I
The night was hot; its stillness was punctuated by gushes of cool breeze that danced about. The latest bout of wind teased the skin of two men, their clothes flapping slightly in its wake. One of the men wore a traditional gi and hakama coloured in the deepest blue. His straw sandals were light on the ground. Two sheathed swords rested by his side.
The other one wore a haphazard mix of apparel — a green pair of ragged shorts, a white tunic with another bright red one over it. He carried a sheathed sword on his back and the overall look made him seem unkempt and quite wild.
And he knew it.
"Is that the place?" asked Mugen, gesturing out into the night. Jin nodded and studied the small castle before him. It wasn't as spectacular was they had envisioned. The building was far smaller than those that belonged to more powerful lords, and its walls were in many forms of disrepair.
"It's so… ugly," commented Mugen.
Jin nodded once more. "Our quarry is a minor lord after all. Still," he paused to adjust his glasses, "it is a formidable fortress guarded by many men. We will be hard-pressed to meet him."
"Bah! We will meet him!" Mugen offered a menacing smile, "And when we do, I shall enjoy his pleas for mercy!"
"I would like to witness that," said Jin. He brought his right hand to grip the hilt of his sword. "Now then, shall we?"
Mugen nodded. "For Fuu," he said and strode forward.
The grip on Jin's sword tightened.
"For Fuu," he echoed.