We ran through the many fields full of rotting flowers and ashen monstrosities. I remembered these paths, which gave us the advantage.

Cobblestone walkways twist and turned around the garden, making a specific effort to stop at the widest horizon or largest field of lilies. The Doctor thought to move from road to road, but in the process, he took too many detours.

We moved through the fields of flowers and simply transported the yokai that bothered us towards the league of samurai.

Our lead had started to recover which meant that we could slow ourselves and catch our breath. Hayato scouted slightly ahead as the rest of us reached a jog. As I looked behind us, I saw that the yokai we had diverted started moving towards the Shogun and the Doctor. Upon noticing that, I also noticed something strange. The lilies behind us seemed to stand taller and looked slightly less wilted. Amaterasu would spend so much time simply walking among the lilies, and her mere presence made them bloom. It made me remember the sun lilie I had gotten so long ago. Every lilie one could find in the wild had already died, except for one in the marketplace I would trot past every day for years. I wondered if my time spent with Amaterasu left some of that light with me.

Whatever the case, I hoped that the sun lilie still stayed bloomed over Mahiro and Yasuo's graves. It belonged with them for all they did.

I turned forward once again and we ventured farther up the fields of lilies. The more I saw, the more I recognized and remembered where we were.

At that moment we were approaching the wall. The outskirts of the palace were full of sun lilies and cherry blossoms, then you hit the wall. The wall was made of stone from hundreds of years ago, topped with a roof made of beautiful and ancient red-colored wood.

We would have to figure out a way to get past the wall since it was certainly locked, but that wouldn't be much of a problem with Anzen and Hayato's ember.

As I thought while jogging forward, Hayato slowed until we caught up and spoke to me, pointing to the three shadowy figures in the distance I had failed to notice in my thinking. "Three yokai ahead. What do you think we should do?"

I stopped jogging along with the rest of our group and saw the yokai that had just entered our view. The yokai's body was very long but hunched close to the ground, swooping its strangely long neck downward. It was almost as if the creature was staring at the dead flowers. It's drooping and fleshy face twitched as its completely black eyes orbited the flowers. I squinted my eyes and leaned in closer to see a bizarre sight. The twitching in its face seemed like a rabid response to an insatiable appetite, but soon its face had fully turned to a smile at the sight of the withered flowers.

The only yokai I had seen smile before was the yokai that had tricked us and caused so much destruction. Its ashen face was always smiling from ear canal to ear canal as it dragged its long, clawed hands behind it, leading us to its next trap. All of it brought uneasiness to me.

But before I could ruminate longer, my attention was brought back by the yokai wandering not far from the first. It was much shorter. Not much taller than the size of a man. This yokai had two heads atop its shoulders, both with jaws clapping open and shut, aimlessly waiting for the next piece of flesh to sink its fang-like teeth into. Both yokai caught sight of us and started running closer.

But I had still yet to see the third, and we couldn't engage in a fight without knowing where all our enemies are beforehand. That was the worst mistake our caravan of yokai hunters made on Mt.Fuji, and it cost us many lives in the process. I leaned towards Hayato. "Where's the third one?"

Hayato shook his head as he stared further up Mt.Fuji. "It started walking up the mountain..."

We knew yokai had been climbing specifically towards Amaterasu's palace, so one moving towards it wasn't surprising. But a yokai purposely giving up pursuing us to climb the mountain was certainly strange.

But it didn't matter. We had a fight ahead of us and that yokai wasn't part of it.

Sora immediately pulled his bowstring taut, preparing to take a shot on the tallest yokai.

Before he let loose, I asked him. "How many arrows do you have left?"

Sora didn't take his eyes off his shot. "twelve including this shot."

"Don't take it, then. Ranged is the only offensive option we have once we barricade the palace." I looked over to the twins. Hayato seemed like he could fight, but Anzen didn't seem able to create the kind of complicated portals that could effectively kill a yokai. Lee was also still catching his breath, which was no problem, the two of us could deal with the yokai. "Let Hayato and I dispose of them." Saying that, I turned to Hayato with a warning. "Let me engage with the smiling one with the long neck. It seems... Strange."

