I was meditating in my shrine. I was watching the hearth flame to divine the future. All was quiet.

Suddenly the fire leapt, and went out.

I whirled. This was only a reaction to a powerful aura.

Standing there was a samurai, with a sword at his hip. He was covered in blood and quivering. He wasn't going to live very long without help.

He swung his sword at me. I lifted the blade from my waist and met his strike.

His eyes were hard and cold. He had completely taken leave of his senses. He was just killing indiscriminately.

"The kind thing would be to kill you." I said. "You can't live with a shattered soul like that."

The samurai answered with a growl. Not even capable of speech.

I opened my silver eyes and peered deep into the shambles of his soul. Finally after some more fighting, I spoke.

"What would Tomoe say?"

A choked gasp.

The samurai dropped his bloodied blade and stood shaking, staring at his hands in horror. "K-Kill me."

"I won't." I snarled at him. "Your awake now. You have a life now. A life Tomoe died for! Don't you dare mock her sacrifice by taking the easy way out!"

With his last breath, he whispered "Sanctuary." He then collapsed.

I quickly gathered him in my arms, managing a spell to make myself strong enough to carry him. I put him in our infirmary and took off most of his clothes. The samurai was covered in wounds.

I put my hands on his chest and poured my blue silver healing magic into his form. His body bucked slightly as the healing energy saved his life, and then he collapsed, the wounds stitching together as his breathing calmed into a sleeping rhythm.

His eyes opened and pain twisted his features. "I-I apologize, that I do. This one will not die. My name is Kenshin Himura. I am..." His hand found his sword and held the hilt. "I am a rurouni."

"Alright...Rurouni Kenshin." I grinned. "My name is Kurisuta Hikawa. I am the priestess of this shrine. As long as you claim sanctuary here, you are not permitted to die."

"Kuri-dono." Kenshin said. "I wanted to thank you for...before...and for allowing me sanctuary and healing my wounds. Otherwise I would have died."

I blushed. "I knew when I saw you."

"Knew what?" Kenshin looked at me curiously.

"I know that you are a good man Kenshin." I said seriously. "Even if you don't believe it of yourself."

His eyes closed.

Xxx

Kenshin lay there. He was unable to move.

The images of blood and death stained his eyelids.

The priestess...where had she gone? He found himself desperate for her calming presence.

His eyes found her in the corner, asleep in the chair.

As if responding to his pain, her aura lit silver. The soothing light calmed his wounded soul and Kenshin drifted into sleep.