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Origin of Awakening (chapter 9 added!)

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Origin of Awakening

 

Ending Song

 

[spoiler=Chapter 1]

Chapter 1 - Rags

 

 

People ran by. A child, sitting against a wall, next to a garbage can, went unnoticed by most. Wearing nothing but rags like clothing and a hood, the child sat there, curled silently. The child looked up. Most of the passing people seemed to be in a hurry. The smell of sulfur was creeping into the air. The child noticed that while people with swords were going one way, people dressed normally were running the other. Where the people with swords were running, there was fire. Not simple fire, but blazes, upon blazes. They sparked and danced, as if hoping to engulf the entire city. The child was brought back to her senses when a horse-drawn carriage stopped right in front of her.

 

“Yes, here. Please stop right here.” said a young girl’s voice from inside the carriage.

 

A small girl walked out of the carriage, looking to be about six, maybe seven. Her long black hair matched her dark blue kimono with pink petals. The girl approached the small child.

 

“It’s dangerous here. Come with me, you’ll be safe.” the girl said, smiling.

 

The child hesitated, but something about the young girl’s smile drew her in. The child nodded and stood up. The child was about the same height as the girl, if somewhat taller. The girl was already walking back toward the carriage. The child looked down, and was about to resume huddling against the wall when the girl turned.

 

“Aren’t you coming?” she asked.

 

The child nodded and trotted toward the carriage. Inside the carriage were only the child and girl. There was also a person sitting outside the carriage, who was steering the horses as the carriage began to move again.

 

“My name is Yuki Fujishiba. What’s your name?” the girl asked.

 

The child looked down. “I’m Kailyn…Kailyn Kyosuke…”

 

As Kailyn said this, the rag around her head loosened and fell down. Her long red hair fell down to her lap.

 

“Is that really your actual hair color?” Yuki asked, her green eyes sparkling.

 

“Yes…it is. When I was born, my hair was already red.” Kailyn replied.

 

The girl cocked her head to one side. “There’s no need to be so shy.”

 

Kailyn turned her head to the outside of the carriage. “I’m not used to talking to people…”

 

Yuki’s gazed lowered. “I see. It’s okay if you don’t want to talk.”

 

They passed many houses, many people, until they reached a large gate. Yuri stood up.

 

“Here is my home. I’ll show you inside.” she said, smiling.

 

Yuki stepped out of the carriage. Kailyn, who was looking the other direction, was snapped back to reality, and followed her. They passed a few people, some carrying scrolls, others shuffling along. Every time they passed someone, they would bow.

 

“Greetings, Young Mistress.” said yet another one of the passing people, to which Yuki nodded politely.

 

“Why are all these people bowing?” Kailyn asked.

 

“Oh, that’s because the lord, Minoru Fujishiba, is my father.”

 

Yuki and Kailyn reached the entrance. Yuki slid the door open.

 

“Follow me, I’ll show you my room.”

 

Kailyn nodded and followed Yuki through the halls. They were oddly vacant. Yuki finally stopped in front of a door and slid it open, revealing a large room with an intricate rose pattern surrounding it. There was a large mirror on the far wall. A single desk sat in a corner.

 

“I have a question…why did you pick me up off of the streets?” Kailyn asked.

 

Yuki turned to fake her. “Such a pretty girl shouldn’t be alone in the streets, right?”

 

Kailyn blushed and looked down as Yuki opened the door again.

 

“You must be hungry. I’ll get you something to eat.” Yuki said as she left the room and slid the door shut. She walked over to a nearby wall and leaned on it. She looked up to the ceiling.

 

“I can’t tell her what she’s really here for…it’d be too cruel…”

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter 2]

Chapter 2 - What’s a Bath?

 

 

Kailyn looked around. She had never seen a place like this. She had grown up watching people pass by. They had all ignored her, disregarded the fact she was even there. This time had been different. Someone she never met before took her into her home. Kailyn walked over to the mirror. Her own appearance left her speechless. Her red hair was unkempt, and the rags around her were ripped in several places, and her face was somewhat dirty, but underneath all that, her eyes still shone, as if immune to the dirt and rags covering the rest of her body. The door slid open again, and Yuki walked in.

 

“I ordered some of the servants to prepare dinner. It will probably be ready shortly. Is there anything you feel like doing while we wait?” Yuki asked.

 

“I’m dirty.” Kailyn said, more to herself than Yuki.

 

“Oh, if you want, you can take a bath.”

 

Kailyn turned to face Yuki. “What’s a bath?”

 

Yuki stared for a moment, and when Kailyn’s face didn’t change, she giggled. “You’re kidding, right? You’ve never heard of a bath? It’s when you wash yourself to get clean.”

 

“You mean the rain?” Kailyn said, looking at the ceiling, as if expecting rain to fall at any second.

 

Yuki shook her head. “No, I’m talking about… actually, just come with me, I’ll show you.”

 

Yuki grabbed Kailyn’s hand and led her out of the room, through the hallways, and into a room with a giant wooden barrel filled with water.

 

Yuki pointed to the bottom of the barrel, where a green tube made from bamboo stuck out. “When someone blows on that, it heats up the water in the barrel. So get in, and I’ll call someone to heat it for you.”

