The Crooked Silhouette

Chapter 11: The Unrequired Dumbness

Indubitably, four of them were fully aware of challenges they ought to bump into once a new day began. They were allocated new job of finding the missing Zodiacs, and once the task cleared excellently, Yagi and Mizugame would send Tatsu and Hikari to Tsuya. That was the original motive of carrying off The Earthlings in the first place without causing unnecessary harm or cut. Believably contradictory wish dragged those disappearing Zodiacs to violate the mission, which Yagi and Mizugame have cursed a lot.

            Grumbling stomachs almost echoed the area, yet none of them dared to voice it out. It was still early in the morning and drowsiness has not faded, but Oushi and Kei were profoundly intolerant to wait or even assemble them breakfast. No words, no cautions, no discussion – just to wake up and realize themselves getting tied on every limbs they possessed. Yagi was somehow quick enough to secretly rip the rope knotting his wrists and sped to assault Oushi.

“Tsk!”

            Even though Oushi was able to dodge Yagi’s scrupulous charge, he was literally thrown away due to the impact and rolled on the ground. The blade in his hand reformed back as his long horn and reaffixed itself atop on his head. Fine taupe dust dirtied his clothes which he despised to the core. Since he has freed his hands, Yagi perilously snapped the rope on his feet. He could merely take in a respiration when Kei pounced at him out of the blue.

            Owning an athletic body granted Kei more power as a Human compared to Tatsu or Hikari, yet it was a clear-cut that he could not defeat Yagi in term of strength and combat. Even if an assessment ought to be performed, the difference in stature size was already unjust. Yagi was a warrior himself, thus confronting small opponent like Kei was not his problem – at least not the main issue. He remembered Kei was a Human which transparently told him his brawn might kill the powerless and weapon-less body of Kei. It was not a favourable duel since handicap was more on Kei’s side and the match was basically biased.

            He had to plant the mind-set that his competitor was a Human, putting aside his pitiless manner. Punches and smacking exchanged but none of them landed a repercussion on the target. Both interminably offended and defended, employing every movable limbs with one thing in the mind – to win this so-called battle.

            “What did you actually do to Kei, Oushi?”

            The Taurus jeered in celebration of Tatsu’s shaken emotion as Kei has merely transformed into a Human with a promising talent as a pugilist, whereas Tatsu and Hikari were still impotent. It sounded wrongful yet both Tatsu and Hikari never hoped for it. They would only want to return to The Earth safe and sound without losing anyone. However, Takeru and Koichi were still astray, plus Kei was becoming like this.

            “He was strong even before we arrived here,” Arms crossing against the chest while the eyes glared at the Humans, and he exhaled of proudness. “So I decided to take him as my bodyguard instead of delivering him to Tsuya. But first of all, I must educate him how life in The Dimension is.”

            Mizugame raised his eyebrows in puzzlement. “Do you ever think of the consequence on him? He’s still a Human, a creature who isn’t supposed to be here since day one. We took them just because Tsuya asked us to do so, not because of gluttonous creature like you. What are you going to do if he died here? What’s going to happen to his family on The Earth?” he glimpsed at Hikari and Tatsu at his side, “He still has friends who looks for him, has family who waits for his comeback, and he has his own world.”

            At a glance, they might deduce Kei was fighting against Yagi properly. In fact, he was frantic in order to retain his longevity. Estimating from his facial expression, everyone could say he acknowledged Yagi’s superiority and opposing him was the worst idea ever – at least when there was no Tsuya around.

            Reminiscing the image of that Spirit back to the day they encountered him for the very first time, and later perceived very terrible first impression. The countenance was not that adverse, yet the action dismantled the building trust they were about to accomplish. Oushi eventually stared at Tatsu. The Human in front of them was a duplicate to Tsuya, spreading out positive yet terrifying vibe.

            “You,” Oushi drew his face closer to Tatsu, “Are you sure you don’t know Tsuya?”

            An intimidating aura emitted from Oushi shivered Tatsu to the point he might throw up of too much tension pressing on him. Hikari was about to jog Tatsu away from Oushi’s range of sight, but Oushi blocked him by putting up his hand, extending the distance between them. Mizugame gritted as he could do practically nothing but to watch Oushi bragging up his freedom while the three of them entrapped by his deed.

