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The Trials of the Shogun (Chapter 15) - Disgaea 7 Fanfiction
AN: Sorry for the wait! I’ve taken up the hobby of loom knitting as I deal with fibromyalgia flare ups and it’s kinda fun XD Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~!
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Chapter 15:
Fuji hated bruises.
He especially hated bruises on others. Or, rather, he hated them on Yeyasu. His pale skin and slender frame seemed to amplify the bruises. Showcasing them. Advertising them, even.
Fortunately, Yeyasu’s clothes hid markings, preventing anyone outside of their group of companions from knowing about them. From commenting on them. But that did not mean the bruises weren’t bother the guy. Fuji noticed when he winced or grimaced after he moved at a certain pace or made a certain movement.
His back, however, was completely fine. Yeyasu still didn’t know the magnitude of his injury as Fuji wouldn’t tell him. It was the way he responded to the injury that honestly bothered him the most. The guy was a cry-baby. He’d get a papercut and whine about it for hours afterwards. But the way he just accepted the injury, without fuss, was alarming.
Honestly, thinking back on things now, Yeyasu had been acting…differently for a while. Since regaining his shogun status.
Fuji couldn’t necessarily say it was a bad thing. In fact, at times it reminded him of how Yeyasu used to be before the whole…debacle.
Next to him, Yeyasu let out a huff as he idly rubbed his arm. Fuji noted the movement, but had to keep his gaze on their surroundings. After…what, four kidnapping attempts (or was if five?), he needed to be more vigilant that ever. Especially when it was just him and Yeyasu strolling through the streets of Ewwdo.
What happened yesterday could not be repeated.
“Good day, Shogun!”
Fuji could not help but frown at the voice, while Yeyasu in turn immediately placed a smile upon his lips and tilted his head in the direction of the voice. And gave a short wave of his hand in response.
With them now possessing four items of the Purification Ritual, Yeyasu had wanted to head to their next destination as soon as possible. But it was Fuji who insisted that they take the day off. To take time to plan their next move.
The guy initially accepted that. He still had bruises to recover from. But he got annoyed when Fuji also ordered that Yeyasu did nothing in regard to the ceremony or the scroll. He went as far as forbidden him from his research!
He…still didn’t understand why Yeyasu was so insistent on the completion of the ritual. He was almost obsessed about the whole thing. Fuji had asked him numerous times already, but the guy would just deflect or give unsatisfactory answers.
There was something else behind his determination. Fuji just couldn’t figure out what, exactly.
“Good morning, Shogun Yeyasu~!”
Fuji felt his eye twitch at another nameless demon uttering out a far too cheerful salute to their shogun. It appeared that it was pure instinct that prompted Yeyasu to immediately turn toward the voice and idly waved his hand in return. A small gesture of acknowledgement.
Couldn’t they see that the guy was lost to his own thoughts?
Yeyasu suddenly smacked him on the arm with the back of his hand. “Fuji, I’m just taking a stroll through Ewwdo. You don’t need to snarl at everyone who so much looks at me.”
Fuji knew that he wore a scowl. He couldn’t help it. “We’ve been through this. Anyone could be a threat.”
“Right, right.” Yeyasu shook his head lightly in exasperation. “Just don’t attack anyone until you know for sure.”
Fuji snorted. “Just leave the bodyguarding to me. You obviously haven’t a clue that…” he quickly trailed off. Shit, he hadn’t meant to utter that aloud.
The mistake was immediately picked up by Yeyasu, though he chose not to point it out.
“Shogun Yeyasu, you’re looking beautiful today!”
That made Fuji bristle.
Yeyasu, however, placed a well-practiced cheerful smile on his lips and shot a glance in the voice’s direction. “Excuse me? I look beautiful every day!”
He received a few laughs in response from the demons around him. But next to him, Fuji grumbled something under his breath once more. Flirting out in the open like that. With Yeyasu completely oblivious, despite his flirtation back.
Yeyasu must have heard him mumble as he uttered a sigh. “Well, since you’re so on edge, let’s find refuge in a teahouse,” he suggested. “That safe enough for you?”
“Yeah, yeah, make all the remarks you want,” Fuji replied. “You’ll thank me for my protection sooner or later.”
“Oh, of course.”
Yeyasu insisted that he knew of a quaint little teahouse not far from the main strip. A place that was for the locals rather than any visitors or tourists. It should prove to be quiet. Private. For just the two of them.
They found the teahouse easily and just as Yeyasu predicted, it wasn’t overly busy. Only a few patrons and customers loitering about. It took them no time to place their orders before moving to sit down at one of the many tables littering the place.
Fuji immediately took charge in picking a safe location.
He sat them down in a private corner of the teahouse. No one else around. Window on one side of them and a wall on the other. Yeyasu, of course, had his back against the wall to prevent any sneaky back attacks while Fuji sat across from him, his back also against the wall as he kept a firm surveillance on their surroundings.
“We have one more location to go,” Yeyasu began. “Narusawa. The Ice Cave.”
Fuji uttered a sigh as he planted his elbow upon the table and rested his cheek in his hand. “Half the trial will be getting to the place.”
Yeyasu also sighed and folded his hands atop of the small round table between them. “Yeah, probably.”
The ice cave itself was a hassle. But they had to traverse through a forest to even get to the place. Bitter cold, too. He wasn’t aware if there was a known altar inside. Despite his travels, he hadn’t had much to do with the place. Underground locations weren’t exactly his thing.
He could only hope that the Guardian Beast was as reasonable as the one from Arashiyama. And nothing like the dipshit from Yukushima.
He really wish he could hear them. What kind of things were they telling Yeyasu? What was Yeyasu telling them in return? Did they know the truth behind Yeyasu’s determination?
“You know,” Yeyasu began as he tilted his head to the side, “you seem grumpier than usual.”
Fuji snorted. “Grumpy is hardly the right word.”
Yeyasu arched a sceptical eyebrow. “Then what would you use?”
Fuji tapped his fingers against the top of the table. “Frustrated.”
“…About yesterday?” Yeyasu asked quietly.
“Obviously,” Fuji bit out, more harshly than he intended. But that feeling was toward himself and Yeyasu himself didn’t react negatively. The bitterness he felt toward the situation, toward himself was obvious. And intense. “Jigme got you alone yesterday. If he wasn’t so far up his own ass, he could have just whisked you away. Just like that. And there will be nothing I could have done.”
Nothing he could have done…
“Oh…” Yeyasu uttered as his face suddenly paled. Obviously, the idiot hadn’t considered any of that. “Y-yeah, I guess so.”
Honestly, for someone who always shrieked and demanded rescue and protection, he was abysmal at assessing for true, actual danger. And after everything that happened? Still oblivious.
Yeyasu’s gaze unexpectedly shifted to stare at the empty table between them, his fingers twisting around the material of his hoari. He appeared somewhat…hesitant. His lips pressed together in a thin line as he sat silently.
