~ Chapter 8: The Cause of Failure ~
Light slowly began to trickle into the woods north of Xian as Sol slowly rose over the horizon. Streams of light filtered through the forest, dispelling shadows and bringing back life into the forest. The morning air smelled crisp that sent the senses at ease. Though not as dense a forest as Mogall Woods to the east or Kolima Forest to the greater north, these woods offered just enough shade without completely blocking out the light from Sol.
But neither the crisp air nor the gentle warming light seemed to faze the lone traveler. He merely walked at the same pace he'd been walking for the past couple of hours. The hood of his robe was pulled up and his hands were concealed beneath the long sleeves of the black garment. His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his pants. Beneath the hood was the face of a man devoid of life and purpose. His slumped posture matched the downtrodden look of his facial features. His eyes gazed blankly at the ground immediately in front of his feet, his thoughts miles away from where he was.
I just don't understand… he thought to himself. What went wrong? He tried to recall possible reasons why things had turned out the way they did. As he thought back, different clues became more obvious that his relationship was failing. The way she talked down to him sometimes, the more time they spent with Ichon, her lack of interest in what he was studying – these were just a few clues that should have caused him to think that something was wrong.
Hindsight… he sighed. If only I could have it before everything happened… He kicked at a pine cone at his feet and watched the dust cloud up around him. If I would have known that all this was gonna happen, then… What was I thinking? He clenched his hands as his facial features changed from sorrow to anger. How dare she! She accused me of cheating when I hadn't done anything! He felt his breathing increase as his pace quickened. And with him of all people! He shook his head making the hood fall back revealing his Sol tanned blond hair. I swear that if I ever see her and him again… mmmm… it's…
A twig snapped off to his right. Instantly, his eyes looked over. Emerging from around a tree was an individual dressed in ragged dark colored clothing. Another twig snapped to that person's left and another person emerged from the shadows. Then another person appeared behind the boy and another to that person's left and to that person's left. Pretty soon, eight people had surrounded the lone traveler.
"What is this…?" he asked narrowing his eyes at them. Each of the men held some sort of weapon and all were eyeing him evily. "Who are you guys and what do 'ya want?" There was only one thing that became instantly clear: these people were thieves. And they were here for him. Boy, are you guys gonna be disappointed. I ain't got nothing... he thought with a smirk on his face.
"To think, that we'd find you wandering through our woods. Knight Yarvon!"
"That voice!" Knight whispered with widened eyes. That voice was so familiar, yet he couldn't place where he'd heard it before. He turned behind him to see a man with black hair dressed in dirtied robes of worn by members of the Feh dojo. "Valleroy!"
The man merely smirked and bowed slightly. "The one and only."
Knight clenched his teeth. "What do you want from me? I don't have any money so…"
"Ohh… I know…" Valleroy interrupted. He lifted his head up high and looked down on Knight with malevolence. "I'm here for other reasons."
Knight briefly looked around at the others. They looked as intimidating as when they'd first arrived. He waited for someone to make a move on him, but no one did. Knight looked back up at Valleroy and asked the obvious question, "What reasons?" Then a word whispered across his mind as to Valleroy's reason for being here. Revenge… revenge…
"Hmph." Valleroy scoffed. "Really? Like you don't know?" he asked as he started to walk down and around to one of the other guys. "He doesn't know!" he told him forcing a laugh. Valleroy then suddenly raised his voice. "Have you forgotten already? The dojo! You humiliated me in front of everybody! And now, thanks to you, I've been exiled from town and branded an outlaw! But you…" Valleroy pointed his finger accusingly at Knight. "All you got was a slap on the wrist and a month's probation! How is that fair? Where's the justice in that?"
Valleroy was now behind and off to Knight's left and was still in motion. Knight kept a close eye on him watching for any indication of an attack. His heart beat faster and the sweat began to bead up on his forehead. "It's not my fault. You chose to disobey the rules and…"
"No! Don't even try to push that on me! You broke the rules too!"
"Only because you were gonna kill him!" Knight countered. Valleroy was now off to his left and slightly forward.
"He tried to get with my sister!" Valleroy yelled back.
"Your sister is old enough to make her own decisions with who she wants to be with. She is technically an adult whether you like it or not. But you…" Knight sighed trying to calm himself to no avail. He felt his emotions start to flair up. Talking with him made Knight feel… irritated. "You made a fool out of yourself. You acted without thinking. What would your sister think of you now? You thought that resorting to violence was the best option? I thought Master Feh had taught you better. Thought he taught you something: restraint."
