Hello everyone, BzS here.
Sorry for the delay. Had to spend some time doing college applications and preparing for senior year. The usual deal.
Just here to say that the following chapter contains certain medical procedures that you should never try yourself. It doesn't work and doesn't make sense, but it's more interesting this way.
As usual, thank you for the reviews and support! Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 8 - Tempest Peak
"Huff...Damn… I just had to come back during the winter didn't I?" Tatsumi cursed while he lifted his tired foot high up before sending it crashing down into the shin-high snow, creating a new hole in the white blanket covering the entire mountain area. He took a few more steps before deciding to take a break. He relaxed his legs and leaned back, letting gravity take care of the rest. His body was cushioned by the thick snow which began sapping at his body heat.
After separating with Hayami, Yoshiro, and Shishou back in the Capital, Tatsumi immediately headed Northwest. By the time Tatsumi neared the mountains where his destination was located, two weeks had past and two snow storms had swept across the region. The storms laid the mountains thick with the damned cold white fluff, forcing Tatsumi to work hard in order to reach the village.
Tatsumi didn't know the exact location of the village and was just walking in the direction he felt was probably right. He passed a few areas that looked familiar, which was a good thing. He had another three days worth of supplies on his person so he should be fine… probably. Tatsumi wasn't too worried. He spent an entire winter exploring the surrounding forests of the village, as long as he gets within a ten-mile radius of the village, he should be able to recognize it.
Tatsumi closed his eyes, intent on resting for a bit, but he couldn't fall asleep or else he might not wake up. Sadly, the world wasn't going to give him a chance. His eyes slowly opened just as soon as it closed and he tiredly looked to the left. Less than one hundred feet away stood a large black bear. At a single glance, Tatsumi decided it was hungry and out looking for food. It had a hungry snarl and a focused look.
"I'm too tired to run… I guess bringing a gift for the villagers isn't a bad idea either." He sighed tiredly before pushing himself up and dusting some snow off his clothes and cape. His hand drew his sword with a loud and audible 'sheeeeee' which immediately attracted the attention of the hungry beast. It released a terrifying roar and charged at Tatsumi, who was busy clearing some space around his legs. The charge was slow as the deep snow caused a great deal of resistance, buying enough time for Tatsumi to push away the snow around his immediate vicinity.
As the bear reached him, Tatsumi bent down deep and jumped high. The bear lept towards him but completely missed and face planted into the snow. Before it could get back up, Tatsumi's swung his sword at its back, leaving a deep slash on the bear. The bear roared in pain and gave up its attack, instead trying to get away. But with an injury like that, it would've died of blood loss anyway. Tatsumi, showing the least bit of respect for his prey, ended its life with a quick stab that penetrated its flesh all the way to its heart.
Tatsumi stared blankly at the fallen beast.
"How am I going to get this to the village?"
Tatsumi was on the verge of collapsing when the village finally came into sight. Dragging a two hundred fifty pound bear for ten miles was enough to make Tatsumi deeply regret killing it. He couldn't leave it there as it went against his policy of only hunting for a reason. The moment he saw the village, he dropped the black bear carcass then and there and rushed to the village, intending on retrieving it later.
Tatsumi reached the village gates with a terrible sense of deja vu, panting and on the verge of tears, his lungs on fire and his legs about to give out. He greeted the village guards who immediately recognized the boy who had done their village a huge favor. They immediately gave him a chair, some food, water, and a blanket. One of the guards left in order to spread the news of his returned. Tatsumi finally caught his breath after a few minutes of rest and decided to start walking before his adrenaline runs out.
"First thing's first, I should go see the village elder." Tatsumi mumbled to himself and began walking through the village. It wasn't long before his presence began attracting the attention of the villagers.
"Hey, isn't that Tatsumi? One of the kids from a year ago." "Oh my, you're right, it's Tatsumi!" Those whispers transformed into greetings and several villagers began speaking to him. The first to come up was a familiar lady in her forties. Her name was Meya and she was the doctor of the village. She had an incredible amount of knowledge regarding diseases and herbs. She even passed on some of her knowledge to Hayami.
"Tatsumi, you're back!" Meya exclaimed. Tatsumi smiled and nodded. "Where are the others?" He was about to answer truthfully when he stopped himself. Wait a minute, what do I even say? "We are just trying to overthrow the government because it's corrupt, hahahahaha." No matter how he played the situation in his head, it never ends well.
"Um, due to some circumstances we separated. But don't worry! It's not because of a fight or anything." Tatsumi quickly clarified. The villagers seemed curious, so Tatsumi forcefully steered the conversation elsewhere. After a few more questions, he asked to be taken to the Elder. After some walking and stopping, he finally reached the large wooden house in the center of the village.
Tatsumi knocked on the doors which swung open almost immediately. He was greeted by the elder's daughter, who had heard the news of his return and waited for him by the door. Tatsumi quickly thanked her for the hospitality and greeted the elder who sat behind her on a rocking chair in the living room.
"Child! It's good to see you." The elder greeted. Tatsumi bowed and returned the greeting. "What brought you back to our village?" He asked.
"I've come back to climb the Tempest Peak." Tatsumi admitted bluntly. The elder's eyes widened in shock. He had warned the boy previously when he suddenly showed interest in it. Why would he purposefully come back for it?
"Why? No one has ever managed to come back alive. I don't think I can agree to this." The elder asked with a disagreeing frown. Tatsumi scratched the back of his head, trying to put his feelings to words. He could feel a pull in his gut, a nagging feeling that made him think it was worth it to risk his life to meet whatever awaited him.
"Whatever is on that peak, I can feel it calling to me. I can't ignore it anymore, I don't know what's up there, but I need to go." The elder looked at the child dead in the eyes. He saw the resolve in the child's eyes and came to the conclusion that he wouldn't be able to stop him.
"Alright, I will make sure to prepare everything you need to climb that peak. But I have a condition." The elder said.
"What is it?"
"You have to wait two years. I believe you are eleven years of age, correct? In our village, a child is officially recognized as an adult when he or she turns thirteen. Also, climbing a mountain is both mentally and physically exhausting. During these two years, build up your endurance. After the day you turn thirteen, you are allowed to attempt the challenge anytime. Can you agree to this?" The elder explained.
