So, I've changed the story name and description since I felt it better suited the story. The breaks have been fixed with the lines to separate them, though there will be some parts that switch constantly so I'll leave those like normal. I'm not sure how many chapters total there will be, but I'll continue it until it reaches a good ending. I appreciate all the support so far. Feel free to leave reviews so I know how I'm doing. Enjoy.
The mission was supposed to be fairly easy; enter the Witches Realm, verify the Mother was safe, acquire the current Elite team on duty. It should have been an in-and-out mission, something that could be done within an hour. But as Viktor struck down the rogue witches with such fury that it rivaled the God of the Underworld, it was far from it. There were dozens, if not hundreds, of the infected witches roaming the Coven, screaming in agony as their minds melted from the power of Asura's madness. They didn't seem to notice as they were slain, throats slashed wide open or hearts pierced with extreme precision. Over and over he struck, screaming in frustration as he killed them one after another. Of course, it wasn't their fault that they had been corrupted, but that that witch. If she hadn't released the madness, hadn't started a war in the Coven…
"I'll get my revenge, Ametrine, for you taking the life of the woman I loved!" Viktor screamed as he stabbed a witch directly in the forehead, killing her instantly. "Even if I have to hunt you to the ends of this world or the next, I will kill you!"
*~B~*
Ametrine smiled as she felt the madness explode over the Coven, her plan working perfectly. After the guard had left, the madness had begun to spread like wildfire within twenty-fours, crippling the city and forcing it to its knees. Though she was still bound to her chains, she had the feeling the ninja clan would honor the contract and rescue her from her prison. It had been nearly a week since her capture, and though she tired of the dark, damp constraints of her cell, the patience was worth it. Metal clanked loudly outside of the doors and she sat up, the metal collar against her neck beeping loudly in protest. As the doors began to screech open, the witch felt the smile on her face grow as her restraints were removed one by one. The skin beneath the metal shackles had been rubbed raw, some even bleeding, though they could be healed later.
"Witch Ametrine, we are here to accompany you back to the clan. Can you stand?" An armor-clad ninja asked while offering a hand, translucent eyes void of any emotion.
"Perfectly, thank you. Would you mind taking off this collar? It's gotten a bit stuffy with it on," Ametrine pointed a delicate nail to the rapidly beeping collar, the lights flashing red.
With a quick nod, the ninja struck the collar in its weak point, the contraption clicking open as it fell to the ground, shorted out. Stretching her neck, the witch let out a satisfied sigh as she felt it pop. There wouldn't be much time before Lord Death got wind of the attack and swooped in to stop her, so Ametrine strolled right out of the cell, the ninjas falling in line around her. Though they didn't seem to show it, the madness was beginning to affect them. Faster eye movements, sudden little twitches in their limbs; they were trained well, but the power of Asura's madness always found a new way to infect hosts.
"Witch Ametrine, please follow us to the exit point. We shall take you directly back to the clan so you can report to the Elders." A ninja, a little taller than the rest, spoke emotionlessly as he lead the group towards an abandoned well shed not too far from the cell. "They are eagerly awaiting your return."
"As you wish. My business within the Witches Realm is complete for the time being." Once every witch in the Coven was ravaged, the plan was to find Mabaa and eliminate her. Only then, would she become the true Mother of the Coven.
As they neared the well house, Ametrine noticed one of the team members had vanished without a trace. Considering their rigorous training in the ninja arts, it shouldn't have surprised her that they had vanished without her noticing, but something felt off. The man she had met weeks ago, Viktor Leonidovich, was one of the few highly trained ninjas who had been assigned to escort her throughout the Witches Realm and Russia, but he was nowhere to be seen. As soon as she noticed the other member gone, her suspicions were raised. Were they planning to go behind her word and eliminate her? Or was there something else that had taken his priority…
"What has happened to your captain, Viktor, was it? I suppose whatever he is currently attending to is more important than his high-priority mission?" Ametrine said coolly, examining her nails with bored interest. She didn't miss the way glances were briefly exchanged.
