Sky Devil

Omi rested with his back against his double-sided staffsabre. The weapon was wedged deep into the ground and stood upright like a totem pole. It's impressive size allowed it support his weight without budging an inch. He had his arms folded and his eyes closed as he enjoyed the gentle breeze offered by the cold mountain air. It was calm up here. A much needed respite from the woes that plagued the world further down the mountain. The ground around him was littered with the bodies of analysts, meteorologists, and shinobi. The outpost that Yenn had been sent to check in on was now devoid of life. Omi didn't want to kill them but he had no choice. He couldn't risk them seeing his face and walking away as witnesses. The act of murder was regrettable but there was much to regret about this world and the state it was in. The victims of his massacre would just be the latest additions in a long list of sacrifices for the greater good.

The scene reminded him of the pictures that the media had broadcast of the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Honiko had laid waste to an entire village just to prove a point. She felt no remorse because she truly believed the things that Hizashi had told her. Omi's decimation of the outpost was tame in comparison and yet he felt more guilty than she ever would. It wasn't just a difference in conviction. It was that Honiko had chosen to do it out of her own volition, whereas he was compelled by fear. The Water Disciple cast a long shadow and from many miles away, Omi could feel his judging eyes. They influenced his every thought, action, and word. It all boiled down to one simple question: What would my liege think?

Omi opened his eyes and sighed. If it came down to it, he'd have done just as Honiko had and in the end he'd be just as hated as she was. The only thing that separated them was their role in Hizashi's master plan. While Honiko was sent to bring Nozomi into the fold, he had the task of bringing in the suspected descendant of the Lightning Disciple. Raiun's seed. The Society employed an army of spies that regularly reported to him. Some of those spies were nestled deep within Kumo's military's framework and they occasionally reported things of note. There were frequent mentionings of a young woman with black hair and a fierce disposition that could conjure storms at will. None of their assets had been able to get close to her but according to some tech developed by Menza, the storms she generated were of a unique character. The relevant data was analyzed by Hizashi who declared her to have his brother disciple's blood running through her veins. However, the amount was in question and if she proved to be yet another diluted dud, well then Omi had his orders.

"Bring her to me. We'll see if her storms are just mild tantrums or the sort of passion that will help us wipe away the Old World"

He hoped for the girl's sake that her lineage went far beyond a clan of shipwrights and storm conjurers. He looked into the sky and marveled at the wind storm he had created. It was a colossal tornado which surrounded the entire mountain. The storm blocked it off from the rest of the world and its density made it nearly impenetrable. The inside, including the mountain, was totally calm and it served as the proverbial "Eye" of the storm. If anyone wanted to get through this shield, they'd need to muster all the power they possessed and then some.

Mission Details:

Yenn’s travels had taken her slightly longer than she had budgeted her time for. While she knew, at least intellectually, that she was still grieving and that she would be less focused for it she also was trying to not think about it. And not thinking about it meant not preparing properly. She had left a message for her children and had left Kumogakure as quickly as she could, but the moment she walked through those gates again she felt an overwhelming sadness settle over her. The last time she had been through those gates had been with her husband after the fall of Moonspire.

“My dead husband.” Her bitter words were said to no one as she put one foot in front of the other and trudged through the gates, her violet eyes on the horizon. To say she looked like she was in mourning was both ironic and an understatement. She was dressed in black leather from head to toe, even long leather gloves covering her hands. Her jacket and cloak were adorned with bits of fur and raven feathers that gave the otherwise monochromatic outfit a bit of flair. Her only tools were a hunting knife tucked into her leather boot and Kêu Vang, her melody arm. This was no mourning garb though, she always dressed like this. Always completely covered to hide the raised lightning shaped scars that covered all but her face and front of her neck. If anything she had always been in mourning; it had only been through Tamwyn that she had started to place any value on herself, and now with him gone. . .

A mission was exactly what she needed, she knew that. The alternative was that she either wasted away to nothing or returned to her reckless ways where her life no longer mattered. And now that she had two children to care for, throwing her life away was not an option. She had travelled along the main roads where she could, but was more comfortable weaving her way through the trees and rocks that veered away from the path. The first night alone in the wilderness was the hardest. What had once been a solace for her, was now a reminder of everything she had lost and she spent a sleepless night under cover of clouds and pouring rain as a vicious storm matched her grief. She fought with the storm as she had on her first mission, screaming at the sky and daring the lightning to strike her down.

It didn’t strike her down. It never did. With a heavy heart she had continued her journey north, cursing the world as she struggled with her grief. There was a constant storm that followed her as she walked, the low rumbling of thunder and flashes of distant lightning. She still had no idea that she was the cause of the storm, and never questioned it as storms in the Land of Lightning made enough sense that questioning them would seem strange.

