Child of the Storm
Chapter 4: Joined in Darkness

They ran through the chaos that enveloped the village. Thick clouds of black smoke from the burning huts made them choke and lose their way. Screams and cries echoed all around them as the battle raged within the smog of fire. Through the smoke Arashiko could see that Nail had drawn his golden sword to fight. It shined through the gloom of the battle with a brilliant white glow. Arashiko's throbbing head pounded worse as she was tackled to the ground by a flying figure. She could feel strong hands constricting her throat. With her superior strength, Arashiko grasped the wrists of her attacker and crushed the delicate bones with a simple squeeze of her hands. The Kurai screamed out in agony as his body was hefted into the air and thrown into a nearby wall. Arashiko made sure he was dead with a quick blast of energy that caught him directly in the chest. His violet blood splattered into the black mists. Arashiko whirled around to see if Nail was okay. She was astonished to see the little Nameck slicing through the enemy with skilled strokes of his blade. Nail was a warrior at heart, possessed of a true fighting spirit almost as fierce as hers. Arashiko took one last look at him and decided to leave him to fight by himself. He was capable enough. Something was calling her, something that she had to answer alone. She sliced a path through the black haze of smoke and enemies and stepped into the center of the battle, into the heart of darkness.

Arashiko spun to the side as a Kurai took a swipe at her with his wicked blade. They seemed to melt from the darkness and the shadows as if they were a part of it themselves. She had to avoid getting hit by their blades. The sabers they carried sliced through armor as easily as blood passes through water. All she had for defense were the simple brown and white robes that had been provided for her. She had no time to change into her armor. Everything was happening too fast. The bitter black smoke pressed at her from every side, choking all her senses. White lightening erupted outward from Arashiko's body and penetrated the darkness in an effort to clear the encroaching fog. The black nothingness withdrew from her light all at once. It hovered around the area mysteriously, almost as if an invisible circle had been formed around the battlefield.

Needles of pain penetrated her mind once again. Arashiko closed her eyes tightly and cradled her forehead with her hands. When she opened her eyes again, she saw him there, standing in the center of the battlefield, the darkness wrapping around his form like a lover. His eyes were the same red eyes that burned into her mind. It was Yugure! His skin was a dark, impenetrable grey, black as midnight. The darkness of his skin echoed the darkness of his evil soul. Black plated armor melded with the nightfall tones of his skin, making him appear as one flowing conformation of shadow. The only thing to set off his appearance were his blood red eyes and pointed fangs. He held no weapon nor did he need any.

Yugure beckoned Arashiko forward with a wave of his black fingers, "I've been waiting for you, Arashiko. You heard my summoning."

Arashiko stood at attention a few feet away from him, muscles tensed, "How do you know me?! What do you want!!!?"

Yugure smiled, showing off his honed fangs, "You."

"Hmmp!!" Arashiko took a fighting stance and ground her sharp blue eyes defiantly into his, "You can sure as hell try!!"

"Don't you feel it, Santi Uru? The Evil inside of you. It is what brought you here to me. It echoes my own. You are a shadow of me."

Arashiko shrugged off the annoying pain that ebbed away in her mind. The summoning.

"Come now. You can feel it deep down inside yourself. Its festering there like a gangrenous wound, waiting to spread to the rest of your soul. Come! Join us! Join the Kurai and feed the Evil that you know your soul succumbs to!! You only protect these weak Dragon Clan to obtain power! I can give you all the power you ever imagined!!!"

Arashiko shook her head, trying to clear the influence of Yugure from her mind, "You talk too much!!" Arashiko yelled at him, yet she still hesitated.

What if he's right? What if I came here just to feed my own appetite for destruction! I killed people, entire worlds, and I enjoyed it!! I indulged the feeling of power I got from destroying the weak!! I'm a monster just like he is!!!

"NOOO. . . Arashiko!! You can't let him control you!!" Nail broke through the wall of black mist, shouting desperately, "You can't let him change your heart!! Please!!"

Arashiko shook her head as she snapped out of the daze she had gone into. Before she could react to anything, Yugure raised his hand.

"Insolent child!" Yugure spat as a slender shaft of light erupted from the tips of his fingers and slammed into Nail's chest, easily passing through his thin armor.

A wrenching scream ripped from Arashiko, "NAAILL!!"

Nail's eyes reached out for her, the question lurking there as his body fell to the ground.

Are you going to betray me?

