What's up everybody. Back with Chapter Eight, and this one's pretty good. I think it's my favorite chapter of Book Five so far. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters (except the OC's) Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, or Trials of Apollo. All of that belongs to Rick Riordan.
On with the chapter.
8. Our Castle Membership Runs Out
Talon
So, picking up where we left off, that bastard Goro was sweating, and looked like he was going to piss himself.
"O-Ouranos?! Tsukuyomi?!" He shivered, and several of his men gave him odd looks. Goro noticed, and straightened himself, doing his very best to put on a tough face. It wasn't working. "They're at the Castle? Right now?"
"Yes!" Asuka barked, "Now get on your horses and let's go!"
"Wait!" Annabeth cried, "You said they were...attacking, right? As in destroying the Castle as we speak?"
Asuka hesitated, her voice starting and stopping several times before any words emerged. "I still sense all of the citizens...so they have not been killed. The invaders aren't moving."
Annabeth's eyes widened, "Then it's a hostage situation."
"They're holding the Castle hostage?" Malachi said, "How?"
"Either that or they're about to attack!" Annabeth reasoned in a panic, "Either way, we need to come up with a plan before we do anything stupid!"
"She also said several others." Percy noted, "That doesn't sound good...at all."
Interrupting further discussion, was Goro slamming the death katana in the sand, several inches deep. He stared at all of us, scowling, trying to be tough and hardened, but even the legally blind could see through his facade. He was a bitch, through and through. If I had to take an educated guess, he was raised without training, and if there was, it was very little, with all the money in the world, all the protection, and all the authority a child needs to become spoiled. That's Goro.
"I will tell you the plan." He growled. "We charge in there and destroy them. They are nothing to me! I wield the most powerful weapon in the Universe! I am the Master of Death!"
I groaned, "Can I please shoot this asshole?"
Goro straightened, and pointed the sword at both Asuka and I, going back and forth.
"We will discuss your insubordination later. But for now, you will fight by my side."
"Wait!" Sera said, putting her hands up and walking to the front of our group. "We should listen to Annabeth and form a plan first! If Ouranos has recruited other gods-"
"Silence!" Goro snapped. "From this moment forward, you only speak if I permit it! I am the leader here, and you will do as I say! All of you!"
Malachi put a hand on Sera's shoulder and stepped in front of her, glaring at the mock Shogun. "Do not speak to her that way. Or any of us. Be rational. You are their leader."
"Exactly! That's why I'm going to ride into battle, destroy those petty gods, and retake my kingdom!" He laughed, and his eye twitched, making him look almost maniacal. "Hell, I don't even need you! I'll take my men and go right now! Come on!"
He shouted a war cry to them, which they awkwardly returned, half heartedly, probably not sure whether their leader's lost his marbles or not. Goro got on his horse and sped off, his men following suit.
"I hate him." Goth Girl said with disgust. "He's gonna get himself and his people killed."
Asuka sighed, "Him dying isn't so bad, but the people...I won't let anything happen to them. We must hurry."
Annabeth looked like she wanted to say something, but didn't. I guess making a plan is out of the question now, considering that idiot's going off without thinking. It looks like we're gonna have to do the same thing.
Each of us hopped on our horses and nudged them with our heels. They took off in a flash, and we held on tight, watching as the entire world passed in our peripheral, nothing but a green blur.
Asuka led the way back, and within a second, just like the trip down, we appeared at the front of the castle, riding up the hill towards the entrance.
"No sign of Goro!" I shouted, "He's already inside!"
Asuka, nor the others, said a word. I just took a deep breath and hoped for the best. The best being none of the innocents were killed, and that it was a hostage situation. But then what? What would we do? Maybe Ouranos would just want us, and he'd let the people go. That could work.
But then what about Tsukuyomi? He's not taking no for an answer, and he doesn't give a damn about us. He wants the death sword, and Japan. He won't just leave.
This is gonna be a hard one.
We blew past the gates and slowed to a halt. Goro and his men were in front of us, only by about ten feet, and they were slack, heads looking up at something in shock.
"Oh my..." Sera gasped.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Goth Girl said.
I had no idea what they were talking about, that is, until I looked up.
Sitting on top of the back wall, right above the very peak of the main castle, was the massive head of a red dragon, sitting there, its claws resting on the stone. It was as big as the entire city itself, and I could only see the head, which seemed to dwarf the main castle it rested on.
Facing towards us, it had its mouth wide open, ready to emit fire onto the city below.
Not just the city, I noticed, but the people, too.
