A Game in the Shadows
When anyone on the road or passing by in town asks which city is the quietest, most tranquil in the entire nation of Antioch to live, anyone who knows their geography will tell them that it is Whisperwind, the Western City of Shadows. A population of no more than 2,000 and environmentally-potent, anyone who lives or stays in this city will agree that they were at peace; they felt protected and secure, even though, in a post-titanium age, the architectural technologies were inferior to that of the bigger, more advanced cities. One who enters this city will find that most, if not all, of the buildings here are made of wood, with partial stone to hold the foundation together. One thing that this city excels in, however, is the trade. As this is an environmentally-potent city, quite a large percentage of the herbs, spices, and lumber are distributed to the caravans that pass by. This is a far-western city, and as such, the far-eastern cities behind the International Date Line come to peddle their wares. With this, some of the far-eastern culture has "rubbed off" on Whisperwind: with the arms sold from the far-eastern lands, Whisperwind's military is comprised of assassins and samurais, excelling in both secrecy, power, defensive tactics, agility, and duty; the structure of the housing are more or less the same, being the traditional sliding doors and the pointed, gilded, and wavy roofs that shield the homeowners from weather conditions: their city, although governed by a triumvirate in the capital city of Dubai, has a ruling emperor that decides every aspect of society in Whisperwind, with his cabinet of advisers to assist. With such a rich, peaceful society and a thriving, potent environment, most citizens of Whisperwind are either newly-wedded couples with children, sickly or injured people that wish to breathe in the light, rich air for relaxation and health, and seniors and the elderly that wish to live the rest of their days in a tranquil society and in peace.
However, the city of Whisperwind herself isn't the focus of today's story; it is a particular building erected 2 miles south of the city's limits. It is an abandoned, ruined building, cluttered with dusty, webbed items with no use and left in isolation for none to experience. No citizen who has lived in Whisperwind for long has ever chanced upon peeking inside, for the building gives off a strange, dark, invisible aura that behooves the mind to beg their master not to enter. However, children under the age of 19 may be able to enter the rickety building if they so desire. All one must do is bravely enter the rotted door and find the trap door to the base. When in the basement, one will immediately spot a steel, bloody door, with the hand prints of failed attempts at opening said door that pulsates like a heart beat. Another humanoid figure will appear on the other side of the door, fully aware that he/she arrived. When the figure prompts, simply say "onix is the color of power" and the door will slowly, but surely creek open.
Inside is a dark, but illuminated cave with constant, echoing taps and paps of torch fire. Emerald-green flags with the image of a leopard body, a snake tongue, and vulture claws are hung from wooden poles in nearly every corner of the cave, stiff from the lack of wind guiding them. Stalactites drip moisture onto the ground, every drop echoing throughout the cave. The bottom of the cave marks a trail, made from bone scraps and wooden planks, that leads to the cavity. Following the trail to the cavity, one would eventually hear organic sounds, rather than the crisp of a torch or a pulsing drip from the stalactites. Such organic sounds are made from the mouths of human children, mostly laughter and gossip, and sometimes confirmation of a request. Inside the cavity of the cave, many children, wearing dark leather clothing are sitting down on a soft, smooth, marble stone floor with reddish-brown carpet draped over for friction and warmth. The children are all fixated on one humanoid figure, obviously much older, as his voice his heavier and bulkier, while his size is larger. His main wardrobe consisted of dark-leather clothing like the children, but his shoulders were two animal skulls sewed together, eye sockets facing the same direction as their owner. He wore an ebony-colored mantle that grew the entire length of his body. His boots were steel-plated, with bear fur protruding out the openings, with smaller animal skulls acting as the knee caps. His entire face, save for the brown eyes and the entirety of his tied-up, black hair, were covered by a masque, a steel-plated covering that had bright-red-painted stripes, whose bases were on each sides of his forehead and chin, while converged to meet the opening for his nose. He had a heavy build and his voice was stern, but proud. He sat on a raised platform that bore a ruby-inlaid, rounded throne that sparkled with the slightest touch of light.
This cave was home to the Dark Shinobi, the anonymous, 3rd-party warriors of Whisperwind, and the leader, Shojo Watanabe. The children that are with him are those that bravely entered the abandoned house and wished to train and study to become the fierce, silent fighters that protect the tranquil city.
