9

The Gashadokuro's bones were bleach-white. They rattled unnaturally along with the Youkai's teeth. Its eye sockets were empty, yet it felt like the beast was staring straight into their souls. It stood to its full height. It was tall enough to meet the pairs' gazes from where they were perched in the tree.

The 10-meter-tall skeleton groaned. The sound reverberated through Suzaku's bones, shaking the young mistress even if Onari seemed unaffected. Onari set Suzaku down on the branch. He slapped a Spirit Formation on each of their bodies.

Suzaku gulped nervously, but called upon her magic. Power raced from her core, making fire dance in her palms. Onari accessed his own… something… beside her.

The skeleton swung its arm surprisingly quickly for a beast of its size. The bones whistled through the air, slicing at the branch the pair were standing on. They both leaped at the same time, sending themselves in different directions.

Suzaku barely bit back a curse for separating herself from Onari. The Gashadokuro turned to follow her as well, making the situation even worse. It threw a punch that was intercepted by Onari who seemed to teleport into existence in front of her. A pale red glow coated his arm, expanding to push back the Gashadokuro's strike.

Suzaku rushed to join him. Onari bend down slightly. She took the hint, leaping off his back and rocketing towards the skeleton's skull with the assistance of her Vermillion flames. Her fire covered fist slammed into the skull.

The skeletal spirit rocked back on its heels, but Suzaku's strike didn't do any visible damage. The Gashadokuro simply regained its balance and leaned down to try and catch the now falling maiden. Bony fingers caught her, and started to squeeze.

The breath was slowly driven from her lungs. None of her magic seemed to have an effect on the skeleton, her flames not even leaving scorch marks on the bleached bones. Suzaku gasped desperately.

There was a bang from behind her. Onari shot up above the Gashadokuro. Great wheels of foxfire surrounded him as he spun in mid air. At the apex of his jump, Onari paused. He stood, hanging upside down in the air, for a moment.

There was another bang. Onari violently kicked off of the seemingly solid air. He plummeted toward the beast like the wrath of an angry god. The illusionary cackle of a fox accompanied his descent. His leg swung around, impacting the top of the Gashadokuro's skull with a bone-rattling boom.

An eerie groan was forced out of the beast. Suzaku was jarred out of its grip, falling to the ground and hopping backward. Onari's kick shoved the spirit down, burying its legs up to the knee in the soft soil.

Onari blurred toward Suzaku. She was still panting to get air back in her lungs. She winced as Onari placed his hands on the freshly bruised parts of her body. The next breath came easier as Onari's mysterious energy cycled through her body.

Suzaku barely had time to marvel at the sudden feelings of refreshment and rejuvenation. The sound of chittering teeth made Onari sweep her up into his arms and leap away into the night. They landed in another tree. This one was a couple trees back from the treeline and cloaked in shadows.

"This isn't working," Onari commented as he set her down. Suzaku nodded her agreement. "Best case scenario: it is scarily resistant to damage. Worst case scenario: it is actually invulnerable like the myths say. Either way we need a new strategy."

"I can summon the Vermillion Bird. Maybe it'll be more susceptible to my Sacred Beast's purifying flames," Suzaku offered.

They both stared at the Gashadokuro as it freed itself and looked around for them. It seemed to flicker in and out of invisibility as it searched. The sounds of starving groans and rattling bones filled the air of the terrace.

"We can try that. I just need you to buy me some time so I can set something up," Onari said.

"I'm still new to this inheritance. I need you to keep the beast's attention off of me while I call upon the bird."

Onari nodded, fading from sight as he wove an illusion around himself. He dropped to the ground, pausing to slap another talisman on the tree Suzaku was still perched in. It was just used to create a common notice-me-not ward, but it should still be enough to hide Suzaku from the Gashadokuro's senses.