Chapter 20 – Secret Revealed
Ryu eyes popped open as he inhaled strong wind of air. He quickly sat up. It was nighttime and he was laid by a fire; completely unaware of how he ended at what seemed to be a campsite. He continued studying his surroundings. How did he get here? How long has he been out? Was everything that just happened part of a dream? His last memory consisted of Aisu freezing himself, Aileen, Ayane, and Mishu.
Mishu. He thought to himself. Ryu was beginning to trust the man and now his mind was full of questions when he learned that their follower had a secret he had kept from them for so long.
"You should go back to sleep." Ryu snapped his head in the direction of the voice. It was Mishu sitting at the fire teasing his blade with a rock, "We have a big day tomorrow."
Ryu immediately stood to his feet. "Who are you?"
Mishu raised his eyebrow to him. "What do you mean? It's me. Mishu."
"Who are you really?" He paused. "Kaki."
Suddenly, Mishu stopped sharpening his sword then turned his eyes away from him. "That is something that's best left unsaid."
"What happened to the block of ice we were trapped in?" Ryu asked. "How did you really get Ayane out of that pond? And how did you really release yourself from the ropes when I fought Yung?"
Mishu looked at Ryu. "You sound like you already figured it out."
Ryu kept a cold stare at Mishu. "I'm hoping that I'm wrong."
Mishu laid his sword on the ground and stood. Just then Ayane and Aileen heard the commotion and exited the tent. "Believe me, Ryu, when I tell you. Pretend that you're wrong."
"Mishu, the truth." Ryu said as the women looked on. "Tell me now."
Mishu now had a cold stare and it was piercing right at Ryu Hayabusa. "You want to know the truth?" He asked them. "You all want to know the truth?" He raised his hand to all of their surprises, Mishu's hand was suddenly engulfed in live flames. Aileen gave a small yelp and Ayane could only look on in shock of the ex-Black Spider Ninja's hand surrounded in an instant roaring fire. Mishu felt no pain as he looked at them. "That is the truth."
Ryu continued on with his stone face. "You're one of them. A hierarch."
"Yes, you're right Ryu. I was a hierarch. But it was all only for the mission of retrieving the sword keeping it away from the Black Spider Clan."
"For all I know you led them to the caves to find us." Ryu replied. "For all I know, it was you that killed Kentaro and possibly the entire Migu Village."
"This is why I didn't tell you. I knew you would take it this way."
"You are a hierarch!" Ryu yelled out.
"Was a hierarch. Think outside of the box Ryu. I have fought next to you all of this time…"
"For all I know it was part of your deception!" Ryu yelled interrupting Mishu.
Mishu gave a sigh, "I am not the matter here. Gamja is now delivering the Dokugumo-Ureeru to Mitsuri as we speak. If we move now we can stop them while Mitsuri is still weak. But if he touches that sword…"
"We?" Ryu interrupted again. "You actually think I would allow a Black Spider hierarch to assist me in taking down the Black Spider Clan?"
"You cannot do this by yourself."
"There have been many obstacles where I have heard those same words and still came out the victor."
Mishu continued to give Ryu his cold stare, "So what are you saying?"
"I was already lenient when I didn't have Ayane kill you when we first met." Ryu said drawing his sword. "This is your only chance to escape from me now with your life still intact."
Mishu kept his stare, "Do you think your sword scares me?" Mishu withdrew his sword from its scabbard. "One promise to you, Ryu Hayabusa," He said as his hand began to glow a fiery reddish-orange color and suddenly the metal blade of his sword was engulfed in live flames. He finished his sentence, "My sword is stronger than yours."
The two stood and stared at each other and readied their weapons in their battle stances. They both shared cold piercing stares with Ryu's Dragon Blade gleaming from the moonlight and Mishu's weapon standing tall engulfed in the burning flames.
"NO!" Ayane yelled out as she jumped between them. "No fighting!"
But the two still only stood as if they were waiting for the other to make the first attack. Ayane turned to Ryu. "Ryu, maybe you're over thinking this. Maybe he is on our side."
"Look at him, Ayane." Ryu replied. "Red hair, red eyes, his sword is on fire, all of this should've been evident when he returned you from the pond. He has hierarch written all over them. Hierarchs are loyal to their clan." His eyes darted to Mishu, "Right, Kaki?" But Mishu only kept silent.
"Ryu, I could be dead!" Ayane exclaimed. Ryu's eyes darted to Ayane as he could see the trembling in her eyes. And she repeated. "I could be dead."
"Ryu." Ryu heard Aileen call in a soft tone, almost whisper-like.
He turned his attention towards her and viewed her staring at him, frightened and afraid, only talking to Ryu through her eyes. He then turned his sights back to Mishu. "Very well." He said returning his sword to his scabbard.
Mishu saw the signs of Ryu's burning heart diminish as he did the same with his sword. In an instant, the once engulfed flaming sword, was returned to its cool metal blade as Mishu returned his sword to its own scabbard. "After this mission, I will be out of your lives forever, I promise."
Ryu turned away from him. "I agreed not to fight you, not to accompany us on this mission. We will do this without you."
