by Ryan Kirk
His fear increased when he tried to pinpoint the individual who was sensing Shigeru. He couldn’t. He could tell where the sense was originating, but where there was supposed to be a person, there was nothing. An unnatural emptiness, devoid of all life. Under other circumstances Ryuu would have paid it no more attention than a patch of empty air over a pasture. But it was the source of the sense, and the emptiness continued to move. Ryuu shook with sweat.
He had to get to Shigeru. He realized he had been thrust into a situation far beyond his current understanding. But if he ran towards Shigeru, it seemed likely the other would sense him. The only reason he was safe now was because he was further away. Ryuu thought perhaps the shadow knew Shigeru somehow. Ryuu could sense Shigeru far before he could sense a normal person. Perhaps it was similar to what was happening now.
Too many questions. If he could move Shigeru farther away, it might be safe to get closer, to talk. He knew Shigeru was tuned into him now, so he drew his sword and sprinted away from the approaching soldiers. His efforts paid off. Shigeru followed him, but Ryuu didn’t stop until he felt confident he was out of range. He felt a momentary pang of regret for Takako. She was still. Shigeru would have told her to stay put and she would be frightened. But there was no other way.
When he saw Shigeru, Ryuu swore there was panic in his eyes. Ryuu cursed. Shigeru wasn’t aware of the danger, but he knew what was pursuing them. Ryuu told him about the soldiers who were tracking him. He tried to judge Shigeru’s reaction. Then Ryuu told him about the other that sensed like they did, and Shigeru’s face went completely white, like a ghost was haunting him.
“You know what it is, don’t you?”
“His name is Orochi, and you’re right, he is tracking me. I had hoped this day would never come, but it’s too late now. We don’t have time. If we live through this, I’ll tell you the story of my past. You need to know now.”
“What do we do? It’s only a matter of time before he picks you up again.”
Shigeru was quiet as he tried to come up with a solution. Ryuu, calmer in the presence of his master, tried to think as well. Takako slowed them down. The two of them could have put together a defense, but two against eleven while defending an innocent, there was no way. These men were good, and Ryuu couldn’t risk Takako.
Shigeru spoke. “We have to split up. If Orochi is after me, it’s only me he will track. You can take Takako. There’s a farmhouse I know near here. We can meet there in three days.”
Ryuu shook his head. “I can’t leave you to fight alone.”
Shigeru was firm. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to fight. But if we don’t split, Takako’s life is forfeit. You know it’s true.”
Without warning, Ryuu started to tear up. “I brought this down on us, didn’t I?”
Shigeru smiled, a genuine smile, rare for him. “Perhaps, but this is no time to question fate. I made decisions which brought us to this point too, and you don’t know most of them. Let’s not worry about how we got here, but instead think about getting out of here. Act in the moment, the way you were taught.”
Ryuu nodded, a tear trickling down his face. “Don’t die.”
Shigeru laughed. “Same to you.”
“They’re getting close. Time to go.”
Shigeru stood and gave directions to the abandoned farmhouse. They embraced quickly and were off. Ryuu ran to Takako, and they started moving to the west while Shigeru took off to the North. Ryuu had never run in fear before. When he thought they were safe he had them stop. He threw his sense out. Five of the soldiers had gone after Shigeru, and the other was with them. Shigeru was running, and they were giving full chase.
The other five were coming after them. Ryuu started to panic. He had to protect Takako, but against five men it would be almost impossible. There was nothing nearby, no place to hide her. He forced himself to breathe, slowly and deeply. He thought about trying to run. But in haste they would leave obvious tracks and would only tire him out. He had to stand and fight. That was fine by him. He had no choice and he could almost hear Shigeru telling him to breathe, to focus on the moment. He was supposed to be one of the best swordsmen in the Three Kingdoms. Five swordsmen shouldn’t be a problem. Right?
But he couldn’t convince himself. These men were good. They weren’t bandits or regular foot soldiers. Already as they approached they began to spread out, to come in on him from all directions.
His breath caught in his throat for a moment when he saw them. Their colors were distinct. Ryuu could remember them from his lessons. They were the honor guard for Lord Akira. They were the best in the land.
Who the hell is chasing us, and what did we do to deserve this?
There wasn’t any answer to his questions. There were only the five men in front of him. They were good and well coordinated. For the first time Ryuu touched swords with another warrior in anger. They all moved fast, but Ryuu was quicker and knew their cuts just a fraction of a heartbeat before they made them. When it was done he had been cut, but they were dead.
Ryuu turned to check on Takako. She was fine although shocked. She had never seen the full extent of his ability.
Certain of his safety, Ryuu tried to cast out his sense, but he couldn’t make out Shigeru. They were too far gone. With no other options he helped Takako get moving again, and they started making their way to the farmhouse.
They reached the farmhouse in just over a day. Ryuu collected food for them, and for two days the atmosphere was tense but respectful. Ryuu was agitated. Not knowing gnawed at his stomach. He was sure Shigeru would be fine. But doubt crawled within his mind, distracting him from any focused pursuits. He could see Takako wasn’t doing well. She had to be even more nervous than him. But he couldn’t summon the courage to speak to her.
