Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Crimson Eyes, Sapphire Tears ❯ Chapter One: Kazumi ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Kazumi sighed as she fingered the chain of her necklace. Her eyes slowly scanned the forested horizon, piercing through the heavy darkness. The night draped softly around her, like a robe of nothingness that enveloped her body and soul. The surrounding land was made up mostly of a thick forest, a lush dark green that stretched for miles, unbroken as far as the eye could see. Her people had named it Sílagade Mir, or The Silent Forest, after the disquieting way no sound seemed to breach the walls of trees. To a stranger they would have appeared threatening, but to Kazumi and the rest of her clan it was home. They had long ago overcome the dangers that the forest brought, and now it served as a protective ring around their village, discouraging others from venturing into the forest and effectively concealing them from the outside world. Even if a person somehow survived the forest long enough to penetrate deep within the forest, unless they had a guide the ever shifting trees would cause them to lose their trail, and bring the unwary traveler to an ugly end by way of the many natural traps hidden in its foliage.
Although they were not the only inhabitants of Siligade Mir, the other occupants were more primitive than they and were incredibly dangerous, preying upon each other and any being who was unlucky enough to stray into their path. Most preferred to live alone, but a few traveled in together in tight packs, not for familial reasons but because they found that it made for easier hunting. These were sometimes the most dangerous if their leader happened to be clever, and the pack hungry. The only solitary predator that one would have to be wary of were the creatures that were skilled and deft at what they did. They usually hid themselves completely, set their traps, and waited. When this happened only some of the most skilled Kyoshiran fighters would be able to sense the danger before it was too late.
Not that there was really any danger to her people, the village was expansive and the villagers saw no reason to venture out of the village boundaries and into the darkness of the forests beyond. All that they needed was contained within their community, and the villagers were content with leading happy lives raising families and chasing their dreams.
The only ones who usually ever ventured out of the village were Kazumi and the other members of her sect, the chosen fighters and protectors of the Kyoshiran clan, whom long ago had been deemed the Malikai. They were descendants of the first Malikaian, Haikutsei Kyoshira, and therefore were destined to serve the village and protect it. Set apart from the rest, they were usually separated from their parents at an early age and put through harsh training in the ranks of the lower fighters, unless both of their parents were Malikaian and then the child was sometimes lucky enough (or unlucky, depending) to be trained personally by their parents. When they grew stronger and proved themselves, they were raised in rank and allowed to fight alongside their peers in battle. At this point in their training they were grouped by their separate elemental affinities and honed their techniques first as a group, then, after they had mastered most of the basics, as individuals they perfected their own unique styles of fighting. If they by then they possessed enough skill, then they could be worthy of a position as one of the Malikaian elite, a small group of warriors headed personally by the ten top warriors of their bloodline. If one was chosen to be a part of that group it was considered a great honor.
Kazumi was one of these elite fighters, the Water Master of the Malikaian. Though young in age, she had risen in rank quickly as a child and received the revered title Master at the mere age of 12. Some of her peers had resented her in the beginning, but in the years following her ascension they had come to respect her and her status, and now she received their full loyalty and obedience. Her partners had grown used to her quickly, for during battle she was as tough as any of them, and that trait had made her their equal. The Malikaian warrior line measured a fighter by the ferocity and skill of the individual over both social status and physical appearance. In their view, if you could fight, you were accepted, no matter who or what you were.
She absently brushed a few loose strands of her sapphire hair out of her eyes, tucking them behind her ear. Her skin was a the milky paleness of the moon above, its delicate appearance contrasting to the toned and rippling muscles beneath the surface. She wasn't of great height, not even five feet, but that wasn't uncommon among demon races. They represented more diversity than the humans of their neighboring world could ever hope to. And they were far more deceptive as well. Demons learned at an early age not to judge others by appearances only, for far too many times were those first impressions proven gravely wrong. To make a mistake like that could mean a quick death.
There was a slight noise behind her and to her left, still a good distance away, but close enough to make her tense and alert. The sound approached, but then her nose picked up the familiar scent and she relaxed. Out of the encroaching darkness stepped a figure she'd known for the majority of her life.
