Waring clans era Land of lightning Mount Moreya
The light.
The light was everywhere, a glow, a warm blanket, a pressure. Feathers and floating lands in the sea of light gold and wispy clouds. There's a sound of wind in the background though it doesn't come straight on. No this sound is more like wind pushing on your back not as cold as it should be though, of course there's still the light for comfort. Except...the light is getting further and further away the islands suddenly RACE up even further into the heavens and the wind gets LOUDER, and that's about when Tenko Hikaru wakes up.
It had been quite the wonderful dream but why she kept dreaming it was beyond her. On the montain temple where she lived it was bit uncommonto have such dreams but the elder Miko told her that havibg the same dream for so long spoke of fate and that she should tale up some if their fortune telling duties to make sense of it. Tenko scoffed at that, the trip down the mountain alone was enough to oblige but the truth was ultimately that she was scared. It didn't matter that all the others were too, that there was so much to be scared of. In a world where there was unholy amounts violence at every turn places like this should have been turned to for help. Instead much to their misfortune any and all petty disputes had potential patrons turning to the ninjas and mercenaries. Tenko remember still a time when the village bellow would bring offerings and prayers that gave light to the now dusty residence. The children were starving and the elders were letting the fear effect their judgment. "It has to be that. Why else would they make contact with the village so rare all if a sudden." Tenko nodded at the thought. Yes, that was it, just silly old goats mucking up everything because they were startled.
This frustrated her to know end and she knew that she should probably not feel that way but the home she'd worked so hard for was crumbling around her and she couldn't just quit on it. She couldn't just leave like some of them already had nor could she lower herself to the position she'd seen some of her former friends in. The village was absolutely NOT the happy place it had once been the light in the community had been dimmed and was in danger of being diminished completely. And for what? Money thrown on a cycle that would just go on getting more and more destructive. Tenko was young enough to be unaware of the dangers around her and how close that danger really was. Luckily for her she was also old enough to around important conversations and learn important things. She couldn't make out what was more important than what if it didn't have to do with her personally but she knew a few things for certain to be true. First off the elders at the temple were scummy and made dealings with the people on the town to get their way and more than a few patrons. Second, the town below was willing to use the peoples faith to manipulate them and seeing as that didn't cause any of their patrons to leave them it was a well managed plan that worked. Third and probably the most important thing was that the village was a good place to meet people, learn things.(after all gossip was everywhere and fresh gossip from the village was gold amongts the girls her age here.) now that she was skilled enough with her cleansing and old enough to manage alone she could now go to the village every other week. She usually didn't go alone though and went on with her duties attending to the people in need and asking for donations to thise who she hadn't come to heal. One of her usual companions Keiko, should be come uo to remind her if that bit soon. Like she'd been summoned by thought alone Tenko's fellow orphan came running.
"It's time to go Tenko! You are ready yes, no chires to do?" Keiko asked cheekily
She was the opposite of her really. Tenko like many of the village had a worm chocolate tone to her skin, her hair in white curls that flowed down her back, and ruby red eyes that could never hide whatever she was feeling. Keiko was the opposite she had inky black hair that fell like tar from a porcelain cliff. Keiko had two different colored eyes a blue and yellow one and they shone an innocent light on her that let her get out of many situations in the village and out of trouble in the temple. She and Tenko arrived on the same day and did everything together. She wasn't as talented as Tenko when it came to clensing and healing and was just as hopeless at any attempts with divination. However this made her more aprochable and seemingly painted her as nice to the majority of people.
"Oh you'll never believe what. I. Heard. Aparantley one of the girls from the village came by praying for infertility! She started crying as she put up her offering and rushed back down the mountain! Didn't even go over to the cleansing stations to by a charm or anything. On one hand I truly hope the best for her, but on the other can you imagine being down there and turning into some vile tramp begging for the death of your unborn! I couldn't no matter what! I'd wrather die." Keiko said with a huff.
Tenko finished her giggles and turned to the other girl. "Wouldn't that kill the baby too though?" She said with feigned concern. To the people of the temple and even those who bothered to remember her in the village bellow Keiko was nice. Little did they know her favorite pass time was gossiping and her trips to the village always kept the the stock fresh.
And keep ot fresh she did! You would think that a gossip of such magnitude enjoyes the telephone game that their hobby would cause and you'd absolutely be correct about that in Keikos case. Knowing this though, Tenko went to double check something she overheard at the stations. Finally done with her hair and being satisfied with her work she went to fact check her information from the source. "So what is this I heard about some strange vendor? Raidon or something?" She asked her friend two weeks later. They were in the village now and if it were true Tenko had a great deal of interest a whatever he was selling. This might be her only chance to gwt a hold of the man too so the pressure was on!
"Oh! You mean Raito! Yeah that guys stand isn't too far actually. Maybe about a block your two a way from whwre we usually setup the tents. Just take a left at the newest mural and you should be ok." After setting her friend up tenko was off. Only there was another, newer mural neither kmew about. Because of this Raito, a swindler from the landover with a good price on his head, never met Tenko.
"Ok so it should be here then." Tenko said to herself. In fro t of her there was a building that at first glance looked empty but this wasn't off putting to the talented shrine maiden. Can't pit too much money into decoration if you're an unknown vendor I guess. Also invites thieves and such. I lile this guy all ready." Tenko thought as she walked in the building. Asshe did the sound if jazz music grew and the seemingly emoty building was now a bar and a man behind the counter was watching the young girl closely.
