The Chronicles of Togashi: The Tenth Scroll
Page the First
At times, we must ponder a little: Why? and How?
The tools of inquiry? Perhaps.
But the truest question begins with a "Whether," and ends with a full stop at the end of the line.
When you fail to grasp the purpose of living...
No certificate, no achievement, no wealth—you remain at the beginning of your life.
This may seem strange or incomprehensible, but what is your aim in writing these words?
Memoirs of Togashi: X
The First Page
"But know this: I do not recount what I have written. I recount only the beginning, and of what follows, I know naught."
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(In a stone chamber resembling a small castle keep. The floor was of reinforced wood, and simple curtains veiled the window.)
It was a humble room, befitting Togashi and his simple life.
Why? How? When? Are these dreams a thread binding me to something more?
Questions haunted his mind like restless phantoms of smoke.
His eyes flew open. He was drenched in sweat. The room was dark, save for a sliver of moonlight stealing through the window. His chest rose and fell as if he had been running a long while. He wiped his face with a trembling hand.
Togashi glanced at the window and saw the bright moon; he knew it was still the heart of the night. He then lit the three candles upon his table and reached for the night-clock. Its shadow-hand crept perilously close to the sun's ascent.
He had dreamt his customary nightmare: the crushing weight of heavy waters, the foul stench of mud that clung to his senses even now, awake.
Togashi muttered, "Alas, I must keep to the sleeping draught. These shadows will be the death of my eyes should I forget it."
A strange dream, one that weighed upon him as if foretelling a truth he would not wish to know even were he to see it with his own eyes. A disordered feeling. The shadows beneath his eyes, invisible to all but his own dark reflection, seemed to whisper that he alone could see his suffering.
Togashi tried to rise from his bed, but a sharp pain lanced through his skull.
The pain ebbed and flowed in uneven waves, and a sense of confusion washed over him. This had plagued him from the start, but now he was certain: something was amiss.
The night was black, and whispers swirled from every corner. A strange echo pierced his ears:
"Voracity… voracity…"
The word beat like a hollow drum within him.
A voice enough to tell Togashi that some dark, ravenous thing was consuming his mind. He had never heard this sound before. He felt this night would not pass quietly.
Togashi clamped his hands over his ears, but the voice only swelled, rising to a fever pitch as he fought to silence it, until—!
In a fleeting moment, as the sound in his mind grew, a small girl of six years entered his chambers. It was his sister, Sana. "Brother!" she cried. "Are you well? You were screaming so loudly!"
She spoke with a worry plain in the warmth of her tone.
Sana rushed to Togashi's side. With her presence, the world righted itself. The whispers ceased, the feeling vanished, but for a fleeting second, his eyes caught something swift moving behind his sister. He could not focus on it before her soft hands grasped his, granting him a small measure of peace. "Answer me, brother," she pleaded. "What is it? What is happening?"
In a voice dry as dust, the only words he could manage were, "Water. I need water."
It was the most natural thing to ask for in this state, fraught with dread and the pounding in his head.
Just then, Togashi's gaze drifted to the window. He saw a silhouette standing on the roof of a nearby house, backlit by the moon. It smiled quickly and was gone, leaving a storm of questions in Togashi's mind.
Sana rose from his bedside, fetched water from the clay jug, and returned without delay, offering it to him.
He drank and drank as if he had not tasted water in centuries. His sister watched him until his strength returned. He handed her the jug and lay back upon the bed, saying with difficulty, "Sana."
He looked toward his sister standing before him, but her image flickered and vanished as if she had never been in the room at all. Fear seized him. He began looking left and right in a frantic search for her, until...
(The sound of slow footsteps approaching his room, growing louder and louder. Togashi watches in fear until his mother appears.)
She resembled neither Togashi nor his sister. Her hair was short and black, her eyes a dark, brownish hue.
She took in her son's distressed state at a glance and rushed to him. "Togashi? What is it? Your sister told me you were unwell!"
For a moment, Togashi flinched, thinking her some unknown phantom come to harm him. But he quickly recognized his mother. He was lost. Why had his days turned so grim? Why did he feel as though he were being watched? He did not know.
"When did she go to you?" Togashi asked.
His mother looked at him, puzzled. "What? What are you saying?"
"No... nothing," he replied.
He knew then that the headache had tricked his sight, making him believe his sister was never there.
"Togashi, are you well?" she asked, as he clutched his head, trying to gather his wits. "What is it, my son, tell me."
"I… I know not… My head feels as if it will burst."
"Do not say such things. I hope the pain is mild... Just be sure to drink your medicine."
