Category: Sylum Stories

A while back I asked for help on a book project to help market Conversations in Real Time (If you still want to help just click on the link) for those who did I promised a timestamp for Sylum of a character they chosen from the Sylum Wiki.

This one is for Maria who asked for Nathan Algren … I do apologize for this being so late.

Title: Did That Statue Just Move
Author: Bj Jones
Rating: PG-13
Summary: He swore they were screwing with his mind.
Sylum Timeline:  1872 AD
Author’s Note:  This is very raw, basically the idea finally came to me and I sat down and wrote this up … it will get cleaned and edited.

***

Nathan was pretty sure that the Hunters were screwing with him.

He settled outside his and Katsumoto’s room and began his meditation.  It was the one thing that had helped him through the past months, especially with all the changes in his life.

Or now undead life.

He had come to Japan expecting a cushy job, at first he had found nothing but death.   He had taken one look at the young men … no boys, and knew they would die.  Just like the boys under his command at Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and the last of them at Petersburg.

No one had listened.

He sat on his horse watching them be slaughtered by trained warriors.  He had rode into battle, to save as many as he could.

Only to be saved himself.

Katsumoto had dried him out, made him face his demons.

Even now, being Mated and settled with the strength of their Bond around him, there are moments the screams of his men have his hands shaking, desperate for a drink to drown the noise out.

But he was stronger than that.

He knew that now.

So they trained him, made him a Samurai.

The Red Samurai.

He found himself and rode into battle next to Katsumoto, trusting his own instincts and that of his men.

Losing Katsumoto had almost did him in, but he honored his death and carried his sword to the Emperor.  Told him the story of a true warrior.

Then returned back to the village, to live out his years fighting next to his fellow warriors.

Only to be even more shocked to discover that Katsumoto wasn’t as dead … well dead was the right word for it.  Before he could even react he was pulled into Katsumoto’s rooms, told about Vampires and Mates, while be stripped down, washed and prepped.

Instinctively he knew that was were he belonged, so he didn’t fight it.  Instead he gave himself over to his Mate.

And never regretted.

Until now.

Because he knew for sure the Hunters were fucking with him, and his Mate was in on it.

He took deep breathes to settle his mind.  After a few moments he opened his eyes, and it had changed again.

“Who the hell is doing it?!”  He growled moving to stand.

“My dearest…”

“Don’t you even!”  Nathan glared at his Mate.  “Your Hunters are screwing with my head.  You know I got it when I was an arrogant drunk, I deserved it.  But, this is now annoying.”

Katsumoto reached out running his hand through is Mate’s longer locks.  He had contemplated having the woman cut it when they prepped him, but he was glad he didn’t.  Nathan was beautiful, hair windblown, eyes flashing in suspicion and righteous indignation.

“Han is having some fun.”

“I’m kicking his ass during training later.” He muttered stalking across the small garden in the middle of the Clan houses.

He knew they weren’t the permanent Clan home, Katsumoto promised to take him in a few years, he wanted at the time being to stay close to the old tribes.  Which Nathan could understand, he wasn’t quite ready to leave the area.  They were isolated and this was where he found himself, he wasn’t sure if he was ready yet to … move on.

As he got to the other side, there on the edge of the garden was a dragon statue.  It was elegantly carved, the body curved, and front right paw was posed to strike.

The problem.

He swore the dragon was facing East yesterday.

And the day before it was the left paw lifted off the ground.

He stopped in front of if and stared at it.

“You stare long enough it will move.”

Nathan turned quickly, hand reaching for the dagger he carried.  He didn’t recognize the man before him.  He was tall, wearing traditional clothing, the robes flowed around him in a way that gave him full movement.  He was leaning against a large staff, though he was facing Nathan, his eyes were focused over his shoulder.

He realized that he was blind.

“Of course that is only legend.  I’ve stared at it for hours, never moved once.”

Nathan snorted.  “I am Nathan, we haven’t been introduced yet.”

“Sifu.”  He nodded his head.  “We had heard Katsumoto had acquired a Mate, so we wanted to come see.  Well my Mate can later describe you to me.”

“Who is your Mate?”  He looked around the small garden not seeing anyone around.

“Marco.”  Sifu moved closer to the statue, letting his hand wander over the curves.  “He was an explorer at one time, still gets lost.”

“I do not.”

Nathan was surprised to see a Western face, he had thought Kensei was the only other Westerner.

“I am Marco, see you’ve met my asshole of a Mate.  Watch it, he’ll have you searching for butterflies in the field…”

“Even when there aren’t any?”  Nathan snickered. “Han pulled that one already.”

Sifu huffed.

