Vampire Princess Miyu Fan Fiction ❯ When Friends are True-A Vampire Miyu Saga ❯ Illusions of Nightmares ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter Five



Chapter Five
Illusions of Nightmares

Larva… Larva…
The voice still called out to out to him, just as desperate but not as shielded as before. "Miyu… I must go." He wrenched his mind away from the vision in his head and once again took notice of Miyu's painful cries. He turned to go back when Carlua grabbed his wrist with a grip that would not loosen for the world.
"I can't let you go! You're coming back with me!" She said defiantly but her tone soon crumbled to pleading. "You are a Western Shinma! You must come back."
Larva did not look at her. "I am sorry, Carlua." He said softly. Twisting his wrist around he pulled his hand free of her grasp and disappeared through a Transport Gate.
"Larva!" His cousin cried desperately after him. "Larva! LARVAAAA!"
* * *
Osa stirred. Something was not right in the First Layer. There was someone here who was not supposed to be here and was brutally attacking one of the Gates. It was the Gate that was on the shore of the ocean that separated the Western and Japanese Shinma Realms. A Shinma huge of size though weak of power, he had long ago taken the form of a tree-like being, a shapeless body with many limb-like arms that forked branches and twigs. The only thing that broke the dead blackness of his body with the single red eye that shone where his head would have been.
He traveled through the First Layer of the Japanese Spirit Realm, a small section of the realm that lay between the ocean and the mountain range. He had sensed that something bad was going to happen when the snows began. Now things were not only bad- they were worse. There were Western Shinma in their world trying to take out the Gate and Miyu was not there to defend this. Osa approached the Gate, staying at a safe distance. The Western Shinma were still on their ship, nestled in the bay that sat a few hundred meters away from the Torii Gate. Water swirled in violent rapids at its base, a dragon had coiled its body around the Gate, which was engulfed in red flames. He gasped. THIS IS… THIS IS HORRIBLE! He said. It really was not a voice said from the throat, but a mental voice that was projected from the mind. It was a higher and more sophisticated way of communication- all the Elders in the past, present and future would possess that type of voice. WHERE IS MIYU? WHAT CAN SHE POSSIBLY BE DOING?
"All right…" Cait Sith chuckled from the ship, watching the weakening Gate. "Let us finish this off, Pazusu!"
"Yes." Pazusu agreed. He held out a hand towards the Gate and a small globe of white energy magic formed in his palm. He began to recite a magical spell in a long forgotten tongue and the entire Gate began to glow. It began to creak and looked as if it were bending.
"Now, the finish!" Cait Sith yelled out. He gathered up his own magic and let it fly at the weakened Torii Gate. Black energy flew from his hands, solidifying into the forms of the heads of cats that flew, screaming at the Gate. They hit directly in the center, and the Gate exploded.
Osa cried out: MIYU!
* * *
Miyu screamed as she felt the breaking of the Gate. She held her head in her hands. "The Gate!" she cried. "The Gate has fallen! There's nothing in the way to stop them!"
Ryuko gritted his teeth together. Because of these bastards, any enemy could now freely enter the Japanese Realm from the Western Gate, on the side of the Realm whose ocean separated the two worlds. "All right, Shinma Night Gia, let's see what you've got." The air shimmered as the Illusion magic began to wake. The Illusion world soon became cloaked in a light gray mist. The two Shinma charged each other and Ryuko threw the first attack. He threw his hand forward and the light around them condensed into a spiral that surrounded Night Gia, spinning quickly, pulsing as it constantly changed sizes. It threw Night Gia off and he stopped as the world seemed to spin all around him. This gave Ryuko enough time to gain the upper hand and hit Night Gia in the jaw with the hilt of his sword. Suddenly a numbing pain spread in his own jaw, right in the spot where he had struck at Night Gia. The illusion broke and both opponents stumbled back, clutching their faces. Night Gia tasted the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He shook his head and threw a lightning bolt at the Wolfin, who just barely dodged out of the way. This continued a few times, but the Chinese Shinma was too fast for him. Then something hit him in the back of the head, followed by a muffled grunt. The Wolfin before him vanished and he turned to see the real Ryuko standing behind him, rubbing the back of his head. He had created a dummy that had diverted Night Gia away from the real Shinma, and it had worked, but his magic also had had a good effect on his opponent. Night Gia chuckled. "A Reflection Spell." He said dryly. "Any pain that I feel you will feel as well. Unfortunately for you, it will not work in the opposite direction." He jabbed at Ryuko with his rapier and cut him along the shoulder, and a thin stream of blood began to trickle down his arm. Ryuko growled.
Sitting off on the sidelines, the Chinese Shinma were tending to a weak Miyu while Lemunia watched on the other side. Miyu was relieved that they had come to help her, but where was Larva? There was a little action going on between the two fighting Shinma, and a lot of the time it looked as if they did not see each other. One time Ryuko was able to get behind Night Gia for a clear shot at his back and the Western Shinma did not even see him. Yoshi snorted. "Illusion fights are so boring. You can never see what's really going on!"
