Hey everybody! It's been a crazy few months. If you've been reading my other story, "Monstrous Heroes" you know that I got a job teaching English in South Korea. Long story short, I had to leave but I found a new job to occupy my time while shifting directions. But with that out of the way, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
The three foreigners and Hanzo stood inside the temple where they met Kikkawa before. This time, two guards flanked them, spears in hand. They occasionally traded glances and kept most of their attention on Kratos. The old warrior paid it no mind, instead scanning his surroundings while his sights were anchored at the entrance Kikkawa would use. After some waiting, Kikkawa finally appeared with a worried frown. "Lord Kikkawa," Hanzo bowed. "You received my message."
"Yes, I did," Kikkawa was rushing. "But please clarify, the yokai were destroyed, but the mountain was sealed? Did the yokai do this?"
"I did." Kratos bluntly responded.
"How on earth could you...?" Kikkawa was too flustered to continue. His mouse spirit, however was staring daggers at Kratos and huffing its pipe, so much so that the smoke nearly reached Atreus' face. The lord then turned to Hanzo. "If you think the Mohri will consider joining Lord Tokugawa after this affront-"
"I am not one of Tokugawa's men." Kratos spoke for himself. "I merely have a similar goal. This helps us get there quicker."
"How?" Kikkawa nearly burst out the question.
"Join Tokugawa. Do this, and after the war I will unseal your mines."
Kikkawa was silent, trying to comprehend the demand.
"If you can seal a mountain then why would Lord Tokugawa even need the Mohri?" He asked with a hint of hysteria.
"I am not here to fight his war, only to find my enemy."
Before Kikkawa could respond, the entrance to the temple opened revealing a young man. He smiled rather haughtily as he entered. He wore a crimson kimono with a pair of golden, crossed sickles on the back. "Oh, Lord Kikkawa!" He loudly proclaimed while strolling towards the meeting. As he drew closer, his guardian appeared: a green bat with red eyes. It stayed in the shadows of the rafters quickly finding a perch and hanging by its feet. "I thought I might find you here."
"Lord Kobayakawa..." Kikkawa hesitated as if trying to find the right words.
"Oh, and Master Hanzo. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"The pleasure is mine, milord." The ninja bowed for a few seconds before raising up.
"And these must be the foreigners who have been making such a splash." Atreus stepped forth.
"I am Atreus, milord. It is an honor to meet you."
"Ha," Kobayakawa chuckled. "You're so cordial. It's adorable."
"What?!" Atreus quickly furrowed his brow and sneered. Before he could do anything, William put his hand on the boy's shoulder, bringing him back to earth.
"And I take it," Kobayakawa shifted his gaze to Kratos and William. "You two are the men that felled the Umi Bozu?"
"Aye, we are." William confirmed.
"Many thanks! We Kobayakawa may be masters of the sea, but that yokai was such a bother. Now we can continue to sail in peace! Although," the lord eyed Mimir on Kratos' belt. "I question your sanity if you carry the head of a man-goat on your person."
"Begging your pardon, lord Kobayakawa," Mimir's sudden words caused Kobayakawa's eyes to widen. "I'm the advisor to this small group. My name is Mimir, or Komon if you would prefer."
"That's incredible!" Kobayakawa ran over and grasped the head, completely ignoring the beast of a man whose belt it was attached to. "How are you doing this?!" He poked around Mimir like he was a puppet, moving his jaw and trying to find hidden compartments or switches.
"Uh, Kratos, if you wouldn't mind." At Mimir's request, the Spartan put his hand atop Mimir and stepped away.
"Is, that thing alive?" Kobayakawa asked incredulously.
"Not exactly, Lord Kobayakawa," Mimir half-explained. "But I am my own man, as it were."
"Amazing!" The excited lord turned to face Kratos. "How much for it? I'll pay extra if it can sing."
"Uh, Lord Kobayakawa," Kikkawa interrupted. "We were in the middle of negotiations." Despite the reservation in his words, his mouse spirit was livid. Its tiny chest heaved rapidly as the smoke from its pipe tripled in volume. The fumes reached Kobayakawa's own spirit above but it wasn't fazed in the slightest.
"Ah, yes," Kobayakawa's gaze shifted to Hanzo. "You've come to draft the Mohri into Lord Tokugawa's campaign. From what I've heard, you've gained some momentum in the east. It's hard to imagine you would need our aid."
"Lord Tokugawa wishes to unite the country," Hanzo answered. "More allies will help both the war and unification afterwards."
"Well, isn't that noble?" Kobayakawa smiled and narrowed his eyes. "Of course, bringing every clan in the Mohri together is no easy task. And from what I've heard, your friend didn't help by sealing our largest silver mine." Kratos made no effort to explain or defend himself.
