Jiraiya's First - Part 2

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It is late at night, more quiet than usual as there has yet to be heard a scream from someone who has had their son discovered and taken away from them, or a mother witnessing her own flesh and blood removing the head from her husband's shoulders, then directing his blood drenched katana towards her. All lights are out in the house of the two farmers living on the outskirts of the city, except the red sparks from the tiny fireplace, keeping the cool air from taking the breath away from the two sleeping rebels. The heat from the fire is suddenly gone along with its flickering sparks, and the two sleepers are wide awake in an instant. Their eyes are struggling, trying to soak up some light from somewhere, but the room is pitching black without as much as a moonbeam to light it up.

- "Don't walk into the table Aoki; you'll hurt your knee".

The voice came from nowhere, and everywhere. It fills the entire room just as the darkness does, and the cold air carries the words with clear precision into the couple's ears, who find themselves frozen, clueless as to what to do. The peculiarity of curiosity gets grip of Aoki’s tongue, and he whispers:

- "You know my name. How?”
- "Don't you remember? We talked when you were dreaming earlier, just like we are talking now. You don't think this is for real do you?"

No reply.

- "And you Bika, you don't remember me either?"

Had the darkness not hid it, Bika's face would have appeared twisted beyond recognition by fear and confusion. The curiosity gets the best of her as well, and it says:

- "What do you want from us? Are you of Minamoto no Yoshinaka’s men?"

The darkness smiles, and lets out something short of a humming laughter.

- "Minamoto no Yoshinaka’s man? No, no. I am no one's man. But today I am your good doer."

Aoki releases himself from curiosity's grip and speaks from his own heart.

- "Hrm! A good doer? What good can you be to us, you who don't even dare talk to my fa..."
- "Oh but I do."

The darkness replies before Aoki’s words get to finish, and he can feel the warm breath of the man in front of him touching the tip of his nose, finding its way up to his raised eyebrows. Slowly he raises his arm, desperate to know that the man he's talking to is of human nature, and not a son of the shadows beyond.

- "Don't!"

The darkness replies harshly.

- "I am no demon."

The dark figure says, as if having read Aoki's mind.

- "I have no time for explanations, nor do you have any time for questions. Minamoto no Yoshinaka would not go through all this trouble just to kill you. I can't ease your heart with more than that provided the time we have at our disposal. You want me to kill Minamoto no Yoshinaka and that I will do, tomorrow at nightfall. My price is fair; a life for a life."

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