Alone

Chapter Sixteen: A Fighting Spirit

They were finishing up training for the eighth day when word came Raiden was murdered.

Her heart nearly stopped.

Nothing mattered – anymore.

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She hadn’t moved all day. Nothing could wake her from this daze. He’s dead. He’s really dead. “How could this happen?” she whispered. Bloodshot eyes and tear-stained cheeks, she couldn’t cry anymore even if she wanted to. The pain in her heart won’t go away.

“Ayame, it’s time you got up. We have to complete your training no matter what.” Tsubasa came up beside the bed, lifting her up.

“Please just leave me be. What's the point in training now?” She slumped down, trying to force him to let go.

“If you give up, Master Tadashi will find you and use you for his plans and he will have won.” With the mention of Master Tadashi, something inside of her snapped. Anger began to boil up. He was the one to blame for this all.

“If only to stop him, I’ll do it.” There was a fire in her eyes and fierceness in her voice. She was ready for revenge. She wanted to do more than just stop him. She knew her anger could consume her and destroy everything, but slowly she began to feel numb to the world. He had taken the last thing in her life she truly cared about, leaving only revenge to push her on.

“Calm yourself!” Tsubasa commanded her as the house began to shake.

“I am calm,” she replied through gritted teeth.

“No, you are losing control of your emotions,” he growled back at her.

Taking a deep breath she calmed herself, but just enough to stop the house from shaking, not enough to forget her l**t for revenge. “Anger will consume you and become all that you are.” Her mother’s words rang in her mind.

“I don’t care.” She crushed the memory and looked to Tsubasa. “I am ready.”

“Then let's go!” He raised his voice with anticipation.

Finally, her training began again and the final few days passed with ease. No matter how hard Tsubasa pushed her, she continued to press on with one goal in mind - to destroy Master Tadashi. The last day arrived in a blink of an eye.

* * *

“Ayame, today is the day.” Tsubasa walked into the house, sword in hand.

“I know.” She finished tying her belt. Sounds of the night echoed throughout the house. The last three days of training had passed with the speed of a snail to her, but now that the day was upon her she couldn’t help but worry a little about the outcome of tonight’s fight.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes. Are we the only one’s going or are we taking other demons with us?”

“The animal demons that have helped you train will come.”

“Good! Let’s go!” She started for the door. Tsubasa stepped aside, allowing her to go first. Walking out, she stood in front of what seemed like a hundred animal demons. Their eyes glowed red in the darkness of the night, and then the reality of this fight finally hit her. “Tsubasa, what’s the plan?”

He stepped outside. “We plan on charging in at full force. No more stealth is needed.” He placed a long sword in her hands. “He took my son from me, so now we will create chaos for him.” His eyes hardened.

“Let’s go!” she yelled.

The charge began, an ominous glow leading the way with the wind howling at their backs. Their footsteps echoed in the woods. Her heart raced at the thought of vengeance. The mansion came into view and the cries of battle echoed through the trees. She suddenly stopped at the edge of the pond. Glancing around, she saw what a battle truly looked like, blood spilling out after every hit. Her teachers clawed and bite, the guards succumbing to their attacks, and everything slowed down. This was a sight she never thought she would see, cries of pain, clashing of metal, and the last roar from the dying. Closing her eyes, she tried to block out the images, but it was already too late. She didn't know until now what she was getting into. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes again. Looking around, everything started to move at normal speed again. It was too late to go back.

“Ayame! Don’t forget what we are here to do.” Yuuki shoved her further forward. Without thinking, she continued to move, trying to control her emotions. She couldn’t lose control now. If she did, her rage could kill her comrades.

Opening the door to the mansion, she went in. Stepping past the threshold, she peered down the hallway. Realization struck her, there was no need for stealth. Their cover was blown the second the first guard had been alerted to them. She quickened her pace towards Master Tadashi’s room. Coming to the door that would lead to Master Tadashi. Shoving the large doors open, there he sat in his red velvet chair facing the fireplace. “It’s been a while, my dear,” he said in a maniacal tone.

“I suppose it has.” She walked cautiously toward him.

