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Clouded Vengeance
“Mother, Mother! Look, Father is home!” Ken squeaked at his mother before darting through the rice fields to greet his father. “Father!” He tugged on his father’s sleeved and scanned his head up the tall frame ahead of him. “Father?” Ken repeated his words as soon as he noticed he was being ignored. Ken’s mother treated around the corner, wobbling as she carried two baskets of rice on either side of her.
“Sora, it is nice to see you home again.” Ken’s mother bowed slightly before continuing with her duties.
“Sora… That was what they called him. It means ‘sky’ in Japanese. He was given that nickname because he is so tall.” I walked around my subject a bit before squatting down.
Ken’s father continued through the door, he only took notice of his mother for a few seconds. “Father?” Ken continued to repeat himself, only to get the door closed in his face.
“Ken!” His mother called to her six year old son so they could continue with their errands. Ken stayed silent for a short while before answering.
“Coming!” He pushed his tiny legs against the dirt and ran to his mother.
“Good morning Mrs. Takahashi.” A group of maids greeted them and accompanied them with their duties. A young boy was with them, Ishii Otari was his name. They had been good friends for a long time and done nearly everything together.
“Life back then was simple; we all took it for granted.” I stood up once more and circled my subject. “If only…” I stuttered in my speech before falling completely silent.
“Ken grew curious. Wanting to know what had been going on with his father, he snuck into his father’s room. A single piece of paper lay flat on the desk.
“Mr. Takahashi…” Ken started to read. “A war has been declared between Lord Shigeru and Lord Takeshi.” *Knock* *knock* the door thumped. “Huh?” Ken placed the piece of paper back on the desk and hid behind an artefact. The door flung open.
“Who’s in here?!” His father peered around the room, only to notice the letter had been tilted on an angle. He picked it up and placed it in his pocket. Once more he peered around the room. Noticing nothing, he exited; leaving the room with an empty feeling. At that moment, Ken knew that his father had been posted in the war. To him, his father was as good as dead, and that is what he believed from that moment on. Ken treated his father as he had treated Ken, like a ghost.
The old man did in fact die in that war. But not only that: he also disgraced his family by not following the code. Fifteen years later- the Clan Takeshi, enemies of the Clan Shigeru, sent an assassin to kill the family. They hunted down the mother, as she was easily recognisable as the new owner of the house. Ken had chased after the moving skirmish, only to appear at the battle ground seconds too late. His mother fell to the ground and did not move an inch. The assassin silently fled into the darkness. Ken fell to his knees before his dead mother and started to tear. I pulled back my draping hood and revealed the face of a 21 year old. I grabbed a fire stick and waved it over my subject. A dead woman was illuminated on the cold hard floor of stone. “I am Ken Takahashi, and this is my story.” I pulled a cloth to cover my mother’s body before stepping up and walking away.
“The Assassin that killed my mother must still be close by.” I started to talk to myself. I leapt onto the roof of where the assassin has fled and easily noticed dirt footprints. “Ninja my @$$” I spoke with sarcasm at the clumsy assassin. I made myself buoyant and easily skipped along the rooftops like a feather in a stream. It was the middle of the night, but I was desperate to avenge my family. Quickly, I neared the border to the Takeshi territory. I knew I would find the assassin soon. For a split-second I saw a black cloth wave down into the market streets. I pursued the darkly garbed attacker for what seemed liked minutes before cornering him at the back of an alley. The enemy faced me, cowering back to the wall of the alley. He tried to jump onto the roof, but I grabbed his leg and pulled him down into the sandy pathway. “Who are you?!” I shouted and drove my foot into his stomach. “Answer me!” I twisted my foot to further the pain.
“I’m...” The shady character started to mutter some words.
“Go on” I beckoned him to continue speaking.
“Please, I’m sorry.” The assassin finished speaking. He quickly got up onto his feet. Being very conscious about his movements, I pulled a tanto out from beneath my cloak.
“Don’t move!” I threatened him by pointing my blade at him. The assassin’s foot started to dig into the dirt as if he was ready to run. I ran into him, thrusting my tanto into his body, trying to avoid any vital parts.
