I am looking at the stars.
Oh, how it brings back memories...
...my past.
"Waahhh!!!"
Crying my 5 year-old-heart out, Mom hugged me.
"Shhh.."
She was gently caressing my head to comfort me. It was just a few moments ago since Father left. She pulled her self away to look at me and she lift my chin up.
"Hon look at mommy."
Upon hearing her voice I obediently looked at her despite of my eyes full of tears. She sweetly smiled at me and turned her head up. I wondered what she was looking at so I turned my head up as well. Then the wondrous of the night sky amazed me that for some reason I stopped crying.
"They really shines very bright tonight..."
All the stars twinkling in the night sky above us and it made me smile unconsciously. She turned to me and I can see in her eyes all the love and sincerity.
"You see that? As long as there are stars shining brightly at night you should never be lonely neither be sad."
I felt her hands in my cheeks wiping my tears for me.
"Because just like those stars, even in your darkness I will always be with you, watching over you. So you should never fear and be sad."
It was the darkest hour of the night but it felt like we were in the most brightest place. We were too far from the city so there were no lights to be seen everywhere.
Again I nod and widen the smile on my face. She hugged me again and I hugged back even tighter.
"Love you Mom!"
It was 8 years after, and since then I was always hopefull. I believed every words of mom that was so assuring. Since that night also, I never seen my father again. My mom never mention about him as well but it never made me lonely.
Until one night, I was waiting for Mom to come back home and it was already late. It passed the time she promised she'll be home that night but I continued waiting for her. I would go outside just to check her from time to time still there was no sign of her.
I would look up to calm myself, but all I can see were the dark clouds covering the sky. It was about to rain.
"As long as the stars are shining brightly in the dark you should never be lonely neither be sad."
That memory...
"Cause just like those stars, even in your darkness I will always be watching over you. So you should never fear."
...it echoes in my head.
Feeling uneasy. I closed my eyes and shook my head. I kept her promise with me upto that moment that I should not fear. Then I started to hear people panicking inside the household. Our trusted guards were running everywhere one by one wearing their armor and one by one picking their weapons just like they're preparing for a war. Curious enough I grabbed the arms of the man who passed by me and I asked him confused.
"What's going on?"
"H-hime-sama?!" I saw how shocked he was to see me. Then he grabbed my right hand and dragged me with him running towards the main door.
"RIN-SAN!!" he shouted worriedly.
"W-wait, what's wrong here?" I continue to ask the man who was dragging me but he was not paying attention. Looking at everyone, I caught myself in fear and confused.
"Rin-san?!" I muttered as I saw the royalguard General commanding every man he see. He was geared with his strongest armor and weapon. He saw me and looked anxious.
"Hime-sama? Why are you here? Didn't your mother brought you to your fathers-"
But Rin-san was cut off when someone called out to him. "Sir the main family has been ambushed and now the mansion is on fire."
"Sh*t, we're too late." I heard him said. Then he looked at me again then shifted to the guy holding me. "Take Hime to the base and keep her safe. No one should know she is here."
"Y-yes sir."
Everything happened too fast. I was dragged into a room that was not even familiar to me. I still don't understand. Hearing the news about being ambushed and the fire in the mansion, I couldn't stand still.
"Wait, what is exactly going on? A-and... where is mom?" tears was flowing non-stop as I asked them while running through a secret hallway but no one bothered to answer me. Not sure if they just didn't hear me or they just simply pretend not to hear me but I was loosing my patience.
"I'm asking you. Where is my Mom?!"
The guy holding me let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry Hime but... I can't tell you anything right now." He nod at the three guys who were also running behind us like he is telling them "take her away now"
Why were they even protecting me?
I tried to escape from them just to find my Mom instead but I couldn't fight back. It seems all my strength been drained into nothing.
That night was so cold and so dark. It started to shed water everywhere. It started to rain.
"As long as the stars are shining brightly in the dark you should never be lonely neither be sad. Cause just like those stars, even in your darkness I will always be with you, watching over you. So you should never fear."
Clearly, Moms voice saying those words keeps echoing in my head. It's like a nightmare. News came that the main family we're all dead... including my mom. I clinched my hands on that thought. She was with my father that night and I did not even know why.
On the day of the funeral, it was only me who was not able to get a glance of her. Me who was her only daughter, only family, never got the chance to see her for the last time.
I should not be seen.
I should not be heard.
No one should know who I am.
I tried to understand everything. They have to protect me, just like how she protected our family.
"I'm always here".
Again, her voice echoes inside my head as I watched the funeral from afar. Tears rolled down my cheeks.
How I wish I could touch her again.
See her again.
Never in my wildest dream I imagined this to happen. The possibility never crossed my mind. Who would right?
"We should be going Hime."
I heard my guardian who was waiting for me said. I couldn't find my voice to speak so I just nodded.
