Duty and Freedom

"Is it better to be free to make your own choices, or to be secure and safe at the cost of those choices?"

Mitsumi and Kenji Takehoshu, Wakeeda, Rebecka Victoria and Sharyn Victoria are all my OCs.
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Chapter 1: Duty

Gravel crunched underneath black leather boots as a tall figure took short steps along the path. Her build was athletic, her skin a light yellow, her light brown hair flowing to her shoulders. In her left hand was an ornately decorated sheath containing a slightly curved sword. Her right hand was clenched in a fist.

Mitsumi Takehoshu's mind was buzzing, her hands shook slightly from cold. Yet she didn't even think about stopping to rest. She couldn't afford to. Too much was resting on her shoulders for her to stop.

2 years. She'd been tracking her son for 2 years. Ever since he left Nakimuto. Since he betrayed them. It was her fault, and so it was her responsibility to cut his branch from her family tree.

She'd always tried to be a good mother. A good woman. She was raised to be an ideal woman in Nakimuto, as all women were. Married at 16, pregnant with her first child at 18. Over the following years, she raised her first child to adhere to and respect the realm's rules and traditions. Meanwhile, she continued to bear children until she had 7: Rin, Makoto, Aki,, Kenji, Junko, Zakai and Ike.

Kenji was always different. He always wore his older sister's clothes, claiming that they felt more comfortable. Yet he also stole his father's sword and practiced with it in the rear garden. Mitsumi tried to discipline him, but she was always too soft. She regularly made excuses to get him out of trouble, and sometimes took the punishments on his behalf.

Her softness had cost them everything. One day, Kenji cut their list of tradition to ribbons and fled the realm. The clan was heartbroken. Things only got worse from there. Mitsumi and the Takehoshu family were blacklisted-it became a crime to even sell food to them.

The Emperor of Nakimuto's words still rang in Mitsumi's head: that she failed in her motherly duties and allowed a corrupt branch to grow. Now she must cut off that corrupt branch before it becomes a new tree. To redeem her family and reclaim their honour, she must kill Kenji. She had accepted without a second of hesitation. The Emperor put the Takehoshu family under house arrest; the clan was unable to leave their family home, and provided with food and water only through the Emperor's aides.

Over the next two years, Mitsumi was trained as an assassin and swordswoman by the Emperor's guards. When her training was complete, they let her out into the world to find and kill her son. She'd already failed to kill him once before, and now Kenji knew that she was hunting him. Which meant she had to think as he would.

Her reverie was broken as the location she was looking for came into her view. An lonely inn by the pathside, the name "The Snowdrift Inn" emblazoned on a swinging sign. She entered the inn and headed over to the counter. She hoped that her source's information paid off. The bartender looked up with a warm smile as Mitsumi sat down "Hello, friend. You look like you need something strong."

"I appreciate the offer, but no thank you." The assassin answered formally "I need some information. I am told you keep tabs on anyone who is anyone in this realm."

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Who is it you'd like to meet?" The bartender answered.

"Kenji Takehoshu. A highly skilled swordsman who has been making a name for himself in the arena." Mitsumi told him.

"Ah, you wish to test yourself against him? Why not just wait for him in the arena?" The elf asked, an eyebrow raised.

"I am... not welcome there. I lost my temper during a fight and killed my opponent." Mitsumi lied easily. "I would say he deserved it for calling me... what was it?"

"I can guess what the name was. Bigots like that aren't common in Asmana, luckily. Here's hoping you've got a handle on it by now." The elf told her. "As for Kenji, he was last spotted heading east of Bluegrass, but where he's going from there, who knows?"

Mitusmi's grip on her sword tightened slightly as she got up. "Thank you for your help."

As she walked to the door, a burly and hairy man held a hand out and stood up from his seat. "Hey, leaving so soon? Why not stay a while? I'd like to get to know such a beautiful woman a little better..."

Mitsumi acted faster than blinking: stepping back and drawing her sword. The man shouted in pain, clutching his hand. Mitsumi merely wiped her sword on her sleeve. A great gash had appeared on his palm. "I am spoken for." She informed him coldly, sheathing her blade. "Even if I was not, I would not even consider sleeping with such an unhygenic man."

Without another word, the assassin headed out the door and into the sunset. She supposed that was a little harsh, but she'd learned that one of the only things Asmanans understood was violence and pain. No; she did what she needed to. She had a duty to fulfill, and she could let nobody get in the way of that.
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Chapter 2: Invasion

Mitsumi's legs walked faster than they would normally. She had to get to Kenji, and she had quite a distance to walk. She couldn't get into avoidable fights, she couldn't slow down, and she absolutely couldn't stop. For anything.

The ground suddenly got darker, though there weren't many clouds in the sky. Looking up to the sun, Mitsumi felt absolute terror for the first time since she'd arrived in Asmana. A huge, white missile hung in the sky. Huge propellers were at the back, pushing it forwards with surprising speed.

But that wasn't the scariest part. The scariest part was that Mitsumi recognized the airship. It was none other than the Emperor's flagship. The Honour of Nakimuto.

They'd invaded Asmana.

They were being foolish. Mitsumi hadn't been in the land that long, but she knew that the Emperor's forces would be obliterated. Asmanans were born and bred warriors, while the soldiers of Nakimuto were just that: Soldiers.

