Prologue
Upon an old, craggy mountain, there once existed a Temple. Although surrounding trees had shredded they stood proud. It was a well kept temple - maintained and honoured by a small contingent of monks. Life was quite filled with prayer and study.
And yet despite their peaceful existence, respect of nature and one another, scarcely had it received visitors from the lowlands below. Scarcely did it receive mention, only in tales to frighten children and in stories shrouded by superstition for this Temple was not home to any man, it was home to the Yokai or more specifically Tengu, Crow-Demons. Monsters.
Of course, Sirco did not believe that, he had travelled halfway across the globe in search of this mountainside home. They had offered him Sanctuary and a peaceful existence once, and he intended to take them up on that offer and perhaps... the sense belonging he so desperately desired - so he ascended the 1,015 steps. Through winters bounty of bitter wind and rain his body persevered hardened by the burdens he sought to leave behind.
*
Sasami head lay back listening to the defiant hisses of the braziers blaze, the drumbeat of water against her beak. The crow feathered creature expected no trouble or visitors today, and her Kasaya weighed heavily upon her shoulders, waterlogged by the downpour.
Eyes closed she lowered her head from the ocean of grey and stared down to the mountainous earth. She had to wonder, if this was the kind of thing monsters did. She indulged herself in sake to loosen her body after hard days work, she liked to indulge herself besides the cold stone Foo dog guardians on the occasional rest, much like she was now.
Despite it all, they weren't at all that different from the villagers down in the valley below. Villagers who could kill without giving anything back but surely there were many kinds of human. The Brave and foolish, the kind and terrible.
They had once served as Guardians to these people - and now they were feared.
04-Jan-2018 22:53:35