Disclaimer: I do not own Soul Blade, Soul Edge or Soul Caliber.
Prologue: A Promise Made
It was rainning again. It had been rainning nonstop for three days. Amidst the darkness of the cold wet night, stood a lone hut at the edge of a heavily forested area. Though humble, this small hut served it's inteneded purpose of keeping it's occupants dry and out of the rain.
Inside the small hovel, a young boy with short dark hair stared intently into the vast wet blackness of the dreary night.
"Heishiro..." came a soft feminine voice from behind him.
The boy looked worriedly over his shoulder in the direction of the voice. His heart shrank at the sight of a long haired, sickly young woman as she hacked and coughed into the sleeves of her rather worn kimono.
"Mother!" he cried out, rushing to the woman's side.
The woman's coughing worsened as the boy lowered her head gently to a pile of cloth and leaves.
"Heishiro..." the woman said weakly as her eyes suddenly became too heavy a burden.
The boy looked intently into his mothers' eyes, the tears beginning to well.
"...Forgive me...for leaving you alone..." she struggled to say, wiping away her sons tears as they trailed down his cheek.
"N...No, mother! Don't leave me! Please!" cried the boy, his tears in steady streams now.
"...Heishiro...my son...please don't cry..." the woman said with a frail smile.
...But...!" the woman weakly pressed a finger to the boys lips, effectively silencing him.
"You...You must...be strong now..." she struggled to speak as the boy grasped her frail hand.
"Be strong...for me..."said the once vibrant woman as the heaving of her breast slowed. Her white hand sliding slowly from her only childs' hand.
The following morning...
The rain had finally stopped. The air was chilled as the the sun rose silently over the hut. The boy sat in silence next to his mother's cold lifless body. Heishiro slowly opened his eyes as the first glimpse of the suns light crept slowly into his home.
"Be strong..." the boy repeated his mother's final words to himself.
Struggling to his feet, young Heishiro wiped his eyes one last time and took one final look at his mother.
"I...I will be strong, mother." he proclaimed, his fist had tightened into fist. Blood trickled down his fingers.
Within minutes, all of the boys few belongings were tossed into a cloth sack and hoisted over his shoulder. Surveying his humble dwellings one last time to see if he'd forgotten anything, the boy's eyes were drawn to something long, covered in a brown cloth equal in length and tied with red twine. This long slim object was his mother's second most prized posession, the first being himself. Heishiro rushed over to the object and uncovered it. His eyes widened as he saw the intricate gold and dark blue patterns on what appeared to be the handle of a kitana. Though he had known known much about his father, Heishiro's mother once said that this would someday belong to him. That time had come and the thought made him frown. Moments later, the hut that was the boys home was engulfed by flames. Heishiro watched as the fire danced and destroyed the only home he had ever known.
"I'll be stronger than anyone!" he proclaimed once again as he raised his fist into the sky.