"Forgive me, witch Ametrine, but we are unable to give out that information. Please, head down the ladder and enter the portal, we shall follow shortly."
Sensing she wasn't going to get an answer, the witch merely followed one of the ninjas to the portal entrance, lips pursed together. There was something they weren't willing to tell her, something they didn't want her to know. She would have to get the information later, one way or another, but for now she climbed down the ladder and without a moment's hesitation, stepped through the glowing portal.
*~B~*
Viktor had lost count of how many lives he had taken, the number too high to remember as he continued slashing and stabbing his way through the Coven. By now, his team had to have reached Ametrine and escorted her through the hidden portal outside of the city. He had sent the flare up just before diving into the hoard, unleashing his fury upon them. A part of him felt bad for ending their lives, but without someone to remove the madness, they were nothing more than empty bodies filled with madness. Sweat dripped down his face and he yanked his hood back, messy platinum blond locks springing free from the tight wrap. It was getting tiresome; more and more witches seemed to be drawn towards him as the bodies piled up.
"Captain, the witch is secured." It was Sidorov Yemelyanovich, one of his younger team members. He stuck close to the captain, dual katanas drawn and ready. "I will cover you, please grab Vika and we can depart at once."
"Sidorov…"
"Idi, ya pokroyu tebya." Go, I will cover you.
Viktor hastily turned on his heel, jumping over the grabbing hands of the witches, as he hurried towards the council room. There were very few witches hovering around the door, merely banging their heads against the walls or attacking each other. Taking the distraction, the ninja slipped past them and hurried to grab Vika's body from the stone floor. The warmth had long left her body as he gently lifted her, cradling her head against his shoulder, one arm around her back and the other supporting her knees. As he reached the doorway, a few witches shuffled their way through, anguished screeching echoing through the barren room. With a slight weight adjustment, Viktor swung his leg out and kicked them out of the way, the sickening crunch of bone hitting the stone causing him to cringe. Sidorov was still fighting off the witches, his blades glinting dangerously as he sliced through them with ease, blood running down the lengths of his weapons.
"YA yeye, poshli." I have her, let's go.
The two flickered from sight, leaving the maddened witches to resume their own self destruction.
Vika Yanovna had been given a warrior's memorial, the entire clan donning black in mourning as her body was burned and returned to ashes. Viktor had stood beside the Elder's as they chanted the ancient burial tomes, his normally messy locks slicked back with gel as stood with his hands clenched tightly behind his back. Her family was standing closest to the fire, heart-wrenching cries from her mother as she watched her only child turn to dust. Adeliya Yanovna fell to her knees, punching the ground as she screamed her child's name over and over, the grief too much for her to bear. Behind her stood Derzhavin Yanovna, her husband, who stood with his fists curled tightly at his side, silent tears streaming down his hardened face as the flames danced in his eyes.
It was almost too much for the ninja to handle and Viktor quickly stepped back, walking towards the stone wall that encompassed the burning grounds. As soon as his frame was away from the eyes of the villagers, he sank to his knees in the thick snow, hands gripping his head tightly. He couldn't stop the tears as they flowed, heart screaming in despair as his chest heaved. This nightmare wouldn't end, no matter how hard he pleaded and begged it to. The love of his life was now being returned to the Earth in ashes, to be reborn into new life. It shouldn't have happened…it wouldn't have happened if that damned witch hadn't released madness into the Coven. Whatever her goal was, it wasn't for the benefit of the clan; Ametrine was only using the clan as a means to get what she wanted, and it didn't matter how many bodies fell to create the stairway to that goal. Come Hell or highwater, he would put an end to it and slice the head from her body himself. A hand clasped over his shoulder and he stiffened.
"Relax, it's just me." Serova Leonidovich spoke softly as she crouched down next to her son, eyes brimming with tears. "I feel your pain, syn, as she was like my own flesh and blood. We shall mourn her loss, though we shall also remember the life she lived. Do not hold it in, let it all out." Viktor looked up at his mother, the master ninja suddenly feeling like a small child as he looked into his mother's eyes. Scooping him into her embrace, she rocked her child as he wept.
