The Phoenix's Clipped Wings | Kaedehara Kazuha

Chapter 42

Phoenix walks up the stairs and spots a familiar person standing on top of the stairs.

Just a few steps apart, she calls out for them. "Haru, what are you doing here?"

He looks at her, his eyes are filled with absent as he summons his pistol. One she had given to him as a gift, now, it was being pointed to her.

"So, you were the traitor, Haru." Her face held no emotions as she looks at him, "so my suspicions were right."

Before he could blink, he felt pain in his stomach as he was sent back. His eyes were wide with shock as he watches Phoenix walk over to him and quickly points the pistol to her.

His finger on the trigger, "any step further and I'll shoot."

She smiles, not affected by this threat.

"Come now, you surely don't mean that, do you Haru?" She kneels and he falters, lowering the weapon before letting out laugh.

The woman begins to smile, "so, did you find anything? What is she planning?"

Haru sighs, as she helps him up, "damn, you hit hard."

"Guess I did go a bit overboard, my apologies." Haru just moves his hand up and down, meaning to forget it.

"I managed to get some info that she's planning to release one of her prototype puppets or something."

She ponders at this, "a prototype?"

Haru nods, "not sure what that means. We should head up now." She nods and they both head up the stairs.

Both wait behind the pillars for a few minutes until the door opens up and Paimon and Aether walk out, he looked completely fazed as he walks away.
Haru gestures his head, for the both to head inside.

Seeing that Aether was a good distance away the two head inside go see to see the archon herself, the Raiden Shogan staring there.

"I was wondering when you would show up, [Y/n] [L/n]. The last time we meet face to face was three years ago when your friend faced Divine Punishment."

[Y/n] grit her teeth as her eyes started to turn red when...she hears footsteps outside making her look back to see a figure standing out the doors.

"A little reunion would be nice before your death, would it not?"

She looks back upon hearing this, to see the Shogan's gone. "Damn it, Aether!"

She runs outside and tries to rush over to Aether only to be stopped by the figure.

Could this be the prototype, Haru mentioned?

She thought as lightening flashes every second but time seems to freeze as the light exposes who the figure was.

A clink of metal hitting the floor was heard as [Y/n] almost stumbled back in shock.

"You're-"

She feel on the floor, her figure trembling as Haru tried to calm her down. She was begin to hyperventilate as her eyesight began to go blurry with tears.

Since in front of her, stood her old friend, one she left behind to his fate all this years ago, Tomo.

"What did she do to you?" She mutters as she could hear ringing in her eyes.

Her eyes were only focused on the man, but he looked so different. His once alive purple hues, no longer held their shine as he stared down at her.

—

Kazuha woke up form his small nap to see find out that his wife had already left ahead to aid Aether. Gorou managed to fill him in as they all rushed out of Watasumi and back to Inazuma city.

This feeling in his heart, he felt something big was going to happen. The nightmare he had earlier was not helping either.

He dreamt that he and [Y/n] were faced to face with their old friend as the Shogan had expected them to come.

Her words echos in his head, although he knows that something like that would happen.

'Her heart has always belonged to him.... now then, Kaedehara Kazuha, it's time for you to face Divine Punishment!"

He shakes his head, he needs to focus on reality and not a dream he had, everything will be fine, he and [Y/n] can finally have their wedding like they planned to and be happy.

They end up arriving to see Aether standing on top of the stairs are and they sigh in relief, Gorou sending Kazuha a smile before they look back to see the Shogan appearing out of nowhere as she pointed her blade at the blonde who had his back faced to him.

Kazuha gasp and in that moment, he felt something come over him as he lunged forward, he remembers Tomo words.

"There will also be those who dare break the lightning glow."

His sword against the Shogan's, he pushes it back as he's reminded of his wife who is no where to seen.

"I'll see you when you wake up, okay?"

Letting a battle cry, he pushes the Shogan's way as she's baffled at this before she quickly send him back to where Gorou and the rest were at.

"Everyone, attack!" His friend yells as they all run towards the Shogan and Aether knows that they won't stand a chance.

So, he sounds his sword and it infuses with electro as he lunges towards the Shogan who just smiles at this as the two are soon in her mind.

Kazuha sees that they are both gone and stands up to see Tomo's vision, who held a pyro vision due to [Y/n], is now flickering between the two elements as it begins to die out.

Rushing over, he sees that it was now back to its masterless form.

Just as a loud boom is head from ahead and they all look up to see [Y/n] on the ground where the traveler stood. She laid there unmoving and just before anyone could rush to her, someone else grabbed ahold of her and began choking her.

Holding her in the air like a rag doll before slamming her back on the ground.

"...Tomo?" Kazuha muttered as Tomo picked up [Y/n] again and throw her towards his direction.

His eyes widen as they both made eye contact as she flew past him, Tomo following close behind.

"haru is still inside...help him." He hears her say just as she's sent to the side as Tomo kicked her side.

She lands on the ground and stands up only to fall back as this so called Tomo is hovering over her, its eyes held no remorse for her.