Toh Shin Den III: Walking Into Ruin

by Athena Asamiya

A new organization arises from the ashes of the Himitsu Kessha, and once again, amidst new allies and enemies, the Toshindaibukai warriors must fight to prevent the resurrection of the God of Fight itself. Based off of Toshinden 3.

13. Final Chapter: Rebirth

In a world of darkness sanctioned by evil,
where the only light of hope is a group of unlikely heroes,
the legend's final chapter is about to end...

- TOH SHIN DEN III: Walking Into Ruin -

a Battle Arena Toshinden 3 fanfiction by Athena Asamiya and Kasumi Todoh

THE FINAL CHAPTER: Rebirth

Translations:

minna - everyone

ganbare - good luck

damare!! - shut up!!

jikan da - it's time

baka - idiot

gaijin - foreigner

arigatou gozaimasu - thank you

otousan - father


****************

He could almost not feel the pain. And yet it lingered, not completely gone, like a wound that refused to heal. He floated through its haze, unable to see, hear, think. And yet, he was conscious of a bright light that had surfaced outside of this world of agony.

Struggling against torment to see the source of the light beyond his eyes, he forced himself to crack one eye open...and all he could see around him was murky darkness. Darkness penetrated only by one shining light, straight ahead of him, winking and symbolizing a future without pain, sorrow.

He struggled again, this time for a different reason. "....no....."

He stopped in mid-space. ".....No...."

He whispered again, "No....I...I can't....stay.....I have...have to....go....back....."

But would it - whatever IT was - let him?

****************

YOU.

The monster spoke. And it was unlike anything anyone had ever heard before -- then again, it was also unlike anything anyone had ever SEEN before. It was gargantuan, about thirty feet tall or taller, with a thick torso and two arms and legs -- but the human resemblance stopped there. Its face was a cross between human and ogre, with large fangs and huge, glowing red eyes. Its skin was a mottled brown-and-green, almost resembling scales, and huge claws protruded from its hands. A pair of enormous wings extended from its back, nearly filling the ruined room, and it appeared to be wearing some sort of strange battle armour, still dripping with flame. Its glowing eyes were not set on the group of fighters before it; rather, they were focused on Veil, who was bowed on one knee. "My lord Agon Teos, you have been resurrected at last! The world is ours to rule!"

Agon Teos didn't reply; it simply made a sound that appeared to be a displeased growl. And it spoke again, without its mouth even moving.

I HAVE NO NEED FOR SUCH A PITIFUL BEING. DISAPPEAR.

"W-what??" Veil scrambled to his feet in dismay, but he was only a second too late. Agon Teos raised its arms, and a huge ball of fiery ki began to gather at its center. Without even moving, Agon Teos flung the energy right at Veil. Everyone could hear his tortured screams as he was engulfed in the fire-energy. When the ki dissapated, there was nothing left of Veil except for a half-broken red jewel. It wasn't glowing anymore.

"Holy...SHIT..." muttered Tracy in awe. "This thing has THAT much power...??"

Agon Teos let out what sounded to be a deep chuckle. HOW PATHETIC. With Veil dead, it turned its attention to the small band of warriors that stood before it, weapons ready. But rather, the being paused, apparently eyeing Sho and Cupido.

ANGELS. WHAT BUSINESS HAVE YOU WITH THE TOSHIN?

"None, Toshin-sama," Cupido replied smoothly, despite the obvious fact that she was talking to a fiery behemoth. "We were not the ones who summoned you here."

"It was the Soshiki and their ceremony," Sho explained. "However," here he smirked slightly, "it obviously failed."

I SEE. Agon Teos moved its giant head, almost seeming to regard the other warriors behind the two. AND WHAT OF THEM? ARE THEY THE ONES CHOSEN BY THE LEGEND?

"They are." Cupido paused, but then continued. "And as your legend decreed, Toshin-sama, the sacred battle is to begin now."

THE FIGHT IS STILL TO TAKE PLACE.

"Of course," Sho replied without hesitation. "But we are no part of it, as you know."

GOOD. THEN THE BATTLE SHALL COMMENCE.

Sho and Cupido both nodded, but the rest of the fighters were left a little more unsettled. Kayin marched up to Sho, spun him around and yelled, "You blasted coward!! You're going to leave us to fight a god ALONE?!?"

Eiji's brother simply closed his eyes and brushed past Kayin, murmuring, "Weren't you the one who said that you could all get through anything, if you tried?"

"I-" Kayin started, but realized that Sho was right. Sho raised one eyebrow, then continued past him, saying, "Then why don't you start believing your own words? That was something you never did..." And it was here that Kayin thought he caught the faintest flicker of a smile, of the old teacher he had known for so long. "...Kayin-chan."

As he and Cupido started to leave the group, Ellis called out, "Wait!"

They turned around, and she asked, "Are...are we supposed to fight this thing? Alone?"