 

Kailyn stared at the barrel for a few more seconds, then nodded and began to climb inside.

 

“Wait, you have to take off your clothes first.” Yuki said, raising her hand.

 

Kailyn hesitated, and then began to take off her rags. She tossed each of them into the floor until there was only one left. Kailyn stood there for a few moments, looking down at the last rag covering her body.

 

“What’s wrong?” Yuki asked.

 

“Do people have to take out all their clothes to take a bath?”

 

“Of course they do, or the water gets as dirty as their clothes, and their clothes get all wet. So come on, I’ll help you.” Yuki said, walking over to Kailyn.

 

Kailyn was about to take a step back when Yuki reached her and began to pull on the rag. After a few seconds of struggling, Yuki managed to slide the rag off. Kailyn blushed and took another step back, but stepped on Yuki’s kimono. Yuki was pulled forward and fell on Kailyn. Kailyn was lying on the floor, blushing, and Yuki was on top of her on her hands and knees, giggling.

 

“I’m sorry, Kailyn. I guess it’d feel strange to take a bath for the first time.” she said, smiling, as she attempted to get back up.

 

Yuki got to her feet and held out her arm. Kailyn grabbed it, her face still red, and hoisted herself up. She climbed on to the bath without a word. Yuki’s smile turned to a frown.

 

“You’re not mad, are you? I’m sorry. I’m just used to baths being something natural. It never occurred to me that someone might not be used to them. Tell you what. I’ll make it up to you by heating the bath up myself.”

 

Kailyn turned to look as Yuki kneeled down on the floor and began blowing on the bamboo tube. After a moment or two, Kailyn began to feel the bath getting warmer. She relaxed and let more of her body sink into the water. A minute or so passed, and there was a thud. Kailyn looked down to see Yuki had collapsed, panting.

 

“I’m sorry…this is the first time…I’ve done this. It’s harder than I thought.” she said, a small smile on her face.

 

Kailyn shook her head. “No, I wasn’t mad. It just felt strange to not be wearing anything. You don’t have to blow anymore, the water’s fine.”

 

Yuki took a few seconds to catch her breath and then stood up straightening her kimono.

 

“Very well… I have something to do, so I’ll have to leave for now, but there will be dress robes waiting for you once you come out.”

 

Yuki walked out of the room and slid the door shut. Kailyn looked down at the water.

 

“Why did I…?”

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter 3]

Having changed into the grey robes left for her, Kailyn walked out of the bath, looking for Yuki. Everywhere she turned, there were paintings of people, but no actual people. She saw a door and walked through it. Around her were countless trees. The green grass, made darker by the moonless night, surrounded the ground. Kailyn took one step into the grass, and jumped back when the cold grass chilled her foot. She put her foot down on the grass, this time slowly, and began walking toward the trees. As she walked, she could feel grass bend beneath her weight and dirt take the shape of her foot as she stepped on it. When Kailyn reached the nearest tree, she raised her hand and touched it. She heard a noise and stiffened. A few seconds passed, and she heard another noise.

 

Kailyn walked inside, and was surprised to find a small clearing after the first layer of trees. She took a few seconds to look around, and then proceeded onward. Kailyn made her way through the grass, avoiding trees and ducking branches as she made her way closer to the sound’s origin. She heard a crack and looked down, startled. She had stepped on a twig and snapped it.

 

“Who’s there?” called a man’s voice.

 

The voice shocked Kailyn, who began stepping back. She reached the clearing she had first stumbled upon, when she bumped into something. She turned around and saw a man with grey hair and dark green clothes. The man’s eyes were small, and his mouth was twisted into a frown.

 

“What’s a young girl from the lord’s palace doing out here in the sparring garden?” the man asked.

 

“Actually, I don’t live there. I was picked up from the street and given a bath.” Kailyn said.

 

“Wait, you’re not from the palace? You’re from the streets? Well then, I suppose we can have a little fun with you, and no one will mind, huh?” the man said.

 

The man waved his hand, and another man, tall, with shoulder-length black hair, and wearing grey clothes, walked into the clearing.

 

”Hey, this girl here says she’s not from the royal family. What do you think, should we play around with her a little?”

 

Kailyn took a step back, trembling. The gray-haired man dashed behind her and locked her arms, so she was unable to move.

 

”Alright, let’s see how close you can get!” the grey-haired man yelled to the other, smirking.

 

The man with shoulder-length hair grinned and took out his sword. He pointed it toward Kailyn and inched it closer to her until it was an inch from her face, which was drawn back in fear. The man gripped his sword and brought it back.

 

“Don’t move, girl…”

 

The man swung his sword. Kailyn shut her eyes tight. A few seconds passed. Kailyn slowly opened one of her eyes. The man drew back his sword and slashed once again. This time, Kailyn, who didn’t close her eyes in time, saw the blade zoom by and miss her face by an inch at best. Kailyn yelped and began struggling to break free, but the man holding her didn’t let budge. The grey-haired man opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a small sound that came from the trees. The man froze and glanced over at where the sound had come from.

 

“That must’ve been a bug or something. Anyway, this girl’s trying to put up a struggle. Let’s try one more time for the record, and then we can leave her here.”

