Eternal Light

Chapter 4: A new friend

It's amazing, to think a cat could scared two men in a field of corpses. The smell became more putrid as death claimed more lives. Although, it wasn't unusual to see a fresh corpse now a days. However those fools wanted to kill such a frail cat. I could tell this cat may not have long left as the illness has plagued the young one but it's still fighting the inevitable, just like it's family had done before death had claimed them.

I... I admire its courage for wanting to live and even now the cat is beside me as I rest back at my house after I had rescued him from the men.

As expected the old man scolded me for leaving but it mattered not. For I have a new friend who I can trust. I can speak freely to him just like the times when I could with my wife, unlike the others I can speak honestly to my friend who would never judge or abandon me, I now call the cat Matamune as I slowly begin to feel better if not a bit for having him enter my life. But the hole in my heart, the need to fill it still needed to be quenched and I don't know how to or why I still feel this gaping hole when I have him to keep me company.

I don't know why but I feel that deep down inside it will be healed soon. Just when was the question.

Looking at my arms and seeing their bandaged state. I began to feel pitiful and it upset me more than ever.

I began to question all of it, what possessed me to do such a thing? It doesn't make sense now that I think of it. Whilst I was deep in though Matamune starts moving on to my blanket so he can see the wounded arms. He sniffs them for a bit before purring on my chest, I smiled at his gesture. Signalling that he wouldn't leave nor would he allow me to go through this dark road again.

A smile formed on my lips as his mind started to fill me with joy; this unconditional loyalty had left me wanting to do something. Just then my mind went to Xui La and Li Ran which now made my smile vanish completely.

I need to see them now otherwise I might never face them properly again. Xui La and her cousin had cared for Yumi to the point that they were devastated by her death, and yet here I was acting like I was the only one suffering. It isn't right and what's more Li Ran had even loved Yumi as if she was the daughter he never had, this made me feel more guilt for the man who taught me at a young age and had introduced me to the courts after I had not only became of age but when I learned all that I needed to know to join. He wasn't just a teacher but a father as well and to hurt him like that... it was wrong.

"H-Hao-sama what are you doing out of bed!" Xui La cried as she saw me enter her chambers in my night robes. I cared not for my appearance since the thought of putting things right came first.

"You need rest" A woman identical to Xui La scolded lightly as she folded her arms. They watched me in silence, waiting for me to explain myself. I guess there was no turning back now.

"I am sorry for the way I acted, it was selfish of me to act in the way that I did. Is it possible to forgive me?" I asked the stunned women, feeling like I was nothing but a jumble of nerves.

"Hao... we already did" Xui La smiled softly at me. She still thinks of me as a fool but in a good way to my surprise... I... I didn't know what to say, to think that after all this they would still care and were willing to forgive me. It left me feeling happy and relieved to know I had caring people who would still stay by me after all this, it made me more guilty and unworthy to have such people I could trust. Yui La however smirks at me before hitting my head lightly. No matter what those hits always hurt leaving me slightly bruised in more ways than one. I rubbed my sore head while frowning at her smug expression.

"Moron don't scare us like that, we might be maids in your house! But we are nobles who care about your wellbeing as well so don't do that again" Yui La scolded sharply as she placed her hands on her hips, at least some things never change to my relief.

"I understand, Lady Yui La" I bowed slightly showing my respect, part of me smirked at the fact that this continued to annoy her no matter what.

"Enough with the titles, you know it's just Yui La when we are alone" Yui La corrected me once more. Matamune meowed loudly making me smile at the positive energy that was circulating around us. It was defiantly a start though but I mustn't get ahead of myself. I still have a long way to go.

"I see you're up, hmph" Li Ran muttered as he stood by the door to our surprise.

"H-Hai Sensei" I nodded slightly, I watched his features and noticed that he was tired and somber from what has been happening lately.

"If you're asking for an apology then you had better say it to Yumi first, the poor woman must be turning in her grave to see her husband acting like a fool" I winced from the cold attitude. I deserved it but he didn't have to go that far.

"Young man when will you ever learn? I didn't come to this household just to see you fall apart. There are those who have suffered worse than you, including your wife who lost her family and village. Did she mope and self mutilate herself? No she got up and tried to live on for their sake, not just hers. You only live once Asaha, don't mess up again" Li Ran growled coldly. I ended up smiling at him, even when he's angry he still has time to lecture. It was his way of helping those who needed advice. One of my ambitions was to be like him and help those in need; after all he was the one who had found me after I committed an unforgiveable act that resulted in losing my friend Ohachiyo. Yes it was to avenge my mother but at what cost? Now cursed with this power of Reshi, it had became both a blessing and a never ending nightmare that I could never stop no matter how hard I try.

I admit that I lost myself there for a while but I feel better now, knowing that I'm not alone has left me smiling.

I know what I have to do now, it's time to get better and start to teaching once more. In this house there are those who have been orphaned and now it's time for me to help them as well, just as Li Ran has done for me I will bring them hope.

I might have had Ohachiyo for a short time after I lost my mother, but it was enough to show me that even Onis can be kind and are capable of changing even if they were bad before or not.

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Weeks progress further after my ordeal and now my arms are fully recovered to me relief. The pain of losing Yumi is still there but for now it'll have to wait. I began to think as I removed the bandages after putting my robes on. The lines will never leave me, and they'll be a constant reminder that things might be bad now however as long as hope remains I will try to remain strong... for their sakes.

"Master there is something wrong with the sky" Matamune noted with a pipe in his hands. My head turns sharply before opening the shoji doors. There is a shift in the air as something forms in the clouds above the town.

"What is that?" I ask as I watched something drop from the clouds. Fascination filled me while watching this happen.

"I don't know Master Asaha" Matamune's tails twitched signalling that this could be bad. Whatever it is, I just hope it wouldn't cause problems for anyone.

I stepped outside for some air before approaching the shrine where Yumi would heal the sick and injured. I felt nostalgic from seeing the memories dance before me, I was filled with sadness for knowing that she was no longer in the land of the living but I ended up smiling from seeing each of the images fill my mind. I plan to treasure these memories for as long as I live.

Without warning the sound of footsteps nearby had caught my attention. Who is entering the shrine in the middle of the night?

To my surprise I couldn't even sense the person's mind either. Minutes later a small girl staggered into my line of vision as she stopped near the cherry tree for a while; I said nothing as I watched her in silence. She began to climb the tree with ease to my surprise before she slowly lost consciousness. Instincts beckoned me to go to her without knowing why, to my horror there was blood on her right ankle signalling that she was hurt. But why? Who would do such a thing to her? I also began to notice that her clothes and shoes were different. Was she from a different land?

Questions had to be answered later as I used my power to lift her into my arms. I almost dropped her from the sudden weight thanks to my injuries but I refused drop her, she needed help quickly otherwise her injury could get infected.