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Description
This is one of the characters in the manga illustrated novel I am working on writing. His name is Koji. To see more of him, follow the links below.
It just so happens that the next image is the full version, so take a look!

<--previous<-- <-->next--> (full image)

I know, I should be finishing my other WIPs right now... but I got inspired and couldn't help myself... This is actually a close up of a WIP, but I love it so far so i had to share. I will tell you more about it in the final piece when it comes up, in the mean time, enjoy. ^__^

Because the contest is still going on, i figure I should enter this into the contest at this --> [link] <-- as well as my other entry.

Edit
I decided to add an excerpt that covers all the aspects of this character, from what I think of as invincible charm, to his deadliness, to his obsession with chocolate. Hope you all enjoy!

From Within the Time of Dragons

“yes, he certainly was… but where did he even come from?” The girl’s voice sounded overly excited in the way a girl sounds when she has seen something really cute or tempting and can only express herself by rising in pitch. It was high pitched squealing kind of chatter that annoyed him most. The last thing he needed while recovering was annoyances. Ryu glanced to see who the source of his consternation was. It was the Inn Keeper’s daughter Kaneko and one of the serving girls, Yumi. They had just walked in the door. He listened to see what was up so he would know if he had reason to tell them off.

“I know,” Yumi said, her expression suddenly lighting up. He face took on a dreamy expression and Ryu could almost see her drooling. Some cute guy, he assumed, how frustrating. “You’d think he is an angel or something the way he just appeared here.” Both girls giggled.

Ryu rolled his eyes from his table. Kiala never acted that way. “Did it ever occur to you too fools that if there is a stranger in town, he might be an enemy?” Ryu growled at them.

“Well, normally, yes, but not this time, I don’t think HE has a single evil bone in his body, I mean, how could he?” This was Kaneko. It wasn’t a question and Ryu was suddenly very irritated. Just because someone looks safe doesn’t mean a thing. His memory flashed back to the “black Dragon” He encountered earlier. His wounds started throbbing at the memory. When he first saw the infamous young man, he thought everyone was crazy for saying he was dangerous… but as it turned out, that sweet faced boy was the most dangerous opponent he had even met. A shiver ran down his spine as he remembered the gentle looking face suddenly turning to a frightful grin, and how the orange brown eyes, so warm one minute, could turn golden and frightful like a tiger’s in an instant. He was a true hunter.

“I know, he was way too gorgeous to be mean.” Yumi sang.

What a complete bimbo, Ryu thought. “Well, just because of the way this stranger looks doesn’t mean anything, where is he? Someone should give him a proper interrogation, you can’t be too careful.” Ryu barked.

The girls took a surprised step back, squeaking slightly at his harshness. “Someone should interrogate YOU, Ryu-san, you are so rude, if anyone acts like trouble… and besides, if you really want to know, just wait, he’ll be staying in this inn as well, so you’ll get to meet him yourself. You’ll see.” Kaneko sounded triumphant at this.

Ryu relaxed a bit. He didn’t need this, but it was better than not knowing.

Yumi started talking again, “Yeah, we told him he could stay here, and he was very polite.”

“Spies are almost always polite.” Ryu muttered into his cup. He had to add ‘almost’ because an image of Fox flashed in his mind. He sighed heavily, his eyes falling with his heart as the feeling of remorse threatened again.

“He said he would be right in, but first, he said he was looking for someone.”

“Then he is an assassin.” Ryu commented. At this point, he was just trying to make a point. He doubted this mysterious person really was a threat, but one can never assume.

“Whatever.” kaneko said, she tossed her hair back and marched away, giving him the cold shoulder. They went to a different corner in the room and sat, quietly gabbing about the mystery boy’s hair, ooh, his eyes, and those lips! Ryu was disgusted. Just as he was about to settle into reading to pass the time and try to blot them out, they started up. “It’s him!” One of them chirped and to the door they ran. He looked up in time to see someone walking in. His blood ran cold in an instant. It was HIM!

He was still wearing the mostly black outfit from before, his hair tied back high on his head, flowing freely in a pony, Ryu only saw his back, but there was no mistaking his posture, the way he walked, the hair… The blade hanging at his side, with the subtly sparkling metal… He remembered seeing it fly directly at him not too long ago and his injuries tingles all over, as it trying to recoil. His wounds would not forget the blade that created them.

