Ballad of Kyanoko: Aurora and Sake p.2

Prompt- Draw or write about your character fighting the boss!

Word Count: 434

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Kyanoko gritted her teeth as the ropes around her aging barrel tore into her hands. Normally she wouldn’t have much issue hauling the thing over her shoulder, but she was worse for the wear after fighting the wyrm. At this point, all fear had left her. What was replaced was a blunt reality of what must be done. Kyanoko released a heavy sigh as her arms gave out and the barrel slumped lazily back into the snow. She threw herself over the barrel, trying to get a moment’s rest in.

“Need help…?” asked a voice belonging to that of a very strong woman. Kyanoko, propped her head up on her hand in some attempt to salvage her disposition despite her ragged clothes and fur. The owner of the voice was a tall and buff oni woman, chiseled abs and arms exposed in utter defiance of the cold.

“Sure do.” Kyanoko attempted to sound flirty, but between everything going on, it just wasn’t happening. “Name’s Kyanoko.”

“Fitting, but now’s not the time for that.” the red oni chuckled, reaching for one of the ropes of the barrel. Kyanoko barely had time to slide off of it before the oni threw it over her shoulder. “Yuko. What’s the plan, Kyanoko?”

“That’s a barrel of sake that’s been aging for about six months-” Yuko gave Kyanoko a pained and sympathetic look “-a month of which in these caves. Figured it might be strong enough to get that thing at least tipsy if we can convince it to swallow it.”

“Say no more.” Yuko hefted the barrel above her head, flashing a grin. Kyanoko barely had time to react when Yuko turned and shouted at the wyrm, calling it names to get its attention. 

The fear that Kyanoko had managed to chase away earlier came rushing back when the wyrm turned its head to the yokai. It lunged at her, lips drawn back in a snarl and Kyanoko scrambled to get away. The snow was fine and powdery, so the tanuki kept slipping. She gave up trying to run and watched as her fellow yokai charged the beast. 

Yuko sprang into the air and the wyrm snapped its jaws open. Kyanoko worried that Yuko was on some suicide mission. But at the last moment, the oni threw the barrel down the wyrm’s gullet. It drew its head back and Yuko’s hands were drawn straight in front of her torso. She blasted the wyrm and launched herself back to safety with the sudden force. Had Kyanoko been a minstrel, this surely would have been something she captured in song.