Someone strolling on a trail with a sheath binded by a belt at his hip, the sheath had a sword in it as it seemed, though the gray-white mist made it difficult to see the person. It was raining heavily yet he continued strolling, though his clothes were wet and his long hair was in front of his eyes, yet he didn't stop and continue walking, even in such freezing cold. Until..
The trail had vanished beneath a thick, bruised-green blanket of moss that now acted like a soaked sponge. With every step, icy water welled up around the boots, releasing the sharp, rich scent of earth and pine. Above, the relentless deluge hammered the canopy into a roaring white noise, turning the woods into a shimmering, rain-drenched emerald cage.
After some minutes, some glowing tiny dots like shimmering lights from a distance, going close they were lanterns, japanese style. Now the path became more paved and polished, and after a few steps two stone lanterns ( Kasuga-doro ) were there. On the ground opposite to each other as in the middle of them was the brick pathway the man was walking.
After a while, the exterior of a big mansion gradually started appearing in the fog. It was a Japanese traditional style mansion, 'minka'. The person stood there watching it, though it was a bit afar it was as if he could see it all clear. At the next moment the man disappeared.
***
"When will this rain end?"
A middle aged man, looking like he was from Japan. His palm hit the gentle splashes of the rain whose impact was reduced by the roof above as his other palm was gripping the wooden railing. He took a deep sigh of cold breath. Living in the moment, until...
"It seemed like someone cursed the world and the world was weeping and begging for their curse to stop."
A voice came from behind, feminine and pure. The man turned around to see a young beautiful girl, wearing a traditional Japanese dress. The man chuckled.
"You are talking too bold for your age. I don't want my daughter to grow up this fast."
The girl giggled before saying with a bit of a serious tone.
"Is this your brother's curse or his student?"
The man's face tightened, serious as he spoke.
"I have cut ties with that man, how dare he betray us, his own family. Though now he must be giving atonement for his sins, as he should."
The daughter remained quiet, thinking as if she was lost in herself, her head down in front of her father as she went out of the room without saying anything.
On the outside, some guards were traveling around in groups of two everywhere with a Japanese traditional style umbrella. As a group was walking in a garden, there was enough fog that they could only see a few meters around themselves.
"What do you wanna eat for dinner tonight?"
One asked, glancing at the other one.
"I don't know.. haven't decided.."
The other said nonchalantly, not looking at him. As they continued walking, until one of them turned behind. As if he heard something, though in heavy cold rain it wasn't that clear.
"Do you hear that?"
The guard murmured, his hand on his sword as if he was about to take out from its sheath at any moment.
"Maybe.."
The other replied, unsure yet his hand was gradually aiming for his sword as well.
"We should check it out, it seemed like someone dashed through here."
As the one crouched his back while the other stayed behind, after a bit suddenly the one from behind heard a swift so he reflexively turned around but it was too late.
Someone with a sword sliced his neck before he could even realize it as the other turned around but the person took the sword with his other hand on the sheath of the other guard who he had just sliced as he was squeezing his neck with both hands.
Trying to stop blood flow though the person who had just sliced him was fast enough to stab through the neck of the other guard as well who had turned around just now. Both guards fell on the ground, as the person stared at them, he was a tall guy with long hair. The sword clenching on his hand whose blood was washed by the rain.
~ I remember that night...
[ Past memories ]
5 years ago... It was Kensi Takumara's house, alive. When young Ruis was sleeping in his room, he heard clanging sounds coming from somewhere. This was the time when he hadn't gone to the City yet, so curious what made him wake up, he rubbed his eyes and started exploring.
His master always gave him a knife for self defense though Ruis was one of those who disliked violence. He was forced to carry it, so he decided to take his knife with him.
He walked through the rooms, until he started hearing shouting sounds of their maid, this made his heart beat faster by hearing those screams, he ran towards where the clanging sounds were coming from, coming to the garden area.
He got stunned, seeing his master fighting two people who had worn assassin type clothes. His master was fighting them both with his sword at the same time, while the maid wasn't here. Ruis's arms shivered as he started sweating cold sweat.
