White-robed angels wielding swords of holy flame cast their divine light upon the heathen youkai and exorcised them... an elaborate illusion created by Shishima's powers to mentally torment the opposing soldiers who still sided with the current authorities. Right by his side, Nekohana took control of whatever decorative plant was in the hallway and used them to either tie up opposing soldiers or downright fatally stab them, depending on their level of aggression. A few feet ahead of them, Hyouma used her claws to fend off any swordsman who tried to stop her two allies' concentration. As their own warriors poured through the opened gates, they immediately tackled those who were still loyal to the current governing forces, but as their battle advanced, those numbers began to lower exponentially. All of a sudden, a mighty roar filled the entrance hallways as the Oni King charged headfirst like an angry bull, his brute force powering through the new defensive line that the soldiers had formed in the closed bazaar. Battle cheers erupted from the rebels as they marked that area of the palace as 'free'. At that point, their full army had managed to set foot inside.
"It seems our work is done down here, Shishima. Don't we have more urgent matters upstairs?" Hyouma suggested.
Shishima nodded to her and then turned to the revelers to shout, "Oni King, I am leaving you in charge with the assault of the lower levels!"
"You can count on me!" the elder oni reassured him. "You go deal with the corrupt forces above!"
Not wasting any time, Shishima, Nekohana and Hyouma immediately ran up the stairs, heading towards the seventy-seventh and upmost level.
Meanwhile in the large amphitheater wherein the senate meetings took place, all politicians had gathered. They shuffled around nervously in their seats after rumors of a new revolt began spreading among them. While riots were not uncommon and were usually blamed on the oni, this time around it seemed that every imaginable race in the Twilight Kingdom had directed its hatred and vitriol towards the establishment. The queen may not have been bothered usually by rebellions since they could easily be crushed, but it seemed that this particular conflict would escalate to a downright civil war, in which case they all feared that her wrath would be uncontrolled and they would all be its prime targets. Silence filled the room as the purple lioness daiyoukai walked in, the wings on her back spread out as if she was ready to pounce on prey in any moment, a visible scowl on her sharp face. Instead of taking her usual seat on her throne, she chose to walk to one of the two tribunes and address the gathering.
"My esteemed senators, I address thee today with a burdened heart. This emergency meeting has been convened because as we speak, downstairs a revolt is happening. Be not deceived, for in truth it is being led by none other than my treacherous son Shishima. And who is aiding him in this accursed endeavor, you may wonder? My answer is... everyone. All commoners of each race and region have been spotted in this army of his, shamelessly and mercilessly killing our fine soldiers that have been trained for centuries on end. Yes, it has come to this - no longer are our military youths endangered by Dawn Kingdom angels but by our own citizens, the very scum you are supposed to represent! I therefore wish to pose an honest question, dearest senators, and that is: what purpose do you still serve? Is it not your duty to act as mediators between the crown and the populace?" She bore her fangs and roared at them, no longer able to hold back her fury. "Why have you failed to keep them in check?! What is now transpiring downstairs is your fault! If you don't find a way to stop this, I must come to the conclusion that you're all worthless and unworthy of the wealth and titles you possess!"
"Your Highness, please calm down! Have you perhaps considered that the main reason the people are revolting is because of the policies you have enforced in the past millennia?" the blue oni senator tried to reason with the angered despot.
"So now even my own senators dare disrespect me?! I've reached my limit!" Koushishi's body was enveloped by an eerie golden aura as she tapped into the realm's law magic. "Due to the recent events which have transpired tonight, I hereby declare the Twilight Kingdom in a state of martial law till further notice! And due to the sheer incompetence of those gathered here, from this day forward the Twilight Kingdom's senate shall be dissolved! All of you are thus stripped of your titles, role in politics and fortune." Her body returned to normal as she seemed to have calmed down. "Now, with the exception of Sazansho, all of you are dismissed. Get out!"