A week of sleepless night passed and I decided again to roam around the dark corridors of our old mansion. The loud and cheerful household before became too cold, too gloomy. It then became a habit of mine to walk around before I could get myself a sleep. But that night is different.
"Are you sure that HE is the mastermind of the ambush?"
I heard an angry old man said while I was passing by the corridors back to my room.
"Yes sir, he had all motives to kill the young master and the whole famiglia. Right now, he thinks no one was left in the family so he has no reason to look for Hime."
I, who was passing by the study room, stopped after hearing a disturbing conversation. I stepped closer to the slightly opened door of the study room from where I heard the voices were coming.
"Still, we can't let our guard down. Right now is the crucial time for us to be at ease, it's dangerous if Hime will be found."
I stood still keeping myself in the shadows while they continued talking. I can't tell who those people were but i was sure there are atleast 3 or 4 men inside.
"Fuck that devil! I'm sure he used his connection from the underground to ambush the main family."
"I heard that he is now the new ruler of Mystic City."
"According to that night witnesses HE killed Lady Inoue (I-NO-WE) after the young master."
Mom!
I was still confused to what exactly happened but one thing was clear to me. I need to find Him. The murderer.
How? I have no idea. I'll figure it out myself. That was what I thought.
"He planned everything and we fell into the trap. How I wish I was there to save the Master and the young Lady."
"That was purely betrayal out of our masters innocence. Now he took everything from the main family and all their properties..."
I heard enough. My body felt numb all over as hatred started to develop inside me. I bit my lips to restrain myself from making a sound. After hearing that conversation, I couldn't think of anything but revenge. I clinched my fist so hard and went back to my room. And the next thing I did, I grabbed the first thing I see in my secret closet and never knew that it was a black cloak. My feet brought me out to the streets, randomly walking around the city. I couldn't not remember how many streets I crossed but it led me to a street full of gangsters who were having a gang fight.
I did not mind passing through them, but someone suddenly grabbed me on my right shoulder so I swung my dagger and it hit him. His blood freed from his chest and a few splattered to my face. I didn't realize that I also took my daggers with me. Everyone stopped after seeing what just happened.
All of them then started to run towards me charging with their silver weapons. I took a step back and stood still.
How fast do they forget their real enemies?
A lefty tall guy was to slash me with his knife from my right but I quickly bend down. Immediately, I moved my body up and close to him together with my dagger slashing his upper body. A loud scream of pain felt like music in my ears for the first time. Another guy jumped from above me with a long metal pipe but I stood there still when the expression of his face changed into fear. As he was close, I smirked and I avoided him to the side. Right after he landed on the ground I easily caught the pipe. I tightened my gripped to it and forcefully pulled it around dragging him along. Seeing more gangsters charging to our direction, I immediately released my grip, throwing the guy towards them and made a great impact as it hit them.
Not too long, I heard another running towards me but I could see a lot of blind spots. He is too open. His eyes looked unsure and his hands tremble. At that moment, I got confused.
How can one measure bravery?
In a few moments, he stopped infront of me. His eyes widened with disbelief. I looked at him straight in his eyes and I unexpectedly saw tears coming out.
"Why?" I started to question myself.
I felt how he slowly placed his hand to his stomach and held my hand where my dagger was still burried inside him. Its cold. He coughed and spewed a lot of blood. He was in pain and dying. I heard a scream behind me and so I grinned. Hearing him too close, I immediately pulled out the dagger from the body infront of me then change the direction of my dagger downward. And without looking back, I swiftly stabbed the guy. I knew I reached him but still not satisfied, so I pulled out the dagger once more and grabbed his bangs slicing his throat.
This feeling... I couldn't stand it.
Everyone in every direction started to attack as a group but I could see it all so clear. Each time passed, their movements became too slow for me.
Stabbing and Slashing...
Repeating my every step, I tightened my grip to my daggers even more and enjoyed the rythm of a dance.
Every body ended lying on the ground everwhere. Lifeless.
How I did it? I don't know.
All I knew, my body was trembling. Somehow, I loved how my hands filled with warm blood but I could not find satisfaction.
I continued walking anywhere. And anywhere every gangsters continue to attack me. I could no longer count how many I killed that night yet I am not satisfied. I was covered with blood and my legs started to feel weary. I saw a wide empty stadium so I went inside to take some rest. But I was not able to rest enough yet, and I could already hear noises coming near. There, I saw a large number of gangsters walking there way near me and they all stopped the moment they saw me. They looked terribly surprised as if they saw a glimpse of death in front of them.
And that night... my life changed...
"Mizuki-hime, Masuta ga tochaku shimashita [the master has arrived]," I heard someone called after the door opens from my back.
"A-Hai, anata wa Mira ni kansha. [a-yes. Thank you Mira.]" I answered smiling at him. I stand up and before leaving I look up to see the night sky once again.
How time flies. It was almost 4 years since that night...
I keep the smile on my face.
"The stars are again shining brightly tonight. Right mom?"