FicWad

Chapter 26



Mimoun saw that his help was quickly disappearing, and decided to meet up with the main body of attack and lead them instead. While that was going on, the Shinto priests were in their prayers, hoping for the good spirits to come and help. Clarice was performing her rituals, but no one knew if this would be enough. Ren and Chiyuki were deep in conversation, not knowing what to do. Instead of words of romance, there were words of regret, and preparing for their deaths. If the bokor had been alone, this would not have been such a deal. Now that that demon was involved, they did not know what to think. Chiyuki had hoped that the preparations they had done would have been enough, but they found out that all their plans were for naught. "I should have known that Teresa would have put a stop to things," said Chiyuki, "All it was, was just adream, and nothing more. Humans and vampires cannot mix."

Ren looked at her with surprise. Before all this, she had been brimming with optimism. Now, she looked like acondemned prisoner, accepting her fate, just waiting for the end to come. "Where was the optimistic girl that I knew?"said Ren, "At one time, I would have agreed. I thought that I was going to keep the life I had, using humans as if they were inferior. Kenta started to change all that, and proved that he was useful, especially when he helped rescue my sister. Then Jean-Claude came into our lives, and suddenly, I had to change my view on everything. As I watched things go, I saw that it could happen. He made me believe. Then you came in, and suddenly, all the life I was living meant nothing. I had to ask if I had been too cocky all those years. I was so sure, and then all of this made me not so sure anymore. I still have a little voice in my head that says that it would have been better if it had not happened, but I see my sisters so happy now, I have human friends that I did not think I could have, so, I have to believe it can happen. It has to happen."

"It has to happen?" said Chiyuki, "If this all falls down tonight, we must flee from here-get far away. If it is not meant to be, we can't force it."

"It's too late for running, love," said Ren, "At one time, I would have agreed, and you and I would have been miles from here. And yet..."

"...yet what?" asked Chiyuki, not sure where he was taking things.

"...and yet...I've learned that there is only so far from life and responsibility one can run. In everyone's life there comes a time to stop. Remember that night at the casino?"

"How could I forget that?" Chiyuki said as she smiled.

"There is only so far you can try to hang back and not bet," said Ren, "You still have to put in the antes and the blinds. Eventually, you have to kick in, and put down the bet. If you don't face the table, you will be whittled away into nothing. It is better to face your foes than let them cut you down, and then get you into a confrontation you know you can't win. Jean-Claude once told me, 'Welcome to the real word, Ren-its time for you to grow up!'

I didn't know what that meant until I met you, and met this danger. I can't run anymore, because the happiness of all that I love is at stake. I run, and I tell them that all I care about is myself. No more-it ends tonight. We win, or I die in peace, knowing that I did not die on my knees."

Chiyuki looked into his eyes, and started to tear up. She embraced him tightly and began to cry, sobbing, "I love you,-I love you so much. Stand by my side to the end!"

"I will, tonight," said Ren, "and for the rest of eternity! There is no more running."

At this, they locked in a passionate kiss. That is when they heard a familiar voice say,"Ren, you couldn't wait until you got to a hotel?"



They looked over to see Karin and the rest of the party arrive. She was wet and muddy, and her dress was in tatters, but she was okay. Ren swept her up and spun her around, happy to see her alive. He looked at Kenta and Jean-Claude, and said, "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!"

"I leave you with them," said Jean-Claude,"The friar and I are going to go back out and see if we can confront Teresa. Karin and company are going to go on a direct attack for Mimoun and try to cut off the head of the snake if possible."

Jean-Claude said, "Don't worry, guys, Old Jim will tell you what to do, and I trust Ren here to provide the leadership as well. Don't fear: the battle is ours!"

"That's pretty optimistic," said Chiyuki.

Jean-Claude shook his head and said,"Lord, when the time is right, show them that there are more that stand for us than for them. Open their eyes when the time is right."

"Dark warrior," said the headman of the shrine,"I see you still have the scarf."

It was sticking out a bit from under his dark scarf, and he said, "I never turn down kindness, sir."

The Shinto smiled, and he said, "Then Ishare your optimism. Strike them hard."

He then saw the saber underneath his trench coat, and said, "We can provide you with a better blade."

"This will work just fine, sir," said Jean-Claude, "for the spirits of my parents, and my grandfather comes with me in this blade. If they were alive, they would also be fighting right now. In fact, I think he would have brought more ordinance than blades. The only reason why they do not have them is that they think that bullets would not do much. However, dad would have held the belief that they would be able to slow them down to the point where we can go in and take care of it. I'm just glad they did not have that opinion. Anyway, I digress. It has to be this blade. Believe me, it is just as strong as yours is, and I know more what to do with this than what you offer. However, he might need one."

