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"Perhaps, the Kamisato Clan were born to protect the Gods."
His mother used to say, in her ever so tender tone that never failed to soothe away his aching bones after each training session with his father.
Although he never said it out loud, never once did he fully agree with that statement.
The Kamisato clan belonged to the Kamisato clan, he would think. For in his adolescent's brain, his baby sister first steps towards him during that stormy day is far more precious than any Archon's weight in pure gold.
-
"Lord Kamisato, the Kaedehara clan have arrived to pay their condolences." A servant stood behind the paper screen door, their shadow contrasting against the candle lit room.
Ayato's breath paused for a second as his newfound title sank into the pit inside his stomach.
Gathering whatever's left of his composure and self will, he answered back using the formalities he has been taught to say when this day inevitably will arrive.
The words leaving his mouth never registered for him to remember what he said.
"As you wish my lord." Their steps echoed against the wooden floor, the house more quiet than it has ever been.
He shouldn't keep them waiting too much, kazuha must be worried sick by now. And despite that, and the growing numbness in his legs for sitting on them for too long, he doesn't have the heart to move a muscle.
Not when his sister's head laid in his lap, the exhaustion of all those tears catching up to her and putting her mind to rest.
While he is older than before, she is still too young to have lost them now. Ayato can't help but feel guilt eating him at the realisation that he had more time with them than she did.
As his hand comped through her hair, deep down he knew that guilt would never compare to the guilt of knowing soon she will also lose him too.
The Kamisato clan have been leaderless for a while as his father's sickness worsen, all that work piling up will be hanged upon the neck of the first person able enough to bear its responsibility.
And it just so happened that today is his 18th birthday.
To think he'd be dressed from head to toe in black for his special day.
Meeting his parents eyes, he stared into those portraits on the table in front of him. What would they say if they saw him right now?
Would they feel proud of the fact he has not shed a single tear? Or would they scold him for letting Ayaka cry? Would they feel pity for him for he has not met their expectations yet.
How would their faces look if he was just a bit early and showed them the vision he had been granted merely a night ago. That the same gods they're sworn to protect looked down upon him and saw someone worthy.
Yet that damned blue orb remains locked away in a drawer inside his study. For how can they be so cruel to grant him a vision that didn't make him any less useless in standing there and watching his father wither away.
The irony, a non healing hydro vision.
And what of his mother? Why not grant her the vision instead, for he knows fair well she's stronger than everyone in his clan combined.
Yet in the same cruel twist of fate, she passed away alongside her husband on the same night.
For pain was from the gods, but they made no error.
He looked down at his sister, the sight of her in the black kimono made her look so small. Remembering their last words to him that night, to protect Ayaka.
"Mother, father." His throat felt dry as he spoke, "i promise you, i will bring honour back to the Kamisato clan."
-
Three days has passed since the funeral, and in this world of politics it's more than enough for people to start raising their expectations of him.
You've grieved and you've cried, now it's time to start moving with the world alas it leaves you behind.
For the common folk, Ayato is still a poor young soul pushed into shoes too big to fill, yet for the other clans he's akin to a clueless prey, a young sparrow that'll fall before he even gets to fly.
And as he strolls the shoreside of the beach nearby the Kamisato state, Ayato wonders if their brains are as empty as the seashells littering the sand.
Maybe true anonymity was his parent's last gift for him before their depart, his father was his teacher in almost everything he has known and his mother tended to his every need and want.
Servants sometimes were in sight but never close by enough to get a read on the young Kamisato.
They might have as well had the whole world fooled that he is some sweet lost innocent soul.
And he prefers it that way, with his hands full of cards and opponents so easy to read and steer, well at least for as long as this vail of youth remains clouding their judgement of him.
The smarter ones will catch on eventually, but for now he has a golden opportunity to reshape the Kamisato clan to whatever he likes and rebuild it from the ground.
Re-establishing the Shuumatsuban to be stronger and better than before was his first step, unless he can secure his and Ayaka's safety from assassination then he can't take any risky steps to get his clan back on its feet.
