Chapter 1: The Prophecy

-It is done, master.

Saitana Yashida glanced nonchalantly at his subordinate. His ice cold eyes, glowing of a wicked red light, looked down on the kneeled man. Then, with a low and calm voice, he said:

-You did good, Ukone. I assume you made sure not to forget anything ?

-No, master, stated Ukone. I did what you asked me. There's not a single living being left in the village.

-Are you... sure about it ? I feel you're a little nervous.

-Well... I must admit that some girl escaped while I was fighting a...

-WHAT ?

Saitana's expression was just not the same. His eyes widened in fury, and his mouth twisted into an edgy grin. A menacing vein was palpitating on his forehead, and others were appearing on his neck, down his cheeks and over his eyes. Then, with a tense tone in the voice, he said through his sharp teeth:

-You let someone escape ? I thought I made myself clear enough : you had one thing to do, kill every last one of the villagers. And you're telling me you failed that simple order ?!

Ukone started to sweat lightly, thinking: "That's not fair ! I did a pretty good job ! It's not my fault these darn people helped that brat escape ! Anyway it's just a teenage girl that ran away. It's not worth all this fuss !" Then he said out loud:

-I'm sorry, master. I will make up to my fault.

-That is what you say, replied Saitana. "Not worth all this fuss", eh ?

"How did he knew ?" Thought Ukone, panicked.

-I will tell you, Ukone, why that is so important. First, who is THE demon ?

-You, master.

-Who is the most powerful wielder of this whole land ?

-You, master.

-And who got the greatest Chi in History ?

-You are all that, master.

-But yet, Ukone... There's a prophecy that states someday, the spirits will choose someone and give that person an incredible power. In fact, if the "Choosen one" learned to unleash this power, it would be unstoppable. I have 3 000 years of experience behind me, I possess the title of Supreme Wielder, but still... that prophecy states I will be brought down. Defeated. For 17 years, I've been searching, looking on every trail I could pick about that "Choosen one", getting all potential people killed, so no one would ever break my reign. I always looked every detail, even the smallest ones. But today, you tell me you may have let my downfall escape ? And you wonder why I'm angry ?

-I... I didn't knew any of this, mast... argh !

Saitana was holding Ukone by the neck, several centimeters over the ground. The cold and indifferent look was back in the demon's eyes.

-Please, master, choked Ukone. Let me down... and I'll go after her. I'll bring you her head... I promise !

-You dare ask me for a second chance after what you did ? You've got some nerve...

Slowly, Saitana turned his left arm, the one that wasn't gripping Ukone, into a sharp, long, black sword. Then, without any other form of trial, he stabbed the man right in the stomach. Finally, the demon took out the sword, turned it back into an arm, and released Ukone, letting him fall lifeless and bloody in the cold snow.

-I'll get someone else to find her, he said to himself. I can't take any risk of letting the prophecy realize itself...

Then, he vanished in a twirling, dark mist.




Chapter 2 : Shinoka

The snow was falling and the wind was howling. Cold. So cold. But she had to keep running. She couldn't stop, even if her body was freezing, even if she couldn't feel her muscles anymore, even if her tears froze right under her eyes. Shinoka HAD to run. For her family's sake. For all of the villagers' sake. Of course, she had no hope of seeing them again someday. They were dead, she knew it. But at least, she could make so they didn't die for nothing. She tripped and fell in the white snow, and her hands felt like two blocks of ice attached to her arms. Out of breath, she remained down a few seconds, but then gritted her teeth and got back on her feet.

-Come on, girl ! She said to herself, get it together !

Fortunately, the creature that attacked her village wasn't after her. That was pretty much of a lame comfort, but it was better than nothing.

Shinoka Kokuyo had to survive. It was sort of her duty, now. After all, so much people died for her. But actually, she was lost. The trees around her looked alike, and she had no visual landmark. She was lost, and she was perfectly aware of that fact. But somehow, she couldn't bring herself to fully accept what that meant. That most probably, she would die of either hunger or cold before she could reach any help. So she kept running.

間

Saitana was in a very bad mood. How could this stupid Ukone let go of something so important ? That's what happens when you don't choose your subordinates carefully enough. He had to do something about that girl. If she was the one...

-Noraki ! He yelled, come here right now !

He felt her before she arrived. In a rampant red mist, that smelled like blood and flowers at the same time, Noraki materialized before her master. The specter bowed lowly, and looked upon the demon with a suspicious smile. The young girl asked in a whisper:

-What do you want from me, master ?

-I want you to head in the direction of Yakoshima. You have to locate a teenage girl, a young adult, I guess. I want you to find Shinoka Kokuyo, and I want her dead.

-Why is that, master ? You know her ?

-I found her name in Ukone's memories. And do you dare ask for ME to explain anything to you ?

Saitana got closer to her, with the same cold, killer look in the eyes he had before he murdered Ukone. Noraki felt the danger and precipitately answered:

-Of course not, sir. I would never try to force you into doing anything for me. I don't deserve it, anyway. After all, you're so powerful, so superior to me, I...

-Stop being so sycophant, Noraki. Now get up and fulfill your mission. Oh, and do I need to precise it ? Do not come back empty-handed.

Noraki vanished once again, and Saitana smiled sadistically. Then, he started a mental review of all his other servants. In case Noraki failed, he had to be ready to send someone else.




Chapter 3 : Living Legend

Shinoka finally lost her breath somewhere in the woods. She couldn't run anymore. In the falling darkness of the night, she started to freeze. Then, she saw the lights. Distant, bright, yellow lights. There was a town nearby, or at least a village. She was saved. Or so she thought. She smelled a strange odor in the sharp wind: something like blood and flowers.

-What's that smell ? She asked to herself. That's...

In a twirling mist, a young blonde girl appeared before her, with a knife in her hand. She smiled.

And threw her knife in Shinoka's direction.

Shinoka dodged the weapon by falling down in the snow. In the process, she got snow all over her face. Then she looked at her aggressor, who sported the same sadistic smile. Two knives materialized in her hands.

-Hey, said Shinoka, wait ! What do you want from me ?

-Not much, replied Noraki. I just want to get these into your cute neck !

Then she ran toward Shinoka and tried to cut her victim's throat. But Shinoka was fast enough to avoid the attack. She rolled in the snow, and finally got up.

-You're mad ! She yelled. What's your problem ?!

-You are ! Replied the assailant.

-I don't even know you, how could I...

She jumped back to evade a new strike. But then, Noraki's fingers turned into blades. With a mad laugh, the specter threw them all to Shinoka. The young girl had no way to escape. She was dead.

But nothing happened. Shinoka had closed her eyes, ready to feel an awful pain in her whole body, but it didn't come. She opened her eyes and saw something incredible. A man was standing between her and the specter. He had silver, mid-long, spiky hair, and black clothing. He also had a katana at his belt, sheathed. All of Noraki's blades were embedded in his body. The man coughed up blood, and in a dash, he reached Noraki. Before she knew it, he unsheathed his blade and sliced her head off. Then, he fell on his knees, and started pulling the knives out.

-Th... Thank you mister, said Shinoka. Are you alright ? Can I help you ?

-Yes, replied her savior. You can help me by staying out of trouble.

After taking out all knives, he sheathed the sword, stood up and looked back on Shinoka.

-Come on ! We both should get to town.