Chapter 2: Kohryu Hiroyuki — The Man And Legend He Aspires To

  I

  Kohryu Hiroyuki rose to meteoric heights as a young boy, having Mastered all five elements of Onmyoujutsu at five years old. Some say that he was the likes of a prodigy never seen before, and Satoshi wondered how someone so amazing could be related to him, though he knew that one of the Elders mentored Kohryu Hiroyuki extensively in his magic training as soon as he could form a fist. Satoshi lived and breathed Onmyoujutsu, first started with his Elemental Affinity—Fire. Then he went to Wind, then Water, then Earth, and then Spatial Onmyoujutsu. It was superstition among the elders that one had to learn the Elements in a certain order and progression or else bad luck would curse a child’s development in Onmyoujutsu, though Satoshi wasn’t so certain, though he got the right education for his training and mentoring. He currently sat in the tea parlour with his mother in the deep evening, sipping tea and swapping conversation with her about his father. Satoshi wanted to know about his father, and about Calamity, and the world around him.

  “There are many Onmyouji going on pilgrimages to the temples, aren’t there?” Satoshi said, wondering what news happened in the outside world. “Perhaps we will have some outsiders come to the village and bear tidings of Calamity’s next strike.”

  “Indeed, these are troubling times where we have to live in fear of Calamity,” Akiko murmured as she sipped her tea, lips pursed around the rim and her lashes downcast. “The Calamity spawn and demons are becoming more bold as a result.”

  “That’s why I have to learn to exorcise these demons and purge the Calamity Spawn,” Satoshi said, putting a hand into his fist. “I believe that’s why you taught me that technique with that lightning staff, Mother?”

  Akiko nodded. “It is a ritualistic dance meant to exorcise demon souls. Or perhaps to guide dying souls to the Otherworld.”

  “Do souls become demons if they’re left in the Earthly plane too long?” Satoshi asked while creasing his brow in concern.

  “It is a sad thing when a soul becomes a demon,” Akiko murmured, her gaze far off. “Can’t you imagine the suffering that they’re going through?”

  “I thought demons were creatures of pure malice,” Satoshi said.

  Akiko smiled sadly.

  “True. A demon is a creature of pure malice and will. We Onmyouji were spiritual practitioners meant to defend this realm from the likes of Calamity Spawn and demons—though Calamity’s miasmic fumes corrupt the landscape with supernatural storms and leave a corroded landscape behind of corruption.”

  Satoshi furrowed his brows, but said nothing as he sipped his own tea as he continued to wonder about his father. Did his Father ever come into contact with Calamity? And if so, what happened in that epic clash between the greatest Onmyouji and the progenitor of all demonspawn?

  “That’s awful,” Satoshi said with a murmur, holding his hands against the cup of tea and warming them against it as he felt a sudden chill. The tips of his fingers blushed red from the suffused heat, and his knuckles reddened as the tea warmed his hands.

  “Are there any books and lore about how to defeat Calamity?” Satoshi inquired, while his mother shook her head.

  “That knowledge has been lost, due to Calamity wrecking every great library and tomes of knowledge that were created on its existence. Even the temples of faith have to be rebuilt and restructured again for learning the Elemental Onmyoujutsu, and it is believed because of this that the Elemental Deities are weakening from less followers of their faith and their sacred sites being constantly dismantled.”

  “So if there are less followers of an Elemental Deity’s faith,” Satoshi said with a frown. “That means there’s Divine Power for a spirit user like an Onmyouji.”

  “It is most unfortunate indeed,” Akiko said as she finished her tea. “There is much work to be done, all the same. There will be a Council Meeting among the Elders about your graduation.”

  Satoshi perked up at this.

  Akiko smiled.

  “Of course, I know that you’re excited. Though you must get some sleep first, my son.”

  “I will,” Satoshi said, leaning back and stretching and yawning. “There was something I wanted to discuss with the Elders, though I Suppose that will have to wait till tomorrow.”

  “About you going off on your journey to defeat Calamity and find your Father?” Akiko said with a solemn gaze, though a sparkle in her eye indicated that she put her faith and trust in him.

