On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Four Hundred And Eighteen

“Nonsense! Your lies are a pathetic excuse to divide us, murderer!” Fungbō sneered, before turning to his brother, urgency in his eyes. “Arangbō, do not be fooled! Our errant sister has plotted this with the outsider. Perhaps her defeat to him was a more farce, a play all along. We need to quickly defeat them, so we can lay poor Shungbō, the Summer South, to rest and cleanse the flame. Great Tarōbō only has us now!”

Fortunately, the burning corpse of Shungbō was not moving to attack us yet, the body shaking and shuddering, as though Shungbō was still fighting for control, but it was only a matter of time before the stalemate collapsed. Seeing the situation, Kana and Chen Na were edging backwards slowly, while Daiyu was padding towards my side stealthily. “Your lies won’t work here.” I said coldly, and Fungbō frowned, his body wreathed in metal, faint tongues of flame flickering on the surface, giving him a ghoulish look.

“Lies? The only lies were yours, claiming you were here to help! You plan to usurp mount Atago, I know!” his words were venomous. “Planning to dispose of us, so only Haanōbō is left, you can take her, and usurp our father! He is too strong for you, so you will force him to lower his guard in grief, and the two of you will slay him!”

“Take me? Are you insane, brother? I had never met him until today…” Haanōbō finally awakened from her shocked stupor. “You were the one who…”

“You showed him your face, your shame, sister!” Fungbō spat. “You cannot fool me!”

“I said you are all misunderstanding that. Arangbō, Spring East, you must know that it was Fungbō, not…”

“Do not believe their lies brother! Our only chance is to work together!” Fungbō urged, and the wounded Arangbō frowned, looking between us. I glanced at Daiyu, and I understood her thoughts from just that.

“I assure you, Arangbō, I did nothing except defeat the bear. I urged everyone to stay clear, and I don’t believe it was Haanōbō who betrayed us. That is beside the point…” I turned to Fungbō, my expression cold. “There’s nothing I hate more than those who betray their family, friends and loves. So I’ll make you pay. But… more to the point…” I laughed derisively, mocking him. “Just how do you think you can defeat us all? You can’t even beat me, so your plan makes no sense.”

“Listen to him threaten me, brother!” Fungbō urged. “You simply must aid me, else I will be slain, like poor, betrayed Shungbō!” He glanced at the struggling, flaming Tengu, and I didn’t fail to spot the icy contempt in his gaze. “Then you will be next, I know it.” His expression turned sly, whole demeanour shifting, and I realised there was something wrong with him. “As for your strength, I admit it, outsider. You are strong, stronger than me. But I am not a fool. You expended much of your might destroying the skeletal bear. I doubt very much you have much flame left or can use those shining rings. Your strength is at its lowest. Me, however…” he gloated. “I have prepared, hoarding my power, making the battlefield my own!”

“You hear that?” I said to Arangbō. “Are those calculating words the talk of someone innocent? While we were going all out, he was biding his time, preparing treachery…”

“Not treachery, but a contingency!” Fungbō laughed, and Haru spoke.

“I think it is the flames. They have warped him. Perhaps the ugliness in his heart attracted them, but… he is far gone.”

“Your words are meaningless. Now, see the price for intruding on our affairs, you pestilent outsider!” Fungbō roared, metal energies surging, gold, red and yellow combining, though flecks of the Lost Flame were mixed in. “I have seen it, you may be strong, I admit it, but them…” he glanced over at Motoko, Natsumi and the others at the back of the cave. “They are no match for my strength! Watch in bitter regret as they perish! Byakko’s Million Claws!” His strength surged, and the shards of metal lying over the floor, which originally appeared carelessly scattered, but now seemed purposeful, took flight, a blizzard of sharp dagger-like fragments whizzing towards the girls.

