Samurai

There was a post on the Astro Boy online forum about a mobile game app that someone had found. There were various images of the game linked to the post. Someone suggested that maybe I could create a fan fiction story based on the image of Astro dressed in the Samurai armor, holding a sword. Needless to say my imagination was able to conjure up a tale based on that artwork. I've also combined some ideas borrowed from 'Dororo' and 'Spirited Away', and this is the result. This story was originally posted in the ABOL forum.

ONE

Astro and Dr. O'Shay sat near the middle of the small bus that was crawling over the winding road though the forest. It was a dark and rainy night with the only illumination being provided by the bus's headlamps and an occasional blinding flash of lightning. The conveyance was nearly empty, with only four other passengers. Atom looked around, studying the other occupants who were along for the ride with him.

Seated just behind the driver was a beautiful young woman with short dark curly hair and deep blue eyes. She was wearing a wide brimmed hat with colorful ruffles on the top which matched her outfit. Astro thought she was dressed for a party, he also found it hard to take his eyes off of her.

In the row behind Astro and the Doctor sat a tall man wearing a dark coat with a cape. His hair was partly white and partly black, and he had a long surgical scar running down the left side of his face, the skin of which was two toned. Sitting next to him was a young girl, who Astro took to be about the same age that his sister Uran looked to be. She was wearing a short red dress and had four pink bows in her brown hair. She also had beautiful brown eyes. Every time a bolt of lightning flashed between the clouds releasing a loud clap of thunder, the girl would move closer to the man for comfort.

All the way in the back of the bus was a character that gave Astro the creeps. He had a patch over his left eye, and his long uncombed hair was pure white. He was also dressed in a dark coat, and seemed content to be sitting all by himself.

"How much further?", the young woman asked the driver as she leaned over the seat in front of her.

"Maybe another hour until we reach the edge of this forest," the driver replied, "and perhaps another past that."

"Not soon enough!," she shivered, "this rain is giving me the creeps. I've never been this way before, just what road is this?"

"It's a shortcut," the driver explained, "The locals refer to this as the old temple road because it passes by many old abandoned shrines and temples, many of which were built in the old times when the Samurai and the Shogun ruled the country. You can't go as fast on this two lane road as on the highway, but it does shave a few hundred klicks off of the route. If I'd known about the rain in the forecast though, I'd probably had stayed on the main highway."

Suddenly a large lightning bolt struck the ground a few yards in front of the bus. The driver quickly slammed on the brakes as a large tree fell in front of them, blocking the roadway. He put the vehicle in reverse, and tried to maneuver around the fallen tree, but his front right tire sunk into a soft spot in the road and the front of the bus sunk downwards. The driver got out of his seat to look outside the bus. He examined the front of the vehicle and his face turned sour.

He reentered the bus and turned to face his passengers. "Looks like we're stuck here for the time being," he said. "The front axle seems to have broken when we ran off the road. I've radioed ahead to my dispatcher, and they will have a tow truck here by the morning. I know exactly where we are, and there is a temple just a few hundred yards off the road where we can spend the night and be out of the rain. If you'll all follow me, I'll guide the way. Do watch your steps though, the ground might be a bit uneven outside."

Astro looked at Dr. O'Shay, "I could probably lift the bus and fly us all out of here."

The Doctor smiled at Astro. "True, but I'm not sure how the passengers would handle that."

"I guess so." Astro sighed, "Humans do get airsick flying in rough weather."

The six passengers exited the bus and followed the driver across a rocky trail which lead to a cobble stone path leading uphill. Another flash of lightning lit up the sky and revealed the outline of an old building in the distance. It appeared to be a large abandoned temple where monks once lived. The driver tried the door, but it seemed to be jammed shut tightly.

"Let me give it a try," Astro asked. He grabbed the door handle and pulled on it hard. The door creaked on its rusty hinges and slowly opened outwards. The bus driver's flashlight cast eerie shadows in the gloom of the old temple. Astro switched on his eyes searchlights to give more light.

The small front room of the building led into a larger second room that appeared to have served as the bedroom for a clan of perhaps two dozen monks. The beds were still in place in the room, and perhaps half of them still had usable mattresses on them comfortable enough to sleep on. Another chamber had a long table with the remains of many chairs, this was obviously the dining area where the monks would partake of their meals.

