• The sun slowly slid down the sky, leaving red claw-marks inside the sky. She let out a sigh as she sat upon the roof of a house, one knee bent and the other leg laid straight out.
    Her Kanata was sheathed on her back, and then she looked down, her black hair coming out of it's tight bun.
    She watched the landscape, the still waters of the pond reflecting her image. Her black bun was messy, her dark eyes shimmering, and her blue kimono ruffled.
    "Suki," said a husky voice. She slowly stood up, and turned around towards the voice.
    "Yes, Tyoki?" Suki replied, her eyes emotionless. She watched as a tall and muscular figure appeared in front of her, his brown hair spiked and his light blue eyes filled with concern.
    "Suki, some demons attacked the villagers," Tyoki told her, his fists balling up, "They also raided our village and killed three of our fighters."
    Suki's eyes filled with fury, and then she shot from being in front of him to running along the roof and jumping down onto the ground.
    Tyoki appeared besides her once more, "They're already gone. Hiro, Iwao, Hikaru, and I killed them."
    Suki looked down, shame bearing down on her. If she wasn't watching the sunset on the roof of the house, she would've saved them. It felt like she committed the murder until Tyoki lifted her face up with his thumb, pressing it against her chin.
    "Suki, don't blame it on yourself," he assured her, his light blue eyes alluring. She looked at his black cloak, and then grew courage to meet his eyes.
    "Tyoki, I’m the second in command for the Starless Night village. If I was there, none of this would've happened. Nobody would be dead, not even those villagers from the other village. But, I just had to do something else instead of protecting the camp like I'm supposed to."
    Tyoki just sighed heavily and released his grip on her, "Well, Daiki wasn't there as well. So it's not for you to take blame on."
    Suki sighed heavily. The headmaster of the village was almost never there unless it was very serious.
    She started walking back towards the village which was about 3 miles from where they were right now.
    The sandy path they were on curved left and right, the green trees full with berries and other sorts of fruits imaginable.
    "Anyways, what were you doing up there?” Tyoki asked during their silent and long walk. She just smirked and then stole a glance at him.
    “That’s none of your concern,” Suki replied, walking a bit ahead of him. She stopped for a moment, having an eerie feeling that somebody besides Tyoki was watching her.
    Tyoki stopped as well, almost colliding with the smaller and petite figure. “What’s wrong?”
    She grunted and then unsheathed her Kanata, the click of it somehow awakening the thing that lurked inside the night shadows.
    The moon shined down onto a tall figure, about five stories high with long and gnarled teeth gleaming. It’s yellow eyes bore down onto the two of the fighters and Suki just stood there, her Kanata slung on her shoulders lazily.
    “Hello, ugly,” she taunted, and then moved quickly to the side as it’s long clawed hands slammed down to the place where she was.
    “Too slow!” she giggled, and then twirled around from it’s reach, her kimono swirling around her. The demon shrieked and then it placed a blow on her before she could move.
    Her side ached and she put her hand on her hip, pulling it back to see blood. “Oh it’s on!”
    Suki pointed her weapon at the demon and then slowly spun it around in her fingers, a circle of fire appearing around her and making her glow.
    “Shisada,” Suki said, slashing the air in front of her. The circle of fire suddenly turned into a shape of a wolf and it lunged for the demon, it’s teeth bared.
    Tyoki smirked at Suki. She was strong for her age, and he finally knew why she was the only female fighter of the village.
    “Hisuki!” Tyoki shouted, making a criss-cross inside the sky, and after about 5 seconds lightning poured down onto the demon.
    Suki ran towards the demon and then dug the sword into it’s side, and ripped it up, the shrill of the demon making her shiver. It dissolved into the thin air and Suki was left grinning like Cheshire Cat.
    “Nice work, Tyoki,” she told him, sheathing her Kanata and then she started walking once more. The moon made her hair silver and her eyes were a dim gray.
    “Thanks,” he grunted, walking behind her in respect. If she wasn’t the second in command, he would’ve already been far ahead of her. By far, she was the only female that was a fighter and the second in command.
    “Tyoki?” Suki asked in a questioning voice that caught his attention.
    “Yes?”
    Suki looked down for a moment, turning around to stare into his alluring light blue eyes, “Were you angry at me when you lost the battle?”
    Tyoki was startled by her question, and then balled his fists, not knowing how to reply. “What battle?”
    She stared at him for another moment, scratching her cheek and then she murmured some words to heal her forgotten bleeding wound.
    “The battle were we fought for second in command.”
    The words stung Tyoki like a slap across his face and unable to control himself, narrowed his eyes at her. He couldn’t believe she brought this up at this time. He still couldn’t believe she actually kept going about this.
    “Yes, I was and I also hated you. I hated the fact that a younger girl beat me. Then, I realized that you weren’t just any young girl. You were a girl that was gifted with an element far stronger than lightning.”
    Suki smiled meekly, feeling slightly guilty and horrible. It wasn’t her fault he lost. She was actually forced to battle him.
    “But do you still hate me?”
    Silence pierced the air, and he watched her as her small slowly deflated from his slow and rather harsh reply, “Why are you asking such stupid questions anyways? Besides, your second in command and that’s that. So, drop this stupid thing before I make you.”
    Suki’s eyes narrowed at the thought of her own battle partner trying to hurt her. She let out a small and dark chuckle.
