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Japanese to Know:

Reikai- Spirit World

Chapter 33

The Edge of Battle

The morning of the new moon came upon the warriors of the Reikai quickly. The impending war seemed very real now, where it had seemed only a bad dream the night before. The feelings of battle shook away the cobwebs and surfaced once more. Awakening from its deep hibernation, lust drove them to anxiousness. Nightfall seemed so far away.

That morning, Hokage woke with a start. She looked about the dark room for some form of comfort, but found none. Her heart continued to pound in her ears. The awkward feeling of being watched made her skin crawl.

"Who's there?" she said, taking a deep breath.

But no answer of comfort came.

"Raphael? Gabriel?"

Still silence.

Trying to relax, Hokage got out of bed and opened her small dresser. She pulled out a white T-shirt and baggy blue jeans. After changing, she searched some more and found a red, short-sleeved, button-up shirt. She put it on and left it unbuttoned.

"This…is the day," she whispered, putting on the crosses Osadyro and Kurama had given her. "Tomorrow, I turn nineteen. I never had a life plan, but 'death' was never part of it." She laughed crudely. "They all thought I was crazy when I said I'd die so another could gain the chance to live. Never thought I'd have to prove it."

"Second thoughts?"

"Yea, but it has to be done. Those I love must live. This is the only way."

"You don't have to die tonight."

"I know. But I'd rather die to save my loved ones than join them in a few days or so. I want to go out with a bang, you know?"

"You want stories to be told about you. You want to be remembered forever."

Hokage smiled sadly. "Not forever. I just don't want to disappear into the wind. I want to leave my handprint on a freshly cemented sidewalk…instead of walking around it. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I, too, wanted to be remembered. I was the first and greatest female warlord. But no one knows my name. No one knows my story. I died because I wanted to believe in hope. I died before I had the chance to be remembered."

"Someone remembers. Someone knows. I know. Satan knows. God knows. Jesus knows. Osadyro knows. See? You aren't so forgotten as you thought."

"And I believe that you will be remembered far longer than you could ever imagine."

Hokage winced and held her arm. "I just have to last a bit longer. Then I can let go forever."

"Hokage-sensei?" a small voice mumbled from the door.

The girl turned and saw Tokiya's head sticking into the room. "Come in."

The child entered, closing the door. With tear-filled eyes, he ran to her and gripped her about the waist, burying his face in her stomach. "You saved me," he cried, "and now I can't repay you. I can't save you back."

Hokage crouched down and held the boy tightly, crying without tears. "If you wish to repay me, Tokiya-kun, you must simply live. Live well and long, that is my wish of you."

"I don't want you to leave me! You're the only family I know!"

"And I always will be." She pushed him back a bit and placed her hand over his heart. "I'm right here, forever and always. If you ever need me, dearest child, this is where you'll find me. Sometimes I may be hard to find, but you'll find me if you look deep enough. I'll never leave you, Tokiya-kun." She hugged him tightly, wishing time could stop for a while so she could keep on holding him; the only baby she'd ever have.

"Who will love me, Hokage-sensei? Who will teach me?"

"If you let him, Hiei will. Will you let him teach you what he knows? Will you let him love you?"

Tokiya nodded. "I won't disappoint you, Sensei. I'll be the best I can be. I'll make you proud."

She kissed his head. "I don't doubt it. Just don't forget to live and love."

"I won't." He cried into her neck, holding on tightly. He, too, wished time would stop. Wished this moment would last forever.

The Devil peered from his bedroom window down to the vast army of souls that awaited battle. Souls that had long been deprived of blood, reveling only in a constant state of dying. A deathless army, just as she requested. The child with more courage than most he's known in his long years.

"Your body will be returned to your loved ones," he murmured, pulling from the view. "You will finally find the peace you've sought for so long. An eternal love will follow your memory." He smiled. "Your legacy."

"Lucifer…there's something you should know," a man said from the door.

Satan turned and greeted his visitor with longing eyes.

"Another will steal Darkfire from you. He will take her heart with him."

Nodding with understanding, Lucifer replied, "Your visions have been wrong before, Raphael. I will put my trust and heart in her hand and let her decide whether or not to crush them."

The Archangel faltered when the Devil laughed loudly. "What's so funny?"

"You're lucky, Raphael."

"Why do you say that?"

"You will never have to suffer the pain that comes with loving and being loved by someone like Darkfire."

The green-eyed angel smiled softly. "Perhaps, but it would've been nice to have tried."

Lucifer nodded, his eyes falling back to the view outside.

"That's an impressive army."

"Hell is full of soldiers. Didn't you know?"

Raphael laughed at the crude joke, taking advantage of the company. Normally, he would have been appalled. But, here, there was no one to keep appearances up for. "Yes, well, most may pray to God, but murder is still a sin. An unavoidable part of being loyal to one's country. Something like a Catch-22, I suppose."

Lucifer grinned, patting the Archangel's back. "All Archangels should be like you."

"Oh, no, that would be too much! God and Heaven need a little difference!"

Together they laughed.

On the edge of battle, hope and happiness are hard to come by. Death and sadness and pain, on the other hand, come in abundance. Light disappears in the vast darkness. Sweet songs are lost in pained screams. Friends vanish in the face of danger. What hope is left to cling to? What happiness can be found to give strength? Fear takes hold, making it all seem over before it starts.

But even in the darkest dark, light is present. Beyond the screams, precious songs can be heard. True friends emerge to mock danger. Hope surfaces and happiness fills one's soul. Fear can be vanquished before all else. Courage is the key: courage to fight; to live; to die; to kill; to trust. Nothing ends before it begins.

Sorry it's so short, but Tokiya made me cry. I could barely see the screen.

Next chapter: Let the battle begin!