*~B*~
Vika's ashes were buried in the warrior's cemetery, an expansive section of the mountain that contained hundreds of years of warriors who had fallen in battle. A family plot had been started by previous generations and she was laid to rest beside her grandfather, Tsaritsyn Yanovna, a mighty master ninja who had led the battle between the Hidden Shadow Ninja clan and the Hidden Serpent clan decades ago. The two clans were at odds over territory and many lives were lost. The Hidden Shadow clan left the battle, bloody and beaten, but victorious and gained another section of the mountains as their own. Tsaritsyn returned to the Earth peacefully, in his sleep, many years later and stories of his triumph was told every generation.
Viktor stood solemnly over the gravesite, the dirt having settled over the past few weeks, with a bundle of flowers in his arms. He visited a few times a week, keeping the headstone cleared of snow and dirt as he sat down and remembered every memory they shared. From when they were just young kids, playing hide and seek in the woods to strolling along the sacred river that ran down the mountainside. There was even a time when they had encountered a massive bear in the forest, unknowingly getting too close to her cubs. It stood on its hind legs as it roared at them before charging. Pushing Vika out of the way, Viktor lured the bear away from her, barely dodging massive claws as it swung at him. A stumble caused him to faceplant into a snowdrift that had formed against the trunk of a tree. The bear closed in and raised its paw to deal the final blow and the tiny ninja threw his arm over his face, hoping it would be over quickly. But as he waited with bated breath, nothing ever came. Taking the risk, he lowered his arm to see the bear retreating quickly, rushing back to its cubs.
"I scared it off, Viktor! I forced a cub to call out for help to lure it back. Wasn't that so cool?!" Vika bounced excitedly as she pulled her stunned friend from the drift.
He gave a bitter smile at the memory; that girl was never afraid of anything, not even a dangerous mother bear. With his hand he brushed some freshly fallen snow from her headstone before placing the flowers. With a small prayer, he sat, reminiscing about the friendship they had forged over the years. Vika was an unusual ninja in regard to her appearance; instead of the icy white eyes that all villagers had, hers had a bluish tint to them, reminding him of the tip of a deep glacier. Auburn hair accentuated her deep eyes, making her a rare beauty in the clan. Many suitors tried for her hand but were turned down instantly, the woman showing no interest in their attempts. She would always complain to Viktor, mocking the many suitors by making faces and imitating their voices. It always made him laugh as she re-enacted the moments, playing both parts. Little things like that had made them close, an unbreakable bond forming strong and true.
"It won't ever be the same without you. YA lyublyu tebya." I love you.
Brushing off the falling snow from his lap as he stood, Viktor slowly made his way back to the center of the village, hands stuffed into his pockets as he walked. He had been summoned to the temple once more, most likely for another mission. Since they had returned, the Elder's relieved him temporarily of his duties to mourn and heal the loss. It would take months, years, before the grief would lessen, but sitting around wallowing in self pity wasn't going to accomplish anything, especially when he had a certain witch to take care of. She had holed up deep in the mountainside, in a cavern that expanded the entire length of the village, to continue releasing madness. Ametrine had tasked a few ninjas with spreading small vials of the stuff to nearby villages. While he had never seen the vials leaving the cave, he had witnessed people wandering sluggishly along the outside boundaries of the settlement. They never responded to anything and appeared to be under a trance as they trudged through the snow.
What unnerved him was that fact that months ago, he had encountered a man in the forest who had acted similarly to these people. The blackness of his eyes and decaying stench of his mouth still tore him from his slumber, sheer panic coursing through his veins as his eyes darted around his hut. The madness…was it sending him a message? A warning that the arrival of the Reaper was near?
"Those who meddle outside the laws of God shall face the wrath of the Reaper. There is no redemption for those who break the sacred law. You have been warned."
