Ronin A story by Darc Blackwind
Chapter 1
The battlefield was eerily quiet, yet had that tangible sense of energy everyone felt when fighting for his or her life. Though everyone was fighting, not a single cry could quell the blood lust of the man Seizan. It was always the silent energy produced from a horrific battle that chilled his blood. It was a fiery sort of hatred that only could be attained through the all-consuming wrath of killing. Seizan was an imposing warrior, standing at six feet seven inches, all of it well-toned muscle and powerful sinew. His sable hair glistened in the fiery moonlight as he drew his katana, pointing it at his new victim. "Come get some," he said as he felt the chill breeze ruffle his black kimono out. Hearing the earth-shattering war cry of the warrior he was facing, he gripped the handle of his katana lightly, waiting for the man to strike first.
The approach of the warrior was fast, recklessly fast. Smirking evilly, Seizan charged the warrior and in a flash, he was on the other side of him, his blade dripping fresh blood into the dirt. The warrior stood still, his back towards Seizan, gasping for breath, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Seizan tapped the edge of his sword, the metallic sound ringing eerily loudly throughout the war-torn land. Instantly the man stopped gasping and fell to the ground in a pool of his blood, silent. Twirling his sword to get the blood off, Seizan looked around, realizing that there was no one left alive to fight. The battle had ended, staining the moon-bleached plain in crimson blood. He sighed and sheathed his katana quietly, leaving the battlefield for the generals to discuss.
That was one of the advantages of being Ronin, a masterless samurai. Though dishonored, it yielded more than enough battles for Seizan to fight in. Indeed, it was a life of freedom and adventure, a life that Seizan had grown to enjoy after so many battles. To the other samurai, he was known as Onikage the Manslayer, but to himself, he laughed at their simple fears and superstitions. To himself, he was simply Seizan Akiyama, a ronin with the love for the taste of blood. To make ends meet, he hired out his sword to the highest bidder. After all, it was foolhardy to let all those years of training go to waste when he was an honored samurai for Miyamoto shogunate. Smirking, he felt the gentle caress of the night breeze chill his bloodlust, beckoning the coming of winter. "Ah, the snow goddess is with me," he whispered contentedly to himself as the wind brought with it the smell of the battlefield, of charred and slain corpses and spilt blood. It was always that smell that brought something out in him, some sort of demon that wouldn't rest until it had gotten its fill of slaying. Perhaps it was because of this feeling that I had gained the name Onikage the Manslayer, he thought humorously as he made his way back to the village of Kashida.
The village of Kashida was quiet, a sleepy little town upon the edge of the great expanse of the Dark Waters. The incoming tide sloshed against the hulls of the boats moored at the dock, echoing quietly through the thick fog that had rolled in. The streets were deserted, the torches in the light-posts burnt out from the harsh-yet-soothing breeze coming in from the mountains to the west. Sighing, Seizan made his way to his hut at the edge of town by the docks. I'll talk to the Lord of Kashida tomorrow to get my payment for fighting tonight and be off soon after. . . . he thought as he slowly made his way to his hut.
The breeze echoed quietly through the abandoned alleyways of Kashida, giving the town an almost cadaverous sense of abandonment to it. Smirking, Seizan walked quietly down one of the wooden docks to the small abandoned hut on the small island fifty feet from the boat ramps, forlorn and empty. Leaping off the ramp, he landed on the sandy little beach where a row boat lay moored against a boulder, the rope binding it tightly to the island. Soon, I'll leave this place and go find another desperate lord who'll pay me to once again kill for him, and then I'll be sated once more, he thought as he opened the door to his hut with a creak. What a shit hole this place is. . . . No wonder this house was abandoned. . . . He looked around reproachfully at his makeshift home. There was only one thing of note in the one-room house at all, a small shrine at the far side of the room. Walking up to it, Seizan gazed into the mirror hanging serenely in the middle of the intricate sculpture. I wonder who used to live here. . . ? he thought as his reflection peered back at him. Lighting a candle inside the shrine, he examined his reflection. Though only twenty-four years old, his eyes looked much older than the rest of him. A large, cross-shaped scar lay across his right cheek, running from just behind his hairline all the way to his chin. He caressed it tentatively, remembering that fateful day he had received it.