"But Ryu, you will be heavily outnumbered, you need me…"
Ryu turned his head to where he could see Mishu out of the corner of his eye. "You are a Black Spider Clan hierarch. You have lied to us since the beginning. There is no way I can trust you. Leave now, Mishu."
At first, Mishu stood in utter shock as he watched Ryu grabbed and held of Aileen. Even from his distance he could tell that Aileen was shivering in his arms. He glanced at Ayane who stood alone staring at the ground in her own sense of discomfort and shame. That's when he realized after feeling the groups monotoned emotions filling that air, that he didn't belong. He has only brought hurt to them since the first day. If it wasn't for him, Ayane would never have been raped nor trapped in that pond. Ryu would never feel the pain of almost killing someone close to him. Aileen wouldn't have had to witness the death of the man that had raised her after so many years. This was all of his doing even if it did mean retrieving the Dokugumo-Ureeru, even if it meant sacrificing his own emotions as well as others to assure his mission was accomplished successfully.
Then Mishu's eyes lowered to a cold stare. "Fine." He said catching the attention of the others around him. He marched toward his tent and retried a small bag. "All I wanted to do was help." He said. "I'll be sure to stay out of your way from here on out." He turned to the forest and began to make his exit.
But it was Ayane, that watched him tread his way out of vision's sight. Maybe Ryu didn't trust him, maybe Aileen didn't trust him, but one thing she knew for sure was that she believed him. It was Mishu that saved her life when her first attempt was to end his. It was Mishu's face that she saw first each time she woke from her troubles. Even as obnoxious as he was, it was Mishu that fueled her to regain her revenge on Dokon. He couldn't leave, he is not at fault for the mind games the Black Spider Clan has played on them over the days.
"MISHU WAIT!" She yelled out and ran into the depths of the forest.
"AYANE!" Ryu called out, but it was already evident her mind was already set on tracking Mishu. He quickly turned to Aileen. "Get in the tent."
She gave a quick nod as Ryu darted towards Ayane's direction.
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"MISHU!" Ayane saw him in sight as he turned to her. She quickly ran to him, "Don't leave. We need you."
Ryu wasn't too far behind. "Ayane, what are you doing!"
She turned to him. "Mishu hasn't been lying to us."
"How can you be for sure?"
"I can't be." Ayane replied to Ryu then turned her head towards Mishu, "But I do know he saved my life when he didn't have to."
"Don't you understand Ayane," Ryu spoke. "It may have been all part of his plan with the Spider Clan."
Ayane turned her head to Ryu again. "Maybe so. Then again, maybe not. I feel that he's worth the risk. Don't you?"
A very good question Ayane asked as they both looked at Ryu awaiting a sudden answer. Was Mishu or "Kaki" or whatever he called himself worth the risk? Ryu's worst fear of Mishu was walking directly into a trap of the Black Spider Clan all conspired by this Mitsuri, the leader of the Black Spider Clan whom has reluctantly yet to even show his face.
Was Mishu worth the risk? Yung, Xia, Aisu, Dokon, Gamja, Mitsuri, not to mention the entire Black Spider Clan he knew for sure were all against him. Ryu and Ayane were already heavily outnumbered and are to face these mystical hierarchs. He has already lost to Yung as Ayane to Xia, even Ayane had her experience against the powers of Dokon and Ayane. Gamja has yet to reveal his true powers and now that the Dokugumo-Ureeru Tsurugi rests in the Black Spider Clan's hands, there's no telling how powerful this being Mitsuri is.
Is Mishu worth the risk? For everything standing in Ryu's way, Mishu's probable involvement with the Black Spider Clan would probably surprise him, but it wouldn't shock him. But Ryu has seen Mishu's skills as a fighter and the new knowledge of his powers may be of help. So yes…Mishu is worth the risk.
"Ryu," Mishu interrupted Ryu's thoughts. "I apologize for not telling you the truth from the beginning. But you must believe me…"
"Quiet!" Ryu demanded. He continue to ponder more if he was making the right decision, allowing Mishu to continue to fight by their side even if it meant walking into a trap Ryu could not get himself out of. But he had to take the risk, he would rather have Mishu on his side rather than the Black Spider Clan's. He looked at Mishu. "If you give me one reason to where I can't…"
"Don't worry, " Mishu said with a sly smile already knowing how Ryu's sentence will finish. "I swear my life to you that I will do what I can to assist you in stopping the Black Spider Clan once and for all."
Ryu gave a nod as the three stood in silence. That was until Ayane spoke. "So what's the plan?"
"Kill Mitsuri." Mishu responded. "By now the Dokugumo-Ureeru Tsurugi has already reached the fortress and Mitsuri's powers will be restored."
"Is it that simple?" Ryu asked. "He touches the blade and he powerful all over again."
"Fortunately no. The blade has been out of his hands for much too long. There has to be some type of human sacrifice to reawaken the sword. Once done, then his powers will be restored."
"So we have time?" Ryu asked.
"Probably not. For Mitsuri already has made plans on the person who will sacrifice their life for the better of the clan."