#2 — Part 2 : Kazuki and Hikari

Chapter 3: Kazuki and Hikari

A golden light came from the crystal, shining so bright that it engulfed me in it while Master Fuji-san could only watch. After the light had dissipated, there she was, leaning on my shoulder from my backside. The woman that I had seen was much younger than the woman I had seen the first time. She looked to be the same age as me.

The first words she said to me were, "Kazuki-sannnnn, I am hungry!"

Fuji-san stood up in excitement. "I will go prepare some food right now! Kazuki, you did it! This has not happened in thousands of years. You have done the ritual to utmost perfection. This will be your chance to seek what you could not before!"

"Hi, hi. I am Hikari. I have chosen Kazuki and will follow his wish to help him achieve his dreams. I assume you are the one who taught him all he knows, correct?"

"Yes, I am Fuji, the last descendant of the Suki-style sword arts," Fuji-san said.

Looking eager, Hikari said, "I have one question. Why is it that Kazuki's mark is dead, but the raw power is surging from everywhere? I don't understand where the power is coming from."

"I am as clueless as you, my lady. I found young Kazuki laying on rocks after escaping the murderers of his mother. There is not too much I do know about him, aside from the fact that he is a splendid young man and a fine swordsman, the last disciple of the Suki art style," Fuji-san said.

"Very well. If at all possible, I would like to step outside so I can show Kazuki what he has received," Hikari said.

"Yes, of course," Fuji-san said.

We stepped outside around lunchtime. Today, the sun was shining exceptionally bright, and I had no clue what to expect. I didn't quite understand what they meant about my mark being dead, only knowing that I did not have access to the same power my mother had. I only knew that I saw her mark growing up, and she would always refrain from using her mark's power. Sometimes just the thought of her past and the loss of her husband, my father, would bring her to tears because of this power. I figured that I just wasn't born to use the mark's power, also due to the fact that I never received adequate and proper training. But Hikari grabbed my hand and looked me in the eyes.

"I am the Golden Empress Hikari O Tsuranuku, and from this day forward, you will be my prince," she said, smiling.

Yet again, this golden aura appeared, shining bright. It was a transformation of a spirit, the mystical swirling around the base of my hand where she was holding. She was still speaking to me, guiding me.

"Kazuki, this power is your own," she said.

It was a beautiful golden sword. Some might have called it divine craftsmanship, but that was not the end of it. My dead mark was seemingly brought back to life. My mark had turned golden, and my body had become engulfed in a beautiful aura. It would have seemed as if this was the true power that was hidden deep within me, waiting to be unlocked.

"This is amazing, Kazuki. Your mark has come back to life," Fuji-san said.

I held the beautiful cross-like sword, and I could feel the power surging deep within me. It was a strength that I felt like I could not handle. I looked across the yard at the training dummies I had fought for years and decided to take one swing.

"Kazuki, be careful. This power is different from what you have experienced before," Hikari said.

"Okay, I will be careful," I said.

I stood there, rearing back using the Suki-style sheathed slash, and within one blow, the training dummy was sliced in half. But behind it, it had cut down all of the trees, slinging shrapnel everywhere and gusting wind. Then my mark faded once again. After my mark faded away, Hikari returned to her human form, elegantly floating back toward the ground, holding my hand.

"Kazuki, that was beautiful. It would seem that you and I were meant to be together, yin and yang," Hikari said, looking deeply into my eyes.

"Yes, but it seems like I am not strong enough to wield your power," I said.

"That may be true, but I feel as though maybe it is your own power you cannot control," Fuji-san said abruptly.

"I have a proposition for you, Kazuki," Fuji-san said.

"Yes, what is it, Master Fuji?" I said.

"You say you need a way to pursue your resolve. This is the first step. I think you should set your sights on going to Wisteria Academy, a school where you can find your answers if you make your way to the top," Fuji-san said.

"Wisteria Academy, huh? I think I've read about that place. And Master, if you think that's what I should do, I feel like I should go for it. But right now, I feel like I am not ready," I said.

"Then that's it! We should train Kazuki!" Hikari said excitedly.