“It... It wasn’t meant to be like this... Ken...” Holding with his last remaining strength, he murmured some more words.
“What?” I Whispered and let go of the blade. “Who...” I couldn’t finish my sentences.
“It’s me, Ishii.” He removed his head gear to reveal my long lost friend. He stumbled over towards me and wrapped his arms around my body. “You know the war fifteen years ago?” He tugged on me, trying to keep himself up. “My father was a coward. As soon as he heard word that there was going to be a war, he knew that we would lose.” Ishii lectured me on what had happened during the war.
“What, so he just switched sides and moved to the Takeshi territory?”
I questioned him.
“Exactly, we were only six, so I had no idea what was going on, and when my father swore alliance to lord Takeshi, they made me work for him as well.” Ishii soaked a tear onto the bright dirt road.
“So... It was him that ordered you to kill my family?” I continued to interrogate him.
“Yes, I had no choice; you know I had no choice.” His legs started to wobble as he spoke.
“Then why did you stop? Why not come after me?” I felt a bit confused at this point. Ishii stayed quiet for a moment. Rain started to poor down and completely covered the town in a fine layer of water.
“I could never kill you, never.” He slid down my body and fell to his knees. He rested his head against my stomach and started to cry. “I would rather kill myself.”
“Ishii.” I stroked my fingers through his hair for a moment before squatting down to his level. “I’m sorry.” I hugged him this time. “Come on; let’s go get you healed, alright? I won’t rest until things are set right.” I picked him up and lay him over my back.
“But you have no more family!” He questioned me, even though he was in no position to do so.
“You counted out my grandma.” I assured him that he was wrong.
“I knew I forgot something!” Ishii tried to lighten the mood with a joke to try and hide the pain he was in. I knew what he was playing at, but I laughed anyway.
After a long journey down the sandy road, we finally reached my house, my grandma was tending the rice fields as if nothing had ever happened, but to her- nothing truly had. I intended to keep it like that, because if she found out that her only daughter was dead it would break her heart. I opened the gate and walked towards her. The moment she noticed us she stood up and walked as fast as she could. “Ken, Ishii. What happened?” Her voice sounded high and croaky, like any old lady.
“Long story” I told her. “It would be best if you didn’t know.” I tried to convince her that she wouldn’t want to know, but grandmas always want details.
“Come on inside!” She beckoned us. She grabbed Ishii off my back and carried him into the house.
‘She may be old, but she has the strength of an ox!’ I thought to myself before walking inside. My Grandma placed Ishii onto a bed so she could tend to his wounds. She always knew the faint side of a situation, but could easily tell what needs to be done. “Ken.” She turned to me.
“Yes?” I moved closer to listen to her.
“Don’t you have something you need to take care of?”
“But what about-” I tried to speak but she silenced me with her eyes in the middle of my speech.
“He will be fine; I will take care of him as best I can.” She tried to make me feel comfortable leaving. She picked up a long bag which seemed to contain a large stick.
“Wh... What is this?” I stumbled back, knowing what she was doing and what she had in her hands. She unravelled the bag to reveal a tachi.
“Take it.” She forced it into my hands. “Now go.” She turned around to face the door. With those last few words I knew she wanted me to go and do what I had to do, and that is just what I did. Barging out the door with tachi in hand, I rampaged down the pathway towards the Takeshi territory. The easiest route to the Takeshi territory was around the shoreline. I knew this because it was growing dark, and muggers tended to lurk around the forests at this time. I turned left at the intersection and headed to the water. The shore was quite close to the village, for farming purposes, so it did not take long to reach it. The large misty horizon opened up from the trees. I slowly headed to the water and let the water touch my feet. It was a peaceful night, not a single sound was heard except for the waves creeping up the sand and the trees blowing gently in the wind. I knew that with the elements on my side that I would succeed in my mission. I darted across the shoreline for a while before reaching an exit which would lead me to the Takeshi territory. I turned into the forest and ran through the woods, hoping not to run into anyone lurking in the trees. To no surprise, and my bad luck, a man emerged from the bushes. I was already running so fast that I couldn’t stop in time, I continued to run and eventually smashed against the stranger’s bulk shoulder. I was knocked down on the ground.
