Chapter Six: Crossing the Sanzu River (Part II)

Death was as confusing as so many things Jin had often contemplated over the years. He had never really given it much thought, as he believed death to be simple. One moment you are alive, the next you are dead. There was nothing more.

Dancing on the edge of his blade, men rarely had a chance to cry out before it was all over. In that, death was simple, but the truth was, death was far more complex. A siren song that was too difficult to ignore, he felt its cold fingers, the crashing waves of the angry Subayai, wrap around him. The stone that rose out of the rushing waters, that he desperately clung to, may have well been his grave marker. His heart thundered like festival drums as he sank against the stone, too weak to fight the powerful current.

The icy waters that would soon drown him were not an aspect of death he had considered. He knew many died in the rivers, but it was not where he saw his own demise. He had always it on the tip of a blade on solid ground.

In his right hand, he still clung to his sword but lacked the strength to raise his arm or the presence of mind to turn the weapon upon himself and quickly finish it. The cold and his wounds had disconnected his mind from his dying body. The fingers of his left hand still gripped the wet stone, but for how long he did not know. The waves buffeted his form as he allowed his head to rest against the rock.

The caws of an angry bird cut into the haze that filled his mind. The sound lashed out at the might of nature, admonishing it for making life difficult. The defiant beast crowed again, as if impatiently waiting for him to perish in the river so it may feast.

More angry caws filled the air.

A small smile pulled at his lips as the bird's cries reminded him of a girl screaming "idiot" over and over.

Seemed strangely fitting, he dully thought.

Chill waters splashed up against his shoulders as the current threatened to drag him under and smash him into the row of rocks jutting out of the flow just a short distance downstream.

Death was far too complex to contemplate with so little time left.

His grip on the jagged stone slipped and he slid into the violent current.

From both sides of the floor, varied youthful voices rose up. They called and jeered and voiced their fears while Jin, a mere fifteen-years-old, sat silently listening. He knew he had caused the stir the day before, setting fire to their fears and envy of his skills.

The previous day had ended prematurely when the sparring sessions came to a halt, as no one was willing to face off against him. Not those his age, nor his seniors.

It will be your burden to bear, Mariya Enshiro had once said. Your skill sets you apart from all others.

He had long ago grown used to the suspicious looks, the fearfulness in the other's eyes. He had accepted this, as his master had foreseen and focused all of his energy on the sword.

Blocking out their voices, he told himself that it was different. They had lives outside the school, family, friends and duties that called to them.

He had only the school and the sword.

The sword would not fail him.

"Enough!" Mariya roared as he rose up from his seat on the small stage at the head of the chamber. The word burned bright in Jin's memories, as crisp and clear as if were all those years ago when it was first uttered. The master fiercely looked about at his now silent disciples. "Every man, no matter how invincible he appears on the surface has a weakness. Every man can be defeated."

A chorus of voices rose up, "Never! Not you, sensei!"

"Even me." All it took was a sharp look and once more his disciples fell silent. He turned to study some of the youngest students to his far left. "Even the most novice should understand this." Stepping from the stage, he strode to the center of the mats, and then slowly turned about and faced each of his students. "For my students to tell me a man is undefeatable, then I have failed as a teacher."

Soft gasps filled the air, but no one dared protest for fear of rebuke.

Drawing his hand out to his side, open palmed, he said, "Toshio!"

Immediately one of the senior students was in motion, he retrieved a bokken and handed it off to the sensei. Then, without word, he returned it his place at the edge of the training area alongside his fellow students.

Jin looked to the others and all eyes followed Mariya as he paced about, testing the wooden practice sword in his grip. A lesson was about to be doled out and he waited patiently as he knew an example would soon be made of him.

He studiously followed the sensei across the mat with his eyes. This was the same man at one turn would be the harshest of instructors and at another would be a wise old friend offering advice over a game of shogi. Sometimes the dichotomy confused him and other times, he thought he caught glimpses into his master's true purpose.

He could still see Mariya sitting opposite a shogi board the night before telling a story about a sword smith and how he considered his duties as a teacher to be quite similar. He saw in his training of young men, the tempering of steel into a fine blade.

Though Jin knew this small insight would be forgotten the moment the legendary thousand man killer would call upon him.

Suddenly noting the stark look of unhappiness painted in Mariya's face, he came crashing back to the moment. "Jin," the master said as if he had already repeated it more than he pleased.

Nothing else needed to be said as Jin collected a practice sword and joined the teacher on the mat. He found himself watching the students as they watched Mariya continue with his verbal lesson.

"Watch carefully," Mariya said so softly that Jin almost did not catch the words.

The master moved with such power and speed that it left little doubt to his legend as shock rippled through the gathered disciples.

Were Jin any less skilled a swordsman he would have been dead with the first cut of Mariya's blade but he managed to rebuff that attack, only barely missing being struck. The master though was nonplussed racing into a follow up with such ferocity that his fifteen-year-old student, while far superior to his peers, was no match for the teacher.

Had it been a real blade he would have had his right side slashed open in a killing strike, but instead, merely took a beating from the unforgiving wood that sent him to the floor winded.

"He favors his left," Mariya announced. "Something I can easily exploit."

Jin blocked an attack and managed to slip out of the way of the series of follow up attacks, being quickly driven across the mat. Students scattered as the combatants knew no bounds. Every one of Jin's attacks was easily—far too easily—rebuffed. There was no opening.

