Toki's Tale

"Though it's a little late, I suppose I'd better warn you, Toki. Many of the Assassins here aren't... friendly. There are some who make Kkkrlklk seem like an extrovert."
Toki nodded again. She was still feeling a little bitter about the Grendel's iron grip. Her arm still ached. "Like who? If I'm going to have to avoid them, I'd better know who they are."
"Well..." Imshan mused. "Firstly, stay out of the way of Tharon. You'll know who he is. He's positively psychopathic. If you even look at him funny, he'll kill you. He's ripped Norns in twain for less."
"Uh, how will I know who he is?"
"Well, he's the only Jotun, that's for sure."
Imshan waited for the reply, but none came. He glanced at Toki's inquisitive face and sighed.
"You *don't* know what a Jotun is?"
"Not really," replied Toki dryly, "having been raised in a secluded monastery in the mountains for most of my life."
"Well, er, they're about twice my size and *really* broad at the shoulders. Hairy sort, with horns. Like a bull's horns. They're also known as the frost giants, y'know, on account of living very far North."
"North? But, that's Chaos land!"
"Hah!" Imshan laughed out loud, causing nearby jungle creatures to skitter away. "Oh, I would *love* to see any damn fool Chaos Lord try to lead his armies against the Jotun. Of course, I'd love to see them all torn apart by Jotun magic too."
"They're spellcasters?"
"Aye, they are, but strong as well. It's unnatural that a race so proficient in magic should be as strong as well... Now... where was I? Oh, yes, people to avoid. Stay clear of Gawain, he's demonically possessed. Has bright red hair that sets aflame when he's angry. Pure yellow eyes, too. Pelor has an affliction-"
"What's his affliction?"
"He bites people. In half," replied Imshan. "Uuh... Better be careful around Lithos, he can phase through solid objects, especially when he gets frightened. That includes people, although he shreds your insides to bits. If you seen Treen without his muzzle on, run. If you see Barat, just run. If you see Ktrano, it's already too late to run."
"Ktrano?"
"Hell, even *we* don't know what it is. Only Serail. He keeps Ktrano locked in the deepest, darkest dungeon we have, far underground where the rocks burn you. Even the eldest Assassin doesn't know what Ktrano looks like."
"Then what use is he?"
"I only know of one instance when we had to use Ktrano for a contract. Ever hear of the city of Canitar?"
"No, never," replied Toki.
"Exactly," said Imshan darkly.
"By the gods, he doesn't half talk, does he?" Chirped up a familiar voice. Toki looked behind around, but the other Assassins were walking in sullen silence. Laen was walking almost asleep, his eyes shut and his ears flopped down over his face. Toki turned back to face front and was suddenly nose to nose with a very *old* friend.
"VEE?" Toki exclaimed. The spirit Gargoyle grinned and fluttered back a bit. Imshan stared at Toki oddly.
"Are you alright?" He asked. Toki grinned nervously.
"Uh, yes, I'm fine."
"No she's not, she's hallucinating!" Vee called out merrily.
"Quiet!"
"Are you *sure* you're alright?"
"Yes, yes!" Fine!" Toki said, then lowered her voice to harsh whisper. "What are you *doing* here?!"
"Oh, a *fine* welcome you're giving me," said Vee in an excessively loud voice. Toki glanced over at Imshan nervously, but he didn't seem to have noticed.
"He can't see or hear me, Toki. Standard spiritual guide stuff. I'm only visible to you, thus making everyone think you talk to yourself, thereby causing much hilarity to the audience. Or so I'm told. I really don't know what audience they're talking about."
"Why turn up *now*?"
"Oh, I was just wondering why you let that Grendel hurt you like that."
"I didn't *let* him do anything. He was stronger."
Vee floated in midair without flapping his wings, legs crossed, gently bobbing along in the same direction as Toki.
"Uh-*huh*. I'll believe that when the trees turn purple, grass grows out of my ears and Maki prances around spreading joy and flowers. There's *no-one* on this planet stronger than a Gargoyle."
"What about Jotun?"
"Not even them. Except technologically, of course."
"Tech-?"
"Oh, forget it. It's not important," said Vee. He paused. "Actually, it's very important. But not for us. For them, yes. It's long and complicated. Never mind."
Vee seemed half distracted now, a frown of concentration upon his handsome face. He waved the thought away with a flick of his hand.
"This Grendel can't be as strong as you, unless he's a god in disguise, and I doubt that. He might have- naah, that's stupid."
"Might have what?"
"Sorry?" Imshan said.
"Er, no, just thinking aloud," Toki replied. "This is getting ridiculous. Might have *what*?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing. I just thought that somehow he might have acquired ki. But he can't have."
