Chapter 8: Trial by Earth, Wind, and Fire
Unable to make out the terrain beneath them and check it against her map, the darkness lulled Setsuna to sleep in the crook between A-Un's heads. When the first rays of dawn pierced her eyelids, she started upright, almost falling off A-Un's back as she recalled where she was.
I never thought I could fall asleep on horse—er, dragon-back.
The terrain beneath looked somewhat familiar from what she had seen a few days back when they flew to Kirinmaru's castle, and she was thankful her steed had such an unerring sense of direction.
When Kirinmaru's castle appeared in the distance, Setsuna brought A-Un down to skim closer to the canopy of trees in the surrounding forest. No doubt Kirinmaru had some eagle-eyed guards on the lookout, and she and Rion needed every element of surprise they could get.
They skirted the castle to the north, heading towards the cliffs that dropped straight into the churning waves of the ocean. There, Setsuna had A-Un stop so she could scan the waters for any sign of Rion and Riku. The sea stretched out calm, like a giant, faceted sapphire glinting with fiery sparks from the early morning sun. A pod of dolphins crested the waves to the north. And to the south….
There.
A lone fishing boat bobbed on the water. Setsuna checked once more to make sure she was in disguise, and she was. After all, it wasn't as if the pearl would have fallen out of her eye in the middle of the night, but now that she wasn't masquerading as her sister all the time, she sometimes needed to reassure herself of who she was.
Here goes nothing.
Setsuna dove for the fishing boat. Before she was even halfway there, Rion waved her arms at her like a ramp agent on the runway at an airport. Setsuna pulled up alongside the boat. She considered boarding it, but her thighs were so stiff from holding herself on A-Un, she didn't know if she'd be able to get back up quickly enough when they needed to fly off. Best to stay mounted.
"Lady Towa, what a surprise to see you not once but twice in one week!" Riku exclaimed with a smile as he gracefully stood up in the boat without managing to tip over. "What brings you here today?" He glanced at the bundles saddled on A-Un. "It appears you're making a journey somewhere."
"Indeed. My first stop is to see Rion," Setsuna answered. A cheeky devil somewhere inside her prompted her to add, "And you."
Riku's eyes widened, and Rion's hand flew to her mouth, though her turquoise eyes danced with mirth. The retainer composed himself after a second and bowed fluidly to her. "You honor with me with your attention, my lady."
This one's a smooth talker. You can't trust smooth talkers.
And she should know. The older she got, the more Setsuna realized that Mr. Miroku—Ms. Sango's husband—was one of those smooth talkers. He was able to charm his way out of all sorts of situations—even ones where he was technically in the wrong. Hisui had bemoaned it for years, but Setsuna never quite understood until she reached middle school.
Setsuna gritted her teeth. She wasn't sure how Towa felt about Riku, but she did not approve of him for her sister. Nevertheless…she had a part to play.
"I have a gift for the both of you. Come here, Rion," Setsuna commanded. Rion carefully stepped over towards her. "Now, close your eyes." Riku obeyed immediately, but Rion just looked at Setsuna in question. Setsuna nodded to A-Un's back, and the redhead's eyes widened in realization. Rion bent down and pulled back a tarp to reveal a sack that she grabbed before leaping onto the saddle. Her departure caused the boat to rock. Riku frowned as he steadied himself, but before he could open his eyes, Setsuna reached out and grabbed his lapel. "Calm down. It's just me…getting in the boat," she lied.
His heartbeat picked up, a gentle drumming in her ears. Bitten by that cheeky devil again, she spread her hand against his chest to feel it.
"L-Lady Towa? What are you doing?" His eyelids began to flutter open, but Setsuna quickly covered them with her other hand.
"Don't look! I…I'd be too embarrassed to give it to you if you do," Setsuna said, vomiting out whatever words came to mind.
Pink crept into the retainer's tanned cheeks. "What is it you intend to give me that makes you so embarrassed?"
Every muscle in Setsuna's body protested as she moved her hand from his chest up to his mouth, tentatively pressing two fingers against his lips. He gasped.
"I hope you don't think too badly of me," Setsuna said, the lie making her want to gag. Ugh, all those years of hearing sappy romance lines from those movies Mother watches is finally being put to good use.
"Never, my lady," Riku breathed against her fingers, tickling them. Setsuna shuddered in revulsion.
"Good."
Then she shoved him overboard.
"Hang on," Setsuna said to Rion. The instant the girl's arms were fastened around her middle, Setsuna whipped the reins. She didn't even spare the spot where Riku fell a glance as A-Un raced back towards land.
"Oh dear, I hope he's not too upset," Rion said, and Setsuna turned to find the girl staring back at the boat that grew smaller and smaller behind them. It wobbled as Riku pulled himself back into it.
"I'm more worried about your father being upset once he realizes you're gone," Setsuna remarked.
"Oh, I meant upset about not getting that kiss you all but promised him." Blood rushing to her cheeks, Setsuna whipped around to glare at Rion, but the redhead just giggled, her ears twitching like mad. "You were so natural. Have you had much practice at flirting?"
Setsuna didn't know that her face could burn any hotter—and wearing Towa's skin tone, she was sure to resemble a mulberry. "No."
"Oh really?" Rion asked in a tone that said she didn't buy it. "Is there anyone you like back home? Or perhaps someone here has caught your eye?"
Ugh. Setsuna hated girl talk. It was made to pry out feelings like a clam from its shell, and Setsuna hated talking about her feelings. She quickly sought out a distraction.
"Look down there," she said.
Rion did so and gasped. "Oh, all those wildflowers look like a field of rainbows from up here!" She continued to look around in childlike wonder. "I haven't flown like this in years. Not since Father would take me on his back and let me see his lands. Of course, that was before…."
