Fading Cinders

Chapter 9

The Human Village was burning. The once peaceful villagers were taken by a psychotic trance. Some were running, some were hiding, others were killing. Keine Kamishirasawa was running through the village, trying to pacify and save as many people as she could. She couldn't bring herself to kill a human, mad or not. Keine looked around herself. The village she loves is turning into ruins around her. Her pained expression turned into one of fury, as her gaze locked onto the floating culprits above the village.

"EIRIN!" Keine shouted beneath them, her eyes have turned red, horns have sprouted from her head, and her nails were digging into her fists from how hard she was clenching them. The floating pair turned their heads towards the teacher, Reisen was back to being unconscious. Eirin scowled at Keine, while Kaguya held that same smirk.

"Why, hello there MIss Keine! Do you like our present?" Kaguya taunted from above. Keine bit into her lip to stop herself from falling for it. "Do you happen to know where Mokou could be? I have some, well, getting even to do. Ufufu..." Kaguya held her hand in front of her as she laughed. Keine's anger, her sadness, completely ignored by Kaguya. This did nothing but fuel her rage. Kaguya's vision turned to a streak of fire across the sky. "Oh, there she is. Eirin? Can I go?" Kaguya pointed to where Mokou and Shirayuki were flying away to. Eirin was quiet, still staring at the furious Keine.

"...do as you wish." Kaguya beamed with glee as she started to fly away from the village.

"YOU AREN'T GETTING AWAY!" Keine had extended her hand towards Kaguya, ready to unleash her ability, when an arrow had pierced through her arm. She recoiled in pain, her head snapping towards Eirin. The doctor had placed the comatose Reisen on a rooftop and fully readied her bow. Keine ripped the arrow out of her arm without hesitation, a glare of contempt shot at Eirin. Keine practically growled at Eirin, her horns and fangs growing larger. Eirin looked shocked but quickly smiled.

"Look at you, teacher, you barely look human." Keine's eyes widened. She composed herself then calmly looked at Eirin.

"It doesn't matter what I am. For the sake of my village," Keine crouched down. "I'll become anything." She leaped at the floating Eirin, completely ignoring the hail of arrows unleashed from the doctor's bow. Keine was blinded by her rage, be it by the moon or just her own fury, that using danmaku never occurred to her. Keine took on Eirin's attack, taking several swipes at the doctor. Eirin narrowly dodges back after every attack, firing more and more arrows at the feral protector of the village. Keine on the other hand, has not dodged a single attack. Arrow after arrow pierced her, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. Once she realized her hands and teeth couldn't reach the flying woman above her, Keine started to rip the arrows out of her and throw them back at the one who fired them. Eirin ducked down to avoid her own arrows, as Keine was throwing them with tremendous force. She ducked low enough that Keine was able to slash the doctor's leg with her nails. Eirin finally landed after that wound, she looked down at her leg to see several gashes across it. Keine began to laugh as she coughed up blood. "Heh... heh heh... got you..." Eirin looked up at the defender of humans. Keine still stood her ground, punctured with dozens of Eirin's arrows, blood pooling at her feet. Both of them knew the next attack would be the last.

Keine's vision was starting to fade, she watched Eirin slowly take a wide stance and begin to pull back her bow. In an instant Keine began a mad dash at Eirin, a guttural, beastial scream emanated from her. Everything Keine held dear, her village, the people in it, even Mokou, she carried all of it in her final attack. Keine leapt into the air, arm pulled back, as Eirin let loose her last arrow.

......

Mokou and I were walking side by side, along a long, dark road. We were both quiet, I didn't know what to say to her. I walked a bit closer to her to try and get her out of her thoughts, but she didn't notice. A small glow in the distance caught my attention.

"Mokou, what's that?" I pointed to whatever it was and Mokou snapped her head to look.

"Hmm... Oh! I know what that is." She turned and smiled at me. "You hungry?"

"Huh? I... guess?" She ran ahead of me to the glow, as it came into focus I saw that it was a food stand. I got up to the stand and sat down next to Mokou, the person at the stand had their back to us... were those wings?

"Hey, Mystia!" Mokou spoke up, surprising the stand worker. She quickly turned around to us. Her ears were long and feathery, and her nails were sharp. ...a youkai. I slightly tensed up but Mokou was still acting normal. The girl started talking to us, with a friendly demeanor.

"Oh, hello! Welcome to the Night Sparrow! What can I get for you?" Her greeting was bright and happy, but Mokou slightly recoiled. She whispered to herself.

"...figured you wouldn't remember me." Mystia slightly tilted her head, and Mokou spoke up. "Uh- two of the lamprey skewer plates!"

"Two lamprey skewer plates coming up!" She turned her back to us and started cooking, humming a song to herself. I felt myself start to relax a bit and I turned to Mokou. She looks slightly pained. I nudged her arm a little.

"Are you ok?" Mokou turned to me with a sad smile on her face.

"Yeah, just... bird brain, yknow?" She tried to laugh but I could tell she felt sad. I couldn't even imagine someone you know treating you like a complete stranger. I was about to speak up when two plates were dropped in front of us.

"Here you go! Two lamprey skewer plates!" Mystia smiled.

"Thanks, Mystia." Mokou started eating. I looked at the plate for a second before grabbing a skewer and biting into it. It was good. I didn't even notice myself begin to smile until I heard Mystia giggle.

"Another satisfied customer!" She jokingly said with a proud smile.

"Yeah, this is really good. Thank you Mystia." She smiled then turned around to clean up. Mokou and I ate in silence while Mystia hummed that same song to herself. It was a slight moment of peace after...

"Thanks for the food, Mystia!" Mokou and I had finished eating, she was rummaging through her pockets to find money to pay. I was about to stand up when I felt a hand grab my arm. I turned to see Mystia staring at me.

"Hey, you're a human, right?" Mystia looked like a completely different person. "How about you stay here with me? You look, well, really tasty." Mystia started to laugh. This made me remember that she really is a youkai. Mokou slammed some money down on the counter, and Mystia's grip became loose. Mokou was scowling.

"Thanks for the food. Let's go, Yuki." Mokou grabbed my arm and started to pull me away. We were a little bit away when Mystia shouted at us.

"Thank you for visiting the Night Sparrow! Come back anytime!" I saw her wave, she seemingly went back to the bright, happy person.

"Sorry about that, Yuki. I never knew she could be like that." Mokou sadly said this to me.

"No, you don't have to apologize..." We walked in silence again for a while. The stairs to the Hakurei Shrine finally in view. Mokou stopped, putting her hand out in front of me. Someone was standing right in front of the entrance to the stairs.

"You're finally here, Mokou." I recognized that voice, Mokou scowled. "I want that rematch now, ufufu." Kaguya laughed.

......

A bloody hand reaches down to grab the collar of Reisen Udongein Inaba. She is lifted over the shoulder of the now one armed Eirin. The doctor takes one last look at the burning village, and begins to fly away.