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Ch.1- “Loss After Loss After Loss…”

Abnormal. That was my life, exactly. At the young age of fourteen, living with my mother in the warring era. Life was abnormal to say the least, but above all, it was hard. Especially for a half demon of hell flames like me. My name is Erivel Tenshu. I was about five foot three inches high at that time (trying to give you a visual here). I have white hair with red streaks running through it like small rivers. My eyes, most said that’s what gave me away, they are electric blue. The odd part is that the iris seems to shoot inward to the pupil and from the pupil back out to the edge of my iris. They also have a slight white veil over them (my eyes). Demonic blood changes a man’s appearance drastically; I (for instance) have slightly longer canine teeth and finger nails that were unusually sharp.

“Wake yourself up, now!” my mom yelled at me one mourning. I was still asleep. “Now, Erivel!” shaken up my her words I responded quickly, “Ok, Mom! I’m up.” So I went to wash my face to help wake me up and get me going. The water felt like living frost biting at me and yelling, “Wake-up!” and so my body responded by doing just that. And so the morning progressed. Whipping my eyes of the sand that builds up from every person’s sleep. And so I put on my jacket and pants of a samurai on and followed with the boken I used for training.

My teacher, who was shunned for teaching a half-breed like me the bushido, was trying to get the old proverb into my head…. “before seeking vengeance, first build two graves.” I knew and know what that means, I just couldn’t believe it for some weird reason. So after breakfast I headed for the cottage on the edge of town that my sensei lived in. Past the townsmen’s river, down the foot hills of the mountains near our village, and thus if you know the way - you would find Sensei Sossenaku’s dojo. With each step I took on that ground of learning, it felt as if I gained more and more strength as well as knowledge. But of course that’s what came with being taught by Sossenaku.

You see Sossenaku was one of the most famous samurai and soldiers of his time. Employed by our shogun, he quickly learned and adapted to the life of a warrior; what made him a far fiercer fighter than any other samurai under the emperor’s and shogun’s rule is that he had realized that life was a prelude to the much greater after life. So to be perfectly frank he feared nothing. And as you can obviously guess, fearing nothing makes you quit the opponent in battle.

“Erivel!” he yelled to me happily from his dojo doors upon seeing me walking up the path. “Good morning, Sensei!” I yelled back. “And to you as well, young one!” he replied laughing. Now running up the path to his dojo, I found myself stricken with a sense of foreboding. And quickly after I felt it I knew why. “Today you will be fighting Renjou for the title of official bushido trainee.”

I thought, he was the one person in town who didn’t treat me like just a pile of manure. Sad but true. By the expression on his face I could tell he was just as surprised as I. “But, with all do respect sensei, why?!” he said to Sossinaku way out of line for a student to his sensei. I thought to myself. And sure enough that’s precisely what sensei told him. “You don’t want to break the sacred student teacher bond would you?”

I could tell this wouldn’t end well and; just a slight undertone, but I could definitely feel it. Yes, Renjou was some how different now. Just ever so slightly, he had changed in his bodily aura. Gone now is what was once the boy who we had grown to trust with our lives; yet still he remained, as if waiting for something. As we strode onto our new battle ground that was once just a simple shared training place; we both showed to the other that we didn’t care who came out on the glorious side of victory, yet we were both wishing that it would be us upon that winner’s circle. “Places set! And bow!” in unison we stepped forward and gave each other the respect a good warrior disserves and bowed properly, never taking our eyes out of their fixed spots on the others staring directly back into ours again. “Stances ready!” As if trained attack dogs we sprung back into our respective spots for the dual and held our boken at the ready.

