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KEEPING 'CAUSE WELL... IT'S MY WORK


Death is just an illusion…



SAND REACHED BETWEEN HIS TOES as he ran across the beach. The soft sand packed in closer as his feet pounded down on it. The sound of laughter was in the air, his laughter. But it would not last long.

He stopped at he beach house, it was once a two storied building that fit perfect. His older brother had his own well sized room. While he shared a enormous room with a younger brother and sister. Their parents had slept in the same room, well fit for they didn’t have much.
But now that was gone. Laughter changed to silent tears, as he was the only one left.
The warmth from the fire heated the beach side, like a hearth in a room. But this fire was fueled by no coal, but his own beloved home.
One silent tear fell down his face.
By this time the fire had completely engulfed the whole house. It ate and tore through half of the house in a matter of minutes.
He dropped to his knees, hopeless, helpless. He had no where to go, no where to turn. He was only but seven or eight birth years. All hope was lost for him as he just sat, watching his old life burn away.
Then laughter filled the air. Not a happy, joyful laughter, but one malevolent and full of hate. Hate for life, and the world. Hate from someone that he thought was close to him.
Hate from his older brother.








HE BLOCKED A LOW HOOK SWEEP, and flicked his wooden practice sword up. The other sword went sailing through the air.
“Good job, boy…” The old man said with a gasp. “I remember the back in the day when I could beat you in one swing.”
“I’m not a child anymore.” He responded.
‘He’ was Seiki Gushiken, or was. He now goes by Seiki Gushi, after… well some family matters happened.
Seiki now, is nineteen. Fairing a finger length or two from the average height of boys his age, with black hair that slightly spikes in the front and back. Though he might be smaller than most boys-well in his school-he could beat just about anyone in a fight, sword, or fist. Seiki’s form is not one filled with muscle either. He has muscles-that when flexed- would fair close to the width of a straight sword’s blade, maybe a bit bigger.
One of the only strange things visible about him was his eyes. The color of one eye, the right, was blue, red, and brown. But not like one normal shade of colors, like the ocean waves, a destructive fire, and brown like the Earth itself.
The left eye was black, blue, and white. But again was more like an abyss in his eye, a continuing bolt of lightning, and almost clear, that sometimes looks as if its swirling.
“Aye, I suppose your right boy.” Seiki’s Uncle replied. He wasn’t really his Uncle, or that’s what Seiki thought. Gempa Adachi, stood at least a head taller than his nephew, with muscles forged from years of blacksmithing.
“Well, enough training for today, we better grab some bread and go look for some food for tomorrow.”
Seiki sighed, twice, or three times a week they would have to go out hunting. His Uncle was too poor to buy food from the town, that was a days ride away. But having only a home in the country with not a horse in sight, the walk would take a day and six bells, for Seiki, and longer for his Uncle. So, to eat and help hone their skills, they had no choice but to hunt.
Seiki watched his Uncle walk back to the little home. It was about four or so rooms, plenty for the two of them. But also to the side of the house was the almost equal in size forge. There, Seiki had never gone, as by rule.
He remember the first day he moved here, his Uncle was telling all his rules, and some stories in the carriage they were traveling in. But one line stuck in his head, forever.

“…But over all these rules, never, unless upon life and death, will you ever traverse the forge next to my house. And if I find out you do, you’ll be banished from my home, and land forever…”