As she approached the spot where she knew the mountainous outpost should be, she stopped and looked with confusion at the massive tornado that now existed in its place. “What in the fuck. . .” Her words were said under her breath as she took in the sight. She looked around her for any other mountain ranges, hoping that the mountain hadn’t disappeared and that she had just got the location wrong. Which was unlikely seeing as she was sent up here to investigate a large storm. As an Inazuma it was safe to say she was kind of an expert on storms, what with storm release and all. But this was a storm unlike any she’d seen before. She now understood why there had been a message for help, she had been expecting a monsoon maybe, or a blizzard. The kind of storm that necessitated extra supplies and wasted hours, not the biggest tornado in the universe.

“Well. This is fun. Yeah, fun. Giant tornado, definitely nothing weird here. . . if the outpost is up there though. . .” It occurred to her that tornados didn’t normally just sit there, and more importantly tornadoes were especially destructive. If there was anything left of the outpost, or the mountain for that matter, she needed to get in there and check for survivors. In the back of her mind she was aware that a storm of this size wasn’t natural, and if it wasn’t natural then that meant that someone or something created it. Which probably meant rushing headlong into the storm was the worst possible choice, assuming she still valued her own safety. Which if she was entirely honest, she didn’t.

So into the storm she rushed. She bolted up the mountain, her fear for the safety of the outpost overtaking her fear of the unknown. All thoughts of Tamwyn, Chloe and Damien were gone as she navigated the rocky terrain, her energies focused on her footing and not her memories. She wasn’t worried about the storm itself, not for her sake anyway. She’d always been able to just move about normally, regardless of what the weather did. As she walked through the whirling storm she began to see the bodies. The outpost was indeed on this mountain, though its inhabitants were not. It would be easy to assume that the force of the storm had been what killed them all, but she had seen devastation from so-called ‘storms’ before. At Moonspire. “No, no, no. Please, no.” Her mind betrayed her as she looked from body to body; scientists and workers and a handful of shinobi. Where she had been clear minded only minutes before; now images of the massacre at Moonspire rushed forward along with memories of Tamwyn and her children. She ran frantically, finally reaching the outpost proper and the ‘eye’ of the storm.

She had been half expecting to see the terrorists that had destroyed Moonspire waiting at the outpost, and she didn’t have any idea what she would have done had they been there. Probably just died, maybe would have gotten a technique or two off, but mostly likely just died. But she didn’t see them. Instead all she saw was an older man leaning against a weapon, looking for all the world as though he was taking a break. She could have attempted to use stealth, or to be more cautious in her approach. But she was filled with fury and pain and those were not subtle. Fighting back tears and screams of anguish, Yenn would march up towards the robed man and growl out her questions. “Who the fuck are you? And what the fuck is going on here?”

The second that Yenn breached the storm, Omi knew. He always knew. Just as she had a special connection with the storms that dotted the Rai no Kuni landscape, he had a similar relationship with the tornados that he manifested. The difference was that his abilities had been refined over the course of decades. It was meticulously trained and perfected with the help of one of the greatest ninjutsu masters to ever live. A man worthy to have been taught by the Sage of Six Paths himself. Omi rubbed his bald neck and stretched the tendons in his neck until he heard a popping sound. She'd arrive soon and the moment she did, he'd need to read her. A woman of her abilities was likely to have a life marred in tragedy. He didn't know this for a fact but his spies had indicated that Yenn wasn't the socialite that Shimiko and Ryuko were. She was a loner with few ties to this world. It was something that he could exploit. Something that he would exploit.

When Yenn arrived at the scene of the crime, she expressed shocked and outrage. She was of course referring to the corpses of those unfortunate enough to look at the Enlightened Custodian. Omi did not move from his perch as she approached. She would see it all: the twisted necks, the faces turned purple with asphyxiation, the battered and bruised bodies, and the puddles of blood from those skilled enough to warrant further measures. The profanity she used offended him but his expression did not show it. He was enjoying his rest and not even the violent tempest of her emotions could disturb the tranquility of his "Eye." To display such anger in the face of overwhelming power was useless. He had learned that lesson from Hizashi years ago and he had instilled it within his own subordinates. Omi looked directly at Yenn and was able to surmise several things about her. If eye contact was made, he'd had a much clearer picture of who he was dealing with. The ability to cold read someone was a lost art. One usually bestowed upon the intellectually gifted or cosmically aware, but it could also be gained through study, practice, and the use of illusions. After a few seconds of analysis, Omi would have enough of what he needed to speak to Yenn. He'd talk to her but not the way a normal person would. He'd get under her skin slowly, work his way through her mind, and in time he'd get her to leave the outpost with him willingly. That was his job as recruiter and handler for the Society. To turn people against their villages and towards Hizashi's overarching mission.

"Change" he answered her simply.

The first thing Yenn would notice about Omi aside from his ascetic appearance was his voice. It was deep but soft and polite. There was no edge to it. No anger or even sadness. It was the calm and factual tone that a janitor might use when describing how he had gone about cleaning a room.

"The sort of change that topples worlds....the kind that makes our respective elements as strong as they are....."

Omi expression changed from a calm in difference to prosecutorial.

"The kind of change that wipes away the pain of losing a loved one"

Omi had cut to the very heart of what had driven Yenn to this mountain. She might not have known the careful planning and analysis that had gone into staging this encounter but she would know from jump that this was no ordinary terrorist. He knew what she was struggling with, the only question was whether she was intrigued enough to hear him out.

