"Alright, static discharge" yelled Doza, as electrical currents began surging through the house. "Two of them are chasing Kenos and the other eight are between my room and downstairs. Perfect." Doza grins, "I need to clear them out, at least enough so that I could grab the chest in the common room." Doza takes a deep breath "Those of us who fear death cannot wish to escape it".
Running towards the door Doza bursts into the hallway, immediately noticing two of his opponents Doza charges in. Grabbing the first one in the throat he performs static discharge once more frying him and tossing him into the other. "Here he comes!!!" Heard Doza from the remaining opponents downstairs. Keeping his momentum, he leaps from the left wall to the right wall focusing his zen on his second push aiming down the stairs, "Flowing lighting first step: Burst"
"Haa", Doza grunted, scorching the wall and transforming into what could only be described as a strain of lightning. Taking out three of his enemies instantly. His arm resting in the third victim's chest, he pulls it out shaking the blood off his arm. "Disgusting"
"Ahhh", screamed two of the three remaining assassins attempting to scurry away.
Doza chuckles, "Pathetic, Charged bolt", Doza points his finger to one of the fleeing assassins and focuses his zen on the tip of his finger releasing a strand of lightning. Dropping him instantly alongside the now lone assassin, Who had struck the other strangler with the swiftness of his katana.
"Who sent you", yelled Doza in a demanding voice, circling his opponent careful to not drop his guard.
"Doza Sango", said the masked enemy. "You know better than to ask those questions in our line of business. Two of my men should be closing in on that brat right now, give up and surrender your life.
" Doza laughs, "you should be worrying about imminent things in your life right now."
"Your arrogance will be your downfall", shouted the masked man, "Dance of the mute blade."
With the sound of both his breathing and steps now erased the assassin begins flinging himself towards Doza with a series of spins and twirls. In the middle of the onslaught, he unsheathed his second blade, attempting to catch Doza off guard. Doza avoids the compilation of attacks,
"I can't even hear the shortness of my breath", thought Doza. "It must be his zen release. Damn, I don't have my dagger, I'll have to counter him precisely if I don't, I'll end up cutting myself in the process."
Doza runs toward his opponent ducking under his blade. Doza takes in a deep breath closing his eyes, "I should still be able to sense where his next attack is coming from, regardless of sound." Doza, trying to focus his zen flips his body into the air, avoiding a low swipe from his opponent. The assassin hastily tries to fix his form, picking his arms up to swipe at Doza. "Iasunari", yelled Doza as piercing lighting coated his hands. Doza swings his arm at tremendous speed cutting the assassin on his chest. "Fuck I missed his neck", thought Doza.
The lone assassin stared at Doza with a look of anger and disgust while he held his wound. "So this is the thrill-seeking bounty hunter Doza Sango", the assassin blurts out stumbling on his feet. "To think it would come to this", he laughs.
"How did you find this location", said Doza, trying to intimidate the enemy with his voice.
The masked man removes the cloth covering the bottom half of his face to spit. "We've been tailing you since you last left the hunter's tavern.'' The assassin puts his smaller blade in his mouth, quickly dropping his free hand into his utility bag grabbing a smoke bomb, Myutorumu (mute room), he yells throwing it on the ground.
Doza squats down and puts his hand to the floor, "where is he? Static Discharge," Doza emits electrical charges from his palms using them like radio waves. There! Shouted Doza, conjuring another Iasunari, lunging at his opponent. The assassin stared in awe as Doza emerged in the smoke, the Iasunari positioned at his neck until finally, Doza decapitates him.
"No time to relax, where's that chest?'' Doza looks around the ransacked room. "These people have no class", he sighs, moving to the middle of the room. Kneeling, Doza cocks his right arm back, "Huh" he grunts breaking the floorboards. "Still here he thinks to himself, I should grab a couple more things for the road and the kid. If Kenos managed to get himself kidnapped by those two scrubs I'll kill him myself", said Doza with intensity in his demeanor.
(Kenoses' perspective)
"Ughhhhh Doza, next time I won't let you dodge my questions", said Kenos running towards the stables.
Kenos begins to hear leaves and sticks break in the distance.
