A part of Amako felt bad in more ways than one. Leaving Mash and Ritsuka to deal with the majority of the foot soldiers. Not support Lord Takeda against what was most likely a divine deity himself. But the worst was having to face yet someone else she considered family. Someone else who shouldered the legacy of a clan. A legacy that Amako would have to steal, on top of her life.
She grit her teeth, crossing her arms to block the naginata crashing down on her. Amako couldn't help but smirk a bit. Sis really improved. If Lord Oda's words were true, that she was channeling that Tadakatsu Honda... it would certainly explain the strength that rattled her bones! She didn't have that before!
"What are you grinning at?! Do you look forward to killing me?!"
The hostile snarl caused her smile to vanish. Gritting her teeth, she fell down to her knees.
"Of course not!"
With a grunt, she diverted the weapon to the side. Then, kicking off the ground, she aimed a punch right at her face. But instead, only the staff met her, causing her eyes to widen. Barely raising her arm, the butt of the staff slammed against her from the side. With her arm numb, she slid over the ground with a pained grunt. Her skills with the naginata skyrocketed. Was that the skill of Lord Honda himself? The way she could bring back her weapon so fast...
"Tell me, what did Hisoka say?! What were her final words to a traitor like you?!"
Amako flinched. The memories of her body dissolving resurfaced. Lowering her head, she took a shaking breath.
"She told me to be careful," she muttered. Her ears twitched then, as she heard metal slash the air. With wide eyes,she rolled to the side, avoiding the blade almost stabbing her head.
"So you decide to spit upon her grave by doing this?!"
"She accepted that I chose my own path!" Amako yelled back. But it was the wrong thing to say. Even covered by the mask, she could see her skin turn red with anger.
"YOU CHOSE WRONG!"
The arms became blurs. Over and over again, Amako was forced to parry as best as she could. Yet as hard as she tried, the blade managed to wear her down. Cuts appeared on her skin and she saw how the treasure of the Seiryu clan groaned against the treasure of the Byakko clan. Not to mention how tired her arms became. But it was not nearly as bad as the verbal assault she had to suffer from.
"You never think about consequences! You always rush in, like an idiot!"
"You seriously I'm doing this without actually considering anything?!" Amako screamed back.
"Karifu sure did!"
The world went quiet around her, as her eyes widened in shock at those words. Sensing that opening, Sasaki gripped her weapon tighter, causing a white spectral tiger to suddenly appear. But just as her emotions boiled up, the feather on her ear shone. As if responding to the insult of its previous owner, Suzaku rammed Byakko away with a furious roar. At Sasaki's shock, Amako screamed herself, throwing a high kick. It was blocked by the shaft, but she quickly pulled her leg back down, spun and rammed her elbow into Sasaki's stomach, who gasped for air.
"Don't you fucking dare!" Now on the offensive, she dashed and darted around, throwing her punches against Sasaki's defense. "Unlike you, he isn't an utter coward! Unlike you, he knew that this is all wrong!"
"He died for nothing!" She roared back, spinning her naginata to create some distance from Amako. "No plan, no strategy! I have a plan! Hisoka could've lived through that too, if you didn't just kill her!"
"How do you even know your plan will work?! And what does running away accomplish?!" Skidding back after a hit to her face, she wiped the blood off her mouth. "We can't run away from this! This is our home!"
"Stop being childish! Sacrifices need to be made!"
"And some sacrifice must never be made!" Amako put her hand on her chest, her voice desperate. "I don't want to survive, I want to live!"
"Not everyone thinks that, you selfish brat!" Sasaki's legs tensed up as she whirled her weapon around at high speeds. "Besides, you can't even beat me, ho-"
In the middle of her sentence, she swung her weapon down with great force. For the first time, perhaps in her entire life, Amako didn't dodge. She didn't step in either. Neither of gave her an advantage. Instead... she took the attack. She grit her teeth as the blade began to pierce her skin of her shoulder. But she ignored it. She ignored the way Sasaki seemed shocked at her action. Instead, she focused purely on the flow that was invading her, originating from Sasaki. In Amako's mind, she was water. She was being shaped by the attack, by the weapon. And by knowing that shape... she could understand it.
The naginata drew blood, but nothing else. Amako exhaled, moving with the swing, lowering her center of gravity. As she did so, she grabbed onto the shaft. Then, with a scream, she sent the force right back to Sasaki, as she flung her over her body, rolling on her back. The Byakko could only scream in shock, to surprised by the sequence of actions, before she crashed against the wall, with the force used by her and Amako. Yet the latter didn't hesitate. As Sasaki bounced off the rock, coughing out blood from the impact, Amako already spun around. Using her momentum, she formed a spear with her own hand... and rammed it into her sister's back. It went through easily, the blood seeping out. With regret in her expression, she pulled out her arm, before gently catching Sasaki. She shook in shock, staring at the wound in confusion.
"I may be selfish... but I know people will regret it. To follow your plan." Amako shook her head, a regretful smile on her face. "If we don't stand tall, we aren't worthy being clan heads."
Sasaki stared at her, before coughing up blood, a wry smile on her face.
