It was the day before the summer solstice, and Kyuuzou was exhausted. Sleep brought no relief, for he had troubled dreams, and Kanbei had been busy for the days before. Every movement seemed to sap his strength more, and the Lord noticed this.
"Kyuuzou, what's wrong?"
It took Kyuuzou a long moment to answer, "Nothing."
"If you say so. Are you sure you don't want to see a medic?"
"yes."
The Lord dropped the subject, not entirely wanting to know what was making Kyuuzou so irratable. The air in the audience chamber was stale, so the Lord had moved his meetings to a veranda out in a garden, where there was even less protection from the searing summer sun,depriving Kyuuzou of the cool sancuary of the shadows. He struggled to stay concious and focused, but he couldn't help but feel as if there was something wrong, but it was muted, and distant, and he was naturally wary, so, being as weary as he was, he simply ignored it and tried to keep functioning.
---
Kanbei found himself surrounded, sword drawn, the rest of his patrol dead. The streets were silent, scared, and shocked as the demons slobbered and gazed hungrily at the man inthe middle of their circle.
"You are the one the demon Kyuuzou claims as his."
Kanbei didn't answer, and another demon hissed in annoyance. "We know you are, human scum. You either come with us to the one who has bound us unharmed or we bring you to him on death's door. It's up to you."
"Why does he want me?"
The ring of demons hissed in amusement, acrid smoke swirling out of their mouths. "Because of the Shadowling! He hates him."
"Loathes him."
"Wants to kill him."
"But Master won't let him."
"Toshiyo is not your Master?"
The demons snarled, "No human can ever be our Master!"
"Kyuuzou claims me as his."
The demons were surprised by this. A demon claiming a human as the only one he'd serve?
Kanbei took this moment of confusion and charged at the thinnest part of the ring and cut through two demons, and fought his way out of the rest of the circle, breaking through much to the surprise of the demons. He started to sprint towards an area of both greater space and light. He skidded to a stop in a place he remembered well; it was the same arena he and Kyuuzou had fought their duel, and it was wide-open to the light. He watched the demons come, but never expected to feel whispers of arms and blades passing through him, even though he remained unharmed. He turned around, leading with his sword, and cut through a few ghosts that had come up behind him, stemming from the house that had been the base of the assassin ring, and watched them dissapear.
He heard their curses, their cries in his mind, condemning him for associating with Kyuuzou, for having Kyuuzou serve him.
He will turn on you!
He turned on us and we were like family!
He will destroy you!
SILENCE.
The ghost of an older man came up and stood next to Kanbei, ghostly-sword shimmering in and out of existance in his etheral hand.
Kyuuzou serves you?
"I know you from somewhere."
Lord Ryuu would make use of my clan...sometimes. But the mission to kill him was too much of a challenge for me not to pose it to Kyuuzou. I feel a little bad about it. The ghost gave him a wry smile, then turned back tothe demons.
I will help you, for as long as I can, for my blade can touch them as much as yours can.
"But you are only one person."
The others will listen to what I tell them to do. Now, go. I feel my helping you might redeem myself a little for all that I put Kyuuzou through.!
Kanbei nodded, understanding, and left at a run.
Genma watched Kanbei leave, eyes slightly sad. Tell Toshiyo that I am truly sorry that he is suffering so much.
He turned back to face the oncoming demons, and, at seeing his resolve, those who followed him turned to face the onslaught, and steeled themselves for the Final Death. All for a man who they barely knew to escape.
Kanbei ran, but found himself going down the same streets over and over, and eventually stopped, chest heaving, sweat dripping down him in sheets. He was in the business district; he didn't know if this was good or bad; there weren't many people out, but he didn't want a battle to damage shops, goods, and whomever may be inside the stores.
Then again, it was strangely quiet, even for a day as hot as it was. He closed his eyes, feeling that something was wrong, and focused on his surroudnings.Slowly, he felt as if something was slipping and he thought he could hear human voices when he was brought back to reality by the sound of something coming towards him, and brought the sword up in just barely enough time to deflect the demon's attack, cutting its clawed hand in two, making it screech. It was then that he heard the whispering chatter of demon-speak in his mind, warping his senses, making them unreliable, and, somehow, felt how they had managed to pull him into a dimensional space right alongside normal Haruka, while also being in it. Kanbei shifted, trying to find a way to distract himself from the words that made no sense to him, but were inexorably driving him to distraction. He abruptly tuned around and swung his sword up, and blocked the sword stroke that he first thought was meant to kill him, but when he saw how the blade was positioned, he knew it had been meant to merely render him unconcious. He looked at the man in front of him, and saw an immediate and striking resemblance to the ghost he had met, while also remembering the face.
"Toshiyo, isn't it?"
"Don't you dare say my name! You aren't worthy enough to utter it!" Toshiyo and Kanbei broke away, and began to carefully size the other up.
"I met your brother in the Yuurei district."
"What? Is he still there?"
"I wouldn't know."
"Liar! Tell me!" Toshiyo charged and swung at Kanbei, who dodged and blocked the second strike that followed.
However, he did tell me to inform you that he was sorry that you are suffering so much."
Toshiyo snarled at Kanbei and performed a series of rapid strikes that Kanbei once again managed to deflect, and then he struck back with a sidesweeping attack that Toshiyo managed to block, but found that the force behind it had made him stagger back from Kanbei.
"I have no grudge against you, Toshiyo. I do not wish to be fighting this battle."
"Too bad," Toshiyo said, and at a small gesture,what shadows were around reached out and tried to bind Kanbei; however, when Kanbei swung his sword at them, the shadows withered and retreated. This distracted Kanbei enough for Toshiyo to call in more demons, little ones simply meant to annoy and tire Kanbei. When Toshiyo saw that Kanbei was becoming overwhelmed after nearly a half hour of solid, grueling fighting, Toshiyo lunged in and hit Kanbei's temple hard, knocking him unconcious and catching him as he fell. Toshiyo dismissed the demons, which were more than happy to leave the painful sunlight, and looked at the man in his arms.
"Now, Shimaa Kanbei, we have you lure Kyuuzou to me."
Toshiyo spoke a harsh word that would make most people wince, and he and Kanbei vanished in a puff of acrid smoke.
Kanbei's sword clattered to the ground, the only clue of his passage through the area.
---
Kyuuzou was struck with a dizzy, sickening feeling, one that made him believe something terrible had happened. The Lord dismissed him earlier than usual, since Kyuuzou was looking less than normal, and Kyuuzou used that. He immediatly left the castle, following rumors of where Kanbeihad gone. As he was walking to the district Kanbei was supposed to be, he caught a glimpse of something in the light that felt familiar. He walked over to it and stared, frozen for a solid minute. Slowly, he picked up Kanbei's sword, and looked at it.
Demon blood on it...and that smell...
Kyuuzou's eyes flashed in anger, and he snarled one word, "Toshiyo."
He would find thatpitiful excuse for a man, and he would get Kanbei back at any cost. He closed his eyes and held Kanbei's sword in front of him, and concentrated his entire will on finding which direction Kanbei was in. Slowly, he felt the sword vibrating faintly in his hand, accepting him,remembering him from before, and Kyuuzou turned slowly until the sword fell still. Kyuuzou let his arm fall by his side and then walked in the direction it had pointed, eyes both resolute and tired.
Author: Thank you for reading!