    “Before you make me?” she asked deviously, drawing out the sarcasm. Tyoki’s jaw tightened and Suki smirked in response.
    She let out a roar of laughter, falling down and then started rolling around like crazy. Tyoki let out a groan. He would have to put up with her for another 2 hours.
    “You have the mind of a 4 years old inside a 14 years old body,” he sneered. Suki laughed even harder at his lame combat and then jumped up suddenly, drawing out her Kanata and drew it near his throat.
    “Boom,” she said, and then sheathed it. Tyoki felt a warm feeling where her Kanata was and then it grew unbearably hot. Then, it stopped and his throat was icy cold and then only to feel like it’s been slapped repeatedly.
    He flew backwards and into a tree and his vision was blurry. Fire seemed to be everywhere around him and then he shook his head.
    “All of this happens just from that little word?!” he shouted, rubbing his throat in pain, wincing on how sore it felt.
    “Yep, and I learned how to do that not too long ago. Whenever I say boom, it’s like invisible fire. First it’s just a small taste which is only warm and then it quickly changes its heat to make it feel like it could leave you third degree marks. Finally, it’s icy cold and you can’t feel that area. It changes to make you feel like you’ve been slapped by the warmth of the fire. It also can make you fly backwards or forwards, whichever I want. Then, it blurs your vision and creates illusions that’ll drive you mad. I have them rated as well from the not so believable illusions to illusions that’ll seem like they are there.
    The one I gave you was a rate from 1 to 10 and that rating was about a four and a half, probably even a five.”
    Tyoki glared at her, stood up, dusted himself, and then started walking in front of her, showing many levels of disrespect.
    “Tyoki Aki Wu,” Suki said inside her rather serious voice, “You know better than to walk in front of a higher rank. The only people you can walk in front of are the villagers and the lower ranks of the fighters. Maybe even the headmaster and the second in command if they allow it.”
    Tyoki snorted at her, stopping abruptly to make Suki collide into him. Suki glared at his head, and then pushed him aside.
    She was walking in front of him. It seemed like years before Tyoki spoke.
    “How much longer?”
    Suki stared around at the landscape. There was a lake to the far right, and the path was rocky and bumpy. The trees were tall and seemed to touch the sky.
    “About 5 more minutes,” she replied, sighing. She kept her hands to her sides, clutching her kimono and then twirling the soft material in her hands.
    “Suki, Tyoki,” a voice boomed.
    “Hello Jordan,” Suki replied, and watched as he bowed his head in respect. Tyoki watched Jordan behind Suki, one hand on his blade.
    “Suki, the headmaster is looking for you. I suggest you hurry up. He’s not very patient remember.”
    Suki was about to reply when he suddenly disappeared, the uncomfortable silence settling upon the two.
    She stopped, closing her eyes and folding her hands together, putting all of the fingers down except for the index.
    Suki muttered some words, and would occasionally thrust her fists forward. Tyoki watched in curiosity and when he finally knew what she was doing, a large crack filled the air, fire erupting where she was standing, and then it stopped.
    He stared at the spot where she was supposed to be at. He frowned, folding his arms. Suki had teleported without telling him or even asking him if he knew how to do it.
    "Some leader. . . ." Tyoki thought.

    Suki was at the Starless Night village, her comrades eyes filled with sadness and concern as she entered. She furrowed her eyebrows, the houses lit with orange and some white candles.
    White?! That means someone important died!
    She kept walking, the doors of some houses suddenly slamming as she kept walking towards the headmaster’s area. If he was here, something serious must’ve happened.
    Finally, she stepped foot from the green luscious grass to dying brown grass. It crunched under her weight, and the Weeping Higan cherry trees blossoms falling onto her.
    “Suki Aimi, come in,” Daiki the headmaster told her, and Suki was slightly shocked from him knowing she was there before she could knock on his wooden door.
    She opened the noisy and heavy door and walked in. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light from the numerous white candles.
    “Your. . . Father,” Daiki began, his eyes deepened in sadness and loss, and Suki’s eyes only narrowed.
    “Died in the battle with the demons. His body is with the others in the middle of the village. . . You may hold a vigil for this strong and fearless fighter. We shall burn his body at sunset tomorrow.”
    Suki’s eyes watered as she left his house, and she slowly dragged her feet to the clearing. She gazed up at the usual starless night as she neared the dead bodies.
    Her father’s light blonde hair glowed from the moonlight, and she just stood there. He was the only thing she had left, and now he was gone forever.
    Suki closed her eyes, and slapped her hand to her mouth, trying to prevent herself from breaking down and screaming.
    She finally gained enough courage to crouch down towards his limp figure, running her hands across his wound.
    "Wait. . . He wasn’t killed by a demon." Suki thought.
    She pulled back her hand that was covered in blood. She stared down at the wound for a moment before calling for her power, fire.
    Light illuminated the both of them and other fighter’s and nurses dead bodies.
    The long cut across his abdomen, reaching from his shoulder to his belly button. Suki placed her finger inside the wound once more, feeling the liquid take over like a defense guard. She dug around and then pulled back, opening her palm to find a bit of sword.
    “Who did this?” she muttered, holding it up. It was half dissolved from her father’s blood, there was something in it, and it was sharp as well.
    “This was no demon attack, this was an attack of someone much more powerful than father.”