"Yes, that sounds like a great idea. We will catch the eyes of the recruiters and train for the next two years. By that time, you will be ready and have more of an understanding of your new abilities!" Fuji-san said, filled with excitement.

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan to me," I said.

This would be the moment where I had to grow and learn how to use these new abilities. And now that I had met someone like Hikari, I had more faith in myself.

"Two more years, huh? I wonder what will come of these next two years now that I have someone else who will help me along the way?" I thought to myself.

Chapter 3.5

The Bond Between Us

"Kazuki, wake up! We are going to be late to practice!" Hikari said, jumping on my bed.

"Just five more minutes," I said, filled with exhaustion.

The two-year mark was just about up. So far, I had been able to use my mark only when Hikari turned into Ten No Dagan. I learned that this weapon was from ancient times and created by her most skilled followers. It was a treasure to her. At this point, I was able to control how the power worked and the amount that I used. And it would seem that Hikari and I had become the best of friends. Nowadays, we did everything together. I truly treasured her, but this journey had only just begun.

"Hey, Kazuki, I know I have mentioned it before, but I think it is time I explain to you how all of these powers you possess work," Hikari said.

"Yes! I've been waiting for this," I said.

"Alright, consider this spirit energy and mark explanation 101, haha! So, as far as spirits go, there are levels to what the user can do. When we first met, there were a few things that could have happened. When I was pulled from the spirit realm, I could have come as just the weapon. But you were strong enough to take me with you, soul and body. And I thank you for that. The stronger you are, the stronger I am. It is yin and yang. Now, onto the subject of the mark. Everyone is born with a mark. It is a sign of life and power in this world. The mark is the inhibitor of your power, although yours is a special case that I don't understand yet. And there it is. Your 101 class is done, haha," Hikari said, running out of breath.

"Well, that makes it all make more sense, and I feel like that gives me a better understanding of the flow of things. But why didn't you tell me sooner, haha?" I said.

"Well, I didn't want to overcomplicate things, and it seems like you have a knack for it already, so I just didn't bother, hahaha," Hikari said, laughing obnoxiously.

Fuji-san walked up to the table.

"Kazuki, it would seem as though you have quite the girlfriend..." Fuji-san said.

"Wait, what? G-girlfriend? What do you mean? It's not like that. Yeah, sure, we hang out all the time and stuff, but..." I said, stuttering while blushing.

Hikari sat there blushing. Who knows how she felt about that comment. We had been together for two years and had become so close. I almost couldn't think back to a time when she wasn't here.

"Well, I think it's about time that we train!" she said, stuttering.

She grabbed her toast and ran out the door at full speed. As she walked out, she looked back at me with a blushing face. As practice was about to start, Master Fuji-san looked at me endearingly.

"Kazuki, today is the day when the recruitment system does their annual festival. I assume you are going?" Fuji-san said.

"Yes, of course. I've been waiting for this since last year!" I said.

"Well, you have to impress the recruiter. They don't pick just anyone, you know?" Fuji-san said.

"Of course. Kazuki has trained really hard these past two years. I know he's going to do more than impress the recruiter," Hikari said excitedly.

"Yes! We have something very special planned to show off!" I said, full of vigor and excitement.

The city was beautiful today, with fancy ornaments, and it had been word around town that after a very long time, I would be the one who got chosen to go to Wisteria Academy. Every few years, we held a festival to urge the recruiters to come and look at prospects to take the entrance exam. Even if you got selected to go take the entrance exams, that did not mean that you would pass them. Those who were skillful enough to make it into Wisteria Academy were known as elites. And even among the elites, there were those who possessed power that was more than people could ever understand.

The lights throughout the courtyard of the village lit up the night sky. With people showing off their strength, speed, and everything you could think of that would impress the recruiters, I had decided to wait. There would be an event in the next few minutes where we would be on the stage built by the townsfolk to show off the things I had in store for the recruiters.

Everyone had taken their turns, and mine would be the one to come up next. Hikari and I walked onto the stage, and she had a vibrant smile on her face. I heard one of the recruiters speak.

"One at a time. We asked for Kazuki," he said.

That smile disappeared quickly.

