The day was cloudy and a thin layer of cold was covering the wooden city, like a frozen, wet blanket. The air was full with the smells of burning woods of the house stoves and mixed with the odor of wet soil and moist clothes. The narrow streets of the city were packed with people running off to some job. Others would sit around, talking at the wooden doorsteps or eating. Occasionally the essence of tobacco from a pipe would fill the atmosphere in a thin cloud of smoke. Sometimes some people would pass by, carrying to their shoulders a box, technically a carriage for rich people, small-sized men and women in fancy clothes of the best quality silk and heavy perfumes. Some other time, a two-wheeled carriage would pass by with men and women inside and a person dragging the carriage among the moving crowds. Most of people were dressed in spacious shirts and pants while others would wear long (and still spacious) skirt-like pants. From time to time you could spot someone with straw hats or carrying swords to their belts. Women were also dressed in many types of clothes from simple cotton dresses to elegant silk with countless of colors on them but all with around the same shape upon the female bodies. The lonely man was walking down the wet streets wearing typical attire, like the men around him but everyone knew he wasn't from around there.
His eyes were not slit like most of people around and had the most unique red color of fresh-drawn blood. His hair was also unique, tri-colored and spiky like a star and it had started growing a little, as some of it fell back till his shoulders. The man himself couldn't remember when was the last time he cut it. He was marching down the muddy street with quick and certain pace, as his joori were clacking at his every step. Like we said, his attire was typical for a male, like almost every male around him; gray hakama pants, a greenish, old montuki and protective leather gloves to his hand. From his belt were hanging a pair of Japanese katana swords. This didn't mean that the man necessarily knew how to use them but he had them on me just in case. He felt more at ease that way. Besides he had heard a raging civil war was at its birth in this country so he would at least have a weapon to defend himself. A man was thrown out of a shop somewhere close to him, falling half foot away from the man inside a pond of water, splashing a few droplets of dirty mud water at the man's hakama. The man stopped in his tracks to look at the fallen, obviously drunk to stupor, man that was thrown out of the teahouse. He then walked past the passed out male to get into the teahouse. It was packed with smells, people and smoke and the voices were messed up in a constant buzzing so it was impossible for anyone to fully distinguish the words. The red-eyed man sat himself at a table, placing the swords beside him, resting against the table. There was a waitress dressed in a simple, cotton kimono with blue and white stripes. Her obi was cotton too and as old as her kimono, in the color of sand.
"Sake" the man said laconically
He didn't mean to be rude or anything, it was just he didn't speak the language well yet. He had arrived to Japan only a couple of weeks ago and the first words he had learnt were about food and drink but he had never formed a full phrase before. He could understand one or two words or phrases from time to time but he couldn't really form them himself. He had come to this country from China. He had reached the famous mountain of Himalayan and he found a place to sleep close to the Shao Lin monks. Luckily one of them knew a little bit of English. He was a tall, well-built man with shaved head like all monks were. The man had said:
"You stay here one moon. One moon and no more"
The man was partly grateful at the monk for allowing him to stay but for letting him go before the month passed. It was as if they knew, as if the knew who or what he was. In any case the waitress came a moment later holding a small, long bottle that was containing the steaming drink, along with the small and shallow cup for it as well and something for the man to snack along with his drinking. He poured himself a small glass and he drank in silence. Occasionally he would look around to see men smoking their pipes or talking to each other. He helped himself with yet another drink. He wasn't sure where he should go from now on, or what he should do, but he knew he had to get a job or at least earn his living for as long he was supposed to live there.
He poured some more to his glass and drank in silence. The intense odor of smoking pipes all around him had started feeling annoying. He drained his last cup and tossed a few coins on the table. He wasn't exactly sure about the values of these coins but he had seen people around him paying similar amount for this drink, so he had to make his best guess and hope he wasn't mistaken. He grabbed his swords and rose back to his feet, placing the swords back to his belt. He walked towards the exit, passing by the waitress, who bowed to him in respect as he was walking out.
Outside the rain had started to fall softly. He stopped for a second and looked upwards, feeling the cool droplets patting onto his face. He closed his eyes, lost in the calming sensation. The sound of steps in the mud and water and also the swishing sound of clothes combined with the metallic one of swords that drew out of their sheaths almost at the same time, made him re-open them and find himself surrounded by around ten men who had formed a half-circle and holding him trapped in front of the inn.
