Double Trouble (Part 2)

Sam and Astraea held each other as they trembled in fear in front of Tamamo-no-Mae as she slowly approached them.

"I thank you for releasing me…" Tamamo-no-Mae bowed at them. The two let out a sigh of relief when she showed no hostility but then her fan suddenly engulfed in flame and transformed into a katana. "Now die!"

The two watched in horror as she raised her katana in the air and launched a horizontal cut toward them. Fortunately, thanks to Astraea's ability, the katana phase through them without doing any harm. The multiple trees behind them, though, took all the damage.

"Eeek!" The two squealed in horror as they watched the trees fall in a series of hard thuds.

"Fascinating…" Tamamo-no-Mae shot an analyzing glare at Astraea. "Hmmm…"

She circled the two and noticed the odd faint glint in Astraea's eyes.

"I see…. You are not from this world. And such power for a young age… no wonder I was able to break free from my imprisonment thanks to your mana…" She chuckled.

"I was planning on turning two of you into my dinner. A young one's liver and heart are equally delicious!~" She licked her lips.

"Astraea, use Flash when I give you the signal– then we run…!" Sam whispered to Astraea.

But after he blinked once, Tamamo-no-Mae suddenly disappeared.

"What the–"

The next he blinked, she suddenly appeared in front of them and grabbed them each by the neck, and raised them in the air. Her grip tightened slowly and slowly.

"What is this? Are you planning to escape? As if I would let you!" The kitsune showed her fangs as she followed it with a devilish grin. "Oh well. I only need this one with the white hair alive so I'm gonna eat you instead~"

"Do it now!" Sam shouted.

Astraea then raised his left hand and pointed it towards Tamamo-no-Mae's face.

"W-what are you–"

Astraea let out a blinding flash with his left palm. It was so bright to the point that she ended up letting them go as she writhed in discomfort. Sam and Astraea took this chance to run away from her.

"Foolish brats!" Tamamo-no-Mae rubbed her eyes. "Fine then! Let's play hide and seek!"

A sinister laugh gradually faded into the fog that she disappeared into.

"Oh dear Lord! We're in big trouble!" Sam cursed as he ran.

"W-who is she??" Astraea asked.

"Tamamo-no-Mae! An evil nine-tailed fox! She's been imprisoned in that Sessho-Seki (killing stone) for a very long time! This is all my fault! If I had realized sooner that it was the Sessho-Seki, we could've avoided this mess!

A fog spreaded out through the area of the forest they were in. Tamamo-no-Mae's laughter echoed everywhere.

"Oh crap! Be on your guard!" Sam told Astraea.

The two kept running while anticipating an incoming attack from Tamamo-no-Mae.

"Watch out!" Sam shouted as they both tried their best to dodge the faint attacks from the kitsune.

Little did they know, all of her attacks from that moment were just flukes, to keep them on edge just like how a cat plays with its prey.

"Yawn~~ This is getting boooring…" Tamamo-no-Mae's complaining echoed through the forest.

"Get ready! She's gonn– ooft!" Sam bumped into someone and landed on his butt.

The moment he looked up, fear overtook his body as he saw Tamamo-no-Mae brandish her katana up in the sky.

"Playtime is over, children. Time to die!" Tamamo-no-Mae swung her katana towards Sam.

He felt Astraea wrapping himself around him before Sam closed his eyes and awaited doom.

But a clash of steel rang in their ears.

Sam reopened his eyes and saw Sayuri having appeared and blocked Tamamo-no-Mae's Katana with her greatsword. She parried their stalemate with a full rotation horizontal slash, grazing and ripping a bit off Tamamo-no-Mae's kimono. This caught the kitsune's amusement.

"Humans just keep coming and coming… Fine."

Tamamo-no-Mae then rushed to attack Sayuri who tried her best to fend off the flurry of slashes. She was able to keep the kitsune's slashes clashed onto her greatsword but overtime she realized that she was no match against the kitsune's thousands of years' worth of experience and skills.

Having lost her resolve for at least a second, got her disarmed. Fortunately, Astraea intercepted, having wielded a sword made out of materialized energy, and joined the fight. Sam noticed that Astraea's eyes are glowing brightly and are overpowering Tamamo-no-Mae. He didn't seem to be the same person.

