The moonlight was bright and the night quite.
The woman in white ghosted through the trees, as silent as the wraith she was. Skin so pale it was nearly translucent, her face was framed by soft raven hair. The trees whispered of her passage, speaking of the ecstasies and agonies her whims wrought.
At her side, yet at the same time all around her, a darker presence lurked. His shadow spoke eloquently of power; power that could bend nature itself to his service and a willingness to do so in the protection of his companion. His orange hair was a sharp contrast to the dark cloak that seemed almost alive as it coiled around his body.
The essence of the two beings became entwined, nuzzling at each other with the amorousness of lovers. They had long since left the forest within which they had spent their infancy after ascending to become more than what they were. The departure from their homeland had not been a decision of their own, the pair having begun their own legend born from the terrible retribution they had drawn from those who had destroyed their forest and inadvertently driven them out.
As spirits, they had been bound to that place. Now that they had left, they had become something more yet again. Not yet the Siedh who had raised them, but something...else.
And now they were being summoned. Two beings such as they were being summoned by a mortal. They could feel the pull on their essence, drawing them towards a Circle.
They had been summoned before—or rather, someone had attempted to summon them, to bind them to their will as a personal slave, to have them carry out some menial task. The two had watched in apathy as their would be summoner had withered into a dry husk for their presumption.
But this one was different. The pull that they felt was...different this time. It was enough to make them curious, enough so they would stay their stay their touch and perhaps even listen to what they had to say.
The two companions swept out from the cover of the trees without pause, continuing on towards the stone Circle in the middle of the field. Their view of the middle of the Circle was obscured by the arcane energies that whirled and conflicted within.
They halted suddenly on the very edge of the circle, exchanging a single glance. The compulsion to discover what called to them was overwhelming, yet strangely they did not feel threatened.
Without further hesitation, the two took physical form and stepped through the gateway stone and into the Circle.
X x X
Several hours earlier, when the light of the sun was still filtering down through the roof of the forest, two young women trudged towards the transient safety of the nearest Circle. One with dark hair the other fair, they each struggled through the trees carrying heavy packs; packs which contained what they needed to survive in the harsh wilderness. The dark haired woman wore a pair of crossed short swords between her back and her bag, while the fair haired one carried no weapon save a short, well polished staff. They were both clad in dark robes to ward off the cold autumn air.
"How much further?" The dark haired woman asked evenly, despite being short of breath.
"Almost there, Karin," came the soft reply. Then her voice became teasing, "you wouldn't be out of breath, would you sister dear? We can stop if you want."
"Not on your life, Yuzu," Karin retorted. "Even without a walking stick of my own I can keep up with you."
"It is not a walking stick," Yuzu replied with mock outrage, sticking her nose in the air. "It is a staff, thank you very much," she added primly, before her eyes grew sly. "I imagine those knives of yours would weigh you down. I could find an adequate cane for you ."
Karin's eyes narrowed at the insult to her blades. No one insulted her babies. Not even her little sister. "For that," she declared. "You shall pay."
Both sisters fought to keep the smiles from showing on their faces, yet the harder they tried, the more they failed. It was not long until the brief moment of levity passed, returning a somber mood to the pair, for they were not out strolling through the woods for fun. There were few who would venture willingly into these woods, known as they were for sighting of the Fey and those who worshiped them. It was whispered in taverns that those who entered the wood came rarely came out, all but a few taken by evil spirits and malicious witches.
But the two women were not simple villagers. Witches both of them, skilled practitioners of the Wicca way. And it was for that reason that they were shunned, driven out of settlements if they were lucky, hunted if they were not. Hunted as they were now, having eluded capture and accumulated enough rumours of sin and wickedness to warrant pursuit by Knights of the Cross.
As it was, they had little more than half a days lead on their pursuers, a lead that was quickly diminishing. Karin and Yuzu had placed their hopes on one final gamble, a summoning; knowing that they could not hope to stand against a party of mounted Knights without assistance.
They didn't dare to presume to summon a Siedh, knowing that their fate would rest on the capricious whim of the deity if they did so, but also knew that it would take a powerful spirit of nature to stand up to Knights of the Cross. Not a normal spirit yet not a Siedh, they needed something...different.
Their course had been decided on after hearing whispers of two new, powerful spirits that had a reputation as vengeance avatars despite being less than two centuries old; the Black Moon Fang and Pure White Snow. None had yet managed to discover their real names, as knowledge of a spirit's true name gave power of them, and was a jealously guarded secret.
Karin blinked as they cleared the trees, her eyes adjusting to the extra sunlight. A sense of relief spread through her as she caught sight of the stone Circle and the hope it represented. She didn't realise that she had halted until her sister strode past her.
