Draconis: (looks up from his computer.) Issei, what do you want?
Issei: Are you going to get to what I'm doing in this chapter?
Draconis: For the last time yes! I just need to wrap up Kenshin's stuff first.
Issei: OK damn, no need to shout.
Draconis: Sorry, but I'm busy and you've been asking too much.
Issei: (winces) Sorry.
Draconis: Oh boy my favorite, guest review time. I'm sorry guys and gals, but I'd rather be able to reply to your reviews in PM's, so sorry if I seem grumpy about that. Anyway. This guest review pointed out that my terms for Rias and Akeno as it pertains to the Occult Research Club are off. My reply is this. It's just easier for me to type Chief and Vice-Chief as opposed to President and Vice-President. Sure I could use Buchou and Fuku-Buchou, but I just got into that groove of just calling them Chief and Vice-Chief. This review was posted in the first chapter, but because it's a guest review I have no way of knowing if they're still reading, or how far they are.
Dragon of the Elements.
Chapter 61
On the Brink.
Draconis: Begin!
(start)
Port Natilia
Tiamat, Alice, Kenshin's peerage, Rasai, Grayfia and Serafall were gathered on the southern port of Natalia. "..." Tiamat narrowed her eyes.
"?" Yukari turned her head to the Dragon Queen. "What is it? Do you feel something?"
"This feeling..." Tiamat said.
"What's going on?" Evangeline asked.
"Is Onii-Chan in danger?" Miyuki asked.
"I don't know, but I know one thing...whatever is going on over there, it's gotten Kenshin drunk with rage." Tiamat said.
"Wait, are you saying that Kenshin has gone into...?" Granberia said.
"I didn't want to assume because I didn't know if Dragon youkai had the ability, but..." Tiamat said. "This feeling is unmistakable...Kenshin has gone into what we Dragons know as Outrage."
Back on the Masouen Continent. Saji watched the four fight as everyone else worked on stabilizing Rias. "Something's not right here."
"What do you mean Saji-kun?" Tomoe asked.
"Kenshin's form, uh...our Kenshin. That's obviously his Vessel of the Elements state, but...it feels...more powerful than before." Saji said.
"..." Sona glanced at them. "You're right Saji it is strange, and I should know having seen it first hand on Mundus Magicus."
"Outrage." Vritra said.
"Vritra?" Saji asked looking at his Absorption Line, which the Dragon King was speaking through.
"The Dragon of the Elements is in his Outrage state...or rather that Vessel of the Elements technique is his Outrage State." Vritra said.
"Wait, his Outrage state, but he's used that technique before, I've read on that state. It grants a great boost in power, but in exchange it robs the dragon of the ability to think clearly." Sona said.
"It was strange, I had always wondered why a dragon would willingly go into that state, so I got in contact with the his four elemental spirits and the Spirit of Fire told me that they hold back the negative side effects from getting to him, most of them anyway, but...it seems they can't hold it all back this time." Vritra said.
"Ken...shin..."
"!" Everyone turned to Rias, who managed to speak in a very weak tone.
"Krh!" Sona scowled, turning her head back to Kenshin and Shinta's fight. "Kenshin, take him out and get back to us! Hurry!" She thought.
"Haaaa! !" Kenshin roared, clashing his blade against Shinta's.
"Gh? !" Shinta was forced back by the powerful burst of wind shooting from Kenshin's rapidly flapping wings. Kenshin slashed the Tsurugi no Kami downward and sent Shinta flying back. Kenshin held the holy sword in an iai position and shot toward Shinta. "Flash Kill Devastation Downburst!"
"? !" Shinta narrowly dodged out of the way as a large section of forest was cut down. "My only saving grace here is that while he is using Serene Mind. He's being so bloodthirsty that his attacks are easy to predict." He thought, seeing the deep, extensive line that Kenshin had cut. Into the ground.
"What's wrong? ! Can't stand up to someone who can actually fight back? !" Kenshin shouts.
"? !" Shinta's eyes widened underneath his hood as Kenshin grabbed his head and threw him into the ground.
"Haa...haa...haa..." Kenshin scowled at him. "Get up! My fury is nowhere near satisfied!"
"Come." Shinta said gesturing his Zanbatou at himself.
"GLADLY! !" Kenshin said.
At the same Luka and Forbesii were going blow for blow. "Give it up Luka, you're nowhere near my league, even without the Tsurugi no Kami. I thought I told you that when YOU started this Revolution." Forbesii said. "When you tried to assassinate me in front of the Taiyoukai Council."
"You put too much stock in your borrowed power!" Luka said driving Forbesii back.
"Hn!" Forbesii smirked and slid off Luka's blade and turned, kicking Luka in the back of the head.
"Gah!" Luka gasped, crashing into the ground.
"That maybe so, but my 'borrowed' power is far superior to yours Luka. Even with the elemental powers I bequeathed upon you." Forbesii said, knocking Luka's sword to his side as he tried to slash it at the Demon King's head. He reached down and gripped Luka by the throat, lifting him up. "And you know what the worst part of this all is for you?" Forbesii said moving next to Luka's head. "No matter what you do here, your beloved Alipheese...is still doomed."
"Grrhh! !" Luka growled, gripping Forbesii's shoulders and pulling back. "Rrraaah!" He drove his head forward, headbutting the Demon King.
"Agh!" Forbesii grunted in pain, maintaining his hold.
"Rrraah!" Luka headbutted the JuuRokudaime Maou again.
"!" Forbesii jumped back as he let go, seeing Luka's hand thrusting toward his chest.
"Aaah...still in the chest eh?" Luka smirked.
"..." Forbesii closed his eyes and chuckled darkly. "You really think that you can get a hold of my core again?"
"We'll just see, won't we? !" Luka said. "After all...do you really think Kenshin's the only one here...who has an ax to grind with you? !" He shouted, power exploding outward as he lunged for Forbesii.
"!" Forbesii raised his blade to defend. "Gh? !"
"You killed Alice's mother! You've been tormenting Makai for years!" Luka shouts. "Ninefold Rakshasa!"
"Grrhhh..." Forbesii growled under his breath and barely blocked all of the slashes.
"HAA!" Luka roared, batting Forbesii away. "Demon King Forbesii! ! You are going to pay dearly for taking the life of my father Kuroshi Ryuushin! And for your dealings in the past, that helped lead my family to their destruction!"
"Really? A vendetta? How awfully trivial of you. Though true a vendetta is what spurred my first actions, now I work toward a bigger picture." Forbesii said as Luka ran him down.
"You're just a power drunk homunculus, no different from Hottan! You could never understand my endeavor!" Luka said. "Now I'll take your head!"
"? !" Forbesii's eyes widened as Luka slashed through his neck, causing his head to fall to the side.
"The core!" Luka said stabbing his hand at Forbesii's chest. However, suddenly Forbesii's headless body jerked out of the way and laid it's fist into Luka's stomach. "Guoh? !" Luka gasped, coughing out blood.
"Hmhmhmhm..." Forbesii's dismembered head laughed at him. "You should already know, nameless youkai...that killing me isn't going to be that easy."
"M-My power...!" Luka grunted.
"You mean the power that I gave you?" Forbesii asked as his body punched Luka away before grabbing it's head and reattaching it. "I took it away."
"What are you spouting off about?" Luka growled.
"You think I did not give any thought to the possibility that my artificial spirits could be used against me?" Forbesii asked.
"Wh...What kind of monster are we dealing with here?" Saji said watching all this go down with wide eyes.
"C-Can we really defeat him?" Tomoe asked.
Meanwhile at the same time Kenshin and Shinta were still duking it out. "Grrrhhh!" Kenshin said collecting the elements in spirals at his sides. "Elemental Cataclysm!"
"Hn? !" Shinta dodged not one, but both of the spirals hurtled toward him, but saw Kenshin coming in hot, his naginata surrounded in the elements.
"Dodge THIS!" Kenshin roared slamming his spinning naginata into Shinta's chest.
"Grrhhhhh! ! This power...when did you get...this strong? !" Shinta shouted as he was driven back.
"Haa...haa...haa...haa..." Kenshin panted heavily. He may be running on pure adrenaline at this point, but he was still exhausted. He could feel the Vessel of the Elements slipping. "Krhh!" Kenshin growled seeing a figure walking out of the dust.
