Chapter 7
Dark Interlude
"Dying has to be the most selfish thing you've ever done."
Ayame paced in front of Rikimaru's grave, slightly out of breath. She had run the entire way, taking long circular paths in order to lose the trailing pawns that were Lord Godha's ninjas.
The sentient sword faced her, mocking her sorrow. This was it. This was all that was left of Rikimaru.
Ayame collapsed. The cold ground kissed her check. She lay her right palm on the dirt, absurdly hoping that it would materialize into the body of Rikimaru.
"I am the strongest fighter in our clan, Rikimaru. I've reached enlightenment. I'm at the greatest I'll ever be, and I'll stay this way until I have reached the old age where my bones are brittle and my muscles are unable to follow my demands. I have nothing more to strive for. No reason to live. The others are frightened of me, as well they should. They see my unmitigated strength and wonder if my grief will ever turn into a rage that will engulf both myself and the clan. And my enlightenment is particularly terrifying. For it was an enlightenment I achieved with you, beloved. Without your presence, without your chi to ground me and keep me who I am, what prevents me from flowing with the river of chaos instead of against? I am powerful in body as well as state of mind. But the destructive force of my grief Rikimaru.the clans I could destroy, the lives that I could dominate."
The silence did not comfort her. The peace of the woods did not comfort her. The memory of Rikimaru did not comfort her.
"I'm looking for reassurances. Reassurances at the grave side of a man I don't even know if I love!" Ayame screamed, hysterical tears tailing down her cheeks.
"To me Rikimaru, you are the lucky one! The lucky one because you got to die! But if I died Rikimaru, you would see yourself as the lucky one! Lord Godha was right. Your will to survive, damn near legendary, isn't it? So what would I have mattered? I never would have mattered!"
Ayame was silent. Her silence was deadlier than her words.
"At some point we all must decide whether we are to be good or to be bad. I had a dream last night. A dream that I made this decision at the passes of Mount Shiba. If you care, you bastard, that is where I'll be. And If I do not find what I am looking for on its passes than I shall find what I need on its edges."
Author's note:
This was just a short little transitory thing so you're all not scratching your heads in the next chapter wondering why Ayame is at Mount Shiba. The Mount Shiba thing may take a week or two to write, bare with me. Kisses.
"Dying has to be the most selfish thing you've ever done."
Ayame paced in front of Rikimaru's grave, slightly out of breath. She had run the entire way, taking long circular paths in order to lose the trailing pawns that were Lord Godha's ninjas.
The sentient sword faced her, mocking her sorrow. This was it. This was all that was left of Rikimaru.
Ayame collapsed. The cold ground kissed her check. She lay her right palm on the dirt, absurdly hoping that it would materialize into the body of Rikimaru.
"I am the strongest fighter in our clan, Rikimaru. I've reached enlightenment. I'm at the greatest I'll ever be, and I'll stay this way until I have reached the old age where my bones are brittle and my muscles are unable to follow my demands. I have nothing more to strive for. No reason to live. The others are frightened of me, as well they should. They see my unmitigated strength and wonder if my grief will ever turn into a rage that will engulf both myself and the clan. And my enlightenment is particularly terrifying. For it was an enlightenment I achieved with you, beloved. Without your presence, without your chi to ground me and keep me who I am, what prevents me from flowing with the river of chaos instead of against? I am powerful in body as well as state of mind. But the destructive force of my grief Rikimaru.the clans I could destroy, the lives that I could dominate."
The silence did not comfort her. The peace of the woods did not comfort her. The memory of Rikimaru did not comfort her.
"I'm looking for reassurances. Reassurances at the grave side of a man I don't even know if I love!" Ayame screamed, hysterical tears tailing down her cheeks.
"To me Rikimaru, you are the lucky one! The lucky one because you got to die! But if I died Rikimaru, you would see yourself as the lucky one! Lord Godha was right. Your will to survive, damn near legendary, isn't it? So what would I have mattered? I never would have mattered!"
Ayame was silent. Her silence was deadlier than her words.
"At some point we all must decide whether we are to be good or to be bad. I had a dream last night. A dream that I made this decision at the passes of Mount Shiba. If you care, you bastard, that is where I'll be. And If I do not find what I am looking for on its passes than I shall find what I need on its edges."
Author's note:
This was just a short little transitory thing so you're all not scratching your heads in the next chapter wondering why Ayame is at Mount Shiba. The Mount Shiba thing may take a week or two to write, bare with me. Kisses.