Ch. 4

Mitsuko looked as dazed as Krean did and she dropped the shuriken. Then he began to laugh, but his merriment stopped when another shuriken whizzed past him. "Hey Mi, this is your chance to prove that you're a Tengu guard," he murmured while rolling to the side.

"Be quiet or I'll unleash my wrath on you," Mitsuko grumbled. She quickly ran to the side and disappeared in the bushes.

The two ebony figures unveiled themselves as Hisstria and Gorikithorp. They moved in unison as they came to attack Krean.

"So much for the nice chat you two were having huh?" Hisstria sneered. He made a whip-like kick towards Krean as he ducked. Then Gorikithorp moved behind Krean and dug his fingernails into his shoulder blade. Krean cawed in pain as he crumpled to the ground.

"So that's it? Looks like your friend abandoned you. I thought you were stronger than that, son of Lyndis and Kraw Ravensking," cackled Hisstria. He started to dust his jacket when Mitsuko jumped out of the bushes and dived for Gorikithorp. She tackled him and that sent him sprawling into a lamppost.

"Heh. One more to go," she smiled as she began to flex her arms.

"Tch! How annoying you mortals are," seethed Hisstria. Suddently, two long whips appeared out of nowhere. "I deal with you quickly," he said while slashing at Mitsuko. She dodged the first whip, but the other moved just as quick, catching her on her arm.

"Yeah. Sure you will," she said while biting back the pain. 'Looks like he's really trying to kill me...' She looked around searching for anything to fight back with. Something shiny caught her eye. It was the star that she caught. 'Think fast Mitsuko...' She started to back up.

"Giving up?" he sneered. He lunged at her again with his whips, but Mitsuko ducked, fell to the ground and rolled to where she dropped her star. She quickly snatched it and threw it at Hisstria with deadly aim. "Child's play," he scoffed while splitting the shuriken in half with a swipe. "Is that all?" The two halves were flown in directions that Mistuko couldn't reach.

'Oh crap...' Mitsuko mentally cursed herself as she noticed a shadow closing in behind Hisstria. Gorikithorp had gotten up again and he was livid. "Two against one, that's not fair," she stalled.

"Hengyokai aren't supposed to be fair dear..." cackled Hisstria. "I believe you lost." He closed in on her. "Now you die..."

"No...not yet," choked Krean as he swiped one shuriken half at Gorikithorp and the other at Hisstria. The star hit Gorikithorp in the throat. Greenish blood started to splurt out of the monster as it gurgled in pain. The clawing at his throat made it worse as his nails dug deep into his flesh, killing him instantly. Hisstria was lucky this time. The star was embedded into his arm, disabling him the use of his left arm for now.

"Oh...I'll remember this you two..." he spat. Using his uninjured hand, he projected a portal and disappeared through it.

It was silent after a while, so Mitsuko decided to break the ice. "Are you OK?" she asked as she crept next to him. Blood was slowly oozing out of his shoulder.

"I'm fine. I had to get used to this sort of thing," he muttered. He looked at Mitsuko. "You didn't do too bad...but still lack the training of the Mitsuko I once knew," he smiled in amusement.

"Tell me, why do you look so bubbly after being wounded and after killing someone?" she asked. And to get revenge, she poked him on his injured shoulder.

"Yeeeooow!" he screeched. "Don't...don't do that!" he gasped. "That's because I get used to the killing and blood."

"Oh."