A hard hit to the back of his knee and a fall on his a** brought him back.
“Damnit kid, pay attention to the task ahead. Your lucky I got your bread for you.” Uncle Gempa gave him a stern glare, but then quickly changed his expression to a more concerned look.
“You be alright boy? I didn’t think you’d fall.”
Seiki got up and brushed himself off. “Yeah, I’m fine, just thinking.” His Uncle handed him their equipment.
“Hold on, let me get something.” Gempa walked past the small fence, that now was rotten from so many years on rain, snow and vandalism.
Gempa walked over to the forge and yanked open that door, so that only he could fit through the small opening. While he was doing this, Seiki leaned over and tried to peak through the opened door.
Seiki’s eyes widened and he caught a glimpse of just a part of one wall.
It was filled with swords, not a finger of wood shown. They ranged from huge, or small, every shape and size on just that small part of wall. And they where all of the best quality.
He had heard rumors at school that Gempa-after he retired- he searched everywhere for every sword he ever made.
Gempa returned quickly right as Seiki turned his head. He carried one single straight sword in his hand. When he reached Seiki, Gempa took his bag from him and looking him straight in the eye. They stood dead locked, for what seemed a bell.
Seiki knew he was being tested, for any mess up. Gempa never let him use a real blade, the style he was taught by Gempa took at lest twenty-five years for a excellent swordsman, or even half a lifetime. Seiki, had been training under this style, only six years, for when he was twelve, he wounded himself at the start of the training.
The style took, all-even more-concentration of the human mind and body. Even-as was thought by Seiki- that it took every thing a person had in mind, body, and spirit.
So they stood, dead locked, which now felt like forever. Until Gempa, used his mastery of the skill, which forced Seiki to the ground.
“Damn…” Seiki cursed himself for being so weak.
His Uncle looked at him with tired eyes. “Why curse yourself, boy? You nearly beat me, I had to use my skill, you’re improving faster than I was. Be proud.”
He looked up at his Uncle, and strained to get up, but shook it off. “…I still failed, I’ll never use one sword…”
Gempa lifted the sword to Seiki. “Aye, then shall I put this back?”
Seiki looked at him, shocked. “Another trick?” He looked at the old man.
“I can’t do everything these days, I’m getting old.”
Seiki firmly grabbed the sword, one hand on the handle, another on the sheath. He lifted it off his Uncles hands and strapped it to himself. Seiki grabbed the handle and pulled out the blade a little.
He nodded to his Uncle, and far in the forest a flock of birds screeched and flew off.










SEIKI GLANCED ALL AROUND. He was sent ahead to make sure that there was fresh tracks. He rounded a big oak tree and searched the ground for any tracks.
He looked around, confused by the markings. It was deer, and by the looks of it rabbit too. But they where headed the way Seiki just came from.
Seiki looked closer, concentrating. Under the prints of the rushing animals, something else followed.
Seiki’s vision around his eyes blurred, time seemed to slow down. Until a stern, gruff voice took him out of the trance.
“Damnit, boy remember your training!” Gempa yelled from behind him.
Seiki had forgotten-like many other times-that when focusing on something to long-with the type of skill he was taught-it would activate on its own. Then he would trance out, until someone or something sounded quick and out of sight.
“Sorry… I was looking at these tracks and…” He was cut off short by his Uncle.
“I know, it happens to be also. Well, sometimes.” He said while taking a quick glance at the tracks.
“Some things not right…” Seiki mumbled.
Gempa looked around. “Well, lets split up and meet back at the house in a bell.”
“Only one bell…?” Seiki asked, confusion in his voice.
“Some thing just doesn’t seem right about this place.” Gempa replied while waving Seiki off.

Seiki had moved a ways of the strange path, as Gempa had wanted. But in had not even been a forth of a bell before it got boring.
No animals were in sight, not even a small track. Not even old bile.
Seiki’s Uncle was right. Some thing is wrong in this forest.
He shook his head to clear it of past misfortunes.
…that’s behind me now, the past…
The words almost echoed in his head. He looked around at the tall trees. Oak, pine, and a few he didn’t feel like trying to remember. This forest was one of the youngest in all of the Water God’s Land. Even probably of all the God’s Lands.
But still… it took so much time to grow this forest.
Seiki looked up at the tree tops. A few sun rays forced threw the leaves.
He looked at all the darkness around him. “What time is it…?” He thought a moment.
“Sorry trees…” Seiki disappeared and reappeared half way up a tall tree. Part of his training.
The move was called, flash step. A normal flash step, was just a quick movement. But, with the help of his Style, the flash stepped was developed into something more powerful.
Even Seiki’s Uncle did not fully understand this style. But, Seiki had a theory that the style slowed down time for the user, or that the world around the user slowed down.
He drew the straight sword.
The tree’s leaves rustled in the wind.
Seiki pasted the tree, back to normal speed. He landed on the ground with the cracking and breaking of twigs and leaves.
The sword clicked in its sheath.
The top half of the tree fell down the vertical slice with more rustles of leaves. It fell on its side, braches braking in half.
Sun shown through the newly opened hole. He noticed the sun getting lower. “I think a bell has past…” He said with a happier sigh.
Seiki looked around, then noticed his own tracks. He turned and started walking again. He felt happier, even though, if Gempa didn’t find anything… For the next meal or two, there was only bread and butter to eat.
Seiki sighed again, tired now. He continued on the path he made.
Not aware of the other tracks…







