Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Muma Oni - The Succubus Demon ❯ Moments of Despair ( Chapter 28 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Levante01 
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Comedy / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.09.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 183 | Status: Completed
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Comedy / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 01.09.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 183 | Status: Completed
A large green aura appeared around Kaiban. Within an instant it doubled in size, filling over an eighth of the room. Sato took a step backwards as the room began to shake. He glanced over at Muma. She was taken over by complete terror. Sato returned his gaze to Kaiban who was beginning to grow in size himself.
Kaiban’s skin turned a dark purple. His ears lengthened. His bared teeth became like sharp knives. His nose flared out. His brow became bushy. He stood hunched over as his left arm hung to the floor. His dead right arm remained its same size.
Sato dropped to one knee. He felt himself unable to stand any longer with the enormous amount of spirit energy weighing on top of him. Kaiban’s energy suffocated him.
Kaiban looked around, snarling. He swung out his left arm, releasing a huge gust that took Sato off his feet completely. He twirled through the air and smashed hard into the wall, dropping to the floor. He gasped for breath.
“Now,” growled Kaiban, “prepare to die.”
Muma was frozen. She couldn’t move. Kaiban was approaching her now. What was she to do? Kaiban raised his arm into the air and slammed his fist hard on the ground. A wave of bones and dirt shot at Muma.
Ryomaru wrapped a hand around Muma’s torso, picked up Kisuro, and dragged them aside just in time. The wave of bones smashed into the wall, dropping back to the floor, the dust slowly settling. Ryomaru threw Muma and Kisuro aside and held up his sword to Kaiban.
Pinaka was standing over Sato. He looked up at her, surprised to see her there. He stood slowly stood, every muscle in his body crying out in pain. He used his sword as a cane.
“Are you okay?” Pinaka asked him, stroking a motherly hand gently across his cut cheek. “I hope you haven’t had too much fun without us.”
Sato smirked. “You must’ve had more fun than us if you’re here already.”
Pinaka looked around at Ryomaru. He and Kaiban were sizing each other up. Sato studied Ryomaru. He looked the same, but had a different air about him. What was it? Sato couldn’t see it.
“Take this,” Pinaka said, handing Sato a small capsule.
Sato stared at it. “What is it?” he asked.
“Ryomaru gave it to me. It’ll give you some energy. While it kicks into effect, Ryomaru will keep Kaiban preoccupied.”
“What is it?” Sato asked again, holding the capsule before him.
“Pure caffeine. It’ll increase your focus and lower your fatigue for a bit. Hurry and take it.”
Sato nodded and popped the pill down his throat. Pinaka rushed over to Muma and Kisuro. Sato leaned on his sword, waiting for the effects of the pill to kick in.
“I’ve been wanting to pay you back for Kyoto,” Ryomaru said to Kaiban. “Looks like I have my chance now.”
Kaiban gave a growling laugh. “You think you can beat me? Don’t take me so lightly!”
Kaiban swung his arm and smashed his fist into the floor where Ryomaru had stood. Ryomaru jumped and raced up Kaiban’s arm. He slashed the large demon across the face with his sword. Kaiban whipped around fast for his size and smacked Ryomaru toward the ground. The demon hunter hit the ground hard, sliding across the bones on his shoulder. He forced himself up and landed on his feet, stumbling backwards.
Ryomaru’s right shoulder pad fell to the floor. Blood dripped from where his cheek had scraped on the floor. Kaiban came at him again before he had a chance to defend. Ryomaru flew backwards into the wall and dropped onto his front, his sword falling beside him.
“You stand no chance again me,” Kaiban growled. He raised his hand and launched for another attack.
Pinaka rushed in fast, pointing her polearm straight. The blade sunk between Kaiban’s knuckles and he reared backwards, ripping Pinaka’s polearm from her hands and crying in pain. She rushed forward and jumped in the air. She extended a foot and sunk it into Kaiban’s gut. He swung back and smacked her hard to the ground. The polearm was still in his hand.
Pinaka sat up and looked up as Kaiban slammed the polearm against the ground and the tower, trying to get it out of his hand. She got to her feet and jumped high, grabbing hold of her polearm and wrenching it from Kaiban’s hand. She attempted to fall safely to the floor, but again Kaiban caught her off guard and hit her hard from behind. She flew toward the wall and let out a cry of pain and fear.
