Chapter 7: A Bloody Flight
Kurama pushed open the doors to Mukuro's audience chamber and strode inside, his head held high and his best friend beside him. Immediately Mukuro rose and stepped forward to meet them.
"Have you made your decision?" he asked, mentally making plans for their first assignment. He could use Kurama as a spy, the fox was stealthy, and his friend would make a good decoy. They would infiltrate Lord Seiryuu's palace and—
"We have," Kurama said quite calmly, "we would like you to take us back to Lord Seiryuu."
Sounds of shuffling attracted Kurama's attention to the roof, where Mukuro's demons had shifted position so their weapons would be have better range. Mukuro didn't speak for a moment, glaring at the smug demons in front of him. Kurama decided it would be a good time to finish what he intended to say.
"We took long consideration on milord's offer," Kurama said, "and were quite tempted by it. But once we thought further we found what had bothered me since I heard it. Milord was not being entirely truthful with us earlier."
Mukuro shifted his weight from one foot to the other and glanced up at his demons in the rafters, who immediately landed on the floor next to their lord. "So you caught me," Mukuro announced, then smiled. "I said you were too smart for your own good, and now it shows. You see, I never had any intention of returning you to Lord Seiryuu, you're much too valuable. So truly you have one option; tell me about the rift or I will kill you."
"Not meaning to be rude milord," Kuronue remarked, "but I see that as two options."
Before the bat demon could close his mouth the points of about fifty swords were pointed at his chest. Kurama jumped to the side and faced the weapons of the servants that had remained in the corners of the room. He kicked the sword from one and caught it in the air, bringing it down on the demon's skull. Before he could make a run for it a blade was drawn against his throat, and he was pinned against the wall.
"You won't escape," Mukuro growled as he stepped toward Kurama, who was struggling against the blade at his neck. "Either you tell me about this rift or I'll give the order." The servant that held Kurama's wrists nicked a knife across one and he flinched. "If you tell me, I'll go back to my offer and give you the protection I promised."
Kurama grinned, exposing both his fangs as he retorted dryly, "Fine milord, we'll tell what we know." He caught Kuronue's eye and the bat demon winked.
"Good," Mukuro said triumphantly, and he nodded to his guards, who sheathed their weapons. "Now then, start from the beginning."
Kuronue began the story, unable to keep the grin from his face. "Kurama and I were wandering aimlessly around Lord Seiryuu's territory almost a week ago, searching for something to do. I suggested we go and see a friend of Kurama's, Hyoga the shaman." At that part of the story Kuronue glanced over at Kurama, who continued.
"Hyoga told us of a rift between our world and Human World," Kurama said, thoroughly bored with the story. How many times had he retold it the past week? "He gave us a riddle; "where the sun and earth combine is where you will find this rift," or something along those lines. It doesn't really matter." Kurama met Mukuro's gaze and was pleased by the excitement in his voice as he told him to continue. "We found out last night in Lord Seiryuu's dungeon that Hyoga had been playing a trick on us and sent us through for the purpose to testing his and Lord Seiryuu's theories."
"This shaman is working for Seiryuu?" Mukuro inquired, starting to sound nervous again.
"Yep," Kuronue answered, "and has been for a long time. He opened the portal that sent Kurama and me through to Human World, then reported his success to Lord Seiryuu. When Kurama came back yesterday Lord Seiryuu told us that he intended to open the rift today and sent his demons through it."
"There was a problem with that, and it came in the form of a short fire demon messenger from your kingdom," Kurama finished, almost laughing. "When he bailed us the first demon that stood in his way was killed by a blast of fire. You'll never guess who that was."
Mukuro looked as though someone had slapped him. He glared from Kurama to Kuronue, whose self-control had finally snapped and was laughing under his breath. "Then you came here knowing you would be useless?"
"Yeah," Kuronue laughed, then gasped as a sword pierced his shoulder. He dropped to his knees as the guard pulled the blade from his shoulder with a satisfied smirk, splattering blood on the floor. Kurama's eyes went wide and he kicked the demon that had the knife at his throat, knocking him over and bolting to his friend's side.
