Chapter 2
Darkness festers to the north. Why must I be subjugated to such a feeling? It irks me. Why was I the one chosen for such an ability? I may never know the old man intentions.
Perhaps I should no longer claim myself a follower of Ninshu. After all, I do go against some of its teachings. I am breaking the old man's legacy, when he left his ideals to his son Asura, to gain peace through friendship.
I believe the best way to achieve peace in this land is through the acts of kindness to one another, and destroying those with no hope to change. By no means could it possibly be a perfect peace. That is simply impossible. However, acts of kindness to some will not stir their hearts. Those who are the wicked an happily so, those are the ones that I destroy.
I probably should not destroy cities where darkness festers. It is too extreme. In human form, I can better target those whose darkness will not change. And not all negative emotion is that of evil. There is sadness, and grief. The response to mourning those who were great.
I should try better to understand human emotion. What better way than to join them for some time. I have already good understanding of it, but definitely could it be improved. Morality is learned by experiencing others around you, and discovering from there what is right or wrong. It is not conforming to what nature is, but rather overcoming what nature would have us be. Instead of animals, we are to be people.
Kurama, who was in his human form walked along the path. Ahead, was a family of three was resting from the hot day.
I wonder what it feels like to be exhausted by the sun. My nature can really make it difficult to fully understand humans.
Dark presences. They are moving on the family. Should I stop them and reveal myself? What am I thinking, of course I must help them. Even if it is at the cost of revealing I am no ordinary sage.
Kurama quickened his pace, intent on arriving before the bandits. He easily did as he planned, and surprised the family with his presence. "Make yourselves scarce," Kurama ordered, "Bandits attack from the north."
Several members of the family looked at Kurama incredulously, while others were simply confused, looking around. Then a flurry of arrows shot from the brush.
Damn it, I cannot stop them all. Not in this form.
Even as thoughts raced through Kurama's mind, he did his best to blast the arrows out of place with wind. He failed to get the earliest arrows. They hit the father and son fatally. Kurama snarled in rage, and summoned his power to send out blades of wind at the charging bandits.
Kurama cut them down, mercilessly slaying the bandits. Kurama then ended his short slaughter, and turned to the woman asking, "Are you alright?" The lady was hunched over her fallen, crying loudly.
The lady is becoming a mass of negativity, filled with sadness. Why does she do this? Does she do this the loss of the two with her? If so, I can relate, for when I lost the old man, I too, was in tears.
Kurama dropped down on one knee in front of the mourning woman, and calmly asked, "What is your name?"
This time, she was cut out of her wailing, though tears still fell from her eyes. She looked at Kurama with lost eyes. After a few moments, she haggardly answered, "Momo."
"Momo, that is a pleasant name. Is there any way I can help you," Kurama asked.
With tear stricken eyes, she pleaded Kurama, "Sage! Can you bring them back?"
Kurama adopted a sad look on his face before replying, "My apologies, Momo, that is a power I do not have. I can heal, but I cannot bring back what is lost."
The lady started wailing at his response, crying out, "They're dead, they're gone forever. My husband! My son! Why God, have you stricken me like this!"
Kurama put his hand on the women's shoulder, which caused her to flinch slightly and end her wailing. When the lady looked at Kurama, she saw a sad look on his face. Kurama then said softly, "Women, I to have experienced lost. The saddest time in my life, was when my father passed away. However," Kurama said more brightly, his smile growing, "What I do know is that the although he is no longer here physically, he is here," pointing to his heart, "and here," pointing to his head. "His life will forever be preserved in my heart, and my memories. It is for that reason, that although physically gone, spiritually, he will forever be by my side, ruffling my hair, and teaching me how to live. It is the same for your husband and son. They though gone, will still always be there with you."
Momo's face was one of shock, shock at his words. After a few moments, the lady smiled, and said, "Thank-you kind sage, for your words."
Kurama chuckled in response before saying, "It should be our greatest goal in life to help those that need it. So, the next time you see someone who needs aid, give them a hand, so that we may live in a better place."
The lady nodded, before Kurama sadly asked, "Would you like my help," gesturing to those fallen in the family. The lady regained some look of grief, before responding, "Yes, I would like that very much. Though I don't have any means for funeral."
Kurama gave her a small smile, before replying, "You need not worry about that"
Kurama then went through several gestures with his hand, before the earth dug itself up into mounds. He then helped the women Momo place the bodies on the mounds. He then sat cross legged in front of the two pyres, and asked the lady for their names. She replied, "Tarin and Sozin."
Kurama nodded, before he closed his eyes, and began to speak, "Tarin, Sozin, you have lived through life with great works. I, the Sage Kurama, ordain thee as Zen monks, so that your spirits may find better peace." He then turned to the lady and said, "As this place does not bode well for a full sermon, I will give you a teaching instead," to which the lady nodded, "Death is not an end. It is the cycle of the world so that new things may come. Enjoy life by not trying to remember a certain day, but rather remember great moments. Though fleeting in length, their influence can touch us to the end of our days. There is no greater sin than forgetting the good things life has given you, and then cursing life for always cursing you. Remember to remember the good moments. Love life, and you will see how much it truly loves you."
Tears fell from the ladies eyes, and she thanked Kurama. Kurama then said, "Please stand back," to which the lady did. Kurama then turned to the bodies, and said, "Tarin, Sozin, may the afterlife forever bless your souls, I hereby ordain thee, so that you may welcome in heaven." He then used a single hand gesture, and then spit a large stream of fire upon the corpses. Kurama continued the action for fifteen minutes. When he finished, nothing was left of the bodies. The earth was molten.
Tears fell down from the women, as she said, "Thank-you good sage, for allowing my husband and child to be able to receive peace."
Kurama responded with a soft smile, and said, "It was my pleasure, I thank you, for helping me better understand life's great value."
Kurama left the women.
Grief. I know such a thing. I knew before all the others, that the old man was going to be leaving. I could sense it in his heart. My heart was filled with grief at the time. My brothers and sisters did not understand why I felt as such. I could neither bear to tell them, that they may suffer the same grief. Perhaps that what it means to be an older brother. Shukaku and I have such a strained relationship, due to my previous treatment. I do will all my family. Perhaps one day, I will be able to make things right. She reminded me of how dear family is. It has been a hundred years since I have seen them.
As Kurama walked, he then suddenly sensed the woman's presence disappear.
What? She's no longer there.
Kurama sprinted back to the previous area. What he found broke his heart. There the women lie. Blood seeped from her neck, a knife in her hand.
"Why," Kurama cried out. "Why did you do this? You needed not do such a thing! Why did you take your own life? There had to be a better way! You promised me you would help show kindness to the world. Why do you smile in death? How can you smile in death?"
As Kurama begged for answers from the dead woman, tears fell down his eyes. After a few minutes of crying, Kurama got up, and put his hands through several gestures. The earth below the woman rose as a result.
"Momo, I wish you well in the afterlife. I hereby ordain thee a thee, so that you may be welcomed into heaven. May the afterlife forever bless your soul."
With that, Kurama blew fire onto the corpse, destroying any evidence of its existence.
As Kurama left, he thought to himself that he didn't truly understand human emotion as he thought he did.
And there is chapter 2. Sorry for it taking so long to come out, but I am studying eastern thought and philosophy just for this story, which is slowing me down. Make sure to review the story. Interesting thought, this may be the first fic to be surrounded by any of the tailed beasts earlier years as a primary theme. My apologies is if I am incorrect.
Make sure to review!
Credits to
'Humanity and Nature in Chinese thought.' Team from edX
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Dalai Lama
Steve Jobs
Arthur Rubinstein
Ceasre Paverse