"What's ki?"
"Oh, it's the fighting style mastered by the Golden One himself. But it's impossible to do without his strength and speed."
"Aren't I fast and strong enough?"
Vee laughed out loud and wiped tears from his eyes. "Gods, no! The Golden One was faster than the rising dawn and stronger than ten thousand Gargoyles! He could rip mountains asunder with a single hand! He's the exception that proves the rule."
"So what does this ki let you do?" Toki asked. Vee sighed and shook his head sadly.
"Oh, you *don't* give up, do you? Just like your mother. Well, ki comes in four stages. The first is yuo-ki, the second is ryo-ki, the third is kao-ki, the fourth is psi-ki. I suppose... I suppose that yuo-ki wouldn't be out of your reach. Yes, yes! You should be able to master yuo-ki very easily. Shouldn't take over a month, I'd say."
"A month?!" Toki hissed loudly. This time Imshan only gave her an odd look. Vee gave her a more severe glare.
"Toki, you're almost eighteen. You went through the stone sleep earlier than you should have done, and you were trained from birth in skilled fighting techniques. Don't expect life to keep getting easier."
"Okay, okay, I'm *sorry*, alright? What is yuo-ki exactly?"
"You can make waves of force."
There was a long pause, where Toki thought long and hard over what Vee had just said, but still didn't understand.
"What?"
"When you punch, the force of your punch carries on even when you fist stops. It's a very simple technique to learn. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the better fighters here haven't learnt it already."
"But you can't do that!"
"Oh, yes, it's easy once you know how. I could show you myself, were I not a mere shade. Mind you, if I were still alive, I'd be over six thousand years old. Either way, I can't show you."
Vee flipped upside down, and then rightside up again.
"I can just about remember the Golden One's teachings. They still stick with you, even after all this time. Even though he didn't make sense much of the time. One of the sternest warnings I was ever given I didn't understand at all."
"What warning was that?"
"He said to me, 'Vee, whatever you do, don't buy Betamax. It's not worth it, believe me. Oh, and stay away from the dot com bubble, it'll pop like anything.' I still don't know what it means..."
Toki pondered on this for a while, and then gave up. The musings of the Golden One were probably far too complex to be understood by mere mortals.
"So," Toki whispered, "you'll teach me, right?"
"Hmmm, yes," said Vee. He shifted uncomfortably. "Do you feel that? Like... someone's scraping a metaphysical nail down an imaginary blackboard."
"Uh..."
Vee scratched his head irritably and flinched like an animal. "Yaah, this gets right to your soullllaaaaahdamn-"
He blinked out of existence. Toki rubbed her eyes, but he wasn't there. She turned to Imshan, who was still there. He yawned and smiled sleepily.
"How far to the... the temple, Toki?"
"Only about ten miles now. You told me yourself," replied Toki. This was odd. Imshan had spent at least four hours asleep last night, the most she had seen any Assassin take at one time.
"I... did?" Imshan mumbled blearily, and then collapsed to the ground. The other Assassins had already dropped, all fast asleep. Toki grabbed the nearest rock and lifted it above her head with one hand.

The jungle was quiet. Usually it was alive with noise, with life. It was deathly silent. There wasn't even the rustle of leaves. The sound of blood rushing round her veins pulsed in Toki's ears. For an agonising eternity, nothing moved.
Slowly, a hushed whisper emerged from the silence. The soft sound of footsteps, the slither of a coat upon leaves... and the Spirit Hunter emerged from the gloomy undergrowth.
"Gargoyle... You've been hiding from me..." he hissed. Toki hurled the rock at him. He flicked a finger and it shattered instantly. "I have toyed with you long enough, creature. I think that it is time for me to kill you."
He moved closer, a dark smile on his thin lips. "Oh yes, I'm going to kill you slowly... Torture you until you scream for mercy... just like your mother..."
Something inside Toki started to boil and seethe. This wasn't anger, this wasn't even rage. Something erupted inside her, like pure hatred flowed through ever fibre of her being.
Tae'Pan regarded her coldly. She wasn't reacting, she wasn't even moving. She was just standing there, staring at him. Oh well, as good a time to start as ever, he supposed. He drew two sharp, angular knives from under his coat, still stained with the ancient blood of his last dozen victims.

Toki snapped.

Chapter 13

Chapter 15