“Did you find the person you were looking for?” Kaneko asked in a giddy voice.

“Yes.” He heard the calm boyish voice replying. “I had thought I missed him, but actually, he is right here.” Ryu wanted to disappear, to run, to get out, but he stayed in his seat, refusing to be a coward when presented with the God of Death. The young man in front of him slowly and gracefully turned. His movements were too perfect, Ryu thought. Too practiced and refined, even the casual ones. “Hello Ryu, nice to see you again.” Koji said, looking at him with a soft smile. Though he wore such an open smile, Ryu was locked on his eyes… there was an unspeakable fire emanating from them, and it was aimed directly at him. “I was worried about you.” He grinned.

Ryu stood forcefully, ignoring the aches in his side shoulder and leg. “Ko-Chan, it is nice to see you to.” He said somewhat defiantly.

Koji took a surprised step back. “What did you just..?”

“Ko-Chan? You like it? I just thought of it, seeing how you look so young and pretty.” Ryu sneered. This kind of reaction was very unlike him. It was something Fox would have done. Ryu chuckled a little. He finally got why fox acted like that when faced with danger. It made it easier to face, and it was sort of fun.

“I AM NOT!” Koji began to say, than he stopped suddenly. He looked at his injuries and sighed. “You haven’t told anyone here have you? “ He looked around with a worried look. At first Ryu thought he was referring to the nick name, but then he realized this expression was deeper than that. Koji’s secret treasure. No, if anyone else knew, Koji would kill them as well. Ryu had decided he would keep everything to himself from the beginning.

“No.” Ryu said simply.

“Then I will stay until your wounds heal and then we will finish what we started as warriors, if you don’t mind.” Koji said. “If you do, we can finish it here and now and I’ll be on my way.”

Ryu’s mouth fell open. He hadn’t expected this. He looked at all the people around. No one seemed to understand what was going on. The girls looked worried... worried about Koji… how absurd! Koji was offering him a way to end this without involving anyone else though, and even more, he was offering for him to be fully recovered so they could fight on equal terms. He was a masterful killer, but he was also very honorable it seemed. Ryu smiled. If he was to meet his end, it might as well be at the hands of someone like this. That would be a true warrior’s death at least. He looked at the gathering audience and spoke to them. “This is Koji, everyone, but you can call him Ko-Chan if you like.” Koji’s eye twitched, and he suddenly got the feeling that he was silently promising to make him pay for that. “I met him while tracking Fox in the woods. He and I had teamed up to try to locate a certain treasure that we feel would help our cause. When I am well, we will be heading out to try to acquire it.” He looked to see if his nemesis approved of this lie, but he seemed to be oblivious at this point. He was looking to the kitchen.

“We TOLD you he wasn’t a spy!” Yumi enthused. Koji headed for the kitchen and walked right in as if he owned it. Ryu shrugged and went back to his scroll. At least they were quieter now.

That night, Ryu couldn’t sleep. Images of Koji’s blade cutting into him haunted him every time he closed his eyes. It was hopeless. As he tossed in his bed, he heard the barely audible sound of feet shuffling out his window. He sat up abruptly, ignoring the sharp pain from his side. He knew that sound all too well; a secret attack! He got up and took his sword, praying he had the strength to fight. As he hurried down the stairs, he heard the proof. An explosion in the distance followed by a sequence of battle cries. Suddenly, the inn door busted open, and men in black ninja garb came flooding in. Pandemonium was instantaneous.

One of the men grabbed a girl running out of the servants quarters and threw her against the wall were he started tearing at her clothes. It was Yumi. She screamed, but he held a dagger to her neck and she grew quiet very quickly. Ryu could see tears falling down her cheeks. He didn’t like her, but she didn’t deserve this! Another started ransacking the place, tossing tables over, smashing vases, and tearing up paintings, while others still ran into the kitchen and started taking the food.

Ryu threw himself toward the man trying to molest Yumi, but his injuries slowed him down. The attacker turned and threw a kunai at him. He dodged but found a foot in his already wounded side. He fell gasping, wondering if this was the end. He was far to hurt to fight. He looked to see people getting beaten and others getting stabbed and he felt helpless to do anything. The one who kicked him took a dagger from his clothes and prepared to stab him in the back. Ryu tried to move, but found another attacker’s foot landing firmly on the small of his back, knocking to the ground. “die scum,” a raspy voice purred. Ryu braced for the pain, but suddenly, the weight was lifted from him, and a familiar voice calmly said spoke.