He then turned around and pointed to Kenta. The headman saw this, and acknowledged the need. He also saw the condition of their dress, and called for the both of them to be given changes of clothes. Tony said, "Come on, we must go now," and Jean-Claude tipped his hat as they went off. Karin and Kenta were given clothes more befitting the men and maidens of the shrine. They then presented Kenta with a katana, and he strapped it to his side. Although Karin had her Toledoblade, they still looked like two samurai preparing for battle.



Jean-Claude and Tony made their way through the brush, looking for the attack force. They figured that Teresa could not be too far behind. They managed to slip past them, seeing Mimoun leading the way. Jean-Claude hoped that they could hold, but he also knew that, normally, anyone in a defensive position as the Clan was could be just as effective as an attacking force ten times its size. If they made the enemy come to them, they could turtle up, and play rope-a-dope until they could finish it. They were looking around intently, until he heard a voice go by them, saying, "Ta ta, boys: I have no time to play with you. There are people in the temple that need to die, and I can't keep them waiting."

Teresa spotted them, ignored them, and went straight for the temple. Jean-Claude sputtered, "Zut alors!" and then said, "We have to double back!"

"What' going on?" asked Tony.

"The battle is a ruse!" said Jean-Claude,"She's going for the twins and Innocent during the fight! She doesn't care what happens there. They were just a means to an end!"

They quickly started to go back, and that is when about ten bokor came out of nowhere and started to engage them. "It was a trap!" said Tony, and he started to defend. Jean-Claude was dancing around Tony, who did not have the speed to keep up with some of the bokor there. Yet, Jean-Claude could not land a scoring blow. He did not know how long he could keep it up. That is when the answer came. The chief and his crew jumped up and took them on. Jean-Claude and Tony cleared out and then reengaged the foe in concert with the help that arrived. In short order, they were defeated, and then Jean-Claude hurriedly said, "Teresa and some bokor are trying to make an end run to the twins! We have to hurry!"

They all redoubled themselves and headed for the temple.



At last, the fight came. The bokor attacked from both sides, but the Shinto was proving effective with the Japanese bows they produced. However, approximately 165 attackers or so against what was there would not allow them to be able to fend off the attackers for long. Karin was trying to spot Mimoun, and take a chance to go for him. She turned to Kenta and said, "We have stood together through it all. Let's do it one more time!"

Kenta smiled, stirring up Karin's blood in his system, preparing to use that to the utmost, hoping that he did not burn through it too fast. However, they also had to wait for an opening. Chiyuki said, "I'll try to pop a hole for you two to get in there, and then I'll be right behind you. I've got a score to settle!"

Finally, the enemy charged, and the Clan was doing what they could to hold their defensive position. There were cries on both sides as friend and foe alike fell. While all this was going on, Yuriya was in the most defended part of the temple, holding tight to her children as she looked over a shivering and distressed Fumio. However, Mickey and Sheila heard the screams, and Shelia said, "What's happening, mommy?"



However, the doors opened, and the noncombatants were bringing in the wounded: about eight. Mickey said, "Bad boo-boos?"

She kissed his head, and said, "Yes, bad boo-boos."

Mickey looked at his mother, at Shelia, and then at the wounded, and they somehow both wriggled out of their mother's grip. They ran up, and said, "Boo-boos go away!"

They began to glow yellow, and they were both as good as new. In fact, they acted as if they had not lost any blood, and were anxious to go back to the fight. Shelia then saw how Fumio was shivering, and said, "I love you, Auntie-san!"

She then cuddled up with her, and both of them began to glow. Fumio's eyes opened, and she then noticed the small child cuddled up in her bosom. She felt as if there was nothing wrong. She picked up the child, and said, "Shelia, did you do this?"

"No like seeing Auntie-san sick," Shelia responded, and when Clarice saw this, she said, "Great Bondye: two of the chosen ones!"

She looked at Yuriya, and said, "I do not know why I did not see this before! You are truly a blessed woman!"

Clarice then took them by the hand, and said, "They need to be out here!"

Yuriya was horrified to see Clarice leading away the twins, and she screamed, but Clarice said, "Fear not woman, for it is not the loss of the twins you need to fear. They should fear them."

Yuriya still didn't care, and ran up to try to bring them back. However when they got outside, they were met by five bokor and Teresa. "Thank you, Clarice," said Teresa, "You did the work for me. Now did you think those silly ward would keep me from walking right in here. The battle means nothing. It only kept you busy. Now, I'll just take those children."