The battle was intense, and fighting for his life, Seizan came across a samurai wearing blood-red armor. He was far different from the other warriors Seizan had slain that evening. "Art thou Onikage the Manslayer?" the warrior asked in the archaic language of the gods, drawing a sword that gleamed in the moonlight with a rancorous, purplish-black aura around it.
"Who are you, stranger?" Seizan asked, slashing out at an enemy to his left and decapitating him.
"Art thou Onikage the Manslayer?" the man repeated, his eyes glowing in the darkness. "Tell me now."
"Yes I am, stranger," Seizan said, pointing his sword at the warrior in the blood red armor. "Who are you?"
"I am Takamatsu, emissary of the Gods of Yore. Good bye, Onikage the Manslayer," the man Takamatsu whispered and pointed his demonic sword at him. In a flash of light, Seizan was blasted back by a wave thrown from the tip of Takamatsu's double-edged sword. Dropping his katana, he was thrown back into the river at the battlefield's edge, bleeding and unconscious.
Seizan caressed the cross-shaped scar gently. Who was that man, Takamatsu? he asked himself as he walked from the shrine to where his futon lay. The Gods of Yore. . . . Who are they? Why did they attack me? Shrugging, he realized it was pointless to dwell upon it and, removing his katana from his belt, he set it beside his futon and lay down, extinguishing the candle from within the shrine.
"Seizan. . . ." a sultry voice drifted up from the darkness.
Jerking awake, the ronin instantly went for his katana, not sure whether the presence he felt was good or bad. "Who's there?" he whispered, drawing his sword.
"Art thou afraid, gentle Seizan?" the voice whispered from within the darkness, gentle and sultry as a seductress. "Be not afraid, for I shall not harm thee. . . ." The voice was soft and impossibly feminine, yet was arcane and almost foreboding.
Seizan felt his katana fall from his hand, landing with a clutter on the ground. Instantly, the candles from within the shrine ignited, lighting up the room gently. Standing before him was a woman dressed in a silken black and dove-grey kimono. Impossibly beautiful and lithe, she had the body of a dancer or supermodel, the body of a goddess. Her eyes were soft and brown, her hair a silky golden that had black tips. With smooth skin and delicate lips and standing at five feet three or so, she was an exquisite specimen of sensuality incarnate. Removing her large dove-grey obi and letting the silken cloth drop to the ground, she gently walked towards the dumbstruck warrior, desire written in her lust-filled gaze.
"Wh, who are you?" Seizan whispered breathlessly as she embraced him, her lips brushing sensually against his.
"I am whatever you want me to be, ronin," the woman whispered erotically as her tongue caressed the bottom of his earlobe, slowly snaking its way into the opening. Shuddering from the sensation, Seizan slowly undid the rest of her black and grey kimono, bearing her pale flesh in the gentle candlelight. Her breasts were perfect, the nipples hard as little diamonds from the bite of the wintry chill outside. "Thou art a most skilled lover," the woman moaned as Seizan removed her kimono and began licking her hardened nipples. His hand snaking down her taut stomach, he removed her loincloth, feeling something long and hard down there.
Looking into her eyes worriedly, he said, "You aren't a woman, are you?" He felt her hard penis throb with the caressing of his hand.
"No, I am not. . . . I am an oni, a demon from the mist. Art thou frightened?" she whispered anxiously, withdrawing her hands from his muscular body.
"No. I've been with many oni on my travels. It is one of those tastes that I can't seem to outrun. . . ." he whispered, looking into her eyes. "And it also explains why you're speaking in the ancient tongue. Did the Snow Goddess send you?" She nodded, shocked that this warrior wasn't frightened even in the slightest of her delights. Laughing, he said, "Ah, she is with me. What is your name, lover?"
