Dragonknight315
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Time slowed to a crawl. As the duel came to a close, each instant felt like an eternity. The whole universe grew silent as the Ladd’s blade drew close and closer. The only sound Ayane could hear was the beating of her heart. In this final moment, she finally found a glimmer of resolution–
<Finish this.>
–only for it to be torn away.
Silence turned to uproar as Ladd lashed the blade against Ayane’s temple. She screamed– the chorus screamed, not from the earthly pain, but from something far more terrible.
<... The hairpiece!>
As the steel ripped into the maiden’s hair, it slammed against the fire-studded flower, knocking it aside. Something primal ignited within Ayane. Instincts took over, and she slammed against the duelist with a force far beyond even her unearthly limits.
<No!>
Her red blood darkened to ink as the maiden followed after her tossed hairpiece. She pushed through the curtains of ribbons and puddles of black ichor. The Powers that be echoed across the battlefield, but the cries of victory were lost on her.
It didn’t matter.
Nothing else mattered.
As the girl ran, the color faded from her skin. With each step, the puddles splashed against her form, and her robe frayed at its edges.
<Without it, I–>
She stopped on the edge. The edge of the battlefield, the edge of oblivion. She reached out, desperately trying to catch it, only for the metal to slip through her fingers.
<... No. No no no.>
Tears of black dripped across the maidens face as the wraith fell to her knees on the edge. Fully subsumed by the sea of burdens, the girl before was only one fragment of the chorus. And yet, the wraith weeped, her palms stained black with tears of ink. For all her joy a moment ago, she found herself reunited with despair.
<Mokou... Now there’s nothing left of you.>
Through her soulless stone eyes, the wraith looked out over the abyss. Words could not describe the agony she felt. Every fiber of the wraith’s being wanted to jump, to chase after her hairpiece in some desperate attempt at unity. But she knew better; it would be pointless. This all in the end pointless.
With nothing left, the wraith considered leaping anyways. To end this suffering. But as she looked over the edge, she felt a hand touch her shoulder.
<... Mokou?>
The wraith turned to face her comforter. As she wiped her tears, she found not her lover but the duelist. Once more, he brandished his smile, a beam of light to cut through the darkness.
“Ayane...” Ladd looked for the words to say. “Some can never let go of the path they follow for it’s the only path they see–”
The duelist slowly pressed his rapier into its sheath. As he did, he continued. “Look at the stones underneath thy feel. Feel the weight each step has upon them. Only then ask yourself, is this the path you follow? Is this who you wish to be.”
Suddenly, Ladd hesitated. The wraith could see a hidden gloom behind his eyes. “Some see the cracked stone and wilting fern underneath themselves yet follow it still. Their pride to stubborn to step off.” He shut his eyes, and with newfound resolve, the blade finally clicked in its sheath.
“Don’t make the same mistake this poor swordsman has. You are not the path you walk. All it takes is a single step.”
“What do you do when you find yourself at the end then?” The wraith choked on the words. “When you cannot walk anymore? For the first time in centuries, I felt joy... And now my journey is over.”
The wraith traced her fingers through her ebony hair. She reached for her hairpiece only to be reminded by its– his absence.
“... I miss him.”
Much to her surprise, the duelist let out a laugh.
“Turn around Ayane, recount your steps. You may find he never left your side along the way.”
The words stirred something deep within the chorus. As the wraith looked down to her lap, she whispered to the duelist. “He wanted me to be happy... It was what he wanted. More than anything else.”
<I need to move on. For his sake–>
Carefully, Ayane extended her hand out to Ladd. As a man of honor, he did not hesitate to pull her up.
“What about you? What will you do now, Ladd?”
Ladd considered his words before he spoke up.
“I wish I were strong enough to leave my path but without a sword, I would be Ladd Nissent no longer...”
Much to her surprise, Ladd had dropped his usual theatrics. It was if their real, vulnerable selves were speaking together.
“I know those who watch from beyond would scoff at me but I can’t let my grudges go.”
“I see...” She knew exactly what he was going through. Centuries of burdens now laid bare... it was comforting to know someone else understood.
“I hope you find your rest as well some day.”