“Well what do we have here then?” The man spoke in a sinister voice. Another man appeared next to him, presumably his partner.
“Wonder if he has any valuables?” He signalled his partner to search me.
“Unh...” I tried to lift myself up.
“Don’t squirm!” The first man kicked me back down. “Well, well, well. What’s this then?” He eyed my sword before turning to his partner. The second man walked towards me and tried to grab it. I used my quick reflexes and spun myself around onto my back, kicking his hand away in the process.
“You brat!” He yelled at me and pulled his hand back. I jumped onto my feet and drew my blade. “Damn!” He backed up even further, bumping into his partner.
“Watch it!” His partner yelled back at him.
“Look at the size of that thing!” He started to turn away. “I’m getting out of here!” He ran away and headed deeper into the woods.
“Coward.” The first man mumbled to himself. He hesitated to move. “Umm...” He stood his ground. “Damn it!” He cursed before running off after his partner. I sheathed my sword and continued on towards the Takeshi territory. It was midnight now, and it started to rain.
“There it is, just up ahead.” I spoke to myself as the gate to the Takeshi territory came into view. At this time of the night it was undoubtedly shut, so I detoured to the side and scaled the stone wall. Once on top, I got a clear view of the town. I easily located the palace on the far side of town, so I jumped from the wall onto the roof of a nearby house. I took off my slippers and ran in my tabi so I wouldn’t make any noise. There were guards everywhere around the streets, so I had to be as careful as possible. It was difficult, but I found regular intervals where I had a chance to jump. I quickly neared the palace. “Your head is mine, you corrupt lord!” I whispered a curse as I ran. I continued to run and I jumped from rooftop to rooftop until I reached the roof of the palace. “Finally!” I got closer to a window into the palace. I jumped through the window and landed in a hallway. A man walked towards the hallway. As soon as he turned he saw me. I pulled out my sword and stabbed his chest. “Filthy noblemen!” I assumed he was of noble status by his dress. I continued to run down the empty hall and eventually found the lord’s bedroom. I tackled the door down, and silently walked towards the bed. “There you are; servant of hell.” My hatred made me curse some more. The lord was just sleeping in his bed, not knowing what was about to happen. I grabbed my sword and lifted it high. “Now, prepare to die!” I started to pull down on my blade. “Heaven...” I spoke when the blade was still high up. I continued through the strike and beheaded the man which lay before me. “...And earth.” I finished speaking before retreating out through a window. I ran as fast as I could along the rooftops, probably being seen by a few guards. I quickly neared the wall and hurdled over it, making my escape. I looked back to see the gates opening up, a group of guards ran out and chased after me. I with the wind pushing against my back. I headed to the shoreline once more. The wind is already helping me; I kept positive and thanked the winds. “Water!” I called to the seas as I ran along the shorelines. The guards turned from the forest and easily had a clear view of me along the shore.
“There he is!” One guard shouted. They ran after me once more.
“Come on... Water.” I called to the seas once more. Soon enough, a large wave came to the sandy shores and wiped out the guards. “Yes...” I thanked the elements as they moved back to their normal position. I fell to my knees and panted. “No. I must make it back.” I coughed in my speech while standing up. I was quite close to home at this point, so it was only a short walk through the forest and up the familiar sandy road which I always walked along. My house rose from the distance as I panted up the road. I reached the gate and look through the window. My grandma saw me through the window, but for some reason she didn’t come to greet me like usual. I rushed towards the house, even though I was out of both breath and energy. “Ishii?” I displayed fear on my face as I barged through the door. My grandma’s lips frowned downwards. “No... Ishii!!” I sobbed a few words. I dropped my tachi, it rattled on the floor before falling silent. “I...Ishii.” I kneeled by the bedside and draped my arms around him, like he did to me earlier on. I lay my head against his stomach, like he did to me earlier on. This time, it was my turn to cry.
 spheal 000 · Sun Oct 19, 2008 @ 01:11am · 0 Comments |
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