"Says... you... " The spectral tiger returned to her side, nuzzling her face, before disappearing back into the naginata. Shuddering, she could barely breath as she looked at Amako with weak, teary eyes. "Why are you... the brave one... ?"
Then, with her last of her strength, she put the naginata into Amako's hands. Staring off into the distance, her eyes began to dim down.
"...find... notes... "
Her body turned to dust, disappearing into the depths of Yomi. Amako clenched her eyes shut, taking deep breaths. Yet she couldn't stop the tears from falling down. She tuned out the rest of the world, no idea how much time has passed. It was only when she heard a loud snarl, did she turn around.
The wraiths and warriors were gone. Mash and Ritsuka gasped for air, drenched in sweat as they slid down on the ground, back to back. Raiden was gone as well, but the three warlords didn't seem as exhausted. Instead, they seemed angry instead. Lord Oda kicked the wall again in frustration.
"Fuck! He escaped!"
"He was very distracted." Lord Uesugi had her lips pressed together, frustration visible in her eyes. "Honestly, I'm disappointed."
"Did he share anything?" Ritsuka asked, wiping his forehead in exhaustion. Lord Takeda shook his head, arms crossed.
"Only that we shouldn't wake 'him' up."
"Ominous."
Then everyone turned to her. Seeing the naginata in her hands, Ritsuka's features softened up. Struggling to get up, he leaned on Mash before he turned to her with worry.
"Amako? You alright?"
"I'm the only one left... " She said quietly. It only truly hit her now. She had all four treasures now. The artifacts belonging to the heads of the clans. And she was the head of all four now. It was never supposed to be like that. The duties should've been split... yet here she was. Alone.
"I'm sorry... you shouldn't have been the one to do it," Mash said quietly. Amako shuddered before shaking her head.
"No. I at least owe them this much. To be there for their last moments." She let out an ugly sob. "I left them... it's-it's only fair... "
Suddenly, she felt warm hands on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw her lord looking at her, squeezing her shoulders.
"I know that you want to do nothing more than grieve. But I need you to contain it just for a bit longer." He raised his fist in front of her. "Focus on your rage. Focus on the injustice Toyotomi has done." With empathy, he patted her head before standing up again. "Save your tears when we are free."
Amako sniffed. Then, wiping her face, she took a deep breath.
"Right... right... " Shooting up, she put the naginata on her back, before straightening up her back. "Amako Seiryu, reporting for duty!"
"That's what I want to hear!" Lord Takeda laughed, filling her chest with warmth. He truly always knew how to motivate the people. Lord Oda clapped her hands, a lazy smirk on her face.
"Alright, let's scoop up whatever we need and then get that mon-"
"I don't think so."
Immediately, the turned to the source of the voice, weapons drawn. At the sight, Amako growled.
"Serpent."
The shrine maiden stood there, in the shadows. Not a single weapon drawn. Instead, she turned to Lord Takeda, just ignoring everyone else. Amako felt her anger boil, but she held herself back.
"There is a wonderful spot in the mountains. Healthy earth to grow food. A natural waterfall to bathe and drink from. A good look at the sun set. A place where you can live in peace."
Everyone blinked at her soft words. Amako could barely process it. What? Was she serious?! Lord Oda seemed to think the same, cocking her musket at the enemy with a raised eyebrow.
"Really? Your plan is bribery with a resort?"
Yet the shrine maiden ignored them. Her eyes were completely focused on Lord Takeda.
"Don't fight him. He will kill you." A nervous breath escaped her. Against all expectations, she bowed to him. "Please."
"If you know me you know I can't do that. I can't sit back," Lord Takeda said after a small pause. The serpent let out a snort, as if he told a joke.
"Ha... Yes. I should've known better." She shook her head, her eyes staring at him, almost wistfully. "Your will is out of your charming points."
She stepped back into the darkness. Immediately, Lord Oda took the shot, firing several muskets into the dark. But instead of a pained scream, she could only hear a sigh of resignation echo through the darkness.
"This is for your own good, milord."
The ground suddenly began to shake. Having to steady herself, she leaned against Mash and Ritsuka, eyes wide in shock. They became worse and worse, the vibrations. Then, two sounds that made her heart drop, combined with a malevolent energy that could be felt even in this dreaded underworld.
A monstrous hissing noise, followed by the crashing of collapsing rocks. The silence that followed was damning. Amako fell to her knees, realizing what just happened.
She collapsed their exit. Or even several.
"Great, this can't get any worse," Lord Oda muttered in frustration. Naturally, as she tempted the heavens themselves, the heavens decided to take offense at that.
In a pathway, opposite from where they came from, vibrations occur once again. It sounded like the angry grumble of someone being asleep, only if that someone was a giant. Then, as suddenly as it sounded, the vibrations stopped. They were all on edge, clutching their weapons, staring into the pathway where they felt this... wrathful energy. It was gone now, but that didn't mean it was gone gone. Ritsuka tugged at his sleeve, cracking a nervous smile at the implications of the current situation.
"...Hoh boy."
Amako concurred. If they didn't find anything down here... they would end up like every other ghost stuck in Yomi.