The Legend Of Yin
The Legend of Yin The year was 1200 A.D. The Tang Dynasty was in power and the Hishitako were helping the emperor keep order. Their rival with the Teguro clan was becoming worse. Many of each side’s men were being killed. Many great assassins were loosing their lives, and the clans were quickly killing each other off. Meditating on the top of a rock cliff with his short sword gripped by both hands, Yin Tsu took in slow deep breaths to calm his nerves. He was a narcissistic boy about 17 years old. He was trained well, but he still had a lot to learn. He was being sent on a mission to assassinate a man he had never seen. A few days earlier his father had been assassinated by this man. He was close with his father but knew the repercussions of the clan, the news of his death didn’t come as a huge shock. He was born and raised into the Hishitako clan and had seen many die and many loose limbs while on missions. He always thought to himself how great he must be since he was never defeated. The Teguro Clan had been the enemy of the Hishitako for many years. They Teguro were always trying to bring the emperor down for banishing them for disobeying orders when they were part of his army. The Hishitako were raised to hate them and to do whatever it took to stop them from destroying the balance they helped the emperor hold. Yin slowly arose opening his eyes. He walked over to the edge of the rock cliff he was standing upon. The cliff was at least a 100 feet high. No mere person could climb this rock face; it was as smooth as glass but the edges were as sharp as a razor blade. He had gotten up it by jumping half way then clinging onto it with the claws he had strapped to his hands and feet. He was looking at the ground when he rose his head to the sky, took a deep breathe and dove off. He landed in complete silence and rolled out of it into a full on sprint. He had no time to waste; it was soon going to be light. He had been told the man who killed his father was out to gain intel on the emperor’s placement of his army. As soon as he got to the clans hide out, he rushed past everyone to his room. He closed the door and got dressed. He dressed in a dark green, almost black to blend him into the night. It covered all but his eyes. He took with him ten shuriken, three bo shuriken, his short sword, a knife, a bottle of poison, and the grips he had strapped to his hands and feet to climb the rock face he sat upon earlier meditating. The poison was for him to take if captured so he could not give any secrets of the clan out, and he could dip the shuriken or bo shuriken to poison his enemy. As he walked out of his room he dipped his short sword into a bucket of black oil to kill the gleam any light may reflect off of it. As he let the excess oil drip off the razor sharp blade, he imagined his enemy’s blood doing the same. As soon as it finished he sheathed it and took off into the pith black light. He sprinted for 5 miles periodically stopping to watch everything around him making sure no one was stalking him. When he finally came within 100 yards of the emperor’s palace he launched himself into a tree overlooking the walls of the massive fortress guarded by a thousand men. Inside he could see that the guards on duty were tired and had no chance against an assassin good enough to kill his father. He posted there for a few minutes scoping out the territory. Suddenly he heard a faint sound in the distance, when all of a sudden a shuriken came flying at him with such speed and precision that if he had not moved out of the way a split second after he heard it cutting threw the still night air, it would have cut straight through his throat. As startled as he was, he kept his cool. He looked at the shine it reflected from the moon’s light and saw the poisoned tips dripping sap. He leapt from his tree to a second and then a third trying to confuse his enemy. All of a sudden he saw a dark figure fly by him like a ghost. It caught him by such surprise that it made him leap out of his tree. He ran back from the palace a few feet and sat in a bush. He heard a voice cry out, “Don’t be a fool young one!” Yin knew he had no chance right then. He was no match for this man. This man was far too stealthy and trained far to well. “Not today”, he thought to himself, “but very soon”. Yin rushed back to his clan’s hide out and slammed the door into his room. He took off his clothes and jumped into the bath to relax. He was a bit shaken from almost having his throat cut and needed time to think. After he got out of the bath, he got dressed and went to sleep. When he awoke the next morning, he went to see the jonin of the clan, the head assassin. He asked him who this enemy of his was, and how he moved without Yin seeing the man. Yin had the keenest sight and hearing of all of his clan. For him to not have seen him or barely even heard him didn’t seem right. He had never known anyone that could get by him without him knowing. The jonin sat