and Moriko had thought he died many cycles ago.
She dropped from her tree, landing softly on the path in front of him. They stood a few paces apart. They were safe from each other for now, but were within a step or two of striking distance.
Tomotsu had been one of the first people she met when she had been taken to Perseverance. He was a cycle or two older than her, but she had been young and impressionable, and she had pinned all her hopes on him. He had cared for her after she'd been beaten, but she soon realized the monastery had him, heart and soul. When Ryuu had rescued her from the monastery, she had assumed Tomotsu had been killed with the other monks.
For a moment, she was glad her assumption was wrong. Even though Tomotsu had pledged himself fully to the monastery, he had always been kind to her, even when their viewpoints had been so obviously different. Even after Orochi trained her, Tomotsu still kept in touch. But as she studied his face, she knew something in him had changed.
"Hello, Tomotsu," she said.
"It seems the Great Cycle has brought us together again. It has been a long time."
She nodded. "It has. I am glad to see you."
Tomotsu barked out a harsh laugh. "You mean after you betrayed our monastery and the nightblade came and killed most of us?"
Moriko moved to speak, but Tomotsu held up his hand. "No. There is no point in conversation. This only ends one way."
Moriko interrupted him. "How can you be so blind? You saw what the Abbot did. How can you believe in a system that teaches such violence is justified?"
Tomotsu drew his sword. It didn't waver at all as he pointed it at Moriko. She understood, as she watched the point of his sword, how much rage he had carried for all this time. "I don't know how you can doubt the teachings of the Great Cycle,” Tomotsu spat in her direction. “Even you have to see that the Cycle is coming to a close. What are the odds of you and me coming together, again, like this? The Abbot's teachings may have been hard, but it was the nightblade who established my faith. For the first time, I saw how dangerous the nightblades were, and I dedicated my life to killing them all. Those who don't believe must die."
Moriko opened her mouth to argue, but Tomotsu dashed forward, his blade eager for blood. Moriko dove out of the way and drew her sword, but she hesitated. This was Tomotsu, perhaps the first friend she had ever had in the world beyond her family. But as he came in again, there was nothing of the kind boy she had once known. He had been broken by grief. Moriko's sorrow was replaced by anger, and she attacked.
Tomotsu had no chance against her. He was well-trained and driven, but she was much stronger than him. In two passes he fell to her blade, his dying eyes filled with hate.
Moriko observed his passing into the Great Cycle. He deserved that much at least. When he was gone she closed his eyes and grabbed his bag. It was full of papers, a small fortune's worth. She stood for a moment over her first friend, and then the world came rushing back to her. There were still two hunters she needed to kill. The sun was setting, but if she hurried she could get to them before they caused any more destruction.
Despite her repeated checks, Moriko did not find any trace of the hunters besides the tracks they left, and even those were few and far between. Moriko began to wonder if they were moving faster than she had anticipated. Were they trying to reach the village during the day? If so, she didn’t have a chance of catching them.
Moriko fought her urge to sprint after the hunters. It was possible they were moving much faster than she expected, but it was just as likely they were playing another game altogether. She didn't know what skills the hunters might possess, and there was certainly a possibility she was not the only person capable of hiding her presence from those with the sense. She had to be cautious, otherwise they could sneak up on her as easily as she
She dropped from her tree, landing softly on the path in front of him. They stood a few paces apart. They were safe from each other for now, but were within a step or two of striking distance.
Tomotsu had been one of the first people she met when she had been taken to Perseverance. He was a cycle or two older than her, but she had been young and impressionable, and she had pinned all her hopes on him. He had cared for her after she'd been beaten, but she soon realized the monastery had him, heart and soul. When Ryuu had rescued her from the monastery, she had assumed Tomotsu had been killed with the other monks.
For a moment, she was glad her assumption was wrong. Even though Tomotsu had pledged himself fully to the monastery, he had always been kind to her, even when their viewpoints had been so obviously different. Even after Orochi trained her, Tomotsu still kept in touch. But as she studied his face, she knew something in him had changed.
"Hello, Tomotsu," she said.
"It seems the Great Cycle has brought us together again. It has been a long time."
She nodded. "It has. I am glad to see you."
Tomotsu barked out a harsh laugh. "You mean after you betrayed our monastery and the nightblade came and killed most of us?"
Moriko moved to speak, but Tomotsu held up his hand. "No. There is no point in conversation. This only ends one way."
Moriko interrupted him. "How can you be so blind? You saw what the Abbot did. How can you believe in a system that teaches such violence is justified?"
Tomotsu drew his sword. It didn't waver at all as he pointed it at Moriko. She understood, as she watched the point of his sword, how much rage he had carried for all this time. "I don't know how you can doubt the teachings of the Great Cycle,” Tomotsu spat in her direction. “Even you have to see that the Cycle is coming to a close. What are the odds of you and me coming together, again, like this? The Abbot's teachings may have been hard, but it was the nightblade who established my faith. For the first time, I saw how dangerous the nightblades were, and I dedicated my life to killing them all. Those who don't believe must die."
Moriko opened her mouth to argue, but Tomotsu dashed forward, his blade eager for blood. Moriko dove out of the way and drew her sword, but she hesitated. This was Tomotsu, perhaps the first friend she had ever had in the world beyond her family. But as he came in again, there was nothing of the kind boy she had once known. He had been broken by grief. Moriko's sorrow was replaced by anger, and she attacked.
Tomotsu had no chance against her. He was well-trained and driven, but she was much stronger than him. In two passes he fell to her blade, his dying eyes filled with hate.
Moriko observed his passing into the Great Cycle. He deserved that much at least. When he was gone she closed his eyes and grabbed his bag. It was full of papers, a small fortune's worth. She stood for a moment over her first friend, and then the world came rushing back to her. There were still two hunters she needed to kill. The sun was setting, but if she hurried she could get to them before they caused any more destruction.
Despite her repeated checks, Moriko did not find any trace of the hunters besides the tracks they left, and even those were few and far between. Moriko began to wonder if they were moving faster than she had anticipated. Were they trying to reach the village during the day? If so, she didn’t have a chance of catching them.
Moriko fought her urge to sprint after the hunters. It was possible they were moving much faster than she expected, but it was just as likely they were playing another game altogether. She didn't know what skills the hunters might possess, and there was certainly a possibility she was not the only person capable of hiding her presence from those with the sense. She had to be cautious, otherwise they could sneak up on her as easily as she
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