A chill ran up his spine at the memory. He refused to tell the Elders about what he had seen, wary that panic would spread through the village, so he kept the haunting scene to himself. He wondered if Maka Albarn was the reaper the voice mentioned; she was a wielder of a Death Scythe who had supernatural powers that could defeat the madness. Perhaps he would ask her the next time they met.
As the temple came into view, Viktor shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind, preparing to receive his next orders. The same guards as last time shifted aside to allow him entrance, void eyes staring at nothingness. Warmth greeted him as he left his shoes just inside the doorway, sliding into the thin slippers before making his way to the reading fire once more. This time, it was only Flyorova seated a little way from the snapping flames, her eyes glassed over as she stared blankly at them. She had taken the death hard; it was unknown to most, mainly just the elderly villagers knew, but Vika was the niece of the highest ranking Elder. The two were very close, often spending a few hours a week talking over tea and catching up with one another.
As Viktor sat down, the Elder snapped from her trance and glanced over at him, waving off his attempt to bow. "Viktor…how are you holding up?"
"As well as I can, Elder, what of you?" She sadly shook her head, eyes watering.
"My heart aches for my flesh and blood, though I can take some comfort that she is no longer suffering. Tell me, was her passing swift?"
"By the time I had reached her, she had inhaled a lot of fumes. She passed shortly after I reached her. I was unaware she was in the office…if I had known…"
"Stop," Flyorova held a hand up, silencing him. "No one could have known. There was always the risk…a risk I wish would never exist, but the destiny cannot be swayed from her path." A few tears slipped from the corner of her eyes and she let them. "All we can do now is move forward in her honor. I know she would have wanted you to keep living your life…that is all we can do now. Move forward."
It was silent for a few minutes, the crackling of the fire filling the emptiness of the temple air. Once she had composed herself, the Elder shifted on her cushion to face him, tired eyes searching his own.
"Viktor, we have heard news that the meister Maka Albarn has returned to Innopolis in search of more clues to our whereabouts. The witch Ametrine has offered her assistance this time, sending ahead a few hundred smaller Kishins to ambush her. Your mission…your mission is to ensure she does not make it this far. There is one woman still alive in the town, Nadia, a former desk clerk at the Inn where they stayed weeks ago. We want you to turn her into a pre-Kishin in front of the meister to deter her from investigating further. I know with Vika's recent passing that this will be hard…it is not something I would wish upon anyone, DWMA student or enemy, but Ametrine has strongly suggested such a tactic." The Elder swallowed hard, her emotions surfacing once more as she reached out to grab his hands. "Please, do not harm the girl. She has a strong spirit and I fear the witch is using us to get rid of her. From the stories I've heard, she is a fierce fighter, just like our Vika. We may need her on our side if the fire reading was correct."
"I will do my best not to harm the girl, I swear on my life." Viktor grabbed her hands back tightly. "Against the last pre-Kishin…I believe she will suffer from the strong effects of the madness. Her ability to use black blood and control its madness is impressive, but the density that Ametrine is unleashing…it's unlike anything I've felt before. I have fears that she will toss our people aside as she reaches for her goal, no matter how many lives must be laid down for it. Do not trust her word."
"I will take your warning to heart; I trust your judgement." The middle-aged woman gave a small smile before releasing his grasp, twisting to reach something beside her. "Give this to the girl if the effects are too strong, they will hold off the symptoms for a few hours. There are only ten doses in here, warn her to use them wisely."
Viktor took the small wooden box from her, lightly tracing the ancient writing carved on top. With a bow, he stood and hesitated before walking away, a thought stopping him.
"What did the fire reading tell you, Elder? Does it have to do with that girl?" There was pregnant pause and he almost backtracked his questions, turning to speak when she cleared her throat.
""Those who meddle outside the laws of God shall face the wrath of the Reaper. There is no redemption for those who break the sacred law. You have been warned.""
