Learning Nature's Defiance [PRIVATE: Mirja/Lillyana]

As the time passed, Henrex was quickly registering everything that he was hearing from Mirja, into his head. He could tell that it was relatively hard for her to be able to discuss something like this, since explaining mentally-based subjects was something that was very difficult. It was hard for someone to say what their mind did, especially with something as abstract and expansive as the Tulpas were, from what he knew as of this time. Nevertheless, his mind drifted back into the void of blackness that was his thoughts.

As Mirja confirmed that she was heading back to her shop, and to keep focused, that there would be cake and awesome caused Henrex to chuckle quietly to himself as she zipped off, leaving Henrex alone in the currently abandoned land that was one of many of Vastime's training grounds. There was a small bit of irritation from the lack of information that Mirja gave him, but Henrex knew that it was all that she knew. He knew that it was hard for her to really explain that, but nevertheless, it was something that worked it's way into the reaches of his mind.

Breathing in deeply, before exhaling quietly, Henrex continued to focus on that thought from before. He knew that his mind had been able to find peace in the humming vibrancy of kenjutsu: The Way of the Sword. Now, it was time to figure out how to manifest that.

His mind began to create the images of the past, times where he held the sword with such proficiency that many considered him at the time to be a god that was born simply to wield the sword with absolute mastery. His eyes shifted around in the sockets, despite them being closed -- as if he were attempting to look around and pull those memories and thoughts closer. A weak, but still sure smile spread across the lips of the male, his head lowering slightly as he continued to travel throughout himself to try and find that moment again.


"Well, isn't that just precious."

Henrex's eyes snapped open, his ears registering the venom that coated those seemingly harmless words. His eyes soon spread open in terror at the sight he saw in front of him. Standing in front of him, peeking at him through the hood of a custom made shinobi shozoku, was the infamous ninja that Henrex had sought to destroy -- even if it meant learning the exact same skills that his nemesis had.

Dokugan Ryu. Dragon Eye.

Henrex shot to his feet, stumbling backwards at the sudden sight of his enemy. The single jade eye that sat softly in the socket burned into Henrex's twin voids. His hands began to tremble, fear trickling up his spine. No...how had Dragon Eye found him?! It wasn't supposed to happen like this. He was set on finding him before he had been. Gritting his teeth, and finding the words and the guts to form a response, Henrex's eyes soon narrowed slightly, in order to force himself to a calm state.

"Hattori..."

The air -- thick with hostility -- whipped around the clothing of the two men. At the mention of his former name, the black-clad man's eye twitched in annoyance, causing a small smile to form on Henrex's face once again. But, Dragon Eye was easily able to root out the venom in Henrex's words. They had every right to be filled to the brim with it. They were filled with hatred, spite, anger, and rage. He had no reason to be kind to this bastard of a man.

"Now now, is that any way to speak to an old friend?"

"You're no friend of mine. I would never be your ally or friend after what you've done. You're insane if you think that will ever happen."

Sighing quietly, and shaking his head, Dragon Eye broke off the leaning on the rod, before beginning to approach Henrex, stopping just short of him.

"You were the one that rooted the seed of hate in my heart. You were the cause of it all. It was all. Your. Fault. It always will be, Henrex. I will make sure that you never go a DAY without remembering that YOU were the cause of what happened!"

The voice of the other ninja had shifted from a calm tone, to an icy, resentful tone. Henrex knew that tone all too well. It was something that he had heard when the events of the past had first taken place. The tone that he had taken for the first time, after the words that Henrex had said caused his icy cool demeanor to break for the first time. His hand immediately shot towards the back of his waist, aiming to draw his sword -- but Dragon Eye was quicker. The other ninja whipped out a fearsome ninjato from seemingly nowhere.

A single slice downward knocked the blade of his grip, before Henrex was promptly sent flying from a powerful kick to the chest. Skidding backwards as his body collided with the ground over and over again, before stopping, Henrex groaned quietly as his body was able to register the hit. it wasn't something that was incredibly damaging, but it definitely knocked the wind out of him, and disoriented him slightly.

