CH 8
Due to Chinese piracy of oil tankers, Moka got 15 more orders for Aonofuel plants. 10 for Japan and another 5 for Taiwan.
Due to this piracy, the Japanese navy was busy, as was the American fleet in the area. As aggressively as the Chinese fleet was stealing ships, they were working to protect them. If a destroyer was lost, but they had sunk the Chinese ship, or at least let the tanker get away, it was a victory. Adding to the sea battles was the fact Taiwan was supporting Fang-Fang. The Chinese navy was doing it's best to blockade Taiwan. Much of this battle was under the water. Submarines from the three countries battled to control areas around Taiwan. The Chinese did sink some merchant shipping, but not enough to strangle Taiwan. Tall columns of water erupting on empty ocean announced another submarine had been sunk. The battle for the air was mixed also. Since China was battling Fang-Fang, it could not dedicate it's entire air force to gain air superiority.
The United States also was battling in the mideast so it too was not able to deal a decisive blow in the air. Japan managed to keep all enemy aircraft away from Japan, but again, was not able to concentrate their forces into one area. Smaller countries were focusing in their own areas of ocean to keep their fishermen and merchant vessels safe.
All countries were building up their military as fast as they could. State of the art tech took a back seat to planes and ships that could be produced quickly. Mothball fleets were reactivated, even the old battleships were recalled into service.
On the Korean peninsula, tensions were guitar string tight. One night, a defector from North Korean tried to slip through the line. He was seen, chased and shot at by his former fellow soldiers. Hearing the gunshots, South Korean soldiers reacted, thinking the North was invading, and fired back. The defector hugged the ground as bullets flew back and forth over him. The skirmish grew, and artillery was call in. Then tanks, then more artillery. Air strikes were also called in.
By morning, the Korean war was back on in full force.
.
Tsukune met with Kurt when he arrived. Kurt plopped down in a chair in Tsukune's office.
"It's not good," Kurt told him. "I lost damn near my entire eastern team when Beijing went up, as well as those demon sensing crystals. The way the world is going nuts now, it's hard to move people, and westerners will be quickly noticed if I try to sneak more people in."
"Yeah," Tsukune agreed heavily. "Have anyone in Europe?"
"Five teams," Kurt said. "These demons are getting smart. They aren't hanging around in one area. We'll get close and they disappear. They know we're hunting them. I really could use a couple of your witches to give us a hand."
"They are on a job right now. As soon as possible, I'll make a couple available. We're stretched tight, Kurt. This is a world war we're fighting."
Kurt let out a dry chuckle. "Never thought I'd see another one," he said. "Hopefully, I won't be on the loosing side this time."
Tsukune had to agree with that. He noted Kurt looked worn out. He had a right to be, Tsukune was pushing him and his men hard to find demons. "Find any portals to the underworld?"
"Zip," Kurt said. "I know they are around, but we're coming up empty. We have eliminated many places hell, the entire African continent, but this is a big job. We need more people out there."
Tsukune knew that ws true. By count, he had three thousand out, including his own kids, searching for portals and demons. It wasn't near enough. At least Ruby and Father Tappan were working to close off the one they knew about. "Feels like we're not getting anywhere," he said vacantly.
"We're behind the eight ball, that's for sure," Kurt agreed. "Most we can do is keep on doing." Waving a finger at him, Kurt asked, "What about that yokai army? Can they help out?"
Tsukune let out a snort and said, "Not unless we want more panic. Many humans are already nervous. I send orcs and dragons out all over, and it will add to the chaos. I want to keep them in reserve for when we need them. I have the distinct feeling we are going to need them."
A knock came at the door.
"Come in." Tsukune said.
Minori opened the door to stick her head in. "The speaker for the Diet is here to see you, M'lord."
Tsukune got up and said, "Where is he, I'll come down to see him."
"Downstairs lounge. Mizore is with him at the moment."
