Having spent the entire day in travel, the sun has begun to set as the pair reaches the mountain. The translucent sliver of a final crescent moon floats in the distance, opposing the sun's light.
Tomorrow will be a new moon? That means. . .Ryu will be at his strongest.
Asking close to his ear through calm winds as they drift, "Sane, what can you feel?" she remains hopeful that they're not walking into their demise.
Shaking his head with a whiny as they land in the garden, Umeko quickly dismounts.
Turning back into his human form, Sanemaru scans the area with lightning storm eyes, "Everything feels normal. . ."
A sense of uneasy dread crawls up the girl's legs just as Sanemaru notices the air getting dense, "Stay close. I'm picking up the energy of some powerful demons inside the mountain."
Shivering closer to his body, I guess it's not too late to turn back now. . .just in case. But then--I'd be running with my tail between my legs!
Leading the way to the garden door, the moment he turns the knob to peek into the grand hall, Sanemaru is snatched inside.
Running in behind him, Umeko finds her fellow servant and friend held in place by two Tsuchigumo (dirt spider demons). Standing large on long, furry legs with bulbous bodies, their upper torsos and heads are protected by jagged, black armor.
Umeko covers her mouth in fear, They knew we were here. . .? What have I done?!
Shouting, "Teme!" Sanemaru flails his arms and legs. Fighting to break from their clutches, he learns their armor withstands each of his fiery attacks.
In this moment, he knows breaking free won't be as easy as he thought.
Hesitant to approach when a rainbow of fire envelopes the steed, before her eyes the armored helmets and breastplates they wear creates a black, transparent barrier around them.
His powers have no effect on their armor?!
Witnessing Sanemaru grow as surprised as Umeko, no harm or distraction is brought to the ones holding him captive.
Oh no. . .he was right. We shouldn't have come back!
Paralyzed with fear, Umeko finds it hard to breathe when the Demon Emperor himself suddenly appears in front of her.
Blocking the girl's view of Sanemaru with his body, she watches the assuredly possessed Tsukiyomi step out of a red door made of light that quickly disintegrates.
Stumbling back from the demon dressed in black silk robes with blood red accents, she contemplates escaping into the garden behind her; all she would need to do is hide or something until she can regroup and find a way to save Sanemaru.
Incapable of persuading her feet to run, Umeko feels like sitting on a stone for three years would go by faster than the eternity she's trapped in.
Petrified, brown eyes shakily glance over Tsukiyomi's body from head to toe during a slow-motion sashay to her. Absorbing the drastic changes of his appearance from the last time she saw him, it's difficult to wrap her mind around how different he's become.
H-how. . .? It's only been. . .seven days! Seven days ago he banished-–. I mean, "freed," me. Are you really still in there, Tsukiyomi?
Two medium sized, glittering bone horns rise behind his banged hairline with the start of a backward curve. Luminescent, silver-blue scales trail up the right side of his neck, creates a highlighted ridge across his right cheekbone, and overtakes his right eyebrow.
A right eye of primordial hellfire is shadowed by protruding scales that block overhead light. A burning red-orange floats in a pool of black, bold enough for the platinum blue haze of his left eye to reflect its scorching light.
Luscious, sky blue strands of straight hair that was slightly dusted with pepper strands has now been completely overrun. Waist-length hair cascades down a hard body, hiding erect nipples beyond the loose fabric clinging to ivory marble with a pearlescent finish.
I've never seen anyone so. . .even when he scares me. . .he's still s–!
Pink lemonade lips glossed in iridescent dew twitch into an amused grin; she nearly collapses when he reaches for her with prying eyes that examine the very fiber of her soul.
Despite the roughness of his clawed grasp when he cups and tugs her upper arm, Umeko feels no pain; worry is what subdues the girl when she sees the arachnid demons, that are three times the size of Sanemaru in his human form, hit him repeatedly with metal-gloved fists that cause his skin to smoke.
