The moon shone through the window aiding the dim candles in lighting the large room. The night seemed peaceful as the small girl lay in slumber on her sleeping mat, but soon enough she awakened from deafening screams. Her head jolted up from the terrifying sound. Her vision was blurred as she looked around the room, but cleared as her eyes met the figure of a young woman's backside. Her mother.
Her mother, Princess Momoko, was beautiful to her; to many others as well. She had deep blue eyes, and slick black hair that reached her ankles; she would wear the most elegant kimonos. Many said that the girl would grow up to look like her mother.
Momoko stood still facing the door. The girl was about to get up and speak to her mother, but was interrupted by more screams. The sound of men being tormented rung through the air.
"Leave the princess alone" a man screamed.
Soon the man cried out for mercy, but was silenced as blood splattered over the shoji. The shoji door was slashed and tall man came stepping through the torn shoji. Looking at him, the young girl could tell that he was different, that he was a demon. He stared at Momoko with cold, blood-thirsty, yellow eyes. A grin graced his face showing his fangs. He lifted his blade, a naginata, and pointed it at Momoko.
"You're going to die with your village tonight princess," he said.
"You want to kill me because you fear me. Isn't that right, Hosen?" Momoko said. "Evil like you doesn't belong in this world."
The young girl couldn't speak. Her eyes were glassy, her lip was quivering. She looked back and forth at the demon and her mother. She put her small hands together and closed her eyes tight, whispering prayers.
Hosen's blade began to glow red. At the tip of the blade a small black sphere began to form, growing with each passing second. Standing up, the girl called out to her mother. Momoko gave her child a quick glance before turning her attention back to the demon. Hosen laughed maniacally as the sphere was now the size of a human head.
"Goodbye," he said.
Swiftly, Momoko went into her kimono sleeve and pulled out a small, golden pentagram. Momoko yelled "Seal" and with that the pentagram began to glow. A lavender aura surrounded the item. Hosen instantly froze. His body began to pulsate, and soon a purplish light emitted from the ground, surrounding him. He looked down and notice a giant pentagram circled him.
The girl ran up to her mother, gripping her skirt, crying. She notice Hosen watching her as he slowly fell to his knees. The child tugged tighter. Not before long he was lying on the floor.
"What did you do to me you wench?" he said.
Misaki put the pentagram back into her sleeve.
"I sealed your powers away. You are strong, and if I had more energy I would have destroyed you."
Momoko faced her daughter with a smile. She lifted her up and placed her back on her sleeping mat.
"Mommy, what about him. He might hurt us. He might come after us!"
"He won't," she turned to Hosen. "It'll be years before he can do anything to anyone again."
She turned back to her daughter, and began to wipe her tears. She smiled, but to her daughter it was a sad smile.
"I love you Misaki," she said.
"Misaki."
"Misaki!"
"I love you too, mother."
Kaede, a priestess, was attempting to wake her granddaughter, Misaki, up for five minutes. She became concerned when she notice the young woman squirming in her sleep.
"Misaki," she yelled once more.
The girl jolted upright. She was sweaty causing her long black hair to cling to her skin. She was wide eyed and shaking as if she'd seen a ghost. She looked around the hut that her and Kaede shared. Her grandmother looked at her perplexed.
"Are ye alright child?" Kaede asked.
Misaki turned to her grandmother, and stared at her as if she were a stranger. She shook her head.
"I'm fine," she said. "Just a bad dream."
Before speaking again, she looked her grandmother right in the eyes.
"I dreamt about him again. About that night, about my mother."
Kaede sighed.
"I see. Even though it was thirteen years ago it still haunts ye doesn't it. I can imagine with ye only being four at the time."
Misaki stood up. She stated she didn't want to talk about it anymore for the moment. She knew she couldn't avoid it completely. She told Kaede that she'd go harvest for medicinal herbs, and with that she left.
…...
"You won't get away with this," Hosen shouted as he used the last bit of his strength into throwing his blade directly at the pair.
"Mommy," Misaki cried out.
