The Mythical and Eternal Fate of the Earth

Osaka, Japan - 10,000 BC 

“It’s over, Tetsuo! Humans have proven to be weak, foolish, and compromised beings! Surrender the castle, its garrison, and citizenry - and I’ll spare you a painful death. Like them, you lack wisdom and vision - how can you truly proclaim to be a dragon!? In such an absence - you cater to the humans instead of ruling over them as is your natural right.”

Abaki roared as the battlefield was set! In front of Abaki, the black, thin, wingless dragon who hovered in the air, was his army of humans who’d given their mortality over to him in exchange for immortality in the name of serving him forever! Faceless, emotionless, and identical - their superbly orderly rectangular formations were an equally intimidating sight to Abaki himself! These forces of his, formerly human but now merely evil essences encased in suits of thin, lightweight, shining black and silver plated armor, all held at the ready, with somewhat thick bladed katana type swords wrist also had black and silver two-handed grips! There they stood, while some of higher rank rode horrifically frightening, black and white, large raptor like creatures who’s high pitched cries were the sounds of nightmares! 

At the center of it all, in a more elaborate suit of armor with larger shoulders, was none other than Seiji the Witch Shogun - a Shojun who had been the first to pledge his loyalty to Abaki in change for power. He too, was simply an essence in armor, evil incarnate, his flesh, bones, and blood all long since vanished.

“Née, Abaki - you are the one who is weak, foolish, and compromised. You took the gift of being a dragon - a spiritual deity of immense power and responsibility, and made a mockery of it! For this, and for the evil that manifested from your arrogance, and the malice that manifested from your cruelty - I shall be your righteous end. Humanity shall prevail.”

Tetsuo boomed in response from within the walls of the Japanese-style castle complex sitting on the flat lands that this battle would take place upon! Along the ramparts, lightly armored citizenry readied their katanas and steeled their nerves - as the Samurai had long since given their lives in battle! Behind the ramparts and the walls, women, children, and the elderly held together, hoping and praying to Tetsuo, that humanity would survive, even if not all of them did.

“Then you have chosen annihilation. Very well, Tetsuo. Prepare to see the true power of evil, of malice inconstant by the weakness of morals!”

Abaki let out, before looking down to Seiji, who turned to him from atop his vicious, dinosaur-like steed. 

“Kill them all - and make sure that the girl and the sword don’t get away! Remember, she’ll have the pinned marking of a stylized Tetsuo just above and between her breasts. The sword will be the most noticeable, with the obsidian and amber accented tungsten grip and lower section, with its cut out, thick and curved blade and circular enchanted glyphs etched into the side of its blade! If either the girl or the sword aren’t in your possession - this war is fated to continue for eternity until they are.”

Amani ordered Seiji sternly. Seiji merely nodded from within his tight fitting, slightly spiked like a crown, chrome silver, head and face-covering helm. Seiji then nodded as he lead Abaki’s forces forward in an orderly, intimidating advancing march towards the castle in a highly disciplined assault maneuver - for no siege would be necessary! 

“Where is Aya - and where is the Dragon Moon Sword?”

Tetsuo asked calmly but sternly as the enemy’s advance detour forward, with a young peasant girl in a short sleeved, waist length, blue and white, worn out kimono top and simple, tan-white cloth, knee length trousers stepped forward. With her hair in a ponytail, and a petite, feminine build, along with a rudimentary dragon design inked onto the center of her chest - she was Aya, the one Seiji had been ordered by Abaki to capture.

“I’m here, Heavenly Excellency Tetsuo, as is the Dragon Moon Sword.”

Aya replied calmly but strongly as she carefully laid a black-red stained, bamboo box on the ground before her, revealing the intricate, highly unique sword. She nodded to Tetsuo after power reverently, as the other peasants around her followed suit.

“Very good, my dear Aya. Now, you cannot stay here - you must run. Go to the sea cliffs beyond the castle, to the edge where I used to teach you. If the castle is lost - you know what you must do.”

Tetsuo ordered solemnly as Aya nodded without hesitation, being fully aware of what he meant.

“Humanity will not perish on this day, Heavenly Excellency.”

Aya responded as she raced to the sea cliffs that were beyond the flat lands where the castle lay by about a mile or so. As she can, she could hear the battle raging - the walls of the castle being breached, and untold horrors of war being committed against her people! 

When she made it to the edge of the sea cliffs, she sat cross legged with the Dragon Moon Sword in the ornate, blessed box in front of her, as she closed her eyes and went into a deep, otherworldly meditation! After all, she’d been taught by Tetsuo and trained for this day since birth!

“Abaki, Seiji - I’m here! Spare the lives of my fellow countrymen and take me instead.”

Aya’s projected form bellowed as this decoy fork stood before Abaki, Seiji, and their army - who’d made short work of the castle’s walls and the defenders, all while the women, children, and elderly citizenry cowered in fear along the black and white structures of the castle that weren’t yet ruined.

“Foolish girl! Seiji - seize her and the sword!”

Abaki ordered with a slight cackle as Tetsuo stared them down silently - knowing the truth of this diversion! Though he also knew that once the trick was revealed, no one would survive within the castle’s walls, Abaki, Seiji, and their army wouldn’t permit such mercy. 

Seiji dismounted his victims reptilian steed as he moved towards the decoy projection of Aya with the sword. As he reached toward to take them both - his chrome armored hands went right through the projection! Abaki growled in anger! 

“Slaughter them all and find the girl! None here shall survive!”

Abaki ordered as his army spread out as they began to ransack the inner portion of the castle! As much as Tetsuo wanted to stay and fight, he knew that in the name of the greater good - he needed to make his way to Aya!

Aya meanwhile, hovered in the air, cross-legged with the Dragon Moon Sword out of the box and on her lap, laying across it. She was seating profusely with her eyes closed, holding on as long as she could as she desperately waited for Tetsuo to reach her!

“Well done, Aya. Now, it is time, we must make the sacrifice that will ensure humanity’s survival. Once I sacrifice my being and become the essence within the Dragon Moon Sword, and you stab yourself with the sword once I’m infused into it - you shall have begun the countdown to be reincarnated far in the coming centuries! I have foreseen it - I have seen your new reincarnated form in a distant land many centuries from now. This is your destiny, yet it is one of sacrifice as you know.”

Tetsuo deviated solemnly as Aya opened her eyes, while still cross legged and floating in her meditative state. Aya then nodded, as Tetsuo’s wingless, white dragon form became more transparent, that of a yokai or spirit, as he disappeared into the Dragon Moon Sword!

“Stop her! If we don’t take her alive along with the sword - this eternal war will be destined to continue!”

Abaki yelled as Seiji led a group of their forces towards Aya in a rush, while the castle ruins burned in the background - with the sight and the small being grim confirmation of what had happened. Aya smiling looked at the enemy forces and with two hands, ons on the grip and the other within one of the open parts of the thick blade, drove the Dragon Moon Sword through her torso! Her physical form disappeared rapidly along with the sword, leaving only her clothes in the small gust of wind that had appeared! All the while, Seiji and the infantry under him looked around, while Abaki cursed the sky!

“Rest now, as a soul, dear Aya. For many centuries from now - in a new land, under the name of Alexis with the familial name of Asigiri - you shall be reincarnated - and you shall be humanity’s champion, with me at your side.”

The essence of Tetsuo told the yokai form of Aya as they floated casually with the Dragon Moon Sword in the afterlife - through the green meadows of sakura blossom trees. Once Aya’s long spiritual rest was over, she knew that she’d leave the spirit dimension and re-enter the world without her memories, in a new land and in a new body. But Aya was ready - and Tetsuo knew that.