A Demon-Plagued Meeting (Part 2)

Disaster / Destruction

While the invading demon, Raym, lurked beneath the meeting room table, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo took the opportunity to cast a minor spell of healing upon the fallen. This jolted them awake, mending some of their wounds, but Azai Nagamasa was still missing an arm and Ishida Mitsunari a leg, so they were yet in no condition to rejoin the battle.   Even Kagami's supernatural powers of detection couldn't pinpoint their attacker's location, save that she was somewhere under the table, so Ryūzaki Sanosuke took the most obvious route forward. Slamming his foot down in a precise, powerful strike, he exerted just enough force to snap all four legs of the table and bring it down heavily onto the floor below. So measured was his strength that those standing on the table barely had to adjust their balance. Even so, the heavy wooden slab didn't seem to meet any resistance on the way down. Either Raym was no longer down there, or her powers of shadow extended further than they knew.

Yoshitakatomo entreated her* generals to capture the demon alive, even as Mori Ranmaru growled about Sanosuke destroying Oda Clan property. All this was interrupted by a soft sound, like scuttling. No doubt the six-armed demon was moving about somewhere unseen. Their suspicions were realized when, with a splintering crack, Raym burst from beneath the tatami at their feet, six daggers flashing toward the shadowy stranger who had accompanied the Hashinara. With Susuki Masamune a blur, they managed to block all three strikes, but Raym vanished back under the tatami, moving too quickly for anyone to react.   After a short collaboration with Aotsuki Tsukamoto, Kagami channeled a wealth of magic from Yata no Kagami and manifested it as a sphere of light in the hole Raym had left. One blessing Amaterasu had seen fit to bestow upon her mirror was the ability to sense everything within the light, and so Kagami was able to pinpoint the demon's location in the now-illuminated crawlspace beneath the floor. She communicated this quietly to Aotsuki, who passed it on to the other Hashinara generals through the mental network. By counting tatami tiles, it was then possible to get a fairly accurate read on where their foe was lurking.   Meanwhile, the shadowed interloper used a bit of their own magic to create a severed arm as a decoy. Knowing the Envy creature's predilection for stealing limbs, this was meant to be bait. The human arm is a complex thing, however, and this one didn't turn out right. Its sported milky skin and a bulbous hand with one too few fingers. Even so, it might be convincing enough from a distance. Without hesitating, the stranger peeked within the tatmi hole and hurled the arm where they thought Raym was hiding. At about the same time, Aka no Kitsunebi acted. She had not yet arrived at the room, but by sharing her master's senses, she conjured a psychic burst of pure light within the hole. So powerful was it that even the stranger, peeking beneath, was almost left blind. For her part, Raym screeched in dismay, indicating that the tactic might have worked.   Ryūzōji Ryōka and Takenaka Hanbei held back, sensing that the battle may almost be at a close. Indeed, it was now time for Saitō Dōsan to show off his massive, unyielding power. In the few seconds since he had been attacked, Dōsan had bulked up, now reaching nearly 25 feet in height. He didn't burst through the roof of Owari Castle only because he was sitting down. With an arm like a tree trunk, Dōsan swung his massive axe down on the general location where Raym had been indicated. If you're big enough, you don't need to be accurate.   Some sixth sense had apparently warned the demon of danger incoming, so blind as she was, she still managed to roll out of the way of the first strike. The second caught her on the back, though, crushing through the tatami and leaving a long gash in ash-grey skin oozing black blood. With the third chop, Raym was left mangled, still alive, but horribly injured, blind, and left prone within the tatami. Maxim did not hesitate to take advantage of his opponent's weakened state. Stepping around the hole Dōsan had made, he drew Hokkuken and cut into the demon's flesh. The Kamui-forged blade drew forth a clap of thunder and a spurt of black ichor as it plunged into Raym's body. Through some hellish constitution, she somehow remained alive. Speaking in the tongue of demons, she insulted Maxim, and dared him to kill her. One more stroke of Hokkuken nearly did so, cleaving flesh and crushing bone. Barely conscious now, Raym only smiled mockingly. This was too much for Maxim, who took his vengeance upon the smirking demon, and hewed her clear in twain.   As the life left Raym's eyes, something queer happened at the floor around her. A miasma, dark and foggy like the depths of an unknown sea, opened with a multitude of eyes. All of them looked upon Maxim, and then vanished, taking the fallen demon's soul with them. To Yoshitakatomo's consideration, this was eerily similar to when Maxim had died in the Palace of the Firebird, and inflamed red snakes had pulled his own soul down to Gehenna.   