Kaito's words hung in his mouth, taking a breath from the sudden question. A flicker of hesitation crossed his face, but after giving it a second thought, he finally nodded firmly.
"If you wish to know," Matsumoto began, "there's a temple in the north close to Tsukigahara, beyond the Silver Mountains. There you'll meet a priestess. She'll tell you everything you need to know."
The next morning, as the sun rose over the village of Kamakura, Kaito stood at the gates of the village,his sword by his side, ready for the journey ahead. Matsumoto stood beside him, his eyes filled with different emotions as if he knew what was to come.
"Kaito," the old man said softly, placing his hands on his shoulders, "the priestess will tell you everything there is to know. She lives beyond the Silver Mountain. When you reach Tsukigahara, you'll know everything you wish to know about your past and more and I am very sorry you have to leave too soon."
Kaito frowned at the idea, unsure of what to think at that particular moment in time.
"What about the demons? Will the village be safe?"
Matsumoto's hands were still on Kaito's shoulder with a warm but empty smile on his face.
"Don't worry, Kaito, we still have enough time, everything will be fine."
Though he was feeling reluctant to leave, a part of him was curious to know a lot about his past. He wanted to know more about his biological parents, whatever happened to them. Kaito nodded simply. He bowed respectfully to his master, then set off on his journey, taking the forest trails leading out of Kamakura.
By the time he reached Tsukigahara, dusk had already fallen. Lanterns shined gently in the mist of the darkness and the scent of burning incense filled the air. Kaito quickly found the temple after asking for directions.
Beyond the gates of Tsukigahara, Kaito found the temple. The temple itself was a big majestic structure, built from smooth pale stone veined with silver and intricate dark symbols all over the walls.
The first thing Kaito saw upon entry was a woman in red attire standing before an altar. She was fully clothed with her red robes, the only part of her he could see was her dark long hair that ran down her back. When she turned to him, her eyes glowed faintly with a warm smile on her cheeks. The weight behind the smiles reduces the tension around them.
"Matsumoto told me you would come," she said. "You must be Kaito."
With a smile on her face, Kaito nodded and bowed respectfully.
"Yes, he said you could tell me more about my past."
The priestess nodded firmly and motioned for him to sit on the mat. She glanced at Kaito briefly, thinking where to start from. Then she began recounting his past, as the burning flames crackled between them while she spoke.
"Many years ago, your home village, the one you were born in, not Kamakura, was attacked by demons that were sent to capture you and kill whoever that stands in their way. They came in the night, drawn by a powerful spiritual energy that resided only within you. Your mother was a priestess too at that time. She tried to protect you by all means necessary but was eventually slain before your eyes."
Kaito's heart skipped for a minute with diverse thoughts and emotions in his head.
"My mother…?"
Akane's voice softened a bit.
"You were just a baby. Matsumoto, who happened to be passing by the village, found you in the ruins, surrounded by the bodies of the dead, yet untouched and unharmed by the flames. He saved you and raised you as his own but never told you what you were destined for even after multiple revelations he witnessed."
She stood and walked slowly to a sealed chest near the altar. With words of incantations and hand signs, she opened it. Inside lay a sword wrapped in golden ancient fabric, pulsing out faintly with a blue aura.
"This," Akane said reverently, "is Ryuujin no Kensei, the Blade of the Dragon God. Forged from the celestial steel itself and tempered in demon blood. It was meant for you, Kaito. You are destined to wield it and bring balance between humans and demons."
Kaito's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"Destined? I never asked for this!" He stood with haste, his voice echoing through the shrine walls. "All I ever wanted was just to protect my village, live a normal life! I'm not some chosen one," Kaito said in an angry tone. "Please, you must have mistaken me for someone else. I am the wrong candidate for this job. I am no one's savior."
Akane frowned, stepping in extremely close to him, holding his clothes firmly with her fist.
"You cannot escape your fate, young man. The blood of the guardians runs through your veins. Whether you accept it or not, you cannot run from the darkness. It will surely find you no matter where you go, just remember that you can't hide forever."
"I don't care!" Kaito snapped back at her. "I'm going home."
Before she could respond back to him, he turned and walked out of the shrine into the dark and empty night. Akane followed him despite his protests, her robes brushing the tall and bushy grass.
"You're a fool kaito," she said sharply as they walked. "Do you think you can fight what's about to come with an ordinary sword? You don't stand a chance!"
Kaito ignored her, his jaw tight.
"I'll fight for Kamakura my way, that's all I have ever wanted," he said with confidence in his eyes.
"You'll die for Kamakura your way!" she shouted, stepping just in front of him, blocking him from moving any further. "You think destiny waits for you to make up your mind? You're already part of it no matter what, and you can't escape it and what's about to come!"
He glanced at her for a minute, the wind blowing slightly between them.
"Then maybe destiny must have chosen the wrong person."
For just a moment, they both stood in silence, eyes locked with mixed thoughts in their heads. Then Kaito turned away and continued to walk back down the mountain path.
Hours later after walking a few miles, the sky above them became darker. But this time, it wasn't from clouds, it was smoke burning from a far distance. Kaito stopped for a moment, his breath catching his throat.
From afar, he could see Kamakura in the distance, already in flames. The once and peaceful village was now burning and its rooftops collapsing as black smoke went up into the sky.
"No…. this can't be happening, how is this possible?" he whispered silently, shocked to see his village in flames from afar, his legs trembling and shaking.
"No, no, no!" he yelled loudly.
He started racing down the hill as fast as his legs could take him, ignoring Akane's cries behind him. His lungs felt like they were burning at that particular moment in time, his mind racing with different thoughts, but he couldn't stop.
When he finally reached the village gates, the world around him was already in disaster. Houses burned and the bodies of the dead were all over the place. Villagers screamed, and shadows moved through the fire, monstrous shapes with glowing red eyes killing each one of them.
"Kaito!" Akane shouted, catching up. But he didn't hear her. His focus was already locked on one thing.
Through the smoke from the burning houses, near the ruins of his cottage, he saw an old man lying on the ground outside his home—Sensei Matsumoto.
"Sensei!!!!!" Kaito yelled, dropping to his knees, lifting his master's head into his arms. Matsumoto's breathing was shallow and weak, his clothes torn and bloodied.
"Kaito…" the old man whispered weakly, his hand trembling as he reached up. "You…. Must…. Take the blade.."
"Please don't talk, Sensei. Save your strength," Kaito said as tears rolled down his cheeks.
But Matsumoto only smiled slowly.
"It... has always been your destiny…"
His voice faded slowly as the surrounding flames cracked. Kaito's world was blurred at that moment, the sound of demons in the distance closing in.