Mitsumi began heading to the ship, knowing that if Nakimuto invades another realm, all citizens must return and report their situation or the status of their missions. She found herself crossing into the North-Western section of the realm, almost dangerously close to the Hunter's Proving Ground.

As she approached closer, something golden from above caught her attention. Gold-painted steel tubes fused into an aircraft descended in front of her and a soldier stepped out, holding a sword to Mitsumi's throat. The chestplate on her steel armour was bronze-painted, meaning she was a B-Rank soldier. Not the most dangerous, but she had more than a few years of service to speak of.

"Mitsumi Takehoshu." the mother said without preamble. The soldier stowed her sword away and the mother walked around the craft before getting in next to her.

She pressed a button and turned a switch; the two rotors above the two began to spin. Looking behind her, Mitsumi also saw the rotor on the tail was spinning. There was a definite wind blowing all around them. Mitsumi was slightly worried her hair would blow into the rotors and get trapped.

"Hold onto something." The soldier advised her. Mitsumi gripped the side of the craft tightly and she lifted a lever upwards.

The sudden feeling of ascension was both exhilarating and terrifying. It only lasted for a half-minute or so, but Mitsumi had a lot of trouble getting out of the craft and onto the ship afterwards. She stepped onto the docking bay and gripped the railing tightly. She shook her head side to side to clear it, but that just caused another unpleasent feeling to arise in her stomach...

"The Emperor is waiting for you in the throne room. Just go straight ahead from here." The soldier informed her.

"Certainly. But one moment, please." Mitsumi requested.

She staggered over to the railing, bent over it and BLEURGH. The foul yellow spewed from her stomach and her head was spinning like crazy. The soldier was chuckling silently. Mitsumi had never flown before, and she wasn't in a hurry to do it again. Another two loads of vomit protruded from her mouth, but her head felt a little clearer afterwards. She stepped back from the railing, made sure none had gotten on her battlesuit, then walked inside the ship, still wobbling a little.

She walked through the thin corridors, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. Every soldier she came across looked at her with contempt in their eyes. There were 7 ranks in the Nakimuton army, reflecting the belief that 7 was a lucky number: Copper, Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. Mitsumi wasn't a soldier-she was still a citizen. But she got the feeling the hateful looks she got were for another reason. In any case, she was glad to reach the throne room, where two D-rank soldiers allowed her entry.

The Emperor was over 80, but he looked 50. His hair was barely grey, his skin was not mottled or wrinkly and he had the muscles of a D-rank soldier. The rumours of how he stay looking so young had half of Nakimuto convinced he was a demigod. Mitsumi was never convinced by this, however.

"So you at least know to come to my flagship when invasion goes forth. That is some comfort at least. Your report, Takehoshu?" The Emperor asked.

The mother began "Sir, before I report, I must advise you against-"

"I asked you a question." The Emperor interrupted.

Mitsumi tried again. "Emperor, I must-"

"Enough!" He barked. Mitsumi knew not to pursue the issue.

"I have not yet executed my son, Sir." Mitsumi told him.

"I see. Is there a viable reason for this?" He asked.

"The locals found out I intended to kill him and began to hunt me. Progress was stopped while I laid low, avoiding the guards." Mitsumi answered truthfully.

"These Asmanans have a strange idea of justice." The Emperor mused. "In any case, you got sloppy. I should have expected as much from a woman. You have until we win this war to find and kill him. If you fail, the rest of your family will die, and you will never be allowed back in Nakimuto."

"If you win this war." Mitsumi muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, sir." Mitsumi replied "I will proceed with Kenji's execution as soon as I have located him."

"Luckily for you, my hidden agents have already reported that he is heading to Bluegrass from Duskdawn." Seeing the incredulous look on Mitsumi's face, he smugly smiled "I have had them here for years, tracking Kenji's movements and gathering intelligence for this invasion. I informed them that he is your kill, but to execute him themselves if you fell. Now, enough speak. You have his location, you have your mission. Now go."

Knowing she was dismissed, and wanting to get as far away from him as possible anyway, Mitsumi took her leave with a shorter bow than usual. She was already dreading going into that flying contraption again...
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Chapter 3: Infanticide

A gentle breeze rippled along the path, loose flakes of dried mud rolling along the ground. Mitsumi had closed the distance between her and her son, but he didn't know she was so close. She could dash forwards and end him now... but such an act wouldn't be honourable. The Emperor's spies would tell of her sneak attack and it would be for nothing.

"Kenji." Mitsumi called. The swordsman wheeled around, Tantos in hand. Mitsumi calmly walked towards him, speaking. "Things have changed, Kenji. Nakimuto has invaded, and I have until the invasion is over to save the rest of our family. I know you saw the Honour. You know they are not joking around anymore."

"Mother, are you trying to convince me, or yourself?" Kenji asked simply.

"I am trying to make you understand why I am doing this!" Mitsumi replied, a single tear escaping her eye.

Kenji's voice was dark as he spoke "I already understand. But I see no reason to just let you kill me to save a family that I doubt even truly loves you." He placed his foot behind him and brought his arms up.

