Chapter 3: The First Assassination
"Hah!" Tatsumi yelled as his sword drew a horizontal arc through the air. Yoshiro grunted as he brought both wooden knives down to block. The impact sent him sliding backward. The satisfied smirk on Tatsumi's face quickly disappeared when another presence appeared behind him. He followed his instincts and ducked under a devastating high kick to the head.
Tatsumi quickly turned around and swept Hayami's other foot. She fell forward, but quickly caught herself with her arms. Using the remaining momentum from her kick, she brought her foot down on his head. He blocked with both arms and jumped back to avoid a flying knife.
"Hey! No teaming up!" Tatsumi pouted while complaining. They had laid down rules for sparring sessions and teaming was breaking one of them. Seriously! What's the point of rules if no one ever follows them!? Hayami giggled and Yoshiro grinned. It's not teaming, it's mutual cooperation to take down a common enemy. It's a tactical decision.
"Don't worry, I'll stab her in the back when she lets her guard down. Until then, you'll have to deal with it." Yoshiro said. Hayami pouted and glared at her friend. Yoshiro was being mean to her again. If he actually backstabs her, he will pay! She turned her attention back to Tatustmi, who was still pouting.
"Here we come!" She said before quickly closing the gap, aiming another kick at Tatsumi's head. He ducked under it only to be met with a foot to the face. His hand flew up in reaction and blocked the kick, quickly retaliating with a slash. She jumped back and Yoshiro poked her hard in the back with his wooden dagger.
"What did I say?" Yoshiro chuckled. Hayami looked shocked. He actually did it! He betrayed me just like that?! She turned around and began hitting Yoshiro in a fit of anger. Tatsumi laughed from the side, watching Hayami beat the shit out of Yoshiro. He fully deserved it.
It has been a year and a half since the attack on Hayami's village. Since that day, their progress skyrocketed. The past year has been purely focused on combat and training, with the occasional lesson on tactics.
Tatsumi has become proficient with the sword. He was now able to last in a spar against Arthur, although Arthur would never fighting at full strength. The sword style Arthur taught Tatsumi was his own creation. By keeping low during a fight, it lets the practitioner knock the opponent's weapon upward or to the side, creating openings. Arthur told him it was designed to overwhelm the enemy.*
"People die if they are killed." Arthur said laughing loudly. Tatsumi sweatdropped. He wasn't wrong...
Yoshiro, on the other hand, has improved in hand to hand combat and uses daggers as an add-on. Using his reaction times and nimble movements, he fights defensively and seizes any openings.
Hayami has quickly caught up to the boys in terms of fighting ability. Born in a hunter's family, her physique was in top shape. Her aim with bow and arrow was inhumane, able to hit accurately both while stationary and while moving. But Arthur made sure she didn't neglect her close quarter combat skills. Her fighting style uses her legs, leaving her hands open.
They've all become proficient at hiding and sensing killing intent and presence, but they still couldn't sneak up on Arthur. In fact, a daily exercise they've been doing recently was trying to 'assassinate' Arthur. The three tried everything, ranging from stupid pitfalls to elaborate ambushes while he was asleep. But no matter what they did, how detailed their plan was, Arthur was always able to escape or fend them off with ease.
After calming down from his laughing fit, Tatsumi looked at his hands and clenched them. The past year hasn't been all fun and games either. They've had several encounters with thieves and bandits and were forced to kill each time. He still felt sick when he saw blood running down his sword, but it wasn't as bad as the first time. The guilt, however, was just as strong. Arthur said that was a good thing. It proves that he was human, that he wasn't a heartless monster. Tatsumi fully intended to carry the burden of his actions for the rest of his life, a sentiment shared by his friends.
After Hayami finally released all her frustration and Yoshiro was thoroughly pummeled, Arthur hopped down from the tall tree he was observing us from. The tree was bare, the few remaining brown leaves on it's branches fell onto the ground as Arthur moved. It was late autumn and the temperature was low, the lush green forest had lost its color and the ground was covered in a blanket of dry leaves.
"Alright kids, pack up, we are only half a day's hike from the next village." He said, pointing towards the mountains. Tatsumi shivered as a cold breeze brushed across his neck. He hated the cold so much! The feeling of numbness as his cheeks lose their heat and the way his body uncontrollably trembles made him super uncomfortable. Not to mention frostbites. THEY HURT SO MUCH!
"T-that place looks cold… do we have to?" Tatsumi asked hesitantly. Arthur frowned. What kind of question was that? Did Tatsumi hate the cold that much? Well then, that's even more the reason to go.
"Come on now, assassins need to be able to carry out their mission, no matter the weather. I am taking you guys to the snowy mountains so you can learn to maneuver in a freezing, snowy environment. Also, since heavy clothing gets in the way, I have these prepared for you." He explained.
He handed all of the kids identical sets of clothing. A sweater vest made of black wool, a black coat that was light and warm, and tight gloves with wool on the inside and a special fabric on the outside that provided grip. Lastly, he gave them a choice of earmuffs, scarf or cape. Hayami and Tatsumi quickly lunged for the Earmuffs and Scarf. Yoshiro stood there baffled, unable to comprehend the betrayal. Arthur laughed loudly, Hayami and Tatsumi quickly joined him. Yoshiro looked dejected and put the cape on.
"Sorry man, survival of the fittest." Tatsumi said, patting Yoshiro on the back, earning him a small glare.
"A-at least it looks good on you? You look cool." Hayami complimented, hoping to cheer him up. Yoshiro looked away with a small blush. Tatsumi grinned at his actions. More teasing material. Ever since Hayami first joined them, Tatsumi made sure to take every opportunity to tease Yoshiro about his attraction to their new female companion. Seeing Yoshiro blush up to his ears was something that could never get old.
Tatsumi slipped on the black coat and wrapped the scarf he had obtained around his neck. Feeling warmer, he placed the remaining pieces of clothing into his bag. Tatsumi looked up and saw everyone had finished packing up.
Thus, their slow trek towards the mountains began.
As their journey progressed, their surroundings started to change drastically. The crispy leaves under their feet turned into ankle deep snow. The brown and dull green trees that surrounded them lost all their color, covered in layers of snow. The temperature dropped drastically and freezing gusts blew by in waves. The sun above their heads, which was their only source of warmth, disappeared under a thick layer of clouds and snow began drifting down from the heavens.
Their journey was almost completely silent. No one spoke a word as they hiked up the mountain. The cold was sapping all of their energy and they wanted to reach their destination as soon as possible. Finally, they saw the light at the end of the tunnel after scaling a steep hill. They were only a mile away from the village where they will be training. They joyously ran the last downhill mile, a big mistake they would regret only fifteen minutes later.
