Four days later as the sun rose in the sky, Risako and Keiji began their journey to Saken, where, they had decided, they would stop part of Kazuo's plan and then ride against him to Bandithaven.
What would be the point of traveling to Bandithaven, defeating Kazuo, only for the fall of Saken to still take place? Other daimyos and bandits would penetrate the province and then any hope for stability or peace, would fall in the blood of the present daimyo.
It couldn't happen and so, with a heavy heart, Keiji turned from the path that would lead to the success of his father's avengance and followed a even longer road that twisted and curved nearly invisible to the eyes and that lead off into the heart of the forest its seemed, but traveling it would mean the safety of others. Yet as he urged his mount down the road he vowed that once he was finished in Saken, bandits or no bandits, he would ride against Bandithaven and reclaim the defiled sword of his father and his family and regain the lost honor of his family. He would do so, or offer his life to see it done so.
On the steps leading to the temple, Maya and Juzo stood watching the two younger warriors disappear into the forest.
"Do you think they have a chance, Juzo?" Maya asked as the young samurai and ninja disappeared into the sunrise. For a moment, she could have sworn she saw a third rider with the group and then Keiji and Risako disappeared, it must have been a mirage, she decided.
"Better than you, me, or even Masake for that matter. I'll stake my life to it. The death choke will be broken with the katanas of those young warriors. Masake's spirit ride's once again, Maya. We will just have to watch and see what happens, its in their hands now my dear friend." Juzo replied once he was certain the young samurai had gone, "We have done our best."
"What if it wasn't enough?" Maya replied, "We never exactly told him everything he needed to know. Should we have told him?"
"If we had told him, do you believe he would have believed us? He will discover it soon enough, Maya. When he does, I think this long dark cloud that has shadowed our lands will begin to drift away. He has everything he needs." was Juzo's reply as he turned from the stairs and crossed back across the courtyard to the main temple.
Someone would have to pray for their safe return, he thought as he headed for the main temple.
Maya stood watching long until the sun had risen high into the sky and the road they followed was a barren witness to their passage from the temple.
They rode long into the night before Risako halted them with a urgent signal to stop.
"Whats wrong? Is it the wound?" Keiji demanded as his mount pulled alongside Risako's.
"No, I'm fine," Risako began as she reached deep into one of the secret pockets of her armor and withdrew something that gleamed faintly in the night, "The way ahead has been trapped. Had I not known what to look for, I would have missed it and we would have ridden strait into it."
Off into the night she threw the object in her hand and in the distance, Keiji heard something delicate snap and spotted a thin wire gleam briefly in the night and then something massive rolled across the path, scant yards from where their mounts stood.
"I believe we should stop here for the night. I was able to see that one trap, but chances are there are more and better concealed ones. We'll need full daylight to see what we are dealing with." Risako sighed as she slid of her mount and stood waiting for him to do the same.
"After seeing that; yes, I'll gladly stop for the night. Who would do something like that? Some innocent child could have sprung the trap and been killed." Keiji agreed as he dismounted beside her and took both mounts reigns and looped them tightly around a nearby branch.
"That would be the doing of the bandits and their own hired ninja, I would guess." Risako replied as she unrolled her mat on the ground and settled down with a weary sigh.
Her chest still ached but she would never breath a word of it to Keiji or another soul for that matter. It was her own fault this was happening at all, atleast she could not complain about her wound to the already worried Keiji. He had enough to deal with on his own without her adding her own burden to his shoulders.
"Madness," was Keiji's vehement remark, "Goodnight, Risako. Rest well my friend."
Then he too leaned wearily against the trunk of a nearby tree and closed his eyes, meaning only to rest for a few moments and then he would stand watch the rest of the night. . .
The snapping of a twig near midnight awoke Risako and Keiji in the same instant, giving them barely a moments notice to scramble from their sleeping positions to uncertainly face out and on the defense as throwing stars landed at their feet with nearly silent clinks and others whizzed harmelsly away into the night, some coming close enough to for Keiji and Risako to feel the silent breeze of their passing.
"We seem to be under attack," Risako answered with a weary smirk, "But by whom, I would love to know."
"Glad to know you are in such spirits," Keiji answered, "How are we going to beat them? I can barely see you, much less them. . ."
A noise in the night made Keiji's hair seem to stand on end as he heard the merest whispers of soft footfalls coming closer to him in the night. Beside him, Risako wordlessly swung up into the trees and was gone. . .to where, he would have loved to known just then.
"She has abandoned you, samurai boy," a voice called, "You stand alone. Where is your honor and courage you and the rest, the samurai flaunt so?"
"Its in the blade of this katana," Keiji replied, closing his eyes, listening for the source of the voice and the footfalls, praying the attacker would keep on talking, "If you doubt my courage, come and try your luck against me."
"Oh, I'm coming samurai, just be patient---Ack!!!" the speaker began before it was cut off by a heavy thunk in the night and a light flared into existence in the night and he found Risako kneeling over a man dressed in armour similar to her own as he charged through the underbrush to her.
"I knew it," she whisperd in a breath, "A Toscana Clan ninja!"
"A ninja from where?" Keiji asked as he stepped within the circle of the small torch she had lit in the night.
"Toscana Clan, one of the clans supporting Kazuo and the takeover of Saken! We must remain alert, Keiji! They are the most underhanded of all the ninja clans! I have heard rumors of their alliance to Kazuo, but this fool is proof that their alliance is very real and dangerous. Otherwise, what would a ninja of Toscana have to do in a forest like this? Someone knows we are here and that we are on our way to Saken!" Risako answered as she stood, pulling her own katana from its sheath and taking a careful step forward, watching in every direction wearily.
"For a Kinlan Clan ninja, you are fairly smart, Risako," another new voice added as a tall man dressed in the style and manner of a master entered their small circle of light, "Unfortunatly, you speak too much of the truth, you must die, sadly. My name is of no concern to you, for soon, your souls shall be sent on to the halls of your ancestors. If you must have something to curse my soul with call me Kage. Now then, prepare to die."
