What was that feeling? Something inside of him was singed with the scene, something crushing the small spark of hope, the last dream of peace, in the end, disgusting thoughts swirled inside his head.
He wished it to be just a bad dream, something that could be called just another of his weirdest and darkest dream, to be a recurrent dream or something similar to those times one struggle to wake up, over and over again to feel that despair trying to wake up, he preferred that, even if it meant that all what happened with Oboro, Reina and Hinoka was just a vivid dream.
He even prayed for that in his mind, he felt disgusted with himself for wishing that, it was a betrayal to the bond he forged with them, somehow, it felt like that wishful thinking was enough to crush their trust in him, but at the same time, he felt disgusted how 'she' made him feel.
"…..You can't forget, you can't forg1ve after 4ll….."
" . . .SLAY THEM."
It was something that he hated to feel, the whole idea disturbed him, the thought of doing that right now was madness itself, but more than anything, he hated that there might be a part of him that find it appealing.
Now he was in the private bathroom, something a few rooms away, with his torso exposed in a room away of the prying eyes, he knew their heart was in the right place, but….
"You´re….. not having second thoughts, right?" He was leaning at the edge of the sink, looking at the mirror, her voice resonated in his head, just to appear a few steps behind him, althought the sclera of her eyes was black, she looked exactly as Elise "You know it´s pointless right? In the end, caring about them is a mistake….. they´ll use us, like Garon….. like the others….. disgusting humans… as always…."
He dipped his head on the sink, trying to force her out his head, it somewhat worked before. Aqua always used that song and the water to calm his nerves when Elise wasn't around, there was a familiar feeling being surrounded by it, melancholy, even some kind of happiness, to remember older times, but now it was gone, instead of refreshing and soothing his body, the pressure felt overwhelming on his head, he knew it was a mistake how with each heartbeat the water exerted pressure around him, opening his eyes, he could see her golden bangs floating at the bottom of the sink.
He withdrew his head, gasping for air as his body felt heavier than before, his skin was cold as his breathe was forced by the shock of seeing her eyes again in that mirror.
"You know you cant make me go away like this," She stated, looking annoyed "We are way deeper than a simple thought, you should know that by now"
Looking down and grabbing his head, he tried to contain again his tears from falling, it was already bad that he had that feeling again in his chest, the same he felt that night, but now to deal with that thing buzzing around him, it was already an impossible task, crawling under his skin, those thoughts were getting louder and louder.
It was until he barely heard those footsteps he regained some of his sanity, he couldn't lost control again, seeing how the screen moved to reveal Hinoka, she sighed, with a faint smile and some towels on her arms.
"Are you still d0ubting?" She asked, he had to blink again, scratching his ear just to make sure he wasn't mishearing.
"What?"
"I said that if you´re are still doubting about this?"
"Aaahhh…. Yes… i….."
"Is not the big deal, really, at this point, I'm wondering when Reina or Oboro are going to interrupt us," she tried to laugh, but his face made it hard to do, again, he looked distant. "A… Am I the problem?"
"Uh? Oh, no, no, no…. It's just…" Elise giggled, passing behind Hinoka, disappearing behind the screen as he tried not to follow her with his eyes. "…. I… I'm not feeling good….."
"Well…. I know one thing for sure! This always worked, right? You only need to feel refreshed!" Hinoka took his wrist "Even if it´s for a little while, I'm sure this can help."
That was unexpected, her fingers were somewhat rough, but her touch definitely soothed some of his pain, perhaps Yukimura was trying something right now, but he felt confident about being with her, he even dared to think that even if she wouldn't join him in the bathtub like before, just being at her side was enough.
The moment they moved to the other side of the screen, his wishful thinking was destroyed.
He knew Hinoka was talking, but certainly, the bathtub at the center of the room, with Elise laying in it with her arms at the side of the bathtub, clearly with her severed wrists and bloody water was enough to drift his attention.
"You kn0w… she lov3d romance novels….. maybe knowing that Garon would never allow our kid….be the firstborn… She just ended like this…" he had to stop the urge to scream at that moment, feeling how Hinoka was puling him again, he reacted, stopping her.
"Kamui?"
"aRe y0u feeling shy now? Or you just got tired to be fooling around?"
