“Am I losing my mind here?” Stephen asked, pointing at the demon who had threatened them. “Or did Bigfoot just walk out of the forest and start talking to us?”

“You’re not crazy,” Tamiko replied, fear etched onto her face. “But I kind of wish you were.”

“Me too.”

“Who are you and what do you want?” Kisaki asked before Shitoro could stop her.

“You must be the hanyou who gave my followers so much trouble. To think such a tiny half-breed could defeat even that little mouse you have with you.” The massive creature nodded toward Shitoro. “Even more interesting that you would claim to have the blade of heaven. No wonder Ichitiro paid a bounty for your head. Mind you, I do not believe it. But if that fool does, then I suppose I will have to satisfy my curiosity and search your corpses for it.”

“How did you find us, brute?” Shitoro growled.

“Really, kitten? You can’t possibly be that ignorant. The miasma, of course.” Crag took a wet sniff through his nostrils. “Seems to have finally worn off, but that doesn’t matter. There is nowhere left to hide.”

Kisaki wasn’t sure what he meant, but then she remembered the smoke that had surrounded them when they’d used the second crystal. At the time, she’d thought it misfired, or perhaps overloaded due to the vagueness of her request, but now she realized it had been deliberate.

If what Shitoro had said about this Ichitiro was true, and she had to assume it was, then he was petty enough to do so.

A screech of sound caught her ear and she spun to find a hawk demon, perhaps the same one she’d spared, swooping down at them. No, not them ... Stephen. While the monstrous demon had been pontificating, her friend had reached beneath the covering of leaves and retrieved his gun. Unfortunately, it was for naught as the hawk tore it from his hands. It flew back toward its apparent leader where it dropped the weapon at his feet.

“I am impressed that you even tried, human,” Crag said, bending down to retrieve it. “However futile it might be.” With a squeal of metal, he bent the gun in half and tossed it away. “Is there anything else we should be aware of, or can we proceed with your deaths?”

“You can proceed to go hang yourself,” Shitoro spat, “along with your foul master.” He raised his arms and a cascade of water dropped down from the sky onto Crag and the youkai near him.

“You think a bath is going to stop that monster?” Stephen asked, wide-eyed.

“No, I don’t.” Shitoro held his hands out and yellow bolts of energy shot forth, similar to what he’d used on Stephen earlier.

Kisaki was about to remark that she was doubtful such an attack would do anything to their foes, but then the youkai started screaming and she realized Shitoro had used the water as a mere distraction.

“ARGH!” Crag cried out as a burst of yellow energy exploded in his face.

The same was happening to all of the larger predators. Hands, paws, and claws reached up to cover their eyes from the attack.

Shitoro finished his spell and turned back to the others. “That won’t stop them for long.”

“What do we do?” Tamiko asked.

Shitoro changed into his tiger form and bounded past her. “If I might be so bold to suggest it ... run!”

♦ ♦ ♦

Crag had to give credit to the diminutive tiger youkai for even trying. The useless little demon had been terrified, rightly so, at the sight of him. He knew Shitoro to be a servant to the daimao Midnite, but remembered him from much further back. The runt of the litter had escaped him so very long ago, somehow managing to subsequently secure a position that made him all but untouchable. But now, well, this had to be fate’s way of repaying Crag for his time spent hiding in the woods like a dog while the daimao cowered from the comfort of their palace.

Finally, his vision cleared. A clever attack but utterly futile. When he looked up again, he saw the foursome was gone. No matter. He turned questioningly to one of the wolves at his side and the creature nodded once. Even with the miasma gone, his minions had their scent. Though the little tiger might lead them on a good chase, his two-legged companions couldn’t hope to escape them for long.

And if they thought the human town would offer them sanctuary, then they were wrong. Had this been a mere contract, perhaps Crag would have been more cautious, heeded the wisdom of remaining hidden. But now, after overhearing his quarry talking, it all made sense to him. A bounty, from Ichitiro no less, and all for a measly hanyou? Somehow the daimao believed this pathetic creature was in possession of the Taiyosori.

It seemed impossible, insane.

He sincerely doubted the hanyou actually had it, but if there was even a small chance, then he would throw caution to the wind. The Taiyosori was prized by the daimao, but rumor was it was feared by them as well. With it in his possession, he could surely command a greater bounty than a mere pile of meat – passage off this world at a bare minimum, reinforcements, even respect. He could demand it all.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

He paused, deep in thought, as the youkai around him waited for his orders. Crag was powerful, even among the mazoku, but he had no delusions about being a match for the daimao ... by himself anyway. But with the Taiyosori at his command, that could change.

The daimao, arrogant godlings. What he wouldn’t give to be out from under their thumb. Sending Ichitiro’s head flying from his shoulders would give him immense satisfaction. It would also rally other demons, both strong and weak, to his cause, making him unto a god himself.

Crag smiled and then simply pointed a finger toward the town.

The stakes had been raised, the rules of the game changed. There would be nowhere his prey could hide from him.

♦ ♦ ♦

“Thank you, Shitoro. We definitely owe you one.”

“Think nothing of it,” he replied to Tamiko.

She turned to him, one eyebrow raised. “That’s it? No insult?”

“Perhaps later,” the little tiger said, panting hard. “Would I have been able to do more to that beast, I would have. Alas, I am no warrior.”