Night Gia was proving to be a more powerful fighter than Ryuko had anticipated. He trying another Double Image spell, but Night Gia felt it coming and was able to round on him and jab at him again, opening a fresh, narrow cut across his chest. Using his illusion power was going to get them no where if he was not going to use his full potential, and he really did not want to hurt this guy just yet. He mumbled a quick spell under his breath and charged Night Gia again, sword raised high. Night Gia rose his rapier to block the attack. Metal clashed on metal, and the thin blade of the rapier barely held against the heavier blade of the Chinese's Shinma sword. They broke away, Ryuko flipping in a sort of backward roundhouse and landing upright on his feet. "Our illusionary attacks are only canceling each other out." He said. "Unless you have something more clever and challenging up your sleeve, the only one to walk away unhurt from a sword fight will be the victor."
"Fine by me!" Night Gia yelled back. Ryuko charged again and dropped to his knees and lashing out a wolf-like foot, knocking Night Gia's own feet out from under him. Night Gia fell down with a heavy crash; the Western Shinma's lack of martial skills could be easily seen. Ryuko sneered and tried to impale his with the end of his broadsword if he had not rolled out of the way. He turned quickly and slashed at Ryuko's hand, leaving another cut on his skin. Then he cried out in pain as it felt as if a whip had struck the back of his own hand. Taking off his glove he saw a red welt forming on his usually pale skin.
Ryuko licked the wound on his hand, much like a wolf nursing a wound of its own. He smiled. "A Circular Reflection Spell. Unlike most spells, they won't cancel each other out, but they do create a loop. Now what ever I feel, you will feel. Unless you have something better, I suggest we call it a draw. I'm beginning to get bored."
"Night Gia!" Lemunia yelled from the sides. "You can't win that way! Use the Dream Weaving spell?"
"Hey runt, no encouraging from the side lines! If you want to help, then get in there!" Tacha yelled at him, and the boy instantly shut up.
Night Gia heard though and took the thought into consideration. He took up his rapier in his hands and held it above his head, eyes closed and concentrating his powers. Ryuko watched him, wondering silently what he could possibly be doing. Suddenly the physical world around him changed, and he was in a palace made of dark precious stones and woods, with black and white tiled floors, golden electric lights and elaborate tapestries. He was at home, in the palace that his uncle the King of the Wolfin lived in at the heart of the Wolfin city. And he was standing in front of a small closet. Oh, no… he looked down at his paws, and saw they were that of a child's. He was five thousand years old, which was roughly about five in human terms. No… no, no, no, not this, anything but this… But he could not stop himself. Cautiously and curiously, he stepped into the closet, his body ignoring the pleas in his mind to go back. He was now all the way in the closet, in the darkness… and the door slammed behind him. He was locked in the dark, small, stuffy closet, locked, in a hallway that was empty when he had stepped in,, Ryuko clawed at the door and howled with all he had, but no one heard him. The air became thicker as a more serious panic took over until eventually shock washed over his mind. No one came. No one knew he was in there.
"What's… what's happening to him?" Miyu asked. Ryuko dropped his sword to his side and collapsed to the ground, groaning and clutching his head in his hands. Soon he began to cry out desperately, "Please! Someone help me! Mommy! Daddy! Open the closet door! I'm locked in! Anybody! Help me, please!"
"When he was about five going by the time periods you're used to," Yoto explained. "He accidentally locked himself in a hallway closet and it took nearly too hours before someone heard him and unlocked the door. He was in shock and had passed out from the stuffiness and lack of oxygen, and he's had nightmares about it for many thousands of years after that."
"The Shinma's using his dreams against him. He did the same to me. Is there anything we can do to help?"
Kia shook her head gravely. "We didn't issue the challenge. There is nothing we can do to help." Miyu grimaced, then looked back.
The two Western Shinma were smiling quiet smugly, and Night Gia began to walk over to Ryuko who was nothing more that a whimpering heap on the ground. "Do it, Night Gia!" Lemunia yelled. "Kill him!"
"That's it!" Kia exclaimed as she rose from her squatting position on the ground and marched over to Lemunia, followed closely by Yoshi and Tacha. When he saw the bigger Chinese Shinma coming towards him, he got up and tried to bolt, but Yoshi roughly grabbed the back of his cloak and hulled him above the ground so he was looking Lemunia in the face. "Easy Yosh." His sister warned. "He's just a kid!"
"Out with it punk!" Yoshi demanded. "What are you doing here? What purposes do you have being here in the first place? And what excuses do you have to attacking Miyu in such an unfair manner?"
"Choose your words wisely, boy." Tacha growled and bared her teeth, exposing inch-long fangs.
"Your fate may depend on how you answer." Kia snarled.
"I… I…" Lemunia stammered. His gaze suddenly changed from terrified to stern. "Why should I tell you for any reason? You're supposed to be just stories that mothers use to scare children with when they misbehave!"
"Do they not teach history where you come from?" Yoshi asked, rolling his crimson eyes.