Tatsumi couldn't argue against the logic. The elder was wise and much more experienced with the mountain compared to him. Two years was a long time, but if the elder thinks that's how long it takes before he was ready, the elder was probably correct.
"Alright, I'll wait two years. But during that time, will I be allowed to explore the region?" The elder opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a loud yell from outside. Tatsumi immediately connected the voice with a certain black-haired, loud-mouthed, energetic boy he met a year ago.
"Tatsumi!? I heard Tatsumi is back!" The nostalgic voice yelled. As soon as the voice permeated through the wooden walls of the house, a figure burst in the front door, tripped on the fluffy 'Welcome!' rug, and rolled to a stop at Tatsumi's feet. Tatsumi giggled and crouched down, resting his elbows on his bent knees and his chin on his palms.
"Some things never change huh? Glad to see you too, Ieyasu." Tatsumi said with a wide smile. The black haired boy was in the middle of crawling up, rubbing his forehead which was red from smacking into the hardwood floor, when the voice reached him. His head snapped up and their eyes met.
"You're back!" Ieyasu jumped back on his feet and wrapped Tatsumi in a hug, smacking his back with both hands, a gesture that Tatsumi returned in full. They separated and Tatsumi scanned his friend quickly. In the past year, he's grown slightly taller, but was otherwise more or less the same in appearance
"Looks like your doing well. I'm glad to see you're as energetic as ever." Tatsumi commented. He then realized a certain black haired girl wasn't around, which was odd since they rarely separated. "Ieyasu? Where's Sayo?" Ieyasu froze. After a few seconds, his face paled and he began trembling. Tatsumi rolled his eyes when he figured out why Ieyasu was on the verge of an anxiety attack.
"What did you do?" Tatsumi accused. Ieyasu laughed sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head furiously.
"I uh, may or may not have... left her hanging from a roof."
"... Pardon?"
Sayo sniffled, large, glistening tears rolling down her snow white cheeks. Her small body trembled in Tatsumi's arms, who was busy trying to calm the poor girl down. After the initial shock past, Tatsumi immediately interrogated Ieyasu about where he left Sayo. They found her desperately hanging from the edge of a shack at the edge of the village less than a minute away.
Thankfully, the roof was low and even if she fell, nothing would have happened. But the Sayo definitely thought her life was in danger or something. The moment Tatsumi rescued her, she began crying in his chest. Tatsumi didn't even know where to start retorting against the situation.
"It's okay now Sayo, it's all right. Though someone won't be alright once she recovers." Tatsumi mumbled. He took a peek to his left. About ten feet away, Ieyasu stood with a look that said he was in a loss of what to do and on the verge of panic. Tatsumi sighed sadly, Ieyasu wasn't getting out of this situation without a few bruises. After a few more minutes, Sayo pushed herself out of his arms and wiped her tears.
"It's good to see you again Tatsumi. Though I wish we could've reunited in a different manner." She said with a small blush. Tatsumi gave her an awkward laugh.
"I was just uh… a little surprised. I knew I could expect some odd situations when you two are involved, just not so soon. Mind explaining what happened?" Tatsumi asked. Sayo fumed at the question and began ranting.
"That stupid Ieyasu suddenly remembered that you and your friends were jumping around roofs during your stay and was all like "Sayo! Sayo! We should try doing that! Let's do it! Come on!". I refused at first because it was dangerous, but he was being annoyingly persistent so I gave in. He brought us to this shed because there weren't any adults around to stop us. We both got up, but then he heard that you were back in town and just hopped right off! I tried to follow, but I was so scared that I slipped and fell, catching onto the ledge at the last moment. He tried to make me let go, but I thought I was going to die! CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT HE DID NEXT?! HE WAS ALL LIKE "That's right! I'll go find Tatsumi! He can save you!" AND JUST TOOK OFF!" Sayo ranted.
Tatsumi gave Ieyasu a deadpanned look. He had thought about trying to save the kid, but after hearing the story, he kind of deserves whatever was coming for him. Sayo noticed his gaze and follow his line of sight, looking eye to eye with the idiot that trapped her. Her gaze immediately turned into an angry glare and Ieyasu jumped. Tatsumi turned back to Sayo and noticed that she had finally noticed the poor sod.
"Uhh, are you going to punish him here?" Tatsumi couldn't help but ask. Sayo turned back to Tatsumi and showed him a benevolent smile.
"No, we've shown you enough embarrassing episodes for one day." She said. Ieyasu let out a huge, audible sigh of relief. He was saved.
"I'll leave that for later."
"Save me!" Ieyasu screamed on the verge of tears. Tatsumi looked at the boy before looking in a different direction. He scratched his chin with a sweatdrop.
"I need to go finish my conversation with the elder, so I'll see you guys later." Tatsumi said before walking in the direction he came from. Ieyasu stumbled after Tatsumi and grabbed at his legs, but Sayo stomped down on his back, forcing him into the snow.
"Of course, take your time. We'll be waiting on the eastern hill at the withered tree." Sayo said politely, her heels grinding into the back of her childhood friend. The panic written all over Ieyasu's face was real.
"She's going to kill me! She's going to hang me on that tree!"
"Silence!"
From that day forward, a story emerged. A story about a young male child's tortured cries echoing from the isolated hill to the east of the village.
Two very normal weeks flew by in a blink of an eye as Tatsumi re-settled into the peaceful village. The elder allowed him to live in the same house he and his companions had lived in a year ago. The nostalgic setting was both a blessing and a curse. Reliving his time with his friends and his Shishou brought him happiness, but also left him with a terrible sense of loneliness. He really had to thank Sayo and Ieyasu as they frequently spent time with him.
The warm and peaceful village felt refreshing, a direct contrast to the Capital. But after two weeks, Tatsumi was starting to itch, yearning for some kind of stimulus. He needed something to do besides hunting and training.
And as the old saying goes: 'ask and you shall receive.'
Tatsumi woke up very early in the morning as usual. He pushed open his bedroom window and leaned out, feeling the fresh, freezing winter air rush into his room. A shiver rushed through his body and all the lingering sleepiness dissipated from his psyche. He quickly got dressed in his usual attire, a black t-shirt under a dark blue zip-up hoodie, black pants, and a light grey jacket that reached his thighs. He put on a pair of grey boots that matched his jacket before walking out into the snowy village.
