Ellinia forests were quiet. Canopies of trees huddle closely overhead, letting only a few rays of sunlight drip through. The looming trees are old, but not as old as the forest itself. The air smelled of rotting leaves and morning dew. Slimes and green mushrooms hid playfully while Hitsuzen made their way through.
Liutenant Dai walked along side his horse with the Four Captains. Bowmen slung their bows around them and walked with the assassins, while the bandits talked quietly with the warriors of tactics and skills. The mages walked silently, admiring the forests of their origin.
Tadeyo found his way to Dai's side, and Dai began to speak of his youth in Ellinia.
"It was awkward for a while growing up here," he began. "My father was a mage, but my mother was a bowman. So I grew up learning to be both. When I was educated to be a wizard here, the bowman blood in me slipped away, and now I barely remember how to aim. Sad, huh?
"Yon and I used to play in these trees as children, and she'd always lose," he said laughing. "We would practice hopping from branch to branch, and she'd hate me because I would just teleport when she was winning. Once, she got so angry she stomped on a branch without thinking, and it broke right under her feet." Tadeyo and Dai laughed at the image of Yon's girlish screaming as she fell until Yon came up behind them and grabbed their shoulders.
"Laugh all you want, Dai," she said vengefully, "If I recall correctly, you cried like a baby when a stump snuck up on you when we were playing in the Growing Tree's top branches when we were fourteen."
Tadeyo burst into laughter when Dai's face flushed of color. He punched Dai playfully on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Liutenant," he said. "I fell out of the Border Tree back in the village trying to impress a girl."
"I wonder which girl," Yon says, winking at him. Tadeyo smiled at her mockingly, as if telling her to shut up rather than agreeing.
The leaves and branches that towered over them began to rustle, and a loud crack of a branch was heard partnered with a yelp of surprise.
"Oh," Swift says looking into the tree branches rustling above. "Speak of the devil..."
Yurei came falling out of the branches above along with a broken tree branch. Tadeyo ran and caught her before she hit the ground, and stared at her face for a moment. Yurei, panting for air, stared back.
"Hey you," she said casually.
"Hey you," he replied teasingly. He glanced up to the tree. "Falling from the sky, are we?" He put her down and she wobbled off, dusting her clothes of the leaves sticking to her.
"Where were you," Tauto asked. "You've been missing for quite a while."
"Ah," Yurei said. "I was delivering messages, and requesting help." She hugged Dai and Swift at the same time. "Why, were you worried?"
"Slightly," Tauto admit. "You just disappeared."
"Hmm," Yurei said monotone. "I'm sorry. But..." She turned to Tadeyo and looked him in the eye. "I found Chun Ji."
Tadeyo lifted his eyebrows at the name, and said, "How is he doing? What'd he say?"
She reached into a pack tied to Dai's horse and pulled out a water bottle, and uncapped it. "He's living on the street with the poor, I'm assuming to blend in. Most of Alaitoc is that way, right? Well, anyways. He said no."
Tadeyo's eyes fell to the ground. "Hm, I knew he would've said that." He walked towards Yurei and put his arm around her neck. "I'm glad you're back."
Yurei smiled her delicate smile and leaned into him. "Likewise."
Camp was set up right around the entrance to the dungeon, their next challenge. Fireflies floated in the air, heightening the magical feeling of the forest. Glows of lights from inside the tents began to extinguish as members began to fall into sleep.
Tadeyo crawls into the small tent pitched for Yurei and himself. The lamp in the corner of the tent glowed dim orange, warming the tent in the cold forest. He threw his shirt off and plopped on his back on the sheets, and began dozing off. Yurei crawled in the tent a little while after he started hearing voices that signed sleep, and he came to.
"You sleepy," she said taking off her shirt, revealing a sports bra.
"Yeah, kind of," he said softly. He closed his eyes, listening to her voice.
"Aww," she said cutely. "I wanted to do something before we crash out."
"Heh," he mused. "Like what?" He opened his eyes to see her kicking her pants off. She took her hair down and closed the tent closed with the clip from her hair, and crawled passionately on top of him.
