Chosen by the Blade

by Bryce Allen

  “I thought we were making camp for the night?”

  Sagura chuckled, “Oh no. We ride through the night. Why else do you think we each have an extra horse?”

  Kenji cocked his head at Sagura, still confused.

  “It’s a trick I picked up while scouting with your father in the militia. When you are on a mission, don’t sleep until the night before you arrive. You get there faster and your sleep will be sound.”

  Kenji was thankful that the darkness concealed his surprise. He knew that Sagura had served in the militia at the same time his father had, but he assumed Sagura was away from the fighting.

  “Makes sense,” Kenji said, hiding his embarrassment.

  After a few minutes, they were back on their new horses. Sagura was right. The new horse was quicker and more responsive. They would be able to maintain their pace through the night. If all went well, their horses wouldn’t die of exhaustion.

  The night crawled by. They gave their horses chances to drink, but that was it. Sagura was relentless. Kenji developed a deep sense of respect for the governor. He would never understand the man’s opulence or politics, but Sagura was an honorable man.

  Kenji let himself ponder the future. Everything was uncertain. It was hard to make predictions or plans. One thing he did know, though, was that he needed the second Zettai.

  He remembered Taijin standing on the balcony at his father’s funeral. It touched Kenji in a way not many others could know.

  Kenji’s main concern was what would happen if Taijin didn’t believe him. The entire mission hinged on it. Kenji would take the sword by force if he had to, but that was the last thing he wanted. Would it even be possible for him to take it from the boy?

  Kenji shook his head. He wouldn’t let it come down to force. If Taijin was half the man his father was, he would recognize the truth. At least, that was what Kenji told himself.

  His thoughts were interrupted by birdsong and the gentle blue light of early dawn. His body ached. The constant breeze made his arms feel cold and heavy. He wanted sleep, but he pushed on.

  “When the sun is up, it will be easier,” Sagura called back to him.

  “I’m fine,” Kenji responded coarsely.

  Sagura shrugged and didn’t say another word.

  Eventually the blue gave way to oranges and reds. The sun peeked over the horizon and warmed the earth. It was blinding at first, but Kenji appreciated the warmth. He started to feel like he had enough energy to make it.

  The day went by quickly. Kenji was irritable, and his legs felt like they would fall off.

  At the end of the second day, Kenji realized just how far they’d actually come. They were a little over halfway there. He was amazed at what they could do when they pushed to the brink of exhaustion.

  “Sagura, we should rest tonight,” Kenji called out.

  “I agree.”

  That was all Kenji needed. They found a decent spot to stop, and Kenji made a fire. He could still feel the back and forth motion of the horse, but sitting on a stationary surface was a huge relief.

  Night settled in around them. They ate a generous meal in silence. The soft crackle of the fire was comforting. It threatened to soothe Kenji to sleep.

  “We will reach Tenno tomorrow at nightfall.”

  “You will get me to Taijin?”

  Sagura nodded. Both men understood what they needed to do. It was time for sleep.

  Kenji’s head touched his pillow and sleep overwhelmed him.

  It was the clash of steel against steel that woke Kenji, a sound as provocative as his own name. Still clumsy with sleep, Kenji scrambled upright. His eyes tried to focus on the two shapes moving around him.

  It was still night, but beams of moonlight shone through the canopy of leaves above them. Kenji was groggy, but adrenaline fueled his awakening. Before Kenji could understand what was happening, Sagura shouted.

  “Kenji, take a horse. Run!”

  Sagura’s shout broke Kenji from his stupor. The governor was barely fending off his opponent. His flashy robes were easily visible in the moonlight. His attacker, however, was not as easily seen.

  Sagura had his sword at the ready, looking from side to side. Sweat rolled down his bald head. His breath was uneven. Something was wrong. Kenji had seen Sagura fight before, and knew he was better than this.

  Out of Kenji’s peripheral vision, a Shadow of cloak and steel appeared. It moved with a trained grace as it lashed out at Sagura. It was a strong cut, a cut with clear intent. Sagura saw the Shadow, too, but not as soon as Kenji.

