Legacy

With nothing in sight that resembled a real dwelling, the group had no choice but to spend the night in a forest cave. A small fire worked to keep the four warm, but when the fire went out, nothing could stop the cold from laying its claim to them.

When his body could no longer handle such a temperature, James was forced awake. So forcefully had the extreme cold woken him that it felt to James as if someone had physically shaken him out of his slumber.

Jaycee and Archer also woke from their sleep.

“Why is it so cold?” asked Jaycee.

“And where did Aiko go?” asked Archer.

The three hurried outside and were shocked to find the forest covered in a blanket of snow. The trees, lush and green the previous day, were now bare and dripping with ice. Had the season been winter, seeing such a thing would have come as a surprise to no one, but the season was spring, and this was far beyond out of the ordinary.

“Aiko!” called out Jaycee. “Where are you?”

A snowball came from seemingly out of nowhere and hit Archer in the face. “Who did that?” he demanded to know.

When she had been spotted by the others, Aiko ducked behind a crudely made snowman she had built while the others were asleep.

“Come out here right now,” barked Archer.

Like a scolded child, Aiko did as she was told.

Archer made his way to Aiko to reprimand her. “What’s wrong with you?” he asked. “Do you really think this is the time to be doing things like that?”

“I was just trying to lighten the mood,” replied Aiko. “You’ve seen how sad everyone has been. I thought I could make everyone feel better.”

“Well, that wasn’t the way to do it. Now, let’s go.” And with that, Archer forcefully led Aiko back to the others.

“Didn’t seeing all this snow make you realize that something was wrong?” asked Jaycee. “Why didn’t you wake the rest of us up?”

“I’m not from around here,” said Aiko. “I thought it was normal.”

The group departed shortly after the snowball incident. They hoped to escape the chill of the forest and find a place with a more bearable climate. But after an hour of traveling, they realized just how widespread the cold was.

“So, does the snow melt soon?” asked Aiko.

“We already told you this isn’t normal weather,” replied Archer. “How should we know when the snow’s going to melt?”

“Well, excuse me for not paying attention,” exclaimed Aiko.

The group’s journey eventually led them to a clearing.

“Wait,” said James, whose sudden halt prompted the others to do the same.

“What is it?” asked Jaycee.

“I thought I heard something,” replied James.

The unsettling silence was broken when Aiko shrieked. “We’re standing in a puddle,” she exclaimed. “My feet are all wet.”

“Be quiet,” demanded James. “Don’t move.”

“But my feet are really cold.”

A snowball then crashed into Archer’s face, prompting Aiko to begin laughing hysterically. “That’s what you get for being mean to me,” she said. A snowball then crashed into Aiko’s face, quickly changing her demeanor. “Who the hell did that? Show yourself!”

A gust of wind filled with snow and ice tore through the air, forcing everyone to shield themselves from flying debris. The snow and ice then began accumulating at the center of the clearing. And from it emerged a woman, but no ordinary woman. Her skin was a pale blue and her eyes a much darker shade of the color. The silken white garment she wore was matched in radiance only by her flowing locks.

“It was you,” exclaimed Aiko, who looked more than ready for a fight. But there was something keeping her from advancing. The puddle she, James and Archer were standing in had formed into solid ice and had encased their feet. Jaycee, however, had been leading the way and was spared from the frozen trap.

“We walked right into a trap,” said Archer.

“Who are you?” James asked the woman.

Ignoring James’ question, the woman stretched her arms high above her head, looking as if she had just woken from a long sleep.

“Hey, he asked you a question, weirdo,” exclaimed Aiko. “Who are you?”

“That one has quite the sharp tongue,” said the woman, whose icy glare sent a shiver down Aiko’s spine. “I might just have to cut it out.”

Aiko immediately clasped her hands over her mouth.

The woman let out a sigh. “If you must know,” she said. “My name is Alenia, and I am a loyal servant of the master.”

“Shadow Kahn,” said James.

“Aren’t you the quick learner? You see, the master has a very simple philosophy. If you refuse to pledge your undying devotion to him, then that means you’re against him, which means you’ve forfeited the right to exist. So I get to do whatever I want to you.”

“Jaycee, you need to get out of here,” said James.

