Tales of a Lost World 38

~Notes~
The fight between Ryuu and Arayu was supposed to be done in one chapter, but…it was just getting so long, what with the flashback and all. =P

Episode 38 A Sin That Can’t Be Forgiven

Ryuu draws his sword, and blazes into life as a swift current of fire runs through it, scorching the very air on the blade’s surface. “This is the end. I’m not gonna hold back. One of us has to die here!”

“I shall not fall, you fool,” Arayu replies in a sinister whisper, as he loads his Dark Arund with a pair of two arrows, each emitting a blinding glare of light.

The two of them stand on the premises of one of the destroyed buildings, still smoldering from the powerful blast that had robbed it of its shape in the first place. Corpses lay on the ground, swimming in pools of soot and charred earth, their faces unrecognizable and indistinguishable from each other.

Ryuu steps towards Arayu with lightning speed, swinging his sword as it erupts into plumes of blue and yellow to join with the red already breathing in it.

Slicing the very air in half, Ryuu swings his sword, watching as it cuts a large arc in the sky. He brings the entire force of his blade forward, until it crashes into the ground, missing its target. The ground splits at the point the blade had struck it, creating a tiny crater.

Otis pops his head out of Ryuu’s shirt at that moment, screeching in terror. “Oi! Hey, you, big Redheaded Gorilla! Do you have to run around so recklessly swinging that sword?! You’re gonna get my precious shell broken!”

“Shut up! You’re annoying!” Ryuu growls over his shoulder at Otis.

Arayu reappears then, but only as a momentary flash behind Ryuu, before launching both of his arrows, They fly straight into his back like darts, and remain protruding out of the back of his jacket without moving.

“Oi! Watch it!” Otis screams, terrified.

Ryuu growls, gasping painfully before recovering, and plucking the arrows from his back, crushing the feathers that had composed of the arrow shaft’s tail.

“Heh,” Ryuu growls, “lucky shot.”

“I do not consider it lucky,” Arayu retorts back. Without warning, another round of golden arrows soar through the air, piercing Ryuu in almost the exact same locations.

Ryuu doubles over, breathing harshly, while Otis reels, but a fierce smirk remains glued to Ryuu’s lips. “Heh! And I keep telling you that it’s a lucky shot.”

Not even bothering to remove the arrows this time, Ryuu stands straight up, watching as Arayu disappears, circling him like a beam of flashing light. ‘Damn, I never knew he could move this fast…it’s like watching a bullet fly from the barrel of a gun.’

Another blast of arrows rounds on Ryuu’s left. He turns, his eyes having followed the arrow straight from the bow. He plants his sword deep into the ground, crying out, “Explosion!”

The ensuing blast consumes the entire battlefield, as dancing embers leap into the air, flying about for many long moments, scorching the very earth, which has already been burnt by the previous explosives.

Arayu is forced to pause in his tactic of circling Ryuu. He brings his left arm up to shield his face, struggling to stand against the powerful gusts of wind and fire fueling the explosion.

Finally, as the explosion clears, both Arayu and Ryuu remain standing, glaring at each other, if not a little blackened from the resulting soot.

Otis dances about on Ryuu’s shoulder, crying desperately aloud. “Damn! That was hot! Do you really have to be so recklesssss?”

“And I keep telling you to shut up!” Ryuu protests.

“What a reckless attack,” Arayu mutters. “An offensive technique that also happens to be simultaneously used as a defensive technique.” His eyes stray down to the burnt shafts of his arrows, lying feebly on the floor.

“That’s why I told you,” Ryuu growls, “that it was a lucky shot.”

“I think not,” Arayu replies. “The time for foolish displays of power is over. Now the true battle begins.” He loads his Arund with four arrows this time, watching as each turns into a glowing beam of golden light.

Nimbly letting his fingers stretch the bow, he fires, pausing momentarily to watch as the arrows sing through the air straight towards Ryuu. However, Arayu’s eyes quickly widen in abrupt surprise, as he realizes his arrows are directed towards no particular target.

‘Where’d he—?!’

“Right next to you, idiot!” Ryuu spits into Arayu’s ear. Arayu spins, only to watch as Ryuu draws his sword, a mass of red, blue, and yellow lights.

Unable to react, Arayu takes the hit, forced to watch as the blade of his enemy slices into his own flesh, releasing a steady flow of blood. The blood flies into the air, like water spouted from a fountain. It lands with a soft splash, staining the coarse ground.

Arayu himself is thrown far backwards, tumbling several yards and leaving a telltale trail of blood, before rolling to a stop on the floor. He rolls over onto his back, clutching the flesh between his left shoulder and arm, the spot where he’d been dealt the direct hit.

Otis screams once again, his shrill voice rising above the other noises in the area. “All right! Score one for Lord Otis and his cheeky subordinate, Redheaded Gorilla!”