“Fuji,” Yeyasu finally broke the silence, “he knew about the Purification Ritual.”
Fuji felt his jaw tighten. “What do you mean? What did he know of it?”
Yeyasu’s fidgeting intensified. “He knew that we had already gathered three items. He knew why we were there. But…”
“But?”
With a sign of resignation, Yeyasu finally turned his bright red eyes in his direction. “He said that he wasn’t interested in the items or the scroll.”
“I see.” Fuji had figured as much. “So…he’s still focused on you?”
No surprise. The guy had been in the shadows for countless years and was still obsessed with Yeyasu. Some little ritual wouldn’t be on the guy’s radar. And he wouldn’t give up that easily.
“If he knows of the scroll, then he knows the locations,” Fuji murmured, displeased. “Which mean, he’s going to be at the next one.”
Yeyasu nodded his head, seemingly having reached the same conclusion. “Yeah. He…must have been watching us.”
Another point of frustration. Yeyasu had mentioned before that Jigme was able to look at him through the hollow eyes of the masks. With masks of all types scattered all over the damn place, it was hard to tell which one was thanks to that bastard or was merely a bit of decoration or memorabilia.
Trapesing across the countryside to destroy every single mask they stumbled across was not a possibility.
That bastard…was a slippery one. Staying in the shadows. Attacking from the shadows. Getting others to do the dirty work for him. A coward. Without a damn doubt, the bastard was a coward. Fuji preferred if his enemies would just announce themselves and line up to get their asses whooped.
Fuji was pulled from his frustrated musings when he felt something soft trail over his bicep. He didn’t react, however. It wasn’t a negative touch. Oh, he knew the difference, alright. Harsh, even brutal touches he had endured over the many years of his life. Starting with his father.
But this touch…It was gentle. Something he wasn’t entirely used to.
“You know, your markings really are starting to fade,” Yeyasu suddenly commented quietly, his fingers barely brushing against his skin.
Fuji turned his head to idly cast a gaze over the physical representation of his curse. The deep red colouring marring his arm and half of his chest. He barely paid attention to it, anymore. The blood pooling in the back of his throat was always his main concern.
But as he glanced over the marking, he realised that Yeyasu was right. The bright red had begun to shift into a dull, rusty red. “Yeah, they really are. In time, they made even fade completely.”
Yeyasu uttered another quiet sigh as he pulled his hand back, a look of frustration mingled with determination on his face. “I’m still going to complete the ritual, Fuji.”
Fuji felt his own frustration grow. The tonic and medicine that Yeyasu had crafted up himself, by himself, worked perfectly fine. No side effects. Worked almost immediately. And allowed him several blissful hours without his damn curse.
There was nothing more that needed to be done. Especially not something that required trapesing across primitive wilderness to telepathically speak to some Guardian Beast, and deal with their little trials.
“Why are you so adamant about this?”
“Why are you so against it?” Yeyasu quickly retorted.
Fuji fell silent. He knew that Yeyasu was doing everything for his sake. For him. He just wanted to know why. It wasn’t just for Ao’s sake, like he stated before. That wasn’t the sole reason. The main motivator. He was sure of it.
What he wanted to know more, however, was why Yeyasu looked so damn…sad whenever Fuji asked him why he’s so determined.
Just like the expression Yeyasu wore as he stared at him over the table. It wasn’t a glare or even a pointed stare. Just a…look. Soft, almost withdrawn. A look that…didn’t suit him, honestly. “Fuji, tell me the truth. Why are you against this Purification Ritual?”
Fuji uttered a sigh in frustration as he roughly raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m not against it exactly. It’s just…”
Yeyasu leaned forward slightly in his seat. “What?”
“I’m not used to anyone going to such…extremes for me.”
There, he said it. He was used to doing things on his own. For money. For a lot of money in return. He received some help from Master Higan, but it was mostly left up to his own wit and skill to get through things. To get things.
Fuji pivoted in his seat to stare straight back at Yeyasu. “Now, tell me; why are you so dead-set on this?”
Yeyasu sat silently, his gaze holding his. His expression changed slightly. Ever so slightly. The downturn of his lips, the tension of his jaw, and his eyes misty. As if holding back tears. Something Fuji had witnessed several hundred times before.
But this was different. Somehow.
“…Someone should have tried this sooner.”
That wasn’t the reason. He was still being evasive with him. Why?
“A few have tried to help,” Fuji muttered. “But nothing helped.”
But Yeyasu was the first to give him hope that it was achievable. He created the medicine for him, for Hades’ sake! No one, absolutely no one during his countless years suffering from that damn curse had even come close to achieving everything that Yeyasu had.
Yet, that wasn’t enough. What was driving him? His ego? What did he hope to achieve from it all? There had to be some reward he was hoping to get in return. What was he talking to those Guardian Beasts about?
…Yeyasu was different from him, he supposed. Maybe he didn’t have a motive. Not one that Fuji understood. He was one who had obvious motives, wanting to get something out of everything he did. Money, for the most part.
He just…couldn’t comprehend someone being so innocent.
Like how he imagined Yeyasu to be.
“Ah, I see,” Yeyasu suddenly uttered as he leaned back into his chair and dropped his curled fist into his hand. “You don’t want to be disappointed again.”
Fuji idly scratched his head. “Meh, I guess so.”
“That makes sense,” Yeyasu contained to prattle. “With all my previous failings, it’s no wonder you’re dubious about this.”
Fuji immediately frowned and snapped a sharp gaze in his direction. “That’s not what I said.”
Yeyasu appeared nonchalant, dismissive even, as he continued to disrespect himself. “But it’s true, right? I mean, like, I get it. It’s understandable. I don’t have the best track record. But this is different. I’m definitely going to get it right this time.”
“Why?”
“Why not?”
Fuji felt a vein in his forehead twitch. Damn it, stop being so damn evasive!
The vein in Fuji’s forehead threatened to burst when Yeyasu immediately plastered a cheerful smile on his lips and turned his attention toward the one who so arrogantly yelled a greeting. With a frustrated grunt, Fuji slammed his hand atop of the table, startling the idiot across from him.
“Can we have one conversation without someone interrupting?”
“Stop being so prickly,” Yeyasu immediately chided. “I am the shogun, after all.”
A shogun that was the target of a masked asshole. Couldn’t the damn commonfolk stop announcing his presence and location already?!
“Dad! Mom! There you are!”
That voice immediately quelled the silent fury within Fuji and he sat up straight in his seat. A mere second later, his daughter appeared before the table. Happy, cheerful, completely unbothered. “Hm? What’s up, Ao? You didn’t destroy a mochi stall again?”
A pout twisted upon Ao’s lips. “Of course not, Dad. Ao knows not to hit the mochi too hard.”
