Screams of agony rang shrilly through the air, the halls echoing with the anguish of the bound person. Trying to break the chains another scream was torn roughly from their throat. Brown eyes that were turning silver slitted open, gazing blearily around the room before scrunching up in pain once again. A heavy clang of a bolt being freed brought them back to awareness once more, the door opened with a heavy groan and a figure in back entered the room, black glasses and a black hat hid most of their head from view.
" Do you wish to give up yet?" they asked.
" Never," they gritted out.
" Tut, tut Raki," the handler admonished.
" I can endure I will NEVER GIVE UP," he shouted at the end screaming while pain coursed though his body.
Raki's body sagged as his eyes shut in pain, shaking he tried to turn his head. Rubel moved to where the controls where located next to the door and pushed the one for rate of administration up two more notches. Fire burned agonizingly through Raki's veins and more screams were ripped from his abused throat. Chuckling darkly Rubel left while Raki blacked out from the pain.
###########
Several days later Raki emerged from the underground chamber a changed man. Blonde-brown hair reached to his mid back while silver (with brown flecks) eyes surveyed the Organizations' 'science building', moving swiftly he entered the kit chamber and dressed in the provided clothes. His outfit consisted of a white body suit, armour pads, cape, sword and holder (like in the anime) and metal shin guards with issued boots. Once dressed he exited the building and climbed into the waiting cart, driving off he never looked behind.
############
Several weeks later Raki received his first assignment, a group of five Yoma had taken up residence in the Doga village. One the first day he killed two, the other three hiding as soon as they saw him.
" Is that Raki?" followed him throughout that first day. Second day came and went with him injuring one and on the fourth killed all three as they gathered in the back corner of the town pub. Entering the Mayor's office he told him the job was completed and left Doga.
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Several years passed and he became legend within the ranks, ascending to number 1 within a few months of changing Raki became an icon within the ranks. No one knew that he was a male due to his physical appearance, over the year his hair had grown to just past the top of his thighs and just before his knees held back in a braid. Raki was never seen while killing a Yoma he was a ghost and that was what he was called, The Lightning ghost for he killed several Yoma in lightning speed.
" You need to go to Pieta, there are several Yoma as well as an Awakened Being," Rubel ordered.
" Of course what is the time limit?" Raki asked tonelessly.
Raki turned and walked out of the clearing, back to his own camp, the next day at sunrise he set off for Pieta.
" Seven days of hard walking ahead," he murmured to his companion.
A majestic dark brown falcon with gold eyes perched on his shoulder, his one true companion for six years now, the falcon kept watch off their surroundings and if needed alerted Raki of any danger. Russet, the falcon, hunted for dinner that night while Raki bathed and mended his clothes. Eating a nice dinner of squirrel Raki told Russet of a story, the story of a young boy who travelled with the number 47 of the Organization. Russet bobbed his head several times and flew to perch in a tree.
~0101010101010~
Pieta, the town hadn't changed much in the years since he was last there, the ruins still evoked feelings of sadness and regret. Raki closed his eyes and fortified his shields against the old feelings, burying them once again under a mound of barriers; opening his eyes again Raki started walking again towards the ghost town. Letting his senses out slowly he felt around for Yoki, several auras emitted from the town five belonging to an ancient Awakened Being while the other three belonged to warriors that have surpassed their Yoki limit but were not full Awakened Beings. Shaking his head he silently walked into the town and made his way to the general direction of the Yoma he was hunting.
" There's no more here," one whined.
" Shut up Boss here says what we're gonna do," a second one snapped.
" Hey Boss when are we moving on?" a third asked.
" One more week I know there are some left," the fourth, most likely the Boss, replied boredly.
Unsheathing his sword Raki crouched down and let his Yoki flow into his body making it on par with the male Yoma, bracing he launched himself off the floor and used the ruined walls to bounce of very quickly, swinging the sword he sliced the head of the first two. Vaulting of the mostly intact wall of the Mayor's residence he swung back and sliced the third Yoma in half, stopping in front of the last two he gave them one glimpse before beheading the fifth standing behind the leader. Raki turned swiftly and thrust the sword into the back of the fourth and last Yoma twisting it to paralyse the monster, the Yoma had a few seconds warning before he was ripped apart by Raki's arms the sword dropping to the floor. Bending down he grabbed the sword and used the shirt of dead Yoma to clean it, sheathing it he started to move out.