Momoko did a hand signal and a barrier encompassed the two. Hosen's blade came flying towards him, but fortunately it missed him and landed at his side. Hosen reached for his blade, but couldn't gather the strength to grab it.
Momoko put down the barrier, panting. Misaki looked at her mother with concern. Unbeknownst to her her mother used all her strength in defeating Hosen.
"You may have weakened me now you filthy wench, but I will be back and I'll kill you and that child."
"You will be stopped."
Momoko reached out to the corner of the room where a black staff stood. She handed it to her daughter. Misaki grabbed it with a bewildered look on her face.
"Use this to protect, Misaki."
A necklaces hung around Momoko's neck. It was a diamond shaped blue crystal dangling from a black thread. Closing her eyes, Momoko held the crystal in her hand. She began to say a chant. Her body began to glow as well as the crystal. Once she finished the chant, and her body stopped glowing she place the necklace around her daughter's neck. Misaki not knowing, at the time, that her mother put the remainder of her energy into that jewel. All the while Hosen lay on the floor, watching.
"This is yours, Misaki. Keep it and I'll be with you always."
Gripping the staff, tears formed in the child's eyes.
"Mommy?" she whimpered.
Before collapsing, Momoko kissed her daughter on the forehead; whispering a gentle 'I love you.' Misaki continuously called out to her mother. Her screams grew, but no one could hear them. She shook her mother, hoping that she'd wake up, but to no avail.
Still powerless, Hosen watched the child sob. His body began to fade, slowly, and soon he was nothing but a floating ball of light. What was left of him dashed out of the window and into the night sky.
"Misaki wake up!"
Misaki opened her eyes. Above was a clear blue sky. The smell of grass surrounded her. She could feel something crawl across her leg. Bugs, she thought.
She looked up to see a pair of golden eyes. It was Kai. He was a handsome young man. He was tall, his lavender hair was pulled back into a long ponytail, and he wore a black robe covered in armor. He smiled at her.
"Hey, Kai," she smiled.
"I was looking for you in the village, but you weren't there. Kaede told me where you were," he said.
"I see...It's been awhile since I've seen you."
"It hasn't been that long," he chuckled.
She stood up, dusted herself off and flashed him a wide smile. Kai was always there. Whenever she was in trouble he would help, or he'd be there to stop her from over exerting herself. She trusted Kai, though it wasn't always that way. When they first met she was unsure if she could because he was a demon. She didn't know if she could ever trust demons, but he proved her wrong.
There was a time when she was being attacked by bandits who wanted to steal medicine from her. She swore she could defend herself, and for a moment she did, but the bandits took hold of her staff, put her in a headlock, and put a knife to her throat. Even though she didn't know Kai well, at the time, he came and saved her, beating the villains effortlessly.
"Well your grandmother told me she needed to speak to you immediately," he continued.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Alright, I guess I'll see what she wants," she began to walk off, "Come by again soon, alright."
….
"You need to speak to me grandmother?" Misaki said entering the hut.
Kaede sat on the ground. Her face was stern, as if she was contemplating a very hard decision. The sight of it made Misaki nervous.
"Yes," Kaede said. "Come and sit."
Misaki did as her grandmother said, slowly. She kept her eyes on Kaede. It felt as though millions of moments passed before Kaede said:
"The seal has been broken."
Misaki's heart dropped and she became pale. Before she could say something Kaede pulled out a familiar rusted black pentagram from her sleeve. Misaki eyed it as if it was treasure. Not before long the pentagram crumbled to ashes and fell to the ground.
"You know what this means Misaki."
"I can protect myself," she said standing up, "and I will protect the innocent from his murderous hands. I will fight back. I'll train. I'll-"
"He may still be weak for now...just gathering his strength, but he's still dangerous, and he'll be after you...somehow..someway."
Misaki was silent.
"I wasn't in your old village. I didn't see the attack for myself, but Hosen was always feared in these lands. He's ruthless child…"
Without hearing the rest, Misaki walked off.
…..
