(Thanks for the reviews JRV and Dragon Lady9. Yet, I would like to have
five reviews. But it's a start. Well, I'm taking into consideration the
suggestion, which JRV gave me. Oh well, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.)
CHAPTER THREE: A SECOND ARTIFACT
"I'm sure we will meet again," Hotsuma said. He then dashed off into the darkness.
Atsuko turned to Namiko. "It was nice meeting you Namiko, but I have to get going too."
Atsuko turned and ran off.
Namiko stood there for a second before departing as well.
The scorching sun beamed down on Namiko as she walked on the road leaving from Dayun. She took out a bottle of water she had filled earlier and took a sip. It was not wise to waste something as precious as water.
Namiko walked for a few more hours. She felt herself getting weaker. Yet, she did not feel thirsty or drained. She turned her head to see Akujiki glowing slightly. Namiko was already feeling the blade's curse.
A few minutes later, Namiko soon began to see a town in the distance. She walked another mile before noticing the town was on fire.
She gasped and started to sprint towards the town.
About an hour later, Namiko reached the town. The town was littered with corpses of men and women. Even children had spilled blood. "Disgusting," Namiko muttered as she looked down.
Most of the town had been destroyed. Buildings were in shambles and fires were raging. "Whatever happened here happened recently," Namiko thought.
Suddenly she heard the shouts of men. She ran towards the noise to find a group of men fending off a group of the creatures Namiko had encountered earlier.
There were also a few ninjas battling two men.
Namiko could feel Akujiki draining her energy. She took it out. She had to feed it.
The group of ninjas cut down one of the men. He cried out in pain as he lied there.
Namiko rushed in and took out one of the ninjas. A single red orb of Yin flowed into Akujiki. It was not enough.
The other ninjas attack Namiko. She jumped out of the way, but not without a cut to her side.
She gritted her teeth and sliced the two other ninjas.
Akujiki practically swallowed the Yin. The other man nodded his head in thanks to her and ran off to assist his comrades. Namiko nodded but then looked down. An orb of Yin flowed from the dead man's body into Akujiki.
Namiko looked disgusted. "He didn't deserve that fate," she said.
Namiko then ran after the man.
The creatures were overpowering the men. Namiko rushed into the fray slicing one of the creatures in half. Akujiki grew more powerful. She and the four men left defeated the rest of the creatures.
Akujiki ate the rest of the Yin. The men looked in horror.
One of them walked up to Namiko. "That sword, it is the cursed blade Akujiki, is it not?"
Namiko nodded her head sadly. "Yes, yes it is."
Suddenly, an explosion could be heard. Namiko and the men began to head towards the sound but two ninjas appeared in front of them.
These ninjas were clothed in dark green robes and wore dark masks. They unsheathed metal blades.
The men rushed in to battle with the ninjas. Unfortunately, it took all of the men just to destroy one of the ninjas. All of the men died from the scramble.
The other ninja wasted no time in dashing to Hibana. It was much faster, causing Namiko to dash away. The ninja quickly threw a shuriken. Namiko deflected the shuriken and dashed towards the ninja.
The ninja blocked Namiko's attack. Namiko quickly countered and slashed the ninja in the stomach. It staggered backwards. Namiko took this opportunity to finish the ninja.
Namiko headed towards the explosion.
"How disappointing. It seems the artifact has been salvaged." The woman took a few steps forward into the shrine.
The elderly man crawled over to her. "You, you will never obtain the artifact."
The woman looked down at him. "Wrong, old man."
She threw her fan into the old man's back, killing him.
Namiko ran into the area. "Stop!" she yelled. The woman turned.
She wore a dark blue dress that was split in two, showing her left leg. The top slightly showed the top of her breast. A dark purple belt was tied around her waist. The belt tie flowed down her leg. She was wearing a pair of purple high- heels. She had dark brown hair flowing down her back.
"Who are you?" Namiko asked sternly.
The woman smiled. "I am Shizuka of the Black Dragon," the woman answered.
"The Black Dragon?" Namiko unsheathed Akujiki.
Shizuka laughed as she pulled her fan from the man's body. "Yes, and you must be Namiko."
Namiko gasped. "How do you know my name?" Shizuka smiled. "I know much about you. Pretty much all we know is from Hitoshi."