“Fight!” A quick charge and clash of boken meeting upon each other’s oiled earthy skin. I tried not to use my demonic strengths to win, so we came out pretty evenly matched. Always changing our stance and attack motives from quick to powerful and back again. From one handed combination moves to double handed strong skillful attacks. But no matter what we did, we came out never landing a hit. Then finally we both did strong two handed hits in opposite directions, so he attacked horizontally and I vertically. A great clamor of sound arose in the dojo as our hits landed on each other’s sword turning them both into a block. Digging our feet into the ground to hold our position and griping with all our might we pushed against each other’s attack with great power trying to come out better than the other. Then I felt a burst. It wasn’t in me or my sword nor my mind. But weirder still from Renjou’s self-being. Concealed was it’s origin other than Renjou, as was it’s kin of energy. But at that moment it didn’t matter, for I was thrust far aback from our standing point and hit the ground hard rolling across the floor and smacking right into the wall injuring my left arm.


there wasn’t time to think too much into those problems now. Renjou had started another charged attack. In an instant, by reaction, I had jumped back up onto my feet and started blocking like it was as easy as breathing! Then, in the midst of all this bombardment, I struck like a gust of breeze. And it came down just as easily as one does as well. He fell backwards with a great slam onto the ground of our dojo.

Then the expression on his face solved all of my questions; he was a fraud, a fake and worst of all I fell for it - . He looked at me with hate; no friend under any circumstances would look at another with hate. So then I knew, he was going to beat me as painfully as he could then nobody could stop him. And no matter how much I hated it; it was truth. For right then we were locked in a clash of our swords, and he confessed it all to my un-wanting ears. “And the worst part of it is that I had to act as your friend!” he told me smiling sinisterly. I couldn’t count all the times he and I had been there for each other, nor could I the things we trusted each other with. A best friend transferring sides to be your enemy, that has it’s own state of being low.

“Then this fight decides who is in real pain.” I said back to him already knowing the outcome. “You are just another thorn in my side, Erivel, I will soon succeed in my destiny and claim the world!” So at this remark I swung with all my rage as well as regret. He blocked effortlessly. With each attack I was beating him down, as well as my emotions. As with each hit he took more and more damage to his sword and I was gaining head way; but, with each of my own attacks I was bleeding my feelings dry against my will. Now it was obvious to Sossenaku how we both felt and what was going on; but like a closed book, I never knew why, he did nothing. Even more obvious was who was beginning to lead the match - me. With the final clashes I yelled at him with no regard for anything or anybody else. “Why?!” with one booming blow echoing throughout the dojo like a firework. He just gave a simply twisted smirk and said, “Your nothing more than a dirty soul; half demon and half human, you make me sick!” Another hit even harder than the first. “To think I actually trusted you?! You filthy, incompetent sorry excuse for human refuse!” I yelled at him thrusting him to the ground and his boken to the far side of the room.

Renjou, in his last pathetic attempt to escape from the all hating and consuming rage that was glaring at him from down the blunt edge of my boken, squirmed over into a corner and cowered before his defeat. “It doesn’t have to end this way, Erivel, we could become partners?!” he suggested frightened. I became infuriated by this. After all the things he had done to me, he thought I would just forgive and forget that fast and join him?! “Who do you think you are?! Only those truly evil, twisted and ignorant people would follow such a narrow sighted fool such as you!” How I wished he could see the truth of his actions and return to repent. Although I already knew in some deep part of myself that he could not do as such. As all this happened he was trying to crawl away and grab his boken to regain the lead he had lost. “No!” I yelled as I struck with all my might in the back. As he fell to the ground unconscious I heard Sossenaku say that it was done and I the victor; but I didn’t much care anymore.

“You sorry, pathetic son of a b***h!” I told the motionless body as I hit it again and again out of rage. “Erivel! Enough!” he commanded to me, and I followed as a good samurai would. “You have won. Now I realize how much he hurt you but he has lost and as a result is dishonored. As a good trainee you should realize that this is punishment enough.”

“But sensei, although until just today I saw Renjou as a dear friend I realize now the truth. He wont stop with beating me and acquiring new power and skills; he and the tainted aura that now surrounds his name will attempt to consume the region and rule over it with complete disregard for anybody!”

