Silence follows Yuji's body going still. Yuta seems to wait, his gaze steady and somber. The cursed apparition, Rika, hovers around him protectively, as if it too is waiting for something.
Nadja sees the fury building in Sundari and shakes her head. Something isn't right. Yuta reaches for Yuji, places his hand on the wound on the boy's chest. That seems to douse the flame of Sundari's anger, and Yuta heals Yuji's wound, breathing a sigh of relief when the other boy gasps back to life.
"What the hell, Okkotsu?!" Naoya cries from his position on the ground, struggling and in pain to crawl to a position that doesn't send sharp electrical pulses of pain down both his legs. Nadja pays him no mind.
"Sorry for the theatrics," Yuta said, "but I had a binding vow to fulfill. You all need to come with me."
Sundari helps Yuji to his feet, frowning at Yuta, who finally gets a good look at her now that they aren't attacking one another. He's startled, but not shocked.
"You know," Nadja said in a low voice. Yuta's brows go up, but then he looks away guiltily.
"Gojo-sensei told me about her," Yuta says, reluctant to say much more. "We've got to get to Jujutsu Tech. Yuki's waiting for us. Tengen-sama has requested an audience with you all and time is of the essence."
Nadja has lived long enough to know that she can ask her questions later. When Megumi and Yuji poise themselves to interrogate Yuta further, she stops them.
"If the school has not yet been compromised, we'd be safest there and we can plan our next moves more carefully. And likely Tengen will have answers."
If they're willing to fucking share them. Nadja thinks bitterly. She is one of the few who understands the nature of divine secrecy and discretion. Tengen likely won't be much help, but at least they'll be able to access the resources of the school. With the higher ups thinking Yuji has been executed, it'll be easier to move about. Of course, that begs the question…
"Yuta," Nadja says and meets the boy's gaze. "Who are they sending to kill Sundari and I?"
Yuta swallows. "I…I wasn't given that information. It's likely they hoped I could handle both of you after executing Itadori. He was the priority target. But…I think the truth is they don't have anyone strong enough to handle Sukuna's daughter."
"His what?!" Naoya cries incredulously. Yuta reluctantly heals him, and he gets to his feet, marching toward Sundari and pointing an accusatory finger.
"You," he spits contemptuously, and then spits to the side. "You are an an abomination. Okkotsu, I am willing to overlook your transgression but we can't suffer this one to live."
"Oh yeah?" Sundari says, garnet eyes flaring dangerously. "Wanna try your hand, Zenin? If you promise not to scream, I'll skin you alive real quick like."
Naoya is about to retort, raising his hand as if to strike her—
"Enough!" Nadja snaps, reluctantly saving the man's life. "None of you will be killing each other today. Zenin, if you want to tuck your tail and run crying to your family or the higher ups, do so now. Otherwise you will accompany us to Jujutsu Tech as a prisoner. Choose."
There was not a word spoken as Naoya glared at all of the assembled faces. Sundari's face was one of pure, naked challenge, her fangs bared, all four eyes glimmering with a malevolence that made the fine hairs on his arms stand on end. This has to be same presence of Sukuna. He has a duty to report this transgression, but pride demands he not turn tail. Still, Nadja and Sundari outclass him together, and Yuta has chosen his side.
Naoya chooses to run.
"Your daughter's really scary," Yuji whispers to Nadja who fixes him with a look. He shrugs, smiling helplessly. Nadja cannot fault him. Sundari has a foreboding and formidable presence reminiscent of her father when she's focused. It seems helpful when she's in her right mind. But Nadja knows what Sundari is capable of, and the fear of becoming like Sukuna is not entirely unfounded.
Nadja thinks of her mandate, and shudders. If she leaves, she prolongs the inevitable. If she fails, then the wheel will just spin again with her strapped to it until everything is dust and her soul is ground to bits beneath its ceaseless turning. Fuck, she has never hated her job more than now. And as futile as she knows it to be, she knows she cannot ask why she must be the one to carry out this mandate. This should have been Toji's job, and Maki is still not at the potential to do what needs to be done.
And Nadja is the only one of them with an indestructible body. At least…at least until the job is done.
"Mom?" Sundari's voice cuts through her thoughts and she looks up at her daughter, whose gaze is questioning. Nadja can't help it, and she suddenly understands the things about mothers she used to find so silly. Sundari has been a woman grown for centuries, though appearances have left her at a green 24 or so. But to Nadja, she will always see the little girl with four arms and strange tattoos, toddling after her as Nadja enjoyed a rare chapter of respite in her long life. Sundari doesn't know it, but raising her was one of the few great joys in Nadja's life.
"Nothing," Nadja says with a smile. "Let's keep moving. Naoya is no threat to us currently, and we'll be much safer with Tengen. There's rules to entering their realm."