 

The man with shoulder-length black hair nodded and prepared his slash. He swung his sword so close to Kailyn she felt as if it missed her skin by no more than a millimeter. The two men began laughing as the one with the sword drew back for another strike.

 

“Hey, how about I have one more go? I think I can beat that record.”

 

“Alright, then,” the grey-haired man said, chuckling. “Try one more time, and then we get out of here. I’ll be late if we don’t hurry.”

 

A tear formed in the corner of Kailyn’s eye as the man with the shoulder length hair was about to slash, when his eyes widened and he dropped to the ground. The grey-haired man let go of Kailyn and kneeled beside him. He noticed that the back of the man’s head was bleeding, and there was a large bloodied rock by his side. The grey-haired man raised his head.

 

“Hey, you think this is funny? Come out here, I’ll show you funny, you bastard!”

 

There was a loud thump which caused both the man and Kailyn to turn. There, on the ground, was a young boy with black hair that stuck up in the back, holding a stone. His black clothes were dirty. He stood up, still clutching the stone. His wide eyes were glaring at the man.

 

“I may have tripped, but I won’t let you hurt someone, you bully.” he said, holding up the stone.

 

The grey-haired man began walking over to the kid. “Well, aren’t you the brave one? What are you gonna do, kid? Don’t mess with grown ups, if you know what’s good for you.”

 

“I have a rock, you can’t scare me.”

 

“You think I’m scared of a rock? Go on, throw it, so I can show you what real pain is.”

 

The man suddenly dashed for the kid, who tossed the rock blindly. The rock missed the man, who reached the kid and punched him in the face. The kid staggered back, dazed. The man struck him again. He kicked the kid in the stomach, making him bend over in pain. He continued to kick the kid, laughing as he did so.

 

“Stop this right now, you insolent peasant!”

 

Yuki stood there, glaring at the man, who turned around as soon as he saw her.

 

“Oh, Young Mistress, what brings you here?” the man asked, fidgeting.

 

“I’m here to stop you from further harming my guest and her friend. Now leave my sight at once, and take your companion with you, before I have my father hear of this audacity.”

 

“But, Young Mistress, that boy attacked us first!”

 

“You were harassing my guest with your childish antics. Go, now, before I have the guards escort you out.”

 

The man opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it, hoisted his friend onto his back, and walked off. Kailyn watched him leave and then focused her attention on the boy. Yuki was already at his side, helping him to his feet. The boy staggered, but was able to stand.

 

“I’m sorry, if I’d gotten here sooner, I might have saved you guys sooner, but, you know, what you did wasn’t very smart.” Yuki said.

 

“Well I wasn’t going to let them hurt her. You said she’s important.”

 

”I know that, which is why I’m grateful to you, for being that brave, against adults, no less. What I need you to understand is that charging into the battle without a plan is basically suicide.”

 

The boy lowered his head.

 

“So, you know this boy?” Kailyn asked.

 

Yuki turned to Kailyn. “Huh? Oh, yeah, I forgot to introduce you two. Kailyn, this is Yamada Hirako. He, too, grew up on the streets. From this day on, you two are going to be training to become masters of the sword.”

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter 4]

Chapter 4 - a Sword is Nothing with an Incompetent Master

 

 

Kailyn and Yamada sat, kneeling, in a room devoid of furniture, yet there were dozens of long, thick posts attached to the floor. They scattered throughout the room, and there was a white cloth-like material around them, tied together by a single rope.

 

“So let me get this straight,” Yamada began. “We’re supposed to just sit here uncomfortably until someone comes?”

 

“I suppose so.” Kailyn replied.

 

“Well, what if no one comes?”

 

“Then I suppose we just sit here all day, right? But Yuki said someone would come, so I’m sure someone will.”

 

Yamada sighed. “You’re not much of a talker, are you?”

 

Before Kailyn could respond, the door slid open, and an old man, who was slightly taller than Kailyn, walked in. He was smiling as he inched over to the wall opposite Kailyn and Yamada and pulled on a string that hung loose. Part of the wall gave way to reveal a sword, held on its side by a shiny black stand. The old man stared at the sword.

 

“Hey, are you by any chance the guy that’s supposed to meet us here?” Yamada asked, confused.

 

The old man turned slowly to face Yamada. He turned back toward the sword and picked it up. He walked over to Yamada and began staring at him, still with a smile on his face. The old man raised the blade and whacked Yamada in the head with the sheathed sword.

 

Yamada gripped his head with one hand. “That hurt! What was that for, old man?”

 

“You should have more respect for your sensei. You should have more respect for the elderly, too.” the old man said.

 

“Wait, so are you the person that’s supposed to meet us here?” Yamada asked, rubbing his head.

 

“Depends on what you came here to do. If you are looking for someone to teach you how to gather berries, you are in the wrong place. But, if it’s skill with a sword you wish to learn, then you have certainly come to the correct place.”

 

“So you’re the guy that’s going to teach us how to swing swords?” Yamada asked.

 

The old man shook his head. “Any person can swing a sword. What I will teach you is now how to swing a sword, but how to wield a sword.”

 

“So there’s a difference?”

 

”Of course there is a difference, young one. Even if a scribe can hold a pen, it means nothing if he does not know how to write.”

