Soukei Baku Episode 1: Last Bout

Written by: Rasheem, MC

Through generations, countless brimstone has been shared amongst the

Amaretsu and the Makato clans.

The foundation of the Amaretsu has always favored honor.

Their mastery in Kenjutsu, forced into them the blood of the samurai.

Those gifted unto the Makato favored death.

They were trained under the ancient ninja. Built with quick response,

quiet stealth, and unbelievable speed.

What started it all? It began with just one battle...

"Takamori!" shouted Yhemae, second queen of the Amaretsu. She was the

wife of Takamori Amaretsu, king of the Amaretsu, and one of the greatest

Kenjutsu warriors known to history.

Facing the great Takamori was ninja assassin, Hsou-Saijin of the Makato.

Both men stood outside the presence of the Makato temple.

Located at the peak of a mud covered mountain.

The mud was the result of heavy rain that poured around them.

Takamori's loose, dark blue, samurai clothing was drenched with water and mud.

As well as Hsou-Saijin's, all black, tight, ninja uniform.

Each family utilized a different style with the same weapon.

The Amaretsu often held their katana with both hands. Their tactic of choice was

usually fueled with powerful sword strikes and blocks.

The Makato held their katanas with only their right hand in a reverse angle,

allowing for the length of their katana to scale up their back, the sharp end usually

pointing at the sky.

As both men narrowed their eyes into one another, Hsou briefly glanced

over at Yhemae. A quick smile appeared under his black mouth wrap.

Yhemae could feel his eyes burning into her very soul.

Before the final battle, Yhemae has always distrusted Hsou, but also

felt a sense of fear as well. She often consulted Takamori to never allow

Hsou within the borders of their temple...but he didn't listen.

Takamori thought the two families could come together as one...but soon he

realized that Yhemae had been right the entire time.

"You should listen to your wife." Hsou said with a smile.

Takamori rolled his eyes at Hsou. Especially after what he did to Yhemae.

She was half beaten when Takamori arrived. Her dress was cut all over...

more so around her breast area. Cuts ran across her chest, arms, and face.

It was clear Hsou wanted to do more to her than just kill her.

Yhemae sat on the mud covered ground, her back leaned against a statue of

Hirekuzo, heir to the Makato's fortune three hundred years before Hsou.

"Takamori! please..." whispered Yhemae.

Takamori growled and halted his wife from speaking any longer. He knew it

would do nothing but hurt her continously.

"Oi!" he paused for a bit and then continued..."Yhemae...you should not speak, or

you will upset your wound! This will be over soon. I promise..."

Yhemae's eyes watered in on themselves, as her eyelashes fought to keep the

pouring rain from falling in her eyes.

Hsou smirked and sent his left foot flying forward until the bottom of his foot

hit the dirt. With his legs spread apart, he decided to use the leverage around

his left foot to keep his momemtum as he launched himself in the wind.

His right hand kept his katana at bay behind his back as he tucked in his knees

close to his chest. Both arms wrapped around his legs, curling himself into a ball.

His body spun forward, converting into a rapid front flip like a cannon ball.

Takamori stood there waiting in his usual stance. Both legs spread a part, and his knees

slightly bent. The length of his sword stretched the dirt in front of him as the

very tip of the blade nearly touched the mud. A firm grip held tight on the hilt of the blade.

With his eyes closed, Yhemae looking in desperate anticipation...Once Hsou

was in range, Takamori rotated the katana while bringing his right foot around in front

of his left. His arms arched upward, as the sharp length of the blade aimed to cut

through Hsou's hurling body.

Hsou came out of his front flip in time for his feet to push down on Takamori's sword.

His weight was able to dig the sharp end of Takamori's katana deep inside the mud.

As Hsou came down, his right arm arched to the side, his wrist curled to the left,

and his sword came hurdling down on Takamori's left shoulder.

He aimed to finish Takamori, by driving his blade diagonally through the man's torso.

Yhemae yelped as she saw the immediate situation her husband was in.

As a last resort, Takamori decided to release his left hand that had been wrapped

around the hilt of his sword. He curled his wrist until his palm faced Hsou's

incoming forearm. As his hand wrapped around Hsou's arm, he was able to stop

the fatal blow. However, Takamori and Hsou stood there in a tight struggle. Both

men using the tension of their muscles to attempt to overpower one another.

Takamori fought to keep Hsou's sword at bay, while Hsou struggled to proceed

with his attack, using both hands to force his blade down. Hsou looked deep

in Takamori's eyes and saw defeat.

This put Hsou in a position of victory in morality. He could feel his opponent's soul

slowly draining from his body as his sword inched in closer toward his left collar bone.

"Erm...! The world can only carry one family at a time. The Amaretsu...are cowards.

Honor is only subject to man when he realizes that one day his death will come

sooner than expected! It is your last resort...However...the Makato never allow such

an easy way out...! We only subject ourselves to our ultimate goal...victory!"

Hsou pressed down harder on Takamori's grip. Takamori's knees almost gave out

from under him. Within seconds, his right knee was forced to find a spot on the

ground. Hsou's strength was exceeding his own. At this rate...he knew he was

defeated. His eyes began turning red. Veins began popping out from his skin.

He greeted his teeth...

"Urrrgh...! Honor...is already a form of victory...! What you seek...lies within your

ambitions...! That is why...Makato will never win!"

"Pest...! Utter peasants defines your family! You misconfigured one thing...This

situation is in my favor!" Hsou bantered back.

Hsou released his left hand from the hilt of his blade, curling all fingers into a fist

except both his middle and index. The tips of his fingers shot forward quickly

just above Takamori's adams apple. Hsou felt the infiltration dive pass the

flesh, hitting a nudge bone attached to the apple, which sent it flying to the back

of his throat. Takamori was forced to release his grip on Hsou's arm. He held his

neck as his body began tumbling to the ground.

His katana fell to the mud, while Hsou continued with his vicious strike.

The power of Hsou's blade sliced cleanly through Takamori's torso, two pieces

of Yhemae's husband lay before her. She yelled as she watched Hsou slowly

rise up to both feet. His eyes slowly looked over at Yhemae and knew his mission

had not been complete just yet. A wide grin appeared on his lips.

Yhemae's dress became stained with dirt and mud as she slowly crawled away

from Hsou. Being that her left leg was the most injured, she had no choice but

to crawl on her right side...which made it difficult for her left arm to help guide

her body away.

"...What have you done...?!" she screamed at Hsou.

Once Hsou was within range, his left hand reached down and grabbed a hand full

of her dark silky hair, and forcefully lifting her up by her bangs.

She hollered once her left leg was forced to straighten itself back out.

Hsou held her face close toward his lips as he bent down toward her. He kissed her

passionately, though she continously resisted. After he was finished, he slowly pulled

away from her lips and whispered...

"...Looks like your husband was right...it is my honor to end your family's legacy.

Victory is finally mine!"

With that, Hsou instantly drove his katana through Yhemae's heart. The steel

snapped the blood flowing to her heart and left a harsh river of blood spilling

from her chest. She died instantly.

Others of the Amaretsu families around the world heard of Takamori's defeat.

And even though the family lived on...Hsou made sure, that before the time of

his death...the Makato would always be a force to be feared.

Welcome...to Soukei Baku.