Miyoshi Seikai "The Iceman"

"FIND HIM!"

Part Seventeen

A world away, quite literally another realm, from where Miyoshi Seikai lay, his nemesis was at the polar opposite of restful.

Keiro, The Darkness, was breathing hard. Not from exertion, but from fury, his hands still dripping fresh blood and flesh from the last bearer of stupid excuses.

Too full of rage to even speak, he kicked the lifeless heap at his feet, the force at least giving the satisfying sound of ribs breaking, even in the owner was already dead.

A measure of cold composure returned, and he spun sharply to face the three shinobi renegades still standing. They might have not been much more than bandits with training, but they at least had enough sense to keep their mouths shut.

Watching them squirm brought a humourless smile to his features, and he walked slowly over, taking his time to bore his dark vision into each one in turn, as the air seemed to drain from the room.

"FIND HIM!!"

He roared, shattering the silence, and as one, they shimmered into the shadows, leaving Keiro to shake the slowly congealing red from his fingers.

"I told you failure wasn't an option."

He said to the corpse in passing, his congenial tone almost sounding like light conversation over tea, "Maybe in the next life you'll pay more attention."

And with a chuckle at his own humour, he strode out of the small farmhouse they had taken over, heading to a nearby stream to wash his hands.

His task done, he climbed a large tree and lay back in the branches, and after casting one eye over the small collection of buildings, his awareness revealed even the local furry creatures had fled from his aura. He smiled, then took a dark red pouch from his clothing, bringing it up to eye level to peer at its unusual design.

He shook it gently as he studied it, the reassuring sound of metal against metal widening his grin.

"If only you knew, Iceman, if only you knew…"

The Darkness murmured, almost musically in his malicious delight.
The items within the bag, their influence held back by the way it was woven, consisted of three more rings similar to the one now fixed to Miyoshi Seikai's finger, and two wrist bands, which were made of the same substance, but linked in a close knit chain.

It had been a strange collection of events which brought the set to where it now dangled in front of its current owner, had Keiro even an inkling of how many realms and time lines they had crossed since their making, he would have been impressed, even if he would have struggled to comprehend their journey, let alone their experiences.

For inanimate objects, they showed little wear and tear, they could have been forged almost yesterday, from their pristine appearance, but appearances, it has to be said, are known to be consistently deceptive.
In truth, the very mortal, if highly skilled shinobi, had no idea exactly the power he was holding just a few inches from his face, but he knew enough, certainly more than enough, to create the future he had so longed for.

Even with one piece missing, there was an unmistakable pull of power to Keiro's senses. Dark, alluring…ah, so many promises they seemed to constantly weave within his mind. But he was no fool, holding the metal woven pouch was dangerous enough, there was no way he was going to even attempt a peek until he had the missing ring returned.

Then…oh, yes, then…

He returned the pouch to its hiding place, and lay back, enjoying the sunlight through the trees as his closed his eyes to picture the future of his making,

"Then Miyoshi Seikai, I'm not just going to take your life..oh no..Have you rejoin her? That dearly departed piece of your heart, in some happy spirit ending? I think not."

He laughed softly, as several montages drifted through his mind, all of them seeing The Iceman's demise.

"Oh no Seikai..I'm going to destroy you. Slowly. Piece by tiny piece..then erase you from this existence…and the next…and the next…"

The memory of the day the set landed in his hands brought mixed emotions bubbling to the surface, and although his eyes stayed closed, a frown creased his features. Of course, what lay within the metal threaded protective pouch was more than worth it…

But he had been denied a kill.

One he had been quite looking forward to as it happened, and a part of him still ached at the envisaged ending, it would have been so, so delightful.

But. Loss and gain.

For the long game, he felt empowered, and although the sacrifice he had made, allowing her to live..still pricked, there'd been some compensations since then.

And he could always go back…

After… After what was coming had been wrought.

Yes. The frown lifted and was replaced by a wicked smile, what a perfect dessert after dealing with Seikai… she would be a beautiful, unsuspecting treat.

Keiro's eyes snapped open, alight with a dark fire at his visions, the thoughts were so crystal clear, and his dark laughter continued for as while, then ended in a sigh,

"Where are you, Iceman? Where are you hiding?"

Keiro tapped his chin as he pondered, perhaps that injury of Seikai's was infected, and he was holed up sick somewhere…that would be disappointing and mess up all his plans…

"No." He voiced the word with some conviction, and shook his head, unwilling to consider it, "That's not it, where ARE you?"

Taro had been useless, spouting gibberish, a place which only appeared in children's stories, or drunken legends of the fantastical. Seikai must have implanted the response in case the lumbering blacksmith ever faced interrogation. It was another little mark against all the others he'd collected.

Irritating though. Thoroughly.

He knew enough about what he had in his possession to know the time to use it was approaching, a special event, when certain thing balanced and aligned.

He HAD to have that ring back…

With a grumbled set of expletives, he sat up and let his feet dangle off the branch, he needed a distraction, an outlet for his mood.

Landing back onto the grassy bank, as silent as the soft wind which tugged playfully at his hair, he looked upwards and spoke to a passing cloud,

"Yes, a little entertainment, why not?" He grinned, "Some pleasure..and quite a bit of pain…inflicted, of course."

His form melted into the shadows, just a whisper in the breeze, as he headed towards Kyoto to satisfy his decision, and work out his frustration at not locating the elusive Iceman, in someone else's blood.

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