Ever since I lost Amaterasu I felt as though I could never be happy again. My friends proved me wrong. Although the moments were short and few, I could feel happiness around them. Then they died, leaving me feeling as I did all those years ago. But I could no longer hide, nor could I forget.

When someone passes, you must not lose yourself with them. Learn from them, make them a part of you and grow. Mahiro. Yasuo. I wouldn't let them die with no meaning, without leaving anything behind.

Our lanterns jostled back and forth as we trot silently down the path. Hayato's usual talkative composure hidden away in the presence of his brooding twin. Anzen looked to the ground as he took each reluctant step.

I suspected that he knew that what we planned to do to the Shogun had to be done, or he wouldn't have come with us. But as I learned from Mahiro, one can do the right thing even if they weren't aware it was their intention.

Hayato broke the silence with a groan. "How long have we been walking? Almost two days now, right?"

We walked up a grassy hill as Anzen spoke for the first time in what had to be hours. "We should be only a few hours until we arrive at Kamakura. So now is the time to tell us your plan, sir swordsman."

The night that we camped was when I planned to go more in detail of the plan, but Anzen was even less happy than he was at the moment, so I decided to wait until we drew closer. "...You can just say Kenshi... But yes, while we're a safe distance away, let me explain. Hayato and I will go to Kamakura, while you stay here. We'll sneak into the Shogun's palace and kill him, then use you two's portal to esca-"

Anzen interrupted as we reached the top of the hill, Kamakura's bright lights in the distance. "No. I refuse to let Hayato go. I will take his place."

I sighed deeply and looked at the night sky. I knew I would have to make deals if I wanted Anzen to stay to the plan, so, reluctantly, I agreed. "Fine. Hayato will stay and have his side of the portal ready while me and... Anzen... Will do what we must to the Shogun."

I trusted Hayato. His mysterious and slightly brooding twin brother, less so. But it seemed that it was my only choice. Anzen nodded solemnly and turned to Hayato. Speaking in a more hushed tone but still audible to my ears. "If you're really sure about this."

Hayato frowned. "I am." And after replying to Anzen, Hayato turned to me. "So, I stay here with the horse and supplies while you two go on... I guess."

After he knew Hayato wouldn't be changing his mind, Anzen turned to me. "Well, we should get moving if we want to be there before the entire city wakes up and makes our job a lot more difficult."

I nodded. "Agreed."

Hours with no conversation passed, just walking and mentally preparing for what had to come.

I clutched my sword gifted from Amaterasu as the lights grew brighter and brighter. We had nothing but our swords and the clothes on our backs. We were going to have to be quiet, so we had to be carrying only the bare minimum.

As we got within distance of the cities gates, I remembered the one other thing I had to complete before we continued.

The large wooden gates slowly opened after the guards realized we weren't yokai. I spoke to Anzen as we slowly started to walk again. "There's someplace I must go. I won't take long. Just wait at the gates to the Shogun's courtyard."

Anzen sighed. "You're delaying this mission? For what reason?"

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I looked down to the ground and shrugged. "It's... For a friend."

He shook his head. "I will go with you. I'll wait on the street next to wherever you are going if I must, but I am not letting myself blindly sit at the Shoguns gate. We don't want to look suspicious."

That was most likely the best I would get from Anzen, so I agreed. "Fine. Just keep your distance."

Again, we walked in silence.

As we made our way through the paved streets with tightly packed buildings and shops I read and followed my faint memory of the area from when I lived in there. Reading shop signs and looking through windows until I found the large shop I knew I had to visit.

The shop sign hanged from the overhanging roof of the building, and it read 'Tīshoppu hinshitsu'.

Anzen sighed as he noticed the name of the shop. "We took this entire detour for tea?"

I shook my head. "No. Just stay at the door."

Anzen reluctantly leaned against the doorframe as I entered the popular tea shop. A plump woman and tall man talked behind the counter as only a few customers ate and drank at the late hour.

As the husband and wife noticed me, they stopped talking and waved me over. The plump and smiling woman walked over to me and quickly sat me at one of the many empty tables before I could speak.

She smiled as she spoke. "What would you like to order?"

Without being able to respond with what I wanted to say, I just simply said. "Matcha."

The older woman nodded. "Good choice!" And again, before I could speak, she was off relaying the order into the kitchen.

It was more difficult than I expected to say anything, but I knew I had to.

As the plump and smiling woman moved from the door to the kitchen and back to behind the counter, I called out to her. "Uh, excuse me."

A small bit confused, the woman walked over to me. I pointed to the older and very tall man still behind the counter as I spoke. "Are you two the ones that own this shop?"

The woman nodded. "We have been running this shop for over thirty years. Why do you ask?" Since the husband was already looking at me, I waved him over. As he got close I started to explain but was interrupted by a young girl, tall like the old man and with a smiling face like the woman, perhaps seventeen to eighteen. She was holding a cup of steaming hot tea, the one I ordered.

The plump woman sat her hand on the girl's shoulder as she finished sitting the cup of tea in front of me. "This is Mio, our youngest child. She has two older brothers, one works with us in the kitchen and the other is working as a Samurai!"

My heart sunk a small bit. A part of me hoped that the Shogun would have at least had the quality to tell them, but no, until he has his way it all stays a secret. "Uh... Thank you, Mio." I waited for the tall girl to nod and leave before I finally was able to say what I had come to say. "I come bearing news about your son, Yasuo."

The woman's smile slowly faded and the man's tall and commanding posture slacked. The woman mumbled a short. "What is it?"

"Our group of Samurai found ourselves trapped and surrounded by yokai..." I couldn't bring myself to say those words I had repeated in my head the entire walk, so I improvised a different talk. "We all looked up to Yasuo as a leader. And when the time came, we followed him as one. He was strong and saved countless that day... But he... He... Uh..."

Yasuo's father stopped me, barely keeping tears at bay, while Yasuo's mother silently sobbed beside him. "We understand." They stood there in silence for the longest time while I stared into the steaming cup of tea.

Finally, Yasuo's mother spoke. "I want you to leave."

I looked over to the woman, who was brushing away the many tears rolling down her cheeks. "You what?"

She repeated herself as she clutched to her husband's hand. "We'd like to be alone. Leave, please."

With a small bit of hesitation, I stood from my seat on the ground. I looked at the couple and could tell that they didn't want to discuss it anymore.

As I moved past them, I glanced through the archway to the kitchen, where Yasuo's younger sister, who was previously listening in, cried into her hands. I wanted to say something, but I knew I would only make it worse. I wanted to tell them how we were friends and convince them I only wanted the best for Yasuo and would remember all his lessons, but I couldn't. They would never know of Yasuo and I's friendship and all that we had done together. To them, I would only be the man that told them their beloved son and brother had died, I would only be the bearer of bad news.

As I left the shop, Anzen spoke to me. "Why the grim expression?"

I didn't answer, only sat down on the cobblestone road. Seeing the look on their faces brought back the memory of when we watched Yasuo pass.

Yasuo had died, and I had to watch his family realize that. Mahiro died and had no one to bear the burden of missing him other than his friends.

In a second, the feelings seceded. I stood up and looked to Anzen, who only looked at me with a raised brow. I spoke as I looked up the hill and to the large and glowing palace. "I'm fine. Let's kill that bastard."