"Yamoto Ship, June 12, 1941, during World War II"
"I stood amidst the tumult of war, as i slaughter these vile beasts. Their lamentations did but quicken my grim delight but i must not suffer such trifles to draw my lone eye from the fray, i
root out and fell these loathsome beasts, one by one."
"As the day waneth, i set down my weary form, mine hands yet stained with blood, to-day hath been a goodly day upon the field, and in my heart I dare hope the morrow shall grant me the same."
"On the following day I did awaken, and straightway took to my preparing, in the midst of my arming, Isamu, dear to me, spake and said, 'Good morning.'"
"Isamu and I were companions since our youth, and he alone doth grasp the workings of my twisted mind, together we continued in our grim work, slaughtering soldiers as the hours waned."
"The vessel made landfall upon the shores of Germany."
"Whilst I passed through a small german village, dealing death even unto the innocent, I came upon a church. Therein I beheld a maiden of rare beauty, her hands folded as though in prayer. Little knew I then that she belonged to a cult; all I knew in that moment was that I had fallen into love. Her dress seemed to me disgustingly perfect, a vision both foul and fair to mine eyes, i did draw nigh unto her, my steps slow and uncertain, and with a trembling hand I touched her shoulder. She turned, and her dark eyes did fall upon me—eyes of such beauty that I was struck as though by a blow. In that instant I knew: she was the perfect woman, I spake in a tongue unknown to her, and neither could she fathom my words nor I hers; yet in her eyes I beheld a trust unshaken."
"After a time, we did turn to English, and in that tongue we spake together."
"She did at last reveal unto me her name, her name, as she spake it, was Ilse, what a fair name it was, i did tell her mine own name: Izanami, so given after the dread goddess of death. And in that moment we both did fall swift and hard into love's abyss."
"After that first meeting, we passed our days together whensoever I was not upon the field of war. At times Isamu would join us, and those hours were the happiest I have ever known in this life, we knew our bond to be forbidden—she, a woman of Germany, and I, a daughter of Japan; a union the world itself would not suffer."
"In time I discovered she was bound to a cult, yet I gave no heed, for I did uphold her still, and together we did indulge in our twisted fancies, together we did perform the cruelest of rites, and to me it was a dark delight; for she beheld me with such joy in her eyes. 'If any god lifts hand against thee, I vow to slay the very heavens for thy sake.' I spake it with love."
"Through the passing of days we stood steadfast, and in a quiet hour she took my hand and asked that I be hers in marriage. I agreed with a heart made light, though no bells were tolled, nor witness called. Our union was kept in silence, hidden from the world, for ours was a love forbidden, yet truer than any oath sworn aloud. The ceremony was held beneath the old tree where once we carved our initials, the very place of our first meeting. We invited none but Isamu and a few of her closest companions from the circle she kept. It was a small gathering, hushed and hidden from the world, yet to me it was wondrous beyond measure. No grand hall nor gilded altar could match the holiness of that moment, when she became mine and I hers."
"We lived on in secrecy, outwardly as any folk, and only Isamu stood privy to our hidden life — for his steadfast aid and counsel I am ever grateful, our most private moments did but bind us closer, till we clung ever tighter one unto the other, our bond was unbreakable, our love a flame eternal. Not death, nor god, nor the fury of war shall quench it — it shall burn on, defying all who would see it fade."
"One day I was aboard the mighty vessel Yamato, whilst Ilse made ready the evening meal against mine homecoming, When I returned home, I found her in the act of slaying a rabbit, and to my shame and wonder, the sight did stir within me a dark arousal. I drew nigh unto her, set mine hand upon her waist, and pressed my lips to hers, She did but grin, and let it be written that we passed then into an hour most intimate."
"In the morning I woke to find her by my side, her arms wound tight about my waist as though she feared I might vanish. I looked upon her with all the love my weary heart could hold, and with gentle hand I brushed a stray lock from her brow, pressing a tender kiss upon her forehead, her eyes stirred open, narrowing gently against the morning light. I leaned close and murmured, 'Good morning, my love.' At once her lips curved in that quiet smile I cherished, and in a voice soft and sweet she answered, 'Good morning, sweetheart.' In that simple exchange, the whole world felt at peace."
"We rose and washed together in the stillness of morning, her laughter light upon the air as though no shadow of war could touch us. Afterward I set myself to readying my uniform, each fold and buckle made straight beneath her watchful eyes, while she lingered close, her presence turning even that grim task into a moment of quiet joy. At last the hour of parting came. I held her close, whispering a tender farewell, promising that in a year's time I would return. I pressed a lingering kiss upon her lips, as though to carry her warmth with me into the cold of war, and only then did I have strength enough to go, as I took my leave, I whispered, 'My dear, I promise I'll always come back for you.' The words trembled from my lips like a vow carved into stone, and I kissed her once more, holding her as though to defy the very march of time."
"With my promise still warm upon my lips, I mounted the transport and rode away, the sight of her fading behind me. Soon the great bulk of the Yamato rose before mine eyes, and I returned once more to the iron heart of war. There was a grim comfort in setting foot once more upon the Yamato, that vessel of despair I had come to call my home. Yet even as the steel closed around me, my heart ached with longing, for Ilse's absence weighed heavier than all the guns of war. as I made my way to the ship, I crossed paths with Isamu. I laid a hand upon his back in greeting, he turned with a faint smile and greeted me in kind, his voice carrying the weary warmth of brotherhood."
"We boarded the ship together, the iron beast that would carry us once more into the maw of war. Battle after battle raged on, the sea stained red and the air filled with screams. To my twisted heart, each clash was a grim symphony, each kill a dark pleasure that set my blood alight. Steel, fire, and death became my companions, and I welcomed them all with a savage smile, In the war, Ilse would always send me sweet, loving letters. Her words bled with warmth, each sentence like a balm to my battered soul. I carried them in my breast pocket, close to my heart, as if her touch lingered in the ink itself. I sent letters back to her, rough and unpolished, my handwriting scarred by the shaking of battle. Yet still, she cherished them, and that alone gave me strength to raise my blade again."
"Years later, I returned to Germany, my heart burning with the hope of seeing her again. But when I arrived, there were no signs of Ilse. The streets were different, the people unfamiliar, the places we once walked together now hollow shadows of memory. I searched for her face in every crowd, listened for her voice in every whisper of the wind, but she was nowhere. Only silence welcomed me back, and in that silence, I felt the weight of years crash down upon me, at last, I returned to our home, the sanctuary we had built in secret. But it was hollow now—silent, forsaken. The hearth was cold, the walls draped in dust, and her scent, once lingering in every corner, had long since faded. I called her name into the emptiness, my voice breaking the silence, yet only the echo answered. No trace of Ilse remained, as if she had been swallowed by time itself."
"At length I came unto the selfsame tree where once we carved our initials, and there I saw her… yet my tongue cleaved to silence, my heart to dread. For what lay before mine eyes was not the Ilse I had once known, but something that should never be."