The trees were swaying in the calm wind, the forest was lively with plants and animals alike. There was a small clearing in the middle of which had mounted several bushes of berries. A young boy no more than 10 could be seen picking berries and carefully putting them into his basket. The boy was humming to himself as he picked the seemingly glowing fruits. As he was peacefully minding to himself. A shadow slowly crept behind him, silently and staying from his sight. Closer, and closer it crept up until a huge beast pounced on the poor boy.
"Rahhhhhh!!!!"
The body of the beast had promptly sat on the boy who laid in the ground with frustration.
"Daaad..."
The boy groaned in frustration at his childish father who had a big fat smirk on his handsome face.
"Not Dad. I'm a big scary bear!"
"Ahhhh...Ha Ha Ha!!!!"
The father started tickling his son repeatedly on his stomach which resulted in his fit of laughter. Their laughter filled the forest, making this almost always silent forest, filled with joy. After their fun, the duo stood up with big identical smiles on their faces.
"Come on son, we have to start heading back home. You have no idea how worried sick your mother was. Next time, you must tell us where you're going beforehand or else you can not even leave the house."
"Oh come on Dad, I was just picking Bushelberries for Mom's pie. She wanted me to get some yesterday but I ended up forgetting. Nothing I can do about that."
As the duo laughed and proceeded to head down the natural path towards their home. They made sure to head home quickly as the sun was setting and they did not want any unnecessary troubles on the way back home. An hour later, they arrived to the entrance of the village where guard posts were stationed and guards could be seen scanning the surrounding area for signs of hostiles. There was also a very beautiful and mature female silhouette that was waiting down at the gates. This figure had a very regal and majestic way of standing, as if she was demanding respect from everyone around her. As the father and child got closer, the woman jumped at the child. Her long black hair flowed with the wind as her sweet face was riddled with tears.
"Oh my sweet baby! Where have you been!? Mommy's been worried sick!"
The seemingly majestic air that had surrounded her had completely vanished. The woman's eyes looked red and swollen as if she cried for hours.
"You're never leaving the house again! Never, never, never!! You are to stay next to me the entire time! You're dad and I were worried sick about you!"
"Come on Mom! You're fretting too much! I'm going to be a warrior like Dad who can protect you. I'm already big enough for training too! And warriors need adven....Mom!!! Stop crying on my warrior suit!!! You're ruining it!!!"
Sure enough, the woman was crying and sniffling all over her son's handmade clothes that she had made him.
"Now now, lets go home. Both of you stop cuddling up right near the entrance and head back. Come on."
The father slowly lifted his wife up and cleared her tears, slowly running his fingers on her red cheeks.
"It's alright honey. All that matters is that our boy is safe and sound. As well as now we can go eat dinner as one whole family."
As the trio went to start heading to their house, one of the guards seemed envious that the family had such a good relationship.
'Whatever, no use to worry about it now. We've got a long night ahead of us.'
The guard maintained his post and was ready to alert other soldiers in case enemy hostiles arrive towards the peaceful village.
The next morning, birds could be heard singing songs of day throughout the village. Inside one of the many identical looking houses inside of the barricaded village, there lied a young boy who had quite the adventure the other day. As the young boy was asleep, his parents were making breakfast.
"Honey, should we wake him up yet?"
"Not yet dear, let him sleep for a bit longer as we cook breakfast. What's the point of waking him up if breakfast has not been made yet?"
"You're right honey. Do you have guard duty this afternoon or is it at night?"
"It's during the afternoon so we should be able to go to the anniversary party that's being hosted by our neighbors tonight."
"That's a relief."
While the parents were having their small talk, the boy slowly awoke. Getting ready for his day, the boy put on his best outfit for today since he knew that he was attending some sort of party that was going on tonight. And he was too lazy to get ready later and just wanted to be done with it. Heading out of his room, he was met with his parents' awful flirting and sat on the table.
"Good morning Mom, morning Dad."
"Good morning son!"
Both parents replied as if they were never acting lovey-dovey with each other.
"I know you guys are mad about yesterday, but can I pick more bushelberries? I promise I'll stay safe! I'll even ask Private Daiyu to come along!"
The child asked his parents whole-heartedly.
"Only on one condition, Private Daiyu MUST come along with you! If she is too busy or does not want to go, you must stay in the village today.",
His mother retorted sternly.
"Yes Mom!"
After the trio ate breakfast, the boy ran out the house to go find Private Daiyu. After trekking on a small path in the village, the boy arrived to a sandstone house that had turquoise sheets hanging from a window. The boy walked up towards the wooden door and knocked on it. After what seemed like hours, he heard a sound that sounded like, "Coming."
When the door opened, a figure that put the word beautiful to shame, had shown itself. The woman looked to be in her late teens, and early twenties. She had shining brown hair that was tied into a long ponytail that rested on her shoulder and ran down her front. Her curves were in the right places which could make many men start drooling the moment they stared at her.
"Oh! It's Tsuyoi! What brings you here to my humble abode? Did you want to go on another adventure?"
Her voice sounded energetic and filled with a firm speech that contradicted her looks.
"Of course Daiyu-Noona! I want to go hunt for some more bushelberries in the forest!"
"Did you ask your parents first?"
"Of course I did. I'm not stupid, if I did not, Dad would have murdered me!"
"Oh yeah? Then why did you sneak off yesterday? Why were you being stupid? Huh?"
Daiyu threw a retort at Tsuyoi that he could not refute against.
"Oh shut up."
'Just great... Now Daiyu-Noona has something on me. She'll never let me hear the end of it.'
Tsuyoi sighed in frustration.
"Anyways, lets go Noona!"
The two headed towards the entrance of the village and were about to leave the village before one of the guards stopped them.
