CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Scoundrel Punishment
I drew the sign of Kasugami in the air and peered into the hallway while under the protective influence of mist warp. I saw no sign of the cat, and even more importantly, no sign of the monstrous shadow. I quietly gestured for the other warriors to come out, and they did so, silently as they could manage. We stuck to the devised plan and split up, all we had to do next was wait for the cat to show his ugly face.
I drew a catspaw marking on the wall, and I, Ryota, and Hisao ascended into the drafty rafters. I balanced on a beam, able to keep an eye on the situation from above. I growled at a few small blocking spiders, snapping at them, and keeping an eye out for any larger threats. I noticed a konohana blossom bud in the rafters and bloomed it, creating a bloom from which I could summon vines and snatch any dog to safety, if need be. Soon enough, the great gray cat came stalking through the halls, quiet except for the creaks of floorboards beneath his massive paws. Noriko & Ko hopped out from a room, and he spotted them, narrowing his golden eyes. "Ah, there you are." He hissed and lashed his twin tails, blue fire appearing on the ends of them, and saber-fangs seeming to grow even longer. He padded closer, and the dogs stood their ground, then Hisao and Ryota leapt down from the rafters onto his back, clamping down on his spine. The monstrous feline roared in fury and bucked while the other two ran to safety. Kei and Gi ran out from another room and attacked his neck and legs, allowing the two dogs on his back to escape. Nekomata swiped a mighty paw at Kei, and I drew a cherry bomb between them. His paw connected with the bomb, and blew up in his face, while Kei ran to cover. The terrible Nekomata prowled, looking for a target. "Over here!" Shisa called from down the hallways and play-bowed, egging the cat on. He growled and launched forward, chasing her through the halls. I followed, hopping from beam to beam high above. He was almost upon her, and I used one of the blooms near the ceiling to pull her away. The monster looked around, confused, and Hana barked at him. "Come and get me hairball!" He whipped around and started pursuing her instead, and Hana took off, leading him away while the rest of us set to reconvene in the main room where we'd first fought. We readied ourselves, and when he chased Hana into the center of the room, where the rest of us were all waiting- we launched an ambush. Taking turns lunging, we distracted and attacked in turns, circling and flanking the giant cat. Hana launched herself onto his head, grabbing hold of one of his long ears and causing the cat to yowl in pain.
"Enough!" He hissed, tossing his head and making Hana go flying, with part of his ear still in her mouth. "I've had my fun toying with you pups, now I believe it's time for playtime to end." He craned his head back and called out. "Shadow, come to me!" The cat commanded, and a spiral of darkness appeared on the ceiling. A shadowy form heaved itself forth from the inky portal. I held my breath, readying my tail in case the shadow descended. The shadowy beast pulsed, spirals of darkness pouring off its body, but made no move to come to its master's side. It examined itself, seeming pleasantly perplexed. "Shadow!" Nekomata desperately yowled, calling the beast to his side. The beast grinned malevolently, not making a move towards him. It then rose from the ground and soared out the nearest exit- an open window.
All us canines lunged forward, sinking our fangs into the wretched creature. Nekomata staggered under the ferocity of the brutal assault and the weight of dogs hanging off his body from every angle. His legs shook, and the warriors leapt off, falling into crouches in case the cat had anything else up his sleeve. Battered and bloodied, the cat swayed on his feet. "You… Have doomed us all." He muttered ominously, staring directly at me. He smiled wickedly, chuckling, then coughed- blood splattering on the ground. His body hadn't even touched the ground before he began to change, the evil essence leaving his form. Leaving a beautiful ring of blooms, and at the center, the body of an old, ragged gray tabby cat.
I panted, then let out a wild howl of victory, swiftly joined by the warriors. A chorus of howls shook the house, surely even loud enough to be heard on the mainland. "We did it!" Noriko said, almost crying in relief. "This devil is no more!" The boxer snorted. 'but at a terrible cost' I thought, the adrenaline of victory wearing off, and realization setting in.
While the others rode the high of victory and explored the remainder of the rooms, I left the decrepit old mansion, wanting to see the sun after such a difficult battle. I breathed in the salt of the ocean, the light of the waves reflecting the light of the setting sun. "Akime!" I heard a bark, and I turned around. I saw Shisa and Ryota running towards me. "We've scoured the whole castle, we didn't find any sign of prisoners in the fortress."
"That's strange." I said. "I thought for sure I heard someone when we were coming in..." The two shared a glance, then Shisa barked again. "No, we searched everywhere, and we didn't see anyone or anything."