Ryuu stands triumphantly over Arayu, staring grimly down at his fallen opponent. “Tch. I expected much more from you, judging by the big words you spoke. Besides that time long ago in Sanctum, we’ve never really had much of a chance to fight one-on-one. I expected much more.”

Ryuu solemnly strides over to stand over Arayu, taking him for paralyzed. He looks down at the fallen man with dark blue hair, and stares for several moments. “Hey. Tell me one thing.”

“Why should I lower myself to speak with a lowly villain such as yourself?” Arayu spits back, hatred blazing forth in every facet of his face.

“Because I want to know,” Ryuu replies nonchalantly, “I want to know why you want to have revenge against me so much. What did I ever do to you? I don’t care if I make enemies, but I would like to know why first.”

“You…killed my father…!” Arayu moans, as a swift tide of pain sweeps over him, consuming him as he speaks. “For that unforgivable sin, you must pay with your own blood!”

“Your father…?” Ryuu mutters. He kneels down over Arayu, bringing his own face hovering close over Arayu’s. “Hey. Listen up. I’ve killed a lot of people in my day. I’m not necessarily proud of it, but they were all necessary deaths. Who the hell was your father?”

“He worked for the Naraku,” Arayu growls, his face contorting with pain, “you slew him fourteen years ago in Ellinia Forest! I, his son, had to watch as he groveled in his own blood, pleading for me to seek revenge against the man who was responsible for ending his life!”

Ryuu’s eyes widen rapidly as Arayu continues with his explanation. He stumbles onto his own knees, his fingers absentmindedly clawing at the ground below him. ‘That man…that man…of all people, he was this guy’s father? The same one who…’

[14 Years Ago – Perion]

A fierce wind rips through the city of Perion, nestled between the walls of two large, rocky mountains, monstrous creatures rising high into the air. A smoky layer of cloud hovers low over the valley, as a very young warrior makes his way back into the mountain town, clutching a very battered Sparta in his right hand.

He holds his weapon high over his shoulder, and walks with a proud posture, if not a little weary. Behind him march several masked assassins, much taller and much older, but apparently the boy’s subordinates.

The boy stares with solemn green eyes—one, the one on the right, with two pupils—as he marches past the townspeople who have gathered out of their dreary homes to stare at this strange procession. He brushes some strands of red hair out of his eyes, and continues to march on, headed for a stone temple at the very peak of the town.

As he makes it to the very stone steps leading up to the temple, the temple’s doors are thrown open, and a dark-skinned man stands at the entrance, throwing his arms solemnly to welcome in the marching soldiers of war.

The boy enters the temple, but the assassins remain standing behind, bowing themselves out of the scene. Without further word, the doors of the temple slam shut, leaving the boy standing in a dank hall, with the sound of a fire blazing somewhere nearby.

With a soft click, the dark-skinned man sets the hearth alight, and the temple is suddenly illuminated with bright, overwhelming light.

The red-haired boy gazes around the temple, surprise reflected in his jade green eyes momentarily as he spots a woman sitting at the base of the temple. This woman has long brown hair reaching down almost to her lap, and in her soft, comforting grasp, she carries a newborn baby. Playing with a toy Steely at his mother’s feet is a second child with dark black hair, laughing hysterically—clearly not understanding at all the grave circumstances of the situation.

“Ryuu!” the woman cries upon seeing the boy.

Ryuu glances briefly at her, but does not stare for long, not daring to meet her eyes. “I have returned from the mission, Dances with Balrog.”

Dances with Balrog peers gravely from the mother to Ryuu, his expression grim. “Very well. Please give us the full report on what transpired at Ellinia Forest.”

“First—” Ryuu stutters, unable to think of any words to put his thoughts into. “First, what is…what is Karen doing here? She does not need—”

“There is no need to pretend, Ryuu,” Dances with Balrog answers, interrupting Ryuu. “We both know very well why she is present at this meeting this morning.”

Ryuu nods, staring down at the floor. “Very well. As you very well know, my platoon’s mission was to act as the decoy while Sheath and his men in Platoon C were to set up an ambush for the Naraku parties headed their way. However, by—”

“Mommy! I want some food! I’m hungry!” the young black-haired boy cries from his spot on the floor. The woman named Karen glances down at him, grasping him by the hand.

“Shh,” she whispers soothingly, “please be quiet, Kunai. I’ll get you some cookies later when we get out of here, okay? Please be quiet for Mommy for just a little while longer.”

Ryuu falters, having lost the rhythm of speech he had gained. Dances with Balrog nods encouragingly, signaling for him to begin speaking again. Ryuu swallows, returning the nod.

“However by…by error of miscalculation, one of the Naraku factions escaped from us before Platoon C had sufficient time to set up the ambush. As a result, they ran into them unprepared. In the ensuing chaos that followed, several of our men, as wells as theirs, were lost.”