“Where are you from?  If you don’t mind me asking.”  Nathan realized that he had slipped into English not even realizing it.

“Italy, along with my father.  He’s away with his Mate at the moment, traveling to Syria.”  Marco glanced to the statue. “Is there a reason we’re staring at it?”

“The Hunters keep moving it, or exchanging it.  I swear it moves…”

Marco opened his mouth, only to have a hand cover it.  “Marco! Sifu!”  Han Shizhong smiled at his fellow Clan Members.  “Welcome back, I’m sure our esteemed Clan Leader will like to talk with you about your travels.”

Nathan’s eyes narrowed at the other warrior.

Han just smirked, leading the two away.

“Stare long enough, my friend, and all will be revealed.”  Sifu called out as they were pulled out of the garden.

Nathan bent down and looked the statue in the eyes, then felt like an idiot.  He straightened up, and headed for the stables, he wanted to go for a ride to get rid of the bent up energy.

***

“You need to stop!”

Nathan came to a halt, sliding up against the wall.

“I am testing.”

“You can only go so far, before Katsumoto will get upset, because Nathan is upset.”  Kensei sounded annoyed.  “This isn’t one to tease…”

“Go now.”

Nathan moved around the corner to see Kensei standing by himself, hands on his hips glaring out towards the garden.  He sighed and startled when he saw Nathan.

“So they are messing with me!”

Kensei eyes shifted, looking for help that was wasn’t coming.  “Nathan how was your ride?”

He just gave him a look.

“My dearest.”  Katsumoto stepped up to his Mate, kissing his temple, trying to calm him down.  He could feel the irritation and underlying hurt.  “Come with me, lets get you in a bath.”

He let himself be led away, and as they passed the dragon statue, he was damn sure its tail was flipped upwards instead of down like this morning.

“How are they doing it?”  He asked as they entered their rooms.

“Tomorrow.”  Katsumoto stripped him out of his robes, running his hands over the lean body making sure there were no injuries.  He still didn’t like how thin Nathan was, and would make sure Kensei added more food to his Mate’s meals.

Nathan leaned into the soothing touch, giving himself over to his love.

***

The next morning he did his meditations, clearing his thoughts and settling his emotions.   When he opened his eyes, he was staring at the dragon statue, which was closer than it was the previous days.

“Okay, lets do this.”  He stood then moved across the small space, settling back down in front of the statue.  “If I stare at you long enough, you’ll move right.”

He sat there for what seemed like hours.  He knew members of the Clan were moving around him, but he was not giving up his quest.

There was a whine.

Nathan leaned forward, lifting his hand and poked the statue.

It suddenly dissolved and fell to the ground, rolling onto its back with an over exaggerated sigh.  “Fine you win!”

“Holy shit.”  He actually hadn’t expected it to move, he wasn’t sure what he had expected. “What are you?”

“Dragon.”  The creature wiggled until it’s head was in Nathan’s lap.  “And I declare you my human.”

“Ahhhh.” Nathan reached out and began to touch the red scales.

It was beautiful.

Long, over six feet in length.  Sinewy, he could see how he posed as a traditional oriental Dragon.  The scales were mixed of the reds, and were soft yet hard.  There were long whiskers coming from it’s snout, and the ears were laid back against the back of its head.

“What’s your name?”  He asked slowly petting the creature.

“Mushu.”

“So it was you messing with me?” He pinched the dragon, who squeaked scurrying up until was able to look Nathan in the face.

“Testing.  I saw you when you arrived.”

“Not my best,” he admitted.

“But you conquered your fears.  This is a great strength.” He moved around Nathan resting his head on his shoulder. “I claim you as my human.”

“What does that mean?”

“I watch over you.”  He flopped down head on Nathan’s lap again. “And you give me pets.”

He laughed lightly, giving the dragon what he wanted.

A shadow fell over them.

Nathan glanced up to see his Mate smiling down at him. “I see you finally met Mushu.”

“You could have told me.”

“It’s how he test those in the Clan.  See which ones will sit down and stare at him, or others who ignore.”  Katsumoto settled across from there, getting a tail in his lap.  “Only one who sat down in front of him the first day, was Sifu.”

“He saw past what Mushu wanted him to see.”  Nathan looked down at the now snoring dragon.

“Niccolo leaned against him to read, while Marco sat and stared at it.”  Katsumoto shrugged.  “He scared the crap out of Han, and Kensei still hasn’t forgiven him for messing with his kitchen.”

“And you?”  He asked with interest.

“He was the one who told me, I would find my destiny when I saw the white tiger.”

Nathan reached over and took Katsumoto’s hand.

***

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