The Dream Shifter

Chapter 19

The blowing fields of grass and flowers covered the entire neighborhood dropping people suddenly from their homes into a bizarre unsettling new reality while still feeling a warmth that comforted them knowing that they were safe. In the stark night sky morning clouds appeared painting over the moon and shining dawn over the field. Glowing armor stood off against blood soaked crimson waiting for a move. The massive sword held out with ease gleamed in the light eager to be swung.

Yuki's exposed face narrowed fighting emotions of anger and rage while barely being held back by the thin threads of reason. However, there was no time for reason with his family lying in the grass bleeding out. He could not wait any longer. He had to give in. Yuki screamed out loud charging forward with his sword held back preparing to swing. "This ends now!"

The gigantic sword was released while he was still running forward swinging down at the assassin with surprising force. In a flash it was over and the assassin stumbled backwards staring at his gauntlets and forward. It had gone through his blood shield that had managed to summon from what little field control he had left. After that he had even shattered his shield gauntlets. The metal of the guards fell to the ground dully in the grass fading out of sight in the tall plants. 'He's completely overpowered me. So this is the power…'

The assassin barely summoned up a sword in time for the next assault, but it shattered to pieces taken over by the sheer power pouring out of Yuki. He had no room for control, but his own body. Yet that was not going to be enough for him. The sword came in for a third strike and he had nothing left to defend himself. He brought up his bare arms as the sword sliced up his chest and forearms spraying blood across his face. The assassin staggered backwards his arms at his side unable to lift them with his blood dripping quickly down his skin. The little control over his own body evaporated revealing the same military uniform that the last assassin had, but with a blue strip in the white cloth across the chest.

Yuki stepped forward hanging the huge sword over his shoulder. "D-Die…" he said breathing heavily as he began to move his other hand to the hilt of the sword. This man would suffer for hurting his family and he was the one that could do it. He nodded to himself as he had spoken to confirm that he was correct. 'He must die…he must…Die!' Yuki heaved the sword up bringing it over his head to swing down at the helpless man. He was justified. This was the right thing to do.

The sword began to move while Yuki recited in his head the choice that had be made. His rage shouted violently in anger bringing the sword down with greater strength. This had to be done or else he would only come back again. It had to end here. He was certain of this. 'Yuki!' The sudden voice in his head jerked his hand opening his eyes to what was truly happening. However, the sword was already in motion and could not be stopped. The shining blade cleaved through hitting the firm ground behind coming to a stop.

"Huh?" the assassin said in shock to having been spared by the kid. He stepped back not certain what this meant for him.

Yuki tilted his head up to the sky with his eyes pulled back in pain. 'Mother?' He let go of the hilt of the sword staring down at his blood stained hands almost choking on the thought that he had nearly killed someone. 'I-I almost…I let it…control me…' His hands tightened up as he realized how close he came to the edge. Yuki dropped to his knee falling between the tall blades of grass watching the blood drip down his arms crawling in horror at the sight.

Before Yuki's eyes a sword pierced through the back of the assassin and out the front releasing blood into the air as the final breaths of the man escaped his lips. He collapsed to the ground disappearing in the plant life when the sword was extracted. Standing over him was Ayumi with the cold dead expression on her face holding the sword thickly coated in the assassin's blood. "Why did you hesitate?"

"What? Y-You killed him!" Yuki stood up finding his strength again and grabbed Ayumi by her yukata of her transformed appearance. "You killed him! He's dead! You understand what that means?"

"Do you understand?" Ayumi stared back at him unaffected by him holding her or his passions about life. "He was going to kill your family and then you. He didn't show you mercy. Don't show him any or you'll die. I'm a soldier. It is my job to kill the enemies." She pulled his hands free of him pushing him back from her a short distance.

He turned his head away seeing the images of Momoko bleeding and in pain crying out to him. Jun and Ken were crawling soaked in blood reaching out imploring to be saved. Yuki clamped his eyes shut trying to get rid of the thoughts that were conflicting with him. "I know what he was doing, but I-I…I can't…"

Ayumi grabbed Yuki up this time pulling him in towards her. "Listen! This is life and death. There is no middle ground!"

Yuki turned his head away from her not wanting to look at her. He could not accept her words as truth. He still could not believe how close he had come actually murdering someone. The thought hung in his mind unwilling to be forgotten or ignored. He could not close it out. "I-I…"

"You know I'm dying here right?" Momoko said suddenly entering their argument showing her bloodied face between the two of them. She had accented it with a horrific expression of death that made both Ayumi and Yuki leap back and yelp in surprise. Momoko collapsed to the ground soon afterwards bringing Yuki's attention back to his family.

"Momoko!" Yuki screamed as he grabbed her up out of the grass. He looked back at Ayumi pleading for help from her. "Ayumi you got to help them!"

"Bring your brothers over here. I'll tend to them after her." Ayumi knelt down having already been prepared for this and started immediately. Yuki ran around the field searching for his brothers and carrying the back feeling the heavy weight that was not their body, but something else. He dropped down next to Momoko when he was finished staring at her. Yuki watched in wondered at the skills that Ayumi had thinking that this had to be how it was when she had healed him at school. She worked quietly getting through all of his family in a few minutes. They slowly were coming around, but Momoko was the first one to wake up.

"Yuki?" said Momoko weakly as he helped her to sit up. She looked around trying to take in her surroundings not remember there being grass for their home. Everything that happened was slowly coming back to her and she checked her body seeing the blood and holes, but no wounds. "How? What's going on Yuki?"

"Ayumi healed you." He pointed to the girl sitting next to him. She had gone back into her school persona looking innocent and devoid of the serious sharp expression from before. It made him do a double take just to make sure he was seeing what he thought he had.

Ayumi bowed politely to Momoko having changed back into the white and pink dress that she had been wearing before this had all started. She had dropped all of her field after she had finished. "Nice to meet you, Miss Hayashi!"

Momoko became flustered feeling as though she had forgotten her manners. She quickly lowered her head in respect back to the new girl still feeling lost by everything that was happening. "Y-Yeah…you healed me?" she said not certain what Yuki meant when he had said it.

"Oh Yuki is simply exaggerating. I just did a little first aid." She elbowed Yuki in the rib while she smiling and laughed to try to smooth things over. "Are you feeling better?"