It would have been easier without Shigeru, who was always nearby. Their safety largely depended on the three of them being together, but even if Shigeru slept in a location not visible to Ryuu and Takako, Ryuu was very aware Shigeru could sense everything he did. Ryuu wanted to bring up the subject, but didn’t know how to approach Shigeru. He didn’t know if Shigeru had ever loved anybody, if he’d ever been married or been loved. It was the first time in many cycles he didn’t know how to talk to his master.
Shigeru didn’t seem willing to help either. Their conversation had been minimal since they had picked up Takako. The dynamic was off and Ryuu couldn’t read Shigeru’s emotions, which were cryptic even at the best of times. Shigeru was tense, but Ryuu didn’t know if it was just the circumstances they found themselves in or if something more was bothering him. Shigeru had closed himself off and Ryuu couldn’t work up the courage to try to chisel away at his stony exterior.
They continued traveling north although they had no particular destination. Shigeru and Ryuu talked about their plans from time to time but neither could decide on a course for certain. Ryuu hadn’t thought of the reality of being chased throughout the Three Kingdoms. They could try to leave through the Pass, but with the army entrenched there and hunting them it didn’t seem safe.
The only other viable way out of the Three Kingdoms was by sea, which was north. However, Ryuu and Shigeru weren’t sure leaving the Three Kingdoms was the best plan. Ryuu wanted to stay. He argued he and Shigeru had been in a state of hiding for as long as Ryuu had been with him. They could find another isolated place and settle there. Shigeru would respond he hadn’t ever killed the son of the most powerful general in the Three Kingdoms.
Ryuu understood the logic Shigeru was using, but he felt there was something else, an undercurrent of fear unspoken driving Shigeru’s decision. He wanted to leave the Three Kingdoms and travel as far away as possible, but wasn’t telling Ryuu why.
Ryuu didn’t dare confide in Takako. He wanted to, but he was concerned that if he expressed worry or frustration with Shigeru she would become more worried than she already was. He couldn’t bring himself to do it.
His indecision grew for almost a moon before he took action. One afternoon as they were walking, Ryuu moved ahead to where Shigeru was scouting. Shigeru noticed his presence but didn’t say anything.
“Sensei, what is wrong?”
Shigeru glanced at Ryuu. He looked about ready to come back with a short retort, but thought better of it. They walked forward in silence but Ryuu waited him out. He knew when Shigeru needed to think.
“I don’t like the situation we find ourselves in. It. . . reminds me of a situation that happened to me many cycles ago, and I worry that fate will repeat itself.”
“What happened?”
“That’s not a story for today. Perhaps someday, but maybe not. I would also be fine taking it to the grave with me.”
Ryuu lost a step. In the many cycles he had known Shigeru, he had never admitted to having a story he didn’t want to share. Ryuu knew Shigeru rarely talked about his past and over time Ryuu had learned to stop asking. But it seemed so close, so essential now that he burned to know the past of his master, the man who had raised him and introduced him to his incredible gifts.
“Shigeru, we are both here. There is very little in the Three Kingdoms that can stand up to both of us.”
Shigeru released a grim chuckle. “If only that were true. You are stronger than almost any man I have ever met, but there are still plenty out there who could kill both of us. Please remember that.”
Ryuu started to get angry. Whatever was bothering Shigeru dealt both with his past and knowledge he seemed unwilling to share.
“I can’t help if you don’t tell me what you’re hiding from me.”
Shigeru also responded sharply. “There is much I haven’t told you. Your skills are fantastic, but don’t let it get to your head. This world is still a much larger and more mysterious place than you know. I don’t know if I’ve done the right thing in raising you like I have, but I have hope, which is more than I hold out for myself.”
“Why won’t you tell me what’s going on? I want to help. I can help.”
“Not in this, Ryuu. I want you to be happy, to lead the life and be the person I couldn’t. I worry that if you learn everything that dream will slip away.”
With that, Shigeru increased his pace and pulled away from Ryuu. Ryuu, lost in thought, allowed him to do so. He needed his own time to think things through.