"T-those words…" Viktor choked out, fully turning to face the woman with wide eyes. "They…I've heard those words before. A dying man in the forest, months ago. Madness spewed from his mouth as if he were possessed…those exact words…"
"Then what the fire speaks is true. We will require that girl's assistance; protect her with your life, Viktor." Viktor bowed before leaving and Flyorova gave a heavy sigh as it sunk in; the gods were punishing them for their sins. For hundreds of years, the clan had been experimenting with Asura's madness as written in their ancient tomes. But at what cost? Countless lives had been sacrificed during the Kishins uprising in hopes of aiding his conquest to spread madness over the globe. They soon learned shortly afterwards that Lord Death had sealed the Kishin below the ground, putting an end to his reign of terror. Eight hundred years later, the seals were broken and the Kishin began to spread his madness throughout the lands once more. The DWMA fought bravely against him and managed to seal him once more on the moon.
For generations, small amounts of madness were kept beneath the village to keep the people adjusted to it, in the slim change that it would be needed once more. Ametrine arrived with her offer, displaying the raw power of the now sealed Kishin. A prophecy foretold of the revival, though it meant that more souls were needed to be collected, and how madness would seep to every corner of the Earth. Doubt began to creep into her mind the more she pondered it. What was the purpose of the ancient prophecy in this day and age? Was it really worth it? The Elder returned her gaze to the fires, the heat barely registering against her numb skin. She just hoped it wasn't all too late to stop it.
Viktor watched as the blue haired ninja moved faster than he could blink, vanishing into thin air. The pre-Kishin suddenly lurched backwards through the snow, losing its balance and crashing into the side of a building, debris exploding in every direction. Much like how he himself was trained, he was using his deeply rooted skills, eliminating his breath and becoming one with the shadows. If it were any other reason the two had met, surely their battle would have been one told for generations to come. The stories he had read were true then; Black Star, the last of the Star Clan, aiming to surpass God as a human. No, Viktor thought, as he watched the creature be beaten and pushed back with no visible attacker; he was sure the ninja had surpassed God. Glancing to his left, he noticed the meister was still on the ground, the contents of her stomach having been emptied in front of her. Flyorova's hunch seemed to be correct the more he studied her; though she was shaking violently in the snow, her chest heaving as she gasped for air, there was something about the girl that did remind him of Vika.
"Death Scythe Soul 'Eater' Evans," Viktor watched as the weapon's head shot up, blood red eyes glaring heavily at him. "Give her one of these to subside the effects of the madness controlling her. It will last a few hours, give or take." With a quick wrist flick, the box flung towards the weapon who caught it with ease. His glare softened as he sent a questioning look to the ninja.
"What exactly is this?"
"Medicine, from the Elder. Believe it or not, we do not wish harm upon you or your friends. We fear a war may be brought upon my people and only your meisters skill will be enough to defeat the witch Ametrine." Soul glanced down at the box, then Maka, before back at him, red staring into white.
"Ametrine…so she's working for you then? Why should we trust you if you two are working together?" The hostility was back and then ninja wanted to release a heavy sigh.
"According to our ancient prophecy, our clan aided the Kishin Asura in his quest for world madness. For what reason, we do not know or understand. But after he was sealed, we hid away our research deep beneath the village. Though there was some madness left over, it was used mainly to adjust the people to the sensation. Now that the madness has returned, we question the methods being used by Ametrine. I fear she shall kill the villagers, much like she has killed my love, Vika." Viktor clenched his fist as he looked away from the weapon, eyes tracing Black Star's invisible attacks.
Soul could almost see the sadness and grief behind his hard eyes, the sensation all too close to home. With careful movements, he opened the lid of the decorative box. Ten small dark green orbs sat carefully aligned, nestled atop a cream silk-like material. They were about the size of small marbles as the weapon grabbed one between his fingers, examining it with caution. Taking one last glance at the motionless ninja, he held the orb in one hand while carefully lifting Maka's head up.
"Maka, here, you need to eat this." The meister slightly shook her head, eyes wild and face flushed as she struggled for air. "This will stop everything, I promise. Please,"
Maka glanced at the orb briefly, rationality fighting with the demon inside of her, before shakily lifting a hand to grab it. Before she could, Soul held it up to her lips and popped it into her mouth, tilting her head back so she could swallow it. After some dry heaving, the meister scrunched her face as she forced it down, coughing as it went down. Viktor waited for the effects to kick in, curious to know if it would actually work. Minutes seemed to pass before it kicked in. The meister had evened her breathing and was even sitting up on her own, black dress reverting back to thick winter clothing.