"Kisama! Nani mono da!" ("You bastard! Who are you!"), one of them demanded
The stranger glared but didn't answer, first because he only understood half of the man said, especially since he had said it fast, and secondly because he wasn't sure how to form the words and answer.
"Koko ni mitta koto ga neenda yo!" ("I haven't seen you here before"), another man said, calmer than the first.
"Namae nanda?" ("What's your name?")
The man only glared back at this. He had got the first word but he didn't want to answer that. This caused the man who had spoken first losing his patience and he stepped closer, holding his sword out threateningly.
"Kono buta-yaro! Kotaero!" ("You pig! Answer!")
The man remained still like a statue. His opponent stepped closer. The man reacted faster than any of them expected, getting hold of his sword ready to pull it. Everyone took a step back, defensively but they were ready to rush forward once more.
"Yamero!" ("Stop!"), the calmer one said and everyone froze.
They looked at each other as if hoping to get some answer. One of them stepped closer. He seemed the younger yet.
"Dou shio, Akira-san?" ("What do we do, Mr. Akira?"), he asked
The man he had named as Akira seemed thoughtful for a little.
"Kageyama-san no tokoro e tsurete ikou" ("Let's take him with us to Mr. Kageyama")
And the rain was already falling heavily…
They entered a rice-paper-wall room, illuminated by the trembling flames of the candles behind them. The man didn't even know why he had let them lead him here. Perhaps his curiosity was indeed strong. As they walked to the end of the corridor, Akira stopped and asked (obviously) for permission to enter. Right away the response came from the depths of the room behind and it was (once again obviously) positive since Akira opened the rice-paper doors and stepped in, also motioning to the man step in after him as well. The tri-colored-haired man obeyed to that and stepped in. He found a middle-aged man sitting on the floor with a paper on his crossed legs, writing something on it with a thin brush. He was dressed in simple clothes. The top of his scull was bald but his hair was caught in a small ponytail at the back of his head. He raised his head from his writing to see the newcomers. Behind him was also standing a man who wore a sword (obviously his bodyguard). He seemed younger and thinner but still had the same hairstyle as the middle-aged man.
Akira stepped closer and whispered something to the man's ear. The man nodded his head and Akira bowed before stepping behind the spiky-haired man, who was still staring intensely into the seated one's eyes.
The two men only looked at each other, examining for a couple of seconds before the seated man spoke first.
"Tashika ni koko ni mitta koto ga nai" ("Indeed I haven't seen you here before")
The red-eyed man remained silent.
"Waga na wa Kageyama Masahiro." ("My name is Masahiro Kageyama", )the man continued. "Na wa?" ("Your name?")
"Yugi" responded he, "Muto Yugi"
It was the easiest name and surname he could remember. He had heard the name "Muto" being used by some people on his way to Kyoto and the name "Yugi" seemed also common. Both of them were short and easy to remember.
"Ah! Muto Yugi-kun! Nihonjin dewa nai otoko, daga nihon no namae! Mezurashii yo!" ("Ah! Mr. Yugi Muto! A non-Japanese man but with a Japanese name! That's strange!")
Once again silence.
"Doko kara kita no ka?" ("Where did you come from?")
"Chyugoku kara kimashita" ("He came from China"), Akira answered.
"Ah! Chyugoku! Demo Chugokujin ja nai. Ma, ii. Chuyoi sou da. Watashitachi ni kite kurenai ka?" ("Ah! China! However he's not Chinese. Well, never mind. You look strong. Will you join us?")
The man's brows rose at the question.
"Warewa 'Kagetachi', senshou ni tatakate iru no yo" ("We are 'Shadows', we fight in the war"), "Daga, Shinsengumi nandemo, Ishinshisshi nandemo nakama ja nai. Motto harau hou ni tetsudate ageru" ("However we are not friends with either Shinsengumi nor Ishinshisshi. We take the part of whoever pays better and we help them")
Kageyama's lips formed a cat's smirk.
"Saa. Dou suru?" ("Well. What will you do?")
The man seemed thoughtful for a second. He tried to take in all the new information he got. From the aspect he saw it, they would kill him unless he accepted the offer, or at least they would try to kill him and then he would have to attack back and perhaps this would lead to another bloodbath before he would run away once more to another country and live again on the run, going from place to place hoping for a better tomorrow. He had only understood the half of what the man had said to him but even from that he could tell what job he had for him; either spy or assassin. He didn't have much of a choice. He put his thoughts in an order and said
"Wakatta. Yarou yo" ("I understand. I'll do it")
The man smirked satisfied at the answer.
