Random - Where shadows lurk

Kumo whinnied quietly, shaking its fine head furiously. Ryu kept a hand on the grey's shoulder to calm it down, at the same time keeping his other hand poised to grab the sword hilt should the need arise. Its been like this for the past week, he thought to himself. Travel by night, rest by day. This was what Genrou had insisted on. The fearsome shadow demons were nocturnal creatures, and it was safer to stay moving than remain in one place while they were around.

From atop his seat, he glanced downwards to the side at his best friend. Should they stand on level ground, Ryu would be looking slightly upwards as Genrou was taller by an inch or two. At the moment, his friend was looking watchful, his sharp senses alert to the surroundings. Their pace was slow as so not to make a lot of noise, as well as to ensure nothing was approaching them.

Genrou suddenly paused, holding a hand up. Frowning, he looked sideways to his left. Ryu instantly grasped the sword hilt but Genrou shook his head, still peering into the dense bush. Then without warning, he leapt sideways, disappearing into the thick foliage.

There was a brief scuffle, a few muffled cries, then Genrou emerged behind another figure.

Ryu blinked. Even though it was hooded, he could tell it was feminine. She was wearing long black robes that concealed her efficiently in the shadows, and a simple rope was tied loosely around her waist. "Who are you?", he asked.

She didn't answer, and from the way she stood, it was as though she was determined not to.
"Answer the nice man, miss", Genrou leaned forwards to whisper. Her back stiffened, and Ryu thought he saw the sharp point of a dagger held there. She still refused to answer.

Ryu frowned slightly. There was a disturbing air about her, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "Where are you from?".

Still no answer.

Genrou tisked, then without warning jerked her hood back. Black hair tumbled to her shoulder, and Ryu suddenly found a pair of dark eyes glaring at him malevolently. There were red specks in them, and they glowed in the night. She still hadn't moved, her arms crossed, and her gaze towards Ryu was unwavering. She didn't even give the dragonet sitting in front of him a second glance.

"She's from the Hitera", Genrou spoke up, ending the silence. "Her robes match the monks there. And if I'm not mistaken...". His hand came up to brush her hair aside from her neck. There was a tattoo there of a stylised flame in red dye that glowed in the darkness. "Level six, ne?", he muttered next to her ear, "I'm impressed, miss".

"How do you know so much about us?" she demanded then, whipping around to face him.

"She talks!", Genrou laughed and the tip of his dagger appeared on the base of her throat, then warned, "Don't try anything".

"Genrou...", Ryu cautioned.

"Members of the Hitera are killers", his friend answered the unasked question, "Trained in the black arts to murder in cold blood ever since birth. They consider themselves superior to others, and think all other races are scum".

Genrou began to circle her, his eyes narrowed as he scrutinised her. The girl looked furious, but bit back any comments she wanted to make. From behind, he once again drew her hair away and leaned forwards to sniff the tattoo. "She's alone", he told Ryu. To the girl, he whispered, "Say miss, what are you doing out alone here like this? If I'm not mistaken, all the Hiterians work in pairs. Where's your male partner? I can't smell him on you".

What happened next, Ryu couldn't make out much as it seemed as though she had whipped around to face Genrou. There had been the sound of a rip; Genrou's dagger having rested on her back. There had been scruffling, and suddenly Genrou was lying on his stomach with the girl's knee on his spine. A closer examination revealed that the rope previously around her waist was now around Genrou's neck.

"I killed my partner", she told him in a threatening voice. She tightened her hold on the rope, causing Genrou's head to jerk up, "The same way I'm going to kill you".

Despite the severity of the situation, Ryu laughed. She looked up at him, startled. "Hey Genrou, it's the first time a girl's bested you in wrestling", he chuckled.

"Ceh, asshole", Genrou rolled his eyes, ignoring the rough fibre cutting into his throat, "You haven't seen all my tricks yet".

Ryu hopped off Kumo and strode up to the girl. "He meant you no harm", he told her, "He's always like that".

There was a flicker of confusion in her eyes. Genrou sensed it and instantly twisted around. Somehow, he managed to reverse the situation. Now, the girl was lying on her back and Genrou was straddling her. This time, two daggers had appeared in his hands and he had them positioned across her neck. "Now, miss", he said easily, "What's your name? Like my friend said, I'm Genrou and he's Ryu Kajiki".

When she refused to answer again, he added a bit more pressure on the blades. "Kibo", she finally answered, "They call me Kibo".
Ryu took hold of Genrou's shoulder and hauled him off. Offering the girl a hand, he helped her up. "Genrou overdoes everything. But really, he means no harm".