  Sagura swung his sword to meet the cut. It was too strong of an attack to deflect. Their steel clashed again and sparks flew. The Shadow rolled backwards and disappeared in the trees. Sagura could defend, but he wouldn’t have the opportunity to attack. That was a losing game.

  Kenji dropped into a stance and reached for his sword. His heart sank when his hand caught on air.

  “Kenji, run.” Sagura backed towards Kenji, facing the direction that the Shadow had retreated to.

  Kenji considered his options. There was a horse only a few paces away from him. Kenji studied Sagura. He was outclassed. Sagura was a good swordsman, but the forest was a Shadow’s domain. Kenji remembered the stories. A handful of Shadows could destroy entire army regiments in the cover of trees.

  “Give me your sword,” Kenji ordered in a low growl.

  Sagura cast him a stunned glance. Kenji didn’t care if Sagura was offended. He wasn’t a child to be protected, he was the champion of Gawa. He needed to act as such. It was his indecision and lack of confidence that aided in Ebusu’s demise. It wouldn’t happen again.

  Sagura didn’t move, torn by indecision and the fear of letting his guard down. Kenji’s eyes darted around the trees, searching for the Shadow. All was quiet, and he didn’t detect any movement.

  He took the opportunity to rip the sword from Sagura’s hands. Sagura resisted at first, but his grip loosened. He surrendered the weapon to Kenji and grumbled his frustration. Kenji leveled the sword in front of him. He felt whole. The weight of steel in his hand brought comfort, even when facing a Shadow.

  “Get to the road!” Kenji said

  Kenji knew they weren’t that far off from the path. They had been so exhausted the night before they didn’t bother to travel far. If they could make it to the road, the Shadow would be forced into the open. It was a simple plan, but it was the only one Kenji had.

  They sprinted out of the forest and weaved through a short trail that lead to the main road. Kenji instinctively ducked when he felt something small fly by his face. A whistling noise came to his ear in an instant and he knew they were throwing knives.

  Several flew past Sagura and Kenji, embedding themselves in the trees around them. Some were thrown so hastily that they bounced to the ground at their feet. The frustration of their enemy was clear as the blades came at a quickened pace.

  Kenji and Sagura scrambled up the ditch and rolled onto the gravel road. Sagura pressed his body tight to the ground, peering back out at the forest. Kenji started to do the same, but a realization came to him. The Shadow couldn’t hit them, and that meant only one thing.

  Kenji stood up, elevated on the road and exposed to attacks. Sagura stayed down, muttering curse words about Kenji’s recklessness.

  As Kenji stood, three more throwing blades came from the forest. In quick succession, they flew past Kenji. It took every bit of willpower he had, but he didn’t flinch.

  The Shadow wasn’t used to throwing with his left hand.

  Two more throwing blades emerged from the darkness of the forest. One of them kicked up gravel at Kenji’s feet. It stopped near Sagura’s hand, harmless.

  The second throwing blade, out of sheer luck, headed straight for Kenji. Kenji could have sidestepped it, but he didn’t. As it came toward him, he noticed the blade flutter. It caught flashes of the moonlight as it tumbled. His instinct told him it was no threat.

  Kenji was a statue. He stared defiantl
y into the forest. The small blade struck his chest, but it didn’t cut him. Kenji knew the throw was poor. The back side of the blade made impact, but didn’t even tear his robes.

  It fell to the ground and Kenji leveled his sword towards the woods. Sagura’s eyes were wide. He looked up at Kenji with a combination of awe and confusion. Kenji ignored the look and addressed their attacker.

  “Manzo!”

  The name echoed over the peace of the forest. Kenji scanned the edge of the forest, but there was no movement. Manzo was considering his options, and Kenji couldn’t blame him. Out in the open he would have a difficult fight ahead of him.

  The silence settled around them and Kenji calmed himself. The late evening was a cold one, and Kenji’s breath was visible in the moonlight. The plumes of steam revealed just how hard he was breathing.

  Kenji thought he would have to shout again, but Manzo finally answered. A patch of forest rustled and the trees opened up. Manzo stepped into the moonlight and glared at Kenji.

  “If Hiroshi sent you to fetch me, let him know I’m already on my way,” Kenji mocked.

