The Samurai: Rise and Call of Cthulhu

Chapter eight: I don't want to hurt you

Shiro raised his sword once more and condensed his movement into a single strike. "Just try it...I'm all for bets," he said.

Ithaqua chants as her mirror glows and absorbs Shiro's attack. Ithaqua''s hands shake furiously as does her mirror as she holds onto the attack. "I must say, boy...if you were more experienced, you might be a real threat to me."

The mirror slowly produces the sharp end of Shiro's attack which heads straight for Keith. Shiro sees this and he gives no thought to his next actions...at this point, it's a reflex for him.

"Shiro!" Romelle yelled.

"Look out!" Armandra said, throwing her carrier forth.

Shiro's attack tears through the celestial robe and hits Shiro straight in his back as he gasps. Keith looks down at the boy in horror as he breathes out his name. "S-Shiro..."

Armandra falls to the earth with a look of guilt that she could do nothing more to help the man. Another beat of silence passes before Keith yells the young man's name out in anguish. "SHIRO!!!!"

Shiro slowly raises his head as Keith tries to figure out how he could have even gotten hit. "Y-You're okay..."

"S-Shiro! H-How?!" Keith yelled in a panic "How could it have hit you!?"

Shiro said softly "At that moment, all I could think about was saving you...even if it cost me myself."

Keith's eyes widened in shock as he yelled, "Why did you do that!? Why didn't you just let it hit me!? Why didn't you stay away!?"

Shiro uttered a feeble sound as his eyes gradually closed.

"Shiro! Shiro!" Keith cried, "Don't close your eyes!"

But Shiro never finished speaking as his eyes closed and his grip on Keith was released, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Shiro! Shiro! Shiro!" Keith repeats his name trying to get any reaction out of him. "No! No! No!"

Ithaqua laughs as Keith looks at her in anger. "Let me go, you creepy witch! If Shiro dies, you're gonna regret the day you ever met me!"

"Oh, rest assured. I will not let him die so easily." Keith said before he looked at him "Now will you become my servant?"

Ithaqua holds the mirror to Keith as she continues to speak. "Do so and I shall grant your wish."

The image in the mirror soon reflects what Keith's inner desire is and sure enough, his daemonic form appears. Keith remains resolute in resistance.

"You go to hell!" Keith said, "Release me, that's all I want from you!"

"Heheh" Ithaqua chuckles as Shiro's body is slowly raised. "Then I'm taking the boy along with me..."

"No! Damn you, release him!" Keith yelled, "Where are you taking him!?"

"Come to R'lyeh. That is if you so desire..." Ithaqua said disappearing into the night sky with Shiro

Keith struggled against the vines as he looked to the sky. "You can't escape me for long..."

"Shiro...I'm coming! Don't you dare die on me!"

The tree unblooms with Ithaqua's disappearance allowing Keith to break free as he runs down the bank. "Romelle, where's R'lyeh?"

"W-What are you asking me for?" Romelle said, "How should I know?"

"Wait...there's a saying that the priest once told my family." Armandra said, "Perhaps it can help us find R'lyeh."

"What the hell are you waiting for then?" Keith said, "Out with it..."