First it was red, now it is black
I don't own any copyrighted material, except my own OC's: anyone else's OC's will be acknowledged in their introduction chapter
At first Yang only saw darkness and felt pain course through every fiber of her being. Then the pain began to ease and melt away, cool liquids going down her through and gentle fingers saw to that. She then slowly regained consciousness and slowly opened her eyes. A girl with auburn hair and brown eyes and a boy of black hair and blue eyes were tending to her, both wearing simple kimonos. Slowly she began to stir and shakily get up, trying to sit up.
"Please don't do that. Excessive strains on your body will be very bad for your recovery. We just stabilized you." The boy said
"Who are you people?" Yang asked groggily, her vision still not quite all there and a splitting headache forming
"We are the Fuga family. We are a small and simple Goshi family that have lived in this patch of land for centuries." The girl answered
"Goshi? What's that?" Yang asked, rubbing her temples
"Country samurai." The girl answered again
"Sorry. My head is hurting like hell right now." Yang said as she winced in pain
"Its okay. Be thankful you were alive. One of the peasants found you three passed out at a entrance to the rotten vale. Given your friends infections we figured you three somehow survived that horrid place." The boy explained
"Azura. Where his he? I need to see him!" Yang said as she began to panic and try to get up, but the two held her to prevent that
"He's in the room next to yours. We had to keep you two apart to prevent your wounds getting infected. He has contracted some serious fungal infections." The boy said as they barely held down the weakened blonde
"I have to see him!" Yang yelled
Soon a samurai came in to keep her from getting up. Yang tried to fight this, but her body gave out and she fainted from stress and exertion. Zwei looked up from his sleep, but then put his head back down. Having woken up before Yang, he didn't fear these new humans. In the other room was indeed Azura, bandaged heavily and under constant attention by half a dozen healers. When Yang began struggling in the other room, Azura began to stir.
"Is he waking up?" One asked in confusion
"That's shouldn't be possible. With the sheer number of wounds, he's received and the fungal infections, he should still be out cold." Another replied as his aura activates
"Yang…" Azura groggily said as he continued to stir
Soon immense heat began to radiate from his body as his semblance activated. Thankfully for the healers, the energy requirements for his semblance caused him to quickly pass out again. This caused a relieved sigh to be heard across the room. However, this was one of many attempts by Azura to get up after they were brought in a few days ago. All his attempts did was keep him unconscious and unable to heal as fast as he could.
After a few hours, the two slowly woke up. This time the screen divider between the two rooms was moved, allowing the couple to see each other. The two tried to stand, but their injuries and the resulting pain prevented them. Zwei woke up soon after and happily barked at them, wagging his little tail wildly. Soon an old man with a long thin beard and a simple country kimono walked in with a walking stick.
"I am glad to see the two of you are awake. I am Fuga Arago, daymio of the Fuga family. I speak for my clan in deep regret at causing you two so much distress over the past few days." He said with a bow
"We are deeply sorry for scorning your hospitality Fuga-sama." Azura replied with a bow
"No offense, but we've never heard of the Fuga family…" Yang said with trepidation
"Few do. We don't take sides between the Wei and Wakano. Our isolation is cause of the damage caused to our people by the War of the Slaughtered. Long ago we were part of a much larger clan but be are all that remain." He explained, and despite trying to hold it in, extreme sadness and shame was leaking out of his façade
"I'm sorry to hear that Fuga-sama. Still we must thank you for your families hospitality. Without it, we would likely be dead." Azura said, trying to steer away from this to preserve the man's honor
"What do you about the rotten vale?" Yang asked Arago
"A god forsaken subterranean realm where monsters go to die. What creatures live there are among the most aggressive, cruel and sickening creatures on this world. I am amazed you escaped that place as well as you did. Most never return." Arago replied solemnly
"We were attacked by a large red dog monster. Thankfully we were able to kill it. Do you know anything about that?" Azura said, looking at Yang with a smile
"There is only one monster that is like that. It is called Odogaron, the cruel claw wyvern. An aggressive reptilian predator that stalks the rotten vale, and occasionally above ground, for any prey it can sink its teeth into. To kill one of those, you three are quite exceptional in your abilities." Arago explained, clearly impressed by their accomplishment
"Thank you Arago-sama. Though you should be congratulating Yang. She did the real work of killing it. Zwei and I just distracted it." Azura said humbly
"Stop it Azura. You were critical to beating it." Yang scolded him
"Do not fight over such petty things young ones. Get some rest. Dinner will be brought to you later. Once you have recovered, we will give you replacement supplies so you can continue your journey." Arago said as he turned
"Your hospitality and kindness know no bounds." Azura answered with a bow
"In this world, kindness is a rare commodity, and one I feel that is sorely needed." He said before leaving
After a few hour nap and dinner, the three could walk around the garden to help their bodies get used to activity. This cycle of rest, eating and activity continued over the next few days. Yang and Zwei were making very quick recoveries, and nearly fully healed. Azura however was healing far slower, despite getting the same food, amount of rest, and activity. This disparity confused even the best healers, but Azura thought he knew why. This was his punishment for his failures by the kami and his ancestors, and he will endure it.