"That was quite impressive, Kenshin."
"!" Kenshin's eyes widened for a moment, before closing, his teeth gritting together in anguish. "Dammit...god...fucking dammit!"
The man standing across from Kenshin was tan skinned with long black hair and dragon horns protruding out of his head. His eyes were black like Forbesii's, but the irises were blue. He wore a blue vest and combat pants and still held the blood red Zanbatou in his hand, showing the dragon visage on the front.
"Ghh." Kenshin growled, both in pain and frustration. "Shin Tatsu...I didn't want to believe it, seeing how you fought, but here you fucking are."
"Here I am." Shin Tatsu said.
"Is it true?" Kenshin asked.
"What?" Shin Tatsu asked.
Kenshin appeared in front of him and slashed the Tsurugi no Kami at Shin Tatsu's throat. "Did you really let Forbesii kill you? !"
"Grh!" Shin Tatsu grunted as he held his ground against Kenshin's attack.
"Answer me!" Kenshin shouts.
"I did." Shin Tatsu said slamming the swords toward the ground and punching at Kenshin's face.
"You helped train me Shin! You taught me to never be a coward!" Kenshin said after catching his fist, twisting it and slamming Shin Tatsu to the ground. "So why did you take the easy way out then? !"
"The easy way out? This war is happening because at his core Forbesii wanted revenge against me!" Shin Tatsu said. "I thought that by sacrificing myself, Forbesii would finally be satisfied!"
"Gah!" Kenshin grunted as Shin Tatsu kicked him in the head. "Grh..." Kenshin growled, glaring at him. "You should have learned from your wife's death."
Shin Tatsu bristled at this. "What are you talking about?"
"I saw her memory of the night she died!" Kenshin said stabbing at Shin Tatsu repeatedly, causing the Fifteenth Maou to dodge. "She died...doing the exact same thing you did!"
"? !" Shin Tatsu's guard slipped and Kenshin batted ZanRyuu from his hands and drove his fist into Shin Tatsu's chest, sending his master tumbling painfully across the ground.
Kenshin pointed the Tsurugi no Kami and Kuroi Jigoku at Shin Tatsu. "Did you never know that?"
"..." Shin Tatsu went silent.
"Well? !" Kenshin asked.
"Grrhh!" Shin Tatsu slammed his hands on the ground, injecting his magic into the earth and causing two thin pillars of earth to knock Kenshin's hands skyward. Shin Tatsu got to his feet. Black dragon scales covering his fist as he punched Kenshin in the chest.
"Kuoh? !" Kenshin gasped out, blood filling his mouth.
"I just couldn't do it!" Shin Tatsu shouts. "When push came to shove I just couldn't take him out!"
"He was your problem to begin with! You should have taken care of it back then!" Kenshin said uppercutting Shin Tatsu.
"You didn't know him when he was growing up, when I tried to do what is necessary with him. That's all I saw! I raised him, I trained him!" Shin Tatsu said holding ZanRyuu broadside. "Air Cannon Blade!"
"!" Kenshin planted his feet in the ground and put his guard up.
"Forbesii was like my own son!" Shin Tatsu shouted. "I couldn't do it!"
"And your real daughter is fighting against him! Don't you dare hit me with the family excuse you damn son of a bitch!" Kenshin shouts. "If you won't deal with Forbesii, I WILL!"
"!" Shin Tatsu's eyes widened as Kenshin's Kuroi Jigoku stabbed through his chest. "Kuu...ouh..." He coughed out blood and ZanRyuu hit the ground with a dull thud.
"...Haa!" Kenshin screwed his eyes shut as the orbs of his Balance Breaker vanished, signifying that he had dropped out of it and the Vessel.
"Kenshin..." Shin Tatsu said.
"!" Kenshin looked up at him.
"You...are right about him..." Shin Tatsu said through labored breaths. "Forbesii...has gone off the rails. He's gone mad with power...and can believe in no one else other than himself...but...I still couldn't bring myself to harm the child I had raised. I...hoped against hope that...my death would appease him...make him lay down arms, but...he's changed...he thinks the only way to bring peace in Makai is to rule over them like a tyrant...and now he wishes to wipe the slate clean and replace youkai with homunculi like him. I...am sorry about the crimson haired girl I struck...but with everyone healing her, she should pull through...I made sure to avoid an instant kill..." He said.
"..." Kenshin stared at him.
"But...Kenshin...don't try and take on this undertaking alone...or you're going to end up just like him." Shin Tatsu said. "Like you should have already learned...no one can do everything alone."
"I..." Kenshin said.
"Peace is not a goal...it's a journey." Shin Tatsu said. "A...Alice's mother...and I...we loved this world..." He coughed out. "We both sacrificed ourselves for it...please...Kenshin...protect...Ma...kai..." He exhaled his last breath.
"Shin..." Kenshin said as he scooped Shin Tatsu up and carried him over to the others.
"Kenshin?" Sona said. "Why are you...?"
"I'll explain later." Kenshin said. "How is Rias coming along?"
"Well...th-the wound is healed, but we fear she's lost too much blood." Sona said.
"..." Kenshin approached Rias and reached into one of his seals and pulled out a container of pills.
"What are those?" Sona asked.
"They're special pills I had made in Mundus Magicus. They provide essential nutrients and send a signal to the brain to make more blood from the stem cells in one's body. The drawback is that it takes awhile to fully take effect, but Rias should be fine." Kenshin took a pill out and put it between his lips. He lifted Rias' upper body into his arms. "Rias, if you can hear me. I need you to swallow this." Kenshin said as he lowered his lips onto hers and transferred the pill into her mouth.
"..." Kenshin pulled back and set Rias down.
"Hey, some of the color is already coming back." Momo said.
"She's right. Rias-San's heartbeats are getting a bit stronger and more rhythmic." Reya said.
Kenshin nodded and set her down. "Change your priority to restoring her mana. It's also bordering on a dangerously low level."
"Right." Sona said. "Remind me to ask for those pills some time. Our researchers could use them."
"It will cost you." Kenshin said as he got up and walked away. "!" Kenshin's eyes widened as he saw the fight between Luka and Forbesii.
Forbesii was laying into Luka. "You merely thought your power was your own and not a product of the power I gave you." Forbesii said punching Luka in the teeth. He stabbed his sword into the ground and punched Luka in the face again. "Your mistake was being arrogant enough to think that you could ever kill me!" Forbesii shouts. "A woeful, terrible mistake! The powers of my artificial spirits were the only reason you had the gall to stand up to me! Look at you! You amount to NOTHING, without them!"
Luka was backhanded away from Forbesii and barely managed to catch his footing. "Grrhhhh! Enough...with your bullshit! !" He slashed down at Forbesii with all of his might.
"Hmn." Forbesii closed his eyes, smirking as he raised his blade. "Earth Guard." He said.
"? ! !" Luka's eyes widened as his sword broke in two. "Guoh!" He spat out blood as Forbesii turned and drove his fist into his sternum.
"It's time to say goodbye, nameless youkai." Forbesii said stabbing his sword at Luka's chest. "Hm?" He stared quizzically as Luka vanished. He glanced over and saw Kenshin carrying Luka with his arm slung over his shoulders.
"What in the hell...are you doing? What about Shinta?" Luka asked.
"He's dead." Kenshin said.
"Then you should have amscrayed." Luka said.
"He's right you know." Forbesii said turning toward him. "That man you're carrying is on his last legs."
"He's coming back with us." Kenshin scowled.
"No, now none of you are leaving, and I'll be taking my sword back." Forbesii said seeing the Tsurugi no Kami in Kenshin's sword hand while Kuroi Jigoku was sheathed.
"Tch." Kenshin scowled.
"Kenshin...I have...a spell that can get us out of here." Luka said.
"The Forced Displacement spell? That would work, but you need time to set it up." Kenshin said. "And I don't know if you realize this, but...I'm not exactly in great condition to go buying time." He said with a weary smirk.
"Just get whatever you can." Luka said. "The targeting doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to get you off of Masouen." Kenshin nodded and put Luka on his knees. "One more thing, I need you to put Gekietsu Kumori no Mai charms on him when you get the chance to."
"Charms? Luka I don't have a lot of mana to be using them. What mana I have left needs to go into more offensive attacks." Kenshin said.
"I know, but Forbesii will need to be restrained while we make the jump." Luka said.
