Metal-covered feet clink past her head and the sound of crunching gravel quiets with distance.
The slow patter of raindrops kiss her naked feet before making their way up her entire backside.
Shivering under refreshing, cold drops, she turns her head to see the ground around the mountain creature remain untouched by heaven's tears. Watching him casually close the space between tauntingly eager villains, he looks like an ordinary human from the back, aside from foreign hair.
Standing taller than the tallest man with a powerful body, intimidatingly valuable armor, and long, ice blue hair in a loose ponytail, she marvels with curious speculation the longer she takes him in.
That don't look like grandma's version of a yokai ((you-kai)apparition/demon). Royalty? ...Doubt it... He's alone. Said this mountain is -his-. And, called me human...
Sucking her lips between her teeth with saucers for eyes, Could he really…does that mean…? Are demons really real?!
Absorbing a layered, midnight blue, robe-like top and trousers with twinkling star formations, she is further entranced by supernatural armor and metallic shoes. Overlapping sheets of pure white metal round broad shoulders and connect to a matching cuirass that molds to a muscular back.
Shimmering effortlessly in the moonlight with an alluring glow, gold piping outlines every edge of folded metal. Flowing sleeves dance on the breeze, revealing cuffs that end higher on one side to reveal perfect, pearlescent hands. Scrolls, flowers, and vines embossed with gold tapers down the sides of his metal back connecting to layered tassets that shield his hips, outer thighs, and butt to just above his knees in three sections. Four sashes of light and dark blue, glittering fabric wraps around his metal waist and trails on the wind with his hair.
"It must be my lucky day, boys!" The barbarians' leader points his sword at the disheveled, disconnected female, "We found the girl," then directs the flashing tip to the bipedal creature with a chuckle, "And this poor bastard's covered in valuables all by his lonesome."
Swinging his blade to rest its dull edge on his shoulder, he cockily turns to his comrades. "Mm," stroking his scraggly, bearded chin in admiration, "I believe that armor was made for me," his tone seethes greed as his lackeys snicker and raise their weapons for a fight.
They don't -seem- scared...
Dismissing the urge to crawl closer at the sound of the odd man's elegant, apathetic voice, "You are stained by unjust blood."
Maintaining her position by the shrine, every logical thought in her mind screams for her to take this chance to run; however, as her eyes remain under the power of this confident individual, she cannot tear her sight away.
If he's just some maniac calling this 'his' mountain, we're both carp on a cutting board! Then again, if he kills them, everyone'll be avenged. ...I hate to say it but…I could always run while they rob him?
Her face scrunches when the murderers' expressions suddenly mutate, all arrogance gone when the blue-haired man's ivory hand raises into the air to transform into a scaled, three digit claw with spiked talons.
...Yep…demon…
Limbs sprawled out, her head falls to the side with misting rain diluting her sweat and tears.
Observing in angst and awe, a tiny smile finds its way to her cracked lips when the leader drops his sword with a silent scream.
Even if I'm next…I can die happy…knowing they got what they deserved.
Before they can manage a focused stride in retreat, the specter reaps through them in a muted, meteoric strike that cuts into the landscape far beyond where they stand.
Speechless, mystically horrified, she gulps, He did it!
The creature crouches by obliterated, bloody corpses as the scent of blood and bowels reach her downwind. Everything happened so fast that the spilling, sanguine life spurting and bubbling from their ribboned flesh into the earth is the only sound of their just demise.
Turning his attention to her with a growling exhale hot enough to present steam in summer air, the shadow of his hair-hidden face and bowed head under cloudy skies reveal glowing, fire opal eyes. Shaken, she nearly jumps from her skin at the eerie haze burning into her soul beyond the radius between them.
I'm not ready!
Her lungs stiffen when their eyes meet, a lizard caught in her throat when she fails to muster even a tremor upon sight of vicious, carnivorous teeth and a treacherous snarl. She flinches at the wind's caress when a breeze sweeps by, ruffling the cerulean strands framing his face and allowing moonlight to glaze porcelain skin when he rises regally.
Standing as an otherworldly vision shrouded in mystery and sparkling vapor, the creature's claw and fangs revert to gentle features that mesmerize with the icing of platinum blue eyes.
Languidly approaching the girl, her eyes fixate on a perfectly round, luminescent white jewel surrounded by gold filigree; sitting in the top center of his pure silver breastplate adorned with metal flowers, scrolls, and vines, dazzling gold lines define every curve of embossed, luminary metal silhouetting his sinewy body.
Cautiously scooting her butt up the boulder in a defensive stance the closer he gets, she receives his less threatening appearance with a peculiar comfort.
Bewitched by the glory of flawless beauty and a probing stare, she reassures her heart that it is safe to slow down when he stops right outside of arm's reach. Peering down at the destitute girl like dispassionate stone, the pacifying, cool waters of his voice further exalts him in her mind.
"Your tears have gone. The end of one has brought the end of another," he unnerves her, filling internal chasms with something other than loneliness and dread.
Blinking slowly and rethinking his words, she stares at her disproportionate reflection and notices her natural line of sight meets the bottom crest of his armored peck.
…he's a giant…
Following the movement of his hand with her brown eyes, he takes a green cloth from behind his cuirass then wipes remaining evidence of his deed from unscathed, alabaster skin. Clenching her jaw with jumpy eyebrows, she stares up at her savior's face, "Why'd you kill them?"
Taking a deep breath, she prepares her body to run if need be. Fighting the weakness in fatigued knees, digging her toes into the road for stability, she prays to a god of her mother's land, Brahma (Hindu god of creation), that this being's answer is not for the faint of heart because she knows she cannot make it far.
