Shadows of the Reborn

Chapter Seven

Redemption in A World Touched By Darkness

Taizo lost count of the years that passed. Sashiki had finally admitted his feelings for Reina, but it took several years to realize it. They had established a small place near the mountains, with a small piece of land filled with flourishing gardens and animals to sustain their growing family.

Sashiki and Reina had two small boys and a little girl. The boys were four years apart, one eleven years old and growing into a rather fierce adult. His youngest son was more collected and calm, much like Sashiki was unless infuriated. The rambunctious little girl was only three and a highly active youkai.

Arina, Sashiki’s daughter, was quick of wit and brilliant. Her mind worked in ways that neither parent could understand. At such a young age, Arina could solve complex puzzles that often left Sashiki and Reina questioning how much they knew about the world. She had long silver hair with bright red running through the lengths. Much like her father, her eyes were gold, and her skin was pale.

Sashiki’s eldest son, Hisanori, was also intelligent and quick to learn new things. His temper often got him into trouble, resulting in a few training injuries. As Hisanori grew, however, his sword skill was getting to the point of being better than his father’s. He wanted to go out independently and explore the world, but Sashiki wouldn’t hear of it. Not until his eldest son’s own inner spirit woke.

Hisanori’s hair hung past his knees even when pulled into a high topknot. His long hair was brilliant red like his mother’s, and he had his mother’s fiery temper. Unlike Sashiki, he had his mother’s green eyes and darker-toned skin.

Kin’ya had a mix of his parents, with green eyes and silver hair. His skin was pale, but he had darker patches on his face and arms. They looked more like markings rather than a skin issue. The markings trailed from the outer corners of his eyes and curved towards the boy’s nose. He had similar markings lining his cheekbones and on his arms. Much like Sashiki, Kin’ya was more interested in learning about the arrival of youkai in the world and how it had come to be.

As the years passed and Sashiki’s sons grew, they eventually moved into their own plot of land. Hisanori’s home was further north, and Kin’ya’s was closer to the ocean on the other side of the mainland. Arina remained in her parent’s home, assisting her mother with tending the gardens and livestock.

Taizo lost track of the years, relishing how his host had grown into a wise and compassionate individual. Sashiki was calm and collected, pushing himself and inspiring others to better themselves in all aspects of life. Youkai from all over knew who he was and often sought him out for advice. Somewhere in Sashiki’s life, he adopted the title of Lord, and many youkai built their homes close to his.

Taizo wasn’t sure if it was the security of knowing a stronger youkai protected those weaker than him or if it just made them feel more comforted. A few years later, Arina moved into her home when she married a youkai from a nearby village. It saddened Sashiki, but he was happy she was starting her own family.

The years flew by in a flash and almost stopped when a group of humans ambushed Reina. It had taken Sashiki almost a week to locate his wife, and she was near death when he finally stumbled upon her crumpled and tortured body. In a desperate attempt, Sashiki had gathered his wife in his arms and carried her to the village where his daughter lived, only to have her succumb to her injuries shortly after.

Sashiki had been devastated and infuriated. The grief had almost been too much for the youkai until he came across the familiar scent of the humans, which was only recognizable due to the smell lingering on his wife when he found her.

The rage almost took Sashiki into a place that Taizo never wanted to witness his host go to again. It had taken years to help Sashiki heal from his grief. Even though he never really got over his wife’s death, he managed to push himself to continue living. Arina had given birth to two girls and two boys, and his sons had their own families.

It had eased the sadness Sashiki felt with each passing year. Today was good as Sashiki sat on his porch with a water-filled wooden bucket. The sun shone down on the quiet area, and birds chirped as they flew around. Sashiki’s mind reflected on past battles and how he had neglected his swords.

Taizo smiled sadly as he watched Sashiki set up his station to sharpen and polish his swords. He wasn’t sure why, but to him, it was as though Sashiki was anticipating something happening soon. The night before, his host had spent hours writing letters to each of his children and grandchildren. It hadn’t been a premonition or anything, but Taizo knew something was off. Yet despite the foreboding Taizo felt, his host was happy.

Sashiki had removed his sandals and neatly placed them beside his wash basin. Next to him were several whetstones and clothes for polishing. Hours passed as Sashiki whistled happily in the sun, not bothered when the sun started to dip below the mountains. Dusk had come quickly, surprising Taizo.

