Nothingness.
Emptiness.
{Akira...}
The dark haired girl found herself floating in a familiar void, the
voice of a woman calling out to her.
“What is this?”
{You are doing so well Akira. Keep going...}
“It’s you! The one who told be to be wary of Ryuma!}
{That is right. He is also growing stronger by the second...}
“Nonsense. Ryuma is no threat. You are the one I need to be wary of.”
{You have been mislead, Akira. All of Juukumei has.}
“Right, and you are the *one* enlightened person in the country?”
{Correct.}
“Your arrogance is boundless.”
{It is not arrogance. It is a truth.}
“Truths fed to me by a stranger. Why should I believe anything that
you tell me? What makes you so special?”
{You have great powers Akira. But there is much of which you are
ignorant. If you want to know more...seek me out.}
“Where?”
{In Tundrana.}
**********
Akira woke up drowsily, managing to adjust her eyes. It felt as though
she had been sleeping for a while. As she got back her vision, Akira’s
eyes observed a figure to her left. It was Mitsuki. Akira smiled in
joy when she realized that Mitsuki had not been hurt. However she
frowned when she remembered what she did. Or at least what she
*almost* she did.
Mitsuki smiled at Akira, while she rung out a wet cloth. The two were
at the campsite; Genzo, Miki and Anju had been asleep, and Akira had
been out cold for the past five hours. Mitsuki had been taking care of
her since then.
“Mitsuki...” Akira said, gently losing herself.
Mitsuki moved over to Akira. Resting the wet cloth over Akira’s
forehead, Mitsuki took Akira’s hand into her own.
“How are you feeling, sweetie?” Mitsuki said.
Akira didn’t care about that. “Did I hurt you?”
Mitsuki smiled sweetly. “No you didn’t. You stabbed yourself to
protect me.”
“Huh?” Akira pulled up the shirt that she was now wearing instead of
her armour, but she didn’t see a scratch on her.
“It’s okay, Akira. I healed it.”
“What about the third devil?” Akira said worried.
“It died when you stabbed yourself. Then it left your body and faded
away. Don’t you remember anything?”
Akira thought to herself and realized that she didn’t remember
anything. It all seemed to draw a blank.
“No. All I remember is you saying something to me then I passed out.”
Mitsuki looked deep into Akira’s eyes and held the young knight’s hand
even tighter, a faint blush creeping across her face.
“And do you remember what I said to you?” Mitsuki said.
Akira thought hard for a second. “No.”
Mitsuki’s smile fell promptly. “Oh. I see.”
“Is something wrong, Mitsuki?” Akira asked.
The young healer maintained her frown for a while, until she pulled
herself back up, with a shake of her head. Mitsuki faked a smile for
Akira’s benefit.
“No. Lets wake up the others.”
**********
After the death of the third devil, the gang began to move on to
Zauuya village. Akira and Mitsuki had explained the situation to the
others, and although they were surprised, they didn’t let that stop
them. They were half of the way there. Juukumei was almost free.
Anyway, the Heaven Slayers went to Zauuya village. There they met a
very hospitable reception, and they even dined with the mayor of
Zauuya.
Eventually, the team tracked down another one of the six devils. It
was difficult but they managed to kill it. Then from Zauuya, the
Heaven Slayers travelled across the Shumi-shui desert, and following a
long journey west, they arrived at the third largest city in all of
Juukumei, Hakumakyuu.
They had no time to rest though, as they were quickly attacked by the
first devil. Though it was very powerful, Akira, Miki and Anju were
able to destroy the demon.
After three months in total of journeying and through all their
efforts, only *one* last devil stood in-between Juukumei and freedom
from terror. This was the last devil.
So the Heaven Slayers were about to move out from Hakumakyuu and
proceed to hunt the sixth and final devil, however they had no way of
knowing where that devil was.
Akira, Genzo, Mitsuki, Miki and Anju were now leaving Hakumakyuu, and
heading west.
As the gang walked, Genzo spoke up. “We’ll go to the Akubarai ruins.
From then on we can decide the best place to hunt down the last
devil.”
Anju put his arms behind his head as he walked alongside Miki.
“Shouldn’t we wait until someone reports an attack?”
“No. We can’t be sure that we’ll find it then for all we know it’ll be
half way across the world. And waiting could take forever. The devils
do hibernate every year.” Miki stated.
