Samurai, II

苦あれば楽あり There are hardships and there are delights. Bushido. The implied code of the samurai. Honor above all else is its teaching. Don't kill, unless necessary. But in a world, or worlds, where everyone is out to get one another, it is hard to keep that level of honor, without dying in the process. I rush up the hill, helmet off, enjoying the breeze. The skies are gray, as they always are, but enjoyment can still be had. I reach the top of the hill, and come up short. This is no hill, in fact it is a slope leading up to a gaping ravine. I peer down into the pit, seeing jagged rocks on all sides, and a river of blue liquid at the very bottom. The ravine isn't long, but still no man can jump that distance. I look from side to side, looking for a bridge. To the right of me, a rickety wooden bridge crosses the chasm. It sways back and forth in the breeze. I put my helmet back onto my head, listening for the click, and waiting for the display to show up. The bridge seems longer than it did from far away. I take one tentative step onto it, and then another, and another, until I’m finally walking across the bridge. A few boards fall out from under my feet, and i have to catch myself from falling into the hole. I’m too focused to realize there is another man on the far side of the bridge. “Who goes there?” The unknown man shouts. I look up, and see him for the first time. Very tall, with powerful armor covering his entire body, up to his head. He has a mask on, red in color and with white fangs protruding from its mouth. The eyes of the mask are just like human eyes but blown up to a larger sizes. The eyes seemed to stare right through your flesh into your soul. “An Oni!” I whispered to myself, as i unsheathed my sword. He didn't move. I crouched low, and sprinted towards him. He stood still, until i got close. I lifted my sword to swing, and he lifted up his palm. Tentacles of energy shot straight towards me, knocking me back on my back. The boards below me cracked, and a few fell down into the void below. I jumped back onto my feet. He hadn't moved. I tried again, coming this time at a side angle. This time he grabbed by the neck, and threw me over the side. I quickly grabbed the railing and swung under and around back on top. I backed up, and waited. He reached back slowly, and unsheathed a long bladed sword. He pointed it straight at me, and we fought. Some time later, we were both exhausted from fighting. “Why do you fight me?” The Oni said. I lifted my head, almost too weary to answer, but i finally did. “It is the… duty of the…. Amoroi clan to hunt…. the warriors of the Matsue Oni’s….” I breathed. He stood still for a few minutes, and then resheathed his sword. “Why fight? This world, and all the others, are all divided enough, why continue on traditions of the old world?” He said with no emotion. I thought about what he said. Peace had become a kind of foreign concept, something that we now wouldn't of ever of imagined. I stood up fully, and sheathed my sword. I looked up at him, and he took off the mask. I took my helmet off. His face had seen pain, all too often. Gashes and scars covered almost all of his face. He had an eye patch across one eye, and stitches running underneath it. “So, where are you going? Do you have a destination?” I asked. He shook his head at me. “I watch over this bridge, and i thought i should forever. I have waited for another man of… well reason to come along for a very long time. I have no destination, no home to return to. So i must ask, where are you going”? He spoke with no emotion once again. I felt deeply sorry for him. We were both in the same situation. I think making a friend wouldn't be so bad. “I have been scouring these lands in search of some form of spacecraft. Anything to carry me home. I would be deeply grateful if you would come with me.” He nodded, and held out his hand. I took it in mine and shook it. His grip was so fierce, it felt as though he had broken my hand. “There is a place just behind that tree-line” He pointed to a row of trees leading into a forest. “We could stay for the time being. It is where i have been staying this past years, in exchange for guarding this bridge. We may stay there, the owner will allow it.” He turned and started walking. I walked after him, off the bridge, into the woods. If you haven't read the prologue to this story you really should. Here's the link. https://www.bungie.net/en/Clan/Post/1371758/223741931/0/0. Also here is Samurai, I. https://www.bungie.net/en/Clan/Post/1371758/223977082/0/0. Next time will be samurai, II, part two. I think i'll keep a different story for each part episode if you will, and if there is a two part or three part bit, i will just put ,part ___ after the roman numeral.