Arashiko ran over to Nail, Yugure watching on silently amused by her futile efforts. Her hands trembled as she frantically tried to get Nail to wake up. She shook him violently, but to no avail. His eyes remained closed.

"Nail!!! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!! You can't be dead!!! You can't die!! DAMMIT!!" Arashiko yelled psychotically upwards to the heavens. She lifted her hands to her face and saw the pale lavender blood of Nail soaking into her palms.

Not another friend!! Not because of me!! Dammit!!!

Arashiko screamed out, her rage and pain boiled out into one long scream of pure fury and sorrow.

Not again!!! Not ever again!!!!

Burning tears of anger and sadness streaked down her face as her raging blue eyes found the object of her pain. Yugure simply stood there watching her with a smirk on his twisted face, taking in her suffering. Arashiko clenched her fists so hard that her wrists felt like they could break. Her breathing became so quick from frustration that everything seemed to meld into one breath. No amount of physical expression could convey or lessen the loss and anger that she was feeling. Cool drops of rain fell on her hot face and upon Nail's fallen body as black clouds converged overhead. Rumbling thunder seemed to echo her anger everywhere around them, violent lightening hardened the shades of animosity upon her features. Lightening flashed, illuminating everything in a blinding white glow. For a split second, Arashiko's flailing black hair glowed gold as it trailed in the growing torrent.

"You wanted to see a monster, Yugure!! You wanted to see the Evil in me!!!!" Arashiko opened her still trembling hands, showing him that she was not hiding anything and she now had nothing else to lose. . .

"WELL HERE IT IS!!!" Arashiko screamed out defiantly, calling every scrap and presence of energy in her body and soul outward to focus. Her blue pupils disappeared, leaving only ominous white pupils. Chaotic lightening struck everywhere around her, setting the darkness of the battlefield ablaze with white light. The solace Yugure found in the shadows was blown away by the blazing brilliance radiating from Arashiko.

Then she released it outward, all the pain and fear and evil, cleansing her own soul, hoping and praying it would be enough. The starfall of energy burst forth and enveloped Yugure's dark form. For a moment he was engulfed in it, embraced by total light, then the sparkling effulgence dissolved into the night. Clouds of ominous fog arose and obscured everything around Arashiko. She took the moment to calm herself, to keep her own anger from making her rage forever. She paced her breathes.

Can't let it seep into me! The anger, the rage, the need to kill!! It's everything I don't want to be!! I can't let it!!!

"It's everything you were born to be. . ." his caliginous voice penetrated her thoughts once again, "You're a killer to the core, just like us. You are my shadow, my other half."

"Stay out of my head!!!!!" Arashiko screamed out into the fog. She spun around and launched energy chaotically into the floating haze. The mist lifted and revealed Yugure still standing proudly in the heart of darkness. Arashiko clenched her teeth and threw yet another fist-full of energy at him. It hit him dead on in the center of his torso. The white globe of energy writhed in the air as it contacted his chest, reacting violently, then fizzled away into nothingness. Arashiko growled in frustration and decided to take the direct approach. She launched at Yugure with a series of strong attacks. Yugure blocked them all with his hands. His form blurred psychedelically in the air, his movements faster than the mind could process. He withdrew from her forward kick and grabbed her forearm in an iron grip. His long claws dug into her skin and drew blood. Arashiko shouted and hollered as she tried to pull away from him. Just the simple contact with his hand sent a surge of dark energies into her mind, increasing his influence over her. Finally she broke away, cradling her arm.

Damn!! Energy doesn't effect him!! Physical blows don't effect him!!! What the hell is he?!!? What did he do to me???

Arashiko frantically searched around for something, some way to defeat Yugure. A glint of gold caught her eye. Nail's sword lay on the ground just a few feet away. She took a quick glance at Yugure and ran for the sword. She somersaulted and picked the sword up by the hilt as she dropped down. Arashiko recalled all the things Nail had taught her, the sword skill and concentration, faith in herself. She would fight this monster and free her own soul. She would do it for him, she would do it for Nail, and she would do it for herself. Body in affectation and courage set, Arashiko made her stand against the dying of the light. The gleaming sword shined triumphantly, its arm-length blade pointing towards the one of darkness. Arashiko dashed forward and began to wield the sword, Nail's gentle teachings echoing throughout her memories.

Let yourself be as a reed in the wind. Bend to the breeze.

The sword sliced downward through the air, singing its silent song of death. Yugure missed it by a mere hair of an inch.

