Escape
By Bri-C123
Chapter 13
WARNING: Character "death" up ahead. This chapter is not for the faint hearted or for those who will feel majorly upset over these things. This chapter contains much angst and feels.
Can she do it all again? Let a war wage around her while she sits by and fears for everyone? Who does she really want to win?
She already knows her answer is Kenshin. Her heart is screaming for him to be careful. She knows what the pack is capable of. This traitorous pack does not care for the laws or the were. Instead they care for the money and pride. She looks to Kanryuu, who watches the battlefield with something akin to glee. With him is her two obligations to this pack. They are the ones who stand and protect him. They are the ones keeping her tied to the ones she hate the most. They are the ones she loved the most.
Her magic had been slowly stored up. There was never any use for it here in Kanryuu's home. He detested it. The tears sting her eyes, but she does not waver. Her decision is made. She had to save them, no matter the consequences. The Kamiya Kasshin is meant to save people. To protect the ones that matter. And she will do just that. With slow steps, she walks to Kanryuu. He doesn't notice her until one of his body guards steps in front of her.
"Do you remember everything he remembers?" She can't bear to look at "him" in the eyes, because she knows it's not actually "him."
"Yeah."
"He was supposed to run. I told him to take Tsubame and run. I told him that I would join him later." She reaches out to pat "his" head. The memory of the instinct causes him to flinch back, away from her touch. She drops her hand. "Instead, he decided to stay and die. He jumped in front of me and let the wolf kill him. Saving me, he said. How could he save me if he dies?" She looks up to those demonic eyes. "I killed that wolf for killing him." She calls to her wolf. Claws come out and she is quick to bury her fist in his chest, where the heart should have been. Magic encircles her. "These humans were not the only ones who studied forbidden magic." The tears fall and she clenches her fist within the flesh of his chest. "I release you, demon. Let go of his body." There is a high pitch scream as the demon is sent back to wherever he came from. The body left to flop into the ground, off her hand.
"K-Kaoru-chan?" Kanryuu steps back, appalled by the blood on her hand. She almost wants to laugh at the irony.
"Yes, Kanryuu-sama?" She no longer changed the pitch of her voice. She does not intend to stay with him. Her cold eyes turn to meet his. The tears streaking her face contrast with the lack of emotion on her face. "I'm terribly sorry, you don't like having all this blood near you, isn't that right? You hate to feel threatened." She bows to him, as if to mock him. "My deepest apologies."
"G-girl! Take care of her! I'm your master! Protect me!"
The body of Tsubame moved with grace and determination towards Kaoru. Her only experience had been the teachings of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. And so, the body only knows how to react to such practices. In this way, the demon is very limited. These basic teachings that Kaoru herself had taught them are now coming back to haunt her. Her teeth clench as she knocks back the body of her once-student. Without so much as a breath, the body is once again up. Instead of moving this time, she merely raises her hand.
Kaoru is not sure what to expect until fingers start glowing. Her wolf is immediately on the defense and Kaoru needs to jump back to avoid being pierced with magic. This is the demon's power. And so, she will need to do the same with this body.
"Did you know, Kaoru-sensei?" The words make Kaoru pause. It's enough time for her to be ensared by some strange magic. It strangles her, bringing her to her knees. "I'm pretty sure I've told you, but I don't know if you remembered." The small body sits properly, despite the bloody floor. Small hands cup Kaoru's cheeks, even as she struggles for breath. "I had a whole future planned out. Yahiko-kun was already my mate. Once we left, we could find a nice place to hide. We'd find a stable way to feed ourselves, and maybe make some money if we were near a town. Then he and I could have kids. I wanted a boy exactly like him. Gentle, strong, and protective. Then maybe we could pray for a little girl, so that he would have the big brother instinct and protect her if we couldn't." Nearby is a sharp knife, a remnant of what one of Enishi's "toys." The body of the girl picks it up, not even testing it and pressing it against' Kaoru's chest. "Then when Yahiko-kun and I wanted a vacation, Aunty Kaoru would be there to watch them. It was going to be perfect. Then you killed him, Kaoru-sensei. You took my dream away. So I did the only thing I could do and let you kill me too." Kaoru is crying and starting to black out. "We loved you so much, Kaoru-sensei. Then you killed us."
Kenshin only knocks back Enishi in time to see his mate pierced with a blade of silver. He doesn't have time to save her. He can only scream as he feels their thread-thin connection break. He and his wolf cry out at the loss, the pitiful sound bringing all wolves in the room instinctively to their knees.
"KAORU!"
This is the end.
Or is it?
I'm trying my best not to make a cliché ending so having a character death seemed appropriate. Two kind of made it better. Now we have to tie up the fight, and also find out how Kenshin is going to deal with this devastating blow. Let me know what you think.
I'm sorry I don't have individual messages for you, but thank you Taishou and hitokori Midnight for commenting on the last chapter~ And thank you to everyone else who supported this story for such a long time. Soon, we will reach the conclusion.
Until next time everyone!