Chapter 4: For Balance
'We together shall give balance to the world!'
'Yes my brother we shall!" a young Zed exclaimed brightly.
The two warriors stood side by side in one of the Kinkou's dojo buildings both now turned thirteen. Their intermediate courses were now to be completed, with the both personally accepted to be taught under the head's wing – not too say that the fact of his son being one of them didn't affect the decision at all.
Zed had viewed the Kinkou Order very highly. It was balance. It was not something was more right than the other, but instead that everything must be in equilibrium; whether spirits, humans, or even whole countries.
The young trainee looked into his friend's eyes. Shen, high hopes, strong beliefs, and overwhelming talent much like his father. But to Zed, he was just his closest friend; a brother if you may. To that point ninjas weren't permitted a mask till they reached 15, leaving the two plenty of room to openly smile, and laugh with one another. The two were in-separable, until a certain day.
...
"Shen. Zed. To the floor please." The head spoke, eyes unwavering as the two young adults took to the sparring ground. Zed let out a breath, as he knew this day would eventually come. A battle for the Head.
Students were to be seen surrounding the two on seats resting against the dojo's walls. Light were to be hovering over them through the wooden room's open air ceiling; it was fairly convenient that the day in particular were to be open skies. Zed had finally turned 15 a few months after Shen and it was decided that one of the two were the most fitting to take over for Shen's father was beginning face the consequences of age. However, the temple had a rule past from generations. To avoid controversy, the loser was to be banished.
Hours before this, Zed were to be residing beside Shen in his room stiffly sitting on his bed, elbows on knees, hand on head. "Why does it have to be like this?"
"We do not disobey the choices of our head, Zed".
"But why must one of us be banished after brother!?"
Shen's face furrowed.
"WE DO NOT QUESTION THE ORDER!"
The room became silent, with Shen's yell as if no-one from the rooms beside them had even noticed. Zed stood up from the bed and headed for the door yet to only stop at the hinge.
"Don't you care about me brother…?"
Shen could only remain silent, turning away from his best friend. Zed eyes could only stare to the floor, not daring too face him again. With that, he left, closing the door swiftly.
…
"Begin."
Leaping forward, Zed unleashed a flurry of slashes using the two blades of his pairing gauntlets. The battle created a melody of clinks, as Shen would deflect each and every attack with the blade of his own.
Knocking away his opponent's blade with a strong swing, Shen proceeded to lift his sword to the air. Twilight Assault. The steel sword glimmered with a faint bluish' purple gradient, as his attacks became more powerful and sharper with every swing. Zed already knew Shen was a far better swordsman than him, for he already uncovered two unique abilities of his own, while Zed had only deciphered the basic Razer Shuriken.
Zed crossed his blades against one another, absorbing Shen's final and third swing yet rebounding off it, creating distance. Pulling his hands far behind his back, Zed began channelling. Razer Shurik- but it was too late. Shadow Dash.
It was only a moment, yet Shen had closed the distance within seconds. Zed became agitated.
You never told me you learned your third ability! he thought, as he watched him bring his sword from the bottom upward knowing that the attack would cause a fatal wound.
"STOP!"
Shen's blade came to a halt.
…
"The battle has finished. Shen is the winner."
Zed fell on his knees, making no attempt to break or shield his fall. He could already feel the glares of his comrades beside him. The victory wasn't unexpected – Shen always being the more… everything. Whether attention, respect, talent or skill, Zed was always behind, Shen subconsciously making it very clear through every passing day.
"And as such," the head continued. "Zed shall be exiled."
The assassin's face quickly begun welling with tears. Zed in correspondence proceeded to turn his face upwards to face Shen, however all that was given was his blank emotionless expression, staring down at him making the warrior feel more inferior than ever.
Shen remained silent and all of Zed's emotions had turned to anguish.
"Brot- Shen… Why…?"
Shen would not kneel or give a hand, yet instead simply spoke.
"For balance."