money.
The name burst from his mouth before Sanzo could think twice. It was that relaxed but alert position that had sent a jolt through him. He had assumed the same pose before. When there was a potential enemy who had not yet shown its teeth. Or its claws.
The other three were looking at him strangely and Sanzo couldn't blame them. Raised in a Buddhist temple, a monk had little chance of meeting a decorated military leader such as what General Li looked like; much less a youkai general. "You know each other?"
Sanzo didn't answer. He was too focused on the youkai leader. Li's posture was too familiar in his dreams for it to be anything else. Even the armor was the same, he now realized; clear despite the shimmering ki in front of him. Worn leather strewn together by toughened strings, hard enough to deflect arrows, but there was a piece missing here and there from blade cuts.
The youkai leader's eyes narrowed. "So. You have heard of him."
"Him?" Sanzo scoffed. "You refer to yourself as 'him'?"
The man didn't nod. He didn't move at all. But something in his stance changed, became tenser. "The General Li you know is dead. Long gone. I am not he."
"I know who I'm talking about."
"And I know what I'm here for. The sutra, Genjo Sanzo. Surrender it now. It is the most rational choice for someone in your situation."
Sanzo replied as he did to others with the same order. "Denied."
General Li gave a curt nod. "I expected you to say that. So be it."
There was nothing to warn them. The youkai behind Li suddenly moved as one - and attacked the ki barrier. Their slitted eyes betrayed no emotion. But the power behind the blows were strong enough to cause ripples in the barrier. Hakkai strained against the assault, his arms shaking from the effort.
"Hakkai!" Both shakujo's crescent blade and nyoibo's golden knob smashed into the youkai to drive them away. Two of the youkai moved to fight off Goku and Gojyo but the rest still concentrated on the barrier.
Sanzo knew Hakkai couldn't take the assault for long. His knees bent to the point of collapsing. Sweat ran down the sides of his face, and his shoulders trembled minutely enough that only Sanzo could see it. The human- turned-youkai was about to give, that much was obvious. Hakkai only refused to do so because he was still there. And Sanzo couldn't stand letting someone else protect him.
He quickly reloaded his gun and held it close. His eyes were already seeking out the most likely target. "Hakkai. When I say so, drop the shield."
"Sanzo.?"
He trained his gun on the youkai to his right. The sickly-sweet stench of death was seeping through the barrier. "Now."
The shimmering ki faded - and Sanzo took his shot. The youkai he was aiming at ducked, as he predicted - which left a clear path for the bullet to speed through the eye of the youkai behind it.
The second youkai fell - and remained unmoving on the ground.
The eyes are their weakness, Sanzo had only enough time to think that before he had to dive away from the first youkai. He twisted just as the first started to turn to him and took another shot.
"Sanzo!" Metal clashed to his left. Goku had just blocked another youkai from lunging at him.
"The eyes, bakazaru!" He shot at the one coming to his right but the youkai jumped aside. Cursing, he leaped to his feet. "Hit them through the eyes!"
The boy grunted in assent as he shoved the youkai backwards, twirled his staff and proceeded to thrust one end into a slitted eye. His intended victim though, nimbly tumbled backwards so the golden knob only punched the ground.
"K'so!"
And then Sanzo was too preoccupied with the youkai that now charged at him, claws outstretched before it. He didn't have time to bring his gun and evade its claws at the same time so he chose the latter, diving to one side with only a step or two's distance.
The youkai seemed to anticipate his move though, and struck just before he landed on the ground. Fire sped through his arm and he almost dropped the gun. He bit back a curse and rolled onto his back, firing at the bestial eyes that came for him.
Blood splashed all over his vision. Sanzo made to stand as he wiped the blood from his eyes when something plowed into his back.
There was a moment of sharp pain in his side-
A dull thud as his temple hit something.
His vision went blindingly white.
And then, there was nothing.
A/N: It was no fault of mine the mistake in uploading the first chapter that last time. It must have been some bug in the system or something. Anyway, thank you once again, for accepting the long gaps between each chapter and yet, still take the time to read as well as review my updates. I cannot promise you a speedier update though, as I am still bogged down by work and school. Thank you(
And because I'm such a scatterbrain who's too excited to post any updates, I keep forgetting to acknowledge the astonishing, extraordinary, and super- patient-with-idiot-me, sf-sama, in my author's notes for beta reading and editing my rough drafts. Sorry!! You must all think me so stupid now to have forgotten that -_-;;
The name burst from his mouth before Sanzo could think twice. It was that relaxed but alert position that had sent a jolt through him. He had assumed the same pose before. When there was a potential enemy who had not yet shown its teeth. Or its claws.
