The next morning, sunlight crept through the windows of the Umitasora family home, casting its warm glow over the modest yet enduring abode. Nestled near the base of a cliff and a few miles inland from the beach where the family dojo stood, the house blended seamlessly with the surrounding woods. Built by Gado Umitasora, his younger brother, and their late Father during Gado's younger days, the home stood as a testament to a legacy spanning over 3,000 years. The land itself had been in the Umitasora family for generations, and with each passing era, the home was lovingly rebuilt, reflecting both tradition and the spirit of renewal. The current home, the 22nd in this lineage, was crafted entirely from timber and stone sourced from the surrounding woods and cliffside, a practice honored by every generation. Gado and his brother had carefully designed the mid-sized two-story home, ensuring it embodied the same care and craftsmanship as the homes that came before. Although plans to rebuild the two older family homes on the property were considered, Gado's younger brother's career path had ultimately provided him housing within Kaika Temple, leaving the other two structures untouched. These 21st-generation homes now stood as quiet sentinels to the family's rich history, weathered but enduring, much like the Umitasora legacy itself.
It was still dark in Taiyo's room, the curtains drawn tight and the door closed. He had slept the remainder of the day before, and now just a faint gleam of sunlight slipped through a crack in the window, casting a thin line across his floor. Downstairs, the front door thudded shut as somebody left the house, waking Taiyo from a fitful sleep. His eyes fluttered open. He breathed in, nostrils flaring, and stretched his arms over his head. A dull ache pulsed along his ribcage, sharp enough to stop his breath, and his hand instinctively reached the spot bruised from yesterday. As he sat up, the memory struck him: lying in the sand, defeated. The image of his Father looming above. Taiyo's fists clenched at the thought, frustration knotting his gut. For a moment, he felt paralyzed by it, his breathing growing heavy and his chest tight with the weight of shame. His hands covered his face, and before he knew it, he was shaking, tears slipping down his cheeks. For just a minute, he let himself fall apart, knowing no one was there to see him.
Then, just as quickly, he wiped his face, took a deep breath, and rolled his shoulders, the crack of his neck slicing through the silence. Standing up he kicked a path through the mess on his floor, clothes strewn haphazardly, and pulled back the curtains. Sunlight spilled in, sharp and bright, illuminating the chaos. Taiyo squinted against it, forcing himself to take in the light. Taiyo stood in front of the window and stretched again, this time noticing his shoulders and upper arms were still covered with dried salt from the ocean water. He let out a sigh, seemingly forgetting that he was sobbing just a minute before. Taiyo haphazardly rummaged through the clothes around his room until he found a clean shirt and pants, at least cleaner than the ones he was wearing at the moment. He quickly changed, using his dirty shirt to push the salt and sand that lingered off his upper body. Deciding to forgo a shower, Taiyo headed down the stairs into the kitchen where the rest of his family had just eaten shortly before.
The kitchen still smelled like breakfast, one plate sat on the counter not yet cold, but no longer a fresh hot meal. Taiyo moved across the kitchen heading directly for the Icebox, pulling it open, and grabbing the first thing he saw to drink. At the back of the Ice box just next to the frost covered Ki crystal that could be seen radiating cold air, was a tall bottle of orange juice clearly meant for the whole family. He grabbed the juice along with a piece of flatbread his Father had baked a few days ago. He shut the Icebox, moving back across the kitchen towards his plate. Taiyo scooped up the plate on the counter and dumped its entire contents onto the piece of flatbread and rolled it up, then he grabbed a piece of parchment paper from the drawer and wrapped up his crudely rolled breakfast 'sandwich'. He grabbed a bag hanging at the bottom of the stairs and stuffed the bottle of orange juice and his breakfast inside before slinging it over his shoulder. Taiyo headed out the door and passed by his Fathers family garden that was out front, reaching out and pulling a few leaves from one of the plants as he passed by. He crushed the leaves between his palms rubbing his hands together and released a bright citrusy aroma. He shook the rolled-up leaves from his hands and rubbed the leftover oils around his neck and chest before clapping his hands together and continuing on his way, but unlike his siblings and Father who he assumed had taken the path heading away from the house and into the city or the temple earlier that morning. Taiyo headed around the back of the home and across the yard. Taking a narrow trail that led deep into the woods towards the cliff base that towered behind the Umitasora residence.