“Your true strength now is realizing that as of now you are incapable of killing anybody no matter what wrongs they have done. For now you must study and elevate yourself in your training until the day you can beat him.”

And with that Renjou was sent into exile and I heard he sought the teachings of a truly tainted ronin. Thus my life continued under the sturdy and mighty teachings of Sossenaku. A period rivaling four months drew around the day that Renjou and I fought. And while my life progressed through time, I progressed through life and my training. I was going to turn fifteen in a mere two months. As for what happened around that time period, most of you will just have to imagine the suffering I was forced to endure. And for those who don’t I am truly sorry.
I got word from Sossenaku that Renjou had succeeded in finding the ronin he was looking for. That only meant that I should step up my training even higher. “Sensei, is there a higher training I could learn so I could surpass Renjou in power?” Although I already knew the answer I still asked him. “Erivel, the path to higher status cannot be made into a short cut to strength.” I thanked Sossenaku and continued with my training. I still didn’t know why Renjou had betrayed our friendship for power; at this time that was unneeded information. Then one day after practice I headed home just like a normal day; but then, by the time I got to my house I looked back and Sossenaku’s dojo and home were ablaze!

Shocked I ran back to the dojo as fast as I could, but I already knew not even my demon’s speed couldn’t stop what had already been set into motion. By the time I got there it was burned to the ground and Renjou and my master Sossenaku were fighting, with real weapons this time. I kept running to reach them and stop Sossenaku’s death, but again I knew I was too late. “Who is better now?!” Renjou demanded of our once master. “Erivel, no question. Because he didn’t need to join Him just to prove his point!” he told him. I thought, by the time I got there, Renjou had already seized Sossenaku’s head from his shoulders. “You….” is all I could say. “What’s that Erivel? I’m afraid I couldn’t hear you over your blubbering!” It was true that I was beginning to cry at my lose, but that had nothing to do with it! “You have chosen your path then, and in doing so set mine.” I told him firmly wile I gathered my masters sword from his now cold hand. “We were friends,” I told him pausing for a long while before beginning again, “but I must destroy my enemy!” I yelled as I charged him about to slash his blackened heart from it’s chest. “Ha! I see,” he said blocking me, “you actually plan on going through with this?!” we clashed our weapons in a fight for dear life. He was now using a halberd-swift sword, and I remained loyal to the katana.

“I see now, you have been tainted; not just by your own heart but by an outside evil as well!” I told him realizing that only that could have caused him to go to this big of an extreme. “So you know…” was his only verbal response, but as he said this he also let his new wings unfold. Black and shredded from darkness they spread outward from his shoulder blades. His wings of the evil spirit now reflected his soul, just as beaten, just as torn from reality and most of all - just as evil.

“So you have joined Him; the spirit of pure evil to gain a half damned life?! You self centered fool! You do realize he will use you and just as quickly toss you aside?!”

“You know nothing of power! He has granted me near immortality! A thing that is only, and will remain only, a flicker in your eye…you pathetic pile of -” he said before I cut him off. “Die!” I yelled with my master’s power and spirit behind me; not to mention all the rage I had for my now certain enemy. I swung at him with all the speed and strength I could muster; not even his new “tainted angel” powers could stop me. A direct hit on his rib cage! I stepped back as he moaned in pain grasping his fresh wound when he still had some of the ones I gave him in our last fight and others I assume were from his training. But before I could even have a sight at how much damage I had done, it was gone! His powers did help him substantially; he gained speed, strength, and healing powers as well as everything else that comes with being and angel.

All he did was laugh and say, “I see you are shocked! He, as you put it, will never disregard me! I am his vassal for the new world order under his name!” I heard this and decided I had to know; “What lead you so far into darkness that you would stoop this low?!”

“Stoop?! Dear Erivel, nothing did. It was merely my destiny!” he said very calm.