"I am Ryoko," she whispered as she continued her fondling of his muscular chest. "Thy soul and body are wearied from this new battle. I am here to help ease thy sore muscles!" With that, she removed his black kimono, throwing it across the room along with his katana and loincloth. Feeling her hard cock pulsate desirously, she ground it against the side of Seizan's muscular leg.
"I am glad you're here, Ryoko. I am indeed in need of some love tonight. . . ." he whispered as he reached down and grasped her cock about its base, masturbating it and making the demon woman sigh in desire. Bending down, he licked the bulbous head like a lollypop, his tongue swirling around it and tasting her precum. "Would you like to fuck me?"
Ryoko nodded fervently, her cock in need of release. "Yes, ronin! It isn't often I get to take such a handsome warrior like this!" she whispered as she descended upon his own seven-inch long cock, sucking it and playing with the tip with her tongue. She grasped his balls and fondled them, all the time snaking her fingers down to play with his horny ass hole.
Seizan moaned lustfully, feeling her slim fingers penetrate him deeply, lubed by her saliva and his own precum. After five minutes of finger-fucking him, she let him suck on her cock, getting it nice and slippery. She grinned evilly as she positioned the head of her nine-inch dick at the entrance of his eager butt. "Dost thou want this?" she moaned, teasing him by rubbing the bulbous head of her cock around his anal ring, making him groan in need.
"Yes, give it to me, demon! Fuck me!" he moaned, needing her to take him right then and there. Needing no more coaching on than that, she thrust into him, making him scream in ecstasy. She was not only long, but very thick too. It felt like he was being torn in half at first, such was the sensation of being buttfucked by such a beautiful and well-endowed demonic princess. Beads of sweat rolled down his face as he arched his back in desire and anguish, loving the pain from such a forceful entry. "Oh, god! Fuck me!" he moaned after getting used to her large member imbedded inside of him.
She slowly thrust inward, feeling his anal walls caress her dick like hot, wet silk. She loved every feeling. Thrusting in and out slowly, she looked deeply into his eyes, seeing the desire he had for her to cum up inside of him. It was indeed a turn-on to see such wanton desire written in his eyes. Caressing his balls, she fucked his ass with every inch she had, making him moan and squirm in ecstasy. She then turned him around, fucking him doggy-style. Swiping her blond-black hair out of her eyes, she arched her back in ecstasy as she plowed Seizan to the point of bleeding.
A sheen of sweat glistened in the gentle candlelight as Seizan pushed back down onto her hard cock, feeling her take care of his every need. Soon he felt her cock expand as she moaned, thrusting into him harder and harder, until he felt that glorious explosion within his rectum that in turn, made him cum ounces of his own cum onto her legs, arching his back in release. Gasping, he lay down head-first into the cushioning of his futon, feeling her cock wither out of his anus and drip the remains of her cum down his legs. Looking over his shoulder at the demon, he smiled. "You're amazing!" he whispered as he felt her embrace him.
"So art thou, ronin," she whispered contentedly as she sighed and lay down next to him, spent from their sexy play. She cuddled up next to him, her hands wrapped around him tightly as he drifted off to sleep. It had been a long day for him and her endless wandering just didn't seem appropriate right then. Sighing, she kissed the back of his ear and drifted off to sleep too, satiated from their sex and ready for sleep.
The sun rose bright the next morning. Squinting from the luminescence filtering through the single window of his hut, Seizan sighed and slowly rose from his futon. It had been far too long since the man had had a decent night's sleep; so long, in fact, that he couldn't remember the last time he had slept soundly. This last night was no exception, only getting perhaps two hours of actual rest. Looking around, he realized he was dressed and alone, Ryoko the demoness nowhere to be found. Groaning, Seizan stretched and cricked his neck and knuckles, sighing in a masochistic sort of relief of tension. "She's gone. . . ." he said to himself, remembering the fun of the night before with a big grin.
