I don't remember the walk home during that full mooned night. In fact, I'm puzzled as I wake up in an unfamiliar area. After a few glances, I shake the sleepiness out of me and realize I hear shouting. The voices are familiar, but I have a hard time understanding the words they say. Slowly my vision doesn't feel clouded as the room comes into focus.

"We can't be going around with the knowledge that our strongest soldier lost to some Human!" A voice echoes throughout the room. "And you mean to tell me that by some miracle she just happens to be from the Kazashi family? Ha! You can pull the cloth over any old fools eyes Loate but the Lord's words mean nothing when it comes to our laws."

I realize where I am very rapidly. When did I arrive at the meeting?! I bolt upright causing the current conversation to halt.

"Sister, are you alright? You seem to be a bit hazy today."

My eyes frantically scan the room before landing on my brother in his seat. "My memory feels... muddled. I'm sorry to interrupt, I take it the topic was my mission?" I slowly sit back down in more confusion. No one realized I was asleep?

"Ah yes." A sneering voice speaks up before my brother could. "We are talking about your failure to do what you were asked. Capture that base. It was a simple task and here we are with fifty less good soldiers and a great general who came back with no base. Its impossible to think a single Human stopped the Great Kaede, so there must be more to the story." Some bickering arises amongst them. I rise slowly, angry that they are trying to decide something they weren't there for.

"Who are you to say what is and is not impossible when it comes to combat?" The temperature of the room was rising along with my anger. "You were not there to watch good people die. That one human girl had more skill than most of you could amount into a pinkie." I could see other tempers flare. "You think I'm wrong? I could beat all of you blind and with no weapon. If I could so could she." I collapse back down in a dramatic fashion. "Political heads shouldn't try to understand the feelings of someone who was on the battlefield."

"Great General please refrain from lashing out." Lord Loate decided to speak out before actual fighting broke out. Something seemed different about him from yesterday though. "For they have plenty of reason for concern here. Now before these fine men can you please explain why you let her live?"

I froze in place as eyes shifted from me to him.

"My lord, is it really something to fret about?" My brother Tola shows concern in his voice.

"Of course we should Head Chair!" Another one of the other council members snarls out. "This is exactly what we were fearing in the first place! We didn't want the Humans to start thinking we were just simply able to be walked all over!"

"There had already been death aplenty as she had won the day, why kill her senselessly when her victory was honorable?" Their eyes fixated back onto me. Lord Loate had risen up, his eyes wild.

"You seem really fixated on this fact Kaede and I simply don't agree with your actions over there in Commerce."

"My Lord I stand by my actions on my course of Honor. Something I had been raised on and will fight for till I die."

"If you're so willing to fight and die over it we can fight right now!"

My emotions were getting the better of my judgment as I raise in anger. "If that's what I have to do to get my point across, Loate, then have at me!"

The room goes silent with only nervous eyes bouncing between me and Loate. None of them were wanting to speak up knowing the challenge has been thrown on both sides. I had a momentary relapse of my judgment where I realize what I just did. My brother goes to stand up but is shooed by the Lord.

"Tola dissolving this isn't going to happen."

"But we could solve this issue with our heads there's no need for that level of a duel right no-" He cuts his words when a pillar of flame soars out of Loate. "Fine have it both of your ways. I'll be the judge then just get into positions already."

I look around me noticing my weapon wasn't nearby. I sigh and walk to the center of the room anyway to see that Loate has my Halberd. We both stand in front of the other in a ready position.

"What are the conditions of battle then Lord Loate?" My brother hesitates to ask this.

"Till death or surrender. Neither of us would budge on our opinions or at least I won't."

I shake my head towards him. "That's a bit much Loate-"

"Then surrender now. Or are you just scared of the potential bloodshed." Hr jabs the tip of my Halberd at my face, angering me. I shoved it out of my vision.

"Fine have it your way then. I accept these conditions." I was glaring at my brother to dare him to speak the words his face blatantly shared. He only sighs.

"Then on my signal, you shall begin."

Once the signal goes off we become blurry. I am faster than Loate, stronger and I have far more experience fighting. It isn't long before my strength is apparent and I expect him to surrender... but he doesn't. This isn't like him at all. I land several blows over his body, grab him and throw him onto the ground. His breath escapes him and he struggles to get back up.

"Loate." I snarled down at him, still not out of breath. "You and I both know I'm stronger than you. Why fight with no merit?"