"It tastes foul. I can barely bring the spoon to my lips for a sip."
This was their ritual. She would remind him of the medicine, and he would ignore her warnings.
"Take your medicine, my son," she said, her voice tinged with fear. "I do not wish to worry for you."
Togashi rose from his bed. "Fine, do not worry. I will take it. The trouble is not so bothersome, anyway."
He deliberately left his medicine each time, for he loathed it.
She then told him his friend had arrived, but that she could tell him he was too tired for the academy.
Togashi looked at the night-clock, bewildered. "What? Is it not too early for the morning?"
He felt as if time had deceived him, his eyes seeing only illusions conjured by his mind—a world of deep black, accompanied by the cold light of the moon.
His mother stepped closer. "Early? The sun broke the horizon ten minutes ago."
His head snapped toward the window, and he saw the first rays of dawn. He knew then it had all been a phantom torment.
"I believe I am not myself today," Togashi said. "Very well, tell him I am coming. I shall but bathe and go with him."
"Are you certain? I can tell him you are not well today."
"Do not worry yourself. I can go. After all, it is my first day. I cannot miss it."
Their talk ended with his mother's advice not to neglect his health and to take his medicine.
Togashi gave a nod of assent. Heaving himself up, he went to the hot bath to find some solace.
The curse of his awakening, which plagued him from time to time, finally ended after a struggle that did not last long.
As he leapt from the water, his usual spirit returned in a rush. "Waaah! A hot bath truly mends the mind without toil!"
He grabbed a towel and tied it securely around his waist.
Just then, a young man, slightly his elder, entered, wearing trousers but bare-chested. "I'm taking a quick bath and my father's horse. Will you wait?"
"Pay it no mind, Zentaro," Togashi replied. "You can take your time. I am going with Takuma today."
Zentaro: "With that boy?"
Togashi: "Aye, what is the trouble with that?"
Zentaro: "None. I was merely surprised he has a horse."
Togashi: "Did I not tell you? He bought it a week ago so we could get to the academy."
Zentaro: "So that's how it is."
Zentaro made no further comment and headed for the bath.
Togashi dressed, left the bath, and returned to his room. He arranged his satchel, took his meal and his book, and bid his mother and sister farewell before leaving the house.
At that moment, a boy of about his own age pounced on him, sending Togashi tumbling to the ground. It was his friend, Takuma, now chiding him for his tardiness, to which Togashi offered his apologies.
"The seats we planned for are taken, Togashi," Takuma said.
Togashi fell silent, for he knew not what to say. The weariness was plain on his face, though he forced a smile out of embarrassment for his lapse.
"It matters not," Takuma added. "We can find other seats."
Takuma did not wish to press him, knowing already of Togashi's troubles with sleep.
"Very well," Togashi said. "Let us go. But first, let us pass by the eatery near the academy. I mean to purchase some food."
"Alright, alright, you charitable soul. Let us be off now."
With that, Takuma untied his horse. He mounted, pulling Togashi up behind him, and together they rode towards the academy.
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"As it is written, I am Togashi. I have just turned fifteen years of age. I live with my family in a rural village, rich with resources and farmlands, from which my father earns his keep. But his work takes him away for long periods, sometimes up to two months. As for the dreams that visit me, even I do not know what they are. I am the only one who has them, and because of them, I am driven to madness, and I know not what I ought to do."
Before they reached the academy, and after Togashi had bought a meal from a small market, he took it to one of the beggars who sat in the back alleyways. Usually, there were many, but today there was only one. He gave him the food he had purchased.
Togashi was no perfect man, but this person had once saved him from danger in the capital when he was a child. Togashi felt he owed him his life and must always help him.
The beggar, in a hoarse voice: "Thank you, my boy. I thank you truly."
Togashi gave a faint smile as he left quickly. "No thanks are needed. I owe you a great deal."
Togashi's visits to the capital were not routine, but he went weekly with his brother Zentaro for shopping. At those times, he would buy food for the beggar and give him enough coin to last the week. Once, his mother learned of it and made sure to help as well.
Togashi left the alley, his task done...
But...! Above, in the shadows, someone was watching.
(Features unclear, yellow eyes): "Was it Togashi who came to you?"
The beggar (in a whisper): "Yes, as you asked."
Their exchange was deeply unsettling. The mysterious figure said to the beggar, "Now, you must be careful to get close to him at the academy."
The beggar replied, "As you command."
They finally arrived at the academy building.
Because the academy was in the capital, Togashi had left early to catch the lessons before they began. A recommendation from one of his relatives had granted him entry into the grand capital academy—a prestigious school attended only by nobles and the upper-middle class. Togashi and his friend were the only ones from the countryside, which earned them the resentment of all the rebellious students, and one in particular.
