Love is a Battle

The Truth Behind the War

"Now, before any more blood is spilt, how about you understand something." He said as we began walking around in a circle. "What do I need to understand? Your clan betrayed the ancient ways and took power you didn't deserve." I said as I watched his every move. "Well, that's not entirely the deal, but maybe that's all you need to know, except this: Your grandfather betrayed my grandfather in brotherhood bonds, causing my grandfather to go mad and slay their master." He said as he twirled a knife in his free hand. I couldn't believe my ears, but I was frozen at this point with shock and confusion.

He took advantage and stabbed me through the gut, causing me to snap out of it and cough up some blood. In a flash, I was blinded as the world went cold. "Mikaela, he lies." Mother said as she appeared before me. I looked around to see myself and Kai frozen in the moment. "Mother, what are you talking about?" I asked as I looked at her. "The visions of the past will tell the truth." She said as everything went dark.

"Alright, Kai. I honestly don't think this is necessary, but Master is certain that one of us is ready for something pretty big." An unfamiliar male voice said faintly as the darkness began to fade into an unfamiliar dojo hall. I looked around to see the symbol of the Shikoku Clan. "Is this in the past?" I asked as I looked around, to see my mother standing to my right. Yes, sweetheart. This is where your grandfather and his brother in arms trained before our war began." She said as she pointed somewhere down the hall. I looked to see two young men walk around a corner towards us.

"Niko, I'm pretty sure we don't need this either, but you know how Master is. Also, no offense, but I believe I will be victorious." The man that had jet black hair with a petite goatee said while crossing his arms. "Kai, you were always pretty cocky. We will do as asked, and whoever wins will have the luck of the Cat Deity." The man with dark brown hair and a chin strip said while opening a sliding door.

"Wait, so Tyler's father was named after his ancestor?" I asked as I watched them walk inside. "Yes, sweetheart. Tyler is the first male born that isn't named Kai. His father would be Kai Kitsune the 4th." Mother said as we phased through the wall to view a training room. An elder man with a long beard that thins into a tip and horseshoe-shaped mustache sat on a cushion as Kai and Niko battled each other with dual katanas. "This fight determined who got the ultimate prize to keep the peace of Japan, Mikaela." Mother said as I witnessed my grandfather take Kai down. "Well done, my star pupil." Master Shikoku said as he rose from his cushion, walking into another room while folding his hands together inside his sleeves.

The two began to have an argument is such a harsh accent that I couldn't understand anything they were saying, until Kai slapped Niko so hard that it caused blood to fly. "I should be the victor! You never could wield anything powerful!" He yelled as their master returned with a long object wrapped in cloth. Kai used his dual katanas to rip Shikoku's heart out of his chest. I felt sick watching the man bleed out as he fell, lifeless. "Master!" Niko cried as Kai grabbed the bundle and unwrapped the Kihaku Katana. Unsheathing the blade, he laughed maniacally before stabbing Niko in the back. He cried out and began gasping harshly as Kai removed the blade from his back. "As my brother, I let you live for now. Try to stop me from my destiny and you will fall." He said as he walked past my grandfather, then everything went dark again, but I could still see my mother as we stood face to face.

"Now you see, Mikaela, our family was the one who was betrayed." Mother said as she began to float around me, slowly gliding through the air while watching me. "So, I have to correct those wrongs and make him pay." I said as I looked at the frozen moment in time. "Yes, sweetheart. Tyler avoided the sins of his fathers, and now you must end them completely." Mother said as she placed a hand on my head. I closed my eyes as her glow grew brighter, until I felt the pain of the new wound in my stomach start to fade. I opened my eyes to look into Kai's eyes with vengeance. "You lie." I said as I grabbed the blade and started to push against him. He tried to push the blade deeper into me, but his strength failed in comparison to the strength my desire gave. As soon as the blade was out, I smirked as I flung him into a tree. He growled at me as I slowly stalked him like a wolf about to hunt a fox, "Kai, it's your turn to die." I said as I raised the Kihaku Katana.