"Fine with me." Hayato drew his sword and started walking forward. I unsheathed, following soon after, but before I got too far I heard Anzen protest.

"Not just the two of you should go. I'll fight."

I simply shook my head as I urged Hayato to start moving. "You're not as fit as him to fight right now. Besides, you might be even more useful where you are."

Hayato stepped towards the left, instantly grabbing the attention of the smaller yokai. The yokai jumped forward, swiping its hands through the air. He easily stepped to the side and dodged the thoughtless attack. Ever since the sparring we had done while camping, he had improved considerably in his footwork. Instead of being as still as a statue when fighting, he would both dodge and defend, while still keeping his unmovable presence in combat.

As a shuffle grew louder in my ear, I realized that I couldn't spend much time watching over Hayato. I had my own problems to face.

The long-necked yokai stumbled ever closer as its black eyes stared at me. I held my sword tightly and prepared for it to make a move. I didn't intend to kill the creature, just to fend it off while Hayato dealt with the smaller one, which should be an easy enough task. Usually, a yokai's most dangerous asset was its size and long arms. Being able to outrange the average sword was a very valuable thing, so this man-sized yokai made little threat.

The long-necked yokai bent its legs and leaned forward, poised to leap. As soon as it shifted its weight I sidestepped just as Hayato did earlier, but to my surprise, the yokai hadn't moved at all. The yokai's fake smiled crinkled at the sides, looking as though it was going to be pulled behind its ears. The creature's mouth opened and shut with a mistimed laugh being pushed out of its rotted windpipe, resembling more of a wheeze than genuine laughter as its torso contracted violently. It was trying to take in enough air to simulate its joy.

Why didn't you take your chance? I thought. After jumping to the side, I was almost completely vulnerable. Yet the yokai only mockingly chuckled at my tenseness. It was like psychological warfare, seeing the demon gaze down and wheeze at the sight of me. The creatures didn't need to breathe, except it still forcibly filled whatever pile of ash-covered gore inside it that resembled lungs with air just to sarcastically laugh at me. but I couldn't let that deter me. We were still in a conflict that called for even more concentration than I had previously thought.

Soon the yokai quit making its series of unnatural winded noises and went back to its unnatural grin. I raised my sword once more in a defensive stance. All I need to do is keep this thing at bay until Hayato can help. As I thought those words, I glanced over to Hayato, who was having troubles of his own.

If I had thought Hayato needed more practice in his footwork, this would have entirely made up for it. The yokai had ducked close to the ground, weaving past every downward stab he took, trying to grab hold of his legs and bring him to the ground where he would be completely defenseless.

Shit. I wouldn't be able to stall much longer and he hadn't landed a single blow on the smaller yokai. I supposed that a smaller size allowed for much more dangerous mobility.

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I looked back to the grinning yokai. As I readied myself to fight it, the demon lost interest in me and sharply turned to Hayato. It knew that I was buying time so we would have the upper hand in a fight, so it decided to make it a two versus one in the opposite direction.

Chasing the yokai was no use as it closed the gap between Hayato and me in mere moments. I shouted a nonsensical jumbling of cautions to him, but by the time he noticed the long-necked yokai was on top of him. The grinning yokai tackled him to the ground before he could defend himself. As soon as things went sour I heard yelling from the rest of the group, along with a stray arrow that missed its mark by a mile, most likely due to the complete spontaneousness that led to Sora firing his shot.

I ran closer and saw that Hayato held the grinning yokai by the top of its long neck as he frantically kicked away the smaller yokai.

Anzen screamed out Hayato's name as he became no longer visible from the group so far away. The only plan my dull mind could formulate in the moments that the yokai's plan came to fruition boiled down to one word that I shouted as loud as I could. "Portals!"

Even though the other three could not, I could see Hayato's face, barely recognizing what I said as his grip on the long neck of the yokai slipped ever downward. Its knawing teeth inched ever closer to his face. As his eyes opened in realization, he knew exactly what I had meant.

