by Kate Grove
Finally, Juro gave a hard push with his katana, and Katsuo was thrown back but landed on his feet. Small dirt particles grated under his palm as he skidded to a stop. He was tense as he gripped the hilt of the sword tightly.
“Hah.” Juro attempted to wipe away the blood on his face but only managed to smeared it. The cuts from Ciara’s aria storm weren’t healing as fast as he thought, and the injury on his left shoulder throbbed. The scent of blood in the air was becoming thicker.
He pointed his sword at Katsuo. “Pathetic. You have so little youkai blood in you, yet you act so arrogant. Let me rectify not giving you a proper lesson last time.”
Juro lifted his sword, red energy seeping from his hands and running alongside the blade. It only took a moment for the red aura to engulf it. The katana pulsed as he prepared for a powerful attack.
In the background, Ciara’s eyes widened, and a shiver ran down her spine. Was there nothing she could do? Oh, how she wished at that precise moment that she had continued to practice the family tradition! She would have been able to use spells and defend against such attacks. She looked at Katsuo in panic.
His eyebrows furrowed as he debated on a counterattack, lifting his sword. At that moment, Juro swung his katana and let the red energy loose. A crescent-shaped light shot forth from the blade, heading straight at Katsuo. He held his katana diagonally before him, gripping the handle with both hands.
The impact forced him back a few steps, and he growled at the painful sensation as it ripped into his skin, but he couldn’t have dodged. Ciara stood right behind him, and he couldn’t let her get hurt. He gritted his teeth as he gathered all his power and, with great effort, pushed the red energy aside. It collided with the wall to the right and immediately disintegrated it. Dust whirled at the impact.
Katsuo glanced down, seeing the numerous gashes on his arms.
“Aw, how sweet, protecting your little birdie,” Juro mocked, lunging at him. Katsuo blocked as he swung his katana and counterattacked the next second. They were quickly engaged in a sword fight. To Ciara’s eyes, it resembled an intricate dance. She could recognize a move or two from Katsuo’s morning exercises, but it was hard for her to follow their movements.
“Is this your limit?” Juro yelled the next time their blades met. Katsuo didn’t grace him with a reply. “How disappointing. Time to finish playing.” Juro let go of his katana and a small blade slid out of his sleeve. He flung his hand to stab his opponent. Katsuo noticed it at the last moment and dodged, the dagger grazing his neck. He quickly jumped back and put a hand on his fresh injury. He could feel the blood leaking beneath his palm and its metallic scent tickled his nose.
Juro sneered, throwing the knife at Katsuo, but he easily easily parried it. However, this move gave enough time for Juro to retrieve his sword. He pointed the katana at Katsuo. The blade was starting to be enveloped in the red energy again.
“This is it. If you have any last tricks, I suggest you use them now.”
“You talk too much,” Katsuo shot back, moving his hand away from the wound on his neck. Ciara looked on worriedly as blood gradually seeped out from the cut, coloring Katsuo’s clothes. Juro hadn’t reached an artery, but if unattended, the wound could quickly become dangerous. Ciara wordlessly reached out but didn’t move from her place next to the wall. The youki pressure was still too much to allow her to walk.
“How sweet, trying to help him when it takes all your effort just to remain standing.” Juro was immensely enjoying the situation. With a surprising move, he threw another dagger using his left hand, aiming for Ciara. So he can still use his left arm, Katsuo thought as he caught the dagger mid-air and flung it right back at Juro.
“That’s not gonna work on m—” He was cut off as Katsuo followed the dagger with his katana. Juro gritted his teeth as he was forced to defend himself. By this time, the red energy had already completely enveloped his blade.
“You were saying?”
“Still not enough.”
Juro kicked Katsuo in the stomach, sending him flying back. He hit the wall next to Ciara, who stood frozen at the rapid movements around her. Her eyes couldn’t follow the fight properly.
“Know your place!” Juro yelled, swinging his katana and letting the red energy loose with a shout.
This attack was more powerful than the one before. Ciara could feel it in her bones as the crimson crescent-shaped energy headed for them.
