HAKUOUKI: Scarlet Fate

Prologue

~Why not listen to music while you read?~

December 1863

I have to keep moving. * Huff, huff, huff* I don't want to go back. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I had run away from the geisha house I was sold to upon hearing that my innocence would be taken away that night by a rich man. I could not live that way and I would not live that way.

I escaped to the next city, Kyoto with a cloak around my body to cover my hair since it always seemed to give me trouble but by the time I realized it, it was twilight. "Hello? Um, Excuse me!" I asked on and on but no one would reply. I sighed, and found myself looking up at the darkening sky. The sun was beginning to set. I was abandoned as a child. I had always assumed it was because of my appearance. No normal parent would want a child who looked like they belonged to a demon. And before I knew it, I was captured on the streets to be trained into a female entertainer.

They say Kyoto is full of ronin (samurai who have left their masters or have been stripped of their privileges). It is not safe here. Normally, a samurai is paid by their house, but ronin who have no house to report to often rob people in order to make ends meet. There is nothing more than violent criminals who hide behind the image of the samurai. Such is the state of Kyoto. The city of ronin. "Hmm. First I should find a place to stay." I had stolen some of the money in the geisha house to last me a month, but it wasn't much. I had to use it wisely.

I walked along the dark street in my cloak hoping to be unseen when a man and his companions approached me. "Hey, kid." And at that moment, a gust of wind blew the hood of my cloak off my head, revealing the white hair under it. "Eh?! Her hair is white!" The men looked at me like rabid dogs, ready to pounce at any moment in time. Trying to find my voice, I said, "Can I help you..?" I was ready to run. I couldn't be caught here. I'd made it so far. "That's some pretty unique head you got there, kid. " "Do you think we should take her? " said another. They started to inch closer to me. And before I knew it I ran.

"Hey! Get back here you little bitch!" I felt like I'd been running for quite awhile but I could still hear the ronin behind me, cursing loudly. I ducked into an alley and flattened myself against the wall. After deciding they weren't too close, I crept farther into the alley. Someone had left a couple sheets of wood leaning against one of the houses. It was the perfect place to hide.

It was quiet. A deafening silence screamed through the night air. "Huh?" Something was wrong. I had expected to hear the ronin yelling to each other looking for me, but... Seconds turned into minutes and I heard nothing. I was just about to sneak out and have a look, when...

"EEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!" They began to scream. My plan to investigate was immediately halted. Remaining silent and hidden was clearly more important. "Damn you!" One yelled. "What is this?! Why won't you die?! Dammit! We gotta get out of here!" Yelled another. It was right there and then that true fear began to sink in. There was something out there. Something very, very dangerous. Something quite possibly lethal. Even so, I could feel the itch of curiosity. I wanted to know what was out there.

Slowly, and carefully, I edged up to the corner and looked out. Cold moonlight glared back at e from the bare blade of a drawn sword. My eyes followed the blade, up to the arm that held it, clad in coat of light blue. ...Had this person saved me? But no sooner it appeared, that hope was dashed.

"Ehehehehehehehehe..."

"H-Help!" I could hear the ronin beg for his life as he stumbled back. The person in the blue coat said nothing, just stepped forward, his sword raised. "Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!"

"AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" A high screeching laugh cut through the man's scream. The blade fell through the air, more like a butcher's cleaver than a sword: no technique, no skill, just death. The scream turned suddenly wet, caught, and disappeared like air leaving a half empty bellows. My eyes went wide. I had just witnessed a murder. Whatever strength adrenaline had given me was suddenly gone. My legs gave way, and I crumpled to the ground. My eyes had gone so wide, I thought the might never close.

The ronin had just died with the first blow, but as I watched the blades, they kept falling, carving deep lines into the corpse. The soft slip of the blade through flesh, the crack as it struck bone, the silent creep of blood across the ground. I felt nothing from them but madness. Their only desire was raw, animal violence. Whatever they were, it wasn't human. They were... broken. I could feel my throat closing up and it was getting harder to breathe. A warm, dark smell brushed against my face... I took me a moment to register the coppery tang of blood. An icy bolt of fear ran down my spine, crawling its way out into my limbs and freeing me into place. I was terrified. What was I to do? What could I do? I had to run. I forced my jaw open and drew a ragged shallow breath. This was the only chance I would get. I had to- But my body, still numb with fear, was less than responsive.

I lurched sideways, into the wood stacked against the building. With a rough clatter, it collapsed. The creatures turned, their blue coats drenched in blood Hideous smiles split their human faces as the shook with animal excitement at finding fresh prey to slaughter. I had to run. I couldn't die yet. ...But my legs refused to move. That hideous, crackling laughter began again. I was going to die. My body was frozen with terror. I couldn't even scream. This was it. This was the end.

~Feel free to leave a comment!~

Hey guys. It is my second story based on Hakuouki with the first one being HAKUOUKI: Back In Time. If any of you wants to read it, it is finished. I hope you enjoy my new story, Hakuouki: Scarlet Fate and love my character Kotone. :)