Akki shivered in euphoria as he watched the blood seep from the wound in Brianey's chest. His eyes dilated, and his mouth watered. Blood always made him hungry.
I've achieved it! My goal! It is done, I shall be a God!
He chuckled throatily, and swung about, scooping up a cup and pressing it to the injured young adult's side, collecting her blood.
It was deep rouge, almost black in the light of the moon, and so thick.
There was so much of it.
I must be careful; I must collect a goblet full. It must be a full goblet.
His hands were shaking from his excitement. He trembled in awe as the thick wine tumbled carelessly into his awaiting cup.
"You bastard! I'll kill you! Kill you!" The roar echoed off the wall, in a raw animalistic cry of sheer vehemence. He paid no attention and instead focused his whole being on measuring out the blood.
He nearly slumped over the twitching body before him, as a strong force collided with his back, knocking him over and taking his breath. He had been too confident.
The female had escaped.
"Shadow! Get us out, too!" Yusuke yelled from the back wall. He and the others were still tied in, though Hiei seemed to be almost out, his hands were a mess though. He must have tried to yank his hands through the shackles... Shadow realised numbly. She moved swiftly, snatching up Brianey's fallen sword, and swung it at Kazuma. He screamed stricken for a moment, before cutting it off short.
He fell to the floor.
"I thought you were going to cut my head off!" He shouted at her, breathing quickly. Shadow ignored him with a sneer and moved to the others, cutting their chains too.
It was pay back time.
Turning around, she caught sight of Akki, and froze.
Akki was standing, the goblet pressed to his lips, gulping. The team watched in horror as his neck tendons twitched, draining the cup of the blood he had collected from Brianey's chest.
He jerked suddenly, dropping the cup and doubled over, holding his sides.
He drank it.... he drank the blood.... that can't be good right? Shadow just stared open mouthed; her rage had dissipated in the sudden scene. But then came back full force as she realized the full terror of what was happening. Brianey had stopped moving.
Her body was as pale as white marble, and her chest was no longer moving.
She felt more than saw the others charge. Felt the crackles on her skin more than saw, the charges of power, the attacks glancing off the walls and hitting the sadistic wolf Alpha.
Her eyes were riveted on her friend.
Shadow's Point Of View
Brianey... no. You can't leave me. Not now. Were so close you can't... You couldn't move. The chaos around you was nothing. Nothing compared to the dull awareness that was the motionless doll on the stone slab.
"Save her!"
The words came louder, like a raw. It was only until you realised someone was slapping you that you looked up. Crimson eyes bore into your own ocean blue.
"Hiei..." You whimpered.
"Save her! You and Kurama are the only ones who know how to heal! We'll kill him, you save her!" he shoved you at the stone and you fell into it, catching your side painfully. You gasped.
"If she dies, Shadow. You will die as well!" You looked back at him, stricken before watching him blur from sight. You hadn't realised you were shaking.
Save her... come on heal...heal...
Slowly, still dulled from the shock, you slammed the sword down hard onto the chains, watching them snap like pieces of old rusted iron. Dimly you became aware of thinking of how lucky you were to even still be standing, as Akki would surely find you an easy target.
The others must be using everything they have to give me time...
Flinching a little, you gathered Brianey in your arms, and then ran flat out for the small door, out into the cave passage beyond and found a safe small alcove. Placing her down you winced an apology as you yanked the blade out and then gasping, checked her vitals and started your work.
You are not dying on me, Brianey. I'm not going to let you.
Akki's Point Of View
It was simply amazing.
You could feel the blood working, assimilating its way into your core, changing the DNA. Making you stronger. Faster, more lethal.
This is what it is to be a God.
You jumped too fast for the Mazoku's spirit gun to hit you, and lithely side kicked the fox into the cave wall, laughing nearly hysterically when he went clean through it.
It's glorious! This power is simply unbeatable! And they will see how truly terrifying it is when used against them!
"Don't you realise you're never going to win?" Your voice was rougher, but it was not a surprise. The change didn't take long, the books had said. Soon your body would increase in size, and you would shift into you full wolf form. When that happened you would be unable to revert back to your half demon form for a few days. But that didn't matter: you would be a beast, and the whole of Makai would see it.
"I've already won! As we speak my body is changing. The blood from your little dead girl will grow and take over. Become stronger inside me. It's happening as we speak; every time I hit you it'll be a tenth stronger than the one before it." You swiped at Hiei, watching him flip expertly away from you before regrouping with the lead detective; you could see they were assessing the wall.