  “Yes,” Satoshi said. “The Hiroyuki Council have always been good to me, though I feel that they’ve been reluctant about me going on a path beyond the walls of the manor. I’ve lived a good life—though I can’t be a sheltered greenhouse flower forever.”

  Akiko nodded, before she patted her son on the shoulder.

  “Sleep, my son. Get plenty of rest and prepare for tomorrow.”

  Satoshi nodded before he went and settled into his futon. He dreamed of storms and ruined landscapes and hollowed out earth, before he woke up in a panic. Sunshine glinted in his eyes, blinding him, as he woke up shaking and performed his morning ablutions to wake up fully and shake off the remnants of the nightmare.

  Akiko prepared a rice porridge in the morning for Satoshi and herself, and while they ate breakfast, a little bit of talk was discussed preparing Satoshi for his eventual reveal of leaving the village on a journey. They went to the House of Scholars in the middle of the village, where the Onmyouji Sages scribed and dated the calendars, tending to tasks such as bookkeeping and scroll work and dusting off artifacts gathered from buried sites around the world. Akiko knocked on the wooden doors, and an apprentice came out and bowed toward them, leading them inside.

  The Hiroyuki Council gathered around a tea table on matted cusions, with an imposing air of power and authority. It was here that Satoshi’s fate could be decided, and his future prospects and dreams lay within reach.

  Satoshi took a deep breath, before bowing.

  “Elders, I am Satoshi Hiroyuki. I have completed my training of the Five Elements and am currently preparing to go on a journey to go on a pilgrimage to Master the Divine Blessings of the Elemental Deities.”

  “Following in your Father’s footsteps, eh, young Satoshi-kun?” An elder said, appearing pleased. “We have no objections to this, but we ask that you wait to make this journey. There is still paperwork to be done.”

  Satoshi rose his head.

  “Of course. I wanted nothing more to do what my Father did—and I want to defeat Calamity himself.”

  The air around him stilled. Then shocked gasps came out of the gaping mouths of the Elders before him.

  The Elder that initially gave him praise suddenly became stern again. “What nonsense are you talking about, Satoshi! You are very skilled, yes, but you are the pride of the village. To think that we would lose talent to a capricious thing such as…as…that thing…”

  “Something has to be done about it,” Satoshi said, looking the elder resolutely in the eyes. “If nothing is done about it, than more lives will be lost.”

  The Elders conjectured among one another.

  “It is true that someone needs to do something about it,” another Elder tentatively said. “Though to be honest, all the knowledge and lore about Calamity had been lost in a mudslide during an incident ten years ago. It was a particularly catastrophic event that would’ve lead to an Eclipse, or the complete annihilation of the world as we know it, though Kohryu Hiroyuki saved us.”

  “Satoshi might be our best chance of doing so,” Another Elder said thoughtfully, though also seemed hesitant about the idea. “But the shame is, he’s so young. That was the mistake we made with Kohryu Hiroyuki.”

  “Do you…know something about my father?” Satoshi said.

  The Council remained silent, before the stern Elder spoke.

  “Put this nonsense aside, Satoshi-kun. You will stay in the village and help with political matters here. The world outside is too dangerous—Calamity could strike and leave you stranded or corrupt you and make you into a demon.”

  Satoshi said nothing, chewing his lip and wondering what he could say to persuade the Elders into him leaving the village. All his life, he wanted to go on an adventure and seek out the father he heard legendary stories about. All his life, he wanted to meet the father who never came back home, probably off on some daring escapade that trapped him into never returning. At the very least, Satoshi wanted confirmation that Kohryu had been out somewhere, and maybe bring his body or bones back for burial.

  Yet the Elders argued amongst themselves, with no final say.

  Satoshi looked from one face to another pleadingly, hoping for one to side with him. Though the Elders simply shook their heads, before one of them spoke again.

  “I’m afraid, at this time, Satoshi-kun, we cannot allow you to go on this journey of yours to find your father. You’re supposed to follow the strict pilgrimage routes to the temples, where they’ve been proven to be safer than the wandering exploration your father did.”

  “I won’t make the same mistake that he did,” Satoshi said, very much aware that he sounded like a child, though this was important to him! He couldn’t let it go! “Calamity HAS to be stopped.”

