Taiyō is napping under a tree, unfortunately the sounds of a crowd cheering wake him up.

"What's the commotion" He says groggily

He pulls himself up from the ground and walks in the direction of the cheering. He sees the roads lined with the towns members, and going down the road is a group of soldiers.

Taiyō pulls a local hunter to the side and asks him what was going on.

"Ah, you haven't heard? Princess Amari herself is traveling through town on her way south."

Ah... So what's what this is, Taiyō thinks to himself. He's annoyed that some stuffy noble's traveling is what awoke him from his well needed nap. He's never understood the weird reverence that nobles reveive from commoners like him. They're people, just like them and himself.

He sighs deeply and heads back to the field, figuring if he's up he might as well get back to work. Once he's back to the field, he grabs his sickle and gets to cutting rice stalks.

Taiyō considers what the Princess heading down south means. Probably to begin the actual expansion of the Empire into the southern island. What exactly will come of that, Taiyō isn't really sure... Politics aren't something small town farmers like him should worry about anyways.

After work, Taiyō heads back to his family house and cleans the days worth of sweat of off him. The years of hard labor have given him a lean, yet muscular body. After his bath, he heads into the kitchen and gets to work on cooking dinner.

He prepares a plate of food and brings it into his mother's room. She's laying in her futon, alseep. The woman is clearly sick, her skin gaunt over her features and slightly miscolored.

"Mother, wake up. I cooked dinner."

The woman rouses awake groggily.

"Ah, Taiyō I didn't hear you come in. Come here, sit."

Taiyō does as he's told and sits by his mother's futon as she eats. It stays quiet for a long time.

"The doctor said a merchant carrying medicine should arrive in town soon." Taiyō says, breaking the silence

"Taiyō, dear. I know you've always been an optimistic boy... But you need to be ready in case the worse happens."

"The worse won't happen!" Taiyō stands up "I've been saving up money for months. As soon as this merchant arrives in town I can buy a cure for your sickness."

"Taiyō.... You always act so uncaring about the world... But you have such a good heart."

Taiyō blushes a bit then heads out the room, eats his dinner and heads to sleep himself.

He wakes up the next morning, gets dressed, and heads out into town for the day. He notices while out that the tavern seems to be more busy than normal. He heads inside and there's a crowd gathering around a face Taiyō has never seen before. The man is dressed in a warriors grey hakama, a sword sheathed onto his hip.

Taiyō walks up and sits down at the bar next to the man. Taiyō looks the man over. His graying hair and wrinkled face are proof of his experience, yet his body is toned, clearly a man who doesn't let his age slow him down. Taiyō gets the feeling that this man is a warrior who's seen much battle.

"New in town, what's your name freind?" Taiyō asks

"I'm just passing through." the man responds

"Ah yeah... Princess passed through yesterday. You with her?"

"No I'm not."

"Ah, sorry. I assumed with the sword and all you were a soldier."

"Soldier? Warrior would be the more accurate term."

"Interesting... Sorry for all the questions. The town seems to be curious about you, but no one seemed to be brave enough to approach you. Never told me your name by the way?"

"Hiroshi. Kashikoi Hiroshi."

Taiyō is taken back by that name. He has heard it before. A traveling swordsman who goes around the Archipelago clearing up monsters for free. Why would someone like that be here? And then he realized it.

"There's trouble nearby isn't there?" Taiyō whispers

"And this is why I didn't tell you my name." The older man whispers with a sigh

"Just curious if I need to tell the town to be cautious." Taiyō asks

The man takes a long sip of sake and puts his mug down.

"Yes, you should. It's close."

After that Hiroshi stands up and begins to leave. Taiyō, however trails the man into the nearby forests, where he has a camp set up.

"Why are following me?" Hiroshi asks

Taiyō is startled by this and slides out from behind a nearby tree.

"I've heard stories about you. That you have weird powers."

Hiroshi turns to him and gives him a stern look.

"I just need to know if you can heal my mother okay. She's really sick and needs help."

Hiroshi sighs

"What are her symptoms?" He asks

"She's weak, running a fever, lacks an appetite and lately been coughing up blood." Taiyō explains

"Even if I could heal her, I doubt there'd be anything I could do. I'm sincerely sorry boy."

After hearing what Hirosho said, Taiyō breaks down crying in front of the man.