Mori Ranmaru hadn't been let in on events, exempt from the mental network as he was, and so strode out to challenge the attacking demon himself. He had stepped firmly in the wrong direction, however, and when he turned back, it was over. Somehow, all the Oda generals had survived, as had their visitors. Magical ministrations from Oichi brought Azai Nagamasa and Ishida Mitsunari back to health and restored their limbs while Maxim looted the demon's corpse, as was his wont. He obtained a set of daggers and some fine chainmail, but nothing more interesting than that. At their request, the shadowy stranger was given one of the black-steel weapons, while the rest remained with the Knight Commander. Hashinara Yoshitakatomo, meanwhile, took care of the corpse. Alongside the images of Dōhan and The Jabberwock, Raym was given a place on the Princess-Daimyō's back as a magical tattoo. This time, however, she* sensed something different. Almost a deity herself* by this point, Yoshitakatomo became aware of a great sentience turning itself upon her* in recognition and rage at this action. She* had made a powerful enemy, but Raym's body also invigorated her*, granting vitality beyond that which could be considered human.   Indeed, many of those in the room felt more powerful after feeding from the more powerful being's essence, even indirectly. It seemed silly to continue with the meeting, so Azai Nagamasa suggested that they pick it up again tomorrow. Oichi welcomed all to stay at Owari Castle as the Oda Clan's guests; a sentiment which Mitsunari emphasized. Curiously, Aotsuki got the sense that not only was Lady Ishida being hospitable, but she might not be quite bright enough to have a good handle on the teleportation that the Hashinara used to get around so quickly. Those present accepted the generous offer, although they would of course come and go with Shigeaki Fujino as they pleased. A prickly thorn remained in the form of Mori Ranmaru, however, who had not forgotten or forgiven the perceived slight against his clan. He became aggressive again, and nearly came to blows with Maxim, before Shibata Katsuie took command and ordered their gathering to a definitive end. She called out Ranmaru for his behavior, but also gave a warning to Maxim that, should he insult someone of her clan again, she would remove him from the castle personally. The Great Mountain had some words, too, for the mysterious stranger, who had not been invited and was thus not welcome. Few on the Oda side knew their true identity, and while they had helped with the situation, it was a time of great tension for the clan, and the other's unpredictable presence was not welcome.   Oichi excused herself, taking Katsuie with her. No sooner had they exited, however, than four from the Matsumoto entered, accompanied by Akechi Mitsutoshi. They had come from the castle gate as soon as the fight had started, but arrived to a cleaned and magically restored meeting room without even a corpse. Phenex, however, proved an interesting source of information. Questioned by Yoshitakatomo (who was in turn questioned by Kan Shōjō), she revealed that Raym was an Archdemon of Envy. She, by her own admission, was an Archdemon of Lucifer, and did not associate with those jealous coast-dwellers. The "demon" part seemed to stick in the air, and those remaining Oda generals were suddenly on guard. Ranmaru seemed about to launch into another tirade, or possibly violence, but some quick thinking and deception by Mitsutoshi managed to convince them that Phenex was a moth yōkai, not a demon. She was delusional, he carefully explained, and had gotten some strange ideas after being told about the demon on the way here. This seemed to placate the others, especially with Phenex's own admission that she is, indeed, delusional.   Before the situation could escalate once again, the stranger took their allies and left the castle. Phenex, still speaking with Yoshitakatomo, had to be pulled out by Aka no Kitsunebi and Taira no Tokuko, one on each arm. Kan Shōjō, too, was hesitant to leave, but apparently being left behind by Aka no Kitsunebi frightened her more than missing out on learning more about Yoshitakatomo.   Meanwhile, Aotsuki was conferring with his adviser back in Ōmi Province. With all the excitement, he had understandably forgotten to ask around for a mercenary to help in the hunt for Ikkyū. He did so now, at Seimei's reminder, but none of the remaining three Oda generals were able to provide much in the way of a lead. Instead, Aotsuki asked Dōsan to handle the search, as the big man would be staying the night there anyway. Lord Saitō agreed, and Aotsuki was free to depart with Maxim. They had business in Ōmi, or rather, Kōka Province, where a mysterious castle had begun appearing only at night.   That left Yoshitakatomo and Sanosuke in the room. The Silver General asked Ryōka to console Takayama Ukon, who was no doubt still grieving her father's death. Meanwhile, he and Takenaka Hanbei would accompany their Daimyō to investigate the scene of Takayama Ukon's murder. Azai Nagamasa proved accommodating, and ordered Akechi Mitsutoshi to show them the way. With thanks, the three departed with their guide.