One of the assassin's gaze went over Ruis, seeing him distracted, his master kicked him hard enough as his sword dropped from his hand while he fell in front of Ruis's ankles.
"KILL HIM RUIS! OR GET KILLED!"
His master yelled while blocking a blow from another assassin. In this moment, Ruis's instinct came out on top rather than his other emotions.
SQUELCH!
Blood poured like water, the knife struck between the assassin's neck. Ruis flexing all his muscles, breathing heavily, his eyes bursted open. The master finally took the other one down as he came to Ruis who was watching his own bloody hands in despair.
"I– I killed.. I killed a being.. H– Have I done a sin?"
He whispered, breathing heavily, his eyes filled with terror.
"No.. my child. If you haven't killed him. He would have killed you. You did this for yourself. Remember, always make yourself important, then the rest.."
His master, patting his shoulder, said with a genuine smile. Before getting up.
"Let's clean this mess up."
Moments Later...
Ruis was slowly dragging a body of an assassin as his master was carrying another on his back, the assassin was a grown adult man so he was just dragging it on the forest floor. Then in a specific area his master dug a deep hole before throwing the bodies there. After that, Ruis filled the hole with dirt.
"Didn't these guys have a family?"
Ruis asked, when he had finished filling the hole and now was making it plane. His master stayed silent for a moment, looking at the deep forest shrouded in darkness.
"Maybe.. but they tried to harm us. Remember, we did this for ourselves. If we didn't, we would be in their place right now."
His master grunts, before walking away as Ruis gradually catches up with him from behind.
[ Present Scene ]
"I will do this for you.."
Ruis mumbled, his dead face drowned by cold rain. In the next moment, he disappeared from there.
***
THUMP!
THUMP!
Someone was coming downstairs to a room which looked like a basement, polished stone bricks spread out. The ceiling is made up of limestone, some barrels scattered everywhere, who knows if they're just for contrast or really had something in them. At the corner was a young man, he had his ankles and his arm chained. His left arm wasn't there, maybe an accident made him lose it, so there was no chain for it.
He was dozing off but hearing those pounding yet composed footsteps made him awake as they were echoing the basement. There were some lanterns there for light sources. Though their light was dim compared to the moonlight coming from a small cell window.
"Sorry for being late.."
The silhouette of a girl in the stairs spoke as she strolled down the last stairs. It was the daughter of the master of the mansion. Her elegant yet striking dress and her natural beauty, while standing in front of the moonlight, seemed more like a tale of a legend.
"Doesn't matter.."
The young man replied with a rough tone. Seeing his reaction, she sighed before coming to him. She had a beautifully crafted traditional Japanese pot in her hands with another small pot above which she slowly placed it down, then took out a key and freed the man's wrist.
The boy opened the pot as steam evaporated within it for a few seconds. When the girl had gone to a specific barrel took out a steel plate and washed it with the sink beside the barrels. A few moments later, he opened another small pot which had meat gravy.
"Why don't you just accept father's condition?"
She asked, placing the plates aside the pot on the tablecloth. The boy started taking out boiled rice from the pot to the metal plates, silent. While she dragged a small stool from the corner, cleaning it gently before sitting in it. Everything went silent as the boy was taking meat gravy over the boiled rice with a big spoon.
"Can I wash my hand?"
The girl nodded as she freed his ankles too, as the boy got up before going to the sink, washing his hand and straight coming to sit again to eat. He still hadn't answered so she decided to ask again.
"Ruis?"
Ruis took a chunk of rice with meat in his fingers as he gently chewed it.
"Why are you doing this to yourself?"
The girl asked, her tone had a sign of care. Though Ruis gently swallowed.
"Your father killed my master, the only person who meant something to me and you're saying I should accept your father's condition to join his troop."
He said with a dead serious tone, continuing.
"He even chopped off my left arm."
He moved his disarm limb with what was only a shoulder left, the girl bit her lips, tilting her head down as if embarrassed.
The moment of silence shrouded again for a moment, until...
"AGHHHHH!"
A scream of a guard was heard from upstairs, hearing that both of them got confused.