"Mmmm," he said smiling at her as her face came closer to his. She smiled as she felt up his chest. She kissed him as soon as her face met his, rubbing her body onto his. He rolled herover on to her back and kissed her neck lightly. "Mmmm, maybe I'm not all that tired," he teased, tracing his tounge to the lobe of her ear. She let out a soft moan, and smiled.
"That's what I thought," she teased.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Hitsuzen, Part IV
"Ahh, an exile," he said. He passed the half-filled water bottle to her, and as she drank deeply, he continued. "So what does Tadeyo need?"
"He wants you," Yurei said wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She passed the bottle back to him, and he began to drink what was left. "To bring Alaitoc members to aid us in this war."
Ji choked on the water, coughing most of it out onto the pavement. "You're kidding," Ji gasped. Yurei stood there staring at him.
"Quite serious," she said.
"Yurei," he started, "Just because I'm leader doesn't mean-"
"Ji, we need this help," Yurei exploded. "The Hunters have already gotten Assassinate on their side. Last I saw, Blood Mafia-"
"There is nothing I can do for you, Yurei," Ji interrupted loudly. He stared at her desperate face, lined with worry.
"You can help us, Chun." She stared into his eyes, hoping to find an answer. But there was none.
"Yurei, I can almost guarantee you that Alaitoc would want nothing to do with outsider's affairs," he reasoned. And she saw the reason in it. "Do you understand what I mean?"
She turned to the road to the Elle Forest and walked slowly from Ji. "Yes, I understand."
She walked until she reached the border where the forest began. She turned her head, and looked Ji in the eyes.
"Without any aid, Chun Ji," she said in low voice. "We will all die."
~
The Hunters army trodded along slowly through the Eastern Rocky Mountains of Perion, exhausted from the excessive heat and lack of rest. Warriors slumped along side their dehydrating horses, who refuse to let anyone ride them until given water. Domeki Rihdan, the guild leader, who was saddled up high on his horse (the only horse that will stand for it), rode along side of his warriors.
"Keep the pace up, men," he shouted. "Perion is only a distance away!"
The men groaned in disbelief, and slugged along. Domeki scouted the area for anything useful that they could use. Fifty miles, The Hunters have been traveling with no rest, and no shade.
All they could do was keep trodding along until their destination is reached.
When nightfall came, the warriors unloaded their packs on the horses and set up a small camp along side of a deep valley. A fire cackled softly underneath the moon. Most of the warriors lay asleep soundly in their tent, while others stood outside chatting lowly. Domeki sat quietly at the campfire and stared into the flames.
"Little sister," he murmured. "What do you think you're doing..." he sighed and propped his head up on his hand and slouched. What an embarrassment, he thought. His own sister, running off with the Thief Captain of Hitsuzen. What would father think of this? He sighed and let out a slight chuckle and a smile.
"We'll find you, little sister."
"He wants you," Yurei said wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She passed the bottle back to him, and he began to drink what was left. "To bring Alaitoc members to aid us in this war."
Ji choked on the water, coughing most of it out onto the pavement. "You're kidding," Ji gasped. Yurei stood there staring at him.
"Quite serious," she said.
"Yurei," he started, "Just because I'm leader doesn't mean-"
"Ji, we need this help," Yurei exploded. "The Hunters have already gotten Assassinate on their side. Last I saw, Blood Mafia-"
"There is nothing I can do for you, Yurei," Ji interrupted loudly. He stared at her desperate face, lined with worry.
"You can help us, Chun." She stared into his eyes, hoping to find an answer. But there was none.
"Yurei, I can almost guarantee you that Alaitoc would want nothing to do with outsider's affairs," he reasoned. And she saw the reason in it. "Do you understand what I mean?"
She turned to the road to the Elle Forest and walked slowly from Ji. "Yes, I understand."
She walked until she reached the border where the forest began. She turned her head, and looked Ji in the eyes.
"Without any aid, Chun Ji," she said in low voice. "We will all die."
~
The Hunters army trodded along slowly through the Eastern Rocky Mountains of Perion, exhausted from the excessive heat and lack of rest. Warriors slumped along side their dehydrating horses, who refuse to let anyone ride them until given water. Domeki Rihdan, the guild leader, who was saddled up high on his horse (the only horse that will stand for it), rode along side of his warriors.
