On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Two Hundred And Eighty-Seven

“I shall kill you all!” the Kijo Matriarch continued to rant. I was mentally exhausted and my reserves of elemental energies were, while not empty, certainly running lower than I would like. At least I replenished my aether by killing that piece of shit Kitsune. Even so, there was no way I could allow the situation to escalate. Judging from what I could gather, it seemed that Eri had been forced to fight while I was engaged in battle, and on seeing my aggrieved expression, the four-tailed Kitsune smirked, her steaming pipe dangling from her plump lips.

“Well, this is quite the conundrum. Do be silent for a moment, Matriarch.” She said, and the Kijo howled back imprecations.

“You do not command me, fox! My sisters and I are of one mind…”

“Oh, I don’t, do I?” the Kitsune said, her tone suddenly low, hard and cold, the exact opposite of the flirty, sultry persona she had projected before. Eri flinched, feeling oppressed, and the League radiating from the Kitsune was powerful, surpassing mine. “Perhaps not, but if you continue being insolent, I will have to teach you the difference between us, Kijo.” At that, the Matriarch paused, eyes wary.

“You don’t hear Red and Blue complaining any more, do you? We are the Hyakki Yagyō. We fight, we die. Besides…” her gaze flickered over to me, before it alighted on Shaeula. “It seems that Lord Nurarihyon smiles upon our little returning Kamaitachi here. Her … husband too.” Her hard, oppressive image vanished almost as soon as it appeared, almost as if it was an illusion, though from the nervous Matriarch that wasn’t the case. “After all, you can feel it, right?” she nodded to Urakaze and the two Oni.

“Ya, I get it. Seventy-First. Bit of a shock, ya know.” Blue said, shrugging.

“Yes. Lord Nurarihyon has accepted your argument.” Urakaze told me, and I was a little surprised. I didn’t really think it would work, it was more me being facetious. But if Shaeula has ranked up in the Night Parade, that might be our ticket to getting out of here. I don’t want to have to fight all those Kijo. Doing so would likely lead to our deaths, even if the situation didn’t escalate further, unless I chose to rely on a terrible weapon, in which case the Kijo would... well, hopefully it won’t come to that.

Urakaze and the others looked towards the massive house-shaped carriage pulled by the huge snakes, and their gazes were respectful. “Wait…” I asked, having a sudden bad feeling. “Is… is Nurarihyon here?”

“Har. Har. Har.” The Red Oni laughed, amusement plain to see. “Scared, man-thing? Well, you should be. Our lord, the Master of the Hyakki Yagyō, yes, he’s been watching the festivities. The others too, the big-shots.” He laughed again. “Those who run afoul of the Parade, well, there is no escape.”

Eri reached out a trembling hand to me and I took it, only to look at her, puzzled, as there was something off about her, not including the new catgirl stylings, which were rather cute, if not the image I imagined for her. The hands are quivering, and not from nervousness, it’s as though the flesh itself isn’t stable, somehow ephemeral… Before I could use my Eye to investigate it further, Shaeula spoke up, arms crossed, looking rather peevish.

“Threats, Oni? How-how disappointing. Have we not-not surpassed the trials you yourselves have set for us? Are the Hyakki Yagyō so disappointing, as to be-be…”

“Enough of that, ya uppity weasel.” Blue sniffed. “Listen to ya seniors. Maybe ya will learn something.”

Shaeula looked offended at that, but she had grown up, so instead of protesting, she merely shut her mouth, her eyes glittering darkly. On seeing that, Red took over, a satisfied smile on his brutal face. “Well, you can keep your cool. I worried you had your mothers’ temper. Urakaze here can be as sharp as her winds.”

“I do not appreciate your insolence-insults.” Urakaze sneered. “I shall take it from here.” She turned to us, Shaeula on one side of me, Eri on my other, Grulgor and Hyacinth beside me, and the cowering Yamato-san close by, his eyes darting to and fro, looking for an escape. Good luck with that. Even if Nurarihyon wasn’t here, we are surrounded on all sides.