"Gahh, I'll see what I can do." Kenshin grunted.
"Aaah, finally decided the order in which you will die?" Forbesii asked.
"Ain't nobody dying here Forbesii. Except maybe you!" He disappeared and reappeared behind Forbesii. "Demon Decapitation!"
"..." Forbesii held his sword behind him, blocking the slash. "You have no idea how to use that sword, all it's doing is burning you."
"Haa!" Kenshin's hand shot forward and jabbed onto Forbesii's back, leaving a charm behind. He jumped back as Forbesii turned and slashed at him.
"?" Sona watched as Kenshin tried his best to lead Forbesii along. "What is he doing?" She muttered.
"I think he's buying time for that Luka character over there." Tsubaki said.
"..." Sona turned her head to Luka who was concentrating on a spell. "Alright, everyone get ready to leave. Yura, carry Rias."
"But Kaichou what will you be doing?" Saji said.
"I'm going to help Kenshin. He might be holding his own, but he's still barely on his feet, only sheer willpower keeping him going." Sona said getting up and walking toward the fight.
"But Kaich-!"
"But nothing Saji, out of everyone here, I have fought the least, I've got the most energy." Sona said. "Now do as you're told!"
"Hii!" Saji shirked back.
"Fool, you can't win, you never could." Forbesii said, lofting his sword overhead. "Wind God's Fury!"
"!" Kenshin narrowly dodged the spiraling downburst of wind. "!" He saw Forbesii closing in on him, sword poised to cleave him in two. "Shit! I got careless!" He thought.
(clench!)
"!" Kenshin saw Forbesii's arm stop as a tendril of water wrapped around his wrist. "Kah!" He shouted slashing his sword arm off, grabbing him by the face and slamming him into the dirt. He jumped back and glanced at Sona. "What are you doing?" He said.
"Don't give me any of that right now. I'm helping whether you like it or not." Sona said.
"Well thanks for the assist then!" Kenshin said.
"Yes, but it was quite foolish of you." Forbesii said as he disappeared.
"!" Kenshin's eyes widened. "Sona! BEHIND!"
"? !" Sona turned to find Forbesii behind her.
"A little girl like you shouldn't interfere with the matters of men." Forbesii said, thrusting his hand through her chest.
"! !, Kaichou! !" Saji and the rest of Sona's peerage shouted.
"BASTARD! !" Kenshin roared taking off at Forbesii.
"..." Sona looked down at the hand through her chest. "Hmn." She let out a soft laugh. "So that's how Kenshin feels when people fall for this."
"? !" Forbesii, Kenshin and Sona's peerage watched as the Sitri heiress' form collapsed into a puddle of water. "A water clone?" Forbesii said. "!" His eyes widened slightly as Kenshin's fist, that held the Tsurugi no Kami, laid into his cheek while his other hand slapped another charm on him before he went on a painful tumble.
Kenshin leaped over Forbesii, holding the Tsurugi no Kami in an iai position. "Katensho Iai!"
"!" Forbesii tried to move, but his limbs were tethered to the ground by watery bindings. He glanced over and saw Sona with her hand extended toward him and her magic circle behind her.
(boom!)
"Haa...haa..haa...haa..." Kenshin panted as he landed on the ground.
"No, Kenshin's not going to be able to last much longer." Luka thought.
"Haa...haa...haa..." The dust cleared and Forbesii's wound was regenerating. "Kuroshi Kenshin..." Forbesii said. "Even on the brink of consciousness...you still will your body onward. Your youki and mana levels have both fallen dangerously low.
"Fuck...you..." Kenshin growled.
"So...I wonder what would happen if I did...this." Forbesii said slashing his sword toward Sona. "Wrath of the Sun God!"
"? !" Kenshin's eyes widened as a white hot column of flame shot at Sona.
"Kaichou!" Saji said running toward her only to fall in exhaustion. "Ggh!"
"Damn it!" Kenshin, at the same time as Saji took off toward Sona.
"! !" Sona's eyes widened in fear as it closed in. "No, even if I ran, I wouldn't make it!" She thought.
"Please make it! !" Kenshin thought.
Sona's eyes screwed shut, expecting a burst of great pain, followed by nothingness. However all she heard was.
"Gwuaaaaah! !"
"..." Sona's eyes cracked open, and she let out a gasp. "Kenshin!" She shouted in worry.
"Aaahh..." Kenshin's back was badly burned, the burns healing very slowly. "Hey...are you...alright?" Kenshin asked with a weary smile.
"..." Sona watched him fall onto his knees in front of her, her hands grabbing his shoulders to keep him steady to look him over, though it was easier said than done in her panicked state.
"Hooouu? So you managed to squeeze out enough mana for one last desperation Instant Movement hm?" Forbesii asked. "Well, now you're in no shape to resist me anymore." Forbesii added with a smirk as he approached them. "I'll be taking what's mine now."
"Krh..." Kenshin turned his head, growling weakly at him.
"Next time, don't challenge your betters, foolish pariah youkai." Forbesii said. However before Forbesii could get to them, the charms that Kenshin had placed on him earlier activated. "Grh? !" Forbesii growled in surprise, as he was tethered to the ground.
"And you should never overlook your enemies."
Forbesii turned his head, seeing Luka smirking at him. "Luka...you know this won't hold me long."
"It doesn't have to." Luka said. "Forced Displacement!"
"! !" Forbesii's eyes widened as magic circles appeared under Sona's peerage, Rias, Sona and Kenshin.
"!" Kenshin's eyes widened when he noticed that there was not one underneath Luka. "Hey!" He shouted, turning around as Sona slung his arm over her shoulders.
"This was always the plan Kenshin. Don't look so surprised." Luka said.
"Luka! What about Alice? ! What about Alma and your friends? ! Don't you want to make amends with them? !" Kenshin shouts.
"..." Luka turned toward Kenshin and smiled. "They're in your hands now, brother."
"!" Kenshin's eyes widened, before closing and his teeth gritted in anguish and frustration. Kenshin, Rias, Sona, her peerage as well as Shin Tatsu's corpse all vanished, leaving Luka alone with Forbesii.
"Hrn!" Forbesii grunted, forcing the binds off his body. "Luka..."
"It's just you and me now." Luka smirked.
"Yes...it is...you have now sealed your fate...by incurring my wrath once more." Forbesii said looked at him with a venomous scowl. "NOW DIE!" He spat, stabbing his sword through Luka's heart.
"Ghh!" Luka gasped out blood.
"See? Even in my anger, I bestowed upon you, a king's mercy...making the end quick." Forbesii said.
"...Heh..." Luka smirked and gripped Forbesii's arm tightly. "You idiot..."
"? !" Forbesii's eyes widened as Luka's body started to glow brightly.
"The Forced Displacement doesn't take all that much effort to cast just a bit of time...and once the charms are on you, all that needs be done is weave some handsigns. So what was taking me so long to get the Forced Displacement off?" Luka asked, smirking at Forbesii.
"!" Forbesii's eyes widened. "No..."
"Yes, I was gathering all my mana, all my youki and touki together and compressed it, turning it into a bomb...a bomb you triggered when you damaged the proverbial casing." Luka smirked.
"Luka...You BASTARD! !" Forbesii snarled.
"I'll see you in Hell, FORBESII! !" Luka roared as light obscured his form.
"Guuuuaaahhhhhhhhhhh! ! !" Forbesii roared in agony as he was swept up in the explosion.
In Natalia, Sona's peerage, Shin Tatsu's corpse, and Rias appeared behind Alice, Tiamat, Kenshin's peerage, Serafall and Grayfia. "!" Yukari turned around. "Hey!"
Everyone else turned around and made their way up to them. "!" Yukari took notice of Shin Tatsu. "Shin Tatsu? !"
"He's dead." Reya said shaking her head. "He had a core controlling him, and Kenshin killed him after he seriously wounded Rias-San."
"? !" Miyuki glanced at Rias. "Is she alright? !"
"Yeah. We healed her up, and Kenshin gave her one of those special blood pills." Momo said.
"I see, that's good..." Yukari said placing her hand on Rias' torso. She snapped her fingers and Rias was dressed in her Kuoh uniform.
"Hnnn...?" Rias began to stir.
"She's waking up." Evangeline said.
"..." Rias tried to raise up but stopped. "Hn!" She flinched, placing her hand over her chest. "Ow..."