  “Hiroshi knows nothing. I take orders from no one,” Manzo shouted up at them.

  Kenji considered the words for a moment. Manzo acted on his own, meaning Hiroshi didn’t know he was coming. He tucked the information away in his mind.

  “I can’t let you live, Manzo. You killed the emperor.”

  “I gave the emperor justice! I served him with honor, and I was discarded after the war like trash, banished from my land and my practice,” Manzo screamed the words, anger flowing from him.

  The revelation came as a shock to Kenji, but he kept the emotion off his face. At one time, this man could have fought beside his father. A rush of anger threatened to break Kenji’s composure, but he restrained himself by tightening his hand around his hilt.

  Kenji studied his opponent. He looked older than when Kenji fought him last. Even in the darkness, Kenji could see the bags under his eyes. There was an edge to him now; a dangerous, primal energy.

  The hood of his black robe was down. He was unafraid to show his face. Staying at least ten paces away from Kenji, Manzo walked up the ditch. He took his place in the center of the road.

  Seeing Manzo take such a bold position was unsettling. He had no camouflage and no cover. Kenji knew immediately that this fight would not end at an injury. Manzo’s lip curled up in a combination of anger and disgust.

  He held a long, curved blade in the hand that Kenji had destroyed. A leather strap wrapped his hand around the handle. He moved like it was an extension of his arm, and Kenji knew he would be unable to let it go. Kenji respected the old Shadow.

  As the warriors watched each other, Sagura stood up and backed away. He was no coward, but he knew he had no place in this fight. Manzo reached into his robe and unsheathed a second blade. It was a short sword, barely longer than a dagger. Manzo took a stance, and the battle began.

  Kenji raced towards Manzo. His feet felt light on the gravel. With his sword above his right shoulder, he readied a strike. Kenji didn’t know how Manzo would fight in a proper duel, but he quickly found out.

  Kenji cut down into an opening in Manzo’s guard. Manzo twisted away, raising his long sword to catch the attack. Instead of letting the blade deflect, Manzo caught Kenji’s blade with his short sword.

  Manzo continued his twist. Kenji’s blade was trapped. Manzo pulled Kenji close, trying to rip Kenji’s blade from his hands. Kenji held on but sacrificed his footing to do so. Manzo pushed his hip into Kenji’s and Kenji flipped over the Shadow. He landed on his side, but Manzo also lost his balance in the throw.

  As Kenji leaped to his feet, blade at the ready, he nearly laughed. If it hadn’t been for the jewel-encrusted handle that Sagura had on his blade, he may have dropped it. However, thanks to the ornate handle, he was barely able to hang on.

  Kenji missed the feel of a sword in his hand. Even in this life or death contest, he found contentment in his technique.

  Manzo tried to capitalize on the throw. With his long sword, he lashed out with a horizontal cut. The straps holding his blade in place made the cut awkward and slow, but no less lethal. Kenji parried, easily holding his ground.

  As he deflected the cut, the short sword came at him, triple the speed of the long sword. Kenji leaned back. The blade came dangerously close to his navel. Kenji felt his robes resist the blade for an instant before the attack stopped.

  Kenji stumbled backwards, but as he did, he realized Manzo had overcommitted to the short-sword attack. They were both falling the same direction. Kenji brought his knees to his chest, and as he hit the ground, Manzo’s weight fell onto his legs.

  With a sharp grunt, Kenji pushed. Manzo toppled over Kenji, landing flat and hard on his back. Kenji leapt to his feet and lunged at Manzo, but he was already rolling out of the way.

  Manzo only had a second on his feet before the battle began again. Kenji focused on making well-timed cuts, trying to capitalize on the bizarre nature of Manzo’s grip on his long sword.

  Manzo didn’t give Kenji many opportunities, though. Every time their long swords made contact, Kenji had to worry about the impending short-sword strike. It was hard to penetrate a defense like that.

  Time crawled by, and their steel met again and again. Sweat poured from Kenji’s body, threatening to ruin his grip. Every cut made was potentially fatal. Both warriors were surviving, waiting for the other to make a mistake.

  Kenji knew he had to deal with the short sword. Every time they clashed, it was a threat. If he didn’t disengage, the short sword would cut into him.