All out in the middle, on the path, were the citizens, hundreds of them, all standing cluttered together, shaking with fear. That dragon...was holding them hostage.
Annabeth was right.
"Shit." I cursed.
Asuka was shaking her head in disbelief, "Kagutsuchi...they actually managed to revive him, in such short notice..."
Kagutsuchi? The fire guy?
Percy gawked, "That's Kagutsuchi?! The Dragon?"
"Yes..." Her tone was grim. "This has gone from bad to worse. Impossibly worse." The mask shifted over to Goro, "Start with Ebisu? You're the biggest fool of them all."
Goro didn't even retort, he was shivering, staring towards his main castle, afraid to even speak.
Following his gaze, Asuka saw something that we couldn't, far in front of us, something standing on the steps, right in front of the castle doors.
"They're here." She said, "Ouranos, Tsukuyomi...and Susanoo. All three of them."
"They managed to get him too, then." Malachi said, "They've evened the odds. No, they've completely trapped us."
One of the samurai spoke up, "What are we going to do, Lord Goro?"
It took a second for the bitch Shogun to realize what was going on, but once he finally realized he was being looked to, not just by his men, but by the people, he stiffened.
"We fucking destroy them." He leveled the sword at his own man, "Isn't it obvious, you stupid fuck?"
The guy he aimed it at just put his hands up in surrender. "I-It is obvious, my lord. I'm sorry for what I said."
"You'd better be." Goro snarled, and turned back to the front, ordering his horse to wade through the crowd. I hated this guy.
"Don't fear, citizens!" He said, his voice shaking, betraying his intentions. "I will smite these wicked invaders, and save you all!"
None of them cheered, because they knew it was bullshit, and that got to Goro.
He seethed, "Don't any of you sheep have a voice! Roar! Speak to me! Grovel at my feet! I am Shogun! I am God!"
They all cowered in fear at him instead, for he was waving the sword around like an idiot. This punk wasn't a leader, he was a child. A spoiled, rotten, idiotic child.
"You ain't God." I said, not caring what he did or thought of me. "You ain't even human. You're a maggot crawling to shit."
He turned to me, his eyes as wide as they could go, bloodshot and glassy. He looked like he was ready to foam at the mouth and bite me. But instead, he snapped his arm and attacked an innocent civilian.
A man standing close to his horse was struck with the death katana, right on the shoulder. It sliced right through him and killed him instantly, leaving a cleaved body and blood all over the grass.
People around him screamed, and clamped their mouths shut to keep it from being too loud. Goro scanned them threateningly.
All of us had an aura of hatred, exuding towards him, but Asuka's was the most powerful. She wanted to kill him, full stop, right here and now. But the force of tension held us all back. We needed to see how this was going to play out.
"Now, follow me!" Goro said, and kept riding forward.
We all moved until we got a clear view of Ouranos, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo standing atop the steps.
Ouranos and Tsukuyomi still looked the same. With our favorite Primordial resembling Malachi in size and appearance, save for the slight exceptions, like Ournaos's choppier, grayer hair, and the devilish smirk he always has on. Tsukuyomi hadn't changed either, still towering over us, with ash skin and moon tattoos on his chest and forehead.
Now the man on his left, and our far right, was a new face. I guessed it was Susanoo, the god of the sea over here.
Most of his face was hidden, due to the wide brimmed straw hat on his head. But below that, I could spot a thin mustache, leading into a black goatee that left the chin by an inch or two. He had tan skin, clearly spending a lot of time in the sun, and he wore a short sleeved Ocean blue kimono, right over a pair of white, baggy hakama pants. Making him look like a mix between an old fisherman and a samurai.
He was tall, just as tall as Tsukuyomi, and his katana was long on his waist, the sheathe also sharing the ocean blue color, with little wave designs creeping up and down its length.
Nobody gave an initial reaction to his aura, so I guessed he kept it suppressed until time for battle. But judging on his status as one of the Shinto Big Three, I'd guess he's powerful, equal to Tsukuyomi, or going both ways, slightly weaker or stronger.
And Kagutsuchi...I expected a man, wearing the opposite of Susanoo, maybe a red Japanese getup, with a flaming sword. But a dragon? Caught me off guard. Either way, his size alone told me he'd be a lot to deal with, and the way Asuka's voice changed when she noticed him...gave me the inkling that he might just be the most powerful of the bunch.
Finally, all of the horses reached the foot of the steps. We looked up at our enemies, and they looked down at us, sneering.
"So this is the big challenge?" Susanoo laughed, his voice a thick Japanese accent, loud and gruff. Clearly, he loved hearing himself talk. He fits right in then. "You were right Tsukuyomi, this is going to be fun!"