for a moment deep in thought, until looking back at Yin. Your father’s killer is Yang Wo. Yin suddenly gasped. He heard stories of this man when he was younger. The men of the clan would sit and talk about him, as though he were a ghost. No man had ever seen the face of Yang Wo. He always worked alone and had never failed a mission. One day, he just showed up in the Teguro clan. He proved himself by defeating all of the assassins of the clan single handedly. “How in the world could this man be defeated?” thought Yin. All of the stories told in the emperor’s palace dealt with Yang having the mystical powers of being able to turn invisible, walk on water, and use magic. Of course, Yin knew this was not true, for no assassin had such powers. “He must have some sort of weakness or something”, thought Yin, “But how will I find out?” After telling the jonin what had happened the night before, the jonin told him “You must face your opponent in a battle to find his weakness. Watch and study his style and methods”. Yin walked out of his room with little hope in his mind. He decided he would go after Yang that night. He knew all he had to do was get to the emperor’s palace, and Yang would come after him. Yang had been hiding out around the palace, keeping killing any of the Hishitako. That night Yin set out again, but this time he decided to be very watchful and silent for the last two miles until the palace. He watched every step he took with the utmost precision. He flew through the forest like a ghost. Right before reaching the palace he stopped and hid high above in a tree, looking for Yang. Wack! A bo shuriken went flying into the branch next to his head. Yin quickly dove out of the tree, landing on the ground in silence and racing towards the direction of the bo shuriken’s path. He saw a dark figure running through the trees, and almost seeming to float down to the ground as soft as a leaf. Then Yin quickly drew his sword as Yang threw a shuriken at his throat. Yin blocked it with the blade and threw down blinding powder. He dove through it, at Yang, but yang sprinted to the left. As soon as Yin hit the ground and rolled, Yang’s blade came flying towards his head. Cling! Yin parried Yang’s strike, while arising to his feet in a quick Kip Up. He slashed at his enemy with a quick blow to his arm. Yang dropped to the ground striking at Yin’s feet, but Yin jumped up and with his sword between his legs, came stabbing down onto Yang. Yang rolled out of the way just in time, but Yin’s blade tip slit a small hole in Yang’s uniform. Yang jumped back and stared at Yin. He could tell in Yin’s eyes that he was enraged and was too quick to attack. Yang quickly threw a stabbing motion at Yin. Yin blocked it but it was too late. Yang had pulled a bo shuriken out of his sleeve and stabbed Yin with hit. Yin jumped back feeling his wound. It was in his left shoulder. He pulled his fingers back and could see the dark coloring on them. He felt the thick texture of his blood. He looked back for Yang, but he was gone. He glanced around him, waiting for an attack, until Yang cried out, “You are quick, I will give you that, better then your father, but not a good enough match yet.” Yin knew he was not yet a match for Yang fled this day; he would need much more training to defeat such a great warrior. As he fled back to his room to tend his wound, his mind was racing with thoughts. “How can I beat him? Will this man destroy me as he did my father? What do I possibly need to learn before I can fight him again?” Yin went back to his Jonin and was told to train, and not to stop training until he could fight with his eyes closed and defeat him. Yin was angry; he wanted to kill Yang then and there. A couple of years passed, and Yin was almost done training. He had to plant a corn seed and jump it everyday, until the day he failed to jump it. The he would plant another and keep going. He became an incredible jumper and sprinter. His sword skills became stronger, faster, and more accurate. He was able to stand behind some one, a breath apart and they would never see him there. He learned to calm his mind and breathe silently. He let go of his anger and was on his guard constantly. He could take on 15 men bare handed, and in an in closed room with nothing to use as a weapon. He became the greatest assassin the Hishitako had ever had. His time was ready to take on his Jonin. He went to him and the Jonin put a cloth in his hands for him to blind himself with. He put it on and heard a blade slice through the air to his left arm. He swiftly slid out his short sword from its sheath and blocked it with precise motions. He lunged to the right and quickly went invisible. He jumped over his Jonin watching the setting of the room in his mind. Every vibration bounced off of the objects in the room and replaced the noise with images in his mind. He threw a Shuriken at his Jonin, but he parried it with a knife. He knew from the Shuriken where Yin was and threw a