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chapter twenty one: divine move

Stiles got even more pale and sickly and was insisting on us taking him to Lydia.

"Something's happening. I had this sudden rushing feeling, like we're running out of time." Lydia's voice carried through the clinic.

"Yeah." Stiles said as we entered the room. "Yeah, I kind of got that feeling, too." 

We all piled into the jeep and drove to the school, Lydia and I supported my brother to the door and right outside we stopped.

"Scott, hold on." Stiles said. "I know what you're all thinking. If this works, it might kill me, too. But even if it does, you have to go through with it. Stick with the plan, okay?" Stiles said.

"The plan is to save you. That's the plan I'm going with." Scott said, opening the door to our high school but walking into a snow covered garden.

 "Oh, this is definitely not part of the plan." My brother said.

We were looking around and saw the bandaged solider limpng around.

"Like I promised, Stiles. We're going to kill all of them. One by one." The unsettling voice gargled.

"What the hell is this? Where are we?" Scott asked.

"Between life and death." Rhys' bandaged body responded.

"Bardo." Lydia said.

"But there are no peaceful deities here, Lydia. You're dying, Stiles. And now everyone you care about is dying, too." The bandages spoke.

"What? What do you mean?" Stiles asked.

"I've captured almost all of the territories on the board, Stiles. The hospital. The sheriff's station. And now the animal clinic." He spit. "Do you know the ritual of seppuku, Stiles?"

"No, and I don't want to." Stiles responded.

"When a samurai disembowels himself with his own sword to maintain his honor, but that's not the cut that kills him. The killing stroke is made by his kaishakunin, who beheads the samurai with his own katana." He explained.  "Scott... Scott is your kaishakunin. I'm going to make your best friend kill you, Stiles. And you're going to let him. Because just like you, they're all going to die. Everyone touched by an Oni's blade. Unless Scott kills you first." He siaid.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Stiles asked as he closed in on us.

"To win the game." He said.

Lydia and I got Stiles out of the way as Kira and Scott began fending off the oni.

"This can't be real." Lydia said.

"Yeah, tell that to them." Stiles said, barely able to keep himself up anymore.

Kira's swork was knocked from her hand and my brother fell to the ground to grab it, lining it up to stab himself through the stomach.

"Stiles no!" Scott yelled.

"Stiles." I said, wimpering.

"What if it saves you? What if it saves all of you?" 

"What if it's just another trick?" Lydia said.

"No more tricks, Lydia." The nogitsune said, "End it, Scott. Let your friend fall on his own sword. Do for him what he cannot do for himself. Do it, Scott. Be his kaishakunin. Give up the game. You have no moves left."

Stiles stopped and stared at a reflection in the blade and turned his head to see a desk.

"I do. A divine move." Stiles said. "Stop fighting them. It's an illusion. You have to stop fighting them. It looks real and it feels real, but Scott, you gotta trust me, it's an illusion."