"He's going to open it," Atreus spoke up for his father. "After you join Tokugawa and win the war."
"And suppose we lose...?" Kobayakawa's question caught Atreus off-guard.
"Well, you said it yourself," Mimir figuratively stepped in. "Tokugawa is getting momentum with his recruitment. It's not hard to see that the one with greater numbers has an advantage."
"Well said, head." Kobayakawa clapped his hands. "If this the kind of strength Tokugawa is associated with, I can't argue against it. Lord Kikkawa and I will deliver your message to the Mohri ourselves."
"What?!" Kikkawa was reeling from the declaration, while Atreus smiled and Even did a dance on his shoulder.
"However, there is one thing of note," Kobayakawa pointed out. "It will take some time to gather the other clans. I assume Kikkawa mentioned that." The tired lord nodded when prompted. "So while we contact them, I humbly request a favor from Master Hanzo and his band of foreigners."
"What would you ask of us, milord?" Hanzo dutifully asked.
"Recently, my sword was stolen by a band of ruffians. No doubt after the price it might fetch. I could go after them, but with the matter at hand, I'd be too busy."
"And you want us to retrieve your weapon?" Kratos surmised.
"Exactly! I don't mind telling you that it's crucial it comes back in one piece. If my fellow clansmen hear of this, I may need to end my own life to sate them! That would certainly be a roadblock to your efforts, wouldn't it?" A sly smile crossed Kobayakawa's lips.
"We shall return it posthaste, Lord Kobayakawa," Hanzo put his hand on his chest and bowed.
"Excellent! The bandits' lair is somewhere amongst the shipwrecks on the northern coast. I assume that will be all you need to know. Farewell!" As abruptly as he came in, Kobayakawa left. His guardian spirit scanned the strange party before following its master.
Hanzo and his group rode in their ox cart towards their temporary lodgings. When he was done looking around, Kratos spoke up. "Hanzo. Can we trust that man?"
"Are you referring to Lord Kobayakawa?" The ninja returned the question with one of his own.
"Aye," William answered for Kratos. "The man seemed shifty to say the least."
"You are not wrong," Hanzo agreed. "Lord Kobayakawa is a bit...arrogant. Even more-so than other lords. Regardless, he is still a potential ally. Do what you can to curry favor with him."
"What do you mean by 'you'?" Atreus noted.
"I sent a message to Lord Tokugawa explaining the situation. By now, a response should arrive here tonight; I must obtain it to keep others from intercepting it."
"And how are we going to find the bandits without you?" Hanzo responded to Atreus by pulling out a map and pencil.
"From what I've learned, the shipyard in question should be around this area," he circled a small area. Evan jumped down from Atreus' shoulder to take a look at the spot. "I will tell the driver where to take you. "If you leave when we return, you should get there before nightfall."
"Are you sure?" Atreus raised his eyebrow in suspicion.
"As your father said, I am a spy," a small smile crept on the ninja's lips. "It is my job to know these things."
After parting ways with Hanzo, the group had an uneventful trek to the coast. By then, the sun had set and a gibbous moon took its place. The beach was filled with craggy rock formations stretching in all directions, various ships and boats were shattered, overturned or grasping at the very stone that had scuttled them.
"I don't see any bandits," Atreus remarked. "Any thoughts?" Just then, Evan appeared and jumped down. The green spirit started tugging at the boy's foot. "Hm? What is it?"
"Oh ho! It looks like the little fellow's picked up a scent," Nekomata manifested from Mimir. "Kodama do have a tendency to pick up odd things."
Atreus smiled. "Do you know where the sword is?" Even nodded his head and took off towards the left. As the group went after the little spirit, William kept a hand on his katana while Kratos preemptively drew his axe. Eventually, Even turned into a secluded cave hidden amongst the flotsam. When they entered, the path twisted into a bend. Rounding it, an opened pair of carved wooden doors were revealed. Inside was a small shrine and in front of it was a sword. When the men and Atreus saw it, they stopped. "That's probably a trap, right?" Atreus checked with the others.
"Most likely," Kratos stated. Despite their weariness, Even jumped up and down in excitement before dashing towards the prize.
"Even! Wait!" Atreus instinctively raced after his friend. Just as they passed the door's threshold, a purple barrier appeared at the entrance.