Free your mind. Free yourself.

Only you can change your heart.

The blinding blade raised once more and came down upon Yugure, slicing a path across the left side of his face. Dark violet blood flowed as did anger and adrenaline. Yugure looked up at her, his eyes made even more fiery red by fury. Arashiko sliced at him again, this time more accurately and deadly. Yugure threw up his hand, his claws showing distinctly. An invisible force hammered Arashiko in the chest. Everything froze.

I. . . I can't move!!!?

She strained every muscle and still wasn't able to achieve any kind of motion except for the furious beating of her heart. Beads of shining sweat ran down her face as Yugure slowly approached her. She was stuck with the sword upraised high over her head. Yugure brought his sneering face close to hers. She looked deep into his narrow eyes and saw a burning soul there. Arashiko tried to recoil from him, but she was fastened tightly to her spot. His pointed features loomed over hers than finally receded. She strained to look at him, to move, to do anything. Yugure brought his black fingers up to her eyes and ran his barbed claws across her face almost affectionately.

"You should know me. We have been waiting for each other here in the darkness, Santi Uru, brought by the holy providence of the Eternal Dragon and the heart of the Storm." Yugure softly induced. Each of his words seemed to echo and sound to her as if they had been spoken by many voices. They strangely swayed her, soothingly, like the soft breath of the wind.

Come, join us in the Dark.
Feed your fear.
Let your hatred burn.
Feed your desire.
Pave the Way in Flesh and Blood.
Give in to your anger.
Bathe in Evil and know that I am your other half.
You are my shadow,
We are both dusk shades cast upon the same wall.

Join me in the Dark.

He ran his fingertips over her fluttering blue eyes, caressing her chin. Arashiko felt herself slipping away, as if she was slowly being overtaken by sleep. Her mind was clouded, her vision blurred. She fell to her knees, nearly seized by Yugure's influence. She held herself up with Nail's sword. The cold touch of the hilt was the only thing keeping her to her own senses. It was a present reminder of all she had left to fight for.

Will you fight for Nail? Can I honor him in death?

Will you fight for Brana? Can I gain retribution through defeat?

I must fight it!

Only I can change my heart and my fate!!

She ripped to her feet breaking the bonds that held her consciousness and slashed at Yugure, almost disemboweling him. He drew away from her, clutching his stomach. Yugure raised his palm toward her again, causing the same sharp needles of pain to stab into her mind. Arashiko screamed out, trying to struggle and rid herself of the horrible agony. Yugure took the moment of chaos within her to seize control of her once again. Her strong will was too much for him to control this time. He was force to use the last moments of control he possessed to exert his influence.

Arashiko raised her arms in the air like a marionette controlled by a puppeteer, Nail's golden sword gripped tightly in both hands. She desperately tried to stop herself, to gain control again, but to no avail. He was controlling her body, her actions. The sword came down and stabbed into her chest, right beneath the center of her collarbone. Arashiko shrieked as the tip of the blade dug in a couple inches. Tears of pain gathered in her eyes as the blood ran down from the wound and soaked her garments. She had just enough will power to keep the blade from going deeper and piercing her heart. It took all her strength to hold off her own self. Her hands trembled as the inner conflict of control raged on and on. Exertion finally showed itself in Yugure's features as his own upraised hand began to shake. Arashiko's blue eyes glowed with rage and determination, a saffron aura of energy began to illuminate around her. She was reaching her breaking point and Yugure knew it. Finally, she could take no more. Rage and Will bent as Arashiko yelled out with all her heart and soul to all the heavens above and the hells below.

"I WILL BE FREE!!!!"

She ripped the sword from the bloody wound, immense energy flooding forth from every pore of her being. Thunder roared from the black clouds, lightening struck on every side , alighting everything in golden brilliance. To look upon Arashiko, the Child of the Storm, at this moment was to look at the sun, blinding and burning. Yugure feebly tried to block the incredible energies, his body hit dead on by the emersion of light. Slowly, he sank away into the darkness, realizing his defeat. His crimson eyes were the last things she saw of him as he dissolved away into the dusky shadows.

Light returned to dark as the radiant energy receded back into her, its warmth and brilliance invigorating her. Arashiko sat there on her knees, breathing heavily. She had won back her own soul and maybe this time it was worth fighting for.

"Y . . . You didn't give in. . .", a weak voice made her turn.