Before the attempt on her life.
As they flew through the day, Setsuna's head drooped. She kept having to shake herself into awareness. Even the bracing coolness of the wind could not keep her awake. Rather, it made her want to curl up and go to sleep. With the sun pressing on her head and Rion's body flush against her back, she kept warm enough to counteract the chill. Still, lacking sleep two nights in a row took its toll.
At some point though, Setsuna must have passed out sitting up, because suddenly Rion was shaking her and pointing ahead. "Look, Setsuna! Those must be the Northern Mountains!"
Setsuna blinked. Before them, dusk bled into the sky, the oranges and reds creeping towards the dark mountain peaks that glittered with snow on their spires. In some ways, it reminded Setsuna of the few times she had been traveling towards the city early in the morning and watching the sky glow between the buildings, the sun's rays glinting off the steel and glass. She wondered if Towa was enjoying those views now. Her heart clenched at the thought.
"They're beautiful," Rion murmured in awe. "How lucky Moroha is to live in such a majestic land."
"She might say the same to you, living by the ocean," Setsuna answered.
Rion giggled. "True. Sunrise over the water is a magical sight indeed."
In the distance, a bird lazily circled a mountain peak. But as Setsuna stared at it, something about the proportions seemed off. "Rion, can you make out what that is?"
Rion peered around Setsuna's shoulder. "I looks like a bird. A very fat bird."
Then it was probably a demon rather than a regular bird. Setsuna wasn't about to take any chances with it. She looked over the terrain and noticed a canyon cutting across the valley towards the mountains.
"A-Un, drop into the canyon, so we're out of sight." The dragon obeyed. As the canyon walls closed over them—one side in darkness and the other blazing red and bright in the last light of the day—Setsuna let out the breath she had been holding. She recalled this fissure on the map she had studied yesterday. It ought to lead us right to the wolf demons' mountain fortress.
A-Un flew directly over the river that wended its way through the canyon floor. They were so close to its serene surface that when A-Un twisted around one of the occasional trees jutting out from the river bank, Rion leaned over and ran her hand through it, laughing as she sent up a tail of water behind them.
A sharp crack echoed through the canyon, and Setsuna looked up to find a boulder careening right towards them.
"A-Un!" she cried out, and the dragon veered out of the way.
The warmth of Rion's hand tore away from Setsuna's hip.
"Rion!" she cried out as the girl fell into the river with a splash. "A-Un, turn around!"
But as the dragon did so, more rocks descended, coming straight for them. We're in the middle of the river! This can't be a rockslide, Setsuna thought, dodging them. Rion's head popped above water as the shadow of a boulder loomed large over her.
"Rion!" Setsuna screamed, terror stabbing her heart. She reached for Zanseiken, hoping to somehow blast it away, but she knew even as she was drawing it, it would be too late.
Rion brought her hands together in a series of positions. Then the boulder crashed right into her, causing the river to explode upwards.
"No!" Setsuna screamed. Her friend—the girl she had taken it upon herself to protect in Towa's place—was dead.
Kirinmaru was right. I should have never helped her run away. What am I going to do?
A puff of purple smoke blew in from behind her, and arms suddenly wrapped around her waist. She screamed, spinning around and pointing the sword at her assailant.
But it was Rion, clinging to her back for dear life.
"Rion!" Setsuna exclaimed in shock and relief. "H-How did you—?"
"Teleportation spell," Rion bit out through chattering teeth. Her eyes widened. "S-Setsuna, look out!" Setsuna whirled around just in time to see a boulder coming straight for them.
"A-Un, dodge!"
The dragon flew up, and Setsuna watched in amazement as the boulder—no, not a boulder but a fist—circled around like a boomerang and went back the way it came. She followed the rock as it reattached itself to what appeared to be a giant golem clinging to the wall of the canyon. A second one hung on the opposite wall.
"Daughter of Sesshoumaru, you dare fly through our territory?" the one on the left called out. Setsuna started, shocked that these demons would know who she was. But a quick look at her hand reminded her that she still wore Towa's skin.
"We warned you and that quarter demon last time that we'd pummel you into pulp the next time we saw you! The quarter demon may not be here, but that other half-demon can take her place," the second rock demon added. He jumped down to the floor of the canyon and shot off two fists of stone. A-Un dodged the first well, but the second swiped so close to them, it scraped Setsuna's leg, setting it stinging. Heart pounding, arm shaking from the rush of adrenaline, Setsuna lifted Zanseiken, ready to strike.
"Setsuna, no! We're no match for them—and my talismans are all wet, so I can't help," Rion said, holding out some soggy pieces of paper all stuck together. "We should run."
Setsuna gritted her teeth. Her father would not run. And Towa could probably take them. But Rion was right. The whole point of coming to the north was to train, because they were not prepared.
"A-Un, pull out of the canyon," she commanded, and the dragon soared on an updraft.
"You won't get away that easily!" the first rock demon cried out. He jumped off the wall and broke apart into several pieces, speeding towards them as they flew.
Setsuna twisted around, trying to aim, but it was difficult with Rion blocking her way. "Scourge of Swallows!" she bellowed, waving the sword. But in not aiming properly, a few of her seven swallows went awry, and only four hit the oncoming targets. Two rocks still soared at them.
"Duck!" Rion screamed, and A-Un plummeted. Setsuna's stomach was left high above them as their mount fell, and the wind would have lifted her right off her seat had she not been gripping A-Un's sides so much. Her thighs burned with stiffness and pain.
Below them, the other rock demon had ascended to the top of the canyon, and he pounded after them, his footfalls echoing like thunder through the rising walls of the mountains closing in around them. But as large as he was, his speed was no match for A-Un in flight, and they quickly left him behind.
