Chapter 19: Crescendo
Yuki's second midnight couldn't pass fast enough he thought as he stared daggers at Totetsu's severed head.
"You alright Moroha?" Towa asked her cousin.
"Yeah, just fine." Moroha smiled. "Just glad that you got here before I had to use the rainbow pearl. He was tough."
Yuki's eyes moved to her as she spoke. How could she not be angry right now? He had thought.
He caught sight of the small red line that was marring her neck in the aftermath of Saito's attack and he couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes.
"I know where Rain is now so lets get going, if we start now we'll make it there by sunset tomorrow." Yuki said.
"At sunset tomorrow you'll still be human." Moroha told him.
"I'll manage just fine where Rain is, if he wants me to go back to him then I will and this will be the last time for both of us." Yuki told his friends with a solemn seriousness.
Hisui put his hand on Yuki's shoulder.
"Yuki, that's doing what Rain wants. He wants you to go back to him when you're weak." Hisui said and Yuki jerked back immediately.
"I don't need my full strength! I know that place better than anywhere else." Yuki said angrily.
"Even so it's not wise to go there as you are, you just have one more day. We can start heading there after tomorrow." Setsuna told him.
"That's one more day that Rain can target you all again. I want to leave now, maybe if I go alone we can finish this faster." Yuki said.
"That's not happening." Moroha told him and she took Yuki's hand in hers. "Come on, let's go talk." She said as she pulled him away.
"I don't need to—" Yuki started.
"Yes. You do." Moroha told him firmly as she took him away from the rest of the group. Pulling him along the shore behind her to where they wouldn't be heard.
She walked fast at first but her pace soon slowed as they got farther away and Yuki was sure now that they were far enough that no one would hear but Moroha still didn't stop to talk to him. She just kept walking with him as she pulled him behind her and allowed him to think things through as they walked in silence along the moonlit beach.
"You can't go to fight Rain alone." Moroha told him after some time as soon as they had finally stopped walking.
She let go of his hand.
"Is that all that you wanted to tell me? I'm sorry but that's what's best now. Look at the red smile that Saito had almost painted across your neck."
Moroha didn't waver in her resolve in response to him.
"That is not what's best. Rain wanted you to feel helpless, that's why he attacked me during your time of weakness. He wants you to react like this. Don't do that, he attacked me on purpose because he knew you'd react." Moroha told him seriously.
"He attacked you because we killed Scarlet. From the moment that I met you he could see exactly how I felt. That's why he wants you dead. This is all my fault and if I don't go to him now you and everyone else could get hurt way worse next time. I can't be selfish, especially when it comes to you Moroha. I have to leave." Yuki told her as if it were fact now.
"No you don't." She told him again. "This was not your fault. Rain has raised you to think that we were natural enemies. Even if you weren't here he would still want all of us dead. You know that better than anyone. Rain knows how to hurt you and how to make you push blame on to yourself when there's none to be taken. Even if you left alone you know that we'd still follow you. You're the reason why we all left in the first place."
"I can't stand that you got hurt tonight and I was completely helpless to do anything or to even slow Totetsu. How can any of you even stand to look at me after what happened." Yuki said angrily now looking down as he couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes anymore.
"Yuki I am not your friend just because I see you as someone strong and I am not dependent on you for protection. I can protect myself even if my opponent hurts me. I know that I can pull through. I'm your friend because of who you are and how you make me feel when we're together. Strong or weak half demon or human you are you and I like you Yuki." She said and his cheeks turned pink under the light of the moon as she calmed his mind.
"I would never blame you for tonight none of us would. You should already know that by now. So calm down already and get ready to leave together after tomorrow when we'll all be at our best okay." Moroha told him.
Yuki sighed. She was right, the feelings and anxieties that were creeping up on him tonight felt awfully familiar to how he had felt in the past before he met them all. He did need to calm down and think clearer.
"How do you do that?" He asked.
"Do what?" She asked in response.
"You always know exactly what I need to hear when Rain's in my head. It's almost scary but it's nice to hear you say that you like me for me. I don't think that anyone has ever told me that before." Yuki said with pink dusted cheeks and Moroha smiled.
"Aww, am I embarrassing you?" She teased. "I like you for you." She said again and Yuki turned his head from her so that she couldn't see him as he tried to not let her see him flustered.
Moroha closed the distance between them and hugged him tight. And he was very glad that she couldn't see his face now because there was no way that it didn't look flushed.
"From now on. You'll only ever have to surround yourself with people who like you for you. I may have been the first person to tell you out loud but I shouldn't be the last. You deserve to be around people who care about you."
She pulled back slightly to look at him. "Really care about you." She reiterated and he pulled her closer to him again as his arms held her back now in a tight embrace.
He didn't say anything else and she let the two of them slip into a comfortable silence as Yuki processed everything that she had said.
He still didn't think that he deserved to be friends with someone like her let alone hold such deep feelings for her that he would never share but it sure did feel good to hold her and to be held by her like this.
Her dark hair was soft under his chin and she smelled like salt and sweet sweat after swimming at the beach all day. Being with Moroha always brought him peace even when it shouldn't but he would never be able to do the same for her, not after the life that he's lived.
XXXX
"Do you think that he's still going to insist on going there tonight?" Jade asked Towa as they sat beside each other on the beach watching the stars.
Hisui and Setsuna had claimed that they were both tired after the fight against Totetsu so the two of them were back at camp supposedly fast asleep.
Towa wanted to watch the stars some before going to sleep and to make sure that Yuki was okay even though she knew that he would be after talking to Moroha.
"No, he'll do whatever Moroha wants, he'll be fine in a few minutes." Towa told Jade.
"The two of them are quite close can't you tell?" Jade asked and Towa shrugged.
"I see the way that Yuki looks at her. I just hope that he doesn't take it too personally when she doesn't return his feelings." Towa said.
"You don't think that she likes him?" Jade asked.
"Moroha and I are the same, we don't want to be involved in those kind of relationships. Before we left she had the son of one of the most wealthy men in our village constantly asking for her hand. She felt like his attention was suffocating. I don't think that she'll change her mind." Towa said.
"That was with him though. With Yuki she seems to be just herself. My dad always said that we should choose a mate that makes us feel the most free to be ourselves. Just make sure that they choose you too because that kind of love has to be mutual."
"Even if she feels like she can be herself with him she'd never be the one to change how things are now."
"Is that really how you feel too?" Jade asked as he turned to her now curious as to what she would say. "If you met someone that you really felt was who you were meant for you'd just let them pass by and possibly be with someone else when you know that they should be yours?" Jade said.
Towa turned her head from the stars to look at him too as she spoke without hesitation.
"I am a warrior. And a warrior doesn't need to be wasting their time worrying over matters of the heart." She answered.
"I would have to disagree with you there. Warrior doesn't need any less love than anyone else. I hope that you find who's meant for you one day because you deserve that. Even if it ends up being Riku."
"I am not meant for Riku." Towa said annoyed and Jade smiled he didn't know why.
"That makes me happy. I don't think that I could bear seeing my rival fawn over the affections of someone like him." He laughed.
"Being in love would make it easier for you to beat me if I become distracted you'd surpass me far too easily." Towa smiled.
"Well if that's the case then maybe I should introduce you to a few wolf demons next time that I'm home."
"As if." Towa rolled her eyes.
"What, you don't like wolf demons? We mate for life and only ever take one lover once we're married. You'd always have a loyal companion by your side."
