The god of blood and iron: Part 2

From my cave in the spirit realm, I sense something is amiss.

Something is happening that shouldn't be happening.

Jumo is about to die.

The spirit inside is going to kill him.

NO!

I cannot let that happen.

Not again.

...

I burst out of my cave, running.

I am not going to let him die.

Not like this.

Never.

I recite an incantation.

A portal ahead of me begins to open.

I move through with strict efficiency, maintaining my top speed as I transition into the living world.

...

I explode onto the main road.

My cloak and veil sputter in the wind as I run barefoot.

You are not mine, but I will not let you die.

Not again.

Not like this.

Not ever.

...

I arrive 20 seconds later at his place.

I can hear the crashing from inside.

He is going to die before they can ever fully merge.

He is going to die before he can even know what is happening.

The spirit is going to kill him for not being ready.

For not being worthy.

...

Knowing fully well that the house is protected by hidden talismans that will harm me, I step through the front door.

My cloak immediately catches on fire and begins to smoke.

I ignore it.

I hear the beating becoming worse.

I shoot upstairs.

My speed is slowed by the talismans, but not by much.

I open the bedroom door.

And I see the two of them.

***

"Too slow. Again!"

Aunt Kanna, who had been standing in a corner, commanded.

Sakuya, already sweating and breathing heavily, took up another running stance.

Her gaze was fixed on the massive samurai warrior still standing in the center of the courtyard, blades drawn.

Speed training.

It was her last exercise for the day.

The sooner she finished, the sooner she could go see Jumo and bring him home with her.

Then she was going to tell him everything.

It was about time.

No more lying.

No more secrets.

She wanted to be with him. And she was ready for the backlash.

Both from aunt Kanna, and the elders.

She was tired of hiding her feelings.

She was tired of hiding the one she loved.

With that thought and anger, her eyes glowed, and she counted down the seconds before she became a living missile.

3

2

1

Thunder!

She exploded in the direction of the samurai.

***

In a corner of Jumo's room stood a spirit I recognize all too well.

I have seen it before.

Multiple times before.

It was his first-ever successful transformation.

The war god of strength and iron.

Ogun.

I can see him because of my second sight ability.

He is hunched over to accommodate his towering height in the cramped space.

And he is waiting for Jumo to get up.

He wants to kill him.

...

I rush over to the boy lying in broken glass and a pool of his own blood.

Most of his chest is already turning black.

It's a failing transformation.

There is no time to check if he is alive.

This next part needs to be extremely fast, or I risk Ogun killing the both of us the moment he sees me.

Good thing I had all those years of training with the samurai back in the temple.

3

2

1

Thunder!

I reveal myself so I can touch Jumo's body. I pick him up and hug him.

Ogun sees me.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Ogun charges.

I move out of the way just in time.

I run out of the house.

...

My body is too burnt to continue without healing.

I need to take him home, where he will be safe.

I run up the steps of Mitsuzawa Temple.

I drop him down and prop him up by the doors.

I slam my palm against the gates.

"Emergency! Please help!" I call in a disguised voice.

Someone answers from the other side, rushing to help.

It is almost time for me to leave.

I kneel down and kiss him on the forehead.

I miss him so.

Through a face covered in blood, he opens his eyes.

He sees me.

I let him see me.

He recognizes me.

My heart skips a beat.

He calls my name.

"Sakuya?"

I smile.

Someone opens the door.

Thunder!

I disappear.

***

My entire body was on fire. That was the best way I could describe the pain. That was the only way I could describe the pain.

But at least it was over.

I opened my eyes.

The blood made it difficult to see.

I was not at home anymore.

But I didn't know where I was.

There was someone kneeling in front of me.

She kissed me on the forehead.

She drew back, and I could see her face.

Emerald green eyes.

Jet-black hair.

"Sakuya?" I said.

But why did she look like that?

And why was she wearing black clothes?

The sound of a large door opening behind me.

I blinked.

She was gone.

"Jumo!" a voice cried out from the direction of the open door.

It sounded like Sakuya, though I wasn't sure.

I was starting to lose my sense of hearing.

My vision was blurring.

I guess...

I guess I was still losing blood.