Rion sighed in relief against Setsuna's back. "That was close. Thank goodness you had Zanseiken. Now I'm glad your father won that fight!"
"What are you talking about?" Setsuna asked.
"Oh, well, a year or so ago, Towa's sword broke during a tournament, and no blade she tried to use after that could handle her power, precisely because she absorbs demon energy."
Setsuna had seen her sister's powers firsthand at camp. During their private training sessions, Towa had urged Setsuna to fight against her and not hold back. Every time Setsuna unleashed her Scourge of Swallows, any that hit Towa, she magically ate up. It was honestly rather infuriating, because with that trick up Towa's sleeve, Setsuna hadn't been able to win against her older sister.
"Lord Sesshoumaru mentioned to my father that he was looking for a suitable sword. So my father offered up Zanseiken, the sister blade to his own sword, Bakuseiken—if Lord Sesshoumaru could defeat him in a fight." Rion sighed. "My father loves testing himself against other opponents—especially those in your family. Your grandfather is actually the one who cut off the horn Riku was born from, you see. And your father is just as powerful as he was. The battle took three days, and in the end, Lord Sesshoumaru severed my father's arm, achieving victory in the fight."
Setsuna stiffened, looking at the sword in a new light. "So…you're saying this was your family's heirloom? And my father just…took it?"
"He won it fairly," Rion countered. "Although the loss dealt a great blow to my father's pride. He was so surly for weeks."
"I would be too if I lost my arm over a mere sword," Setsuna grumbled. Then something occurred to her. "Wait though. I remember your father had both arms when we met him. Did he get a prosthetic or something?"
"A what?"
"A fake arm."
Rion laughed. "Oh no, silly! He grew it back."
"He…grew it back," Setsuna echoed in disbelief.
"Yes! And his discarded arm became my new tutor, Osamu. He's a very gentle puppet. He definitely inherited all of my father's romantic ideals."
Setsuna was not even sure she wanted to know the mechanics behind all of that. Turning back to face the front, she looked around and realized she had no idea where they were. A-Un just kept flying. "Do you know where we are?"
"No. I thought you did. A-Un doesn't seem to be concerned."
Unease crawled over Setsuna. She didn't like being unaware of where she was going. "Hold on. I need to look at the map to see if there's another way to the wolf demon fortress without taking the canyon." She pulled it out of one of her sacks, carefully unfolding it so that the wind would not snatch it away. "A-Un, slow down," she said, and he obeyed. With the wind tearing less at the paper, it was easier to read. Rion even reached around to hold the bottom corners for her.
Setsuna looked up and down, consulting the map and the terrain. "I think we're here," she said, pointing to a ravine between two of the southernmost mountains. "And it looks like there's a pass coming up that we can use to swing just north of the fortress. We'll have to watch for it to the south."
"Understood. I'll keep a lookout," Rion said as Setsuna returned the map to her bundle. Lush forest lay in the shadows of dusk beneath them, but the birds still sang with the fading sun. The higher they climbed into the mountains, the less the tree line followed. Soon, the birdsong stopped altogether. Patches of snow appeared in the shadowed clefts of the mountains. Setsuna shivered as the heat from battle finally wore off and the cold mountain air bit at her.
"S-Setsuna, I think we need to t-turn here," Rion said through chattering teeth. She pointed to a narrow fissure between two mountains. Beyond that, a rocky spire rose into the sky, studded with openings like a giant termite mound.
"That must be it," Setsuna said, steering A-Un towards the narrow cleft. As they shifted between the wind currents and updrafts, a new scent hit Setsuna's nose. But it wasn't the musky smell of wolf she had come to associate with Moroha. Rather, it was subtle scent of sun-kissed feathers.
Bird.
And rancid meat.
The hair on the back of Setsuna's neck stood on end. She whipped around.
Then Rion shrieked. "Setsuna, look up!"
Setsuna whipped back her head just in time to see a monstrous bird—all round face and pointy teeth with wings—descend on them, claws outstretched to pluck them off A-Un's back.
"Duck!" Setsuna cried out, pushing Rion down, but the bird demon butted into A-Un, sending him tipping, and Setsuna and Rion fell out of his saddle.
Setsuna barely had time to scream before a pair of claws captured her, piercing her side.
"Oh, lucky me! Half-demon for breakfast! How rare indeed," a voice above her said. Setsuna looked up, shocked to find a humanoid torso and head looking down at her.
Shit, this thing has two sets of eyes and two mouths, Setsuna thought. Double the trouble. "Rion! A-Un!" she cried out, trying to look around for her companions, but the bird demon had her in its grip so tightly, she couldn't turn properly.
"Tsk, fell into the forest far below, they did. Well, we can find them later," the bird demon remarked.
Just then, a ball of lightning shot out of the trees and struck the bird demon's wing.
"Gah!" it cried out, flapping wildly as its singed wing smoked. Setsuna grabbed onto its leg as it flailed, its grip loosening enough to let her breathe.
And let her get to the knife at her waist.
She knew it was smart to carry both a dagger and a sword.
She pulled it out and whipped it in an arc at the underside of the beast. "Scourge of Swallows!"
The size of the blade allowed for only two green swallows to burst forth, but they were enough to pierce the unprotected underbelly of the bird demon. With a screech of pain, it dropped Setsuna, and she screamed as she free-fell through the air.
Suddenly, a pair of arms caught her, and the wind rushed through her hair from ahead and not below. She stared in shock. Rion held her, leaves and twigs sticking out of her short hair. Beneath them, A-Un flew faster than Setsuna had ever seen. His muzzles were gone, revealing sharp teeth that crackled with building lightning.
