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justprompts - Begin - Heed the Call
Apr. 18th, 2010 02:24 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chosenloyaltyShuten
Yoroiden Samurai Troopers
540 words
Begin
Shuten felt anxious. He saw nothing in the darkness, but a sense of urgency jolted through him. It unsettled him.
He’d hoped to find some measure of calm in death. Even as pain had coursed through him while Arago claimed his life and armor, Shuten had sought the peace of death. Peace or torment, he’d have been content with either. But nothingness and a sense of restlessness suited no thoughts of death he’d ever had.
Metal clanged, and Shuten felt some relief. A moment later, the monk appeared, his blue and white robes flowing in a wind Shuten suddenly felt. His white hair fell across his shoulders, and his face was hidden under the straw hat he wore. Shuten fell to his knees.
“Kaos,” he whispered.
“You have come far, Shuten.”
“I—” Shuten’s voice caught in his throat. “I was unable to assist Ryo of Wildfire.”
“Your power revived his armor and healed his wounds,” the monk assured him. “The five Samurai Troopers live. As do the three Demon Generals.” Shuten looked up at him, and Kaos nodded. “Ryo of Wildfire saved them all. He delivered a crippling blow to the Netherworld and to Arago, but he did not destroy either. Arago will rise again, and the Demon Generals will battle the Samurai Troopers once more.”
“Then…” Shuten sighed. “It was all for nothing?”
“If this is where you stop.”
Shuten blinked. “If?”
“You have the choice, Shuten. If you will put aside the Demon Armor, you may take up my staff.”
“Your staff? But I am no monk.”
“The Samurai Troopers will need a protector. The staff will be wielded, no matter what you choose, but the choice is yours. Your path may end here, and you will find the empty peace that is death. Or you can awaken and stand by them once again.” The monk’s tone was warm but without judgment. His gaze seemed fixed on Shuten, but Shuten felt no pressure to choose one way or another. Not from Kaos, at least.
“Shuten!” A woman’s voice rang out.
Shuten turned his head and saw a woman. She wore a priestess’s robes, and her hands were folded in front of her, the very picture of grace. However, her face and robes were stained with blood. Her lips parted in the faintest of smiles, and her green eyes peered at Shuten with an expression he could not name.
“Who are you?” he whispered.
“Shuten, you promised me.” She smiled a little more and held out her hand. “You promised you’d come home.”
“Kaos. What is this?”
“I have no power here, Shuten. What appears, you have conjured. She is something you know, something you have forgotten in your service to Arago.” He paused. “She is your guide to death. I cannot will you to take my place. Only you may decide that.”
“Shuten,” the woman said again. “Come home.”
Shuten closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, he felt pain. His hand tightened around cold metal. He pushed himself to his feet and looked around. A simple wooden temple stood before him, protected by a thick forest. He looked down to see the robes of a monk upon him, and Kaos’s staff rested in his hand.
Yoroiden Samurai Troopers
540 words
Begin
Shuten felt anxious. He saw nothing in the darkness, but a sense of urgency jolted through him. It unsettled him.
He’d hoped to find some measure of calm in death. Even as pain had coursed through him while Arago claimed his life and armor, Shuten had sought the peace of death. Peace or torment, he’d have been content with either. But nothingness and a sense of restlessness suited no thoughts of death he’d ever had.
Metal clanged, and Shuten felt some relief. A moment later, the monk appeared, his blue and white robes flowing in a wind Shuten suddenly felt. His white hair fell across his shoulders, and his face was hidden under the straw hat he wore. Shuten fell to his knees.
“Kaos,” he whispered.
“You have come far, Shuten.”
“I—” Shuten’s voice caught in his throat. “I was unable to assist Ryo of Wildfire.”
“Your power revived his armor and healed his wounds,” the monk assured him. “The five Samurai Troopers live. As do the three Demon Generals.” Shuten looked up at him, and Kaos nodded. “Ryo of Wildfire saved them all. He delivered a crippling blow to the Netherworld and to Arago, but he did not destroy either. Arago will rise again, and the Demon Generals will battle the Samurai Troopers once more.”
“Then…” Shuten sighed. “It was all for nothing?”
“If this is where you stop.”
Shuten blinked. “If?”
“You have the choice, Shuten. If you will put aside the Demon Armor, you may take up my staff.”
“Your staff? But I am no monk.”
“The Samurai Troopers will need a protector. The staff will be wielded, no matter what you choose, but the choice is yours. Your path may end here, and you will find the empty peace that is death. Or you can awaken and stand by them once again.” The monk’s tone was warm but without judgment. His gaze seemed fixed on Shuten, but Shuten felt no pressure to choose one way or another. Not from Kaos, at least.
“Shuten!” A woman’s voice rang out.
Shuten turned his head and saw a woman. She wore a priestess’s robes, and her hands were folded in front of her, the very picture of grace. However, her face and robes were stained with blood. Her lips parted in the faintest of smiles, and her green eyes peered at Shuten with an expression he could not name.
“Who are you?” he whispered.
“Shuten, you promised me.” She smiled a little more and held out her hand. “You promised you’d come home.”
“Kaos. What is this?”
“I have no power here, Shuten. What appears, you have conjured. She is something you know, something you have forgotten in your service to Arago.” He paused. “She is your guide to death. I cannot will you to take my place. Only you may decide that.”
“Shuten,” the woman said again. “Come home.”
Shuten closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, he felt pain. His hand tightened around cold metal. He pushed himself to his feet and looked around. A simple wooden temple stood before him, protected by a thick forest. He looked down to see the robes of a monk upon him, and Kaos’s staff rested in his hand.