"Hurry, Karin," she spoke in an uncharacteristically nervous tone. "There is only an hour until the sun falls, and we need to be prepared for the ritual by then."
"Right," Karin shook herself and resumed walking towards the Circle, and hopefully, their salvation.
X
Karin stood guard while Yuzu unpacked a variety of items from their two heavy packs. The younger sister (by mere minutes, as she was quick to remind whoever brought it up) had always been more skilled in the arcane aspects of their lifestyle.
When Karin was out training with their father, Yuzu would remain indoors and listen with rapt attention to the lectures of their grandmother. Her favourite legend was that of an ancestor who had given his life trying to save a witch, and had been rewarded with new life as a spirit upon their murders.
Yuzu set out to prepare the ritual markers, efficiently rolling out a mat and setting out candles marking the four cardinal directions. With a sharp burst of focus, they leapt into life, flickering slightly in non-existent wind. Next came the bowl, spun from the hides of bear and wolf, held together by hawks feather and the blood of all three animals, willingly given. Last came the knife, a long dagger with ripples built into the blade.
"Are you ready?" Karin asked quietly.
Yuzu took in a small breath before replying, "yes."
In a smooth movement, Yuzu took up the knife and drew it in a sharp line along the soft flesh of her arm, allowing the blood to fall glistening into the bowl. As soon as the required sacrifice was completed, Yuzu grabbed the waiting bandages with her spare hand and wrapped them messily around her arm, spilling several more drops of the precious liquid on the grass.
Karin stepped in, adding a lock of dark hair to the blood in the bowl and completing the first stage of the ritual. Her arm wrapped, Yuzu knelt on the grass before the bowl and began to chant in an eerie, lilting tone that was out of place on a young woman.
The trees on the edges of the field containing the Circle began whispering, passing the call on in the dying afternoon sun.
And far away, two beings...responded.
X x X
Without further hesitation, the two took physical form and stepped through the gateway stone and into the Circle.
The sight they were met with was not one they were expecting. Rather than a haughty crone or wizened old man, a young woman was kneeling before the summoning instruments, whilst an equally young woman stood behind her, eyes shifting around, seeking movement.
~You are young.~
The woman kneeling on the grass broke off her chanting abruptly, her eyes coming into focus as she sought out the newcomer. Her companion moved quickly, drawing her second blade and placing herself between the two spirits taken physical form and their summoner.
~Who are you?~Why have you called us?~
The two women exchanged a glance at the way the words spoken seemed to issue from the mouths of the newcomers simultaneously, the tone of voice the only way of distinguishing which being posed each question.
"I am Karin Kurosaki and this is my sister Yuzu," Karin began, even as she sheathed her blades.
"...and we called you here because we wish to ask for your help," Yuzu finished, silently willing for the encounter to end well.
The two beings became stock still and utterly silent, giving the two sisters time to take in their appearance. The two figures gave off a decidedly masculine and feminine impression each and despite being near polar opposites, seemed to fit together naturally.
The male spirit was robed in a dark cloak, a cloak which seemed to draw his body inwards and had a life of its own as the edges curled upwards as if made of smoke. Medium length orange hair hung to just above his eyes, while an untidy patch of stubble adorned his chin and jaw. Golden eyes that had seen much surveyed them impassively, while his right hand was clasped with the left of his companion.
Cold seemed to be the best word to describe the woman, if she could be called that. A cold demeanor, although not necessarily a cold personality. Here raven hair was collected up in trusses, with a bang descending below each ear. Her skin was pale, unnaturally so, and the ground on which she stood was frosted over slightly. She wore a delicate white robe that hung to mid thigh, hinting at her figure yet revealing nothing. Her eyes were a soft amethyst that held the lure of danger, accentuated by the now flakes that twirled around the hand clasped by her partner.
~What aid do you require?~Your name is Kurosaki?~
The sisters exchanged another glance, communicating silently. It seemed that each spirit was intent on asking their own questions.
"We are being pursued by a group of Church Knights who have orders to kill us for practicing 'witchcraft'. We ask for protection," Karin replied first, answering the female spirit's question...
...before Yuzu continued on in the same vein as their previous response, answering the male, "and yes, our family is Kurosaki."
The woman seemed to fade back slightly, allowing her companion to come to the fore. ~From whence does your family come?~ he demanded.