Taiyo had broken clear of the tree line after making his way over five miles down the narrow path through the woods. The forest gave way to a tucked away part of the coastline, a private cove surrounded by dense thicket. The only entrance or exit was the path he had come down. Taiyo had discovered the spot when he was young and spent much of his free time as a kid clearing the path to his own little getaway. On the edge of the shore sat an abnormally large tree where the ground had partially given away underneath causing the tree to grow in such a way that it loomed out over the water before reaching towards the sun again. From the path, it could be seen that a series of footholds had been carved into the side of the tree, with markings and scribbles etched all the way up its trunk. Taiyo dropped his bag at the tree base and began to climb, ascending the twenty or so feet it took to reach the point where the tree dipped down towards the water. Taiyo looked down, getting ready to slide down the slope of the trunk in front of him, securing himself a seat perched just above the gentle waves, until he noticed something.
Right below him already seated in the arm of the tree was a young woman about the same age as him, around twenty-one, all he could really see was her blonde hair and legs kicked out in front of her. Before Taiyo could say or do anything, the woman below tilted her head back and met his gaze. "Ugh", was all she said before she leaned her head forward again, acting as if she didn't even see Taiyo standing above her. "What do you mean, Ugh?!" Taiyo said in frustration, "You're in my spot!" He continued as he slid down the trunk of the tree, almost shoving her out of the way. The tree was wide enough for two, maybe even three people to stand side by side without fear of falling off. "Your spot?" she asked smugly, "Yeah my spot" Taiyo retorted. The young woman laid back against the tree, putting her hands behind her head and closing her eyes. "It's a tree. I was looking for a spot to rest for a bit and I found one. Plus I don't see your name on it anywhere," the young woman said to him. Taiyo pointed to a spot a few feet above her head, "actually, it's right there," he replied. The young woman opened her eyes and tilted her head back again only to see the words, 'Taiyo's Spot' carved into the tree right above where she was sitting. "Oh," she replied casually before letting out a sigh. "Well you got me on that one," she continued as she reluctantly started to get up.
"Sit back down," Taiyo said through an exasperated sigh as he took a seat over the side of the tree just a few feet away from her and stared at the water below. The young woman was a former classmate of Taiyo's and the only individual who consistently surpassed him as a Nikugan user while they were in training. Aimee was her name, she was roughly the same age as Taiyo and stood just a bit shorter than him. She had fair skin and long blonde hair that fell all the way down her back with deep green eyes that matched the forest behind her. She wore an all-black combat uniform with an orange sash across her chest and white sandals. "What's gotten under your skin, pouty?" She said aggressively as Taiyo shot her a glance of disdain. "Nothing," he replied with an attitude. "Right, 'cause that's what someone says when nothing's wrong," Aimee said sarcastically. "You obviously came to your special tree for some alone time," she continued to tease. Taiyo sighed, as much as he did intend to get some time by himself, he reluctantly realized Aimee was possibly the only person who might actually understand how he felt. "Do you remember in our 11th year when me, you, and Shiro got pulled aside and told we shouldn't spar with the other students anymore? that we should only train with the teachers or each other?" Taiyo asked. "Yeah what about it? We were the top three in the class so it made sense to me, did it not make sense to you?" Aimee replied, slightly confused. "No, no I got it at the time… the problem is now I feel the same way about my family," He stated. "Explain," was all Aimee said as a reply, her face blank and unmoving. Taiyo let out another sigh, "Look, that was almost two years ago… and since then we've only gotten stronger," Taiyo stopped for a second and looked at the waves below before continuing. "And back around graduation time something happened with my dad… I've always looked at him as invincible and stronger than I could ever be... but a while ago I realized that that wasn't true... and since then, I've been holding back when I spar with him… On top of that, I've stopped training with my sister and brother all together, and my dad's pissed about it… He's noticed that I'm holding back and has basically given up on training