From deeper in the building, came a shriek of terror. The tall man with the scar ran in the direction of the sound where he found his young companion shivering in fear.

"What is it Pinoko?" the man asked.

"Ghosts! I think." she said. "Sensei, I'm scared!"

Astro ran towards them his eyes still sending out beams of light. He was followed by Doctor O'Shay and the bus driver. "Look!" Pinoko pointed.

This inner chamber was filled with gruesome statues that appeared to be the work of devils. Their frightening looking forms were carved in hideous poses, they appeared to be performing acts of human sacrifice to the demons.

"This must be the demon temple," the bus driver gasped. "I knew it existed, but I've never actually heard of anyone who ever saw it. This place belonged to a dark sect of monks that worshiped the evil beasts of the underworld. It is said that one of the early Shogun's actually prayed to these demon idols to give them his unborn son for their blessings. This Shogun ruthlessly ruled most of Japan before being defeated by an unknown hero."

"Maybe we shouldn't spend the night here...," Pinoko sobbed.

There was another even louder clap of thunder and the sound of the rain on the roof of the building became even louder as the wind suddenly picked up in speed.

"I don't think we have much of a choice," Black Jack replied. "But let's keep out of this part of the building, for our sanity's sake!"

Dr. Kiriko pulled a flashlight from his pocket and slowly walked around the 'demon chamber'. His torch revealed the true size of the room as he shined his light on a long row of statues. "Kurō, come take a look at this," he called to Black Jack.

Black Jack followed the 'death doctor' towards the rear of the chamber and saw what the white haired man had discovered. There along the wall was a line of idols fitted with huge precious stones for eyes. Diamonds, Rubies, Star Sapphires, and Emeralds, each of them being at least a hundred carrots or more in size.

"A man could walk out of here quite rich with only a few of those gems," Kiriko laughed.

"I wouldn't touch them," Black Jack replied.

"You think they are cursed?" the white haired doctor laughed.

"Perhaps," Kurō said, shrugging his shoulders, "they've been here untouched for centuries, that in itself speaks of their sanctity."

"Perhaps," Kiriko replied, as he scanned the beam of his torch further along the wall. The light now fell upon an idol having several dozen arms. Each of its many hands held a katana in a golden scabbard with a leather belt attached. Kiriko carefully removed on of these from the idol's hand and examined it.

"The workmanship on this is incredible," he replied as he slowly pulled the sword from the scabbard and held the blade pointing upwards. Kiriko carefully ran the tip of his left thumb across the blade to feel its sharpness and almost drew blood. He pulled a hair from his head and pushed the root of it against the blade, neatly cleaving the hair in half, lengthwise.

"Amazing!" he smiled as he replaced the katana back into its sheath. He carefully wrapped the leather belt around his waist and admired how well the sword balanced against his body.

"I'd put that back if I were you," Black Jack warned him.

By this time Astro, Sapphire, and Dr. O'Shay had gathered to see what their companions were looking at. "What is this place?" Astro asked.

"This appears to be the heart of the temple," Dr. O'Shay replied. "This isn't a healthy place, it is a place of demon worship." The doctor looked down at the floor and scuffed his foot along the hard stone surface, kicking up a cloud of dust. "I don't think anyone has been in here for centuries, just look how thick this dust is!"

Sapphire looked around the room and suddenly shivered, "Let's get out of here, this place gives me the creeps!" she gasped.

"Me too!" Pinoko said, tugging on Black Jack's trouser leg to get him moving towards the chamber exit.

Suddenly the eyes of the idols began to glow. Red, Green, Blue and White rays of light emanated from the Rubies, Emeralds, Star Sapphires and Diamonds that were set into the heads of the statues. A humming sound filled the room, and it rapidly rose in volume and pitch, drilling into the ears of the everyone present. Dr. O'Shay, Kirko, Black Jack, Sapphire, and Pinoko clamped their hands over their ears for protection, but to no avail. Even Astro felt the pain and he too began to pass out. The room grew dark and the sound faded.

The bus driver had been exploring elsewhere in the temple, looking for clean water to drink. He heard the screaming of the others and ran in the direction of the sound. He found the demon room and scanned his flashlight around, its beam bounced off of the demon idol statues and he saw the evil grins on their faces. The room was otherwise empty, but in the dust on the floor he could see the outlines of six bodies that had mysteriously disappeared.