All around, leaves were on the verge of browning, many still falling tinged with speckles of green. Those that had fallen earlier simply from age now littered the ground, curling and withering away further, giving the greener once a salient position. The yellow sand path that was once used by many, it could be assumed, now had only one lone traveller to be lead away by it's directions. Up ahead was a left curve in the road, where many acorns that had found the ground were being horded by the local squirrel population, storing them away for the winter or maybe even the nessecity of the act.
The tall 6'3" figure silently came to a halt, not wishing the disturb the littler creatures in the gathering. Deep brown eyes simply watch each of the animals, a smile shaping onto it's lips. Kusumura had chosen to wear clothing optimised for comfort rather than any form of combat, doning the usual blacks; a silk shirt, velvet pants and a simple cotton longcoat. To prevent the sun's rays from marring his skin on such a long journey, the hood of his coat is pulled up over the back of his head. His steps cause the blade that his teacher made him to jingle softly. The bronze toned dragon's head that played for a hilt leaning at an angle towards the ground, the emerald eyes glowing with what could be viewed and bloodlust.
No longer wanting to chance upon his thoughts, now seeming to shift upon the images of throttling squirrels and such, Kusu moves aray from the track to by-pass the corner through some tree, leaving the gatherers to their work. Forcing his way into a thick bush, he passed through easily by spreading apart the minute branches with his hands of which are gloved by his green armour. Feeling a sharp pain from the back of his leg, he gazes down; a brush against some nettles. No matter, so long as he wasn't about to engage in any over-extended running at least. Readjusting is clothing to rights again, he looks around for the pathway.
Shortly refinding the road off to his right-hand side again, he turns his eyes up into the heavens, keeping his barings by the sun's positioning. "Not too far now, I hope.." he grumbled to himself, the journey to rach this place having taken two days. All for a golden statue that mightn't exist. Ah, but the thrill was what held Kusumura spellbound, the dreams, the anxiety and 'chase' before the finale. Continuing to walk upon the road with a certain monotony beginning to build up, nothing is interuped from the way of life they pursue as Kusumura walks by, soundless in his paces. Upon the horizon a structur grows just barely larger with each step taken, angst for the location to just...'Poof' in front of him taking a precedent within Kusumura's emotions.
* * * * *
Within a third hour, the building looms overhead, finally. Whilst his body aches for rest, Kusumura denies it, his heart leaping from his chest and into his throat with excitment. If this worked out, he'd be a millionaire....Ka-ching and brilliant! Examining now as he comes closer, he notices the entrance is closed by a large stone tablet, performing it's task to block intruders. Well, there was always another way around. If not, make it! With his left hand holding a side of his longcoat open, his right reaching into a pocket, feeling around for a particular vial....He did bring it, didn't he" Worry just settling in on the edges of his thoughts, he tries a different pocket. Upon feeling the jade-lide surface, smooth to scratch with a nail, he sighs gladly. "Oh, good."
Retrieving the glass, he walks over to the door and places it down to the base of the door, in the direct center. The cork that holds air from the insides of the quality glass held between a thumb and forefinger....Scanning the structure again from up-close and crouched down in front of it, he noticed how....Bland it was. It wasn't all too inspiring, built only for the purpose of protection. Nothing hung out, the walls a basic up-and-down with grey bricks, showing no signs of cement mixtures.
Odd as the building was, it was time for...Business. Six second before the air reacts he told himself, six seconds or I lose more than my hand. Laughing softly, he unstoppers the vial and prepares to back away, feeling the nettle sting from earlier but paying no heed. "Bail, bail, bail!" he calls out to nobody in particular, offering himself the fantasy of a friend or two. With his imagined team members, he lunges behind a displaced boulder for cover, curling up into a ball with his hands above his head. After a few more moments, the contents within the vial explosed, shards of glass shattering against the stone door as well as the boulder Kusu hid behind. Hot air brushes against his neeckline, the hood covering his face having fallen off in his short dash. Fragmentation of the now obliterated door fly passed, a small chip skimming across Kusu's cheek harmlessly, it's momentum dissipated already.
The blast seeming to have executed it's job well, he gets to his feet and turns around to admire his own handy work. Ha, and he was the first to mix brain and brawn!...Well, maybe he wasn't, but damn, he sure did eliminate that problem! Jumping over the boulder, he takes one last look at the exterior of the building before stepping inside...