What are they hurting him with? Please! Please don't die!
Wrenched aggressively and impatiently when she pulls from Ryu to get closer to Sanemaru, she's reminded to pay attention to the danger that she's in-- instead of worrying about someone else.
Watching her infected master disappear into a new door of red light, Umeko yelps when the light touches her face; in that same instant, she exits the paper-thin light in a new location. Shuddering in disbelief, brushing off the evocative sensation of unseen things groping and crawling over her body, so briefly yet long-lasting, Umeko trips.
Being shaken by the mystifying lord of the mountain, she regains her composure beside him to discover they stand on the fourth step leading up to his (and Tsukiyomi's shared) throne.
Surveying the room, having never seen the hall from this side of the steps, she swallows hard. Working hard to remain stale-faced in the presence of visibly and sensually, ominously vicious yokai.
Standing above them beside their Emperor, under the canopy of a gargantuan, gold and silver, spiked skull, Umeko finds it hard to believe she's been in such unique places since the start of her servitude.
Painted with chandelier flecks from boulder size, red-jeweled eyes, glancing at the interior of the high-domed filled with mighty curled horns and menacing sets of tusks, she feels like she's in a cage of bone.
Towered by devastatingly carnivorous teeth, above and below, their place in the open jaw presents them on silver to his gathering. Sliding her foot along solid metal, she tilts her head at the way the first three stairs appear like a viscous liquid shaped into stairs.
Disturbed, What kind of stair are those that Tsukiyomi said never to ascend? I thought it was because I was a servant but. . .I get a bad feeling about everything near me except--.
Staring out over the teal, aisle carpet stretching twelve humans wide, it's stitched silver lines form dragon scales.
I'm inside a jeweled, silver and gold painted skull of an enormous, ten horned monster. And it's strangely. . .a wonderful sight to behold. What's wrong with me?!
Having never seen yokai before following Tsukiyomi, Umeko gazes over their illusionary human-suits. She can feel the crushing weight of their radiating despair.
Black tendrils, crawling webs and vines, and other slithering shadows shift near-invisible while his guests scrutinize her in silence. Witnessing things that she inexplicably feels better than she can see, the various abilities of the yokai get dispelled or deflected when trying to pass the crest of liquid steps descending beyond their feet.
I bet the higher up, the cleaner the air feels. It's so heavy and damp and foul around those things. But with Tsu–. . .I mean Ryu's hand on me, I--.
Avoiding eye contact with everyone facing her, Umeko studies them, Those four standing there. . .away from Mizuki and the bandaged guy. . .makes my heart race. And all of a sudden, I'm so sweaty. The hairs on the back of my neck. . .is standing and my eyes burn like I might cry. Hold it together girl! Don't cower for these monsters!
Helpless and vulnerable at Ryu's side, And if people like them are terrified of Ryu, then how– HOW CAN HIS TOUCH STILL GET ME SO EXCITED?!
Umeko hears echoing pounds and rustling off to the right. Using only her eyes to investigate as she displays confidence and a right to be where she is, the girl catches Sanemaru out the corner of her eye.
The spider demons are spinning the humanoid horse in dripping green webs that attach him to the stone wall beside the garden door. Pinned upside down, with only his head sticking out, Umeko's heart sinks.
Fuck! He's in worse shape than a moth! . . .what's that dripping stuff? Is it hurting him?!
Ryu smirks, "Ah," revealing sinister fangs within his host's mouth.
Sniffing up the side of her head, "I almost sent for you," the depth of his raspy voice gives Umeko chills.
Slithering his serpent tongue around her ear while erotically pulling her body close to his for all to see, "But I just knew you'd come back."
Uncomfortable, wanting to fight and run but too terrified to act, she allows him to manipulate her body at his will.
How can he act like this with so many people watching?! I'm so fucked! Please don't strip me naked. . .or do things to me!