The house he was living in was located in the northeastern edge of the village. After stepping out of the house, Tatsumi began jogging north to the training spot he had been using since his previous stay. After a quick fifteen-minute warm-up jog, he reached a small clearing in the forest.
After a few minutes of stretching, Tatsumi began his usual strength and endurance training consisting of fifty push-ups, fifty sit-ups, fifty squats and a five-mile run that looped through the forest. Although the workout looked insane and downright impossible for an eleven-year-old, Tatsumi finished it without an issue and only a bit short on breath.
It's been nearly two years since Arthur tasked him with this basic training and he's been performing it on a daily basis. Arthur had also specifically stated that Tatsumi shouldn't increase the training until age sixteen as this workout was already pushing the limits of his immature body. Breaking the limits would do more harm than good.
After Tatsumi finished his basic training, he moved on to the specialized training Arthur had devised himself. He walked over to a stump that sat at the edge of his clearing. The stump itself was nothing special; what stood out was the axe that was deeply lodged into the stump. Tatsumi pulled the axe out and juggled it between his hands before walking to a nearby tree. At first glance, the tree was no different from any others in its vicinity, but after further inspection, one would notice the deep marks in its bark.
The origins of those marks was, of course, Tatsumi. He rolled his shoulders a few times before planting his feet into the ground about an arm's length next to the tree trunk, standing so that the tree was ninety degrees to his left. He gripped the axe handle with both hands before twisting his body and swinging at the tree with all his strength. The axe lodged itself into the tree, the impact sending tremors up his arms and through his body. After a few seconds of recovery, he pulled the axe out with a bit of effort. Tatsumi repeated the action until his arms went numb and his hands started turning red.
The purpose of the exercise was to put all of your energy into a single swing. Tatsumi had only started this training since leaving the capital as it was unnecessary when he had sparring opponents. But now that he was traveling on his own, this exercise was the next best thing. After Tatsumi was done with the swinging, he lodged the axe back into the stump and sat down next to it. He turned his attention to the two children who were watching him train.
Sayo and Ieyasu had been standing at the edge of the clearing since he returned from his five-mile jog around the forest. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, as they often came to watch Tatsumi train. Tatsumi rubbed his sore hands for a few minutes, waiting for the feeling to return, before pushing himself off the stump.
"Are you guys ready to go?" Tatsumi asked, referring to their daily adventures into the forest. Sayo and Ieyasu were not allowed out of the village because they were too young to protect themselves. It was only after Tatsumi guaranteed their safety that the Elder made an exception for the pair.
Sayo and Ieyasu were both extremely excited when they heard the news and they would usually be extremely hyped for their adventures, but today was different. Instead of rushing Tatsumi to get moving, Sayo and Ieyasu made eye contact and nodded to each other. Tatsumi raised an eyebrow at the change. His eyes widened at the words that followed.
"Tatsumi! Please teach us!" Tatsumi did a double take. Teach them? Teach them what? Reading? Math? How to climb trees?
"First, you cut up the carrots into bite-sized pieces..." Tatsumi began.
"No, not that! We know how to make curry!" Ieyasu yelled. Tatsumi stared at them blankly.
"So you open your palm and hold it like you're telling someone to stop, then you grab the middle finger and pull it as far back as-"
"You'll break it!" Ieyasu retorted while stomping the ground. Sayo rolled her eyes at the exchange and decided to end it.
"We want you to teach us how to fight." She clarified. Tatsumi sighed, unable to avoid the conversation. He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.
"I'm not nearly strong enough to qualify as a teacher. Aren't there several former soldiers in this village? Shouldn't you ask them for lessons?" Tatsumi pointed out. A few villagers had left to join the imperial army in the past, and after retirement, they returned to their home village to serve as hunters and guards. With that being said, only one or two could probably match Tatsumi in a fight. But even so, they would be better teachers as they went through formal training. But Ieyasu was having none of that.
"We don't care! The veterans don't want to teach us how to fight! They say just say - "Ya young whippersnappers are all about the fighting. Back when I was your age… blah blah blah" - and shoo us away!" Ieyasu complained while air quoting and mimicking the deep voice and weird accent a certain group of veterans had. Tatsumi sweatdropped at the act.
"They do have a point. Why fight when you don't have to?" Tatsumi tried to reason. Sayo crossed her arms at the question.
"Then why do you fight?" She shot back. Tatsumi replied without hesitation.
"To protect my friends and deliver justice."
"We want to do the same!" Sayo exclaimed. Tatsumi stopped and closed his eyes. Inside his mind, a small war was waging between his logic and emotions. Why am I so against this? Because I don't want them to have to abandon their innocence for a world filled with bloodshed.But what was to say the world of bloodshed won't come to them? Would they be satisfied as sitting ducks as others fought their battle? Would I be satisfied?
Tatsumi opened one eye and scanned their faces. Ieyasu was standing with his fists clenched. His eyebrows were furrowed and he had a frustrated frown on his face. Sayo's face was less obvious, but Tatsumi could still tell that she wasn't happy with his resistance. All in all, they showed no signs of giving up. Those eyes… I wonder if this is what Shishou saw in my eyes when I first asked him to train me…
"... Give me a few days to decide. No promises though." Sayo and Ieyasu slumped a little, but nodded. They were clearly saddened that Tatsumi didn't agree, but they held onto the hope that he would come to agree. He didn't outright refuse, which is several steps better than the veterans in the village. Tatsumi sighed. What am I going to do about this?
It was late at night when a loud screech interrupted Tatsumi's thoughts. He was lying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was conflicted and a little bit stressed. The reason? He couldn't decide whether to reject or accept to teach Sayo and Ieyasu. It's been two days already and the pair was getting noticeably impatient. His internal debate was completely swept away by a wave of excitement that the screech brought.