Putting his katana in its sheath and sliding it through his sash, he swiped his hand through his long, disheveled sable hair, taming the tangle slightly. He then opened the rickety door and, glancing back at the shrine, he walked off towards the estate of the lord of Kashida. The air outside was crisp and delicious, bearing the hint of a mist from last night. That was one of the things he liked about Kashida, its delicious morning air. Being situated in the mountains also meant that it was given the gift of the mists, a gift from the Gods themselves. Mists were rare in the land, only found high up in the mountains. Another calamity of the mists, however, was the demons that were borne from them. These mist demons took on many forms, but it had long since been acknowledged that the most dangerous of the demons were the ones who masqueraded as humans.
Shrugging it off as a petty superstition, Seizan walked leisurely through the bustling streets of the village, enjoying the air of calm amongst the townsfolk immensely. This sense of tranquility after a battle was indeed ecstasy to the man as he walked underneath the overhanging branches of a cherry tree, its pale blossoms blooming pink in the chill morning sunlight. "Good day, young master," one of the elderly townspeople said to him as he passed.
"Good day to you as well, learned elder," Seizan said politely, inclining his head to the gentleman.
"Would you like a bit of breakfast before departing?" he asked curiously as he dusted off the doorstep to his restaurant.
How did he know I wasn't from around here? Seizan asked himself as he thought about it. "No thank you, kind sir. I am in a slight hurry this morning. Perhaps I'll come back for lunch?"
The old man nodded and bowed. "You be careful, young master. There are rumors of a fell mist out upon Ogata road. I fear Kashida might be in store for yet another demon raid. . . . Our demon slayers are getting quite run down with all the attacks that have been going on between warring lords and the demons from the mist. . . ."
"Run down, eh?" Seizan said, smirking. "Perhaps I could lend my sword for the next siege?"
The old man looked on thoughtfully, his gnarled hand rubbing his chin. "Perhaps. I'll talk with the demon slayer leader. Perhaps even he'll hire a ronin for a chance to give some of his men a rest from the ceaseless battling. . . ."
Always a negative connotation with the word "ronin," he thought sourly. Oh well, all I can do is pity those people. . . . Perhaps one day they'll realize that when we're united, we ronin will be a force to be reckoned with. . . . Smiling, he looked at the old man. "Please do. I don't want to leave this village for a while and am looking for a reason to stay! I mean, how can you hate such beautiful mornings and such a delicious mountain air? It is impossible!"
The old man laughed. "Indeed it is, young ronin, indeed it is. . . . But, it is a double-edged blessing from the Gods; that much is certain."
Seizan smiled. "Yes. . . . Well, learned one, I must leave to go to Lord Ikimura to collect my pay. . . . I'll return for lunch!" With that, he bowed and left.
"I'll get your usual ready, wanderer!" the old man called after him.
Smirking, Seizan couldn't help but laugh at him. The old man was borderline insane, and yet, he was one of the wisest in Kashida. Pity that you have to find such wisdom in such a misunderstood man. . . . he reflected as he swiped his shimmering black hair out of his eyes. Oh well. . . . His sashimi is to die for. . . . And besides, he told me about that demon attack on the Ogata road. Perhaps I can earn more by going out there and seeing what the fell mist is all about? He kept walking through the streets, making his way up the hillside to Lord Ikimura's estate. Ogata road is only five minutes away. . . . Perhaps I can go there first and see. . . ? The thought looked enticing indeed, for it meant that he could do what he did best. That was another advantage of being a soldier for hire. You got to fight and get paid for it. Most times he got paid very handsomely, which made him then wonder why he chose that ratty little dump of a hut on that island in the port. He laughed, realizing he was staying there for free, as the hut's previous owners had abandoned it some while before.
