Progress Report on The Shrine War

Currently up to 6,500 words and the battle has just started.

My sole human, Brennan Woodbrygg, has just discovered that the shrine is not occupied by humans and is trying to leave with mind and body intact.

In this scene, Brennan is trying to leave unaware that a group of Inugami block the entrance to the shrine and he does not see the twin kitsune sisters, Kiku and Kuwa, hiding in the tree branches high above him.

Above him in twin trees that stood on each side of the walkway, Kiku and Kuwa watched the human as he strode quickly down the sandō toward the torii. They had no way to warn him about the Inugami that blocked the entranceway and as he came around the corner in full sight of the invading group, the human and the nine Inugami stared at each other before the spirit dogs screamed out a war cry and swarmed onto the shrine grounds.

The human turned on his heel and ran back toward the haiden.

With prayer beads dangling from their hands and glowing a deep blue, the kitsune twins pulled back the strings of their bows. An arrow of blue energy appeared notched and ready in each bow and simultaneously the two sisters let them fly.

Both found their marks in the Inugami who led the charge. The bolts shattered the soul crystals that hung on chains around their furred necks and the spirits of the Kitsune trapped within them burst out with a loud retort. The bolts of energy passed through the two Inugami violently flinging them backwards to lie still on the ground, their bodies strangely showing no wounds.

The remaining seven Inugami came to a halt and each with practiced ease slid large iron darts from their kimonos and flung them upward toward the sisters where they hid in the boughs. Kiku hugged the trunk as iron darts buried themselves in the tree around her and she heard Kuwa cry out in pain.