The Crimson Warrior Pt. 2

Kazeko’s hooves pounded rhythmically into the wet earth causing Ishio’s lacquered armor to clack in tandem with the beat. The closer he got to the foot of the mountain the farther apart the trees became. The only way the timing of the chase could be better was if the moon were full, but it was mostly waxed and casting a silver shimmer on the puddles. He began to worry that Usagi had slipped away in the cover of the night, but something about his increasing frequency of mistakes gave Ishio the impression that he was moving with a sense of urgency. There had been a rotting log with the clear impression of a foot, and an instance where Usagi made a loud crashing noise scaring birds into the air. Ishio’s eyes widened and he jerked on the reins causing Kazeko to rear up and come back to the ground at a different angle, but Ishio’s head faced the same direction the whole time. There was a figure retreating into the darkness, an olive skinned figure clad in a tunic and straw sandals bound with rope. He spurred Kazeko back to a full gallop toward the figure whose pale face looked back with horror.

“Hey you! Stop!” Ishio shouted

But Usagi did not stop, he continued his mad dash constantly tripping over himself and slipping in the mud. Ishio pointed his lance and continued his charge closing in quickly, if Usagi did not stop then he would stop him. Do it! A voice in Ishio’s mind screamed. It was the warrior’s voice. It was the murderer inside of us all. Run him through, that will teach him to run! Watch your lance pierce his flesh and the earth drink his blood. Ishio clenched his teeth and pulled up on the reins and Kazeko slowed to a brisk trot, then a walk, then a stop next to Usagi who had given up and was on his knees in the mud.

“Why did you run?”

Usagi just looked up at him for a long time. A drizzle of rain punctuated his silence.

            He’s mocking you, Ishio! His arm wanted to thrust the lance into Usagi’s chest.

            “Were you sent by the Ota?” Maim him

            Usagi was silent.

            “What was your mission?” Slice him!

            “Answer me!” MAKE HIM BLEED!

            “Graaaagh!” Ishio plunged the pointed haft of his lance into the soft ground and the voice went away. He jumped down from Kazeko and faced Usagi who was now fiddling with something in his satchel. His blank silent face had morphed into a grin. It was not a happy grin, but a mad grin, a twisted parody of a smile.

            “You are half correct. I had a message for the lord of the Ota, but I have hidden it.”

            Ishio could think of nothing to say.

            “If you let me live, I’ll take you to it.”

            Ishio looked up at him with both interest and contempt. “You have no honor.”

            “Honor is for fools with shiny swords and-“
            Before he could finish a fist connected with his mouth sending him back to the mud.

            “Watch what you say boy, or next time I’ll use my foot!”

            Usagi rolled on the ground screaming into his cupped mouth. He could feel pieces of teeth swimming in blood and he spat them into the mud.

            “And then what, your sword!? Honor or not, I have something you want, so kill me and be done with it or agree to my terms; That is, if you want to preserve your own honor and bring your lord back what he asked for.” He spat another mouthful of blood

            “How do I know a coward like you will honor your word?”

            “You can never really trust a coward like me, can you?” He laughed revealing the new gap in his mouth. “But you are a big man with a big horse and big swords and I’m just a clever little rabbit on a romp through your forest. I want to live, and you want my scroll so make up your mind.”

            A maelstrom of contempt for Usagi was clouding Ishio’s mind. The tables had turned and now his enemy was in control. His hand gravitated toward the blade on his belt. When he grasped the hilt, the voice returned. Just let his head roll. Tell lord Kinaga that you found nothing but a filthy peasant. A grunt escaped his mouth as he fought back his urge and released his sword.

            “What are your terms?”

Author's Note

This is part two of "The Crimson Warrior" so if you haven't read part one you will likely be confused. Keep this in mind when reviewing. Please review harshly, steel isn't annealed in a cool spring breeze but in the fiery belly of an oven.

Reviews

[Meat of Dog]

What a surprising chapter! I liked the sudden introduction of hearing voices in his head. Ishio seems so reserved and collected, and yet these voices are yelling for him to act out in malicious ways. There is a feeling of struggle. Also, this line: "It was the murderer inside of us all" seriously caught me off guard. You bring the reader brilliantly into his mental chaos by startling them and forcing them to question themselves in regards to malicious thoughts.

This chapter was equally descriptive and immersive as the last one! I cringed when Usagi got punched, and literally touched the side of my face. (Of course, I might be bias because tooth pain seriously grosses me out eii). Your descriptions put me literally right into the action and surroundings. The end was a wonderful cliff hanger, too. I will be excited to read part three when you finish it!

other suggestions:
-"Run him through, that will teach him to run!" I would put a semi colon after 'through', rather than a coma.

[Cricket Kidd]

Nice! I like it!