"If we're just stories, then how is it that we're in your face and threatening to break it if we don't get some answers?" Kia said, holding up her scaly hand in a fist an inch away from his nose. She then smiled; a cold, hard smile with hard unyielding eyes. "It is a shame that you're so pretty." Her fist uncurled, and her brushed her three inch black talon-like claws across his smooth cheek. He flinched and tried to pull away, but Yoshi's grasp held tight. "I would hate to do anything to it if you don't tell us anything. Now why don't you be a good little boy and…"
It suddenly felt as if they had all been shoved through a pane of glass as the illusion world around them shattered along with the illusions being woven through it. The world of the Japanese Shinma Realm once again too its place. Night Gia's concentration was broken, and Ryuko slowly uncurled himself from the ball he had been reduced to. Yoshi dropped Lemunia, who ran back to his companion. Ryuko quickly gathered himself and crawled back over to his own companions, his tail tucked between his legs. Yoto asked him if he was all right, and Ryuko only shook his head shakily. The fight was a draw, but a defeat would have been more humiliating that the condition he had been in a few moments ago.
Miyu looked fanatically around for the source of their savior. A voice calling her name drew her attention to a dark tree with no branches. Larva was there, his face masked and hood up, looking down at the scene. A smile broke out on her exhausted face with relief and joy of seeing him.
Night Gia looked behind his shoulder at the invader of his world and glowered at his one time companion. He invaded my dream realm? He thought angrily. Larva jumped down from the tree branch he had been standing on and landed before Miyu, putting himself between her and the other Western Shinma. Night Gia made a silent vexed sound as he saw this situation. Larva… you really have become her slave…
Lemunia felt more anger towards Larva than Night Gia did. This man did, after all, banished his best friend, Lemunia's older brother Lemures, to the Dark where he was still aimlessly wondering about no doubt. Larva! Show your face from under that mask. How can you stand there covered up like a coward?
Miyu went up to her guardian and leaned against his back. "This time…" she said in a weary tone. "You were almost too late. I was getting tired of waiting…" She clutched to his cloak.
Kia glared at him, her arms crossed beneath her breasts. "It certainly took you long enough." She said irritably.
"Night Gia…" Larva said quietly, looking at the Western Shinma that stood before them.
"So, you do remember us?" Night Gia asked, his lips turning up in a sly smile. "How wonderful!"
The second Western Shinma, a young boy whose face just barely escaped the grasp of his memory, glared at him. A black scarf was wrapped tightly around his nose and mouth. "You traitor." He growled.
* * *
A thick gray mist had covered the ground and the clouds in the sky threatened another snowstorm. The Western Shinma walked through the land carefully. They were on enemy ground, after all. But the land seemed deserted. Maybe this job would be easier than any of them thought.
Cait Sith snorted. A black twig snapped under his foot. "Weak…" he muttered. "She is far too weak. How disappointing! She is not a worthy opponent of us."
The fog began to stir, and a very large and old presence was heading their way. It was not hard to find out it was the Elder of the First Layer. He rose from the shadows, looming over the Western Shinma though the scent of fear that radiated from him was strong. YOU… There was anger mixed in the fear in his Voice. WHO ARE YOU…?
"Hi!" Cait Sith said cheerfully. "Or rather, pleased to meet you."
WHY ARE YOU WESTERN SHINMA HERE? Osa demanded.
Cait Sith chuckled. "You did not expect our little surprise attack, did you?"
Fear began to overcome the anger. MIYU… WHERE IS MIYU?
"Who knows?" Cait Sith said. "What do you think?" He chuckled again. "Actually, she's playing with our friends."
"And she'll soon follow you destiny as well." Pazusu added. Osa remained silent, cowering back.
"Hey, why don't you answer?" Amy asked. "The red light is dimming… let it rest in peace, Cait Sith?"
"You're right…" A chilling smile crossed Cait Sith's face. A globe of white energy magic formed in his hand. Lightning began to surround it, a very powerful spell. A spell that could rip through a tree trunk. "Good bye." He threw the energy at Osa, and the ancient Elder had no time to escape. The energy tore through his body and he died with a painful, trailing scream. The Western Shinma let his hand fall back down to his side.
Cait Sith grunted. "This country is spoiled by peace. Even Shinma like you take it for granted! Such carelessness brought this on."
"This country will be easy to take over!" Amy said with a smile.
"And we are here to reap it!" Spartoi added.
"Is that all there is?" Water Lipper asked.
"No!" Cait Sith said as if alarmed. "It is not that easy!"
"The Japanese Shinma Realm consists of five Layers." Pazusu began to explain. "We have just taken over the First one. The last Layer will surely be the strongest of them all."
"The mightiest always come last." Amy said from off to the side.
The air rippled and shimmered with a Transportation spell and the fog solidified into a young woman with blonde hair wearing a dark burgundy dress. "Lord Pazusu…" she called out plaintively. Pazusu turned to the young girl. Her eyes were sad and it looked as if she had been crying.
"Carlua?" He went over to her, but before he could ask her what had upset her so much, she told him everything in a rush. "Is that so?"
The snow began to fall again.
* * *
"I now merely hunt wandering Shinma." Larva explained to the Western Shinma. "So why don't you too just leave…"
"Larva! Did you say let them go?" Miyu jumped back into a tree, landing gracefully on a branch.
"No way! I can't let them go! They really pissed me off!"
