| Title: Of Past and Present Author: Kitsune Spirit Warnings: language, some violence slight R? Part 2: Kyoto, Japan After four days of travelling they arrived at their destination, Zesian lead the small band of men through the countryside to the small temple surrounded by forestry and land. It striked Zesian odd at why a temple would be so far out of the living area in town but was thankful, it'd be easier for them to get in and out with not much fuss. After spending day break checking the area out and even paying a quick visit inside Zesian noticed the lack of people. From what they could see the temple was kept by a single priest bathed in a robe and hood which covered his head. They saw him kneeling at the altar and cleaning various objects before he disappeared into a back room at the back of the temple. After meeting back up outside some distance away they made a plan. The artifact they wanted was in the middle of the old temple, furthest away from the door. Whilst Zesian and another member Juki got the artifact the other four would stand guard for any danger. In theory it sounded simple, they shouldn't be disturbed if they were quick enough and the priest wouldn't notice them. Waiting till nightfall was a boring task, the others played and joked, some drank, and some slept whilst Zesian prepared himself. He was never to cautious when it came to his job and even though it appeared easy he wanted to be certain nothing would go wrong. As the sun set they sneaked in. Zesian motioned to his men to look out whilst he and Juki disappeared behind the large monuments. Hidden from view they crept round and found the statue. Juki opened up a large leather pouch especially made whilst Zesian wrapped the artifact in cloth and placed it inside, he smiled to himself a job well done but the smiled faded when he heard a curse followed by a large crash. Running out from behind larger monuments he skidded to a halt. Just behind the door of the temple to the right of the alter was the priest a katana to his throat and his head yanked back by the braid of his hair which was wrapped tightly round one of his men's fists. Walking over he asked what was going on. The man holding the priest spoke. "This fucker came at me that's what, bastard cut me". The young boy glared at the priest, blood dripping from the small wound above his eye. Zesian looked down at the priest noticing he was also quite young, a pained expression across his blood smeared face, in one hand a broken necklace, the strings of it gripped tightly whilst rolled along the floor skidding to a stop in the cracks they encountered. The other arm was cradled; it appeared to be broken or fractured causing the man much pain. "What happened?" Zesian asked. "I goddamn told you, the youngest spoke, he came at us like a madman we had to constrain him". The boy was fuming pulling harder on the braid snapping the man's neck tauter, the pained expression increased but he refused to cry out. "I hardly believe that an unarmed man would attack four people with katana's some how". Zesian peered at the man the priest's eyes glaring back in to his coolly. But hidden with in was a small depth of fear. "Are you calling me a liar" the youth asked getting more angry by the second. The katana against the priests throat digging in slightly causing blood to swell. "Of course not my friend, just trying to figure out what to do" Zesian sighed he hated working with young ones. They were quick to anger and even quicker to create blood shed. "What to do?" the younger one known as Klisowa scowled "fucking kill the little shit that's what" with this he drew back the blade ready to slice the mans throat but was stopped as a leather gloved hand closed on the blade stopping its momentum. "We are not killing him do you understand? You're right to be angry but we have what we want". Zesian was pissed off he was sick of dealing with idiots who screwed the job up, he didn't believe for a second that the docile priest had attacked his men and that they were just after an excuse to kill. "Well what then? We leave him here and he'll fucking come after us, we wont get away from here and I for one ain't gonna fucking hang for this". Klisowa sheathed his weapon and then smashed the hilt of it into the head of the young priest knocking him out, falling to the ground with a thud. Blood welled from the wound spilling into his face and hair. Zesian had had enough and backhanded Klisowa, his head snapped back sharply, and he rested his hand on his weapon glaring at Zesian, eyes filled with hate. "What the fuck did you do that for?" Klisowa demanded running a hand over his bruising cheek. "We can't leave him here. If we do he'll die and I don't want a death warrant on my head do you?" Klisowa continued to growl and glare at him as Zesian bent over to check the man's pulse thankful it was still beating, if a little slower. "And now thanks to you we will have to carry him". Sheathing his own sword he picked the priest up by the arms and waited for help. The second eldest Youshan helped him pick the unconscious body up and they carried it outside. During the trip back to the boat that had taken them their, Zesian, tried to contain his anger. He was sick of the job, sick of the idiots that came with it and sick of being felt up by the man who paid him. Carrying the man along slowed them down but gave him time to think. /that's it, I'm getting out of this god damn rotten job/ Zesian sighed at this thought, he knew what breaking away from Mr. Hawiga would mean and said his good-byes to the world of speech. |