The journey wasn't complete without the two samurai having to perform good deeds. Whether it was saving people from a fire, helping a farmer with his land, or rescuing a beautiful poverty-stricken woman from cruel debtors, the life of a wanderer was always filled with one quest or another. Yes, adventure and danger went hand in hand together--one could not have one without the other--so one had to be careful and wary of such things before they went out onto the road. Things rarely went as romantic as the stories said they did, though there were times when a nameless traveler could be a hero.
And of course, there were those times when danger came about, oftentimes in the most horrible or unexpected form, sometimes both at once. Some dangers even came out of good intentions, and good deeds, and those were the worst out of them all. The day was quiet and warm, perfect for a stroll, but Kenshin and Jack had to keep their guard up and watch out for those people who were chasing after them. To stray, even for a second, would lead into ruin.
9: Ring of Fire -- The Unexpected Betrayals
It was growing dark by the time the two wandering samurai reunited and left the small shack. The community they had spotted earlier was behind them as well; a grove of thick and clumpy trees surrounded either side as the sky became dark and a chill set in. There was no moon that evening, only the guidance of stars, and crickets and frogs as company. The two samurai felt a little more vulnerable at night, even though they had both fought many battles under the cover of darkness. In a sense, they were just as safe in the darkness, because while they couldn't see well, neither could any enemies.
A strange smell rose with the whirling wind as they made their way cross the country and into a very open land (save for the groves). Both men thought they had recognized the scent but its identity and origin escaped them. It seemed to float all around them, perhaps from a rotting animal or some bitter land that still stank of war. Maybe the pitch and tar from the community they passed had gotten caught in the wind, or else some foul abomination awaited them in the future. Kenshin clearly remembered that one of his potential killers had a deadly smell to him, like the smoke of Hades, and prepared for a possible encounter.
Since there was no moon and no light save from the glow of stars, it was quite dark outside and thus very difficult to really see anything. It then came as a shock to both Jack and Kenshin when a blaze of orange light flashed out of nowhere and came rushing towards them. It struck the ground not far away from them, showing itself as an arrow with the tip on fire. To receive such a guest at such an hour only meant that one of their pursuers was not far away, but they had to wonder why he would reveal himself in that manner…
And then, in a horrific flash, the true identity of the scent they had discovered became known, and the purpose of the flaming arrow was revealed.
Instantly, a great bonfire exploded around them, rising up to three times their height and burning with an unquenchable rage. The flames circled around them in a perfect radius, only giving them perhaps an arm's length of space between safety and the wall of fire. They were surrounded by the great heat, and found it a grievous fault of theirs that they had not noticed the spilled oil all around them before it was too late. They were forced to cover their faces with the sleeves of their gi as sparks and embers rained down on them from every possible angle.
"Like the old saying goes, my prey," said a sudden yet very familiar voice from nearby, "if at first you don't succeed, try and try again. I grew tired of simple tricks such as poisoned tea and booby-trapped roads, and I've even evolved from the exploding coins and bees. This circle of fire, I must admit, is one of my more diabolical ideas."
As the blinding light of red, yellow, and orange gave the two trapped warriors an unwelcome vision, they saw the speaker approach their area slowly, a long rifle aimed at them. He was dressed in brown tweed that time and not the stately blue, but otherwise looked the same. Even in the light of the fire, the brilliant killer Melville Drakemoth was difficult to see, but (no pun intended) his voice spoke for him.
"You again!" shouted Jack, recognizing the stately man. He drew his sword, but the flames screamed back at him, forcing him to back off. Melville Drakemoth laughed cruelly and kept his rifle aimed at them.
"Yes, you're going to find it nearly impossible to escape that cage, unless you can dig like a mole. But I would shoot you long before you upturned a handful of dirt; my accuracy with firearms is something to behold. I wouldn't recommend plowing through either, for those flames are very hot and are fueled by oil and resin, as you might've guessed. With that grass beneath it, it will slowly inch towards you and consume you alive, and if it does not, I will simply create a hole in your foreheads with my rifle. I believe this is where the hunt ends, gentlemen. I find it no surprise that I emerge victorious."
"How did you find us?" demanded Kenshin bitterly. "We left no trail and there was no way you could've made it all the way out here ahead of us."
"Ah, the minds of the simple are really astonishing, in a stupid way," sighed Drakemoth in a gloating manner. "You really are strong and evasive, but you lack in intelligence. Remember that fire in the village, where you demonstrated your heroism? I started that, you know."
"You what?!" shouted Jack in astonishment. He snarled at Melville like he had never snarled at a beastly creature since. "…Savage!"
"It was just the first step I took to snare you in," replied the Englishman apathetically. "After the two of you left, I pretended to be one of the people you saved and asked all the villagers where you two had went off to. We met a little bit later, and that's where we parted ways briefly, but I still had my act to fall back onto. I managed, through sheer persistence, to track down wanderers and peddlers who recognized you as they passed you on the road, and told them the same story I told the villagers.
"It became difficult for me after that, no doubt, but in the end, I won through. I found an earthy farmer who spoke very highly of you, and of course I put on my act for him as well. 'Ah, yes, I know of them!' I exclaimed. 'They saved me from a fire, you know? Say, which way did they go? I was in such a panicked state that I forgot to thank them properly!' Naturally, the fool told me where you were headed. You don't know this, but I was a secret witness to your all's saving that poor lonely widow. I saw the man in white go off in one direction and reasoned that it would be a very good time for me to gain a lead.
