Keys:
Thoughts
"Direct Speech in English"
"Direct speech in other languages besides English"
~XoXoX~
Chapter 2
A new day was dawning, it was quiet as the sun slowly peeked over the mountain, making the early morning fog retreat slowly back into the forest. It revealed men preparing themselves to go fishing while women either cooked or cleaned in between the longhouses. Village life was thriving ever since it burned to the ground a few years before. It was a hard time for young and old but that did not stop those who remained to push forward.
Just outside the village in a high oak tree, sat the assassin as he kept watch over his village. Connor could still remember the painful memories of that day as if it only happened the day before. Seeing his mother crushed by the crumbling longhouse will remained burned into the back of his eyelids, probably for the rest of his life. He will find the man responsible and put a stop to his people's suffering. He made a solemn vow that Charles Lee will pay for what he has done. His eyes darted to the ground spotting movement at the gate. His clan mother looked up at him and gestured him towards her.
Searching for the quickest way down to solid ground. The assassin spotted a heap of freshly cut branches and evergreen leaves near the roots of the tree. Leaping gracefully from the branch, he twisted himself midair to fall back first into the heap. Climbing out, he shook himself clean and made his way to the village entrance.
It's been just over two weeks since he rescued Toshiro from the cougar, unintentionally. During his time, Toshiro revealed he was not yet sixteen. He was too young to venture out like this for Connor's likings, but he remembered back when the clan mother released him from the village. Connor was only thirteen. What kept pestering Connor was what was Toshiro doing all the way out here alone? Every time he asked Toshiro about it, he was either ignored or he received a dark scowl. Even though Connor felt a little more comfortable around him, he still could not come to trust the young man. Some part of him kept whispering strange things about the white haired boy. He tried to shake off these ideas but somehow... He just couldn't.
She leaned on her walking staff with both hands. "I was told he is well enough to travel. You must take him with you now." After a moment of no reply, "Rhatohnhaké:ton?"
"There is something wrong with him." Connor said in all honesty with a hint of frustration in his voice.
The elder knew something was bothering him but she did not feel the same way. "You must not judge things until you know the whole truth. You are just like your mother in that sense. Your father was misjudged in the beginning but he never meant to hurt us. He truly loved your mother, even though he was one of them."
"My father is part of a great evil. He must be stopped." Connor retorted.
The elder sighed, "Be cautious, Rhatohnhaké:ton. Your naivety will be the death of you, for nothing is truly evil or pure good." With that, she turned and left him standing there. Those few words, Connor has heard much too often during his time of training with Achilles. He understood what it meant to be an assassin but what is he missing? What are these mysteries hiding?
Sighing, he removed his cowl and entered Toshiro's hut. The white haired man was sitting by the fire, busy cleaning his sword. He was wearing nothing but his hakama. Connor found it interesting to learn more about his culture but that still did not buy any of the assassin's trust. Neither did the Toshiro ask for any...
"I see you are well enough to travel. " He stepped closer as Toshiro held his sword up horizontally and eyed it to inspect for blemishes.
"Yes. Are we to go to Davenport now?" He asked as he wiped a small spot on the left side of the blade with his thumb.
Connor nodded as he leaned in to examine the blade for himself. "May I?" The assassin held out his hands. Toshiro was hesitant at first but eventually held the blade up for Connor to take. Connor twisted the blade as it reflected the light from the fire around the room. "How did you come across such a blade?"
"I forged it myself," Toshiro stood and walked over to his black shihaksho top as it laid out over his bed.
"How were you able to make it?" Connor asked as he looked at the young man's back. The claw marks ran diagonally from his right shoulder down to his left hip. It was still healing but his pale skin was going to be scarred for life.
"My mentor taught me." He started dressing with a reminiscing look in his eye. "Our legends say that all the best warriors of our land have always made their weapons themselves. They gave them a name too, believing it would strengthen the steel thus making the wielder stronger as well." Toshiro told Connor as he fastened his clothing with a white sash around his midsection.
Connor watched him in the corner of his eye, "Do you believe in that legend, too?"
"I do," Toshiro nodded as he slipped his scratched sheath and mended green sash over his head, the golden pin now resting over his heart. "I just hope I'll become a part of those legends myself one day."
"What is the name you have given your blade?" Connor found this legend quite strange but then again, he has heard stranger things in the little time he was an assassin.
"Hyourinmaru," He replied as Connor gave the sword back to him. "It means, Crimson Ice Ring."
