Crimson Moon ch.13

Crimson Moon ch.13

Chapter 13
Everything Takes a Toll

Tsurugi ran ahead of his father who walked at an average pace. After a few minutes of the teenager running at a full sprint the older man appeared off in the distance, just looking off to the horizon.

Tsurugi caught up and went to run ahead but Keldorix grabbed the belt on the boy’s upper body and pulled him back. The two were at the top of cliff overlooking what was once a prosperous town or city was now only rubble with the empty suits of armor marching through, killing any stragglers or standing around. Men, women or children it didn’t matter, they were slaughtered.

“No… Why did you bring me here? Was it just to show me this?” Tsurugi asked, anger, sorrow and fear boiled up in him.

“Yes, I wouldn’t have brought you here to fight them so early. Maybe now that you’ve seen their capable of maybe you’ll be more motivated to control that sword.” Keldorix answered, throwing his son back.

He skidded along the ground and came to an eventual stop. He struggled to sit up. His back was bloody and covered in dirt. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth.

Later on, back at the village Keldorix called home. The composite sword was lying on the table. Wet blood glistened on the blade and stained the bandages crimson. Saiyuke was laying on a bed of grass, looking asleep.

“Before we continue your training I want to move on to Saiyuke. Oh, and by the way. Guess whose back?” Keldorix asked.

“Alright, but what are talking about?” Tsurugi said back.

“Your little girlfriend from a few years ago, she’s at the same old house.”

“Kizue’s back…?

Keldorix nodded and hope lit up the boy’s face.

“Thanks dad thanks so much.” He ran off down the road.

“What did you mean by back?” Saiyuke asked lazily from the grass.

“You’re smarter than I gave you credit for… A few years back when Tsurugi was sill young, maybe eight years old he had a thing for a girl named Kizue and she liked him back. To this day I don’t fully understand what happened to her, I think he does though. She disappeared and I finally got her back maybe three years ago when he was assigned his first squad at the age of fifteen. Does that explanation quell your curiosity?”

“Yes it does, but do you think we can put off the training?”

Keldorix shot him a look. “Get the fuck up you lazy bastard…” He mumbled.

Tsurugi ran along the dirt roads, through crowds and hopped fences. He finally found a small, modest home with a wooden fence, a walkway separated two parts of the yard.

“Hey, Kizue you home?” He swung himself over the fence and walked over to the wooden door. He knocked on it gently.

“Yeah, I’m home.” A woman called, her foot steps could be heard on the hard wood floor on the other side of the door.

The door opened. A beautiful young woman was standing there in a pink spaghetti strap t-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. Her brunette hair fell lightly around her shoulders, brushed from her face showing gorgeous hazel eyes.

“Hey there Kizue. It’s me, Tsurugi. Remember?”

“Oh yeah, it’s been so long. I haven’t seen you since we were five I think.”

“Yeah, but I’m here now. Are you doing alright?”

“I’m fine Tsurugi, it’s been ten years but that woman that took me, Hari Kijo always told me someone would save me.”

‘Hari Kijo…Is that that witch’s name?’ Tsurugi pondered

“Tsurugi, are you alright? You’re just staring out into space.”

He shook his head back to reality, “Yeah I’m fine.”

There was a scream and sounds of panic from down the road.

“Kizue, I have to go check that out. Wait here, I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He rubbed his rough hands on her smooth shoulders and ran off. As he ran he unwrapped the red blindfold from around his forearm and hand and tied it around his forehead.

He skidded to a stop in the middle of a four-way intersection and looked around before running down the path to his left. His broken-in boots pounded on the ground hard with each step.

As he got closer to the scene he pulled the head band down over his eyes.