He decided on going to investigate the Ogata road, turning down to the left off of the main road, heading towards where the old man said the attack was. He hadn't even reached Ogata road and he could hear the clashing of sword against sword, the sounds of battle. Feeling his adrenaline rush through his veins, he quickened his pace down the road towards Ogata road. A plume of thick, inky-black smoke rose lethargically into the morning air from off in the distance and the smell of burning wood and flesh assaulted his nostrils as he drew his sword. Demon attack, he thought as he ran towards the fire, his katana drawn and ready, glinting crisply in the morning sun.
When he arrived, he saw two armored samurai fending off what looked like a great haze of fire and molten rock. Running up to the first of them, he looked over. "Need some help, warrior?"
The samurai looked over at him like he was mad to offer assistance. "Who are you?" he asked as he dodged a swipe from one of the demon's clawed arms. Its claws looked as though they were made out of obsidian and the body was made out of lava. Its eyes were fiery-red and made of flame. The man recovered and slashed out at the beast, his sword glancing off of its magma armor like an insect glancing off of a windshield.
"I'm a wanderer. You two could use some help, it looks like!" Seizan said as he thrust his katana into the beast's right foot, pinning it to the ground. It howled demonically as its clawed arm came out of the fiery mist and slashed out at all three of them.
The second samurai got slashed across his left leg, his kimono catching fire. Hastily putting it out, he looked over at the ronin. "You're hired, ronin! We've lost five men to this thing and we need to kill it before it can reach Ikimura's castle!"
Smirking, Seizan bowed. Grabbing the handle of his katana once again, he ripped it out of the demon's foot, slicing upward across its leg and cutting more deeply than the other samurai's sword did. The beast howled angrily as he dodged another swipe. Doing a back flip, Seizan landed on his feet and got into his guard stance. "I'm Seizan," he said as he watched the fire demon carefully. The creature was most impressive, standing at perhaps fifteen feet with obsidian claws and fangs jutting out of it. Its horns were made of pure fire, spiking out from the top of its wolf-like head just above its eyes and smaller spikes of flame lining down the center of its back. He noticed one weakness that the demon had, the center of his body. Instead of the magma armor that covered him elsewhere, the demon had an orb of what looked like liquid fire in the center of his chest. Looking over at the second samurai, noticing he wasn't that badly injured, he said, "I see one weakness this beast has! See the center of his chest, there is no lava armor. If we all attack that orb at once, it should kill this oni once and for all!"
"All of us attack it at once? Are you mad? It'll tear us limb from limb!" the first said shrilly.
"Hey, I'm not the one to complain to if this thing gets to Ikimura!" Seizan shot back. "Don't you remember your training? `Embrace death and fight as though seeking it constantly! Only thence wilt thou become invincible!' Any of that ring a bell?!"
"He's right! Even though we are demon slayers, we are still samurai," the second one said. He glared vigilantly over at Seizan, smirking with a battle-mad hunger for death. "Alright, ronin! Lead us to victory!"
"Heheheh. . . . You bet," he said arrogantly, getting ready to charge the beast. "When I charge and strike first, it should stun him. That's when you two come in and attack that orb with everything you have. Get ready. . . ." With that said, he nodded and gave a tremendous war-cry, charging the beast with the intent of bringing it down permanently. Only four feet or so from the demon, he leapt into the air and in a flash, he was on the other side, the demon bellowing angrily. "NOW!!!" he yelled as he landed on the ground on the other side of the oni silently, the dust rising as he skidded to a stop to leap and slash again. The demon slayers attacked it with everything they had, slashing out at the orb mercilessly. Lunging at the demon once again, Seizan cut it along the back of its knees, making the fire demon collapse and fall to the ground with a tremendous thud. After several stabs to the orb of liquid fire, the demon quit thrashing, and its fire died. One last grunt and it lay still and motionless, completely defeated.
