Chapter 8

“Toshiro?” Ryu stared in wonder at his rescuer.

“In the living flesh. Now, can I please just kill this fool and be on my way?”

“But, why would you rescue me? You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, Toshiro, he’s tougher than he looks.”

“Shut up, this’ll only take a second.”

Toshiro spun round, disengaging the enemy, and quickly sliced at him. The mighty swordsman’s arm fell to the floor with a loud thud as the sword slipped from it’s cold, lifeless, grasp and toppled over the edge of the stone connector, falling thousands of feet to the golden shingled rooftops below.

Xavier, startled at the swiftness of Toshiro’s moves, stared in awe at his sword as it tumbled into the great river far below.

“One should never take his eyes off of his opponent.” Toshiro scolded.

He thrust his blade deep into Xavier’s torso. The mighty warrior fell at Toshiro’s feet. He lie there cold and lifeless for a moment afterward as an awkward silence formed between Ryu and Toshiro.

“Um…thank you.” Ryu murmered embarrassed that his rival had come to his rescue.

“Don’t count on it again. “ Toshiro scoffed. He slowly stepped out to the edge of the connector, which silently bridged the gap between the two towers high above the golden rooftops of the great castle. He quietly leaped down onto the golden shingles below, dashing across the rooftops and landing softly on the lush, green lawn, which seemed to span endlessly across the landscape.

Ryu quietly pulled open the old, rotting door into the east tower. He stepped into a small study, which was brightly lit, much unlike the rest of the castle. Ryu concluded that Xavier must have been residing in the east wing after he had taken siege of the castle.

Ryu slowly made his way through the passages of the east wing, knowing that he was finally headed home.