"Do you people host a sacrificing ceremony? Amane?"
Ruis whispered, a bit of discomfort and dread was in his tone, though his expression was as usual very calm.
"I– I don't think that's the scream of a victim.. rather than a guard.."
Her tone darkened, she got up and went to the barrels before taking out a small knife. Handling it to Ruis.
"I'm going upstairs.."
Ruis looked like he wanted to say something but he clenched his teeth and sighed.
"You know the other path to exit this basement, go from there.."
Her last words echoed as her stomping steps mixed with them. Ruis was perplexed by this situation but he continued finishing his meal first.. Nonchalantly..
***
The mansion had now become a mess, the garden, the footpath, the pond, the foundations, everything was either crumbled or blood stains which were washed by the rain, though the ground water had now become red because of the blood.
In the mansion, the clanging of swords were echoing everywhere before a slaughter. So many had fallen and in the end all had stood as a false knight.. He really was a false knight... Was he?
THUD!
A person crashed into the door, it was Amane's father's room. There was a big strongman guard beside him, his sword ready to cut at any moment. Amane's father stared with composed expression at the dust, behind it was a silhouette of a tall boy.
"It seems like I'll have to eradicate your bloodline today.. Kenhsi.."
The man emerging from the dust said, the big bodyguard moved and tried to slash him, as the dust rustled away by the swing of the sword. He had disappeared..
"Huh?"
"Behind YOU!"
But it was already too late, Ruis had already chopped his head off, before he could even realize.. The headless body slammed to the ground. Kenshi looked in straight despair frozen.. He looked at Ruis standing in front of him, his lips curved to a slight smirk.
"H– How did your arm grow back?"
Kenhsi looked at his left arm, shocked. Ruis didn't understand a word as he blurted.
"What the f*ck are you blabbing about?"
Kenshi sighed, as he drew his sword out from its sheath. Ready to face him. With great pace, he dashed towards him.
SWISH!
In another second, both had exchanged their places, Ruis get on his back first, turning around. While Kenshi back was sliced. He was shivering on the ground, coughing hardly that blood came out from his lips. He then tried to move his legs but can't, it was as if his spinal cord had been disserved.
"H– How are you so strong?... Yo– You.. killed everyone.."
Ruis stayed silent, seeing Kenshi's glance over him while he was paralysed on the ground.
"FATHER!"
It was a scream of a girl coming from the hallway. Ruis was puzzled, if he had killed everyone here, where did she come from then.
"RUN AMANE! YOU CAN'T WIN!"
The father screamed, but she came to the room, seeing her father, she knelt down and cried on her father's head, then... Her gaze went towards him. Stunned..
"H– How?"
Her gaze shifted towards the left arm who was also drenched in blood.
"Why?"
Ruis, seeing the situation, sighed.
"She is your daughter, isn't she?"
Ruis stated in a dreadful tone. Kenhsi could only move his iris, muttering.
"P– Please.."
He continued with all his strength left.
"Not her."
Ruis's lips curved to a smirk.
"Then I'll kill her before you."
While Amane couldn't grasp the situation, the person who was standing in front of her right now was the same person who she had just met in the basement. She used to give meals 3 times a day.
In the next moment, before she could even realize it, the bloody sword was between her neck, just a few centimeters away from slicing her throat.
"Now you'll understand what that person meant to me."
"AUGGH!"
Kenhsi screamed, paralysed.
But before he could do it.
"WAIT!"
A familiar voice ordered him to stop, which surprised both him and the girl. Ruis leaves the sword between her neck. Looking to the direction where the voice came from, on the other side, leaning to a wall was another Ruis.. Though this one had his left arm dissected.
"She's innocent.. She isn't the cause for our Master's death.. If you killed her.. You'll kill an innocent person, you'll be a sinner then.."
These words made Ruis giggled, the other Ruis who was breathing heavily as his condition was quite weak compared to our Ruis was just confused seeing his laughter.
"I'll not be judged.. after all... all my identity is just an illusion.."
Ruis spoke, as he was about to strike Amane, a knife perfectly hit it which deflected the blow.