with me." Aimee stood up, now with a somewhat stern look on her face, she looked down at her wallowing former classmate. "We haven't sparred for over a year Taiyo, would you hold back against me?" "...No," Taiyo answered reluctantly. He began to turn his head to look back at Aimee but before his head lifted the rest of the way he caught a glimpse of a bright orange aura of Ki encapsulating Aimee's feet. She was behind him in an instant, Taiyo was so caught off guard he couldn't react in time, but without hesitation she planted her foot square in the middle of his back. Effectively punting him from the edge he was sitting on and down towards the water below. Taiyo fell face-first, plummeting towards the shallow water below; she had taken him by surprise. At the last second, Taiyo regained his composure, and right before he would have hit the water his eyes flashed bright red and a swell of strong bright Ki developed underneath him. Taiyo hit the surface, but instead of plunging below the waters, he landed on the liquid as if it were solid ground. Taiyo rolled over and looked back up, still laying on the surface of the water that now seemed to hold his weight.
"What the hell is your problem Aimee?!" He yelled out from down below. Aimee stood over him, her eyes now glowing a fiery almost neon orange color as the Ki still emanated from her foot. She crossed her arms and held her head up high. "Tch! My problem?! Here I was thinking you had something serious to say! But really you're just having a pity party for yourself 'cause you think you're tootough now!?" She yelled out to him in anger. "That's not what I was sayi-" Taiyo tried to argue but she cut him off, "Shut up! I heard all I needed to hear, you've always been cocky but this is a new level! You know you've always done this, looked down on everyone around you, and then acted like it's out of some sort of grace that makes you a good guy. It's bullshit! But apparently, I'm the only one that sees through it. Well now your dad does too, so good for him." She said harshly as she lorded above him. Taiyo was fed up, he stood up and brushed himself off, his eyes still glowing. Using the platform of Ki that supported him he launched himself up towards the branch, thinking Aimee's berating was over but he couldn't have been more wrong. Before he could ascend all of the way, Aimee had already launched herself down from above. Her arm now flowing with bright orange Ki and catching Taiyo directly across the neck and violently dragging him back downwards. His feet flew above his head as Aimee's clothesline attack sent him flying back towards the water below, except this time his safety net was gone. "Tch, Give me a break," Taiyo thought to himself as he plunged into the shallow water. The space caved away around him from the impact, sending water and sand flying into the air. Aimee stood over him as he sat in the water, still reeling from her surprise attack. "Get over yourself Taiyo," She said bluntly before continuing on. "Meet me tomorrow at the northwest training grounds, It's time someone showed you exactly where you stand!" She yelled.
Taiyo, still sitting in the water, looked up at Aimee, he was getting tired of the sight of someone standing over him. "I don't need your help," He said with disdain in his voice as he tried to stand up. "I wasn't asking!" she exclaimed, planting her foot on Taiyo's chest, and shoving him back under the water again. This time Taiyo had had enough, still under the water he grabbed hold of Aimee's ankle as her foot held him under, His red aura of Ki clashing and mixing with the orange hue of hers for just a second. Taiyo could see the orange glow of Aimee's Nikugan emanating from her eyes even from below the surface of the water, her orange Ki spilling out like flames. The Ki around her foot grew in intensity, breaking and pushing away Taiyo's grasp in a rush of power. The ground below Taiyo gave way again as she forced him further down, pushing the water away just from the impact alone. This time Aimee let up and took a step back after her barrage, finally letting Taiyo stand up and catch his breath. He stood there dripping wet in front of her, his aura spilling out all over from his rage. "Fine…" he muttered under his breath "If you want a fight you've got one," Taiyo continued as he trudged towards the shore. "It won't be a fight, it'll be a spanking…" Aimee said slyly as Taiyo made his way back to the entrance of the path. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Taiyo replied just loud enough for Aimee to hear. Taiyo grabbed his bag, tossed it over his shoulder, and made his way back into the woods heading away from the cove, leaving the woman who had been his rival all through his school years behind.
