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Chapter 23: Light's Of Valour

"The hell is that thing!" A voice barked from the top of the stairwell. Hato bolted across, bow in hand and only pants on at the time. Slinging another arrow from his quiver, he stared at wide stone giant. "Get out of here you two!" He barked to the startled people. "Get all the children and yourselves out now!" Where is Serviath? I don't understand he would've heard all this by now. Heavy crashes rang through his ears as he took aim for the crystal face of the sand-stone giant. His shot was fair, bashing against the crystal that placed a small crack that rang through the creature, yet it hadn't stopped and simply whipped around its claymore single-handedly at Hato. He jumped above it, catching wind of a figure. "Kieai!" She sharply turned to face him dodging the pillar-like lance that drove clean through the castle stairwell behind her. A floor below him Hato realized she was in a corner and took mind of a wild idea. He broke the end of an arrow off and ran towards the now-broken railings, took a leap and drove the arrowhead clean into the crack of the crystal. Leaping off, which was a decent thirteen feet, Hato landed out with a roll, pain shocked through his shoulder and back yet it didn't stop him. Taking Kieai by the paw he brought her to higher ground. "Kill them!" Archers armed incinerated arrows, the flame burning the oil - covering slowly before the whizzed through the air towards them. Kieai dove down, landing back to the floor as sparks from the arrows burst off the stone wall behind her. Hato wasn't as fortunate, he hit the ground though a wave of shock darted through him, the burning pain rippled through his shoulder at the arrow was extinguished into a cloud of steam still sizzling and burning into his wound. Fighting to get up, a second volley was readied and as they were both up they ran down a corridor. They all were empty, the castle silent except for the orders being called out in the main foyer. A sword, find another sword! Opening one that still had a fire blazing Hato stared in a mild confusion. Serviath's double-sided blade laid by a bed his necklace from before still there, yet he was nowhere at all. Taking both Hato stepped from the room, Kieai - and to his misfortune - the only door from there led downstairs. "We have to cut through the basement." Kieai spoke quickly she was armed with Hato's sword and still wore Hato's tunic and cloak. With yelling and footsteps coming from down the corridor Hato ripped the door open and they both went downstairs, from there he had one last, crazy idea. "Keep my sword for now." They both walked further into darkness. One last door, which Hato body checked to open, had broken from off rusty hinges to reveal an old armory. A long-sword and shield in compliance to a short-sword and chainmail top still lay upon the racks. Hato quickly passed by without a second look. "But there's still -" "No we need to move now!" Hato kicked in the next door to reveal the outside world and took Kieai by the paw, as she stepped to the outside world they both stared to the sounds of flying rock and stone. A Galiril Knight broke through the solid stone wall and by that point they had already climbed over the side wall and were off and up heading towards the mountains. Hato took a moment to look back, fire engulfed the town and in the far, far distance a single creature was walking up the lit pathway to the castle. Cloaked and bandana worn archers quickly moved up past the long-whiskered grey wolf dressed in a long black tailcoat, holding a solid straight black cane with a silver wolf's head upon it quietly trudged onwards. Fire reflected within his sharp eyes that were hidden behind a small black top hat and round silver-framed glasses; his cane rapped at the stone and dirt with light tapping when suddenly he turned, eyes scoured the trees further off and stopped upon the light soft shadows from far within the branches. Hato's blood began to boil he clenched his paw so tightly his claws began to stab into him, matching without squint or feign, the sickened old wolf that simply smiled a twisted smile and walked further on. That bastard is here, he is real. Violent thoughts surrounded the very mountain air they breathed. Serviath's sword in paw, his locket hidden within Hato's fisted paw. "Hato, we need to get out of here they have archers scouting every damn rock in this place." Lieai's voice was drowned out by his thoughts. He's the cause of this bullshit. Bitterly spoken within his minds shadow I'm going to kill that creature, even if it takes my life. Paws tugged at his arm Kieai led his gaze away from the standing shadow. The very bloody chance I get. And with it they both disappeared within the shadows of the forest.

