Kodama forests's Curse

Chapter 9 - Facing the man behind your "Despair"

Dauirmuid leaned in for a punch, but the tanuki ducked out of the way and lunged for him with the spear. Dauirmuid was much taller compared to the other tanukis, so he was able to grab the spear with the tanuki on the other end. The one holding Lexi back was struggling to hold him back, and eventually let go. Lexi ran at full speed toward Dauirmuid and turned himself into a heavy stone to knock the tanuki out. More yokai appeared in the passageway and set themselves into a stance, they were all wearing clothes like normal people, but they were supposedly quite strong. Lexi turned to Dauirmuid.
"You need to get away from here, now."
"Again with the convincing me not to do shit, I'm staying."
"I'm not asking, wether you're still human or not you need to stay alive."
"And I'm not kidding." Dauirmuid had more to say, but most of the tanukis had begun to run toward them. Some turned themselves into larger animals. Lexi changed into the kitsune in a blink of an eye and began to fight back. Dauirmuid tried to think of something to turn into to help, bracing himself for anybody who tried to harm him. Lexi flung tanukis away left and right, sometimes changing shape to avoid them. Dauirmuid finally joined in, in the form of a large wolf. He grabbed one of the tanukis between his teeth and flung them away, swiping his paw at others. They flocked in on the two like a swarm of moths to a light. But then one of the tanukis turned themself into a spear for one of the others and took a stab at Dauirmuid. He yelped then fell to the ground, and changed back into his strange raccoon-faun form. Lexi bounded toward him and flung him onto his back, flying straight up and toward the entrance. Dauirmuid was barely concious and trying to get Lexi to stop and let him keep fighting, but he didn't listen. Lexi landed a few meters from the viney exit and sprinted toward it, with Dauirmuid limp in his arms. But William flew in down in raven form and stopped Lexi in his tracks.
"Now, why must you leave so soon?" He said, sinisterly. Lexi changed into the kitsune again and tried to fly past him, then William simply fluttered his hand about in a strange pattern and the vines wrapped around each other tightly, trapping Dauirmuid and Lexi in.
"He hasn't properly apologised yet, has he?" Lexi landed onto the ground and growled, stancing himself so Dauirmuid would stay on his back.
"Come now, no need to fight back. I only want what is owed to me, and your friend here has something I want." He stared at Dauirmuid.
"What is it? I'm sure he would give it to you-"
"-Since he was so willing to give you up?" William finished the scentence for Lexi, who tensed up as he said this.
"W- what do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I'm implying." Lexi shook off the shock on his face.
"Stop playing weird mind games and just let us go."
"I need him, just as much as you do. Give your little boyfriend up and let him live here. He will thrive. He will be happy. I can assure you that."
"Why would I do that, exactly?"
"I need more residents. They're all either very young or very old, thats not enough. Jeremy here has enough abilities to power a kitsune with ten times the abilities you have."
"I.. You won't have him."
"..Unless he can't remember the day it happened. He must apologise before he's set free, and he has about five minutes left. The odds are on my side."
"You.. you removed his memory of that day. He can't remember. Isn't that cheating?"
"There's no rules to go by."
"Then who says he can't go free?"
"...You think you're so clever. Don't you?" William began to slowly pace toward Lexi, with his hand behind his back.
"He was mine ever since he saw the villiage. He was mine ever since he stole the bread. He was mine ever since he even entered Japan. Give. Him. To. Me." His eyes flashed black with the white pupils.
"Fat chance, bastard." Lexi gently set Dauirmuid down, and changed into a strange human-kitsune blend. He stood in a stance and prepared to fight. William nodded his head and stepped back to do the same.

Butterflies flew around in his stomach, he had been to many forests but none like this. None were as strangely tall, none as thick, and none as so full of life. Strangely.. lively.
About forty-five minutes of walking brought the two to a place so thick it even made his father jitter. He turned a corner and left the child behind without noticing, the boy wasn't frightened though, for he could see a clearing behind the trees. His legs seemed to have a mind of their own as he walked through a space between the trees with vines draping down. Each step he took seemed to carry him father and farther away from the world, the loud, crowded world. This felt nice.
The trees above him were arched in a way that looked almost like a dome, the leaves looked too watercolour to be real, and the passageway to the white light at the end of this tunnel seemed to be too far to ever reach.
Dauirmuid finally reached the light, extending his hand as the bright entrance seperated around his arm for him to walk through. He stared around in wonder at the beautiful villiage, and ran around to explore. He felt as if was in a heaven of sorts. The children were the first to notice him, they first wanted to befriend him. But then they realised what he was, and scurried into their homes. Dauirmuid looked around at the remaining adults. They all had strange furry legs, like fauns. Most were at stalls in front of their homes selling clothes, food and tools. One of the adults ran toward him.
"Kid, are you okay? You mustn't be here."
"Sorry, just exploring."
"Here, you can take this home with you." The man handed Dauirmuid a small loaf of homebaked bread, it was still warm.
"Now please be on your way, wheres your parents-"
"Step aside, Sam. I'll take it from here." A strange, posh voice said from behind the man. He stood up straight and did exactly as asked. Now then, how about I lead you back to the entrance, my boy?" William said. Dauirmuid nodded and began to walk back the way he came. William followed closely behind.
Once they reached the entrance, Dauirmuid turned back to apologise. But the stranger was no longer there, in his place was a statue. He stared for a few minutes before continuing his journey to the entrance, as he walked further back to the entrance everything seemed to darken. By the time he was halfway to the entrance everything looked barren. He looked behind him again and the statue was gone. The boy began to run. But he heard a faint whoosh behind him as a stone flew in the direction of his head.