Sashiki stood as an afterthought, leaned his sword against the large wooden basin, and left the porch to grab himself a bite to eat. When he returned, Taizo watched, horrified, as his host slipped on his sandals. He spun around to try to catch himself, but there was nothing but air. Everything slowed to a crawl as his host fell heavily onto his newly sharpened sword and impaled himself.

Taizo spun around as the tree vibrated violently. He watched helplessly as a large gash appeared on the trunk. The leaves and blossoms wilted and fell onto the small island, and Taizo gulped. Turning his head, he watched the water around him ripple from his host’s injury. Within seconds, Sashiki was in the pools, blinking at Taizo curiously.

“I suppose this is what death feels like?” Sashiki asked softly.

Taizo blinked his eyes rapidly and nodded. A brilliant light appeared behind him, and Taizo looked over his shoulder. It was like a tear had formed, and a shadow was within the light. It didn’t appear or approach them but just stood there as though waiting. It didn’t take Taizo long to realize who stood there.

‘Reina waits,’ Taizo swallowed as he walked over to his host, almost like he had been through this before. He automatically knew he had to sever the bond they had formed and release his host from its constraints. He lifted his hand and drew the design he seemed to know already, and he winced when he felt a tear and heard a faint snap as the threat binding them fell to the ground.

“What happens to you, Taizo?” Sashiki asked as his eyes went to the white light.

‘I do not know.’ Taizo admitted. ‘You are my first host, and this is my first loss.’

Sashiki nodded. “If you happen to continue on with my family line and you become one of my son’s spirit or even my grandchildren’s, teach them well and let them know I did not suffer.”

Taizo swallowed again and nodded sadly. ‘Your children already have their own spirits, so I would most likely go to one of your grandsons.’

Sashiki smiled brilliantly and hugged him. “Behave yourself.” He released Taizo and looked at the white tear almost eagerly. “I have missed her.” the man whispered.

Taizo watched sadly as Sashiki walked to the light. When he saw Reina greet Sashiki happily, he allowed a small smile to cross his lips. ‘Be at peace, Sashiki,’ he whispered once the tear closed. Turning away from the now black section of the pools, Taizo watched the tree disintegrate into ash and the pool’s drain of lifeblood. Not sure how long he stood there. It felt like days before a rift opened in the black space.

Furrowing his brow, Taizo walked slowly towards it, unsure what would happen. Taking a deep breath, He slipped through the black rift into a different pool and frowned. Everything was in shadow, and even the tree on the island seemed greyed out.

He furrowed his brow as he slowly walked around the pools, wondering why it looked so different. Taizo walked to the edge of the water, stared down into the black depths and tried to step into it to reach the tree, but he hit a solid wall. Stepping back, Taizo lifted his head and watched gold flicker through the invisible wall. It was as though he wasn’t supposed to be there.

He knew Sashiki’s grandchildren were old enough to receive their own spirits, yet this didn’t feel like it.

‘You should not be here.’

Taizo jerked to the side as the voice echoed around him. ‘Where should I be?’

‘You are in my pools. You should have gone into hibernation and been sent to the spirit well to wait for your next host, ’ the voice said.

‘Would I not just go there after my host passes?’ Taizo frowned.

‘Theoretically speaking.’

‘Which son are you in?’ Taizo asked.

There was a long silence before the spirit spoke. ‘Kin’ya.’

Taizo nodded. ‘The youngest. Does he know of his father’s passing?’

‘Not yet.’

‘Are you going to inform him?’

‘That is not my job. He must wait as all youkai would to be notified by their family.’

‘So, how is it you know of this spirit well?’

‘I do not know. But I do know you do not belong here.’

Taizo sighed. ‘So do I just leave the way I came in?’

‘Your guess is as good as mine would be.’

Turning, Taizo walked back towards the area he had entered and slipped through the rift. ‘Alright, so now where do I go?’ He asked no one in particular. Not sure how long he stood there, Taizo sat down on the black path. Everything was shrouded in black, and the silence was deafening.

‘What are you doing here?’ A male voice asked him.

Taizo jumped despite himself and turned his head in the direction he assumed the voice had come from. ‘To be honest, I don’t know.’

‘Why are you not with your host?’

‘My host died.’

‘I see, and you ended up here?’

