Vow of the Defeated

[Shinku]

‘A savior, you thought you were one. But you were merely a broken boy, wounded and crushed,’ a deep, unfamiliar voice thundered inside Shinku’s head as he desperately tried to search for the presence of Rogue. He flinched, trying to resist the influence of whatever presence was trying to take over his mind.

‘Yet you’re still trying to fight. What a pity. Just give it up boy. You need power right? Be my pawn and you can have whatever you want!,’ the thunderous voice continued, sinister yet tempting. The promise of power was anything but a light topic for the assassin of shadows who had always been hungry for it. ‘You will have power even beyond your wildest imagination! And you will never be the pathetic savior who can save no one!,’ the voice exclaimed, almost tempting Shinku with its insult.

“Not…like…this. I will…never…be…someone’s…pawn,” Shinku gasped, his steps merely driven by his strong will to reunite with his remaining ally. He couldn’t sense Rogue anywhere but he knew that the safehouse was definitely somewhere around the place as he remembered tracking it with his electronic tablet. His vision was caught between reality and the dark corruption of the unmaking.

‘Hahaha. You fool. Should I remind you that at this point, I’m your only shot at survival? Be my pawn, or die like a wasted fool. What will it be, boy? Or should I say, savior?,’ the voice tempted, prying for the last piece of Shinku’s sanity. From a distance, the faint whistling sound of a locomotive served as the only distraction, the assassin had from the thunderous voice’s torture.

“No…I..will…not…I…must not give in!,” Shinku retorted. From behind him, the whistling sound grew louder each second, as the earth started to tremble under him.

‘I gave you a choice and yet you chose destruction. Very well. I’ll grant you your wish. So long broken savior,’ the voice threatened before abruptly fading out. The whistle however, grew even louder causing Shinku to barely turn around with the little strength that he had. As he turned, all he could see was a very bright light before his vision was fully consumed by darkness.

“You’re back,” a familiar voice hissed, pulling out Shinku’s consciousness. As he opened his eyes, he was met with total darkness. Yet, it was not darkness.

“So how’s your little trip, shadow weaver,” the voice of Orochi finally registered at Shinku’s head, causing him to turn around and meet the shadow demon.

“I’m dead, am I not?,” Shinku sighed, his wistful visage complimenting the shadows around him.

“No, you’re not. But you aren’t alive either. At least not yet,” Orochi hissed, as he slithered near the assassin of shadows. “By the way I’ve found the location of the next stone.”

“Where is it?,” Shinku asked, his mournful face suddenly contorting to a sharp visage.

Orochi grinned, upon seeing Shinku’s sudden interest. He remained silent for a while, as he moved around the assassin of shadows, amused at his vessel’s reaction.

“You’ve changed a lot in your mere five days of absence. I wonder, are you…”

“Just tell me where it is,” Shinku retorted, his voice as sharp as lightning.

“Very well. It’s in Opealon, hidden in a cave at the bed of its northern sea,” Orochi disclosed, as he stopped moving just behind Shinku.

“How did you know?,” Shinku pried almost immediately, his tone lathered with impatience and doubt.

“It’s inside your friend’s memories.”

“Did you mean Jack?”

“Yes, and he knows exactly how to get there,” the shadow demon stated, moving once again in front of Shinku. “But you should be warned. The pirates are still after you, and everywhere in the seas of Opealon are their turf. You can trust Jack, but I doubt he’d be of much help against them,” he continued, hissing near the shadow assassin’s ear.

“Then make me stronger so I can deal with them!” Shinku snapped, his eyes sharply meeting with the shadow demon’s glance. Flashes of Christine and Chara’s death crept into his mind, torturing him with his insecurity of uselessness. His fist unconsciously clenched beside him, his whole body stiffening up with pure disgust - for himself.

Orochi backed off and then grinned. “That’s what I’ve been doing up until now. Wasn’t I?,” he hissed, as he slithered away from the assassin of shadows. “And I’d say you’re doing quite well. Just stick with me and you’ll have the power that you want.”

Shinku flinched, as the voice that previously tempted him with power played inside his head. ‘...power even beyond your wildest imagination…’ The voice echoed, inside his mind in a torturing manner. He remembered the disgusting feeling of someone trying to take over his own sanity.

