A Cursed Existence
Ch 1
Scar
An enticingly powerful yet ethereal charge of power skittered across the edges of the Battousai's senses and he stopped, his feral, golden eyes snapping in the direction of the energy signature. Testing it with his cloaked ki a cold smile traced his lips for a moment as he sensed the raw power of his opponent.
'This one might even prove a challenge.' He thought with satisfaction as he casually performed chiburi watching the scarlet rain splatter across the pale leeched bark of the aspen around him. Sliding the katana home he turned away from the broken remains of his latest target. Quickly, he scanned the clear night sky and the silent forest around him.
The possibilities flashed through his mind, 'Vampire ancient? No…the aura has no blood tinge…it can't be a were…must be a sorcerer.' He grinned coldly perhaps he would strike again this night.
With this in mind, he stalked toward the strangely electrifying power, his black cloak swirling about his form letting him disappear seamlessly into the night, no part of him visible save his glinting golden eyes.
His movements slowed as he neared the other being, wary of the pure power emanating from their aura. For a moment he paused, just out of sight and tested their aura.
The pure power pummeled his mind mercilessly for a moment and he felt as though he were being seared by pure starlight. The strong silver and lavender light threaded with midnight blue swirled lazily through his mind overlooking his presence as insignificant, like the afterglow of lightning and liquid fire.
Yet, Battousai was not reluctant, no, here was an opponent worthy of his strength and with this arrogance he stepped forward…then he saw Her.
Sapphire flames glowed in her midnight blue eyes. Her arms were raised as if she were calling out to the heavens as full petal pink lips moved quickly reciting an incantation. Suddenly, the silence of the night was shattered by a resounding crack and the clearing filled with light. Battousai froze. a hand flying to the hilt of his sword as he settled into a battou-jutsu stance he blinked rapidly prepared to ward off any blows.
Finally, his vision cleared and he sought out his opponent, his eyes widening at the sight that met his eyes. A bolt of blue white lightning had struck the clearing and remained a pure ladder of power still connected to the sky. Yet no cloud marred the starlit expanse. Ink black hair rose in smooth snaking coils as if to anchor her to the lightning.
And then, she laughed, ringing peals of mirth echoed across the clearing as the ladder to the heavens slowly shrank the small woman absorbing the raw power. As the light slowly drained from the clearing Battousai became aware of the luminescence that seemed to glow faintly beneath her pale skin. drawing his sword Battousai watched the strange female closely somehow knowing that battou-jutsu would not be her end.
And strangely he still thought himself fairly safe. Then her fathomless blue orbs caught his and he found himself ensnared in her power. Her lilting voice was quiet yet it carried to his ears perfectly as she spoke,
"Come, Hunter, you cannot mean to make me your prey?"
To his utmost horror Battousai felt himself nod. An almost apologetic expression crossed her features as she spoke her words carrying to resonate in his head.
"Come."
Against his will Battousai felt his arm lower. His sword resting docilely at his side and his body began to step forward. A deep horror came into his tumultuous golden gaze as his body moved toward her passively.
Trapped within the confines of his mind he struggled to free himself from her influence. He was stronger than this. One witch's look should not be enough to trap him. And, yet, he remained, a prisoner in his own body.
At this realization the Battousai felt, for the first time in his life, a bone deep fear that no physical danger could ever instill. As the fear bled into his golden orbs the woman frowned slightly,
"I apologize, young one." She murmured.
Suddenly, Battousai found himself once more capable of speech as she partially freed his body from her control. His rich voice betrayed none of his fear as he snarled,
"Witch! What have you done to me?"
A vague smile crossed the woman's face as she replied,
"Hush young one, it is not me you should be hunting." As she said this she stepped forward her midnight blue cloak swirling about her ankles as she closed the distance between them and although she barely reached his eye level he had never felt more helpless. Slowly the woman circled his frozen form and he tried to keep her in sight but he was unable to do so much turn his head. Instead he lashed out his voice low and menacing,
"Cease your games witch! Your kind are all the same, either kill me now or be done with your tricks. Either way I will do all that is within my power to drag you to hell with me."
Yet instead of the rage he hoped to inspire the woman laughed her lighthearted tones sounding from just behind him,
"Do not make idle threats young one. I will not be provoked into killing you and if either of us were worthy of a place in hell I would have sent us there long ago."
As she said this she moved back into his line of sight and reached out sliding her hands beneath his cloak to run lightly along his belt. At her touch his breath hissed out and he glared venomously at the small woman.
Ignoring his reaction she deftly removed his belt knife before shoving his cloak back over his shoulders quickly searching his unmoving form for weapons. Removing his various daggers she set them in a small pile a few feet away.
Seeing the open loathing on his face the woman shook her head saying,
"You have become bitter, hunter. You have lost your purpose. You are blinded by your resentment and have forgotten your honor."
At this Battousai snarled, "Do not speak to me of honor woman! You, witch, lost that along with your soul the moment you signed your deal with whatever demon you worship."
He had barely said the words when her hand collided with his face. Unable to dodge he was caught off guard by the sharp sting of his cheek. Her hard eyes were nearly black as they bored into his.
"Do not speak of that which you do not understand. Don't you see? Your soul was blackened when you began these killings. You are no longer making any distinction in your prey; men, women, mage, beast. I am no witch."
