Chapter 2: A Hirata Escape and Red Eyed Madness
Disclaimer: Maybe it's the constant need to throw myself at a brick wall until it breaks that I love Fromsoftware's games so much. I could only hope to capture such a feeling in this story and in the OCs I own.
Speech – "My Lord"
Letter – 'Neat'
Thoughts – 'Prepare to Die.'
4 Hours Later, Dragonspring
Wolf felt an odd sense of nostalgia overcome him as he stared at the Hirata Estate in the distance. The home of his unborn master and his family, the sunset painted the estate in a far grander manner than it would in the night. The lack of bandits pillaging and burning everything to the ground also helped. Civilians that lived in the village path walked in and out of the gates. Guards kept post on the towers and gatekeepers made sure to check everyone person that came into the estate belonged. The soldiers stationed here were numerous and skilled, many having been trained directly under Isshin himself before transferring. If these men were around in the past timeline then the bandits who attacked would have been butchered and will attack any intruders with extreme prejudice if caught.
Unfortunately for them, Wolf had no plans on being found. Tying his horse to a tree overlooking the estate, he patted his ride while giving her some food to eat.
"I'll be back soon Hana." Getting an affectionate nibble in response (though that was probably her attempting to eat some of his hay coat), Wolf leaped off the cliff and used two familiar branches to climb down safely. Landing on the soft patch of dirt, Wolf walked to edge and took a deep breath. Then he dove straight into the water.
"Hm?" A soldier who heard a splash peered over the bridge, staring at the waters suspiciously. Seeing nothing pop up, he eventually shrugged and went back to leaning on the railing. 'Probably another of those damn carps, those things always gives me the creeps. What the hell do they even eat to get that big?' As the soldier thought on his phobia of overgrown killer fish, Wolf calmly traversed the bottom of the lake. He wasn't stupid enough to go through the front. Ignoring the fact that it would just draw unnecessary attention, these soldiers were technically under Kuro since they served his father so he wanted to avoid leaving a path of death through the estate if he can help it.
Passing a couple overgrown carp, Wolf struggled to swim upstream and after a couple grueling minutes found himself blocked by a fence. Using his smaller body to his advantage, he squeezed through the panels and used them to climb up. Night had started to set over Hirata Estate so the few sentries in the watch tower didn't see him climb up. Wolf soon found himself on the bridge leading to the Bamboo Thicket.
Wolf narrowed his eyes when he saw the spear wielding Enshin of Misen praying by the entrance with a larger man in similar attire. Warrior monks of the Misen Temple usually hired as guards for nobility, he was another traitor like his father. He was younger now and didn't have the ceremonial head wrapping, showing his current apprenticeship, but Wolf didn't want to leave alive someone who had a hand in the attack.
'No, I can't. I have a mission to do.' Putting his goal above his grievances, Wolf sneaked passed both monks and climbed over the wall. The thicket path was sparsely protected, possibly due to the low visibility in the forest and Wolf ran through without needing to sneak. Stopping at the edge of the Bamboo Thicket, Wolf saw that the Main Hall's front gate was slightly open. Climbing to the top of the nearby Pagoda, Wolf kept his head low as a couple of Shinobi patrolled the rooftops. A group of guards entered the door as a gatekeeper held it open. A Spearman in armor walked up to the gatekeeper.
"Was that the final one?" The gatekeeper hurriedly nodded and the Spearman waved his hand. "Then close the gate and make sure all the exits are properly watched. Our Lord is entertaining a guest. I don't want things looking sloppy." Watching the lower ranked soldier close the gate and walk away to do his task, the Spearman stopped when he felt a chill go up his spine. He looked around for the source but found nothing.
"Is something wrong sir?" Asked this by a random soldier, the Spearman observed the surrounding for another second before shaking his head.
"I'm fine, probably just a draft. Let's go." Getting confused looks from his subordinates, he made for the other entry points to make sure they were secure before turning in for his shift. Nights in Ashina had the tendency to bring things that made regular men look like children in front of fully trained soldiers. And he did not plan to be around to find out which one he is.
In the Spearman's haste to be gone before things went bump in the night…he never noticed the near soundless and see through figure smoothly enter the main hall.
Ashina Castle, Lower Levels
As night settled on the ancient and mysterious lands of Ashina those who didn't need to guard chose to retreat to their chambers until day break. The few soldiers and sentries still outside held their talismans close, as if they expected the piece of paper to be a better defense against the vile monsters that stalked the night then cold, hard steel. Let it be known that even when they worked for a man that's arguably more powerful and scarier than any immortal or spirit they could find out there, the inhabitants of Ashina were still a superstitious bunch. Such a thought brought an amused smile to Emma as she worked on her current patient. The candles on the walls quietly flickered as she rubbed ointment on her patient's back and joints, getting a satisfied moan back.