"Easy." Yukari said. "You were wounded there from what I'm being told."
"Yukari...? Am I back in friendly territory?" Rias asked glancing around.
"You are Ojou-Sama. Just try to relax." Grayfia said.
"Why am I so tired...?" Rias asked. "I mean I remember having on Kenshin's armor, and that was draining, but..."
"You've lost quite a bit of blood." Chachamaru said. "It's coming back faster than normal. It must be due to the effects of the pill Kenshin-San gave you."
"What happened after I went down?" Rias asked.
"Well, for lack of a better phrase. Kenshin snapped and beat this guy to death." Yura said gesturing toward Shin Tatsu.
"Yeah, Vritra said he went into something called the Outrage state, but it was just a stronger version of his Vessel of the Elements form." Saji said. "He said that the Vessel was his Outrage state and that the spirits held most of the effects of it in check, but they were unable to this time."
"He must have been easy to dodge then. Bloodlust makes your movements far easier to perceive." Granberia said. "Especially against another Elemental Master like Shin Tatsu."
"It was a deadlock for a little while." Tomoe said.
"What about the Demon King, was he at least dealt with?" Rias asked.
"Forbesii was there? !" Alice said with wide eyes.
"Yeah, but..." Tsubaki closed her eyes. "Nobody could beat him, not even Kenshin or Luka."
"Wait, Luka?" Granberia asked. "Isn't he working with Forbesii?" She asked with a scowl.
"No." Saji said. "Luka was working a long con on him the entire time. He was waiting for the chance to kill him, but..."
"Even after Luka stripped him of that glowing sword." Ruruko said.
"Wait, Forbesii doesn't have the Tsurugi no Kami right now?" Yukari asked.
"No." Momo said shaking her head.
"Unless something changed while I was unconscious, Kenshin should have it." Rias said.
"!" Everyone's eyes widened.
"The Demon King is disarmed?" Granberia thought.
"That bastard doesn't have his gamebreaking sword." Tiamat thought.
"There's...actually a chance now...Forbesii can realistically be defeated now." Alice thought.
"Wait...I just noticed something." Serafall said. "Where's So-tan and Kenshin-Chan?"
"Wait, that's right, where are they?" Evangeline said.
"They didn't come back with us? !" Tsubaki said with wide eyes.
"I don't sense them." Evangeline said. "Chachamaru."
"Yes." Chachamaru said as she initiated a scan.
"Well?" Alice asked.
"I found Kenshin-San's mana signature. It's in the western half of the Safina Desert in the Sabasa Region." Chachamaru said.
"He got blasted that far?" Saji asked. "Was Luka trying to keep us all together when he used that spell on us?"
"What spell?" Hikari asked.
"I believe Luka and Kenshin called it...Forced Displacement." Yura said.
"...The only ones that weren't targeted were the Demon King and Luka himself." Tomoe said.
"He's still there? !" Alma Elma said with wide eyes.
"..." Alice turned toward the south. "Luka..."
"He was loyal to you, until the bitter end." Saji said.
"?" Alice turned toward him.
"He said that everything he was doing was to eventually see you returned to the throne." Saji said. "That as long as that happened, he was fine more or less with dying."
"When we fought him, even in the mask, he did go out of his way to avoid killing youkai, wounding them, disabling them sure, but he never seemed to kill." Granberia said closing her eyes.
"Luka..." Alma said closing her eyes.
"Kenshin tried to convince him to come back with us, but he refused." Reya said.
"I guess he didn't have the heart to face you after all this." Evangeline said.
"R-Right, but still, where's So-tan?" Serafall asked.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know Sona Sitri's signature as well as I know Kenshin-San's." Chachamaru said.
"If she ended up in unfamiliar territory, forget about it." Evangeline said.
"Wait." Yukari said. "They are siblings. Why don't you scan Serafall's mana and see if that works."
"...It could work." Chachamaru said. She extended her hand toward Serafall. "Let your mana flow in and I'll do the rest."
"OK." Serafall said doing as asked. A minute passed. "W-Well?"
"...Sona Sitri is also in the Safina Desert with Kenshin-San. Were they in physical contact when the spell took effect?" Chachamaru said.
"She was holding him up." Tsubaki said. "Sona was about to be struck by one of the Demon King's attacks, but Kenshin just barely put himself between her and it."
"...Man, Kenshin put himself through the wringer." Evangeline winced.
"There's also another issue." Chachamaru said. "Sona Sitri's mana levels are at normal levels, but it's a different story for Kenshin-San."
"How bad is it?" Yukari asked.
"Both his mana and youki are dangerously low." Chachamaru said.
"..." A silence fell over them.
"...Hey...has anyone seen that nobleman that was with us?" Alma asked.
"...Oh...fuck!" Yukari looked out to the west. "Alright get a party together or wait for Issei to get here. I'm going on ahead!"
"Onee-Chan wait!" Miyuki said as Yukari took off.
"What's she in such a hurry for?" Alice asked.
"Just as I thought." Evangeline said closing her eyes.
"What do you mean?" Rias asked as she was helped up by Grayfia.
"Rasai was most likely sent here by Lord Bael to kill Kenshin." Evangeline said. "Now that Kenshin is likely in a vulnerable state, he sees his opportunity to strike. I don't like his chances with just Sona there to protect him."
"What? !" Alice said before turning to Serafall. "One of your devils is trying to assassinate my Vice Commander? !"
"This is not what we want either!" Serafall protested. "Lord Bael and Rasai are acting on their own!"
(clang!)
"!" Alice and Serafall turned to Miyuki who smacked the end of her quarterstaff on the ground with a scowl.
"Now isn't the time for us to start an argument. Let's just get moving!" Miyuki snapped.
"..." Alice closed her eyes. "She's right."
"Yeah." Serafall nodded.
(break)
In Sabasa.
Rasai appeared in a Sabasa alleyway. "..." He walked out and looked around. "Good thing I set warp in points at the four capitols. I just know Yukari Tsuki will be onto me as soon as she notices I'm not around." He thought. "This chance is too good to pass up, Kenshin's weakened. The only thing standing between the two of us is the Sitri heiress, a strong mage type, but I should be able to get by her." He thought walking through the streets.
However as he walked another thought came to mind. "But...if I kill Kenshin, what then?" He thought. "The only working portal out of here is across the continent at Yamatai...once I take care of Kenshin. Yukari Tsuki and the rest of Kenshin's peerage is going to either hunt for me or wait at the portal for me." He thought.
Rasai left Sabasa. "Not only that, the Demon Queen seems to be quite taken with him...the Dragon Knight wants to fight him, the Succubus Queen wants to fuck him. The Slime Queen and those Cardinals all respect him..."
"..." Rasai looked out at the sandy dunes. "...Father...did you give me this job, knowing full well that I would not come back either way from it?" He thought.
At the same time as Sona's peerage and Rias appeared in Natalia. Sona and Kenshin appeared in the desert. "Where are we?" Sona asked, looking around.
"Hrng..." Kenshin glanced around. "If I was a betting man, I would say the Safina desert."
"The Desert? Where was Luka aiming when he teleported us?" Sona asked.
"He probably wasn't." Kenshin grunted. "He just needed us off Masouen...and because we were apart from your peerage and Rias, I suppose he needed to set two exit points."
Kenshin staggered forward and looked around. "Yeah, there's the pyramid right there." He said pointing out the structure. "...Haa...haa..." He started going through handsigns.
"What are you doing?" Sona asked.
"Making...myself lighter..." Kenshin said. "There...be...wary of this sword." He said weakly lifting up the Tsurugi no Kami. "Uhhnnngh..." He fell over the next minute, collapsing from exhaustion and slipping into unconsciousness.
"Kenshin! Hey, Kenshin!" Sona said. "Damn, the fights he was in finally took their toll on him." She slung his arm over her shoulders again and began walking toward the pyramid, once she got into range of it she teleported.
She was greeted by a woman with the lower body of a lion, face and all, six snakes at her side, blue in color, a pair of white non angelic wings at her back and short black hair. She wore next to nothing to cover herself. Some golden bracelets on her arms and an ornate golden tiara with a snake extending out of the front. "You, what brings you here?" She asked.
"I...I'm looking for shelter." Sona said.
"The city of Sabasa isn't THAT far." She said.