His doubts at the shadow demon’s intentions were rekindled and yet, he couldn’t deny that his offer of power was somehow more tempting than the tyrant who almost made him lose himself. But what could be his assurance that the shadow demon wasn’t plotting the same?

‘You almost lost your mind back then. I see,’ Orochi suddenly barged in, his voice now projected directly inside his mind. ‘And you were thinking that I would do the same?,’ he continued, his wide grin mocking at Shinku from afar.

“Are you?,” Shinku probed, his eyes pinned on the shadow demon’s.

‘Maybe. But what are you going to do about it?,’ Orochi challenged, as his throne formed beneath him.

Shinku’s lips were sealed for a moment, a plethora of painful memories rushing inside his mind. A savior, or rather a pathetic one. Did he just resist the unmaking’s corruption just to surrender himself to his own shadow demon control?

“Oh come on! You’ve got nothing to worry about. Besides, you and I have gone this far. Do you still doubt my intentions?,” Orochi hissed, his voice once again thrown from his own lips, in an attempt to dismiss Shinku's doubts.

“Of course I still do. But for now, let’s get to that next stone. And how do I get out of here?,” Shinku probed, realizing that he is between life and death itself.

Before Orochi could respond however, the darkness around him suddenly swirled into a black twister, banishing the shadow demon himself. Then, a flash of emerald light blinded Shinku before fading back into total darkness.

He gasped, as he jerked up from what felt like a soft bed.

“Ye’ son of a biscuit eater! I knew I shud ‘ave been the one that joined that tournament!,” Shinku’s vision was still a bit hazy, but he couldn’t deny Jack’s voice that came to meet him.

And just like that, he knew that he’s back to reality - wherever it was.

Ankh of Osiris used for instant revive

 

[Shinku]

“Give ‘im a break. He just came back from being dead,” another voice caught Shinku’s attention, as his eyes gradually adjusted from the well-lit room that welcomed his revival. He found himself nursed in a single bed, tucked against the farthest wall from the door. Before that realization however, his eyes caught upon the figure of Jack that stood right beside him. And beyond the noisy pirate, stood a familiar old man who just stepped into the room.

“Birke!,” Shinku exclaimed in surprise, but restrained himself from showing further acts of excitement.

“So how are ‘ye feeling kid!,” Birke greeted, his visage sporting a troubled expression.

“Fine, I guess,” Shinku sighed, still a bit disoriented, his eyes examining every inch of his hands. He could feel every muscle of his body, with the absence any pain that tortured him back at Cevanti.

“Arrrr! This crimp’s a tough one! He ain’t gonna die that easily. Aren’t ye!,” Jack exclaimed, giving Shinku a strong pat in the back.

The pirate’s slamming palm did strike pain on Shinku but also relayed that he’s all normal and alive. To the assassin’s surprise however, he saw Birke hefting his hammer in his periphery and threw it in his direction. Although out of the hammer’s trajectory, Jack couldn’t help but move his body in sudden surprise. Shinku on the other hand, slipped in the shadows and reappeared right at the end side of the bed. Birke’s hammer stopped before hitting the wall, then flew back at the old man’s hand.

“Welp. Yer’ fine alright,” Birke remarked, as he tucked his hammer on his back.

“Arrr! What’s the big idea ye’ bilge rat!,” Jack suddenly bellowed, pointing the blade of his cutlass at the old man.

“I didn’t know you two were friends,” Shinku mocked, his eyes still pinned to his own body.

“Arrr! I ain’t be hangin’ with that scurvy dog! He tried to kill me yesterday!” Jack remarked, his cutlass still pointed at Birke.

“Ye’ intruded my house! What’d ye’ want me to do? Smile at ye!,” Birke retorted, yet unfazed at the pirate’s blade.

“I felt that crimp’s presence in ‘ere so I teleported inside! And why did ye’ snatch ‘im anyway!,” Jack scowled back, his left finger pointed at Shinku.

“He had my relic so his body was revived in ‘ere when he died!”

“He did die?” Jack blinked, surprised at the old man’s revelation. Unconsciously, he got his hand lowered, along with his cutlass that he held against the old man.

