Twenty three years ago...
The wailing of a babe is what woke him from his slumber in the silent forest. Slowly he opened his eyes and allowed to adjust to the darkness. Laying motionless, he scanned the forest. Looking for any sign of unnatural movement. The wailing continued. It was not an animal - it was the wrong time of year for that. So it was human, but it shouldn't be. This forest was hundreds of miles away from any human civilization.
The sound of a twig snapping drew his a attention to the right. A young girl - no more than 18, ran out into the space beneath his tree. She was breathing hard and he could smell the fear rolling off her in waves. In her arms was the wailing baby. One tiny arm popped out of the blanket the baby was wrapped in.
His eyes narrowed. What was she doing here? How did she come to even be here? This forest was sacred. No humans were allowed to venture into it but for his own family. The thundering of many feet caught his attention. Twenty men stormed in the area beneath his tree. They were armed and had the air of seasoned killers about them. The men surrounded the woman, guns trained on her. One kicked her in the back of the knees, sending her crashing down to the forest floor. Babe still clutched tightly to her chest.
Another man stepped forward. This one held no weapon and wore a well tailored suit. Despite the twenty well seasoned killers, this man held a far more dangerous air. He was the kind that killed with words instead of weapons. He took what he wanted without asking and would stab his own mother in the back just because he could. And the twelve year old boy up in the tree knew him well.
Takaba Haru was a villain unlike any other. He was single handedly responsible for the death of the many members of the Asami clan. The clan the boy was a part of. Asami Ryuichi had only been five years old when men stormed his family's home. They had murdered his parents and elder sister right before Taka Haru's feet. The bastard had laughed, enjoying their deaths. Ryuichi had escaped only because his sister had hidden him away in a hidden room before joining their parents in battle. It had saved him, but it hadn't stopped him from seeing their lives ended. He had stayed in that room for over a week before his grandfather found him.
Ryuichi and his grandfather were the only Asamis left in the world. So many had died because of Takaba Haru. The man wanted their land. The land they had held for thousands of years. Stupid, evil, greedy politician that he was.
"Oh Lydia, did you really think that you could escape me?"
"Please, please just let us go. I won't tell anyone."
"Oh I know you won't tell anyone Lydia. Now give me my son and we'll all go back home. Forgetting any of this even happened."
Lydia clutched her son tighter. "No. I will not let you harm him."
"Harm him?" Takaba Haru pressed a hand to his chest as if hurt. "Lydia, why wou—"
"I know what you plan to do to my son. What you did to all the others who came before him. I won't allow it."
"You have no say in it Lydia." He nodded to one of the men. The man aimed his gun and fired. Lydia fell dead to the forest floor. Her child clutched to her still chest.
Ryuichi saw red. Rage boiled beneath his skin. Without thought, he acted. Stalking his pray as he made their way through the forest. One by one, he slit their throats until Takaba Haru was all that remained.
Sneaking up behind his enemy, Ryuichi shoved a knife into the back of each of the man's knees. Takaba Haru collapsed, the babe falling from his careless limbs. Ryuichi paid no mind to the angrily wailing babe. He approached his pray once again. He struck without being seen. Slicing through flesh as if it were butter. Takaba Haru screamed but Ryuichi did not stop until he had slowly bled the vile man dry.
Coming back to himself, Ryuichi picked the wailing babe up carefully. He checked the boy over, relieved when he found no sign of injury. He wrapped the babe up once again and retreated back to where Lydia had fallen. As the night passed, Ryuichi worked. He built a carrier for the babe and a stretcher for Lydia. As the first hour of a new day struck, Ryuichi found himself in the deepest part of the forest. There, stood a large shrine built to honor the forest. It had been built centuries ago by the Asami clan. Many great Asami clan leaders and warriors had been hurried there.
Laying the now slumbering babe upon the shrine's table. Assuring the babe would not fall or be injured, Ryuichi set to building a small pyre for Lydia.
~ ɩt'ى ɠɷɷɖ tɷ bҽ baɖ ~
The sun was just edging up over the horizon as Ryuichi set fire to Lyda's pyre. He held the whimpering babe, rocking him and whispering soothing words. The wind was gentle, like the caress of a mother upon her child's cheek. It took the ashes of Lydia of into the forest to join with those of the ancient Asamis. He had not known her, she had not been an Asami but she had fought and died to protect her son.
As the last of the flames burned out, Ryuichi gathered his things and the baby boy, ready to head home.
~ ɩt'ى ɠɷɷɖ tɷ bҽ baɖ ~
Present...
Ryuichi stared at the young blond man standing before him. Had it really been twelve years since he had last seen him? When his grandfather died, Ryuichi had left his family home and everything that went with it behind him. Akihito included. Akihito had sobbed as he watched his older brother - his mentor, his father walked out the door. His small twelve year old body trembling with his sobs. He had begged, but Ryuichi did not stop. He couldn't stop. He had to leave it all behind.
He walked out and left all that was the Asami clan in Akihito's all to small hands. The long, ancient history of the Asami clan. All the warriors, samurais, ninjas, daimyos, shoguns, traditions and land. All of it was Akihito's to bear and teach to the next generation, if Akihito were to have any children.
Ryuichi swallowed hard as his gaze was met with fire filled blues.