No words came from his dry mouth, Hinoka was confused, and before she could take a step forward, he dragged her out the room, without looking back as that disgusting feeling returned to his gut.
Right now, he needed to escape that place, although he could hear Hinoka's voice, Elise giggles around him was too distracting, he barely could handle it.
"Running away again? Why do you keep avoiding it? Or do you need something more to remember? Maybe you only need our dragonstone again, perhaps with that, you´ll act again, you need another reminder o-"
"Be calm…..*" Kamui didn't notice her, but Reina managed to bump on him, before he could react, she gently rubbed his head. "You seem….. anxious, distracted, relax…."The last minutes were pure chaos, but right now, the world was numbed by her warm embrace, he could feel something on his neck, but resting his head on her bosom, for a short moment, he could find some peace before blacking out. "Be calm….*"
Chapter 36: Last days
Thirty minutes earlier.
"No… that´s no good either….." Orochi sighed, looking at the papers around her, she massaged her temples, there wasn't much to do, but she had to keep trying.
After what happened, she had to remove the seal on Kamui´s back, that curse that unfortunately, every time she tried to translate the glyphs, every time she was about to get the handle of one symbol, it felt like it slipped through her fingers, sighing and looking at the fake mirror, how Reina was happily cuddling with Kamui, she had to try harder.
"Haaahh… buffoons….." she smirked, even with the tiredness invading her body and feeling her shoulders heavier than lead, she sat on the nearest chair and took the small paper. "Can´t waste too much time"
The main problem was that she had too little information, only the glyphs on the design she used and that piece of paper was everything she had, normally some scholars would be helping her, just a few books, linguists or someone from the council might have an idea about it, but being something from the late queen, rather than helping Kamui, it might be taken away as a 'holy treasure', and Yukimura being a jerk, there was nothing to do about it.
"That looks boring"
"It´s way too boring, but I think is more complicated than b-" She froze, looking back, there was a cheeky girl looking from her shoulder, she fell from her seat as those fluffy ears and tail took her out her balance. "Wh-Whaaaat? Wh-Wh- Wh-Wh- Wh-Wh-"
"It´s fine, relax" Ryoma appeared, followed by Kagero who entered the room. "this…. Girl is a friend."
"Yoooohoooo~ I'm Selkie, but that´s secret! Call me Akemi~"
"Wait… wha-" Orochi was surprised when Selkie turned from her 'fox ears' to the appearance of that noble lady, then back to the fox ears "…..a kitsune? I….. I don't understand…."
"Me neither…. But this….. girl" Ryoma sighed, seeing how she stormed around the room, curious about everything that she found interesting "… might be of use"
"Pardon?" She stood in front of him "Milord, what are you doing?! I have been trying to solve this whole mess, but even if I find appealing to cuddle with a cute girl, we don't have time for this! Sh-"
"I know, I know" Ryoma sighed "It seems that lately I have lost some of your trust, but after hearing what the Nohrian said and after hearing what Yukimura did, I believe she´s our best chance to help Kamui."
"How so?"
"She´s….. the kitsune we saw that night…." Orochi widened her eyes in sheer surprise, she could feel how her tiredness left her body with that new, there were a quite the number of questions in her head, but how useful she could be? "And… even if she´s a little feisty….. she´s proven that we can count on her."
"….Lord Ryoma, you surely cant….." looking at the girl, a moment ago she was like a wild boar around, but now, she was looking at Kamui, with some of the papers on her hand, troubled "Missy?"
"…He´s…..he´s…there?" She wondered.
"Uh?"
Looking around, Selkie remained silent, she picked some of the drafts Orochi requested and started to read with some sadness in her eyes "These symbols… are from the kind queen… I remember her…."
"Excuse me? Kind Queen?"
"Yes, I remember her…. How she loved Kamui…. And even if that time I couldn't talk… I remember how she held me in her arms."
"In her arms? What….." Ryoma and Orochi looked each other, confused by her words, they couldn't remember something like that happening.
"Even that nice lady…. She looked scary, but now she´s…..with him… I'm happy that darling is with someone close to the kind queen… but Kamui now has….. " now there was a new face Ryoma didn't see before.
Disgust.