By the time they reached the village gates, their lungs felt like they were on fire, their limbs were heavy and their faces were basically frozen. The sweat under their coats felt disgusting and a single cold gust sent their bodies trembling. It was pure suffering. They identified themselves to the village guards and finally entered the village.
"H-h-how long are w-we staying here again?" Hayami asked, her teeth audibly trembling. Her lungs were still in pain and she felt exhausted beyond belief. In order to increase her stamina and endurance, she participated in twenty mile runs every day. But running a mile through ankle-deep snow felt even more difficult and towards the end, every breath felt like she was breathing in needles.
"Until spring comes, so you kids better get used to it." Arthur replied. Not only is it important to understand movement in a winter environment, the snow makes exercise more difficult and the cold, dry air saps away moisture in your lungs, making breathing more painful. The first increases stamina more efficiently than just increasing distance, while the latter reveals the importance of pacing and controlled breathing. On top of that, its part of human nature to preserve energy and body heat in a cold environment. Fighting against that natural instinct takes willpower. Lastly...
This is also a good opportunity for them to interact with other kids their age. Arthur thought quietly to himself. Over the years, he has come to see his students as his own children. Starting with Yoshiro, he always regretted he couldn't provide them a normal childhood. Although even if he could, they wouldn't want it, it was not the road they chose to walk. But the least he could do is provide them with a few aspects of a normal life.
The day quickly flew by. They explained their situation to the village Elder and settled into an empty house. Hayami, Yoshiro, and Tatsumi were expert hunters at this point, able to track and kill anything from rabbits to danger beasts the size of a house. The latter needed their combined efforts of course. In return for food and shelter, they often hunted for the village or dealt with threats nearby. That was exactly the deal they struck with the village Elder as rent to stay at the house. Of course, it's not like Arthur had no money. in fact, he had so much money that Tatsumi and the others wondered where he was getting it from. But nonetheless, Arthur made the kids work and the kids more than willing to do just that.
Night arrived and kids finally settled into their new temporary home. The house was constructed purely out of wood and snow piled high on the roof. The house came with basic furniture and a nicely equipped kitchen. Their rooms were nearly identical, containing a small bed, a simple table, a generic painting, a closet and a window facing outside. All the details completely slipped their exhausted minds. They took turns taking warm showers and fell unconscious the moment their heads hit their pillows.
Two weeks passed at a crawling speed. Getting used to the cold was not an easy process by anyone's standards. That feeling when you wake up in the morning and poke your hand out the covers, only to discover the air was freezing and you were perfectly snug under your blankets was the bane of Tatsumi's existence. But after two weeks, Tatsumi was finally beginning to adapt to the winter conditions.
Tatsumi was currently standing in a familiar building. It was both a slaughterhouse and a food storage. The interior of the building was very similar to a barn. There were several supporting wooden poles that held up the entire structure that also helped divide the building into sections. One section held a lot of tools to dissect animals such as sharp knives, hooks, and even saws, all laid out on a steel table. Another section was filled with tables and water buckets, probably used to clean the meat and bones. The building itself was freezing cold in order to preserve the meat for long periods of time.
"Hmm… Very impressive…" The man said as he inspected the results of Tatsum's hunt, a large pile of danger beasts of all kinds ranging from fanged birds the size of sparrows to a large moose-like danger beast. He nodded satisfied and patted Tatsumi on the back with enough force to make Tatsumi take a step forward.
"You kids are a great help! Even we adults struggle with danger beasts, to think you'd be able to take out so many. Hahahaha!" He laughed joyfully. Tatsumi smiled back tiredly. The hardest part wasn't hunting, it was bringing it back to the village. Although he had a large sled in order to transport the animals he's hunted, he went slightly overboard and couldn't fit everything on it. He was forced to drag them through the snow a dozen miles all the way back to the village. Needless to say, it was exhausting.
Tatsumi was finally allowed to leave after the man finished recording his hunt. He walked outside and stretched, taking in the crisp, clean air. It was way past noon, but the orange glow of sunset had yet to appear. He nodded, satisfied with his speed. When he first began, the sky would be nearly dark by the time he got back. He was making good progress. He felt a friendly presence approach him from the side and turned to see who it was. He was met by a familiar ponytailed brunette sporting a bright smile.
"Oh? You're back already?" Hayami asked as she approached Tatsumi. He was about an hour earlier than usual. Tatsumi smiled proudly and stuck his chest out.
"Yeah, it was easy!" He boasted with a grin. She giggled cutely into her hand. "How's the village?" He asked. Today was Hayami's day off from hunting. They hunted in shifts, two people per day while the last had the day off. They rotated it so that one person had a break one every three days.
Of course, the last person wasn't usually slacking off. They trained privately with Arthur, which was especially effective considering the three of them have reached a point where they can start refining their techniques. But the private training sessions don't usually take up the entire day, so they spend the rest exploring every nook and cranny of the village.
"Exploring it was fun! It's not a large village, but it's still bigger than my village." She said with a longing smile. Tatsumi smiled sadly while looking at her. She hid it really well, but both Tatsumi and Yoshiro could tell she missed having a home.
"Come on now, wipe that sad smile off your face." Tatsumi said, giving her a quick hug. He racked his brain for an idea to cheer her up and an imaginary light bulb lit up. "That's it! Let's play tag!" He proposed enthusiastically. Hayami frowned a little. That's a really childish game.
"Aren't we a little old for that." Tatsumi deadpanned. Too old for tag? First of all, you can never get too old for tag. That's a basic law of the universe which also applies to rock-paper-scissors, patty-cake, and cookies.
"Hayami, we're like ten years old. We are at an age where it's unnatural to not play tag. Plus, you can never get too old for tag." Tatsumi responded. She laughed sheepishly. That's right, she was ten years old. With so much going on, she feels a lot older.
"If you really don't like the idea, think of it as training. We have until the sun sets. The one who is 'it' when the sun sets is the loser. The loser has to listen to the winner for the rest of the day." Tatsumi suggested. She contemplated for a few seconds, before nodding. Tatsumi smirked. She just fell for his ultimate plan.
"So who's i-" Tatsumi tapped her shoulder and ran off. She stood baffled. D-did he just do that? There's no way he just did that.
"YOU'RE IT!" Tatsumi laughed. She growled loudly. HE ACTUALLY JUST DID THAT! THAT CHEATER! She crouched down, leaned forward, and rocketed after the sly brown-haired brat. They began a wild goose chase around the village. The small amount of ice and snow on the ground served as resistance and obstacles, but also tools to catch the other off guard. This was no normal game of tag. This was the final form of tag that pushed the players to their physical and mental limits.
