CHAPTER 2: MORE THAN LEGENDS

He could barely breathe, much less force a sound from his lips. He stood petrified as Taki frantically rushed into the bushes.

"There's no one here," he heard her say amidst the rustling and snapping of twigs. "No one. How strange."

"Strange?" Mitsurugi finally managed to stammer.

Taki emerged from the brush. "Yes. Didn't you see it? There was a flash of blue light in the bushes exactly when the arrow was fired. The arrow could only have come from there. Yet no one is here except the two of us."

"Strange indeed." He sucked in his breath -- it felt wonderful to be able to breathe again. He felt his fingers twitch and realized he could now move as well.

He turned his head and saw the birdlike creature hanging impaled against a tree trunk, the arrow passing through the center of its throat. He glanced at it, shuddering as lines and snatches of the age-old legend drifted through his mind, until he came to a jolting conclusion.

"The Guardian," he whispered. "The Guardian of the hero who will destroy the Eye..."

"It appears that someone is watching over you," said Taki, not hearing his hushed murmur. "You know how the legend goes. The warrior who will defeat Lau Tseng is protected by a sacred Guardian."

"What is the Guardian? Is it a ghost? An angel? A spirit?"

"Nobody knows for certain. But you would be a fool to refuse to believe the legend now. Look at the evidence."

She pointed to the bird. He glanced at it once again, and for the first time, saw its full, horrifying features.

Needle-like, yellowed fangs protruded from its beak. On its head was a pair of spiked horns. Its face was barely animal -- it was human , or something less. To him it looked like a demon from long-forgotten scrolls of lore. 


"The servants of Lau are escaping from the Eye," he muttered. "It's true... gods... it's all true..."

He felt his hands quivering and braced himself against a tree. "Why me?" he blurted. "Why?"

"Why?" Taki took a step closer. "I can understand why you don't know. No one except the wisest sages knows of the legend's full history. It is said that only a descendant of the man who led the army against Lau can defeat him."

"So?"

"That man was a Mitsurugi. Your ancestor. You are his last living descendant."

Mitsurugi raised an eyebrow.

"I never knew..."

"No one knew," she said, shaking her head. "Only the sages and prophets, who have kept their knowledge hidden until this day. It was one of them who sent me to look for you, the Chosen One."


"Me, the Chosen One." He stopped leaning against the tree, annoyed by the tremor in his hands. "How could I have not known?"

"We all believed the legend was only a legend," said Taki. "Including myself. Time passed, and it was lost and forgotten. Who would have believed that it was true until the evidence began preying on our village?"

"There are monsters in your village?" he said, alarmed.

"Yes, a few. We've managed to keep them under control, but each day new monsters continue to escape from the Eye. The last soul to escape will be Lau himself. When that happens..."

"The world is doomed," he finished.

"You are learning." She managed a small smile. So delicate, so pretty...

Slap.

"It does not take a wizard to read what you are thinking," said Taki with a grin.

Mitsurugi forced a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry..."

"I know that it is improper for a ninja to have dealings with a samurai, but you do understand -- the fate of the world hangs in the balance," she said, changing the subject.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, I am fully aware of that."

Again, there was silence.

"What do I do?" said Mitsurugi after the pause. "How am I supposed to defeat the sorcerer? I can't very well march against him alone."

Taki laid a hand on his shoulder. "You won't be alone. I'll make sure of that."

Twilight streaked the sky with tinges of deep blue and purple. A large village loomed in the distance, bringing Mitsurugi a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness," he sighed. "I'd give anything right now for a bowl of rice, a cup of wine and a warm bed."

"You'll get more than that," said Taki as they approached the village gates. "Prepare to see something quite unusual."

"Nothing can be more unusual than that monster that tried to gouge out my eyes."

"Really? Have you ever seen a nature spirit before?"

He flinched. "A nature spirit?"

"Yes. This village was built in a place that flows with spirit energy. As a result, the nature spirits that visit our shrines can materialize into visible forms. Truly a sight to behold."

As she was speaking, a slender youth with long, wispy hair crossed their path. He raised his hand in a cheerful wave.

"Greetings, Taki!"

"Greetings, Arel!" she replied.

The youth chuckled. "Has your friend never seen a river spirit?"

Taki turned to look at her companion. His eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets and his jaw and limbs were hanging limp.

"Apparently not."

"Quite obvious." The newcomer ran a hand through his hair -- silvery blue hair with streaks of green, and turned his pale violet lips up in a friendly smile.

"Do not be afraid," he told Mitsurugi. "We have inhabited this place for centuries, and consider it our home. Now that the Eye has returned to the surface, we must be more vigilant than ever. We will not let any harm come to the town that we and our ancestors have grown to love as much as our own forests and rivers."

Taki nodded. "Our friend Mitsurugi here is the Chosen One."

"The Chosen One!" Arel gasped. "Thank the gods! We are saved!

"Welcome to Kamure, great hero. Forgive me, for doubting the truth... even my fellow spirits and I believed that the Eye was only a myth."

"So did I," said Mitsurugi. "I feel somewhat ashamed of myself now."
 
"As should we, being spirit folk and the protectors of this land. But then, there are some things that remain unknown even to spirits."

"I agree."

"Have you seen my comrades?" said Taki.

"Yes," said Arel. "You will find them at the inn."

"Thank you. We must go now. Mitsurugi is in need of refreshment."

"Farewell then, my friend." Arel turned to Mitsurugi and patted him on the shoulder. "Farewell for now, Chosen One. Go with the blessing of the river spirit folk."

"Many thanks, and a good night to you," said Mitsurugi.

With that, Arel waved and made his exit.

"Don't you find it fascinating?" said Taki after he was gone. "Up to now, it still fills me with wonder to see sprites and fairies walking through the streets."

"Very interesting. Now where are those comrades of yours? Let's get this over with."

"You seem to be in a rush," she said jokingly.

"Why not? I'm supposed to be saving the world."
 

The inn doors creaked as Mitsurugi and Taki entered the tavern.

"Do you remember the second quest for the Soul Edge?" said Mitsurugi, squeezing his way through the thick crowd. "When warriors from across the land banded together to hunt down the knight bearing the Evil Seed?"

"Yes. What of it?"

"I fought that knight, as you might remember -- his body was on the ground when you saved me from the demon of the sword."

Taki frowned. "Yes."

"When he fell to the ground after I struck the final blow, his visor opened," said Mitsurugi. "I will never forget the face that I saw within it.

"He was not a man; he was practically still a boy. He looked nearly childlike. I find it hard to believe that such an innocent-looking youth had destroyed nearly half the world with his evil. There is no way that I can forget that face..."

"Hello, Taki," said a red-haired young man approaching them. "Who's your friend?"

Mitsurugi stiffened. Immediately, his hand reached for his katana and whipped it out of its scabbard.

"You!"

"You!" the young man echoed. "By the heavens..."

"May the heavens have mercy on your soul!" Mitsurugi yelled. "Did I not strike you dead before?"

"Please... I can explain..."

"There is nothing to explain, bearer of the Evil Seed! You will die, and I will personally ensure that you stay dead!"