"Insult me all you like." Mitsumi answered coolly, unsheathing her sword. "But don't you dare imply dishonesty on our family's part."

The mother ran at the son, aiming to feint her attack and trick him into blocking high. But he was prepared: his right hand slashed downwards and intercepted her attack. His left hand attempted a stab but was met with her sheath. She kicked him in the stomach and slashed at his torso, but he managed to step backwards fast enough that his wound was barely noticeable.

He leapt forwards at his mother while she was recovering from her slash. Mitsumi blocked all five of his attacks as he swung-left, right, up-right, down-left and directly upwards. The blades locked together and the two began to struggle against each other, but the mother pushed with all her might and the lock was broken. She thrust herself forwards but he jumped backwards and-vanished? Mitsumi couldn't see him anymore.

A flash of light told Mitsumi he was to her left, and she only just raised her sheath in time to block both Tantos. Her sword swung through the air and he staggered backwards, clutching his left shoulder. She pressed her advantage, attacking him from as many angles as she could, only to be met with his blades every time.

She attempted a right-side kick to be met with his blade, but she used the chance to slash from the left. Her blade cut across his chest and he shouted in pain, but Mitsumi gave him no respite: she thrust the sheath into his stomach, span around and slashed diagonally upwards. The force of the attack was so great that Kenji was knocked backwards. A long red line down his torso marked where the attack had landed, and blood dripped from it.

As her son struggled to his feet, Mitsumi swung the blade downwards, clearing the blood before sheathing it. "I have a duty to fulfill." she was talking to herself as much as him.

Kenji sheathed his two Tantos and looked her in the eyes. "Then fulfill it." he answered, drawing his Daimyo.

Mitsumi knew that attacking now would be met with a block and a counterattack. Nevertheless, she had a plan on what to do. She ran at him, unsheathing her blade. She initially swung from the right, but changed direction midway through and slashed upwards, catching the swordsman off guard and cutting up his torso.

Seizing her advantage, the mother slashed at his leg and he tripped before her blade cut his hand, making him drop his sword to the ground. He lay on the ground, clutching his hand and unable to stand with her foot on his stomach. She'd beaten him. Now for the harder part.

Mitsumi's eyes closed-she couldn't bear to watch this happen-and her blade swung downwards.
Something blocked it. Mitsumi opened her eyes to see a pair of dark green eyes and a toned, white face. The mother looked up and saw that whoever this woman was, she'd blocked Mitsumi's blade with her bare arm.

"Wa-wakeeda?!" Kenji was clearly as shocked as Mitsumi.

"Long time no see, Kenji." she answered, still looking at the mother. She pushed her arm against
Mitsumi's blade and threw the blow off. There was barely a scratch on her skin. Mitsumi had heard about Asmana's resident witch doctor, and had hoped never to meet her face to face. "Mitsumi, that isn't something you want to do." she told the mother.

"It is not a question of wants." Mitsumi answered shortly. "Either he dies, or my whole family does. There is no debate to be made."

"Yes, there is. Namely, that your Emperor is lying to you." the witch doctor answered. "He never expected you to succeed. As soon as you left Nakimuto, he had the Takehoshu family executed."

"What?!" Kenji cried, shocked. "They're gone?! Father? Makoto? Rin?!"

The mother could see a single tear rolling down Kenji's cheek at the mention of his oldest sister. All of a sudden he was much less of a swordsman and much more like a frightened little boy. The mother felt her stomach lurch at the sight, though she wasn't sure why.

"Yes, Kenji. I'm sorry." Wakeeda told the swordsman, turning to him for a moment.

So they were all gone? Hikotada? Rin, Makoto, Aki, Junko, Zakai and Ike? No, not all of them. What she was hearing couldn't be true...

Mitsumi blinked, her upper lip shaking slightly. "H-how do I know you are not lying to protect Kenji? For all I know, you two are lovers."

"Firstly, my sights are on... someone else." the witch doctor sighed "Secondly, I'm just trying to stop you making a mistake. Your family are screaming for you not to kill him. He's your only kin now."

"Wakeeda, why didn't you tell me before now?" Kenji asked the witch doctor, now certainly crying. His tears left distinct streaks down his face.

"I was trying to protect you from finding out. I was stupid to think I could keep it hidden forever." Wakeeda admitted. "I'm sorry for that too, my friend."

Mitsumi could see no misgivings in Wakeeda's eyes. But these things she was saying... There was no way she could be telling the truth. At least, not the whole truth. She needed to find out for herself. Her blade turned in her hand and ran through Kenji's leg; he screamed in agony and clutched his wound.

Mitsumi spoke as she sheathed her sword "I am sorry son, but I need to get to the bottom of this. The only way I can do that is if the Emperor believes you are dead. I cannot have you trying to take on the whole Nakimuton army and exposing my lie." the mother turned around and set off for the Honour, hoping against all else that Wakeeda was lying.
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Chapter 4: Truth

Mitsumi's face remained stone-like as she walked to the throne room yet again. The Emperor sat slightly more upright as she approached.

"Kenji is dead?" He asked, without preamble.

"Yes." Mitsumi easily lied. "There is no more need for this invasion."

"Oh, but there is." the Emperor answered "We have already commenced, and it would be foolish not
to see it through to the end. It would seem tales of the Asmanan's fighting abilities are exaggerated, in any case."

