Ain't no Devil (Solo)

Kazuo Kemuri, son of a Samurai and a Shinkou Shinobi, was an unusual man indeed. He walked the narrow path between the honor of the samurai and the treachery of Shinobi. He’d seen the cruelty and the flaws in the blind justice of the samurai, and he’d seen the arrogance and cowardice of the common Shinobi. Despite his hatred of the two, Kazuo was proud of what he was. He was strong. This journey, this pilgrimage, seemed to be unveiling who Kazuo Kemuri truly was. He was a man of honor and power, brave enough to stand against the corrupt, and righteous enough to follow a code of honor.


There was a duality to Kazuo, not in the least bit aided by Yomi’s complete contrast to him. Where he was cold, she was jovial. Where he had honor, she had none. They really were quite a pair.


You know, it’s rude to talk about people when they’re not around. Came the voice of Yomi. Kazuo smirked.

”You’re always there. I wasn’t speaking, regardless.” He retorted.

I think we’re close. Yomi said, changing the subject.

”How can you tell?” Kazuo asked.

I can sense it. Take a left here.


Kazuo stared blankly at the path. There was no fork in the road. It merely continued on in a straight line.

”I don’t know if I trust your navigation skills.” He told her. ”There’s nowhere to turn.” He elaborated.

Trust me. Was all Yomi said.


Kazuo sighed, putting away the Bladedancer book that he’d been reading as he walked, studying the Singing Blade: Storyteller technique. He was considering drawing a blade to use as a machete, to carve himself a path through the brush. He pushed the idea from his mind immediately. To do so would be to leave a trail to follow, should he be tracked, and it would disrespect the blade he wielded. He pushed through the brush, feeling some sort of otherworldly pull as Yomi nudged him in the right direction, this time not taking full control, as she often had in the past. It felt comforting, rather than disorienting.

When he emerged into the clearing, back on to a beaten path again, Kazuo felt something strange. He felt that he was home. The village stood against the horizon like a shadow, which was fitting, given its namesake. As Kazuo paced across the path, he was noticed, and saw a few guards approaching him. They looked like Shinobi, and their eyes were the same as Kazuo’s. 


”Halt.” Said the leader, with eyes that were red like Kazuo’s

”Halting.” Kazuo replied, uniformly coming to a stop as if he were marching.

”What business do you have with the Abyss?” She asked, her hand resting at the blade at her side.

”An apt choice of words. My business is with the Abyss itself.” Kazuo said, his Meigan glowing in the same color as the woman before him. She nodded slowly.

”...You wouldn’t be Kazuo, would you?” Asked the woman. Kazuo nodded.

”I have been called that, yes.” He replied, noncommital as ever. The woman turned to her subordinates, gesturing for them to lower their weapons.

”Kurenai’s boy, I knew it. He’s the spitting image of his mother.” Said she, offering a hand to shake, which Kazuo took graciously. ”We wondered if you’d ever return to the Abyss. You really took your time getting here.”


”I had business to attend to. Is my mother here?” Kazuo asked, quickly shifting the subject. The woman nodded.

”She’s been waiting for you for quite some time, now. Roughly three years, I believe. She thought you’d come much sooner, but I’m sure she’ll be overjoyed to know her son is alive and well.” Said she, leading Kazuo towards the village.


A single ray of sun would fall from the heavens, onto the earthly world and into the pit. There, in the abyss, where all other rays could not reach it would touch the darkness that no surface could hold. A darkness that may be just as old as the sun that birthed the little ray. Once the small beam of the surface world had met its end, the shadows would whisper, thousands of invisible eyes on the unreachable walls in the bottomless pit. The abyss was waiting, but it could feel a familiar anticipation and joy that came with it. It had watched the man emerge from the dark woods that surrounded Fuchigakure, watched him meet with his Kin and return home, home at last.