There was nothing she could do.
Katsuo jumped in front of her and stabbed his katana into the floor before him. The wide side of the blade faced Juro’s attack. Katsuo wiped the blood from his neck and threw it at the oncoming attack. Small blades formed from his blood, but they did little to slow the energy heading for them.
Damnit, Katsuo cursed as he silently swore to protect Ciara. He gripped the hilt of the sword with his bloody hand. Power pulsed through him and into the katana as his blood dribbled down from the handle to the blade. His instincts flared just as the crimson attack reached him.
White light exploded from Katsuo’s sword, clashing with the crimson energy. He could feel it push against him, and he knew if he relented, Ciara would be hit by the attack. He couldn’t let that happen, so he endured until the last of the crimson light dissipated.
The clash was way more powerful than the first time Juro and Katsuo’s youki clashed. Its intensity pressed against the surroundings and Katsuo could hear Ciara gasp for air in the background. A loud crash deafened them for a moment as the two energies nullified each other.
Katsuo reeled to the side, grabbing his katana to steady himself. He was panting heavily as he stared at Juro. The power from their clashing energies didn’t even phase the bastard, and the small injuries Ciara had inflicted on him before were gone. His only visible wound was the hole in his left shoulder, but even that was healing rapidly.
Damn youkai and their self-regenerating abilities.
“Judging from your appearance, you don’t have any energy left for, well, anything!” Juro laughed like a maniac. “Die already!”
Ciara was shocked at the display of strange powers, but her instincts urged her to ignore everything and concentrate on surviving. She sent a worried look toward Katsuo, wishing for a miracle. Her Voice was gone, her other magical abilities lay dormant and rusty, and she had no idea how to wield a sword.
She’d never felt so useless in her life.
Juro lunged at Katsuo, sword drawn, and Ciara instinctively jumped at him, trying to protect the man she loved.
“Wait for your turn, birdie,” Juro snarled as he kicked Ciara away with a careless move. She landed in a heap, a few feet away. Tears of pain and frustration blurred her vision for a moment before she sat up. Her middle hurt, and it was hard to breathe, but she persisted. She would attack again and again even if she were to die—
Her fumbling hands found something solid on the floor. She snapped her head to the side to see a pistol there. Ciara’s eyes widened, and she could feel excitement rushing through her veins as she realized she had a chance. It had been long since she had last used a gun, but her grandfather had made sure she could use one anytime, anywhere.
A painful groan came from the direction of Katsuo. She looked up, alarmed. He was dodging Juro’s attacks as best he could, but he had cuts on his arm and torso more times than Ciara could count. Juro was clearly overpowering him; she had to make her move now.
Ciara lifted the pistol and gave it a quick glance as she hastily stood. She had no time to properly check the weapon and prayed that whomever it belonged to had taken care of that. She aimed the pistol at Juro, but he was moving too quickly.
She shouted at him, but no voice left her lips.
Damn it all! She stomped her heel on the wooden floor in anger. Katsuo glanced at her from the corner of his eye and grabbed Juro’s haori, throwing him off balance.
“What?” A surprised yell escaped Juro as Katsuo moved him between himself and Ciara.
She smirked.
&n
bsp; Perfect.
And fired the pistol.
65
The recoil was bigger than she had anticipated, and she was thrown back toward yet another wall.
I’m starting to think these walls have a secret grudge against me. Ciara sighed, gritting her teeth against the expected pain, but it didn’t come. Stunned, she opened her eyes, not understanding why she landed softly.
“Are you all right?” Katsuo asked. Ciara looked up and to the side. He was standing right behind her, half-hugging her. Her eyes widened as she realized he had cushioned her crash.
He was looking ahead but glanced at Ciara when she didn’t respond. She quickly nodded and turned back to see what had happened to Juro. Smoke swirled around where he had been standing, and it took a while to clear. When it receded, Ciara’s heart skipped a beat. Juro was struggling to get up into a sitting position. He was gripping his side, blood seeping through his fingers.
“Damn. I did not expect that.”