"Togashi looked around. Gleaming walls, clean floors, and students speaking in the dialects of the capital's children... He and Takuma were not like them."
As Togashi walked the corridors beside his friend, talking, a young man with curly orange hair stood before them. He began hurling insults at Togashi, who, though angered, merely scowled and did not reply.
Togashi's inaction provoked the young man, who moved to strike him. But before he could, Takuma stopped him with a punch of his own, then quickly pulled Togashi away. They ran until they reached the welcome hall for the first-year students.
It was a wise move by Takuma to end the fight quickly and flee, avoiding entanglement with that troublesome lot.
Once they arrived and stopped running, Takuma said, "Ignore them and strike them. Give them a punch for a punch. That way, they won't dare touch you."
Togashi said, his features filled with embarrassment, "If only I had your strength, Takuma."
Takuma laughed. "If I were truly strong, I would have made them apologize." His bag was slung over his shoulder. "You see? Every year the welcome becomes grander. Do you remember the first day I came with you to the academy? You couldn't even utter a single word in your speech, hahaha!"
Togashi: "A curse on that time. Today is the first day, and there are no studies. Let us take our time exploring."
The hall around them was crowded with students and teachers, some getting to know one another. They took their time wandering. As they did, the most popular girl in the academy appeared: Saika Kurosawa, the king's daughter and the most beautiful girl in the school.
Immediately, all the students began to talk about her, and she became the center of attention.
Takuma nudged Togashi with his elbow. "Look, Togashi. It's the girl who rejected you when you confessed, remember? Hahahahaha!"
Togashi: "Damn it, be quiet. I don't want her to notice me."
But Togashi's ill fortune made her glance his way. She gave him a scornful look, her expression mocking, and continued on her way.
This was the worst thing that could happen to Togashi. He was not shy or afraid, but he despised himself for having confessed to Saika, only to be rejected in such a pitiful manner. It made him hate looking at her, and he always ignored her.
"Hahahaha," Takuma said. "My friend, you have bad luck with girls, but never mind. You will find one more beautiful than her."
Togashi: "Tsk. Damn it, it doesn't matter. Let's get out of here."
But then they came across Zentaro as they wandered the school. He was at his locker, placing some things inside. He was as famous as Kurosawa, but not for his striking beauty. Rather, it was for his hostile personality. Everyone feared befriending him due to the sharpness of his replies, so most were content to look at him without daring to speak. Saika also held a deep hatred for him, as every year he took first place among the top students. Takuma pointed to Zentaro and said, "Look, isn't that your brother, Zentaro? Let's go say hello."
Togashi: "For heaven's sake, I was just talking to him at home."
But Takuma ignored him and went to Zentaro, with Togashi following. Takuma greeted him, "Well, well, the smartest student in the academy! Tell us, what are the top students' classes like?"
Zentaro: "Always annoying and dull. I can never rest there."
This was because whenever he answered a question from a teacher, Saika would also want to answer, but he would beat her to it. He always stole the spotlight from her, so she harbored a grudge against him, showing it by throwing vexing words his way, which he would ignore.
"But I truly envy you for it," Takuma said. "The quality of your education is excellent. Besides, we don't even know where our class is."
Zentaro replied, "Well, you have a point there..." Then, in a voice laced with sarcasm, he added, "Are you going to search for your class like you did in previous years?"
Takuma: "Don't worry, that's not the problem. The problem is that annoying Yusuke took the seats we wanted."
Zentaro: "Leave this childish squabbling and sit in any seat."
Togashi replied to Zentaro, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Can you help us? Please."
Zentaro brushed his hand away as he left, saying, "Yes, yes, we'll see about that later."
Togashi understood his brother's character well: stubborn, strong, and always in a foul mood. Togashi didn't know why, but what he truly didn't know was that his brother suffered the same affliction. He had strange dreams but paid them no mind. It wasn't obvious because of how little he spoke to people and how he ignored the subject.
A short while later, they went to their classroom to meet the teachers. There, they found Yusuke sitting in the very spot they had planned for, his foot propped on the table as a sign that what he possessed was not to be touched.
But Takuma and Togashi ignored him completely, pretending to talk to each other as they sat in a random seat next to one another. This angered him.
Time passed until the break. Unlike other schools in the capital, Togashi's academy was known for having breaks as long as the lessons, due to its many activities and clubs.
When the classroom door opened and students began to file in and out, Togashi noticed from afar someone in a hooded, olive-green robe with yellow patterns. The figure stood in the crowd, staring at Togashi in a strange way. But as soon as a student moved in front of him, he vanished. Togashi felt a sense of unease from that person, as he had never seen anyone with that description in the school before.
