Lili-Chwan
Kage in the Making 👑
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Of Tales and Tastes
The Candymaker
Chapter 5
Running past the dark corner, the woman breathed heavily as she pressed her back against the wooden wall. She hadn't seen it come, she hadn't even notice it, until the silhouette cut across her and prompted her to run. The monster looked horribly disfigured, bloody bandages around his whole head, leaving only a menacing tongue, licking its blood-thirsty lips. The same face she imagined in the dark shadow of the alley she found herself in. Imagination can be a tricky thing when you're scared.
The Candymaker
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Chapter 5
Running past the dark corner, the woman breathed heavily as she pressed her back against the wooden wall. She hadn't seen it come, she hadn't even notice it, until the silhouette cut across her and prompted her to run. The monster looked horribly disfigured, bloody bandages around his whole head, leaving only a menacing tongue, licking its blood-thirsty lips. The same face she imagined in the dark shadow of the alley she found herself in. Imagination can be a tricky thing when you're scared.
The moonlight bathed the thick mist with silver light, yet far to dim to break the darkness of the settlement streets.
The walls of the buildings were soaked by the air's moisture, as the wood gained a dark and rich color by the street torch fires. Running past them, the arrogant Hozuki surveyed the alleys, a constant screaming of panic filling the mist with nightmare. Ayu last saw Ota in front of the big governor's hut. His face was rigid and threating, as he stepped outside to look to his settlement, deliciously mad and bothered, just as Ayu wanted. Yet things did not went as planned. Ayu called for him, yet he had already ran past the screaming woman, after a short exchange of words, and disappeared in the mist, through a dark street. Ayu's smile faded into annoyed frustration, as he went out to look for him, yet he regained it once again, as he found the dark human shadow lurking in the dirt path in front of him.
"Ah, Otaghen, come, I believe I found.. hum... evidences of the Candymaker"
The shadow grew as it's caster came closer and, turning around the corner, it couldn't be clearer it wasn't who the Hozuki man wanted. It was Hozuki Milia. The man clenched his fist and anger swarmed to his face.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, Ayu-Sama" She voiced, with a snicker "Were ye lookin’ for ye lover in such a beautiful night?"
"Watch yer mouth, ye insolent girl! Ye forget yer place!"
"Oh believe me, I don't."
Milia took a few more steps forward, circling around his leader. Her greasy hair slapped against her back, as she arrogantly defied the man. Ayu's glare pierced right through the darkness, as the fiery torch casted an ominous light on both figures. The woman continued.
"How can I forget my place. I’m to bear child, cook food and stand by a man to do his bidding. No different from a slave."
Ayu spat to her feet.
"And yet, it seems we've been too kind on ye. Maybe yer place is not that of a woman, but of a dog"
Milia halted, a few meters from man. Her expression showed contained rage, which she swallowed back into her throat. She gestured to speak, but the man cut her off
"Ye put yer husband's name to shame, donning his tittle and wearin’ his clothes. Ye should be stoned for that."
"My husband was a cheatin’ pig, who did nothin’ but kiss yer ass and beat the poor and defenseless. I laughed when the demon took him. His fat must have fed it for days. Shame was brought to him by himself alone, hidin’ behind his gender for honor. He’s not done an honest day's work in his life to deserve all that he’s had. That’s true shame!"
Ayu raised his hand and slapped Milia across her face. The torch light set his anger ablaze as his spoke.
"It appears the Candymaker’ll have two meals tonight. And I don't see Otaghen around, so, who’ll save ye now?
The shadows materialized a demonic figure, who rose from the mist itself, boring a demonic wooden mask. The eyes were those of a serpent, with slits for eyes, yet the mouth had the monstrous teeth of a shark, open wide to swallow it's preys whole. Milia looked in terror, but unable to catch herself straight before her secret kunai slipped out of her grasp. Ayu grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and aimed another slap, when suddenly his hand met nothing but water. As Milia slipped through his fingers, Ayu shouted in shock.
"The Hydrification technique?! How dare ye steal the Hozuki treasure?!"
"I didn’t steal it. I earned it. And don't need help."
As Milia solidified again, she joined her hands in a seal, spitting out a jet stream of water towards the man. It seemingly pierced his chest, when it was made clear he turned it to liquid to evade the blade of water. It was then that Candymaker ran to the side, with two blades in hand, and charged towards Milia's left flank, to sink a sword through her ribcage. She noticed it in time and, jumping backwards, she allowed the extended arm of the demon to pass in front of her, and, by the pressure of the jet against it's hand, spin the monster counterclockwise, giving her it's back. In a quick flow of movement, Milia cut off the water and plunged her hand on the demon's neck, putting it to sleep. In surprise, she left her front exposed to Ayu, who punched her square in the face, sending her back several several steps before she fell on her knee.
"This’ the Candymaker?"
"This’ yer death!"
