My earliest memory was around age 5. I was camping with my grandfather, Isayku. We were wandering, as we were prone to do and had set up camp for the night. Holy Akleo was low on the horizon and by the chill breeze on the air, it must have been early spring. I remember the smell of smoked fish and hearing the crackle of the burning fire. I was swinging around a katana-like stick and tripped over the over-sized legs of my hakama. I can still feel the blush rushing up my cheeks as grandfather laughed heartily, his massive gut rippling before we were both interrupted by a woman approaching the camp.She was breathtaking, beautiful violet hair intertwined with flowers and a soft, affectionate smile. She took a jab at grandfather about how I had noticed her arrival first and how I would have to protect him in his old age. Grandfather gave us both a baleful look and I recall him saying how "Respect for one's elders is tantamount to surviving to become an elder yourself". Which passed quickly, before he was laughing hard enough to set the birds to wing and the sound echoing through the hills all around us.
She told me her name was Ashura. Grandfather had never mentioned her before and I stated as much. She called him a curr, which tickled me. Before I knew it the old man had wrapped us both in a crushing hug that I fought to get out of (unsuccessfully). She joined us for supper and they spoke. I recall vaguely about the topics spoke of, something about her leaving for somewhere called Navarre with multiple sons which surprised grandfather. One born in Fin Nathay or something.
I fell asleep watching the three moons above and the celestial ring, despite how hard I was trying to stay awake. I couldn't remember the last time grandfather had laughed so much and smiled for so long. Not to mention the last time his tone of his voice carried such genuine affection and respect.
When I awoke the next morning to Holy Akleo's first lights far off the hillside I still remember grandfather's rumbling snores like a bear deep in hibernation and the feel of a makeshift blanket, satin soft and smelling of lilac perfume that had been laid over me as I slept. As I rubbed my eyes I spotted our visitor from the night before and she seemed surprised I had woke up.
She called me 'Dango' affectionately and told me Grandfather's drinking is what made him a master of the blade, which at the time was a huge deal to me and I secreted that knowledge away to this day. Today, I think she was mostly teasing, but I wonder if she would have said that if she knew how I would turn out.
She then asked me to take care of him as she feared she might not see him again. I remember such a pained look in her almond-like eyes. She called me Nezumi-chan and hugged me, before talking a little of her son. About how I reminded him of her and she thought we would get along and warned me that grandfather's compassion and kindness gave him great strength, but might cause him to take a knee some day. I assured her he would be safe with me and quickly as she had arrived, she vanished from sight off into the hills.
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"This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai: if by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in becoming the man he is destined to be."
We bantered, again. Admittedly that could sum the majority of our interactions. He continued to refuse to teach me swordsmanship and I found his musings and wisdom as unhelpful as ever. He remarked if the day comes where you can out muse me, you will have sufficiently taken from my lessons to learn swordplay.
He found my lackluster response and the roll of my eyes (as usual) amusing. Though he continued and remarked the sting of my tongue and wit would be more deadly than any foe than any blade help in my hands. He continued by saying he rambles because he does not want me to fall down the path of lesser, more foolish swordsmen. That I was so eager to create a warrior, that I must embrace it all thoroughly including all of his teachings and that there was no life to be had by wandering the world in search of battle as the edge of a sword can not be used to create lives.
Sometimes I wish I had paid a little more attention to his words and exact phrasing. Trying to remember it all now is like gazing through a murky fog.
He had a frustrating tendency to drop really profound and useful advice but only occasionally and never when it was expected. This seemed like one of those times. He seemed genuinely happy that I had paused in my chores and was actually listening. He asked me why I wanted to become a man of the blade. I think when I said it was to follow in his footsteps, even though I was blushing something fierce and swung the words at him like I might a weapon he was still touched.
He remarked he wished he was a better man or a better liar as it filled his heart with joy. When he was upfront like that and serious it always caught me off guard. He had me kneel aside the flames and despite my reservations at him toying with me...again...he actually offered me one of the wrapped bundles on his back, larger than the rest. I was still hesitant until I saw what it contained, a beautiful weapon like starlight wrapped in a crystalline cage of golden filigree with no tricks or games to be found. I had no words, so great was my shock. He said it was an extension of will and it was called Ashura, which prickled at my memory at the time but I had no chance to ask any other questions.
A figure perched in the nearby tree remarked on how touching the moment was. The figure didn't even care to look at us when he addressed us. I remember anger and embarrassment rising in my chest but before I could say anything I saw the other figures that had gathered, six in total and each bearing such hostility, one a literal huge, terrifying oni. Grandfather, as always was perfectly still and calm, though he always was right up to when he first drew his blade. They called him the Sanguine Fang, a term I had never heard before that day and the lump in my throat was monstrous indeed. 