"Phft… Feh…" Valleroy shook his head. He now stood in front of Knight with his back turned to him. "What a fool! He threw away his top student, and for what? Justice?" He eyed Knight angrily. Valleroy then lifted his head up signaling Knight to look in the same direction. "Look around you… every single person here was once a member of Feh's dojo. And like me, we were all thrown out because of his petty sense of justice and narrow-minded ideals. We've been branded outlaws and forced to scurry about these woods like cockroaches! It's his fault that we're here! And we won't stand for that! And we're gonna make him pay! I'm… gonna make you pay…"
"Look. I'm in no mood for this. Just get out of my way," Knight said exasperated, bowing his head low feeling the hood of his robe catch some of his hair
Valleroy smirked. He then walked over to the tree he'd come around and reached for something. The familiar chink of shifting metal in a scabbard could be heard. In his hand was a katana blade. As he turned around, Valleroy lifted up the blade and held it horizontally for Knight to see. He sneered, "Well you better get in the mood, pal! Or else, you're gonna end up dead!" Valleroy slide the sword onto his hip and lowered into a sword-drawing stance.
"I'd rather not fight you. Part of me doesn't like fighting. And on most days, that part of me is stronger. But…" Knight slowly lifted his head so that his eyes could meet the eyes of his enemy. When their eyes met, Valleroy's whole body shook with fear. Valleroy's eyes were met with the violent gaze of a demon, a demon with bloodthirsty violet colored eyes. "…you picked the wrong day to mess with me." Knight dropped his bag and shirked off his cloak. He then reached back behind him with his right hand and slowly started to pull upwards.
Valleroy did a double take not sure what the blond was doing. But then he saw the scabbard of a blade peek out from behind Knight's left leg as he drew out his sword. He watched as Knight drew out his sword with a reverse right hand grip and held it out diagonally in front of him for a few seconds. While most blades shimmer a steel gray color, this blade was colored a stunning, glossy black. Valleroy's eyes went wide just for a brief instant. Could that be…?
Knight swung his blade across his body, along his left, and re-gripped the sword in the proper way with the proper stance. Knight narrowed his eyes at Valleroy and spoke in a dark, almost unnatural tone, "I'm gonna enjoy hearing you scream!"
"Wait a minute! Could that…?" Valleroy paused with mouth wide open and eyes fixated on the black sword. "I always wondered if you had a sword. Now I know. But never would I have thought that you would have that blade."
"What are you talking about?" Knight asked angrily.
"Huh? You mean you don't know?" Valleroy tensed even more than before. Sweat began to pour from his body more and more. "Surely you must have felt it. The presence sealed in that blade. The overwhelming power it gives to you. The insatiable desire you have to kill. Even now, you're being taken over by it. The cursed sword, Kurotenma!"
Cursed sword? Whatever! He is so full of crap! Knight narrowed his eyes, feeling his powers surge as his grip on the blade grew tighter. "Shut up…" he spoke unnaturally deep. "You talk too much, you know that? Enough talk! Either get out of my way or I'll make you!"
Valleroy sneered. "Hmph! You will try…"
The area stilled and an unnatural silence filled the woods. All eyes were on the blond traveler waiting for someone to make the first move. Suddenly, a twig snapped from Knight's rear right position as of one of the men cried out for the first attack.
Knight took a step with his left foot and turned around raising his blade up in a defensive stance. But when his eyes caught up with his body, he realized that the man had barely moved and was not running to attack him. A sharp whistle sounded from behind ending in a stinging pain in Knight's right shoulder. Instantly, Knight stumbled forward to one knee and reached for his shoulder with his left hand. His fingers ran to the spot where he felt the sharp pain and slid around something small. Knight pulled out the small annoyance and looked at what it was. It was some kind of needle; however, the end of it was broken and oddly shaped. Suddenly, Knight began to feel woozy and light-headed.
"What the…?" Knight strained feeling his connections with his environment being broken. What did he do to me? I feel dizzy. But… it's more than that. I… can't sense my powers anymore… Just what did he do to me?
"I hope you enjoy the last moments of your life," Valleroy taunted. "Though the needle you were shot with contained some poison, the amount isn't fatal. It's just enough to throw your balance off. However, should you get shot with a few more doses of that poison, then…" Valleroy lifted his hand up and every member followed by lifting up a hand with three poison needles.
Knight looked up and around through vision blurred. He slowly staggered to his feet. He wobbled uncontrollably feeling his body losing control. He gripped his sword with two hands but still couldn't keep it still. It was hard to maintain balance thanks to whatever that poison was. Dang… if this isn't fatal then I can't imagine if I got hit with just one more of those…
"You… coward!" Knight yelled as he staggered to look in Valleroy's direction. He felt his head spinning out of control as if he had spun around twenty or thirty times. "You have to resort to such dirty tricks? You too afraid to fight me? Huh? Afraid you might lose?"
