Six months had passed since the assault on Yamata. The forest had begun to sprout new life. The Islanders had begun the process of healing, and settling back into their peaceful and docile life. Except for one young boy. His rage and wrath never calmed. A living Maelstrom. He spent his days training himself to the brink of death. Repeating Begron's last words zealously. Kahu sat with the other widows, preparing the fruit and vegetables for tonight. Watching Kale play with the other children from afar. The Elders approached her, with the new and young Chieftain Kekoa leading them. His once perfect physique gone, now a rounder burly man. "Kahu, come with us." He ordered. Kekoa had never learned how to scowl like his father. The scowl that could terrify the misfits. His scowl gave a sense that something tedious would happen.
They took her to the Elders' hut. At the back of the hut, the weapons of the previous Chieftains were displayed. Hook clubs, spears, staves and maces. Weapons belonging to the strongest men of the archipelago. "What is this about?" Kahu asked, crossing her arms. "I need to make sure Kale is-" "We aren't here to discuss Kale. We're here to discuss Yamada." Kekoa said taking his seat. The Elders were pruned women and men, that sat beside Kekoa as advisors. "What about him?" She snapped. "You have taken him into your care, and I'm sure Osore would-" "Don't pretend to know, what she would want." Kahu snarled. Kekoa let out a sigh, and massaged his tired brow. "Fine, I'll drop the fucking pleasantries. Yamada is dangerous, and needs to be taken care of." "He is being taken care of." She growled planting her foot down.
"I meant permanently." He growled, locking eyes with her. "He's five years old! What could he be doing? That he needs to be killed!?" She cried out. She stormed over to Kekoa, standing over him. "He's exhibiting the signs." One of the Elders said. Her remorseful tone, enraged Kahu beyond belief. "He saw his mother killed. Woke up with a broken body, in a broken home, to see his father's grave. To then bury the rotting corpse of his mother. You people cannot seriously be discussing murdering a child, because he's ANGRY!" "So will you kill him when he turns?" Kekoa asked standing up. Kahu froze and pulled back. He towered over her. "There are no guardians, on Yamata. We have no idea, what he could turn into. And when he does, there might not be anyone here strong enough to stop him." He said marching her down. "We can't have the boy close, when he transforms." An Elder said sternly. "He'll need to be isolated." Another said.
"If he wasn't going to transform before, that will do nothing but make him turn!" "It's for the safety of Yamata! He alone is not worth endangering everyone else. Besides he's not even your-" Kahu struck Kekoa across the face. "He's mine now damn it!" She glared at the Elders, her fists balled up. "Keep asking these old people for guidance on how to be Chieftain. I can't wait to see how you explain, to the other mothers. That you should kill their children for being angry." Kahu stormed off, finding Kale hiding behind a tree, sobbing and red. "What happened!?" She said frantically, inspecting his body. Kale's breathing was erratic and he struggled to form words. Sniffing every second word. "The other children...they were....picking on...-" Kahu embraced Kale tightly, stroking his head. "It's alright. I'll go and talk to them. I won't let them pick on you anymore."
A young girl, with jet black hair tapped Kahu from behind. She had puffy eyes, with fresh scrapes and bruises on her knees. "He tried to help us." She sniffed. "I don't see any bruises?" Kahu asked. "I'm...not strong..." Kale whimpered. The words sent a shiver down her spine. "Stay here." She told him. Kahu sprinted off to find Yamada. The sun had reached its peak, he would be training his punches. The way the emissaries from the Citadel taught him. The sound of a tree rhythmically thumping, caught her attention. She rushed through the thicket of branches and bushes, the banging grew louder. Kahu stopped to see several children encircling Yamada. His front two knuckles were drenched in blood, and covered with splinters and loose hanging skin.
Their ring leader stepped forward. Kekoa's young son. Of course he would be the brat to make Kale cry. "Beat him up!" The other's egged on. Kelek, a plump and tall child for the age of seven, with a mopped head of jet black hair. "Why'd you scare off the girls?" He asked, getting into Yamada's face. Like a statute he simply glared at them, unmoving and unblinking. "That is a right for-" Kelek struck Yamada across the face, with his round fist. 'That little shit!' Kahu thought, ready to storm in and discipline the Chieftain's son. She stopped to admire, Yamada walking away. "Weak." He growled. "What'd you just say!?" Kelek asked pulling Yamada by the shoulder. "Weak." He repeated. Kelek struck Yamada across the face once more, with a right punch. Yamada fell to the ground. "Was that weak!?" The other children laughed with Kelek, as he threw his hands up victorious. "Yes." Yamada said, spitting out blood.
"Why don't you show me a real punch then?" Kelek taunted, opening his arms up wide. 'Kick him in the jewels, Yamada. End his bloodline.' Kahu thought, gleefully waiting in anticipation. Yamada marched up to Kelek, his arms down hanging by his side. With a swift right haymaker, Kelek's teeth flew out in a mist of blood. His head snapped to the side and back in an instant. The other children watched in horror, as their leader fell to his knees unconscious. "Like that." He growled. 'YES!' Kahu celebrated from the tree line. The other children rushed at him screaming.