 

“Wait, weren’t we talking about swords?” Yamada asked.

 

“It is the same principle for a sword. A sword is worthless at the hands of one who does not know how to wield it. That is what I aim to teach you. Since you are both around the age of eight, your minds are still developing. It is much easier to learn something when you are young.”

 

Kailyn raised her head. “Excuse me, but how did you know our age?”

 

“Well, simply from your faces, your actions, among other things. Although from what I can see, you act older than your age. Most children tend to be overly curious and talkative around that age.”

 

Yamada stood up. “Hey, I don’t talk too much. Also, you’re just an old man. You’re probably just rambling.”

 

“Oh, is that so? Then care to show an old man just how superior you are?” the old man said as he handed the sword to Yamada.

 

“Wait, you want me to try and fight you? Where’s your sword?”

 

“Oh, I doubt I’ll need one. Go on. Slash at me from any angle.”

 

Yamada hesitated, and then nodded and pulled out the sword. He tossed the sheath aside and readied the sword.

 

“A swordsman never casts aside his sheath.” the old man stated casually.

 

Yamada grunted and swung at the old man, who simply stepped aside. Yamada’s slash missed, and Yamada lost his footing and had to struggle not to fall. The old man stepped closer to Yamada, who stepped back on instinct. The old man stuck out his foot, tripping Yamada. Yamada fell to a sitting position, dropping the sword.

 

“Now do you see? It is pointless to have a weapon without knowledge on how to use it.”

 

“I’m not done yet…” Yamada stated, standing up.

 

He picked up the sword and swung the sword downward. The old man sighed and stopped the sword with one hand on each side of the blade, pressing them together.

 

“How did he stop that sword with his hands?” Kailyn muttered under her breath.

 

The old man took one of his hands from the blade and pushed the blade aside with the other. He placed the hand he had removed from the sword on Yamada’s hands, which were gripping the hilt of the sword tightly. In a second, the man had the sword pointed at Yamada’s neck.

 

“It’s a simple fact. A sword is nothing when paired with an incompetent master. Now, either learn how to wield a sword properly, or stop wasting your own time with your pitiful attempts.”

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter 5]

Chapter 5 - Invasion

 

 

Yamada stood on one foot, shaking. Kailyn stood beside him, also standing on one foot, but shaking much less. The old man was casually pacing in front of them.

 

“Hey, old man, how much longer do we have to do this? We’ve been doing this for the past three days already. It’s almost as boring as that week you took to teach us about the history of swordsmen and different fighting styles.”

 

The old man took out his wooden sword and pushed the tip to Yamada’s chest, making him wave his arms to keep from falling. “Balance is one of the skills a swordsman must have if he wishes to become successful. Also, I told you to call me Ogato-sensei, young one.”

 

“Balance isn’t a skill! What a swordsman needs is strength and speed. No matter how much balance you have someone stronger or faster than you will always beat you, right? So why aren’t you training us on that?” Yamada asked, still trying to stay balanced.

 

“Ah, but what good is strength, or speed, if a swordsman cannot even stand still when an enemy does this to him?”

 

Ogato crouched down and swept Yamada off his foot with one leg. Yamada landed with a thud on the ground.

 

“Actually, Sensei, I was wondering the same thing. I don’t think most opponents will try and trip us. How does balance help us?”

 

Ogato shifted his gaze to Kailyn. “Very well, since both of you are confused, how about I demonstrate the importance of balance? Come, follow me.”

 

Kailyn dropped her other foot on the ground and followed him. Yamada stood up and walked after both of them. Ogato led them to a pole that was lying horizontally, attached to two, smaller poles, both attached to the ground.

 

“Well, here it is. Now, climb on, both of you.” he said, beckoning them toward the pole.

 

Kailyn climbed on, struggling slightly to stay on. Yamada sighed and climbed on to the opposite side of the pole as Kailyn.

 

“Great, more balancing exercises?” Yamada asked.

 

Ogato held up his hand. He walked over to the wall and picked up two staffs that were leaning against the wall. The staffs were about as tall as Ogato himself, and were light brown in color. He tossed one to Kailyn, who caught it, having only to wave her arms a bit to keep balanced, and the other one to Yamada, who almost dropped it, but managed to catch it.

 

“Now, I want both of you to try and knock the other off of the pole. The only rule is your body can’t touch the ground. If it does, you lose.” Ogato said.

 

Yamada nodded, grinning. “Finally, we’re seeing some action. Kailyn, I won’t go easy on you.”

 

“Same to you, Yama-kun.” Kailyn said.

 

Yamada swung his staff at Kailyn, who raised her own to block. She was slightly shaken by the attack, but managed to hold on and push Yamada’s staff away, causing him to wave his arms to regain his balance. Kailyn lunged forward with her staff, making Yamada step back. The staff barely hit Yamada’s stomach, and one of his feet swung off the pole. He pushed his staff against the pole to avoid falling. Once he regained balance, Yamada raised his staff and brought it down on Kailyn, who held her staff with both hands and blocked the hit. Kailyn took the chance and swung the staff at Yamada’s feet, sweeping him off his feet. He gasped as he fell. Suddenly, his fall stopped. Yamada had pushed his staff against the floor, stopping his fall.