Before any of us could speak, Goro leveled the death katana at them. "Invaders! Leave now and surrender, or face the wrath of the Mighty Goro, weilder of the Kusanagi!"
His words had no effect, but both Tsukuyomi's and Susanoo's eyes widened at the sword with greed.
"There it is..." Tsukuyomi said, stepping forward, smiling broadly. "After all of this time...I finally see it again, with my own eyes. It isn't a dream."
Susanoo glared at him, but didn't say anything. I could tell he wanted the sword just as badly. How did they agree to work together then? Those two on a team is a betrayal waiting to happen.
Tsukuyomi's giant, cream colored pupils darted over to Asuka. "And you...we meet again, Asuka."
Our eyes widened. How did he know her name?
"Asuka?" Goro said, "Who and the hell..." He found Asuka, and he scoffed, "You idiot, that's my assistant, Emiko. You've got the wrong person!"
The moon god ignored him, "It all makes sense now. You survived, and you've been hiding here all these years. It's curious though, why not come after us? Why not get revenge for your mother?"
Apparently the cat was just being thrown out of the bag. The citizens were closing in, trying to get a better look of what was going on. Maybe they heard that. Goro for sure heard it, and he was confused to all hell.
"Revenge for her mother? What the fuck are you talking about?" He barked.
Tsukuyomi's eyes bore into him, and Goro shrunk under his gaze. "Fool. She's the daughter of Amaterasu. I thought we killed her years ago, along with her mother...but she survived. I want to know how."
"Wait..." Susanoo said, finally putting the pieces together. "...That one in the mask, that's the girl? That's her?!"
"Yes. The little kunoichi. The one that was going to marry Osuke. Remember?"
I had no idea what they were talking about there, that was all new to us. But Susanoo knew, and his face appeared from under the straw hat, blue eyes wide. "Yes! But that was..."
"More than eight hundred years ago." Tsukuyomi finished. "Which raises another good point. How did a demigod live that long?"
Goro looked like he was going to explode from the information. "Emiko! What the hell are they talking about?!"
Asuka said nothing.
"Emiko!"
She didn't respond to Goro, instead keeping her focus on the gods that killed her mom. "I have no interest in dredging up the past. Leave this place now. Both of you. If you wish, we can fight elsewhere, but leave these people out of it."
"Answer the question, and I'll leave them alone." Tsukuyomi said. To his right, Ouranos watched on with amusement, having not said a word this entire time. Which was a rarity. Usually he was the one blabbering. He must not have expected all of this.
"Yeah, answer the question." Susanoo chided, smirking. "And take off that mask! I wanna see if you still look the same!"
"This is quite the unexpected show..." Ouranos chuckled.
I wanted to do something to defend her. Step in and gather attention, or something. They were ganging up on her, revealing information she didn't want revealed. It pissed me off, because I know what it's like. Especially when you're in the face of a loved one's killer.
"What are we going to do, Asuka?" Annabeth whispered.
"Whatever it is, we've got your back." I said.
Asuka flinched at that, her head tilting slightly towards me, but not fully.
"Answer the question!" Tsukuyomi shouted, raising his hand. "With one signal, Kagutsuchi burns this place to the ground, it's people along with it. That can all go away if you tell us how you survived."
For emphasis, the giant dragon shifted just a tad, his weight causing the ground to shake and pebbles of the main castle to fall off.
There was silence, for several seconds we just stared at each other, the gods waited for her answer. We couldn't do a damn thing about it. I'm not sure with our combined strength, we could defeat Ouranos and the other two put together. Maybe we could, but it would be tough.
It's a maybe. But that maybe becomes impossible when you throw in Puff the Magic Dragon up there. That bastard's too much for us to deal with, let alone with these three on our hands.
We're helpless. It really is up to Asuka if we live or die here.
Finally, after so many moments, Goro jumped off his horse and landed on the ground, just before the first step.
He was breathing hard, each one coming out as a hiss. His knuckles were white against the death katana.
"I will not be ignored!" He screamed. "Asuka, tell me what the hell is going on right now!"
At her silence, he turned to her. "They said you were supposed to marry a man named Osuke. Was it Osuke Yamaguchi?"
It took us a second to catch on. Simultaneously, we all remembered that Goro's last name was Yamaguchi. It couldn't mean...
"Osuke was my ancestor." Goro confirmed. "He died centuries ago. Killed in his sleep by an assassin."
"It wasn't an assassin." Asuka said, her voice quiet.
"What?" Goro craned his head forward.
