by J W Kiefer
It did not take her long to reach the front door and she swung it open just as Steve was about to begin another symphony of knocking.
He stumbled forward off balance when his fist hit only air. She ignored him, even though she had not seen him for some time and locked her gaze on Jared.
“What’s the matter? You look awful,” she asked, concerned.
“Well, it’s nice to see you too,” Steve said sarcastically. “I’ve been good. How have you been?”
“Can we come in?” Jared asked, trying not to smirk.
“What’s the matter?” she demanded, checking herself again. It was then that she realized she had neglected to change out of her baby blue cotton nightshirt with the little pink bunnies on it, and her face flushed red.
“Nice shirt,” Steve snickered. “Isn’t that the same nightshirt you wore to Sandra Hamperton’s sleepover party in fourth grade?”
“Leave her alone, Steve,” Jared scolded.
Dana ducked behind the door so only her head was visible and waved them both in. “You two make yourselves at home while I go change.”
She dashed down the hall to her room as the two brothers made their way to the living room. Dana rented a two-bedroom house in the nice section of town. She liked her privacy and could afford to not have a roommate. Plus, being a single woman alone in such a big house was a good excuse to have Jared over often.
“If you are thirsty, I have some soda in the fridge,” she called out. “Help yourselves to whatever you like.”
Dana’s room was clean and organized, with all the typical things you would expect to find in a young woman’s room. A nice bed with a matching dresser and hutch mirror, and a hope chest that was given to her by her father. Pictures of her family and friends littered her room and a rather large jewelry box sat on her dresser.
She quickly stripped off the nightshirt and threw it carelessly into a corner, before rummaging through her dresser and pulling out a pair of green shorts and a white T-shirt. After getting dressed, she did another quick inspection, fixed her makeup a bit, and then took a deep calming breath before heading out to the living room.
Jared was sulking on her brown leather couch, his eyes closed and his brow scrunched like he was experiencing the migraine of the century. Steve was sitting in the matching leather recliner with his feet dangled over the arm, drinking a can of soda.
The first thing Dana did when she entered the room was smack Steve’s feet aside. His drink sloshed.
“Hey, what was that for?” Steve whined, brushing the stain off his shirt. She ignored him and sat down next to Jared, putting her arm around him.
“So, partner, what’s going on?” she inquired. “You don’t usually show up here so late unless there is something major wrong.”
“His little girlfriend dumped him for some other guy,” Steve answered for him. “It’s got him torn up really bad.”
Jared shot Steve a glare that would freeze water, but his brother just shrugged it off and went back to enjoying his drink. Dana did her best to suppress a grin.
“I’m truly sorry, Jared,” Dana said, trying her hardest to sound sympathetic. “I know how you felt about her.”
“Me too, big brother,” Steve echoed with a warm smile. “I know I am being a bit of a jerk about it, but I’m just trying to cheer you up.”
Jared sighed and sat back in the chair. “I know and I appreciate it. I just can’t believe that she would do that to me. How could she leave with some stranger?”
“I wish I had the answers, Jared, but I don’t,” Steve said with a sigh. “But I don’t think I am the one you should be talking to right now.”
“What do you mean by that?” Jared asked. “Who else would I talk to?”
“All I am saying is that I need to take a nice hot shower and get some rest. You two should talk alone. After all, that’s why you wanted to come here anyway, wasn’t it?” He stood up and stretched. “If you don’t mind, Dana, I’d like to use your shower. I’ve got a long day ahead of me tomorrow, and it’s already very late.”
“Of course, the guest bathroom is upstairs. First door on your left. There are towels in the closet, and you can help yourself to whatever toiletries you need.”
Steve yawned and ambled up the stairs. Just as he was about to put his foot on the first step, Dana called to him, “It really is good to see you, Steve. Maybe tomorrow we can catch up.”
“That would be nice,” he replied with a tired smile. “You look after Jared for me, okay?”
He winked at her and she realized that he knew more than he was letting on. She had made no secret of how she felt about Jared and had spoken openly of it to Steve when they were younger. Evidently, he hadn’t forgotten.
An uncomfortable silence fell over the two and Dana fidgeted nervously. Jared continued to sulk undaunted, absorbed in his own misery.
“Can I get you anything?” she asked, breaking the silence.
Jared looked up as if seeing her for the first time. “I’m sorry, did you say something?”
“I just asked if you wanted anything,” she replied, looking him deep in the eyes.
His eyes were such a dark shade of blue that they almost seemed purple. The first time she had looked into those eyes, even though she was only ten, she had fallen in love.
“No thank you,” he murmured gloomily, looking away again. “My stomach’s a little upset right now.”
Not knowing what to say next, the conversation lapsed back into an uneasy silence. She hated seeing him this way and cursed Jasmine under her breath. How could she be such a fool? Dana would give up anything to be with Jared, and she could not understand why Jasmine didn’t feel the same way.
Dana pulled her legs up to her chest, hugging them close with her arms. Jared was not only the man she loved, but her best friend and partner as well. But there was nothing she could do for him. She could only wait until he was ready to talk, and she was determined to wait forever if that’s what it took.