Training Ayaka will be his second step, although with only 24 hours in a day he will have to give up his polearm lessons and rely on his sword more.
And his third step…
Stopping in his steps, Ayato leaned down towards the ocean waves, fingertips attempting to command the water to flow and weave itself around his hand.
But to no avail, the water merly bubbles up in offence before crashing against his feet.
Stepping away before getting his whole lower half drenched, Ayato looked in annoyance at the vision strapped against his hip.
Just another responsibility to bear and another set of expectations to meet, he needed to learn how to use it to his advantage and he needed to do it quickly.
Ayato closed his eyes, concentrating all of his focus on the world around him. His hand brushing against the hilt of his sword as he took in the whistling of the wind and motion of the sea.
His mind was clear and despite not having vision, he could clearly conjour an image of the world around him.
A singular petal floating in the wind, heading towards him.
Faster than the eye could see, his sword split it in half before it fell to the ground, his finger running up the sharp edge of his blade as he attemped to get the water to flow through it.
Then he felt it, a drop of water hitting the tip of his nose, then another falling against his cheek, and a third one joined by a fourth and a fifth likewise.
His heart hammered against his chest as he slowly opened his eyes, more than a hundred raindrops falling around him.
Did he-
He looked at the sky and in a cruel joke of fate, instead of the clear starry night he faced a cloudy storm.
It's raining, it's just the weather.
He didn't do it.
The crack of thunder nearby felt like roaring laughter mocking him, the flashing of lightning growing brighter than his vision the day he got it.
Electricity filled the air, goosebumps traveled up his skin as his feet refused to leave the sand despite the slowly rising water levels of the sea.
In the horizon a bigger storm approaches, electric streams traveling through the water and heading towards his direction at an alarming speed.
And for a second, he thought about not moving and letting the electrocharged sea reclaim him.
The only thought echoing in his mind was, "mom, i miss you."
…
Only for the back of his white jacket to be tugged back, his unresisting body easily pulled away by the person behind him.
"My lord are you alright?" Thoma's arms kept their grip against him in case he might slip away, his expression sick with worry and he eyed him whole for any injuries.
Ayato didn't reply, shame surfacing up his lungs and choking him.
Only letting go after the other stood on his feet, Thoma fetched the umbrella he dropped not a second ago as he sheltred Ayato from the pouring rain despite his own clothes starting to get drenched.
"At this rate you might catch a cold, please let's go back to the estate to dry you up." Thoma continued to fret over the other, his hand guiding Ayato against his back as he ushered him back to the steady ground.
Staying silent throughout the short walk back, Ayato stopped their steps just when he Kamisato state gate was in sight.
"Thoma" he looked in his eyes, facing him fully.
"Yes my lord?"
"You're free to leave."
Slightly taken back by his words, Thoma looked confused, "what do you mean?"
Remembering who he was and where he is, Ayato quickly rephrased it "Now that the situation in Inazuma is unclear, the trouble the Kamisato Clan faces will only increase. You are someone who can see what's at stake, so if you don't want to get involved, leave early."
Not sparing him another glance, Ayato thought it was for the best as he made his way towards the estate.
Worried and surprised whispers starting getting loader as the maids began to gather to check on his sorry drenched state, rushing him to get changed inside while supressing the urge to scold him.
He didn't meet Thoma for the rest of the night, only sparing a few minutes to have dinner with Ayaka before attending to his paperwork.
…
"Achoo."
Was how he woke up from sleeping against his work table, papers and chess pieces scattered everywhere and a puddle of ink dripping down into the floor.
His orders to not let anyone disturb him till morning weren't taken lightly for none seemed to check if he had actually left his study that night.
Nose tingling, another sneezed followed soon.
Maybe it's just spring allergy, it doesn't necessarily mean he has a co-
And a third, then a fourth.
His nose starting running and he could feel his face heating up.
Okay yeah he does have a cold.
Trying to spot a box of tissues amidst the mess of paperwork galore, he almost slipped on the puddle of ink as the screen door to his study was slammed open.
