For a few long moments, Kisa simply clutched the Evoker to her chest, feeling the beat of her heart faint against her knuckles, and the metal, warm from her body heat, in her hand. It was so hard -- the pain was far too fresh in her mind, and something inside her just locked up, fearing the feeling.

But she had a duty. And...

Her hand lowered, and the blade flashed to life. Before she could register what she was doing, before she could stop herself, she clutched the hilt with both hands, dropped to her knees, and plunged it in deep.

She gritted her teeth against the pain in her stomach and dancing behind her eyes, but feeling a faint breeze against her cheek, she looked up and her eyes met a golden glow.

Benzaiten.

It almost made the pain worth it; it was enough, at least, to coax out a faint smile.

Her hands were still clutched tight around the Evoker, but she could still move the apparition -- like moving a muscle, just like Komatani had said. With a thought she moved Benzaiten towards the nearest of the targets and --

Garu!

-- with a strum of the shinmen's lute, a swift wind picked up the flimsy wooden thing and tossed it a good several yards into the air.