Parcival led the way, the city center wasn't much farther now. The citizens moved out of the way as they neared the building. The fire blazed higher an angry demon that reached outward setting alight the hanging sign of a two-story home, the flames darted and jumped setting aflame the edge of the roof.

Groups of citizens ran to the river near the edge of the city they formed a bucket brigade, passing bamboo baskets filled with water to one another splashed the water at the flames eating the tall buildings. Realistically, it didn't do much. The man in the front of the line staggered into a willow, the buckets splashing as he stumbled over to the building.

"Arubasu! Stop hiding behind that column and grab a bucket!" Said a bald man. A lanky boy peeked from behind it and ran over to him. "Yes, otou-chan." The father and son moved over as they neared.

The fire roared into a burst of hungry flames shooting through the shoji sliding panel, gobbling it all. A wave of scorching heat almost burnt his face, and he moved away.

The citizens screamed, throwing themselves to the ground while others fell back.

The oppressive smoke stung his eyes, and it curled past his nose, obstructing the area.

"Han?"

A cough nearby.

More hot smoke ran over Parcival's face, searing his skin and blasting his forearms where the hairs curled upturned to ash and blew off. He tilted his head back. "Eternal Elaema, extend this spell!" Help me. Help us. This is awfull. He waved both hands together in a faint then slowly pulled them apart, a sigh formed between, sending forth a cold wind cooling everyone near.

He ran over and pulled away the people still close to the building. Now, where did Han go? At the entryway, a loose part of the door frame swung and crashed, he jumped back from the flaming mess. Further, in the inferno, a ceiling beam partially blocked the way to the staircase. He squeezed through, stepping over it before bounding up the stairs.

He coughed. The thick hot smoke obscured nearly everything, and the heat slammed on every side. This wasn't good, almost impossible to breathe. He held his breath. Pulling out the last potion, almost uncorking it before tucking it away. No, not yet. Where to go? The fire ate away at the left inner panel.

Jumping back, he almost tripped over Han's limp body that was slumped on a burning low table. Fire danced on the fur, he slapped it away. "So unlike you." The bubble wavered for a moment. "Spirits be lost. Wake up!"

Cast a wind spell? No, the fire is far too hot now. What was the use—now isn't the time. Don't panic. With quick motions, he transferred him to his shoulder, then raced up the winding stairway.

Hot embers bounced off his cheeks and neck. He hissed and leaped over the last three steps. Small beads of sweat formed on his forehead, trickling down his nose and cheeks. The room blurred and spun.

A shadow moved in the blaze of a room ahead.

Backing off, he watched for a couple of heartbeats blinking to clear the smoke before jumping into the room. A thump shook the floor. It was close. He blinked and strained to try to spot it again.

A rush of heat and then a rustle of flame curled up the edges of the cape and combusted, he undid the fastenings tossing it away. Dear gods!

A heat wave slammed into his chest and ripped away any traces of breath. Can't stay in here much longer. He wobbled.

Han fell to his knees coughing, clutching his neck.

Parcival pulled in short rapid breaths, and he yanked the potion out, uncorking it. He poured a fourth or so into Han's mouth before taking a good swig, and then put it away.

A blessed chill spread into his mouth, nose, and chest, the smoke breathed like air. Blessed mint, helped with more than just taste. Have to hurry, this won't last long. It was just a simple healing potion, it would have to be enough, not like an air potion would. The creature...

The shadow moved again. Standing took effort, but he stomped and wobbled over. "Beekaa?"

It moved closer.

The shadow became wider and taller where the eyes would be, with two sunken dents. It faced him, its overarching ram horns cutting through the smoke.

He spun around while gripping the hot sword in his hands before shifting into a fighting stance. As the smoke cleared away its face— if it could be called that—showed for a moment before it pulled away hiding behind the smoke. Don't run. Find him. For some reason, the handle kept smacking against his hip as if taunting him. Must be in here, near. Waiting.

Behind, something breathed heavy wet breaths on his neck. Clack-clack-clack of teeth, then a thick wet tongue sloped-slapped gunk around and over. An electric numbing began in his arms as the hairs stood on end.

Someone ahead coughed.

He burst forward, willing stiff legs to move. "Stay where you are, I sense something or someone in here." Usually couldn't sense too much but, this negative energy wasn't to be ignored.

A soft furry hand touched his shoulder.

Before he could sing the sword and advance, the paw dragged him down. Han pushed his face next to his.

"Don't." Han held his tail over his nose. "What's the situation?"

Good, he's not panicking. "Might be a spirit or a demon, I can't tell which is hunting us." Ordinarily would just start slashing, but Beekaa and the girl were in here. "You squalid demon, how you cower away unseen!" He stomped forward. They had to be this way. It hurt to breathe, but he pushed harder and continued.