“No,” said Jaycee. “I won’t leave you.”

“Yes, Jaycee, run away,” said Alenia. “But know this, if you flee, eventually I will catch you and I will kill you. But while you’re making your escape, I’ll be killing these friends of yours. But how am I going to do it? Maybe I’ll just slit their throats. That’s if I’m in a good mood. You don’t want to know what I’ll do if I’m angry.”

“Shoot an arrow at her,” Aiko shouted of Archer.

Archer attempted to reach for his weapon but his body was unresponsive. “I can’t move,” he said. “What’s going on?”

A grunt burst from Aiko, who also was trying desperately to move her body.

“My ice does that sometimes,” said Alenia. “Sorry.”

Jaycee immediately took to a readied stance. “You’re not going to lay a finger on any of them,” she exclaimed.

“You mortals are an impetuous lot, aren’t you?” asked Alenia. “That’s probably why there are so few of you left.” In a playful manner, Alenia placed her hand over her mouth. “Oh, did I say that out loud? I’m just no good at keeping secrets.”

“Jaycee, run,” exclaimed James.

“No,” replied Jaycee.

“How admirable,” said Alenia. “He would rather die than let any harm come to that girl. Oh, how human emotions sicken me.”

“If we weren’t trapped in this ice, you wouldn’t be so confident,” said Aiko.

“Of course I wouldn’t,” said Alenia. “Why do you think I put you there? Now shut up, I have to concentrate on killing your friend.”

When Alenia extended her arm, a mist began to circulate around her hand. And from the mist formed a sword of crystal clear ice.

Aiko shrieked, prompting Jaycee to turn her focus back to her friends. She found that the ice had grown upward and now had the three trapped up to their waists.

“Did I forget to mention?” asked Alenia. “That ice has a bit of a mind of its own.” She then began chuckling, but only shortly. “Now, let’s begin.”

Jaycee was able to block Alenia’s first strike with her staff. But the first strike was all it took to show who had the advantage. Jaycee had nearly lost her balance due to the incredible power behind Alenia’s initial attack.

Alenia began laughing. “Do you really think you can stop me? Look at you. You’re shaking from head to toe, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the weather.”

“Is she strong enough to win a battle like this?” Archer asked.

“I don’t know,” answered James. “She’s never been in real combat.”

“You can do it, Jaycee,” exclaimed Aiko. “We believe in you!”

Alenia unleashed a number of furious attacks but Jaycee was able to block every last one of them.

“It would seem that I underestimated you, my dear little Jaycee,” said Alenia, her sword now locked with Jaycee’s staff. With a strength that was far superior to her opponent’s, Alenia was able to push Jaycee away, then slash her across the arm.

“Jaycee,” exclaimed James.

Before Alenia had time to fully savor success, Jaycee had already begun a devastating counterattack. She struck her foe across the face, temporarily dazing her. And with Alenia in such a vulnerable state, Jaycee used the opportunity to strike the blade of her sword, breaking it cleanly off the hilt.

“Insolent little bitch,” exclaimed Alenia. She then took a hold of Jaycee’s staff and attempted to take it from her. When that tactic proved futile, Alenia kicked Jaycee into a tree, sending the battered young lady crumbling to the forest floor.

A violent wind then began to swirl through the clearing. When Alenia raised her arm, razor sharp chunks of ice began appearing around her, all directed at Jaycee.

“Jaycee, get up!” screamed Aiko.

On trembling legs, Jaycee was able to get back to her feet.

“Goodbye, Jaycee,” said Alenia. And with that, she swung her arm forward, sending the chunks of ice at her foe.

With nary a moment to spare, Jaycee was able to duck behind the tree into which she had just been kicked. The impact some of the chunks made slamming into the tree made it seem as if Jaycee’s shield would be snapped in half. The chunks that missed the tree flew mere inches from Jaycee’s face, crackling the air around them.

“Bitch,” exclaimed Alenia. “You think your friends will be as fortunate? They don’t have anything to hide behind!” Alenia then raised her arm, in preparation of summoning another group of razor sharp chunks of ice. But this time, she was facing the others.

Jaycee emerged from her hiding spot. “We’re not finished yet,” she said.

“Then no more games,” said Alenia before summoning another sword.