Just as the words left the wraith's lips, she suddenly staggered. Ladd rushed to catch her. Even after their duel, he still had the strength to hold her up.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine–” Ayane whispered as Ladd slowly guided her to the ground. “I’m just tired. So... so tired.”
The wraith closed her eyes. She could hear the duelist saying something, but the words seemed so distant. Ayane was sure it was something kind and gentle.
“It’s okay... Just let me rest.”
Suddenly, a light flickered across the wraith’s skin. The ink bellow swelled and stirred across the pale canvas. It painted a scene of joy, of reunion. As it moved across Ayane, the ink shined with the light of the chaos above.
<... I’m ready.>
In an instant, her body changed. The duelist's arms slipped through Ayane’s form as it scattered into a cloud of kaleidoscopic light. The swirling rays of light rose to meet the sky, and a sigh of relief echoed across the battlefield.
“Thank you.”
When Ayane opened her eyes, she was met with the light of the sun.
As the world came into view, Ayane felt... groggy. Perhaps it was not the right word, but it was the closest thing she had to an explanation. It was like waking up after a long sleep.
Her whole body felt sluggish as sat up, the girl not quite used to moving on her own.
“I...”
As her senses returned to her, Ayane let out a gasp. The word echoed in her mind as it suddenly hit her.
<I...>
It echoed and echoed before returning to her. Only to her.
“... It’s gone. They are gone!”
The maiden leapt to her feet, unbounded by the weight of her burdens.
“They’re gone. They’re gone! I’m free, I’m– Where am I?”
As Ayane celebrated her release, she looked around to find herself in a vast green field. The sun hung in the air above a set of mountains in the distance. As the wind blew softly across the field, Ayane could make out the scent of dew and of flowers.
<... Is this the afterlife?>
Ayane went still as the thought swept across her.
<What happened to me?>
Ayane turned inward as she considered... everything. Everything that had happened. What had brought her to this moment. Precious few years of life followed by centuries of torment. Lost in her thoughts, the wind picked up, and the breeze cut through Ayane’s robes like steel, pulling her back to wherever she was. She felt eyes move on her own, her sight behind her–
<... Mokou?!>
As Ayane turned around, there he was only a few feet away from her.
“... Is it really you?”
Ayane froze in place as a cascade of runaway emotions swelled within her. She took it all in– his sun-tanned skin, his orange shirt, that sweet smile of his, that look in his eyes that was only for her.
“... Ayane.” His voice was quiet, solemn. She could make out the slightest hint of his voice breaking. Hearing him speak her name.... It was everything she could have ever wanted.
“Mokou!”
Ayane leapt towards her lover, rushing to meet his embrace. As the two wrapped their hands around the other, they spun around in circles. As the warmth rushed over Ayane, she knew it to be true.
“It really is you...” Ayane buried her face into Mokou’s shoulders, tears streaming from her silver eyes. As she held him, her arms turned red from the pressure. She was desperate to not let him go for fear that he would disappear.
“Ayane...” Mokou, now crying himself, returned the gesture. “I’m sorry... I'm sorry that I wasn’t strong enough. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there to protect you.
“No!” Ayane lifted her head and stared into Mokou’s eyes. “You did... everything you could for me. I was the one who wasn’t strong enough...” Her voice broke, unable to handle her feelings any longer. “I missed you. I missed you so, so much.”
“I missed you too, Ayane. I’m here now–”
For what seemed like an eternity, the two held each other in silence, simply content with the other’s presence. Eventually, Ayane spoke up.
“So... What’s going to happen to us?” There was an earnest look of concern in the woman’s eyes.
“I don’t know.” Mokou gave a simple reply. “Maybe we’ll join the kami in heaven. Maybe we’ll be reborn for another life....” His voice trailed off for a moment as he looked away.
“Maybe this is just the end.”
Ayane brought a hand to Mokou’s cheek. With a gentle smile, she looked at her lover.
“Regardless of what happens, we’ll face it together. Right, Mokou?”
A smile turned to the man. The sight filled her with such indescribable joy. To touch him, to hear him speak, to feel his love.
“Right, Ayane.”
It made the journey here worth it.
<I finally fulfilled your wish.>
With resolution in the heart, the two walked across the field into the distance, off to whatever their fates would leave them. Whatever awaited them, they would be happy.
They would be together.
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