Back at the Umitasora house in a far corner of the yard, Hikari sat alone. She had quietly watched her older brother leave the house by himself and decided not to intervene. Gado had informed the family of his and Taiyo's minor fallout over dinner the night before, and knowing it was better to let the two of them sort things out rather than try to mediate, she kept from calling out to him as he passed by. Hikari had come out to the yard by herself as she often did in the mornings for a visit. She sat off to the side of the family's yard, tucked away inside a small but well tended garden. Headed by a narrow path that had been filled with blooming flowers, the area quickly opened up to a small peaceful clearing. Surrounded by white-barked trees, the clearing had also been filled with an array of roses and other beautiful flowers that were in full bloom. Birds sang songs overhead as they fluttered between the branches that had formed a canopy of scattered light above. Hikari entered the garden with a sense of reverence, letting her fingers brush past the velvet petals that led her way. Serenity was the only word fit to describe the beauty of the tucked away space, and as Hikari took her seat on a small white marble bench in the center, which had been worn down from such frequent use, she bowed her head in front of an empty stone sarcophagus and spoke. "Good morning mom…"
Hikari sat peacefully as she fiddled with the flowers that lay around her Mother's grave. Annika Umitasora. Her name had been carved into the side of the empty tomb made of white marble. The lid of the tomb lay off to the side, carefully resting and waiting to still be sealed, and in front sat a Ki stone that had been raised up off the ground and sat on top a waist-high pedestal. Hikari reached out to the stone and touched it, her face somewhat somber as she did. Hikari's silvery-white Ki glowed around her fingertips as she gently grazed the stone, and as she did the stone began to glow in kind. A small amount of Ki quickly poured out and sat above, swirling in the air until an image came into sight. The face of a woman appeared out of the swirling Ki. With soft dark skin and kind eyes, the face that had appeared exuded warmth and Motherly affection. She was a beautiful woman, her long brown flowing hair was broken by a band that had graciously turned white in her age as it cascaded down past her shoulders and just slightly covered her face. Her green eyes glowed not with the essence of Ki but with the love of a parent and a truly kind soul. Yet despite all of this the image her face also held strength and wisdom, her gaze was soft yet stoic. Loving yet brave. Hikari's face softened at the sight of her Mothers visage. Her lips formed a smile as she looked up toward the woman who, despite having passed, still stood as Hikari's source of pride and inspiration.
"Beloved Wife, Mother, Sentoki, and a friend to all. Goddess of Stone: Annika Umitasora. 19,328-19,370 Hc."
The words could be seen inscribed on the surface of the tomb's lid. It had been twelve years since the last time Hikari was able to see her Mother's face in person, now only left with the image formed from Ki. Hikari's smile faded a bit as she tried to recall the times from her childhood that she clung to so dearly, but despite how she clung, time had taken its toll and began to obfuscate her memories. Yet even though Hikari was only seven at the time of her Mothers death, there was one thing she would always remember clearly. Annika's strength as one of the illustrious Four Goddesses of Kamikochi.