“That’s great news,” Yeyasu suddenly interjected. “I’m sure the mochi you help make tasted amazing. I’m jealous.”
A precious smile quickly returned to Ao’s lips as she pivoted slightly to give Yeyasu her full attention. She folded her arms behind her back and began to way back and forth on the spot, in a completely sweet and adorable way.
His daughter was so unfairly loveable, it was no wonder he was so protective.
“Ao will make Mom and Dad some mochi, too.”
“That’s a good girl. I look forward to it!”
Fuji could not help but watch the scene silently. Yeyasu took on the role of ‘mom’ far easier than he had expected. The guy was a renown pervert, but that was all for show. He never did anything, never touched anyone without consent. Hell, he would turn his gaze away whenever…accidents happened.
He was such a virgin.
“Only if Mom buys Ao some Yakitori!”
“Right, right.”
Behind Ao, just a few steps away, was a female demon. A tray of drinks in her hands. Obviously, she was a waitress with their drinks. And about damn time.
But as she approached, the waitress looked down at Ao before turning her gaze back to Yeyasu. She looked between them a few more times before an obvious wrinkle appeared on her brow. “Wait, you have a kid?”
An expression of utter pride spread across Yeyasu’s face. It was…honestly adorable.
“Sure do,” Yeyasu replied. “Ao is my daughter.”
“Yep! Ao has a dad and a mom!”
Damn it all, Ao looked adorable, too! Lucky that medicine Yeyasu crafted for him worked. Stopped him from spewing bucket loads of blood. The sight before him was so adorable, that he felt the curse stirring.
The…cuteness was that strong.
Ugh, the two were going to kill him.
Fuji was pulled out of his inner monologue when he noticed a rather…mischievous smile curl upon the waitress’ lips. “Oh, a mom and dad? How fortunate!” she placed their drinks upon the table. “So, does that mean Mom and Dad married?”
Yeyasu immediately made a high-pitched squeak and stiffen in his seat. But it was the blush, a deep, roaring red, that was most notable. “H-huh?”
Before Fuji could respond, in a manner that was expected of him, Ao uncharacteristically uttered a huff of annoyance. “Not yet. But Pirilli is working on it.”
Fuji twitched. Prilikia…
“I see!”
“F-friends!” Yeyasu finally shrieked. “We’re just friends!”
And, for some unrecognizable reason, that annoyed the shit out of Fuji.
“Oh, of course,” the waitress returned. Scepticism heavy in her voice. She sounded downright patronising. “You must be real good friends.”
That caused the blush on Yeyasu’s cheeks to somehow darken further. He spluttered incoherently, his hands flailing about as he tried to…dunno, just respond. But his reaction, the redness to his cheeks, his flustered and frazzled appearance…
Shit…
The waitress had the audacity to chortle as she walked away. “They’re just friends!” she suddenly called out.
And not a mere moment later, another demon appeared. In the getup of a chef. And he snorted. Loudly. “Pffft, must be one of those special friendships I see going ‘round.”
From behind his hands that covered his face due to sheer humiliation, Yeyasu muttered out to him. “Fuji?”
Fuji ran a frustrated hand over his face to hide his own embarrassment. “What?”
“If you raze this place to the ground, I won’t mind.”
“Tempting. Really tempting…”
If he didn’t know better, Fuji would assume the assholes got dirt and information from Pirilikia. Speaking of which, he needed someone to remind him to absolutely murder her when they returned to the nethership.
“Yeyasu, there you are.”
Yeyasu’s head immediately snapped up in surprise. “Suisen? Something wrong?”
Suisen was silent as he drifted over toward them. His expression was stoic, somewhat unreadable. And that, in turn, put Fuji subtly on edge.
The kid wasn’t out for an afternoon stroll, that was for sure.
“Well, perhaps,” Suisen replied as he paused by his brother. He hesitated, however. Silently debating with himself on what to say. Or how to say it. “There is…an issue of sorts. Apparently, from what the caretaker of Ewwdo’s cemetery claims, someone or something has been disturbing the graves. Seemingly searching for something. And…unfortunately, he found some masks littered amongst the graves.”
I'm sure there is a trope title for this, but anyway I absolutely hate when two side characters are having a moment, be it sweet, intense, or even somber, only for the Main Character to butt in, insert themselves into the middle of the conversation, derailing it, and making the moment all about them. There is nothing on earth that will make me hate a character faster than that.
Oh, I feel this! Be it the Main Character or the Important McGuffin, just let the side characters have their moment in peace, please? It also annoys me when a couple of characters are having an important conversation, only for another character to butt in with "whatcha talking about?", putting halt to the conversation entirely. And then that character gets mad that they're not involving them in the conversation. Believe it or not, people are allowed to have conversations that don't involve you. Sometimes learning to sit and listen is actually useful, ya know?
The Trials of the Shogun (Chapter 14) - Disgaea 7 Fanfiction
AN: Hope you enjoy reading~!
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Chapter 14:
The chains that held him prisoner were painful. But not nearly as much as the thought that Jigme had somehow…seriously harmed one of his companions.
It…wasn’t true. It couldn’t be.
He didn’t want to be the one at fault if…
A spike of energy suddenly resonated throughout the clearing and the masked puppet that stood directly in front of him disappeared from sight. Only a white blur was seen before the puppet was thrown to the side, the wooden mask splintering in a shower wood chips.
A mere second later, the chains that were so taut and relentless around him loosened. Yeyasu staggered back a couple of steps, his steel bindings falling uselessly to the ground. The pain lingered, but it was momentarily pushed aside for confusion.
What-?
“Yay!” a childish giggle, a giggle so familiar, was heard. “Ao found Mom first!”
Yeyasu felt breathless when his brain finally proceeded that voice and he immediately, and honestly frantically, searched the battlefield. Ignoring all the fallen puppets. Where his gaze finally fell upon the figure of a young appearing demon with a white and blue kimono.
Ao…She was ok!
The relief Yeyasu felt was indescribable.
“Mom!” Ao hurried over to him. “Is Mom ok?”
Yeyasu nodded. “Y-yeah, I’m in one piece. Your timing is amazing, Ao.”
Ao didn’t smile at the praise, however. She kept a frown on his lips as she cast her gaze around their surroundings. And for good reason as some of the fallen puppets began to move, pulling themselves together.
“Ao, the masks themselves need to be destroyed,” Yeyasu quickly explained. “They’re still dangerous, despite being parted from the cloaks.”
“Ok,” Ao replied firmly. “Ao will just have to destroy them completely.” A dark shadow suddenly darkened half of his youthful face. “Ao will destroy them all.”
Yeyasu did not feel remotely sorry for Jigme. Ao was Fuji’s daughter, after all.
Ao didn’t hesitate to attack the masks as they popped up like horrific jack-in-the-boxes. Destroying mask after mask. She was so fleet of foot, easily dodging the rapid attacks from blades and chains.