“Don’t even try to lie to me again! That is your warning! Do it again and it will be your head!” I demanded. He paused then said again calmly, “I see there is no tricking you; if you must know, it was just simply, you.”

“What?! Don’t you think I could have guessed that?! What did I do that made you hate me so?” I asked. He glared at me, took his stance and said, “You were born, and thus undermined me from birth!”

I reluctantly took my stance as well, “Well if that is all you will tell me, then I will learn it from your master as I return your favor!” This had gone way past rivalry, or a feud; it had become a war. If you can imagine a fight twice as fierce as our first, then you have this fight. But I shall try to explain it as best I can.

I lunged at him, jumping in the air with my sword at my left rib from my right hand (so it was a reverse horizontal slash). I was well above his head during my assault; as I came down I followed through with my attack and our swords clashed again. In the stand off we exchanged words again. “I have failed you. I’m not sure how or when but I have failed you.” I said pausing while I told him. “And I couldn’t have asked for more from you!” We both jumped backwards and got into our stances again. He then charged at me using his wings to propel himself faster. But not fast enough, me demon speed and reaction came through and I stepped aside at just the right time to catch him off guard and slashed at his back. “Aaaagggg! You!” he yelled in pain. “That is merely the tip of your punishment! You think you can get away with telling me we’re friends and that life is great,” I paused, “you tried to tell me you liked just the fact of living; then you go off and find a way to kill life!”

“It only suits this world!” he told me stubbornly. He flew up into the air and tried to charge me from the sky. His hit landed right on my leg as I tried to jump aside to dodge the attack. Now I yelled in pain; this was, after all, our first fight with real weapons. “Why the pain?! It’s just, ‘blood for blood’ Erivel!” he said giving another of his twisted smirks. The shear anger I had; it’s nearly imposable to describe. I could feel the demon in me fighting to get out; to be free once again and to taste blood. “No!” I yelled at both Renjou and my demon blood. But it got the best of me. My demon powers only grew, they did not take over as I thought they would. And what scared me was that I liked it. “You wanted a war, full of blood, pain and misery?! Well Renjou You’ve got it!” I told him now flowing with demon strength I never knew I had. Did Sossenaku know I had this potential; and if so is that why he sacrificed his reputation to train me? All of this was flying around in my head while I charged Renjou.

I jumped up to meet him in the air. And as soon as I got at the right height I held my hand out facing him. I had no idea why I did that; I guess it was instinct but what happened next would change my life forever. With all the hate I was using to help me fight Renjou I said, “Burn!” and that’s it. But as I said it my right hand burst into fire; I couldn’t feel anything from this fire but before I knew it, it shot out of my hand and hit Renjou square in the chest burning his cloths and scorching his skin. We both fell to the ground but his was due to pain. As we were falling I heard him say, “How?! My master told me he didn’t know how yet? Why was Erivel able to use magic?” I thought, Well somehow I did do it; I may not have known how but I did. My new task was to learn how to master this new found ability after my fight.

When we landed he quickly got back up and in his stance. “If you can do that again, I dare you to try!” he yelled. I thought I saw his hand move ever so slightly. But I took him up on his offer disregarding what I thought I saw. “You want to die?! Fine!” I responded charging him attempting to make this the final hit and walk away victorious. But before I could reach him he said something I couldn’t understand and threw a scroll on the ground.

Suddenly everything went white and I couldn’t see, hear, or feel anything. Then I wish I couldn’t hear; there was a thunderous roar that started low and grew rather quickly into a booming painful sound in my ears. My mind went blank and I could feel my body falling toward a ground of some kind but I was knocked out before I could reach it.

eek

no..., I think you let me read a riugh draft at your house a while back...

IT'S GOOD
Also, what gopher said, she knows best when it comes to this.

that was like 2 years and 5 drafts ago budd.... stare .....

Very good, keep up the good work.....I would like to read some more if you have it!

ya a whole half a page way to go! lmfao rofl