AU: There will be some mystical and fantasy themes surrounding this and following chapters. Nothing like Aiden or Jin suddenly becoming wizards or anything.
I will try to use some elements and themes from Legends (the online game mode) to make things more diverse.
Enjoy ;)
They have an stalemate.
Yuna is ready with her knife, Aiden is trying to foresee what attack this Mongol will use...
And Jin is facing the gaze of the Mongol. Squinting ever so slightly at him. The moonlight could be seen shining at Jin's face, thanks to the blade reflecting it.
Aiden chuckles mentally. This has the energy of cinematography.
The soldier didn't have armour, so he would be very nimble. He probably was absent of it because he was a spearman. The stare war came to a halt when the Mongol rushed forward planning on pierce the biggest threat, the Samurai.
Yuna was quick to grab a table-leg and throw it as hard as he could at him. He manages to dodge it, only to be hit in the back of the head by a blunt metallic object. The Samurai did not wait a second longer and slashed the man in the shoulder. The blade got stuck, but nothing that a kick and a pull couldn't do.
Jin slashes the air, removing the blood in his blade.
"Good thing you have your sword", Yuna said after a brief moment of silence.
"Now, where can I find a horse?", Jin asked, eager to continue his own errand.
"The stables aren't far. This way", The Thief showed the direction.
They left the house and crossed the gate of Kamado City. Jin was somewhat stunned to see not a patrol, not a squad, not a garrison of a legion of soldiers. But an entire army outside of the gate. Maybe the thought of the Mongols taking the entire island in three days wasn't so unbelievable right now...
"More riders", Aiden said while he looked at the horseman riding away.
"The island is crawling with them", Yuna said with resentment.
"Where are the stables?"
"Just behind the farmhouse".
Indeed it was. However, the entrance for it was guarded by three Mongol Swordsman. The trio hid in a nearby fence.
"We can silently approach them and slit their throats without a sound", Yuna suggested.
Aiden was A-OK with the idea, giving that from what he recalled from his history classes in Ireland, the Mongols sure aren't the good guys in here.
"Without honor", Jin however, did not like the idea, "I will not break my code".
"What? Sakai, wait-", Aiden's protests are absolutely ignored.
Jin immediately got up and WALKED towards the enemy.
"Face me, invader!", Jin declared defiantly.
(AU: I know the difference between "definitely" and "defiantly")
Jin dashed in the direction of the first, slashing his torso, not killing him yet, and, changes his focus to the one behind him, swiping his feet on the Mongol's leg making him trip. Then, he cut the third's arm, focused again in the first by almost decapitating him and finished the last with a precise yet gracious slash in the back of the last one.
"Damm, that was brutal", Aiden conceded. He saw a lot of fixers beat up a big amount of people, but never this fast and this clean.
"I'm done running. Now I can help!", Jin took this as a compliment.
"Dammit...", Yuna sighed in annoyance.
"More guards in the farmhouse", Aiden warned everyone.
"Don't let anyone escape".
The trio got moving towards it. Another set of soldiers was there as Aiden said and immediately they raised their guards. Aiden whipped his arm, raising his baton and struck his own enemy in the arm.
Aiden knew that blunt objects shouldn't be underestimated, since a cut was a superficial injury that could be easily identified, but what about internal bleeding? Broken bones that would hurt only when the adrenaline got down? Those hurt more. These are more personal physical trauma.
The swordsman winced at the pain in his arm, but didn't back away. He recovered quick enough to send a slice horizontally at Aiden. Aiden however, anticipated this and reduced the distance between the two of them.
Why? It works like this: If you're to far to hit, you miss the attack. If you are close, but not much, the power behind the attack degrades drastically. If you are too close, you can parry the attack altogether.
And that's what he did.
Using his baton as defense, he haymaker punched the Mongol in the face. With this moment of opportunity, Aiden grabs the sword of the man's hand for himself, effectively disarming the soldier. With this, Yuna with her bow, shot and arrow that hit the Mongol's forehead, ending his life.
"Nice shot", Aiden comments while judging the weight of the sword.
"You're good as well", She returned the gesture.
Jin had already finished his own portion of soldiers.
Suddenly they hear the crying of a baby. Rushing to see what was happening, they see a man holding a baby, trying his best to comfort the child. It was clear he had no idea of what he was doing.
"Thank you, My Lord", The man bows to his savior. Well, saviors, "I was told that the Samurai were dead".