"Keep the pace up, men," he shouted. "Perion is only a distance away!"
The men groaned in disbelief, and slugged along. Domeki scouted the area for anything useful that they could use. Fifty miles, The Hunters have been traveling with no rest, and no shade.
All they could do was keep trodding along until their destination is reached.
When nightfall came, the warriors unloaded their packs on the horses and set up a small camp along side of a deep valley. A fire cackled softly underneath the moon. Most of the warriors lay asleep soundly in their tent, while others stood outside chatting lowly. Domeki sat quietly at the campfire and stared into the flames.
"Little sister," he murmured. "What do you think you're doing..." he sighed and propped his head up on his hand and slouched. What an embarrassment, he thought. His own sister, running off with the Thief Captain of Hitsuzen. What would father think of this? He sighed and let out a slight chuckle and a smile.
"We'll find you, little sister."
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Hitsuzen, Part III
"MANJI," Yurei yelled from the Perion townstreet. "MANJI, ARE YOU UP THERE?"
"Get lost," Manji hollered mono-toned back down at her. Manji rested at the highest and loneliest point in the Perion town cliff-side. He plopped down onto his side, propping his head up with his arm and closed his eyes with a sigh. Manji's pompous attitude radiated from his clothes like bad cologne.
"Oh thank goodness, you're there!" Yurei exclaimed joyfully. "Manji, listen to me! It's Yurei!"
Manji's body stiffened and his eyes went wide. He stood up quickly and walked to the edge of the cliff
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING?!" Manji screamed. "Get outta here, kid! You'll get killed!"
"Not until I speak with you," she shouted back. "Please, I need your help!"
Manji rolled his eyes and spoke defiantly. "Get lost, Yurei! If any of the Gokudo council finds you here they'll-" He spoke as he turned to walk back to his resting spot, but Yurei stood facing him, nose-to-nose.
"MANJI! I'M SERIOUS," she shouted in his face. Manji let out a squeel of shock that sounded much like a squeel of a little girl. Yurei tilted her head and stared at him awkwardly, and smiled. "Nice scream."
Manji's eyes grew wide in embarrassment and amazement. "How did-?! That can't-!! What-?!"
"Manji, there isn't time for us to be babbling like a fool," Yurei said storming along the edges of his cliff. "Manji, you're a voice of great influence."
"Correction," he said brushing his sleeve off of dirt, eyeing Yurei carefully and suspiciously. "I used to be. People these days refuse to listen to a sensible voice."
Yurei turned to face him and crinkled her brow. "Manji, your voice is no longer heard because you refuse to speak. Not because the people won't listen. I need you to convince Gokudo to aid Hitsuzen in this battle."
"Hah," Manji mocked. "And why would I do that?"
Yurei shot a dirty look at Manji that foretold his demise if he'd refuse.
Manji shivered. "Yeesh, okay okay. But there's the issue of convincing. I don't even have an approach."
"Think of something," Yurei said frantically.
"'Oh yeah, Gokudo! It's me, Manji! So we should go and aid Hitsuzen because Yurei, the Hunters traitor said so and she'll kill me if I don't!' Awesome plan, don't you think?" Manji laughed at the idea of waltzing into Gokudo Hall and saying that very line. Yurei grew more and more annoyed by the minute.
"I'm not kidding, Manji. This is serious." Yurei perked her head up in alert. "Did you hear that?"
Manji looked around. "No, what?"
Yurei's head snapped back and forth. "People are coming. Think of something. I'll be back in a few day's time." Yurei crouched low to the ground, and waited a few seconds.
"No, Yurei," panicked Manji, "wait! Shit, wait!" But she was gone. "Shit. Fucking Yurei..."
Yurei, once far enough away, walked the rest of the way to her next destination: Kerning City. Tadeyo spoke of an old friend who trained with him as a child: Chun Ji. She knew finding this Chun Ji would be a difficult task, and the chances of finding him were quite slim, but she was in no position to think of such negativities. She had her own negativities to worry about.
She walked and walked through abandoned construction projects, avoiding eye contact with the mushrooms behind the support beams. There were a couple times where they would attempt to ambush her from behind, but one swift movement of her arm, scarab, and a steely ended it all too quickly for the mushroom. Once she found her way into the heart of Kerning City, she grew desparate to get out. The constant pushing and shoving of the city people were unbareable for her.
