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"….." Hinoka couldn't believe it.
Where to start?
She massaged her temples and bit her lower lip. It has been nearly five minutes, FIVE FREAKING MINUTES, and everything was going to hell.
Resuming, she was supposed to have fun with Kamui at the festival, even it that meant staying at Oboro´s side, even if she had to deal with jerks and pesky nobles, she had a short temper when it came to doing unnecessary things, and it was shorter when the things she really wished didn't go her way.
She could feel anger and anxiety.
Of course, she wasn't a child, that would rant when something wasn't going her way, but there was a limit. She was trying to locate Kamui, then all of sudden they heard a scream coming near the east garden of the plaza, near the forest. She would ignore it but one of the guards called her, that she needed to be there, that Kamui needed her.
What could be wrong? She ran to the direction where the people were gathering with Oboro following short behind her, then what could be a wall of guards blocking the path, with Kagero ordering everyone around the place.
She was pale.
Why? Kagero never was nervous, she wasn't supposed to be trembling the way she was, she wasn't supposed to have that worry sick look on her face, when she noticed the princess, there was another surprise, she fell to the ground, with her forehead pressing the ground, was she apologizing?
"I'm sorry milady, this is all my fault….I'm….. I'm ready to take any punishment you see fit," the ninja spoke with a broken voice. She couldn't get was she was talking about, looking around, some of the guards were speaking with some of the villagers, a woman who was trembling, horrified, another couple that was shaking, a pair of kids crying in their mother arms, merchants that were giving details of what happened, she could hear the word 'monster, demon, abomination,' over and over again, she felt a punch in her guts when she realized everyone was referring Kamui.
She passed the guards and almost fell to her butt when she saw the scene. Oboro gasped in horror, both girls were trying to no turn away to see what was behind.
"According to the witnesses, they saw a man leaving this place." Kagero started to explain "they are not sure, but it was a man with with a pair of glasses and a ponytail. It may be Yukimura."
Kagero continued "A couple was passing by after that man left, they saw Lord Kamui trembling in four in the ground, there was something wet on the ground with a broken vase an flowers, one of the women saw that there was something black falling from Lord Kamui, the woman saw that something black falling to the ground, since she is a healer she thought that maybe he had been mugged, so she approaching placing her hand on his shoulder, then she took the worst of it"
"Lord Kamui suddenly turned and scared the woman to death when he tried to grab her from her shoulders, falling to the ground with that…..expression on his face." Kagero resumed as she couldn't see him anymore.
How could they? HOW COULD ANYONE NOT HAVE NIGHTMARES AFTER SEEING HIM?
He was on the ground, his clothes were stained with a black liquid near his collar, no stab mark as far they could see, but…. His face, it was something they will never forget.
His face was stuck in what they could suppose was a scream, the colors of the replica banished leaving a white porcelain skin on him from his neck to the point of his head, his mouth wide open with that liquid falling from inside its mouth, it was impossible that the replica could open that much its mouth, worse, he was missing part of the 'skin' around the mouth, showing the mechanism that with the liquid stuck in the gears, it looked like some twisted fangs or teeth's, his nose was missing, making it look like his mouth was opening right in the middle of its face, that wasn't the worse part.
Its eyes, they were white and shattering, several drifts from the edges to the center of it, with that expression stuck it looked like the monster of some terrifying ghost stories, one of the sick ones that one never want to see in person.
And that was Kamui's replica?
Oboro couldn't hold it any longer and fell to her legs, her hands trying to prevent to unload the contents of her stomach right there, there was a sickening air in the scene, which that angered face that no matter where they moved, it felt that it was directly seeing whoever approached.
"….. .WHO DID THIS?" Hinoka spat, as the guards behind her shrieked in their places, not wanting to look at her. "OR A BETTER…QUESTION WHERE IS... .HE?" She turned pushing the guards away, talking to the poor witnesses who were still trembling "WHERE DID THAT MAN GO? TELL ME!" She shouted at the crow, Oboro placed her hand on her shoulder.
"They don't know….." Oboro face broke in a mixture of disgust and anger "….but I'm going to break some fingers of his little, stupid hand"
"Not before I cut his guts," Hinoka looked at Kagero "How this happened? Wasn't it supposed to be away of him?!"
"My apologies Milady….he used a replica to hide his movements," Kagero replied.
"And couldn't you see the difference?"