“I’ve been tellin’ ye’ over and over since yesterday and ye’ still didn’t get it! Yer’ hopeless,” Birke just sighed then pulled something out of his pocket. “By the way. I believe this one’s fer ye’,” he continued, throwing a coin-filled pouch at the assassin of shadows.

“That came with the package from Karl Jak,” Birke continued as Shinku caught the pouch mid-air.

“And how did he know I’m here?,” the assassin of shadows queried in surprise before opening the pouch which then revealed a huge amount of coins.

“Welp, that’s Karl Jak were talkin’ about kid. He knows everything!,” Birke remarked, a sudden shrug coming along with a ‘beats-me’ expression.

“Anyway here,” Shinku’s attention then switched to Jack on whom he threw the pouch of coins at. “Suit up! We're hunting for some treasures.”

“Arrrr! No one orders Jack….,” the pirate retorted after catching the pouch but his speech momentarily stopped upon seeing the gold coins inside. “...errr…that treasure had to be worth hunting!,” he continued as he waltzed past Birke and out of the house.

The other two remained silent as the pirate walked away, patiently waiting for the latter to actually leave out of the door.

“So what made ye’ decide to join his game kid?” Birke asked the moment he heard the door slam shut.

“I hoped to find some clues about…you know my clan’s murderers,” Shinku responded, rubbing a hand through his hair.

“Ye’ sure are serious about that are ye’,” a deep sigh escaped Birke’s lips, a forlorn expression forming in his visage.

“I already told you about them. I just can’t…” Shinku clenched his fist, his whole body tensing up in anger. His words trailed off in silence even before completing his sentence.

“And yet you know that you have no strength to face them,” Birke remarked, speaking up at Shinku’s sudden silence. “Follow me,” he continued, leaving the room without waiting for Shinku.

A deep sigh escaped Shinku’s lips before walking after Birke. He lumbered, forlornly dragging his feet to leave the room as deaths of his allies in Dante’s Abyss kept torturing his mind. They could have been alive somewhere but his failure to protect them proved that his strength wasn’t enough to save anyone. Let alone avenge his own village.

He found Birke on a room that almost resembled Suvaru Inn’s lobby less the front desk, but what caught his attention was John Connor’s image projected on a flat screen tv.

“Is that John Connor?”, he asked while making his way closer to the tv screen.

“Yep, that's the man. Apparently, he’s the champion of this year’s DA,” Birke responded, as he tinkered on what looked like a silver earring.

“I didn’t know he joined as well. I haven’t met him on the island,” Shinku remarked as he listened to what seemed to be a champion’s speech.

“You know that man?”

“Well, I had a mission with him a couple of days before I joined Dante’s Abyss.”

“I see. Too bad ye’ didn’t find him. he would ‘ave been a valuable ally.”

Shinku refused to respond but kept his eye pinned on the television. ‘An ally. Of course. I think he can help me defend against the pirates in Opealon.’ Shinku mused.

“Anyway, I fixed these fer’ ye’!,” Birke exclaimed, as he handed the same earrings he previously gave the assassin of shadows. “These are the ones that saved you from death. But hopefully you won’t rush on trying for its effect again.”

“Hey thanks. I really appreciate the gift,” Shinku greeted, as he wore the earrings without delay. “Do you happen to know where John Connor is?”

“I think I saw him fly off the planet yesterday.”

“Where to?”

“We’ll who knows. He got off in a private space taxi.”

“I see,” Shinku responded, his face contorting to a frown.

“Ye’ need something from ‘im?,” Birke asked, eyeing Shinku with a raised brow.

“Nevermind. Maybe you can help me with a spar instead?,” the assassin of shadows implored in an attempt to brush the topic about John Connor.

“I’d love to kid! Can’t wait to give ye’ some beating!,” Birke exclaimed, hefting his hammer as he marched towards the front door.

 

[Shinku]

The morning mist gradually faded, unveiling the towering trees in the forest outside of Arcadia. Golden rays of Erde’s dawn peered through, accenting the forest’s haunting beauty. Massive trees of the dawn-lit woods welcomed Shinku as he traversed the woods, shifting between Erde and the realm of shadows, to follow after the merchant who chose to fly above the forest. The crisp morning breeze brushed against his face every time he stepped out of the shadow realm. The musky scent of wood clung in the air, mixed with the fragrance of the fresh breeze.

