Author's Rant
Lady A: Time to get this party started. Now you'll need to read both The Legend of Nightwish and Omega Stigma to fully understand everything that is happening and remember to leave reviews if you have any questions which you will undoubtedly have because the stories will raise many questions.
Night: You intend to confound your readers?
Lady A: On the contrary, Night. They'll get the answers by reading both stories and continuously returning to read future chapters. I guess it will be kind of like a puzzle that needs solving.
Night: Very well. Please continue.
Lady A: On that note, let's get to the first chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or The Legend of the Legendary Heroes. Sheesh that is a mouthful.
Chapter One: Duplicity
"You think you have claimed victory, legendary war witch, but it is I who will have the final laugh." The mortally wounded and deranged demigod stated while his life essence pooled on stone flooring.
"Your death is assured, Shinigami. There is no need for such falseness now." The young crimson haired warrior replied her royal blue eyes softening slightly.
"Your tortured and bleeding heart will be your undoing, Nightwish. Your soul cries tears of blood for the many lives you have taken and your life has no true purpose. I pity you." Shinigami countered coughing up blood as the light slowly began to fade from his eyes.
Nightwish said nothing even though his words rang true. She was drenched in the blood of those she had slain and she had no means of honoring the countless sacrifices to bring an end to war. For her, there was no light in her endless darkness, no place to which she truly belonged, and not a single person existed who truly accepted or cared for her. She was alone, just as she always have been and there was nothing she could to change that.
"Go in peace, Shinigami. May your soul find peace in death where it did not in life." She stated turning to leave.
Shinigami mumbled inaudibly and a magic circle formed beneath her feet, halting her departure. She attempted to extract herself from the circle's influence but soon found herself immobile. Nightwish gasped as she was engulfed in a bright light. She closed her eyes to its intensity and her entire body felt like it was being ripped apart. Fire and ice coursed through her system turning from hot to cold at random as she was torn from her world. Soon the sensations began to subside and she could breathe easier. Then she seemed to fall from a great height, but she managed to land into a knelt position.
She opened her eyes when a loud, inhuman roar reached her ears. Before was some sort of creature. It had a slender but muscled body, a bladed tail, clawed feet, and a long neck leading up to an oddly reptilian head with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. A dark energy flowed around the creature and she knew it to be evil. Its malevolence was unmistakable.
"Lady, get out of the way!" A male voice yelled drawing her attention behind her.
She saw a young man with black hair and fierce brown eyes pointing his index finger at the creature, an odd blue energy at its tip. His energy was similar to beast's but it was pure and held no trace of the creature's evil. She quickly flipped out of the way and watched with mild fascination as the dark one discharged his attack.
"Spirit Gun!" He yelled once the attack was fully released.
His attacked ricocheted off the creature's armor like scales.
"Rose Whiplash!" A red headed male yelled as he attempted to slice through the creature.
This attack also failed. She analyzed his energy and just like the dark one, his energy was good though tempered with experience.
"Sword of the Darkness Flame!" A man with spikey black hair shouted as he leaped into the air and aimed his black flamed sword at the creature's neck.
Though the attack was fueled with negative energy, it was not evil though certainly fear inspiring. She did not have time to analyze his energy properly due to a very tall, ginger haired man running towards the beast. He was wielding a sword of what appeared to be entirely made up of his unique energy and it was a bright orange color. Her attention was soon drawn to the creature's tail which was heading directly towards the unsuspecting fool.
"Kuwabara! Look out for its tail!" The dark one yelled.
Nightwish drew her Sora-Aki and quickly intercepted the attack. She deflected it away and severed it from it from its body. The beast roared in pain and made to attack her directly. The engravings along her blade began to glow as she poured her power into her sword. She then jumped into the air and with a single stroke of her sword she disintegrated the creature. Its ashes floated to the ground and coated the small crater where the creature once stood. She landed gracefully and turned her attention to the tall one.