But the cold sneer on his face confirmed her fear. His words held none of the honor or respect a hunter should have instead he spoke in anger.
"You are right, you are an abomination. It is my duty to remove your harmful influence from this world."
At his words her full lips pressed into a thin line and she pulled away from him,
"Then there is no help for it. This is the only way." And so saying she removed his katana from his unfeeling grasp and drove it into the ground beside the pile of his daggers.
Then she walked out of his line of sight. He chuckled darkly as he felt the cold metal of a dagger at his throat.
"You would like me to kill you wouldn't you? It would be easier, no? Then, I could go back to being an abomination, someone worthy of death." As she spoke he felt the tip of the blade slide gently up his neck the flat of the blade almost caressing his face. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain on his face and then nothing at all…
An open scar this will remain,
Until you find the truth again.
No hate or anger will cloud your kills.
Until the time a Fay's blood spills,
But stolen not will this redemption be.
Else hell's gates shall open wide for thee
When he woke Battousai felt a bone deep weariness. He was alone in the clearing as the dawn began to lighten the horizon. Alone save the haunting lines of an archaic spell running relentlessly through his mind. Quickly, he gathered his weapons stilling as a scarlet droplet marred the silvery expanse of his blade.
Raising a tentative hand, he investigated the damage to his face. A long, deep cut ran diagonally from just below his left eye to the bottom left edge of his jaw. Brushing aside this trifling annoyance he quickly armed himself leaving the darkened forest and heading toward headquarters.
It was not until later that he realized his curse.
Now, every time he began to hunt a target, instead of being able to think calmly, his mind cool and calculating, anger driving his actions. He was clear headed. More than clear headed he was especially attuned to his victim's emotions. Every nuance of their expression even the fear of death as his blade was driven home in their bodies.
And the scar, it remained, an angry red weal the badge of his dishonor.
Seven years passed in this way. With each kill weighing still more heavily on his soul. The Battousai was no longer a violent harbinger of death, but a cold reaper of lives. No emotions save guilt shone in his haunted amber eyes and yet he had a compassion for life that his compatriots had thought dead in him.
Women and children were safe from his blade for he found the fear of a woman far too detestable to hunt them. His targets he chose carefully, killing only the truly damned. Yet still the guilt ate away at his soul. In this way he kept his oath.
Sworn to hunt and cursed to feel the pain of his prey.
He had chosen his prey; a rouge vampire male who had been preying upon the young women of a village nearby. He had steeled himself for the unholy burst of killing intent, hatred, and fear; had rationalized the need for the beasts demise would have been able to live with that damned creatures soul weighing upon his shoulders.
And now the beast was cornered, alone, save his latest victim as Battousai moved in for the kill. The vampire was already grievously wounded. It shouldn't have happened. But then 'shouldn't haves' never did count for much…
With a burst of unnatural speed, the beast, grabbed hold of the young, barely struggling female Kenshin had thought already dead. Leaping forward he tried to head the beast off but he was a little too late. With strength borne of cornered fear the vampire threw the still breathing woman at Battousai impaling her injured form upon his katana.
As her life's blood seeped out onto his hands Battousai mind was filled with the emotions of her last moments; fear, pain, horror that she too might become the undead. And finally, most horrifyingly, hope that there might be a chance for her followed only by the cold pain which he knew so well. The feeling of his victim's death was so familiar now he thought he might already be partially dead, having had to cross that threshold again and again with each kill.
When the effects of his curse finally freed him it felt like hours had past rather than milliseconds. Yet, her blood still flowed, warm and sticky, over his hands and the vampire was still attempting to escape. Sliding his blade free of her body as smoothly as he could he turned and with a final burst of speed decapitated the vampire, stabbing him through the heart. Accepting, with near satisfaction, the instant replay of the evil creatures emotions.
And then he knew, there could be no more it had to end. All of it, one way or another he would feel death's cold grip only once more. And this time he would embrace death back.
It was spring time; the earth was coming to life around him. Gazing up at the clear night sky he wondered absently if any would notice his passing enough to miss him, but he knew they would not. Katsura, perhaps, he might regret his loss, but Battousai knew; had seen it in the man's eyes that Katsura thought him already dead. A poor man driven mad by the killings and deserving of rest. One more regrettable loss in a noble fight against the evils of the supernatural world.
Kneeling he drew his katana and rested the tip of the blade just below his rib cage. For a moment he hesitated, then lifting his eyes to the starlit expanse of forest. The lavender shadows and blue-white light leeching color from the landscape.
The moment seemed ethereal and Battousai felt strangely content, steady hands grasped the hilt of his sword and drove the blade of his katana home one final time.
The cold pain which filled his senses was expected and welcomed and he smiled peacefully as he felt his life's blood draining away. His vision began to swim and just as he lost the energy to sit and slumped to the side, deep, sapphire pools stared into his glassy gold and a soft admonishment rang in his oxygen starved brain.
"This is not your fate young one."
As his world went black for the last time and he sank into the welcoming abyss.
tbc…
hmm, well this is turning out darker than I intended, but, deep breaths there's going to be more, I couldn't leave my lovely tortured killer dead, the world wouldn't be a happy place without my lovely Kenshin running around with all the good intention of a friendly hurricane.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.:pouts:.