by Ryan Kirk
Having known both Ryuu and Orochi, she didn’t know who would win in a duel between the two of them. She had never seen the true strength of either of them. She hoped she would never have to find out. She still wanted both of them to live through the night although she knew that she would lose one of them to the Great Cycle before the sun rose.
As he finished his movements his eyes locked with hers, and she didn’t need her sense to understand the turbulence of his emotions. His eyes flashed with anger, compassion, and determination.
Silence stretched between them, and Moriko imagined for a moment that even the forest which sheltered them had gone quiet in expectation. In an uncharacteristic moment, she felt like she needed to fill the silence with something, but there was nothing she could say that he didn’t already know.
Ryuu glanced in the direction of the fort. He could feel the tension and the fear emanating from that direction. The soldiers there knew. After their dramatic exit from the premises at sunrise, they knew they were hunted. There was a predator in the woods much more dangerous than them. Ryuu grimly smiled to himself. They had no idea how right they were. He had to save Takako. After all the pain and suffering he had put her through she deserved a better life.
The secret fear gripped his heart. The rational part of his mind knew she was alive. They intended to kill her as surely as they intended to kill him, but not yet, not now. She would die after he was committed, after he was in their trap. He needed Moriko to save her. He just had to make sure that he was fast enough and strong enough he could disrupt their plans before they blossomed. Still, he couldn’t help but fear it was already too late, that they had killed her regardless of the consequences.
He wasn’t sure he could live if Takako died. There would be no redemption for him. Already he felt like he had caused so much suffering in her life. Every day he wondered what would have happened if he had just let her be. She might not have had the best life, but her family would still be alive, her suffering earning their freedom. It wasn’t much, but it seemed to Ryuu it was more than she had now.
Ryuu had come to a resolution. He would save her and make sure she was safe. He would hide her so far away no one would ever be able to find her. Takako could live out the rest of her cycles in peace, maybe even rebuild a new life. It was her best hope. So long as she was away from him, she would be safe. He would have to deal with Lord Akira, but he felt certain he could elude and fight off any pursuit.
All he needed to do was rescue her tonight. All that stood between him and her was Orochi. His anger burned, but he managed to wrap it all inside of him, taking comfort in the strength it gave him. Kill Orochi, save the girl, get her someplace far away, and then leave her in peace. It was the only way she would be safe.
His purpose was set, and although his anger burned through him and warmed his blood, he was calm. Shigeru had taught him well. He motioned to Moriko, and they began their walk towards the fort. There were no sentries on the outer perimeter as there had been that morning. They had brought everybody in to the inner ring of defenses. It was a smart move. The outer ring had been too spread out. It was good for detection of a typical intruder, but Ryuu and Moriko could have taken out a guard post, or several posts, without anyone being the wiser.
When they were almost to the clearing Moriko split off. Ryuu tried to quest out with his sense, but the fort was still too far away. He could sense the archers around the perimeter. Orochi had stationed a lot of them out there. Ryuu admitted Moriko was right. It would have been impossible to cross the clearing in the daylight. With so many archers he would have been shot down no matter how many arrows he might have tried deflecting or dodging.
The men he sensed were nervous but competent. They didn’t let their fear control them, and Ryuu respected that. But if they stood in his way tonight, they would die. He could sense their arrows nocked in their bowstrings, their bows held in relaxed awareness. They were professionals.
When he judged enough time had passed, he hugged the ground and began slithering forward through the grass. There was a slight breeze on the air, and he tried to time his movements with the upcoming breeze. It was slow, agonizing work. His heart wanted him to stand up and challenge all comers, but he knew even with his skill he couldn’t stop a barrage of arrows. Despite all of his power he was still just a man.
When he was about half way through the tall grass, he took a break and rested, sitting on his calves in a tall clump of grass. He focused his mind and reached out with his sense. The archers were all still there, in a relaxed state of readiness. No one gave any hint of detecting him. He sought out further and found what he was searching for. There was the outpost with the darkness inside. And Takako was near him.
Ryuu was surprised to sense how weak she was. He was still far away, but he could barely sense her. She was in pain, she was dying. The realization hit him without warning, and he had to snap back to his own reality to prevent himself from jumping up and sprinting towards her. There was no way he could fail. Takako was counting on him, expecting him to save her.
He still had time. She was weak, but her will was strong. She would hold on until he got there.
Ryuu redoubled his efforts. It was essential he make good time to the fort. He went back to hugging the ground, moving one agonizing pace at a time. What had taken him only a handful of breaths earlier today was now taking an endless stretch of infinite moments.
By the time he had passed from the grass back into the woods every part of him was on fire. He had never expected that simple crawling would take so much out of him. But he had not been seen. He was keeping his sense close, but even where he stood, hidden in the dark shadows of a tree, he could tell he was surrounded by enemies. Fortunately, most of them were focused on the grass, looking out. Now that he had passed the first ring he could move more freely.