Mitsumi grimaced "Sir, with the utmost respect-"

"Silence." He commanded. "My generals have studied the Asmanans well and have fortified the ship accordingly. Now, I need you on the surface; there is another target we require you to kill."

"I am not an assassin for hire." Mitsumi answered sternly. "You gave me one command, and I fulfilled that command."

"But you are still under my command as a citizen of Nakimuto. You will do as I say, or else suffer the consequences." The Emperor threatened.

"What consequences? A mage in this land tells me you already cut the branches of my family tree off." Mitsumi's building anger preempted her sense of reason.

The Emperor flinched slightly at her words, but regained himself. "And you trust the word of a magic user over your Emperor?"

"I've learned a great deal about trust in my brief time here, Emperor." the mother answered. "Did you kill them?"

"No." he replied coolly.

Mitsumi wasn't convinced. "Say it again. Look me in the eyes and tell me you did not have them killed the second I was out of your way!"

The Emperor remained silent, his eyes looking away from her. Mitsumi's own eyes went wide with realization.

A quiet whisper came from her mouth "You..."

"Takehoshu, do not do anything-" But the mother had heard enough. Her sword was drawn before the two D-Rank guards next to her could react. In two swift motions, both of them fell.

"Soldiers! Takehoshu has betrayed your Emperor! She must not leave this vessel!" The Emperor's voice sounded all around the ship as he spoke into a sound amplifier.

Mitsumi wanted nothing more than to kill him then and there, but she had to get off the ship before the whole army got to the room. She ran down the hallway away from the throne room, cutting down anyone who got in her way, silent anger fueling her every strike. She barely even noticed where she was going.

She had a half a mind to plunge the sword into her own stomach, but then Kenji would be the last Takehoshu. Kenji... She felt highly grateful to Wakeeda for stopping her attack on him. She owed him an apology when this was all over.

Coming out of her reverie, she found herself in the escape pod bay, used for getting off the ship incase of emergencies. She got into one of the seats and pushed the lever forwards. A mechanical clunk sounded above her and she became airborne. She pushed the lever all the way forwards and the craft dived straight downwards-the sooner she got to ground the better. As she began to see details in the snowy landscape below her, she pulled backwards and the craft responded by turning it's propeller behind it. But she'd pulled too late, and the craft crashed into the ground with a sickening crunch of metal.

Shaken, the mother staggered out of the wreckage with her sword and looked around. There had to be shelter somewhere close by. Groggy, she shook her head and loked around, eyes scanning the white expanse. She saw a cave in the distance and began to steadily walk towards it, but a snowstorm began to form as she walked. She picked up her pace, and although she staggered once or twice, she managed to make it just as the storm kicked into it's full force.

Mitsumi entered the cave, thankful it was empty, and began to light a fire. She wasn't really paying attention to what she was doing; her mind was too full of thoughts about what just transpired. She struggled to process any of it, such was her grief and anger.

So the Emperor had already killed her family. This... this wasn't what was supposed to happen. She was supposed to kill her son, and the Takehoshu clan would be... welcomed back into Nakimuto with... open arms. Instead... this had happened... Gods...

The first of many tears began to flow from Mitsumi's tightly shut eyes. She felt so helpless.

Why?

...

Why had the gods allowed this to happen?

...

Couldn't they have protected her children?

...

Her husband?

...

More to the point, what now?

...

What now...

She... she had to help the Asmanans. She was the only one who knew what the Honour's layout looked like. She could help them bring that huge testament to the Emperor's ego down to the ground where it belonged.

And the Emperor? He would fall to Mitsumi's blade. The mother's tears still flowed, but her eyes were open, and her teeth were bared. She left the still-lightless cave and into the snowstorm, barely even feeling the sharp wind or the biting cold against her skin.
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Chapter 5: Demons

"So in conclusion: a ground assault obviously will not work, and you cannot just bring it down outright or you will level the landscape. You need to get aboard and take it down from inside first." Mitsumi informed Rebecka Victoria, Asmana's Princess.

"Why would they set the ship to self destruct if it's ever brought down?" The blonde asked, clearly confused.

"So nobody can scavenge what is left." The mother told her "The Nakimutons believe that they alone have the right to their technology. Everyone else can blow off."

Her eyebrows raised "What if anybody's still aboard when it blows?"

"Every single person who serves the Emperor is ready to die for him at a moment's notice. 'To die with honour is one of the greatest gifts the Gods can give.' is one of the quotes inscribed in the throne room." Mitsumi replied, disgusted that she ever thought such quotes were inspirational.

"Ms Takehoshu, your country has a messed up idea of honour." Princess Rebecka told her.

"You are-how do you say it-'Preaching to the priest'?" Mitsumi asked.

"Close enough." she shrugged. "So, we get on board and destroy the tanks keeping it afloat, grounding all of their forces for a final rush in which we'll just slug them. Now, how do we get on board?"

"That is the main problem." Mitsumi answered "If we use one of their aircraft only one of us can get aboard, and only I can fly one. We have to get aboard in some other way."

"I can help with that." A familiar voice sounded. Wakeeda stepped into the room and turned to the mother "My condolences."

