PREQUEL: TALE OF MUSASHI (CHAP1)

This is the tale of a legendary swordsman. A warrior who has become a myth in the land of Wado. No one could dare say his name as death will hunt them if they are not careful.

I advise you to be careful as well.

It was in an era when, after long battles, the Wado Country finally reunited under one ruler. The Emperor had given the honor to three families who had a historical impact on the history of the country. The first Clan was the Hebikawa Clan. It was known for its medicine and poison skills. However, after trying to stage a coup, the emperor ordered their clan to be annihilated. And it happened. So, the Inari Clan, a new clan formed in the emperor’s new reign, became one of the three deities. The second Clan was the Taiga Clan. A clan known for their warriors and their savagery back before the Emperor’s dynasty started. Under the new ruler, they became his swords. And lastly, a Clan where not a single person could attack them without thinking about the consequences. A clan that devoted their time to the mastery of the Katana and the spiritual existence connected to it. In the new reign, they became the executioners. This clan was the Karasuyama Clan. And that is where our story starts.

In their holy mountain far away from the capital, where most of the clans have moved to, the Karasuyama Clan has continued its isolation tradition. At the top of the mountain, where the altitude is high, the family members live their daily lives.

A day to remember as the Head Master was called to execute one of the last remaining Hebikawa clan members.

‘’Lord Karasuyama, the carriage is ready.’’ A servant wearing all black, hiding his face with a black cloth, said.

Karasuyama was a tall man with a defined jawline and ponytail-styled hair. It was so long that it almost reached his feet. His black kimono with a white belt was a bit open, showing his muscles. Under his eyes, there were black patches which gave him a lifeless aura. Karasuyama entered the carriage, and then they took off.

On their way, they heard bumps from the back of the storage box. Karasuyama ordered the driver to stop and check. There they found a sleeping child who had long hair covering his face, wearing a dirty black kimono. His hair was almost like it was covering him as a blanket.

‘’Should we go back, Head Master?’’

‘’No. Let’s continue.’’

After the trip to the capital, the child woke up in a tatami room. In front of him was the Head Master.

‘’You’re finally awake, boy.’’ Karasuyama who was drinking his green tea. No response from the child. ‘’You are one of my children, I assume. What were you doing in the storage box?’’ No response again from the child.

Karasuyama put his cup down and grabbed the brush on his right. He dipped it in black ink and started writing the calligraphy on an empty scroll he grabbed from his left.

‘’Not answering my question could lead to your death, boy.’’ His voice was calm even though he said something terrifying. The child, however, didn’t react. Not even a single movement. Instead, he focused on the brush as it moved. It was majestic for him. Then, Karasuyama stopped. As the child looked up, a katana was on his neck. It was so fast that he didn’t have time to react.

‘’Your life could end without you knowing, boy.’’

Karasuyama looked at the child and saw that he wasn’t scared at all. In fact, his pupils dilated. Karasuyama then put his katana back in its sheath and sat in front of him.

‘’Boy, what name did I give you?’’ No response from the child again. It was then that it hit him.

‘’You… I remember you now. You’re the boy who can’t speak.’’

Karasuyama then started thinking about how to communicate with the kid. While thinking, the child crawled to the katana behind him.

‘’Boy! That’s not a toy— ‘’ Karasuyama was interrupted when he saw the look on the kid’s face. He was so fascinated with the katana, grabbed it and hugged it tight like it was a teddy bear.

‘’What a weird kid… No. He’s…’’

‘’Head Master.’’ A servant entered the room. ‘’They are waiting for you.’’

‘’I see.’’ He grabbed the katana from the kid. ‘’I want you to bring the boy to the first row of the execution.’’

The servant did as he was commanded. The child kept looking around, seeing how many people were gathered, the shouting when the criminal came in, the silence when the emperor and his counselors came in. But then, he was in a whole different feeling when Lord Karasuyama entered the podium. With each step, the child felt a dark sense of something bigger and bigger gathering around him. When he positioned himself to execute, more of that dark aura gathered and surrounded his katana. Then, the Emperor gave the go, and in one motion, the blade cut the criminal’s head off clean. The child’s eyes reflected the one smooth swing of the blade as his pupils were larger than ever.

The next day, Karasuyama came back to the holy mountain.

A bunch of servants were waiting in front of the palace. They bowed down immediately as the cart stopped.

‘’Welcome back, my lord.’’ Karasuyama got out with the kid. One of the servants recognized him immediately.

‘’Musashi!’’ She said.

‘’So, that’s your name.’’ His eyes shifted from the kid to the servant. ‘’I found him sleeping in my cart. So, I took him with me.’’

‘’My apologies, Head Master! I didn’t know he was in the cart sleeping.’’ The lady servant immediately went on her knees and bowed her head down.

‘’Make sure you give him a good bath and clean clothes. He will stay in the inner castle from now on. ‘’ Karasuyama walked past her as he spoke.

The Karasuyama Clan palace is special in design, as it has different castles inside. The first castle is for the disciples of the Karasuyama Clan to live in. The second castle is for the born Karasuyama Clan family members and their family branches. The last one, which is the inner castle, is where the Head Master and his chosen family live. Servants differ from each castle as well.

While walking through the castles, everyone will make a row and bow down to the Head Master. They won’t budge until he leaves the premises. It was when he got to the second castle that he was greeted the same way by the family members.

‘’Welcome back, Head Master!’’ Everyone in one motion spoke loudly and firmly.

The family members noticed Musashi behind the Head Master. As he walked past them, Musashi was glared at. Their jealousy of him walking beside the lord was shown on their faces.

As they arrived at the inner castles, servants took care of him, washed him, fed him, and gave him clothes. Then, he was summoned to the lord’s own chamber. The door was slid open.

‘’Here he is, Head Master. ’’

‘’Alright.’’

Musashi entered the room and kept looking around. Then, he saw a katana hanging on the wall. He immediately was mesmerized by it. He approached it, but then the lord spoke.

‘’Stop right there, boy.’’ Musashi looked back at Karasuyama. ‘’That katana is a no-touching zone. If you touch it, you will be cursed.’’

Musashi kept shifting his look from the Head Master to the katana. He then tilted his head to the right as he raised one eyebrow.

‘’Whoever wields that katana is cursed to die! Whether it is a month from now or a year. That katana has powers that make its master go insane. The last wielder was the eighth Karasuyama, and he was known for killing his own family.’’ Karasuyama spoke as he brought out the brush and the scroll from the desk behind him. ‘’Now, come and sit here. I shall teach you the art of calligraphy.’’

Musashi sat down in front of him and continued to observe as Karasuyama started using the brush. This continued for hours. Then, Karasuyama left the kid, trying his best to replicate what he wrote. When he got back several hours later, he saw Musashi, covered in ink, still trying his best to replicate the calligraphy. Karasuyama smiled and left him doing what he was doing.