Chapter 18 : Lurking Demons
"Nuriko!" Miaka said excitedly as she sprinted down the hallway to her beloved friend. It was a calm, beautiful Konan morning. The sun shone brightly outside, and the fresh smell of flowers seemed to reach into the bright palace.
Nuriko turned at the call of his name. He carried a tray full of food, including rice, mixed vegetables, and crystal clear water.
"Hello Miaka." He smiled. "What can I do you for?"
Miaka stared at the food neatly organized on the tray.
Nuriko pulled the tray away. "Oh no you don't. Don't even think about it. This is for Her Highness, Houki."
"Houki?" Miaka asked. "Oh yeah! You two go way back! But why does she get the special treatment?" Miaka wondered, eyeing the rice.
"Because she's PREGNANT, stupid!" Nuriko looked down the corridor. "And it's not going too well either. She's had morning sickness nearly everyday. Only thing is. it lasts until night." Nuriko blinked, a bit confused at his own words.
Nuriko and Miaka started walking towards Houki's quarters.
"That's really sad." Miaka sympathized. "I never got too sick when I was carrying Hikari."
Nuriko smiled. "I still can't picture it. My little Miaka, a mom."
Miaka smiled as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Common Tama boy! Cheer up!" Tasuki slapped his friend on the back. Taka sat on the railing right outside the palace. He was quietly enjoying the scenery... until Tasuki showed up.
Taka nearly fell off the rail. "Tasuki, you idiot! Can't you be quiet for two minutes? I'm trying to think!"
"More like moping, if ya' ask me." Tasuki commented.
Taka looked back onto the gardens and high walls. "It's just... a lot is going on. Here and in Miaka's world."
Tasuki propped his elbows up on the railing as well, letting his ponytail fall over one of his shoulders. "Ya' just gotta go with the flow man. 'Round here, you got to expect it." Tasuki stood back up. "Come to think about it, nothing bad ever happens when you're NOT around."
"You're blaming all this on me?" Taka asked.
"You bet I am."
Taka swung back over the rail and stood upright on the flooring. "That's it? THAT'S how you cheer me up? What kind of a friend are you?!" Taka yelled, only half serious.
"The kind that tries to LIGHTEN the situation!" Tasuki cleverly shot back. He smiled ear to ear. It always entertained him to get on Taka's nerves, as he's done so often before.
"Excuse me."
Tasuki turned around and Taka looked over his shoulder.
"Could you by chance tell me where the dining rooms are from here?"
Taka blinked a couple of times before it clicked. "Oh! You're the new Ambassador, aren't you?"
Ami nodded.
Tasuki looked her over. "Ya seem a lot nicer than the old one."
Ami raised both eyebrows. "Oh, Miss Cheinun is quite a lovely woman, just a bit difficult at times." Ami smiled and blushed faintly. "She's really progressed for her age."
"Yeah..." Tasuki muttered to Taka. "She's an old hag."
"Excuse me?" Ami asked, not quite hearing.
Taka pushed Tasuki out of the way. "Nothing, Nothing. The dining rooms are just this way. Here, I'll take you to them."
Ms. Kaiku bowed. "Thank you."
************************************
"Darkness came soon into the day, as if evening and afternoon had changed places." Keisuke read. He skimmed along the words. "Oh boy..." He looked towards Tetsuya and Yui. Tetsuya muted the news. "They're in for a big one..."
By the look of it, Keisuke started to think he should keep his mouth shut. It seemed that with every turn of the page, Yui became more and more depressed.
*************************************
"I've never seen it get so dark so quickly." Chiriko said as he looked into the open sky. Large clouds were moving in, and a strong wind blew. "Something isn't right. We still have hours of daylight, especially in this season....."
"I never like it when this happens." Nuriko stated. He looked to his right. "Chichiri!" He called, "What are you doing?"
Chichiri's hands were together in front of him, his index fingers pointing up. "I feel it again..." Chichiri looked hard around the visible scenery. "A bad aura. Something isn't right, no da."
"We'd better get inside." Nuriko told the shorter Chiriko. "It looks like a bad storm is coming in. We should tell his Highness."
Chiriko nodded. "Usually Konan's storms come from the east. These winds feel a bit too warm."
Nuriko gave one last unsure look, and turned to enter the palace.
"And it just... came." Taka tried to explain.