Haha, yeah, she was definitely Fuji’s daughter.
Still, he couldn’t let her do all the fighting on her Ao. She did seem to enjoy it. A bonding experience with her father, no doubt. But…he could muster up a few spells, too. To show Jigme that he wasn’t completely useless.
He…needed to prove that to himself, too.
Yeyasu tightened his grip on Tokugawa Tenge and raised it before her. Readying it for an attack. But a swift movement from the corner of his eye stopped him. He immediately cast his gaze in that direction and watched in utter disbelief as a mask and cloak slowly unfurled from the forest floor.
Another puppet. Just like the others. Only, it wasn’t. Something was different.
Wait…that mask had been damaged! The lower portion completely gone. Only the splintered border where it once was. How was it moving?!
The puppet stretched to its full height only to pause. It looked incomplete, somehow. Wait…it didn’t move like the others. It was lopsided. One sleeve completely listless, while the other held a sword.
Jigme…didn’t have the entire puppet under his control. Only one arm. One blade. The cloak moved silently. Soundlessly. Halting only to hover directly behind Ao. And raised a blade.
Ao hadn’t noticed it yet.
The glint of the silver blade prompted Yeyasu to lurch forward. No thought, no plan – he just moved forward. And planted himself between Ao and the sharp, single blade from the puppet.
A strange…stinging sensation suddenly spread across his back. Across his shoulder blades. Sharp, biting, and burning. It was somewhat dull, yet intense at the same time. His mind couldn’t fully comprehend the sensation. But his body could.
Tokugawa Tenge tumbled from his grasp as he fell to his knees and haphazardly fell back to sit on his heels. He suddenly felt strangely weak, the burning across his back intensifying when a mysterious warmth spread across his shoulders. And slowly made its way down his back.
He…
Ao spun around to face him, her eyes widening when she spied the puppet behind him. A puppet he himself couldn’t see. But he knew it was there. He felt its presence. And he heard a low mutter. An echo, nearly. Of Jigme’s voice.
“Sacrificing fool. Just like…”
Ao suddenly disappeared from sight, but Yeyasu knew where she went. He also felt her presence behind him. A spike of power followed before the splintering of wood. And Jigme’s existence within the mask abruptly disappeared. For good.
“Mom!”
A split second later, Ao was before him once more. Her hands on his shoulders. She looked at him, unexpectedly teary-eyed and worried. Her youthful face pale.
Hah…he knew it. He was injured. Again. It was…different, though. It hurt. A pain similar to when he was stabbed not long ago. Yet, he wasn’t as perturbed. Not as worried, like he should be. It…was for a good cause, he supposed.
His arms felt heavy. Like blocks of stone. But Yeyasu managed to lift them and around them around Ao’s neck and shoulders. To pull her into a hug. One of comfort and reassurance, though it might be directed more at himself. “I’m glad you’re ok…”
“Mom?”
“Jigme…taunted me earlier. He said that you had been killed. He said such terrible things. I…know how strong you are.” Yeyasu pulled back from the hug and rested his hands on his daughter’s shoulders. He tried to smile, but it felt forced. Tired. “Strong and capable. But…I was still worried. And scared.”
Tears rolled down his cheeks and he pinched his eyes shut. “If anything happened to you, I would never forgive myself…”
Under his hands, Yeyasu felt Ao shift. She moved strangely. Erratically. Ao was…trembling?
No, she was seething.
Yeyasu peeled open his eyes when he heard Ao growl under her breath. “Ao is angry. Jigme hurt Mom. Ao knows Jigme is hiding somewhere close by. And…I will hunt him down. And I will kill him.”
Ao suddenly disappeared from in front of him and just a mere second later, he heard a series of explosions and felt the fury of several attacks. Yeyasu lowered his hands to his lap and uttered a sigh. His…back was painful. And his head hurt, too. Too many spells in a short amount of time. He felt strangely lightheaded, despite the pounding of his pulse in his ears. And he felt…cold.
How…bad was the injury on his back?
Yeyasu’s eyes widened and he grew tense when another explosion occurred behind him. Forceful and fiery, a total disregard to their surroundings, and yet still controlled. So, it was familiar to him.
“Someone’s going to be really upset when I shove Kanzan Musashi clean up their ass!”
Fuji…
H-he wasn’t talking to him, was he?
“Dad, Mom’s hurt!”
“What?!”
The sound of footsteps behind him was reassuring. Masks were unable to walk, after all. Despite the chaos around him, Yeyasu felt oddly calm. Merely raises his arms to hug himself as his back continued to hurt, painful with each breathe.
From the corner of his eye, Fuji skidded to a stop and crouched next to him. A hand on his shoulder. Not back. Just his shoulder.
“What happened?” Fuji demanded, his voice gruff, his anger barely restrained.
“A sword,” Yeyasu murmured. “Jigme was just toying with me. I’m…not sure what damage has been done. It…hurts.”
Fuji swore under his breath as he suddenly leapt to his feet, an attack following immediately after. “There’s too many damn masks here!”
As the repercussions of the attack faded, the sound of clinking chains followed. Masks must have gathered around him again. Chains at the ready. Jigme was still trying to capture him through the use of those damn chains. Even when he was hurt. Just what did that…asshole want with him?
Fuji quickly returned to Yeyasu’s side and grabbed him by the arm. And tried to pull him to his feet. Yeyasu uttered a pained whimper as he tried to get his legs to work. But the pressure on his back was almost too much.
“Sorry,” Fuji murmured quietly. “But I can’t leave you here to fight. There’s too many of the bastards.”
Yeyasu didn’t want to move. He truly didn’t. But he knew that Fuji was just trying to protect him. He obviously knew their situation better. So, it was with a lot of effort and help from Fuji himself that allowed Yeyasu to struggle to his feet, Tokugawa Tenge limp in his grip.
He uttered another pain filled mewl when Fuji suddenly released his hold on his arm and stooped down next to him. Where he proceeded to wrap a strong arm around the back of his legs, just above the knees.
“Hold on,” Fuji uttered as he stood up slowly, prompting Yeyasu to grasp onto his shoulders for support, and lifted him up off the ground. Keeping him close to him. “I’m not allowing that bastard to separate us again.”
With Tokugawa Tenge in his left hand, hanging loosely by his side, Yeyasu wrapped his other arm around Fuji neck and shoulders, and rested his cheek against the top of his head. The manoeuvre wasn’t comfortable, but it was…comforting, he supposed.
“Fuji, the masks,” Yeyasu began. “You need to destroy the masks completely. Jigme still has some control over them, even if the mask is half damaged.”
“Fine,” Fuji spat out, lacking his usual sadistic enthusiasm. “I’ll just have to burn this place to the ground.”