Yenn was furious. The scene that met her once she had crossed the tornado’s threshold was horrific at best. Crumpled and broken bodies lay strewn about, and as she looked closer she could see that not all of them had died of natural causes. As the only breathing person that she could see, other than her, she could only assume that the unknown man was at least partially responsible for the massacre.

Anger held her feet in place as she fought against the urge to flee. Anger was fuel, it was a pure flame that she could focus on instead of the fear that pressed on her. A year ago she never would have even put herself in this position. She would have found a way to avoid being personally selected for a mission, especially a mission that involved interacting with strangers. This whole situation was so far from where she was a year ago that she felt partially disconnected from it. As though present Yenn was a different person, and one she didn’t entirely recognize, a person that could speak and make decisions where past Yenn simply couldn’t. This was just a perception, a way for Yenn to make sense of the strange dissociation she felt as she tried to keep from panicking in the face of a dangerous and uncomfortable situation.

It was ‘angry and strong and totally not panicking’ Yenn that swore at the man, that Yenn demanded answers from him. That Yenn was ready to throw down, to bring this man to justice should his explanation be insufficient, or his name recognizable as a criminal. It was evident in her features for those that looked; a slight twitch of her mouth as she spoke, something that could have been a snarl. The subtle curling of her finger tips inwards, leaving her gloved hands almost clawlike. And the unwavering violet gaze that locked with Omi’s, a clear challenge to any power he exuded.

In short - Yenn was behaving impulsively. Again.

She had only barely begun to work on her emotional responses to the world around her, and had made little progress. It had always been him who had pulled her back from the edge. And he wasn’t here.

She stopped advancing at the word ‘Change’. She had been expecting a name, maybe something religious or some far fetched and fanciful title. Like ‘Wind Demon’. And she would roll her eyes and then kill the pretentious fuck. Just like with the original so-called ‘Wind Demon’. That scenario hadn’t gone exactly as planned but in the end there had definitely been eye-rolling and a dead ‘wind demon’. And a lot of swearing, waaaay more than now.

But the serene looking man’s reply gave her pause. She had been expecting anger or combat, posturing and arrogance. But within this man she saw and heard none of that. The vicious anger that had been all consuming mere moments before, in the breadth of a single word floated away on the gentle breeze. Yenn’s facial expression softened to one of concerned confusion. She didn’t understand what she was experiencing. The man was most likely responsible for the carnage, currently facing someone who at the very least didn’t like what he’d done and his voice was almost. . . soothing.  

As Omi continued to speak, Yenn's mental defences cracked slightly. All she could do was slowly and quietly repeat his first word, her voice echoing the confusion visible on her face. “Change. . .” It was only when he spoke of lost loved ones that she drew in a shuddering breath and curled her fingers fully into fists. Pain flared in her heart as the memories she had been attempting to repress in order to do her job rushed all at once to the surface.

She was intrigued, and in abject agony. She stood on a mountain surrounded by storms, dead bodies at her feet and the anguish of years of torment and misery freshly ignited within her mind. She should have been angry, been indignant and even scared. All of those were healthy emotional responses to the scene before her. But with a lifetime of tragedy weighing heavily on her heart, she met his eyes and shook her head gently. She wasn’t saying ‘no’ to him, she was trying to stop the tidal wave of memories that washed over her again and again. She tried to speak but her words were broken as she stammered some semblance of a reply to his statements. “I-I don’t. . . wh- what do yo- . . . explain.” She remained standing for now, her diminutive five foot even not exactly the most threatening visage even if she had managed to retain her anger. But she did shift her weight between both her feet, as though uncomfortable with standing.

Omi could see right through the façade of bravado. The way she demanded answers as though she were in control of the situation was admirable, but to someone so experienced in the art of psychological warfare, it was more sad than laudatory. When he peered deep into the pain in her heart, he saw that inside was a frightened young girl that only knew sorrow. He could relieve her of that burden, if she had the courage to ask for it.

Omi's Zen was clearly having an effect on her. She noticed how calm he was despite the metaphorical and literal storm raging around them. With a few simple words he had broken her shield and was now in a position of mental power over her. The words she stammered out indicated she didn't understand. She soon would. For awhile, Omi did not see fit to respond to Yenn's weak questioning. He calmly pushed himself off of the double sided sabre-staff he had been resting on. In the same fluid motion, he wretched it free from its position in the ground. The sound was the heavy mixture of earth and metal grinding against one another and as he acted, the wind around them suddenly shifted direction. The move could be interpreted as aggressive and if Yenn acted against him then he would react accordingly. If she showed patience, however, she'd see that his goal was not to harm her. Omi gripped the handle of the two sided sabre. He shook it a bit as if testing its weight and balance. The blade was bigger than she was and he handled it as though it were as light as a feather. Omi began to walk around Yenn.