Hotohori was in his quarters. He wore his many layered robes, but his long hair was down and loosely pulled back. He turned to Chichiri. "I sense something is not right as well."
"AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Everyone turned at the loud, high scream.
"That was Saori." Nuriko said. He followed the others out of the room.
After running for less than a minute, the group of men found Saori in her bedroom, curled up in a corner.
"Saori!" Chiriko ran to her. "What's wrong?!"
Saori, frightened, pointed.
Everyone looked.
"WHAT?!" Tasuki shouted. "You brought us all down here for that little thing?"
"It's not little!!!" Saori yelled. "It's HUGE! Kill it! Kill it!"
Miaka shriveled back.
Tasuki rolled his eyes. "Girls and bugs..." He headed for the corner.
"It's a SPIDER! That's like. the evil king of bugs!" Saori objected.
"Whatever." Tasuki raised his foot, bringing it down hard.
Saori winced. She looked at Tasuki.
"Happy?" He asked.
Saori shook her head "no". "You have to clean it up now!"
"Tasuki!" Hotohori interrupted quickly, pointed to where Tasuki's boot lay.
Grey smoke began to rise up from the dead corpse of the spider.
Tasuki whipped out his fan. "What the hell?"
The smoke grew long and heavy, reaching nearly to the ceiling. As if a large gust had entered the room, it flew to the window, disappearing behind the glass.
Tasuki pushed the window open and looked outside.
"What was that?" Miaka asked.
A new body entered the room. "What's going on?" The blonde asked. "What was that scream?"
Hotohori turned around. "Ms. Kaiku, it is nothing. Please, return to your quarters."
Hesitantly, Ami Kaiku did as she was asked, and left.
Chichiri, who had been concentrating once again, looked to the emperor. "That had an evil presence, no da."
Tasuki put his hand on the windowsill. "Then let's check it out. C'mon Tama."
Tasuki hopped out the window, Taka after him.
Tasuki walked over the patches of grass, casually waving his fan around. "I don't see nuttin."
Taka was close behind him. "Maybe it was just a really mean spider..." he suggested.
"LOOK OUT!!" Nuriko's voice bellowed from the palace.
Tasuki and Taka looked up. A large, gray mass grew steadily in front of them, bubbling like a heated tar pit. It grew several, slimy arms, raising up into a tall mass. The slime in front dripped down slowly to reveal what looked like a mouth, and one large eye. Suddenly, it's limbs shot out at Taka and Tasuki. It bound Tasuki tightly across his neck and waist, and tied skin-tight to Taka on two legs and an arm.
Nuriko and Chichiri were out of the palace now, darting out to come to aid.
"Kai ha!!!!" Chichiri shouted, pointing his staff at the monster.
The beam of intense light radiating from the monk punctured through the center of the demon, but it's muddy body simply closed around the wound, healing any damage. More tentacle-like arms sprouted and flew, instantly seizing Nuriko and Chichiri.
"I can't get a grip!" Nuriko yelled. As he tried to clutch his bonds, his hands passed through the slime like it was water.
To make room, the monster retracted the three arms holding Taka. Taka was thrown into the slimy belly of the fiest, half covered in the gray goo. Very slowly, his body began to be covered as he gradually seeped into the demon. As he did so, the over all size of the monster expanded.
"Taka!!" Miaka yelled from the safety of the palace. She tried to hop out, but Saori clung to her tightly.
"I shall take care of this!"
The bright, red sign of the star glowed vibrantly on Hotohori's neck. His hair flew wildly about him, his entire body beginning to faintly glow with the powers of his own chi. He lifted up his holy sword parallel to himself. The blade turned a bright red to match his symbol. Hotohori stepped back, and with a roar, plunged the weapon deep into the heart of the monster.
The glowing sword acted like a hot iron, steam soaring up from where the demon and the metal met. The monster screamed, releasing Nuriko, Chichiri, and Tasuki. However, as if using his for fuel, Taka was quickly sucked in, completely devoured by the fiend's gray, mucus like body.
"DIE!" Hotohori ordered. He swung his sword with superior strength and cut the monster in two. The monster let out an ugly, gurgling moan, melting into the grass. As if on cue a rain picked up, pushing the slimy carcass further into the earth.
Taka, now uncovered, coughed hard. He laid stomach-down on the soil, his clothes and hair covered with harmless muck.
Miaka finally was permitted out of the palace. She ran as fast as she could to her husband.