"Nothing at all?" They shook their heads. "Well, I guess I was just hearing things, thank you for checking." I nodded to them both and they bowed. Maybe that soul too had been put to rest with the rest of Nekomata's servants.
We dug graves for the family whose house this had once been, whose bodies had been under Nekomata's control. As I'd suspected, the zombies had gone back to lifeless corpses when the demon was slain. The same could not be done for Rei and Ume, as there were no bodies left to bury. This inconvenience made the deaths all the more disturbing, as it disrupted a number of important funeral rites, since there was also no body to purify nor prepare. The warriors determined they would have a full funeral in Kusa Village with Princess Fuse, as best they could, given the circumstances. For the poor humans… We did all we could to honor them. We washed their lips to give them a last taste of water, purifying their bodies with the ocean's water. We laid them down to sleep facing north, and left food for them. Shisa uttered a prayer for them that we all repeated, wishing them peace and a safe journey beyond.
I drew the symbol of Umigami upon them all again, and we traversed back across the water, victorious, but not quite feeling that way. A sorrow in our steps for what we had lost, the heavy cost of said victory. When we arrived back at the base of the mighty tree where we'd began, my heart was heavy. "Chi, I am glad to have been able to help you all reclaim the keywheel. It was a privilege to fight beside you all." I turned my tail to go. "Akime, before you leave, I have something for you." She pulled out a bright red satomi cloak, folded neatly in her jaws. She padded towards me, offering it to me. "Rei wanted you to have it..." Chi said, a twinge of sorrow in her voice. "A gift of gratitude, we meant to give it to you sooner, but it's fitting for this time of parting." She smiled softly. "A reminder that you will always be welcome among us, a fellow warrior, carrier of orbs, defender of the Gale Shrine." I was speechless. "Thank you..." I said, touched, and took the cape gently from her, wrapping it around my shoulders. The bright crimson fabric matched my markings, and draped over my back like a blanket, sure to keep me warm through cold nights. "Thank you so much, Chi." I said softly. "Thank you, all of you. You've taught me so much." I lifted my head to address all the dogs. "Because of you, I've learned that honor isn't always about pride, in fact, it's also about humility- if not more. I've learned that knowledge isn't something to fear-" I stopped and smiled at Jun, seeing him standing tall beside his mentor- far different from the dog who cowered beneath the oxcart. And I looked to Daiko, the dog who I hated to begin with, but now could see as a friend. The dog who had changed with time and learned his true power. "-But instead, it brightens our path. I've learned that if we are wise, nothing can stand in our way. I've also learned that wisdom and justice go hand in hand-" I looked at Hana and Noriko, standing side by side. "And that justice is the sweetest form of vengeance. I've also learned that our integrity defines us more than words ever can." I beamed in turn at Kei, the brave little pup, and Hisao, who never left his master's side. "That in the end, anything is possible if you think it is-" Shisa bounced up and down in place. "And that unity is the most indispensable weapon of all." I met Ryota's gaze, and he dipped his head respectfully. "I will never forget what you all taught me, thank you." I circled, tears in the corners of my eyes. "If ever you need my help, all I need is the smallest prayer of assistance, and I will come."
"Likewise." Chi barked. "If ever you need help, don't hesitate to call on us. You are a canine warrior, and we defend our own." I hugged each of the warriors, from the mighty and unmovable Ryota, to the tiny Kei, and gave them all one final smile before starting on the trail back towards the southern portion of the coast. I only made it to the bridge crossing the river that trailed to the ocean when I heard a bark.
"Akime! Wait!" A brown dog came into view running toward us- it was Jun. "there's something I have to tell you before you leave."
"I'm sorry pal, but she's not interested. Save your love confession for-" I swished my tail over Hiraku's mouth to silence him. "What is it?" I asked sincerely. "Akime, there is something I saw. In a vision." He said, looking serious. "I saw your journey, I saw the gods, and I saw a traitor. There was fire and blood, shadow and a falling sun. There was something about the daughter… The daughter of the sun… Will fall into inevitable darkness." Chills ran up my spine. "Are you sure?" I asked, my voice taught and quiet. Jun nodded solemnly. "Be careful, Akime. I need you to promise me that."
"I promise I will be careful. Thank you for sharing this with me." I said, speaking much more calmly than I felt. Jun returned to his fellows and left me with dark thoughts and a sunken heart. Such words did not bode well for the future of my journey, what in the world of mortals did that mean?
(AN: What's this? Another chapter?! I know it's been a while, but I had a few days off from work, and I wrote quite a bit in this and my own original story, finishing multiple chapters of each, so there's more on the way!)