Blasphemy
By Matthew Sibole
In a cold, gray room inside the king's residence, a trial was taking place. Seated at one end of a long, oak table was the king of Rimule. He was seated closest to the door, with two of his Talon Guard standing at attention behind him. The heavy door was closed for privacy and to thwart any escape attempt by the accused. Bound and gagged were the king's son, Mythos, and his new queen, Darien. The woman's eyes were filled with tears.
"They must be put to death!" screamed the red-faced king. Lejes Rimule was in no way beloved or merciful, he was known for his temper, weakness for the female form, and brutality. These traits did make him a tremendous conqueror and the land for his kingdom was torn from the grasp of Dai-Rynn by force and maintained a strong willed identity with the high kingdom of Northwind.
"Calm down, your majesty," countered the monk seated at the other end of the long table. Flanking him on either side was a ninja, both dressed in white, sleeveless tunics and armed with an assortment of deadly weapons. "There is no need to raise one's voice at such proceedings. I am aware of the consequences of your son's actions, but I am also aware that his reasons are not without a ring of truth."
"Ballocks!" Lejes gurgled. "The boy is insane with jealousy. He slimed his way into my bride's bed and you want to listen to his testimony! And because this young slut spread her legs for him makes it more than a pack of lies? This is a mockery. I shouldn't stand for this!"
"You have agreed to let the Order of the Stormcloud arbitrate this proceeding so there will not be an unjust conviction," replied the monk calmly. He didn't seem to get upset or flustered, which was why he was often the one chosen to hear the king's cases.
"UNJUST! THIS WHOLE PROCEEDING IS UNJUST! I AM KING!"
At this point, the two crimson clad guards began to flank the king. He nodded to the other two, holding the prisoners, and they unsheathed curved daggers. The Talon guards were well armed and feared soldiers, trained through physical and mental abuse to willingly lay down their lives for Lejes at his bidding. The ninja flanking the monk tensed, moving their hands to the hilts of their swords. The likelihood of death was rising by the second.
"Call off your guards, your majesty, or I will be forced to retaliate. You know that no action can be taken against a member of the monastery," the monk reminded Lejes. He knew that if he could talk him back down, that a compromise could be reached, but once blood was spilled, a war could be the result, decimating the Order of the Stormcloud.
"GO AHEAD!" Lejes taunted, kicking his chair backwards and slamming both fists on the table. "I'm tired of this bullshit! You have no sway over me or my kingdom. Get the fuck out of my house, my city, and my land. If your monastery is still inhabited in the morning, I will burn it to the ground!"
"That would not be wise," said a voice from behind the king. Lejes turned on his heel to see his guards lying with their necks slashed, bleeding out at his feet. He hadn't even heard them fall. Brandishing blades slick with blood and poison were two white clad ninja. The slight one with black eyes and nearly yellow skin showing from under his mask was doing the talking. The other was more muscled and looked to let his actions talk for him. Each of them appeared from nowhere. The guards that had previously stood holding the king's son and bride released their grips and held their weapons at the ready. Lejes held up a hand to stop their advance.
"Enough," he said, swallowing hard. He knew the reputation of the Storm Ninjas, but until now had never seen them in action. Now he was afraid. This was not his forte, he was a battlefield commander. In a close-quarters battle, he and his men could be quickly slaughtered while they waited on reinforcements.
The monk at the head of the table stood. "Your actions have convinced me that your initial judgment is clouded by hatred, embarrassment, and fear. These are not the tenants of justice. Therefore, Mythos and Darien will be escorted to the border by my ninja and set free, banished from Rimule for the balance of your life, Lejes. A divorce will proceed immediately, and then we shall depart."
"Unacceptable," sputtered the king. "How can you come in and overrule me? I forged this land with blood and steel. I allowed you to keep your hallowed hall within my borders, and now this is what you repay me with?"
"Untie the prisoners," the monk ordered. The ninja at his back walked to the pair, shouldering the guards out of the way, and sliced away their bonds. The arbiter unfolded a parchment and reached for a pen and inkwell on the table. "Darien, you will sign this decree of divorce, relinquishing any rights to your title or lands, and will be banished."
