"Are you certain young man?",
The elderly granny asked. She slid open the door.
"Yes,granny", The youthful mailman answered as he adjusted his shoes."My brothers and sisters would be worried if I don't return".
A loud rumbling filled the skies and the elderly granny looked out at the darkening above.
Dark clouds raced in the sky, painting it all black.
The youthful mailman adjusted the letters in his bag and swung it over his shoulder.
He stepped out of the door and his eyes greeted a gloomy sky.
Another wave of thundering clapped along with strong gusts of wind.
"The clouds seem resentful today", the elderly granny said.
The young mailman held the strap on his shoulder tightly and took another step forward. He looked at the unwelcoming sky and a raindrop fell on his face.
"Young man, I still believe you should wait out the storm. If it still stays put, you can leave early at the first daylight Tomorrow ".
The elderly granny proposed.
Another drop fell on the boy's face.
"Thank you, granny, but I can't le–"
Another rumbling happened across the clouds.
Rain poured down in a flash.
The young boy tucked his bag in his arms and stepped back inside the door.
The granny slid back the door.She entered the corridor and carefully placed her shoes on the shoe stand.
Her wrinkly hands were also holding a letter.
She walked up the corridor.
"Come in now,no need make my old bones wait any longer ".
The young mailman took his shoes off,the ones he had just wore.He stepped onto the corridor as well.
Droplets of water fell from his wet hair.
He leaned down.
"No need to worry yourself.Time has tested this house, year after year.I doubt a few drop of water would do anything ".
The granny spoke and slowly walked the corridor.
The young boy followed.Wiping off the water from his feet on the way.
As the boy caught up with the old granny, he began to notice the painting on his sides.
The sliding doors and walls had traditional art painted all over.
His attention drowned among the mesmerizing art.
The old granny spoke,
"Dear young one, may I know your name?".
She had her wrinkly hands behind her, holding the letter.
"Afterall,you delivered a rather precious mail to me".
The boy took his eyes off his sides and replied,
"Oh, It's Ryu, Ryu Agamichi".
The old granny lightly nodded.
Again the boy's eyes were reading the arts on his sides.
His steps came to a halt infront of one specific painting.
He moved his eyes from left to right.
"Is this a story, ma'am?",he asked.
The old granny saw with widened eyes.
She popped out a chuckle.
"Ma'am?ohoho! hearing this reminds me of my youth.But then again,we should always keep our wits in the present."
She stepped beside the young boy,Ryu.
"Ahem...Yes.This marvelous piece of art does depict a tale,a tale not everyone would be daring to hear of".
Ryu stepped aside.The granny took her steps up to the starting of the painting.
"It's a tale of how an oni...a king you can address him,lost his life".
With that,Ryu took a few steps forward forward towards the end of the painting.
At the edge was a frame depicting a samurai decapitating the head of a delirious oni.
"Though I believe it was unfair on how he was outnumbered,the world is an unfair place–For both human and other creatures alike".
The old granny again walked infront.
Ryu,the young mailman followed.
His eyes still observing all the painting.
A King?....Outnumbered?
The old granny slided open a door.
It was a bathroom.
"Here,do dry up later on,the towel are over inside the cupboard".
Ryu slightly leaned and said,
"oh ,thank you , granny ".
The granny stepped aside and took steps towards the corridor.
"I'll be off making dinner,find me after you are done,young Ryu".
"No it's alrig–",the old granny entered another room and shut close the door.
Ryu placed his bag and jacket on a hook,he folded his sleeves and pants.
After washing himself throughly,he stood facing the sink mirror.
Slightly cracked.
He raised his face and wiped the water with a towel, that's when he noticed something with the mirror.
His eyes blinked several times as he rubbed the towel on his face.
Still he stood there looking at the mirror.
He could still see his reflection–But in red.
...Strange...but...
"the old granny did say the house was old...",
Ryu hooked the towel and took his belongings, leaving the bathroom.
