Blade of the Immortal :
Chapter Three: The Girl
Somewhere in the distance a voice cried in anguish, the pain a palpable thing with bitter taste and dimension. "Mother! Father! Why...?" she screamed at the demons. Their dark fanged faces were dripping with all the blood of her parents bodies, lying dead on the garden path. She raised her face to the sky, tears streaming with blood painting a crimson path down her pale white cheeks. Her anguished ghostly wail echoed across the distance as she cried out the pains of her soul, the twisted helpless frustration, the loss of those she loved and held most dear. Blackness consumed her cutting off her cries, the demon's cackling laughter the last thing she heard...
"Did you hear that?" asked Manji of no one in particular. Shivering slightly he gulped a larger portion of sake and tilted his head to the sky.
Hyakurin paid no attention to him as she sat down playing with her now black hair. "I'm sure I heard something" He said as he stood up running towards the source of the cry he had heard he loosened his blade in it's sheath. Coming around a bend in the road, he saw two dark figures standing over a small figure on the ground. Sword raised high one of the figures was about to execute the girl. He had to give him credit though, he didn't draw it out like some other sick individuals might've. Rushing forward Magatsu drew his sword in one quick motion, practically throwing himself forward to stop the killing blow. Unfortunately this left him off-balance to stop the second blow of the assassin much less the second accomplice...
The second man stopped as six arrows buried them selves deeply into his flesh. She walked towards him reading herself to shoot again if need be, her eyes moved over to the girl who ran towards the trees to hide.
The girl hid watching her savors fight only a waiting when it would be safe for her to leave her hiding place.
The injured assassin taking stock of the situation fled, leaving their companion behind. Rising from his vulnerable position Magatsu held his sword in a ready position challenging the remaining assassin to attack. Looking to his left he indicated with a glance that it wouldn't be just him that the assassin would have to deal with but a very dangerous female with a bow and steady hand as well. The assassin was silent as he rushed Magatsu, but his eyes were full of a palpable madness.
The exchange was furious as they closed, high, low, slash, block and break. Magatsu was confident he could win, but also slightly worried. Because one thing a warrior and strategist most was unpredictability and the mad were that if nothing else. Biting down viciously on something he'd kept in his mouth, the assassin uncovered his mouth as he closed with Magatsu again to a block, blowing an evil smelling mist into Magatsu's face. Magatsu had managed to escape most of the poison, but some had landed. Partially blinded Magatsu fell away from the assassin. Taking this chance to finish his job, the assassin rushed into the woods where the girl hid finding her easily with his mad blood-shot eyes.
Hyakurin fallowed the assassin as quickly as she could taking off her healed sandals she gained speed. she could fell small things buried themselves into her feet she reloaded her bow a waiting the time she could get a clear shot.
Staggered, Magatsu had to drop his sword and rub at his eyes. Spitting into his hands, he rubbed the moisture into his already watering eyes. As blurred as his vision was he saw Hyakurin rushing after the assassin. Picking up his sword he ran after the two of them, though he didn't know what help he'd be half-blinded. He saw the assassin stoop to thrust his sword at the shocked girl. Desperate, Magatsu hurled his sword hoping to at least distract the man.
Assassin blocked the sword leaving an open shot for Hyakurin, she buried one of her arrows into his throat. His eye widened as he looked at the woman as she walked over to the child who was crying. Hyakurin knelt down to comfort the girl, and turning her back to the Assassin, yet her hand held the small sword that she had acquired earlier...
The second assassin who had run was no coward. He had circled back after appearing to run away, jumping through the treetops. He had remained crouched there on a branch above them as the scene played out. The first assassin looked like he had things well in hand 'till the woman shot him. Clumsy of him, he deserved it. A small amount of blood from his wound dripped down, drip, drip without his notice. Ah, well time to step in he thought. Drawing his sword, he dropped soundlessly towards Hyakurin's unguarded back.
Still Hyakurin paid no head towards the man. The girl was crying hysterically in her arms letting no other sound reach the blonds ears. The blond knew nothing of the man who crept towards her and the young child.
He couldn't see, and he had no sword... well, when against the wall improvise. Leaping into a run towards the two dark shapes on the forest floor, he saw the blurry man-like object falling towards them. He wasn't going to make it. Pouring on the speed he crossed his arms before him and leaped... just barely catching the edge of the falling katana in the cross of his arms, he twisted, wrenching it from the grasp of the assassin. Blood streaming down his arms he stood between the assassin and the others.
