Chapter 3 – The Ambivalent Secret

“Don’t you dare talk about my brother like that!” Aoi screamed as she charged at Raku with her sword at the ready as she held her weapon in the air, preparing to slice his head off enrage. “Take it back! TAKE IT BACK! SETH WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST LEADERS!”

“He abandoned his friends for that stupid clan! He left his best friend and hes stupid loyality to that stupid clan!” Raku blocked the sword with his dagger as he pushed Aoi away allowing her to crash to the cracked ground. “I should know, because it was Ignatious here who had to kill him!”

Aoi heart froze, as the words stung her like multiple dagger wounds to her heart. She rose from the ground as she eyed Raku gripping her sword even angrier than before, as she jumped in the air and performed her deadly techinique. The sword circled her head and came back to her chest as she repeated this process over and over again, till the sword itself look as if it was flying her into a great circle. Raku froze as he saw this stunt and gasped, as she approached him with great speed and strength, he countered back by dashing into square stabbing the air around him while Aoi prepared to circle him with her dancing blade.

“Circle of death!”

“Dagger storm!”

When the two collided their comrads stare at the huge ball of blood and clothes splatter around them, as the two fought dilligently, never ending and never ceasing to stop as the two never quit fighting. It felt as if a week had passed as the two of them ceased dashing around and faced each other panting with weary and pain, blood tricking from Aoi’s ripped trenchcoat, and Raku’s shattered Iron Crow uniform. The two collasped onto the floor as their comrads ran to them aiding their escape from their opponents; Haku carrying Aoi and Sakai carrying the blood stained Raku.

Aoi stood before her father as he looked upon her before the clan’s court, his eyes were filled apathy and his face filled with no emotion. She could only await her punishment for wandering around non-marked territories without her bodyguard next to her at all times. Ryn stood as the higher ranking clan members rose, signifying the great honor that he had. Aoi’s mother, Megumi, watched as her husband exited the room and sighed knowing that her daughter had once again disappointed him. Haku walked towards her as he placed his hand onto her shoulder and spoke words of encouragement, to make sure that she had learned from her mistakes and that she would never do it again.

“Haku, I’m sorry that I disappointed you as well. Now father’s shown me that I’ve disgraced our family… What am I to do?” She turned her head away as Haku smiled.

“Aoi you should know by now that your father is only worried about you, if he walked out of the room that means that he has not punished you. So think of it as a ‘don’t talk to me and just leave me alone, while I think about your actions in another room’ motion.”

Aoi pondered her thoughts, looking back at what Raku had told her about her brother. “He abandoned his friends for that stupid clan! He left his best friend and hes stupid loyality to that stupid clan!”She looked over at Haku who was still looking at her grinning and fixing his hat, then it occurred to her that he was Seth’s former bodyguard.

“Haku, weren’t you Seth’s bodyguard before he died?” Aoi turned to Haku as he placed the hat on his head again.

“Yes I was Aoi, why?… Don’t tell me that Raku person’s words are getting to you again…”

“He said Seth betrayed his friends for this clan! Surely you should know about that story!”

“Aoi… I swore to Seth, that if he died I would not tell a soul on why he took the responsibility of being leader of the clan. I won’t tell you, besides its time for your-“

“Haku, please tell me! I must know why Raku would know something about my brother like that. Or the fact that he knows who his best friend is! That way…that way I can meet his best friend and ask him how my brother was like…”

She walked a couple of steps forward before tilting her head back to Haku, her eyes filled with tears of pain and regret. Seth never spent time with her, for he was away all of the time, either training in the nearby woods or in another town meeting a couple of friends. Aoi never knew anything about her brother’s secret life and she had to know, so she could understand why he would abandon the household for his crazy adventures. Haku sighed behind her and nodded his head, signaling that his lips were sealed.

I swear I will find out by what Raku ment of your betrayal, Seth. I swear on the emblem that you held so dear.

Ignatious dragged Raku towards his makeshift bed as Sakai applied bandages to the already dried cuts and wounds that Aoi had planted on their friend. One thing kept running through his mind however, the face of the young maiden who had dueled him and was also defeated by him. As he was being bandaged up, Raku sighed an held the pendant that was so precious to him, as he faded in his thoughts.

“Ignatious…that girl…she was part of the swords wasn’t she?…”

“Raku, you need to rest man… she gave you one heck of a fight.” Ignatious sat next to his friend on the floor as Raku slowly began to close his eyes.

“To believe… she’s Seth younger sister… she is pretty hot you know…” And with that he began to sleep and regain his strength.