“Fungbō, no!” Arangbō roared, eyes narrowing, having spotted liquid metal dripping from the tortured body of Shungbō, confirming his suspicions. His vines broke the ground, but they were too late, projectiles raining down. But I’m calm. Foresight and Yasaka-san told me that something was going to happen here, and even if it wasn’t, I’ve learned from Kyoto. Always be prepared, protect those who aren’t as strong as me, grow them until like Shaeula, Shiro, Hyacinth, they can stand on their own…

The blizzard struck something with a series of loud thumps, metal ringing, and soon the shards were raining down once again, spent. “Grieve as your women are slaughtered, just as Shungbō fell…” he crowed, only to stop as they were unharmed, Chen Na’s barrier easily holding them off. Kana even cheekily stuck her tongue out at him, though her face was pale and slicked with sweat, her eyes betraying her tension.

“Not very observant, are you? We’ve been using the barriers all fight. Though you were too busy plotting.” I called to the others. “Arangbō, Haanōbō, put aside your grief and capture him. Your father will want to pass judgement, I’m sure. As for me… no, us.” Bell and Daiyu nodded beside me. “We’ll stop Shungbō. He’s still one of the Four Directions, he’s fighting, even now he’s dead.” As the body shuddered, flaming wing sweeping backwards, flames striking the walls of the cavern, I sighed, bitter at how this had turned out. “As for my strength, Fungbō is right, I used a lot, to make sure we won, but… I still have more in the tank. I always do.”

“Come quietly, brother. I have no wish to hurt you, even now…” Haanōbō muttered, white wings drooping sadly.

“Hurt me? You little wretch, you who brought this outsider to us, you dare?” he roared, eyes glittering with madness. “You can die too, along with he who has seen your face!” A massive metal blade appeared in his hand, and though most of the Lost Flame had infiltrated Shungbō, much of the remainder leapt, wreathing his sword with fire.

“I think not.” Despite his injuries, Arangbō moved, blocking the swing, blade biting into the splintered wood of his hastily repaired staff. With a grunt, Arangbō’s greater strength told, and Fungbō was flung backwards. “Haanōbō, aid me! We must subdue this fool. Why… why Shungbō? Your hatred is for Haanōbō.” He asked, mournfully, and Haanōbō shifted uneasily. I had no time to join in, as Shungbō let out a hoarse, load scream, before flame energy surged around him like a vortex, and he started to move.

“All right, we’re up.” I said to my companions, and even as I spoke light flashed and a beam from Haru threw the flaming Tengu backwards, though the damage was slight. As the blazing Shungbō sped forwards, faster than before, I called on earth element, and the ground erupted, spikes piercing him, trying to hold him in place.

“Why? You muscle-brained fool.” Fungbō cried, incensed. “I wanted to kill her, yes. Only then would my shame be assuaged. She brought this all on with her failures! But if I slew her, you would never believe that he was responsible.” He nodded at me, long-nosed mask dipping. “For some reason the outsider seems taken with our sister. Disgraceful. But if it was Shungbō, who was the coldest towards her, and is the most arrogant among us…”

“But I was not fooled. Perhaps for a moment…” Arangbō conceded, staff swinging, vines forming a protective dome around him as swarms of metal fragments flew in like knives. “…but your plan was bound to fail…”

“All it means is that you have to die too, my brother. When I am the last Direction, father will have to look to me as his favourite! Then we can find three new Tengu to take up your positions, and they will treat me with the respect I deserve!”

“You have gone truly insane, brother…” Haanōbō said sadly, her tide of water and ice slamming into him, pushing him away, dimming the flames.

“Yes, he has.” Haru left the barrier, light beams striking Shungbō, the flaming beast rearing back, struggling on the spikes I had pierced him with, even as Daiyu and I barraged him with bullets of Spirit Water, while Bell did what she could with her arrows. Seeing them having no effect, she turned her attention to Fungbō, only for the few other Tengu here to cry out. They had been paralysed, confused by the discord of their leaders, but now a storm of metal was raining down over the whole area, and many of them fell, wounded gravely. Chen Na’s barrier flickered, protecting them, and Bell ran, offering parting words that she’d be better off trying to protect them.

“The flame, it is one that no longer empties, but fills. It has become the opposite of what it once was.” She said mournfully, still burning with the fires herself, though it seemed to cause her little pain. Even as she closed in, the spirit lights around me started acting erratically, and her light then soothed them. “Perhaps he was full already, and like a cup that too much is poured into, his malice and envy and other darkness has overspilled, making this mess?”