 

“There was nothing in the rules about the staff touching the ground, right?” he asked, grinning.

 

Yamada pushed up, giving himself a boost, and swung his staff at Kailyn’s side with his full strength. Kailyn used her own staff to block, but she was knocked aside, off the pole. Yamada hit the ground, and Kailyn fell down right after him.

 

Yamada sighed. “I guess it was a tie, huh? It’s lame to tie with a girl, but I was more awesome, isn’t that right, Ogato-sensei?”

 

Ogato began chuckling. “Very clever of you, young one, using your staff to aid you in balance. I must say, in sheer strength and cunning, you are superior. All the same, Kailyn demonstrated a higher level of skill, and she kept her composure, even after Yamada’s crafty trick.”

 

Yamada stood up, confused. “I thought this was supposed to be a test of balance?”

 

“Of course, this was a test of balance, and in that, while Kailyn’s balance was greater, Yamada thought outside of the box. The match ended in a tie, yet you both fought differently. Do you see the worth of balance now, youngsters?”

 

“Well, not really. I mean, sure, it would be useful over a large pit, if two people are fighting on a log that’s hanging over the middle of the pit, but there’s basically no chance of that.” Yamada said.

 

“Young one, you must never cast the unlikely as impossible. It will draw the unlikely towards you. You see, balance isn’t only a physical action. Balance is everywhere, and everywhere, for if there was no balance, the world would be in chaos.”

 

Then, the door burst open. A man burst in, panting.

 

“There is a battle going on outside! The enemy is stronger than our own forces. Lady Yuki has already escaped with Master Shin on horseback. She demanded the two swordsmen-in-training, Kyosuke and Hirako, also escape.”

 

Ogato frowned. “Oh, this is… this is disastrous. Come, come quickly, young ones. Follow me.”

 

Ogato led Kailyn and Yamada to the far wall, where he had once shown them the blade. He pulled the string to open the wall again. This time, he reached in and pulled another string, and that wall, too, gave in. Ogato grabbed the stand the sword was previously in, and hefted it up with some difficulty. He placed it on the floor next to him and pointed at the passage.

 

“Go, quick. Before it’s too late, you must run. Everything you must know to survive will be at the end of this passage!”

 

Kailyn nodded and climbed inside. Yamada gulped and followed her. Soon, they were engulfed by total darkness.

 

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter 6]

Chapter 6 - Passage of Darkness

 

 

Kailyn and Yamada crawled forward, along the tunnel that was pure darkness. The light from the room they had just left had long since faded, and the passage ahead of them was, if anything, becoming darker.

 

“Kailyn, I want to ask you something.”

 

Kailyn stopped crawling and looked back. “What is it, Yamada?”

 

“Do you…do you think we’re going to survive this…?” Yamada asked.

 

Kailyn set her gaze forward again. “I don’t know, but… if we want to have a chance, then we have to escape as fast as possible.”

 

Yamada nodded. “You’re right.”

 

The two continued to crawl silently along the darkness. After some time, Kailyn pointed to a small light at the far end of the passage.

 

“Look, I can see light. We must be getting close.”

 

The light grew little by little until Kailyn and Yamada were standing in a small room. There were several lit candles on top of a single wooden table. Behind the candles was a young man. He had short black hair, and dark green clothes.

 

“Are you Kailyn Kyosuke and Yamada Hirako?”

 

Kailyn nodded. “Yes, we are. Who are you?”

 

“I am Mitsuki Konno. I would like to get to know you better later, but first, we must flee. Follow me.”

 

Kailyn and Yamada nodded and followed Mitsuki through a door. As soon as they stepped outside, Kailyn smelled smoke.

 

“Now, quickly, climb inside.” said Mitsuki, pointing to a carriage nearby much like the one Kailyn first rode on with Yuki.

 

Once Kailyn and Yamada were inside, Mitsuki climbed onto the front seat and picked up the reins from beside him.

 

“Hyah!” Mitsuki shouted at the horses, as he pulled the rein up.

 

The horses began pulling the carriage alongside the mansion. Two soldiers spotted them and one of them raised their hand.

 

“Halt!” one of the soldiers called.

 

The carriage slowed to a stop.

 

“Where are you going?” asked the other soldier.

 

“We are not lords or nobles, we are mere peasants.” Mitsuki answered calmly.

 

“Alright then, move along.” instructed the first soldier.

 

Mitsuki nodded and began to pull up the reins to coax the horses to continue moving, but the second soldier held up his hand.

 

“Wait a minute, what kind of peasants own carriages? Or maybe you stole it from this lord’s house, which would make you either a lying noble or a thieving peasant, huh?”

 

Mitsuki put the reins back down and climbed out of his seat. He approached the two men with his hands behind his head.

 

“Fine, take me if you wish. The carriage is empty, but there are some personal items in there, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t look inside.”

 

The first soldier scoffed. “You think you have any say in what we do with you or your belongings?”

 

“Hey, maybe he’s trying to smuggle out some nobles to safety. Check inside.” said the second soldier.

 

The first soldier nodded and approached the carriage. Inside the carriage, Kailyn cowered and Yamada trembled as the soldier pulled open the door.

 

“Hey, there are two kids inside!” he exclaimed.