Valleroy's head twitched in irritation. "You think that I'm afraid of you?" He lowered his hand. The men lowered their needles. Valleroy then unsheathed his sword and slowly began to pace back and forth. "I don't need anyone else to defeat you! You hear me! No one else interfere!" Valleroy then turned his attention towards the staggered form of his former underling. "I was just gonna let you die a slow agonizing death by poisoning; but I changed my mind. I'm gonna kill you myself right here, right now!"
Valleroy charged, his sword trailing on the ground behind him. Then he lifted his blade up and struck with a downward thrust. Knight barely had time to bring up his own sword to counter the attack. The swords clashed with a shower of sparks. Knight felt himself slowly bending beneath the brute strength of Valleroy's attack. Knight deflected the blade down to his left but was caught in the face with an elbow. Knight toppled to the ground and rolled a few feet.
"Come on! What's the matter? You were much better when we first fought!" Valleroy taunted. "You're not as fast either."
"You…!" Knight said angrily.
"You're weak! Admit it!" Valleroy started to step closer.
Knight slowly got to a kneeling position and looked back. He then swung his blade back. Valleroy easily blocked the attack. He then swung his blade downward with almost inhuman strength. Knight blocked the attack but strained underneath the pressure. Valleroy attacked again with a downward swing with much more power. Knight blocked but nearly lost grip of his sword. Knight's arm gave way for a second allowing his blade to fall below a good defensive position. Valleroy took his opportunity and side kicked Knight in the face with his left foot. Knight went sprawling out on the ground once again face first and lost grip of his sword. He spit out the grass and dirt and frantically searched blindly for it with his right hand. His fingers found it and wrapped around the handle once more.
"It's not over…" Knight spoke hoarsely. He struggled back to his feet, his knees shaking feebly.
"Ha! Don't make me laugh! It was over the moment I became your opponent!" Valleroy retaliated smugly using the boy's own line from the dojo duel against him. "You're too weak to beat me. You were too weak to keep your relationship alive! That's why you were dumped! Because of your weakness!"
"Shut up! You don't know anything!" Knight screamed and he turned and slashed laterally.
Valleroy brought his sword up, handle first, and easily parried the attack. At the same time, he stepped forward with his left foot and impaled Knight in the stomach with his left elbow. As a result, Knight lost grip of his sword which went flying outward and fell backwards tumbling until he came to rest on his stomach. He curled up in pain and gasped from breath. Knight tried to get back up but couldn't. All he managed to do was to get up on his hands and knees before Valleroy. But without breath and without a weapon, Knight couldn't do anything to stop him.
"And now, I'm gonna to prove to you how weak you really are." Valleroy hovered his sword along Knight's face. "Any last words, weakling?"
No… it can't. Is this really how it ends? Is this all that my life had led up to? Is it… because I'm weak like he says? Is that why my life has fallen apart? Is that why I've… failed…? Knight continued to convulse for air making speech impossible. The fighting spirit he had a moment ago slowly left his eyes which shifted back to his normal blue color. So be it. This is the end for me. I've done nothing right my whole life. And I've been forsaken by the people I've loved. I guess, this is it. All he could do was close his eyes and wait for the inevitable.
"Nothing? Very well." Valleroy lifted up his sword. "Goodbye, weakling!"
Knight tensed as Valleroy's blade came swinging down with a rush of wind that seemed to rustle the tree leaves. The last moments of his life went agonizingly slow. Knight continued to gasp for air for another second… then another… then another. He soon was able to breathe better.
Have I died and gone to heaven? Knight paused, wondering if he'd already passed on without even knowing it. Wait a minute! In heaven I'm supposed to feel like a million bucks! So why do I feel like a turkey with the stuffin' beat out of it? Knight slowly opened his eyes suspiciously. He looked and saw the dirt and grass between his hands. He then lifted his head and looked farther up and saw someone's boots. Knight followed the boots up to the face. It was Valleroy! And he looked frozen stiff with his blade in mid swing!
"Im… possible…" whispered Valleroy. "To think… I'd be… defeated… by a girl…" The dark-haired boy lost his grip on his sword and tumbled backwards. He landed on the ground with a thud already unconscious before he hit earth. Clouds of dust and small pieces of grass rose around his body and settled back down quickly.
Knight had shielded his eyes when his opponent went down. The sword that was once raised for the killing stroke was now impaled in the ground in front of him. Knight stared wide-eyed at the unconscious body of Valleroy. What the…? He wondered in amazement.