Seven men stood on a burning battlefield. All around them lay bloody, severed bodies. One being short and stubby, another was extremely huge with green spiky hair. There was one who wore a female kimono and had his lips painted red. One held a small gauge with a blue bandana wrapped around his head, and another was half human half machine. The other had claws as his weapon and black, spiky hair. And one was the leader. He was the one who stood in the middle of them, the youngest, with his long black braid and huge halberd over his shoulder.
"Ah, what a blast." Said the one with the painted lips.
"His voice was similar to a females. He put his sword over his shoulder.
"Yes, it was what do you think big brother?" The one with the bandana facing the younger man.
"It was indeed," he said smiling.
He turned around to the sound of horse steps. He looked up to see a man, riding, just a few feet away. The man wore a red mask and a hat covering his black hair.
"What is it?" He asked still looking up.
"Bankotsu, my lord wants to see you and the rest of the band of seven at once."
"Nah," Bankotsu said turning his back to the man. The man became quite irritated.
"This seems to be an urgent mission. He says the price will be more than enough for all of you put together."
The one with the bandana eyes widened to the statement.
"Big brother are you sure?"
Bankotsu raised an eyebrow, "Do you want to do it Renkotsu?"
"Um...well..it's just, well the pay sounds good."
"You can if you want, why don't you go and see what the mission is all about first."
Renkotsu nodded. He walked over to the masked man on the horse. The man nodded and together they walked off.
Renkotsu and the man walked to a huge castle. The masked man greeted guards as they let them pass. The man waited outside of the castle as Renkotsu entered. Renkotsu walked through the halls searching for the lord of the castle. The lord of the castle slid open the door of the room he was in and poked his head out. Renkotsu noticed and ceased his walking.
"I guess Bankotsu sent you," he said.
The lord then put his head back into the room leaving the door open for Renkotsu to enter.
Renkotsu entered.
"I have received a letter," The lord spoke, slightly turning to Renkotsu. "It was from the great demon Hosen."
"Hosen?" Renkotsu questioned.
"He was a ruthless demon who once spread fear throughout the western lands."
"I see...and what exactly did the letter say."
"He was once sealed by Princess Momoko; a powerful priestess and sorceress. She is dead now, but her daughter is still alive. He wants her dead. He also wants an item from her; he said it is a black threaded necklace with a blue crystal dangling from it. If this isn't fulfilled he will destroy this whole village, starting with me."
"How are we suppose to find, or even kill her if we don't know what she looks like or where she is at."
"He also sent a painting of the young female. Apparently he has been spying on her for years, though I don't know how."
The lord walked over to a drawer and pulled out a piece of paper. He walked back over to Renkotsu and handed it to him.
"She's in her teens...has to be almost a woman by now," The lord said after handing him the painting.
…..
Renkotsu walked up to his comrades as they sat on piles of dirt and rocks. Aside from the big one with green hair, Kyokotsu, and the machine man,Genkotsu, who were standing.
"So?" Bankotsu said.
"What's the mission?" Said the one with the claws, Suikotsu.
"Yeah Renkotsu who do we get to kill next?" Said the one with painted lips, Jakotsu, enthusiastically.
"It is rather easy. I think we should do it big brother for a simple mission the pay is great." Renkotsu said handing him the letter.
Bankotsu read the letter. "So we have to go and kill some girl and steal her necklace."
"What! A woman...aw, I was hoping it would be a handsome man," Jakotsu said.
"Thats too easy," Suikotsu said.
A young woman how delightful, thought the shortest member, Mukotsu.
"It is rather simple and I'd like to do it...that is if you don't mind big brother." Renkotsu said.
"Alright lets get going then." Bankotsu said standing up. They all stood up and started to walk. Bankotsu walked ahead.
"
Hey if we are suppose to be looking this girl shouldn't we know what she look like, Renkotsu." Said Bankotsu.
"Oh yes," he then pulled the folded painting out of his shirt.
He handed it to Jakotsu who looked at it with disgust. He then handed it to another member, who handed it to another member, and so forth. Then it was handed to Bankotsu. Bankotsu held it and looked at it. He stopped in his tracks looking at the painting with wide eyes.
"No way...this isn't true. It can't be true," he silently said to himself gripping the painting. It can't be her.
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