Born with limits, live to overcome.
~~~~
A chilling blizzard glazed by the forest, the harshness of winter had settled in, yet the sound of shuffling heavy footsteps carried on this cold and dreary night.
A lone figure, large in frame, towering over 2 meters tall fought against wind and snow, as each step took excruciating effort.
The man wore a giant fur coat, in a vain attempt to ward off the cold, his beard was frosted white, and a large axe hung on his back.
Yet, upon closer inspection, one would see a bundle tightly nestled against the man's chest, within it…
"Hang on little…, we're nearly there." the man said between bated breaths, the bundle moved slightly, adjusting itself as if trying to find a more comfortable way to nap, completely oblivious to the harshness befalling his protector.
A faint warm glow wrapped the little bundle, providing warmth and comfort.
"Over here!"
"He can't be far!"
"Get him!"
In the not far distant, the sound of metal and armour clanking could be faintly heard against the backdrop of the howling winds.
Gritting his teeth the man picked up the pace. Till he stumbled upon…
"Here at last…"
Despite the bleakness of the night, a strange cabin, illuminated the night.
The haggard man finally relaxed, his tensed-up muscles loosened for what appeared to be the first time in forever.
Wearily he approached the door and knocked,
A scholarly old man, with long silver hair, wearing white satin robes with ornamental patterns, answered the door,
"No." the old man said before attempting to close the door.
"Please Jiro," the man pleaded but Jiro still refused,
"I don't participate in politics, I made it clear when you left here, that whatever you and Reina get yourself into, even death, I will not help."
"But your vow to look after those who are lost and abandoned still stands right?" the tiredness in the man's voice caught Jiro's attention, "This child is an orphan."
Jiro looked him up from head to toe, shock filled his eyes, "Ryuji…you…"
Jiro gritted his teeth, despite his tough exterior, there was an aching in his heart building up,
"I haven't much time left…I want to go see Reina" Ryuji panted, "Please…take care of Kaito, he's all alone now."
Ryuji handed the bundle over to Jiro, the cloth moved and revealed Kaito's sleeping face, the child was at peace and so tender, it was a large juxtaposition from the scene in the cabin.
"...Dad." Ryuji's eyes began to lose their light.
Jiro's heart tugged at those words, "Yes, son."
"Can I finally try some of the Dragon Liquiour now…" Ryuji was no longer fully conscious, just speaking the words that came from his heart, and laying down his final regrets.
"Of course, I should have given this to you on your wedding day, but I was too stubborn." Jiro snapped his fingers and a bottle made from the most exquisite crystal glass appeared on the table, alongside two shot glasses.
"Heh, I'm not a child anymore dad, I can handle my alcohol."
The bottle floated in the air and poured a glass for Ryuji and one for Jiro,
"Heh, if you can still say that after the first glass, then, by all means, finish the bottle, it's yours anyway." Jiro chuckled, the gloom of the situation and the child in his hands did little to alleviate the grief in his heart.
"HAHAHA *cough* *cough*," Ryuji's roar of laughter turned into a violent fit of coughing, resulting in blood, he downed the single shot of Dragon's liquor, and for a brief moment the light in his eyes became just that bit brighter.
"WOAH!" fire erupted from his mouth, melting the vestiges of snow still on his body, "This would have made for one hell of a wedding night."
Jiro smiled, "I guess you indeed have grown up."
"A fine last drink to have," Ryuji smiled, "I have one last thing for you…"
"Aren't you going to finish your drink?"
Ryuji smiled, "It's mine right? Then save it for my son when he gets married."
Ryuji channelled fire energy into his hands as he poured out one last cup, before sealing the bottle shut by melting the top."
Jiro thought Ryuji would down that cup as well but instead, he offered it to Jiro, "Please save this shot as it is, for him as well, I have nothing but this left to offer my son after I pass."
Jiro took the cup, and stared into the drink, "I see, yes, I will save this for his wedding."
"Don't be stingy this time," Ryuji chuckled, his laugh turning to cough once more, this time more violent than the last, "I've *cough* *cough* completed it at last as well father."