"Do you have a place to stay?" Jin asked, prioritizing the man's needs.
"I heard that Golden Temple might be safe".
"Go. Stay off the roads. And guard your... child with your life".
"I will. Thank you, all of you", The man bows again as he leaves.
Yuna analises this man for a few seconds. She also looks at the foreigner, Aiden.
"You two risked your lives to save them...", She said quietly, but not inaudibly.
"They couldn't defend themselves", Aiden said, as if this was just a simple chore he did.
Something that Jin respected in the man.
"Yes. We couldn't let them to die. I couldn't let my people to suffer", Jin said with a gloomy tone.
"They aren't the only ones in the need of help", The woman started, "My brother, the mongols took him."
"That's why you helped me", Jin discovered the reason of one of his saviors.
"Taka is my only family!", Her annoyance was starting to turn into irritation.
"And Lord Shimura is mine", Jin didn't raise his voice. He knew the woman had her own reasons to be angry.
"Please... I have to find him." The irritation was starting to turn into desperation.
"And I will help you find him... After I save my uncle".
"What?", Came de exasperated voice of Aiden.
"I promise", Jin persisted.
"Are you saying that you're going to face that Khotun guy, to save your uncle, alone?", He asked just to be sure.
"As I said before, he can contact the Shog-"
"You are going to die", Aiden interrupted after hearing such stupidity.
"That's why we are going with him", Yuna said, before her only hope vanished.
"Oh, I'm sorry, but I don't know how the Kaneda Castle is like, so infiltrating it will be a lot harder! Not to mention that we don't know how many soldiers are there, how equiped and supplied they are as well as having a scape route!", The Vigilante never heard a stupider segment of plans just as simple as "we go there and rescue him". That's why he worked alone.
"We aren't infiltrating", Jin said, still calm as ever.
"What?!", This time, Yuna was in disbelief.
"I am not betraying the code I was born with".
"If you don't do it, you will die. And that is as good as allowing your home to be conquered", Aiden said with a rough tone.
That caused a reaction in the Samurai.
"And what gives you de right to judge me? Don't get me wrong, I will be forever grateful for you saving my life, but I will not tolerate this behavior", Jin didn't raise his voice, but he was not pleased with the defiance.
Aiden scoffed at this, "Fine. But don't blame me if you turn up dead".
"...The horses are here", Yuna thankfully changed the attention of both man into the thing they were going to do.
"Samurai horses. The few we didn't bring to war", Jin looked at the horses as he spoke.
"Lucky for them. And lucky for us", Yuna gave a small comment of her own.
A Black, White and Dapple horses are in the stables. All of them in good condition and health.
"Which one do you choose?"
"This one", Jin pats the White horse, "He needs a name".
While he thinks about it, Aiden grabs the Dapple horse for himself. He remembered the few times he tried to ride one, he didn't have a great experience. But unlike most of people that fell (or crashed) at the start of their class at horse riding, Aiden still attended the lessons. Of course, since he moved to the USA, he didn't have much opportunities to do it again.
But hey, what can 23 years of absence do to his abilities?
As soon as he tried to gallop, he crashed into the fence. Jin and Yuna could only start chuckling in the distance.
"Shit... I shouldn't have stopped...", he pained as he spoke.
"How many years you haven't ridden a horse?", Jin asked, out of curiousness.
"Too many..."
"Well, have you decided on the name?", Yuna was already on top of the black horse.
"...Sora. Light from the heavens".
And with that, the trio of horseman (and woman) hotfooted in the direction of Kaneda Castle.
Aiden was getting the hang of horse riding (or rather, recollecting his lost capabilities in the matter). They were stopping to make camp, since the travelling started before dawn. Not only they needed to eat and rest, but the horses wouldn't manage to make the distance in one go.
They also killed many mongols and consequently saved many villagers in the outskirts of the island.
"So, I know little to nothing about you two", Jin proposed a conversation while he made a campfire.
"I rarely talk about myself", Aiden responded as he tied the horses in the trees.
"It couldn't hurt to know each other", Yuna said, most for curiosity about the foreigner's past.
"I'm sorry, but everyone that I opened myself with, aside from my own family, died", Aiden didn't notice how he slipped this very important information.
"Well, if that's the case, what you can tell about yourself?", Jin asked as he finally set the flames ablaze.
Aiden sat near the small fire, "Well, I think I can tell where I came from, where I moved to and what I did in there".
"Sounds good to me", The woman rushed his mind, as to the man not refuse in telling his past.
