The Distortion

The sun was burning ablaze in the cloudless sky. Ideally, they would have preferred not to depart as soon, but time was of the essence, especially since turmoil—on a much larger scale—wouldn’t take much longer to ensue. It would be highly inconvenient if they found themselves wrapped up in the aftermath of the raid.

They were waiting for him by an open road just outside Shin-Taiyo, past the distal entrance. Laith sat on the ground, messing with Râad who didn’t seem to appreciate it as much as he usually would. The heat radiated by the Brightest Flame wasn’t doing him any favors; the poor animal considered the usual drastic measure of skinning himself. Alas, lying down and sticking out his tongue were the only countermeasures available to him…rather underwhelming.

Adam laid his hand on a giant bag resting on the ground that carried all of their belongings. They tried to trim it down as much as possible so it wouldn’t slow them down in the road ahead, but in the end, they were still three people, with a fourth on his way. Despite their efforts to reduce the heavy load, the end result was still an overweight bloated balloon. They couldn’t even rely on any mounts or carts to transport that mass either; the only animal at their disposal was a tiger and his species wasn’t particularly known for carrying luggage.

Normally, it shouldn’t have been an issue considering Laith was more than capable of carrying that mass and the same could be said for Yuuna—albeit to a lesser extent. But Adam refused to trouble them with anything else other than their own injuries in the upcoming journey, a journey where they would have to cross almost half the continent on foot. Although frankly, Adam had no idea if he’d be able to pull it off; he did a test run on their way here…his face was still red. No matter, he’d have to manage somehow.

There he was, the fourth person, the latest recruit to the party. He wore his usual black attire with the katana held to his waist, but one piece was added to his uniform, a fairly large straw hat that almost shadowed all of his face. Genjiro carried his beloved gourd—hanging by a thick short rope—in one hand while his other hand rested between his belt and shirt. After the seppuku ritual, Genjiro asked them to wait for him in their present location; “he needed some time” was the excuse. They didn’t ask why, they wouldn’t dare, not after what he just went through.

“We’re good to go.” Genjiro declared, recovering his usual tone.

“I’m sorry we had to leave in a hurry, we couldn’t even give them the proper burial they deserved. But, Tokugawa san himself warned me not to stick around for much longer after his…you know…” Adam hesitated to bring up the details.

“It’s fine, I understand.” Genjiro answered.

“You don’t have to act tough, if you need more time to deal with it, you ca—”

“He’s not acting tough, he’s fine, really.” Laith interrupted Yuuna while casually messing with Râad.

Both Adam and Yuuna shared a confused look.

“He’s made peace with it the moment he volunteered as the Kaishakunin.” Laith added while still annoying Râad.

Genjiro remained quiet, his face still shadowed by the hat he wore. His silence was a testament to the accuracy of Laith’s statement. Yuuna didn’t give it much thought; she was mainly relieved that Genjiro was ready to move on. She was sure Genjiro would never forget about his sensei; it was clear how much of an impact he had on him, but Daisuke wished for his disciple to finally step out of his master’s shadow.

Grieving for too long was a sign that he was still clinging to his tutor which was almost disrespectful to the latter’s final instruction: to start anew. Yuuna was glad he came to that conclusion already. It was important that he honor Daisuke’s memory, and taking that first step by overcoming his past dependency was essential for the new voyage.

Adam, on the other hand, was most intrigued by his brother’s keen eye and reliable judgment as to Genjiro’s inner feelings and thoughts. He had heard occasionally about warriors showcasing some strange ability—borderline mystical—that allowed to “see” into each other after exchanging few blows. Adam always thought it was a load of crap, the kind uttered by people desperate to romanticize warriors and battles.

However, there may be some truth to it after all. In fact, Adam himself may have witnessed it firsthand, he simply didn’t pay much attention at the time.

Whenever Laith scrapped with both Genjiro and Yuuna previously, he was able to sense his opponent’s will and intent simply after clashing their weapons. And that was his first contact with them, way before he had the chance to know them better. And just now, a simple decision made by Genjiro was enough for him to deduce the samurai’s state of mind. How could Laith’s observation be heightened to such degree that allowed him to gauge a fellow swordsman while being worlds apart from each other?