Asuka finally faced him, and I could practically feel the hatred radiating from her. "It was my mother."
This kept escalating further and further. All of us, or at least myself, felt out of place here. Like we were watching a movie, or an argument as bystanders. We didn't really understand what was going on, and I had no clue about that marriage business, but judging by Asuka's voice, whatever happened wasn't nice.
"Your mother?" Goro echoed, "You're really telling me that you're Amaterasu's daughter? That you're eight hundred years old? That your supposed mother killed my ancestor?" He laughed humorlessly, "Emiko, I've known you my entire life. How can any of this be true?"
"I came to this place after she died." Asuka said, "My mother killed Osuke because he sold me out! He is the reason they attacked us that night!"
Goro started, but Asuka stepped off her horse, "You never knew me. All this time, you believed the lie that I crafted. But now, it doesn't even matter. I don't care if you know. I don't care if any of you know the truth."
What she did next caught everyone off guard. Slowly, she reached up and took hold of her mask, gripping the sides of it tight with her fingers. As carefully as a surgeon performs a procedure, she pulled at the wood, which made the tight cloth behind the mask, covering the back of her head slide off. Within a few tense seconds, she had removed it completely, and held it in one hand at her side.
Her face was finally revealed. Literally now, it looked like we were watching a movie. Goro stood in front of us, and Asuka slightly to our left, in an invisible theatre box. I didn't even want to look, which sounded crazy, as curious as I was to know what she looked like, and now I hesitate.
But my head moved on its own, and I got a look at her.
First thing I noticed, right off the bat, she's pretty.
Well, I was gonna say hot, but that's trashy to say, in my opinion. A few years ago I wouldn't have thought twice about the difference between hot and beautiful, and what that means. I didn't care. But now that I've changed, it matters a good deal. I don't know her that well, but something told me I shouldn't be using such a trite word. Beautiful. That's better.
And she was. I'm not sure what I expected. She had Asian features, obviously, that much I figured, with a slender face, defined cheekbones, and beige skin, which looked so flawless, I might have mistaken her for caking herself with makeup before she joined us this morning.
Her eyes were glaring, but entrancing. Orange irises, the color of fire, and I had the feeling if you stared into them too long, you'd either burn to death, or get lost in them, and get stuck in a waking coma.
Like I noticed before when Tsukuyomi unmasked her, she had short, black hair, not even reaching her shoulders. It was unkempt now from the mask, but she had curtain bangs, and thick waves that came down on each side of her head, hiding her ears. I ain't sure if I stared at her eyes too long, or her lips. Like her skin, they were flawless, full, just the right shade of pink, and tight from anger.
It was hard to place the face with the figure we've come to know as Asuka. The loner, mysterious, powerful daughter of Amaterasu...and this magazine cover girl. It just didn't match. But then again, even the most hardened of warriors can have good looks, especially when you're a half blood. Take Malachi for example.
Everyone gasped at the action, the people's louder than ours, because they've known her longer than we have, probably going years without ever seeing her face. Tsukuyomi smirked, having already seen it, while Susanoo's eyes turned into saucers, and finally, Ouranos reared his head back in amusement.
"It is her!" Susanoo exclaimed, "I...I can't believe it! She looks the exact same as that night!"
Goro's men backed up a step, looking at each other nervously. Goro himself looked like he was gonna faint.
"It can't be..." He trembled. "Y-You're face...it matches the portrait of Osuke and his fiancé. You are the daughter of Amaterasu."
Silence fell, and it seemed as if everything was going to explode. Asuka stood there silently, in her own dark cloud. There was no telling what she was going to do, or what was going to happen. Either way, this was a bad situation.
"B-But this makes no sense!" Goro stumbled, "Every story tells us that Amaterasu's daughter died on that night! Along with her mother! That's why my family inherited the Kusanagi!"
"Osuke stole the Kusanagi!" Asuka shouted, her voice shaking the ground, making all of us flinch to cover our ears. She was beginning to lose that filter. Her true power was starting to come out. "He watched as they attacked us that night! When mother fell, and dropped the sword, he stole it and took it back here! After he told them of my existence!"
"But you said your mother killed him." Goro countered. "You said it wasn't an assassin, it was her. How could she have killed him if she died before he did."
Asuka's shoulders rolled up and down with heavy breaths, her anger rising. Malachi winced and visibly reacted next to me.
"Her aura...it's becoming too big..." He croaked. Percy was doing the same thing, even holding his head like he had a headache.
"That's because she didn't die." Asuka said.
At that, not only Goro reacted, but Tsukuyomi and Susanoo did as well.
