VERSE V
He slowly opened his eyes, his eyelids feeling very heavy.
He was wide awake now, still in a daze with a pounding headache.
Holding his head, he tried to seat upright but something resisted him.
He looked at his body, it was his sister's hands. She sat beside him whilst resting upon him.
He gazed upon her, admiring her wet lush hair. It seemed she recently took a bath, and with that thought he remembered everything that transpired, and it seemed like hours ago.
Still holding his head, he looked at his body. He was in fresh clothes, black shorts and white oversized plain t-shirt.
Looking at his left arm, he admired his tattoo once again, now intensely staring at his fingers when he noticed something strange.
His body was much whiter and pale. To examine and ascertain this, he placed his hands next to his sister's and she felt indelibly warm, also having a much warmer complexion.
He slowly removed his sister's figure from his body, doing so gently to prevent her from waking up.
He had a question to ask, but he doesn't want to interrupt her slumber as he knows how much important she takes it.
He stood up from the brown couch in the living room and sighed.
The room was small, and pretty much standard for a small family like them.
Having nothing but a couch and a wooden table in the living room, the window curtains were opened to the maximum for better air circulation.
The front door made in classic Japanese dojo style door with wooden floors.
This house was made from scratch by him and his uncle.
Kato sighed, and his eyes caught sight of strange markings on his body.
His skin was extremely pale, and he noticed black lines which accentuated his veins.
He was taken aback by the sight of it, moving his arms closer to his face to examine this sudden occurrence.
After a close look, he realized the lines weren't accentuating his veins but was actually his veins- turned black.
He removed his t-shirt and gazed upon his body in gruesome awe and disgust.
His lower abdomen was completely black with purple markings entailing strange runic letters and lines, and he guessed that if he was gazed upon from afar, he looked monochrome like he came out of scripture or sacred text.
He touched it, using his fingers to lace around his lower abdomen. It felt both hard and soft at the same time-feeling rough like a layer but could be easily pressed into his abdomen.
When he did press it, he felt a sharp pain that almost made him fall. He couldn't stand the pain and quickly removed his hand.
He was deeply confused. He has no idea what this is, what type of deformity he has attained due to exposure with the supernatural.
He began to recall different cases his uncle had treated, for citizens with supernatural deformity back then when he used to work as clinical superhuman.
He has seen cases, but none where like his.
Kato laced his fingers through his hair, he really is confused...
" That's not the only place ". A soft voice seemed to warn him but it didn't sound like a warning.
" I thought you were asleep?". He questioned, not turning back.
" I was ". He heard her stand up whilst she yawned.
" There is another marking like this?. I haven't seen it though. ". He turned towards her, casting a glance upon her.
She wore the same cloth as his, an oversized plain white t-shirt with black shorts. She tied her hair with a red ribbon, letting it fall behind her back.
But something was new with that hair and he saw it. She had never tied her before, but now she just suddenly did, and it's today of all times.
" You are bad at hiding stuff, do you know that?". He cocked a brow, walking towards her.
A sudden expression flashed over her face and he knew he got her.
" It's nothing, I just decided to tie up my hair today." . She smiled, trying to assure him everything was alright.
" I didn't say anything or ask about your hair," he tapped her shoulder, leaning towards her ear he opened his mouth to speak.
" Yet you told me about it. Feeling guilty, are we now ?". He whispered in her ear. At once, she smacked him playfully on the head and he instantly recoiled.
Looking at her, he stuck his tongue out to irritate her and change her mood. It worked brilliantly, instantly causing her to chase him round the couch in a playful manner, but she seemed pissed. It was evident that she actually stopped admist running.
" You are so manipulative, do you know that?.". Like an outburst, Kato felt she meant her statement. Out of the blue, she just placed a statement about his character and she had a bad impression with it.
To clear the sudden tense atmosphere, he smiled.
"What do you mean?" . He asked.
Seriously, what does she mean?. He's been like this all along and even she knows it.
Kato pondered upon her statement whilst still looking at her, brainstorming and pacing, looking at his sister and still thinking. He didn't want her to notice, he was thinking of her statement.
Why should she just say that?. Out of the blue, from no damn where?. He decided to assure her, since it's the way he has always been. Maybe it's due to exposure to indifference and negativity.
Yonikaharu has made him do more dirty work than - if there weren't other supernaturals in section 2 that did this - he would be top one.
He did what Yonikaharu asked of him and never once told his family. Yonikaharu has his family at his palm. He had seen Yonikaharu assassin's and servants, torture and raze high class citizens of Section 2.
In this Section, in this world. No one is too young for evil, and Kato knows about this far too well since the age of 5, he was a living witness of it.