To think he was just a high school student…, Adam was fascinated by the extent of his brother’s evolution during his absence. He went from a feeble teenage boy who was barely able to formulate his own opinion, to a capable swordsman with immense strength and a piercing eye. A swordsman who could easily be mistaken for a hero coming right out of the pages of a book and not a regular man born in the twenty first century. Perhaps growing up after the Distortion could have that effect on some people…

“Now that we’re done talking about me, can we go?” Genjiro asked, the sleepy voice back in action.

“Fine by me.” Laith finally ended Râad’s suffering as he stood up.

“Actually, I’d like to clarify something before we depart, something of the utmost importance.” Adam pushed back his glasses.

“Which is?” Genjiro asked, uninterested.

“I think Adam is alluding to what you will be doing in the future now that you have joined us.” Yuuna said.

“Eh whatever, I’m up for anything at this point but go on, hit me.” Genjiro tugged his hat up slightly.

“By the way, you can still decline our offer; I wouldn’t really blame you if you decided not to play any part in it. If you made up your mind though, I’d rather you listen carefully to what we have to say because what you’re about to hear can be pretty hard to believe.” Adam said.

Genjiro shrugged.

Adam pulled out the fragment from a hidden pocket inside his white coat and revealed it to Genjiro who stared at it with no particular interest. In fact, Laith and Yuuna were far more captivated despite having prior knowledge of the seals. After spending most of their time after the raid worrying about how to safely conduct themselves, this was the first opportunity to get a good look at the mysterious item.

“This right here is the reason we’re all gathered and why we will be travelling across all of Mihad.”

Adam went on and on about all the major and minor details surrounding the existence of the three seals, the impact their inexplicable shattering had on the previous world, and the impact their shattered state is having on the current one. He made sure to rigorously cover every bit of information…completely oblivious to the fact that he was making a huge mistake. He might not have forgotten about anything in regards to the seals and their quest, but he had forgotten who he was addressing.

“Alright, that’s it?”

“…I’m sorry, you wanted more?” Adam asked, flabbergasted.

“No, on the contrary, I was waiting when you’d finish.” Genjiro yawned.

Adam’s jaw fell to the ground. Were he talking to any other man, he would have thought he was being mocked…but he had been around the samurai long enough to realize his reaction was completely genuine. Apparently, nothing outside the trifecta of “sensei, battle and women” could move him in any way, not even a world-scale existential revelation.

“At least tell me you were listening to what I said…” Adam despaired while his brother and Yuuna broke into a hysterical laugh behind him.

“Honestly, I lost it when you were explaining the whole deal with the seals or whatever. Basically, the world is going to shit and we need to collect the thingies like the one in your hand to stop it from going to shit, is that it?” Genjiro summarized.

It’s mind-boggling how much he could trivialize a situation like the one I just presented…

“That…about sums it up…” Adam was deflated by the nonchalance. “So, are you still on board?”

“Although I don’t understand why we need to stop the world from disappearing when it’s going to end someday anyway, not to mention that the whole mission sounds like a pain in the ass…but I’m here now so, might as well go along.”

What a lovely view on the prospect of life and the end of our existence…

“I just hope your radiating enthusiasm doesn’t prove to be an issue when we need your assistance...”

“Don’t worry about it, just call me when you need to cut someone down, I’m not good for much else.”

Genjiro’s reassurance hardly reassured Adam.

“Well then, I guess that settles it. Off we go.”

Adam wanted to sound much more enthusiastic when he said that, but the samurai’s attitude conquered him. At least it didn’t take much to convince him, one good thing to come out of his “don’t give a single damn” motto. Despite Genjiro’s contagious aura, Adam was never really concerned about the effectiveness of their new recruit, even though he was likely to bring about his own set of troubles. Nothing they couldn’t handle though.

Unlike the man who would show up.

He appeared out of thin air, one moment no one could be seen in front of them and the next, there he was. A flashy entrance, but not a comforting one, not in the slightest. After seeing his fellow companions’ reactions, Adam’s worries were seemingly warranted.

Râad, who up until that point was paying no attention to his surroundings, got up on four and fixed his gaze on the broad-shouldered man. Both his posture and attitude didn’t necessarily reflect hostility, but the individual was interesting enough to catch the tiger’s attention. The other three instantly tensed up, a reflex developed after the many opponents faced in the battles they had fought. However, two of them looked even more concerned than the other who was—like Adam—ignorant to the identity of the man facing them.