Flipping to his feet -- reaching for a kunai at the same time -- before hurling it forward and launching himself forward at the other ninja, Hattori's eye simply closing, before his hand reached towards the handle that lay out at the back of his waist, before ducking downward and swiping at Henrex's legs. Quickly twisting his body and flipping upwards, before landing on his hands and striking forward at Dragon Eye's chest, to which the blow connected, and simply caused his feet to skid backwards a few inches.

Grinning and snatching up his leg, before tossing him upwards and leaping upwards, Hattori swung the weapon in an attempt to hack off Henrex's right arm. Twisting again and snapping his fingers, Henrex's sword immediately shot to his hand, and Henrex swung, the smooth steel of the blade causing sparks to fly from the two weapons, before the two shot closer to each other, their blades locked at the hand guards.

With both of them twisting their arms, and knocking the weapons out of each other's hand, the two men immediately switched to taijutsu combat. Launching themselves at one another, aiming to either grab at the folds of their clothing to gain an advantage, or simply to just get in as many hits as possible. Various punches, kicks, and other kinds of strikes were made through the two's arms and legs, with both of them regenerating and healing from those wounds, and able to keep going with their duel.

As the two landed on their feet, they drew more weapons, and the two constantly disarmed each other. There was not an easy sight to tell who the victor would be in this fight -- the two were too evenly matched in their skills.


Hours passed, and the two men finally found themselves on their last weapon: both of them equipped with a single kunai. The two ninja's eyes burned with hatred for one another, before the lunged at each other one final time. As Henrex's eyes passed over the blade of the kunai, he was too late to fix the one imperfection that he had just now spotted. But, Hattori saw it, and struck. The small crack in the side of the kunai was just big enough to wedge the end of Hattori's own kunai into it.

Twisting upwards, Hattori was able to quickly force Henrex's last weapon out of his grip, as well as yank off a large chunk of the metal that was on it. With a single kick to the chest, Henrex was once again sent flying onto his back, landing and crashing. Leaping forward, and landing in front of Henrex, he turned his kunai around. Dragon Eye grinned maliciously, before turning his neck to the side, hearing loud cracks.

"Well, little 'ninja'. You're journey is finally coming to a close once again. This time, there will be nothing that will bring you back from death."

Grinning, before drawing the kunai backwards, Hattori's hand thrust downward to attempt to plunge the weapon into Henrex's heart. Time began to slow in Henrex's eyes. So, was this how he was going to be killed again? Dying to the same madman, with the same weapon?

History loved repeating itself, didn't it?

...

......

No.

It would not repeat itself.

He would not allow an event as disgusting as this to repeat. He was not going to die in this manner. He would die as he always hoped he would. So, as the kunai was merely inches away from his heart, Henrex's hand shot up and grabbed the black-drenched man's wrist. A small grunt came from the other male as the sudden grip locked itself.

With his other arm drawing back, Henrex pulled his leg back as well, sending a kick to Hattori's midsection, sending him flying backwards and sprawling onto the ground. Leaping into the air, and curling his fingers as if he were grabbing a sword, Henrex made one final attempt to end his nightmare...

The result was nothing short of marvelous.

Particles of azure blue gathered around Henrex's hand and wrist, before extending forward in a sharp, single motion. A loud sound rang out as a mighty blade shot forward from his hand, impaling the ninja directly through the heart. As blood trailed down the void garments of the male, the ninja simply laughed weakly.

"It doesn't matter if you beat me or not..."

Dragon Eye reached for the hood of his shinobi shozuko, pulling it down and revealing the hideous face that lay underneath, his jade green eye emitting a small fire as he grinned madly, staring directly into Henrex's twin voids.

"YOU WILL NEVER FORGET."


And with that, Henrex's eyes opened, revealing himself to be standing, and his arm thrust outward. A large blue blade attached itself to his arm, as it had during that last bit of the ordeal. Was this it? Bringing his arm closer to him to inspect what this strange construct was, he could feel the burning mental passion of his swordsmanship flowing like a raging river throughout that blade. It was the very essence of that thought -- that feeling -- that kept him going. The Way of the Sword -- kenjutsu -- was his guiding light.

And now, that light now took physical form, ready to guide him ever further.