A Murder Wizards Adventure

It's a few weeks later when I'm walking back to Suki's room in the morning, despite my room being next to hers I still need to eat, so after I wake up I grab a quick but hearty breakfast and then get back to Suki's room to stand guard and wake her up, but as I am walking back a maid accidentally bumps into me.

She apologises and we both move on, though once I pass a corner I take a small note out of my pocket and read it.

It's time, huh.

I put on a small smile and turn to head in a different direction.

[POV: Suki]

Waking up is always a chore, but at least it is usually somewhat comfortable and Hana let's me take my time to get properly woken up.

That is not what happens today.

Instead, I am woken up abruptly, before the sun has even risen, by the sound of my door slamming open and Suzu rushing in.

"Suki!! Get up, now! We have to go!"

Suzu shouts as soon as she sees me and it has me panicking almost immediately.

"Wha- What's happening?"

I ask but Suzu ignores my question as she runs up to my bed and all but drags me out of it.

"We are under attack. Now follow me."

I've never heard Suzu sound so serious before and that just hammers in what's happening doesn't it.

But wait.

"But what about Daddy?"

"I don't know but I'm sure he will be fine."

Will he? Who is even attacking us? Why are they attacking us? What did we ever do?

"What about Hana, where is he?"

"I don't know!! Ok? I don't know, all I know is that we need to leave, now."

Suzu has never raised her voice at me before and it just makes me realise that she must be just as scared as I am right now, so I stop asking questions and just let her drag me through the house, never mind that I am still wearing my pyjamas.

Suzu drags me by my arm as we leave my room and head for the back courtyard. I don't see any maids or servants walking around like I usually do and it makes everything crep me out, like we're all alone.

Occasionally I hear explosions and the clanging sounds of steel clashing against steel as I try to just focus on my steps instead.

One foot in front of the other, that's all that matters.

Eventually we do reach the courtyard and when we do we are noticed by a couple of Daddies Samurai who quickly rush to our side with shouts of alarm.

"Young Miss! Come, quickly, Lord Nobushi sent us to escort you, there is no time to waste."

I'm not given any time to breathe or even to think as suddenly we are running in a different direction, this time with three Samurai as company.

We don't get far before the enemy makes an appearance.

A ninja appears in front of us like a banshee, the only identifiable thing he wears being a mask that shows a pair of red, stylised insect arms, like that of a mantis, that come up from the corner of his jaws and meet where the mouth would be, as well as the head of a Mantis at the top of the mask.

The Samurai don't pause in there running as they rush to engage the hostile, drawing blades and charging him with a shout.

The ninja isn't even fazed though, as he casually dodges all three of their strikes, not even fighting back, clearly just playing with them.

"Young Miss, run! We will hold him off!"

I don't know what to do, I don't want to just leave them!

Suzu makes my decision for me by running away, having never let go of my arm she drags me with her and it's only now that I realise that I never even got to put on any footwear.

I do my best to ignore the noise as the ninja starts fighting back, and I pretend not to notice when the sounds of battle become sounds of silence.

Suzu keeps dragging my and my feet are hurting but I don't complain, even as we leave the walls of my home and head into the forest, I don't complain.

Even as sticks and thorns and rocks cut into my feet I stay silent. Even as I leave a bloody trail of footprints in my wake, I don't make any sound louder than a whimper.

Even when my home is nothing but a smoking figure in the distance, I say nothing.

Only when Suzu collapses to her knees, bringing me down with her, do I speak.

"Suzu! Haah Are you Hah ok?"

Suzu slowly gets back on her feet, helping me stand too.

"I'm, haaah, I'm ok, haah, come on, we must keep moving."

I don't understand, what is even going on, why do we have to run away. Where is Hana! Why isn't he here to save me!

"Why! Why must we keep moving!? What is happening!"

Suzu not having the energy to keep running, starts walking away, still dragging me by. She speaks up once she has gotten her breath back.

"We are under attack by Konoha-nin. So we need to run, before they capture us."

What will happen if they capture us? Is what I wont to say, but I'm scared, I'm so, so scared and I don't want to hear the answer, I don't want to know what it is, I don't want to die!

So I stay silent, and we keep going. Away, away, away.

I can't help but think, what about everyone else? I tell my brain to be quiet.

What about Daddy, is he safe? Alive? I tell my brain to shut up.

What about Hana? Why isn't he here, protecting me, is he dead too? I cry.

I can't- I just can't take this anymore. I break down crying, this is too much. Suzu calls for me as I fall to my knees, but I hardly hear her. I just want to go home, I want to go back to bed and to get up in the morning complaining to Suzu about Hana like I usually do.

I don't want any of this.

"Suki! Suki!! Snap out of it! Are you ok!?"

Heh, it's almost funny, how Suzu can't seem to decide between being stern or worrying over me. A strangled laugh escapes my throat from the thought, even though it's not actually that funny.

"Suzu.. I wanna go home."