"Well. I was born in the... province of Ireland", her started, unsure on how to speak.
"Ireland? Where is this Province?", Jin asked, never hearing of this place before.
As it looks like, Aiden can talk normally if his message is clear and succinct.
"It's in Europe. West to the United Kingdom", Aiden clarified.
"Oh, I see. That's why you're rather unique. You are from a different continent", The Samurai concluded while burning some game they hunted a few minutes ago.
"I've never left the Island, so I can't say I know where it is", Yuna said, a bit disconnected to the topic.
"Being honest, I don't have good memories from that place. We left as soon as we could", Aiden looked at the sky, remembering his father.
The bastard could at least giving him the satisfaction of being dead. He used the ctOS to check up in Ireland. You know, remember the old days? Since he couldn't really say "Good Old Days". The ctOS is rather primitive outside of Chicago, but he managed to locate his father. He still lived in the same house being the same waste of oxygen he was back in the day.
"Where did you go after?", Yuna asked, eager to learn more.
Aiden thought about how he would answer this. He moved to the USA, but it doesn't exist at this time and wasn't going to for the next 200 years or so. As of now, the only continents that exist are Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
"... I moved to the UK. Lived near the sea, in the docking district", He said after a small grunt.
"So, to the King's land? A safer place I presume", Jin said, checking the meat.
"Not quite. It has more security, there's no doubt. Unfortunately "more security" doesn't mean more safety, much less privacy", Aiden could only scoff at how strict the USA was with immigrants. Specially after the end of the Vietnamese and Korean Wars.
"No doubt. The right priority in security must mean that it's needed, rather than keep it in reserve", Jin aknowledged the situation.
"What do you mean about privacy being a problem?", Yuna asked confusedly.
"Wars tend to turn those once great man into now, cautious paranoiac lunatics. Can't trust their own people", Aiden reminisced the many times he could have used information he got as blackmail.
Of course he wouldn't do it. He would become the same thing he was fighting against. Become a liar? A trickster? A conspirator that used other people to do something he couldn't do himself? Putting others in harm's way?
No fucking way. That's how he got in the mess he was.
Both Samurai and Thief could only agree.
"The food is ready".
"The walls are to high to climb", The Samurai analyzed the area of Kaneda Castle.
"So we cause a distraction and sneak in", Yuna suggested.
"No. We go through the front gate", Jin was going to give some payback to the Khan.
"And get an arrow between the yes? No, thanks", The stone voice of The Fox protested.
"Khotun Khan burned our best swordsman alive. Humiliated my uncle. Butchered the warriors of Tsushima. I'm going to repay his kindness", The Samurai was firm in his plans.
"By commiting the same mistakes that got them killed", This time, Yuna tried to put some sense in the Lord's mind.
"That's what the Mongol's will think", This maybe implied that Jin was planning something they didn't follow, "But now I will strike first ".
Only for him to say the last part.
"You are going to regret this", Aiden warned his companion.
Jin looked at the two with determined eyes, "Wait here while I finish them".
Honestly, the hubris this man has is immeasurable.
"I've come for Lord Shimura!", the Samurai enters the Castle without a fear in his being.
He assumed a simple stance, one feet in front of the other. His left hand in the sheath and his wright hand in the handle. A mongol approached, mocking the Samurai that still has a broken armour. A few other mongols also come to witness this standoff. For them, it was clear that this samurai wished to die in battle. They would humor him. It's not like he could do much.
Both warriors stood still.
Until...
"Huraah!", The Mongol screams as he attacks.
Only to be cleaved in half.
Cleaved. By a single. Strike.
"First rule of a standoff against a Samurai: Never move first."
This stunned not only the mongols but also Jin's companions.
The remaining mongols rushed to avenge their fallen comrade, only to meet similar fates. A sway of his body was enough to dodge a piercing blow of a mongol that accidentally stabbed his own friend. A simple swish of Jin and the Mongol was motionless in the ground.
"You did it", Yuna said, still shocked at how the Samurai fought.
"Don't sound surprised", Jin eases her emotions.
"At least you can back up what you say. I've met many man that would say a lot, but cower at first sign of trouble", Aiden admits, "Gotta give credit where credit is due, I guess".
"I am glad I surpassed your expectations", the Samurai comments as he cleans his sword.
*BOOM*
A big explosion makes itself know.
"What's up with all that noise?", Yuna said as she looked in the general direction of the explosions.
