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scene three, realizations of a grim reality
Does he not realize that straining the soul only makes it stronger? The the real training isn't physical, but mental and spiritual?
Foolishness... pure foolishness.
Nevertheless, despite his lack of understanding to these ways, I do admit that he is one of the strongest samurai I'd ever seen. My love and I were speaking of Deng Tuo as he faced Liu Tiao, the black samurai. Deng Tuo is a mammoth of a man-- he easily towers over my love and weighs like an ox, yet moves with the gracefullness of the feather. It worries me that my love is to face him again, especially now that the man has improved so greatly with his movements and ability.
"Do not fear for me, Mai... should I fall to Deng, I will rise again. He cannot keep me down forever."
His words were reassuring, to say the least. As we sat there together beneath the moon and the stars, I couldn't help but allow my eyes to leave that battle and look to the heavens above for a sign. I was praying that my love would not fall, regardless of whether he would stand again or not. The year was drawing to a close, winter was beginning to overtake the land as we had our first snowfall only days ago. Today was unusually cold, yet it brought no snow to the land... which was strange, for any time it's gotten so cold, snow has always followed.
He saw my eyes averted and gently touched my face with his hand, bringing my eyes back down to his. Here was a man who I believed could easily hold the fate of the world in his very palms... and he was stroking my cheek with them. The warmth from his touch was astounding to me, and I couldn't help but close my eyes and sigh in comfort. He brought me close to embrace me as the sounds of battle raged on in the lands below.
I shut them out, though... and merely concentrated on he who hovered above me. My love was there to protect me, and I would somehow protect him as well.
Such strange things do occur with my love, however, that make me wonder if he'd ever even need protection. As desperately as I wanted to repay my debt to him... I feared I never could, for he protected himself so easily. Only should his opponent sneak attack him would he ever fall to another man, and I certainly could not prevent a sneak attack without forward knowledge.
Heat traveled throughout my body, such incredible heat sparked from his body's touch as I drew in my breath sharply, opening my eyes to his to see them glowing lightly. To say that this did not startle me would be a lie, for I pulled back in shock only to have him hold me and shake his head, whispering into my ear.
"Do not be afraid of those who are blessed, Mai... for you are the only one who knows the truth. It is not in my destiny to fail here... I must restore order to this empire."
His words proved to me what my heart wondered for so long, and I simply allowed him to continue with a smile on my face. The night was cold but the energy between us was more then enough to keep us warm, as though a forest stood behind us in flames. Though the sounds of battle drowned out our sounds of love undoubtedly tonight, I never heard the sound of a single sword clash.
I must say... if I held any disbeliefs within me that he were blessed, then after that moment in time they would have fluttered away while I lay beneath him. Yes, that man is truly blessed... this I know for certain.
But that is another story for another time.
The battle ended shortly after we pulled apart, lying close to one another and watching the ending of this encounter. It came as no surprise to me that Deng Tuo won, but my love still held my hand comfortingly as he pushed himself up to an elbow, looking down on me and smiling.
"Deng Tuo will be the strongest samurai I'll ever face... but he shall not be the one who topples me for good."
With the battle finished and the night air turned to calm, Deng Tuo turned his head to the ground. I watched on in wonder as he did so, holding my love close. I remember vividly that moment, as Deng Tuo stabbed his sword into the ground and a light flooded from the very earth, causing my love's muscles to tense as he watched on in shock, bringing forth a sense of dread to flood my very being.
"How... how can this be?"
And at that moment, Deng Tuo had been healed. He turned his head towards where we lie and lifted his sword to point it towards my love, before making his way off the battlefield. My love remained shocked, before his grip on my hand tightened lightly and he carefully pulled away from me, sitting straight up and looking to the sky.
"So this is how it is to be... a war between the heavens and the earth itself. When our swords clash... the fate of all rests on the outcome."
It was then that I'd realized that my love was wrong... Deng Tuo may be his final battle. He did not know of Deng Tuo's own blessings, and so did not foresee falling to the man in battle. Now that he'd known the truth... it would not just be a battle between the heavens and the earth.
It would be a battle between a new age and the advancement of the current.
It would be a battle between the wanderers and the shadow dwellers.
Their battle would be the final one of the year, and the emperor himself would be there to watch. None would be allowed into that sacred temple but those who would fight so bravely to stand beside the emperor... and I would have to leave my love at the temple's steps and await his return with a tightened heart.
And so, as I write these very words on this paper... I realize that this dread I feel within me is for my love's very life. I fear that he will die without accomplishing his dreams... and I fear that it will be Deng Tuo who strikes that final blow.
I only pray that my fears are wrong... and that once again my love shall prevail.
Until another time.