Genrou snorted at that. As the girl glanced his way, he tucked the weapons back among the folds of his robe. He noticed her gaze and narrowed his eyes. "You see it, don't you? Two daggers under my sash. Three up my sleeves, as well as six hira shuriken. A sword by my waist and another strapped to my thigh. There is a cross-bow with assembly rate thirty seconds max and loading time five seconds under my robe, as well as the arrows. And yes, they are tipped with poison".

She regarded him carefully. "You also have a blowgun up your trousers leg", she said flatly, "Poison darts, some of which are tipped with atropine, curare, hyoscine, muscarine and...", she took a small sniff, "Cyanide. Caltrops, throwing discs, gun powder...", she narrowed her eyes at him, "Paranoid, aren't you?".

"Like I said,", he remarked in an equally soft voice, "I'm impressed". Suddenly, Ryu wasn't sure how, a small blackened dart appeared in his hand, held in a manner that suggested he was about to flick it in the girl's direction.

"That's enough", Ryu stepped between them, breaking of the glares, "Both of you". Turning to the girl, he told her, "Kibo, it's not safe for you to walk these forests alone. Where are you heading? My comrade and I would accompany you".

Beside him, Genrou snorted, "If what she said is true friend, then she is on the run. Her people will be looking for her. We already have our hands full with the shadow demons, and we don't need the Hiterians on our trail".

"Genrou", Ryu snapped, "We cannot leave her alone, defenseless...".

His friend gave a small bark of laughter, "She is of the Hitera!". Glancing at the girl, he remarked, "Miss here is highly trained, and already level six. She will have no problem defending herself".

"You're always so sure Genrou", Ryu pointed out, "But you never really know".

"Oi! Fucking asshole. .".

The girl looked back and forth between the two, confusion clouding her eyes. As if curious to see what all the commotion was about, something rustled from under her robe to come up from her collar. Eyes shades darker than Genrou's glinted in the night.
The dragonet, which had been silent all this while, suddenly let out a sharp, high-pitched 'keer', startling the two young men. Ryu only had time to say, "Wha...", when Genrou dashed forwards to shove him to the side.

"Die!", he roared, launching himself at a dark figure which had detached itself from the shadows. Demons!, Ryu realised in horror, why now? Why... He broke off his train of thought as another figure dropped out of the trees above.

His hand instantly having found the grip of his sword hilt, he spun around, drawing the weapon out. The scything motion found the flesh of the first demon, and was instantly positioned to face the next which had previously been behind him. Ryu narrowed his eyes. In the dark, the demons were nothing but darker silhouettes.

He had to concentrate. 'They are here to harm the dragon', he told himself. The thought caused the familiar battle rage to flare up. 'I must protect the dragon... I must protect it with my life . . '.

Genrou's lips were curved with teeth exposed, but he wasn't smiling. He felt like it though, as he savoured the sensation of his claws ripping cold flesh as well as the hot, stinging lifeblood the Akui had dripping from them to the ground.

'You'll all pay', he swore to himself, 'For what your kin did to mine'.

----------

The red haze faded slowly from Ryu's eyes. He blinked, shaking his head to try clear the fog in his mind. Looking ahead, he gaped when he saw Genrou's grinning, though slightly uncomfortable visage just a foot away. He moved his gaze downwards and dumbly gazed at his broad sword which had torn right through his friend's robe and into a tree trunk.

"You owe me a new outfit friend", Genrou remarked, tucking something under his sash.

Having caught sight of it, Ryu gaped at him in disbelief, "Genrou! You were going to dart me?!".

He shrugged, pulling sideways to free himself of the blade, "It was either that, or...". He gave the sword Ryu was holding a pointed look. Slightly embarrassed, Ryu sheathed the weapon and stepped back.

Genrou smoothened his tunic and half-robe and was prepared to step away when Ryu exclaimed, "Genrou, she's gone!".
"I know", he replied calmly, "The moment she left, so did the demons. Good riddance if you ask me".

"Genrou...".

"No", he said flatly, his tone indicating that there was nothing else to discuss.

Ryu stared at his friend in disbelief. A part of him told him to go after the girl. After all, even though she was 'level six' as Genrou had pointed out, she didn't appear to have any weapons at hand to fight off the demons. Plus there was something odd about her... On the other hand, pursuing her would mean endangering the dragonet's life as the demons loathed the reptiles...

Ryu started then. 'Wait a minute...', he frowned, 'The demons should've stayed here then, not gone after her. What's so important about her that made the demons chase her instead of the dragonet?'. "Stay here if you want then", Ryu finally said, "I'm going after her".