As it stands, the way to Jujutsu Tech is clear. It has only been a handful of days since Tokyo fell into disarray following the unleashed cursed spirits upon the city. As they pass through Tengen's barriers onto the campus, a veritable weight feels lifted from their shoulders. The school seems unchanged and unharmed, and the horrors of the past few days feel far away. The outskirts of Tokyo seem almost cartoonishly idyllic in comparison to the chaos of the city proper.
"You'd think everything hasn't gone tits up," Sundari remarks as she takes in Jujutsu Tech's campus. Most of the temples are facades, used for little more than meeting rooms, excess storage, and empty living quarters. The short-staffing of jujutsu sorcerers is very palpable, especially in the after of the Shibuya Incident. The idyllic quiet suddenly feels like the silence of a grave.
The walk to the Tomb of the Star Corridor is an easy one if confusing. No one speaks on the journey, too weary to say much. It's only when they reach the bottom most layer that they are met with another familiar face: Yuki Tsukumo. She spots them, turning to wave as if the world as they know it hasn't come to a stuttering halt. She gives the group a once-over, eyes sparkling with interest when they settle on Sundari. Yuki takes in the markings, the four eyes, the sinister reverb of her cursed energy. Sundari regards her as well, her expression unreadable.
"Well, it's good you all made it in one piece," Yuki says, "I was beginning to worry I might have to help fix things alone with Okkotsu, here. Come on, Tengen's expecting us."
Nadja doesn't miss the brittle way Tengen's name leaves Yuki's mouth. Even now, twelve years later, the consequences of Toji's actions have sent spiderweb cracks into every aspect of jujutsu society, derailing whole destinies, ruining whole lives. Nadja wonders if that's what her markers saw so long ago when they cast her out into the darkness of time, aimed for Sukuna's heart. And her daughter? What divine purpose does Sundari serve that she must now end her life?
The will of the gods are incomprehensible and Nadja finds herself losing her patience with their mysterious mandates and agendas. What's worse is she has no others with whom she can compare notes. If any others like her exist they are siloed…or they've completed their assignments and have been Recalled.
Nadja shudders to think of the possibility. She can kill Yuji and Sukuna and be done, but she does not want the boy's blood on her hands.
She is tired of children dying. And Sukuna is holding the boy hostage until he regains his full power, this much she knows. As they pass the doorway into Tengen's domain proper, Sundari makes a choked sound.
"What is this?" She demands. "This…this is…this feels like…"
"My apologies," a new voice says from ahead, and they look up to see Tengen, who looks nothing like anything they've ever seen. "I had to suppress your cursed energy in this place. It's so much like your father's, you see."
Sundari makes a sound of protest. "Unseal me, you fuc—"
"Sundari," Nadja's voice cuts off her daughter's rising ire. "Just breathe. You're still fine, but Tengen's barriers are for hiding and it requires more cursed energy to hide someone as powerful as you and your father."
Sundari takes a deep breath, then huffs in annoyance, looking sullen. Nadja regards Tengen thoughtfully. She's never met the immortal sorcerer, and she finds it ironic that she hasn't. However, Sukuna told her about them, thinking she was like Tengen when first they met.
"Daughter of Heaven," Tengen greets and to everyone's surprise, executes a formal bow of their head in respect to Nadja. Nadja hesitates, but returns the bow.
"I did not think I'd see one of your kind here, but I suppose it's not a surprise. Things have become decidedly more unexpected as of late. Tsukomo has been keeping me abreast of things out in the world."
Nadja sucks her teeth. "Yes, it seems jujutsu society is on the brink of collapse because of some hubris and mistakes made. Why did you summon us?"
Tengen is silent for a moment, and it's difficult to read anything on the strange, alien face: six eyes, all glowing with an awful light, an awful awareness. Nadja gets the distinct feeling that Tengen is thinking on how to answer the question, and then they speak.
"I will tell you all that I can but in exchange, I ask that at least two of you remain here in order to guard the Tomb of the Star."
There's an uprising of protests, but Nadja cuts them off.
"Done." She says currently. "Choso and Yuki can stay."
"Do I get a say?!" Yuki demands and Nadja shoots her a sidelong glance. The woman smirks and then sighs in resignation.
"Fine, fine," she says. "Alright, cutie, I guess it's you and me." She winks at Choso, whose cheeks bloom with color as he looks away from her.
Their conditions satisfied, Tengen continues.
"The being currently known as Geto Suguru has enacted what he is calling the Culling Game. As you know, he recently awakened several sorcerers, some incarnated, others simply adjusted to be able to use jujutsu. He will force these sorcerers into a contest of strength and skill. As of now, several barriers have been erected on the island, and entering them automatically assigns you a role as a player if you meet the requirements."