And he angrily rushed to her, his arm's muscles pumped and inflated by water. She wiped the blood off her face with her hand and swiped it at Ayu's eyes, throwing him off track. Unbalanced, his right leg went straight into Milia's lock, where she used his own momentum to flip him, and plunge him face down on the floor. She cartwheeled back to her dropped kunai, before a single shot of water fired it away from her hand. With his fingers still in a gun shape, he fired another water bullet, which grazed Milia's left shoulder, gashing a tear on her flesh. She screamed in pain before a water shot went straight through her forehead, splashing it outwards. Several bullets came forth in a fast succession, all blasting her defensive liquefied form and scattering water across the floor, before Ayu jumped and, like to giant hammers, slammed his inflated fists through her half-turned body, splattering her across the road, yet finding nothing but water in his wake.
"Show yerself!"
Ayu looked around, finally noticing the drops of blood over a dark wood wall. He forced water chakra through his hand, summoning a long chain to his right, which he threw towards the shadow-filled roof. Finding resistance, he pulled the chain back, yet it was not Milia she pulled, but the Candymaker. Milia, after having swapped with the demon, pushed the kunai through Ayu's back. Finally serving its purpose, blood ran through the blade, and through Milia's arm.
"You... ‘ll pay for this"
"Oh no, Ayu-Sama. Ye’ll pay for this. And ye can be certain, Ayu-Sama, that I’ll not stand by any more of this … misogyniszic discrimination. There’ll be no one else risin’ to glory simply because of what hides between yer legs."
And she pulled back her blood-filled kunai. As Ayu's body fell, Milia became frozen. In front of her was a tall figure, with its muscle lain torso bare and its head completely wrapped in crimson tainted bandages, all but it's mouth, deviously open, endlessly starving. Her mouth ran dry, and her spine pierced cold into her whole body. Devoid of all water in her throat, she barely mustered the word.
"Candymaker"
The demon looked straight towards her. It was tall and fit, with strong and broad shoulder and sun-burnt skin. Even though the bandage-mask, she felt as if he was looking right into her soul. Its mouth said nothing but hunger. She gripped her kunai tighter, prepared to lunge, when the thing silenced her motion, with a single glance. Even with its eyes covered, no movement passed unoticed. When it spoke, its voice filled with air with sweets and delicacies, an infusion of calm and happiness, a spice-lace chocolate drink.
"Hozuki Milia."
"How’d ye know my name?"
"I know everything."
The threat of the situation was clear. She was before a cruel and deadly monster, a very alluring and comforting one. What threat was it, really? The air was sweet, savory. She felt she could thrust herself in the incredibly human-looking demon, extraordinarily inviting. The cold of her kunai reminded her she was still clutching to a bloody kunai, slayer of her clan's head, and, in a glimpse of clarity, she sank the tip of the blade in her thigh. The cold spread across her body in a shiver of pain. The air became damp and stale, and the demon lost its charm. There it was, tall and broad, impressively strong and threatening. Milia swiped the kunai diagonally against the demon's chest, to which he gracefully and calmly evaded. As she slashed the air again and again, the inviting air started to creep in again.
Milia did the only thing she remembered, she launched the projectile against the sole torch on the street, bringing darkness into the street, as she fled in hiding. Turning around the dark corner, she breathed heavily, but quickly regain composure. From her right hand, a water blade materialized. She pressed her back against the wooden wall and looked back to the street. As her eyes adjusted to the starless night, the demon was no more.
Along with the unconscious body of the fake Candymaker. She knew the real one hadn't disappear, but she only had confirmation when she heard a loud and dry snatch break the silence. At her side, the Candymaker had its hands on the forgery, whose neck was unnaturally and gruesomely bent, and the wooden mask of a demonic shark fell to the ground, to reveal the twisted face of the Hozuki counselor. Her mouth was once again drier than a furnace as she swallowed again. But, knowing the monster's presence played tricks with her mind, she had no hesitation as she swung the water blade. The demon caught her wrist with its own, and fetched her neck, holding it tight on it's hand. The air was no longer alluring, it was frightful and impressive, it had only one command, stop. She did not melt away, she did not liquefy. The thought didn't even occur to her. In her mind she knew just one thing, stand still.
"After this night, you will become the leader of the Hozuki clan. No one shall doubt your word, for you tasted the Candymaker's blood" the demon said, guiding her water bladed hand against its abdomen. As the blade carved the flesh, red blood poured down. "There was never a second one. Hozuki Umur will cease to exist, and shall be lain with sugar and torched. Wounded, the Candymaker will return to its home, the Kaguya tribe. That is what you will say. I will taste it if you don't, Hozuki Milia."
The Candymaker opened its hand, releasing Milia's neck, and disappeared in the mist. Regaining herself, Milia's eyes thickened with anger, as she shouted.
"I’ll become the Hozuki leader, but I’ll still bring ye down!"
I know.
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