Overseeing a Strange World
Chapter 5
I'm back for the folks who read this story. Needed some time away to recharge but now I can finish this part of my story. So on with the show.
(no POV)
Izuku had just managed to put up his shield in time to save the young yokai from being attacked by the strange woman. As she came out of the shadows, Izuku could see more of her appearance. She wore a sleeveless kimono, had long black hair, and a strange mask on her face that only obscured her eyes.
"Who is this brat who dares to stand in my way? Some pitiful human? You will fall like all the others before you." With that the woman waved her hands and created a set of spells to attack the kids. Izuku blocked most of them and told Riku and Chika to get themselves and the kids to cover.
Once that was done, Izuku took cover himself while firing a few magic blasts at the woman. To give himself more cover Izuku used a smokescreen spell to buy more time. With some cover Izuku started a few trap spells to be laid out while fighting. He could place them when he got closer to whoever this was. But all of a sudden, a few magic shots flew towards him from strange angles.
He barely had time to dodge and block the blasts. Once the barrage let up, the woman came out of nowhere and kicked him across the floor. But Izuku had managed to lay a trap near her feet. He just needed her to walk to it. "Guess you have to hide how gruesome your face is. Bet you can never look in a mirror if you need a covering all the time." Izuku knew it was a lame taunt, but he needed his opponent to walk towards it.
She did, but she stopped just short of the trap he laid and walked around it. "Nice try brat but I knew you had something planned. Between my own power and the charm, the western witch gave me, I can defeat you easily." Izuku grit his teeth before firing off a few more shots. The woman still dodged most of them but Izuku noticed that he had managed to strike her foot even if minorly.
The woman started screeching in pain and Izuku saw some type of glyphs on a small choker around her neck. 'So that's it. That choker has the charm, but what is her power? And how does she seem to know what I'm doing from every angle?' Izuku thought and realized he needed to get closer to tell more of what was going on. But without some better cover or a distraction that wasn't happening.
All of the sudden Riku leapt in with a few orbs of blue fox fire following him. Chika was in the rafters of the building controlling the fire. Riku had managed to scratch the woman and then backed off to stand next to Izuku. "YOU DAMN BRATS! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU" the woman screeched before firing of some more magic. Izuku took advantage of the distraction and rushed in close, dropping a few traps along the way.
He struck the yokai with a punch and then a kick while keeping a close eye on her choker and the rest of her body. He saw it flash as he struck and could tell the writing was Gaelic and what some of the symbols meant. This attack enraged the woman though and she unleashed an omnidirectional spell at all of them. Chika however managed to teleport all of them out of the room before it landed.
While the woman was rushing around trying to find the kids, Izuku and the two yokai were resting and treating their wounds. While Riku was being bandaged up he said "I don't know how we can stop her. I got 1 scratch off, but she barely seemed phased. No adults and trained warriors could beat her so what can we do? We should just run."
Izuku just says, "We're the only ones who can beat her. She's weak against children and I know what type of yokai she is." Riku and Chika are both confused by this so Izuku explains. "First of all, she's a dodomeki. I noticed it when I got close. On her arms there looked to be closed eyes or eyelids. My guess is she's using a spell to send her eyes to multiple points in the room. That way she can see whatever attack is coming at her. But that also means she can be distracted." With that being said, the two young yokai realize his point. With Riku stating it made sense why almost no attacks could hit her. Chika on the other hand says that her fox fire if used right could distract the dodomeki.
"Well, that explains the first part, but why are we the only ones who can beat her? Surely an adult would have a better chance. We should just run." Chika asks Izuku while listening at the door for the enemy. Izuku wraps his hand and creates a few talismans before continuing.
"The choker on her neck has a special curse that only affects adults. I got a look at it in that last rush. It's in Gaelic but I could make out a few parts. Namely, that there was the name Macha, and the words curse and weaken. It's modified but it is a curse from Ireland that affects only men originally or rather weakens them for a period of time. It's been adjusted to make it to where men and women are weakened but it comes with the same drawback. It only affects adults and children can defeat her."