It had been a while since Shinku was able to use his abilities to their full extent. He could feel the addictive flow of his shadow energies, coursing through his veins like prisoners that were finally set free. Drunk with power, he drew his sword, felling a tall oak tree in one swift strike. The drunkenness never left him since he reunited with Orochi’s blade, back at Birke’s shack. Squeals and flaps of birds disturbed the forest before the assassin’s form disappeared into nothingness.

Gradually, the trees thinned out, the verdant forest slowly replaced by towering rock formations. The terrain rose steadily, with patches of white limestones starting to get abundant in the previously soil-rich ground. The sound of raging waters slowly replaced the serenity of the woods. Shinku rushed forward, almost falling off the edge of a cliff, barely saved by his trained alacrity. From there, he witnessed the grandiose sight of a great waterfall, plummeting from a great height and decorating the opposite cliff like a majestic, silky white curtain. The waterfall created a mist on a river at the foot of the canyon that disappeared under Shinku’s side of the cliff.

“She’s a beaut ain’t she?” Birke exclaimed from behind, his voice muffled by the fall’s thundering roar.

Words seemed to have disappeared from Shinku’s lips, who stood speechless before the magnificent view. Though his face remained dull, the assassin’s eyes glinted in amazement. Inside, his heart raced, in sync with the thrill of the rapid waters. Yet in his mind, the melancholy of an old memory played, of a similar place where he first learned the way of the blade.

“Haha! Exactly the reaction I expected!” Before he could bask in his memories however, Birke’s rugged voice snapped Shinku back to reality. To his surprise, Birke suddenly appeared right beside him, the old man’s back facing the waterfalls.

“Well, shall we head to our training ground then?,” Birke jested as he dove back, allowing Erde’s embrace to pull him to the rivers below. Shinku almost reached out in panic but then remembered that the old man had the ability to fly. And just as the assassin of shadows expected, the old man stopped his fall midway, then twisted himself before bolting right through the falls.

Shinku fixed his eyes on the momentary opening that the old man created. If not for his sense of Birke’s presence, it would have been difficult for him to determine the space behind the cliff’s liquid curtain.

Hesitation pinned Shinku in place for quite a while, as he kept track of the old man’s presence which hadn’t moved since passing through the falls. His reference of Birke’s location could only ascertain the existence of a veiled space, but it was impossible for him to determine the structure around it. Determined to spar the old man however, he mustered every courage he could, as he filled his lungs with the crisp air by the cliff and released it in a resolute breath before stepping into the realm of shadows. His form appeared back just a few yards in front of Birke, who welcomed him with a wide grin.

“That took ye’ a while kid!,” Birke japed, as he played with his hammer that loosely revolved around his right wrist.

"This place sure gives you all the advantage," Shinku remarked, his eyes surveying the interior of a rocky cave.

"Ye' can still back out if ye' want," the old man teased, his eyes still fixed on his revolving weapon.

“If I can’t defeat you here, how can I face my clan’s murderers,” the assassin of shadows imposed, as he gripped his sword with both hands, his posture forming a ritualistic sword stance.

“I ain’t sure if I’m gonna commend ye’ on that, but ye’ know, a wise man must always choose his fight,” Birke responded, his wide grin narrowing to a closed smile.

“Not today Birke,” Shinku calmly retorted, yet his eyes grew sharp like a murderer’s. His grip on his sword grew tighter, his body suddenly tensing up.

“Don’t get me wrong kid. But how d’ye expect to defeat yer clan’s murderers if ye’ always seek yer own death,” the old man urged, his visage now forming a forlorn expression.

Shinku opened his lips but held back whatever words that would have left it. His eyes moved down, his body slacking as if his strength suddenly left him. The muffled rage of the waterfalls, served as the only noise that filled the sudden absence of their voices.

Without any plan, Shinku tightened his grip on the sword once again before disappearing into a purplish black smoke.

Birke on the other hand, responded with a forlorn sigh, as he similarly gripped his hammer for battle.

Shinku reappeared right behind the old man but was violently pushed back by an invisible force that almost slammed him on the cave’s sturdy wall if not for his reflexive move to step back into the shadows.