"What about my son?" she wept. "Malagant?"
"He will remain with Lejes," the monk replied with a brutal honesty. He was not taking sides, only serving justice. "The boy has no role in your betrayal of marriage."
Mythos put a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her without evoking more rage from his father. The older man seemed to burn with the very fire of Hell at the gesture.
"Your majesty, come and sign," the monk demanded. Darien stood at his side, still weeping. She married Lejes under duress, and the divorce was a gift, but so was the son she bore him and she did not want to let him grow under the king's harsh rule. She was only sixteen and had loved Mythos since they were small, hiding in the king's stables and sharing kisses under the moonlight. Now, she could be with the man she loved in spite of his father's interference, but she would never leave Malagant behind.
"Give him to me," she pleaded. "You have no love for your sons, only a quest for power. You will not live forever and when you are dead, Mythos will rule and your land will be freed. Let me raise my boy!"
Lejes took the pen and bent over to sign the parchment. "Alright, I will reunite you," he said through his teeth, and then with a swift motion he jammed the pen into her neck. The monk was a fraction of a second too late, grabbing the king's wrist after the end of the quill had pierced her artery.
"NO!" Mythos screamed, holding her as she gasped for air, blood spurting from her wound. Lejes wrestled free of the grip and smiled.
"How could you?" the monk stammered, astonished. He'd never known the king to act so savagely in his presence. He wasn't a butcher. Lejes had snapped, and the monk hadn't seen it coming.
The four ninja in the room stood in silence. They were used to death and knew her wound was mortal. To provide comfort for the dying was not their role, only to serve their god and their masters. Then, one of them stepped forward. He stood over Mythos, who was trying feverishly to stop her bleeding. Her skin was already turning pale and her breath was labored, but her eyes were still wide with fear and life.
"Rap her throat where the chest meets the neck," he said. "Put her out of consciousness. It is merciful."
"What?" Mythos cried. He didn't understand why they didn't help. He couldn't accept that she was dying in his arms. How could a simple pen end the life of his love?
"Hit her," he repeated, "it will make her pain stop." The ninja bent down and quickly thrust his thumb into her windpipe. Darien's eyes rolled back into her head, and her body went limp. She was breathing, but she was no longer feeling anything. Minutes later, the breathing stopped, and she was gone.
"All of you, out," Lejes commanded. "You may take the boy, but if he remains in my kingdom after tonight, I will kill him and anyone who travels with him. And I will also name Malagant my heir, so any attempt to claim the throne will be denied." He turned his icy stare to the grief stricken twenty year old cradling his dead lover. "You are dead."
"We will leave, but you are committed to this house for the length of year. I will make an announcement to your wife's passing from a premature birth and your grief, but if you leave your residence or if anyone enters, then the Arashi Shino-bi will kill you."
This decree took Lejes by surprise. Although he expected the monk to accept the fact the murder couldn't be successfully charged, he didn't expect the severity of the punishment. The two ninja that executed his guards made their way to his sides, flanking him like two deadly white shadows. He met the eyes of the monk, and knew that to challenge this ruling would end with him buried next to his bride under the guise of suicide. He'd crossed the line, and now he had to scramble back to save his life.
"I'll respect your wishes," he promised. "I'm sorry for my actions. I don't know what came over me. May St. Cuthbert forgive me."
"You lie and to evoke the name of my god is blasphemy," the monk growled. "You will hold no sway and your promises of death end now. If any harm comes to Mythos or Malagant, then I will reveal the truth of what happened here today to your peers in Northwind and your rivals in Dai-Rynn. Your kingdom will be set ablaze and your neck will be stretched in a noose."
Lejes gulped. "You can't."
"Try me."
The monk lifted Mythos by his arm to his feet, and led him out of the room with his two bodyguards in tow. The remaining two Talon guards kept their weapons drawn, not anxious to fight the remaining ninja, but knowing they would have to if Lejes ordered it. As the door slammed shut, Lejes moved to his guards and addressed his captors.