"Hi there im Tenko I heard you were selling some odd stuff and wanted to check it out. It was- shoot I actually cant remember. R something, please forgive me I mean no offense." Tenko said embarrassed at once again failing to remember the vender's name. It was already bad enough she had little cash but to inly have small chest that she knew to be empty from collecting the prayer coins in it. Things needed to go smoothly before she got kicked out. Silently dhe quickly praid to God that she woukd have enough for something that cuaght her eye.
"Hmm? Interesting, real interesting. The name is Rodin. You came in here looking to buy something or just 'check it out.'" Rodin said. The really ominous tone he took didn't scare her as much as she thought it shiuld if anything it was sort of like hearing his voice more clearly and THAT was mire concerning. Tenko worrying she wasted too much time thinking blurted out that yes she would indeed be buying something.
"Well then welcome to the Gates of Hell. By the way not that the drinking part's my business but I don't too often make drinks for kids." Rodin said with an amused tone. "Well the type of things I deal in are definitely not fir most people. But lucky you kid you've passed all the tests I can throwout at you. The results are shocking though." Something in Tenkos face must've displayed her confusion since the next thing he said was-"You look like the reading type. Take this," he daid pulling a book out from nowhere and throwing it to her. "should explain a few things you couldn't before." And again like he read her mind, he spoke nefore a word could leave her mouth. "Free of charge granted you stop by every once in a while, at least until you actually can make a purchase. After that its up to you when you come and go Hikaru."
"So wait he just gave you this blank book and called you by your last name? Do you think he knew you're parents or that he SPIES ON THE ORPHANAGE?!" Keiko questioned rapidly. Tenko being Tenko had read the book twice already and knew for sure that it wasn't blank but kept listening to the other girls wild theories all the way up the mountain.
Another more in depth read made it clear that she was, if this long winded fairytale had anything to say about it, highly in tune with her spiritual energy. She was tempted to toss it then and there thinking it was connected to all that ninja junk. She knew of course the chakra was different but it was so heavily weaponized that the idea of it as something keeping her alive was more than a little irksome to the cloud headed girl. Nevertheless she decided to buy into some of the things im the book, from how to use her energy more efficiently to how to channel it.
There were two ways humans coukd do it and wrather than the dark way that was supposed to be geared towards women she chose the light. This according to the book would make her a sage. The book also said that it was more of a boys only club back when the Lumen were still walking around but luckily for her Tenko had no such sexism holding her back from the sage arts. So then began a routine along side her usual duties in the temole of practicing the atts in the book and getting more in depth lessons(fights many many fights and lectures) from Rodin.
"I know that you can't get a hold of speacil feathers but with you attempting that beast within ritual I think you should have this." Rodin said to Tenko from her seat at the bar. "Was a little difficult to come by but I trust you can pay for it." He slid a big scroll to the girl and told her of ots contents. The scroll was meant for summoning birds and used by an up and coming ninja who recently got taken out by some family of mercenaries.
"Ok so what bird would I summon then. This just has kanji for 'bird' all over the place, I can hardly make sense of it, I think it's unfinished. But if it was you wouldn't be bringing it back here hmm." She grabbed a few halos she found around the temple and handed them to Rodin who seemed satisfied.
"I still dotget why I can't just pluck a chicken or something but ok here goes nothing." She hoped that tge bird wouldn't be the same bird she turned into if things went badly and she got a flightless dud. Tenko preformed the hand signs and then there was a ploom of smoke on the scroll. Then a booted hummingbird was standing there staring at her. She stared back and after looking him over began the conversation. "So looks like I summoned you! Wanna enter a life long pact?"
The temple is on hard times again and thus time theres no manipulating the situation. Tenko has taken to fight clubs in order to buy food for the orphans and keep things going. No new commers to join the struggle and even less patrons than before things are beyond help from her alone. At some point because of the times demons started popping up in her town and that was absolutely not ok with her. A few prayers and practices later she was out cutting diwn low level infernals with farming tools. They of course didn't survive the battle but neither did the demon so she considered herself lucky.
"Tenko you work yourself to the bone for this place and always with a smile on your face." Keiko said to her. She'd long since been filled in on tge activities Tenko got up to and only worried that it would get to be too much one day. "I've been hearing rumors though, from the village, people are starting to talk about you." At that the sage went to speak but was cut off by her friend. "Yes I know the whole in between dimensions bit but people in the fight clubs have started telling people from all over about your technique and your activities outside the ring. Think you might've busted the wrong jaw; the kind that can pay to have your head taken off."
"Well if it comes to that I'll be fine just keep me posted in case anything actually happens to the temple. Im almost done with my training so I can handle what comes after me ok?" Tenko said squeezing the other girls hand. Keiko wasn't sure about the dangers coming for her friend but she believed in her anyway. "Yeah ok."
She wouldn't have guessed that Keiko was dead on about the kind of person she fought. She wouldn't have guessed that killing one ninja sent after her would start a fued that destroyed her village and her temple. Tenko Hikaru wouldn't have dreamed about learning her identity as a nephilim from Rodin and certainly not him leaving her with a gift on his way out of the rubble she once called home. Tenko picked up what remaind if her temple. A small green triangle that came from the entrance and her new white and gold naginata, Apollo and started wandering the land. Her first packed was made when she had nothing else to do and started fscing bigger threats. Taking tume to settle came layer when red headed witches from knowhere left her forgotten home in peace and didn't fight her off anymore. When she joined a village in hopes of getting more man power for that same cause. Tenko Hikaru did what she could with Gracious and Gloriousat her side and a family willing to use the light in more brutal ways than ever intended. Manipulation of the right people was something she'd seen as a child and used as a matriarch to keep people safe, to bring herself up, and to put others down. She was a legend bu the end if her lifetime, a princess from the clouds.