"Ah that's the spot right there my dear. Just like that." The elderly Priestess instructed the young doctor in training on where the pain was greater and Emma calmly guided her hands to the older woman's lower back.
"You've gotten tenser since our last session. Have you been taking the medicine like I told you to?" Emma furrowed her brows as she felt the tense muscles and the Priestess snorted.
"There's no point to waste some medicine on these bag of old bones. It wouldn't have an effect anyway."
"But-"
"I'll live girly. It'll take more than some aching muscles to kill me." The Elderly Priestess ended the discussion and resumed telling Emma where her "old bones creaked". Emma gave a wry smile but continued her treatment, finishing until the Elderly Priestess felt refreshed. Emma tried to prescribe her some medical oils to help but the Priestess once again waved her worries away and thanked her before retreating for the night. Emma blankly stared at the sliding door her patient left, shook her head and soon left herself.
'Why is it always the older ones that are the most stubborn?' Emma thought with an internal pout as she navigated the halls of Ashina Castle, passing some patrolling disciples and guards. Being trained by the greatest doctor in Ashina and having tended to injuries since she was a small child, Emma has plenty of experience under her belt. Her temperament being perfect for her role, something that many have pointed out, she rarely lost her patience but when he came to the older patients her father gave her, Emma was always tempted to use the Jujutsu techniques she's learned from one of Orangutan's associates just so they can finally listen to her.
Sure, she would need to heal the bruises inflicted from her move but hey; this is their greater health at stake here.
Getting rid of the extreme (but slightly necessary) impulse from her head, Emma lifted her head when she came to her destination. Opening the pair large sliding doors that had depicting of cranes and turtles, Emma came to a room that smelled of medicine and incense. Scrolls and ink bowls were scattered across the floor, along with a couple of quills that looked like someone was writing before abruptly stopping. In contrast to the messy floor, the cabinets in the room were full of neatly organized medical supplies and they looked recently cleaned. Minding her step, Emma crossed the room and placed her hand on the shoulders of a figure hunched over a desk, his snores giving away his current state.
"Father." Emma spoke softly and her father's body shifted before he opened his eyes. Blinking a couple times, he slowly stood up and stared at her in a confused daze.
"Emma? I thought you were going to help the Head Priestess with her back. Is it that late already? What time is it?" Dogen rubbed his eyes as he asked and Emma's lip twitched.
"Around the time you actually start using a futon for sleeping." Emma said, allowing the slightest bit of snark to get through and her father blinked.
"Oh…then I don't have much time to wash up before the sun's up." Emma rolled her eyes at her father's joke and helped him to his feet.
"Very funny, but I was being serious. Go lay on your bed so you don't get sick."
"What? B-But I was just finishing up creating a pill that can help a wounded soldier withstand pain better without affecting their natural recovery limit!" Dogen said pleading to return to his work and Emma's brow's jumped.
"Really? But how did you get past the problem with their increased blood pres-wait, no! Stop trying to distract me, you're going to bed now!"
Placing her foot down, Emma successfully dragged her father to the next room and plopped him on his futon. While the older physician bemoaned the act, the moment his face hit the cotton he was out in an instant. Sighing at the lack of care he kept of his own body, Emma wondered how her father stayed alive before she came along. The few things she's heard from Lord Isshin and Orangutan about Dogen's former living habits didn't paint a pretty picture.
Taking a step back into the living room full of scattered scrolls, she kneeled down to pick up one and her gaze softened when she saw what was on it. It was a schematic for an artificial arm. Multiple short paragraphs with lines pointing to certain parts detailing what part worked with what and how it can be improved. All the papers on the floor were about the artificial arm and many were still being worked on.
'He really wants to do right by you…' Emma picked up all the papers and stacked them onto Dogen's desk. Cleaning up the room a little more before retreating to her chambers, Emma thought of the One Armed Shinobi and how she'd make his favorite Onigiri when he came back.
She just hoped his trip to meet Lord Oren was a quiet one.
Back to Wolf
Wolf tossed a couple shurikens at the Shinobi stalking the rooftop, causing him to deflect them but left him open to his next attack. Using the Prayer Strikes from the Senpou Temple, a welled placed punch to the Shinobi's face after a barrage to his chest knocked him out. After checking that the Shinobi was still alive Wolf continued his trek. That was already the fifth Shinobi Wolf had met upon his arrival in the Hirata Hall and he knew that if anyone of them woke up he'd have a much harder time getting out.