As the door slided closed he turned to his right, following where the granny had went.
He slided open the door he recall the granny entering.
It was empty.Only a lantern on the ceiling.
With a doubt bubbling in his mind,he closed it and begin stepping forward the corridor.
A corridor he felt was too long.
The house was rather small from the exter–
His eyes fell on another art on the doors walls beside him.
One which had a figure in black robes, holding a strange looking axe.
The figure standing with it's peculiar weapon,on the right were three other figure.
The three charging towards the lone one.
Ryu's eyes focused on one of the three figure on the right.
...Kami Susanoo?...
The figure held a blackish sword, yielded against the figure with the axe.
His bulky hands showing a strong grip on the blade.
"Young Ryu?".
A familiar voice called out.
Ryu turned to his side to find the old granny standing at an opened sliding door.
"Ah sorry, it's just that these arts are really something.Really eye-catching ".
Ryu followed in and found himself in a room with a fireplace at the middle.
He saw servings of rice and soup beside the fire.
"Sit,young one.Make yourself at home".
The granny spoke and sat beside the fire.
Ryu walked in and sat at the opposite of the old granny.
"Thank you for the food!",Ryu called out and helped himself down the rice and soup.
Meanwhile,the old granny fed the fire more sticks.
Above the fireplace was a kettle.Steam coming out of it.
Under the gleaming light of the fire,the granny took a look at her letter.The envelope itself was a yellowish paper with a reddish seal.The seal having a subtle sign.
My friend,it seems the years weren't too kind on you...
The granny gave a silent chuckle and pulled off the seal.
A white paper slided out in her hands.
She held the paper in the light of the fire.
Her eyes narrowed to read the paper but she sighed and placed down the letter.
Ryu finished the rice and soup before him and looked at the old granny.She steadily took down the kettle over the fire and placed out 3 cups.
Her hands though wrinkly and pale,showed great skill whole pouring the tea on the cups.
Not letting a single drop falling out.
"A third cup?why granny?is there someone else living with you?",Ryu asked.
The old granny passed a cup of tea to the young Ryu.
With a smile on her face,she spoke,"No,not really. Though yes, I'm expecting a friend".
Ryu took a sip for him tea.
His eyes glowed up in the light of the flames.
"hmm, it's some good tea, granny",he said.
The old granny nodded at Ryu while taking a sip herself.
A few minutes passed by as it was.
In the silence, Ryu could hear the crackling of the fire and if not that, his ears ringed with the hurdling of the storm outside.
Another sip from his tea.
Ryu looked down on the fire as the old granny brought him pillow and blankets from the other room.
"It's ok,granny. I'll take care of it, you rest out".
Ryu took the pillow and blankets from her hands and made himself a comfortable bed beside the fire place.
As the old granny sat down,she pulled out the white letter from her sleeves.
"Young Ryu, could you trouble yourself to read this letter for me?".
Ryu eagerly took the letter from her.
He unfolded the paperand ran his eyes through the words, speaking simultaneously.
"My dearest comrade,it is with great fortune that i write this to you for what we dreamed of has finally begun it's course,i plan to have us meet soon,with best regards from...",Ryu stopped at the middle.He reread the whole letter.
Flipped it over twice and said,"uhh,granny? it doesn't says who sent it".
The old granny stopped pouring the tea in the third cup.
Ryu looked at her steady hands when darkness blew up around his eyes.
The lights went out.
The light of the flames lit the room warmly.
"The storm, must have taken a toll on the wires",she placed down the kettle on the fireplace."And no name you say?hmm,it is quite strange,no?".
Ryu returned the letter.
His eyes still watching the third cup,half filled.
A silence passed.
The storm could be heard outside, rumbling.
Yet inside the house,it sounded rather dull.
In a moment,the old granny opened her mouth.
"Tell me young Ryu, do you like stories?you sure seemed fascinated when you saw those paintings ".
