Chapter Nineteen:
"Icy Peaks and Obsidian Claws"
The fires from the previous night had burned low, their embers flickering faintly in the crisp morning air. Yumi’s mind lingered on the Elder's words from the night before. Snow covered the rooftops of stone and timber homes, lending the Yama-Okami village a serene yet somber atmosphere. Warriors moved silently through the snow-laden paths, their movements purposeful as they prepared for the day ahead.
Yumi stood near the largest bonfire in the central clearing, her breath forming clouds in the cold morning air. She tightened the straps on her cloak, her fingers trembling slightly—though she wasn’t sure whether it was from the chill or the weight of the coming day. Her tails swayed behind her in restless motion, betraying her unease.
Rai emerged from her tent, the flap swinging shut behind her, her steps crunching softly in the snow. Her gaze was sharp and unwavering, taking in the activity in the village as she approached Yumi.
“You’ve been up all night?” Rai asked, her voice low but firm. She stopped beside Yumi, her eyes gazed up at the horizon where the temple’s outline loomed against the gray sky.
Yumi shook her head. “I tried sleeping, but it didn’t work.”
Rai grunted in response, setting the satchel down at her feet. She knelt and began rummaging through its contents. “You’ll need your strength for what’s ahead. The path to the temple won’t be easy.”
Yumi stood straighter, her gaze unwavering. “I’m ready. Last night gave me all the clarity I need.” She tightened her grip on her cloak. “This is what I was meant for. Let’s not waste another moment.”
Rai stood, brushing snow from her hands. She placed a hand on Yumi’s shoulder, her voice softening. “You’re not carrying this alone,” she said. “I’ve got your back. Always.”
Yumi met her gaze, and for a moment, the tension eased. “Thank you,” she said. Her tails swayed less anxiously as a flicker of warmth kindled in her chest.
Frost crackled beneath Yumi's boots as they approached Takeshi and Kaori. The mountain peaks pierced the morning sky, their ancient stone watching in silence. Above, the barrier's golden radiance pulsed in time with the distant onslaught, its surface fracturing against the relentless bombardment from Vassoth’s fleet.
Takeshi and Kaori stood ready. They carried climbing gear and provisions with the confidence of those born to the mountains. Takeshi gave Yumi a reassuring nod, while Kaori offered a quick grin. “We’ll make it through this,” Kaori said. “Together.”
Beside them, Rai checked her war fan’s edge one final time. “No one’s getting left behind,” she added firmly.
Elder Moonweaver approached. The bone totems that hung at her waist rattled softly with each step. Her sharp eyes studied each of them in turn. The faint sound of drums began to echo through the village, signaling the upcoming departure.
“Yumi,” the Elder said, her voice both commanding and gentle. In her hands, she held a pair of sleek black claws that shimmered faintly in the morning light. “These are the Kage-tsume, the Obsidian Talons. They carry the strength and history of the Yama-Okami. May they guide and protect you.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Yumi said humbly.
“All you must do my young one, is discover why you continue forward now matter what lies ahead. What makes you fight with your very soul?”
“With my… soul?” Yumi reflected deeply on the words.
She accepted the Obsidian Talons with reverence, her fingers brushing over their smooth, cold surface.
“I won’t let you down,” she said, her voice steady. The Elder nodded and stepped back, watching as Yumi slipped the claws onto her hands, feeling the surge of connection and power they carried.
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“The Temple of Kanashimi-ai guards its secrets well,” the Elder said. “What you seek lies in its heart, perhaps the very key to our failing barrier.” She gestured upward where another impact sent cracks spreading across the golden shield. “May The Goddess protect you.”
The ascent began in silence, each step measured against the thinning air. Narrow paths wound between sheer cliffs, the ancient stone smooth from centuries of wind. Their breath came harder as they climbed higher, the cold growing sharper with each passing hour.
“Hold,” Takeshi growled, his ears flicking forward. The wind had died, leaving an unnatural stillness. Ice crystals formed in the air, hanging motionless.
A woman stood on the path ahead, her skin pale as winter moonlight. Her kimono seemed woven from fresh snow, and the ground froze solid beneath her bare feet. When she moved, she left no prints in the gathering ice. Her black hair floated as though suspended in water, and her eyes held no warmth at all.
