A/N;
Second - Beat
Minute - Pulse
Hour - Cycle
Day - Dawn
Month - Moon cycle
Year - Sun cycle
**********************
Akatsuki, the main village of the Kitsurai clan was usually busy with people going up and down the stone paved streets. This village housed more than half of all the Kitsurai people (Nexiri) so it was always densely populated.
However on this day, the streets were more packed than usual, even though no vendor stall was open, all roads led to one place; The great hall, whose walls were specially decorated for this day.
The main gate of the village was open to all Kitsurai and members of the clan came from all three of the surrounding villages to witness, or take part in the event. At this moment, Kaito was looking at his reflection on a flat slab of polished rock propped up against the wall of his room.
He wore tight blue robes with silver trimmings around the edges. The robes were worn in a way that they created a V neck, showing the white shirt underneath. On his feet was a pair of knee length cloth boots, only having leather under the soles.
The boots and the robes joined together perfectly, only the silver trim showing where the robe ended and the boots began.
His long black hair was tied in a neat ponytail, reaching just under his shoulder blades. Sheathed on his back was his trusty sword, which never left his side, like all Kitsurai clan members.
"I understand that you are looking good, but is there really a need for you to stare at yourself for this long?" the sword asked.
Kaito chuckled, "In a few Cycles of time i will not be able to see myself like i do now. So i want to burn my own image to memory".
"Yes, but you will be able to see even more". The sword said.
After a few minutes, Kaito teared his eyes away from the rock and opened the door. Downstairs, he found his mother dishing up some meat.
"You fell asleep without eating yesterdawn, so i think it's best you.....", Maya, his mother stopped talking as she took a look at her son. Well her eyes where covered, so she just looked at his direction.
"Mother?"
"You look like your father did back then". Maya smiled. "So handsome".
"Thank you", Kaito slightly smiled as he pulled out a chair and began eating.
"Did i ever tell you about the time i saw your father for the first time?" Maya asked.
"Mmm". Kaito nodded, swallowed. "You told me exactly 14 times, and i don't think...."
"It was 39 sun cycles ago todawn, and he was wearing the same attire you are, on his way to his own Noesis..."
You have got to be kidding me', Kaito thought.
The sword laughed, 'Hey stoop grumbling and listen to you mother's story!'
Easy for you to say. I am pretty sure i know this story better that if i was there that dawn. Trust me if it wasn't for this meat i would be gone'.
"I couldn't believe he had such courage!, even as the heir to the seat....." Maya continued to tell the story.
Well suck it up, i like this story', The sword said.
You and you alone'
Eventually, the story, as well as the meat, was gone and Kaito could not be happier. "I am leaving now mother", he said, standing up.
"Yes you should get going, i will be right behind you". Maya said, and Kaito nodded, his hand on the door.
"Hey are you not forgetting something young Nexiri?" Maya opened her arms wide. Grumbling something under his breath, Kaito went to give her a hug.
"Good luck".
"Thanks mother, i can't breathe".
After escaping his mother's grasp, Kaito left, making his way to the great hall, just like every other Nexiri in the streets. "Congratulations prince Kaito", is what almost everyone would say upon seeing his robes, but he was not the only one being congratulated.
He soon arrived at the hall, and instead of using the main entrance, he went around and entered a small room located at the back, close to the village wall. Inside, he found about twenty other male and female Nexiri his same age, wearing the same robes as him.
Spotting an empty seat, he sat down and closed his eyes to calm his nerves. "Don't be scared". Someone said from beside Kaito. Opening his eyes, a young man had sat next to him.
"The bond which ties us to our blades is un-breaking and eternal like the vast waters of the Kaltos. It's what makes us strong as a clan, and is what defines our people", the young Nexiri said.
Kaito smiled, "Thanks, that surprisingly helped a little".
"I know, your brother told me the same words half a cycle ago", the boy replied. "My name is Kenji", he put out his hand for a handshake.
Kaito shook the hand, "I am sure you already know who i am", he said, and Kenji nodded with a chuckle. "You said my brother Kenzo talked to you, is he here?"
"I think so, but we talked back at village Dormun, and that's the last i saw him", Kenji replied.
"Oh right, i recall he went there the dawn before yesterdawn to help take care of some Korvix". Kaito said.
"Yes, and after that, he took his time to teach the young Nexiri of my village. He will make a great Patriarch in the future, and i want to work hard to become one of his samurai when that day comes". Kenji explained.
A pained smile appeared on Kaito's face. "Yeah he will".
"Are you okay prince Kaito....oh i am sorry i did not mean to". Kenji noticed the change in Kaito's expression.
"You did not mean to do what?"
"Talk about your brother like so, i know the rules of Kitsurai clan and i also know that you have no chance of becoming Patriarch". Kenji said.
"No don't worry about it, i accepted it long ago. In fact, i would also like to become Kenzo's samurai in the future". Kaito smiled.
The conversation was interrupted when someone opened the door, unlike the other Nexiri here for the ritual, this person was obviously older and had four bumps on his forehead. The white cloth covering his eyes also had a golden diagonal line crossing it. His blue robes also had a golden trim.
"A samurai, it's my first time seeing one", Kenji mumbled while Kaito was not fazed.
The samurai stood there for a few moments before saying, "I see you have all arrived, please follow me". The now 30 Nexiri followed the samurai as he led them towards the back entrance into the main hall.
A stage had been made in the hall, and the entrance they used led them back stage. Looking on in front of them, they could see the patriarch, Kiyoshi, standing on the stage, with his wife, Maya, beside him.
"Where is brother Kenzo?" Kaito wondered.