"My lord, about yesterday I-" The rest of Thoma's word died on his tongue as he saw Ayato's state.
Letting out a heavy sigh, he quickly grabbed the tissue he keeps in his pocket as he helped Ayato.
"You should've gone to sleep in your own room." He gave him a disappointed look as his hand went to check his forehead temperature.
Any attempt for Ayato to argue back was interrupted by a sneeze, and so he was lead back to his room in defeat.
The soft mattress felt like heaven against his tired body, it was hard not to sink back into the pillows but he had to sit upright for the promise of breakfast that Thoma went to make.
"He hasn't left yet" was the only notable observation he made.
The smell of hot food made him sit upright again, a warm tray being places on his lap.
Opening his eyes that he doesn't remember closing, Ayato was faced with…a pyro vision instead of his morning eggs on the plate.
Thoma was looking at him earnestly, pride and passion burning clear as the sun for now he had a vision as a proof of how deep his loyalty runs.
Ayato looked back, then looked at the vision, then looked back at him.
"My Father has always taught me to be a loyal and righteous man" Thoma kneeled down, "If I leave at this time, I will lose my loyalty and righteousness."
The vision in front of Ayato began to glow, bright red and ablaze.
"I would like to do my best to do my part for the young master and the young lady. You will certainly need me as a helper in the path you embark on in the future. "
For the first time in weeks, since the last warm hug his father gave him, Ayato could feel the same comforting warmth again emitting from the vision in front of him
looking at Thoma, and hearing the approaching steps of his sister marching towards his room, Ayato didn't feel so alone anymore.
-
"Think of it as an extension of your body, instead of two arms you have an arm and a sword now." Ayato breathed out as he helped his sister up from the ground.
They have been training for hours, and yet the look of determination on Ayaka's face didn't weaver for a split second.
She has been taking every word and advice Ayato gave her to heart.
"Draw your opponent's attention to the area you want them to focus on." Ayato demonstrated as he drew his sword and placed his left leg ahead, "then quickly move your sword to a different area."
Quickly attempting to block her right side, Ayaka felt the tip of the wooden sword press against the left side of her neck before being pushed on the ground again.
Having enough self discipline not to show her frustration, Ayaka breathed steady and slowly before getting up on her own.
"Again." She wasn't giving up.
The teacher side of Ayato was proud of her but the brother side was starting to feel a bit guilty.
"How about we take a break and get some boba-"
"No." Ayaka swiftly striked, Ayato dodging to the side.
She switched the direction last second, catching him off guard.
Only for her wooden sword to pierce a water clone of him instead, Ayato having moved back just as swiftly.
"Hmm." He felt a proud smile creeping up his lips, "maybe a polearm would suit you better, it certainly has further reach which would make up for your reaction time."
Shaking her head as drops of sweat landing on the ground, Ayaka disagreed. "Mother used to use a sword, i want to be just like her and you."
Ayaka has never mentioned their parents before, not since the funeral.
Ayato's grip on his sword falters.
It has been two years.
He looks at Ayaka and he sees his father's hair and eyes, yet her soul is a mirror image of their mother's fighting one.
Having taken their mother's facial features and father's cunnings, Ayato chuckles at the irony of the situation.
Misunderstanding his laughter as mockery, Ayaka becomes even more determined to prove herself and she takes a steady pose with her sword ready. "Don't hold back." She says
"I won't." Water weaves itself around his sword and under his feet, as he lunges ahead faster than a water drop hitting the ground.
And Ayaka doesn't move away, instead she steadies herself to block, not a hint of doubt in her eyes.
Rising her sword up, a rush of ice freezes over the water, cracking the wooden sword into pieces and flipping Ayato on his back.
A white vision drops against her feet, both her an Ayato look at each other for 5 seconds not saying a word.
And then she jumps down to tackle him in a hug against the ground, the happiest smile ever on her face as she repeats that she finally did it.
In that moment, Ayato knows he fulfilled his promise of keeping his sister safe.