"So what?" Sundari demands. "Where's the thing wearing the Geto-suit? That's who we need to stop, right? Point me to where he is and I'll tear him apart. Easy day."
Nadja snorts. "If it is indeed Noritoshi Kamo, then like as not he already has contingencies in place if any of us kill him. What we need to do is free Satoru."
Tengen holds up a hand. "That was my next bit of information. There is a way to free Gojo Satoru…but it will require a lot of power."
"And we don't even know where the Prison Realm is," Yuji says. Tengen turns their gaze to him.
"You do not need to know where it is," Tengen explains. "There are two ways to open the Prison Realm: either the holder must release it, or…" Tengen holds up their other hand, producing a cube the color of flesh. On one of its faces, an incision that appears to have been stitched.
"You can open the backdoor."
They all stare at the ugly cube, its grotesque stitching, the way it looks so much less menacing than the multi-eyed cube Geto had been spotted carrying. Sundari's eyes burn with something Nadja cannot name, and she wishes she could perceive cursed energy the way sorcerers do. But even with her restriction, it's not hard to tell that Sundari's power is straining against Tengen's barrier suppression. Everything in her screams to tear the box open, to rip out the stitches and free the man that took her heart with him when he was sealed away. Everything in her body language and posture screams savehimsavehimsavehimsavehim.
"So…we just undo the stitches?" Yuji asks. Megumi frowns.
"It's a cursed object," Megumi says. "Which means there's some sort of powerful technique keeping Gojo-sensei sealed, right? We need something that can disrupt or release the technique so he can get out."
"Well, Hikmat-sensei's blades do that, right?" Yuji asks. Nadja snaps her fingers.
"They do," she agrees. "They are made of the same technique that imbued the Inverted Spear of Heaven."
Till this day she curses herself for not asking Satoru what he did with the damn thing. Like as not he destroyed it, which is no easy feat. Nearly impossible, in fact. She guesses he must have sealed it somewhere.
"If you're speaking of that sword on your back," Tengen says, "it may not be enough, and may risk destroying the backdoor."
"Isn't that the point?" Sundari asks sourly. "Give us some concrete answers, we don't have all goddamn day."
There's a collective hiss of disapproval but Sundari snorts.
"I've had it with the runaround and the spooky mystery. Tell us how to crack this fucking thing or I'll go enter the Culling Game, kill everyone, and make Geto do it after I beat seven shades of shit out of him."
Nadja wants to reach out to her but is surprised when Yuji places a hand on Sundari's arm. It's a reassuring gesture and Sundari looks at Yuji sharply. She takes in his face, the closed set of eyes reminding her of her own. A burden he chose to carry, and she wonders if her father is alert and watching this exchange. She sighs.
"Sorry," she mutters. "It's been a rough few days."
"Still," Yuki says, "she's right. We don't have a lot of time, and your answers aren't really complete."
"Sukuna's daughter can open the backdoor," Tengen says. "Her technique could render the Prison Realm powerless and allow Gojo a chance to escape. Your…lineage provides you with the ability to meet the conditions required to break its seal."
Sundari blinks. "Purification? Wouldn't that destroy it too?"
Tengen shakes their head. "No, your technique…you drain cursed energy, correct? This would render the backdoor inert."
Sundari swallows, doesn't dare look hopeful, but Yuji gives her a desperate look and she can't bear to start doubting her own power, now. She was once worshipped as a goddess, after all. She nods at Tengen, and they hand over the backdoor which she takes, swallowing bile as the texture becomes more real to her: human flesh. All that remains of the monk Genshin.
"We should probably let him out in an open space," she murmurs, not trusting her voice. Yuji nods, and Megumi tugs his sleeve to get his attention. The two boys wander off and it's clear Megumi has something urgent that needs saying. Nadja can hear them clearly, however, her senses honed with precision.
"We need to enter the Culling Games," Megumi says to Yuji, who stares with wide eyes. "Tsumiki is already trapped in one of the barriers, and we need to get in there and get her out."
Yuji, ever ready to help, nods. "But what about the others? Won't it be easier with their help?"
Megumi hesitates, Nadja watches the boy shuffle uneasily on his feet.
"Yeah, but we can't count on them to make this a priority, Itadori," Megumi says, and then there's color in his cheeks as he looks away from the other boy's face. "You're the only one I trust to help me with this."
Yuji's face looks torn between pride and compassion: pride that Megumi trusts him so deeply, and compassion because he knows that Tsumiki is the most important person in Megumi's world. There are few who hold that honor. Yuji is secretly hoping he numbers amongst them one day.
