Chapter 56: When the Wolf Bites

Tsukee Wivioh made it to the center of the domain first, and found a sight that left her grinning. Her silver eyes sparkled as they set upon an arcane machine, wanting every bit to take it apart, even though she knew it was dangerous. It was some form of demonic ingenuity.To the naked eye, it looked like a liquid tree rising from a pedestal—not all too strange for a spirit domain.

They often looked like regular places that were uncanny in some way—found downturns you rarely took or on roads that had faded out. In the future, the Grass House itself would be much the same. It might look like a meadow or an orchard, not all that strange except for the glow of the leaves, or the ripeness of the fruit. In such a place a liquid tree was normal, and to the naked eye, it demanded no second glance.

However, to the not-so-naked eye, it was a clocktower in a village made of straw.

Through a pair of goggles, with lenses that flipped at the press of a button, Tsukee could see the workings of a spell. The leaves breathed in the energy of the domain, feeding it down through its body and out through its roots. All of it pumped into a massive root beneath it, swelling like an artery force-fed an injection. This tree was just one root branch, feeding nutrients to one massive tree. And that tree was surely waiting in the Orchid Triumvirate, guarded by the Yoshiki sect. This was just one part of a siphon, collecting reiki from all over the world. And as she examined it, she could see why so much was going wrong.

For one, it wasn’t just siphoning reiki, it was venting it too. If it was only draining domains then it’d be a matter of time before that domain moved across the world. How did you stop that? By letting some of that reiki out, and where did it all go? Into other domains. That was why malevolent spirits were spawning.

Two? It didn’t just move through the spirit realm, it pushed through the boundaries, channeling that energy through the tethers between. It might be too obvious otherwise, letting anyone who understood the basics see where it all was going, able to mount an offensive long before the sect’s plans were done. And the danger of damaging the boundaries was paying off, letting malevolent spirits pour into the mortal realm to keep the world distracted.

All of it was working beautifully, hiding the Yoshiki Sect’s master plan behind spiritual activity no one could expect. While they world rushed to prepare for a spiritual convergence, the Yoshiki Sect would spring their trap, and rule the ruin that remained.

Tsukee had to applaud it. This was the first step to world conquest. The Orchid Triumvirate would be the throne, and their demon would be the king. History was happening in front of her, and she could already see how Ufanyn historians would write about it.

05—11—0217M.E. In the Journeyman’s Calm Lands, a battle took place that decided if a demon would rule the world. There stood an Avadyn born in a non-elf settlement, the surviving medium of an old Spiritualist Family, the disowned daughter of a Green Lands noble, a dragon on his pilgrimage, a self-actualized manakin, the first Myrin spellcaster, and a girl from another world.

She wondered if the others knew about the scale, or if finding this pedestal had let her skip ahead. Either way, she was going to destroy it. Whether this would turn into a larger battle was a question for later. She whipped her leg around to break it, and a flash of purple light pushed her back.

A demon manifested from the flash, her body swirling together. She was a sculpted figure, balanced for elegance, with magenta skin hugged tight in a purple unitard. Dark hair fell like a curtain around her head, parted into bangs by long thin horns, framing deceptively cold yellow eyes. A thin tail swished about behind her as she scanned her surroundings. Her eyes drifted past Tsukee, and settled on a ball of woven grass, the size of a boulder.

Paying attention to it just now herself, Tsukee could hear a heartbeat inside. The woman walked over to it, and place a tender hand on its surface.

“What have they done to you, Yuzuko? How have they trapped you in this?” The braids began to move like snakes. “And the others? Miki has come undone and Ayaka is fading. Was this that harrabaren’s doing, or someone else?” Her eyes came back to Tsukee then. They narrowed. “Who do you belong to, wolf? What master sicced you on us?”

Tsukee laughed. “I have no master and have ripped out the throat of those who’d try. I came after your sect by my own choosing.”

“No, I don’t believe that. There’s no reason a Myrin would be in a domain. Perhaps you’re adventuring then, and this is your party’s little quest?”

“You came in looking for answers. What does that make you, a high ranking member? Not like whoever’s in that ball, right? And your skin isn’t a human-color, this isn’t a possession.” This demon was from the maelstrom.