“Silence, you burned abomination! If the flame is corrupt, then so are you! The dead should not trouble the living! Ugh…” he staggered, simultaneously stuck by a bolt of light from Haru, his armour starting to melt around the shoulder, and a volley of wind blades from me, metal powder and fragments scattering as his metal shattered, blood blooming from torn flesh beneath.

“That’s prejudice…” Haru said at the same time I threw out my own anger.

“What do you know, moron? Haru’s far more noble than you, you killed your own brother, and worse, planned to kill your sister too. Brothers are supposed to protect their sisters, even if it kills them!”

At my words, Haanōbō faltered a bit, looking down, before she continued her chant, softly and quietly, keeping her power suppressed. Meanwhile, Kana was concentrating too, relying on Chen Na’s barrier and the watchful eyes of Motoko and Natsumi to warn her of danger.

At that moment, Shungbō finally broke free of the spikes of rock penetrating him, but we had bought nearly enough time. Daiyu rushed to engage, ducking under the sweeping wing, her movements graceful, before slamming her palms into the fleshy half of his body, injecting water Qi made from Spirit Water, which made him scream balefully, body smoking.

“Look out, danger above you!” Motoko called, keenly watching the battle, and a rain of fireballs were discharged recklessly, falling all around us. I wove a wind barrier, protecting us, but the patterned floor was soon studded with craters and potholes.

“You have lost your reason. Wild range will not beat calm control. A warrior must always keep a clear head.” Daiyu declared, again using her small size and speed to dart under the slashing wing, striking, moving from one strike to two to four and then to eight before she was forced to dart backwards to avoid an exhaled breath of flame.

“Why are you all getting in my way?” Fungbō raged. “Haanōbō, this is all your fault!” he howled, words drawn out by his anger. “You should have died at the foot of the mountain, then we could have fought those intruders together! I refuse to believe that the Tengu of mount Atago could lose to them, not when united under our father! Everything is ruined now. An alliance? An alliance?” He was foaming at the mouth, spittle leaking from under his mask. Swinging his massive sword he drove Arangbō back. “We stood proud against the kami and kept mount Atago isolated for many centuries! We do not need outsiders coming in and stealing from us! I will never allow it!”

“You talk too much, Autumn West.” Arangbō sighed, staff clashing with the blade and shattering, splinters pelting the charred and pockmarked floor. “There is one thing that matters in this world…” He drew back his arm, wincing at his injuries, wood element wreathing him. “… the biggest fist decides everything.”

“You fool, my body is the iron of Byakko, such will…”

“The flame seems to suit you. Why not have some more heat?” Haru said, focused beams of light striking him, melting his metal, turning it to liquid. As he shrieked, he was unable to block the huge fist of his brother, which slammed into the streaming metal armour, crashing through, the smell of burnt flesh and feathers filling the air. As he cartwheeled backwards, ragged and bruised, Haanōbō finished her chant. “Black Ice Prison!”

Fungbō landed, and was suddenly trapped in a block of ice, only his eyes able to move, even his mouth sealed by the transparent, faintly black ice. Haanōbō slumped down, exhausted, and Haru shook her head. “It won’t hold him for long, the flame still burns under it.” She pointed at the flickering tongues of Lost Flame. “Some have gone out, but the others…”

“It buys us time.” Arangbō said, his tone filled with grief as he looked at the flaming Shungbō, who was still fighting us, movements clumsy and jerky. Daiyu, slamming eight more fists into his flesh wing, the Qi resonance rapidly escalating, Shungbō coughing fiery blood, dodged backwards from a surge of flame, speaking to the sorrowful Tengu.

“The biggest fists indeed. That is what I believed, and still do. Only those with might can change their fate, the weak are ever at the mercy of the strong, the rules, fate. But with enough might, the biggest fist, the only things that can bind you are those you choose yourself.”

My Eye was glowing, and I could see that Shungbō’s life-force was almost gone, the flames feeding on the remaining shreds of thought and emotion, replacing them with rage, anger, hatred and more. The flame carries darkness element, definitely. I wonder… I darted backwards, more spikes of earth slowing him, though as the flames intensified as his remaining body crumbled to ash, the time he was halted decreased each time. Shungbō followed, roaring, flaming wing sweeping towards me, but the wing was flickering, a faint steam rising from it.