'Hopefully, I'll be gone before then.' Wolf thought as he sneaked by two guards and came to a familiar part of the estate. Two large living corridors adjacent to each other with only a shallow pond between them, Wolf knew that he was close. Making sure he was still see through, he ran across the open area and kicked off the tall boulder. He used it as a platform to reach across the water without drawing attention.
The door to the audience chamber was closed so Wolf had to loop around the sides and sneak in through an open window. Naturally, there was a spring trap set that would have skewered the foot of a regular Thief with a hidden spear but Wolf smoothly side stepped it. Idly pushing it away, Wolf soundlessly landed in the hall and pressed his body against the wall when some servants walked by.
They were led by an older woman who rang a bell and the main doors were opened for the servants to enter. Wolf couldn't tell who was inside from his angle but the laughter, food brought in and bright lights implied a political meeting or party.
'That makes my job easier.' Wolf thought as he moved to a hall that leads to a dead end and pushed. The panel shifted to reveal a secret area and inside housed multiple rooms. 'I'm really glad I prayed to that bell.' Even with his years of training, finding this place at first glances would have been impossible.
There had to be something about the Dragon's Heritage here…
"Hm?" Orangutan raised his head from his cup of Sake and stared at a corner of the room with a contemplative face.
"Is something wrong Orangutan? Is the food or Sake not to your liking?" A man with black hair and a goatee asked. He wore a black and blue yukata with sandals.
"Of course not Lord Oren, everything is wonderful as always. My mind simply wandered." Orangutan shook his head and Oren made an understanding face.
"Ah, I see I see. Forgive me; I forget you hate the overly complicated pleasantries of high society. I should have been more aware."
"That's what the Sake's for." Orangutan said lifting his cup and Oren chuckled.
"Then don't let me restrict you. Please."
The One Armed Shinobi graciously accepted the Lord's offer and allowed him to fill his cup. This was one of the reasons he always liked working under Oren than the other Lords that followed Isshin. Despite being a man of refutable influence and wealth, Lord Oren wasn't one to bother with rank. He preferred to put aside decorum and enjoy spending time with his subjects. Of course, this attitude was met with quiet disdain by the other Lords but Isshin ran a tight ship and any dissent was just that. Quiet and kept in check.
"How was your trip over to my humble abode, no complications I hope?"
"Nothing I couldn't deal with my sword and some salt." Orangutan snorted and Lord Oren chuckled.
"Good jest."
"…" Orangutan simply stared at the Lord before returning to sip his Sake. The One Armed Shinobi just quietly listened to Oren as he spoke about the current on goings of his estate and how peaceful the region has been since Isshin sent his personal disciples to watch over it. While the Hirata Estate never had much of a bandit problem, rogue Shinobi made it a habit to sneak in on certain occasions and Isshin lent his men to counter them.
It seemed to work so far. Orangutan's brow twitched at the thought as the door opened and a woman walked in. She was of short stature with soft features and black pupils. This was Lord Oren's wife Murasa and a distant descendant of an ancient bloodline.
"Hello Orangutan, I didn't know you had arrived. My dear husband never said anything." Murasa said giving Oren a blank look and the Lord stared to sweat.
"My arrival was last minute and I did not wish to disrupt your rest." Orangutan came to Oren's rescue and allowed his gaze to land on Lady Murasa's stomach.
"Oh darn, does everyone know?" Murasa said and Orangutan smiled.
"Unfortunately so my lady. Lord Oren wouldn't stop talking about it to Lord Isshin and Dogen." The Shinobi said with an amused glance to a blushing Oren.
"Tis my husband." Murasa sighed but there was no mistaking the fondness in her eyes when staring at her husband or the way she protectively covered her abdomen.
"Allow me to give you two some privacy." Orangutan stood up and Oren said it wasn't necessary but the Shinobi insisted. "I've taken up enough of your time, I should be heading back."
"Safe travels then. Tell Emma I said hello." Nodding, Orangutan bowed to the Lord and Lady before quietly stalking down the halls. As he passed an old maid (who was still ringing the bell oddly enough) Orangutan stopped in the middle of two paths and looked to his right. There was nothing there but a dead end.
'Did I imagine it?' Orangutan thought with a frown. Walking up to the wall, he reached out to inspect it and was surprised when it twirled to reveal another path. Said path led to multiple rooms that either acted as a tea room, library or storage. Orangutan sneaked around to find many of the shelf's that would house books or scrolls were missing. 'Did a thief sneak into Hirata Estate?' If so then Orangutan never knew one to steal only literature.
