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The darkness
Perhaps man's greatest fault is to be able to justify anything. All people have an inherent scene of right and wrong, but we often let bull shit principles get in the way. We loose ourselfs in a world of necessary evils and acceptable losses. We can easily fool ourselfs into causing pain. Man knows what he must do, but rarly listens.
Vic went flying through the trees, at a pace that surprised him. He wasn't thinking, a benefit of his style training. IT was all reflex action, so he was as fast as possible. Most of the time people forced their instinct down, they seem to get in the way. But now, Vic was in tune with his instinct to an unbelievable ecstant(?). He was more animal then human, at that point. He could hear the forest itself, almost as if the very wind carried a voice that was saying, ' left ahead, go right, don't stop.' And for that all too brief seconds, he felt a part of nature, not above it.
He heard a noise, like the sharp cutting of air, and into focus, as if by magic, appeared some throwing stars. He avoided these, without losing any speed and yelled "Incoming" to no one in particular. The assassin was just barely in his sight, and probably wondering how he could be so easily detected in such a dark and stormy day. The rain came down in sheets now, and was painful to those it hit, it was like the earth itself was trying to purify itself, washing in holy water and expelling the demon of man. But if this was her intent, it was futile, for the 5 continued on into the black day, on into the heart of the storm.
The others weren't sure what to think, they merely acted on pure instinct. They would have followed Vic into hell without a second thought. It was as if he had some power emitting from him, that you could follow, or cease to have any purpose. They flew through the trees with equal agility, wonder to themselfs, quietly, how he had learned this shinobi trick.
To any spectator this would have scene a beautiful and inhuman display of grace and fines. To look at it was almost as if to look into a dark room, and have know idea what monsters may lay in wait. They seemed to be spawned from the darkness, a part of it, coming out of it, and then disappearing into it. And to the wandering eye of a spectator, it wold seem that they were some superhuman thing, not man at all.
Another throwing star, this one was high, and snapped off a branch above Vic's head. Without the hesitation of thought that any of the others would have had, the thought that would have lost him the game, he grabbed the branch and chucked it into a dark and stormy sea, knowing without knowing that it would hit it's target.
The next noise didn't belong, even in such a dark and tempest storm, it didn't belong. It was a subtle thud. In reality it wasn't loud, yet to Vic, this sound was the loudest sound in the forest, and it echoed through his very soul. He jumped and landed, flawlessly. He stood in a clearing, and for the first time, became aware of the chile of the wind, and of the death in the air. Yet it only seemed a whisper now, like this storm was a taste of what was to come and somewhere, deep in his very essence, he felt shivers of fear, not at this moment, but at the moments that must come. Yet even he, in his current state of mind, would not recognize these thoughts, so he stood shivering, and didn't know why.
He heard 4 more thumbs behind him, and knew who they were. Across the clearing, about 12 ft. away, lied the assassin. He seemed a scared animal, his eyes searching frantically for escape, but to know avail. It was easy enough to tell he wasn't from DOATEC, he looked more like something out of medieval Japan then a modern assassin. He was dressed in black, and had only weapons sticking out of his close.
Vic began to wake up form his dream-like state, like he always did, listening to music, only he could hear. Somehow this music stood as a bridge for him, a halfway point between the insanity he was in now, and his regular state of mind. Perhaps in his fighting state, he was more sane then everyone else, but this didn't occur to him. Sanity was what everyone else was, and he wasn't. In any case, he listened to his silent music and came back to a semi conchus state.
Then a throwing star was released, as it neared his head, and looked like a sure hit, he reached up and snatched it out of the air, like it had already been there. He studied the instrument intended for his own death quietly, and then trough it away, with no more thought then one gives to disregarding old cans. A second came at him, and again he caught it, but this time he looked at his asssasin with a smile. He through a third. and it was caught too.
" Listen to me very carefully, I will only say this once" Vics voice boomed, with the same authority as it had in the lounge. " Fate is not kind, she makes you suffer for what you have done. She has brought far stronger men then you or me to their knees, merely on a wim. She would destroy you, turn your very soul into ash. She would laugh as she takes all that means anything to you, and rips it away. But I am not so cruel as fate. You were doing what you thought was right, and in your own demented illusion, it was. But it is not my place to judge of condemn you, leave, never come back, and I will spare you. You have been warned, come back again and I won 't be held accountable for my actions. Now Go."
His peers looked on, amazed and alarmed. He would just let this man, who had tried to kill him go. His voice echoed through the forest and the stormy night, becoming part of them both. He didn't sound angry, but remorseful, like he was taking pity on this man for his current state of affaires.
