| Berig | Created on Sunday, 19 November 2006 23:43 |
| Hijo Family |
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The crack of thunder, a stormy night, the screams of labor and finally the cries of one child, the future founder of the Hijo' family had been born. It was a small region in Japan governed by a young Daimyo lord, whom was off to battle at this time. His wife had conceived a child, and gave birth, costing her, her young life. A nameless child, heir to all the land and riches had been left parentless for the time. The thought of greed crossed the minds of a few nobles. They wanted to kidnap the Daimyo’s son, or murder him to prevent an heir. Many politicians went so far as to summon assassins to speak with a price, too greedy to pay a high price for the job. However, the caretaker, Aki Hinata, was a sweet girl, sister to the Daimyo, she had much influence on the people her brother ruled over and protected. This influence ultimately protected the nameless infant through the years to come. Upon the news of his young wife’s death and the birth of his son, the Daimyo, Ichigo rushed home to meet his son, and his sister. Upon entering his castle, ten nights of banquet began in celebration of the Lord Aki Ichigo’s son, and ten more days to mourn the death of his wife. Ichigo gazed at his son’s eyes. He saw the same gentle passion of his dear wife within them, and yet the fiery spirit of a warrior at the same time. “From this day forth, his name shall be Aki Raven.” Ichigo said placing a pendant around the newly named Raven’s neck. As the years passed on, Raven became a skilled Samurai serving in his father’s militia. His father taught him many virtues and the way of the Samurai. He had fought in five wars before the age of sixteen. On his seventeenth birthday, Raven was officially named the heir to the Aki clan, granted a holiday in his own name. However, the time for prosperity had come to an end. An assassin from a western province had snuck his way into the Aki capital, where everyone was enjoying the new Raven holiday. The assassin’s target was first Aki Ichigo, and then Aki Raven. Not predetermining what order to carry out the projects in the assassin decided to kill Raven first. Raven sat with his aunt, almost like his mother, enjoying poetry from an elderly Samurai. As the elderly Samurai finished his dramatic haiku a shrunken quickly ended the samurai’s life. Now on quick alert Raven jumped up looking around for where the shrunken had been thrown from. Aki Ichigo also had now been alerted and had taken up his sword. The assassin now took for Raven’s head. Raven’s eyes were horrorstruck as he was helpless to evade the assassin’s deception. His mind flashing for the end, a red blurred vision struck through his head, his heart was pounding, and he felt no pain. Raven opened his eyes and Aki Hinata had shielded Raven from the assassin. Aki Ichigo quickly counter attacked, dealing a fatal blow to the unsuspecting assassin. Determining where the assassin had come from, Aki Ichigo declared war on the western province. Many battles were fought and the Aki Clan had been pushed back to their last stand, their very own capital. The western province prepared to lay siege. Aki Ichigo and Aki Raven sat alone in their room, both preparing for the final stand. Raven took a minute to weep for the death of his aunt. “Without your guidance and love… I shall avenge your death!” Raven said to himself before taking up his sword and dressing in his ceremonial garbs. Ichigo and Raven remained in the castle as the western province commenced their attack. They pushed their way to the castle gates. The forces outside had been exhausted, pledging to defend their lord till their dying breaths. The way of the Samurai was, once you lost your honor, to take your own life. Ichigo had taught this to his son well. Raven had prepared a dagger and was preparing to commit hari kiri when his father burst into the room. “Son, this not a time for honor, or a time for mourning, this is a time for vengeance. We must redeem the honor of my sister, your aunt, Aki Hinata. Take up your sword and we shall fight our way down the stairs of our castle and live down with our fellow Samurai!” Ichigo had said to Raven, inspiring a new energy. Not yet nineteen years old, Raven had been faced with the battle of his life. He and his father took up their swords and emerged out of their palace and to the top of the stairs. Flames emitted from the city outside the castle walls, and the battle cries of men meeting their demise came from the mouth of the stairwell. Seeing their Lord Daimyo, the Samurai felt a new inspiration and fought with new found energy. Ichigo and Raven, side by side fought their way down the stairwell and into the heat of battle. An arrow shot from a random direction had pierced Raven in the chest. He stood fighting as long as he could before he had reached his limit and passed out. Raven’s eyes opened perhaps minutes, hours, or days later. He was awed as how he had not been killed by the arrow. He broke it off and glanced around. The once brutal battle scene now sat in a stale silence, the bodies of both comrades and enemies scattered around. Raven quickly took up his sword and searched around. He came to the castle gates, and the long stairway leading to the castle town had revealed what he was looking for. Ichigo and two of his loyal Samurai stood before the western Daimyo and three of his loyal Samurai, all the remained of both parties. Raven dashed down the flight of stairs sword flying with him in attempt to reach the bottom in time. However, the seven Samurai had already commenced their battle. One of the westerners stood with a bow on the outskirt of the battle, his target, Ichigo. He had shot Ichigo twice, before changing his target. Ichigo did not falter despite his pain. One of his comrades had been slain; Ichigo in a loud battle cry returned the favor. One last arrow had its sights on Ichigo’s head, but before it was slung Raven’s sword prevented his resolve. One moment of hesitation from the return of Raven spelt doom for another one of the westerners. The Daimyo struck down, not fatally, the other of Ichigo’s vassals and again Ichigo returned the favor. The Daimyo was strong, and in better condition than Raven and his father. Raven took to his father’s side. A loud wind whistled through the air as the three samurai took into a circle. A long battle commenced as Raven and Ichigo fought with all their hearts. As time and time again, it seemed one side would win, the other made a come back. The Daimyo finally had enough. He summoned the last of his energy and managed to push Ichigo off to the side and kicked Raven back. He then leapt high into the air and commenced an aerial attack targeted for Raven. Ichigo quickly found his ground and dove to shield Raven, his sword pointed upward. The westerner’s sword pierced Ichigo and Ichigo’s in return to his heart. Ichigo chuckled as he spat up blood. “Aki… will go to the grave with me, Raven…. Your eyes, the love, the fire, Hijo’ Raven…. Loving eyes of the fiery blade” he said before his time had finally come. “Father!!” Raven’s voice echoed through the tomb of many men. The vassal of Ichigo pledged his life to Raven, and was had become the first to join the Hijo’ clan. Raven and the vassal, Kariya departed the lands, too seek a new future. |
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