"I can tell you've lost someone dear to you. Someone who meant the world to you...." As Omi spoke, he twirled the giant sabrestaff. A metallic whoosh could be heard with each rotation. "You grieve them...and now you wander this world like a lost child. I know who you are Yenn and I know what you've been through. If you remain as you are...in stasis....you will die both spiritually and physically. You must embrace change. You must be willing to look beyond what's left to you." Omi continued to walk in a wide circle around her and as he did he inspected her. He scrutinized every detail about her existence. Yenn's voice, hair, clothing, choice, appearance, and of course, her "aura." Everything told a story and from that story he carved his rhetorical weapons. Every act, every word, every gesture was designed to worm his way into her psyche. The metallic whoosh sound of his blade had a hypnotic effect and he timed his rotations with every critical syllable. It was a paradoxical combination of calming and unnerving.

"When he died, he left you without the means to grow. How could you progress without him? How could you evolve? You have others...those you believe you must protect and nurture, but I guarantee their presence will only leave you feeling more hollow than you were before you met him. When you look upon your son, you won't see the future...only the past.....only his face!"

When Omi spoke the last word, he injected another dose of his chakra into the already compromised Yenn. She had made eye contact with him. He had her now. It was just a matter of time. Yenn's mind would be bombarded with her images of her past lover, of the times they shared, of the pain she felt upon losing him. All of it would be laid bear. It was an emotional assault so subtle that even the most intelligent of shinobi would not realize they were under the influence of Genjutsu. Omi's psychological attack served three purposes. First, it'd give him an idea of how much control Yenn had over her storm manifestation. Second, it'd give him an idea of how powerful those storms were at her emotional peak. Third, it would give him the opportunity to pose as her savior, for just as the anguish would be magnified and multiplied, it would eventually fade but only when he wanted it to.

For now he was content to push her to her limit and see just how much of Raiun's blood flowed through her veins.

Yenn had long struggled with the hopelessness that came from the tragedy that had befallen her since her unfortunate birth. She had left her existence in the hands of fate and through the repeated violent lessons of her parents had learned not to fight back. Her current mood had shifted from bravado to quiet confusion and in a way was the very core of poetic irony.


Not so very long before, Yenn had been assigned to her first mission. A fresh genin, timid and reserved, she had gone along to bring a serial killer to justice. She had been unwilling to actually end her own life, though placing herself in harm’s way was both a compulsion and a potential relief. During that first mission with what would become her husband, she had willingly stepped in front of a sword blade. No flinch of defence, no fear or urge to flee. She didn’t even attempt to fight off the man who was intent on ending her life.

She just. . . sighed.

She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as she knew that her pain would be over finally. It was a bittersweet moment for the young woman, and one that had not escaped Tamwyn’s notice. In a way it had been that single moment - the point that stretched into infinity where Yenn had tried to throw away her life - that had led to the relationship between her and Tamwyn. She hadn’t died of course, the sword had never touched her skin. Only because Tamwyn had noticed and chosen to save her.

Fate had stepped in once again and decided she should live.


And now, in the present, was where the beautiful tragedy of her life came full circle. Her first mission since the death of her love and she was faced with another blade, another chance to stand up and fight. But this time there was no Tamwyn to save her.

Yenn just. . . sighed.

As Change pulled the giant saberstaff from the earth and began to advance on her while spinning it, Yenn didn’t move. It was not defiance that set her feet in place, it was a willingness to die. The blade he wielded was far larger than her and she doubted it would take much for the mysterious man to slice her in two. This time though, through some twisted sense of courage Yenn didn’t close her eyes. She looked passively, with acceptance, at the spinning blade and the man who began to circle her. She spoke no words, she didn’t have to. Her eyes would convey her resignation well enough without language to muddy up the message. Had she spoken aloud she would have said something to the effect of ‘Go on then. Kill me.’

She even considered speaking up for a moment, but as Omi moved he began to speak and the quiet resignation she had felt was interrupted by a metaphorical stab straight to her heart.

”I can tell you've lost someone dear to you. Someone who meant the world to you....”

Her expression twisted as Omi’s words dredged up her hastily repressed grief. “No. . .” It was a plea, she was begging him to stop right there, to save her the pain of remembering. Her surrender to the whims of fate had calmed the thunder clouds overhead and a light rain had begun to fall, making the leather of her clothes slick and the fur and feathers droop with water. Now though, the skies opened up and a cold and cruel rain began to pound mercilessly onto the mountain as she struggled to breathe beneath the weight of her broken heart. She attempted to follow his movements, turning awkwardly as he circled her and gasping as pain flared in tandem with the memories that had surfaced.

His eyes. . . yellow and full of light and passion. The way he had looked at her, as though she were the only thing in the world worth looking at. She still dreamt of those eyes, and she both loved and hated that she could remember him so well. He had been her rock, the one person that truly believed in her. That cherished and cared for her, that had gone to incredible lengths to make her feel loved. He had made her feel safe. For years she had hid from the world, from people. She knew, instinctively, that people were dangerous and only caused harm. She had even been afflicted with an unconscious need to be apart from people. Her sleepwalking into the woods outside of Kumogakure had left Tamwyn freezing and sleepless on many a night as he followed her out to try to keep her safe. ‘Safe from what?!’ She screamed in her mind, a hollow question that she already knew the answer to.