"What are you talking about?" Tsukuyomi said, "That's nonsense! We killed her! I watched her die!"
"You killed her, yes. But you didn't erase her soul." Asuka's right hand clutched the mask tightly, and the other burst into flames, the fire condensing down to her hand immediately, forming a long rod with a pointed end. "You want to know how I've survived this long, Tsukuyomi?! Susanoo?! Do you want to know how I've lived for eight hundred years?!"
For the first time, they actually seemed afraid, and took several steps back. Her flaming rod only got brighter and hotter, and so did her aura, judging by Malachi's pained reaction. She was about to make a move. We stood completely still, just watching. I knew it wouldn't be good, if she does something, that Kagutsuchi will only burn the entire city to the ground. But I don't know, with how pissed she's getting...she might be able to stop it.
Even Ouranos was startled. His head darted back and forth between the two gods and Asuka, maybe thinking about running.
Asuka's head shot up, and she pointed the flaming rod at Tsukuyomi and Susanoo, her face scrunched up with rage. "I've survived this long for one simple reason! One thing you two never considered! The love of a mother!"
The gods raised their eyebrows, but still seemed terrified.
"A demigod cannot live for eight hundred years!" She continued, "But a god can! Do you see where I'm going with this?! Do you, Tsukuyomi?! Susanoo?! Can you see through the mask, and look into the soul of your sister?!"
Their eyes flickered down to her cat mask, and then slowly, up to her face. She wasn't referring to the physical mask. It started to click in my head what she was alluding to...and I couldn't believe it.
When Tsukuyomi and Susanoo realized it too, their mouths fell open in fear. "S-Sister..."
"That's right..." Asuka said. "...I am Amaterasu."
Faster than we could blink, she turned around and lunged at Goro. He never even had a chance to defend himself, or for once, used that death sword he waved around so stupidly.
Asuka...or Amaterasu, I should say, stabbed Goro in the neck with the pointed end of the rod, reaching right through his armor, and piercing the left side, not the middle. When she pulled back, it looked like a giant bullet had grazed it, or a knife had been raked across it.
I wondered why she didn't just stab him in the windpipe and get this over with, but when he gasped for air and clutched onto the wound, it made sense. She wanted him to suffer.
Goro immediately dropped the death sword and fell to his knees, coughing and hacking a storm, while blood fell through his fingers, gushing out like a red fountain.
Before the Kusanagi could hit the ground, and Amaterasu could even stand up from her attack, Tsukuyomi was there, snatching the katana away and holding it outstretched beside him.
Asuka/Amaterasu stepped forward and swung a wide arc. Tsukuyomi did the same. Both weapons met each other with a powerful clash, creating a massive shockwave that rattled the Castle and blew tornado like winds all around us. Fire danced off of Asuka/Amaterasu's rod like sparks.
Kagutsuchi shifted harder this time, his mouth ready to spit flames. But Tsukuyomi held up his hand.
"Hold, Kagutsuchi! I want to talk with my sister a bit!" He smirked at her as they struggled equally. "Amaterasu...I can't believe it. We meet again after all these years."
"For the last time!" She shouted, and pushed against him, knocking him back a few steps. It was clear the Kusanagi had a great power advantage, and her little aura rod wouldn't last long. But she had the advantage in speed, and in that Tsukuyomi wasn't used to wielding the sword yet.
"C'mon!" I roared, "We gotta help her!"
Every one of us jumped off our horses and started running towards the battle, but as soon as we started, we heard something loud come from above us, at the top of the staircase.
"Watch out!" Percy yelled, seeing something I couldn't.
We all braced ourselves and blocked our heads with a single arm. I wasn't in much trouble, due to my weird invincibility, which...after getting cut with Heavenly Diamond, doesn't seem so invincible. Throwing caution to the wind anyway, I peeked up to see what was going on.
Susanoo had formed a wall of water in front of him, from what? I wasn't sure. Thin air, I guessed. From that wall, he pushed on it like he was playing a piano, shooting what looked like ice spears at us, sailing at the speed of light.
Percy got in a fighting stance and with his palms outstretched, he took control of the ice spears, flicking his wrists and throwing his arms down, they melted instantly and splashed on the stone path.
Susanoo shot another volley with a single push of his hand, this time they came in double waves, by the dozens. More than Percy could handle. So Sera stepped forward and coated her own hands with ice, helping Percy deflect the blows by knocking them aside, kind of like how fighters train by punching tennis balls coming at them.
Goth Girl came up beside of Sera and sliced the air with her Eros sword, sending a pink line of energy towards Susanoo. The god's eyes widened, clearly not expecting a counter attack so soon.
