this kept plaguing me at work ¯\_(ツ)_/¯¨
I kept consulting the manga so some dialogue comes from there but otherwise, I tried to keep it as original as possible
also, contains non-graphic major character death. Because we all know what the Asakura family tried to do...
"As soon as the child in which he dwells is born, we must kill it."
"But, Yohmei, what if there are twins?"
Those few words resonated within the dark room as Kino said them. Everything fell silent. Yohmei's pants faded away and the old shaman was left staring at her. His next words were barely a whisper.
"What… what did you say?"
Two boys. Identical twins, even. It would be impossible to tell one from another. How could they possibly recognize which one is Hao? Which one is the body of the poor child that he decided to inhabit? As Kino explained that Keiko went to see a doctor, Yohmei's face paled. His divinations haven't told him that. The result was always the same; this was Hao, but he hadn't counted on the possibility of there being twins.
He shut his eyes tightly and a vein popped up on his forehead. He hated to be the one to do this. He hated being the decision-maker.
"I don't care, we have to kill them both!"
He heard Kino sigh from where she sat. Truth be told, he wasn't happy about this either. But, as the current head of the Asakura family, it was his call to make.
He would have never imagined that he would have to murder his grandson in cold blood.
That's how he found himself in the scarcely illuminated room. The candles were burning bright as Keiko went into labor. She had already been given drugs to ease the pain, and she was gasping for breath.
The whole family had gathered there. It wasn't a very big gathering, just Yohmei, Mikihisa, Kino and Keiko. Had fate been kinder to them, Keiko would've gone to the hospital, but she had to give birth there.
The labor pains passed for the most part and Keiko was finally able to sleep. The atmosphere in the room was gloomy. The adults' brows were furrowed, beads of sweat dripping down their beads or foreheads. No one could ever know what they were about to do, but Asakura Hao couldn't be allowed to reincarnate yet another time.
As the clock silently tickled by, Yohmei and Mikihisa sat next to each other.
"I really have to thank you two," Yohmei suddenly said in a raspy breath. "This decision must've been painful for you." As a parent, he could never imagine killing his own child. But alas, such was the fate of the Asakuras.
The clock ticked by.
Hao would be born first; he had to.
It was after midnight when the cry of a baby cut through the night. Summoning his shikigamis, Yohmei hesitated before launching at the baby, trying to avert his gaze from Keiko's face, stained with tears.
Please forgive me, grandson of mine.
A second later, the baby's cries stopped. Everyone in the room fell silent, Keiko's quiet sobs echoing through the silence.
Mikihisa leaned forward.
"Was it…?"
Yohmei looked at him, a bead of sweat running down his forehead.
"That wasn't Hao," he gasped. Similar gasping for breath echoed through the room.
"My baby…" Keiko whispered, horrified. Her son… her innocent son. He hadn't done anything to anyone, yet he was no more. Her shoulders shook violently. Despite being prepared for this, the reality was vastly different from the knowledge. No one would bring her baby back. The baby for whom she had already picked a name despite being told not to get too attached. No one would bring her Yoh back.
"We need to be better prepared," Yohmei managed through gritted teeth. "The one that is coming is him ." There was no coming back. This one was Hao, now they were sure of it. What a shame he hadn't been born first. That way, the little boy, the son, the grandson would still have been alive.
This time, Yohmei didn't hesitate. But, as he neared the second baby, he saw his grandson. He saw the innocent baby with no means to protect itself. The future that could have been. And he hesitated.
How small.
Little Spirit of Fire appeared in the air, attacking Yohmei. The old shaman stood on the spot, frozen. That was Hao's spirit? He gawked at him, wide open for an attack. Spirit of Fire launched, and only Mikihisa's swift action saved Yohmei from getting burned. Mikihisa, however, didn't get off that lightly. His face, red from the burns he had sustained, was illuminated red by Spirit of Fire's glow. He linked his hands together, attacking the baby once more. Just before reaching the now silent baby, he and Spirit of Fire disappeared.
A high voice resonated in their minds. Hao's voice. A voice that no one has heard in 500 years. Of course they couldn't beat Spirit of Fire. How could they ever think that something like that would be possible?
The Spirit of Fire raised the baby above its head.
Indeed, I am Hao. Then he turned to Keiko. You have done well. Such a shame that you killed my important second half. Fu fu fu, to think that the body I wanted would be twins…
"How dare you speak of him!" Yohmei roared from his spot on the ground, partially recovering. "It's your fault that he's dead now!"
One could swear that the baby smirked.
Your decisions were never my fault to begin with .
His words dawned on Yohmei. Indeed, it was his fault. He made the decision to kill the twins. It was him who murdered his own grandson in cold blood.
Hao laughed.
I would've gained enormous power when I retrieved my second half, but I am powerful enough to become the shaman king myself. Be sure to grieve your loss properly.
With those words, he and the Spirit of Fire vanished, leaving behind a mess, burning wood and injured family members. Leaving behind his twin that never got to know what life was. Leaving behind the devastated parents and grandparents. Not only they lost the only means of defeating him in this life, but they also lost Yoh, his twin, his other half… They lost everything.