"Your trouble ends here, Tamafune!" Koreikyo bellowed through the skies as he pursued his sister.
Not this time. No, she wouldn't escape justice for her crimes. The gods had witnessed her act and at last believed him! Their millieum long chess match was at a end, she unknowling had forefitted the game.
How easy it had been for her then to set the rules that would determine the use of healing and destruction upon humanity. The choice of one human chess piece was all she had allowed themselves. Yet the piece had to be willing actor on the stage. Do nothing without human consent beyond the chess piece. Do not exercise either the power of healing or destruction beyond that human. Do not interfere with all other human affairs, and so it went on. Yet the winner decided what the loser would do with their power. He wanted to save the new race and she wanted it destroyed. Simply put, she had put the entire existence of a race upon the outcome of a game, she was confident she could win, if and if only, she could corrupt the world awefuly enough to envoke the power of destruction to scrub the Earth free of its vile substance with her one chess piece. It was a good plan, and it could still work. Koreikyo had long lost sight of Keiji in his intentions for Tamafune and was clueless about what was happening in the war, he felt with a pang of guilt, that he was a party that was involved in starting it. If Keiji survived, he'd do something to make evens to the young kenin, for all the horrors he had endured. If he survived.
She had gloated ever so over being the one able to choose the rules and formalize them with the gods. Yet fate, he thought with a smirk, had turned against her. She had broken every rule of their game and now the gods, were extremly angry, for she had thumbed her snout at them in plain sight, even as he had been arguing his case before them. Afterwards, a few things had been settled and he set back upon the earth to even the score and bring her before the gods for their final judgement, however, only after she had carried out his wishes for humanity. He was going to love this.
Lightening struck all around them now as the clouds boiled from their quarrel.
She was faster than he was, true, but soon, he would catch her. His youthful strength was returning ot him and fading from her. Regeneration was truly a wonderful power.
Up into the depths of the tower they ran, following the twisting dark stairs till they burst onto the second level and laid eyes upon one of the many horrors of the tower: a torture chamber. The malicious objects were filthy and greasy from their vile tasks as they gleamed dully in the faint light that had managed to pierce the dark air. Izo turned away for a moment and Risako reached for a filthy wall to support herself at the harsh memory that resurfaced in her mind. How could she have forgotten this place? Yet, unlike her first passage through this place, the room was empty...when she had passed through wretched beings whose claim to life was but merely simple existance. They had called out to her then, pleading for their end of misery.
Two more to go. She promised herself as she pulled away from the wall, regathered her waining strength and took the first step in the horrid space towards the next flight of the stairs. Masao and Izo followed, wordless and pale.
"What kind of man is he?" Izo demanded once they were within the safety of the stairs.
"No one who should have a right to claim humanity, much less that of damiyo or samurai." Masao answered as they continued on.
"Its why Keiji and those who fight against him must win today. There will be no second chance against Kazuo." Risako added, "Brace yourselves, the next level is the worst."
They burst into the next level and more, perhaps even more wicked objects sat in their greasy glory, except this time, amongst them a single man lay traped in their clutches.
"Doi!" Masao yelped as he rushed to the prisoner.
"Masao?" the traped man asked.
"Who is this, Masao?" Risako asked as she knealt by the man. She could tell by the wickedly curved objects that disappeared into the man's side and chest that he was too bladly mangeled to live. Even in this faint light, she could see the dull edges around once keen eyes.
"Doi." Masao began, "He is my sensei, friend, and the leader of the rebels of Dansha. Are you alright?"
"I have had better," Doi replied, "but I believe I can do no more here. I can assume the woman and the man with you are allies you have brought to aid you in Dansha's freedom?"
"Yes, but there's more. A battle is being fought by the young kenin Keiji and Kazuo as I speak and the men of Dansha are free below, when we free the women, they and the Kinlan that follow Risako will liberate Dansha. But Doi, how are we going to free you from this mess?" Masao answered.
"I was hoping Masake's son had survived, too much good has come from that bloodline to let them die so soon and horribly. So the Kinlan are here, eh? All the pieces are coming together, Masao, and soon this darkness will beyond us all. We will all be free soon. As for myself Masao, as your sensei and leader, I have one last command for you to carry out." he replied.
"Yes?" Masao prompted, wondering what was on Doi's mind.
"Kill me. End my suffering. Not all three of you combined can pull me free from this vile thing, alive and I know I am dying. Risako, was it, I saw it on her face when the three of you entered." Doi answered.
Masao paled before stuttering, "I cannot kill you!"
"Yes you can." Doi countered, "The lessons I gave you were faultless and I have never known your blade to miss. Do it now, Masao, I am suffering. Do you believe I enjoy the pain I enduring or the humiliation of being this helpless? They have discredited and dishonored me in this foul hell hole, but I have done something none of the other poor wretches that have come before me, I have kept my sanity and humanity. Let me perserve that for I am tettering now on the edge of sanity and insanity. Please Masao, I would have committed seppuku long before now could I. I ask you as a friend, order you as sensei and leader, to end it."
"We will wait for you at the next flight to the final level of the tower, Masao. Respect his wishes, there is nothing we can do to save him or ease his passing any other way. In another time and had we arrived here sooner, we could have. Its too late now." Risako answered as she gripped Doi's hand once and then stood up and turned away and strood through all the horrors of the room without a second glance and only paused as moment as Izo joined her and then they waited on the next set of stairs, turned away from Doi and Masao.
They didn't wait long till they heard a katana being drawn and heavy thunk. A few moments later they heard Masao's heavy steps and the sheathing of his katana as he joined them. He did not speak to either of them, but his ashen face, and dazed eyes spoke of his grief. As they began their final climb, Risako and Izo both could feel the younger man pull himself together at last in the dark.
