Leaving the Aki Forest (Chapter 19)

The sun grew large across Avalon Hillside not a single person stood outside except the guards. It seemed to be deserted. General Hatazō Adachi opened the door of a house holding a cup of medicine in the form of ointment. The General was completely fine so who was going to use the medicine.

Inside a boy sat on a chair in silence, there with a smile on his face but his eyes showed sorrow and pain. Nelen had been taken to stay with general Adachi after the fight between Commander Benkei. There were bandages all over his body making him nearly unrecognisable.

"General your back!" Nelen shouted with happiness. General Adachi looked at him and smiled he didn't want to push his problems on to him after what Nelen had been through. All the general could think about was the fact that Avalon kept getting worse people were getting possessed or dying left right and centre and he had no control over any of it… he was useless.

"I made you some breakfast to thank you for letting me stay here" Nelen brought the plate over smoke still hung onto it, it was burnt to a crisp. "Ahh amazing I love it thank you Nelen" The General couldn't just say he didn't want to eat it he had to accept it. The general ate coughing and struggling to swallow all while Nelen stood patiently waiting for him to finish with a smile on his face.

The general finished it up and told Nelen to sit down "How's Sinda doing she walked out of here a few days ago not saying a word to me haven't see her since what happened?" The General said calmly. Nelen's smile faded at the sound of her name. "she's…s... " Nelen stuttered. General Adachi knew not to ask anymore than he did already.

Nelen and Sinda were both going through a lot he didn't want to hinder there state now. "Ok that's fine… remember if you ever need to talk I'm here Nelen" The general said kindly he had grown quite fond of Nelen being around almost like Nelen was his Son.

Nelen stuttered almost as if he was going to cry he leaned in but not to close until the general grabbed him in closer and hugged him tight.

Meanwhile outside of the front entrance of the fourth section of the Aki forest

Hissori stood up from his sleep the helmet on the ground. He knew he needed rest before he was to head back. Hissori wondered what had happened back there how did he even survive Byakko's jaw-dropping amount of Sei. All he could remember was passing out then feeling as if he were trapped in a bed of black flames then a hand pulling him out and not feeling anything at all.

Hissori shook off the thought he really didn't want to think about anything but getting back to Avalon Hillside. He picked up the Helmet and examined it. There were no signs of decay of rust it was fully preserved but Hissori couldn't hear the voice of Byakko anymore what had happened.

The weird thing was that when Hissori had arrived back at the entrance of the fourth section of the forest he didn't see the fox women or the bags of supplies he had left there.

Hissori sighed and walked back through the third section. Hissori kept walking on he was starting to feel tired, but he didn't want to stop until he got back to the entrance of the third section. He kept walking holding the helmet until...

A figure jumped out of the tree to the side of Hissori. It was the fox women she jumped off the tree and leapt behind Hissori putting him in a headlock choking him out hard and wrapping her legs around him. "Give me the armour!" The fox women growled. She seemed to be wrapped in the cloth that was given to her, but it was ripped to cover her private parts. Hissori struggled but couldn't break free from the headlock.

Hissori seemed like he was saying something so the fox women softened her grip, this allowed Hissori to wedge out of the headlock and break free, he gasped for air and stood back, the still helmet in his hands. Hissori felt a sudden rush of anger spark his body just like he did when he was doing Byakko's rigged trial. Hissori clenched his fist he couldn't let his anger get to him now he sighed.

Hissori had never been this way before he never really thought he could show the emotion of anger anyway, what was happening to him.

"I don't have any armour…" Hissori sighed. The fox women kicked Hissori down putting her bare foot on his face "You idiot you don't even know how to use it do you" The fox women glared at Hissori like a piece of trash.

She went to touch the helmet when she felt a sudden blow of wind crawl down her spine and a roar echo in her head that no one else heard. The fox women hesitated and stopped. Crap hes already tamed Byakko she thought to herself checking Hissori for the mark of the sacred beast she saw nothing. Then why was Byakko so defensive she thought.

The fox women knew that if somebody touched a weapon like this while the weapon had an owner they would perish but Hissori wasn't recognised as the owner without the sacred mark. She stuffed her foot into Hissori's face more and then whispered to herself.

She picked Hissori up by his clothes and said "Pick up your helmet you're coming with me" Hissori sighed but knew that she wasn't playing around he would have to wait until he got out of the forest to then ditch her. He had his own reasons anyway. Hissori picked up the helmet still no sound coming from it and followed the fox women lagging behind her.

Hissori had to be quick he had to save his loved ones from the darkness.