It wasn’t long before Jared broke the silence. “I really appreciate you letting us crash here for the night.”
“You know you’re always welcome,” she replied with a reassuring smile. “But you owe me big time for bringing the almighty rock star here.”
Jared chuckled slightly, and Dana nudged him with her elbow. “Is that a smile I see?”
The smile only lasted a second. “I don’t know why I asked Steve to bring me here. I guess I didn’t want to go to my apartment, and I didn’t want to disturb Mom and Dad...”
“So this was the only place left to go,” she said. “I understand. You don’t have to explain anything to me, partner. Stay as long as you need to.”
He gave her another weak smile and grabbed her hand. “Thanks,” he said, his voice thick with sincerity. “This means a lot to me.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart seemed ready to beat right out of her chest. She knew that he held her hand out of friendship, but she could imagine it meaning more.
“So how did Steve manage to wind up here?” she asked, changing the subject and trying to avoid his eyes. “I thought he was in the city.”
“I don’t really know. He said he was visiting a friend, but when I asked him which one, he dodged the question.”
“That’s strange. Why would he need to be vague about which friend he was visiting?” she asked, her brow furrowed.
“I don’t know. Come to think of it, he was acting kind of weird. At the time I was too distracted to notice, but on reflection, it does seem rather odd.”
“I’m sure it is nothing,” she said. “He was probably drinking and didn’t want you to know about it.”
“That’s probably it. I’m sure he was afraid that if I knew, I would tell Dad. Despite all his rebelling, what Dad thinks still matters to him.”
The uncomfortable silence returned, neither of them knowing what to say next. It was Jared who decided to speak first, and Dana gave him her full attention.
“I wish there was a way I could talk to her,” he said, gritting his teeth. “But she won’t answer her phone. If I could just get her to talk to me, then we could work this out.”
“I’m sure she’ll come to her senses after a while,” she heard herself utter, hoping in her heart that she was wrong. “She just needs a little time to think things over.”
“You’re probably right,” he replied. “But you know me. Patience is not one of my strong suits. I have to fix things right away or I go crazy. Steve has already said more than once that I am overreacting.”
“There’s no quick fix for this, Jared. When it comes to love and relationships, you’re just going to have to give her time.”
Dana looked back at the clock and groaned when she saw the time. Two o’clock in the morning. Both of them had to be at work at six.
“I can’t believe how late it is,” she said with a yawn. “Tomorrow’s going to be murder on us if we don’t get some sleep soon.”
Jared reached out and embraced her unexpectedly, drawing her close. “Thanks for being there, partner. You’re a real friend. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“That’s me,” she replied when she could breathe again. “The girl next door.”
What would happen if she rested against his chest? Dana decided to find out. He didn’t try to push her away, so she closed her eyes and listened to his rhythmic breathing. Each second seemed as if it lasted a lifetime and she hoped against hope that this moment would never end.
Then she felt his chest shake with the deep sighs that came from intense crying. She wished she knew the magic words to make his hurt go away. While she was wishing, a potion that would make him fall in love with her would be nice, too. But for all her imagining, she knew it was Jasmine he was thinking of and not her.
Still, right here and now, that did not matter. Jasmine wasn’t here. This moment was hers and hers alone. She allowed herself to enjoy the feeling, and before long she had fallen fast asleep, her head still resting on his chest.
Eleven
The Shogun waited for the two shades to make their move. His torn shirt hung limply, and he felt uncharacteristically spent. Amazingly they had managed to fight him to a standstill. Either these two demons were extremely powerful, or he was weakening faster than he realized. The latter was the most likely answer.
The shade on the right, the impatient one, lunged first. The Shogun parried the flaming blade away, but the shade followed up the thrust by slashing its other weapon at the Shogun’s head. The Shogun ducked and the flaming blade hissed by.
The maneuver left the shade’s torso exposed, and the Shogun brought his blade forward hard. The blade bit deep into the shade, nearly cutting it in half. The demon cried out in agony, its body held together by a mere wisp of smoke. Crimson clouds of noxious vapor leaked from the creature’s wound and the burning red glow in its eyes ebbed. Before long, it dissipated into the shadows.
The other shade used the death of its brother as a diversion, and it struck the Shogun hard from behind with both blades. They bit deep into the Shogun’s torso, impaling him and setting his clothes on fire. The shade quickly retracted its blades and slashed them both downward, cutting two wicked gashes into his back.
He stumbled forward, then fell awkwardly to his knees, his clothes still smoldering with dark fire. The shade attacked him the instant his knees hit the ground.
The Shogun, not nearly as injured as he appeared, sprung over the attacking shade, spinning once in midair while hacking at its passing head. His cut split the shade’s head in two. It stammered forward, leaving a trail of crimson smoke in its wake.
He landed in a crouch with his back to the injured demon, his blade held out in front of him. The demon dissipated, and the Shogun relaxed his grip on his weapon.
“I never thought I would see the day when a mere pair of shades could cause you so much trouble,” a voice from somewhere behind him said. “It appears that you are weaker than I anticipated.”
