Chapter 18

He's been getting a twitch in his eye…

This has never happened to him before and yet… this all seem too familiar to him. Kenjaku has been suffering for the past few weeks, be it the butt of a joke or the victim of circumstances that are beyond control… but it's pathetic to think someone of his caliber keeps getting caught in the same damn trap!

In the month, he has battled strange and yet brilliant mice, birds with grudges, things constantly falling on him, him falling into pits, manholes and other various unpleasentness.

But it was all over the top… cartoonish if you will…

Or a poor comedy act…

It was then it hit him. "Impossible…" he whispered. "This cannot be possible, I refuse to believe this!" he muttered to himself.

Kenjaku tried to settle his nerves with some tea at a local shop. He kept his eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary, when he realized… his stalker was in this very shop. In fact, he saw him sitting there bluntly and had the gall to wave him over to join him!

'It can't be him!' Kenjaku's mind screamed. Despite the fact it was the same curse energy, the energy itself has altered to what it was previously before. And yet… he sat there.

Curiosity got the better of him as he took the bait.

Seated at the same table, Kenjaku glared at the man who sat across from him. "Takaba…" Kenjaku muttered. "How is this possible…"

Takaba smiled to him. "I thought you would have figured it out by now… no?" he asked curiously. "Apparently not, the kids did leave you with a good enough hint, didn't they?"

Kids?

Kenjaku glared at him. "Those sorcerers were older than you… by hundreds of years" he protested.

Takaba laughed. "Oh… faith has a sense of humor too huh? So, have you been enjoying my on the road comedy? I do admit, you have been a fantastic medium!"

It was him.

He tried to keep it cool, since Kenjaku knows how his technique is far more refined than before… he actually knows what he is doing. "I am rather impressed you were able to expand on the notion… granted before, I swore you were just pulling random scenarios out of your ass…"

"I give credit where it's due, the fact you kept up… but now… how does it feel to be humiliated in public? Perhaps it's a good thing you don't have a familiar face around here… you would be a laughing stock."

Kenjaku paused to this, so Takaba is targeting him.

"What are you hoping to gain? Because I recall, you don't like to kill." He said offhandedly. "In fact, you can't bring yourself to do so…"

Takaba smirked. "That Takaba guy was like that, yes. He had heart and merely wanted to make people laugh so they would know joy… nice guy"

Kenjaku froze. "You are not Takaba…"

"Not in the least bit" he said proudly. "Which should be very worrying for you"

"I don't understand this… I didn't make a binding vow with him… all binding vows have been complete at the culling game and yet… This isn't right!" he protested. "If you are not Takaba then tell me who you are!"

He smiled to him.

As if this were the greatest game in the world at the moment. "You really don't know, do you?" he asked bluntly. "Oh well, either way… all the more fun for us!"

"Who are you?" Kenjaku demanded once more. "I demand at least a name!"

Takaba paused but then smirked. "You have friends in high places… ask them, we won't speak of it." He said and stood up from the table. "By the way, I'm glad you have been enjoying our little banter for the past while… I'm about to kick it up a notch" he said and patted Kenjaku's shoulder. "Look forward to what I have planned!" and he walked out.

"What is going on…" he decided he had to contact Drasil.

#

"WHAT!?"

Kenjaku was taken aback when he called upon his accomplice. But it was rather blunt and bitter. "Is this a bad time?" he asked.

"Tsk… it's not much better… what are you doing down there anyways. I thought we had an agreement!"

Kenjaku was taken aback. "We do, what are you saying? I am not living up to my end of the deal?" he asked.

"That's exactly it! I gave you the best plan possible, you barely took out anyone from it! The only benefit is the Tooru lost her children… wait… what is with the Tooru woman now?"

"What do you mean?"

"She's not a sorcerer!"

Kenjaku froze to this. In fact, Drasil was more than upset. "First this and then… THAT…"

"You are having complications just as I am. Sorcerers I made binding vows with during the culling games have returned to this world… I didn't bring them back, but they are not acting like themselves either…"

Drasil froze. "No… THAT BITCH!" he protested. He turned sharply and glared into Kenjaku's eyes. "Tell me what they said"

He recalled the warning the sorcerers gave him, after he warned them not to interfere with him. They said something along the lines of. 'Since when have we ever stepped out of you way or listened to your threats?' Something along that line but the fact was, they weren't scared of me… they knew who I was too…"

Drasil's eyes twitched. "Shit!" he protested. "She brought them back earlier than I thought…"

"Brought who back?" he asked. "What are you not telling me?"

He sighed aloud. "Kenjaku, you are aware of what is known as a phoenix clause?" he asked. He shook his head, never heard of it. "It's a special clause that is rarely given or evoked… it allows one who has died to return to the living if they have the means to do so. As such, if a body is presented and accepted, these souls can return to the world on their own accord…"

"Those of the culling games…"

Drasil shook his head no. "Those who possess them… do. Kenjaku… you are more than familiar with the Tooru family, are you not?"

A pit formed in his shell's gut.

Toorus… he is more than aware of them.

"They are all dead. Except for Yua…"

"They were," Drasil said in a stern tone. "They are invoking the clause now for they have finally got the means to do so."

"WHAT!" Kenjaku roared. "Toorus?! I am against Toorus?! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!?"

"BECAUSE I AM DEALING WITH A MALE THAT IS PREGNANT!" he snapped back.

Kenjaku froze to this. How is this more important?!

"So?" he demanded.

Drasil froze to this. "So? SO?! This is as serious to me as the Toorus are to you! Do you not realize the more dragons that are born in this world, the greater their numbers grow the less power I have!" he protested. "If the Toorus take over here as well… where does that leave you? Scurrying through the shadows, keeping yourself hidden…"

This… was serious.

"What now then? We both appear to have a serious problem…"

"My power is limited, after the incident with the Tooru, Tiamat has made certain to limit my interactions…" he sighed to this. "The Toorus are out of hand for you, they have already established their base and have gathered legions already. You are too far gone to go against them… if anything the dragons needs to be dispose of…"

"You are on your own there." Kenjaku stated. "I refuse to go against the dragons."

"Then at least do something about Ryomen Sukuna… the very least you can do for me. Understood?"

That he could agree to. "So be it" he said.

"Good… don't let your guard down around the Toorus…" he warned.

When Drasil vanished, Kenjaku sneered. "What a waste of time…" he muttered. "I have to rid the Toorus… but it's become complicated now… I don't even know which one I am up against… still…" from this moment on, Kenjaku will have to watch his step…