"I better get down there. Kurt, keep doing everything you can. That's the best I can tell you at the moment."
"Sure thing, Boss. We will get those bastards," Kurt assured him.
.
With Jade heading off to be part of the assembling coven, Tommy and his family were temporarily out of the portal hunting business. Although Tommy knew it had to be done, he was getting tired of running through portals six or seven times a day to find nothing but some irritation. The things they found were not demons, or demonic places. They did learn some things.
Geese were really nasty creatures when you popped into the middle of their nesting area.
Drop bears weren't too happy to have sudden company either.
Nudists just screamed and ran. Except for the guy with a gun.
The sign saying : Condemned - do not enter, means just that. Luckily they got Azami out of the mess after the building collapsed on her.
Uzume is terrified of bats. Rats too. Her screams can make one deaf. Don't get between her and the way out.
Haihane can laugh so hard she looses her breath and passes out.
.
Knowing the importance of what they were doing, Tommy and Azami went to see Tsukune to find out how else they could help. Unfortunately, Tsukune wasn't home. Neither was Moka. They did find Minori in the kitchen with a couple servants who were making dinner.
"Mama Minori," Akemi asked, "Where did Dad go? Jade is joining that coven, we can't go looking for those demons any more."
Minori looked at the pair and said, "Your father has another very important job for you," she said in a serious tone.
Aami listened closely and said, "We'll do it!"
"We know we can count in you," Minori said in her serious tone. "So today and until Jade is available, We want you to go to school."
"School?" Azami asked. "That's the important job?"
"It is. You want to go to college, right? You never will unless you graduate, and you have to make up for the time you've been missing."
"But…"
"School, all of you," Minori stated.
"Yes, Ma'am, Tommy and Azami chorused.
They left the kitchen. Seeing Azami was disappointed, Tommy put an arm around her and said, "Look at the bright side, we won't have to carry Haihane back through any portals because she passed out laughing."
"There's something wrong with that girl," Azami grumbled.
.
Frank and Liz were also glad to have some 'home' time. Ichi and Lin had gone off to the coven. Kimuko was thrilled to have them back home.
Kyoko wished Ichi didn't have to run off again. Kumiko insisted she stay (to make) dinner while she dragged Frank and Liz of to the bedroom. Kyoko didn't mind playing maid for them. Seeing them all happy did make her smile. She only hoped Ichi was going to be fine. Why he had to go help a coven of witches, she had no clue.
.
On the cliffs outside the Kurama house, a large circle of ground had been cleared down to smooth bedrock. On the rock a magic circle had been engraved. Ruby made this circle specifically to cast their spells to put an impenetrable barrier over that demon gate. The items thy would need were all present, the crystal to activate her own spell was in the center where she would be.
The gathering of witches and priests would be complete once the last Shinto priest arrived tonight. All 13 witches knew their part. Chris, being a witch and priest, would perform both duties, first giving the blessings, then casting his spell. Once the portal was open, Ruby would go though and with the energy from the gathering, she would perform the last activating words and gestures that might well be her last.
That was fine. Ruby knew a sacrifice had to be made. Before the others came to begin the ceremonies, Ruby bowed her head and thanked the spirits for letting her live her life just a few years longer. She was happy to have so many wonderful things…
.
Mariko was ready. She knew how important putting this barrier over that hill was. Dressed in her black cape and her blond hair tucked inside the back of her cape, she picked up the wand she'd made.
Learning magic she found she could cast without a wand, but with the proper wand, her spells carried much more power. Tonight, every one of them would need all the power they were able to muster. Mariko's wand , like all witch wands, was an extension of herself. Unlike the wands Ruby and Jade had with circular focal points, the end of her wand split into 21 slivers to spread out and form an oblong shape, meeting at the end in a point. She was a diclonius, each split represented one of her invisible arms. Coming together at the end, it symbolized putting all her energy into one point. It wasn't as pretty as other wands. Jade called it a 'birdcage' wand. It represented her and her strengths.