"Still pass. My feelings are the same. All I need is me and my friends. They all love me enough that I don't need a lover." Towa said.
"Those are two different kinds of love." Jade smiled.
Moroha and Yuki came into view now the two of them walked through the sand with much more calmness than before.
"Is everything okay now?" Tow asked.
Yuki nodded.
"We're going to leave after tomorrow." Moroha told Towa and Jade and Towa turned to smile at Jade before standing up.
"I'm glad." Towa said as she stretched her arms. "I think that I'm going to go to bed now. Setsuna and Hisui had better actually be asleep by the time I get to camp. I'd really like to have a good dream tonight, not any nightmares.
XXXX
After Moroha had spoken to Yuki it was clear to her that he felt as though he were responsible for everything that had happened since they had met. He always blamed himself and he felt like he didn't deserve to have people treating him with kindness.
Yuki also felt as though he needed to be the one to kill Rain even if it would be hard for him and she had finally decided that night what she was going to do about that.
For years Rain had been Yuki's only family and Yuki loved him more than anyone. Even now after everything Yuki still loved Rain because the present can never erase the past.
Moroha was not going to force Yuki to kill someone that he cared about. Someone that he still loves even though he doesn't want to admit it. She would kill Rain for him and if he ended up hating her for it at least the blood of someone that he loves will not be on his hands.
Moroha had woken up early the next morning to think this all through and to her surprise. Both Setsuna and Towa joined her as she was sitting in the sand and staring out at the sea.
"What's on your mind?" Towa asked her.
"I'm going to kill Rain so Yuki doesn't have to." Moroha told the two of them outright.
"Did he ask you to do that?" Setsuna asked.
"No, I'm doing it because I don't want him to be carrying the guilt of killing someone that he cares about."
"He still cares about that insane puppet master?! He tried to kill him last time!" Towa gasped.
"Shhh, keep your voice low. What if he wakes up and comes out here?" Moroha scolded her cousin in a whisper.
"If you do that he might get really upset with you and never forgive you." Towa said.
"I know but he said it himself. Rain won't stop until either we die or he dies. What difference does it make who kills him?" Moroha said.
"You're right." Setsuna sighed. "No matter who kills him, Rain does have to go."
Towa looked from her sister and then to Moroha as if she were going to say something but said nothing instead. If the two of them agreed here, there wouldn't be much she could say to change either of their minds.
But unaware to both twins as the waves crashed to the shore and they all watched the calm scene of the morning waves play out in front of them. Both Towa and Setsuna were thinking the same thing.
"I will be the one to kill Rain to spare her from having to tell Yuki that she killed his uncle. He can never forgive me and Moroha can feel at peace." Setsuna thought.
While Towa had thought. "If neither of them care to speak about this father, then fine. I'll kill Rain. Yuki might never forgive her if she does it so I'll shoulder the blame in the end. Losing Yuki would affect her more than it would affect me anyway. I guess we didn't need to discuss this further after all."
XXXX
Their last day at the beach had passed by a lot slower this time none of them had been in the same mood that they were in when they had first arrived and once Yuki had woken up the next day back to normal with his usual snowy hair and deep red eyes the group went with him to where they now knew that Rain was hiding.
"This is the place." Yuki said.
They had traveled for nearly two days before they finally reached their destination. During which Yuki didn't speak much even to Moroha and after a few more attempts from his friends at trying to make him lighten up some more they had decided to just leave Yuki be until he decided that he wanted to be himself again.
Towa's nose twitched as she caught the scent first. "Do you smell that?" She stated, turning quickly to look back at her friends.
"Miasma." Jade said as dark gray fog slowly crept up at their feet and started to rise.
Hisui and Setsuna quickly put on their demon slayer mask and so did Towa but not before handing an extra one that she had with her to Jade who looked at her confused for a moment.
"It's a poison mask so that you don't breathe in toxins." Towa said.
"Thank you!" Jade exclaimed.
Moroha put her hands in her pockets and then frantically started searching through her bag and then in her pockets again but to no avail.
"Towa, do you have another mask?" Moroha asked. "I think that I left mine back home." She said worried.
"I just gave it to Jade." Towa said.
"Moroha." Setsuna scolded as the fog rose to their knees.
"We only had one night to plan for this. How was I supposed to remember everything? And besides this is the first time that I needed it while we've been away." Moroha said.
"Don't worry about it, you can just have the one that Towa gave me." Jade said as he reached to untie his mask.
"No Jade you can keep that on." Yuki said.
"Moroha, stand closer to me." Yuki asked and she moved closer to him. Yuki put his arm around her waist pulling her close to him and taking her by surprise as he summoned his barrier.
"If my barriers up, no fog will enter the space around the two of us." Yuki said and he was right as the fog rose the two of them were still able to breathe easy.
"Is this the work of one of the demons working with Rain?" Hisui asked Yuki.
"No, I forgot that the forest that surrounds the cave is protected by miasma. This kind of thing has no effect on me so it slipped my mind. I'm sorry everyone." Yuki said sincerely.
"It's fine this time, just make sure that your heads clear before we get to Rain. We can't afford to have you spacing out on us today." Setsuna told him.
And Yuki nodded. They walked the rest of the way through the poison in silence.
Yuki held Moroha close as they walked through the miasma, making sure that she was safe beside him in the barrier. His body was firm next to hers and the memory of when they had first met and she had shamelessly asked him to remove the top half of his clothing ran through her mind. His body hadn't felt like this that day. She had thought before stopping herself as she felt her face become hot.
Yuki was her friend and she had been next to him countless times since then but for some reason she couldn't quite place the reason on why this closeness that she had almost grown used to from him was now making her feel more warm than before.
The fog soon cleared and the demon slayers took off their mask while Moroha and Yuki quietly separated as she whispered thanks to him.
There past all of the smoke sat a stone cave just like Yuki had described. It wasn't anything grand and none of them felt any demonic presence at the moment either which made Towa doubt that this was the place.
"This cave doesn't look like a place where anyone would be hiding. Is anyone else able to smell anything?" Towa asked as she and Jade were the first to meet the entrance.
Both Moroha and Setsuna shook their heads.
"I'm not catching anything either." Jade said.
"That's because this is just a facade." Yuki said.
"I didn't think that he'd be here because Rain always told me that he hated this place but he still chose to hide here nonetheless." Yuki said as he walked into the cave and the others followed behind him.
"What do you mean this is a facade?" Hisui asked.
"The cave is a facade. It's meant to look inconspicuous but the real hideout is a palace located right under the cave pond." Yuki said.
The group walked farther into the cave until they reached the very back where the cave pond was lit by crystals and they could see the husk of demon bones and human corpses underneath the water.
Jade looked at Yuki skeptically.
"You can't get there any normal way." Yuki said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out an odd looking wooden piece that he then dropped into the pond and the bones disappeared before revealing the large castle that looked to be hanging upside down underneath the water.
"Listen to me everyone. We need to stay together if we can. Rain has had more than enough time to watch you all and learn the best way to try and kill each of us. There's a good chance that he's already well aware of each of our weaknesses and he's willing to do anything to see all of you dead. Especially Moroha since he thinks that she's responsible for my turning from him." Yuki said seriously.
"Understood." Hisui said. "It would be ideal if we are able to keep from getting separated since we have no idea who Rain might have waiting here for us just like at the Kindo estate. Is there anything that we need to know before entering this place?"