Namiko gritted her teeth. "The Black Dragon murdered my mentor! He was the only family I had. And for that I shall never forgive you!" Namiko shouted.
She rushed at Shizuka and slashed. Shizuka opened her fan and blocked the attack with ease. "Is that all you can do, even with Akujiki?" Shizuka asked.
Namiko let out a battle cry and slashed again. Shizuka jumped out of the way and waved her fan. A purple slashe few towards Namiko. Namiko dodged the attack and ran to Shizuka.
Shizuka smirked and waved her fan. An explosion erupted near Namiko, knocking her to the ground.
Shizuka frowned. "I expected more." She was about to finish Namiko, when Namiko jumped up and dashed behind Shizuka, giving her a chance to attack.
Shizuka was not expecting this, so Namiko slashed her with all her strength.
Shizuka cried out in pain as blood spilled from the wound.
Namiko was out of breath, hoping the attack finished the battle.
Shizuka limped. "Don't worry Namiko, we will finish this battle."
Shizuka disappeared, leaving Namiko alone in the destroyed town. Namiko sheathed Akujiki away and ran out of the town.
Namiko walked for about an hour before noticing a shape on the ground. Namiko ran to it.
Atsuko lied on the ground, bleeding.
"Atsuko, what happened?!" Namiko asked urgently, kneeling down.
Atsuko sat up. "Those damn ninjas. They over- powered me and stole my grandfather's artifact."
"Artifact?" Namiko asked.
Atsuko nodded. "I went back to my home town to gather supplies, but then those demons attacked. As soon as I figured out what they were after, I grabbed the artifact. But then, the ninjas attacked me and left me here."
Namiko frowned. "I'm sorry for your town. I doubt anyone was still alive."
Atsuko clenched her fist. "It's not right. They didn't do anything wrong!" Atsuko broke out in tears.
Namiko put her hand on Atsuko's shoulder. "Hey, it's all right. We'll be able to get them. But first, we have to get you fixed up. Come on."
Namiko helped Atsuko up to her feet. Atsuko swung her arm over Namiko's neck and they started to walk.
"You don't have to do this," Atsuko said after a few minutes. Namiko looked at her. "I want to. And besides, I don't want anymore people to die."
CHAPTER THREE: A SECOND ARTIFACT
"I'm sure we will meet again," Hotsuma said. He then dashed off into the darkness.
Atsuko turned to Namiko. "It was nice meeting you Namiko, but I have to get going too."
Atsuko turned and ran off.
Namiko stood there for a second before departing as well.
The scorching sun beamed down on Namiko as she walked on the road leaving from Dayun. She took out a bottle of water she had filled earlier and took a sip. It was not wise to waste something as precious as water.
Namiko walked for a few more hours. She felt herself getting weaker. Yet, she did not feel thirsty or drained. She turned her head to see Akujiki glowing slightly. Namiko was already feeling the blade's curse.
A few minutes later, Namiko soon began to see a town in the distance. She walked another mile before noticing the town was on fire.
She gasped and started to sprint towards the town.
About an hour later, Namiko reached the town. The town was littered with corpses of men and women. Even children had spilled blood. "Disgusting," Namiko muttered as she looked down.
Most of the town had been destroyed. Buildings were in shambles and fires were raging. "Whatever happened here happened recently," Namiko thought.
Suddenly she heard the shouts of men. She ran towards the noise to find a group of men fending off a group of the creatures Namiko had encountered earlier.
There were also a few ninjas battling two men.
Namiko could feel Akujiki draining her energy. She took it out. She had to feed it.
The group of ninjas cut down one of the men. He cried out in pain as he lied there.
Namiko rushed in and took out one of the ninjas. A single red orb of Yin flowed into Akujiki. It was not enough.
The other ninjas attack Namiko. She jumped out of the way, but not without a cut to her side.
She gritted her teeth and sliced the two other ninjas.
Akujiki practically swallowed the Yin. The other man nodded his head in thanks to her and ran off to assist his comrades. Namiko nodded but then looked down. An orb of Yin flowed from the dead man's body into Akujiki.
Namiko looked disgusted. "He didn't deserve that fate," she said.
Namiko then ran after the man.