“Shaeula, my daughter. It is no mistake-error to say you are part of the Hyakki Yagyō. And not merely-simply from my bloodline. You have taken your own place, and all of us can feel that. I am proud of you. Surprised-shocked, but proud. I… am sorry-apologetic that I had to leave you, and we will talk of this later. But for now…” she addressed the Parade. “Shaeula is my daughter. Seventy-First of the Parade. Treat her with the respect-honour she deserves, lest you face my wrath, and the wrath of all the Itachi.”

At her words, words Shaeula longed to hear, her eyes began to sparkle with tears, and with my free hand I pulled her into a hug. She seemed surprised and a bit embarrassed, though it was a bit harder to tell in her Kamaitachi form, but even so, I knew her well enough to sense her emotions. “You did it. Your father, your mother. Both acknowledge you and your hard work. Your dreams, you’ve made them come true. I guess our Oaths have been fulfilled.” I said.

“Hardly.” Shaeula denied, snuggling into my body, heedless of the gazes of the parade. “This is just-just the start. We have further to go. I shall lead the Seelie Court back to glory, and perhaps…” she eyed the massive house, ambition burning bright in her amber eyes. “… perhaps one day the Night Parade as well. After all, if there are ranks, I should surely be first, should I not-not?”

“She does not lack for ambition, this daughter of yours.” The Kitsune smiled. “But first? Ambition should be combined with reason. Don’t reach for the impossible, lest you suffer fatal misfortune.”

“Impossible? Tell that to Duke Myrcolaxriath.” She shook her head. “Only a few scant months ago, I was rather-rather pathetic. In that short time, I have changed. I shall change further, I have no-no doubt.”

It was then that a Tengu descended, beady eyes glittering in a crimson face with a bizarrely elongated nose. The black-feathered wings it bore reminded me unpleasantly of the Raven Knight, and Shaeula must have thought the same, as she regarded it with some disdain.

“Kamaitachi, I challenge…” it began, only for Urakaze to step forwards. “… no, not you, mighty superior winds, but your…” he then cut off his words as the wind flashed, nigh-invisible, and thin beads of blood leaked from a shallow gouge on his neck. Seeing flesh so red go pale from fright is quite the surreal sight.

“I would never interfere with the right of challenge. Not in front-before of the great abode of Nurarihyon.” Urakaze whispered, her tone dangerous. “But now is not-never the time, is it? Can you not see we have much still to discuss. The Matriarch…” she looked at the mob of Kijo coldly. “… will not be satisfied, and I believe there are many-more others too, who wish this unusual matter resolved.”

“I… yes, later” the Tengu flapped away, relieved to be alive, and several other bizarre Yokai who looked like they were interested in challenging Shaeula also backed down.

“My daughter, Shaeula. She is one of us. Therefore her dispute-fight with the Oni is merely… one of typical difference of opinion-wills. More bloody and deadly than usual, but who amongst us can say-speak we have not killed other Yokai for petty reasons or old grudges?”

“Yes, I concede. It was merely bad luck my poor dumb bro got involved. He always was a fool, too proud of his size and meagre strength.” Red gnashed his fangs, lamenting. “Yes, I’m sure he was a bastard, no kin of mine should be so dumb.” He nodded to me. “Fine. I’ll claim price instead of blood. I want alcohol. For my bro and the dead Oni, a barrel apiece. Good stuff too.”

“Why are you … he is just a human! The Parade makes no deals with humans! We are the Hyakki Yagyō, you shame Nurarihyon, the Hundred Demons, all Yokai in this land!” The Kijo Matriarch fumed.

“Ya sure do stop thinking when you are angry. Tch.” Blue snorted. “Think about it, will ya? He killed that yapping fox. Shit, I’d give him a pass just for that, ya know! All us women hated him. But… the daughter here, she’s now Seventy-First. Ya admit that, right?”

“I do, the ranking is inviolate, but…” she protested.

“But nothing.” The foxwoman interjected. “Think about it. He killed my poor, foolish little Kitsune. Oh, how the loss of even one is so saddening nowadays.” She said insincerely, blowing smoke. “Well, it is the destiny of this old hag to outlive all the younglings, it seems. But back to the subject at hand… his kill, her rank. That means Nurarihyon has accepted his plea that what is his is hers and therefore he is welcomed as a Yokai.” Her gaze was piercing. “Well, he is no Yokai, but he is definitely not entirely human. So… again, his deeds are a quarrel between the Parade that has turned bloody.”