Yuzu shuddered as she felt the full weight of the spirit's presence upon her, and it was only her sister's comforting hand that allowed her to answer. "We came from across the seas many years ago, before settling in a village that was destroyed after a rash of witch burnings more than a century ago. Our ancestors left before they could be discovered and we've lived on our homestead ever since," Yuzu answered shakily, babbling slightly, before adding "we are named for our great grandmother and grand Aunt."
~...Kurosaki...~ The male seemed to rumble, as if running the word over in his mind. He seemed to set himself, as if making a decision. ~You shall have your protection. Those who would threaten you and those who would keep company with these Knights are now fated to die.~
The woman watched as her companion faded out of sight, back into the spiritual plane, leaving slightly astonished looks on the two humans faces. ~Count yourselves fortunate that he decided to help you~ she advised. ~The last human who presumed to summon us took three days to die.~ she finished in a detached voice.
"Why have you chosen to favour us, and not them?" Yuzu asked despite her nerves as Karin paled beside her. If she could find out why she was accepted and not killed, perhaps she could create a more effective summoning ritual...
~You were polite. They were not.~
Yuzu paled to match her sister at the news that they still had their lives courtesy of their upbringing and the whims of the spirits they had summoned.
There was a slight gust of wind accompanied by the coppery scent of blood, marking the return of the male spirit. ~Seven are dead. Five are not.~ In response to the unanswered question, he continued, ~The remaining five are protected. I cannot harm them on the spiritual plane.~ He turned his gaze upon Karin and Yuzu, taking his companion's hand once more. ~If you wish for us to fight them, you must summon us to the with tangible bodies. We cannot help in these mere physical presences.~
Yuzu's heart sank. Even with seven of their foes dead, the two of them couldn't hope to overcome five armed Knights, no matter their other skills, and to summon a spirit into the mortal plane fully...for that you needed their true name, and no spirit would give that up freely.
~I am Zangetsu.~ The male spirit announced, shattering Yuzu's line of thought.
Zangetsu's companion regarded him for the barest of moments before giving a soft sight. ~I am Shirayuki.~
"Why..?" Yuzu stuttered.
~Because I shall not allow my descendants to be hunted down like prey. Now begin your ritual~
Yuzu nodded jerkily, her mind on the receiving end of one too many shocks in the last several minutes. She knelt again and began another chant, this time including the names of their guardians.
Karin still appeared to be digesting the new information. "Descendant?" she asked uncertainly.
~I endured my life in the village that you spoke of as destroyed after a number of witch hunts. It was I who killed the priest and ended the burnings.~
"Why?" Karin asked, parroting her sister's earlier question.
~They tried to burn Shirayuki. The did burn Shirayuki.~ he growled in the first true show of emotion since being summoned. ~I gave my life in penance for a village not worth saving.~
~And you were rewarded with your current form.~ Shirayuki finished fondly.
~That was when you were still Rukia.~ Zangetsu replied with a smile that looked almost out of place on his stern visage.
~And you Ichigo.~
The spirits let their conversation drift off, leaving Karin with the impression that they were communication on an entirely different level. The dark haired warrior witch filed all she had been told to the back of her mind. It was too much to take in now.
A flicker of movement at the corner of her vision caused Karin to turn. What she saw caused her to swear in turn.
Five mounted Knights stood at the edge of the tree line, their armoured faces illuminated by the torch that each of them carried. Clad in chainmail and armed with steel, the mark of the Church was clearly embroidered on their pennants. With them were seven horses with empty saddles, marked by red stains that flowed down their flanks.
The hunters began a trot towards the illuminated stone Circle, within which they could only see their quarry. It took them less than a minute to travel the distance.
"Cease your prattling, woman," the man who appeared to be the leader of the Knights ordered. "We are protected."
Yuzu ignored them, knowing her chant was their only possible hope at this point. She was nearly finished...all she needed was a little more time.
Karin met her eyes and nodded grimly. She would give her sister the time she needed. With a steely rasp, she drew her blades and dropped into a guard position, causing laughter within the Knights.
"You think you, a woman, can stand up to a Knight? Surely you jest!"
Karin's eyes flashed in anger. "Weak little woman am I? Then I'm sure any one of you will be able to take me on alone."
There were several more chuckles before the leader spoke once more, "a challenge it is then." He gestured one of the men at his back to step forward. "The youngest among us, only slightly older than yourself," he proclaimed as if making a joke, yet his eyes were calculating.
The man indicated dismounted and began to advance towards Karin, swinging his blade from side to side menacingly. Karin's eyes widened and her hands began to shake, much to the amusement of the Knights four watching comrades.
Their amusement was short-lived, however, as the young Knight swung his blade just a little too far to the side, giving Karin ample time to dart in and slide her short sword through the gap between helmet and chainmail.