knife at him. Yin had moved so swiftly, before his Jonin knew it, Yin went visible and had his blade to the Jonin’s throat. “Well done, Yin, I feel you are ready”. Yin bowed and walked away slowly. As he exited the room the Jonin threw a bo shuriken at his back, but Yin blocked it with his arm guard. The Jonin chuckled a bit and went back to his scrolls. As his brother walked in, he sat up to see him. “I see the young boy has done well” his brother said. “Yes, he reminds me of his father” the Jonin said. “From a narcissistic boy, to a calm open minded man, I’m proud” the Jonin said. As Yin got ready to face his enemy who he such hate for so long ago, he found himself calm and clear minded. He knelt to a statue he prayed to every day and said “I shall avenge you father”. Standing up, he walked out of his room and to a full on sprint into the woods. It was dark out and the sky was filled of clouds that covered the bright white moon. He waited for his enemy in a tree near the walls of the emperor’s palace. He dipped his bo shuriken into a bottle of the most lethal poison he had. He sat in silence breathing in the cold air. His wraps around his face kept him warm. Suddenly he saw a dark figure standing in front of the moon. He could barely make it out until the clouds spread apart like cotton balls being torn in two. He suddenly could tell it was Yang. His size, posture, and confident movements gave him away. Suddenly Yang threw down blinding powder and seemed to disappear. Yin jumped to the ground listening to the crickets and the rats scurrying about. Out of know where he heard Yang’s short sword de sheathe and go in for an attack for his head. Yin pulled out his knife and blocked it, while back kicking Yang in the stomach. Yang was surprised; he had never had something of this sort happen to him. Yin threw his knife at Yang, but Yang dove out of the way. Yin went invisible and pulled his short sword, thrusting a stab attack at Yang. Yang ducked hearing the sword de sheathed. He jumped into a tree, but was quickly kicked out of it. Yang fell to his feet looking around in confusion. Yin went visible again standing behind Yang. “Long time no see” proclaimed Yin. Yang jumped forward turning around looking at Yin. “Yin!” said Yang. “Yes, I believe you will find I am a worthy challenge this time” announced Yin. Yang threw a shuriken at him, trying to give himself time to run. Yin kicked up a stick knocking the shuriken off course. He threw a shuriken at Yang, catching him in the back. Yang fell to the ground. He jumped up, turned around pulling the shuriken out of his back. “Ok boy, time to die like your father” Yang screamed out. He felt enraged and Yin could see this. Yang jumped at him spearing Yin to the ground. Yin jumped up, only to be swept off his feet. Yin hit his head on a rock knocking his vision a bit weary. As he arose, Yang threw a bo shuriken at his face, but Yin slapped it away with his arm guard. A sharp ting rang out into the forest. Yin was getting flash backs of being defeated twice before. His father’s face also came back to him. His eye sight was blurry, and he began swinging at double vision trees. Yang laughed watching Yin stumble around. Yin thought of all his training and how he was wasting it. “I can do this; I’m not the ignorant child I use to be!” Yin thought to himself standing back up. “You still are too arrogant and can not concentrate” Yang cried out. Yin took in a few deep breathes and picked up his sword. Yang gripped his sword angrily and threw it at Yin. Yin parried it, making it fly off and stabbing into a tree. Yang went to jump for his sword, but Yin beat him to it. As he stood on the sword, yang shifted his body away in mid air. Yin threw a poisoned bo shuriken at Yang, but Yang ducked it. Yang angrily pulled out a second short sword from his back and lunged at Yin. Yin jumped off Yang’s sword, and they met in mid air. Yang cried out in fury, but Yin stayed calm. As they met in air the tips of their blades hit, and both went plummeting back towards the hard, rocky, cold ground. Yang sprang to his feet and in an instant, he found a bo shuriken in his heart, and the sight of Yin crouched in the position that he threw it in. Yang fell to his knees, and gave out a small chuckle. “You’ve done well, your father would be proud”. Yang spoke softly, as he fell face first to the ground. It was over, Yin had finally defeated Yang. He went back to his home to the clan with Yang’s body. He burned his body and threw his weapons in the lake they called the abyss, for it had no end to its depth. He bowed to the lake and walked away. Yin was forever remembered for years to come from clan to clan, his name sang out. He was known as the greatest assassin to ever live. The tang dynasty fell a thousand years after Yin had died. The Hishitako and Teguro had many battles after Yin died, but were able to come to a simple peace. Years later they both died out in the emperor’s wars.
Copyright © 2005 Mike Jones |