Upon awaking he found himself at where the entrance once was, the vines were missing and there was no longer a clearing beyond the trees. He picked himself up, and found a map of the forest, leading him back to the entrance. As he ran, he didn't look back. Not even to pick up the scroll that was slowly fading away behind him.

Dauirmuid sat upright. He could remember now. He stood up, clutching the hole where the spear once was. Then he saw what was happening. William and Lexi were fighting, Lexi was losing, and he had to do something. Dauirmuid flew toward the man behind his despair, and changed his hand into a claw. He heavily scraped the man across the face, and William fell to the grass. Dauirmuid stared down at him, a wild look in his eyes. Inhumane.
William grunted and sat up with his hand over half of his face, as blood dripped past his mouth.
"You took too long to remember.. you're mine now." The menacing look in Dauirmuid's eyes faded suddenly. He looked down at his claws in dismay, and knelt down. He felt his heartbeat slow down even more, until it beat no more. Lexi walked forward slowly, but stopped in his tracks after Dauirmuid turned his claw into a saber, and drove the blade through William's stomach. He didn't react.
"We tanukis are immortal. And come to think of it, now you are too. There's no way out now."
William smiled a smile so revolting and inhumane Lexi had to step even further back. The blood from the mark on William's face was in his mouth now and going down his neck. There was silence. Suddenly his expression changed, and William looked down at his stomach. Something was wrong. He felt as if he had to breathe, but he couldn't.
"Oh-" He coughed loudly. "..shit." And his head collapsed to the ground. There was a sillouhette at the other end of the passageway. It was holding a book in it's hand.
"What the.. oh my god." Lexi stared at the sillouhette as it became clearer who it was.
"HEEEY! DING DONG THE WICKED WARLOCK IS FUCKING DEAD! FINALLY!!" The sexless stranger from before exclaimed from afar.

"You guys didn't get past the remaining time?" They asked, even though the answer was obvious.
"No.. unfortunately." Lexi replied. "And.. I kind of thought you were some kind of William fanboy. Why'd you kill him?"
"He made me say things about him I didn't mean, and you know.. he 'used' me. In a way that-"
"Don't finish that scentence! Really, no need. I'm so sorry."
"Well, revenge was worth it. I avenged both myself, and your boyfriend's humanity."
"Well, he probably won't be too happy about this."
"How so?"
"Well, you saw how badly he wanted to stay human. Clearly he wants nothing to do with the whole yokai thing, and that includes me.."
"Wait- you guys aren't dating?-"
"No."
"Ohh! Okay." There was silence for a few seconds. "I'm really sorry too." They said after a couple seconds. Dauirmuid then began to awake.
"Dauirmuid? You okay?" Lexi knelt down and shook him lightly. Dauirmuid opened his eyes and sat up again. Lexi leaned over and hugged him. "Oh thank god. I'm so sorry Dauirmuid.." Dauirmuid sat frozen. He looked down at his feet, they still resembled the hind paws of a raccoon. He hadn't beaten the remaining time limit.
"I... No. We came all this way. I shouldn't be human anymore." Dauirmuid looked around and noticed William's corpse.
"And h-he's dead right? It's his spell, shouldn't death lift the curse?"
"I wish it was that simple," Said the stranger, kneeling down beside Lexi. "but alas, it isn't.." Dauirmuid relaxed his arms from Lexi. His eyes wide, red and puffy, his hair matted and tangled, nothing felt right anymore. This is what the dream was about. It was warning him he was running him out of time.
"But.. this isn't the worst thing-"
"Yes it fucking is, okay!? I've turned into a monster! ...There's no softening the blow for something like that."
"I understand, I-"
"No." Dauirmuid interrupted. "..No you don't." There was silence.
"Well... I really wish you two the best. Wether you're no longer associated or not. I have a village to break news to."
"Oh.. well, see you around..?"
"It's Emerson. Farewell, old friends." And he flew straight up in the form of the raven, then toward the light. It was just Lexi and Dauirmuid now. They faced one another for a few seconds.
"Let's just... get you home then. M-maybe you can find a way to repress being a Tanuki and live a normal life.. like you wanted?" Lexi stuttered as he said this. This was nowhere near what he wanted for Dauirmuid, or himself. Dauirmuid blinked a few times, then stood up. Lexi changed into the familiar, handsome, blonde kitsune. And Dauirmuid got onto his back. And They took off together.