Loud shouts and a bang came from the yard. Kimoko slowly opened her eyes. Kigami stood over her, his face betraying concern.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAlUbRMZMvuG
“What’s going on…?” she began, but the man immediately silenced her by placing a finger to her lips.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAogUhJ0eSua
“Shh…” he whispered. They were here. They have Estella, and I bet it’s not for peaceful negotiations.
85Please respect copyright.PENANA432yskcptG
He held out his hand to her. Kimoko took it without a moment’s hesitation, allowing him to pull her up. However, once she was on her feet, Kigami didn’t let go of her hand.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAdB3oF9HZ6s
“So what do we do?” she asked, straightening her blouse and looking at the demon. She could see that he wasn’t too concerned about Estella’s fate.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAmA3jc4DPPH
He looked away, then nervously started playing with his disheveled hair. Kimoko immediately sensed that something was up.
‘ Kigami… what were you planning?’
‘ Eh… How about we look for her crystal and go from there?’ His voice was uncertain, as if he knew she wouldn’t agree to that.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAwRdkLvcSyU
‘ Are you serious?’ There was disappointment in her voice.
85Please respect copyright.PENANA5pJV1I4lwg
‘ …Yes…’
Kimoko sighed. She understood his dislike for Estella, but she couldn’t agree to leave her when the goddess needed their help. Taking advantage of the fact that Kigami was still holding her hand, she pulled him towards the door.
85Please respect copyright.PENANA9jgzdmL04w
‘ There’s one thing I’d like to know.’
85Please respect copyright.PENANARAqfDoZJ9C
‘ Yes?’
‘ How are you even going to help her?’
Kimoko released his hand. Kigami saw determination in her eyes, but he knew she didn’t have a plan yet. When their eyes met again, a wide smile appeared on the girl’s face. She snapped her fingers.
‘ I know! We’ll use the fact that you’re a demon!’
85Please respect copyright.PENANAu8Zk1qECTW
‘Sigh… I don’t know if I like this idea… The opinion of me in your village is already, how should I put it… not very positive.’
85Please respect copyright.PENANAkTn1fT8oR1
Kimoko narrowed her eyes.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAohMWWxqhua
‘Do you have a better plan?’
85Please respect copyright.PENANAguWyBbMIma
‘No.’
Kigami sighed, lowering his shoulders in resignation.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAnNXmNI0y6y
‘Okay, I’ll listen, but if this idea is stupid, I reject it right away.’
85Please respect copyright.PENANAdrOv0hdUpO
Kimoko smiled victoriously.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAG9jm1Thszp
‘If they’re afraid of you, then we can use it! You pretend to be even more dangerous than you are, you cause chaos, and in the meantime I’ll drag Estella out.’
The demon frowned, crossed his arms over his chest, and looked at her skeptically.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAJWw4eQz2ga
‘Pretend? Kimoko, I’m dangerous.’ His voice low, almost predatory.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAwGJbtLcwDL
‘Yes, yes, the terrible demon of death, the one from dark stories, I understand… But I mean more than that. You have to make them panic. The more chaos, the easier it will be for us to act.’
Kigami was silent for a moment, considering her words. Finally, he smiled crookedly.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAnMgTTOWnAy
‘So you just saying, I can have fun with them?’
‘You could put it that way.’
85Please respect copyright.PENANAD9ZTupjFsb
‘Hmm… Okay, but if something goes wrong, I’ll pretend I don’t know you.’
85Please respect copyright.PENANAKnGhzOfCP7
‘Sure, sure.’ Kimoko waved her hand, grabbing the door handle.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAE17dhfHv68
‘Come on, before it’s too late.’
The demon looked at her in disbelief once more, then sighed heavily and followed her.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAwCw9eUcGYq
‘This is going to be a disaster…’ he muttered under his breath.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAXh3EEQeL2r
Kimoko gave him a teasing look.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAb7eiNa8Zhk
‘So try it not to be.’
More screams rang out outside. Time was running out.
As soon as they stepped outside, Kimoko felt the cold air whip against her skin. In the distance, between the buildings, she could see people running in panic. Some pointed their fingers towards a large, black carriage surrounded by guards in dark armor.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAdUlMpg7dHX
“That’s where they’re keeping her,” she whispered to Kigami.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAg3DMXbNWw2
The demon looked in that direction and sighed.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAey8mVa9tln
“Alright, fine…” He stretched his hands out and began to stretch his fingers as if preparing for a fight.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAWSx6xtfMO2
“This is sure will be fun.”
Kimoko took a step back, ready to act.
85Please respect copyright.PENANA6UX9tNzZb7
“What are you going to do?”
Kigami didn’t answer right away. Instead, he smiled sinisterly and raised his hands up.
85Please respect copyright.PENANA0uLt0OZS2D
Suddenly, the air around them began to vibrate. Darkness gathered around the demon, and black, shadow-like shapes shot out of the ground, crawling towards the terrified people. The screams grew even louder, and the guards who were guarding the carriage turned towards Kigami, drawing their weapons.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAoPUVF3OMsq
“The demon of death!” one of them shouted. “He’s here!”
