Chapter 69

Though she didn't quite know why Tomo found herself awake even though the room was still dark. She yawned and stretched out her arms before glancing around at the darkened room.

"Awww, why'd I have to get up now? I'll never get back to sleep now," she groaned to herself.

Suddenly from the door came a tapping noise, followed by a pause. More tapping followed before finally someone outside knocked properly on the door. Tomo shot out of bed in her pyjamas, the bed duvet falling to the floor. She unlocked the door and yanked it open to find a similarly dressed Kaorin in the hallway. Evidently Kaorin had also just woken up.

"Yo Kaorin. What's up?" asked Tomo.

"Well- I- well I didn't want to wake you up but…but something bad happened…I think," said Kaorin, seemingly worried about annoying Tomo.

"Bad? Did someone steal all of our money?" asked Tomo.

"What money? No…no not money. Tomo- it's Sakaki she's gone. Someone came and took her and that guy Takino recently. Somehow they managed to get in here without waking anyone and now they're gone."

"Oh crap," said Tomo.

Fuka suddenly appeared in a t-shirt and shorts, running along the corridor. Tomo found herself thinking that if the kidnapping hadn't just occurred she could have suggested some form of pillow fight…or sneaking into the bar downstairs under cover of darkness.

"What is it Fuka?" asked Kaorin who had got over the sudden shock and was now starting to feel worried about Sakaki. "Did you find something?"

"Yeah I did. Found this letter in Sakaki's room just after you went to wake up Tomo," replied Fuka. She handed a slightly worn piece of paper across to Tomo who took it.

"You know, I'm not the leader…yet," said Tomo.

"It's addressed to you," said Fuka.

"Oh I see," said Tomo and she held up the letter. "Bah this would be easier to read if Sakaki was here with her fire." Kaorin lowered her head at the mentioning of Sakaki's name. Fuka vanished for a moment before returning with a lit candle.

"I need to read it, not set fire to it," said Tomo.

"To help you read," said Fuka.

"Oh…I just misread the situation," said Tomo. "That's the right word right?"

"It's not important, we just need to get moving quickly," said Fuka. "They might have already left the town so we need to hurry."

"Ok, ok I understand," said Tomo as she began to read the rather elegant handwriting.

You know who I am, we only met recently after all. Dear Tomo I suggest if you ever wish to see your friend in a state other then death again you will come to me. You can bring your friends too but if anymore then three of you arrive the girl dies. Takino will be a useful figure to hold for ransom. Come and find me Tomo. Come to the foot of the mountain with the two pointed peaks. There you will find the passage that will lead you to me.

Come soon Tomo.

"It has to be the yucky guy with the dead people puppet things," said Tomo. "But how does he know about you two?"

"We fought against some swordsman who seemed to know the guy," replied Fuka. "He must have told him about us."

"So do we go now then? Do we go and rescue them?" asked Kaorin.

"But what about that Sen guy?" asked Fuka.

"If we got this letter…do you think something happened to him?" asked Kaorin.

"Nah, Sen is alright," said Tomo. "He said he was going to distract the guy, not finish him off. And we should go soon."

"But what about waiting for Sen?" asked Fuka.

"It says right here if anyone else comes with us Sakaki will be killed," said Tomo. Kaorin almost let out a yelp, having not read the letter yet. "Kimura thought we were ready to go by ourselves. And this is something we'll have to do by ourselves."

Fuka found herself suddenly deeply surprised. For the first time that she could remember Tomo actually appeared serious and in tune with the situation. Instead of talking nonsense or being too light hearted it seemed the girl was aware that they had something to do.

"We can get dressed properly before we leave right?" asked Kaorin fidgeting with one sleeve.

"Of course," said Fuka. She was starting to find Kaorin endearing. She always seemed slightly nervous, worried about what she was doing and not wanting to cause any trouble for the rest of the group. Fuka found that Kaorin, much like Sakaki, was far from the most confident ninja-in-training out there yet she was very glad to have her on her team.

"Oh good. It's just that it's a bit cold out, and people might see me like this," said Kaorin fidgeting again.

"Hey don't worry," said Tomo heavily placing her hand down on Kaorin's shoulder. It was meant to be a reassuring move, but it merely started the girl. "We'll go soon and be back with Sakaki for lunch tomorrow," said Tomo boisterously.

"What about Takino?" asked Fuka.

"Oh yeah, him as well," said Tomo.

"Just try not to forget about him when we get there," groaned Fuka as Kaorin returned to her room to change.

"So are you going to go as well, or are you going to stand around 'cos you want to see me change?" asked Tomo.

Fuka frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not quite sure," replied Tomo.

Kagesaki sat in silence, staring down at his left hand. A strange symbol unlike any he had ever seen before had been carved into the flesh of the palm. The flayed flesh still had fresh blood around it, yet it was calm to the touch, pain free. He wished the same could be said of the stump on the other side where the arm had been cut off at the elbow. He remembered as he stepped into the small chamber to meet the so called 'master'.

"So young Kagesaki you have made it this far," said the ancient looking man as Kagesaki slumped into the tiny room. "And I see you have given the sacrifice of flesh," he added, looking at the bleeding stump, Kagesaki holding his hand around it, trying to stem the bleeding.

"It's not- like I was given a choice," spat out Kagesaki.

"What has passed has passed," said the man. "Now give me your hand," he said as he withdrew a small blade from deep within his tattered cloak.

Kagesaki held back. "Yeah right."

"Fear not young Kagesaki. This blade is not one made for pain or killing- but power itself. This blade is the blade that will grant you power."

With hesitance Kagesaki held out his blood covered hand. The ancient man passed his own hand over Kagesaki's, and as the palm came back into view the palm was free from blood. Chanting something unintelligible to Kagesaki the man and blade began to cut into the flesh of the palm. At first it was just a line, but slowly a strange symbol began to develop. True to his word no pain was felt- once Kagesaki felt the blade tip touch the bone of a finger, but it felt like no more then a deep itch.

"It is done," said the man finally. "With the powers of destruction bestowed upon it you are granted a powerful weapon in that hand. Go now; be aware that it will work upon all beings except I who created it. It must be activated by you; it does not work continuously so as to avoid that which is classed as accidents. Go now, and may God have mercy on both our souls."

Had it not been for the blood loss Kagesaki would have replied with a smirk.

Some five hours had passed since that time, Kagesaki studying his hand in deep silence, staring at the strange symbol, and eventually trying it out. Focusing chakra into the palm powered it, and he had found he could generate heat without fire. After a few tries he had used the hand to cauterize the bleeding of his ruined right arm. His yell had broken the silence of the underground.

Now he was tired of sitting in this dank area and slowly climbed to his feet. As he stepped forward the man who had taken his right arm appeared.

"Did you get everything you wished for?" he asked with a sly look.

"Almost," replied Kagesaki with a smile. The sly look of the man vanished as Kagesaki placed his hand on the man's head and burned away the flesh and skull. The figure with the collapsed head slumped to the floor as Kagesaki pulled his hand away.

"Now I have."

With no more words Kagesaki left.