"Thank you, but right now I just want revenge." Mitsumi answered shortly.

"Careful about that. Revenge doesn't get anybody anywhere." Rebecka warned her, but the mother was deaf to her words. "How can you help, Wakeeda?"

"I can teleport 1-maybe 2-people aboard the ship, but I need to do it somewhere they won't be noticed." Wakeeda informed the two.

"Here." Mitsumi pointed to a spot on the hand-drawn map of the ship. "These toilets have been out of use since before the Honour got here, and the Emperor likely will not waste resources fixing them while the war is ongoing."

"That's the entry point then. I'll get everything ready." Wakeeda told them all.

"Okay then." The mother turned to the Princess "It is just me going aboard, correct?"

Rebecka nodded. "Yes. You know the layout of the ship better than anyone."

"Understood. I just wish I did not have to fight him by myself." Mitsumi admitted.

"You will be fine." Mitsumi looked up at the new voice's source and a wide smile curved her mouth.

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"Okay, you're ready? Once you're aboard, I can't get you back out." Wakeeda warned Mitsumi. They stood watching the airship floating above the land.

"I am ready. The ground forces?" The mother asked the Princess.

"All waiting for that thing to fall." Rebecka answered. "Waiting and eager."

"Then let us not keep them waiting long." Mitsumi turned back to the witch doctor "Get us aboard."

"Teliporta Mitsumi: Honour of Nakimuto." Wakeeda spoke, and Mitsumi felt herself being pulled forwards by invisible hooks. She shut her eyes and felt a squeezing sensation all over her body that lasted less than a moment before she was back on her feet. Feeling like she'd just been fed through a set of forge bellows, she opened her eyes and looked around.

She was definitely in the disused toilets-the huge "OUT OF ORDER" sign on every door made that clear. She cut the locked door down and poked her head out, looking both ways before stepping out. Her orders were clear: kill the Emperor, then bring the ship down. It would be much harder to do it the other way around.

As she made her way through the ship, the mother managed to avoid being seen for the most part. On the one occasion she was spotted, the soldier didn't have a chance to yell for help before her blade sliced across his throat. It didn't take her long to find her way to the throne room, nor to take down the two bodyguards standing at the door.

She stepped inside and her eyes went wide. The Emperor was already inside the Suit of Nobility; a highly advanced suit of armour that boosted the wearer's strength and mobility by several degrees. It was only to be used by the Emperor. Clearly, he'd been expecting an assassination attempt since she escaped.

In short, this just got a lot harder.

"No greetings for your Emperor?" he smugly asked.

Mitsumi tapped her sheath on her thigh and answered coldly "I have a full introduction right here."

"Ha! You think that you can fight me alone?" The Emperor laughed.

"Who said I was alone?" Mitsumi asked.

A shimmering figure next to Mitsumi tapped it's chest. Silently, Kenji Takehoshu reappeared, no worse for wear than before the fight with his mother hours ago. Wakeeda's healing abilities were beyond anything Mitsumi had seen before, to say nothing of her illusion magic.

"You told me you killed him!" the Emperor shouted.

"I must have missed. After all, I am only a woman." Mitsumi answered, unable to keep a smug tone out of her voice.

"Then I'll just kill both of you personally." The helmet descended, covering his face as he drew a large sword and primed his left fist.

Both the mother and the son charged at their enemy, but faked attacking to bait the Emperor into attacking, giving them an opening. He didn't take the bait and swung around. Kenji managed to block the sword with his Tantos, but wasn't able to followup with anything because the fist swung at him, forcing him to duck.

Mitsumi sliced at his leg but the armour stood strong and repulsed her blade. She managed to block his next attack and Kenji jumped at their foe's back but his attack made no effect. The Emperor's left fist punched the mother backwards and she went sliding across the ground. Kenji jumped off the armour while sheathing his Tantos and drew his Daimyo to block the Emperor's attacks.

There wasn't an immediate weakness they could exploit, but directly attacking wasn't going to work. They had to systematically destroy the suit's functions first... And the mother knew just where to start. Mitsumi rushed at the Emperor and, after dodging his attack, thrust her blade under the steam tube linking the left arm to the torso. She was swatted aside before she could cut it, but she could tell by the look on Kenji's face that he understood.

While Mitsumi attacked again to distract the Emperor, the swordsman jumped back onto the suit, Daimyo in hand. Kenji's blade cut across the left arm's tube and steam burst from it. He let out a scream of pain as the steam burned his hands and he fell off the suit of armour, dropping his sword. But it worked: the arm became completely immobile despite the Emperor's attempts to move it.

"No! NO!" he cried, realizing they'd worked out his weakness.

He swung his sword at the mother, but she dodged it with a sideways turn and slashed the piston on his right leg, forcing him to the ground. Kenji's Tanto glowed bright orange and the blade sliced across the tube, locking the leg in it's kneeling position. He also tried to stab the helmet, but the attack was rebuffed by the armour.

That gave Mitsumi an idea though: she dug her blade into the frontal chestplate and pulled hard. She could feel it giving way already, but the Emperor managed to swipe at her with his sword, forcing her to backflip away. Her son followed up by digging into the rear plate and pulling it clean off. The frontal plate fell off too, the armour unable to hold on one without the other.

