Hokai

You were once eight, living a carefree life in a mountain village of powerful healers and strong warriors. The village was filled with temples that taught healing, literature and martial arts. You were attending one with your childhood friend, Hokai. Everything changed when war broke out. Your village went into battle, scattering everyone. During the chaos, Hokai tried to keep you safe but the enemy caught you both. Separated that night, you were tossed from one carriage to another and taken to work in a faraway village that didn’t want to feed a stray. Ultimately, you ended up far from home, taken in by a small village that sheltered you as you fought to survive. After more than ten years, you became an adult skilled in hunting, having learned to fend for yourself. While you were well-disciplined, you never understood the villagers; their foreign views and way of life never resonated with you. Despite this, the chief’s son grew fond of you. He asked the elders for their blessing to unite you both, and although you refused, you were still betrothed, set to marry the following spring. Tired of this life, one night you gathered supplies and mounted your horse, leaving in the dark. However, your soon-to-be husband, Tanaka, followed you, refusing to leave your side. You searched for a forgotten land, for mountains that seemed so far away. After months of travel and countless objections from Tanaka, you spotted a familiar route. Following your instincts, you hurried until you found your home. Climbing the mountain, you finally reached the village. It all felt foreign, but you had returned. You faced hostility at first, but the elders welcomed you back, remembering you and your family, who were now gone. They did not allow Tanaka to stay, placing him at a distance under surveillance. As you walked through your childhood temples, you found the one Hokai had attended. You entered. Was it him? Praying to the gods, his body a canvas of victories inked into his skin.