“Why would you run away?” Sadness rang out in his voice.

“I needed time alone.”

“But you weren’t alone, were you?”

She stepped behind his chair, drew her sword, leaned over, and whispered, “Of course I was. You took away from me not once, but twice what was most important. Now it’s my turn to take from you.” Gently she placed her sword at his throat, “Any last words?”

“Just two, look up.”

Quickly she looked to the ceiling, finding a demon above her hissing. Its arms were outstretched with a sword in each hand. If he had not said anything she would have died a moment later, but he couldn’t kill her now. He needed her. Without a second thought, she decided it was time to take things into her own hands, thrusting her sword upward, cutting off its arm, causing an unearthly scream of pain to bellow from the demon. It lashed out at her, but she countered. They fought it out and all the while Master Tadashi remained in his chair enjoying every moment. With one final movement, she sliced through the demon. Its body hit heavily onto the carpet, letting out a final breath.

“I will wait no longer. It’s time you pay for what you have done.” Tears rolled down her cheeks at the thought of Raiden. Raising her sword she leaned to strike, but he moved swiftly from the chair to stand by the fireplace, his hateful eyes shimmering.

“You can’t kill me.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I hold all the cards.” He smirked.

“What do you hold? I have nothing left.”

“Your mole may have been mistaken and misinformed you.”

“What are you talking about?”

With a swipe of his hand, he put out the fire and the wall slid aside to the left. There in the shadows of the small opening, someone was lying behind with his arms tied together hanging from a rafter. As she peered more closely she saw it was Raiden. Beaten and bruised, his chin resting against his chest, he was a painful sight to behold. He hung there, no signs of real life. It was as though he had lost his will to live. Again tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I thought he was dead.” She reached out to him but was stopped by guards taking hold of her hands and pulling her back. “Let go of me!” she screamed out.

“Telling you he was dead brought you back here, did it not? Now that he is alive, you will do as I say or I will kill him and break you completely.” He began to laugh maniacally.

“No! This is my life! I will decide what I do or don’t do.” Her hands began to tingle. Red sparks fly out. “Let go of me!” she screamed once more before her powers lashed out, throwing the guards up against the wall. Around her lit up in flames. “I will not be toyed with!” Her body began to burn.

“Yes, Ayame, that’s the way! Let your rage out!” he yelled. “All of Japan will be mine,” he exclaimed like a child on Christmas day.

“All I have to do is make her realize I can control her and that without me she will fail and destroy those closest to her. If she believes that, then I have won,” he said to himself, stepping toward her.

“Ayame dear, be careful or you will kill Raiden yourself. Do you want that to happen?”

“Get away from me!” she shrieked. In that instant, everything in the room smashed against the walls, but Master Tadashi remained where he stood.

“You think you can push me around with such ease? I do apologize, but I am not so weak.” He placed his hand on her cheek. “Now listen here. I will control you so you do not harm those around you that you love.”

She pushed his hand aside. “Don’t touch me! I am not a tool! I have my own will!” She placed her hands on his chest, forcing him back a few feet.

“It would seem you become stronger by the minute.”

“Then back down or I will kill you.”

“Child, threats do not work on me.” He pointed to the doorway. “Now know this, if you harm me then both Raiden and Katsu will die along with me.” She turned her gaze to the door and, sure enough, Katsu stood there with two guards holding fast to him.

“Katsu,” she whispered. He looked up at her, his eyes telling her everything would be okay. “I can’t stop myself anymore. I can’t hold back. It hurts too much.” He nodded. Her body shone red, her eyes deep blood red, with shimmers of yellow showing her fear. She then lost control, releasing everything she had, shaking the mansion to its foundation and it came crashing down around her. She couldn’t stop any of it. She couldn’t save them. Rage began to boil inside of her again. Angry at herself, she sent out another shock wave, screaming in agony. This was it, she had nothing left and no one left to care about. Darkness engulfed her and she allowed herself to be lost in it. The power surged through her. Instead of her controlling it, it began to control her. She closed her eyes, relinquishing her powers to their own devices.