"I realize that, but I don't think my friend here will make the trip." Sona said.
"..." The woman glanced at Kenshin, then to the Tsurugi no Kami. "You have a point. His youki and mana levels are too low to be traveling, far too much so. Please come inside."
Sona followed the woman. "Thank you..uhm..."
"I am called Sphinx." She introduced. "Hang on."
"? !" Sona felt them teleporting again and found herself along with Kenshin and Sphinx. They found themselves in a large chamber. Sphinx walked over and her large body went into a resting position while her 'human' half pulled itself out.
"?" Sona glanced curiously at her as she went and grabbed something and handed it to her.
"Here. Make him something to lay on with this." Sphinx said.
"..." Sona took them and did so.
"You look at me oddly. Why?" Sphinx asked.
"It's nothing, I just...wasn't expecting you to take yourself out of that large body over there." Sona said.
"Oh." Sphinx said. "Well I've know the touch of a man before, you don't think I mated with him in that do you?" She asked gesturing toward the body she had resting to the side.
"..." Sona's face heated up and she glanced away. She got the pallet laid out for Kenshin and moved him onto it.
"Haa...haa...haa..." Kenshin panted.
"How long is he going to sleep like that for?" Sona asked, seeing him not only panting, but sweating profusely. "..." She stared at the Tsurugi no Kami in his hand. She took a breath and reached over, grabbing it. "Hng!" She grunted in pain as she moved it away from him.
"His youki is at critically low levels. Right now his body doesn't even have the power necessary to fight off sicknesses." Sphinx said. "It will take at least a few hours for his youki to build back to sustainable levels. You were right to move that sword away from him. It was preventing his body from healing. How is your hand by the way?"
"This?" Sona asked looking at her burned palm. "It hurts a little bit, but it's nothing I can't handle."
(Cough! Cough! Cough!)
"!" Sona looked over and placed her hand on his forehead. "He's burning up."
"He needs to keep his fluid levels up and he also needs to cool his body down." Sphinx said. "Dragon youkai, particularly of the flame element which I can tell he was originally have higher body heat levels than anyone else. It's why their youki is conditioned to fight infections like this above all others. A fever or flu is debilitating for them."
"..." Sona was handed a cloth. She used her magic to soak it in cold water. She then lifted his head and placed the wet cloth on the back of his neck while propping his head up with an old pillow.
"..." Kenshin's breathing calmed.
"Whew..." Sona said.
"It is unfortunate that you ended up here of all places." Sphinx said. "There is a nearby oasis, but it's not terribly close by and you could be needed at any moment."
"..." Sona narrowed her eyes. "Well there is a way...but...it's way too embarrassing and I doubt there's enough water in the air here anyway."
"I can supply the water, but I can't give him too much of my own body in this dry environment, I have to have something to sustain my own body, but moistening the air will be enough." Undine said appearing next to him.
"H-Hee?" Sona said. "B-But..."
"If it's embarrassing I stay here in this pyramid. Who would I tell?" Sphinx asked.
"And Sylph just went to sleep. So..." Undine trailed off.
"F-Fine. Just give me a moment to prepare." Sona said.
"Very well, I'll need that same moment to moisten the air." Undine said.
"Hmn..." Sphinx closed her eyes. "Rooted in the desert though I may be, it's always nice to walk out to the beach on the western edge and take in a moist ocean breeze."
"Alright Sona, it's ready." Undine said.
(break)
Meanwhile, during Kenshin's excursion to Masouen.
Issei and his group got close to an encampment. "Stop!"
"!" Issei and the others looked up to see a white tiger diving down at them.
"Leave this place." He growled.
"Sorry, No dice." Issei said. "Balance Break."
"Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker!"
"!" Irina and Kiba held their swords at the ready, Sextum, Le Fay readied their magic. Asia moved to the back of their formation.
"Stand down." Tamamo said walking forward.
"Yeah guys, this one's cool." Bureijin said. "Heya Ginrei-jiji." He waved.
"...Bratty incubus." The tiger grunted as he lost most of his fur and stood up wearing a battle kimono with the character for Wisdom on the back. He had long white hair, but unlike Sheena's, it had no stripes.
"..." Issei and the other relaxed their stances.
"What brings you here?" Ginrei asked.
"We heard things were going sideways over here. Thought we'd swing by and lend a hand." Bureijin said. "Lady Alipheese and her Vice Commander sent us."
"The Vice Commander sent you?" Ginrei said his eyes narrowed curiously. "But Tamamo is right here."
"Yeah, not the Vice Commander anymore." Tamamo said. "Luka took the post when I vanished, then Kenshin Tsuki Kuroshi took the post after him."
"..." Ginrei bristled. "Leave." He said turning around.
"Why?" Irina asked.
"I refuse to accept help from the one who is one of the core causes of why my step daughter is in the situation she's in." Ginrei said.
"And how is that exactly Ginrei-jiji?" Bureijin said. "Kenshin's never been to Makai except for visits with his father to here and Yamatai."
"Ever since he 'tamed' Sheena, she's slowly been losing credibility within our clan." Ginrei said. "There are those among us who have never cared for dragon youkai, especially the Kuroshi, which is why some of us left the Tsuki clan."
"According to Sheena-San, that was her choice." Irina said.
"Yes, it was." Sextum nodded.
"Be that as it may, as the White Tiger Queen, she needed to exercise impartialness. He was young, he could have found a different youkai to be his Zenki." Ginrei said.
"Again, that was her choice." Tamamo said. "She talked to me about it after she did it. She knew what she was doing."
"..." Ginrei closed his eyes. "Then maybe I am throwing blame carelessly. It's just..." He let out a sigh. "Sheena was eventually rebelled against by her own stepbrother."
"This Toraki is your son?" Le Fay asked.
"Yes." Ginrei said. "I suppose I am just seeking a comfort in throwing the blame on someone else."
"What happened to Sheena-San's actual parents?" Issei asked.
"...They died in the last war shortly after she was born." Ginrei said. "I was her uncle, but I consider myself more her father because her biological one could never be there, I took her in when I heard of their deaths."
"Well that's good that she at least had someone to care for her." Asia said.
"Yes, but at the same time, Toraki never really warmed up to her, adding into the fact that she mastered the White Lightning Tiger technique long before he ever did." Ginrei said. "The main reason that I soured on young Kenshin at this moment is because it gave Toraki a platform to contest Sheena with."
"It must have been rough Ginrei-jiji." Bureijin said.
"Yes, I have no real qualms with the boy himself, it's merely that he's a Kuroshi, a dragon and that gave Toraki people to team up with. It's only because we're so far from the battlefield now that we haven't been overrun by these false demons." Ginrei said. "My son...is a terrible leader."
"Well not everyone is suited to the role." Kiba said.
"Yes, some people are just born to follow-nya." Kuroka said.
"That maybe true, but Toraki's envy toward Sheena, combined with part of our clan that never cared for dragons led toward Sheena's defeat." Ginrei said. "Despite the vitriol he has toward her. She never once said that she hated him and I think she never treated him that way because of me."
"Can I ask you something real quick?" Issei asked.
"What is it?" Ginrei asked.
"Kenshin was only like...four years old when Sheena became his summon." Issei said. "His old man was constantly on the road with him. She said she wanted to watch over him during that time."
"That never registered with them. All they saw was the clan leader becoming the servant to a dragon youkai, a Kuroshi at that." Ginrei said. "It was a sign of weakness to them. If it did, it was as an even bigger insult."
"Then stand aside and let us through. We'll settle this." Sextum said. "Issei will take on this Toraki."
"Yeah, let me handle this." Issei said. "If Toraki gets beaten by a dragon then it should demoralize them."
"...I suppose." Ginrei said. "But getting to him involves getting through his allies."
"Oh that's fine, that's why I brought them." Issei grinned, gesturing toward his group.
"I'll be hanging back to protect Asia if that's all the same to you." Tamamo said.
"Sure." Issei shrugged. "That will free up everyone else if someone as strong as you is protecting her."
Ginrei sighed. "Very well, follow me."
"Is he alright?" Asia asked Tamamo in a low tone.
"Probably not. His home's about to become a battlefield again, and his own son has to be defeated." Tamamo said.
"Yeah, this has probably been weighing on his mind ever since it started." Bureijin said.
"Yet he was ready to turn us away because of our connection to Kenshin?" Sextum asked.