“Clever,” she replied. “I can more easily believe you involved yourself then.” She lifted a finger. “I’ll take you out one by one and get this mission back on track.” Two slabs of land smashed Tsukee between them, folding up like a closing book.

She passed through it, and the demon’s eyes widened.

“Magic? But you have no item.”

“The magic is all in myself.” Tsukee charged, palms glowing with silver light.

The demon gestured and the grass wove into whips, snapping out as the wolf drew closer. She dodged some and passed through others, slamming a strong palm into the demon’s chest.

"Moonlight Stamp!" She pushed and felt a soul come lose, throwing a barrage to toss it further. The body fell and then flashed, reforming again, throwing three spears through Tsukee—one tearing skin.

“You reactions are fast.” The demon observed. The grass whipped at Tsukee again, forcing her back. “Who are you?” The demon met her eyes.

“Tsukee Wivioh, the Lunar Wolf.” Tsukee hoped the Ufanyn would write it just like that. “But it’s customary to give your name first.”

“I am Vasha, Bishop of the Yoshiki Sect.”

“Bishop, hm? How many ranks does that put you above disciple?”

Vasha frowned. “How many of our disciples have you killed?”

“I didn’t keep count. Not all of the ones I met though, just the ones who forced me.” Tsukee pointed at the ball. “They often spoke of who they were a disciple of…I’m guessing one of those people is in that ball.”

“Cardinal Yuzuko…which means you didn’t trap her.”

Whoops. She gave something away.

“And you don’t know who did. So there are two parties involved…” Vasha’s fingers twitched. Though it seemed she shook Tsukee’s assault off, the effects lingered. So, this wouldn’t be a pointless battle. “We bishops are equal to cardinals. There is the Ascendant beneath us, and the disciples beneath them. I tell you this as a warning, Tsukee Wivioh, surrender or suffer.”

Tsukee bared her fangs in a smile. “Let’s see if either of those is right.”

She charged again, as whips cracked and spears flew. Tsukee minded her footwork, skipping, bouncing, sliding low, and launching, dodging all that she could as she closed in. Her palms glowed, and through her goggles she took note, seeing the energy flow down from Vasha to thread itself into the ground. She was no floral demon, but one of Hateful Space, turning the world around her into a weapon against you.

A drill tore up when Tsukee might have made her strike. It missed her as she bounced back, and the drills that followed passed through her safely. Huge chunks of dirt rose up and smashed down. Their shrapnel became a swarm, buzzing after Tsukee as she dodged back to the range of the whips. Everything came at her and she knew what Vasha was trying to do.

Rather than let her, she disappeared, leaving the demon confused as she moved through another layer of reality. It was one of her moon phases. Half-Moon for when she was intangible. Crescent-Moon for when she struck. New Moon for when she didn’t want to exist at all. She changed back to Crescent and slammed her palm into Vasha’s back.

“Moonlight Stamp!” The demon’s presence flew, and the magic dripped down to Tsukee’s claws. “Moonlight Gladius.” She slashed down Vasha’s body, silver light spilling instead of blood.

This time Vasha's flash was violent, looking more like broken glass than a burst of light. As she came back together, leaves fluttered down around the wolf. Vasha raised her hands they and whirled like vicious blades. Even the ground was shredded, though she escaped, already leaping, leg chambered as she landed beside Vasha.

With a ballerina's grace, she spun two kicks, one knocking a part of Vasha one way, the other the opposite. With the pieces in two different places, Tsukee mauled her. Teeth sank into her neck and tore a chunk away. Claws dug into her stomach and spilled her guts. The flash came shortly after and was followed by a shriek as the demon's wounds healed all too slowly.

Tsukee wiped the blood from her face and redoubled her attack. Vasha bit through pain, her hands coming up. They both froze as a glass clip appeared on the demon’s finger and a voice rose from it.

“Vasha, what is happening out there. Your token has reformed you multiple times. Are you fighting an exorcist?” It was a man. Vasha looked at her finger and Tsukee wondered if she should attack or collect information.

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“It’s a myrin,” the demon replied. “She has some sort of incorporeal magic—phasing and full on disappearing. There’s no item involved, and she claims to be a mage.”

“What are her attacks like?”

