Kogure stared in dismay at the scene before him. After Mitsui has collapsed, one of them had backhanded him and blindfolded him and a voice had told him quietly to obey all orders. Then the group of men had brought them after a long while, to this stone hall.

He wished they hadn’t taken out the blindfold.

He could see Mitsui lying on the ground. He was bruised all over, probably from his vicious ex-fellow guild members. Some of the cuts looked pretty serious. It was as if he had many enemies among the Brothers and they had taken advantage of his weakness now.

The mercenaries were lined up orderly in 2 rows, with about 2 metres between the rows. In the middle, there was a path that was littered with sharp stones and shards of glass. It was curious that this pathway divided the hall in the middle, since it was obvious that it was not made for walking. It had a strange coppery and rusty-looking tinge.

Kogure was directly facing the mercenaries and he was being held in place by 2 stone-faced men. Right in front of Mitsui, there was a stone chair standing forlornly on a slightly elevated floor. Kogure guessed that they were in the infamous Hall of the Brothers, a stone castle somewhere to the west of the forest Kiel, where no one knew the exact location.

On the floor, Mitsui stirred.

"Mitsui ... are you all right?" Kogure anxiously asked, only to be painfully punched in the stomach by the man on his left. The one on the right told him to shut up.

Kogure could only grimace as Mitsui tried valiantly to get up, only to collapse again. Mocking shouts and jeers came from the lines of men. Some just watched.

"Be quiet." A voice that resounded with power and authority. The result was immediate silence.

The Master strode from a door that Kogure could not see and ascended his forlorn throne. He was followed by Fukuda, a man that Kogure had in his short period of acquaintance, grown to hate.

He was that type of man who had a face that one couldn’t stand to look for long. He was ugly, by any standard. A face that only his mother could love. Or perhaps not.*

Mitsui had by now, noticed Kogure and although no words passed between them, there was communication. Each assuring the other that he was all right.

"Hail the Master!" A collective greeting from the hall of men. The Master merely nodded, and gestured at Fukuda.

Fukuda understood. Facing Mitsui, he boomed pompously. "What do you have to say for yourself, Hisashi Mitsui?" The Master watched from his lofty throne, as if he was just an observer and not a participant.

Mitsui struggled to stand on his own feet and after a few agonising minutes, with one hand grasping his abdomen, he answered.

"The deadline was breached unfairly, O Master." Even though his head was spinning, he still managed to speak slowly and calmly.

"And where were you taking the scholar? You wanted to let him escape and bring shame to the Brothers." Fukuda spoke with aplomb, looking very satisfied with his own analysis. He had waited years for this. Waited long and hard for the favourite of his Master to fall.

"How can you prove that? It was just a simple walk .." Mitsui’s voice sounded strained.

"A walk?! A walk in the Forest Kiel in the dead of the night?" Cruel laughter rocked the whole hall. Fukuda licked his lips and continued. Unrolling a scroll, he proceeded to read from it.

"Mitsui Hisashi, the charges are as follows; First, the intention of breaking the contract which the Brothers have with our client. Second, attempting to escape with the person that the client has desired and making away with the desired object; the prophecy. Third, the cold murder of 2 of the Brothers. Fourth, for resisting arrest. Fifth, for defying authority.."

Shouts of approval echoed throughout the Hall. Mitsui listened to the charges with an almost detached numbness and noted that the Master still had not shown any reaction.

This is what I get for years of loyal service .. Nothing left but bitterness.

"By this action, I now pronounce you a traitor and no longer a Brother of the Dagger. I propose that this ungrateful traitor be put to death in the traditional custom, Master." Fukuda turned and bowed respectfully. There was an ominous silence now. Kogure looked miserably at Mitsui. If only I could help him, if only I wasn’t so weak ...

"... and so our verdict is death, Master." Fukuda handed the scroll over to the Master respectfully, but he did not even glance at it. For now, his full attention was on Mitsui.

Tetsuo ... what would you do to me now? Mitsui returned the scrutiny with a calm face. He had best prepare for the worst and to take Kogure with him. His muscles tensed and his fingers slid almost un-noticeably into his jacket.

"You don’t have to look for your daggers, Mitsui. From the moment you turned against the Brothers, you are no longer fit to carry my daggers." Tetsuo, Master and Lord of the Brothers said. A forbidding frown filled his face.

You have finally acknowledged my presence. Mitsui thought bitterly, as his fingers went back in place.

Memories filled his mind. How they had fought together, Mitsui often guarding Tetsuo’s back and vice versa. How they had got into so much trouble when they were still apprentices ... and how bitterly Tetsuo had fought for the throne of the Brothers.

