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| A Panda's Journey To Enlightenment Part 3: Rondo of Sorrow Posted by: Tengu-San at 04-27-2015 17:44 PM, Last Modified 04-30-2015 02:22 AM |
Dawn broke through the cracks of the Common Goods store. The rays stinging into Tengu's eyes. A grumble, followed by some shifting around, led Tengu to wake up.
As he wiped the tired from his eyes, he peered outside. The body of the wolf was gone. But where could she have gone, he thought. She had died in his arms the previous night.
Walking outside, Tengu felt the stress of the sun against him. He flinched in the light, covering his eyes, until fully adjusted to the light.
The town's destruction laid forth clearly in the light. Nothing was spared. All the buildings were pillaged and looted, all the towns folk dead or re-animated into the demonic beings Tengu saw earlier.
None of this made any sense. Why would Nightmare return? Why now? What does he want? Tengu wanted to find the answers, and somehow knew the death of his clan, and Nightmare's possible revival, were connected.
As Tengu walked through the village, he noticed the wolf standing over a burnt body. Standing there, after she had died in his arms. But, how is that possible, he thought.
"HEY!", he shouted. He broke into a full sprint toward her, she turned to face him.
"They're all dead.", she said through sobs and whimpers. Somehow, all her wounds were healed. There she stood before Tengu, mourning the dead.
"You.....You were dead. You had died as I held you. What are you?", Tengu demanded.
"I was the villages Sage.", she said plainly. "I protected the villagers from spirits and demons. But then they came. A group of possessed folk, and they killed everyone."
Tengu looked to his feet. He tried to think of something to say, as he knew her pain well, but he couldn't say a word.
"You don't have to sympathize with me. It's ok.", she said, reading Tengu's thoughts.
He looked her in those beautiful hazel eyes of hers, and a single tear from his left eye fell, stricken by the situation. "My lady...Forgive me for my lack of communication...I am truly sorry for your lo--.", Tengu's sentence was cut short by an arrow.
The arrow had flung passed him, and had struck the Sage in her heart. She looked down, then peered into Tengu's eyes and collapsed to the ground.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!", Tengu shrieked. He spun around, drawing his sword to see a lone samurai upon a horse.
Tengu rushed the beast, and struck the horse in it's limbs. All four of it's legs disconnected from it's body, a neigh of pain rang through the air.
The samurai was flung to the ground, but did not hesitate on standing back up.
"So, you are Tengu-San. I've been hunting for you.", the samurai confessed, drawing another arrow. Before, Tengu could move, an arrow was shot at him, striking his knee.
Kneeling, Tengu screamed in agony. "Who the hell are you? What is the cause of this?"
"I am your bitter end, Tengu. The reaper of your sorrow. I am but to tie this loose end, and all will be complete for the Dark Lord's return!", the samurai exclaimed.
He drew a katana, and stared upon Tengu. "Any last words?", he asked.
"Go to Hell, you filty, dishonorable dog.", Tengu spat.
The samurai booted Tengu in the face, and stabbed downward, through Tengu's seemingly impregnable armor, and torso, into the ground.
All Tengu could do is lay there. His vision faded, the samurai walking away. Blood began running from Tengu's mouth and nose, and pooling under his body.
He knew the wolf was dead, but took her paw in his hand. Surprisingly, it was warm to the touch.
A strength pulsed through him, an adrenaline rush like no other. Tengu grabbed the hilt of the katana, and begin pulling it out of his body.
More blood spurrted from the orifices of his face, and the maw that now occupied his stomach. He finally managed to pull it out completely, and tossed the blade aside.
Crawling into the brush, he managed to craft a remedy made from some of the local herbs the villagers grew, and wrapped his belly with an herb patch.
The wound was taken care of, but he remembered the wolf. As he gaze upon her lifeless body, all he could do was cry.
He dug a hole for her, and buried her properly. She at least to be at rest with the rest of her clan.
Before long, Tengu noticed he was being watched by the samurai. "Why won't you just kill me?", Tengu asked.
The samurai stared at Tengu, then looked to the ground. He then removed his kabuto, revealing the face of an older husky.
"My name is Tojaro. I was sent to kill you. But you are not dead. The blow I delivered to you was fatal, yet you survived. How?", he asked.
Some blood began to run from Tengu's face. "My armor most likely. Nanomachines and essence not of this world.", Tengu said frankly.
"Well. This time, I'll be sure to kill you. Make your peace with your god.", Tojaro shouted, charging at Tengu, wakizashi in hand.
Just then, a burst of energy shot from the Sage's body into Tojaro, beginning to consume his flesh.
"WHAT IS THIS MAGIC!?!? HOW CAN THIS BE??!!!!!", he screamed, writhing in agony as he withered away into nothing.
"Tengu, go now. Rest. Heal your wound. This samurai was sent by Nightmare. His ressurection is at hand.", the Sage's spirit said.
This confirmed Tengu's worst fear. It was now his turn to follow his father's footsteps, and vanquish the dark evil that had once consumed the land.
Tengu limped back to the Common Goods store to see the groupd of possesed villagers waiting for him.
Weak and defenseless, Tengu ripped the arrow out of his knee. One of the villagers approached him, and he stabbed them in the with the arrow.
The others made a beeline straight for him. Tengu dropped to his knees and closed his eyes. This was it. The end.
As they ran, he clenched his jaw, a power began to surge within. The power became so great, he felt an un-natural pain.
The pain grew to such an immense level, he began to scream. The villagers retreated a few meters from him, somewhat dumbfounded.
"This mortal, this mortal is regaining his strength!", one of them said.
Tengu stood up, and limped his way to the group. He looked up at them and uttered in hatred, "You shall pay."
He lifted his left paw, and pointed it toward the villagers. A massive blast of wind blew forth, send them alll flying in multiple directions, slamming into buildings and rubble.
They were most assuredly dead, but Tengu was also left drained completely.
Between his wounds, and the energy it took to focus his Wind Ki, he had nothing left.
He collapsed upon the ground, slowly losing his sight.
Tengu could hear footsteps come up to him, but the black out prevented from resisting them.
Hopefully, now the sorrow could be over. The village was cleansed, at the cost of it's inhabitants.
For now, Tengu could rest. ...... |
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