Chapter Three: Found

Present Day

Hina rushed forward and locked blades with my knife. I push them back and she quickly recovers. She makes another quick move that aims for my throat, but I block their blow and kick them away. I don’t want to kill her.

I decided to make a move now and aim for Hina’s legs. I slid towards them and swung, but she jumped over my blade and landed behind me. I quickly turned around and blocked one of their swings.

She pushed down on my smaller knife with all her might, but my strength was greater than anything they could overpower. I slowly rose from the floor while still holding back their blade.

I stared into their determination filled eye and I could tell that they were trying their best. I was so intent on finding a way to break through this stalemate, that all it took was one unexpected voice to blind side me.

Yua: Azami!?

I turn around and see Yua wide awake staring at me in horror.

Ronin: Yua, I-

I didn’t get to finish that sentence as Hina sung their blade down fast and broke through my guard. She kicked me hard against one of the walls and drove her blade into my shoulder to hold me in place.

Yua: Azami!

Hina stared at me with anger in her eye as she bawled her fist and began to punch me in the gut.

Every time they punched me, I felt my stomach constrict and a scream escape my mouth.

Hina: I’m gonna do more than take your eye.

The punches slowly made me lose all feeling in my body, and I could feel myself dying. My vision went blurry and Yua’s screams for me were fading out.

Then, I could hear a voice in my head.

Sango: Sister…

I wanted to respond but Hina’s punches kept knocking the wind out of me.

Sango: Why do you let this happen? Fight.

Hina punched me again.

Sango: Why do you lock yourself away? Why do you hold back?

Hina kicked me in the gut.

Sango: You wait for someone else to save you. You need to rise, and take charge of your own destiny.

Hina punched me across the face and I could feel my senses coming back as my sister’s voice echoed in my head.

Sango: Rise Azami Hill, and prove to them all that Ronin will no longer be locked away!

Hina threw another punch, but I caught their fist and headbutted her. Hina stumbled back and fell to their knees as I harshly pulled their scimitar from my shoulder. My blood dripped onto the wooden flooring and Hina glared at me.

She quickly lunged towards me. I didn’t know if it was my killer instincts or the blood loss getting to me, but the world seemed to be going in slow motion. Then, I heard my sister’s voice in my head: “Dance and fighting go together better than you think.”

I smirk as my sister’s words settle on me. The world slowly catches up to speed as I leap into the air. I spin through the air like a dancer and I see Hina’s face look up at me in confusion as I bring my foot down with the rest of my body and kick her in the face.

Hina hits the ground with a thud and they grunt loudly as I plant my foot on their back and my bloody shoulder drips on their clothes. She struggles underneath my foot before I put their own scimitar against their neck.

Ronin: Yield.

Hina: Like hell I-

I swing the scimitar and chop off a lock of their hair. They go silent.

Ronin: Yield.

Hina: Fine. I yield.

I hear more of my siblings whisper praise and other compliments.

Kanna: She’s still got it.

Boy: Hina’s never been beaten before.

Girl: She may actually help us.

I remove my foot from Hina’s back and she stands. She outstretched her hand and I reluctantly handed her back her scimitar.

Hina: Congrats. Maybe, I underestimated you. Although, your mercifulness is a bit concerning.

I felt my shoulder sting and my sibling noticed.

Hina: We can get you some medical attention, but answer our question first.

Ronin: What?

Hina: Will you help us kill our mother?

I don’t know if my adrenaline finally wore out or if that reveal knocked the wind out of me.

Ronin: What?

Hina: You’re the only one who’s ever stood a chance against her. You killed our father, that means you have a chance at beating her.

Ronin: Hina, you don’t need to kill her. You can just-

Hina: Run? And let her produce more soldiers to replace us? We can’t let that happen.

Their words slowly started to dawn on me, and I looked away. Facing my mother was a challenge I never wanted to take on.

Yua: Azami!

I see Yua smiling down at me and I’m glad she allows me to ignore the offer. I walked over to her and my siblings cut her bindings. She lunges forward and nearly tackles me in a hug.

Yua: You’re stupid, you know that?

I snuggle my face deeper into her shoulder and inhale the scent of her perfume.

Ronin: I’m sorry.

Yua: None of that now, we need to get that shoulder of yours checked out.

Just as she said that, a scream could be heard down stairs.

Hina: What was that?

Soon, I felt my throat go dry and sweat beading on my forehead. My stomach burned and ached as if I had ingested acid. I could feel my teeth and tongue turn to goop as my body forcefully expelled everything I had eaten tonight, the night before, and the night before that. If that isn’t what happened, it’s what it felt like.

I felt my stomach empty itself and my body double over as I fell to my knees and continued to expel my insides. I could hear Yua and my siblings rush to my aid, but my consciousness was already on its way out.