13 Deadly Deals

Departure 3: Falling

     Wind sucked away the sound completely.

     Mafuyu was falling fast. Distance yanked away the stairs and landing in favor of sheer cliffs and eroded rock as gravity bit into his body. It was enough to make his stomach lurch and heart slam against his rib cage. And when he whipped his head back, the wild waves reaching for him screamed that now, he was definitely screwed—

     An explosion suddenly punctured the silence. Tremors rocked the cavern like a rattle. And instead of a splash, Mafuyu felt a thunk when he landed on something firm.

     "Yeowch!" Mafuyu winced at the restraints suddenly weighing him down like a lead brick. The spirit beast that caught him didn't seem to care, though. It slammed into the wall just inches above the rushing Sanzu River. Familiar venomous yellow eyes regarding him passively before the powerful creature launched itself clear up over the edge of the cliff.

     Mafuyu struggled to hold on, meeting the eyes of bewildered Handmaidens when the cavern convulsed with another explosion. Two more spirit beasts—one as massive and furred as a bear and the other covered head to toe in plumage—came barreling down the stairs. They plowed through the royal guards, hissing, spitting, damn near pushing them over the edge. Kaori slammed against the wall with a gasping thud. And the Inquisitor squeaked when sent dangling off the cliff by her fingertips.

     "W-what the fuck is going on...?" Kaori wheezed as she used the wall for support. The beast landed so hard that Mafuyu was thrown off its back. He groaned, vision shaky as if focused on the confusion settling over the Handmaidens like poison. And in spite of the situation, a triumphant sigh of relief escaped his maw.

     Especially because he didn't need to look back to know it was Kaoya now waltzing down the stairs.

     "Kaoya?!" Kaori grasped her side from the impact, staring slack-jawed at her twin. "But...but why?"

     Kaoya didn't respond. Only kindly pet the spirit beast that carried Mafuyu back to her in its maw. Her movements were automatic, further accentuated by how her marigold eyes—once full of light and beauty—were now dull and hollow.

     The twin unlocked Mafuyu's restraints with the key in her obi. The fox gasped when they popped apart and clattered to the ground. It was bittersweet freedom, considering he'd feel the after effects of their magic dampening for a while yet.

     "W-what is the meaning of this?" Inquisitor Risa grunted in her climb up. She made to advance forward, only for all of them to be cut off by snarling spirit beasts.

     "I held up my end of the deal, in case you haven't noticed that." Mafuyu spoke with a practiced pomp as he rubbed his sore wrists, "So Miss Kaoya is now holding up hers, naturally."

     His words struck Kaori's ears like a knell. Her eyes shrank to angry, surprised pinpoints, prepared to stomp right through the beasts blocking her. "You did what? But how? When?"

     The kitsune didn't bother sussing out a proper emotional response. As much as he wanted to gloat, this was not the place to do it. He did, however, step over to Kaoya, took her right hoof, and held it up. She didn't resist. And as if reacting to his touch, azure cinders sparked in the goat's palm until they converged into a single dancing flame.

     A mark of their pact, clear and simple in the hoof that had so easily folded him the night before.

     "'If it did, I would carry you out to freedom myself'. This was her promise to me in exchange for her freedom." Mafuyu looked around at the Handmaidens eager to gut him like a fish, "Treason doesn't look like something either of you are going to live through, I'd assume..."