Chronicles of TheFili: Chapter 3 - The First Tricks[]
Now for something different. I have decided to chronicle all possible Kongai Fan Fiction that still remains (given that the official Kongai Forum also had fanfic that was now sadly purged) on this website so that none may further succumb to destruction. The reason I decided to name these blogs "the Apocrypha Games" is that firstly, Kongai is a game (duh!), secondly, "apocrypha" refers to the fact that these stories are at best dubious to Sirlin's official "canon" of Kongai (even tough there isn't that much in the first place) and finally, "apocrypha" also means that these stories are not canon to my attempt at fan fiction (Project Kongai). I have neither used any ideas from these stories (hopefully mere coincidences if any similarities ever show up), since my story has 1. The concepts have been planned out meticulously long ago before I found these. 2. Features original characters from my other concepts Mavericks. And 3. Most of these stories would have some direct conflict with any lore I would have proposed.
Note that the fanfic here has been unaltered, bad grammar and all.
Anyway, here's the 9th book of the Apocrypha Games, originally written by Kongregate's TheFili (Aug 19, 2008), sourced here.
Scroll 1[]
Scene 1[]
It wasn’t quite what he had expected. The settlement… the city stretching out in front of him wasn’t on the simple map the messenger had drawn. But Onimaru had left the forest, and there it was: houses of wood and stone with elegant arched roofs, people in the streets and further out the golden movement of fields.
In the fading light, he checked his map again. No mention of anything between the Circle and Krifting. Still, he decided to enter and find a place for the night. But he had hardly walked ten steps towards the street when the first people started to shout and point at him. A few moments later, he was surrounded by a crowd of men and children.
“Kongai,” he greeted, only to stare into puzzled faces. “I am Onimaru, samurai of the Circle. Where can I find shelter for the night?”
He got no answer, but a murmur started up. “Do you understand me?” he asked.
“Excuse me, sorry,” he heard a faint voice that came closer until a broad-shouldered man with a black beard stood in front of the warrior. The skin of his face and the leather of his clothing were hardly distinguishable. And although he was tall, he still had to look up. “Greetings, Onimaru. I am Euphilos. Forgive my question, but what brings you here?”
“I am on an important mission for the Circle, to a place called Krifting, and I cahnced upon your city.” This produced more rumblings from the crowd; Euphilos even looked alarmed. “You came through the forest?”
“That is right.”
“And you weren’t stopped by anyone?”
“No. Why should I have been?”
Euphilos didn’t answer at once. He paused, then bowed down to a small boy and told him: “Go find Aphara.” The child nodded and then pushed away through the crowd.
“Onimaru,” Euphilos addressed the samurai again, “you come at a bad time. Our Queen has recently died, and our laws forbid strangers in our land at this time.” He looked decidedly uncomfortable. “It is not in our power to settle the matter now. The gates to the kratopolis are already closed and the only woman among us tonight is Aphara.”
Onimaru waited for an explanation of these words, but when Euphilos didn’t go on, he said: “So? What does that have to do with it?”
“Well, she is the only one who has authority,” Euphilos said, like he was explaining something obvious, “until we reach some of the other women.”
The voice in his head began to laugh. Women in power. So that’s what the Circle means when it says: ‘Serve those weaker than you.’
“I am afraid we cannot offer you a place in our guest house. But if you would accept my invitation to stay in my home for the night… I am sure we will find a way to deal with your… unexpected presence.”
Onimaru bowed. “I shall be honoured by your hospitality.”
Scene 2[]
Euphilos’ home turned out to be a large farm by the city’s outskirts. One big house stood in the centre, surrounded by fields and, at a good distance, by small cottages not nearly as elegant as the larger construction. The farmer’s house was at least 30 steps and made of the assortment of stone and wood that Onimaru had seen all over the city. The wooden frames both in- and outside the house had been decorated by engravings, mostly hunting or battle scenes.
A fire in the large living room provided enough warmth for the inhabitants. Right now, though, the atmosphere was chilly as Onimaru, Euphilos, his daughter Cassiopeia, and the woman called Aphara.
“Shameful”, she said. “How could she leave us this unguarded? Look at him! Even he could slip past her.” Her conversation was directed at Euphilos alone, Onimaru was merely talked about. “And armed, too. The law is very clear about…”
“He is a traveller,” Euphilos interrupted heatedly, “and the law also says…”
“Oh, what do you know about the law? Just because your wife…”
“She has nothing…”
“You will let me finish, pakras!” the old woman thundered; her words struck the farmer silent.
“We will judge the matter in the morning,” she said with a look at Onimaru’s impassive face. “I leave him with you.”
Euphilos hung his head. “Yes, Aphara.” The old woman got up, a disdainful look on her face. Onimaru couldn’t quite catch her parting words, but they sounded like “What she sees in you…”
Her steps were heard as she went to the front door; its falling shut made silence take over the room.
“Well, Euphilos finally said, “apparently I have permission to have you as my guest for the night. He managed a wan smile.
Don’t trust him.
“Your hospitality is commendable,” Onimaru answered.
Candles were lit, and Euphilos began to prepare dinner along with his daughter. There were bread, meat and cheese, also some vegetables and wine. Onimaru however stuck to water, and after thanking his host, ate in silence. As was his custom, he wore almost his full armour; only the traditional battle mask remained in the backpack.
He’s watching you. He’s wondering what you’re planning.
“So,” Euphilos said after half a plate had passed in silence, “that place you mentioned… Krifting, right? What brings you there?”