“Please state the casualties,” Dances with Balrog replies in a solemn voice.

At these words, Ryuu lowers his head completely, until his face is completely obscured from view. “We lost many, sir. Mair—Grendel’s nephew—as well as Fain and Cassius. The only survivors from both platoons were Arai, Yttrius, Var, and myself.”

All of a sudden, the brown-haired woman named Karen loses control. She desperately leaps to her feet, screaming, “Sheath! Sheath! What about Sheath?!”

Ryuu does not meet her eyes, despite her screaming. “He was murdered by one of the Naraku’s Rangers. He was a powerful opponent, responsible for most of the casualties on our side. I slew him before any more harm was done. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stop him in time to save your husband, Karen.”

Karen plummets to the ground, bursting into uncontrollable sobs. Dances with Balrog bows his head. “Do not blame yourself, Ryuu. It was my fault for assigning three young boys, only weeks fresh out of the Training Academy, to such a difficult assignment for their first mission. You have done brave work, Ryuu. Do not blame yourself for what you could not prevent.”

For one brief moment, a flashing image of the scene in Ellinia Forest returns to Ryuu’s mind, and he clutches his own arm, shaking violently as he relives that particular moment.

Ryuu watches himself as he kneels down, drenched in wet blood mixed with sweat, over a dying man. The dying man is covered in his own blood, as he lies under the cover of a bower within the trees of Ellinia. He clutches his chest, where seven arrows stick out, having pierced his chest.

The dying man reaches out and grasps Ryuu’s hand, squeezing it slightly even as tears begin to well in Ryuu’s jade green eyes. “Ryuu…I don’t have much time left. I know I won’t make it out of this place tonight, so please…take care of my son, Kunai. Please teach him everything you know, in my place. I…I…”

Ryuu shakes his head, spilling tears all over the dead man’s face. “Sheath! Sheath! Please don’t die! Please don’t die! Don’t die!”

“It’s too late, Ryuu…” Sheath shakes his head from the floor. He closes his eyes, shielding for the last time the glimmer of life depicted in those black gems. “Ryuu, fulfill my dying wish. And lastly, grow strong…so that you can protect those you love next time.”

The uneven pulse Ryuu clutches in his hands suddenly stops altogether, and he lets the dead man’s arm fall to the ground limply. “Sheath! Sheath!”

Ryuu shakes himself, jerking out of the pseudo-reality he had placed himself in. He stares around, and notices Karen weeping on the floor. He strides over to her, and pulls her arm away from her blood red eyes.

“Karen,” Ryuu whispers, “please don’t cry. Sheath died a very noble death. He also had one last wish before he died…”

“What…what is it?” Karen mumbles between her sobs.

“He asked me to make Kunai strong.”

‘So here I am, looking down at the son of the man who killed Kunai’s father. Such a small world, that I’d meet the son of the very man who killed Sheath my mentor in those days. And then in turn I slew Arayu’s father.’

Ryuu stares down at the livid face of Arayu, a hint of mercy flashing very briefly across his eyes. Suddenly he turns, looking away from the frozen body of Arayu. “Hey. I’m getting pretty bored here. If you’re not gonna continue fighting, then I’ll be on my way.”

As Ryuu continues to stand still, arms folded, he hears behind him the shuffle of shoes on the scratchy earth floor. He stares down at the ground, watching the shadow of Arayu rising to his feet and drawing his bow once again.

“I will not fall from such a minor injury,” Arayu replies gruffly behind Ryuu.

Ryuu continues to stand with his arms folded, not showing any sign of a response to Arayu’s words. “Do you hear me?” Arayu continues, “I will not fall.”

“I heard you.” Arayu steps back in surprise at the sudden grin on Ryuu’s face. “Some silences are not because I didn’t hear you. They can also mean that I’m lost in thought. However, that moment’s passed. Whatever was making me hold back, it’s gone now. From now on, we’ll only keep fighting until one of us falls to the ground drained of life!”

“Yeah!” Otis cries.

Next Time: Episode 39 The Undying Fire

Otis: Wow, wow! So much action! I wonder who’s gonna come outta this alive?!

Arai: I hope it’s Ryuu!

Otis: Hey! Where did you come from, Cookie Cutter Gorilla?!

Kunai: [off in the distance] Hey! Araiii! Where are you?! Get back here and fight meeee!

Episode 39 The Undying Fire coming soon!

4 thoughts on “Tales of a Lost World 38”

  1. No one. Var’s just a filler name. Remember, except for Ryuu and Ayame, everyone else from the Joukai is dead.

  2. Awesome.

    Otis is obnoxious as all hell, and score one for Ryuu, this time around. Though I think you should delineate more clearly between ‘thought’ and ‘speech’; it get a little confusing at times.

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