"Placement exams are coming up soon…" Hikari said softly as she began to play with the flowers once again. "And the top placing Gensogan user gets a chance to train with the Four Goddess Squad at Shyuzin Temple next year!… D-Do you think I'll do okay?" She said as she picked her head back up and paused for a moment, as if to wait for a response from her Mothers image. "Ha, I can almost hear you saying it. 'You'll do just as well as you try to do and no better.'" Hikari said as she recalled the words her Mother would constantly repeat to her when she was younger. Laughing to herself a bit, she continued to stare into the eyes of her Mothers image. "I really miss you right now mom…" she whispered, her voice almost breaking and now even softer than before. "You're right though… It's all up to me how well I do during the exams…" Hikari had plucked the last petal from the flower in her hands, letting them fall to the ground as she did. "Were you this nervous… before you became a Sentoki? Or maybe before you became a Goddess? I wish I could ask…" She said as she let out a heavy sigh. "I… I know you would say it but… I really wish I could hear you say how proud of me you are right now…" Hikari said as her eyes began to well up a bit. It had been some time since sitting in her Mother's garden had made her cry but for some reason, maybe it was the upcoming pressure to perform, today she quietly wept. "I… I'll do my best during the Exams… And I will become a Goddess… Just like you did… I promise!" Hikari's voice said meekly through her tears as she bowed her head once again.
Hikari wiped her face as she left her Mothers garden behind for the day, despite the strength and ambition she normally had on full display, on the inside her resolve had been wavering lately. For the longest time she had focused on her studies and improving her skill with her Mesukiro, but it was all under the protection of being a student. Now as she faced the reality of the future in front of her, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. The legacy she had chosen to live up to was no simple feat. The Four Goddess Squad was one of the most high-ranking and important groups of Sentoki amongst Kamikochi, and history as well. There were a number of high ranking squads within the ranks of the Sentoki, but the Four Goddess Squad was the only one that predated the history of the nation itself. Originally formed by the Iro'Kai peoples whose culture had been adopted by many of the Sentoki after the GreatMigration. The Four Goddess Squad was composed of four masterful Gensogan wielding women, one for each of the base elements that the Gensogan controlled. Flame, Stone, Water and Air. At the height of her Sentoki career Annika was chosen to become the Goddess of Stone and proceeded to create a reputation that showcased such an honored title, and Hikari had always strived to do the same.
Along with Annika, there was another woman in Hikari's life who had achieved the famed title of Goddess and who was arguably going to be Hikari's biggest obstacle in achieving her goals. The current Goddess of Flame, Kyuen Okyani. Annika's adoptive younger sister and Hikari's Aunt. Hikari could still remember the day her Aunt had been chosen by the previous Goddess of Flame. She had been filled with pride and disbelief that another one of the women she looked up to had achieved such a goal. That pride was now gone as she faced the daunting reality that in order to achieve her goals, she would need to convince Kyuen to someday choose Hikari as her own successor. Of course there was a chance that Hikari could master one of her other elements and be chosen to succeed one of the other Goddesses, but despite having her eyes set on being a Goddess of Stone when she was a child, her affinity was with flames. There had only ever been a handful of women who became Goddesses of an element that wasn't their affinity, and with as lofty as her goals already were, Hikari didn't want to make her path even more difficult for herself. Although as she recalled her training alongside her Aunt, she wondered which one was truly the more arduous path. Without even really noticing, Hikari had managed to walk herself to Kaika Temple, where it was time for her to attend her classes for the morning.
Just outside of The Kaika Temple Grounds and a few miles down the coast, Eiji worked tirelessly at his physical training before attending his own morning classes. Under the same coral blue roof and white marble walls where his Father and older brother had trained the day before, Eiji pushed himself to his limits inside what was known as the Umitasora Family dojo. The ocean breeze of the morning rolled in through the open doors of the dojo, offering Eiji some relief as he sat in front of a punching bag unleashing a flurry of calculated and precise blows. Sweat poured from both his back and brow as he landed each strike. Eiji gritted his teeth as his mind circled around the pressing weight on his shoulders. "No Mesukiro! No Kami Temple! Everybody else gets to move forward but me!" Eiji said through his teeth as he landed another blow against the worn-out and well-used punching bag. "I'm so tired of being left behind… Am I just that much weaker?" He asked himself as his foot landed against the bag, almost folding it in half. Without hesitation, he landed another blow in succession. "I've trained. Everyday. For years!" Another blow landed against the strained fabric. "I've gotten a special schedule," Another blow landed. "I've dug up old training techniques," he struck the bag again, "and nothing! Nothing has worked!" His mind screamed out as he struck the bag with all his might, bursting through the seams of the gym bag as sand poured out around his feet.
