FALL SEVEN TIMES
by Ulquiorra9000
Chapter 9
Mizuki bolted to her feet, still staring in shock as the daimyo's daughter took a step into the stone-brick cell. The enchantment on Ayano's katana filled the whole cell with pale green light.
"We don't have much time," Ayano said tensely. "Stay close to me, and we'll free Azrael, too." She flicked the blade through the air and sliced of Mizuki's cuffs.
"Wh-what -" Questions buzzed in Mizuki's mind like hornets. "But the daimyo... he won't -?"
"I subdued the jail wing's guards," Ayano explained in a rush. "It will buy us a a few minutes. But just in case..." She drew something from in her kimono - Mizuki's short sword! Ayano tossed it and Mizuki caught it with one hand.
"Guard my back," Ayano said, "and follow my lead."
"Y-you got it." Hardly daring to believe it, Mizuki joined Ayano in the jail wing's lantern-lit hallway and kept watch as Ayano stabbed her sword right into the solid wood door of Azrael's cell. Within a minute, the door was vaporized, and Azrael slowly stepped out.
The artificer dusted himself off once Ayano sliced off his cuffs. "This is bold of you, my lady. You have a plan in mind?" He fired up his blue-black mana aura.
Ayano nodded, her dark eyes glinting with determination. "I do. We're going to Osamu's private chambers. Quickly."
What the...? Mizuki activated her sword's red-white enchantment and kept the weapon at the ready as she and Azrael followed Ayano through the massive castle's hallways. So far, no guards. Good.
"Something horrible has happened," Ayano explained sadly. "Just last week, my father was the same kind man he always was. But now... he and Osamu are not themselves. I kept quiet out of duty. But in light of what you both told us, I have to take action."
"So you definitely believe us?" Mizuku blurted.
"I do," Ayano said. "For the sake of our world, I'm getting answers this very night!"
She led her two escorts up a wide flight of stairs and down another well-decorated hallway, past sliding wooden doors and toward the hall's end. Around the corner emerged two patrolling samurai.
"My lady! What are you doing?" one of them demanded. "The prisoners...!"
Ayano didn't say a word. In a whirl of motion, she brought her enchanted katana down to bear on the hapless samurai. With two blunt blows, she sent them crumpling in a clatter of armor.
"Impressive," Azrael said, oddly calm.
"They'll be fine later," Ayano said. "Now, hurry!"
They hid the samurai in a room, shut the door, and proceeded to another set of sliding wooden doors, but these were enchanted.
"Allow me." Azrael focused his blue-black mana onto his left palm and pressed his open hand to the enchantment's smooth, green-white surface. His dark mana spread and seeped into the mana, vaporizing it within a minute. He then slid open the unprotected doors.
Osamu sat at his desk in the room beyond, his back to the intruders. He stood slowly and turned. "My lady," he said darkly, "you should return those prisoners to their cells before I call for your father. Then your punishment would slightly less than severe."
Ayano stomped right into the room, her silky dark hair billowing behind her. "My father won't know about this until I'm ready for him to hear it," she barked. "Osamu! You owe us answers! I watched quietly while you changed my father. Now you've gone too far. Why?"
Osamu sneered. "There's no secret, lady Ayano. We live in difficult times, you know. The world is still healing from the devastation of the Kami War! And now those swamp creatures are on the border... forgive me if I take our security seriously."
There was no apology in his tone.
"No." Ayano's voice sounded choked. "You're not you, Osamu! I've known you for years. Something is dreadfully wrong!"
"You're hysterical," Osamu said, now calm. "I'll have you taken to the medical wing for treatment. Until then..." He clapped his hands together.
In a flash of blue mana, a man in a robe-like blue uniform appeared, his head covered by a cloth cowl, save for a narrow gap for his eyes. He had a wooden bokken sword on his back, and a short wakizashi sheathed at his belt. His eyes glinted with deadly professionalism.
A ninja!
Mizuki barely brought her sword into the ready position before the ninja burst into motion. He vaulted over Azrael and positioned himself right into Azrael's blind spot, then delivered a rapid series of strikes that sent Azrael sprawling.