 

“They must be children of nobles. Capture them.” the second soldier instructed.

 

The first soldier reached in to grab Yamada and Kailyn, but cringed as a blow hit the back of his head, and he fell, unconscious. Yamada and Kailyn peered outside. Mitsuki punched the second soldier in the stomach as the soldier was pulling out his sword.

 

The soldier pulled out his sword, but Mitsuki had already grabbed the soldier’s hands to keep him from swinging the sword, and swiped him off his feet. The soldier landed on the ground as Mitsuki stabbed him in the chest with his own sword.

 

Yamada and Kailyn stared at Mitsuki for a few moments, speechless.

 

“Does my fighting ability surprise you? I have been training since I was about your age.”

 

”Whoa, you really showed those soldiers,” Yamada began. “Do you think me and Kailyn will be able to do something like that one day?”

 

“Once you’re older, yes, if you work at it. Of course, if we don’t get out of here now, you won’t get any older that you are now.” Mitsuki said as he climbed back onto the carriage.

 

The carriage began speeding along the road. There were hardly any people in the streets. They few people in the streets were all running into their houses.

 

“So, where are you taking us?” Kailyn asked, a few moments later.

 

“Once we get there, you will find out.” Mitsuki replied.

 

Yamada sighed. “That was close. We barely escaped, huh? Hey, are we going to the same place Yuki is?”

 

Mitsuki pondered for a moment. “Yes, we are.”

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter 7]

Chapter 7 - Handing Over

 

 

A single horse stopped in the middle of a large meadow. Mounted on the horse was a middle-aged man with shoulder-length black hair, and wearing a black cloak. Behind him, holding on to his waist, sat Yuki, her hair matted, and a small rip on the right sleeve of her kimono.

 

“Lady Yuki, are you alright?”

 

“Yes, I’m fine, Keiryu. Although I am unused to riding horses, it was not nearly as rough as I thought it would be.” replied Yuki.

 

“We must proceed on foot from here, as further ahead is a place where enemy soldiers keep watch.” Keiryu said.

 

Keiryu hopped off the horse and hoisted Yuki gently by the waist, then delivered her to the ground.

 

“After you, Milady.”

 

Yuki nodded and began walking. Keiryu slapped the horse in the thigh, and it sprinted off in the direction they had come from. Keiryu turned and hurried after Yuki, who was already a few yards ahead.

 

“Lady Yuki, please do not walk off so far without me. As you must know by now, you’re not safe quite yet. We must get you to the house of your grandfather to be truly at ease.”

 

“Do not worry so much, Keiryu. With you around, I consider myself in safe hands.” Yuki replied, smiling.

 

“Lady Yuki, please understand. There are many people who would give their right hand to capture you. Peasants, slaves, nobles, not one of them wouldn’t benefit from capturing you. Even people like me.” Keiryu stated, walking behind Yuki.

 

“What do you mean?” asked Yuki, as she was about to turn around.

 

Keiryu chopped Yuki in the back of the head, causing her to lose consciousness. She fell to the ground. Keiryu picked her up and hoisted her onto his shoulder.

 

“Forgive me, Lady Yuki.” he said, looking at the ground.

 

Keiryu continued walking. He didn’t take notice of the soft dirt and grass beneath his boots. The few trees around were home to many animals, all of which were disregarded by Keiryu, who was now looking into the setting sun.

 

“I wonder whether what I am doing is honorable…”

 

After walking until the sun had long since set, and the moon was high in the sky, Keiryu reached a village. There was an open gate at the entrance of the village, and two armed men were standing in front of it. Keiryu approached the men.

 

“Halt, what is your purpose here?” said one of the armed men, holding a spear to block Keiryu’s path.

 

“I carry on my shoulders the daughter to the Fujishiba family. I am here in order to see the lord of this village. I hear he has been interested in her?”

 

The men straightened up. “Ah, you must be Master Shin. We were told to grant you passage. Please sir, right this way. Our lord resides within the largest household in the village, just north of here. He has been awaiting your arrival.”

 

“I can find it, thank you.” Keiryu said, dismissing the men with a wave of his hand.

 

Many people stared at Keiryu as he passed. He simply gazed forward, without much attention in anything, until he reached the largest house. It was the largest by far. There were two people standing in the front.

 

“What business do you have here?” one of the men asked.

 

“I have an appointment with the Lord Hashu. My name is Keiryu Shin.”

 

The man stiffened. “Oh, is that so? Please, sir, follow me.”

 

Keiryu walked inside, careful to take off his shoes at the entrance, and slip into guest indoor shoes. He followed the man to a large room decorated with elaborate gold statues. In the middle of the room sat a large man with brown hair and light green robes. The man that led Keiryu to the room bowed and left.

 

“Who are you? Hopefully, you have not come to waste my time begging for money?” the large man asked.

 

“I am Keiryu Shin. We spoke a few weeks ago, Kogamaru Hashu.”

 

“Ah, yes, Keiryu. I remember you now. Nice to know you remember my name. Well, is that the one you promised?”

 

“I have brought the daughter of the Fujishiba family, as promised. Now, you keep your end of the deal.” Keiryu said.

 

“Right, right, I’ll give you your money, just give me the girl.” Kogamaru said.

