Family Heirloom Discovery

~4 years Ago~

Haru returned home dirty and half asleep. He had spent most the night training with his father in the mountains and his 8 years old body was in desperate need of rest. he stripped of his sandals and shirt and collapsed into his bed. A few hours later he was woken up by his mother throwing a pile of old clothes at his back. "Put those in the attic please". haru dragged himself upright and had a quick bath before getting changed and carrying the old clothes up the attic ladder, balancing his weight so that they made no sound on the wooden slats. He lit the lantern that they kept by the entrance and blinked as his eyes became accustomed to the weak light it cast. He hopped over a pile of old screen paintings and stumbled as foot slid away after landing on a shogi board that was hidden in the shadows. with a loud crash he fell onto a pile of old sheets, many of them moth bitten and encrusted with years worth of dust. He could hear his mothers voice calling from below. "i'm fine. I just tripped over is all. Nothing broken". in fact haru was not certain if he had broken something as he realized there was something solid beneath the sheets. he coughed slightly as he pushed the pile of fabric away and a cloud of dust filled the air.

As the dust cloud settled he saw a hardwood box that was approximately 30 cm high and deep and 60cm wide. on the box was a small inscribed name that read 'Torikabuto Ryu'. Haru recognized the name as belonging to one of his ascendants that also specialized in weapon techniques. he lifted the lid carefully and peered inside the box to find and object wrapped with great care in a grey mottled camouflage jacket and on the inside of the lid the words Mist Singer were crudely etched, probably with a kunai. Haru's hands delicately unfolded the jacket to reveal a strangely unique and deadly looking Kusari Gama that he correctly presumed was the Mist Singer. the young boys hands trembled with excitement as he reached into the box and lifted the kama like a holy relic. the first sensation he felt was it's weight and how solid it felt, unlike most kusari gama this one appeared to be made entirely of metal. the second feeling was one of certainty and a feeling that could only be described as belonging. Haru's father had taught him that each weapon technician and hunter alike had a favorite weapon, something that felt comfortable and fit naturally into their hand. As much as haru had tried to feel this way about the sword and the bow as his father did the feeling never truly materialized. as he held the kama and swung the weight gently on the other side of the chain he finally understood what his father had meant. He gently placed the weapon back onto the rugs and examined the coat in greater detail and discovered a hidden sheath and pouch situate don the back of the jacket that was clearly designed to conceal the Mist Singer. haru tried the jacket on and felt its hugeness fall of his body and he felt like it was perhaps made for a giant. he quickly bundled the weapon back in the jacket and carried it excitingly downstairs and to show his mother. She seemed surprised to see it and dissapeared into the house for a few minuted before retrieving an old scroll from the family records and together they spent the afternoon learning about Ryu and the very basic set of instructions he left behind regarding the weapons use.

The instructions, if they could even be called that simply stated that; 'The Mist Singer is a weapon whose only potential is limited by the wielder, to master it one must be strong and stable as the earth yet move and bend like the wind. Do not try to master the weapon, instead let the weapon gain mastery over you.' when Haru's father returned he was even more surprised to find his wife and son weapon training in the hastily emptied living room and at first was disappointed in Haru's choice of weapon and for many years later tried to convince him to spend more time with the bow or the sword. despite his fathers best efforts Haru and the Mist Singer became inseparable and his steady progress and seemingly natural affinity to the weapon could not be denied. before His father left they spent several months focusing on Haru's fighting skills with the old weapon as if he knew he would not be returning home.

[Words: 805]
[Claiming Mist Singer]

Approved

Rewards:

+1 Mist Singer