* * * * *
The temperature drops quite suddenly at an alarming rate, though Kusumura had expected as much....The lack of light would be the cause rather than some arcane sorcery, although he did pause in order to cautiously look over each of his shoulders once or twice. There was....Nothing here. It was pitch black and without any source or form of mentionable light, though the incredibly faint odour of manure seemed to linger in the air. It was sickening, but plausable that maybe, just maybe, something was down here.
Blindly waltzing around in the dark, suddenly he impacts with a wall as punishment for his pompous outlook. "Duh...Not my territory. I don't know it well enough to just....Be trigger happy here." He administers his own beratement, now taking his stride a little slower and with less confidence, keeping is gloved hands stretched out at variant heights just in case.
Off towards his right - no, no, his front or was it.." Somewhere in the deep tunnels that had obviously lead him astray underground someplace, a very slight breathing can be heard, the intake and exhalation enormously large, suggesting that perhaps the creature is of a larger stature, requiring great nostrils for greater amounts of air. Damn...It was cold down here....Kusu lifted a finger to touch around his facial features. His lips felt as though they were blue, and his cheeks not very far off the same par. One advantage was that the pesky nettle puncture was now numbed, although that was the only bright side Kusumura could think of. Continuing his walk, he takes very small steps, lest his gait bring him directly into the "thing" that was down here with him.
As his almost tip-toe like mode wears on, he can hear the things approaching him, closer and closer with each passing second. If this was to come down to a brawl with no favour to Kusumura, not even the hope of retreat, then...
The air begins to carry now the scent of an animal, a sweaty-as-hell one at that. Gagging, Kusu covers his nose..."Geeze, you could try out some deoderant, Gods!" He yells out, laughter that he had made quickly dying out as apprehension of his locatin suddenly dawned upon him, the sound waves of his voice's echo returning straight back to him form all angles excluding where he had just come, and then vanishing off down other ways as though it would keep on going....This is no straight path. It's a maze! Crap! And he fell right into the trap - oh, what a fool he is! He hadn't turned around yet, or hoped he didn't, but maybe he had - damn, damn, damn! His only hope had been lost, as, unlike Gretel, he didn't even leave a trail of breadcrumbs to lead himself out with, a rope, coins that would clatter when he trod upon them, even chalk markings in the ground would be felt, if poorly from his numbed fingers. Well, that was that then. Nothing to do but sit tight and wait for that thing, whatever it was, to find him and pray to whichever god that felt kindly towards him that it was capable of speach. He'd be able to sweet-talk his actual coordinates and details within the maze out of it, along with any other points of reference...The entrance or exit, maybe even where the treasure he so lusted for was.
* * * * *
Sitting there with his legs crossed for what seemed like....Hours or minutes or....He wished he had brought a watch. Or his phone, even. Hell, where was his phone, besides" He hadn't seen it around his bedroom in the Inn, and it probably was a safe bet it couldn't possibly be there. H-Hey! Along with his keys, where were they!" The keys were inconsequential, afterall, he could just "make" himself an entrance again. But the phone...Oh, that's right! Of course. He had left it at Noshami's hide-out the last time the original had been alive and had needed to change into the freshly created armour....Right.
* * * * *
Sitting there with his legs crossed for what definately were hours, listening to hoof-like pacings from somewhere within the maze, he started to day dream...Or night dream it was probable now. He was all alone, with nobody to cry out to, nobody to help. All alone in the cold, with his joints becoming stiffened, something assuredly hunting him down without a reasonable way he could defend himself. He was the tuffet of grass, ever waiting to be chewed by a cow. He wanted to grow, not be eaten, but what choice did he have" He couldn't run away, and he couldn't fight back. He would quite easily, die. There was incredibly little choice in the matter.
Oh, how he thought about his friends again, reliving their consersations in his mind. He starts to speak them aloud, part of him hoping that the thing finids him sooner, just to get it over with. His depression peaked when he thought again of the brilliant light that the day could offer, relising that he had forgotten the view of infinite space that the sky gave....And here he was, dying away slowly and painfully, tearing apart his own mind. He knew it, but it did not stop him. Why should it, if the only escape from his confinement was to willingly serve himself upon a silver platter to this beast"
Steps began to rumble the ground below him before at long last, the sounds of breath were heard in front of him, the dead end's walls to each side of him. There was nothing blocking or barring this resonation...no. It was directly in front of him, he could smell it stronger than ever. It turned about this way and that, judging by the way it's breathing echoed to the distance and then back to Kusumura, louder. So it could see in the dark, or at least had some other peripheral sense that enabled it to have an upper hand. Ha, like it need anything more than a willing prey. Slowly, it steps towards Kusumura, he could feel the air's displacement as it rushed past his ears....Oh yes, it was so close.