Breathing deep, the demon slayers looked up at Seizan admiringly. "Wow, how did you learn to fight like that, ronin?" the first one asked, truly impressed with the man's show of skill. "You fought like a demon yourself!" Taking off his kabuto, he bowed deeply to the ronin. "I am Nida, a demon slayer for Lord Ikimura. This is my leader, Jigen."
The man called Jigen walked up to the two warriors, hobbling slightly. "Your help was appreciated, Onikage the Manslayer. . . ." Seeing Seizan's look of alarm, Jigen laughed. "You didn't think I wouldn't recognize you? Come, now, Manslayer, everyone in Kashida knows your face. You've been so kind as to help us out on the battlefield this last fortnight that . . . your face is academic here. . . . Even the children know your name. . . . So, shall we go to Lord Ikimura to collect your pay for this job and the others?"
Shrugging, Seizan looked over at Nida. "Is it me or are people stalking me?" he asked humorously as he followed the injured Jigen to the castle.
Castle Ikimura lay atop the large, snow-capped mountain to the west of the town, its many spires and walls glinting in the chill sunlight ominously. Walking through the tremendous portcullis, a grand courtyard lay sprawled out before Seizan as he looked around. The high stone walls surrounded the central pagoda and he could see soldiers and archers making their daily rounds on top of the wall, protected by the battlements. Jigen looked back at the ronin and said, "As you can see, Manslayer, we are indeed running out of soldiers to protect his lordship's grand town from enemy shogunate and demon spirit alike. Your presence here is most appreciated."
They crossed the beautifully maintained courtyard, passing under a grove of cherry trees to enter the central pagoda. Lit by torches and open windows, the pagoda was an intricate piece of architecture, with many floors and bridges that allowed access to other peripheral towers of the castle. Looking back and swiping his black hair out of his eyes, Jigen smirked as he watched Seizan move, his eyes darting back and forth as though trying to take all this in at once. Heheheh, poor ronin probably hasn't ever been inside the stronghold of a lord before. . . . he thought as he turned back and led the way towards the throne room.
Upon reaching the fourth level of the pagoda, Jigen led them through a long, torch-lit corridor until they happened upon a large door. Opening it, the throne room lay sprawled out in all its glory for the three samurai. Tentatively stepping gracefully through the padded room, the three warriors knelt before the lord, shrouded in shadow from the veil surrounding his throne. "Your divine lordship, I present to you the man whom you've been asking for," Nida said, presenting Seizan. Chancing a look up, he said, "Here is the ronin whom you hired to fight last night upon the battlefield, Onikage the Manslayer."
Getting up and moving out of the veils of his throne, the lord of Kashida walked over to the three warriors. "You may rise," he said as he looked into Seizan's eyes. "Tell me, ronin," he began grandly, "how was the battle last night?"
"Many people were slain by your warriors. I doubt Jinsai Shogunate will attempt to try and invade Kashida Province again. Your warriors fought and died bravely for you, my lord. They were most courageous. . . ." Seizan said respectfully, bowing his head to the lord.
Lord Ikimura was a middle-aged man, with silvery-black hair tied tightly behind his head in a top knot. Wearing the ceremonial kimono of royalty, he had two swords in his sash, a katana and a short sword called a wakizashi. His face was lined and his eyes bore the wisdom of time, a life age of experiences. "Ah, from the sounds of it, my manslayer," Ikimura said merrily, "you were the highlight of the battle. General Takeda told me how you slew ten men in one attack with your sword. Indeed my advisors were correct about hiring you."
Seizan bowed deeply. "You honor me too greatly, my lord," he said respectfully. "I was just doing what you hired me to do."
Ikimura laughed at that. "Nonsense! Your prowess is indeed one of a kind, Manslayer! Would you like another job? I will pay you well for it."
Seizan loved the sound of that sentence. It was the most beautiful music in all the land to him. "What is this new job, my lord?"
"Deep in the mountains lies an abandoned shrine portrayin