The wind howled as Kaida's steps carried her through the trees, a swirling vortex of evil that choked the life from everything in the forest. The noblewoman ran on, ignoring the pain in her wounded shoulder or various cuts and bruises. The black line of light she had been following had shot towards the sky, she now followed it as it appeared to be the edge of a dome.
A dome that would no doubt swallow their souls into the pits of hell.
Kaida hadn't the faintest idea what Kohana and Ronuku's power was supposed to do, but as the dome pulsed each beat seemed to change the landscape. The swirling miasma overhead cast a purplish glow over the landscape, shadows and demons danced amongst the trees, flitting in and out of her vision.
Kaida felt that she'd been transported to some sort of nightmarish realm; that each step took her further and further away from reality and into the depths of darkness.
When the world is swallowed, you will fight until the end of eternity.
The noblewoman frowned as Kohana and Ronuku's ominous words once more rang through her head. Judging the landscape before her, she could easily believe that the world had already been swallowed.
There's no time to waste then, she urged herself, I must stop Kohana at all costs.
The path Kaida followed took her further and further downhill. When she came to the edge of a ravine she lost time picking her way down the sharp slope, images of tripping and meeting a grisly demise at the bottom running through her mind. Her wounds pulsed angrily and her body ached for rest, but she refused to give in.
For her entire life Kaida had performed her duty. Duty to her family, duty to her husband, to her sons…She was nobility, the blood of countless samurai flowed through her veins. Her sense of duty gave her the strength to carry on, just as her warrior ancestors had done before.
Should this endeavor cost Kaida her life, then she would face her death with dignity.
As she followed the edge of the darkness further on, she came across a thick grove of trees not far from the base of a hill. The air was eerily still within, and though she had no sort of mystical powers, Kaida could've sworn she sensed an ominous aura pouring out from its depths. Not letting her fear have sway, the noblewoman pressed onwards into the trees.
The ground underfoot quickly grew wet. In the very center of the grove was a large pond, the still glassy surface of the water reflecting the darkness above, like a vast inky abyss. The edge of the dome passed some distance behind the pond, but dark tendrils curled forth from the water, feeding power into the evil light.
Submerged to her knees, Kohana stood in the center of the water, her pale skin as grey as a statue. Her darkened eyes stared into nothingness as her hands gripped the hilt of her sword. The blade was turned downwards into the water, dark energy flaring from the curved metal, spreading out into the glassy pond and feeding into the edge of the dome behind it.
Panting from her run, Kaida ducked momentarily and surveyed the area. Kohana didn't seem to notice her, perhaps too focused on her energy. The noblewoman looked about, searching for anything that might give her an advantage, remembering all too well how easily the demonic Inuyasha had been defeated.
Her powers connect her to Ronuku, Kaida mused, But surely when separated this far their bond must weaken somewhat. She glanced up at the ominous pulsating sky, wondering how risky it would be to gamble on that theory.
Whatever the case, Ronuku physically isn't here to assist her. If I have any advantage, it is that I only have to face one opponent. Just as long as Naoe is able to…
She closed her eyes, trying to quell her tremor of fear. She could not afford to be distracted by worrying about anyone else.
From this moment on, nothing else exists but the battle before me.
She opened her eyes and once more saw Kohana's darkened face staring into the void. Memories of her smiling apprentice surfaced, all the hours Kaida had spent teaching the girl to fight, helping her forge her weapon, the bright and unyielding attitude of her young pupil. How many times had Kohana exceeded her expectations and impressed her? How many hours had they spent learning, laughing?
Grief blossomed in the older woman's heart, the same sorrow that a mother feels for a lost child.
That girl is gone, Kaida told herself, she would not want her body to continue on like this. I shall end her suffering and misery. She glanced out towards the water and lamented that there was no way she would be able to sneak up on her; if the girl's supernatural powers did not alert her of danger, the movement of the water would.
I can see no other way, she swallowed her fear, only allowing duty and determination to flood her senses.
I will confront her head on.
Unsheathing her sword the noblewoman stepped forward, passing through the underbrush until she stood at the edge of the pond. She raised her weapon and pointed it at the girl, the glimmer in her blade reflecting the darkness in front of her.
"Kohana," Kaida shouted, her voice echoing across the water, "If there is any part of you left in there, then I urge you to hear me! I see now that I was wrong in allowing Seiko to train you. You weren't able to control your power, and as a result you mercilessly slaughtered your own husband! Countless more of your friends are dying by your hand, your children are in grave danger! If you can hear me at all, then surrender now! Surrender now, and my blade will be swift! I will grant you a quick and honorable death, and you may atone for the atrocities you have caused!"
At first it seemed as if Kohana didn't hear her. Her eyes remained black and empty, her body and the water before her motionless. Then, ever so slowly, her head turned. A dead expression met Kaida's gaze, as if Kohana saw her but held no recognition.
"Kohana," the wind suddenly rustled the leaves overhead, carrying with it a smooth voice, "Do you remember this woman? She stole you from your family, separated you from your son…"
Kohana's eyes narrowed, the veins in her face suddenly glowing with anger.
"All the pain you feel, all the sorrow…it's her fault. Kill her."
Kohana dropped her jaw and bellowed, her ferocious snarl turning like that of a feral animal. Lifting her blade from the water, she raised it and dashed forward. The stillness of the pond broke as waves crashed in her wake, a wall of water spraying into the trees behind her.