Please, just do it...."KILL ME ALREADY DAMN YOU, I DON'T CARE! JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!" he cries out, tears he didn't know were held back choosing now to show themselves. He didn't want to die....The plumbing of his eyes was out of order he comforted himself. He wasn't crying. He couldn't be. Impossible and proven wrong, the water that came out of his eyes was nothing more than an attempt at moisture, the wind from this great beast drying his eyes! Ha! No, you are a part of him says. You are, and you are weak. Why should you live any longer if you haven't the will to save yourself" But, why should I" There isn't anything I can do, there is no choice. To him, the retort seemed even more pathetic and feeble than he was, there wasn't a reason that would give him the right to simply end it. His attempt at reasoning with himself only plunged him further into depression, fleeing backwards inside his mind...
* * * * *
His mind....Yes, he could escape there. He always had, when women had rejected him, when friends had turned him away, when he was exiled....And even when his father had attempted to steal his life. He was always welcome here, of all places. This was his own place, the one true place that he called Home. Thoughts came much more fluidly here, as they would. He didn't care about the world, his body, or his life....All he desired was the be Home. Had he been turned away from there, too' Cast away from his own flesh and blood"
His mind....No, it was occupied. By another. This other was far more stronger and superior to him, it was a force to be reckoned with. Why not let it use me" This being enveloped his whole conscience and memories, as though it were always there, just waiting. This wasn't Kusu's domain, no. This was his. Kusu had only been granted the privelage of using this place, not owning it. His hopes were completely abandoned, deserted to upon this affair....But this other was hungry. It wanted more than just Kusumura, it wanted everything. Never would it be satitated. Kusu could leave it, and die. Or the only other path to take....He could give in to it and then that one would forever be a plague, consistent in the attempt to over whelm Kusu's willpower for itself. He would keep a constant vigil against it, or his personality, his center of being, would perish.
In the period that this relisation had taken place, the creature back within the maze had already closed the distance between it and Kusu....Kusumura Mirokoshai would not draw weapon this fight; He would. He had been helping Kusumura in his battles ever since birth, letting a very slow treackle of His power leak into Kusu each fight. Ha. What a fool that child was, touching the crystal to the Beserker God. The woman who had gifted it to him should be given an accolade, for she had by all means destroyed Kusumura's mind. The efforts he had put into avoiding using his frenzied style had been wasted with that crystal. His mind was already in shreds, willingly diving into the pool of depression. Such a pathetic being, giving in to mortallity against becoming a true immortal. Pathetic. What a useless son to have.
And so, Kusumura Mirokoshai had given in to the Slayer's wishes, allowing it into his soul and essence. He wasn't willing to die yet, no matter the cost.
* * * * *
Before he knew what was to transpire, Kusu swiftly removed the pieces of his armour that he doned. The creature in the dark was backing away....something wasn't right. "You better run! Yeah, that's right!" He boldly piped up, cheerful. Hadn't he just.." He wasn't feeling merry at all. NO, BUT I AM! the voice, deep in tone had echoed inside his head. "What...Who are you?" I AM YOU. YOU ARE MINE. THAT IS HOW IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND YOU ARE NOMORE! "Get...OUUUUUT!" Kusu screamed at the top of his longues, swatting at his head over and over. Dread filled him, what had he unleashed" Within the darkness, he could not tell what had happened, but he was suddenly higher than the beast's sounds. He ran quickly, breaking down the walls to find that thing rather than any civilised attempt at finding a pathway. He hadn't the strength to break walls - there it is. He found it, all other thoughts disturbed by the presence of it. It only wanted to kill him. It only wanted to feed off of his flesh, knawing away at his bones slowly. KILL IT! the voice commanded. Kusu barely required a step to break the space between them in half, the second landing directly in front of it. He could smell it's life essence so clearly, it would taste so beautiful....He salivated over it. Raising a hairy claw above his shoulders, it falls again swifter than anything else. Trails of blood splash all over, walls and floors covered alike. YES. NOW TAKE IT! THE LIFE IS YOURS, TAKE IT! The voice once more ordered him. That string, it was the creature's life as it fled to the underworld. That one pearl hued string slowly thickened to a rope, and he knew it was ripe. TAKE IT! that voice was annoying...But he wanted to taste it, he wanted it - oh, it was dazzling to watch. But one part, as it always stands, said no. This wasn't his; it belonge elsewhere, where it would be at peace. TAKE IT! Don't touch it! T-D-A-O-K-N-E-T!! the voices now where infurating, both of them seeming to be furious with Kusu.