Selkie took one of the pencils and started to draw "I remember, her voice every time she sang…. That lullaby"
"Excuse me? But, when this happened? Or better, w-"
"Shh!" Orochi covered Ryoma mouth as she was seeing the drawings, it wasn't random "quiet!"
"…. I remember how… I was lost… following papa scent…. And found Kamui…. At the garden…..I ….." she took another paper, with a faint smile "I…. I remember that fluffy blanket…. with those lines….but….." seeing the paper at her side, she bit her lip "….what…. have you done? To the kind lady words?"
"You…. You´re not making sense…." Ryoma sighed.
"Wait…. Blanket….BLANKET?!" Orochi grabbed her own head "YOU MEAN, THAT ONE?! THE ONE TH-THAT…." She quickly joined the girl, drawing as well. "HOW COULD I BE SO STUPID?!"
"Wh-What? What´s going on?"
"Now it all makes sense!" Orochi yelled, with some shame but happiness in her voice "Ryoma…. Are we still holding Lord Kamui possessions?"
"Y-Yes, b-"
"The mantle Lady Mikoto had years ago, you know, the one she sewed several times, the one she used with Kamui and Sakura, is still in her trunk?"
"I…I don't know, maybe? Wh-"
"Yes, that´s it coon-lady!" Selkie remarked "but… this is wrong….."
"Oh, yes, yes, you´re right, it´s like this~" Ryoma approached, Orochi was drawing the blanket Lady Mikoto used every time she lulled Kamui "So that´s the main reason!"
"Umm…. Can you explain it?"
"No, you don't get it" Selkie puffed her cheeks, writing down "I remember that blanket, it states…'remain*'…? No, that´s not….. 'restore*'?"
"?!" Orochi widened her eyes in sheer surprise "That´s…. Lady Mikoto…."
"That´s the kind lady's voice, I still remember it" Selkie smiled "But….I don't understand… why are you seeing this?"
"…. Lord Kamui has…. A tattoo…. In his back, used with the glyphs from Lady Mikoto notes, it´s a special type of magic, and in order to break the curse on his back, I need to understand what it means… can you help me with that?"
"… the kind queen…. Told me that, it was her heart…." She started "Every tune in that blanket had a piece of her heart, that… voice she used is magic from her heart, she told me that where she came from, people used her heart to connect their magic….this is…." Looking at what Orochi draw, the lines were a bit blurry, maybe Orochi wasn't sure about the lines, but she recognized those drawings "…it´s say´s….. 'restore your mind, your soul, your mother will always held you near her heart'…." Her fingers moved from side to side while she read "….'the blessing of the sky will maintain your form, dear child'….."
"….I see…. Then it makes sense now….."
"What makes sense?" Reina interrupted, as she took by surprise Ryoma, but Selkie and Orochi remained silent, the kitsune bit her lip, with a quick peek, he noticed that Hinoka was with Kamui, Reina quickly got in the way from his vision "…they need some privacy"
Orochi chuckled at Reina over protective behavior "…Lady Mikoto used a blanket to soothe Lord Kamui… using her special magic from her homeland…." She began "I found… curious how in the many years here, he never transformed into a dragon, I wondered 'Maybe he wasn't old enough' or 'Maybe Nohr did something to him' the first time I saw his transformation, but now, I remember how Lady Mikoto always used that blanket to soothe him, whenever Kamui cried or got excited by something…. She used that blanket, now I see that´s important…."
"How so?"
"Yukimura used the spell 'Nosferatu', but clearly, he modified it with Lady Mikoto's magic, at least the basic of her magic, if Selkie can…." She looked at the kitsune, her expression changed way too much.
"That´s a really bad face sweetie" Reina commented "Want to share something with us?"
"….who did this?!" she frowned, taking some charcoal, she began to drawn on the wall, Ryoma was about to stop her, but Orochi raised her hand "this… this all wrong!" drawing the curse on the wall, she stomped the floor, annoyed "The voice…. The voice is all backwards! And its disgusting this song! Who did this?!" she turned with a sour expression.
" It was….it is Yukimura and my doing" Orochi confessed "Is that bad?"