Kohana's supernatural speed was unhindered by the water, Kaida had only a heartbeat to react, side stepping and throwing her sword up just in time to protect her from the mighty swing of her pupil's blade. Metal screeched into the sky as the two weapons clashed, the younger woman easily overpowering her master and pushing her back.
The dark fire from Kohana's blade scorched Kaida's, black burn marks racing up the silvery metal. Acting fast, the noblewoman ducked away, letting her pupil's momentum carry her forward. Kaida swung in an arc, aiming for the younger's back, but Kohana was too quick on her feet. She spun in time to meet her mentor's blow, a furious snarl cascading from her lips.
The two danced around the edge of the pond, the song of angry metal crying into the air each time their blade's met. Kohana was fast, but she was still using the moves that Kaida had taught her. This fact alone was the only thing that lent the older woman the ability to counter her apprentice's blows, though she was still hard pressed to think quickly and anticipate where to move next. Her wounds cried out against her body, and Kohana's blows hammered down with a strength far beyond what the girl normally possessed.
At the edge of the pond the muddy ground was slick, Kaida nearly lost her footing and rooted her legs down to hold her balance. Completely on the defensive, Kohana pinned her there, the younger girl raining down blows like a mighty whirlwind as the tendrils of dark power continued to flow out of her.
I can't keep up against her sword like this, Kaida thought, her heart racing as she sensed and impending loss, once she decides to use her power against me I'll be defenseless against it.
That thought suddenly struck a chord with her, why hadn't Kohana attacked with her powers yet? The light emanating from her was capable of subduing and completely obliterating enemies, wouldn't that have been the quickest course of action?
Holding out against another attack, Kaida spared a moment to look at the black tendrils flowing from the girl's body, straight into the sky and the pulsating dome above them.
The dome, Kaida realized, it's completely constructed from their power. Given its size, it must be taking a lot of energy to sustain it, she can't afford to spare any of it attacking me; she's relying on her sword alone!
Suddenly realizing Kohana's sole weakness in the fight, Kaida quickly formed a plan in her head. Dancing backwards again, she ignored the icy grip of the pond water on her ankles as she avoided and parried more blows. Waiting for the right time, when Kohana raised her arms back to swing down another massive blow, Kaida suddenly leapt backwards into the pond.
Landing on her feet, the noblewoman struck the water with her sword in a massive arc, sending up a spray of black liquid into her apprentice's face. Hidden by the curtain of water, Kaida dashed forward once more and struck against the hilt of Kohana's sword.
The blackened blade flew out of her hands and sunk into the mud.
"Kohana!" Kaida shouted, both hands on her sword as she aimed her killing strike at her pupil's chest, "This ends now!"
Her blade shot forward through the air. With a furious howl, Kohana ducked under the weapon and tackled her master.
The two women crashed into the depths of the pond, both of them completely unarmed.
Kaida gasped for breath as the bile water filled her nose and mouth, her vision suddenly clouded by the murky pond. She thrashed, trying to get away as a pair of grey fists rained blows down onto her chest. Without warning, Kohana's weight crashed down onto her, the pupil's knees pinning Kaida to the bottom of the pond. Cold fingers heavy as iron grabbed her throat, closing her windpipe and bruising her neck.
Kaida's hand's shot up, clawing at Kohana's fingers as she struggled for breath. Each choking gasp only filled her lungs with pond water, and spots began to dance in her blurred vision. Muffled by the water, Kohana's screams reached her ears and she knew that very soon the girl was going to choke the life out of her.
In a last ditch effort to find her lost sword, Kaida lashed her arm out against the bottom of the pond. When her fingers brushed against something hard, she grabbed it without question and swung upwards against her apprentice.
The rock crashed against Kohana's face and she fell backward. Not wasting a second, Kaida shot upwards, gasping for air as she breached the surface of the pond. As she coughed and sputtered the water from her lungs, Kohana screeched and leapt at her again.
Fingers pulling on wet and tangled hair, the two women became a pair of furious she-cats. Yanking, tumbling, pulling, their fight had descended to fists and mud. Kaida reached under the surface once more, and when her fingers found and even larger rock she quickly pulled it up.
With a furious battle cry, the older woman leapt forward and kneed Kohana in the gut. Pushing her apprentice under the surface of the water, she quickly followed with a blow from the rock. Again and again Kaida beat down on the younger girl with her rock, adrenaline pumping through her veins as she felt her weapon crash against bone and flesh. Relentlessly she rained blows down on the younger girl, only hesitating when a shade of red permeated the blackened water.
Gasping and panting, Kaida dropped the rock and backpedaled through the water, horror at her own actions creeping across her skin. Trembling, tears welled in her eyes as she looked at the still water before her.
Oh god… she thought as her apprentice didn't surface, I've killed her…
It had to be done, she told herself, you did this for her, you saved her!
Oh Kohana…Forgive me…
Backing further away as sobs started to rack her body, Kaida suddenly halted when the water before her rippled. Her jaw dropped when the figure surfaced. Dripping with murky water, hair tangled with algae and mud, Kohana rose like a nightmarish creature from the depths of hell.
Her face and shoulders were visibly battered and bloody beneath her torn kimono, but that paled in comparison to the damage done to her left side. Looking at her, Kaida's face blanched in shock.
Kohana's left arm from the bicep down was a mass of torn bloody flesh. Shards of bone stuck out amongst her damaged arm, and the elbow was completely shredded. The arm hung awkwardly at her side, her unmoving hand turned the wrong way as the entire limb bounced uselessly against her.
In her right arm, Kohana gripped Kaida's sword.
As she started down at her mentor, her blackened eyes blazed with pure hatred.