The Last Fight

Prologue:

The moonlight shone so clearly down on the midnight blue valley. The distinct colors of the dimmed land aroused a handful of feelings from her chest. She stretched her wings, unfurling them from their full span, and with a great leap she jumped off the roof and soared into the night.

The stars accompanied her those many nights she had flown over the villages and towns. Time seemed to slow as she flew. To any common man she looked as any woman would. But in the midnight moons glow, you could plainly see her vast wings.

So begins this tale...



It began on a thundering night. Lightening burst in the air, sparks flowing across the moon covered clouds. The stars were still visible through the thick rain and thunderous noise. The small village in which this young girl occupied was a haven for young children. Many mothers who had been widowed in the great war had brought their children to this place. It was a place deep in the mountains, safe from the Emperor. The village was so peaceful, hills surrounded it with trees atop them. A very magical forest, which was filled with life. On the North Border of the town sat a small lake, which was decorated by lily pads with small pink flowers atop them.

This young girls name was Amami. And she was a beautiful girl. Her blue eyes shone like clear water, her ebony black hair was so silky it amazed her mother a thousand times over. When Amami was little her mother took her to an Ichiko, a sorceress. This sorceress contained mystical powers. Since Amami's mother was a beleiver in most of the old ways she decided to have Amami's destiny foretold when she was very young.

It was a strange experience for Amami. She went inside the Haimu in which the Ichiko made her home. The room was very scary for a young girl. The walls were covered with red and blue decorated Drapes. Small statues stood in four places around the room. A glorious patterned rug set on the floor. In the middle sat a small table with four pillows around it. Apparently this sorceress had entertained many people before.
Amami stood patiently at the door, her eyes fell upon the sorceress as she emerged from a curtained room in the back.

She wore a long kimono, it draped around her feet. The array of colors set Amami back, it was a pool of blues, greens and yellows. It took every nerve in her body to keep herself from gasping.

The sorceress stopped just before the seat and looked up at Amami.

“You're wondering about my Kimono, aren't you?” she asked her thick Japanese accent diluting her words. She spoke with such flair and finesse, Amami found herself without words. But the sorceress just waited, a small smile on her face.

“Yes, I was.” Amami finally forced out.

“Well, take a seat and I shall explain.”she said sitting down then offering the seat across from her to Amami.

Amami took a seat and sat down, she crossed her legs and set her hands on her knees. She then waited patiently as the sorceress began.

“This kimono is very special..” she began. “I have had it since I became very famous.”

She looked to Amami, “Do you know about the world's colors?” she asked.

Amami shook her head.

“Colors are gifts from Allah, before our time the world was very dull. It had no life, no color..nothing.”

Amami took wonder to the strange word. “What is Allah?”she asked.

The sorceress smiled, “Allah is God. I was not born here in Japan. I came from another place which believes in someone entirely different from us. Though I am Japanese, I do not believe in Buddah. As many people here do.”

Amami was set back, she wasn't sure what to say since her mother had so much belief in the old ways.

“Do not fret, your mother believes as I do. That is why you and I are having this conversation.”

Amami nodded. “I understand..” she said smiling.

The sorceress smiled as well, “Your Mother said you are Amami?” the sorceress asked.

“Yes.” replied Amami.

“Well, Amami my name is Sonoko and like you my mother chose my name especially for me.”

Amami smiled. Her mother had told her many times that there had been a special reason she had chosen her name. Amami never knew exactly why though.


Sonoko continued to go on “My mother said she wished for me for many years. When finally I was conceived my mother went to a person just like me. And that person told my mother that I would be gifted, with the ability to make things grow beautiful. I was born in a garden and when I was named, my mother made sure she chose something worthy of my gift. Thus, she named me Sonoko which means Garden Child. Your mother named you Amami which means Beautiful Sky.”

Amami smiled as she heard the meaning of her name. But she still didn't understand why it was so important.

“You're wondering why your name is so important? Well, it's because when you turn older you will meet a Mystical Being. And she will turn you into something angelic. You will fly around the world bringing peace everywhere. But when this happens, there will be a downside.”

She waited for the inevitable, Sonoko sighed, “Once you are changed..you will never be able to change back. You will never age or die.”

Sonoko sent Amami off with a strong feeling in her stomach. A sudden determination to change her fate burst inside her.

At the age of ten she had learned of her destiny, for three years she avoided the world. She ran away from home and contained herself within the mountains. It was when he appeared nearly four years after that her life would change.

The sun shone strongly through the cracks in the rock, Amami glanced upward to see the sun blinding her eyes. She rolled over quickly to escape the sun. She laid on her back, peaceful thoughts crowded her head. But deep inside those thoughts laid something her mother had said to her before she left.

“You may be able to run from your destiny, but you can't avoid it forever. It will find you somehow. Eventually it will happen.”Her mother had said.