Hyakurin's dark brown eyes widened as her senses too, slowly she turned to see what went on behind her. He stood so still that it seemed the world and time itself had slowed and stopped. Drawing closer the assassin crept cautiously towards the half dead ronin. Exploding from the place of stillness within, the warrior whipped the salty blood off his arms and into the eyes of the assassin. He closed his eyes fast enough to avoid the blood, but this left him open to the fingers that followed the blood... the bloodcurdling scream rent the silence.
A small throwing knife buried itself deep into the assassin's neck a the blond stood there, her eyes merciless. Magatsu gave Hyakurin a slight smile made gruesome by the bloody visage which framed it. Half sitting down/collapsing he leaned back against a thick stand of bamboo. Leaning his head back and lips slightly parted he closed his eyes.
Hyakurin began to walk towards him as the young girl held onto the blond she stopped, her eyes looking down at the young woman. "Care to explain any of this?" Looking up at Hyakurin with the impossibly huge and limpid eyes of a child, she just blubbered gibberish. "The-- man-- he--." her words punctuated by sobs she eventually broke down completely, collapsing rather than merely falling into Hyakurin. She clutched at Hyakurin's knees so tightly that the older woman could barely stand as the blood from her face smeared against Hyakurin's thighs, mingling with tears as they dripped down her face.
Standing at a distance Magatsu felt a certain sadness fall over him, death was never easy he thought as he shook himself out of the reverie of a death far closer to him than an unknown child's parents.
Bending slightly at the waist the blonde just stroked the child's face comfortingly with a soft hand, conveniently hiding the sight of the already fly-ridden corpses of her parents lying by the roadside just beyond.
"We have to leave." Magatsu thought to himself. "There may be more assassins who will come to check when these ones don't report back." But, the shadows grew a good deal longer before they finally moved on.
Authors Note
Okay this is the Third chapter what do you think? . I DO NOT OWN Blade of the Immortal, Hiroaki Samura and Dark Horse comics own it I'm just barrowing it. This is also based after the 11th book Beasts. Please leave a review and let me know what you think, and Please also note that I am not the only writer of this story, a friend (Joel) also helps write it. He writes for Manji and Magatsu, and I write for Hyakurin and Giichi. Anyone else we've both used. Thanks for reading
Chapter Three: The Girl
Somewhere in the distance a voice cried in anguish, the pain a palpable thing with bitter taste and dimension. "Mother! Father! Why...?" she screamed at the demons. Their dark fanged faces were dripping with all the blood of her parents bodies, lying dead on the garden path. She raised her face to the sky, tears streaming with blood painting a crimson path down her pale white cheeks. Her anguished ghostly wail echoed across the distance as she cried out the pains of her soul, the twisted helpless frustration, the loss of those she loved and held most dear. Blackness consumed her cutting off her cries, the demon's cackling laughter the last thing she heard...
"Did you hear that?" asked Manji of no one in particular. Shivering slightly he gulped a larger portion of sake and tilted his head to the sky.
Hyakurin paid no attention to him as she sat down playing with her now black hair. "I'm sure I heard something" He said as he stood up running towards the source of the cry he had heard he loosened his blade in it's sheath. Coming around a bend in the road, he saw two dark figures standing over a small figure on the ground. Sword raised high one of the figures was about to execute the girl. He had to give him credit though, he didn't draw it out like some other sick individuals might've. Rushing forward Magatsu drew his sword in one quick motion, practically throwing himself forward to stop the killing blow. Unfortunately this left him off-balance to stop the second blow of the assassin much less the second accomplice...
The second man stopped as six arrows buried them selves deeply into his flesh. She walked towards him reading herself to shoot again if need be, her eyes moved over to the girl who ran towards the trees to hide.
The girl hid watching her savors fight only a waiting when it would be safe for her to leave her hiding place.
The injured assassin taking stock of the situation fled, leaving their companion behind. Rising from his vulnerable position Magatsu held his sword in a ready position challenging the remaining assassin to attack. Looking to his left he indicated with a glance that it wouldn't be just him that the assassin would have to deal with but a very dangerous female with a bow and steady hand as well. The assassin was silent as he rushed Magatsu, but his eyes were full of a palpable madness.