"She's right!" Tacha said. "We can't let them go! Ryuko, I think you have some vengeance to take on them!"
Ryuko nodded. He turned to Miyu. "Miyu, requesting your permission to beat the crap out of this guy. I know that both of our dignities have been hurt, but I think I can scare these guys off without killing them."
Miyu pouted. "Well where's the fun in that?" She sighed. "Very well. There will be other times for me to get my vengeance as well."
Lemunia tried to make a run for it, but Yoto and Tacha proved to be faster and seized him by his arms before he could get very far. "Hold him steady, guys." Ryuko said.
"Ryuko, you're not really going to…?" Kia asked.
"I'm not too sure, yet." He said, sheathing his sword- more like making it disappear into thin air- in a flash of black light. "It's defiantly going to be enough to give them a good scare, but I have not decided what the outcome will be yet." He turned to Night Gia sharply and held both hands out in front of him, blue energy swirling. "Now you will know what the term 'Puppet Master' is. Obey Your Master!" He said loudly in a commanding voice. The blue energy turned into fine strings of light that flew at Night Gia, wrapping around every part of his body and holding tight, coming back to wrap around Ryuko's fingers.
"What… what is this magic?" Night Gia asked, pulling at the strings. They merely tightened around his skin, making him cry out in pain.
"A powerful form of illusion that the most powerful Blackbloods are able to perform; Puppeteering. The simplest movements on my parts, and I can control a person's entire body. You're completely at my mercy!" He moved his hands, twisting his wrists and fingers, and Night Gia did begin to move with Ryuko's bidding with no protest. Ryuko moved his arms and the Western Shinma bent down to pick his rapier up. With shaky movements, he began to walk over to where Tacha and Yoto were holding Lemunia.
"This is going to be messy, isn't it?" Tacha asked, and she and Yoto stepped as far away from Lemunia as they could while retaining their hold.
Lemunia's eyes bugged larger than Night Gia's. "No!" he stammered. "You wouldn't! Are you really that cruel?" Night Gia gritted his teeth together as the strings pulled his arms above his head, the blade pointing down at the younger Western Shinma. Lemunia began to struggle forcefully but the grips of the Chinese Shinma were like iron.
"Please forgive me, Lemunia!" Night Gia said as Ryuko prepared to skewer Lemunia. Larva gave a start. Lemunia… Lemures's younger brother. No wonder he recognized him. Like Carlua, he was only a small child when he left for the Japanese Shinma Realm.
Night Gia began to chant something that was in a tongue that no one could understand. Only Larva and Tacha gasped. "Ryuko!" She said urgently. "Break it now!"
Suddenly the strings that held him loosened and snapped all together, sending Night Gia flying. The chanting immediately stopped. Yoto and Tacha let go of Lemunia as Night Gia hurled into him. Both lay sprawled on the ground, looking back at the Western Shinma with wide and frightened eyes.
"Get out of here." Ryuko said with hard and cold yellow eyes. "Next time you may not be so lucky." The two Shinma before them scrambled to their feet and began to run away.
"Hold on a moment." Kia said and pointed a long slender at Night Gia. The end of the digit glowed faintly with a purple light, and the same light enveloped Night Gia, stopping him in his tracks. "You, back to the ship." She whirled her finger around and pointed her thumb behind her shoulder, and Night Gia disappeared in a flash of light. Lemunia kept on running.
Miyu frowned as she watched the boy run away and disappear through a Transportation gate. "Why did you let them go? No he's going back to warn the others!"
"I know, I know, but we can't afford to kill anyone, at the moment." Tacha said.
"I could have." Ryuko said. "Not only could I have Night Gia kill his own companion but those stings could have torn him to shreds. We just don't want to use full force yet. I don't mean to gloat, but if I were to use my full power, the fight would have only been about two minutes long before he was dead."
"We did a little bit of calculations, and we came to the conclusion that a wrong move can really screw our world up."
"What do you mean?" Miyu asked.
Kia explained: "Shinma always have a major impact on our environment. A clash of Clans has a lot to do with it. With all three Clans here, it's putting a lot of stress on the Japanese Shinma Realm, and we don't exactly know what's going to happen. We're afraid that it could cause some major disturbance in the Spiritual Realms, and I mean all the Realms; yours, theirs, and mine. Also, we may need them around for later. This may play into the danger of the Japanese Shinma Realm prophecy thing or some crap like that."
Larva came up to Miyu from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Miyu, may I speak to you for a moment?"
Miyu turned and looked up at him with a smile. She still looked very tired. "Of course! You know you don't have to ask." The Chinese Shinma had already walked the other way and were sitting in a small circle, talking silently among themselves. "What is it you want to talk about?"
"Are you sure that you don't need to rest for a while?"
"No, I'm all right."
"Miyu, I think I should warn you not to underestimate the Western Shinma. Night Gia was trying to curse you with all the free will he had when the Chinese Shinma was controlling him."
Miyu bit the corner of her lower lip. "Is that so? Western Shinma have some nerve… But as long as I have you, I'll be all right." She looked up at him. "Right?"
Larva nodded. "Yes."
Miyu smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, Larva." She said with a giggle. She only said that sometimes, but he always guessed it was out of friendly fondness.