"RUN AMANE!"
The other Ruis dashed towards our Ruis and slammed him to the wall, hitting him with some punches but they didn't even flinch as he kicked him so hard the impact made him fly to another room.
The sword of her father was laying on the ground as Amane picked it up and with her full strength, she dashed towards Ruis, her face full of many emotions, though the first was vengeance.
"AHHH!"
But Ruis didn't move, he stayed there and then.. The sword didn't even penetrate his skin, seeing this, Amane was flabbergasted. Ruis clenched his palm around the skin and the next moment it shattered. Before kicking her away.
"It seems like I'll have to kill both of you.. Man.. Today is a great day.."
Ruis said with a smile as he strolled towards them. The other Ruis gets up, his condition was pretty weak yet still he dashed towards him.
"Are you MAD!? WHY? Why are we doing this?"
Ruis stayed silent, his eyes composed.
"W– We always hated bloodshed. N– Now look at our hands. The sword which we swore to do justice... Wake up.. Wake up Forst.."
Hearing those words, Ruis finally declared.
"This time I'll not let fate toyed with me.. If the world gives me suffering.. I'll make it suffer back."
"THIS ISN'T YOU FORST! THIS–"
Ruis stabbed himself, Amane on the ground, her body was aching yet all she stood on her back to saw Ruis stabbing himself.
"A– Aah.."
She couldn't even scream now. While Ruis on the other hand, his mouth was dripping blood as his hands were covered in his own blood coming from his own gut. While Ruis stared at him blankly.
"I'm tired of this cursed world.. I wish I could go somewhere.. In another world.. and be a better person... at least myself.."
Forst whispered, as Ruis fell down. Amane gets up from her knees, seeing what she had just witnessed as Forst gaze went over her. She started running then.. running for her life..
"AGHHH!"
Amane screams echoed in the mansion, all alone, no hope to come, all she could do was drown in despair.
She came outside from the mansion, shouting and screaming in the heavy cold rain, soon enough her clothes were wet and she started shivering because of the cold. Her screams were swallowed by the rain, dead bodies were everywhere. Everything she had admired was broken, shattered away.. In a day..
She came to a crumbled foundation where water was still pouring from, and saw her face in her water, all she could see was despair and pity. She cried, cried and cried. Until she saw a silhouette of a boy coming from the fog. Her instincts took over as she started running again, but it wasn't enough..
Her foot slipped as she fell down, it twisted, she couldn't run anymore now.. Why? Why does an innocent soul have to do with all this?
"I didn't want to kill you.."
A voice came before merging with the rain. She turned her head.
"But I... have no choice.. Fate is inevitable, so is destiny, indeed they are one."
Ruis murmured, his face drowned by the rain. Hearing fate, Amane decided to call the one who had the authority over Fate.
"LORD! O LORD! WHAT HAVE I DONE!? FOR WHAT SIN IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!?"
But there was no answer, just endless rain, just endless sorrow.
"I already ruined your life.. If I didn't kill you now.. You have no meaning.. no reason to live.."
Ruis spoke in a tone of dread.
"Y– You can't decide my meaning and my reasons to live.."
"Indeed.. but there's no other way."
As he started walking towards her.
~ Lord... What am I doing... Please stop me Lord..
"Ruis?"
He heard a familiar voice from behind as he turned around to see two girls silhouetted in the fog. Looking closer, they were the ones he knew very well.
"Sara? Lisa?"
Flabbergasted. His eyes widened.
"Did you kill all of them? No mercy for no one.."
Forst bit his lips, staying silent.
"You aren't like this.. Ruis.. Are you?"
Sara inquired, she was having trouble thinking clearly because the friend who she thought was a kind and good person turned out to be like this..
"I was always like this.."
Forst spoke after a minute of silence. Lisa appears behind the girl before taking her to the mansion by teleportation.
Meanwhile the atmosphere between the two remained intense.
"You're lying."
Sara mumbled with a sigh, she had also drowned in rain.
"I'M NOT!"
He declared, or tried to, until..
"You decided to do Fate's work? Didn't you?"