Ryu nodded.
"Yes,granny. I truly like stories, a lot-lot. Even at home, I also tell stories to my younger brother and sisters.They surely like the ones you have here,one with the kamis and yokais",Ryu made his way inside the blankets. "Though I don't know why they prefer to hear yokai stories more often, they get scared most of the time but they still insist".
The old granny fed the fire more sticks.
"I see, I see",she gave a faint smile visible under the orange light."Then would you like to hear a story now? It has no Kamis but it does have a few yokai you can say".
Ryu nodded.
"Sure,granny."
The old granny placed the kettle back on the fire and spoke,"Telk me Ryu,do you believe in fate?".
"No,not much but my elder brother on the other hand is much more reserved",Ryu replied.
"hmmm,perhaps your view may change after hearing this tale",The old granny said and sat back at her place,Ryu nodded lightly."The tale begins when..."
∅————————————————∅
Wind glided over the newly grown crops,as green as ever. It could be seen shining even from miles away.
Among the green fields stood a figure.
A man having his hands touching the crops.
All day would he work at the fields and when sun begins to drown,he would forage the gifts of the forest and return home.
At home, the first one to greet him was none other than his life partner.
His wife with a smile.
Then came running two small figures,one a small boy and another was a girl slightly taller.
They would pull the man with them to play until the dinner would be out hot.
Slumbering in the silence of the forest.
Away from everyone and everything.The only neighbours they had was the nature itself.
The father would say,
"Freedom at will is much more priceless than the life of a townsfolk who are bound to the shogun".
He would tell the children folklores, trying to put up and example of freedom for his children.
Then a word made it's way in the ears of the father of the family.
A war raging on among the clans in the name of power, control and order.
The father worried, not for himself but for his family and that's when his fear came to him as a reality.
Thier field of crops begin to standout as the battlefield of the war.
Battle after Battle.
Blood shed,lives lost and peace overthrown.
The crops withered away and crushed down, leaving nothing but scraps.
The father knew of the future that was to arrive.
With the thought of his family, he embarked towards the town in search for work.
Days passed and they turned into weeks but no message from the father came.
The mother grew restless , collecting anything from the forest to keep the family fed–at some unfortunate days, atleast the children.
One evening,the mother came home from foraging.
She saw an unfamiliar horse outside their house. With an unsure heart, she entered her house.
Inside she found a samurai sitting and eating rice balls with her children.
The samurai's katana beside him.
Before the mother can speak, the silent samurai handed over a letter to her.
To the mother, the writing seemed familiar.
It was from his husband.
She read the letter and found out the untold story of his husband.
My dearest, I'm terribly sorry i couldn't write anytime soon for I had matters in my hands that I had to attend but now is the time. I have found a stable work at the Tairo Clans's horse stable. I can now provide for us and hope we'll be moving to the town soon. It might come as a surprise but it seems they came a liking for my rough hands in the horse stable.
The mother was first reluctant with the decision of moving to the town for she knew her husband.
The husband who always gave off his worst expressions when it comes to talk about the shogun. Yes still, the mother hugged her children and that night , they feasted on the rice brought by the samurai.
With a full belly they went to sleep.
When the moon raised it's glow, the little boy of the family woke up. His eyes searching for his mother and sister.
They were nowhere to be found.
The boy panicked and heard voices coming from the outside.
He saw a light coming through a hole on the door.
His hands reached for the door and pull it opened.
For a second,the bright light blinded him.
When his eyes adjusted,he saw his mother and sister.
Being held down by several men.
One of the men spotted him and walked towards him.The man's hand reached out to the boy.
"Leave him,he wasn't in our contract",
A voice ehoed from behind.
The samurai walked out of the darkness and stood infront of the boy.
The man retracted his arm and left.
The boy's eyes fell on his mother crying,his legs began trembling but he still took a step towards her.
The mother struggleed and pushed back the men all her force.
But it was one against many.