Cupido only smiled and shook her eyes, red eyes flashing. "Not alone. Together. Fight together, and you stand a chance of winning. Just remember, none of you may come out of the battle alive. You're fighting for your lives. Don't any of you forget that."

"Like we even could!" Tracy groaned. "The odds are lookin' pretty stacked against us..."

"But we have a chance," David said, stepping forward. "I don't know about the rest of you, but that's good enough for me."

Nagisa nodded, cocking his gun. "Kid's got a point. So, let's get to it."

As the rest of the group got ready for the fight, Ellis gazed back at Eiji's still body on the floor. Wish us luck, Eiji-kun. We're going to do this, for you... She held up one silver Dirk. "Minna, ganbare!"

Surprisingly, Shizuku started the fight first, by running straight for the Toshin and jumping into the air. She pulled a fistful of daggers out of her kimono sleeve, and tossed them right at Agon Teos. However, each one seemed to fall short within inches of the hitting Agon Teos -- deflected by a force field? Shocked that her attack didn't work, Shizuku landed then rushed forward again, spinning her staff in front of her and jumping up, twisting her whole body as well as her weapon into the attack. "YUME-SAKURA!"

The Toshin looked little concerned at the woman attacking him, and in one motion, swept its giant hand back, then smacked Shizuku out of the air. She smashed into the ground with a loud cry of pain.

"Shizuku!" yelled David in concern. He started towards her, but Kayin held him back. "Don't worry about her -- we have to keep the fight up!"

With that, Kayin raced towards the beast and held his sword out in front of him, closing his eyes and gathering all the ki he could muster into its blade. The Toshin sneered, obviously not impressed by the show of power.

That's gonna change, bitch, Kayin thought angrily as he opened his eyes. With a loud yell, he released the gathered ki in one energy blast that lit up the room. There was a loud explosion when the energy came into contact with the unmoving god.

"YES!" exclaimed Kayin, grinning and making a fist. But the smile slowly disappeared as the dust cleared, revealing the undamaged Toshin -- surrounded by a glowing force field barrier. The blast hadn't even touched it.

YOU WILL HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THAT TO DEFEAT ME.

"Yeah? Then how about this??" Tracy yelled, leaping forward and spinning upwards, surrounded by yellow sparks of ki. "ELECTRO SPARTAN!"

Even though she made contact, the powerful uppercut attack didn't seem to have any effect on the Toshin. Tracy landed, stumbling, and tried to back away, but the Toshin was too fast for her. It lifted its foot and brought it down, swiftly -- right on the spot where Tracy would have been, if she hadn't rolled out of the way just in time. Nagisa growled at the sight of his partner nearly being stomped on, and let loose with a furious hail of bullets from his gun. However, these too only dissapated against the barrier surrounding the Toshin. Ellis took to the air and, calling, "SCREW DANCING!" aimed her attack right for its face. She learned too late that her aerial attack had had no effect -- the uninjured Toshin snatched her out of the air, and flung her to the floor. Her light body skidded almost to the other side of the room.

Kayin attempted to fight back with a Deadly Raise, but was sent back to the ground again. Tracy and Nagisa attacked from both sides, Tracy with her tonfas and Nagisa with his knife, but neither had any effect on the monstrous god. While it was distracted with them, Sofia leapt into the air and attempted an Aurora Revolution, hoping to succesfully strike it with her whip, but that didn't work either. Agon Teos raised a giant fist and brought it towards her with the force of a battering ram. Such power would have no doubt killed an ordinary person, but Sofia was only knocked out of the air with a shriek. Kayin tried to catch her, but she was flung with such force that they were both thrown to the floor. Shizuku attempted to attack with a combination of daggers and slashes from her staff, but neither were effective, and she too went sailing to the floor.

After landing from an unsuccessful Arc Slash to the Toshin's massive back, Ellis called out to David, "We have to draw its attention away from the others! You with me?"

David nodded, holding up his pistol. "Got it!"

With that, the two young fighters launched a double-attack from behind, with David firing several shots into the Toshin's unprotected back, while Ellis dashed in with a Soar Wind from above. Agon Teos turned around, but was rather slow in doing so, and both David and Ellis were able to penetrate the force field and land a substantial amount of hits before being knocked aside like toys. However, this distraction also drew its attention away from the other downed fighters, who were now able to get a clear view of the two people responsible for the interruption.

"Ellis!!"

"David-chan!!"

Hearing their voices, Ellis muttered, "I'm...not done yet..." and got back up off the ground slowly, followed by a silent David. The gypsy girl then attempted to distract the Toshin further with her Homing Swallow move, flying around it several times. She was thrown out of the air by the Toshin's massive hand, and was hurled to the floor again. This time, the Toshin approached her, raising a fist menacingly. ANNOYING INSECT.

"ELLIS!!" David's voice rang throughout the room. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight of Ellis, the girl who had managed to bring him back to humanity, lying motionless on the floor and about to be killed by the God of Fight. The Toshin turned its attention away from Ellis to the young boy behind it. Growling, David glared at the Toshin, somehow finding the strength to get up again. He was the only one standing.