"I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING!!! WHAT DO I DO, LEAVE ME ALONE, PLEASE! GO AWAY!!" Kusu yelled once more, pleading with both sides of 'him'. He found himself unable to speak inside his mind now because of his own thoughts. He flailed about wildly, smashing his way through barriers above, below, to his sides and wherever they may exist. YOU FOOL, DEVOUR IT!!! NO! I CANNOT STAY HERE! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT, FOOL, HAHAHA! One of the voices...left. The other was soothing, but he couldn't listen to it, he couldn't stand the sound of it. He continued his conquest of bulldozing, eventually finding his armour. Then he remembered....This wasn't him. No way, he wasn't this brutal....He didn't want to harm any souls beyond in their present life.
Then, he collapsed. Darkness of a different kind to the one surrounding him ensued. No dreams harried him forwards to meet a young maiden. No dreams would offer him the chance to spar with an arch rival this time. No dreams would contain him at all, negative or positive.
* * * * *
Coming around is never easy, and more so when your eyes had adjusted to complete darkness beforehand. Kusumura found it difficult to gather up the resolve, enough to sustain his eyes in the blinding light of the sun. Warmth bathed him all over now, pleasantly greeting him back to the world of reality. Whatever made his head feel so bad must've really done a number on him....It could have been another trap. But why' I'm too weak anyway, I couldn't run back out of there injured, besides. Standing up, he didn't look back; he was afraid now, afraid that if he did, something would happen. He remembered nothing, only knowing that he had been traumatised by that place.
He began walking back to the Inn, mutely, without a care about what squirrels were gathering, what bears were fishing as he passed their streams. He only wanted to feel the distance between he and that place of nightmares spread and multiply farther and farther.
Ah, but what about the treasure you may be asking" There was never any. It was a ploy to entomb any who were ignorant enough to believe it. For Kusu, there may just have
been another slice of cake all together...
* * * * *
(First story I've written - opinions? ~Kusumura Mirokoshai.)
The tall 6'3" figure silently came to a halt, not wishing the disturb the littler creatures in the gathering. Deep brown eyes simply watch each of the animals, a smile shaping onto it's lips. Kusumura had chosen to wear clothing optimised for comfort rather than any form of combat, doning the usual blacks; a silk shirt, velvet pants and a simple cotton longcoat. To prevent the sun's rays from marring his skin on such a long journey, the hood of his coat is pulled up over the back of his head. His steps cause the blade that his teacher made him to jingle softly. The bronze toned dragon's head that played for a hilt leaning at an angle towards the ground, the emerald eyes glowing with what could be viewed and bloodlust.
No longer wanting to chance upon his thoughts, now seeming to shift upon the images of throttling squirrels and such, Kusu moves aray from the track to by-pass the corner through some tree, leaving the gatherers to their work. Forcing his way into a thick bush, he passed through easily by spreading apart the minute branches with his hands of which are gloved by his green armour. Feeling a sharp pain from the back of his leg, he gazes down; a brush against some nettles. No matter, so long as he wasn't about to engage in any over-extended running at least. Readjusting is clothing to rights again, he looks around for the pathway.
Shortly refinding the road off to his right-hand side again, he turns his eyes up into the heavens, keeping his barings by the sun's positioning. "Not too far now, I hope.." he grumbled to himself, the journey to rach this place having taken two days. All for a golden statue that mightn't exist. Ah, but the thrill was what held Kusumura spellbound, the dreams, the anxiety and 'chase' before the finale. Continuing to walk upon the road with a certain monotony beginning to build up, nothing is interuped from the way of life they pursue as Kusumura walks by, soundless in his paces. Upon the horizon a structur grows just barely larger with each step taken, angst for the location to just...'Poof' in front of him taking a precedent within Kusumura's emotions.