"No, the Finis castle has no supernatural qualities about it other than that it's hidden like this. The place is massive so make sure to follow me closely. I know this place better than anywhere else." Yuki said.
"Alright, then let's get going. Do we just jump in?" Setsuna asked already at the edge of the pond.
Yuki nodded.
XXXX
Rain knew that they had arrived the moment that the 6 of them set foot into the cave. Though he had tried to teach the boy sense over the years to not be swayed by silly emotions and attachments he never could learn what Rain was trying to teach him when it came to that.
This was the place where Rain had quietly raised Yuki up until he was 10 years old. Rain would bring other demons here to try and train Yuki in how he ought to fight and kill.
More often than not Yuki would disappoint him and Rain would be left with no choice other than to discipline Yuki in a way that he would end up fearing disappointing Rain more than he feared embracing brutality. After Yuki got over that, Rain found himself having to discipline the boy less and less but he still ended up needing to be taught lessons again here and there.
Yuki loved this place because he felt like it was his home but Rain hated the Finis Castle because someone like them should never need to hide under some filthy cave. Halfling or not the blood of a great demon ran through Yuki's veins and he should have been different from the moment that he was born and not have needed to be taught these simple lessons again and again.
Yuki's human side always disgusted Rain, maybe that was why he could never fully bring himself to care for him completely. But nonetheless even if he couldn't fully respect him, Rain did care about him because Naraku did and Rain wanted to continue his legacy. It was a shame that Totetsu hadn't killed the reincarnation's daughter but Rain would remedy that today.
Rain had given Yuki the perfect opportunity to assume the role of a mole. There was no way that Yuki would ever really turn on Rain, not if he told him that this was all what he had planned from the start so that Yuki could make his father proud. After today once the reincarnation's daughter was dead Rain was sure that he would have the Yuki that he had raised back by his side. But he wouldn't make it easy for him not at all but after today was over Rain was sure that he would finally be able to call Yuki by his true name and not feel shame because he would have no doubt earned his true name sake this time, Onigumo.
"Would you like me to split them up as soon as they fall through the pond?" Konton of the four perils asked Rain and Rain smiled.
"Put each of those brat's through the worst that you can imagine Konton. Show them no mercy, not even Onigumo. I want him to pay for what happened to Scarlet and Totetsu." Rain said.
"I am only working with you to avenge my fallen comrades after this is done so are we as you are not completely free of guilt when it comes to their untimely demise. Am I clear, and I expect what you promised me as soon as I take the heads of those kids."
"I am truly saddened by the loss of your comrades as well as that was never my intention when I made my alliance with you perils. You'll get to keep the pearl that I gave you as well as the red rainbow pearl. I'm not one to go back on my word." Rain said and Konton walked from that room and into another as he got ready to cast his spells.
"I never took much of an interest in you until I recognized your brat following the likes of the granddaughters of Toga. Are you sure that he hasn't been in their company for too long? To me it looked like he'd rather die than let the little priestess get hurt." Corvus told Rain once Konton had left the room. As Konton was not aware of Corvus' presence.
"I'm not blind, I see it too the admiration that he feels for her. That has poisoned his mind but I have a solution for that. I will kill the girl and then reanimate her corpse. I'll gift her to Onigumo later on as long as he can learn to behave."
Corvus smiled. "You're twisted, do you know how hard it was for me not to strike down that fair haired half breed. Had Tora not stepped in my blood lust in response to seeing Toga's grandbrat would have been satisfied but after thinking on the matter. Those kids are not Toga so I've decided that my grudge against him will not carry over unless they make the wrong choices." Corvus said seriously.
"You almost sound as though you're on their side. If you want to be affiliated with me then the death of those kids is just an inevitable fact when it comes to my goals." Rain said.
"I will never be on the side of those kids. I've just decided that it's not my responsibility to kill them, seeing them die would still bring me a small amount of joy. If you prove yourself to be strong enough to kill the descendants of Toga then I'll consider taking your request of me seriously but not before I see if this all goes according to your plan." Corvus said.
Rain smiled as he pulled out a vial of some kind of poison. "Believe me you'll be quite impressed by what I've got in store."
XXXX
The teens jumped through the pond and Yuki was greeted by the place that he hadn't seen since he was 13.
It wasn't dark here but there was no sunlight either. The place seemed to have its own natural light source that lit its stoney exterior. The Finis castle had a kind of beauty about its old style and classic look.
Yuki was surprised at how his old home still felt the same somehow. The air was cool and the scent of water was fresh in the air. The teens landed right in front of the stone bridge that would take them over the small clearing and into the large stone castle where Yuki had grown up.
Yuki looked across the stone bridge to the front of the castle where a post stood. The same post that Rain had once tied him to and beat him senseless the first and only time that he had refused to cut off someone's head. Rain had made him stay there all night to make sure that he understood.
Yuki shook the thought from his head. Rain had always told him that he had did that and other things similar to him in order to make him better. Times weren't always bad here though.
When Yuki had saved Rain from getting blasted with a strong spiritual attack. Rain had praised him for days and had given Yuki his first ever paint set that Yuki would use to ease his mind whenever his thoughts got too heavy.
Rain wasn't always bad to him and as he got older Rain treated him better. After all, Rain was the first and only person to ever love him. And when Rain died he would have no more familial bonds in this world both in name and blood.
Moroha placed her hand on the back of Yuki's shoulder and he was brought back to the present.
"Everything okay? Hisui was talking for a good minute and you didn't say a thing." She asked with a concerned expression.
She was too good for him, they all were. Yuki thought somberly.
"I'm fine, I was just thinking about where Rain would probably be at this hour. I want to get this over with quickly." Yuki said.
He was lying, Moroha thought.
Moroha knew that he was lying but she didn't press him because they didn't need to talk about that right now, not when they needed to be focused on what they came here to do.
"Rain can make doppelgangers Jade so even if it looks like one of us. Be sure before you let your guard down." Towa told him as she recalled what happened the last time that they all faced Rain.
Jade nodded in response.
"Well Yuki, where should we start?" Hisui asked.
"Rain's in the back room on the top floor with his puppets. That's all he ever does when he's alone. Be on alert I have no idea how many new corpses he might have accumulated since I've been gone. Just follow behind me." Yuki told his friends and they did as he said.
Yuki opened the doors to the castle and his friends followed in right behind him as he walked the halls until heard the echoes of their footsteps cease from behind him and he spun around in surprise only to find the person that he was looking for.
"Hello Onigumo." Rain smiled.
"Uncle." Yuki pulled his twin blades from his back.
"Put those away." Rain scolded. "What do you think you're doing drawing your weapons like that?" Rain asked suspiciously.
"I came to kill you." Yuki stated flat.
"Tch," Rain laughed bitterly. "We mean too much to each other, you could never kill me and I could never kill you. Pull yourself together." Rain scolded him stern.
"You did! You did try to kill me, at the Kindo estate." Yuki called him out.
"I wasn't going to, not really, I just made it look that way so that you could gain their favor and it worked. You know everything about them and we can get rid of them all easy now. It's the ultimate revenge. Follow me now, we have much to discuss." Rain said.
"No." Yuki told him.
"What do you mean no?" Rain turned around.
"I am not betraying my friends." Yuki said firm.
"You think that just because they're tolerating you right now that you're friends? How many times do I have to tell you that I am all that you need in this world? The reincarnation's daughter will be the first to turn on you as soon as I'm gone. You can see it can't you? None of them see you the way that you see them." Rain told him condensively.