Tatsumi turned the corner and ran into a small alley between the houses, a small fence blocked his way. He kicked off the wall, grabbed the fence and in one swift move, flipped over it. He landed on the ground with his knees and left his hand on the floor before flashing a glare directly forward at nothing in particular. It wasn't role-playing, it's part of the aesthetics. He realized it was a mistake when his legs were swept out from under him and he fell onto his back with a thump. As he fell, he saw Hayami push herself up. She slid right under the fence, using the small amount of ice below it.
"Tag!" She laughed before running off. Tatsumi laid there for a moment, wallowing in shame. That was supposed to be cool... He sighed and pushed himself up before following Hayami's tracks in the snow. As he turned the corner, he shot off at top speeds, hoping to redeem his honor.
Hayami ran across the village, dodging the occasional villager. Tatsumi stopped, realizing he couldn't catch her like this. He thought quietly, before turning towards a tree that was planted near a house. An idea popped into his head. A terrible one. But what could go wrong? He nodded to himself and ran towards the tree, jumping up and latching onto a branch. He pulled himself up and hopped onto the nearby roof before hiding his presence and proceeded in the directions Hayami disappeared into.
Soon enough, he found Hayami leaning against a wall between two houses. She was out of breath and her legs were tired. She peeked around the corner, looking for her friend who was out to get her. Maybe he lost her? She let out a sigh of relief and lowered her guard. Little did she know, a shadow was creeping up behind her.
"Boo."
"KYAH!" She screamed. Tatsumi patted her shoulder.
"You're it!" He said, trying to control his laughter. The way she screamed in surprise was way too cute! Suddenly, a wave of killing intent washed over him and he saw his life flash before his eyes. Hayami's face was bright red and her eyes were murderous. Tatsumi shivered. The last time he saw her this angry was when he stole the strawberry on her shortcake.
"Ta-tsu-miiiiii…" She said slowly. It was at this moment that Tatsumi knew, he fucked up.
"Oh God have mercy." Tatsumi ran like his life was on the line. He ran out of the alleyway and sprinted through the streets. Ducking, dodging and apologizing to the poor villages caught up in their chase. Tatsumi turned the corner and felt a force run into him. He took a step back and quickly caught the person he ran into.
"S-sorry." Tatsumi heard the other party say. He looked down at the person he was holding.
She was his age, maybe a little younger. She wore a long winter coat, with what he assumed to be a traditional kimono peeking out from underneath. Her hair was black, silky and long, reaching her lower back. A cute flower shaped hair accessory decorated it above her right ear. Her legs were bare despite being in the winter and her hands were covered by a pair of small black gloves.
"No, it was my fault, I wasn't looking. Sorry, are you hurt?" Tatsumi responded after taking in her appearance. She was definitely just as attractive as Hayami, but she had a different vibe. If Hayami were to be described as cute, this girl would embody the world beautiful. She opened her mouth to respond when a loud shout interrupted her.
"You! What are you doing to Sayo-chan?!" The voice yelled. Tatsumi turned to the source of the voice, a young boy of the same age with spiky brown hair and a white cloth wrapped around his forehead. He wore the same winter coat as the girl in Tatsumi's arms, Sayo. His pose is what caught Tatsumi's attention. His legs were bent and spread wide, his left arm was extended and pointing towards Tatsumi, and his face was menacing… kind of?
Tatsumi opened his mouth to explain, but before a single word got out, the young boy charged at him with his fist cocked back. Tatsumi quickly released Sayo and took a step back, avoiding his charge. The young boy stumbled after losing his balance, but somehow made a recovery.
"Uh… calm down." Tatsumi said, trying to diffuse the situation peacefully. But the boy was screaming as he swung his fists sloppily at Tatsumi, unable to hear him over his own voice. Tatsumi sweatdropped, stepping to the side again as the boy charged like a bull in an attempt to tackle him.
"Umm…" Tatsumi said to no-one in particular as the boy slipped on a piece of ice, hitting his head on the ground. What should he even do in this situation? Retaliate? Keep dodging? Try and explain the situation? The boy spun onto his butt and rubbed the red spot on his head, a few tears in his eyes.
"Oww! T-to think you'd be this strong!" He said while holding his head. Tatsumi shook his head quickly. He wasn't doing anything. The boy was attacking himself. The boy pushed himself back onto his feet and took the same wide-legged stance, pointing at Tatsumi and shouting.
"B-but I will not give up! I will protect Sayo fr-" As he prepared to charge once again, he was knocked right back down to the ground by Sayo. She crossed her arms and glared at the boy.
"Stupid Ieyasu! I just bumped into him and he caught me from hurting myself!" She yelled at him. She then turned to Tatsumi and bowed. "Sorry about him, he's a little slow, a moron, and probably has brain damage." She apologized with a blush.
"Uh.. d-don't worry about it." Tatsumi said with a sweat drop. This girl is pretty blunt, isn't she? Then again, honesty and sharp tongues go hand in hand. That's what Tatsumi's mother always taught him.
"My name is Sayo, this brainless idiot is Ieyasu." She said bowing politely. The boy glared at Tatsumi from below, probably trying to look threatening. But at this point, Tatsumi just couldn't take him seriously anymore. Not after that ordeal.
"O-oh, my name is Tatsumi, nice to meet you." Tatsumi said with a forced smile. How could a single person have such a contrast in character? This girl is both polite and scary. Almost like a certain-
His instincts kicked in and he ducked under a foot that would've probably given him a concussion. The onslaught did not end there, as the same foot quickly retracted and kicked at Tatsumi's chest. He hopped back and slid on the ground, dodging the kick.
"Where do you think you're going?!" Hayami shouted. Tatsumi waved his hands out in front of himself in a desperate attempt to stop her. This is going too far! He'll seriously get injured if he takes one of those kicks! Not in front of the kids!
"C-calm down Hayami! It was a joke, a prank, don't kill me!" He shouted. She smiled menacingly. There will be no mercy. To force a such a disgraceful noise out of a maiden's mouth, it's a sin beyond redemption.
"Don't worry, we are just playing an innocent game of tag. Now, prepare yourself." She whispered sweetly. She instantly closed the gap sent a high-kick at Tatsumi's head.
"THIS ISN'T TAG!" He shouted, blocking the kick with his arms. The impact caused his arms to go numb and he quickly pushed the leg away. He shook his arm trying to regain feeling in it. That hurt like hell! And by the look on Hayami's face, this was not nearly enough to satiate her anger.
"What do you mean? This is tag, I'm just taking precautions to make sure you can't run away." She said, her tone changing to that of a demon's at the very end. Tatsumi felt shivers go down his back. The same kind of shivers when you open your eyes in the shower and see a spider two inches from your nose. Thankfully, the angel he just met by fate spoke up.