" I know there are five Yoma somewhere close by," a female voice said.
" Keep it down," another hissed.
Stepping back Raki sought shelter in a small space between two buildings, scaling up the wall he perched on a short narrow ledge twenty metres above ground level. A few seconds later three blonde women rounded the corner, Raki looked at each one trying to determine which rank they were.
" Deneve look," one said pointing at the carnage.
Deneve, a woman with hair cropped close to her head, followed the one with shoulder length hair to where she was pointing; the carnage left from Raki exterminating the Yoma stopped all but one. This one had her hair cut to where her shoulders met her neck and had a fringe ending just above her eyes, she walked forward and crouched by the leader.
" This one lead the group and was killed last," the low tone brought back many memories.
" Clare," Raki whispered.
Dropping down he slipped out and silently moved behind the other two.
" What do you think happened Clare?" Deneve asked.
" Someone high in the Organization was here, Helena can you sense anything?" Clare ordered.
Bringing his Yoki in Raki cloaked his aura against Helena, closing her eyes Helena let her senses drift before shaking her head. Clare sighed and stood, turning around she opened her mouth and froze. Staring behind them Helena and Deneve turned to see what freaked her out and leapt back in surprise, standing a few feet behind them was another Claymore. Long blonde-brown hair reach mid-thigh and silver eyes flicked between the three of them.
" Who are you?" Helena asked.
" Number 1," Raki replied.
" Your voice doesn't match your appearance at al," Deneve said curiously.
Clare looked the unidentified Claymore from head to toe but stopped on a scar, the scar rested right next to the eyebrow on the left side of the face, looking closely Clare searched for features similar to the boy she knew long ago.
" It can't be," Clare breathed out.
" It's been a long time Clare," Raki said stepping out from the shadows.
Deneve and Helena gasped as the full features of the Claymore came into view, where they thought it was a woman stood a man. A pale eyebrow arched questioningly and the duo took another step back.
" My name is Raki, Number 1 in the Organization and slayer of those five Yoma," Raki said nodding to the destroyed corpses.
Three shocked faces met his words, Raki sighed and whistled for Russet. The falcon flew down to land on his shoulder nibbling his hair affectionately.
" I wish to see the rest of you," Raki said to the trio.
Nodding as one they made their way out of Pieta and into a mountain pass, six buildings stood hidden in the rocky valley sheltered from the world and the elements. Clare led Raki to Miria's and hers house while the other two went to grab something to eat.
" Who's this Clare?" Miria asked when they entered.
" This is the current Number 1, Raki," Clare replied.
" A male warrior," Miria exclaimed.
" Yes I joined the Organization seven years ago and as you can see I am not fully human nor a full warrior but a balance in between. My Yoki limit is far greater than those before me and my female counterparts, my strength unparalleled as is my speed," Raki told them.
" Well welcome to the ranks," Miria joked.
Raki smiled and took the seat next to Clare, retelling his adventures Raki, Clare and Miria sat there for half the night until finally retiring. Exiting Raki made his camp and lay down to sleep.
##################
Several months passed and the Organization sent out missives to him using Russet's mate Earth. Raki stayed with the seven survivors of Pieta, only leaving when he had to do a very important job like seven Awakened Being needed exterminating. Clare and Raki patched up their relationship and soon got married, officiated by Miria. Currently Clare was five months pregnant with their first child and Raki once again had to go out, kissing Clare goodbye Raki set off for the Holy City, Islen Guard.
" HELP," a woman screamed.
Roaring the Yoma turned the corner sharply in pursuit of his dinner, pinching his nose Raki unsheathed his sword and took off. Five seconds later the Yoma was dead as was it two underlings. Muttering that the Organization could send one of the others he re-sheathed the sword and turned sharply, walking forward he exited the city and started to head back home. Rubel stepped out from the shadows cast by a building in the evening light and Raki stopped. Holding out a roll of parchment Rubel threw it to him, catching it Raki unrolled it and read the missive.
" I'm being dismissed from active duty but will still hold my current ranking and position," Raki said.
" Yes, good job," Rubel said before melting back into the shadows.
Shaking his head slightly Raki placed the parchment into the bag on his hip nd resumed walking.