"That's not true. You don't know anything about them or us." Yuki said.
"You don't understand but you will, I'll clean up this mess for you and I'll even let you have the corpse of the priestess if it will make you happy." Rain sighed.
"Don't go anywhere near her." Yuki threatened.
"My he was right." Rain sighed. "You would rather die than let anything happen to her. I can't wait to remedy that."
Yuki slashed Rain clean in half and his body turned to mist and now Yuki was alone again.
He knew that it wasn't him. His corpses were never quite the same as the originals.
Yuki picked up his pace down the hallway. He needed to find his friends because he was sure that if they all disappeared the way that they did that other demons were here. Powerful demons that Yuki knew nothing about.
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They had all been walking right behind Yuki before the hallway suddenly got longer and Yuki disappeared. Towa and Setsuna had managed to stay together but were now in some forest-like area.
"We need to find Rain before Yuki or Moroha." Setsuna said.
"I agree but there's not much that we can do right now." Towa said.
"Are you sensing any demonic presence?" Setsuna asked her sister.
Towa shook her head. "Can't smell anything either. Maybe our best bet is to try and get back to the others." Towa sighed. "I bet Hisui isn't liking this one bit."
"Do you hear that?" Setsuna asked as she heard footsteps and caught the scent of something strange. Both she and Towa took a fighting stance as a fierce beast struck fast. Towa's blue blade glowing just in time to hold off the large beast just inches from her face.
Setsuna moved quick to assist her sister.
"Setsuna!" Towa yelled as she held off a red lion demon.
Setsuna turned to where Towa was looking just now sensing the too close presence.
Setsuna hastily used, cyclone burst as another lion appeared but the green lion that had just appeared ate her winds.
Towa slashed tactifully at the red lion enough to give the two of them their own personal space and in response a roll of thunder sprang from the red lion just as Towa was about to swing her sword again. The two sisters had to split apart from each lion after that attack.
Thunder had broken up the ground where Towa had been standing. The surrounding areas were damaged too and it was directly in Setsuna's path as well.
"Those beasts aren't normal." Setsuna noted.
Towa was quick to stay on guard. Slashing the air and sending blue energy waves towards the thunder beast who took the blow head on.
"Setsuna, I'll fight the green lion while you handle the red. It looks like each best is a match for us so let's switch opponents." Towa said and her sister nodded.
Towa quickly ran towards the green lion who used a wind attack against her. Towa jumped high over the treacherous winds and swung her sword fast at the demon who caught it with its teeth. Causing Towa to look at the demon wide eyed as it's bite clenched down hard on her energy weapon and made it harder for her to fend it off.
Setsuna had let the thunder lion attack her first. As it launched bolt after bolt her way and she moved gracefully around each attack frustrating the beast and causing it to fire one very strong attack just like it had done before that broke the ground beneath them and caused smoke and dust to fill the air up with cover all around them.
Setsuna smiled as she moved into the cover of the dust that the blast had created. While Towa had been shifted from the trembling earth and pushed from the ground before kicking the wind lion and slashing it in its side.
Setsuna was close to her opponent now too she used her scourge of swallows attack and the thunder lion fell to the ground bloodied and battered before the wind lion called out with a loud roar that made both girls stop in their tracks.
The thunder lion called out too and red and hot green flames engulfed both bodies of each demon that made it impossible for the girls to stay close to the beast.
"Are you okay?" Setsun asked her sister.
"Never better." Towa said.
"You looked like you were struggling for a minute there." Setsuna teased.
"Me? Never, I had him right where I wanted him." Towa said.
"Keep a clear head, it looks like the demons are merging." Setsuna told her sister.
The red and green lions had shot out of the flames and their bodies had crashed in a flash of light before only one flaming blue lion stood before them.
An even more powerful thunder attack rained down on the girls but both of them were ready moving fast and with purpose.
"That's a nice try but you're still no match for us." Towa smiled.
Before planting her feet firmly on the ground and summoning her strength to release a particularly powerful dragon strike.
Setsuna did the same following Towa's lead before swiftly swinging her bladand sending her burning vermillion flying right next to her sister's attack.
The burning blue lion shot its powerful attack at them one last time and the attacks clashed before the twin's attack fully overtook the attack of the lion and the demon evaporated into nothing.
The two quickly caught their breath after the demon was gone.
"The illusion is still in effect." Setsuna said. "We didn't kill whatever is in control of this environment."
"I didn't think that the lion was in control." Towa told her sister.
"I've been sensing another energy here. It's faint but I can feel it coming from that way." Towa pointed.
Setsuna looked in that direction before focusing more and she felt it too.
"Let's go then towards the controller." Setsuna said.
The two girls followed their senses until they hit a dead end. Both attacking what they were sure would release them from this illusion and the earth shook beneath them for a long while until the illusion stabilized again and they could no longer sense the other presence as the loop was restored.
"Dammit!" Towa yelled.
"We won't be able to get out from attacking in here. The others will need to kill the controller from the outside or else we'll be stuck." Setsuna said.
"Damn it, that's no good." Towa spat angrily and Setsuna placed her hand on her sister's shoulder.
"Moroha is out there looking for Rain on her own and we're trapped here. She's going to get to him first just like last time." Towa clenched her fist and at that moment Setsuna realized that Towa had had the same thought that she did about wanting to kill rain herself.
Setsuna moved her hand from Towa's shoulder and started forward again.
"Come let's keep moving, the controller of this illusion can't hide their presence indefinitely. We'll find it again and get out of here this time." Setsuna told her sister and Towa followed behind her silently.
XXXX
One moment the whole group was together and then the next Jade was all alone in the creaky halls of the Finis castle.
He turned his nose in the air, he couldn't smell anything besides algae and blood so he walked the halls with vigilance until he heard something coming from his left.
A lifeless corpse of a demon crashed through the wall and attacked him, its limbs moved eerily and lifeless just as the others had explained to him. Jade kicked the corpse back in response before pulling his weapon and cutting off its head.
He hoped that the soul of this body could rest easier now that Jade had put an end to Rain's use of it.
More corpses came after that one and Jade fought each of them off easily enough.
What was the point of this he thought? None of these corpses were strong and from what Jade could tell the puppet master himself was nowhere near.
Were these corpses guarding something? He wondered.
Hiraikotsu flew right past Jade in the narrow hall taking out what remained of the cursed corpses.
Jade's eyes landed on Hisui right as he caught his weapon. He had Kilala on his shoulder too.
"You got sent this way too huh? Seen anyone else around here?" Hisui asked but didn't move any closer to Jade. Not yet.
This could be one of Rain's illusions. Hisui thought to himself.
Jade shook his head. "No, only those corpses but maybe they're around here somewhere since we are."
Jade opened his mouth wide before calling out. "TOWA! YUKI! MORO—"
Hisui closed the gap and covered Jade's mouth quickly. This was definitely him. There was no way that one of Rain's clones could be this spot on.
"Quite down, you're giving away our location, do you want us to be mobbed by more corpse puppets!" Hisui scolded him in a hushed rage.
"How else would the others know where we're at I can't smell a thing so I doubt that they'd pick up our scent." Jade told him annoyed.
"Forget that, did you forget that Rain can make near identical doubles of people too? What if I had been a doppelganger!?"Hisui told him.
"A doppelganger is not nearly as dramatic as you. Calm down, this was all what I had planned to make sure that it was you." Jade bluffed.
