Part 2
1905 A.D.
It has been month since Elizabeth had arrived to Japan, and weeks since she and a Japanese elder; Hoshiki, had influenced the first of many villages; so far, only one individual at the village had not been taken in by Hoshiki or his honeyed words on Elizabeth’s behalf, but to Elizabeth it didn’t matter; in reality, her time in Japan was unimportant, her only real focus was proving to her father that she was more than capable of doing things for the Imperium alone, she had a desperate desire to find and take revenge on her sister; Lydia, Lydia after all had done so much damage to their family, it had cost them a lot, not just financially, but influentially as well; she bore witness to her father falling from grace as a direct result of her sister; she was unaware however of just how much had actually been caused by her half-brother; William, something conveniently glossed over by her father, he had just as much of an interest in seeing just how far Elizabeth would go if she encountered her twin sibling.
Keiko, who had been the only villager to not fall for Hoshiki and his claims of serving a Celestial Deity could bring strength to the land of the Rising Sun; she could see him for what he really was, influenced by a foreigner; the Cult of the Minotaur was not of Japanese culture, it served its own alien culture; and would only bring ruin to Japan, she would never serve something as twisted as the Imperium; but being forced to flee, she could do nothing, she even lost her friend to the influence of the Cult; now though, wandering the roads, she heard rumours of the Imperium’s growing influence across the region, it was rapidly spreading, the blonde haired foreigner; Elizabeth had even begun making her presence more public, despite her young age, Elizabeth commanded authority, people were easily intimidated by her whenever she made an appearance.
Resting on a hill, Keiko took notice of something in the distance, there was marching happening, and the banners present did not bare any symbol of their culture; they were not the symbols of Japan; they were red banners bearing a seal of the foreign Cultists; the Cult of the Minotaur; she realised that the rumours of their growing influence were true; communities really were being swayed by the promise of some strange foreign God “How are they being so easily manipulated” she questioned aloud, it upset her greatly; but unless something was done, it would simply continue to happen, the Cult would spread like wildfire.
Eventually Keiko arrived to a town nestled deep in the mountains, it as a modest place, and was untouched by the Imperium’s creeping grasp, at least, for now.
Taking shelter at a modest tea house run by an elderly widow, Keiko tried her best to blend in; she offered her labour in exchange for food and board; but this peace was fleeting; the air began to buzz with tension that she could not ignore; strangers passing through much more regularly; and some, some had foreign accents that she recognised; the Cult was close.
One day as Keiko went out collecting a variety of different herbs, she caught sight of a familiar figure standing near a shrine; it acted as the centre of the community, it was believed to be a sacred place; the blonde haired foreigner was out of place against the backdrop of the ancient building and its cherry blossoms.
She wore westernised attire, clothes that did not blend in with the locals; they were dark and she was flanked by two armed Cultists, they themselves were Japanese, wore the typical clothes of the local culture; Elizabeth’s hands rested behind her back as she seemed to be listening to whomever it was she was speaking with; but Keiko knew this calm demeanour was a guise; laying beneath was a storm.
Clutching a small blade tucked beneath her sash; Keiko observed, she was trying to determine Elizabeth’s purpose; as Elizabeth moved, she spoke with the locals, she spoke low but deliberate, and a small crowd was gathering around her; they were clinging to her words, their faces a mixture of curiosity but there was also unease.