“I do not approve of your methods.”

“You brat!” the raspy voice yelled. Ryu looked to see Koji standing there, hands at his side, as the man who was after Yumi charged, dagger in hand. Koji ducked slightly, his hand flying up faster than Ryu could follow only to see the man’s dagger slide out of his grasps and end jammed into his own face. How? Ryu could only stare. The technique looked familiar, but different at the same time. What was that?

“You men fight without honor.” He said simply. Some of the nearer attackers turned to look at the owner of the voice in shock. “I will give you justice.” Koji said, and he went to work before any had a chance to say anything about it. He never even drew his own blade, somehow always using his opponent’s weapons against them. Ryu remembered hearing his master say something like this before.

Always use your opponents strength against them, and you can’t help but win.” Ryu remembered telling his master that it was impossible, but his master shook his head, “No, my first student was so skilled at this, that it didn’t matter who he was against, he always came out without a scratch. You too will be like that before you are a master.” And here was Koji, fighting in the same style his master taught him… only there was something else to it. In a matter of moments, the room was silent, littered with dead men. It couldn’t be, Ryu thought, Koji is way to young to be that student. Isn’t he?

“You…” Ryu started, but then there was screaming outside. Koji glanced briefly and sighed. “No wonder you want this war over, no one seems to know how to fight honorably anymore.” He sounded grumpy about this, like an old man complaining about how lazy the younger generation is. “I wasn’t going to get involved, but innocent people shouldn’t die.” With that, he left. Ryu was at a loss. This was a surprise attack, and judging from the amount of chaos and noise coming from the city streets, it was no small one either. On the one hand, he hoped Koji would die in this battle, but on the other, he was mad at himself for thinking that way. He wanted Koji to win, and save everyone in the village… but could he? Ryu felt lost. That was impossible. He tried to stand and realized that his short-lived skirmish really messed him up. He was soaked in his own blood, from the very same wound, reopened. There was no fighting like this. Suddenly, he heard a sobbing voice.

“He..” It was Yumi. “He… He’ll …” She was shaking uncontrollably, holding her arms around herself. Ryu staggered over to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t you worry about him, he can handle himself.”

She looked up at him, eyes red from crying. “I saw… but there are so many… Oh, Koji-kun!” She wailed. “He save… he saved…”

“All of us, I know.” Ryu said. Then he found himself taking her and holding her to his chest. It hurt like a dragon’s claw, but he ignored it, and let her cry, whispering quietly that she shouldn’t worry.

Before he knew where the night had gone, he saw the gentle glow of early light, and realized that everything was quiet. “If you don’t mind, I’ll go take a look, see what the damage is.” The girl nodded feebly. This was the first time she saw the war in action he realized. How will she cope with it? Slowly, he rose. Sometime in the night, he had tied a fabric from one of the fallen men around his wound, and it had stopped bleeding, but he still felt weak. Carefully, he made his way to the door, sword in hand just in case, and quickly glanced out, prepared for the worst.

The building across the street was smoldering and charred, but he was shocked to see most of the area around undamaged… except for an occasional smashed wall, and the countless dead men littering the road. At first, he thought it was over for his comrades, but then he noticed that all of the men were dressed the same as the dead men in the inn. It couldn’t be… A Wagon came around the corner then. Tomiji was driving it. He had a solemn expression on his face as a couple of their comrades jumped out and went to work gathering the bodies and throwing them into the back of the wagon.

“Tomiji-kun?” Ryu blurted.

Tomiji looked at him, lighting up.”RYU-SAN! You’re ok!” he jumped from the wagon and ran to him. He took one quick look at him and grinning, added, “Barely.”

“Indeed.” Ryu sighed. “What happened?”

That is when Tomiji suddenly got a confused look on his face. “I thought we were all done for, but then, some strange young man showed up and started fighting with us… er…” He looked at his feet in shame at that point. “Or should I say for us? I didn’t have a chance to do anything… It happened so fast. Then he left, grumbling like the whole affair was a chore he would rather not have done.” He looked at Ryu, who was now smiling in spite of himself. “Do you know this person? Who is he?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Let’s just say he is really good at killing people, and because of that, he saved our hides...”