SEIKI SLOWLY MOVED HIS ARMS from his side to the back off his head. He looked back up at the canopy of branches and leaves. “Only four times before…” He thought to himself.
What an idiot. He was in the middle of the forest, like the next five or two steps would change the scenery.
Seiki kept his gaze, and started to day dream.

He was standing tall, with a sword filled with diamonds, and jewels. The handle made entirely of gold…

Yeah, right. Like he would never master this style in this life time.
Seiki thought about the style. It had no name. Gempa wasn’t very thoughtful, was he?
He played around with words in his head. Seiki also noted the feeling of using it, and what it did.

Almost home, he still had nothing. He held up three fingers to himself. “Well, it has to have three words.” He paused on the trail. “Like that matters!” He laughed at himself.
He sighed again. “I guess I never really thought, how boring it was here.” He mumbled to himself. Never having a better life, he couldn’t compare.
Well, he could…But his old life ended with just death…
“Kinda wish that Gempa would travel more. I heard just a few towns over there’s tons of things to do.” Seiki mumbled to himself, again.
“Such a boring life…”
He paid no attention to the braking of twigs, mistaking it as his own noise.
“Then lets end it for you!” An angry voice called out.
He spun around. A man stood in front of him. He wore a button shirt, a few buttons at the top undone, showing some of his chest. Plain pants, dirtied with mud and dried dirt.
“W-Who…?” Seiki took a step back.
The strange guy laughed. “I’m your worst nightmare!” He pointed to his forehead, where a fresh black tattoo stretched across.
“What’s…That…?” Seiki stared at the tattoo.
“It’s a reminder, to me and everyone else!” He paused and laughed at himself. “A reminder of my rank!”
“…Rank…?” Seiki repeated stepping back again.
“My rank, in The Organization. This line, means I’m a Page!”
“Page…?” Seiki pictured knights and pages. “That’s lame…” He said thinking out loud.
“Lame?!” His face turned a little red. “I’ll show you what’s lame!” He yelled pissed off.
The guy grabbed his right bicep with his left hand. “I’ll teach you to make fun of me!” His right leg pushed off the ground towards Seiki. Within an arms length he pushed his arm forward, aiming at Seiki’s stomach.
Seiki watched helpless as he made direct contact. Striking into his stomach, with a piercing blow. The blow knocked him off his feet and sent him through the air. Still in the air his stomach lurched and knotted. The fist stayed deep in his stomach.
Seiki hit the ground hard and rolled over to his side. The guy landed on his feet a few feet in front of him.
On his side Seiki coughed and heaved up his last meal. The man laughed. “Now do you see the power, of just a Page?” He walked over to Seiki and picked him up by his shirt collar.
“But one punch isn’t enough for that insult!” His fist tightened on Seiki’s collar as he started to repetitively punch him.
The punches now where much weaker, but still hurt after a few punches to the same spot.
After Seiki started bleeding from the nose the guy threw him to the side. “Your useless. Just like that damn Blacksmith my Leader is taking care of.”
Seiki’s eyes widened, and jaw dropped. “B-Blacks-smith…?” He mumbled out.
“Well, you can still talk? Yeah, some useless old Blacksmith started back talking my Leader.” He laughed. “But why should I tell you about it?” He kicked Seiki in the side and spit on his feet. “Your not even worth it…”