I thought it might hit him, but of course, like the snake he is, Ouranos found a way to slither in and shock everyone by reminding us he was here.
He had materialized his Heavenly Diamond spear and stopped Harper's blow with the sharp end, slamming it down on the pink line and dispersing it.
"Go!" Percy yelled to me, "Help Asuka! We've got this!"
I didn't even hesitate. I turned around and sprinted towards her. It wasn't looking too good. Clearly Tsukuyomi was starting to get used to the death sword, and Asuka/Amaterasu was on the defensive. Doing really good, parrying strikes and holding her own, but death's touch was taking its effect.
Inwardly, I screamed towards Nikandreos. All right pops, another light sword would be real helpful right about now!
Of course, he didn't reply.
I growled. Yo, Nikandreos! Get off your lazy ass and give me something here! I gotta help her! You said protect her, right?!
Before I could even listen for his answer, I felt something grab my ankle, stopping me and nearly making me faceplant.
"What the hell?!" I looked down at the ground, seeing Goro there, his hand weakly gripping my leg. He looked horrible. He had ended up on his stomach, his head hovering over a big puddle of blood. His lips were blue, his face was pale, he was on death's door.
"Heh, good riddance, bastard." I spat on him.
Goro didn't even react to that. But he did muster up enough strength to give a final order to his men.
"M-Men!" He croaked, and the samurai, who had been stiff the entire time, watching the fight go down without doing anything, all looked to him.
"Your final order! K...Kill...Amaterasu! J-Join Tsukuyomi!"
My eyes widened. "What the fuck are you doing?! They're gonna destroy this place! You're telling your men to betray your people?!"
He smirked up at me, "They own it now...and I won't greet death without knowing that hers is coming soon..." He coughed up another pile of blood. "I have a few more minutes to live...I'll wait and watch them kill her..."
The men jumped into action, just as Goro said. They knew their shitty leader was about to die, they could've disobeyed his orders, and done the sane thing. But no...they were so brainwashed, they followed blindly.
As a group, they hounded Asuka, Amaterasu, what the hell ever, and started striking with all they had. I had to act quick, because if she was on the defensive before, she was clearly overwhelmed now.
But before I did that, I looked down at Goro, who was watching on with delight, his bloody lips curled up into a smile.
This bastard had to be one of the worst, most vile, unlikeable creatures I'd ever met. He wanted that last bit of satisfaction? I wasn't going to let him have it.
I smirked, my eyes open as far as they could go, probably making me look like a crazed demon, but I didn't care. I hope I did to him. "Hey, Goro, up here."
He looked up at me, and saw my expression. It must've been terrifying, because he flinched.
Mustering all of my willpower, I pushed out all of the bloodlust and hatred I felt towards him. It turned the entire area bloodred, making it look like a fog storm of gory mist had floated inward. It was the biggest display of the ability I'd ever used, and I hadn't done it in so long, I'd forgotten how satisfying it felt.
Just a little will traumatize a human, a good bit can make a seasoned demigod piss themself and run.
So imagine what all the bloodlust I had would do to this coward.
Goro shook with fear, and literal piss started coming out of his armor, leaking on the path.
"N-No! Have mercy!"
"She ain't dying today." I snarled, "But you are. Enjoy hell, asshole."
I didn't even use a weapon. My boot was enough. I brought it up out of his grip and stomped down as hard as I could. With the adrenaline I'd gained from using that much bloodlust, It was more than enough to crush his skull. My boot squashed his head like a pumpkin. His skull caved in and the entire thing exploded from the neck up, splattering blood and brain matter everywhere.
It hit my face, my neck, and my skin all over, but I didn't care. I actually enjoyed it. It invigorated me, made me push forward and keep going, all the more engaged to help Asuka and do the same thing to those samurai.
I felt like my old self again. That wild, crazy demigod, obsessed with drowning out the pain and the guilt of leaving his only friends behind on that island. The same demigod that masked that pain with drinking, kept his mind busy with killing for money. I became that beast again.
And it showed. It felt like I'd been possessed. I started laughing like a lunatic, clenching my fists. "Come on! Let's kill these assholes!"
I licked Goro's blood from my face and started running towards the uneven fight. Ready to even the odds.
Alright, give me something. I demanded.
To my surprise, the answer was immediate this time. Control yourself.
My leg began to glow a bright golden color, filling me with even more adrenaline. I jumped up and squeezed right through the gap in the fight, coming down in between Asuka, Goro's men, and Tsukuyomi.