“Did I now?” The voice came from above and both young men looked up in shock to see Koji perched on the branch of a nearby tree, cleaning his sword. “If that is the case, will you call it good and leave me alone, Wolf?”

“You…” Ryu stammered.

Tomiji suddenly threw himself to the ground and started blubbering about how he owed him his life and how he must repay the debt.

“Don’t be ridiculous. If there existed something that could threaten me, there is no way YOU could defeat it.” Koji laughed. He seemed to be enjoying himself. “But if you really want to pay me back, I’ll settle for a box of the foreign candy known as chocolate.” His eyes started to sparkle at the thought and Ryu couldn’t help but think that in the tree looking like that, he looked like a kitten that had just killed a mouse, presented it to its favorite human, and asked for a treat in return for the deed. Damn it, he really didn’t want to like this man! With the fate stone he was keeping, Ryu could end the war in an instant, but he was too selfish to let him have it. Just like a child, hogging a prized toy! That was why he couldn’t start to like him, no matter what.

“Choc-o-lat-e?” Tomiji queried in surprise. “You ask to be paid in foreign sweets?”

Nodding happily, it looked like he might start to burst with joy just thinking about it, and Ryu had to agree, the request was rather absurd, but it seemed that this chocolate really WOULD be equal to repaying a life debt in his eyes. “The more the merrier!” Koji chirped delightedly.

“I can do that… I think.” Tomiji said, shaking his head in disbelief, “but I am not so sure that would be enough to repay a life debt…” Ryu cut him off.

“I am grateful for what you have done today, but my original opinion still stands. When I am able, we will finish what we started as planned. Now you understand why I seek it, so surely, you understand why I can’t let it go.”

The kitten face vanished and a quite sadness replaced it. “I thought you would say that. It brings me no joy, but it seems this is the only way.”

The only way, Ryu thought. It certainly was. If Kiala was here, she probably would have hit them both over the head and yelled at them for being idiots. He smiled. That girl just didn’t’ get some things. He glanced to the south, wondering how she was doing in that foreign land. Did she find what she was looking for? His heart ached at her absence. How he wished to hold her one more time. Just once.

Description
This is one of the characters in the manga illustrated novel I am working on writing. His name is Koji. To see more of him, follow the links below.
It just so happens that the next image is the full version, so take a look!

<--previous<-- <-->next--> (full image)

I know, I should be finishing my other WIPs right now... but I got inspired and couldn't help myself... This is actually a close up of a WIP, but I love it so far so i had to share. I will tell you more about it in the final piece when it comes up, in the mean time, enjoy. ^__^

Because the contest is still going on, i figure I should enter this into the contest at this --> [link] <-- as well as my other entry.

Edit
I decided to add an excerpt that covers all the aspects of this character, from what I think of as invincible charm, to his deadliness, to his obsession with chocolate. Hope you all enjoy!

From Within the Time of Dragons

“yes, he certainly was… but where did he even come from?” The girl’s voice sounded overly excited in the way a girl sounds when she has seen something really cute or tempting and can only express herself by rising in pitch. It was high pitched squealing kind of chatter that annoyed him most. The last thing he needed while recovering was annoyances. Ryu glanced to see who the source of his consternation was. It was the Inn Keeper’s daughter Kaneko and one of the serving girls, Yumi. They had just walked in the door. He listened to see what was up so he would know if he had reason to tell them off.

“I know,” Yumi said, her expression suddenly lighting up. He face took on a dreamy expression and Ryu could almost see her drooling. Some cute guy, he assumed, how frustrating. “You’d think he is an angel or something the way he just appeared here.” Both girls giggled.

Ryu rolled his eyes from his table. Kiala never acted that way. “Did it ever occur to you too fools that if there is a stranger in town, he might be an enemy?” Ryu growled at them.

“Well, normally, yes, but not this time, I don’t think HE has a single evil bone in his body, I mean, how could he?” This was Kaneko. It wasn’t a question and Ryu was suddenly very irritated. Just because someone looks safe doesn’t mean a thing. His memory flashed back to the “black Dragon” He encountered earlier. His wounds started throbbing at the memory. When he first saw the infamous young man, he thought everyone was crazy for saying he was dangerous… but as it turned out, that sweet faced boy was the most dangerous opponent he had even met. A shiver ran down his spine as he remembered the gentle looking face suddenly turning to a frightful grin, and how the orange brown eyes, so warm one minute, could turn golden and frightful like a tiger’s in an instant. He was a true hunter.