Hisui released a long sigh. "Whatever, it doesn't matter we need to get mov—"
What looked like Towa and Setsuna's attacks crashed into the hall from the room at the very end. Interrupting Hisui and causing both boys to race towards the noise.
A human-like demon with a lizard tale that was dressed in robes pulled himself up as the boys entered the large room that had a glowing symbol of a spell in the center.
"Dammit! Well it looks like I'll have to kill you two before I can get back to the girls." The demon told them.
"Who the hell are you?" Jade asked.
"Konton the last of the four perils thanks to you lott. Did you like the endless hall that I cursed you with?"
Jade grabbed his blade while Hisui held onto his weapon.
Neither of them answered Konton.
"It's okay we don't need to talk much." Konton said Just as he pulled his own weapon and went straight for Hisui, Who had moved Hiraikotsu right in front of him just in time.
"They can't accomplish anything without their strategic mind." Konton stated.
Jade swung his sword at Konto fast in response and the demon backed away from Hisui so that he could counter all of Jade's fast blows.
"Killing him isn't such a good idea. Trust me you don't want to invoke that kind of rath from Sesshomaru's daughter." Jade told him.
Konton used his paper spells to summon an explosion right between him and Jade which knocked the wolf demon back before Konton stabbed him straight through his left arm.
Hisui then jumped in throwing Hiraikotsu which Konton met head on deflecting his weapon to the side as Hisui went to help Jade.
"I'm fine." Jade said as he moved his arm that had been stabbed through.
"I can still fight." Jade told him.
Konton moved to attack them again but Kilala sank her teeth into him.
"We don't have much time to discuss a strategy but from what he's said it looks like whatever is going on with the castle has to do with him and this weird table in the center of the room. If you can manage to hold off Konton I'll focus on destroying this symbol." Hisui said fast.
Konton shook Kilala from him and threw the cat into one of the hard stone walls of the palace.
"How distasteful." Konton said with disgust.
"I'll leave the rest to you then." Jade told Hisui and Hisui nodded.
Konton looked at the two boys with disgust before throwing more paper spells at them. Jade moved quick despite his injury.
Sprinting fast past the spells. While Hisui moved out of the way before drawing his sword since he was nowhere near Hiraikotsu.
Jade could feel the thunder sparking around his weapon as he got closer to Konton and Konton held his own sword in front of him ready to defend himself against Jade before the sparks started to fly as Jade hit him full force with his thunder attack.
Konton's feet slid back far on the hard castle floor but he was not beaten even as smoke came from the point of contact of where Jade had hit him.
"I see the daughters of Sesshomaru weren't the only threats that should be neutralized here today. That necromancing idiot, would leave out the finer details. No matter, I have no problem ending the two of you here." Konton said.
"I'm getting sick of hearing your empty threats." Jade said cold before running at Konton again.
Konton wouldn't be an easy opponent but Jade knew that he could do this. He moved fast again and Konton's weapon grew longer. Jade just narrowly avoided being hit but as he turned his body to avoid being stabbed he saw Hisui from the corner of his eye.
Konton was aiming at him.
"Hisui!" Jade yelled and the boy rolled out of the way right as the sword dug deep into the wall where his head had once been.
"Damn it!" Hisui said he hadn't even come close to breaking Konton's spell on the castle.
"You two kids think that my spells can be broken by a single human?" Konton asked, completely appalled. He pulled out a rainbow pearl next. "Truly distasteful, I've had enough of the two of you!" Konton said the last part in a rage.
The next thing that Jade and Hisui knew, Konton had created a giant ogre that was almost too tall to fit in the room that they were all in and he was attacking them violently, destroying everything in its path and Konton had disappeared.
Hisui was able to reclaim Hiraikotsu and threw it hard at the ogre.
"Where's Konton?! If we stop him this all ends." Hisui said just as Konton's sword appeared and sliced his side.
"Looks like I had the right idea to take care of the brains first." Konton said before sending a mass of paper spells Hisui's way while the giant ogre attacked him.
Hisui stood his ground but he knew that there was no way that he was going to get out of this one unscaved.
Jade kicked his foot fast in Hisui's direction which created a gust of wind that knocked the boy out of the way of the paper spells and he flew hard into the stone wall.
Konton laughed. "With a friend like you who needs enemies." He smiled.
"Shut up, that was the best that I could do." Jade clenched his teeth. Hisui wasn't getting up but he knew that that couldn't have been enough to knock him out.
"Looks like your friend there is halfway to the grave now thanks to you. Any last words?" Konton asked Jade.
"I should be asking you that question." Jade said right before rushing at Konton again.
Konton's figure had vanished again and the ogre had blocked Jade's path punching it's large fist at Jade and trying to crush him even after Jade sliced through his hand it only grew back.
Had felt the wind change around him but not fast enough to avoid being stabbed in the exact same spot as before. Through his left arm.
Jade bit back a scream in response to his injury as the ogre knocked him far.
"You're bleeding everywhere now too. So distasteful." Konton said.
"Your whole existence is distasteful." Jade spat as he stood up once again.
Konton disappeared once more and the ogre went back to attacking Jade just like before.
Jade noticed that Hisui was not unconscious in his spot across the room where Jade had knocked him right next to Hiraikotsu and it was like he was waiting on Jade to signal for him to move, he noticed.
Jade continued to dodge the ogre with his right fist clenching his sword tight in his hand.
Then he felt it. The wind changed again and paper spells appeared around him.
Jade jumped high as the spells exploded and he yelled out to Hisui.
"Now!" And Hisui wasted no time throwing his weapon and hitting the ogre right as Jade ran past the beast and towards Konton's scent before putting everything he had into one last thunder attack that broke Konton's transparency and reduced him to nothing but ash as only his armor remained now and his ogre fell to both knees and disappeared into the air as well.
"So marks the end of the four perils." Hisui said as he stood up. He could walk just fine and suspect that he only had minor side had been cut but not too deep and his arm was out of its socket but he didn't think that it was broken.
"Can you help me set this?" Hisui asked Jade.
"Sure thing?" Jade said before helping to set Hisui's arm back into place with no warning and the older boy grit his teeth.
"Thanks." He told him right before he went to pick up Kilala who seemed to be fine now too.
"How are you after that Jade? You've lost a lot of blood are you alright? How's your arm?" Hisui asked.
"I've had worse days, I'll be fine." Jade told him he couldn't feel a thing in his left arm but he could at least still somewhat move it. He would survive.
The symbol in the middle of the room stopped glowing and once the spell evaporated. Towa and Setsuna appeared in its place.
"Took you long enough." Towa said once she saw Jade and Hisui.
"What happened to your arm Jade?" Setsuna asked.
"It's just a scratch." Jade shrugged.
Towa grabbed his injured arm.
"OW!" Jade yelled.
"Is not just a scratch." Towa scolded. "Let me patch you up."
"Seriously I'm fine, we don't know where Yuki and Moroha are. That's more important." Jade said.
"You're hurt too." Setsuna said, motioning to Hisui's side.
"It's not deep. I already put some salve on it." Hisui told her.
"We can afford to take the two minutes that it would take to treat your arm. Just stay still." Towa told Jade.
"Yeah Jade we need to at least do something about your blood. A lot of demons have a strong sense of smell and can distinguish blood very well." Hisui said.
"Fine, just make it quick." Jade said.
"Are you telling me what to do?" Towa asked him as she started to dress the wound.
"Never." Jade said immediately.
