Our horses galloped ever forward through the snowy landscape as we reached our first resting point.

It had been something around four to five hours since we set off, and the horses were ready to have a good nights rest. And so were the men.

The encounter with the bandits happened almost an hour ago, and I was concerned over the integrity of the oncoming village which most likely held all these types of people.

Although I never felt scared or feared for my life in that encounter, but it was most certainly anxiety-inducing and stressful. One wrong move and someone could have died. Another wrong move and Mahiro's image of me would be of a coward. But a city filled to the brim with criminals made me nervous.

Nothing to do other than sleep with one eye open.

Soon our one road turned into a branching hub of multiple sub roads, all moving to different places. Farms. Houses of rich governers. Et cetera. But we stayed on the main road and soon enough the orange lights of our first village shone through the white snowflakes flittering in the air.

I watched the people living in the outskirts as we flew by. Ragged clothing, large bonfires, warts, oozing sores. What you'd expect from somewhere filled with poverty.

But what I didn't expect was what happened when we grew further into the city. Silky dresses and intricate kimonos. Clean hair and perfect posture. The buildings differentiated drastically from the outer circle of town. Instead of being a cobbled together mass of shelters, there was professional quality and many different stores. Tea shops, blacksmiths, and tailors.

I supposed I didn't have to worry as much as I did only what felt like moments ago.

Being so engrossed in my thoughts, I barely noticed as our caravan started to slow. After nearly hitting the man in front of me, I halted my horse. It looked as though it was too busy and crowded in the inner circle to ride, so we would be leading our horses on foot.

As I took in the smell of hot food and listened to the call of street sellers, I pondered. What kept this place unsullied from the criminals only but a stone skip away? There were no walls and there were no guards. But there had to be something.

I thought more on the subject as we walked down the large road. It was almost too loud to concentrate, so not many revelations were conceived as I pulled my horse along.

But there was one thing that it could have been. But if it was, it would have made its presence known by now...

As I pondered more, a loud crash echoed through the busy town as glass shattered through the air and a man went soaring through the window.

Our horses neighed and the men chattered as the figure slowly brought himself to his feet. Ah, there it is.

The man brushed his bright red kimono. It was sewn and worn in military fashion. And the bright red meant one thing. He drunkenly shouted to whoever he was previously fighting in the tavern. "Ye', that's right, run away you horse shit smellin'... Good for nothing... Bastard..." He wretched onto the street as his inebriated mind searched for more coarse words, but eventually just gave up and defended himself. "Look, I've got an Ember, aight!? I'm a Samurai! If I don't got the money for just a couple..." He belched loudly. "For just a couple of drinks... That gives you no right to throw me out a damn window... Alright!? I'll get the Shogun to shut down your sorry business..." He wretched again, and gave up on yelling.

Yasuo was the first to approach the man. He spoke calmly as the Ember wielder rested with his hands on his knees. "You do not look well, friend."

The drunken man propped himself on Yasuo's shoulder and took notice of his Kimono. "You work for the military too, eh?" He stared closer at the fabric, thinking. "I don't remember there being black kimonos..."

Yasuo awkwardly chuckled as the sweaty and bloody man leaned on him. "Haha... Well, we are a newer division. Someone of your... Stature... Might not have heard of us."

The Samurai nodded aimlessly. "Yeah... Yeah... Alright..." After staring into space for a moment, the Samurai remembered his train of thought. "Hey! Did you see that guy!? He threw me out of a window... I mean, yeah I may have started the fight... But he wouldn't clear the tab for an esteemed soldier like myself, and that's what really puts him in the wrong..." Yasuo lifted him up and helped him shift his weight to his feet, where the Samurai nearly tipped over and ended up leaning back on him. as Yasuo tried to speak, the Ember wielder continued. "I protect this city from the thieves in the forest! And I give him business, like, every night... People love me!"

Yasuo nodded. "I am sure they do. But I believe that if you want to keep protecting the city tomorrow, you'd best get a good night's sleep. Can we take you to wherever you call home?"

The Samurai's eyes widened as Yasuo reminded him. "Shit... Protecting the city. I've got to do that tomorrow..." He tried to stand completely independently, but only tipped back onto Yasuo's shoulder. "You know. Since we're brother's in arms and stuff... Do you people mind taking me to my hotel room? It's a real big building just down the road... Probably enough room for all of you to sleep..."