Yeyasu squeezed his eyes shut to push back the nausea that just had to stir when Fuji began to move. He sensed the presence of his attacks, heard him cuss out the enemies around them, and felt the searing heat of his skills. Still, despite all the jostling, despite the rapid movements Fuji had to perform for his attacks, Yeyasu’s back didn’t hurt as much.
Was that a good thing?
“Only a few left!” Fuji barked out.
Yeyasu peeled open his eyes, taking a moment to blink back the blurriness of his vision. And stared at the masks that lingered.
There was…hesitation in the cloaked masks, all of them tense and still. Suddenly, they all dropped to the ground. The strings pulling them severed. Despite that, Ao did not appear happy. And he heard Fuji utter a curse of disgust under his breath. They both truly wanted to find Jigme. The both of them truly wanted him dead.
…Hah. Yeyasu was relieved that Jigme appeared afraid of someone.
Still, that caused concern, too. Would he start to target the two of them next? Really target them, and not lie to Yeyasu about them?
Fuji uttered a gruff sigh as he lowered Kanzan Musashi to his side. He remained tense, though. Yeyasu could feel the tension in his shoulders and back. Which was understandable. The masks dropping could be nothing more than a trick.
So, Fuji and Ao remained on alert for a few minutes. And…nothing happened. Still, Fuji tightened his hand on Kanzan Musashi and unleashed a fiery attack, frying the masks and cloaks. And searing the fallen weapons and chains.
As ashes rose, Fuji placed Kanzan Musashi into its sheath. He tightened his arm around Yeyasu’s legs and slowly lowered him to the ground. The moment Yeyasu’s feet touched the dry, rocky soil, his knees buckled. And he crumbled to the ground.
“Is mom ok?” Ao asked as she helped Yeyasu to delicately sit back on his heels.
“Y-yeah, I’m fine.” A bold face lie, but he felt the need to reassure. And to apologise. “I’m…sorry. For pulling you all into danger like this.”
Ao smiled cheerfully. “It’s ok. Ao finds more danger than this.”
Yeyasu laughed but soon regretted it, his back promptly reminding him of his injuries yet again. “With Fuji as your father, I’m sure you do.”
Fuji didn’t respond to his words, however. His attention was focused upon his back. He felt him tugging and pulling at the clothes on his back. And when he uttered a terse swear word under his breath, Yeyasu knew it was pretty bad.
It would…explain a lot, honestly.
“How bad is it?”
Fuji was silent for a moment. “We need to get you back to the nethership.”
Ahaha…that bad, huh?
“Well, that was certainly quite interesting.”
Yeyasu immediately snapped his head up as a soft, wispy voice suddenly resounded in his mind. He instinctively scanned their surroundings, looking every which way. Searching for a Guardian Beast. One the size as the previous three.
Instead, his gaze was drawn to the ground. Where a small…bird was seen. Hopping across the well-trodden path. Fluffy, white as snow, with light brown feathers on the very tip of their wings. Amongst the fluff, two beady black eyes, a little black beat, and two tiny, spindly legs also the colour of black.
They were so…tiny.
“What the hell is that thing?” Fuji asked, suspicious and tense, as the little bird came to a stop right before Yeyasu.
“Easy, Fuji,” Yeyasu soothed. “They’re a Guardian Beast.”
Well, he was pretty sure that was what the little bird was, at least.
Ao glanced at the bird and frowned before she turned her vivid red eyes in his direction. “But Mom is hurt.”
“N-no, I’m alright,” Yeyasu insisted as he attempted to readjust himself, to take on a more formal, professional kneeing sit. “I just…need to pass the trial now.”
Next to him, Fuji bristled wildly and snapped his attention directly toward him. And snared his hand with his, forcing Yeyasu himself to turn toward him. “Are you kidding me? You can’t even stand on your own feet.”
Yes, Yeyasu was well aware of that. “S-so? I won’t need my back or feet for this.”
“That’s besides the point.” Fuji practically growled with frustration as he tightened his grip on Yeyasu’s hand. He unexpected still and drew in a sharp breath through his nose, seemingly calming himself. “Yeyasu, enough of this. The tonic works just fine. I don’t need all of this.”
Yeyasu was surprised by the level of calm in Fuji’s voice. But only momentarily, as his surprise soon melded into frustration. “What are you saying? Fuji, we have three items already. Just two more. And you’ll be free entirely. Why aren’t you happy with that?”
Fuji aggressive, fiery temperament soon returned. “Because it’s putting you in danger!”
“Wh-what?” Yeyasu spluttered before he waved his free hand toward the charred remains around them. “Oh, and this was just a walk in the park? How am I not putting you in danger, too?!”
“That’s completely different!”
“How!?”
A quiet chuckle suddenly echoed through his head. “Hmm, fascinating.”
Yeyasu instinctively stiffened, something he regretted immediately when, of course, his back protested. He soon realised that his hand was still being held by Fuji. A grip that was both tight, but not crushing. Not painful. And he made no attempt to dislodge his hand. Even as he snapped his attention toward the little Guardian Beast before him.
“What? Oh, right. Ah, my apologies,” Yeyasu rambled.
The little Guardian Beast wagged its tail, seemingly amused. “No, it is fine. Soothe your warrior by telling him that there will be no trial.”
That truly surprised Yeyasu. “What? Why?”
“Because you have already passed it,” the Guardian Beast replied swiftly, yet firmly. “I watched as you fought alone. I watched the devastation resting upon your face when you thought you lost your daughter. I saw the determination in your actions. You came this way for the Moon Bamboo. Despite outside interference, you are still determined. There is nothing more you need to prove yourself.”
“That’s…” Yeyasu sat silently for a moment, just letting himself absorb all the information.
He…passed?
“Your warrior over there has also proven himself,” the Guardian suddenly added, wagging their little tail in amusement once more. “He did not take kindly to the teleportation geo panels. A lot of bamboo trees will need to be replanted.”
An awkward laugh passed Yeyasu’s lips. “Y-yeah, I can imagine. Do pardon his actions.”
Guardian gave another wiggle of their tail as they hopped closer. Flapping their little wings to come to a rest on his knee. “It is fine. You truly are interesting, young Shogun.”
Huh? Him?
“Hey.” Fuji suddenly nudged him in the side. “What’s going on?”
Oh, right. He kept forgetting that no one else was able to hear the Guardian Beast. “Fuji, there isn’t going to be a trial. We’ve already earned the Moon Bamboo.” He paused for a moment as a smile twitched onto his lips. “In spite of you destroying half the forest.”
Fuji frowned, completely unapologetic. “I wouldn’t have to if some dumbass didn’t get separated.”
That was hardly Yeyasu’s fault. He refused to accept fault for that. So, he just rolled his eyes at the dragon. “Right, right.”
The Guardian chuckled once more. “Your warrior is quite fascinating, too.”
Yeyasu flushed lightly when he finally registered that the Guardian Beast kept referring to Fuji as his warrior. “Oh, ah, th-this is Fuji,” he introduced with a small wave of his hand. “He’s the one who been cursed.”