"Sore ja! Kyo kara kenjutsu o oshiete ageyou. Shoshite, dare ka, kono hito ni, nihongo o oshiero!" ("Well then! From today you'll be learning sword fighting. Also someone teach him Japanese language!")
And so it happened. Day after day the man started training in Japanese art of sword. In the morning, before even the sun would rise, the man would get out with his personal trainer, while the morning humidity was still upon the leaves and branches and the cool, wet air would caress the skin pleasantly. They would practice together as if they danced a strange dance, as if they were becoming part of nature and part of the leaves or the petals flying around them with the soft breeze.
At nights, his teacher would teach him calligraphy and how to read the complicated Japanese writing, the kanji and grammar, the prayers to the gods and many others. Occasionally someone would show him around the city, show him the narrow streets and the central roads, the temples and the shrines. Meanwhile the months were passing and the man introduced himself Yugi was getting better at the sword, faster at drawing it, learning the right way to hold it… His hair had grew during his training, for he never even thought of cutting it so it had reached past his waist, and the tips were now barely touching the highest part of his hips. Therefore the man had to use a leather string to hold them in place to the base of his nape in a low and long ponytail.
And so after months of training passed, it was time for the final test. He was taken to an empty room of a dojo, with all the rice-paper walls around empty and without decoration. It was a large room and it could fit many people in it with no real problem. Kageyama was sitting to the corner with his bodyguard, absolutely focused to the scene before him; The man was standing there, with his sword in belt and he could also see around a dozen of black-dressed men with their faces covered with black cloths, waiting for the signal.
It was the day of the final test, and the man was to prove what he had learnt the months that had passed and also prove himself worthy of being part of the team. Kageyama's head nodded, giving the man and also the black-dressed ninjas the signal they needed. The metallic sound of thirteen swords drawn almost at the same time slithered in the air. They all waited and suddenly all thirteen of them rushed forward. The man named Yugi reacted almost instantly as he rushed forward in an uncanny speed and the clang of swords was heard. He rushed forward and jumped so high that he found himself upside-down on the ceiling, kicking hard to shoot himself back down and the swords clanged again. The agility of hits and also the strength of it were indeed impossible to be human. The man could actually jump three feet in the air and perform turns midair before landing to his feet to manage another hit to his opponents, who were coming on him all together and still they didn't seem able to keep up with his speed or manage hits on him.
"A-Akuma da!" ("He's...He's a demon!") the bodyguard said sweating
"Ya! Kami da!" ("No! He's a god!") Kageyama said his face looking like a mask of wild enthusiasm.
Swords were flying out of the black-dressed men's hands to be thrown elsewhere on the floor or getting stabbed to the walls till the man remained alone, panting heavily in the center of twelve armless and panting men. He only had a few red marks on his hands from managed hits, that would bruise soon but nevertheless he seemed fine. Kageyama clapped his hands and everyone looked that way.
"Amazing" he said smirking
The man put his sword back in its sheath.
"This display was admirable. I have never seen a person fighting like that! From this day on I want you to be working as our Assassin. From this day on you will be known as Shinigami"
The man looked at him with his crimson eyes.
"Shini…gami…" he replied in a low voice
"Shinigami" was a word the man had recently learnt. It meant "God of Death". It seemed pretty fitting name for an assassin. It rang strangely alluring in his ear indeed…
He was knelt on a small pillow with his eyes closed and the sword in both of his hands. The smell of incense around seemed to be enclosing him in a royal mystery. He was lost in his thoughts.
"For thousands of years I have been killing…" he was thinking, "…It was my curse since the day I was born… It was as if I was meant to kill… But this time I am being called to kill not for my need for human flesh but kill humans just for this… They ordered me to kill targets and whoever happens to see my identity…"
He opened his ruby eyes.
"However this the first time I will be killing for an ideal… I will be lending my sword for a purpose…that's why I…"
The man spotted some others in the rain. He rushed with no hesitation and cut fast. The stairs were painted in blood.
"I will…"
And the targets that followed had more or less the same fate with no delay.
"I will kill!"