“It would be wise to retreat,” said someone behind him, still enveloped in smoke. His voice was eerily familiar. Katsuo’s grip on Ciara’s shoulder tightened.
“Don’t order me around, shinobi,” Juro spat as he finally got to his feet. The air completely cleared of smoke, and two figures emerged, standing behind Juro.
“Taiki,” Katsuo said emotionlessly. He didn’t want to assume anything. He didn’t want to ask anything. He just wanted to believe his friend and long-time ally was still trustworthy. A huge, black cat stood next to him. It reached up to his shoulders. Ciara recognized the creature from the hallway.
“Have you finished with the battle below?” Katsuo asked eventually.
“Funny,” Juro laughed then winced at the pain in his side. “You see him here and that’s the first thing you ask?”
Katsuo ignored him, staring at Taiki, silently begging that his eyes were deceiving him.
“Tell me this isn’t true. Tell me you haven’t been aiding him all this time.”
Taiki was silent as he looked away. Katsuo couldn’t see his expression because of the mask covering his face, but he noticed Taiki’s eyes had narrowed.
“I’m sorry, Kitayama-sama.”
“Don’t look so surprised,” Juro told Katsuo. “After all, we already knew each other before you met us. Or have you forgotten? Dear me, how deceptive human memory is!”
“You scum!” Katsuo instinctively flung blood blades at Juro, but Taiki was there to parry them with his katana. Juro smirked from behind him.
“I admit you caught me off guard today. Both of you. It’s your win this time. However, it shall not happen a second time,” Juro swore, turning his back to Katsuo and Ciara before wobbling over to the black cat.
“Let’s go,” he told Taiki.
The ninja threw something between them, and red smoke filled the tower room. Ciara coughed as it enveloped them. Katsuo couldn’t see anything but remembered that the wall next to them had collapsed and brought Ciara to the pathway outside.
“Damn him. What was in that?” Katsuo cursed, coughing.
As the smoke gradually cleared, they caught a glimpse of the black beast flying away on a cloud and carrying two forms on its back. Juro’s betrayal hurt a decade ago, but it was nothing compared to the anguish Katsuo felt at Taiki’s actions.
He trusted him. He was his closest friend. He was his right hand. He was like family. He grew up as if he was another little brother. Katsuo could feel his heart being squeezed as he looked after Taiki’s retreating form. Had all those years meant nothing to him?
A gentle touch on his chest drew his attention away, and he glanced at Ciara. She was looking up at him with a bitter expression, mirroring the pain in his heart. She raised her hand to caress his face. She was saying something, but no sound came out of her mouth, and he couldn’t read the words from her lips. It was as if she was speaking a different language.
“What happened to your voice?” Katsuo asked, alarmed.
Ciara gave him a lopsided smile and waved her hand.
“No, it’s important!” He grabbed both her shoulders and shook her a little. “What did they do to you?”
She laughed soundlessly and shook her head. She pointed to her chest. Katsuo’s eyebrows furrowed, not understanding. Ciara let out a frustrated sigh and looked away for a moment trying to remember if there was another way she could let him know. She recalled Yura’s gesture whenever she was talking about herself. Her heart squeezed as the girl’s face flashed in her memory. Ciara pointed to her nose.
“You did something?”
She nodded.
“Why?”
She looked at him pointedly and gestured around them at the crumbling tower room. Suddenly, she found herself enveloped by Katsuo’s arms.
“I’m sorry I was too late,” he told her. Ciara shook her head. It was all right. She squeezed him in reassurance, and they stayed that way for a few moments.
Too soon, they heard a scrambling sound coming from the exit, and Riku’s head popped out of the gap on the floor. He quickly ascended, sword in hand, looking alert.
“They’re gone,” Katsuo informed him, before his gaze found Kawayuki lying on the other side of the room. “Except that one.”
“What would you like me to do, Milord?” Riku asked as he took a stance above the fallen samurai.
“What about the battle down below?”
Riku went to the short wall and looked down. His face was tense.