Upon exiting the city, she found herself in the slums of the city - another construction site, except with small homes built around it. The poor and the homeless homes were no more than pitched tents propped up against walls and support beams. People of different ages huddled around their small homes, cowering at the sight of Yurei. A little boy, no older than the age of five, approached Yurei with curiosity. His mother called for him frantically, but he did not hear her.
"Miss..." he said, holding out his hands in the shape of a bowl. "Spare change? Please, spare change?"
Yurei peered into the boy's eyes and saw the desolation and opression that he saw. She frowned and simply said, "I don't have much. But here." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a card with a bar code on the back. "Take this, and be sure to share it. It's all the spare change I can give." She ruffled the young boy's hair and continued walking, while the boy looked from the card to her blankly.
The further she traveled into the slums of this city, the more petty and pitiful it's inhabitants became.
Right before she passed the final home upon exiting the city and following the shore line, a red coat caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She turned to find a handsome young man standing at the last house in a red robe embroidered with gold string. He had long flowing hair in a tail, his long bangs falling into his face. He had a battlescar going across his cheek. On his hip, a katana rested.
He lifted his head to hers, and looked from her face to her scarab.
"Assassin," he scoffed. "You ruin these parts of the world."
Yurei turned tilted her head. "You don't judge the cellion by how fluffy it is."
"Yeah yeah," he said shooing her off. "Just get out of here."
"No," she said firmly. "Chun Ji I presume."
Chun Ji looked suspiciously at Yurei. "Yeah, what is it to you?"
"Chun Ji, master swordsman and dagger thief," she said softly, "Tadeyo Syzacdel of Hitsuzen is in need of assistance."
Chun Ji's face lost it's arrogant flare and was replaced by astonishment. "Tadeyo... It's been too long since I've heard that name." He walked towards his home and brought out a water bottle. "What does my dear friend need," he questioned, uncapping the bottle.
It took a while to explain the situation, but Yurei got the point across. Once she said Hunters, Chun Ji already knew it meant bad news.
"I knew I recognized you," he said dreamily. "You were always that little girl beside Karogen during confrontations... his daughter..."
"Yes," she replied simply. "Now that my old man is gone, my brother was left in charge. Since then, he's been causing nothing but more trouble between the Hunters and Hitsuzen."
"Ahh," Ji said taking a swig of water, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "My question for you is why you're sending me a message from Tadeyo - from Hitsuzen."
Her eyes lost it's shine for a moment as she dropped her eyes to the floor.
"Ahh, an exile," he said.
"Get lost," Manji hollered mono-toned back down at her. Manji rested at the highest and loneliest point in the Perion town cliff-side. He plopped down onto his side, propping his head up with his arm and closed his eyes with a sigh. Manji's pompous attitude radiated from his clothes like bad cologne.
"Oh thank goodness, you're there!" Yurei exclaimed joyfully. "Manji, listen to me! It's Yurei!"
Manji's body stiffened and his eyes went wide. He stood up quickly and walked to the edge of the cliff
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING?!" Manji screamed. "Get outta here, kid! You'll get killed!"
"Not until I speak with you," she shouted back. "Please, I need your help!"
Manji rolled his eyes and spoke defiantly. "Get lost, Yurei! If any of the Gokudo council finds you here they'll-" He spoke as he turned to walk back to his resting spot, but Yurei stood facing him, nose-to-nose.
"MANJI! I'M SERIOUS," she shouted in his face. Manji let out a squeel of shock that sounded much like a squeel of a little girl. Yurei tilted her head and stared at him awkwardly, and smiled. "Nice scream."
Manji's eyes grew wide in embarrassment and amazement. "How did-?! That can't-!! What-?!"
"Manji, there isn't time for us to be babbling like a fool," Yurei said storming along the edges of his cliff. "Manji, you're a voice of great influence."
"Correction," he said brushing his sleeve off of dirt, eyeing Yurei carefully and suspiciously. "I used to be. People these days refuse to listen to a sensible voice."