"You guys are playing tag?" Sayo asked innocently from the side. Hayami stopped, turning to look at Sayo. She was so angry at stupid Tatsumi that she didn't notice them. Tatsumi's punishment can wait. Manners first.
"Ah, nice to meet you, my name is Hayami." She said with a bow. Sayo returned the greeting in the same manner.
"Nice to meet you! My name is Sayo, this is Ieyasu." Ieyasu jumped up and puffed out his chest.
"Yo! I'm Ieyasu-sama." Sayo bopped him in the head. He held his head and pouted. Hayami giggled and Tatsumi let out a sigh of relief. Maybe he would live to see another day. After this is over, he'll definitely thank Sayo somehow.
"So? What kind of tag are you guys playing? Freeze tag? Regular tag? Infection?" Ieyasu asked excitedly. He loved tag! He was really good at it too! Maybe he can impress this cute girl with his awesome speed and something will happen between them. He was so excited he didn't notice the deathly sweet smile on Hayami's face.
"A special type of Freeze tag where I force you to stop moving." She said. Tatsumi whimpered slightly. He was going to die. Mother, Father, I'll be joining you soon.
"How?" Sayo asked. Hayami giggled. This girl was so innocent and naive, maybe they could be friends? Hayami got the reaction she wanted out of Tatsumi, so she'll drop his punishment. He'll have to do something to make it up to her though. She was not that merciful.
"That's not important, do you want to play with us? We'll play normal tag." Hayami asked. Sayo and Ieyasu nodded. It was a good chance to make new friends. They didn't fit in with the other kids in the village for some reason, so maybe they can bond with these new kids.
"Who's first?" Ieyasu asked excitedly. Time to show off his skills!
"Tatsumi." Hayami said.
"Bu-" Tatsumi tried to protest. Hayami shot him a glare and he slumped over.
"Yes, ma'am."
And so, on that day, Tatsumi received a grim reminder to never cross a woman. Especially one that can hurt you.
It has been a month and a half since Tatsumi and the others arrived at the village and they were finally beginning to feel at home. The amount of time they needed to hunt their usual quota decreased significantly, freeing up time to explore and interact with the villagers. Tatsumi began playing more and more with Sayo and Ieyasu. They were his first friends besides Hayami and Yoshiro. Back before Tatsumi lost his parents, he never liked the other snobby rich kids and didn't fit in with the commoner children. Because of that, his childhood was surprisingly lonely.
Sayo was a kind and gentle girl. Her mother was the village doctor and herbalist, she herself had been studying medicine since her childhood. Of course, that doesn't mean she didn't have a scary and violent side. A week after they met, Tatsumi shoved her face-first into the snow as a joke and she beat him so hard it hurt to walk for a few days.
So? Why doesn't he fight back? He was just as strong as Hayami and definitely stronger than Sayo, so why would he take the beating? Well, the answer was simple. Back when Hayami had just joined them, Tatsumi pranked her in the morning by waking her up via cold water and she got really angry at him. He dodged and fought back instead of taking the beating. Big mistake. Unable to vent her frustration, she started crying and refused to speak to him for a week. Tatsumi would honestly rather take a beating.
Ieyasu on the other hand, was a bumbling idiot. He held a lot of pride in himself and liked to boast, but he was not arrogant. He was very passionate and cheery, a very enjoyable person to have around, though his loud voice could sometimes be a little irritating. Sayo and Ieyasu have been friends since birth and they were always found with the other.
Spending his day's hunting, playing, training and indulging in the welcoming atmosphere of the village, Tatsumi felt like he had regressed to the child he was before he met Arthur and Yoshiro. It was a refreshing feeling and he wished it would've lasted a little longer.
But fate was a cruel, cruel thing.
It was late afternoon when Tatsumi returned from his hunting trip. A large sled filled to the brim with the carcasses of animals and danger beasts behind him. He was heading in the direction of the slaughterhouse when a loud shouting voice caught his attention. He turned his head in the direction of the sound. A large, chubby man was standing on a wooden podium and shouting at a crowd of villagers. He had a double chin and his cheeks looked like flabs of skin hanging from his face. His face sported an elegant mustache, a beard and he wore a tuxedo, solidifying his image as either a businessman or a noble.
"This village has the potential to go further beyond where it is now! Aren't you all sick of suffering in the cold every year? The fear that nature would one day betray you, leaving you all to starve? With the natural resources available near here, we can-"
I wonder what that man is talking about? Tatsumi silently thought to himself as he walked away. Sounded like he was talking about urban development, but why would someone like him be here? This village was nowhere near any large cities and it's long winters would not make it an attractive place for nobles or wealthy businessmen to live. In terms of both investment and profit, it's most definitely not ideal.
As he reached the storehouse where he dropped off the food he had hunted, he heard a loud discussion happening next door in the Elder's house. He headed over to check out what the fuss was all about. As he neared the door, several men stormed out, very angry.
"Move out of the way brat!" One man yelled as he stormed past Tatsumi. Damn, what crawled up his butt this morning? Tatsumi thought, a bit annoyed at the rude man. He heard a sigh inside and walked in. The Elder of the village was in the center of the room, sitting on a normal wooden chair behind a large wooden table, Arthur was standing beside him. Arthur was a bit surprised to see Tatsumi, but greeted him anyways.
"Hm? Tatsumi, welcome back. I trust the hunt was successful?" Tatsumi nodded. Of course is was successful, but that's not what's important right now. What the hell is going on? Maybe it has something to do with the urban development guy? These questions buzzed and swirled inside his head.
"Yeah, what was that all about?" Tatsumi pointed at the door, inferring that he was talking about the man who just walked out. Arthur looked at the elder, who nodded in response. Tatsumi tilted his head at the secrecy.
"Go get Hayami and Yoshiro." Arthur said seriously. Tatsumi's eyes widened. Arthur never spoke in a serious manner unless it was a serious situation. He nodded and rushed out the door. Ten minutes later, Tatsumi stood in the exact same spot, this time with his companions standing beside him. Just the blank look on Arthur's face was enough to send them into high alert. Arthur nodded to the Elder, who opened his mouth to speak.
"A year and a half ago, a group of people came into our village claiming to be representatives from the Empire. They came in order to negotiate the collection of resources near and around our village. They promised to either migrate us to a different, richer part of the Empire, or to urbanize our village in the process." He began.