The creatures were overpowering the men. Namiko rushed into the fray slicing one of the creatures in half. Akujiki grew more powerful. She and the four men left defeated the rest of the creatures.
Akujiki ate the rest of the Yin. The men looked in horror.
One of them walked up to Namiko. "That sword, it is the cursed blade Akujiki, is it not?"
Namiko nodded her head sadly. "Yes, yes it is."
Suddenly, an explosion could be heard. Namiko and the men began to head towards the sound but two ninjas appeared in front of them.
These ninjas were clothed in dark green robes and wore dark masks. They unsheathed metal blades.
The men rushed in to battle with the ninjas. Unfortunately, it took all of the men just to destroy one of the ninjas. All of the men died from the scramble.
The other ninja wasted no time in dashing to Hibana. It was much faster, causing Namiko to dash away. The ninja quickly threw a shuriken. Namiko deflected the shuriken and dashed towards the ninja.
The ninja blocked Namiko's attack. Namiko quickly countered and slashed the ninja in the stomach. It staggered backwards. Namiko took this opportunity to finish the ninja.
Namiko headed towards the explosion.
"How disappointing. It seems the artifact has been salvaged." The woman took a few steps forward into the shrine.
The elderly man crawled over to her. "You, you will never obtain the artifact."
The woman looked down at him. "Wrong, old man."
She threw her fan into the old man's back, killing him.
Namiko ran into the area. "Stop!" she yelled. The woman turned.
She wore a dark blue dress that was split in two, showing her left leg. The top slightly showed the top of her breast. A dark purple belt was tied around her waist. The belt tie flowed down her leg. She was wearing a pair of purple high- heels. She had dark brown hair flowing down her back.
"Who are you?" Namiko asked sternly.
The woman smiled. "I am Shizuka of the Black Dragon," the woman answered.
"The Black Dragon?" Namiko unsheathed Akujiki.
Shizuka laughed as she pulled her fan from the man's body. "Yes, and you must be Namiko."
Namiko gasped. "How do you know my name?" Shizuka smiled. "I know much about you. Pretty much all we know is from Hitoshi."
Namiko gritted her teeth. "The Black Dragon murdered my mentor! He was the only family I had. And for that I shall never forgive you!" Namiko shouted.
She rushed at Shizuka and slashed. Shizuka opened her fan and blocked the attack with ease. "Is that all you can do, even with Akujiki?" Shizuka asked.
Namiko let out a battle cry and slashed again. Shizuka jumped out of the way and waved her fan. A purple slashe few towards Namiko. Namiko dodged the attack and ran to Shizuka.
Shizuka smirked and waved her fan. An explosion erupted near Namiko, knocking her to the ground.
Shizuka frowned. "I expected more." She was about to finish Namiko, when Namiko jumped up and dashed behind Shizuka, giving her a chance to attack.
Shizuka was not expecting this, so Namiko slashed her with all her strength.
Shizuka cried out in pain as blood spilled from the wound.
Namiko was out of breath, hoping the attack finished the battle.
Shizuka limped. "Don't worry Namiko, we will finish this battle."
Shizuka disappeared, leaving Namiko alone in the destroyed town. Namiko sheathed Akujiki away and ran out of the town.
Namiko walked for about an hour before noticing a shape on the ground. Namiko ran to it.
Atsuko lied on the ground, bleeding.
"Atsuko, what happened?!" Namiko asked urgently, kneeling down.
Atsuko sat up. "Those damn ninjas. They over- powered me and stole my grandfather's artifact."
"Artifact?" Namiko asked.
Atsuko nodded. "I went back to my home town to gather supplies, but then those demons attacked. As soon as I figured out what they were after, I grabbed the artifact. But then, the ninjas attacked me and left me here."
Namiko frowned. "I'm sorry for your town. I doubt anyone was still alive."
Atsuko clenched her fist. "It's not right. They didn't do anything wrong!" Atsuko broke out in tears.
Namiko put her hand on Atsuko's shoulder. "Hey, it's all right. We'll be able to get them. But first, we have to get you fixed up. Come on."
Namiko helped Atsuko up to her feet. Atsuko swung her arm over Namiko's neck and they started to walk.
"You don't have to do this," Atsuko said after a few minutes. Namiko looked at her. "I want to. And besides, I don't want anymore people to die."