“I know, he was way too gorgeous to be mean.” Yumi sang.

What a complete bimbo, Ryu thought. “Well, just because of the way this stranger looks doesn’t mean anything, where is he? Someone should give him a proper interrogation, you can’t be too careful.” Ryu barked.

The girls took a surprised step back, squeaking slightly at his harshness. “Someone should interrogate YOU, Ryu-san, you are so rude, if anyone acts like trouble… and besides, if you really want to know, just wait, he’ll be staying in this inn as well, so you’ll get to meet him yourself. You’ll see.” Kaneko sounded triumphant at this.

Ryu relaxed a bit. He didn’t need this, but it was better than not knowing.

Yumi started talking again, “Yeah, we told him he could stay here, and he was very polite.”

“Spies are almost always polite.” Ryu muttered into his cup. He had to add ‘almost’ because an image of Fox flashed in his mind. He sighed heavily, his eyes falling with his heart as the feeling of remorse threatened again.

“He said he would be right in, but first, he said he was looking for someone.”

“Then he is an assassin.” Ryu commented. At this point, he was just trying to make a point. He doubted this mysterious person really was a threat, but one can never assume.

“Whatever.” kaneko said, she tossed her hair back and marched away, giving him the cold shoulder. They went to a different corner in the room and sat, quietly gabbing about the mystery boy’s hair, ooh, his eyes, and those lips! Ryu was disgusted. Just as he was about to settle into reading to pass the time and try to blot them out, they started up. “It’s him!” One of them chirped and to the door they ran. He looked up in time to see someone walking in. His blood ran cold in an instant. It was HIM!

He was still wearing the mostly black outfit from before, his hair tied back high on his head, flowing freely in a pony, Ryu only saw his back, but there was no mistaking his posture, the way he walked, the hair… The blade hanging at his side, with the subtly sparkling metal… He remembered seeing it fly directly at him not too long ago and his injuries tingles all over, as it trying to recoil. His wounds would not forget the blade that created them.

“Did you find the person you were looking for?” Kaneko asked in a giddy voice.

“Yes.” He heard the calm boyish voice replying. “I had thought I missed him, but actually, he is right here.” Ryu wanted to disappear, to run, to get out, but he stayed in his seat, refusing to be a coward when presented with the God of Death. The young man in front of him slowly and gracefully turned. His movements were too perfect, Ryu thought. Too practiced and refined, even the casual ones. “Hello Ryu, nice to see you again.” Koji said, looking at him with a soft smile. Though he wore such an open smile, Ryu was locked on his eyes… there was an unspeakable fire emanating from them, and it was aimed directly at him. “I was worried about you.” He grinned.

Ryu stood forcefully, ignoring the aches in his side shoulder and leg. “Ko-Chan, it is nice to see you to.” He said somewhat defiantly.

Koji took a surprised step back. “What did you just..?”

“Ko-Chan? You like it? I just thought of it, seeing how you look so young and pretty.” Ryu sneered. This kind of reaction was very unlike him. It was something Fox would have done. Ryu chuckled a little. He finally got why fox acted like that when faced with danger. It made it easier to face, and it was sort of fun.

“I AM NOT!” Koji began to say, than he stopped suddenly. He looked at his injuries and sighed. “You haven’t told anyone here have you? “ He looked around with a worried look. At first Ryu thought he was referring to the nick name, but then he realized this expression was deeper than that. Koji’s secret treasure. No, if anyone else knew, Koji would kill them as well. Ryu had decided he would keep everything to himself from the beginning.

“No.” Ryu said simply.

“Then I will stay until your wounds heal and then we will finish what we started as warriors, if you don’t mind.” Koji said. “If you do, we can finish it here and now and I’ll be on my way.”

