Revelations

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Just a quick thread wrapping up some loose ends prior to the FQ.

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Two months the lone rebel of Akashima had been on the road. Two months he had been away from his family and loved ones. These had been the longest two months of Hayate Amatsukami’s life but finally his journey had come to an end. After his time spent in Radasanth, meeting the Brotherhood connections and repairing his weapon, Hayate had finally made the trek through the Underwood and made it to Whitevale. This was the small township that Lord Osiris and his partner had set up as the main faction headquarters for the Brotherhood. It was also the place the rest of the Amatsukami should have fled to.

The one-armed man was met with little resistance as he entered town. A quick flash of the Brotherhood patch he had sowed into his robes and he was through the main checkpoint. He caught the muffled whispers of the soldiers questioning one another about Hayate. He thought he heard them mention Shinsou and that they’d been expecting his arrival for some time now. It was flattering but not what he wanted to hear.

“Excuse me?” Hayate said as he placed his hand on one of the initiate’s shoulder turning the young man around. The others he was talking to glared his way as Hayate turned the man round. “Where are the refugees from Akashima?”
The young boy paused for a second trying to rack his brain searching for his answer.

“Where is my clan!?!” He yelled at the top of lungs as he shook the man rattling the man’s head in his helmet.

“Settle down,” one of the other two men said as the leapt onto the young Amatsukami as he threw a punch knocking out the first soldier. “Who are you looking for?”

Soon the sounds of a scuffle filled the street as man after man came to the scene. Hayate didn’t know what was going on or why he was so angry but in this moment all he wanted to know what where his kin were. With his only arm the Akashiman warrior fought off the soldiers around him.

“They should be here!” he said again as his fist bashed in a set of nice white choppers. Then a larger man appeared behind him wrapping his arms tightly around Hayate’s waist. The large man lifted Hayate up before pile driving the swordsman into the ground. With a loud thud his head hit the cobblestone and Hayate drifted into unconsciousness.

Hayate awoke in a cold sweat firmly bound to a wicker chair in a dimly lit room. His sword rested against the corner of the room barely visible by the faint wax candle next to him. The swordsman thrashed around for a bit before the splitting head ache encouraged him to sit still for a moment.

“Let me out!” he yelled despite his head feeling like it was going to pop.

From the darkness he could make out the outline of a small door and from the lack of windows Hayate assumed he had been placed in some kind of holding cell. With his sword only feet away from him he deduced that his outburst, which he only faintly remembered anyway, mustn’t have pissed anyone off too badly. After everything he has been though all Hayate wanted was to see a familiar face. But the moment he set foot in Whitevale no could tell him anything and looked utterly lost for words seeing a foreigner.

“Where is Shinsou!?! Where is Lord Osiris?!?” he continued to yell, his anger begging to boil over. His entire life had changed in a misguided attempt to find freedom. They had a deal. He would give himself to the cause heart and soul and in exchange they would take the Amstsukami in as refugees. He held his end of the bargain. Where was his clan?

“Oh shut your mouth,” a voice broke from the other side of the door broke Hayate from his tantrum. “You’re in no place to ask question. If it were up to me you would be court marshaled.” The voice left as quickly as it came and again Hayate was alone with his thoughts.

Yamanto,… Hayate telepathically called out to his sword. Faintly his Nodachi began to resonate and pulsate with a red aura as if it two was feeling the same thing as its master. This was the first time Hayate’s sword had responded to the man since his fight with Hiruzen. The young Amatsukami was frozen and stunned seeing that his partner hadn’t perished. It’s good to see you again.

He spent the next few hours in the holding cell before anyone else came by. Hayate heard a number of heavy footsteps coming down the hall before they stopped in front of his cell. With a loud cling the lock on his door was removed and light cascaded into the dark room. The sudden brightness burned Hayate’s eyes and as he winced he could make out the outline of three figures.