Dammit! Mizuki swung her sword to slice open the ninja's back, but to her astonishment, the ninja turned around and jumped, landing with one foot on the tip of Mizuki's horizontal sword. He used the moving blade as a springboard to deliver a roundhouse kick that sent Mizuki crashing into a bookshelf. Pain thundered in Mizuki's bones as scrolls and books fell on her.
"Higure! Don't do this!" Ayano brought up her sword to defend herself, but the ninja ducked under her guard and struck with an open-palm attack. Ayano stumbled and fell onto her back.
"Don't get up," Osamu told his three captives. "Higure won't have mercy if you fight back."
Mizuki groaned from her spot on the wooden floor. That's Higure, the Still Wind! We don't stand a chance! Unless...
Ayano scowled, then sprang to her feet and swung her sword again.
Higure easily vaulted over the swing and delivered another roundhouse kick. But this time, it connected with a dull thump and had no effect, due to Ayano's suddenly rock-like skin.
Again, Higure struck, but his melee attacks were no use against Ayano's defenses. Green-white mana hummed on her rock-like skin.
Now! Mizuki scrambled to her feet and leaped at the vulnerable Osamu. She wrapped an arm around him to press him close, and she poised her enchanted blade at the old man's neck.
"Make Higure stand down!" Mizuki shouted. "Now!"
Osamu tensed. "You... despicable child!"
Mizuki retorted by briefly pressing her blade tip against Osamu's neck, searing the skin.
"Damn you!" Osamu wrenched himself free, and Mizuki hastily slashed at him in a panic. Her blade didn't strike the man down, but its red-white enchantment burned off his robes from the waist up.
Osamu stumbled away from Mizuki, bare-chested and breathing hard. "Higure! I've had enough. Strike down the prisoners!" he roared, pointing a finger at Azrael and Mizuki. "Do it!"
Higure tensed to spring, until Ayano seized his wrist with a toughened hand. She clamped down, not letting the ninja go. "Mizuki! On Osamu's back!" Ayano cried.
Mizuki saw it, too: a fist-sized metal contraption on Osamu's spine, fixed in place by eight spider-like legs plated in chrome. Tiny tubes of oil and fibrous muscle were visible between the plates. Osamu's veins were black from the oil.
Azrael sprang to his feet, whirled Osamu around, and tore the Phyrexian device from the man's back.
The spider-like parasite screeched and flailed its legs with metallic clicks, trying to free itself. It went still when Azrael crushed it in his fist.
Osamu sank to his hands and knees.
Higure relaxed in Ayano's grip. "Sir! Osamu! What was..."
Osamu coughed as three more ninjas rushed into the room. He waved them away. "H-Higure... stand down. Now."
Ayano let the ninja go and powered off her defensive enchantments. She sheathed her sword and ran to Osamu's side. "A-are you all right?"
The advisor was slick with sweat, his body shaking. "M-my lady... my deepest apologies. Those creatures... they captured me on my return trip from the Sachiken clan's holdings and implanted that... thing. It has controlled my will ever since!"
Ayano nodded. "And my father?"
"It controls him through me," Osamu said hoarsely. "These... Phyrexians, did Azarel call them? They are insidious. They'd control our entire clan and remove it from the front lines and allow the Phyrexian troops to move unopposed!"
Azrael nodded. "The Phyrexians can be patient and crafty," he said. "They must still be in the early stages of their invasion. They don't have the strength right now to conquer this estate, but they soon will, I imagine."
Mizuki powered off her short sword. "I knew something was wrong with Lord Kirinji!"
"You are telling me?" Ayano sighed shakily. "Osamu, we have work to do. At once."
"Y-yes." Osamu stood upright and put on a new robe and sleeveless haori coat. "Higure, gather your men and sweep the grounds for any new Phyrexian scout parties. Lady Ayano, escort Azrael and Mizuki to the guest wing. They will be put under guard for their safety and ours."
Ayano nodded. "And my father?"
"The castle priests will purify his mind under my orders and supervision," Osamu said, his voice finally brisk and business-like again. "In the morning, he should be clear of mind, and we can figure out our next move."