"I won't let you do this..." His voice was dangerously low, but he could still be heard by everyone. David pulled one gloved fist back, and waves of ki began to converge around his hand. The power began to circle around him, whipping his torn trenchcoat in all directions. The Toshin watched this, amused. SO YOUR POWER HAS GROWN THAT MUCH SINCE THE CEREMONY. INTERESTING.

David closed his eyes and grit his teeth tighter, silently pleading, Dammit, let this work! Taking a deep breath, David yelled in fury, and thrust the swirling power forward, aimed directly at Agon Teos.

HOU...I SEE. The god seemed only a little surprised at the amount of power that the young boy had managed to gather, which was now speeding towards it. The Toshin simply amassed ki of its own, collecting it between its clawed hands -- the same fiery ki it had used to destroy Veil. Right before David's energy connected, Agon Teos released its own power, clashing against David's in an explosive display. David grimaced, and pressed on harder, channeling as much ki as he could muster through his fist. With a yell, David raised his other fist, and blasted away at the Toshin with both hands.

HMMMMM...IMPRESSIVE, The Toshin sneered, continuing to counter David's attack with its own. BUT I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS GAME. And with one giant burst of energy, Agon Teos managed to overpower David, its energy engulfing his and smashing a shocked David into the wall at the other side of the room. He crumpled to the floor, unmoving.

"David-chan!" shrieked Shizuku in concern. Kayin watched from the floor, then simply shook his head. "Nothing we've done has worked. God, what can we do...?"

"Let's try again," pleaded Ellis. "Just once more, okay? We can't give up now! Eiji-kun would-"

"Eiji's DEAD, Ellis." The harshness in Kayin's words surprised everyone. "He's dead and there's nothing more we can do about any of this."

Ellis stared at him for a second, before saying in return, "Then does that mean we should die too?? Let the Toshin loose on the Earth?? Because I'm not going to let that happen!"

Kayin sighed at the girl's words, before gripping his sword again and getting to his feet with some difficulty. "All right. We'll try again. I want to end this thing, now."

The wounded fighters all staggered to their feet - except for David, who was out cold - trying to gather enough strength to continue with another group assault. However, the towering Agon Teos wasn't too pleased with them.

YOU HAVE ALL SHOWN ADMIRABLE RESISTANCE. HOWEVER, YOU HAVE ALL ALSO SHOWN FATAL FLAWS. THIS IS THE REWARD FOR YOUR MISTAKES.

With those thundering words, the Toshin began to collect masses of fiery ki, forming a large globe between its claws that crackled with power. In one unmoving motion, Agon Teos fired the mass of energy right at the group of fighters, the trailing power ripping up the ground and walls. They all braced themselves and attempted to stay firm, but the force of the flames was too much for any of them. One by one, all the fighters were blown off their feet and scattered around the room in disarray. Few of them moved.

The Toshin regarded the small group of fighters laid out on the ground around it, all injured and barely conscious after the hellish energy blast. HOW UNIMPRESSIVE. THE BATTLE SHALL END NOW.

Immediately, the god began to summon another huge amount of ki, the raw, pure power pooling between its massive claws. The brilliance of the energy illuminated the ruins of the room, as well as the bodies of the warriors on the ground, who all attempted to weakly protect themselves. Kayin grimaced, but was in so much pain he was unable to move. He barely managed to slam a fist into the floor. Goddammit...not us...not now...

Eiji-kun... Ellis thought helplessly, lying on her back and watching Agon Teos prepare to destroy them with teary eyes. She closed her eyes to shut the vision out for good. I'm sorry...we couldn't do it...I'm so, so sorry...

****************

But Sho and Cupido were still watching from the shadows, observing the entire fight -- and what looked to be the end of the fighters they had aided for the past three years. Unflinching, Sho simply commented, "They failed."

Cupido exhaled in what sounded like a sigh, and looked up at her partner. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"It isn't our place to help them. You know that."

"I do know. But..." She shook her head, lifting her halberd. "I won't let this happen. I can't."

The two of them looked at each other solemnly for a moment, both remembering what it would mean if one of them were to interfere on this, the battle sanctioned by the sacred legend. Finally, Sho turned away, saying quietly, "Do what you have to do."

Cupido smiled. "I will." She prepared to leave, but first, walked over to her partner slowly, and, with a bit of hesitation, kissed him. When they broke away, his eyes betrayed his surprise, but Cupido only turned to go. However, she looked back over her shoulder at him, the eyes of the angels meeting and sharing an emotion that they never had before. And she spoke in her lilting voice, somehow sounding sadder than usual.

"For all that you've done for me..."

Then she disappeared into the chaos.

"Cupido....CUPIDO!!!!"