Two days later the issue was forced. Ryuu was ahead scouting while Shigeru and Takako followed well behind. Ryuu was high in a tree, allowing his sense to spread out far and wide. They were in new forest, but thick enough that vision was almost useless. The day was hot and his robes stuck to the sweat on his skin. It was a dry heat carried from the prairie to the west.
Ryuu was immersed fully in the sense and didn’t notice what was happening to his body. He felt something coming from the south. It felt like a small group of soldiers. They were still a long ways out and difficult to sense. Ryuu took a deep breath and focused his attention in their direction.
There were ten of them. They advanced purposefully, heading almost straight towards where Shigeru was back with Takako. Ryuu’s heart began to pound a little faster. It could be a random coincidence they were on the right track, but as Ryuu continued to focus he could tell their path was curving slightly, always pointed towards Shigeru. Somebody in the group was capable of tracking them. Ryuu tried to clear his head to focus. He could feel it, the tentacles of the sense which spread out towards them.
Whoever was sensing Shigeru was better. It wasn’t the pattern of the monks in the monastery. The monks used spherical techniques. This was someone trained like Ryuu and Shigeru. He was focused on Shigeru, but he was trying to sense Ryuu too. Ryuu breathed a short sigh of relief. His sense was superior, which gave him a slight advantage. But he couldn’t believe someone with the sense was tracking Shigeru. It shouldn’t be possible. It put fear into his heart, freezing it and his mind in place.
His fear increased when he tried to pinpoint the individual who was sensing Shigeru. He couldn’t. He could tell where the sense was originating, but where there was supposed to be a person, there was nothing. An unnatural emptiness, devoid of all life. Under other circumstances Ryuu would have paid it no more attention than a patch of empty air over a pasture. But it was the source of the sense, and the emptiness continued to move. Ryuu shook with sweat.
He had to get to Shigeru. He realized he had been thrust into a situation far beyond his current understanding. But if he ran towards Shigeru, it seemed likely the other would sense him. The only reason he was safe now was because he was further away. Ryuu thought perhaps the shadow knew Shigeru somehow. Ryuu could sense Shigeru far before he could sense a normal person. Perhaps it was similar to what was happening now.
Too many questions. If he could move Shigeru farther away, it might be safe to get closer, to talk. He knew Shigeru was tuned into him now, so he drew his sword and sprinted away from the approaching soldiers. His efforts paid off. Shigeru followed him, but Ryuu didn’t stop until he felt confident he was out of range. He felt a momentary pang of regret for Takako. She was still. Shigeru would have told her to stay put and she would be frightened. But there was no other way.
When he saw Shigeru, Ryuu swore there was panic in his eyes. Ryuu cursed. Shigeru wasn’t aware of the danger, but he knew what was pursuing them. Ryuu told him about the soldiers who were tracking him. He tried to judge Shigeru’s reaction. Then Ryuu told him about the other that sensed like they did, and Shigeru’s face went completely white, like a ghost was haunting him.
“You know what it is, don’t you?”
“His name is Orochi, and you’re right, he is tracking me. I had hoped this day would never come, but it’s too late now. We don’t have time. If we live through this, I’ll tell you the story of my past. You need to know now.”
“What do we do? It’s only a matter of time before he picks you up again.”
Shigeru was quiet as he tried to come up with a solution. Ryuu, calmer in the presence of his master, tried to think as well. Takako slowed them down. The two of them could have put together a defense, but two against eleven while defending an innocent, there was no way. These men were good, and Ryuu couldn’t risk Takako.
Shigeru spoke. “We have to split up. If Orochi is after me, it’s only me he will track. You can take Takako. There’s a farmhouse I know near here. We can meet there in three days.”
Ryuu shook his head. “I can’t leave you to fight alone.”
Shigeru was firm. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to fight. But if we don’t split, Takako’s life is forfeit. You know it’s true.”
Without warning, Ryuu started to tear up. “I brought this down on us, didn’t I?”
Shigeru smiled, a genuine smile, rare for him. “Perhaps, but this is no time to question fate. I made decisions which brought us to this point too, and you don’t know most of them. Let’s not worry about how we got here, but instead think about getting out of here. Act in the moment, the way you were taught.”
