Departed

Chapter 13: Destiny

Mistake's POV

     "How could you do this!" He snarled, spit flying out his mouth. His fangs glinted in the dying light. "How could you betray me?"

     "How could you follow her?" I replied, blocking his incoming sword swing.

     "She's trying to win the war! She's trying to make us stronger. We need to convert the First Spinjitzu Master. He's our only hope." He pulled his sword up and swung again at a different angle.

     "I still can't believe you are that naïve." I hissed, blocking him yet again. "Malevolence only wants all of the sixteen realms to fall under her control." I pulled his sword up and sent it flying.

     "Even if that is the case, we're Oni." Enmity pulled out a dagger. "We are meant to conquer." He blocked my attack. "We are meant to destroy. By siding with them," he pointed to the Elemental Masters, "you are siding with creation. You must push your nature under your feet. For what? All because you hate Malevolence?"

     I paused, realizing Enmity didn't see the point. The thought nearly brought me to my knees. Finding only loyalty in his eyes, my sorrow was quickly replaced with rage. "You don't see it. You don't see it at all." My fist locked with his jaw. He stumbled back, spitting blood. "Our nature may be to destroy, but we don't decimate without purpose. We need control. We need to know when not to hurt. The First Spinjitzu Master has created a beautiful world. It would break my heart to see it torn apart for no reason. Our war is not here."

     Enmity rubbed his jaw, his eyes showing his vulnerability. "Without the First Spinjitzu Master, we will never win the war." He rose to his feet. "I will kill or convert him if it is the last thing I do. Whether this world is brought to its knees or not is not my concern."

     I bared my teeth, ready to defend. We glared at each other for a second. The battle raged around us, but we were both in the moment. After a second, Enmity's eyes softened. "Don't do this, Mistake. You can come home a hero." He extended a hand. "Join me."

     I looked at him and remembered the Oni I loved. But he was not that Oni anymore. I spat on the dirt. "Never."

     Enmity let out a primal scream. He lunged, and I ducked. When I rose to full height, I let my sword fly at his heart. He ducked out of the way, rolled over, and sprung to his feet. Enmity picked up his discarded sword and pointed it at me. In the dying sunlight, Oni fought Oni. Our weapons clashed. We intricately danced around each other, neither of us wanting to be wounded more. Our hearts hurt enough. With skill, Enmity was able to trip me. He pinned me to the ground, sword tip at my throat.

     "I loved you," he whispered.

     I refused to answer. Seeing no surrender, Enmity lifted the sword and plunged it down.

     I sprung up out of bed, blinking furiously. Sweat dripped across my face as my heart pounding in my chest. Pushing the covers aside, I stumbled over to the mirror. My Oni face glared right back at me. I focused on trying to cover up what had appeared. Grey hair sprouted, my horns melted back into my head, wrinkled skin covered my sharp black features. Within seconds, I looked like an old woman again. I breathed a sigh of relief until I noticed the dark circles under my eyes. I fingered them and prayed no one would notice.

     Luckily for me, all those years ago, an Elemental Master had saved me. Loyal Aseth, he had always been so protective of his allies. The Elementals had driven back the Oni. Enmity fled with his companions, and I never saw him again until that one day in the deserts of the Seventh Realm. I still dreamed of him. Whenever I was stressed about who I had become his face would creep into my subconscious. He was the constant reminder I had betrayed my people. He was the constant reminder that I could never return. Yet, here I was sitting in the Cloud Kingdom, bracing myself to do the very thing I believed I couldn't.