Finally getting off my ass to write the sequel. I cannot promise that many of you will like this for the same reasons you liked 'Don't Cry'. We're gonna find out here. But the best way to start something is with a fight! So let's get the blood pumping!
-Sight Beyond Sight, Chapter 1: Departure-
The resounding clang of steel reverberated through the empty training hall. Well, nearly empty. Two fighters stood opposed to each other, tempered blade leveled against study lance. The more skilled of the pair pulled the lance back and twirled it above his head with a grin.
"Come on! You wanted me to teach you how to use that thing, then give me all you've got!" He called, provoking his opponent with a wave of his hand. The other fighter was clearly of noble birth, the stance and decorations made it obvious. They leveled the jeweled sword and charged, bringing it down with a quick slash, and then going to follow it with a second. The move was flawed, as the lanceman could tell the first attack was a ruse and let it pass. With a sharp twist of the lance, he stole his opponents legs away, as they landed on the ground with a groan.
"That's fifteen rounds, my liege. Anymore and they'll have my head for injuring you." The lanceman responded with a grin, extending his hand to the now annoyed prince.
"One of these days Magnus, I'll wipe that smile off of your face in the ring." The young Lord of Bilibin, Elindow, spoke.
"Well, before you do that, you'll actually need to hit me!" The soldier named Magnus responded with a laugh, returning the lance to his side as Elindow walked to the window. The sun had begun to set, they'd been here for hours training. He knew he was getting better, but he needed to be stronger still. There was no way he'd be strong enough to make his own way like this.
"Say Magnus." He said, not turning to look at the young soldier. "What would you call true strength?"
Magnus just sighed. The soldier, barely a man himself, had been in service to the house for nearly ten years. First as a Paige, and now as a squire. He was only a year or two younger then Elindow, but they'd become fast friends in his time here. "You're thinking about the Queen of Morgal again, aren't you. It was Sveta, right?" He chuckled. "Look man, she's out of your league." He rubbed his jaw in memory. "I've never seen anyone fight like that before...what a women."
Elindow recalled seeing Magnus as once of the first to charge the stage to try and help him during the wedding disaster. And as a result, he was one of the first to feel the wrath of Sveta's fists. Thankfully, unconsciousness came quickly for the youth. "I don't mean like that." He said, shaking his head. "And besides, I don't like her like that. She's just a friend."
"Uh huh. Suuuuure she is." Magnus responded with a chuckle. "Look, you've clearly already got your own ideas. So why are you asking me?"
Elindow paused for a moment. "I guess, I just wanted someone else to agree with me. Let me know I'm not crazy."
"Frankly, I think you are crazy. But it's your choice, so do what you want with it. One thing is for sure though."
Elindown turned to look at his friend as the younger soldier removed his helmet, shaking out his blond hair. "You're gonna need a lot of practice if you measure your strength by beating me."
The two friends shared a moment of laughter before the sun set behind the horizon. As darkness covered his dominion, the young Lord could only feel excitement that he would not see the dawn from these wall in the morn.
"No, no, no! One thousand times no!" The impulsive king almost shouted, his voice echoing around the halls. "Takeru is still missing, I will not allow you to simply leave on a whim. Out of the question!" The servants were quite used to the king's emotional outbursts, but this was a level of ferocity that even they seemed stunned by. However, the source of his frustration stood her ground, looking up at her father with a calm and serene expression.
"I have told you honored father, there is a dark star rising in the north. I have seen it. If we do not act quickly, then the light we have fought for may well be extinguished."
"Yes, yes." Susa growled. "We heard your prophetic declaration this morning."
"And you still refuse to believe. The third eye shows me the path, honored father. I cannot remain here and do nothing." She recited the proclamation she had made in her trance this morning, as if to solidify the issue. "The dark and light balance on the edge of a co-" But Susa interrupted her with a shout.
"Speak no more of that curse! I wish not to hear it again!" He waved his hand at her, and her face softened instantly as she walked up to her father.
"Father. I must do this. Much as you slew the mighty Serpent and saved mother, this is something I must do. I know this, and you do as well."
Susa seemed to have accepted the inevitability of this. He was never going to be able to win against Himi when she got like this. She'd never had this kind of stubbornness before, but after her journey, she was not the quiet girl she used to be. She was always respectful and kind, but she was no longer the child to blindly obey the orders of her father. "I know you must Himi, but we cannot risk it. I cannot remove out boats from patrolling the waters, Sana would sense the weakness and attack. Even were I to let you go, I have no way to provide you the protection you would require."
Himi smiled, and walked to her father, bowing respectfully to him. "Honored father, I request only a single vessel, and only the men needed to steer it."
Susa nearly lost his mind. No guards, no escorts? For his little girl? Unthinkable! He was about to launch into another explosion of words when a soft female voice came from the back.
"Himi...you are leaving again?"
"Yes, honored mother." The Yamatan princess spoke. "I have been called by fate, I must answer."
Kushinada nodded, placing her hand on Susa's shoulder. "My love. Let us give our daughter what she requires and our blessings. She has certainly become strong enough to take care of herself." She said with a smile. Susa seemed at a loss for words.
"What kind...of wretched father cannot protect his own children?" He mused, seeming much older then he had a few moments ago as all the fight seemed to leave him. "Very well. I shall have the fastest vessel in all of Izumo to take you where you desire." He relented, as Himi bowed and left the chambers. He sank into his throne, sighing.
