The Beast and the Sword Book 2: The Changes

Page 14: The Way of the Lost

NOTE: For this portion of the flashback, the "bold italic sentences with quotations" mean that people like Karasu are speaking Japanese to make things easier

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(Second Opening Theme: Sunday's Without God Opening-Birth Performed by Kitamura Eri)

The storm had roared, like that of a lion as it had nearly blacked out the night sky. It seemed as though the rains had made the waves as high as the mountain as it had knocked any ship that had been at sea. It had been a miracle that a small rowboat had been surviving through it all. A young man with dark gray hair and eyes of crimson had been steering the way as he had on a hakama shirt, while a young woman with a casual dark green yukata with her hair mostly been a bun had sat while holding a young girl wearing a light blue yukata as she looked terrified as she had been holding onto

    Helping him steer the rowbot had been a young boy who looked to be thirteen as his hair had been black and had grey streaks; his hair looked to be tied in a samurai's ponytail as he looked to have eyes that were of red as he had been wearing a black kimono as he had a set of bandages covering his entire left arm. He had been struggling to row through the waters.

    The dog had been constantly barking as the thunder turned the sky a lit as it scared the child.

    "Karasu!" The man said as he had been struggling to hold the sail from the harsh winds, "Keep her steady! Don't let it tip over!"

    The man soon cried out in agony as he could feel the rope burn his skin when it tugged on him harshly.

    "Uncle Saito!" Karasu exclaimed with worry.

    "Don't worry about me kiddo!" His uncle--Saito said as he steadied himself, "Just row like I've been showing you!"

    "But--"

    "I'll be alright! It's just a scratch!"

    Karasu had been hesitant, but nearly stumbled when the boat nearly tipped over; the little girl--Sachiko let out a scream as she held onto the young woman. He had been quick to keep the boat steady as he had caught his breath.

    "Okay! Okay--" Karasu said, trying not to panic, "--Okay we're okay!"

    "Auntie Aya--" Sachiko cried as she hugged the young woman, "--I'm scared."

    "Don't worry honey--" Aya said, as she kept a firm hold on her and the dog--Yoshi, "--Everything's going to be just fine."

    Karasu looked ahead, trying to see through the clouds, but it had been too thick to see through as he let out groans.

    "I can't see anything!" He said to Saito, "I don't know if we're getting close to the shoreline!"

    "Just keep her steady!" Saito said, "Keep your chin up! We'll get there in one piece!"

    "I want to go home!" Sachiko cried.

    "It's okay--" Aya said, "--We'll build a new one when we reach the Kingdom!"

    Sachiko's face soon paled as she let out a scream when she saw what had been in front of them. They saw a wall of water had been in front of them as they paled. "No, no, no, no!" Saito exclaimed, "Not when we're so close!"