A curtain hid Kaito and his group from the hundreds of Kitsurai Nexiri who came to watch the event. From where they sat, they could only see the Patriarch and his wife, same for Kaito's group.
"Welcome clan Kitsurai to this special occasion, it is wonderful to see you all", Kiyoshi said. He wore loose blue robes with golden trim, and the cloth covering his eyes was also gold. His wife besides him wore the same.
"An uncountable number of sun cycles ago, there lived a great man. A man who went by the name of Kitsurai. A man who bore no surname for he was not descendant of anyone. This Nexiri was so great, he does not deserve to be called a mere man. No he was a god, our god, the one who gave life to all of us".
"As proud descendants of Fore Parent Kitsurai we live to try and be worthy of his gift and to do so, we shape our lives in his image. It has been for generations now, and it will continue to be as we move closer and closer to him".
"Today, thirty of our own, take this step, and today, will receive the gift of pure sight!" The hall exploded in cheers and applause.
"We are all born with eyes, eyes which only see a fraction of the world, eyes which dampen our natural abilities, and for these thirty, that all ends today!"
"Without taking up any more time, can the first Nexiri step onto the stage please". Kiyoshi looked over to Kaito's group. Kaito took a step forward, however, the samurai stopped him, and motioned for Kenji to go instead.
Kaito was surprised, he had been told that he would be first, however, it did not matter that much, and he just returned the thumbs up Kenji directed to him as he climbed the stairs.
"Kenji Kitsurai!" Kiyoshi said, and more applause were heard from the audience. Kenji bowed to the patriarch, before doing the same towards the crowd.
Maya then led him to a chair that was in the middle of the stage. After sitting, and placing his sword on his lap, the head rest of the chair was bent backwards, so that Kenji was facing the roof. His hands were then bound to the armrest and his legs to the front legs of the chair.
Kenji opened his mouth, and a rolled up strip of leather was placed between his teeth. The patriarch dipped his hands inside a bowl of blue water, and went to stand behind Kenji, his wet hands holding the sides of his head.
"As the veil of mortal sight is lifted, may your inner light illuminate the world, as you emerge from the darkness, may your senses now converge to reveal the world, as our Fore Parent Kitsurai saw it in dawns past". With those words, Kiyoshi plunged his thumbs into Kenji's eyes.
Kenji shook as muffled screams escaped the leather gag. The patriarch then pulled, and in each hand between his thumb and forefinger were Kenji's eye balls. Maya quickly cut the piece of flesh that still connected the eyes to their sockets and Kiyoshi placed the eyes in a bowl that another samurai had brought.
Kenji was then untied and told to bend over, as black blood flowed from his eye sockets onto a small dish on the floor. While Kenji was silently weeping, Kiyoshi took the bowl containing the eyeballs and with a smooth stone, began crushing them until they became a black paste.
Kenji was then told to stand up and sit back on the chair, as the bleeding had stopped. With the 'eye paste' Kiyoshi took some of it onto both hands, and generously applied it behind Kenji's ears.
"May you hear the gentle hum, the world wishes to hide".
Then he applied the same paste to the bridge of his nose; "May you scent the fragrance of the morning dew, on mountain peak grass".
Then he took the remaining paste and applied it on Kenji's forehead, on the two bumps, "May you feel the unseen threads that weave our people together".
As soon as Kiyoshi said those final words, Kenji's quick breathing calmed down, and the crown applauded. "Stand up Kenji Kitsurai, and receive your sacred covering".
Kenji stood up as a samurai stood before him, holding in his hand a rolled up white cloth. Without warning, the samurai chucked the cloth at Kenji, whose hand snapped snapped to his left, catching the cloth with ease even though his face was directed to the right.
The crowd applauded as Kenji bowed, a wide smile on his blood covered face as he walked back to his group, who all congratulated him. Kenji was then led to the back room, where he was to be cleaned up. Meanwhile, Kaito walked up to the stage.
"Kaito Kitsurai!" like before the crowd applauded.
The same ritual repeated itself, with Kaito going through everything that had happened to Kenji. The only difference was that Kaito did not struggle as much as his eyes were gouged out.
Then when it came to the part were he had to catch the white cloth, Kaito first flicked it into the air with his thumb before catching it, eliciting a few laughs from the crowd and almost giving the patriarch a hearth attack.
Failing to catch the cloth was a sign that the Fore Parent Kitsurai has abandoned that particular descendant of his, and most Nexiri who fail to catch it often commit suicide the same day.
Kaito then walked to the back room, his sight was completely black, he could not see anything. However, he could hear the slight breeze hitting the wall next to him. He could smell the stone it was made up of, and know how far away the wall was.
He could even feel the vibrations made by his footsteps as he walked, providing a sort of map in head head of his surroundings. He could even feel the blood rushing in his veins.
"How is it?" the sword asked.
"Amazing", was all Kaito could say.
Eventually he arrived at the back room and a smile broke out on his face, "Brother!". He could smell Kenzo's scent, his breathing patterns and the sweat on his body. There was also something else though.
Kaito could also hear a total of four heartbeats in the room, the other two were Kenji and the woman who was currently washing his face.
"Congratulations Kai, i am sorry i missed it". Kenji gave Kaito a hug, and the scent Kai was getting only got more prominent.
"I smell something else on you, it's blood, but not Nexiri blood or beast blood, or animal blood". Kaito voiced as he touched Kenji's robes and rubbed a liquid in his thumbs and forefinger.
"What is this?" Kaito asked. He could not see it, because Kitsurai who went through the ritual were colour blind for obvious reasons, but the blood on his fingers, was red.