Black wings were all that Pinaka could see flapping before her. She blinked the tears from her eyes and looked up at Muma. Muma held Pinaka in her arms, flapping her wings hard, staying above Kaiban. Muma smiled down at Pinaka and said, “It looks like that pill did the trick.” Pinaka sighed in relief.
Muma landed beside Ryomaru and set Pinaka down gently. She then looked up at Kaiban and took off to him without another word. Kaiban spotted her coming and ripped hard at the floor, throwing large chunks of coagulated bones and dirt at Muma. She ripped through them with ease and let out a loud battle cry as she came at Kaiban.
Muma threw back a hand and began attacking with all her speed. Kaiban’s large size made it hard for him to quickly block. He took many hard shots to the head before finally letting out a huge roar that released energy from his body and sent Muma soaring backwards. She rebounded from the wall and folded her wings as she shot back at Kaiban.
Kaiban waved a hand up, creating a wall of energy that Muma smashed hard into. Kaiban lowered his hand to remove the wall and shot a blast of energy at her. She covered herself quick with her arms and took the blast head on.
Muma dropped to the floor, smoke rising from her body. She began toward Kaiban again but stopped as she saw Sato shoot up at him.
Sato held his sword high, blue aura bold around him. He swung at a tremendous speed. He moved over different spots of Kaiban’s body, attacking at his blind sides. Muma watched in awe at Sato’s speed. He moved from Kaiban’s back to his front, to his legs, and to his good arm. Muma noticed green aura being sapped by Sato’s sword, adding it to Sato’s blue aura.
Kaiban let out a loud, angry yell as he thrust at Sato. Sato disappeared from his view and came up from behind Kaiban’s legs, slashing him in the back of the knees. Kaiban collapsed over but managed to stand again almost instantly. He glanced around for Sato, who had once again disappeared. Sato reappeared above Kaiban and smacked Kaiban hard on the head with the flat of his blade. Kaiban hit the floor hard, unable to catch himself this time.
Sato landed next to Muma and shouldered his blade. A loud groan filled the air. Sato and Muma took a scared glance at each other. Suddenly the floor below them gave way and fell to the floor below. Sato reached out to Muma, but just as the tip of his finger touched hers, Kaiban’s arm swooped by and separated them. Muma let out a horrific scream.
Sato’s feet hit the floor and gave way beneath him. He cried in agony at his burning knees. Debris fell hard on him and covered him in dust. He sat up and coughed hard, white dust from the bones spraying from his lungs.
“Sato!” he heard Pinaka call through the dust.
Sato looked around and spotted Pinaka and Ryomaru. Ryomaru was carrying Kisuro in his arms. Jira and Hasu walked beside them. Sato tried to get to his feet but found himself unable to. His knees were still burning bad.
Pinaka rushed to his side and knelt next to him. “Are you all right?” she asked.
“My knees,” Sato choked, still coughing up more dust. “I think I blew out my knees on that fall.”
Pinaka looked around at Ryomaru. He was looking past them through the dust. Sato and Pinaka followed his gaze and realized what he was looking at. Kaiban had returned to his original form, and was holding Muma hostage. She seemed weakened, unable to fight back.
“Muma!” Sato called.
Kaiban smiled. “Our fight is far from over, Sato. How about we finish this, just you and me?” He threw Muma aside. She fell limp on the floor. Kaiban threw out his left hand and a gust of wind shot through the room. Pinaka, Ryomaru, and Kisuro were flung backwards. Three large monuments rose from the floor and clenched around them, holding them tight.
“Now stand, Sato!” Kaiban demanded.
Sato’s cheek twitched, reacting to the pain that surged through his legs as he tried standing. He placed his sword to the ground and used it as a crutch once again. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he tried his hardest to bear the pain. If he needed his sword to stand, how was he to fight?
“Now,” said Kaiban, his eyes glowing, “the real fun begins.”
“Real fun?” Sato gulped, his knees knocking hard together under the pressure of his weight.