  He could tell Manzo was tiring. His cuts were precise, but they lacked power. Again, Kenji felt a pang of respect, almost admiration for the man. He would never give up.

  Kenji saw an opening. Manzo hesitated before a cut, jerking his long sword and wincing. Manzo realized the error at the same time as Kenji and readied his short sword for a block.

  Kenji put all his strength into an upward-sweeping cut towards Manzo’s center. Manzo stopped the attack with his short sword, but he sacrificed his form. Manzo reflexively moved his other hand towards his short sword to support the block.

  It was all Kenji needed. Kenji pulled his arms up and close to his body. This was normally a dangerous move, but with Manzo trying to regain his composure, he was safe. Kenji slammed the butt of his sword into into Manzo’s bound hand.

  Manzo’s response was visceral. He tried to scream, but he choked on the sound. He stumbled backwards, dropping the short sword. He clawed at the straps with his left hand, trying to free his mangled hand.

  He had no luck, but Kenji let him struggle. It was difficult to watch. He imagined it was a similar feeling to being trapped in a fire. He desperately wanted to free his hand, but the straps weren’t tied with the intent to be removed.

  Kenji moved towards Manzo, sword high above his head. Kenji was ready for the final cut. Manzo realized the attack was coming. He gritted his teeth and lifted his sword. With the help of his free hand he managed a counter attack, but it was too slow.

  Kenji cut. His blade passed Manzo’s block by a hair. The blade moved through Manzo’s neck with ease. It sliced down through his neck and across his chest. The cut was clean. Manzo’s head and sword arm parted from his body.

  The Shadow fell to the side of the road. His remains rolled down the ditch, mixing with dirt and grass.

  Kenji fell to a knee, his weight resting on Sagura’s sword like a walking stick. Sagura ran to his side. No words were exchanged. Kenji didn’t need to be congratulated, nor did he need to be coddled. They understood each other.

  Once Kenji caught his breath, he handed the sword back to Sagura. Sagura bowed as he accepted it. After clearing the blood from the pale steel, Sagura sheathed the sword. Sagura went to gather their belongings and the horses.

  Kenji stared at the Shadow’s remains. It was hard to believe that only moments earlier, he had been alive. The late emperor’s words came b
ack to him: He could not forget the lives he took. He needed to carry their memory with him. It was a burden, but an honorable one.

  Kenji looked down the path and realized the sun was about to rise. He hardly noticed the birds announcing the new day. Behind them, the horizon was blooming with reds and purples. If only every death was shrouded in such beauty.

  Chapter 14

  “It will just be a moment,” Kenji said, distracted.

  He slid off his horse. His eyes were fixed on the grassy ditch. Sagura nodded and slowed his horse to a stop. The sun had come and gone since their fight with Manzo, and few words were exchanged.

  Kenji didn’t want Sagura to see the tension in his face as he kicked through the grass, searching. He turned his back on the governor and continued rustling through brush. There wasn’t much foliage to go through, but Kenji held out hope. In the light of the full moon, it wouldn’t be hard to find steel amongst dirt.

  “What are you looking for?” Sagura asked.

  Kenji shook his head, pushing a shrub aside to peer underneath it. He knew if he spoke he would sound as desperate as he felt.

  “Oh,” Sagura said, suddenly understanding. He dismounted and came to Kenji’s side.

  “I can help you look. Where did you leave it?”

  Kenji rolled a log out of its resting place and turned back to his horse.

  “I suppose it doesn’t matter,” Kenji said as he pulled himself onto his mount.

  It was a poorly veiled lie, more of a sympathy to Sagura, if anything. It did matter. From the instant Kenji saw Ebusu’s words on that parchment he had yearned for his sword. The sword was a gift from Ebusu. It was a token of his respect. It meant everything to Kenji.

  “I’m sorry, Kenji,” Sagura said.

  “Don’t be. I’ll have a new one shortly.” Kenji kept his words short. He didn’t want Sagura to hear his voice crack.

  The vacancy at Kenji’s side was apparent from then on. It throbbed like an open wound, screaming for his blade. An emptiness opened up inside him when realized he would never wield the sword again.