Setsuna looked behind them, noting they were getting further and further from the bird demon who limped through the air. Rion turned to follow her gaze. "Who knew we'd have to fight so many battles just to make it to training?"
Setsuna turned back to look ahead, and she paled. "I think our training just became a trial by fire." Rion followed her gaze and gasped.
Flying straight towards them was a whole flock of bird demons.
"We can't take all of them on at once!" Rion exclaimed.
"And we're sure the wolf demon fortress is just beyond them?" Setsuna asked.
"That's what I assume, but I've never been here before," Rion replied.
"So A-Un is the only one who knows?" Setsuna asked. Great. Figures that the demon that can't talk is the only one with a clue.
"What do we do?" Rion asked.
Setsuna gritted her teeth. "I don't see any other way than to just plow through them." She gripped Zanseikan tighter in her hand.
"Hold on. My talismans dried off. I'll give us some aid." Rion chanted, and then sigils appeared in the air alongside them, releasing both a red and green lion dog from within their magical depths. The red one crackled with electricity while wind swirled around the green one.
When the birds were within range of her attack, Setsuna waved the sword. "Scourge of Swallows!" Seven sparrows shot out, hitting seven different birds. They faltered, but others just swooped in to replace them. They extended their talons, diving in to grab them.
"Attack!" Rion screamed. Not only did her lion dogs unleash a gale and a surge of lightning respectively, but A-Un's two heads each peppered out blasts of lightning. The winds threw several birds into disarray while the bolts paralyzed a few birds in mid-air, causing them to drop into the forest below. The snapping of thick timber cracked through the corridor of mountains.
Then the three broached the storm of bird demons. Setsuna swung the sword around her, feathers and blood flying as she nicked bird demons here and there, severing wings or breaking teeth. Rion threw talismans that exploded upon contact with the enemy. The bird demons' claws groped at the girls and A-Un, leaving gashes.
A-Un pushed through, trying to break through to the other side of the army of birds, but the amount of slick, red blood glistening on his scales worried Setsuna.
We're going to die, she thought as her pulse pounded in her ears. Father, I'm sorry—you were right. I'm not ready for this. Mother, I'm sorry I didn't get to see you again. Towa—
"Found you, half-demons!" a grating voice like crushed gravel roared.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit, Setsuna thought. She didn't have time for another foe. It was taking every ounce of concentration she had to fight these birds, and if the soreness in her arms and the tightness in her lungs were any indication, she was going to give out soon.
The rock demon's voice growled from somewhere to the left. "Buzz off, you pesky birds! They are mine!"
A red glow emanated from the mountainside, and as bird demons scattered away from it, Setsuna glanced over to see that the rock demon himself burned like red-hot iron.
Then he exploded.
The blast blew the flock of birds back as well as A-Un and the lion dogs. Setsuna wrapped the reins around her hands, struggling to stay on A-Un's back, and Rion screamed as they flew into a drift of snow on the opposite mountain in the narrow pass.
No sooner had the blast pounded through the mountains like fireworks bouncing off skyscrapers than a different rumbling started.
Setsuna blearily opened her eyes to see snow and boulders on the opposite peak crumbling off. The ground beneath her shook.
"Avalanche!" she cried out, sitting up and crying out as her entire body ached from the impact. A-Un lay prone at her feet, and she nudged him, but the demon didn't respond. No, no, no!
Behind her, Rion grunted, grabbing Zanseiken and raising it up just as the first clouds of snow fell over them. A blue energy shield enveloped her, Setsuna, and A-Un. As snow pummeled into the shield, Rion groaned, sagging beneath the sword's weight, as if it was too much for her. Setsuna came beside her and held up the sword with her. Her arms trembled under the impact as the snow rolled over them.
After a few minutes, the snow ceased falling. When all seemed still, Setsuna asked, "Do you think it's safe to remove the shield?"
"It…better be…because…." Setsuna looked down at Rion in alarm. The girl's eyes fluttered, and then she let go of Zanseiken and collapsed. The shield guttered out, but the snow stayed around them like an igloo.
"Rion!" Setsuna exclaimed, dropping the sword and turning her friend over. Blood trickled across Rion's forehead and cheeks, and her clothes were all torn and stained red. But she continued to breathe.
Just then, A-Un stirred, his heads cautiously rising and seeking out Setsuna. "A-Un!" Setsuna gasped in relief.
Still, as she looked around their prison of ice, she didn't know what to do. One wrong move, and the snow could cave in and kill them. And who knew how high the snow was piled? Could she blast it all away at once? Did she even have the energy to do that?
They would die of asphyxiation before she gained back her strength, she was sure.
She put her head in her hands. Think, think, think.
But the pain and blood loss from multiple wounds must have gotten to her head, because she couldn't think. She couldn't concentrate.
They were going to die, and it was all her fault, because she had charged into a flock of birds and thought they could fight their way through because they were half-demons and daughters of the most powerful demons in the lands.
But they were just so out of their depth.
Goosebumps frosted her skin, stretching it tight across overused muscles. Her body shook—from cold or exhaustion or both, she couldn't tell. "A-Un, what do we do?" Setsuna asked, looking for the comfort of speaking to someone, anyone. Even a mute dragon demon.
In response, A-Un rolled his heads back so that they faced the ceiling of their igloo. He opened his mouths weakly, and a small plasma ball glowed in each mouth. A beam of heated energy shot out of each one, and they trained them on the same spot on the ceiling. The heat melted the snow in a tight circle. Water dripped and steamed as the dragon's breath vaporized the snow until finally an inkling of light showed through. A-Un ceased drilling.
Setsuna gasped and crawled over, looking up at the oxygen hole her steed had made. There was perhaps only a meter of snow separating them from the surface.
If only she could blast it all away at once. Scourge of Swallows wasn't suited to that sort of attack.
