The Legend of Akio Chapter 1 : Prologue It happened a long time ago, when Doma was free of the Empire's grasp. In the drowning sunset, a small farm boy was found swinging his wooden sword, it was known as katana in that far land of the East. His face was woeless and full of hope. He gripped tha t wooden katana firmly, moving his arms above his head and slightly shifting his feet into a stance, there he was ready to strike. The boy took a long breath, then with sudden gasp, the boy moved his arm, so quickly that the wind was cloven into two, the tall grass shaken, were it not for the firm root, it would've flown away, joining the clouds. The boy smiled, seeing what sheer force he was able to wrought. "Akio! come, dinner is about!" A gentle yet loud voice claimed the air, enough for the boy to gl ance over, but he was not startled, instead smiling at no end, for it was his mother that called. He ran towards that voice, into a small hut in the middle of a tiny farm field, "Coming ma!" And the boy went home. The hut was small, yet it was enough to s helter two grown adult and small child, that was the boy, Akio as what his mother told us . "Where is papa?" The boy looked hopeful to his mother, and his mother calmly replied, "Father was still at the field, harvest was halfed so your father must work har der. But worry not Akio, for the King shall grace us with abundance when He came to our land. His mother was of beauty and emerald, taken by a note of green hue from her eyes, a shimmering beautiful woman. "Come, let us pray before we wait for your fath er." The boy was bright and polite, and so he replied with a cheerful nod. It was not long after they prayed, his father pushed that wooden door of that small hut, you could see a black hue under his jade eyes, clearly the man was tired after the long labo r. He had a beard to cover his chin, but his lips was still seen. As the man looked at Akio, his face became bright and his lips widen, "Akio, my boy!" He jogged to his son, reaching his armpits and picked the boy up to his eye level, only to hug him fir mly. "Papa, I miss you!" The boy cheered. And the night came, they all sat in a small square table, surrounded by the dim light, for they were only able to afford several candles. There was no other houses, for they lived malms deep in the mountain. At da y, you could see a beautiful view of Othard as their house was on the edge of a cliff, but the rest of the mountain was covered in long bamboo trees. "Delicious rice with your favourite special sauce, Akio!" His mother smiled as she started serving the r ice covered in dark brown soy sauce. "Yay, thank you mama!" The boy watched his delicious meal being served before him. For them, it was a graceful dinner but you might think otherwise, as the plate contained only rice and the delicious aromatic sauce, n one else. Yet the boy ate with vigor, and his mother and father only smiled at each other. Their days continued as usual, at morning Akio helped his mother in housework, and at noon the boy played in the field beside his house with the wooden katana his f ather made. His mother told Akio not to venture deeper as the bamboo forest surrounding the house was none but haunted, yet Akio's father kept going there for his labour. In truth, the mother warning was not entirely true. The path was safe except the no rthern path, leading to the cave on the mountain, for a horrid tragedy lived the place. It was another late afternoon at the house, Akio was found playing hide and seek with his father. "Papa, ready or not, this riceseeker is going to find you!" His fathe r giggled and howled, "Oh riceseeker, I beg mercy, mercy!" It was an obvious small hut and there was only one suitable hiding place, which was a small basement underneath the house. It was so small that only an adult could enter, yet Akio was no adult and he managed to slip in, surprising the father. "Ha, found you! I'm going to eat you now, nom nom nom nom!" Akio rushed and tickled his father, and they both laughed. "Murashi, dear!" A gentle voice shouted from above, clearly it was Akio's mother and we k new that his father's name was Murashi. "Yes dear, you called?" His father peaked his head, to see his wife but she was not found. The father slowed Akio's tickling as he tried to climb up to the house again. "Hehe Akio, stop. I'm going to get to your moth er." His father glanced his head around, but his mother was not visible. "Murashi, dear, Murashi, love~" The gentle voice returned, but it was more howling, and it came not from the house, but from that bamboo forest. His father began to pale as he called for Akio , "My boy, father is going to work, you stay here and wait for yo ur mother, alright?" Akio tilted his head as he was confused, "Work? But it's already late at night papa." His father looked at the boy and smiled at his innocence, he kneeled and stroked the boy's hair . "Yes, I know, listen Akio. Your mother is missing and papa needs to find mama before - " Murashi paused, watching as Akio's face began to fear. He held Akio's hands tightly, " Akio, you need not fear, perhaps your mother needs an extra rice for tomorrow and so she needs to grab a sack at the paddy field." Mu rashi tried to calm the boy, even though his excuse made no sense. Yet the boy understood and nodded. Murashi smiled once again , "I will be back shortly okay, it won't be long, I promise." Akio watched as his father brought a stick from the warehouse und erneath, It was approximately sixty to eighty centimeters, wrapped in black sheath. It was not long before Murashi hid it under his robe, glancing at Akio for the last time, his lips parted as if he was about to speak, but then the sweet gentle voice retur ned, wrapping Murashi's ears. "Murashi, dear, Murashi, love, Murashi, Murashi..." And so he opened the door and hurried to the tall bamboo forest. Akio watched as his father went into the forest. As Murashi left, the cold wind began to sweep. The wooden house had a tiny fireplace, dimly lighting the house, keeping Akio warm. Yet the wind slithered, and the house began to cold. Yet we found out that Akio was not helpless, he firmly began on his feet, searching for lumber just outside his house, he brough t and stoked the fire, keeping it warm for the night. As the night darkened, the white moon showed, lighting the outside of the house just enough for a boy to see. "Akio, dear. Akio, love~" The gentle voice whispered, and Akio woke up in shock, as that v oice was of his mother, he began to look hopeful and he crept his head outside the window, as he heard the voice from outside. He looked at naught, but when he glanced right, a tall shadow emerged from the forest, it was too dark to see, save that the figu re was of a woman and long hair, resembling his mother. "Mama...?" The boy questioned himself, as joyous he was, he felt strange, as if his pure heart told him to avoid. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a clear look at the figure, but it was to no ava il. The figure of the woman slowly dragged herself to the house, and Akio's heart raced. He moved his hand to his chest, feeling his body screaming, telling him not to look longer, but Akio could not avert his eyes, as the figure was about to be exposed by the moon light . "Akio, dear. Akio, love.." The voice returned to Akio's ears, only louder. His body trembled and numbed, "Akio, dear. Akio, love." "Akio dear, Akio, love." "Akio, dear. Akio, love." "Akio - " The voice came silent as a loud thud came to t he wooden door, Akio jumped as his eyes cried in terror, it was his father, drenched in black , "Akio, hide!" Akio was clueless but was compelled to his father's order. He rushed to the basement, sneaking himself between the wooden boxes. At last he found w armth, hiding behind the wooden boxes he felt safe. Everything became silent but he could not spill his fear away. He waited long enough until dawn." Where dawn rose and night faded, what fate awaited the boy, Akio?