"Bad? Bad?! It´s horrible!" she groaned "This part say´s 'the not wanted to mother', but it´s wrong! This part cant be used to make someone feel sad! And this! This is just confusing! 'denied', 'bad blood', 'slave'? it just make a mixture of the kind queen magic with that Nosfaretu thing! You can't…." She stopped pointing out the errors, but seeing the drawing, she remained thoughtful for a moment "…no, this can't be…. They mixed the magic? But…. Feelings and power cant mix this way…" she stepped back for a moment, biting her finger "….kind queen…. You taught me for this?"
"…Sweetie? Can you… tell us what it say´s?" Reina asked, the kitsune moved her tail from side to side.
"….you want…. To erase this?"
"Yes! Of course we want! I tried for so long, but trying to lift that curse without knowing it t-" Orochi explained, but she was interrupted
"But it doesn't make sense!" Selkie screamed. "THIS IS NOT LIKE THE KIND QUEEN AT ALL!" They were dumbfounded for a moment "I think they tried to spell 'By my hand, slave the bad blood, as the mother command, tied by the guilt and corruption' or something like that, at least, that´s what i understand the part of the kind queen's magic."
"….Can we erase it? With your help?"
"No, I can't, this doesn't make sense, this doesn't look like the kind queen at all!"
"Well, of course not, Yukimura used Mother's notes to fabricate this curse with the help of Nohrian books, i cant understand why are you troubled by it" Ryoma commented.
"I'm mad because according to this, the kind queen casted it!" they were surprised for such statement, but regardless of their shocked expressions, Selkie continued "You don't understand? Me either! The kind queen's magic is based in emotions, if you´re going to use this spell, you need to be the papa or mama! It´s say´s 'as the mother command', this magic cant be casted if you´re not the kind queen! It has to be her!"
They remained silent, was she really translating the glyphs? Ryoma couldn't say if she was lying or not, but certainly, her words were resonating in his mind, some memories of Queen Mikoto doing such thing as using that blanket to soothe Kamui were enough to convince him that the girl had a point in what she claimed, but in the last minutes, he barely could follow her words, and now, she was talking nonsense.
"….wait, Selkie…. You said that he would need Lady Mikoto to cast that curse… she has…. To be alive?" Orochi asked with such bold statement that now it felt like everyone were turning mad.
"Wh-What? Wh-"
"Would blood be enough for that?" Reina interrupted Ryoma, looking at her and then to the kitsune, she nodded.
"The glyphs need something from the caster… so I gue-"
"THAT BASTARD!" Orochi screamed, taking them for surprise "SO THAT WAS THE WHOLE REASON?! YOU….YOU DISGRACEFUL DASTARD!" Orochi walked to the table, hitting it with her bare fist "NOT ONLY HAVE YOU HUMILIATED ME BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS CHARADE, BUT YOU ALSO HAD THE AUDACITY! THE GALL TO DESECRATE THE SANCTITY OF LADY MIKOTO´S DEPARTURE RITUAL?!"
"Orochi, stop! Stop already! They´re going to listen if you scream that loud!" Ryoma grabbed her from her arms, but she started to cry as she lost her composure.
"YOU DONT GET IT LORD RYOMA!? WE CANT LIFT THE CURSE!" She screamed "IN ORDER TO DO SO, WE NEED SOMETHING THAT DOESNT EXIST ANYMORE!"
"…..Lady Mikoto… died trying to protect her son…. As the Queen of Hoshido…. The ritual states that she had to be cremated one week prior her decease… in that time, only the priestesses could prepare her body for that…. Meaning that Yukimura didn't care at all one of our most sacred rituals to our ancient rulers….." Reina commented, it was terrible to think that the always loving queen could do something so terrible, but knowing what Yukimura could have done, it wasn't worse "….well, it was just a suggestion, maybe he used some of the hair left in her comb?"
Selkie nodded "Maybe, if Kamui has this in his back, it needs to be either the kind lady voice and words, or her blood, for this spell there might be a chance, but i need to know more…." she sighed "…it explains why he´s so hurt…."
"…..I know it´s hard to say it, but, can you explain it? we barely know anything about Lady Mikoto magic, how bad it is?"
"… this kind of magic… cant be used by someone who doesn't… 'belong' to that magic, it´s uses emotions and feelings to work, if that man used the kind queen blood…. Then Kamui has been suffering all this time, having this on your back…. It´s like frowning, it makes you feel depressed and s-" all the hair on her body stood on end, with frightened and teary eyes, she fell to her knees with her hands on her mouth.