"Mom says it's time," Jade called from beyond her door.
"Coming," Mariko said. She left her room to find Jade waiting for her. Neither wore a hat. Looking at Jade, Mariko was glad Jade had gotten out of that stupid habit of trying to hide her horns. For a long time, Jade had insisted that she wasn't a diclonius and forced her horns back down on her head, which also affected how well she could cast, as well as her balance and thinking ability. Jade's triangular horns stuck up above her black hair proudly.
"Let's do it," Jade said in a serious tone. She too knew how important this was.
Mariko and Jade waned downstairs and out the back door. At the large circle by the cliffs, Ruby was already in the center of the circle as everyone else was gathering around the circumference, just outside the dual lines of the circle. Mariko stopped at her place beside Father Tappan. Jade was on her other side. Ichi got behind Jade. Mariko didn't see who was behind her. As long as it was a holy figure, it didn't matter.
From the center, Ruby looked around to see everyone was in place. Her eyes settled on Mariko for a long moment. Mariko could see something in Ruby's eyes. Ruby then spoke.
"Begin."
The priests began their prayed in unison, calling on God, the spirits and ancestors to watch over this coven and bless the witches and their efforts. The prayers were loud and strong. Mariko did swear she felt something as the prayers went on. She felt a little more at peace, and sure this was going to work.
"Witches, cast," Ruby intoned.
Mariko began the spell for form the impenetrable barrier with the other 12 witches around the circle. Although she wasn't paying attention due to concentrating on her own spell, she could hear Ruby casting something different. She chanted, she focused and felt the power growing. Wand out and pointed at Ruby as all the other witches were doing, Mariko felt the power build to an immense level. Nearing the end of the spell, Ruby raised her wand. Before the last word was spoken, Ruby thrust her wand to point at her feet.
The portal opened and Mariko could see Ruby standing before the hill. In her strongest voice, Mariko spoke the activating word in unison with the 12 others. Ruby raised her wand and a hand at the hill as she echoed the word.
A bright flash of light came back through the portal, outlining Ruby's figure. Ruby spoke the activating word to another spell, and the light dimmed and shrunk to land on Ruby alone. Ruby spoke another word, and the light intensified.
What? Mariko thought. Ruby hadn't said anything about this! Mariko shot a mind arm out to wrap around her mother's middle. The end of her appendage touched the light and vaporized. Mariko blinked in surprise. There was something that could destroy mind arms? She suddenly got it. That was an annihilation spell! Somehow, Ruby was absorbing it, keeping it from coming back through the portal. Her jaw dropped. The bright light was now covering Ruby's form.
"No," she cried weakly.
The glow intensified, Ruby herself becoming a bright glowing figure. The light dissipated, taking Ruby with it. The portal closed. Ruby had been consumed by the annihilation spell.
"No!" Mariko cried again. She'd put forth all her effort and strength into casting. She'd put so much into her efforts, she had nothing let to reopen the portal.
Falling to her knees, weak, she blasted out "NOOOO!" This could not happen! Ruby wasn't just dead, she was completely gone! NO! NOT RUBY! Her mind screamed. The woman who had to coax Mariko to accept her, who had been such a good mother and teacher and a very powerful witch, was gone.
Mariko tried to focus and reopen the portal. The spell they just cast had drained her. She could hardly think. Beside her, Jade was also on her knees, staring in shock at nothing.
"Mom?" Jade asked weakly.
Bringing up her stubbornness, Mariko got to her feet and stumbled into the center of the magic circle. She WAS going to open that portal and bring back something, anything, that might be left of their mother.
"Mariko, NO!" Father Tappan screamed.
"I'll get her back," Mariko said in a sob.
Someone ran up behind her, wrapped an arm around her and took her wand. "Mariko, NO!, she's gone!" Lin snapped in her ear.