When my foot stomped the ground, a golden flash erupted and hit everyone, save for Asuka and I. Goro's men were thrown in the air, screaming with shock as they soared several feet, some even losing control of their swords. Tsukuyomi on the other hand, was a bit tougher to shake. He was forced back, but on his knees, using the Kusanagi as leverage to slow his momentum.
"Talon!" Asuka said, I looked over my shoulder at her, realizing that she was a little closer than I thought, probably a few inches from me. Just one away from being able to count the hairs on my head.
"Amaterasu." I half-joked, tipping my hat.
"Get away from here! If the Kusanagi touches you-"
"No way!" I grinned, "Not when there's this much fighting to do!" I shifted my head at the groaning samurai, starting to get up. "Come at me! I'll kill every last one of you!"
She grabbed my shoulder, and I noticed the mask being held by the crooks of her fingers. She'd been fighting one handed the entire time? Why didn't she let that thing go?
"Talon, don't be a fool! If you want to see your father, you need to stay safe!" She tried tugging me away, but I turned around fully, maybe a bit too fast, and grabbed her by the wrist, able to wrap my entire hand around it.
Her breath hitched, and this time, I could finally look her in the eyes when I talked some sense into her.
"He's the one that allowed me to do what I just did." I said firmly, "And he also told me to protect you."
Her mouth parted, not knowing about that. Her lips almost distracted me from continuing, which'll probably freak me out later, but right now, I didn't care.
"I know you don't need protecting, so just let me help you, okay? Even if he didn't say it, I'd still have your back."
For a second, her rage vanished, replaced by a look of complete shock. Which in turn shocked me, because she looked...damn cute. Wait a second, what?
Oh shit, did I just think that?
Nah, nah, forget I said that. It's just, damn, what I'm seeing right now completely betrays the exterior. The picture I'd built in my head, the off-putting attitude, and even all the fifteen seconds she's been unmasked, she's been enraged. Rightfully so. But now, I'm seeing something that actually looks...vulnerable.
But...I don't care. So what if it's interesting, or if she's cute? There's nothing wrong with calling a cute girl cute, it doesn't mean I think of Asuka differently than I always have. She's an ally.
Finally, after a long moment, her orange eyes looked somewhere other than me. "Watch out!"
I turned around and saw a flash of metal approaching fast. Instinctively, I reached out and caught it.
One of the samurai had crept up behind me and tried to take my head off. Too bad he's using steel, cause I ain't getting hurt that way.
I held the katana tight, my adrenaline coming back in a giant wave. I felt that crazy feeling come back, and I grinned. "Not a chance!"
Pulling his arm forward, I underhooked his torso with my other arm, shifted my hips, and threw him right over me.
The samurai fell to the ground and I kicked his wrist, knocking the sword out of his hand. It clattered on the ground, and I pinned him down with my knee on his chest.
"Wanna see what I've got?!" I ripped his helmet off and bashed his nose with my fist, "Take this damn thing off!" I threw the helmet to the side and kept punching him, over and over until blood began to fly out of his nose. Nikandreos gave me even more power, and my hands turned golden.
CONTROL YOURSELF! His voice shouted.
But I ignored it, I kept going and going, not even able to see the guy's head, just feeling it collapse under my blows, masked by a wall of blood.
"Fucking die!" I roared.
I laughed, unable to stop. Something had completely taken over, and I just beat him to bits, likely killing him a long time ago. Finally, when that adrenaline faded, and I had fed the beast, I stopped, breathing heavily and blinked a few times.
When my vision cleared, I saw what I had done, and felt immediate regret. Just like an addiction, when you do it, all the regret comes after. My fists weren't just coated in blood, but pink brain matter too, sticking to my skin. The samurai's skull had been shattered all over the ground, floating in the blood puddle like little white chips. Literally nothing remained but his freaking neck stump.
My wild grin faded, I raised my fists and looked back and forth between the two, then up at Asuka, who looked apprehensive. Standing up and spinning a one eighty, the other samurai were all still, looking at me with fear. Even Tsukuyomi hesitated to come forward.
Within that moment, I relived another. One from a long time ago, and it felt just as real as when it happened.
"You have to strike fear into your enemies hearts."
Master...
"Even as you are, you can make yourself look powerful. Stand straight, shoulders squared, weapon drawn. Don't tell them that you could kill them with your face, tell them with your eyes."
"How?"
"You can tell what a man's all about by looking into his eyes. That's why I gave you those sunglasses. So nobody can ever read you. They'll work for you as they did for me."
"I have to take them off then?"
"If they read you, only let them see what you want. Let them see how dangerous you are."
