Hello everyone it has been some time since the last chapter and for that I deeply apolgize

Sadly life is not easy for anyone right now. I am no exception to that which leaves me and my beta very little time to actually work on the chapters for this story

Hope you enjoy reading even though it is going this slow

Stay safe everyone

Chapter 35: Healing a Broken Soul

Riya, Sekiro, Muramasa and Sparda all fought without pause to destroy all of the corruption that had taken hold of the ships, but when they were finally done, they were exhausted.

But it seemed like there would be very little time for rest as Asuramaru landed aboard the battleship once more, "You have managed well so far but there is no time for rest. Take what has been destroyed for it to become whole again," Asuramaru spoke before disappearing in a black cloud.

None of the four had any idea what Asuramaru had talked about, until Sekiro noticed something lying on the deck by his right hand "What is this?" Sekiro mumbled as he picked up the small piece of metal. It seemed rather familiar to him, "I see, so that's what that sister of mine means," Muramasa sighed as she held up a shard of something.

Sekiro needed a moment to understand what Muramasa was holding, but it became clear to him what he was holding, "Not only did they break and poison her mind, but they also cut her bond with Asuramaru" Sparda spoke, barely containing the wrath in his voice.

The corrupted sea stretched out beneath the ships, Riya, Sekiro, Muramasa and Sparda started searching every single ship in the fleet for parts of the broken blade, and if they found any they brought them straight back to the battleship.

They had no idea how long they have been searching, but eventually Muramasa and Riya started puzzling together the broken pieces they had found so far while Sekiro and Sparda continued their search for more, "Tell me Sekiro, why you allowed that wench to life even after she did this to our beloved?" Sparda asked as he and Sekiro stood onboard the Tsukuba.

Sekiro stopped in his tracks as he remembered that girl who had tortured Akeno all too well as she was desperately trying to escape from his blade "I saw something that I can't really explain myself but it felt like I was about to do something that I would never forgive myself for call it me being weak or just human" Sekiro replied as he had left that girl badly injured but alive in the deepest part of that soviet Gulag.

Sparda didn't say anything even though he knew exactly why Sekiro had allowed that girl to get away "You are a human being and that is not a reason for me to call you weak" Sparda whispered but he knew that Sekiro had heard him as they continued their search.

With all of the pieces on board, the battleship Riya and Muramasa got to work to fit them into the blade it had been before but it was just a sad sight to see the blade didn't just break it was shattered into almost a full million of pieces but now that they were all in one place the pieces started glowing a sinister dark green and black.

Riya and Sekiro were mesmerized as the broken blade started to piece itself together in midair step by step until it was one whole blade once more but even though it was in one piece once more it looked as fragile as glass as it slowly landed on the deck of the ship.

Riya didn't know why but the blade now resting on the deck of the ship felt very lifeless for some reason "I see you have already come this far" Asuramaru suddenly spoke up from somewhere "But what you see before you is just the shadow of the mortal object I use to bond with a candidate to fully complete it you will have to learn the full truth of the day the sun vanished to make room for the crimson moon" Asuramaru explained before everything fell silent once again.

Except for the fleet of ships that was now moving quite quickly through the waves of the ocean leaving the dark corrupted waters behind them without problems none of the four onboard the battleship really noticed for how long they traveled but where they arrived they knew all too well.

Kakureta Island was very different right now which was to be expected really but to find a massive old samurai era village complete with a fortress on the side of the hill covering almost the entire main island was still a shock especially for Riya and Sekiro as they had seen what this island looked like today.

But in the blink of an eye the serene view of the village was gone replaced by a nightmarish sight of flames consuming every building while people fought in the open streets with others most likely civilians running for their lives only to be killed as well as the city guards fell one after the other.

But before Riya or Sekiro could watch this any further their attention was drawn by the thundering noise of naval artillery and as they turned towards the noise they saw the waters around the battleship ablaze by fire and smoke as two massive naval fleets fought with each other.

But not a single one of them seemed to notice the massive battleship and its escorts heading for the main island until the battleship stopped in the underground port "See with your own eyes what happened over a hundred years ago" Asuramarus voice howled through the cave for a moment before falling silent again.