“Hayate Amatsukami,” A gritty voice rang out as the first man stepped into the room. He was a tall knight clad in full armor. This must be the guy who knocked the young man out earlier. Was he here to make sure Hayate didn’t try anything stupid again? “Lord Osiris has informed us that you are to be released at once.”

“It’s about time,” Hayate said as he raised his head to make eye contact with the knight. “Where is the bastard?”
The man mean gazed intensified as he walked closed and began undoing the bindings on Hayate’s wrist and waist.

“He isn’t here, but wants you to meet with Mitchell Vogahah.” He went on as he finished untying Hayate.

“Does he expect I just do everything he tells me?” Hayate said as he stood up and quickly retrieved his sword from the corner of the room.

“There are some things Mitchell needs to tell you.”

“I hope its good news.” Hayate didn't get his hopes up. By now he already knew something was up when the locked him in here. And it scared him even more not seeing anyone who looked like they were even from Akashima. Had everything been for nothing?

“What do you mean they never showed up?” Hayate slammed his hand against the wooden table that thankfully separated him from the buffoon in front of him. He violently whipped his hand to the side sending papers and other items flying as his eyes started seeing red. The man before him noticeably grew more and more white as he delivered the bad news to the young lord. “How could this happen?”

Mitchell, as he introduced himself, stood from his chair and walked to the other side of his office. Hayate had been released from his holding cell on Shinsou’s orders. Despite Lord Osiris not being currently present in Whitevale he had already arranged everything for Hayate to meet with Mitchell and discuss the recent developments. The book elf was a shorter man, a scholar really, and as he waddled to the filing cabinet behind him he continued to listen to the young lord’s rant.

“They were supposed to rendezvous with Brotherhood operatives outside the Illian Marsh,” Hayate said trying to remember the plan down to the detail.

“They never arrived, Lord Amatsukami.” Mitchell said as he slapped the report down in front of the man. Hayate swiftly took the parchment into his palm and read over it with anger in his eyes. It stated that the team responsible for receiving his clan never made contact with them. In fact it went on to say that upon further investigation that the exit to the tunnel system they were using to escape had been caved in on this side. The final statement mentions no signs of stragglers or survivors, but also no signs of fighting of conflict.

“Hiruzen!’ Hayate yelled as he chucked the report across the room. With heavy feet he stormed out of Mitchell’s office and out of the barracks. He didn’t know where he was going and didn’t care as long as he could get away from people for a moment. After a short walk he found himself in the outskirts of town beside a large lake. As he reached the water’s edge he looked down into his reflection. The calm stillness of the water was abruptly disturbed as the swordsman’s tears caused a ripple.

The news was hard to hear.

He stood there at the water’s edge for what seemed like ages. This wasn’t the first time Hayate had lost someone and he was brought up knowing that the world was a dangerous place. But never had he imagined that he would be the cause of his clan’s extermination. A swell of emotions billowed with the man as he let them all come rushing out. Nothing could have ever prepared him for this.

Hayate Amatsukami, Yamato spoke out for the first time since his injuries. The last of the Amatsukami, Inheritor of pain, you know the truth.

Just then Hayate was teleported into some kind of dreamlike state. He could see Akashima and the Akatsukami estate. He could see the Shogun’s army as they bombarded the area with mortar fire and arrows. He could see himself and the Corpse King defending what they considered to be their home. Hayate could see as Hiruzen tore off his arm.

Then Hayate could see the Corpse King fleeing. Running as fast as it could to get away from the Shogun. Running to save Hayate’s life and preserve what little it could of its master’s dignity. Hayate watched as the beast traveled for hours until I collapsed just outside the Lolitches’ farm house. Suddenly it became clear why the Corpse King had been gone for so long. Yamato fought even after Hayate had been defeated and was the reason the last Amatsukami was even alive.

Thank you my friend. Hayate telepathically said to Yamato as he blinked back into the present. we will make him pay for this.

Hayate had decided that it was going to be his life's mission not only to kill the bastard Hiruzen but also to make sure nothing like this would ever happen again. He declaired it his dream to see the world not run by corrupt people instead to see a world run fairly.