It only grew larger when grandfather spoke next with warm affection, "I love you boy. I have many stories from my youth and every one of them pales in comparison to my act of raising you. I'm so proud of you and I wanted you to know that. Now ready yourself, for when I give the signal you must run as fast and hard as you can."The battle itself exploded in a flash. I recall the great fiend reciting a spell that felt so wrong my very skin felt like it was burning, single yellow eye open wide as it loosed twin snakes of flame toward me as I ran as hard as I could. Just as I thought I was finished, the roaring heat of the flames closing in on me the spell shattered like glass harmlessly around me as the blanket the violet haired woman had left for me so long ago shone brightly and burned away in my place.
My last sight was Grandfather's face, that usual joyful visage gone as he re-sheathed his blade and cried to the heavens, "Brave blade turn to deadly fire" as he conjured twin, rose-coloured torrents of churning flames on the foes. The bandage-wrapped man met his attack with one of his own, similar in nature as he cried out, "Heavens wish to destroy all minds" creating white and gold flames as his weapon glowed with brilliant blue and white light. 
At this point I was sliding rapidly down the slope and away from the battle, my body aching from the rapid pace and extreme exertion. My heart sank as I heard feet behind me, sparing a glance only long enough to see the man with the claw bracer and wide jingasa in pursuit close behind. He closest quickly, too quickly and I thought I was finished as I saw felt his hot breath on the nape of my neck and hand closing in before the ground rumbled beneath us, trembling as the rocks and grass pushed themselves to the side swiftly and I swallowed to the yawning darkness below, before it sealed shut right behind me.I can't remember how long I actually fell, it felt like an eternity. The roar of winds and eternal darkness around me gave no indication of the passing of time. The relief of my escape was short lived as I wondered how quick my death would be on landing below. I remember that thought only briefly flicking through my mind before a sharp impact and the sensation of cool water all around me. There was some faint illuminations which guided me to the surface, kicking my legs hard as I could. When I broke surface and pulled myself up on the rocks, my heart was pounding in my chest far too loud and I was coughing up water as I struggled to breathe. My sight was blurred as I made out pale-blue green illumination around me and two floating twin stars, one red and one blue. The blue one spoke, a high-timbered voice thick with worry, "Oh no no no, you killed it and all its fur is gone". The other sighed and spoke with sharp irritation, "It's a human. It doesn't have any fur". I recall the last thing I heard the blue one asking is "What's a human?", as I fell into unconsciousness and not feeling very confident I'd live to see the next day.
I dreamed. It felt like I was swimming forever, then in a recess of the dark a silhouette with a splash of brilliant purple. Ashura. She stood so far off and far away. Clutched in her hand I recognized my sword and its mirror in her other hand. She looked...older. Marked by the harsh realities of the outside world. Her face was sad, a tear running down her cheek. She moved to speak, but I couldn't hear or understand it through the oppressive gloom. Her proud shoulders were bowed and she stepped back into the darkness as I tried to reach out to her.
I was awake again, my head throbbing as I could make out the two little, glowing figures still speaking. The blue one remarked about how big I was and I must be 10,000 years old. The other one sighed again, saying maybe 15 seasons at most. The red one called him an idiot.I remember groaning as I opened my eyes. My vision was more clear, but everything still ached. At least I could make them out more clearly, two fox-like shapes made of partially translucent flames.
They were worried for me, telling me to take my time and asked how I was. The blue one apparently thought I was really addled as it introduced itself in a gratingly slow manner of speaking as Jibakurei. The other, the brilliant red fox, was Ikiryu. The blue one said I had been out for years which panicked me momentarily before his brother corrected him to say maybe 1 or 2 hours. I quickly learned to take Jiba's remarks with a grain of salt after this point. He was...is...adorable though.
I did feel pretty addled admittedly. It was so much to take in, I was overwhelmed. They (mostly Iki) told me they were my family now, a part of me, and they were sent by someone called Kayla'Vira. I could feel their tiny paws as they touched me reassuringly. Iki told me we were at the Shrine of Tian Zhe, the World Element. It was one of the powers that shaped Seiya Zei itself. I was safe there, no one could harm me. It was...comforting.
Ikiryu continued that even among the spirits the Sanguine Fang was notable and protected the world itself as much as her people. That made me feel oddly proud. Apparently he couldn't tell me everything, though. Some sort of rules I think. It's infuriating at times to say the least. He did finish by saying that I would be unable to return to this place without the relics of Tian Zhe. Whatever those are. Even so, once I looked around a little and managed to gather my courage we left together.
We returned to where the battle had been cautiously. There was a massive crater and no sign of grandfather or those that had attacked him. Only grass that had been burnt away to a crisp ash. Which was a relief, he must have got away. Or so I told myself and the pair of foxes.
I found out quickly once we got to town no one else could see the pair of foxes, even if I could see, hear and even feel them. After that we have chased rumours of grandfather ever since, but at least so far nothing has lead me to him. So many claimed to seen him but they were always wrong or didn't lead anywhere. At least I take it as a sign he is still alive...somewhere. I'll find him someday and make him proud in the meantime. Maybe he'll be able to hear some rumours about me too.
