1 Abandoned & Alone

In the Heian period throughout the years 794-1185 CE, a time in ancient history where yokai, Gods, and humans live together. Gods ranking at the highest status, spirit animals at second, yokai at third, and lastly humans.

In this world, four magical powers exist: the strongest fire, the second water, third earth, and lastly wind. But, only the luckiest and talented are able to harness these powers.

In a forest deep in the sacred mountain, a child was born. Born of mixed blood, which was taboo in this time period. The child's mother looks over the child in the basket and weeps. She leaves a golden chain necklace with a blue jewel on front, and on the back has a name "Tomoe". As the child slept the mother had said her last goodbye and left him.

A passerby at the time Tomoe was born had heard the cries as they drew nearer. A yokai widow in her forties found the boy crying of starvation. 

In this world, children need essence from others to nourish their appetites. Essence was part of the individual's life force so many families only had one heir to carry their name, but nobles of high rank have high vitality so they tend to have many offsprings.  

She quickly ran over to give the child some water that was mixed with some of her essence. Then, as he drank the water, he soon fell asleep. Looking at the child, the widow could not abandon the newborn so she decided to raise him. The widow took him to her home and raised him like he was her own son. 

"Tomoe, could you go into town and buy some ingredients for dinner tonight?" said the widow.

"Okay!" Tome replied back.

"Make sure you're very careful; you know how the townsfolk are. Remember to keep your hoodie on at all times, never take it off. Okay, now get ready and get going!" The widow rushed.

Tomoe walked to the town of yokai and headed for the nearest stall with the items on his list.

"Excuse me sir, do you have these items at your booth?"

"Why let me see here!" The yokai running the booth grabbed the list and brought out the ingredients needed. 

Just then, a group of young children running by bumped into Tomoe pushing his hoodie off of him. The Yokai children slowly get up to see who they bumped into and ...."gasp".

They all quickly get in Tomoes face and say, "You don't belong here half-breed!"

The seller having readied the ingredients, Tomoe quickly gave him the money and ran back home before any more of the townsfolk noticed the commotion.

Tomoe then came back home, "I'm back! I got everything on the list."

Tomoe puts the ingredients on the kitchen counter, all the while putting them away.

"Thank you so much for the help Tomoe" the widow replies."So, how was it? Did anyone cause you trouble?"

"No, everything was the same as usual." Tomoe lies.

Tomoe knew that if he said anything then she would go ballistic on the townspeople, and they would shun her more than they already do.

As the child started to grow, he was shunned out by the rest of the village because of his mix-breeding; especially when the whole village was full of yokais. Yokais, a stubborn and traditional race, have a very deep hatred of mix breeding because it went against their beliefs. The child had no clue what he was growing up. He had beautiful, silvery white hair with blue eyes as clear as the sky, something not normal for yokai.

When Tomoe had just turned six years old, he went home to tell the widow that he had caught and made some breakfast for the two of them.

He went to knock on her door and she didn't reply so he went inside, "Excuse me".

He looked at the bed and pulled the drapes at the window apart to let the light shine in. He went to her bedside.

"I made breakfast. Hurry, let's eat before it gets cold!".

The widow still did not reply. He then opens the bed drapes and starts to shake her

"Wake up, wake up!"

Worried, he shakes her one more time, then checks her breathing with his finger to her nose and there was nothing. That was the day his savior, his mother, his world, had died at the age of nearly fifty.

There he sat, bawling in her room till morning. The next day, he had dug a pit small enough for the widow to lie in. As he started to pour over the dirt, teardrops had fallen over her grave. That day was a day where he will never forget the love this woman has given to him, but little does he know that his life would dramatically change forever.