“Even so, it is that bitch I want…” she pointed at Eri, who cowered, still remembering being cut apart by the other Kijo. As she did so her body quivered, and I could see her fingers lengthening, shrinking and merging together. My Eye flared, and I could see her body was a mess. Shit. I’m happy she’s still alive, but what the hell did I miss?

“You shall have to go through Akio and I first-first.” Shaeula promised. “Be a female of pride and honour your word.”

“But I was forced into this, I wanted to rend her myself! Besides, she is a human not on hallowed ground, by Nurarihyon’s own laws, we can take her, and none can…”

“Human? Really?” The Kitsune giggled, seemingly enjoying the Kijo’s discomfort. “I see some sort of hilarious… oh, my apologies, I meant unexpected, hybrid of human and Yokai. You mentioned Ginneka, the thieving cat, right?”

Eri nodded stiffly. “Yes, I did. She gave me her legacy, so that I might be able to fight back, and some… parting words.” She seemed a little satisfied, remembering, while Shaeula snickered.

I see. That explains a lot, but I wonder what I missed. But… Eri doesn’t have the chakra network to support that, no wonder she’s constantly draining aether from me. Ginneka, huh? I guess… thanks. for saving Eri. It must have been bad. Well, I always pay my debts. At that thought I felt a touch of amusement and hope tingling through my disarrayed Kin Bonding, quite opposite the usual annoyance and anger.

“Well then. It is… quite unprecedented. But she is a Yokai too, or enough of one to count.” The Kitsune smirked.

“Even so, Yokai can kill Yokai! Just as they killed the Oni and my Kijo!” the Matriarch said triumphantly. “And none can…”

“I grow tired-bored of this.” Urakaze said. “True. None can prevent you. But none can prevent me from standing at the side of my daughter who has returned to me.” She looked at the two Oni. “You will not receive your alcohol-booze if you let them die, correct?”

Red grinned. “True. And I didn’t get to rip apart anyone tonight, so my blood is still up. The booze cooled it a little, but I could still use a fight.”

“You would stand against me, one of your comrades, for these?” the Kijo cried, incensed.

“Shut up. Ya be giving me a headache, ya dumb wench.” Blue sighed. “So ya sister died. It happens. Remember the good old days? We used to fight the followers of the kami all the time. Blood on the streets of Kyoto every night. Ya forget that? Or perhaps these thousand years or more of relative peace have rotted ya brain? Lord Nurarihyon won’t be happy. After all, this girl here…” she looked at Shaeula, who had adopted a pose ready for battle, energies shimmering around her jade sickles. “… she’s important. Do ya want to have to fight the Itachi here, as well as those foreign Yokai? The… Seelie, wasn’t it?”

“Indeed. Eri is my sister, and she fought to save those who we swore-swore to protect. And then ourselves. Dead is dead. We have no need for vengeance. Not-not for the fallen. But if you dare harm my sister, I shall use all my might to see that every Kijo perishes, and none-none remember you.”

“I too.” I promised them. “If you wish to blame anyone, two people are at fault. Eri may have struck the killing blow, but I was the one who wanted to save everyone and so led us to battle, and Yamato-san…”

“Don’t bring any attention to me…” he hissed, panicked, but I ignored him.

“… was the one that brought them to this place unwisely. I struck the blow that wounded the Kijo savagely as well, Eri merely finished her off. If she didn’t, I would have, easily enough.” Now that my Eye was glowing and I was free of my curses, I started using the remaining spirit water I had to cleanse Eri, pouring it in to try and erode the curse that prevented her escape. Ugh, her body is a mess. The efficiency is lousy right now…

“Well, what about these intruders?” The Matriarch pointed a withered, pale finger at Hyacinth and the freshly regenerated Grulgor. “They did attack the Parade and…”

“Oh please.” I interjected, putting as much withering contempt in my tone as I could manage. “Hyacinth is the exclusive head maid of Shaeula and I, and Grulgor is our butler.” Grulgor looked startled at that, but wisely held his silence, having a greater capacity for thought nowadays. “When their master and mistress are in danger, it is only natural for them to rush into action. Just as you cherish your sisters, then they cherish us.”

