“We have to beat him, Tatsumi. For Kiyomi-sama. For the Dragon, the kami and all our friends who brought us this far. This ends tonight.”
“One way or another,” Tatsumi agreed.
A chilling howl echoed over the storm, and dozens of lightning strands seared the sky, flickering over the valley. I broke from Tatsumi and sprinted toward the trees, darting behind a trunk as with a roar, an enormous ninetailed fox landed at the edge of the cliff and turned toward us, cold triumph in its golden eyes.
27
The Fox Who Would Be a God
TATSUMI
I drew Kamigoroshi and faced the creature looming over me. A ninetailed fox, the most dangerous of yokai, imbued with the power of a god. Its tails writhed behind it, snapping with foxfire, and its yellow gaze was fixed on me as it took one terrifying step forward, jaws open to reveal a maw of shining fangs.
My blood surged, and I raised Kamigoroshi, backing away from the huge creature. I knew why it wanted me dead. The reason lay curled around the pit to Jigoku: the immortal Kami that had been slain. If Kamigoroshi could kill the Great Dragon, it could also slay a ninetail, even one who was immortal.
It had already killed one god tonight. I would just have to kill another.
The Ninetail didn’t bother with words. There was no mocking laughter or announcements that I was doomed. The kitsune’s open jaws released a blast of blistering foxfire that scorched the air as it surged toward me. I dodged the first wave, dove away from the second and ducked behind a rock as fire seared the boulder and caused the nearby trees to crumble to ash. I felt the intense heat in the rock behind me, saw tongues of blue flame curl around the edges of the boulder and gripped my sword as the Ninetail came forward, its steps making the earth tremble.
I felt a presence beside me and glanced back into the face of a second Tatsumi, who gave a grim smile and raised his weapon. For just a moment I was startled, until I realized Yumeko was working her magic. I nodded, and the false Tatsumi darted from cover, dodging the blast of fire that ignited the trees behind him.
I paused a heartbeat, then did the same, seeing the illusion disappear in a blast of foxfire. In that split second of distraction, I leaped at the monstrous Ninetail with a snarl, blade sweeping toward its neck, figuring even a god would die if Kamigoroshi severed its head from its body.
One of the kitsune’s tails lashed out, slamming me from the air. Pain seared half my body as white-hot foxfire scorched my skin. My demon half was used to the fires of Jigoku, and even in human form I tolerated heat better than most mortals, but the flames of the Ninetail defied belief. I struck the ground, and as I did, my body seemed to fracture into dozens of Tatsumis, tumbling through the dirt to either side.
Yumeko. Though there was no time to marvel at the kitsune’s distractions, or what her ultimate plan was. If she even had one. I pushed myself to my feet, gripping my sword and seeing the small army of myself do the same. I didn’t know where Yumeko was or how she was doing this, but there had to be at least a few dozen duplicates of myself that had suddenly joined the battle. Raising multiple Kamigoroshis, they began to surround the huge Ninetail, who watched them without concern.
“Daughter,” it said, sounding unimpressed, “I have lived a thousand lifetimes. I have watched clans rise and crumble. I have seen the birth of forests and the death of stars. I have created my own kingdoms and filled them with servants, lovers and enemies. Do you really think you can defeat me with simple tricks?”
It waved a single tail, and half of the duplicates surrounding it burst into flame, consumed in an instant. But the other half sprang forward, rushing the Ninetail with Kamigoroshi blazing a sickly purple as they swarmed their enemy.
I lunged forward as well, hoping the images would do their job and distract the Ninetail long enough for me to get close. The kitsune snorted, shaking