Aftermath

Aftermath

The wind played with the strands of escaping hair that belonged to the girl seated on the rock. She stared over the sea, lost in thought, traveling into some unfathomable distance where others could not go.

The sky was streaked with oranges and pinks proclaiming good weather for the next few days. But the ninja bowed her head sadly. She was alone.

Memories washed over her like the wind. Memories of her losses.

She had known that the life of a ninja would be a hard one, losing people who were close to you as life went on, but to lose everything…Ayame considered it too much.

She raised her eyes again to stare at the horizon. The sun had set, and a blanket of purple was beginning to spread over the sky behind her.

Ayame thought back to her younger days. First she had lost Master Shiunsai, who was father, teacher and mentor to his pupils. But what made it worse was that he had fallen by Tatsumaru's hand.

Tatsumaru, his first and eldest pupil, whom Ayame had loved even then.

Tatsumaru had died not long after. Rikimaru had always believed that she had killed him, but as the last remnants of a memory lost told Tatsumaru who he was, he had taken his own life.

The memory hurt even after all these years. Through all the faceless people she had killed, the memory of Tatsumaru's face as he died would be forever etched into her mind, as clear as the day it had happened.

Purple covered the sky now, and stars freckled the night sky. A single stripe of orange spread across the ending of the sea. The fading light of this fateful day.

Today, her comrade, her brother, had died to save her and Princess Kiku.

Rikimaru….

Ayame felt the tears fall down her cheeks and drip off her chin onto the sword Eezouyui which rested in her lap.

Her eyes dropped to the sword. It was hers now by rights as the last surviving ninja of the Azuma clan. It lay there its metallic ruthlessness making her eyes ache at the thought of countless lives it had taken.

The sea crashed against the rocks below where she was seated. Lifting the sword, she stood and held it in front of her.

She bowed her head in reverence. The sword was a thing of war, and had been necessary during that time, but now the wars were over, there was no place for this sword which gave its power, but took so much in return.

Leaning back Ayame threw the sword as hard as she could. The scene seemed to play in slow motion. Eezouyui curved perfectly over the cliff, and at the height of the curve, the last remnants of orange light flashed up the blade like fire, before it disappeared forever.

Ayame stood for a last few moments, before turning and walking away.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Tenchu characters, and I am not making any money from this story.

Authors Notes: I wrote this in a brief period of creativeness, I'm not used to writing short things like this, and I was tempted to write on, but it just wouldn't have been right, so I left it as it was. Please review if you liked it. LOL