Chapter 26. Kinkou Clan
I woke up to the smell of smoke and ash. I forced my eyes open due to the smell and I could see a large amount of smoke around me. I shot up only to feel the tree rock to my movements. I looked down to see a small group of people surrounding the tree I was on... the base of the tree was also on fire! My adrenaline kicked in as I looked around me to try to find a way out. The tree was going to break at the base and I would fall to my death. Clever bastards. My eyes darted around to see multiple 'possible' ways out. One was to jump to another tree but the closest one was a to far away. Another would be to try to land on another tree as the one I was on fell but that seemed deadly. My last option was to climb up and guide the tree to fall towards the river, then while it fell jump into the river. That seemed to be my best option. This option however was more likely to fail unlike the other two. I started climbing up as high as I could on the tree I found myself up around 9 stories. The river wasn't to far but the tree wasn't tall enough to make the distance, I would need to jump at the right time. With a loud crack the fire raged on below me, I could hear the laughter of the bandits as I climbed. I took a breath and started rocking the tree back and forth. The fire climbed up the tree slowly and the base was starting to break. When I woke up it was close enough as it was but now I had no other options then to go with the plan I made up. With a large crack and a thump the tree broke off at the base and started to rock unsure where to fall. I held onto the base of the tree and leaned back towards to river. The tree didn't move for a moment then slowly started to fall towards the river. I stopped leaning and got ready to jump. The tree fell slowly at first as it broke vines and other branches of other trees. Then just as it got close to hitting the ground I jumped forwards with all the power I could muster. I pulled my limbs in as my back hit something really hard. It felt almost like I had been with in the back with a hammer, but shortly after my body before flooded with water. Looks like I made the jump but the force from gravity was pulling me downwards still. Pulling me so fast that I hit the bottom of the river. Just as I hit the bottom a stinging pain hit me in my shoulder and I couldn't move my arm. I reached towards my arm with my left hand and found that I had been stabbed. I must had hit a rock or stick, maybe even a sword. Regardless of what I hit it hurt more then I'm used to, since the Living shadow dulls pain this must have hurt more then I would be able to deal with. I pulled the item out of my shoulder and began to swim to the surface. I took my time since I couldn't see in the water and just as I started to need air I reached the surface. My arm was bleeding but I put up with the pain to stay above water as I rubbed my eyes to see. The bandits had started to move to the river so I still had time, then just down the river I could see something. At first I couldn't tell who it was then I realized it was Ahri gesturing me to get to her. I didn't waste time as I dived under the water and swam towards her. I could hear the bandits arrive under the water and felt a few items pass me as I swam. I had to cross the river to get to Ahri and before long I reached her as she pulled me out of the river. With a painful groan she pulled me out of the river from my wounded arm.
"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything" She said clearly sorry "But I saw them light the tree then I thought they had seen me and...". I was more focused on my arm, the stab was much wider then I thought, it ran from the back of my shoulder to roughly the middle of my back. It wasn't deep but it was wide and spilling blood everywhere.
"Fix this" I said in between breaths. I waited to hear the Living Shadow but nothing answered leaving Ahri looking confused.
"R-Right sorry" She said as she jumped to my words. She clearly had no clue what to do and before long I could feel my vision blurring.
"Damn it" I said under my breath.
Just as I finished saying that a voice from behind me spoke up "You look like your in need of help, Living Shadow".
I turned around and tried to draw my sword only to fall on my back and point it behind me.
"Your movements are sloppy and your to weak to fight, I'm not here to hurt you I'm here to help you" The man said as he aproched me. I assumed he was from Zed since he was the only person who knew about how I started calling myself The Living Shadow. The man helped me to my feet as I sheathed my sword. He put my left arm around his back as he helped me walk away from the river.
I could hear Ahri following as I spoke up "Who are you exactly" I asked confused.
"I'm a ninja from the Kinkou clan, my name is Shen" he replied "I know what Zed has told you and I can assure you that most of it is not true".
"Then help me a little more and explain whats true and what isn't" I replied as I stumbled a little.
"It is true that our clan had killed all but one Living Shadow however if we were to truly kill you the balance of darkness and light would dramatically shift" He said "The Living shadow inside of you is the one of the largest influences of darkness, if it dies then the balance will be broken".
I chuckled a little more before I could see two other people then I slipped unconscious.
I woke up to see nothing but black, the light in whatever room I was in was put out and there was no door as far as I could see. I moved to feel my wound had healed. Once again the Living Shadow proves it's worth as I slowly stand up. My eyes slowly adjusted to the dark as I saw I was in a room and the only exit I could see was actually a trapdoor. I pulled up on the door to be blinded for a moment before I jumped down. The trapdoor slammed shut behind me as I looked around. The room I was in now had a large table and multiple seats along said table. I walked over to another door behind the seat. I took a step out and found myself on something of a balcony. The balcony went around the room and had stairs just beside the door. I climbed down the stairs and just as I reached the bottom I heard the sound of metal and quickly reached into my jacket throwing a shadow dagger towards the noise. The dagger stuck into on of the poles along the outside of the balcony and disappeared shortly after.
"Your aim is good, your movements all have purpose now and you seem strong on your feet" I could hear Shen again.
"What do you want now" I asked.
"My request is simple, are you aware of what Zed has done to my clan" He asked as he stepped out from where the sound came from. I could see what he looked like as he sported a costume much like what the bandits wore, only his was black and had no tares in the clothes. It also had clean dark sliver plates of armour in various places.
"Him and his clan killed yours" I replied.
"Yes, yes he did. I want his clan to disappear much like the dagger you threw" he said with a slight amount of anger in his tone "He was once a Kinkou like me and grew jealous after my father did notice his skills. Since that angered him, he read from the scroll that was forbidden for any of us to read and used it to get his attention. Since he had read from the forbidden scroll my father casted him out of the clan, but he only taught others the skills he stole and years later killed everyone else in the clan and took the scroll for himself".
The story seemed much like the ones I read in books and didn't take my attention but the scroll did slightly. "I could try to steal the scroll back and kill Zed at the same time" I said with a grin. Shen looked at me confused and suspicious.
"The only reason I'm here is because Zed wanted to recruit me" I said with a grin.
Shen now took a step forwards "You must not go, he will try to take the Living Shadow from you!" He said with a slight yell. I didn't bother to respond as he realized what he did and stood up straight again "Zed only seeks power, if he wants you to join him all he really wants is the Living Shadow".
I started to put parts of the story together, he did say he needed more time to prepare for me. He also gave me a awful large amount of coins and a strange sigle. Maybe he could use that to track me if I ran. I also felt like I was being watched most of my time here. Everything started to add up. "If your going to attack Zed at least don't go alone" Shen said. I grinned and chuckled "Fine by me".