The cave of the stolen Faith was ridiculously short. I expected a fight when we entered the mouth of the cave. Only to be met with bodies and blood, so much of it that it pooled in places like a macabre form of water. Nobunaga had to stop Musaki from slipping several times in the viscous puddles. Whatever distraction he had wasn't enough to keep him from protecting my Leftenant from an icky bath. An eerie laugh echoed from the depths of the cave.
"You're enemies are dead, holder of Wrath."
The voice was a ghostly whisper in my head. Nobunaga froze then drew his sword. The black flames danced as he held it at the ready.
The voice laughed and then I heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps.
A man dressed in a brightly decorated Hakama came towards us out of tbe shadows. His head was covered by a Japanese styled straw hat that was as brightly decorated as his Hakama. His eyes were what haunted me though. His face was just as bright as his clothes. In reds and golds. But those glowing green eyes held true terror. I could see my death in those eyes. The same cold stare that was mirrored in Nobunaga's gaze.
The 'man' held a ridiculously long sword that was glittering with red and gold hues. He held the weapon with ease.
"Swordsman of a different past, I am Yojimbo, a swordsman of this past. We share one thing in common. Our swords."
Nobunaga still didn't speak to Yojimbo.
So fuck it. "Are you the Faith?"
Yojimbo glanced at me and I felt a shiver of power crawl up my spine. He was measuring my worth. I could feel his assessment.
"You possess the soul of a Phoenix, strong willed. Your worth is measured and the Lord of the skies deems you worthy of this battle."
Musaki frowned. "Lord of the Skies?"
Yojimbo bowed to my Leftenant. "The Ice Queen is recognized. Allow me to measure the worth of the swordsman."
Before we could reply, Yojimbo shot towards Nobunaga. But my resident badass was ready for him. His creepy sword flicked up and blocked the incoming strike with ease. I knew Nobunaga would be hard to take down, his battle prowess was legendary.
"I feel a need for Greed in your soul, swordsman of Spira. A true swordsman never stikes without honor. Your soul is tainted by Greed."
I watched in awe as Nobunaga parried each blow of the Faith's sword. He looked almost bored. He never once lost ground to Yojimbo.
What seemed like an eternity only lasted a few minutes. Then, before I was able to process what happened, Yojimbo laughed again and faded away. Leaving his glittering sword behind.
"What the Fuck was that all about?"
Nobunaga picked up the sword and it glowed then faded into a glittering green fire. His creepy sword swallowed the green flame hungrily.
"His sword ruled him, instead of the master ruling the sword. If we holders of the sword do not control them, they control us. It is a heavy burden we bare."
"Not cryptic at all." Musaki commented quietly.
"The man known as Yojimbo, was more mercenary than warrior. He demanded payment in order to fight and only on his terms. This is a sin. Greed of money ruled him, his Greed turned into a sword and that sword became his driving force. I am not so foolish as to be swayed by my sword. It is powerful, yes, but still terrifying. I do not wield it for power, only as a way to protect. This angers my sword and it will consume my soul if I let it."
"So he had a sword made from the sin of Greed. He called yours the Sword of Wrath."
"So, this soul eater has a true name, then." Nobunaga sheathed his very creepy sword and walked away from us.
"Why do I get the feeling that we learned nothing from Yojimbo?"
I grunted at my Leftenant instead of answering.
Once we were outside the bloodbath cave we were greeted by my favorite stalkers. Fucking P.O.G.
"Oh wonderful, I have been looking forward to seeing if my training with a God of war actually paid off." Nobunaga grunted then moved to stand slightly in front of Musaki.
She rolled her eyes at him but I could feel the chill of winter in the air.
A man in a ridiculously overly flamboyant uniform strutted forward.
"I want that artifact, Heretic!" I had the sudden urge to laugh.
"Too bad, my Chief of Medical's sword ate it."
Musaki giggled at my humor.
The man's bushy eyebrows twitched. I touched a nerve. "Then give up the Sword!"
Nobunaga barely moved and he was in front of the dumb-ass sword drawn and against the idiots throat. "Death is the payment for using this sword. Are you prepared to pay the price, Sinner?"
Oh shit. Nobunaga was beyond calm, no rage or emotions of any kind. But the sword was blazing with its ungodly flames.
"Musaki when I tell you, don't question my order, kiss Nobunaga."
"Captain?!" She looked beyond horrified.
"Don't question me! When every single one of them are dead, if he can't control the sword, kiss him!"
The squad behind their commander twitched and all hell broke loose. Nobunaga flowed like water and struck each man like lightning.
Graceful yet deadly in his movements.
The man was more of a beast than a man at this point. My resistance to fire was not working, again. As soon as the last man dropped, Nobunaga turned to face me. His eyes were black pools of nothing. No recognition, no emotion, no fucks to give. "Now Leftenant!"
I shot towards him but just seconds from connecting with his sword I twisted away and Musaki ducked easily beneath his swing and wrapped herself around him. Before he could throw her off she planted a hot one on his lips. I felt scandalized just witnessing the way she basically attacked his mouth with hers.
I mean damn the woman could kiss.
Nobunaga froze but it took him only a millisecond to register my Leftenant and then I was wondering why I gave her that order.
The two of them were blushing so damn hard by the time we walked back into the bridge of my ship. Esqueezeme and Hellfire were there with Kyet and Newind. I sat in my chair and stared out the big ass windshield.
"Musaki, hit me the next time I give you that order. It'd hurt less. Esqueezeme, find the eye bleach, I need to melt my eyes to erase that image. Just gross, Musaki."
The others looked at me, confused at my comment. I didn't care. The image of my Leftenant and Nobunaga mouth-fucking each other was beyond what my poor brain could handle.
Musaki avoided eye contact. She knew! The psycho. "We discovered that the Faith has no fondness for P.O.G. Yojimbo lost spectacularly to Nobunaga and he gained a new sword. Which we discovered is one of the Swords of Sin. A part of the collection that Nobunaga already has. So, we have a new problem. We need to locate the swords wherever we end up."
I stood and walked towards the big ass windshield. "Next stop is going to be entertaining. We need to go back to Bevelle, but we also need to go visit the sisters. So, rock, paper, scissors. Where to next?"