"Tsk!" Tamamo-no-Mae clicked her tongue as she was pinned down by a flurry of Astraea's slashes this time. Astraea managed to break through Tamamo-no-Mae's defenses. Just as he was about to thrust into her throat, he suddenly stopped by letting out the same blinding flash of light earlier, blinding her for the second time. This gave the three a moment to run away from the reeling Tamamo-no-Mae.

"AARRRGGGGHHHH!!" Tamamo-no-Mae screamed in pain. "That's it! No more mercy! You're going to suffer!"

Sam glanced over at Astraea. There's a worried expression painted over his face. Astraea then placed his right arm in his chest and clenched it.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked Astraea.

"I don't understand it…" Astraea stared at the ground. "This feeling that made my chest ache…"

"Huh?" Sam stared at Astraea.

"When I thought she was going to hurt you, there was this vague feeling in my heart. It made me want to do something bad…" Astraea told Sam.

"Ahhh… Is this the first time you felt angry?" Sam asked Astraea.

"A-angry?…" Astraea snapped at Sam, confused.

"It's a scary negative emotion… Anger can lead to hate…" Sam worriedly stares at Astraea. "Don't let those negative emotions consume you…"

The only reply Astraea gave to Sam was a worried stare.

"I… let that emotion consume me…" Sam looked away from Astraea. "And… I think it's what caused this scar between me and my sisters' relationships…"

"... You guys always love to look for trouble, eh?" Sayuri interjected, trying to change the mood and the topic.

"Eh…?" Sam and Astraea stared at Sayuri, wondering what she meant.

"...I've been watching you two…" Sayori mentioned without batting an eye at them.

"Oh! That's right! Where have you been?!" Astraea asked Sayuri.

"...hiding…" Sayuri replied.

"You should've just come with us…" Sam told Sayuri.

"Will your entire family show hospitality to me, an eldritch?" Sayuri replied as she shot a glare at Sam.

"E-eh??… Oh, I'm sorry…" Sam looked away as he apologized in a disheartened tone.

"Don't be… That's just how these cruel worlds work…"

"At least tell us where you are!" Astraea told Sayuri who said nothing more.

Having run for more or less 30 minutes, Sam slowed down.

"Hey guys, can we take a break for a bit? I'm… tired from all the running…" Sam huffed in between.

"Hmmm…" Sayuri signaled the two to stop. "I think it's safe to rest in this place for now."

"Thank… you…" Sam immediately sat down at the tree. Sayuri sat on the left side of Sam and Astraea sat in the middle of the two. Sam closed his eyes as he tried to rest while Astraea hummed to the sound of crickets nearby.

Sayuri's stomach suddenly lets out a loud grumble which makes the two stare at her. She kept her composure but her ears were beet red.

"Ummm. Here!" Astraea gave Sayuri a paper-covered rice ball.

"...T-thank you…" Sayuri took the riceball and savored the first bite.

Her ears were still beet red.

"Where did you get that?" Sam told Astraea.

"I grabbed some before we left your room back then and stuffed some in my pockets." Astraea cut his riceball into two and gave the other half to Sam. "Here!"

"Thank you."

Astraea merrily ate his riceball. Sam and Sayuri ate while staying vigilant to their surroundings.

Suddenly, Sayuri stood up with her greatsword ready.

"Get ready…" Sayuri whispered.

Sam slowly stands up, looking around. He noticed that there were no movements in the bushes and the crickets stopped singing.

"W-where are they?!" Sam whispered as sweat slowly crawled down his forehead as he anticipated an incoming attack.

"Move!" Sayuri pushed both Sam and Astraea away as shurikens and kunai flew towards her. Sayuri effortlessly blocks the shuriken and kunai with her greatsword.

A kid who attacked Sam pounced at Sayuri and tried to kick her but Sayuri dodged it easily.

The trio soon got surrounded by the same band of kids that previously attacked Sam and Astraea.

"You bastards! Do you have any idea what trouble you brought upon us!" The gray-haired fox boy pointed his katana towards the three. "Not only do you release Tamamo-No-Mae, but you are also helping an eldritch!"

"You are a traitor to humanity! I'm gonna kill yo–" Before he could finish his sentence, Sayuri lunged forward and kicked one of them in the abdomen, sending him flying towards a tree.

"... You talk too much…" Sayuri sighed.