But then Takuma started talking to him, and Togashi forgot the incident until his chopsticks, which he was eating with, fell by accident. He bent down to pick them up, but Yusuke blocked him, stepping on the chopsticks to provoke him.
As Yusuke began to mock Togashi and his chopsticks, Togashi and Takuma retorted with indirect sarcasm. This enraged him, and he tried to punch Togashi, but Zentaro intercepted him with a powerful blow that sent Yusuke sprawling to the floor like a fool.
The entire class fell silent, all eyes turning to the scene. But no one dared to speak. Zentaro radiated a particular aura that kept the other students at a distance.
Togashi thanked Zentaro, not realizing at first it was him. When he picked up and cleaned his chopsticks, he noticed who had helped him. "Zentaro? When did you get here?"
Zentaro: "It was a coincidence. I was just passing by your section and saw it."
Yusuke stood up. "You bastard, what the—"
Zentaro gave him a cold look, filled with so much malice that Yusuke hesitated to finish his sentence. Zentaro then left the classroom.
"Argh," Yusuke said, clutching the sore spot. "I forgot that fool has a brother."
He then glanced toward the door and saw Zentaro glaring at him. He quickly left to avoid a stronger blow than the last. Togashi felt a sense of relief and finished his lunch. .
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At that time, in a luxurious house in the capital, a young man in his mid-twenties was speaking to an unknown, hidden entity while sipping tea.
"Do you think so?" the young man said. "I like your thinking. You will be a good observer for Togashi. Just be sure to follow the instructions."
The figure bowed slightly before the young man, hands behind his back, a sarcastic smile on his face.
"As you will, my lord... I shall not lift a finger until your signal. I will content myself with watching your stubborn little one from the shadows, laughing when he falls, and extending a hand only when I am bid..."
He then glanced at the teacup and tilted his head slightly.
"By the way... the tea you are drinking now? It was... acquired from a king's wing in the upper world. I do hope its flavor is to your liking, for I may have acquired his throne along with it. Who can say?"
He paused for a moment, then continued in a mocking tone.
"But as you said... Togashi is precious, and I am not one of those fools who leaves diamonds in the mud. I will watch him, and I will not allow him to be broken... unless you command it, of course."
The young man replied, "Speaking of tea, you have a fine taste in choosing the right drink for me. You are more a friend to me than a servant, so there is no harm in calling me by my name, without 'my lord.' As for Togashi... he is precious to me, and you will watch him through me."
He then took the teapot, poured more tea into the cup, added sugar, and began to stir.
Their strange conversation continued for much longer. Here we are introduced to two mysterious characters, each playing on a hidden string tied to a river of ambiguity, with truths behind which lie endless secrets. For the time being, at least...
Everything was proceeding normally for Togashi, or so it seemed.
When his school day ended, he and Takuma decided to wander the capital for a bit, until they came to a simple shop whose owner sold equipment and strange things he found.
Togashi pointed to the shop. Takuma refused to go in, arguing that it looked suspicious and they might be robbed. But Togashi insisted, until Takuma was convinced to go with him. When they entered, a man who looked to be in his forties welcomed them.
The shop was modest. Shelves hung on the walls, and a counter of reinforced glass held some rings and valuable metals. Some contained shells, of which it was rumored that one in a thousand held a shimmering pearl. Of course, these were just rumors.
But a strangely shaped stone caught Togashi's eye. It was like charcoal but shiny, shaped like an egg but about three times larger.
While Takuma inspected the goods, Togashi went to the stone and began to examine it. The shopkeeper approached him. "Inspecting this stone? It has an appealing look, but for some reason, no one buys it, as it has no value."
Togashi smiled in amazement. "How much are you selling it for?" he asked, pointing to the stone. "I will buy it from you."
The man scratched his head, thinking. "I am not sure, but I will sell it to you for four silver coins. The loss will not be great, in any case."
Togashi thanked him. The man took a modest box, placed the stone inside, wrapped it well, and gave it to Togashi, who paid the price. Takuma then decided to buy a silver necklace as a gift for his sister, determined not to return home without a present for her.
"Excuse me," Takuma said, pointing to the necklace. "How much for this?"
The man answered immediately that it was 20 silver pieces. Takuma did not hesitate to buy it, even though the coins in his purse were nearly gone.
They left the shop and decided to return to the stable to get Takuma's horse and go home. But as they did, the stone fell from Togashi's bag. He couldn't catch it in time, and it shattered into small pieces. "Stop at once!" Togashi told Takuma.