  “Satoshi,” the stern Elder said, his gaze softened. “Do you understand why Kohryu Hiroyuki is a looming shadow that you must never chase after?”

  “You don’t think I can do it,” Satoshi said.

  The Elder sighed again.

  “I’m just taking realistic consideration of the consequences,” the Elder said. “To be honest, Satoshi…your rate of growth is astonishing. In fact, it scares me that you’ve mastered so many elements, with such great force and power, too!”

  Satoshi looked towards the Elder in surprise. If he knew all this, why wouldn’t he…?

  “You acknowledge that my growth,” Satoshi said, hoping to hear more of his reasoning why.

  “It is comparable to Kohryu’s, in fact. Though because of this talent that must be nurtured—do you understand why we try to protect you from the likes of demons and ghosts and Youkai that prowl the lands?”

  “They’re dangerous, but I must learn how to fight!” Satoshi said, clenching his hands into fists. “If I don’t learn to defend myself from them, then I will probably burn out at both ends like Father—and…and…”

  The Elder showed a moment of consideration for the young teen, kneeling down and grasping him in a hug. “Satoshi, do you understand why I’m so strict with you?”

  Satoshi’s eyes widened when he found the Elder’s arms wrapped around him, though he said nothing. He held his breath, waiting to hear what the Elder had to say.

  “Losing Kohryu was…” the Elder said with a sort of mist in his eyes, before he cleared his throat. “Was most regrettable.”

  “I…” Satoshi said, finding that he lost his breath and the words he wanted to say. It welled up in chest, but they stayed trapped in his throat and he clenched his teeth as tears started to spill down his cheeks.

  “Your Mother, Akiko, has indulged you. But when things like having great power over the five elements come to one gifted, this can lead to resentment and envy in others. There are those in the faction of the Hiroyuki clan that don’t wish for you to be the Heir.”

  “I didn’t take my position for granted,” Satoshi said softly. “Or that I would get my father’s legacy so easily. But you know…I…I just wanted to become strong like father so I could protect my fellow clansmen!”

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  “There are others in line for the position,” The Elder said with a sigh. “We can’t show favoritism to you because you’re the son of Kohryu Hiroyuki.”

  Satoshi, understanding this, nodded.

  “I know. But I…got the impression that you didn’t like me, Elder…”

  “To explain why I’m so worried, Kohryu, though a great man, was one many envied. And there are those in the lower branches that want to rise up and seize the glory and legacy that he left behind.”

  Satoshi stared with wide eyes at the Elder’s words. It made sense to him, though it didn’t mean Satoshi had to like the reality of the situation. Yet there was no use complaining about what was.

  “I want a shikigami,” Satoshi said forlornly. “I see my older brothers and sisters proudly bearing the spirit guardian that they have as their partners.”

  The Elder, gentle now, said, “You will get one when the time is right, young one.”

  “I also…want to summon my first shikigami companion.”

  “As long as your will and fortitude is stronger than the beast’s,” the Elder said. “You can make them into a guardian spirit, your shikigami.”

  “So…” Satoshi said, becoming bright and eager eyed. “Do you think I could…?”

  “We’ll see about that eventually,” The Elder said. “Though for now, I think that his meeting is adjourned. We will file your paperwork to the Emperor and officially state you as a Royal Onmyouji to the capitol.”

  “Um, Elder,” Satoshi said, before clasping his hands together and bowing his head. “If I may ask a favor?”

  “What is it, Satoshi-kun?” the Elder asked.

  “You said that my techniques needs more finesse and precision,” Satoshi said, thinking about his training. “It’s true that the Divine Blessings of the Elemental Deities will make my potential even more powerful. Though do you know any mentors or teachers who could perhaps show me how to control my powers so that they don’t go out of control?”

  “That is very important to keep in mind,” the Elder said with an eagle-eyed gaze that penetrated Satoshi’s soul. “We constantly need to keep vigilant about our training. There are Onmyouji who have become walking legends, some even gods, according to some lore and myth—and then there are those that are titans like Calamity. Be careful and control yourself.”

  “Do you think that…” Satoshi said, doubt in his voice. “That Calamity was once a person? Or was it always a demonspawn?”

