Ayumi could barely flutter her eyes open, still unable to see anything in the darkness surrounding her. She only felt a lean yet strong arm protecting her and she could not stop her shaking bleeding arm from reaching and holding to the chest harbouring her. The person did not react, and all what the girl could see were the tainted souls of her parents agitating with anger and hatred. She held more firmly to the unfamiliar chest, twisting the clothes covering it in frustration and distress. At last, her eyes flew widely open when she caught the flash of a blade going for the two orbs of red. Forgetting her wounds and pain, she quickly tried to shove the person holding her in his arm as she shouted in horror:
"No! Stop!"
However, instead of being shoved away, that person held her more tightly preventing her from approaching or touching the tainted souls, and to her worst nightmare, the sword sliced right through the two souls. Ayumi screamed closing her eyes and pleading continuously "No! Please No... No... No!".
"Open your eyes…"
A gentle voice called her, like a tune played by a mournful flute echoing from beyond towering mountains, and the terrified girl had no choice but to listen to and follow that distant yet reassuring hymn. Ayumi slowly opened her eyes and looked around; the two red angry souls were still intact, but instead of the flaming anger they were radiating with, now they purely and serenely floated the darkness, transparent like dew gliding down flowers petals and calm like raindrops joining a peaceful stream.
"Mother… father…"
Ayumi was reaching her hands to cradle the now quietly and serenely floating orbs of her parents souls when the same gentle voice stopped her with a sudden harsh inflection contradicting the previous tenderness, the voice growing more grounded in reality and closer to her when it turned cold and commanding.
"You cannot… They are souls and you are alive. This is forbidden."
"But…"
But before Ayumi could protest, the girl's sight along her entire body was engulfed within a swarm of leafs, fragile to the touch yet steady by the beauty they shed upon the dark cold sphere. Through her fluttering eyelids, she saw and felt a storm of hazy petals, shimmering as if blessed by a hidden moon, they swirled around the place carrying the sincerity and balminess of the treasured memories carried tenderly and trustfully within their softness and creases, dancing in the bleakness like snowflakes out of the season. The sakura petals floating and erasing the darkness immediately mesmerized the frightened girl, easing the despair taking over her heart and mind and calming her agitation, bringing tears she did not know she had any left to shed as the petals had lured them down her cheeks by their tranquil colors that glimmered as if maintaining a long gone by dawn, pale yet still able to reflect beauty and bring warmth. Ayumi's agitation dissolved into the sight and the strong embrace she was held cordially yet protectively within, as the sakura petals blew around the place with a scent pertaining to thousands of blossoms over the cycling eras, akin to an incense burning for the sake of all of those who had perished, whether equal or not, whether justly or not... a comfort during their passage, a token of their suffering, and a hope to their redemption.
"Ayumi!"
Reiha's voice, calling her name, awakened the girl who was still steadied by the arm reluctant to let go of her yet, shielding her from herself and anchoring her away from doubts while guiding the light back again to her fragmented heart and mind.
As the dark barrier completely dissolved, the petals scattered away, and Ayumi's parents souls could no longer be seen. Reiha was relieved at first, but when she saw Ayumi's tear – stained face, tears of love, of blame, of longing and regret, along tears of silent acceptance, she knew the girl was still to be worried about and protected. So, despite the chaotic situation and unfinished battle, the princess of the wind hurried to Ayumi's side before stopping at the new figure appearing behind the girl, failing to recognize him and whether to consider him as a threat or an ally. Before the princess could make a decision, Ayumi dropped her head down, collecting herself amidst the various stunned breaths, mainly coming out of Noboru. The girl tugged at the arm holding her and the man who saved her finally let go of the tortured girl with soft carefulness, fearing she would shatter to pieces at the slightest wrong touch, his old samurai sword still unsheathed and ready to fight and protect her.
Noboru's eyes were shaped narrowly, like the string and the limb of a bow brought together, trained to shoot anytime an piercing arrow never to miss. However, this time, looking at the emerging figure, who exchanged looks with him, like a reflection glancing back at the mirror, his similarly brown eyes, only differing from the shadow's by the depth of their tone, widened as the bow's limb had broken, and the string got loose. His pale lips, thin and curved to evince disdain, were trembling under a huge weight of a shock and anger that his usually composed face with its ruthless beauty masking perfectly any sort of emotion and commanding over it, would never allow the betrayal of their appearance. That figure, aiming his blade at Noboru with hid the same turmoil of emotions beneath his cold features, like a frozen lake on the top of a dormant volcano. Reiha looked between the two sensing how the appearance of that figure had greatly disturbed Noboru more than Amaterasu's revival had, and even with the two men's faces, looking alike but sculpted with different emotions, she could connect no dots. The new arriver who easily dissipated the barrier of death did not seem keen on talking, choosing his sword to speak for him and Noboru got the notion. He covered his face, sweeping the loose hair on his face back, re - masking his face with his usual nonchalance and composure, like a blade wiped clean and re - sheathed to calm down before it pierce with the grip of death itself. Noboru glanced briefly at Hina who was no longer occupied with her box but with the man whom she followed. Upon his gaze, she looked again at the box, and Noboru turned his gaze again at the intruding figure after Hina's simple response.
