At the time of dusk, when sunlight met the horizon the second time of the day. Birds stopped singing and went back to their nest. Children ran back to their homes and the city begin to light up.
Among the forest lies a segregated sanctum owned by a private family named Sora, the families built and expand the area for generations turning it into a sacred garden. The Sora family live to accomplish one purpose, which was taking care of the garden for the royalties and the royalties only.
*tingx* The sound of their sword clashing together echoed from the garden towards the streets. Both Nagano and Ryou breathed heavily as they pressured their sword onto each other, draining their energy bit by bit. Nagano held both of the swords like an "X" to block a heavy strike from Ryou diagonally.
Nagano bent his elbows and pushed away with a little energy he has left inside him.
" You liar." Nagano said.
Ryou ignored him and concentrated on his breathing.
"Someone trained you."
"I don't quite follow." Ryou replied.
"Father gave us a jade locket respectively to find a great samurai master, but you're the only one holding the jade locket when you return."
"Maybe my master doesn't want the locket."
"No one turns down the emperor's jade." Nagano spun using as little force as he could to hold the sword and let the weight of the sword slammed onto his sword weakened the powers on Ryou's wrists.
Ryou slid his sword on Nagano's making amber coloured spark appear as he gets closer to Nagato and threw a kick to his chest. The impact was strong enough to drop Nagano to the ground.
Ryou placed his sword on his throat lifting Nagano's chin. "You're finished."
"Do it."
" Come clean to father and you will serve your punishment for Hatsu's death."
"I say do it! I framed you for his death and sent a royal guard to kill you! Now it's your turn to take my life!"
" Where is the cloth that you're going to use to frame me?"
Nagano chortled.
"You maniac! Where is the cloth?"
"Oshita..."
"We're taking it back!" Ryou pushed his blade closer to his neck.
Nagano grabbed the blade tightly with his left hand. " Do it...kill me." Blood spurting out dripping down from the sword.
"I'm not like you, I don't kill my own family."
"Argh!" Nagano struck the dagger onto Ryou's calf and the sudden pain made him loosens his grip on the sword.
Nagano quickly stood up and thrust his sword towards his stomach. Ryou can't think a way to stop his attack but to hold onto the sword with his bare hands.
As Nagano pushed his sword, Ryou took a step backwards involuntarily until the back of his body met a tree. His hand slowly pierced on the blade cutting the flesh deeper and deeper, he knew if this last any longer he would lose most of his fingers.
"Time's up Ryou." Nagano looked at Ryou biting his own lip as his whole body trembles.
"I'm not afraid of death... I'm not...mother ...I'm coming to see you..."
"Weak." Nagano leaned in rapidly increasing the weight of the sword shoving through Ryou's body.
Ryou let out a final scream and watched Nagano step on his head pulling his sword out.
He watched the sky turn to a blanket of darkness, pitch black and nothing else. He felt the stinging on his chest. Tears slowly formed in his eyes. He felt lightness he had never experienced before. No emotions, no thoughts, no pain as his soul leisurely slipped out of him.