"At least she isn't traveling with that deplorable pirate anymore." He said, considering it a small victory.
Night had fallen completely. There was the slightest of moons out tonight, but it was close enough to a New Moon that it would not matter. The rummaging of cloth and metal in the room would seem odd to any outside, but thankfully none were there to ponder on it. Elindow looked over his attire with the light from the smoldering coals in the fire place. Simple and inconspicuous. He'd packed food, bedding, his weapon, and other necessary supplies. Tonight he would leave Bilibin. When he returned, perhaps he might be worthy of the rank he held. But he wanted to become his own man, to find himself in the real world. As he finished packing what he was taking with him, he closed the straps on the large pack and moved over to the window. Throwing a length of rope out of castle, he looked down. It descended all the way to the garden below, excellent.
He was about to put his foot on the ledge when the creaking of the door behind him made him spin around. Damn it, he'd been discovered. If he didn't get out of here quickly he'd never get the chance again. However, the figure that stood in the hallway was nobody he recognized. They wore a large cloak, and the hands seemed to glint as if made of metal. The right hand was dripping something from a long protrusion...blood? As the figure began moving towards him, Elindow felt his breath catch in his throat.
'An Assassin'
And then everything seemed to happen at once. His head pounded, the world seemed to spin, the assassin seemed to stumble, loosing their footing and falling to the ground in surprise. A low shout of pain as the assassin's hand fell onto the coals. They reached back quickly, causing the claw on the right hand, which was indeed covered in blood, to clatter to the floor. The sound of metal boots on the stones outside the door drew their attention, and the assassin fled through the still open door, vanishing from sight. Elindow wasn't all there, but by the time the owner of the steps had arrived he'd realized a few troubling pieces of information. Magnus stood in the doorway for a moment, and then entered the room.
"Holy...Eli! You ok? Where's the wound? Did they-"
Elindow held up his hand. "I'm fine. They left when they heard you coming. We need to get out of here." He said, rising to his feet and grabbing the pack.
"Yeah." Magnus said, looking to the door. "The guards should be getting dressed out, most of them are reporting to the royal chambers."
Elindow paused for a moment. "The royal chambers...?"
Magnus looked to the side, not meeting Elindow's eyes. "You...weren't the only target. Your mom is missing...and you father was..."
Elindow would have felt sadness, but he was too worried about survival right now. So that was whose blood was on the claws...but wait a minute, those claws. "We need to get out of the castle, now." He said, moving towards the window.
"Whoa whoa whoa! Are you crazy? There'll be nothing to protect you out there! The assassin could get to you like that!" Magnus said, moving in front of him. "Look, I know you want to make those Morgal bastards pay but-"
"It was not a Morgal assassin." Elindow said, silencing Magnus. "But we were meant to think it was. Smell that?" He asked. Magnus sniffed the air and shook his head. "Exactly. Beastmen are covered in fur. Burnt hair has a very strong odor. The assassin burned their hand in the fire, but yet there is no scent. The assassin was using a weapon that was already here, the claws that the Morgal Queen had with her when she was imprisoned. Why wouldn't they bring their own weapons? And how did they manage to get all the way to the royal chambers and here so quickly if they did not already know the layout of the castle and the guard routes? Too many questions." He said, placing his foot on the ledge. "I'm leaving. And if you want to protect me, you better come with." He added, and without waiting further he began lowering himself into the courtyard.
Magnus had to agree, they were all legitimate questions. And they all pointed to the same thing, someone in the castle was trying to kill him and pin the blame on Morgal. But who would have anything to gain from something like that?
"Damn it, Damn it, Damn it!" He cursed, grabbing the rope and lowering himself down after the fleeing prince.
"Lady Himi! Please take cover bellow decks!" One of the crew members shouted, trying to usher her as the battle began around them. They were hardly out of sight of Izumo when a Sanan ship had appeared off of the horizon and begun advancing. Even now, the boat drew closer and they could see archers lining the decks.
"Captain!" The lookout called. "They are saying to strike our flag and lower the sails!"
"Surrender?" The captain echoed. "Never! We fight to the death for the honor of our liege!"
Himi walked calmly up to the captain, and bowed formally. She seemed completely unaware of what was happening around them...or maybe she understood it better then anyone else. "Captain sir. Please break towards the west. I see our deliverance from these foes in that direction.
The captain stared down at her, clearly thinking her mad. "West? That will take us straight to Tonfon!"
Himi stood on the deck, staring west, and closed her eyes. "Yes. West leads us to our salvation. All other roads lead to ruin. All hands, break to the west for the honor of Lord Susa!" She shouted, her tiny voice carrying a surprising amount. The sailors seemed at once confused by her outburst, and shocked by her taking command. The captain looked as shocked as the rest of them.
"Well you heard her! Trim the sails and grab that headwind! Take us west with all speed!"
And so ends chapter one. A bit of a prologue, to give the readers a little introduction to what is going on. I'm going to give it a go on actually giving Himi a personality in this story. Not sure how well it'll go, but we'll soon find out. And before anyone asks, yes the title is a nod to 'Thundercats'. It also holds a meaning for the story, so gimme a break. See ya next chapter!