The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 101

His body flinched, and Sarah gasped through his lungs. Every breath felt like she wasn't getting enough air and her confusion was tumbling into his blood until it felt like two rhythms were fighting for control of one body. The floor tilted in her vision and his stomach lurched. She dug his nails into his palms, keeping his spine straight against her swirling vision.

"Sarah—" his own voice came back warped and he forced his throat to swallow. He forced the words out again, "Sarah!" This time he could hear her. A soft startled gasp of his name cut through the ringing in his ears and he exhaled with relief. "It's okay," he murmured, though it was hard to tell if he said it out loud or simply thought it hard enough for her to hear.

He pressed one hand hard to his chest, grounding himself, forcing air steady through his lungs of his own accord. "Relax," he breathed, his fingers gripping at his fur-lined haori. The storm inside him continued to rage, but his breath was a forced metronome and staying on tempo. He let her feel it, let the rhythm seep into her until hers started to match his. Her energy stopped clawing so wildly, the frantic burn softening into something soothing.

"There," he whispered, the strain in his voice finally leaving, "That's it." His voice seemed to caress the space between them. "You're alright. I've got you. It's just me."

Satoru exhaled long and slow as he felt her pulling it back, his body remembering how to regulate on his own rhythm. His hands obeyed and flexed again, he cracked his neck, he rolled his shoulders. All systems were restoring, his constant automated systems continued to push reverse cursed techniques again.

With a smirk, he looked at Tamamo and shrugged. "Told ya it would be no problem," he said, turning to the others to wave. Tamamo, however, raised one perfectly sculpted brow, in her true form once again. She eyed him carefully before she asked,

"Are you very sure?"

He stared at her, his brows bunching. "Aren't you supposed to be escaping?" he scoffed, waving his hand as if he was dismissing her.

She visibly pouted her painted red lips. Then she tilted her head, and took another step closer. "I leave you with two things, Satoru Gojo," she said softly, "The first— You were a very sweet lover. One of my sweetest." She smiled, gently this time despite his groan of frustration, but then her expression shifted serious. "Seimei — his descendant is important to me. Do not kill him," Her words were not a request, but her eyes narrowed, "though he bares trappings of Kenjaku."

With a snap, she surrounded the three of them with a burst of lights and fox fire. Satoru could hear the others coming his way, but he didn't move. He knew her intentions. Sarah had already told him.

The three other foxes stepped in with her, placing their hands on her body — a shoulder, a hip, one of the girls held her hand. She smiled at him once more time, gave a curt nod, then snapped one final time.

Suguru crashed through the fire, curses already at his side in defense. He caught sight of Satoru, and darted to stand in front. "Is she actually gone?" Suguru asked over his shoulder.

"Oh, it's Suguru," Satoru sighed, his smile trembling and his eyes drooping. "Sarah, it's Suguru—"

The world went dark, and the last thing he felt was Suguru's hands bracing his shoulders.

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"Time to go."

When the order was given, Rin, Boe and Nanami followed without hesitation. Suguru's decision was made and under the cover of the dim lantern lights they snatched up Satoru's body and made their own great escape.

They sprinted as far as they could, Nanami tearing open the doors to the shack Seimei had tried to lock their belongings in. Rin scooped up the bags, tossing them to Suguru and Boe after they'd laid Satoru in the back. They crashed through the wall and disappeared into streets.

Suguru wiped the sweat off his brow as the four of them caught their breath. Boe put her hand on his shoulder and asked, "Can you get us back to Mitsuru without Gojo?"

"Even if I could we can't go there," Suguru managed through an inhalenbefore he turned back towards the castle. "Sukuna would follow us."

Rin nodded, all of her hair curling at the ends and goosebumps rising on her arms. She glanced to the cart, held up by four larger curses, and she caught sight of Satoru's white hair. It had happened so fast — like his whole body reset for a moment. That burst of positive energy was incredible.

"There's no way it didn't reach him," she muttered, "we need to find a temple or a place where revenants were."

Nanami was already looking over the map. His eyes followed roads, different paths and passes. He chose one, the area seeming familiar from their shared equalization of Tamamo-no-mae. "I've got one," he called, checking his compass first before waving to get their attention, tucking the map under his arm and moving down the alleyway.

Again they ran, Nanami lead the way and Suguru urging his curses to follow. Rin and Boe kept up the rear, their guard up. The city dwellers were still coming outside — the gasp of postitive energy had woken the sorcerers and drawn them outside. Their eyes were wide and curious, for some of them it may have been their first experience with that feeling.

"We do need to get word to Mitsuru," Nanami huffed Suguru's direction. "She's the only one that knows what's happening."

"One of us needs to go," Suguru agreed, "You, Rin or Boe?"

Nanami glanced back, his face wound up with sudden seriousness. He slowed until he was running beside them, knowing this choice felt almost impossible. Boe would likely have the easiest time survival wise, but leaving Boe to negotiate...

Rin was smart, kind, but as much as Nanami loved her he wasn't sure if she would make it there fast enough. Her technique wasn't ideal for long term use and her speed wouldn't be enough.

It would have to be him.

"Rin," he called, nodding to Boe and Suguru to continue on. Rin slowed down, stopping beside him.

"You're going to go," she said softly, huffing for breath.

"Yes," he nodded, reaching out and embracing her close, "I'll be back with Mitsuru. We will find you as soon as we can."

The tears were already rolling down her cheeks aa she pressed her face against his chest. She nodded, her fingers gripping at his arms and her hair reaching and clinging to him like no part of her wanted him to go.

"Please, Kento," she whispered, sniffling through, "Please be safe."

Nanami's jaw set and he nodded. He kissed the crown of her head, then tipped her head up to kiss her. "Take care of yourself," he rasped, "Start sending the signal every night after ten days. I'll be back with Mitsuru by then."

Rin nodded, glancing up to where Suguru and Boe were coming a ridge. She looked back at Nanami, giving him one more deep kiss before turning to hurry after them.

He watched them, the curses the last to shift their swaying bodies over the hump and disappearing. Nanami adjusted his haori, looking up at a curse as it slowly hovered down — one of Suguru's. Nanami reached up, catching the pack the creature dropped from the sky before the curse turned in the air and flew to pick up Rin. She gripped it by its claws, giving him one last look behind her.

For a few breaths longer, his eyes held on her leaving. Then, with a nod, he turned and broke into a sprint.