Riya and Sekiro both jumped over the railing of the ship down to the dock but neither Sparda nor Muramasa followed the two of them as they headed down the tunnel "What they will see now will truly show them why the world should be destroyed" Muramasa spoke just above a whisper as she looked at the two of them.

Sparda pulled a thick cigar from the inside pocket of his coat lighting it with ease before taking a deep drag from it "The thing that concerns me the most is the thing that is hidden within the blade of your master dear Muramasa" Sparda grinned a bit as the young women flinched a bit at that "Well we have done all we can now it depends on the two of them" Muramasa replied before looking towards the cloud filled sky.

Riya and Sekiro didn't so much run as they were sprinting through the burning village towards the palace but what they saw in the streets along the way made their blood boil.

The ground beneath their feet was soaked full of the blood of the people that were laying everywhere and the further they moved into the city the more civilians they found slaughtered just like the guards that had died in an attempt to protect everyone else.

Riya didn't know why but the blade at her side seemed to react all of a sudden to the slaughter around them but only for a brief moment before falling silent again "Who would do something like this" Sekiro hissed out between his gritted teeth as he stopped in a small open place that might have been a market at one point.

But now it was just a grotesque monument of more death as several people or what remained of them had been nailed to crosses before being set on fire the air smelling of burnt flesh and wood "We need to keep going" Riya whispered softly as she fought back the tears of rage gathering in her eyes.

Sekiro nodded solemnly before they started walking again but on the way they saw a group of men obviously soldiers moving a group of captured civilians towards the fortress.

Without a word Riya and Sekiro drew their blades as their guns might alert others in the area and with swift and trained movements they both started killing the soldiers by cutting their heads off one after the other.

Only for their blades to pass through their bodies without doing anything and one of the soldiers actually walked straight through Riya "We can't do anything" Sekiro sighed in defeat as he lowered his blade before sheathing it at his side once more.

Riya wasn't any better as the realization hit her full force she collapsed to her knees with a pained sob "The two of you can never change the past no matter what" Asuramaru suddenly walked out of an alley further up the street before looking towards Riya and Sekiro "However by knowing about the past you can change the future" Asuramaru added before throwing something towards them.

The object landed with its hilt upwards in the ground sinking in just enough to remain upright and Sekiro recognized it immediately but as he looked up at Asuramaru again the demon had already vanished.

Sekiro took hold of the pitch black blade and pulled it free before taking a look at it "Let's go I don't know why this is going on but I think we can get some answers by heading up there" Riya spoke without any emotions as she pointed towards the castle keep that loomed in the distance.

Sekiro nodded but on the way they saw so many cruel things that they started moving faster and faster until they were running as fast as their bodies could handle.

Whenever they saw the dark clothed soldiers they were busy with killing parents and old couples in front of young men and women with the children being forced to watch everything before those that were left alive were dragged away towards the fortress.

Riya and Sekiro arrived at the massive castle at some point and ran straight inside but something was different unlike in the village there was no a single guard present alive or dead which confused Riya and Sekiro that is until they arrived at a large open white gravel courtyard.

At least at some point the gravel had been white but now the edges of the courtyard were full of mountains of corpses, their blood turning the gravel on the ground a dark crimson red but what had the full attention of both Sekiro and Riya was what was in the middle of the courtyard.

There were two black Scythes that were too big for someone to carry lodged into the ground and at the foot of those Scythes were two young women shackled to the Scythes by black chains that wrapped around their necks, ankles and wrists.

The first girl was Caucasian Japanese with long silver hair and silver eyes that seemed very dull and almost lifeless. She was wearing a ripped silver golden robe with a damaged midnight black sash across her chest with the symbol of the Akai Senchō clan that was partly covered by blood.

She had long golden opera gloves covering her arms but they had several cuts in them and were drenched in blood as well. The silver hakama trousers around her legs were in a similar damaged state exposing several cuts on her legs while her dirty feet were left bare.

But the other person was very familiar to Sekiro and Riya after all that long crimson red hair was unmistakable to them even if her clothes were very different now as Akeno was wearing the battered remains of what seemed to be a sleek Samurai armor in black and red.