Adam could only deduce one fact from a quick look at his attire: it was a ninja. And Genjiro would soon confirm that it wasn’t any random ninja.

“Ah shit…what is he doing here?”

“Judging from your reaction, I don’t suppose he is one of your friends.” Laith said, eyes narrowed.

“This guy, from what I’ve heard, he doesn’t do friends. I’m not sure how Yuuna got involved with him, but I doubt she’s a friend either.”

It wouldn’t require much to conclude that the person was none other than the ninja whom Yuuna was affiliated with. Just like the rest of them, she was very much distraught about his sudden appearance and the reason behind it, but that wasn’t the only thing on her mind. Their last encounter, having been anything but pleasant, came back to haunt her…it wasn’t easy to get over a nasty beating. As a result, she froze in place, her face a jumble of distress and frustration.

Meanwhile, Adam was terrorized by something else entirely, and it didn’t require knowing the person in question prior to this encounter. The timing of this sudden appearance was suspiciously convenient. They were just discussing a very, very sensitive topic and Adam definitely wouldn’t want any random individual to gain knowledge pertaining to that same topic.

While the goal of his expedition was clear and the route he would follow was also mostly set, one key component remained missing from the equation: the enemy. Therefore, Adam would prefer not taking any chances when it came to shady individuals, and a ninja showing up out of nowhere to obstruct their path undoubtedly fit the criteria of “shady”.

“Alright, we’ve established he’s not anyone’s friend, is he at least…friendly?” Laith was desperately searching for some sort of peaceful resolution to whatever was about to unfold. Taking into consideration their lamentable physical condition—his arm was still stuck between a cast and an arm sling—Laith wasn’t confident in their ability in a physical bout.

“I’m not sure what you’re getting at, but you’re asking the wrong questions. With a guy like him, what you should be worrying about is whether you’re one of his targets or not. Since we’re still not dead, I think we’re pretty damn lucky.” Genjiro sounded unusually anxious.

The ninja, whose muscles could be discerned with great detail through his clothing, was standing about ten meters away from them, still silent. He was piercing all of them with a frightening gaze, even Râad felt intimidated by it. Everyone felt it, that sense of foreboding looming in the air; they just didn’t know what it would amount to.

“Have you lost your tongue, Yuuna?” the ninja broke the silence.

“Ryuuma san…”

Laith really liked the sound of his name, but he wouldn’t dare express his admiration out loud.

“You’re about to leave the country; you don’t seem to have any intention of coming back either. Haven’t you considered that I ought to know about it?” he asked calmly.

“During our latest…altercation, I remember you being very clear about the consequences of my decision. You told me not to come back and so I didn’t. I had no obligation to tell you anything anymore.” she answered just as calmly.

“True, but to leave without a sign, not even saying goodbye after all I’ve done for you…even to a man like myself, that’s cold.” he said, folding his arms.

“It was never my intention to come out as ungrateful, I will never forget what you did for me, Ryuuma san, and I don’t know if I can ever repay you. It’s just…our last skirmish stained my memory of you, it’s all that comes to mind when I see your face. I understand it’s unfair, but I can’t help it…” she regretted feeling that way, but feelings weren’t something she had control over—another reason why the elders at Shinobi Village sought to kill any form of sentimentality.

It was then that Adam realized where she got all her bruises from. This man was the one watching them whenever they entered the castle. They were really lucky to have had her on their side, otherwise the raid would have been compromised very early on.

“You know it wasn’t personal, I was just doing my job, Yuuna.” She didn’t reply. Ryuuma then glanced shortly at the people to her right. “So, these are the ones you’re aligning yourself with now? Quite the downgrade I must say.” Ryuuma said matter-of-factly, not even trying to provoke them.

“Are we just gonna sit here and let him disrespect us like that?” Laith said, loud enough for Ryuuma to hear.

“What in blazes do you think you’re doing?” his companions all chorused internally.

Ryuuma chuckled faintly.

“And what will you do about it, fight back? Maybe when your arm has recovered at least, you would sound slightly more convincing that way. And even then, you don’t want to go there, trust me kid.”

“I’d appreciate it if you don’t call me kid.”

