A story of a Thousand Falling Stars

Under the Burning Sky

Akemi, Daisuke and Yasmin traveled for a few days, free of their demons and driven to save the land from Izanagi's wrath. They hiked through the peaceful, lush forest, with their anxiety rising every brightening night. Chikoto's time had come; Yasmin knew this. But this didn't stop her from being worried... he had always been the stronger one. She had hoped that he would be with her on this fateful day; Yasmin didn't know if she could help these people on her own... It must be you to put the people back on the right path... Her brother's words rang in her head, echoing through the darkness of her mind and heart, lifting them both into the light once again.

She may be unsure... even scared. But she wouldn't fall now from the light that she had so desperately clung to for so many years... she shot her necklace a glance; the light that had earned her eternity. She had always known that this day would come, and now that it had... she was ready.

*

Akemi rushed through the forest, with Daisuke and Yasmin on her heels as her mother's large emerald palace came into view. The sky burned a dark red, and every star in the night sky seemed to be on fire, and heading their way.

"We have to stop it!" Akemi screamed as she continued to sprint through the bushes. They all stopped in their tracks, as they saw a burning speck in the sky growing larger and larger... it was falling. They covered their heads and ducked down as an enormous ball of fire hit the ground a few hundred feet away, just missing the palace and sending shock waves through the air. They rustled the trees and bushes, and nearly knocked Akemi off her feet, but Daisuke caught her in his hands and helped to steady her.

"The people are in danger!" Akemi yelled as she recovered; "most of them will just be waking up now!"

"I'm going to do what I can to get them under cover!" Daisuke called back over the sound of stars crashing onto the land. He looked to Yasmin; "do what you have to do to stop Izanagi!"

"I'll find my mother and Kanji!" Akemi yelled; "if they're both alive when this all ends, we can work together to restore Japan!"

"Let's go!" Yasmin yelled as they sprang forwards to finish the job. Daisuke split off from them to head into town, and Akemi and Yasmin both proceeded towards the palace, with stars crashing against the ground all around them.

Buildings were burning to the ground, trees were falling from the impact, and giant craters were left in the dirt as more stars emerged from the red sky. All this, made Akemi surprised when Yasmin stopped.

Akemi looked back at her, and saw her face, full of fear and determination, love and hate... Regret and relief... All at the same time. "What are you doing?" Akemi yelled at her over the sound of more crashing flames.

"Go!" Yasmin yelled back at her; "I'm going to end this..." Her voice trailed off as she turned and headed away from Akemi and the front of the palace.

Akemi began to run once again, now all alone, into her old home and up the small stone steps to the dining room; no doubt that if her mother was still alive, then she would be staring at the world outside. She stopped in the giant double-doorway, to see her mother, and Kanji, along with two samurai, standing on the balcony, all looking out into the red sky, the carnage, and the falling stars. She snuck forwards, careful not to alert any of the frozen warriors or her mother.

A star crashed right in front of the palace, levelling a tree and smashing the ground beneath the balcony into bits flying through the air. The samurai, Kanji and Hanako were all blasted back by the force of the star, and they slid back in the main room on the polished tiles of the palace. Kanji rose with Hanako, and he drew his blade, ready to strike down his enemy now his concentration on the sky had been broken, and his main goal was in sight once again.