            “For your information, my name is Tatsu, and I don’t know anyone named Tsuya. Having any relation to him is impossible. Tsk, not going to happen,” Tatsu was breathing in Oushi’s air but he averted away, envisioning his refusal by eye movement.

            “How should I know that you’re telling me the truth?” a pocket knife he fished out from his pocket hovered by the throat, “You should prove me wrong, not just blurting out self-proclaim.”

            “How am I supposed to endorse you?” His patience was reaching its limit. This Taurus really pissed him off to the point that he might explode of anger instead of scheming an escapism together with Mizugame, Hikari and Yagi.

            Yagi was still toiling with Kei, however The Human has shown his draining stamina. His unhurried movement and drooped eyelids justified his frequently astray batter. It was too obvious to Yagi since Kei only confronted him without any other interference by Oushi, therefore he could heed wholly on Kei. Almost half an hour of wrestling, yet Kei never unleashed any other weapon or latent attack, thus Yagi concluded that he would be the one to end this childish fight. A kick swung horizontally from beneath when Kei was not noticing, bumping into his shins and drove him to tumble.

            One down, another one to defeat.

            “Tatsu!” Hikari’s curt ear-piercing squeal jolted him.

            “Oushi you stupid!” another voice intervened.

            Yagi recomposed his gasps and pants, shifting towards Oushi while the latter has not realized Kei has laid unconsciously on the ground. Oushi was hindering his view to examine the other three from his point of view. He leapt once, taking less than one second to arrive specifically at Oushi’s hind. As if his energy was not consumed by his battle beforehand, he slapped Oushi at the right side of the head. And Oushi again was thrown away due to the impact he received, unintentionally letting the pocket knife he used to pressurize Tatsu.

            “Don’t. Touch. Tatsu,” an index finger was pointing in the direction of the pitiful Oushi. Teeth gritted as he warned. He then picked up the knife and notified something before tossing it somewhere far from them.

            The pocket knife was blood-coated.

            Thus he gradually lifted his head just to witness Tatsu’s slashed throat. Hikari frantically grappled to release himself to help his feeble friend, while Mizugame froze at his spot and gaped in disbelief. The incident unavoidably occurred before their eyes, but aggrievedly both could only view unwillingly. Tatsu was just serendipitous that the wound was not too deep to detach his head from the body, or he could have died due to haemorrhage. The oozing blood and his faltering Adam’s apple depicted the severity. Absolutely Yagi was not going to let Oushi go just like that. He tore a part of his clothes and pressed it on the wound to cease the bleeding.

            “What did you do, Yagi? You help him to survive? What a joke I just saw today!” Oushi’s satanic guffaw indicated he attained unutterable gratification.

            “Shut up, you imbecile!” Yagi shouted thus echoed the forest. Some birds flew away. His hands picked up leaves from the trees and covered the wound with them. The leaves acted as medication in Tatsu’s case. The Capricorn Valley was mainly trees and cultivation was the residents’ main occupation to earn for living. Hence, everything in the forest should be their forte.

An overwhelming annoyance sprawled through the space. Hikari and Mizugame watched Yagi’s horns elongated and enlarged – the destructive capability must have doubled than normal thanks to the thick-skulled Oushi. “I’ve told you many times, he did too, that he is not Tsuya! How dumb are you to not grasp the fact, huh? What should I do to brain wash you, to teach you wholeheartedly, that he! Is! Not! Tsuya?!”

            The Taurus was about to abscond when Yagi has already barred his movement. He detached one of his large horns, and propelled it towards Oushi. “Now, choose. How do you want to die? I will fulfil your wish without complaint.”

            “Are you crazy, Yagi?” Oushi pushed Yagi’s hand away from his range. He knew how durable Yagi’s built was and how skilful Yagi was in combating alongside his horn. Palm-sized horn scraped already dreadfully, thence an arm-sized horn might kill monstrously. “He is Tsuya! The evil Spirit! Why are you on his side now?”

            “You are the one who is foolish!” As expected, Yagi pounced on the panicking Oushi and thrashed him mercilessly. “He didn’t even counterattack you despite your unthinkable action! Don’t you see that? The Tsuya that we know would already explode even before you lay a hand on him!”