A letter! Is it from Hayami? Or Yoshiro? Without holding his excitement, he nearly tore the windows off its hinges when he threw them open. A wave of freezing air rushed into his room, but he couldn't care less about a chilly room at the moment. Tatsumi brought his hands to his mouth and released a loud whistle that Arthur had taught him back in the Capital. Moments later, a shadow swooped down from the sky. Riding the breeze, a bird-like danger beast fluttered into Tatsumi's room, landing on his windowsill. Tatsumi brushed its head quickly before taking the message from the capsule tied to its legs. Unrolling the message, it read:
"Dear Tatsumi -
How have you been? Have you arrived at the village yet? Are Sayo and Ieyasu doing well?
We've already crossed the ocean and reached the new country. It's absolutely amazing, a breathtaking sight! There aren't any towering mountains or deep valleys, just a sea of grass no matter where you look. The small hills and swaying grass seem like waves on land. Crossing the ocean was rough, Shishou even had to empty his stomachs into the ocean a few times. It was hilarious! Reaching land was the most satisfying feeling in my life! I hate sailing.
I really miss you and Yoshiro. I hope we will see each other soon! So take care of yourself okay?
From across the ocean - Hayami."
Tatsumi couldn't hold back a smile. I'm glad she is having fun, it would make Shishou feel better too. They will have to share the burden of war, so it's good that they are relaxing when they can. Tatsumi grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from his desk and began writing his return letter. The bird watched curiously at the boy's working form, occasionally pecking at its down feathers.
After five minutes, Tatsumi rolled up the finished letter and placed it into the capsule. "Take this back to your master." He whispered to it and released it outside his window. He followed the bird's shadow with his eyes until it disappeared into the distant skies, before lying back down on his bed.
War… The thought of war was scary. A ruthless, prolonged battle for ideals at the sacrifice of lives. Tatsumi has come to accept that death is inevitable, and that dying for a cause, for the good of others, is the noblest way to go. What truly scares Tatsumi is the loss of innocent lives, people who die without reason. That is where the true darkness of war lies.
War is coming. And according to Shishou, it's coming soon. If I leave them alone… will Sayo and Ieyasu be part of those innocent deaths? The thought made his chest squeeze. He suddenly felt scared and anxious. He didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't deny the possibility. He had a mission to complete, which meant he couldn't stay in the village to protect his friends forever.
If he didn't want them to die, he had only one choice.
"I'll train you two." Tatsumi said the moment Sayo and Ieyasu walked into speaking range. Their eyes widened immediately and they cheered. Tatsumi waited for their excitement to die down before looking at them seriously.
"With that being said. I have two conditions," Tatsumi stated.
"Anything." They agreed in unison. Tatsumi held up one finger.
"First, you guys cannot refer to me as a teacher. I am well aware that I am not qualified whatsoever and there is no use arguing that point." They nodded, they had no reason not to agree. Tatsumi held up a second finger.
"Second, what I will teach is you guys is self-defense. That means you guys are only allowed to fight to defend yourselves or those important to you. You will not use what I teach you for the purpose of hurting others. Am I clear?" At the end, Tatsumi released the slightest bit of killing intent to emphasize his point. The results were clear as a look a fear flashed across his friends' faces. They nodded quickly and vigorously.
"I need you to swear on the second condition." Tatsumi said, holding out his pinky. Sayo and Ieyasu held out their pinkies and the trio hooked them together. "If you break this promise, I'll kill you myself." Tatsumi joked. They shuddered and nodded fiercely.
"Alright. Since you've agreed to my conditions, I will train you two. Come here every morning half an hour earlier than usual." Tatsumi ordered. He would have them perform his old training regiment back when he first started training. If they come half an hour earlier than usual, that would match the time when Tatsumi returned from his five-mile jog. He will instruct them as part of his specialized training.
"I have a training regiment in mind that will serve as the foundation for everything else. I will teach you guys all I know about the human body and basic medicine. You will have to choose your own weapons and I will ask Shishou for advice. If you give up before the end of the first month, I won't force you to continue." Tatsumi explained. The duo nodded with conviction.
"Alright! When do we get started?" Ieyasu asked energetically. Tatsumi smiled evilly.
"Now."
"Pant...pant... I-I'm going to die..." Ieyasu choked out. His limbs were barely functioning and his innards feel like they are trying to kill him. He leaned his body against a nearby tree, one hand on his trembling knee.
"I know. That's the point. Come on, you only have a few hundred meters to go. If you stop now, you won't be able to start again." Tatsumi said with his arms crossed. Even after his workout, keeping up with Ieyasu was not a challenging task. Sayo giggled in between pants a few steps away, her forehead drenched in sweat. Tatsumi had tasked her with less exercise compared to Ieyasu, which was extremely unfair in the eyes of said boy.
"Why… pant... do I have to… huff… do more work than Sayo?" Ieyasu complained weakly. Tatsumi shrugged nonchalantly.
"Sayo's build to on the slim side-" To the side, a symbolic arrow labeled 'slim' shot through Sayo's heart and she hunched over in pain. "-so her body can't handle large amounts of exercise suddenly. But you are different. You are a healthy and pointlessly energetic boy, now put that energy to use." Ieyasu grumbled something incoherent, picked himself off the ground, and began stumbling through the snowy forest.
Tatsumi really had to applaud the boy's conviction. He purposefully made the training very difficult for the first few days to test their resolve and by the looks of it, Ieyasu wasn't about to give up any time soon. Furthermore, as long as Ieyasu keeps it up, Sayo wouldn't fall behind. She's that type of girl.
"Sayo, from now on, start eating more. You don't have to worry about getting fat, you'll burn off more than enough calories." Sayo paused for a second. The idea of becoming fat sent shivers down her back. But thinking back to a certain beautiful, brown-haired archer girl, Tatsumi seemed to be telling the truth. In any case, he had no reason to lie to her. After a few moments, Sayo slowly nodded.
"Good. Let's catch up to Ieyasu before he freezes to death. Can you walk or do I have to carry you?" Sayo huffed. Tatsumi was underestimating her and she didn't like it. The annoyance granted her new energy and she began to slowly chase after her idiotic childhood friend. Tatsumi chuckled quietly before looking towards the sky. He silently vowed to train the two into his equals, capable of defending the village in his absence. Returning to reality, he chased after the two before leading them to the end.