"We refused, as I'm sure you could've guessed by now. Our village and surrounding villages have been living in harmony with nature for hundreds of years now. Nature has blessed us for dozens of generations. Even though we live humble lives, we have never suffered famine nor poverty. If we were to agree, then we'd be betraying what had nurtured us for centuries. We would surely be cursed by the gods." Hayami nodded in both understanding and consent. She also grew up in a village with similar beliefs and values.
"But these men haven't given up. For the past year and a half, they would come to our village regularly. They preached about the wonders of technology, pointing out the dangers of relying on nature. They've harassed villagers and threatened to attack us in the name of the Empire."
"Recently, travelers have reported that large amounts of wild animals were being hunted. In the past month, seven hunters, three kids, and six women have gone missing. We suspect those representatives to be the root of these happenings." He explained. At this point, the kids were trembling in anger. Recently, they've noticed that the number of wild animals such as deers, moose, turkeys, wild boars and even bears have decreased dramatically around the village. The kids were able to compensate by hunting danger beasts, but to average village hunters, it would be like going from swimming in knee-deep ponds to swimming in a roaring river.
"Recently, people have been swaying under their pressure." The Elder continued grimly. Yoshiro and Hayami were shocked, but Tatsumi grimaced, remembering the men who stormed out of the Elder's house.
"Those people who stormed out of here a while ago..." Tatsumi trailed off. The elder nodded sadly.
"They were villagers who have crumbled under the pressure, demanding we listen to those representatives." He said, ending his explanation with a sigh. He stood up and bowed his head to the group. The kids all took a step back in surprise.
"Please, help our village." He said. Their jaws dropped to the floor. What did he mean by that? Arthur stepped forward.
"Tatsumi, Yoshiro, Hayami. You've all grown so much since I've begun teaching you." He said, his eyes changing to that of a proud parent before switching back to his serious look. Their eyes widened to epic proportions. They all had a hunch what was coming next, and they were all correct.
"… Ready for your first mission?" He said with a small smile. The kids looked at each other and nodded.
"Bring it on." They said together.
The moon shined brightly and clearly in the night sky, illuminating the cottage. Half a dozen soldiers patrolled around the perimeters and guards stood outside the residence of their targets. It's been nearly two months since they were assigned their first mission. Why did it take this long? Well…
"I won't be providing any intel other than when they move, where they set up camp, and how often they come by. Everything else is up to you. I've taught you guys everything I know about an assassination, now it's up to you to put your knowledge into practice." Arthur said.
Since then, the kids have been observing their targets and their movements, patrol patterns, bodyguards, as well as planning their attack, escape routes and backup plans.
They've assigned roles to themselves based on their strengths and weaknesses. Yoshiro was the best in terms of stealth out of the three of them. Arthur once said that he would be able to silently slit the throat of a trained soldier. He has been on reconnaissance, gathering information and patrol patterns. Hayami has a tactical mind, neither Yoshiro nor Tatsumi have been able to beat her in chess. She was in charge of planning their attack and escape routes.
Tatsumi excelled in actual combat and so he has been training and assisting the others with their jobs. Even though it would be a hard fought battle, he was definitely stronger than Hayami and Yoshiro in combat. He waited patiently for his time to shine.
And now, it was time. A howl echoed through the clear, crisp night.
"Hey, did you hear that? That sounded close." Tatsumi heard. He looked down from the trees, the patrol that had just passed by stopped in their tracks. The leader of the patrol group tightly held his gun and scanned the dark, snow covered woods with his sharp eyes. Wolves were not uncommon in the forest and it was a hazard the patrols were trained to deal with.
"Yeah, that is definitely nearby, let's go deal with it." The leader commanded. The group of 3 soldiers hurried off into the darkness. The sound of snow crunching under their heavy boots faded into the dark woods.
Tatsumi closed his eyes and silently took in a deep breathe, then silently exhaled. He narrowed his eyes at the faint glow of artificial light in the distance, past the winter forestry.
'Mission start.'
A few hundred yards away, surrounded by snow-covered trees, Hayami was waiting patiently under the dim moonlight. Next to her were a pack of trained hunting dogs and a large dog sleigh. A satisfied smile crawled onto Hayami's face when she heard the sound of men shouting in the distance. She looked down at the hunting dogs and patted them on the head with a small smile on her face. The pack of dogs all fought against each other to enjoy the gentle caress, whining quietly when she pulled her hands back.
"Good boys. You guys are doing great! Move deeper into the forest and wait. Don't forget to keep howling." She whispered softly to them, making certain hand gestures in the process. They rubbed their heads against her legs before letting another loud howl, running off into the darkness. Hayami had to hold back a girlish squeal. Cute! Very well trained too. I wish I could keep one… She thought to herself. A gust of wind blew by, carrying with it the sound of voices in the distance.
She recomposed herself and pushed off the ground. Her hand caught onto a tree branch and her momentum sent her flying upwards before her feet planted firmly onto a branch high up in the tree. She brought up her bow, which hung on her shoulder. She closed her eyes, pulled the string back and released it.
A low note resonated through the forest. She listened quietly until the note faded into silence, only to be replaced by the sound of low whispering and footsteps. She placed an arrow between her lips and nocked another one. She narrowed her eyes, searching the dark forest for her targets. Moments later, her eyes locked onto a soldier carrying a torch.
"Hey! There are wolf prints here!" The scout yelled. He ran towards her position until he stopped right below the tree she stood upon. Two others showed up from behind the trees.
Under the cover of night, gracefully and silently, she let the arrow fly. It lodged itself deeply into one of the soldier's left shoulder. She quickly drew the other arrow which she held in her mouth and the arrow sliced through the air. It pierced through the hand of the second soldier who reached for his sword. Their blood dyed the pure white snow beneath them red, their pained screams tainted the cold, clear air.
"A-a-assassin!" The scout yelled in a panic. He turned around and ran in the direction he came from. A big mistake. Hayami dropped down from the tree, landing behind him. His eyes widened and he turned around. A quick chop on the back of his head sent him into unconsciousness. What an idiot. Run or fight, pick one and stick with it, though I'm not complaining. She scolded silently.
She walked towards the other soldiers, who were writhing in pain two inches deep in the snow. She stopped and knelt in front of one of them. To the soldiers, her blue eyes looked ice cold without a hint of mercy.
"D-don't kill me…" One of them whispered fearfully. She looked down at them with a pitying gaze. She never planned on killing them, they haven't done anything wrong other than accept the wrong job.
"The arrowheads were poisoned. Don't worry, it isn't lethal, but you won't wake up for a while." She said to them. With what she interpreted as a sigh of relief, they both stopped moving. After confirming that they were unconscious, Hayami brought her fingers to her mouth and a high pitched whistle drew the hunting dogs back. She walked over to her original position and tied the dog sleigh onto the dogs. After tightly binding the unconscious bodies of the soldiers to the sleigh, the dogs ran off in the direction of the village.