Taizo nodded and chuckled. ‘I walked through a rift that appeared in my former hosts’ pools and ended up in another pool, but it was shrouded in shadow. A spirit already occupied the space and told me I should have gone into hibernation.’

‘Indeed you should have. Your spirit would have gone to the soul well to wait for your next host.’ The voice said.

‘Interesting.’ Taizo mumbled. ‘So why did I not go to this place?’

‘If you did not feel the urge to sleep, then that means your next host is ready for you.’

‘I see no other rift or place to go, ’ Taizo said, pushing to his feet and looking around him. ‘The only one I saw was this one.’ He pointed to the rift behind him. ‘This is my former host’s youngest son’s pools.’

Taizo couldn’t see anyone through the thick darkness, so he sighed. ‘Why are you here?’ He asked the male voice.

‘I patrol this area. My job right now is to ensure spirits do not get lost within this vast space.’

Taizo lifted a brow. ‘You do not have a host?’

‘Not yet. When he is ready for me, he will call.’

Taizo shook his head and squinted his eyes, trying to penetrate the darkness.

‘Come, let us find your host and place you where you should be.’

Taizo felt a slight movement in the air, and his eyes followed. However, he squinted when a bright white light erupted in front of him. He lifted his hands to shield his eyes from the blinding change.

‘Come.’

All Taizo could see was a floating orb of light as it bobbed away from him. Gasping, Taizo sprinted after it. He could make out a shrouded hand holding the orb and a shadow walking, but he couldn’t see any distinguishing features or color. ‘Who are you?’

‘A spirit like yourself.’

‘Yet you patrol this area instead of being housed in a host?’Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

‘Yes. This is my domain, at least for now. I was given this task until my host has need of me. The world is not yet ready for his kind, so I do this until the time comes.’

Taizo lifted a brow but remained silent as he followed the light orb. They seemed to walk for hours before the orb stopped, and Taizo blinked. ‘Are we there?’

‘Yes. It has been almost five hundred years since your host died.’

Taizo’s mouth dropped open in shock. ‘You’re kidding?’

‘Time flows differently here.’ The male said.

‘Apparently.’ Taizo muttered. ‘So is this his grandchild?’

‘Great grandchild.’

Taizo furrowed his brow but nodded in understanding. ‘Thank you for guiding me.’

‘That is my duty.’ The orb hovered before a wavering rift, and Taizo slipped through, squinting his eyes at the sudden difference in atmosphere. This time, nothing was greyed out.

As with his last host, a small boy was seemingly asleep in the water. The boy wouldn’t wake until Taizo touched the tree, so with a sigh, he stepped into the water, but this time, he had to stop and catch his breath as a surge of energy flowed from the water into his body. Once he could breathe, Taizo made his way over to the island that housed the tree.

‘Shesh, ’ he grumbled as he stepped into the dark earth and placed his hand on the trunk. Clenching his eyes shut, he felt the same energy surge through his fingertips. ‘Oh, come on!’ Taizo growled. ‘It wasn’t my fault you didn’t indicate where you were situated.’

The tree seemed to chuckle at him with soft vibrations.

A soft moan caused Taizo to turn and stare as his new host sat up, rubbing his eyes. Taizo patiently waited for his host to gain his bearings and then blinked when their eyes met. A large smile broke across the boy’s face. “Hi.”

Taizo smirked. ‘Hello.’

The boy pushed to his feet, but his eyes never left Taizo’s. “You aren’t at all what I was thinking.”

‘Oh?’ Taizo crossed his arms.

“I was expecting a huge dog, like my dad.”

Taizo furrowed his brow, uncertain what the boy meant. He knew the kind of youkai the family line followed, those of canine. ‘Are you saying your father can transform himself into a large canine?’

“Aren’t you my dad’s spirit?” The boy asked, confused.

Taizo shook his head. ‘Your father has his own spirit. I cannot occupy the same host as another sentient being.’

“Oh.” The boy said, crestfallen.

Taizo noticed the boy’s huge disappointment. ’I will tell you a little secret: I was your great grandfather’s spirit.’

The boy’s head lifted quickly, and his eyes widened. His small mouth dropped open in disbelief. “No way.” Taizo saw the wheels turning in the boy’s head. “Which one?”

Again, Taizo frowned. ‘You only have one great-grandfather on your father’s side. I follow the male heirs of that line, not your mothers.’

The boy sighed.