To the suffering pair of childhood friends, each day crawled by at a dreadful pace yet each week ended in a blink of an eye. Day by day, week by week, they trained hard under the guidance of Tatsumi. Before they even knew it, two years blew past like a gust of wind and Ieyasu, once again, stood on the opposite side of Tatsumi in a battle ready stance.
"Come!" Tatsumi yelled at Ieyasu. Ieyasu bent down low and sprang towards Tatsumi, a spear in his hands. He jabbed at his chest from a low angle. Tatsumi countered by swinging his sword upward, knocking the spearhead away. Ieyasu took a few steps back, spinning his spear back into position.
"Don't just back off after one attack! The butt of the spear can be just as deadly as the tip." Tatsumi scolded, taking from the limited knowledge of spears provided by Shishou and his past encounters with spear users. Ieyasu nodded before repeating his attack.
He jabbed at Tatsumi's chest from a low angle. Tatsumi swung his sword upward, knocking the spear away. This time, Ieyasu spun his spear, grabbing onto the top side of the weapon and struck at Tatsumi with the butt. Tatsumi spun out of the way, the momentum of Ieyasu's attack left him open to a chop on his head. To Tatsumi's surprise, Ieyasu dropped down low, dodging the strike and swung his spear at Tatsumi's legs. Running on reflex, Tatsumi jumped up high and slammed his knee into Ieyasu's unsuspecting face. The poor boy flew backward, knocked out like a light.
"Oh shit." Tatsumi mumbled sheepishly. Knocking Ieyasu out wasn't part of his plan, but he was taken by surprise, something that has been occurring quite often recently. He looked to his right where Sayo sat with a slightly annoyed expression.
"That's the third time today." Sayo pointed out with a sigh. Tatsumi scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile.
"Uhh, yeah. He's gotten better recently and I'm having trouble adjusting my strength. Can you, like, heal him or something?" Sayo shrugged. Ieyasu would be okay. The beating he takes every time they spar has made him tough enough to endure a few knees to the face without any serious injuries.
"He'll probably just challenge you again if he wakes up. Plus you need to rest. Tomorrow's the big day isn't it?" Tatsumi nodded excitedly. That's right. Tomorrow's the big day. Tatsumi's birthday to be exact, though that was not the main reason why he was excited.
Tomorrow, he turns thirteen. Tomorrow, he will meet whatever is on that peak.
Tatsumi had been anticipating this day for three years now. No one could blame him for being hyped, but not many could say they shared his sentiment. Sayo, in particular, was very worried.
"You… you'll come back safely right?" Sayo asked anxiously. It was only recently that she and Ieyasu discovered why Tatsumi had returned and stayed for two years. Not knowing what dangers awaited Tatsumi on his trial frightened her. Tatsumi smiled and pulled her into a quick hug.
"Of course. I still haven't completed my last mission." Tatsumi reassured. Sayo frowned at another thing Tatsumi had never mentioned. The last time he forgot to mention something, it involved his destiny of climbing a life-threatening peak.
"Last mission?" She questioned. Tatsumi realized his slip and quickly stood up.
"I, uh, have to go hunt for the village tonight. I'll see you guys later!" Her eyes widened and she stood up. She then noticed that chasing him meant to leave an unconscious Ieyasu in the middle of the forest. She growled and stomped the ground in a tantrum.
"You can't just leave after that! Come back here!" Tatsumi waved without turning around and ran back to the village.
"Well, I'm off." Tatsumi stated while standing right outside the gates of the village. During the past two years, Tatsumi hadn't been lazing around. Along with his usual training, he's been learning from resident mountain climbers and travelers in order to prepare for this day. As a result, he was fully packed with all the necessary equipment to scale a nearly vertical stone wall.
"Come back safely please." Sayo knew she couldn't convince him to stop, so this was all she could do.
"I still haven't beat you yet, so don't you dare die on me." Ieyasu added. He was a lot more relaxed. There was no way Tatsumi would die from a little mountain climbing trip, that's what Ieyasu truly believed. Tatsumi nodded with a smirk and left the village gates.
The Tempest peak was an incredibly tall and steep cliff about fifty kilometers north of the village. One notable feature of the cliff was it's near vertical incline. Cracks and ledges were the only features one can use as footholds and anchor points. But that was not what earned its name.
Wind. Whirling gusts that blew across the surface of the cliff all day, all year round. As you climb upward, the strength and ferocity of the wind increases until it reaches hurricane levels near the top. In addition to that, the snow and ice that naturally existed in the mountains mixes with the wind in order to create an eternal snow storm. There were no alternative routes to the top, as such, what exists there is a mystery.
Tatsumi left early in the morning and reached the base of the cliff shortly after noon. He looked upward at the wall and chuckled to himself.
This is impossible.
It wasn't his first time at the base of the cliff, since he was allowed to explore the area beforehand. But each time, he always came to that conclusion. No matter how hard he looked or what time of the day he comes, he could never see the top. A white blanket clouded the wall, limiting the visual distance to less than one hundred meters.
Tatsumi spun on his heels and threw his bag onto the soft snow that covered the ground. Inside the bag were some supplies including water, special mountain climbing gloves, stakes, a hook and rope, a knife and some other stuff. Tatsumi strapped the water canteen onto his belt, equipped the mountain climbing gloves, wrapped the hook and rope diagonally across his chest, and stuffed the stakes and knife into a smaller bag that was latched onto his belt. He hopped a few times to make sure everything was strapped on tight.
Tatsumi planted his feet firmly on the ground, bent his knees and jumped. His foot landed on a narrow ledge and he pushed off again, controlling his direction and distance with his hands. His eyes scanned the wall, looking and judging the ledges that would either become a steady path up or deadly way down.
It was after one-hundred feet that the ascension became difficult. At that point, the wind had turned from a gentle breeze into a powerful gust. The constant force against Tatsumi's side made each step that much more dangerous. The wall was becoming smoother and ledges were becoming a rarity. After recognizing that fact, Tatsumi pulled out the stakes from his small bag and stabbed one into a crack in the wall. After making sure that the stake was lodged in deep, Tatsumi went into action.
He quickly pushed off the small ledge he stood on, landing on the stake, before jumping upward. As gravity began to drag him down, he accurately inserted another stake inside a thin crack. Using that as an anchor, he pulled himself up and clung to the wall.
