Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 35 ~ Part 2||

Atsuhiro spread out his arms. "Do these perhaps seem familiar?" His voice was smug behind the mask.

"Like your dreams?" Jin giggled.

Shouto's gaze darted up. "How? Yaoyorozu said the evil eye was protecting us."

There was a slight tremble to his tone that Shouto hoped wasn't noticeable. His whole body was tense, a bowstring ready to snap.

The magi chuckled. "That's one use of the evil eye, but it can also be used as a conduit for a curse. And my great god, Thanatos, has kindly lent me magic that I was able to weave into a spell that impacts the first person who passes it."

Disbelief dropped like lead into Shouto's stomach, even colder than his own magic. "And I wasn't able to sense it because it was human magic, not a god's or monsters."

"Exactly," Atsuhiro said. His voice was smug. "That's why it took a while for us to get all the preparations in order."

Shouto's hands shook. Pain throbbed in his temples from how tightly his jaw was clenched. He was such a fool. He should have trusted his gut when they had arrived at the cabin. The cabin —

Yaoyorozu?!

Where was she? Was she in trouble? Had the boy been a part of this scheme as well?

He needed to warn her.

"Now then, enough chit-chat," the magi said, cutting through Shouto's thoughts. He clapped his hands together and turned towards Jin who was still kneeling on the ground. "Let's not keep our god waiting."

"Right!"

The golems moved.

Shouto jerked his head up as the mud soldiers rushed forward in halting, unsteady movements. He gritted his teeth.

"Fuyumi!"

He stepped closer and deflected the first golem's attack.

"Fuyumi, I need you," he called again, cutting the attacker's head off in a clean move. Mud splattered against Shouto's face. The dirt golem collapsed to the ground in a swoosh of sand.

He spun around as the other two attackers advanced. "Get Yaoyorozu away from the cabin."

Shouto thrust his sword through the neck of the second golem. It wavered and then collapsed as Shouto withdrew Endeavor.

"Fuyumi?!" he called louder. There was still no answer.

The last golem was behind him. Shouto pivoted and dropped low, dodging the third soldier's strike. He reached out and slammed his hand into the golem's stomach. Magic crackled. Ice erupted from Shouto's palm and impaled the attacker.

He stood up, wiping the mud from his face with the back of his hand. Shouto looked around, but there was still no response from his sister. Nor did the snow move or make any indication of taking his message to his sister.

"Poor golden child," Shigaraki cooed. "That won't work."

Shouto's gaze darted up to stare at the god. "What?"

Shigaraki chuckled. "Do you really think I'd let anyone else into this show?"

"What did you do?" Shouto gasped.

"We've set up a magic circle," the magi explained. "It blocks any magic, whether cast by a god, monster, or nymph from entering the perimeter using magic. The only way in or out is to walk by yourself."

"Which means we won't have any interruptions," Shigaraki said. His eyes glittered.

Shouto's heart felt as though it dropped into his stomach. That meant the only way for him to warn Yaoyorozu was to get outside the magic circle and call on his sister.

A sour taste filled Shouto's mouth. He raised his sword. "If that's the case, then I'll have to show no mercy."

Shigaraki raised a white eyebrow. "It seems as though you are getting ahead of yourself?"

"Where are you looking, stupid?" Jin said in a snide voice.

Behind Shouto came the crunching sound from earlier. He jerked around to stare in horror as Jin's black magic spread across the ground again, and the golems Shouto had killed reformed. Except there were no longer only three.

A cold chill slid down his spine as ten human-shaped soldiers stepped forward. Shouto tsked. His right fingers tightened around Endeavor as he released his left hand.

If slicing the golems apart wouldn't work, he'd have to use magic.

Heat spread down his left arm. And flames erupted from his palm, shooting towards three golems. The attacker in the middle dissolved soundlessly into black ash. However, the other two golems jumped back to dodge the torrent of fire.

Shouto pivoted and blocked an attack from behind him. There was a loud ring as Endeavor parried the golem's sword. He lifted his hand, and flames ignited over his arm again.

The golem dropped low, avoiding the blast of heat.

Shouto cursed. The golems were faster than before. Smarter. To have any chance of destroying them, he would need to find a way to stop them from moving.

From his left, two golems lunged towards him. Shouto dropped to the ground. He slammed his right fist against the snow. Magic crackled along his skin, and ice shot from the frozen dirt, impaling the golems through the chest.

"Shigi, can I go now?" the empusa's high-pitched voice whined from behind Shouto.

Shouto jerked his head up. Shigaraki was leaning against a tree. His eyes glittered with victory as he met Shouto's gaze. "Of course. You've done your part."

"Yay!" the empusa sang as she turned away. "Wait for me, my pretty Trojan priestess."

Shouto's blood turned cold. He jumped to his feet. "Get back here!" His heart pounded.

From the corner of his eye, something moved. Shouto jolted back as the golems he had impaled tore themselves free from the spikes. The mud from their wounds splattered across the ground, and five more golems formed.

Shouto's breath caught. The closest golem lunged forward. Shouto threw himself to the right and pivoted, slicing the attacker's head off. He turned. Golems surrounded him, blocking him from escaping. Piercing their hollow bodies didn't appear to kill them. Ice had slowed them down but hadn't destroyed them either.

His gaze darted towards the pile of charred mud: the only golem that hadn't reformed. Shouto exhaled a warm breath. It appeared the only way to destroy them was with fire. Just like in his dream.

The ice within Shouto's veins melted. Heat spread through his chest and down his left arm. His fingers tightened around his sword. He had to make this quick.