"Crimson Ice? Isn't ice supposed to be clear?"
"Not when blood's covering it." Toshiro slipped the sword back in its sheath then made his way to the hut's exit.
The same strange feelings stirred deep in the assassin's gut as he followed him outside. What was that?
The pair walked to the village entrance where the elder and Kanentó:kon were waiting to see them off. The wise old woman was leaning against her walking staff as the cold breeze rustled her plaits. The assassin and his traveling companion stopped in front of them as they prepared to leave for their journey to Davenport. The elder spoke first as Kanen'tó:kon translated for her.
"Keep well Toshiro. We enjoyed having a new face around the village. But a word of warning…" The elder stepped closer to Toshiro. "Do not let other men's desires overshadow your own. Protect what you hold dear." She placed her left hand over his pin. "Protect your heart." The elder finished as did Kanen'tó:kon.
Toshiro's eyes grew slightly wider at her words but it did not go unnoticed from the assassin. "Domo arigato," Toshiro bowed to the elder. He had once told Connor it was a custom to his people that when someone bowed, it was a sign of utmost respect.
Connor nodded to the pair and replaced the hood over his head. "I will come again soon."
Toshiro was hot on Connor's heels, as they followed a small trail that lead to the main trade route over the high hill. The pair traveled in silence but Connor could not help to think suspicious thoughts about the young man walking next to him.
"You- you mentioned a legend earlier… Can you tell me more about that?" Connor asked after nearly half an hour on the trade route. He had to break the silence between them to get his mind on other things. If the village elder trusts him, maybe he should, too. Or try at least…
Toshiro sighed. He had enjoyed the silence up until now but decided it might be best to talk a bit. "Alright." He was not it in the story telling mood but if it would make the journey shorter, so be it, "The legend is about nine swordsmen, spanning over a thousand years. Never in its history did two fighters ever live at the same time. But there are rumours that some of these legendary fighters did indeed challenge each other for their title."
"Only nine? By the way you told it earlier, it would have seemed that there would have been many more," Connor tried to clear some of his confusion.
"Well yes. There are those who try to follow the examples of these renowned swordsmen but they never reach the rank of being called a legend themselves," Hitsugaya crossed his arms. "To begin: The father of this legend's name was Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto. It was said that his sword was so powerful, all of creation burned at a single swing."
"All of creation burned?" Connor repeated.
"Yes. Ryujin Jakka was his sword's name. It means the Flowing Flame," Toshiro breathed in the cold air as he looked around the road which was devoid of other travellers. "The second, was a woman by the name of Yoruichi Shihoin. She moved so silently, she never needed a weapon."
"Then how did she become part of the legend if she never used a weapon?" Connor asked, slightly confused.
"You misunderstand. I said she didn't need a weapon. She knew how to wield just about any weapon thus making her a lethal fighter. But as far as I recall, her sword was so deadly, no one dared to speak its name. So you would understand if no one remembers it after almost nine hundred years." Toshiro explained. "The Shihoin clan still exists in the mountain range of my homeland. The clan still follow her methods of non-weapon fighting and killing to this day." Toshiro looked around at the snow covered ground.
"It sounds like this woman had some impressive stealth skills," Connor noted.
"She did. It was from her where rumours started to float around about assassins roaming our lands." Toshiro scoffed. "Assassins…"
"What about the third?" Connor quickly redirected the topic back.
"The third was a man by the name of Gin Ichimaru. The legend calls him the Silver Fox. He was cunning and fast on his feet. The legend describes that he moved so fast between his opponents that it would seem to them that his short sword extended to great lengths." Toshiro brushed off his sleeves from the snow that lightly graced the skies.
"Don't you think that is a bit of a stretch to the truth?" Connor shook his head.
"Inhuman maybe, but legends are only myths derived from facts. So, there might be a possibility that what is said is true." Toshiro shrugged.
"What was his weapon's name?"
"Shinso. It means Devine Spear" Toshiro looked around again. "How far is Davenport anyway?"
"It is about half a day away by walking." Connor looked at him.
"And by horseback?" Toshiro stopped to look to his right.
"A few hours, give or take. Why?" Connor also stopped and looked in the same direction. There was a British camp not far from where they were standing. It had three horses tethered to a post behind one of the tents.
"No. This is insane." The assassin stepped closer trying to grab his sleeve, knowing what the young man wanted to do.