Beginning to shiver out of fear and anxiety, the powerfully lean, right arm cradling around the back of her body tightens her to him by snatching her ass.
Umeko's breath hitches in her throat, I bet Mizuki and that woman down there wants to be me right now. But--!
Rubbing her legs together, raking teeth over her bottom lip, Being on the other side of the mountain wouldn't put me far enough away from him!
Furrowing her eyebrows while leaning into his embrace with rapidly hardening nipples, she takes note of his coolness while peering over a seemingly disgruntled audience.
Swallowing hard, the girl forces a relaxed pose against his dependable frame while counting through everyone present.
Aside from the two spider yokai ensnaring Sanemaru in the distance, four armored men, one armored female, and the two yokai servants (Mizuki and Hansuke), she knows staying quiet is her best option for survival.
Blinking hard on a double-take of Mizuki, That's the first time I've seen her so covered up.
Standing beside Hansuke, five steps closer to the throne's staircase than the four armed yokai, the humanoid bear is dressed in a long-sleeve, ankle length dress made of lilac cotton. Overlapped to the base of her neck, all cleavage is hidden. Although, the wide belt across her belly accentuates how stacked the woman's curves are.
Tsukiyomi's emotionless tone pairs with the apathetic glance he casts over those listening, "Has word come from Tanaka on his fleeting position as imy-rꜣ-mšꜥ (Overseer of the Army)?"
The center-most yokai, Yamata no Orochi, sharing the middle of a four-person row with the female warrior, shakes his head no.
A crown of eight beige horns that taper up to the top of his head are spikes that rise out of his skull; present behind a white hairline and tipped with rainbow gems, his straight, mid-chest length hair lays streaked with rainbow ribbons.
Yellow reptilian eyes sit under straight bangs with naturally arched eyebrows. The slender, beige-toned, middle-aged man with delicate features has green and gold scales that highlight both cheekbones and brow bones.
His lean body is visible through the opening of a gold-scaled, green cloak bordered with plant-life; when a clean-kept, beige hand with rainbow claws moves to stroke a hairless chin, an athletic forearm parts the cloak to reveal a green chain-mail shirt above matching green pants.
An effeminate voice befitting of the second prettiest man in the room (after Tsukiyomi), reaches Umeko's ears, "None, my lord. He is in a place that even my summons cannot reach."
The male warrior, Byakko (a striped, black and white, humanoid-feline demon), stands even-height at Yamata's left. Stepping forward beside the much older yokai, "Perhaps he is in Yomi no Kuni, gathering more soldiers for our Emperor's success."
Ryu's blinks as though he has all the time in the world before locking eyes on Byakko, then Yamata no Orochi, "Then by your word, not his, we should continue as planned?"
Stunned by Ryu's direct question, Yamato no Orochi and Byakko glances back and forth from one another then kneels with their heads bowed.
Byakko sinks lower to the ground when he opens his mouth to speak to His Highness, "You are almighty and all-knowing. There is no air that we breathe or ground that we walk upon in which your uncle, Tanaka the Yuki Jiji does not give you his best and fullest support."
The armor-clad female, Ayako, bows her head. With snowy skin, red and black striped nails, and black armor accented with red gems, she remains still in her place. Bowing her head, "My entire legion would place their lives over his, as he will surely arrive before we march tomorrow with an entrance that could inspire a king as powerful and wise as you to grace us with a smile."
The well-spoken, Jorogumo spider calamity has a knee-length, onyx braid and red, glossy lips. Despite a fragile, mysterious appearance, venomous fangs remain visible in her mortal form
They sound absolutely h–wait. T-t-tomorrow? Did she just say they march TOMORROW?!
"Hn, how supportive you all are of one another. A welcomed change since now it is law to obey the Undying King," nodding once to the four yokai, "I agree with you, as I know him well."