“Well then!” the Matriarch said, pointing at Yamato-san. “What of this one?”

Damn. Yeah, here’s the rub. Yamato-san is human, he caused this whole mess, and I’m not prepared to risk much of anything to protect him. Politically, I’d get capital from Susanoo if I brought him back safely, and my faction is probably shattered by the deaths, but… well, I guess we’ll see how this plays out.

“Oshiro-san, do something!” he hissed, face pale. Five Golden Warriors sprang into existence around him, though the effort left his aether reserves dry. “You can’t let me die here! It was never supposed to be this way, I didn’t want anyone to get hurt, I’m not a monster, I’m a good man, else Kannon wouldn’t have chosen me!” he continued urgently. “I’m going to bring mercy and justice to the world! If not me, then who…”

“You might not be an evil man, just a foolish and arrogant one. But… will that soothe the cries of the parents of the dead? Or cover the losses of Mine-san and the others? Every one of us Candidates is precious. How many people will die as their abilities are lost?” It felt a bit hypocritical to say this, as I had basically destroyed Kondou Kazuo and his ability, but even so, there was a massive difference between him and Mine-san.

“All the more reason to help me!” he hissed, cowering in his ring of Warriors.

Looks like I’m out of options. I didn’t want to do this, but… “Well, how about this?” I asked the fuming Matriarch, ignoring Yamato-san while I considered our options. “I don’t recommend it, but… one more battle. You and as many of your sisters, versus us and any who wish to aid us. After all…” I looked out over the crowd, who were still enraptured by the tense emotion on display, their craving for entertainment of the most visceral kind being satisfied. “… the Hyakki Yagyō is a place Shaeula can call home too, but if Eri was to die here, she could never feel at peace here. And I’d put all my effort into exterminating every Yokai in Japan. I’m not Kannon, I don’t forgive that. I may not need vengeance for the slain, but for Eri? The Parade would burn. Even if it took me an eternity!”

“Bold words…” Rumbled the hitherto silent one-legged white giant. “… but fair ones. This grows boring, all this talk. Vengeance this, my slain sister that. Fight or forgive.” He looked down with a single, massive eye at Yamato-san below, licking his lips with a huge, disturbing tongue. “We have other, sweeter matters to attend to. Matriarch of the Kijo. Decide.”

“But…” she eyed the Oni and Urakaze.

“Ya can do this alone.” Blue said to me. “Ya made the suggestion, foolish and arrogant as it is.”

“I shall stand aside.” Urakaze also demurred. “I trust you would not be so foolish-idiotic to have no plan, hmm?” her gaze flickered to Hyacinth so quickly I doubt many others noticed, though the Kitsune seemed to, her grin sly.

“Well, I’m tempted to swing my fists, I could use a workout, but…” Red looked at me, and seeing I was confident, he shrugged. “… I’ll stay as a watcher. Don’t die, I want my booze to toast the fallen.”

“I will fight. Shaeula, Eri, Grulgor and Hyacinth too.” I said, surprising my companions.

“But, Eri, she is not-not in a fit state…” Shaeula began, only for her gaze to fall on a small droplet of water I created. A knowing look crossed her vision, before she nodded. “… but, yes, I see-see. Eri, you should stick close to me. Grulgor, you as well, I shall need-need a defender.”

“All right.” Eri nodded, her head wobbling on a rubbery, unsteady neck.

“This is all so very pointless.” I said, advising the Kijo Matriarch, and more importantly, the watching Yokai of the Night Parade. “Needless death won’t benefit anyone. We all need to pull together. Humans, Fae, Yokai, those chosen by the Gods, and more. We stand or fall together. I’d welcome a non-aggression pact, trade, alliances, and more. But not at the cost of anyone I care about. So let me just say this. Let this finally be an end to it.”

“You think you can win? Kijo are hardly weak-feeble, my daughter.” Urakaze said softly. “And the Matriarch is powerful, if not on my level.”

