( journey begins ": 10:" Dark Contract )
(Within the oppressive gloom of a sunless chamber, a boy lay huddled in the corner of his cot a mere fifteen seasons counted since his birth. He struggled to reach for an unseen object, yet his body remained stubbornly tethered to the sleeping mat, unable, or unwilling, to rise.
In the midst of his straining, a cruel sliver of morning light pierced the darkness and struck his outstretched hand. He recoiled instantly, snatching his limb back. A moment later, he tried once more, and this time the illumination caught his skin more fully.
The sight was sickeningly wrong. His skin was not the smooth canvas of youth but was mottled with weeping sores and a slick, unnatural moisture. As the sunlight touched it, a wound instantly ruptured, spilling blood and anguish. The pain was beyond bearing; the first rupture invited others to burst forth in a cascade of agony.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
"Nooooo!"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
His screams tore through the silence,)
**
reaching the ears of Yin, who lay sleeping soundly nearby. Yin bolted upright, his breath catching in a rasping choke.
"Hhhh…"
He was slick with a cold sweat. He felt his body, sensing a dizzying presence, as if something were swirling around him. He scanned the room, perceiving unseen eyes watching, unseen hands reaching to seize him. Terror overwhelmed him, and he tumbled from the bed, scrambling backward to huddle against the cold stone of the wall.
He stared into the blackness, convinced he saw forms observing him, looming figures preparing to strike. Yin pressed his hands violently over his eyes, shivering in paralyzing dread.
Then, a figure materialized before him, crossing the space with unnerving grace and settling upon the edge of the cot. The visitor looked upon the terrified Yin.
"Yin."
The voice was soft, silken. At the sound, Yin slowly lowered his hands and peered up at the dark silhouette on the bed.
"Why do you tremble, Yin? You, who have been chosen to become a Supahan, a slayer of curses, why do you fear?"
"Who... who are you?" Yin stammered, his voice laced with fear.
"Come closer to me," the voice beckoned.
The frightened boy slowly crawled toward the edge of the cot. The figure gently took Yin's hand, inspecting it. Just as in his terrifying vision, the skin was already transforming, taking on a ghastly, altered texture.
"You are greatly weakened, Yin. You will soon perish… a tragedy, is it not? To die so young, without tasting the fullness of life…" The voice carried a smooth, sorrowful cadence.
"Perish… why?" Yin pleaded.
"Because you are cursed, Yin. Your soul is tainted. You have not long left. Soon, you will be consumed."
Tears welled in Yin's eyes.
"That your soul is cursed, unlike the others… Ah, does that not mean you are weak? A frail spirit among the Supahans! What a pitiful shame!" The voice mocked him with gentle cruelty.
"Even if you do not succumb, those here will surely kill you. That is why they have isolated you from the others. Poor, pathetic child. They do not even try to save you… not even your comrades." The words twisted a knot of deep sorrow within Yin's heart.
"Your suffering grieves me, Yin. You are so innocent. These people intend to execute you, though you have done nothing wrong. How can you bear that pain, Yin? Your body will be covered in weeping sores, putrid and agonizing, until you thrash and die in torment." The voice softly stroked his head.
"I offer you two paths. Choose wisely, for your selection determines your fate."
Yin listened intently. "Speak…" he whispered.
"One: you may choose to be consumed by this cursed spirit and die writhing in pain. Two: if you give me something precious to you, you may overcome this death and live."
Yin paused, considering the options. His gaze fell upon his hand; the first hint of sores was indeed beginning to appear. He feared death. Memories that pained him deeply flashed across his mind.
"I choose the second option. I do not want to die," Yin declared, his choice made.
Hearing his decision, the man slowly smiled, and his eyes ignited, glowing with a deep, furious crimson light.
"An astute choice! I prefer boys such as yourself. To make the correct decision at such a tender age is difficult, Yin, but you have overcome it. I shall save you… but first, you must swear an oath to me." The figure fixed him with those burning red eyes.
"For me to save you, I will take something of value from within you. For the remainder of your days, you shall live as my faithful servant. Every command I utter, you shall fulfill."
"Yin, we are all we have. It is we who decide how to live in any circumstance, not some human you blindly trust who will come to save you."
"These people, who would kill you without a second thought for your youth, are proof of this, Yin. They see you as nothing more than a cursed spirit, not the small, precious human you are. Their king and their kingdom are their only concern. You are merely a slave here, and your life holds no value, Yin. Consider this: will you die for the selfish, or will you live for yourself?"
"I MUST LIVE, Not for the selfish… but for myself."
Satisfied with Yin's answer, the figure commanded him to take his hand. Yin slowly grasped the extended hand and closed his eyes.
Suddenly, a swirling sensation enveloped him; his body began to tremble violently from head to foot. A powerful force seemed to consume him, and the blue stain on the back of his neck began to change.
A brilliant blue light instantly flashed through the room.
Outside, the sky choked under a veil of azure clouds, and the full moon was stained, poisoned by a spreading blue hue. A strange, unnatural wind began to blow from an unknown direction, sweeping over the entire Dojo.
Hours later, the light in Yin's room died down, but the strange changes in nature persisted.