(Here's the next update y'all, hope it's good. Got a few more chapters with Connell learning from one more spirit (I've tried to have him learn from a diverse group of spirits, but I'm afraid I wasn't able to get him to learn from other spirits when reading up history's most iconic and unique warriors/rebels as some didn't fit the themes of the story or Connell already had the needed weaponry, or the people's histories were too controversial or didn't have the needed keys to help Connell, I'm sorry that I didn't get every ethnic identity, I tried…but I failed, I'm sorry). Also, I'm sorry if it's gotten boring/stale. Sorry for the late update.)
Noble Six: Thanks.
Chapter 18: A Shadow's Story
(Adirondack Park, a week later)
Mainard trained Connell hard, drilling with the sword for hours. Parrying, stabbing, deflecting, slashing, and how to hold the blade in the right stances were the centerpiece of the training. Connell had been asleep for some time. The wind picked up around him and he woke up. He grunted as he got out of his tent. The young man looked around, but didn't see the spirit.
"You have trained hard, with purpose and patience. There is honor within you, young man. Still, there is more for you to learn." A feminine voice said, seemingly all around Connell.
The young man turned in a full circle, not seeing the spirit.
"In time, you must learn to master what you have and will learn…what you can…the body, mind, and spirit must work in harmony to achieve your goal, to complete you mission." The voice continued, its owner seemingly invisible.
Connell slowly nodded his head in understanding.
"I'll…I'll do what I can." Connell said.
"You will indeed." The voice said, more clear and direct behind Connell.
Connell turned to see the spirit. A figure a few inches shorter than Connell, her head except for her eyes masked by cloth and ponytail extruding from the back of her wrapped head. On her head is some kind of ban wrapped around the top of her head, its centerpiece showed the insignia of a dragon. The rest of her ethereal form reveals her body cloaked in the wrapping with some armor planted as sodes, kotes, tekkos, suneates, kursazuri, and a haidate carefully fitting her to keep her garb light yet strong. Along the armor around her waist, a wrapping holds packages and scabbards for various weapons.
"Who are you?" Connell asked.
"I am a kunoichi of Japan. My history is unknown within history, as I kept to the secrecy of my domain in the darkness of my homeland. It was my duty and vow to stay within the shadows of my home's history. There were names given to me by the people of those who found my targets after I defeated them. I was called many things during my time, all lost to history." The kunoichi said.
"Lore of ninjas is filled with mystery, intrigue, and even bits of mysticism. It's astonished people since ninjutsu started. Warriors of the night, you are all legends even if individuals aren't always well known." Connell replied.
The spirit chuckled.
"That's kind of you to say." The kunoichi replied.
"Though…I do need to call you something…what can I call you?" The young man asked.
The spirit rubbed her cloth covered chin.
"My name in life was Mari. I was born into a family of farmers; we weren't wealthy yet we were happy. It was a time when shoguns weren't always honorable and some samurai didn't follow their Bushido code. My home was destroyed and family killed when my parents spoke about the lands we lived on were being stripped of its beauty and its people's livelihood, insulting the ruler's 'honor and integrity'." Mari explained.
Connell tried to say something, but no words came out.
"There laid a river by our house. During the attack, I was flung into it when some of the shogun's men attacked me. I found myself floating on that river, until people seemingly cast in shadows found men. They were people of different walks of life: farmers like me, former samurai who refused to obey dishonorable orders, and many more. Ninjustu was formed through many different arts coming together to work in harmony, to become the most complex, versatile, and lethal of all arts. That is why you must learn it." Mari continued.
"What…what happened to the shogun?" Connell asked after nodding his understanding to the spirit.
"After some time training, we found ourselves in battle against him. The story is lost to history because we destroyed all memory of him, burned his castle to the ground, freed prisoners who would keep the secret of what had happened, and slew his soldiers. All the men who stood with him died. You could say we 'wiped the slate clean', if I'm say that right." Mari answered.
Connell was mesmerized by the story. One of seemingly common origin becoming a member of legendary warriors to battle a tyrant…he found it inspiring.
"Ninjustu is about mastering oneself and one's environment. All things must be understood and respected: body, mind, spirit, and nature. These define one who they are. The truth of the individual." Mari continued.
Connell hung onto every word with the deepest intent. Stories of ninjas told tales of their feats in battle and life, making them seem superhuman…perhaps some of them were. Connell had heard stories and rumors that mutants, inhumans, and other such beings had been around maybe as long as humanity itself. But the stories of ninjas were legend, shadows in history that stood in near secret, but enough known to bring awe from their stories. The disciplines of ninjutsu had been discovered and documented, but their true depth could still be a part of their mystery for being in the shadows throughout their existence. Mari's story and all its meanings gave Connell something to take such inspiration by.
"Are you ready to learn, young man?" Mari asked.
Connell stood there for an amount of time he couldn't say how long. His heart and mind raced after the spirit asked her question, but he knew his answer already.
"Teach me." Connell said, his voice almost breathless and gray eyes shaking with excitement and anxiety.
To be continued…
(Sorry about all the shortcomings and late update y'all.)