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War Of Shadows	By : TurtleNinja Category: +S through Z > Samurai Jack Views: 3353 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai Jack, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 35
- 36
- 37
We reappeared high above the rough northern seas. I could feel the force of the waves battering us, but I could not feel the water touching my skin. I reached out, wondering what was separating us from the water and found that Chimitsu had encircled us in some sort of magic bubble-shield. Without a word, we began to descend into the waves, the shield keeping air in and the water out.

The last time I had passed this way, I had nearly drowned before I had reached the Triseraquin City. I shuddered at the memory of my initial arrival, remembering how I had nearly been delivered to Aku. Had the Triseraquins not changed their minds, I would not have been in this bubble with Chimitsu now.

Pushing those memories aside with a sigh, I looked around through the bubble, and saw the city straight ahead. But this time, it seemed oddly quiet, almost deserted. I swallowed hard, feeling a mix of fear and dread rise in my throat at the sight. Were we too late?

Chimitsu guided the bubble through the area, but there was nothing, nobody to be found. It was so dark and silent, that I felt as if I were walking through a graveyard. Nothing moved, not even so much as a manta ray transport.

As I looked around, I knew that the sea creatures had fled, either out of fear or to escape certain doom. I shuddered at that thought and saw that many of the towers and protective bubbles of their buildings had been shattered, sending another cold chill down my spine. I felt sick to see that some of them had been toppled to the ocean floor, lying dark and empty without any signs of life to be found.

They had not been here for some time, which meant that they had either fled...or been destroyed.

One building remained relatively untouched, but darkened, even as Chimitsu guided the bubble straight towards the wall without any sign of stopping. I closed my eyes and braced for impact, but it never came. When I opened my eyes, I found that we had ghosted through the wall, something I did not look forward to repeating anytime soon.

Once we had touched down on the ground within the domed building, the shield disappeared and we were able to breathe in the air filtered through the building. From within, I could see through the clear bubble-ceiling to what was left of the city. Places where bubble-buildings lay on the ocean floor, some shattered atop their spires, and other spires broken where there should have been a bubble-building atop it.

She walked directly over to the enormous computer panel along the wall, pressed a sequence of buttons, and activated it. I did not understand what all the buttons did or how it even worked and hoped that Chimitsu did. She certainly seemed to.

I stayed where I was, keeping one hand on the handle of my katana at all times. I dreaded to think of what had happened here and prepared for a potential attack. Without anyone else here and no clue what had happened to the Triseraquins, we had no way of knowing if we would soon be under attack, or if the threat had left long ago with the residents.

With a shower of sparks, the computer rumbled to life and the room lit up. The flat holographic console in the middle of the room sparked and protested before activating as well. Holographic images flickered between Chimitsu and myself from the console, trying to replay some sort of scene before us.

It was difficult to make out what they were with the constant static interference. The images flickered in and out, the computer having difficulty keeping them going, but somehow, it managed to keep them clear enough for us to see what had happened here. The security cameras must have recorded the attack as it happened and the computers still worked enough for us to see it.

Over and over again, the images of the explosion tearing through the room played, the bodies of the Triseraquin operators being instantly vaporized into nothingness with horrified, pained screams. I could not understand their native language, but I did not have to. In the background through the windows, I could see the shadowy form of Aku looming over the city, smashing towers and blowing up others. Women, children, civilians, warriors, it mattered not whom he struck.

I could not hear their screams, only those of the technicians in the security tower we now stood in, but I could see them. I could see the horrified looks on their faces seconds before they were destroyed, running in terror in hopes of escaping.

They had never had a chance to fight for their lives, to defend their underwater city. They were wiped out in a single instant. I stood there in shock, unable to move or think, barely even able to breathe. All I could do was stare as the images played over and over again, the horrified screams assaulting my ears.

I squeezed my eyes shut tight in hopes of blocking such horrible images out, but it was of no use. They seemed burned in my mind, my very soul. I swallowed hard, feeling myself tremble with pain and rage as the shock began to melt away.

I knew exactly why Aku had come here.

As I had feared, the entire race had been obliterated by the vengeful hands of Aku himself, paying them back for the last time we met here.