"I'm fine," Kuronue said between gasps, but he fell heavily against his friend and Kurama pulled his arm over his shoulders to support him. Blood was flowing freely from the wound, which Kurama noticed with a shudder was extremely deep.
"We have to get out of here," Kurama muttered in his friend's ear, searching out the possible exits. "Can you still fly?"
Mukuro interrupted them as he stepped between the demons, kicking Kuronue across the room. Kurama tried to jump Mukuro, but he was tackled from behind and dragged to the ground, where a demon planted his foot in the fox demon's back. Kuronue landed and didn't move, and Kurama felt with a start his life energy decreasing. He'd lost too much blood.
"You're a lying bastard Mukuro," Kurama snarled, "you promised our protection!"
Mukuro merely smiled and beckoned a demon to his side. "Make sure they don't leave," he ordered, then vanished from the room in a flash of light. The demon he had instructed shot Kurama and Kuronue warning glances, but it was wasted on the bat demon, who had his eyes closed and was on the brink of unconsciousness.
"Kuronue!" Kurama struggled until he knocked the demon off his back and ran to Kuronue's side. He skidded to a stop on his knees and shook his friend roughly, noticing the slow rate of his breathing. "Kuronue! Come on Kuronue, snap out of it!" Kurama gave his friend another shove as he rolled him onto his back, not daring to hope. "Kuronue!"
Very slowly, Kurama pressed his hand to Kuronue's chest, holding his breath so he wouldn't be fooled. He felt a beat, then another, and let his breath out very slowly. Kuronue was still alive, but just barely. His wound was a lot closer to his heart that Kurama had originally thought.
Kuronue forced himself to try and stay conscious. He was their only hope of getting out, the only one that could fly them to safety. He had to, he had to stay conscious. Slowly the bat demon forced his eyes open and turned his head in Kurama's direction. "Kurama…what?"
"Kuronue, you have to stay with it. Here." Kurama pulled a vial from his sash and pressed it in Kuronue's hand. "Hyoga gave it to me, a long time ago. Before he met you," Kurama added, seeing the distrust in Kuronue's eyes. "It's not the partner to the potion he tricked you with, I'll swear to that. You have to drink it, it'll heal you enough for you to fly away."
"What…about you," Kuronue asked, "what will you do?" He pushed himself up and rested heavily on his friend's shoulder. "I don't know if either of us can get out," Kuronue said nervously, glancing around at the guards in the corners of the room. "They'll kill us."
"Probably," Kurama agreed, "but we said we would rather die than stay as Mukuro's prisoners. You can fly Kuronue, you could escape. Once you're free of the castle you would be under the protection of Lord Mukuro and would be safe."
"I can't leave you here Kurama."
"Yes you can, and you have to. It would give Mukuro too much pleasure to know he caught both of us." Kurama helped his friend to his feet. "They have been ordered not to kill us," Kurama said, pointing to the guards, "and I intend to make good use of that order."
Kuronue nodded and popped the cork from the vial Kurama had given him. It smoked for a moment before settling, and Kuronue wrinkled his nose. "I trust you Kurama," he whispered, and downed the contents of the vial in a single swallow. Fire surged through Kuronue's limbs and he dropped the vial, where it smashed. He was burning…Kurama had lied… And as those thoughts swirled through Kuronue's mind, he felt the flesh of his shoulder starting to heal. The blood that leaked from his wound began to subside until it stopped altogether, and he was left with a shiny mark where the sword had pierced him.
"Good," Kurama said from his side, "now go!" He shoved his friend toward the window, and immediately the guards sprang into action. "I don't have time for this," Kurama shouted to them as he felled the first two with a sharp swipe of his claws. "Kuronue, go!"
The bat demon had no choice. His friend was fighting for him, swinging his claws wildly. There was no choice, Kurama was right. He had to go or Kurama's life would end in vain and he would be captured. Kurama was strong, and already he had killed the first wave of guards. Kuronue tore his eyes away from his friend and stepped onto the window ledge. A demon lunged at his heels but Kuronue took flight, leaving him behind as he soared over the lawn and the palace wall.