"By the way," she said as she let herself down and looked up at him again with seriousness in her eyes that had quickly replaced the playfulness. "Do you think we should go after that little boy?"
"Who? Oh, you mean Lemunia…" He certainly did not look that little anymore.
"Yes, Lemures's younger brother."
"Perhaps we should." Larva said, removing his white mask and pushing the hood of his black cloak down. "Though the other Western Shinma are probably already on their way here after they nearly killed two of their men."
Miyu laced her fingers together, turned her palms out and stretched her arms, leaning back into Larva's arms as she did so. "Wow, he sure runs fast! I'll just have to get him back next time. How dare they talk to me that way!" Larva said nothing, but he felt a new worried anguish grip his heart. "All your comrades are ganging up to take you away from me." Miyu said, sounding a little sadder this time.
"Actually," Larva said. "I don't think I was his main target." Miyu craned her head up and saw the worried look in his red eyes.
"What is it, Larva?" She asked, turning around so she was facing him.
He shook his head, managing a smile that he was sure was not convincing. "It's nothing!" He said, forcing the tone of his voice to not sound troubled. "I'm all right. I'm sorry for being to late today." He gently cupped Miyu's face in his white hands.
"Larva…?" No matter how he could change his voice, an anxious look was still reflected in his eyes. What is it? What's going on? He's keeping something back… She pulled away from his hand but entered his arms, wrapping her arms securely around his slender waist and burying her face against his chest. "Don't be so… so overprotected. I can take care of myself." What is it you are hiding? What is it that bothers you so?
* * *
Carlua kept her head bowed to the ground as Pazusu was talking to not only her but all the Western Shinma. "We must perform Mashujutsu."
"Mashujutsu?" Carlua gulped. Mashujutsu. There was exact translation for it, but it meant "The Dark Exorcism" or something like that. The blackest of the black magic. Even the most powerful sorcerers were afraid to use it. A very risky and dangerous spell to perform. One mistake could lead to death.
"Otherwise, Larva will…"
"Lord Pazusu!" Carlua said desperately, not wanting to hear the rest.
Cait Sith clenched his hand into a tight fist. "Enough of this! We must bring Larva back to us!" All the other Western Shinma smiled contently. Carlua turned away and looked up into the gray sky as the snow fell around her.
Larva…
* * *
Miyu ran through the forests of the Japanese Shinma Realm to where the Western Shinma were at; just beyond the ruins of the Torii Gate near the Western Sea, that would have prevented the Western Shinma from getting into their realm. But now it was down, and they were advancing fast. Larva followed closely behind her. I fear we may all ready be too late! Miyu thought. We've got to hurry!
The Chinese Shinma were not with them. Miyu briefly remembered their conversation before she left to pursue the invaders. "Miyu do you still have that devise I gave you?" Kia asked. Miyu nodded. "Good. I have a feeling that something very bad is going to happen next."
"Though we did not kill Night Gia and Lemunia," Yoto added. "Not receiving death after a defeat injures a Shinma's pride more than death itself. They will be greatly insulted by it, so don't expect them to go easy on you if a brawl is to break out."
"If there is the slightest problem, push the button." Kia said again. "We'll come as quickly as we can."
I'm certain that sound I heard during battle was the anguished cry of out Elder! "Is he… already gone?" Miyu wondered aloud. Her fast pace faulted for a moment but she soon regained it. "Larva, we must hurry!"
The western Torii Gate was an absolute mess. It lay as a mass of shattered and burnt wood, still smoldering from the abuse it had taken until it broke. It was the most horrific sight that Miyu had seen for a long time. "What is this? They did this?"
A great amount of power had been used here. During the Shinma Wars, the Gate was not even scratched. The suspicions that Larva had of exactly who were here was growing stronger. "It can't be!" He said. "This is…" The snow fell about them, hissing as it touched the blackened wood of the once strong and proud Gate.
* * *
"Mashujutsu… That the only way we can save Larva?" Carlua asked, looking into Pazusu's eyes. If it truly was the only way, she had no choice but to listen to the procedure.
"That's right." Pazusu said. "Larva has been tainted by Miyu's blood. Through it, she controls him. Once extracted, he shall be cleansed."
"Thus…" Cait Sith said. A sinister and chilling smile crossed his face. "Larva must die first."
Carlua sighed heavily, clutching her hands to her chest. She was afraid of hearing that. It was the Mashujutsu that needed death to start a new life. "D-d-die?" She repeated shakily.
"And Carlua," Pazusu started again. "The Sorcery requires the participation of a blood relative. Your blood is necessary if we are to succeed. If we fail, both of you will end up dying.
Carlua suddenly exclaimed: "But, if through my blood we can save Larva… I'll do it!"
"Excellent!" Pazusu agreed.
"Well then," Spartoi said. "Larva really didn't betray us then! Right?"
Amy snorted and looked a little jealous. "Even so, it's hard to believe Larva could succumb to such a little girl."
"Could Miyu be such a capable adversary?" Water Lipper inquired. A sudden flash of light from a Transportation Gate caught her attention as well as all the other Western Shinma and Lemunia appeared from it. There was a look of panic in his eyes.