Two decades passed and the 'Ghosts of Pieta' lived happily hidden from everything in a valley between two mountains. Five of them married other male warriors like Raki and settled down, Miria chose to remain unmarried and instead adopted several orphans that were wandering around in the cold harsh climate of the North. Clare and Raki had five children, three girls and two boys, who stayed with their odd family. The eldest at nineteen was Zaki, Ilena came next at seventeen; Teresa and Jean at fifteen and the youngest at thirteen Isley. Raki was called out of retirement a few time over the years but only for extreme cases, all five of his children were warriors like their parents and were trained accordingly. Isley and Zaki never awakened or came near it due to their genetics and their father's weirdness, Clare was relieved at finding this out because she didn't want to kill her own sons regardless if they were human or not. Their daughters had also inherited this, out of the three of them Teresa was the best with Ilena coming second and Jean third.
Clare and Raki along with the other Ghosts lived in their secluded corner of the world for many more years (five decades) and saw many of their descendants born before finally succumbing to nature's course. Clare and Raki passed while fighting a Yoma in the middle of a harsh winter, an outbreak of the flu had been going around for a while and when they were injured the wounds became infected, by the time anyone noticed it was too late. They passed surrounded by their family, each member with tears in their eyes and a prayer in their hearts. Clare and Raki were buried next to each other with the other members of the Ghosts and the ones who died fighting the Yoma army in Pieta. Clare, Raki, Miria, Helena, Deneve and the others are remembered by their stories being passed from generation to generation, the born warriors making a fortune by protecting those in their family and big shots. Each year on the day of the Battle of Pieta a celebration is held to honour the lives of the brave twenty-five warriors buried within the hallowed ground of Pieta.
::::::::::::::::::::::::
" Hello," a little boy said.
The brown-haired girl stopped and stared at the black-haired boy, he held out a hand and she took it. Running they slipped unnoticed into the graveyard and stood before two markers. The blood red symbols for the two greatest warriors that had ever lived stood out in stark relief against the polished metal, the boy chuckled as twenty-three other children filtered out from the shadows.
" Are we all here?" a girl asked.
" Yep," the boy replied.
" Welcome back to Pieta," the girl said proudly.
" Oh shut up Miria," one girl muttered.
" Helena," Miria admonished.
" This is going to be trying," one girl said shaking her head.
" Flora can you help Deneve to sit down?" the girl standing to the boy asked softly.
All eyes turned towards her and Flora nodded, going to the girl standing next to Helena. Deneve had bad legs and as such couldn't do much, Deneve thanked Flora and all twenty-five kids sat down on the ground in a loose circle. The girl and boy sitting next to each other hands clasped.
" Flora what is your report?" Miria asked.
" We have all be re-incarnated in these forms at the same time presumably to help exterminate a large force of Yoma in the coming years," Flora replied.
" What about you Clare, got anything to say?" Helena asked the girl holding the boy's hand.
" No Raki and I don't have anything to say other than it's great to see you all again," Clare replied.
Raki smiled and so the Ghosts of Pieta now re-incarnated started planning what they would do for the duration of this life.
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It is said that when a great evil overcomes the land twenty-five warriors rise up from the ashes to battle against the evil. These warriors no one knows where they come from or where They have been but during the course of history They can be seen everywhere, whenever and Abyssal One has come into its' maturity and has made an army They rise up, when the plague of the Yoma has become to great They rise up. These warriors are known as the Ghosts because there is no information about them other than they lived a very, very long time ago and were consecrated into the Hallowed ground of Pieta, out of these warriors twenty-four are female and only one is male. When the world needs a miracle the Ghosts are sent and no one knows what happens to them afterwards or if they had any living family left during their time, all that is left is a great mystery.
One conversation that has been recorded is between one of the females and the male.
" Ready to go home Clare?" the male asked the beautiful blonde woman standing by his side.
" Of course Raki," Clare answered the handsome blonde-brown male.
" Do you think the kids are alright wherever they are?" Raki asked softly.
" I do because we will join them soon once again just like true ghosts do when they have finished with the Living plane," Clare replied wrapping her arms around Raki's waist.
These two, Clare and Raki, are the only know couple out of the Ghosts and the fact that they had children has made scholars search for their descendants but whoever they are they have covered their tracks extremely well.
This is the story of the Ghosts, the warriors who are chosen and sent to fight when the world needs it, and the ones who will always be remembered throughout history.
~~THE END~~
Title means 'Silver Eyes'