Tatsumi had just released a quick sigh when the wall cracked beneath him and the stake started to slip. His eyes widened and he quickly threw the hook at a nearby ledge, praying that the hook will catch something. His foothold gave out and he held desperately onto the rope, his only lifeline. The hook slid a few centimeters before it securely latched onto a crack.
Tatsumi found himself dangling over one hundred meters in the air. His heart threatened to pop out of his chest and he felt the temptation to look downward. The moment that thought crossed his mind, he slammed his eyes shut and forced his head upward, taking deep breaths.
The biggest mistake he could make when climbing was to realize how high he was.
Tatsumi cleared his mind. He had only one objective.
Get to the top.
Renewing his resolve, he began to climb the thin rope.
After another hour of climbing, Tatsumi was starting to feel fear. He was exhausted and his hands were starting to go numb. Yet he knew he was well over one hundred and fifty meters up with no safe way down. Now that I think about it, what was the plan for getting back down again? The thought caused him to lose focus for a second, and in that second, the merciless wind attacked. A sudden wave of force blew Tatsumi off balance. He slipped off the stake he was standing on, but luckily, he managed to catch onto the stake with his right hand.
"Arg!" He grunted while using all his strength to pull himself back up. The wind suddenly changed directions with the same force, catching him off guard and flung him right off his anchor. Tatsumi bit down on his lips to stop himself from screaming. Acting quickly, he threw the hook at a large crack he had seen a few minutes ago.
With frightening accuracy, the hook reached its intended target and latched on tightly. Tatsumi held onto the swaying rope for dear life, the wind flying him like a kite caught in a storm. He pulled himself with all his strength to the crack, an opening in the wall just large enough for his small body to slide in.
He let out a huge sigh of relief, finally out of the freezing wind storm. In the past hour of climbing, he had discovered several similarly large cracks that allowed him to rest for a while. He unstrapped the canteen from his belt and took a sip, his heartbeat slowing down to a normal pace.
This is getting pretty bad… He thought worriedly. The snow and ice that mixed with the wind had turned from minor nuisances to a constant barrage of frozen bullets. The white storm was restricting his visionary distance to less than fifteen meters.
But what really worried Tatsumi was simple. He was running out of juice. The freezing cold was sapping at his body heat, the constant climbing was draining at his stamina, and the increasing amounts of close calls have been attacking his mental fortitude. He looked outside the crack with a nervous look.
I-I don't think I can last very long if I keep going…
He brought both hands, shaking and numb from the cold, to his cheeks and slapped them. I can't give up now. I've been waiting for years, planning for weeks, and climbing for hours. Yoshiro is risking his life inside the capital, Hayami is risking her life in a different country. How can I face them and my Shishou if I can't accomplish anything?
Tatsumi took a deep breath and pulled himself back out into the grueling environment.
Almost there… I'm almost there!
Tatsumi had completely lost track of time, focusing on climbing and only climbing. He channeled all his energy into taking one more step, climbing one more meter, jumping one more time.
But he knew. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew. He was getting nowhere.
The frozen bullets that constantly pelleted at his side had evolved into waves of force, constantly throwing Tatsumi off the wall. Droplets of tears froze as soon as it emerged from the side of his eyes as ice shards and the occasional rock slammed against his already bruised sides. His arms and legs were completely numb and he could feel frostbite forming on his right cheek.
He could no longer see anything beyond where his hand could reach and he was too afraid to look down. The seed of fear that had sprouted earlier had bloomed into full-blown anxiety. He was pushing at his limits already. How much further was the end? How much longer could he last?
The only thing keeping him going was pure determination…
No, this was no longer pure determination. It was a stubborn pride.
Tatsumi pushed himself against the wall, his legs wrapped around the stake that was firmly planted in a crack. The next crack in the wall was only a meter away and just out of reach. He clenched his chattering teeth and pulled himself up from his straddling position.
That was a fatal mistake.
A fist-sized ice ball rammed him in his exposed and bruised side, possibly cracking a rib, earning a pained cry from Tatsumi. The force was enough to blown Tatsumi off the wall. He grunted in an effort to right himself in mid-air, but the hurricane of ice and snow wasn't making it easy for him. He reached for his hook and ropes, his eyes desperately scanning for a crack to save his life.
Time slowed down as Tatsumi's mind went into overdrive. The moment a large crack flashed into his vision, he threw the hook deep into it. He wrapped the rope around his arm and braced himself for the tug that would inevitably dislocate his shoulder.
The rope snapped straight and his entire body jerked. A loud pop followed and his body screamed. But Tatsumi clung on tight and held back tears of pain. Adrenaline rushed through his veins and the pain became numb. Taking the opportunity, he began climbing the rope by pulling himself up with one arm, wrapping the rope around his leg and pushing up.
I can't fail, I'm so close! I'm so close! He screamed at himself.
He latched onto the crack and pulled himself in. He leaned against the rigid walls and let out a sigh of relief. Remembering his injury, he grabbed his limp arm and positioned it so the elbow was against the wall. Without preparing himself, he slammed his body into his arm and a loud pop followed by the pain of a thousand needles signaled that he had succeeded.
He took out the canteen from his belt and took the last sip, his heartbeat slowing down to a normal pace.
He brought both hands, shaking and numb from the cold, to his cheeks and slapped them. I can't give up now. I've been waiting for years, planning for weeks, and climbing for hours. Yoshiro is risking his life inside the capital, Hayami is risking her life in a different country. How can I face them and my Shishou if I can't accomplish anything?
He took a deep breathe and….
...Hasn't this happened before? The deja vu was too canny to ignore. Tatsumi looked around the dark interior of the crack and something caught his eyes.
A pair of white lines, a pair of scratch lines to be exact. The scratches were probably caused when a hook scraped across the surface of the interior, searching for something to latch onto. A fall, hook and rope, a large crack, deja vu...The dots slowly began to connect. Tatsumi released a laugh, tears of despair flowing out as he laughed hysterically.
All my progress… gone. It was a single slip that destroyed half his progress. The pain and despair rushed at him all in an instant. The pain in his sides screamed, his numb hands stung like a thousand hornets, his body trembled in the cold, the exhaustion made it impossible to lift even a single finger, and his aching shoulder sent shocks to his brain.
