the blood ran warm over his hands, ran in little rivulets on the floor, little rivers of tainted celestial blood. hakkai rammed the sword through the gut of his fifteenth, leaving fifteen more. the body fell against him and he ed it off. wet and sticky, the red fluid stuck to his boots as he kicked one corpse to the side, as he swung back and beheaded another one. that's sixteen.

smoke crept over his head, the fire that he started spreading from its source into other rooms. he checked his shoulder wound. it had reopened, yet he didn't feel it. another scream, another stab, but this time, hakkai fell to the ground as well. the room was spinning, suddenly getting colder. he felt a gust of icy wind, his vision going blurry and for a moment...a flash of an instant...he could see the snowy mountain town where he had been...no...not now... the healer shook his head. stay here! he scolded himself stubbornly.

in a fit of desperation, hakkai heaved himself up and impaled two youkai into the wall as if they were butterflies. he didn't bother retrieving the sword. instead, he picked up a er dropped by a fallen enemy, trying to ignore the sound of pouring rain that was echoing in his ears.

twelve more.

when tenpou opened his eyes, his gaze was met by two beady blood red jewels ingrained in the head of a small creature...white...with wings...that looked like...

"kyuu!" hakuuryuu squeaked.

"sir?" tenpou responded.

"kyuu!" hakuuryuu replied.

tenpou paled. "my god..." goujun...what have you done to yourself?

"kyuuuuuuuuu!" the little dragon was frantically pulling at his sleeve.

"okay, okay, i'm up sir...errrr...you." this was certainly one more thing to think about. tenpou gingerly rubbed his head, not surprised to find a few sore spots. a quick glance at his surroundings told him that the tornado had carried them rather far; maybe a mile or so.

now where was toto?

a groan and a curse escaped a pile of snow next to him.

"ah! there you are. thought i had lost you." tenpou said cheerily as he stuck his arm in and hauled the monk out by the collar. sanzo came out choking and coughing.

"you only wish."