FicWad

"He told me one last story
He used his aged, ruined voice like
An old man's hands to pick the lock on his past..."

Use this extract as the opening for a piece of writing that explores the concept of journey as discovery.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I had enough of their stares, the insults, the comments when they thought I was out of hearing," the old man, Ichigo, sighed and ruffled his blonde hair with his left hand.

I turned my head his way, looking at him across the campfire. His blue eyes were now a dull hue, it looked as if he was reliving the past.

"Whadaya mean?" I questioned.

Old man Ichigo closed his eyes, "I grew up parentless. Always the odd one out, you see. I was the best in the arts of the sword. But it wasn't enough. The other children would avoid me or look at me with fear; their parents would stare and whisper to each other. I was informed that my parents died," he paused and sighed again before he continued.

"But I knew, the villagers were keeping information from me. I never found out what it was. After I turned fifteen I got fed up with their behaviour. I left, just like that. With only my clothes, sword, a few coins and a week worth of food, I walked off."

Old man Ichigo stopped, giving me a chance to comment. I replayed the commentary over in my mind.

"So ya just walked off like that?" I asked, doubt leaking in my voice.
The old man nodded. I shook my head and smirked.

"Ya must've been some kid," I stated with mirth.

Old man Ichigo took a swig from his cup and stared in the fire. "Ah, you would do that too if you were treated that way for fifteen years."

I joined him in staring into the fire. "What happened afta ya left?" I questioned.

He gave dry chuckle. "That my lad was the beginning of a hard life. I wandered on the roads for a few days only stopping to rest and practice my sword skills. I was beginning to run out of food and without any houses in sight I could not buy anything either. Days later after I ran out of food I collapsed. After that, I woke up in a small hut; I didn't know how I got there. Then the old man walked in."

Old man Ichigo paused with a light chuckle. I shot him a weird look. He paid no attention as he was lost in his memories.

"I still remember him, heh. Always had a smile on his face, but the air around him was enough to keep you on your toes. He was as sly as a fox, that one. Kai was what he called himself, one of the best swordsmen ever. It was sheer coincidence we met. Later on he became my master. Under his tutelage I learned how to hunt, to gather information, the art of silent killing and advanced sword skills. Three years passed and before my training could be completed I had to win a spar against him."

The old man stopped, his eyes held a haunting look.

I was about to comment before he continued again. "It was an accident that was never supposed to happen. I expected him to dodge as I narrowed in to strike him with my sword. The first thing I registered was the blood that ran down my blade. There was nothing I could do; he died with a smile on his face."

Silence reigned, the light of the fire dwindled casting shadows upon old man Ichigo's face. My mouth was dry and my hands were clammy. I threw some twigs in the flames to can my nerves. His face held regret and sadness that ran deep in his soul. Such a display of emotion eased my thoughts. I jumped when the old man started talking again.

"I had just killed the only person that has ever cared about me. I felt as if I had no purpose. Eventually it became too painful to stay there. I set off, walking to where ever the road would take me. I had the same items as the time I left the village.
A week and a half and I was still wandering. I couldn't feel anything; it was as if I was constantly dunked with cold water. I had passed a couple of houses but I wouldn't stay long.
It wasn't until a month later that I found something that I thought would ease the guilt in me. The wall was lined with wanted posters, all offering rewards, but that wasn't why I was interested. I thought that maybe if I rid the world of corruption and evil, then just maybe it could ease the guilt inside me.
I was foolish; I completed the first capture in a month. The hunts were exhilarating, addicting. The power to have their lives in your hands and the look of fear on their faces when they realised their time was ending. As the years gone by, I had lost touch with humanity. I became an assassin."

Old man Ichigo sighed, I did not comment. He took another swig and began again.

"I was cold and unfeeling; they named me the 'Hollow Shadow'. It wasn't until I was in my mid-twenties that I found a new purpose in life. It began with receiving a mission to assassinate the Otori Lord in one of the inn's I was staying in. It turned out to be a trap and in some insane way, I escaped. But the wounds that I sustained were grievously severe. I collapsed. There was no telling of how long I was out. I was delirious with a fever, and often caught glimpses of a ceiling or a moving shape. Time passed and I slowly became conscious to my surroundings. I felt the familiar feeling of pain run through my body I laid there thinking, this wasn't the first time that I've been injured.
The sound of footsteps snapped me out of my thoughts. I winced as I tensed, thinking the worst.
A figure of a female came into view; she took a glimpse and broke into a smile. I slightly relaxed and listened to her chattering as she tended to my injuries. She talked about anything and everything.
I watched her as I slowly recovered. She was always warm, it didn't matter if she had to support herself or that she lived on her own. Like my deceased master, she always had a smile on her face." Old man Ichigo's eyes softened at the very thought.

I couldn't help but slightly smile.

"What was her name?"

"Oh, her name? Hikari, she was the light in my darkness. Very ironic, her name itself meant 'light'."

I raised my eyebrow. "That sounds so fairytale-ish."

The old man barked out a laugh. "My whole life was one tragic fairytale. Someone up there had a sadistic sense of humour.
Anyway, I stayed with her while I recovered. She stayed by my side, I found myself opening to her. It was a year before I recovered and during that time I decided to stay with her. I had never been as content as I have with her then anyone else.
However, these things never last for long. They eventually tracked me down, my second home was burned, and Hikari was killed-."

The sentence was immediately broke off there. The old man's hands shook. He swallowed several mouthfuls of his drink and took the time to compose himself.
I could see the emotions filling his eyes.

Old man Ichigo began again, only this time with a broken tone. "I couldn't protect her; no matter how hard I tried it just wasn't enough.
From then I regretted my decision of ever leaving my village. I would have faced those stares, insults or comments rather than watching the woman I loved die in my eyes because of me."

The atmosphere fell silent. I sat there fuming, my hands clenched tightly. And when I couldn't take the silence anymore, I jumped up and pointed directly at him.

"It wasn't ya fault she died, old man! Ya tried the best ya could!" I lowered my hand and breathed deeply. "Ya're called the 'Hollow Shadow' righ'? One of the best fighters lived. I want ya to be me master. Ya'll teach me all ya know, cuz I wanna protect those precious to me."