The Guardian flapped their little wings once more, taking a short flight to rest on Yeyasu’s hand, startling him slightly. But the little bird had their attention directed toward Fuji. “Yes, yes, I see. Quite a potent one at that.”
“If, no when I collect all the items, will…it work?” Yeyasu asked, prompting the little bird to hop around to face him once more.
The Guardian didn’t immediately reply, however, leaving him unsettled. “…It depends on your determination. And his consent.”
He…supposed that made sense.
Consent, huh? Fuji seemed to be against the Purification Ritual. For some reason. Did he…not believe it would work? Did he not believe in…him?
“Hmm, the two of you really need to sit down and have a chat.”
A-ah, he supposed so.
The little Guardian hopped around on his hand once more, to look over at the young appearing demon that knelt at Yeyasu’s side. “This young girl?”
“This is Ao. My daughter.”
“Ah,” the Guardian uttered as they quirked their head side to side. “How precious.”
Yeyasu felt pride swell in his chest. “Yeah.”
“Shogun, I do hope you come to understand how beloved you truly are.”
Yeyasu quirked his own head to the side. “Huh?”
The little Guardian, however, ignored his confusion as they hopped in the palm of his hand to face him once more. They waggled their tail once more; their beady black eyes focused upon him. “Before we part, one final gift.”
Before Yeyasu could utter a word, he felt a strange warmth suddenly engulf his body. A shimmer of light green light surrounded him. And a strange tingling, itching sensation spread across his back. From his right shoulder to above his left hip. Yet, it began to shrink, the numbing, tingling sensation abruptly ending when it reached the centre of his back.
Yeyasu felt slightly breathless as the warmth dissipated. “That-?”
“Yes, I healed you of your injury,” the Guardian Beast replied immediately as Fuji and Ao began to fuss over him, prompted by his tense reaction to the healing. “Your bruises will remain for a couple of days, I’m afraid. As will you exhaustion. Your next trial will not be easy. So, take this time to recover. And to rest. You do deserve it.”
A few days off? A shogun couldn’t really afford to do that. He had already skipped out on a few days of paperwork as it was. He…supposed it wouldn’t hurt to spend a couple of days in his office in Ewwdo.
Guardian shook their little head before they hopped off of Yeyasu’s hand, fluttering their little wings to land on the ground a mere half of metre in front of him. They had their back to him at first, but soon turned around. To look at him once more. “Shogun, one more thing if I may.”
Yeyasu tilted his head to the side in curiosity. “What is it?”
“Your next destination…will reveal certain truths. Information that will be hard to process.” Guardian turned their back toward him and hopped away slowly, quietly, as the fog that Yeyasu had pushed back ages ago began to return. Seeping through the tall bamboo trees to swirl around them.
And allowing the little Guardian Beast to disappear into the white clouds.
“I wish you luck.”
A swirl of mist suddenly pooled on the ground in front of him, only to dissipate a mere moment later. Where a pitch white bamboo fragment was found.
“Mom?” Ao called out to him questioningly.
“The Moon Bamboo,” Yeyasu said as he picked up the gift, relief in his voice. “That’s the reason why we came here. Let’s find the others. We can leave now.”
The Trials of the Shogun (Chapter 13) - Disgaea 7 Fanfiction
AN: Hope you enjoy reading~
-
Chapter 13:
Arashiyama held an eerie stillness and silence. Tall bamboo trees grew close together, creating dense but natural walls and barriers. A light fog hugged the forest floor. It presented the unique sensation of walking on clouds, the paths beneath their feet hidden from sight. They have only the walls of green bamboo and their own courage as guides. Any step could lead to an accident. Or a plummet.
A true labyrinth, if there ever was one.
Yeyasu kept his hand pressed against his chest. Once again, the ever-important scroll was hidden in his robes. He had little idea of where the altar could be, so he needed to rely on the scroll itself to alert him.
He hoped they would find it soon. Something about the place gave him the creeps.
As they paused at a crossroads, Yeyasu glanced back and forth between the new paths. And jumped slightly when a black figure dart through the bamboo trees and fog. He immediately turned his attention in the direction disappeared in. Yet, he saw nothing. Just dark green bamboo shoots and white fog.
It was just his paranoia. Probably.
Until he caught a similar dark blur from the corner of his eye. He naturally jumped again and scurried close to Fuji. Well, closer as the guy was only a foot or so away. Seemingly at all times.
“Wait,” Yeyasu murmured as he hid behind Fuji. “I think I just saw something…"
Fuji immediately snapped his head up before he quickly surveyed their surroundings with a steely but protective glare. “Where?”
Yeyasu immediately pointed forward. To a path that seemed to curve into a sharp corner. Where the white mists swirled and churned. It…looked like someone had just moved through that path. It couldn’t be his paranoia. Was someone else with them? A local?
The muscles in Fuji’s shoulders suddenly tensed as he slowly reached for Kanzan Musashi. “There’s definitely something there.”
Those words prompted the rest of their companions to circle together; their attentions also focused on their surroundings. Yeyasu ended up in the middle of the protective circle and he idly retrieved Tokugawa Tenge that resided in a sheath that rested on his back. As he wrapped his fingers around the demonic weapon, his other hand touched the material of his hoari. Idly reminding himself to keep the scroll safe.
Something did not feel right. His bony spine was gripped in a violent chill. The staff itself seemed to indicate that there was something in the mists. But it…was not something he could control through Tokugawa Tenge.
So, what meant…
Yeyasu’s train of thought was disrupted when Fuji suddenly darted forward, Kanzan Musashi unleashed with one swift and fluid movement. As he moved through the swirling mists, a dark figure suddenly arose from the group. From the mist itself. Tall, with dark robes, and two swords extended from the long, heavy sleeves.
And a mask situated within the hood.
A mask? The masked puppets were here, too?! In the worse place possible, at that!
“He’s using the mist to hide!” Yeyasu yelped as he grasped Tokugawa Tenge.
Fuji cut through the mask easily, but as the robes fell away, disappearing into the fog, another arose, rising as if pulled upon with strings. Dangerous weapons unsheathed from the sleeves once more.
It was soon disposed of by another swing of the demonic blade.
Only for another to rise. And soon, several more puppets rose from the mists to surround them.
Jigme certainly knew how to hide his puppets. Having them lay in wait, only the silent magic within the mask before he pulled the etheric strings. There could be hundreds of the things hidden in the mist!
As Yeyasu’s companions threw themselves into battle, Yeyasu was struck with a confusing thought. Jigme had…somehow expected them to visit the location. He knew they would be here. How? Why? There were a million places they could have visited. There was no way the guy had puppets in waiting for them in every location.
R-right?
As the chaos of battles erupted around him, Yeyasu knew that Tokugawa Tenge’s innate powers would not be able to help him. There were no souls for him to take control of himself. But he had his wind powers.