Days went on to about a week, and Azura was still in no condition to travel. The fungal infections were fighting everything the healers tried against them tooth and nail. It even began to spread across his body and reopen wounds they had sealed. The trio learned that the Rotten Vale produced very hardy and tough organisms, and this was proof of that. However, one day on a walk in the garden, Azura overheard some people talking about something that was far dangerous.
"For the last time, Odogaron are not black, and they definitely don't use black energy to attack you. You were just scared and are misremembering things." A samurai said to a peasant
"No, my lord I swear to you its real. This Odogaron was black as night, savage beyond compare, and wielded black and red energies as it tried to attack. When it ate my sheep, it grew more ferocious and deadly! It turned stark raving mad, truly berserk I tell you." A young peasant man said hysterically, pale as a ghost from whatever he saw
"How much sake did you drink before you went out into the field peasant?" the second samurai asked, like his companion not being convinced by what he was saying
"Not a drop my lord! I have no reason to lie about such a thing!" the peasant said as he got on his hands and knees as he begged for help
"I think he's telling the true. No self-respecting man would act like he is if he wasn't terrified for his life." Azura said, slowly walking up
"But Odogaron aren't like how this peasant says. He must have saw it in the middle of the night." The first samurai said, still unconvinced
"When did you see this creature?" Azura asked
"In the middle of the day my lord, at high noon." The peasant said weakly, trying his best, but failing to hold back tears
"I think Arago-sama needs to hear this. If a new kind of Odogaron is prowling around, and one anything close to like what this man speaks of, then that's going to be a problem." Azura said sternly, and finally the samurai nodded, taking the peasant to their lord
Soon nearly the entire family here packed into the main court. Despite the immense pressure and attention, the peasant told his story to his daymio. Arago listened intently and took in every word. Many took the view of the two samurai; this was the ramblings of a man who was intoxicated and saw a normal Odogaron. Arago stopped the murmurs with the raise of a hand.
"This is serious business. Double all patrols and keep your eyes out. This matter will be taken seriously. A subspecies of Odogaron unknown to us is no laughing matter." Arago said sternly
Soon the samurai in attendance nodded and got to work. The rest began to file out as the potential news sunk in. Odogaron was already a fast, aggressive and terrifying creature. The knowledge a more aggressive, powerful and overall dangerous version of this existed made the courtiers and healers blood run cold. The samurai weren't afraid, but trepidation ran through their ranks. Azura however saw this as a chance to turn his fortunes around. When Yang heard this, she wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea.
"You want to do what!?" Yang yelled
"I'm going to try and take the beast on." Azura said
"You are in no condition to fight! You can barely stand for 30 minutes at a time. How are you going to fight something like that in this state?" Yang asked
"I'm going to use my semblance to beat it." Azura replied
"Your semblance is extremely taxing! You could kill yourself!" Yang yelled in horror
"A samurai does not fear death. Yang I need this. My honor is tarnished, and I need something to start to bring me back." Azura said desperately
"Promise me you will come out of it alive." Yang demanded sadly
"I promise Yang. For you, Zwei and Ruby." Azura answered, before pulling her into a hug
It didn't take long for this mystery subspecies to show its ugly head. That night a patrol was attacked and yelled for reinforcements. Azura ran behind the reinforcements and was shocked at what he saw. The creature had jet black skin unlike the red of its parent species. From its mouth came a strange black and red haze as it held a piece of an animal it killed in its mouth. The final main difference was its large set of claws were serrated like a saw blade.