He barely speaks between coughs. "You make us look weak. Why walk away from an easy victory?"

I begin to turn my attention away from him. "Killing for no reason is weaker."

I hear him jump up and shuffle his feet. I turn to see him charge towards me, halberd at the point. I swiftly move to the side only to feel a small gust of wind. A quick flick of his hand and the halberd pops into the air where it becomes easy for me to grab. I swing down knowing even he is good enough to dodge a simple strike. I see him smirk as I cut him down. I cut him down? No even he could have dodged that.

"Loate?" I call his name out in confusion. His body slumps into a puddle on the ground as I realize what I've done. "Loate?!"

"Sister what have you done?!" His surprised expression cements my actions to my mind.

"It was a simple swing. H-he came out me with killing intent what was I supposed to do?"

"Intent or not you killed the Lord in cold blood over keeping a Human alive! Heresy! You're working with the Humans aren't you!" One of the other council members had raised out of their seat while pointing at me wildly.

"Banishment!" Another calls out. Others around him cheer in agreement. "Banishment on the dishonor of not killing one Human and killing your own Lord in their name!"

"What are you fools considering?!" My brother was standing between me and them. "If we lose her we lose our nation's pride!"

"Brother..." I call out to him causing him to spin around. "Brother, what have I done? I just killed the man who gave me this position!"

"See she even gets it! Strip her position and rank off the records!"

"Where are the Guards!? Get rid of her weapon before she kills more!"

My brother's eyes searched my face wildly for answers. Tears welled up in me as I had no answers for him, only questions for his. He nods and places a hand on my shoulder.

"Run Kaede. If they want to banish you then don't let them catch you." The whispers from my brother barely reach my ear over the roaring council. Even he can't defend me from the horror I've done and witnessed.

I turn tail while cursing Loate's name. I curse the name of the Human I had spared for without my actions towards her I never would have had this argument. Rin Kazashi. Her name burns itself into my memory as I crash through the Palace gate at an incredible pace. Soldiers around me hesitate on trying to stop me as I bulldoze through those who do attempt. For hours I keep running, evading my pursuers either by force or by better knowledge of the city. By the time I make it to the barracks the word of my deeds had already reached there ahead of me. I slow my approach expecting the whole base to try to fight me at once or try to detain me. Instead, the barrack gates slide open with the soldiers behind it standing in salute. I keep walking down their line towards the building with the Gate at the far end.

"Live long, Great General Kaede!" I hear these words repeatedly from those in my command. My eyes blurry as I walk onwards, now with pride. I will return to you, my people. First I'll have the head of the one I shouldn't have let live. I reach the Gate after they escort me through its building. I turn to the same guards who had greeted me upon my return.

"I will meet you all again one day. May my vengeance show mercy for when I do our society will be reformed."

We salute each other and I pass through the gate. Dry heat welcomes my face making it suddenly difficult to breathe. Sunlight beams down from above with an extreme intensity and I notice I'm in the Kisuragi Desert on the Erocia continent. This was the location for the banishment point after all. I turn to look back at the gate and see a group of people on the other side crying and waving. To my surprise I watch as they destroy the Gate on their side, meaning an immediate return to the Capitol is now unlikely. Sand combs my hair from the wind howling around while I look around the immediate area. I fall to my knees weakly as the only thing on the horizon is dunes aplenty. The only landmark of the area is the Gate nearby and a large rock formation far in the distance. I decide that's the best bet I have on figuring out a course of action and prepare myself for a long walk. While I could propel myself using blasts from my Aura I felt wasting my energy out here would be pointless.

It took me about three days to get to the spire, and it wasn't until I got there that I realized it was in the process of being built as a man-made structure. I met a young teen there who was directing some shady looking people as to how she wanted it exactly. As I walked closer, and when she first noticed me, I saw her face whiten and tense up. I throw my hands up to try to talk her out of whatever ramblings she was going on about and it calmed her down. Several people that were there helping build had tried to surround me in caution while armed. I started who I was to them, scaring them more than relaxing them, and said I just needed a few supplies to get out if the desert as I had been banished. I get some information on the area and safe places to be away from humans and thank them while I head on out. I go over a sand dune a distance away from them and head the opposite direction they had said. I wasn't trying to stay away from humans. No, after all, there's one I need to regain my honor from.

Rin Kazashi.