Removing the masks from the cloaks should be enough to drop them. Remove them from the cloaks. Oh, it should also dissipate the fog!
Just as that thought filtered through his mind, five masked cloaks arose from the fog. Like deranged and horrifying dandelions. Surrounding him easily. His heart leapt into his throat as he scrambled to unleash a wind spell to push them away.
The sound of clinking metal gave him pause. From the sleeves of the cloaks, instead of long and lethal blades, ropes of chains appeared. A dirty black in colour. They made a distinct but still haunting sound as the links cluttered against each other.
In a terrifying blur, the Masked Puppets darted toward Yeyasu. The chains whipped up from their sleeves…
And wrapped around him.
Yeyasu released a startled yelp as the ropes of chains encircled him, trapping his arms against his sides. He stumbled over his own feet before his body tensed. Against his will. The chains immediately tightened around his fragile body, pinching and grinding into his clothes. Into his skin. His body was to be littered with bruises, no doubt. They were so heavy.
They hurt. A lot.
“F-Fuji!”
A Masked Cloak suddenly darted right in front of him. The mask leaning forward to get right into his face. Where Jigme’s voice echoed forth. “These chains cannot be broken by conventional means.”
Wh-what? What did that mean?
The mask just inches from his face suddenly tilted to the side. Where a clean crack appeared. Top to bottom. Wait, no, it wasn’t from the wood splintering. It was too clean. It was a cut from a sharp blade.
The tight chains suddenly gave way. Allowing him to move. To breathe again.
“Damn bastard,” Fuji snarled as he used his demonic blade to cut through the rest of the chains. “Lucky that I’m not the conventional type!”
The release of the chains freed Yeyasu from the weight, also. And he unconsciously stumbled back a few steps. He buckled forward at the waist as he hands crossed over his chest to clutch his upper arms, a vain attempt to reduce the pain.
Chains…Why did that bastard use chains? They were too rough!
With a flurry of slices from Kanzan Musashi, Fuji quickly dispatched the rest of the puppets that surrounded them. And immediately planted himself directly in front of Yeyasu. Protecting and guarding him.
“Yeyasu?”
“I-I’m all right.”
Kinda.
With the others busy and distracted by other cloaks, continuingly popping up from the fog, Fuji kept himself directly in front of Yeyasu, Kanzan Musashi grasped tightly in one hand, his other arm straight from his side. A motion to keep Yeyasu behind him. And an indication to tell Jigme that if he wanted to get to Yeyasu, he had to go through him.
And that…that was a little worrying. Jigme had planted possibly hundreds of cloaked puppets all over Arashiyama. He was going to great lengths to get to him.
Could those lengths turn…deadly?
Another cloak rose from the fog a few feet from where Yeyasu and Fuji stood. Instead of immediately attacking, however, it just stood there. Menacingly, but seemingly as still as a statue.
“I see,” Jigme’s voice echoed from behind the mask. “I really do need to keep the two of you apart.”
It then dropped down into the fog. Disappearing from sight.
Fuji immediately tensed, his head on a swivel, looking for danger that was sure to come. The mask had to be slinking around in the fog. Like some kind of snake. In search of a weak spot to promptly abuse.
Wait, his wind magic should reveal the ground.
Yeyasu took a half step back from Fuji and took a moment to concentrate. He focused the spell around him, the strong winds radiating outwards. And with it, dispersing the fog. To reveal the ground beneath their feet, a stark deep brown. Speckled with glowing squares of bright green.
Geo panels?
His breath hitched in his throat as he snapped his head down to look at his feet. Where a green panel flickered softly, quietly.
A teleportation panel.
He…had unintentionally activated it.
“Fuji! It’s a teleportation panel!” Yeyasu immediately threw his arm out. An attempt to touch the dragon that stood before him. To…take him with him, essentially. But just as Fuji turned around, startling realisation in his eyes, a bright flash blinded him. And he felt that sicking sensation of weightlessness before sudden grounding. Planted in a new location completely against his will.
Yeyasu staggered on his feet, his hand touching nothing but empty air. It took him a moment to steady himself, only to whip his head around to glance at his new surroundings.
Nothing but fog and tall bamboo trees greeted him.
He…was completely alone.
And surrounded by fog.
If…if he found another teleportation panel, he might be able to find his way back to Fuji or any of the others. But had they been teleported elsewhere, too? They must be scattered across Arashiyama!
Yeyasu stood stock still as he uttered a wind spell, concentrating it around himself like a tornado before exploding outwards. Pushing back the fog. And revealing the ground below. And that was all he saw; the harden soil of an ancient path.
The geo panels were gone.
That was the least of his concerns, however. Masks with bundles of dark brown robes littered the area. Each one somehow protected from the wind attack. Worse still, they were beginning to stir.
Yeyasu could not prevent a yelp when several masked cloaks unfurled from the ground into full form. Each mask turned in his direction. They did not reveal their weapons. Weapons that had to be hidden in the cloaks somewhere. They were still incredibly intimidating.
Crap, what should he do?!
Jigme must be somewhere nearby. But how could he had known that Yeyasu would be teleported to this location? Had he somehow messed with the geo panels? Argh, he probably did. He was known to be a greatly skilled magician, too.
“Ah, much better,” Jigme’s voice echoed from one of the puppets. “Some peace and privacy. A luxury, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Hardly!”
A low chuckle, without a hint of mirth, resonated from a mask. “You will come to appreciate this peace soon enough.”
Yeyasu did not like the sound of that.
He whipped Tokugawa Tenge around in front of him. There were no souls behind any of those masks, no doubt done on purpose. After all, their previous encounter was just for research. To study him. To learn what the demonic staff could do.
Well, he just had to use his elemental attacks!
He summoned another wind attack, concentrated around him just like before. But stronger. Yet, it…wasn’t enough. The winds only served to push them back a few steps. And the masks somehow remained in place.
How? D-did the bastard reenforced his puppets to make them immune to his elemental attacks? Damn it all, the guy had everything planned! Argh, screw him! Yeyasu was going to use as many attacks needed to fell one of those things. No matter the fatigue and migraine.
Yeyasu grimaced as he concentrated on a powerful star attack. As the magic circle appeared overhead, he heard the distinct sound of clinking chains. Just like before. He had the ignore the sound. And just concentrate. The masks were scattered, forcing him to narrow in one enemy at a time.
Just as he threw a powerful star attack at the closest mask, he staggered when something unexpectedly tugged at his right leg. Naturally, he looked down and his eyes widened. A chain had somehow encircled his ankle. Tight and unmoving. All Yeyasu could do was frantically shake his foot, to release it from his western styled boots.
After a frantic tug, his foot finally slipped from his boot and it was snatched away in a second. Finding himself with only one shoes, he felt off balanced somehow. So, he hopped stupidly in place to rip off the other boot, and the moment it was free, he threw it directly into the mask of the nearest puppet.