Ryu’s mouth fell open. He hadn’t expected this. He looked at all the people around. No one seemed to understand what was going on. The girls looked worried... worried about Koji… how absurd! Koji was offering him a way to end this without involving anyone else though, and even more, he was offering for him to be fully recovered so they could fight on equal terms. He was a masterful killer, but he was also very honorable it seemed. Ryu smiled. If he was to meet his end, it might as well be at the hands of someone like this. That would be a true warrior’s death at least. He looked at the gathering audience and spoke to them. “This is Koji, everyone, but you can call him Ko-Chan if you like.” Koji’s eye twitched, and he suddenly got the feeling that he was silently promising to make him pay for that. “I met him while tracking Fox in the woods. He and I had teamed up to try to locate a certain treasure that we feel would help our cause. When I am well, we will be heading out to try to acquire it.” He looked to see if his nemesis approved of this lie, but he seemed to be oblivious at this point. He was looking to the kitchen.

“We TOLD you he wasn’t a spy!” Yumi enthused. Koji headed for the kitchen and walked right in as if he owned it. Ryu shrugged and went back to his scroll. At least they were quieter now.

That night, Ryu couldn’t sleep. Images of Koji’s blade cutting into him haunted him every time he closed his eyes. It was hopeless. As he tossed in his bed, he heard the barely audible sound of feet shuffling out his window. He sat up abruptly, ignoring the sharp pain from his side. He knew that sound all too well; a secret attack! He got up and took his sword, praying he had the strength to fight. As he hurried down the stairs, he heard the proof. An explosion in the distance followed by a sequence of battle cries. Suddenly, the inn door busted open, and men in black ninja garb came flooding in. Pandemonium was instantaneous.

One of the men grabbed a girl running out of the servants quarters and threw her against the wall were he started tearing at her clothes. It was Yumi. She screamed, but he held a dagger to her neck and she grew quiet very quickly. Ryu could see tears falling down her cheeks. He didn’t like her, but she didn’t deserve this! Another started ransacking the place, tossing tables over, smashing vases, and tearing up paintings, while others still ran into the kitchen and started taking the food.

Ryu threw himself toward the man trying to molest Yumi, but his injuries slowed him down. The attacker turned and threw a kunai at him. He dodged but found a foot in his already wounded side. He fell gasping, wondering if this was the end. He was far to hurt to fight. He looked to see people getting beaten and others getting stabbed and he felt helpless to do anything. The one who kicked him took a dagger from his clothes and prepared to stab him in the back. Ryu tried to move, but found another attacker’s foot landing firmly on the small of his back, knocking to the ground. “die scum,” a raspy voice purred. Ryu braced for the pain, but suddenly, the weight was lifted from him, and a familiar voice calmly said spoke.

“I do not approve of your methods.”

“You brat!” the raspy voice yelled. Ryu looked to see Koji standing there, hands at his side, as the man who was after Yumi charged, dagger in hand. Koji ducked slightly, his hand flying up faster than Ryu could follow only to see the man’s dagger slide out of his grasps and end jammed into his own face. How? Ryu could only stare. The technique looked familiar, but different at the same time. What was that?

“You men fight without honor.” He said simply. Some of the nearer attackers turned to look at the owner of the voice in shock. “I will give you justice.” Koji said, and he went to work before any had a chance to say anything about it. He never even drew his own blade, somehow always using his opponent’s weapons against them. Ryu remembered hearing his master say something like this before.

Always use your opponents strength against them, and you can’t help but win.” Ryu remembered telling his master that it was impossible, but his master shook his head, “No, my first student was so skilled at this, that it didn’t matter who he was against, he always came out without a scratch. You too will be like that before you are a master.” And here was Koji, fighting in the same style his master taught him… only there was something else to it. In a matter of moments, the room was silent, littered with dead men. It couldn’t be, Ryu thought, Koji is way to young to be that student. Isn’t he?

“You…” Ryu started, but then there was screaming outside. Koji glanced briefly and sighed. “No wonder you want this war over, no one seems to know how to fight honorably anymore.” He sounded grumpy about this, like an old man complaining about how lazy the younger generation is. “I wasn’t going to get involved, but innocent people shouldn’t die.” With that, he left. Ryu was at a loss. This was a surprise attack, and judging from the amount of chaos and noise coming from the city streets, it was no small one either. On the one hand, he hoped Koji would die in this battle, but on the other, he was mad at himself for thinking that way. He wanted Koji to win, and save everyone in the village… but could he? Ryu felt lost. That was impossible. He tried to stand and realized that his short-lived skirmish really messed him up. He was soaked in his own blood, from the very same wound, reopened. There was no fighting like this. Suddenly, he heard a sobbing voice.