Kaiban didn’t say anymore. He just smiled maliciously. Sato raised his right hand up, clenching it tight in front of him. He kept his left hand heavy on the hilt of his sword. “I won’t let you beat me, Kaiban. I’ll slay you, just you wait.”
“We’ll see,” Kaiban said as he released a burst of energy.
***
Ina was shocked as her clay cup of tea broke in front of her. Her mother, a split image of her daughter but with age, looked up from her tea to her daughter. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” she asked Ina.
Ina wiped off her face with a kerchief. “I’m fine, Mom,” she said. “That was sure weird, though. Why would my cup just break like that?”
Ina’s mother smiled and said jokingly, “It couldn’t be a bad omen, could it?”
Ina froze, her eyes wide. What if it was? What if something had happened to Sato? Kisuro had yet to return. Maybe something did happen.
“Ina?” asked her mother. “Ina, are you okay?”
Ina came back to reality and shook her head. “Yeah, Mom, I’m okay,” she said slowly as she stood. “I think I’m gonna go lie down.”
Ina turned from the sitting room. Her mom called to her, “It’s about Sato, isn’t it? He’s fighting, huh? Ina, talk to me.”
Ina looked back around at her mom. “He is, and I think he’s dead.”
***
Kaiban stroked his hand through his hair. He smiled through the dust and debris, proud of his achievement. Sato, who he knew was the great heir of Teshi Higuro, was dead. So much for being an heir, Kaiban thought.
He looked down at Muma and placed a foot on her back. “So, Muma,” he said maliciously, “I’ll give you one last chance to redeem yourself. Be my vassal and you live. Deny me, and I kill you right where you lie.”
Muma struggled to lift her head. She fell back to the floor, unable to say a word.
Kaiban threw back his head, flipping his long hair over his shoulder. He became alert suddenly as two blades of energy shot at him. He jerked right and then shirked left. His eyes lit up green again as he shot his gaze through the settling dust. Shock went through him as he saw the silhouette of Sato stagger forward.
“Unbelievable!” Kaiban snapped. “How can you still be alive?”
Sato’s left eye was closed tight as he dealt with the pain in his body. His right eye was barely able to stay open. He was breathing very heavily. He forced a hard smile onto his face, amused by the sour look that had taken over Kaiban’s feature.
“Don’t talk,” he said softly. “You’ll need every bit of energy you’ve got to beat me.”
Kaiban raised his hand and shouted in anger. A ball of energy quickly formed and shot at Sato. Another formed instantly after and shot again. He released more and more at Sato, laughing maniacally. “Die you pathetic human! Die!”
He stopped. He was breathing just slightly. Rage had filled in him. His smile slowly returned. “It’s done,” he said.
“Sato,” said Muma weakly at Kaiban’s feet. “Sato, I––I love you.”
Kaiban stepped on the back of Muma’s head, pushing her face into the dirt and bones of the floor. “Shut it,” he said coldly. “Your little Sato is no more. You hear me, succubus? He’s gones––dead! Now my incredible power will take its hold on Japan, and soon, the world.” He clenched his fist. “And then the portal to the demon realm will open, and demons will flock over, and the humans will become our slaves!”
“No,” Muma said, her voice muffled by the floor. She slowly lifted herself against the force that Kaiban placed on her. She overcame the fatigue spell put on her by Kaiban and threw him off. Kaiban flipped through the air and landed gracefully.
Kaiban sneered. “It’s amazing you can even stand. That caffeine you took must be overpowering my poison.”
“That’s not it!” Muma cried, throwing out her left hand. She brought her right hand, clenched, to her breasts and lowered her eyes to the floor. “I love Sato with all my heart.” She looked back up then with fury in her eyes. “I’m running on pure adrenaline! You’ll pay for what you’ve done––all of it! Just die!”
Muma took to the air. Her red aura flared up enormously as she rushed Kaiban. He didn’t show any fear. He waited for her to come. She was an inch from striking him, and he moved to the side, floating high enough into the air to spin kick Muma in the back. She straightened herself in the air and turned around.
“Try to dodge this!” Muma cried. She placed her nails to her chest and dug in deep, drawing more blood from her body. She covered both claws with the blood as she rushed at Kaiban again.
