Whoo, back again! Higurashi Month 2019, because it has become one of my lowkey life goals to keep perpetuating this until it becomes a proper tradition for all three-and-a-half people in this graveyard of a fandom. And then keep doing it anyways, because tradition. If you wish to check out the prompt list, its on my tumblr page under the same username.
June 29th, 2019
In rode the Lady of the Yamainu. A great black shape against the fires beyond she loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lady of the Yamainu, under the torii that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before her face.
All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, stood Hanyuu beside Rika: Rika who alone among the free mortals of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in the Furude Saiguden.
"You cannot enter here," said Rika, flinging out her hand as her priestly raiment shifted, and the huge shadow halted. "Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your Master. Go!"
The Black Rider flung back her hood, and behold! she had a queenly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The amber fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter.
"Young fool!" she said. "Young fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!" And with that she lifted high her poisoned sword and flames ran down the blade.
And in that very moment, away behind in some courtyard of the city, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of war nor of wizardry, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn.
And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns, in dark Gifu's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the north wildly blowing, flags and standards flapping in the wind as they unfurled before a great charge, a charge of men and horses never seen in those latter days. Mion and Shion of the Sonozaki kingdom, Keiichi of the Maebara hold, Satoko and Satoshi of the Hojo clan, Rena of the Ryugu horsemasters, all had come at last to answer the call and the prayers of their true friend.
Mion Sonozaki lifted high her mithril sword as her commanding voice echoed over the plain. "Out of doubt, out of dark to the day's rising, I came singing into the sun, sword unsheathing. To hope's end I rode and to heart's breaking: Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red nightfall! Fell deeds awake, fire and slaughter! Spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!" she cried mightily, and was answered as the roar upon the ocean at the height of a tempest, as the thunder upon lightening-strewn heights, as the cry of valorous warriors rose above the shrieking of the dying and the fell howls of the undead.
AN: I think I mangled at least three passages of Return of the King for this one, but so what. It's a good scene and I couldn't just have everyone show up without some sort of speech from their leader. Maybe someday I'll really go nuts and write an AU of Higurashi for LOTR.
10.48 AM, USA Central Time