"Night…Night Gia has been defeated! Miyu's on her way here!"
"What?" Spartoi exploded. "Night Gia? Killed?"
"No, not killed… he's back at the ship…But damn it! Larva was there! They could have killed him but he did nothing to help! That damned traitor!"
"He's not a traitor!" Carlua yelled back. "It's Miyu's blood that's controlling him! You saw it, didn't you? In Miyu's dream, right?"
"Wh-what can we do?" Lemunia asked, calming down a little.
"We have to get Larva back!" Carlua cried.
"Lemunia," Pazusu said. "Who are these 'they' you are talking about?"
"Chinese Shinma!" Lemunia blurted. "Chinese Shinma! Five of them! They helped Miyu, and one of them almost killed Night Gia and myself!"
"This could change everything…" Pazusu said, sounding doubtful for the first time since the beginning of the mission.
"So Miyu's coming," Cait Sith said, looking into the forest before the great mountain range. "How convenient for us! Well then, let's go introduce ourselves!"
* * *
Miyu reentered Larva's arms and he took he away from the ruins of the Torii Gate. There was nothing else she could do here. They reappeared a little further into the First Layer, where the Elder had fallen. Larva gently put Miyu down from his embrace. "I feel, a little bad." Miyu said as she looked at the body of the fallen Elder. Snow had already covered much of Osa's black body. "Is this because you gave me such a difficult task, Elder? This may by the punishment that you deserve…" Miyu knelt close to the body and put her cheek against the cold surface. "Right, Larva?" Her companion said nothing; he only removed his mask again. "Well, lower Layer Shinma never open their mouths." A strange presence surrounded her, an odd tickling feeling along the back of her neck. The feeling she got when ever a Shinma was close; the presence of the Japanese and the Western Shinma was the same, but the feeling of anger that went along with it told her these were Western Shinma. She stood up, tall and proud. "You can come out now, all you Western Shinma!"
Laughter of all sorts drifted through the air as the snow rippled with Transportation spells, and the smoky figures of seven figures solidified into physical bodies. Larva was horrified to see that he knew every one of them.
"Nice to meet you, Miyu." A Western Shinma with dark skin and light purple hair said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Cait Sith…"
"I am Water Lipper…" said a woman with water-sprit like ears and long green-blue hair.
"Amy!" Said a very feminine man with short, fluffy lime-green hair.
"I'm Spartoi!" Said a bid man with a bronze dragon warped around his shoulders.
Lemunia only snorted. One of the last to introduce themselves was a young woman about Miyu's age with curly blonde hair and wearing a dark burgundy dress. She looked very nervous and seemed to have a hard time speaking. "I…I… I am…"
"Who cares?" Miyu said coldly. Larva was stunned to silence. He knew exactly what all of them were here for. Miyu ignored the open disturbed look in his face. "Thanks for coming all the way from the West!" Her manor was very teasing. "But I must say, it is very rude to break down doors instead of knocking. Don't you agree, Larva?" He said nothing and tried to avoid eye contract with the people he had grown up with. In fact, he hid his face all together under the deep hood.
For some of them, it was a joy to see him again. Spartoi smiled and said warmly, "It's been a long time, Larva!"
Once again, the jealous glare flashed across Amy's girlish face. "Gee, it really is a shame, Larva…"
"We must avenge Night Gia!" Water Lipper said as if trying to remind them.
"I'm Carlua!" The blonde said suddenly, as if she had found not only her words but her courage to stand up to Miyu. "I'm Larva's…" She trailed off again.
"Larva's what?"
She took a deep breath. "Larva's cousin!"
"His cousin?" Miyu repeated, sounding very unimpressed. "So what?" Rage twisted Carlua's facial features into an angry scowl. "Ohh, you really frighten me! Does it make you feel special?"
The rage in Carlua exploded into furious words: "I won't forgive you, Miyu!" Water Lipper, Spartoi and Amy charged, and the fight was about to begin.
"Miyu!" Larva cried to her, reaching out a hand and meaning to guard her against his own friends. He could not get to here. Something cold and sharp was quickly drawn across his hand, sending up a small splash of hot blood. Cait Sith was standing before him, holding a small dagger in his hand.
"Come on," he jeered. "I'll take care of you." There was no way past him. Larva had no choice but to fight Cait Sith in order to reach Miyu.
The sudden rapid advancement from the Western Shinma had startled her and she stumbled back a step. The small devise that Kia had given her fell from the inner pocket of her yukata. It fell to the ground with a metallic clank, followed by a high beeping noise, but no one paid any heed to it.
Spartoi and Amy attacked Miyu at the same time, driving her back and farther away from Larva. They were blocking two ways of escape to the back, and now Water Lipper was standing before her. A faint aura glowed about Water Lipper's hands and Miyu barely jumped out of the way as a massive wave of water was thrown at her. The fight with Night Gia had taken more out of her than she had thought; she was already breathing hard. And this was nothing! She felt another spell being woven behind her; a fire spell. She turned quickly just as Amy threw a plume of fire her direction. Her reaction time was a little slower than she was comfortable with. The heat of the fireball that passed not more than half a foot from her face singed a few strands of her hair. She stumbled back, panting. Larva was fighting with the Western Shinma with the light purple hair, and would cast a worried glance in her direction once in a while.