"Ohhh, you must not know. Kazuki is my prince. Consider yourself lucky to witness such a thing, boy."

He looked at her with ferocity. To most, Hikari looked eighteen years of age. But only Fuji-san and I knew that she was thousands of years old.

I spoke deeply and loudly.

"I am Kazuki, and this is Hikari. She is my spirit."

He stood up from his chair in anger.

"Blasphemy! There hasn't been anyone in centuries that has manifested a spirit to full form!" he said.

"Then, sir, I shall show you."

Hikari grabbed my hand. We had vowed from this day on that every time she let me use Ten No Dagan, we would say one word together.

"IKIMASHO!" we yelled, so that everyone in the night would hear us.

A golden fury of lights swirled around the stage. Everyone in the audience had their mouths dropped. The recruiter had dropped his pen and taken his glasses off completely. The mark on my left hand had turned vibrant, exuberating a gold aura. That blast of gold created by Hikari now condensed into the shape of a great sword. After that golden aura had dissipated, it left a beautiful great sword, letting off an immense power that everyone could feel.

"This is no work of fiction. Show me if you have mastered that sword, young man," he said, picking up his pen off of the ground.

"Of course, sir," I said.

I raised the sword and pointed at the night sky, and it had begun to glow immensely. Across the courtyard, there were ten training dummies. I had pulled the sword back to me and begun using Suki style: Night Blade, one of the last sword practices Master Fuji-san had taught me. It was less than one second before I had flashed across the courtyard, leaving the wind only to follow me. All nine of the dummies were cut in half, and behind the dummies, there were gashes in the now-scorched ground. As for the tenth dummy, I had something special planned. A new sword style.

"Suki sword style: Golden Tomoe!" I said softly.

I reared the sword back, pointing it straight out and then bringing it closer to me. A stance of finesse, as I was, in a way, crouched over. A golden tomoe lit up at the end of my blade. Then an instant burst of energy expelled from the tip of my blade at an inconceivable speed. It had left a small hole right where the heart would be. Then, after two seconds, it exploded in a vibrant gold color, leaving just shrapnel of the training dummy. Everyone stood up in awe, clapping and cheering at Hikari and I's performance.

"Eeee-exceptional. This is beyond remarkable!" the recruiter said, engulfed in excitement.

Hikari had transformed back, shimmering in golden beauty, leaving the audience once again in awe. After she had come back, she let go of my hand with a happy smile and gave me a grand hug.

"First, I must apologize, madam. I am sorry for my rudeness. In conclusion, I have decided who will get the opportunity to take the entrance exam. Kazuki, you, along with Hikari as a spirit, will be given accommodation for the trip to Wisteria Academy in approximately five days," he said.

Hikari clapped with excitement, really looking as if she was eighteen.

"Congrats, Kazuki! You were awesome!"

"Thank you, Hikari. If it wasn't for you, I would not be where I am now. I am very grateful," I said, tearing up.

"This is a big step in the right direction. If I keep going, I will find the truth and make my mother proud," I thought to myself.

She looked at me, blushing, filled with happiness and joy.

"Now is your chance," Hikari said.

"Yeah, haha. I can only grow from here," I said.

The beautiful night turned into dawn. Early that morning, I had woken only to see Hikari lying in the other bed, still awake. She looked over at me and then smiled.

She asked, "Kazuki, you said that you want to find out the truth of your past, right?"

"Yes, I need to know why things happened this way," I said.

"Well, didn't you say that your mother's other wish was to find love?" she said in a more serious tone.

"Yeah, to find someone who I will create a bond with and someone who will embrace my journey to help me fulfill it," I said.

"Well, when you find that someone, will you no longer need me?" she said as she hopped out of the bed, prancing to mine.

She sat right beside me while I was still laying there. She leaned over closely to ask me one final question.

"Just remember, there may already be someone who has fallen for you," she said in a blushing rage.

She grabbed my blanket and tossed it over my head, then scurried back over to her bed. I didn't say a word. I knew in my head that Hikari and I would never be apart. She was my first friend and my best friend. And I drifted back to sleep, lost in thought.

These next five days passed by quickly, and Hikari had been back to acting completely normal, unlike that night.