"You have no place here," he began. "Why do you follow the word of that simple Bengosha? He is not powerful. He is not wise. He is not even just. The boy should be lying in the same pool as that bitch."
The ninja who had helped her pass in peace spoke. "Do not speak of the events of this day. She died in childbirth and you are in mourning. If you deviate from that story, we will be forced to act."
"What do you care of the gossip of my kingdom?" Lejes retorted. "Once your precious judge has left, I will do as I please and you will allow it or die."
"Then you die first," the ninja replied, removing his sword from its sheath and holding it at the king's throat. "Your guards may rush me and my ally, and they may kill us eventually, but the poison on my blade will ensure you will join your wife in death but reside in your Hell for murderers." A hand came to rest on the shoulder of the ninja.
"Peace, brother," the other ninja pleaded. "The king has not been given justice today."
"Yes, noble warrior," Lejes agreed, sensing an opportunity. If the bold one wouldn't cooperate, then he may be able to get the other to betray him. "Lower your sword and listen to me. You need not serve those monks. You are not even tied to the same god! Serve me; I have riches beyond what you could imagine. You will serve me well in keeping my kingdom in order and distributing justice."
"You murder without cause or remorse," replied the smaller warrior, blade still inches from killing Lejes.
"As do we," replied his companion. "The Arashi Shino-bi are a shell of what they once were. We should serve a liege with a kingdom, not a bunch of monks with only philosophy to guide their actions. We should listen."
The other ninja turned. "No brother, it is blasphemy. Do not be tempted by his evil," he pleaded. The blade lowered and the ninja was tackled by Talon guards.
"Doku!" shouted his ally. His blade pierced the leg of one of the rushers and his other hand flung a shuriken into an oncoming guard wielding a crossbow. "Order his release!"
"Stop!" Lejes shouted. "No more blood. There are no enemies here." The injured guard limped away as the other removed the blade from his now useless shoulder. "Listen, I have a task for you. Prove your loyalty and I will make your clan rich enough to recruit talented warriors from every inch of my border and restore glory to your clan. If you refuse, then you will be allowed to leave in peace, but go you will."
He paused to make sure they were listening.
"Agree to kill my son," Lejes said. "I don't want you to raise arms against your fellow ninja, but once he is outside of their protection, end his life and I will reward you handsomely."
The ninja looked to each other. The smaller one shook his head. "No, Jasmath. Not for this liege. We will rebuild the clan together, but not like this. This is not the path our father taught us."
"Your father, Doku," the other replied, "my father couldn't be bothered with a son. This is the way. Our way. The Arashi Shino-bi way. Stay with me. Let us make this happen together."
"I will not murder this man's son for him," Doku replied.
"And I would murder a thousand sons for you, my brother," Jasmath countered.
"I'm sorry," Doku said, sliding his hand to his sword, intending to slay this tyrant where he stood and end this conflict.
"So am I," replied the other as Doku was sprung upon by several guards who had positioned themselves while they spoke. Doku was caught unaware and was beaten severely before he lost consciousness.
"Don't kill him, leave him to his monastery," Jasmath requested of his liege. "They serve a purpose, if only to legitimize your rule."
"True, my wise warrior," Lejes replied. "Then as a show of good faith to you, I will honor this first request. Now you are in my debt. For every deed you perform for me, I will honor another in gold or in favor. Agreed?"
"Agreed," the ninja replied. "I am Arashi Jasmath."
"Not anymore," Lejes replied. "You have outgrown that tired clan. Make your own destiny. You are sworn to me, and I will give you a name. Bow to me."
"But to forsake my clan is blasphemy," the ninja replied. The guards who were standing to each side of the ninja forced him to comply. Circling the kneeling warrior, Lejes spoke.
"You will no longer wear white. You will be clad in black. Your movements will only be seen by the crescent moon. You will be my eyes, my ears, and my instant retribution."
The king walked to his front and removed his mask. Lejes looked into the steely blue eyes of his newest minion. Returning the gaze was the perfect, stone cold killer.
"Rise," Lejes commanded. "Jasmath Shroud."