Kaiban dodged easily as Muma slashed at him. Droplets of blood splattered his handsome face, but Muma never touched him. He jumped backwards, creating a large distance between him and Muma. He raised a hand and prepared to send an attack back. Suddenly the blood on his face shone brightly and erupted into flames. Kaiban let at a horrible cry of pain.
Muma watched with glee, licking her claws. “My secret technique,” she said. “Sorry I don’t have a name for it yet.”
“Don’t bother of thinking up one,” came Kaiban’s voice. The smoke that surrounded him disappeared as he released his aura. “That’ll be the last time you use that.”
Muma scowled. “There’s no way you can still be moving after that!”
Kaiban raised a hand. The bones on the floor began rattling and floating into the air. Full skeletons pieced themselves together, turning on Muma, wielding clay swords made from the dirt that had secured them as the floor. Three skeletons stood in a triangle around Muma. She swallowed hard as she looked around at them.
“Since I don’t think you heard me before,” Kaiban said, “I’ll restate my offer. Become my vassal again and I’ll let you live. Refuse me and you die.”
Muma stared passed the skeletons at Kaiban. “I think dying would be more enjoyable than serving you again,” she jeered.
“So be it,” Kaiban said. He paused a moment, blinking slowly. Finally he said to his minions, “Kill her.”
Muma darted fast into the air. She looked down and saw a clay sword flying at her. It pierced through the membrane of her wing, sending horrible pain through her body. She wailed loudly as she circled to the ground and landed with a loud crunch. The skeletons approached her.
A white blade shot through the air, cutting down two of the skeletons. Pinaka charged at the remaining one and tackled it to the floor. She stood beside Muma, smiling down at her. Ryomaru and Kisuro charged into action, standing around Muma as the skeletons reformed.
Muma was bewildered by their appearance. Kaiban had let out a low growl as he watched them save the succubus. Muma slowly stood, pulling the sword from her wing. She asked the others, “How did you get free?”
“You have Sato to thank for that,” Kisuro said.
Kaiban glanced to the side and saw a long crack make its way across the ground toward him. He jumped into the air, but was taken by surprise as a blue wave of energy released from the end, hitting Kaiban hard.
He shook off the attack and looked to the other end of the fissure. Sato was standing there, his sword on the floor, his head down low. He looked up and smiled at Kaiban, fully prepared to finish out the fight.
Kaiban’s skin turned a dark purple. His ears lengthened. His bared teeth became like sharp knives. His nose flared out. His brow became bushy. He stood hunched over as his left arm hung to the floor. His dead right arm remained its same size.
Sato dropped to one knee. He felt himself unable to stand any longer with the enormous amount of spirit energy weighing on top of him. Kaiban’s energy suffocated him.
Kaiban looked around, snarling. He swung out his left arm, releasing a huge gust that took Sato off his feet completely. He twirled through the air and smashed hard into the wall, dropping to the floor. He gasped for breath.
“Now,” growled Kaiban, “prepare to die.”
Muma was frozen. She couldn’t move. Kaiban was approaching her now. What was she to do? Kaiban raised his arm into the air and slammed his fist hard on the ground. A wave of bones and dirt shot at Muma.
Ryomaru wrapped a hand around Muma’s torso, picked up Kisuro, and dragged them aside just in time. The wave of bones smashed into the wall, dropping back to the floor, the dust slowly settling. Ryomaru threw Muma and Kisuro aside and held up his sword to Kaiban.
Pinaka was standing over Sato. He looked up at her, surprised to see her there. He stood slowly stood, every muscle in his body crying out in pain. He used his sword as a cane.
“Are you okay?” Pinaka asked him, stroking a motherly hand gently across his cut cheek. “I hope you haven’t had too much fun without us.”
Sato smirked. “You must’ve had more fun than us if you’re here already.”
Pinaka looked around at Ryomaru. He and Kaiban were sizing each other up. Sato studied Ryomaru. He looked the same, but had a different air about him. What was it? Sato couldn’t see it.
“Take this,” Pinaka said, handing Sato a small capsule.
Sato stared at it. “What is it?” he asked.
“Ryomaru gave it to me. It’ll give you some energy. While it kicks into effect, Ryomaru will keep Kaiban preoccupied.”
