Too long have I lived here, isolated from the world by my own choice. My tower lays in the middle of a lake, surrounded by towering pines and shielded from prying eyes. An old friend brings me supplies once per month and I pay him handsomely for his effort, but he has not arrived this month.

I grow impatient as my stores begin to dwindle. Where is Haru?

My focus shifts toward my training, my passion for these past twenty seven years while I have been hiding from myself and the world.

Yet, I cannot abandon Haru. If he is in trouble, I must come to his aid; my honor code requires that much. My faithful friend would not abandon me so easily. I take my armor from its stand and brush off the dust, the steel scales shining in the lamplight.

It fits perfectly, just as it had been crafted all those years ago in another lifetime. I had not been able to save Shiori, but I will not leave Haru to his own fate. As I pass the threshold of my tower, my swords tucked in their place and leaning lightly on my spear, I stop to kiss the image of Shiori. She will be my protector as I venture out for one last adventure.

As I land on the shore of my old protectorate, I step into the past. Visions spring up in my mind of the towns which I used to guard, and I can’t help but wonder how they have changed in my years of isolation. The seeds of disorder had already been sown when Shiori was killed, so I cannot help but think the worst.

My journey takes a few days to reach the first village and I am met with stares, a mix of fear, surprise, and reverence. The first aging man I meet recognizes my armor and bows before me.

“Do not bow to me,” I implore him, “I do not deserve that honor.”

“But, my lord,” he begins in a cautious, hushed tone, “surely you are here to…” his voice trails off when he sees my look of confusion. I have not known of any current events for nearly three decades, and instantly I am feeling guilt from not caring for my subjects.

A man approaches me in the street, obviously drawn by my armor as he carries a long glaive. This must be what the man talked about. This aggressor seems intimidating, though to the trained eye, he has very little discipline. His movements tell of his actions. My eyes drop to his feet and hips as I watch for his next move.

“You!” He calls to me, still ten meters away, “I’ll take your armor!”

“Unlikely.” I can see the people moving back into their homes and businesses as he draws closer. I set my helmet over my head and rest my right hand on the hilt of my katana, my left hand gently holding the sheath.

“Give it to me!”

I look up into his eyes as he enters striking range. Anger burns behind them: good. I make a simple reply. “No.”

A primal yell escapes his lips and he winds up for a powerful strike. The polearm makes him lose his balance for just a moment and I take two quick steps forward, left then right, and with one motion draw my sword in a wide arc, slicing through flesh and bone alike as I separate his top half from the bottom. His face takes on a look of surprise just before his torso falls backward from his hips.

As I wipe the blood from my blade, I begin to see people appearing in the doorways of homes. The fear which had gripped them no longer there, they begin to regain their courage. “My lord Asahi,” one woman approaches, kneeling and bowing before me, “are you truly returned?”

“Stand up,” I tell her, “I am not deserving of your reverence. I abandoned the world so long ago, but I will make it right. Maybe when I return, I will deserve the honor you bestow upon me.”

She takes my hand in hers and kisses it, “We have waited for you to return all these years. Go with our blessing.”

“I am searching for Haru. Do you know of his whereabouts?”

Her visage turns to a look of worry at the mention of Haru. “He was kidnapped. We believe the bandits reside in the old ruins of ancient Tokyo. I implore you, lord Asahi, do not venture there. It is perilous to any who enter. Strange beasts roam within its borders.”

“I cannot abandon him to die among his captors. I thank you for the information, but I must go.” I see the sun beginning to set as I purchase a horse and mount up to ride toward Tokyo.

The reds and oranges of sunset filled the sky over the mountains to the west, painting the clouds in vibrant colors as the trees faded to black against the horizon. It shines off my armor and I draw the gaze of many whom I pass as I exit the village.

My bow sings as I take down a stag for my dinner, dropping to the ground to skin the animal and I make a fire to roast the savory meat. The sounds of the woods are nearly alien to my ears after the decades of isolation inside my tower, but I meditate with them and focus my concentration on my objective. There is no way for me to know what I can expect to wait for me in Tokyo. Every day that passes draws me closer to that ancient ruin which presumably holds my objective. At last I reach the rise which looked down into the valley.

Fuji-san stood off in the distance like a great paladin protecting his nation of Japan. I stop and dismount, bowing low in respect to the magnificent mountain for the first time in my life. The mountain-god of my people deserves more respect than I ever could, and I long to one day stand on his slopes.

But that is not today. My attention returns to my task and I plead for Fuji to protect me on my journey into the ruin of Tokyo, where waits my destiny.

The slopes give way to my feet, scaring up little rivulets of dirt as I make my way toward the outskirts of the ruin. Several buildings with pagoda roofs stand beside the road, showing no signs of life and a few had already collapsed in disrepair. The silence which surrounds the delapidated buildings put me on edge as I progress through the land and I take a moment to string my great yumi bow, watching and listening. I dismount my horse and walk beside her, wary of every shadow.

A stone is disturbed to my left and I turn to look. An aging man stood in a doorway, the house dark behind him.

This is a draft. The story is continued in my own document, as I have decided to turn it into a novella.