"Taka!" She yelled. She slid down on her knees next to him, placing a hand under him to help him up, and patting his back to help expel any inhaled mud.
Taka managed to regain his composure.
Miaka threw her arms around him, not caring to get dirty herself. "Are you all right? You scared me half to death!!!"
Nuriko, brushing himself off, nodded a thanks to Hotohori, who nodded back.
"Uh... guys?" Tasuki spoke up.
"What now?" Taka complained.
Tasuki pointed in reply.
In the darkness of the trees, behind where the strange monster had fallen, laid two, glowing red eyes.
Taka stood up, pulling Miaka with him. "Go." he firmly whispered.
"Taka! I..."
"Go." Taka repeated, releasing his grip on the priestess.
Miaka stepped back.
Even through the rain, a hard, irregular breathing was heard. A growling, cold voice soon accompanied it.
"Flesh..." He whispered. "Warm flesh."
The eyes darted from Taka, to Tasuki, then to Hotohori.
"RRRRAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUU!!!" It screamed. The large beast came charging from the trees. It galloped faster than the eyes could see until it hit a target.
Nuriko gripped tightly to the thick arms of the animal as it thrust into him. The hit was so powerful the purple haired man was sent straight into a wall of the palace.
"That's....!" Tasuki stuttered in alarm.
"Ashitare!!!" Miaka cried out.
Nuriko gasped under the immense wait on top of him. He opened an eye in shock.
"You're.... heavy...." he muttered. "Get.... off!!!!"
With the best aim he could muster in such an odd position, Nuriko swung up. He barely nicked the beast, which had jumped up right before contact.
"REKKA SHINEN!!!!"
A swarm of fire flew up to meet the wolf man. Ashitare growled loudly, returning to the ground after his large leap.
"Tasuki! He hates fire, no da!!!" Chichiri shouted.
"I have one up!" Tasuki complimented to himself.
"Miaka!" Taka said quickly. "Run to the palace!"
Without time to be stubborn. Miaka did as she was told, slowly taking one last look at the starting battle before running on the slick grass to the walls behind her, where Saori looked on terrified from her window.
With a loud, snarled huff, Ashitare charged again, this time towards Hotohori.
Hotohori armed his sword, but even the holy blade didn't withstand the brute's strength and size. The sword flew out of Hotohori's hand.
Hotohori hit his back hard on the ground, just as his sword landed point into the ground above him.
Ashitare lifted a single, hairy arm, and struck.
"HOTOHORI-SAMA!!!!!" Nuriko screamed as he ran desperately to the scene. Ashitare turned his head in victory towards the approaching Nuriko.
Hotohori, still perfectly conscious, tried to sit up. The front of his robe was torn widely open, four long gashes streaking down his chest, running from his left shoulder to his right hip, and crimson blood readily poured from each one.
"HAH!" Taka shouted. A read, loopy symbol appeared on his forehead. He spun and kicked at Ashitare, who dodged it easily.
"REKKA SHINEN!!!"
The fire surrounded the beast. Ashitare roared madly in the flames. With some clumsiness he leapt out, his fur singed from the heat.
"I won't forgive you for hurting Hotohori-sama!!!" Nuriko yelled, catching up with the wolf man. He managed to make a hit on Ashitare's shoulder after his second swing. Ashitare flew back into the trees.
"REKKA, SHINEN!!!"
The tree itself caught on fire, steaming lightly from the rain. Ashitare shook madly. In his frenzy, he swung at the flaming tree, knocking it over. Taka dodged it best he could, but he was hit hard in the right arm. herolled over, using his left arm to lift himself up, then clutched his right one in pain.
Mitsukake had dared and left the palace. He tried to get to Hotohori, who was bleeding terribly.
Nuriko was purely infuriated.
"Ka mi no chi nu ya su!" Chichiri pointed his staff at Ashitare. A green whirlwind of energy combined in the cage of fire. Ashitare cried out in a choppy roar. After a moment the wolf man ran through the fire in the near opposite direction. He darted across a garden and headed towards the thickest part of trees for his escape. Nuriko jumped over the smoldering tree on the ground in a hot pursuit.
"Nuriko!" Chichiri called after.
Now in the clear, Mitsukake ran the rest of the way to Hotohori. Miaka was terrified back under the eves of the palace. Tears streamed down her face as she whispered the emperor's name.
"Hold on Highness!" Mitsukake shouted, his only returning response being the patter of the rain.