Coming to the final room, Orangutan found an open box. A box with nothing but sky blue Prayer Beads lying inside. The subtle shifting of a tile above the One Armed Shinobi caught his attention and his left "arm" twirled. An axe popped out and he swung upward, the ceiling smashing to pieces under the blow.
Black feathers flooded Orangutan's view.
Back to Wolf
"Intruder!" Wolf ran down the hall at max speed as the Sculptor waved the Mist Raven feathers away and chased after him. Hearing the sound of the Prosthetic Arm turn, Wolf zigzagged to avoid the shurikens shot at him. He smashed through the hidden door and was met with a couple maids who gawked at him.
"Thief!" One screamed and Wolf tripped her, throwing them at the Sculptor. He quickly caught her but this allowed Wolf to run to a window and barrel through it.
The time traveling Shinobi landed on the front lawn of the Main Hirata Hall and saw many soldiers were already converging here. Not wasting a second, Wolf secured the bulging sack on his back and allowed the power of Gokan's Spiritfall course through him before charging at the soldiers.
"Ha!" Multiple blades expertly pierced towards Wolf and he met them head on. He parried every sword, his stance never wavering while the soldiers were pushed back. Hopping over a spear sweep, Wolf landed on a soldier's shoulders and used it to jump across the clearing. The soldiers on the roof took aim when they saw his leap and shot at him.
Wolf deflected the bullets mid air and sprinted to the well when he landed. Any soldier he met was either parried to the side or outmaneuvered and when Wolf made it, he jumped down the well.
"He went down here! Someone get a ladder!"
The distant cries of the soldiers meant little to Wolf as he positioned his feet to drag on the walls to slow his descent. Landing at the bottom, he ran through the cave and ended up back within the bamboo forest. Seeing the lone Pagoda on the ledge, Wolf took out his makeshift hook and launched it across to the other structures.
It wasn't as effective as his former Prosthetic Grappling Hook but it got the job done. Wolf landed on the ridge across from the main entrance and ran into the thicket. He looked back to soldiers coming out of the door but they wouldn't see him, not through all the bamboo.
'I'm almost there.' Wolf thought, already seeing the bridge leading back to Hirata Village. 'Just need to stick to the rooftops and reach Han-'
A spear appeared in Wolf's vision and he quickly ducked under the swing. Rolling to the side when another spear tried to skewer his waist, Wolf stopped to see the two Enshin from before facing him. The taller one with a head wrapping took a stance.
"So you're the intruder whose been making a ruckus. Very well, I Mentā of Misen Temple will strike you down in Lord Oren's name. Stick close to me Uragiri!"
"Yes Sensei!"
"…" A part of Wolf wanted to use this chance to take out a potential traitor to Lord Kuro but he knew taking both of these Enshin (even if one was an apprentice) at the same time will waste more time then he has. So it was with a heavy heart that he waited until Mentā pierced towards him that Wolf stepped on the spear and kicked at the Enshin's face.
The experienced warrior monk naturally blocked it but he wasn't expecting the blow to have so much power behind it and was sent him flying backwards on his disciple. Wolf grunted as the Yashariku's Spiritfall granted him far greater strength then a mortal man but the burn that filled his body was quite unpleasant.
Using the moment they scrambled to stand, Wolf grappled to the nearby tower and swung away into the woods. No one else hindered Wolf's path as he stuck to the outer ring and used the rock formations on the river to make it back to his horse.
"Well you sure took your time." Wolf paused in his tracks as Orangutan stood next to Hana, stroking her mane. "I almost felt like an idiot waiting here when this could have been anyone's horse. Guess I got lucky." The One Armed Shinobi said as he turned to face Wolf.
"…" Wolf chose to stay silent, his hand inches from Kakedashi. Orangutan used this moment to observe the thief who he nearly lost tracking through Hirata Estate (not that he would tell anyone that). A little shorter than the average Ashina male, he wore a hay coat over an orange haori and a Tengu mask. An interesting choice of attire Orangutan's gaze eventually landed on the sack over his shoulder and by the tightening of the thief's grip on it, he noticed.
"Relax; there need not be any bloodshed here. I simply want the scrolls and books you stole."
"I cannot do that." Wolf spoke in a raspy voice and Orangutan's brow rose.
"You won't get much money for them. Few know their worth and even less would pay their true value." It wasn't a lie. In the current times, only weapons of war or secret techniques would fetch a high price. But Wolf didn't budge and Orangutan sighed. "Very well."
The older Shinobi tossed a couple shurikens at Wolf and slid under them as he deflected the projectiles. Taking out a small knife, Orangutan slashed at his chest and cut the strap, the sack falling to the ground. Wolf kicked his hand to the side when he grabbed for the sack and jumped back still holding on to his prize.