The Shogun recognized that familiar accent. Standing up, he faced the Musketeer leaning up against a large tree, his arms crossed and a grin on his face. He winked at the Shogun, removed his wide-brimmed hat, and bowed, his long black hair falling into his face.
“Did you miss me? I apologize for having to leave so abruptly before, but I thought it would be best to leave you alone in your moment of grief. Anyway, I was in the neighborhood and thought I would pay you another visit.”
The Musketeer returned his hat to his head and slowly approached the wary Shogun. He drew his long slender rapier from its scabbard and playfully swept it through the air. The eerie radiance of the weapon bathed the dark street with an ethereal violet glow.
“Oh, how I do cherish our little contest. And I truly wish that things could be different, but alas, we both know how this must end.”
The Shogun bowed his head in acknowledgment but said nothing. His blade glowed with the same extraordinary supernatural light, growing in intensity until it was slightly brighter than that of the Musketeer’s. The world around them was awash with streams of violet and blue as the two sources of light vied with each other for dominance.
“It is a shame that you have grown so weak,” the Musketeer reflected. “How grand a victory it would have been to have taken you in your prime. It was you who defeated my predecessor, was it not?”
“I did nothing,” the Shogun replied. “The sword took him. I was just the instrument it used.”
The Musketeer looked away as if he was contemplating some deep revelation and nodded his head. “It is so for us all, my friend. We are mere pawns, servants to their will. In spite of all our differences, you and I are the same.”
“I am nothing like you. You serve darkness and have always done so. I, though I have very little will left in the matter, serve the forces of light and have always done so.”
The Musketeer sneered at him. “You sanctimonious fool! I know what you have done. All of those you have slaughtered in the name of justice. I have witnessed your deeds, and your self-righteous judgments!”
“I am just in all I have done, even if my actions may seem harsh and cruel at times. How can it be any other way?”
“Just?” the Musketeer scoffed. “One man’s justice is another man’s tyranny!”
“Vain philosophies have no bearing on the truth,” he replied. “You know as well as I do that there is only black and white. Gray is a state imagined to justify sin.”
The Musketeer rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. “Why must you bore me with your frivolous lectures? Enough! I have not come here to bandy words with you but to destroy you. Unlike you, I enjoy the power he gives me, regardless of the price I must pay. I have the power to do anything! He has made me a god among men!”
The Musketeer’s black eyes writhed with defiance as the light from the sword exploded around him, covering his entire body with a violet aura the emanated pulsing waves power.
“You are nothing but a slave,” he responded.
The Musketeer grinned and chuckled. “Maybe so, but I enjoy it nonetheless.”
With that said, he lunged at the Shogun, and with the clashing of their ancient blades, the conflict which had begun centuries before entered into its final chapter.
The Shogun’s sword arm dropped slightly and he staggered somewhat off balance. Perceiving his weakness, the Musketeer attacked with animalistic ferocity, attempting to overpower him quickly. The Shogun, his eyes blazing with defiance, met the assault with surprising strength, managing to counter the Musketeer’s every strike.
Both men fought with a skill greater than the greatest of master swordsmen, their movements as intricate as a choreographed dance.
“I am pleased that you still have some resolve left in you!” the Musketeer jeered. “It will make my victory all the more satisfying.”
The Shogun responded with a wicked combination of attacks that wiped the grin off his face and sent him into a frantic medley of countering mane
uvers. The Musketeer was now the one on the defensive; it would be difficult for him to regain momentum now.
The Shogun’s arms were a blur as he slashed repeatedly high and then struck low, the Musketeer parrying every blow. Unrelenting, he struck again and again, but the cunning Musketeer knocked each one aside.
“I can feel you weakening,” he said between strikes. “It will not be long now.”
The Shogun said nothing and continued to fight undaunted, but in his heart, he could feel the fatigue. His eyes suddenly went wide, as the weariness and pain of a hundred lifetimes assaulted him at once. The weight of it took his breath away and he gasped. His hand faltered.
The Musketeer struck. He only scored a glancing blow on the Shogun’s sword hand, but the blade that had not left his hand for nearly four hundred years slipped from his grasp. It spun away from him like in a dream before hitting the ground without a sound.
Time stopped, and the world around them stilled. Both men stared at the fallen sword as if the inconceivable had just happened. Then the Musketeer thrust his blade forward, sliding it deep into the Shogun’s chest.
He gasped as the cold steel cut unrelentingly through tissue and slid through organs. His muscles would not obey him, and he watched without sensation as his body twitched when the Musketeer removed the blade. He fell backward and landed on the ground, lying in the soft grass and staring up at the night. His life force slipped away; this was the end. All the long years of service were finally over. Now he could rest. The darkness that had replaced his mortal eyes faded, giving way to a brilliant shade of brown. Those eyes once again beheld the stars before they closed for the last time.
The Musketeer stood over him, casting a long shadow over his body. He could no longer sense the presence of the Shogun and knew that his enemy had moved beyond the confines of the mortal world.
“So long, mon ami. You were a worthy adversary,” he said with uncharacteristic respect. “May you find rest.”
With his final respects paid to the dead, he approached the fallen sword. A baleful hostility vibrated out of it, and while he wore his sword, he did not dare come any closer for fear of what it might do to him.