"But, not good enough. Breathe in deep, it'll be your last."

He shivered. The floor rumbled caving in underfoot creating a hole, and the flames jumped through. He ran ahead. Han scampered around. The paw transformed into a clawed hand as it snaked through the smoke. Han ducked.

It spread forward, arms outstretched and landed a punch on Parcival's stomach. He buckled over and wheezed. That hurt!

A flash of fire reflected off its claws, a baneful linear line aimed straight at him.

Parcival drew the sword and cut in one motion, he hit nothing but air.

In a blink, it lunged toward his head, its claws far too close to his face.

He spun, deflecting its claws. It's getting faster.

Off ahead at the end of the room, he could make out vague outlines of bodies.

It howled.

"Get out of my way!" He charged at it and slashed any darker shadow. The heat pressed down, pulling his breath away. Refuse to die here! "Han, get them out of here!" He pointed with the sword off ahead.

Han ran to the end of the room and dragged them to a broken shoji screen, he pushed a figure, hopefully, Becka through and then soon after pulled the other smaller person through.

A clawed hand racked into his shoulder. He forced back a scream, his muscles tensed. Just a few more mins, got to give them time.

The creature's long shadow neared Han.

Han's outline faded away.

Scrape.

A moment later a dull reverberating creek, like that of the very walls, they cried out in pain. His heart pulsed with each step over. This must be a trick... Parcival coughed violently, the smoke burned his throat. Trying to pull in deep breaths. Have to get out of here!

"I'm still hungry. You'll have to do."

Damn It! He backed away.

It counter moved, and slashed with each step, Elaema's mercy hid most of its face behind the smoke, and what was seen made a mental warning sound inside.

Do something. He scooted backward then forward again, cutting through the smoke. Normal attacks were one thing but trying to hit a hidden and moving target was another. If only it would make a mistake.

The potion was wearing off. Sharp jabs filled his chest as the heat and smoke filled his lungs. He coughed. Out of time.

The claws grew longer, it scraped them across the back of the sword, leaving several thin groves and a chip. "I just bought this, you pigeon-brained jerk!"

Parcival ground his teeth. "Don't ever touch my katana!"

The creature lashed out, knocking his sword away, it spun through the far right screen. Eh. really? Its claws grew thick and sharp, and in a blur, it stabbed right through his shoulder. The shoji with the hole wasn't too far away, timing would have to be right.

He grunted and then fell to his side, clutching the wound.

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The demon grinned as it knelt and pulled off its face.

Face. Its face? Its face! His left eye twitched madly on the corner, he pressed it hard with two fingers, without letting the demon out of his sight.

The creature moved over, holding a mask in its hand, then tossed it aside.

It would have been better if the figure before him had stayed a demon. "So, you found us." Parcival pushed back upright again.

Outside, a familiar slow fizzy gurgling with that Olenus awful screech.

"You have an annoying ability of being able to thwart my plans." The dragon claw staff came through the broken screen, hovering beside him. "I doubt you'll tell me where she is. With a little coaxing, you might." Maxwell coughed. "First, let's leave here, shall we?"

Staff in hand, he pointed it and almost touched the end of Parcival's nose.

Maxwell jiggled the staff.

Not again! He shot up, clenching his teeth as a wave of searing fire went up and down his shoulder. He swung by Maxwell, fists swinging but kept missing by inches.

Furthermore, he crashed through a panel, then tumbled to nothing as seconds ticked by, the people below motionless.

Then wind rushed by with people screaming as he struck the ground.

A hot humid breeze singed Parcival's arms, the rush of voices and people moving about, that and the pat-a-pat of a prickly furry paw-hand in bad need of a trim. He groaned.

"Tears of Olenus, couldn't people let a man sleep?"

"You got to move, or you'll get trampled. Get up!"

He pushed upright on bent knees, waiting for the spinning to stop. The before muted sounds rushed in, splashing followed by a hiss. With a breath, the gray smoke singed his nostrils as it twisted and twirled it still clung thick in the air, but far more breathable than inside the building.

"Beeka!"

He jumped up.

Han stood next to him. "I took him to the medical tent." He brushed off some thick ash from his clothing. He held a gleaming object in his paw hands.

"I found this, in the building ashes."

He nodded. "Good also—Maxwell is here." He leaned down, taking the pieces. He dropped the bottom half in first, then slid the top back in and reattached the sheath to his waist.

"Thanks." He bowed.

Will have to have this repaired quick!

Several villagers moved past with buckets of water and continued to put out the fire.

Han's ears laid back flat on his head, and his tail twitched violently. "Not again." He looked down. "I didn't sign up for this."

Parcival nodded. "I still could use a hand."

Han smirked. "Could always use another opal."

A slim, short woman holding a small child in the street batted away at nothing, then ran past them. "Demon! Demons are here!"