"No! Dammit... NOOO!" Taiyō screams into the forest

"Boy, don't you remember that I said there was something out here? Screaming like that is bound to-"

Hiroshi is cut off by the sound of a low growling coming from the brush. Hiroshi quickly gets up and draws his blade with a swiftness one can only achieve with a lifetime of experience.

"Boy, I need you to listen to me. Run, now."

Taiyō barely perceives what Hiroshi said over the sound of him crying. This was likely his last chance to save her. The medicine story he told her the previous night was a lie. In fact, the doctor told him that there was no medicine that could fully cure her, only things that could ease her suffering. He had hoped that the stories he heard about Hiroshi were true, and that the man could heal her, but after hearing what he had to say, Taiyō's hope was shattered.

Taiyō finds himself being shaken out of his stupor by Hiroshi.

"Boy! Quickly move!"

Taiyō hears a resounding howl beckon through the forest. Looking in it's direction is a creature Taiyō has never seen before. It's morphology is canine like, but it's double the size of any wolf he's seen before. It's skin is covered in scales, poking through it's back are elongated vertebrae that form an almost sail like structure, it claws are each like steak knifes stabbing through the skin of a normal wolf's paw, and it's face was almost like a normal wolf's but it was covered in scales and had no lips, it's serrated teeth bared at all times.

Taiyō barely has time to react before the thing begins charging in thier direction. Hiroshi curses and turns to the beast, his sword at the ready. Taiyō pushes himself off the ground and begins to run . The creature however chases after him, causing Hiroshi to follow as well.

Taiyō is trying to think of what to do, there's no way he's outrunning that monster. He turns around,and the creature is gaining on him faster than he expected, but Hiroshi isn't far behind it. "Old man's still got some pep in his step it seems", Taiyō thinks to himself. A plan quickly formulates in his head.

Taiyō stops his run and turns around to face the beast. The creature pounces towards his direction, and Taiyō quickly ducks causing the creature to go flying over him and slam into a tree. Hiroshi runs past Taiyō and slashes the beast while it's still down.

This attack however doesn't leave a deep enough cut to put the monster down, but it is badly injured. It slashes at Hiroshi with one of it's claws, catching him by suprise, grazing his leg as he steps back to dodge. Despite barely touching the man, right left pant leg begins to be dyed red with blood.

"Dammit"

Taiyō shouts standing himself back up. The creature gets itself off the ground and begins eyeing Hiroshi with hunger in it's gaze. Taiyō quickly grabs a branch from the ground and throws it at the beast, grabbing it's attention. "If it fell for the last trick, it can't be much smarter than a normal animal", Taiyō thinks.

It sprints at him and begins to pounce at him, but before it has the chance, Hiroshi intercepts i and thrusts his sword through it's throat. This doesn't kill the creature, but yanking the sword upwards and nearly decapitating it does the job.

Taiyō collapses in a sitting position, exhausted from both exertion and fear. Hiroshi walks up to him.

"Are you a fool!? You could've gotten yourself killed."

"You're one of them aren't you?"

Hiroshi eyes him sternly

"Indeed, I am."

Taiyō knew Hiroshi wouldn't ask for clarification on his question. It would've been pointless. Only they can fight these monstrosities. The Sohei.

Taiyō and Hiroshi returned to the town without another word. Taiyō returned home and went to check on his mother. As he walked into the house, he hears a horrific coughing fit coming from her room. He rushes into there and sees that she's coughed up a lot of blood.

"Mother, mother! Are you okay." Taiyō asks, tears in his eyes

"Hah... We both know I'm not my son.." She says weakly

"Mother, I'm sorry.... The doctor said there was nothing he could do... I even found a Sohei! And even he said there was nothing to be done. I feel so... Useless." Taiyō says full on crying, tears raining from his eyes like waterfalls

"You're not useless... You've made me proud to raise such a kind and loving son."

"But I couldn't save you! You're going to die!" He shouts

"I know... Sometimes there are people who just can't save. What's important is that you tried your best and gave me a life worth living."

Taiyō goes quiet for a bit.

"What am I going to do without you?" Taiyō says calmly

"Whatever you want... You'll be free. I've been a burden for you for so long."

"You haven't been a burden. I love you."

"I love you too. Do you remember the story of your name?"

"You and dad were trying to come up with a name... And you decided upon Taiyō, because to you I was as brilliant as the sun itself."

"Exactly. Do whatever your heart desires and I'm sure you'll find happiness. My only regret in life is not living long enough to see you marry and have children of your own."

Taiyō goes silent for a a few minutes.

"I guess I should get dinner ready huh?"