Finally, the computer shorted itself out in a shower of sparks, darkening the room again as the images faded. Chimitsu quietly walked over to me, one hand resting on my shoulder. I said nothing, staring at the spot where the holograms had been.

One by one, my allies were being wiped out.

"Jack...you couldn't have helped them." she whispered, remaining very still where she stood a half-step behind me. "This far under the ocean, we couldn't have known that anything was going on here. Especially if Aku attacked so swiftly that they couldn't send anyone out to find you."

I squeezed my eyes shut. I wanted to speak, to curse myself, but the guilt was too heavy. I knew I could have done something. Even with fighting all the other Dark Elementals, there had to be something I could have done to prevent this.

"We have to move on." Her soft voice broke my thoughts and I realized that my fists were clenched at my sides so tightly that I could feel my nails biting into the skin of my palms. "The only way the lost souls will ever rest is if we destroy Aku and we can't do that down here."

I swallowed hard and forced back my emotions, taking a deep breath and letting it out again. It did not immediately help. "I thought they would be safe from harm down here," I managed through clenched teeth. The anger and sadness welling up inside me choked my voice. "I had chased Aku off once before...and he has never returned to a place he fled from.

I looked to her and read the concern and sadness on her face. For a moment, I was unable to continue.

"I know, Jack," she whispered, stroking her fingers lightly over my shoulder in an attempt at comfort.

I looked away, not feeling any better.

"He knew I would come back here," I continued, feeling a fresh wave of anger at the mere thought of "him". "That is why he always left them alone after I drove him out."

"Apparently he learned otherwise," she sighed sadly. "Perhaps he knew that you were occupied and attacked at the last moment."

Her hand dropped to her side and she looked away.

"I don't know why he did it. Perhaps he knew that you would seek them out for help and decided to remove them, to diminish our side a bit."

My head snapped up and I looked at her, realizing that the Triseraquins were not the only ones at risk in our absence.

"Chimitsu...if that is true," I began hesitantly, a new wave of emotion settling on me. "Then the Triseraquins will not be the only ones left out in the open unprotected."

She shook her head, seemingly unconcerned.

"If you're worried about Extor and the others, relax, I..."

"Take us to the Highlands."

For a moment, neither of us of us spoke. Extor and the others were safe in his hidden, protected base, but Duncan and his clan, their castle was out in the open. I could only imagine what Aku or his Dark Elementals could be doing to them at this very moment.

Her eyes widened and without another word, she wrapped her arms and wings around me and made the jump. I fell to my knees for a moment upon arriving, the cool air washing away the dizziness I felt. I did not give myself long to recover before standing, looking up at the towering castle. It was as dark and empty as the Triseraquin City.

A cold sweat rolled down my spine. We were too late. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, trembling with fear. I dreaded to see what I feared we would find within those cold stone walls.

"Jack..." I turned to Chimitsu and saw that she had already taken a few steps toward the darkened castle, weapon in hand.

She paused, waiting for me as I drew my katana and followed. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a tiny flicker of hope remained, and I prayed that Aku and his emissaries had left this place alone. I would not be able to forgive myself if he had not. Not after gently brushing off Duncan's help when I had last left this place.

Chimitsu hung back a step as I passed her, eyes scanning for danger.

"It is too quiet here." I whispered.

Chimitsu nodded slightly and watched as I approached the heavy wooden door of the castle, pushing it open. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I stepped inside. I could feel the sorrow and pain in the air. I could smell it; the scent of death and destruction. But at the same time that it made the air so foul to breathe, I could tell that it was only lingering effects of a spell cast and dispersed long ago. It did not rest so heavy on my chest as it had in the jungle and the Woolie village.

Darkness permeated the castle and chills ran up and down my spine as I stepped inside. I could feel Chimitsu right behind me, but her presence did little to calm my nerves. As soon as the door had closed behind her, a magical orb of light flared up, illuminating the castle's dining hall. I felt my breathing stop.

My katana lowered as I suddenly realized how heavy it was. Involuntarily, my grip loosened, and I nearly dropped it. Horrified shock set in as my eyes moved over the room and the dozens of still, lifeless figures. Nothing moved. Nothing breathed.