* * * * *
Within a third hour, the building looms overhead, finally. Whilst his body aches for rest, Kusumura denies it, his heart leaping from his chest and into his throat with excitment. If this worked out, he'd be a millionaire....Ka-ching and brilliant! Examining now as he comes closer, he notices the entrance is closed by a large stone tablet, performing it's task to block intruders. Well, there was always another way around. If not, make it! With his left hand holding a side of his longcoat open, his right reaching into a pocket, feeling around for a particular vial....He did bring it, didn't he" Worry just settling in on the edges of his thoughts, he tries a different pocket. Upon feeling the jade-lide surface, smooth to scratch with a nail, he sighs gladly. "Oh, good."
Retrieving the glass, he walks over to the door and places it down to the base of the door, in the direct center. The cork that holds air from the insides of the quality glass held between a thumb and forefinger....Scanning the structure again from up-close and crouched down in front of it, he noticed how....Bland it was. It wasn't all too inspiring, built only for the purpose of protection. Nothing hung out, the walls a basic up-and-down with grey bricks, showing no signs of cement mixtures.
Odd as the building was, it was time for...Business. Six second before the air reacts he told himself, six seconds or I lose more than my hand. Laughing softly, he unstoppers the vial and prepares to back away, feeling the nettle sting from earlier but paying no heed. "Bail, bail, bail!" he calls out to nobody in particular, offering himself the fantasy of a friend or two. With his imagined team members, he lunges behind a displaced boulder for cover, curling up into a ball with his hands above his head. After a few more moments, the contents within the vial explosed, shards of glass shattering against the stone door as well as the boulder Kusu hid behind. Hot air brushes against his neeckline, the hood covering his face having fallen off in his short dash. Fragmentation of the now obliterated door fly passed, a small chip skimming across Kusu's cheek harmlessly, it's momentum dissipated already.
The blast seeming to have executed it's job well, he gets to his feet and turns around to admire his own handy work. Ha, and he was the first to mix brain and brawn!...Well, maybe he wasn't, but damn, he sure did eliminate that problem! Jumping over the boulder, he takes one last look at the exterior of the building before stepping inside...
* * * * *
The temperature drops quite suddenly at an alarming rate, though Kusumura had expected as much....The lack of light would be the cause rather than some arcane sorcery, although he did pause in order to cautiously look over each of his shoulders once or twice. There was....Nothing here. It was pitch black and without any source or form of mentionable light, though the incredibly faint odour of manure seemed to linger in the air. It was sickening, but plausable that maybe, just maybe, something was down here.
Blindly waltzing around in the dark, suddenly he impacts with a wall as punishment for his pompous outlook. "Duh...Not my territory. I don't know it well enough to just....Be trigger happy here." He administers his own beratement, now taking his stride a little slower and with less confidence, keeping is gloved hands stretched out at variant heights just in case.
Off towards his right - no, no, his front or was it.." Somewhere in the deep tunnels that had obviously lead him astray underground someplace, a very slight breathing can be heard, the intake and exhalation enormously large, suggesting that perhaps the creature is of a larger stature, requiring great nostrils for greater amounts of air. Damn...It was cold down here....Kusu lifted a finger to touch around his facial features. His lips felt as though they were blue, and his cheeks not very far off the same par. One advantage was that the pesky nettle puncture was now numbed, although that was the only bright side Kusumura could think of. Continuing his walk, he takes very small steps, lest his gait bring him directly into the "thing" that was down here with him.
As his almost tip-toe like mode wears on, he can hear the things approaching him, closer and closer with each passing second. If this was to come down to a brawl with no favour to Kusumura, not even the hope of retreat, then...
The air begins to carry now the scent of an animal, a sweaty-as-hell one at that. Gagging, Kusu covers his nose..."Geeze, you could try out some deoderant, Gods!" He yells out, laughter that he had made quickly dying out as apprehension of his locatin suddenly dawned upon him, the sound waves of his voice's echo returning straight back to him form all angles excluding where he had just come, and then vanishing off down other ways as though it would keep on going....This is no straight path. It's a maze! Crap! And he fell right into the trap - oh, what a fool he is! He hadn't turned around yet, or hoped he didn't, but maybe he had - damn, damn, damn! His only hope had been lost, as, unlike Gretel, he didn't even leave a trail of breadcrumbs to lead himself out with, a rope, coins that would clatter when he trod upon them, even chalk markings in the ground would be felt, if poorly from his numbed fingers. Well, that was that then. Nothing to do but sit tight and wait for that thing, whatever it was, to find him and pray to whichever god that felt kindly towards him that it was capable of speach. He'd be able to sweet-talk his actual coordinates and details within the maze out of it, along with any other points of reference...The entrance or exit, maybe even where the treasure he so lusted for was.
