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I'm back. -Ignores boos from crowd.- Awww, c'mon guys... Anyways, I thought
the first chapter was incredibly horrible myself, but I'll continue on with
this in hopes of achieving something... Don't hurt me. XD
Harukanata no Yume
Faraway Dreams
Chapter 1: Hohoemi - Smile
The day itself was beautiful, clear light blue off of the sky against the darker shaded trees that rose into the reaches of the day, yet it was to fated see blood on such a day. A great many lesser youkai, led by a much stronger bird demon, had attempted to take a priestess and her slayer companions. The battle had gone on for sometime now, neither side gaining any advantage as the fight drew on. The blood of youkai spilled upon the ground regularly while the much cleaner crimson liquid of the human warriors slowly drained, worn down by the mass of attackers.
Realizing their plight was almost hopeless, they prepared to fight to the last, hoping that their abilities would harm the enemy forces to the point that they did not have enough fodder for another charge against the unsuspecting. They had to protect the village.
A naginata pierced a wall of creatures, the curved blade cutting a swath of destruction among the youkai, leaving cries of anguish and bodies in its wake. Twin kamas sliced to and fro, any poor demon to come close enough was cut by its blade, who covered a priestess who was beginning to hold no more arrows in her quiver. A flail swung, taking several with the metallic, spiked weapon. But in the end, it did nothing to end the hungry mass of monsters.
My eyes watched their plight, wondering if to intervene or not. Seeing three more taijiya running towards them, I found myself relieved - after all, they could most likely handle this group. I felt like leaving a bit of a gift, my feet softly casting me off the from the bough where I had stood, jumping to several trees before landing behind a few rear-guarding youkai. I could almost smell how much they wanted to fight, to prey upon the flesh of fallen mortals.
And that drove me to despise these few creatures already.
"Hah, another lesser creature like youuuu... Come to join usss...."
"Yesss... Indeed brother... We haven't seen much action, so let this be our prey..."
Their voices were high, screeching as they spoke with their deformed pronounciations. The two creatures pounced, their bodies quickly bringing them within range of the catalyst which would end their pathetic existence. Quickly drawing Toukijin, I brought the blade upwards as soon as it left my side, cutting through one of the youkai before me. The other quickly realized his mistake, but it was too late for him. Another swipe came, after sidestepping his move, right arm leading the blade to slice through the creature, its body disappearing.
Sighing, I put Toukijin in its much safer place, and walked forth to find the creature who was coordinating this entire army of his.
"Fool, do you realize what you are doing? A youkai such as youself would surely appreciate it if such bothersome slayers were destroyed! We feast upon their bodies while you do not have your time wasted."
He spoke without moving a single part of his body, perched upon a jutting outcropping of rock. The creature had not even turned around to speak to me.
"Who said they were bothersome?" I almost laughed.
Finally, he shifted his head, to reveal twin eyes of a predatory creature, the orbs focusing on my form. I felt soemthing shoft behind me, its movements not as soft as it thought.
"Hmmm, perhaps we could work something out, then? Do you desire power? Or perhaps a beautiful female human?" It was his turn to chuckle, mocking me as I stood before him.
I almost felt as if I had been slapped in the face. My thoughts quickly reformed themselves. 'Was that why I am here? Why have I been looking after this village and their protectors for so long? Perhaps, as if seeking something. No, I was merely making sure that She survived, that my efforts were not wasted.'
I quickly brought forth a stoic facade, attempting to shield both him from anything I truly felt.
"No?" his replay was cold, almost haunting. "Then, you can die with the rest of the fools who had refused to follow me... Or were simply far too stupid to back down while they had the chance.
A swift movement occured behind me as I shifted my weight, bringing the unsupporting foot to the left as I wheeled backwards, avoiding a claw which had sliced through the air I had stood in but a few second ago. With Toukijin quickly unleashed, I brought the weapon down against the demon which had attempted to strike me from behind, cutting a bloody swath through his body. My ears already heard the movement of the leading creature's wings, and quickly brought myself to face the monster.
He began taking flight, golden feathers shining against the soft sun, a brilliant hue for sucha disgusting youkai. Pushing off with my feet, I jumped forward, striking the creature down before it you fly anywhere, a stream of green oozing forth to reach the ground, before his body did.
Landing on my feet, I merely glanced towards the lifeless form of the fool who had attempted to slay me. It was almost amusing watching many of the nearby creatures run for cover.
Hearing no more sounds of battle, but for the scurrying of legs, feet, and claws as the youkai ran away, footsteps came from down the road a bit, cresting and then dipping down the hill. Quickly casting myself from the scene of destruction, I landed in the cover of the trees, only after he heard on gasp.
"What is it, Rin?" The voice was that of a man, who was panting with exertion.
I felt something contract within me, constricting me to stay where I stood.
"I saw some kind of thing fly through the air just then..." She took a deep breath, then continued. "The form was white, with a few red blurs about him. I couldn't tell who it was, but I swore it was a demon. And yet... I felt I remember those colors."
Her voice was gentle, that of a normal girl rather than someone who would be with a group of demon exterminators. It was high, like the soft songs of birds within the morning, those creatures that woke me with their horrible songs. Although curious, I began walking, realizing that I would have to take care how I watched over the boreders of this settlement.
'How did it come to this? How could I leave my castle, as I did ever spring and fall, to come and see the village for myself? I told myself that she had been a human worth nothing, weak, emotional, always crying for a wound that just born youkai could take without saying a word... But I can't keep myself away, my thoughts are haunted by her laugh, which had been so carefree despite her life living with two demons and a twin-headed dragon.'