It wasn't a difficult job indeed. They were giving him a black envelope that contained a name and they were giving him directions of when and where to strike. The only thing he needed to do was to go to that specific place that specific moment and kill the specific person with no fail. If anyone would see his face, he had to kill him on the spot with no further questions. No one should know his identity. When he worked at nights as an Assassin they were using the code name "Shinigami" to address him. During the day he still used the name he had given to them, in other words Muto Yugi.
The "Shadows" were taking the part of anyone who paid them better and was often used as a tool of war since the two opposite sides of this civil war were most of the time asking their services to kill their enemies.
One rainy day, and it should be around a year after he had got the job as a shadow assassin, the man came out of a building along with one of the higher-ranked members of the Shadows. It was a man at his late forties with black hair and thin face. His name was Yuzuka Izuka. Both of the men opened their paper umbrellas and went out in the rain walking along.
"Hey, Muto-kun" Yuzuka said as they were walking side by side, "How about going for a drink after?"
"No thanks" the man replied.
He still wasn't used to the language so he was using as less words as possible every time he spoke, despite the fact he understood most of what other people said to him. Yuzuka smirked slightly.
"Well…alone I'll be fine as well…"
He had walked past him when the red-eyed man said.
"Yuzuka-san…"
The other man stopped.
"I'll come too…"
Soon the two of them were back to the central road. On either side of the road were the restaurants and inns. They seemed busy for people were getting in and out constantly. The spiky-haired man looked around and saw a few women talking and giggling together. They were dressed in kimonos of the finest silk he had ever seen and their hair was decorated with jewels. They wore a bit too much make-up for his tastes but for sure they seemed beautiful from afar. Yuzuka had noticed he had stopped so he stopped as well.
"What is it?" asked he
"Who are they?" the man asked.
When Yuzuka saw where he was looking he said
"Those are geisha"
"Geisha?" it was the first time the red-eyed man had heard the word.
"Yeah. They dance and sell their skills. They are not for sale as flesh though…ah! Those are the prostitutes!"
The man looked towards the direction Yuzuka was pointing at. He saw some women walking down the street. They didn't seem much different from the geisha girls but when he saw them better he noticed that they had their obi belts tied in the front instead of the back
"They tie their obi to the front for practical reasons" Yuzuka explained, "They tie and untie their belts too much in one night so it is more practical that way."
"I see…" the red-eyed man said
"Well…" Yuzuka lit a pipe and drew some smoke, "Personally I find it pointless to pay a woman just to see her dance and flirt you till you're thirsty for flesh but in the end not give it to you…" he rubbed his chin in thought, "But if you want a woman I could arrange you one from one of the pleasure houses"
The ruby-eyed man looked once more towards the ladies' direction once more. The truth was he couldn't remember when was the last time he laid with a woman. It could be fine to distract himself from killing for some time.
"Alright…" he finally said in a low voice, "Sure"
At night he arrived to a brothel like Yuzuka had arranged for him. They let him in and led him to a room. There was a woman inside waiting for him wearing a yellow kimono with a red obi, tied on the front. She was wearing too much make-up indeed but she seemed pretty from away.
"Welcome, Master" she said bowing in respect.
He had got used to their bows and politeness. Japanese people tended to do that a lot, he had noticed that. He approached her and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, earning a gasp from her. His nose smelt her ear to smell a plum perfume. He started planting kisses to the woman's long neck to earn more gasps and moans from her. It has been a while however apparently he remembered how to please a woman… Slowly he led her to the futon, the mattress for sleep, and both lay on it…
The morning after found them on the futon as the bright sun was getting through the closed, rice paper window. The woman was smiling to him.
"You're so strong, Master…" she whispered meekly, "What do you do for a living?"
The man didn't react to her playful mood.
"Stuff…" he answered enigmatically
Suddenly the metallic sound and the passing, brief shadow outside the rice paper made him jump up alarmed. With incredible speed he grabbed his katana and not only unsheathed it but also threw it to the intruder. The creepy sound of metal getting into the flesh was heard and then the rice paper window collapsed under the weight of the dead man who fell inside with the sword stabbed in his throat. He was dressed from top to bottom in black. The woman gave out a stewed cry of fear. The man looked at the body that had started painting the tatami red with its blood and then back to the woman who was pallid and frozen in fear. He had no choice. He went to his swords and pulled out of the sheath the shorter sword. He walked over the still seated and shaking in fear, woman and directed the point of his sword towards her. The woman started making sounds as if trying to speak and was shaking her head negatively as if begging him to spear her. He looked at her pitifully.
