Fruits of War

The noise within the underground martial arena reaches a highly erratic level, one in which hasn’t been seen or heard in this location before. People from outside, wanting to see the reasoning for themselves, attempt in great numbers to pour into the arena, but are all stopped by the intensely powerful guards that remain between them. The same occurs for those already inside the arena, wanting to spill the news of what they had just seen and heard. However, they are all forced to remain in their seats, as hundreds of guards line up across the stands, as if daring the fans to try their luck.

Kimiko glances around, and notices how swiftly all the guards moved immediately after a simple hand wave from the woman sitting beside her.

Is she…the owner of this place?!

Kayin grins.

“Well isn’t it our lucky day!”

Kayin’s grin fades, as he turns to face the remaining twenty five fighters still left.

“The mad tyrant himself has decided to grace us with his presence!” one of the fighters, sporting an eyepatch, spurts out, “And he’s even brought his head intact!”

The fighters swarm around Kayin like a pack of wolves hunting their prey, all smiling from ear to ear about their current circumstance.

“What a lucky day indeed!”

“With a single strike, I can rule the world!”

“Oh, I just can’t wait to be KING!”

Kayin glances around slowly, still unable to see his opponents, but certainly able to feel their bloodlust. He can even sense some of the energy emanating from their spirits, proving that there were still a few more avatar wielders mixed in.

How weak.

Even without my eyes…even without Shango…

Your gods would never be enough to best me.

Kimiko’s eyes light up, as she stares towards Kayin’s back.

Wait…that disappearing axe tattoo…

It’s…gone?

The fighters simultaneously rush towards Kayin from all sides, each hoping to be the one that succeeds in taking his head to the queen.

However,

crackoom!

Even underground, in two distinct locations by the edges of the arena stage, a flash of lightning suddenly appears up above. As if flying through the air towards their master, Oshé warps from its female forms into a singular battle axe, and transfers into Kayin’s hands.

Without giving any of them a chance to realize they were heading into a complete mismatch, Kayin slashes through the fighters, one by one. Too fast for any of them to be able to keep up with, blood continues to spill from every direction of the stage, all by the hands of the king they had wished to seize.

Kayin continues to show no mercy, even to those now attempting to retreat for their own sake. After one of the smaller fighters starts begging for mercy, and brings up his desperation to feed his starving children, Kayin stands directly in front of him, and listens to his plea for a full thirty seconds.

“Are you finished?”

The fighter’s expression falls into despair, as Kayin slams his axe through his upper body.

“Aren’t you supposed to be blind!”

Kayin slowly turns around to face the remaining five fighters, all standing away from him with their legs shaking like leaves in the wind, but still having their swords pointed towards him as a sort of defense.

Behind four of the fighters stands the boastful man with the eyepatch, appearing like a fallen commander about to have his head cut off by his enemy.

“You no longer have the blessing of Shango! You shouldn’t be this strong! This isn’t fair!”

After a brief pause, Kimiko chuckles.

Kayin does the same.

“You rushed towards me, already assured of your victory. But now that it hasn’t happened, you want to play the victim?”

Kayin walks forward, and with a simple wave of his arm, he swiftly cuts off the heads of the four fighters in front of the eyepatch’d man.

“I’m just a blind man, abandoned by his god.”

Kayin rushes towards the man, who screams out in fright; and as he moves the battle axe cleanly across the eyepatch’d man’s throat, he utters the final words the man will ever hear.

“...but that doesn’t mean I was abandoned by his weapon.”

Blood splashes towards the ground, as Kayin now stands a few metres away from his victim, not wanting to bathe in his blood.

Damn it. It took a lot of effort trying not to let this white cloth get dirty.

I wonder how much blood still got on-

Suddenly, Kayin feels his arms being lifted up from both sides.

“The lady requests your presence. Come with us.”

***

Now seated in an elegantly designed room, lit with the same black and white flame torches that were spread around the arena, Kimiko begins to sweat as she sits beside Kayin, as they both sit in front of his grandmother. Kayin remains silent, seemingly fixated on the ground, while his grandmother calmly smokes her thin cigar.

…they haven’t said a word in five whole minutes! What’s the deal with these two?!

Is she another ene-?

“You’ve gotten too thin,” Kayin’s grandmother suddenly says.

“Thank you,” Kayin retorts, “The dungeon’s weight loss program was a big help.”

“I see Shango is no longer by your side. It’s a miracle you’re still alive.”

“I could say the same for you. You’re not getting any younger.”

Kayin’s grandmother laughs, and waves off a guard that moves towards Kayin in an aggressive manner.

“And you’re not getting any wiser. What kind of fool would enter into a public competition while he’s on the run?”

“You’re the one that set the stage. All I did was walk into it, like you had planned.”