Anju blinked. “Oh...kay...Well, as soon the job’s done, I’ll be
needing payment.”
Miki stared at Anju. “Is money all you care about?”
Anju was about to say something to that when a hawk flew overhead, and
released a letter from the grip of its talons, flapping away into the
horizon.
The letter landed near Miki, so the hazelnut haired woman picked it up
and opened it. The others crowded around Miki and looked at her
expectantly. Only Anju noticed the sudden change it Miki’s behaviour.
“What is it, Miki?” Anju asked.
Miki looked back at Mitsuki, a blank expression written on her face.
“It’s a message from the Soujumah clan. They want Mitsuki to marry Kai
in Daitoshi. Now.”
**********
“Well, the old place looks better than ever before.” Anju exclaimed,
amusement ringing in his voice.
The Heaven Slayers were in front of the mighty Soujumah clan’s main
grounds. It was a beautiful stone structure, fortified with troops
stationed at the gates. Many large green gardens surrounded the outer
walls, and there were many natural springs of clear blue water around.
The actual grounds were cut off from Daitoshi city, which was a little
further east, but was visible over the horizon.
Akira was a little intimidated. This was nothing like the Kiryu clan’s
main residence. But that was the difference between the two. The Kiryu
had concentrated all its efforts on training up powerful warriors,
whereas the Soujumah were very religious, and were extremely wealthy.
Combined, the two clans would be unstoppable. Akira was not just
concerned about that though. She was focused on Mitsuki herself. Since
she had found out about her imminent marriage to Kai, Mitsuki had been
very subdued. She wasn’t smiling anymore. That was probably the thing
she liked most about Mitsuki. Her smile. Mitsuki was so unbelievably
cute when she smiled, but now it wasn’t there anymore. But Akira could
not blame Mitsuki for being worried. Akira was equally frightened for
her best friend. Marrying someone you don’t love is kind of like
signing your life away. And Akira couldn’t help feeling bad about
that. Mitsuki was her best friend...
Although Anju was smiling when he first returned to the Soujumah
temple, he was not smiling about Miki. Out of everyone, it was Miki
who was the most nervous about coming here Anju knew that. After what
happened here seven years ago, things were icy between her and her
father, the leader and high priest of the Soujumah clan, Kazue
Soujumah.
Anju tried to block any bad thoughts out of his mind. A lot of things
change over time, so can the Soujumah.
Miki slowly walked up to the front gates of the temple, and the two
guards that were standing there bowed down in respect.
Needless to say, that kind of attention embarrassed Miki.
“Please...there is no need for these formalities...” Miki said.
As the two guards rose, one spoke out to Miki.
“We apologize, your grace. Master Soujumah and sir Kai are waiting for
you, so please come in and make yourselves comfortable.”
Miki nodded, and waved over to the others for them to enter the
temple, and so they did. Miki led them to the main courtyard, and then
told the others that she was going to see Master Soujumah. Anju had
suggested that he come along with her, but she refused and went alone.
Genzo would speak to the master later, and Mitsuki and Akira were
going to meet Kai.
**********
Akira knocked on the large door to Kai’s living quarters. Both Mitsuki
and Akira were nervous to meet him, many stories had been told by Miki
about what Kai was like, and Mitsuki had only seen him once before, so
this was a tense moment.
A young, male voice called out to them. “Come in.”
Akira and Mitsuki walked into Kai’s room, a highly furnished and
decorated room, and gazed across at the man standing at the other side
of the room.
Kai was noticeably young, just a little bit taller than Akira. Had
long, faint lilac hair done up into a pigtail, two thick strands of
his hair curving along the frame of his face. His physique was not
extremely masculine, and his disposition was rather relaxed.
Kai’s searing diamond eyes glinted in approval when he saw Mitsuki.
Akira saw those looks. She didn’t like them.
The young man walked up to Mitsuki and took her hand into his own,
kneeling slightly, and kissed it respectfully.
“So we meet again, Mitsuki Kiryu. You are as beautiful as you were
then...” Kai said.
Mitsuki blushed, out of the complement. “Thank you.”
Kai looked over to Akira, who had never taken her gaze off of him.
“Might I say that it is an honour miss Kusagana. I hear that you have
been very successful in your quest to destroy the six devils. I
commend you.”
“Thanks, I try my best.” Akira’s tone was not civil. Kai may not have
picked up on it but Mitsuki did.