Amami shrugged off her feelings and Emotions. She stood and straightened her Yukata. She shivered at the cold cotton feel of the summer Kimono against her skin. She grabbed her father's sword and sheathed it, she placed it across her back and stepped outside of the cave. She looked around carefully, looking for anything or anyone within sight. Seeing absolutely nothing around her she decided that it was safe to leave the cave. Trees hung over the cave's top, the leaves fell downward one after the other. Winter was coming, the air of fall was clear. The cold nights and rainy days only made it clearer that fall was ending and winter was beginning.

The ground was wet and slippery as Amami walked down the trail. Boulders stuck out from the mountains side giving it a cliff look to it. She walked down to where the ground leveled and became flat, only a few more minutes and she would come to the river.

It got very cold up in the mountains. Amami had been making clay pots all summer and now she was busy filling them with water. She was spending her days like she had been those four years gathering wood and storing it. Her vegetable garden had given her many good crops this summer. She had stocked some and had been eating them throughout the months. But, food doesn't last forever. It goes bad after a week, Amami would have to rely on hunting for her food soon. The winters were the hardest, those were the months that were with water soup. She would be hunting squirrels and Bucks this winter. Amami remembered how much she hated skinning those animals, but it had to be done.

She stopped just at the waters edge, a thin layer of ice had formed over the moving water. Now slowly tiny chunks of ice were being taken down the swift currents. The river was not very powerful, but if you got in the middle of it's current you had better be careful. Amami leaned down to the water and scooped some up with her hand. She slurped the cold water and quickly dried her hand from the cold. She tried to refrain from drinking the water she was saving. She kept it close to her fire to keep it warm, but she never drank it until it was snowing outside and the river had frozen over. Right now she had six clay pots, and each pot would hold ninety gallons of water. It was a long process but worth the work and the wait.

She sat on a nearby rock to breathe and allow the earth and sun to shine on her. For a moment she would just realize how beautiful it was in the mountains. Then she would stand and walk off in search of bucks to hunt. She traveled far down the rivers edge and crossed where a huge tree had fallen over. She waded the short distance to the log and continued to the other side. Once there she climbed up into the hills and walked the hour to the flat lands. The flat lands had the greenest grass and she was most likely to find bucks there. Amami had noticed that the Japanese Deer population had begun to decrease. What would that mean for her?

As she walked she noticed far down the path some Panda bears eating bamboo in the trees. Amami walked by quietly and swiftly, though Panda bears are usually very docile in the winter months they can be quite playful. Amami smiled at the cute Panda's but continued on. The heavy lush forest had grown over her paths in the last few months even her constant walking through had not stopped the forests growth.

Finally Amami arrived at the Flat lands, she looked over the tall grass. There at the edge of the flats stood a Japanese Deer. Amami pulled out her bow and took aim at the deer.

'I need to get closer..” she thought. She slowly made her way around the edge of the flats staying on the treeline until it stopped. There she could be in a perfect firing range. She took aim and just before she fired she heard the sound of another bow firing. Amami ducked hearing the sound. She had successfully avoided human contact these last four years, she wasn't about to get caught up in it now. She peeked over the tall grass to see the deer had gone. A man came walking out of the woods on the other side. He no longer carried a bow, but a sword. The silver gleam hurt Amami's eyes, she became furious but held herself back from exacting revenge. She then heard other voices, 'Oh great!' she thought. Now there were others coming from the woods, almost six! The men gathered around the first, they held another man prisoner. Amami felt sorry for the prisoner. But she had to wonder what he had done.

She pulled herself to be brave and stood, “You men there! Leave this forest at once!” she commanded. The men smiled at her, she whimpered and took off at a run. Arrows were blazing towards her, landing beside her hitting trees as she ran. She looked back to seem them gaining on her, but in her turn to look she had forgotten about the sudden drop. She went tumbling down the rock encased hill, she landed flat on her back and out of breath. She put a hand to her head only to see blood stain her palm and sleeve. She gasped at the sight and felt an intense fear. The men approached her slowly, one looked at her with a kind eye the other gazed at her like a piece of meat. The other four had stayed at the top of the hill looking down on the spectacle.

“Who are you girl?”the kind one asked.

“I'm no one..and you?”she replied.

“Why me? I am a hunter. My name is Saburo Hayate.” he said smiling. “This is my friend and fellow hunter, Kotaro Mao. He won't bite.” Saburo said smiling. The man Kotaro backed off and leaned against a nearby tree.

Saburo kneeled and looked at Amami with pity, “Are you out here alone?” he asked.

Amami nodded, she backed a ways from him, “I am alone but I can fight..I won't go down without killing at least one of you.”

