Almost immediately, Valeria and Elza were by his side, helping him to a sitting position. The tattered robe fell from his shoulders, exposing his scarred chest and his thickly bandaged shoulder. Genshu took a moment to study this wound, the heavy bandage and well woven stitching, before turning his attention to his left hand, also thickly bandaged.

Genshu was dizzy and weak, and it seemed every muscle in his body had exploded in a fit of pain. But somehow, under the support of his attending companions, he managed to rise to his feet. Though he was weak, he refused to stand under the support of his companions, and chose to stand, swaying on his unsteady legs.

Genshu turned then, his attention focusing on the destroyed temple, the smoldering fire all but extinguished. How could this have happened? Sage had told him, that he was not to blame, but Genshu knew it was his fault. He could have stopped it, years ago, had he killed Sai, and taken the temple’s power for himself. But what of High Priest Sasalai? Would Genshu have fallen into the same pit of corruption Sai had, follow thy master, even if you do not agree with his desire? It is easy for a man to judge what he would do in that situation, but without living it, he could not be assured his path would be as he chose. And so, only one man knew this answer, and Genshu was determined to find the truth.

Genshu turned again, and picked up his sword and scabbard, though he stumbled upon attempting to rise. Valeria attempted to catch him, but he merely pushed her away. He could not be weak; his pride would not allow it. He wasn’t sure if Valeria understood, or just had accepted that Genshu was just this way, but she did not levy any protest about his stubbornness or arrogance. Had Genshu been in a better state of mind, he might had contemplated this change in Valeria. But as of now, he was too tired to care.

Genshu paused only briefly, looking over Valeria, Elza, Lorelai and the gathered masses of children being attended by another child in an orange Gi, before turning back to the fuming temple. “You must return these children to Muse. Their parents will wish to know they are safe.” Genshu stated, turning back toward the temple. Drawing his sword, Genshu knelt, or rather, collapsed to his knees, taking the blade of his weapon, and driving it deeply into the earth.

“Don’t forget our bargain Gen.” Elza stated, looking at the exhausted samurai.

“Yes. When you need my assistance, call upon me, and I shall come.” Genshu answered before bowing his head uttered a single word; it was all he needed to say. “Sai.”

“You called for me Genshu?” The voice from Genshu’s past stated, as Genshu opened his eyes. No longer was he in the burned-out fields of northern Muse, kneeling before the charred remnants of the Temple of the Silver Moon, now he was in a cloud, a gray swirling mass of nothingness. Some refer to this place as Limbo, others, the Astral Plane, but the few who can access it, and understand it, simple call this The Gray.

Genshu rose to his feet, and turned his attention to his old friend, Sai. His long, black hair and purple and black robe were a striking contrast to Genshu’s own white and purple robe. Though Genshu’s robe was now complete and whole, and his energy, too, had returned, this did not surprise Genshu, and he ignored the transformation, as he addressed his former master, friend and rival.

“Yes, Sai, I needed to know…” Genshu began, pausing to gather his thoughts. “Why have you come to the City-State? What do you hope to accomplish?”

“Could you not address me with the respect I deserve?” Sai inquired. It was a rhetorical question, and he had not even expected Genshu to answer. “Very well, come this way.” Sai instructed, leading Genshu through The Gray. The two former friends walked, coming to a lone table and two chairs. Fixed upon the table was a chessboard, prepared for the game of these two. “Please join me.” Sai spoke. It was more of a command than request, but still, there was the hint of hopefulness in his voice.

Genshu sat opposite Sai, and studied the chessboard. It was as it had been so many years ago. These two spent many hours playing this game, as part of their training, though Genshu never fully understood why.

“You see, Genshu, we have a very important mission in the City-State.” Sai remarked, moving his knight forward.

“Which is?” Genshu stated, countering by bringing his pawn up two spaces.

“We have been instructed by the High Priest himself, Sasalai, to disrupt and interfere with this war.” Sai announced, moving one of his pawns forward. “Quite an ingenious plan, I must say, though it was my design.” Sai waited for Genshu to move, before following through with his own move, taking one of Genshu’s pawns. “You see, the purpose of our interference is to bring disruption to the City-State. Sasalai has known that this war would break out eventually. He also knows the City-State could not win. But to ensure that all goes according to plan, the temple has moved into Jowston, and has fought against the war effort.” Sai moved his rook forward, taking Genshu’s knight.