"We'll get her back," Yuji says. "But we might need help. Hikmat-sensei will help us if we ask her, I just know it."
Nadja fights a smile at Yuji's boundless optimism. She has a feeling Sukuna is throwing up at the sight of it. Megumi looks reluctant, but Yuji makes a pleading face, and he relents with an exasperated sigh. The two boys turn as Yuji bounds up to Nadja, a look of pride and satisfaction on his face.
"Hikmat-sensei!" He greets. "We need your help with a mission!"
Nadja smirks. "Finding Fushiguro's sister, correct?"
Yuji looks shocked and a little guilty but Nadja's smirk melts into a warm, motherly smile.
"Well…yes!" Yuji says and Fushiguro crosses his arms, refusing to meet Nadja's gaze. She wants to help Sundari unseal Gojo, but she figures they have enough powerful sorcerers to fight a battle on two fronts. Aside, what Fushiguro suggests sounds like espionage and extraction, two things Nadja has excelled at for centuries. And someone needs to keep an eye on Yuji lest Sukuna take a chance to come out.
"Alright," she says. "We'll get a hot a meal and a good night's sleep, and then we get the lay of the land and figure out how to approach. We still don't quite know much about this Culling Game. Let's learn all we can. Jumping in half-cocked is how Shibuya became a disaster. I'd rather us go in armed with all the information we can gather and be prepared for whatever awaits us."
She fixes both boys with a shrewd look.
"Is that agreeable, Fushiguro? We will get your sister back, but we have to be as ready as we can be."
Over the course of several days, the group regains their strength and resolve. Being on the campus and hidden by Tengen's barriers, it becomes easier to rest and train without worrying about curses lurking in every shadow. Sundari watches her companions train, sitting with the ugly backdoor of the Prison Realm and staring at it. She wishes she had Satoru's eyes to be able to see exactly how the cursed energy of this awful object flows and works to seal the occupant, but she must rely only on her instincts. If she does too much, she can destroy it, but if she does too little, the Prison Realm will remain closed.
It's after a week when Tengen admits entry of new faces within the realm, and Nadja, Yuji, Megumi, and Yuta are pleasantly surprised when they see Maki standing whole and hale before them. She is scarred from head to toe, but there is a steel in her gaze that makes Nadja swell with pride. Sharp. She's almost there…like a butterfly twitching and struggling out of its chrysalis, Nadja can see Maki is already twice as strong as she was when they entered Shibuya.
The other familiar face is Shoko.
"Shoko," Yuji suddenly remembers. "Did Nanamin survive?" He looks so hopeful Nadja hopes the news is favorable. She doesn't think she can bear to see the boy hurt anymore.
"He did," Shoko says, taking in their group with an unreadable expression. "But he's still in a coma. His injuries were far greater than…" She sees the look on Yuji's face and pauses. "He's stable, but recovery will be a long and difficult road for him. I've done what I can to ease the worst of it."
That seems to satisfy Yuji, and he nods, relieved that there was something good that came from that horrible night. No one else notices it, but Nadja sees how Megumi hovers near Yuji like a true shadow, sees his hand drift toward the other boy's, a brush of their pinkies, a fleeting moment of comfort and solidarity. Yuji looks at Megumi and there is a fondness there that transcends words. It is enough.
"Shoko," Nadja says. "I suppose Yaga's not on the premises either."
"Not with his execution order still active," Shoko says and pulls out a cigarette. Tengen looks a little nonplussed but says nothing.
"What about Panda?" Yuji asks. "And Inumaki-kun?"
Shoko nods. "They're fine too. The good thing about this is the higher ups are only blaming Yaga, Gojo, and…" She gestures to Nadja and Sundari. "But there's other news too…concerning you, Megumi."
Maki smirks thinly but it doesn't reach her eyes. The butterfly gets some of its legs free.
The next several minutes are a series of revelations. For one: Megumi has been named the next head of the Zenin Clan. Naobito's dying words apparently.
For two: Naoya did in fact reach the Clan and is now no doubt plotting to circumvent this decree and kill Megumi.
"Oh, Fushiguro you gotta let me tag along for this one," Sundari says. "I've been wanting to pull that little cockroach's eyelids off since he opened his fool mouth just so he is forced to watch me beat his ass."
It's safe to say Sundari hates this man.
"I'll go," Maki says cooly. "I've some things I need to get from the Zenin Estate that'll help us in the battles to come." She smirks, and there's something almost coy about it. "With your permission, Clan Leader."
Megumi shrugs. "Sure, whatever. Lock up when you're done?"
Nadja is ancient and she is a killer, and she knows the look of a woman who has decided to kill. The humanity is drained from Maki's eyes, and there is a calmness in its place.
The butterfly frees one chrysalis-slick wing.