Saburo raised his hands, “There will be no need for that. We won't hurt you. I'm looking for a spot to build my Hausu. I've left my home to come here, I heard this was beautiful country.” he smiled at her, “Seems more beautiful than I thought.”

Amami blushed, her cheeks went hot. She sighed and stood from the ground, her feet were unsteady beneath her but she regained her balance. Saburo stood at the ready, lord knows he was probably aching to care for her. But Amami was not in the mood to deal with him. Besides she was trying to avoid her destiny.


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“Would you like to join us for some dinner? I could take care of your wounds for you.” he said kindly. Amami shook and her head and began to walk off but the scenery around her began to spin. She stopped and kneeled to the ground, 'I can't walk to my cave like this..' she thought. She turned and smiled to Saburo. This one time, she would stay in the company of a human.

“I'm actually feeling very light headed. I think I will accompany you.” she said sighing deeply.

Saburo offered her his hand she took it without thinking. As she walked she actually realized she'd be falling over without him to support her.


They walked the flats all the way to the lake. Amami had only traveled to the lake for fish. Which she ate very lightly. She didn't care much for fish, but when you can't hunt deer you catch what you can.

As it turns out, Saburo had a whole camp set up. There was a section just a ways from the lake on the hill where workers were beginning to build his home. Amami complemented him on his choice of scenery.

“I liked it here. It seemed like a very serene place.”he commented as they walked to a large tent. A few servants, or Gejo, came from the tent. Saburo handed Amami off to the women.

“These are my servants, they will care for you for the moment. I will return after I deal with the prisoner.” Saburo said encouraging Amami that she would be fine.

As she entered the tent she was amazed at the beauty, she hadn't seen such color in years. Not since the sorceress's kimono. Amami remembered why she had been in solitude for so many years.

“Tell me, does your Master..Saburo..know any mystic beings?” Amami asked.

The first maid shook her head, “No, of course not. All the sorceress's have been run out or killed since the war. The only mystic being I know of it Satsuki. And she lives far from here. She's very collected and doesn't venture out much.”

Amami nodded, she could breathe a bit easier. As she laid there on the pillows of satin silk she began to drift off and as she began to sleep, she also began to dream. Her dream was of Saburo, why dream of this man she had only met. She saw his dark hair it fell into his eyes and against his neck. His eyes were a deep shade of green, almost like jade. She then dreamed about his hands, how strong they had been. The feel of them against her waist as she walked. The other holding her hand to keep her steady.

Sadly her dream ended when she woke minutes later to him sitting beside her. He was eating rice from a bowl and reading something with numbers on it. Amami sat up closing her eyes to keep the room from spinning.

“I wouldn't sit up too fast.”commented Saburo, “You're still going to be dizzy.”

Amami smiled, “Of course. What are you reading?”

“Ah, these are the plans for my home. They told me to make any changes now. Because one they're done building I cannot change anything.”

“That's good advice..” Amami sighed.

Saburo handed her a bowl of rice, she accepted it and thanked him. She took the wooden chopsticks and began to eat the rice slowly. It had been ages since she'd eaten rice.

“Are you going to tell me your name now?” he asked.

Amami looked at him, he looked trustworthy. “My name is Amami.”she whispered.


“So Amami, why are you out here all by yourself?”he asked.

Amami thought about what to say, “I ran away from home to live out here. I'm happy here.”

Saburo smiled, “I see, but you've got something else pulling at you young one. Something you're afraid of. I can see it..in your eyes.” he said taking another bite.

Amami sighed, “I'm running from my destiny.” she whispered.

“A destiny is a hard thing to run from..” Saburo smiled turning to face her.

“What destiny are you running from?” he asked plainly.

“A destiny which would ruin me, when this happens I will turn into something I don't want to turn into. I will never age and I would never die.” The emotions suddenly began to consume her and like the child she was she began to cry.

Saburo looked at her with confusion. Amami held her breath for a moment to stifle the tears. She had to be strong now, she had to go back to her cave and live alone.

She looked up and saw Saburo's kind face, “I have to get going now.” she said meekly.

Saburo smiled, “You can't hide from your destiny forever. You know, you can always change your destiny, If you choose to do so.”

Amami let that comment sink it, she really thought about it. Saburo smiled seeing her apparent courage rising.

“You mean..if I met with this being I could change my course? I could change what would happen?”

“Of course.”he stated

“But the sorceress said that this will happen! My mother says that sorceress's are always right in their predictions.”Amami argued.

“Little One..have you ever told anyone that you were certain something was going to happen?”Saburo asked.

“Yes, I told my mother once that the sheep in our field would be eaten by wolves..because I had spotted their tracks in our pastures.”she sighed.

Saburo lifted his hand, “Did it happen?”he asked pointing at her.

Amami thought back, she shook her head “No, the sheep were fine we never had any trouble from the wolves.”

