Part 1: [link]
Part 3: [link]
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Kiyomi was nothing more than a pretty face. Her only skill was being capable of using the most basic forms of fire magic. Her destiny should have been nothing more than marrying the nice young man who lived on her street. But everyone knew she didn’t mind. She was happy with her modest life and wished for nothing more. Alas, the stories of her beauty spread far and wide until they reached the ear of a certain noble.
That man, Lord Soju, was the ruler of this region, answering only to a select few higher powers. People who never met him had little to complain about. The land was at peace, and Lord Soju had little reason to exercise his powers. However, those unfortunate enough to cross paths with that man had much to say and little good. It was true he had little reason to exercise his power, but that rarely stopped him. When Lord Soju learned of Kiyomi’s beauty, he had to see it for himself. After all, he was the Lord of this region. Shouldn’t that mean his wife was the most beautiful? Thus he came to Kiyomi’s little village, a small squad of soldiers at his side.
It was a fair summer day that he appeared. The humble village was in shock to see their Lord appear so suddenly. Lord Soju was clear in his words and cut right to his intentions. He stated he was here to see Kiyomi and observer her rumored beauty. The villagers were quick to catch onto what was about to happen, but no one wished to defy their Lord and led them right to her.
They say he found her sitting in a garden, basking in the sunlight. Her hair was said to glisten in the summer sunshine and while her pure white skin glowed. The Lord was smitten at first sight and immediately declared that she would be his wife. Kiyomi was naturally hesitant to be pulled away from the only life she had known, but Lord Soju cared little.
“I shall return in three days,” he declared that moment. “Prepare yourself, for we shall return to my castle for our wedding that day.” The Lord left that instant, leaving behind a handful of soldiers to ensure no one dared to touch his future wife. Kiyomi was left distraught, as the rest of her life was now in the hands of Lord Soju.
Few speak of the following three days, as Kiyomi was pulled into her home and forbidden to leave. The man she loved, that lovely man who lived only a few houses away, wasn’t allowed to even see her. Her parents may have been allowed to live in the same home, but even they could not see her for longer than minutes at a time. The few who saw her at this time described only her hollow expression and reserved body language.
Those three days slowly passed by, and the Lord’s castle was decorated and prepared for an extravagant wedding. The day before, several servants of Lord Soju came down the small village to prepare Kiyomi for the day. They dressed her like a doll. Her bridal dress was like a grand ornament, the perfect as a centerpiece for the Lord’s wedding.
The day finally came, and Lord Soju returned with a procession, a hundred soldiers, dozens of servants, and performers. This wedding would be nothing short of a festival. All the remained was retrieving his wife. Yet, he was prevented from acquiring her quickly. As he approached Kiyomi’s home, he was met by her parents and her lover.
The three prostrated themselves before the Lord and begged him to reconsider. Their reasoning was Kiyomi’s happiness. Since his declaration, the light in her eyes had gone away, and all the remained was a hollow doll. Their pleads did not go unheard. In fact, Lord Soju allowed them to speak freely without interruption.
“Is that all you have to say?” Was Lord Soju’s response, and he was met with a round of nods. “Will you continue to request this, even in the future?” Was his second question, which was met by another set of nods. “Very well,” was his reply, “Men, execute these who would defy my words.”
The three went dead silent as they realized their fate. The first soldier marched forward and struck down her father with a swift sword strike. A second soldier turned his blade towards her mother and brought down his weapon on her. Yet, his blade did not strike true, as Kiyomi’s lover threw himself in front of the attack. A third soldier marched forward to finish what had been started, but before he could even draw his sword...
“Stop,” Kiyomi had emerged from her home. “Please stop,” was all she declared. Her face was stained with tears, smudging the makeup the Lord’s servants had spent so long painting on her. The third soldier stopped his attack, stunned by this display of emotion.
“Men, I did not give the order to cease,” was the Lord’s only reply. The third soldier hesitated still but managed to draw his sword.
“Stop,” Kiyomi walked forward, each step was measured, but the overflowing emotions caused her to wobble. It was difficult for the untrained eye to notice, but the air around her had begun to distort from heat.
“Men, do as I command,” Lord Soju declared. The third soldier swallowed his emotions and brought his sword down on the mother. The cut was not as ruthless as the previous two, but no less effective. As her mother fell to the ground, Kiyomi’s tears only flowed harder.
“Why, why would you do this?” Was Kiyomi’s only question. “Do you not wish to take me on as your wife, as the one you love? Why would you cause me such pain?”