In just a few steps the view of the village gates would open up. The obsidian columns runed in ancient silver work, the ark encrusted with three shining gems, a giant ruby, emerald and sapphire and on the gates an unmistakable symbol that meant 'abyss'. A few armored guards wielding large lances would only nod at their guest. Once through, the whole village would be in view. It would have the layout similar to an inverted spire, a whirl; the highest ground, and nearest to the walls would be occupied by the commonfolk. Right before the gates would be the marketplace, with its crafts and trades; to its left and right, extending all the way to the far end of the village were the living sections. Below, at the center of the village was a dome, a building resembling a castle or a temple with a plaza next to it and three towers positioned around the dome in a triangle, each flying a different flag, like the gems on the ark of the gates. Those were
the houses of the Three Doctrines and between them was the main building of the village which housed its leadership as well as contained the Temple of the Deep extending into the Abyss itself, concealed under the dome.


Kazuo could say nothing, he could not speak, he could not think. This was truly his home, and he felt as if he’d been missing something all along. They headed towards the dome wordlessly, the girl with red eyes leading the way, towards one of the buildings that rose flags. The particular flag that they sought was red.


Much like the gates and walls of the village, but like the rest of the buildings in it, the temple, dome and the three towers around it had obsidian walls of ancient design and markings. The rest of the buildings were younger, built from clay and oak, or other materials found in the forest. The entrance to the temple was guarded, but the two men wearing same armor and spears as the gatekeepers would pay the stranger no mind, they were on a watch for people who did not belong in the village and their own kin were always welcome. Inside the dome the first thing that would probably catch attention was a garden of silvery plants covered in a gloom. While the walls of the structure were all black as night, the dome itself would seem partially translucent, although not quite so from the outside. The plants though seemed to be doing just fine in this minimal light.


There seemed to be people moving around, some were whispering to one another, some carrying documents or other stuff, some were tending to the plants, others were just sitting there in silence. The atmosphere was truly that of a temple, although darker, but without much noise, unlike the village outside. Any talks would be done at toned down volume. A robed man would approach Kazuo. His eyes would momentarily give a faint red glow, then he would smile. ”A new arrival. Welcome, brother. Forgive me, but… Your face is familiar to me, but I cannot seem to recall your name.” Said the robed man, his voice barely a whisper.

”This is Kurenai’s son, Kazuo. You wouldn’t happen to know where I could find her, would you?” The girl asked. The robed man nodded graciously.

”I believe she was speaking to Kiyomi.” Said he. ”...In the House of Triumph, of course.” He added. The red-eyed girl sighed. ”Well, I suppose that was the second person I would have brought you to, so it is just as well.” She said, wordlessly leading him onward.

The room they entered contrasted the Abyss heavily. Where the village was dark and quiet, here the members were lively and headstrong. The walls were adorned with many trophies and spoils of victory, with beasts mounted above the mantle and a long table covered with plates of food, a feast apparently being in progress. Many heads turned as the large wooden doors swung open to reveal Kazuo and the girl who’d lead him there. At the end of the table was a familiar, silver-haired woman, speaking to another, much younger woman. They seemed to be arguing.
She hadn’t noticed him yet. The red-eyed girl, sensing Kazuo’s eagerness, picked up her pace, leading him down to the end of the table.


”Excuse me, Kurenai.” Said she, tapping his mother on the shoulder. She turned, looking frustrated. ”I have someone here who’d like to see you.” The girl explained. His mother turned to look at Kazuo. She stared hard for a few moments, as if trying to discern if he were real.


[/i]Say something, you idiot.[/i] Piped up Yomi.


”...Hi, mom.” Kazuo said.


The woman looked up, and into the eyes of her son. For a moment, there was silence, fueled by disbelief, and then Kurenai embraced her son.


The next few days were a blur of happy emotions. Kazuo was finally home. He was finally with his family, and he was finally somewhere safe. He stayed with his mother, as the two had a lot of catching up to do. It felt as if he’d never left. Still, something tugged at Kazuo’s insides, something he felt he was missing. It wasn’t until the sixth day in the village that Yomi finally spoke.