Yasuo spoke under his breath. "I already..." He shook his head. "Yes. We'd be happy to take you to your hotel room."

Kohei interjected their conversation as the rest of our company still only stood and watched. "Very good you two. Come... Er..."

The Ember wielder shouted to Kohei, unaware that Kohei and all of us were close enough to hear him speak in a normal tone. "Call me Kamoji! And thank you!"

Kohei awkwardly smiled as he took Kamoji's arm over his shoulder. "Come. You can ride on my horse while we get there." As he started walking with the drunken Samurai, he pointed to Yasuo. "Go into the tavern and apologize to the owner for the mess our new friend has caused and pay off his tab."

Yasuo nodded, but before he left he waved at me. "Let me take a soldier. I'd hate to be... Caught off guard and all alone."

Kohei simply nodded as he walked away with Kamoji.

I followed Yasuo into the alcohol drenched building. It felt good to be in the warm room and out of the snowy cold.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

I spoke to Yasuo as I observed the sultry men and women drink their cares away as the whores lazily sold themselves near the back. "Why'd you ask me to come?"

Yasuo shrugged. "I was thirsty and don't prefer to drink alone. I also had a few questions, but nothing of much importance."

My shoulders shrugged unconsciously, even though Yasuo couldn't see. "Alright then."

We reached the wooden stools at the bar and sat down. The hairy and bloody bartender gave us a look that resembled a wild animal readying to strike with a vengeance.

Yasuo sat a small coin purse on the counter. "Not to worry, friend. I'm here to pay off your assailant's bill. And make one of our own."

The bearded man scowled at Yasuo as he took the purse before reluctantly pouring alcohol into two porcelain cups.

Yasuo smiled. "Thank you very much, it looks very refreshing."

We took a few sips and stared at the large barrels of saké, shochu, and other various types of alcohol piled at the far wall. Eventually, I spoke. "We can't stay for long."

But at those words Yasuo waved his hand, seemingly brushing away the words. "Kohei will set up our hotel rooms as we drink. We've got plenty of time." He took another sip. "So. What is so important about the Samurai Kamoji. He spoke as if he protected this city from the criminals outside when in reality he could barely stand on his own..."

I took a sip from the cup and spoke as my attention was torn between Yasuo and the constant chattering of others. "Sometimes all you need is the idea. The knowledge that an Ember wielder is in the city and the criminals will be too scared to try anything..."

Yasuo nodded. "I suppose that could be true." He took another drink and stared into space for a moment before speaking again. "This is good. It has been too long since I have had a break. Or since we have got to speak without some horrid problem as the subject."

I raised my cup. "That is entirely too true." And took another drink.

We had a few more drinks while talking over idle matters. It was nice to take it slow for once in the months that I had been working for the military.

Yasuo spoke as he took another swig from his cup. "Look. I know it's a sensitive subject, but my curiosity gets the best of me. What was it like to be the first to have an Ember? I heard so many stories about the first Ember wielding Samurai, and now it seems like there's one being thrown out of every other window."

I didn't want to speak of my past. But I was having a good time and didn't want to ruin it for the both of us. So with a bit of willpower and more than a pinch of intoxication, I explained. "I... It was quite impressive. All I had to do was lift my hand and a burst of light would erupt from my soul. All evil, like yokai, would perish instantly."

Yasuo's eyes widened at the thought. "So you really were as strong as they said... That's fascinating." He took another drink and requested a refill.

I thought as I tilted my cup to move the liquid around, it moved sort of strangely and looked vaguely funny, like everything else in the room. "But I lost it due to... Poor decisions... And now I've got to climb Mt.Fuji and kill this thing without any strength granted by Amaterasu."

He peered over to me. "You mean strength granted to you by Lady Amaterasu."

I nodded. "Ah, yes. My mistake."

We drifted into silence as I tipped my cup completely upside down and drank what was left in it, then knocking my hand on the counter, telling the tavern owner to serve me again.

Another drink turned into another. And another. And another.

Soon the world was turned onto its head. Sounds distorted gravity ever shifting from left to right.

The increasing urge to urinate was all that my mind could concentrate on, so I stood from my seat and immediately had to lean against the bar.

With a bit of concentration, I was able to push off of the sticky wood and inspect the room. There had to be a bathroom. Bucket. Anything.

My legs trudged around the room as I teetered from table to table, propping myself along the way.

But then a thought came to mind.

