The Fallen

Kazuo Kemuri stirred in their camp. Yet another member of Hitsuyo Aku was missing. This time, the young Lycan, Ryou, had not returned since he left to go out on a contract. Kazuo had hoped for better, but he knew that the boy had likely met his end. Sighing, he stood from his place in the tent, walking out to the path he had taken. In the snow of the mountains, his trail was still there, footprints in the path, which he followed. Down the mountain they went, and around him, the scenery changed to something less familiar to Kazuo. Swamps.

His path was no longer as distinct, but footprints in the muck and occasional sign were enough to put him on the right path. Soon enough, he arrived at a small village, and saw two women carrying something, covered in a rag, out towards the swamp. A body? His eyes began to glow crimson as Kazuo approached them. The two noticed him, setting the corpse down, with one of the two drawing a blade, the other brandishing a guitar that she carried on her back.

”Halt. You are trespassing.” Said the girl with the sword.
”What’s that you’re carrying?” Kazuo asked.
”None of your concern. I advise you be on your way.” Said the other girl, strumming her guitar dangerously.
”Merely curiosity. I seem to have lost a friend in the area, and I couldn’t bear to think that was…” Kazuo said, cutting his sentence off in feigned anticipation. Sympathy shone on the two girl’s faces.
”I doubt this is your friend, sir. A criminal like him wouldn’t associate with a swordsman like you.” Said the girl with the sword, lifting back the rag to reveal the face of Ryou… Caved in and bloodied. Kazuo’s eyes grew wide.

”Thank you.” Kazuo said simply, resting his hand upon his blade. In an instant, the blade was drawn, singing a song that held the two captive, lulling them into forgetting all about the swordsman as he lunged forwards, scooping up the body and disappearing in a flash of purple light. Gone as soon as he arrived, the two girls looked at each other, stunned.

Kazuo arrived back at camp, Ryou’s body in his arms. The poor boy was hardly recognizable. He wrapped his cloak around him, covering his face. He set to work quickly, constructing a pyre for the boy, about 100 meters from camp. He laid Ryou down on a bed of pine boughs, still wrapped in the cloak.
We’ve lost Ryou. Kazuo would broadcast with his telepathy. He’d likely only confirmed the fears of the others. He did not return from his mission alive. Anyone who wishes to pay their respects to him should report to me in the clearing outside of camp. He concluded, closing the connection.

He looked to the boy once more. Twice in only a short amount of time, he had wrapped the body of someone he hardly knew in his own cloak. Ryou couldn’t be buried. The risk of his body being retrieved was too high. Shinobi hardly got proper burials, but at least Ryou would have a place to rest his bones. He left him with all of his equipment, as any honorable soldier should hope. Kazuo would wait for any who wished to pay their respects, and then, wordlessly, he would breathe a small jet of flame upon the pyre, setting it alight. The body would go up in flames, cleansed from this world, until only ashes remained.

(Exit unless stopped)
(TWC: 600)
(Claiming Ryou’s body, as well as the destruction of his corpse and all of his possessions)
+600 words to Yuumei Infusion

+6 AP