"Not sure. The mongols fired them off at the beach", Jin said as he remembered the massacre that was still fresh in his memories.
"Whatever it is, we need to keep going. Or else we might risk the Mongols do something with your uncle", Aiden rushed through the Castle.
The unlikely trio forced their passage through the mongols. Yuna did her best with her bow, thanks to the fact that both men attack in the frontline. She would only cover a mistake here or there, as well as finish that one enemy trying to escape.
She could see that this Aiden one, he was skillful in combat, but not was used to swordsmanship. He used the blade like a mace most of the time, but for each of his mistakes he compensated with warnings and commands, predicting the Mongol's actions. He was also getting tired at each section cleared of the Castle.
Maybe because of his age? He did say he was almost 40 years old.
"We can't continue!", Yuna said, after they managed to kill the last mongol on sight.
"I have to-"
"Aiden is almost ready to drop dead! Look at how he is gasping for air!", She worried for the man beside them.
And indeed, Aiden was on one's last legs, completely drained of energy.
"Fall back-"
"Alone? Are you serious?", At this point, her irritance became full on anger.
Jin knew that if he spoke a wrong word here, he would lose a possible ally, "Look, keep the path clear. When I rescue Lord Shimura we'll need an escape route".
"...I will keep the horses ready".
"Thank you", Jin was sincere in his words.
If not for them, he would have died.
"If... you... are not back soon... we'll go to the forest..." Aiden managed to say a sentence between his breaths.
Jin just finished another set of soldiers as he arrived at the bridge that allowed passage to the main Castle. He wasn't going to lie, he was tired. Even after his companions managed to help him, even if a little, he was still a recently recovered man.
He still felt his stitches, his injuries, the pain.
"You are going ti regret this".
In hindsight, he should have listened to Aiden. But he was already here, might as well finish it.
"KHOTUN KHAN!", He shouted as loud as humanly possible.
Who would've thought? The monster himself appears as the gate's doors open. He marches slowly, with a cold stare in his eyes.
"I am Jin Sakai. Nephew of Lord Shimura! ...And I've come here to avenge his honor", Jin defiantly took his Stone Stance and pointed his sword at the Khan.
The monster's reaction is to laugh.
...Laugh?
The gate's doors open a bit more to reveal that Lord Shimura is right at his side.
"Jin!", Lord Shimura says with relief and wariness.
"Your uncle has told me a lot about you, Jin Sakai", He says the Samurai's name with derision.
Jin is quite stunned by this scene.
"I will show his nephew broken and humiliated, begging..." He turns to Lord Shimura, looking directly at his eyes, "To join the Mongol Empire".
He can't take this any longer
He rushes at the Khan with the his killer instinc-
"Jin!", Lord Shimura's voice echoes in the space.
If not for this single word, he would've fallen victim of his own emotions.
Khotun starts laughing as the gate closes behind him, "This... is your time, Lord Sakai".
"I will slit your throat!"
Both man advance in their own attacks. However, it would probe to be a difficult task to kill the Khan. He wasn't just strong, he was tough, robust and stout, but most of all, big.
His height and strength allowed him and his Naginata great power and reach. Even blocking an attack proved to be an entire separate journey, giving the amount of effort it took. And for a still healing and tired samurai?
This was already finished before if even began.
Jin tripped. He got up by using the fence of the bridge.
"Surrender", The voice of the Khan was calm and sweet now, "Show to your people how quickly you can achieve peace. Show to your uncle how you can bring peace to your home".
Jin looked at Lord Sakai. He shook his head "no". But if it was because didn't wanted to look at his nephew's death or if he didn't want him to surrender was a mystery.
The Khan took a few steps closes to the Samurai.
"We can kill them without make a sound".
"Without honor".
Honor? This man didn't have it. He was an cunning linguist, using soft words to decide his victims.
"Save yourself, Jin Sakai", Khotun spoke again, this time with concern.
"You are concerned? With me?! You take me for a fool?!?"
Jin moved his arm and sliced the snake's cheek.
"Huroooaah!"
The Khan grabbed the man by the neck, lifted and thew him from the bridge.
AU: Ok, I will stop here and have a great dinner. I will Probably continue writing but I will not post it in a few days.
In the mean time, I have to say that writing this is quite the treat for myself. I really enjoy how the story is going, even if not major diversions to canon have happened. These small interactions with different personalities are what I like about fanfiction in general.
Anyway, see you guys next Chapter!
Date of Publication: 26th, September, 2023