“Nice work. Now it’s my turn…” Spirit Water bullets pierced him, the wing shattering momentarily, before reforming, several metres smaller than before. Even as his flames grew wilder, his remaining rationality was diminishing, and his movements were becoming increasingly erratic, the escalating damage he was taking building up.

Just a little further. I ducked a sweep of his flaming arm, and with a sizzle of electricity Storming Moonlight flashed, and I severed the limb. Shungbō roared, breathing out another torrent of flame, but I created a vacuum with wind, quelling the worst, and I burst free of the flames, severing his legs. Flames roared back into life, forming a new pair, much like it had with the skeleton, but Daiyu raced in, and with a barrage of blows, heedless of her bleeding arms, bones and muscles savagely overused, she rained down sixteen more blows, before backing off, exhausted.

“My Spirit Water is depleted. And I confess… I am very… tired.” She fought off the urge to collapse and headed towards the others, safe within Chen Na’s barriers.

“Then take a break. We can handle the rest.” I said, Storming Moonlight flashing once more, lightning flickering over the surface of Shungbō’s body, momentarily stunning him. Five more steps… “Come on, I’ll put your suffering to an end.” I called out, and though the remnants of Shungbō corrupted by the Lost Flame didn’t understand, it still provoked him, and shaking off the painful sting of the lightning, he roared and leapt forwards, gliding on wings of flame, casting down a rain of searing blasts.

“Now!” I called, and Kana unleashed her Divine Favour, the ground melting like wax before parting, rippling to the side, forming a deep pit. Haru cast her light forth, and icy shards and bolts of water from Haanōbō, and large thorn-like projectiles from Arangbō, joined them, and Shungbō toppled with a scream. My blade was swung and the great flaming wing was cut off again, as Shungbō tumbled into the pit.

“Got you!” Kana gasped, as the liquid earth and stone flowed back into its normal position, leaving Shungbō trapped, only his head visible, the remaining flesh now little more than char, even bones flaking away.

“Just like Fungbō.” I said, leaning on my blade, trying to look nonchalant. It’s not like I’m out of strength, I still have my tricks left, but I have used up a lot during all these battles…

“Is it over?” Haanōbō asked, and I shook my head.

“Not yet. There are still some loose ends. First…” I went over to the injured Tengu, the barriers parting. Motoko and Natsumi came over, clearly disappointed they were unable to help. On seeing that, as I applied Ether Healing, making sure the wounded would at least survive to reach the surface and further healing, I spoke kind words. “Don’t feel down. This was only to gain experience. And it had more experiences than we were expecting, right?”

Natsumi let out a dry chuckle at that, nodding her head, brown eyes sparkling with a mixture of amusement and envy. “It did! I can’t lie and say I didn’t hope to be more useful, but… we weren’t too much of a detriment, at least.”

Motoko agreed. “Yes, though at the end, without the protection of Chen Na, we could have been seriously injured or worse. I shall reflect on it.” She turned to Arangbō and Daiyu. “Big fists are the last word. I find it very apt. My family is a military one and has always sought might. I am no different. Today, Natsumi and I were found wanting, but… we have learned a little, and are stronger for it.”

“You didn’t do so bad.” Kana said, thoroughly exhausted, having constantly used her Divine Favour in a way she hadn’t so far, pushing her limits. She pulled at her sweaty clothing, fanning herself, only to smile wryly as she saw my inevitable, curious gaze. Her face a little pink, her smile widened. “Not now. Not yet. This is serious girl talk, Akio.” As I agreed, she continued. “You say without Chen Na you’d have been a liability? You and me both! But we did have Chen Na here, and that was the plan from the start. Otherwise we wouldn’t even be here either. Thanks.” At being thanked, the Chinese girl was a little confused, but eventually she nodded and whispered some quiet gratitude.

“If you ask me, knowing when to help and when to stay quiet and do nothing is important. If you ran in and tried to help… well, we already have one girl who tried that and paid for it. Though you’d look cute as catgirls, the both of you.” Kana teased, and Daiyu was next to speak.

