• It was ironic, really. That someone like himself who didn`t believe in destiny would be guided by it.
    2 years ago

    Rage looked up from where he was sitting. If he had looked up a second sooner or later, he would have missed her. She had blood red hair, eyes the color of midnight. She looked around, and their eyes met briefly. In that second he realized that here was a power that rivaled his own. Instantly he decided. There was only enough room in this city for one of them, and he was going to make sure it was himself. 1 month later "Who are you?" Apashi turned around.
    "Who are you?"
    "The one who was here first. Beat it, or I`ll tear you apart."
    "Why don't you beat it?"
    "Very well." Rage reached back and unsheathed his purple flaming long sword. Likewise Apashi pulled out her weapon of choice, a great Battle Ax. "The usual rules?"
    "Indeed." And so Rage started the duel. It was furious, with each tiring at the same rate. After what seemed like forever, suddenly a voice rang out.
    "Where are you Rage?" Saki asked.
    Rage slowed, stunned. Saki wasn`t supposed to be here! As his mind raced he paid for his inattention with a gash across his leg. "Saki, go back!"
    "Oh, a little emotional, are we? We`ll deal with that first." Apashi turned and walked over to Saki while Rage laid on the ground, trying to get up.
    "Saki! Run!" But she just stood there, terrified. With a burst of strength Rage managed to throw his sword at Apashi. It hit her in the shoulder just as she swung her ax down for a killing blow.
    Apashi`s ax missed Saki by a hair. She looked back at Rage. "I said wait your turn." Then she pulled the sword out and tossed it to the ground. When Apashi turned back to Saki, she realized something was wrong.
    Saki`s eyes were now green, her skin was pale, the skin around her eyes was blackened, and her hair was now streaked with green. "Not today, Apashi." she said. Then she reached out her hand and a scythe appeared in it. She swung her scythe, there was a blur, and Apashi disappeared. Rage just sat there bewildered, until Saki walked up to him and poked him, "You ok, Rage?"
    "What just happened?"
    "I got mad."
    "What did you do to Apashi?"
    "You don`t want to know. I believe there was a reason you asked me to come here?"
    "Yeah, but-"
    "But then you saw her, and you had to fulfill your vow you made to yourself. I understand. So why did you ask me here in the first place?"
    "I wanted to go shopping with you, but I can see that might be out of the question now."
    "Actually, I`d prefer if we went to my house to talk, if that`s ok with you."
    "Ok then." When they got there she let him in and told him to make himself at home. He sat down and waited for her to explain what she wanted to talk about.
    "So, Rage, what was the real reason you wanted to go shopping with me?"
    "What was--what are you talking about?"
    "There was an ulterior motive, wasn`t there?"
    "Ultier-"Rage sighed."Yes, there was."
    "And that would be??"
    "I wanted to get to know you better."
    "Because you like me?"
    He sighed. "Yes, I do."
    "And why do you think I wanted to talk here instead of at your house?"
    Rage sat quietly for a while. "Are they the same reasons?"
    1 month later

    During a pivotal battle between Rage and and the leader of a rival clan, the worst possible thing happened. Rage slipped on the rainswept surface, and dropped his sword. In a flash, Rage`s opponent was upon him. A gash appeared in his chest, and the battle was over. "Rage!" Saki screamed, her heart wrenched. Then she let loose an articulate roar of anger and loss and single handedly demolished every member of the rival clan. Then she came and knelt next to Rage. "Rage?" Wheeze.
    "Yes Saki?"
    "Your gonna make it Rage. You have to."
    "You can see how deep this wound is. I haven`t much time. Just listen."
    "But-"
    "I don't have time Saki!" His tone stung her. He NEVER used that tone with her. "I have something I must tell you before I leave. When this life is over for me, go to my room, pull my lock box out from under the bed. The combination is 011248. It will explain everything." He gasped.
    "Rage!"