But maybe the Wind Scar?
But how do I make a Wind Scar when there isn't another demonic energy to clash against?
Wind though—wind was the key.
But she was too tired to try that right now. The sky above was dark. They had air. So long as the igloo didn't collapse, they would survive.
She crawled to the bundles still miraculously attached to A-Un and pulled out a blanket she had packed. Then she carried Rion over and laid her against A-Un's warm belly. She inspected both of them for any deep wounds, but both already appeared to be healing. The remainders of blood looked worse than they were. Setsuna hoped her body was faring the same way. She was too exhausted to really take a tally.
So she curled up next to Rion, threw the blanket over them, and fell asleep.
The next morning, Setsuna awoke to someone shaking her shoulder. Adrenaline shot into her heart, and she jumped up, looking around. She winced as crusted wounds pulled at her skin, and her muscles protested. Rion squeaked in surprise.
Setsuna's head spun with the rush of blood, but she breathed a sigh of relief. "Rion, thank goodness you're okay."
"It is all thanks to you, Setsuna. I remember creating the barrier with the Zanseiken, but after that…I must have blacked out. Thank you for making sure I was comfortable," she said, holding up the blanket.
"I'm only sorry I could not tend more to your wounds," Setsuna answered. "How are they?"
"I'm fine. Most of them have healed already," Rion answered. "Yours too, from the looks of it."
"All but the worst ones," Setsuna said with a wince as she twisted around to take a look. The talon marks in her side had been deep. They were scabs now, but they still hurt.
Rion looked at their icy fortress. "How are we going to get out?"
Setsuna took a deep breath. She recalled having a thought last night, but her cold, sleepy mind couldn't place it.
Rion walked over and looked at the hole in the roof A-Un had carved out. A ray of weak sunlight filtered through. "I suppose we can't wait for it to melt. Should we dig through? It doesn't look to high."
"But we could also risk a cave-in if we're not careful."
"We'd have to blow the whole top off, just to make sure," Rion replied.
Blow. Right—wind! That was the idea.
"Do you think I could use the Wind Scar to blast it away?" Setsuna asked.
Rion winced. "I think you would take out the whole mountain with it—or start another avalanche."
"Then what about one of your talismans? Or your wind lion dog? Couldn't he blow it away?"
"The problem with talismans is that you have to have them to use them," Rion sighed. "What I didn't lose in the river yesterday I used up in the fight against those bird demons."
"Then what do we do?" Setsuna asked, flopping against A-Un's side. He grunted at the sudden weight.
Rion considered the ceiling as well as what they had. Her eyes fell on the Zanseiken, still lying where Setsuna had left it the night before. "Wait a moment. You mentioned the Wind Scar earlier."
"And we dismissed it," Setsuna said.
"Yes, but…I recall Moroha learning a move that was said to be a technique related to the Wind Scar. She called it…Crimson Backlash Wave."
Setsuna perked up. "Backlash Wave? My uncle told me about that. He was never able to show it to me, though, because I was the only other person around with demonic energy to shoot at him, and he didn't want to hurt me. That's what it does, right? Returns the energy of the person who shot it tenfold or something?"
"I don't know the precise mechanics, but I have seen it in action. It looks like a giant cyclone. Perhaps therein lies the key to our escape."
"But…I don't know how to do the Backlash Wave. And we can't do it without another source of demonic energy," Setsuna countered.
"I'm not saying you have to do the Backlash Wave. But it starts with the Wind Scar, does it not? Perhaps there's a way you can…turn the Wind Scar into a tornado similar to the Backlash Wave but without a rival demonic energy."
Setsuna frowned. "But what if I fail and bring all this snow down upon us?"
Rion walked over to A-Un and addressed the dragon. "How are you feeling?"
A-Un mewled, rubbing against Rion's hands.
She smiled softly. "Would you be prepared to shoot off some lightning balls or fire if the snow starts falling, so that we can tunnel out?"
The dragon grunted, like asking this of him was the final straw, but he obediently rolled onto his belly and cocked his heads toward the ceiling. Setsuna took that as a yes.
Setsuna took a deep breath and got up, retrieving the Zanseiken. "Alright. Here goes nothing."
She grasped Zanseiken in two hands and concentrated on finding the flow of wind. The trickle that came in from the opening above blew over towards her, and she reached out with her demon energy, trying to wrap it around the sword. But the wind rebelled against her, not wanting to be guided so easily. Something inside told her to use the sword.
Instinct had her arms moving the sword in a circle, as if she were creating a vortex in front of her. The breeze from the opening got sucked in, and Setsuna felt the air spinning like a cyclone bursting from the clouds to touchdown on the earth.
That's it. She could picture it perfectly, and as she waved her arm overhead faster and faster, the words spilled forth from her.
"Cyclone…Burst!"
Her energy fueled the wind into a swirling vortex that tore through the ceiling of snow, exploding it over the mountainside. A sliver of the sun peeked through the mountains.
Setsuna heaved deep breaths of the frigid mountain air, embracing it. I'm alive. We're alive. We did it.
Now they just had to make it to the wolf demon fortress.
Rion clapped, her ears twitching. "Well done, Setsuna!"
Setsuna turned back to her. "You deserve a share of the credit too, Rion. I would never have thought to harness the Wind Scar in that way. And now…I believe I've found a new attack."
"One you can perfect in training!" Rion exclaimed.
The two half-demons leapt up onto the tallest snow drift, looking around to get their bearings.
"Oh my…" Rion murmured.
In the snow further down the mountain, the occasional wing or bird's foot stuck out of the snow. The avalanche had carved a path down to where the two peaks met, and beyond that, trees had been snapped and washed away in the flow of snow and boulders. With her keen eyes, Setsuna saw the evidence of more dead bird demons in the valley below.