The exchange was furious as they closed, high, low, slash, block and break. Magatsu was confident he could win, but also slightly worried. Because one thing a warrior and strategist most was unpredictability and the mad were that if nothing else. Biting down viciously on something he'd kept in his mouth, the assassin uncovered his mouth as he closed with Magatsu again to a block, blowing an evil smelling mist into Magatsu's face. Magatsu had managed to escape most of the poison, but some had landed. Partially blinded Magatsu fell away from the assassin. Taking this chance to finish his job, the assassin rushed into the woods where the girl hid finding her easily with his mad blood-shot eyes.
Hyakurin fallowed the assassin as quickly as she could taking off her healed sandals she gained speed. she could fell small things buried themselves into her feet she reloaded her bow a waiting the time she could get a clear shot.
Staggered, Magatsu had to drop his sword and rub at his eyes. Spitting into his hands, he rubbed the moisture into his already watering eyes. As blurred as his vision was he saw Hyakurin rushing after the assassin. Picking up his sword he ran after the two of them, though he didn't know what help he'd be half-blinded. He saw the assassin stoop to thrust his sword at the shocked girl. Desperate, Magatsu hurled his sword hoping to at least distract the man.
Assassin blocked the sword leaving an open shot for Hyakurin, she buried one of her arrows into his throat. His eye widened as he looked at the woman as she walked over to the child who was crying. Hyakurin knelt down to comfort the girl, and turning her back to the Assassin, yet her hand held the small sword that she had acquired earlier...
The second assassin who had run was no coward. He had circled back after appearing to run away, jumping through the treetops. He had remained crouched there on a branch above them as the scene played out. The first assassin looked like he had things well in hand 'till the woman shot him. Clumsy of him, he deserved it. A small amount of blood from his wound dripped down, drip, drip without his notice. Ah, well time to step in he thought. Drawing his sword, he dropped soundlessly towards Hyakurin's unguarded back.
Still Hyakurin paid no head towards the man. The girl was crying hysterically in her arms letting no other sound reach the blonds ears. The blond knew nothing of the man who crept towards her and the young child.
He couldn't see, and he had no sword... well, when against the wall improvise. Leaping into a run towards the two dark shapes on the forest floor, he saw the blurry man-like object falling towards them. He wasn't going to make it. Pouring on the speed he crossed his arms before him and leaped... just barely catching the edge of the falling katana in the cross of his arms, he twisted, wrenching it from the grasp of the assassin. Blood streaming down his arms he stood between the assassin and the others.
Hyakurin's dark brown eyes widened as her senses too, slowly she turned to see what went on behind her. He stood so still that it seemed the world and time itself had slowed and stopped. Drawing closer the assassin crept cautiously towards the half dead ronin. Exploding from the place of stillness within, the warrior whipped the salty blood off his arms and into the eyes of the assassin. He closed his eyes fast enough to avoid the blood, but this left him open to the fingers that followed the blood... the bloodcurdling scream rent the silence.
A small throwing knife buried itself deep into the assassin's neck a the blond stood there, her eyes merciless. Magatsu gave Hyakurin a slight smile made gruesome by the bloody visage which framed it. Half sitting down/collapsing he leaned back against a thick stand of bamboo. Leaning his head back and lips slightly parted he closed his eyes.
Hyakurin began to walk towards him as the young girl held onto the blond she stopped, her eyes looking down at the young woman. "Care to explain any of this?" Looking up at Hyakurin with the impossibly huge and limpid eyes of a child, she just blubbered gibberish. "The-- man-- he--." her words punctuated by sobs she eventually broke down completely, collapsing rather than merely falling into Hyakurin. She clutched at Hyakurin's knees so tightly that the older woman could barely stand as the blood from her face smeared against Hyakurin's thighs, mingling with tears as they dripped down her face.
Standing at a distance Magatsu felt a certain sadness fall over him, death was never easy he thought as he shook himself out of the reverie of a death far closer to him than an unknown child's parents.
Bending slightly at the waist the blonde just stroked the child's face comfortingly with a soft hand, conveniently hiding the sight of the already fly-ridden corpses of her parents lying by the roadside just beyond.
"We have to leave." Magatsu thought to himself. "There may be more assassins who will come to check when these ones don't report back." But, the shadows grew a good deal longer before they finally moved on.
Authors Note
Okay this is the Third chapter what do you think? . I DO NOT OWN Blade of the Immortal, Hiroaki Samura and Dark Horse comics own it I'm just barrowing it. This is also based after the 11th book Beasts. Please leave a review and let me know what you think, and Please also note that I am not the only writer of this story, a friend (Joel) also helps write it. He writes for Manji and Magatsu, and I write for Hyakurin and Giichi. Anyone else we've both used. Thanks for reading