Two years later.
Deep in the woods, the murmur of more than twe voices mingled with the crackle of a campfire. A boy sat on a flat stone, a plate of steamed momo in his lap. A small bowl of tomato-sesame sauce sat beside him.
Two strange, chibi-sized creatures, each nearly as big as as the boy head himself, were also eating. A third, a round turtle-like beast with a spiky shell and three stubby tails, sniffed at its food cautiously.
This was Isobu, the Three-Tails. The past two years of training had led to a breakthrough for Arthev, a surge of power that had finally allowed him to successfully manifest the third beast. Now, Isobu took a tentative bite of a momo and blinked his large eyes.
"Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu. How is it? Is it not delicious?" Arthev asked, popping another dumpling into his mouth.
The tanuki-like Shukaku, his mouth full, nodded vigorously. "Yeah. It is very delicious. Especially this spicy sauce. It suits my taste."
The elegant, two-tailed Matatabi took a more delicate bite. "Hm. It is good, as Shukaku said."
The third beast, Isobu, was a round turtle with a spiky shell and three stubby tails. He blinked his large eyes and grumbled, "It is indeed delicious. But the sauce is very spicy for me."
Arthev laughed. "Hahaha, sorry for that. Next time I will keep it in mind."
"Next time, bring fish," Isobu rumbled. "Proper food for a proper tailed beast."
"You're a beast of energy, not a river carp," Shukaku sneered, stuffing another momo whole into his mouth. "Be grateful you can taste anything at all."
"Quiet, both of you," Matatabi chided, her voice cool. "Arthev provided the meal. Show some grace."
They ate in comfortable silence for a while, the only sounds the hiss and pop of the fire and the quiet chatter from the other people in the clearing. When the food was gone, they simply rested there, the three summoned beasts contentedly staying by the Arthev's side in the firelight.
Just as Arthev and the beasts were resting, a shared tension went through them. All four became alert at once.
Shukaku was the first to speak, his voice a low warning. "Someone is coming!"
In three simultaneous puffs of white smoke, the beasts vanished, returning to the depths of Arthev's mind.
The sound of hurried, crashing footsteps reached him first, followed by the distinct whistle of an arrow cutting through the air. Arthev turned just as one shot past his ear, thudding into a tree behind him.
A graceful figure leaped over his head. She moved with a natural agility, tumbling through the air in a controlled somersault. As she passed, Arthev's eyes met hers.
Her gaze was clear and bright, full of spirit. There was a urgency in her expression, a sharp intelligence mixed with fear.
Plip.
A drop of blood fell from a wound he could not see. Arthev shifted slightly, and it spattered on the ground near his foot instead of on him.
The girl did not hesitate. She hit the ground running and dashed into the thick trees without a backward glance.
She is injured, Arthev thought, watching her go.
But he had no time to ponder further. In the next second, he was surrounded.
Several men in black emerged from the shadows,surrounding him in an instant. They held sharp blades, and bows were slung across their backs. The cold, focused intent radiating from them marked them as veteran fighters.
Arthev looked from the direction the girl had fled to the circle of armed men. It was clear now. She had been running for her life from these killers.
"Boy," a voice purred, smooth as silk. "Where did that girl run off to?"
A woman stepped from the ranks of the men in black. She was voluptuous, with long legs and heavy makeup. Her hips curved into an exaggerated hourglass figure, and her fiery red lips parted in a smile that did not reach her eyes. Despite the stark difference in their demeanor, one desperate, the other predatory.Arthev was struck by the clear resemblance in their faces.
"Before I answer anything," Arthev said, his grip tightening on the kunai concealed in his sleeve. "Why are you hunting her?"
"Well~" the woman drawled, tracing a finger along her lower lip. "I'm just trying to help my lost little sister find her way home. Hehe."
"Home," Arthev repeated flatly. "And the arrows? A traditional welcome gift?"
The woman's smile tightened. "She's... impulsive. We need to be persuasive."
Arthev's eyes swept over the dozen armed men. "I believe she's your sister. But this?" He gestured at the circle of blades. "This looks less like a family reunion and more like a tragedy in the making."
"Little brother," she cooed, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Knowing too much is bad for your health." Her hands flexed, and a faint purple energy shimmered around her fingertips, elongating into sharp, claw-like projections. "If you have no use, then do not be a roadblock. Step aside."
Feeling the cold murderous intent behind her charming smile, Arthev spun the kunai into a ready grip. The metal caught the firelight. "I'm sorry, but I have a problem with relatives trying to kill each other. Call it a principle. And frankly," he added, his voice turning hard, "I don't like your tone."
"Oh? A righteous defender?" She brought the back of her hand to her nose and inhaled deeply, her expression shifting to one of sinister recognition.
She raised her voice, calling out to the silent trees where the girl had fled. "Do you hear that, my lovely sister? A stranger is ready to die for you! If you do not come out, his blood will be on your hands! You will remember his face forever!"
Arthev let out a soft sigh. Hadn't the girl had enough time to get away? He really had no intention of a death match with these people.
Then again, they didn't seem particularly powerful. To his eyes, they were full of openings.
A rustle came from a tree not far away.
"Found you!" the woman exclaimed, her eyes gleaming. With a sharp wave of her hand, the men in black surged toward the sound.
"Wait!" Arthev's command cut through the air, freezing them for a split second. He looked at the woman, a cynical smile on his face. "You're not very bright, are you? That was a squirrel."
As if on cue, a small furry creature darted out from the bushes and up another tree. The woman's face flushed with fury.
"You! Kill this brat first!" she screamed, her composure shattered.
What happened next was a blur. A figure, Arthev moved through them with swift, economical precision.The air was filled with the thud of impacts, the clatter of dropped weapons, and short, pained grunts. In moments, every man in black was on the ground, disarmed and groaning.
He stopped in front of the woman, the point of his kunai resting lightly under her chin. Her clawed hands were still raised, but she didn't dare move.
"You were saying....what?" Arthev asked.
"Tsk. Just a bunch of weaklings," Shukaku's voice grumbled dismissively within Arthev's mind.
Arthev spun the kunai in his hand, not even winded. He looked at the stunned woman. "A killer with skills like that would starve to death."
To be continued.....i