But the moment Riya tried to touch Akeno's face her hand passed straight through her "So even this is still the past" Riya sighed as she looked around the courtyard in disgust but Sekiro didn't say anything as he was looking up at the castle with a nasty scowl on his face but the moment Riya looked at what he had been looking at she screamed.

From the castle hung the dead bodies of even more people, only a few of them being guards most likely the personal guard of the ruler of this place but every single one was dead nonetheless.

Riya couldn't say anything as she fought back the strong urge to vomit violently at what she was seeing while Sekiro was shacking in pure anger but in that moment they heard a gate open at the other side of the courtyard and a single man walked out into the courtyard.

Neither Riya nor Sekiro had any idea who this Caucasian German-British male with red-violet hair, amber eyes, and strong facial features might be as he casually walked towards the two girls restrained to the Scythes.

He was wearing a black fedora hat on top of his head, a red scarf and a hooded, gray and white flower-print mantle around his neck, a simple black trench coat with a black and grey vest, a black and white formal shirt underneath the vest, a black wing like accessory on his left arm, short brown gloves on both hands, black pinstripe trousers held up by two black and white belts on his waist, and brown and black steel-toed striped formal shoes that crunched the gravel underneath his feet.

The young man kept walking only for Akeno to suddenly surge to her feet and rush towards him with her arm pulled back for a punch however just as she got close to him the chains on her body pulled tight stopping her fist just inches away from his face.

The young man didn't even seem surprised by this in fact he looked rather bored "Now that isn't very nice" the young man spoke just before he grabbed Akeno by her wrist causing her to scream loudly as he pulled forcing the chains around her body to dig even deeper into her flesh until he lifted her off the ground only for him to throw her down into the ground creating a shallow crater with Akeno's body before he kicked her in the side of her stomach.

Akeno was sent sprawling until her back collided with the black scythe she was chained to causing a sickening crack to echo through the area as the young man started to slowly walk towards the two of them again.

Akeno was wheezing and gasping in pain on her hands and knees with pure rage and hatred in her eyes "Even after all this time you still won't break will you but that doesn't matter I have time on my side" the young man grinned as he grabbed a fist full of Akenos hairs to pull her face up "After all you are only alive to break that pretty little princess over there" his grin making him look inhuman before he punched Akeno straight in the face causing the back of her head to collide with the black Scythe.

The young man stopped there as Akeno dropped to the ground before he walked towards the other girl "You know I would make your deaths quick and painless if you just told me what I want to know" the young man spoke with so much smugness that Riya actually snorted at that.

The silver haired girl looked up at him again with her lifeless eyes before dropping her head again "There is nothing that I will ever tell you Cursed Prince Ardyn Nox Fleuret" the girl hissed but as he stood back up his smile sent down a shiver Riyas and Sekiro's backs.

The young man named Ardyn gave some sort of signal as the other two gates that lead into the courtyard opened but what came through them had Riya and Sekiro wide eyed "If the pain your dear friend is suffering isn't enough to make you spill the beans I will gladly use another approach" Ardyn grinned sardonically as his soldiers dragged children, young men and women into the courtyard.

Akeno seemed to be awake as well but the hit she took to the head seemed bad as she moved very sluggishly as she was desperately trying and failing to get to her feet "Enjoy this festival of screams just for the two of you Fubuki Togo and Chinoyō Misaki" Ardyn laughed demonically as the soldiers started killing the few men and young boys right before Riyas and Sekiro's eyes.

But it didn't end there, after the soldiers were done with killing the males some of them moved their weapons away but what followed was the worst thing Riya and Sekiro had every witnessed as the screams of the young girls and women echoed over the island as the soldiers indulged in what could only be described as torturous rape.

Riya and Sekiro felt numb as they watched everything unfold right in front of them with Chinoyō Misaki constantly trashing around in her chains the entire time until the soldiers started killing the females as well but they didn't die quick or simple deaths as the soldiers took their sweet time with killing them in the slowest most cruel way for them possible.