"Selkie?! wh-"
"It´s happening!" she screamed "The worst! I can feel it! K-Kamui!" turning to the fake mirror, they weren't there "It´s…" she managed to grab Reina wrist when she was about to run in his search "wait!... words…. Words…. Repeat *Be calm*"
"Wh-What? What are you mumbling? I need t-"
"Lady! Only you can say these words! You might not hear what it means, but Kamui will! Please! With your heart, repeat it!" Reina looked at the distressed face of the girl, her lips moved again, although she couldn't understand it, those words were oddly familiar.
"Be calm…*" she repeated, making Selkie curl her lips
"Don't…. Don't forget those words, go, go!"
She left them behind, Ryoma tried to say something but there was simply no time to complain.
Running and mumbling those words, she tried to remain calm, even if her wounds were almost healed, she cursed the Price she had top ay for that gift, to think that Yukimura was trying his best to destroy everything without any regret.
She tried to think where they could be, the moment she saw them leaving the bathroom, her heart sank in worry and despair.
She recognized that face, the same tired eyes when he was about to fall a few days ago, the same hurt expression on his face, he didn't see her, when he bumped on her, she was already with her hands around him.
"Be calm*" she whispered "Be…. Calm*…." She caressed his head, it worked like a charm, to be honest it was too effective, Kamui was stressed and anxious before he reached her touch, when those words left her lips, he instantly melted under her fingers.
His tired eyes that resisted the urge to sleep closed tightly with a tender and steady slow breath, neither Hinoka or her could believe how quickly that happened.
"Wh-What? Reina? Wh-whats going on?"
"…. Milady…. I…." she sighed. "I don't know…. But I believe we need to talk."
"He´s going to be ok?" Hinoka inquired while Reina was caressing Kamui´s head, they were back at the private room, Reina on the bed with him, while Hinoka was at her side, Ryoma, Orochi, Selkie and Kagero seeing the scene. Selkie explained the best she could about what happened and what she could do, one freaking hour after what could be a bad night.
"Sorry I'm late, I…." everyone looked at the door, to se a confused Oboro "…what´s happening? Is… is Yukimura doing something again?"
"He tried, but we managed to handle it somehow" Reina responded.
"…I sho-"
"No, don't say it" Reina sighed "You´re not tied to his side, this is not your fault, all the innocent who suffer it´s because his stubbornness and pride" with a faint smile, she invited her to her side "I think everyone is here"
"I think they should be here" Selkie spoke, somewhat tired "…Those people from Nohr"
"You mean those ambassadors? Silas and Peri?" Ryoma asked, making her nod "Maybe later, this mood is already bad."
"….It might be too late already…."
"What´d you mean?"
"It´s about his skill´s….. it´s….. it´s bad…." Selkie began "I thought that he only transformed… just like that lady said, without his dragonstone, he could rampage over and over again if you keep poking his side… but now…." Taking Orochi notes, she started to translate the glyphs "The curse is bad, really bad, it´s all backwards at how its supposed to work, so I don't know what´s going on aside of that curse, but we need to find something from the kind queen to lift it."
"Kind queen? And… can't we use the throne?" Oboro wondered.
"I don't know anything about that, but this is…. That man used the kind queen magic to create that curse, we cant rely in what we don't know, we don't know if it could work, but all this is…. Meaningless…. For these…." Everyone tried to see what she wrote.
"Uh? Dragonscales? It's the first time I've seen that…. But what´s that? Animosity?" Ryoma asked.
"…..This is a skill that…. Wither your heart and emotions…." Selkie shook her head. "No…. It´s what you get if you hate everything with all your soul."
"I…. I don't get it, it´s the first time I heard about something like this, a skill related to your emotions? I don't remember hearing of something like this."
"It´s…. something that´s related with strong magical power… in my village when someone suffered from humans for taking away their loved ones…. It can manifest this thing…. It makes them stronger…. To Hunt down whoever is in their way."
"…..in Exchange of seeing everyone as enemies?" Reina asked.
"Yes… this is something bad…. I'm happy to know you can still talk with him, there are times when Animosity erase their mind, making them see everything …. Offcolor….."
"So, what now?"
"… we stop relying in dumb luck," Reina started. "We need to look for anything that might have something from the late queen."