“You could have fooled me,” Stephen replied. “That was pretty awesome, what you did.”

They’d run as quickly as they could. Cartersville wasn’t a big town, but there were enough streets to hopefully lose their pursuers. Suddenly the idea of turning themselves in to the police didn’t seem so farfetched. They could certainly use the extra manpower fighting at their side, Kisaki mused. Still, this Crag had ambushed them on the outskirts of town. That probably meant their current strategy had at least bought them some time.

Unfortunately, Shitoro brought that hope to a screeching halt. “We must keep going. He won’t give up that easily.”

“Are you sure?” Tamiko asked. “I thought you said they would be wary of humans.”

“Exactly,” Stephen added. “The cops are going to be on alert after earlier. It wouldn’t be smart or subtle to...”

“Crag is neither smart nor subtle in his methods, human. He has never been. He is a brutal butcher, nearly as full of rage as he is of himself.”

“You know this demon, Shitoro?” Kisaki asked.

“Unfortunately. His people declared war on my own almost eighteen hundred years ago. No, that is not entirely true. His forces attacked without provocation, ambushed my village and caught us unawares. It was a slaughter and Crag was the one leading their army, laughing as his troops slaughtered cubs and mothers alike.” The anger in Shitoro’s voice was evident as was the pain of the memory.

Kisaki knelt down next to him and began to stroke his fur. “What happened?”

“Only a handful of us escaped. Crag personally chased me down. He never was one to let the opportunity for an easy kill pass.”

“How’d you get away?” Tamiko asked.

“By using the same trick I just did.” Shitoro laughed bitterly. “As I said, that one is no thinker. He relies on brute force and breaking his enemies through savagery. But he won’t give up. Not now.”

“Why?”

“It was no secret that he was known to be jealous of the daimao. It’s obvious he overheard us talking about the Taiyosori. That is a prize he won’t so easily let slip between his fingers. If he thinks he can get revenge upon them...”

“Revenge?” Kisaki asked. “For what?”

“When the edict was passed and passage to Earth forbidden, Crag was one of those left behind. Word reached him too late and the ways were already shut. He tried to reach out to the daimao, demanding to be brought to the palace or at least sent to another world. The truth is, his station as one of their warlords might have swayed their judgment. But his message fell upon deaf ears. He feels they abandoned him, betrayed him.”

“Did they?”

Shitoro looked up and smiled sheepishly. “As your mother’s chief servant at the time, I might have played some small part in ensuring his pleas did not reach the proper channels.”

Tamiko chuckled. “Does he know this?”

“I should hope not.”

“Maybe that’s news we should keep to ourselves, then,” Stephen said.

Shitoro nodded. “I would appreciate that, although I doubt it will quell him much. Crag wasn’t pleased that I escaped him all those years ago. Serving Lady Midnite put me beyond his grasp, but now...”

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t lay a finger on you,” Kisaki said.

“I thank you, my lady, but you should know that Crag is far more powerful than the youkai who attacked us at Stephen Fuller’s domicile.”

Kisaki considered this, remembering how she’d pushed the dead ursine off of her as if it weighed little more than Tamiko. Whatever had awakened in her, it seemed to be evolving, growing stronger each time she used it. Unfortunately, she had no idea what her limit was. The bear had been big, but this Crag was enormous. There was no telling how strong he might be or what magic he had to use against them. “It sounds like we have two choices,” she said. “We can fight or we can run.”

“He had more wolves with him,” Shitoro warned. “They will not be easy to evade. Crag may be an uncivilized brute, but he knows the ways of war and how to track an enemy.”

Tamiko turned to Stephen. “I don’t suppose you have a car we can borrow.”

“My parents took ours with them. Besides, I only have my permit. I’m technically not supposed to be driving without an adult.”

“A giant ape wants to kill us and you’re worried about getting a ticket?”

“When you put it that way...”

“Where would we go?” Kisaki asked.

“No idea, but not here sounds like a good start.”

Kisaki nodded, then glanced at Shitoro. “And this Crag will follow?”

“Almost surely.”

A frown creased her face. “But before then?”

“As I said, my lady, he suspects you have the Taiyosori. I have little doubt he will throw caution to the wind to try to find you and take it. He will ravage this place looking for you or anyone who might know where you’ve gone.”

“And by ravage, you mean?” Worry was beginning to creep into Stephen’s voice.

“I think you know very well what I mean. He will tear this town apart, piece by piece, human by human.”

“Damnit!” Stephen cried, slapping the side of the building they’d stopped near. “I have friends here. There’s good people in this town. Hell, even Robbie doesn’t deserve that ... mostly.”

Kisaki approached and put a hand upon his shoulder. “I agree.”

“But, Lady Kisaki...”

She silenced Shitoro with a look. “This is my fault. I should have heeded your wishes, Shitoro, stayed and studied, but I did not. And now all of this falls upon me. I won’t allow innocent people to be slaughtered, not when there exists the possibility I can do something about it.”

“We can’t win this alone,” Shitoro pleaded.

“Then we shall find allies to stand with us.” She turned toward Stephen. “These police I have heard of. They are warriors, yes?”

“In a sense,” he replied. “I mean, I think some of the cops in town are ex-military.”

“Very well. We will reach out to them, have them warn the others.”

“And then?” Shitoro asked.

“Simple, my friend. And then we shall fight.”