"He's probably at his wits end and was ready to call a parlay." Tamamo said.
The group walked deeper into the encampment. "Hey..." Irina looked around. "I thought Sheena-San said your clan moved around. But there are houses here."
"These houses are easily taken down and carried with us." Ginrei said. "We store them away using seals. Sheena even passed this knowledge along to young Kenshin I believe."
"Yeah, he's like a walking storage facility." Kiba said with a sweatdrop.
"So, is your clan basically divided down the middle?" Issei asked.
"No. Toraki has the advantage right now. Some switched sides just to save themselves or their families." Ginrei said. "It's a shame, but I understand it."
"That's too bad-nya." Kuroka said.
"Uhm, she doesn't mean that sarcastically." Le Fay said.
"Of course I don't." Kuroka said rolling her eyes at Le Fay. "I was a feline type youkai before becoming a devil."
"Wait, that reminds me...wouldn't you and the Lust Dragon, Kenshin-San be related in that case?" Le Fay asked.
"I am assuming you're referring to the fact that all the Tsuki clan was various feline type youkai. However not all of them were in the Tsuki clan." Ginrei said. "One such race was the nekoshou. They were there own clan that shared neutral ties with the Tsuki, preferring not to band up with them. The Tsuki understood this and left them alone."
"?" Bureijin glanced around. "Hey, everyone's starting to look at us oddly."
"It's probably because of the red armored lad. Could you at least take the helmet off?" Ginrei asked. "The armor is intimidating."
"Oh, right." Issei said removing his helmet.
"Hey, maybe I should..." Asia trailed off seeing some people walking around with obvious injuries."
"Go ahead Asia." Issei grinned.
"Huh?" One of the White Tiger youkai said as Asia came up to him.
"Your leg, it's hurt. Let me heal it." Asia said.
"N-No it's quite al- OK fine." He said seeing Asia already going to work. "Eh?" He said as he started putting pressure on his injured leg. "Whoa...hey thanks, uhm..." He said.
"Asia, Asia Argento." Asia smiled.
"Hey me next!"
"No me!"
"My injury's more serious!"
"Everyone calm down. Those with more serious injuries come to her first." Tamamo said.
"Yes Tamamo-Sama." They all said forming a line.
"Hm?" Kiba said before making a couple of swords. "We've got company."
"Hm?" Sextum said seeing a small group of white haired tiger youkai approaching them. Their clothes cleaner than clothes of those around them.
"You, who are you and what are you doing here?" Their leader asked.
"We're here to see Sheena-Chan-nya." Kuroka said.
The group bristled at this. "The former Queen is in our custody, being prepped to face execution for leading us to ruin."
"Because she wanted to help take care of a kid who happened to be part dragon?" Issei snorted. "You guys are so full of shit I'm surprised you aren't wiping your mouths every time you talk."
"Watch your tongue fool!" They all said charging at Issei.
"Sextum-Chan, Irina-Chan." Issei said.
"Of course." Sextum said.
"Right away Issei-kun." Irina winked.
An Ice wall erected between Issei and the tiger youkai. "What the? Break that wall down! These fools must not get to Lord Toraki!"
"Look, I know they're enemies, but please try not to kill them, they are still our kin." Ginrei said.
"Don't worry, we're not here to kill if we can help it." Sextum said. "Ready Irina?"
"When you are." Irina said.
"!" The tiger youkai's eyes widened as the ice wall shattered and turned to ice dust that swirled around, behind the wall was several spears of light. "Oh shit? !" One of them said as the spears launched forward.
"!, Hey get back!" Bureijin said.
"!" Issei, Irina and Sextum all jumped backward as an arc of lightning tore through the space they were standing, also taking out the spears.
"So Father, you've gone running to our enemies to help?"
Issei looked up seeing a white haired man wielding bladed gauntlets. He wore a battle kimono and his white hair was more of a wild mane. "Who is that?"
"Father, your favoritism sickens me." He said.
"..." Ginrei scowled. "Toraki, it's your envy of Sheena and their nonsensical hatred of dragons that made me do this! I am tired of my people fighting amongst ourselves when we should be helping to overthrow a tyrant!"
"And we will, with me at the helm." Toraki said with a smirk.
"The people will never truly accept you." Ginrei said. "You're neither the most powerful white tiger and it pains me to say, you've gone mad."
"Hahahahahaha!" Toraki laughed. "Not the strongest? ! Sheena fell in battle against me!"
"After you used her attendant to force her hand!"
"You cheated!" One of the teenage female tigresses shouted.
"Silence!" Toraki shouts throwing a bolt of lightning at her. Kiba leaped in the air and slashed it away. "Hn? !"
"Please, your lightning is nothing compared to Akeno-San's, who can mold holy magic into it." Kiba said flinging the remaining lightning off his swords.
"Haa, thank you." The teen tigress said with a relieved smile.
"Of course. It's what a man does." Kiba said with a smile.
"Haaa..." She sighed with a blushing smile.
While she was killing homunculi on Masouen, Tsubaki felt a sudden urge to kill, which she satisfied on a poor, hapless grunt homunculus. (1 )
"Heh, my lightning is weak hm?" Toraki smirked. "You should learn your plan pretty boy." He said as he whistled.
"!" Everyone looked on ahead seeing more white tiger youkai rush toward them.
"Come and get me if you can." Toraki continued to smirk as he vanished.
"..." Ginrei turned to Issei. "I'll help Tamamo-Sama protect your healer, you do what you have to."
"Thank Ossan." Issei said putting his helmet back on. Ginrei nodded and left the battlefield. "I'm assuming the big house in the back is where they're at?" He asked as Bureijin walked up next to him.
"Yep. That was Sheena's house. Always used to throw get togethers to improve relations." Bureijin said. "Been to a few myself, had a good time."
"Sorry man, but can you be serious?" Issei asked.
"Oh I will be." Bureijin said as the tiger youkai gathered.
"Turn back now, or be destroyed!" One of them stepped forward and said.
"Sorry fellas, but no can do." Issei said.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, get ready for a fight." Bureijin said.
"Alright then, men! Prepare!"
Each of the tiger youkai ahead of them coated their bodies in a white aura. "What are they doing-nya?"
"Hm..." Bureijin narrowed his eyes curiously.
A crowd of tigers constructed by youki appeared in front of them. "What the?" Issei said.
"The Youki Construct technique." Bureijin said. "It's a technique mainly used by the Tsuki clan."
"Seriously?" Issei said.
"Hmn, if I recall I believe Hikari-San used this against Akeno-San in our first Rating Game in the youth tournament." Kiba said.
"Yeah, they can rebuild them, but their also just an extra body. No easier or harder to destroy than normal bodies." Bureijin said.
"Here they come!" Kiba said seeing the youkai and their constructs rushing in.
"Let them, we can handle it." Irina said holding her sword at the ready.
"Uhuhuhu! If we're doing summons then..." Le Fay concentrated her magic. "Fen-Chan! I need you!"
"A'wooooo!" The legendary wolf appeared in front of Le Fay, letting out a howl.
"Come on then." Sextum said extending her hands outward, condensing the water around her for attacks.
"You really think you can take us on-nya? Ufufufu, how foolish." Kuroka giggled as she molded flames with her senjutsu.
"Lets go!" Issei said as he flew forward. "Dragon Shot!"
One of the youki constructs took the blow and it's summoner charged Issei. "Die, Dragon!"
"Come on!" Issei said.
"Ey!" Irina said as she and Sextum moved between them and halting his progress. "Go ahead Issei-kun!"
"We have this, just get moving." Sextum said seeing more coming from the sides.
"Right!" Issei said flying forward. "Welsh Dragonic Rook!"
"Change Solid Impact!"
He stopped flying and cocked his fist back as a crowd of constructs rushed him. He punched his fist forward, the percussion hammer falling expelling a great force, destroying the constructs.
A mist appeared around their summoners. "Move along Issei-nya." Kuroka said twirling her flames around in hand.
"Thanks Kuroka-Chan!" Issei said dropping out of the Rook armor and rushing forward.
"You aren't going anywhere-nya." Kuroka said as Issei took off.
"Release us this instant!" The tiger youkai shout.
"Oh, I'll release you alright." She said as her senjutsu fireballs moved into ring formation and began spinning and launched into them.