"Agreed, there might be a comb or some of her old clothes in the old vaults, I´ll fetch some of her last towels or belongings, with some luck, there will be enough" Orochi commented.
"What are we looking exactly?" Oboro asked.
"Anything that could´ve a strand of hair or something like that, Lord Ryoma, did her vanity survived?"
"I'm not sure, it was at close to the bed, why?"
"Sometimes she hid that old blanket in the lowest bin, I don't want to destroy it trying to get something from her, but it's our best option."
"I´ll look for it, Kagero, go and check with Sakura if she has some of her old talisman or omamories with her, anything can help," the ninja nodded and disappeared. "Oboro, come with me, we need to check the situation with our guests, Saizo is doing something from me, and Kaze is in no condition to meet them, w-"
"If you need someone that can look for them, I´ll do it," Oboro said, surprising everyone.
"B-But… they´re Nohrian."
"So? I don't care at this point" She clenched her fist "Right now, I really want to stay with Kamui, but I feel…. It´s not my time, he needs to rest and right now, Reina can calm him down for what I see….. I need to know if those guys have something to tell me, anything that could help him."
"…. Some of the guards will go with you, let me know if you can get information about Kamui´s group," he sighed, turning to see his sister. "Hinoka?"
"…I want to…. Can I speak with them in private?" looking each other, Oboro and Ryoma left, Selkie was about to stand, but Hinoka stopped her. "…. You….. you didn't say anything…. About…. Saving him…."
"Me? Well, I-" Selkie tried to play dumb, but Hinoka stopped.
"….How long?"
"eh?"
"You…. You have been watching for him for such a long time….. I feel your words sincere…. But….. there´s something missing…." She bit her lip "….how long?"
"A-As I said… I d-"
"You´re quite stubborn, ok, I´ll make it clear, is there any chance that he could die? Or that he can't recover for this?"
That surprised Reina, Selkie´s face seemed unperturbed by her words, rather, she seemed nervous that she could notice the absence about the topic. "…Animosity cant be lifted or erased easily…. Even if we manage to help him with the curse, there´s a good chance that he cant survive it if we take too long….. I heard that the longest someone survived it was a little more than two or three weeks….."
"….. I see…"
"…." Reina remained silent, if she had to guess, there were barely time left, in that week after his outburst they managed handle most of the obstacles, but knowing that there was little more than 14 days left, they had a whole season to deal with the curse, now with this new issue, they had to hurry, Hinoka steps took her out her thoughts.
"…. Fine… we wont waste more time…." With that said, she left the room, the same hollow feeling in her stomach when Kamui was kidnapped appeared again, something touched her cheek, she was lost in her own emotions that she didn't notice Oboro waiting for her, now she was cleaning her face, did she really cried without noticing it?
"….."
"Did you heard?"
"It´s kind of hard not to do so….."
"uh… and you´re going to tell the others?"
"The others? Maybe Sakura and Orochi, but screaming that we don't have time would only make them take stupid decisions….. they couldn't fix a damn thing in the last months…. Well… I'm not to complain, I'm like them at the end….."
"No, I don't think so…. This is…. so weird….."
"What? Me taking care of this? Please, I-"
"No, I… you…." She sighed, looking around and seeing no one was close, she took her hand and draw her to the other room.
"Uh? Hinoka? What are you doing? We don't have time for this, look, I'm sorry if I offended you, but right now I don't think is the time for you to scold me fo-"
"Do you love him?" she interrupted her sarcastic response.
"…Hinoka"
"Don't dodge the question, in the last months…. Reina, you and I have been doing our best to stay at his side and looking for a way to maintain him sane, every time I see you two together….. there´s a spark in your eyes whenever you´re with him…. It´s even more obvious when you were with Takumi…." She couldn't face her now, she let her hand go as with her free hand inside her kimono felt that comb with something else "…. So tell me…. Do you love him?"
"Yes, of course I love him" she replied without hesitation in her voice, Hinoka envied that firmness in her answer "After all this time, I share something more than a good relationship with him, I'm sorry if you feel like I'm taking him away of you, Lady Hinoka."
"…. Using honorifics now?" She laughed "Reina and you have been…. Awfully rude with the nobles and others who tries to be between you and Kamui….." Some of the weight of the situation left her shoulders, she shook her head trying to maintain a good posture "but… I'm afraid…. Is more than that…."