The men holding her robes teared them apart and pulled her down from the hair.
The boy took another step forward but a katana came infront of him.
The samurai had his blade unsheathed.
The older sister looked the scene and troubled to get free but the men pinned her down. She still struggled until he saw a the samurai pushing his brother back with his blade.
She bit off the hands pinning her down. She jumped to her brother and held his hand.
Turning around, she saw the watery eyes of her mother.
Her clothes all tattered.
Her eyes glimmered in the light of flames around them.
....Run....
The daughter turned around, pulling his brother along with her–she ran as fast as she could with her brother.
The samurai stood there silent like a statue.
One of the men came to him and spoke out,
"You are a fool and they knew that".
The samurai stood there expressionless.
He sheathed his katana and sat down on the spot.
The girl and boy made their way though the forest.
The men followed with torches.
Moving swiftly among the forest where they used to play, the kids out ran the men and their light.
They stood infront of stream.
The sister looked in the darkness and saw a tree stumbled down over the stream.The moon shone brightly upon it.
She held the hand of her brother and rushed towards it.
The sister stepped on the tree.
Withered as it was,she saw holes in it too.
Before she can decide, she heard the voices of the men chasing them.
Her hands moved on their own and she lifted his brother on the tree bridge.
She stepped upon the tree but with a crackling sound,she stepped down.
The boy looked at his sister.
"Go",she said with a smile.
"I'm right behind".
The brother balanced himself and walked the steps.Upon reaching the middle of the tree,he heard voices.
He turned around.
His sister stepped on the tree and took a step forward when a man lunged from the darkness and pulled her back.
The boy tried to take step when where he heard another crackling.
He frozed for a second but then jumped towards here sister.
The tree teared up in the middle and the boy fell in the stream.
With his drowning vision, he tried to swim back but it was futile.
Water filter his mouth. His eyes went blurry and soon he lost himself. Being swept away by the stream.
The last thing he saw was the face of his sister being smacked down on the ground.
The stream flowed, not changing it's course.
The body of the boy flowed with it,no resistance,no movement.
The streem finally died and the boy wa swept away by a short.
His eyes covered in sand and water.
He tried to reb them off and he saw saw light still blinding his vision.
His eyes adjusted and saw a flame.
A flame weathered town.
The whole town was up in flames, giving a scorching view across the plains.
The boy stood up.
His knees flinched slightly. He could feel a stinging but still he made his way towards the town.
The boy stepped between the streets.
The streets lit up with flames and paved with ashes.
Among the ashes lay several bodies.
Corpses.
Big or small, fully burnt or half.
Adults or children.
The boy turned from the view and kept his speed towards the street.
His steps leaving behind a conspicuous red trail.
Hundreds of people he crossed,
None were breathing.
Hundreds of houses he walked by,
None still standing.
Finally the boy stood infront of humongous tree.
Several threads with paper on them swirled around the tree and knitted down on the ground.
His eyes stood in the shadow of the tree and watched closely.
What his eyes saw made his eyes frozen.
Objects were hanging on the trees.
Heads were hanging on the trees.
He looked as he saw one very familiar someone.
...Otto-san?...
His steps moved towards the tree.
Stepping on the floor of bodies as he tried to reached out for his father.
Or more accurately, his remains.
He stretched out his hand towards the hanging remains of his father.
Something snapped.
His fingers barely touching his father's remains.
He fell on his back.
Lying on the floor of bodies,his eyes looked up to head of his father. Hanging motionless.
He looked no different from the bodies.
Covered in red, bleeding knee.
An expressionless face with tears down his eyes.
Then he heard something apart from the crackling of the flames.
He still lay motionless.
Not for hiding but to wait for something.
...Oka-san...Nee-san...
...Where are you...
Words ran through his heads when he heard a voice calling out,
"Little one".
The clouds panicked in the sky and his the moon.
The flames around the town dimmed.
A cold breeze blew up.