"I'm sorry" he said.
He thrust the sword downwards.
"Who was it?" Kageyama asked later that noon when the man had returned and explained to them what happened.
The red-eyed man shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know. Maybe another assassin. He tried to kill me. I killed him"
"And the woman?"
"I killed her too…" the man admitted in a sad voice
"What about the other brothel residents? Did anyone see you coming out?"
"No. It was still too early and probably most of them were still sleeping. I left without bumping into anyone on my way"
"What about the bodies?"
"I placed the body of the culprit next to the woman's. I directed my kodachi to his throat and placed it to the woman's hands. I made it look like she killed him with his sword in her dying breath"
Yuzuka who was also in the room, rubbed his chin and shook his head in approval.
"Very smart" he said, "Very smart indeed"
Kageyama also smiled and patted the man's shoulder.
"You did the right thing. Indeed prostitutes cannot keep a secret. He saw the way you kill so there was no way we could let her live. It was better you finished her quickly"
That night the man had another kill and so the night after it. The war was getting worse as it seemed cause either Shinsengumi or Ishin-shishi were asking for more killings almost the one after the other…
One day found our man towards the public baths. He was panting heavily, holding a wounded side. The enemy's katana had cut so deeply to his flesh that nearly split him open in two and nearly tore his guts in two. If it wasn't him he would be long dead now. Two days now and the wound was healing properly however the pain was unbearable.
He headed himself towards the entrance where he paid for the services there and removed his clothes to the special spot. He then headed inside. The public baths was a place full of stools were the clients were cleaned up by the servant girls and then they would head themselves to the great bathtubs where they could relax and talk to each other. The steams were so thick that someone couldn't see ten feet before his nose. The man headed himself to an empty stool and he seated himself as the servant girl started washing him. He winced in pain feeling her touching his wounded side.
"Oh, Sir! This seems awful. Shall I bring a doctor?"
"No thanks. I am fine…" the man whispered
"Yo!" he heard a voice
He turned his head towards its source and saw Yuzuka waving at him from a corner inside the bathtub with the steaming water.
"Muto-kun!"
The girl noticed the man was being called so she poured hot water over him to wash him up and said:
"I am done, Sir"
"Thank you…" the man whispered and winced as he got up and headed to the bathtub.
He stepped inside the steaming water and sat in it with a heavy and tired sigh, right next to Yuzuka, leaning his head against the bathtub's edge. Yuzuka's eyes fixed upon his bandaged wound underwater. It was bleeding again under the bandage.
"Oi…this looks awful…" he said
The man didn't answer. He tensed once and his entire body seemed tensed with him and suddenly the wound started closing more till it was a scratch much smaller than the first wound. Yuzuka's eyes widened. He had witnessed his partner's healing abilities many times in the past but it never stopped surprising him.
"It almost healed!" he smirked, "As expected from Shinigami!"
The man, who seemed calmer after the wound became better, straitened himself a little bit in the tub.
"Please do not mention that name in public" he said in a low voice.
They were alone in that part of the tub but he still needed to be careful.
"Yeah, yeah…" Yuzuka said with a smirk
"What news do we have from the war?" the spiky-haired man asked
"Ah!" the other sighed, "It couldn't be worse…we do not know who will win in the end…and the hiring keep on…"
"So our next job will be for Shinsengumi or Issin-shishi?"
"We still don't know…but it is possible that we're ready for another bloodshed"
The ruby-eyed one looked down in the water. He could see this happening indeed.
"By the way" Yuzuka interrupted his thoughts, "Tomorrow night we need you to the meeting taking place to 'Momoya'. Kageyama asked personally for you"
"Does he need a bodyguard?"
"It appears so… Apparently it is gonna be a long night tomorrow. It is dangerous to be unprotected and he needs the best… Well, you seem almost invincible…"
He leaned closer and whispered into the ruby man's ear:
"Apparently we are prepared for an attack. Kageyama wants you to slay them!"
"Who…?" the man whispered back
"Shinsengumi…"
It was night and all members of the Kagetachi (Shadows) were gathered in the same room with only a candle lighting the room. The man was standing in the corner all the time with both swords to his belt. So far so good, however Kageyama was almost sure for the attack the night before. Therefore he had to keep his eyes and ears open for assassins. Suddenly a loud noise was heard from downstairs. Everyone tensed.
