Chapter 1: Times Past and Future

It had been months since that battle. Yet he relives his victory every night whilst he sleeps. There had been no mention of the New World Order since that battle.

Though the samurai stuck to their forest and grove and wandered no further. It was not uncommon for them to be behind on news. If Feudal Lords were at war news could cease to come at all.

This wasn’t the case. The news came as normal. However there seemed to be less harm than normal. Since that day six months ago there haven’t been bandits or anything.

It all seem too surreal. Was the New World Order really behind everything? It seemed all too simple.

Matsumoto hadn’t fallen lazy on his practice. He made sure he did his ten-thousand swings a day. He maintained a good relationship with Ki Jin, and even managed to forge Ki Jin into a spirit sword.

By doing this Ki Jin no longer had bloodlust. He merely sipped away at the owners life. For an immortal Oni it’s not an issue. The sword filled his belly and became calm and tranquil.

Matsumoto now resides in a town that overlooks the foothold where the battle once took place. Raano was founded just after the battle as a buffer zone. Ownership was given to a man who fought valiantly for his lord without respect for even his own life.

Matsumoto planned every aspect of his city. His home was made into the granite walls itself. Overlooking his former glory. Matsumoto has built a granite fortress upon the cliff.

Staring out his window Matsumoto is wondering when his blade will hum as the air bounces off and the flesh is severed. He truly craved battle.

Years passed and nothing happened. His fingers itching for war. Finally, he broke and come up with a plan.

Matsumoto would approach Lord Fukusaku with a proposal. Allow his to wipe a neighboring lords land. Slowly, one at a time he would kill them off. He promised to do it at night. To never get caught less he may commit seppuku.

He traveled for six days by horse drawn carriage to the Lords estate. Lord Fukusaku was no fool and Matsumoto knew he would have to watch his younger to get the outlook he wanted.

As Matsumoto’s carriage came to an abrupt halt and the doors opened, he was immediately surrounded and ushered into the manor. The blinds were drawn in the carriage too. He didn’t even get to see the city yet.

Once inside the velvety soft carpet that lined only the walkways was blood red. With white and black accents. The floor carved from sandstone and smoothed to a porous perfection left nothing for the mind to desire in an update upscale mansion.

As he is trying to take all of this in a voice interrupts his thoughts.

“Lord Fukusaku will see you. Please, don’t act like some wild barbarian.”

Matsumoto turns to see an elder man with a smiling smirk on his face. His gray and black hair draped infront of his crystal blue eyes. Came in hand he didn’t intend to hear any lip from Matsumoto.

“Ah. And leave Ki Jin here. Oni.”

The old man muttered as he turned and proceeded up the stairs in the center of the room.

After placing Ki Jin in a safe location he followed the older man up the stairs and to a double door room just down the hallway. Inside lie the most deadly thing in this planet. Lord Fukusaku.

Even angering him slightly will cause you to loose fifteen pounds as your head rolls away from your body.

He explained the plan to the Feudal Lord. The lord agreed. Honestly he was tired of holding Matsumoto back. It was tiring. Matsumoto asked one simple question. One simple request.

“Ishikuro. May I have him. He’s handy.”

Matsumoto almost hesitated. He felt like it was wrong to ask but he may actually need help. Plus Ishikuro seemed to know something about the Oni and he wanted to know that information.

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“Take him. He’s dead to me anyway.”

The Feudal Lord motions to the door. He was done with their conversation before it began. As Matsumoto turns to look at the Feudal Lords mansion one more time. He knoticed all the small details. The Oni, the dragons, celestial beings and ancestors all there and accounted for.

“Sir! Ishikuro approaches. May I take form?”

Ki Jin spoke out of turn. It was uncommon for him to do such now.

Matsumoto drew Ki Jin out of his sheath and with a stern look he replied.

“If you dishonor me…. I will turn your bones into bonemeal.”

And with a smirk he tossed Ki Jin behind the maple tree outside the manor.

“Sir. I have no clothes.”

Ki Jin said as he had turned into his physical form only to rapidly revert.

Digging through the satchel he had on his back Matsumoto pulls out a brown package carefully wrapped and tied with twine. He tosses the package behind the tree.

“I picked this up for you last night. It should fit perfectly.”

Matsumoto said.

With a flash of light Ki Jin had turned back into his human form and gotten dressed. His long brown hair in a ponytail keeping it out of his emerald eyes.

“Much better now no one can see my bits.”

Ki Jin was smiling ear to ear. His age seemed to be a bit on the younger side of things. At most Matsumoto would have put him at twenty-four.

“For the gods sake. Please. I don’t want to know if your bits. Just get ready here he comes.”

Matsumoto was whisper arguing with Ki Jin.

As Ki Jin was straightening up his attire that made him look almost royal, Ishikuro approached.

“Ahhh. It has been too long. We must talk. But not here. Too many unattended ears.”

Ishikuro said as he pointed to the café across the street.

This was the first time that Matsumoto had seen him without armor. He had light brown hair drawn tightly into a ponytail. He appeared to have blue eyes but they seemed to change as the sun hit them.

“Certainly. Might I ask your ranking?”

Matsumoto being a daimyo made him able to ask suck forward questions.