As they return to standing proud in a straight line, Ryu instructs them, "Yamata no Orochi will sweep his army across the West. Asag will lead his people into the South. Byakko's clans will take to the North. Ayako will cross the deserts then jungles. Yuudai knows he shall venture East, starting at Han's (China) borders."
Releasing the girl, descending to the first step, "Spread out until you meet then join ranks with your allies. When Tanaka arrives, our best warriors will join me in overtaking Izanagi Shrine."
Asag, the Sumerian demon standing at the end on the other side of Ayako, clears his throat. This terrifying monster that could create and manipulate plagues, with a true form whose appearance boils fish in nearby water-sources, lay hidden beneath an intimidatingly muscular, caramel body.
Using his will to hold a comfortable, room-size form as many of the others, he is known as the most handsome man in Mesopotamia. Masking an enormously round, no-neck creature with three arms and legs, his true, rigid flesh is dark like magmous rock and nearly indestructible.
Ryu sneers at the slightly disruptive noise, "The shrine is the doorway to Takamagahara. Our first link to the higher realm before challenging all other domains."
There's doorways in other domains?
"We will intern the descendants of Izanagi, making this domain our largest base before enslaving the other doorways into new posts. The four of you, Yuudai and Tanaka, have proven most faithful and dedicated to our cause."
Opening his arms to the group, "After I defeat the-man-who-invites and his daughter of the sun, I will bestow to you the knowledge of overtaking a god's vessel so we will be ready to seize all that is rightfully ours."
Ryu's voice brims with joy as the fruition of his plans is at long last, within reach. His followers concur in unison by raising a fist of cheer into the air.
"You know what to do until we march."
Each one leaves in an instant as Ryu turns his focus onto the largely humped, bandage covered yokai with patches of black hair sticking out around his face.
Eyeing the mummified looking creature, "Hansuke. . ."
The servant takes a knee with a bowed head as his master addresses him.
"Spread the word: Anyone of mine with their heads up their ass can rot in the dungeon, waiting for me," lowering his head with a sudden burst of radiating energy that nearly makes Umeko pee herself, "Failure will deny them the merciful death of an enemy's hands."
Thoroughly rubbed the wrong way as Hansuke raises his head then lowers it further than before, Umeko forces herself to check on Sanemaru's bound condition through her peripheral vision.
"Yes, my lord," Hansuke disappears in a cloud of gray smoke before she returns her gaze to the hall.
"Mmm, Umeko."
The way her name rolls off his tongue recoils her spine.
Probing her mind with a curious tone as menacing eyes examine her, "Why return?"
"For Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto, god of the moon. Your father, Izanagi no Mikoto, said he believes in you. And Sanemaru, who needs your help," trailing off as her voice shakes, becoming mousy under the harsh scrutinizing stare, "And. . .I believe in you. . ."
Umeko's eyes rebounds from the red eye of Ryu, with all its intensity, and the shrinking calm of Tsukiyomi's blue eye.
"Awww," Ryu coos mockingly, "You think pretty words can save him?"
Flinching when his knuckles collide with her cheek to deliver a gentle stroke with the back of his hand, "Noroma (gullible, dunce), I considered you were smart enough to stay hidden when the fourth day of your absence lulled by. Then I remembered. . ."
Bringing his lips close enough to her ear to caress her flesh with his breath, "Love turns wise men to fools and you my dear. . ."
Biting the air with a loud enough SNAP to startle her against his rapidly ensnaring arms, "Are eating a painted cake."
"Mizuki," Ryu calls to the bear yokai without taking his eyes off of Umeko, "Take care of the steed."
Trying to gulp, finding the only thing she has to swallow is air, Umeko starts praying to every god she has ever heard of to strengthen Tsukiyomi into regaining control over his own body.
Before Mizuki could utter her disapproval, Ryu had disappeared with Umeko through an already disappearing door of red light.
*****
Ryu enters Tsukiyomi's bedroom through the red light before throwing Umeko across the room. Landing on the bed with so much force that stars cloud her vision, she gasps for air while rolling onto her back.