  “Who knows for sure?” the Elder said with some regret in his voice. “That lore and legend was lost. However, during my time during the last Rupturing Of The World, Calamity struck the world with endless storms all around and reduced the human population to thirty percent. It was during that generation that people tried very hard to make up for the lost numbers of being and train the new generation to combat against such things.”

  Satoshi bowed his head, before considering what the Elder said. At the Rupturing of the World, much of the world’s lore and history had been lost, and it was through the efforts of the Onmyouji that some of the history and ancient texts and wisdom have been recreated again in scrolls and texts for safe keeping.

  Satoshi contemplted further, before he decided to invesetigate the Archives in the Onmyyouji Scholar house under the supervision of the Stern Elder who lent him a journal that his father left behind.

  ‘This is something that your father left for safekeeping in the Archives before he went off on his journey to fight Calamity,” the Elder said. “It might be of use to you, and who knows? Maybe it will have some sentimental value, to see your father’s words imprinted in these pages.”

  Satoshi clutched the leatherworn pages in his hands, his fingers trembled as though the gold gilden pages would wither from his very touch. Satoshi bowed his head, dipping it low, before he said, “Thank you, Elder.”

  When he looked up again, he saw the Elder’s lips quirked into a smile, before it returned to its more serious and somber expression.

  “I hope you make good use of it,” the Elder said as he turned his back on Satoshi and laced his fingers behind him. “There are many things about this world that we will don’t know. Most of the world’s great knowledge was lost. It is unfortunate, though perhaps there are some people who are working diligently to study Calamity’s patterns and find a way to defeat him. I’m putting my trust in you to do this, Satoshi-kun.”

  “Do you really think I can do it, Elder?” Satoshi said with widened eyes. “I had a feeling that you were opposed to my decision before.”

  “That was simply me pushing back and testing your resolve,” the Elder explained, before his half smile quirked on his lips again. “Of course, I would love for you to stay in the village and continue learning. Though some part of me tells me that your destiny doesn't lie in the village forever.”

  “I suppose so,” Satoshi said. “Still…it’s going to be hard saying good bye to everyone. Though I still have one day left to make my rounds and make the appropriate goodbyes before I set off on my journey.”

  The Elder turned, before nodding. “Very good. Make sure that you do that. The children will be excited that you’re going off somewhere on an adventure, though we know that you’re doing a selfless act of heroism.”

  Satoshi smiled again. “You flatter me too much, Elder.”

  “I merely say a good job well done,” the Elder stated, before his expression turned solemn once more. “Satoshi…do you realize that Kohryu hiroyuki is a shadow that you must never chase after?”

  Satoshi bit his lip.

  “It’s an impossible dream, isn’t it?”

  “I’m not saying that you can’t reach Kohryu Hiroyuki’s level or even perhaps surpass him,” the Elder said kindly. “However, doing so would take a resolution of will that could sacrifice your life. Would you be willing to do that?”

  “I will do whatever it takes to follow my father’s footsteps,” Satoshi said.

  The Elder looked contemplative for a few moments, before giving his few moments of advice.

  “Satoshi…has your mother asked you what it means to be an Onmyouji to you?”

  Satoshi nodded.

  “She did.”

  “And what was your answer?”

  “To defeat bad guys and to help others with my abilities,” Satoshi said solemnly. “I don’t want to see others hurt by Calamity anymore. The devastation that creature leaves behind has broken so many lives and families…I want to foster a bond and kinship among humanity to have hope against Calamity. To fight back.”

  The Elder considered Satoshi’s words, putting his belled blossom sleeves together while a meditative expression overcame his weathered features. He eyed Satoshi up and down, noting the regalia that Satoshi wore, before saying, “Is that the robes you were intending on wearing for your graduation, Satoshi?”

  “Yes, my Mother made them just for the occasion,” Satoshi said with a smile. “She said that clothes make a man, and my mom has always been an excellent tailor in the village.”

  “She’s known to make many medicines and study herbology and botany,” the Elder observed. “Akiko has always stood alongside Kohryu Hiroyuki as his equal. Before she decided to retire and take on herbalism and medicine, she was a fierce combatant in battle. Her white tiger shikigami and her use of Onmyoujutsu were one of the most beautiful displays I’ve ever seen…”

  Satoshi perked up at this, before saying. “Looks like I have many weighty expectations to live up too. I knew my mother helped in the war against Calamity, though she never talks about her past much.”