Ryuu nodded, a tear trickling down his face. “Don’t die.”
Shigeru laughed. “Same to you.”
“They’re getting close. Time to go.”
Shigeru stood and gave directions to the abandoned farmhouse. They embraced quickly and were off. Ryuu ran to Takako, and they started moving to the west while Shigeru took off to the North. Ryuu had never run in fear before. When he thought they were safe he had them stop. He threw his sense out. Five of the soldiers had gone after Shigeru, and the other was with them. Shigeru was running, and they were giving full chase.
The other five were coming after them. Ryuu started to panic. He had to protect Takako, but against five men it would be almost impossible. There was nothing nearby, no place to hide her. He forced himself to breathe, slowly and deeply. He thought about trying to run. But in haste they would leave obvious tracks and would only tire him out. He had to stand and fight. That was fine by him. He had no choice and he could almost hear Shigeru telling him to breathe, to focus on the moment. He was supposed to be one of the best swordsmen in the Three Kingdoms. Five swordsmen shouldn’t be a problem. Right?
But he couldn’t convince himself. These men were good. They weren’t bandits or regular foot soldiers. Already as they approached they began to spread out, to come in on him from all directions.
His breath caught in his throat for a moment when he saw them. Their colors were distinct. Ryuu could remember them from his lessons. They were the honor guard for Lord Akira. They were the best in the land.
Who the hell is chasing us, and what did we do to deserve this?
There wasn’t any answer to his questions. There were only the five men in front of him. They were good and well coordinated. For the first time Ryuu touched swords with another warrior in anger. They all moved fast, but Ryuu was quicker and knew their cuts just a fraction of a heartbeat before they made them. When it was done he had been cut, but they were dead.
Ryuu turned to check on Takako. She was fine although shocked. She had never seen the full extent of his ability.
Certain of his safety, Ryuu tried to cast out his sense, but he couldn’t make out Shigeru. They were too far gone. With no other options he helped Takako get moving again, and they started making their way to the farmhouse.
They reached the farmhouse in just over a day. Ryuu collected food for them, and for two days the atmosphere was tense but respectful. Ryuu was agitated. Not knowing gnawed at his stomach. He was sure Shigeru would be fine. But doubt crawled within his mind, distracting him from any focused pursuits. He could see Takako wasn’t doing well. She had to be even more nervous than him. But he couldn’t summon the courage to speak to her.
The days passed with agonizing slowness. Ryuu tried to focus his sense, but he was too distracted to throw it out more than a few paces. He knew he was as good as useless. Takako at least knew how to cook.
The sun rose and fell on the third day. Agitation turned to desperation. It gave him strength and focus. He sat down and calmed his mind, throwing out his sense as far as it could go. He couldn’t find anything. No Shigeru, no Orochi, no other warriors. There was nothing approaching the farmhouse. Ryuu had to give Shigeru credit. If nothing else he had certainly picked a remote place.
As night fell on the third day, Ryuu was torn with indecision. He didn’t want to stay in one location for too long. Orochi had sent five men after him. Next time he would come himself.
The thought terrified him. He had never been hunted like a common animal. He knew now there were others out there, others like him, with more experience, more training. Before he had the confidence of one who believed he could not be beaten. Now he felt like a child abandoned in the middle of a thunderstorm. Chaos and uncertainly swirled around him, and without Shigeru he had no compass, no light to guide his way.
Uncertainty caused him to stay through the night. He saw Takako observing him closely, but every time she tried to get close to him to comfort him and offer her support he would shrug her away. He didn’t want her comfort or her concern. What he wanted was Shigeru back to tell him what to do and to show him where to go.
He spent the evening and the next day given over to the sense. His mind traveled the myriad paths of nature, stretching further than he had ever sent it before. He felt his limits and probed around them, always searching for just a little more. But nothing came. He took no food or drink, content to drink only the information the sense provided him. It was addicting in its own way.
In time he realized the sun had gone down. He allowed himself, slowly, to withdraw back into his own body. When he opened his eyes he saw Takako had been crying.