In battle, Hayato and Anzen were always together, always using their portals as a utility to displace the enemy or assist an ally. What they needed to remember is that they could go through their own portals, and that much was exactly why I insisted Anzen stay.

With a surplus of effort, Hayato closed his eyes and materialized a portal directly beneath him, letting him fall out of the portal Anzen had already created once he heard me shout. The long-necked yokai fell halfway through the portal before it collapsed, meaning once the portal did close it was shunted back to the ground next to me.

Hayato was safe, but now I had a total of two yokai to deal with, and there was no way I was going to be able to dodge them long enough for the others to arrive.

I held my sword tightly. It was time to prove I could still hold my own.

The smaller yokai jumped from its crouched position through the air. The only way I could avoid it was jumping onto my side. But as I saw with Hayato, I knew that staying on the ground was a very bad idea. Instead, I kept my momentum and quickly rolled back onto my feet. A slight amount of vertigo was better than being eaten alive.

The long-necked yokai stood back and waited for its duller companion to recover. It knew they shouldn't engage separately, so the creature simply watched me with its black eyes.

No. It was taking into account my mental state. It thought I feared it, but what I knew is that my best chance to get the upper hand was to attack while the other yokai was still on the ground. Charging forward with my sword ready to strike, it seemed like I caught the yokai off guard. Its reactions came quickly, but I was able to get a small cut going through the length of its torso to the edge of its shoulder. Not near a killing blow or even a debilitating one, but it was enough to coat the edge of my katana in the smoky blood of the long-necked demon. With a yokai so hellbent on breaking my composure, seeing that bit of blood was exactly the motivation I needed.

And since I had caused the long-necked yokai to jump backward, the two demons were apart once more. The man-sized yokai moved close to the ground like it always did as it approached me. It's jaw still clapping open and shut.

It reared back to jump just as predictably as before. And instead of evading it, I had a thought. Perhaps it was too much self-confidence, but I decided that I needed to get rid of the smaller yokai before dealing with the long-necked one.

But I wasn't all ego, my plan included an asset that I needed to remember was at my disposal.

Just before the yokai jumped into the air, I took my left hand into my mouth and whistled. Once I whistled, I held my hands up, catching the flying yokai.

One hand on its neck, the other one keeping its clawed hand from cutting into me. Sadly, the yokai had two hands, so I was left with one frantically clawing into the arm that held it by its neck. It didn't matter. If all went according to plan the yokai would be dead in moments.

And as I had hoped, my signal was received. I held the yokai as high into the air above me as my strength allowed, making it an easier shot and blocking myself from any potential injury as an arrow shot through the air and into its back.

It was another of Sora's arrows gone, which meant that he had only ten shots left. But without it, I very well could have lost to the yokai.

After the mark was hit, I threw the man-sized yokai to the ground where it quickly decomposed into ash.

With a quick wave in the air, I both thanked Sora and signaled him to abstain from firing any more.

Now, just a single yokai left before we met the walls of Amaterasu's palace. when I turned to face it, the smiling yokai was no longer smiling as intently. It must also be capable enough to realize when it was losing, which in turn brought a grin to my face.

In my concentration I chewed at nothingness, forgetting that the grain I used to chew on to fight off hunger was lost somewhere on the ride to the temple. No matter. My task was all the same.

Gripping my katana tightly, I stepped closer. The long-necked yokai similarly stumbled closer to me, its jaw unhinged and ready to bite as it readied its claws. Slowly, I got close enough to consider what my attack would be. A stab and risk it being dodged? A slice and leave myself open as I ready the attack? Or perhaps I just wait until the yokai attacked and make my move shortly afterward... I knew the yokai was patient, so waiting wasn't the best option. It was so patient that I knew it could wait for the precise moment I made myself open during a swing, so trying to take a stab was most likely my best option.