You knew they were waiting for Kurama to come back to their aid. You bounded forward, catching the one called Yusuke off guard; you grabbed his arm and yanked him off the floor and relishing the sheer power, sent him flying over The Ritual stone to collide with a very satisfying smack against his tall friend. You didn't have time to watch them fall, as Hiei was back, you dodged his attacks, allowing him to think he had you on the defensive as he slashed, swiped and speared for you with his katana.
"Why don't you just give up?" You sighed theatrically. Inside you were reeling in the anger, the chaos.
You watched, in slow motion, as Hiei cut a swing to your stomach, and you chuckled in delight. Had you have still been unaltered, he would have slashed you. As it were you simply sidestepped left. You saw him smirk.
"Hey, sick mother fucker with the tail." You faltered and swung around. The lead detective was there. As were Kurama and the human and they were prepared.
"Dodge this!" He let the enormous blast of energy go, and you swore for your carelessness: you couldn't dodge it. You yelled in blind rage as it hit you.
Brianey's Point of View
You were floating in a sea of boiling lava. Or at least, that was the best description you had right now. You couldn't feel much beyond it. You didn't even have any idea where you were, or why you were there.
This can't be death... this hurts way too much. You mused.
Disorientation, blinding pain, confusion.
Are you awake my vessel?
Oh no.... not again.
Wake up! We can still kill him. He can not win, for you have lived. You have not died from The Ritual. Get up my vessel, and we shall avenge you. We shall avenge the wrongs to you.
The pain.... I can't. Rest....
You can! I will give you the strength to do so. Take from me what you will, it is after all, you birth right.
I really have lost it....
You were pitched into a sea of ice.
It went dark.
Narrators Point of View
Shadow shrieked as Brianey's pale body bolted into a sitting position. Shaking from both the hysteria, and the surprise, she gently called.
"Brianey? C-Can you hear me?" Her hair was obscuring her face.
For the past half an hour, Shadow had used every known medical procedure, human and non-human on the girl's body. Repairing the muscle tear in her heart with a special salve Kurama had made. Stitching the wound closed with simple needle and threat, resuscitation, and a pill that, once consumed, reacts with the body to double blood count.
When first preparing for the mission, Shadow had questioned the level of medical equipment Koenma ordered them to take. Now: she was silently blessing the ruler for all he was worth.
"Bri, please you gotta lay down. I've managed to get you stable, but you're going to -"
"Do not speak to me child. My vessel is asleep. As for your crud healing, it will not take me long to repair the damage myself." The voice was old, and though it had Brianey's tone, the personality of the spunky twenty year old from England, was far from present.
"Tell me, little one. Where is the demon to whom did this damage?"
Shadow looked at Brianey warily. What's going on? I need to stop her; she's in no state to be up like this...
"You can't stop me. And I have told you. You're healing has helped to keep my vessel alive, but I no longer need the help." Brianey turned to her then, and Shadow gasped. Brianey's eyes were a dull grey, even the pupil, which normally was a glassy black, was clouded. Her face was blank, except for the snarl that twisted her lips, curving them over a pair of delicate canines.
But what froze Shadow in place, was Brianey's chest.
Before, where the material of her black plain T-shirt had been, the area has been rusted red from blood, and a puncture wound that had spanned at least 3 inches, had been there, the same width as the blade that had been wielded to make it. There had also been massive muscle damage, and of course, sever bruising.
Now, however, the skin was unblemished, and the large laceration had closed to a point that in a normal human, would have taken at least four weeks. The medical stitches were still in place, holding the wound closed. Shadow stared dumbfounded.
"How-? The.... no one can heal that fast. Even a demon can't heal that fast!"
"I am not a normal demon, child. You should know that now. Why do you think that wretched fool came after my vessel? My blood is more potent. Stronger and quicker to heal than any demon left on this world. Now, answer me. Where is the creature?"
Shadow sighed; the shock was slowly wearing off her frayed nerves. She shook her head. "I think I've finally reached breaking point, too. The demon you're after is down the end of this hall. There are others with him-" Her sentence was cut off with a shout.
Brianey had shot off quicker than it would be deemed possible.
I will avenge my vessel!
'Brianey's' Point of View
You glided with quick precision to the location given to you by the one you think was Shadow. From the memories of your vessel, the profile seemed to fit. Clenching your fists you were pleased to find that the overflow of blood that had been called forth for The Ritual had not died in Brianey yet. You could beat this beast easily with this amount of power.
You ripped the animal skin from the door way and sauntered in, predator rage flowing through your veins like welcomed wine. You could smell blood. Lots of blood... It was delicious.