Kyohei leaned lazily against a tree, stretching and offering her an annoyed sigh. "Watch has been getting even more boring as of late."
She nodded. It was true, the last few years the borders had been almost entirely quiet. Only three serious fights in this last year had broken out, with a few small skirmishes pitched in between. With nothing to occupy a fighter, sentry duty was just about the most uneventful post to receive. Where it used to be a fought for position, it was now something that was passed around reluctantly. There was no fun in it anymore.
Kazumi returned her attention to the youth in front of her, still musing over his words. He fell silent, watching her, his emerald green eyes glinting mischievously in the sparse light. Raven black hair fell over his eyes, just long enough to obstruct his gaze. It was messy and was the type of hair that refused to be tamed, falling every direction in defiance of order and law. His skin was pale, though darker than Kazumi's, and hard muscles were evident where his skin was bared. He was tall, much taller than her, and was wearing a black uniform with a green sash of a shade to reflect the color of his eyes.
He gave her a wry and playful smile, "Admiring my body again, Kazumi? I'd have thought you would have gotten used to my good looks by now."
She flinched, snapped out of her reverie, and returned the grin, "I was merely wondering how a pretty boy like you was accepted into the ranks of the Malikaian elite. You'd think the elders would have been too considerate of your womanly nature to mar your beauty in battle."
He whistled through his teeth, feigning hurt, "Ouch, below the belt, my friend, way below the belt. I'm hurt, truly I am."
She shrugged with a small smile, "I can't help it, I was only speaking the truth. I'm not the first to come to that opinion, and I can assure you I shall not be the last."
He put his hands up in front of him, a good-natured gesture of defeat. "I can't argue there, but in my defense I shall point out that the holders of those opinions all seem to be quite lacking in beauty themselves."
She cocked an eyebrow, "Oh really? And with those words, do tell what you are insinuating, for I am sure it is most interesting."
"I am merely saying that such gossip can only come from the mouths of those whose minds are clouded by jealousy, their judgment impeded by the desire to look just so."
Kazumi could no longer keep a straight face at his seemingly innocent explanation, and she allowed a grin of amusement to cross her lips. "In the face of such logic I am doomed to fail, my friend, I only hope you do not view me as such."
"Of course not, my friend, for surely those same jealous beings speak in such ways of you, as well. You can be assured of that." And he cast her a sly wink, as if to say Believe me, I should know.
"Cad," She replied, "As if you have heard such things. Stop fooling around."
"Fine, fine," he shrugged with a smile, "Disbelieve me all you want, you never have taken me at my word."
"And now you progress to lies. Where will it end?" She stood and stretched, suppressing a yawn. It had been a while since she had last slept. "Weren't you on watch at the southern end?"
Kyohei sobered with a sigh, "So? Nothing happens anyway."
Kazumi looked him over with a critical eye, "Since when does that excuse a soldier of neglecting his duty? You should be ashamed."
"Geez, Kazumi, sometimes you're no fun. If it makes you feel better, Hatake stopped by and offered to relieve me, he owes me one from last week. Seems our friend Shizuki was giving him a hard time again, you know, the usual stuff, about him being a slacker and laziness getting a soldier nowhere." He laughed softly, "You know, sometimes I think you're starting to sound like her, Kazumi."
"Oh, be quiet."
"I can't help it, I was only speaking the truth," he mocked happily, "And in humoring myself I shall go no farther."
She sighed, "Point taken."
There was a silence in which neither of them had anything to say, and it stretched for a length of time before it was broken once more by Kyohei's voice.
"Look, the sun is rising. Yet another day dawns . . ."
Kazumi glanced up at the treetops, noting the faint colors beginning to tint the blue-black sky, slowly breaking through the night. The sparse light was not yet able to rival that of the moon's, but time would soon turn the tables. The trees sparkled with the morning dew, their leaves a million budding jewels. They had made it through another night.