Outrage filled the hearts of many senators who only knew lives of luxury. Although among them there were plenty who secretly supported the revolution for the sake of the people they represented, none dared protest, lest they risked facing the queen's full wrath and possibly end up banished to Hell. Over the past thousand years, they had been privy to the rare few cases wherein overly-optimistic fools dared openly question Koushishi's rule in the senate meetings, hoping their logical arguments would sway her to change her attitude. Needless to say, all met the same fate in the infernal flames.
Sazansho breathed a sigh of relief that he had not been among those dismissed. His role as the queen's confidant meant he could still enjoy the full privileges of being a daiyoukai. Once the senate room had emptied, Koushishi motioned for him to join her and the two headed towards the throne room. Behind those four walls, torches burned brightly in the back of the statues of past kings, their cast shadows ominously sheltering them. Koushishi sat on her throne, the crown shining between her horns in the crimson moonlight coming through the window. Sazansho fell on one knee, head humbly lowered in front of his ultimate master, and addressed her:
"Rest assured, my queen! I have foreseen that one day such a terrible event might occur, so I have prepared a secret move which nobody will expect from us!"
"I await your explanation and it better be satisfying," she replied in a vaguely threatening manner.
"You see, if invaders were to attempt overthrowing you, they would first have to climb all seventy-seven levels of our palace to reach this very throne room. To say it is an arduous journey would be to put it lightly. Where others would say that we are simply living on borrowed time, I would beg to differ, because what I intend to do will not only render our enemies utterly confused and hindered in their endeavor, but it will also turn the tides in our favor once again!"
"You've got my interest. Show me what you will do."
"I would recommend you hold on tight to the throne, my queen. Things will get bumpy."
With the warning given, Sazansho clasped his four hands tight and focused all of his magic on the symbols and signs he had had his sealing corps carve around on the walls of each level. Upon activating them, he had gained temporary control of the building. Such feats were only for those who mastered telekinesis on an advanced level, but he had to make those crucial moments count. The entire palace shook, startling everyone inside as the building abruptly sank underground to the point where its highest tower was still at least six feet under. Darkness filled the hallways, the scarce burning torches being their only remaining source of light.
"Sazansho, what you have done is downright insane!" Koushishi exclaimed and then she opened several portals to witness the state of affairs on the lower levels. All youkai shuffled around confused and panicked, and while at the lowest level the battle still raged on, it was harder for the rebellious forces to fight in those dim conditions. "Yes, insane and brilliant in the same time, I love it!"
"You know I always do my best to please you, Your Highness!" Sazansho proudly bowed. "I will gather everyone in my trusty sealing corps and we will march downstairs to personally put an end to this wretched rebellion. I will not let you down!"
"I know you won't. Go forth and crush them in my name!"
Sazansho saluted Koushishi and was immediately on his way. But before heading to the headquarters of his sealing corps, he first decided to take a detour to his own personal chambers to pick up something that would truly ensure his triumph in the upcoming battle.
Everything had darkened, it was as if the Abyss had claimed them all. Yet she saw two glowing red dots shining in the surrounding blackness. The soft caressing of a familiar hand on her cheek offered her comfort.
"Are you alright, Nekohana?" whispered Shishima and soon the surrounding torches were all ignited. They were still on the stairs, a metal plate hung on one of the walls indicating they had reached the thirty-eighth level. That meant they were halfway through their journey when the earthquake took them by surprise. She was the only one of the three to have lost her balance and collapse on the stairs. As her lover helped her get back on her feet, she gasped and pointed to the window where a giant centipede from outside was poking the glass, trying to get in. "Worry not, that weakling can't break in here," he reassured her.
"It seems someone used some kind of elaborate spell to drag us all underground," Hyouma remarked as she eyed a glowing symbol on the wall. "This kind of advanced magic belongs only to scholars or-"
"Those who own scholarly books!" a foreign voice exclaimed from above and soon the trio found themselves surrounded by elite members of the sealing corps, all dressed in their formal red and blue uniforms. They formed a circle and immediately cast a binding spell on them.