"Good riddance," she said.
"It looks like the fortress isn't far. It should only be a few minutes by flight," Rion said. But when they turned back to A-Un, his heads drooped toward the ground.
"A-Un?" Setsuna asked, jumping back down to check on him. She went to the large gash on his side and laid a gentle hand beside it. She gasped. "A-Un, your scales are so hot!" He was a dragon, yes, but she had never felt such heat from him before. Her heart pounded in panic. "Rion, I think A-Un's wound got infected!"
"I think I have some herbs that can help him, but we won't be able to ride him in this condition," the redhead said, jumping back down. She opened up the one bundle she had brought, and Setsuna was shocked to see it was full of books and small, wooden boxes. Did she not bring any extra clothes?
Trust Rion to choose books over necessities.
Rion opened her boxes of herbs and prepared a poultice. Then she smoothed it over any wounds of A-Un's that were still open. Setsuna produced a roll of bandages that she had the foresight to bring. As Rion doctored the dragon, he calmly licked the snow with his tongues.
When she was down, Setsuna asked him, "Can you stand?" A-Un snuffled and slowly got to his feet, a reptile still warming up in the cold. He flew out of the pit of snow, and the girls followed.
"Well, I guess we're walking the rest of the way," Setsuna said.
They slowly headed down the mountain, the deep snow hampering their progress. The morning passed, and though it got warmer, Setsuna's feet were so frozen in her boots, they were beyond numb. Walking on them felt like she was wearing thick casts that had needles sticking up from the soles, biting into her feet with every step.
Suddenly, three rocks the size of basketballs rolled down the mountain and straight into their path. The stones all popped out arms and legs like turtles, and three mini rock demons glared at the trio with red eyes. In high-pitched voices, they sounded off one by one.
"Found you!"
"Boss, they're up here!"
"Now you're in for it!"
Setsuna would have secretly found them pretty cute if they weren't so obviously bloodthirsty.
The ground shook then, and Setsuna and Rion looked up, fearing another avalanche. Though some scree skittered down the mountainside, nothing else approached. Then Setsuna turned around and peered down the mountain.
There, she saw a rock demon twice the size of the ones that had accosted them yesterday running towards them.
"Run!" she shouted, tugging on A-Un's reins and bounding over the pipsqueak rock demons.
"Hey! How dare you!"
"You can't just run away like that!"
"Get 'em, boss!"
However, between the ground shaking and the fact that Setsuna's feet were numb beyond belief, she ended up tripping.
"Setsuna!" Rion cried out, stopping and coming back for her.
Setsuna looked back and saw the giant rock demon climbing onto their path. "Take A-Un and go! I'll hold him off." She got to her feet and drew Zanseiken.
"I'll go get help!" Rion answered, running off with the dragon demon.
The rock demon came to a stop in front of Setsuna. "Well, daughter of Sesshoumaru, it appears your time has run out."
"We'll see," Setsuna countered.
The rock demon slammed a fist down, and Setsuna dodged, but when she landed on her numb feet, her right ankle crumpled, and she fell. The rock demon took advantage of her moment of weakness and slammed her into the cliffside. The air knocked out of Setsuna's body, and her bones screamed at the impact. She slid down the cliff, sore and exhausted.
Move, she told herself, trying to grasp Zanseiken in a hand that had gone slack. If you don't move, he'll kill you.
"Now I shall be known as the one who defeated the daughter of Sesshoumaru!" the rock demon exclaimed, holding out a fist to shoot at her.
And then a bird demon dived in, clawing at the rock demon's eyes.
"Gyah!" he cried out, stumbling backwards.
A whole host of the birds descended, scratching at the rock demon and leaving white gouges in his gray body. He waved his arms, batting several of them away, but more just swooped in to fill the gaps.
Setsuna watched with a fading consciousness.
How ironic. I suppose…in this instance…the enemy of my enemy…is my friend.
At least until a bird demon dropped in front of her.
"You. You're the one who led that boulder-brained brute into our territory yesterday. That damn rock demon took out a third of my flock with his explosion!" the bird demon growled from his upper torso. "You're going to pay for their spilt blood with your own."
The bottom half of the demon smiled with malicious glee, then opened its maw wide. Its pointed teeth were each as long as Setsuna's hand.
Get up. Attack. You're going to get eaten.
With the last of her strength, Setsuna whipped Zanseiken up, slashing through several of its teeth. Still the bird bit down on her arm, piercing it with the jagged ends of its broken teeth. Setsuna screamed.
A line of fire seemed to race down Setsuna's arm just then, and the bird demon let go, shrieking. It stuck out its tongue, which steamed and looked scalded.
"Poison!" it shrieked.
Setsuna could barely concentrate on her arm as she tried to take in the damage. It was a bloody mess. And yet snaking through the blood, as if tattooed on her skin, was a magenta line that crawled across her forearm and disappeared up her sleeve.
What is that?
Then her heart thudded once, powerfully. Then again. Her blood boiled.
And suddenly, everything went red.
With it, the pain washed away from her mind, and strength flooded her muscles once more. Her teeth ached, feeling too large for her mouth, and she snarled—actually snarled like an animal—as she stood.
The bird demon took a step back.
Setsuna dropped Zanseiken, and with a roar, she lashed out with a new set of claws, swiping the bottom face of the bird demon. It screeched with an unholy wail, but Setsuna did not give up. She leapt, slicing the upper body's chest. She wanted to cut off the wings. Were her claws strong enough?
As if in answer, the red line on her arm rose from her like a snake and lashed out, lopping off the bird demon's wings and upper head all in one stroke. For good measure, she thrust her claws into one of the lower eyes and tore at its brain. The bird demon dropped as she pulled out her bloody hand.