 

Keiryu nodded and placed Yuki, who was still sleeping, gently on the floor before Kogamaru. Kogamaru reached forward.

 

“Stop this now!” a voice called.

 

Keiryu and Kogamaru turned to the doorway. Mitsuki stood there, holding a sword.

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter 8]

Chapter 8 - Sparks

 

 

Keiryu stood up and glanced at Mitsuki, who still stood at the open doorway, frowning, and holding up a sword.

 

“Ah, if it isn’t Mitsuki, it’s been so long.” Keiryu remarked.

 

“You traitorous scum, what have you done with Lady Yuki?” Mitsuki asked.

 

“Well, not much, besides a chop to the back of the head. Of course, I cannot speak for the man I was about to hand her over to.”

 

Mitsuki stepped closer, still holding the sword up. Keiryu held his hands up. Kogamaru struggled up to his feet.

 

“I demand to know who you are, and how you got in here.” he said.

 

“I’ll tell you who he is,” Keiryu began. “He’s a pesky kid who’s intervening where he isn’t needed.”

 

“I am here because if I left Lady Yuki alone in your care, she would already be at the hands of a corrupt lord…”

 

Kailyn and Yamada ran into the room.

 

“Hey, you just said you had to pick up Yuki, and then left us back at the carriage!” Yamada exclaimed.

 

Mitsuki’s eyes widened as he turned to look at them. “I told you two to stay back at the carriage, what are you doing here?”

 

Keiryu dashed for a golden sword held by a golden statue. He turned to Mitsuki with a grimace.

 

“You let your guard down because of children. The old you never would have done that.” he said.

 

“What’s going on here, Mitsuki? Kailyn asked, frowning.

 

“I cannot protect you both. Kailyn, you and Yamada must go back to the carriage.” Mitsuki pleaded, turning back to face Keiryu.

 

Yamada shook his head. “No way, if those guys have taken Yuki, then we want to help you get her back!”

 

Mitsuki turned to Yamada. “Do you not understand? You have just started learning the art of the sword! If you do not leave, you’ll simply be a hindrance!”

 

Yamada was about to argue, but Kailyn touched his shoulder. Yamada turned to look at her, and she shook her head. Two men came in behind them, making Kailyn gasp. The men grabbed both Yamada and Kailyn from behind. Mitsuki clenched his teeth.

 

“So, now I have Lady Yuki and two little swordsmen captured, all trapped. Actually, you’re the most trapped of all, it would seem. True, we may be quite even in skill, but not even you can take on soldiers and me.” Keiryu said.

 

Mitsuki held up his sword. “Fine then, how about a duel to settle this? If I win, you hand over Lady Yuki. If you win, though, I will not try and stop you.”

 

“Sounds intriguing, I’ll give you that. I’m excited to see how much you’ve grown these years we haven’t seen each other.”

 

Keiryu stepped forward, holding his sword in front of him, and Mitsuki did the same. In an instant, Keiryu slashed for Mitsuki’s right side, but Mitsuki blocked it with his own sword and rotated it, to unbalance Keiryu, who simply spun around to keep balanced. Both swords clashed again, creating sparks.

 

“It seems you haven’t lost your touch, Mitsuki, but I assure you, this fight is useless.” Keiryu said.

 

The two men holding Kailyn and Yamada tied their wrists with rope, and tossed them to a corner, where they were forced to watch as Keiryu and Mitsuki clashed.

 

Mitsuki brought his blade down, and Keiryu stepped to the side, and then swept his blade to the back of Mitsuki’s leg. Mitsuki angled his blade and swung back, knocking Keiryu’s blade off track, causing it to hit the ground instead.

 

“I am as strong as before. But I cannot say the same for you.” Mitsuki said, and stabbed at Keiryu.

 

Keiryu jumped back to avoid being pierced. He looked down at his sword, and then up at Mitsuki.

 

“I’m just getting started.” Keiryu said.

 

Yamada leaned closer to Kailyn. “Hey, Kailyn, do you think Mitsuki will win?”

 

“I don’t know, but they both seem to be strong. I just wish there was some way we could help.” Kailyn said.

 

Keiryu looked at Mitsuki. “Well, are you ready to surrender?”

 

“You’re the one who should be considering surrendering, you traitor.” Mitsuki said.

 

“You interfered where you’re not wanted. Everything would be fine, if you hadn’t come.”

 

“I cannot understand, Keiryu. Why would a member of the royal branch of the Fujishiba family do this? Why would you, Lady Yuki’s own cousin, do this?”

 

 

[spoiler=Chapter 9]

Chapter 9 - Keiryu’s Plot

 

 

Keiryu grimaced. “It’s time to end this.”

 

He dashed forward, stooping low, and swung at Mitsuki, who blocked it. They circled around each other until Mitsuki stood right in front of Yuki, and Keiryu stood near the door. Mitsuki glanced over his shoulder at Yuki and smiled. He dashed behind Suzuki and wrapped his arms around her.

 

“Mitsuki, what are you doing?” Yuki asked.

 

“I’ll protect you from that villain, Lady Yuki,” Mitsuki answered.

 

Keiryu looked at Mitsuki, and then down at the ground. “All right, seems reasonable. One thing troubles me, though. If you say you’re going to protect Lady Yuki, why are holding that knife to her neck?”

