"How far would you go for revenge? If you lost everything you had, your family, your home, your life and your heart in just one night... ne, tell me, child, how far would you go for revenge?."
Prologue
The village Matsuri held a shrine, commemorating the Goddess of fire's birthday. Sound of fireworks still ringing together with peoples shouting 'tamaya!" and clapping happily. Musicians played their instruments in merry, the hawkers sold foods, toys, and souvenirs to the passer buyers from their stalls. Two young girls walked along a road, the festivities from Matsuri still clear by the various food snacks being eaten as they were heading home. The older one not more than ten years old held the younger one's hand while they strolled the empty road. The elder sister was dressed in a light blue yukata while her younger sister was wearing a peach coloured yukata. Her hand held tightly around her sister's while her other was holding a lollipop, she continued to lick at the sweet candy, a smile arising to her cheeks. They laughed happily as they were singing the song of the Matsuri, breaking the night's silence.
Turning around the right corner at the junction, they walked into a more secluded area far from the village where their home resided. Although the place is far from their neighbourhood, it was still safe because the village was not so big and its far from the hassle of town where rude and bad people always takes advantage to cause the problem. The village is a peaceful and safe place to stay, a decision that their parents made when they decided to move here two months ago. The neighbourhood was very caring and friendly towards them. They like to give them candies and sometimes nice drinks when they were strolling and playing in the neighbourhood.
Reaching the lawn, the older sister let go of her sister's hand and ran for the door. "Kaa-chan, tadaima!" she called out, her sister following behind her.
"Kaa-tadaama!
"Kaa-" the word stop suddenly as the older sister witnessing a very shocking event in front of her. "-chan..?"
There, in the middle of the living room, her father laid on the floor. His skin was paling as a crimson liquid was already pooled around him while her mother cradling her father's head and crying.
"O-tou-chan...?" two pair of innocent eyes were looking at their mothert, unable to comprehend what happened in front of them.
"Na-nat-suki? Nina?" her mother words came in alert, her jade eyes trembling in despair.
"Well… well… well, what do we have here...?" the other voice mocked, drawing the gaze from the two girls. A wicked smiled grew along his lips as he rose to his feet from the sofa, his eyes turning to the other men leaning against the wall closeby. One of them held a gun in his hand while the other a knife, small drops of blood falling from the blade's tip onto the ground.
Natsuki's legs began to tremble as she took a step back from the doorway.
"Natsuki!" her mother called, snapping herself out from her fear.
"Ka-kaa-" tears began to slide down her cheeks.
"Run! Take Nina and run!"
Taking hold of her sister's hand, Natsuki turn to run but she was stopped by a hand grabbing both her and her sister from behind. Her sister shrieking, tears streaming from her eyes "Nee-chan!"
"Nina!" Natsuki tried to struggle against the tight hold but it was all in vain. Natsuki could smell tobacco from the man holding them, the scent was sickening her. "Okaa-chan!"
"Natsuki..." her mother look at her desperately. "Please, let my children go. Spare them. Just leave them, I beg you." her mother pleaded.
"How could you say that Kuga-san. These two kids are the witnesses. We can't just let them free, they will follow you to heaven." The man laughed sadistically, holding a tight grip on the gun as he eyes the cobalt haired woman.
"Please. Just take mine and leave..." before her mother could finish the word, Natsuki bit the man arms hard. A cry of pain resounded in the hall and the man released his hold on the children. Taking it as an opportunity, Natsuki kick the man groin as he fell to his knees, face red and his hand holding unto the painful spot. With that, Natsuki immediately ran towards the door but the shot echoing from her stop her in the track. All of sudden, nothing was moving as if the world around her fell into silence. Turning around, Natsuki found her mother's face, always so kind as she remembered, looking at her lovingly and peacefully blocking her from the cruel man standing behind. Her hand extending as if to cover her from any harm.
"Now..." a cough escape her mother's mouth, and with that blood trickle down from the side of her forehead. "Run... my Natsuki! Run, Nina..."
Taking her sister's hand, Natsuki pushed open the door and dashed outside. She could hear a loving small voice of her mother from behind her as she run far from the house. "I love you Nina, Natsuki"
As they turn around another corner toward a nearby forest, another shot rang from her house. They stop at their track for knowing who was receiving it.