She let out a small sigh, relieved that everything went according to the plan. Tatsumi and Yoshiro should've taken care of the other groups of soldiers on patrol by now. They should be moving on to the targets. Suppressing the urge to go assist them, Hayami rushed off in a different direction. Her first job was to deal with one of the patrol groups after leading them away from their targets. Her second job was to cut off the target's escape route, should Tatsumi and Yoshiro fail to kill him. But hopefully, that won't happen.
The soldier grunted as he marched through the snow covered forest, lifting his boots out of the calf-deep snow. Their patrol group was currently walking in a square formation, with two men in the front and two in the back. The lucky bastards in the back had it easy, the only needed to walk in the footprints left behind while he had to work hard. He shivered as a cold breeze blew across the back of his exposed neck. Of all the jobs he has ever been assigned to, this is probably the worst one yet. He was a soldier, not a bodyguard for some upshot, so why should he be forced to walk in circles in the middle of nowhere?
He sighed. It may not be an interesting job nor a comfortable one, but at the very least, his life wasn't in danger. It's not like there will actually be assassins or enemies attacking his client right? As that thought crossed his mind, he heard the sound of impact behind him. He rolled his eyes. One of his incompetent comrades probably tripped and fell again. He turned around with an annoyed look, ready to complain when an impact struck the back of his neck and his lost consciousness. The last thing he saw was a tuff of brown hair and light green eyes. Tatsumi dragged the unconscious bodies into the bushes and nodded towards Yoshiro.
They rushed through the forest and stopped at the treeline around the cottage where their targets were staying. Over the past two months, they've identified three targets - the leaders of the group that have been threatening the village. They traveled together and stopped once between villages. They had either built the small cottage they currently inhibited or kicked the original owner out. Besides the patrol, there were a total of four guards, two of them standing guard outside the house and two inside. The exterior of the cottage was simple and plain. The front of the building was flat except for the roof that stuck out from the top and a small ledge above the front door. The interior was standard. There was one master bedroom and a smaller bedroom. The highest ranking out of the three slept in the master bedroom while the other two shared the smaller bedroom. The smaller bedroom had an outside facing window.
The guards outside stood upright, both with black hair, black suits and one was slightly taller than the other. Their eyes were covered by sunglasses, but a single twitch indicated that they were on alert. A bush to the side of the house shook, the snow falling off of it, attracting the guards's attention. They turned their heads towards that direction, fully ready to respond to any threat. A small rabbit bounced out and ran across the clearing. Their heads turned, unconsciously following the rabbit as a dagger pierced through the head of the taller guard.
"Wha-" The other guard yelled in surprise. Yoshiro burst through the bush where the rabbit came from and ran towards him. The guard fell into a stance and prepared to engage Yoshiro. He was so focused on the child that was charging at him with a knife that he didn't notice Tatsumi who was closing in behind him.
"Stop ri-" Blood erupted from his throat, his voice box destroyed. Tatsumi swung my blade, blood splattering onto the floor, dying the snow in red. Tatsumi wiped the blood off his cheek with his sleeves and released a held breathe. Everything is going according to plan so far.
Yoshio ran back into the forest while Tatsumi stood by the door, waiting for the unnatural rustling of trees and snow falling to the ground to stop. After a few minutes, everything returned to its natural state of order. A low whistled confirmed that Yoshiro was in position. The plan was simple, Tatsumi will attack through the front door while Yoshiro breaks in from the small bedroom window.
Tatsumi took a deep breath. He picked up one of the dead bodies and threw it at the door. The body bounced off and landed on the ground. Inside the house, the guards twitched when they heard the sound of something striking the door. Something is going on outside... an attacker? Thought one of the guards. They headed towards the door, one stopping in front of the other. The one in the front swung open the door and the other quickly rushed out, gun raised. His body froze when he saw the dead, fresh bodies of his colleagues.
"What the hell happened?" He whispered. He lowered his guard out of shock for an instant. And in that instant, he lost his life. Tatsumi, who was balanced on the small ledge above the door, leaned forward and flipped down, and his sword sliced through the bodyguard's leather armor hidden beneath his black suit.
"You shouldn't lower your guard." Tatsumi whispered. The man's chest split open, blood filling his lungs preventing him from screaming. He quickly ran into the house and engaged the last bodyguard in combat. From upstairs, the sound of a window shattering followed by a loud scream that was cut off indicated everything had gone just as planned. Tatsumi jumped back, dodging a kick to the stomach.
"Your leaders are dead, there's no need to throw your life away." Tatsumi said. The bodyguard visibly gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowed behind his black sunglasses. Tatsumi was pleasantly surprised. The bodyguards are not as cool and collected as their outwards appearance suggested.
"You little brat… You will beg me to kill you when I'm through with you." The guard threatened loudly. Tatsumi sighed. He really did not enjoy taking lives, but he didn't have much of a choice. He leaned forward so his center of gravity was low. He gripped his sword handle with both hands and angled the blade so that the tip pointed behind him at an angle.
He dashed forward, his sword following behind to the side. With a small yell, Tatsumi swung his blade upwards diagonally. The bodyguard leaned backward, dodging the blade. Taking a large step forward, Tatsumi swung downward and the guard jumped back. He quickly closed the gap and continued his onslaught of swings without giving the guard any breathing room, a battle of attrition. Should Tatsumi let him recover, his chances of victory will decrease dramatically. But…
As Tatsumi swung horizontally, his opponent stepped to the left to dodge. Tatsumi smirked. Twisting his waist, he spun on his feet in the other direction. He felt his sword sink into his opponent's flesh. The bodyguard flinched and yelled out in pain, a large gash in his side. Taking advantage of the opening, Tatsumi buried his foot into the bodyguard s stomach. He flew back and crashed into a wall.
"Don't kill me…" He grunted out. Tatsumi shook his head while approaching the guard. He already gave him a chance to surrender. He raised his sword and brought it down onto his enemy.
"Too late." The bodyguard's head rolled onto the ground.
Tatsumi let out a small sigh, that was the last guard. Mission Accompli-
"GAH!" He spun around and saw Yoshiro fly off the second floor and land by the front door. He slid across the blood red wooden floorboards and collapsed onto his knees when he came to a stop.
"Yoshiro! What happened?!" Tatsumi yelled in alarm. He rushed over to help his friend back up.
"There's… another one… get back!" Yoshiro replied while panting, ending with a yell. Tatsumi reacted instantly, jumping back. A crater replaced the floor he once stood on. Wooden splinters and dust flew up into the air. The entire house shook under the impact.