“Right into my hands. As oblivious as can be. What if I was on your sister’s side, instead of yours?”

Kimiko’s ears perk up. Wait…so she’s not an enemy?!

Kayin smiles, “If that were the case, then I’d just have to cut you down as well.”

“Oho. How scary. Cutting down a few punks makes you think you can challenge me now?”

“Challenge? I barely broke a sweat with them. Next time, send me your best. Not just some brats that were giving you a hard time.”

“Right, I guess I ought to thank you. The people, and especially women of this town, ought to thank you as well.”

“Not necessary, old woman. I’ll be getting paid in full right here and now with the information you’re going to be giving me.”

Kayin’s grandmother chuckles, “Always so quick with the replies. It’s no wonder your mother could never stand that foul mouth of yours,”

Kayin pauses.

His grandmother grins.

“Then again, I’m the one who taught you everything you know…so I bet she cursed at me every time you spoke.”

“...tell me…”

Kayin sits further from the backrest of his chair, and rests his head on his knuckles.

“...why did my mother go so far to put my sister on the throne?”

Kayin’s grandmother breathes in deeply, and blows out a large puff of cigar smoke that travels through Kayin’s face. Kayin remains unperturbed.

“How in the hells should I know? It’s not like she was my actual daughter.”

“But you were the one that took her in. You’re the reason my father met her, and married her.”

“...that was pure whim. I took in a lot of troubled young girls back in my day. To look after them, like my own daughters. I never once thought she would actually marry into the family.”

“She killed your son in his sleep. All so your granddaughter could take the throne from your grandson. Why aren’t you more disturbed by all this?”

“You think I’m not?!” Kayin’s grandmother shouts.

“My son was murdered in his sleep! My grandson is an exile, roaming the land without his eyes! And my granddaughter…has become a tyrant that wishes to bring back the glory days of her grandfather!”

“WHAT?!” Kayin and Kimiko shout simultaneously.

“So that’s why the border is currently in so much chaos…” Kimiko whispers to herself.

Kayin’s grandmother stares up at the ceiling.

“My husband was the greatest king this empire has ever had. But in that same way, he was also the worst.”

“Slavery ran rampant. Villages, towns, and kingdoms, burned to the ground! All for the sake of glory, and honor under the heavens…”

“Contrary to my husband, I taught my son to see the world for what it’s capable of! To see it for the peace it could attain through commonalities amongst men!”

“I’m glad my son listened,” Kayin’s grandmother glances down at Kayin with discerning eyes, “And I see my grandson has done the same.”

“But that granddaughter of mine…not only did she inherit my husband’s god, she inherited his spirit as well!”

Kayin grits his teeth,“Knowing my mother, she would have been aware of this! So why would she help Temi with her plans?!”

“What makes you think these plans belong to Temi?”

Kayin freezes.

“Your mother was orphaned at a young age because of war. Not only did she resent it, but she was an avid speaker against it. Perhaps one of the reasons my son fell for her.”

“Then why?! Why would she do this?!”

“I don’t know. But perhaps it's because she resents war…no…that she resents the Eydo Empire…that she wishes for its downfall through it..”

“Just like the others I had taken in, your mother lost everything because of our kingdom. So in truth, she certainly always had a resentment for us. No matter her position, she must have worked on a plan. One that would lead to the empire’s destruction.”

Kimiko nods her head. If that’s true, then I like the way she thinks.

“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this…but the leaders of the Lauranian Empire are easily on par with the absolute best of us. Neither side would come out unscathed.”

“In truth, that’s simply my theory. I truly don’t know what your mother had been thinking. But I can bet she taught your sister to revel in war for the sake of the empire…so that your sister can ultimately destroy it.”

Kayin ponders his grandmother’s reasoning.

It’s only a theory…but since my grandmother knew my mother well, it has weight to it.

I still don’t understand everything. Seems that in just one year, so much has changed.

I refuse to let it come to that.

I refuse…to let war be our end.

“Kimiko. It’s time to go.” Kayin asserts, as he stands up.

“So her name is Kimiko?” Kayin’s grandmother says with a smile, “What a beautiful name,”

Kimiko tries to ignore it, but blushes brightly as she rises to her feet.

“Once you leave this room, you’re on your own, Kayin,” Kayin’s grandmother says, “Watch your every step. You know how cunning your sister can be.”

“Of course.”

“So then…where are you headed now?”

Kayin turns his head, and smiles.

“I’m going…to visit my grandfather’s grave. I’m sure it’s somewhere near the border.”

Kayin’s grandmother puffs out another air of smoke “And how much of that was a lie?”

“It’s up to you to find out.”

Kayin’s grandmother grins.

“I taught you well.”