When Togashi dismounted and went to inspect the stone, he noticed a compass, as if it had been inside the stone all along. He bent down to see what it was and to gather the broken pieces.
Takuma came over. "What? Did your stone break? I told you to tie your bag well so you wouldn't drop it."
"Look," Togashi replied, ignoring him. "Isn't this a compass?"
Takuma was surprised and drew closer, looking at the compass in Togashi's hand. "What? How did you find it?"
"I think it was inside that stone," Togashi said. "Look, it's pointing somewhere."
Takuma took the compass and looked at the direction. It pointed northwest at 59 degrees, towards a forest called the Fringe Cone Forest. This forest was isolated, not even close to any villages, and known to be very dangerous. No one ever went near it.
"What do you think?" Togashi asked. "Shall we go? I don't think my buying this stone was a mere coincidence."
Takuma answered at once, his tone serious. "Are you jesting? That forest, in particular, is the last place I would want to go. I don't want to risk my life for a stone that costs less than five silver coins!"
Togashi insisted, arguing that there might be a hidden treasure there, and this random compass might be pointing to it for them at this very moment.
After much persuasion, Takuma agreed, but on the condition that they would not take long and would return quickly. Togashi agreed at once, which made Takuma put his hand on his head, fearing the trouble that might befall them.
Togashi's personality was not so childish, but he was curious by nature, and this might one day lead him into danger.
When they went to the forest, time was not on their side. The sun was setting, and they could not stay long. As soon as they arrived, they began to follow the compass cautiously, checking to see if it would lead them back, to confirm there was something in their spot.
And so they did. But the sun began to set, and Takuma grew bored and a little tense. They had found nothing, and the forest had become more frightening than it was in the daytime. "Oy, Togashi," he said, pulling at Togashi's sleeves and looking left and right. "Let's turn back. It's late, and we haven't found anything."
"Stop! Stop!" Togashi said quickly.
Takuma pulled his horse back so fast it reared up, landing hard. It nearly fell before regaining its footing. "What now?"
"The needle just went back," Togashi said, holding the compass. "It seems we've arrived."
They walked slowly until the compass needle pointed back and began to spin. They looked around but found nothing. Takuma grew angry. "Is this where your compass has led us? There is nothing here!"
He snatched the compass from Togashi's hand and threw it forcefully to the ground, but it did not break.
"Now what do we do?" Takuma continued.
Togashi looked down and saw something glowing through the grass. "Oh, Takuma," he said. "It seems your throwing the compass has led us to the right place."
Takuma wore a foolishly surprised expression until he saw that the ground beneath them was indeed glowing.
The two of them drew closer and began to clear away the leaves. When they had cleared them all, they found a stone circle engraved with strange symbols, some of which were glowing.
Togashi tried striking the circle with his hand, and it began to glow rapidly. "Stop!" Takuma shouted.
But a brilliant, golden-yellow light erupted from beneath them. It pierced through them, and they felt their bodies begin to tremble. The sound of the light was deafening, piercing their ears, until...
Togashi found himself in a strange place. He could not see Takuma. Only oily water below him and a suffocating void around him. He felt something in his hand, grasped it, and the space around him lit up. Startled, he fell to the ground, looking around at countless stone doors, engraved with strange words.
Togashi turned to the doors, not knowing where to go. "Takuma? Can you hear me? Where are you?"
He slowly got to his feet and began to walk, searching for a way out. After a short while, he found a massive, colossal door. Candles flanked it, hanging on its right and left sides, and in the middle was a handle. He thought it was the exit. But as he placed his wrist and fist on the handle and opened it...
He found himself in a luxurious stone chamber, like the heart of a great dragon's hoard. Statues surrounded him, and the furniture filled the room with a mysterious atmosphere that sent a shiver of tension through anyone who faced it.
Then, the candles in the room lit up, from atop the stone statues and from below them. Togashi grew tense at the sight, as if he were about to enter a new world from which he could not escape.
His curiosity had brought him here. It was nothing but his fated destiny, to enter the confines of this room and never leave. Then, a strangely shaped old man appeared before him, with a thick beard, wearing a white robe with dark yellow stripes, looking like a mysterious genie.
And here, the old man spoke his first words: "Welcome to the Temple of the Eight Planets. I am the Sage of the Eight Planets."
Those words fell upon Togashi's ears, raising many questions for which he would not easily find answers. Who was this person? What had happened to Togashi to meet him? Was it fate, or was it planned from the beginning? All these questions swirled in his mind, but the real question was: "Can I bear all of this now...?" .
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To be continued