Knowing that he did nothing, Knight looked behind him to see who had done this. His eyes fell upon the other members off to his rear left who also seemed frozen. But they too began to collapse just like Valleroy had done. What's going on? Knight turned around still kneeling and saw the other members crumple in like manner. He slowly stood to his feet but held his stomach with his right hand. He glanced around one more time trying to make sense of what just happened. But all he could do was just shake his head in bewilderment. I don't like this at one bit. He thought to himself. I'd better get out of here before… He turned around to gather his stuff to leave when he suddenly froze. His eyes went wide and his mouth dropped.
"Hmm… I'm surprise he could tell that much," a violet haired girl whispered with her back turned to him. She then turned her head back slightly to look down on the blond. "Thought that you could use a hand." Her golden sunset eyes met Knight's azure colored eyes.
Knight instantly knew who it was. "It's you! Aella!" Knight gasped. "But that means…" he looked around briefly with his eyes and then refocused his eyes on her. His body tensed at the realization of his next few words. "…you did this? But… how?"
She nodded her head and turned to face him. "There's a secret technique of the Jupiter clan. It allows you to move at speeds so fast that the eyes can't keep up. It's called Quick Step. What you see around you is the result." Aella bowed her head bashfully then looked back up with a smile. "See, I can't have you dying just yet." Her smile was interestingly subliminal. In fact, the whole way that she carried her body was suggestive. She placed a hand on her hip, bit her lip slightly, and gazed at him seductively.
"Hmm… interesting. Well, thanks for saving me, I guess…" Knight winced in pain, ignoring her obvious advances. He merely walked over to his bag and picked it up again by its strings.
"What do you mean 'I guess'? Aren't you glad I saved your life?" Aella asked relaxing out of her seductive pose. What is wrong with this kid? Is he that blind to my advances?
Knight shrugged his shoulders. "Eh. What's the point? I'll just screw up again anyways…" he said. He started to flip his bag over his shoulders but was suddenly thrown backwards into a tree trunk at least ten feet behind him. He gasped for breathe as the air rushed from his lungs. Grasping onto his kimono shirt was Aella. For a moment, Knight couldn't register what just happened. Then he realized that she must have used that technique on him. Even as he gasped for air, for a moment, he couldn't help but marvel at the speed at which she moved.
"What is wrong with you? Just because you broke up with your girlfriend you're willing to throw your life away? For what? Because you screwed up?" Aella yelled.
"Shatup!" Knight yelled back still out of breath. "You don't know what it's like! To have your heart broken! To lose someone you once loved!"
Aella suddenly jerked. Her mind flashed back to memories of her father. Memories of when he was still alive. And memories of when he had been taken from her. In a way, she knew what it was like to have a broken heart, to lose someone she loved. It was the last time she'd loved before that love was replaced by the urge to seek vengeance.
"But…" Aella spoke more softly as her grip began to loosen. "Don't you have family that would be sad if you died?"
Knight looked away not saying a word. He merely shook his head a little.
"How about friends? Surely there must be someone who would miss you if you died?"
Knight continued to stare off into the dirt. A name flashed across his mind. A name he hadn't thought about in a long time. "There was… one person that I left behind."
"See? I'm sure they would be very sad…" Aella said lifting her grip of Knight's shirt.
"But I can never return to her," he interrupted.
"Huh? Why not?" asked an intrigued Aella.
"I… forget it… I don't feel like talking about it. Just leave me alone." Knight walked past the girl and grabbed his bag and walked over to where his sword was. He bent down to pick it up but was stopped when it jostled by someone's foot on it. Knight looked at the foot and followed it up to the face of Aella. Their eyes met. Her eyes were stubborn and hardened. His eyes were weak and feeble.
Aella gazed at him with her toughened eyes, trying to make him talk without resorting to physical violence. She stared him down using her warrior's spirit, a talent that has worked on countless other people before. However, the longer she gazed into his discouraged eyes, the more she felt her own emotions begin to stir inside her. His whole facial expression was down-trodden and he made no attempt to forcibly remove her foot from off of his sword. He lacked the fighting spirit he once had and was contented just to wait for her to move without saying a word. But there was something else in his eyes, something that stirred up Aella's female instincts. She saw in his eyes the look of a man who had lost the one quality it took to live… hope. She felt compelled by his eyes to move. Slowly, she lifted her foot off of his sword and stepped back.
