Hey dudes thank you so much for your patience during my hiatus and for being understanding with my mental health issues.? Especially to my patrons you guys are saints.? Anyway here's an early new years eve present enjoy <3

By the time Mari had gathered the courage to open her eyes again, she found herself back in the room of trials; her masked guide still snoring away without a care in the world. She was truly envious and wished that they could change places.

Her body was trembling at the site of the beasts that almost claimed her life, and then her mind drifted to next logical thought: that of the woman who saved her. Shinobu was always there, lingering in the recesses of her brain, rushing forward like a tidal wave whenever Mari lost focus for as little as a moment.

Now was not the time for dwelling on past regrets the bastard responsible would not put his machinations on hold while she wallowed in self pity. Mari felt tears well up in her eyes, but she pressed forward, wiping them aside.

“Let’s get this over with.”

Mari placed her hand against the doorway, blinded by the blistering white light, and when she reopened her watering eyes, she was standing in a most familiar place.

“Shikishima Village, what the hell?” Mari asked, bewildered.

It was the village she had called home; the sun was setting, and a campfire had been freshly lit in the village square. As Mari approached reluctantly, the aroma of boiling rabbit stew wafted in the air, lingering inside her nostrils.

It had only been a few weeks but Mari missed the village even despite the tragedy that took place their it was the only home she had ever known in this world and she had grown most attached to it.

“I know this isn’t real, but let’s check out my room, anyway.”

Mari made her way into the narrow corridors of the sleeping chambers. Everywhere was empty. The silence had grown to a deafening roar. It made her anxious, and the dread was almost suffocating her.

She coiled her hand around the bronze door handle, pulling it tight and then casting aside her nerves she pulled the door ajar. The room was empty and left exactly the way it was before Daphne arrived and tore into the room.

The atmosphere was heavy, but the room held a strange nostalgia that seemed to captivate Mari she had slept here, made love here and dreamed here and now it’s gone never to return. The village still stood, but its soul was snuffed out.

The person running this shit show has a real sick sense of humor, the other trials at least made sense. A fight to death, unorthodox thinking, and putting others before yourself. This one had Mari puzzled and confused.

“Yo headmistress I know you’re watching, you’re pissing me off, can you get to the fucking point already?”

The laughter of a little girl caught Mari off guard making her jump the girl looked young no older than ten, she was wearing one of those half face masks worn by the church.

She was dressed in a plain white dress that contrasted her short raven hair.

The girl smiled gently before she took off running, inviting Mari to chase after her.

“Hey, wait.”

Mari gave chase to the girl but her lack of stamina proved to be quite the pain in the ass again as she could never keep up with the girl. Eventually the chase led Mari outside to the village square where the dreadful Sayuri festival had taken place.

Once again the village was bathed in the eerie glow of the scarlet moon. The girl was standing by the tree where Shinobu had been executed. Mari’s heart beat faster as all the memories came rushing to the front of her mind like a torrent of agony.

“Are you?”

Mari’s vision had become cloudy from the tears that she had failed to fight back the streams started once again like anytime she allowed herself to think about her.

Mari fell to her knees sobbing, the sound of small footsteps filling her ears as the young girl walked over to Mari, wrapping her small arms around her in a tight embrace. Mari could tell in her soul that this girl was Shinobu her smell, her warmth, it was different yet the same.

The girl didn’t utter a single word, merely embracing Mari and caressing her hair reassuring like a mother would with their child. The dam that Mari had been holding back finally ruptured, and the grief overflowed.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Shinobu.” Mari said over and over till her voice grew hoarse

The gentle caressing halted Mari didn’t want to open her eyes she lacked the courage to look upon Shinobu again she didn’t deserve the right to apologize. She was dead because of her, everything that happened was her fault.

She was the reason the children and Shinobu died if she had never come to the village. Then maybe that catastrophe could have been avoided, she thought. This ache in her heart never stopped and dirtying her hands further was the only way to atone.

She would kill and keep killing till peace was attained then and only then would she join Shinobu in death. For there was no way back to the original world, so the chance of reunion with her cherished children seemed impossible and when the dust settled their would be no reason for her to remain here.

The warm arms of the child like Shinobu changed suddenly the arms embracing her were muscular and thick. She hadn't the courage to open her eyes until a deep voice pierced the very core of her soul with two simple words.

“Hello, Stray.”

Greeting her tearful eyes was the face of the man who had stolen everything she had in this world she was clasped in the arms of that vile creature.

“Good to see you, Mari.” He smirked.

“Don’t touch me!” Mari said prying herself free

“What are the odds?”

“Hmm?”

“The gods have a wicked sense of humor, I was going to hunt you to the ends of the earth, but lo-and-behold you came to me.”

“I see you’ve evolved in the short time we’ve been apart, before you would leap to violence like a wounded beast driven by your baser instincts.”

“Oh, there'll be plenty of violence, don’t worry about that.”

Void energy swirled around Mari as an eerie calmness fell over her body.

“Void Magic Eighth Form: Inanis Greaves”

Mari didn’t know that the spell would work it just popped into her mind as a wandering thought but sure enough no sooner had she spoken the incantation than black and red gauntlets and greaves appeared on her body.

“Always so aggressive, can't we just sit down and have a nice friendly chat?"

“Oh, that ship’s sailed prince prick.”

“If you insist on doing things you're way fine, the end result remains the same."

“Alright, come on then.” He quipped snidely.

Mari gritted her teeth and charged Seijuro with everything her tiring body had left. The ground cracked beneath her feet and her outstretched fist radiated purple and red energy. She somehow felt stronger than she ever had before.

“Seijuro!” she screamed like a cornered beast.