**********
“So. You dare to return here?”
Miki cringed inwardly at her father’s anger. Despite the fact that she
expected this, when it happened it still hit hard. Her father could be
so obstinate and hard to deal with.
But still, after seven years, she missed him.
Miki spoke up, steeling her voice. “Yes.”
Kazue Soujumah was facing the window that loomed outside over the main
courtyard. He had expected Miki to come.
“After seven years. The seven years of which you shirked your
responsibilities to the clan?”
“I didn’t have a choice father.”
Kazue pretended that he didn’t hear that. “I had such high hopes for
you, Miki. So gifted, so beautiful. You could have ruled the clan when
I passed on, and kept the power in our bloodline. But no, you had to
disobey me.”
Miki sighed. “So it’s okay for you to force me into a loveless
marriage?”
“You would have grown to love him. Your mother and I did.” Kazue said.
Miki walked over to the table in her father’s room and laid her hands
on the table. “Well I am sorry, but I am not you.”
“No, you’re not,” Kazue spoke. “If you were, you’d know where you
priorities lie.”
Miki looked across to her father. “Do you think I enjoy having this
weighed around my shoulders? Do you think that I wanted to disappoint
you?”
“I don’t know, Miki. You were always too concerned about fighting and
being a knight, rather than the future of the Soujumah clan.”
Miki stopped leaning on the table. “I love my clan.”
Kazue turned around and faced Miki. “So then why did you abandon it?”
“You know why father!” Miki snapped.
“Yes...I do. I suppose I can’t blame you for it, can I? It’s never
your fault, always someone else’s mess. A mess that *someone else* has
to clean up. And that someone else is always me...”
Kazue heard nothing but the door slamming, and the aging master let a
tear trickle down his face. He had longed to see his daughter again
but his foolish pride got in the way. He missed Miki a great deal.
**********
Later that night, Akira was in the Soujumah’s training gym, slicing
away at a training dummy. Each blow struck was fiercer and less
accurate then the last.
For some reason, Mitsuki’s marriage to Kai was getting to her. There
were some things about Kai that she just didn’t like. The pompous way
he spoke, his arrogant little smile, the way he eyeballed Mitsuki like
she was a piece of meat.
Akira stuck the dummy again when she thought about Kai looking at
Mitsuki like that. *That* was what annoyed Akira the most. Those
lustful looks he kept throwing at her.
The far doors creaked open, but Akira didn’t notice it, she kept on
hitting the dummy. It was Anju, who walked in and when saw Akira
attacking the training dummy; he felt a sudden surge of sympathy. He
knew exactly how Akira was feeling, and why she was feeling that way.
Anju had been through it all himself.
The second of the Twelve Dragons walked behind a frustrated Akira, and
understandingly smiled at her.
“Y’know, you’ll break the dummy if you keep that up, even without
Dragon-edge.” Anju said.
Akira turned around sharply after throwing a final swing at the
training dummy. “Anju. Hi.” Akira said, her gaze falling a bit.
Anju nodded over to the bench across from them, so Akira dropped the
training sword and sat down with Anju. Akira looked away from the
blonde man. She didn’t really know Anju that well, but from the looks
that he was giving, it seemed he had something to say.
And Anju did not wait long to say it. “Kinda hard, huh?”
That had Akira confused. “What?”
“Seeing Mitsuki with that guy.” Anju said.
Akira’s cheeks blossomed with a faint red. “I don’t know what you’re
taking about.”
“You probably think that Kai is a stuck up piece of crap, right?”
Akira did think that, but she wouldn’t say it. Although she was a
knight, priests from certain clans had authority and Akira couldn’t
challenge that. There had to be an air of respectability towards them,
and Kai especially, since he would soon become the high priest of the
Soujumah clan.
Akira said nothing to it, but let a grim smile answer him. Anju
laughed at that.
“Heh, you’re not mistaken. I can’t stand the guy either.”
Akira played with her hands a bit to keep the occupied. Whenever she
thought about Kai she felt the sudden urge to hit something.
“I guess I can’t say that I am happy for her.” Akira admitted.
“Neither is she.”
Akira stood up quickly, and she forgot about the situation. “So then
why the hell is she marrying him?” Akira yelled.
The grin on Anju’s face widened. Akira was opening up. “She doesn’t
have a choice, remember? Besides, why do you care so much?”
