Destiny is a Choice

Lightning flashed across the sky as the escort riders held torches to keep the area illuminated and stayed in their assigned positions. They were under strict orders not to step in unless it appeared Prince Minamoto was in any significant jeopardy, and at the moment, that certainly didn't appear to be the case. They were all told this was a battle of destiny, along with being one of karmic duty for the Prince, who needed this victory to assuage the pain between him and his sword and avenge his death from his prior life to find peace. To step in and simply overwhelm the murdering infidel would mean to deny the Prince that satisfaction and that was unacceptable. Besides... who didn't enjoy a good show...?

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Akiko held her stance but was clearly winded as it was taking everything she had to stay ahead of her opponent's ferocious attacks. Even worse, she could sense that the attacks were still only probing, not yet a true offense, more cautionary than going full out. She's taking my measure... gauging my capabilities... and once she's figured me out, she's coming in, and there's nothing I can do to stop her, other than just tuck tail and run away... And if I do that, who knows what happens? Would they kill Keiko? Have those escorts run me down or shoot me in the back? Probably the only reason they haven't just charged in and dogpiled me with sheer numbers has something to do with this prophecy she keeps talking about... then again... the way this fight is going... it's not like she needs them anyway...

She centered her breath once again and feigned with her right, hoping to provoke a reaction that would open up her left flank, but her swing was casually blocked aside without any loss of position. She's reading me like a book at this point... I just can't beat her head-to-head... Unless I come up with something truly unorthodox, she's got me in a box and there's nothing I can do...! Would history repeat itself? Was one of us going to die tonight?

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The seer's expression lit up as Akiko's situation grew increasingly dire. "Bravo, my Prince...!" he said, almost sotto voce. "Such good sport...!" He then turned to glance at Keiko, who he noticed was looking away from the fight. "Come now... you're missing the excitement. You won't be much of a witness if you don't see the final moment your friend's head flies from her body...!"

Keiko didn't move for several deliberate seconds before taking a breath. "You know... I suppose I should be thanking you..."

The seer snorted derisively. "What are you babbling about?"

"When we first came here, our hosts were regaling us about how awful and cruel the Empire was and the need for a leader to unite the people and bring it down. Being from another world, I was hesitant to just accept that story at face value, because as a science student, I was always taught to try and see all sides of an issue and not be blinded by bias," Keiko detailed in a cold neutral tone. "But after seeing your fortress, your slave markets, your Emperor's goals, and listening to you and how you would sacrifice innocent people to maintain your grip on power, you've cleared up any doubts I might have had that we're fighting on the right side."

The seer smirked. "Well... it's a pity you've arrived at your epiphany just when the leader of your movement is facing certain death. It's a shame you chose to focus on useless cheap tricks like illusions instead of something that might have gotten you out of this mess." He arrogantly slapped her across the face, only to be startled as his hand went through her head. An instant later, he felt the cold edge of a knife against his throat from behind. He tried to reach for his own dagger, only to find it missing.

"Tell me again how useless illusions are?" Keiko whispered in the seer's ear, while pressing the dagger against his throat with authority.

"I-Impossible..." the seer gasped. "I took all your crystals..."

"You study the craft all these years and you think you're so smart," Keiko mocked. "Do you even know what focusing crystals really are? I do because Lady Amberbrooke taught me; maybe you should have been paying more attention, instead of mocking her. She told me each crystal has a fractal molecular structure that can be represented mathematically. Those are the spell formulas you mages and seers use as focusing tools to channel mana. But if you can memorize those formula... understand them mathematically... then you don't really need the crystals."

"Th-the guards will kill you if you harm me...!" the seer threatened.

"I'm sure they would... if they could see us fighting instead of the image I'm showing them..." Keiko admitted before knocking the seer unconscious. She considered killing him, but knew she might need a hostage under the circumstances. Right now though, she had a bigger battle to stop.

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Masako focused as her target slowly sidestepped to the right, trying to establish a flanking position, without losing her footing on the muddy terrain. By this point, she had long revealed herself right-hand dominant, so she was still trying to revert to an offensive posture, holding her left weapon with a reverse parrying grip. Giving up on double-strikes, I see, she thought, in favor for more defense. Part of her wanted to just end it now with a powerful lunging strike, but she kept the memory of her past life in mind... that's what Masahiro was thinking... so she held back. She'll exhaust herself soon... and then this fight will be over with a whimper.

"Stop!"

All eyes turned towards the shouted voice as another flash of lightning cracked the night sky. The escort riders leaned towards Keiko as she maintained a defensive stance. Akiko and Masako both kept their focus on each other, sparing only the bare minimum awareness on the new participant. "You said this fight was destined, but it doesn't have to be that way!" Keiko shouted.

Shit... what the hell was she up to...?! Akiko wondered. If she's free, why doesn't she just escape?!

The escort guards broke formation and headed towards Keiko, readying their swords. Their orders made it clear that no one was supposed to interfere with this duel. Charging forward, they ran straight into her, striking her form as they did, only to pass through the image.

"Akira and Masahiro fought to the death, but you don't have to do the same!" Keiko forcefully continued. "You're not bound by destiny! You have free will! You have a choice!"

The two guards recovered from their failed charge. Illusions, they both nodded to one another. Still, if she was audible and present, then she had to be close, and there were tactics to deal with such a caster. They passed a rope between one another, which unfurled into a weighed net that dragged between them, creating a barrier that would sweep forward as they both rode forward in a circle around the battle.

By this point, Akiko and Masako had both stopped, frozen as the words echoed across the battlefield, both of them wrestling with their alternate memories conflicting with their present. A destined battle demanded this end in one of their deaths but...

The escorts swept their net around the perimeter of the battle. After a cycle, they hit paydirt, snagging an unseen form that soon revealed itself to be Keiko. The soldiers came together and prepared to secure her, but just before they did, she tossed something towards Masako, who caught it by reflex.

"Remember who you are!" Keiko tearfully beseeched, as the guards worked to tie her up. "You don't have to let your past lives define you! You can choose...!"

Masako slowly opened her hand, revealing the kumihimo bracelet and memories from both lives fought for dominance within her mind. Subconsciously, Akiko's eyes drifted towards her own bracelet as the same inner conflict raged. Their eyes locked, neither one's swords backing down, but the tension in each one's grip shifting ever so slightly.

"O-one for all..." Masako whispered, as the tension slowly left her arms.

"...all for one..." Akiko whispered back, before cautiously stepping back.

"My Lord, what are you..." one of the guards demanded.

Masako pivoted and swung a wide arcing swing, unleashing a lethal magical energy wave that sliced the two guards right in half at their torsos, passing just over Keiko's head, missing by inches, much to her shock. "Geez... a little warning next time...!?"

Masako turned back to Akiko and slowly exhaled before the latter girl spoke up. "I said we would come back for you..."

Masako finally gave the slightest hint of a smile as she whispered, "It took you long enough..."

Akiko panted, still recovering from the fight. "A lot's changed for us... and it looks like we're not the only ones..."

Keiko shook her head. "Um... I hate to break up a reunion, but we're still in enemy territory, not to mention it's pouring out here. Can we take this somewhere else?"