When the last scream faded after two full days Chinoyō Misaki was sobbing on the ground while Fubuki seemed even more lifeless than before "Now then I do enjoy myself during a good show but I think it is time we continued with the main event shouldn't we?" Ardyn grinned before giving another signal.

A few moments after the previous group of soldiers moved away another group of soldiers showed up with even younger girls and boys "You can end this any time you just need to tell me what I want to know" Ardyn whispered into Fubuki's ear.

But just as Ardyn raised his arm to bring it down "Stop it!" yelled a desperate Chinoyō giving Ardyn pause "Just stop this" Chinoyō sobbed with a bowed head "Don't do it" Fubuki hissed at her only for Ardyn to kick her in the side of the head.

Ardyn slowly walked to Chinoyō's side before crouching down "What could you know that would interest me hm?" he asked as Chinoyō looked up at him with glassy defeated eyes "I will tell you where the thing you seek is" Chinoyō answered but before Ardyn could move away she spoke up again "In exchange you will free those children and allow them to live" Chinoyō spoke and Ardyn gave a nod to the soldiers that started freeing the children.

Fubuki was openly crying now as Ardyn waited until the last child had run out of the courtyard before he gave another signal and a moment later Chinoyō had her arms restrained by the chains along with Fubuki "Now then show the way" Ardyn gave a mocking bow before following Chinoyō into the castle while a group of soldiers dragged Fubuki with them.

Sekiro and Riya followed Ardyn and the rest until the whole group arrived in a large room that was deep underneath the mountain but a massive stone gate that displayed two dragons flying in the sky blocked the way ahead but the wings of the two dragons were in the wrong position "Now what? Ardyn growled clearly frustrated "In order to open the door I need my blade" Chinoyō replied calmly despite the raised eyebrow Ardyn gave her.

A few moments later a soldier showed up with a blade in hand "If you try anything you will watch as I hunt down those children before killing your little friend over there" Ardyn warned Chinoyō as another soldier released her from the chains that clattered loudly to the ground.

Chinoyō took hold of her blade before walking towards the door for a moment that started glowing in a deep dark red and the wings of the two dragons moved to align with the dragons bodies before the door swung open "Now then seems you were telling the truth" Ardyn cackled as he walked through the doors into a another chamber that was filled with empty book shelves.

Ardyn's eyes went wide before he started rushing around the area looking for something before he returned to grab Chinoyō by the neck lifting her off the ground with ease "WHERE IS EVERYTHING?" he yelled so loud that the entire room seemed to shake around them.

But instead of answering Chinoyō swung her blade but Ardyn dodged it just barely but he had to let go of her "Kill that bitch" Ardyn yelled but the soldiers that stood around Fubuki dropped to the ground dead before a bright flash of red light consumed the room.

After the light faded only Ardyn was still standing in the empty chamber with the corpses of his men "YOU DAMN WHORE!" Ardyn hollered before bolting out of the room to hunt down Fubuki and Chinoyō.

Chinoyō was dragging Fubuki by the hand until they arrived at a strange black door "Fubuki I'm" but before she could say another word Fubuki slapped her "You damn fool why after all this why did you?" Fubuki sobbed in rage as she collapsed to the ground.

Chinoyō looked very conflicted but her head snapped around as the sound of running boots came closer "Shit" Chinoyō cursed before grabbing Fubuki by the hand and pushing her into the room "Wait what are you?" Fubuki asked confused but as the doors closed Chinoyō stayed outside of the room facing the soldiers that were coming "I'm sorry that it had come to this take care Imouto" Chinoyō smiled at Fubuki with a lone tear falling from her right eye before the door closed completely.

Chinoyō rushed the soldiers at inhuman speed and an instant later she was the only person left alive in the corridor "Better seal this off" Chinoyō mumbled as she wiped the blood off of her face, for a moment her blade glowed red and the corridor started collapsing behind her until she walked out into the forest.

Sekiro and Riya watched as Chinoyō Misaki distracted the soldiers and Ardyn by any means necessary which was just long enough for some of the children to escape the island aboard a submarine but at some point Chinoyō was just too exhausted and injured to continue fighting.