Days had passed since Hayate found out about the horrible fate of his Clan. He hadn’t spoken to anyone or attended any of the Brotherhood meetings. Hayate neglected to even eat as he felt himself begin to wither away. His entire life had changed in a matter of months and Hayate couldn’t fathom the gravity of everything. He though giving up his arm for freedom was hard but nothing compared to the loneliness he felt.

On the brighter side of things Shinsou had set Hayate up with a small estate that he had made just for the lone Amatsukami. Located about an hour’s walk from Whitevale Hayate lived in this custom made Akshiman styled manor making it his own when he wasn’t stricken with overwhelming grief. As one could imagine this was a slow process and despite the generous donations he had been receiving the manor remained mostly empty.The days seemed to blend into one another as Hayate drifted farther and farther into depression.

What’s done is done, Yamato said as he and Hayate rested in the Amatsukami’s dark chambers. Dwelling on the past will only make you weak.

It was my rash judgment that caused this. Hayate thought back as he pulled his thick blanket over his head. If only I had gone with them into the escape tunnels they might still be here.

You did what you thought was best, how could you have known they had discovered the tunnels?

It doesn’t matter what I thought.

It does, you acted in the best interest of your family.

And look where it got us. It was nice to have Yamato but it didn’t much lessen the pain Hayate felt from losing his clan. But if nothing else this lit a fire with the young swordsman. He had only one thing on his mind.

It took a while but Hayate eventually decided that it was time for him to address the Brotherhood. He felt in necessary to introduce himself properly because as fate would have it this was all he had left in this world, besides a burning desire to end Shogun Hiruzen’s life once and for all. So after he gathered the strength both physically and emotionally Hayate made his way back to Whitevale. The initiates at the checkpoint didn’t bat an eye at Hayate this time not even requiring him to present his patch to gain entry.

“Good to see you again Hayate” the one soldier said as Hayate walked passed him. He had a sour expression on so the Amatsukami survivor presumed he had been the one he clobbered the other day.

“Same to you punching bag.” Hayate said back cracking the first smile he had for a number of days. Come to think about it those had been his first words since he received the news as well, other than his dialogues with Yamato but that beside the point. It was nice to talk to someone, even if they didn’t like you much.

“Try not to get to punch happy while you’re in town this time.” He said shooting Hayate a death glare. “You won’t be let off with a warning next time.” Hayate found it cute that they honestly think they could take him down. That also brought up the question of how much did the Brotherhood know about him. Even Shinsou’s intelligence was limited to what he witness back in the citadel.

“Caught me on a bad day is all.” He tried to play it off but inside he felt the lowest he had ever.
Whitevale seemed like a nice little township. Its’s streets were filled with different vendors and other fascinating things. The large building in the middle of town acted like a barracks and main headquarters for the Brotherhood. Along either side of the street were houses and other industrious shops that catered to the people that lived here. It sure would have been a very nice place for them to settle down.

The inside of the barracks was rather large and was filled a number of different tiers of soldiers of the Brotherhood. As Hayate first walked in he saw Mitchell in his office to the right engaged with another member of the army. Presumably Mitchell was an advisor of sorts for the lower echelon of the Brotherhood. He must be given his orders from Shinsou or someone else from the chain of command and gad to deal with the lesser problems and headaches. Hayate thought about how he reacted in Mitchell’s office and assumed that he dealt with a lot of that sort of thing. He would have to come back by later and apologize to the little elf.

“Hey man, new around here?” a voice caught the swordsman’s attention. He quickly turned to see a smaller girl, maybe seventeen years old, standing behind him. She wore a green cloak and had her lightly bronzed hair in a tight ponytail.

“Yes.” Hayate answered as he looked over the girl. She seemed to be a spunkier version of recruits wandering around between missions and training session. “I just got here. That my estate up the road a ways.”

“Wow.” She said as she looked at the man before her. Hayate could tell she was judging him and based on his defeated demeanor he assumed she would have a hard time believing him. “So you’re Hayate then?”

