Eternal Bonds of Fate

Chapter 6: Blood stained beauty

Blood… too much blood… gasping for air, she lifted her hands to the air and tried to scream for help as more of the deep red liquid threatened to consume her.

Help me… somebody please help me!

Snapping her eyes open, silverine orbs stared numbly at the ceiling and let her body to breathe in deeply, letting the crisp cold air calm her turbulent emotions. A nightmare… just a nightmare…

"Nightmares?"

Turning her head slowly to the side, her eyes found similar orbs looking back at her. Slowly lifting herself up from her futon, she smiled weakly knowing it was impossible for her to lie to the one person who probably knew her better than she knew her own self. A slight tilt on her raven hair and his deep baritone answered her unvoiced question.

"You fainted the moment you guys got back. Pushing your body to the limit isn't going to help us, and you should know that better than anyone else."

A slight flush covered her cheeks as she shook her head slightly. "Gomen," came the soft whisper as she slowly lifted her body from her bed, "but this little incident shows that I'm exactly not ready. I need you to train me again oniisan."

The older Kamiya stared down in confusion at his little sister, "Aren't I training you already?" came the confused response

She shook her head and looked up at her brother, her eyes glittering dangerously in the soft morning light. "I need you to train me the way our elders did to us all those years ago."

"Are you sure you want to go through that again?" he asked her in hushed tones as she turned to gather all her weaponry.

Standing beside him the first morning light revealing her cold features and the ruthlessness glittering in her eyes. "I've endured it once, I can get through it again." Came the cool reply as she walked past him towards the back of the temple where centuries of sorcerers tested their skills, most of which have never returned. He followed the lithe figure of the young assassin as her voice wafted towards him, carried by the soft winds and understood her unerring determination to face the nightmares of the past.

"I will do everything to protect those I love…"

0000000000000000000000

Stifling back a gasp, Megumi stumbled back as she eyed the gruesome scene before her. One hand clamped on her mouth, the other held on tightly to the bandaged hand of one rooster head as they continued to watch their friend suffer before their very eyes but unable to do anything about it, tears fell from her cinnamon colored eyes as another blow struck the small kenjusu shihondai sending her crashing down on the cold hard ground, blood dripping from her open wounds.

It was well past noon when they had heard the thunderous crash from behind the temple. Lunch has just been served and the morning meeting with Yamagata Aritomo and the rest of the Hizuchi Clan and Oniwabanshuu have been left wondering where the head of the sorcerer clan had gone to. Not even the two elemental priestesses knew where their lord had gone to nor did they see their youngest clan member. Kenshin was about to go down into town to personally search for them when they had heard the crash that sent them hurrying towards the site where they had heard the explosion.

Kenshin had nearly chopped off Gentatsu's head off at the sight of his beloved Kaoru when he was stopped by the young woman herself. Her voice ringing with such cold determination that it made him stop short and the look she gave him made him completely back off from the battle. As the rest arrived behind him, he continued to watch uneasily as the two sorcerers continued to fight each other. Each not withholding their strengths, both determined to overcome the other. Fire against water.

He stood tensed and ready to step in despite Kaoru's earlier rebuff. He was about to jump in to protect her when he felt a gentle hand clamp firmly on his shoulder. Glaring at the person holding him back, furious amber met with doleful emerald orbs. Reika merely shook her head sadly motioned him to step back, he glared back at the tall priestess with every intention of ignoring her when he felt himself being hefted from the back of his gi and dropped back down harshly. Jumping right back up, he glared at his shishou before turning towards the two fighters only to face the earth priestess blocking his way. Crouching low, he gripped the handle of his sakabatou tightly and prepared to knock down the chocolate haired woman. It was the truth that he would never lay a hand in anger at any woman, but it was also known to all that he would not hesitate to hurt anyone who would get in his way in protecting Kaoru, even if that person was a woman.

Itsuki's soft words calmed the fury raging inside him, relaxing from his stance, he turned his amber eyes at the wind priestess to elaborate.

"As I've said, this is her decision. Lord Gentatsu knows just exactly how this type of training goes… after all he went through the same torment with Kaoru under the elders years ago. This is the training the two of them had to go through before they could be assigned with their designated positions in the clan." She whispered softly as she turned to look at the two fighters. "A test they had to go through to prove themselves worthy of the clans respect."

Misao exploded at her words, "A test to prove their worth! What test is that, that they would make their own people kill each other!"

Itsuki shook her head sadly, "You don't understand. This is just a training. In the real test, there is nothing we would be able to do to help her."

"Are you telling us, that this is just training her? A preparation for the test?" Hiko Seijuro asked Itsuki in an almost disbelieving tone, at her quiet nod, he shook his head and watched the fight before them. Settling down on the side, he leaned back and took out his bottle of sake and took one long swig, his lips curling into a sardonic smile. "I guess there wouldn't be any harm in watching them, besides," he called out to his read headed student, "baka-deshi! I think you'll learn from that woman of yours!"