Taiyō says trying to lighten the mood, but there's no response.

"Mother?"

No response.

"Mother?!"

No response.

"MOTHER!"

The rest of the day, Taiyō spends digging a grave and getting other funeral proceedings down. He feels... empty inside during all this, he'd rather crawl into a hole and wait for his own demise, but this has to be done.

Some local men help carry her coffin from the undertaker's to her grave the next day. Taiyō makes sure the the head of the coffin will face towards the sunrise. Taiyō thinks of the fancy funerals people who live in largers cities have, with cremation. Unfortunately the small little town of Yonemura doesn't have the technology to do cremations, so a burial is the best that can be done. The local priest does a prayer to the spirits and that's it, it's over. They fill the grave and drive her grave marker through the ground, on it the name Aoi. Next to her, is Taiyō's father's grave, a man he never even met.

With that down Taiyō heads to the towns tavern, solemn and depressed but there's something he wants to do. He goes and talks to the owner of the establishment and asks if he's seen the old guy anywhere around. The owner tells him that he rented the room upstairs yesterday.

Taiyō heads up the stairs and knocks on the door. Hiroshi opens it and looks the boy up and down.

"Your mother, she's dead isn't she."

Taiyō gives a slight nod yes.

"Come in boy."

Taiyō walks into the room, the accommodations being very modest.

"So what is it you-"

"Can you teach me?"

This question clearly catches Hiroshi off guard from the expression Taiyō notices on his face for a second, which quickly converts back to his normal cold stone visage.

"Do you even have any idea what you're asking?"

"I do. You're a Sohei aren't you?"

Hiroshi sighs

"Yes, I am. However that doesn't mean I'll train any farm boy who asks."

"Please?"

"I'll humor you, give me your reason why you want to be a Sohei."

Taiyō ponders the question for a moment. He isn't even really sure. When his mother died, he felt so utterly useless, like there was nothing he could do. That sense of helplessness was the worst feeling he'd ever experienced in his life. Maybe he hopes to avoid that feeling ever again by becoming stronger?

"I want to be strong." Taiyō responds

"Why? Strength simply for the sake of strength is rarely something that motivates humans. Generally it's something to either further their egos, thier greed, or for vengeance. You don't strike me as the type to care about any of those things, so give me your REAL reason." Hiroshi lectures

"I don't want to lose anyone ever again."

Taiyō says without thinking. He's aware of how childish of a wish that is, people die all the time for a multitude of reasons. Yet, when he looks at Hiroshi's face, he sees a look of satisfaction upon it that surprises him.

"What a foolish wish, yet one that reminds me of my youth."

"So will you teach me?"

"The answer was never going to be not no, what I do is far to dangerous to have a person following me around, and I don't want any-"

"Please recons-"

"Let me finish! I don't want to teach anyone. However if you're serious about this, close to the city of Yama no toshi there's a forest of Cherry Blossoms. In that forest you'll find a shrine, there they'll be someone likely willing to teach you."

"Thank you."

"Let me warn you, the life of a Sohei is one of dedication. It's not something you can jump in and out of. Once your start this path, you'll be on it until you die.. do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good, you'll need that determination. I'll be leaving town during the night. May next time we meet, it be on equal terms."

"Yes sir."

Hiroshi goes to lead Taiyō out, but turns to him and grabs his arm

"The pain you're feeling will never go away. It'll numb with time, but it'll always be there as a reminder of your love for those you've lost. Let that love push you to attain further and further heights."

With that, Taiyō leaves the tavern and heads home to sleep. As Hiroshi said, he left town during the night, leaving now trail as to where he went.

After the death of his mother, there was nothing left for him in Yonemura anymore. So he came to the decision to leave. He used the money he saved up to buy her medicine and instead purchased traveling supplies with the intent to travel to Yama no Toshi.

Taiyō had never ventured from town, so the idea of leaving is exciting, yet unnerving. What if he's waylaid by bandits, or worse, one of those monsters attack him. He decides to buy a sword, something for protection in case he needs to defend himself.

After his preparations, Taiyō sets off north of his home town. Taiyō thinks back on his life in Yonemura... His mother had been sick for a long time, he spent his adolescence earning morning so he could take care of her, even skipping meals at times. He had dreams of his mother one day being cured, so he could move on in life and start a family of his own. He supposes that in some sick twist of fate, he got his wish. For as much as her death saddened him beyond believe, seeing her face not writhe with suffering gave him a shred of peace.