Kurama managed to recover a sword from one of the demons he had killed and was swinging it in a wide circle almost so quickly the demons couldn't see it. Sweat dripped of his brow but he didn't bother. His sword dance had kept the guards at bay, but he was beginning to tire and they sensed that. He didn't have much anything else to do but let up.
As he had expected, the moment Kurama slowed his swing the demons swarmed him. More guards had appeared from somewhere, but they were weaker than Mukuro's private army was and he killed them easily enough. Backed into a corner, Kurama fought for his life against the guards, but the amount of swords he was defending against was too great. Occasionally a stray swing would manage to reach and cut him. There had to be something he could do to stop the demons from coming…
Kurama saw it just as the thought crossed his mind, and he leapt over the mob that pressed against him. There was a window, the one that Kuronue had escaped through, and demons were arriving through that. Kurama raced toward the window, aware of the demons on his heels. There was a ladder braced against the window… Without stopping to think Kurama dove for it and missed, but his sword struck and the top rung broke. The ladder began to tip dangerously and slowly fell backward, landing on top of the demons that had swarmed its base.
The remaining demons in the room snarled and threw themselves at Kurama, who sidestepped them and shoved several out the window. By then there were less than five, and they formed a tight circle around him. Their sword tips allowed his just enough room to spin on his heel, but that was all Kurama needed. He tore his shirt from his shoulders and threw it, where it landed and became entangled in the swords of three of the guards. Their faces were written in confusion as Kurama killed them with a single sweep of his sword, now so thoroughly drenched in blood that he was sure it would never come clean.
"Come at me," he snarled to the two remaining demons, one of Mukuro's guard and one a common soldier that had been forced through the window as an aide. Both trembled slightly at the tone of Kurama's voice. His eyes were burning like coals and his fangs were bared. They had spawned a fox demon in bloodlust. Without waiting for them Kurama swung, killing both instantly. He panted for a moment as he surveyed the corpses around him before collapsing in a pool of his blood.
At that moment the door at the opposite end of the hall opened, and Mukuro entered. He froze at the scene that met his eyes. All around the hall were the bodies of demons, those of his guard and a few from the army. The window had been broken, the glass scattered on the ledge and just inside. The bat demon was nowhere to be seen and in the middle of all the destruction was a blood soaked fox demon, collapsed on the floor from sheer exhaustion.
Mukuro stepped through the dead bodies and stood over Kurama, who had passed out. He was covered in serious cuts; his arms were soaked in his and his opponents' blood, his face barely recognizable against the sweaty blood marks and cuts. His pants and sash were stained beyond saving, and the sword that had aided him through the struggle was still clasped in his hand, the dried blood on it slowly eating away at the blade.
"Remarkable," Mukuro murmured, glancing from Kurama to the bodies around him and back. "Each and every one of them dead. This demon is too valuable to meet his death today in my halls."
A mass of demons had followed Mukuro in, and all of them were petrified by what they saw. Had that fox demon just killed all the demons of their lord's guard? At the command of Mukuro a pair of demons hurried to his side and picked up Kurama, staring at his bloodied body in amazement. They carried his from the room as Mukuro's second in command peered through the door.
"Shigure," Mukuro said to him, "we're going to need a new audience hall."
Night fell a day after Kuronue's breakout and Kurama's mass slaughter. The fox demon hadn't awoken after the affair, and demons tended him constantly under Mukuro's orders, though the lord was rarely present himself. Under their treatment Kurama had healed, but the scent of blood that hung over him couldn't be removed. His claws had remained deep red as well, the blood of his enemies soaked in. The cuts that had been on his arms had left ugly scars, though with the medicine Mukuro had they were disappearing. And still Kurama didn't wake.
As morning dawned Mukuro dismissed his guards from Kurama's room, leaving him alone. He had sensed the wounded demon's power beginning to rise once again, a sign he was going to awaken soon, and if the situation wasn't handled right, could start a massive killing once again. Once a demon felt the joys of bloodlust it was hard to steer him from that path. Mukuro's assumption proved correct; Kurama awoke around midmorning.