A strained lurch drives her back against the boulder in amazed trepidation when the bloody cloth bursts into red flames above his hand, ceasing to exist.
"Death graces those who disgrace me."
Nodding uneasily at his logic and immensible power, she removes her sight from him to look at the moon. Catching the last raincloud disappear from its lulling light to the world, illuminating every emotion, she finds reason melting away.
...Okay, he -may- be a spirit... But, does that -really- make him 'evil'?... I mean...I asked for help and got it from him. ...so far…
Sighing, with no sense of clear direction, she mentally sighs, Please keep me from disgracing him.
Bowing her head, "I-I'm sorry... For bringing tears," her tone sounds like a question as she forces herself to speak with a sandpaper tongue, "I didn't mean to disturb you."
Rolling an arid muscle around the barren cavern of her mouth in search of a drop of salving spit, she's taken aback by his simple demand.
"Leave."
I can't go with you? ...Maybe I shouldn't want that. Just because he killed bad guys doesn't make him a good guy...
Keeping her eyes on the ground, rocks shaking and blurring before her eyes, she runs through her options. Questioning if she's missing the rock, hard place, or boiling water, she confirms her reality by staring at the men whose bodies lay slain a few paces away and how they took everything from her in the time it took for the sun to set behind the horizon.
Raising her head to object to a mountain spirit's mercy, she is stuck on the edge of a sob.
...nothing… How do I have nothing? No one! It's all gone... They're gone! I'm stuck here by myself!
Quivering, she balls scratched, dirty fists into the rough fabric at her sides in time for tears to leap from swollen eyelids in a graceful dance down the front of her.
"Speak, human. Time is wasted on silent tears," his tone remains empty to life, cutting down her optimism at possibly finding sanctuary through him. With nothing left to lose, her eyes land upon the face of a living statue, "Everything's…gone..."
Frowning at the hoarseness of her croaking voice, confused that her eyes can still make tears, "I'm alone," she chews her bottom lip. Embarrassment increases the longer he blankly surveils her, the girl losing the strength to keep her head up.
Burying her face in grimy, calloused hands, she shields his observatory gaze. Her heart skips a beat when the unexpected warmth of his large hand on the top of her head radiates into her spirit.
"Cry because you survived. Pain only ventures the left behind."
Turning away, he begins his trek along the mountain path with metal covered feet clinking away.
When the order in her mind vanishes with the weight of his hand, she calls out to him. "Wait!"
What am I doing?! I don't know... I can't...I don't...I don't want to be alone!
He stops, listening as she clears her throat and weakly limps her way closer to him.
"Please... L-lord of the Mountain, let me s-serve you… F-for…stopping them," drying her face with the backs of her hands, a trickle of snot rolls down her upper lip.
I don't wanna marry for a safe bed... I don't wanna end up a slave... I don't wanna become a thief or a bandit or a murderer like them!
Hanging her head, she wipes her nose with her sleeve and twitches vulnerably. Standing in an increasingly uncomfortable silence after convincing herself she is making the right choice, hope fills her chest when she hears his voice.
"A human serves this Tsukiyomi (T-su-key-yoh-mee) no purpose," dismissing her pledge and continuing forward, she repeats his name silently on her lips.
Rather than being discouraged, she grows enraged. Clasping her hands against her sternum when the thought of being separated from her only sense of safety makes it difficult to breathe, "You don't know the purposes this human can serve!"
The creature's steps pause, his face hidden from view as she stares at glossy strands twirling down his back; taking his contemplation as a good sign, a tiny smile tugs at the corner of her mouth and hope returns.
Watching helplessly when he starts to walk away again, her feet hesitantly stumble to follow along.
"Th-then, allow me to f-follow you, until you find use…for me," she stammers, panting, trying to keep up, "Please?... I'll stay out of your way. I promise!"
The unmoved silence building between them drives her to stand on the balls of her feet and shout in frustration, "Please?!"
Losing all shakiness in her voice and hobbling to catch up, she forgets the discomfort swarming every inch of her body while defending her case and awaiting her fate.
"Mortal," with the slightest turn of his head and an iris filling the corner of his eye, "You will die before that day comes," he coolly faces forward and continues on his way.
That may be true but— doesn't something like him understand?!
Pouring her heart out onto her sleeve, "Why fear the one thing that'll give me back everyone I've ever known?!" Screaming at the back of his head, the creature stands still.
The girl's fists relax into weak digits at her sides, "…And lost..."
The honesty of her rash conclusion frees her from the bondage called life as she accepts whatever comes next with a bittersweet serenity.
Not the kind of destiny I imagined... But, here we are...
Befuddled, the unsuspecting human finds that she is abruptly on her back with the blank, powerful Tsukiyomi kneeling over her.
When the-- what the-- HOW?!
Dramatically raising a hand into the air, pale flesh converts into blue opal scales capturing moonlight in an ethereal flash.
Bones crack and pop beneath stretching, hardening skin as the shape elongates and realigns into a massive claw with three talons only to approach her face perilously slowly.
Frozen with a dry gulp caught in her throat, she does not dare to breathe, Right now?! Just like that!?
With an unsettling growl deep in his chest, gentle eyes burn to life with fires forged from the bowels of the underworld above monstrous teeth lining an expanding jaw.
Drool escapes the nightmarish bite when he snarls, spit oozing onto her cheek and syncing with a bone-chilling tone that endangers her eardrums of rupturing while he inches his horrifying face closer to hers.
"Then you shall be reunited."