" I can't, I, I .. I will not yield top you!!" yelled the assassin in retort. He got up and attacked. It was a mad charge, born of utter hatred for the mercy that had been shown to him. Vic stepped to the side and tripped the assassin. He hit the ground. The asssasin sprang back up and punched, Vic caught it. It was odveous that the assassin wouldn't stop until one of them was dead, odveous to everyone but Vic. And then, a horrible sound sprung out from there fight. The sound os the crunch of bones. The assassin had his lower arm and wrist both broken. It had happened so fast that in the assassin's eyes shot pure disbelief, before the pain came through. He screamed an unearthly wail, and fell to the ground. Vic let the now disfigured arm slip from his, and drop to the ground. It was as effortless, like crushing a can, and Vic seemed to think no more of it then that. In Vics eyes was the same pity as before, like this fight, the storm, none of this meant anything, all he saw was a lost boy, who needed help. He spoke again, soothingly.
" Now you will leave, you have fought one who was more skilled and lost. There is no dishonor in that."
The asssasin looked up with more then hatred, it was loathing now. He had hot tears of anger in his eyes, for what he couldn't do. He got to his feet, and without looking at anyone but Vic, got ready to go.
" Wait!" Vics voice thundered and it surprised them all, this was more commanding then anything else he had said. He walked up the assassin, and garbed at him, then withdrew a sinkers bar from the assassin pocket, " Leave" he said, and the asssasin went, with loathing it tow.
Vics eyes changed from pity to unreal gratitude. He had the look of a child on his first Christmas, after Santa had visited. He opened the candy and devoured it, carful not to leave an ounce of chocolate in the rapper.
" Hungry?" This came from a new arrival at their little clearing, the others were catching up.
" Fuck yes, I mean fuck, I haven't eaten a thing in 4 fucking days, lets see how you do?" He said, playfully.
" 4 days?!"
" Well, it was on my to-do list, but I had other shit to take care of."
"Well, I can cook," the same voice, " Let's go back and I would make you as much food as you want."
"I would be forever in your debt, if you could do that. But first I must do one thing. You bastard, what the fuck is wrong with you, trying to kill your own sister!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
HE was looking right at Hayate, and this revelation seemed to stun everyone but the two who stood there, staring at each other. At that a huge thunder clasp, and a strong wind, carrying with it lost souls, blew by.
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The darkness
Perhaps man's greatest fault is to be able to justify anything. All people have an inherent scene of right and wrong, but we often let bull shit principles get in the way. We loose ourselfs in a world of necessary evils and acceptable losses. We can easily fool ourselfs into causing pain. Man knows what he must do, but rarly listens.
Vic went flying through the trees, at a pace that surprised him. He wasn't thinking, a benefit of his style training. IT was all reflex action, so he was as fast as possible. Most of the time people forced their instinct down, they seem to get in the way. But now, Vic was in tune with his instinct to an unbelievable ecstant(?). He was more animal then human, at that point. He could hear the forest itself, almost as if the very wind carried a voice that was saying, ' left ahead, go right, don't stop.' And for that all too brief seconds, he felt a part of nature, not above it.
He heard a noise, like the sharp cutting of air, and into focus, as if by magic, appeared some throwing stars. He avoided these, without losing any speed and yelled "Incoming" to no one in particular. The assassin was just barely in his sight, and probably wondering how he could be so easily detected in such a dark and stormy day. The rain came down in sheets now, and was painful to those it hit, it was like the earth itself was trying to purify itself, washing in holy water and expelling the demon of man. But if this was her intent, it was futile, for the 5 continued on into the black day, on into the heart of the storm.
The others weren't sure what to think, they merely acted on pure instinct. They would have followed Vic into hell without a second thought. It was as if he had some power emitting from him, that you could follow, or cease to have any purpose. They flew through the trees with equal agility, wonder to themselfs, quietly, how he had learned this shinobi trick.
To any spectator this would have scene a beautiful and inhuman display of grace and fines. To look at it was almost as if to look into a dark room, and have know idea what monsters may lay in wait. They seemed to be spawned from the darkness, a part of it, coming out of it, and then disappearing into it. And to the wandering eye of a spectator, it wold seem that they were some superhuman thing, not man at all.
Another throwing star, this one was high, and snapped off a branch above Vic's head. Without the hesitation of thought that any of the others would have had, the thought that would have lost him the game, he grabbed the branch and chucked it into a dark and stormy sea, knowing without knowing that it would hit it's target.
