[color=gray][right]A man is willing to do anything for those he cares about.
Anything.[/right]
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[indent][indent]Despite everything that Ren was [i]trying[/i] to do in her words and how she was comforting him, it simply wasn’t enough to stop the consistant itching feeling that crawled all over Rai’s body as if he had a bad rash. No matter how hard he scratched or squirmed to get a second comfort, the purifying nature of the shrine kept at him, almost daring Raiko to itch even harder. The intensity had gotten to the point where Rai’s anger started to boil past the surface, profanities that shouldn’t be uttered around women, much less in a place of worship, had escaped his mouth. This received a sort of gasping reaction from the younger priestess. Raiko offered up an apoogetic glance, unable to speak in-between the hellish scratching.

When he heard Tanaka telling him to stop scratching or else he would draw blood, apparently it was too late because he was already bleeding on his back, which was fine. Rai wasn’t used to a little blood.  But he did stop after he was handed some tea. He was up for anything to quell his antsy feeling that had spread throughout his body ever since placing one foot in the general circumference of the hilltop. It only worse when he actually entered the shrine. So, a cup of tea was looking pretty great right about now.

Sitting there as still as humanly possible, Rai sipped his tea slowly. He focused only on the steam and the herbs that was mixed in and the natural sweetness from the wild berries that grew around the village. He had picked some of these from time to time. He also noted a hint of cherry blossom. It wasn’t uncommon for that to be used in tea, especially to sooth the nerves of someone. Before he even realized it, Rai’s jitters, though not completely gone from his body, had seemed not be as severe and at the forefront of his mind. Perhaps ignoring it was the best thing he could’ve done. No, that wasn’t it. 

[color=b5484b][i]Something in the tea, perhaps?[/i][/color]

As he pondered that, Rai started to tune into the conversation between Ren and Elder Tanaka. It would just so happen that he started to tune in when the elder started to explain how Ren was born on a certain day and how that made her a True Priestess. Not long after, the conversation took a turn that made Rai stop sipping his tea. When the elder mentioned how Ren would be able to rid Japan of demons, he zoned out then, his own mind sinking into what most would call a dark place. In the village, he knew he was accepted, but down at the core of his soul, he had always felt as if they didn’t truly accept him. Belonging to neither race, he wasn’t fully human nor was he a full demon. Even though he knew that Tanaka didn’t mean it in the way that Raiko was thinking, he just couldn’t help hiumself; and as a result, he suddenly was phasing out of the moment and deeper into his own negativity.

Around the time that Raiko came out of his own funk (as it were), he, much like everyone else, heard the screaming winds, startling everyone. Raiko was more surprised by the sudden increase of the winds after zoning out for a few minutes. His surprise soon kicked in his protective instincts. He stood up after Tanka had prepared to go outside. He didn’t realize just how frightened he was until the sight of all of the shadow figures with the piercing red eyes were in front of the shrine. 

[color=b5484b]“Those are..”[/color]

Rai found it difficult to get the words he wanted to say out of his mouth. His entire body was sweating and the feeling from before was coming back again, this time it nearly jumped ten times the intensity. Before it was just a large itching sensation, but now--now it was beyond his own control. It not only paralyzed him where he stood, it forced him to his knees and hands, sweating at enormous numbers. He also wasn’t able to breathe. Every breath he tried to take only left him more fatigued and increased the fear within his body. 

[color=b5484b]“Serpent Shadows.”[/color]

When he uttered those words, Raiko’s right eye went from its usual pale red (like a pink rose) and deepened in the color. He was holding his head, screaming with pain in his voice; and even though Raiko’s body had the mega-jitters (as one would call it), his body was being drawn to the door. Even when Yuu protested, Raiko felt a force surge through him that had forced Yuu to the wall on the other side of the room. The sounds of her crashing into it could be heard. And when Rai opened the door, his hand covering his now-red eye, he saw all of them still there, fending off the priestesses efforts. 

“We have come to take The Boy where he belongs,” the voice from before said again, though this time it was coming from just one. This demon rose from the ground, no more than a few yards away from where the shrine was. “Do you cherish these humans, Raiko?”

What? What was this demon saying. [color=b5484b]“Y-yes! Of course I do! They’ve accepted me as one of their own. Despite my demonic side, they don’t care.”[/color]

“So, you wouldn’t want them to get hurt, now would you, Raiko?”

[color=b5484b]“Y-you wouldn’t!”[/color]

“I won’t, but I can’t say the same for the others.” There was a laugh among the demons.

At this point, the one speaking would extend its arm out forward, removing itself from the shadow and revealing a dark blue arm covered in scales much like the one that Raiko has had recurring dreams about. 

[color=b5484b]“That’s..”[/color]

“Yes, I’m sure you recognize it, Raiko.” The Demon spoke again, this time looking directly at the half-demon. “Come with us.”

[color=b5484b]“What?”[/color]

“Come with us and this village will be spared. If you willingly come with us to the Serpent Mountains, then by my word alone, no more demons from the mountains will ever harm this village again. That, I can promise you.” 

Just for a minute, Raiko wasn’t sure if he could believe the word of a demon. What merit did that carry? He wanted to believe what this demon was saying. Maybe that was the demon side of Raiko wanting to believe that. Or perhaps it was the human side that cared deeply for the all - for Ren. Oh, Ren, what would happen to her if he didn’t go with them? Demons weren’t likely to forgive the refusal of what seemed like an once-in-a-lifetime offer. How frequent was it that demons were offering a peace negotiation to a human village? 

As he contemplated the offer, Ren was the first thing that came to his mind. It was Ren and not the others who Raiko was solely focusing his decision on. If he didn’t go with them, then the demons could just end her life, his life, and all the lives of everyone in the village. If he accepted the offer, however, then he’d find solace in knowing that she’d be safe.

Taking one last moment to gaze upon Ren’s form, Raiko stepped forward. [color=b5484b]“If you swear to me that no harm will come to them, I will accept.”[/color]

“As I’ve said, Raiko, you have my word.”

Upon hearing those words, Raiko took the exposed hand of the demon, looking back at Ren. [color=b5484b]“I’m sorry. I’m doing this to protect you.”[/color]

Raiko was lifted off the ground, floating with the demons. Soon, they faded into the black clouds hovering above them, returning to their source: The Serpent Mountains. For the villagers of Seiki, the storm had passed. But it did come with a heavy price.[/indent][/indent]
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