“What is it?” Sato asked again, holding the capsule before him.
“Pure caffeine. It’ll increase your focus and lower your fatigue for a bit. Hurry and take it.”
Sato nodded and popped the pill down his throat. Pinaka rushed over to Muma and Kisuro. Sato leaned on his sword, waiting for the effects of the pill to kick in.
“I’ve been wanting to pay you back for Kyoto,” Ryomaru said to Kaiban. “Looks like I have my chance now.”
Kaiban gave a growling laugh. “You think you can beat me? Don’t take me so lightly!”
Kaiban swung his arm and smashed his fist into the floor where Ryomaru had stood. Ryomaru jumped and raced up Kaiban’s arm. He slashed the large demon across the face with his sword. Kaiban whipped around fast for his size and smacked Ryomaru toward the ground. The demon hunter hit the ground hard, sliding across the bones on his shoulder. He forced himself up and landed on his feet, stumbling backwards.
Ryomaru’s right shoulder pad fell to the floor. Blood dripped from where his cheek had scraped on the floor. Kaiban came at him again before he had a chance to defend. Ryomaru flew backwards into the wall and dropped onto his front, his sword falling beside him.
“You stand no chance again me,” Kaiban growled. He raised his hand and launched for another attack.
Pinaka rushed in fast, pointing her polearm straight. The blade sunk between Kaiban’s knuckles and he reared backwards, ripping Pinaka’s polearm from her hands and crying in pain. She rushed forward and jumped in the air. She extended a foot and sunk it into Kaiban’s gut. He swung back and smacked her hard to the ground. The polearm was still in his hand.
Pinaka sat up and looked up as Kaiban slammed the polearm against the ground and the tower, trying to get it out of his hand. She got to her feet and jumped high, grabbing hold of her polearm and wrenching it from Kaiban’s hand. She attempted to fall safely to the floor, but again Kaiban caught her off guard and hit her hard from behind. She flew toward the wall and let out a cry of pain and fear.
Black wings were all that Pinaka could see flapping before her. She blinked the tears from her eyes and looked up at Muma. Muma held Pinaka in her arms, flapping her wings hard, staying above Kaiban. Muma smiled down at Pinaka and said, “It looks like that pill did the trick.” Pinaka sighed in relief.
Muma landed beside Ryomaru and set Pinaka down gently. She then looked up at Kaiban and took off to him without another word. Kaiban spotted her coming and ripped hard at the floor, throwing large chunks of coagulated bones and dirt at Muma. She ripped through them with ease and let out a loud battle cry as she came at Kaiban.
Muma threw back a hand and began attacking with all her speed. Kaiban’s large size made it hard for him to quickly block. He took many hard shots to the head before finally letting out a huge roar that released energy from his body and sent Muma soaring backwards. She rebounded from the wall and folded her wings as she shot back at Kaiban.
Kaiban waved a hand up, creating a wall of energy that Muma smashed hard into. Kaiban lowered his hand to remove the wall and shot a blast of energy at her. She covered herself quick with her arms and took the blast head on.
Muma dropped to the floor, smoke rising from her body. She began toward Kaiban again but stopped as she saw Sato shoot up at him.
Sato held his sword high, blue aura bold around him. He swung at a tremendous speed. He moved over different spots of Kaiban’s body, attacking at his blind sides. Muma watched in awe at Sato’s speed. He moved from Kaiban’s back to his front, to his legs, and to his good arm. Muma noticed green aura being sapped by Sato’s sword, adding it to Sato’s blue aura.
Kaiban let out a loud, angry yell as he thrust at Sato. Sato disappeared from his view and came up from behind Kaiban’s legs, slashing him in the back of the knees. Kaiban collapsed over but managed to stand again almost instantly. He glanced around for Sato, who had once again disappeared. Sato reappeared above Kaiban and smacked Kaiban hard on the head with the flat of his blade. Kaiban hit the floor hard, unable to catch himself this time.
Sato landed next to Muma and shouldered his blade. A loud groan filled the air. Sato and Muma took a scared glance at each other. Suddenly the floor below them gave way and fell to the floor below. Sato reached out to Muma, but just as the tip of his finger touched hers, Kaiban’s arm swooped by and separated them. Muma let out a horrific scream.