I quickly stabbed my sword at the yokai, which it tried to jump out of the way. It successfully survived the attack, but it wasn't quick enough to keep itself from being stabbed through the side. Its momentum kept the blade slicing through the remaining flesh in its side until my sword was let free into the air again and the yokai left with a large gash.

As we both knew at this point, the yokai's best option was to attack as soon as possible, especially since the rest of my group had just started to run up to us.

Adrenaline was pumping through my veins. The determination of reaching the palace kept my eyes vigilant as they had ever been, so once the yokai slashed its arm at me I was prepared.

A single slice released its arm from its hinges, leaving the piece of meat lying on the ground. In what I guessed might have been rage, the yokai swiped its other arm at me, only to be quickly met with the same fate as the last.

One more slice of my own volition led to its head falling straight off its vulnerable and long neck. So quickly those filled with hubris will fall, even a demon. Soon the large yokai turned to ash, the pieces that had been previously cut from the yokai turned to ash only when it completely died. The smoky blood that had soaked onto my blade and kimono similarly turned to ash.

I caught my breath as the rest finally reached me, feeling my cut and bleeding arm. It wasn't bad. All the injuries I had acquired before along with those still paining me made me feel almost numb, or perhaps the medicinal herbs from the monks hadn't worn off yet. In either case, I was a walking pile of cuts and broken bones hastily patched together, but it didn't matter if our mission was a success.

I looked over to the group, and immediately I was met with Anzen's furious face. "Hayato almost died! You left us to fight with him and both of you almost died!"

With I sigh, my head looked to the ground. I gazed at the dead sun lilies as I explained. "Lee could barely walk with how he exhausted himself. Sora couldn't waste any more arrows and you needed to stay for the exact reason Hayato still lives."

"There was still a chance! If I was more fatigued I might not have been able to create that portal and Hayato would've died, along with that,  if he hadn't closed the portal when he did that yokai might have gotten through and we could have all gotten injured!"

Standing straight again, I looked at Anzen. Both tired from my battle and ready to leave, I spoke. "But you did create the portal, as I knew you would. Hayato and I were the only ones fit to fight. When it became too much for him he was easily able to get out. Our injuries are minor and both the yokai are dead with fewer arrows than it would have been if we had just shot at them blindly. We don't have time for this. Let's go."

Anzen crossed his arms, hands squeezing his arms to keep them from clenching into fists. "You don't care the risk Hayato was in?" He shook his head and grimaced. "We shouldn't have left our posts. We had a comfortable, safe life before all of this... And you should never have left whatever rock you hid under after you failed..."

I looked at Anzen. In a world where he had no one, he chose to adore me. And when he did finally meet me, I was a worse person than I would care to remember. Even decades later at the age of twenty-six, his vision of me shifted through the journey that I took him through. Just as I had convinced myself that he had taken a liking to me, I was reminded of what impression I had left on him and what I had brought him into. "Anzen... You know I care about Hayato and I am very cautious with what risks I ask him to take. I'm sorry that it turned out the way it did, but-"

"Be quiet!" He looked away from me. "I'm tired of hearing you justify dragging us along on whatever redemption story you're trying to tell. Remember that I only came along because Hayato couldn't see that-"

Just as Anzen had interrupted me, Hayato spoke. "Anzen! Kenshi didn't lie to me or persuade me to do this. I chose this, and coming with us was your own choice. You can go give yourself up to the Shogun right now if you want to, but I know that this is the right thing." There was intense silence. I hadn't expected him to be so combatant against Anzen, especially with how he previously put up with his twin's overly authoritative attitude.

The silence was finally broken by Lee, who had been in the back of the group with Sora since they caught up with me. "Hey, I know this isn't really my-"

And for the third time in the past two minutes, another interruption came by Sora. His blank voice now held the slightest bit of urgency in it. "The Shogun is right behind us. We must leave immediately."

Anzen sighed as Hayato started trotting up the hill and followed, most likely exactly what Hayato had expected.

All of our composures felt like they were near breaking, but a glimmer of hope was just beyond the tree-line.

It was time to say hello to the palace I had spent so much time in one last time.