Blade of Burden: Chapter 2
An unwanted guest.
“You can come out now, Haru.”
The cave was silent, save for the shallow breathing of the samurai. He lay sprawled on the rocky ground, his body quivering from the aftermath of another assault. Once again the sword, which hummed with arcane power, had restored him by knitting body parts together. The loop of pain and torment in this place was endless. Across from him at the cave’s edge, a wire-framed shadow appeared as if to answer his call. A peasant boy, no more than 14, clutched the watery outcrop he had been hiding behind. “Is... it gone?” His words crept out almost too scared to reveal themselves. No louder than a whisper they were followed by wide eyes that scanned the shadows, searching for another lurking threat. “What was that thing?”
“That nightmare," The samurai uttered but suddenly coughed blood and spit it aside, "is what resides in this darkness.” He pushed himself into a kneeling pose, beginning to meditate, as the final traces of pain evaporated. “It is indeed a dangerous entity. You were wise to heed my warning before it appeared.”
“I watched it kill you. The local folktales speak of horrid Yokai, like the old forest Tengu, who devour men at night. But that... that thing was evil, I watched it tear into you like you were nothing.”
“Yes, it’s unlike anything you’ve heard from your elders.” His voice hardened as he watched Haru. “But I managed to detract it for long enough."
"By sacrificing yourself? So it would have killed me, too?"
"No, I doubt that. You would have been treated much worse. Being an outsider from the valleys, you have no training to resist its manipulations. Instead, I suspect its possession would be instantaneous, and from there, your body would be used to wield my sword. Without a suitable master, the demon would escape into the world with you as its puppet.” The samurai studied the boy's pale face, his heavy gaze calculating every move he made. Realizing he had scared the boy he acted to lighten the mood. "But fear not it cannot manifest itself indefinitely. For now Haru, it seems dormant because I cannot sense its presence in the air. You are safe to move." He said in a comforting but tired tone. After glancing around the cave, Haru ran the remaining distance to the samurai.
His steps although cautious felt like bounding stomps over the rocky floor. Halfway through the space, Haru caught sight of a furry splatter of something on a rock to his left, and as he glanced closer, he shivered to his core. A discarded carcass of the decapitated rodent the demon had played with earlier. The sight caused the boy to almost vommited in disgust from such cruelty residing in the cave.
“So, Are you going to help me?” Haru blurted out as he approached. The samurai was caught off guard by the fierceness in the boy’s voice but it trembled, betraying his resolve. He roared with determination when he first met the samurai in his cave, but now fear stained his words and he avoided eye contact. The samurai could feel the boy’s desperation and knew he could wield it as leverage.
“This question again! You are quite bold, but my answer remains, no." The samurai grunted with a hardened voice. He kept his meditation posture kneeling on the floor."All I will do is lead you to the hole you fell through, beyond that you are on your own. I'm sorry, I can’t help your father.”
“Can not, or will not?” Haru’s expression shifted, his voice cracking. Haru turned to face the samurai and pleaded, grabbing his kimono, “He's dying!”
The force of the boy knocked the samurai out of his pose and he quickly rose to his feet. Towering over Haru he responded by wrenching his arm away while he backed up, frustrated to continue the discussion. “Enough! I told you, you're on a fool's errand, boy. I've roamed all around these mountains and what you are searching for, an enchanted waterfall, it doesn't exist."
"But you use magic” Haru rebutted, “I saw you come back to life."
"Magic is real, but not the kind you’re looking for. Now, we don't have time for this idle chatter, neither does your father. You've got to leave before the demon returns.”
“But he needs it. Whoever drinks the water can be healed of any illness! I'm not leaving until you agree to come with me”
“Quiet! Don't say another word,” The samurai hissed, glancing around frantically as if an invisible force had invaded the cave. Haru froze, instantly regretting his outburst. But the surrounding rock remained still. It was a rouse. The samurai seized on Haru's confusion gripping him by the collar. "Look! I thought a display of the demon's power was evidence enough to leave this cave, but I can see my point is not getting through to you." The samurai muttered dragging the boy towards the hole, "You're wasting your time if you think I will help you. You should let me be in this cave." The pair ended up where he found the boy earlier that morning, Haru fighting to escape the whole distance. At the threshold, the samurai bent down to examine the crack, narrow enough for a small person to fit through. How had he wiggled down through the earth without triggering my protective wards? But it wasn't time to ponder that now.
The samurai took a hard look at Haru and directed him. "Climb."
"Do you know something?" Haru whispered, his gaze defiant. "You're as heartless as that fiend!"
"Mind what you are saying to me, boy. I said climb."
"I see it in you both. A coldness, aren't you supposed to save people?"
The samurai didn't react, but instead, a hand drifted on his sword slowly drawing it from its sheath. Battle-hardened eyes locked on the young boy and Haru stiffened, realizing his peril. “See?” he said, his voice cracking. “You’re as quick to draw your weapon on me as that creature was to kill you. Maybe there’s no difference between the two of you.” He said hoping the reason might evoke some compassion. But the sword kept emerging, and the samurai intentionally pulled to grind against the hard lid. It made an unnatural grinding sound that pierced deep into Haru.
He recoiled under the presser and then submitted, raising his hands. "Ok, I give in. I'm going." He cried while backing up to the cave wall. The samurai now satisfied he had gotten his point across resheathed his sword. With a free hand, he fished around his clothes and pulled out some food.
"Here, this will sustain you for a day or two until you arrive at your village. I also have two gold coins. Take them. They will be of more use to you than they are to me."
After taking the offerings reluctantly Haru hoisted a leg into the crack. "I pity your father. I hope you acquire the medicine he sorely needs. Haru scowled at the samurai, it looked like one last remark or insult bubbled to the surface, but he hesitated, instead drawing away with a sigh. Watching the small boy disappear into the hole the samurai felt a stab of guilt. Haru's words lingered in the pit of his stomach, "Maybe you're no better than the demon." It was hard to swallow but the boy didn't know the true danger he was in. He scanned the air—still no sign of the demon, no faint scent of cherry blossoms. With a resigned breath, he turned back to the cave's center, preparing to resume his training.
But no sooner had he returned when a large rumble rocked the surroundings. As he turned his heart sank to catch sight of Haru's body exploding from the crack he had entered. It tumbled, crashing onto the ground lifeless, limb and broken.
"NO!" He wailed sprinting over to the boy. He was barely alive, a feint but detectable heartbeat was readable. The samurai worked fast placing a hand over the small body. As soon as he willed his magic minuscule particles manifested through his hand and floated downward. They vitalized him, stabilizing him for the moment.
"What .. happened?" A whisper escaped Haru's lips, too weak to carry in the air. At the same time, something inaudible hissed its way into the cave causing the hair on the back of the samurai's neck to stand on end, but he ignored it.
"You must have triggered one of my wards you fool, as you climbed out. Now lie still while I heal you. We must get you ..."
A blood-curdling roar erupted from the depths below. Both of them looked at each other, terror filling their eyes. The nightmare had awoken again, drenched in malice, its voice rippling through the cave.
"SAMURAI!"
🙃🙃🙃🤗🤗🤗😘😘😘😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰
Of course the teenage boy complicates things by being careless.