The days passed with agonizing slowness. Ryuu tried to focus his sense, but he was too distracted to throw it out more than a few paces. He knew he was as good as useless. Takako at least knew how to cook.
The sun rose and fell on the third day. Agitation turned to desperation. It gave him strength and focus. He sat down and calmed his mind, throwing out his sense as far as it could go. He couldn’t find anything. No Shigeru, no Orochi, no other warriors. There was nothing approaching the farmhouse. Ryuu had to give Shigeru credit. If nothing else he had certainly picked a remote place.
As night fell on the third day, Ryuu was torn with indecision. He didn’t want to stay in one location for too long. Orochi had sent five men after him. Next time he would come himself.
The thought terrified him. He had never been hunted like a common animal. He knew now there were others out there, others like him, with more experience, more training. Before he had the confidence of one who believed he could not be beaten. Now he felt like a child abandoned in the middle of a thunderstorm. Chaos and uncertainly swirled around him, and without Shigeru he had no compass, no light to guide his way.
Uncertainty caused him to stay through the night. He saw Takako observing him closely, but every time she tried to get close to him to comfort him and offer her support he would shrug her away. He didn’t want her comfort or her concern. What he wanted was Shigeru back to tell him what to do and to show him where to go.
He spent the evening and the next day given over to the sense. His mind traveled the myriad paths of nature, stretching further than he had ever sent it before. He felt his limits and probed around them, always searching for just a little more. But nothing came. He took no food or drink, content to drink only the information the sense provided him. It was addicting in its own way.
In time he realized the sun had gone down. He allowed himself, slowly, to withdraw back into his own body. When he opened his eyes he saw Takako had been crying.
“I’m sorry. I can’t sense him. We need to go, it won’t be safe here for long.”
Takako shook her head. “But no one has come for four days. Maybe it’s safe here. Maybe Shigeru won and is working hard to get here.”
“No.” Ryuu�
�s voice was firm. “If he is safe, he can find us. If he is in danger, we are too. If he is dead, Orochi is coming after us next, and we aren’t far enough away.”
Takako looked ready to argue the point, but Ryuu shot her a glare which quieted her. They started collecting the few belongings they had and prepared food for travel. They were ready to leave in a short time. Ryuu had resigned himself. Shigeru was dead and from that point on he would have to find his own path.
Three paces out of the farmhouse, Ryuu sensed him, and a grin broke out on his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so much relief, so much happiness. Ryuu dropped his sack and ran, terrifying Takako. He ran and ran until he found him and caught him mid-stride, hundreds of paces from the house. Shigeru was bloody and ragged, but it looked like at least most of the blood was from others. Ryuu lent Shigeru his support and walked him back to the house.
Shigeru smiled weakly as all three of them met. “I’m glad to find you. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to make it on time.” With that, the energy seemed to drain out of him and Ryuu had to have Takako help him carry Shigeru to the farmhouse. The two of them worked silently at mending him. Takako found some of the cuts were deep, and they worked on preparing him for rest and healing. It was clear whatever he had been through had almost taken his life.
After he was cleaned and bandages were applied they stood up and washed. Takako was looking at Ryuu with concern etched on her face.
“He’ll be fine. The deep cuts will need some time to heal, but he’ll live.”
Ryuu nodded and finally broke down. He embraced Takako, surprising her. “I can’t lose him. He’s like a father to me.”
Takako gently returned his embrace. “I know.”
After two days of rest, Shigeru was up and moving again, even though he moved like an old man. Once Ryuu was sure Shigeru was healthy, he rediscovered his anger. He was upset there was still so much he didn't know, starting with how Shigeru had gotten away from his pursuers.
Shigeru let out another one of his full grins at the question. He was in a better mood than ever. Near-death experiences seemed to agree with him. "I wanted to live more than he wanted to kill me. We played cat-and-mouse for a while in the woods and I managed to take out all his retainers. I caught him with a throwing knife. Then I ran, and he did not pursue me."
Ryuu was confused. "Why not? If he's a strong as you say he is, why didn't he follow you?"
"Because he doesn’t want to die and wasn’t sure if I’d poisoned the blade. We haven’t fought for many cycles. I don’t know which of us is stronger. He's a patient man and will bide his time until victory is certain. Or at least until the field is equal."
Ryuu's anger burned brightly. "And he senses better than you do. What's to say he hasn't followed you here?"
"He will. If there is one thing I know about Orochi, he will never give up. If he hasn’t given up in this long, he’ll never stop until all of us are dead. I don’t think he was able to follow me closely enough to track us down right away. I may be wrong, but I suspect we have at least a few days before he manages to track us down. If he goes for further reinforcements, we will have even longer."
Ryuu couldn't ever remember being this angry before. "You took a huge risk coming back here!"
It was enough to make Shigeru upset as well. "Yes, I did, but I needed to see you again. I hoped this day would never come, that I could train you, make you strong, and avoid the sins I committed. I thought we had hidden well and that no one would ever find us. I was wrong. Fine. But I have to finish your training, which will happen tonight. Don't let your feelings for the girl get in the way of your rationality!"