Yuriya screamed, but the Innocent sisters restrained her, saying, "Don't do it."

"She can't have my babies!" screamed Yuriya.

"She won't," said Sea Blue, "There's more in operation than you realize."

"Yes," said Ruby, "For Sophia explained it all to me some minutes ago. They fight against the goads. They cannot stop what is meant to be-through them, and through my and Karin's offspring. All they have done is caused people to die for a vain war."

Yuriya stopped fighting, and looked at them in disbelief. She then looked back to the twins as Teresa approached. "RUN AWAY!" she told the twins, but Mickey said, "Mommy, do you see all those big men in white around us?"

Suddenly, the five bokor started to glow abright white, they screamed, and then vanished. Teresa screamed, and then went flying. Yuriya could see nothing except the fight around them. However, just when they enemy was about take the perimeter, the bokor suddenly wanted to get out there. This took the defenders by surprise, but Chiyuki said, "They're retreating-COUNTERATTACK!"

Clarice began to smile, and said, "Come, children, let us revive our fallen friends," as she could see what no one else but the twins and the Shinto could see, (who, by the way, were on their knees, chanting celebratory songs, as if the battle was already won.) What arrived go by many names in many religions, but for the lack of a better term, a band of angels arrived to make the difference. There were indeed forces at work that were not pleased with how it all went down. Those forces gave a space of time for Mimoun to stand down, after seeing that they vampires were equal to the task. However, they sealed their doom when they wanted to listen more to the voice of a demon than the Almighty. Even allowing their attack was a chance, but they became brute beasts instead. Now, judgment was about to fall. Some of the bokor tried to break away and strike from the rear. This is when they ran right into a cloud of bats. They were flying in all directions, screeching, and calling, causing the bokor to run aimlessly. Into this stepped Anjou, who stood in the center of them, and used a force push to fling them into the trees round about. When they stood, Bear Fang hopped up with the reinforcements, and slaughtered the bokor there. "My, strong medicine runs fierce in the blood of the Markers!" exclaimed Bear Fang.

"The Brownlick tribe once had the nerve to call us weaker than they," said Anjou.

"They speak great words," said Bear Fang,"but their souls are not the source of them. Now, come, and let us put an end to this."

With that, they went off to join the fight that was now approaching them from the counterattack. Bear Fang began to smile when he saw the figures that were joining the side of the Clan. For him, he felt it the spirits of the warriors that had died back at the wedding site, but whatever they were, he knew that they bokor was finished.



As the fight progressed, Jean-Claude and Tony both heard a voice like many waters say, "I give the battle into your hands. Rid me of the scourge and restore order in the nature of things."

The area then washed over with what Jean-Claude would have described as the presence of the Holy Ghost, and he felt more strengthened than before. Teresa landed hard amongst her retreating troops. She indeed could see what was happening, and she did not count on the Lord putting His hand into the mix. She did know of how things were supposed to happen, but she thought that she could delay things. She knew that she could never fully stop it, but at the least, she figured that, if she kept killing off the founts, and things like the twins, then she could keep control of the vampires for a long time. She just didn't figure that her end was coming now. She then raised her hands, took control of the minds of about ten bokor, and decided to go after the one that caused this mess to begin with. As Jean-Claude approached, he saw Teresa and the bokor coming the other way. Suddenly, both men felt a surge of power overcome them, and they dove into the crowd with relish. They were both a blur as they cut down the bokor in order. What they did not see, and what Teresa did, was the others that were assisting their every move and action, empowering their strikes. They were making their way to Teresa, but she took the attitude that she was not going down that easy. She sneered, and said, "There will be another day, fools!" and started to try to flee. That is when she ran into Ryuu and Ai, who grabbed her and thrust her back into they fray. "How dare you two!"she screamed, and then commanded them to go to her side. They just stared at her, and Ryuu said, "My redemption is at hand, and you are not going to take it from me!"

"NO!" she screamed, because now she knew that she was finished. However, she wasn't going down without taking someone with her. She spotted a bokor down, and snatched his sword. She then headed right for Jean-Claude, who had is back turned while fighting another bokor. "Jean-Claude, look out!" shouted Tony, and jumped in front of him. He screamed as the steel went through his belly. Jean-Claude jumped back and wheeled around to see that Tony had taken the blow again. Righteous indignation filled every pore, and if looks could kill, Teresa would have been vaporized. Jean-Claude moved like lightening, but before he could strike, a white robed warrior stopped him and said, "You cannot kill her with that weapon!"

With that, he sheathed his sword, grabbed her head, and prayed God to cast her into outer darkness, never to return. "WHY!" she screamed, "WHY, WHY: IT WAS MINE, ALL MINE. YOU CAN'T TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME!"