Even startling the tree itself.
The voice called out again,
"Tired, are you? Tired of losing everyone?".
The boy lay silent, not moving a muscle.
Motionless as he seemed, his breathing still steady.
The wind blew up in a roar, shaking the flames.
Then the boy heard a voice,
"Ototo-san?".
The boy had his ears stood up.
His body got up and he looked behind.
His eyes saw a strange figure holding a staff with laterns.
Though what the boy focused on was not that mysterious figure, it was a silhouette behind it.
The silhouette quite familiar.
....Nee-san???...
"What are you doing in there? Come here already, that place looks very nasty", the echoing voice of his older sister ringed sharply in his ear.
He stood on his legs.
The knee still wounded and slightly bleeding.
The silhouette of his sister called upon him with her hands.
The mysterious figure lifted it's head.
Light of the lanterns on his staff fell on it.
It wore a half-oni mask.
A Menpo.
The boy took a step forward.
The lanterns flickered lightly.
Another step.
The flickering fastened.
The boy finally stood right infront of the figure.
"Look at you, all dirty an–IS THAT A WOUND??", the silhouette leaned down and wrapped a cloth around the boy's knee.
"Oka-san will be mad if she finds out, we should get it cleaned".
The boy stood with disbelief when his sister rubbed off the blood his face.
That's when the figure could be seen opening it's mouth,
"So say, little one. Do you wish to be with her again?".
The boy stood with his thoughts.
Drowning in his thoughts he heard another voices.
"My! Why are like that?where have you been?what happened??".
"Don't be so dramatic, he's still standing alright you see? Our son is not one of the weak ones!".
The boy turned around.
He saw two more silhouettes.
His mother and father stood here.
The mother rushed to him and kneeled down, checking the wound on his knee.
...Oka-san..Otto-san...
"Quick now, the time is ticking alright ".
The silhouettes became slightly disappeared when the mysterious figure's words reached out.
The boy looked over his shoulder.
The figure had his hand reached out.
His palm and fingers open.
The boy stood silently.
His eyes locked on the blackish hand.
Without a second thought, he forwarded his hand.
The lanterns lit up and a dark apparition flew out of it.
It encircled the boy like a smoke and whispering were heard.
Death.
Life.
Bound.
Rejuvenate.
Underneath the mask, the figure grinned.
With silent steps he turned around as he walked away.
The shadowy apparitions swirled up like a storm around the boy.
...Another chance...
...Another tale...
∅————————————————∅
"...And that boy is said to become a great oni later on who opposed the gods frequently ", the granny finished and fed the fire more sticks.
Ryu lay there with wide eyes as he asked,
"Granny, that was a really great story. Though it's unclear who that strange figure was and also what was really motto of they samurai?".
The old granny chuckled.
"Yes, yes, It seems you were listening after all. I had expected you would fall asleep hearing an old hag speaking nonsense".
Ryu looked up in the ceiling
The dark ceiling with shadows created on them from the fire.
"Nonsense? No,it isn't! That was a great story! Every should get a chance to hear this atleast once!".
The old granny smiled.
"Really? I'm grateful I was able to tell you good story. I hope your siblings would like it too".
" I'm most certain they will, granny", Ryu replied with a smile.
The old granny held her letter and started picking the cups.
"Now, young Ryu. You should sleep,you have to leave early tomorrow".
Ryu nodded and turned to the other side.
"Good night,granny".
The granny smiled as she took the cups.
Until she stopped.
The third with only half the tea slightly shook.
It shook violently and the tea vanished.
The granny opened her letter without a thought.
The paper was normal.
Though the letters weren't.
They vanished in the paper and new words begin to float up in the blank spaces.
"It seems your little guest liked my story, Ibaraki"
The flames flickered as she read this.
The storm outside went more wild .
The flames extinguished and darkness engulfed the room.
The old granny, Ibaraki, smiled in the darkness.
Or she smiled at the darkness.