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A/N: I know this seems like the story is veering off the path that has been set but I promise you it is all a part of the bigger picture.
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Ch 3: Searing Wounds
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"It's been so long since a human has appeared in these parts…" The demon called Hoai sauntered up beside the other abomination, his short black hair flickering around his face.
The second creature wore a hood attached at her neck but missing the cloak half of the garment, "mhmmm… and look… there are more."Underneath the cover were two shining black eyes starring out at the four men.
Goku's blood boiled with anger and self disgust… '… they killed him!... he saved us and they killed him!... if it wasn't for our argument… gramps would still be alive!...' He clenched his fists, "You bastards! You murdered him!"
A smooth dark laugh resonated from Hoai's lips, "so I did, but he should have thought about just how important his life was before he came up here so readily wasting it."
BLAM!
Sanzo fired a shot and it tore through the female's shoulder.
Hoai's face looked desperate, "Jodelle!" he reached for her… then stopped "…heh, just kidding…"
No blood spilled from the wound and no true reaction came from the hooded figure except for her downward gaze of inspection. "… foolish… simply… foolish…" Her talons ripped through the air sending fire towards Sanzo.
The heated blast swept past Goku's face the taste of brimstone following in its wake.
The monk rolled away and to his feet as flame engulfed his former seat. Switching his aim Sanzo fired three shots at Hoai hitting his target once before the female stood in his path.
"Time to play!" Skylinn rushed them.
One swing, two swings… Sanzo's feet danced across the ground as well as tired legs could. The monk was managing to dodge the onslaught from his right but with an injured shoulder he couldn't duck away from Hoai when the demon came in on his left.
Crack!
Blonde hair fluttered to the ground as Sanzo's head hit the earth.
"SANZO!" Goku lunged at Jodelle attacking with the ferocity of a boy enraged at the mistreatment of his teacher.
It seemed that the two youkai had the upper hand as Hakkai took on Hoai and Gojyo stood dumbfounded a little ways off. These demons were strong, not the strongest they had ever fought but none the less with Sanzo out of the game and the kappa not all there the situation took on a shade of panic.
"NYahhh!" Goku slammed a hit into the she-demons ribcage.
Skylinn doubled over but sprung quickly back when there was no pain. Toying with the monkey she struck him leaving a gash in his lip. Laughing silently she licked her fingers, the taste of life upon them.
Gojyo stood watching the scene as it unfolded as though he was not there at all. It wasn't like him to be entranced by battle but as the fight raged on he felt his heart beat with equal intensity. Each blow and every drop of blood seared itself profoundly in his eyes. The common action it had become he grasped the paper within his vest.
A screaming moan sounded and Hoai fell to the ground near Hakkai. Breathing heavily the Brunette slowly turned away from the body.
A pulse resounded over the mountain top and Goku was flung away from his battle with Jodelle.
Hood falling back it revealed silver hair and eyes of coal which sprang with hurried steps to the side of her companion. The youkai lifted Hoai's head into her arms and if she had been able to she would have shed tears. "MASTER!" she wailed into his hair as she held his limp body.
The scene was of victory and loss.
"Let's go," Sanzo said picking himself up. Sugar-blonde hair clumped together as blood ran down the side of his head. His shoulder was still wounded from the cave-in and he pressed a palm over it wincing from the pain.
The shortest of their group ran to the monk's side and gave a questioning gaze as his own lip bled from cut flesh. Sanzo reached down with his free hand and wiped away the blood before knocking Goku lightly on the side of the head.
Hakkai joined the two, "here," he reached out and placed his hands on the blondes wounds healing them enough so that they closed. The green eyed man turned to the monkey, "are you alright?"
"mhmm," Goku was still looking at Sanzo as though at any moment he would have to protect his master again.
"Yo…" Gojyo was next to them hands in his pockets and a cigarette in his lips.
Sanzo glared at the ignorant kappa but turned his back and started off in the direction of the next town. Goku gave no glance or attention of any sort to Gojyo and Hakkai only offered a wry smile of exhaustion as he passed the redhead.
"This isn't over monk!" an enraged voice boomed from behind them. "You killed him! You killed Hoai! My master! My lover! MY CREATOR!" She overtook them in seconds raining down a storm of fierce flames and intense heat from trained yet shaking hands.
The group sprang apart leaving each of the four members on a side of Jodelle. She was wild with insanity and picked her target quickly lunging at Gojyo raking her talons across a thrown up forearm.
Forced to fight the redhead produced his weapon and took a fighting stance. The youkai attacked again and again she was crazed and left many opportunities for Gojyo to at least try to wound her yet he was on the defensive his mind focusing on not letting the paper slip from his possession again.
Alas, the writing had a mind of its own and fell from his pocket once more. Gojyo snatched it up out of the air letting Jodelle rip deep into is bicep. The force of the blow knocked him off balance and sent him sprawling to the ground the words fluttering from his grasp once more.
Jodelle had caught on, "is that what is precious to you! Then I shall destroy it as well as you!"
Conjuring her fire magic she readied to char the paper black ash but Gojyo was not going to let anything happen to those lines. He sprang to his feet and did the first thing that came into his mind as sensible… he pushed Goku in front of his possession protecting it with a human shield.
Blam! Blam!
Two shots rang and the echo of cracking rock sounded. Jodelle's eye of coal fell from their places and hit the ground in shattered bits, her body turning to dust and settling back into the mountain from which it came.
Sanzo walked with anger and speed over to Gojyo who now placed the paper in his pants pocket.
A cold ring of steel pressed into the kappa's forehead as Sanzo wrapped his other arm around Goku… "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you where you stand!"
Gojyo only looked at the monk in mild thoughtfulness.
Click…
Sanzo cocked his gun…
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A/N: hmm…