Shojo rose from his throne and began to speak to the children. "Children!" his booming voice echoing so that every child in the audience could hear, "You have stood in front of the abandoned house in Whisperwind without a worry and entered the darkness without one shed of fear." The children rocked back and forth with their folded legs in eagerness. Shojo clutched his fists as a gesture. "Since you are so fearless as to step into the darkness to become Shadow's friend", he paused briefly, "you must also be fearless to want to control it and use it as a weapon. Either by curiosity or by wishing to become a warrior of the night, you have passed your initiation." A few children in the back exchanged excited words of 'accomplishment'. The leader gave his final words, then bowed, "with that, please follow me".
He grabbed a nearby torch next to his throne and motioned for the children to follow him. The group of children scrambled from the floors and hastily ran towards the leader in excitement, while others casually walked behind him, making sure their presence was within the lone orb of light. One such child was Mika Inoue, a 12 year old Whisperwind resident that has the eagerness for learning everything there is to know about being a Dark Shinobi. She had a slender, but strong figure, bearing long, auburn-red hair, combed backward to hide her ears, and a small, rounded face. Her eyes were large and colored a dark-blue, with pencil-thin eyebrows that had a chance of being hidden by her bangs when swayed enough. Her lips were slightly pursed, but open to reveal the full width. Her underclothes were of a smooth, maroon-colored silk, but wore leather shoulderpads and a tunic of a darker tan. Her boots that matched her top were long--it's length covered just higher than her calves. She wore no gloves, thus was unprotected by the sharp rocks that the cave yielded. Behind by a small crowd of kids following Shojo, she continued to walk, head high and proud of what she may be able to accomplish.
As the party continued, the light source from the throne room that once covered them grew dimmer. It soon became clear to the children that the only source of light that they would be able to see would be held in Shojo's hand. Everywhere in a distance they looked was so black, they could sleep with their eyes open and not know a difference. The leader glanced backward as the murmurs between the children grew louder. They were able to brave the abandoned house, but the constant darkness was getting to them; they started to fuss. "If you cannot keep your mind focused on the core environment around you instead of the black void covering them", Shojo spoke, suddenly grabbing the children's attention, "then you should not be here. Fear not, because in but a moment's time, you will be trained to be able to sense around you without being tricked by the covers of night." The fussing of the children stopped and was replaced by excitement. Not once was Mika fearful of the darkness, rather, she was highly intrigued by the covering. She scoffed at the small number of children that still whimpered from the lack of lighting.
They came at last to a great, man-made hall. The stone blocks were crusted, the sealant no longer able to hold them together. The entire area of the hall was many meters wide. Thin, translucent, teal-colored, cloth drapes were placed around the perimeter of the hall, looping every small interval. The party was presented with three stone slabs for doors, each presenting a different opportunity. They walked amongst themselves, peering at the rocky gargoyle statues that were mounted on every corner of the wall, each staring at the party with a stone gaze. The statues were positioned as the children were in the throne room: sitting down, their legs folded against the bodies, with their hands wrapped around them. Shojo casually approached the center of the room, a pedestal, which bore a small slot. He set the torch in the slot to set it in place. Immediately afterwards, he turned to face the kids and clapped loudly to grab their attention. The children then ran to encircle him, their minds in complete awareness.
"Okay children!" he spoke with his usual booming voice. "Now comes the task of actually training you to be comfortable with the shadows. In this first hall you see here," he motions with his right arm to direct them to the left doorway, "is a room to train your minds to embrace the darkness and to welcome it like it is a normal occurrence in everyday life. Inside is a maze--you will have to find the exit that will bring you back to this exact spot". Shojo points to the ceiling. The children to take the challenge could not see what was above, but the leader mentions, "Above here is a trapdoor that will bring you back here. If you manage to make it through, you will have passed this test and will be able to move on to other, more difficult maze challenges."
"What are the other two doors for Master Shojo?" asked a child in the front in curiosity.
"These other doorways are for other tests. Other older and more experienced students are immersed in other training exercises. They have mastered the shadows and are now moving on to actual combat." He waves with his hands. "But that is not important right now. For now, we shall take this test to see if you really can become a warrior of the night."
He jogs to the left stone door way and pushes with great strength, slowly moving the door to reveal pure black. "Each of you will individually pass through here to attempt the maze. If you have not passed the test within an hour, I will come through the door way and find you. When you are done, I will show you your rooms, which is on the right doorway. From here, you will sleep until you are able to master the shadows. You will be properly fed and taken care of until then. So!" He rushes back to the center where the group is. "Who would like to go first?"
One child with short, black hair and blue farming overalls stood up and ran to the doorway. "I'll go first!" he yelled enthusiastically.
