Ryujin's Disappearance

Ryujin awoke in a small, dirty, stone cell, thrown into the corner. He opened his eyes onto a small wooden door with a window set in the top, barred with steel. Footsteps echoed off a corridor outside the cell door. The wood creaked as a key was roughly placed in the lock, turned, and shoved inward. Ry was shocked awake by a hard roll of bread bouncing off his head and landing in the corner by his hand. "Eat". A gruff voice, the face hidden by a hood; movements shadowed by a long, flowing, black cloak. The door creaked again, slamming shut, and the key was drawn sharply from the lock. He fumbled around in the dim light, found the bread, and flung it back at the door. "Son of a....", Ryujin shook his head, knowing it was useless to curse a stone wall. He rose to his knees, crawled to the door, and retrieved the stale bread, taking a bite. He swallowed, managing to get it down, and picked a worm from the center of the piece in his hand. "They give me wormy bread....guess I'm not of much use to them, or else they would feed me better. So ransom is out....", he mused. Ryujin finished off the bread, successfully de-worming it all. He crawled back to the corner, satisfied with sleep for now. His body was bruised and sore, and, although he had no recollection of it, he'd been through quite a hell of a fight the past night, before being knocked unconscious and drug back to the prison. Little did he know, he was on the outskirts of the Westlands, far into territory he hadn't seen since he ran from his village so long ago.....

The Next Day....

"Get up". The same gruff, short tone. The same flowing black cape, and the same shadowy face, hidden by a hood. "Ah, shall we take a stroll through the garden, then?", Ry said sarcastically, his words cut short by a kick to the ribs. "Y-You know, they say, 'kick a dog, and he'll crap on your shoe instead of the carpet;. You might want to reconsider your punishm-" He was cut short again by another kick." Alright, alright, I'm up, mother, I'm up!" Ry said, catching his breath and standing. "Walk". "Can't you say more than three words at a time?" Ry said, trying to push his limits; see just how far this guy might go. "If you walk, I might consider letting you eat. Now, walk." the man said, shoving Ryujin out of the cell door roughly. He stumbled and leaned against the wall, not having fully regained his balance. "Hey now, you wanted me to walk, not fall ov-". Ryujin got another swift kick to the ribs, this one sending him flying forward. "Walk". "Alright, alright, damn...." Ryujin gasped, holding his side. The two continued down t he dimly lit corridor, the man in the cape holding a long sword to the small of Ryujin's back the entire way. Ry tried to catch a glimpse of the man's face in the flickering torchlight, but every time he turned his head he got a prick from the sword, edging him onward.

Eventually the corridor came to an end; yet another wooden door with a barred window was set in Ry's way. The man behind him quickly tied a rope around Ryujin's hands, pulling it roughly and chaffing his wrists. The man then stepped around Ryujin in the narrow passageway, inserted a key into the lock of the door, and swung it open. Ryujin squinted against the glaring sunlight that assaulted him as the door creaked open, and then he was being drug outside to a waiting cart, drawn by two jet black horses. He was thrown into the back of the cart, forced down, and had his feet tied as well; all the while the horses whinnied and started nervously, as if sensing some foreboding event in the future. Ryujin heard the crack of a whip as a rough, woolen hood was drawn over his eyes, and felt the cart lurch forward. Unfortunately, he could only guess as to his whereabouts; as he was led from the dark underground prison into the light, he hadn’t had the time to get a look around. Now he was hooded and tied, tossed into the back of a cat, moving towards what he was certain was a public hanging, to judge from the gather noise and voices.

“There he is!” “Is that him?” “I thought he’d have been bigger, more muscular. They say he took down ten men before he was captured.” “Come on, want a front row spot! Let’s go!” “Quit shoving!” “Watch the cart; don’t want to get run over.” “Look at the crowd! Huge turnout this time.”

All these voices swirled around Ryujin, none familiar, none comforting. They were all here to see him die, and to rejoice in it. Mercifully, Ry didn’t have much time to contemplate much of this, as the cart lurched to a halt amongst whinnying from the horses and shouts from the crowd that the man to be hung had arrived. Ryujin heard more guards, shouting orders, scurrying about. They wanted this to look good, whatever the reason. Again, Ryujin didn’t have much time to contemplate things, as he was pulled from the back of the cart and pushed up a small set of wooden stairs. At the top of the platform a noose was placed around his neck, drawn tight against his neck, and the woolen hood ripped off. Ryujin blinked in the harsh sunlight, surveying the crowd before him. “Some turnout, alright…” He muttered to himself, before focusing his attention on the guards. Two were station at the back of the crowd, near a well; presumably in the center of town, wherever this town happened to be. Two more were at the sides of the crowd, one on each side, with three standing at attention directly below him. An eighth stood beside Ryujin, his hand on the lever, ready to do the dirty work. A ninth, more official looking than the rest, stood in front of Ryujin, a little to his right, at the edge of the platform.

“Hear ye! Hear ye! All those that have gathered here today will bear witness to the hanging of a traitor and a murderer. This man, may he be mercifully called even that, has been charged and found guilty by way of fair trial of the following crimes: murder, high treason against the King and Queen, plotting murder of the King and other royal subjects, thievery, harboring criminals against the King, and evasion and murder of the royal police. He has been found guilty on all charges presented, and has been sentenced to death, by hanging. Any who object to these charges placed before you may now step forth.” The man waited for a few seconds, amidst cries of “Hurry up!” and “Hang him already!” “Since no one has presented himself to defend this man against the charges brought upon him, I hereby sentence him to hang, until he is dead!” “Well shit….” Ryujin thought, scanning the crowd for a familiar face, looking around at the guards and the area surrounding him. “Fair trial my ass, they took me against my will! And when have I ever-‘” he cried out, only to be silenced by the guard standing beside him. “Shut up, knave, and die like the King wishes”, the man muttered as he place a rag in Ryujin’s mouth, tying it behind his head. He began to wrestle with the woolen hood, trying to force it over Ryujin’s head as he struggled to free himself from the noose wrapped ever-tighter around his neck…

Ryujin ran, panting, his breath coming ragged now. He had no idea if he was still being followed, but he knew they would come, eventually. Fortunately, he found his way back to a more familiar part of the forest, after running for what seemed like two or three hours. He'd used every trick he knew to evade the soldiers following him, but they seemed to know their way around the forest better than him, which, considering he'd grew up in the woods near the town they held him in, that was impressive. Ryujin slowed, unwillingly, but his body forced him to. He stumbled, collapsed to his knees, leaning on a tree, panting with his head hung down near the ground. After a few minutes, he managed to get his breathing under control, and he stood, still leaning on the tree. He looked around, fear in his eyes. He could still feel the rough hemp rope around his neck, pulled tight, cutting off his breath....he shook his head, clearing his mind, and set off at a jog, now knowing where he was and what direction to take. Shortly, he came up on the Inn, but he didn't stop; instead, he turned down the path and kept running, a little faster now, until he reached the courtyard of the castle. He was sprinting now, running full speed, the fear and adrenaline still coursing through him. He hadn't felt like that for a long time...He crashed through the wooden doors, stopping in the great hall, leaning over with his hands on his knees. That's where he collapsed, weakened from lack of food and water and the long chase.