The Kumi Assassins: Volume 1

2. The Kumi Assassins' Society

" Where am I ? " , his voice was weak. After crying so hard the night before he was barely able to speak. It was early morning, and everywhere around him was bathed in sunlight. The atmosphere was comfortable. He felt so comfortable that it was a bit difficult to judge whether it was summers or not.
"Shoto! You are awake!" a girl came crying towards Shoto who was lying on the bed. The girl was gorgeous and her face had resembling features to Shoto's.
" Who are you?", his vision was still blurry , he could not see her face properly " Where am I? What is this place?" . He vision got better as he got up on bed. He drank some water kept beside him and looked at the girl again.

" Oh my god! SHIZUMO !! , he exclaimed very hard. He was extremely happy to see his sister and at the same time he felt miserable for what he had witnessed. He started to cry again. Shizumo came to him and said, " Brother !! Are you a man or not? ". Shoto was confounded to hear that. 
" Why do you think so? What are you trying to say?" Shoto was angry, he spoke in greasy tone, "Are you saying I should be happy about what is going on?" 
"I mean that you should act like father." Shizumo said in a very serious tone, " Do you think father would have acted like that? Do you think he would have cried for what he got acquainted with ?" 
Shoto was filled with regret, his anger vanished and said very calmly, " Sorry Shizumo, you are correct. I should act strong ...... "

"Oh Shoto ! So you are awake " a girl came in. Shoto, at once remembered her. She was the girl who had rescued him from his house. " We picked up your sister from the market. You must be grateful to the Gods for not making her the victim as well." She said in a very pleasant voice that soothed Shoto.
"Please! I do not understand anything, please would you explain me everything?" Shoto enquired for knowledge. 
" Yes, certainly Shoto. If you can come with me." She made then follow her.
" Miss? What is your name?" Shizumo asked.
" I am Mia, a Ki Touryou" 
"What is a Touryou? " Shoto asked, to which Mia replied, " A Touryou is the highest rank granted at the Kumi Assassins' Society, a swordsman who is highly skilled and experienced to assassinate the Kumis gets this title. Kumis, as I told you are man eating demons."

Shoto was getting enlightened on this. He further asked, " What does it mean that the Kumis have risen again?"
" I'll tell you everything, but first let me get you out to the graveyard"
They followed Mia and got out of the dwelling. It was sunny and as they got out, they could feel the summer breeze. Suddenly all of them became quiet for it was a graveyard in front of them.
Shoto was in sullen melancholy, he was sad to see so many graves.
"They are the assassins who risked their lives to protect others." Mia said looking towards Shoto and Shizumo, " You should not look sad here Shoto and Shizumo, you should be proud that there is someone who is protecting us. Be proud and strong."
The other side of the yard had graves of people who had died of injuries inflicted by the Kumis. 
Shoto noticed her mother's and Kojiro's grave. Shizumo was also quiet and did not speak anything. 
" You are Shoto Gregons, am I right ?" Mia asked, to which Shoto replied, " Yes."
" Your ancestors certainly did not belong here." 
"Yes, I was told by my father that our ancestors had emigrated from a tribal kingdom to this kingdom."
Mia was looking serious and conscious about something. She spoke," This place is the headquarters of the Kumi Assassins' Community. About four hundred years ago, a man in his youth, who did not  belong here , ventured to an island located in extreme south. There he had met a man. His name was Joseph Volzan, and he said to that man that he had been hunting wild animals in the dense forest there.

" They both became friends and enjoyed hunting animals everyday. But whenever it was dusk, Joseph would go away into the mountains and at dawn he would come back. The man never asked Joseph where did he go everyday particularly during night. They enjoyed living there together, but one day the man vent after Joseph at dusk to see where he was going. He followed Joseph to a cave and he saw something utmost horrific and monstrous. He heard Joseph commanding some dreadful creatures to venture different lands and to defile the human civilization. He was horrified to know that his dearest friend was some leader of demons, he was a demon himself and no human. The man ran away as quickly as possible towards the shore. He found his boat, took some food and water and sailed off. "

Mia drank some water that was kept in a bamboo flask "When he looked back at that island, he could see Joseph standing amongst the demons looking at his boat. After sailing for 2 months he arrived here, gathered knowledge about mysterious happenings which had taken place in this kingdom, he learned more about the demons and named them Kumis. He then established a society of brave hearted fighters who would protect common people. "

"That's how it started?" Shoto asked her.
"Yes" she replied, " Although these mysterious murders were taking place before but no one noticed it. It is because of that man we know about these demons and are fighting them.

" The name of this man is Andrew Gregons, your ancestor. "
" Excuse me, WHAT!!? " , the siblings exclaimed stupefyingly.
"Yes I know it's shocking, but it's the truth and a big coincidence." Mia replied



TO BE CONTINUED.............. 


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With well wishes
UJAN Kun