“And how d’ye plan on defeating anyone with those lousy moves of yers!,” the old man scolded, pulling the assassin of shadow’s body with his gravitational force, the moment Shinku appeared right above him. He raised his hammer to clash with the assassin’s sword, his eyes sharply meeting with Shinku’s. The young assassin wanted to disengage but the old man’s pulling force was too strong for him to make any other move.

Dusts and small rocks fell from the cave’s ceiling, as the clash of metals invited a light tremor inside the cave. Distant screech of bats echoed from afar, channeled through small holes around the place.

With a strong push, Birke threw Shinku who helplessly slammed into a wall. The assassin of shadows almost fell to the ground, but was stubbornly able to hold himself barely upright. His eyes grew dull, yet his hand kept its grip on his sword. He trembled - in fear? In hopelessness? Or perhaps in rage of fighting another losing battle?

“I’m not tellin’ ye to just give up kid! But please, will ye’ stop on always knockin’ at death’s door,” the old man implored, his eyes now staring at Shinku in sympathy. “Now pull yerself together and let’s go at it again!” Quickly, the old man’s eyes grew sharp, his body tensing up for another fight.

A concealed smile momentarily formed at Shinku’s lips before he faced the old man once again, his stance reforming for their next bout of battle.

 

[Shinku]

In the blink of an eye, Shinku's form disappeared as if swallowed by darkness. Birke, on the other hand, formed another wide grin, as he anticipated the assassin’s next move.

To Birke’s surprise, his opponent wasn’t making any sudden moves as usual. "Playin' the stealth game are we? Welp, let’s see ye’ stealth this!,” he exclaimed, before stomping his foot. The slamming force drew a network of cracks on the rocky ground and eventually shattered the cracked stones, creating a huge crater inside the cave save for the spot where Birke stood. Shortly after, a multitude of rock debris tore themselves from the ceiling and violently rained down like a barrage of raging bullets.

From his periphery, the old man noticed a couple of rocks flying in random directions as if being thrown by an unseen force. “Caught ye kid!,” he roared, pointing his hammer at the irregularity. He felt his gravitational force latch into something, prompting the old man to try and slam the target into a nearby wall. Midway however, the force loosened up indicating that he lost his target.

Sensing a killing intent from behind, Birke quickly released a force from his body to repel Shinku who appeared to aim a slash from below. The assassin of shadows was easily thrown back but was able to enter his shadows before slamming into another wall. A quick follow up attack forced the old man to swoop his hammer down to block Shinku’s blade that was aimed this time at his legs. The assassin of shadows again entered his shadows after appearing on Birke’s left side, right below the old man’s knee.

“Haha! Seems I gave ye’ an extra attacking room with this crater ‘ere ei. Let’s level it then.” With another stomp, Birke crushed the ground on his feet, crushing it to level the rest of the crater. The old man however, was able to safely land with his ability to control Erde’s gravitational pull.

Before he could touch the ground however, he was forced to use another repelling force to throw Shinku back who appeared right in front of him for another attack. “Yer’ tricks won’t work on me kid. Ye’ better up yer’ game if ye’ want to at least land a hit,” the old man mocked, as soon as Shinku entered the shadows. It hasn’t even passed a breath away however, when the old man had to deflect another sword attack with his hammer. This time however, the force seemed lighter, letting him throw the cutting sword like a feather. To his surprise, the pitch black blade showed it’s form momentarily with a chain attached to it before being pulled at lightning speed to a distant shadow portal.

Birke tried to open his mouth for another speech but abruptly chose to hold his words back. Instead, he waved his hammer and caused all the loose rock in the cave to move in a violent swirling motion. The rock-filled twister covered almost every inch of the hidden battleground, making it easy for the old man to pinpoint his stealthy opponent.

With another swing, he latched a force to where he assumed the assassin of shadows was. He was able to momentarily feel something but it was loosened up in an instant. “Guess I can’t catch ye’ twice eh. Ye’ sure are smart,” the old man japed before releasing another repelling force to guard himself from Shinku who assaulted him again from behind. “But ye’ still won’t hit me either,” he boasted, as his opponent flew back with his repelling force. Shinku had to suffer some racing rocks before he was able to enter his shadows.

