Chapter 18
The sun awoke Sai that morning. Her dog ears twitched in annoyance. She groaned loudly.
"Morning sleepy head." Kaze said smiling down on her.
"Huh?" She said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Kaze laughed.
"C'mon, get ready." He told her, "We'll be leaving soon."
"Couldn't you have woken me up earlier?" Sai asked, "Now I have to rush."
"I considered it, but you looked so peaceful. I couldn't interrupt that." Both of them laughed. Sai got up and proceeded to get dressed and strap on her weapons. The group started their search again and Nami and Umi quickly pulled Sai aside while Akage went to talk to Kaze.
"You two were SO cute together last night!" Nami whispered loudly. This made Sai blush.
"Can we not talk about this?" Sai begged.
"C'mon Sai!" Umi said, "We have to talk about our girl's love life. What else are we here for?" Sai sighed.
"It was... nice. I'll admit." She admitted.
"There we go!" Nami said, "I really don't get why you're so shy about this."
"She's in love Nami!" Umi said in her typical bubbly voice, "It's basically a rule that you have to be shy when you're in love! I mean just look at you and Akage." Nami was the one blushing this time.
"Hey!" Nami whispered forcefully, "Be quiet about that! Fine. I guess you're right." The girls all laughed at this. A soft breeze passed through the trees. It felt good on Sai's skin. She sniffed the air expecting the smell of the woods to fill her lungs. But that wasn't what she smelled. A look of concern crossed her face.
"Sai, what is it?" Nami asked, noticing the change.
"I smell a demon." Sai said.
"What?!" Kaze said, turning around suddenly, "Is it the one we're hunting for?"
"Kaze!" Umi yelled, "Were you listening in on our entire conversation?"
"That's not important right now Umi." Sai said. She turned to Kaze, "I'm not sure. I never caught its scent, but this odor is definitely strong. That means that it's very possible that the demon the stench is coming from is strong too."
"Well we can't just ignore this." Akage pointed out.
"He's right." Kaze agreed, "I don't sense a demonic aura, so we're going to need to rely on your nose Sai. Can you lead us to it?"
"What do you take me for, Kaze?" Sai said, jokingly, "Of course I can. Follow me."
The group set off at a run with Sai leading the way. As they got closer, the smell got stronger and and stronger. The stench was almost overpowering. Sai could barely concentrate on what was happening. If the smell got any stronger, she was going to pass out. Sai was so out of it that she almost ran, face first, into a solid wall of rock that simply seemed to appear out of nowhere once she exited the trees. She managed to stop right before hitting it.
"You alright Sai?" Akage called out to her.
"Yeah." She said, dazed, "This smell is just a little... a little strong." Sai looked up, where the scent was coming from. "It's coming from that cave up there."
"You sure Sai?" Umi asked, concerned, "You seem a little... out of it."
"I'm fine." She lied, "And yes, I'm sure that it's coming from the cave."
"How are we going to get up there? That cave is really high up and this is a sheer cliff face" Nami pointed out.
"Don't worry about that." Akage said, "I've got us covered. You might want to stand back." The group took a few steps back wondering what Akage was going to do. He cracked his knuckles and then closed his eyes. Fire began to shoot out of the ground in a giant circle. When the fire dissipated, a giant bird of fire stood before them.
"Told ya I could get us up there." Akage said, smiling.
"Akage, that bird is made out of fire." Umi pointed out, "Won't it burn us?" Akage looked offended at this.
"Of course not!" He assured everyone, "The fire only burns what I tell it to. Now get on everybody." They all did and the bird proceeded to fly them to the cave mouth.
The bird arrived and all of them except for Sai jumped off. Kaze began to walk forward, but was stopped dead in his tracks by a voice that echoed through the cave.
"So, you've finally arrived." The voice rang, "I've been waiting for you." As the sound of his last word dissipated, a wave of demonic energy washed over the group.
"Damn." Nami cursed, "Kaze, you feel that?"
"Yeah, how could I not?" Kaze said back. At that moment, the source of the energy emerged from the darkness of the cave. It was a man, or at least, a demon in the form of a man. He was tall and actually quite handsome. His jet black hair was long and reached well below his shoulders. The only thing that was off putting about his appearance were his red eyes. That and the massive amount of evil emanating from him. He continued walking and stopped a good distance away from the group.
"Who are you?" Akage growled at the demon.
"Patience child." He said, raising his hand at Akage, "All will be answered in time, but first I think you should be more worried about your little friend back there." The group turned around just in time to see Sai fall off the bird and hit the ground hard. She was unresponsive and limp. Kaze wheeled back around to face the demon.
"What did you do to her?!" He screamed. The demon simply chuckled.
"It appears that my scent was too much for her. She's passed out already." He said, sighing, "Pity. I was hoping to have a little fun with her first. I guess I'll just have to proceed."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Kaze yelled, his voice filled with rage.
"First, I believe an introduction is in order." The demon continued calmly, "I am Konton, your emperor." This stunned the group into silence.
