Keepers Of The Occult (NaNoWriMo 2024) Chapter 19: Chapter 17: A Message From Our Host

Read chapter 19 of Keepers Of The Occult (NaNoWriMo 2024) by Mercynarie on NovelPedia.

“W— Will you let me live if I talk?” “I won’t if you don’t,” Liam kept his cold glare trained on the monster. “I’m losing patience, woman.” “Aww shit. Look, I really don’t know that much! I’m a victim in all this too, honest!” the Rokurokubi said. “All I know is that I was minding my own business, living in my forest in Japan, when I got seized.” The boy leaned forward. “Seized? By the Union of Magus?” “No, no. It was a Kitsune, and a nine-tailed one too. Come on, you know they’re basically celestial gods if they already have nine tails. I was taken here against my will; I didn’t even have a chance to fight back. The next thing I knew, I was in some kind of sealed container. Then I was here! You know the rest. I swear I’m just another victim!” Liam’s lips curled as he stared at the Yokai for a moment. With a swift clench of his fist, the chains around her face tightened considerably. The Rokurokubi wailed in pain as her skin began to smoke and sear. “Didn’t stop you from killing humans, did it?” he roared. “ Remember anything else?! ” “W— Wait, wait, wait! Please stop!” the monster cried out, and the chains loosened a little. “The Kitsune talks to itself a lot. Sometimes, I even hear a different voice. It’s like it’s… arguing with someone else. About responsibility and pranks…” Her voice trailed away as Liam’s lips began to curl into a snarl again. “I’m telling the truth!” she exclaimed. “Hang on, there’s something else too! The Kitsune lived in the same forest as all of us; that’s why it took us along with it. It mentioned something about having playmates.” “What do you mean, ‘all of us’?” Hazel asked. “I meant the other Yokai also living in the same forest. The Kitsune said something along the lines of going to a place where there’s the most fun, which is why I was drawn there as well. I thought it would protect me, but it masked its presence after it entered your school. That’s why I chose to reside there; I was hoping to stick with the Kitsune.” Hazel shot a confused look at Liam, although he was still focused on the Yokai in front of him. “Was the Kitsune present on the night you broke out of your cage?” Liam asked. “I… I think so—” “Do not lie to me.” “I swear I’m not! Yes! Yes, she was—” Liam slammed a glowing fist at the Rokurokubi without warning, knocking her out cold. He released the chains, and the disembodied head dropped to the floor with a dull thud. “Much obliged.” The boy patted away imaginary dust from his hands before turning to Hazel. “Komyo was there that night, too. I’m positive he’s the Kitsune.” Hazel continued staring at the unconscious head lying on the floor, watching for any sudden movements that might catch them off guard. “Oh, don’t worry. The Yokai is just out cold; she’ll be back up just in time to teleport herself back to her body.” Liam waved his hand casually. “I’m just making sure she won’t have time for another snack before she has to return.” Hazel pulled her eyes away from the ground. “Where did Mister and Missus Watson shift her body to, anyway?” “The Rokurokubi’s container, of course.” She roared with laughter and clapped her hands like a little girl, self-consciousness be damned. “Genius move.” Her laughter continued echoing down the empty building while Liam stared at her, as if waiting for something else to happen. “So what now?” he asked. “What do you mean ‘what now’?” “You’re the clairvoyant; what’s our next step?” Hazel blinked. “That’s… not how my gift works.” “How does it work, then?” The girl sputtered in a pathetic attempt to respond. She didn’t really know how to explain it to Liam, but she was only able to tap into that power because it led her on. Hazel was still in full control when her power was active, sure. But it functioned more like a door that appeared and disappeared at will. And right now, that door wasn’t showing itself. “Well, common sense says that we should be searching our school for traces of the Kitsune,” Hazel finally managed to formulate something to say.