"Private Daiyu, I know you are baby sitting that youngster over there but please be careful. We heard their activity is getting more agitated and have seen a few markings 14 miles north."
"Yes, I understand Private Bolin."
Daiyu shook her head. Just what kind of person does he think she is? Even though she is just a private, she is still the general's daughter. They aught to know that she is very well capable of protecting Tsuyoi and herself. Meanwhile, as she thought that, Tsuyoi was thinking of all the possible ways to torment this poor innocent soul who just said that he was being baby-sat.
As they headed towards the forest. Tsuyoi and Daiyu headed over to the forest laughing at each other's jokes. As they entered the forest, they began to look for some bushelberries that were ready to be picked.
"Remember Noona, bushelberries can only be picked when their red color has turned completely orange as well as a small green tip at the end of each point that spikes out the fruit."
"Yeah yeah. I'll remember that."
"That's what you said last time! You picked unripe ones! Unripe! What am I going to do with you Noona?"
Tsuyoi sighed while shaking his head. Daiyu did not reply but had an annoyed smirk that was basically giving Tsuyoi the "WTF". A couple hours later, the two were still picking berries and were talking with one another.
"You know. I never really had fun until you came into my life."
Daiyu spoke casually. Tsuyoi was shocked to hear this because he was not used to his noona speaking like this.
"Noona?"
"Yes Tsuyoi?"
"Did you hit your head somewhere?"
"...."
*Some say that you can still hear the sound of someone getting beat to this day...*
"I dare you to say that again!!!"
"I'm sorry Noona! I promise I won't say that again!"
Tsuyoi looked like a swollen acorn at this point.
"But as I was saying before you rudely interrupted me! My father always focused on training me and I never had friends. And when I did have the small free time I earned, everyone would never be friends with me and called me a battle loving freak. I was never respected until I beat up some intruders who threatened other children. But by then... I felt as if I was a cold and heartless machine. Forced to do some bidding without any control over my own life. But then you stumbled upon my training field, eager to learn. So I taught you when you were 4. I grew attached to you, as if seeing my own little brother grow. I met your parents and they accepted me even though I had a nasty reputation as someone who only knows to fight. I'm thankful I got to meet you, and I hope we can still be family when we're older!"
"Geez, stop being nostalgic. You're acting like you're an old geezer who's planning to die."
"Hey! I need to be there to accept your future wife! If I don't accept her, then she can not be your wife. Got that?"
"Stop making rules up as you go Noona! That's unfair!"
"Hey! I'm older than you so I can say what I want!"
"Old hag...."
"You little!!!"
The two bickered and had fun until it was starting to get dark.
"Lets head back. Don't you have that party you have to go to for your parent's friend?"
Daiyu asked Tsuyoi.
"I totally forgot about that! Yeah, lets head back."
The two started to make the walk back to the village. As they were laughing and messing around, Tsuyoi noticed something.
"Hey Noona.... Why does it smell like a forest fire? But we just came from the forest."
Daiyu got confused for a second and stopped to sniff the air. She turned to look at Tsuyoi with a jolly expression and told him,
"It's nothing. I think I left my basket back at the forest. Could you go back and check for me?"
"Huh? How can you be so clueless? Ok, I'll head back, tell Mom and Dad to not leave for the party yet without me!"
"Sure, sure! Please hurry so the critters don't eat the berries!"
Daiyu seemingly pushed Tsuyoi to the forest. Confused why Daiyu was acting like this, he decided to go find the basket so she won't kill him. After he left from her view, Daiyu dashed to where the village was. Hoping that her worst fear has not been realized.
*A couple hours later*
*Ugh... Daiyu totally lost her basket. I can not find it anywhere! whatever, I'm not missing this party or Mom is gonna chew me out again."
Tsuyoi had trekked all over the forest where he knew he and Daiyu had traveled, but for some reason, he could not fin her basket. So he decided to just head back without it. As he was walking down the path back home, he was lost in thought. But just as he was walking peacefully, a burning smell was forced into his nose making him choke from the unexpected smell. Tsuyoi felt that something was wrong so he ran to see what was going on and witnessed a horrifc scene.
His entire village was burning. Bodies where everywhere; soldiers, classmates, neighbors, the old lady down the street who gave free sweets, the old man who built Tsuyoi's wooden sword, the young man who helped him learn what plants were bad for you, his friend whom gave him money for his Mom's birthday. All their corpses fueling the greedy fire.
Tsuyoi was devastated. He watched as people were screaming, burning alive. He watched in horror, witnessing this terrible sight.
"Mom...Dad...Noona...WHERE ARE YOU!?!?!?!"
Tsuyoi ran as fast as he could to get to his family. He needed to know if they were ok. He needed to help them! He needed to save them! As he was running through the burning village, he saw houses on fire left and right.
'What could've done this!?!'
Tsuyoi turned the corner to where his house was.... And saw his mother dead on the ground.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH"
Tsuyoi let out an anguished, blood curling scream of agony. His knees faltered, and he fell on the ground. Watching his mother's body slowly get eaten up by the flames. He tried to turn his head away from the nightmare; shut his eyes from this world, not accept this reality. But no matter what, he could not turn his gaze away from her now burning corpse. In his anguish, he happened to look up and saw his father torn and his legs missing.
At that moment, his world had turned upside down. A loud and deafening roar could be heard in the distance. Tsuyoi turned his head and what he saw next was a nightmare. It was a creature that was more than 80 meters tall. The creature looked like a giant lizard but with 4 enormous wings. There were spikes protruding out of its back following down towards its tail. For it's head, it looked as if it was a giant western dragon's head, but 2 horns protruded from each side of it's head.
Before Tsuyoi's eyes closed from all the mental torture and stress, he heard a voice call out to him.
"You have met the requirements to become an incarnation."