Nightblade (37 page)

It appeared running away wasn't going to be an option.

Glancing around, she saw that she was also under guard. Two of the monks stood a couple of paces away, watching her. There was hesitation in their eyes. The gag indicated she wasn't supposed to be speaking to them. The Abbot must have been worried about her inciting a bit of rebellion.

Moriko resigned herself to her situation, at least for a time. There was nothing to be done, and her head was ringing too much to be of any real use. Best to recover as much as she could for whatever was coming next. She knew it wouldn’t be pleasant. He’d kept her alive to kill her in his own time, make her a symbol.

She didn't have long to wait. The next day the Abbot came forth and with the help of several monks, placed her up against the wall. They didn't even untie her legs, just her arms to tie her to the wall again. Her robe was ripped off, exposing the mass of scar tissue on her back, and the Abbot went to work.

The pain came over Moriko in waves, fire lashing up her back with the caress of the Abbot's work. Her scars re-opened, trickling blood down into the white snow. He never went in to finish the job. He just stood there, methodically tearing her back into shreds until her world went black yet again.

When she awoke she was in the Abbot's quarters. She was not gagged, but tied the same way she had been when she awoke the time previous. Her back was on fire, a situation not helped by the way her arms were tied behind her. They hadn’t bothered redressing her. When she looked around, she knew why she wasn't gagged. The only person nearby was the Abbot who was bringing her stew and water.

He knelt in front of her and brought her mouth to the bowl. Moriko wasn't sure what the Abbot was up to, but she was so hungry and her mouth so dry she didn't care. She accepted without question.

The Abbot fed her the entire bowl and gave her plenty of water to drink. When she was done there was only one question. "Why?"

"Because, my dear, I want you to get better, to heal. Once you do, I will do it again, and heal you again, until some part of you breaks. Maybe it will be your body, maybe your mind, but you will break, and then I will have my satisfaction."

Moriko wanted to throw up, wanted to rid herself of the food, to starve herself instead of partaking in the torture, but she couldn't. The food was warm in her belly, and for a moment at least, she was somewhat content. The Abbot went back to his daily duties, taking one last look at Moriko. She could feel his eyes crawling up her skin.

The Abbot smiled. "It's a shame really, to destroy you. You are a rather beautiful girl. Perhaps I would have taken you for a wife someday."

Anger and despair washed over Moriko. The Abbot was a careful man. Escape was going to be next to impossible, and there was nothing she could think of. She missed the woods, and she missed her father. She didn't want to let the Abbot see her tears, but she couldn't hold them back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

They had been fortunate to find a large tree rotted out near its core. With some digging, Ryuu had been able to create a space just large enough for Takako to lie down and Ryuu to sleep sitting up. It wasn’t as comfortable as the places they were used to, but it was warm and kept them dry while it snowed around them.

A full moon of peace and quiet gave them enough time to get into a routine. Ryuu spent a lot of time hunting, collecting as much food as he could before the winter made it more difficult to find. Takako spent her days preparing the food, preserving as much as she could. When she had spare time she made small improvements to their tree, such as making herself a bed of twigs and needles that was almost comfortable. Ryuu was amazed by her ability to dedicate herself to creating a home given how transient they were.

They were both in the tree, watching a heavy snow fall around them, when Ryuu sensed something he had never before experienced. It felt like the sun had exploded on the horizon. Someone had released an incredible amount of energy, energy like Ryuu had never experienced before. Even more perplexing, it was at least a day’s journey away. There was no way he should be able to sense anything at that distance.

Takako had seen his face go pale when it occurred and asked him what the matter was. Ryuu tried to explain it to her, but he didn’t have the words to describe it. Every living thing gave off energy, but not like that.

That night he didn’t sleep well. He spent much of the evening attempting to sense anything else that would give him some clue as to what had happened. Whatever it was, it seemed important that Ryuu figure out what had caused it. The past few moons had made it obvious there was still too much he didn’t know. If he was going to live he needed more knowledge. He would have to get closer to find out more.

He debated his course of action through the night, but when the sun rose he had a plan.

When Takako awoke he had already made breakfast for her.

As she ate he broke the news of his plan.

“I need to leave for a few days.”

She looked at him, shock on her face.

“You’re leaving?”

“Just for a few days, but I need to find out what happened yesterday. If I don’t know what it is, someday it may be dangerous to us. I’d like to leave you here, where it’s safe, and come back in a few days.”

Takako had some strong objections.

“Why would I be safe here? Orochi can sense me. It doesn’t much matter if I’m in a tree.”

Ryuu shook his head. “Not here. This forest can hide people even from the sense.”

Takako didn’t have to ask for clarification. Her expression was obvious enough.

“I don’t know if you can tell, but this forest is alive with energy. I’m very strong in the sense and I know your aura well. I could recognize it in a city hundreds of paces away. But here, in the forest, there is so much life I would have to be almost on top of you to notice you. I promise you, hiding here is going to be much safer than coming with me. It could be dangerous."

Takako did not want to be left alone. Ryuu insisted. He didn’t want the responsibility of watching Takako. She slowed him down. He gave her instructions if he wasn’t back in a few days, but he wasn’t worried. She could take care of herself.

He packed light, bringing just enough dried food for a couple of days on the road. He did everything he could to reassure Takako, but he recognized in the end he'd just have to move forward.

With a tight embrace he was off. He didn't look back.

Ryuu moved towards the source of the disturbance. He kept up a trot that lasted throughout the day, eating up the leagues between him and his destination.

As he drew closer, Ryuu sensed he was approaching a small village. He drew a cloak over himself to hide his sword and entered the village as a wandering traveler. He traded some of his skins for food, and the friendly street merchant was happy to tell him more about the area. The piece of information that Ryuu found most interesting was the piece about the monastery nearby.

