Nightmares
I gripped the handle of my new sword nervously. I stood
"He sent ninja!" From the trees, they charged silently at us. I drew my sword tensely and stepped forward. I was stopped by a firm hand on my shoulder. "Not yet. Stay close to the wall," he said. "They are
"Father, we cannot allow them inside..." He replied without hesitation. "They cross this doorway when we are all dead. And if they reach him... we all die." I nodded silently and looked back into the darkness. They creeped in the shadows as they approached. A flash of lightning brightened the area long enough for us to see four men. There would certainly be more on the other side, but we trusted our men. I looked down to see my blade shaking, and I steadied my hand...the thunder was deafening. "Now," He ordered. The three of us charged into battle. Another bright flash as we
attacked nearly blinded us all. The black assassins had short swords
drawn as we engaged them. To my surprise, I was not overwhelmed in the
battle. I anticipated every move. I was well prepared and expertly
trained. I was much a soldier as my father. I heard the voice
of his
"Hasumi! Abunai!" Behind me, I heard the sound of colliding metal. I turned to see that my father's sword had deflected a star. My eyes met his and I nodded in silent acknowledgement of a lesson learned. Watch your back... I bolted after the man who had thrown the star, and our swords met.
As we fought, he spoke. "Your master is already dead," he hissed. "Your
men have failed!" My anger was beginning to win over my mind.
I was more concerned with hurting him than defeating him. I quickly
"Your words mean nothing to me, ninja," I responded as I slashed at his chest and the sword fell from his hand. Seconds later, his body dropped. I turned to see the rest of the battle and rejoin the others. The other man still battled one of the ninja. From the distance I could see the assassin slash his leg. As I ran closer, my father reached him first, and dropped the man in black. Glancing around the battlefield, I could see that we had each killed one. My father helped his friend up and walked him back to the building's entrance. "Father," I asked. "How many did you kill?" If he answered, the thunder drowned out his voice. Something was not right. There were only three bodies. I looked up as another flash of lightning revealed a man behind them. "Father!" I was too late. As the assassin planted his dagger deep
in his back, my father dropped his friend on the ground. I slashed
through the ninja's body, leaving two dying halves of a man... then rushed
to my father's side.
I looked at the sickening pool of blood forming beneath him. "Yes, Father. He is safe..." His hand fell from the back of my head, and his life ended. An eternity passed as I gazed at his lifeless face. The wounded man, whose name I cannot remember placed his hand on my shoulder and said "He could not have been more proud, Hasumi-san." There was another flash of lightning... I awoke with such rage that I shattered my coffin, and sat in silence for the rest of the day. When I could feel that the sun had set, I rose to my feet and stepped into the adjoining room. I stood before my master's sword and bowed my head. "Master, the dreams persist. I cannot exist this way. The
pain is too great. I must find it, Master. I must remember what drove me
to exist... what made me alive once. If
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