At first the fox demon was confused. Where was he? What had happened? He had tried to stand up, but the wounds on his legs forced him back down. Instead Kurama lie on the bed and stared at the ceiling, allowing the memories of the previous day to flow back. Someone had healed him, at least enough for his body to do the rest. They had dressed him in clean clothes as well, not the bloodstained ones he remembered wearing. Kurama searched his mind and tried to recall what had happened to him. Blood on his claws was the first reminder, and the stench of stale blood was the second. He had fought for Kuronue, and that was all he could remember.
Mukuro came into his room about noon, the first visitor Kurama had since he'd been awake. All the other demons had been ordered to leave the fox alone. The demon lord sat down on a chair across from Kurama and watched him for a moment. The fox demon glared back, but he didn't move. His claws were stuck in the mattress below him from anger, and instead of challenging Mukuro then and there like he wanted he forced himself to stay down.
"As you can see, we've tended your wounds," Mukuro said after a few moments, once he was certain Kurama's self-control wouldn't snap. The fox merely glared at him, but Mukuro noticed he had stolen a glance down at his chest, which was covered in shiny scars that the demon medics were working to remove. His muscles tensed as he returned Mukuro's steady gaze.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Kurama spat, his hands trembling in anger. Had Kuronue been caught too? His fangs nicked his lip as he growled at Mukuro, who merely shrugged and stood up. Kurama growled and slid against the wall as Mukuro knelt at the bedside, the fox demon's claws resting where they could easily reach the demon lord's throat.
"I don't intend to harm you, if that's what you're thinking," Mukuro said calmly, watching Kurama glare at him with a renewed curiosity. This demon wasn't angry with him, despite the obvious signs. Kurama was trembling, his chest heaving from his ragged breathing. "You're scared, aren't you?"
The fox demon spit at him but didn't reply. Kurama tried to get his breathing under control, but he continued to pant as Mukuro looked him over, apparently pleased. Had he ordered the demons to heal him? Why? Mukuro had something planned for him, he knew that. There was no other reason for the demon lord to keep him alive.
"Come here Youko Kurama," Mukuro demanded softly, but Kurama remained with his back resting firmly against the wall. It was a trick. Mukuro reached out and rested him hand on Kurama's chest, who immediately tensed and dug his claws into the demon's arm. What was he doing? "Relax," Mukuro told him, and even as he said it Kurama felt his muscles start to loosen. What was this crazy demon doing to him?
"I'm going to read your memories," Mukuro said, as though answering Kurama's question. "It won't hurt, but you will be put to sleep. You'll wake up when I'm done. I swear I won't harm you."
"Your word means nothing to me," Kurama growled, but he felt himself start to slip away. This had to be Mukuro's spell. Why did the demon want to read his thoughts? Kurama's eyes shut and he faded away with that thought.
Mukuro concentrated hard on Kurama, trying to ignore the demon's soft breathing. His mental resistances were extremely strong, and even in sleep he was blocking him. In his weakened state Kurama didn't last long, and Mukuro broke into his thoughts a moment later. He gasped and his eyes went wide at what he found.
Kurama was kneeling in the far corner of the audience hall, Kuronue beside him and leaning heavily on his arm. From his sash Kurama pulled a vial and handed it to Kuronue, who hesitantly accepted it. They discussed something Mukuro could only catch scraps of, but it sounded as though Kurama wanted his friend to drink it. Then he nodded toward the guards and shoved Kuronue toward the window. The bat demon drank whatever was in the vial before he leapt onto the windowsill. Kurama turned from there and faced the demons that had approached him. He killed two with a swipe of his claws and yelled at Kuronue, who vanished through the window. A sword fell near his foot and Kurama picked it up, swinging wildly and falling into a defensive sword dance. The demons charged him and he killed them, then dove for the window and missed. The guard that had grabbed him fell dead, along with the demons behind him. Kurama got pinned by five demons and threw his shirt at them, confusing three and slaying them instantly. The other two had been frozen in fear and were slaughtered before Kurama passed out.
Mukuro broke his connection in Kurama's thoughts with a small gasp. He had killed them all, over twenty-five of his strongest guards. That was the extent of bloodlust. Mukuro sensed a strong desire for blood the farther he probed in Kurama's memory, the part closer and closer to his arrival in the hall. At first Kurama had fought for his friend, but as the blood began spurting around him he lost him mind in it. That was what Kurama couldn't remember, and what Mukuro had to find manually; what had happened once Kurama lost himself.