“Total chaos, sir. It seems our men are being pushed back,” Riku observed. He added quietly. “What in the world is Taiki thinking?”
“He’s not there.”
“Excuse me?” Riku looked up at Katsuo in surprise.
“Don’t expect to see him again,” the daimyō said and let go of Ciara before walking over to the fallen Kawayuki. He glanced down at the samurai. “And I have no need for prisoners.”
He raised his katana. Ciara’s eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do. He was too quick for her to protest or stop him. All she could do was look away at the last second. She heard metal meeting the wood floor and something rolling away. She squeezed her eyes shut, but the sounds didn’t leave much room for interpretation.
She gripped the low wall next to her to steady herself. Her whole body was trembling as all the adrenaline left her system and shock set in following the horrors of the last couple of hours. She fell to her knees, breathing hard. She survived. Katsuo survived. Yura died. Blackteeth had died. Taiki betrayed them. But they survived.
“Take her to a secure room,” Katsuo told Riku as he saw the state Ciara was in. “I’ll finish the battle quickly.”
“As you wish, Milord,” Riku walked over to Ciara and squatted down next to her. He held out his hand.
“Milady?”
Ciara looked up at him, her eyes focusing on his face.
“If you would come with me…”
She glanced at Katsuo.
“He will join you later. Let’s get you out of here, shall we?” Riku’s smile was tense. A heartbeat later, Ciara put her hands in his and let him help her get to her feet. The trembling had subsided, but she was still wobbly on her legs.
66
They stayed at Kawayuki’s castle for a few days. Ciara waited in a room guarded by Riku and a handful of soldiers, until Katsuo’s army had won and they had subdued all enemy. She wasn’t told of the details how it happened, but servants’ whispers confirmed that after she had been escorted from the tower room, Katsuo joined the soldiers outside—accompanied by Kawayuki’s head.
After that, the battle quickly came to an end. Kawayuki had maybe a handful of loyal followers who were enraged at his death, but most of his soldiers lost the will to fight. Kawayuki’s followers were quickly dealt with, and those who didn’t wish to continue the fight were disarmed and locked away in a cell. Too many people were in too few cells.
Ciara knew from Katsuo that he still hadn’t decided what to do with the captured soldiers.
“We don’t take prisoners,” he told her that evening. Ciara’s eyes widened, and she grabbed his arm. There was no need for more bloodshed. Katsuo looked at her, contemplating. “For samurai, it is a great shame to lose and survive the fight. Falling in battle is the most honorable death everyone could hope for.”
Ciara shook her head, completely pale. She couldn’t understand. At least you had hope that things would be better as long as you lived. But if you died… What was the point of fighting?
“I don’t expect you to understand how honor works for us,” Katsuo said with a sad smile as he gently stroked Ciara’s cheek. She leaned into the touch, listening to his voice. “It is also true that the victor decides what to do with the defeated. I have not decided yet.”
Ciara put a finger on his lips, immediately silencing him. Katsuo looked at her in surprise. She withdrew her hand and wagged her index finger, tutting. Katsuo looked at her, amused, curious to see what she planned to do. He didn’t have to wait for long as Ciara’s lips met his in a passionate kiss. She always surprised him when she did that. He wouldn’t have expected that from any other woman.
The next day, Ciara was allowed to roam the castle grounds freely, as Katsuo’s soldiers guarded everywhere. She looked for the mirror, but it was nowhere to be found in the main building. She even checked the shrine where she had first emerged, but it wasn’t there either.
Disappointed, she made her way back to the castle. She wasn’t upset because she couldn’t go back. She was disappointed because if she had the mirror, she would be reassured no one else could use it. It meant Juro wouldn’t try to find Karen and drag her into his deadly schemes.
She shivered as she contemplated the possibility that he would go after her little cousin now that his plans for her had fallen through. Her feet led her in a random direction while she was lost in thought. A painful groan and shuffling sounds had jarred her awake.
Ciara looked up and around. How the hell did she end up in the dungeons? The blood in her veins froze as she suddenly recalled her time spent in this place. She had been here with Yura…