"You see, gentlemen," he continued in a very dark, sinister voice, "your kindness has been the downfall of you. Saving those people, whether from fire or exhaustion or debtors, has cost you your lives. All I had to do was pretend I was one of them, and I was easily led to your trail. It really is amusing how stupid a person can be--I reiterate again, your generous hearts and your selfless code of the samurai was your weakness. I merely exploited it to its greatest degree, and this was my reward. Does that infuriate you?"
It did, but Kenshin and Jack tried not to dwell on it. After all, they still had to find a way out of the inferno they had been trapped in.
"If this is what kindness bears, then I would gladly lift that burden for all my years," stated Kenshin proudly. "Extending one's own kind acts towards another can bear no reward but satisfaction. It is not we who are fools, but you."
"Who, me?"
"Yes!" said Jack. "A man who uses a person's kindness for foul gain will end up only in ruin! You have done despicable things in the name of good, and have taken advantage of people who only meant to help one they thought their own! We may be in this trap temporarily, but I would wager t'would be you in the flames soon!"
"Ha!" snorted Melville, shouldering his rifle briefly as he scoffed at them. "What arrogance! Are you truly in a position to say anything except for screams and wails of torment? You will be the guests of the Reaper long before I shall join him, my prey." After that, neither Jack nor Kenshin nor even their would-be killer said anything, at least concerning morals and kindness and the lack thereof. Quietly, the two samurai tried to plot a way out of their predicament. Jack knelt down to the ground and brought his friend with him.
"(I have a plan, but it will be dangerous,)" he whispered. "(I noticed there was some oil on this ground that was not consumed in the flame. I want you to take a handful of it and keep it.)"
"(Yes, but what for?)"
"(If I use all my strength, I believe I can vault you over these flames,)" hissed Jack. He glanced up briefly and did a crude calculation in his head. Kenshin would make it with just enough room to spare for his sandals, if Jack threw him high enough. "(When you are over them, throw the oil down onto the flames. He will not be able to fire if he cannot see you through the wall. I will toss on some oil in the other direction so he does not hit me.)"
"(But what about you? Won't you be trapped?)"
"(Do not worry about me, my friend,)" replied Jack with a smirk. "(I have gotten through worse dangers than this. Just disable him and be careful. I will wait for your signal that he is gone, then I will join you.)"
"(Yes, but--)"
"(Just trust me,)" he said with a wink. Kenshin frowned but showed Jack that he understood his plan. The two warriors each scooped up a bit of oil that had not been touched by the fire, and carefully got into position, trying not to arouse the suspicion of their captor. Quickly, Jack threw his handful of oil onto the flames, igniting them to a furious height and degree and surprising Drakemoth temporarily. With every second precious, he quickly lifted Kenshin's feet off the ground and hoisted him over the wall of fire. Kenshin also jumped the moment he could, adding a bit of spring as he shot over the wall. He tossed his handful of oil as he sailed over, securing his escape so that Melville could not see him--
--and trapping his friend in the process.
"Blast! What happened? What sort of tricks are they up to?" Melville growled and tried peering through the high flames to see if his prey were still trapped, but the walls were too high and the fires burned too brightly for him to see anything. For all he knew, they could either be dead or free.
"What's the matter, Drakemoth?" called out a voice from the dark night. Drakemoth flinched and clutched his rifle close to him. The voice whispered out to him again, like a passing ghost in haunt. "Can't you see me? Are you afraid?"
"Balderdash! Fear is a pointless and stupid emotion! I have no need for such a thing! Come on out now and show yourself!" Suddenly and unexpectedly, his wish was granted. In a flash, a man wearing red emerged directly in front of him, scaring him briefly.
"You mean like this?" said the man. Drakemoth swore.
"AAH! Curse you, Hitokiri Battousai! I curse you back to the flames where you came from!!!" He raised his gun, but no sooner was it moving did Kenshin swipe at the object with his sword, neatly cleaving it in two and rendering it useless. Flawlessly, the former Battousai leaped closer to Drakemoth and pointed the tip of his blade at the man's petrified neck.
"Leave this place now," growled Kenshin darkly, "and never return." Melville, frozen from the sudden shock of it all, slowly raised his hands into the air, trying to keep his dignity.
"…Yes, I see," he sneered. "But this is not the end. We will all meet again, Kenshin Himura, some time or another. You cannot evade this destiny of death forever!" With a spat threat, Drakemoth's hands reached for his cufflinks and quickly tore them off, throwing them onto the ground where they released a billowing cloud of smoke. Kenshin coughed violently as the fog spread, and though he tried to wave the cloud away, it was in vain. By the time the air was clear, the assassin was long gone.
He just sighed and tucked his sword away. Then he remembered Jack, and began to grow concerned.
"Jack! He's left! Are you all right?!"
As soon as he called out to his friend, Jack suddenly sprang out from the wall of fire, soaring so high into the air that Kenshin looked on in awe. He landed gracefully on the grass, his gi soiled and a little burnt, but otherwise he was fine. As if it were all an ordinary thing for him, Jack stood back up and gave Kenshin a smile.
"He is gone? Well, that is good. We should keep moving if we want to avoid further detection." The samurai turned around and followed his own advice, with a curious Kenshin right beside him.
"Jack, how did you do that?" he had to wonder. "Can you fly?" The older samurai turned his head and gave Kenshin a proud smirk that was visible even in the darkness.
"No--jump good!"