Akira blushed again. “I...don’t know.”
“Really? Is that the honest truth?” Anju asked, his eyes looking into
Akira with a gentle probing.
“I just want her to be happy.” Akira’s face became grim. “Mitsuki wont
be if she’s forced to marry Kai...she wouldn’t be...”
Anju put his arms behind his head, and smiled again, as Akira sat back
down on the bench. “And she’s your best friend, so you have to look
out for best interests, right?”
Akira looked uncertain about that. “Yeah...”
“But,” Anju started. “It isn’t like that for you.”
“Mitsuki *is* my best friend.” Akira was certain about that.
“That’s not what I mean.” Anju said.
“Then what do you mean?”
The amusement left Anju, and he quickly became serious. Anju sat up
straight, and stared hard at Akira.
“Sometimes, when we work long and hard at something, we lose sight of
our aims, and the thing we’ve worked on, becomes something completely
different from what we set out to make. The heart then has to make
choices. Choices of whether we should accept these changes, or reject
them. Problem is, is that when you put enough energy and effort into
something, you can’t actually let it go. It sticks with you, and then
you realize that you don’t want it to change. You like it the way that
it is. That’s the situation for us, Akira. We can’t let go.”
“I fail to understand what it is that you are getting at, Anju.”
Akira stated, with a confused look on her face. Anju just smiled again
and stood up, walking over to the door.
“If you look deep inside your heart, you’ll find the truth. And you’ll
understand what I mean.”
**********
Miki sighed as she sat brushing her hair, in front of her old vanity
mirror. This was her old room. And absolutely nothing had changed. One
of the guards had told Miki that Kazue had specifically ordered
nothing to be removed or disturbed inside it, but Miki couldn’t quite
bring herself to believe it. Not after the way her father just acted.
A knock came at the door. “Come in.”
Anju slowly walked through the door and looked at Miki. “Hey.”
Miki stopped brushing her hair when she heard Anju’s voice, laying the
brush to rest on the surface of her vanity mirror/unit. “Hi.”
“How you holding up? Been to see your dad yet?” Anju asked.
The only thing Miki could do was chuckle darkly to herself. It was
foolish but she actually expected her father to change.
“Yes. And unfortunately, he is still the same as always. Overbearing,
obstinate, dictatorial...”
Anju sat down on Miki’s old bed. “Some things just don’t change do
they?”
“Nope. How is everyone else? Are they okay?”
Anju nodded. “As far as I know. Well, everyone accept Akira. I just
saw her ten minutes ago. The kid’s really upset.”
“Wouldn’t you be if you were in her position?”
Anju blinked furiously when Miki said that. He did not think that Miki
had a short memory. Not from the way she had been acting towards him
recently.
“I *was* in her position.” Anju said firmly.
Miki looked curiously at the blonde haired man, until her eyes widened
in comprehension.
“I forgot. I’m sorry...”
Anju shook his head. “No. If anyone should apologise, it’s me. After
what happened...”
Miki clenched her fist. Conversations between her and Anju always
seemed to land in that direction. And she hated it. She hated talking
about it, and she hated thinking about it. Because it brought all of
the hurt feelings back. Feelings that she had long since assumed she
banished from her mind.
“Do we need to talk about this?”
Miki said that viciously, but Anju understood why. “You can’t keep
running from this Miki. You eventually have to face things.”
Frustration quickly turned to anger. “Are you calling me a coward?”
“No, I’m not saying that. But every time we try and talk about what
happened between us, you just push it aside as if it doesn’t matter.”
Miki’s anger then increased to unheard-of levels, and she stood up
from the stool she was on, casting a dark glare of hatred, pain and
longing over Anju.
“You want to talk, let’s talk. Let’s talk about how I gave up my
family, my position as high priest, my clan and what little friends I
had, for one man, and the fact that the bastard cheated on me. Now
given the circumstances, should I be at all happy about remembering
those times, especially since that *man* happened to be you?! Well?!”
Anju’s ex was seething in anger, and although he didn’t like it, he
was in no place to question Miki about it.
“I deserve that. You have every right to be angry.” Anju said
honestly.
After calming down and cooling her nerves, Miki exhaled and sat back
down. Miki wasn’t the type that yelled much, but it felt good to get
that off her chest.
“That felt good.” Miki said.
“You see. It’ll make you feel better to voice out your troubles.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Miki said, staring at Anju.
