prolog
The night was cool and lay like a heavy blanket over the landscape. A strong wind swept around, drawing a ghostly rustle from the trees. The music of the night. A shadow flitted through the forest. It moved smoothly and silently like a big cat and adjusted itself precisely to its surroundings. It stopped in front of a clearing, well protected by the trees so that it was hidden from the unwanted view of others. The clearing was quiet before her. Only the blades of grass swayed to and fro in the wind and covered the open space with their constant rustling. The crack of a branch confirmed her suspicion that she was not alone. From where she was, she could see a large, broad shadow emerge from the darkness and step into the clearing. Even to her knew that he was not alone. "Do you want to hide?" He asked in her direction in a cold voice. With the corners of her mouth slightly upward, she stepped out of the shadows of the trees and stepped into the clearing too. Her movements were fluid, her posture elegant and upright. "Where are you going so alone and in the middle of the night?" He asked scornfully. The girl remained silent and looked at her counterpart uninterestedly. Then she started moving and walked elegantly past him. The youkai looked after her, perplexed. Within a few seconds his surprise turned into anger and she jumped in the girl's way. "How dare you ignore me Tsuyoshi, the mighty youkai of this forest," it hissed, eyes reddened with anger. The girl stopped a few steps in front of him. " Get out of my way". Her voice was delicate, but the firm undertone could not be overheard. "You dare to give me orders ?! You a simple, unworthy human woman. I will teach you respect"! The youkai reared to his full height. His malicious laugh rang out all night. The trees around the clearing bent with the amount of energy emerging. The girl looked up at him, unimpressed. "I'll say it again. Get out of my way!"; she said calmly. "What if not? What do you human woman want to do," sneered the youkai. "I warned you," said the girl softly. Then it quickly pulled a hand-sized stick from the holder on her leg. "Hahahaha. I can use this piece of wood as a toothpick after I've devoured you". The girl ignored his words and turned the staff once on its own axis. Immediately a slightly bright light appeared and enveloped the growing staff. Suddenly the light went out and the girl stood with the changed staff again in the darkness. "Enough of the magic tricks. Get ready to die," the youkai shouted and attacked. An adrenaline rush grabbed the girl and she grinned. With one jump she was over the youkai and raised her stick.Her blow struck the youkai on the shoulder and a lightning bolt lit the clearing. The youkai let out a painful cry. "You bitch. You will pay for that with your life," he hissed and started another attack. Again the girl dodged his attack and hit him in the leg. The youkai roared and reached out with his fist to hit her head. She quickly parried the blow and injured the youkai in other places. The air slowly smelled of the burnt flesh of the youkai that had sunk to the ground with the girl's last attack. Breathing heavily, he got up and looked at the girl with his red, angry eyes. Saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth, which he wiped away with his sleeve. His whole body was still twitching from the last lightning strike. He staggered trying to find his balance. "I ... I ... will kill you". It came out of his throat with a gasp. "I don't have time for games," the girl hissed. This youkai got more and more annoying. With another blow she hit the youkai, who screamed again. "Die at last," she added loudly and gave him a hard punch in the stomach. With a flash of lightning, the youkai disintegrated with a pained cry. Only his ashes remained, which were scattered in all directions by the wind. The girl let her staff take on its usual shape and put it away. Then she put her hands together and bowed politely, but shortly before the last pile of ashes, before she set off again and left the clearing.