"What? Wha-" Oboro saw how the princess took from under her kimono a cob with a piece of paper.
"There are secrets you need to know…. And at this point, hiding my hand is irresponsible and childish, before you go with the Nohrians, we need to have a talk…."
"PREPOSTEROUS! SAVAGE! ILLOGICAL!" Azama yelled as he deflected that absurd thing out of his way.
"STOP COMPLAINING! IT´S NOT THE TIME FOR THAT!" Subaki destroyed another set of needles that tried to hit him, unfortunately some of those things pierced his shoulder and left side.
"S-Subaki! No!" Setsuna barely dodged another wind anima.
"This is nonsense!" Azama complained again as he took one of his talismans to create a barrier to cover Setsuna "Do it already!"
"I try! Stop pushing me," Setsuna took one of her arrows and lit it pointing skywards, the moment the arrow flew a few inches away her, that thing hit it before anyone could see it.
"You…. YOU DASTARD!" Hana prepared her katanas and looked around, it wasn't good.
They were too far from the Shirasagi Castle, why they couldn't end it? That man was in front of them, using weird replicas, it was five vs fifteen but she felt like they were bugs against him.
"This is heartbreaking, to think that the retainers who vow to protect Hoshido would point their weapons against the Chief tactician, its outrageous." Yukimura frowned adjusting his glasses.
"SCREW YOU!" Hana screamed "YOU KILLED YOUR OWN PEOPLE AND YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO LECTURE ME?!" they had a small squad to patrol that area, fearing that the path to the temple were the tombstones of the people could be used as an escape route, they were trying to secure the place, but to think that they would be ambushed and almost defeated in a blink of an eye, it hurt her pride deeply.
"I don't have to explain myself to such naive kids" he complained, again he destroyed Setsuna's arrows "If you could have been so kind to let me go, all of this could be over."
"Running away like a rat? I'm not surprised" Hana cleaned some of the blood from her forehead. "You have no honor"
"Running away? Such ignorant thinking is too irrational" Yukimura clicked his tongue "Haah…. I don't have time for this, Kamui is resisting too much, if only we weren't so close to the cemetery and other groups….." he huffed while he calmed his thoughts "….. well… they´re just retainers, after dealing with that mongrel, I doubt we would need them"
Hana quickly back stepped when she heard it coming again from the bushes, Yukimura used two replicas to his side to defend and prevent them to escape, but those damn things hiding were too annoying.
"Here comes the first" Hana thought as she used a slow-motion cut to divert the incoming slash, that small thing that run like a wild lizard dashed toward them too many times, that replica looked like a small child with blades on its arms, the problem with that was its insane she couldn't dodge it´s attack, loosing part of her armor "Concentrate! These are skin cuts, aim!" then another set of quick footsteps, turning around she had that shivering feeling going through her spine with that replica with long limbs, she tried to cut those creepy arms but its face was disturbing, it forced her to hesitate.
Again, that thing had to creep back to the darkness of the woods when Setsuna lost another set of bolts.
It was shameful that she had a scare with that thing around, but the unsettling feeling that it has some resemblance with Lady Mikoto was uncanny and nerve wracking
"That damn thing! why it looks like Hachishaku-sama?!*" She complained "Since when the Hoshidian use terror tactics?!" She hated how every time that thing approached there was that 'Po' sounding around it.
"The proud and noble samurais shouldn't be scared of such childish legends, should they?" Yukimura remarked, the replicas at his sides opened again its mouths to launch another volley of needles and anima.
"…maybe I need to use it? There´s still some of him lingering…. But this is taking its toll on my energy… handling four is hard enough already…. Lady Mikoto shrine might be heavily guarded… I need to finish this quickly," Yukimura focused on Hana, and with a swift movement of his hand, the replica at his right side dashed forward.
"If I can destroy that thing, Setsuna m-" Hana was interrupted as the rustle from the Woods took her attention, it was a reflex.
If the monk or the priestess fall in combat, it's the end.
Reina words resonated in her head, seeing how the small replica dashed to them, but with its claws reaching for Azama she knew she wouldn't make it in time, Subaki was defending Setsuna from the volley of needles and fixed in place, without much a choice, she threw her katana. With the last of her strength she managed to hit the neck back of the head of that thing, Azama managed to dodge it with a back step and with an anima, destroyed it.