Orangutan quickly got to his feet and started barraging Wolf with punches. Recognizing the moves as the Senpou Temples Praying Strikes, Wolf nimbly dodged the punches. Surprised his attacks were read so easily, Orangutan switched up his approach and feinted a shoulder check before jumping up with a flying high kick.
"Wah!?" Imagine Orangutan's reaction when the thief saw it coming and caught his leg, tossing him at a tree. He quickly righted himself midair and pounced off the tree to shoot his Grapple Hook at the retreating Wolf.
Who caught the hook and pulled it downward. Orangutan's face met the dirt.
'Okay, this is getting ridiculous!' The One Armed Shinobi thought, his patience reaching his limit. He had avoided going for lethal moves since from the beginning the thief wasn't emitting any killing intent. Even when he had a couple chances to land a critical blow he chose to either dodge or harmlessly toss Orangutan away.
As his opponent got to his horse and cut the rope securing it to a tree, Orangutan knew he couldn't half ass his attempts anymore. Unsheathing his blade the Shinobi charged at the thief.
A fierce tug stopped him in his tracks.
"What the-" Orangutan turned around to see his Grapple Hook was firmly stuck in the ground by the very same knife he used against the thief earlier. Giving a hard tug, the hook became unstuck but the One Armed Shinobi turned around to see the thief had already galloped far down the road. "…" Blankly staring at his retreating opponent Orangutan sighed and pinched the bridge of nose.
'Isshin and Dogen must never know' was the single thought that went through his mind.
3 Hours Later, Kyūkeisho Mura Village
Wolf didn't stop riding until he reached a decent sized village on the outer ring of Ashina. The late night masking his approach and the lackluster sentries allowed Wolf to enter easily. Breaking into a barn house, he got Hana situated before looking through the books he stole.
Many didn't have any useful information on the Dragon Heritage, most being stuff Wolf already knew or rumors heard instead of actual fact. Like the Sculptor said, there were no secret fighting techniques in the pile but one scroll caught his eye.
It was a letter from addressed Lord Takeru to Lord Oren.
'Immortal Severance failed. The Open Gate also did nothing to release Tomoe from her suffering. We missed something. I do not know what but I believe it is too late. The stagnation has worsened and Dogen sees no recourse but he continues his research. I lament all the pain and death I brought onto this land in my quest to cure the Divine Dragon. Tomoe wishes to keep trying but I'm tired. So tir-
Wolf furrowed his brow, the end of the letter having a patch of spilled ink and there were smudges on the paper. As if droplets of water fell on the page and they naturally dried overtime.
'He must have been at the end of his rope.' Wolf thought. Lord Takeru had lived much longer as the Divine Heir then Kuro had but in return he had seen far more stagnation and death caused by participating in Isshin's coup. 'Lord Kuro couldn't bear to possess the Dragon's Heritage anymore at his young age; I could only imagine the despair of a man who had it for decades.'
Solemnly rolling the scroll back up and gingerly placing it in his bag, Wolf knew his next course of actions was to track down Dogen. The doctor/genius engineer was the one closest to the prior Divine Heir in his quest and since he was still alive Wolf figured he would be the next best step.
There was just one problem. If Dogen is still alive then there would be only one place he'd be staying and Wolf had a migraine at just the thought of breaking into that place again.
Ashina Castle had been nightmare alone with Gyoubu, Genichiro and the literal army of foot soldiers blocking his way, add a fully rejuvenated Isshin Ashina on top of that and Wolf was pretty sure even with the Dragon's Heritage he would fail to reach Dogen (that wasn't adding the fact that the coup was only a couple years ago and many soldiers were still battle hardened).
Yeah, breaching Ashina Castle was a no go. He needed a plan to bring Dogen out of the stronghold but what? A yawn came out of Wolf and he rubbed his eyes in exhaustion.
'I should sleep for now. I can come up with a plan in the morning.'
Getting comfortable on a pile of hay, Wolf kept his sword close at hand as he allowed sleep to overcome him.
Same Time, Abandoned Outpost
A group Ashina Soldiers marched through a thick fog, their swords drawn and faces focused as they scanned their surroundings. A couple carried torches but the dense woods and moonless night made seeing a few feet forward incredibly difficult. The occasional rustle of leaves made them tense up but they didn't stop, continuing their path.
"I don't like this." An Ashina Swordsman said.
"I know." A Spear-Bearer replied.
"They can still be out there."
"I know."
"Those eyes-"
"I know! Shut up already! Just…just keep walking."
