10

Onari prowled around the giant skeleton. His muscles were taut as he stalked his prey. His fox ears stood straight up, alert and twitching at every sound. His True Qi silenced his steps.

He paused near the skeleton. Two illusionary clones split off his invisible body, sprinting at the Gashadokuro from different directions. The spirit noticed the clones immediately, letting out a roar that made Onari's bones ache.

Both clones hopped over a low, sweeping swipe from the beast's bony arm. One clone landed on the arm and started running up it. The other weaved through skeletal legs. Onari didn't bother making either clone attack. They just had to hold the Gashadokuro's attention for long enough so Suzaku could rejoin the battle.

Behind him, Onari sensed a shift in both the local Qi and Suzaku's Qi scent. The burning scent of death and rebirth within her grew stronger. The local Qi hummed in anticipation, almost wavering like it was stoking some unseen fire.

The piercing caw of a bird split the air. The feeling of the local Qi built to a flaming crescendo. Onari turned briefly to see a vibrant-colored phoenix soar out of Suzaku's chest. The Sacred Beast circled its wielder before shrinking so it was small enough to land on her shoulder.

Onari, seeing that Suzaku was ready, allowed his illusionary clones to detonate in an explosion of Qi. The blast rocked the Gashadokuro and destroyed its footing, but didn't do any real damage. Still, cloaked by his illusion, Onari crept off to implement his plan.

Suzaku walked through the terrace's treeline, stealing the Gashadokuro's attention away from the exploding clones. On her shoulder, the Vermillion Bird seemed to snort as it sized up its opponent. The bird's head cocked in interest as it sensed an actual cultivator in the nearby area.

'That certainly makes things interesting,' the Vermillion Bird thought. 'When was the last time I saw a genuine cultivator? Many, many years,' she mused. 'The more modern generations always seem to choose less direct and time consuming avenues of gaining power.'

Her attention was torn from the cultivator aiding her wielder by a shaky groan. She turned to see the starving skeleton slowly reaching down to grab the Vermillion Bird and her wielder. The Vermillion Bird snorted again, and flapped her wings.

'You're a thousand years too early to even bother this mistress!' the Vermillion Bird declared.

All Suzaku heard was a series of melodic tweets and titters from her Sacred Beast, but the true meaning came through across their bond. She couldn't help but giggle at her companion's dramatics. The Sacred Beast took flight, growing as she left her perch on Suzaku's shoulder.

She grew until she was the same size as the Gashadokuro's skull. Hovering in front of her wielder like a shield, the Vermillion Bird let out a beautifully sharp screech.

The Gashadokuro actually recoiled slightly as the sacred energy within the bird's cry rattled its bones. It regained its footing and roared, trying in vain to match the Vermillion Bird's cry.

Sacred flames flared from the bird's wings. A single flap was enough to send the Sacred Beast shooting towards the skeleton's chest. The Gashadokuro shielded its body. The Vermillion Bird laughed, easily threading through the gaps between bleached bones.

Scorch marks were left in the wake of the bird's sacred flames. Though the spirit didn't seem hurt, it was the first visible damage inflicted throughout the entire fight. The Vermillion Bird circled back and dove again, intent on continuing to kite the Gashadokuro until it collapsed.

With the bird keeping the spirit's attention, Suzaku was free to set up a large-scale purification spell. Paper ofuda flew out of the sleeves of Suzaku's yukata. They hovered before the young mistress, forming a pattern. Each ofuda bore a specific character representing one of the five elements.

A scroll of silk unfurled itself between Suzaku's hands. The floating ofuda began to rotate, acting out the cycle of the elements. Glowing sacred kanji seemed to draw itself onto the silk scroll. The pure white light of the kanji bled through the silk, coalescing into a single point in the center of the revolving ofuda.

"Water nourishes Wood. Wood feeds Fire. Fire cools into Earth. Earth produces Metal. Metal holds Water. The cycle continues. By this sacred cycle, the elements purify Life!" Suzaku declared, her voice taking on an ethereal quality.

The single point of light in the center of the ofuda elemental cycle condensed as Suzaku invoked the spell. The light shined brighter and brighter until it reached a sort of critical mass. With Suzaku's final words, the pure white light zoomed toward the impure skeletal spirit.