Reality's Blade

Chapter 10: Erdialdera

I pursued Hikage back through the forest. Somehow the trees seemed less dense, less dark and less ominous. I didn't feel like the foliage was trying to swallow me alive as I weaved my way through the undergrowth with relative ease in comparison to the journey out here. Even Hikage letting go of a branch causing it to whip back into my face couldn't spoil my mood, particularly when it made him laugh out loud so freely.

In what felt like no time at all we had made it back to the cottage, Hikage swiftly set up the campfire so it burned bright in the night and the flames danced high. The night was unusually dark, the sky was an amethyst purple, allowing stars to glitter across the horizon. Hikage filled our cups, with a clink and a gulp they were empty, but were refilled in an instant. On a smaller side fire Hikage toasted fish. We reminisced and told our stories of our training thus far, laughing at my multiple defeats and light-heartedly teasing over the darker moments until we'd caught up to the taranceri battle.

"When you saved me after I fell, you looked just as cool as the very first time you saved me from the taranceri."

"The first time was nothing, it was a single one! What's cooler is this." He whipped out his fans and started to slowly perform his routine. "Don't you see it?"

"Yeah yeah I know you're all awesome and graceful with your pretty fans."

He let out exasperated sigh. "No, watch closely. This form is designed for fighting taranceri." He continued his moves. As I scrutinised the form I could suddenly imagine it, the way he sliced through a limb to then deal a blow to the body. He saw the realisation dawn on my face and stopped, with a smug look he sat back down.

"I'll teach you some of it before we go face them again."

He started to fillet the fish and plate it up.

"Is there a form for that too?" I teased.

He pointed his short knife at me as a warning.

"Is the fish from the lake?" I wondered out loud.

"Yeah."

"How come I never see them? I've never seen any creatures near the cottage, why don't the monsters come and attack us?" I questioned. It was something that had always bothered me about this place, it was just too still and quiet at times.

Hikage gazed over the forest. "There's a barrier. This whole area is protected by an enchantment."

He handed me the fish, it's aroma had been making my mouth water, I tucked into it gladly.

The chatter died down as our minds and mouths were preoccupied with food, in the hush that ensued I heard an indistinct noise carried on the wind. It had an eerie quality, so much so that I stopped eating and looked around. Hikage had also stopped, his head was slightly cocked to one side, I knew he was listening now too. On the lake I spotted a shape, it was too far away to make out clearly but it appeared to be a boat, what it carried I couldn't tell.

The noise came again, this time it almost sounded like words. Hikage rose to his feet, plate clattering to the ground. The next moment he was down by the water's edge.

"Dark Samurai!" A voice yelled.

There was a person in the boat, paddling furiously towards shore. I couldn't make head nor tail of this unexpected situation.

I jogged down to join Hikage. The circumstances escalated further, when for the first time, I saw Hikage look distressed, and I couldn't even begin to understand why. My heart pounded as I waited for the stranger in the boat to reach the shore.