In short order he was only a dozen paces away from the perimeter of the fort. He examined it and was pleased to see it fit with the estimations he and Moriko had made under the afternoon sun. He took a moment to sense the watch patterns of the sentries that patrolled the wall, and with certain decisiveness, he ran at the wall, planting two feet against it as he reached to the top. In his mind’s eye he flashed back to the first time he had seen Shigeru climb the tree stand. He used his momentum to swing his body up and over the pointed timbers. He landed silently on the top wall as two sentries had their backs turned. Without pausing he rolled off the wall and into a clump of bushes on the other side.
He took a deep breath. He had been prepared for combat, but he was grateful it hadn’t occurred. The closer he could get before he was discovered the better. It meant fewer enemies he’d have to fight through. Fortunately, there weren’t many people in the fort proper. Most everyone was stationed on the walls or in the forest surrounding the fort. Once penetrated it was soft and ripe for the picking.
Ryuu threw his sense out and he found everyone in the fort itself. Two people stood out above the rest. One was Orochi, whom Ryuu could sense clear as day from this distance. Orochi had to have detected him by now. Ryuu wondered why he hadn’t started the alarms yet. Whatever the case, he wasn’t moving, which at this point in time was enough for Ryuu.
The other individual was new, but Ryuu felt like he had sensed him somewhere before. It wasn’t coming to him though. He was an older man filled with anger. He was strong, an excellent swordsman, and his rage fueled him. It bothered Ryuu that he couldn’t identify him, but he pushed the thought out of his mind. Whoever he was, if he was important, Ryuu would have known who he was. He would push forward.
Ryuu noticed that at that very moment there was no one looking at the path between him and Takako. Only Orochi was in the way. Ryuu didn’t hesitate, didn’t even give himself time to think about it. He darted forward, every step as silent as the grave he planned to send Orochi to.
He found the door to the building without difficulty and slid it open, revealing a long hallway with rooms off to the side. But his attention was
grabbed immediately by the figure sitting cross-legged against the wall at the end of the hallway.
It was Orochi, every bit as big and strong as Ryuu remembered him. His heart quickened, and he grabbed his sword, but had enough control to not draw.
Orochi looked up with a curious expression. If Ryuu hadn’t known, he would have guessed he was being studied. Orochi’s gaze lingered on him for what felt like an eternity. He did not move or even flinch at Ryuu’s presence. The man was as cool as anyone Ryuu had ever met.
Orochi broke the silence. “She trained you in my techniques.”
Ryuu was caught off guard. He had expected anger, some form of evil, something dark. Instead, he felt a calm sense of strength and purpose. Of honor, even. It deflated all the anger he had brought into the hall. He shifted his stance into one less aggressive. He nodded.
“You are an apt pupil. You haven’t had long to study, but even I wasn’t sure until you stepped through the door.”
Ryuu didn’t know what to do. Here Orochi was complimenting his study skills, which was just about the last event he had expected to happen upon encountering Orochi for the last time.
“Did Shigeru talk about the techniques he had never mastered?”
Ryuu was shaken. The mention of Shigeru’s name almost caused him to draw his sword, but he restrained himself. His anger was overridden by his curiousness, but not by much.
“A little.”
“How did you learn them?”
“I haven’t.”
Ryuu realized it was silly to be having this conversation, admitting there were skills he didn’t possess. It was as if he and Orochi were solving a puzzle together.
Orochi nodded as if Ryuu had confirmed something he had long ago known. “I had wondered if that may be the case.” He patted his chest. “Underneath my tunic, I have a letter for you. I wrote it. It gives directions to the island where Shigeru and I grew up. They would be very interested in meeting you if you survive the day. As a hidden refuge, it is hard to find, but I expect you’ll manage. Do not trust them, but they may be able to offer you some guidance. I suspect their aims are different than your own, but they may help you harness your strength. If I’m right you have more raw talent than anyone currently alive.”
With that Orochi stood up. Apparently the conversation wasn’t going to last all night. Ryuu tensed and dropped into his stance. Orochi let out the hint of a grin. “Not now. I will wait here. You should say good-bye to the girl.”
Ryuu was shaken to his core. Here was the enemy he had driven himself to hate the past few moons freely offering what he most wanted.
Like Shigeru, it seemed like Orochi could read his thoughts.
“Did Shigeru tell you about me?”
Ryuu nodded, unable to form the words to converse.
“Killing him was personal. I am sorry for your loss, but I am not sorry I killed him. He had taken that which I loved.”
Ryuu found his voice. “He would have said the same about you.”
Orochi nodded. “I don’t know if he would have been wrong in saying so. I was young and headstrong, but she didn’t deserve what happened. She didn’t need to save me. Anyway, as I said, it was personal. If I had not given my word, I would leave you in peace. If you are what I think you are, it will be a very interesting fight. I can’t break my word to Akira. I made the same deal with the girl, but I want you to know it would have been clean. Not like this. That,” he gestured in the direction of the door, “is an abomination. It is not the mark of a warrior, and for that you have my sympathy. I would have struck him down myself.”
Ryuu understood what Orochi left unspoken. He was bound by honor. Ryuu found the name he had been missing. General Nori. He had been the father of the scum Ryuu had killed in the camp. This was personal for everyone. He was the strong swordsman Ryuu had sensed on the way in.
