Chapter 12

The Samurai!

Fear the Snake!

Tao and Asami sat near a large oak tree to talk. The team-mates talked. "Master Tao, what happened to you? The others and I were worried sick." "I have finally inherited my true powers from my father. The birth mark on my forehead is actually a seal."

"A seal? What is it sealing away exactly?" "My time traveling powers." "You're what?!" "Yes, my father was a time monk." "A time monk! They're supposed to be legendary, they don't exist!" "Well they do now, I met my father there. He sealed some of himself in my when I was born. He told me he was killed by the Samurai Snake Assassins. Tell me; is it true you trained under them?" "Oh, yes it is. My father sent me there when I was 12." "I see, do you know much about them?"

Asami sighed and sat on the ground.

"I'm afraid so. If I tell you every detail, we'll be here until day break…" Tao sat next to her and leaned on the trunk of the tree. "I have time." Asami let another sigh escape her breath, then spoke. "When I was trained by the Snake Samurai, I was pushed to my limits. The Snakes are trained to show no mercy and kill whatever means necessary. They hate demons and kill anybody who fraternizes with them. The penalty for it is jail and utter torture. Although, if one were to have mate with a demon or marry them, the penalty is death. That is how your father died. 18 years ago, guns had just come out. I am assuming your father was killed by them?" "Yes, how did you know?" "The bloody clothes in the box reeked of gun powder. The Snakes use a very consistent kind of gun powder." "Really, what does it contain?"

"Acid and poison, we Samurai are trained to build an immune to the poison and acid." Tao blinked in shock and responded. "So what your saying is, they made you ingest this acid through-" "Yes, they made us take in the poison through our open wounds from battle. I guess you could say it was punishment for becoming wounded. " "That's terrible." "Yes, so what about this demon Bo-tech-I? I thought we were pursuing him?" "Oh yes, I forgot about that. Well, we will keep tracking him, and when we loose his trail again; that will be an opportunity to go after the Samurai."

"Master Tao, you are not suggesting that we annihilate the Samurai Snake Clan do you?" "They killed my father, I will avenge him and anyone else that they destroyed. I know they trained you to be strong, I know you may have friends, but my intention is to show them no mercy. I will kill everyone in that clan."

Asami didn't want him to do it, she had some friends there. "Please, some are innocent. Besides, I might have an idea who in the clan killed him." "Fine then, enlighten me." Asami smirked and stood up. " "The Cobra Samurai, they killed your father." "Cobras?" "Yes, the Snake Samurai is broke into different regions; seeing as there are so many of us.

First you have the pythons, they are ruthless and will kill anyone who gets in their way. Second, you have the Rattle Snakes, they like to get in your mind and make you go insane, begging them to kill you. Third is where I am from, which is the Anacondas. We mostly kill hard criminals like rapists murderers and thieves. However, we so no mercy to people who fraternize with demons. Lastly, there is the Cobras, where my mother was trained and raised. They are like paid assassins. The do not kill unless they are called on, unless you have a good reason for them to do so." Tao blinked and then responded.

"So, what does that mean?" "When someone in the region is caught with a demon, they call the Cobra Snake Samurai. In any case, somebody in this village caught your father with your mother and called the Samurai." "So, someone in this village got my parents in trouble?" "Exactly." Tao stood up and responded angrily. "Where is the Cobras threshold?" "Easy, the Cobras are not to be taken lightly. They will even kill their own kind of they had to." "Well my time has come. Its time I show these Cobras that I a Lamia can bite just as hard as them. Once we loose the trail to Bo-tech-I again, we set out to the Cobras threshold then." "Master Tao, the Cobras are not to be trifled with!" "My mind is made up, lets get some sleep."

Tao confidently went inside the hut. Asami sighed, and followed suit. ' He is in for a fight.' She thought, as she followed Tao into the hut. The scary part about it, she was right. Her Master should have listened.

Meanwhile… At the Cobras Threshold….

"Master! We found the women who was fraternizing with the demon in the west."

"Bring her to me!" There was the Cobras leader, Kaizo Jamiki. This guy was a ruthless tyrant who hated demons, and hated humans who socialized with them.

The petty servant threw the women to the feet of Kaizo's throne. She had been beaten and starved. " Geikie's troops found her heading for the demons lair. It would seem she is his wife now." Kaizo looked down on the women in disgust.

He kicked her in the side and spoke. "Ah!" "You sick women, how dare you betray the village! What you are doing is treason!" He grabbed her by the locks of her hair and pulled her to her knees then spoke. "Do you know what we do to people who commit treasons such as this?" "No… Please- no!" "May you rot in the ground. Faku!" "Yes Master?" "Take her to the dungeon. Tell the others there will be a hanging tomorrow after you lock her up." "Yes Master." "No! Let me go! NO!"

As the women was dragged away, Kaizo sat back down on his throne with a "Good riddance" under his breath. "Father! "Ehh! What is it- Oh, Yuki my darling daughter, what is it that you need?" "Father , you wont believe what I saw in the east lands!" "East lands?! WHAT WERE YOU DOING THERE?! I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO THERE!" "Yes father, I know, but I saw something that might strike your interest." Kaizo smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Go on." "Well, do you remember Guru?" "Yes that buffoon of my sisters husband who became a priest, what of him?"

"Well, I heard he had died recently and the girl I trained with who was his daughter and my half cousin was left all alone." "Oh yes, that Asami girl. " "Yes, well I just saw her traveling with unusual companions." "Hmm? Unusual?" "Yes, a full demon Lamia and a half breed Lamia, and a cat demon." "She is traveling with demons? THAT TRADER! She is my sisters daughter and she pulls this?! Tell Nakii my future son in law to get the troops ready!" "Hehehehe, yes Father." There Yuki left to tell her general of a fiancée the news. Little did Kaizo know was that the half breed he was after; was Tao, son of the monk Rue he killed in cold blood 18 years ago.