Shishima and Hyouma froze in sight, unable to lash at them properly. Both regarded them with utter contempt, being well aware that no matter how much power they had, their magic was rendered useless by those elite mercenaries. With the small movement she was still capable of, Nekohana looked around and found two palm trees growing in pots near a doorstep. Before she completely froze, she waved her fingers and stretched both plants towards them, sharpening their leaves enough to stab two youkai who then collapsed, thus disturbing the circle and the binding spell. As soon as he regained mobility, the prince wasted no time in lashing at the closest of the sealing corps and hacking their flesh with his claws. It only took him a few moments to leave the entire squad unconscious and heavily wounded.
"That was a close one," Nekohana said as she waved her hands to return the palm trees in their regular position.
"I never liked these annoying sealing corps," Shishima confessed while wiping the blood off his claws. "I always said that forbidden arcane knowledge should be held hidden by the royal family and used only in times of emergency, not be abused by these police wannabe bumpkins."
"Sorry to disturb your political rant, but I'm afraid we've got further company," Hyouma warned them and pointed up.
Sazansho slowly descended the spiraled stairs with a chain in one of his hands, dragging with him a naked red oni. Akamaru was beaten up and had scars all over his body, a leash tied around his neck as he could do nothing but stare helplessly ahead of his new master.
"Oh my, oh my, what a sight for sore eyes you youngsters are!" Sazansho ironically greeted them. "I believe this charade of a rebellion has gone long enough. You will not advance any further if you care about this boy's life!" He whipped out a katana placed it against Akamaru's neck.
The normally calm Hyouma was on the brink of losing her temper. Should she have failed achieving her ultimate goal of becoming queen of her Twilight Kingdom, her only other trump card was her favor among the oni. But if the Oni King's son were to die, she would lose her one chance of marrying into their family and having a decent life. All she would have left would be poverty and she could not disgrace her own parents by having them end up in the lower levels of the capital palace. If she wanted an assured comfortable future, she had to somehow rescue Akamaru and prove herself to the Oni King.
"To think that our glorious kingdom is being turned upside down by a gang of misguided youths!" Sazansho spat with disgust and began to verbally chew out everyone present. "This oni who fashions himself a prince is just a brainless brute who falls for the most common of traps and can easily be swayed in one direction or another if angered. His only saving grace, for lack of a better word, is that he's good in bed... but then again, so are incubi. But what about the former gardener Nekohana? She's nothing more than a half-breed commoner permitted to overstep her boundaries way too much. And over what? Her supposed 'beauty'? Sorry, I don't see it. A pair of rags would still look better than that bush made of flowers coming out of her head! She was just stupidly lucky to have someone as strong and impressive as my good friend General Rufu fall for her, but it's obvious she's lacking in the brains department, since she wasn't opportunistic enough to take him up on his offer! Then there's you, Prince Shishima. As much as it aches my heart to criticize royalty, I cannot help myself but bring up the obvious that you're a queer child! For the sake of our kingdom, you should've listened to your mother's teachings, obeyed her will and then you would've definitely had a glorious future! Had you been patient and wise, you would've eventually advanced from military duties to taking over the throne when she would've been ready to renounce it. But instead you chose to defy her like the spiteful brat that you are and are now bringing down our kingdom's order just so you can forcefully take something you are undeserving of! And then there's Hyouma, the worst of your sorry lot. At least the prince was straightforward with his intentions from the very beginning. But you instead chose to cozy up to Her Majesty and earn her trust for so long, only to reveal your true face as a traitorous backstabber! She built you up into the perfect pawn like her son, and despite it all you still were too greedy and didn't know when to reign in your ambitions! The three of you sicken me to my very bones. It's time you answered for your crimes to none other than Queen Koushishi!"