"Onee-chan..." her sister's tiny sobbing voice cried as she tug her sleeve.
Taking a deep breath, Natsuki kneel in front of Nina and wipe tears that slide down her cheek. "Come Nina, we'll be safe. We need a place to hide." Running aimlessly in the forest, they found a big and deep bush that was suitable to hide. Crawling inside the bush, they tried to stifle their breathing. Hurried footsteps could be heard coming their way. Natsuki cover Nina and her mouth to silence their heaving breathing.
"Where did they run?" came a gruff voice belonging to the man that held the gun. "Satoru, we're done. Lord Searrs will be mad at us for letting those two kids escape"
"They couldn't have gotten far, they're just children. Let's go!"
Her breathes became long as Natsuki sighed at hearing the two men's footsteps trailing off into the distance. Turning towards her sister, Natsuki embraced her sister lovingly.
"Nina, let's go find a safe place."
But Nina just fell silent. "Onee-chan. You go ahead, leave me here." Nina's small voice chimed in the silent night.
"No, I won't leave you. Why are you saying these?" reaching for Nina's shoulder, her sister flinch at the force as Natsuki stared cautiously at her. "Nina...?" Natsuki eyes look directly at her sister. Nina raised her hand, a dark patch smeared across her palms and her yukata.
"What happened..? Where do you hurt?"
Nina smiled solemnly before she fainted. Examining the small form, Natsuki realized the blood coming from the wound at Nina's back. Maybe a knife managed to graze her back before they could run from earlier.
"Nina! Nina! Wake up, don't close your eyes."
Natsuki hurriedly piggybacked Nina and ran towards to other side of the forest, reaching a small town area. Desperately, Natsuki knocked on every door pleading for help but no one opened or was answering her call. This town was different from the village. This is where the rich people stay during the summer as its more close to the mountain area for its cold climate.
"Please! Somebody… Anybody, help me! My sister is hurt! Help!"
Natsuki shout as loud as she could, pounding her fist on every door but nobody came to help them.
"Onee-chan..."
"Nina? Don't worry, we will be safe. There will be somebody that will help us. Stay with me Nina, it'll be alright."
"Yo… katta..." a cold wind was blowing past them, bringing the moisture as it told them the rain will come. True to it, as they reach the next house, rain began to heavily pour from the night sky.
Her sister's breaths were shallow. Mists of breaths evaporated into the cold air, Nina's body now felt cold against her back.
"Nina... we will be alright, okay? Stay with me"
"O..nee-chan... re-remember the story mom -always told us before bedtime?..."
"Yes, Nina..." Natsuki choked. "Mukashi… mukashi... in a faraway land… sob.. where only coldness and snow… sob... there was... was... there was a queen that lived in the ice castle. She... sob… She was alone and... lonely. Her heart as cold as ice that people had known her as the snow queen. She liked to capture... sob... Nina?" Natsuki could feel the air of breath from behind her had stop and the body had limped against her back.
"Nina..." there was no answer. "Nina...?"
Kneeling down, she lay down her sister on the cold grey concrete. Her sister's peach coloured yukata already soaked with red. A pair of eyes closing peacefully. "Nina, are you sleeping..?"
Closing the distance, Natsuki put her ears to Nina's lips, hoping there were sounds of breathing or feel of breaths reaching her earlobe.
"Nina...?" there was nothing, not a sound could be heard from the younger girl
This time, pressing her head against her sister's chest, she tried to hear her tiny heartbeat.
Raising her hand, she put her point finger along her sister nostril. "Ni..."
A sob escaped her lips.
She dropped down limply on her back, looking at the dark empty night sky without any stars. The rain pouring down her face and body as if grieving together with her. The thunder erupted in the night sky, drowning her heart with a wrenching yell.
Chapter 1
18 years later.
Whistling sound from backgound pass into distance as another airplane fly into the sky. People still walking around toward their own destination.
A figure clad in black leather jacket with dark blue strand waving like a night ocean exit from an international arrival auto-door. Black aviator sunglasses hiding a little puzzle of what colour might adorning the pupils behind it.
As she approach a black car in the waiting parking area, the man standing next to it immediately bow and opening the door for her.
"Welcome to Japan, Kruger-sama" the man greet.
...to be continue...