Hot sweat dripped from Ko's neck. He was exhausted; his hands bruised and bloodied as he endlessly struggled against the barrier, hoping he could find a way inside.
"Hah... Hah..." He panted, clutching the tanto Tamari had given him. "Come on, you can do this-" he said to himself.
He took a deep breath, "Alright, let's go!" running at the barrier he stabbed into it.
Hot steam and fire erupted from the point of contact, turning his blade red.
"Ngh... It's gotta work...Gah!" But Ko persisted.
The flames began to grow too intense for Ko, as they started to burn his hands and arms, he was nearing his limit.
"...I-I can't give up!" He shouted.
A mysterious blue light began to glow from the breastplate Ko carried. It crackled with a greenish electricity.
Suddenly, Ko began to tear through the barrier. "...I made... a promise-!"
With all his might he dug the blade deeper in, "...Tamari I'm bringing..."
He screamed like his lungs were going to explode; "...you back with me!!"
In a flash of bluish green light, the barrier shattered, releasing a cold wind.
Ko fell to the ground dropping his tanto. "Ngh..."
He laid there for a moment before a single snowflake landed on his face.
He struggled to his knees, gazing upon a winter forest stained with blood.
"W-what...?" He noticed a burning home, decimated by fire and debris.
In the middle of it all he noticed a woman, her Tomesode swayed in the wind, accompanied by her long crimson hair.
Within her arms she held a man, a white amulet hanging from his neck.
"T-Tamari!" Ko shouted.
He quickly got to his feet, running over; the forest began to disappear as he grew closer to them.
"Ah, I believe I have something that belongs to you...?" She grinned.
Ko took a defensive stance; "Nise... What did you do to Tamari!?" He shouted.
"Me? You're sorely mistaken, dear Ko." She spoke. "I'm simply returning something lost..."
Tamari's body was in shambles. His clothes were completely ruined, even missing the top half. His hair was clotted with dried blood. Among the many older scars that covered his body two newer much larger scars found themselves wrapped around his shoulders. As if his arms had been "reattached"...
"I've done all that I can for him..." She said, dropping Tamari. "The responsibility lies with you now."
Ko quickly recovered him, holding Tamari up. Ko noticed a large gash on his neck; it was puffy and soft, like the skin had just grown over.
"W-why are you doing this?" He questioned. "What do you have to gain!?"
Nise cold and calculating as she was, made a smile ever so innocent. "Everything. For both him and I..."
"Tch..." Ko didn't know whether or not to trust in the words of this sly fox.
Nise took notice of his uncertainty, "I'll leave you with a warning..." She spoke.
"There are many forces at play that would use Tamari to their own means; lest they have him killed first..."
"You mean the Noh Generals...?" Replied Ko.
"Perhaps, do make certain that he is to hold on to these..."
She held out her hand, materializing the mask of Otoko and Tamari's naginata from the purple smoke.
Ko quickly swiped them; "...Th-thanks..." he quietly replied.
Nise smiled back, "However..." her demeanor then changed; Ko could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
"Fear the name "Kyomu"." her words reaching deep into Ko's mind, ominous and foreboding.
"Kyomu? Who is he?" Asked Ko. "A Noh General??"
A purple fog began to cover Nise's body, "We the Noh Generals have so much to gain from him..."
"Hey- wait!" Shouted Ko.
"Yet, how much can you, from someone who's already lost everything..." she disappeared, leaving Ko and Tamari alone in the forest.
Ko's heart was pounding, "Hah... why- why did she..."
He looked down at the unconscious Tamari. "...Hah...hah..."
He placed his ear on his chest.
/Bu-dump... Bu-dump! /
"He- he's alive..." Ko slung Tamari over his back, his feet dragging along the ground.
"You've done so much for me; 'bout time I start pullin' some weight." Ko laughed.
"So don't worry, I'll always be there to pick you back up," he said confidently.
"That's a promise."