The swordsman quieted down, holding his sword closer to his chest as they reached a dilapidated wooden house and quickly filed inside. The leader had his men barricade the front door and any other opening with the broken furniture inside.
"I want this place locked down. Let nothing in and always have two men guarding each exit. We'll take shifts until sun rise." The Spear-Bearer commanded and one soldier appeared hesitant.
"B-but what about the Lord's orders?"
"Let's first focus on actually making it back to Ashina Castle alive to receive punishment alright?"
The confidence the leading Ashina soldier showed helped boost morale and they quickly got to work. Rotations were set and two men took positions by the windows. One was the leader and the other was the terrified swordsmen. They got comfortable as they watched the others rest their heads.
"This is all kinds of fucked up." The Swordsman said. "What were even those things? I've never seen something hiss with such…hate and anger."
"The typical monsters that come out when darkness descends on Ashina. They can't bear to grace us on even grounds under the sun." The leader said, peeking through the gaps at the pitch black outside. "We are stronger. That's why they need to attack at night."
"It didn't feel like it…" The swordsman mumbled and the leader frowned before his expression softened.
"Hey, we will survive this. We will see our families again and Lord Isshin will protect as he always has." Clasping a hand on his compatriots shoulder, the swordsman seemed to chin up a little and the Spear-Bearer smiled. "I know you can't wait to get back to that old lady of yours."
"S-She's not old! I just like my women more mature then others!"
"Mature enough to have grandchildren?" The Spear-Bearer quirked a brow and the Swordsmen blushed.
"I…don't have anything to say to that." The leader chuckled at the way the Swordsmen deflated and leaned against the wall, taking another look outside the gap.
The sharp end of a rusty axe flew at the window. In a show of impressive reflexes, the leader grabbed his companion and rolled away as the axe cleanly cut through the wood inserting itself in the far wall.
"W're under attack!" The Spear-Bearer yelled and the men quickly got to their feet. "Grab the torches! Keep them close!" The men held the torches out as they leaned against the wall and waited for the enemy show themselves.
They didn't have to wait long. A shadow burst from the darkness and lunged at the soldiers. It was a tall man with scraggly limbs and a butcher's knife. He widely swung at them but couldn't get close before the leader stabbed his spear into his guts. The Spear-Bearer smiled victoriously but it was short-lived as two more shadows ran at them. He tried to take out his spear but found the skewered man was holding on to the handle with a wicked grin.
"Got you~" The sheer gleeful malice in the man's voice sent a chill down the Spear-Bearer's spine and he released his weapon. Taking out a short sword he slashed at the man's head.
"Ahhh!" He caught the leader's wrist and crushed it before tossing the man aside. The soldiers, despite being better armed and better trained, were overwhelmed by the two arrivals. For injury they inflicted they wouldn't even flinch and would give a fatal wound to each soldier.
"Heretics-aahhh!"
"Help me!"
"Die you bastards! Just-hruk…"
With simple farm tools the mad men crushed them. Surviving with bloody wounds and his sword arm cut off, the Swordsman looked up in terror as the three shadows stood over the bodies of the Ashina Soldiers. One of them turned to see him and took a step forward.
The Spear-Bearer came from the side and attempted to tackle the man to the ground but only succeeded in stumbling him.
"What are you waiting for?!" The leader yelled at the kneeling Swordsman. "Go! Run!"
"C-Captain, I-I-"
"Now!" The Spear-Bearer commanded and held onto the mad man. He gasped as a butcher knife was plunged into his stomach but gritted his teeth and wrapped his arms around the man's neck. A sharp snap echoed outwards. The eyes of the two others widened when they saw the mad man's body go slack before they gave an inhuman roar and charged at the exhausted leader.
Using this moment to stumble to his feet, the last thing the Swordsman saw was two piercing red eyes burn in anger before they huddled around his leader and ripped him limb from limb.
Then he turned and ran into the darkness.
Morning After, Back to Wolf
"Here you are sir." A young waitress brought over a plate of rice and soup to Wolf.
"Thank you." He said and gave the waitress some coin in thanks. She quickly bowed in gratitude and left the Shinobi to enjoy his meal. Wolf blew on his hot soup before taking a sip and savoring the taste. Even when Wolf became Kuro's Shinobi and dedicated his entire being to his Lord he never forgot to enjoy simple things like eating a hot meal after a tough day or a quiet nap.
'The small things are what separate the weak and the strong. They are what makes a man a man and monsters monsters. Never forget that Wolf.' This was something Owl of all people taught Wolf and even as a child (when he didn't know his father's true side) Wolf was shocked such a non-murder oriented lesson came out of Owl's mouth.