"You should not be so reckless when facing an adversary stronger than yourself. Your first priority is the safety of your life, those of your comrades, and innocent bystanders. There is no honor in discarding your life so hastily. Do you understand?" She chided sternly.
Before he had a chance to respond, the dark one interrupted.
"Who the hell are you and why the hell did you fall out of the sky?!" He demanded heatedly.
She gave him a cold look and he shrunk back a little, but he held firm.
"Though you be a man of mettle, your decorum is in need of refinement. I will not tolerate such insolence. Think before you speak, young warrior." She answered coldly.
"Why you…" He started but was stopped when the red haired one placed a hand on his shoulder.
"What is your purpose in this world, my lady?" He asked cordially but his eyes revealed both his weariness and distrust.
He sought answers, but how was she supposed to answer when she herself does not know. She took a moment to analyze his energy further and was quite surprised by what she found.
"You seek answers, plant master, but I have none to give. For now, I will take my leave of you." She answered turning to leave.
The spikey haired one blocked her path, his sword at the ready. Both the dark haired one and the red head quickly maneuvered into offensive positions forming a triangle like formation. It seems she would not be able to resolve this without a confrontation. She simply wanted a moment to examine this new land and discover her purpose in this world, but alas it was not meant to be. Will there ever be a time without the need for violence and bloodshed?
"Uh guys, you shouldn't fight a girl. I mean she just killed the demon. Doesn't that make her one of the good guys?" The tall one asked.
It appeared that the ginger haired man had a sense of honor and she respected him for that. She analyzed his energy closely. It was pure, good, and distinctly human, but the other three were not. She sensed fire and ice from the spikey haired one. That kind of combination undoubtedly ostracized him from others and yet she could feel a deep bond between him and his comrades. The red haired one was a master of plant manipulation and his energy seemed to mirror that of a fox. He was cunning and brilliant, a tactician and strategist. He was not to be underestimated in the slightest. To do so would mean certain death. The dark one, though rude and insolent, possessed the power and strength of an elite warrior. Such an odd group, all from different walks of life and yet the bonds they shared were unbreakable and very much like family.
Her heart filled with sadness. She had no desire to end their lives, but if they persisted to obstruct her path, she would have no choice but to remove them. So much blood, so much death, will she ever be free from her eternal night or was she cursed to walk the path of a murderess till the end of her days? No, she refused to succumb to such nonsense.
"You seek to hinder me?" She asked.
"We want answers, damn it, and you're not leaving till we get them." The dark one stated cracking his knuckles.
"I have no answers to give. Please seek conflict elsewhere." She replied.
"Come with us to the Reikai and we will not harm you." The fox advised.
What was this Reikai he spoke of? She did not understand, but she could not allow them to capture her.
"I will not." She refused.
"If you don't, I will gladly cease your ability to breathe." The hybrid threatened.
She closed her eyes for a moment. So a confrontation was the only path left to her. She reopened her eyes.
"I apologize." She said.
"For what?" The tall one asked confused.
"This." She answered whipping around and kicking the dark one under his chin before kicking him once more in his stomach.
He flew backwards and hit a tree with great force, rendering him unconscious. The fox quickly brought his whip down to strike her, but she simply dodged. With great speed, she got behind him and used her sword's hilt to knock him unconscious like the dark one. The hybrid rushed forward and slashed at her but she raised her Sora-Aki and blocked the attack effortlessly. With their swords crossed in front of them, she spoke.
"Stand down. I have no desire to kill you." She stated.
"The feeling isn't mutual." He retorted pushing her back slightly.
"So it is your objective to end my life?" She asked holding her blade steady.
"You have attacked my comrades that is reason enough." He answered.
Her eyes softened slightly. She admired his loyalty and it saddened her as well.
"Very well. I will take your life, but it will not bring me any honor or pleasure in doing so." She replied pushing against his blade.