“Woman, hold your tongue, or I shall have it cut out,” the Lord declared. “All I desire is your beauty. It is mine to have and admire as I wish. Your pain is not my concern. Dry those tears. They will ruin the majesty of our wedding.”
“You...” Kiyomi’s world was shattered at that moment. To this man, she was nothing more than a doll, a possession, less than human, less than a living thing. “You...” The heat grew greater, trickles of flame began to wrap around the woman. “I hate you!” She declared.
“I do not care, now come now, or you shall be forced to,” Lord Soju paid little heed to her words or actions.
“I’ll kill you!” Kiyomi announced for the world to hear. The Lord still paid her no mind, not even sparing her a look anymore. Flames ignited around Kiyomi, her body wrapped in endless blue fire. A form that would become a terror to all who walked these lands was born that day. A serpent of pure blue flame emerged where Kiyomi once stood.
“What is the meaning of this?” Was Lord Soju’s last words as the serpent came down upon him and his men. The Lord was burned to ash, along with every man in his service. Their pained screams were said to be heard around the entire valley. The villagers tried to flee from the oncoming destruction, but the whole village was quickly engulfed by Kiyomi’s fury.
In a matter of moments, the small little village that housed the pure jewel of the valley vanished into a sea of flames. At the end of the day, nothing remained but ash, cinders, and a scant few lucky souls who survived the ordeal. Kiyomi rampaged through the countryside for ten days and ten nights until she finally collapsed from exhaustion.
Months passed after that horrific event, and the region grew to believe Kiyomi had perished in her own rampage. Nothing remained of her village, and some even say she tracked down the noble’s castle and burned it down as well. The people of the valley were ready to put that day behind them, a tragedy confined to the past. Then one day, she returned.
Her return was only spoken of in hushed whispers. All that anyone knows is that she simply appeared alone in another village one day. No ceremony, no grandeur, no fire. Just a beautiful young woman who walked into town by herself. Obviously, the village she found herself in was taken aback. What young woman would be wandering the roads alone like that?
However, Kiyomi’s beauty was still known far and wide, so it wasn’t long before someone deduced her identity. At first, the village was welcoming to the girl. She had lost everything, after all. They did not speak of the incident. Nor did they comment on how strange it was that her appearance and clothing were unspoiled by her long days lost in the wilderness. Then one young man made the careless mistake of being kind to her.
It was nothing special. The man simply picked up a handkerchief the woman had dropped. Yet, Kiyomi attached herself to the man, seeing a simple act of kindness as one of love. At first, the man considered himself lucky and told anyone who would listen as such. Alas, Kiyomi was not the kind of person you wanted to be attached to yourself. The man found her at his side every minute of every day, never having more than a second to himself. She would judge his every action, question his every intention, and loathe him if he ever dared look in the general direction of another woman.
No one knows what exactly happened next, but the results were clear. There was one farmer in that town who recounted that day. In his own words, he saw Kiyomi being extra affectionate to her new “lover” that morning. He thought nothing of it and went out to the furthest fields that day to check on the harvest. He returned that evening to find the village burned to the ground, with only Kiyomi remaining.
“He was unfaithful,” was her only explanation before returning back to the wilderness. It wasn’t long before the story of her actions spread, but it was longer before the people of the valley learned their lesson. The same story repeated itself several times. Kiyomi would enter a new village and attach herself to the first man who showed her attention. Then she would burn everything to the ground if he seemed “unfaithful.”
If the pattern continued, the whole valley would be swallowed by her flames. Thus, the leaders of the villages gathered together and devised a plan. No one could stand against Kiyomi, lest they be burned to cinders as well. However, her mind was fragile and distorted. Tricking her would be much more simple.
Thus their plan was brought into being. Every village would prepare an offering of money, gifts, and presents. They’d track Kiyomi’s movements through the valley. Whenever she would arrive, they would present the offering as a gift from a “nice young man.” Their excuse would always be the same, this young man, who loved her more than anything, awaited her in the next town. Kiyomi would fall for it every time.
This act of deception quickly became a tradition in the valley, one shared by every village. The year ticked on by, and the people would grow old, yet Kiyomi remained untouched by time. No one dared to question it, no wanted to ask, few were foolish enough to speak with her in the first place. Thankfully, the illusion continued to work, and Kiyomi continued to wanderer through the valley. She was always seeking that lovely man who loved her more than anything, never knowing he was nothing more than a fantasy.
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Come back next week for part 3, the conclusion to this tale.
Until next time, Read, Comment and Enjoy
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