Safe from herself

”You grieve them...and now you wander this world like a lost child. I know who you are Yenn and I know what you've been through. If you remain as you are...in stasis....you will die both spiritually and physically. You must embrace change. You must be willing to look beyond what's left to you.”

Yenn was confused and disturbed. ‘How does he know-’ Her words were only in her mind, outwardly the noises she made were unintelligible whimpers and wails of anguish. Every time she tried to form a coherent thought it was quickly interrupted by yet another painful memory. She was now clutching at her sides, her gloved fingers digging into her flesh as she tried to contain her emotions. As Omi spoke of her dying, she would nod emphatically. She agreed wholeheartedly, and the truth was that she wanted to die. She always had. She didn’t want to have to keep waking up, keep moving forward. Not when every waking moment was an exhausting continuation of the eternal struggle with her demons.


‘Get up! Now!’ A swift kick to the ribs was all the further motivation it would take to convince a young Yenn that her father was serious. Pain flared as his foot impacted with her side, but pain was nothing new. Everything hurt, all the time. Fresh lightning shaped scars screamed at her at this new injury, and all she could do - all she ever did - was whimper.

”I’m going to stand with you. I’m going to help you and in every conceivable way I can.” And then he put his hand in hers and went with her into the storm. She had screamed and sobbed, dared the storm to strike her down and Tamwyn had stood by her through all of it.

Horrors viewed through monitors, the fall of Moonspire. Tamwyn was at her side once more. She had been pregnant then but she didn’t know it - neither of them did until after the meeting in the throne room. That day had been simultaneously nightmarish and heavenly. So much death and amidst all of it had been the news that they were going to be parents. Like so much in her life it too had been bittersweet.

The day she learned of his death. Shock. That was all there was at first. So many questions left unanswered, so much of their future obliterated. Her shock had turned to vicious rage as she rained destruction down around her. It was only the thought of her children that stopped her. The children Tamwyn had never seen.


All this and more spiraled through Yenn’s mind as Omi continued to speak, every word opening a wound she thought had healed. Or was at least so buried that it would not be thought of again. The icy rain whipped against her, stinging her face as she looked up at the sky. She was no longer focusing on the man with the saberstaff. Her violet gaze was drawn to the dark thunderclouds that had gathered above them. Thunder rumbled and shook the air, lightning cracked and hissed across the sky. Every memory was more painful than the last and her tears of agony and rage mixed with the rain on her cheeks. Her hands clenched into fists and she would sink to her knees, raising her hands to the sky just as she had done on that first day when she had met Tamwyn.

. . .only his face!”

Her voice rose high above the storm as she screamed with fury. Bolts of lightning crashed violently around them as she roared into the tempest. Her outstretched hands had curled into claws and she would slam her palms onto the ground as she sought to draw the lightning to her. Her eyes sparked as she looked towards Omi again, her face twisted with anger and agony. Each word she spoke would draw another bolt of lightning down, an ear splitting ‘boom’ sounding as each bolt made contact with the earth. Bits of scorched dirt and rocks sprayed up as the force of the lightning shattered and burnt where it touched. “I don’t want it! I don’t want any of it!”

Her voice was broken and raw from her tears and screams, and she was torn between wanting to curl up on the ground and die and lashing out at the only available victim. Uncurling her fingers from the earth she would rip off her gloves and toss them aside, revealing raised lightning shaped scars that travelled under her sleeves. She held her hands up towards the man and raised her voice again. “I never wanted any of it! Please! Make it stop!” She didn’t even know what she was asking him to stop - her memories? Her life? The storm? Her words would devolve into sobbing as she clutched at her temples, vainly trying to make the memories cease.

Nothing escaped Omi's attention. The sudden deflation when he pulled his blade from the earth was a troubling revelation. Yenn was more broken than he realized at first. The façade had cracked before he even raised his blade towards her. Omi knew that only someone who had been abused for years could so readily accept such a sudden and violent death. The anger and fury was just a paper thin shield which crumpled when she needed it most. Omi would have pitied her if he wasn't so consumed with his own fear. He allowed her to stew in her state of passive acceptance as he spoke. She did not interrupt him and he knew that she wouldn't. The fight had gone out of her just as it had her late husband.

The feeble refusals she offered as he told her the truth would not stop him. The erratic weather in the form of a torrential downpour did not give him pause. He only raised his voice and used the wind to carry the sound waves further and louder. They'd reverberate in her skull no matter how hard it rained and no matter how loud the clouds rumbled. As Omi spoke, he was keenly aware of the shifting weather patterns. For Yenn's abilities to disturb the calm of his Eye meant that she was indeed quite powerful. Whether this was merely a talented Inazuma or something more would require greater provocation. The Enlightened Custodian would be more than happy to deliver that in spades.

When she fell to her knees and looked to the sky as if praying to Raiun himself, Omi could feel a foreboding in the spiritual realm. The man knew that once he spoke his next words, she'd never be the same. She'd be broken and her only chance of recovering would be through a fresh start. One that only he could provide.