Under all the pain and exhaustion, Tatsumi closed his eyes and made a decision.
I can't go on. I won't make it. If I try again, I'll die. I-I… I have to give up.
For today at least. It may not be tomorrow, it may not be within a year, but he'll definitely conquer the Tempest Peak one day. Today, he would head home with his head hung low in failure, but tomorrow, he will come back with his head up high. He vowed to whatever was beyond that storm.
"You. You're mine."
He pushed himself up, and for the first time that day, he looked down.
That's when he saw it, as obvious as a bright moon shining in a dark night sky.
"... Is that a cave?"
It took no longer than five minutes to reach the cave. Going down was much quicker than climbing up, but also a hundred times more dangerous. Fortunately, Tatsumi was too busy debating how he could've possibly missed a ledge and a cave sticking out from an otherwise flat wall to really think about how dangerous it was.
He planted his feet firmly on the ground and walked up to the cave entrance. Tatsumi called it a cave, but the entrance was no more than a meter tall and two meters wide. It was barely large enough for a grown man to fit in, and if you were slightly chubby, you'd get stuck right there.
Tatsumi plopped his supplies down, securing them firmly near the entrance, before dropping down on all fours and heading inside.
The tunnel slowly began to widen and darken until it eventually became pitch black. Tatsumi's eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness and he continued crawling down what seemed to be an endless tunnel. He felt an urge to crawl faster, a magnet-like force pulled him towards what was at the end of the tunnel. Soon, the tunnel widened to the point where he could stand up and he began running, stumbling and tripping over the uneven ground toward his destination.
After another minute of running, the tunnel opened up to a large space, a dark cave about the size of a large house, twenty meters in diameter at its widest and fifteen meters at its highest. The cave was perfectly normal, except for one element.
The wind blew through the cave in circles, an unnatural occurrence considering there was only one tunnel and no other visible openings. His eyes scanned the dark cave, finally stopping at the object in the exact center of the opening.
A stone pedestal, a perfect rectangular prism that stood tall and proud. Tatsumi slowly walked towards the pedestal, stopping right in front of it. It was about a meter tall, putting it at the same altitude as Tatsumi's mouth. He laid his palm on the stone structure and he noticed there were words carved onto the smooth, cold surface. He brushed his palms across the surface.
'The determination to climb and the courage to stop. Pick up the Soul of the Tempest if you wish.' The engraved message read. Tatsumi's eyes when realization struck him and he let out a small laugh. To climb the Tempest peak, you must have a fit body and strong determination. But the difficulty forces your concentration into only that - the way up. In other words…
"I can't believe I was tricked into a tunnel vision." Tatsumi whispered quietly, shaking his head in order to notice this cave, one would either need an extremely open mind or the courage to give up once they pushed themselves to the limit.
How many people have stubbornly pushed upward only to be ripped apart by the raging storm? Tatsumi thought. Looking around, there were bones scattered around the floor. He came to the conclusion that he wasn't the first to reach this place.
His eyes turned back to the pedestal. The object at the very center grabbed his full attention. It was a jewel of some kind. Its surface was covered in dust and the pitch black surroundings didn't help, but neither could obstruct the sheer power that it radiated.
Tatsumi could feel an incredible force attracting him towards the jewel, like placing two magnets near each other. He could tell that this was what had been calling out to him for years. This was the one that he sought.
The one that would guide him down his path to carnage.
His fingertips brushed against the surface of the jewel, leaving a thin line behind in the thick layer of dust. Peeking out from beneath the grime - a clear, living green.
In that instant, the breath of life burst forth. The wind blew across his face and ruffled his hair, sending his cloak fluttering in the air. The dust exploded from the surface of the jewel, revealing it in all its beauty. Shining, unobstructed by the darkness.
The jewel was a perfect sphere, barely five centimeters in diameter. It was green, yet looked unlike any other green Tatsumi's ever seen before. It was vibrant, translucent, and ever-changing. One descriptive word popped into Tatsumi's mind.
Alive.
Tatsumi was stunned. Captivated. He gingerly picked up the jewel and noticed that the jewel was entrapped by a metallic plating shaped like a water drop. A thin chain connected both sides of the plating. A necklace. It was a necklace.
Tatsumi hesitantly wrapped the chain around his neck, fearing that it would shatter on contact. He clenched the jewel in his right hand and pressed it against his chest.
In a blink of an eye, the world changed.
Tatsumi grunted in confusion as the world spun off its axis. Information flowed into his mind, the raging storm outside, every snowflake and ice block, every leaf on the trees hundreds of meters below, every nook and cranny of the cave. It was impossible to put into words, just like how it's impossible to describe a color, or describe the sensation of touch, or the feeling of joy.
He felt it all. He knew it all. His head ached as it desperately tried to sort out the information brought in by his new sense. A head-splitting migraine struck his skull like a hammer and he could only theorize that his brain was probably overheating. He was in such a confused mess that he didn't even notice a green aura encompassing his body.
The pain was too much and his consciousness began to slip. He stumbled forward, looking for something to support his body, and his hand accidentally landed on the pedestal. The moment his hand came into contact, the pedestal split down the middle, cracking open and revealing a sheathed blade.
Tatsumi desperately reached for the blade, trying to find some salvation from the pain and confusion that had filled his head. But he couldn't, the information overloaded his brain and he fell down, crashing unceremoniously onto the cold, hard ground. The darkness slowly dragged him down into its pits and he could hear death beckoning for him.
No… it was something else.
"You can do better than that."
With an internal scream, Tatsumi broke out of the darkness and grabbed the scabbard.
A shock of ten thousand volts instantly cleared his head. The pain faded from his skull but the dull ache in his shoulder was magnified a dozen times. The pain of a million needles drilling into his nerves sent him back into the darkness.
"Heh, better."
Tatsumi had no idea how long he was out for, but he wished someone would turn off the lights. It was too bright.
Wait… bright?
He gingerly pushed himself off the ground and surveyed his surroundings. He was still in the cave halfway up the forsaken cliff and surely enough, the cave was a lot brighter than before. But after another minute of exploring, Tatsumi realized that there weren't any new sources of light in the cave. That led Tatsumi to an obvious conclusion.