    "Good bye Saki. Don`t forget me!" With that his death rattle sounded, and he slumped in her arms. She sat there for a full 3.5 minutes. Then she dropped his body and stood. A casual observer would have noticed nothing amiss, but for those who knew her there were many conflicting thoughts crossing her mind. Then her face stopped, everything stopped, even her breath. She went rigid. She stood like that for exactly 90 seconds, then relaxed, her face at peace. Then she smiled a strange smile. Her left eye twitched, and a vein pulsed in her neck. Then black wings shot out of her back, markings surrounded her body and yet the power of her mind could control everything around her.
    7 years later

    As Saki is walking down a deserted alley, 5 guys jump out of the shadows at her and attack. She is hard pressed and is starting to lose ground when one steps near a shadow cast by the full moon. The shadow reached out and grasps his ankle. He screamed as he was drawn into the shadow. Heart wrenching screams rent the night, causing a sliver of pity in even Saki`s stone heart. After a minute, the shadow flows away, leaving behind it a bloodless husk. It flows up beside Saki, standing 7 feet tall. Then it spoke, in a voice that instantly caused Saki`s heart of stone to crack.
    "Who`s next?" She hadn`t heard that voice for exactly 7 years, 7 months, 7 hours and 7 seconds, though she didn`t know that. It was Rage! The men turned and fled, but the shadow flowed away, toward the nearest patch of darkness. Then more screams. After a while, the screams quieted, and the shadow returned. It`s eyes glowed purple.
    "Rage..?" She whispered. The shadow seemed to nod. Her heart of stone broke, to be replaced with a heart of love again.
    "Indeed, though if you had opened my lock box like I told you to, you would know its not Rage anymore, but Kage."
    "I`m sorry, its just.. when you died in my arms...everything since then seems like a dream."
    "You were changed. You weren`t completely in control."
    "But, that means that.."
    "Yes, you now have a lover other than me. He won`t take it kindly that I have returned for you."
    "What was it like, being-" She faltered.
    "Being dead?" He laughed. "I never really died. I was still there, all around you, keeping you out of to much trouble, but there was a limit to what I could do. It has taken this long for me to become corporeal. Your love for me has kept me alive all these years, and now I return to you, to fulfill my dieing promise"
    "But what are we going to do about August?"
    "Leave that to me. I`ll try not to permanently damage him."
    When they got to her house Saki realized that Kage was still shrouded in shadow. "Umm, Kage? You`re still covered in shadow."
    "Oh. Sorry. But I must warn you first. I don`t look the same, and I never will."
    "That's ok honey, I`ll still love you." Then he closed his eyes, and the shadows flowed off and returned to the darkness. What was revealed looked like a tortured wreck of a human being. Every inch of his skin was covered in horrid scars. Scars that glowed with a dark radiance. Every few seconds they would drip dark red blood that sizzled when it hit the pavement. Saki gasped and stepped back. He had once been beautiful, but now, he was hideous. "You see now why I prefer the covering of my power? I am the most hideous creature of all."
    "That you may be, but you are still my love, and I will love you no matter what."
    At that his mouth twitched a little bit. "Thank you honey. So lets go take care of August. Lets say I saved your life, then work up from there, ok?"
    "Ok." He she opened the door and ran inside, while Kage slowly backed in facing outwards, until the door shut, then turned around. August stood up.
    "Who are you?" He demanded.
    "August, this is the one who just saved my life. Show him some respect please."
    Kage bowed low, though he burned with a desire to rip this traitor limb from limb. "It is how she says, sir. She was jumped by members of the Ichiro clan in the vicinity of my home. I happened to be taking a stroll at the time and managed to rescue her. However, those who got away will certainly have gone for reinforcements. I ask if you would consent to let me stay here the night, until the morning, when I will be able to make the way back to my sector without difficulty, O most powerful one."
    "Do you require some healing, Mr.-?"
    "Kage, and no, I will survive. I may be old, but I am tough. I`ve lived through much worse."
    "As you wish, Kage. Come, sit by the fire and warm yourself, and tell me more. You have aroused my interest, which does not happen often."