I staggered a few steps forward, feeling the bile creep up at the back of my throat. There was no blood, or visible sign of injury, and a distant part of my mind was grateful for that. Perhaps they had suffered less. At any rate, I knew for a fact that the sight of my friends' blood spilled over the room would have taken away my will to live right then and there.

And yet, if there HAD been a sign of a struggle, would that not have been somewhat comforting to me as well? These men were the bravest warriors I had ever laid eyes on, and they never stood a chance to defend themselves. Angus...Connor... My eyes traveled slowly over the crowd of vacant corpses. All of them...gone. Simply, utterly...dead.

I stumbled to one of the bodies, still wide-eyed with shock as I dropped to my knees and felt his hand. It was cold, dead flesh that my fingers touched. Any hope that I had possessed vanished in an instant, and I stumbled back to my feet, trying to catch my breath. My heart pounded in my ears, drawing any conscious thought as I felt my katana nearly slip again, and tightened my grip around the hilt.

I stumbled blindly toward the kitchen, following Chimitsu's orb as I pushed the heavy door open. The eerie silence was broken only by the sound of my gasped attempts at breath. The stoves had died out, the once bright, bustling room blanketed now in cold silence. Death lingered in the air, invading my nostrils and squeezing the air from my lungs. I could feel its icy grip around my heart and choked back another wave of nausea as I saw all the bodies. Deirdre...Heather...all the women that had been working in the kitchen. They were gone.

I fell back against the doorframe as my legs threatened to give out from under me. The pain was so intense, so fierce, I could hardly keep my hold on consciousness. He had taken the women of the clan as well? How...? How on EARTH...? How could he justify such a thing? They never would have fought him; they would not have been able to. To take their lives so mercilessly as the rest was an act without even the slightest hint of honor.

But there was no honor here. There was never any honor when it came to dealing with Aku. He had taken them, their very lives from them, as a matter of hurting me. He had used them like disposable items just to drag me out, to bring me to my breaking point and destroy me. He had murdered them!

I swooned as I heard Chimitsu's soft footfalls echoing in the large hall behind me. She paused every few steps, checking each one of the fallen. There was no breath of life in any of them; I knew that. All around me was death and nothing more. She stopped behind me and I felt her hand slip into mine and squeeze tightly. I was unable to return it. I could hardly even breathe.

"Oh, Jack..."

She was breathless, as horrified and pained by this sight as I could feel that I myself was.

My eyes opened and I saw the destruction again. I shut them. It took a few tries before I was able to face the sight, and finally, I managed to turn to face the woman beside me. Her eyes were clouded with unshed tears, and her breathing came as staggered as my own.

Footsteps. Heavy, slow, footsteps.

Instantly, my katana was raised. It was only once I had assumed a ready stance that I considered how on Earth my body had responded so quickly. Chimitsu once drew her nodachi from the sheath on her back and stood beside me, braced and ready. I felt my heart pound, the adrenaline in my veins fueled by the spark of anger that was suddenly there to replace the anguish. I knew who was heading towards us, and with hands shaking around the hilt of my sword, I WELCOMED the approach. I wanted nothing more than to tear the creature who had done this, this ungodly DEMON who had done this, into a million tiny pieces.

"Duncan!"

The familiar figure stumbled towards us, out of the shadows. Chimitsu's weapon clattered to the floor as she lunged forward, catching him as he collapsed.

It took me a moment longer to respond, but I hurried to them as soon as I could make my legs cooperate. I dropped to my knees, suddenly feeling a tiny flicker of hope. He was alive. Duncan was alive!

He turned his head toward me and my hopes shattered. I could see the death in his eyes, the clouded vacancy as he tried unsuccessfully to focus them. He had been taken by the spell, too. Somehow, he was still alive. But barely, and only temporarily.

"So sorry, laddie...she struck...so fast..."

His voice was raspy, choked...so defeated. I felt my heart break as I reached toward him, sheathing my katana with my other hand.

"Shh..." Chimitsu whispered "We will get you to a doctor..."

"It's t'late fer that," he choked as I desperately, hopelessly tried to find something to do to help. "I'm only alive because she wished it."

She wished it? That thought stunned me. She had wished for him to live? Was it only to suffer more?

"Why?" I questioned.

