SHINTO - 5

Chapter 5: The Boy In Black.

After my duel with the Mongol leader, I retreated from the Mongol Base and regrouped with my brothers.

“Let’s move,” I said hurriedly. “We don’t have much time-“

“Tsuji!” Kiyoshi cried out, “What were you thinking!? You could have died!”

“It doesn’t matter-“ I tried.

“But-“ Akaji tried.

“-I’m fine!” I spat out, silencing them.

I took a deep breath.

“Listen, I’m happy to know you care about me…” I said, “But right now isn’t the time. Once the Mongols recover, they’ll be after us.”

“Now come on.” I finished, leading them away from the base.

We traveled in silence, not knowing our final destination. The rain had eventually cleared as the moon rose. The black night covered us like a blanket as we crept along the shadows of the lush, green trees. The only noise that was heard was the chirps of the nearby crickets, and the sniffles of my youngest brother, who seemed to be catching a cold from the rain. We needed to find a place to rest, and fast.

We eventually came across a lively village. One that seemed…unaffected by the Mongols. The three of us entered the village seeking shelter and remedy for my brother. I led my brothers to the nearest marketplace.

“Good evening.” I greeted a medicine vendor, “Do you have anything that can take care of a cold? My brother isn’t feeling well.”

“Ah yes…” The vendor replied, gliding over to a shelf that held numerous herbs and spices. When he arrived back at the table, he placed the herbs down.

“Anything else? For yourself, perhaps?” The vendor asked, eyeing a nasty wound I had received from my fight with the Khan — a medium-sized cut that bled through my father’s dark clothing. If I didn’t treat it properly, it could become infected.

“Do you have anything to treat a cut?” I asked.

“I can give you bandages. There is a river nearby to wash the wound properly.” The vendor said.

“Then I’ll take a few bandages please.” I said.

“Okay, that’ll be five pieces of silver.” The vendor stuck his hand out.

I paused for a moment.

“Well? We’re closing soon…Do you not have enough to pay? I can give you a discount..”

“You…said silver?” I asked. “I-I’m sorry but in my village we use yen…”

“Really?” The vendor said, “Where are you from?”

“The town of Ise…” I muttered.

I was beginning to feel a familiar sinking feeling in my stomach. Something wasn’t right.

“Ise?” The vendor was confused, “Oh, Ise…the town that worships Shinto…”

“I thought the military burned that place to the ground?” The vendor said.

“What? No, you have it wrong…it was the Mongols who did that…” I said.

“Uh…I’m aware.” The vendor stated.

My eyes widened, and everything went still. I felt the energy of everything around me. My eyes veered right, and I saw a poorly-drawn poster of a boy dressed in black, with a foreign text that was written underneath. Although I couldn’t read it, I knew what it was.

A bounty poster.

Of me.

“Excuse me, sir…?” I whispered, “Where am I?”

“A small, unnamed town right outside of Komodo beach, the land claimed by our glorious Mongols.” The vendor said.

We were in a town full of people who followed the Mongols.

And there was a bounty on me.

Then, the vendor squinted his eyes.

“Are you okay-“ He asked, and then his eyes met the bounty poster. He looked back at me, his eyes slowly widening.

He inhaled to shout, but I drew my blade and slit his throat, not allowing him to scream. I jumped over the table and caught him, gently letting him fall to the ground. I took the items on the table, stuffed them into my pockets, and grabbed my brothers, swiftly walking towards the exit.

“Tsuji! Why did you do that! What’s going-“ Kiyoshi tried.

“Don’t speak.” I hushed him, “We’re in a town full of Mongols…don’t draw attention.”

We continued on in a swift silence.

“As long as nobody sees me, we’ll be fine…” I muttered.

Then, I heard a shout.

“Help! A man has died! A sword has slit his throat!”

My brothers looked at me in fear.

“Keep moving.” I said.

“The cut isn’t from one of our men! It must be a samurai!” Another person shouted.

“You three! Stop!” A voice shouted.

We moved even faster. My breathing quickened as I began to see red.

“Stop! Stop those three!”

Footsteps slowly got faster and louder as I sensed guards closing in on us.

Then, I suddenly stopped.

My brothers looked at me. I responded with one word.

“Hide.”

My brothers ran off and I turned to face the guards.

“You!” A soldier yelled, “Did you kill that man?”

I stayed silent.

“Answer!” Another soldier said, pointing his spear at me.

I took a deep breath in, closing my eyes.

I heard the sharp Shing! of my blade, the spatter of wet blood, and the distant screams of villagers.

I exhaled, opening my eyes. I had killed three Mongol soldiers with one swing from my blade. One soldier was still alive, choking on his own blood. His was reaching for a small bell in his pocket: an alarm.

I loomed over his body.

“Don’t alert the others.” I whispered softly, planting my foot on his belly, where his wound was, and pressing, causing more blood to sputter from his mouth.

“Blergh…” The man choked.

“Keep this quiet.” I said, and ended his suffering.

I walked away, using the night’s shadows to my advantage as I met my brothers. By now, Kiyoshi was coughing.

“You’re gonna be okay.” I said to him, “I’ll get the medicine ready…”

Using the nearby river water and an abandoned pot and campfire, I boiled the herbs from the vendor in the water and gave it to my brother to drink.

“It won’t taste the best, but it will help. Plug your nose if you don’t like it, but you have to drink it.” I told him.

Kiyoshi did as I said, plugging his nose and gulping down the hot water.

“Ugh…” He shuddered, “It tastes like grass mixed with mud…”

“Let’s get out of here.” I said as I had finished bandaging up my wound after washing it in the river.

“Okay,” Akaji yawned, “I’m pretty tired though-“

Then, the world went black.

I slowly opened my eyes, and found both my brothers and I tied to three individual poles.

Then, my eyes widened in fear.

“If you really thought you could just…kill my men and get away with it…you’re wrong.”

In front of me was a horrible sight. One that I would never wish to happen.

The Khan stood in front of me, dressed in casual clothing, with nothing but a sharp, silver knife.

“I have some questions for you, Takeichi…”

“…And one way or another…you will answer them.”

Chapter 5: The Boy In Black, END.