With his swirling rocks, the old man was confident enough to determine where Shinku could appear next but to his surprise, the rock debris all swung in perfect motion without any sudden disturbance. He surveyed the area carefully, making sure that every space in the cave’s small space was covered by his rocky twister.

“Ei! Don’t tell me ye’ left this old man alone in ‘ere,” Birke complained, unable to sense anything for quite some time. Growing impatient, he finally let down the rocks. The old man braced himself for a sudden attack but there was none. A couple more minutes had passed, yet the air around him remained serene.

“Is it the waitin’ game now kid? Hah! Can’t say I’m impressed that yer’ finally using that head of yers. But I swear, once I learn that ye’ just run off from ‘ere, I’d really beat ye’ to a pulp,” the old man threatened frivolously, yet his eyes revealed a few hints of impatience. “Now come on…,” he continued but before his speech could end, he had to swing his hammer to block a sudden attack from below. The old man pushed harder but almost lost his balance when Shinku once again disappeared into the shadows.

A smirk formed in the old man’s face, acknowledging the assassin’s wit. His smirk however, was erased when dark shadow energies suddenly formed from around his feet. The unknown skill prompted the old man to move away before being clutched by whatever was about to form under him. He hadn’t even drawn a breath when he had to smash his hammer against a rock, thrown from his side.

Again, he had to repel Shinku who appeared behind him with his gravitational force. The assassin of shadows was easily thrown back before once again disappearing into the shadows. “Not gonna work…,” the old man was about to jest, but had to turn to block a blade that flew right at him from the same point where Shinku flew at. A shadow portal momentarily opened, from where the chained sword was pulled at.

“Hah! That’s what I’ve been talkin’ about!,” Birke exclaimed as he defended another assault from above. He followed up the attack with stones that rushed towards Shinku, but the assassin was quickly able to escape into his shadows. The old man had to step out of another coil of shadow energies that erupted below him, before smashing a rock that rushed out of nowhere. The old man’s eyes now grew sharp, his stance more tense than it used to. Not a word left Birke’s lips this time, who chose to focus more on the escalating battle.

 

[Shinku]

Shinku attacked relentlessly, executing a perfectly orchestrated pattern, then breaking it on another wave of attack. Birke on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying his role of defense, his demeanor unfazed by the assassin’s assaults. Both their lips however, remained shut as the tide of battle evenly alternated between the dueling warriors.

Earthen pillars started to rise, breaking Shinku’s pattern of assault. Birke’s knocking force prevented him from connecting any attack. Even with his stealth and speed, the assassin of shadows wasn’t able to do anything against Birke’s superb execution of defense and attacks. Momentarily, he would gain some sort of advantage only to be caught in the old man’s sly trap.

Rocks flung in the air, metals clashed, the hidden battleground marred with cratered walls, shattered rocks and marks of Shinku’s blade. Both the warriors’ visage grew fierce, their attention exclusively pinned on the raging combat. Heartbeats raced with the progressing beat of battle, neither of the duelers giving any opening for the other.

Again, Shinku escaped the old man’s senses for a while. This time, the old man chose not to check his opponent with the swirl of rocks but saved his strength for the assassin’s probable assault. Not even a single speech escaped from the old man, whose senses remained keen for any movement that might follow. Silence dominated the battlefield, save for the distant rush of the waterfalls.

After quite a long wait, Birke had to move to elude a shadow coil that erupted below, saving both his feet from being caught. Shinku however, was finally able to connect the hilt of his sword against the old man’s head. Before the blow could cause more impact however, the old man was able to knock the assassin upward at the last second with his unseen wall.

Before hitting the cavern’s ceiling, Shinku entered his shadows again then continued his attacks against Birke. The disoriented old man was barely able to defend himself, yet successfully fended off most of his opponents attacks until he was finally able to regain his focus in the match.

Having his battle fervor raised, Birke retaliated with his barrage of earthen assaults and gravitational pulls. The old man’s aggressive stance this time, gave no opportunity for the assassin of shadows to plan his own offense. Even so, his blade would only be met with Birke’s hammer or be knocked back with an unseen wall.