Will I do this? Will I take what little sanity and strength she has left?

Omi almost hesitated. Almost. Hizashi had taken the same from him and if he did not follow through on his mission then the Water Disciple would take more. And so the cyclical nature of violence continued. Omi spoke the words and what followed erased any doubt in his mind as to who he was dealing with.

A deafening boom erupted from the heavens and Omi could see, feel, and taste the plasma as it kissed the earth. Dirt flew into the air as the calm of his Eye was disrupted. A raging storm had materialized from around Yenn and its chaotic nature caused him to lose his footing. The burly man was forced to brace himself as sparks danced in the air and the volume of the storm grew too loud for him to speak over. This tempest wasn't a tantrum, it was power. The sort of power that Honiko had. The sort of power that Menza had. The sort of power that he had. She was one of them. He knew right then and there. For someone so weak, so emotionally compromised, so faithless, to conjure a storm of this magnitude was nothing short of a divine miracle.

Yes....Hizashi....we've found her....at long last....

The mental assault was tearing at her mind. It frayed whatever it was she was clinging to back in Kumo. She cursed him and rejected the pain he forced her to confront. She ripped off the black gloves she wore on her hands and displayed the horrifying scars that ran along her skin. Omi bent his knees and dug his heels in as he prepared to be attacked. She wanted him to stop and while he intended on granting her request, he wanted to see her power. He wanted to take it all in. The three purposes had been served and with it her salvation would come.

He now knew that she was more emotionally fragile than he had been when Hizashi had first broken him. Yenn had little to no control over her powers. They were responsive to her emotions not her rationality. That would need to be fixed first. He also knew that Yenn's storms were far more powerful than your average Inazuma. She was a relatively low class shinobi with no elite training and yet her Ranton was strong enough to make the hairs on his back stand on end. She was truly impressive. The last purpose had also been served, she was begging for him to stop. She needed relief and he'd soon grant it. No matter what she thought of him, she'd likely be grateful for the respite.

Omi tightened his grip on his double sabrestaff and then lifted it high in the air. He then began to twirl it with one hand. For someone as bulky as he, it was surprising that he could manipulate the tool as though he were a graceful performing artist. The slow whooshes that she heard earlier grew louder as the cycles increased in speed and intensity. Omi filtered Fuuton into the staff and created a vortex above his head. Yenn's lightning was powerful. The inherent beauty of it was that her innate talent with Raiton was strengthening her Ranton and the result were storms that could shake the sky itself. However, Omi was no ordinary ninja himself. Just as her power with Raiton dictated her skill with Ranton, so too did his skill with Fuuton influence his ability with Jinton. Omi's arm, hands, and fingers moved faster as the staff turned into an invisible windmill. The muscles in his body began to vibrate as well as the weapon he was holding. The air around them would hum loudly as the electricity would be attracted to the alien properties of his metal blade. A normal man would be electrocuted to death but Omi was a true master of wind and instead the lightning was encapsulated into his vortex and dispersed in an series of shockwaves. The sound produced was ethereal and inhumane.

Wind will always defeat Lightning...

The first was the most powerful and it had enough force behind it to knock Yenn down and put her on her back. The second was more subdued and the third wiped out the remaining excess. When Omi had born the full weight of her storm and dispersed it, he ceased the spinning and slammed the staff down a centimeter away from her stomach. He could have easily killed her, but he spared her. The moment the blade came down into the earth with a terrifying sound, Yenn would finally know peace. For a moment, the images would clear from her mind. The memories would be so distant that she'd need to struggle to hold onto them. For perhaps the first time in her young life, Yenn would know what true inner peace felt like. As if to reflect that inner glow, the clouds would open up and a ray of light would shine on the exact spot where she lay. Omi would tower above her like a god glowing in the sun. He was the winds of change that she desperately needed. The giant looked down at her with a severe expression. He released his grip on his weapon and offered his hand to her.

"If you do not want it....then let me take it. Let me be the change that he could not. I will relieve you from this pain and from this day forward you will work towards a higher purpose. A purpose that will allow you to evolve and grow your power. A purpose that will remove all the tethers to your past so that you can only see the future. But I can only give you this gift if you want it...."

Omi's hand was calloused and worn, but it probably seemed inviting. Omi was still messing with Yenn's mind but he was doing it in a subtle way. He could not force her to accept. If his technique was going to work, then he'd need her complete volition. Before she took his hand or verbally accepted, he'd cut her off:

"Be forewarned child.....what I am taking from you will not be given back. Once you fix your gaze to the future I promise...there will be nothing for you to look back to."

Omi's words were cryptic. He wasn't going to tell her the full scope of what he was going to do, but he gave her enough information to perhaps work out what the consequences would be. The choice, however uninformed it might be, was ultimately her own.

