Gentle Old Eyes

14

Zeno slows his breathing and under his breath he whispers.

"Ichi no kata: Hekireki Issen"

And then the demon's head is on the ground. Ready to be burnt to cinders by the sun that is rising in an hour or so. Zeno counts and yes, that was the twenty-fourth tine he beheaded a demon. Almost all the people he has run into had to be saved, are people really this incompetent? At least there were a few younger people that didn't need saving.

Zeno seems to recall his father telling him something relating to this. That the younger the person when learning breathing styles the better chance of them learning it well. Older people already have a very defined worldview and specifically formed muscles so it is harder for them to change those traits.

The week is just about over around now and Zeno has almost arrived back. The election wasn't really hard at all.

He spends the rest of the evening hanging around and waiting for the other survivors. And once he has decided on an ore he books it straight out of the mountain. And even as he left as soon as he could it still takes over three days to get to the familiar rural village.

When Zeno arrives home, it's to a six year old brother screaming Welcome home at his face. His father smiling and as is his mother. He almost bursts out crying, they were waiting for him. Such good people.

"Welcome home, now how was it?" Father asks in the same mellow yet strict voice he always has.

"Easy-peasy! If it was that easy to me then it will be child's play to Zeuxis who has already started training"

"Wonderful Zeno" Mother who is holding a four year old Hinoe smiles at him and Zeuxis's smile widens.

"Anija, I can already do four of the forms! I'll be a pillar who protects mama, papa, Hinoe and you anija from all the demons! Papa said I can maybe enter the final election even earlier than you anija!" Zeuxis smiles and Zeno ruffles his hair. The short dirty blonde locks ruffled yet much neater than Zeno's.

Zeno smiles and just enjoys the moment.