"His replica was far better that the one we have in my village, even in the war refinery of the castle, it bled and spoke when I was following him."
"Wh-What?!"
"The replica was speaking with some of the local merchants, talking about the inefficiency of some fireworks, then one of the drunkards threw his bottle of sake to him, there was a cut in his face and he wiped it with care, he was walking to the castle and he suddenly fell to the ground, when we inspected it we noticed that it was a replica….not even Kaze recognized it."
The fireworks started to fill the sky as Kagero was finishing her report.
"THEN WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?! I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THAT BASTARD IS STILL AROUND HERE" Hinoka looked at one of the guards "SET A PERIMETER, REPORT THAT WE´RE LOOKING FOR YUKIMURA TOMURA, AND WHICH we…need…to?" Hinoka slowly stopped as the guards were widening their eyes, as the last firework was illuminating the sky she looked in their direction, there was a purple light coming from Kamui´s room, she was about to give other orders when it happened.
The firework star figure was destroyed for what it looked like a current of wind, then the wind extinguished all the torches in the festival, the wind was polluted with something, she felt her lungs burning, everyone fell to their knees then, the air was filled with screams, men, women and kids screaming at the distance, she looked up and was about to ask what was happening when her head trembled, her vision was clouded and her eyes widened, there was a voice resonating in her head.
"Th1s W0rlD c4n D13"
Her heart ached as Kamui's distorted voice resonated in her head.
"3verY0n3, Th3yy c4N G0 TO HELL"
She looked up as the winds couldn't hide the gongs' sound at the plaza, the guards that barely could stand after that scream, it felt in slow motion as how Kamui´s window exploded in a purple and black fog, something that could barely fit the room fell from the room.
The gongs announce that they were under attack just before a black light destroyed one of the towers of the castle.
"No…no,no,no,no,no!" Hinoka ran to the castle. Oboro was behind her as the people were trying to get away of the battle. It was pure chaos, she could see how the kinshi warriors were flying on the royal garden using their yumi´s and lances to stop whatever was on the garden, just as they were trying to evade those black rays.
"That can't be…..that can't be Kamui, can it?" Oboro asked as Kagero joined.
"Milady, its dangerous to stay, we need to ev-"
"LIKE HELL I´LL GO!/WE WONT LEAVE!" Hinoka and Oboro yelled at the same time.
They ran trying to think what was happening, it didn't help that they were running in the dark. Why hadn't the guards or diviners lit the torches again? There was a bad taste in her mouth as they were approaching, Kagero was running above the wall, she suddenly jumped and took both girls collars falling backwards.
"What th-" Hinoka couldn't finish as the stone wall at her left was obliterated by those rays, a little later and she wouldn't see goodbye to anyone.
"Milady, I insist, we can't approach without putting you in risk, w-"
"I WON'T LEAVE KAMUI LIKE THAT!" She pointed at the castle "THAT WAS KAMUI, WASN'T IT? HE WENT BERSERK, WORSE WHEN WE LOST MOTHER! WE CANT LEAVE HIM LIKE THAT!"
"WE CAN´T LEAVE WHEN HE IS LITERALLY SAYING THAT THIS PLACE CAN GO TO HELL!" Oboro added.
"Wh-What? I'm sorry, but I don't follow, he said that before?"
"What? NO! just before the gong started to sound, with that wind, we could clearly hear him!"
"…milady….I only heard a dragonic roar"
"Uh?! / What?!" Hinoka and Oboro reacted at the same time.
"No, I'm pretty sure that was Kamui's voice" Oboro continued. "You didn't hear him just now with that wind?" Kagero shook her head.
"NEVERMIND THAT, WE NEED T-"
"LOOK OUT!" Kaze appeared as one of the kinshi birds was falling near them, the bird crashed to the ground as the ninja had someone in his arms.
"my….child…" Reina desperate tried to leave Kaze hold as she was trying to walk.
"Reina, enough," Kaze helped her to stand with her arm around his neck.
"N-NO! better dead instead of….letting my son… suffer like that….alone…." she was crying carrying her nagitana and pushing him away, Hinoka quickly helped her to stand as she was about to fall.
"What happened?!" Hinoka asked as Reina frowned for a moment, she fell to her knees as she coughed blood, Hinoka could see that a really good part of her right arms was singed, and there was an open wound in her stomach.