The other kids launch their quick, hit-and-run attack tactic at Sayuri but none of them manage to land a hit on her as she dodges and blocks their attacks accordingly with ease.

"Amateurs.." Sayuri readied her stancing.

She dodged one of the sword attacks of a kid and made him trip and fall to the ground. Another kid jumped toward her and tried to cut her down with his katana but Sayuri blocked the attack with her greatsword and gave him a good uppercut. As she fought back, one of the kids managed to bind her left arm with a chain by surprise.

"Got her!" the kid with long brown hair celebrates. "You guys go attack her no–!" Sayuri harshly tugged the chain and sent the kid flying onto one of her comrades, knocking both unconscious.

"Tsk! Damn it!" The gray-haired kid slowly stands as he watches his comrades slowly get beaten by Sayuri.

"Ryu! Please, let's withdraw and regroup for now!" A fox girl with short brown hair helped 'Ryu' stand up.

"SHUT UP!" Ryu pushed her away.

"Gyaa!" The fox girl fell to the ground.

"I am not letting them get away this time!" Ryu cursed. "You guys! Go get that weakling first! We'll deal with that eldritch later!" Ryu ordered the rest and they immediately followed.

The kids carefully encircled the three. Their intentions seemed different this time, at least it's what it looked like to Sayuri. The trio began their advance and Sayuri tried her best to fend off the attack but some managed to get past her. They were aiming for Sam and Astraea! The kids were about to reach them and attack, and a volley of arrows flew right at them. Some of the kids managed to dodge the arrows but the others got hit though nothing serious.

"Who?!" One of the kids shouts as he looks around, trying to figure out where the arrows are coming from.

Another volley of arrows flew towards them as they desperately tried to get close to Sam and Astraea.

Astraea looked around as he tried to find who this mysterious savior was until he saw a glimpse of a blonde girl with pointy ears. Their eyes met and the girl winked at Astraea as she leapt away.

"Shit! We need to fall back!" One of the kids yelled as he ran away from the scene. Several kids picked up their unconscious comrade and followed suit but some remained to fight.

"Tsk! Useless cowards!" Ryu cursed. "I'm gonna beat them up when we get back!"

Sayuri leapt high up in the air and raised her greatsword up as it began to glow.

"Bind!" Sayuri shouted as multiple glowing chains came out the tip of her greatsword and shackled all of the kids, including the one who was escaping. Sayuri begins to chant.

I call upon the primordial spirits of lightning, bestow me your raging fury, gather your hatred on my unworthy hands and allow me to punish the wicked! Lightning Strike!

Sayuri's greatsword begins to glow a purple hue as a bolt of lightning comes out of the tip and strikes down the kids who are attacking them, knocking them back.

"W-what the hell was that..?" Ryu coughed as he slowly lost consciousness.

"W-what did you do to them?" Astraea's lips tremble from the horrifying scene.

"Did you kill them?" Sam asked Sayuri calmly.

"No. I reduced the power of my lightning strike to knock them out cold…" Sayuri replied as she landed on the ground. She suddenly kneels down and catches her breath.

"I don't really care if you killed them…" Sam whispered.

"But killing is bad!" Astraea pouts at Sam.

"I-I was joking!" Sam dryly laughs.

"You two. Run!" Sayuri mustered all of her strength to stand back up and readied her greatsword. "She's here!"

The fog slowly covered their surroundings as Tamamo-no-Mae's sinister laugh echoed all around.

"Fufufu! Thank you for giving me more meals!~" Tamamo-no-Mae slowly appeared in front of them.

"RUN!" Sayuri rushed towards Tamamo-no-Mae as Sam and Astraea immediately ran away.

Sayuri desperately tried to land a hit on Tamamo-no-Mae but with her fatigue, her movements have slowed down, and her attacks require more effort to be impactful.

"We have to go back and help Sayuri!" Astraea pleads to Sam. Sam stopped running which caused Astraea to bump his back.

"Astraea…" Sam holds Astraea by the shoulder. "Go back to the manor and ask for help!" Sam told Astraea.

"W-what are you gonna do?" Astraea worriedly asked.

"I'm gonna go back and try to help Sayuri. Please! Go back! We're going to need it!" Without any more to add, Sam ran towards where they left Sayuri.

"My my my, need a break?" Tamamo-no-Mae smirked at Sayuri, and she toyed with Sayuri.