 

Kailyn and Yamada focused on the small knife Mitsuki was holding at Yuki. Kailyn stood up after some struggling.

 

“Why are you holding that knife to Yuki’s neck?” she asked.

 

Mitsuki chuckled. “Okay, I guess I have to come clean. You see, I wanted to kill this girl for a while. Three months to be exact. That’s when I figured killing her and taking her wealth was much easier than living the life of a peasant.”

 

“You were so nice to us. You seemed so trustworthy. Why would you do this?” Yamada said, standing up.

 

“Well, you weren’t exactly bugs in my plan either. I planned to take both of you on, and train you how to be master swordsmen so you could steal for me what I wished. Of course, once Keiryu decided to steal Yuki for his own purposes, things stopped going as planned,” Mitsuki said, looking at Keiryu with a smirk.

 

Kailyn turned to Keiryu, but could find words to say, and simply looked away, incredibility clear in her eyes.

 

“Why would either of you do this?” she asked to no one in particular.

 

“Well, it seems I was right about Mitsuki,” Keiryu said. “I had a feeling he was going to attempt something like this, which is why I had to take Lady Yuki first.”

 

“I don’t get it,” Yamada said, looking at the ground. “I just don’t get why you, or anyone, would do it. Yuki took me, and Kailyn, in from the streets. She gave us clothes and food. She gave us a home. Never once did she wish us harm. She’s probably never wished harm to anyone. I don’t get why you’d wish her harm, just for money. In fact, I don’t get how you can live with yourself after something like that. I know that if I ever did such a thing, I’d never be able to forgive myself. So how is it you can?”

 

Mitsuki smiled. “Well, I do have some qualms, but whenever I think about how wealthy I’ll be after this, I feel perfectly fine with something like this.”

 

“It’s not as simple as you think. I wasn’t actually here to give Lady Yuki away for money,” Keiryu said, looking at Yamada.

 

Mitsuki raised an eyebrow and looked at Keiryu.

 

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

 

“Like I said before, I had my suspicions about you. So I took Lady Yuki and fled the castle beforehand. I knew this area was patrolled by soldiers of lords who would wish to obtain Lady Yuki. I came here several weeks ago, to converse with the local lord about obtaining Lady Yuki for him. In truth, I simply needed to pass Lady Yuki through this area undetected, and with the money I would have taken from the transaction.”

 

Kogamaru crawled out from the couch he had hidden behind while Mitsuki and Keiryu fought. “Wait a minute, you mean to tell me you attempted to swindle me out of my money?”

 

“I’ve seen the way you treat people here, as well as how you treat yourself. Losing some money is nothing to what you put these people through.” Keiryu said, unsympathetically.

 

“You have no right to talk to me like that, you peasant! I rule these people as I see fit.” Kogamaru stated, raising himself higher.

 

“That’s another thing I had to do,” Keiryu said, “I needed to free these people from their daily suffering. So, I thought, if I’m going to do this at all, might as well help a village along the way.”

 

“I didn’t see any people suffering.” Yamada said.

 

“You probably didn’t see anyone at all. That’s the cruelty of this lord. He forces all villagers to stay home, except when working. This is to prevent any talk of rebellion, I would think.”

 

Kogamaru approached Kailyn and lifted her up by her hair, causing her to groan. His face was twisted in rage.

 

“You bastards! As a lord, I can do whatever I want with these people, and there’s nothing you can do about it!” he yelled.

 

“Put her down.” Yamada said.

 

Kogamaru looked down at Yamada. He chuckled.

 

“You want me to let her go? Why does that matter to you, whether I let her go or not? She’s a peasant. She lives to serve every whim a lord like me has.”

 

“Didn’t you hear me? I told you to let her go.” Yamada repeated.

 

Kogamaru chuckled again and lifted Kailyn up higher, making her moan. He moved his face close to her neck.

 

“You know, right now, I could do anything I want to this girl. I can make her yell by pulling harder on her hair. I can choke the life out of her. I can even lick her neck, and guess what? You wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.”

 

Kogamaru stuck his tongue out and moved it within inches of Kailyn’s neck. Kailyn was helpless, as Kogamaru’s grip on her hair left her with a jolt of pain whenever she tried to move. Suddenly, Yamada roared and tackled Kogamaru in the stomach with his head, causing Kogamaru to gasp and fall back. Kogamaru was thrown off balance and dropped Kailyn. Yamada fell to the floor, revulsion showing on his face.

 

Kogamaru sat on the floor for a few moments, panting. Then, he stood up and walked over to Yamada.

 

“You, little bastard, have just earned yourself a ticket to death.” Kogamaru said.

 

Kogamaru brought his foot back to kick Yamada. The next second, he looked down to see a sword piercing his chest. He turned around slowly. Keiryu stood behind him, holding the sword that had pierced him. Keiryu slid the sword out of Kogamaru, who coughed up blood and fell to the ground.

 

“Now that the lord is dead, the people will be free. My hope is that they will join us for the incoming war. That will be one problem resolved.”

 

“Yes, but you still have to deal with me, huh?” Mitsuki said, chuckling, as he moved the knife closer to Yuki’s neck.

 

 

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