With a couple of popping clicks her jaw unhinges and she brings the glowing sphere to her mouth. Its last cry for help disappears behind the Yokai’s lips. A pair of snakelike fangs shimmer among her teeth as she sinks them into the nightmare. It screams as she pulls at it, tearing a large chunk of its substance off, sending a spray of golden liquid everywhere. Waves of hot sugary lemon flood over her tongue. A half-torn ball of radiance, the nightmare thrashes, spraying its fellow orbs with its golden blood. It almost escapes the Yokai’s grip, but she is faster. Its cries are muffled as she crams the rest of the nightmare into her mouth and clamps her hands over it. She chews and chews and chews. The nightmare puts up a good fight but ultimately succumbs to its fate. The other lights watch in silent horror as the Yokai doubles over onto the ground, radiant blood dribbling from one corner of her lips. She makes a loud groaning noise as though she is about to be sick. Two single tears stream from her eyes.

“Oh my gosh. Oh. My. GOSH.”

Slowly, she stands upright and swallows with a satisfied gasp. The other lights quiver in fear. She revels in their reaction. “Hmph,” the Yokai poses in triumph. “Say something now, you little pieces of dandruff! How many humans d’you know who can do that? What’s wrong? Run out of insults? No one else wants to be a hero?”

The lights detach themselves from their hedge-like barrier; as they float away the leaves tremble, the branches unravel, and everything separates like two doors sliding apart. They expose another world of darkness. But the Yokai cannot show fear now. She plunges forward, as if it was her intended destination all along.

“That’s right,” she waves without looking back. “Tell your friends about me.”

The lights do not reply, but they do their best to make a sort of bowing motion of deep respect until she disappears into the dark.

One breaks the awkward silence. “Shit. And we thought that kid of Akki’s was weird …”

“That’s what we gotta do!” says another voice. “You heard her! We gotta tell Akki!” The nightmares zip away, screeching into the night, straight to Akki’s lair, crying out his name on the wind like frightened children.