He stood there, his clothes torn and drenched, cuts here and there, bloodied sword in hand and a dead look in his eyes. How did it all end this way? How could he have lost everything in such a short time? Why didnāt he see this coming? It all started a few hours ago, when he returned homeā¦
Dark clouds threatened the horizon as a young man made his way through his hometownās streets. He checked the gift he held, making sure the surprise inside was safe. His lips twitched into a subtle smile. āI hope this will bring a smile to her face,ā he whispered as he sidestepped a cart full of goods. The gift was something he spotted on his way back from an errand for his father. It reminded him of his wife (and soon-to-be mother of his child), who eagerly awaited him at their traditional Japanese home. This young manās name was Shoji Tanaka, second son of the Tengu Tanaka Clan chief. Currently, his father has been reconsidering the succession due to his elder brotherās behavior. It was one of the reasons Shoji had been sent on more missions and meetings with other clan heads in the past few months. However, many were against him succeeding his father as the heir, for he had broken an unspoken rule: marrying a human girl and bringing her into the village. Many considered this a dark taboo, for humans are seen as the weakest and lowliest of the races. Many tengu have hated the humans for how they treated the forests and mountains that they are proud to protecting. Shoji was disgusted by the bigotry of this thinking. Not all humans are evil in his eyes, unlike how many of his kin seem to think they are. He had met many humans during his childhood visits to the human village at the base of the mountain where the tengu clan village is settled, hidden behind a powerful barrier so that if any human who ventures too deep wonāt stumble across it.
āFinally home,ā Shoji sighed as he entered the houseās front gate. He needed to speak with his father before going to see Yuriko, his beloved wife. He quickened his steps as the sky darkened and a steady rain began to fall. His footsteps echoed behind him, slowing as his stride began to shorten. Something wasnāt right. He hadnāt seen any movement, heard any of the house attendants, nor the usual banter of guards. He moved quickly to the grand room where he would usually find his father, but came up short. Before him were two of his most trusted friends who were tasked with keeping his mother safe; they were completely still on the ground, laying in pools of blood. His face paled as his mind went blank before a sea of thoughts stormed into his mind. āWhat had happened here? Who could have done this? What lies beyond the door into the ceremonial room? Is Yuriko safe? Are my parents safe? How many could be here?ā These thoughts pounded inside his head as his right hand griped the hilt of his sword while his left reached slowly for the sliding door. āPleaseā¦ā
The door finally opened after what seemed like an eternity. Before him lay bodies; some were clearly dead, judging by the amount of blood around them, while others lay unconscious. Among the dead was one he recognized all too quickly. His father. A sword in his hand, he clearly put up a fight. Shojiās grip on his sword tightened till his knuckles were white. He was about to leave when he noticed slight movement from his fatherās sword hand. Sprinting to his side, Shoji lifted his father upright.
Weak coughs escaped his father as he whispered something.
Shojiās face contorted as he leaned in close, āWhat was that?ā His ear was right next to his fatherās paling face when he finally heard the broken two words.
āKojiroā¦ Yurikoā¦ā
Shojiās face turned ashen. Kojiro was his elder brother.
There was no doubt that these last two words sent his father directly to where he needed to be.
This brought upon a dread so great it felt like his own blood became lead. Before he could register what he was doing, Shoji raced to the building where he and Yuriko lived. Rain poured down in sheets from an angry gray sky.
His sword flashed against another with a grunt, and a watery thud. His racing mind filling with rage. Memories of Yuriko flooded his consciousness as he sped blindly towards the building that was slowly being consumed by a fire. āYURIKO!ā he screamed, his voice piercing the air. He splashed through puddles as he ran to the back of the flaming home.
Then he stopped. Everything stopped.
Before him stood Kojiro, his own brother, holding a blade to the rounded stomach of the woman he loved.
Her faced was stained with tears and sheer terror.