"Thank the dawn dragon you´re safe, Lady Hinoka!" Tsubaki landed near the group, he quickly grabbed Reina and made her drink an Elixir, the woman screamed as her wound closed painfully.
"Tsubaki? What…."she looked at the red haired man, his armor was lost as there were cuts and bruises around his exposed torso, the left side of his face had a cut from his chin to the edge of his eye brown. "….is going on?"
"Kamui…. I….." Tsubaki was lost in his thoughts for a moment, "….Lord Kamui has…..gone beyond recov-" he was hit by Reina straight in his nose, making him lose his hold on the wounded woman.
"DON'T YOU DARE TO SUGGEST THAT WE CANT SAVE HIM!" Reina screamed supporting her body on her nagitana "I'm his…mother….he has to…listen to me!"
"Wh-What ar-" Hinoka was about to ask, but Oboro quickly took Reina arm and supported her.
"….there´s no time for this….." Oboro bit her lower lip "Are you sure you want to return?"
"Yes…." Reina panted as she struggled to maintain her balance. "We need….to stop him…"
"No, we won't stop him, we´ll save him."
"….yes…you´re…right sweetie….."
It was difficult to move, but without much choice they pushed forward, Oboro couldn't recognize her surroundings, even with the dim light of the moon there was something off, it felt like something was missing in the air, or perhaps, it was the same 'gray' atmosphere that gave her a feeling of uncertainty and sadness, almost like they were drowning in the dense air, and the more they got closer to the screams and the dragonic roars, the worse it got.
Just when they arrived, she thought it might be a dream, now she knew it was a nightmare.
Kamui´s dragonic form was impressive before, but now she was speechless, she felt her arms trembling as her eyes were wide open seeing that figure under the moonlight.
His silver scales were gone, replaced by black thorns. His wings grew larger and thinner, the membrane looked withered to the point that she wondered if he could fly at all, the plates on his shoulders and back were also black, but instead of thorns it looked like fangs, his head and 'arms' were the worst of it.
Before there was a small semblance to human hands, now it looked like withered dragon claws. Every time he 'scratched' the ground it left a faint black fog. His head wasn't 'majestic' as some of the villagers described before, now the maw had more black fangs, a kind of black mask on his forehead that looked like stone with hollow eyesockets that had a dim red light from the bottom. All as every part were the scales joined, it let a black liquid fall, just now Oboro had to cover her mouth and nose as the smell of iron and burned flesh filled her nosethrill, looking behind, Hinoka and the group did the same.
When Kamui stomped the earth, everything trembled around the place, she thought that it was sheer force, but seeing the improvised tents around the royal garden weren't shacking, she understood that it was something more, now that black fog was pushed around the area, reaching to their waist, the smell got stronger as she could felt a sharp pain in her chest.
"L-Lady Hinoka." Tsubaki tried to stay cool, but even him was shaking for that scene. "I would…. Advise to retreat and leave everything to us…"
"Wh-What?! Why?! We have come so far just t-" Hinoka was interrupted as Reina hit the ground with her nagitana, she took a step forward.
"What he… wants to say… is that if we can't….. control his outburst….then they will have…. To strike him down," Reina swung her nagitana in her hands. "…and I won't allow it….."
"Nor I," Oboro placed her hand on Reina shoulder "….let me try it, you need to rest."
Another roar interrupted the group as some of the kinshi warriors on the sky drew their yumi´s, Reina quickly pushed Oboro behind one of the trees of the place.
"EVERYONE! HIDE!" Reina yelled as they guarded behind what they could find, seeing that the warriors tried to attack, their arrows connected, but as soon they finished their volley, Kamui scales glowed and the arrows returned in the air, faster than before, leaving a black trail behind.
"Wh-What?! What th-"Hinoka couldn't believe as Kamui let out another roar, with his head on the air as some of that black liquid splashed around the area.
"Why he can counter long ranged attacks?! And not only that, but return them stronger?!" Oboro yelled as Reina bit her lip.
"I…I don't know… I think he got….an upgrade class before he… turned in that…" Reina commented leaning on the tree, breathing heavily leaning on the tree.
"….tch" Oboro ripped the lower part of her yukata as she tied the shreds of the cloth on her legs. "We´ll have a long chat after I find out why he is like that." She looked at the princess "Hinoka, any ideas?"
"I….I don't know w-"
"LOOK OUT!" Tsubaki jumped to protect Hinoka as Reina covered her face, Hinoka and Oboro looked at Kamui who aimed to them, there was a faint purple light in his mouth and then, that black fog was launched to their directions.