The fight was over…and yet the heat of the battle still flared in her blood.
More. She looked at the bird demons still attacking the rock demon. More.
She leapt up and started slashing in a frenzy, scattering blood and feathers everywhere. The bird demons became divided in their efforts, some still attacking the rock demon while others concentrated on Setsuna. They clawed her and bit her, but she didn't care as long as she could rip them to pieces and bathe in their blood.
"Crimson Dragon Wave!"
Setsuna instinctively jumped out of the way as a red and orange coil of energy barreled through the bird demons, vaporizing those that stood within the path of the dragon's maw. It plowed into the rock demon, breaking him apart and scattering his limbs across the mountainside.
Suddenly, the canyon echoed with wild yells, and wolf demons ran up the mountain and pounced, claws flying as they tore into the bird demons.
"Towa! Over here!" Moroha called, waving.
"Moroha, stay focused!" a male wolf demon called out, jumping up from behind her to kick a diving bird demon right in its massive teeth, breaking them.
"Sorry, Pa—let me help! Hyah!" she cried out, jumping up and slicing the torso of the bird demon from its feathered body.
Setsuna turned to face the two of them and growled. Strong opponents.
Moroha froze. "Oh, shit."
"What's wrong?" the wolf demon asked, flicking back his ponytail.
Setsuna sprinted towards her, arm poised to send out the mysterious blade on her arm again.
"She's lost it!" Moroha cried out, raising her sword in defense but not appearing sure she could use it.
The blade rose from her arm, lashing out like a snake.
"Yawaragi!" the wolf demon called.
Someone flew behind Setsuna, and her hackles raised in alarm, but before she could react, something whacked her on the back of the neck, and she passed out.
Setsuna's mind came slowly into focus. Images flashed through her mind of flying rocks, whirls of snow, and gleaming teeth coming straight for her.
Her heart kick-started, and her eyes flew open. Noting only that there was a dark roof over her head and candlelight beside her, she quickly sat up and took stock of her arm, which still ached.
"Towa!" a familiar voice cried out, and Setsuna had barely turned towards it before her cousin tackled her with a hug.
"Ow," Setsuna grunted.
"Sorry! I'm just so relieved! I've never seen you lose control like that before, and—" She stopped her tirade of her own accord, relief hardening into anger. "And what the hell is wrong with you? You know better than to fly through rock demon and birds of paradise territory!"
"Sorry," Setsuna answered, knowing that there was no better time to come clean about why she was so ignorant. She raised her right arm up to remove the pearl, but then noticed that though bandages covered the forearm, her upper arm was bare (as was the rest of her torso, her modesty covered only by bandages wrapped around it), and a curious, maroon marking snaked across it.
"How are you feeling?" a softer voice asked, and Setsuna peeked around Moroha to find Rion a couple meters away on her own pallet, all bandaged up as well.
Setsuna broke into a smile. "Rion, thank goodness you're alive."
"It's all thanks to you," Rion answered.
Setsuna shook her head. "You brought the wolf demons, didn't you? I…do recall something of that."
Rion nodded. "Their lookouts were already aware of the circling birds of paradise, and they were shoring up their defenses. When I told them you were still back there, they didn't hesitate to rush in and help."
"Yeah, and what thanks did we get? You turned to attack us," a gruff voice boomed into the room. Footsteps echoed, and Setsuna looked up, finally realizing then that they were in a cave. A somewhat familiar-looking wolf demon appeared. "I swear, you're no better than that troublesome uncle of yours, not caring whether he takes out half his own army with him in his attacks."
"Pa, cut her some slack. Her demonic blood took over. She must have been this close to death for that to happen," Moroha answered, holding her thumb and forefinger up barely a centimeter apart.
Pa? Is this Moroha's stepfather, Kouga? Setsuna wondered.
"You alright, Moroha?" Kouga asked.
"Pssh, yeah. That was just a morning workout, ya know?" Moroha answered, puffing out her chest. Then she winced, her hand going to her back. "Okay, yeah, so one of those bird brains might have gotten a good swipe in."
Just then, a scarred, female wolf demon with wavy white hair loped up behind Kouga. "Sir, we've counted seven wounded. No fatalities as of yet—on our side."
"Good. Get the wounded in here, stat."
The woman then looked over at Setsuna. "Towa. What brings you here?"
Rion crawled over and whispered in Setsuna's ear, "That's Yawaragi." Setsuna's eyes widened even as the wolf demons' eyes narrowed towards them in suspicion. Had they heard Rion's whisper? Mostly likely.
"The truth is…we came to train," Setsuna announced. "My father is going to wage war against the territories bordering The Wall, but I am not advanced enough to partake."
Yawaragi's brow furrowed. "Is that what your father believes or what you believe? You have proven yourself more than enough, Towa, if you truly do wish to go to war."
"But I am not Towa," Setsuna answered, finally pulling the pearl from her eye.
Moroha gaped. "S-Setsuna? What are you doing here? Wait, is Towa…?"
Setsuna nodded.
Moroha stared. "Shit."
"The hell's going on here?" Kouga asked. "Who are you, and why are you masquerading as Towa?"
"My name is Setsuna. I am Towa's younger twin sister from the South. We switched places after camp."
"Sister—from the South?" Kouga echoed. He put a hand to his chin in thought. "So that's why he's attacking The Wall. Damn, now it makes even more sense why he was so angry the night it went up."
Moroha interrupted, tears brimming in her eyes. "You switched places and didn't tell me?" She then looked at Rion, who was sitting calmly beside her. "Wait, you knew about this?"
Rion ducked her head. "Yes. I helped them with their disguises."
