Kuroba Asashin's Arc

Chapter 23 of 44

Bobby and Jackie walked the wall past midnight. The trees held still. Bobby stopped first. He put a hand on the stone and looked at Jackie. "Something's coming." Jackie's mechanical eye clicked once and pulled the dark closer. He saw two shapes on the ridge. One wore a crown helmet. The other was small, hooded, and stood too still. Jackie ran for the house. Bobby followed. Kuroba was already on the porch with the odachi in his hand. Kenji stood behind him with his staff. Ona and Tish came out barefoot. Kazrik walked down the slope alone at first. The lava blade lit the dirt red at his feet. The small hooded figure came behind him, palms open. "A borrowed house burns fastest," the hooded one said. "Ask the beam that held the roof." He knelt and pressed both hands to the ground. The air above the square split like water pulled apart. Something long and pale climbed out of the split. It had four legs and a green mane and eyes that were not eyes. It stepped down onto the packed earth and the earth went cold. Kuroba moved to meet the dragon. Kenji put the staff across his chest. "No," Kenji said. "That one is mine. Take the man in the crown." Kuroba looked at him once. Kenji was already walking toward the beast, robes loose, staff low. Kuroba turned to Kazrik. He called the order without looking back. "Bobby, the left. Jackie, the right. Ona, watch his feet. Tish, inside, bar the door." They moved. Kazrik came fast. The lava blade cut for Kuroba's neck and Kuroba stepped off the line the way Kenji had shown him and put the odachi through Kazrik's shoulder. The hooded summoner spoke again about roofs and beams, and Bobby hit him in the mouth. Jackie took his legs. Ona pinned his wrists. The summoner laughed with blood in his teeth. Behind them the dragon opened. Wind pulled leaves off the trees sideways. Kenji walked into it. His staff moved once, twice, a third time. The dragon struck and Kenji struck back, and the pale body folded around the old man like cloth around a stone. When the wind stopped, the dragon was gone. Kenji stood in the center of the square. Then he sat down. Then he lay down. Kuroba drove Kazrik back three steps and cut him across the ribs. Kazrik broke off, grabbed the hooded man by the collar, and dragged him up the slope into the trees. Kuroba did not chase. He ran to Kenji. The old man's eyes were open. His hand found Kuroba's wrist. "The stick is yours now," Kenji said. He put it in Kuroba's palm and closed his fingers over it. Then his hand went slack. Kuroba tried to call the healing up. Blood came to his mouth and nothing answered. Kenji was already gone. Bobby held the summoner face down in the dirt. Ona was crying without sound. The dojo still stood. The porch was empty. Then, as if they were part of the sand of the wasteland, Kazrik and Rin vanished