Yurei turned to face him and crinkled her brow. "Manji, your voice is no longer heard because you refuse to speak. Not because the people won't listen. I need you to convince Gokudo to aid Hitsuzen in this battle."
"Hah," Manji mocked. "And why would I do that?"
Yurei shot a dirty look at Manji that foretold his demise if he'd refuse.
Manji shivered. "Yeesh, okay okay. But there's the issue of convincing. I don't even have an approach."
"Think of something," Yurei said frantically.
"'Oh yeah, Gokudo! It's me, Manji! So we should go and aid Hitsuzen because Yurei, the Hunters traitor said so and she'll kill me if I don't!' Awesome plan, don't you think?" Manji laughed at the idea of waltzing into Gokudo Hall and saying that very line. Yurei grew more and more annoyed by the minute.
"I'm not kidding, Manji. This is serious." Yurei perked her head up in alert. "Did you hear that?"
Manji looked around. "No, what?"
Yurei's head snapped back and forth. "People are coming. Think of something. I'll be back in a few day's time." Yurei crouched low to the ground, and waited a few seconds.
"No, Yurei," panicked Manji, "wait! Shit, wait!" But she was gone. "Shit. Fucking Yurei..."
Yurei, once far enough away, walked the rest of the way to her next destination: Kerning City. Tadeyo spoke of an old friend who trained with him as a child: Chun Ji. She knew finding this Chun Ji would be a difficult task, and the chances of finding him were quite slim, but she was in no position to think of such negativities. She had her own negativities to worry about.
She walked and walked through abandoned construction projects, avoiding eye contact with the mushrooms behind the support beams. There were a couple times where they would attempt to ambush her from behind, but one swift movement of her arm, scarab, and a steely ended it all too quickly for the mushroom. Once she found her way into the heart of Kerning City, she grew desparate to get out. The constant pushing and shoving of the city people were unbareable for her.
Upon exiting the city, she found herself in the slums of the city - another construction site, except with small homes built around it. The poor and the homeless homes were no more than pitched tents propped up against walls and support beams. People of different ages huddled around their small homes, cowering at the sight of Yurei. A little boy, no older than the age of five, approached Yurei with curiosity. His mother called for him frantically, but he did not hear her.
"Miss..." he said, holding out his hands in the shape of a bowl. "Spare change? Please, spare change?"
Yurei peered into the boy's eyes and saw the desolation and opression that he saw. She frowned and simply said, "I don't have much. But here." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a card with a bar code on the back. "Take this, and be sure to share it. It's all the spare change I can give." She ruffled the young boy's hair and continued walking, while the boy looked from the card to her blankly.
The further she traveled into the slums of this city, the more petty and pitiful it's inhabitants became.
Right before she passed the final home upon exiting the city and following the shore line, a red coat caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She turned to find a handsome young man standing at the last house in a red robe embroidered with gold string. He had long flowing hair in a tail, his long bangs falling into his face. He had a battlescar going across his cheek. On his hip, a katana rested.
He lifted his head to hers, and looked from her face to her scarab.
"Assassin," he scoffed. "You ruin these parts of the world."
Yurei turned tilted her head. "You don't judge the cellion by how fluffy it is."
"Yeah yeah," he said shooing her off. "Just get out of here."
"No," she said firmly. "Chun Ji I presume."
Chun Ji looked suspiciously at Yurei. "Yeah, what is it to you?"
"Chun Ji, master swordsman and dagger thief," she said softly, "Tadeyo Syzacdel of Hitsuzen is in need of assistance."
Chun Ji's face lost it's arrogant flare and was replaced by astonishment. "Tadeyo... It's been too long since I've heard that name." He walked towards his home and brought out a water bottle. "What does my dear friend need," he questioned, uncapping the bottle.
It took a while to explain the situation, but Yurei got the point across. Once she said Hunters, Chun Ji already knew it meant bad news.
"I knew I recognized you," he said dreamily. "You were always that little girl beside Karogen during confrontations... his daughter..."
"Yes," she replied simply. "Now that my old man is gone, my brother was left in charge. Since then, he's been causing nothing but more trouble between the Hunters and Hitsuzen."
"Ahh," Ji said taking a swig of water, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "My question for you is why you're sending me a message from Tadeyo - from Hitsuzen."