----------

Ryu didn't know why but his instinct was guiding him through the maze of trees and dense underbush. It was almost as if something was beckoning him to follow. Puzzling himself further, he felt the battle lust strike up; something that happened only if a dragon was in danger. But wasn't the dragonet safely guarded by Genrou?

Faint sounds reached his ears. Ryu skidded to a stop to fully comprehend the situation.

A demon was standing not far from him, facing a wounded Kibo. Blood was running down the side of her face while her dark robes were torn. There was a long gash on the side of her arm while bruises were already forming on her pale skin, but she ignored all these as she maintained her defensive stance. The demon's form flickered, showing it too was injured. However it was still attempting to fade into the shadows as its form kept on contantly changing from flesh to mist.

Other demons were also gathered around, some in the trees, others surrounding Kibo. All were frozen, as if in a tableau. Kibo's eyes were moving, contantly flickering back and forth from demon to demon. If she noticed him, she gave no indication of it. The demons appeared to be waiting, as if for a signal to attack. Ryu also found himself holding his breath...

The injured demon suddenly charged. Kiba moved aside at the last instant, grabbing a dead demon's claw and using it to rip at the attacking one. Taking that as a cue, the surrounding demons closed in.

Ryu was about to jump deep into the flay of battle when a voice spoke up, "Oi, friend, it's about time you arrived". A silhouette appeared in front of him.

"Genrou...", Ryu frowned, about to ask a question but then decided to hold it off, "I don't have time. I've got to help her".

"Make time".

"Genrou, why are you stalling me?", Ryu demanded, moving forwards. Genrou didn't budge, but held a hand out to restrain him.

"Just curious...", Genrou said calmly, "Why did you leave your dragonet unattended back there, vulnerable to any other wandering demons, eh asshole?".

Ryu's eyes widened and he became oblivious to the battle heating up several feet away, "I thought you were guarding it!".

Genrou cocked his head to the side, "Eh? I'm not the one who pledged myself to Kyilat". Seeing the anxiety in his best friend's face forced him to add, "That mule of yours is still with it, and it's not going anywhere".

Ryu glared at him fiercely. Just as he turned to go though, a cry from the side made him pause for a second, torn between helping the girl and protecting his charge. He turned around again, "Genrou...".

Genrou opened his moth to protest, but when he saw the malignant expression in Ryu's green eyes, said instead, "Very well. Go protect your lizard friend, and I'll help the girl".

----------

When Ryu returned, he was startled to find Genrou and Kibo standing across each other, each trying to glare the other down. The girl was holding one of Genrou's daggers in her hand and her stance suggested she was going to strike at any moment. Genrou on the other hand stood tall, no visible weapons in hand and kept his gaze trained on her.

"What the hell..." Ryu started. Genrou's eyes flickered over to him for a second. In an instant, Kibo launched herself at the young man.

"Ceh", Genrou spat out scornfully, instinctively throwing up his arm to intercept the sash. The girl froze then, staring at the weapon in disbelief. The blade lay against his skin, yet did not nick him. Genrou grabbed the dagger then and without a flicker in his expression, punched the girl right in the midsection.

Ryu's mind was demanding that Genrou explain himself immediately, but kept it to himself. He knew Genrou, and knew that his best friend would explain himself in due time. Seeing him, Genrou grabbed the now unconscious girl and tossed her at him. "This place reeks of blood, so we have to go now, fast. You carry her back to camp. I want nothing to do with her. Understand?".

---------

Ryu could feel Genrou's distrustful eyes watching him as he tore strips of gauze for the girl's wounds. "You know, Genrou", Ryu started, "I'll be done much faster if you'd help me here".

"Dame da. I want nothing to do with her", Genrou repeated flatly, "And you're wasting that on her".

"Genrou, you're being ridiculous".

"Me?", he snorted, taking a seat on the grass and propping a leg up against his chest, "I'm not the one trying to help a cold-blooded murderer who's probably plotting our deaths right now, ne?".

"Well, if you're not going to help", Ryu said with more than a touch of irritation, "Then I suggest you go get us something to eat, ne?". Genrou glared at him. 'Eh?', he wondered, 'Why's Genrou sensitive all of a sudden?'.

"Ryu...", Genrou muttered, a small blade mysteriously appearing in his hand, "Don't move".

'What the hell . . ?', Ryu wondered, but then saw what had caught Genrou's eye. A small movement from underneath the girl's robe. He looked up questioningly at Genrou, to see his best friend fling it in the girl's direction.