‘You seem disappointed.’ Taizo wasn’t expecting that reaction.

“My great-grandfather fell on his own sword. He didn’t meet his end in a great battle or conflict.” The boy shook his head. “My brothers are going to laugh at me.”

Taizo rolled his eyes. ‘What is your name?’

“Hisato.”

‘Well, Hisato, I am Taizo. Your great-grandfather Sashiki was a great youkai who achieved many things, including uniting many youkai and forming alliances with them. Many sought him out for advice or guidance,’ Taizo said.

“Really?” Hisato said in a disbelieving tone.

Taizo nodded. ‘He was able to secure his own land and build it so it was self-sustaining. Sashiki faced many battles, but he was a gentle soul. He preferred diffusing conflicts rather than engaging in them. But, when he had no other choice, he was a force to be reckoned with.’

“My dad said he was weak.”

Taizo lifted a brow. ‘He was not. Sashiki could harness the power of the storms and fuse them with his own abilities. Was his journal never found?’

Hisato frowned. “I have never heard of any journal.”

‘Interesting.’ Taizo said. Now, he understood how important it was to ensure his host established good relations with those around him. Had Sashiki not been so secluded with his feelings, perhaps his name would have been more well-known. ‘Perhaps we could find his journal, and you could learn more about your great-grandfather.’

“It probably has already been destroyed. My great-grandfather lived over two thousand years ago.”

Taizo was stunned. Hadn’t the spirit guiding him said it had only been five hundred years? Just how long had he been standing outside his host’s son’s pool? Did time really flow that differently in that darkened area? Shaking his head, he turned to the tree and narrowed his eyes. ‘It seems as though you and I need some good conversation.’

“I have to go to training,” Hisato said.

Taizo nodded. ‘Well, go to your training, and we can speak later.’

On his death, Sashiki was roughly twelve hundred years old, and his youngest son Kin’ya, would have been around eight hundred. So if five hundred years had passed while walking with the other spirit, he would have lost roughly four hundred years. Kin’ya had already had his children, two boys, one named Reiichi and his youngest, Heizo. Both had their own spirits, so he had to wait until they had children to have a host again.

Turning, he glanced at the pools and studied every inch of them. ‘Is your father Reiichi or Heizo?’ For some reason, he could not distinguish between the boys.

“Heizo.”

Taizo smirked, ‘You can talk to me inside your head.’

‘Whew.’ Hisato sighed in relief. ‘That would have caused me to get very strange looks.’

‘How many brothers do you have?’

‘Three.’ The boy grumbled.

Taizo chuckled. ‘Not fond of them?’

‘Me and Hisanori always get teased by them. Of course, I am not fond of them.’ Hisato said.

Taizo turned to the tree. Skipping a generation confused him. He was certainly not fond of it and, hopefully, never had to do it again. Now, he had to build a timeline and figure out what had changed in those missing years, not to mention make sense of where his host was at the moment. ‘Where are you?’

‘The village I grew up in.’

Taizo watched through his host’s eyes as the boy made his way to the training grounds. Many youkai were around, very different from the peaceful life Sashiki had come to love and enjoy. He himself had relished the calm nature his host had surrounded himself with. This was busy, heavy activity, and it made Taizo nervous. ’Where, though? It doesn’t appear as though this is the same area I am familiar with.’

‘My father and his family fled to the islands when the youkai war started. That war has started to flood the islands.’ Hisato said. ‘Where were you all that time after my great-grandfather died?’

‘It seems as though I was lost in darkness. I have much to catch up on.’ Taizo frowned.

‘I can help you with that. There is a full library of histories that my father had collected before we came to the island. It is my favorite place.’ Hisato said.

Taizo smiled. He remembered that Sashiki documented many different kinds of youkai on his travels and his experiences with their different abilities. Sashiki used to write down everything he encountered, from different herbs and spices to various animals and birds. His host used to experiment with foods and random herbs to change the flavour. Some had been successes, while others had been so terrible that Sashiki had endured an upset stomach for a few days, unable to keep food or water down.

Then, there was the time when Sashiki had been documenting plants and somehow managed to sit in a bed of leaves, resulting in red bite-like marks all over his body. They were so itchy that Sashiki had smothered himself in a thick layer of cool mud to relieve the irritation. It had helped a little, but his host then decided to find a mud pit and sit in it for a week until he could finally move.