Her eyes lost it's shine for a moment as she dropped her eyes to the floor.
"Ahh, an exile," he said.
Hitsuzen, Part II
The rustling of armor clanged loudly throughout the forest clearing. The battle was over, and the Hunters were long gone, fled when defeat was on the horizon. Hitsuzen remained, cleaning up what mess was made.
This was no victory, for either guild.
The camp was nearly demolished. Tent pitches were broken, and all of camp seemed to slump sadly, as if too old and too weak to hold the cloth up.
Tadeyo emerged weakly from a tent, followed by a worried towns nurse pleading after him.
"Please, Deyo-San, you need your rest," she begged. "Don't over-stress yourself! You need to lie down!"
"I'll be fine," he re-assured her as he observed the damage and death around him. Men carried bodies of the fallen to the soon-to-be gravesight. Women tended to the injured and dying, heeding their last words and comforting them til they sleep a never-ending sleep.
Lieutenant Dai was already at his quarters with his fellow captains and majors, predicting the Hunters next moves.
"The Hunters fled east," said Yon of the Bowmen Division, pushing an omok piece across the map to the east mountains. "If we corner them there, it'd be like trapping a kitten in the corner of a room. They'd have nowhere to go." Low chatter of comprehension floated around the table.
"So we follow their tracks," proposed Dai. The table agreed, talking of a trap that could possibly be set.
"No," interjected Tadeyo from the back of the canopy. He stood leaning against the empty armor table. The Division Captains turned their heads to Tadeyo and fell silent.
"Following in their tracks would leave us more exposed. How stupid do you think these Hunters are?" He stood upright and strode towards the table, looking at each commander in the eyes. "Quite stupid, I agree," he added, responded with a light laughter, "But not quite as stupid as we may think they are. For the type of warriors they are, they would naturally assume that we'd follow behind them. So why give them the opportunity to stop us in our tracks? Why leave ourselves vulnerable yet again?" The faces of everyone present changed and brightened, as if finally gaining clarity and insight on the situation. "I say," Tadeyo suggested, moving to the table and reaching for the Hitsuzen omok piece and sliding it around the Ellinia forests and to the Western Rocks of the Perion Mountains, "We cut them off."
Arguments blew through the canopy. "Why would we go around," exclaimed Dai. "That would take much longer than it would to just follow in their tracks!"
"That puts us in far more peril than simply following them through the East!"
"It is much more efficient to catch the Hunters off guard," Tadeyo said firmly, slapping his hand to the table. "I know for a fact that the Hunters do not think ahead of possible dangers. There is only one Hunter family that does that. They would be our ONLY challenge. But their voices stand with little influence on the entire militia. Our best bets are to cut around the forest and greet them before they even reach the Western Plains of Perion."
Silence returned to the table, each commander being deep in thought.
"I agree," says Yon, bringing her gaze from the table to the other captains.
"As do I," Tauto, being the Mage Division Captian, submits.
"And I," Captain Swift adds lifting his chin up proudly.
A proud silence floated throughout the canopy, and all eyes were focused on Lieutenant.
With a sigh and a slight smile, Dai spoke.
"Let's give it a shot," he said, surrendering to the majority.
Tadeyo, having being an accomplished Thief Captain and one of the most influential voices of Hitsuzen, only felt the cold rush of fear running through his heart as he sat atop a tree branch, thinking of Yurei.
"Tadeyo," a feminine voice floated up from the ground. He looked below him, and greeted Bo with a simple nod of the head. "Get to sleep. We have a long week ahead of us," she lectured.
"Yeah, I know." He looked up at the milk-white moon, and wondered where his Yurei might be. After a brief silence, Bo asked, "So what is she now."
Tadeyo looked at her, as if startled that she was still there, and startled even further with the question she posed.
"What?"
"What is she now?" Bo tapped the toe of her foot on the ground. "She's definitely not a Hunter anymore. But she's not a Hitsuzen."
"Heh," he huffed loosely. "She..." he trailed off.
"Ta...deyo?" Bo checked curiously.
Tadeyo smiled. "She will be a Hitsuzen."
"B-but she can't be! Unless... Unless she-" Bo cut herself off, understanding Tadeyo's motives.