There was a rip as the blade tore through the fabric, landing upright on the ground next to her. A small head emerged through the hole then, its faceted eyes blinking and shining in the darkness. All thoughts of how Genrou could have harmed the girl if he'd missed flew from Ryu's mind. The only thing he was able to utter then was, "Hoseki-ke...".

From behind, Kyilat's dragonet keered.

There was the sound of wood under great tension, followed by a faint but solid 'twk...'. There was a faint whistling sound.

An arrow struck a small disc which had been thrown upwards previously. Sunlight glinted off the arrowhead for a second, before it exploded violently, causing the disc shards to rain downwards towards the ground.

A figure of a young man at the opposite end of the courtyard lowered its bow, a strange satisfied smile on his thin lips. For a moment then, there was movement on the temple roof behind him. At almost exactly the same time, the young man whirled around while ducking, his hand grasping an arrow from the quiver slung over his shoulder.

A dagger embedded itself into the dirt just beside him.

As he nocked an arrow against the bowstring, the plain wooden frame rippled and stretched, increasing the tauntness of the bowstring. Dark blue began to spread over the bow frame while black lines grew to form a design of dark flames. There was the sound akin to a dragon screech then, as a blade emerged on the spine, broken off only at the handle.

A dark red eye narrowed.

There was a faint 'swish' as the arrow was released, and then the air was torn apart by the sound much like ripping silk as the arrow homed in on its target.

"Aaghhhh...", began someone's scream before it was abruptly cut off. A thud shortly after indicated a body had dropped onto the ground, followed by an explosion which announced its demise.

The disc pieces clattered onto the ground.

Kyudo lowered his transformed bow while his small fox-like ears twitched slightly. 'Stupid humans', he thought irately. Picking up the dagger and sniffing it, he was amused to find it was coated with curare, a paralysing poison.

There was more movement then.

Silence, then, "Kyudo, you may remove your blade".

He snorted derision, whipping off his blindfold to see his katana blade resting on the Elder's neck. "Ceh", he sneered, "Having my eyeight deprived is no handicap, old man".

"In your case, indeed", the Elder agreed, somewhat testily. Seeing that Kyudo made no attempt to remove the blade, the Elder rose his head so his pale grey eyes locked with dark red. Silence fell as each tried to stare the other down.

Kyudo's eyes suddenly flashed from black to blood-red. The Elder jerked backwards, his expression frozen in shock. The young man laughed then, drawing the katana away and sheathing it. Another robed figure appeared from behind the now paralysed figure.

"Kyudo", the second Elder cautioned him, "Remember your place".

"My place?", he sowled, "Watch your tongue, else you may find it gone".

The Elder ignored his threat, being obviously used to it. "We have a need of you".

Kyudo snorted, "Ceh, it's not another assassinate an emperor is it? Those are dull". The subtle resquest for bloodshed didn't pass by unnoticed by the Second Elder, who smiled faintly to himself in approval. A strip of cloth was produced and was held out to Kyudo.
"Track her down and bring her back. Kill anyone who gets in your way".

----------

Kyudo watched as the Elders vanished into the temple, clenching the fabric in his hand. He didn't need to sniff at it as he'd recognise the scent anywhere; it belonged to Kibo. 'Fools', he growled inwardly, glaring at where the Elders had been, 'I brought her here... why did you take her from my grasp?'.

Track her down and bring her back... His thin lips curved into a malicious grin, fully exposing his white teeth. In an instant, his fangs lengthened, and became normal once again. 'So, she's finally gotten sick of these filthy humans', he mused, strolling down the path towards the large bricked pond right in the middle of the courtyard, 'About time'. Stepping under the shade of the trees, he tossed the fabric into the calm waters.

The pond surface rippled before settling back into calmness, despite the breeze which had stirred up then. Kyudo peered into it intently. The waters began to darken for a moment, before turning to a strange smoke-like colour. "Kibo", he said softly. At his command, an image appeared, clearing the fog save for the sides.

A girl was sleeping, though her expression was in pain. Stands of her black hair was matted with dry blood. Cuts clotted with the dark liquid criss-crossed on her pale skin while bruises appeared in blotches. Kyudo's eyes widened in shock, his hand gripping the pond edges tightly, "What... ?".

There was another figure leaning over her, though this was male. A growl rose in Kyudo's throat. His form began to waver, as though uncertain of itself, but then he saw the young man was tearing gauze and tending to Kibo's wounds. Kyudo relaxed slightly. 'Damn', he thought, 'I haven't felt demon power for a while'.

He sighed to himself and began to absently check his weapons. 'Kibo, what have you gotten yourself into?'.