A Legend's Legacy

Mari the Trader

How many nights had he been tracking the Mongol convoy?

He barely slept, barely ate the past three nights. But, his sacrifice was not fruitless. Today was the day he found a camp the Mongols were creating. A small base, now that there was no Khotun Khan to lead them. The Mongol army was shattered into fragments, leaving them to be led by separate generals.

The moon glowed behind the thin veil of clouds. Dull moonshine barely lit the surroundings; fire becoming more reliable. The perfect cover. The Ghost of Tsushima slipped unseen between the unfinished walls of the base camp. Quick light feet took him unnoticed behind guards that lined the exposed part of the camp. He set his sights for the largest Mongol yurt in the distance, lifted on a pedestal of rock and grass. If their next steps were taken note, it would be in the Mongol general's hut. The locals also mentioned of a trader that helped them in secret, but was captured several days ago. The last few smaller camps he searched did not have the trader he was asked to free. This camp was larger, so he hoped he would find the trader here.

While the general was out of the yurt, Jin slipped through the flap door, immediately searching for scrolls. He took the parchment after a quick skim of what was written, and slipped them under his armor.

Now to look for the trader, he thought.

Then he was out of the tent to search the cages for any prisoners. He freed the prisoners he found.

"Has any of you seen a trader?" Jin asked quietly as he led them to the tall grass.

"We saw the Mongols take a woman to another cage in the far side of the camp. They took her goods."

"Thank you. Let us get you out of here first." The Ghost led the small group of captured locals to where he had entered. One by one, the locals squeezed through the gap of the wooden wall. Once everyone was out, they all quietly fled into the night to their homes, while Jin returned inside the camp.

Mari the trader. She delivered goods from in and out of Japan. But ever since the invasion of Tsushima, returning has been difficult.

The trader sat on the ground, scratching at the dirt with the rock she had snatched from between the bamboo bars of her cage. It had been almost a week since her capture, but it hasn't broken her spirit. Her shoulders hung low from exhaustion but her eyes carried fierceness and determination. She had been starved and abused.

The roof of her cage creaked quietly as weight had been burdened on it. Mari braced herself, holding the rock behind her. It could not be a Mongol, but who could it be? Her question was answered when a figure jumped down without a sound before her cage.

"Are you Mari the Trader?" The man asked while crouched low.

"I am. Who are you?"

"I am Jin Sakai. Someone told me you were captured for helping the locals."

"Me and several others."

"I've already released them. They are safe."

Mari expelled a sigh of relief, while Jin Sakai opened her cage.

"I need my things first." The trader snuck out of her cage crouching.

"Do you know where they are?" Jin Sakai hauled himself on top of the bamboo cage. To his surprise, Mari swiftly got on top too, and set herself beside him, as if she had done this before.

"There." She pointed at the rack near the campfire. Mongols had gathered around the fire, talking amongst themselves.

"I'll get them—"

"I am coming with you."

"Alright. But if we are seen, you run."

She did not argue. The two of them hid in the shadows, slipping unseen past patrolling guards. In the grass behind the rack, Mari and Jin Sakai quietly took her belongings. To his surprise, some were weapons. But not just any weapon, some were weapons he had not seen before.