I clutch her clothes and bury myself in her embrace as I cry. She hugs me back, and for a moment I can pretend everything is ok, that I just had a nightmare and Suzu is here to calm me down, then we can go have breakfast and I can see Daddy and Hana and everything will be fine.

Then cruel reality returns and both of our heads snap to the side at the sound of someone moving through the forest. Suzu gets up and stands in front of me, ready to face whoever appears even though she has as much experience fighting as I do, which is nothing.

My heart is pounding in my chest as my fear spikes as the branches and bushes are pushed apart and someone emerges.

First thing I see is a sword, cutting the bushes, then a hand, then a leg steps through and the clothes are slightly familiar, then I see pink hair and the tension leaves my shoulders.

Hana. It's Hana.

I start crying all over again, only this time in relief. We're saved.

I want to run up to him and hug him, to bask in the warmth and safety of his presence, but I can't make it past my first step as Suzu puts out an arm in front of me to stop me.

I look to her face in shock. What's happening? But Suzu answers my unasked question by posing one of her own to Hana.

"Hana, is that really you?" She asks, with her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

And now that I take a moment to look closer, there is something off about Hana in a way that I can't quite describe, like the uncanny valley effect, it takes me a moment to realise what it is, he's smiling.

Hana is a Samurai and Samurai rarely ever smile, but not only is he sporting a relaxed smile, but it's his posture too, it's completely changed, he is more slouched, relaxed, like he is only now comfortable.

What is going on?

"Of course it's me Suzu, who else could look so dashing with my luscious pink locks?"

What? I know Hana likes to tease sometimes, but isn't this a bit over the top? Not to mention is this really the time?

Even the way he talks is different, he's speaking in a different cadence, his voice much more informal and even more relaxed. Is this really Hana?

"I see-

You do?

"Is Hana even your real name?" Suzu asks with such scathing venom that I flinch slightly in shock. I've never heard anyone sound so angry before and what do you mean is it his real name?

Hana sends Suzu a smirk that somehow seems to make her even more angry as she practically starts growling at him.

"Of course it is, well, technically it is only half of my name, I couldn't be bothered to come up with a whole new one, y'know?"

Despite the casualness of his tone, Suzu reacts like he just slapped her in the face meanwhile I am forcing myself to ignore what his words mean, I don't want it to be true.

Suzu, it seams, doesn't share my apprehension.

"So, you are a traitor then? Did I mean nothing to you? Was our relationship just another part of the mission!?"

It's only then that Hana loses his smile, his face taking a on an almost pained grimace momentarily and as he responds I hear Suzu whispering to me.

"That's not very nice to say, but I understand, truthfully, I enjoyed our time together very much, but I have my orders."

"When I distract him, you run."

I want to argue, but I don't. I want to stay, but I don't. I'm such a coward.

"I loved you, Hana, if any part of you truly felt the same way, then spare me." Suzu says as she walks up to Hana and puts a hand on his chest, leaning close.

I turn around and start running, trying my best to be quiet. I don't hear what they say, and I definitely don't hear the sound of steel puncturing flesh.

I do start running faster though, but because of previous running, I am already exhausted and it's not long before I collapse again, falling to my knees and then to my butt.

I can't breathe. My heart is hammering so hard it feels like it's going to burst free of my chest.

As I lay there, breathing heavily and crying lightly, I hear soft footfalls slowly approach me and I start crawling backwards. I have to get away.

But I am not fast enough, and I see his face for the second time today, only this time there is blood dripping from his sword- don't think about it.

I focus on his face and ignore the rest, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥, as he approaches me with an insultingly fake pitying smile.

As he approaches me I notice that the sun has finally risen, I would be getting out of bed around now. Instead, the sun is behind him, illuminating him like an angel of death as he speaks to me, walking closer even as I continue the futile effort of trying to crawl away.

"Hello, Suki, fancy meeting you here, wonderful weather we're having, no?"

Why is this happening? What did we do wrong? Where's my Daddy?

Despite all the questions I want to ask I can only respond with a whimper as his final step brings him to my feet, bare and bleeding.

Summoning up all of my will I cry out in defiance! Only, I don't, instead what comes out is an even more pitiful whimper.

"W-why?"

"Why indeed Suki. Why, why, why, that is the question, unfortunately I don't think you will like the answer."

I stare at him, this man I thought I knew, and he keeps talking, despite saying I wouldn't like the answer.

"It's just my job, nothing more, there is no grand reason, nothing like that, I'm simply doing my job."

He's right, I don't like the answer, it just makes me cry even more. With a jerk, I look down and see a sword piercing my chest, I'm too exhausted to even note the pain, instead I just look to Hana's eyes, silently pleading.

Please don't kill me.

Please.

I don't want to die.

Please.

Please save me.

Please.

Daddy, save me.

My final thoughts as darkness consumes me are thoughts of home, of family.

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A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!

I'm just gonna post both chaps today right now cuz imma be busy today and probs won't find the time otherwise.

Also deel free to give me a Christmas present via the link below (✿◡‿◡)

https://ko-fi.com/bored_works

https://discord.gg/Pj3Dttwses