Mitsui was never interested in rank and authority. Perhaps he was a fool as his enemies had mocked him, but he had decided a long time ago that he could never be the Lord of the Brothers. After seeing the plotting and political games that was rampant within the Brotherhood, he had heartily sworn off that path.

There was no point in power, my brother. Yet, you threw yourself in it .. Mitsui met Tetsuo eye to eye. And so I guarded your back and killed for you, just so that you may ascend the throne ..

Power corrupts. It was a fact of life. No one could run from it. Mitsui was too young and naive then to believe then that all would be well when Tetsuo finally managed to ascend that bloody stone chair.

"What is it about this scholar that you would betray us --- for him?" A quiet fury filled Tetsuo’s words. Mitsui remained quiet.

"..death by the traditional custom, Master ... "Fukuda sidled up to Tetsuo and whispered loudly.

Tetsuo kept the bitterness inside him. Nothing can be compared to this sense of betrayal. Not even Mitsui’s incomprehensible drifting away from him in his early days as Lord had hurt this much. They were sworn brothers, for god’s sake! Brothers in heart, mind and soul ...

Nothing should come between us at all.. It was a iron-cast grip that suffocated his entire being. It filled him with blind anger every time he looked at the meek scholar standing in front of him.

" Master. If I may speak..." A man of average height stepped forward.

Tetsuo gestured impatiently to him to go on. Nori nodded and continued. "If I could remind Fukuda, the deadline was breached ..."

A friend? Here? Kogure looked at Nori gratefully. Mitsui did not have any expression on his face. It was his usual "I am a mercenary" look.

Fukuda drew himself to his full height. "Nori, why are you attempting to shield a traitor who - "

"Silence." The hall immediately stopped its activity at the Master’s command.

May the god of fortune pass your way, Nori ... Mitsui thought silently. He could not afford to show any emotion now. Soon it would be time to fight, with or without his daggers.

Kogure stood with his back hunched. It was that old familiar feeling again. the feeling of helplessness, of being a coward, of being the harbinger of doom. A burden. That’s what he was. Not some great prophet. He almost laughed there and then. What a joke fate liked to play. He would be the cause of Mitsui’s downfall. My first test and I have failed...

"As the guild-master, I hereby pronounce Mitsui Hisashi guilty on all the charges made." Muttering arose in the hall. Nori looked downcast. Fukuda smirked. Mitsui just looked on. Kogure wished he could sink into the floor.

"But to be fair, the deadline was breached." Tetsuo stood up, then formally intoned. " Thus the Brotherhood allows you a chance at the pathway. Walk till the end of it, and I grant you the Gift of Freedom."

A shocked gasp ran around the hall. Nori sank back on his knees. Even Fukuda looked shocked.

"Master.." Nori protested. Tetsuo’s glare stopped him from going further.

There was only one pathway in the hall. The one that divided the 2 lines of mercenaries in the middle. It was littered with sharp stones and shards of glass. It was named the Gift of Freedom. A double-edged gift.

Countless mercenaries had died on it, fighting for that elusive something called - freedom - their lifeblood leaving a mark on the pathway that no one could ever erase. It was a fate that was worse than death. It wasn’t the stones that killed. It was something else.

Mitsui felt his heart almost stop. Tetsuo ... is this the only way you will let me leave?

Do I have no other choice? Mitsui closed his eyes, and felt the fight drain out of him. My soul-brother ...

Thus you would never leave me, Mitsui. Your blood will grace the pathway. I would keep you here forever...

"Begin." Tetsuo turned back to his seat.

"I would have Kogure leave with me after I walk the pathway." Mitsui spoke harshly. A voice that sounded strangled.

"We will talk about it when you walk till the end." Tetsuo stopped, turned and gave Kogure another masked glance. Don’t you ever learn, Mitsui? The words of one in power are never to be trusted..

Kogure couldn’t even look at Mitsui.

Mitsui took in a deep breath. The pathway was a simple, normal pathway that was just littered with sharp stones and glass. It was possible to walk through it with the thick boots that a brother wore. But it wasn’t called the Gift of Freedom for nothing.

Mitsui walked to the utmost edge of the path. The lines of mercenaries looked at him silently. Dressed only in a plain white outfit and barefoot, he closed his eyes, and took the first step.

Note: I didn't mean to leave the chapter hanging like that, but it was really getting too long. so I cut it at this point..

erm have a number of things to say. I want to thank my sister for having gone through each and every sentence of TM, I have to let her pick on the chapter before I can even bear to put it up. Next, many thanks to Gorky Sensei for giving me the names of Mitsui's gangster friends. Heh otherwise, Tetsuo will just be "The Master" and the rest just called Mercenary A/B/C etc... Lastly, wanna thank for Ling for being a fervent supporter of TM. I glow with happiness everytime I read what you wrote in my guestbook. ^_^

Hope you had fun reading TM!!!