Snippet #1184945

The wind played a more gentle melody as the lingering wrath of the lethal storm spent itself. For all things must end, it was the one absolute truth that was undeniable. Man,God,even fate itself bent the knee to this one absolute truth. And for Lui Sho-ping it was a comfort of sorts, for eventually he to would end. His nightmares and duty washed away by the oblivion of death. Most feared death as an end,a void where who and what you were disappeared and while Lui himself did not know what awaited in the afterlife he in some ways would welcome it. After what could be worse then living in the horror of that fateful day. He was a warrior trained in the ways of honor and justice, a Lord with a duty to his people. But in a moment of foolishness he turned from that and his people paid for it with their lives.

While the thought of hari-kari had crossed his mind more then once Lui knew it would only dishonor not only himself but those he had ruled over and killed. Most people thought the code of honor ,Bushido in the tongue of his people, was inexorably linked to harii-kari. That dishonor demanded death, but nothing could be further from the truth. The hardest aspect of the warrior code was that sometimes one had to live in shame if the chance to make up for one's dishonor presented itself. In Kotet warriors dishonored but wishing to redeem themselves often joined the Forgotten brigade. It was tantamount to signing up for a suicide mission for the brigade was used as cannon fodder in the battles Kotet fought with it's enemies both home and afar. Every member of the Brigade went through a ritual funeral to symbolize their death. And from that day onwards they were forgotten, donning white armor they became as ghosts. Although they walked the streets none were allowed to speak to them, for the dead do not speak to the living. With hair bleached white, white face paint, white armor they were not hard to spot. Only their commander could be spoken to and then only by other unit commanders and the Emperor himself. The commander of the Forgotten was chosen by fate itself. He or She would have to have fate looking out for them. For the commander needed only to survive five battles to earn that rank. As such most commanders were only in charge for short periods of times. For the battles they fought were nothing short of suicide.

For Lui sitting on a empty crate in the remote fishing village of Shila far from Koet such a life had at times seemed desirable. But here he was as far from his homeland as one person could get. The wind stirred his black hair cut short bereft of the top knot that had marked out him as a warrior in the lands of Kotet. And as it blew past him Lui knew as always when his thoughts turned to such matters why he had not joined the Forgotten. His sin and dishonor were born not of normal means. The mythical objects scattered by a cruel whim of fate had birthed his dishonor. He in his pride thought himself above such petty concerns. And so he must amend such matters with a life devoted to humbling the pride of others. And turning the objects make into myth and then make those myths join the Forgotten so to speak. Only then would this wandering swordsman let his dishonor be redress with the act of hari-kari or the lure of the Forgotten.

"Alright enough moping around it's time to get back to work." He chided himself as he got off the crate he sat on. Stretching his body to loosen it from the tense position his thoughts had forced of him Lui began to walk back to the inn perhaps to sleep or eat. But all things were forgotten as he spied the tall masts of a ship on the horizon.

This was no wonder. After every storm a ship or two always showed up. Heavily damaged such ships usually enlisted the village shipwrights to aid in repairs. This ship was too far away for Lui to properly determine it's condition but the fact it was heading to Shila was undeniable and thus it would bear watching. For it was far too early for trading ships who followed the mild currents of late summer and early fall. As such it could only be the World Navy or Pirates. Lui for his part doubted it was Navy. Having grown up in Kotet the sight of Navy ships was never a rare occurrence. And also having grown up in Kotet the practices of the world navy were well known to this swordsman. Only frigates sailed lone wolf and this vessel on the horizon had neither the profile or size of a frigate. And no ship of the line ever sailed from port lone wolf. No those massive dreadnoughts stayed in port and were only deployed during full fleet actions.

"Pirate that ship is, I'd stake a fair amount on that." A voice said behind the swordsman. This voice belonged to the Village Mayor and he spoke from experience. Having been a captain in the world navy before retiring he could tell ships apart with but a brief glance. He could tell where the wood of a ship came from,Where it was built,and all manner of other things nautical.

Lui chided himself once more. So lost in thoughts he had been he hadn't even noticed the approach of the mayor. One day that lack of inattention might cost him his life. Then again he didn't cherish it overly much.

"Shall I warn the rest of the village."Lui offered his face a unreadable mask betraying nothing of the surprise the mayor's sudden presence worked in him.

"Yes but don't look like your doing it. Act casual, not every pirate is an idiot....or out for blood." The mayor added quietly.

Lui nodded although he hardly agreed with the mayor's opinion on pirate ethics. In Kotet pirates were first treated as thieves and lost their right hand then as murderers and lost their life. But Lui also knew he was in no position to speak of honor.