"Hmph. Annoying little shits." A voice said. The dust cleared and a man walked out from the crater. He was nearly six feet tall, around the age of thirty. His upper body was bare, his chest decorated with a few cloths draping from his shoulders. He was bald and his skin was tanned. His body was covered with a few shallow cuts. But the most distinctive features were the three skulls that hung from his waist. He glared down at us.
"You attacked my clients. Do you know how much money you've just cost me?" He threatened condescendingly. Tatsumi could feel cold sweat running down his back. This man is definitely stronger than them, they have no chance of winning in this situation. Tatsumi whispered towards his friend.
"Yoshiro, are you okay?" Yoshiro nodded in reply, his breathing returning to a regular pace. Tatsumi nodded in relief, that's one less thing to worry about.
"Little shits, how dare you ignore me?! I am Indar of the Gravekeepers!" Their enemy yelled. Tatsumi made a note that their enemy was very easily angered. That's an advantage they had.
"Be careful, he can transform into another form and his speed and strength skyrockets." Yoshiro whispered. Tatsumi nodded, trying to stay calm. The man, Indar, growled menacingly.
"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS DISRESPECT." He yelled. He crouched over, getting on all fours. The shape of his limbs changed, striped fur grew on his limbs. The shape of his face transformed into that of a Tiger and a single horn protruded from his forehead. Tatsumi's eyes widened, a Land Tiger?! The young duo quickly shot out of the house. With a deafening roar, Indar chased after them like a tiger after its prey.
"Did you kill the target?" Tatsumi asked as they ran. The sound of snow crunching was rapidly closing in on them. They needed to find a way to run, hide, or retaliate and they needed it fast.
"Sorry, when I stepped into the master bedroom, he pounced on me. The target escaped from the windows." Yoshiro replied with an ashamed face. Tatsumi shook his head.
"It's alright. Hayami's got us covered." He then returned his attention back to the looming threat behind them. With a nod towards each other, they split up and hid in the dark, winter forest.
Hayami was waiting by a snowy trail that led from the cottage area to the open mountain road. If any of the targets escaped, they would definitely pass by here. She patiently waited, seated on a tree branch. Hayami opened her eyes at the sound of panting. She turned her eyes and saw a fat man stumbling through the snowy trail. Her heart skipped a beat. Did something happen to Tatsumi and Yoshiro?
"Tch, useless pieces of shit. I didn't spend a fortune to hire them just so they could get killed." The man cursed. This was not part of his plan! He was going to force this stupid village into giving up it's nearby resource rights. Then he would make a huge profit out of the resources and join the upper echelon of society! As for the village, he couldn't care less what would happen to them. The whole urbanization thing was a fraud anyways.
"When I get back to the capital, I will do everything within my power to make sure all these villages are wiped off the face of this earth!" He yelled in anger. He never expected them to hire people to kill him. Now, they will reap the consequences!
"Now that will be a problem…" Hayami said. He jumped up and turned around quickly. Hayami hopped down from the branch and landed in the shadows before stepping out under the moonlight.
"W-who are you?!" He screamed. He stumbled backward and his back hit the trunk of a tree. Hayami silently released an arrow that pinned his hand to the tree.
"AHHHH!" He screamed in pain and slid down to his knees, his free hand held his bleeding hand. Hayami walked up and stood in front of him. She glared at the man as if looking at a disgusting cockroach.
"Who am I? That's not important." She said to him. He looked at her fearfully, racking his brain for some way to get out of the situation. Bribes? Threats? Begging? What can he do?!
"Y-y-you can't kill me! I-if my boss finds out, everyone living in this general area will die for sure!" He threatened in a shaking voice. If this girl was hired by the nearby villages, she would definitely let him go after hearing that! Right?! His hope was shattered when she scoffed.
"We've been observing you, gathering info on you. A member of a large urbanization organization, you were here to scout out the area for resources and to report back whether it'd be profitable. After discovering a large number of resources near here, you began plotting to make a profit for yourself. You hold neither a high position in your organization nor respected in any way." She said.
"To put it another way… Your life holds no significance." She finished, nocking an arrow and aiming it right at his head.
"P-P-PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I'LL DO A-" The arrow flew and pierced right through his forehead. Life faded from his eyes and his body slumped. Hayami glared down at his body, this type of scumbag didn't deserve mercy. She turned around and ran back towards the cottage. If this scumbag managed to get all the way over here, Yoshiro and Tatsumi might be in trouble.
"Please be okay." Hayami whispered quietly as the trees blew past her.
'I really hate the cold…' Indar growled to himself as he prowled through the forest. His tiger form gave him strength, speed and a heightened sense of hearing and sight. But in this dark forest, his heightened sight only served to disorient him. The freezing winter air blew across the forest, sending another shiver through Indar.
Little did he know, this was part of Tatsumi's plan.
Tatsumi stood on a branch, silently observing Indar. A land tiger was a powerful danger beast found in the southern area. The south was covered with dry mountains, scorching deserts, and dusty valleys. The thin layer of fur covering its body was not used to keep it warm, in fact, it was the opposite. It acted like a sponge, storing water to keep the beast cool for an extended period of time.
In other words, the freezing winter environment was the land tiger's greatest weakness. It has only been ten minutes since they left the cottage and Tatsumi could already see him trembling from the cold, his movements are becoming more rigid and dull.
They've been at a standstill for the past seven minutes. Tatsumi and Yoshiro haven't moved an inch. Indar knew they were still out there, so he was waiting for them to do anything that would give their positions away. But Indar's patience was thinning. If he waited any longer he might just freeze to death. Tatsumi quickly tilted his head at Yoshiro, who nodded and began running away from Indar.
"There you are you little bastards!" Indar roared, anger clouding his judgment. He pounced in the direction Yoshiro was, swiping at a tree that was in his way. The tree Tatsumi stood on. The tree quickly collapsed, taking him down with it. Tatsumi hopped high into the sky, using the noise the tree was making as a mask. He swung his sword down, leaving a deep gash across Indar's hide. Indar roared in pain, his hind leg kicking out.
"What?!" Tatsumi couldn't move out of the way, taken off guard by his speedy recovery. The impact sent blood spilling out of Tatsumi's mouth and sent him flying into the trunk of a tree. The trunk of the tree, half a foot in diameter, snapped like a twig and Tatsumi fell into the snow behind it. Indar slowly prowled up to Tatsumi's downed body.
"Heh, DIE you little bastard!" Tatsumi looked up at Indar weakly, his claws raised, but what caught Tatsumi's attention was his ears. They twitched. A shadow appeared behind Indar. Tatsumi's eyes widened in panic.
