Fractured Bonds

The next morning, Makoto woke to see that Ryu and Chihiro had already left the palace early that morning. With a sigh, he plopped himself back onto his bed, still exhausted from the previous day. He put his hand over the bruise on his right cheek, which still stung slightly. 'I wonder if Ryu's any better now,' Makoto thought. "Where's Shiro gone off to?" He mumbled to himself as he sat up again. Shiro had always been a sort of guide for Makoto since they met, and now he couldn't find him in the guest room. 'Guess I'll go outside,' he thought as he went over to the door.
As he walked through the long halls of the palace, Makoto went over what had happened the previous day. They had been talking with Iduna about the Abyss. He knew it was a sensitive topic for them, yet everything had been going well. Until he had questioned the Abyss' humanity, and made Ryu angry.

Questioned.

He had questioned.

A simple thing on Earth, yet practically taboo in Eldoria.

'Why do the Eldorians hate questions so much?' Makoto pondered, his brow furrowed. 'It's not like people on Earth like questions either, but at least they'll give you some kind of answer!' Frustrated, tired and confused, Makoto screamed out and slammed his fist against the wall of the palace.

"WHAT THE HECK?!"

Hearing the comotion, Iduna hurried to see what was going on. "Makoto!" She called out and hurried to his side. "A-Are you alright?" She asked, concerned for him. Unable to say anything, Makoto turned to Iduna and buried his face in her shoulder, fighting back tears. Iduna stroked his hair as she put her other arm around him, offering what support she could.

After a few moments, Makoto made his way back to the garden. The fresh breeze seemed to calm him, like it was brushing away all the problems of the previous day. Suddenly, the silence was broken by a familiar voice. "So, how've you been holding out?" The voice said. Makoto turned to see Ryu's father behind him. "Mr. Yamamoto?" Makoto said in disbelief. "How did you get here?"
"I have my ways," Yamamoto said nonchalantly, his expression unchanged as he turned to face Makoto. "So, I see Ryu's given you some trouble lately," he said, nodding to the bruise on Makoto's cheek. "Please don't get Ryu in trouble for it," Makoto started to say. "I know he didn'tー"
Yamamoto held up his hand and said "I know, he didn't mean it, and I believe you." Makoto looked at Yamamoto, slightly confused. "I've seen it; he just gets worked up about the Abyss easily because," Yamamoto stopped, furrowing his brow. "How old are you, Makoto?" He asked. "Um," Makoto said, unsure of what exactly was happening. "I'm fifteen, why?" Yamamoto nodded as if he was processing something important. "I'm going to tell you what happened to my village," Yamamoto said, his expression firm yet seemingly worried. "If at any point, it becomes too much, tell me to stop, alright?" Makoto nodded slowly, and as Yamamoto began, his gaze drifted off to the clouds as he remembered the day that had haunted him since.

Twenty years ago, the now burned village of Ishigami, named after the chief, was a warm and welcoming place where festivals were almost a part of everyday life, hence travelers calling it "The Village of Festivals". Yamamoto Ryosuke, Ryu's father, had been the mot powerful in the whole village, as well as a very honorable and trustworthy young man. He had met Junko Yamakawa, his wife, a few years prior and was already Ryu's father at that time. However, all good things must come to an end, as they say; and that was exactly what happened when the Abyss stormed into the village.
"Listen closely," the Abyss Warrior shouted at the people. "I've come to challenge your strongest warrior to a duel!" Then, the group of villagers parted, revealing Ryosuke. "Abyss," he said, loud and clear. "I accept your challenge."
"A wise choice," the Abyss Warrior smirked as he spoke. The duel was fierce, but Ryosuke emerged victorious in the end. However, the Abyss Warrior he had fought did not take this defeat lightly. With unparalleled speed, he zipped through the crowd of people and emerged again with none other than Ryu in his grasp. He held his blade up as if preparing to swing it down on the child. "Leave my son alone!!" Ryosuke shouted, a mix of fury and fear in his voice.
The Abyss Warrior laughed with evil. "Let the Abyss burn this village down or your precious son dies!!" The Abyss Warrior said, his eyes glowing with evil. Faced with an impossible decision, Ryosuke reluctantly agreed on the condition that his family be left alone.

Before he could continue, Yamamoto and Makoto heard a familiar voice. "Father?" Ryu said as he went over to the two, Chihiro in tow. He sounded just as tired as Makoto did that morning, if not worse. "Ryu," Yamamoto said quietly as he turned to face Ryu.
Ryu and Makoto glanced at each other before looking away. "Father," Ryu started. "It's my fault." Yamamoto nodded. "I know," he said quietly. Ryu looked at his father, his expression pensive. "If you're angry, just say so," Ryu said, as if waiting for punishment. "I should've been able to control myself yesterday, and instead I took my anger out on Makoto. So just be angry, or at least disappointed in me!" Ryu said, his voice getting louder as he spoke. "But I'm not angry," Yamamoto replied calmly. "And I'm not disappointed, either. I'm just worried for you."

Ryu's shoulders relaxed slightly hearing this. "Though," Yamamoto said. "I know of someone who may be able to shed some light on the situation of the Abyss." The trio looked at Yamamoto in surprise. "Really?" Makoto asked. "It's true," Shiro said as he walked by the group. "Kamiyama, you know of the seer as well?" Yamamoto asked, to which Shiro nodded.
"If memory serves me," Shiro started, "the seer lives between Snowmantle Peak and Flame's Mountain. That area is called 'The In-between', and nothing really happens there."
Makoto pondered on these words for a moment. 'What if they know the answers to my questions?' He thought. 'What if they also think the Abyss might have a chance to be human??'
"I advise you four to seek them out," Yamamoto said. "But Father," Chihiro spoke up. "What will we tell the Apex Master?" Yamamoto chuckled slightly. "I know him personally, there shouldn't be a problem." And so, the quartet started on their way to find the Seer.