The Sword of Darkness

14 Fire and Ice

“So this is how it has to be?” Maverick asked, his muscles taut with anticipation.

“I’m afraid this is the only way it will work.” Itazuki replied. His eyes were sharp like the blade he held in his hands. He had been dreading this moment since the day Oreana had been kidnapped but now he felt a strange amount of relief knowing that he could do this. He just hoped the sword and his body had recuperated. Curse this human body. Why did I want to be weak human? He thought, he sounded like his brother and he hated that.

 Ben looked more confused than ever. He had been told to leave the room for ten minutes, leaving Itazuki alone with Maverick and Otsu.

“Why are you going to kill him, Rylan?” Ben asked. He felt where this was heading.  He could tell by the stance Itazuki held, reading to charge like a rhino.

Itazuki ignored him; his mind was engaged solely on his old friend, Maverick.

 The feeble Otsu, rocked in his chair, smiled with partially closed eyes. He waited for something like this to happen, to see his Maverick engage in unearthly action. That was the only thing he could think of to describe the way Maverick fought or killed, unearthly.  And Otsu, being almost ancient in human terms, knew who Itazuki really was. 

 “Benjamin. Don’t worry; this has to be done this way?” Otsu said. Ben looked at him rocking in his chair. Otsu rocked as if sitting on a front porch watching the birds fly, and the cats chasing each other around a car. Like this fight was an ordinary part of his life. Ben smiled hesitantly, why isn’t this old man not panicky. Ben finally ate the doughnuts, replacing the anxiety in his gut with chocolate filling.

 “Your move.” Maverick smiled arrogantly. Though, it was first time he had seen his best friend in 20 some years he was excited to battle. Eager to taste the intoxicating effects of a good challenge.

 Itazuki bolted, carrying his sword up and straight like the traditional samurai in the paintings. He crossed from Otsu to Maverick in seconds covering fifteen feet. Itazuki slammed the sword diagonally. Maverick reacted like Itazuki was in slow motion. He shifted his weight to one side. Then crossed his right metal claw over, snatching the blade before it could cut between the shoulder and neck.

 “Really Ita?” He flung the sword away and sent Itazuki stumbling backwards.

 “This is just the human in me.” Itazuki said breathing steadily.

 “Well you can never beat Chishiro if you don’t lose that side of you. It’s holding you back.”

 “That’s what people have been telling me.” Then he lunged ready to attack. Maverick kept a casual stance and held out his hand. Itazuki stopped.

 “Itazuki stop.” Maverick said, “Us fighting in one of the most populous cities in the world will result in a lot of causalities. Let’s go to another place.” He remembered a mountain in the Toyama prefecture.  “There is a Mountain called Tate. It’s quite secluded and beautiful. A wonderful forest like the one at home. So what do you say? I’d rather die in place like that instead of this smog and noisy city.”

 “You always appreciated those kinds of places.” Itazuki said smiling on the outside. Then he remembered that last time he was in a mountainous region. Small shard like memories of killing that boy Azure stabbed his mind. ‘You will fail.’ The boy had said but Itazuki knew this plan would work. For some reason after his fight with Azure, Itazuki felt he had taken a part of them. Azure and Lithe. Why did he have this feeling scratching at him?

 “Yeah that will be fine.” Itazuki hesitated, and then looked over at Ben and Otsu. “But do these two have to come.”

 Otsu spoke up first. “Yes. I must come.”