Tadeyo only smiled. "Exactly."
This was no victory, for either guild.
The camp was nearly demolished. Tent pitches were broken, and all of camp seemed to slump sadly, as if too old and too weak to hold the cloth up.
Tadeyo emerged weakly from a tent, followed by a worried towns nurse pleading after him.
"Please, Deyo-San, you need your rest," she begged. "Don't over-stress yourself! You need to lie down!"
"I'll be fine," he re-assured her as he observed the damage and death around him. Men carried bodies of the fallen to the soon-to-be gravesight. Women tended to the injured and dying, heeding their last words and comforting them til they sleep a never-ending sleep.
Lieutenant Dai was already at his quarters with his fellow captains and majors, predicting the Hunters next moves.
"The Hunters fled east," said Yon of the Bowmen Division, pushing an omok piece across the map to the east mountains. "If we corner them there, it'd be like trapping a kitten in the corner of a room. They'd have nowhere to go." Low chatter of comprehension floated around the table.
"So we follow their tracks," proposed Dai. The table agreed, talking of a trap that could possibly be set.
"No," interjected Tadeyo from the back of the canopy. He stood leaning against the empty armor table. The Division Captains turned their heads to Tadeyo and fell silent.
"Following in their tracks would leave us more exposed. How stupid do you think these Hunters are?" He stood upright and strode towards the table, looking at each commander in the eyes. "Quite stupid, I agree," he added, responded with a light laughter, "But not quite as stupid as we may think they are. For the type of warriors they are, they would naturally assume that we'd follow behind them. So why give them the opportunity to stop us in our tracks? Why leave ourselves vulnerable yet again?" The faces of everyone present changed and brightened, as if finally gaining clarity and insight on the situation. "I say," Tadeyo suggested, moving to the table and reaching for the Hitsuzen omok piece and sliding it around the Ellinia forests and to the Western Rocks of the Perion Mountains, "We cut them off."
Arguments blew through the canopy. "Why would we go around," exclaimed Dai. "That would take much longer than it would to just follow in their tracks!"
"That puts us in far more peril than simply following them through the East!"
"It is much more efficient to catch the Hunters off guard," Tadeyo said firmly, slapping his hand to the table. "I know for a fact that the Hunters do not think ahead of possible dangers. There is only one Hunter family that does that. They would be our ONLY challenge. But their voices stand with little influence on the entire militia. Our best bets are to cut around the forest and greet them before they even reach the Western Plains of Perion."
Silence returned to the table, each commander being deep in thought.
"I agree," says Yon, bringing her gaze from the table to the other captains.
"As do I," Tauto, being the Mage Division Captian, submits.
"And I," Captain Swift adds lifting his chin up proudly.
A proud silence floated throughout the canopy, and all eyes were focused on Lieutenant.
With a sigh and a slight smile, Dai spoke.
"Let's give it a shot," he said, surrendering to the majority.
Tadeyo, having being an accomplished Thief Captain and one of the most influential voices of Hitsuzen, only felt the cold rush of fear running through his heart as he sat atop a tree branch, thinking of Yurei.
"Tadeyo," a feminine voice floated up from the ground. He looked below him, and greeted Bo with a simple nod of the head. "Get to sleep. We have a long week ahead of us," she lectured.
"Yeah, I know." He looked up at the milk-white moon, and wondered where his Yurei might be. After a brief silence, Bo asked, "So what is she now."
Tadeyo looked at her, as if startled that she was still there, and startled even further with the question she posed.
"What?"
"What is she now?" Bo tapped the toe of her foot on the ground. "She's definitely not a Hunter anymore. But she's not a Hitsuzen."
"Heh," he huffed loosely. "She..." he trailed off.
"Ta...deyo?" Bo checked curiously.
Tadeyo smiled. "She will be a Hitsuzen."
"B-but she can't be! Unless... Unless she-" Bo cut herself off, understanding Tadeyo's motives.
Tadeyo only smiled. "Exactly."
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Hitsuzen, Part I
DISCLAIMER: Erm, this story was started TODAY, and out of NOWHERE, so it kind of starts in medias res. The story was awesome in my head, but you might not quite catch on to what I was thinking. MORE TO COME! *Points at PART I*
The battle waged on, whilst time seemed to stand still for both Tadeyo and Yurei. She cradled him in her arms, consoling him with every ounce of energy she could spare.