Taizo chuckled. It had been quite the adventure with Sashiki, one that he would be hard-pressed to forget. While he had been lost in his memories, Hisato had gone to the libraries and sat quietly.

‘Didn’t you have training?’ Taizo asked once he noticed where his host was.

‘I did, but you were distracting me with memories of my great-grandfather.’ Hisato chuckled.

Taizo raised a brow curiously. ‘I was not aware of it. My apologies.’

‘It’s alright. I actually was enjoying the memories. I never knew my great-grandfather, except knowing he had shamed himself by impaling himself on his sword. My grandfather was always ashamed to speak of him.’ Hisato said.

‘I see.’ Taizo murmured. ‘He didn’t do it intentionally.’

Hisato smiled. ‘I never thought he did it on purpose.’

Taizo jumped when a loud bang erupted around him and his host. ‘What the hell?’ He raced to the tree and placed his hand on the trunk.

Hisato ran to the window, peered out, and gasped when he ducked just in time to avoid getting impaled by a flaming spear. ‘Curses, youkai!’ He snarled.

Taizo frowned. ‘Youkai attacking?’ What the hell had happened while he was lost in darkness?

Hisato grunted as he crawled across the floor to the back of the wooden structure. ‘You must have really been out of it. Youkai have been fighting for power and dominance for decades.’

Taizo frowned but closed his eyes, searching through his host’s tree. He was young and unable to fend off against fully grown youkai, who had years to develop their powers and abilities. ‘You do not have the experience or power to fight off fully grown youkai.’ He growled. ‘You need to move!’

Hisato yelped when a large chunk of the roof crumbled around him as he crawled towards the back entrance of the building. ‘I have to get to my family.’

‘You need to find somewhere safe to hide.’ Taizo growled.

As soon as Hisato exited the building, the small boy crawled quickly to the tree line. At least the forest was directly behind the library, so his host had a place to hide. Taizo was horrified to see thousands of youkai descending on the boy’s home, and he narrowed his eyes. ‘So many, ’ he breathed.

Hisato climbed into a nearby tree and crawled onto an overhanging branch. From there, he had a great vantage point, but he remained hidden. ’I see Hisanori.’’

Taizo could peer through his host’s eyes to see what he saw, and he frowned. The youkai were relentless and unmerciful, which led Taizo to believe that these youkai were nothing short of mindless creatures that the humans loved to dub demons. There was no rational thought to their killing or shoving. No pattern to their storm. ‘They are not here to kill everyone.’ Taizo mused. ‘They are looking for something.’

‘What would they be looking for?’ Hisato questioned, his eyes following his little brother’s path around the houses. Hisanori was only two years younger than him, but he was alone and appeared to be very frightened.

Having no answers for his host, Taizo grunted.

“Dad!” Hisato hissed quietly, his eyes moving to where his father was being dragged. They had captured his mighty father. His eyes widened when his two older brothers were brought out immediately. ‘I have to help them,’ he said.

‘What do you hope to accomplish? You and I have been together less than a day, and you have not honed your abilities, let alone mine. You would die before you could assist anyone.’ Taizo snapped.

Hisato’s eyes moved to the line of youkai being brought out to a very large beast, and he gulped when his eyes landed on his grandfather. ‘They even caught granddad.’

‘Kin’ya.’ Taizo hissed when his eyes landed on the adult male. Sashiki’s son had grown to be a rather impressive man.

Hisato leaned closer but didn’t have to hear what was being said.

“Ah, so the Lord Kin’ya still lives.”

“Your relentless attacks prove to be useless,” Kin’ya growled.

The large youkai grinned, flashing his massive set of jagged teeth. “Really?”

“What do you want?” Heizo snarled.

“Well, we are here to eradicate the dog clan. Useless and unbecoming. You think you are above the rest.”

Kin’ya narrowed his eyes. “Ridiculous.”

The beastly youkai walked up to the male and ran his clawed hands down his cheek. “We were told to gather your family and bring you before the God of storms.”

Kin’ya jerked away from the wandering fingers. “For what purpose?”

Heizo turned his head to look at his father. “What would Susanoo want with us?”

The beast snapped his head over to Heizo and, in a quick move, was at the younger male’s side. His chin was gripped in a tight hand, and his face was brought close to the beast youkai’s. Gagging, Heizo tried to turn his head.