85Please respect copyright.PENANAhK81M7DR5m
The demon rolled his eyes.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAL86aDYrEeX
“And here we go…”
Kimoko took advantage of the confusion to sneak towards the carriage. Her heart was beating like crazy, but she couldn’t slow down now. If the plan was to work, she had to act quickly.
Meanwhile, Kigami watched with a smile as the guards began to panic. Some of them retreated, others tried to attack the shadows, but their blades passed through them without effect.
‘‘And now… something more dramatic?’’ he muttered to himself.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAxkaNSduqtw
His eyes turned black and the shadow under his feet widened, swallowing the light around him. Suddenly, there was a boom like thunder and the ground beneath the guards began to crack. The people panicked even more.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAAPWdgSQU3y
‘‘Yes, that should be enough,’’ he said, pleased with the effect.
85Please respect copyright.PENANA4YYNZt9bk5
At the same time, Kimoko reached the carriage. She carefully peered inside through the small window. In the semidarkness, she saw Estella, sitting with her hands tied with a thick rope. Her eyes were closed, as if she were unconscious.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAnJznXdlpVY
‘‘Estella!’’ Kimoko hissed. ‘‘Can you hear me?’’
The goddess flinched and slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was blurry, but after a moment it focused on Kimoko.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAQadkdR1RZA
‘‘Kimoko…?’’
‘‘Yes, I came to get you out. Can you stand up?’’
Estella tried to move, but the rope around her wrists held her tight.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAQkfFD4QEVK
‘’No…they’re too tight…’’
Kimoko gritted her teeth. She had to act faster.
Meanwhile, Kigami noticed that several guards had gathered themselves and were running towards the carriage.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAoKIJFb4eFk
“No, no one is ruining my fun,” he muttered, holding out his hand.
85Please respect copyright.PENANALEEjk0JwBC
The shadows around him suddenly moved as if they had a life of their own, and in the blink of an eye, they wrapped around the guards’ legs, knocking them to the ground.
85Please respect copyright.PENANA3wnXugfZ5b
“Not so fast, my dears,” he said with a wide smile.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAqF12ANLquw
Kimoko, hearing more screams, knew that time was running out. She had to cut the rope, and immediately. She looked around frantically, until her eyes finally fell on the knife on the belt of one of the downed guards.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAmA30IuGqKw
“I’ve got you,” she whispered and moved towards him.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAh5ZOuGhYrV
Kimoko crouched down next to the unconscious guard and quickly yanked the knife from his belt. The metal flashed in the dim torchlight as she squeezed the handle. ‘‘Just a moment, Estella…’’ she whispered, then ran to the carriage and began to cut the rope that tied around the goddess’s wrists.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAOXW4I0AOWb
‘‘Kimoko…they…they want me…’’ Estella whispered, her voice weak and hoarse.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAeyLcOfV8ZP
‘‘I know. And that’s why we’re taking you away from here,’’ she replied firmly, unraveling the last of the knots.
85Please respect copyright.PENANArCVRbec34J
The goddess tried to stand up, but her legs were too weak. Kimoko cursed under her breath and threw her arm over her shoulders.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAp26iZxO5wx
‘‘Can you do it?’’
Estella nodded, although she seemed barely conscious.
In the meantime, the chaos in the square was reaching its peak. The guards were still fighting Kigami’s shadows, but many of them were clearly disoriented. A few tried to escape, others called for reinforcements.
Kigami, standing in the middle of all the chaos, seemed to be having a great time.
‘‘I really… love it when people panic.’’ he muttered to himself.
85Please respect copyright.PENANABoC097mTlz
But then he felt something… An unsettling energy.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAObLCJxcVvB
Something was wrong.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAL7ImCPsWOF
His shadows twitched restlessly, as if they were suddenly starting to retreat.
85Please respect copyright.PENANARUCyqz7Iqh
Kigami narrowed his eyes.
And then he saw her.
A tall, hooded figure in a long, dark cloak appeared between the buildings. She moved slowly, but her every step seemed to echo in the air. A strange, aura swirled around her, as if space itself was bending under her presence.
85Please respect copyright.PENANA6FwLo4rbJV
Kimoko sucked in a breath through her teeth, noticing the stranger.
85Please respect copyright.PENANADVAURNbHPt
‘‘Who is she?’’
Kigami clenched his fists.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAcDeRBM8Wzb
‘‘Shit.’’
‘‘What?’’
The demon didn’t answer right away. He watched as the hooded figure approached, the guards almost instinctively making way for her.
‘‘It’s…another demon.’’
Kimoko looked at him in surprise.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAnX845ABABd
‘‘What is she doing here?’’
Kigami turned his head towards her, anger flashing in his eyes.
85Please respect copyright.PENANAljxBCiHMPW
‘‘There are only two possibilities, either she wants Estella’s crystal too, or my head.’’
ns216.73.216.100da2