"Are you done enjoying the sound of your own voice?" Shishima coldly replied, making Sazansho fume with indignation. "Let me tell you right now that Akamaru means nothing to me. I don't give a shit about his life, so I'll have no reservation in finishing you off!" He did not waste another second and spread his wings wide, lashing at the salamander.
"Stand back, I'm warning you!" Sazansho shouted and took a step back himself, pressing the katana hard against Akamaru's neck which began to bleed, but that did not stop Shishima. Being forced on the spot to choose between the bargaining chip that was his hostage or his own safety, he immediately spat blue fire on his attacker, taking him by surprise as his magic and energy were sapped away.
Taking advantage of the provided distraction, Hyouma ran at surprisingly high speed and got behind Sazansho. Before he was aware of her presence, she sliced his nubby hand open. He screeched in pain as he dropped his katana and ceased the blue fire attack. He turned around, intent on attacking her as well, but much to his surprise she immediately yanked the chain from his grip and ran with Akamaru back to Nekohana's side.
"Do what you can to nurse him back to health," Hyouma instructed her.
Nekohana nodded and began checking on Akamaru's wounds to assess their severity. In the meantime, Hyouma went back by Shishima's side to find the latter catching his breath and struggling not to collapse on his knees in front of their enemy. Much to his surprise, she placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "You received a full-face blow of that blue fire. You need to stand back and regain your strength. Let me deal with him."
"No, he dared insult this Shishima, and for that he will-"
"He will pay, I assure you. But you need to save yourself for when we arrive upstairs. You're the only one out of us who has a chance at dealing with Koushishi once and for all."
"Fine, he's yours," Shishima ultimately relented and stood aside, resting against the brick wall as his cousin stepped forward. "Don't get yourself killed."
Hyouma nodded and took out her deck, challenging Sazansho with a determined look on her face. The latter gripped hard on his wounded hand and regarded her with utter hatred.
"How dare you do such a thing to me?! Have you not been taught to respect your fellow daiyoukai? I swear, even young nobles have no respect whatsoever these days!" He was quick to tear a piece of fabric from his expensive purple uniform and wrapped it around his bleeding hand. Then he took out his own deck and two dueling tables arose from the steps between them. They both set their cards and five rectangular blue shields appeared above each player, thus marking the beginning of their duel.
"I fortify one of my shields with Submarine Fortress Lair." The image of an undersea high-tech tower appeared on one of Sazansho's shields.
"I charge mana and end," Hyouma passed.
"My turn begins, I draw an extra card from Submarine Fortress Lair and you may also draw a card with me, undeserving as you are. Now I cast Brain Book, draw two more cards and put a card from my hand to the top of my deck."
"I summon Komori, Glasses Faerie." A pink-haired faerie wearing headphones, 3D glasses, a dress made out of sea foam and blue pants made out of fish scales appeared in the battle zone with a gaming console in her hands. "With her effect I draw a card and put Rolemodeltiger to my mana zone."
"My turn begins anew, meaning we both draw an extra card. Vividdraw 3, I summon Villainheel, Absolute Antagonist and force battle Komori!" A bipedal merfolk wearing a theater mask and a rainbow-colored cape appeared and assaulted the small faerie, punching her until she vanished in an explosion. "Whenever Villainheel wins a battle, I draw a card."
"I cast [Kamikai] Mana has become haywire with Buzzrender?! [Startled] with one Buzzrender 3." Hyouma put the top two cards of her deck into her mana zone.