"They're here!" Kageyama whispered, "Quickly blow off the candle!"
One of the men did it and the room sank in pitch darkness. The man was up too with his hand on his sword.
"Shinigami, prepare yourself!" Kageyama whispered
"Yes" he whispered back.
Suddenly armed men appeared at the door.
"We're Shinsengumi, that we are!"
Fireflies were in the room, lighting the swords
"Shinigami, are you ready?" Kageyama whispered again.
The man's hands tightened upon his sword.
"Yes!" he whispered back narrowing his eyes
The Shinsengumi went closer.
"Shinigami, are you ready?"
"Yes!"
"GO!"
The man rushed forward and killed. He cut a head and turned around to stab another. He rushed outside to follow the others. He stroke again, blood spraying to his face. He killed once more and stabbed the last one before him through the throat and against the wall. He pulled his sword off the flesh and shook it clean from blood. Something made him look to the right and saw another man to the end of the narrow street. The unknown man was dressed in gray and not the blue of Shinsengumi. He pulled his haori aside to reveal…the Silver Order badge!
The man's eyes widened in terror and looked around. He noticed he was alone. The Shadows had betrayed him! They had given him to the Silver order! Immediately he leaped in the air and landed upon the roofs, running away onto them with the sounds of the raging battle behind him and the voices of people yelling they had spotted him in his ear. He hopped off the roof and landed to his feet to run in the streets. He saw some more people in his way, holding swords.
"YOU'RE IN THE WAY! GO AWAY!" he yelled almost in panic and pure rage
"We're the Ittoryu school we belong to the third division…"
"I DON'T CARE!" the man screamed and rushed forward hitting, cutting and stabbing his way through
He felt someone blowing a small tube and a needle got in his forearm. He pulled it out and continued to fight but they had made a circle around him, forcing his back towards the wall. Suddenly his eyesight became blur. He tried to continue to fight but his legs seemed to be liquefying. He needed to stab his sword to the ground to keep himself to his feet. He pulled it out once more to hold it as a defense but his legs gave in…and he fell to the ground. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was the members of the Silver Order, all of them dressed in Japanese clothes, gathering over his head…
"Good" one of them said, "Let's go…"
A mail carriage was rushing through the narrow streets to reach the harbors, then the drivers saluted the men waiting there, showing the badges to each other… Soon the ship was out in the open sea… Every time the man was stirring awake, extending his arm towards the men that were guarding him, one of the men would stab that hand with yet another needle with tranquilizer.
Getting to new land after an endless trip, they placed him to a new carriage and new people started taking him through mountains and wastelands, rushing through forests and rocky fields getting closer and closer to their destination and as they were rushing through lands and villages, the two drivers had their heads covered with large hats, to also hide their characteristics from people, while the man's unconscious body was covered with a cloth, to look like they were carrying a dead body instead of a living person. The two black-dressed men drove the carriage deeper into the lands and mountains till they finally spotted from away a large castle. The towers of it seemed to be piercing through the clouds all the way up to the skies.
There was no doubt where they were heading to indeed…
They were in the land of Transylvania
They were heading towards Transylvania's most known castle…
They were heading towards the castle of Seto Kaiba himself…
The full moon was in the middle of the skies and the man was tied upon a stone-bed in arms and legs onto it as if he was crossed alive to an invisible cross. All around him were men dressed in pure-red cloaks with the Silver Order badge onto it. They started chanting some spell in their deep voices, raising their arms in the air. The man had already begun to moan in pain, feeling his body changing to its monstrous form under the moonlight. He had started moving like a trapped fish outside the water. Suddenly one of the men stabbed a golden blade in his right palm.
He screamed.
Another one did the same thing to his left palm.
He screamed.
Two others stabbed his feet as well.
He screamed once more. The eyes of his tormenters seemed to be glowing under the cloaks. They were chanting. One of them came closer with another knife and stabbed it in his chest. His already red and slit-pupil eyes widened and his back arched in absolute pain as the man started moving the knife in his flesh making a line and then pulling it out and stabbing him again, making another line straight through the other, forming a bloody cross on his chest.