****************

Watching the Toshin prepare for their destruction, one by one, the fighters gave up hope. It was the end for them, and any chance for saving their world. As the Toshin released the energy towards them in one explosive blast, everyone could only close their eyes, and wait for the end.

However, it was an end that didn't come.

"AEGIS WALL!!!!"

Everyone looked up in surprise to see the woman known only as Cupido, halberd raised, creating a golden force field around them that was shielding them from the destructive ki. Her purple hair and maroon shawl were being tossed about by the mystical winds of the energy, but she didn't seem to have a problem keeping the barrier up, despite the immense power it was blocking. However, the Toshin's attack continued to beat mercilessly against the energy wall, the two powers clashing in an awesome display.

ANGEL...YOU DEFY ME AND MY LEGEND? YOU?? The Toshin's words were bellowed throughout the room, while Cupido glared back without a word. The god growled unpleasantly. YOU WERE LOYAL TO ME AND TOSHINDEN. AND NOW, YOU TURN AGAINST THE VERY FATE YOU HELPED TO CONCEIVE??

Cupido's red eyes narrowed.

"There is no fate."

THEN SO BE IT.

With a loud roar, the power streaming from the Toshin's hands exploded, and a huge wave of energy coursed through the beam of ki -- right at Cupido. She only had time to gasp before Agon Teos' energy overpowered her Aegis Wall. Her shattered scream echoed off the walls as the ki jolted through her.

Ellis opened her mouth to cry out in concern, but another voice did that for her.

"CUPIDO, NO!!!"

At the sound of the voice, Agon Teos halted the flow of energy, but it had been more than enough. Gasping, Cupido slid to the ground, motionless. And before anyone could even blink, Sho was there, looking uncharacteristically upset. He propped her up gently, repeating her name over and over again. "Cupido, can you hear me? You can't let it end like this...Cupido!!"

I THOUGHT THE ANGELS WERE FAR MORE CAPABLE THAN THAT. Agon Teos cocked its head, speaking more to Sho than anyone else. NOT VERY INTELLIGENT OF HER, TO GO AGAINST THE LEGEND WHEN SHE KNEW THE CONSEQUENCES.

Sho growled, yelling, "DAMARE!!" at the monster before turning back to his fallen partner.

"Cupido..." he repeated again quietly, and at the sound of his voice, she moved slightly, opening her eyes a crack.

"Sho...Kessho..ku....no...Tenshi...." she choked, raising one hand limply. He grasped it tightly, and the two warriors' eyes met, the same hue of blood-red.

"I'm here, Cupido...it's going to be all right...you understand? It's going to be okay..."

She closed her eyes, weakly shaking her head from side to side. "....no...I..did what I...had to do....and I have....to pay the price now..."

Sho shook his head, strands of his long hair falling into his face. "Don't talk like that. You're not going to die now. I won't let that happen!"

Cupido attempted to speak again, but her breath caught in her throat, and she gasped for air for a moment while a thin streak of blood ran from her ruby lips down the side of her pale face. She whispered, "I never was....a goddess, you know....it's what..I was told....and what I..believed...."

"I know. I knew it all along." He didn't take his eyes away from hers. And he murmured softly, "But you were an angel, and that's all that mattered. To me or anyone else."

Cupido smiled, painfully, through her tears. "....He's waiting for you, you know....so please, take care of him....our shining star...."

Then, she fell silent, and didn't wake up.

****************

Now, he was more awake, though still floating in agony. But he knew he had to fight against its pull. He couldn't leave his world. Not now, not leaving matters so unfinished.

"No...!" he yelled at the obscuring blackness. "I'm not...staying! I have...have to...go back! I have to...save our world...or else...or else no one will..."

He took a breath, trying to ease the pain. "I...started this...now I...have to...finish it. Only...I...can..."

And a deep, resonating voice rang out from the light and the darkness. The voice of destiny and the legend.

Jikan da.

And, in reality, in the battle arena, Eiji began to rise from the floor.

****************

SO, BLOOD-RED ANGEL, WOULD YOU CARE TO CHALLENGE ME TOO? The Toshin addressed Sho, with a hint of almost mocking in its booming voice. Sho refused to look up, refusing to acknowledge that the god had just spoken to him. He was still holding Cupido's body.

"Sho..." muttered Kayin, his eyes never leaving his old teacher. Finally, Sho placed Cupido's body on the ground gently, then stood up, his back turned to Agon Teos. His eyes were closed, and he muttered five simple words.

"I will not allow this."

And with that, he turned around to face the Toshin, face expressionless, slowly unsheathing his sword. As he stepped into his common fighting stance, as he had so many times over in the past, Sho prepared for the fight. But just as he tensed for the first attack, something stopped him.

A single, slight wave of power reached his acute senses. Slowly, the power began to increase, the energy obviously surging from one source. It was ki, and strong ki at that. But it was different, strange -- it wasn't like anything he'd ever felt before. It couldn't have been any of the other fighters summoning that power; they were all too weak. Then who-

Sho turned around to see his little brother getting up from the floor.

