A Misguided Warrior’s Walk in The Forest

On a dreary night, where the moon ruled in the sun’s stead, a thick fog was casted upon a forest, deep within the mountains. Within this forest, an armor-clad warrior could be seen, walking a lonely path amidst the rampant fog. His fiery gaze from the golden eyes he possessed stared forward, housed in the face of a young man, with messy black hair tied into a ponytail. This warrior was unaware of the path’s end, yet ever watchful for what lies ahead.

‘They send me here…to kill a person that they could never find? I’m growing restless of the missions they task me with these days.’ Shugo wondered. He moved his legs at a steady pace, never yielding to even a moment of rest upon his never ending march. 

For countless hours, this was all he had done, and all that he could do in order to maintain his cover of stealth. His mission required him to find and kill a target, in this case, a monk that his masters have only known through written information. Essentially, Shugo was given a blind mission, with no crucial information related to combat, including any form of powers, that this monk may have had. In order for Shugo to best approach him, he could not use any form of supernatural power, only using his physical and mental abilities at his disposal. 

In the middle of his train of thought, what felt like time had halted for the entirety of his journey in the mountains, time resumed when the sound of footsteps made their presence known. Shugo cocked his head to the source of the sound, with his mind endlessly generating a plethora of thoughts.

‘Who’s footsteps could those be? A passing traveler? No…it sounds far too calm and fluid to be any average hiker.’

With each step drawing him closer, like a predator using their sense of smell to track prey, he kept a smooth approach as he waited to intercept the source of the footsteps. Eventually, he began to discern the human figure from the fog, seeing someone wearing a black kimono, along with a straw hat, with no form of equipment on him at all. Shugo denoted that this must be the monk he’s looking for, but at the same time, felt an unnerving sensation. The closer he approached the monk, the more he could detect a peculiar presence of mystery that shrouded the man in front of him, as if he was not meant to be here. Nonetheless, Shugo dismissed it, Slowly withdrawing his sword from its sheath without a sound. With each increasing stride, the sensation he felt haunted him once more. 

‘Why do they seek this man's death? He doesn’t seem to radiate anything at all. Almost like he possesses the mentality of a plant. How can someone this…mystical and peaceful, be a threat?.’ Shugo thought as he slowly began to question his mission.

Now within his blade's reach, Shugo utilizes this opportunity to strike. Grasping his sword in his right hand, he raised his sword slightly above his own shoulders. before vigorously swinging it towards the monk's neck. 

‘Maybe…just maybe…I should let him live…’ Shugo’s last second thoughts before and after the swing.

Fwoosh. 

The fog ran and the trees became bent as the shockwave from Shugo’s swing coursed through the forest. With the presence of an ice cold blade of steel, inches away from taking the monk's life, Shugo froze before it made contact. The monk, holding on to his hat, took notice of this moment of hesitation.

“You’ve halted your blade. Why is that?” The monk asked, turning around to face Shugo. He had a considerably built physique, estimated to be around his early 40s by the look of his face. However, when it came to his eyes, the monk had a calming gaze, like this was just another day to him.

“…” Shugo stood in silence as the monk answered. Was it a change of heart? Did he want to acquire information before killing a monk? Was he afraid or guilty of killing a monk? He did not know the answer himself. 

“If you are unable to answer that, then answer this. Why did you come here?” The monk questioned Shugo.

“I was sent to kill you on behalf of my masters.”

“And what is their reason for sending you to me?”

“They did not specify any reason, other than that you are a threat to their path.” Shugo replied. 

“And what will you gain from completing this?”

“A step towards peace…” Shugo proclaimed. His voice was that of reassurance, convincing himself this was indeed a step towards peace.

“Peace…you kill all who oppose your masters, For peace?” The monk concluded, putting a hand to his chin as he looked at Shugo. Taking a few seconds to assess the answers given, and the look in Shugo’s eyes, he saw something within Shugo that gave him his answer.

“I now know why your blade holds the weight of hesitation. Young man, I think you do not possess the sight to see through the fog before you.”

“Speak plainly, monk! I don’t have time for cryptic messages.” Shugo demanded. 

“You’re lost”. The monk answered, with only two simple words leaving his mouth.

Shugo looked at the monk quizzically, lowering his sword as he raised his left brow. 

“Lost? How so?”

“You are misguided by the ones you call your masters. The life you live, the path you walk, the goal you fight for, you are being misled. In other words, your life isn’t your own.”