XXXX
Yuki knew this place better than he knew anywhere else. He made his way towards Rain's puppet room the same way that he had time and time again.
Turning each familiar corner and then going up the stairs again and again until he realized that it was never ending.
Another demon was manipulating the castle. The last of the four perils was here. Yuki had realized. He normally would have anticipated this but he had barely been able to think after what happened at the beach.
He heard footsteps behind him and instantly summoned his barrier to form around him as he turned to see the person who he was the most concerned about keeping safe.
"There you are." She said.
Yuki sighed. He hoped that it was really her. He let his barrier down but remained on guard. "You haven't come across anyone yet have you? The last of the four perils is here."
Moroha shook her head. "No Yuki, I was going to find Rain but then I couldn't help but think. What's the point?" She asked somberly.
"Moroha, he's never going to stop coming after you and your friends. I told you even if I felt conflicted at first I understand what needs to be done." Yuki told her and Moroha smiled.
"Yuki, you're pathetic." She said with a cruel smile and it made his heart sink. "Rain tossed you out and now you think that me and the others care to have you near? After this is done you'll be no better than trash to us."
"Moroha what are you saying?" Yuki said, taken aback. "You have to be one of his puppets." Yuki said, moving fast to strike her but her eyes met his in fear so he stopped.
"What a weakling." She scoffed. "This is why everyone throws you away. If the person that your own father left you with doesn't even want you. What makes you think that I do? We're natural enemies, you and I. I was using you from the start." She said harshly.
"That's enough!" Yuki spat and she stopped speaking abruptly.
"There's no doubt in my mind now. Rain you really do hate me don't you. To do this to me." Yuki said.
Yuki got close to the fake Moroha again and she looked at him fearfully again.
"Moroha has never once called me her enemy. Even if she wanted to part ways with me she'd at least never say that." Yuki said right before summoning his barrier and knocking the fake back with it causing her to turn into mist.
Yuki started on his way again but Rain wasn't done with him yet. Rain was determined to give Yuki a reality check.
He heard Towa scream loudly as he came across her and what looked to be a dead Moroha.
"You did this!" She screamed at him. " You got her killed!" Towa screamed as she punched Yuki's chest before evaporating into mist.
The scene drained the blood from Yuki's face even if it wasn't real. He never wanted to have to experience Moroha lying cold and dead on the ground in front of him just like Rai.
"Yuki, why didn't you just go back to Rain?" Moroha's corpse choked out.
"We're all going to die here because of you." The fake coughed out blood and he rushed past her. But the scene played out over and over again as Yuki tried to make his way to Rain and he had a slew of illusions ready to taunt him.
Then just as Yuki thought that he was making way. He was brought back to the front of the castle. Now the scene had changed and he started to come across the dead bodies of all of his friends and they all wept and cursed at him for bringing them here.
It would seem that he was stuck in this hellish loop and he knew that there was only one way to stop this. Kill Konton, the demon responsible for this spell.
Yuki would be finding Konton first now and would personally end his life first before putting an end to Rain.
XXXX
Moroha hadn't expected that it would be so easy to get on her own like this. She had planned to kill Rain for Yuki and separating her from the rest of her friends was going to be the biggest and last mistake that Rain would ever make. She had thought as she roamed the stony halls of the Finis castle.
Cobwebs lined a few of the windows but that castle for the most part was in pretty decent shape.
Stealth wasn't her strong suit but she was determined to do the best that she ever had when it came to moving quietly and intentionally. She sniffed the air but that wasn't helping much.
She couldn't smell anything other than algae and pond water.
Moroha moved about the halls with her bow in her hands as she remembered that her spiritual powers were what had Rain on the run last time.
She heard footsteps approaching fast infront of her so she pulled an arrow and aimed straight ahead as she waited until she could fully see what was headed her way.
10 of Rain's cursed puppets were headed straight at her. An eerie feeling creeped up her spine as she remembered the last time she had to fight his undead monsters.
She quickly let go of her arrow that split into her heavenly arrow barrage.
The corpses fell one after another as her arrows rained down all but two were taken out. Moroha grabbed her sword as the corpses tried to close the distance between them. She slashed one clean in half before jumping over the next corpse and then spinning around fast to cut off its head.
She looked around. That was really all of them. For now.
She sheathed her sword and grabbed her bow yet again as she continued to walk down the hall in the direction that the cursed corpses had came from until something caught her eye.
A door to one of the many rooms of the Finis castle was half open and she noticed a painting in there that hung on the wall.
Moroha observed her surroundings before quietly slipping into the room and closing the door behind her so that she could get a better look at the painting. She had seen it before in Yuki's memories back when they were in the wolf demon territories.
The painting of a snow covered forest.
She looked around the room and noticed that there were many paintings around, not just the one she had seen before.
There was a painting of a deer and a painting of a group of birds flying in the sky as feathers fell behind them. There was a beautiful picture of fireworks over top of a village and many more.
This must have been Yuki's room, Moroha concluded. He tried to keep it a secret that he liked to paint and draw. Why was he kept it secret? She had no idea, but she saw him when he thought that nobody was looking, he would write notes and draw simple things in a small booklet that he carried close to him.
She was always curious about what he might be drawing or jotting down but he seemed to be so at peace whenever he thought that he was privately jotting down notes and doodling that she didn't want to make him to feel self conscious.
Her eyes landed on a booklet that looked similar to the one that he carried around with him now and her curiosity got the better of her.
She opened the first page. It was a picture of the moon. And on the back of the picture he had written.
Thank you Rain for letting me draw, it helps keep me calm when I can't come home during my times of weakness, I hate being half demon. This is all because those dog demons killed, father. I'll be sure to make them pay one day.
-Yuki age 7
Moroha turned the page. It was a picture of a pond. The pond in the cave where they had all come through. Moroha recognized but everything about the picture was much darker.
It's getting easier to stomach killing people when Rain asks. I think he's finally proud of me, it's faster for me and them if I just do what Rain says. Anything to avoid another beating.
-Yuki age 8.
Moroha shook her head and flipped to the middle of the book.
The painting of beautiful cherry blossoms had a note behind it as well.
Today I shape shifted into another demon and perfectly mimicked their voice. Rain gave me things to paint with. I hope that my father would have been proud.
-Yuki age 9.
Moroha passed through more pages only briefly looking at Yuki's drawings until she flipped to the picture of Rai that Yuki had drawn and behind the picture the note read.
Rai, I'm sorry. I selfishly wanted you to be my friend and to learn from you forever. I didn't deserve any of your kindness. I'm alive only to accomplish what Rain and my father would want from me. I don't need anyone other than Rain.
-Yuki age 13.
Moroha put down the booklet. From the moment that Yuki was born, Rain had forced him to be what he wanted him to be. Even if he didn't want to, it would seem that Yuki never really had a choice if it wasn't what Rain wanted.
She was going to kill Rain once and for all and set him free. Free to be whoever he pleased with no more worries about keeping life long vendetta's or thoughts that Rain will take away any happiness that he might find outside of his cruelty.
Moroha put down the book and opened the door with even more determination to kill Rain.
To her surprise on the other side of the door was not the hallway that she had left not even 10 minutes ago but a large throne room with both Rain and another demon that looked similar to her father and uncle.
The demon had long silver hair that he had braided as well as golden eyes just like her father and uncle. His scarred face was the only thing that contrasted with his noble appearance as he was dressed lavishly too and he carried two swords at his hip.
"So you're the daughter of Toga's halfbreed." Corvus said.