* * * * *
Sitting there with his legs crossed for what seemed like....Hours or minutes or....He wished he had brought a watch. Or his phone, even. Hell, where was his phone, besides" He hadn't seen it around his bedroom in the Inn, and it probably was a safe bet it couldn't possibly be there. H-Hey! Along with his keys, where were they!" The keys were inconsequential, afterall, he could just "make" himself an entrance again. But the phone...Oh, that's right! Of course. He had left it at Noshami's hide-out the last time the original had been alive and had needed to change into the freshly created armour....Right.
* * * * *
Sitting there with his legs crossed for what definately were hours, listening to hoof-like pacings from somewhere within the maze, he started to day dream...Or night dream it was probable now. He was all alone, with nobody to cry out to, nobody to help. All alone in the cold, with his joints becoming stiffened, something assuredly hunting him down without a reasonable way he could defend himself. He was the tuffet of grass, ever waiting to be chewed by a cow. He wanted to grow, not be eaten, but what choice did he have" He couldn't run away, and he couldn't fight back. He would quite easily, die. There was incredibly little choice in the matter.
Oh, how he thought about his friends again, reliving their consersations in his mind. He starts to speak them aloud, part of him hoping that the thing finids him sooner, just to get it over with. His depression peaked when he thought again of the brilliant light that the day could offer, relising that he had forgotten the view of infinite space that the sky gave....And here he was, dying away slowly and painfully, tearing apart his own mind. He knew it, but it did not stop him. Why should it, if the only escape from his confinement was to willingly serve himself upon a silver platter to this beast"
Steps began to rumble the ground below him before at long last, the sounds of breath were heard in front of him, the dead end's walls to each side of him. There was nothing blocking or barring this resonation...no. It was directly in front of him, he could smell it stronger than ever. It turned about this way and that, judging by the way it's breathing echoed to the distance and then back to Kusumura, louder. So it could see in the dark, or at least had some other peripheral sense that enabled it to have an upper hand. Ha, like it need anything more than a willing prey. Slowly, it steps towards Kusumura, he could feel the air's displacement as it rushed past his ears....Oh yes, it was so close.
Please, just do it...."KILL ME ALREADY DAMN YOU, I DON'T CARE! JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE!" he cries out, tears he didn't know were held back choosing now to show themselves. He didn't want to die....The plumbing of his eyes was out of order he comforted himself. He wasn't crying. He couldn't be. Impossible and proven wrong, the water that came out of his eyes was nothing more than an attempt at moisture, the wind from this great beast drying his eyes! Ha! No, you are a part of him says. You are, and you are weak. Why should you live any longer if you haven't the will to save yourself" But, why should I" There isn't anything I can do, there is no choice. To him, the retort seemed even more pathetic and feeble than he was, there wasn't a reason that would give him the right to simply end it. His attempt at reasoning with himself only plunged him further into depression, fleeing backwards inside his mind...
* * * * *
His mind....Yes, he could escape there. He always had, when women had rejected him, when friends had turned him away, when he was exiled....And even when his father had attempted to steal his life. He was always welcome here, of all places. This was his own place, the one true place that he called Home. Thoughts came much more fluidly here, as they would. He didn't care about the world, his body, or his life....All he desired was the be Home. Had he been turned away from there, too' Cast away from his own flesh and blood"
His mind....No, it was occupied. By another. This other was far more stronger and superior to him, it was a force to be reckoned with. Why not let it use me" This being enveloped his whole conscience and memories, as though it were always there, just waiting. This wasn't Kusu's domain, no. This was his. Kusu had only been granted the privelage of using this place, not owning it. His hopes were completely abandoned, deserted to upon this affair....But this other was hungry. It wanted more than just Kusumura, it wanted everything. Never would it be satitated. Kusu could leave it, and die. Or the only other path to take....He could give in to it and then that one would forever be a plague, consistent in the attempt to over whelm Kusu's willpower for itself. He would keep a constant vigil against it, or his personality, his center of being, would perish.