My hands shook slightly as I took his hand. There was nothing more that I could do. Chimitsu cradled his head in her lap.

"So ye'd know what she'd done here."

My stomach turned. So he had the answer to the question that had been nagging at me since the moment I had laid eyes on the scene. He knew what had happened. He had lived through it, if only to tell me...

"What...?" I choked, barely able to form words. "What has she done?"

His eyes faded and he closed them, turning his head away. Panic set in unexpectedly and I gripped his hand harder.

"Duncan!"

"Came at night..." he breathed, reassuring me of the life that was still in him. It took me a moment to listen to his words for my intent concentration on the sound of his voice. "Late...we were tired an' drunk, 'bout to retire..." He coughed slightly and I felt his grip flex just slightly as he heaved a few breaths. "Swept through th' castle like a plague..." he finally managed between struggled breath.

Defeat rested so heavily on him, I could feel its weight even on me. He forced his eyes open, his gaze locking on mine, and I felt grief shoot through me as I suddenly saw all of the raw emotions he was trying so hard to mask. His life wsa slipping, the light in his eyes growing dimmer, and I felt that same panicked protest rise up in my chest.

"You are all right, Duncan," I tried desperately to reassure him. "You will be all right..."

"They all fell..." His eyes turned to the ceiling and he stared blankly at it, growing more and more distant with each shallow breath. "Watched 'em as they collapsed where they were. There was nothin' we could do to stop it..."

"Duncan, we will get you help," Chimitsu said softly, realizing as I was that he was fading.

"Forced me t'watch them go, then struck me, too."

I doubted that he was listening to either of us. He seemed so distant, as if he could somehow separate himself from the pain.

"Wanted me 'live long 'nough t'see the two of you."

I held his hand tighter and his eyes turned to me, coming back into focus.

"She kills with 'er touch," he breathed. "Controls when 'n where ye die..."

I nodded, if only to appease him. For as long as his eyes were on mine, perhaps I could reach him.

"Duncan...please do not give up."

His eyes slid closed again as he sighed in defeat.

"I'm sorry..."

A spark of anger flared up inside of me. Not at him, or even at the Dark Elemental who had done this, but at myself.

"No," I stated firmly. "I should be the one that is sorry."

"We didn't have a chance to fight..."

I gritted my teeth, trying to choke back my emotions.

"I should not have left you all here."

"Her spell struck before we 'ad a chance to reach our swords..."

"I should have come back to fight at your side!"

"Even took Dee and the others...women..."

"Damn it!"

"...all the women as they worked on cleanin' the supper dishes."

My entire torso shook as I felt the weight of all their deaths come to rest squarely on my shoulders.

"This is all my fault..."

I was quite sure he did not even hear me. He was somewhere far away, lost in his own pain.

"My Muffin's gone...the whole clan gone in a blink of 'n eye..."

I dropped his hand as my internal anger turned to rage.

"I never should have come to this time! I should have died then!"

"Jack..."

Chimitsu's soft voice did nothing to ease the searing pain in my soul.

"I should never have been born in the first place! All my life has ever caused anyone is death and pain!"

Suddenly, I felt his hands clench the front of my kimono. I resisted the urge to tear away from him and forced my eyes to meet his, well aware of the anger and self-hatred he would surely see there.

"Now don' ye be blamin' yourself for all this," he ordered, his voice firm and determined. "I don' ever wanna hear you blame yourself like that 'gain or say that you wish ye'd never been born. Tha's not the Jack I know."

The rage mingled with sadness took away my ability to respond.

"Pull yourself together, lad, an' do what ye always do in this world!"

Even as he was breathing his last few breaths, that feisty Scottish spark was in his eyes. Even as weak and choked as his voice was, he still spoke with authority.

"I know I'm a dyin' man right now, but I swear that if ye ever give up on yourself and your quest, I'll come back an' give ye the thrashin' of a lifetime that ye soon won' forget, y'understand?"

I could not promise him that. I could not even promise myself that I could find the will to continue, or even to live. Something inside of me yearned for the peace my death would cause. People were dying in my name, and that was a responsibility I could not bear. But for his peace, I nodded my head.

He breathed out, eyes sliding closed as he turned his head away, finally releasing my kimono.