He was screaming non-stop as the others removed the blades from his hands and feet and rolled him on his chest, re-placing the blades back into place, but this time stabbing him and binding him onto the stone table with the face against the cold stone. His body was in double agony of his wounds and his transformation…
"Joey! Do something!" Tea begged trying to hold Yami onto his bed
Yami was screaming his lungs out, his back arched as if an invisible rope was pulling his chest upwards. The veins of his throat were sticking out from the strength of his screaming and the intensity of his feelings.
"I know…I'm tryin'!" said Joey who was also shaking the screaming body
Joey too had abandoned the idea not to wake Yami up and now he was literally struggling to wake him…to set Yami free from the terrible dream…
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGG!"
"Joey! I can't wake him up! Yami! Yami!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHRRRRRGGGGGG!" Yami was screaming
Tears were in her eyes while she needed all the force given to her by nature along with Joey to keep Yami on the bed, who was still screaming…and screaming louder than any time before…
The tormenters now got back to work. The man who had made the cross to the demonic man's chest now…slit his back open with the knife to reveal the spine: bone and nerves in their pure form, as if they were opening a body for an anatomy lesson. The man was screaming his lungs out but something was keeping him from losing consciousness, making his torment even worse than someone could ever imagine. The spine was changing, the spondyls were changing into pointy bones and from either side of the spine the bones had started to form independent bones of wings.
Immediately two of the men grabbed one wing each and tore them apart violently making the man tied there scream once more, and it seemed a miracle that he hadn't broken his vocal cords after all that screaming. The half-demonic creature was crying tears of blood as the boiling hot blood was pouring onto the stone bed and the stone floor like a pure-crimson river.
And his tormenters were chanting…
Chanting…
Chanting…
They removed their bloody hands off the wound. The moon now was red from the lunar eclipse… The wound had started to close slowly and the blood started to reduce its flow…
And his tormenters were chanting…
Chanting…
Chanting…
They raised their arms in the air in some sacred ecstasy. The metallic scent of blood was everywhere in the room. Their crimson cloaks were stained in blood and their arms were smeared in blood almost till the elbows. Some of them had drops of blood even to their faces (at least onto the part that was visible under the cloaks' hoods).
He was screaming and begging in every language he knew and his voice was always covered by screaming.
They were chanting…
He was screaming…
A small light passed in front of the moon like a small droplet of morning dew. The comet. The time had come. One of the tormenters pressed the hot metal onto his right scapula leaving the ankh mark onto it. The screeching sound of burning along with the smell of burnt flesh filled the room and the man finally lost consciousness…
…And Yami finally woke up in his most violent jolting up, still… His eyes open so wide as if they were ready to get out of their sockets, his body so much covered in sweat that his trousers seemed stuck against his flesh. It was as if he was thrown in the water once more. His face and body were all red as if he was burning in fever…
As he finally was free from the dream…and finally he knew who he was…
Yes! Finally I updated my story! And it is no 700 devitation for Deviantart!
First of all this is a late birthday gift for bluerosefantasy (Deviantart) I am sorry I was late my dear. I just wanted to make it long and good for you and it took me a while to make...
Like I hinted to the drawing here art… this story takes place in Japan and yes another part of Yami's memory. Yami became an assassin. Nothing more to say to that.
Now people...you know why Yami screams in his sleep... Because in the dreams we have all five senses and Yami was feeling not only the fear but also the pain of his torment among others...
I wrote some dialogues in Japanese in the beginning to show how Yami didn't understand Japanese in the beginning (and yes this is how Yami gets his name in our story's present )
Later on since they are all supposed to speak Japanese, I wrote the dialogues in English instead
Yes the title of this chapter is from Yami's code name which means "God of Death" (Shinigami comes from "Shin" "Death" and "Kami" "God")
I was imagining Memoris of a Geisha: Becoming a Geisha playing while imagining Yami's training and perhaps while we see parts of training also see brief seconds of Yami getting dressed as well -with final part the part he ties his hair when the drums start to play-
For his test with the twelve ninja I chose this music Ruroni Kenshin-Final Fight Soundtrack
For the battle in that inn I chose this Ost from Rurouni Kenshin Trust and Betrayal: The Wars of the Last Wolves up to moment 3:40 where Journey to Transylvania starts to play
(I was inspired from Ikedaya Jigen from Rurouni Kenshin for the scene)
As for the ritual scene...the best music I could listen to was Ancient Egypt Ritual Music
I hope you like it...I am sorry for errors that might exist...