Slowly the demon lord stood up, waiting for Kurama to wake up. That memory, it was terrifying, and though Kurama didn't suffer with it, he could smell the blood on his claws and could see the wounds the slaughter had left him with.
"What happened?" Kurama asked groggily, his eyes opening and falling on Mukuro. "You look like you saw something terrible." He had to smirk at the pale demon lord that stood in front of him, nothing like the composed demon he'd known.
"Do you…can you remember anything of yesterday?" Mukuro asked.
"No. I thought you said you going to read my memories. Why are you asking?"
"I did, and it wasn't pretty. Do you have any idea how you survived my guards?" Mukuro watched Kurama's face closely as the demon considered. He could tell if Kurama was lying, and there was nothing but truth in his eyes when he answered. "You killed them," Mukuro said, "each and every one. You're too dangerous to keep in my halls. First thing tomorrow I will have my guard escort you away from my palace. You are free to roam my kingdom, and I grant you the protection I offered, though I doubt you'll need it."
"Thank you," Kurama said softly.
He had gone into bloodlust, it was obvious when he thought about it. That was why he couldn't remember anything. His emotions had run free and he had killed them all. There hadn't been much choice, Kurama tried to tell himself, and truthfully there hadn't been. Either he killed them or they killed him. He would just have to be more careful in his fights and not lose himself.
Mukuro backed out the door and left Kurama alone to think. That fox demon was dangerous, despite whatever he thought. He had to get him out of the palace in case he lost it again and killed them all. Mukuro stopped in the hallway. Maybe he was exaggerating Kurama's condition. The drive to kill had been spawned from love for his friend, a wanting to protect him from the swarms of guards. Maybe that wasn't bloodlust, at least not the kind he considered. Kurama's will to protect lie in Kuronue, unless the bat demon was in danger he wouldn't snap.
"Am I making a mistake?" Mukuro asked himself. "Should I let this demon go? If it's not bloodlust sparked by the sight of blood, he may be useful to me after all. No," he said firmly, "I told him I would release him and I am a demon of my word. He will go free."
At dawn Kurama found himself standing at the wall of Mukuro's fortress, waiting for the demons to clear him and allow his exit. He was leaving! First he would find Kuronue and make sure he was okay. Once he was with his friend he wasn't sure what he would do.
"You're clear," a guard told him, and Kurama stepped through the gate outside. The mountains rose on both sides of him, creating a clear path from the palace.
"Kurama Kurama, you are free to go," Mukuro said from behind him. "I release all bindings I had on you and offer you my protection. When you find your friend, tell him he has my pardon and my protection."
"Thank you," Kurama said, then bowed to Mukuro. He jumped backward and took flight, rising straight up until the fortress walls below him turned into nothing but a blur. Clouds swirled around him as Kurama leveled out, flying south, hunting Kuronue's energy.
Kuronue looked upward, shading his eyes with his hand. He was sure he felt someone approaching. A shadow appeared in the sky and Kuronue watched it grow larger as it approached. There was something about the form that neared him, something familiar.
Kuronue's eyes lit up as the demon alighted beside him, and he stepped back to look him over. "You look terrible," the bat demon joked, and an ear twitched, but other than that the demon remained passive.
"Just as bad as you do Kuronue," he retorted before embracing the bat demon. "We made it," he whispered in his friend's ear.
Kuronue pulled away from Kurama and smiled. "You know," he said, "I think it would have been much more exciting if Mukuro had actually killed us. Given us an honorable death in his palace, not his pardon and protection."
Kurama cuffed his friend upside the head and smiled back, his eyes shimmering. They were both free. "So what do we do now?" he asked, and Kuronue shrugged. "We could try and find another rift to Human World," he joked, earning him a dark look from his friend. "Okay fine, let's just find something." Laughing to themselves, the pair of demons walked toward the rising sun, sure they would find something to keep themselves entertained. Around his neck, Kurama's necklace glimmered in the light.