Genjiro was the one to intervene, an irrefutable proof of how perilous the situation could get if it deteriorated any further, courtesy of Laith’s reckless claims. The samurai approached him slowly, placing a hand on his right arm.

“Maybe you haven’t heard me the first time so let me remind you a second time, he doesn’t seem to have a reason to kill us all so do not give him one. You should probably appreciate a bit more the fact that we’re still alive right now, and I’d like it if we keep it that way. You’re trying too hard to change his mind.”

While sounding no different than usual, Adam did catch Genjiro squeezing Laith’s forearm—albeit softly. Adam grew fearful as the once nonchalant Genjiro was showcasing signs of restlessness.

“He’s just one man, I bet he’s looking down on us just because we’re severely injured.” Laith wore a sullen expression, not taking kindly to Ryuuma’s patronizing. The latter didn’t seem particularly bothered by the inadvertent taunting.

“Except he’s not any one man.” Genjiro squeezed a bit harder, “I know you’re a foreigner and you can’t possibly know about him, but this guy is known across the entire country, and not for his kindness. I don’t know when he first appeared but during the war, everyone was rushing to acquire his services. He was able to assassinate high-value targets hidden in their fortified castles behind what they thought were safe walls and trustworthy soldiers. Nothing ever stopped him from accomplishing his goal. He’s become some sort of freaking legend in these lands.”

Laith acted as if he wasn’t necessarily impressed, which prompted Yuuna to share her own perspective.

“What Genjiro is saying is true, all of it, and he’s not even exaggerating. In case you’re still having doubts, let me just tell you that if I had to choose between him or the Oni, I would pick the Oni without hesitation.” she then raised her voice so that Ryuuma could hear her, “But we can find comfort in one fact, we are indeed not his targets so I have to wonder, Ryuuma san, why are you here?”

“I’m here to save you.”

Yuuna and everyone else raised their eyebrows—Râad included.

“I’m sorry but I do not understand…save me from what exactly?” she asked with a confused air.

“From these people keeping you company.” he answered.

“These people are my friends, which is more than I can say for you.”

“And I kept you safe for the longest time which is more than I can say for this lot. Before you know it, these so called good-willed friends will lead you to your demise, and then it won’t matter what you called them and whether their intentions were good or not.” he mostly kept his outward composure, but the subtle teeth clenching gave him away. “I am not asking you to come back, but if you value your life, turn around. Leave them be and you can start fresh if you want, but not alongside them.”

“What’s so wrong about them? You have yet to give me any convincing reason to do what you as of me, so it would be nice if you could back up your claims.” she remained adamant.

“The only reason you need is that these fools are getting involved in something much bigger than they could ever comprehend, and when they finally do comprehend—if they ever get the chance that is—it’ll all be too late. So, spare yourself that trouble because it’s not worth it.” Ryuuma didn’t notice how or when he started raising his voice.

Yuuna was about to push back when she felt a hand on her shoulder, asking her kindly to leave it to him.

His initial suspicions were confirmed. This unknown person showed up for the worst reason possible, he was smart enough to see through the cryptic quotes. Adam was worried about the secret being unveiled to this random individual; he was also worried about that very same individual possibly snapping his neck in an instant. And yet, he had to take responsibility, he wouldn’t run away from it. Adam took a few steps forward and stood only two meters from the ninja.

“Since I know your name, I guess it’s only fair that you know mine. The name’s Adam, pleased to meet you.” he pushed back his glasses then added, “I’m not sure why you’re being elusive since we both know what you’re entailing at this point, but perhaps you have your reasons for doing. No worries, I’m willing to overlook it, just like I’m willing to overlook the blatant insults.

“However, I would like to clarify one thing first. While my companions are grown up adults who take complete responsibility for their actions, I’m still the man who dragged them into this. If you have an issue with them, I believe you should take it up with me first.”

They both faced each other, Ryuuma’s arms still folded, Adam’s hands in his pockets. The fluttering of the white coat worn by Adam and the fur on Ryuuma’s back fluttered evoked the image of an epic showdown about to take place. Genjiro squeezed his katana this time thinking “these suicidal brothers are going to get us killed already…”

“For someone like you to embark on such a journey, I have to admit, it takes balls to do that. But that’s not helping your case, not at all. In fact, you’re only proving my point; you are a bunch of incapable fools playing at a game in which you ignore both the rules and the opponent.” Ryuuma stated menacingly.

