Immortal Coil

Chapter 5: Not everything is as it seems

Fuji ran out of his tent and went straight to Koji's tent. Koji was still asleep as Fuji ran inside, he shook Koji viciously to wake him up. Koji slowly woke up in confusion. He rose from his bed and held his head. Fuji stood over his bed already in his Samurai armor.

"Finally, you're awake," Fuji said sarcastically.

"W-what the fuck is going on Fuji? Why the hell did you have to wake me up like that?" Koji said angrily.

"My fault Koji, BUT training starts this afternoon if you didn't know."

"SHIT! I forgot, I have to hurry up." Koji jumped out of his bed quickly putting on his armor. And he then ran outside toward the group of men he had been assigned to train with. General Ishiki sat on a large rock, he was smoking something. His eyes were closed, he then opened them as soon as Koji came running up towards the group.

"You were almost late Koji..." General Ishiki said as he stood up from the rock with both of his hands placed behind his back.

"Thank the gods I wasnt...hahahaha...right?" Koji said nervously, trying to laugh it all off.

"Ok men, today we will be going to a nearby village, there it is said to be speculation of a small rebellion troop that hides out there. We will go in and search for them and I will be coming along with you all." The General said as he stood with his chest puffed out.

"YES SIR!" The men yelled out standing straight up with their heads held high.

Koji and the 9 other men followed Ishiki through the woods, the day was calm and the sun was beginning to set. A light warm breeze ran through the men as they walked confidently through the forest. In the distance one of the men spots the village. They all begin to walk faster toward it.

"Men before we go in...there is something that I want to say, you all must be careful anyone in there could be the enemy so watch out." Ishiki said as they entered the village.

Kids ran around playing with each other passing the soldiers paying them no mind. Though the men in the village looked a bit uneasy as they laid their eyes upon the emperor's soldiers. People whispered to one another as they walked past them. Some women hid inside their houses peeking out their windows at them. Koji felt the hostility in the air, it was as if the people in this town already knew a fight would break out. But from where? Koji asked himself, looking around slowly, turning his head one way to the other. Two little kids then ran into Koji bumping into his leg. It was a boy and a girl both wearing matching blue kimonos, Koji looked down and smiled looking at the children having fun running around him. Then one of the boy picks up a ball and hands it over to Koji. Koji is hesitant to grab the ball but Ishiki was near him so why not he thought. He grabbed the ball and began to play catch with the two children.

Then the boy accidentally throws it over to this house where men stood on the porch looking at Koji with so much hate in their eyes. Koji went over to pick up the ball but was greeted with a sword to his neck as he looked up.

"Don't you dare move you demon." The man holding the sword said to Koji as he stood there frozen like a statue.

"S-so you g-guys are with the rebellion huh?" Koji asked nervously, not knowing the intentions of the men.

"And you're a part of the emperor's army..." One of the other men said as they stood in the house's doorway.

Out of nowhere an arrow pierced the man's neck who held the sword to Koji's throat. The man dropped his sword and held his neck, the other men rushing to his aid as he fell down the steps of the house. Koji looked back in shock wondering where that arrow came from and it came from none other than Ishiki. Ishiki shot another arrow at the man hitting him in his heart. Koji was frozen, again in the heat of battle. The other men jumped off the porch now having their swords revealed ready to kill Koji and the other soldiers. Koji took his blade out too, ready for battle. Distress covered his face as he held his blade up looking angrily at the rebel men.