"Would you like to help me collect water?" Her velvety voice rang like a heavenly chime.
"Of course, don't I always?" The young man replied more calmly then he felt.
"Well then, I'll get the barrel for the water. The rice is ready for me to turn into Sake for the night of the full moon."
The young man watched mourningly as the beautiful young woman returned to her house to get the water barrel. The accursed night of the full moon that always came around that time of year. The night when another beautiful maiden of the village would be sacrificed to that monster! He feared this year, and every year, that his beloved Nami would be chosen, but so far their luck had held. The village wasn't particularly large, but it did have a good number of people in it.
It had been peaceful and prosperous, until the day that that demon had shown up. Each year a sacrifice was chosen, and if the sacrifice didn't come, the whole village would be destroyed. She returned with a large barrel bigger than her, dragging it behind.
"Alright, we can go now." She said gently.
The young man looked at her for a long moment.
"What is it, Nagi?" She asked.
"Oh, um… nothing. Nothing at all." He stuttered. "I should get my sword before we go, there might be demons about." He said, trying to change the subject.
"Yes, of course." Nami said as he went for his house and returned a moment later with a purple sword. At the handle was a moon shape that gave it almost a divine air. He slung it over his back before helping Nami with the barrel.
As they left the village they came to a large, open field with long, flowing grass. They traveled up the path towards the port that led to the forest.
"So, um… what kind of Sake are you planning on making for this year?" Nagi asked, trying to lighten the mood. He knew Nami must've been thinking about the sacrifice as well. "Well, I was thinking maybe something strong this year, but sweeter." She said calmly, though Nagi knew she must've been terrified inside.
"That sounds pretty nice." Nagi commented. Then both were silent as they walked, reaching the dock where a small boat waited, with enough room for the two of them and maybe the barrel. They had a hard time getting the barrel to the forest, and soon after had to lug it up a fairly steep hill to the spring at the top.
"The water is always so clear right here." Nami commented, the water clear and clean enough to see her reflection. She pulled two much smaller buckets out of the larger one, handing one to Nagi and they began to shovel the water into the barrel. Nagi's heart pounded with mixed feelings of love, uncertainty, and despair.
What if his beloved was chosen by that demon? He knew how to use a sword, but the mere thought of the terrible beast that plagued them was enough to make him cower. He wasn't particularly liked by most of the villagers. Every time something happened that he was involved with, Mr. Grapefruit began ranting, 'What has that fool done now?' Of course, Nami was the only one he truly liked in the village, and even that was an understatement.
He looked for words to say but for a while he couldn't say anything, gathering up his courage. "Um, n-Nami? Incase you were chosen…that is… um…" He kept his gaze off her, afraid of what she might think. "Nami…I really…" He started to look up and saw her staring behind him suddenly.
"Nagi!" He whipped his head around, only to see a demon. It was an Imp, a demon that somewhat resembled a large monkey, with a paper mask over its face that was covered in markings, and a weapon resembling a guitar on its back. It screeched in a rough, crackling voice, readying to strike.
Nagi noticed another one like it, and two other's who looked more green in color, similar to the larger one's, but they had demon flutes instead. "Back, you fowl demons!" Nagi barked, drawing his sword, but the threat seemed to go unnoticed. As one of the Imps lunged, Nagi struck out with his sword.
He heard a pained howl and the Imp collapsed to the ground. One of the smaller, green Imps lashed at him, but Nagi swiftly dodged, slicing into the Imp and going after the other, smaller green Imp. It was easily defeated and collapsed at his feet. He felt a hard impact on his back and collapsed, blacking out for a moment.
He groaned, stirring, before he heard Nami's voice. "Nagi! Look out!" He turned his head to see the Imp attacking, and he couldn't strike back in his current position. He readied himself for the blow but as the weapon came down the Imp was sliced seemingly by an invisible sword, flying back and lying dead on the ground a few feet away.
Nami rushed over to his side. "Nagi, are you hurt?" She asked worriedly.
"I'm fine, but who saved me?" He asked dumb-founded.
"I don't know. It's as if it was cut by some invisible force." She said, still worried.
"Well, come on. We should go back to the village. It's not safe here." Nagi stated, getting up and walking to the barrel. He stopped, feeling eyes on him. He turned his head up in time to see a shape disappearing over the top of the cliff above.
"Nagi?" Nami's voice rang out again.
"No, it's nothing." He said after a brief pause, dragging the barrel behind him to take it back to the village.
Nagi winced slightly as Nami touched the top of his head. It hurt still from when the demon attacked him, but he didn't visibly show his pain. He knew Nami would only worry more. "Are you sure you're alright?" Nami asked again for the millionth time that night.
"Yes, I'm just fine." He replied patiently.
"That fool…" He heard. Great, here came the village elder. He was an old, crumpled man, bent over a walking stick with a long, white beard.
"What were you trying to do, get killed? Such a fool, being surprised by some lowly demon like that!" He scolded. Nagi was barely listening. "If it were me, I would've-" He stopped as he heard a sound, turning. The other villagers rushed outside as they watched eight different colored lights appear in the night sky in a circle. They spun around until joining together to form one white light. It hovered in the air for a moment before suddenly shooting forward at lightning speed. Their eyes followed it, until it collided with the top of someone's house, a white plumed arrow sticking in it.
It was the house of another beautiful young woman who Nami was good friends with. She looked sympathetically at her friend, taking her hand in hers and gave her a look of apology.
"I'm so sorry. It should've been me." She said caringly. She could see the fear in her friend's eyes but received a meek smile.
"No, it's alright." She said quietly. She turned away, starting for her house and disappearing inside, coming out a while later in a silky, white robe.
"I'll walk you to the edge of the field." Nami offered nicely, following. She could see the relief on her friends face as they started forward but they froze. The other villagers looked at them, following their gazes to the bridge crossing the river through the village.
Sitting calmly in the center of the bridge was a white wolf, its pelt radiating a majestic glow, red spider-web patterns across its back, and many mysterious items hovering above its back.