No Turning Back

Chapter Twenty: Self-Discipline

And when the desire for warmth and affection crept up; he would make sure to destroy such thoughts by picturing himself wielding his family's ancestral katana and triumphantly vanquishing foes. Takeo may not have been a very good hunter but he made up for it in his ability to fight.

His father was a peaceful man who shunned the offensive arts. As a hunter, he only took from the land what was required and tried to instill in his sons the importance of self-sufficiency and being a provider. But in the village, many of the young men actively revelled in bloody brawls which displeased Takeo's father.

As a young boy, Takeo marvelled at the many duels which would take place outside of the village. At night, he would sneak out of the house and follow the warm glowing lanterns as they hovered around in the woods. Takeo would hide amongst the foliage as he watched the small crowd gather and both fighters prepare themselves for battle.

Of course, many of these fights lacked any finesse and Takeo knew they would be frowned upon by his family.  So he spent years keeping his love of fighting to himself. He would continue to flounder as a hunter to try and please his father but his insufficiency created a rift between them.

However, upon his 10th birthday. Takeo's father suddenly took unwell. Takeo had been out playing in the woods when he heard the wails of his mother. His brothers - now strong adolescent men - ran to the garden where his father had collapsed. The memory recalled itself perfectly in Takeo's mind as he watched them carry their father into the house.

For the next year, his father languished in bed like an invalid. He could no longer walk or feed himself which left his wife with the responsibility of caring for him. Money was scarce and his father's inability to work put considerable strain on the household. Work was just as scarce and Takeo's brothers found themselves without much in the way of an income for themselves let alone the rest of the family.

His father went into a deep depression over his condition and felt ashamed of the burden he now put upon his family. He often begged his wife to put him out of his misery but she could not bring herself to take his life. There was a heavy, suffocating atmosphere in the small family house which repelled Takeo and his brothers from wanting to enter.

Having been told stories of demons and evil spirits, called yokai; the family began to worry that a curse had been put upon them. Takeo's mother began to believe that her husband had angered the tengu king which resided in the forest. Tengu yokai are powerful bird-like men who have the power to either plague humans or assist them. Growing up in the village everyone had been told the story of the tengu king Sōjōbō. Many feared the powerful yokai god who rules over the tengu and inhabits Mount Kurama and its surrounding forest.

However, the boys knew more about that day than their mother. During one of their hunts the eldest brother Shin, who was the strongest but most arrogant, decided to outshow their father. Shin boasted to his siblings that his marksmanship was unrivalled in the whole Prefecture.

As they ventured deep into the heart of the forest, the father and sons came across a majestic stag which had bowed its head to drink from a stream. Takeo's father had no interest in hunting the animal and proceeded to quietly avoid the creature as they continued their journey. Shin, however, saw it as a brilliant opportunity to prove to his brothers that he could shoot the creature from their 100 meter distance.

Before Takeo's father realised what was happening; Shin fired the fatal shot as the arrow flew through the air and pierced the creature's neck. The stag let out a low guttural cry as it crashed to the ground. The crystal clear water of the stream was now tainted with the creature's blood as the waters carried it away.

Shin gave a large smug grin before he turned to see the anger in his father's eyes. Takeo had immediately recalled the stories of King Sōjōbō and began to pray for forgiveness. However, whilst on his knees, the forest began to darken as the wind howled and the forest wailed over the loss of its child. The branches of the trees violently shooed the men as they knew they had angered the small kodama spirits which resided in the trees.

Takeo's father panicked knowing that his son had angered the forest spirits and began begging them for forgiveness. But, instead of repenting, Shin saw no fault in his actions and refused to pray to the spirits. The forest then let out a loud roar as the wind bellowed and kicked up the forest floor in a whirlwind of decaying leaves and soil - forcing them all to leave. When they returned home; no one spoke of that day. Takeo's mother was never told what truly had happened as her husband took the blame to protect their son.

That evening, Takeo's father left the house and wandered back into the forest alone. He had set out with incense and offerings to the spirits as his lantern disappeared into the depths of the brush. Takeo lay awake all night worrying about his father's safety until he finally heard him return. The following morning, his father was stricken with the sudden illness.

So, whilst his brothers spent each day trying to get any work that was available; Takeo escaped to the forest to enjoy some solitude. His mother would beg him not to enter the woods lest he become stricken with the same curse. But, Takeo would ignore her pleas as he saw the forest as his haven.

In the middle of a clearing; there stood a grand cherry blossom tree which would bloom in the summer revealing its dark pink petals. The village children were told stories by their parents about the aethereal origin of the tree. Many believed the tree was planted by God himself and that it's bark was imbued with healing powers.

Takeo had always been drawn to the towering magnificence of the tree and sought refuge under its woven branches. He would spend hours meditating and listening to the nature around him. The wind would rustle the branches above him as the mighty tree remained stalwart. The birds would sing their melodies and the deer and fawns would lightly tread through the wood.

The sounds of the forest honed Takeo's senses as he practised. He learned to scan the trees and brush for prey and listen for their sounds. Takeo learned to distinguish the smells of the forest and use the wind to follow scents. His body became an antenna which tuned into his surroundings. Even in the moments before a storm closed in; the hairs in Takeo's arms would stand on end, alerting him, as the warm air began to electrify in preparation.

As he tried to escape his family's unpleasant situation; the forest took him in and nurtured him. And it was this time spent in the forest which Takeo owed his abilities to.

Takeo opened his eyes; returning back to the present predicament he now found himself in. As he did so, a small tear fell down his right cheek as he tried to rebury that painful time in his life.

End of part twenty...