"Night vision? Amplified senses?" He asked no one in particular. He could hear the faint sound of wind blowing outside the entrance, see better in the dark and feel more pain than usual. All these indicated amplified senses, but why?
His eyes drifted down to the sword he held in his right hand. It was after picking up the sword that the pain faded from his head and he passed out from the pain in my shoulder. He carefully inspected the sword in its sheath.
The sword was about a meter in length. The lack of a katana's curve and a handguard indicated that it was a one-handed sword, yet it was not nearly as heavy as a one-handed sword should be. The grip was wrapped in a black cloth, a knuckle guard protruded down from the connecting point between the handle and the blade but was detached from the base of the handle.
What is it? A one-handed sword? A katana? A rapier? A knife with an unnecessarily long scabbard?
Tatsumi decided to stop guessing and drew the sword. The blade slid out of its sheath incredibly smoothly, betraying Tatsumi's expectations of a rusty, ancient weapon. Instantly, he felt a wave of power rush into his body and something exploded.
Literally.
It felt like something was tearing his body apart. Veins busted, blood surged up his throat and he collapsed onto the ground, clutching his chest as he gasped for oxygen. He shoved the blade back into its sheath and sunk his fist into his own diaphragm. The force caused him to spit out a glob of blood and he wheezed, trying to get air back into his burning lungs. His vision blurred from a mixture of tears and dizziness.
It took a while before Tatsumi calmed down enough to think rationally again. What just happened? He had not released the scabbard in fear that his head will start hurting again and nothing had happened. Does the pain have something to do with drawing the blade? Tatsumi shook his head, there were too many mysteries surrounding the sword and the necklace. There was no way he could solve it all in one day, not to mention a day like today.
Tatsumi let out a heavy sigh. He was hungry, thirsty, exhausted and in a lot of pain.
A lot of pain.
"... I want to go home."
Tatsumi looked down the one hundred and fifty-meter drop and groaned.
That's right… I still have to climb down…
The sun was setting on the horizon. At this rate, he'll be climbing down a nearly vertical cliff in the darkness of the night. That's a recipe for death if I've ever seen one. He crouched down by the edge, debating on whether to start climbing or not, when a loud crack coming from below his feet caught his attention. His head was still dizzy and his reaction was slow.
Needless to say, he fell right off.
Tatsumi sighed as air rushed past him and gravity accelerated him downwards.
"I'm too tired for this shit." He mumbled, somehow not feeling any fear. The ground came closer by the second and the young warrior silently thought about what to do, when suddenly, an idea struck him.
If I just stop before I hit the ground, then I won't hit the ground right?
A few days later, Tatsumi thought back to this and immediately slammed his head into a nearby tree trunk, scaring the shit out of Sayo and Ieyasu. In any normal situation, someone who thinks like this would be, and should be, immediately sent to see a doctor for mental issues. But somehow, at the time, Tatsumi thought that was a great idea.
So that's exactly what he did. The jewel hidden under his shirt glowed in response. As instinctual as walking, Tatsumi straightened himself and stopped in mid-air, bending his knees like he was landing on solid ground. He stared down at the empty air he was standing on and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I must be dreaming." He whispered to himself. He began walking downwards to the ground, acting as if there were invisible steps in mid air. Each step he took, a slight ripple spread from the soles of his feet outwards.
After a few minutes, he landed on actual solid ground. He tapped the solid ground with his heel and looked back up at the sky. Now that he thought about it, he just did something unbelievable ,didn't he? Tatsumi released a huge yawn and rubbed his eyes
"Sleep first, think later. Time to go home."
Solid plan. He took one step forward and stopped.
"Aw shit, I forgot my bag up there!"
The sound of obnoxious chirping caused Tatsumi to stir from his slumber. As he shifted around lazily, without taking any other actions, the wind increased slightly causing the birds to fly away. Without knowing what had happened, he decided to stop lazing around and get up.
Tatsumi slowly opened his eyes and immediately slammed them shut, wincing from the usual burning sensation of harsh sunlight in his sensitive eyes. He rubbed his eyes and yawned, covering his eyes with his hands while waiting for them to adjust to the new brightness.
Without removing his right hand that covered his eyes, his left fiddled with the smooth green necklace that hung from his neck. The same one that he had obtained three years ago.
After he could finally see, he pushed himself up off the ground and out of his sleeping bag. Today's breakfast was a slice of bread, some fruits, nuts and a slice of bear meat. The Bear meat tasted terrible, kind of like a combination of old boots and dried leather with the texture of wet bark. It was rough on Tatsumi's sensitive taste and smell, but he hated wasting food.
"You just had to attack me didn't you?" Tatsumi snarled spitefully at the piece of meat before biting down on it, trying his best not to throw up.
"Don't be picky with your food Tatsumi." His mom used to say, but Tatsumi doubted that she had expected him to ever be in a situation where bear meat was a culinary option. His silent contemplation was interrupted by a familiar sound of a bird's call. He pulled the meat out of his mouth and repeated the call. Moments later, a medium-sized bird dropped down next to him on the log.
Tatsumi pulled out the letter from the capsule and scanned through it. He sighed with a small smile.
"First time you contact me in months and you didn't even write a greeting. You wound me, Yoshiro." He quickly finished off his bread and berries and shoved the bear meat into the beaks of the bird-like messenger danger beast. It happily ripped the food to pieces and left. Tatsumi crumpled up the letter and threw it into the fire. It unraveled as the flames ate away at it.
"Need your help. Come to the Tomb of the First Emperor in Putra. Help my friends.
Yoshiro."
Tatsumi cleaned up the camp and stuffed the sleeping bag into his bag. He picked up his steel blade and sheathed it into its scabbard before strapping it onto his back so that the handle stuck out from his left shoulder. As it settled onto his back, it clattered against the object he had strapped behind his waist, wrapped inside layers of cloth. But the clothing couldn't hide the handle and knuckle guard sticking out to the left.
Finally, Tatsumi clenched the green-tinted jewel that hung from his neck, feeling the breeze blow past my face.
"Let's go, Shinatsuhiko."