Eiji planted his hands on his knees and buckled over from exhaustion, at Seventeen years old he was far past the age where most people would awaken their Mesukiro if it was going to happen. For most, with the right training, the average age one usually opened their eyes was between Ten and Fourteen, and it certainly wasn't Eiji's training regiment that was the issue. Despite being behind his friends and family in his access to Ki, His efforts over the years in trying to reach their ranks had molded him into an incredibly athletic and fit young man, had he been comparing himself to any regular person, he would be well beyond most people in terms of both physical fitness and mental acuity. Yet his awakening remained out of reach for unknown reasons that never stopped eating away at him. Eiji picked himself back up and looked at the various sets of workout equipment and weight benches around the dojo. Trying to decide if he should push himself even further, but before he could choose, another gust of wind rolled through the dojo and knocked down one of the meditation mats hanging on the wall. Eiji watched as the breeze loftily carried the light bamboo mat until it landed in the center of the room. "Fair enough," Eiji said to the empty dojo with a sigh as he walked toward the mat and picked it up before taking a seat under the doorway and looking out over the ocean. "There's more than one kind of training…" He said to himself as he crossed his legs and placed his hands on either knee. He knew that mental training and meditation were just as important as the physical aspect when it came to awakening one's Mesukiro, and despite Eiji's academic record, it wasn't simply intelligence that would do the trick either.
It had to do with personal growth and understanding, a sentiment that bothered Eiji to no end since he could never really figure out what it meant. To him, It also felt like somewhat of an insinuation that he hadn't achieved those things regardless of how much his teachers and mentors tried to tell him it was entirely relative. Personal growth, understanding, and physical growth were always relative to the individual in the process of opening one's eyes. Nonetheless, he enjoyed his meditations over the Perona Ocean that bordered Kamakochi's southern coast. Eiji tried his best to let his emotions wash away as his breaths became deeper and deeper. Each inhale through his nostrils steadily flowed into each exhale as he matched his rhythm with the ebb and flow of the crashing waves. Eiji's mind wandered to and fro from thoughts of his own shortcomings to the lessons his teachers and mentors had tried to instill in him over the years but eventually, he had reached a calm enough state to be almost at peace. Normally he could wash away his feelings of inadequacy and doubt even if it was only temporary for his meditation, but today there was something burned into the image of his mind, a thought he couldn't shake no matter how hard he tried. Pressed into his consciousness was the image of the last and final unexplored room within the Temple ruins, the darkness of the buried relics still calling out to him and his desperation to prove his theory right.
At the edge of the Umitasora property, Taiyo had made his way back home after his embarrassing encounter with Aimee. Still seething with frustration, he had decided to take a different route. At the edge of the roughly three-acre piece of land that surrounded his childhood home sat a cliff, standing over a hundred feet tall, the cliffside towering over the well-kept and cultivated home. Taiyo stood atop the rocky structure as the winds from the ocean nearby blew furiously around him. "If I can't find any privacy out in the woods, well the next best thing is to blow off some steam I guess," Taiyo thought as he walked himself closer to the edge of the cliff, pulling his arms across his chest one at a time and stretching out his shoulders. Taiyo stood precariously close to where he could fall, one strong gust of wind in the wrong direction could easily send someone plummeting to their death. Taiyo looked down at the ground far below his feet, the area was cluttered with stones and massive boulders that had fallen away from the face of the cliff over time. His mind raced, in this very spot was where Taiyo first began to idolize his Father as a child, where his dreams of becoming the strongest were born. The memories of that moment flooded his mind...