The other fighters all gasped in surprise at the sight of their previously-dead leader, standing again, surrounded by luminous sparks of bluish-white ki. "Oh my God..." Ellis whispered in disbelief. "Eiji...???"

But Eiji didn't respond, didn't even raise his head to answer them. He simply bent down and picked up the Byakko no Tachi from where it had been lying next to him, and held it out in front of him with both hands, the sparking ki swirling around him.

Sho, meanwhile, had been almost as surprised as the rest of the group at the sight of Eiji, back to life. Seeing what his little brother was planning to do, Sho only closed his eyes and smiled. He re-sheathed his sword and stepped to the side, giving Eiji a clear shot at the Toshin.

"...But don't you dare miss, baka," he murmured. Eiji didn't respond to this either, but almost seemed to smile.

But the Toshin obviously wasn't smiling. It growled again, not liking the sight of one of its downed opponents gathering so much power. Power that they shouldn't even be able to have access to, let alone use...but then, Agon Teos recognized him. And it made a noise that sounded like a series of snickers. IT IS THE MISTAKE. WHAT CAN YOU POSSIBLY DO, AS ONE WHO WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE IN MY LEGEND?

Eiji didn't answer, didn't look up, but continued to stand in place, sword held out and ki gathering around him. A small flicker of white flame began to trail around his feet, and then a circle of pure white energy beams began swirling around him. The beams slowly grew higher and higher, churning faster than before, sending sparks of blue ki into the air. The brightness of the ki luminated the room; so much so that many of the fighters had to cover their eyes.

"EIJI!!" yelled Ellis in concern. But Eiji still stood silently in the middle of the energy inferno, concentrating, the white beams appearing almost solid as they twisted around him at high speed. The blue sparks rose upwards, creating a sparkling column in the air.

The Toshin started to take a wary step backwards at the feeling of the massive flow of power. THIS IS...IMPOSSIBLE!!

Eiji's voice rang throughout the room in response.

"You may be the Toshin..." His red eyes snapped open, and the fluxuating power around him exploded with a loud roar.

"...BUT WE ARE THE TRUE FIGHTING GODS!!!"

In one dramatic instant, Eiji lifted the Byakko no Tachi over his head, and the maelstrom of energy all fused into the sword, as if it were being absorbed. And Eiji swung his sword forwards, the white ki-power erupting from the blade and spinning towards the Toshin, a column of pure, blinding-white energy surrounded by blue sparks. The god bellowed, attempting to shield itself from the attack, but it was too much for it to take.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

The energy struck the Toshin in its midsection, shattering its armour and blowing a hole right through its body. The Toshin screamed horribly, and rays of multicoloured light began shooting out of its body. Everyone watched as the Toshin, Agon Teos, disentegrated in front of their eyes, dissolving into small balls of light. With one loud explosion, the Toshin disappeared, the balls of light twinkling and rising up, through the hole in the ceiling, disappearing into the clearing sky above.

With his task accomplished, Eiji fell to the floor, sword clattering against the ground as it left his hand. Everything started to blur. He could just barely hear the sound of footsteps, racing towards him, voices saying his name. But he could clearly hear Ellis' voice, echoeing, calling him desperately, following him down into the spiralling darkness once again. Ellis-chan...

And Eiji Shinjo died, with what could have been seen as a smile on his face.

****************

I was seven years old when my world changed forever. At the time, I was too young to understand or comprehend just what had happened, and how it would forever affect my life. All I knew was that in the space of a few short moments, my parents were dead, my brother and I were left alone to the world, and neither of us could possibly have understood what we had just gotten into. Because it was at that point that we had unknowingly accepted our destiny -- a destiny that neither of us wanted. Thanks to some unwanted twist of fate, it was the two of us who were fated to save the world. Or destroy it.

We grew up fast after that, my brother and I. We were all we had left, and we were determined to make it on our own, to not let our parents' murder hinder us from living. But at the same time, I knew my brother had changed. He wasn't the same that he used to be, although one would say that that was normal, given the circumstances. But I noticed something more, and it frightened me. We used to be such children, typical ones -- playing games, laughing, making friends. Enjoying every moment of life, as only children can. But like I said, we were both forced to grow up fast after our parents were killed. Although that wasn't it -- my brother was different now. More distant, stoic, almost...colder. There was a hardness there that I had never seen in him before. And after Amoh arrived to train him in the sword style that our families shared, as our father had requested before his death, he took to it with a vengeance -- literally. I still remember one time, when I was still young - only ten or eleven, maybe - and I had asked my brother why he was training so hard. He had said only one simple word in response: revenge. Revenge against the ones who had murdered our parents and wrecked our lives: the 'Shitennou' and their organization. It was at that point that he uttered, "I'll never forgive them", and I saw something burning in his eyes -- something that terrified me. It was at that moment that I was afraid of my brother, and what he could - and WOULD - do. He was indeed different now...in fact, it was like he was someone else entirely. I didn't dare ask him how it had happened -- I didn't want to know the answer. It was the first time I was afraid of him. It would not be the last.

