Taking a breath, Yuriko now slowly strode towards her front door. "What are you doing," Akira asked in alarm.
"I'm stepping outside to talk with Morgan that's all," she said quietly. The kitsune now frowned, slowly approaching until he stood shoulder to shoulder with the elderly sorceress. "Then I shall go with you."
"That is unwise my old apprentice," Fukushu said harshly. "Remain here. Let the wizards talk." Akira slowly shook his head, furrowing his brow as he gazed at the nine tailed kitsune. "I have watched over Yuriko her entire life," he stated. "And I have also provided protection for Morgan on occasion. Where they go I go. Stay here Fukushu."
"Why?"
"Because I will need your help if things go poorly."
Slowly the wizard and six tailed kitsune exited their home, studying Morgan carefully. "What do you wish to discuss," Yuriko asked. Morgan cast the pair a sullen look, they had been allies for as long as she could remember. As dark as her powers were, she did not want to come to blows. However, there were questions she needed answering.
"I hold no ill will towards you or Akira," Morgan sighed. "As angry as I am with your student I understand why it happened. Evan...Evan had problems, problems I was hoping to fix."
"Darren did what he thought was best," Yuriko said softly. "Evan attacked me, Darren came to my aid."
"And killed him," Morgan replied bitterly. The sorceress sniffed, wiping her eyes before glowering at the pair. "He didn't need to kill Evan. I could have saved him!"
"I'm sorry."
Morgan nodded, her head hanging low for a moment as she composed herself. Slowly she now raised it, her eyes glowing with murderous energy as her features became more feral. "I understand why Darren attacked but I can not forgive him," she growled, her face becoming more wolflike as her muscles began to swell under her clothing. "Not yet anyway. The pain is too much. What I can never forgive though is why you have offered Fukushu sanctuary after all that he did."
"Its complicated," Yuriko said quickly. "I know it is hard to believe but he's trying to change. His son, Darren's belief in him, he is turning a corner. Trying to amend for his mistakes."
Morgan seemed unmoved, the lycan sorceress slowly assuming wolf form as she angrily glared at the pair. It was now Akira who stepped forward in hopes of easing the tension.
"I understand your anger Morgan," he said. "Believe me. I have fought Fukushu more times than I care to remember since becoming your guardian. I did not think that he would change. I believed he would remain a bitter enemy to you all for the rest of time. But I have seen the changes this new Catalyst has brought. The things Darren has done has softened Fukushu."
"Do you truely think he has changed," Morgan asked bitterly. "The schemes he has hatched. The attacks on my mothers, on all of us. Look at the destruction he has wrought."
"I know," Akira said softly. "But I also remember that I was very much like him before you were born. I was given a second chance. A chance to do right. It has brought me great happiness, a family, friends, a child of my own. Darren is doing for Fukushu what your mother's and Kellie did for me."
Morgans face softened slightly, a warm smile spreading across her face as she gazed at the kitsune. Throughout her life Akira had always done the right thing. The kitsune was noble, dedicated, and despite his serious demeanor a warm presence in her life. He had always protected the next generation to the best of his ability, even if he did look out for Yuriko in particular.
"Akira," she said softly. "I have always liked you, respected you." Akira now gave Morgan a warm smile, reaching out to the sorceress as she spoke again.
"I'm sorry. I don't want you to see what I have to do."
A cry of pain now echoed through the yard, Yuriko shrieking in terror as Akira let out a cry of pain. The kitsune had collapsed to his knees, his hands covering his face as blood freely flowed down his face. Hot tears now leaked from Yurikos eyes as she listened to Akiras agonized cries as his eyes now floated before them.
"That heartbreak you feel," Morgan growled as she assumed werewolf form. "Is but a fraction of the pain I felt when your apprentice destroyed Evan." A guttural roar now echoed over Akiras cries of pain. Morgan sneering as the werewolf prepared herself for battle. "Now you'll see that Fukushu shall never change."
Fukushu had watched everything transpire from the window. The nine tailed kitsune was leary of the lycan sorceress, especially after what he had learned from her attack at the park. While he and Akira may have been rivals, he still cared for his old apprentice. Then he had watched the worse happen. Morgan had used her magic to tear Akiras eyes out, blinding the kitsune in the same way Isao had been blinded centuries before.
Fukushu snapped. When Isao had been blinded, he had promised himself he would never let that fate befall another kitsune again. One of his greatest regrets was never exacting justice for Isao's injuries. They had never found the culprit and the trail had grown cold. Now though, he would have a chance to atone for that failure.
Smashing through Yurikos home, the kitsune now charged. Morgan tried to cast a spell, a smug look upon her lycan face before Fukushu attacked. Connecting with a punch that surprised both Morgan and Yuriko in its speed, Morgan was thrown backwards, crashing through a series of trees before tumbling to the ground.
Fukushu watched as the werewolf began to stand. The look on her face told him everything he needed to know. She had come to provoke a fight, she believed herself stronger than he was. Fukushu was about to show her how wrong she was.
Morgan snarled, preparing another spell before Fukushu hit her again. The ferocity behind his blows would have turned a lesser foe paste. How was he doing this? Her power rivaled Jack and Kellie. They were two of the strongest magical beings in all of reality! Snarling, she now launched a series of spells at the kitsune before lunging at him. If she couldn't defeat the kitsune with magic, she would resort to more brutal methods.
Fukushu scoffed, swiping her spells away with his hand before catching the werewolf. She was trying to tear him to shreds, use her claws and fangs to dismember him. Catching the werewolves arms., he now used a quick motion to break them at the elbow before slamming her to the ground.
Punches now rained down on Morgan, the werewolf struggling to free herself. Fukushu would not relent, his fists hammering down into her face and body, the crunching of bones heard over his furious yells as blood stained the ground around him. The kitsune snarled, his eyes full of hatred as he glared down at Morgan.
Gazing at the bloodied and broken werewolf Fukushu could see something. Despite her face being battered and bloodied, he had a clear view of her eyes and in those eyes he now saw fear. Morgan had bested his old master Villar, she had defeated the guardian of darkness Jack. Throughout her life, she had proven herself to be perhaps stronger than any wizard. She had thought destroying him would be as simple as crushing an ant with her experience.
The fearsome growls of the lycan sorceress had now been replaced with whimpers of pain and fear. Fukushu was unrelenting in his attack, continuing to batter Morgan. Despite her ability to heal, he was causing too much damage to recover. The kitsunes breathing was ragged, his eyes wide with fury. He would destroy Morgan and avenge Akiras injuries.
"Dad?"
Fukushu paused. In his madness he had not noticed Raiden racing to his side. Pausong he glanced at his son, his heart nearly shattering as he noticed the look of fear in the young kitsunes face. Gasping he now beheld his opponent. Morgan was barely breathing. The lycan sorceress's body twisted and bloodied from his attack. As he held out his hands, he could see them soaked in Morgans blood, matting his fur.
"Dad don't kill her," Raiden pleaded, the kit traumatized by his fathers brutality. "Dad please you're not a murderer!"
Fukushu paused, closing his eyes as he tried to compose himself . In his rage he had nearly killed Morgan. As he stood he now glanced towards his son, hoping the boy would forgive him.