"Don' let them die in vain, laddie," he breathed. "Ye and your angel girl..."

He cast a lingering glance and a forced smile up at Chimitsu.

"Both of you, fight on. We don' want you t'mourn us forever."

His eyes turned back to mine, tired and sad.

"The only way we'll ever be able t'rest peacefully is if you destroy Aku. If ye give up...this world won't 'ave any hope left."

He tried again to raise his hand, but found that he did not have the strength to clench my kimono again. I took his hand instead in mine, and he grasped it tightly, dim eyes pleadingly locked onto mine.

"Swear to me ye won't give up," he whispered, his voice fading as his strength drained away. "...that you'll fight...and...destroy that...demon...for us."

I swallowed hard as his breathing became more shallow, his life fading away. Bitter pain rose up again in my throat. I wanted to promise him, promise them all, but I was not certain that I would be able to follow through. It was all just too much for me to bear yet.

"I promise, Duncan-san," I lied, the words burning my lips. "I will see Aku fall or die trying."

It felt so wrong, so dishonorable to lie to him. And yet I knew he would not leave me in peace if he did not believe the words I spoke. He smiled weakly, relaxing a bit more againt Chimitsu's lap as his eyes slid closed, his voice dropping to a barely audible breath of air.

"Don' forget us, eh?"

"I will not forget the bravest man I have fought with here in this world."

That, I knew was true. Never in all of eternity would I forget him or his clan.

His eyes opened slightly and he smiled softly as I gripped his hand more tightly. For a moment, he appeared to have more to say, but his strength faded away before he had the chance. I suddenly felt his weakened hold on my fingers go completely slack, and death settled over him like a dark, peaceful blanket.

For the first time, I felt tears well up in my eyes as I held his limp, lifeless hand. Chimitsu cradled him against her chest, sobbing quietly as I bowed my head low. There was a peace to his departure and yet...it was so wrong.

I felt cold, as empty and lifeless as the bodies around me. The tears that had threatened to overflow were fading now into a pool of complete and total nothingness that was gathering inside of me. He was gone, and his blood covered my hands.

I could never forget them, but the memories were so painful to think about that I found myself shoving them into a back corner of my mind, covering them with a blanket of numbness that rested over me. His memory would live there in me; that promise I would never forsake. But although I had given my word that I would fight, that I avenge him, I knew deep inside that I had lied. I could not breathe for the anguish of his death, much less fight.

Even when I had been thrown into the future, even when I had learned of what had happened to my parents, how they had died from overwork and despair in Aku's mines... I had never thought anything could hurt more than that pain. I knew now that I had been wrong. I had been horribly wrong. Nothing had ever struck so deep a chord in my emotions as to hold my best friend's hand as he died. And to know, deep inside of me, that it was entirely and completely my fault that his life had ended so abruptly.

Off to the side near the stairs, I caught sight of a shifting shadow. The ghost of death approached, her hand outstretched to take away the last breath of life from my friend. I raised my eyes to the Dark Elemental. But somehow, I could not find the will to stand, to fight. No doubt, she had been watching us, letting Duncan say what he had lived to say before cutting his life short.

It was Chimitsu who stood, her weapon instantly back in her hands as she stood braced between us. I watched her with a strange sort of detachment as Duncan's last words played over and over in my mind.

"Swear to me ye won't give up...that you'll fight and destroy that demon for us..."

But they did not motivate me, even in the face of the demon he had spoken of. I could not rise and take up my sword. It felt pointless and although a part of me screamed for justice, I knew I had already lost the battle.

Chimitsu was angry. I could feel her fury from where I knelt, beside Duncan's lifeless body. I could see the cold, sadistic glint in the enemy's eyes, even as Chimitsu attacked, her blade biting into the floor. The Dark Elemental hovered back up the staircase, towards the upper levels of the castle, like a thief of souls.

I spared one last look at the body lying beside me and followed. I did not hurry, though a part of me felt that I should. Rather, my feet dragged, my eyes fading in and out of focus as I approached the second floor and watched them with a distant, detached amusement as Chimitsu stood face to face with her.