“I did not understand every word, but I believe I understood enough.” She said softly, her breath coming fast from her exhaustion, her Divine Favour having already healed her savaged arms. “You are at the start of your path. Nothing is built with hasty foundations. You lost nothing and only gained. If you are too greedy to always profit, you will eventually grasp for something you should not, and the thorns will be poisoned.”

“She is quite right.” Bell agreed. “I did not get to show off my good side to Akio as much as I wanted, just like you. But I have trained Way-Wardens, good Fae all, and watched some perish. Those who die bravely, doing their duty, I do not mourn, but celebrate, but those who died to their own hubris, I feel grief and…” she smiled. “…that reminds me. The Solstice is a day of remembrance. Would you care to visit the Seelie Court with me and offer your praise to the departed that have long defended the lands of the Fae? There are a multitude of sights you have not yet seen. I would be happy to show you.”

“That might be an issue. That’s Shaeula’s birthday, so it’ll be her day.” I apologised, and after a moment, Bell shrugged.

“That is fine. We can all go together. The princess is on my side. You too…” she addressed the girls. “If you hone your strength enough. It might do you good to see the true face of battle, the final rewards of service.”

As Motoko and Natsumi offered their thanks, the next thing to do was deal with Shungbō and Fungbō, now I had completed the healing, the grateful Tengu thanking me profusely. “First, Shungbō…”

“Can he not be saved?” Arangbō asked. I glanced at his injuries, wondering if he needed healing, but he waved me off. “Such wounds are nothing, compared to this…” he pointed to the flaming head sticking out of the stone. A heat haze was radiating, and it was possible he would be able to break free in time.

“I’m afraid not.” Haru shook her head sadly. “The flame is merely prolonging the remnants of his spirit, filling the gaps with accumulated rage and pain. But it also burns away what little was left of him. No, all that is left is resentment and regret. Best to let it pass on. Trust me, I know. Even a Throne… it would not be Shungbō anymore, even if we had one to spare.”

“I see. Then… I shall end his pain.” Arangbō said solemnly, clenching one fist, only for Haru to gently reach out and grab his wrist, a great act of bravery for her, shown by her trembling fingers.

“No, allow me. My light, the light I inherited from his father, it will send him on.” She gathered her energy, and allowed it to surge, the light pouring from her, and Shungbō screeched, head thrashing and wailing, though it soon quietened, eyes going glassy and dull, flames dimming, until it simply vanished, a faint ash swept up in the rising heat. Arangbō groaned, pained, while Haanōbō covered her masked face. Haru slumped, and I caught her, before regretting it, but she merely smiled weakly.

“Thank you, Akio-kun. I am… rather weak now. That used almost all my remaining light energy. But I have kept just a little…” she looked at Fungbō, whose eyes were filled with hatred, mouth opening soundlessly in the ice binding him, his skin taking on a blue-tinged, frostbitten pallor.

“When we let him out, he’ll likely rampage. We could subdue him, but…” I looked at Chen Na. “…can you bubble him, trapping him inside? We can then transport him safely enough.”

“Since I have no more need for barriers, I think I can.” She agreed. “I have a little strength left.”

“In that case…” I said, noticing that Daiyu was looking down at some odd, burned fragments that had seemingly been expelled from the ground when Kana had used her Favour. What is that?

“It seems to be some sort of rope. Though it is massive and largely burned away.” Daiyu mused, holding the blackened tufts.

“That’s a shimenawa rope.” Kana said, immediately recognising it. “You’ve all seen them before at shrines, mine included. But what is it doing here?”

“I don’t know, but… there’s more to the story than we know. But for now… that’s not our priority. Haru…”

“Yes, I know. One last effort and I can finally rest. Or perhaps…” she freed herself from my grip. “Fungbō, you foolish, selfish man… I hope you still have room in your heart for regret…” Her light flashed a final time, and the tongues of flame still flickering under the ice, as well as those scattered around the charred ground, all vanished, melted like fog.