"Nail!!!" Arashiko exclaimed as she quickly ran over to him, "Thank God you still draw breath!!!" She grasped the little Nameck's hand and held it tightly. He was hurt bad, burned across the chest area. Lavender blood ran from the corners of his lips. He faintly smiled at her and coughed.

"You didn't give in.", Nail repeated, tears of happiness and pain clouding his eyes. He groaned and Arashiko felt his hand loosen a little.

"Wait!! Stop!! There has to be something I can do!! Show me how to heal you! I have to help!!!! Show me how you saved me!!!!" Arashiko yelled into his face and squeezed his hands tightly, trying to get him to stay awake.

With a grunt of effort, Nail lifted his hand and took Arashiko's trembling palm. He guided her hand slowly and laid it gently on the wound to his chest. He tried to talk, his words coming out ragged as he gasped for breath.

"N. . . Now, make your mind . . . clear. Focus, feel the life-force within yourself, the warmth inside. Let them . . . flow within you and heal." Nail coughed again, this time bringing up blood. Arashiko winced and tried to do as he said. She focused as she had never focused before to save her only friend. She was not going to let another friend slip away. It started out as a small feeling of warmth than grew till her whole entire body felt boiling hot. Her hands lit with flaxen rays of sunshine as they lay on Nail's chest. Nail breathed in sharply, his wound illuminating. In a flash, the wound faded away to nothing.

"I. .I did it!!? Ohh..." Arashiko grabbed her forehead for balance, she felt extremely dizzy and nauseous.

So this is the price that Nail was talking about. She sat back on her knees and breathed deeply, trying not to pass out. She was completely exhausted and weak. Nail got to his feet and approached her, his eyes glistening with gratefulness and happiness. Arashiko smiled at him and held out his weapon, "Your sword, little warrior."

Nail took the golden sword and sheathed it, then embraced her.

Arashiko patted him on the back, "Nail, this time you saved me, in more ways than one."

Nail was silent, he could think of no words to say. He could never thank her enough for what she had done. He helped her to her feet. Arashiko leaned heavily on him for support. Slowly they made their way back to the village. They walked through the fog and the death and knew that they had triumphed.

Arashiko kneeled before Kiaochuru, the wise Nameck seated proudly upon his ivory throne. Nail stood by his side, smiling. One could almost taste the victory in the air. They had repelled the Kurai for now, but their leader was still alive and they would be back. They would be ready. Arashiko smiled up at Nail, her azure eyes lit with a new fervor and zeal. She had done something not for the King, but finally for herself. This was her first real taste of her own life, of freedom. And it felt good. Kaiochuru looked on at her and nodded respectfully. Lanan came forward and placed a suit of crimson armor and a guilded white sword in front of her on the cool metallic floor. It was the same sectional armor that he wore but fitted and customized to fit her particular features.

"For your bravery and honor in battle, we of the Purunga offer you this as a token of our eternal thanks to you. You have saved many generations of my children." Kiaochuru's commanding voice boomed.

Arashiko ran her fingers along the red cuirass. It was a mantle she was proud to wear.

Nail stepped forward and placed a luminous silver mask in her hands.

"With this you become one of the Dragon Clan, with this you become one with us in spirit. You become a warrior of the Eternal Dragon." Nail said as he stepped back to his place at Kaiochuru's side.

Arashiko felt the molded mask in her hands and stared down into its hollow eyes. It was mouthless and had one singular smooth section covering the nose and mouth giving its wearer a fearsome aspect. Layered sections accented the eyes of the warrior who would wear it. Slowly she brought it up to her face. It fit her features perfectly, as if it was made for no one else but her. Underneath the cold mask, she smiled.

"Arise, Santi Uru. You are one of my children now. May you find peace as we do."

Arashiko slowly rose to her feet and peered out through the steel mask with her blue eyes. She felt as if this was her true face.

Clad in the crimson armor and white mask, she gazed out over the amber horizon, feeling the invigorating new energies that surged within her. The fight with Yugure had opened another door spiritually and physically. She could feel that she was stronger. Arashiko laid a hand on the hilt of her pale sword and felt the still aching wound where Nail's golden blade had almost penetrated her heart.

The Kurai were out there, scheming in the shadows.

Yugure waits for me still. My sword waits for him
and all of his Kindred.

They will never harm any of these people again. . .
. . .any of my people.

The red armor gleamed in the glare of the three suns, shining like blood.

I'm ready for you, Yugure.
Can you hear me?

Your other half is ready and waiting.

* * *