The location flashed a white light, when it was gone, Teresa, and the bokor engaged with them were gone as well. He then turned to Tony, saying, "Hang in there! You'll be alright!"



He then began to mutter the last rites. However, Jean-Claude would not have it. He would take them to Clarice, or someone who could fix this. He did not want to vamp him out, but he could think of no other way.



At this point, Mimoun began to see everything going south, and he was seeking to extract himself. Yet, before he could, Chiyuki spotted him, and said, "Karin, Kenta, he's trying to run!"

Like a bolt of light, Karin and Kenta were in front of him, blocking the way. When he turned, he summoned some remaining bokor to engage them. As he tried to run again, he ran into Ren and Chiyuki. Ren said, "And just where do you think you're going? You caused all this! Now you are going to suffer!"

He tried to run again, and ran into Clarice. "Papa Mimoun, your kind of voodoo is for the ancients. It shall die, starting with you!" she said as she glared at him. He started to reach into his bag of tricks, but Ren and Chiyuki snatched it aside and flung them away. However, he managed to get the empowering medicine and took it. He then turned his attention to the one place he thought he had a chance to escape. Karin and Kenta were handily taking care of the bokor, Jean-Claude's training coming to the fore. When the last one fell, Mimoun charged up, out of his mind, bearing a sword. He thrust at Kenta, but she deflected the blade, and began to show herself a match for Mimoun, even when he was in this state. "The balance of things will never be determined by the likes of you!" she screamed, "It should have happened already, but you messed it all up! Now we have to wait longer! You must suffer greatly! Death is too good for you! You arrogant pig, how dare you think yourself a God!"

With two swift strokes, Karin had him disarmed, and she was thrusting hard. However, Ryuu stopped her sword, and AI was holding Mimoun. "You're right, Karin, so let's make it that way."

At this, Ren walked up with Chiyuki, and Chiyuki said, "This is for my eyes!"

She then reached in and plucked out his eyes. He screamed, and then Ren said, "I'm also sick of your mouth!"

He reached in and plucked out his tongue, and sealed off the wound. At this, Clarice approached and said, "Now, you are going to know what true Hell is like for the rest of your days!"

She knew that this was something that only the bokor did, but considering the situation, it seemed fitting. She dropped the zombie mix into his mouth, and they waited for it to take effect. When he passed out, they took him to the Shinto, and told him that he would have to learn how to do things blind, but he would be a good houseboy. She told them the herbs that would keep him docile, and for the rest of his days, he would never cause trouble again. They did not realize that they were now taking in a zombie, but it was the best judgment for the likes of him: he was receiving worse than death.



Meanwhile, at the temple, Jean-Claude was trying to help Tony, and his children approached. "Mickey, Shelia, what are you doing here?"demanded Jean-Claude.

"Bear Fang tell us to fix boo-boos," said Shelia, "Does he got a boo-boo?"

With that, Shelia reached out, and the wound went away. Tony sat up, looking pale and weak, but he said, "God bless you child!"

However, Ruby saw the aura of sadness all around him, and her blood was surging at that point. She knew just what he needed. She walked up, and said, "Relax, friar, for Ishall help you."

At this, she bit him before he could refuse, and began to replenish him. They laid him down to let him sleep it off, and went to assess the damages. There were a few skirmishes still going on with the few remaining bokor who thought better of things and tried to flee, but it was more or less over. Jean-Claude wanted to feel happy that they had won, but for some reason, he could not rejoice. None of this should have happened, as far as he was concerned, and he wondered if he should calm things down, and not push the dream so hard. He sat down on the stairs in front of the shrine, when Karin and Ruby Innocent sat to either side of him. "Look at you;"said Jean-Claude, "you look like a samurai!"

She blushed, and then noticed his face was a bit long. "What's wrong, bro?" she asked.

"I...I wonder if I have been pushing things on the dream too hard," he said.

"I don't understand," said Ruby.

"Look at all this," he said, "Could my overdoing things caused all this?"

"Some people are just idiots, bro!" Karin said, "You're always going to run into something that's going to try to get the way. Some are just more destructive than others."

"Could we have avoided this?" he asked.

"Maybe not," said Ruby, "because, if someone thinks they are right that much, nothing shall stop them. The harder they fight, the harder they hurt, and are hurt."

He looked around, and saw his twins with his wife, going from wounded to wounded, insuring that as many that could, would go home. He then said, "That's my hope."

They smiled at the twins as Jean-Claude said, "Still, we almost lost the dream tonight."

"You're wrong," said Ruby, "The dream has just begun!"