"Who is supposed to relieve you?" Kyohei inquired, watching the spectacle with seemingly uninterested eyes.
"Ly. He's due any moment now." She replied.
"Huh." Kyohei grunted in reply.
"You're late, slacker." Kyohei told Ly as the blond haired youth trudged over to them a while later.
Ly gave him an exhausted grin, "I didn't oversleep or anything, but I was assaulted halfway here."
Kyohei laughed slightly, "Let me guess. Your pair-bond again? What did she have to say this time?"
Ly nodded, "Apparently I skipped out on our training again yesterday." He brushed golden locks that any girl would envy out of his eyes, still looking slightly the worse for his encounter.
Kyohei whistled, "What do you have, bud, a death wish?"
"Like I remembered that she wanted to go over something with me! She only told me once, and that was during a meeting, you know, the one two days ago?"
"What?" Kazumi asked, breaking into the conversation, "The one about the southern border attacks? How would you have even had concentration to spare during that?"
"Huh, you tell me. Obviously she thinks that I should have."
"Bud, learn from the pros," Kyohei told him arrogantly, "Females are complicated creatures. The best thing to do in a situation like this is let them win. You just do that every time you have a row, and we'll all go home happy."
"Oh, please." Kazumi chuckled, "Sayuri is not that stubborn, stop exaggerating. She's more sensible than you two give her credit for. I'm sure she was just angry about her new post."
"New post?" Ly's head whipped around and he fixed her with a gaze that spoke of newfound interest, "I never heard anything about her being given a new post!"
"Well, then, maybe you should consider this. She was told that she was needed in Ligameh for a couple of weeks at least. The explanation she got was that she's the best fire master we have, and the troops stationed there need better training, as what they're getting right now doesn't seem to be doing them any good." Kazumi smirked.
Ly looked lost for words, "B-But, a few weeks? At least? They can't do that to us-”
"These are troubled times, Ly. despite the downfall of attacks, there's been a building pressure these past few months. They're preparing for something, and we can't be left unprepared for what is to come." Kazumi's voice was grave as she relayed this last information.
Both Kyohei and Ly's faces drained of color, leaving them pale in the morning light. Ly spoke up, softly, as if what he was saying should not be heard by other ears, "Do you mean - no, it can't be - that?" he didn't even say the word they were all thinking, a silent testament to their fears, "That can't be what's coming, can it? This is just another big one, like the millenium war, just another false alarm . . . right?"
Silence met this, and he gulped. "This changes everything . . . I thought . . . I thought Fate would give us more time, that we'd be allowed a time of peace before . . ."

"You thought what everyone else thought, and what all those who came before us believed as well. Fate has a cruel wakeup call, fooling us by letting our fears be just that, fears, for thousands and thousands of years. In that time we've grown soft, and we've grown weak, believing that it wouldn't come in our time, so we could relax." Kazumi laughed darkly and bitterly, "But it's finally come. And we have to find a way to stop it. At any cost."
Ly looked up, the expression on his face echoing that of Kyohei's when she'd first told him. Fear, regret, and finally, pity. "Oh, gods, Kazumi, I shouldn't be saying this. How can I complain at this inconvenience to my happiness when you - when you haven't even been allowed that much - and now -"
"Stop." She commanded, and Ly started, looking embarrassed.
"Forgive me." He murmured, "I didn't mean to bring that up . . ."
Kyohei looked away, and she avoided looking at him, not wanting to know his thoughts. it didn't matter.
"I understand. Don't worry about, I've lived with this my entire life. It's not like it's anything new . . . and we can't change that. No Malikaian can alter their Fate. Remember that. Fate . . . no matter how cruel . . . Fate rules us." Her bitter words pierced the silence.
Ly nodded. There was a moment of silence, then he spoke up again, with a forced cheerfulness to his voice, "Well, I've got to get to my duty, this sector can't watch itself! You two can retire for now. I'll notify you if I hear anything else."
Kyohei and Kazumi nodded, recognizing an end to the conversation. They turned to leave, and melted into their surroundings.