Mizuki sighed with relief. Damn, that was too close. She allowed two of Higure's ninja subordinates escort her and Azrael to adjacent guest rooms, and she noted that her travel bag had already been brought in. She stuffed her sword into it and sprawled onto the futon bed.
She was asleep in seconds.
*o*o*o*o*
After a quick breakfast, Mizuki and Azrael were once again summoned to daimyo Kirinji's throne room, but this time, with a different air. The place looked warmer and more welcoming.
Lord Kirinji was already seated on his cushion in his gaudy outfit, Ayano and Osamu seated on either side of him. Four of Higure's ninjas stood in a row behind them, hands clasped behind their backs. The usual samurai were lined along the hall's walls, demon masks in place.
"Mizuki. Azrael. What a night it has been," daimyo Kirinji proclaimed. "These Phyrexians... they assumed to remove me from the front lines and trap me in my own mind! I can assure you that a thorough search has been undertaken. Now that we know what to look for, I can guarantee that no more Phyrexian magic or agents are operating on my grounds or in my officials."
The daimyo looked pale and weary, no doubt from whatever purifying ritual the castle priests had put him through. But if it put him back on the right side...
Azrael dipped his head. "I am glad to hear that."
"And what is more," the daimyo said with sudden fury, "the Phyrexians will be made to pay for their transgression! All my warriors are to be mobilized against any incoming assaults, and they shall be there to defend anyone from Phyrexians aggression. Osamu and my daughter counseled me well; I will do my part to prevent our world from falling to the Phyrexians. My scouts will find where they lurk, and we'll exterminate them!"
Ayano beamed. "There is one more thing, father."
Lord Kirinji blinked. "Yes?"
"I wish to go with Azrael and Mizuki."
Mizuki recoiled. "Whoa, what now?"
"Another expedition?" Lord Kirinji asked. "In difficult times like these?"
"You would leave here with us, lady Ayano?" Azrael asked.
Ayano tossed her hair. "I am a daimyo's daughter, and his best operative aside from Higure. You saw me in action; my tough defenses and swordplay make me hard to kill. I can do a lot of good out there; if you two are traveling across Kamigawa to oppose the Phyrexians, I will lend you my aid."
Mizuki glanced away. Wow, this princess... she ain't no delicate flower! She spoke up. "You're totally welcome to join us if you want. Right now, we're tryin' to recruit more people into a... well... into a league against the Phyrexians. We can't let the Phyrexians do a 'divide and conquer' campaign." Something else occured to her. She grinned. "And as a daimyo's daughter, you'd have serious influence, wouldn't you? People would listen to you."
Ayano smiled. "Very much so, Mizuki. Father, I believe I am ideal for this job. Our world needs us."
"If lady Ayano is to leave," a new voice added, "I shall be at her beck and call."
Everyone's head turned as Higure, the Still Wind strode into the room. "Her protection is paramount."
"What about the estate's?" Azrael asked. "Lord Kirinji, you're in danger now that the Phyrexians don't control you or Osamu."
Lord Kirinji leaned forward on his seat. "Higure has many tricks at his disposal," he explained. "This castle, and Ayano and I, are three destination points for a teleport spell that Higure can use in a scroll of his. It takes a few days to recharge after use, of course, but it can cross any distance."
"I can call Higure to me with it," Ayano added. "Azrael, Mizuki, we're heading into dangerous territory. I can look after myself... but there are some things that Higure can do that we cannot. We can use him."
Mizuki stared in awe. Everything was moving so fast... "I hardly know what to say. This is..."
"Our duty as denizens of utsushiyo," Ayano said. "And we should make it a priority to find those with a connection to the kami. Many of them have returned to kakuriyo, but we'll have to call them back. We will need their help soon, I expect."
There was a second of silence.
"Then it is settled." The daimyo clapped his hands together. "Ayano, you are free to travel with Mizuki and Azrael on their quest to rally the peoples of Kamigawa against the Phyrexians. You three are to receive whatever supplies you need." His voice became somber. "I wish you the best of fortune."
Mizuki shared a glance with Azrael, and the man nodded. "Thank you," Azrael told the daimyo. "We will set out at our first chance. Time is not on our side."
Indeed.