“Some form of forced projection.”

“What does she look like?”

“A child in her late teens.”

Silence came back this time, and Tsukee was glad she didn’t strike. These weren’t just the questions of a confused and distant observer, but questions of someone looking for real answers. Did he know about the Lunar Wolf? Was he prepared to fight her?

“I’m going to alter your token here. It’ll be a temporary change but it’ll be enough.”

Tsukee watched it happen. Vasha’s chest glowed a bright blue and lines traced out from it, drawing themselves down her limbs and up the side of her face. It was enlightening, honestly. It explained why her spells didn’t stick. Normally that assault would rip a demon out of this plane, but if her presence was bound to some type of item, she’d remain here until it was broken.

It wouldn’t do to attack like normal.

Tsukee smiled.

Vasha wouldn’t like the alternative any better.

She started changing phases, silver wisps rising and darkening.

Sharp stones rose like a thousand arrows above her. They came down digging up the ground, as Tsukee ran the demon down. Still, she changed her phase, only stopping when a stone cut her cheek. The rest passed through her, stopping short of Vasha, shooting back as if they never lost momentum.

Tsukee ran away this time, dropping to all fours, giving Vasha a large berth. She thought that might slow the attacks as the demon tried to keep up, but instead, it stayed the same, the demon weaving the ground into boulders.

They came at Tsukee like catapult shots, digging out trenches as she flipped away. The boulders started rolling, rumbling loudly as they barreled fast after her. Each one passed harmlessly through her as she ran through them. Next came the barrage of stones, tearing a few thin scars as she tried to catch her breath. She turned toward Vasha, ready to rip out her throat again, and came up short as a boulder almost crushed her side.

Slipping through it, Tsukee sank into the ground and heard the sharp stones bombard the world above her. She kept going, sure she'd fall out the other side eventually, but desperately needed this time to think.

Her opponents often tried to exhaust her aura, but Vasha might succeed before Tsukee did her in. Those attacks weren’t under the demon’s control, not with the way they never lost speed, not with the way her scent said nothing of stress. If Tsukee had to guess, it was some sort of tracking spell. It was only a matter of time before Vasha had enough attacks that there was nothing Tsukee could do.

“So what do I do now then? If I emerge, I have to attack quick. New moon is too far away though, and Crescent isn’t working. Half is the closest but if she exhausts my aura before I can change completely I’m as good as dead.”

Above her the woven grass was coming apart, the ever-tracking projectiles finally digging through it.

“New, crescent, half, then full?” There could be no room for error. New to emerge, crescent to strike, half while Vasha recovered to shift into full. As the stones tore toward her, she made her decision.

Everything came at her at once. Skewering, piercing, crushing, smashing. It would have made a viciously bloody display had she not fallen into the new moon, claws breaking dirt as she wrenched herself out of the newly made hole. She heard the attacks coming as she returned to Vasha’s layer, liquid silver light flowing down her claws.

“Moonlight gladius!” She slashed, the spell gliding through the demon’s lower back.

The assault abruptly stopped as demonic energy started stitching the wound.

Tsukee gave her distance as she switched to half, once more letting silver energy rise from her body.

Vasha flashed and came back together, tossing her volley at the wolf again.

Tsukee did not flee, but waited, her magic darkening as it lay upon arm and leg, glowing like spectral fur.

She charged, trusting ear and eye to guide her as she slipped and jumped, rolled and dove. Errant shots still grazed her, flesh tearing from her arm, blood coursing into her eye. The ground folded up to smash her and it was her myrin strength that stopped it, meeting the sudden force, bones cracking even as she smashed through it. She slashed upward and four silver arcs carved the air as chunks crashed into her.

With a clenched jaw, she didn’t let that stop her. Claws flashed again and again, spilling light, leaving glowing wounds in their wake. Even as chunks stabbed into her side, she slashed. Even as her battle effigy saved her from impalement, she slashed. Her claws kept at it with a violent fury and only stopped when Vasha slammed a boulder down on her.

“Should have just run away!” The demon shrieked.

"Moonlight scalpel," Tsukee called as she passed through the boulder. "Moonlight surgery." Vasha's many glowing wounds burned night-blue, and all of her projectiles dropped to the ground.

