It was an odd sensation: Kazue’s mortal body curled up within the wet esophagus of the wurm, all the while tunneling through endless soil with the arthropod's shovel-like claws. He’d caught a glimpse of the castle from which he’d escaped. His suspicions had been proven correct. He had indeed been caged within Aka castle; the grandeur of the pagodas that towered toward the sky left no doubt. He would need to head southwest toward the province of Mizu. There, he could find rest and refuge within the underground sanctuary of<i>Nesuto</i>, where his comrades and a hearty meal would await him.<br/><br/>From within the darkness of the Wamu, he contemplated the blade Senhime had employed in battle. The otherworldly power which oozed from it like a pustular wound had left a lasting impression upon him. Its spiritual signature was eerily familiar. He would need to return to his research to be sure, but he suspected that whatever taint befouled the Onmyoji’s blade was also responsible for the blight that had left huge swathes of farmland within Hanto and Mizu utterly barren. If he could but acquire the blade he’d be able to investigate its spiritual properties through the ritual<i>Akiraka ni Suru. </i>He suspected this was not the last time he would cross the court sorceress Senhime.<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center"><div class="bbImageWrapper lazyload js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fs33.postimg.cc%2Fe1do0dkmn%2Fphotomania-b0413c9e612502bfc83693a3d500fcfb.jpg&amp;hash=111a06d432e847ef78c6385f51684b4e" title="photomania-b0413c9e612502bfc83693a3d500fcfb.jpg">
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<i>Mizu<br/>
</i>​</div>After what felt like a small eternity in darkness and treacherous terrain, he became aware of the softer, wetter soils of Mizu. He rose to the surface, and opened the wurm’s gaping maw. His muscles were stiff and his pale skin was covered in mucus. But he was, alas, grateful to be alive. He gazed into the distant rain clouds which regularly stormed through Mizu. The scent of smoke and salt was thick upon the air. He crawled from the creature’s mouth and stumbled to his feet. A foot of seawater covered the wetlands as far as he could see. He sensed an eagle soaring overhead, searching for a succulent fish or snake to prey upon, and slipped into its skin. Even through the eagle's immaculate vision, Kazue was astonished at how far the water extended. In the distance, beneath a pocket of sunlight, he beheld massive plumes of smoke spiraling upwards into the clouds. He took notice of tattered banners bearing the crest of Kimura Daichi, Daimyo of Mizu province. Something turned within his mortal stomach. How had such devastation come to Boru? The Kannushis under Daichi's command had reportedly researched a way to stave off the insidious blight. Kazue had intended on apprehending such research for himself; that he great libraries which sheltered such secrets had likely been flooded was most unfortunate. To millions of starving mouths, the loss of this precious information would prove a devastating tragedy.<br/><br/>He flew closer toward the ruins, and gazed upon the ransacked and burning capital. The watery streets were lined with rotting corpses, scavengers feasting upon their flesh. What hadn’t been destroyed by the tsunami that ravaged the area had been plundered by thieves. The veil between Kami no Tochi and the corporal world was unusually weak in this place. The souls of the recently dead wailed in agony, their memories splattered across broken walls and rubble. This was no natural disaster, but the work of Yokai. The handiwork of demons was turning up around every corner, it seemed. He would need to explore the ruins further, but first, he needed to rest and collect himself at Nesuto. His stomach was empty and his throat was parched, while the injuries upon his shoulder would need to be dressed soon lest they fester. To make matters worse, the draining effects of Sehime's sorcery had not fully passed. He would be of no use to the Tsukitsuji or the world in such a state. He knew Nesuto was not far off: perhaps twenty or so miles south along the coastline.  He had discovered a clue as to the source of Nakamura’s peculiar power. The Tsukitsuji’s assassination attempt had not been a complete failure. He crawled back into the Wamu's throat, and possessed the creatures feeble mind once more. He directed his thoughts toward the creature's simple consciousness, repressed as it may have been. "<i>I thank you for this vessel, creature of the earth. I shall return it to you shortly..." </i>Tunneling his way back into the earth, he set out for Nesuto.<br/><div style="text-align: center"><br/>
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