However, despite the typical turmoils of growing up, I was not immune to the desire to be a swordfighter. It was in my family, after all, even if it wasn't my birthright to inherit the family's sword, the Byakko no Tachi -- that honour went only to the eldest son, in this case, my brother. But I wanted to learn how to fight. I wanted to join my brother in what I saw as some sort of valiant quest, to avenge our parents' murder at the hands of evil. But I didn't think my brother would take the time to train me; he was so involved in becoming a master swordsman himself that he rarely had time for me anymore. So I was a little more than surprised when he announced he would train me to be a swordsman. I had just turned fifteen, and even though I couldn't figure out why he had decided to train me all of a sudden, I was overjoyed. As much as our vow to stay together had meant to us when we were children, I could tell that we were growing apart, day by day, and I saw this as a chance to not only become a master swordsman, but also to rekindle my relationship with my brother. Although I wasn't quite expecting the other half of the announcement: that I would be trained along with Amoh's teenage son, Kayin. Even though I was a little dismayed that training under my brother wasn't a privilege for only me alone, I was determined to make friends with the other boy I'd be training with. He may have been a gaijin, but I didn't have any close friends, and this appeared to be a good opportunity to make one. After all, as my brother had pointed out, we'd be together a lot, since we'd be constantly training together. I hoped we'd hit it off right away.

Was I ever wrong.

In my eyes, the sixteen-year old Kayin Amoh was brash, arrogant, rude, and everything else that got on my nerves. He teased me mercilessly, treated me as if I was nothing more than dirt, and although he never disrespected my brother, it was obvious he didn't like him much either. But over time, as the days of training passed, we started to get along. It's pretty hard to keep disliking someone when you're forced to face him every day. The two of us found that despite our differences, we had our similarities: while I never did truly explain to him how my parents had died, his mother had died when he was young as well, and since his father was a bounty hunter, he was never around much. I felt awful for him. I had my brother, for all it was worth. Kayin had no one. I think it was then that I really started to understand the boy behind the smirks and jeers, and gradually, we did become best friends, as I had hoped. At last, we both had someone we could truly count on -- we were like brothers, he and I. Together, the two of us training under my brother's tutelage, learning the way of the sword and enjoying ourselves greatly in the process, I was happier than I had been in a long time.

But it wasn't to last. Because during that time, I hadn't noticed how distant my brother was becoming. Kayin did, though. In fact, I think there were times when Kayin didn't trust my brother at all. I don't know why; he never seemed to have anything against him, personally. He just didn't like him. Maybe it was jealously -- after all, his father had taken the time to train the son of his best friend, but didn't train his own son. I had never asked why that was. I always just assumed it was because Amoh thought that Kayin would receive better training under my brother, with me -- though I didn't quite know why he thought that. Either way, our training ended when I was eighteen, and Kayin was nineteen. Only three years. It had been a relatively short training period, considering many of the masters trained for more than ten years, but although Kayin and I both questioned it, we didn't care -- because in all our teenage foolishness, we both considered ourselves master swordsmen by then. We had no idea that we hadn't learned everything. And I'm certain my brother knew that all along.

Kayin left soon after, returning to Scotland. He missed his home, and his father, and I couldn't blame him. I'd never been away from home in my life, but I figured I'd miss it too. After Kayin and I parted, promising that we'd see each other again, I felt empty inside. Even our promise didn't help -- I felt like I had lost my best friend. Even more so, I felt that something big was about to happen...another change, another unwelcome shift.

One involving my brother.

I got home as fast as I could, but it was too late. What I feared would happen, had: my brother had left. Gone, without even telling me where, why, or how long. But I was more surprised than ever when I found our ancient family sword, the Byakko no Tachi, that he had left behind. Along with a note that stated that I should keep the sword for myself, and that I was on my own -- and that I should now seek my destiny. But the most shocking thing that he had left behind, seemingly accidentally, was a plain white invitation -- to something called the Toshindaibukai.

Of course, I knew what the word meant -- I just didn't know what it WAS. It was a tournament, but why would my brother forsake everything, including our clan's priceless sword, his very LEGACY, to enter some fighting tournament? Without telling me or anyone else? It made no sense at all. All I could gather was that I was now alone, more so than ever before in my life. And again, it scared me.

