Chapter 85: Beyond the frontier
After what had happened when they crossed the frontier, the relationship between Heishiro and the rest of the group had become tighter.
Sophitia and Cassandra barely talked to him, while Taki did it with more distrust than already knew what Heishiro was capable of, but she hadn't expected him to kill a man who was begging for mercy.
Another uncomfortable thing about their journey was that they didn't even know in which country they were at that moment.
However, they had travelled just about two kilometers inland when they saw a hooded man standing still, who seemed to be looking at them.
As soon as Heishiro saw him, he made a signal to his men and the three women to make them stop.
- What's going on? – inquired Taki.
- That bastard... He attacked me at the same inn where we met.
- How can you be sure? He's hooded.
- That's exactly why I can recognize him.
The rest of the group reached them and saw what was happening.
- What shall we do? – asked one of Heishiro's men.
- Kill him. – ordered the samurai, without any doubt.
- If I were you, I wouldn't do that, Heishiro. – said the hooded man.
- Why not?
- First, because it would be useless. In the second place, because if someone is dying here today, that won't be me. And last… - he stopped talking for a few seconds. - …because I have information regarding Soul Edge.
- What?
- I know where you can find it. And that's much nearer than Germany, where you are going. In fact, it's right here, in India.
- This is India? – suddenly asked Cassandra.
- Soul Edge…is in here? – said Heishiro ignoring her.
- That's right. There's a place…the Lost Cathedral… It's not far from here. But it's not easy to find. – answered the hooded man.
Heishiro unsheathed his katana and jumped on him, knocking him down, and then he put his sword's blade on the hooded man's neck.
- You are leading us there.
- That's what I meant to do. – replied the hooded man, calmed despite Heishiro's attack. – But there's a little problem.
- What is it? – grumbled the samurai.
- Not all of you can come.
- What do you mean?
- I'll only take you... – he raised his hand and pointed at Taki, Cassandra and Sophitia. – ...and the three women.
- Why? – inquired Heishiro.
- It's a long story.
Heishiro sighed and stood up, releasing the hooded man.
- All right.
He addressed his men.
- Listen to me, guys! Your job ends here. Go back to the ship and take the treasures in the hold as your payment.
- What? What happened? – asked the man with the higher rank.
- I don't need you any more. It's been a pleasure to travel along with you.
- That goes without saying... – said Cassandraflirtingwith one of Heishiro's men.
- You can go with them if you want to. – replied Sophitia, and her sister never knew if she was talking serious or just kidding.
- No! – hurried to yell the hooded man. – She must come.
- Don't worry. I'm not leaving my sister alone. – said Cassandra, more seriously than ever.
- What do we do to cross the frontier again? – asked one of Heishiro's men. – Maybe there are new guards.
- They'll ask you again to surrender your weapons. Do it. That will be the best way to avoid problems.
- Fine.
- See you.
- Good luck, captain.
Heishiro's men bowed, one of them kissed Cassandra's hand, and they left.
When they were gone, Heishiro addressed the hooded man again:
- Come on.
At that very moment, the hooded man did something removed his hood. He was a bald man, his skin was dark and he had a gold tooth and a sinister glare in his eyes.
- Follow me. – he said.
When they had walked a few meters, they met a blond man who had the same glare in the eyes than the now un-hooded man.
- I'll introduce you. These are Heishiro, Sophitia, Cassandra and Taki.
The blond man nodded.
- And this is Raphael.