FicWad

Prologue arc
Chapter four
Cleaning up the filth

Final fantasy belongs to Square Enix.

XXX

The night sky had long since creped over the village, and all its occupants had returned to their homes. Even those without such things had retired to various alleyways, leaving Shadow and Interceptor to be on their own.

'Shadow?' The ninja did not bother to turn and acknowledge the individual, for he knew from the voice that it was Leanne, 'why do you not retire? If the scum return, then would it not be best that you be at full strength?'

'And if they come in the night?' Shadow simply replied. Leanne did not answer.

'Then let me wait with you,' Leanne finally said after an extensive period of silence.

'No.'

'Why not?'

'You will get in my way,' Shadow monotonously replied.

'It is my home damn it! If I want to protect it, then you can't stop me!' Leanne shouted, causing Interceptor to growl defensively at the woman.

'If you want to help your home, then stay out of my way.'

'Fine!' Leanne mumbled as she turned around, and returned to her home.

'Foolish girl.'

XXX

The sun rose slowly over the baron land, as did Shadow's eyelids.

'I fell asleep? When,' Shadow's thoughts were ceased suddenly as he heard Interceptor's barks. As he sat up, he ran his hand through the dog's coat. It was then that he noticed just how the dog was barking. Interceptor was barking off into the horizon, which usually meant one thing. The enemy was drawing near. Shadow quickly jumped to his feet, drawing Striker and Stunner as he did, 'We shall wait.'

Still as a statue, Shadow waited. Interceptor's barks became much greater in volume, and sure enough, the enemy approached, this time in much more vast numbers.

'You there!' One of the thugs cried out, 'you must be the one who attacked our guys yesterday, am I right?' Shadow did not respond, 'I will take that as a yes,' the thug said as he turned to his men, 'Kill him, and bring me his head!'

The thugs shouted loudly as the first wave charged forward. Shadow lunged Stunner towards a dead tree, cutting a wire attached to it. A blade soared towards the thugs, decapitating the first wave in its entirety. The leader of the group slammed his palm to his forehead, 'next!'

'Right boss!' the next wave of thugs charged forward. Shadow pulled free a kunai, and threw it at one of the thugs. The weapon embedded its way into one of the thugs head, dropping his corpse to the ground.

'Your dead you bastard!' A thug welding a club lunged forward, but Shadow took to the air and kicked him in the head, sending him stumbling to the ground. Before the man hit the baron soil, Striker entered his chest. He screamed in pain as Shadow removed the blade and rushed forward. The ninja slit another of the thugs' throats, before jumping to the dead tree, and pulling Stunner free. As the thugs charged forward, the ninja jumped at them. Stunner embedded its way into a throat, as Stalker did to that of another. Both blades left and found their way to another thug each. Shadow continued to jump between the men, killing them in single strikes.

'He is but one! Kill him!' the leader screeched at his remaining men, causing them to rush into the blood frenzy.

Shadow jumped high into the air, evading the swing of a sword as he did. He threw Striker and Stunner down, both blades piercing a head each. The ninja reached to his sides, and pulled out several shuriken, and threw them, striking down the thugs in the centre of the cluster. He landed, and pulled free his two blades. Quickly, he ducked, and a spear passed by his head. He jumped up, and in a spinning motion, slit the throat of the spearman, and of another thug who was rushing towards him. Shadow turned, and caught a glimpse of the last thug other then the leader.

'You bastard!' he shouted as he charged forward, dagger in hand, but was quickly silenced as Interceptor jumped up and grabbed the man's throat in his jaw, bringing him down. By the time he let go, blood had coated the fur of Interceptors face and nose.

'You shall pay,' The last of the thugs growled as he drew his weapon, a Katana, 'My name is Ulric, and I shall be your end!' the thug charged forward, and thrust his blade towards Shadow, but the ninja jumped up past the blade, and slammed his foot into Ulric's head, causing the name to stumble backwards. Shadow threw Stunner, but Ulric quickly moved his head out of the way, causing the weapon to impale the dead tree. The ninja drew another blade, this time Man-eater.

Ulric charged forward, but suddenly stopped as Shadow slashes at him. The thug evaded Man-eater, but was deeply cut by Striker.

'You little piece of...' Ulric trailed of as he held his wound tight.

Shadow lunged Striker towards the man. Ulric screeched loudly as the blade entered him, after which Shadow jumped forward and slammed his foot into his face, breaking his nose. Ulric staggered back onto her feet, and blindly slashed his Katana around. Shadow was growing weary of this, and so he charged forward, ducking under the Katana, and slashed his wrist, bringing it off. Ulric screamed in agony as he fell on his back. Shadow grabbed Striker, and pulled it free of Ulric's muscle.

'I let you live only to deliver a message,' Shadow said, 'Inform your owner that if he or his men step into this town again, then I shall do upon him what I did to you tenfold.

'I...I understand. Just don't harm me!'

'Go now. Or I will kill as I killed them.' Shadow stood up and turned away from Ulric, giving him the chance to jump onto his feet and flee. Shadow could hear cheering coming from the homes of the townspeople, but he honestly couldn't care less. As long as he got his payment, they could drop dead. The truth is, this would not keep them at bay for long, they would return, and they would destroy this town.

XXX

'So, he shall do this upon me tenfold,' laughed Akihiko Shitamura as his men held Ulric down.

'Please sir, I am wounded. I need medical attention,' Ulric pleaded.

Akihiko's face contorted in rage, 'You dare ask for assistance after such a failure. Remove this filth from my sight!'

'Please! Have mercy!' Ulric screeched as the men holding him down dragged him out of the room. His screams were soon silenced, and the men returned to the cold, dark room made of stone. An eerie breeze constantly passing through.

'What should we do sir?'

'Why should we do anything?' Akihiko asked.

'But the black phantom?'

'Is but a man. A mercenary who shall be gone within time,' Akihiko stated.

'And then?'

'The chief's daughter Leanne is the only one foolish enough to hire someone to stand against us. Bring her to me, and I shall make an example of her.''

'But what if the black phantom comes after us?'

'Let him come! If he shall come, then I shall have my vengeance,' Akihiko stated.

'You know of this black phantom?'

'But of course. I could never forget the bastard who assisted in the death of master Kefka,' Akihiko growled, 'But before we do anything, my pets are hungry,' the thug quickly turned around as he heard growls behind him.

'No sir! Please!' but his begs went unheeded as the wolf-like beasts jumped at him, and began their feeding.

XXX