Looking around the room, you noted the chaos.
What was left of the room was nothing more than the carcass. Three sides of the cave were gone, blasted away by wave after wave of attacks and the ceiling had caved in one side bathing the room in the glorious rays of the moon. You felt the pulse of power as it rippled through you. Good.
There was a body in the corner, to which you moved to. Finding that the human was simply knocked out, you moved him from harms way for the girl to find – she was no doubt following you.
You heard a crash from below. Straightening you slinked to the edge of the wall and looked down. What you saw made you shiver in anticipation.
The remaining three demons were teamed against the one you were hunting.
You watched for a few moments as you surveyed the fight, measuring the level of skill your prey had. Though you knew you had enough power to obliterate the foul creature, you also knew that underestimating your opponent would no doubt be an unwise decision and as a Wolf it was second nature to watch before you strike.
He does not fight cleanly, and he relies too much on his ability to read the minds of his attackers in order to anticipate their next move. He also enjoys pausing for brief seconds to note the level of pain they are in.
Foolish . . .
Flexing your hands experimentally, you moved to a corner and grabbed a spear and tested the weight, finding it to your liking you went back to the edge of the cave, and leaped gracefully into the air and nearly groaned at the feeling of raw release as your muscles stretched and the rays of Luna hit you, charging you further.
*
The fight had been short but extremely intense, though only three quarters of a hour had passed the progress of the fight was at such a pace, that all four male members of the Spirit Team, were completely exhausted from both energy and damage.
Yusuke; having used most of his energy for close combat, power strikes had been the first to fall after Kuwabara. He lay gasping for breath under a barrier of demon plants that Youko Kurama had been able to provide.
Hiei had been the next to fall, after using his Dragon of the Darkness Flame three times in the space of roughly fifteen minutes. The shock to his system had sent him into hibernation, and it had been left to Youko to move the Koorime’s body into the surrounding forest to hide it from the psychotic Alpha.
Youko Kurama had then returned to fighting Akki, and though he had known he could not kill the Wolf, he knew he had to hold him off long enough for the others to either wake up, or for help to arrive.
“It’s over little Fox. You’re all alone with the big bad wolf.” Akki laughed as Kurama hit the floor. Dust flew up into small clouds. Youko spat blood onto the floor, and tried to push himself up.
I can't get up... I'm drained... Shit. Closing his eyes he'd slumped back down and waited for the end.
The sound of feet hitting the floor caught his ears, followed by the quick clash of metal on metal.
Growling erupted.
Dimly aware he turned around enough to see a pair of dirty blue and grey vans.
....Bri? She's alive?
He passed out smiling.
'Brianey's' Point of View (Again she's still not 'all there')
You landed nimbly in time to block your preys strike against the fox. Growling erupted from both of you as you side kicked him into a tree and took off after him.
"How are you still alive? I stabbed you in the heart!" His outrage didn't faze you.
"My vessel did not die. You are messy in your work, little pup." You retorted softly.
He sneered in shock and rage.
You side stepped a lunge and deftly snapped your arm backwards. Hearing the scream you turned around find the demon clutching the stump of his arm. The blood gushing in time with his pulse. You tossed the rest of the limb to the floor.
"You should not anger the wrath of a God, little child. This legacy was not meant for you."
"It is! I am the Alpha! It’s I who the legacy should come to! Not some pup who's mother betrayed this clan and then went into hiding for her shame! She shamed the clan and you're blood!"
"You are not the true Alpha of this pack. I can smell your blood, you are the beta. Nothing more, nothing less. My vessel is the true heir to this clan. Be it she accept that fact or rejects it. It is for her to decide. It is her blood I flow in. And that will not be altered." Gently you waved your hand gathering your energy.
“Purge Blood.” Detached you shot it toward him and watched as it was absorbed into his body.
"The penalty for attacking a fellow Wolf out of greed and hatred is death. As it was in ancient times. Accept yours with grace."
It was only a matter of seconds after, that you attacked took effect.
His screams shook the trees around the forest. And you watched quietly as the blood he had consumed from you slowly burnt him from the inside out. Absorbing his powers with it as it slowly made its way back out of his body as he wretched.
"No! No I won’t let you take this from me! I won't!" He sneered at you as you watched him. The pure madness in his eyes set you on edge. There is nothing he can do...
He slumped down.
Dead.
"You are avenged my vessel. Be strong and live a strong life my pup." Raising your hands to the moon, you smiled as you howled.
A column of white light flashed outward.
Brianey’s body fell gently to the floor.
