"Halt!" Baiko ordered just as time unfroze and Keiji had begun to sprint forward and Masanori had already changed from his defensive stance into a more aggressive one, "You will not battle within these walls."
"Daimyo," Keiji began, "I cannot back down from this challenge. My family has little honor left and I cannot let it be destroyed by backing away from a challenge to the very proof of my name and blood!"
"I said within these walls, Keiji. I will not have bloodshed within the walls of Saken," Baiko replied as he stepped between Keiji and Masanori.
"Very well then," Masanori answered, "I will face you outside the walls of Saken."
Keiji bowed in understanding and sheathed his katana and followed Masanori out of the castle he had so previously rushed through in his efforts to reach Baiko and the kenin. What would have happened if he and Risako hadn't noticed the black speck against the main tower as they had crossed the great yard and guessed its meaning? Chances are, the man walking beside him would have died, and the their future would have turned dark and Kazuo would have indeed won this day. Neither of them had guessed that the assasin would attempt to scale Saken itself to kill Baiko. Such a close scrape with malfortune paled Keiji as he followed his challenger out into the light and beyond the gates of Saken. There, Masanori strood away for a few paces and then turned to face Keiji yet again and this time, Keiji recieved a better look at his challenger.
The most striking feature of Masanori's face with the long ragged scare that crossed his right eye, casting a deep shadow over the man's face, making him appear older than he truly was. Slight in height, Masanori managed to come to Keiji's chest with the top of his top-not but there was no doubt of his strength as he drew his pale green katana and stood waiting for Keiji's answer.
Keiji answered with a salute to Masanori and then to heaven itself. He would do what was necessary to prove that he was who had been born to be. He was Masake's son, and if his father had been in fact a kenin, which still troubled him in his heart at that truth, he was the kenin of Dansha and all the more reason to finish as quickly as possible in Saken and leave with what grace he had and return to Dansha. If this duel allowed him that, then he would fight, though he fealt wrong drawing his katana against another samurai.
"Begin!" Baiko ordered breaking Keiji's thoughts as he stepped forward and crossed blades with Masanori.
Keiji dove in as soon as the blades parted to begin the duel. He prepared to get under Masanori's guard and finish the duel early, when the pale katana lashed out dangerously after Keiji and he was forced back into a defensive stance as he blocked his blows and watched his opponent carefully, trying to see a weakness in the kenin's form, especially since finishing the duel early was now out of the question. It seemed to him in a odd way, that this was a dance, awkward and dangerous as it was.
It was Masanori who scored first blood and Keiji was forced to dance away for a moment, his shoulder aching from Masanori's well aimed slash. From the observors, Keiji heard Risako's outraged cry at Masanori's attack. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder he slashed back after Masanori and redoubled his efforts. He couldn't lose in this battle. If he couldn't prove his merit as being himself, how could he ever defeat Kazuo?
After the first scoring, Keiji took control of the battle. It ended when Keiji forced Masanori up against the wall of Saken and finally knocked the katana away from Masanori's hands and he stood panting with the tip of his katana a hair's breath away from Masanori's throat.
"Its over, Masanori. Now then, while we are so conviently arranged here, do you mind explaing why you have denied the truth that I was alive? Your answere could prove useful." Keiji asked through his own clenched teeth.
"I have never lied." Masanori spat back.
Keiji pressed the blade closer and a thin trickle of blood crossed the tip of his katana.
"Fine," Masanori began, "I was the one the Daimyo sent out to search for the survivors of Saken. He wanted me to rescue the son and wife of Masake. I couldn't find you or Maya, but I had recently been promoted to a higher ranking, and I didn't wish to return from my first mission in total disgrace. I meet with Kazuo by misfortune along the way, it was he who gave me this horrific scare, for I did fight him. In the end I lost, but before I could end my disgrace, he stopped me, in order to serve him."
"So, you have spied on me all these years then?" Baiko demanded, interupting the solitude between Keiji and Masanori.
"No," Masanori answered, "I was simply told to say that Keiji and Maya were dead and that if the real Keiji or Maya was to ever appear at Saken, then I was to deny their existence for imposters, and to silence them as quickly as possible before the truth could be uncovered. So no, Baiko, I have served you faithfully all these years and had Keiji never stepped into Saken today, I would have never broke you trust, my daimyo."
"Go, end your disgrace, I release you from my service, Masanori." Baiko snapped.
Masanori paled as he bowed and as soon as Keiji lowered the tip of his katana he walked away into the forest.
"Was that truly neccessary?" Keiji asked once Masanori had completly disappeared into the forest.
"Yes. The man served the will of another. Had that will been victorious, then you and I would be dead. Besides, he was a ghost of the samurai he was in his beginning. He wanted release from his dishonor. He wouldn't have lost so easily to you this day nor confesed the truth as easily had it been the other way. Come, Keiji and Risako, we have much to discuss and consider. He has kept his honor and we have kept ours." Baiko sighed as he turned and began to go through the gates of Saken.
"So, you are certain you wish to ride to Bandithaven alone?" Baiko asked as the doctor finished bandaging Keiji's shoulder.
"Yes, I have business with Kazuo that must be finished. Long has he dishonored my family name through the blood an lives of others. Masanori is another example as the why I must go. How many others have suffered becuase of Kazuo and my hesitation?" Keiji answered.
"Then you know that you will be going alone, am I correct? The army cannot leave for several days, but I and the others will be at your back. When we arrive at Bandithaven, we will lay seige to the bandits stinkhole." Baiko continued.
"Why isn't Risako coming with me?" Keiji asked, surprised by this, he had thought the resourceful ninja and companion was coming with him.
"She left while we were waiting on the doctor to arrive from the village to mend your shoulder and she has gone back to convince her clan to ride with me and the army." Baiko answered.
"Strange how she didn't at least say farwell to me." Keji wondered aloud at this piece of news.
"She felt that her return to the Kinlan was for the best and that the sooner they rose to face the Toscana the better. I just prey they choose wisely. There are so few of the Kinlan left. Should the whole entire clan go to war, not with Kazuo, but the Toscana, it could very well mean the last march of her people. As I said, I prey they choose wisely." Baiko answered, the worried frown on the man's face deepening.
"So do I," Keiji replied as the doctor rose and began to gather his belongings, "Finished. Very well then, I must ride. Maybe if I stop Kazuo quickly enough, the sacrifice of the Kinlan will not happen. Thank you, Daimyo Baiko. May you rule long and the land prosper beneath your wisedom and guidance."
"May your journey be successful, young kenin, and the soul's robbed of their honor by Kazuo protect you along the way. Let Dansha be yours." Baiko answered as a servant opened the mat guarding the room and Keiji made his way to the gates of Saken.
There at the gate, a stable boy lead Keiji's mount up to him and Keiji swung up into the saddle and rode away, this time, he fealt, in the right direction. Nothing would stop him from meeting Kazuo in battle now.