A final spurt of blood shot out of the wound, splattering across Karin's face, before a gurgling sound echoed through the stone Circle, his death rattle. He fell to the ground in a heap, revealing the shocked eyes of his comrades to Karin, and her savage grin to them.
"Does that mean I win?" she asked in a faux innocent voice, infuriating the Knights.
"Wretched creature!" Another Knight snarled, pulling a dagger from his belt. He threw it with unerring accuracy at Yuzu, causing Karin to freeze—only to sigh in relief as the dagger was batted off course by some invisible force towards one of the stones where it sunk in nearly to the hilt.
The Knights stared at the dagger in fear. "Devilry," one whispered.
"And nothing your God can do will stop it," Karin whispered, playing on their fears as she ran her tongue over her lips, tasting the blood on them.
Yuzu's chant rose to fever pitch as three of the final four Knights drew their broadswords and began to advance, while the fourth withdrew a wooden cross and began to pray, brandishing the cross towards Yuzu. Karin couldn't help but smirk as she saw Zangetsu wave an insubstantial hand through it, supremely unconcerned by its 'holy power'.
And then the Knights were upon her. Karin blocked the first blow, a heavy overhand swing with both swords, before kicking the Knight in the chest to give herself room. The second Knight came up on her left, hoping to flank her, only to find her ready and waiting.
Her blades flickered out, scoring a hit on her foe's arm. With a painful wince, he attempted to switch hands, only to have Karin's boot connect solidly with the handle of the blade and drive it up into his helmet, knocking him back. While not lethal, he was dazed, and that was enough for him to stumble slightly and fall, keeping him out of the fight for a few more precious seconds.
Karin turned to face the leader, only to find him already on her. A gauntleted fist crashed into her head, and a wave of darkness threatened to overwhelm her vision as she stumbled. She struggled to stay conscious, and felt as a fist grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her feet.
"Whore," he snarled, ignoring her flailing fists, "I'll see you and your sister stripped and dragged naked back to the village for the men to enjoy before we burn you and send you back home to hell."
"..et du Zangetsu! Et du Shirayuki!"
Karin let a crazed grin cross her face as she heard Yuzu's words. "Sanctimonious bastard," Karin gasped. "You went for the wrong sister!"
Shock flitted across the Knight's face as he dropped Karin to the ground in a heap, quickly followed by fear as he whirled to face Yuzu, blade in hand.
Instead of a defenseless girl kneeling on the ground, he came face to face with a man shrouded in darkness, holding a blade that seemed to be shrouded in a midnight aura, with a sinister red light shining from within. The man who had been praying was now quaking in fear as a woman of indescribable beauty stood before him, her face directly in front of his own.
The wooden cross dropped from his shaking hands as a smile seemed to cross Shirayuki's face, before she breathed delicately across her victim's face. His breath began to come in steaming gasps, as his face grew cold, then frosted over, before finally blackening in the cold, before the icy death spread to the rest of his body. With a small flick to the forehead, Shirayuki shattered her victim's corpse, before turning to face the remaining three Knights.
Zangetsu seemed to surge forward to the first Knight Karin had felled, his blade flowing like quicksilver. It pierced the chainmail of the Knight like liquid, before Zangetsu wrenched it to the side, carving a great chunk out of his victim's body. Shirayuki was already upon the final Knight besides the leader, freezing his arms solid and pulling them off his body with a strength that was belied by her small stature.
The two spirits brought into the physical world turned to face the leader, advancing with clear intent.
"N-no! I am protected! You cannot harm me! The Bishop! He promised I would be protected!"
"The Bishop lied," Zangetsu spoke calmly, raising his blade high. "And no force in this world or the next can protect you from my wrath."
The Knight had time for one quick scream before Zangetsu's blade descended, separating his head from his body. Each piece of the corpse fell to the ground with a dull thud, before the pooling blood was drawn to the feet of the one who spilled it.
Zangetsu drew in a deep breath, smelling the air as Shirayuki observed him with a small smile adorning her face.
"You seem pleased," Shirayuki supplied.
"I feel strong," Zangetsu answered as his gaze traveled from one unconscious sibling to the other, Yuzu having fainted from the exertion of summoning them. "Protecting my descendants has granted me power."
"What now?" Shirayuki asked, already knowing the answer. "Shall we leave them to their devices as we continue to slake out wanderlust?"
"No. Now we protect them, and my line, for as long as they remain true to the Siedh."
Shirayuki slipped her hand into Zangetsu's reveling in the warmth that such a touch now brought. Yes. Perhaps wearing a physical form would be interesting....at least for a while.