Thanatos's Curse

One: Finding Destiny

The rain poured down relentlessly, as if it were angry and dispersing in one giant burst of rage. It was monsoon season in Aisa, Kaida's least favorite time of the year. She didn't like it particularly because she had a slight phobia of rainstorms. She wasn't completely frightened by them, she just wasn't fond of them. The way her long, raven hair and robe would stick onto her skin because of the humidity just wasn't something that she enjoyed.

Today she completed her chores earlier than usual, mostly because of the storm.

Everyday was like a simple pattern; cook, clean and look presentable. Cooking, cleaning and taking care of the family were the women's job. They also needed to look presentable to men, as if they were living trophies. None of the traditions made sense in her head. It just wasn't fair. She couldn't go to a regular school like Yukio, her older twin brother, all because she was a girl, not a boy. In fact, she was treated differently because she was a girl. Yukio had all the glory and freedom he could ask for, but her? She could only stay home and gaze out the window solemnly, watching for the ancient spirits to come and bless their house with good luck, or the dragons that would come and go every once in a while.

In fact, she knew that her father was disappointed in her, all because she was born a girl. Her father told her openly that he had been expecting two twin sons, but when a girl came instead, he was despondent. A girl would only bring financial trouble to her family. In his eyes, having a daughter was like spilled water. It would be more profitable to raise geese than to raise her. That was when she heard Yukio whisper sarcastically, "What a shame." in the distance, adding to the humiliation she felt.

Yet, there were days where she finished her chores earlier, when she would quietly walk over to Grandmother's room and listen to her tales of adventure and suspense. She loved Grandmother more than anything. She treated her like an actual human being, not some animal or maid.

For the past eight years, Grandmother would take her out into the forest, and she would teach her ancient martial arts and swordsmanship. Those days were her favorites. When she held the dualblades in her hands, she couldn't help but feel empowered. Grandmother would teach her how to use scrolls to summon any weapon she would need, or how to summon a healing potion. Not only that, but she also taught her how to read and write. She felt so lucky to have a grandmother like her. Without her, she wouldn't know what she would be doing besides spending her days doing endless chores and cooking.

The reason why Grandmother knew all these things was because she had once been an assassin skilled in the martial arts, traps, and weaponry herself. Of course, she didn't actually kill anyone, she just battled against the occasional spirit that caused disarray. Still, she was very skilled, and top in her class in her young days, even though she did have to disguise herself as a man for some time.

As she slid the fusuma gently, she saw her grandmother preparing a set of scrolls. What did she have for her today?

"What are you doing, Grandmother?" Kaida asked quietly, sliding the fusuma closed.

"I am going to teach you the final technique you need to master." Grandmother simply answered, setting a single scroll onto the table.

As she sat on the zabuton across Grandmother, she patiently studied the scroll. It was different than the ones used to summon healing potions or traps. Instead, it was intricately carved. The rice paper looked to be of stronger quality, not the flimsy kind that ripped if you weren't careful.

"Grandmother, what do you mean by last technique? Surely you still have more to teach me. I still haven't fully mastered techniques that you've showed me years ago."

"My child, you have mastered every single technique I've showed you. You learned at a pace that shocked even me. Once you learn how to use these scrolls, you will be a master." Grandmother smiled, her voice soft and soothing. "My time is coming to an end, but I sense unspeakable danger leering towards the world. I believe that you will be one of the saviors to change this world; a leader."

"No, you are healthy and stable. You still have plenty of time to spend in this world, Grandmother. I know it." Kaida assured, resting her small hands on top of Grandmother's aged and wrinkled ones.

She simply chuckled solemnly in response. "The scroll here will summon a spirit dragon. His name is Tatsuya. Once you summon him, he will transport you or watch over you in case you need security. To summon him, you need to channel your qi to your hands. Once you do that, you need to cut yourself and write 'Summon Dragon: Tatsuya.' with your blood. But if you must, you can just mark it."

"That sounds similar to how you summon a weapon." Kaida noted, taking the first scroll and examining it closer.

"Yes, but there is a strong difference. It takes time to bond with your spirit dragon. On some rare occasions, the spirit dragon may not want to bond with you at all. If that happens, you must travel to the spirit world and plead your worth. Some can be hard to please, but most of them are willing to help you."

"Was Tatsuya your spirit dragon, Grandmother?"

Grandmother's eyes filled with reminiscent memories. The wrinkles around them crinkled as she smiled. "Yes. Now, I will pass him on to you." She placed her aged and calloused hands onto Kaida's small and youthful palms. "Listen, child. I want to you walk down the stone road and visit Aunt Li. You will find your destiny there."

Kaida paused. "The Fortune Teller?"

"Yes. Go, and hurry."

Kaida quickly nodded and hid the scrolls in the long sleeves of her robe. As she closed the fusuma, she glanced back at her grandmother.

"Thank you." She quietly whispered before heading to her room to hide the scrolls. Now that she realized it, it was still pouring rain. She sighed. Even though the rain was still falling from the grey clouds, she knew she had to do as her grandmother told. She had learned that the hard way.

As she slipped off her sandals before entering her room, she quickly hid the scroll in the wooden box Grandmother had given her. It was filled with the endless texts and scrolls that she had given her over the years. The grain of the wood swirled into intricate designs, a traditional pattern adorning the edges of the wooden box.

She quickly put her outing shawl on and grabbed the wagasa, opening it as she stepped into the geta she wore to walk outside. As she walked off the wooden porch, she saw a figure idly walking towards her.

"I thought you hated being out in the rain. Where are you going? Dad will kill you if you don't tell him where." Yukio smirked annoyingly, his expression apathetic as usual.

"Grandmother needs me to do some errands, that's all." Kaida rolled her eyes. Father would only know if Yukio told him she went out. Even then, he usually lied to him and said she went somewhere with a guy.

"Grandma again? Why do you always spend so much time with her? She's just a crazy old hag who doesn't know what she's talking about."

Kaida glared daggers at him. "How could you say that? You are so ungrateful, do you know that? I can't believe I'm related to you." She muttered angrily.

He simply laughed. "Just go do your stupid errands. I have more important stuff to do anyways."

She scoffed. "Like what, drinking sake all night with your girlfriend? Never mind, you make me sick."

As she turned her back, she saw her older brother walking towards the back roads of the Takahashi household. She quickly turned and walked to her destination, trying not to slip on the slippery stones that led her the way. She knew he would visit Izumi again. Good thing she never told their parents about his whereabouts. It was mostly because they would never believe her.

Soon, she finally reached the gates of Aunt Li's, where she was greeted by clucking swan-chicks walking her way. She simply stepped across them, careful not to step on the little birds. As she knocked on the wooden door of the pagoda, an old lady in a long silk robe appeared, smiling at her generously.

"Come, child. Today will be the beginning of your destiny."