"Then wait here." Toshiro shrugged him off and walked into the low bushes. Connor waited a few moments before following. The snow was ankle deep on this slope but it was still able to make enough noise though the silent forest. They ducked low and circled a few trees to reach the post.
"Toshiro?" Connor tried again to stop the boy.
"I told you already, call me Hitsugaya." Toshiro almost hissed at the man behind him a little too loudly.
"Oi. Did ya hear tha'?" A deep male voice asked from within the camp.
"No. Why?" Another voice spoke.
"I thought I heard somethin' over here," The first voice spoke again.
"Then why don't you go look?"
"Fine." Low crunching noises came closer to the bush. He spotted something sparkle between the thick leaves. "What is tha'?"
The redcoat was coming closer and closer to inspect as the assassin's muscles start to tense. He knew the guard has spotted the guard on Toshiro's sword positioned on his back.
Suddenly, Toshiro drew his sword and plunged it through the guard's chest with lightning speed. Connor could not believe what he just saw. The guard groaned as he fell to the ground in a thud.
"What the hell?!" Another guard spotted him as Toshiro stepped forward out of the bush. There was something completely different about his expression now. Connor has seen this look before, in the eyes of Charles Lee. The look of wanting nothing but death. He had no choice but to join the fight as seven Redcoats started to form a firing line.
Connor unsheathed and spun his tomahawk between his fingers as he ran to the other side of the camp to get the firing line's attention. Hooking his tomahawk into the shoulder of an unexpected redcoat, he positioned himself behind the man creating a human shield.
"…Fire!" Their captain yelled as the loud gunfire echoed through the white forest and a man shout in agony. Connor let the redcoat go as he limply fell to the side. The men began to reload as the assassin searched for a means of high ground. Next to one of the tents on his left stood a large, sturdy table. Sheathing his tomahawk, he darted for it. Finding a decent foothold on the table, he leaped into the air. Releasing his double hidden blades midair, he came down, plunging it deeply into the necks of two men in the front line. The men around him became frightened as they pointed their weapon's bayonets at him. The assassin smirked darkly, this was child's play for him at this point. He had to finish this quickly though, Toshiro might need his help.
A sudden white flash illuminated in the assassin's peripheral vision, he knew not what to make of it but it was shortly followed by a black blur behind the men's backs. Two men within the back line, fell face first into the dirt as terror struck the remaining men.
"Run! There is a white demon here!" One redcoat at the edge of the camp howled as he stumbled, trying to escape.
A captain stood ready, facing Connor with his rapier, "Calm yourselves men! We can still be victorious!"
Toshiro came out from behind a tent to stand next to Connor, sword in hand, "I doubt that." His sword dripped with the soldiers blood menacingly.
"Who are you?" The captain asked as his hands started shaking at the sight of the white demon.
"No one. Just a ghost…" Toshiro simply stated as Connor took the opportunity to strike. He dodged through the men still standing and swept the Captain from his feet. He landed on his back, knocking all the wind out of his lungs. The Assassin stuck his hidden blade between the man's ribs, effectively piercing the Captain's heart.
The remaining men stood frozen in their tracks as Connor straightened. He turned to the men and pointed after the man who already fled, "Leave! And don't return here ever again."
The men dropped their muskets, swords and daggers and staggered, following the man in the distance. They both waited a few minutes until the last man was out of sight. Connor turned back to the deserted camp, only to find the boy missing, "Toshiro?"
"How many times do I have to tell you…?" His voice came from Connor's left. When he looked, he saw the young man sitting on a pitch black horse, ready to leave. "It's Hitsugaya."
Connor walked over to the brown spotted horse and mounted the steed. He took up the reins and waited for Toushiro to move. As soon as he did, it revealed a whole string of dead bodies that had blood splattered over the untouched snow. Connor's eyes grew wide at the sight. If he kept track from his own kills, he only killed four. From quick assessment, there had to be about eight dead bodies, ten including those he killed within the camp. Crimson Ice? It rang through his mind as he looked over the bloodstained snow.
"Are you coming?" Toshiro asked loudly from the trade route, breaking him free from his thoughts.
Connor nodded and whipped the reins to will the animal forward. He joined him once again but as the galloped through the baron forest. He could not help but think again...
Just who are you Hitsugaya?
~XoXoX~
A/N: Man… My battle scene isn't really that great but if anything is still confusing, don't hesitate to mention it in your review. I will try to fix it as best I can.
Please Review~