Ardyn had to actually fight her directly as his soldiers were slaughtered at her hands one after the other no matter how many there were but now with Chinoyō's beaten bleeding body lying on the beach Ardyn had won "You have lost and once I find those children and that friend of yours I will make you watch as they die" Ardyn grinned even though Chinoyō had managed to do quite a number on him as his clothes were cut open in several places but he wasn't bleeding from his wounds anymore.

Chinoyō grinned before breaking into full blown laughter causing Ardyn to frown "No matter where you search those children and my friend are out of your reach now cursed prince" Chinoyō grinned as she slowly got up again using her blade as a support.

The soldiers that had moved closer to her backed away in fear as she openly glared at Ardyn who once again drew his sword a two handed demonic Greatsword with a red blade that was formed like a cruel spear at the tip before they both charged at each other.

Ardyn's much longer blade seemed to cut straight through Chinoyō only for her to appear right before him "Auf Nimmerwiedersehen" Chinoyō grinned as her blade went straight through his chest all the way to the hilt before a massive electric explosion consumed the both of them.

As the smoke cleared Ardyn was standing tall while Chinoyō was struggling in his free hand that had once again closed around her neck "How are you?" Chinoyō gasped as Ardyn pulled her blade from his chest after dropping his own blade to the ground "You are a great warrior in fact if you had been just a bit stronger you could've protected them all" Ardyn spoke without his usual mocking voice as Chinoyō's slowly stopped with her struggling.

Ardyn looked at the blade in his hand only now noticing a very detailed engraving upon it near the guard (むらまさおろち) "Muramasa Orochi I shall remember you by that name as the foe who almost managed to kill me" Ardyn spoke before stabbing Chinoyō right through the heart with her own blade.

Ardyn placed Chinoyō down on the ground as she slumped backwards but before he left he closed her eyes but that was the moment Sekiro and Riya found themselves back onboard the battleship from before "By the faces you two are making I can already tell you need some rest" Sparda spoke as he guided the two of them into the ship to a bedroom where they both passed out.

Sparda walked back out on deck only to find Muramasa sitting on the bow with a simple Katana in hand looking at it even as the sun faded on the horizon "The choices of those three will show the future" Sparda whispered as he lit one of his cigars while he watched Muramasa swing the blade around for a while longer.

In the sealed world of Eientei:

On the balcony of one of the many fortresses that dotted the serene landscape stood a Caucasian Japanese female with long flowing white hair, and sapphire silver blue eyes.

She was wearing a golden and silver forehead crown with a blue sapphire in the middle on her forehead, a pair of six white angelic wings on her back while her body was covered by a long red silk robe, long silver silk cotton socks on both legs, and brown geta sandals that were on her feet.

But the serene silence was disrupted by the arrival of another Caucasian Japanese female with long wavy golden blonde hair and golden yellow eyes.

She was wearing a white maid headband on her head while a red and white French maid dress with long sleeves covered her body, a white apron with frills over the dress, black cotton gloves covering both of her hands, white stockings on her legs, pouches hidden throughout her dress, and black nurse oxford shoes covering her feet.

The first woman slightly turned her head to the maid "What is it Yumeko?" she asked in a motherly tone "I have news from the Hakurei shrine Shirayuki-sama" Yumeko replied as she offered a simple letter with a Ying and Yang symbol in black and white to Shirayukihime.

Shirayukihime took the letter with a rather passive look on her face but as she read her eyes started going wide "Yumeko be ready to escort some rather special guest in the near future" Shirayukihime spoke as she went back inside of the small castle.

Shirayukihime no Hachisunohana walked swiftly down the hallways of her home until she arrived at her own room and after she closed the door behind her she went over to the wall behind her desk "You shall pay for your treachery cursed Prince Ardyn" Shirayuki whispered as she opened the wall to reveal a secret room where three blades were resting in their scabbards.

Shirayuki wasn't interested in the three blades that stood before three massive banners no the only blade she was interested in rested at the side of a old damaged samurai armor "It seems that our guest will arrive with some of my children" Shirayuki whispered as she smiled slightly even as she looked at the samurai armor remembering all too well how the person who used it in the past had become one of her children.