Kourin's Tale: Chapter 1
In a time that has long since past. Five extraordinary Samurai warriors were gifted with a magic armor and abilities far beyond that of a normal mortal. Indeed, this armor was so unique in that it made its bearer immortal to any thing except a mortal wound. These five warriors came from five different walks of life and five different areas of Japan. This is the story of Just one of those armors and the warrior it chose.
The first armor was that of Wizened Courtesy and Light. Known as the armor of Halo or the Korin Armor, It chose Date Seiji as its bearer. A gentle and meditative soul Seiji was most surprised to be meditating one day and see a vision of such clarity that he would forever wonder that he had seen it at all. Since his heart seemed to wish to follow this vision of strength, he soon packed what few things he owned in the world and walked off in the general direction his heart and soul pulled him in.
As he walked he soon found himself in front of a large cavern that lead into the famed Pinnacles. Knowing that if he was wrong about any of what he had seen or felt he would be lost forever in the dark recesses of the unlit caverns for the eternity. He still felt the strong pull of his spirit and followed it into the cavern.
As he wandered blindly in the complete dark of the Pinnacles he found that if he would try to stray from the direction that his soul set for him, he would find a cliff leading up or strait down. Once he discovered this he gave up trying to find his own way and let his heart lead.
After wandering around and in his own mind getting thoroughly lost he found himself in a dimly lit area that spread out into a cavern the likes he had never seen. Sitting in the middle of the cavernous room was a suit of armor that was green with gold trim. Its faceplate was fearsome to look at and the suit was seated in such a manner that when Seiji looked at it he swore it would stand with the aid of the spirits and walk towards him.
He was so amazed and drawn to the armor in the room that he did not notice that his legs had moved him right up to the suit itself. Once he realized this he looked around to see what other wonders would be in the cavern for him to marvel at.
Nothing.
The room was devoid of any other treasures and the very light that lit the room seemed to come from the suit of armor. He reached out with his hand to touch the faceplate that drew him in. For one moment the entirety of the Pinnacles saw light in a blinding flash of green energy as the armor moved.
Seiji never saw the armor move, but when his eyes readjusted to the new light levels in the room he was amazed that he was now the source of the light. When he looked down at himself he really startled in shock as he had a no-daitchi in one hand and was now clad in the green armor. He was confused, scared and wary of this possible gift until a voice entered his thoughts and greeted him.
~Greetings Date Seiji. Or should I say... Korin no Seiji...~
"What?? Who is there?? How do you know my name?? and what is Korin??" The fear that he had been hiding for this long had finally manifested in the form of questions. He strove to understand what was happening to him and the understand all of the new experiences that had occurred in the last few days.
~I am Korin. The spirit of the armor that you are now wearing. Because of that the armor's name is also Korin. Several days ago I was awakened from the slumber that had claimed me since the moment of my creation. Because of this awakening I was forced to find a bearer of the right inclination that would accept me or sleep eternally. I chose to stay awake this time around and in doing so I cast my shadow over the world for the mind that would receive my image and come. Several people saw me, but only yourself came to my aid.~
As the Armor spirit told its short story it also accompanied it with pictures of the other people it touched and even in just the pictures Seiji could feel their potential. What he did not understand however was how they could not follow their spirit and come to this place.
~There in lies the true test of ones character and willingness to listen to their heart. You of all the young men and women my vision touched passed the test with out so much as thinking about. Yet with in the test you continued to figure out different ways even though you knew your heart was right. A sign of a good warrior as you were always thinking and not just blindly following.~
"I was thinking but what about the others. Will they forget the vision or will they remember and wonder or remember and not care." He was trying to understand what made him stand out and made him unique other than the stated facts and in doing so made the armor spirit chuckle.
~Young Seiji, you will learn that you are not as unique as you think you are in the ways of the armor. But for the others that received the vision they will remember or forget as they choose and they will continue on with their life as if nothing untoward had happened, unless they choose to remember and ponder.~
Seiji was relieved that the spirit would not force anything that would be against the individual's nature and in hearing and seeing this through the spirit's eyes he was reassured that he would be in control should he need the armor for anything.
~Yes, you will be in control. But I will be here in the back of your mind when you are wearing me to be a guide and teacher. Learn from me and I will make you a better student. Remember what I teach and think, but not to long about my suggestions when you go into battle. Most of what I have to tell you when you are fighting will be suggestion from millennia of battles and time in the other realms.~
"Ummm one more question if I may. How do I take you off and what is your code?"
~To remove the armor all you have to do is focus on the kanji symbol that you have been branded with. The symbol of courtesy, and the armor energy will flow to a small crystal. This crystal will be known to you as the Korin Yoroi Crystal. As for my code. It is the Code of the Samurai, one that I am most certain that you are familiar with.~
Seiji nodded and concentrated on the kanji of Courtesy and soon felt the energy centralize around his neck as a Crystal just as the Spirit said. Nodding to himself he realized that he was now in a dark cavernous room with out any light. The voice again chuckles in his mind. ~You are the warrior of light. Let it be so.~
Seiji smiled at that one reminder and as he held his hand out he saw a glowing light dancing in it illuminating his way out of the caverns. As he found his way out he noticed the light getting brighter as he neared the exit to the pinnacles. Smiling in relief, he jogged to the entrance and noticed that, yes it was daylight, but no it was not the same day.
Suddenly worried about the family that he had left behind he retraced his way back to the village that he lived in. As he walked into the town, he noticed that people that usually smiled to him on the streets were looking at him strangely. He looked at himself and could not see what had changed about him to make people change that much about him. However when he finally returned home he finally noticed the change that made the difference.
Years.
Years had passed since he left the village and it had changed him almost as much as it had changed the people of the village. When he went to greet his mother the change in years really hit home. He was still young and almost the same age as he was when he left on his journey. Yet his mother was now wizened and gray. The years and the grief of her missing son had not been kind to her as she hobbled out to greet the son that had been thought of as dead for so many years. The shock on her face matched exactly the look of shock on his face when they saw each other. One changed and the other unchanged with the passage of time she still drew the son once lost into her fierce embrace.
"Long have I prayed that you would return home to me unharmed, my Seiji-chan. Now you are not only unharmed, but unchanged as well from the last time I saw you. What has happened my son."
"There will be time for that story mother. Where are grandfather and father? Why are they not here to work with you in the fields behind the house?" He looked around almost straining his hearing for the familiar sounds of his father and grandfather bickering as they worked.
"Oh Seiji, I wish I could spare you the pain that comes with change. Your Grandfather passed on not to long after you had left. With out his grandchild to goad him into being himself and workouts, he gave up on life and wasted away. As he saw what was happening he chose to die with honor than to die as a man given up."
"Your Father never returned from burying my father, and all I can do is hope that he is alive and that he is just looking for you where ever you may have gone in the world."
As they talked they walked around the Date property which, thanks to the careful guidance and much thought, had grown to a considerable size in the years that Seiji had been gone. As he looked around in amazement at everything new to him, he could only wonder just how many years had gone by since he went into the pinnacles. He also could not fathom why he was so loath to tell his own mother where he had gone, however all he had to do was reach back to the corner of his mind and he could feel the Korin spirit resting there. Watching and waiting for him to be alone, yet knowing that he needed this time with his family to start to sort his life out into the years that he had been gone.