Even with Alenia her main concern, Jaycee still kept focus on the others, who were now trapped up to their chests by the ice. This left Jaycee with no other option but to end the fight quickly and hope that would break the spell. She charged and unleashed as strong an attack as she was capable. Alenia, however, was able to block the strike with relative ease.

“How impulsive,” said Alenia.

“I won’t let any harm come to my friends,” said Jaycee.

“You fight to protect those you care about. How noble. I fight because there’s nothing else for me. It’s the core of my existence.”

“That doesn’t sound like much of an existence.”

“Not really. But what other choice do I have?”

Alenia then caught Jaycee by surprise with a barrage of furious attacks. Showing her precision with the staff, Jaycee blocked every one of them.

“You’re making this more difficult than it needs to be,” said Alenia. “Why don’t you be a good girl and just die?”

Before Alenia could make another comment like that one, Jaycee went on the offensive. So fast and furious were the attacks that Alenia was unable to block them all. Jaycee succeeded in landing a number of strikes to Alenia’s face that sent the ice demon to a knee.

“Alright, Jaycee,” exclaimed Aiko. “You did it!”

“You’re going to regret that, bitch,” said Alenia, wiping away a trickle of blue blood now running from her mouth.

A thick fog began to form within the clearing. Its composition was so dense that it made it impossible to see anything more than a few feet away. Jaycee frantically began looking around but she could see nothing but white in every direction.

“What’s wrong, Jaycee?” asked Alenia, who was hiding somewhere in the fog. “Having trouble finding where I am? That’s too bad, because I know exactly where you are.” Jaycee was then slashed across the arm, forcing a scream to burst from her.

“Jaycee!” screamed James.

“Doesn’t feel so good, does it?” asked Alenia.

The next slash was to Jaycee’s leg. She once again screamed from the pain.

“You just had to make me angry, didn’t you? And for that, your death is going to be most unpleasant.” Alenia then let out a boisterous laugh.

From her position, Jaycee could tell that the laughing was coming from directly in front of her. Believing it was the only opportunity she was going to have, Jaycee lunged at Alenia’s laugh. It was a tactic that paid off, as Jaycee slammed into her foe.

To everyone’s surprise, the fog began to dissipate. When the air had cleared, it was revealed why. Alenia had been sent into the same tree in which Jaycee had been slammed. But unlike when Jaycee was flung into it, the tree now had Alenia’s sharp chunks of ice embedded into it, which had impaled their creator.

“Do you really think this changes anything?” asked Alenia, her mouth filling with blue blood. “When the master finally decides the time is right, he’ll kill you all. There won’t be a single one of you left standing. The only reason any of you is still alive is because he’s allowing it. Just wait until he changes his mind.”

The ice encasing James and the others was easily broken, allowing the captives their much desired freedom.

Alenia then turned her teary gaze to the sky. “Oh, how I wish I could have been there to see your glorious plan come to fruition,” she said. “My lord, please forgive me.” And with that, Alenia lowered her head and closed her eyes for the final time.

Though Alenia had been a ruthless foe, no one could take pleasure in watching her time in the world of the living come to its sorrowful conclusion.

With another harrowing ordeal behind them, the travelers continued on their journey. The snow melted at an astonishing rate after Alenia’s demise, making the weather far more suitable for the time of year.

After setting up camp, James, Jaycee and Archer sat around a warming fire. Aiko, who had been strangely quiet since their ordeal, rested nearby. She was feigning sleep so the others would be unaware that she was listening to them.

As hard as she tried, Aiko was unable to keep herself from feeling envious of the accolades that had been levied upon Jaycee after her victory. She was just as appreciative as the others, but Aiko knew she would have been just as capable of winning such a battle had she been the one given the opportunity. For it was Aiko’s stubborn nature that compelled her to prove her worth in every such situation.

* * *

Being the only girl in her dojo made it all the more difficult for Aiko to excel. But it wasn’t the fact that she was smaller and weaker than her fellow students that put Aiko at the disadvantage. Being female made her very unpopular with the other students, who made no attempt to keep it secret that they felt a girl had no place in their school.

Unlike her current appearance, Aiko’s almost boyish hairstyle had been preceded by a flowing head of hair fashioned into a pony-tail.