"YOSHIRO! STOP!" He yelled, ignoring the searing pain in his lungs. Yoshiro, who had lept towards Indar's exposed back, couldn't do anything to change his trajectory. A large, predatory smile emerged onto Indar's face, his eyes lit up with a sadistic glint.
"Too late!" Indar yelled. His head began turning towards Yoshiro, who realized it was too late to stop, threw his knife at Indar in desperate retaliation. The knife clanged against Indar's long, dagger-like teeth and bounced off, disappearing under the snow.
Time slowed to a stop. Indar had his mouth wide open, his tiger-like jaws were wide enough to fit Yoshiro's waist. Yoshiro was in midair, lunging towards his death. Tatsumi was on his knees, staring at this scene.
'Not again.' Tatsumi thought. This feeling of helplessness and despair. It's the same as two years ago. Slowly closing his eyes, he clenched his fists. With every inch of his being, he screamed.
"NOT AGAIN!"
A single breeze, a silent whisper.
Time resumed. Yoshiro clenched his eyes close and prepared himself for the pain that was to come. But the pain never arrived. From the darkness, a hurricane level gust of wind blew through the forest. Yoshiro's trajectory changed, flying off to the side and onto the ground.
"What the hell?!" Indar yelled out in surprise. He crouched low in an attempt to stay on the ground. The freezing wind sent shivers throughout his body. His entire body went numb in the cold, his limbs gave out and he collapsed onto the ground. His entire body trembled and icicles formed on his fur. Half a mile away, Hayami was taken by surprised. She quickly dropped to the ground and sat behind a tree, holding her hair. The snow blown up by the wind formed a wall that completely denied vision.
This gust of wind… it's unnatural. She thought to herself. Although not many knew, she was born with an instinctual ability to predict the wind's direction. As an archer, it was her greatest tool and that sense was screaming at her. Whatever created this gust, she could only hope it was an ally.
Arthur was standing on a tree nearby, he was ready to save his student when the wind blew past him. His eyes widened and he quickly crouched down to maintain his balance. This is... a Teigu?!
Amongst the group, only one person didn't feel the force of the wind. Tatsumi stood up, the wind felt like a gentle caress. His pain eased as the cold made his entire body numb. He glared down at the collapsed form of Indar. His light green eyes shone menacingly in the darkness.
"S-stop…" Indar pleaded, he could feel his strength fading away. Tatsumi took a step towards him.
The wind abruptly stopped. Tatsumi completely ignored his plea and raised his sword.
"RAHHH!" Indar yelled. Using the last drop of his strength, he pushed himself up and lunged at Tatsumi, his mouth wide open, ready to rip Tatsumi's body to shreds. He was split in half. His lower jaw and upper jaw separated. Tatsumi stood on the other side, his hair overshadowing his eyes. He fell to his knees and his vision began to fade. Blood rained down on his body, his eyes looked into the darkness.
"Interesting child… you might be worthy…"
The last thing he saw was a single sparkle in the distance.
Tatsumi caught himself staring towards the Tempest Peak again.
A week ago, Tatsumi, Yoshiro, and Hayami completed their first mission. Despite the fact that Yoshiro almost died, it was a definite success. Arthur was proud that the kids got through it without needing his help. Ever since the night of the mission, Tatsumi often found himself staring at a cliff off in the distance. There was a nagging feeling to go there. He had asked the Elder of the village if there was anything special about that cliff.
"That cliff was named Tempest Peak by travelers. Never go there. As you climb the cliff, the winds become stronger and stronger. People say it's like scaling a brick wall inside a tornado. Rumors say that the few who have reached the top never came back down." The elder said morbidly.
Knowing the danger, Tatsumi ignored the temptation by distracting himself with training and by playing with Sayo and Ieyasu. But he still couldn't help but feel drawn to it. When he was lying around doing nothing, he often found himself staring at it longingly.
One day, I will definitely climb that peak. Whatever is up there, it is waiting for me. He resolved.
Yoshiro knocked on his door and opened it, walking inside. Tatsumi's room hadn't changed since he moved in a few months ago. The only difference were the few sets of extra clothes in his closet and the messy state of the bed. Yoshiro beckoned for Tatsumi to follow.
"Tatsumi, it's time to go." Tatsumi nodded sadly. Because they've successfully pulled off their first mission in the freezing winter environment, Arthur had decided they've accomplished what they had come here for. He suggested they leave, since they still had to move all the bodies elsewhere or else the village might be at risk. Tatsumi and the others complied, obviously, but it was still hard. Tatsumi especially, since Sayo and Ieyasu have become irreplaceable friends.
Tatsumi slowly packed up his stuff, reminiscing in the memories he's made in the short period of time he has stayed in this village. Yoshiro, Hayami, and Arthur were all waiting for him by the door. They walked through the village, receiving appreciating gazes and cheers from all directions. As they approached the gates, Tatsumi's friends burst through the crowd and approached them. Tatsumi stopped while the others kept walking.
"So… you are leaving?" Sayo asked sadly. Tatsumi nodded. It was sooner than planned, but him leaving was inevitable. But that doesn't mean he can't return. No, he will definitely return one day. If not for his friends, then for whatever was waiting for him on top of the Tempest Peak.
"Y-you better come back soon alright?!" Ieyasu yelled, his eyes watering. Tatsumi smiled evilly.
"Ieyasu, are you crying?" Tatsumi teased. Ieyasu huffed and looked away.
"W-who's crying?! I'm not crying! My eyes are just really dry!" He said, wiping his eyes. Sayo and Tatsumi looked at each other and smiled exasperatedly. He gave the both of them a hug.
"Don't worry, I'll be back. So I won't say goodbye." Tatsumi said to them. They nodded.
"Tatsumi! Let's get going!" Hayami yelled from afar.
"I'll see you soon." Tatsumi said to them.
"Yeah, see you soon." They replied. This was not the end of their journey. In fact, this is their beginning. With a satisfied nod, Tatsumi ran off to join his family. He fell into step with the other and looked at Arthur curiously.
"So, Shishou, where are we heading?" Tatsumi asked. Arthur tapped his chin thoughtfully. It should be about time for them to learn the truth of the capital. They should be ready.
"The truth is, I've been called back to the Capital." He said. The children all froze. The capital?! As in that Capital?
"The Capital of the Empire?!" Tatsumi shouted in surprise. Arthur laughed and nodded, enjoying the sparkling eyes of the kids. They cheered at the confirmation and began bouncing around in excitement. Arthur raised his hand to calm the kids.
"Don't get excited too early, after all…" Arthur smirked.
"...we are taking the scenic route."
*Tatsumi/Arthur's sword style is based on Saber Artoria from Fate