"Move." A voice gently preached through the silence his muzzle pressed softly against her ear as they eyed wearily at another group of robbed shadows that swiftly darted through the forest. Bows with risen arrows were strung aiming towards the bushes in silence and searching deep within the darkness of the cold mountain wind. Without a fragment of sound they trudged onwards, the snow beginning to howl through their ears with a soft tune of solitude. Higher the flames and smoke rose within the night engulfing the moon whole in a gust of blackened clouds and ash far behind them. Sounds; voices preached suddenly to his ears, a single voice whispered in his ear. "When will we meet again?" It replied within the shards of frigid snow and howls that reared and spiraled high into the air. The voice faded away, repeating the question yet the voice was one of youth, hardly an age or two older than Hato himself. Without warning a hailstorm of bolts darted through the silence of the night stabbing deep into the trees and flying through the thicket of leaves that Hato was walking through. Shrieks rose all around, the deafening sound blared through his ears with a growing silence that blinded his thoughts, the world flashed white with the scent of burning wood and grass. More and more deafening flashes exploded in the night and with fear in his heart he had lost sight of Kieai's silhouette against the moonlit sky. "Kieai." He couldn't risk any sudden or loud noises the sound parted his lips with a strong long whisper. Eyes scanned the world through the darkness, the eerie sounds of footprints cracking down branches so softly that he could've mistaken them for a field mouse's. Cries came from an embankment ahead, it wasn't Kieai's that Hato knew in an instant regardless his feet had hardly touched the forests floor as he raced towards them. Further and further in he drove through and to his small relief, unnoticed by the cloaked shadows that shot steel wildly through the air behind him. Over the bank he had drove himself over - crouching in the uncomfortably warm mud he had landed himself into - his weary eyes studied the darkness and that's when he noticed the forms and the smoke and flames behind them. They're lighting the fucking forest on fire. His blood boiled with an anger he hadly knew of, he cursed them in silence, a bitter and violent silence. Without warning Hato moved his clenched paw slowly, he held Serviath's sword in hand and held it firm enough that his claws dug into his paw-pads. The cry broke through the forest again. That came from further ahead! Off again dodging branches, thorns and narrowly missing stinging nettle, two forms came up from ahead. Karisif! Bolts whistled through the night's sky, one sliced Hato's cheek wide causing him to take cover from the hailstorm of steel talons and blood-lusted arrows. A shriek of pain burned through his right cheek before dulling itself down for him. His fingers were shaking all he could do was ask the question why as they brushed against the cut across his face. Hato landed chest to the ground behind a crevice of snarled roots at the base of a large tree, eyes alert he scanned the horizon of trees for any presence yet found nothing but the sounds of voices from further away. "Sensei!" It was Karisif after-all, Hato couldn't move fast enough only watch as the taller figure of Livrythi was pierced through and through with a longsword. The moonlight had given way to just see the two shadows upon the horizon. I have to save Karisif! At that point he couldn't think how he would, he simply had to and from there Hato ran forward. "Kill the boy." The shadow ripped his sword from Livrythi's standing carcass and pointed it to Karisif. The young fox's feet had slipped from beneath him and he landed on his rear Karisif's arm were up to protect his face. Another shadow came up to him and with one fell swing. "I don't think so!" Hato had barked out, the sparks darted off from both the shadows and Serviath's sword that Hato had wielded. With a sharp movement Hato swung the blade upwards, knocking his opponents sword to falter. "Hato!" Karisif exclaimed from behind him. "I don't know what you're doing sitting here kid, move!" Karisif jumped to his feet, retaliation came from Hato's opponent and he matched blade for blade. Serviath's sword was single-handed but it was heavy enough that Hato had to use two hands. I hate needing to use two hands! Hato thought in anger, it slowed him down and for whatever reason he would return to the same stance as