"It's my turn again, we both get our extra draws from my lovely fortress." Sazansho grinned, revealing his sharp fangs. "Aha-ahahaha, it came! Vividdraw 4 - I cast Celebrate! The final curtain of this story! With its effect, I draw a card and bring out Sr Spellcyclica, Dragment Symbol. Sr Spellcyclica then recasts Celebrate and adds it to my hand, meaning I draw again and bring out Meteorshower Auroratheater as well!" A dragon made of sharp crystals and a phoenix modeled after a carnival mask both appeared by his side. "Celebrate gives Sr Spellcyclica speed attacker, so I attack with him and... Revolution Change into Miradante Twelve, Time Pope!" The Crystal Command Dragon rushed towards the opposing shields, but quickly turned around and hi-fived with a white angelic dragon donning a pope hat, with long blonde hair and a clock surrounding its back, before disappearing from the battle zone. "Final Revolution, you can't summon creatures which cost 7 or less until the start of my next turn! With his other effect, I also draw a card. Go, Miradante Twelve, triple break her shields!" The angelic creature spread his white wings wide and flew through three opposing shields, shattering them in an instant.
"Shield triggers, I cast two Faerie Life." Hyouma revealed the cards and boosted two more mana.
"Meteorshower, break her final shields!" The carnival mask flew headfirst through the remaining two shields and shattered them as well. The ASAP Fryoris shield trigger which Hyouma received was rendered useless. "Since this was my second attack, I also summon a Valchuris, Dragon Armored for free!" A trio of mice donning dragon skulls and wielding repair tools also appeared by the former senator's side. "It's over, you horrible, horrible traitor. This one is for the queen's honor - Valchuris, todomeda!"
"Ninja Strike 8, I summon Bainaradonden which sends Valchuris to the bottom of your deck and allows me to draw a card!" A small window appeared and raised its curtain to reveal a green spiraled portal which sucked in the attacking mice.
"Impossible! Miradante Twelve won't let you summon creatures which cost 7 or less!"
"That is true, but Bainaradonden costs 8 mana, meaning it bypasses this lockdown."
"Grr, then I'll finish this with Villainheel, todomeda!"
"Ninja Strike 8, I summon another Bainaradonden to send Villainheel to the bottom of your deck as well and draw again!" A second window appeared and sucked in the attacking merfolk actor.
"You're only delaying the inevitable! I end my turn and due to Celebrate's effect, Meteorshower returns to the top of my deck." The mask phoenix vanished in a brilliant beam of light.
"I summon Rolemodeltiger!" A blue tiger whose fur twirled like blue wings and with a pair of digital honeycomb-patterned wings on its back appeared in the room and roared at the opposing daiyoukai. "When Rolemodeltiger is put in the battle zone, I draw a card and put a creature from my mana zone into the battle zone which costs equal or less to the number of cards in my mana zone. I'll bring out Geotajio, Dragon Armored!" The blue feline was joined by a winged silver dragon with two pairs of cannons decorating its shoulders and arms. "Geotajio will not let my creatures with 12000 power or more leave the battle zone, except by losing a battle. Now, Rolemodeltiger has mach fighter, so I use it to get rid of Miradante Twelve." The tiger flew towards the opponent and hacked his Angel Command Dragon into pieces with its claws. "I end my turn, and while Rolemodeltiger is tapped, your creatures are forced to attack him."
"Vividdraw 5 - Meteorshower Auroratheater reappears and I draw three cards again!" The leader of the Bikkuri Kingdom once more arose by its owner's side. However, he did not rush to give the final attack, for he would then be forced to attack Rolemodeltiger which was stronger than his finisher. "I end here," he declared with a visible scowl.
"I summon Umakin Project with three Buzzrender 2." A dark blue horse with a green belly, scales all over its back and legs, and a mane and tail of blue and pink fire appeared in the battle zone and neighed. "I'll check the top two cards of my deck four times!" Hyouma began inspecting her deck, adding four cards to her hand and the following to her mana zone: Tweeting Bluebird, Komori, Glasses Faerie, Wald Brachio, Absolute World King and Shakogairu, Water Academy No. 9. "With my remaining mana I also summon Tweeting Bluebird. Rolemodeltiger, triple break his shields!" The blue tiger majestically soared through the air and shattered three opposing shields.