This caught him off guard, Sara's words made him cough for a moment.. Then biting his lips for a moment as they twitched abruptly.
"In my entire life I was toyed by fate, l was fated to be a beggar's son, until.. my master saved me.. Yet in both phases of my life I was all alone. Until.. I met you all.. You.. I don't want to be washed away by Fate.. I want to prove to the world that I can't be washed away..."
"You prove it by being a victor of someone who can give Fate?"
She murmured, in a dead tone. He remained silent, clenching his sword.. She sighed, continuing.
"Forst? Is this really you?"
She said with a dead serious face. Forst took a deep breath by his mouth.
"I– I always hate that name... After all, in the end I was an accident. I was the child of a beggar, whose father was no one because she was a tool for many men... That's how I came to this world. Forst was the name of that man my mother thought was the real father.. But after all.. I'm just an unwanted child.. Nor by the worlds.. Nor by the heavens.."
Hearing those words, Forst fell to his knees, looking at his hands, the blood had disappeared because of the rain yet the ground water was red now.
"T– This is all my fault.. If only I wasn't born.."
He stared at the ground, Sara didn't know what to do.
"She's all good."
Lisa appeared behind her back, patting her shoulder. Who was glaring at Ruis intensely yet she had a tired face.
"AGHHHH!"
Forst screamed.
Moments Before...
~ Oh... Who's she?
Ruis was looking at the floor where Kenhsi was bleeding from his back while Amane seeing her father in this state, was crying while embracing his face.
~ ... She seems innocent.. What have I done..
The way she was crying was so genuine that it made him recall a memory.
~ Why is this reminding me of that day.. God damnit..
The day when Forst lost his mother.
~ Can this all be stopped now? Can someone stop me?... From becoming a monster... Should I heal her father? Even though he killed my master.. I don't think there's someone who can help her...
Ruis was lost in himself, as Amane stared at him.
~ I was saved by my master that day... Who will save her today? O Lord! Save your innocent being.. Who will be her guardian when her father is gone..
He sighed..
~ I think... The best choice right now is for her to die.. If I didn't kill her right now.. She will have to suffer every day in her life in this cursed world.. Maybe I can free her..
"Then I'll kill her before you."
***
Ruis face stayed composed seeing his own self, yet deep down.. He didn't understand.. Staring at his own self, seeing it trying to remind him.. remind him..
~ M– My.. own self.. He doesn't have an arm, he isn't strong like me.. Yet he's thriving.. Thriving to stop me.. Why? Why aren't you enough? Please... stop me..
~ After all, I'm born a human.. I'm not a being who is above judgement.. I can be judged too.. My entire life was me being judged.. I was all alone... until I met them..
~ Yet.. despite all that, everyone and everything will be gone… I was never meant to exist after all..
Ruis sighed, declaring.
"I'll not be judged.. after all... all my identity is just an illusion.."
***
~ Why?... Why did I choose this path?
As Ruis stabbed himself, he fell down as Ruis gently touched his forehead with his fingers, a small blue spark emitted as he saw the memories he had lived..
How his master had died and how Amane's father disreserved his hand in front of their master before dying. Then killing him.. But then he saw those memories of Amane coming everyday with meals, acknowledging him.. It was as if he was living that life..
~ I wish I could make you alive again.. So that you can be this innocent soul guardian in her life and protect her from this world…
Ruis stared at his own flesh laying on the floor. An expressionless face was all he had.
~ I was really selfish.. I couldn't even save my own master's niece... O Lord.. Forgive me for what I have done... And what I'm going to do…
He thought, staring at Amane who was watching the other self, her face filled with horror and awe, so much that she couldn't even scream..
***
When Amane's foot was twisted and she was begging the Lord to save her... Ruis mind had broken, twisted..
~ I want to die.. P– Please... someone.. stop me.. stop me..
***
[ Present Scene ]
"AGHHHHA!"
Ruis's punches were making holes on the floor. While Sara and Lisa were just staring at him blankly. Drowning in the rain.
Ruis, crying after he realized what he had done.. He murmured..
"I… I didn't do this for anyone.. I did this for myself."