Eye of the Storm || Kyojuro Rengoku

Chapter 8

Arashi and Kyojuro sat together in a small shop enjoying dinner together. Kyojuro had assured her that a one day delay in travel would be fine, there were other Hashira at hand should an emergency arise. Besides, he had desperately wanted to spend more time with her where he had the chance, and knew how she loved being by the sea.

Arashi was quiet, staring out the window, her lips pressed in a thin line. A storm was coming, the clouds darkening on the horizon. "Is something troubling you?"

"I don't believe the danger has passed." She slid her eyes away from the window to him. "Something feels wrong."

Rengoku looked at her intently. "Never dismiss your intuition. You could very well be right. We'll patrol the area once it gets dark."

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They walked through the streets, fingers interlaced as any couple going about a nightly stroll would. They wanted to draw no suspicion, and were able to relish in the closeness of one another openly. Nothing seemed amiss, other villagers were going about their nightly business, vendors were closing up shop, but Arashi felt uneasy. Kyojuro sensed it too. He gave her hand a squeeze and pressed on.

They were nearing the outskirts of the town, the beach to their left, the bay to their right. Arashi shuddered at the memory of what had transpired last night. Kyojuro mistook it for the cool night air blowing across the water and pulled her close to him. He placed a kiss on her forehead, she looked up and smiled her special smile that she only had for him. His lips met hers and he tenderly kissed her. Arashi's eye caught something and broke the kiss.

She stepped around him. On a nearby pile of crates and traps was a pot. "Kyojuro. I've seen that pot before."

"Hm? Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Only it wasn't there last time. It was outside of a shop last night."

"Perhaps someone simply moved it out of the way?"

Arashi shook her head. "Why would someone move a pot from the market where it could be purchased, to out here where only the fishermen come?" She took a step forward. "Something felt wrong when I saw it, but then I got distracted by the demon in water." She took another step. Kyojuro's hand went to his hilt.

"Arashi," he warned cautiously. She narrowed her eyes on the pot, and reached her hand forward. A forceful burst of water expelled out like a geyser from the lid. "Watch out!" Kyojuro roughly pulled Arashi back.

"Hyo hyo! What do we have here?" The demon chuckled maliciously. He was pale white, a grotesque humanoid figure with a muscular torso that has no arms. He looked like a hideous statue. His face was even more distorted. Large green mouths located where his eyes should have been. His actual eyes were located vertically from one another on his face; the bottom eye appeared constantly open, the other at the center of his forehead. His forehead's eye was engraved with the number 'five'.

Rengoku grit his teeth. He pulled Arashi further behind him. "That's Upper Moon Five, stay behind me. That is an order." He took a defensive stance, drawing his blade.

"I am Gyokko, Upper Moon Five of the Twelve Kizuki." He narrowed his eyes at Arashi and clicked his tongue. "I almost had you last night. But then the demon in the water pulled you away from my grasp. Such a shame. But what fortune! I now have you and a Hashira!"

"So it's been you attacking the village?" Rengoku accused.

"Hm? Oh yes. That other demon was just fortunate to get my scraps." Gyokko chuckled lowly. "It's been some time, but I always like to return to these paltry little fishing villages. The stock is delectable." His licked his engorged lips. "I think it's been about fourteen or so years since I made my last trip along the coast."

Arashi's eyes widened. "You!" She stepped around Rengoku. "You're the reason my village fell to ruin!" Tears of rage brimmed her eyes.

"Stupid girl, you should count yourself fortunate. It seems that you've escaped me twice now. There will not be a third. Thousand Needle Fish Kill!" Gyokko roared, floating fish demons poured fourth from his pot. They unleashed a barrage of poisonous needles at Arashi and Rengoku.

"Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation." Rengoku swung his blade in a circular motion, managing to deflect the incoming assault. Rengoku panted, "Arashi. I want you to leave. You are not safe here."

Arashi shook her head defiantly, her sai swung into her hands, "You know damn well that I am not going to leave you here." She smiled at him, her eyes like raging storms, "We do this together."

Rengoku nodded at her resolve, "Together." There was a crack of lightning, rain began to pour down. The water began to churn as the waves beat against the shore. "Fifth Form: Flame Tiger." Rengoku performed a series of slashes, it looked like a flaming tiger running across the sand.

"Octopus Vase Hell." Gigantic tentacles burst forth, they hit away Rengoku's slashes and wrapped tightly around his torso. Arashi heard a crunch, he was being slowly crushed.

"Fourth Form: Tsunami Takedown." Arashi slammed with all of her force into the tentacles, ripping and slashing at them until Kyojuro dropped free to the ground. The storm was growing worse, the waves violently crashing onto the beach, a deadly riptide just below to surface. "Sixth Form: Typhoon Destructive Path". Arashi jumped high, her sai razor sharp wanting to taste blood. She was over Gyokko about to bring her blade down when she felt another tentacle wrap around her. Her eyes widened in fear. Gyokko chuckled and pulled. She felt a sickening pop. She could feel blood pooling in her mouth. Gyokko had broken her spine. She hung like a ruined doll in his grasp.

Rengoku screamed with unbridled fury "Third Form: Blazing Universe." His blade came down in an arc, severing the tentacle. Arashi crumpled to the ground, barely breathing. He rushed to her side. Tears of agony brimming her eyes. "Kyojuro..."

"Hyo hyo! I told you, there would not be a third time." Gyokko chuckled darkly. "You seem to love the sea as much as me though, so I will send you to a proper watery grave. Water Prison Pot." Gyokko launched a blast of water that knocked Rengoku away. Arashi was enveloped in a pot of water.

He's drowning her! Rengoku pounded his fists against the water, he tried to reach his hands in but they would not move past the surface. Her legs dangled uselessly. Rengoku was frantic, he fought harder. Arashi put her hand up to his. The impenetrable wall separating them. He looked into her eyes. Seafoam green, like the sea. She was the sea. He blinked back tears. As the water filled her lungs a look of peace settled on her features. With one last effort she managed to whisper "I love you". She was gone.

Rengoku roared with rage. Tears streaked his face. "Ninth Form: Rengoku." Rengoku blazed ahead at Gyokko, a wake of destruction in his path.

Gyokko smiled, "Perhaps another time. The sun is rising." Gyokko disappeared into his pot upon impact. His vessel of transportation shattered, but Gyokko was nowhere to be found. The storm let up, only a gentle rain now fell. Rengoku dropped his sword and ran to Arashi. He fell to the sand next to her. Gently he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her pink lips slightly parted. Her beautiful eyes closed. She looked like she was sleeping. Rengoku leaned down and kissed her for the last time, "I love you too." He whispered, voice cracking. He held her and wept as the sun rose.