"Welsh Blaster Bishop!" Issei shouted seeing a crowd rushing toward him.
"Change Fang Blast!"
"Fen-Chan let's go!" Le Fay said.
"Wait up!" Kiba said as the three stepped in front of the crowd.
"Hey guys! Move it!" Issei said.
"Let us know when it's finished, until then we'll cover you!" Kiba said as he started cutting down constructs.
"Ey!" Le Fay shouted launching spells at them.
"Regenerate them!"
"I don't think so! Sword Birth!" Kiba shouts stabbing his sword into the ground.
"!" The tiger youkai jumped into the air.
"Thanks Kiba, I'll be able to take it from here." Issei said. "Dragon Blaster!"
"Aaaagghh! !" The group roared in pain as the attack impacted them. They all hit the ground still breathing, but unconscious.
"Go and help the others." Issei said.
"Got it." Kiba said.
"Alright!" Le Fay said.
Bureijin walked up to Issei as they headed off. "Alright, you ready to finish this?"
"I kinda feel like I overprepared for this." Issei said.
"Well, better to be overprepared than underprepared." Bureijin said as they walked toward the mansion.
"Makes me wonder though, how did this idiot plan on taking on Forbesii?" Issei asked.
"Probably work under him, scheming the entire time." Bureijin said. "Wouldn't have worked."
"I wonder why these guys are so weak?" Issei asked as they walked by the downed tiger youkai.
"You're just really strong." Bureijin said. "I mean seriously, from what I hear it took Ragnarok Kuroshi himself to take down that dragon powering your suit there. If you guys weren't here, they'd be a problem as they have time and the ability to prepare for us."
"Still, does it feel like you guys were just getting overwhelmed by sheer numbers with no substance?" Issei asked.
"I'm pretty sure Forbesii's keeping his 'secret weapons' at Rashoumen." Bureijin said.
"Why?" Issei said.
"Because he thinks he's invincible. Wouldn't surprise me if he didn't give two fucks about us reclaiming Sentora." Bureijin said.
"Full on superiority complex huh?" Issei asked.
"Yeah." Bureijin shrugged. "Akatama, Inutora, Jordan and I spent a lot of time around the guy. We know a bit about how he acts, but most of the shit he was up to he played close to the chest." The two entered the mansion. "Wasn't until we discovered the Homunculus Project that we decided to side with Lady Alipheese."
"Huh, I see." Issei said.
The two walked into the main audience chamber and found Toraki waiting with Sheena chained to the chair he was sitting in. Toraki scowled. "Seriously? You got by them that fast?"
"Shaddap." Issei said. "You have a friend of mine, and I ain't leaving until I get her back."
"Oh you mean her?" Toraki asked gesturing toward Sheena. "Well too bad, she's mine now."
"Aaagh!" Sheena cried out in pain as a electric shock went through the chain.
"Sheena!" Issei shouts in worry. "Bastard! That's your sister!"
"An adoptive sister, a stain upon my family's name." Toraki countered. "Then she had the gall to learn my father's technique? Unacceptable!"
"Idiot, she's also your cousin. She would have likely ended up learning it anyway." Bureijin said.
"Silence you manwhore king." Toraki scowled.
"You say that like it's an insult." Bureijin replied snarkily.
"Bureijin-San. If I start fighting him, do you think you can grab Sheena-San and get out of here?" Issei asked.
"Yeah?" Bureijin said. "Just be careful, One thing he's got on you is speed, that and magical force. Pick your battles carefully with him...as Akatama-Chan would say."
"Yeah, thanks." Issei said. "Alright...let's start off simple." He said taking off right at Toraki.
"You have no idea what it is you're getting into, do you?" Toraki mocked as white lightning coated his body. He dodged to the left and drove his fist into Issei's head.
"Agh!" Issei shouted as he was knocked back a bit. "Is that the best you got? !"
"Oh? You want more then? Well I'm happy to oblige! Thunderbolt Fist!" Toraki shouts punching at Issei.
"Gwwaahhh! !" Issei gasped out in pain.
"Issei!" Sheena shouted in worry.
"What the hell are you doing Issei-Chan?" Bureijin wondered to himself.
"Come on jackass, hit me with your best shot!" Issei goaded after getting back up.
"?" Bureijin glanced at Toraki who merely laughed.
"You're just a glutton for punishment aren't you!" Toraki shouted, appearing in front of him in an instant and punching Issei in the face, kneeing him in the gut and driving his elbow into Issei's chest. Issei got back up.
"Come on, your hits barely hurt!" Issei mocked.
"You..." Toraki scowled. "Fine then!"
"Ooohhh...I get it." Bureijin thought. "Issei's drawing his attention and taking all of his attacks on purpose! Good thinkin' Issei-Chan!"
"..." Sheena kept watching Toraki lambaste Issei.
"Don't worry, Issei-Chan knows what he's doing."
"Huh?" Sheena turned seeing Bureijin standing next to her. "Bureijin, you came to help me?"
"Well of course." Bureijin shrugged. "It's been awhile since I had some tiger youkai nookie."
"Of course." Sheena drawled. "So you basically came to get your freak on with the women of my tribe."
"And the men." Bureijin chuckled. "But honestly, I just came to help out a friend." He said grabbing the chain. "Super Heat!"
"?" Sheena watched the area where he grabbed the chain turn red. "Should I move?"
"Nah you're fine." Bureijin said putting his right foot on the chair for support.
(snap!)
"Finally!" Bureijin said.
"Hm?" Toraki turned back to them. "? !, Where do you think you're going, Incubus King!" He shouts shooting toward Bureijin and Sheena.
"Welsh Sonic Knight!" Issei shouts.
"Change Star Sonic!"
"!" Toraki's eyes widened as Issei appeared in front of him and stabbed Ascalon at his face. He narrowly dodged. "What in the? !"
"You fell for it, dumbass." Issei said, grinning behind his helmet.
"You..." Toraki snarled. "I'll teach you to trick me!" He shouts, shooting toward Issei.
"Haa!" Issei slashed his sword down, but hit nothing. Toraki appeared behind him and kicked Issei in the back of the head. Issei sprung back up and turned, batting Toraki's hand away and driving his head into the white tiger youkai's.
"Grah!" Toraki recoiled and scowled. "Learn your place, dragon!" He shouts punching Issei in the face.
"Gaahh!" Issei shouted in pain, the blade cutting through his thin armor.
"Eat this!" Toraki said letting loose with a blistering barrage of lightning fast fists.
"Welsh...Dragonic...Rook!" Issei shouted.
"Hn? !" Toraki pulled both his fists back, realizing the blades were broken. "What in the? !"
(clench!)
"!" Toraki's eyes widened as Issei reached over and grabbed him by one of his arms.
"You cheated to beat Sheena, I've watched her spar against Kenshin and his sisters before, and let me tell you. Your strikes PALE in comparison to hers!" Issei said punching Toraki in the chest, the percussion hammer falling immediately afterward.
"Guoohhh? !" Toraki groaned out in shock and pain.
"This is for hurting innocent people!" Issei said pulling his other hand back and laying it into Toraki.
"Guurooohhh! !" Toraki growled out in pain.
"This is for the pain you caused your own father!" Issei said punching him again.
"Guaaahhh! !" Toraki cried out.
"And this is for hurting Sheena-San! !" Issei shouts laying his fist into Toraki's face, sending him tumbling across the ground.
"Hmh." Bureijin started chuckling. "A man after your own heart." He said.
"Hmn." Sheena closed her eyes, smiling as well. She approached Toraki's unconscious form and reached for his neck, pulling a necklace with a key on the end of it off. She reached up and unlocked the collar on her neck and threw it to the side.
"What was that?" Issei asked.
"It was a seal collar, it prevented me from molding youki." Sheena said. "I was forced to put it on to spare my servant's life." She looked down at Toraki in disdain. "I never hated him until that moment."
"Why was he so jealous of you?" Issei asked.
"Because I was better than him, more driven than he was." Sheena said. "He thought everything should just be handed to him."
"Brat." Issei said canceling his Balance Breaker.
"No kidding." Sheena said. "Thank you." She smiled at him. "Why don't you and your friends stay over for the night?"
"Hey, if you're offering I won't say no." Issei said.
"Now...for my own personal thanks." Sheena said placing her hands on his shoulders and pulling him into a deep kiss that lasted a couple of minutes.