Thirteen years earlier… "Hey Taiyo can you see me?!" a man shouted from the top of the cliffside, looking down at the clearing below and waving both his arms above his head. "Yeah, Dad I can see you! I'm down here!" a young boy shouted, "Why are you all the way up there Dad? Mom said you wanted to show me something!" The young man continued to shout. He looked up at his Father looming over him, shielding his eyes from the sun as he tried to keep his focus. "Hey, Taiyo!" The man exclaimed, "You're starting training next week and you keep asking me just how strong you can get! So I thought I'd show you!" Little Taiyo's eyes filled with excitement. His anticipation to start his training and become like his Father who he so deeply admired was overwhelming. "Stand back a bit buddy, I don't want you to get in the way!" Gado said with a beaming smile as he turned around and moved away from the edge, momentarily disappearing from Taiyo's sight. Excited was nothing short of an understatement, as a young boy in that moment Taiyo felt like his dreams were coming true by getting to see his Father in action. "What is he gonna do? Throw a boulder? A tree? Release his Ki and make a big light show?" The thoughts raced through Taiyo's imagination as he was nearly shaking with anticipation.
He stood waiting for what seemed like a lifetime, until all of a sudden he could see his Father again, except something was wrong. He was running at full speed toward the edge of the cliff. Taiyo's heart sank, as Gado leapt from the ground launching himself into the air, fist raised over his head. "Dad Nooo!" Taiyo screamed in horror, his hands gripping his hair tight enough to almost pull it out. Gado crashed down through the air, plummeting towards the ground down below, his Ki spilling out with the color of his deep blue aura as it scattered in the wind. Taiyo covered his face in shock as his Father raced towards the ground and with an explosive crash, stone, dirt and other debris were cast into the air like a wave hitting the beach. Dust filled the area as Taiyo was knocked backward from the force of the impact. His heart was crushed, Taiyo stood up and immediately ran back in the direction of his house. "Mom! Mom! Come quick it's Dad! He jumped off the Cliff! He's gone!" Taiyo cried frantically as the tears streamed down his face.
"Taiyo!" A voice called out from behind him. The sobbing boy stopped in his tracks, thinking that his ears were playing a cruel trick on him. There was just no way someone could survive a fall like that, even if they were a Sentoki. He was too scared to turn around, terrified that he would see the worst. He just stood there shaking for what felt like another lifetime-long moment until he felt the familiar weight of his Father's hand on his shoulder. "Sorry Tai, I should have had you stand back a bit farther," Gado said to his son as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. Taiyo slowly raised his head, his lip quivering as the tears still ran down his face. "I thought you died!" He wailed as he burst into a full-on sob, burying his face into his Father's robe. "You scared me, Dad!" Taiyo mumbled through the tears. "Woah, woah! I'm sorry," Gado exclaimed as he picked up his son, trying to comfort him and simultaneously prevent his wife from hearing. It was then that Taiyo saw what would change his perspective of what strength really meant. Behind Gado the dust began to clear and settle, and through the dust cloud Taiyo could see the magnitude of his Father's impact. A crater easily twice the size of their home lay between themselves and the cliff. The boulders that once sat at the bottom had been shattered, their remnants scattered around the area as if explosives had been set off. Taiyo wiped his tears as he picked his head up off his Father's shoulder, pointing to the destruction in front of him. "Dad… w-was that from you?" He said in disbelief. Gado smiled as he put his Son back down. "Yep," he said with a blunt confidence, "Remember this Taiyo, because you're going to be this strong one day…"
Now at twenty-one years of age, Taiyo stood in the same place his Father did all those years ago, brimming with the confidence that he had now surpassed him. "I've avoided doing this Dad 'cause I don't want to tear down my idea of how strong you are… but it's time for me to go further than you could," Taiyo spoke into the wind, staring down at his house in the distance. Before he could hesitate Taiyo stepped off the edge, there was no turning back. It was an instant rush of freedom. Like a wave washing over his soul, Taiyo was alive with excitement to his own surprise. The very second his feet were no longer on the ground his Ki surged, the glowing red aura swelled around his body, enveloping him as he made his descent. Taiyo reached both his hands over his head, interlacing his fingers. His Ki began to burn so brightly it obscured his body, wisps of it dissipating off into the air. The ground sped towards him closer and closer, there was no question in his mind… and in an instant… the ground erupted. Taiyo's fists came down, still interlaced and crashing into the clearing below, and just like he had seen his Father do when he was a child he sent a wave of dirt and debris rushing out over the landscape. His impact was so forceful that the aftershock cracked and split the nearby trees, their upper halves crashing to the ground just a second after the blast rang out.
