How hard could it be? • LM / SS

Chapter 90

"Was held in chains but
now i'm free."

Lydia nudged Jade in the ribs repeatedly, trying to catch her attention when she caught sight of something that the others hadn't. Eventually, when the shuffling of feet sounded from in front of them, they all saw what was coming around the side of an archway.

But this time, it wasn't the usual nogitsune that used Stiles body; instead it was the one that seemed to be even more terrifying. The one that had been in Eichen with Stiles after he had went missing in the middle of the night. The one that had formed out of the string when Lydia had been taken.

"Like I promised, Stiles," his voice boomed, the sound fizzling in their ears as it echoed around the room. Well, if you could even call this a room. "We're going to kill all of them. One by one."

The oni materialised out of nowhere, one of their swords clashing against Kira's katana.

Jade felt as if a fire had been lit underneath her, the rage threatening to kill everything and everyone- even the people that she loved. And this time it would be her fault. Simply because she had no control over... anything.

"What the hell is this? Where are we?" Scott asked, his skin crawling because of the bitter cold in the air. He gradually stepped backwards, the others following his lead as the oni circled them. It was as if they were waiting to be given the all clear by the nogitsune, given permission to wreck havoc.

"Between life and death. Bardo. But there is no peaceful deities here," the nogitsune laughed, but it was a strange sound, kind of like a mix between a howl and a screech. "You're dying, Stiles. And now everyone that you care about is dying, too."

"What do you mean?" Stiles questioned, his brows knitted together in confusion. His voice raised a few octaves in panic, his hand tightening around Max's
shoulder as they shared a glance. Deep down, he knew what he meant, but he wouldn't believe it until the nogitsune confirmed it.

"I've captured almost all of the territories on the board, Stiles," he watched as all of their faces changed, twisting into fear; eyes wide and lips set in a tight line. "The hospital. The sheriff's station. And now the animal clinic! Do you know the ritual of seppuku, Stiles?"

"No, and I don't want to," Stiles inched away from the figure that was moving towards him. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest, the organ about to land in a bloody heap in the snow. Show no fear, wasn't that how the phrase went? Keep calmer than what you felt inside. Never let anyone know how you truly felt, because that was your weakness. And your enemy would always find a way to use your weakness against you.

"When a samurai disembowels himself with his own sword to maintain his honour. But that's not the cut that kills him. The killing stroke is made by his kaishakunin who beheads the samurai with his own katana. Scott... Scott is your kaishakunin. I'm going to make your best friend kill you, Stiles. And you're going to let him. Because just like you, they're all going to die. Everyone touched by an oni's blade. Unless Scott kills you first."

"Why are you doing this?" Stiles spat. He kept his voice steady and he didn't flinch away from the face that was so close that he could practically taste the power gleaming off him.

"To win the game." The nogitsune stepped away from the group of teenagers, back to his original spot beneath the archway, away from the fight that was about to break out. A smirk appeared on his mouth, dripping a black substance. The oni got into their positions, swords pointed at the group of supernaturals that had been boxed in from all angles.

Max practically threw Stiles into Lydia's arms as he ducked away from one of the swords that would have sliced through his chest. Grabbing a pair of batons from his belt, he swung them around in his hands, dodging the swords with his own weapon. Huh. Looking at tutorials on YouTube worked out handy in the long run, even if he gave himself a black eye once or twice. Okay, maybe twenty times. Or thirty- you know what, it didn't matter.