The Day of Thunder

[Canary]

The scent of blood overpowered Hisomu as he marched through the halls of the Spider Archives, flanked by Matsu family members. The deeper they got through the halls, the more the scent of blood filled his nose and mouth. Visions of the last time he smelled it this thick rose in his mind, and he had to pause briefly to get his bearings and not give in to the memories. He looked down and it became worse.

A few drops at first, then a splotch here and there on the wooden floor.

The visual evidence of the smell that had assailed him since he arrived. Blood.

As they started again and the hall continued onward, the intermittent splotches became a meandering trail of red. It looked like a body had been dragged through the hall by a drunkard.

Hisomu focused and kept walking. Through a door, a set of stone stairways led downward, and the scent of blood became accompanied by rot. He heard one of the bushi behind him swallow the urge to retch, and he could relate. Only the movement of fresh air from above made the scent here more pleasant than Jigoku itself.

The stone floor showed tracks now in the still-wet fluid, leading them deeper. Farther and farther in, finally, the trail led somewhere. There was a thick, bronze door, and a pool of relatively fresh blood was left in front of it, dragged to the sides and creating smears where it had opened. The bushi stepped forward and attempted to open it, but even with their strength, it wouldn’t budge. This place took the strength of a Kami or magic to open.

Hisomu stepped forward and swung the bronze doors open with a horrific screech, revealing the nightmare within.

Bodies. Multiple bodies, all dressed in teal and black, or what scraps remained of the colors. All riddled with horrific wounds made with unsettling precision. Straight cuts with a steady hand, made for maximum bleeding. The walls around them were covered in blood, as well, and wooden buckets below them full and leaking with the substance.

On the middle of the room was Hisomu Shizune. She had joined fourteen years ago, a quiet but dedicated student of the kami and a talented researcher in the unusual. She had discovered evidence of Kenku culture in the forests not far away.

Now her robes were more dark red than black or teal, and her fingers had… changed, forming into long blades so black that they seemed to have no texture of features, sucking every bit of light into them. Their only highlight was the red flowing down them and dripping slowly onto the floor. She turned around to face Hisomu with a smile. “Hisomu-Kamisama! I’ve been researching. I’ve discovered a way to use others’ blood to fuel magic!”

He stared at her, then looked at the bodies. “And what about them?”

“It’s fine!” She said. “They were all traitors. There are so many traitors. The guards. Other researchers. My whole family were traitors, traitors, traitors!” Her laughter echoed madly through the room.

She grinned. It had too many teeth.

---

Welcome to OOC Chat 2!

[Otomo Akutou]

Glad to be here!

[Togashi Satsuki]

*reads story*

Oh mah gaaaaaaawd

[Canary]

*reads story*

Oh mah gaaaaaaawd

Things are going well.

[Otomo Akutou]

I need to get time to write a fiction.

[Togashi Satsuki]

*reads story*

Oh mah gaaaaaaawd

Things are going well.

Clearly we just need more fire. MORE FIRE! TO BURN ALL THE HERETICS!

[Shiba Kumori]

Well… someone should tell Grandfather.

[Otomo Akutou]

Who's your granpappy?

[Ryoshun Nao]

Such a lovely smile.

[Shiba Kumori]

“Grandfather” is the Kenku who trained Kakita.


My grandpappy is (redacted).

[Otomo Akutou]

Thank you.

[Shiba Kumori]

You’re (redacted)!

[Yuzuru Hoto-Hori]

. . . well this is an escalation.

[Nanzi Ai]

I like this girl, she's Crane material.

[Otomo Akutou]

Another example of biting commentary.

[Nanzi Ai]

Another example of biting commentary.

She has many keen points in her core argument, plenty of juicy tidbits to chew.

[Otomo Akutou]

She has many keen points in her core argument, plenty of juicy tidbits to chew.

I'm not sure how you can be so sanguine about the prospect.

[Hisomu Reo]

*People look at Reo*

Hey! It wasn't me this time!

[Reiko]

Not another one

[Togashi Satsuki]

Not another one

What do you mean "not another one"?