Kenshin merely glared daggers at his teacher and gritted his teeth, his concern evident as he looked at the raven haired swordswoman. "Just put it this way, Battousai. She's going to be as powerful as she was before, might be even more, to tell you the truth, and she's going to be safe during this war. As safe as she can get on her own when you're out there fighting and you won't worry that anything might happen to her if you're not there by her side to protect her." Reika told him gently, gentle amusement in her voice. "I'm not saying that you won't worry… but at least you'll have the knowledge that she can very well take care of her self… and take out an entire clan if need be. Besides, this is had been her own decision, Gentatsu would rather die than hurt her, but he also knows that there is nothing he could do to stand up against the lady herself."

Looking up at the tall sorceress, he let a small smile make its way to his lips before moving back to the sides with the rest. Noticing that the rest of the Kenshin-gumi were present, he also knew that they were all worried for Kaoru but there was nothing they could do about it. This was her decision and they would have to respect it even if it was against their will.

0000000000000000000

Katsura Kogoro watched the movements of the young assassin carefully and knew that she would be very useful if they were to eliminate the top members of the opposing group, but he also knew that Battousai would not allow the girl to be used in such a way. He was protective of her, he learned just as much talking to the Mibu Wolf, Shinomori Aoshi and Hiko Seijuro himself. Observing him right now only attested to that fact, and not only would he have to worry about Battousai, but he would also have to deal with her friends and her older brother… still, there has to be a way to have her work for them.

Gentatsu watched her movements carefully, a beautiful flower covered and stained by blood. He knew that she had the power to kill him, to become the emotionless assassin that she had been all those years ago, but he also knew that he had to hold on to her, make her as powerful as she had been and make her hold on to her sanity. He could only do as much for someone who had lived her entire childhood under the shadow of a blood stained sword.

Moving quickly to the side, he had barely managed to avoid the swift swipe of her kodachi to his side when she materialized right before him. Unsheathing his own sword, blazing as the wind touched its gleaming surface, he lifted his sword arm and gave a clear swipe directly at her, sending a powerful wave of fire and dirt right at the water priestess. Replacing her kodachi with her metallic fan, she snapped the one in her right hand and used it to block the assault, pushing most of her weight forward to counter the force of the attack. Swiftly moving a step back, she then moved the open fan she had used as a shield behind her, snapping the one in her left open at the same time, she then crouched down and pushed her body right back up and forward to deliver her own counter attack using the element of both wind and earth to her advantage as it sent a powerful wave of energy back to the fire sorcerer.

Bracing himself to counter her attack, he grunted out loud as the full impact of her attack pushed him back a few feet despite his best efforts. Just as he lowered his sword, Kaoru appeared right before him and delivered a fierce kick to his abdomen followed by a violent punch to his face and more physical attacks by their former assassin leaving him drained out and too weak to move as he crashed down on the cold hard earth.

Breathing deeply, her silver eyes focused and widened when her rage covered brain cleared a bit for her to finally realize the extent of her actions. Crying out in dismay, she dropped down to her knees and tentatively reached out with a shaking hand to the man she had considered a brother. Tears fell from her eyes as she let her hand drop down to clench on her blood soaked uniform, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed.

How could I? How could I have let it consume me? How could I let myself be consumed by the rage and the memories!

Gentatsu groaned out loud in pain as he opened his eyes, momentarily lying down motionless to recover sufficient strength, his lips curving wryly in a rueful smile. She almost beat me to a pulp… Groaning again with the pain in his ribs, he stopped short when he heard chocked sobs. Lifting his head, his eyes widened when he saw Kaoru kneeling beside him sobbing uncontrollably. Moving quickly, he wrapped his arms around her and comforted her despite the pain announcing itself all over his battered body. Gently stroking her hair in calming strokes, he held her in his arms until the tears abated. He looked down at the girl he held in his arms and remembered the way she had fought with him, the way her silver eyes glinted with blood lust and with every punch and kick she threw to him, he then knew that the hitokiri that they had reared up has now come back from the land of the dead.

Hitokiri Sakura was back, but can the gentle spirit of Kaoru Kamiya handle the darkness of the other? He knew that the young priestess would be able to hone and regain the power she once had, but at the same time, it was going to be a fight to hold on to her sanity.

00000000000

AN: Wheeee! Finally, I get to finish this chapter! Although, I guess I won't be able to start on the next chapter until next week, I hope to get more reviews from you guys. Really, really do hope so. I want to thank you guys for giving me the name of Yamagata Aritomo. Thankiesh! Well, me got to go now! hope you guys like this chappie! Ja ne!

Aoi-chan