I was devastated after he left. Things were changing rapidly again, and I didn't want, never ASKED for these shifts in my life. It scared me. During that time, I was...I don't want to say suicidal, that's too strong a word, but I was deeply depressed. Shattered. Because all through my childhood, growing up with only my brother to take care of me, I had been told that as long as the two of us stayed together, we'd be fine. Foolishly, I'd believed it. I'd clung to it, believing solely in that ideal as I grew up, that my brother would always be there for me, and me for him -- that neither of us would be alone. But I was naive. I should have seen it coming. Because as I got further into my adolescence and my brother became an adult, he told me less and less that we had to stick together, and started telling me instead that I had to learn to take care of myself, and not to depend on anybody else. It was a hard lesson to learn, and my brother had abruptly thrown it in my face. Now that I was alone, I had to learn to embrace it, and I did, almost to the extreme. I became a solitary loner, almost resembling my brother as I focused everything I had into my sword training. In the meantime, I fervently clung to the hope that my brother would come back after the tournament was over. But even after half a year, long after when the tournament should have been finished, my brother did not return. And it was then that I made a decision. For now, I would set aside my quest for vengeance. I had a new mission.

I would find my brother again, no matter what it took.

Why? Of course, I missed him. He was my brother, and as good a swordsman as he was, I had to admit that I was worried about him as well. But more than anything, I wanted an explanation. I wanted an answer -- I wanted to know why he left. He obviously knew much more than I did about our destiny, both his and mine. He knew the real reason why our parents were murdered, and just what the evil organization had wanted with us. He understood something far beyond what I ever could. And with him gone, I didn't understand where that left me -- what I was supposed to do, or what I was supposed to BE. I needed him to tell me. And for that, I needed to find him and get my answer.

I made the decision to be an adventurer. The lifestyle sounded fine to me, and besides, I couldn't stand my home anymore. There were too many memories there for me to deal with. So, taking the Byakko no Tachi as my own sword, I left Aizu for the first time in my life. I ventured off into the world, intending to find my brother, willing to forsake everything - even my life - to see him again. I had to know what he knew, at any cost. I didn't want to live without knowing my destiny anymore.

I travelled around the world for another three years. I was able to make my way by street fighting for money, and I'll admit that I enjoyed it. I had FUN. I loved fighting, and I loved becoming stronger -- I was always the more hot-blooded of the two Shinjo brothers, I can admit that, and it was obvious when I fought as well. I was always taunting and playing around, laughing and jeering, before crushing my opponents with my sword skills. I never lost. Seriously, though, I attempted to find information on my missing brother from my opponents, but I kept coming up with nothing. A few of them had heard of him, even more were terrified of him, but in the end, it was almost as if he had disappeared off the face of the Earth. And I was getting desperate. Nothing else mattered to me: I HAD to find him. Living unfulfilled was slowly killing me, day after day. But then, the event happened that would further change my life: I received an invitation to the Toshindaibukai. In my name.

Of course, I was excited, though not because it was obviously some sort of prestegious honour to be invited to one of these tournaments. It was because my brother had last been seen at a Toshindaibukai. If anywhere, that's where he would be. It was my best shot at finding him. So I headed back home, back to Aizu for the first time since I had left, in order to make a few preparations before leaving for the tournament. But I was further surprised by finding a recently-written letter from Kayin waiting for me. The news he had sent me was that he had been invited to the Toshindaibukai as well, and he figured that I must have gotten invited too, since I was gaining quite the reputation in the fighting circuits. He wanted to meet up with me again, at the tournament. But there was also some more grave news attached: the reason he was going was for vengeance. After returning home three years ago, he found his father gone. Left for the Toshindaibukai, the same as my brother. Likewise, his father hadn't returned from the tournament -- but that was because he had been killed in the final rounds, by the new champion of the Toshindaibukai. The thought crossed my mind only once, but I dismissed it as quickly as it had come. There was no way I would believe that it was my brother who had killed Amoh. He was his STUDENT, for Christ's sake. And my brother was no murderer. Not after what happened to our parents. It wouldn't make sense.

But still, I wondered...

So I left for the Toshindaibukai. I had too many questions and not enough answers. But how could I have ever known that those tournaments would leave me with more questions than ever before...

The things I saw. I saw friendship, courage, faith and even love inside and out of those battle arenas. On the darker side, I saw maliciousness, cruelty, betrayal and sacrifice. I saw a world I had never could have imagined, but it existed. And I was a part of it. What had started as just a simple tournament for myself and the others became a struggle for survival, and then that turned into a fight to save the world. And I, who had always only looked out for myself, who had never been a leader of anything, took up the role of the leader of a band of rebel fighters who were the only force standing between the evil organization, the Himitsu Kessha, and their dominance of the world. We were all pulled into it by something beyond our control, and though the five of us all had our own reasons to fight, we had to put them aside in order for a new mission: to save the world. Though some of those goals, including mine, came back to haunt us in the process...

But we overcame it all. And that was what really mattered.

The Toshindaibukai left me with questions, one that I would have never dared to ask, ones that I would have feared the answers to -- about humanity, my destiny, my brother and myself. But now, I think I can be grateful to the tournaments in many ways. They taught me invaluable lessons that I'll never forget. And now, I may have finally received my answer at last...

****************

Eiji. Eiji, wake up.