When they parted, Bureijin was still standing where he was. They looked over at him. "Do you need me to leave, or do you want me to tag in at some point, or hey maybe we could get a threesome going." He asked.
"Wha, No!" Issei said.
"Suit yourself." Bureijin shrugged.
"Anyway, one night's my limit however. Kenshin only sent me because he couldn't come here personally." Issei said.
"Hm? What's wrong? You wouldn't bring that up unless something was wrong." Sheena said.
"I'll explain later." Issei said.
(break)
A few days after the events at Masouen.
Kenshin was walking through the Safina/Sabasa desert at night. "Man, you had a fever and it sidelined you?" Yuurei asked.
"Yep. Thankfully Sona was there." Kenshin thought (2 )
"And you thanked her accordingly." Yuurei snickered.
"...Shut up Yuurei." Kenshin thought. "Why is it you're the only one talking?"
"Because I don't feel like it." Ophis said.
"The other spirits are sleeping." Yuurei said.
"I see." Kenshin said. "Hm?" He glanced upward before closing his eyes with an amused smile. "You know, I must applaud your cunning."
"...You knew I was coming?" Rasai stepped out from behind a sand dune.
"More, expecting." Kenshin said. "I've been expecting you to try something since we got here. Another thing I must commend is your patience." He applauded.
"What's your game?" Rasai asked.
"My game?" Kenshin asked.
"Did Yukari tell you to expect me?" Rasai asked.
"No. Though now that I know she knew, I guess I owe a certain twin sister of mine a spanking." Kenshin said. "...Eh, maybe she'd like it too much. Ah well I still win in that case."
"A certain twin sister..." Rasai deadpanned. "You realize you only have the one right? If you have a second twin sibling then you're part of a set of triplets."
"I do." Kenshin nodded. "I was being obvious by not being obvious."
"..." Rasai furrowed his brow.
"I know why you're here." Kenshin said.
"If you know why I'm here, then you know I have no choice." Rasai said. "I've got nothing personal against you Kenshin. In fact I respect you, but...you have to die."
"You do realize that if I die, the odds that we beat Forbesii drop significantly right?" Kenshin asked. "Ditto your odds on getting out of here alive."
"Isn't that why you sunk the Sword of God into the sea?" Rasai said. "I saw you preparing it with Sona Sitri. Where is she anyway?"
"Sleeping in that pyramid. Why? She on your hit list too?" Kenshin asked.
"..." Rasai shook his head. "No. Only you. We Bael don't wish to go to war with the Sitri who provide medical care in the Underworld, and Serafall Leviathan would surely kill me if I did kill her."
"Yeah, she'd probably dance a cute jig before she went all Mortal Kombat Fatality on your ass." Kenshin said. "Judging by her magic of choice, it'd probably be a Sub Zero one, albeit with her own cutesy twist on it."
"How quaint, done in by my favorite character." Rasai drawled.
"Yet, you seem to have no problem going to war with the Kuroshi." Kenshin said.
"You're a small clan, no one will miss you." Rasai snorted.
"The Gremorys might, the Sitris even might, and this might be a long shot, but even the Phenex might." Kenshin said. "Then there's also your brother to consider."
"...You have no idea the weight of the shame I've carried." Rasai said.
"Of course I don't. I carry much heavier things." Kenshin said.
"..." Rasai glowered at him.
Kenshin closed his eyes. "Rasai, you don't have to do this."
"I do." Rasai said. "It's the only way I'll get back in my family's good graces again."
"And should you fail?" Kenshin asked.
"..." Rasai didn't respond.
"You'll die." Kenshin said. "Whether by my hand or Lord Bael's. The result is the same." He appeared in front of Rasai. Placing his hand on Rasai's chest. Rasai blasted him in the fact with destruction magic. Kenshin caught his bearings and held his hand up in a finger snapping fashion. A magic circle appeared on Rasai's chest, much to his shock.
"What? !" Rasai said
"Don't move." Kenshin said. "If you do, my fingers snap, and the wind magic circle in front of you activates the wind magic I injected into your system and rends you from the inside out."
"..." Rasai stared at him, fear creeping through his body.
"Would Lord Bael ever put your life above his? Does he truly value you?" Kenshin asked.
"..." Rasai didn't reply.
"You can speak freely here, I won't rend you for speaking your mind." Kenshin said.
"..." Rasai bowed his head. "...No..."
"..." Kenshin closed his eyes. "I'm sorry."
"?" Rasai looked up at him in confusion. "Why...?"
"No son should have their father's love withheld from them." Kenshin said. "No child really."
Rasai's eyes closed as he tried to hold back tears. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this...I have to kill you!"
"..." Kenshin stared at him.
"If I don't...he'll kill me..." Rasai sobbed out.
"I could put you out of your misery right here." Kenshin said. "I could end you right now...one snap of my fingers...easiest thing in the world." He lowered his hand. "...I want you to remember that." He said as the wind magic circle in front of Rasai vanished.
Rasai looked up at Kenshin as he turned to walk away. "...I...I can't beat this man...I...I never could."
Kenshin stopped walking away and turned back to him and walked up to him. "...You're going to be banished for failing this job your father put you on, right?"
"...He...He'll also have me killed." Rasai said. "To keep the secret of this from getting out."
"Kinda defeats the purpose if I turn up alive and you turn up alive doesn't it?" Kenshin asked. "Especially now that I know."
"Yes." Rasai closed his eyes.
"...Join my clan." Kenshin said.
"!" Rasai's eyes snapped wide open. "What?"
"You're going to be banished from the Bael anyway." Kenshin said. "Why stay homeless?"
"But...but I just tried to..." Rasai said.
"Rasai, do you have any idea how many people have tried to kill me in the past?" Kenshin asked. "Hell one of them's dating Issei at the moment. Another's in my peerage."
"..." Rasai stared at him.
"Besides. You're a devil noble...I could use someone versed in the customs of devil nobility as my advisor...trust me I've tried learning, but I'm a fighter through and through. At least with Sairaorg, he was born noble as well. I came from the dregs." Kenshin said.
Rasai cleared his throat. "You're serious?"
"Yeah." Kenshin said. "Besides. You're a high class devil. Having you in my clan could raise my standing. Also...you seem like a good...well for a devil anyway, person. Just...desperate for acceptance."
"..." Rasai stared at him."Why?"
"Because when someone needs help. I extend my hand." Kenshin said turning and walking away.
"..." Rasai knelt down. "Lord Kuroshi, I will never forget this act of mercy and kindness...and I will follow you."
Kenshin turned his head. "Yeah Yeah, now get up. I don't require you to kneel. You also only need to call me Lord Kuroshi in council meetings or matters of serious business."
Rasai rose back up."Very well."
"By the way, Rasai. This might be too much to ask right away, but could you continue to help Rias with her training?" Kenshin asked as they walked toward the pyramid. "I mean I'd do it after we leave Makai, but there's only so much I know about Destruction Magic."
"Of course. If...she'll still have me anyway." Rasai said.
"Hm?" Kenshin said arching his brow. "Why wouldn't she?"
"Uh...well I found out about yours and Sona Sitri's location at the same time as everyone else." Rasai said.
"Oooh..." Kenshin winced. "Yeah, let me handle that and just follow my lead."
"Very well." Rasai nodded.
"Alright, let's get a move on. Don't want Sona worrying and coming after me again." Kenshin said.
"Huh?" Rasai said.
"Explain later." Kenshin said.
With that said, the two made their way to the pyramid.
(chapter end)
Draconis: Sorry for wrapping your stuff up so early Issei.
Issei: ...You alright man? You seem kinda bummed.
Draconis: Meh. Just some bad medical news is all.
Asia: Is there anything I can do to help?
Draconis: Hahaha, it's nothing to worry about really, it's just really bumming news. Another reason for Issei's arc being so short is...well I had a huge case of writer's block to go with it and just wanted to get it over with.
Issei: Yet I'm supposed to be one of the main characters...
Draconis: You're getting a lemon next chapter.
Issei: Sweet! See you then! (leaves)
Draconis: Anyway. See you all next time.
Footnotes
(1 ) Remember, from this point until the next break is taking place at the same time as the events in Masouen.
(2 ) I will be covering Kenshin's recovery and time with Sona in a side chapter.
Draconis678 out