Everyone had to breathe that fog while they feel to their knees, Oboro tried to look up, just to find another nightmare.
DISGUSTING.
She heard a voice, looking around, she couldn't find the others as her surrounding felt unreal, she was trembling without control as some voices and laughs filled her head, there was a void in her stomach that she couldn't shake off, she covered her ears but the voices got stronger and louder.
YOU SHOULD JUST DIE ALREADY.
"Wh-What?" a knot in her throat with a eldritch feeling invading her head, now she was crying as she was 'washed' with a torrent of impotence and loneliness, her world was spinning as figures appeared around her, she couldn't see their faces but she was sure it was something unreal "An illusion?" she tried to think, but the seconds felt like hours under that overwhelming feeling of horror and sadness, her vision returned for a few moments just to see Kamui opening his mouth with a black light swirling.
"W-WE NEED TO MOVE!" Reina voice resonated in her head, but she couldn't find her, or move at all, she widened her eyes as Kamui finally released that insane amount of energy on them.
All turned black with that attack.
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"That´s no good"
Another strange voice resonated in their heads, Oboro was blinded for some moments as she regained her awareness, blinking a couple of time she felt something in her chest, looking down the omamori was shining under her clothes, there was a faint golden aura around it when she took it out.
"You know…..I thought you would use it to guide you….or him."
She looked up, there was a figure in front of her that was deflecting the attack, it wasn't human, even if all what she could see were shadows, that form in front of her was something in the form of a beast, then a large shadow appeared, followed for another, and another one until there was nine in front of her.
"mmm…. I don't like to help my rivals…..but someone is forcing Kamui to play this rough."
The shadows swirled from the right to the left, then backwards as Kamui's attack finally ceased, this time Kamui coughed a lot of that black liquid from his maw as Oboro regained her vision. She must have been turned crazy, as a giant golden fox with nine tails was in front of her, the fox turned back licking her paw, there was burned fur on it.
"Wh-What? A kitsune?" Reina commented trying to stand up, Oboro looked back as Hinoka was the only one who was conscious, everyone else were laying on the ground.
"Oh! You´re the fine lady in his heart!" the kitsune tilted her head with curiosity. "Azura spoke highly of you~"
"Wh-What? Azura?" Oboro tried to stand as suddenly the fox jumped on the tree, then to Kamui´s head, after that to one of the tents, moving its tails and gaining her attention.
"No time to talk, just to play~ play~ plaaaaay~" It´s voice resonated again. "I´ll play with him, but try to find what is making him so angry, quickly!"
The omamori shined again as the fox again jumped on Kamui´s head as he tried to bite her paws, small blue balls of fire hit his head as she moved around the garden.
"….Lady Hinoka, can you stand?" Oboro asked supporting her body in the nearby tree.
"I-I think so, but, what was all that?! And what is that thing?" Hinoka supported Reina.
"Who cares? I'm pretty sure if it wasn't for that fox, we wouldn't be here complaining."
"She´s right," Reina commented as the group slowly started to awake "That wasn't….one thing you can face straight….meaning…."
"…what?"
"That she must have…a really huge magical resistance…."
"Uh…what?" Kagero tried to stand with Tsubaki as Hinoka was explaining what happened.
"Then what you suggest?" Oboro asked.
"Ughh….I….I…." Reina leaned again on her weapon.
"She said that there is something bothering him" Hinoka continued "Maybe if we find it, he will stop."
"Mmm…..Reina?"
"Is better than… nothing….we need to…" she was about to walk when Oboro supported her.
"No, we need to search for whatever is bothering Kamui, you need to rest." Oboro commented as Tsubaki took Reina arm around his shoulder.
"But-"
"Leave this to us" she bowed "Please….mother"
"…..Fine," Reina coughed with a faint smile.
"What about us?" Tsubaki asked.
"Take everyone who is affected by that fog to a secure place, anyone who breathes it will have…..a really bad dream…." Hinoka commented.
"Bad dream? I just fainted with a shivering feeling."
"What?" She looked at the others, aside of Oboro and Reina, everyone nodded.
"There must be a reason why we had that hallucination," Oboro said. "But talking about that right now won't help us" she pointed at one group of soldiers that was approaching "Tell the squads that we only need support, neither vanguard or attack squads, anything that tries to attack Kamui with physical damage will end badly."