Just as she catches her breath, it's frozen in her lungs when Ryu is suddenly holding himself up over her between bent, spread legs, "How do you believe so strongly that he can save you when he can't save himself?"
Raising her hands to push him away, he effortlessly pins her hands to the bed on opposite sides of her head. Running his nose across her cheek, she hip thrusts hoping to throw him off of her.
Gaining only an amused chuckle from the fiend, "Are you that desperate for hope?" he watches her feebly shut her eyes.
Resting his forehead on hers, whispering against her lips as he speaks, "No no. . .perhaps love?"
Umeko's eyes shoot open, granting Ryu a eureka moment when they lock eyes, "Ah! Don't let your eyes give it away."
Kissing the very tip of her nose, "You were foolish enough to come back because you have yet to discover the truth."
Laughing in her face, taunting the girl, he releases her hands. Sitting back on his calves to watch her squirm toffee thighs shut, Ryu tugs at the hem of her dress until it parts all the way up to her belt.
"No!" she gasps helpless, clamping her hands down over her beige-linen covered groin.
Climbing over her body with the slack of his hair and clothes dragging up her arms, he examines her face with an interrogative whisper, "When you visited the-man-who-invites, you never thought to ask why you were created you?"
. . .is that the normal thing to ask?
Swallowing hard, she can't believe she never thought to ask. The answer to that question alone could possibly have been her saving grace to her entirely tragic circumstance.
Scoffing at the girl, "What kind of creature faces their creator without asking about themselves?"
Snatching one of her hands from her groin, eliciting a fearful yelp, Umeko trembles when he raises her hand to place it on top of Tsukiyomi's head between his new horns, "Your presence away from here has been absolutely magical for our relationship."
Forcing her hand down his face to rest over his heart, Ryu's optimism stings her ears like venom, "There isn't a thing I suspect I don't know about why he brought you home that night."
Umeko refuses to listen to anything the fork-tongued serpent has to say. Lowering his head to whisper in her right ear, "A little birdie told me that you were created as a fail-safe for the banished god."
Withdrawing to speak into the other as the scent of almonds and mint fills her nose with his hair, "A little birdie told me that everything you have ever loved had to die because of him."
Switching back to the first ear, steady and amused as she shakes her head 'no' to his deceitful tricks of tearing them apart, "A little birdie told me you're the sacrifice that will free him from me."
Knowing there is nothing that could come from Ryu that's worth believing, she suddenly lays still. Refusing to fight under his weight, avoiding the risk of grinding into him hard and long enough to get wet, his voice caresses her ear.
"A little birdie to--."
Umeko covers his mouth with both her hands, cinnamon eyes burning with trauma and confusion, "You're a disgusting monster! Lying on him won't make me lose faith in him! He will defeat you."
Begging Tsukiyomi to emerge with her gaze, Umeko's possessed master rips his mouth from her hands. Pouring his awful, delighted leer into her brown eyes, "My dear, sweet, ripe and delicious Plum Blossom Child, I'm the most honest mother fucker you will ever meet."
Brushing his lips gently enough past hers to arch her back, driving her body up against his wall of defined muscle, "And I've fucked a lot of moms."
Kissing her temple, "But," he withdraws slightly to examine her face as though she's nothing impressive, "If I decided to stoop so low as to lie to someone. . ."
An ivory claw creeps beside her head to tenderly stroke the caramel curve of her jaw. Whispering breathily, "Do you honestly think it'd be to 'You'?"
Cringing, writhing inward as she feels her heart spiraling downward into her stomach on a thread, Everything he says is twisted up to mess with people. Even if he's wearing Tsukiyomi's face. . . That's not the man I love!
"Oh?"
Curiously raising an eyebrow, "Don't believe me?"
Chuckling quietly before staring deep into her soul with mismatched eyes, "Hear it on a breath of the dying man for yourself."