A soft laugh cut the air as the Dark Elemental backed away, never speaking a word as she hovered there, waiting for the attack to come. I could not help but wonder why it was me she was looking to and not the one who stood before her armed and ready for battle. I certainly had no will or strength to reach for my own blade. I only stood, completely devoid of any feeling as Chimitsu faced her, apparently waiting for the right moment.

"Who are you?" I asked, marveling at the amusement in my own voice. This woman, this being, this demon had just slaughtered my friends...and I felt nothing but empty numbness.

She stood with her robes wrapped around her like a dark cloak, her pale skin standing out like a ghost in the darkness. Another soft laugh filled the air and she hovered away as Chimitsu drew close, still intent on her destruction.

"I am known by many names, samurai." she answered softly, her voice emotionless.

"I need only know one." I replied quietly.

"Fuki," she replied. "The Elemental of Death."

"You massacred them," Chimitsu growled, her voice choked with anger. I could not remember even hearing so much emotion in her voice. "You sent all these innocent men and women to their deaths with a single spell! Not even a second thought!"

"Indeed." Fuki nodded calmly, smoothly.

Chimitsu growled audibly, but did not strike. I studied her for a moment, then looked to her opponent.

"Why?" I asked.

"It is my nature, white warrior," she answered me. "I exist to kill, to bring death indiscriminately to mortals like yourself."

I considered that for a moment.

"Did you do so on order from Aku or of your own free will?"

"A little of both."

I felt a faint flicker of sadness inside me, but nothing more. In a way, I was glad. I would not want her to see just how intensely she had hurt me. And I knew, somewhere beneath the wash of numbness, she had hurt me. She had hurt me so deeply that I was not sure I even wanted to continue living, much less continue fighting.

I studied her for a moment. Odd...there was something different about her. Even though she was clearly a Dark Elemental, a warrior for Aku's cause, I could see a faint glimmer of compassion in her eyes.

"You...you look apologetic." I realized out loud.

"The part of me that has her duty to the circle of life and death, regrets taking those who were not meant to be taken yet," she replied softly. "The part of me that loves and serves Aku? No. That part of me regrets nothing."

That was an amusing thought indeed. She served Aku of her own free will, it seemed. Even so far as to claim love for him. How did one love a being that was so...evil?

"Is that why you did it" I questioned. "Why you followed his orders? You love him?"

I had never even considered such a thing.

She stepped towards me and Chimitsu growled audibly, placing herself and her nodachi in the enemy's path. Fuki regarded her with interest, then hovered back towards a window that I knew dropped several stories down to the meadow below.

"Now is not the time to answer questions, samurai." she offered.

"And why not?" I challenged weakly "I would think that after all the death you have caused here, you would owe me some sort of explanation."

"Not now," she replied firmly. "Save your questions for another time and place. For now, the hands of Death shall not touch any more innocents."

I regarded that statement with the same sort of detached amusement that had lingered through the conversation.

"I suppose I should be grateful for that."

But in truth, I was not grateful. I felt nothing.

She did not answer, passing through the wall and out the window, disappearing into pale mist. For a long moment, there was silence. I stared at the spot where the mist had been as Chimitsu resheathed her weapon and turned to me. Her face was a myriad of emotions, far too confused to even try and sort through. Tears stained her cheeks, but they were no longer flowing. Anger burned in her eyes, and pain.

For a long moment, we did not exchange words. Neither one of us moved. Finally, I looked away.

"Gather up the dead," I instructed quietly. "I will go and begin digging the graves."

"Jack..."

Her voice was so pleading, so shattered, that I spared her one last glance ovr my shoulder. I was not sure what she expected me to say. I certainly could not change what had happened here, even if I could and would prevent it from happening elsewhere. I would not allow any more innocent lives to be lost for my own existence.

I held her stare just long enough to see the tears pooling again in her eyes, then looked away again and started down the stairs. At the bottom of the staircase, I stood still for a long moment, looking over the complete emptiness in the dining hall, remembering how lively it had been when I had first seen it. Now, it felt as empty as it looked, my heart numb with shock and sorrow.

I lowered my hand, and brushed the hilt of my katana, but a lingering glance at Duncan's body stayed me, if only for the moment. He deserved a proper burial, as they all did, and Chimitsu could not do that on her own. Only when they were properly cared for would I take care of myself.
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War Of Shadows