"This is the last thing I can offer my son, my legacy!" Ryuji took out a scroll and handed it to Jiro, who, for a brief moment, allowed curiosity to overcome grief.
"*Cough* *Cough* I told you I'd create a stronger attack than yours, and I finally did it! HAHAHA," Ryuji's roaring laughter came crashing down even faster this time, his coughing more violent.
"Indeed," tears of pride were welling up in Jiro's eyes, though he hid it behind the parchment, Ryuji knew,
"You did it indeed."
"Heh," the coughing stopped only because the lungs in Ryuji's body had given out, the light was barely a dimmer now.
"Come on Ryuji, you no longer have the strength to execute this move so let me show you the power of your move then," the paper was stored away, and he placed the sleeping Kaito in a crib. He was ensuring the child's safety above all else.
Jiro's body began to shift, the wrinkles ironed out, his back straightened up as steam erupted from across his body, and his flowing silvery hair turned whiter than snow!
His body began irradiating heat, so much heat, that Ryuji was able to gain just that bit more life in him to witness his father one last time.
"Heh, show off." Ryuji coughed and chuckled.
The night began to fade, and as the sun started to rise, the blood in Jiro screamed for vengeance, he had done his best to hold it in, but sensing Ryuji's pursuers, the ones who killed his son, who wanted to kill his grandson!
The cold retreated into the depths of the wilderness as the light of the sun dimmed itself, afraid of Jiro's radiance.
The frost melted, the snow faded, and his enemies were clear in sight, standing high in the air like a god!
"Face my son's final move," Jiro raised his hand high, gathering every ounce of fire energy he had, till a miniature sun had formed in his hand.
"Run!!!"
"Retreat!!!"
The ensuing contingent that had been chasing Ryuji began to run and scatter, not carrying about friends nor allies,
Jiro whispered into his heart, "This one's for you, my son."
A single tear dropped from his face, quickly evaporated by the heat.
Ryuji's Blast!
At first, all was still…then a glowing white light erupted from the centre of the impact before radiating outwards, decimating all in its path!
Not a soul was left in sight, only ash and dust, a long cry filled with grief and sorrow filled the area, but Ryuji smiled, knowing his final act in life was successful.
He had no regrets as he passed into the beyond with a smile plastered on his face.
Several terrifying auras began to converge on Jiro's location, locals in the area would have recounted the following scene as a legendary spectacle that they would brag about for years, but if there were any, they were all long reduced to dust.
Fortunately, Jiro had always been a recluse and not a soul lived near his domain.
Returning to his cabin, he saw the deceased Ryuji, lying close to his son Kiato, his arms wrapped around in 1 last hug.
He had chosen not to bear witness to the final fruits of his legacy and used his last moments to be with his son.
~~~
5 years later ~
On a different mountain,
The smell of freshly cooked eggs wafted through the air, accompanied by the sweet savoury aroma of bacon.
"Kaito! Breakfast!"
"Coming, Grandpa!"
At the breakfast table,
"Kaito, I have something special for you today, since it's your 5th birthday." Grandpa Jiro was by the sink washing the plates, whilst Kaito was clearing the plates.
His father's good genetics must have rubbed off on the young boy, at just 5 years old he stood at over a meter tall.
Just barely higher than Jiro's hunched-over waist.
"Really!" Kaito's eyes sparkled with wonder, "What is it?"
Jiro recognised that enthusiastic smile, joy, excitement, nativity, and above all else, hope with no fear of disappointment.
For a moment the visage of Ryuji overlapped with Kaito's, and Jiro felt his eyes slightly misty.
"This is a combined gift," hearing those words the light in Kaito's eyes dimmed ever so slightly, but they immediately perked up once Jiro said,
"It's from me and your father come on let's go."
Kaito had always known his father's fate, Jiro didn't keep things a secret, he knew that sooner or later the truth would reveal itself and it was best to let the mourning be done young.
And as Jiro never knew when Kaito's actual birthday was, he merged the 2 days into 1, a day to reminisce about Ryuji and a day to celebrate Kaito coming to Jiro safe and sound."
"Kaito, your father was the bravest and strongest-willed man I know, he may not have died saving the kingdom, but his act of valour was no less than a hero's! He died a hero of love, and in his life saved 2 people, you and me, and that's more than most can ever say!"