"Tadeyo," she said gently. His weary eyes opened to gaze at her. "You know I love you."
"Ahh..." groaned Tadeyo in pain, "And you know that I love you too."
He smiled at her softly, and closed his eyes while his steady breathing began again, ensuring Yurei that he was merely asleep.
She brushed his hair from his face and laid him down as the medic team came, and left him in their care. For now.
Yurei, realizing what had to be done, stood up firmly and grabbed her scarab.
She scouted the trees for a second, crouched down, and in an instant, was gone.
~
The trees rushed by in a green and brown blur, the wind carressing her face as she ran through the branches. As quickly and quietly as she possibly could, she maneuvered swiftly in and out of the trees when the hiss of a star caught her ear. She stopped apruptedly on a branch, her long bangs swaying forward in front of her, right in front of the ilbi that was aimed at her face, nearly clipping her nose. She snapped her head in the direction of where the star came from.
"YUREI," a deep voice shouts commandingly from the trees below her. She knew that voice.
"Yurei, don't do this!" the booming voice pleaded.
She stole the ilbi shot in the tree, and began to run with the Winds trailing all over her body. "Turn around, Domeki," she boomed back. "This isn't your affair!"
Domeki appeared in front of her instantaneously, reaching for her arm. "It is my affair, because you are my SISTER!"
"And Tadeyo is my HEART!" Yurei twisted her body to avoid his grasp, knocking herself off balance from the branch she was on. She fell backwards, keeping one foot planted on the tree. Domeki lunged forward, catching her by her shirt belts, leaving her dependent on his grip to save her from falling.
"Yurei, he is a Hitsuzen," Domeki barked angrily. "And you are a Hunter!"
"Domeki, it isn't about him..." she sighed. Domeki relaxed, understanding her sigh as a sign of truce. Then without hesitation, she kicked him in the stomach, and as he released her, she shouted, "It's about more than just him!"
She fell, and vanished into the green.
To be continued
The battle waged on, whilst time seemed to stand still for both Tadeyo and Yurei. She cradled him in her arms, consoling him with every ounce of energy she could spare.
"Tadeyo," she said gently. His weary eyes opened to gaze at her. "You know I love you."
"Ahh..." groaned Tadeyo in pain, "And you know that I love you too."
He smiled at her softly, and closed his eyes while his steady breathing began again, ensuring Yurei that he was merely asleep.
She brushed his hair from his face and laid him down as the medic team came, and left him in their care. For now.
Yurei, realizing what had to be done, stood up firmly and grabbed her scarab.
She scouted the trees for a second, crouched down, and in an instant, was gone.
~
The trees rushed by in a green and brown blur, the wind carressing her face as she ran through the branches. As quickly and quietly as she possibly could, she maneuvered swiftly in and out of the trees when the hiss of a star caught her ear. She stopped apruptedly on a branch, her long bangs swaying forward in front of her, right in front of the ilbi that was aimed at her face, nearly clipping her nose. She snapped her head in the direction of where the star came from.
"YUREI," a deep voice shouts commandingly from the trees below her. She knew that voice.
"Yurei, don't do this!" the booming voice pleaded.
She stole the ilbi shot in the tree, and began to run with the Winds trailing all over her body. "Turn around, Domeki," she boomed back. "This isn't your affair!"
Domeki appeared in front of her instantaneously, reaching for her arm. "It is my affair, because you are my SISTER!"
"And Tadeyo is my HEART!" Yurei twisted her body to avoid his grasp, knocking herself off balance from the branch she was on. She fell backwards, keeping one foot planted on the tree. Domeki lunged forward, catching her by her shirt belts, leaving her dependent on his grip to save her from falling.
"Yurei, he is a Hitsuzen," Domeki barked angrily. "And you are a Hunter!"
"Domeki, it isn't about him..." she sighed. Domeki relaxed, understanding her sigh as a sign of truce. Then without hesitation, she kicked him in the stomach, and as he released her, she shouted, "It's about more than just him!"
She fell, and vanished into the green.
To be continued
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