“I really am sorry Miki. You gave up everything for me and I go-“
Miki cut Anju off. “You do not need to explain. I forgave you a long
time ago. But I have not forgotten it. I can never forget it, and
every time I see you I am reminded of it.”
Anju smiled to himself, looking at his feet. “You forgave me?”
“Yes. At first I thought that I would never exonerate your actions,
but after a while, I realized that I did not really care anymore.”
“Oh. Then I guess I should be thankful.” Anju said.
Miki’s head tilted. “Why?”
Anju only looked blankly at Miki. “Because I still love you.”
**********
Akira was on the uppermost balcony of the Soujumah clan temple. The
temple itself was overlooking a cliff, which led out to the Vestaile
Nostrum, the biggest sea on Juukumei. A beautiful crimson sunset could
be seen off in the far distance, the sun sinking into the sea,
heralding the birth of the night.
The young knight sighed to herself. Part of her was still trying to
figure out what Anju had said to her.
{If you look deep inside your heart, you’ll find the truth.}
“What does he mean?” Akira mumbled under her breath.
The sound of footsteps broke Akira’s concentration. Akira turned
around, and Mitsuki walked up, wearing a frigid smile.
Akira could see through it though. “Mitsuki, are you okay?”
The young healer breathed heavily, and walked up to the balcony,
looking over it like Akira had just been doing.
“I guess.” Mitsuki said.
Akira moved back to the balcony and leaned over, watching the ruby
coloured sunset. “So...how do you like Kai?”
Mitsuki was not quick to respond. “He’s...nice.”
“So when is it happening?”
“A few days time.” Mitsuki said.
Akira was trying to open up conversation between the two of them. But
Mitsuki kept freezing her out. She wanted to help but for some reason
Mitsuki would not let her.
“Are you looking forward to it?”
The look that Mitsuki gave Akira told her that that was a stupid
question.
“Sorry.” Akira said sheepishly.
Mitsuki looked back out to the Vestaile Nostrum with that wistful look
on her face. “It’s fine.”
“You know...you don’t have to marry Kai, Mitsuki...”
Mitsuki sighed, almost out of depression. “Yes I do.”
The young knight stopped leaning on the balcony, and walked closer to
Mitsuki. Mitsuki turned to face Akira, and the dark haired girl held
Mitsuki by the arms, one hand inching its way over to Mitsuki’s long
tresses of golden hair, playing with it. Mitsuki let out a small
smile, not enough to convince Akira that she was okay, but it was a
start.
“We could run away together, just you and me. Nobody would find us.”
Mitsuki managed to giggle a little. Akira was always so very sweet to
her in Mitsuki’s opinion.
“Don’t be silly, Akira.” Mitsuki said, laughing a tad.
“Okay, bad plan. But I just don’t want to see you getting hurt. You
don’t love Kai...do you?”
Akira hated to ask that, but it needed to be asked. That was the one
thing that had been bugging Akira, even before they came to the
Soujumah temple.
“Of course not.” Mitsuki said. “But my Grandfather wants me to marry
him, for the good of the clan. Both clans. What choice do I have?”
“Can’t you at least tell them to wait? You are still young.” Akira
said.
“No. Kai is being appointed as high priest as soon as Master Soujumah
dies. He needs to be married by then.”
Akira stopped playing with Mitsuki’s hair and looked at her straight
in the eye.
“Forget *him*, what about you? I want you to be happy.”
Mitsuki looked away sadly. “I can’t have that which makes me happy.”
“Yes you can. You can have anything you want, but please just don’t
marry that guy...if you do that means...we’ll barely see each other.”
Mitsuki nodded, with her head hung low. She had thought about that.
With her up and coming marriage, she would have to stay at the
Soujumah temple with Kai, whilst the other Heaven Slayers would
continue to hunt down the last devil. Neither one of them relished the
idea of leaving the other behind.
Mitsuki pulled Akira into an affectionate hug, wrapping her arms
around her best friend. Akira heaved a sigh and pulled Mitsuki closer
to her. All Akira was worried about now was Mitsuki. She didn’t want
to have to visit her every once in a while. Akira wanted Mitsuki to be
there every time she woke up and every time she went to sleep.
She wanted Mitsuki at her side.
Mitsuki pulled back enough to see her sweet, beloved Akira’s face.
“I don’t want to lose you, Akira...”
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