Maiden of the Peach

Chapter six: Break the Spell, Dancing Lotus!

      The little white dog that I learned to be named Shino, an Inu no Kami or other, seemingly stood his ground as the fur on the back of its neck rose and stood on end. 'I'm even more at a loss than I was a few hours ago!' My gaze narrows as I hold my hand over my still rapidly beating heart. I fear that it's going to leap out of my chest at any given moment.

      "A Shikigami? And a fearsome little pup I might add." The strange black-winged humanoid creature spoke calmly even though his whole demeanor had started to change right before my eyes. His scleras began to change from white to an eerie bright blood red, the wind surrounding us felt heavy and yucky like someone dumped rancid syrup as it suddenly turns directions.

      "A Shikigami? What are you saying?" I asked aloud as the wind whipped up a few dust particles past my eyes, narrowing them as I rose my arm over my head to protect my vision from the onslaught of debris.

      "Let's not worry about the little details right now, (_________)." The puppy-dog Shino spoke again but towards my direction this time.

      "Huh?" I found myself asking out loud as I blinked at him, "How do you know my name?" I added as I fought against the wind to keep the debris and others out of my face.

      "Like I said, we'd worry about that later, but we gotta take care of this guy till your friends get here to help!" Shino barked as his ears twitched in attention without moving his black button-like eyes from his opponent. "And to do that, you need to listen to everything I tell ya, got it?" He quickly added.

      "Alright, what do you suggest-" I called out as a sudden rush of wind is sent towards our direction. Shino manages to leap away while the air current narrowly grazes the barrier as it's ricochet to the far most opposite direction. "Eeek!" 'What was that?!'

      "(________)! Come on, stay on guard!" Shino barked at me, his fur raised high on his hackles.

      "What a nuisance that girl and Shikigami are becoming." The black-winged, orange-haired fellow addressed while walking closer towards us. "My name is Zenki, the third brother of the Blackwings of the Northern Lands." The figure added. 'Blackwings?' My thoughts raced as I stared at the guy now known as Zenki. "We are a band of five brothers, but that is all you need to know, Senka Maiden."

      "So you're a Tengu? Hmph." Shino scoffed while holding his ground, his ears erect and facing forward while his gaze narrowed dangerously.

      "Shino, what's a Tengu?" I asked while getting off of the ground on shaky legs, walking steadily closer while staying wary of the figure.

     "They're like a band of tricksters like the Kitsune or the Tanuki but with wings and much more harmful tricks that could even start wars-" Shino suddenly stopped, which worried me much, my brow frowned as I shifted my eyes only between them. I notice Shino's body shook before lifting his head up, "Kuhaha! So that's it, I was wondering why it was taking (_________) friends so long to find her!" He's laughing, and what does he mean, did he notice something that I didn't?

      "Took you a while to figure it out, hmm?" Zenki mused while fondling with the blade on his long knife, "I'm not like my brothers, I like to toy with my prey for as long as possible till I get bored." He added as his emotionless eyes moved from the blade back towards my direction. "But I can't do that with you, so your friends will have to do as I force them to kill themselves." A smirk formed on his lips as he tilts his slightly.

     "What are you saying? What are you going to do to them?!" My eyes widen with fear of the unknown horror that awaited them and myself. "Please let them go! Don't hurt them!" I frantically begged for him to leave them alone.

      "It's too late for that I'm afraid, (_______)," Shino spoke calmly as his ears twitched slightly. "He made a barrier the very moment Kagome went to go and get help, didn't you? And not just any barrier but one full of illusions and deadly traps!" Shino barked as he crouched low to the ground, digging his claws into the earth as he let out a deep growl. "So whoever enters-" The dog shikigami darted forward before he could finish his sentence. Zenki quickly reacted, also thrusting his blade upward to block Shino's claws. "Is trapped till you lift the spell!"

      "Shino..." My mind started to spin with all this information, but now I knew what I had to do to save my friends. "Shino, tell me what to do!" I called out with my voice slightly shaking. I have to be strong like the others told me to be so many times, I may not be as strong as they are, but maybe I can be somewhat useful too!

      "Pray!" Shino barked as flipped away mid-air from Zenki, landing on his feet gracefully before suddenly sprinting around him. "It doesn't matter what, just pray as you fold your hands together like before!" He added before leaping again at Zenki.

      "Pray? Okay." I quickly nodded as I brought my hands up and intertwined my fingers, closing my eyes as I prayed. Focusing on saving my friends from whatever fate that had befallen them, praying with all of my heart as my bracelet felt warm against my wrist.

      "Now, focus on Zenki!" Shino barked again as I could hear his tiny paws running swiftly through the grass along with a sharp 'tinging' like the sound of stuck metal. 'Focus, focus everything on Zenki!' I told myself as the bracelet was becoming unbearable now.

      "Now! Release it all in one go!" Shino barked once more as he stood away from Zenki, panting heavily.

      'I don't know what he means, but I feel that if I don't do something, my hand's going to fall off!' My eyes shoot open as I thrust my arm out, 'Please work!' I begged inside of my head. "Go!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as the veil morphed into what looked to be water lilies. Three hovering overhead with one to my left, then to the right, and one directly above me, made with the same strange translucent substance. They looked like buds, Zenki seemed just as surprised as me while Shino smirked.

      'Wait, can a dog even smirk?' My thoughts were quickly interrupted as white glowing lilies started to bloom around us, 'Huh? What's happening?' Looking up at the hovering lilies, they too started to bloom; their petals began to spin clockwise, going faster and faster as a strange light illuminated from the center. Then everything was cloaked in white for only a moment, blinking as I looked around Zenki was still standing. His surprise had subsequently been replaced with anger.

      "You little, Wench!" Zenki growled while Shino barked with laughter! 'What happens? Why is Zenki still there?!'

      "The spell 'Dancing Lotus' which was awaken my the Nigimitama isn't an attack or a defense skill, but a skill to break spells and barriers!" Shino barked as he ran to stand in front of me once more. "I must reluctantly admit that I knew me and (______) aren't strong enough to take you on, Zenki, but-" A flash of light erupted from the forest behind Zenki as the orange-haired man took to the air before it could hit him. Black feathers spurting into a small cloud as from the flapping of his massive pitch-black wings as he took off into the sky above.

      "They can." Shino finished as Inuyasha walked forward, followed by the others behind him. A smile tugged at my lips as I felt tears pooling at the corners of my eyes.