apotelesma (n.) the influence of the stars on human destiny.
[...]
The moon was high in the sky when the samurai found himself cornered by treasure hoarders.
The cool breeze was gentle against his warm skin, but the intensity of the atmosphere was suffocating. The wind's whispers in his ear had warned the man that it wouldn't be an easy fight, the enemy at an advantage both in numbers and in strength. But the ronin didn't back down. He had faced dozens, hundreds before, and this time it would be no different either. The samurai would draw his sword and face whoever got in his way.
Scarlet eyes silently analyzed each person that surrounded him, calculating the smallest of moves and the next step that would be taken. They were all burly men, he concluded, tall and of strong stature.
If the young samurai didn't know his own strength so well, he could easily be intimidated by the approach. However, years of training his body and mind, learning to hear even the most wind's subtle sound, made Kaedehara Kazuha adapt to all kinds of situations. Even alone in a territory as new and splendor as Liyue.
When the first hoarder took a step against him, the inazuman samurai got into defense position; he cleared his mind, focusing only on their breaths, steps, and the woods that surrounded him.
Treasure hoarders had the advantage in numbers, but Kazuha had the force of wind's fury in his favor.
So when the first blow with a hammer was aimed at him, Kazuha easily dodged, causing the enemy to trip over his own feet, falling into a ditch that cut through the entire Bamboo Forest.
The second blow came not long after, this time being avoided by the speed with which the ronin unsheathed his sword to avoid the dozens of knives that were hurled at him. It wasn't a noble attitude during battle, but treasure hoarders were always too eager to attack their victims; never patient when making a move, and always breaking the ground rules of an honorable duel.
And that must be why it always seemed so easy to defeat them back in Inazuma.
But Liyue was different from his hometown in many ways. The nation of contracts not only homed foreign monsters and demons, or merciless mercenaries and assassins, but an unknown land of mountains and valleys. From the high peaks of Qingyun to the pools of Luhua, the liyuean territory was a new sight to the samurai who still fit the nature of the place.
The hoarders' pugilists were usually tall, muscular men; what they lacked in agility, they made up for in strength. A single kick being able to leave severe consequences.
When the strongest among them approached, Kazuha thought he had the situation under control, easily dodging the kick that came with speed aimed at his head. However, one misstep was enough to unbalance the samurai and put him at a disadvantage. The counterattack was painful and Kazuha didn't remember being in such an embarrassing situation for a long time.
The mercenaries then didn't hesitate to head towards the ronin at once.
It's been a long time since his katana's blade worked tirelessly; dodging blows, deflecting knives, and sharply counter attacking its opponents. And even though worn out by countless blows, it resisted and the samurai remained standing.
The next blow came collectively, but Kazuha had prepared for this move. With a single swing of his sword, his vision's elemental force was unleashed, throwing the mercenaries against the trees and rocks that surrounded the place.
The battle looked almost won. But Kazuha should have guessed that treasure hoarders wouldn't give up so easily. Not when he wasn't their target, but the masterless vision he traveled with. And the ambition for the power it carried blinded them.
"It's a pity we have to waste such beautiful moonlight as this in a dishonorable battle," the young ronin reflected as he adjusted his combat pose, "But it would be irresponsible of me to deny such persistent gentlemen a duel, wouldn't it?"
The mercenaries responded in a counterattack.
Kazuha dodged and retaliated quickly, the predictable attacks being easily read by the wandering samurai.
When the last of them remained standing, the ronin sensed the difference in the atmosphere. The density in the air became intense, the leaves swayed restlessly, fearing for the man what was to come.
And then it all happened too fast even for the anemo bearer.
It was like he was back in Inazuma facing the nobushi and their cunning tricks again. The explosion of small fireworks in his face wasn't painful, but it was enough to blind him and leave his spots open. The treasure hoarders mercilessly advanced on the disadvantaged man, using all their strength to restrain him.
The hammer blow to his head was painful and Kazuha could feel the bile rising in his throat at the same time his vision became blurred. The men, however, saw it as an advantage to attack the now weak samurai who only had the strength to protect the vision that rested in his chest.
"You're incredibly annoying for a small and weak man," one of them said, kicking him, "But don't worry. You'll soon be feeding the wolves."
Kazuha's elemental vision did little to push the men away, their hard blows getting to him before he could avoid them. For a noble samurai, it was a stab to pride to lose in a battle as dishonest as such, but even if his honor was tarnished, Kazuha would not give up and would protect the one thing that brought him all the way here.
"Forgive me, old friend. I have failed to protect you again," he thought.
Bloodied and helpless, the samurai waited for their last move. His head throbbed with pain and his hearing, after being affected so many times, had not recognized the presence that was bravely approaching the battlefield. Slowly, his eyes closed as the man fell to the ground, clutching the lifeless gem to his chest. Before fatigue finally overcame him, Kazuha watched wearily as the surrounding nature defeated man by man, as if the own forest had come to life to protect him.
It was beautiful.
Crimson orbs made contact with eyes as bright as the starry sky, and for the first time in a long time, Kazuha allowed himself to rest.
"Now, what am I going to do with you pretty boy?"
-
yes. i did my comeback but not with target which it'll be on hiatus for a while since i'm not in the mood anymore to write about it. this fanfic, though, it's completely self-indulgent and i'll try my best to finish it. i'm currently working on first chapter and second, so they will be fast updated. thank you for your reading, i hope you liked it ♡
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flower trap | kaedehara kazuha
Romance[kazuha x fem! reader] As a wanderer, Kaedehara Kazuha has been alone for a long time. Solitude as his only company and the whispers of the wind guiding him through his journey. But even fate pities lonely souls, and his path has long been written...