Moroha immediately aimed her arrow straight at him. Despite her sense of smell still not picking up anything she could still sense that this other demon was much stronger than Rain.
"What's it to you? You dying to meet him so that you can get your ass kicked by both me and him?" She said without hesitation and an uncomfortable silence passed between the three of them as Corvus stared her down, never once looking away from her eyes.
Just like the other one her eyes reflect him. Corvus noted to himself.
"Since your death is already imminent. I won't let your blood dirty my hands." Corvus said before moving so fast that Moroha didn't even see him get close to her before he raised his hand and knocked her clear across the room.
"Rain, pull her tongue out and gouge her eyes before you make that girl a puppet." Corvus told him.
"You sound like you despise her just as much as I do." Rain chuckled to himself as Moroha got up pulling herself from the rubble that had crumbled around her after being struck by Corvus.
There was no way that she could fight them both. Even if she used the Red pearl there was no telling what would happen in only a minute though that would be her best bet if she wanted to stay alive since she was alone.
"I'll continue to leave Toga's grandchildren to you. If you finish them all off then you've got a deal just like we previously discussed." Corvus said before moving out of Rain's path.
"Next time hold your tongue little girl." Corvus said bitterly as Moroha stood up. She only glared at him this time as it looked like he wouldn't be intervening.
Him being here changes everything. She thought to herself.
She was sure that her friends would be here soon. She'd have to keep this fight going until Towa and Setsuna got here, then they could all fight Corvus together because if she killed Rain and it was just her and Corvus she wasn't sure if she'd come out of this alive. She shouldn't kill Rain until someone could watch her back, should she not make it past one minute.
"So we meet again. Little priestess." Rain taunted.
"Cut it out with the stupid nicknames. You've done unforgivable things to someone that I care about, so today I plan to set him free with your death." Moroha said.
Rain smirked. "How funny. Today is the day that I had planned to free my beloved nephew of you once and for all."
"You make me sick." Moroha spat.
"You could never understand the bond that Onigumo and I have. I made him into who he is today and once you're gone he'll be exactly where he's meant to be."
Moroha let her arrows fly towards Rain. Cursed corpses took to his defense as her arrows sank into each corpse and purified them immediately as pink light over took the corpses.
More corpses came at her one after the other. Moroha moved with skill as she took down each one of the corpses. She shot an arrow at one and then another before she had to dodge right sharp and and roll out of the way as another swung it's weapon at her hard and heavy.
She put her bow back on her back and pulled out her sword just in time to meet the blade of another cursed corpse. She held this one off. While another ran to strike her back.
She parried its weapon knocking it far from the hands of the corpse demon before quickly cutting off its head and spinning fast to catch the demon that was running at her.
This corpse was mere inches away from her. She wouldn't have time to swing her sword so she spit in its face. She had put purification salt in her mouth half way through the fight just in case she'd need it again and it looks like she was right to do so.
The demon corpse fell to its knees as its flesh melted from her attack and she turned to Rain again as that was the last of his corpses.
"Face me you coward!" She yelled.
This girl should have been the weakest link other than the human boy that traveled with them. Corvus thought as he observed. How was she so strong with so little demon blood?
"If you insist, I'll end you with my own two hands right here and now. But rest assured I don't plan on just killing you. I'll keep your corpse for Onigumo. That should keep him in line for the rest of his life." Rain said and
Moroha gripped her sword tight.
"I wish that I could have saved you for him but you truly have overstayed your welcome amongst the living." Moroha said.
Rain pulled out knives that were all discolored with some kind of red substance and chucked them right at Moroha.
She held her ground remembering that Rain also specialized in poisons so she knew that she couldn't let any of those knives hit her. She met each knife with her blade before taking cover behind one of the stone pillars of the Finis castle.
"Now you're hiding? Didn't you just proudly state that I had overstayed my welcome amongst the living?" Rain taunted.
"Come on out!" Rain yelled right as he threw a particularly dangerous knife that started to melt the stone pillar that she had just hid behind.
Moroha quickly jumped from behind the pillar and rushed towards Rain, that had been the key last time he wasn't a close range fighter at all.
Close the gap and win the fight she told herself as she got closer and closer to him only for him to smile before a short sword appeared in his hand and he swung it fast at her releasing a strong red wave of demon energy that she didn't have time to counter as she moved her sword in front of her to try and stray the blow but to no avail as she was thrown far from the attack that cut her all over and left her laying where she had been thrown.
"I knew you'd do that." Rain said as Moroha laid there motionless. Had you not upset Lord Corvus, I might have let you live a little longer just to keep Onigumo in line since the rest of your friends are all dead now." Rain said as his footsteps got closer and closer to Moroha.
"You were the weakest of your kind and now your life will be mine." Rain said as he reached her side.
She had been knocked unconscious and she was covered in blood in the aftermath of his attack. She truly was pathetic. Rain thought he couldn't wait to see the look on Onigumo's face once he realized that he had chosen the wrong side.
Moroha's eyes shot open and she stood too fast for Rain to react as she pulled him into a tight hug and pushed all of the spiritual energy that she could into him and he screamed.
The suddenness of the attack had caused Rain to drop his weapon that he had planned on killing her with so he punched down hard on her head to try and get her to let go of him but she didn't budge.
"I told you, didn't I? I'm going to set Yuki free." She said and Rain felt even more spiritual energy pour into him.
He was going to die, he was going to be purified and this would really be the end unless…
Rain's thoughts raced but he meekly managed to call a single cursed corpse towards him that was able to break him out of Moroha's hold by knocking hard into the two of them. Rain gasped for air, unable to move while Moroha caught her breath as she sat on the cold floor across from him.
Forget, keeping her corpse he had no choice but to end her however he could at this point or else he might actually die the next time.
Rain quickly stood the best that he could and so did Moroha, she stood up and walked without even the smallest of stagger. Despite being hit by one of Rain's strongest attacks.
"I suppose that you're lucky to have hit me with that attack earlier or you'd already be in your new home." She said menacingly.
There it was again. Corvus noted. That which should be dead.
Rain stood his ground and summoned his short sword one last time but this time Moroha was ready when the wave of demon energy came at her she used her crimson backlash wave and sent it right back at Rain who was treacherously cut and wounded from his own attack.
He was on the ground now still conscious but in no condition to continue. If only he hadn't given Konton one of his rainbow pearls he would have killed her easily.
Moroha walked over to him with a single arrow in her hand ready to finish purifying Rain. "Do you have any last words that you want me to tell Yuki?" She asked sincerely.
"You know he's just as bad as I am. The sooner you realize that, the better because if you've dulled yourself into believing that the boy is something that he's not then trust me he'll disappoint you every time. He's not capable of coexistence, only cruelty." Rain told her.
"If that's all that you have to say then rest assured those harsh words will never reach his ears." Moroha said.
"They don't need to, he already knows." Rain spat cold and Moroha rose her arrow above his head to finish the job only to be interrupted by Towa lifting her from the ground and moving her several feet from Rain.
"That was close." Towa said.
"I'll say." Setsuna said before swinging her blade down at Rain's head only for him to be saved just in time by Corvus.
"How are the two of you here? Konton had sealed the two of you away never to be released again." Rain asked in shock.
"Oh you mean that weak sourcer demon? Jade killed him." Towa smiled. He and Hisui are taking care of the last of Rain's puppets that were guarding the entrance to this room." Towa smiled as she put Moroha down.