He stared at his sister. It seems that Yonikaharu's ploys, strategies and murderous intentions are rubbing onto him. In the eyes of his sister, he is abnormal.
" I just wish you could stop being like that!. " She shook her head.
" Like what?.". He rose his voice.
" Always trying to get an answer and coil people into your will, that's what !." She stared at him intensely, her face was getting red, as she was maddened with anger.
He noticed it now, his sister isn't fully mad at him. There is something eating away that anger, and it gnawed her deeply.
And from her suddenly outburst and retortion. This thing eating her has affected him.
He came close to her, putting a hand atop her shoulder.
She pushed it away, gazing into his eyes.
" Is it because Yonikaharu did this to me?. " He asked, in a calm, collected voice.
She shook her head. Lightly shoving him away, she walked past him to the couch, where she sat.
Kato just stood there, staring at her. He had never seen something that actually made Yuki devastated.
He began recall the events from both past and present.
If she is vexed at him, then it would be related to his inhabited but now innate character received from a well- handed- slavery beatdown. He can't control it now, since he had been doing these things on a daily for Yonikaharu even till this age as he nears ten.
To be honest, Kato was damn sure Yonikaharu meant to silence him. Since he left the radar, he couldn't reach and monitor him.
His sister has her hands in her hair as tears flowed down her cheeks.
Kato has seen shit, alot of it. Strategies and ploys devised by the House Omi, to fall gracefully families and rise to the top for power, using all connections versatile and useful to be noticed by the Section 1 and finally, leave the devastating section 2.
It was a gracefully plan for them, and honestly he really finds it incredible.
It made him realize why the people in power acted nonchalant. A little care shown, a little sentiment or mercy expressed can be used against you and steal power right from your grasp.
Ways of humans are ruthless, and it's best to be selfish. But he dislikes about humanity, is the fact that they take selfishness as only themselves.
True selfishness, is doing everything for oneself, or whom one interprets or substitutes as himself.
Now, The Head of the House of Omi is said to be selfish buy every act he did was all for tye sake of his family. He has now substitued and represents his family as himself. So his family is him, and he is his family.
A very positive concept inside a negative character.
When Kato first learnt that, he was watching the wife of the head of house piercing hit iron into the members of a fallen family, Tenron.
With fear woven into him, he had been taught and trsined to stand still in the face of the brutality. Blood splurging upon his face, he aided Yonikaharu's mother with the tools required for efficiency to draw out information and then Kato kills the individual.
That was his job and if he messes up in the midst of it, it was Yonikaharu's job to show him why a task assigned to a servant like him must be fulfilled even if Kato dies in the task.
Yonikaharu didn't just start beating up Kato on the first day he saw him. Naa, even Kato knew that.
When it all started was on that same day he saw something he shouldn't have.
Before the entrance to the staff room in the shop of Yonikaharu's father, when Kato just turned five.
A lady ran out, full bloodied with her left eye gone and she was stabbed all over.
In bloodied rags she was panting, and Yonikaharu looked at the lady with a pained look that cannot be explained. He then suddenly turned towards Kato, whom was about to sneak out and held him.
With the expression on his face, Kato stayed put.
The lady before them, with black hair laced with grey. She seemed middle age but her skin was luscious and from afar, one could tell she was rich.
She suddenly slumped to the ground as blood began to spread around her.
Kato was horrified and began to scream. Yonikaharu just held him tight, showing not even the slightest care about his scream.
A slim woman, with white skin as smooth as jade stepped out of the staff room holding a huge club embrace with different lengths of nails.
A silver-white hair running down to her back, she carried her hair side parted with an extremely young face.
She looked at Kato as walked from the staff room, passing wooden big stands erected in middle of the shops to prevent the staff room being easily seen by passers-by.
With a menacing look, Kato was shivering.
He saw the colour of her eyes, it was astonishing that she had white iris with black cornea. Resembling a possessed being, she offered Kato to either keep quiet and join them or die right there.
With a seal placed atop him to prevent him for revealing anything, Kato efficiently joined them. All of this, at age five.
This was why he saw humans more worse than devils. When driven by many things with a goal in mind, humans without self control are bound to release their devilish side and use this side to get to their goals quicker.
That's what most humans lack, and it patience. Impatience and Greed works hand in hand, and these two malice can effectively destroy a human even though it seems externally that the human is kind and nurturing.
When it's ingrained at a very young age, it becomes innate just exactly what his sister said. He is manipulative. Yes, he was trained to be that way and excelled at it.
Given many brutal lessons if he failed to get answers from persons or failed to lure them, or failed to implant and instill emotional eating demons through his words.
He would be taught by Yonikaharu, why he should never fail a task.
That hierarchy has been ingrained in him too due to the inhuman torture, he feared the bloodline of the House of Omi, especially Yonikaharu.