before. "Interesting... Kinoei, switch!" The masked figure jumped back, at least a few decent feet. That`s not possible. Hato couldnt keep on pursuit when a single-handed Jian came into his view, blood was still stained upon it. The blade was much longer than that of Serviaths though it was thicker; their blade was - or at least appeared to be - lighter. "I'm your opponent now." Hato passed of a growl. "You're in our way!" Hato realized it now, both of them were put in a corner. "You hold an odd stance, I have only seen it once before." The figure that stared upon Hato was much older than he was, and in that second it felt like a pulse rang through all of them. For on second Hato swore the shadow spoke a name and he could only think of the one word that echoed through his head and the silence. Shilan? The shadow bolted forward so fast that Hato could only see the dust that they kicked up. His blade just blocked the sword that still had nicked his arm. "You'll die here!" His eyes went wide. How can he run so fast? He isn't normal. The shadow darted five quick swings, three of which Hato succeeded in deflecting away from him, the other two dug deep into his flesh and casted his blood across the ground. "Damn." One of Hato's hands was clasped over his new injury, it ran across his hip. "Too easy." The shadow kicked up wind that flung around in a spiral blinding Hato's eyes. The final second of it all, he only saw their blade slam against his forehead only to see a ripple form in front of him like a pebble thrown in water. Hato looked back only to see a young fox chanting to himself. "Dammit Karisif!" Hato spoke more to himself. "You were supposed to leave." "I'm not!" It sounded like sobs, or at least a pride-filled cry. "If you wanted to die child." It was the masked shadow, his voice was one that sounded strained, panted out. It was inhuman. "You should've died with that Sensei of yours, because now I'm not giving you any mercy!" He drew arms, darting for Karisif and within the air another pulse was felt. Right to my side and to my sudden shock, was the hilt of an old sword. The woven handle was frayed and the scabbard cracked in many places, wherever it came from, it was as if the sword was calling out. Another crackle shrieked across the barrier that protected Hato and without a moment's hesitation he drew the sword. An ancient looking blade but it bore the same likeness as Hato's wakizashi, except this one was much longer. A Katana held in one paw and Serviath's fighting blade in another, he felt the swords energy course through him. What is this blade? Where did it come from? The questions pelted his thoughts. "Don't just stand in a daze!" The shadows Jian struck against Hato's shorter blade and it only to one swift strike for Hato's eyes to go wide. The Katana snapped the Jian in half and launched the figure back. "Hato!" Karisif called out and immediately he bolted towards Kinoei. In one decent swing, the Katana pared of his cloak and Hato once more was taken by surprise. I - I saw that creature in my vision. The furless being stood, he was different from before-hand with sleek black hair that hung upon his head like long fur and a pair of eyes that almost glowed yellow. His sword struck against the Katana, feigning Hato's hand before a ball of smoke exploded all around him. "Till next time!" Kinoei had yelled out to him.

"Karisif!" "I'm here!" Hato looked around him, the smoke faded away quickly yet both Kinoei and the other figure were gone. Footsteps forced him to turn and with a solid hand, he pointed the old sword towards a familiar sight. "Kieai." "I finally found you! I found Serviath!" He had come up behind her quickly. Hato gave him his sword back. "Have you seen Kiyoko?" "Not really, I told everyone to meet up in a town nearby here the elder is an old friend of mine. I'm confident someone will tell her." "Let's move!" Karisif perked up. "Let's go find them!" He sounds so over-confident, or at least brimming with energy. Hato looked over to the crumpled carcass of an old - tired badger. I'll protect him for you Livrythi, we all will. The mountainside was quiet now, the scent of smoke still lingered yet that didn't stop them from pressing onwards, and with Karisif leading the way along with Serviath and Kieai at his side, Hato felt like they could take on anything. "Hey by the way Hato." Kieai spoke and Hato turned to her. "Where did you get that sword?" Hato felt the frayed hilt still at his side. "I wish I knew." From there they kept walking through the forest and the cold of the night.