It was too much for Yenn to bear, the constant barrage of painful memories infiltrating her mind. Every injury and disappointment, however small, was magnified a thousand fold and her heart burned with them. As she tore her gloves off she was barely aware of Change bracing for her attack, but she didn’t lunge forward. She wanted to, oh how she wanted to. More than anything she needed a release from the prison of her mind. The violence of the storm around her was directionless, just pure catastrophe without purpose. She wanted to rip Change to pieces, to have lightning disintegrate him. She wanted to level the mountain range they stood on, to bury the dead and flatten the landscape. She wanted to see trees explode and seas boil, to cause devastation the likes of which no one would survive from - even her. Especially her.

Every part of her needed the pain to stop. That part wasn’t something she just wanted. It would either stop or she would die. She knew it in her soul. In response to her begging and screaming she watched as the large man gracefully raised his weapon into the air and began spinning it above his head. Her hands were still resting on the sides of her head, her nails digging into her flesh as she tried to force her mind to stop betraying her. Her eyes followed his movements as a vortex of wind formed from his weapon. The lightning streaked across the sky and straight for the now near invisible blades. For a brief moment, the span of a single heartbeat, she thought he would be struck. But he wasn’t. Instead she watched in horror and fascination as the storm bent to his will. The world was quiet as it inhaled and then with a cataclysmic hum it breathed out. A strange and terrifying noise sounded as a shockwave leveled everything in the area, save for Change himself.

Yenn was lifted by the strength of the shockwave, as though the invisible hand of some powerful giant had casually decided to bat her aside. The breath was forced from her lungs and she flew backwards onto the ground. Her body hit with a loud ‘thud’ that was only felt as she could hear nothing but the eerie alien noise. She gasped and gagged as she fought to breathe again, a second and third shockwave pulsing in time with Change’s spinning blades and causing the lightning storm to evaporate. She was woefully underprepared for this mission, she was barely trained and obviously unstable. From the moment she had set foot on this mountain she had been beset with visions of her past, unwanted reminders of her failures and heartaches and the overwhelming compulsion to end everything. Even if that hadn’t been true, she wouldn’t have been a match for what she’d found.

Her temples stung where her nails had broken the skin, her stomach and lungs burned with the pain from Change’s power, she knew that if she lived her back would ache from the force of her hitting the ground. But she pushed all of that aside as her mental torment continued to require all of her focus. Physical pain was simple, you could see why it existed and where it had come from, it only held varying degrees of difficulty in regards to healing it. A bandage, a suture maybe even a jutsu. So many ways to receive them, but in the end all physical injuries were the same. Heartache, misery, anguish. . . these were the invisible destroyers of otherwise healthy people. These were the wounds that were crushing her and the only thing she had not done so far was to beg Change out loud to kill her. She should have, she wondered what he would do if she did. And as his blade slammed down into the earth beside her, just barely missing her, those thoughts faded.

She gasped loudly in time with the terrifying sound of metal against earth, looking up at the towering man, the shaft of sunlight that had appeared on the spot where she lay making him glow and appear for all the world as a divine saviour. Fresh tears poured down her face as she drew ragged breaths. Her tears now were not from pain, they were from the relief that she now felt. Try as she might she couldn’t hang on to the shards of distress that had been overwhelming her seconds before. In her mind and heart were only thoughts of. . . peace.

Yenn felt at peace.

Yenn had never felt this before. Pure and untainted serenity. The mountain air smelled clean, the sunlight was warm on her skin and most importantly; her heart felt light. The world paused around her as she took in everything. Fear, anger and pain were distant memories as waves of peace washed over her. Even the tears that poured from her eyes were gentle and calm and for the first time in weeks, Yenn smiled. She smiled up at Change as he offered his hand to her and she instinctively reached out her hand to take it. Her expression reflected the relief and gratitude that she felt, and her outstretched hand represented her trust. She only hesitated for a moment as he interrupted her before their hands met.

"Be forewarned child.....what I am taking from you will not be given back. Once you fix your gaze to the future I promise...there will be nothing for you to look back to."

It wasn’t as though she couldn’t remember the anguish she had just felt, she was merely having difficulty remembering the cause. Her hesitation came from that confusion, and she would hold her hand above his as she tried to consider what he meant. As far as she could tell he was offering to take the things that pained her, and she couldn’t see a reason for a warning beyond that. She was exhausted from fighting, from enduring. Her pain-worn mind struggled to go over what she might lose, yet again the memories were muddled and distant.

"If you do not want it....then let me take it. Let me be the change that he could not."

Had she been in her right mind, not riddled with years of abuse and grief she might have been more critical. But as it was she wanted only one thing; for this feeling of peace to continue.

She would shake her head as she spoke, her voice quiet and yet sure. “I need this. Please. Only now can I see how heavy my heart has been, and you’re right. . . I need to embrace change. If you can offer that to me then I will gladly pay any price to accept.” Leaning up on her elbow with her right hand frozen above his, she would lift her face to look Omi in the eye as she placed her scarred hand into his calloused one. She didn’t know her saviour’s name, where he had come from or why he wanted to help her. But she believed him.  

“Show me the future.”