Moroha sniffed, obviously trying hard not to blink and let the tears fall. "But…why didn't you guys tell me? I'm your cousin! Don't I mean anything to you?"
Setsuna's heart panged with sympathy. Outwardly though, she sighed. "Would you have been able to keep it a secret?"
"Of course!" Moroha cried out while Kouga and Yawaragi deadpanned, "No," at the same time. "Hey!" Moroha snapped, sticking her tongue out at them.
"If it makes you feel any better, I planned to tell you as soon as I needed help. And here I am, needing help," Setsuna said.
Moroha sniffed up some snot that started leaking from her nose and stroked her chin, as if to regain some dignity. "Well, it has only been about a week, so…I guess I can forgive you. It's not like you pulled the wool over my eyes for months or anything."
Setsuna decided not to mention how early into camp she and Towa planned this little switch.
Yawaragi looked at Setsuna. "I have only seen you move when your demonic blood has taken over. Do you have any knowledge of fighting?"
Setsuna nodded, and Rion quickly spoke up. "You should have seen her yesterday when we had to fight the first round of rock demons and birds of paradise. She was amazing! She even learned a new technique when she had to dig us out of the avalanche."
Yawaragi's eyes widened. "The avalanche? So you two were the cause of that commotion yesterday?"
Setsuna ducked her head. "Guilty."
"I see. I will have to test your skills myself, but even so…I cannot turn you into a warrior overnight. Towa trained with me most of her life. Her skills are a reflection of constant dedication."
"We do not expect you to," Setsuna answered.
"We?" Yawaragi asked.
"I-I wish to learn to fight as well," Rion said, bowing. "I understand your services do not come cheaply, Master Yawaragi, but I have come prepared with payment," she said, reaching over to her bundle by her pallet and removing a bulging, jingling bag, which she held out.
Yawaragi unceremoniously reached for the bag and opened it, pulling out a gold piece and nodding in appreciation. "Who are you, young one, to offer such a hefty sum without batting an eye?"
Setsuna stared at the gold in shock. I didn't even think of payment. I just assumed she would take me on in place of Towa. Stupid, stupid, stupid! What do I do?
"My name is Rion, daughter of Kirinmaru of the East," she said with a bow.
"Kirinmaru?" Kouga echoed. "I didn't even know he had a kid."
"I have been sheltered in his castle most of my life, but now I wish to join my friends' cause."
Kouga crossed his arms. "Their cause, as is bringing down The Wall?" He shook his head. "I always knew Sesshoumaru had ambition, but I think this time he's bitten off more than he can chew."
"We are not planning to bring down The Wall," Setsuna replied. "Only to control it and its gates."
"Huh. So he wants to come and go as he pleases. That makes a little more sense," Kouga answered.
"He wants to reunite any who wish to do so," Setsuna countered, looking at Moroha.
Moroha's eyes widened, and she scrambled up, latching onto Kouga's arm. "Pa, please. I know you and my dad didn't totally get along, but…he's my dad. I miss him. And…I still want to meet my other mom."
Kouga's eyes softened, and he ruffled Moroha's hair. "Look, I get it. You're lucky enough to have two sets of parents. Of course you'd want to see them both. Not like I want to lose you full-time to the South anyway. Yeah, alright, I'll get with Sesshoumaru and see what he's cookin' up in that cocky brain of his."
"Thanks, Pa!" Moroha cried out, wrapping her arms around him.
"Yeah, yeah. But in the meantime, you should help your, uh…cousin and friend here with their training. Sounds like this war's coming soon, and they look like they need all the help they can get."
"Oh, you betcha!" Moroha pulled back and rubbed her hands together. "Just you two wait. This is gonna be so much fun."
"Oh, good! I love fun!" Rion said with a smile, clapping her hands and wiggling her ears.
Setsuna looked at her cousin skeptically. "Moroha…what is your definition of fun?"
But Yawaragi cut in before Moroha could answer. "Based on what Rion has related, it seems to me your journey here gave you an early introduction into my teaching methods." All the blood rushed from Setsuna's head. "Today, you rest. But starting at the crack of dawn tomorrow, until I say otherwise, every moment of your day is considered training. You will learn to survive outdoors and sharpen your senses, so that you can always anticipate attacks, even if they come while you sleep."
Setsuna could barely process what she was hearing. All that fighting and surviving we did…was only an introduction? I've barely gotten any sleep here as it is. Now I'm to be deprived of more?
She shook her head. No, don't think that way. You asked for this, Setsuna. You must pay the price for it.
"Understood."
Yawaragi then tossed her a sword, and Setsuna caught it. It was Zanseiken. "You left that behind. Our first order of business will be to find the both of you weapons. In the future, I am certain Towa will want her sword back." She glanced at the mark on Setsuna's arm. "Though it appears you already possess an innate one. In that case, a visit to Totosai may be in order."
"Totosai?" Setsuna echoed.
"Awww, Setsuna, you're so lucky!" Moroha whined. "Totosai's the greatest demon blacksmith of all time! You're going to get such a kickass weapon!"
"If you can fulfill the tasks Master Totosai asks of you," Yawaragi tacked on.
Setsuna sighed. There's always a catch, isn't there?
AN: Whew! Hope you enjoyed all that action—it was COMPLETELY unexpected on my part. I did not anticipate so much happening to Setsuna and Rion, but I was a lot happier with the chapter because of it, since I feel like it showed what they're capable of (and where they're starting versus how they'll end up). As mentioned, consider this a glimpse into what Yawaragi would be doing with them. I need to keep this story "short" after all, haha.
Also, yes, I basically gifted Rion with all of Konton's magic attacks because…we don't know how/if she fights, and she just seems like a magic user to me. I figure Konton would have taught her.
Anyway, next up, we'll see what Towa's doing!