            Bruises and cuts were visibly distinguished on Oushi’s skin and flesh. Blood trickled from the damage and he could not even touch Yagi as the bigger unstoppably smacked him with his horn. He attempted a strike with his bare hand since his own horns were unreachable, yet Yagi reacted much faster than he has anticipated. Yagi hit directly at his hand and a cracking noise manufactured, causing the latter to groan achingly. He might have doubtlessly broken Oushi’s ulna and radius since Oushi has been ducking to preserve his arm. Its wobbly shape told him to not land another blow there, moreover scourging was not his fondness.

            Judging from the figure, Oushi was beaten to pulp by Yagi. He knelt on the ground, disregarding his leaking blood from Yagi’s brutality. Gasping for fresh air and self-recuperation, Oushi never lifted up his head because Yagi was staring ferociously at him.

            “So you do know what death is, Oushi.”

            “I’m so convinced that Human is Tsuya! He is just pretending! Please believe me, Yagi!” The trembling hands tried grabbing Yagi’s foot but Yagi disgustingly avoided it. “I sense that he’s evil. Far more malicious than any of us! Please, Yagi. Don’t fall into his ploy!” Imploring was to reveal to Yagi his forthright fervour, however Yagi’s pained expression clarified his repudiation.

            Jostling his horn onto Oushi’s thoracic spine as an admonition, he then turned his back towards the latter. He has taught his lesson to Oushi, which meant his job has already finished.

            One Zodiac captured, plus one Human together. He rushed to the initial spot where Hikari, Tatsu, and Mizugame were. He untied the rope knotting the three of them and dragged Kei to gather him together with Oushi. Finally, he tied their limbs as payback.

            “I’ve warned you, Yagi. I hope you or Mizugame, or even that another Human, won’t hurt yourselves afterwards.”

            Oushi’s weak mumble intrigued Yagi. Instinctively, he quivered from the moment he awoken by Oushi’s doggedness. He admitted that he was purely terrified once he saw the similarity between Tatsu and Tsuya. However, the fright lessened as time went by, and he eventually considered Tatsu as his friend. He was unsure of Mizugame’s case since Hikari was quieter than Tatsu, but he could say Hikari was concerned of everyone in his environment despite the origin. Hence, Tatsu and Hikari were not entities to be overly protective of.

            Presumably acute blood loss as the main reason, Tatsu has lost his consciousness. Hikari pressed sturdily on the wound with some herbal leaves collected by Yagi from the trees nearby. He did study about cardiopulmonary respiration practically knew nothing about emergency treatment. Mizugame stayed with them while Yagi went for lookout. They could not leave the place because Tatsu was injured and he has not come to his senses yet. Right at his side was the sobbing Hikari.

            “Uh.”

            A moaning voice they heard somehow alerted them not to let their guard down. Mizugame has already forged his clay vase heaped from The River of Adam. Hikari took a glimpse at the pathetic Oushi and frail Kei tied together.

            “What happened? Eh?” Kei looked around as he just noticed what kind of situation he was in, “Why am I tied? Eh?” he ogled at the puzzled Oushi, “Who are you?”

            “Who am I? For real, Human?” Oushi snapped despite his blood-stained chapped lips, “We’ve been walking together for days, and you asked who I am now?”

            Kei raised a brow, uncomprehending the circumstances. Discontentment and bewilderment boundlessly mingled as the more he tried memory recalling. None of his pieces of recollection succinctly aided his reminiscence and he even failed to figure out why soreness ripped his whole body. The Zodiacs, including the observing Mizugame, could not really mask their perplexing.

            “Who are you, for real? I don’t know you.”

            “I’m a Taurus! My name is Oushi! I was the one taking you here!”

            “Here?”

            He looked up at the clear bluish sky. It seemed no difference, and the trees were undeniably tall. Thick leaves and colourful fruits dangling on them faltered him, and his heart began to throb in panic. The creature who was grouped with him was strange physically, and its attitude told him that they were together since day one.

            He did not know where he was.

            “Hikari! Hikari!” Kei was totally neglecting Oushi who later grunted in dissatisfaction and eventually saw Hikari meters from his place, “Hikari! Please help me! Let me go!”

            Mizugame gradually shifted at the stunned Hikari. Kei still strained to free himself from the rope. Hikari then exchanged looks with Mizugame, portraying his numerous contemplation spinning in his mind.