Chapter One
She held a child covered in blood, screeching with loud throaty cries that mingled with the sound of soft sobbing somewhere in the blurred edges of her subconscious. The child appeared human, but a dark whisper of evil radiated from it, an evil that was familiar to her, an evil that resided in the very things she hunted. All around her voices trilled with agitated whispers, and no one voice was different from the others, making it hard to discern what was being said. All she knew was that something was terribly wrong. Wrong with this child and wrong with the darkness hovering about her. The voices grew more and more shrill until they rose to a deafening shriek. She got the feeling of melting away before colors and images began whirling about her, bleeding into one another. Drab colors became vivid. Cold became warm. Up became down. And it suddenly became like she was falling, spiraling out of control. Then the scene abruptly changed, and gone was the dizzying sensation that she had felt, here she found herself surrounded by destruction and flames that hissed in delight as they were fed writhing human flesh. Something moved in her arms and she looked down to see the child swathed in blankets, staring up at her with deep blue eyes and a crown of thick black curls.
A man approached her, carrying something in his hands that she could not make out, but felt its evil just the same. She began backing away for what he held could only be death. What else could feel so menacing yet utterly seductive? Eyes an unearthly shade of blue were tinged with a crimson glow and held hers as he knelt to place the object at her feet, then slowly rose back up and looked down at her.
This is the future. This is mankind's fate. The words oddly enough were clear, but those full lips never moved. She chanced to look down and knew a brief moment of surprise. The baby was gone. She looked around, overcome with a wave of panic, her gaze coming back to the dark hair, blue- eyed stranger. Eyes very much like the child who she once held in her arms. She knew without question that he was the child, only in adult form, yet something else about the man had seemed familiar, yet even now, as she dwelled on the nights events, she could not place what that something was.
Who are you? She asked, stepping closer. Why does it feel like I know you? But she received nothing more than a gentle kiss on her cheek, his lips cool on her flesh and sending a shock of cold through her body as if ice had formed in her veins. And then there was nothing. Complete and utter darkness as she was forced out of the void of sleep and plunged back into wakefulness.
Taki awoke with a gasp and shot up, her long brown hair falling around her shoulders in a mass of unruly locks, obscuring her vision as she looked around. It was still dark yet, there was a feeling of newness in the air that signaled dawn was on the way. Beside her on the animal skin blanket she had bought from a road side peddler, Seung Mina lay sprawled out on her back, one arm thrown over her eyes, her chest rising and falling slowly as she snored softly, her face serene. She murmured something in her sleep and rolled onto her side, scratching her arm, then falling still once more.
At least she was having a peaceful night's sleep. Taki had yet to do so in the past two weeks, thanks to the disturbing visions that refused to allow her to rest during the night, making her slow and agitated during the day and dulling her usually sharp instincts, which is exceedingly dangerous for a Ninja, especially one who had to remain on the look out at all times.
"Yes, Hwang. I will marry you....what? So soon? I would love to! " Seung Mina gurgled joyfully in her sleep. Taki rolled her eyes , then turned around to pull back the blanket and retrieve her weapons. Mekki- Maru remained in its sheath sealed with spells of protection to reign in it's awesome powers, while Rekki-Maru lay beside it. Picking up the latter blade she stared down at it and closed her eyes. How her life had changed coming into contact with this weapon. She'd given up everything to keep it safe and protected, keep it out of the wrong hands. But in the end was it really worth it? Was constantly avoiding the assassins sent to track her down really worth all this? She secured the weapon at her back, leaving her own question unanswered.
Yet deep down she knew what the answer was. If it meant keeping it out of the corrupted hands of men like Toki, then by all means yes. However currently her concern was reaching Greece to speak with the Flaxen haired warrior about the reoccurring dreams. Perhaps she could offer some insight about the visions and provide some way to stop them, then and only then would Taki be able to function efficiently should she have the misfortune of running into Toki's men. It simply a matter of when not if.
She lay back down on her back after replacing both of her swords beneath the blanket, then stared up at the waning night sky, Mina falling momentarily silent except for the occasional murmur of delight. Silently she asked anyone within that ebony celestial body willing to listen for guidance and strength, and drifting slowly back to sleep, hoped that would be enough.
"Ay girlie watch where ya goin' uh? " A plump and irate woman with thinning gray hair that had once been a dark sable and glassy blue eyes huffed at Seung Mina as she barreled past, heft a heavy cart full hand woven baskets and cloth, her skirts swirling around thick swollen ankles and large feet that tread offensively over the beautifully placed stones that paved the roads. The market place was packed with merchants selling their wares—oils from the middle east, tapestries made of fine silk from Japan, spices and herbs, ointments and cures for the sick and impotent, meats and sweet smelling breads that teased the senses and seduced the mouth into watering.
"Terribly sorry ma'am." Seung Mina called sounding repentant enough, but Taki caught the underlying sarcasm and smiled faintly with mild amusement. Mina had been spending too much time around her. Mina hurried to catch up, noticing the path Taki cleared as they walked through the crowd. Wary glances were cast in their direction—mainly at the female ninja whose dark gaze remained unreadable and pleasantly blank. A child that had ambled into Taki's path was promptly swept up and hurried away by his distrustful mother. Seung Mina remained bright and cheerful as ever, trying to dispel some of the awkwardness mounting.
"Perhaps they are not used to strangers." Mina offered, though the statement sounded more like a question than reassurance. Besides, that, she doubted the huge Zombatoh she was carrying with her didn't exactly help to alleviate any budding suspicion from the locals either.
"Or perhaps they are wiser than they appear." Taki replied coolly. "Stay here." Seung Mina made a sound that sounding like a snort and started to reply, however Taki was already approaching a black smith, his tent positioned between a cart where an elderly couple were selling trinkets and a rack full of beautiful crafted swords. Smoke billowed in plums of white ash from the open top and sparks from the soft white hot metal flew as the smith pound away with his hammer, carefully shaping it.
The smith himself was a relatively large man topping Taki in height by a little over a foot, sleek muscle corded his arms as he worked, lock of thick wavy black lay plastered against his sweaty brow drawn into a frown of concentration as deep green eyes focused all their attention on the task before them. Sweat glisten on his bare torso and dripped onto the coarse material of his pants beneath leather apron was tied around his narrow waist.
"Rothion."
The smith looked up sharply, the frown of concentration deepening into one of irritation at being interrupted, Suddenly the frown brightened into a faint smile as the husband of Sophitia recognized his woman's savior and old friend. He lifted the finished sword he'd been working on and dipped it into a large bucket of cool water, the metal hissing fiercely as steam rose off it. Rothion set down the sword and picked up a rag from his workbench to clean the sweat from his face before going over to extend his hand.