In the period that this relisation had taken place, the creature back within the maze had already closed the distance between it and Kusu....Kusumura Mirokoshai would not draw weapon this fight; He would. He had been helping Kusumura in his battles ever since birth, letting a very slow treackle of His power leak into Kusu each fight. Ha. What a fool that child was, touching the crystal to the Beserker God. The woman who had gifted it to him should be given an accolade, for she had by all means destroyed Kusumura's mind. The efforts he had put into avoiding using his frenzied style had been wasted with that crystal. His mind was already in shreds, willingly diving into the pool of depression. Such a pathetic being, giving in to mortallity against becoming a true immortal. Pathetic. What a useless son to have.
And so, Kusumura Mirokoshai had given in to the Slayer's wishes, allowing it into his soul and essence. He wasn't willing to die yet, no matter the cost.
* * * * *
Before he knew what was to transpire, Kusu swiftly removed the pieces of his armour that he doned. The creature in the dark was backing away....something wasn't right. "You better run! Yeah, that's right!" He boldly piped up, cheerful. Hadn't he just.." He wasn't feeling merry at all. NO, BUT I AM! the voice, deep in tone had echoed inside his head. "What...Who are you?" I AM YOU. YOU ARE MINE. THAT IS HOW IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND YOU ARE NOMORE! "Get...OUUUUUT!" Kusu screamed at the top of his longues, swatting at his head over and over. Dread filled him, what had he unleashed" Within the darkness, he could not tell what had happened, but he was suddenly higher than the beast's sounds. He ran quickly, breaking down the walls to find that thing rather than any civilised attempt at finding a pathway. He hadn't the strength to break walls - there it is. He found it, all other thoughts disturbed by the presence of it. It only wanted to kill him. It only wanted to feed off of his flesh, knawing away at his bones slowly. KILL IT! the voice commanded. Kusu barely required a step to break the space between them in half, the second landing directly in front of it. He could smell it's life essence so clearly, it would taste so beautiful....He salivated over it. Raising a hairy claw above his shoulders, it falls again swifter than anything else. Trails of blood splash all over, walls and floors covered alike. YES. NOW TAKE IT! THE LIFE IS YOURS, TAKE IT! The voice once more ordered him. That string, it was the creature's life as it fled to the underworld. That one pearl hued string slowly thickened to a rope, and he knew it was ripe. TAKE IT! that voice was annoying...But he wanted to taste it, he wanted it - oh, it was dazzling to watch. But one part, as it always stands, said no. This wasn't his; it belonge elsewhere, where it would be at peace. TAKE IT! Don't touch it! T-D-A-O-K-N-E-T!! the voices now where infurating, both of them seeming to be furious with Kusu.
"I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING!!! WHAT DO I DO, LEAVE ME ALONE, PLEASE! GO AWAY!!" Kusu yelled once more, pleading with both sides of 'him'. He found himself unable to speak inside his mind now because of his own thoughts. He flailed about wildly, smashing his way through barriers above, below, to his sides and wherever they may exist. YOU FOOL, DEVOUR IT!!! NO! I CANNOT STAY HERE! YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT, FOOL, HAHAHA! One of the voices...left. The other was soothing, but he couldn't listen to it, he couldn't stand the sound of it. He continued his conquest of bulldozing, eventually finding his armour. Then he remembered....This wasn't him. No way, he wasn't this brutal....He didn't want to harm any souls beyond in their present life.
Then, he collapsed. Darkness of a different kind to the one surrounding him ensued. No dreams harried him forwards to meet a young maiden. No dreams would offer him the chance to spar with an arch rival this time. No dreams would contain him at all, negative or positive.
* * * * *
Coming around is never easy, and more so when your eyes had adjusted to complete darkness beforehand. Kusumura found it difficult to gather up the resolve, enough to sustain his eyes in the blinding light of the sun. Warmth bathed him all over now, pleasantly greeting him back to the world of reality. Whatever made his head feel so bad must've really done a number on him....It could have been another trap. But why' I'm too weak anyway, I couldn't run back out of there injured, besides. Standing up, he didn't look back; he was afraid now, afraid that if he did, something would happen. He remembered nothing, only knowing that he had been traumatised by that place.
He began walking back to the Inn, mutely, without a care about what squirrels were gathering, what bears were fishing as he passed their streams. He only wanted to feel the distance between he and that place of nightmares spread and multiply farther and farther.
Ah, but what about the treasure you may be asking" There was never any. It was a ploy to entomb any who were ignorant enough to believe it. For Kusu, there may just have
been another slice of cake all together...
* * * * *
(First story I've written - opinions? ~Kusumura Mirokoshai.)