"Shield trigger, I cast Aesthetic Movement is an Explosion! With its effect I destroy Tweeting Bluebird and stop Geotajio from attacking or blocking until the start of my next turn." A multicolored meteor shower fell upon the battle zone, crushing the small bluebird and incapacitating the silver dragon. "And now I believe it's my turn. Vividdraw 3 - I summon Skeptic, Fake Supporting Actor." A white and blue bird donning blue robes appeared by the salamander's side, allowing him to draw three more cards, after which he placed one at the top of his deck. "Due to Skeptic's effect, I end my turn here."
"I summon a second Rolemodeltiger, this one with two Buzzrender 3!" A second blue tiger appeared in the battle zone and gave a mighty roar. "I draw three cards and bring out Wald Brachio, Absolute World King and two Tweeting Bluebirds!" A tall horned dinosaur with green scales and sharp blue stones decorating its body also appeared along with two small chirping bluebirds. "With Rolemodeltiger's mach fighter, I destroy Skeptic." The tiger immediately pounced on the blue and white bird, crushing it with ease. "Geotajio, break his final shields!" The silver dragon fired two blasts from the canons on its shoulders, shattering the remaining opposing shields.
"Shield trigger, I expand Cyberdice Vegas, Gambling Expert of D!" Their surroundings morphed into those of a casino with slot machines, roulette tables, a circle of playing cards and a blue dice floating in the center of the room.
"It's over, Sazansho! I attack you with my second Rolemodeltiger, todomeda!"
"Never! Denjara Switch - I turn Cyberdice Vegas upside down and cast Celebrate! The final curtain of this story! With its effect I draw a card and bring out The Clock, Ragnarok!" A muscular humanoid with blue spiky hair and two golden clock arms appeared in the battle zone. "Aha-ahahaha, your turn now ends here!"
"No, it does not! Wald Brachio cancels all your enter the battle zone effects!"
Left unopposed, the tiger creature flew on its wings towards the opponent, headbutting him and throwing him into the stairs, knocking him unconscious in the process. The victorious Hyouma turned back to her allies and said, "Let's not kill him. He's definitely the one who cast that spell which brought the capital palace underground. As such, he represents our only chance of returning everyone to the surface."
With the leash around his neck broken and his wounds beginning to heal, Akamaru got back on his feet.
"Thank you for healing me, Nekohana. However, be warned that I won't fall for your womanly charms a second time!"
She blinked and confusedly replied, "Excuse me...?"
"I'm glad to see you still have a sense of humor," Shishima remarked as he walked up to his rival. "We're heading upstairs to deal with Koushishi. We need you to take Sazansho downstairs and have someone from our army keep an eye on him."
"That goes without saying. Still, I'm surprised you'd actually go out of your way to save me, Shishima."
"Hmph, don't flatter yourself needlessly, Akamaru. If it were after me, you'd have died alongside that despicable reptile." An obvious lie, but it was unlike him to easily or openly compliment someone. "If you wish to thank someone, then thank my cousin."
Akamaru was taken aback as he regarded Hyouma. He recalled the deal she had struck with the oni senator in which his village would offer her unconditioned protection and aid her with taking over the throne if it meant that the future queen would offer them a better life. One of that deal's stipulations meant that in the eventuality of their coup's failure, she would marry in the Oni King's family to become their new ruler, thus ensuring she would keep some degree of comfort. As much as he hated the idea of commitment, especially to a scary female like Hyouma, it was undeniable that he owed her his life.
Nekohana fashioned a rope out of vines and used it to tie Sazansho, leaving the knots as tight as possible. She then dragged him across the stairs to Akamaru, offering the rope to the former prisoner.
"You should head downstairs and rejoin your father. He could certainly use some backup," Hyouma suggested.
Akamaru nodded and wished them, "Good luck, guys! I'll see you when all this is over!" Thus he parted ways from the group, running downstairs with Sazansho as a captive while Shishima, Nekohana and Hyouma resumed their upwards journey.