That was enough to silence Ryuu. Shigeru was right. He hadn’t realized it. He was much less willing to take risks because of Takako's presence, but wasn't willing to give Shigeru the same benefit for wanting to see him again. It was unfair of him.
Ryuu bowed. When he came back up he was calm again. "You are right. I'm sorry, Shigeru."
"It's okay. We’re all stressed and I'm afraid it won't be over soon. However, it is how we compose ourselves in these times that determine who we are. The smart thing for me to do would have been to leave you forever, but I didn't. Our feelings will have that effect."
The rest of the day passed quickly. Shigeru tested his body while Takako and Ryuu prepared for the journey, finding as much food as they could and preparing it. As the sun set, Ryuu breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to have Shigeru back again.
The night started out like any other. They enjoyed an excellent meal of game and berries they had found in the vicinity, and Takako had outdone herself in their preparation. The three of them managed to have a conversation that was almost normal, almost like a family who had gathered for a reunion. They kept the fire burning well after they were done with the meal and sat around sharing stories of their lives.
During a pause between stories, Shigeru moved everything forward. "This is good. This is what I have always wanted, and I am glad I’ve achieved it, now so close to the end."
Ryuu startled. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but not that.
"Ryuu, as you know, twice I have asked you what path you wanted to take. The path I follow, and the one followed by several others, is not an easy one. You were given the choice when we first met, and you were given the choice when you took your first life. The third choice is offered at the end of your training period. Although there is much more for you to learn, even regarding the sense, there is nothing else I can teach you. My own training ended prematurely, and I have passed along all that I was trained and all I have figured out on my own since then."
"Typically, the third choice is as follows. You may follow the path that you have been set on, or you may choose to die, here and now. Once one reaches this level of skill it is unsafe to allow one free rein."
Takako started to cry.
"But, Ryuu, you are my son if I ever had one. I am proud of you. I could never offer you such a choice. Instead, I repeat the offer you’ve rejected twice. You can continue upon the path you've been set on. I tell you now the truth, that it will cost you the lives of those you love, as it may very well cost you your life. There is no reward, no honor that is guaranteed. Only that you will have a life of hardship, toil, and violence."
"Your other choice is to leave the Three Kingdoms. I know of a place, a place where you could hide with Takako. You could live the life of a normal man, working for a living, enjoying the companionship of another. Raise a family. The choice is yours."
Ryuu looked closely at Shigeru. It was clear now that Shigeru was a torn, broken man. He loved Ryuu and was grateful for the child he had raised. But he also saw the error of his ways, that the child he raised would inherit the sins of his father, whatever those may be. Shigeru wanted him to take the way out. He wanted Ryuu to escape, to leave the Three Kingdoms and live with Takako.
He looked over to Takako. It was the best offer he had heard. She was beautiful and kind. He didn't know whether she would ever love him, but getting to know her was one of the greatest times of his life. The possibility of being able to continue being with her was incredibly tempting.
But he also never would have met Takako if he hadn't followed the path Shigeru put him on. His life hadn't always been easy, and he still had trouble reconciling that he was a murderer. What was the way to show Shigeru the respect he deserved - to continue on the path set before him, or to abandon it now when he had completed training?
Ryuu’s mind raced back and forth. There seemed to be nothing worthwhile about the life of a nightblade. It wasn’t the life of glory he imagined as a child. Shigeru had made that clear.
He studied Takako, lost in her own thoughts. She hadn’t consented to anything, and it was just as likely she would leave when given the chance as stay with Ryuu. She hadn’t forgiven him for what happened to her family. Maybe she never would. He wanted to ask her what to do, but knew it was wrong to put the decision on her. She had been pulled into th
is life. This was his decision to make, and it was his life. Her decision would come later.
The silence stretched on eternally, the only sound between them the crackling of the fire burning down.
He wanted so badly to take the easy path, but something inside of him fought against it. Ryuu looked at Shigeru. He was a good man. He had taken lives, but he had also saved lives. Was there anything greater? He couldn’t rationalize it, but he knew that even if he ran away with Takako and she accepted him he would never know peace. There wasn’t peace for anyone who had the power he possessed.
He didn’t want to.
“I’ll continue on the path.”
His decision was met with a sad nod by Shigeru and tears from Takako. Shigeru understood his decision, but he couldn’t imagine how Takako felt. He had chosen the path of war over the path of peace. He didn’t know how to make it clear his decision wasn’t to reject her.
Shigeru too, was crying as he continued speaking. "So be it. The choice has been made although I wish it would have been otherwise. You should consider your training complete. I have something that I’ve been holding onto now for quite some time.”
Shigeru dug in his pack and pulled out a small package. He handed it to Ryuu, who unwrapped it carefully. They were a new set of robes, dark as night. Ryuu knew immediately they were the robes of a nightblade.
“These used to be mine, but now they are yours. They are given to students who complete their training. It’s my honor to present them to you.”
Ryuu held the robes in silence. He loved them but couldn’t find the words to say so. Shigeru seemed to understand. He nodded and gestured to the fire.
“Now, build the fire back up, for I have a story to tell. You need to know my story and the time is now. It will explain to you all that you don't know."