"Okay, okay," Shojo called with a chuckle. "Before you go, however, there's one thing you and everyone else here needs to understand: The greatest Dark Shinobi knows that patience is his best weapon. Take your time with the maze--just be sure to finish within an hour so I don't have to find you!" With that, the child entered the other room, others peering over, as his silhouette soon vanished. Shojo then pushed the stone door over the cavity, giving the child nothing but pure blackness.
A short time soon passed. The entire party of children were scattered throughout the hallway, each engaging in conversation or playing sport of the hallway (a more-extreme version of hide-and-seek was instantly popular). Mika, however, was perusing around the walls, each feeling its texture and composition, giving Shojo, while he was sitting on top of the pedestal, a curious, puzzled look. She would first scramble around the walls with her eye open, then do the same with them closed--she was comparing how the experience was and how the same both ways were. She would then press her ears up against the walls. This made Shojo give, instead of a passing glance every now and then, to a full stare in her direction. "What does she hope to gain from this?" he thought to himself.
Suddenly, the trapdoor opened, and a child fell through with a cry. Shojo pushed from his seat and grabbed the boy, his expression of pure joy, mixed with fear. He set him back on his feet and congratulated him with "You passed the first maze test! Let me show you your room." He then opened the far-right doorway and motioned him in. Inside, the entire place was lit with torches and lamps by every bedside. Comfortable, feathery beds were lined up, wall to wall, with a pantry full of goods. The layout of the room was exactly the same as the hall full of children, but was highly decorated. The same flags bearing the Dark Shinobi banner were hung on the walls, draped over the columns. Bookshelves were against the wall opposite the beds, full of books of various content available to the children whenever they wished to read. "It is quite late", spoke Master Shojo," but the others will get their chance to sleep once they pass the maze test." The child walked inside and happily plopped himself on the bed and slept soundly. Shojo closed the entryway and jumped back in his usual spot in the great hall. By then, two others had passed the test; Shojo pointed them to where they were staying and encouraged another to enter the maze.
After the 5th child had tried, it was now Mika's turn. She immediately stopped gazing over the walls and entered the maze. She stepped a bit further, feeling the thin walls surrounding her, while Shojo trapped her in.
While most of the children were instructed to finish the maze, Mika did not. She instead proceeded to gaze over the walls and around the emptiness in the room like she always did. She would get a feel for her surroundings, press her ears up against the walls to know what was inside, but instead of proceeding forward, she would retreat back to the beginning. This process would continue, as she would try and move around the maze without touching a single speck of outside matter. Once she collided with a wall, she rushed back to the beginning. Remarkable how she would know exactly where the beginning of the maze was anyway! Back in the beginning, barely making a few meters ahead in the maze, she would test her surroundings, with her eyes open, then with her eyes closed. She made it quite farther than her previous record, but then hit a passing column in the narrow passage. She proceeded to move back to the beginning.
Master Shojo rushed into the maze with speed, but unexpectedly crashing into Mika, who was just farther than the entrance. Both taken by surprise, the two plummeted into the ground with a thud. "Girl!?" He yelled with such confusion. "It's been an hour and you're still here!?"
Mika, laying on the ground with her legs to the side, rubbed her forehead, groaning. "Yeah," her soft voice replied to the master, with a hint of pain from the fall, "I'm practicing trying to get through each corridor without touching a single wall".
"B-but you don't have to do that!" He exclaimed, his once deep voice slightly higher in pitch. "Only the most experienced of students should be tested with this--newly initiated students don't have to be run to rigorously! Now stop playing around and get through this maze, you're holding everyone else up!"
"The greatest Dark Shinobi knows patience--"
"Don't give me that!" He interrupted, obviously knowing what Mika was about to declare. "What good is patience when a great deal of time is wasted! A trained assassin must be able to venture through an unknown territory and finish his/her objective with just a moment's time! Taking too long in a mission would just sully their life!"
The girl then looked down at the ground, disappointed. The master then spoke, "look, just get this one test done. I will show you what my most experienced students have to do, which was what you were trying to attempt. Once you see it in action, you will realize that baby steps is more important." He then left the room for Mika all to herself again.
She pushed herself up, enduring the scrape on her arm that was given when Shojo collided with her. She then attempted to do what her master suggested, but then realized it was far too easy. She realized that, from the sound made from the outside walls, that she was in the heart of the maze. Her experience from taking a listen to the walls paid off, as she knew from comparison, where that wall would be located. She was many, many meters ahead, but only 5 minutes passed. Putting her arms out and pushing herself through the short passages in the maze, she wished for something more. She wished for something extra challenging. With that, she continued doing her usual perceiving, completely disregarding her master's orders.