A long pause ensued once again, with the absence of the assassin of shadows in the battlefield. The old man drew short breaths, his focus still keen to anticipate his opponent’s next move.

Time, the unseen enemy continued to tick, taking its toll on both the duelers body. Deep breaths and a shower of sweat marked both the warriors declining vigor. The intensity of battle however, refused to dwindle in spite of the battlefield’s momentary silence.

A sudden eruption of shadow energies alerted Birke once again who quickly moved to evade the coils then released a sphere of energy in anticipation of the assassin’s attack. True enough, Shinku almost slammed on the wall, if not for the help of his shadow portal.

Rocks flung once again to assault the assassin of shadows before he could raise his sword against Birke, on his sudden appearance before the old man. He had to deflect the rocks with his sword instead, then slid into his shadows to escape the attack. The moment his form appeared, either a pull of Birke’s force or an earthen assault would immediately meet him.

Shinku was forced to pull his technique of long absence once again. The old man’s senses grew too sharp for him to land even a stealthed attack. The assassin’s disappearance was a tad shorter this time, yet his pattern of starting with his shadow coil attack remained the same.

Birke grinned as he effortlessly swayed to evade the trap and once again released a sphere of energy to deflect the assassin of shadows. The force however, did not seem to hit anything this time. For a short while, Shinku’s presence wasn’t felt anywhere near the battlefield.

“Too soon!,” Shinku’s sudden speech made the old man flinch as he felt the tip of cold steel touching his nape. The move wiped the old man’s grin off his face, realizing his fatal mistake.

“Haha! Ye got me there kid!,” Birke exclaimed, raising both his hands in an admission of defeat.

With his opponent’s gesture of surrender, Shinku then let down his sword, placing it back into its scabbard. Birke similarly let go of his hammer, allowing it to fly to secure itself on the strap at his back.

“Ye sure got more clever eh!,” The old man continued as he faced his victorious opponent.

“Well, you did give me a hard time,” Shinku chuckled lightly, in an almost non-evident smile if not for the slight smirk on his lip. Though blood wasn’t present anywhere, bruises on Shinku’s body marked how the old man partly dominated the match.

“I guess yer still short in experience compared to mine,” Birke lectured, giving the assassin a tap on his shoulder. “And yet ye still won! I knew ye’r made up of something!,” he chortled, before turning around then sitting on the ground.

“Hey, is something wrong?,” Shinku implored in concern, almost reaching his hand out to the old man.

“Nah! Just me old age taking its toll. Ye will get it in time,” Birke responded, his eyes set upon the crystalline curtain by the mouth of the cave. He paused with a few coughs before resuming his speech. “Come ‘ere! Join me,” he invited, tapping the ground beside him.

Shinku complied, slowly lowering himself to sit beside the old man. Similarly, he took a view of the waterfalls, drawing a few short breaths himself.

“Relaxing ain’t it?,” Birke remarked, momentarily closing his eyes, his face raised against the cave’s barren ceiling.

Shinku did the same, letting himself be lost with the faint music of the waterfalls. ‘Good work son,’ the illusory voice of his father suddenly rang in his head, forcing him to open his eyes.

“Shhh. Just let it kid! There ain’t gonna be another time like this,” Birke urged, surprising Shinku with his still closed eyes.

Once again, Shinku closed his eyes, this time getting lost in the illusion of his past.

 

[Shinku]

Freezing water heavily fell on his body, as his senses refocused - in a dream? He shivered in the sudden chill that seeped through his very core. He could barely keep his upper body upright with the raging falls that mauled him like a hammer.

“In order to defeat others, you must first conquer yourself,” the serene voice of his father suddenly rang beside him. “To survive, your will must first decide to overcome. To be strong, your mind must first become that of steel,” his father continued to lecture, causing Shinku to open his eyes and turn to look at the source of the voice.

“Focus!” his father bellowed with the man’s eyes still closed. He flinched at the stern voice, making him close his eyes once more, his head turning straight in an instant. “In this battle, your enemy is yourself. Your weapon is your own will. Whether you win or lose, it’s up to your resolve.”

His heart raced as he listened to his father’s voice. He knew it was merely a dream yet, every sensation that reached his senses all felt too real. He wished that time would have freezed. That the very illusion of the moment, just turned to reality. He wanted to hear more, but his father’s voice faded into the thundering waterfalls.