“He..” It was Yumi. “He… He’ll …” She was shaking uncontrollably, holding her arms around herself. Ryu staggered over to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t you worry about him, he can handle himself.”

She looked up at him, eyes red from crying. “I saw… but there are so many… Oh, Koji-kun!” She wailed. “He save… he saved…”

“All of us, I know.” Ryu said. Then he found himself taking her and holding her to his chest. It hurt like a dragon’s claw, but he ignored it, and let her cry, whispering quietly that she shouldn’t worry.

Before he knew where the night had gone, he saw the gentle glow of early light, and realized that everything was quiet. “If you don’t mind, I’ll go take a look, see what the damage is.” The girl nodded feebly. This was the first time she saw the war in action he realized. How will she cope with it? Slowly, he rose. Sometime in the night, he had tied a fabric from one of the fallen men around his wound, and it had stopped bleeding, but he still felt weak. Carefully, he made his way to the door, sword in hand just in case, and quickly glanced out, prepared for the worst.

The building across the street was smoldering and charred, but he was shocked to see most of the area around undamaged… except for an occasional smashed wall, and the countless dead men littering the road. At first, he thought it was over for his comrades, but then he noticed that all of the men were dressed the same as the dead men in the inn. It couldn’t be… A Wagon came around the corner then. Tomiji was driving it. He had a solemn expression on his face as a couple of their comrades jumped out and went to work gathering the bodies and throwing them into the back of the wagon.

“Tomiji-kun?” Ryu blurted.

Tomiji looked at him, lighting up.”RYU-SAN! You’re ok!” he jumped from the wagon and ran to him. He took one quick look at him and grinning, added, “Barely.”

“Indeed.” Ryu sighed. “What happened?”

That is when Tomiji suddenly got a confused look on his face. “I thought we were all done for, but then, some strange young man showed up and started fighting with us… er…” He looked at his feet in shame at that point. “Or should I say for us? I didn’t have a chance to do anything… It happened so fast. Then he left, grumbling like the whole affair was a chore he would rather not have done.” He looked at Ryu, who was now smiling in spite of himself. “Do you know this person? Who is he?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Let’s just say he is really good at killing people, and because of that, he saved our hides...”

“Did I now?” The voice came from above and both young men looked up in shock to see Koji perched on the branch of a nearby tree, cleaning his sword. “If that is the case, will you call it good and leave me alone, Wolf?”

“You…” Ryu stammered.

Tomiji suddenly threw himself to the ground and started blubbering about how he owed him his life and how he must repay the debt.

“Don’t be ridiculous. If there existed something that could threaten me, there is no way YOU could defeat it.” Koji laughed. He seemed to be enjoying himself. “But if you really want to pay me back, I’ll settle for a box of the foreign candy known as chocolate.” His eyes started to sparkle at the thought and Ryu couldn’t help but think that in the tree looking like that, he looked like a kitten that had just killed a mouse, presented it to its favorite human, and asked for a treat in return for the deed. Damn it, he really didn’t want to like this man! With the fate stone he was keeping, Ryu could end the war in an instant, but he was too selfish to let him have it. Just like a child, hogging a prized toy! That was why he couldn’t start to like him, no matter what.

“Choc-o-lat-e?” Tomiji queried in surprise. “You ask to be paid in foreign sweets?”

Nodding happily, it looked like he might start to burst with joy just thinking about it, and Ryu had to agree, the request was rather absurd, but it seemed that this chocolate really WOULD be equal to repaying a life debt in his eyes. “The more the merrier!” Koji chirped delightedly.

“I can do that… I think.” Tomiji said, shaking his head in disbelief, “but I am not so sure that would be enough to repay a life debt…” Ryu cut him off.

“I am grateful for what you have done today, but my original opinion still stands. When I am able, we will finish what we started as planned. Now you understand why I seek it, so surely, you understand why I can’t let it go.”

The kitten face vanished and a quite sadness replaced it. “I thought you would say that. It brings me no joy, but it seems this is the only way.”

The only way, Ryu thought. It certainly was. If Kiala was here, she probably would have hit them both over the head and yelled at them for being idiots. He smiled. That girl just didn’t’ get some things. He glanced to the south, wondering how she was doing in that foreign land. Did she find what she was looking for? His heart ached at her absence. How he wished to hold her one more time. Just once.