Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Blood of the Gods: Part One- When the Sun Sets ❯ For the Last Time ( Chapter 3 )

For the Last Time

 

It was dark, save for the light given to the land by the crescent moon in the starless sky. Suddenly, a colorful explosion of lights painted the sky, giving light enough to see two figures dark between the wooden huts. The lights rained down while cheering and clapping could be heard a short distance away.

The leading figure turned down a deserted street, the dirt flying up from its feet and breath rasping out of its mouth as it ran. Another firework explosion revealed that the figure was a man. He wore the short silk robes of someone that would work in the lord's manor, his short black hair wild from running and his brown eyes were wide and shifty with panic. He looked behind him for the second figure. Nothing. He ran around another hut, skidding in the dirt before he fell forward, tripping over his own feet in his haste. Lights fell once more from the sky as he scrambled off the ground and pressed himself against the side of the ally way. He peered around the corner to look into the street for any sign of movement. Again, nothing. He slid down to sit in the dirt in breathless exhaustion. He wiped the sweat from his brow and tried to calm himself. It felt like his heart was beating so hard, that it was going to leave a tattoo on his chest. A relieved thought sounded in his mind, Their gone… He sighed in relief. I made it. Another firework exploded and he watched in rain down.

The man went ridged at the sound of someone sitting in the dirt next to him. Panic began to rise in his throat. “You thought you had escaped did you?” His eyes went wide and he turned to look and see just who was sitting next to him, though a large part of him didn't really want to know. If possible, his eyes got wider with terror. The figure next to him was a young woman; looking to be only around thirteen summers in age. She wore a ragged looking brown cloak that seemed to be made of a rough material, the hood of the cloak hanging down her back. She wore a cut down dark green traveler's dress and had not sandals or boots on her feet, but dirt dust covered white cloth wrapped her feet all the way up to just below her knees on both legs in their stead. Her skin was tanned, and although she was still young, her body was already figured. She had long new moon black hair that was tied up with a piece of cloth, though some had come loose and hung just out of her oddly colored eyes. Her hair was messy and there appeared to be two tuffs of hair that was really sticking out on her head. Her face held a look of exhaustion and underlying sadness. Her eyes were a piercing yellow or some shade or gold; cat-like in their appearance. She was looking up at the night sky with a slight look of longing on her features. “Why are you staring at me like that?” He began to panic more at the sound of her nonchalant voice. He tried to clamor to his feet but the sound of a blade being drawn and a flash of iron had him back in the dirt.

She was looking at him now, still with no real expression on her face. Her arm was now over his lap, right in front of his face with her slender fingers gripping the black silk ribbon covered hilt of the sword that was tip first in the ground not more then a breath away from his leg, effectively trapping him where he sat. “You have yet to answer my question Ichiro.” He looked sharply at her. “How is it that you know my name?” She shrugged lightly, “Someone told me.” “Who?” “Lord something-or-other.” “Who?!” She glared pointedly at him, her strange eyes narrowing in slight anger. “Don't you talk to me like that you pathetic little-! If you must know, it was Lord Tanjiro from the village south of here.” Ichiro paled, “What do you-“”Want with me? Ha! I can't count how many times I've heard that one.” Her eyes danced fleetingly with amusement before he gaze moved to the moon floating innocently above them; the look in her eyes becoming once again, filled with longing. “I am a hired sword from the Black Pine village just past the Yu Mountains of the east.” He paled more. “I have been sent here to kill you. Why; don't know… can't really say that I care either.” Thoughts began to race through his head at random speeds. He watched as her eyes turned hard, her expression grim. “I will not tell you my name Ichiro, but since everyone wants a name to curse with their dying breath… some call me Katsura.” A soft look of remembrance swirled in her eyes, “My first victim gave me that name. She had said it was for the ice-like hatred she saw in my eyes. Just like the moon.” She abruptly stood to stand in front of him, still more fireworks illuminated her body. “I am going to kill you Ichiro, and there is nothing you can do.” In the light, he could see that those stand out tuffs of hair on her head were, in fact, black cat-like ears. Movement behind Katsura briefly caught his attention long enough for him to see the long and sleek black panther's tail that hung there. She moved so the tip of her sword dug into his throat, the blade sparkling in the lights raining down from the sky; it was as if the sword itself was laughing at his fear. Ichiro noticed dainty claws on each of her fingers and when he looked back at her face, fang tips peeking over her bottom lip. She slowly mover her arm so that the iron blade hung in the air beside her, ready to sever Ichiro's
head whenever she decided. Ichiro looked into her piercing eyes, “What are you?” Strong emotions flooded one after the other, into her eyes; anger, sadness, loneliness, and then, regret. I am many things, but most of all… I am cursed to live this life I lead.” The blade flew through the air.

Blood splattered the ground and the wall in which Ichiro was leaning against moments before. His body fell to the ground in a heap, blood pooling rapidly around it. Katsura looked into the open eyes of her victims head and arm's length away from his body. “I know that you can hear me Ichiro. You are my last. I will sheath my sword for now, I have no need…” She began to sing a beautifully soft melody. The sound much to soft to hear the words, but her voice just loud enough that the calmingly cryptic tune filled the air as she turned and walked towards the beckoning dark of the forest, her sanctuary. Ichiro's eyes seeming to watch her. As Katsura neared the dark, a small inked tattoo on her left ankle seemed to glow, the white ink contrast against the blackness ahead. `Wrath' She vanished in the black, it was as if she melted in to the forest, like she was apart of it and longed to return. Her sad and lonely melody still slithering in the air, leaving an odd feeling of outcast; her calling card.

Moriko rolled a little in her sleep, moving precariously close to rolling right off the rock she was sleeping on. A soft groan of pain escaped her before she fell back into her doze. One of her ears twitched with the sounds of someone walking. She didn't wake.