The air around them grew thicker as new bodies came into the fighting area, and Miyu felt a rush of relief. The little devise had been activated. And they had come to Miyu's assistance, just as they said they would. The Western Shinma did not seem to notice- at first, anyways.
"So Miyu, will you introduce us to your new friends?" Said a voice from behind Spartoi. He frowned and turned around to face the voice, and found himself Face to face with a strikingly beautiful woman with long black hair and hard cold yellow eyes, the pupils only mere slits. A dark mark ran down each eye. She smiled a wide smile, showing white teeth and long, pointed fangs, like an animal. Though he himself was not that bright, he remembered those marks and physical features from his studies. Animal-like hands and legs. Long wings on her back. He gasped loudly and fell backwards, scrambling in small group with Amy and Water Lipper. This Shinma with the bird-like features was not the only one there; there was a guy who that resembled a bat or something along those lines, another beautiful girl that looked like cat, and two other guys who looked like wolves.
"Ch-ch-chinese Shinma!"
"Hey, nice to meet you!" The girl said. "Allow me to introduce myself. Kia Tlykera, of the Avian Clan. My companions about you are, in clockwise order, Yoshi, Tacha, Ryuko and Yoto. Hey, Miyu. Would you like us to help out?" Miyu shook her head nervously. "Okay. Yoshi, you got the fire-controller. Tacha, you take on the water manipulator. I got the one with the small head. Ryuko, you sit off and watch; you're still weak and you've already fought today. Yoto…uh…you go after who ever you can find." She once again turned back to the Western Shinma and all the previously friendliness was burnt away like a fog at midday in summer. She glared at them hard. "Western Shinma, we challenge you to a fight of skill and power in all fairness to the numbers of the fight. Do you accept?"
The Western Shinma exchanged looks to each other, then Water Lipper said, "Very well. Most of us have been curious to what it is like to spar off with your kind, anyway."
Tacha said: "Miyu, you may want to move. This can get messy." Miyu nodded and scrambled to her feet, moving hastily out of the way.
She looked frantically about the battlefield where her allies and the Western Shinma were facing off on. Where is Larva? She thought to herself. She spotted her several meters away, facing off with the Shinma with the purple hair and dark skin. Right now both sides seemed about evenly matched, with the Western Shinma, Cait Sith if she remembered correctly, holding a slim dagger in his hands with Larva fending him off with his own hand. A rather long cut ran along his knuckles and dark red blood was running along his hand. She had to help him. She started to run to him, preparing to throw a fireball at Cait Sith. From the sides, Carlua caught her quick movements and smiled.
Carlua giggled a little, knowing that Miyu's defensives were down. This was going to be no problem. She began to chant in an alien language only known to her and her mentor in her party; a subduing spell. Lemunia also held the same triumphant look in his eyes as he raised the scarf up around his mouth and nose once again. "You're trapped, Miyu." He said as Carlua's spell grew. Miyu gasped as her feet became planted to the ground and she found herself unable to move from the waste up. The ground around her face split in straight lines in a triangle formation around her feet. Small forks of red lighting lanced up from the ground, wrapping around Miyu's legs. Fear filled her eyes as she realized that she was not going anywhere. Carlua raised her white mask to her face.
Seeing that Miyu was safely out of the way, the Chinese Shinma sneered hard at the Western Shinma that sent shivers down their spines. Tacha was the first to speak. "Mistress Western Shinma, I am Tacha Myrtwaner, Heir to the Felin Throne and pure Blueblood. May I ask what power you manipulate?" It actually did not require too much thinking; she could guess just by her name.
"I am Water Lipper, a master of the waters from where I come from. I accept your challenge." She wasted no time. Raising her arms above her head, she spun a massive water spell that sent a massive tidal wave that went spinning in Tacha's direction. Tacha countered immediately with a tidal wave of her own. Both bodies of water clashed into each other, canceling each other out.
Kia turned her attention back on the two remaining Western Shinma. That was one down and two left to go. At least Miyu was out of the way. She straightened and looked at Spartoi. "You do not look like the magic-using type, but more of a warrior. May I ask for your name and skills?"
"I am Spartoi from the second rank and third division of the Dragon Soldiers, master of the blade." Was his answer.
Kia raised her eyebrows, looking a little impressed. "I heard of the Dragon Soldiers. They are said to be the elite sword fighters of the Western Shinma. Maybe I am in for a challenge after all. I am Kia Tlykera, First-Part Heir to the Avian Throne, Stormblood and Witch in training. If blade is your specialty, than a fight of blades it shall be." She held out her hand and lighting struck down from no where into her open palm, solidifying into a sword with a hilt shaped like a dark blue dragon and a blade easily as long as she was tall. Spartoi reached to his side and the bronze dragon wrapped around her shoulder seemed to glow for a moment. The scales along its cold body bristled and a heavy sword with a hilt similar to the dragon armor appeared in his hand. "Very well." Kia said. "Let's dance." She leaped forward, sword stretched out before her. Spartoi raised his to block. The song of metal upon metal rang out.