"Idiot," Yukimura mumbled, Hana tried to draw her spare katana, but the replica quickly shoved her against one of the tree with such force that her chest armor broke and some of the shards pierced her chest.
"Not yet! Lady Sa-" she couldn't react, that replica with the long arms quickly wrapped her, feeling how that thing prepared to break her neck like it did with the others, she tried to break free from it´s hold. That thing slammed her several times against the tree, hearing how Subaki was struggling with the other replica, her heartbeat rose with frustration and fear, not being able to fulfill her oath, that she was about to hurt Lady Sakura.
"Now, lets get rid o-" Yukimura was surprised how the sky suddenly lit with a green light, looking back, he saw how somebody called from help, a volley of green arrows flew to their positions, he managed to dodged it, but even if he expected that the arrows hit the replicas, he didn't expect that the replicas could be destroyed so easily, the replica fighting Subaki and the one that was with Hana were hit on the head, breaking in pieces as another volley approached.
"wh-who? Wh-" Subaki barely had time to see, as a set of Kunais flew to the replica near Yukimura.
"It´s not the best time," Rin commented as she landed near him, handing some elixirs "we need to end this now."
"Why… WHY ARE YOU HERE?! YOU SHOULD BE DEAD BY NOW!" Yukimura yelled clenching his teeth, did he miscalculated something? Seeing the source of the arrows, he could see a faint red glow.
"That´s something strange to say, Yukimura," his voice resonated, he could see that faint glow approaching, moving from tree to tree, he couldn't believe it as the nearest tree from Subaki started to glow with a green wind around it at the top, Takumi prepared his bow with one of his eyes looking exactly like Kamui's draconic pupil "Seems like you saw a ghost…"
"…What ha-" He couldn't finish as Takumi released the energy around him, he expected another volley of arrows, but it was almost an instant blow, he had to move to cover the replica at his side to shield it, the left side of his body "broke" as the gears fell to the ground, Subaki and Azama couldn't believe what they saw, it was a replica? "…how?"
"I stopped being….'competitive', I can see were you´re hiding now, like a vulgar savage inside that replica…."
"This mean´s nothing!" they could hear how from inside that replica Yukimura spoke "It´s really a shame, but if you can see through my replicas, then maybe you need another time in bed, revealing me that now when you´re busy with the inj-"
"…stupid" Takumi sighed, "…. Didn´t I say that I stopped being competitive? Right now I have brother Kamui's right and left hands."
As he said that, Yukimura barely had time to react to the incoming blow from his left, he didn't notice the man that approached swinging a poleaxe, with barely enough time, he used his replica to block the attack, managing to at least counter it with a strike to his side, his 'false Yukimura' had a great offense with those piercing claws, but the hand was stopped with some sparks? "Metal? Steel armor? But w-" he was surprised to see that the man was an armored Nohrian with a cowlick? He knew that face, but he couldn't remember him.
Then again, he was hit by something in his right, with enough force to shove him against the nearest tree, a single lance piercing his torso as he only had token resistance to stop the impact, this time it was an armored woman, he tried to use magic on her, a variation of the Nohrian magic books, but she didn't flinch with his attack coming from below her, seeing her face for the first time in days he felt fear from someone eyes, unlike most of the retainers or people around the royal family, this woman had what they lacked.
Killing intent in her pink eyes.
She ignored the damage of his magic? They were supposed to be Nohrian knights? What were they doing there at that time? He couldn't concentrate as that woman pushed upwards her lance, that mad knight lips trembled for a moment before making an angery face.
"PERI WILL EVICERATE YOU FOR MAKING LORD KAMUI SAD!"
Hello everyone! Shidesu here!
phew, it has been a while, hasnt it, sorry for the big delay, but you know, life.
Just a few notes before going back to the other fics, first, "Hachishaku-sama" refers to a urban legend of japan, its literally "tall woman" in the ghost stories who dresses with a long white single dress and a straw hat, you can google it, but some pictures might be... unsetling for some readers, you have been warned.
I´ll update the other fics in the next week, so keep an eye for more new chapters.
Anyway, i hope you enjoyed this