One fateful day, Aiko challenged her teacher. Whenever a student did that it became quite the spectacle. But this fight took on a far greater significance for Aiko, who believed her teacher was the one who had turned the other students against her, so she would prove to him, first hand, just how much she belonged.

“Perhaps this fight will show us, once and for all, whether you deserve to be here or not,” said Aiko’s teacher.

Rather than replying with words, Aiko let her feet and fists do the talking. Despite her best effort, though, all of Aiko’s strikes were either dodged or blocked. The fight quickly took a turn for the worst when Aiko’s teacher landed a strike to her stomach, sending Aiko crashing to a knee and grasping for breath.

“Are you ready to give up now?” asked Aiko's teacher.

Aiko tried to respond but only pained coughs escaped from her mouth.

“Why not just do what the other girls from your village did and become a concubine?” asked Aiko’s teacher. “There’s not that much shame in it.” Aiko’s fellow students laughed at what was more an insult than piece of advice.

“I’m not as weak as you think I am,” said Aiko before lunging at her teacher and striking him across the face. Before Aiko could attack again, though, her teacher once again landed a blow to her stomach, then jerked Aiko down by the hair, sending her slamming to the floor and bringing an end to the fight.

“That wasn’t fair,” groaned Aiko, who was doing her best to fight back tears.

“There are no rules to follow when it comes to battle. Do you understand now that no matter how hard you try, you will never be one of us? So do yourself a favor and quit before you really get hurt, little girl.”

Using her moment of humiliation as motivation, Aiko began training herself twice as hard as the other students. Aiko’s obsession with becoming stronger only made the disdain her classmates felt for her grow, but she would let nothing deter her.

With a rematch growing nearer, Aiko completed her training by cutting off her pony-tail. Aiko would let nothing as trivial as her hair stand between her and proving to everyone that she was just as capable as any man.

When the day of the fight came, Aiko knew little had changed. She knew her teacher still saw her as a weak girl despite the intense training she had put herself through. So the only way to sway his opinion of her was to best him in combat.

“Let this be the last time I have to do this to you,” said Aiko’s teacher.

When Aiko took to a readied stance, her teacher went on the offensive. It was evident by the look on the other students’ faces that they were shocked by Aiko’s ability to block and dodge all of her teacher’s attacks. She then added to their astonishment by countering with a barrage of strikes of her own. Only barely was her teacher able to defend himself.

“It seems training on your own has done you a world of good,” said Aiko’s teacher, who had to separate himself from his student so that he could catch his breath. “I suppose, out of respect to you, I should stop putting up only a half-hearted effort.”

Aiko’s teacher then unleashed a flurry of strikes, prompting Aiko to do the same. Each fighter absorbed more than their fair share of punishment. But being the weaker of the two, Aiko was the first to succumb to her injuries. She crashed to the floor, and despite her best effort, was unable to get back to her feet.

After giving Aiko ample opportunity to get back up, her teacher let his soon to be former student in on a piece of information that would forever fester within her. “It was never the hair that was holding you back,” he told her.

Aiko was only able to muster the strength to get to her hands and knees. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

“How many friends do you have, other than the ones you have in this dojo?” asked Aiko’s teacher, prompting the other students to begin laughing. “That would be none. Regardless of your gender, you never had the chance to fit into a place like this. But you never really had a choice. Watching your parents die during the war left you void of the emotions you needed to become a functioning member of any group. I’ve seen this many times with war orphans. You feel more comfortable on your own. And perhaps that is what you need. To be on your own. Because you certainly aren’t going to be a member of this dojo after today. The only reason I allowed you to enroll was so that you could learn that lesson the hard way.”

As much as she hated what her teacher had told her, a part of Aiko believed his words to be true. She truly had never felt like part of any group.

No matter what stage of life she had experienced, Aiko had always felt like an outsider who would never be accepted by anyone unless she proved she deserved her place.

* * *

Aiko rolled over so the others would be unable to see the tears now falling from her eyes. She had made the vow to herself years ago that she would never allow herself to look weak in situations where she could prove her worth. And that had already happened more than once, which meant Aiko was in desperate need of redemption for her foolish pride.