Ironically, that feeble physical attack was enough to knock the mask from the hood of the cloak. And cause it to drop to the ground instantly.
Ok. Right. Jigme had reenforced his puppets against magical attacks, but failed to also protect them from physical attacks. No wonder he needed to separate him from Fuji and the others.
The guy…was insanely obsessed with him.
“Your feeble attacks are quite charming,” Jigme mocked from his hiding place.
Tokugawa Tenge wasn’t meant to be used for brawling, but if the only way to smack those masks away from their magical source was to physical strike them, then he had no choice.
He…he had to do whatever it took not to get captured. Just fire one star spell after another, taking them down one by one. Use wind attacks to push them away from him. And belt them in the face should they get too close.
Time. He just needed to stall for time before Fuji, before his brother, or one of his companions found him. And…they would. They would come for him.
Wouldn’t they?
Yeyasu was abruptly pulled from his offensive strategy when something suddenly tugged at his cape that held his family’s crest.
A masked puppet. With two blades from the sleeves of it cloak. It…unexpectedly use those blades to slice into his cape. To destroy the Edogawa family crest? No. It seemed that its goal wasn’t to tear the cloth off of him, which was odd enough. But it twisted the blades within the material. Giving it…a grip of sorts. And it soon tugged backwards, the cape strangling him. And as a result, pulled him right out of his elemental spell.
Yeyasu’s hand immediately flew up to the small rope of chain that kept his cape in place. His fingers fumbled for a moment, but he managed to remove a clip. And allowed the cape to be torn away from him.
He staggered a few steps forward before he spun around and aimed a desperate star spell at the mask ripping his cape to shreds. He managed to score a direct hit to the mask, sending both it and the robes sprawling across the ground a few feet away. Completely separate from one another.
That…thing was incapacitated, right?
“I must admit that you are a credit to the Edogawa family name,” Jigme basically taunted from a nearby mask.
Yeyasu yelped as a puppet appeared right in front of him, and out of instinct, whipped out the demonic staff…and smacked the mask right out of the unnaturally empty hood.
“But I’m afraid you’re going to have to work harder than that.”
What? Summoning more puppets to tire him out? Crap, that was exactly what he was doing. He easily could have used those puppets of his to capture him with chains. They did it once before. Why was he so…considerate now? What did that asshole really want from him?
That question only became more distressing as Yeyasu watch the fallen masks move. They floated up from the ground, placid and quiet before merrily making their way to the discarded robes. Robes that seemed to inflate back into full form, the mask taking its rightful place withing the hood once more.
He…can control masks, regardless? That wasn’t fair!
Damn it. He should have realised that earlier. That meant that any mask that wasn’t destroyed or heavily damaged was still a threat. Jigme could use his immense skills to control the masks and shove them onto unsuspecting people’s faces. All without being seen!
“Why…?” Yeyasu panted as he used another star attack to push back a puppet. “Why are you here? Why are you in Arashiyama? What do you want from me?”
Jigme didn’t respond, which wasn’t all that surprising. But his puppets certainly did. Before Yeyasu could summon up another wind spell to push them back, several puppets circled him, chains free from their sleeves. Chains they promptly and brutally wrapped around him. Again.
A strangled cry escaped Yeyasu’s lips as the steel restrains pinched through his clothes to his skin. It was incredibly painful. He bit back another noise of pain as tears prickled his lashes.
Damn it, it seemed that Jigme had his fill with playing with him.
As the puppets kept the chains taut, a sole puppet, without any weapons or restraints, floated silently toward him. Gliding eerily over the ground. It literally did not make a sound. No wonder they were able to slip through the fog without anyone sensing them.
“You are wishing to perform the Purification Ritual?” Jigme’s voice once again echoed from a mask, giving the indicating that he was somewhere close by.
“How do you know of it?” Yeyasu demanded.
Jigme gave a low chuckle. “Of course, I know of it. Such powerful magic. I knew you were…special.”
Yeyasu had no idea what he was on about, but he had been called worse things.
“Fascinating,” Jigme continued. His voice low, husky, gravely. “And you have three of the items. You are very useful, indeed.”
How the hell did he know that? Had he been spying on him the entire time?!
Yeyasu pinched an eye shut in a desperate attempt to ignore the pain. “I won’t give up the scroll. Or the items.”
A sword suddenly appeared from the puppet’s right sleeve and in a slow, nonchalant movement, raised it toward Yeyasu’s face. The blade lingered by his shoulder, an action that immediately prompted Yeyasu to snap his head to the side. But that only caused Jigme, yet still acting through the puppet, used the very tip of the blade to cut through the bindings holding Yeyasu’s hair in place.
As the pink strands fell down around Yeyasu’s shoulders, Jigme uttered another chuckle. “I care not for either of those things.”
That caused Yeyasu to snap his head up in surprise. “What? Then what-?”
“You,” Jigme stated as he leaned in real close to Yeyasu’s face. Staring at him through those hollow eyes. “My dear Shogun. You…”
Yeyasu would have shuddered in fear if he could move. Damn, he could barely breathe because of those chains!
The masked being suddenly snapped its head to the side. An action that made it almost appear alive. As if there was something hidden behind that mask that made it real. But that wasn’t possible. Was…Jigme’s hold on these masks so strong that he could react to them? Why?
That hollow feeling of dread appeared in the pit of Yeyasu’s stomach. “What? Why did you pause?”
Jigme didn’t respond. And neither did the puppet. In fact, all the puppets became stock still. The chains did not falter, though. He still couldn’t move. But he should have time to summon a spell or two. If he could ignore the pain and concentrate…
“My apologies, dear Yeyasu,” Jigme’s voice suddenly returned. “I just needed to ensure the…kill was final.”
“Kill?” That dread Yeyasu felt earlier promptly turned into fear. “What? Who did-?”
Jigme gave a low chuckle before he replied, sadistic glee in his voice. “I wonder how that warrior of yours will feel when he learns that his precious daughter was killed because of you.”
Ao? What did he do to Ao?! Th-there was no way!
“No…No, you’re lying!”
Jigme quirked the puppet’s head to the side. To mock him. “Wish for me to bring her corpse to you? Perhaps it’s better this way, so that I can whisk you away to safety before her dear ol’ father turns murderous.”
Fuji…No, Fuji would never forgive him. His daughter…his precious daughter…
No. No, it wasn’t possible. It was just a taunt. Something to get under his skin!
R-right?
With tears in his eyes, Yeyasu shook his head frantically, uncaring that the desperate movements were only bringing him more pain. “No, you’re lying! I refuse to believe that someone like you could…could hurt Ao. I refuse!”
Wh-what of the others? Suisen? Fuji? The girls?
No…Jigme had to be lying. Taunting him. He had to be…
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