"Are you surprised?" The demon before them asked.
"The empire is devoted to wiping out demons." Nami began, trying to piece things together, "How could a demon be its emperor?" This made Konton burst out in laughter.
"Such a naive child." He said, regaining his composure, "My wish is not to eliminate demons, but simply to make myself the most powerful. If that means wiping out most of them and using humans to do it, well them so be it. Who else but a demon could have the power to take and consolidate power so quickly?"
"You sick bastard!" Akage screamed out at the demon.
"All of you are so naive." Konton said sighing, "I will give a chance, however. I'm not completely evil. Join me and I won't have you slaughtered."
"Why would we ever join you?" Umi yelled.
"Let me show you." He said, raising his arm towards Sai. When his arm was fully outstretched, Sai's limp, unconscious form began to float. She was then brought over to Konton by some invisible force emanating from him. Her body hung upright in mid air beside Konton.
"I believe it is time for you to awake, Saiai." He said softly. Sai's eyes flew open. However, her eyes were different. They were pure red and glowed wickedly. Two purple stripes that came to points appeared each of her cheeks. Her claws grew longer and sharper. She bared her fangs and began to growl angrily.
"What are you doing to her?!" Kaze screamed, his fury coming to a peak.
"I'm bringing out her demon blood." Konton said, "Her parents were foolish. They believed that her spiritual powers would protect her from this and this put no other safeguard against it. All it took was for me to lock that side of her away. Something that is very easy to do when she is unconscious."
"You bastard!" Kaze growled through gritted teeth.
"Hmpf. I will give you one last chance." The demon began, "Join me and you will get your friend back. You don't have to be ripped to shreds by her."
"NEVER!" Kaze screamed. Konton sighed.
"Fine then. Have it your way. Sai kill them." He commanded, "Now excuse me. I have business to take care of." Sai dropped from the air and landed on her feet as the emperor disappeared. She didn't move.
"Sai! You don't have to do this!" Nami cried out desperately.
"Please Sai! Come back to us!" Umi followed. Sai took a step forward. Then she took another. Soon she was walking slowly towards them. It was clear that she was losing the fight against herself.
"Sai!" Kaze cried out to her, his eyes filling with tears, "You don't have to do this. You're stronger than that!" Sai hesitated for a second, but then continued walking. Her eyes began to fill with tears as well. Her tears were different, though. They were red. Blood red. Sai was crying blood.
"R-run." She forced out, "L-leave now."
"Sai..." Was all Kaze could say.
"Please." She said more tears of blood flowing from her eyes, "Get... Out... Now..."
"NO!" Kaze yelled back, "I can't leave you!" Then he did something that no one expected him to do. Kaze ran at Sai. He ran to her and took her into his embrace. "I won't leave you. Ever. Especially not to a demon like this." Sai was silent. Try as she might, she couldn't get her mouth to form words.
"Do it." Konton's voice rang through her mind, "Kill him! KILL!" Sai's mind went blank. She sunk her claws into Kaze's arms and wrenched him off of her. Then she raised her claws and slashed him across the chest faster than anyone could see. Kaze flew back and slammed into the ground.
"Kaze!" Nami shouted, running to his side and kneeling beside him, "Are you alright?"
"Don't worry about me." Kaze said clutching his shredded chest, "I've got to save her." Then it hit him.
"It's her spiritual power that stops this transformation," he thought to himself, "so if I can release that, then she'll turn back." Kaze pulled out a sacred sutra and drew his sword.
"Kaze, what are you doing?" Nami asked, confused.
"Saving Sai." Was his only response before sprinting towards Sai, sword raised. Sai's eyes widened in surprise.
"Damn, I hope this works." Kaze thought to himself. Then he brought the sword down.
The blade cut easily through Sai's kimono. Now the center of her chest was exposed. Kaze took this opportunity and slammed his sutra right in the center of her chest. The sacred power of the sutra clashed with the seal releasing sparks and a wave of pressure that sent Kaze staggering back. Sai cried out in pain. The scream lasted for a few seconds before she passed out. Suddenly a wave of demonic energy washed over them.
"Dammit, what now?" Kaze said. Hundreds of demons appeared from the blackness of the cave.
"That bastard concealed them too?" Umi yelled in exasperation.
"You three!" Akage yelled at them, "Get Sai out of here! I'll hold of these demons!"
"Are you sure Akage?" Nami asked, worry clear in her voice.
"Yeah." He said, smiling softly at her, "These things won't last long. Now get her out of here!"
"Thanks Akage." Kaze said, "Nami. Umi. Help me carry Sai to the bird." The two girls ran over to help Kaze and they carried Sai and places her onto the bird. Then the three of them climbed on.
"You be careful, okay." Nami called out to Akage as the fire bird took off. Akage just nodded and then turned to the demons.
"You messed with the wrong guy demons." He muttered, summoning lighting to his hands, "NOW DIE!" A blinding flash filled the cave sending a beam of light out of the cave mouth.
"AKAGE!" Nami cried out, "NOOO!"