Scarlet Fate

Chapter 1: Fate Brings Friends

The woman has a sword starpped to her waist. Her skin is as white as the snow itself. There is no fear in her moonstruck eyes, only concern. "She doesn't look like a soldier chasing me," the beast says to himself. She's probably a villager from around the area. I probably got too close to a village while running away. "You don't look like you're from around here." Her voice is quiet, without a hint of anger or fear. How strange. A human like her that can approach him without fear is a rare sight indeed. The beast does not understand what the young woman is thinking. He only knows that this human seems to have special nimbus unlike any other one he's met before. "…" If those soldiers come back… is she going to tell them where I am? Yes, I'm sure she would. "You're terribly hurt, aren't you?" I'm not quiet sure what this girl is thinking or what she wants… One thing is for sure though… If I let her go, I'll end up being chased down again. Humans are all the same. I know that she's already labeled me a monster and wants to turn that sword on me, just like all the others before her. "Why does it have to be this way?" the beast laments to himself. Why can't I be left alone to die in piece? I've already suffered enough. All I want to do is die in peace. Why can't I even have that one dignity? "Um…" He spoke as if to ask a question. "Go away… Or I will kill you." He interrupts the young woman. She looks at him slightly confused. "So you want to die…?"

"How do you know…? Your wounds… You might be a god, but you'll still die if you don't have someone look after them." … "Will you let me tend your wounds? I can do it here for some minor injuries." When she approaches, the beast instinctively growls at her. "There's no need for that. It's just as you said, I wish to die." … "Why?" … "Because my life will only bring strife." Without saying a word, she just looks at me. In those eyes, there is sadness. There's no way she can know my torment. The beast, too, does not know anything about what kind of woman she is. But… He senses that two of them are alike in some ways. Soldiers ran across a path of blood knowing that this blood was the beast's. "Hey! There's blood! This way!" The voices of many men are heard. Surprised, the beast turns his head around and sees the light of torches far off. I was careless. This girl distracted me, and I forgot the danger I was in. Should I run? Or should I fight? It's useless. I don't have the strength to do either. Perhaps I should just end my own life here? While at a loss for what to do, the flickering flames steadily draw closer. Just as the beast freezes, he feels a gentle touch. "Stay quiet… Leave it all to me." When she speaks, he feels a strange force covering his body. He instantly recognizes it as sorcery. So this girl is a practitioner of the arts. "Girl! What are you doing here?" one of the soldiers addresses her in a harsh tone of voice. "The moon is so beautiful tonight, I thought I'd take a walk…"

"Here…? Never mind! Have you seen a monster? A nine tailed, silver-coated fox." she didn't know what to say next, but… "Yes… It went that way." In the direction the girl points, there is red blood scattered all about. That must be sorcery too… "I see. You're lucky you're still alive. That monster is brutal. He's already eaten hundreds of men. It's dangerous here. If you value your life, get back to the village." The soldiers leave. Once the soldiers disappear into the dark night, the girl lets go of him, and he notices the strange warmth that was covering his body vanish. "It's okay now. Let's take care of those wounds." the girl took a step toward the fox. "Why…? Why would you…?" For some reason, a feeling of anger surges inside of me. "Why…?" Everything is telling me to not trust her. "Why aren't you afraid of me? Like they said, I've already killed a countless number of people." I must not open myself up to her. "Why do you think I'll let you live?" I can't stand to trust anyone, to be betrayed by anyone, to be hurt by anyone ever again! The beast glares at the young woman with a look of booling rage and fear. "Go away. While you're still alive and uneaten.", "If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it by now." the woman said as she tried her best to heal the wounded fox. "I don't think you have to hasten your death." the fox glared and growled at the woman before him. "That sorrow. To believe your life is a sin…", "What do you know!? What do you know of my sorrow!? How much I've fought! How much I've hurt! How many I've killed…! All the hatred… The anger… The struggle to survive… How can you know anything!?" the fox roared hoping to scared her away. "I don't know." She looks firmly at the beast. "So please tell me. I can wait. Please, tell me how you've made it this far." Her voice is as soft as ever. "……" Suddenly, the anger subsides Or perhaps, he has even lost the energy to be angry. "Fine… I never wanted to fight." I don't know why I'm saying these things to her. She is just a stranger. "It took everything I had just to make it this long." When she asks to her my story, I realize what my life has been lacking… Someone to listen to me. This person in front of me, lending me her ear, without judgment… I haven't come upon a person like this for a long time. In fact, I thought people like her no longer existed. "The truth is, I never wanted to kill; I never wanted to fight. All I wanted… was peace. But… It's too late for that now. My soul is drenched in sin. I bed of you. Please go… I want to die in peace." the fox's words seemed too sad to bear. "So you believe your life to be a sin?" the woman stood there still staring at the god like fox as if he was an injured animal that she could not turn her back on, not for a second. "That's right… I don't even know how I can justify living anymore. I lost my desire to live long ago. No, maybe I lost my right to want to live." The young girl stands quietly for a moment. She appears to be in thought over something. It is something that seems to cause her pain. "If that's so…" She continues in a quiet, clear voice. "If you do not want to live, and do not think you deserve to live, then I will wish it for you." Her words are so gentle, as if his soul is fulfilled with her thoughtfulness. "Will you grant my wish? Why are you telling me to keep living? Why are you not afraid of me?" The beast feels lost, almost terrified. "There are no monsters to be afraid of here." Her smile is kind with a hint of sadness. He wanted to die. He thought that was what he should do. However, the beast now wants to get closer to her soul. All he can think about is being next to her, even if only for a little bit longer. Looking back now, although the tale had just begun, the beast… no, he… was already in love with her.

"Then I'll keep living a little longer… If that's what you want." She smiled in appreciation and relief. They stare into each other's eyes. One quiet, lonely evening, the two of them meet surrounded by the snow beautifully reflecting the light of the moon. "My name is Gentoka." he said as he looked down as her. "I am Kana." she replied.

(Princess Tamayori, who has the power to stop the end of the world, and Gentoka, a god who believes his very life is a sin… This is how they met… Meanwhile, the end of the world, predicted by Seimei Abe, has been set in motion…)