The other three were looking at him strangely and Sanzo couldn't blame them. Raised in a Buddhist temple, a monk had little chance of meeting a decorated military leader such as what General Li looked like; much less a youkai general. "You know each other?"
Sanzo didn't answer. He was too focused on the youkai leader. Li's posture was too familiar in his dreams for it to be anything else. Even the armor was the same, he now realized; clear despite the shimmering ki in front of him. Worn leather strewn together by toughened strings, hard enough to deflect arrows, but there was a piece missing here and there from blade cuts.
The youkai leader's eyes narrowed. "So. You have heard of him."
"Him?" Sanzo scoffed. "You refer to yourself as 'him'?"
The man didn't nod. He didn't move at all. But something in his stance changed, became tenser. "The General Li you know is dead. Long gone. I am not he."
"I know who I'm talking about."
"And I know what I'm here for. The sutra, Genjo Sanzo. Surrender it now. It is the most rational choice for someone in your situation."
Sanzo replied as he did to others with the same order. "Denied."
General Li gave a curt nod. "I expected you to say that. So be it."
There was nothing to warn them. The youkai behind Li suddenly moved as one - and attacked the ki barrier. Their slitted eyes betrayed no emotion. But the power behind the blows were strong enough to cause ripples in the barrier. Hakkai strained against the assault, his arms shaking from the effort.
"Hakkai!" Both shakujo's crescent blade and nyoibo's golden knob smashed into the youkai to drive them away. Two of the youkai moved to fight off Goku and Gojyo but the rest still concentrated on the barrier.
Sanzo knew Hakkai couldn't take the assault for long. His knees bent to the point of collapsing. Sweat ran down the sides of his face, and his shoulders trembled minutely enough that only Sanzo could see it. The human- turned-youkai was about to give, that much was obvious. Hakkai only refused to do so because he was still there. And Sanzo couldn't stand letting someone else protect him.
He quickly reloaded his gun and held it close. His eyes were already seeking out the most likely target. "Hakkai. When I say so, drop the shield."
"Sanzo.?"
He trained his gun on the youkai to his right. The sickly-sweet stench of death was seeping through the barrier. "Now."
The shimmering ki faded - and Sanzo took his shot. The youkai he was aiming at ducked, as he predicted - which left a clear path for the bullet to speed through the eye of the youkai behind it.
The second youkai fell - and remained unmoving on the ground.
The eyes are their weakness, Sanzo had only enough time to think that before he had to dive away from the first youkai. He twisted just as the first started to turn to him and took another shot.
"Sanzo!" Metal clashed to his left. Goku had just blocked another youkai from lunging at him.
"The eyes, bakazaru!" He shot at the one coming to his right but the youkai jumped aside. Cursing, he leaped to his feet. "Hit them through the eyes!"
The boy grunted in assent as he shoved the youkai backwards, twirled his staff and proceeded to thrust one end into a slitted eye. His intended victim though, nimbly tumbled backwards so the golden knob only punched the ground.
"K'so!"
And then Sanzo was too preoccupied with the youkai that now charged at him, claws outstretched before it. He didn't have time to bring his gun and evade its claws at the same time so he chose the latter, diving to one side with only a step or two's distance.
The youkai seemed to anticipate his move though, and struck just before he landed on the ground. Fire sped through his arm and he almost dropped the gun. He bit back a curse and rolled onto his back, firing at the bestial eyes that came for him.
Blood splashed all over his vision. Sanzo made to stand as he wiped the blood from his eyes when something plowed into his back.
There was a moment of sharp pain in his side-
A dull thud as his temple hit something.
His vision went blindingly white.
And then, there was nothing.
A/N: It was no fault of mine the mistake in uploading the first chapter that last time. It must have been some bug in the system or something. Anyway, thank you once again, for accepting the long gaps between each chapter and yet, still take the time to read as well as review my updates. I cannot promise you a speedier update though, as I am still bogged down by work and school. Thank you(
And because I'm such a scatterbrain who's too excited to post any updates, I keep forgetting to acknowledge the astonishing, extraordinary, and super- patient-with-idiot-me, sf-sama, in my author's notes for beta reading and editing my rough drafts. Sorry!! You must all think me so stupid now to have forgotten that -_-;;