Sato’s feet hit the floor and gave way beneath him. He cried in agony at his burning knees. Debris fell hard on him and covered him in dust. He sat up and coughed hard, white dust from the bones spraying from his lungs.
“Sato!” he heard Pinaka call through the dust.
Sato looked around and spotted Pinaka and Ryomaru. Ryomaru was carrying Kisuro in his arms. Jira and Hasu walked beside them. Sato tried to get to his feet but found himself unable to. His knees were still burning bad.
Pinaka rushed to his side and knelt next to him. “Are you all right?” she asked.
“My knees,” Sato choked, still coughing up more dust. “I think I blew out my knees on that fall.”
Pinaka looked around at Ryomaru. He was looking past them through the dust. Sato and Pinaka followed his gaze and realized what he was looking at. Kaiban had returned to his original form, and was holding Muma hostage. She seemed weakened, unable to fight back.
“Muma!” Sato called.
Kaiban smiled. “Our fight is far from over, Sato. How about we finish this, just you and me?” He threw Muma aside. She fell limp on the floor. Kaiban threw out his left hand and a gust of wind shot through the room. Pinaka, Ryomaru, and Kisuro were flung backwards. Three large monuments rose from the floor and clenched around them, holding them tight.
“Now stand, Sato!” Kaiban demanded.
Sato’s cheek twitched, reacting to the pain that surged through his legs as he tried standing. He placed his sword to the ground and used it as a crutch once again. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he tried his hardest to bear the pain. If he needed his sword to stand, how was he to fight?
“Now,” said Kaiban, his eyes glowing, “the real fun begins.”
“Real fun?” Sato gulped, his knees knocking hard together under the pressure of his weight.
Kaiban didn’t say anymore. He just smiled maliciously. Sato raised his right hand up, clenching it tight in front of him. He kept his left hand heavy on the hilt of his sword. “I won’t let you beat me, Kaiban. I’ll slay you, just you wait.”
“We’ll see,” Kaiban said as he released a burst of energy.
***
Ina was shocked as her clay cup of tea broke in front of her. Her mother, a split image of her daughter but with age, looked up from her tea to her daughter. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” she asked Ina.
Ina wiped off her face with a kerchief. “I’m fine, Mom,” she said. “That was sure weird, though. Why would my cup just break like that?”
Ina’s mother smiled and said jokingly, “It couldn’t be a bad omen, could it?”
Ina froze, her eyes wide. What if it was? What if something had happened to Sato? Kisuro had yet to return. Maybe something did happen.
“Ina?” asked her mother. “Ina, are you okay?”
Ina came back to reality and shook her head. “Yeah, Mom, I’m okay,” she said slowly as she stood. “I think I’m gonna go lie down.”
Ina turned from the sitting room. Her mom called to her, “It’s about Sato, isn’t it? He’s fighting, huh? Ina, talk to me.”
Ina looked back around at her mom. “He is, and I think he’s dead.”
***
Kaiban stroked his hand through his hair. He smiled through the dust and debris, proud of his achievement. Sato, who he knew was the great heir of Teshi Higuro, was dead. So much for being an heir, Kaiban thought.
He looked down at Muma and placed a foot on her back. “So, Muma,” he said maliciously, “I’ll give you one last chance to redeem yourself. Be my vassal and you live. Deny me, and I kill you right where you lie.”
Muma struggled to lift her head. She fell back to the floor, unable to say a word.
Kaiban threw back his head, flipping his long hair over his shoulder. He became alert suddenly as two blades of energy shot at him. He jerked right and then shirked left. His eyes lit up green again as he shot his gaze through the settling dust. Shock went through him as he saw the silhouette of Sato stagger forward.
“Unbelievable!” Kaiban snapped. “How can you still be alive?”
Sato’s left eye was closed tight as he dealt with the pain in his body. His right eye was barely able to stay open. He was breathing very heavily. He forced a hard smile onto his face, amused by the sour look that had taken over Kaiban’s feature.
“Don’t talk,” he said softly. “You’ll need every bit of energy you’ve got to beat me.”