"W-what the hell was that," Maka breathed as she felt her mind returning to normal, the fear suppressed. In shock, she turned to look at Soul, relief written all over his face. "Soul? What was that thing? How did it stop the effects so quickly?"
"You'll have to thank your ninja friend for that. Said it would combat the effects of the Kishins madness." He pressed his forehead against hers, letting out a held breath. "Scared the shit outta me, Maka, don't do that anymore or my hair will turn even whiter."
"I'd be impressed to see that," She gave a weak smile before pulling away, turning to look for the ninja.
He was still stationary on the broken roof, his eyes unreadable, though it seemed his tense posture had loosed slightly.
"Yo, asshole," Black Star's shout diverted everyone's attention to him. He was standing in front of the defeated Kishin, its body turning into a thick cloud of particles. "We ain't done yet. You're the one who hurt Maka in the first place and I'm gonna kick yer ass!"
"B-Black Star, wait—!" Maka's protest went unheard as the two ninjas clashed violently.
"I don't think we should intervene in this fight," Soul muttered as the sound of metal scraping echoed loudly. "Can you stand?"
"Y-yeah, I think so." With a grunt, and a helping arm, Maka stood. "Looks like they've taken their fight out of the city."
Soul groaned and slid a hand down his face, suddenly noticing the dozens of warped faces staring them down with hunger. "Uh…we've still got some company." Maka turned to face the hoard with a twitching eye, jaw tightening. He could've at least taken out the others in his rage.
"Motherfucking Black Star!"
Black Star hit him with everything he had and then some. The rage fueling him propelled him forward, locking blades with the mysterious ninja, eyes murderous. The look he received back was neutral, the translucent eyes portraying no emotion. They pushed apart before launching again, blades clanging and scraping together loudly.
"Tell me why you sent that thing after Maka!" Black Star yelled as he swung his foot out, the attack dodged easily. "Do you know badly that fucked her up? She had nightmares for a week about that creature killing her in different ways and you just let it attack her!" He sidestepped a katana aimed for his side, swinging Tsubaki down hard towards his head.
"It was not me who sent it, but the witch Ametrine. My mission was only to observe and not intervene. I will not disobey a direct order from the Elders."
Viktor twisted in the air, his foot catching the smaller ninjas side and sending him careening towards a tree. With a quick flip, Black Star pushed off from the tree, sword held low as he shot back. This tactic was nothing new for the frozen tundra ninja who had mastered counterattacking and with a split-second margin of error, ducked backwards and plunged his blade upwards. He knew something wasn't right when there was no resistance as the metal pierced skin, quickly rolling out of the way as another copy of the blue-haired ninja aimed for his neck.
"Ametrine? So, there is a connection between you and the witches like we thought." Tsubaki spoke firmly, the shadow twitching restlessly around her meisters neck. "Is she the one creating these creatures or has your clan resumed its ancient prophecy?"
"You have read of my clans past, a smart idea." Viktor widened his stance as the two stared each other down, blades drawn to their centers. "Although my clan has a history of experimenting with the madness, what that witch is doing now is nothing but for her own good." Venom oozed from every word and the meister loosened his grip ever so slightly.
"What, you're saying you don't like what's she doing even though you invited her in? What kinda bullshit is that?" Viktor narrowed his eyes, averting them somewhere behind his foe.
"I have never had a good feeling about her, and my hatred grows even more so since she killed Vika with the very madness she has unleashed. She should have been left to rot in that jail cell in the Witches Realm."
"You. Let. Her. OUT!" Black Star roared before launching into the air, Infinity Sword activating. "What the fuck is wrong with you damned ninjas?! You released probably the most powerful witch in existence!"