With a grunt, Arangbō kicked out, none too gently, and Fungbō’s head rocked back, ice shattering. Blood trickled from his mouth as his mask cracked, and he glared at his brother, before his gaze softened. “Brother, please! I am sorry, I did not mean to… it was the flame, yes, the flame! I cannot be blamed! We all know the corruption it brings…”

“Shut up.” Arangbō growled, and the trapped Tengu flinched, realising he was in a dangerous situation. “You killed the Summer South, our brother, shattered the Four Directions, and for what? Some petty jealousy? A dim-witted ambition? And you say I am foolish. We lost. And without their aid, while we may likely have defeated that creature…” He glanced at the pile of mostly dispersed ashes that was the corpse of Atago-un-kamuy. “…I can hardly claim we would have done it without casualties. But with aid, we were victorious, and you threw that away. And I have not forgotten, you wished to kill me too…” he rumbled dangerously, and as shards of the broken Tengu mask fell away, revealing pale human-like features Fungbō was too terrified to try and hide, not that he could, bound in ice as he was, he tried to make excuses.

“No, it was the flames, not me, I was misled, bewitched! Even then, I strove to have you on my side, I…”

“Enough.” Haanōbō sighed, the set of her wings and shoulders expressing her disgust. “There is no point wasting your time talking to him. We have only two choices, take him back to Great Tarōbō, our father, for just judgement, or kill him here…”

“Haanōbō, you bitch…” he cursed, before he remembered himself. “I apologise, you just caught me off-guard. You would not kill me, would you sister? We have had our differences, but…”

I shook my head as they argued. He’s pathetic. Trying to weasel his way out, despite his deeds. The girls thought the same, looking at him if he was lower than a cockroach, and Haanōbō wasn’t fooled.

“Differences? You wished me dead and was prepared to kill our own brother to achieve that. The flame may have corrupted you…” Hearing her words, Fungbō clung to hope, before she crushed it, ruthlessly. “… but only because your heart was already dark. None of us succumbed, not even her, who is a spirit and far more vulnerable, even though she burns with it.” She nodded at Haru respectfully, dipping her wings. “You disappoint me. I only have one brother now.”

“Two…” Arangbō laughed, and she shot him an annoyed glare.

“Enough. My heart aches, this day has been too much. Father should deal with you, as both your father, and Great Tarōbō, ruler of us Tengu and mount Atago.” She asked Chen Na for her aid, and as her ice exploded, freeing the shivering, wounded Tengu within, Chen Na used her remaining strength to trap him in a force bubble. I know how hard that is to escape from. I doubt Fungbō has any clever scheme…

Ignoring his cries, Haanōbō turned to me, clearly hurting from this bitter experience. “The flame. We have not cleansed it. Not entirely. Even now the damned spirts are starting to reform.” She pointed to the hearth where the flame burned, seeing sparks forming in the air.

“A good point. If we retreat, we might not have to face the bear again, but…” I stopped as Haru grabbed my shoulder. I raised an eyebrow, and she smiled, though her presence was upsetting the spirit lights.

“I shall go. Into the Flame itself.” She declared, and I froze, shocked for a moment, only for her to laugh, amused.

“Why fear? Didn’t you say that this flame will purify and enhance me? The Lost Flame then?” she shook her head, dismissing it. “Such I can bear. But within the fires, perhaps I can cut off the root. Most of it is gone, destroyed in our battles, but it will grow again. Fire spreads, after all.”

“Are you sure?” Kana asked, worried. “I’d hate for anything bad… uh, more bad to happen to you, Haru-chan.”

“I’m sure.” Her eyes betrayed no fear. “Besides, we came here to grow stronger. I have, certainly, but… I can’t pass up this chance.”

Fungbō was raging at the blasphemy, and Haanōbō looked troubled, but Arangbō surprised us by giving his blessing. “We have come this far, if you believe you can cleanse the sacred flame, do so. I will take responsibility. That shame can hardly weigh with the loss of our brother, slain by another brother.”

“If you have decided, I won’t stop you. But I’ll be right here, and if it looks bad, I’ll jump in and pull you out, all right?” I said, and she giggled.

“You worry as always, Akio-kun. But you shouldn’t.” She eyed the spirit lights meaningfully. “Not until it is clean.” With that she strode forwards, and I purged the forming damned spirits with light as Haru needed her last strength. She paused in front of the roaring fire, looking down at the deep hearth pensively, before her legs faded to mist, and she floated out into the blaze, her figure only vaguely visible, flames roaring higher suddenly, giving off a powerful radiance…