"Atreus!" Kratos immediately jumped forward and struck with his axe. The weapon bounced off, the force driving the warrior to take a step backwards. At that moment, a pair of Yoki dropped down onto the two men from above. William quickly brought his sword and deflected the attack but Kratos, still a bit off guard, grabbed the Yoki's arms. With a closer look, it was clear these Yoki were different; they wielded two swords and were draped in black robes. "Ninja yokai?!" At Atreus' comment, the one Kratos had in his grip snarled at its captor. Unfazed by the monster's foul breath, the Spartan head-butted the beast right at its horn, breaking it off and knocking the foe to the wall. "Yeah!" While Atreus was focused on the fight behind the barrier, he failed to notice a chain come down from above before it wrapped around his bow. "What-?!" In a swift motion, the bow was yanked away while the culprit descended next to Kobayakawa's sword: a ninja yoki holding a chain-sickle and Atreus' bow. The boy growled and drew his hunting knife before charging at the yokai with a battle cry.
The yoki that Kratos stunned was about to get to its feet before the Spartan's axe flew right into its face, splitting it. He called his weapon back with a wave of his hand and turned to William. The sailor was trading blows with the ninja yoki, sparks flashing from their blades. Suddenly, William began a swipe aimed for the yokai's head spike, but would miss it. Midway through the strike, William's katana glowed red and grew, catching the yoki off guard and slicing through its horn. With the monster weakened, William buried his sword in its chest straight to the other side. After its cries ended, he pulled out the blade and shifted his attention towards Atreus as did Kratos.
Kratos' son was at a stalemate; while his lithe frame and nimble movements helped him dodge the chain-sickle's strikes, the ninja yoki was just as quick, jumping away before Atreus could fully close the distance. "Will your boy be alright?" William asked Kratos. Without responding, the warrior grabbed onto the sheer rock cliff and began climbing upwards. When he was halfway up, the yoki's eyes flashed as it spotted Even trying to hide behind a rock. Seizing its chance, the inhuman ninja began flipping acrobatically to both avoid Atreus and traverse the room. As he turned his head, Atreus' eyes widened. "Even!" Turning around as fast as he could, the boy dashed trying his damndest to beat his foe. Suddenly, a red flash of energy surrounded him. His face became elongated as his hands and feet morphed into paws. His brown furs covered his body save for his spine and the top of his head which turned red. His teeth sharpened into fangs and a tail was the final addition into Atreus' new form. The yoki even paused during a flip as it noticed this unexpected transformation. Seemingly unperturbed by the change, the Atreus-wolf dashed at the yokai at an inhuman speed and bit the monster in the jugular. It roared as golden blood spilled into Atreus' mouth and crashed onto the ground. Despite the wound and fall, the yoki brought out its sickle and made a swipe towards its shoulder. Without any warning, Atreus shifted back into a boy, blocking the strike with both arms. Noticing the knife was still in his hand, he stabbed the monster in the wrist and ripped open the vein. Roaring in pain, Atreus rolled outside of the yoki's grasp. The yokai rose slowly and fixed its gaze back to the boy. In a fit of animalistic rage, it roared and charged headfirst. Rather than run, Atreus stood with his knife at the ready. Just as the beast was upon him, Atreus drove his knife into his attacker's shoulder. Using it as a handle, he vaulted over the ninja yoki and grabbed his bow. By the time his opponent turned around, Atreus had an arrow at the ready and loosed it. His attack broke through the yoki's horn, the shattered piece falling onto the stone floor. The ninja yoki's last deed was feeling the spot where it's horn once was before collapsing. Atreus waited a few seconds before retrieving his knife. When he did, the barrier blocking the cave dissipated and William ran in. "Are you alright, lad?"
"Yeah," Atreus exhaled before looking behind William. "Where's father?" On cue, Kratos jumped down from a ledge that overlooked the inner sanctum. William turned to the warrior.
"Did you know he could do that?"
"No," Atreus answered. "This…This is the first time something like this has happened…"
"Are you a shifter?" Nekomata materialized from Mimir.
"A what?"
"No, then you'd smell like a spirit or yokai. Strange…" the cat muttered to himself.
Atreus felt a tugging at his leg and looked down to see his kodama pulling at him. "Even!" Atrreus picked up his friend. "You can't do that! You can't just run into things like that! That yokai could've killed you!" Even lowered his head and bowed, squeaking something that couldn't be understood. "I know. I know you were just trying to help. Just please think before running away. You don't know if it could be a trap or something." The boy put Even onto his shoulder as Kratos stepped towards the sword that brought them. As soon as he touched the blade, it glistened as the green bat that shadowed Kobayakawa suddenly flew through the warrior. In his mind, Kratos heard the lord's haughty voice. "How trivial this whole fracas is. Tokugawa or Ishida, just more of the same. But with these foreigners, I might be able to shake things up a bit." At the last sentence, images of Kratos, Atreus, William and Kelley flashed. The last offering a glowing chunk of amrita. When the vision faded, Atreus was by his father's side. "I saw it too. Kobayakawa set this up with Kelley. Why?"