Although Ryuu didn't dare press the merchant with direct questions, it seemed as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred in the village. People were going about their business as they would any other day. No one seemed nervous or fearful. Whatever had happened hadn't happened here. His stomach dropped a bit. The event had to have come from the monastery.

Ryuu went to another merchant to purchase more goods and acquire more information. He found what he was looking for in an elderly gentleman selling trinkets of the Faith.

"Good morning, sir."

"Morning, lad. Come to see some of my relics?"

Ryuu tried to give him a genuine smile, as he hoped a believer would. The old man had as many relics as Ryuu had wives, but it didn't hurt to humor him. "Yes, actually, I was hoping to visit the monastery."

The old man furrowed his eyebrows. "What would a young man like you want up at Perseverance?"

"Well, sir. I'm the son of a scribe, and my father asked me to travel this way to copy some of the sacred texts they keep there."

The old man's suspicions dissipated. "I see. Well, be careful. The Abbot up there is hungry for power and has the strength to match."

Ryuu digested all of this information. Perhaps the Abbot was the source of the event he had sensed. He thanked the man for his information and directions, traded a few of his remaining skins for a trinket and went on his way.

He didn't have to follow the old man's directions for very long. Soon after he left the village he began to sense a power unlike anything he had come across before. Someone in the monastery was giving off an incredible power.

Shigeru had always cautioned him about going anywhere near monasteries. Their purpose was to seek out those who might be sense-gifted. Shigeru also told him they were often above average warriors as well. It was about the worst place for a nightblade to be.

Ryuu also knew the monks had trouble sensing he was a nightblade. Shigeru had held on to some theory the sense manifested itself in different ways and that monks were only trained in recognizing and working with one manifestation of the sense. Ryuu wasn't sure about the why but he hoped his luck around monks would hold.

He stopped in his journey and got off the path. There was a small copse of trees a couple of hundred paces off to the side where it looked like he could remain hidden. If he was going to be approaching a monastery, it seemed much more sensible to do it at night.

Ryuu worked himself into the trees and laid down. The best course was to get some rest. Approaching a monastery seemed like it would take all his energy.

He awoke in darkness, and as he looked around and took in the moon he determined he had slept into the early evening. The moon would have to go much further across the sky before most people would be asleep. The night was crisp and clear. He approached the monastery with caution and sensed the two guards long before he got to the walls.

They both seemed to be located close to the center of the compound. Ryuu smiled to himself. Of course they wouldn't need to walk the perimeter, or be anywhere near it. They could sense anyone coming without having to expose themselves at all. It also meant they would be hard to sneak up on.

Ryuu considered the problem. They hadn't noticed him yet. There was no activity in the compound. He didn't trust that he would be able to sneak up right to the walls though. They might not be able to detect him from here, but they certainly would notice anyone right next door.

Finally he decided there was nothing for it. If he was going to get into the monastery, he'd have to do it the old-fashioned way. He gathered his cloak around him and pictured himself as a weary traveler. He did his best to allow his sense to settle, to rely only on his eyes and ears.

He shuffled up to the gate. Ryuu reached up and gave a timid knock, but he sensed the two guards were already coming to the gate. He relaxed. They didn’t approach expecting trouble. They walked casually, talking between themselves. It was clear monasteries were not used to being infiltrated. They unlatched the gate, not even bothering to see who it was.

Ryuu didn't give them time to ask him a question. The very breath that the gate was open and he could see both of them he struck out with his hands. Within moments they were both on the ground unconscious. He wasn’t interested in killing them if he could help it.

Ryuu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He let his sense expand and fill up the small compound. One building was younger monks all sound asleep in their beds. Training to kill him someday, Ryuu reflected. The thought caused his heart to sink. Another building was full of older monks, more seasoned experts. They too were asleep.

But the building in front of him was the source of the energy. Ryuu forced himself to finish scanning the monastery. There was a small stable with a few horses and another building whose purpose Ryuu couldn't discern. There was nobody in it though.

Ryuu's interest was the building in the center. He walked straight towards it and entered through the front door, unprepared for what he was about to encounter.

His first shock was that there was a girl in the room, about as old as he was. She was gazing at him curiously, and Ryuu returned the gaze. She was gorgeous, but not just because of her looks. Even bound on the floor, Ryuu could see the poise and power she possessed, the willpower and the energy. But the most interesting fact about her was that he hadn’t sensed her there.

It put Ryuu immediately on his guard. He thought the only person who could do that was Orochi. An accomplice perhaps? If so, he should be grateful. A closer inspection revealed she was in pretty bad shape. She had been beaten and was covered almost from head to toe in bloody welts and cuts.

Although Ryuu did not step any closer, he spoke to the girl, his tone cautiously neutral.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Moriko."

"What happened to you?"

"I disobeyed the laws of the monastery," She paused, but then saw Ryuu was waiting for more. "I killed a monk who was abusing a young girl."

Her answers stoked Ryuu’s ever-present curiosity. A girl who was strong enough to kill a monk, whom he couldn't sense, but killed for good reasons? She seemed interesting.

"Do you know Orochi?"

The girl's reaction was subtle, but unmistakable. She knew the name. She didn't lie. "Yes, he was my master."

Some pieces fell into place for Ryuu. His revenge started tonight. He drew his blade and stepped towards her. He had already sealed her fate in his mind.

"A student of Orochi's does not deserve to live. Be at peace." He rose the sword to strike when two events happened simultaneously.

The first was Moriko's reaction. She looked at him, smiled gently, and said, "Thank you."

The second was that the great power source began moving in the building. Ryuu had pushed his thoughts of it aside while the girl was the focus of his attention. Now that it was on the move it came back to the forefront of his awareness.