It was now or never.

"Agoko pravaha!" Mitsumi cried. A blast of fire erupted from her open hand and hit the Emperor directly. His scream of agony ripped through the air. The mother had no sympathy for him. His reign of lies and betrayal was over.

She dropped her hand to cancel the spell and jumped at the blackened figure. Her blade sunk deeply into his chest as she gripped the top of the suit, pushing it in deeper. Her face got close to his and her voice was full of venom: "Wherever you are going, I only hope that the other Takehoshus are waiting for you..." Then she jumped off the suit and, with a carefully measured strike, cut his throat open.

The suit fell backwards onto the floor with a near-deafening crash. Mitsumi didn't even wipe his blood from her blade. She wanted it to stain her sword, that she may never forget the first time she killed... and enjoyed it.

"All the rules forbidding lies and choice, and he lied to us all this time." Kenji spat on the charred figure's corpse.

"I..." Mitsumi began, sheathing her sword. "Kenji, I'm sorry. For...everything."

"I wish I could say the same." Kenji sighed. "My betrayal got our family killed, but now a great evil is gone because of it. Just tell me one thing?"

"Yes?" The mother asked, looking to her son. In truth, she couldn't be more proud of him than she was at that moment.

"Did you and Father actually care for me? Or were those just more lies fueled by tradition?" He asked sincerely.

Mitsumi was shocked, and took a moment to answer. "I cannot speak for your father, but I always loved you. I still did after your betrayal, and I do now. More than ever."

"Mother-" Kenji began.

"Mum." Mitsumi told him. "Please son... call me Mum."

"Mum..." Kenji paused. He looked close to tears. Instinctively, Mitsumi stepped towards her son and wrapped her arms around him. He sighed and let himself melt into her embrace. "I thought this kind of thing went against tradition." he joked.

"Son?" Mitsumi asked, running a hand through her little boy's hair. "Fuck tradition."

Kenji burst into a hearty laugh. A laugh that Mitsumi heard his younger self in. She felt wistful remembering him back then. "As nice as this feels, shall we go and destroy the tanks keeping this airship afloat?" her son asked.
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Chapter 6: War

"Okay, once I have done this, the whole ship is going to come down. We run to the roof, jump off and... hope that someone down there catches us." Mitsumi reminded her son.

"I'm still not confident in that part of the plan." Kenji answered.

"Me neither. But the alternative is hoping we outright survive the crash." Mitsumi replied. "I will happily take the first option. Ready?"

"No, but I never will be so just do it." Kenji replied.

Mitsumi's blade swung through the air and she shouted "Jvala slyasa!"

A wave of fire burst from her sword and crashed into the air pump connected to the tank. The other pumps exploded as the one she'd struck did-she'd connected them using a gift Wakeeda's spirits had given her. The mother sheathed her sword and followed her son up the nearby flight of stairs. As alarms blared around them and the ship began to tilt, the two of them ran like hell upwards.

The two only stopped when they reached the final stairway. The hatch outside was locked, but a fire wave from Mitsumi blasted it out. The wind began to whistle in their ears as they ran to the side of the ship, but Kenji looked a little hesitant.

"I'm behind you, son! JUMP!" Mitsumi screamed. They both leapt off the ship as the hatch exploded behind them.

Through the wind whistling in her ears, the mother could hear the alarms still sounding around the airship along with the explosions as more of the ship's sytems went up in flames. She looked to the left and saw the airship in freefall, smoke pouring from the top. She looked to her son, who looked almost serene. Then she looked down, and realized that they were fast approaching the ground. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping that Wakeeda would-

The two unmistakably landed on the hard ground, but it was as if they'd fallen onto a huge pile of pillows. They looked over to the Honour in time to see it crash into the ground with a thunder-like crash that echoed from the very mountains.

Both warriors got up and Mitsumi spoke to Rebecka: "Now what, Princess Victoria?"

"Firstly, it's either 'Princess' or 'Rebecka'." She corrected the mother, before raising her voice and addressing all of the warriors behind her. "Secondly, now we fight them on equal terms. Let's see how they fight without that lump of hot air supporting them in battle!"

A huge battlecry answered her words. "Any rules of fighting, Princess?" A tall warrior asked her.

A dark look descended on her face. "If they put their hands behind their heads, spare them. Otherwise, no quarter."

Wakeeda spoke up. "Get me directly into the middle of the battlefield and I can practically win this for you."

Rebecka groaned "Wakeeda, this is no time for one of your-"

"It's not an experiment!" The witch doctor answered, almost pouting "This one's tried and tested. I'm just doing it on a bigger scale than usual."

The princess groaned again "Huh... okay. Warriors, we are to get Wakeeda into the centre of the battle. From there, she claims she can win this fight for us! But the time for plans and talk has passed. Let us march onwards and show these soldiers what TRUE warriors look like!"

Another resounding battlecry echoed around the crowd. The banner on Rebecka's back seemed to glow slightly as she set the first foot forwards. Mitsumi and Kenji both marched either side of Rebecka, who began to chant in time with her marching. But neither recognized the language, much less the words:
"Vara forfader som bor tvars over,
heliga vara dina namn.
Dina strider vinnas,
dina onskemal gors,
pa jorden nar de ar bortom slojan.
Ge bonderna deras dagliga vete,
och krigarna sin intjanade rikedomar."