Saburo dropped his hand, “That is my point. Just because you say something is going to happen, doesn't mean it will happen.”

Amami made a choice that night, and it was a brave one. She decided to stay with Saburo and work for him as a huntress. All the while she was determined to change her destiny..the right way.

She stayed in her own tent with Saburo's team for nearly three months. In that time she learned much from Saburo's men. One in particular changed her life in the most drastic of ways. It was a romance predicted in heaven and Amami was sure that their love was meant to be.

She had made friends with Saburo's maids as well. They talked together at night and at the bathe house. The girls were very happy when it was completed. Amami told the girls all about this man who had stolen her heart. She told him of their days hunting with each other..and of their talks with each other.

“What's his name?” one of the younger maids asked.

Amami smiled, “Hagi..” she whispered. She loved the sound of that name. His eyes always mesmerized her. They were blue, like hers but they were a silvery blue. An enchanting color. Amami smiled to the girls as she told them about how he always helped her cross the river and over the log bridge.

That next morning Hagi came to her while she was gathering water. He looked into her eyes with the deepest of sincerity then did something, Amami did not expect. He traced his hand along the contours of her face, then kissed her gently. The kiss was passionate and sensual. It was Amami's first kiss. To her suprise..she kissed Hagi back. The result was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

The incident occurred on a bright and sunny morning. The day was clear and comfortable..it had no sign that danger or mishap were afoot. But, something was about to happen. Amami could feel it, there was a swift wind that day and it carried the smell of something Amami had never smelled before. It was dangerous and it was coming.

Amami rushed to tell Saburo, Kosaka and Hagi about her feelings. She told them that she had noticed something different on the wind. Saburo took precautionary measures and set guards up all over the grounds.

Within minutes darkness overtook the sky, thunder boomed overhead and it started to rain like a storm. Amami gripped Hagi's hand as they walked outside of the tent. Saburo pointed to the forest.

“I see something, just there.”he said.

Amami looked, she saw it then. At first only the eyes of the creature could be seen, then it's clothes and hair until finally there stood before them a woman clad in a beautiful, bright kimono. She smiled at Amami and began to walk forward.

Saburo sighed, “Satsuki..” he stated.

Amami filled with worry, 'Satsuki?' her mind questioned. 'Not the Satsuki the girls were talking about?'

“Hello Saburo..” Satsuki smiled, her voice was very serious. “I've come for that little girl you have.”

Saburo stood beside Amami, “Why do you want her? She is part of my family..” he made clear. Amami looked up to him in surprise.

“Saburo..”she whispered.

He looked down at her, “Don't worry..I'll protect you.” he told her.

“Don't think you can protect her by keeping her name secret..I already know it. I knew it the minute I set foot on this ground.” Satsuki growled.

“She stays here with me. As apart of my family she has immunity from you. You have no right to take her!”Saburo shouted.

“Amami belongs to me. She's going to be my little warrior, already she has begun to change. Soon she will be mine with or without your cooperation.”

Amami shook her head.. “I have the power to change my destiny..” she whispered. She reached behind her and grabbed her bow. Lacing the arrow she took aim and with precision fired the arrow.

A scream echoed throughout the darkness, Satsuki pulled the arrow from her chest. Blood gushed from the wound.

“It will take..more than that..to kill me little girl!” Satsuki said gasping for breath.

Amami dropped the bow and ran to her tent, she return gripping her sword.

“Then I'll finish the job!” she yelled.

She brought her sword up, she was ready to fight. Amami brought her silver blade down on Satsuki's pale body. A clang of swords shocked Amami out of her world, Satsuki held her own sword the blades ground against each other. Within a moment the two broke from each other and attempted another blow. The result was the wounding of both parties. Amami gripped her hilt feeling the distinct pain at her side. Across from her Satsuki was already coughing up blood from the arrow wound. Now she was only weaker from the wound across her stomach. Amami smiled as she knew victory was only seconds away. She readied her blade and prepared for the run.

“I can change my destiny..” she whispered. She said that to herself several times like a mantra. When finally her courage had built she attacked.

She felt the warm liquid rush over her hands, the jagged breaths made her heart pound. Amami pulled her sword fiercely from Satsuki's chest. Satsuki dropped to her knees.

“You..you could have had..so..much power!”she whispered her breaths shorter.

Amami stood and looked down at her, “I have no need for power. I have family..and that's all I need.”

Satsuki's body doubled over Amami sighed with relief..it was finally over.
She walked over to Saburo.

“I changed my destiny..” she smiled.

Saburo nodded, “Yes..you did.”

As Saburo had told Satsuki, Amami was apart of his family. Only a few days later he officially adopted Amami as his little sister. The family was almost complete.

There was only one more person they needed, and whether he would join the family or not..well..we'll see.