The Life You Live

Chapter 27

Nobuno watched on in considerable disregard when Kaya pulled through to curse him. Even as Okane submerged her once more, made a jest, and entered the portal (which he closed thereafter). Once she was gone, he dismissed Yo and Aften and the two exited the 100th floor, making a dash for the labyrinth beneath. Or at least, as far as they could get.

When they reached the entrance to the maze they were met with a large, blue-skinned ogre guardian with a large, silver hammer and found that they could not pass. No matter what a fit that Yo threw, the ogre gazed on in blank resolution.

It was either co-operate or be smashed by foul play.

Thus, Yo and Aften waited at that door--to each his own distress. Aften stood off to the side, pacing whilst running his fingers through his hair and Yo stood before the ogre, squared off in quiet determination.

***

Umo Josoku-ka was lingering on the edge of consciousness, knowing that it was a great risk to pass out in such a place. He knew, very well, what these tunnels kept secret because he had, many times, witnessed the death of many thrown to its eternally hungry jaws. Proverbial though they were. There were magical traps, hidden sutra lures, and many, many lesser yokai that knew hunger more than all else. Each condemned to servitude for crimes committed against Nobuno, forever to be used how he wished.

These yokai were printed with red marks that indicated that they were prisoners.

The greater yokai enslaved by him were few in number, though there power was great. Not only did they wear red marks but enchanted collars. To keep them all in one place, Nobuno put these twelve beings throughout the labyrinth and surrounded them with magical cells that not only made it impossible for them to escape, but to cloak their presences so they could not be sensed or used a means of navigation.

Akito knew that if you entered one such cell, you could not escape until the yokai was dead, leading to those that moved throughout the maze to meet a swift demise.

One such being was in Kaya’s immediate path… looking on in great hunger…

When the Kubikajiri entered the pit with Akito, he was acutely aware of its presence even though he was in great pain. Many of the bones along his spine and ribs had either broken or fractured and the impact against his brain stem had temporarily paralyzed his mobile function. Therefore, he could do nothing when the yokai spoke and lined up with his third eye and he could do nothing as he was plunged into a terrible nightmare from which me might not arise. This yokai, aiming to devour his emotions and dreams before it would think to eat his head…

Rather than be plunged into a space of sorrow, pain, and fear, the yokai would find a great, hidden resource of anger within his ‘victim’. Such that it seethed and burned against its psychic invasion with terrible ferocity. This was one of Akito’s greatest strengths (and weaknesses).
Magic, hot and heavy with said anger, erupted from his broken body and ripped at the Kubikajiri’s form; prohibiting it from physically harming him even though the link it had was still intact. Weak though it was. This anger permeated throughout the maze like a bright beacon, not only capable of alerting Okane to his location, but the many other lesser yokai not bound by magic cells…

This energy was accompanied by the sound of a great and eerie howl, resonating with all the things that Akito had never dare to expose to anyone. Not even to Kaya. A sense of thirst and bloodlust.

. . . .

Okane felt a wave of essence of Umo Josoku-ka. It was nearly palpable; followed by a bone chilling howl. The howl that foretold of a gruesome death to come to any that dared crossed paths with such a beast. Such carnage even surpassed that of mortal beasts that knew only of primal instincts. At least now she had a general direction to follow to obtain his whereabouts; as did every other creature in this labyrinth. But that wasn't a detail she chose to linger on.