by Ryan Kirk
Eventually Ryuu’s breakdown subsided, and Moriko could see that everything had burned away. He was a man on a mission. Moriko nodded her approval and cleared a space in the dirt at their feet. With a stick she sketched out the compound, making corrections as Ryuu brought them to her attention. Much of it was guesswork, albeit educated. They weren’t able to sense walls or buildings, but only the people in them. It was conjecture to determine which collections of people represented which types of buildings, but they felt reasonably sure of their efforts.
They discussed several ideas for entering the compound, from a direct walk up the main road to attempting to sneak in through the tree tops without being detected. A simmering tension lay beneath the surface, as Moriko’s ideal attempt kept them completely unnoticed, while Ryuu preferred an approach that left a trail of corpses in his wake.
Like all great plans, they ended up deciding on a compromise. Ryuu would attempt to enter the compound directly. His goal was to divert attention to himself. While Ryuu was the distraction, Moriko would sneak in and pull Takako out by approaching and leaving from a different direction. It was as good as they could come up with. Ryuu was the better swordsman and Moriko could get in and out without Orochi sensing her.
It was also a plan which pitted Ryuu against Orochi. Ryuu was happy about it, Moriko unspeakably sad. She knew she was going to lose at least one of them, if not both. She cursed fate for putting her in this position.
Moriko looked up at the horizon. “They’ll be expecting us to attack in the middle of the night.”
Ryuu glanced at the horizon as well. By a quick judgment it looked like they still had a couple of watches before the sun was down. “That’s why we are attacking as soon as the sky is dark.”
She almost protested, but realized it was the most logical decision. Many guards would be sleeping in preparation for the night watch and wouldn’t recover quickly. It would give them an advantage in the opening moments of the attack.
They decided to take turns sleeping and keeping watch. Moriko was exhausted and fell asleep in an instant. When she was woke, the sun was just dipping below the horizon.
“Three watches and then wake me.” Moriko nodded at Ryuu’s command.
Like Moriko, he fell asleep instantly. Considering the emotional strain he was under, it was surprising he could sleep at all. Moriko smiled to herself and kept watch, reflecting on the turn of events which had very likely brought her to the last day of her life.
29
Ryuu awoke the moment Moriko moved to wake him. Again Moriko was reminded of just how different Ryuu’s training had been from her own. Sometimes it didn’t even seem like he slept. His sense was so well-tuned he was able to pick up movement coming towards him even while asleep. He had attempted to teach the ability to Moriko, but she hadn’t been able to get the hang of it. She suspected it wasn’t so much an issue of technique or ability, but more the repeated conditioning of waking up to an imagined threat. Ryuu had mentioned in passing once that Shigeru had often tested him with midnight attacks.
They prepared without speaking. Words weren’t necessary. They knew what they were doing, knew there was nothing further to be discussed. They each practiced some cuts and made sure their edges were sharp.
Moriko couldn’t help but stare a little as Ryuu went through his kata. She could see the small differences in his swordsmanship that made him better than anyone she had met. His moves and cuts were perfect. She considered her own training to be rigorous, but his had to have been more intense. For over ten cycles he had done nothing but train every day with a man who was one of the best swordsmen in the Three Kingdoms.
Even more impressive, Moriko was convinced she had yet to see his true skill. He had dispatched the Abbot with so little effort, Moriko was positive she had never seen his full potential. In all of their training, he had always been able to block or dodge every single one of her attacks. It was sometimes only by the smallest of distances, but she had never struck him. To an untrained eye they may be close in skill, but Moriko suspected a vast plain separated them.
Knowing 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. 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 Ryuu’s 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 Ryuu and Moriko’s dramatic exit from the premises at sunrise, the soldiers 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 that 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 rescue 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 build 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 them 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 rage 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 take 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 profess
ionals.
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 halfway through the tall grass, Ryuu took a break and rested, sitting on his calves in a sizeable 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 knew long ago. “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 was 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, completel
y 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 already, 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 have been 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 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.