"R-Roger that," Tsubaki and the other walked away, Hinoka and Oboro ran to Kamui's direction as they were making sure to dodge the large clouds of fog on the area.
"So…mother?" Hinoka commented as Oboro blushed a little.
"Well, she said that it was her child…." Oboro commented. "I can only think about a couple of things that would make someone as Reina to speak like that."
"…" Hinoka frowned as they stopped behind one of the trees a few meters away of Kamui, doing the same to her yukata that the lancer did, it was a shame that she had to do that, but seeing how complicated would be to move restrained like that, it would be troublesome. "So, what´s the plan?"
"I don't know…." Oboro tried to look around, the only thing she could see was Kamui trying to catch the fox, and that black fog was not helping at all. "You have an idea?"
She looked at the princess who was seeing her omamori, it was still shining on her hand, she was about to knock it off but there was something she noticed when Hinoka moved her to see her, arching her eyebrow she took out her omamori as well, there was still that yellow light around the omamori, all but a small part, she moved it to one side to another, and it wasn't the effect of the light, it looked like it was pointing something, seeing the absurd fight of creatures behind her, it wasn't pointing in their direction.
"What are you thinking?" Hinoka asked.
"Mmm…why that fox said 'I thought you would use it to guide you'?"
"Eh?"
"Saaaaaaay, how did Sakura make the omamories?"
"She said…. That she took the brands and imbued with magical energy….from Kamui and us…"
"….what if…..the energy of this little thing is being taken?"
"….from the same asshole that took his energy before…." Hinoka frowned "…..this would be a long shot."
"Do you have a better idea?" Hinoka shook her head "The fox said 'use it to guide you', I can't think in a better hint"
"I think that trash needs a visit."
They ran again, dodging the destroyed parts of the garden. For what they could see they were right, the small that was missing with each step turned wider by the minute, they weren't sure if it was because it was losing its light or if they were going near something….or someone, but there was one thing clear, the more they approached, they saw that most of Kamui's last attack aimed to one direction in particular, Hinoka felt a knot in her chest as the improvised shrine looked like the center of the previous chaos.
At first it started like noise in her ears, but there were whispers as they got closer and closer that became louder with that disgusting feeling in her heart.
"Focus" Oboro commented.
"I know, it's just…. I can't concentrate with this noise."
"…it's nothing that they haven't told me before."
"Uh?"
"All those voices….. those comments about me being scary and stuff….."
"What are you talking about?"
"Is not what you hear?" Hinoka shook her head "Uh…I must be different form each person, if this is a delusion, then it must differ with the target, we n-"
"TELL ME WHAT YOU DID!" They heard a voice inside the shrine, they felt a chill in their backs as they rushed to Sakura room, it was without mistake, that bastard's voice, Hinoka took one of the poles of the place as Oboro prepared her nagitana "YOU DID SOMETHING, DIDN'T YOU? WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT SEE HE´S A MONSTER?!"
"That´s…." Hinoka whispered as Oboro placed her finger on her lips nodding, they were now behind the door, hearing some sounds coming from inside Sakura room, before Oboro could react, Hinoka opened the door with a kick and prepared, she widened her eyes as that disgusting feeling was replaced with hate.
"Oh? Lady Hinoka? I'm impressed that you made it so far," Yukimura commented, he was twisting Sakura arm with an blank expression, Sakura yelped in pain as he pulled her to his side, the place was all turned down, probably Yukimura was looking for something, but what enraged Hinoka was that red mark in Sakura left cheek.
"WHAT DID YOU DID TO MY SISTER?!" She screamed, tightening the grip on the pole until her knuckles turned white.
"Uh? Oh? This?" he placed his free hand on her cheek, then he suddenly raised it. "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE DOESN'T TELL ME WHAT I NEED!" He slapped her face again as Hinoka gritted her teeth's in fury, she jumped ready to hit his guts, but Yukimura suddenly took from under his clothes that small black orb, suddenly there was that black fog again hitting Hinoka who fell to her knees again. "Mmm…? Impressive, you´re still awake after that? This bad girl did the same to you?"
"What are you talking about?! Sakura hasn't done anything to anyone!" Oboro yelled as Yukimura frowned, this time placing Sakura in front of him as a human shield.