”...Did you forget why you came here?” She asked suddenly, startling Kazuo.

”I don’t know what you’re on about.” Kazuo said, pulling on a shirt and checking his hair in the mirror.

”How long do you plan on staying here?” Yomi asked him pointedly.

”Why would I ever want to leave?” Kazuo asked, amused. ”You’re always on about protecting myself, keeping myself safe. Why would we leave if that was the case?” He asked. Yomi was silent for a moment.


”I thought you wanted revenge.” She said. Kazuo shook his head.

”It’s been five long years, and revenge won’t change that. I’ve taken enough lives.” He said.

”You’re a criminal, Kazuo. If you stay here, you put everyone in danger!” Shouted Yomi

”Since when do you care about other people? As long as I’ve known you, you’ve only acted in defense of me, and you’ve put me in a pretty fucked up situation because of it. Now you want me to go back out into that? I am safe here. I will always be safe here.” Kazuo said.
”Tell me that when your mother lies dead in your hands.” Yomi said coldly, her voice like ice. ”When the bounty hunters come, and they will, who will save what’s left of your family?” She hissed. Kazuo’s face was as pale as a ghost.



”What you need is more power, and you can’t get that here.” Yomi cooed, her words soothing Kazuo now, instead of burning him. ”Well, most of it, anyways...” She said, and the evil grin on her face was clear, even though Kazuo could not see her.


Under the influence of Yomi, Kazuo sought out his cousin, Kiyomi. She was the leader of The House of Triumph, and one of the few who knew the way to unlock the secrets of the Meigan’s final stage...


”...I was wondering how long it would take you to ask.” Said Kiyomi, amused by Kazuo. In her mind, Kazuo had been toeing around the subject since he had arrived in the Abyss, and he couldn’t say she was wrong.

”Does that mean you’ll help me?” Kazuo said hopefully. As if pondering this, Kiyomi held up a finger for a moment of silence.

”We shall see.” She said.


...And that was how Kazuo found himself standing alone within the Temple of the Deep. He’d gone through every necessary trial and test, and now it was his time to face the Abyss. As he walked through the temple, he felt Yomi propelling him forwards, pulling him deeper and deeper along into the temple.


For a moment, the world seemed to stand still as Kazuo finally caught sight of it. It was as if he were looking at darkness itself. He could feel its power radiating over him.


”Go closer, you idiot.” Barked Yomi. Kazuo obeyed, stepping a few more paces towards the entity.


”Who enters my chamber?” Came a voice, as if the abyss itself were speaking to Kazuo. He gulped.

”Kazuo Kemuri, son of Kurenai Shinkou.” He heard himself say. Yomi was helping now.

”Ah, your Yuumei is quite strong.” The voice complimented. Kazuo nodded awkwardly.

”Uh, yeah, I made her myself.” He said.

”Quite. Your Yuumei has astounding control over you. I’ve never met one so weak-willed who could stand before the Abyss.”

”Well, that’s rather rude.”

”Nor have I met someone so jovial about this affair. It is…”

”I apologize profusely, Kazuo is being an-”

”...Refreshing.” Finished the Abyss. ”You seek the Satori, do you not? While your mind may be weak, your Yuumei is quite strong, stronger by far than most. She will keep you safe. With her power of the mind and yours of the body, I see a Shinkou worthy of my favor.” The Abyss said. It reached out to Kazuo, and he felt himself change. His eyes seemed to swirl with color, as the inner circle became a dark blue, the Noukon manifesting itself as Kazuo’s Meigan achieved the legendary Satori state.


(TWC: 2,318)

(Exit) 

Claiming Meigan: Satori with Noukon as my secondary variant. The majority of the words were trained Here, and I’ll of course be using that 25% reduction once again. +1616/3,750 words towards Singing Blade: Storyteller

Having a lot of issues with the site not taking the full post from Google Docs, so I've lopped off 1kish of words that just wouldn't stay, I apologize if the story is disjointed at parts.