Both warriors heard Wakeeda's whisper in their heads, as the crowd started joining in the chant. "The Asmanan Prayer. Chanted in the nearly-lost language of Demon War Asmana:
Our ancestors who live across,
holy be your names.
Your battles are won,
your wishes are made,
on earth as they are beyond the veil.
Give the farmers their daily wheat,
and the warriors their earned riches."

The other warriors in the crowd had begun to chant as they marched along, and Rebecka's banner glowed brighter with each repeat of the chant. Mitsumi and Kenji found themselves beginning to chant the words too. It was as if they'd always known them in the back of their minds.

They could feel hope-sheer, unbridled hope-brimming in their hearts, leaving no room for fear or anger. Mitsumi wondered: Was this how the Asmanans were so victorious across history? Was it really just a matter of hope?

The wreckage of the Honour was getting closer and closer with each foot placed in front of the other. None of the crowd broke rhythm.

Until Rebecka did.

"CHARGE!" she screamed, holding her mace aloft. Her banner's glow overflowed into a burst of light that made Mitsumi feel like she could take on this whole army alone.

The entire crowd of warriors ran screaming towards the wreckage. The Nakimuto soldiers drew swords and weapons and stood their ground. The two armies clashed and Rebecka swung her mace, extending the chain and turning it into a flail. The end of the chain smacked a soldier in the face and lay him out cold as the snow.

Mitsumi blocked the attacks of two soldiers before drawing her sword and cutting them both down in three swift motions. To her left she saw Kenji easily take down a muscular soldier twice his size with as much effort as eating an apple. She gave him a nod of approval and dispatched another soldier before he'd even raised his sword.

Wakeeda ran through the crowd of friend and foe, focused only on getting the battle's centre. Mitsumi made a move towards her, but Kenji got to her first. She threw an orange ball of energy at him: his tantos glowed orange again. With an almighty shout, he charged through a line of soldiers, clearing a path for the witch doctor.

The mother still ran to her side, blocking any attacks that came at her and throwing fire waves at far-away enemies. Wakeeda gathered orange energy in her hand and threw it into Mitsumi's sword. The grip became slightly hotter but the blade glowed orange with heat. Mitsumi blocked an enemy's attack and the sword cut straight through his weapon. She followed up with a kick to the leg and a hard kick that knocked him out.

Mitsumi heard the witch doctor scream "Mero vastavikatama svagata cha!" and glimpsed her throwing her hands out to either side of her. A huge transparent bubble enveloped the entire battlefield. After a few seconds, the Nakimuton soldiers began screaming, not in anger or pain, but in sheer terror. They clawed and punched at everything around them, shouting phrases such as  "Get away from me!" and "Leave me alone!"

But it was not to last: the bubble began to fizzle and although Wakeeda thrust her arms out again, it collapsed in on itself, leaving all the Nakimuton soldiers confused.

"Huh... I guess I do need more practice with it." Wakeeda conceded, looking at her hands .

"Never send a witch to do a warrior's job!" Rebecka groaned, bashing her shield against a burly soldier, sending him to the ground before smashing his head with her flail.

Wakeeda really did pout as she shouted back "It's witch doctor! I don't call you a Prince!" She ducked a blow from one of the soldiers before laying an open palm into his face. From there, she conjured blue lightning from her hands and blasted an enemy with it.

As she got back to dispatching enemies, Mitsumi saw a bright yellow hybrid girl stand on the shoulders of a huge man, who stood up forcefully, catapulting her into the air. At her peak, a blast of lightning struck her, and she screamed her battle cry all the way to the ground, where she exploded with lightning, blasting away about ten soldiers at once.

"Nice drop, Harumi!" Rebecka called to her, smacking another soldier in the face with her flail.

"Thank you, Becks!" the hybrid answered, blasting a shot of lightning into another soldier, where it chained to three others.

As the midday sun slowly began to sink East, the Asmanan warriors whittled down the Nakimuton forces soldier by soldier. Mitsumi found herself not having to put as much force into her swings: the soldiers were losing their nerve. Eventually the enemy force was narrowed down to just 12 men and women, all stuck in a circle.

"The rest of you have but one chance to surrender. You're outnumbered and out of options." Rebecka told them sternly.

The remaining soldiers began to talk amongst themselves. Kenji passed on to Rebecka what he and Mitsumi could hear: that they were debating whether their survival was more important than their honour.

The mother stepped forwards and her voice rang out, feeling like it could shake the snow from the mountains. "Listen, soldiers of Nakimuto. You have likely heard a lot about me over the past couple of years. That or nothing at all. But I am Mitsumi Takehoshu and I, with my son Kenji, have just killed the Emperor." The soldiers took a step back, shocked. "As soon as I left Nakimuto, he had the other Takehoshus executed. Had I succeeded in killing Kenji and come back, he would have killed me too, exterminating my clan. My-no, OUR-family is now avenged. He was not a man of honour. He was a man of evil and selfish ambitions. You dishonour yourselves, your families, and your homeland by fighting in his memory. So if you wish to die as traitors to Nakimuto's ideals of truth and security, we are more than happy to accommodate you."

