From Darkness to Light

The Promise By the River

The next 7 years were hellish. After his private talk with his father that ingrained in him the apathy and callousness of the Uzui Clan's prevailing mentality, Tengen focused solely on becoming a lethal human weapon with a deadly aptitude for stealth, espionage, reconnaissance, and assassination. Despite only being 14 years old, he had already undergone several missions that were assigned to test his growth and skills. He had posed as a peasant boy so that he could trail a lord back to his castle and note how many guards were stationed there at night. His riskiest task was when he posed as a komusō and played the shakuhachi at a busy market square, quietly assessing the merchants and buyers crowding the noisy streets. When the time came, his target, a noble of great renown, had come down from his castle in a palanquin and surrounded by personal samurai. Once they passed by the masquerading Tengen, he quickly dropped his instrument and pulled out a tanto. In an instant, he rushed towards the palanquin so fast the samurai were unable to react quick enough and jumped right into the stagecoach. When he was finished, the lord's throat was slit and Tengen had made a smooth escape into the crowd as the market plunged into chaos.

Now here he was at the Uzui manor. At the dead of night, when everyone was mostly asleep, he had developed a habit where he would slip out of his room and leave the house. This was one of the rare times in his life where he wasn't hounded by grueling training, being briefed about his next assignment, or frankly just surrounded by the oppressive atmosphere of his father or the elders. On these nights, he would traverse the oh-so familiar forest he had trained so many years in, strolling through it as if the beautiful layout had been photographically memorized. Just a little further was his favorite spot.

The river was flowing just like always. He tuned his ears to indulge in the blissful hum of the water flowing downstream and the other serene sounds of nature. The fish, their silhouettes obscured by the torrential water, swam downstream silently and added to the ambience. The banks of the river had been eroded to reveal mostly smooth stone with little vegetation or dirt - the perfect place to sit closely and watch.

Tengen settled himself down and let his body relax. Because this had become so routine for him, he no longer felt anxious about getting caught. Here, he could just be alone and enjoy the little solitude he earned for himself. It was also a great time to calm his raging thoughts and come to terms with the atrocities he had committed. He was a mere child and had already grown accustomed to murder and deceit. After the death of his brother, two more of his brothers had died due to the overzealous and monstrous training they were forced to endure by the Uzui clan. Despite his father's words, it was impossible for Tengen to dissociate his emotions and he was crushed with tremendous grief and sorrow. Often, he would visit their burial sites and wonder about what could've been. But tonight, he was allowed to have a brief respite; a solace in the form of a pleasant tune.

He had brought along a flute and played a soothing melody by the river. The hum was so gentle that it integrated itself seamlessly within the background noise of the wilderness. There, he blew into the instrument with a tenderness only found in those with a compassionate heart, but underneath it was a hint of sadness. His mind was supposed to be forged into steel, yet he lingered between the states of absolute obedience for the Uzui Clan's rhetoric and a contrasting desire to be independent and free. In that moment, he tried to empty his mind and allow himself to be lost in the simple melody produced by his flute. His eyes were closed and he entered a trance.

Therefore, it came as a terrifying surprise when he felt a hand place itself on his shoulder.

Shocked and afraid, Tengen's mind immediately came to the conclusion that his nightly escapes had been discovered by one of the higher ups - or worse, his father - and he was now about to be punished. With a loud gasp, he turned around and stumbled backwards before seeing the one who touched him.