Kazue nearly collapsed onto all fours, slicing his left ankle upon a sharpened edge of clay ceramic.  Countering Senhime's spell had proven more taxing than he'd expected. Possessing so many talons and beaks at one time had left his mind dazed and his temples throbbing. Struggling to catch his breath, he raised his head and beheld Senhime, bathed in moonlight, curled up like wounded mountain lion.  The Tsukitsuji had sacrificed both gold and lives in setting their snare. Nakamura Shinobu was the most well guarded man in Hinan and rarely left the protection of Choten Castle. The opportunity to come within such short distance of the Dragon himself might never come again. He could not allow the Tsukitsuji’s sacrifices to go in vain.<br/><br/>He examined Senhime's arms. Severe chemical burns were accompanied by the odor of corroded flesh, yet the hunched position of Senhime's body made it difficult for him to ascertain the full extent of her wounds. In any case, he would need to quickly execute a final, fatal strike. For the moment, he had subdued his opponent. Fail to seize upon such an opportunity and he would risk falling prey to whatever unknown, sorcerous powers were at the Onmyoji's disposal. He reached for his dagger from within his psyche, summoning it to his right hand as it reeled through the air. The blade trembled in his fatigued grip. With a quiet word of power, a pale blue-green glow emanated from the blade's scalding edge as though it had been freshly forged. With his tanto, sheathed behind his back, he sprinted toward his opponent and swung his blade.