“Yes,” he was surprised she knew him. He was surprised anyone knew him. “I’m just trying to get acquainted to this place, I come from-….”

“Yukon!” she cut him off. “You’re the guy who fought off the entirety of the Shogun’s forces singlehandedly!”

“You know about that?”

“Everyone knows about that, that’s why when you went nuts a week ago we tied you up. Couldn’t let you monster run loose in the streets now could we.”

“How, I just got here?”

She paused for a moment.

“Lord Shinsou and Storm are both well informed people. Through their network of informants they heard about it the morning after. We have all been waiting to see what you Avatar can do!”

Hayate and Beth, as he soon came to know, continued on for a while. Beth was a member of the Immortals, a delta force of sorts within the Brotherhood, and quickly let Hayate know that he had been chosen to be their next member. Shinsou had been impressed with Hayate and the Corpse King so much that he sent Beth to find him and deliver this good new.

It took time but Hayate started to feel like himself again. Well the version of himself from just before he learned of his family’s fate. Between his spirit partner being back, even if it was limited, and being part of a new alliance gave him a feeling of purpose. While the days still felt like one big nightmare they were slowly begging to feel real once more. But now all he could do was process what has happened and plan for the future. Hayate now spent the majority of his free time training in the part of town designated the property of Shinsou’s elite task force.

To your left! Yamato cried as Hayate spared with Beth and another of the Immortals. Hayate had been training hard to recover his abilities that had seemingly been lost to him for months now. Though he had tried many times before still his words of power didn’t activate the magic within his sword. But this didn’t stop him from showing why he was the newest initiate of the brotherhood.

As Beth raised her dagger and slashed at Hayate the young Amatsukami caught it with the hilt of his Nodachi before he used his strength to push he back off her feet. Hayate spun in a wide circle with his blade forcing his two training partner back a few steps. Both Beth and her partner were caught off guard a bit by Hayate’s expertise with his weapon and his ability to use it so effectively with only one arm that then never got close enough to even stagger the swordsman.

"That’s enough.” Hayate said as he spun his sword before sheathing it and latching it onto his back.

“How come you don’t use the Corpse King?” Beth asked as she panted heavily from the work out.

“If I used that you wouldn’t survive even a second.” Hayate smirked flaunting his power.

“I doubt that,” she said as she stood completely and offered her partner a hand up as well. “We are all members of the Immortals for a reason you know.”

This was true and Hayate did see a lot of potential in the Immortals but Beth simply had no idea what she was asking for. And he could bare to let anyone know he still lacked that power.

"Are you going to show us what you really can do?" Beth's request resonated with Hayate. He knew that in time he would gain his strength back and be at where he was before he lost his arm but until then this was the best he could do. Hayate continued to ponder her words the entire walk home and by the time he reached his new estate was determined to find a way to conjure the beast.

Hayate decided it was time to force it to work. He made his way to the green field behind his manor and drew his sword. He held it tightly in his hand looking at the ancient etchings down its length. He knew that he had it within him but had to find a way for force it out.

Yamato, The young lord telepathically said to his weapon. I can’t keep doing this, you need to work.

“Rise up!” Hayate yelled at the top of his lungs as he channeled his spiritual energy into his sword. The blade began to glow a deep red color before fizzling out. A bead of sweat dripped from his brow as he grew annoyed. He felt the combined stress of the recent months begin to weigh him down again but didn’t give up. He lifted the sword high above his head and cried out once more. But there was still nothing.

I need your power.

“Rise Up!” he tried again now putting all his energy into the sword. It glowed a bright red more vibrant than before. It grew brighter and brighter then all of a sudden shattered and broke into many pieces. The from behind Hayate a figure began to appear like a spawn of hell ripping and tearing its way to the surface. An Ethereal arm reached out from the ether and grabbed Hayate tenderly in its clutches before it assumed its true form. A massive twenty foot tall man clad in the finest of ethereal armor stood towering over the nearby trees.

I have returned my master.

REWARDS

Experience
-1014-

Gold
130