It wasn't even a half an hour when Master Shojo burst into the maze. Instead of navigating the maze, he climbed up the columns that the maze was comprised of and flew after Mika. Seizing her by the head while Mika protested, he then pinpointed the exit, jumped through the trapdoor, and made for the middle doorway in a rush. Other children watched, puzzling, as he opened the door.
"Wait Master Shojo, I'll do what you want!" Mika begged, still being held by the head. Shojo scoffed and looked at her, his large hand turning her face to meet his.
"No, I have something better planned for you", he insisted. The two entered the doorway while Shojo slammed the door. Inside were older students inside their own dorms, much like the younger student's room.
"Whuzzagoinon, Master Shojo..." one older student muttered, while his sleeping was interrupted.
"Nothing that concerns you, child, now get some sleep!" he marched through to the other side of the room, where the other side of the door looked suspended. This door was made of glass, while the hinges were colored solid black. While this room was generously lit, what was beyond the door provided nothing, meaning there was nothing perceivable. Thus, the door gave the illusion of being suspended in air.
Shojo opened the door and thrust Mika inside. "You are going to learn the true meaning of speed, Mika!" he roared. "Inside the room you are in is a different kind of maze, one that my more-experienced students have to undergo. If you can make pass this test, I will gladly elevate you to the next level of skill." His expression grew more serious. "But right now, I only think of you as a disobedient, slow student."
Mika shrugged and began moving through the next challenge, perceiving the walls with her usual sense of curiosity. Master Shojo knew of this, however, and spoke with a hint of enjoyment. "Be warned though! This room is completely sealed off from the rest of the world, with this door and the trapdoor leading to the great hall as the only exits. As such, the oxygen levels of this room are greatly limited. One can only wonder just how much oxygen was allowed inside from the point I opened the door..." He slammed the door shut. "To the point I closed it!" he left the room with a smile on his face, chuckling to himself.
Mika, knowing full well the danger she was in, quickly navigated the maze, in a rushed hurry. She ran through all areas of the maze, running into the walls and tripping over loose rock more often than she wished. She suffered scrapes and bruises trying to locate the heart of the heart of the maze to find the trapdoor. A small break in a lengthy wall revealed that the heart was inside. She jumped through the wall, climbed a wooden ladder nailed to a stone pillar, and climbed through the small opening that would eventually lead to the trapdoor.
She plummeted through the trapdoor and landed in the great hall with tears in her eyes. Mika ran to the right doorway and jumped on an available bed, trying to hold back her sobbing as she tried to sleep.
The next day came a little earlier than imagined, as Shojo came into the dorm room and woke her up. "That was a magnificent job you did, Mika", his expression being a light smile, "Most of my older students could only manage eleven minutes, but you were able to complete the maze in eight! You will make such a great Dark Shinobi once you graduate!" Mika was woken up so quickly and so suddenly that she couldn't react in time to retaliate in anger. After hearing Shojo's words, however, her disposition of her master returned slightly back to normal, though she held resentment for what actions he did.
"Why did you have to do that so forcefully to me Master?" she asked weakly.
Shojo's expression weakened and he turned his face downward. "Mika, I really did not want to do it, but what you had to encounter in that maze was far less of a punishment than what would happen if you took your time in the real world. Far worse consequences would happen if you were spotted in a mission of if you took too long to navigate an area for people to wake up and notice you. This maze was only to enforce the habit of haste, though I must admit, I was very hypocritical of my words of wisdom. Clear, objective patience is important, yes, but haste is more. It depends how you look at it."
Mika's eyes widened up after getting used to being awake. It took a while to accept what he was saying, but she knew after he spoke that he was sincere and he didn't wish any harm to come to her.
"I guess you're right, Master" she spoke with acceptance. "--
"Your perceiving techniques helped greatly though," He interrupted once more. "You surely wouldn't have survived without the skills you picked up while in the initiation maze." He then turned away from her and reached for the door. "But this is why we do baby steps." As he opened the door, he turned to face her and announced "That's not your bed anymore, however. Your new bed is with the more-experienced students!"
Mika turned her head, puzzled. Shojo realized her confusion and simply stated "I'm sure the older students will watch your ever move, seeing as how a new student, years younger than them, knows so much more than they!"