Then he proceeded to teach Wolf how to use his victim's blood as a smokescreen and normalcy returned to the young Shinobi's life.
Wolf sat in a small restaurant (the only restaurant in town really) as he ate, men and women alike mingling at their own tables. Wolf forgoed his Tengu outfit and wore a simple black Shinobi outfit with a hood. This was in the event word of a thief wearing a Tengu mask escaping Hirata Estate spreads and he didn't want to be caught flat footed. He was patting himself on the back now for stealing the outfit instead of buying it like he did Hana.
'Now what to do about Dogen?' Wolf had a few ideas but none easy (or good). One plan involved somehow finding the Aromatic Branch his father held and returning it to the Ashina in hopes he could meet Dogen.
This could backfire however since the Ashina weren't known for being an honorable bunch and the branch was in Owl's possession and knowing the Great Shinobi, it was quite likely on his person so that was out.
Another option was to pose as a critically ill person and hope to meet Dogen so he can "cure" him. Problem is that Emma's father was the leading doctor in Ashina but he wasn't the only one. Chances are Wolf would be checked by a lower ranked physician first and they would quickly find out he was perfectly healthy. Questions on his intentions would fly very fast after that. The thought of actually wounding himself graced Wolf's mind but he was trained to inflict wounds onto others, he didn't exactly know where to stab that wouldn't kill.
'Should I just wait until he leaves Ashina Castle?' That seemed like the safer option but Wolf didn't know how long that would take. He had a limited window until Owl gets back from his mission and it wasn't a set time either. He could very well return in a few days and seeing Wolf's absence wouldn't end well for anyone. Sneaking into Ashina Castle started to seem like the only option.
Wolf munched on his rice in quiet contemplation as a commotion started outside. The sound of horses galloping and people murmuring intensified until Wolf couldn't ignore it anymore and went to check on what was happening. Ashina soldiers marched down the road as they hauled a wagon and stopped in front of a two story building.
"Get him inside and get the medicine ready!" A soldier commanded the village chief as he and his men opened the wagon. They carried an unconscious soldier who had gruesome wounds into the house.
"What happened to him? Was it a foreign attack?"
"Hopefully not."
"Unten, what's going on?"
The people huddled around the driver of the wagon and he shook his head.
"I have no idea. I was minding my business, going through the checkpoint when these soldiers pulled me over and demanded I bring them to the nearest village immediately for a wounded. I couldn't understand much of what he was saying when he was conscious but I think it had something do with Red Eyes or-"
"Hey! That's Ashina business! Keep your mouth shut and move along." A soldier walked up and warned. The crowd scattered under his glare and Wolf narrowed his eyes at the wagon driver as he walked off. Tailing him, Wolf watched the man park his wagon next to a small house and enter it.
"Shuma! I'm home." The driver said and lied on a chair. "Bah, what a damn day!" A woman came from the next room and frowned.
"What happened? I heard the noise and Osha said you were with the Ashina."
"Noisy brat. She doesn't know what she's talking about."
"So what did happen?" Shuma asked, sitting down and Unten scuffed.
"It was a normal day. Here I was coming back from a deliver, being searched at the checkpoint like always when this Ashina soldier came yelling from the woods. Tired and wounded all over, the men had me take them here for treatment. He was delirious I tell you. Shouting about Red Eyes and how someone sent them to die."
"Who?"
"A Dojo? Douho? Who cares? All I know is I'm going to need to clean the blood from the wood later tonight."
Wolf stood outside the window, patiently waiting for the driver to say everything he could before slipping away. The mention of red eyes and the poor attempt at the name brought a single figure to Wolf's mind.
Emma's fellow disciple and secretive physician, Doujun.
Wolf didn't know much about the man. Never bothered to when the man obviously had nothing to offer the Shinobi in helping him complete Lord Kuro's will (if anything, the physician was in direct opposition to Wolf since he worked for Genichiro) but there was one thing Wolf understood about the garbed man.
He was obsessed with Red Carp Eyes. It was the only thing he ever asked Wolf to gather for him along with a test subject. Both something Wolf saw no benefit of doing and chose to ignore the man's request.
The mention of Doujun actually brought forth a memory between Wolf and Emma when the subject of her fellow disciple came up.
Some Time Ago, Ashina Castle
"You've met Doujun?" Emma asked in surprise. She was currently modifying Wolf's gourd with the seed he brought and he nodded.
"Yes. He was in the Abandoned Dungeons."
"I see…" Emma simply said and made a thinking face as she improved the gourd. Wolf said nothing in return, waiting for her to finish so he can speak with Lord Kuro about his discovery in the Ashina records (Wolf knew he was there since he could hear his Lord sneezing). "Here."