“Maybe so, but we’ll learn about it as we play along. Judging from our start, we seem to be fast learners, wouldn’t you say?” Adam said confidently.

“Stop condescending, just because you took down one dying monster doesn’t mean anything.” Ryuuma undermined their latest achievement, an achievement that left three of them almost dead. “There are forces in this world far beyond your imagination, overwhelming powers capable of subduing any resistance, beings you could never hope to oppose…there is no scenario in which you come out of this victorious. None.”

“Victory or defeat, success or failure, win or lose…you’ll never know the outcome, not unless you actually play the game. I’m willing to take my chances, alongside people who are willing to do so as well, wherever that leads us. Sometimes, it’s not just about the result, it’s also about the fight.”

“What’s the point of starting a fight you know you’re going to lose? Investing all that time and effort only to watch yourself crumble miserably in the end, watching your hopes and ambitions of success decimated in an instant…Have you considered the serious repercussions it could have on you or anyone lucky enough to survive? That is not an experience one would overcome as easily.”

“Failure is part of any process, even a baby stumbles a few times before he starts walking. Does that mean we should stop the baby from attempting out of fear of him falling?”

“This is not a failure you can recover from.”

“You’re standing right in front of me. Now I’m not as strong as you, but you never know.”

“This isn’t just about you, it’s also about the ones around you.”

“What about them?”

“I see that you have already met and recruited people to join you on your silly little adventure, and you don’t seem like you’ll stop anytime soon. I bet you feel like the luckiest man alive, already fantasizing about ‘inseparable bonds and unforgettable moments’ to share in the future. What do you think will happen when they’re no longer there? Do you think you can deal with their loss?”

Adam didn’t reply.

“You’ll think that fortune was smiling on you at first, but what happens when you have to watch all of their lives get brutally snatched away before your very eyes while feeling utterly powerless to make any difference? What will you do then when you realize that fortune was sneering at you all along?”

Adam remained silent…Ryuuma was clearly projecting his own trauma, concealing it with a derisive sneer. He felt obliged to let the middle-aged man speak, as much as liked, as long as he liked. Ryuuma clearly needed to get this load off his chest.

“Tell me, when anguish starts to devour you from the inside out, what will you do?” Ryuuma’s smile faded. “Let me answer that for you: you will regret having that delusional thought cross your mind to begin with, that thought when you first decided you would finally do it yourself because that is the crucial mistake that started it all. So, heed my warning, walk away while you still can, all of you, not just Yuuna, for all of your sakes.”

It was hard for Adam to find a proper response, a response that would both back up his choices and be considerate to the man in front of him who had clearly suffered an excruciating journey. Dismissing his statements or telling him they were meaningless would be quite disrespectful to his emotions, hence why Adam had to weigh his words carefully.

“Even though the words of a stranger like me won’t mean much but still, I’m sorry for what happened to you. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to live through what you just described. However, the way I see it, you are simply projecting your own experience onto us. No offense.”

“It is only natural that one learns from his predecessors’ trials and experiences, and I’m telling you that you have no chance.” Ryuuma didn’t even try to deny it.

Adam pushed back his glasses. “Since we likened this to a game, hear me out Ryuuma san. There is often an instance where several competitors try to challenge the reigning champion. Surprisingly, many of the more favored contenders fail to do so and the one that succeeds ends up being an underdog that no one had accounted for. Somehow, that one contender overlooked by everyone else was specifically effective against that type of opposition.”

“Your point?”

“You may indeed know what lies ahead of us and the path we’re on, but you hardly know anything about us or how we will undertake that path. We may share the same goal but that doesn’t mean we have to share the same journey. At the end of the day, we are fundamentally different people and chances are, we will be taking different routes to reach the same destination.”

“You strike me as a smart man, but it seems I am mistaken. What you are about to do is not smart at all.”

“Oh, I am well aware of that, I’ll be the first one to admit it even. What I’m about to do may not be smart, but it is right. It all depends on what you value more.”