His family doesn't know this, nor would he tell them.
What is done, is done..
He jolted from his thoughts, and realized he was leaning on the wall and his sister was actually talking to him, he didn't even know what she was saying.
He suddenly remembered the seal to prevent disclosure. When the seal was placed upon him, he had a mark on his forehead which he hid with his long hair.
He swept his hands across his forehead trying to feel for the mark, but it was futile. He couldnt feel any mark and his hands ran across his face, touching the marking scar upon his left cheek.
He felt the texture , lacing his hands to find out where either started from and where it ended.
It ended across his eyebrows and close to his jaw, but the center seemed to be where it spiralled from...
He was wondering, how the mark disappeared from his forehead when his sister made a statement that shook him.
" Maybe that's why Goddess Amaterasu deleted your ability and did this to you because you have exhibited a nasty character over the years with far too much intelligence for a child .".
Kato's eyes widened, he wasn't even concerned with her accusations or even with her tone but just that one name he heard.
" Who did what?". His eyes widened, as he walked towards the couch Yuki sat on.
" Didn't you listen?". She turned to him, her face was red and swollen, with red teary eyes. She had been crying.
" I need affirmation ". He gave Yuki's shoulders a sudden grip. His sudden change in attitude actually startled Yuki, as she gazed at him.
He removed his hands and sighed.
" Would it kill you to tell the name again?". Kato cocked a brow whilst looking into her eyes.
Yuki shook her head, and sighed.
" You know Yonikaharu is a gifted ?".
" Yes ". He replied.
" He now has the ability to establish connections with deities." She let out a sigh, wiping off a running sweat bead from her nose.
Kato nodded. He won't say he is surprised, as he expected it anyway.
The nonchalant look on his face made his sister anxious.
" You aren't surprised ?." . She asked him, with a anxious look woven across her face.
" No!." He stated, then began to pace about her whilst she stood. " Continue,"
" Well, someone sent him to destroy you and your core.".
That made Kato stop in his tracks. He looked up.
" What core?." He asked. But the look on his sister's face made him mute.
He knew she was enraged, but she shook it off so easily.
" To cut to the chase, " she gazed deeply into his eyes.
She needs to tell him, but if she does it would finally justify his belief that the high ranking gods in seat or patriarch of each pantheon are actually devils in disguise.
It would justify his statements that there is nothing like a perfect being.
Kato's mindset had the ability to create statements with underlying meaning. The brother she once knew when they far younger, had evolved into something else and it was becoming his type of person.
Was it Yonikaharu's beatings?. She thought about those times when Kato often said he was going out to play, when he would go to the park, or want to run errands.
Though as a middle class that they were back then in the city, they couldn't talk back to the demands of a high class and even supernaturals won't help you.
She had her guesses that he must have learnt that through the beatings he has had, but what if it wasn't beatings alone. She had asked him, she had told her uncle to ask him, but he always gave an answer.
" I'm good.".
...
Looking at him now, with his permanent dark circles round his eyes, the tattoo that she drew for him, now in this devastating monochrome skin colour with those eccentric black deformed veins. Just one thing adds colour to his appearance, the purple markings on the black scar deformity upon his abdomen and left cheek.
His new gloomy appearance, perfectly matched his new innate character and trait.
She had noticed this behaviour earlier on and tried to curb it, but it got worse as he grew.
" Goddess Amaterasu ordered him to do that to you."
And she felt it, right there and then. Though seeming calm, the look on his face gave off and eerie expression of i-told-you-so.
He walked towards her, his face seemed too expressionless for a child like him.
She knew what he was about to say, that goddess she so revered was a disaster. He was about to say 'I told you so'.
What amazed her even more was her heart and how she was feeling. She was scared? Of her younger brother?.
He came before her, leaning his head towards her ear,
" And how do you know?". His question completely changed the perception and statement she was expecting from her brother.
She wants to tell him how, but doesn't want to hurt his feelings.
She doesn't want him to step unto the path of vengeance, she would do that for him..she wants to protect him, but even right now she had to tell him the truth.
Her brother's eyes looked like he could kill her, even though it is impossible.
" Get back from me.". She shoved him away.
" Why so close to me? "
" DON'T change the subject . " His soft light voice now hardened and dark. He started at her.
" You didn't talk to him, did you? ". He asked.
Him?. HIM?. Seriously, is that what he is talking about right now. But she gave it a thought, it seems Kato had twisted her statement. So she needs to tell him to clear it, it's the right thing to do.
" I found out I am a gifted. ". She bent her head. " Lady Benzaitan revealed to me, it was a ploy from Goddess Amaterasu.".
The word 'gifted' made him smile, not that hewas expecting to be anything but he really loved his elder sister and she always complained that she wanted to change how the supernaturals behave in this world.