At this point Ki Jin had faded into the background unnoticed. He could tell something important was going on. He decided to just hang back.

“I am but a lowly owner of land sir. Please be humble upon me.”

Ishikuro says in a joking manner as he puts on puppy dog eyes and pretends to bow.

Matsumoto quickly shoved Ishikuro toward the cafe while threatening his life.

“I swear. You embarrass me so bad sometimes.”

Matsumoto grumbles in frustrated embarrassment. The town folk all laughing and smiling at them.

They approach the patio and take a seat. As they do tea is poured in clean glasses for them by the waitress.

“Thank you. We will have the special. Then a moment of silence. We will leave the bill on the table. That will be all.”

Ishikuro said sternly so to set the tone as to how serious this conversation is about to be.

“Certainly. Lord. No need to pay. Sir Kazakuzi said it is thanks for offering a home.”

The waitress walks off and enters the building through the door off the patio.

“Now tell me. What is so important that you would get so stern with such a delicate and beautiful woman?”

Matsumoto’s face became stern and serious. He raises his hand and snaps his fingers.

“Everyone!”

The entire city stops. Dead in its tracks.

“Go home. Now. Unless you are cooking our food please leave. If you are caught near. Then you will be considered a traitor beheaded and hung by the feet at the gate.”

Everyone evacuated without a single sound. The waitress brought their food out to complete silence and a dead town.

“Please tell sir Kazakuzi that we will require the cafe for the day. Please go home.”

Matsumoto’s stare never left Ishikuro.

“We have an issue. It’s what you desire. And how you’re going about it.”

Ishikuros glare never left Matsumoto.

“I never intended to let you in on my plans. Let alone involve you in them.”

Matsumoto breaks the gaze and drinks his tea.

“It’s not a matter of that Matsumoto. You are talking about be heading him.”

Ishikuro now red faced with anger.

“Worry not old friend. Keep out of my way and we shall have no grievances.”

Matsumoto finishes his tea and stands up.

“Shall we?”

Matsumoto motions for Ishikuro to follow him.

They walk back through town toward Matsumoto’s home. As they walk through the still emptied town they talked about the war and after it.

“Matsumoto. I’m dying. I did something I shouldn’t have.”

Ishikuro now staring at the ground.

“Explain. Inside.”

Matsumoto opened the door to his home allowing Ishikuro to enter.

They sat at the hard oak table. Sitting atop it a wooden keg filled with mead.

They talked the whole night through. Ishikuro explained it thoroughly. His people the orcs had been driven to extinction by the Oni. They were considered a lower race.

There was however an ability that very few orcs had. He could travel through time. There were rules however. He would immediately receive a large amount of radiation, his body and the radiation would not age or progress until he returns to his time. Once he does the time he spent traveling will be dealt to him all at once.

After the conversation reached what one could consider the halfway point, Matsumoto had officially switched to sake.

“So you mean to tell me…”

Matsumoto starts mumbling. The alcohol obviously clouding his speech.

“You fucker. You could have helped.”

Matsumoto now taking offense that he had to put so much effort into the war previously that year.

“Listen. After tonight. I’m jumping. One, two, three days. Who knows….. but I want to watch you achieve your dreams in a way that I can be happy about. And this is not it Matsumoto.”

Ishikuro now laying it all on the table.

“Brother…. If you follow this path. You will consider me an enemy…. For the sake of our people. He smarter than this!”

Ishikuro slams his fist on the table. This is a sign of frustration and an outburst. Ishikuro is very calm minded. For him to have an outburst is something that made Matsumoto double think his decision.

“Trust in me brother. I am a dragon after all.”

Matsumoto smiles and puts his hand on Ishikuros shoulder.

“Matsumoto it’s not you. It’s our people I am worried about. Please for the future of our people. Think this through.”

Ishikuro is begging Matsumoto to change his plan.

Matsumoto let’s out his Oni face by accident with a grimacing smile to go with it.

“They have forsaken mother. Heads will roll Ishikuro. There’s nothing you can do. They disrespected my people.”

Matsumoto takes a deep breath, and puts the Oni back in the box.

“Ki Jin! Perhaps you should say what you need to now. Ishikuro is a busy man and must be leaving.”

Matsumoto forcing the conversation to a close and space to be formed between the two.

Matsumoto stepped into his room to grab something from a chest at the foot of his bedroll.

As he did Ki Jin and Ishikuro had their talk. When Matsumoto returned sword in hand, Ishikuro was a little confused.

“Long ago. When the lands were one. There was an Oni so powerful it took the four guardians months of battle to ware him down and seal him. His soul resides in this blade. Keep it safe. There will be a day I come for it. You best be there to give it to me.”

Ishikuro looks the sword over. This was no normal katana. The sheath covered in what appeared to be dragon scales. The blade was purple and the edge black. The hilt wrapped in black leather with golden accents and a flower shaped guard.

“This may be the last thing I am able to say to you as a friend Ishikuro. The war between Orc and Oni. It was not right. I won’t leave you behind. Once I have my dream in hand….. I’m coming for you.”

Before Ishikuro could respond Matsumoto had shut and locked himself in his room.

“If you die brother, I won’t forgive you.”

Matsumoto muttered.