Izuku then says he needs their help. While both aren't sure he says to them, "I know you've both had to run for so long but now you have a chance to stop this monster and help so many people. What she's involved in, who she's working with. They are incredibly dangerous, and we need to stop both of them at any cost."
Chika is still scared, but Riku realizes that Izuku is right. "Even if we run, she'll eventually come back around and try to hurt us and others again. You're right we have to stop her." Both of the boys look to Chika who is shaking thinking back to her mother and what she could do or what will be left for her if they fail. Riku then tells her she doesn't need to come and that he and Izuku will try to handle this, before grabbing a sword sitting in a barrel in the closet, they are in.
"No! I can't keep being scared. Keep being saved by you and others. I have to stand for myself. So, I'll fight too." Chika says with her legs still shaking a bit. With a nod from Izuku they head out and set up a spot to take down the dodomeki. Chika suggests that they destroy the medicine factory to lure her out. With that they head to the underground drug factory and lay their trap.
Meanwhile the dodomeki is searching parts of her base, attacking the minions who say they haven't seen the children. When she hears an explosion, she asks a fleeing aonyobo what exploded. "The medicine factory madam! It was set ablaze by a couple of children." This enrages the dodomeki more and she rushes that way. 2 rooms before the medicine shop, she was hit by an explosion under her feet.
While still reeling Izuku and Chika unleashed a barrage of blasts at her before Riku gets behind her and slices the demon's side. The dodomeki screeches again before wailing, "How is this possible!? This charm should make me untouchable! That witch promised me it would work."
"Oh it does work. Just not against anyone younger. It only applies to adults so we can take you down." Izuku says casting an enchantment on the sword Riku held. While angered by the weakness of this charm, the dodomeki wasn't too concerned. While Izuku was talking she started her spell to spread out her eyes. "It won't matter brat! You just gave me the time I needed to orchestrate your end."
With that she unleashes beams from her eyes that freeze all of the kids in place. She starts to stalk up to Izuku, planning to kill him first, when all of the sudden she feels a searing pain and flash by her eyes in the room. The Chika that she thought she had frozen was just an illusion. And then Chika created discrete fox fire lights next to each of the eyes she had seen.
With that done, Izuku and Riku were freed from the spell and could attack. Izuku clapped his hands and activated the binding traps he had laid, while Riku rushed forward and cut the dodomeki's head clean off. While Izuku was unsettled by this he knew that this would happen anyway. Given they were planning to take her to Emperor Sutoku, and he would execute her. Besides, they had a different problem to deal with. The local guards and his Overseer mentors had shown up.
Riku had grabbed the head of the dodomeki and Chika had set the body of fire. Which in turn set alight the rest of the complex that wasn't burning. Once outside, Tomoe rushed to Izuku and wrapped him in a hug. "We were so worried when you disappeared! What happened? How did you end up here?"
"Tomoe give him a moment to breathe. And I don't think he's the only one with some answers for us." Adam said before nodding to the yokai kids behind Izuku. Once she had calmed down, Izuku explained everything of meeting Riku and Chika to them summoning him to help them, and then fighting the dodomeki with a Celtic Irish charm.
"It's similar to some of what you do, eh mister Architect?" Tomoe says teasingly while looking at the charm. Adam makes an annoyed grunt before saying, "You're not wrong but this is nothing compared to what I make when I adjust spells. Besides, I do more of overlaying and interweaving multiple different spells from different backgrounds. This is just adjusting a spell to work with a specific set. And don't call me the Architect. I can't stand those titles or nicknames or whatever."
"Oh sorry. But are you sure you wouldn't prefer your other nickname? Dragon's Keep-san?" The kids are confused by this whole matter, even Izuku. He hadn't heard about these titles before. But given how Adam reacted he probably preferred not to think about that. Once they were done and a few of the other members had been arrested, Adam and Tomoe offered to let Riku and Chika stay at their hotel room for the night.