"I have to," Mariko said weakly. Ruby was the heart and soul of Witch Hill, the center of all of them. They needed Ruby! "I have to get mom back," she said weakly.
Mariko wanted to stay. He felt herself being turned and led back towards Jade, who was crying miserably.
"You sister needs you!" Lin said firmly.
Hearing those words let Mariko see Jade, crumpled in place and crying so hard she was choking. Mariko knelt down in front of Jade and enfolded her. Jade's arms went around her. The next thing Mariko knew, she burst out in a wailing cry.
.
Atop Megiddo hill, a pile of bones tangled in cloth lay with a staff next to them.
.
Ruby's death shocked all of Witch Hill and the Sotoba Valley. Some didn't believe it could happen. Ruby must have escaped somehow. They were sure Ruby would be back. Those who did, and even those who did not want to believe fell into a deep sadness. Those who new Ruby well felt like a piece of themselves had just been ripped away.
Once Mariko and Jade had cried their eyes out and recovered enough to cast, they opened a portal and scowered the land by the barrier that was so strong, it bore translucent white tinge to it. Beyond, the hill was now visible.
Mariko ignored the creatures on the other side of the barrier. They couldn't get out. She was concentrating on finding anything, even a fingernail of Ruby or a piece of wand. Studying the ground, she found nothing but dirt and rock. The burn spot on the ground where Ruby had been standing was flat and melted into a black rock.
"Mom is gone," Jade said in a sob.
Mariko didn't want to admit it, but Jade was right. "She is," she said in a hollow tone.
Standing up to look Mariko in the eye, Jade bore a firm look, despite the tears running down her cheeks. "It's up to us now," Jade said firmly. "We must be the ones to defeat thing…. THING! We have to destroy it for killing mom!"
Mariko nodded. "We will. We will destroy it, just like it destroyed mom," she agreed. They clasped hands and went back though the portal.
Hosoi was a wreck. Mariko and Jade returned home and found him sitting in Ruby's magic room, staring at the desk.
Mariko hugged him. "Papa, we will get revenge," she said.
Hosoi hugged her back. In a hollow tone he said, "No, Mariko, I can't risk you girls. Ruby left something for us. This one is yours," He slid an envelope over to her that had her name on it. The one for Jade, he handed to her.
Mariko opened the envelope. Inside was a letter. She read her mother's fine script.
Mariko,
Shortly, we are going out to put a magical barrier over Megiddo hill. More must happen than that. That hill is protected by a user of magic that is so strong, it is his power alone that lets him exist. IF he survives, then our efforts will be only temporary. There is only one way to defeat him. I must draw his energy out of him and into me. That power will be more than I, or any single person can bear. I do not expect to survive. The barrier must go up, and he must be drained of his power. Understand I have no choice in the matter. You and Jade have yet to live a full life, I cannot allow you, her or anyone else to share this burden with me. I love you all with all of my heart. Please take my sacrifice as my final gift of love to you.
As the senior witch in the family, Witch Hill is now yours, as is my magic room and everything in it. Guard your legacy well. Take the time to study and prepare. I am sorry to say, but you have a war in front of you, dear. I sorely wish I could be there to stand beside you. That is not my fate. I do wish you the very best, my dear Mariko.
The house is Hosois' for as long as he lives as I am sure you would want it. So is oversight of the school system. Jade has her rewards and tasks. Let your sister help you, and help guide her. You must stand together in the coming days ahead.
I know you and many others are grieving. Take the time to grieve, dear, then put it behind you. Tsukune is going to need your help, so are all our people.
Stay strong and believe in yourself and those around you. My time is over, yours is just beginning.
Farewell, my dear Mariko,
Ruby
The letter was quaking in Mariko's hands. "She knew," she said hoarsely. "Mom knew she was going to die!"
"Yes,' Hosoi said vacantly. "Ruby knew what she had to do. She never even hinted what might happen to her."