"Hasn't she? Kamui should be dead by now when he touched the ground, remember?" he frowned further "WHY THE HELL THAT MONSTER, NO, THAT MONGREL IS STILL ALIVE?! THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CURSE, AND PRINCESS SAKURA HAS BEEN MEEDLING WITH IT!"
"Wh-What?! So the reason he´s like that…."
"I just delivered two flowers, that´s all," Yukimura smirked delighted by the memory. "He trembled like a leaf on the wind, to think that you would use a replica to make him have 'fun', such childish methods in this age and time, someone had to teach you a lesson," he fixed his glasses.
"….flowers…..you…YOU MONSTER!" Hinoka stood, this time her face was red "DID YOU TOLD HIM THE MEANING OF THAT?!"
"I just educated him, after all, tomorrow I'd have announced that the Nohrian Family officially declared him dead, and one of Kamui´s sidekicks or whatever what was that girl as well, if he wants to make a rant about that, it his problem, not mine." He sighed "For gods' sake, that stupid girl was at his side all the time, it was the only natural thing to happen."
"….you might be right…." Oboro trademark frown appeared "Kamui….might be turned in a monster by now….but…." she glared daggers to the tactician. "…..it's only by trash like you that he´s like that."
"Me? Trash?" he frowned "HE CHOSE THE ENEMY INSTEAD OF HIS HOMELAND, SIDING WITH THE ENEMY!" He gritted his teeth "THE ONLY RIGHT HE HAVE FOR THAT IS RECEIVING SPIT AT HIS GRAVE FOR THAT TREASON! AFTER LADY MIKOTO'S SACRIFICE, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXCECUTED BY NOW! BUT NO! LORD RYOMA HAS BETRAYED THIS COUNTRY AS WELL TRYING TO RECOVER THAT THING!" there was a cracking sound around them "Oh? And speaking of disgusting things…"
He hid behind one of the supports beams, Hinoka and Oboro did as well while the roof disappeared under one of Kamui's attacks, after that the kitsune fell under some of the wood beams, her fur was a little burned and she was trembling, Oboro saw how it was coughing some of that black fog.
"S-Sorry….I..nng!" The kitsune tried to apologize. Yukimura, seeing what fell from the roof, released Sakura and stomped the kitsune's stomach.
"So, it wasn't Sakura doing, IT WAS THIS DISGUSTING THING?!" He kicked it again, this time Oboro didn't remained still, she swiftly approached swinging her nagitana, making Yukimura dodge backwards, using his orb again but the kitsune raised one of her tails, making the fog thinner and easy to evade. "WHY ARE YOU SO ATTACHED TO THAT THING?! HE IS NO LONGER A HUMAN! IF WE DO-" Before he could finish, the ground trembled as the left side of the room cracked, the kitsune quickly grabbed Oboro, Hinoka and Sakura to cover them with it tails, Yukimura used a magic barrier as Kamui´s tail appeared destroying the place and throwing them outside of the remaining of the building.
Oboro coughed as the mixture of dirt and that fog floated in the area, at her left was Hinoka covering Sakura, on the other side was a girl, golden hair and a pair of fox ears on her head, a tail on her rear, she looked with a lot of scratches and some burned hair, or it was fur? It didn't matter as the girl shook her head, she was using a version of Hinoka yukata, smaller skirt and longer sleeves, red and white, with white fingerless cloves, golden 'coins' under her ribbon, matching her golden eyes when she looked up.
"Ah! My disguise! Don't look at me! I'm secret!" she quickly turned to one side hiding her ears, suddenly her short hair grew larger, her fox ears disappeared with her tail "There! Now y-wait! This is not the time to talk," Oboro deadpanned, it couldn't be right, she saw her face before but she couldn't point where, the girl suddenly stood and coughed, taking out a stone from her yukata she transformed again in a fox "Geez…Lord Kamui, is rude to dispel my clever disguise…." Her voice resonated again in Oboro´s head, there was a growling sound in the air, again Oboro felt how her world shook and the cloud of smoke disappeared, turning back she saw Kamui's dragonic form in front of her, just until now she could see how bad he turned.
"Well, it doesn't matter after all…" Yukimura said while Kamui as preparing to attack again. "I just have to deal with him," after some seconds, Kamui's body was pierced by several stakes of fire from his right side, he fell to the ground as again he was attacked. Oboro looked at the source, seeing that some diviners were using tomes, Kamui tried to stand but Yukimura raised his arm. "Futile" a black light appeared around Kamui, as the curse appeared on his back, making him impossible to move, again the stakes hit him over and over again.