Keiko did not want another settlement to fall; she wasn’t going to stand aside or run this time, with her heart pounding, she made a move “Enough!” she shouted
The crowd that had gathered around the blonde haired foreigner, turned, they were startled by Keiko; Elizabeth however didn’t flinch; her icy-eyes met Keiko’s, a faint smiled touched her lips – mocking, calculating “Ah…, Keiko I believe” Elizabeth said calmly, her Japanese was flawless, it unnerved Keiko how fast this foreigner had learnt their language “I wondered when you reappear”
“You won’t deceive these people” Keiko spat, her hand tightened her grip around the handle of the small blade “I will not let you”
Elizabeth simply tilted her head, her expression almost humorously patient “Deceive?” she said sounding confused for a moment “Is that what you think I am doing?” Elizabeth stepped forwards in Keiko’s direction; her shoes crunched the gravel; the crowd seemed to part, their curiosity shifting to unease
“You so-called god is nothing but a lie” Keiko shouted with an increasing anger “These lands belong to our ancestors; I wont let you poison them with…”
Elizabeth moved her hand, raising it up quickly silencing Keiko “Do you even hear yourself?” she asked softly “You speak of ancestors as if they will save you; as if they can offer your people any direction or hope” continuing to move forwards again, she stepped in Keiko’s direction, Keiko instinctively stepped back as she brought her short blade out into view
“Stay back!” Keiko warned; Elizabeth did stop, though she seemed unfazed by the weapon, she finally moved her arms fully as she crossed them across her chest, her calculating gaze never left Keiko
“You’re a smart girl; you’ve seen it for yourself; the world is changing, the old gods?, they are silent, weak; the Imperium offers you the future, it offers strength and purpose; the people who we see and speak with; like here, those around us; they see it, even if you do not” Elizabeth watches Keiko carefully
“I see nothing but manipulation and fear” Keiko spat
Elizabeth smirked; she found this rather amusing “Fear?; or Admiration?, Hoshiki understood, he saw the inevitable and embraced it; that is why your village thrives, while you scrape by like a feral dog”
The words hit hard, but Keiko refused to show weakness “You twist loyalty into chains; I am not letting you do it to these people”
Elizabeth let out a sign; she sounded disappointed “You are wasting you life fighting the inevitable; you can’t stop us; the Cult of the Minotaur operates in the shadow of the most powerful Empire on the planet; we spread from one corner of the globe to the other, as they say; ‘The Empire upon which the Sun does not Set’ or have you not heard of that in regard to Britain?” she observed Keiko carefully “If we can control such a vast and powerful Empire from the shadows, what hope do you believe you hold in stopping the Imperium?” she shrugged her shoulders “I suppose you are just too stubborn to accept that…, or, perhaps your just afraid?”
Keiko felt her grip falter for a fraction of a second; but it was enough for Elizabeth to notice, in fact her expression hardened into something much colder; almost predatory “Put down the blade Keiko; you are no warrior; you’re a frightened girl clinging to the past that simply doesn’t exist anymore” Elizabeth stated, her tone had become more authoritative, she did not sound like some young teenager as she spoke “You don’t have to like more, but if you know what is good for you, and for them..” she said as she gestured around at the crowd “You’ll step aside”
The air was dense; electric, Keiko wanted to act, she wanted to lash out, but her limbs felt heavy; Elizabeth’s words wormed their way into her head, they were stirring doubts she couldn’t supress; was she fighting for something real, or just defying the inevitable.
Elizabeth took another step forwards, she had closed enough of the gap between them that the metallic glint of a concealed revolver could be seen beneath her jacket “Choose Keiko” she said, her tone seemed quitter, but it had not lost any commanding authority “Fight me, and you’ll lose more than your pride, stand down, maybe…, just maybe; you’ll find a new place in the new world order we’re building”
Keiko’s breathing was shallow, the time seemed to stretch infinitely; the crowds eyes bore into her, waiting, judging; the blade trembled in her grip; then with a strangled cry, she dropped it; the weapon fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Elizabeth’s lips curled into a smile – not victory, but something much more calculating “Good girl” she said softly, almost mockingly
Keiko’s fists clenched in silent fury as Elizabeth turned back to the crowd; her dominance in this little contest had been reasserted without a single bullet being fired; as the blonde haired foreigner resumed what she had originally come to do; Keiko slipped away, her heart was heavy with shame and anger; she hadn’t even come close to beating Elizabeth verbally or even had a chance to attack; but that fire hadn’t yet been extinguished; some battles, Keiko realised demanded far more than an act of courage; it demanded strategy, patience and a cold willingness to play a long game.
Written By: Westley H.
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