Once again, the debilitating chill coursed through his body. The throbbing pain of the heavy waters that pommeled him from above, added to the frigid torment. Though ecstatic of his father’s presence, he couldn’t ignore the excruciating punishment of the icy falls. He had conquered the trial one too many times, but at that moment, it felt like he was suffering the ordeal for the first time. Yet, for his father’s sake, he had to endure.

A muffled grunt left his lips, forced by waves of chill and pain that relentlessly tormented Shinku, or rather, his younger self. His fists tightened in his attempt to endure the painful trial. Pain was one thing, but the harassing cold that seeped through his marrows was a great deal worse. He found it hard to believe that he was once tortured by a mere waterfall, but the memories were there.

The suffering went on for a couple of moments - or for ages as what it all felt like. Then finally, he heard the voice of his father once again. “Good work son! Now remember, your resolve serves as the foundation of your victory or defeat. So beware! For once you’ve accepted the path of loss in your mind, your body follows.”

The lecture hinted that the trial was over. With that, Shinku finally opened his eyes; however, in an instant, the illusion of the waterfalls and his father vanished. The sight of the cave welcomed him back to the present, Birke already standing next to him.

“Ah yer awake kid! Had a good rest?,” the old man chuckled, helping Shinku to stand up.

The assassin of shadows simply nodded, his mind still adjusting to the present time. ‘...once you’ve accepted the path of loss in your mind, your body follows,’ his father’s words played in a loop inside his mind. ‘I haven’t lost yet,’ he mused. ‘Not until I bring justice to all of you,’ his thoughts continued, reflecting his resolve on his sharp visage.

“Looks like ye’ woke up from a nightmare kid. Ye’ ok?,” Birke asked in half concern. “Welp, I guess it’s time fer us to go back and ‘ave actual rest.” he continued even before Shinku could respond to his query.

“Of course. But well, before we go back. I plan on returning to Opealon. Will you come with me?” Shinku pleaded with sharp words, his eyes radiating with intimidation.

“Hahaha is that how ye’ ask an old man nowadays?” Birke burst into sudden laughter, amused at Shinku’s sudden request. “Well, I’m pretty sure ‘yer aware that ye’ got a bounty on yer’ head. That’s why yer’ bringing me with ye’. And I be lovin’ to help ye’ but I’m afraid I’d have to decline.”

“I see.” Shinku remarked quickly without asking further yet his sharp visage suddenly shifted into a frown.

“Ye’ don’t plan on dying again are ye’?,” the old man asked, this time in a gentler tone.

“Well…of course not. But I can’t remain here knowing that I can gain strength elsewhere?,” his tone was slightly raised but he gave an apologetic gesture upon realizing his faulty attitude.

“And how do you plan on doing that?”

“I…learned of an artifact that could power up my sword.” Shinku stuttered for a while but quickly managed to redeem himself. His eyes however, evaded the old man’s.

Birke stared intently at the assassin’s eyes for a while before letting off a deep sigh. A look of concern was evident at his visage, while Shinku’s on the other hand, was teemed with awkwardness.

“I know someone that I can add to yer’ band.” Birke redeemed himself, walking up to Shinku with a light tap on the assassin’s shoulder.

“And who will that be?” Shinku asked, his eyes finally aligning with Birke’s.

“Patience kid. Give me three days. I need to fetch ‘im from Mesa Roja. Make sure ye’ be well trained by then.” Birke gave Shinku another tap before propelling himself out of the cave. Shinku followed suit, his lips forming a subtle smile.

As he stepped out of his shadows, Shinku was welcomed by the harassing rays of Erde’s noontime sun. The intimidating heat however, wasn’t enough to break his hopeful spirit.

A distant view of Arcadia formed from his vantage point, somehow triggering a wistful thought. Would he be able to leave the distressed city, knowing that the dangers of the unmaking still loomed somewhere on the planet? The image of Elise suddenly passed in his thoughts. He didn’t expect it but somehow, the lady has formed a part of his life.

‘I’ll grow stronger and will be back for you.’ He mused once again as he traversed the path back to the city. ‘This time, I will be strong enough to protect.’

Exit