Kaiban raised his hand and shouted in anger. A ball of energy quickly formed and shot at Sato. Another formed instantly after and shot again. He released more and more at Sato, laughing maniacally. “Die you pathetic human! Die!”
He stopped. He was breathing just slightly. Rage had filled in him. His smile slowly returned. “It’s done,” he said.
“Sato,” said Muma weakly at Kaiban’s feet. “Sato, I––I love you.”
Kaiban stepped on the back of Muma’s head, pushing her face into the dirt and bones of the floor. “Shut it,” he said coldly. “Your little Sato is no more. You hear me, succubus? He’s gones––dead! Now my incredible power will take its hold on Japan, and soon, the world.” He clenched his fist. “And then the portal to the demon realm will open, and demons will flock over, and the humans will become our slaves!”
“No,” Muma said, her voice muffled by the floor. She slowly lifted herself against the force that Kaiban placed on her. She overcame the fatigue spell put on her by Kaiban and threw him off. Kaiban flipped through the air and landed gracefully.
Kaiban sneered. “It’s amazing you can even stand. That caffeine you took must be overpowering my poison.”
“That’s not it!” Muma cried, throwing out her left hand. She brought her right hand, clenched, to her breasts and lowered her eyes to the floor. “I love Sato with all my heart.” She looked back up then with fury in her eyes. “I’m running on pure adrenaline! You’ll pay for what you’ve done––all of it! Just die!”
Muma took to the air. Her red aura flared up enormously as she rushed Kaiban. He didn’t show any fear. He waited for her to come. She was an inch from striking him, and he moved to the side, floating high enough into the air to spin kick Muma in the back. She straightened herself in the air and turned around.
“Try to dodge this!” Muma cried. She placed her nails to her chest and dug in deep, drawing more blood from her body. She covered both claws with the blood as she rushed at Kaiban again.
Kaiban dodged easily as Muma slashed at him. Droplets of blood splattered his handsome face, but Muma never touched him. He jumped backwards, creating a large distance between him and Muma. He raised a hand and prepared to send an attack back. Suddenly the blood on his face shone brightly and erupted into flames. Kaiban let at a horrible cry of pain.
Muma watched with glee, licking her claws. “My secret technique,” she said. “Sorry I don’t have a name for it yet.”
“Don’t bother of thinking up one,” came Kaiban’s voice. The smoke that surrounded him disappeared as he released his aura. “That’ll be the last time you use that.”
Muma scowled. “There’s no way you can still be moving after that!”
Kaiban raised a hand. The bones on the floor began rattling and floating into the air. Full skeletons pieced themselves together, turning on Muma, wielding clay swords made from the dirt that had secured them as the floor. Three skeletons stood in a triangle around Muma. She swallowed hard as she looked around at them.
“Since I don’t think you heard me before,” Kaiban said, “I’ll restate my offer. Become my vassal again and I’ll let you live. Refuse me and you die.”
Muma stared passed the skeletons at Kaiban. “I think dying would be more enjoyable than serving you again,” she jeered.
“So be it,” Kaiban said. He paused a moment, blinking slowly. Finally he said to his minions, “Kill her.”
Muma darted fast into the air. She looked down and saw a clay sword flying at her. It pierced through the membrane of her wing, sending horrible pain through her body. She wailed loudly as she circled to the ground and landed with a loud crunch. The skeletons approached her.
A white blade shot through the air, cutting down two of the skeletons. Pinaka charged at the remaining one and tackled it to the floor. She stood beside Muma, smiling down at her. Ryomaru and Kisuro charged into action, standing around Muma as the skeletons reformed.
Muma was bewildered by their appearance. Kaiban had let out a low growl as he watched them save the succubus. Muma slowly stood, pulling the sword from her wing. She asked the others, “How did you get free?”
“You have Sato to thank for that,” Kisuro said.
Kaiban glanced to the side and saw a long crack make its way across the ground toward him. He jumped into the air, but was taken by surprise as a blue wave of energy released from the end, hitting Kaiban hard.
He shook off the attack and looked to the other end of the fissure. Sato was standing there, his sword on the floor, his head down low. He looked up and smiled at Kaiban, fully prepared to finish out the fight.