"A test, I'd wager," Mimir answered. Kratos picked up the sword and placed it on his belt before turning to his son.
"Keep quiet about what happened to you here," his head craned to William. "Understood?"
"Not a word," the sailor answered.
The group of foreigners sat at the meeting shrine with Hanzo at the end, the mid-morning daylight illuminating the inside. The doors were soon opened by two men, allowing Kobayakawa to enter, his spirit perched on his shoulder. "Ah! Master Hanzo and his troupe! I hear you've retrieved my sword?"
"Yes, milord." Hanzo bowed before motioning toward Kratos. The Spartan rose and turned around, revealing the weapon on his harness.
"Splendid! Now if you would be so kind?" One of Kobayakawa's guards approached Kratos to take the blade. "No."
"Excuse me?" Kobayakawa cocked an eyebrow at Kratos' answer.
"You will get it back after the war."
"How arrogant!" Kobayakawa answered with chin raised despite the height difference. "Don't forget that it's you lot who need my help! How am I supposed to do that with me giving my life in atonement for your ego?!" In contrast to the bravado, Kobayakawa's spirit stayed still and unagitated.
"You are free to take it from me if it means so much to you."
The lord frowned and looked down at the sword upon the towering man's belt. Surprising Atreus, a smile crept unto the lord's lips. "No matter. I doubt the other Mohri will care one way or another." He then turned towards the door as his servants followed. "Tell Tokugawa that we'll be seeing each other soon." After the doors closed behind Kobayakawa, Atreus looked at Hanzo. "Why didn't he try to take the sword? Isn't his life on the line?"
"Lord Kobayakawa has often leaned on others," Hanzo explained. "It would not be surprising if he used someone's good graces to escape."
"So it was all pointless?!"
"It is, now. Tomorrow we sail to Kyoto." The ninja turned to Kratos. "I suggest you act with more respect when you meet Lord Tokugawa."
In the middle of a candle-lit chamber, three men sat on the tatami floor. One was Shima Sakon dressed in crisp black and white robes; a far cry from his vagabond attire. The man sitting across had similar clothes although his face was covered by a white veil and hat save for his eyes. The right side of his face was scarred and his eye was colored a dull orange. Next to both of them was a man in blue and white robes with a thin mustache and his head shaved from the front to the middle, the back tied in a small bamboo shoot. "Tokugawa's campaign continues in the west." Sakon reported. "He has apparently sent foreigners to negotiate with the Mohri. Although," he paused. "Rumor has it they single-handedly sealed their largest silver mine." He gave the other two process the information. "While this may bring the Mohri to our side, it is still worth noting. How are things faring in the east, Lord Otani Gyobu?"
The scarred man nodded slightly. "The Sanada clan of Shinshu will aid us. However, the east remains Tokugawa's stronghold."
Sakon turned to the third man. "You truly lack support, Lord Mitsunari."
"That is an understatement." Gyobu shook his head. "First the warlords desert, then this stranger. Perhaps-"
Kaboooommmm!
At those words, the room around them rumbled as the sound of thunder nearly deafened the trio. Mitsunari was the first to rise, opening the doors in a flash and dashing out into the hallway. He quickly made his way to a balcony overlooking the entrance to the castle in which he stood. The doors were completely destroyed with a black smoldering crater in its place. Standing there was a foreign man with blond hair and a beard dressed lightly in furs and brandishing a hammer. Around him were the corpses of the soldiers stationed at the gate; some were charred while others were crushed by the rubble. He then looked directly at Mitsunari. Before the stunned lord could react, he heard a voice in his head. "Greetings, milord," his head swiveled to see a man with ashen skin and red eyes bow. "I am Edward Kelly, steward to the mighty lord Thor."
"What do you want?! Did Tokugawa send you?!"
"Oh no, quite the opposite," Kelley chuckled. "My master has deigned to assist you in your righteous crusade against the usurper Tokugawa. He has aligned himself with enemies of our own and as such, lord Thor will join."
Mitsunari still stood tensely. "And why should I trust you?"
At that moment, a group of men charged at Thor who lifted his hammer. A tremendous bolt of lightning came crashing from the heavens, annihilating the attackers. Despite the blast, the unknown superhuman strolled in as if nothing changed.
"If you don't, feel free to send more men," Kelley confidently replied. "If you think you can spare them." The warlord looked back at Thor and then at Kelley and narrowed his eyes.
"Very well." The lord conceded.
Thor has now made himself known to the mortals. Why is he with Kelley? What is the goal? Where are the other kami? We'll pick up with Kratos and the rest as they meet Tokugawa's council next time!