Intentionally fainting her attacks while the ones that do go through gave Sayuri some shallow-cut wounds.

Sayuri mustered all of her remaining strength and slammed her greatsword at the ground, creating a huge cloud of dust and using it as a cover to make an escape.

"As if I will let you!" Tamamo-no-Mae appeared in front of Sayuri and was about to stab Sayuri with her katana when suddenly, Sam rushed into the scene… and took the stab that was meant for Sayuri.

"What a fool…" Tamamo-no-Mae stared at Sam with disappointment. "You think your little sacrifice will save you all?"

"No…" Sam coughed up blood. "But this will give him a little bit of time to call for help…"

"...What?" Tamamo-no-Mae tried to pull the katana out of Sam but he held it in.

"Do it! Sayuri!" Sam immediately dock as Sayuri thrust her greatsword towards Tamamo-no-Mae's face, grazing her right cheek as she barely dodges the attack that she didn't see coming.

"... You idiot…" tears fall down Sayuri's cheeks. "... I told you to run away!" Sayuri removed the katana lodged into Sam's stomach and placed her left hand in the wound and began casting her healing spell.

"I… just.. can't… leave you… behind…" Sam slowly closed his eyes as his consciousness slowly faded.

Sayuri kept healing him to stop bleeding but the wound was still a gaping mess. Guilty of having Sam be in this situation, she healed him at the expense of her remaining stamina.

"You..! Y-Y-You ruined my beautiful face! MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!!" Tamamo-no-Mae screamed as flames engulfed her right hand, turned into another katana, and dashed towards Sayuri, only to be stopped by several arrows that nearly hit her.

"Pesky elf! I have enough of you!" Tamamo-no-Mae raised her left arm as fire appeared in her palm.

"Fiery Blossom!"

Several bluish fireballs flew out of her palm and spread fire across the forest. Sayuri stood up and tried to attack Tamamo-no-Mae but due to her accumulated fatigue, Tamamo-no-Mae managed to kick her in the stomach, sending her flying to a tree nearby. Sayuri tried to stand back up but failed.

"It's over…" Tamamo-no-Mae raised her katana and is about to kill Sayuri when suddenly, the wind starts blowing eerily.

"..What the?!" She looked around as her senses were telling her that there was something dangerous approaching her.

The fire she spread slowly disappears. Multiple orbs of light slowly fell down the ground as it heals both the forest and all the living beings present in the area except for Tamamo-no-Mae.

"W-what is going on?!" Tamamo-no-Mae's tails begin to puff up. She then looked behind her and saw a glowing Astraea slowly approaching her. His eyes are glowing brighter than before.

"What did you do to Sam and Sayuri..?" Astraea softly spoke as he angrily stared at Tamamo-no-Mae.

Astraea's stare sends shivers down her spine. An intimidating aura that definitely wasn't there was present now.

"H-hmph! Y-you're… you're just a kid!" Tamamo-no-Mae readied her katana as she shook off the fear building up in her.

Astraea rushed himself toward her and began swinging his light energy sword and slowly overpowered her again.

"Tsk! I am not letting you embarrass me again!" She leapt into the air as blue fireballs appeared in both of her hands. She raised her hands up in the air, combining the 2 fireballs to create a bigger fireball.

"Foxfire!"

The kitsune hurled the fireball toward Astraea, it then transformed into a huge burning blue fox and slammed into Astraea, setting the place on fire.

"What a waste…" She clicked her tongue in dismay. "And I was planning to obtain your powers."

"...What?!" She stared at the flames as it grew uncontrollably big. A blinding light emanating from Astraea burst out of the flames. "How?!"

"You hurt Sam. You hurt Sayuri. Maybe… in exchange, I should hurt you too." Astraea stretches his arms forward as he charges up all of his god particles, creating a ball of energy. Astraea is consumed by rage, as all he could think of was eliminating Tamamo-no-Mae.

…Don't let it consume you…

Astraea snapped back to his senses as an unknown voice whispered into his ears. Vitality returned to his eyes and he tried to cancel his attack but was unable to. As a last minute attempt, Astraea launched the ball of energy up into the air. The ball of pure god particles exploded high up in the air and tore the fabrics of reality resulting into a portal opening.

Soon an ominous black mass appeared out of it. The same Eldritch that attacked them before had come crawling out of that portal.