The pair were standing before a tombstone made in memorial to Ryuji, it read:
HERE LIES RYUJI
BELOVED HUSBAND, FATHER, AND SON
Part of the customs that Jiro practised was cremation, as those born of fire, can only attain rebirth through fire, and their ashes will spread back into the world.
"From dust we were born, and to dust we return." Jiro recited the words he pronounced over Ryuji on the day of his departure.
"The dead live on in our hearts, not in the land we bury them, so we scatter their ashes to the 4 winds, to allow them to travel wherever they please to go, even following us and guiding our journey in life."
Jiro and Kaito cupped their hands and bowed to the tombstone, in a manner of respect for the cycle of life and death.
As they bowed,
"Kaito, your father left 3 things for you, 2 gifts, and 1 request."
As Kaito lifted his head from the bow, "A request?"
Jiro nodded, "Indeed the first gift, I bestow onto you today, is your birthright."
Jiro pulled out a bluish stone ring, crafted with immaculate ornate detail, from his pocket.
"This is a storage ring that I forged, and it contains your family's legacy, it symbolizes your identity and your heritage."
"In it is about 500 cubits of storage, it should be more than sufficient…but if it ever runs out of space come to me with necessary materials and I'll upgrade it for you."
"What!" Kaito exclaimed, "You're making me go find the materials for the upgrade?"
Kaito's response was met with a swift knock to the noggin, "Little brat, do you know how big 500 cubits is? Most people would count it their family's treasure if it contained 50 cubits! Ryuji's entire fortune takes up only about 100 cubits!"
Kaito rubbed his head, though the knock was painful hearing Jiro's words made him spread a sheepish grin that Jiro recognised very well as Dragon's greed, "Where on earth does he get it from?"
Jiro held Kaito's left hand and slipped the ring onto his index finger, "Don't show it off recklessly or you'll wind up in more trouble than it's worth."
"Hehe…" Kaito stared at the ring, magic artifacts were considered quite rare, and for ordinary folks, a storage ring was unbelievably rare!
Only cultivators would ever wear them, and even then the sizes differed greatly, a ring was often plain and unattractive as they were already so expensive that to decorate and adorn the ring was often too costly, after spending most people's yearly wages on it!
Kaito had interacted with a few cultivators, as Jiro brought him down the mountain to the nearby village for school and other ancillary matters, such as social communication.
In fact, the two were headed downright that day.
Jiro was used to being a hermit, but he couldn't impose that way of life on Kaito, nor did he want to, so he would bring Kaito down every day of the week.
Though he had plans to change that,
"Inside that ring, you should see your dad's notes on cultivation and what works well for his bloodline, you're…a bit different considering your mom had an equally powerful bloodline, thus, making you the first-ever hybrid between the two…"
Kaito nodded as he held the notes in his hand, furiously pouring over every line of text, not focusing on their meaning but on the sense of familiarity that the words resonated within him as if confirming that they were indeed his father's notes.
"If the others could see me ferrying a kid down the mountain just to maintain his social acuity…" Jiro sighed, dealing with people was…not a strong point of his.
Jiro sighed, and he paused. "Kaito."
"Hmm?" it took a few steps before Kaito recognised the lack of a second footstep following in his wake. "Grandpa?"
"..." Jiro hesitated, in all his life he had never hesitated and yet…
"...do you…want to become a cultivator like your dad?" there was a hint of reluctance as he allowed the question to waft through the air, terrified of the answer.
"Nope!" Kaito innocently smiled, completely pure, and free, Jiro felt slightly uncomfortable with Kaito's answer, he wasn't sure what exactly he wanted but…
Kaito continued, "I don't want to be like my dad, I want to be better!" his smile went from pure and innocent to beaming and exuberating!
A spark lit up in his eyes, a path not yet charted, an unknown road, yet to be forged.
For someone as young and weak as Kaito, he wouldn't have sensed it but Jiro knew, he could see the Path taking form before Kaito, parts of it were slightly lit, and the figure of Ryuji sat in between, but the beyond was endless.
The Path of a Hero was born.