His sword snapped in two and his eyes widened in shock. Her sword moved forward to cleave his head from his body. Before it reached his skin, her soul pulsed. Her eyes widened as the pulsing grew stronger. In that instant of time, Nightwish felt as if she was being pulled. Something or someone was calling to her, seeking her aid.
'Help me…please…I don't want to die.' A voice said in her mind.
It sounded like her own voice, but it was soft, kind, and held an edge of loneliness. Her soul resonated with another's and the other soul was terrified and in great danger.
'There is another.' She thought.
She flipped over the stunned hybrid, threw a flash pellet at the ground, and quickly made her escape before they regained their senses to pursue her. She sheathed Sora-Aki and quickly jumped to the roof of the nearest building. She ran across rooftops, jumping great expanses when necessary. She had to save her, this mysterious woman whose soul resonated with her own. She had to; every fiber of her being demanded it.
She quickly located where the pull was coming from and landed on the building closest to it. She peered over the edge of the roof and her eyes widened considerably. On the ground below was a woman who looked the same as herself, as if looking into a mirror and seeing one's own reflection. There were obvious differences such as the woman's hair was weaved into a single braid down her back as where her own hair was loose and free and there was a clear distinction between their clothing.
Her soul resonated once more and she knew that it was this woman that had summoned her. Deep within, Nightwish knew that she needed to protect this woman and that for the time being, it would be the only purpose that would drive her while she remained in this world. With that mindset, she jumped from the roof and landed in front of her charge, placing herself between her and her attackers. There were six of them and their energy was even more vile and repulsive than the beast she had slain earlier. The creature had been acting instinctually while these…men acted with conscious design and intent. This was something she could not forgive for they were no better than the nobility of Menoris that sought to wage war simply because they could.
She raised her right hand as an orb of silver energy formed in front of her palm. She released her power and in a flash of light, all six of her would be adversaries were turned to ash. Her power receded back into her body and she turned to face the young woman she claimed as hers to protect.
The woman's eyes were wide with shock and her mouth hung open in surprise. Her charge was undoubtedly as surprised as she was about the duplicity this situation presented. Nightwish knelt down and examined the claw marks on her charge's upper right thigh. Judging from her charge's haggard appearance, she had put up considerable resistance to their assault. If she had arrived any later then the young woman would have certainly perished.
"This may sound like a dumb question, but why do you look like me?" The woman asked finally finding her voice.
Her question was not as unintelligent as she presumed it to be for she, herself, was curious as to how such an occurrence was possible.
"I am uncertain, but I am not of this world but another." Nightwish answered glancing up at her.
"Like a parallel world?" She asked.
She did not understand and her confusion was evident in her eyes.
"I know not of what you speak." Nightwish answered.
The woman appeared thoughtful for a moment before speaking again.
"Think of it this way: you throw a stone into a pond, the ripples spread out becoming wider. The point of impact is the world you come from. The ripples are worlds that exist alongside your world. The further the ripples go, the more different that world is from your own." She explained.
The woman's logic was sound and would certainly account for the duplicity of their current situation. Shinigami's spell must have transported her to one of these 'parallel worlds', but what was the purpose of casting such a spell in the first place? If he truly sought victory as he claimed then why not use that moment to unleash an offensive attack? Instead, he sent her to another world. What was his true purpose and intent? She will never find an answer to such a question considering it undoubtedly took his remaining life energy to cast the spell that brought her here. For now, she will simply guard and protect her charge.
"I understand. What is your name?" Nightwish asked.
"Artimes Okuda. You?" Artimes answered without hesitation.
"I am Nightwish." She answered.
"Can I call you Night?" Artimes asked.
Night? Hm, it was certainly a fitting title considering the events of her past.
"If that is what you wish. Where is your dwelling? I must tend to your injuries before they become infected." Night asked gesturing to the young woman's right leg.