Kojiro flashed a smile that would send chills down the spines of the most hardened men. His jet black wings twitched. āYou are a bit early, dear little brother. We were expecting you tomorrow, but it seems that you arrived at a better time than I had originally hoped.ā
Shoji gripped his sword deathly tight, his knuckles a ghostly white. āWhat have you done?ā he growled. āDo you have any idea of what this means?ā His voice raised as he spoke. āDo you know what the consequences of these actions entail?ā
Kojiro smiled mischievously at the rage building in his little brotherās shoulders. āHmmmā¦ I see that you are in your human form, again. And as you well know, I am still considered the rightful heir to lead our clan, and I have many who will follow me āso I think the only āconsequenceā is that I didnāt do this before you started building relations with the other clans.ā He only grinned wider as he continued. āNow I need to come up with a good story of how you killed your whole household and that it pained me to put a stop to your rampage. How I will grieve that I couldnāt arrive sooner so that I could save as many lives as I could. Also,ā he pulled on the hair in his grasp of the woman he was holding hostage causing her to grimace in pain, āDear Yuriko and I were just talking about the best way to kill you. She said you would never lose to me, while I say I should let you put up a decent fight, then end you slowly. And while you squirm in your own blood, I will send your beloved wife and abomination of a child to follow you. How does that sound?ā
A yell escaped Shoji as he charged at Kojiro. His mind was blank and his vision was clouded with rage. Laughter and the metal clashing of the sword fight filled his ears. Shoji swung over and over again, only to be met with the music of metal meeting metal. A kick sent him backwards into the flames of the place he once considered home. Staggering up, Kojiroās fist sends pain shooting through his cheek and star across his vision. āKojiro!ā He roared his brotherās name as he spotted him and charged. Watching his brothers blade he parried it and sent his fist straight into his brotherās stomach.
Kojiro clawed at Shojiās clothes and pulled his brother into the mud with him. Fists flew until, somehow, they were both back on their feet.
Kojiro looked Shoji in the eye. āIs that the best you can do? Dear little brotherā¦ You cannot beat me if that is all you are capable of,ā he mocked, mud spraying everywhere as his wings shuddered. He picked up his sword and pointed it at Shoji. āIt is time that we end this. I always preferred being an only child.ā Runes appeared at the tip of his blade.
It was too late for Shoji to dodge and the attack struck him square in the chest and into a tree.
Coughing, Shoji struggled to stand. His vision was blurred and he could see that his brother was over Yuriko. āNoā¦ pleaseā¦ā his weak pleads escaped between his blood filled coughs.
He watched as his brotherās figure moved away from where Yuriko was and then, disappeared.
Shoji dragged himself over to her. He heard her coughing and gasping for breath between sobs. āYurikoā¦ā His vision returned, only to see his worst nightmare before him. He reached out and held her. There was nothing else he could do. He was watching his heart die. His beloved Yuriko was dying in his arms.
āOur childā¦ our little oneā¦ā her sobs filled his ears as he held her close. āI canāt feel the little one moveā¦ my child.ā Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her bloody belly.
āThat means our child didnāt sufferā¦ The only mercy that was given was that he didnāt suffer.ā His voice was hoarse. āIām sorry I wasnāt here in timeā¦ Iām sorry I failed you.ā He held her tight, but felt her slipping away. āI love you Yurikoā¦ I love you.ā He could barely make out her response.
She whispered, āI love you too,ā before slipping away.
The rain poured down on them, slowly quelling the fire. The villagers peeked out of their homes when they saw the gleam of a fire coming from the main house. Then they heard the scream. It filled the air.
Something dreadful had happened at the chiefās home.
All the men that ran towards the gate were greeted by a blazing fight between the two sons of the chief. They met again and again, neither side bending. A cut to a cheek returned with a cut to the chest and the arm. It was clear who was winning, Kojiro the eldest son of the chief.
The second son was a terrifying sight. He radiated rage. His eyes filled with blood lust. What could have happened to turn his gentle soul into the blackness they saw? The blades met one more time and stopped. No one moved.
A clear voice rang through the rain, āTake her and leave. That is the only mercy I will show you today.ā The eldest was speaking.
All eyes turned to the youngest.
He stood there, not ready to back down, but it was clear who would win if this continued. He spoke, āYou will pay for what you have done hereā¦ They will all know. They will know how you killed your own family along with your kin who served you. Mercy? Mercy would be ending me instead of letting me live.ā
āIf I ended you, then that would be letting you off easy.ā
And so we return to the man in the street of a human village at the base of the mountain. A man that looked worn. A man with a lifeless stare. A man that had just watched his whole world collapse in his arms. This man was nothing but a shell of the former one he used to be.