"Nuriko!" Miaka said excitedly as she sprinted down the hallway to her beloved friend. It was a calm, beautiful Konan morning. The sun shone brightly outside, and the fresh smell of flowers seemed to reach into the bright palace.
Nuriko turned at the call of his name. He carried a tray full of food, including rice, mixed vegetables, and crystal clear water.
"Hello Miaka." He smiled. "What can I do you for?"
Miaka stared at the food neatly organized on the tray.
Nuriko pulled the tray away. "Oh no you don't. Don't even think about it. This is for Her Highness, Houki."
"Houki?" Miaka asked. "Oh yeah! You two go way back! But why does she get the special treatment?" Miaka wondered, eyeing the rice.
"Because she's PREGNANT, stupid!" Nuriko looked down the corridor. "And it's not going too well either. She's had morning sickness nearly everyday. Only thing is. it lasts until night." Nuriko blinked, a bit confused at his own words.
Nuriko and Miaka started walking towards Houki's quarters.
"That's really sad." Miaka sympathized. "I never got too sick when I was carrying Hikari."
Nuriko smiled. "I still can't picture it. My little Miaka, a mom."
Miaka smiled as well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Common Tama boy! Cheer up!" Tasuki slapped his friend on the back. Taka sat on the railing right outside the palace. He was quietly enjoying the scenery... until Tasuki showed up.
Taka nearly fell off the rail. "Tasuki, you idiot! Can't you be quiet for two minutes? I'm trying to think!"
"More like moping, if ya' ask me." Tasuki commented.
Taka looked back onto the gardens and high walls. "It's just... a lot is going on. Here and in Miaka's world."
Tasuki propped his elbows up on the railing as well, letting his ponytail fall over one of his shoulders. "Ya' just gotta go with the flow man. 'Round here, you got to expect it." Tasuki stood back up. "Come to think about it, nothing bad ever happens when you're NOT around."
"You're blaming all this on me?" Taka asked.
"You bet I am."
Taka swung back over the rail and stood upright on the flooring. "That's it? THAT'S how you cheer me up? What kind of a friend are you?!" Taka yelled, only half serious.
"The kind that tries to LIGHTEN the situation!" Tasuki cleverly shot back. He smiled ear to ear. It always entertained him to get on Taka's nerves, as he's done so often before.
"Excuse me."
Tasuki turned around and Taka looked over his shoulder.
"Could you by chance tell me where the dining rooms are from here?"
Taka blinked a couple of times before it clicked. "Oh! You're the new Ambassador, aren't you?"
Ami nodded.
Tasuki looked her over. "Ya seem a lot nicer than the old one."
Ami raised both eyebrows. "Oh, Miss Cheinun is quite a lovely woman, just a bit difficult at times." Ami smiled and blushed faintly. "She's really progressed for her age."
"Yeah..." Tasuki muttered to Taka. "She's an old hag."
"Excuse me?" Ami asked, not quite hearing.
Taka pushed Tasuki out of the way. "Nothing, Nothing. The dining rooms are just this way. Here, I'll take you to them."
Ms. Kaiku bowed. "Thank you."
************************************
"Darkness came soon into the day, as if evening and afternoon had changed places." Keisuke read. He skimmed along the words. "Oh boy..." He looked towards Tetsuya and Yui. Tetsuya muted the news. "They're in for a big one..."
By the look of it, Keisuke started to think he should keep his mouth shut. It seemed that with every turn of the page, Yui became more and more depressed.
*************************************
"I've never seen it get so dark so quickly." Chiriko said as he looked into the open sky. Large clouds were moving in, and a strong wind blew. "Something isn't right. We still have hours of daylight, especially in this season....."
"I never like it when this happens." Nuriko stated. He looked to his right. "Chichiri!" He called, "What are you doing?"
Chichiri's hands were together in front of him, his index fingers pointing up. "I feel it again..." Chichiri looked hard around the visible scenery. "A bad aura. Something isn't right, no da."
"We'd better get inside." Nuriko told the shorter Chiriko. "It looks like a bad storm is coming in. We should tell his Highness."
Chiriko nodded. "Usually Konan's storms come from the east. These winds feel a bit too warm."
Nuriko gave one last unsure look, and turned to enter the palace.
"And it just... came." Taka tried to explain.
Hotohori was in his quarters. He wore his many layered robes, but his long hair was down and loosely pulled back. He turned to Chichiri. "I sense something is not right as well."
"AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Everyone turned at the loud, high scream.
"That was Saori." Nuriko said. He followed the others out of the room.
After running for less than a minute, the group of men found Saori in her bedroom, curled up in a corner.
"Saori!" Chiriko ran to her. "What's wrong?!"
Saori, frightened, pointed.
Everyone looked.
"WHAT?!" Tasuki shouted. "You brought us all down here for that little thing?"
"It's not little!!!" Saori yelled. "It's HUGE! Kill it! Kill it!"
Miaka shriveled back.
Tasuki rolled his eyes. "Girls and bugs..." He headed for the corner.
"It's a SPIDER! That's like. the evil king of bugs!" Saori objected.
"Whatever." Tasuki raised his foot, bringing it down hard.
Saori winced. She looked at Tasuki.
"Happy?" He asked.
Saori shook her head "no". "You have to clean it up now!"
"Tasuki!" Hotohori interrupted quickly, pointed to where Tasuki's boot lay.
Grey smoke began to rise up from the dead corpse of the spider.
Tasuki whipped out his fan. "What the hell?"
The smoke grew long and heavy, reaching nearly to the ceiling. As if a large gust had entered the room, it flew to the window, disappearing behind the glass.
Tasuki pushed the window open and looked outside.
"What was that?" Miaka asked.
A new body entered the room. "What's going on?" The blonde asked. "What was that scream?"
Hotohori turned around. "Ms. Kaiku, it is nothing. Please, return to your quarters."
Hesitantly, Ami Kaiku did as she was asked, and left.
Chichiri, who had been concentrating once again, looked to the emperor. "That had an evil presence, no da."
Tasuki put his hand on the windowsill. "Then let's check it out. C'mon Tama."
Tasuki hopped out the window, Taka after him.
Tasuki walked over the patches of grass, casually waving his fan around. "I don't see nuttin."
Taka was close behind him. "Maybe it was just a really mean spider..." he suggested.
"LOOK OUT!!" Nuriko's voice bellowed from the palace.
Tasuki and Taka looked up. A large, gray mass grew steadily in front of them, bubbling like a heated tar pit. It grew several, slimy arms, raising up into a tall mass. The slime in front dripped down slowly to reveal what looked like a mouth, and one large eye. Suddenly, it's limbs shot out at Taka and Tasuki. It bound Tasuki tightly across his neck and waist, and tied skin-tight to Taka on two legs and an arm.
Nuriko and Chichiri were out of the palace now, darting out to come to aid.
"Kai ha!!!!" Chichiri shouted, pointing his staff at the monster.
The beam of intense light radiating from the monk punctured through the center of the demon, but it's muddy body simply closed around the wound, healing any damage. More tentacle-like arms sprouted and flew, instantly seizing Nuriko and Chichiri.
"I can't get a grip!" Nuriko yelled. As he tried to clutch his bonds, his hands passed through the slime like it was water.
To make room, the monster retracted the three arms holding Taka. Taka was thrown into the slimy belly of the fiest, half covered in the gray goo. Very slowly, his body began to be covered as he gradually seeped into the demon. As he did so, the over all size of the monster expanded.
"Taka!!" Miaka yelled from the safety of the palace. She tried to hop out, but Saori clung to her tightly.
"I shall take care of this!"
The bright, red sign of the star glowed vibrantly on Hotohori's neck. His hair flew wildly about him, his entire body beginning to faintly glow with the powers of his own chi. He lifted up his holy sword parallel to himself. The blade turned a bright red to match his symbol. Hotohori stepped back, and with a roar, plunged the weapon deep into the heart of the monster.
The glowing sword acted like a hot iron, steam soaring up from where the demon and the metal met. The monster screamed, releasing Nuriko, Chichiri, and Tasuki. However, as if using his for fuel, Taka was quickly sucked in, completely devoured by the fiend's gray, mucus like body.
"DIE!" Hotohori ordered. He swung his sword with superior strength and cut the monster in two. The monster let out an ugly, gurgling moan, melting into the grass. As if on cue a rain picked up, pushing the slimy carcass further into the earth.
Taka, now uncovered, coughed hard. He laid stomach-down on the soil, his clothes and hair covered with harmless muck.
Miaka finally was permitted out of the palace. She ran as fast as she could to her husband.