"Towa, Setsuna, what are you doing? I already told you that I was going to kill Rain." Moroha asked angrily.
"We know, but killing someone that important to Yuki might not be forgiven by him so easily. Let one of us shoulder that burden for you." Setsuna said.
"None of you need to worry about that. I already told you all that I have no feelings about doing what's necessary." Yuki said and Moroha turned to the sound of his voice.
Yuki paused when she faced him. She was all bruised and bloodied and her clothes were much more tattered than before.
"Rain did you do this to her?" Yuki asked scarily calm.
"Calm down Onigumo, look at her then look at me you should clearly be able to tell who's got it worse. I didn't do anything other than what I said I was going to." Rain scoffed with pride.
"I'm going to kill you!" Yuki said.
"Are you sure about that? The moment that I'm gone every one of them is going to turn on you and you will have killed me for nothing. You'll follow me to hell shortly after I'm gone and I can't wait to see the disappointed look on your fathers face that you couldn't fulfill his only wish for you. You're pathetic." Rain said.
Yuki felt Moroha's hand slip into his.
"Hey, don't listen to that stuff. After Rain's gone you'll be free. Free to be good free to be bad but whatever you choose it will be what you want and no one else's and now that you've got all of us. You don't need to perform for him or anyone else ever again." Moroha said. And Yuki squeezed her hand before letting go, unable to look at her right now.
Jade and Hisui had made their way to the room now too having finished off the last of Rain's cursed corpses.
"Lord Corvus, this is not an accurate representation of what our partnership would look like. If you're gracious enough to get the two of us out of here. I still have a lot that I would like to disclose to you." Rain told Corvus.
Corvus silently looked around the room as he thought before his eyes fell to Towa and his eyes got bigger as if a switch had flipped.
"The last of the four perils is gone and now you think that I'm going to save such a pitiful demon as yourself Rain?" Corvus said, before taking a few steps and slashing Rain hard across his chest and across part of his neck leaving a deep and fatal wound.
Yuki couldn't believe what he was seeing as Rain fell to the ground. It was almost unreal. The only thing that brought him back to reality was the sound of Corvus' voice breaking the eerie silence that his actions had brought about.
Corvus continued to stay focused on Towa with wide and menacing eyes after striking down Rain. It was as if he couldn't bring himself to believe what he was seeing.
"That thing around your neck, it can't be. He wouldn't have, not to a half breed." Corvus said more to himself than to them.
Towa smirked at him. "Do you happen to know a thing or two about Tora's dragon scales?"
"I've seen enough of you all, granddaughters of Toga. I've decided that everyone is fated to die here today at my hands. Starting with you, silver haired child." Corvus pulled one of his swords and moved so fast that Towa barely had time to pull out her energy weapon.
"With cheap tricks like this it's a wonder how you haven't already gotten yourself killed." Corvus said as he easily overpowered Towa making her blue bladed shatter under his strength.
"You don't even know how to use it, what a waste." Corvus spat as he raised his sword above her.
An arrow sunk into the back of Corvus' shoulder and then another and he definitely felt the burn from those attacks. Corvus spun to see Moroha aiming again, this time for his head.
Towa went to attack him again but he kicked her to the ground in one move and then advanced fast Towards Moroha as he dodged her next arrow only to slam right into Yuki's barrier as he summoned it suddenly to protect Moroha.
"Onigumo you have no idea what you're doing with them." Corvus siad.
Corvus then slashed at Yuki's barrier and it didn't budge as Yuki stood his ground. So Corvus hit it again with much more strength and the barrier shattered, knocking Yuki down with it in its wake.
"Yuki!" Moroha yelled as she moved to his side and Corvus went to attack the two but Jade intervened.
Jade attacked Corvus with his thunder attack head on but the powerful demon wasn't even scratched by the wolf demon.
"I can't believe that you lott are responsible for ending each of the 4 perils. How embarrassing." Corvus remarked before grabbing Jade's head and slamming him to the ground.
Hisui threw his weapon at Corvus and the demon caught it right as Hisui was running to grab an unconscious Jade but Corvus was too fast and he was going for the kill this time on both Hisui and Jade.
Setsuna's cyclone burst hit him full force a moment later saving the two boys as his attention turned to her.
"The last of the three." Corvus said as she glared at him.
Not again, Corvus thought. Not those eyes.
He sprinted fast at her and she swung her weapon decisively ready to cut off his head but Corvus quickly shifted his direction knocking her weapon from her hands before grabbing her by her throat and letting his poison claws melt at her neck.
"I bet you won't make that face at me again." Corvus taunted but she didn't stop staring him down with that same expression she had been holding.
When Towa finally came too after blacking out momentarily she saw Corvus holding her sister as she kicked her feet while she hung.
Towa didn't even think as she moved she just acted yelling.
"Dragon Strike!" Before the most powerful attack that she had ever summoned struck Corvus and he was finally knocked back a few paces dropping Setsuna in the process as she frantically gasped for breath.
"Setsuna!" Towa yelled as she ran for her sister who was coughing violently now. Moroha got to Setsuna first.
While, Corvus appeared in front of Towa's face not even a moment later blocking her path before wrapping his hand around her neck just like he had with Setsuna and now holding her high. As even more rage filled his veins.
"Looks like it's not a fake, I'll be taking it as a half demon has no business walking around with one of these." Corvus said as he reached to pull the dragon scale from around Towa's neck but his hand was cinched.
His brows drew down as he tried again only to be more violently rejected by the scale." He threw Towa to the side in response before he started laughing uncontrollably.
He laughed for a long while and the 6 got ready for whatever was going to come next.
"What a change of plans today has been." Corvus finally said while the teens all watched with their weapons drawn.
"The scale won't accept me yet but mark my words. Gaining one of those has been my dream for over 400 years. I will find a way to take what's mine. So until then I suppose the 6 of you will live to see another day." Corvus said before calmly making his exit.
Rain coughed up blood and Yuki was at his side in an instant.
"Looks like you didn't have to kill me after all." Rain siad.
"You know that I didn't want it to come to this." Yuki told him somberly as he watched Rain in his final moments. He was covered in blood and it looked like it was difficult for him to speak as he continued.
"You're too soft. I tried to kill you. Remember how I taught you it's betray or be betrayed. You can't hesitate once I die and don't trust those damn dog demons. It's not over yet. Just continue what I had planned for you, even if it takes you a while to realize that I was always right, that's my dying wish."Rain told him.
"Uncle, Were you truly never proud of me? Was I always just one of your burdens?" Yuki asked what he knew would be the last question he'd ever be able to ask of Rain.
"Onigumo, you grew to be just as powerful as I had always dreamed you would be. For that I am truly proud, but you lack a truly ruthless spirit. You can be ruthless. I've seen you do it but not by nature and because of that you have been a disappointment to me for almost your entire life."
"I understand." Yuki said his face still somber as he spoke. "Uncle you weren't always the best to me but for a long time you were all that I had. You took care of me and taught me a lot. Not all of our times together were bad and because of that I can't help but still love you Uncle even if I disappoint you."
"Yuki" Rain said and a long pause followed as he looked into Yuki's eyes before speaking again. "I love you too." Was all that Rain said before he took his last breath.
A.N:
I hope that this chapter was enjoyable. I apologize for such a long wait between chapters. I should be back to doing weekly updates for another few weeks now. I've got a lot planned for these next few chapters as this story nears its half way point. The next chapter will be up on Saturday. Thank you for reading.