She watched on with a mix of pride, joy, dismay and empathy. Yamada had already developed the ability to internalize arcane energy. He overpowered the children, incapacitating each of them with a single blow. He stood over the crying and whimpering children. Staring at them with disdain. He glared up to Kahu in the woods, his dark soft eyes, now viper like and amber. Her heart froze, and her skin bumped. The look of fear in her eyes, made them disappeared in a flash. The same expression his mother had. The one when she told him to run. The one she had, when he ripped her in half. He averted his gaze, and continued to march on. "Yamada!" She called out, rushing to him. Kahu pulled him in close, kneeling to his eye level. His cheek was already starting to swell. "Come on, let's get you to a Bless-"
He pulled his arm free. His strength baffled Kahu. "They won't heal me anymore." He mumbled, walking off. "It's their job. They take an oath." He shrugged, and walked off. She grabbed his arm. "Come with me." He reluctantly followed, wanting to continue his training. Kahu took both Kale and Yamada to the Blessed. He was one of Blesseds that came with Cin and Urkse, and bitter that he could not leave, for another six months. The grouch of a man, eyed Yamada and shooed him away. "I told you before boy. I'm not going to heal you anymore. You come in here almost six times a day." He eyed Kahu's scowl. "And before you get bitchy at me. I don't have the arcane energy to spare." "You took a damn oath, now uphold it." "What are you gonna do? Torture me? Then I'll have even less arcane energy."
She glanced back at Yamada, keeping his head down. "Then at least clean his wounds." He shook his head. "No. He needs to learn to stop." Yamada perked up, frowning at the man. "I have to-" "Become strong. Blah, blah! I know! You want to clean his wounds? Go and pour the Maelstrom's water onto them." Kahu glared at the man, the audacity to turn away a patient. "Fine, we don't need you anyway. It's probably why the Citadel left you here." The grouchy man leapt at her, grabbing Kahu by the throat. "Watch your tone with me! I am a mage of the Citadel. Kale scuttled back, trembling and quivering. "LET HER GO!" Yamada roared. He drove his fist into the man's thigh. A loud snap rung out. The man fell to the ground, screaming out in agony, his femur jutting out from his skin.
Kahu quickly grabbed Kale and Yamada, rushing them outside. The other Islanders quickly gathered to inspect the commotion. She took them deep into the forest, finding a dilapidated hut. One used for young couples to find a secluded place to mingle. The two of them were told to stay put, while she gathered things. Kahu kept her head down, hearing Chieftain Kekoa lash out at what Yamada had done. When she returned in the dead of night, she found Yamada holding a small book. Cocking his head left and right, trying to figure out the words. Kahu sat beside him with a warm smile. "What do you have there?" She asked. He was quiet, and ran his fingers over the lettering. "Vee...laaoo.....o...f....K...k...kay...kay-neat..." She smiled at his sweet attempt to the read the title. "Values of Knights, and their oaths." She reached out for the book. "Did you want me to read it to you?" He nodded eagerly, handing it to her. "Where did you get this from?"
He clenched his fists, wrapped tightly in bandages. She had gotten her answer. It belonged to Osore. She opened the book, to the display one of the gallant knights, that would make the ultimate sacrifice. Illadin Dawnbringer. The first of the Forsaken Knights. A knight in resplendent golden armour, a helmet tassel with long ruby hair, and a pure white cape. Wielding two serrated daggers, he was depicted with one foot resting atop a decapitated Dragon. On the back of his portrait, was a description of his feats. A tally of the Drakens he had slain. She continued to flip through the picture book. Elise Rosethorn. Clad in white slender armour, with an azure tassel. She wielded a single rapier with an ornate guard. "Isn't she's beautiful Yamada?" Yamada nodded and looked on with glee. It was the first time she had seen him smile, since the attack. "She strong." Kahu looked up annoyed, that she let herself be fooled into think he was interested in her. She let out a sigh and continued to flip through the pages.
Each of the Forsaken Knights had armour mimicking their merged Drakens. Their pauldrons, vambraces, gauntlets, greaves, and sabatons all had draconic features. "Why are they called Forsaken Knights?" He asked. "These brave men and women, merged their hearts with a slain Draken, for incredible power." Her heart sank, seeing his eyes light up with joy, hearing the word power. She grabbed him tightly, caressing his head. "But it came at a terrible cost. They lost themselves Yamada. You can't become one." "I have to become strong. I have to earn the right." "I know, I know." She held him even tighter. Feeling the tears well up. She grabbed his bandaged hands, holding them up to his face. Kahu looked into his eyes, filled with anger, sorrow and pain.
"You're going to become powerful Yamada. I promise you that." He looked at her, filled with conviction. That her promise meant nothing to him. That he would become powerful without it. "Can you promise me something Yamada?" He shied away from her. "You want be powerful like those knights right?" He nodded silently. "They were powerful and righteous Yamada, but they had to swear oaths." "What's an oath?" He asked. "It's a promise, you cannot break." "I can't become a knight, unless I make an oath?" "That's right." It hurt Kahu to lie to him. However there was no other option to keep him safe. "So will you swear to my oaths, and become my knight?" She asked with a tender smile. He nodded.
"Swear to me, that you will use your strong fists to protect those who are weak." She waited for his response. He nodded. "Are you ready for your last oath?" She asked. He nodded eargely. "Swear to me, you'll always be kind and never show anyone your anger." He cocked his head at her. Kahu caressed his face, giving a melancholic smile. "You want to kill that man right?" He nodded, frowning and clenching his teeth. "Well the others are going to stop you from training, if they see you angry. So if you want to keep getting stronger. You need to smile and be happy at them." She felt her heart wrench and twist. She watched as Yamada forced a smile across his face, loyal to fulfil his vengeance pact. She remembered the words her mother taught her. Say a lie enough times, and it becomes the truth. Hopefully that lie, would help him heal. He forced out a genuine smile. She pulled him in for a hug. "You're now my Knight. And one day, you'll go to the Citadel. To be the best Knight." Yamada nodded, and eyed the book. 'A Forsaken Knight.' He thought. He would merge with a powerful Draken, and kill that man.