He strode over there fast and examined where they were, but found nothing. Now, where did the woman head off to?

"Miss?"

Han came beside him, sniffing. "There's nothing here."

Parcival rubbed an itchy eyebrow. "We'll there isn't, and how many times has that been proven wrong?" So many evil creatures hid in them lately. Using a flash potion would probably upset the citizens.

Han finally said, "Maybe."

He poked around a bit longer, but nothing was there. The peasant was mistaken, acting quite foolish. Maxwell was gone, it was disconcerting how fast that slimy uizādo moved.

Two Doshin turned the corner on patrol, coming straight down the main street, behind them several others followed, and the peasants bowed deep while moving out of the way.

The rest of the people hurried to get away and pushed past Parcival, one man bumped against his arm, knocking him back.

Parcival shifted from foot to foot. "It would be prudent for us to leave this area now, the Doshin tend to be ornery this time of day as they're made to patrol before supper." They'd listen if need be, but it was best at this time to not start a fuss. Still need to cleanse Merry. No, it wouldn't do to bring a possessed woman home, all the alarms would ring off at once!

Han nodded. "I'll take you to Beekaa. Then I need to do some shopping, my tobacco is running low." He turned and went leftwards, taking a backstreet away from the Doshin. The houses' roofs were lined with decorative red paper lamps.

Several women came out the back door with large woven bamboo baskets filled with laundry, two of them slowed down.

"I saw the Elfin!"

The smallest one set the basket on her hip. "You lie!"

"Not so, I saw one! Pointy ears and sky hair. Its head poked out of the window."

The small one walked a little faster, keeping in step with the other as they continued forward. "Next thing you'll know that they'll want to convert us and start hugging trees." She wiggled her hips and moved like she was hugging the basket. "Oh, great Elaema, bring me some sake! That I can follow behind with."

Parcival moved forward. Remind them of how to treat...

Han shook his head. "We don't have time."

Both the women laughed as they went off through the city, heading towards the eastward river.

He ground his teeth and straightened the jerkin under his armor. "While we're at it, I need to buy some more comfortable armor. Why father decided to gift this to me, I'll never understand." How's a man to help anyone if they're stuck in this heavy metal? Ridiculous.

Han stopped and tapped his chin. "Do you remember where that little temple where we found Beekaa? He's back there again, I saw him carrying the boy in that direction."

Han continued to walk while talking. "Didn't it have a name? I don't remember seeing a sign.

"One of many of The Veil Creek's temples. The main one is up high in the northern mountain." He moved forward carefully. The vibrant city eased into a more muted and leaden echo of the hours before, the moon still cast a faint glow here and there, giving a small splash of color to the building, carts, and occasional people chatting with one another at the doorsteps.

The hazy sparse light from the platinum moon, while a blessed boon, barely could push back the darkness that still draped over the city. Its growing shadows seemed to grow taller along the building walls and across the streets, making it night hell to see much of anything, hopefully, Han wouldn't run off too far.

"I want to check on Merryn." He stopped.

Han turned facing him, "what is it?"

"Maxwell was in the building, he may have caused the fire."

Han's ears flatted back. "And you chose to say this now?" He shook a paw at him. "Did that fall make you barmy?" Han took off bounding on four legs, already several feet ahead. "Hurry up!"

His lips pressed together avoiding yet another impolite sigh, with his hand palm facing up, he pointed it at Han. "Slow down, I can't see as well as you."

Han kept darting glances to the side, his ears rotating intermittently.

"Are you alright?" He strained, but couldn't see or hear anything unusual.

"It's soft, just below a whisper. I—can't quite figure out what it is." Han shook his head a few times. "It's really getting annoying, a low hum or a buzzing."

A muscle in Parcival's face twitched. "We can't be in all places at once. Just be careful, but keep going to the temple." If Elaema, and lesser gods were kind, that wouldn't be a problem. For once. "The spirits may be upset, from the building fire, being displaced and all." He couldn't quite capture a fleeting thought that scratched at the edges of his mind. "The monks will take care of it soon, and try to please them."

Han tilted his head and blinked. "Spirits, you say?" He scrunched up his fuzzy brow. "You'll Have to show me what you mean later."

####

Later they hurried to the temple, passing through the gates, Parcival insisted this time they wash their hands in the chozuya fountain. As he passed through he stretched a kink from his back then scratched his chin where the stubble was getting thick. If there was time today, a visit to the stone barber would be a treat.

As Beekaa was chanting a quick prayer for the little boy, he gently rolled him onto his side. Without a word, he grabbed a small plain oki quilt, wrapped him in, leaving his face exposed, and placed him on the steps above the wooden platform.

Parcival placed his hands near his forehead, clasped palms together as he bowed. "Will he..."