Artimes glanced down and appeared to be seeing the wound for the first time. There was slight confusion on her face, but was soon replaced with clarity.
"Um…I'm not certain. I got a bit turned around when those…things were chasing me." She answered honestly.
Night smiled inwardly. She could sense the light in her charge's heart. She was so pure, so kind, and so unbelievably untainted yet she sensed a great sadness within her and a great loneliness that echoed her own. There was a yearning there as well; a deep seated desire to be accepted and loved. So similar yet so different; life truly was a mystery at times. Night lifted Artimes into her arms effortlessly and used the walls to propel them upwards until they landed easily on the roof. She looked down at her charge, who wore a bewildered expression on her face.
"What troubles you, Artimes?" Night asked slightly confused.
"You just leap frogged between two buildings while carrying someone and made it look as easy as breathing." She answered.
"Leap frogged?" Night echoed clearly confused.
She had never heard such vernacular before. Perhaps she should have spent more time with Lord Ryner and less time with Lady Ferris. His cadence was remarkably similar to her charge's and she inwardly smiled at such a thought. Maybe that is the reason she feels so comfortable with Artimes; this strange feeling of peace and serenity that she had never before felt. She reminded her so much of Lord Ryner that it was uncanny. If her charge shares a similar philosophy about sleeping than she may laugh herself into an early grave.
"Jumped from place to place like a frog." Artimes explained.
Night nodded her understanding.
"Can you see your dwelling from here?" Night asked adjusting her hold on Artimes's right leg to not cause further strain to the injured muscles.
Artimes looked around a moment and seemed to be analyzing her exact location.
"Ah! There it is!" She answered pointing to a building not far away, "We can get into my place from the roof."
That was indeed excellent news. She did not wish to be seen by the dark one or his comrades, especially given the physical state of her charge. She could not risk another confrontation lest her charge be drawn into the battle and wounded even more severely than she was now.
"Very well. Please hold tight and refrain from screaming." Night instructed.
"What are you…" Artimes started but quickly closed her mouth as Night began jumping from building to building.
Night continued running across rooftops, her mind racing as fast as her feet. She must protect Artimes by any means necessary. Her charge's light was something that needed to be protected, something to be cherished, and something to be celebrated. It was then that Night realized that the displacement she had felt for her entire life was nonexistent. No longer did the emptiness eat away at her. By some miracle, she was whole and she had a purpose, a reason to exist. All of it centered around the young woman in her arms. She found her light, a beacon of hope that has shattered her eternal night. She was no longer the End Bringer of Wars nor was she Nightwish, the Legendary War Witch. She was simply Night.
Finally they landed on the roof and Artimes guided her into her home and to her bedroom. She gently set Artimes onto the bed and began tending to her charge's wounds. While in the process of bandaging her charge's leg, a thought struck her. She was a stranger to this land and knew nothing of its inhabitants, its culture, its laws, or its customs. She will require a teacher to learn the ways of this world so that she may better protect her light. Perhaps Artimes would be willing to offer her the instruction she requires. She would really like that.
Author's Rant
Lady A: Chapter 1: Duplicity is complete. I completely understand if you didn't know what certain words meant. With that being said, it's called a dictionary. Go look them up. Then you can go and confuse everyone like I did. *maniacal laughter*
Artimes: You're evil.
Night: Indeed.
Lady A: *smirks* Of course I am. I'm the author after all.
Artimes: *sighs* Get some sleep.
Lady A: *blinks owlishly* But I have to type up Chapter 1: Mirror, Mirror for Omega Stigma.
Night: Artimes is correct. It is two in the morning. You require sleep.
Artimes: Sleep might make you nicer.
Lady A: *gives her a dead panned look* Sleep's for the dead.
Artimes: You're hopeless.
Night: *nods in agreement*
Lady A: Fine. I'll do Mirror, Mirror tomorrow. Happy now?!
Artimes and Night: Yes.
Lady A: *groans*