“That is hardly the question in this case because what you are doing is neither smart nor right. Have you not been listening when I said you would be throwing away your life and that of you companions? If it is martyrdom you are seeking, one that will inspire others to follow in your steps, you will not get it either. You will most likely die in a ditch where no soul will ever hear about it.” Ryuuma said matter-of-factly, further driving the point home.

“No deed—good or bad—goes unnoticed, it pays off eventually. Why look at us right now. Your failure is most unfortunate, but I wouldn’t say it was all for naught as you put it. What if you were simply waiting to pass the torch to someone else to finish what you started?” Adam shrugged.

“Are you suggesting some ‘divine will’ is at play, a ‘grand design’ that eludes the understanding of mere mortals?” slight mockery could be discerned in Ryuuma’s voice.

“What if I am?” Adam replied matter-of-factly, locking eyes with Ryuuma who clearly didn’t expect to be met with such response. “Listen, we can keep going back and forth on this if you’d like, but I frankly see no point. This is not a negotiation—and I mean that respectfully—so unless you’re willing to use force, nothing you say will deter me…us from trying.”

In the back, the short exchange was heard in its entirety. Neither one of them was speaking loudly, but their voices reached the audience with ease. It helped that there was no wind blowing, no birds chirping, no grass rustling, no sound to interfere with the conversation. The stage was perfectly set up for Adam’s companions to watch him fare against a fearsome ninja, and he didn’t disappoint.

A wide grin split Laith’s face upon hearing his brother’s words while Genjiro eased up on his blade. Yuuna was equally relieved, albeit for a different reason. Ryuuma finally opened up, albeit partially. He always hid behind that dark and brooding exterior that he enforced upon himself, keeping his emotions and past memories bottled up. It greatly frustrated her because even though she saw through him, she could never get him to speak. And now at last, Adam was able to put a small dent in that facade. Yuuna was slightly ashamed that he beat her, but that was seemingly his forte. He did have a way with words like no other in their small party, proving effective on a few occasions already.

“I guess anything I will add will just be pointless reiteration,” Ryuuma unfolded his arms, “What I went through is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies and I hope you will succeed, I really do…I just don’t see it happening. I’m sorry but I can’t believe in you.”

“And I’m not asking you to believe in us, Ryuuma san. I’m just asking you to let us through—Yuuna in particular—because rest assured, we won’t leave without her.”

The ninja spun around and muttered so that only Adam could hear him.

“You watch over them, Adam san.”

“You won’t say goodbye?”

“She was right, I didn’t earn it.”

He disappeared the same way he appeared, and Adam was more flustered than the first time; it happened right before his eyes this time. However, that wasn’t the main issue gnawing at his mind. Adam might have held his composure when facing Ryuuma, he might have sounded somewhat convincing when he spoke, but he couldn’t help but consider the terrifying prospect presented by the veteran ninja.

A scenario in which he would crash against insurmountable obstacles, obstacles that could potentially lead to the awful and horrendous image drawn to him, a scene where he would have to witness the worst outcome unfold…that frightened him to his marrow. Adam roughly scrubbed his fingers through his hair to chase away that haunting thought and bury it so deep it would never resurface again.

He slowly walked back to his companions, his eyes covered by the sun’s reflection on his glasses. Seeing them all lined up, it finally sank in how much Adam was able to accomplish in his first stop alone. Both his primary goals were achieved: snatching the fragment—right under the enemy’s watchful eyes no less—and recruiting new members to his little party—two of them. It didn’t look as bleak as it did when he first escaped the Neumund, not when there were as many of them already. A brother, an unexpected friend, a vagrant samurai…and a tiger. Adam wasn’t sure whether the last one would count as an actual party member or a familiar, but his contribution was most welcome. One good thing to come out of his brother’s unexpected stunts.

“You need to school your tongue in the future, you idiot. More on that later.” Adam shot his brother a mean look.

“Hey, I was ju—”

“Later.” Adam put up his hand in Laith’s face; he wouldn’t hear from his brother. He then addressed Yuuna. “You okay?”

She nodded. “Rather unusual of him to act this nice…”

“I think you’re being too harsh on him.”

“I know…” she mumbled.

Adam proceeded to pick up the overly-stuffed boulder-shaped bag, veins popping up all over his red face.

“Well then, shall we?”

And thus, they set off to embark on a brand-new chapter in their journey.