"Taka!" She yelled. She slid down on her knees next to him, placing a hand under him to help him up, and patting his back to help expel any inhaled mud.
Taka managed to regain his composure.
Miaka threw her arms around him, not caring to get dirty herself. "Are you all right? You scared me half to death!!!"
Nuriko, brushing himself off, nodded a thanks to Hotohori, who nodded back.
"Uh... guys?" Tasuki spoke up.
"What now?" Taka complained.
Tasuki pointed in reply.
In the darkness of the trees, behind where the strange monster had fallen, laid two, glowing red eyes.
Taka stood up, pulling Miaka with him. "Go." he firmly whispered.
"Taka! I..."
"Go." Taka repeated, releasing his grip on the priestess.
Miaka stepped back.
Even through the rain, a hard, irregular breathing was heard. A growling, cold voice soon accompanied it.
"Flesh..." He whispered. "Warm flesh."
The eyes darted from Taka, to Tasuki, then to Hotohori.
"RRRRAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUU!!!" It screamed. The large beast came charging from the trees. It galloped faster than the eyes could see until it hit a target.
Nuriko gripped tightly to the thick arms of the animal as it thrust into him. The hit was so powerful the purple haired man was sent straight into a wall of the palace.
"That's....!" Tasuki stuttered in alarm.
"Ashitare!!!" Miaka cried out.
Nuriko gasped under the immense wait on top of him. He opened an eye in shock.
"You're.... heavy...." he muttered. "Get.... off!!!!"
With the best aim he could muster in such an odd position, Nuriko swung up. He barely nicked the beast, which had jumped up right before contact.
"REKKA SHINEN!!!!"
A swarm of fire flew up to meet the wolf man. Ashitare growled loudly, returning to the ground after his large leap.
"Tasuki! He hates fire, no da!!!" Chichiri shouted.
"I have one up!" Tasuki complimented to himself.
"Miaka!" Taka said quickly. "Run to the palace!"
Without time to be stubborn. Miaka did as she was told, slowly taking one last look at the starting battle before running on the slick grass to the walls behind her, where Saori looked on terrified from her window.
With a loud, snarled huff, Ashitare charged again, this time towards Hotohori.
Hotohori armed his sword, but even the holy blade didn't withstand the brute's strength and size. The sword flew out of Hotohori's hand.
Hotohori hit his back hard on the ground, just as his sword landed point into the ground above him.
Ashitare lifted a single, hairy arm, and struck.
"HOTOHORI-SAMA!!!!!" Nuriko screamed as he ran desperately to the scene. Ashitare turned his head in victory towards the approaching Nuriko.
Hotohori, still perfectly conscious, tried to sit up. The front of his robe was torn widely open, four long gashes streaking down his chest, running from his left shoulder to his right hip, and crimson blood readily poured from each one.
"HAH!" Taka shouted. A read, loopy symbol appeared on his forehead. He spun and kicked at Ashitare, who dodged it easily.
"REKKA SHINEN!!!"
The fire surrounded the beast. Ashitare roared madly in the flames. With some clumsiness he leapt out, his fur singed from the heat.
"I won't forgive you for hurting Hotohori-sama!!!" Nuriko yelled, catching up with the wolf man. He managed to make a hit on Ashitare's shoulder after his second swing. Ashitare flew back into the trees.
"REKKA, SHINEN!!!"
The tree itself caught on fire, steaming lightly from the rain. Ashitare shook madly. In his frenzy, he swung at the flaming tree, knocking it over. Taka dodged it best he could, but he was hit hard in the right arm. herolled over, using his left arm to lift himself up, then clutched his right one in pain.
Mitsukake had dared and left the palace. He tried to get to Hotohori, who was bleeding terribly.
Nuriko was purely infuriated.
"Ka mi no chi nu ya su!" Chichiri pointed his staff at Ashitare. A green whirlwind of energy combined in the cage of fire. Ashitare cried out in a choppy roar. After a moment the wolf man ran through the fire in the near opposite direction. He darted across a garden and headed towards the thickest part of trees for his escape. Nuriko jumped over the smoldering tree on the ground in a hot pursuit.
"Nuriko!" Chichiri called after.
Now in the clear, Mitsukake ran the rest of the way to Hotohori. Miaka was terrified back under the eves of the palace. Tears streamed down her face as she whispered the emperor's name.
"Hold on Highness!" Mitsukake shouted, his only returning response being the patter of the rain.