"COWARD!" Oboro rushed to the tactician, who used the orb again with that black fog, followed by a weaker version of Kamui attack, Oboro managed to evade it as she was pressing forward. "FIGHT LIKE A REAL MAN! NO MORE TRICKS!"
"TRICKS?! LET ME SHOW JUST WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN IGNORING!" He raised his orb again as a wave suddenly pushed Oboro backwards.
WHY?! WHY IS STILL HURTS?!
She widened her eyes as Kamui's voice resonated in her head, her omamori shone stronger, as the wave got stronger her movements turned slower.
WHY?! WHY ARE THEY LAUGHING?!
Falling to her knees, she grabbed her omamori as it burned in her skin, she looked back as Kamui tried to stand again, he roared as the attacks landed again on his torso, this time a large amount of blood fell from his wounds and maw.
"Well…. If the curse won't kill him, I´ll just have to do it myself!"
"As if I…would allow it!" Yukimura looked behind to see how Reina with her troops aimed their Yumi´s, not to him, but to his men, a volley of arrows fell to them, most of them blocked it with their magic.
"Don't forget about us!" Hayato with, Azama, Orochi and other diviners used their cards against them, this time they managed to corner the group as they had to endure the assault, again, Yukimura raised the orb as he growled.
THEY JUST ENJOY IT.
Her throat dried as his voice resonated again.
"WHY DO YOU INTERFERE?! HE´S NOT LONGER ANYTHING NEAR HU-" Yukimura's screaming stopped when there was a sharp pain in his arm, then he was pulled up as his right arm was being destroyed by Kamui's bite. He was shaken violently like a rag doll, until he felt his arm break apart, he was threw to one of the stone walls afar of the Palace as his ripped arm fell to the ground with the orb still glowing, Oboro had to cover her mouth to no vomit for that morbid scene, his arm looked like a bloody mess.
"Is it over? Did w-" Hinoka walked at Oboro side when the orb suddenly cracked, another wave came from it as Kamui roared again, this time everyone but Hinoka, Oboro and Reina fell to their knees for the sudden impact, the kitsune rushed to the orb, just to be stopped when Kamui stomped the ground, another set of waves pushed everyone as the orb cracked further.
"L-LADY!" The kitsune talked as she was barely moving "I-If you don't calm him down now, we lose the game!"
"What?! But how we stop him?!" Oboro asked.
"Th-The orb! Grab the orb!"
She slowly but steadily approached the orb, she couldn't understand what was happening, but almost everyone around were falling one by one as those waves hit them, just before she could take it, the only ones standing were Hinoka, Reina and her.
With the object in her hand, her surroundings suddenly blackened, looking around she couldn't see anyone or anything, not even the moonlight, and it was until she saw him in that place.
Kamui's human form on her knees, grabbing his head with a disgusted frown.
"L-Lord Kamui!"
"DON'T COME NEAR ME!" He screamed as she felt his hatred burning her skin, his figure was surrounded by black aura "GO AWAY!"
"…Kamui…."
"SILENCE! LIAR!" He hit his forehead against the ground "YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE ME SUFFER AGAIN! HOW MUCH I MUST SUFFER FOR YOU TO BE HAPPY?! GO AWAY!"
"….." Hesitantly, she took slow and calm steps, the closer she got, more details she saw, his skin that looked like it was about to break apart, cuts and bruises on his body, he wasn't using a shirt or yukata, the curse in his back was glowing with such strong light that it looked like it was melting in his skin. "…Kamui."
"DON'T COME NEAR! LEAVE ME ALONE! WHY YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME ALONE?!" He screamed as the place shook, pulsating.
"Lord Kamui….please, listen to me…." She tried to grab his hand, but he slapped her away.
"DON'T TOUCH ME! LEAVE ME!" He looked up, his face broke her heart, his face had such strong expression of hatred that she never would see it in another person, not even her face was match for his. "WHY?! WHY DO YOU INSIST ON MAKING ME SUFFER!?"
"….I will never hurt you….Lord Kamui….."
"LIAR! EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM ARE LIARS!" Oboro looked around as shadows appeared around him, laughing shadows pointing at him. "THEY JUST WANT TO ME SUFFER, THEY MUST DIE! EVERYONE MUST DIE ALREADY!" The shadows started to laugh harder.