    Kage bowed again, then came over and sat across from August and Saki, though he would have preferred to sit next to Saki.
    August spoke up. "So, Kage, tell me about yourself. We might be able to use someone like you in Orimara Corp."
    "This will take some time, for my story is long." August nodded and leaned back. "Many years ago, when you were not even a gleam in you grandfathers eye, I was born to a woman. My mother died in child birth, and my father I never knew. I made my way as best I could, when I finally escaped from that horrible place they call an orphanage. I made my life as a sword for hire. I never failed, though my courtesy made my reputation more than did my track record. I was a bounty hunter more than anything else. One day, I realized that I had the potential to create my own clan, and I did so. I meet the girl of my dreams, we fell in love, and my clan was prosperous. My life was perfect. Everything I had dreamed of had come true."
    "But through a traitors cowardice I was laid low, my woman taken from me, my position lost, my looks gone, for I was handsome in my youth. I was left for dead, and abandoned. But I survived, for my soul was wracked with a hatred so intense not even death could stop it, for I died that day, but my revenge would not be denied. Do you not see, August?" Here August started. "The traitor I speak of is yourself. The woman is my Saki. And the clan is Orimara Corp. For my name was once Rage, and I have returned for my own!" Flames encompassed Kage, and his eyes returned to a deep royal purple, his hair became blood red, and his robe turned as dark as midnight. His scars reappeared, and they wept caustic blood.
    "But, how do I know you are who you say?"
    "Because though a hundred years may go by, I will not forget Rage`s voice." Saki answered, then stood up and returned to my side.
    "Then I am ruined."
    "Not necessarily. You see, I am in a generous mood today. I think I will let you live. But, you shall have a test of loyalty, and if you pass it and lay your hands on what is mine again, you will cease to exist, and no one will morn your passing." He then held his left hand away from his side, and a short stick appeared in it. He clenched it, and it extended until it was 4 feet long. With a *shlink* a massive blade slide out of the top.
    Here Saki interrupted him. "Umm, Kage? Your eyes are smoking." He held up a mirror.
    "So they are. I`ll just go and vent the rage for a sec, ok?" He vanished with a *whom*. After a second, there was a ground shaking explosion, and Kage reapeared.
    "What did you do?" Saki asked.
    "Remember that clan that was giving you some trouble a few weeks ago? Lets just say they wont bother us again. Now, shall we tell the members?" He swiped his scythe, and a portal appeared through which they could see the clan headquarters.
    "After you." August said, bowing.
    "No no, my friend, after you." August shrugged, then went through, and Kage and Saki followed. Thus followed an unimportant speech by Kage that once again had Orimara Corp. around his finger. When it was over they returned to Saki`s house.
    That night Kage got out of bed softly so as not to wake Saki. He left the room without making a sound. At the door he looked for his shoes.
    "Looking for these, honey?" Saki was in the doorway, holding his shoes.
    "Saki..."
    "Where are you going, love? Why at this late hour?"
    "I can`t tell you Saki, but I must go alone."
    "Why, love?" She walked up to him and hugged him tight. "Just when you finally came back?"
    "Saki, just go back to bed." He pleaded.
    "And why do you never take off that cloak?"
    "Because, that cloak is all that stands between the world and my inhumanity. I am no longer even remotely human, my love."
    "I promised you I would love you no matter what, and I stand by that promise, Kage."
    "Very well, but don`t say I didn`t warn you." He alowed her to slip his cloak from his sholders and stood ramrod straight, as always, while she gaped. For beneath that cloak was a body that was not human. It was the body of a monster, a foul creature of darkness covered in bleeding scars, with midnight black raven's wings folded on his back. However, he retained enough of his humanity to be wear clothes.
    "What.....what are you?" Saki asked, transfixed.
    "I am not of this world, honey. I gave up my humanity to return to you. In doing so I bested he who can not be bested. Death himself. It took me 7 years, but I did it. I bested Death, but that is a feat that is not to be taken lightly."