"Thank you." Wolf bowed to the physician and made to walk away but stopped when Emma frowned. "Is something the matter?"
"Hm? Oh no, it's nothing."
"…" Wolf's silence seemed to speak for itself as he stood there and Emma shook her head in amusement.
"I've never met a man less talkative but so inquisitive at the same time."
"…"
"Oh very well." Emma pouted when Wolf didn't stop his silent relenting. "I was just remembering how Doujun was when under my father Dogen."
"You were close?"
"Heavens no!" Emma laughed at that. "The man wasn't unpleasant, if anything he could be quite charming when he wanted to be but his passion for his late master's…less then ethical practices put him at odds with Dogen. More than once did my father find him researching things that would were more dangerous than they were worth. Alas, Dogen was a loyal teacher. He insisted on guiding Doujun from his current path no matter how ineffective it was."
"Sounds self destructive." Wolf said and Emma tilted her head at him, her lips curving up in amusement.
"Indeed. I've met many men who have that similar trait in them." Wolf nodded in understanding.
"Genichiro."
"That's...not wrong." Emma said, blinking. "But that wasn't my first guess." Wolf quirked a brow.
"Lord Isshin then."
"…Or?"
"…?" Wolf made a confused face.
"You're…you are joking right?" Emma asked but Wolf was still lost. "Seriously?"
"I don't understand."
"…"
"…"
"…Oh never mind."
Back to the Present
Wolf never did figure out who Emma was talking about but things quickly escalated after Wolf gained the Lotus of the Palace and the Mortal Blade so he forgot all about the interaction. But it was thanks to the talk that Wolf now had a plan on how to get to Dogen. Sneaking into the Village Chief's house and finding the soldier patched up, Wolf pressed a hand on his bandaged wounds.
"Ahh-" Wolf quickly covered the man's mouth to stop him from yelling.
"I'm going to remove my hand in a second. Don't yell for help or you will die. You aren't the only one I can go to for information and I won't place that much importance on your life trust me." Wolf said and the man shook in fear, staring at Wolf's hooded face with tears. "Do you understand?"
"Hmmhm!" The Ashina soldier hurriedly nodded and Wolf released his mouth.
"What happened to you?"
"W-We were sent on a r-retrieval mission. It was a simple j-job. Get some escaped patients for Lord Doujun without anyone k-knowing."
"These escaped patients, did they have Red Eyes?"
"Y-Yes! Yes they did!" The Ashina raised his voice and tried to sit up but Wolf pushed him back on the bed. "The t-terrible Red E-Eyes. They weren't h-human." Wolf waited as the soldier had a moment before continuing.
"Where were you supposed to drop off the patients?" Wolf hoped he could just go directly to where Doujun was waiting for the team but the soldier shook his head.
"I-I don't know. The one who would know is…o-oh god."
"Who?" Wolf asked and frowned when the soldier went taut. "Who." The Shinobi pressed and the soldier started to sweat.
"I-I…" The soldier started and turned his head slightly to where his sword laid before lunging for it. Unfortunately for the man, even if he was fully healed and able to move normally, it wouldn't have made a difference. "Gah!"
Wolf appeared above him, pressing Kakedashi against his neck and glaring down at the man.
"Who. Would. Know." Wolf stressed each word and the soldier gave in.
"The c-captain! The captain was t-the only one to get the letters from L-Lord Doujun on where to meet. If you find his body the l-letter would probably still be t-there!"
"Are you sure?"
"Y-yes, I swear!"
Wolf kept his sword pressed on the weakly struggling soldier as he fell into thought. Getting to Doujun (so he could get to Dogen) became slightly more difficult but it was easier than the alternative. All he needed to do was find the place where the soldiers were attacked and find the captain's body.
'If there's still a body to be found.' Considering the usual madness inhibited by those with Red Eyes, Wolf was prepared for the worse. "Where were you attacked?"
"I-In a forest southwest of here. There's an a-abandoned outpost."
"Thank you." Then Wolf plunged his sword through the soldier's heart. Watching the man spew blood, Wolf stuck his hand into his ear and striked a number of pressure points. A couple seconds of morbid squishing later and the wounded man's eye no longer had any life in them.
He stood up all the same. Helping the "dead" man through the window, when the other soldier came in later they found no one inside. Just an empty bed and a large stain of blood on it.
Something the chief wasn't pleased he had to clean.
And done. Meeting old and "new" faces, Wolf finally has a plan on how to continue his search. Let's hope Red Eyes are the only thing he'll have to deal with. I hope you enjoyed!