Dawn of the Samurai

While everyone was talking Maiko slipped out. She wanted to get as far away from everyone else as possible. Takahiro was asleep so wouldn't notice her gone for a while. She found a loose board and slid through. Running out into the night she kept going, heedless of the direction. She just needed to get away from all these terrible people. She just wanted her life back; not these lies but the real life she had before this all started.

 

Koza stepped out and took a walk in the forest. He felt that he was being watched.

*Meanwhile...*

"You three, go attack Maiko. I'll take Koza. One of them knows about the treasure, so don't kill until you get the information."

The three men nodded and took off in persuit of Maiko.

 

Maiko ran, uncaring. She never wanted to have all this happen. She felt more rejected than ever before and wondered what she had done to deserve this. Kaia was a bounty hunter who had hunted men for money so it was poetic that the tables had turned. Takahiro and Koza had lied to her and deceived her, but she had gone in good faith to avenge the now non existent death. She realised she had been manipulated like a puppet. She wanted it all to end as no one would miss her.

 

Koza sighed as he walked along. He knew his sister had ran off, but there was nothing he could say or do to stop her. An assasin dropped in front of his path.

"Good evening, Koza."

"Who the hell are you?" He asked as he drew his sword.

"My name is of no importance. You're going to die anyway, as will your sister. But not before one of you tells us where your clan hid the treasure."

"Treasure? What are you...." Koza suddenly was shocked.

"No. You fools can't be intent on releasing...."

"What we do with it, you don't need to know. Now tell me where it is!"

"Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged." The assasin said as he rushed forward.

 

Maiko tripped and fell. She could barely see through the tears. Picking herself up she changed direction onto a road and ran until she saw a house. Running up to the house she banged on the door. No one answered so she crept in and bolted the door. Checking around she noticed that no one but mice had lived here for some time. She secured the windows and doors before finding a corner to curl up in to sleep.

 

""She's in there. Should we strike?"

"No, we wait until she comes out. The captain told us to get the information on the treasure out of her first."

"Would you two shut up? She's going to hear us."

*Meanwhile....*

"Just give up. Go back and tell your masters that I'll have their heads."

"I don't think so. We'll deliver both your corpse and your sisters to our master before we'd ever consider surrender!" The assasin said as the battle continued to rage.

 

Maiko woke and slipped the bolt to leave the house.She ran back towards the road. No longer thinking straight, she ran like something possessed.

 

The three assasins surrounded Maiko and drew their weapons.

"Well well. We never thought you'd come out of there."

"Now tell us where your clan hid the Coro."

"If you do, we'll make yoyur death swift."

*Elsewhere...*

Koza beheaded the assasin that attacked him.

Now to go find Maiko... He ran swiftly, in hopes that he wasn't too late.

 

"I have no idea who you are of what you are talking about. I have no knowledge of anything of my accursed family. I wish I had never just learned of them. Kill me if you want. You will be doing me a favour."

 

"Heh, have it your way, girl." The man moved forward to strike, but soon fell dead.

"What the hell?!"

Both of the remaining assasins stared at Koza.

"Come on, we have to go tell the superiors!"

The men ran off.

"Good riddance. They didn't hurt you, did they sister?"

 

"I'm not your sister. I never was. I'm a puppet in a strange game that someone else controls." Her eyes became unfocused for a minute. "Excuse me but do I know you?"

 

"Why are you doing this?! Why must you deny the truth?" Tears streamed from Koza's eyes.

 

"I think you must have confused me with someone else. We have never met before. I'm Maiko by the way."

 

"Then my sister is truly dead....As the last of the Ishidas, I shall join my family in eternity...."

His eyes had a blank look as he drew his sword and stabbed himself through the chest. Tears streamed as he fell forward onto the ground.

 

"No" Maiko woke up from the nightmare in her mind and ran to him. She held him and treated the wound . "Luckily you are a lousy samurai, you managed to miss anything vital. It's still serious though. She gently removed the blade while applying pressure. "No, my brother, you will not die, but you will not get your own way either. You will live to suffer the pain you have caused me."

 

Koza struggled to keep his eyes open.

"Fine....I deserve that much...."

 

"Stay with me." Maiko wore strips of a spare shirt and bound the wound. "Remind me never to need help when you are around again. You are hopeless. You are weaker than you think, brother. You have failed me and now I must help you. You are pathetic."

 

"What are you talking about? If I hadn't have come, those assasins would have killed you....."

 

"Why are they after me? Up until I'd met you I never knew anything about this wretched family and its problems. Did you really think I could cope with every lie and manipulation that you all put on me? I am only human and I now know my family are evil and think nothing of deserting innocents until it is convenient for them. I was happy to die and you denied me even that."

 

"They're after us because our clan holds an item called the Coro. It's one of four parts of a key that is used to release a demon of great and terrible ower. The key was divided between the four great clans to keep someone from releasing the demon. Our parents left you behind because they didn't want to get you caught up in this whole mess, and I've done you a terrible injustice by dragging you back in...."