"I can control the souls no longer… his power over them surpasses mine by far… I fear I am unable to overcome his power."
At the doll – like girl confession, Reiha was finally able to identify who had come to the rescue, and indeed, neither Hina nor anyone else could command the souls of the dead beside that man.
"The prince of souls!"
Reiha clarified, though only Ayumi perhaps needed the explanation. However, the girl, despite her injuries and bleeding wounds, stepped away from the prince toward Noboru who had completely forgotten about her upon seeing the latter, finally raising her head looking at him directly with a fury matching Amaterasu's in her last moments. Ayumi's voice wavering but still commanding by the taste of pain, confronted the previous queen's murderer.
"You said you would come after me.. after my own persona… yet you used to the most despicable way to go around it… not only have you tainted and defiled my parents pure souls... you drove them to attack me using my guilt and remorse… stringing my longing and love for them to your own disgusting tune... well... in fact, you are the only one who should be feeling guilty and remorseful right now…"
Hearing the new queen's determined voice, sounding almost venomous, Noboru's previous indifferent aura and snickering grin resurfaced with the confidence lost transiently upon seeing the prince of souls, even more strongly as he replied bemused by Ayumi's anger unfolding in front of him.
"You think I would feel sorry and remorseful for anyone? For you, the queen of light, of all people?"
Ayumi's face stayed resolute, unshaken in appearance despite the still brewing turmoil inside her heart. Needing no scepter or spear, the untarnished silver light of her power flowed through her arms as she declared.
"I meant you should feel sorry for yourself and remorseful over your foolish choice!"
Noboru huffed in enjoyment but the girl did not back down, adding:
"I do not know what similar dirty tricks you used to overcome Amaterasu, but I now I am even more certain in my obligation to avenge her. In fact, you have turned it into a desire of mine, no longer just a duty… I will avenge her… and avenge the souls of my parents!"
Reiha looked at Ayumi, she could not but be impressed by her determination, yet a glint of fear and worry crossed her eyes. She stepped toward her carefully, a warning forming in her mind but Noboru beat her to voicing it.
"Do you realize how dangerous it is when someone in your position desires something for their own gain? This is exactly what brought the mighty queen before you down dead by the blade of my sword!"
Noboru spoke confidently, the past leading to the most powerful queen downfall replaying itself once again in front of him, by a similar design of his own, and the outcome was bound to be identical. He did not fear sharing this important information because he was certain anyone confronted with what the little immature girl had went through, would lose all reason but those belonging to avenge himself and satisfy his desires, once just and pure, now turning tainted and selfish. And those were Reiha's precise fears that she even started thinking of a way to take Ayumi away, preventing her from losing control over her emotions instead of fighting Noboru. Ayumi remained silent as she listened, her gaze not losing its flame, neither her features losing their composer or resolution. She even managed a faint smile that brought unease to the black – haired man's heart after centuries of feeling nothing aside from smugness and pride by the deed that changed the whole cycle of nature, and it did not take him long to realize why.
"Did I say I wanted to avenge myself or avenge innocent and betrayed souls? By punishing you, I am punishing myself as well!"
Whether true or not, her words portrayed no selfishness, only a pure motif not linked to her own desires and whims, battling them with the same ferociousness she wanted to battle Noboru with. This was not a repeat of the past, but a totally different drive for the battle which judging my Noboru's previous words, had Amaterasu held to, she might have overcame him and won.
"This is still not enough to…"
However, Noboru's remark was cut short by an additional no less resolved voice, speaking as if reciting the will of the heavens themselves.
"You have disturbed the boundaries of death, summoned souls that had long passed away peacefully and tainted them with your dark aura… you have underestimated the power of death and disrespected its unceasing nature. This I cannot allow!"
"You…"
Noboru muttered through gritted teeth, holding to his sword that started to bound like a heart looking for its lost rhythm, as he asked vehemently.
"How can you show yourself? You are not supposed to…"
"I believe the answer lies with you."
The prince of souls replied, seeming enraged just as mush as the man talking to him after encountering each other, though both trying to grasp to their composure and self control. Neither of them pleased by the unexpected out come and both furious and in hidden disbelief, yet one was carrying his duty while the other his plans of revenge and manipulation with the same determination and resentfulness roaming the whiteness of their eyes till residing like gravity in their matching brown irises and pupils.