"Oh great, I was followed. Sad to say but if I go to the stables now they'll overpower me, and if I run out of the house's barrier I'll be susceptible to the cursed wisteria vines. Hmm, I could use that to my advantage. "What did Doza say again?' Kenos pondered, "My greatest weapon but here they'll only show me lies.''
"Oof",
"It's now or never, thought Kenos running out of the estate's barrier. "Bite me" he taunts, scrunching his face.
Kenos run until his pursuers are out of sight and the wisteria trees begin to thicken up. "Here should be good enough''.
Kenos then closes his eyes and makes his way to a wisteria tree, climbing its trunk and perching himself on one of its branches. "If they'll only show me lies here I won't use them", thought Kenos.
The Umbrage clan has multiple estates planted in the cursed forest of this world. The story of clan Umbrage begins in this very forest, the Forest of Wisteria. Where they decided to use the wisteria forest and the curse attached with it to shelter its people. The sway of the wisteria tree vines would mesmerize all who looked at them while they swayed. The clan developed many techniques and abilities to traverse through the wisteria vines. Other than this estate Kenos has only visited one other which was the home he was born in.
"He went in this direction," said one of the assassins tasked with capturing Kenos.
"Let's move," said the other following close behind. "If we don't let the vines touch us we won't fall under its curse.''
"Good there off my trail, now I just need to get back.", thought Kenos as he tried making his way down the tree. "Where the hell is that lower branch.''
*snap*
"crap'',
Kenos falls off the tree branch and for a split second, he opens his eyes.
"Well that hurt, '' said Kenos, picking himself up and rubbing his back.
Jogging back to the stables he begins to hear the two men screaming in the distance.
"Sounds like they've fallen to the forest's curse.
Damn, this really sucks", thought Kenos, "I didn't even get the chance to grab Doza's gift."
"Just then a figure made of what appears to be dark energy emerges in front of him, not being able to make out its description. Kenoses' body intensifies, every hair standing on end, "What the hell, I was careful not to look at a single vine while I was up there. You're not real?" yelled Kenos.
"Hmph, The last remnant of the true ruling clan will you suffice, or must I bide my time in hopes for another. " said the entity as it erupted into a black smoke incasing Kenos. "No matter, either way, a life of turmoil and disaster awaits you child.''
Kenos kicked, punched, and jolted with all his strength screaming for help to no avail as the ghost was intangible. He began witnessing visions of the past present and future unable to make any of them out, eventually seeing only darkness.
"Kenos" he heard coming from a familiar voice,
"Kenos", called the voice even louder.
"Get yo ass up we in some serious shit right now".
"Huh", said Kenos in a daze rubbing his eyes together. "It's too early for training Doza", he continued nonchalantly.
"Get to moving", demanded Doza as he drags Kenos by his collar. "You wanna explain to me why you were passed out when I gave you instructions. Stuff like that is exactly why I still have to treat you like a brat. Did you even handle those guys trailing you?"
"Yeah, as you can see I led into the deeper area of the forest" Kenos explained while helping Doza fill their wagon with supplies.
"So you ducked the fight", Doza laughed.
"Nah nah" chuckled Kenos, "I just wanted to handle them efficiently."
"Yeah whatever," said Doza.
"As to why I was knocked out", Kenos strains his face trying to make out what happened. "I think I fell into the forest's curse", he explained. "I can't quite make out the illusion it showed me.''
"It's a good thing I got to you when I did", said Doza. "Who knows what would've happened if I didn't pull you out of the forest's grasp. I managed to grab a couple of things out of your room for you", said Doza as he brought out the velvet sack once again.
Rummaging through it Kenos made a grim facial expression,
*Gasp*
"My game, thank you Doza!!" He shouts. "O yah and my books", he said in a little lower tone.
"Don't mention it", replied Doza, latching their noble steed Noir to his wagon.
"Got to bring this out of retirement too", Doza passes Kenos his mask and hooded cloak as he slips into his coat, "Let's move", said Doza motioning for Kenos to get on the cart.
"Where will we go now?", asked Kenos adjusting his wolf shaped mask, accepting that the home he knew for the last couple of years was now gone.
"I'll figure something out", sighed Doza as he put on his dreaded mask , "I always do. You should get some sleep", Ken, will probably be on the road for a while.
"Okay" replied Kenos in a monotone voice.