“Yuki-onna,” Kaori breathed, drawing her blade. “Mountain goddess of ice and death.”
The snow-woman's lips curved in a smile that never reached her eyes. Frost spread from where she stood, crawling across stone. The temperature plummeted, burning their lungs with each breath.
“So warm,” she whispered, her voice like cracking ice. “So alive. Your heat calls to me.”
She glided forward, ice crystals swirling around her outstretched hands. Yumi’s HUD flared to life, and her new claws materialized, blazing with foxfire, as Rai’s war fan snapped open. Takeshi and Kaori flanked them, ready to coordinate an attack.
The Yuki-onna struck first. Ice spears materialized from her fingertips and launched toward them, forcing the group apart. Yumi rolled aside, frost coating her previous position. Rai’s fan cut through the air, wind magic shattering several ice projectiles. [-10 MP]
“Keep moving!” Takeshi shouted, his blade cleaving through a wall of ice. “She’ll freeze you solid if she touches you!”
The Yuki-onna’s attacks came relentlessly. Ice formed and shattered, each shard razor sharp. Her kimono moved like wind-blown snow as she pursued them, leaving winter’s touch in her wake. When Kaori’s blade found her arm, steam rose from the wound instead of blood.
Yumi’s foxfire melted through another ice barrage [-10 MP], but the thin air and her depleting SP made each movement harder. Her breath came in ragged gasps, the altitude stealing her stamina at an alarming rate. Beside her, Rai’s strikes grew slower, the cold seeping into her bones.
The mountain goddess pressed her advantage, ice spreading faster. “Your warmth fuels me,” she crooned. “Soon you’ll sleep forever in my icy embrace.”
“Not today,” Takeshi snarled. He charged forward, his massive frame breaking through her shield of ice. The snow-woman’s eyes widened as his blade struck true. [-500 HP] The Yuki-onna’s health bar appeared over her head before plummeting to nothing. For a moment, she seemed to smile—not cruel this time, but almost grateful. Then she dispersed into swirling snowflakes, leaving only a whisper in the wind.
The unnatural cold slowly lifted. Yumi’s legs trembled as her claws vanished, exhaustion settling deep. They had survived, but the encounter had cost them: valuable items used, energy drained, and their stamina bars reduced.
“We should find some shelter and regroup!” Rai yelled over the raging wind.
A short distance ahead the found an overhanging cliff to take refuge under, the stone blocking the worst of the wind. Rai glanced at the faint glow of the barrier above, her expression softening. “You know,” she said, a hint of nostalgia in her voice, “when I was a girl growing up in the dojo, things were… simpler, even when they were hard.” She pulled her knees close, her tone almost wistful. “The sensei took us in—orphans, runaways, anyone with nowhere else to go. We didn’t have much, but we had each other. We’d spar all day and sit by a fire like this at night, sharing stories. One night, after I took a nasty hit during training, sensei told me…” she paused, her voice dropping into a soft imitation of an old, gravelly tone, ‘Rai, strength isn’t just in how you fight—it’s what makes you stand back up.’”
Rai chuckled quietly. “I didn’t understand it then. I just wanted to win. But now… I get it. Why we stand back up is the very thing that drives us to survive.” She looked around at the group, her gaze lingering on each of them. “And it’s easier when you have people to stand with you.”
Kaori leaned back against the rock face, her blade resting across her knees. “She’s right,” she said with a small grin. “I fight to protect my home. The ones that can’t protect themselves. The ones I…love. With them in my heart I have no room in my soul for fear.”
Takeshi chuckled, his deep voice carrying over the howling wind. “I fight so I can share a good drink with friends.” he said, nudging Yumi lightly with his elbow handing her a waterskin with anything but water in it.
Yumi took a long sip, the hot liquid warmed her as she felt it go down. She couldn’t help but smile, the weight on her shoulders feeling a little lighter. “Thank you,” she said softly. Her gaze shifted upward, where the barrier’s faint glow flickered weaker with every passing moment. “We’ll make it through this. Together.”
The Temple of Kanashimi-ai waited somewhere higher still, its secrets hidden in ancient stone. They would reach it, Yumi knew. They had to. The realm’s survival depended on what they would find within those sacred walls.
But for now, they rested, drawing strength from one another as the mountain winds howled past their shelter.