Yoshi looked at the Western Shinma with the voluminous green hair, raising an eyebrow. For being an enemy, she was still kind of pretty… "And what might your name be, my good Lady?"
"My name is Amy, controller of fire." To Yoshi and Ryuko's surprise, her voice was a deep tenor, and they quickly realized that they were not looking at a girl at all.
They leaped back with a yelp, their faces growing red. "Oh God, she's a guy!"
Amy threw up his hands. "Why does everybody say that?" He exclaimed. He calmed down quickly though his eyes still shown with the rage of the insult. "I presume one of you is a fore-wielder, correct? Or it would just be a waste of my time."
Yoshi forced down his shock in a hurry, though he still had to impulse to either through himself down on the ground laughing or run away screaming. He cleared his through, trying hard to keep both down. "I am Yoshi Tlykera, Second-Part Heir to the Avian Throne and Fireblood. I'll try to go easy on you. I usually don't like fighting girls." He suppressed a snicker.
Fury boiled inside of Amy and it could be easily seen on the outside. "Do not expect me to show any mercy!" He screamed as a column of fire erupted from the earth. Yoshi jumped smoothly out of the way, opening his wings a bit and caught the breath of hot air that was heated by the fire. He floated to a near by tree branch and just perched there, looking down at Amy as the fire died down.
He tsked, waving a long skeletal finger at Amy. "Temper, temper." He said. He snapped a small branch of the limb he was sitting on. The end glowed red then caught on fire, and Yoshi brought the red flame to his lips, opened his mouth and put the fire inside. When he removed the stick the flame was out but he did not lower it from his lips. Instead he breathed out through his mouth forcefully and a ball of fire similar to that of a blowtorch hurled at Amy. He was barely able to move out of the way. From in the tree, Yoshi burped loudly and tossed the stick aside. "Is that enough fire power for you?"
From at the bottom of the same tree, Ryuko frowned up at Yoshi. "Show off." He said. Yoshi shot down a wide, goofy triumphant grin, showing all his white teeth. Ryuko twisted his head to peer up at his cousin, which included looking all the way up and bending his back backwards some. The tall Chinese Shinma looked a little put off. "Hey Yoto, why don't you beat up someone?"
"I don't see anyone worth fighting." Was his deeply grave answer.
"Boy, you're just a happy little ray of sun…" A pained scream cut him off mid-sentence. He looked over and saw a small blonde woman in a dark red dress and white mask and the young boy that was with Night Gia earlier farther away from the scene of the main action. Miyu was standing close to them but her body was in the middle of a pillar of cold yet dim white light flecked with red lightning. He did not know much about magic, but he did know it was a spell of entrapment. "Miyu!" He yelled, leaping to his feet. "Shit, we forgot all about those two! Damn it, where is her Shimobe?" He looked around and saw his fighting against another Western Shinma. Ryuko looked up at Yoto again.
"I can take care of him." Yoto said without having to be asked.
Larva's attention was ripped away from his battle when pain laced across his mind followed shortly by Miyu's scream of pain. She was trapped in an entrapment spell, which Carlua had spun about her. Her body was completely frozen. She was in too much pain even to talk. "Miyu!" He yelled, but she did not respond.
Cait Sith snickered. "What's wrong with your precious little vampire?" He sneered. "You won't be able to help her anymore!" Cait Sith clenched his hands into fists, preparing to form his cat wraiths when someone grabbed him from behind. He felt large strong fingers wrap inside the back collar of his shoulder armor and lift. Before he had time to react he found himself two feet off the ground, being held in the air. He twisted his head around to see who was holding him and astonishment replaced anger in the blink of an eye as he saw he was being held by the biggest Shinma he had ever seen in his life. The guy had to be seven feet tall! And he was holding him up by one hand and the muscles of his arms were not even straining. Oh, in the seven bloody hells…!
"Shimobe," his voice sounded like boulders tumbling down a mountain. "Your vampire needs you." Larva was usually not used to having to look up to someone, at least not that much, so he did not say anything as he ran to Miyu's aid.
Yoto watched Larva run off, ignoring the struggling Western Shinma in his grasp. He scanned the battle that was lay out before him. There were eight Western Shinma, with one on the ship and one in his hold. That left them with six. Then why did he only count five? A sudden cold feeling washed over his bones that already had marrow of ice. He had a bad feeling about this…
The pain subsided long enough for Miyu to cry out Larva's name, but it was brief. I'm coming Miyu… he thought. Just hold on for another… His breath caught in his throat painfully, like breathing in a mouthful of cold water as Pazusu stepped out in front of him. Larva had to dig his heels into the ground and came to a screeching halt. Out of all the people whom he knew… "Pazusu!" Larva was barely able to talk from the shock. "Even you? What for?"
There was a tone of a heavy, unwanted burden in Pazusu's voice. "It's not that I want to…"
"Oh, Gods!" Ryuko yelled as he tried to rush forward. "Look OUT!"
"…But I must kill you, Larva!" The globe of white energy-magic that was forming in his hand was thrown forth and tore through Larva's body.
From inside the entrapment spell, Miyu screamed as he collapsed.