“Why? O you know the town?”
“Me? Oh, no, I was merely asking.”
Remember the look on his face when you said you were going to Krifting? He’s lying, he knows it.
“My master sent me on a mission,” Onimaru tried to drown out the voice with spoken words. Throw him a bone. See how he reacts, if you don’t believe me. So the samurai added: “Concerning vampires.”
There was a loud clatter as the knife fell from Euphilos’ hand. Now it was Onimaru’s turn to watch his opponent closely.
“Cassiopeia, go upstairs,” he muttered and the child left, bewilderment on her face. At the foot of the stairs, she turned and gave a small bow. “I see you in battle,” she said to Onimaru. Then she disappeared, leaving Onimaru with Euphilos’ slightly embarrassed smile. “Don’t mind her, it’s a traditional farewell here.” He took a deep draught of his wine. See how nervous he is? Any moment now, he is going to open his mouth and he is going to lie in your face.
“I thought vampires were only legends, tales for the fireside.”
Liar.
“There are legends that the Amazons once battled the undead, but I never believed it. They are real, you say?”
He’s in league with them, he’ll murder you in your sleep. Vampires and the likes of them have no honour.
Before he know what he had done, Onimaru was on his feet. It was time to leave, either to be away from the farmer or to have silence in his head again.
“I thank you for your kindness and this meal. But my errand is… more pressing than I thought, so I have to leave now.”
With two big stepts, the farmer was at his side. “Can’t you stay for the night?”
“I’m sorry, but it is impossible.” He picked up his pack and made for the door, but Euphilos got there first.
“Please.” A strong arm barred the doorway, and the look on the other man’s face said that he would not shrink before the tall armoured warrior. There was certainly courage in him. Yes, but no honour. A breach of hospitality means forsaking honour. 2nd Circle, 12th Rule. He’s holding you captive so you can’t harm his masters. There is only one way to settle this.
Onimaru took a step back. “Euphilos, I give you my word of honour not to run away. Will you come outside with me for a moment?” He received a puzzled look, but finally, Euphilos nodded and gave way, saying: “On your honour then; I take you for a man who sets great store by it.”
“Yes, I do,” the samurai answered as they went out of the house. There was a small gravel path, framed by patches of grass that were in turn surrounded by the fields, waving in the darkness like a black ocean.
“You will notice, “ Onimaru began and dropped his backpack to the ground, “that I am no longer in your house, no longer your guest. Thus I do not commit the same offence you did.” And with this he drew his sword.
Euphilos eyes went wide. “What are you doing?”
“I am going away now, one way or the other. Not running – but going, unhindered.”
“Please come back inside again. Wait until the morning. It is important that you stay, not just for me, but for…” Onimaru didn’t hear the words. Liar! Turncoat! See how he is begging – his masters do not tolerate failure. He turned and began to walk away, but almost immedeately, Euphilos was in front of him. “I can’t allow you to go.”
The samurai knew that he couldn’t strike an unarmed man, as much as the voice demanded it. “The Warrior striking an unarmed man is a murderer. 3rd Circle, 1st Rule,” he recited, drew his second sword from its sheath and threw it onto the ground in front of the farmer.
“Pick it up.” Euphilos did not move, just continued to stare at him.
Again Onimaru shouted: “Pick – it – up,” but this time, he wasn’t the only one saying it. The power in his voice finally made his opponent react. He took the sword from the ground, and the moment his fingers touched the hilt, Onimaru attacked. A desperate parade saved the farmer’s life; he took a step back, but Onimaru came after him and forced him to bring the blade up again. The counter attack was powerful but unrefined. It was no trouble to block it in such a way that its power and momentum went to nothing.
“Surrender.” Onimaru’s voice was cold and controlled, a contrast to the already breathless response: “I can’t.”
One of the warrior’s slashes hit the raised blade, as it was supposed to, but the quick second strike got past Euphilo’s defenses and cut deep into his chest. The big man screamed and fell on his back. He still held the sword in his hand and gripped it tighter as he saw the towering samurai approach. From his point of view, the shape blocked out the sky and all its light.
Kill him. Now.
He is down.
Mercy against the undeserving is cruelty against the innocent.
The blade plunged ahead, and heedless of the feeble defence, buried itself in Euphilos’ chest. He gave a soft sigh, then died.
“3rd Circle, 16th Rule,” Onimaru muttered, the blood running down his sword.
He took the backup weapon from the body’s limp hand and got up. His gaze fell on the house again. And on the girl’s face in one of the windows on the second floor. She stared at him; not at her dead father but at him. Shock, fear and something else, something steely made up her expression. Only when he was halfway to the forest did he hear the sound of a door bursting open.
The images whirled, faded, reassembled themselves. Certainties unraveled, while his body ran through the forest, heading towards his mission. Finally he fell to his knees and screamed.
“You betrayed me,” he bellowed, and shocked several flocks of birds into flight. “You betrayed me! You tricked me!”
Of course I did. And you were too stupid to do anything about it.
“Why?” The roar had already died down to what sounded like a sob.
Because your enemies will do the same thing. And maybe – just maybe – you will remember this lesson.
“I killed him. I killed an innocent man.”
Yes, you did. This is what happens when you let those smarter than you twist words and confuse you. Remember that and pay better attention next time. You ought to know what is right and what the Circle demands. You alone. But right now, you are nothing but a disgrace to our ancestry. A disgrace.
The word echoed in the samurai’s head as he trod on eastward through the nighttime forest.