Knight picked his blade up, stood up, and slowly sheathed it back behind his back. He then turned to pick up his coat. After putting it back on, concealing his sword once again, Knight turned around to face Aella as if to say one last thing. However, he just started walking and walked right past her without so much as a glance. He was about a step or two past her when she stopped him.
"What… happened to you?" she asked quietly with head turned slightly. "What happened to your fighting spirit?"
Knight stopped walking and just stood there contemplating an answer. He closed his eyes, dropped his head, and sighed. He opened his eyes and looked forward.
"I found out the truth." Knight's eyes drooped as he answered. "Listen, you're a sweet young girl with a good heart and some amazing skills. And someone like you deserves someone better than me. It's best if you just move on and forget about me. It was nice to meet you. And I wish the best for you."
Aella felt her whole body freeze up as her eyes widened in shock. Her breath came in shorter and shorter intervals and her mouth dropped open. Did he just… Aella's mind started working overtime trying to wrap around the power behind the words he had just spoken. Did he really just say that I was a sweet girl? But I'm… I don't understand… For some reason, she couldn't move. His words had somehow paralyzed her causing all of her muscles to stop working. No one has ever… Her body began to shake and her skin rippled with goosebumps. What's wrong with me? Why… why do I feel such… emotion? Did he really mean all that stuff he said? But it can't be true! I'm not a sweet girl. I'm… dirty. Her thought caused her to pause, and for the first time in a long time she felt… embarrassed. She didn't know why either. What she had done never really bothered her until now. There was something different about this target than any of the rest. He made her feel… human. In his eyes, she was not a weapon like her master's view of her. Nor was she some sexual fantasy object as she had been with previous targets. He saw her for who she was. And she… kinda liked that feeling.
Her mouth slowly closed into a smile, a real genuine smile. She turned around to say something to him only to see that Knight had already left. His silhouette was already paces away from her. He's… he's been through so much. She thought as she remembered looking deep into his eyes in attempts to intimidate him. His eyes… I could see so much pain in them… Aella sighed. He reminds me of…
Aella shook her head. What am I saying? All these feelings… I just have to ignore them. I… I still have a mission to complete… She looked back at him and cried out, "Hey! Wait up!" Knight turned his head slightly, not enough to see behind him, but still continued walking. Aella ran to catch up with him and matched her pace with his. Knight merely glanced over at her with the expression of "why are you still tagging along with me?"
"Look," Aella began. "I know that you've been through a lot lately and probably don't want me around. And I can't possibly know what you're going through, but listen, I…" Aella hesitated and swallowed hard and spoke more softly than she had ever done, "I… know what it's like to lose someone you love." The pace set by Knight slowed, but he continued walking as Aella continued her spiel. "My… my father was a skilled ninja, one of the best. I looked up to him. And I wanted to be just like him." Her eyes sparkled just for an instant before her countenance fell as she continued, "But, about a year ago, he… he was killed while carrying out a simple mission. No, he was murdered while on this mission! When he died, I felt a part of myself die as well. I made a vow that I would find my father's killer and avenge his death. And ever since my vow, I've worked hard to overcome my weaknesses and become the best that's ever been."
"Why are you telling me all this?" Knight asked exasperated stopping in his tracks. He rolled his head to one shoulder and eyed her lazily.
"You believe that it's because of your weakness why you were cheated on?"
Knight felt his eyes widen, head straighten, and ears perk up.
"Do you think that that had anything to do with how you treated her?" Aella argued as she pointed at him and then back at the town. "I saw, if just briefly, how much you loved her. And you treated her with respect. And even though I tried coming on to you, unlike most men, you resisted and stayed faithful to her…" Aella paused realizing that she just admitted to trying to seduce him. She took a deep breath and let it out. There was no turning back now. "Listen, you're worth more than you give yourself credit for. And you know how to treat a lady, very well I might add. I've experienced that, first hand, from you."
Knight huffed and smirked at her.
"It doesn't matter what she thinks of you. You are a great guy. And if you think that you've failed because of your weakness, then do something about it."
"Like what?" Knight asked with mild interest.
"I want you to come with me… to train. To overcome your weaknesses. To become stronger. To surpass your limits. To show other people that you are not weak like they say you are. You must take what makes you weak and turn it into something that makes you strong. If you're strong, you live; if you're weak, you die. I think it's time that you make that choice. So… what's it gonna be?" Aella's eyes met his. She gently smiled as she saw a faint flicker of life start to kindle in his downcast eyes.
"You can do that for me? Make me stronger, I mean?" Knight inquired with more enthusiasm.
Aella smiled. "I can. And I will. Come on. We need to head west towards Altin and Lama Temple. And if you're up for it, I'll give you your first lesson. I'll teach you Quick Step."