Swords and Shadows part 2
Swords and Shadows Part 2
As he stands on a cliff side looking down into the ravine where the cave sits that leads to the underground catacombs of Zakyo Toshi, Tenrai looks back down at the letter he received one day. Not addressed to his alias but directly to him.
“Bayushi-san, it seems that your name has come across my ears as to your deeds, and I would wish to meet with you about moving up in the ranks of the Shosuro. I would have you come to the newly annexed Zakyo Toshi, and we shall have our conversation. Should you reach the destination in one piece that is. However, I doubt it will be any trouble for someone with a skill set such as yours. I look forward to our encounter.”
Upon coming to Zakyo Toshi he had no direction; all he could do was gather information on rumors and here say. After days he finally caught a break about someone seeing shadows moving out of the cave system under the tunnels where the minerals of the area were mined. While he thought that it was sloppy to be spotted by a mere peasant, he knew all too well we are only human, and that not everything can be accounted for.
He makes his way down the rocky path toward the oncoming cave entrance. The sun is hanging over the horizon, and all the workers have left for the day. He takes one of the lanterns, and makes his way into the tunnels lighting it as he enters.
The light fades quickly as he goes deeper into the caverns, and it is not long before there is nothing left to see from the outside as the sun finally sets. Before all is masked in darkness he lights one of the lanterns the miners used on the caverns to navigate.
The light makes shadows dance on the cavernous walls, and in a place like this can play a trick on the eye and make it seem like there is movement where there is none. He steps lightly to muffle the sound of his footsteps on the loose ground as each step seemed to echo around him… Or was it his footsteps he was hearing?
As he made his way further into the caverns, the silence seemed to grow. The air barely moved inside and became stagnant. The dust was heavy and could be seen by the shining light of the lantern. He stops to listen what again he thought were footsteps, but not his own. He makes his way toward the noise, carefully trying not to draw more attention to himself than he knew he already was. Drawing out his senses he could feel eyes on him from all around the light from the lantern still making shadows dance across the walls. Or were they really shadows this time? He concentrated his awareness to try and feel a killing intent of whom, or what was around him and lowered the lantern light until it was snuffed out.
After a few moments of letting his vision adjust to the darkness it seemed the area lit up on its own with an ambient sparkle of minerals being illuminated by fungi growing naturally in the cavern. There they were multiples of figures lining the walls. Tenrai slowly drawing his katana put himself into a defensive stance waiting for the attack to happen instead is met by a familiar voice.
“Welcome Bayushi-san, we have been expecting you.” The voice called out from in front of him. “I have tracked your progress these past years and I believe it is time that you joined our ranks. You have seen that the darkness still lingers, and that is what we must defeat once again.”
He looks to his sensei, Bayushi Harunobu, and after re-sheathing his katana took up his seiza position and bowed with the respect owed to him. “Stand Bayushi-san, it is time for your true mission to begin…”
“What mission is that sensei?”
“The one against the darkness as I said, and that which we have not yet met. A storm is coming Bayushi-san, and we will be the wall that stands against it’s waves. Your training begins now...”
“So what happened to the scorpion samurai that came a few weeks ago?” “Not sure. He seemed interested in the rumors of the catacombs though.” “Ah, well hope the tunnels didn’t collapse on him. That place is dangerous without the proper equipment.” “I tell ya those samurai just think they’re invulnerable to the world. Of course I would hate for more of them to be coming in this way trying to investigate this place.” “I hear ya, we were doing just fine before they decided to take this place over. I mean what with us being so close to shinomon and all why would anyone really want this place to begin with?” “Yea oh did you hear about the attack the other night? Apparently a herd of creatures came out of the forest, but before they were even fully out of the place they were outright killed.” “Really? By who?” “I don’t know they were all apparently covered in black, brown, or blue robes. No one could really make out who they were.” “So they were ninjas!?”
The door slides open to the inn as a familiar figure to the locals walks in.
“Oh Scorpion-sama we thought you had perished in the tunnels, or maybe even had been attacked by ninjas!”
Tenrai looks at the two peasants who were talking and gives them a smirk from behind his mask. “You fools… Ninjas don’t exist….”
