Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Redemption is not kind ❯ truth and consiquinces ( Chapter 10 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

The healers solemnly tended to Shuten, gently checking and re-checking his injuries. Another bath followed, cleaning the blood from his skin. They replaced the I.V. And the feeding tube. All the while he kept starring into space murmuring to let him die, let him face Yama for his crimes. He near screamed when the healers tended to the Kanji carved into his skin. The healers were concerned, the wound was deep into the muscle of his back. Who ever had carved it into his skin knew that even with the healer’s careful stitching the scar would remain.


Sendril held onto his hand while the healers moved around him, her voice murmuring in a soft lullaby. She was hoping to soothe him enough for the healers to stop the bleeding. His eyes turned to focus on her, his hand griping hers tighter.
“Shush...I’m here...” She said softly. “I won’t let go...”
His eyes drifted closed, the pain killers taking effect. She looked up to see Yukito with an empty sryinge.
“Just a little morphine, nothing more.” Yukito said. “I’ll go see what caused this, they may not talk to you, but they will talk to me...”
She nodded as Yukito left. Soon after, the healers left, leaving Sendril to watch over the ex Masho.


An hour later, Yukito returned with some disturbing news for Sendril...


Yukito came into the room frowning, knowing she’d not like what he had to report. He would not mention how he’d gotten the information, that would only upset her more.
“...I found out how he got past his keepers; they let him go.” He said. “It seems word leaked that the Oni Masho was here...”
She frowned, “...They believe him a threat even in his present state then?”
“Yes, and used the child as bait...” Yukito said. “I found out that four hundred years ago a village was attacked and slaughtered, under Argo’s orders. The Oni Masho lead that attack, not knowing his mistress and son were in that village...”
Sendril hung her head, she remembered the aftermath of that slaughter. She and three night takers had been summoned, only to find the child they had been summoned to take had been slain.
“He killed his own son...” She said. “He must have thought the boy alive when he saw Shuu.”
“Yes...” Yukito said. “This no doubt makes the journey longer.” He sighed. “He may never fully recover from that memory...”
She rose, she had to figure how to deal with this.
“Yuki, call me if he makes even the slightest sound...I’ll be in the gardens.”
The frost child nodded.

Sendril made her way into the gardens, removing her mask as she looked into the sky. She could have passed for her late twenties in the mortal world, her Eurasian features drawn into a frown. She remembered a child, the mother fearing the father’s “demon” taint. Then the village pledging the child into her service when he began to show the vermilion hair and blue-green eyes she had most recently looked into. She had been traveling to the village to accept him into sanctuary until such time he could choose on his own.
“...It is not so easy...to forgive.” said a voice behind her.
She slid her mask back on before turning around. Seeing one of the who had been in the servant’s quarters. She wondered why he was here, servants did not usually venture this far into the gardens.
“No, it is not...” She said. “The Oni masho slaughtered your village...”
“...He took from you as well.” The man said. “The boy was tribute to you...”
She hated that word tribute, to serve her was a choice and an honor among those who dwelled within the walls. The boy would have had free run with the other children until he made the decision on his own.
“What kind of life would he had in the village...”
“With the blood of the Oni in his veins...” He frowned. “The woman was already shunned for accepting him into her bed...the boy would have fared no better, save as sword fodder...”
She sighed, knowing such features as Shuten’s were rare. She had suspected the day Shuu had been brought to her, but now having looked into eyes so similar it confirmed her worse fear.
“Who is Shuu’s father?” She asked. “It is not a common trait vermilion hair...and blue eyes.”
The man frowned, confirming her answer with his silence. She had so many children here, rescued in the dead of night from Argo’s castle; pleas from woman knowing their choices should not effect their children. Healers held captive while their children could go free.
“...I thought so,” She said. “You sold one of your own to Argo...”
The man sneered at her, daring her to do something about this betrayal by her servants.
“...The price was worth it, our village is avenged, the Oni Masho is beaten and broken...”
She starred the man down. This bastard had sold one of his own villagers to avenge a four hundred year old slaughter. The man she’d left inside was that man and yet he was not.
“The Oni that slaughtered your village died fighting against Argo, Kaos’ light cleansed Argo’s evil from his soul...” She said. “This is what you will tell your fellows, the man they nearly murdered is Shuten Koma, one of Kaos’ disciples...”
The man looked at her with an expression of anger, but dared not say anything. His village enjoyed the protection of Sanctuary and to have it withdrawn was unthinkable.
“You will have Shuu brought to me. I remove him from the care of your kind...”
The man turned and stormed away, She nearly fell to her knees.


She stood there trembling, the idea of banishing those who had beaten Shuten was tempting. But she could not do that and keep the vow she made that all seeking shelter from evil would find peace.
“Gods, how could they have done that...bait for a demon.”
A ghostly form manifested, its hands laying upon her shoulders. He had been there for four hundred years. It was the boy they’d spoken of, not so much a boy as a young man.
“...They wanted revenge, its something I’ve long let go of...” The voice was soft. “He deserved their wrath, but not to be baited like that...”
She turned, those accepted into her service were not limited to something so transitory as death. She had taken his wandering ghost in the stead of living flesh.
“I was watching the whole time, he did not hurt Shuu, save for calling him by my name...” he frowned. “My father was a good man, honorable...loyal. The thirst for power would have faded with time, but Argo’s evil twisted it...The oni taking his soul.”
“...Lady Sendril...”
She turned as The ghost faded. He didn’t like to be seen, as it made for more questions than answers.
“Yes...”
“Our guest, he....”
She ran toward the healing rooms, something had happened to Shuten.


She reached the healing rooms just as two healers ran past her with with fresh bandages. Yukito met her at the door. He caught her and held her back.
“Don’t go in there...”
She tried to move past him, but he wouldn’t let her.
“Sendril...” He said. “Let the others handle this...”
It took her a moment to realize how panicked she was. Going in to a sick room in such a panic was not good. She collapsed against him sobbing.
“I left him only for a moment...He tired to slit his wrists...he split open his arms to the elbow.” he said. “Someone left their kit in the room...” He held her. “He’ll be sedated....he’ll have to be watched all the time now.”
She just continued to sob, clinging to Yukito, then realized what he’d said about someone’s kit being left in the room. She stood and shook her head.
“...Who’s was it?” she said, her tears disappearing into anger.
“We don’t know, every one’s kit is accounted for, including ours...it was the first thing I did after the others got here.”
She frowned as the healers came out, a basin with bloody rags and bandages filling it to the brim. She turned her heard, following the scent. Yukito put his hand on her shoulder, turning her back to the surgeon.
“...He’s stable, and sedated.” The surgeon said. “We can’t continue to drug him much longer, his body isn’t used to chemicals...the higher doses we would have to use would make him sick and complicate the healing.”
“We’ll try alternative methods then, as long as he cannot harm himself further.”
“There is no guarantee of that....” The Surgeon said. “Keep a tight watch on him, the sedatives will only last so long.”
The both nodded.