It had been a long trip, but as Shukuya watched Port Cirrus draw ever closer in on the horizon in the early hours of the morning, he couldn’t help but smile. The city was beautiful in it’s own way, glittering like a jewel against the night sky. Towering buildings twinkled with light, and the harbor was bustling even at this hour. The sight alone lifted his spirits, and he felt a renewed sense of purpose as he considered what led him here.
Leaving Tsuki No Kuni had left him aimless, at first. The Shrine was corrupt, and his brothers in the Priesthood were either complicit or too cowardly to act against them. He had tried to push for reform, to return the Shrine to what it should’ve been, but he had only been met with scorn, silence, and eventually violence. Change would not come peacefully to Tsuki No Kuni, but he was only one man, and he could not fight an entire country alone. And so he had left, all but banished from the land he come to call his home.
Shukuya had wandered from country to country in the months that followed, slaying demons and aiding the people where he could. The journey had opened his eyes to the world in ways that he had not expected. The former Priest had always known that evil was everywhere, but he had so rarely ventured beyond the Shrine that he had never seen the true extent of it himself The common man languished in poverty and oppression, while nobles lived in luxury from the fruit of their suffering. Rulers sat on their thrones, guiding the order that perpetuated injustice. All the while dark spirits and demons lurked in the shadows, feeding on it all.
He had nearly came to despair in those days, but then his Lord had spoken to him. He had given Shukuya a glimpse what could be, a world where benevolence reigned over apathy and malice, where order triumphed over chaos. The world could change, he saw, but it would not be an easy road. It would be a journey of suffering and sacrifice that would span decades, and he was not likely to see it’s end. Yet Shukuya had been undeterred. He knew he could meet his end with a smile if it meant the world could be put on a better path. His Lord rewarded his resolve, and showed him where to go. Kaminari No Kuni. Kumogakure. There, he could grow stronger to face the challenges that awaited him. He could gather the friends, allies, and influence he would need to make his dream a reality.
“It all starts here.” Shukuya murmured to himself, and the blade at his side sung in approval, it's song cutting through the night. Kotowari shined brightly, burning with the divine light of his patron. His Lord was pleased.
This was where he needed to be.
This was where it began.
WC: 490
[Entering Country - 1 Hour RT]
Leaving Tsuki No Kuni had left him aimless, at first. The Shrine was corrupt, and his brothers in the Priesthood were either complicit or too cowardly to act against them. He had tried to push for reform, to return the Shrine to what it should’ve been, but he had only been met with scorn, silence, and eventually violence. Change would not come peacefully to Tsuki No Kuni, but he was only one man, and he could not fight an entire country alone. And so he had left, all but banished from the land he come to call his home.
Shukuya had wandered from country to country in the months that followed, slaying demons and aiding the people where he could. The journey had opened his eyes to the world in ways that he had not expected. The former Priest had always known that evil was everywhere, but he had so rarely ventured beyond the Shrine that he had never seen the true extent of it himself The common man languished in poverty and oppression, while nobles lived in luxury from the fruit of their suffering. Rulers sat on their thrones, guiding the order that perpetuated injustice. All the while dark spirits and demons lurked in the shadows, feeding on it all.
He had nearly came to despair in those days, but then his Lord had spoken to him. He had given Shukuya a glimpse what could be, a world where benevolence reigned over apathy and malice, where order triumphed over chaos. The world could change, he saw, but it would not be an easy road. It would be a journey of suffering and sacrifice that would span decades, and he was not likely to see it’s end. Yet Shukuya had been undeterred. He knew he could meet his end with a smile if it meant the world could be put on a better path. His Lord rewarded his resolve, and showed him where to go. Kaminari No Kuni. Kumogakure. There, he could grow stronger to face the challenges that awaited him. He could gather the friends, allies, and influence he would need to make his dream a reality.
“It all starts here.” Shukuya murmured to himself, and the blade at his side sung in approval, it's song cutting through the night. Kotowari shined brightly, burning with the divine light of his patron. His Lord was pleased.
This was where he needed to be.
This was where it began.
WC: 490
[Entering Country - 1 Hour RT]