With her ideals of justice, she could be a hero but he also laughed at her puny thought of upholding justice in a world such as this.
Where power corrupts minds, and an ideal once stood by- slowly fades to dust.
Only discipline would help her, and he would make sure she upholds that discipline. He has seen dirty parts of humanity.
He doesn't know anything at all, but what he has seen is enough to understand that humans can stretch through lengths to gain something they hold dear.
It was said, humans are made in the likeness of gods. If humans are like this - wading in, aiming for power, allowing it corrupt them whilst they are fully aware then why are gods considered holy?.
A big bull question.
She is a gifted now, she needs discipline to protect that her strong ideal but that's not what he's after.
..
" How are we sure that Lady Benzaitan isn't in on that ploy?.". He asked. His long hair covering his face. They were still standing opposite each other.
She was astonished by the question, how could he say such?. Lady Benzaitan is a loving goddess not willing to cause harm even to mortals and devils.
She opened her mouth to speak but he brother shushed her.
" Remember—" he leaned towards her ear.
" I told you SO!. " He stated.
He finally stated it, and she had nothing to defend the goddess she revered.
" It doesn't matter, ". She shakes off his statement.
" Amaterasu killed your core. She tasked Yonikaharu with it,.".
..
Kato looked at her. He didn't want to debunk her belief in the loyalty and perfection of gods since he cares for his sister , and he knew it would break down so hard.
So left the matter abruptly, though still with wavering thoughts on how she would use her ideals now that she was a legendary supernatural.
The world is the world, and it cannot be changed. The only way evil escapes from the world is when perfection is reached, as lack of perfection creates desires and wants.
A person would kill you if you try to expose the negativity he does to establish himself and sometimes his family.
This is what many supernaturals fail to understand and end up dying on the way to express their righteousness.
Yonikaharu's mother, the first lady of the House of Omi once sat him down, and gave him history notes and texts to read.
That's mainly why he was well versed in political schemes and power play.
Even though their method was brutal, he eventually became an illegitimate member of the House of Omi. The first lady, ensuring he is under her care and also completes the dirty tasks he assigned to.
As unreal as it seems, despite her evils and wickedness. She taught Kato alot of concepts, even the concept of selfishness that he just expressed was taught by her.
She showed him that even in the negativity, positivity stemmed everything personal, important and nerve racking for, while negativity helped express and spread out the particular concept to existence.
Though, he still hates the house of Omi due to the amount of torture he was subject to.
"Kato !". His name jolted him out of his thoughts, and he remembered everything.
With a thought, he figured that he was to be an Ungifted.
He looked at his body, touching the marking.
" I guess, they did succeed in killing my core. ". Honestly, he felt it was better. A legendary class of supernatural would attract alot of attention and eventually he would once again grovel beneath the feet of capitalists.
" I'll support you." He placed a hand on her shoulder.
The word made her stare at him. Her eyes were red and teary.
Kato shook his head, Yuki cried alot.
" Support? ", She asked in a light voice.
" Hey, it doesn't matter. ". He hugged her. " All it takes is just one legendary supernatural to boost us to Section 1 right?."
He wanted to ask her how she realised are potential, but he figured it's not the right time.
He has killed alot of people and he doesn't even have supernatural powers.
He has participated in raids and even House wars- wars caused by different prime tier families to gain a spot as Central and control the whole section 2.
Eventually, House of Omi made their way from Top 27 to Top 3.
" You are not furious?". Her question made him think a bit.
Yeah, he was furious. Something that belongs to him was taken from him, but it was also a blessing in disguise.
Then he thought about it... The House of Omi serves a god, each high class family serves a god from a particular pantheon, Shinto. Most serve the overall God, but the House of Omi serves a different god.
And even though unlimited connections with different gods are established, Amaterasu isn't supposed to be the first god to come in contact with....
Then Kato realized it, whilst he was hugging his sister. He senses a deeper ploy in this story but he is far too young to probe.
Then the door flew wide open, a tall lanky man stood in the doorway. Sunlight striking his figure which obscured his face. Black hair streaked with gray sat atop his head. His skin was laced with minor wrinkles accentuated by the sun rays.
Kato and his sister both turned towards the doorway.
Their eyes widened, as the figure before them was panting heavily covered in blood.
"Uncle Li ?.". They both gasped.
With a heavy sigh, the man's deep voice boomed through the parlor.
" We have to run,". With astro, he reached out to the kids, swooping both of them into his arms.
" The Haven of Devils just broke its seal. ". He looked at them. In a whoosh, they broke through the roof the house into the air.
And they all saw it, thousands of devils erupting from the magma gate few hundred meters away from them.
" Damn it," Uncle Li cursed