Board Thread:Konoha Logs/@comment-24937485-20161121035102/@comment-24937485-20161121184118



His grip around her loosened upon hearing the syllables of a name he never expected to hear that identified the culprit behind Seika’s death. His body froze up completely; every inch of his body was gripped by an immediate cold sensation that clung around him in what seemed like an everlasting moment. Everything happened in slow motion from that point on as, driven by grief and disbelief, his mind conjured the images of Keldran. –You were supposed to be the hero with a heart more true than anyone else. Your sword swung with the devotion of one who’s formed bonds that run deeper than the roots of the mightiest tree. I saw it with my own eyes. So how… how can this be?-

Seika, Hitomi, Kinshi, Yasu. He saw all of their faces in a slide-show, remembering each and every one of them during happier times and then remembering where they were at now.

Coming back to his senses he notices to be holding empty air while tears welled up in his grief-struck eyes. Everything seemed so surreal to him yet the expression on Sachi’s face showed that this was not a joke. He read no lies or betrayal in her words, nor did he see it in her face, so why did it feel like such an unbelievable thing? Why did something feel so wrong?

-She loved you, she loved you so much that even I could feel it back when I saved her in Sunagakure. A part of me might’ve even helped her because of you, because of the nightmares that our swords cut down together. But now my sword is no more.-

He gazed down at where his left prosthetic arm was hidden by a long sleeve.

-And like my skill of blade, your love seems to have vanished too. But what kind of monster was it that has taken it? What kind of darkness could drive you, Keldran, into such a state that you’d turn on the things that matter most to you, even your village?-

Kei’s mental discussion only took a sudden halt when he was presented with the bloody cloth. It was at that time that the realization of what position he was in finally dawned onto him. He couldn’t let himself slip into depression, no, never again. He had grown 'beyond' that.

The weirdest thing happened as he clenched the torn of cloth and pocketed it. He smiled. He smiled and bowed to both Sachi and then her mother. The tears stopped welling up and as he straightened himself again there seemed to be a newfound sense of hope and devotion painted in his eyes.

“I promise you, both of you, I will find out what happened. But Sachi, if you ever choose to go after him alone all you’ll do is bring more grief to your clan and family.”

He then looked around at all the clan members who were looking at the scene.

“Everyone here relies on you, or soon will. There is no room for vengeance, when there is so much love to give and receive. Seika owed me a debt, a debt I want you to fulfil by being there for your squad, village, and clan.”

Then turning his gaze up at the sky he continued.

“Instead, allow me to carry the burden of revenge for my soul can be tainted by its mark no more. I will be the one to find Keldran and bring him back to answer for his crimes. Or I’ll die trying.”

Setting his gaze on Akiko, he showed utter conviction as he spoke those words while a haunting wind blew past them all. A haunting wind that’d give anyone the chills and for a moment, in what might’ve been nothing but a trick of the mind, Kei thought he heard Eito’s ominous chuckle somewhere in the background. But as he turned around he realized that it was nothing more than his sub consciousness playing tricks on him, alas, so he thought.