Prophecy of Heros

~Prologue~

Asuna breathed heavily in the torrential downpour. Sheets of rain hammered through the thick trees of Kosen Seikatsu forest, plastering her long raven locks to her face and neck. The heavy fabric of her garments clung to her skin, stained dark from being soaked with rain and blood.

“You've only delayed the inevitable priestess. The underworld will only hold me for so long. I will return and awaken my father. Your death with be in vein.” Spoke the demon trapped by bonds of spiritual energy, lashed around his throat, wrists, and ankles.

Asuna leveled her gaze with the demon, whom to many others would have appeared human; with the exception of aggressively pointed ears. Like herself, the demon's cloudy white hair was pasted against his features. The shoulders of his kimono had slipped off his frame, exposing his throat and pecks; which bore black and jagged looking tribal tattoos on his alabaster skin. Her own fox ears were laid flat in warning, with her seven tails fanned out behind her.

“There will be others who stand against you and your ilk.” Asuna answered heavily, taking a step forward toward the ensnared demon, leaving a trail of thick crimson droplets behind her. She paid no mind to the grievous would of her shoulder that resembled that of talons.

The demon burst out into dark laughter, “As they may, but the power to slay Oroborous ends with you!” He continued to laugh madly in triumph, even as Asuna descended upon him, baring down the legendary sword Aya-Ori. A blinding shimmer of light split the darkness as the sword sliced through the demon as though he were mere rice paper. He let out a gurgled sound somewhere between pain and amusement as blood splattered the forest floor. A moment later the demon's body landed with a heavy thud as Asuna released the bonds of her spiritual energy. The corpse began to liquefy into black ooze and bubble until it vaporized into ebony mist and was gone.

“You're wrong...” Asuna breathed, looking just beyond the line of her sight and into the darkness. It was there that she could see it, a fox. At a glance, it looked as though it had been sitting and watching the fight; but now that the danger had passed it approached the priestess who bore the ears and tails of a fox. It halted before her, and slowly Asuna knelt down before it. The fox was clearly old, and near the end of it's life by the faded and worn look of it's eyes, and the slow movements of the body; as though it ached to move with any real haste.

Gently the fox crawled into Asuna's lap and the priestess laid a hand gently on it's head, “Only one of us will truly die tonight.” She whispered, gently stroking the fox's head. It gave a soft and feeble coo of agreement, closing it's eyes as she continued to stroke it's head. As she pet the fox, she could feel it's body growing still with a final breath before a soft silver glow seeped away from Asuna and enveloped the body of the fox. One moment there was the body of an elder fox, and the next a kit with jet black fur, and red tipped ears lay in her lap, curled and sleeping soundly.

“I'm sorry... I won't be here to tell you everything you'll one day need to know...” Asuna whispered, tucking Aya-Ori under her arm on the injured side, and gently scooping up the fox kit, her child, and cradling it close to her chest as she used the last of her strength to trudge back to the village.

Awaiting Asuna's return at the village entrance was a man. He stood tall and handsome, or he would have been handsome if there weren't a sour and gloomy look on his face; though no one would fault him for such an expression. The village had suffered damage from the demon's attack, though thankfully Asuna knew she was going to be the only death that night. Some others had been injured, including Mugan who stood before her. He didn't let it show, but the demon had broken several of his ribs on his left side, slicing deep gouges into his flesh while he was at it. As a result Mugan had been forced to tend to his own injuries and leave Asuna to pursue the demon whom had stolen Aya-Ori alone.

“Mugan.” Asuna said heavily by way of greeting, barely able to stand any more.

“My lady...” He answered, sorrow evident in his startling blue eyes. Despite his own injuries he reached out, gently offering support to Asuna and gently lowering them both to sit on the ground, in the pouring rain. Mugan gently leaned the priestess against him, ignroign the pain and protest from his left side, “Is there any way...” He began but Asuna shook her head, “No, it's to late for me... how's Okira?”

There was silence for a moment before Mugan answered, “She had two cubs, sons.”

“Then they shall be her brothers.” Asuna responded, and gently unveiled the small fox kit that she had tucked into the shelter of her kimono top, “Watch over her Mugan... she's our hope.” The man reached out with trembling hands to take the kit, cupping the baby in his hands as it awoke and gave a cry of unhappyniss at suddenly becoming wet. Asuna smiled weakly, leaning in and gently putting her nose against the kit's and whispering, “Mata ai ni kuru.” (I will see you again)