"We'll need you two to come with us to talk to Sutoku later. He should hear more about what has been happening. But for now, you kids look like you need a bath, a hot meal, and good night's sleep." Adam says with a gruff but caring tone to his voice. The two orphans are amazed at the offer and agree right away. They do think more about the other kids and that they wish they could share it with them. Tomoe then tells them that the guards found the other kids and are taking them in and helping them with a few matters. The Overseers tell them they will explain more later.
After a good night of sleep and warm meals and baths, the five all go to meet with Emperor Sutoku in his palace. Chika and Riku were given nice new kimonos from Tomoe and Adam had specially adjusted the sword Riku had used so it could grow with him. It had been a bit unwieldy during the fight with the dodomeki but now it fit him better.
"So, these are the young ones who defeated the threat to our realm?" Sutoku asks while looking down from his throne. Adam then responds saying, "Indeed your majesty. It turns out the dodomeki had a special charm that made it to where adults would be weakened or would have their capabilities interfered with. It's most likely why we weren't getting anywhere with our investigations." Sutoku nods at this before addressing the children. "You have done us a great service by dealing with this threat. We intend to make good on any debt to each of you we may have. Starting with you young Midoriya Izuku was it? Step forth."
Izuku does that and stands before the emperor. The tengu ruler then reaches down and touches the charm he had given Izuku. It lights up and changes into a cloak around his shoulders. "We have blessed the charm we gave you with more of our power. It will allow you to make tengu like wings and grant you control of the winds. To an extent anyway." Izuku bows his head low and profusely thanks Sutoku for the gift.
He then beckons Chika forward, who is both shellshocked and terrified at all that has happened. "We have heard of some of the trouble your mother is causing. And we can tell that you are more concerned for the other children you were all stealing with. I will proclaim this first: the children will be brought to the palace to be trained in a variety of skills. Many could prove useful for protecting my realm. There are a few of the more noble and trustworthy guards who have offered to adopt some of the younger ones. The elder ones can learn new skills."
Chika and Riku are amazed that the great tengu would offer to take care of or watch over orphans but they're both happy to hear that. "For you though child, take this." Sutoku waves his hand and summons a tanto and miko's pray bells. He then hands them to Chika saying, "The tanto can only be draw by you and the bells will both keep your mother away and strengthen your spells. May you use it well."
At this Chika prostrates herself and thanks Sutoku for the gifts. When he calls Riku up he comments, "you have a blade already, but a good warrior needs armor as well." With a snap of his fingers, a set of armor appears in front of Riku. It then floats to him putting itself on the boy. "Much like your sword, this armor will adjust as you need it. It can even change to a shape allowing for more covert combat and strikes. It also has protection from most elemental forces." With this Riku bows as well thanking the tengu ruler.
With this done Adam and Tomoe both apologize for not being able to aid him as they had planned. Sutoku just laughs and says, "It is not your fault that the enemy had a way to counter anything you could do. Besides, by bringing this boy you were able to fulfill what we had agreed on. We will provide a bit more information and keep a watch on matters that may involve this dangerous entity. You have our word."
At that, all five of them bow and leave the audience chamber of the palace. Once they are all outside, Izuku asks what Riku and Chika plan to do. "If it's not too much trouble Izuku, I'd like to come along with you." Riku says with Chika agreeing with him. "By meeting you we gained a bit more hope. And even a chance to do a lot of good. We probably wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you. Would you be willing to take us?"
Izuku is stunned but snaps out of it when Adam pats him on the back. "This isn't too different from when Tomoe and I met. I gave her hope and a chance for something new. And maybe that's enough. She'll teach them a few things with it like staying out of sight close to you. Might be a good idea for now."
Izuku looks at his two mentors and back to the two young yokai he inspired. And with a smile, he says, "Okay. I'd be glad to have you two as partners. Or rather familiars." At that, the two young yokai break into big smiles and Chika jumps at Izuku and hugs him. With their plans set and their job done, the Overseers and their young students head back to Mustafa.
That took a while but I'm glad I got it done. Review if you like the story.