Taiyo stood in the center of the crater, dust swirling around him as the shattered rocks still fell, his Ki still surging and swelling out around his body. The adrenaline was almost like a high, he felt euphoric with each heaving breath he took. The emotion was overwhelming, Taiyo threw back his head and bellowed in revelry. His Ki grew even brighter, surrounding him like a torrent of wind and flames climbing back up the cliff face behind him as he belted out his triumph. As the rush began to fade Taiyo's belting turned into hearty laughter. "Ahhh, I knew it!" he shouted almost begrudgingly. "It wasn't even difficult!" Still breathing heavily between each of his exclamations. "I think I could have made it down from twice that height!" his confidence was higher than it had ever been before. In that moment he could see his future before himself, pushing the limits of strength and becoming a Sentoki known throughout history. But then he remembered. His moment of rejoicing turned somber, regardless of his achievement of strength, Taiyo had now effectively killed a portion of his childhood… Of course, he didn't love or respect his Father any less but he now knew that it was time for himself to become his own idol of strength… and that Gado could no longer hold his grip over that title in Taiyo's mind.
Inside the Umitasora house, Gado had just arrived back home after finishing his shopping for the morning. The home was quiet with all of the kids off doing their own things, but Gado enjoyed these moments to himself. It left him time to perfect his favorite recipes and take care of projects around the house. He stood in the kitchen over the sink, steam from the hot water rising up as he rinsed the leftover breakfast plates. He took a deep breath and let himself relax, knowing he was alone for the moment. Gado stared out of the window that sat over the sink, peering out across the home and yard he had so carefully managed and tended to since he was young. His mind filled with thoughts of his children, of his stubborn and impulsive eldest Son. His ambitious and cheerful daughter, and Eiji who struggled to awaken his Mesukiro and who had seemed down and much quieter than usual these past few days. Gado turned off the water as he finished up with the dishes, resting his hands on the edge of the counter and leaning in.
"I thought raising our daughter would be the part I struggled with, Annika," he said to an empty room. "But she's doing just fine without my help… kinda like you always did." Gado said with a smile, before lowering his head in exasperation. "It's these boys who've got me stumped!" Gado picked his head back up to look out the window once more. "You would have known just what to say… just what to do…" Before Gado could finish his thought he took notice of something off in the distance. A bright red flash of light erupted at the edge of the property, it was in mid-air and crashing towards the ground as it disappeared behind the treeline. It was only a second later that Gado felt the entire house shake as the booming sound of an impact rang out. The plates he had just set on the counter shook and fell to the ground, shattering as they hit the floor. He could see a wave of dirt and debris erupt from the ground, soaring well above the treeline. Gado could feel it, he didn't need to rush out and inspect what might have caused such a commotion, He would be a terrible Father if he couldn't recognize the feeling of his own Son's Ki. Gado let out a long exasperated sigh, "I guess I can't be too mad," he thought, his mind flashing to the fact he had just finished a fair amount of landscaping in the area Taiyo was in. "I am the one who taught him that trick after all." Gado said with a soft chuckle. "I'm surprised he actually tried it… I wonder if he understands that it's more of a test of courage than it is a test of strength…" he pondered, kneeling down to start picking up the broken dishes lying around the kitchen floor. Gado managed to pick up just about every piece and toss them in the trash, "I guess I should figure out what to do for dinner tonight," he said as he went on to gather ingredients and started to prepare a meal…