“We have to stop that archer!” Kira yelled.
They fought side by side, Kira’s eyes sweeping the woods as she fought off her attackers. As they thundered closer, Kira barely missed deflecting a blow to her head.
“Watch out, Kira!” Shin shoved her head out of the way as he skewered a half-breed through the neck. Several of Shin’s soldiers finally broke through the wall of enemies and raced to their aid.
Right at that moment, Kira saw it. A rustle of leaves rained down as an arrow came shooting out of the branches of a cherry tree ahead. Dropping her sword, she whipped out her bow and released two arrows in rapid succession. A body fell out of the trees, but not before he had released an arrow heading straight toward Shin.
“Watch out!” Kira shoved Shin out of its path and felt the excruciating pain of the cursed tip as it ripped through her forearm.
“Kira!” Shin shouted, then speared the half-breed that came up behind her, killing him instantly.
Even as more half-breeds converged on them, Kira couldn’t focus on anything but the searing pain in her blackening arm. She gripped her arm tightly below her elbow and begged the tidal stone for help. Get rid of the curse!
The tidal stone burned hot against her chest. Kira wrenched the arrow from her arm. A scream of anguish slipped from her lips as she lost momentary connection with the stone. She was one massive ball of pain. She threw off her coat and tore off her sleeve, desperate to see what was happening. The black was spreading up her arm and down into her hand, and the ringing in her head was getting louder. She fell to the ground, trying desperately to fight off the curse, to stop it from spreading. If it reached her head, she knew it would be all over. Using the power of the tidal stone to fight the evil that was now in her blood, Kira was in a desperate battle for her life.
The half-breeds moved closer, trying to reach her. Shin and the Dragon Fighters beat them back, but more and more surrounded them, cutting the Dragon Fighters off from Kira. Even as Shin fought madly to get back to her, she felt one of the half-breeds dragging her away by her feet.
Suddenly, Nara appeared in her fox form, snarling at the half-breed, her nine vivid tails bristling. She attacked him viciously, driving the creature away. But even as Nara chased down one, another came and pulled Kira by her leg.
“Kira!” Shin shouted. “You must fight! Don’t let them take you!”
She didn’t have the strength to fight. Her focus was solely on trying to stop the curse, but she was losing. The black had completely enveloped her arm from shoulder to fingertips and was now creeping up her neck. Soon it would spread into her head and she would die.
She heard Nara yelping in pain and the frantic calls of Shin and her brother. She turned her head in panic and spotted Kwan trying to get to her, fighting through the enemy soldiers. Jaewon’s voice called out her name over and over.
And then she stopped moving.
There was a thunderous roar. A new army joined the battle, as a dokkaebi smashed in the head of the half-breed that had captured her. Moments later, her personal army was attacking the half-breeds with gusto. Grateful to see them, Kira hoped it wasn’t too late. She begged the tidal stone to help her.
Jaewon was the first to reach her side. He gasped as he took in the smooth black marble that was her arm. He reached over to touch it, but Kira pushed him away.
“Don’t touch me!” she cried. Her brother’s finger was forever stone from touching the cursed blade. She couldn’t let that happen to Jaewon.
“Water, I need water,” she pleaded.
He ran to get a water bag, and by the time he returned, Shin was holding her up in his arms.
“On my wound,” Kira begged. “Quickly!”
Shin took the bag from Jaewon’s hands and poured it over her arm. Kira screamed as the water that touched the black wound began to bubble. Huge blisters formed over her skin. The tidal stone was singing in her head, trying to quiet the curse. It vibrated against her skin.
“More water,” Kira gasped.
This time the water steamed at contact. The pain that had been creeping up her neck began to recede. The blackened, blistered skin began to peel off, leaving new pale skin behind. Red blood poured out of the wound. Knowing she’d done all she could do to rid her body of the curse, Kira felt her consciousness fade.
“Bind her arm, she’s losing too much blood,” Shin said.
“Kira, can you hear me?” Jaewon’s voice was shaky.
“Let’s get her out of here,” Shin said.