  “It’s probably painful for her and she’s modest about her abilities,” the Elder said. “I’ve always known her to be a kind and gentle young girl who would love to run across the flower fields. Her favorite spell was to create a field of flowers and also to summon birds to her finger tips.”

  “I’ve always wondered why birds seemed to have an affinity toward me,” Satoshi said with some contemplation.

  The Elder chuckled.

  “If you were to get a shikigami…I think it would be a special one. The summoning ritual for shikigami will take place after your graduation.”

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Satoshi said with a nod, before he perused the journal that his father left behind and skimmed through it. “Eh? It looks like there are hidden clues for a treasure hunt in these pages. Really? In times like these?”

  “Your father was always one of a playful nature,” the Elder said with a hint of nostalgia. “He wanted to keep people’s spirits up in times when monsters and titans like Calamity live.”

  “It certainly was a peaceful era when my father disappeared ten years ago,” Satoshi said, looking at the scribbled text on the worn pages of the notebook that his father left behind. “Though why a treasure hunt? What could he have left behind?”

  “I think he wanted to leave behind treasures that only the true Heir would find,” the Elder said. “They might be worth looking into…though some of Kohryu HIroyuki’s book is part anecdotes and personal stories, and the others are riddles and clues to something that will lead you to a treasure.”

  “I think I will go find them, then,” Satoshi said with determination. “When I go on this journey. It’s along the way to mastering the Deity’s blessings in the pilgrimage of learning the Divine Elements.”

  “He would be happy that his son shares the same love and wanderlust for adventure,” The Elder said with misted eyes, though he tried to hide it behind a belled sleeve.

  Satoshi swallowed.

  “Elder…do you think my Father’s alive?”

  “Who can say?” the Elder said as he lifted his sleeve and looked toward the open screen sliding door and underneath the ceiling of the pagoda roof manor. “Regardless…wherever there is light, especially a light as great as his, it also casts an immense shadow.”

  Satoshi bowed his head.

  “My father is a hero. I will defeat Calamity once and for all, ending the cycle of torment and destruction It left behind.”

  “If There was anyone who could do it,” the Elder said fondly, before patting Satoshi on the head affectionately. “Perhaps it would be you. I would hope that the day that Calamity comes to an end would be an era of peace…and the generations that come afterwads would think of Calamity as nothing more than a fairytale legend.”

  “In the Hiroyuki lineage,” Satoshi said. “There was a great Sage who traveled the temple route a long time ago and gave an Era of peace, according to word of mouth passed on by the Scholars that are recovering the lost knowledge from the Forbidden Era.”

  “Will there be a time of peace?” Satoshi said ,looking toward the blue skies as a bird fluttered toward him and landed on his open finger, nibbling at it affectionatly. “The birds are so free and can fly away to anywhere. What does it mean to be free?”

  “Freedom is liberation,” the Elder said. “Liberation of the heart, liberation of the mind. Letting go of preconceived notions and constantly growing in heart, mind, body and stoul, creating a resolute will that will evolve and expand beyond its spiritual dimensions.”

  “I suppose you’re right, Elder,” Satoshi said with a laugh. “I still have much to learn.”

  “Perhaps that journey across the world would be good for you,” the Elder said, appearing contemplative. “There are many things in the world that we need to stand witness to. The world is full of many secrets and mysteries, and though I’m too old to experience the journey, I live vicariously through the tales and folklore of those who made the journey. Kohryu’s journal should give you some interesting anecdotes that might provide useful on your adventure across the wildlands.”

  Satoshi bowed again. “Thank you Elder, very much. I appreciate all that you’ve done for me.”

  The Elder inclined his head slightly, before he stroked his long thin straggly beard.

  “One of those stories involves a story about your mother’s own legend in his treasure book,” The Elder said. “One of those clues, if you read closely enough for cnotext, involves Akiko’s name.”

  “You mean it would be a treasure that could perhaps only be witnessed or found in autumnal areas, or temples that involve autumn viewing spots?” Satoshi guessed. “That is interesting…perhaps it was a personal keepsake of my mother’s that she buried somewhere with him when they journeyed together before they had me?”