The two men seemed ready to engage swords, but the silver rays of Ayumi's power were the fastest to react, colliding mercilessly with Noboru's dark blade, pushing him back yet he still managed to ward them off, only for a second before another wave of that delicate yet dedicated power clashed with his sword again. Feeling this attack was even more stronger than the one before, he quickly realized why as he side – glanced Reiha who unleashed her wind aiming Ayumi's first thwarted attack to join the second one. The sword did not crack, but Noboru's feet started to betray him and he could hear amidst the whooshing vibration of the pure rays Ayumi's voice.
"I swear on my parents' souls you are going to pay for this!"
Embracing himself for another attack of light after he barely managed to ward off the compound rays, sustaining minor injuries in the process, it was not Ayumi who attacked this time. The dancing sakura petals like maidens at a temple alter swarmed the room, and this time instead of staying on the defense, he quickly launched his sword meeting the thin yet sturdy blade of the prince of souls.
The thin old blade clashed with intricate moves and delicate ease against Noboru's dark ancient sword, both gracefully honoring their history and power, in a duel which no stage play could replicate.
"Fighting each other like this… this is a bit ironic!"
"This is the purpose of your choice, you have brought it on yourself the moment you made that choice!"
Noboru released a short - lived laugh in response to the prince's reply, that seemed aimed at himself and not his foe.
Vastly different in shape and size, both blades carried their murderous aura to its fullest, dancing with similar violent elegance trying to reach their desired victory. By witnessing the battle, Ayumi and Reiha noticed something anew, it was the odd similarity between the two fighting swordsmen; their long raven hair, their brownish eyes, even their features and gestures resembling each other yet contrasting in the most bizarre sight. It was like two sheets of paintings meant to complete each other and draw the final consistent picture, yet the more they became closer the more distant they were jolted apart, as if there was a missing piece to tie these two opposite yet compatible portraits, seemingly meant to be one at one point in time.
Ayumi did not allow these thoughts to distract her for long, the two persons dueling with resentful willingness were completely different to her, one had tried to rope her into guilt and despair while the other came to her rescue by revealing whatever small light still residing over her past regrets waiting brightly and patiently to shine strongly in her future once again. And so, the girl prepared to unleash another attack of her own, backed by Reiha but what happened next was not accounted for by the two girls. Hearing a ruckus from upstairs, the ground of the upper floor collapsed and Laila and Chiyasu rose up from the rabble. Reiha quickly inquired.
"What happened? Where are Amaterasu and Ayumi's grandmother?"
Ayumi turned at Chiyasu who explained quickly through her daze and surprise at the turn of events.
"The old woman is fine… however… Amaterasu…"
Reiha frowned waiting the rest of the story, while the moment Laila's eyes fell on the young man fighting Noboru, she chuckled in disbelief.
"It is impossible… how come he is here… and seen as well?"
But before Laila's wondering was answered, the door broke open, another damage no one cared for, and the catalyst of this entire fight walked in, still in a clear daze and blurriness that slowly resolved itself with every step Amaterasu took inside the room heading toward the two fighting men without fear or caution. The two swordsmen immediately broke their fight upon seeing the deceased queen, her eyes lightening once again with a conscious sprouting like a young bud ready to bloom at any moment. Reiha and Chiyasu exchanged worried stares, unable to predict what will follow or what the consequence would be were this to happen.
Amaterasu kept walking toward the two men, now standing slightly away from each other, only the tips of their swords pointing toward the other while their eyes followed the previous queen. Chiyasu rushed to prevent Amaterasu from endangering herself or making another foolish mistake by thinking Noboru was the helpless one here yet to her surprise, a strong grip seized her arm and shoved her away, just like when she jumped out of the protection circle leaving Reiha surprised as well. The previous queen continued walking toward the eerily similar yet different two men.
"What is this hearsay? Is she not dead? How come she is moving?"
"Maybe her soul escaped your control!'
Laila suggested, aiming to demean the power of the prince of souls but it was in fact a valid question. The prince seemed confused at Amaterasu's sight, her lifeless body moving, her unconscious mind taking action. He shook his head revealing another disturbing fact about the walking – dead body approaching him and Noboru.
"She is Amaterasu? Her soul had never passed by me… and this is impossible, all the mighty and weak surrender their souls to me by the time of their end… however her soul… her soul had never appeared or passed neither peacefully nor vengefully!"
All eyes turned at Ayumi, and Chiyasu was the first to question, her mind already making a conclusion.
"Then where is it?"
The accusation was obvious, but not true. It was far off the right place or person.