"What happened to them?" Sasuke asked. He felt sorry for her. He understood her. Powerless. Helpless as those close to you die.
"We..." Roderika started, her face contorted as she remembered what happened. "We were shown to Stormveil Castle by the white masked person... He told us how this would be our firsts steps of our adventure in the Lands Between..." She explained, taking pauses in between.
"So we traveled... Entered Stormveil Castle... But we came across.. Him." Her voice soured. "The owner of the castle... He had grafted himself and those below him into monsters! All for power, he had turned everyone around him and against him into..." She goes silent for a bit. Looking at Sasuke she asked. " Have you come to be one with the spider..?" She asked and before Sasuke could answer, she continued. "Well, that makes us two peas in a pod. But I don't have your courage. It's scary, you know. Having your arms cut off. Or legs. Or your head."
Frowning, Sasuke shook his head. "I have no plans on becoming one with the spider." He declared, his eyes resolute. "There is much for me to do before I reach my end..." As he spoke, he thought of his fallen family. "I won't give up until then. And neither should you."
Roderika listened to him, but smiled as he finished. Not a smile of happiness, but one of sadness. Blame. "I want to be like everyone else... Have courage in the face of fear... I do. But I'm just too scared... I'm nothing but a craven."
Sasuke releases a breath through his nose. He understood what she was feeling. Shaking his head, he spoke up. "You are not cowardly in comparison..." He said, staring into her eyes. "No one is truly courageous in the face of fear. Hell even I have to force my body to stop shaking when I come face to face with fear... Anger even..." He explained, his thoughts wandering away. "The courage you speak of is only the choice to fight off the fear. Because there's always something bigger... And that is death."
Sasuke stood up and slowly donned his helmet. "Such as I am now. Fighting fear to become stronger, so I may no longer be stricken with helplessness when faced with the impossible..." His voice muffled a bit through the helmet.
Roderika sniffed a bit and wiped her dried tears. "Thank you..." She struggled and looked at him.
"Sasuke." Sasuke introduced with a nod and Roderika continued. "May I ask of you... When you... When you see the little chrysalids in the Castle... Can you tell them I love them?" She asks and Sasuke simply nods and turns around before she spoke up once more, stopping him.
"Oh! Can you take this little one along with you?" She digs into her pocket and takes something out before reaching it out to Sasuke, who looked at her glowing hand for a moment before touching the light with his own hand.
[Received: Spirit Jellyfish Ashes.] Sasuke read the words that popped up in his sight while she continued.
"The poor thing deserves someone braver than myself... And the spirits look rather fondly upon you." She smiled, remembering her times with the Jellyfish Ashes. "It'll be glad of your company, I think, the little'un..."
"Thanks..." Sasuke muttered and turned around, walking away. Going to the other hut, he picked up the purple light he saw. [Received: Stonesword Key.] He let out a sigh as he read the item's name. 'So I didn't make the wrong choice...' He thought to himself and raised his hand, glancing at the ring on his finger.
He had felt Torrent's form recovering after he touched the Grace. "You ready buddy?" He whispered and blew the whistle, summoning Torrent before jumping on top of him. "Let's head to Stormveil Castle."
Glancing at the Grace in front of him, he looks at the direction the light shone before he and Torrent rushed forward, following the path.
---
a Few long minutes later, Torrent stopped as they both looked at the path in front of them. Barriers and spikes scattered on the sides of the road. a Few soldiers standing in front of it, but by now they had spotted Sasuke sitting on top of Torrent.
"Alright, buddy." He mutters, patting Torrent's mane as he took out Uchigatana. "Time for a-"
*Click! Whooosh!*
Time slows down around him. His thoughts speed up and his sights lock onto a huge arrow speeding through the air, aimed at his position. Lifting his left leg, he puts it on top of Torrent's back and launches in the air. 'Torrent!' His mind screamed at him as he brought his hand up to his hand and blew into the whistle.
He watched as the arrow crashed onto the ground where he was hitting nothing as he felt Torrent's form in the ring.
Landing on the ground, his unblinking eyes stared into the eyes of the soldier at the back who operated a large crossbow. Ignoring the five soldiers who started rushing at him, he took out a kunai and flung it forward, mustering all the strength he had.
He watched in satisfaction as the kunai pierced the soldier's head. 'Now that the crossbow's sorted out...' He turns his attention to the soldiers coming at him and raised his katana, ready for battle.
*Fwooo!*
The sound of a trumpet comes from his left where a bundle of bushes and trees stood. Glancing there, Sasuke saw more soldiers standing up from within the bushes. 'Fuck!' He cursed and focused back on the soldiers in front of him.
*Clang!*
He blocks the first soldier's strike and glides his blade to the enemies guard before flicking outwards, sending the blade flying through the air. "Hmph!" He stabs forward, piercing the soldier's neck, killing him.
Pulling his sword out, he steps back as a soldier swung from his left. His left hand flashed to his back pouch as he blocked a strike from one of the soldiers. Taking out a kunai, he flings it to his left, where the many soldier had started rushing towards him.
Lifting his hand towards his face after he threw it, he formed a half tiger seal. "Kai." His voice cut through the sound of his blade clashing with other blades.
*Booom!*
an Explosion erupts from his left. With a smirk, he gripped his katana with both hands, silently thanking his past self for bringing a few paperbombs.
*Clang! Cling!*
He blocks more strikes from the soldiers, feeling his strength dwindling with each block. Jumping back, he creates space between himself and the three soldiers in front of him and starts weaving his hands through seals.
"Fire Style..!" He spoke out loud, using the jutsu's name to gather more focus and raised his hand up to his mouth, feeling chakra pool in his stomach. "Great Fireball jutsu!" He spits out a fireball towards the soldiers.
*Boom!*
It immediately explodes upon contact. The flames roared to life for a few seconds, rocks flying back and dust picks up.
With his katana ready, Sasuke stares at the dust cloud as it died down. "Haaah..." he lets out a sigh, seeing all the soldiers down on the ground. Glancing to his sides, he spots no other enemy and walks towards all the bodies, making sure all of them were dead, and if not, he simply stabbed them before going to the next.
---
Done with the cleanup, he stored away his katana and looks to the front, where he was headed before the battle.
"Were they standing guard here..?" He muttered, looking at the hallway carved into the mountain, built with quality stone. Walking forward, his thoughts spiral. 'Does this lead to Stormveil..?' He thought and shook his head. 'Even if it doesn't... I'm following the Grace's path.'
Walking through the hallway, he spots a Grace sitting on his left side. Touching it, he considered going on with his path, but shook his head. "I need to go back..." He muttered and took out the Finger Severer. "I've been here long enough for now..." He spoke and sliced the air in front of him.
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