I shouted into the bar of blank faces. "Yasuo!? Where'd you go!?" I looked over to the counter, but no one was there. My makeshift plan of peeing in the corner of the room would have to wait. My friend needed saving from whatever malicious forces captured him.

More energy than I thought I had suddenly burst through my legs as I accidentally sprinted across the room, still shouting for Yasuo's captors to reveal themselves.

He couldn't have been in the building. So they must have taken him somewhere out the back. The front door would have been too overt.

I pushed past a waitress and let myself into the back ally. Nothing but snow and waste in between the buildings. Wait. No. There was Yasuo!

He was singing... Singing?

Yasuo never sang so it must have been a trap. Possibly an evil-doer disguised as Yasuo. Yes, it must have been.

I ran over to the fiend and grabbed him by the collar of his black kimono. He looked convincingly like Yasuo. Sounded exactly like him, too. But his cheeks were flushed pink and he sweat like a mule.

"Where is Yasuo!?" I shouted as I threw him against the wall.

All he muttered was. "What?" He was good. Knew how to keep his lips shut, but not for long.

I reared my fist back. "I said. Where! Is! Yasuo!"

The rest was pretty blurry. The evil-doer and I got in a fight. I wasn't quite sure who won. But I must have gotten my way because the next morning I woke up and Yasuo was right next to me. Quite beaten and battered if I did say myself. The criminals must have really-

Oh.

I fully gained consciousness and realized where I was. We were both in the back alley of the tavern, each with a small coating of snow on top of us. I painstakingly lifted myself from my freezing cold bed and put a hand to my head. It ached horribly.

Yasuo was still sleeping soundly, but we'd freeze to death if we stayed out any longer, so I kicked him until he awoke.

He jerked awake and immediately looked at me. "Where?" He kept looking at me for a moment before he remembered all that had happened. "You punched me!"

My head hurt too much to speak, so I simply nodded. From how I felt, Yasuo had punched me just as much.

Yasuo investigated the area with worry. "What time is it!? We have got to get back."

He grabbed my arm as he stood, forcing me to stand with him. I gave out a long and sorrow filled "Aauuugh." As he started to look around. Yasuo was good at handling a hangover. Or he was at least in the face of losing his reputation with Kohei.

He shuffled over to the edge of the alley and looked onto the street. "This way." He spoke painfully, like some of it had caught up to him.

I slowly followed as we made it back onto the large road. Without much meaning to, I muttered under my cold breath. "So much for my one chance to sleep in a proper bed before we start the hunt..."

As we made it onto the large street, I could already see the caravan getting ready to ride.

Yasuo and I both broke into a sprint as Kohei saw us. And as we met, he shouted. "Where did you two go!?"

My head ached horribly as he spoke so loudly. But Yasuo had enough composure to respond. "We might have gotten a small bit... Carried away... But I did it. Please don't blame Kenshi."

Kohei paced in a circle for a moment but eventually talked. "Fine. Fine. You've been my best Samurai, Yasuo. And if you say Kenshi isn't to blame then..." He looked at me and my sorry state. "It seems as though he's had enough of a punishment. And while I won't put this on your permanent record, you and I will be talking about this later."

Yasuo looked down to the ground. "Yes, high Samurai."

Kohei nodded as he crossed his arms. "Alright. Get to your horses. We're leaving. Now!" I let out another painful sigh as we moved to our horses.

As I mounted up, I looked over to Mahiro and Sora. They spoke to the Ember wielding Samurai named Kamoji along with Lee. Kamoji looked beaten and bruised, more so than he did when we met him. And Mahiro wasn't disturbed by Lee's presence.

Kamoji spoke to the three of them. "You people have a safe trip! Come back... Actually, please, please don't come back..."

As Kamoji hobbled off I spoke to the three of them. "What happened there?"

Lee smiled as he started to walk over to his horse in the front. "Oh, that's way too long a story for now. We'll tell you next stop we make."

Mahiro nodded in agreement. "Yes. Far too long a story."

I was completely dumbfounded at all that had changed since I left. But I supposed I could only wait until they had the time to tell me.

Sora moved his horse slightly closer to me as he spoke in a hushed voice. "We are also now aware of your past with the Shogun and previous Ember."

I was in such shock and spoke so unexpectedly loud that I felt as though my head was going to explode. "What!?"

And although that piqued my curiosity to it's absolute maximum, Kohei sounded his far-too-loud horn, signaling that we were leaving.

And I thought I had a story to tell the three of them.