The voice jolted through my mind, causing me to open my eyes instantly. I was back floating in that black void, the same one of endless darkness with a single light at the end. And for the second time, I STILL didn't know where the hell I was -- or why some voice was talking to me, with no visible speaker. I groaned a bit, still feeling the pain in my body, and said, "Where...am I...??"

Eiji. Do you believe you've found your answer?

"Who-??" I was shocked at the question -- whoever this voice was, how did they know about me and my goals? But all of a sudden, the voice began to sound familiar to me... "Wait...are--are you...?!"

Answer the question.

I was still confused by all this, but I figured I might as well answer back. "Um...I think, maybe..."

But what was the question to which you wanted an answer?

"My question? It was..." I paused, trying to think of the right way to phrase it. "I wanted to know what I was meant to be. What my destiny was. It seemed to be something larger than I could comprehend, and I needed someone to explain it to me. Because I..." I suddenly felt pretty silly. "I didn't want to live, not knowing what I was supposed to be, where I stood in all the crazy events in my life that were obviously happening for a reason. I wanted to understand why it was all happening to me."

And you believed your brother could explain this?

"Well, uh...yeah."

Why did you think this?

"Because...it always seemed HE understood what was going on. And I figured that he would tell me, one day, but then he left without telling me anything..." I suddenly got really frustrated. I didn't know what the hell any of this was for, why this voice kept asking me questions that I really didn't want to answer, and I wanted to get out of here. "Look, I'm tired of these questions. I want to leave, now."

Where will you go?

It was another simple question, but as I opened my mouth to answer, I found that I had no idea myself. Was I alive? Was I dead? "I...I don't know. Am...I dead?"

No, you aren't dead.

I nearly sighed in relief, but realized that I shouldn't be relieved -- I still had no way to get out of here. I shook my head in frustration and confusion. "Now, I just wish I'd never even gone to the Toshindaibukai..."

Do you truly believe that? Think about it, Eiji: What would things have been like if you hadn't gone to the Toshindaibukai in the first place?

So I thought. "If only I hadn't gone...then things would have been different...no, that's not right. It wouldn't have mattered if I didn't go. My destiny would have continued regardless of that, and things might have even been worse now than they already are. Also, I wouldn't have met Ellis-chan, renewed my friendship with Kayin-chan, or became friends with any of the others. Things would be different now, but not in the way that I'd want." I sighed, realized the error in my thinking. "Not after seeing all this, knowing that I can make a difference in the world, even if it means that I'd have to be the saviour of it."

You saved the world. Wasn't that enough?

"Yeah...yeah, I guess it was." But another question hung in the back of my mind, and I decided I might as well ask it too. "But...what does it mean, that I was never supposed to be?"

The question is not that, but rather, what are you now?

I was taken aback by the comment. It took me a minute to figure out what the voice was saying, but when I did, I had to really ponder the question before answering. "Well, I...I used to be only the little brother of Sho Shinjo, and nothing more. I knew he had this big destiny to fulfill, and I didn't, so I wasn't prepared when he left me, leaving the family legacy to me. Because it wasn't my place -- I didn't understand what being the Shinjo heir meant, but I did know...that I was now a part of the fate that began when my parents were killed. I never thought I would be. But...even though I didn't know what my destiny was, I guess I...managed to make it fine on my own. I went to the tournaments, fought, made friends that I never thought I'd have, and I guess I saved the world..."

Don't you see, Eiji? You accomplished all that without knowing your destiny. Do you think you truly needed to know?

I started to speak, but stopped. The voice was right. I hadn't known what I was supposed to be, but I got along fine all the same. "Then...is that my answer? That I have to make my own destiny for myself? Was that my answer all along?"

Yes. You see, it truly doesn't matter what Toshinden decrees. As long as you have the will, you can create your own destiny and follow your own path. The voice paused, and I swear I could hear it smile. That was all your brother understood.

I stood in silence, trying to take this all in. It made sense to me now. It didn't matter if the legend said I had a destiny to follow or not -- I had proven that I could make one for myself. I looked up, towards the sound of the voice, and said, "I think I understand."

And that means you're ready to return. The voice stopped for a moment, then continued. Eiji, live your life the way you want to, and don't think you should have to depend on your brother. For you two have very, very different paths to follow, although they are your own. And I'm proud of both of you for that.

I nodded gratefully. "Arigatou gozaimasu. And I know that now, too: that I'm never going to be my brother, so I might as well just be myself, and follow my own destiny."

That's right. So now, go back. And give my regards to your brother.

I smiled at that. "No problem." But as I turned to leave, the voice said one final thing, and it confused me:

And Eiji...always remember that the true enemy lies within oneself. Never, ever forget that.

I turned around slowly, having only enough time to say, "What do-" before the world exploded around me, and everything went black.

****************

The first person Eiji saw when he slowly opened his eyes was his brother. And Eiji smiled.

"Otousan said to say hello."

**********