Most of the soldiers looked on, shocked. They had only Mitsumi's word to go on, and the Emperor had no doubt told them she was a traitor already. The mother wondered for a second why she bothered giving that speech. But then the unmistakable sound of a sword dropping drew eyes from everywhere except it's source. One of the male soldiers stepped forwards, putting his hands up.

"Hanzo! What are you doing?!" One of the others shouted.

He turned to them and answered "I've had my doubts about our beloved Emperor for a while. I know all of you have. Asmana has nothing for an invasion reward except bragging rights. And boasting doesn't benefit Nakimuto."

"So you're trusting the word of a traitor?" A female asked him.

"..." Silence. After a few seconds, he spoke again "I am."

Slowly, one by one, the others soldier's weapons began to drop to the ground and they walked forwards. In the end, only one Copper-rank soldier remained. "I... I won't become a prisoner to another country! I've heard stories..." he told them, clearly terrified.

"Then run." Rebecka told him simply. "Someone needs to go back to Nakimuto to report the massacre that took place here anyway. Just don't get killed on the way there."

The soldier sheathed his blade and ran directly northeast. Mitsumi silently gave him a week at most, though she hoped he'd make it all the way there. He clearly hadn't been trained overmuch in combat, let alone for invasion.

Rebecka spoke quite formally suddenly "Now, Ms Takehoshu, I do believe it is time to speak of your future."

"Fu-future?" Mitsumi asked.

The Princess smiled and put a gentle hand on the mother's shoulder. "Let's go to Lapvale. There's someone I'd like you to meet."
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Chapter 7: Freedom

"Mitsumi Takehoshu. Do you swear to defend Asmana with every breath you take?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to uphold the laws within the land, and to punish those who break it?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to defend the monarch of Asmana whenever times of crisis arise?"

"I swear."

"And do you swear to, if nessecary, kill the monarch of Asmana for commiting crimes against the land?"

"I swear."

Queen Sharyn rose from the ornate seat. Despite knowing her for 3 days now, Mitsumi was still surprised by how tall she looked when she did that. "Mitsumi Takehoshu. By my right as Queen, I officially appoint you as an Enforcer of Asmana. Arise."

"I thank you, Your Highness." She stood up. "Your appointment does me a great honour." She shuddered a little at the last word.

"Let us not speak of honour so soon after such a time of crisis." The Queen informed her. Mitsumi could tell she was trying to help her forget about the horror she'd just been through. The gesture lifted her heart a little. "I have secured permanent residence for you in Bluegrass. The house's name is Honeydew." The Queen's aide handed Mitsumi a stainless key. "Your son has also been given a key, though my advisers doubt he'll use it often. Your life is now Asmana's, but your fate is still your own. Go now, and remember, Enforcer: Serve with Distinction."

Mistumi gave a small bow as the Queen retook her seat. On her way through the castle, a messenger handed her a note that was written-and folded-very neatly "If you need to get some grief out the Asmanan way, I will be coordinating the cleanup of the airship wreckage and organizing the burials of the dead for a while. Be well and stay safe, sister-in-arms. Rebecka Victoria."

How a princess could be so skilled at fighting and so formally polite was beyond Mitsumi. The mother turned to the messenger and spoke solemnly "Kindly tell the Princess that I appreciate the offer, but more fighting is the last thing on my mind right now." He gave a nod and took the note with a sad smile.

The walk to the carriages seemed to take no time at all. Nor did the carriage ride to Bluegrass. Yet the walk to her new home seemed to take an eternity. The act of putting on foot in front of the other seemed so draining, like she was walking out of her old life. She supposed she was, in a way.

Her new home was small and humble, despite being two floors high. She only saw it by the honeycomb pattern on the oak door. She pushed open the door without a creak and looked around. It was a modest place, with a dining table to the right and a stone-lined fire pit for cooking in the back.
To the right of the pit was a polished stone counter, a washbucket already placed upon it. Shelves and storage containers lined the left side, except some stairs that headed upwards. A quick trip up the stairs showed two bedrooms, one small with a bed and wardrobe, the other with a chest and a slightly larger bed.

A glint from downstairs caught Mitsumi's eye: a circle of foil covered something on the table. Heading down and peeling it off, Mitsumi smelled an apple pie. It was very recent: it was still steaming slightly. A gift from the Queen, she suspected. She sat in the chair, picked up a fork and began to eat, not really tasting the flavour.

It was so strange. No orders. No family to serve. No family to hunt. For the first time in her entire life, Mitsumi was free. And that terrified her. What on earth was she supposed to do now?

Hmm... She had heard rumours about a land far away from Asmana where the lost could find their paths. A peaceful and relaxing place for meditation. Supposedly, a water dragon dwelled there. That part was likely exaggerated, but Mitsumi found the idea of heading there strangely appealing. If nothing else, she needed some peace in her life.

It was decided then. She'd gather some supplies, maybe sharpen her sword at the blacksmith's, then set off. Hopefully, the witch doctor could point her in the right direction. Mitsumi ate the last of the apple pie, noting that she could taste it now, before placing the foil in the litter can and the plate in the washbucket. She grabbed her sword from besides the table and headed out the door.