His words echoed in my head, and I stood straight, squared up my shoulders, and reached up to pluck off my sunglasses. When I did, I glared at the group.
"Want some more? Come on, I'll take all of you!"
They looked at each other, silently questioning whether they should go for it. Heh, I knew Master's old trick still worked. It worked on the streets with the assassin gig, and it even works here, in a foreign country, fighting half a dozen god-like samurai. They outnumbered and outpowered me, but with a little fear, you can shake almost anyone.
But I don't operate that way anymore. Or at least...that's what I thought.
Tsukuyomi's face broke into a smirk. "Fine, if you want to up the ante, we can do that." He lifted his hand and closed it into a fist. "Kagutsuchi! TORCH IT!"
"Shit..." I muttered.
Tsukuyomi zoomed up to the top of the staircase, so did Goro's men, all getting the hell out of dodge to avoid a giant fire pillar.
Asuka and I looked at each other simultaneously, both thinking the same thing.
Run.
I shoved my sunglasses back on and we hightailed it back over to the group, who's fighting had ceased the same time ours did.
"What's going on?!" Percy asked, confused.
"That dragon's about to blow!" I hollered, coming up behind them and looking up at said dragon. Kagutsuchi already had his mouth open wide, any second now we'd be burned to crisps.
"We need to act now!" Asuka ordered, "Those of you with the best aura control, we must meet his blast in the middle and sheild the Castle from it!"
"Are you crazy!" Goth Girl said, "It'll destroy us!"
"Not if we work together!" Asuka argued, "He won't be expecting it! Now hurry! We have no time!"
I wanted to count myself in, but my aura control is virtually nonexistent, unless Nikandreos gives me a hand.
Malachi nodded, "I'm with you."
Percy glanced up at Kagutsuchi, groaned, then pointed at Annabeth. "Annabeth, stay here!"
"Like I'm going anywhere!"
"Now! Jump!" Asuka said. Everyone looked up to see a bright orange light beaming from the center of Kagutsuchi's mouth.
Altogether, Asuka, Malachi, Percy, and Harper jumped up in the air to meet the blast, while Sera, Annabeth, and I stayed put on the ground. I might be immune to the pain, but I also knew if I tried to shield this place with my body, it wouldn't do much. As big as that dragon is, its fire is gonna stretch as wide as the city. Besides, the force of it would send me flying into the ocean from here.
So we watched as Kagutsuchi blew out a huge breath, forming an enormous pillar of fire, as wide as the city, burning a bright orange that scalded my skin, even from here. It looked a hell of a lot like one of Matt's cannons, only even stronger.
Asuka brought out her own aura shield, of the same fiery color, and expanded it so it covered the same distance as Kagutsuchi's blast, while Malachi did the same. Along with Percy being the third, all three of them formed giant shields made of energy, lined up against each other like barriers. I was curious as to what Harper was gonna do, since she didn't form a shield, but then I got my answer when she unsheathed the Eros sword and struck the air.
A massive line of pink energy erupted from it, like the one she used against Hades in the underworld during that whole Tartarus debacle. Kagutsuchi's blast collided with everyone's shield, and pushed against it instantly, forcing everyone back midair. Asuka's shield cracked and shattered, then Malachi's, and finally, the fire pillar got to Percy...
But luckily, Goth Girl is smarter than she looks, because she timed the strike from the Eros sword just right. At the moment Kagutsuchi's blast hit and broke through the first two shields, her pink line of energy hit his pillar right in the middle, cleaving it in two and effectively extinguishing the fire.
It vanished as quick as it came, and in its absence, the area immediately cooled down. But Kagutsuchi wasn't done. He loaded back up for another blast.
But Asuka was ready, and figured such a thing would happen. "Everyone, brace yourselves! We're leaving!"
"Leaving?!" Annabeth shouted from below, likely not even reaching her.
Without warning, my entire body felt hot again, like with the blast, only this time, it was all over, and even making my insides churn. I looked around to see what was going on, and saw that both Annabeth and Sera had outlines of an orange glow around them. Upwards, so did Asuka, Malachi, Percy, and Harper. Was this...Asuka's doing?
Too late to ask. Before I knew it, the entire castle disappeared, and I was taken away, far away, to somewhere else.
(000)
Well there you go! Not quite the final battle, but a little teaser none the less!
What did you all think of the reveal? Pretty interesting huh? Now, there's a bit more to it that will be explained next Talon chapter, but just stay tuned, and let me know what you thought! I really appreciate the reviews!
Anyway, that's all I got! See you next chapter!
Until Next Time.