Chapter 1 – A Beginning

Moonlight bathed the Temple of Priapus, casting eerie shadows of the bell tower and stone guardians onto the well kept gardens and surrounding out buildings, hiding from view the dark-clad figure atop the sloping roof, the air filled with the mournful sound of the nearby ocean, the breeze not even enough to set the temple banners flying.

Chancing a glance around the side of the tower, he pressed his chest against the stone and quickly scanned the ground for any of the enemy. Seems quiet enough…

Suddenly, the air beside his left ear exploded. With a gasp of shock, Avenger drew back quickly, huddling down in the shadow of the bell tower, ears ringing and heart pounding. The air stank of gunpowder. Idiot!! Good idea staring out so long!! There you go, wrecking everything!! Now every pirate in the area knows where you are!! Get down; go, go, go!!… Move before he shoots again – just stick to the shadows and he'll not know where've you've gone… Scrambling quietly around to the next tower, Avenger sank back against the cool stone, trying to still his hammering pulse some. Being shot at is not good… he concluded grimly for the second time that night, wiping the sweat away that had begun to trickle down his dark-skinned forehead.

I should be down there with the other three, wherever they are, not sat up here hiding, he scalded himself.

It had all begun yesterday evening; a great ship had rode at anchor off shore, bearing a flag unrecognised by any of the Islands inhabitants. At first, it had been thought that maybe traders had come to sell their wares and buy exotic goods from the Island of Huathe. It was, after all, not unusual, though it was infrequent. However, it soon became apparent that these men were not at all interested in honest trade, but were pirates, from one only guessed the Greater Continent, and had come seeking to ransack the small villages and pillage the Temples. Guess they didn't count on us fighting back… If you can call this a defence…

People had come to the Temple of the Light, begging with the monks to use their spells and fighting prowess to throw back the pirates. The monks had of course done what they could, but under the cover of the ship's cannons and the pirates' guns, there wasn't much else to be done. And so, the High Grandmaster had sent the Temple's only four ninja to destroy the captain of the vessel and his crew under the cover of darkness. It was simple enough – just eliminate the pirates before they returned to ransack more of the villages on the morrow.

At least, that was the idea… Avenger sighed miserably. Until I had to ruin everything by panicking and being seen – Why the hell didn't I just run?! Like I'd always been taught?! Screwing up his fists tightly in anger, he pushed back his black hood, scraping his fingers through his raven hair, wet with sweat in the heat. But, no – I stayed and fought… now every pirate on the damned island knows that someone is out to get them. There was no way that nobody heard that gun going off – and now another!! Sighing in supreme irritation, Avenger slipped down the thatch roof carefully and glancing downward and seeing the coast to be clear, dropped down onto the cobbles below, shrinking back into the shadows.

Glancing from left to right, he took the path down to the beach. Now, let's not make an ass of ourself again, and just clear out my assigned route, hm?

Rounding the far edge of the temple, Avenger pulled up short at the sound of footsteps, pressing his back to the wall and becoming as still as stone. Getting nearer. Got to stay still now… Focusing his eyes sharply ahead on the path leading down a rough set of steps to the beach, a swarthy looking sailor in ripped off shorts and sandals appeared to be patrolling half-heartedly along the rear of the temple and the beach path. He's going to look right at me if he comes much closer, Avenger thought moodily, annoyed that the man should choose the route that led to his hiding place. And he has a gun…. His heart leaping hard, Avenger prepared to run for his life as the sailor unexpectedly raised his arms, the rifle pointing at the temple. Just yawning numbskull… calm down. Then, the man turned away, lumbering off down the sandy steps again. Here's your chance!! After him!!

Taking off at a fleeting run, his cloth shoes silent on the stone ground, Avenger slowed as the bigger man stopped to glance around boredly at the beach, unimpressed with the scene of the twin moons casting a white glow over the still ocean, the ships lights stark against the midnight blue sky. Wrinkling his nose in distaste at being so close to the burly sailor he could smell him, Avenger tossed his garrotte around the unshaven neck with practised ease, pulling back fiercely on the thin wire. The instrument cut through skin, flesh and the tougher windpipe like a hot knife through butter.

Satisfied the pirate was indeed dead; the young ninja let him slide to the ground, not realising he had been breathing so hard until this point. I just killed that man… his mind informed him coolly, Best not stick around, eh…? Grabbing the hefty man's arm, Avenger dragged him out of sight, dumping the lifeless body behind a sand dune.

Squatting down for a moment, Avenger cast his dark eyes over the body mutely, his mind strangely quiet for a while. What's the problem here…? You'll see plenty more like this – remember Yaemon? Tall guy, no hair, you killed him..? Yup, he's dead too 'cause of you – this is just the same. Scrubbing his hands into his eyes, realising too late that they were blood drenched, Avenger sighed in annoyance, wiping the sticky fluid away with the slack on his black scarf. When did I turn into such a foolish idiot?! Get up and clear out those pirates!!

The route down to the ship saw only five more sentries at various intervals that were quickly dispatched by a well placed dagger strike or the razor sharp garrotte. This is pretty easy… I should really go out to the ship and help Valerian and Aria… I know I was supposed to stay here on the beach, but I'm on a roll here – they might need me anyway…

Only when he reached the surf, intending to steal the small rowboat and go out to the ship in search of the captain, did he see evidence of his comrades' presence. The body of a dead sailor lay in the small wooden craft; his throat slit cleanly by a sword it seemed. Who…?! But before he had time to think the entire question, his shoulder was seized from behind by a solid hand, spinning him around. With a bitten off gasp of surprise and protest, Avenger came face-to-face with a tall figure clad in black from head to toe, steely eyes gazing at him coldly.

"Valerian…?" Avenger's usually cool voice came out as a hoarse whisper.

"What are you doing?!" the older growled out in a harsh whisper. "Get away from here, you fool child – that ship will be exploding at any moment!!"

A wave of anger washing over him at the insult, Avenger didn't notice momentarily that he was being dragged behind Valerian impatiently. Swiping his arm away in humiliation, Avenger opened his mouth to protest when the bay exploded in a flash of flame and smoke, the great rumbling reverberating around the cliffs as the ship off shore was torn apart, debris tossed in every direction under the force of the explosion. Avenger was quickly shoved to the ground, much to his consternation, landing flat on his face in the sand, the only thing keeping his mouth and nose sand free, the black scarf around his face. Growling in anger, he rolled over to get up as Valerian gave a groan of pain and dropped to his side, apparently hit by some of the debris.

"Vale- .."

"Shut up and stay down, you idiot," Valerian growled back, gripping his shoulder painfully.

Biting back a stinging retort, Avenger buried his head in his arms. So they do know I'm responsible for the pirates being on high alert… And still they managed to blow that ship – those guys are really something… I bet I never get to come out with them again – they didn't want me to come in the first place; they think I'm just a precocious child. Oh, Greystaff, I've let you down…

"What are you waiting for?!" Valerian hissed making Avenger look up in surprise, When did he get up..?

"Uh, I…"

"Save it. Back to the temple. Let's go," Valerian cut him off, moving off silently up the beach. Pausing he turned back to his junior. "And let's try to stay quiet and unseen, eh…?"

His cheeks burning hotly, Avenger just nodded once, swallowing the urge to stick something sharp in Valerian's retreating back. I will show you, Valerian… You and all the others that I'm better than you think. I can be worthy of the title 'Ninja'. Just you wait…