“Shall it be you who is first to die at my hands or your children?”

Heizo’s eyes widened when his two eldest children were yanked into the circle. His mouth opened in protest, but Kin’ya spoke first.

“I don’t know what you’re looking for, but surely small children are no threat to you,” Kin’ya growled.

The beast returned to the older male and grinned at him. “Oh, but they are, just as you and your son are. All the dog clans are threats, and we will deal with them accordingly.”

Heizo’s oldest son, Takeshi, was dragged into the circle and shoved to the ground.

Heizo struggled against his restraints, growling fiercely.

Kin’ya clenched his teeth. “What is it you seek?”

“The God of storms seeks your youki.” The beast grinned widely.

Kin’ya frowned then. “What?”

“The God of storms is on the hunt to eradicate all those who oppose him, and you are at the top of his list.”

“I have no qualms with Susanoo. What could I possibly have that could be a threat against a God?” Kin’ya snarled. His eyes remained on his young grandson as another youkai pulled a crude-looking dagger from his tattered clothing. He pulled against the youkai and held him when the dagger was placed against Takeshi’s throat. “Why would he be afraid of our spirits?”

“Afraid?” The beast barked. “No, he is not afraid. He just wants your death!”

Just as the words left his mouth, the dagger slid across the boy’s throat, and both Kin’ya and Heizo snarled, struggling against their captors.

Takeshi’s eyes widened, but no sound escaped his lips as the blood drained out of him.

Takeru burst into a frantic flurry of arms and legs as he was dragged before the beast Youkai. A cloaked figure walked forward, and Heizo watched, horrified, as small hands hovered over the dying boy’s body. Heizo’s eyes widened as he watched a faint wavering light be pulled from his eldest son’s body and wrapped up in the small hands. The hands then moved to his other son, pulling the same wavering light from him. Takeru’s eyes widened for a moment, and his mouth opened in a silent scream. Then, he dropped heavily to the ground.

Kin’ya barred his teeth, struggling even harder.

“Hold him!” The beast snapped. Kin’ya could feel the rage build up and crackle as his power rose in a blind fury.

The cloaked figure turned to the older male and pointed.

Kin’ya’s fury was building so much that the air around him grew so quickly that the youkai holding him jumped back, startled. Now free, he raced forward and slashed at the youkai holding his other grandson. It was over within seconds, but Kin’ya was instantly tackled and pinned against the ground.

The cloaked figure walked over to him and bent down, showing nothing but a flash of a smile. Kin’ya screamed when she placed her hands on his head.

Heizo’s mouth dropped open as he watched the cloaked figure rip his father’s soul from his body, and he shuddered. His father was powerful and not easily defeated, but these youkai were on another level. He didn’t even have the power to defeat them. No one did, not since his grandsire, Sashiki, who had died over two thousand years ago.

Panicked, Heizo’s eyes scanned the group of villagers who had been captured and was thankful that his other two sons were not among them.

Gasping, Heizo’s eyes snapped to the beast Youkai, who stared at him. “Now, what could you be looking for?”

Heizo snarled furiously.

“Do you have other children or family here that we are unaware of?” The beast grinned.

Heizo narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth together.

“Kill them all!” The beast snapped before turning away from the struggling male. “Make him watch, and then kill him.”

Taizo felt his mouth go dry in dread. The name Susanoo had caused his whole body to go cold, and as he watched the cloaked figure pull youki after youki from the captured individuals, he shuddered. ‘You need to move, now!’ He hissed. ‘Unless you seek death, your line will end if you remain here.’

Hisato wiped his eyes and gulped. ‘What about Hisanori?’

‘Let us hope he is smart enough to remain hidden. If you are caught, you will suffer the same fate as your elder siblings.’ Taizo said.

‘How can I live with myself if I just leave them to die?’ Hisato sobbed.

‘You can seek revenge later after you have grown stronger.’ Taizo said. ‘You are no match for them.’

Hisato nodded, defeated. He wasn’t stupid and knew how powerful his grandfather had been. If Kin’ya hadn’t been able to defeat them or his father, he had no hope at all.

‘Move!’ Taizo snarled.

Hisato took one last look at the gathered youkai and then slid out of his hiding spot quickly and as quietly as he could. There was one place he could go to hide until the youkai left. Hopefully, they wouldn’t stay in the village and would move on.