Ryuu found he trusted Orochi. He walked up to him and moved past him, completely open. Orochi did not attack and muttered another apology as Ryuu walked past. He stepped into the room and fell to his knees at the sight that greeted him.
Ryuu had slain before. It had been a gut-churning experience, but it had been necessary and defensible. He could never imagine doing something like this, something so grotesque.
Takako was on the table tied by each wrist and ankle, but she was almost unidentifiable. The calculating portion of Ryuu’s brain took over to compensate for what he was seeing, trying to catalog the injuries. Broken fingers and toes. Fingernails pulled. Skin flayed from all of her sensitive areas. Burn marks. The thick bones in her legs were broken as were some of her ribs. She was covered in blood, and Ryuu had to suspect she had been raped as well. She was breathing, but barely.
It finally dawned on him that he was too late. He had always been too late. She was dead right now, her body just hadn’t figured it out yet. Even if he did manage to kill everyone here and carry her out, her body was in no condition to move anywhere. She would breathe her last before he could pass the walls of the fort.
He should be angry, but he didn’t have the strength anymore. It was unbearable. The world continued to conspire against him, to take away everything good he had encountered in his life. His parents, Shigeru, Takako, all of them shared the distinction of dying in front of him as he watched helplessly. All his power, all his strength, was nothing but the greatest joke the Great Cycle could play on him.
The tears streamed freely from his face, and his body was wracked by sobs. He knew Orochi could sense him, and he felt the corresponding sorrow in Orochi’s aura. It was comforting, but not enough. It would never be enough.
He almost didn’t hear her over the sounds of his sobs.
“What are you crying for?”
Despite himself, he laughed as he cried. He could feel her spirit had been broken as well as her body, but he appreciated the effort.
Ryuu crawled over to her, unable to summon the strength to stand. His robes picked up Takako’s blood on the floor, but he didn’t care, didn’t even notice. He knelt at the table and made a move to comfort her, but couldn’t find a spot he could touch without causing her more pain. He laid his head down next to hers and let himself cry.
The two of them laid there, silent except for the sounds of Ryuu’s sobs and Takako struggling for breath. Outside, Ryuu could sense Moriko had begun her attack on the other side of the compound. Men were dying, and the other strong presence, Nori, was rushing headlong to attack her.
The action calmed Ryuu’s mind as he focused on action he could not see. Moriko would be able to hold out for a while, but not for too long. He knew she was trying to give him time, not knowing he was safe for now. Their plan had gone to hell. He was supposed to be fighting Orochi, not crying in the middle of a fort.
Outside of blood, the room was bare. Every time he glanced back at Takako, his mind reminded him of the truth, even if his heart couldn’t accept it. Takako would never leave this room alive. The thought brought him right back to the edge as red swam in his vision.
“Takako, I’m so sorry, so sorry for everything.”
Takako managed to open her eyes and look at him. Her mouth moved slightly, trying to form the words, but as she did she coughed up a thin stream of blood. Her lips moved, but Ryuu couldn’t make out the words. He wasn’t sure she was even making the words she was trying to.
Ryuu leaned close. “Takako, I love you. I love you so much, and I’m so sorry for everything. I only wanted you to be happy.”
Takako smiled, an effort that seemed to take all of her energy.
So he had come after all. Takako wasn’t surprised. He was that kind of man. He would never give up, always try to make things right.
He didn’t touch her, and for that, Takako was grateful. Everything hurt. If he tried anything, she would give up completely. She was ready and blackness was already beginning to cloud the edges of her vision. She didn’t want to die, but she was ready. She would get to see her family again. She tried to tell him it was okay. She forgave hi
m. She cared for him and was fine, but she couldn’t hear her own voice. Hopefully he’d heard her.
Through the cloud of her thoughts and the pain, she heard his voice again. Claiming he loved her. Saying he was sorry, over and over again.
And then she couldn’t focus on his voice anymore. She could hear him talking, like the buzzing of a fly around her ear, but she couldn’t make out what he was saying. The pain had gone away as well. That was nice.
She realized then, at the end of all things, that she was content. Her time with Ryuu hadn’t been wasted. She hoped he would realize that. She smiled then and gave up the fight. Darkness rushed in on her vision, and in the very last moment before the end, she felt the presence of all life surrounding her, embracing her.
And then she joined the Great Cycle.
He wanted one last word, something he could remember her by. Some aspect of forgiveness, some sense of closure. But as she smiled, he knew it was over, that her smile was her goodbye.
And then he felt her energy leave her, and he was no longer looking at Takako, but the shell of the body that once held her. He collapsed into her, ready now to touch her, to try to comfort her. His tears mixed with her blood as he lay there against the table, unable to move, unable to forgive himself for the pain he had brought into the world.
Moriko sneaked inside the camp before she was noticed. The sentries had been professional, but there were always gaps and it had been a simple, if physically challenging, job to enter the premises. Their plan had been for Ryuu to be the distraction, to draw the attention of the guards and warriors.
When she made it into the camp, she waited for a moment and let her sense expand. What she sensed made her doubt all her abilities. The camp itself was awake and alive as they had expected, but she swore she felt Ryuu and Orochi, talking. Everything else in the camp was as she had expected.