Sweat gathered at his brow as he tried to respond to the shifts in Mariya's stance.

Shattering the youth's defenses, Mariya brought his bokken down, smashing into the Jin's shoulder. He cried out in pain as he stumbled only to be struck across the back by a follow up that sent him to the mat again.

"You are allowing my movements to control you," Mariya said as he approached his fallen student. "This constraint hinders you." He drew up his bokken to strike an incapacitating blow.

"Sensei!" several of the senior students called out in shock.

Capitalizing on the master's moment of hesitation, Jin responded. His first strike would have been a deadly belly wound were he wielding steel. Mariya stumbled back, breathing heavily with shock in his eyes. It bled into determination as a thin smile drew across his face before he went on the offensive.

Like the flitting of a firefly, Mariya seized upon Jin, their practice swords snapping and cracking with each strike. Jin tried to block the more powerful man but found himself repeatedly beaten back. His arms strained as he struggled to hold his position and not be backed against a wall.

"Hurts, does it not?" Mariya asked as he drove Jin across the floor. "You're breathing too hard, your shoulders are tense, you can't fight me like this." He slipped left, twisting into a single-handed strike. "You are desperate now."

clack

Mariya growled as they pressed against their crossed blades, "You are making mistakes." Twisting with such speed, the teacher broke the lock.

The sudden lack of counterforce sent Jin surging forward out of balance. Before he could recapture his footing, the teacher struck at his exposed back. The crack of ribs seemed to echo over pent up breaths.

Fire laced through him even as he struggled to counter the second strike that came with such speed, landing squarely between his shoulder blades. Air exploded from his lungs as he slammed to the mat coughing, the taste of blood bitter on his lips.

All around, Jin felt the thin veil of smugness in his peers, not only could he be defeated, he could be beaten down. It was masked just beneath the horror in their eyes. His own indignation burned as he stared back at them. He liked it better when they envied and feared him for being better. He tried to push himself up. He would not lie down.

A strangled cry escaped him as Mariya brought his bokken down across his back sending him to the floor again.

Mariya stared out at his students who watched wide-eyed. With the tip of his weapon, he reached out and pushed Jin's practice sword beyond his reach. "I exploited numerous weaknesses in my opponent. Ones, I promise, he will break himself of and I will have to find other weaknesses the next time. But if this were real combat he would have been dead in only two moves. Every man can be defeated." He strode across the floor to where Toshio was standing and handed off the bokken. "I suggest you all take this to heart," he said gravely. "For now, dismissed!"

After the room had cleared save Jin, who was still lying in the middle of the floor, Mariya turned to face him. Jin could feel the sensei's eyes intently on him as he slowly shifted. Moving hurt, breathing hurt, he thought as he carefully managed to sit up. His hand pressed to his bruising side as he took careful breaths not to anger his broken ribs.

Mariya spoke in a more personable tone. "How often have I warned you of favoring your left?" He sighed. "May this remind you of your weaknesses." He paced slightly, but when Jin did not respond, he asked, "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Take these mistakes and learn from them. It will make you stronger." Mariya turned to walk away, but paused. Over his shoulder he added, "I foresee that one day soon even I will not be able to defeat you."

Fire strained every desperate breath. Jin knew he needed to breathe; he needed to free his lungs of the river water that had filled them. He coughed and choked on his agony from deep slash wounds to his back and side.

Cold numbed fingers gripped the gnarled roots of the large tree trunk that had saved him from being swept further along in the currents of the Subayai.

The muscles in his arm threatened to fail at any moment as he pulled himself against the log and his feet struggled in the shallow embankment where the tree trunk had briefly come to rest. He could feel the currents pulling at it, trying to dislodge it and send it flowing back into the maddened river.

The job would be easier if he could just use both hands, but the fingers of his right were frozen around the wrapped hilt of his katana in a death grip. Even if he wanted too, he could not let go.

Carefully, struggling against his intense lethargy, Jin managed to throw his arm over the thick trunk. He snarled in pain, but stayed his position. He focused on his legs, forcing them to move, to dig his feet into the rocky, river floor finding balance.

Loosing his grip on the tree roots, he reached out into the dark night, finding grass and water-soaked earth. Fingers dug into the grass for leverage as he pulled himself forward.

As he inched his way forward, nearly at the edge of the river and onto the bank, the tree trunk slipped, wrenching him backward with such force, he thought his arm would be ripped from his shoulder. Crying out, he lunged forward into the soft ground. Pain laced through him from his wounds as he gripped at his slashed side and struggled up onto the spongy, grassy plain.

Ahead he spied a small clearing through a tangle of trees.

roterritter - Thank you so much! Elementary Magpie - I love to keep my readers guessing. ;) poornmiserable - Let's see: Shiori's husband is a doctor. Hisuiiro is the leader of the bad guys and he'll be giving everyone a lot of trouble. Umeko will join the story soon. And as far as Shiori's connection to Karasu goes, you'll just have to wait and see. Miyu 14 - Thank you very much!

Thank you everyone for replying. It always leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy when readers take the time to let me know what they think or enjoyed about my writing. It is very appreciated and I would love to hear more.

Next Chapter - The wise old fox and the dead. Shiori's wishes are answered.