“How can you be so sure of that?! How can you see that within me with just a glance?”

“I can see what others can’t, the things inside your heart, mind, and soul. Your eyes see something far away, far in an ocean of chaos in which you swim through it all. The method of obtaining peace that you follow will only continue to cause more harm, which leads me to believe you were indoctrinated into this way of thinking.”

A whirlpool of denial was set in motion in the warriors mind refusing to accept that he was manipulated. “No…no, this is the only path I have ever known, I have no other choice. After the slayers, even my own family, had the reluctance to even rescue one little boy, to save me, they’ve failed themselves, and now I bring hell itself to remind them of their failures.”

For a brief moment, The monk was silent, until that silence was broken when he bursted out laughing, placing a hand on his face as he did so.

“That must be the world's greatest lie!. Do you really believe that your family left you? That is far from what family truly is. Do you even remember your family? Or were those memories stolen from you as well?”

“Stolen?!” Shugo repeated. His eyes widened, like his heart was pierced softly with an arrow. Scrambling through his memories, in hopes that this wasn’t true, he closed his eyes shut to focus. He even put his free hand to the side of his head as he was making every effort to remember one member of his family. But then, he let his left hand go limp.

“I…I can’t…remember anything. I can’t even remember a face, nor voice of whom I would call my father, brother, sister, or mother…”

With all his efforts gone to naught, he opened his eyes, sinking into a sorrowful expression along with his face. The revelation that he had been robbed of something precious and important, caused him to feel no malice to the monk that stood before him, letting an ocean of despair drown him. He collapsed onto his knees with weak legs and loosely gripped hands, and his sword lying down in front of him in the dirt. Looking upon his reflection from it, with tears falling like raindrops from his eyes.

Standing near him, the monk observed as shugo became a broken shell of a man.

“It appears you have realized your truth. They tested you to see the limit of how far you are willing to kill, if you had the resolve to go extreme lengths in order to be an instrument to their way of ‘peace’. Yet here you are, drowning in an ancient sorrow that you weren’t allowed to even release. At this rate, you may have even killed your own family without even knowing it.”

Despite tears rolling over his lifeless face, he picked up his sword with both hands, holding it tight in his grip. It was the one thing he could hold on to in his life, and one thing he knew he could count on. Until this moment, where his heart and mind were unable to rely on its strength.

“Is this…anyway for a man to live?”

“No, your life is akin to a weapon being used by the wrong hands, in this case, you are the weapon.” The monk declared.

“Then, if I am a weapon, how can I be free?” 

The monk crouched down on one knee, placing a warm hand on Shugo’s shoulders. “You forge your own path.” The monk softly encouraged Shugo.

“How so?” Shugo shakily responded as he looked up towards the monk.

“You must understand there is more than one path to climb to the top of the mountain. And that mountain is your goal, dream, anything you plan to accomplish in this life. If you wish to fight for peace your own way, one that feels natural and righteous to you, you must abandon your current path. It is too early for someone of your youth to experience that darkness.” The monk answered before standing up, walking away with his back turned towards shugo.

Shugo picked up his sword. Slowly rising up as he watched the monk walking away.

“Your words bring peace to my soul, yet I do not know your name”

“There is no need to know. Carve the words I’ve spoken deep into your mind and soul. Even if you fail to do so, remember the same fire that you now feel when in doubt. Until we meet again” The monk declared, right before continuing his walk, eventually disappearing into the fog.

Still looking at the direction the monk went, Shugo didn’t bother going after him, acknowledging that brief encounter gave him wisdom that he wouldn’t have obtained in a thousand years. When he tried to remember the monk's appearance, mysteriously, it seemed as if it faded out of his memory. Even with this strange phenomenon, Shugo ignored it as his mind was set on something more important.

‘For all this time, fighting for 8 years…not once could I remember where exactly I came from. 2 years before that, they ‘trained’ me to become what I am. Perhaps in that period they psychologically manipulated me, but no more. My eyes are now open, I will see through their lies, and use the same art to deceive them, so that I may be free.’

Glanching to his left as he began to walk away, he spotted his previous trail of footsteps. Reminiscing on the previous mission he had, he averted his gaze and looked forward. Shugo then leaped into the air, ascending high above the clouds of the starry night and flying off towards the origin of his journey leaving his path behind, for he was no longer led astray.