“I am confident. Though Akio is right. This is quite-quite foolish. A pity.” She had begun to pour her own spirit water into Eri. Droplets of black ooze were running down her legs and arms, smoking as they hit the floor, and my Eye could see the curse screaming within her. To keep attention off Shaeula and Eri, I talked ostentatiously to Hyacinth.

“We need maximum virulence, right from the start. Don’t worry about me or anyone else, I’ll make sure things work out.” I had wanted to seal this terrible ability, but… it seems to be needed. I’m too tired to take on a mob of Kijo all by myself, and the Matriarch is around about my strength, I’d imagine… if only she would listen to reason, although… I hated myself for thinking it, but if Aiko died, I too perhaps would have gone mad and demanded vengeance, although I hoped I wouldn’t get anyone else I cared for killed trying to get it, like the foolish Matriarch was about to do.

Hyacinth cocked her head. “Are yooou sure, master? That is quite dangerous. I do not wish to hurt you ooor anyone else.”

I reached out and rubbed her hair. “Like I said, don’t worry, I’ll take care of the fallout. Just be ready to nullify them when I give the word, okay?”

She nodded, her face expressionless, darkness back in her eyes. I hated to see it, as I liked the happier, more expressive Hyacinth, but we had been pushed to this. Yamato-san was torn, even surrounded by his Golden Warriors, he looked afraid, a host of unfriendly Yokai leering at him, so he didn’t want to leave our protection, but he also didn’t want to fight the Matriarch and her troops.

“Enough talk. I shall tear you apart, bitch!” she snarled at Eri, before pausing. “Urakaze, if your daughter is slain, you will not hold me responsible? I would prefer if she stands aside. Even though the blood of my sisters is on her hands too, I would not provoke you…” she was starting to realise the position she was in, but was too full of hatred to back down.

“She decides for herself. I have little-no rights to speak, since I left her behind.” She barely answered the Matriarch, instead talking to Shaeula. “Now, I have much to discuss. About your Kamaitachi, and what I promised. And…” she paused, and I actually thought she looked cute, as she fidgeted, embarrassed. “… about your father. So do not die-fall here.”

“He misses you.” Shaeula laughed. “But… yes, let us be done with this. We must-must return to the Material and clean up the bitter mess the fool Yamato has left us with.”

As the crowd separated, the Matriarch gathered her sisters, a mass of the vile females gathering. We were significantly outnumbered, and her smile was malicious. I exchanged a look with Shaeula, who had guessed my intent from the conversation with Hyacinth. She nodded, and I drew my remaining Fang, though it was unlikely I would need it.

“Then let this farce be ended.” The four-tailed Kitsune smirked. “Fun though this has all been, there are other matters we need to attend to. Begin!” she gestured with her pipe, and Hyacinth and I dashed forwards, while Grulgor, Shaeula and Eri moved backwards, away from the battle. Surprised, the Kijo swarmed towards us, dozens of them brandishing cruel hooks, blades and cleavers. It was then that Shaeula declared “Emerald Wind Prison!” and a whirling barrier of wind sealed us all from view. I threw my own wind energy into the jade swirls around us, strengthening them, creating a swirling dome, and as the Matriarch rushed at me, mouth gaping open, talismans sparking to life around her, ready to inflict a host of curses on us, I nodded to Hyacinth. “Do it now. No mercy. Flood the area.”

With a gleeful expression, Hyacinth cackled. “Yes, Akiooo. Only for you, I would kill an army! Die!” A tide of nature element rose from her, and a billowing cloud of spores so dense they were visible rolled from her flesh, mushrooms and fungi sprouting all over her skin, giving her a hideous appearance. The Kijo were momentarily surprised by the thick mist, before ploughing into it, unawares. As it touched me I felt my skin burn, and I immediately started to discolour, my Ether Healing struggling, even with my previous exposures. Yeah, this one is far nastier than the last strain. Either she’s been practising, or her body is evolving them itself…

It was then, my Eye piercing through the deadly soup of toxic spores, revealing the staggering, seemingly drunken enemies, that the screaming began…