"No, not everyone is like that!" she kneeled at his level, but again he slapped her hands again.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" He hit the ground again, this time with his closed fits "YOU, ALL OF YOU, YOU´LL NEVER LEAVE ME LIVE! YOU´LL NEVER LET ME BE HAPPY!" He grabbed his head "ALL BECAUSE I DIDN'T CHOOSE YOU! BECAUSE OF HOSHIDO, BECAUSE OF NOHR, BECAUSE OF EVERYONE! THEY HATE ME!" He gritted his teeth's. "I HAVE NOTHING! NOTHING! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!" again he hit the ground "ALL I HAVE LEFT IF THIS FEELING, WHICH EVERYONE MUST DIE FOR IT TO GO AWAY!"
"….Kamui…please, listen to me….."
"SHUT UP! SH-SHUT UP AND JUST DIE ALREADY!" He grabbed his head and curled on the ground as Oboro felt a pressure in her chest, again that places was shaking.
"….do you really want me dead?…."
"…I...I..." His voice was shivering as he couldn´t think clearly.
"….and if I gave you my everything?" he looked up as Oboro slowly approached "I mean….I'm not as pretty as... your sister Camilla, or even Lady Hinoka….sometimes I'm quick tempered and I'm a klutz about a lot of things, but…" she opened her arms, Kamui tried to get away crawling backwards but Oboro managed to embrace him, she could feel his rage, that corrosive hatred showering her body, but she endured it, carefully placing her head on his "…..as long I'm here, you won't be alone….if you suffer, then I´ll suffer with you, please, calm your hatred and let me be with you…"
Kamui widened his eyes as his mouth trembled, he was struggling to breathe as she carefully rubbed his hair.
All the hate was being washed away as his tears started to fell from his eyes, his arms fell to his side as that black aura around him started to disappear.
"….what….."
"I don't hate you Kamui….you have done a lot of nice things…"
"….lies…. you ju-"
"I know that you would never hurt anyone innocent, that you did your best on the front lines to make sure your love ones and the people you were fighting….didn't know the feeling of losing someone dear to them…..heh….you´re even too innocent to be good for you…..but still….you wont be alone as long I'm here... so you can believe in me when I say, I'm here, for you."
Now he couldn't stop his tears as his body was trembling.
The orb cracked in Oboro's hand as her surrounding returned, she was actually embracing Kamui who returned to his original form, the black liquid on the ground turned in water as everyone around looked relieved. Kamui pushed his face on her bossom with his arms around her and started to cry.
"They…..he…." he mumbled in his cry "….took….everything….my wife….my child…"
Oboro felt a void in her heart, embracing him stronger and crying with him. "I'm sorry Lord Kamui…..I didn't know…..I'm sorry….I'm sorry" every time she apologized Kamui hold her tighter to his body, the scene continued for several minutes as everyone else looked confused.
Some of the guards started to mumble between them as Hinoka frowned looking down, he looked at Yukimura direction but he was gone, he left a bloodstain behind, so if they hurried up maybe they could catch him.
"…..What happened?!" everyone but Oboro looked at the left side, to see how Ryoma was approaching with Saizo behind him and a large group of guards. "WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"…..Milord…." Kagero kneeled in front of him "…I…..we….."
"Don't waste time!" one of Yukimura's men yelled pointing at Kamui "If he transforms again, we won't be able t-"
"Let me be clear about this…." Oboro looked at the group, her eyes filled with venom as she broke her record in scary faces "….if you dare to touch a single hair of him….." her face darkened "…..I WILL KILL YOU" They gulped as everyone in the place including Reina and Saizo shivered for her words. "…I´ll take him to any of the free rooms of the fourth floor….Lord Ryoma, if you wish to guard him, you´re welcome." At that point Kamui was knocked out, they weren't sure if it was for the curse of for the scene, but they wouldn't risk asking with Oboro in that state, one of the groups Ryoma took from the garrison looked at him, he nodded as the leader of the squad bowed and followed Oboro that was piggy carrying Kamui on her back. Sakura was using her rod on the albino.
"Now….. CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN ME WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" Ryoma asked as Reina approached with Tsubaki's help.
"Where to begin….." Hinoka bit her lip "…maybe that kits-" she looked at her left, just to see that as soon the girl arrived, she disappeared. "…-sune…..never mind that….but brother" she grabbed tightened her hands "….we need to talk."
Chapter 26: Dragon heart.
