Fight for Life

Chapter 7

“Hn, you managed to take on the succubus and the centaur with hardly any trouble, but let us see if you can defeat me!” the last sin yelled. Yoru picked up his shield and kept his crimson scythe drawn, ready for a difficult battle. Izumi snarled and pawed at the ground prepared for a tough battle. 

“NEVER! You will never defeat me! I will not let anyone take my only chance at saving my Yuri!” Yoru cried back. The sin smiled and charged.

 “I’LL KILL YOU, MUSHA YORU!!!!”

Yoru and Izumi charged at the sin, teeth bared and weapons drawn. Yoru swung his scythe and watched as the sin Wrath jumped up, dodging it blow. Izumi leapt up and was struck with the hilt of a sword. Wrath brought his sword down upon Yoru, who swung his scythe up and blocked the attacked.

Wrath twisted his sword and knocked Yoru’s scythe out of his hands. Wrath grabbed the scythe and threw it at Yoru. The blades sliced and burned Yoru’s cheek. Izumi jumped up and chomped down on Wrath’s ankle. Yoru ran for the crimson scythe and threw the black at the sin. Wrath fell to the ground and smacked Izumi away. Yoru charged and swung his scythe, leaving a deep gash in Wrath’s chest. Wrath sliced through Yoru’s armor and stabbed him in the chest, puncturing his lung.

“What is the point of this damned armor if everyone keeps stabbing and cutting me through it?” Yoru thought angrily. He gasped when a sharp agonizing pain shot through his body; the armor mended itself and seeped into Yoru’s wounds, healing them and making his body stronger…………………………………………..

Jashin looked down at Yoru.

“The armor is finally taking its full effect,” Jashin said to Kurosawa. “It’s seeping into his body and making him strong. The ultimate protection.”

Kurosawa nodded in agreement

“If he can just beat the wrathful spirit and conquer his fears, he’ll be able to go,” Jashin smiled and crossed her arms.............................................................................................................................................

Yoru picked up his scythe and charged at Wrath. The sin smacked Yoru away as though he were an insect. Wrath raised his sword and brought it down. Izumi jumped and bit Wrath’s arm. He hit the dog and spat on it as he sliced the animal.

“IZUMI!!!” Yoru sobbed, tears running down his cheeks. “You monster! He was an animal!”

“An animal that got in my way,” Wrath snarled. He kicked Yoru and knocked him down. The man sat on the ground aching as Wrath stabbed his sword into his stomach. Yoru cried out in agony and raised his scythe, only to have Wrath slice his hand open forcing Yoru to drop it.

“Time to finish you!” Wrath shouted and raised his sword. Yoru raised an arm to cover his face, then suddenly another sharp pain washed over him as the armor liquefied and soaked into his wounds, healing them and hardening his body. Yoru managed to find some strength to fight. He grabbed the sword and pulled it away from Wrath.  

“I won’t allow you to deprive me of my life with my little girl!” Yoru cried and swung the sword. “You killed my wife; you just killed my best friend! I will NOT let you take away the only chance I have to be with my child again!”

Yoru closed his eyes and brought the scythe down, decapitating Wrath. As his head fell to the ground, a black smoke emitted from the wound. It seeped from the bodies around and swirled around Yoru, coiling around him; it became one big muscle that held Yoru tightly.

“Yoru Musha,” a sinister voice hissed. “You have overcome your weaknesses and you sins.

Now you must face your fears.”

A large snake head waved around Yoru, its long black tongue flickering in and out every few seconds. Yoru looked down at its scaly purple body and gritted his teeth.

“Do what you wish and say what you want, but I will not let you or any other creature, human, or obstacles come between me and my child. No matter what you do to me I will come out on top and defeat you! I will not hesitate to kill you or anything else that may stand in my way!”

The snake looked at Yoru with its emotionless green eyes.

“Sssssssssssssso you are willing to die just to be with your child?” it asked.

“Yes, and I will not allow you to stop me! If you are my fears, then I WILL overcome you!”

The snake flickered its tongue and let go of Yoru.

“You stared you fears in the face in the form that they decided to take, and you showed nothing but courage before I even got started. Most men would cry and beg to be spared.” Snake hissed and slithered away. “You have passed”

Yoru fell to his knees happy and on the verge of tears. Izumi lifted his head and crawled to Yoru. Aika and the Gods appeared all smiling.

“You overcame fears so easily, I’m shocked; you chased them off before they had the chance to attack you. No one has ever made it past the serpent” Amaterasu said in an astonished tone. “I’ll recreate your body, and Kurosawa will lead you back home, but before you go back, Jashin has a gift she would like you give you.” Amaterasu said and waved his hands and the armor Yoru wore turned black; his crimson scythe now a black two bladed scythe. The new wounds from his battles healed, but left scars as permanent reminders of what he had to go through.

 “Yoru, you are so loyal to me; I wish to make you immortal. You may die when you wish to. I will not interfere with it. You will not grow old, but you will always be able to be with the one you love. Izumi will have to stay since he died in limbo, but I’m sure Aika will be good to him like she was when she was alive,” Jashin said “I will also increase your abilities, so when you go into battle you will be truly unbeatable.”

Yoru smiled and thanked the Gods; he kissed Aika and soon found himself lying on a bloodied battle field. He was on the hill where he had died, the two scythes he obtained in death in his hands. He stood up and looked around. Bodies as far as the eye could see. He shook his head and began his journey home.

“My little Yuri, I can’t wait to see your smiling face again” he thought as he walked.

After many lonely hours of walking in silence he finally came across the city he hid his child in. It was in ruins. Yoru smiled. He knew Yuri was safe; he was sure of it. He didn’t see her in limbo or in the underworld. He walked through the city calling out for his child. He began to lose hope and sat on a fallen marble support beam. He called out one last time; his voice strained and one of the verge of sobbing.

“Daddy?” a small voice replied. Yoru turned and saw a small child with blue hair standing behind him, fresh tears falling from her eyes. Yoru stood up and ran to her.

 “My little Yuri! Praise the Gods, you are safe!” he cried out and embraced the diminutive girl.

“Daddy, I thought you were killed,” Yuri sobbed. Yoru kissed Yuri’s cheek and told her of his journey through the underworld and how he put his soul on the line just t be with her again. Yuri cried and wrapped her arms around Yoru’s neck.

“I love you, Daddy,” Yuri sobbed and kissed her father’s cheek. Yoru smiled and kissed his child’s cheek in return.

“I love you too, my little Yuri.”