Calculating the blades' attack path, Viktor dodged them all, sprinting around their impact points with precise footwork. A shadow appeared overhead, and he jumped backwards just as the angry meister slammed the sword down where he stood a moment ago.
"I will not disobey the orders from my Elders, whether or not I believe it is wrong!" Viktor suddenly shouted back, his patience wearing thin. Between his grieving and heavy suspicions of the flaming haired witch, he was tired; beyond tired, to the point where he wanted to lay down his weapon and walk away. "I follow my orders as given; I do not question the wisdom of those above me. I do not approve of what has been decided, especially since it took the life of someone close to me. I wish to take the head of that serpent even if it costs me my last breath."
The two stood facing one another again, panting heavily. The meister stood tall, studying the formidable man before him with hidden feelings. With a quick release of his fingers, Tsubaki transformed back and looked between the two with her arms wrapped around her waist.
"You're…not working together? Wait, what the fu—." Black Star bit his tongue at the sharp look from his weapon, clenching his jaw as he scuffed some snow with his boot.
"Please, can you tell us what's going on? We can possibly work together to take her down." Tsubaki moved to stand in the center of them both, pleading dark eyes searching hard white ones. "She nearly killed Maka a few weeks ago, so we have our reason for going after her. And it sounds like you do too…"
"Not here. Not now. The forest has many eyes and ears. There is somewhere I must go tonight, to meet with someone important. Shinigami wa yokoku sa rete itanode, jōju shinakereba narimasen. Nantō ni mukai, kawa o saigomade susumi, sokode aimashou." Viktor popped from existence, leaving the meister weapon duo alone in the middle of the forest.
"Uhhhh, you wanna translate?" Black Star strolled up to his partner, scratching his head as he looked at her. "Tsubaki?"
Tsubaki stared at the space where the ninja once stood, eyes widened. She didn't hear anything but the first sentence repeating over and over, the meaning sounding ominous, a chill running down her spine. It wasn't until blue hair crossed her vision that she snapped out of it, staring right into her meisters face so close that a sudden movement forward would close the gap between their lips. Blushing furiously, the weapon quickly took a step back, placing a hand over her racing heart.
"S-sorry! It's just…what he said, the first sentence. I wasn't aware he spoke Japanese, but I guess it makes sense in a way, being a ninja after all." Tsubaki blurted out nervously, twisting her hands tightly in front of her. It was a bad habit that had stuck with her all these years whenever she was nervous. Large calloused hands suddenly covered her own, gently untangling them from one another and holding them tightly. Looking up, she locked eyes with Black Star.
"Tsubaki, what did he say? Did he insult you in any way? If he did, I'll hunt him down and –."
"No, no, nothing like that! It's…what he said. It translates roughly to 'The Reaper has been foretold, so it shall be fulfilled.' And the other half was directions to the meeting point tonight. Is he talking about Kid? Seeing as he is the Reaper…or is he talking about someone else? I'm just puzzled by it all, that's all." She bit her lip to stop her blabbing, cheeks on fire as she tried to avoid his heavy gaze.
Black Star studied her face for a few moments, feeling the nervousness in her soul. With a forced sigh, the ninja leaned back with his hands on his hips.
"We can figure it all out later, for now let's get back to Maka. She's probably pissed I left her with all those creatures…" Tsubaki snapped her head up, eyes wide.
"Oh no, we didn't think to take them out! Hurry, Black Star—"
A hand ruffled her hair and the weapon stopped to look at her meister, confusion filling her orbs as he smiled widely at her.
"She'll be fine; isn't she the toughest meister we know? Soul won't let anything happen to her, not when he's so helplessly in love with her." Black Star started walking away, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I'd never let anything happen to you either, Tsubaki. I swear." He whispered the last part, the howling winds swiftly carrying the words away.
That's it for chapter 11! Sorry it took so long, I lost focus since I was grieving, but I'm slowly healing and ready to continue the story. Eventually there will be a manga to go along with this story, I'm currently waiting on my new tablet to arrive from Amazon and then I can begin. Thanks for reading!