The next noise didn't belong, even in such a dark and tempest storm, it didn't belong. It was a subtle thud. In reality it wasn't loud, yet to Vic, this sound was the loudest sound in the forest, and it echoed through his very soul. He jumped and landed, flawlessly. He stood in a clearing, and for the first time, became aware of the chile of the wind, and of the death in the air. Yet it only seemed a whisper now, like this storm was a taste of what was to come and somewhere, deep in his very essence, he felt shivers of fear, not at this moment, but at the moments that must come. Yet even he, in his current state of mind, would not recognize these thoughts, so he stood shivering, and didn't know why.
He heard 4 more thumbs behind him, and knew who they were. Across the clearing, about 12 ft. away, lied the assassin. He seemed a scared animal, his eyes searching frantically for escape, but to know avail. It was easy enough to tell he wasn't from DOATEC, he looked more like something out of medieval Japan then a modern assassin. He was dressed in black, and had only weapons sticking out of his close.
Vic began to wake up form his dream-like state, like he always did, listening to music, only he could hear. Somehow this music stood as a bridge for him, a halfway point between the insanity he was in now, and his regular state of mind. Perhaps in his fighting state, he was more sane then everyone else, but this didn't occur to him. Sanity was what everyone else was, and he wasn't. In any case, he listened to his silent music and came back to a semi conchus state.
Then a throwing star was released, as it neared his head, and looked like a sure hit, he reached up and snatched it out of the air, like it had already been there. He studied the instrument intended for his own death quietly, and then trough it away, with no more thought then one gives to disregarding old cans. A second came at him, and again he caught it, but this time he looked at his asssasin with a smile. He through a third. and it was caught too.
" Listen to me very carefully, I will only say this once" Vics voice boomed, with the same authority as it had in the lounge. " Fate is not kind, she makes you suffer for what you have done. She has brought far stronger men then you or me to their knees, merely on a wim. She would destroy you, turn your very soul into ash. She would laugh as she takes all that means anything to you, and rips it away. But I am not so cruel as fate. You were doing what you thought was right, and in your own demented illusion, it was. But it is not my place to judge of condemn you, leave, never come back, and I will spare you. You have been warned, come back again and I won 't be held accountable for my actions. Now Go."
His peers looked on, amazed and alarmed. He would just let this man, who had tried to kill him go. His voice echoed through the forest and the stormy night, becoming part of them both. He didn't sound angry, but remorseful, like he was taking pity on this man for his current state of affaires.
" I can't, I, I .. I will not yield top you!!" yelled the assassin in retort. He got up and attacked. It was a mad charge, born of utter hatred for the mercy that had been shown to him. Vic stepped to the side and tripped the assassin. He hit the ground. The asssasin sprang back up and punched, Vic caught it. It was odveous that the assassin wouldn't stop until one of them was dead, odveous to everyone but Vic. And then, a horrible sound sprung out from there fight. The sound os the crunch of bones. The assassin had his lower arm and wrist both broken. It had happened so fast that in the assassin's eyes shot pure disbelief, before the pain came through. He screamed an unearthly wail, and fell to the ground. Vic let the now disfigured arm slip from his, and drop to the ground. It was as effortless, like crushing a can, and Vic seemed to think no more of it then that. In Vics eyes was the same pity as before, like this fight, the storm, none of this meant anything, all he saw was a lost boy, who needed help. He spoke again, soothingly.
" Now you will leave, you have fought one who was more skilled and lost. There is no dishonor in that."
The asssasin looked up with more then hatred, it was loathing now. He had hot tears of anger in his eyes, for what he couldn't do. He got to his feet, and without looking at anyone but Vic, got ready to go.
" Wait!" Vics voice thundered and it surprised them all, this was more commanding then anything else he had said. He walked up the assassin, and garbed at him, then withdrew a sinkers bar from the assassin pocket, " Leave" he said, and the asssasin went, with loathing it tow.
Vics eyes changed from pity to unreal gratitude. He had the look of a child on his first Christmas, after Santa had visited. He opened the candy and devoured it, carful not to leave an ounce of chocolate in the rapper.
" Hungry?" This came from a new arrival at their little clearing, the others were catching up.
" Fuck yes, I mean fuck, I haven't eaten a thing in 4 fucking days, lets see how you do?" He said, playfully.
" 4 days?!"
" Well, it was on my to-do list, but I had other shit to take care of."
"Well, I can cook," the same voice, " Let's go back and I would make you as much food as you want."
"I would be forever in your debt, if you could do that. But first I must do one thing. You bastard, what the fuck is wrong with you, trying to kill your own sister!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
HE was looking right at Hayate, and this revelation seemed to stun everyone but the two who stood there, staring at each other. At that a huge thunder clasp, and a strong wind, carrying with it lost souls, blew by.
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