“So,” Genshu began, countering the move by sliding his bishop to take Sai’s rook. “How does the stealing of children interfere with the war?”

“Simple, it doesn’t interfere with the actual course of the war, but more as a morale disruption.” Sai continued, moving his knight into position.

“So, you kidnap these children, to take away from the war efforts.” Genshu paused a moment to digest this new information. “In doing so, you bring attention to the temple, and away from the Highland forces. You’re only working as a distraction. Do you really believe you can pull that same trick here? It worked in Harmonia, but not in the middle of a war.”

“You’ve slowed up some Genshu.” Sai continued, studying the sporadic design of chess figures placed upon the board. “It works even better in the time of warfare. People are so naïve and sentimental, they turn a blind eye to that which is not the immediate threat. If a group of bandits begin stealing children, do you really believe the citizens will pay attention to a war when their child is missing, or threatened? The government will surly pay more attention to the immediacy of the war, but how successful will their efforts be if the people do not support them?”

“The City-State is already a prize, because the lords are so despondent of their fellow lords needs that they blindly disregard what is happening. The world itself could burn down, and if it weren’t at their doorstep, they wouldn’t even pay a notice. The temple uses the lord’s arrogance against them. For we have brought the fire to their doors. While they are so concerned about the missing children, Prince Ruka takes the lands from them. Who could concentrate on a war, when the most important treasure in their insignificant lives are snatched from their own homes.” Sai continued, moving his queen forward, and placing it securely beside Genshu’s king. “Check mate. You never could beat me at this game, could you Genshu? You never learned. Much like in war, the aggressor always takes the victory. That was the lessons of our training. Chess, like war, is a strategy, training the strong to overpower the weak. Strategy works, but a defensive war will fall to the one who draws first blood. Thus the victor is always the more aggressive. And that is why Highland will win.” Sai smiled, studying Genshu’s cautious observation of the chessboard. Suddenly, as if by some degree of magic or manipulation, the board itself shimmered and shifted in its appearance, becoming a map displaying the City-State, and it’s major capital cities. What alerted Genshu most, was the placement of each of Sai’s remaining pieces on the board, each by a major city within the city state, as if this were a guide, or a diagram of the temple’s location within the City-State.

“So, you finally understand?” Sai said, rising to his feet and walking back into The Gray.

“Why did you tell me?” Genshu questioned, looking back at the map that now faded into the mist of nothingness, understanding dawning in his silver-gray eyes.

“There was no reason for me not to tell you.” Sai remarked, pausing and turning his head so his words may be better heard. “You can’t defeat us. Oh, I should also tell you, your old friend, Zorin is in the City-State. He’s quite the useful agent, I would say. But I do suggest you don’t get in his way, you do remember what happened the last time, don’t you?”

“If…if you have sent Zorin to end me, why then, did you send Sage after me?” Genshu inquired.

Sai paused, his mind recalling the young man whom he knowingly sent to his death as he turned to face Genshu. “Do not flatter yourself, Zorin does not even know you are here. No, I have a special agent for you Genshu. Sage? Sadly, Sage was become too idealistic. He had always studied you, and, well, worshiped you for lack of a better term. When he knew you had returned to the City-State, he wanted to seek you out. Sadly, I feared, your influence on him so many years ago, corrupted him beyond the usefulness of the temple’s needs. I saw in him, the same desire for reform you had, once upon a time. Now, you no longer wish to reform the temple, you wish to destroy it. It would only be a matter of time before he gained the same, self-destructive ideology. The only way for him to be cured of his ailment, was to actually meet you, which I understand, he did.” Sai responded, turning and continuing his walk.

Genshu silently rose to his feet and watched as Sai vanished into The Gray. “Be warned Genshu,” Sai’s words echoed throughout the mass of nothingness. “The flames of war are not so easily extinguished. You may find that, in the war you cannot win, you will be yet another casualty.”

Genshu ignored this threat. He turned and walked toward the light that appeared within the midst of The Gray. Reaching the light, Genshu opened his eyes to the world as it was when he left. The morning light shined brightly, welcoming the new day. Genshu rose to his feet, his muscles still sore, yet he was embraced by the surging energy that now flowed through his body.