  “It might be worth looking into,” The Elder said. “Read this passage right here.”

  Satoshi opened up to the appropriate page, before he read aloud, “My wife is one of the most wonderful and precious treasures in my life. She and I have created something worth more than the millions of gold and treasures that we’ve buried. Satoshi Hiroyuki is a curious young child that would always read books and want to listen to stories about adventures and heroes—I daresay he might have gotten his wanderlust from his parents, though maybe it’s also the natural insatiability and love for adventure that children have. One of the things that we’ve buried, if it can be found, is a personal memento from mother to son that she hoped for him to find one day once he grew old enough of age to walk the same pilgrimage paths that we’ve done. Sometimes there is a sense of danger going off track, though life isn’t a single trajectory—regardless I’m sure that the Elders and the village will help Satoshi grow up strong and wise in the ways of the world so that if he does go off course and ventures the forbidden path, he will find his way back home again.”

  Satoshi read further and found himself enamored with the sketches and wonders that his father saw along his journey in the book, and when he closed the tome and looked toward the Elder, he had a newfound appreciation for his father in his pages.

  “Elder…are you sure you’re willing to part with such a precious gift?”

  “It is yours to keep,” The Elder said. “Besides…your father would’ve wanted his son to have his book of treasures.”

  Satoshi clutched the book to his chest, his fingers trembling and heart fluttering, bowing again in gratitude.

  “Thank you so much!”

  “Though I ask that you stay a few more days before you make your journey,” the Elder said, his expression softened toward Satoshi. “I’m sure everyone would want to say goodbye and maybe you could share some stories about your father’s treasures.”

  “Yes, I’m sure the children would love it,” Satoshi said. “Thank you very much for the talk, Elder. I will stay a few days and help with whatever is needed in the village before I go. I know that me going on a journey is a selfish request, and the villagers rely on me, but…”

  “It’s because that we rely on you so much that you need to go,” the Elder said, stroking his beard again. “We’ve become dependent on the likes of you, Kohryu, and Akiko that we haven’t learned to stand on our own feet. Instead of you helping us all the time, Satoshi-kun, we will help you by becoming an autonomous unit that will take care of ourselves and rely on our own spirit and fortitude. The villagers, though good-hearted people, need to learn that complacency spoils the spirit.”

  “I suppose,” Satoshi said a bit reluctantly, before he smiled. “But you know I’m always wiling to help out and make it back home as soon as I can.”

  “You will always be one of our own, Satoshi-kun,” the Elder said. “Kohryu was a legend, but you have a legend of your own in the making. Kohryu was sure that his son would be his greatest legacy, bigger than any of his accomplishments, richer than any of his treasures, and more beloved by the people than a merciful god.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Satoshi said. “Though I will try my best to live up to his expectations. He’s quite the father to live up to.”

  “He believes in you,” Elder said, and pointed a finger toward Satoshi’s chest. “And if…Calamity did take him, God forbid…he will always live inside of you. Right here.”

  Satoshi nodded as the Elder put his hand to his side while Satoshi put his own hand to his chest, feeling the warmth and love that his parents both bore toward him. Even the ache of absence of from his father was overflowing with warmth and gratitude that a father like Kohryu loved his son so much that he would sacrifice himself to face off against a monster like Calamity. Satoshi’s expression softened as he thought of his father, and then his mother, who gave up her love of adventuring to stay to raise her son.

  As Satoshi bowed to the Elder and departed with the book in hand, Satoshi read over the pages again, reading over the script over and over again to absorb the heartfelt tales and narrative that his father spun about his adventures, his family, and the collective will of the village. He promised the elder that he would stay in the village just a few more days, though something stirred the wanderlust in his blood as he read about the hidden treasures and the various spirits and Youkai that his father discovered on his journeys.

  Once he made his way home, his mother greeted him with a bow while he slipped his shoes.

  “How was today, Satoshi-kun?” Akiko said with a soft smile. “Did you learn more about your father like you wanted.”

  “Yes, I learned a lot about him,” Satoshi said, curving his lips upward. “And maybe…when I go on this journey of mine…I will discover more things about him…walk the path that he walked…learn the things he learned…and become a proud legacy of both my father and mother!”