"Holy shit the peasant was right!" A young samurai yelled in shock
"That's not a good thing! Archers bring it down!" An older samurai snapped
A line of 10 samurai archers lined up, took aim, and let loose a volley at the monster. While the arrows dug into the monsters hide and flesh, it did little damage. The monster then rushed forward, smashing the line aside or stomping them into the damp ground. Azura moved up and gripped his katana, ready for a strike. The fanged wyvern turned to him and howled, then charged all the same. As soon as it got close, Azura sidestepped and delivered a, iajutsu strike across the left side of its neck
Using the momentum of the creature to his advantage, the blade bit into its neck, and a trickle of blood began to ooze out of the cut. At this the creature ate the chunk of meat carried in its mouth, and like the peasant said began to change. It let out a monstrous roar and began to attack with berserk fury. Azura was forced to activate his semblance to gain the speed required to dodge its attacks. Bites, stomps, slashes and tail swipes all were thrown at Azura, but he was able to dodge most. However, a powerful tail swipe sent him back first hard into a oak tree.
"Azura!" Yang yelled as she rushed onto the scene just in time to see this
"Yang get out of here!" Azura yelled back in pain as he tried to stand up
Without thinking Yang rushed in to attack the monster. However, in its berserk and heightened state, it smashed Yang aside with a powerful swipe of its front paws. Yang was sent flying through a thick oak tree, smashing it to splinters, and the concussive force overloaded her aura and knocked her out. Azura watched in horror, but then rage began to swell inside him. Rage beyond anything he had ever felt.
He then stood up full and put more power into his semblance. His semblance progressed through stages, each one making him stronger and faster, but also further taxing him as well. It was a real risk to do this in his state, but he didn't care. If he was going to die, then he was going to bring that monster with him for what it did to yang. He let out a roar of challenge, and the monster roared back in acceptance.
The two charged with frightening speed, slamming into each other with terrifying force. The two locked front hands and began to push, trying to demonstrate their strength. Both pushed with all there might, but neither budged. Azura roared in pain and anger as he activated his highest stage, stage three. He didn't know if it could go higher, but it was all he had. He had to end the fight quick, or he would go down.
"Time to die you overgrown hell spawn!" Azura roared and using his enhanced strength began to push the monster back
The monster tried to push back to stop Azura's advance, but Azura pressed on. He then pushed the monster onto its hind legs. Then with a bust of frightening speed and power he shoulders tackled the monster through a oak tree. This sent the monster skidding back and tearing into its back badly. It got up and shook itself off, though clearly in pain, and charged again.
Azura was ready and stood his ground. He caught the monsters jaw in his arms and used the momentum to get lift the entire monster over his shoulders. The other samurai stood in in awe at this feat of strength. At this moment Yang slowly woke and saw this. Fear for Azura's safety flooded her body as she stood. But she knew now he needed support to win, not doubt.
"Bring it down Azura! You got this! Turn that demon dog into bits!" Yang yelled at her man
Azura smiled as he barely held the heavy struggling animal. He then swung the monster down hard onto the ground over his back. The force stunned the monster as it flopped and struggled on the ground as Azura grabbed its jaws. Soon the monster recovered and stood, trying to bite down on the samurai. Azura strained as his body fought him as much as the monster from the strain. All his sealed cuts began bursting open and blood flowing out as he forcibly began opening the monsters jaw.
The monster poured ever ounce of power it could into its bite. It's powerful jaws could crush the bones of the largest monsters, and its thick teeth were perfect to withstand the forces needed to smash through bone. But in this moment it wasn't enough. Azura shifted his footing and with one finally mighty motion forcibly swung the monsters jaws open, breaking them horribly. Then in a single motion grabbed his wakizashi and stabbed it right through the monsters eye to the hilt. The two laid there, but finally the monster from exertion and sheer trauma breathed its last. The samurai stood shocked as Yang rushed over.
"Azura! Azura speak to me!" Yang said she held him, shaking him
"Yang… Thank you…" Azura said weakly, barely able to stay awake
"For believing in me… when I didn't… Thank you." Azura said as he used the last ounce of strength to kiss her cheek before passing out in her arms
Yang began to cry as Azura laid bleeding in her arms, barely breathing. Healers rushed over and began to work on him immediately to stabilize him However before they took him away for further healing Yang notice something about Azura. As he laid there, he had a smile. Seeing this, Yang smiled as well as she wiped away the tears, knowing he was on the path finally to redemption.
Another day, another monster dead through a lot of effort. Anyways next time we are back with the now group of four as they now try to learn how to deal with each other. Well I should say Cao and Testuo dealing with each other. I thank everyone who has read, followed and or favorited this story for your support, and I'm surprised this story has done as well as it has. See you all next time.