"Why didn't mom tell us!" Jade cried.
In his vacant tone, Hosoi said, "She couldn't. If she did, we would have stopped her. She knew that."
"I'm so sorry, Mom," Mariko said with a sniffle. She remembered part of her mind arm vaporizing when she'd tried to give Ruby a safety line. How had she stood for as long as she did against such destructive energy? If anyone else would have been standing there, they would have been instantly vaporized. That also meant with an open portal, that energy should have washed back though to kill the entire coven. "Mom died to protect us," she said, realizing the truth.
"Mariko," Hosoi said, still staring at the table, "You need to go see Tsukune. He needs you."
Mariko nodded. With Ruby gone, she was the head witch now. "Jade, stay with Papa."
"OK, Mariko," Jade replied.
.
Witch Hill effectively stopped functioning as the memorial service for Ruby was put together. A tall mound was raised up, and a ten foot tall brass statue of Ruby standing to look over the school, compete with her wand, was mounted atop it. Acres of sunflowers were cleared flat so the thousands of mourners could be accommodated. Beyond them were TV cameras to broadcast the service. As people collected, a mound of flowers, papers for Ruby's spirit, and tokens love buried the statues' base and feet. The incense holders were full of smouldering aromatic sticks in dedication to Ruby.
Chris Tappan started to ceremony standing part way up the mound. His voice amplified my magic, he looked back at the statue briefly and said, "We are here today to mourn the passing of Ruby Kurama. This statue ,I feel, is not large enough to show the impact Ruby had on the lives of everyone on Witch Hill. To say Ruby was influential in all our lives is an understatement. The school system would not be here if it wasn't for Ruby. We would not be here if it wasn't for Ruby. Every day, Ruby guided and nurtured us all. She worked untiringly at all the tasks she performed and was a solid defender of what she believed in. Ruby died as she lived, protecting all of us and doing everything she could for the world, right down to her last breath."
He took a breath to get his voice back and said, "Ruby was Aono Tsukune's right hand. Talking with him recently, he told me Ruby's passing felt like he'd lost his right arm. Myself, I feel like part of my heart has been ripped away. Ruby and Tsukune supported me from the time I was a scared child, not even knowing who or what I truly was. Ruby was greatly loved by me and all who had the privilege to know her."
Chris let out a sob and said, "I, as some of you, were there when Ruby went to fight her final battle. She knew more than we did about what she was facing. She went forth knowing what was going to happen, and strode forth without hesitation. Ruby died for us. Her last, loving act to protect the people and this place she loved so dearly. As Lord Anon has decreed, Ruby has been proclaimed as a hero. I have also sent a request to have her be known henceforth as Saint Ruby, for her brave and selfless act in the destruction of evil."
Chris took another pause, then said, "Let us pray …"
.
Mariko stood between her father and Jade, clasping their hands as the ceremony went on. Chris completed his part of the ceremony. Moka was suppose to be next. She then heard Kurumu start singing in a somber tone.
I won't back down. No, I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell and I , won't back down
More voices joined in.
Gonna stand my ground, won't be turn around
Mariko remembered this song. It was the one Kurumu and the first graduating class of Witch Hill sang at their graduation after defeating a great yokai known as Apollo. Many more voices joined in as the song went on. Mariko knew the song, she joined in. Ruby has indeed stood up at the gates of hell. She didn't back down.
Hey, baby, there ain't to easy way out!
Hey, yeah.
I will stand my ground, and I won't back down
.
Now I know what's right, I got just one light
And I keep this world from dragging me down
Cause I, won't back down
As she sang, Mariko realized this song right now wasn't entertainment. It was a tribute to Ruby and a call to war. Yokai flared around her and in her as the song was over and was sang again by a thousand voices or more. Mariko felt the heat of anger rise in her as she sang loudly with her father and sister.
The devil had better be prepared, he had just pissed off Witch Hill.