Mori versus the Oni Part 2 - Chapter 13

Life for Death

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The pyre blazed against the night. Smoke curled up and up and up in a twister masking out moon and stars. Mori watched the flames claim Dai’s corpse. He didn’t know who had carried his body out of the demon realm but he was thankful. Lord Miyoshi stood beside him grinding his teeth, he had rewarded the men who brought Dai’s body with them but would not tell Mori who they were. Ano clung to Mori’s kimono sleeve while Kota stood beside Hidetaka with eyes red from the smoke. Hidetaka would blame the smoke too but his tears were for the man upon the pyre.

The two children rescued alongside Ano clung to Sayo. A boy and a girl, both younger than Ano and both far, far away from home if they spoke truth. The boy claimed to be from Echigo while the girl heralded from Nagato. Opposite ends of the world and both as impossible as the other. Mori had forgotten their village names, it didn’t matter. Neither would see home again. Sayo clung to the …