Shaking my head, I walked in the direction I had been facing.
Away from my past, and only hoping for a future.
Harukanata no Yume
Faraway Dreams
Chapter 1: Hohoemi - Smile
The day itself was beautiful, clear light blue off of the sky against the darker shaded trees that rose into the reaches of the day, yet it was to fated see blood on such a day. A great many lesser youkai, led by a much stronger bird demon, had attempted to take a priestess and her slayer companions. The battle had gone on for sometime now, neither side gaining any advantage as the fight drew on. The blood of youkai spilled upon the ground regularly while the much cleaner crimson liquid of the human warriors slowly drained, worn down by the mass of attackers.
Realizing their plight was almost hopeless, they prepared to fight to the last, hoping that their abilities would harm the enemy forces to the point that they did not have enough fodder for another charge against the unsuspecting. They had to protect the village.
A naginata pierced a wall of creatures, the curved blade cutting a swath of destruction among the youkai, leaving cries of anguish and bodies in its wake. Twin kamas sliced to and fro, any poor demon to come close enough was cut by its blade, who covered a priestess who was beginning to hold no more arrows in her quiver. A flail swung, taking several with the metallic, spiked weapon. But in the end, it did nothing to end the hungry mass of monsters.
My eyes watched their plight, wondering if to intervene or not. Seeing three more taijiya running towards them, I found myself relieved - after all, they could most likely handle this group. I felt like leaving a bit of a gift, my feet softly casting me off the from the bough where I had stood, jumping to several trees before landing behind a few rear-guarding youkai. I could almost smell how much they wanted to fight, to prey upon the flesh of fallen mortals.
And that drove me to despise these few creatures already.
"Hah, another lesser creature like youuuu... Come to join usss...."
"Yesss... Indeed brother... We haven't seen much action, so let this be our prey..."
Their voices were high, screeching as they spoke with their deformed pronounciations. The two creatures pounced, their bodies quickly bringing them within range of the catalyst which would end their pathetic existence. Quickly drawing Toukijin, I brought the blade upwards as soon as it left my side, cutting through one of the youkai before me. The other quickly realized his mistake, but it was too late for him. Another swipe came, after sidestepping his move, right arm leading the blade to slice through the creature, its body disappearing.
Sighing, I put Toukijin in its much safer place, and walked forth to find the creature who was coordinating this entire army of his.
"Fool, do you realize what you are doing? A youkai such as youself would surely appreciate it if such bothersome slayers were destroyed! We feast upon their bodies while you do not have your time wasted."
He spoke without moving a single part of his body, perched upon a jutting outcropping of rock. The creature had not even turned around to speak to me.
"Who said they were bothersome?" I almost laughed.
Finally, he shifted his head, to reveal twin eyes of a predatory creature, the orbs focusing on my form. I felt soemthing shoft behind me, its movements not as soft as it thought.
"Hmmm, perhaps we could work something out, then? Do you desire power? Or perhaps a beautiful female human?" It was his turn to chuckle, mocking me as I stood before him.
I almost felt as if I had been slapped in the face. My thoughts quickly reformed themselves. 'Was that why I am here? Why have I been looking after this village and their protectors for so long? Perhaps, as if seeking something. No, I was merely making sure that She survived, that my efforts were not wasted.'
I quickly brought forth a stoic facade, attempting to shield both him from anything I truly felt.
"No?" his replay was cold, almost haunting. "Then, you can die with the rest of the fools who had refused to follow me... Or were simply far too stupid to back down while they had the chance.
A swift movement occured behind me as I shifted my weight, bringing the unsupporting foot to the left as I wheeled backwards, avoiding a claw which had sliced through the air I had stood in but a few second ago. With Toukijin quickly unleashed, I brought the weapon down against the demon which had attempted to strike me from behind, cutting a bloody swath through his body. My ears already heard the movement of the leading creature's wings, and quickly brought myself to face the monster.
He began taking flight, golden feathers shining against the soft sun, a brilliant hue for sucha disgusting youkai. Pushing off with my feet, I jumped forward, striking the creature down before it you fly anywhere, a stream of green oozing forth to reach the ground, before his body did.
Landing on my feet, I merely glanced towards the lifeless form of the fool who had attempted to slay me. It was almost amusing watching many of the nearby creatures run for cover.
Hearing no more sounds of battle, but for the scurrying of legs, feet, and claws as the youkai ran away, footsteps came from down the road a bit, cresting and then dipping down the hill. Quickly casting myself from the scene of destruction, I landed in the cover of the trees, only after he heard on gasp.
"What is it, Rin?" The voice was that of a man, who was panting with exertion.
I felt something contract within me, constricting me to stay where I stood.
"I saw some kind of thing fly through the air just then..." She took a deep breath, then continued. "The form was white, with a few red blurs about him. I couldn't tell who it was, but I swore it was a demon. And yet... I felt I remember those colors."
Her voice was gentle, that of a normal girl rather than someone who would be with a group of demon exterminators. It was high, like the soft songs of birds within the morning, those creatures that woke me with their horrible songs. Although curious, I began walking, realizing that I would have to take care how I watched over the boreders of this settlement.
'How did it come to this? How could I leave my castle, as I did ever spring and fall, to come and see the village for myself? I told myself that she had been a human worth nothing, weak, emotional, always crying for a wound that just born youkai could take without saying a word... But I can't keep myself away, my thoughts are haunted by her laugh, which had been so carefree despite her life living with two demons and a twin-headed dragon.'
Shaking my head, I walked in the direction I had been facing.
Away from my past, and only hoping for a future.