She followed them, crashing down onto a knee. Her hands came out to prop her up, but they quivered violently like her weight was too much. The missiles around her shook but couldn’t pick themselves up either. She even tried to lunge at Tsukee and fell flat in the dirt.

“What have you done!” She wailed, clawing at the ground.

Tsukee held up an arm, still covered in glowing fur. Her hand was notably larger too, making her claws look more savage and fierce. “When I’m in my beast form, my fur matches my hair.” She said. “Myrin transformations are about displacement.” She chuckled. “And that last phase? Full Moon? Well, let’s say you’re more like us myrin now.”

Vasha's body began to glow. Tsukee suspected she was trying to shapeshift, certain that it'd break the effect of moonlight surgery.

“Won’t work.” She bared her teeth in a smile. “Displacement, remember? The parts you’re trying to transform aren’t here with you.”

The scent of fear came on strong. Tsukee almost felt bad, but she knew the demon wouldn’t like this.

“Saheed…help!” Vasha wept.

The clip on her finger spoke urgently, “What happened to you Vasha? Your token is struggling.”

Tsukee knelt in front of her, making sure the clip caught her voice. “Saheed, is it? I can’t say I know you, but I’m curious if you know me. That tracking magic was clever. Unfortunately for you, I’m experienced with clever.”

A weighted silence came back for a moment. She wondered if he was trying to fix Vasha or prepare for another attack. She kept her ears alert either way, trusting them to watch her back. She heard the sounds of the grass house—movement through the brush, the tilling of dirt, something that sounded strangely like ropes dragging across each other, but the moment passed and nothing happened.

Saheed’s voice came back with a growl.

“Yes, I know of you, Lunar Wolf. A myrin spell caster is already one thing, but one that’s such a pain in the side of mainland merchants and nobles? I would have been a fool not to dig deeper.”

“A shame you sent her instead of yourself then. Seems you might have had a better chance. Now she’s going to suffer trying to stabilize herself. But I’ll help her if you pull her back, and your sect pulls out of this domain.”

“Demands, wolf? Hostages and demands. I suppose I should just acquiesce, shouldn’t I?” Saheed snickered. “But you were never our prime concern. We sent our people out prepared to fight the strongest forces of each nation.”

“Since you’re preparing for conquest, I guess that makes sense. Gotta show the world you can fight back, right?” She sprung at the chance to confirm her theory.

“Hmm? You think you have an idea of what we’re planning.”

“Be certain that even if I don’t, I know many people who will help me find out.”

“Well then, congratulations, Lunar Wolf. You’ve proven that you should not be overlooked.”

“Saheed…” Vasha whimpered.

“Don’t worry Vasha, help is on the way.”

Tsukee heard it before Saheed was even finished speaking. It sounded like a liquid stirring, churning, bubbling, and then streaming at her. She was in half-moon before it hit, but it hit her still spraying heat and a shock up her back. She cried out as she hit the ground beside Vasha.

Behind her the grass boulder peeled open, revealing a blue-skinned demon inside. She wore a revealing outfit, but where skin might have been exposed before, liquid garbed her instead. It was Yoshiki Yuzuko emerging from what remained of her prison. She cast cruel eyes down.

"Saheed?" She spoke to a clip of her own.

“The Lunar Wolf, Yuzuko, but she’ll be no match for you.”

Tsukee sprung back to her feet, her myrin blood pushing away the pain but not the weakness in her knees. She met the demon’s eyes, teeth bared in a sneer. She had used half-moon, but it didn’t work.

“Is this mana I feel?” Yuzuko sneered back, intrigue barely masking resentment. “But not a type of mana I’ve felt before.” She swirled her finger and a liquid trail followed it.

“A panethereal…” Tsukee growled.

“A transmutation demon too.” Yuzuko said gracefully, bringing the trail to her palm, making its volume pool and cascade. It was a threat, I’d make your mana work for me.

Tsukee smirked despite it. “I suppose this will be a test of my prowess too.” If half-moon was pointless, she’d just stay in full.

“I promise you, if it’s a test, you’ve already failed.”

Despite those words, Tsukee charged, confident she’d only fail in death…

[Chapter 56 ends…]