Yenn was in complete awe of him. He had been trained by a master manipulator and his latent skill in the art had blossomed under the Water Disciple's tutelage. He had turned her hatred of him into devotion with the stroke of his blade. He didn't need to beat her to make her submit. He found physical correction disdainful and less elegant. This was more efficient and less cruel. As he stood over Yenn, towering like a god, he saw the gratitude in her eyes. She felt what he had intended her to feel. Peace. Serenity. Happiness. Once she had tasted bliss, she would never want to put the proverbial spoon down. Still, the hesitation that she experienced after his warning was rather curious. Most people wouldn't listen to the meaning behind his words, but it was clear that Yenn was at least wrestling with the concept.

The pain she bore was something no ordinary human could tolerate. A lesser woman would have killed herself long ago but even this strong kunoichi was at the precipice of that cliff. If he hadn't entered the picture, then he'd have given her a year or two tops. The level of grief he had sensed was beyond modern psychiatry. Raiun's blood was probably in her children's veins but how long would it be before they came to maturity? Hizashi's timetable was in the near term. He had waited several lifetimes for this and he was not to be denied a second longer than he had to. They needed to find Raiun's heir and they needed to do so quickly. Yenn's life was not her own to take. A man of great importance could see the value of her existence, even if she could not. It was why Omi was saving her from herself.

Yenn's hesitation didn't last long though. The memories she had experienced had been suppressed, but only temporarily. They were still at the fringes of her mind and given time, they'd dominate her once more. This was her chance to be rid of them forever and she'd take it, cost be damned. Omi stood stone faced as she begged him to be free of the past. She desired change and only he could deliver it.

“Show me the future.”

That was all he needed. The burly shinobi felt Yenn's small and scarred hands in his own. He squeezed gently and suddenly lifted her forwards. His other hand reached out and gripped her forehead with his thumb being placed directly on her frontal lobe. A burst of chakra would lock her eyes on his own and from there, Yenn would experience eternity. She'd see the stars, the universe, millions of years worth of evolution and adaptation, abiogenesis, creation, destruction, and the formation of the fundamental forces of nature. Omi would put her mind into a pre-prepared "holding cell" of sorts as he cleared her brain of the excesses of the past.

The abuse she suffered as a child: Gone.
The pain she felt after losing Tamwyn: Extinguished.
The love she felt for her late husband and surviving children: Annihilated.

Omi took a deep breath and pressed. He invaded every inch of her mind and was now aware of all of her insecurities, weaknesses, and failings. He collected them all and stored them in a corner of his own mind. She would no longer be haunted by specters of the past. The technique he was using required a great deal of chakra and focus. A bead of sweat fell from his forehead as he worked. The golden light that shone upon them grew brighter in intensity. The tornado and storms around them died down miraculously and slowly the clouds began to dissipate. Omi would have liked to take credit for all of it, but in his heart he knew he could not. The two of them were natural weather manipulators but there were some things that were beyond even them. While Yenn bore witness to change at the micro and macro level, Omi was healing her of the trauma she had fought through all her life.

Suffer no more. Be Reordered. Be Reborn. He had thought the words but where Yenn was she could hear them loud and clear. They'd be the last words she heard while still being able to remember her old life. With those three short sentences, he'd erase it all and that which he could not destroy, he'd re-make to suit his mission. Yenn would know the vagueries of her past, that she had lost someone and that she had suffered trauma, but the details that kept her up and night would be worn away. Their importance reduced to the status of what one had for lunch on the third Wednesday of the fifth month of their 8th year of life. She wouldn't be able to recall them no matter how hard she tried and it would take a Genjutsu-Fuuinjutsu-Ijutsu Specialist of legendary proportions to unlock those memories. All Yenn would know was that she had been lost and now she was found. She'd have one man to thank for this: Omi. He had been true to his word. She had asked for him to take away the pain and he would. Tamwyn's visage would be seen for the last time and then slowly it would fade into a blank white slate.


The children would likewise be torn from her. Omi could tell that she had not fully grappled with the reality of losing them and it was a good thing too. She might not have accepted his offer if she had been thinking of them. He didn't know what would become of them and a part of him felt guilty about taking away their one remaining parent. He knew what it was like to be an orphan at the mercy of the shinobi world.

I will pray for them....

To who or what he did not know, but he'd do it all the same. If there was a god in this universe, he'd see to it that Yenn's infant children were cared for. She would no longer be able to do it. Yenn's love for them was too strong to leave up to chance. He couldn't allow any concept of their existence to remain. Unlike Tamwyn and her parents who might be unrecognizable slates, the children were obliterated entirely. Nothing would remain and no one, no matter how skilled, would be able to retrieve those memories. When Omi was finished, the Enlightened Custodian loosened his grip on Yenn's hand and head. A soft white glow would settle into Yenn's eyes and she'd be freed from the prison he had constructed for her. She would re-inhabit a new mind, one cleaned of the past with plenty of room for the future. Yenn's skills, talents, and general knowledge would remain in-tact but from this moment on, she was a new woman. Omi stepped back and and spoke:

"Arise Yenn....from this moment on you are a warrior of the Enlightened Society of Rebirth and Reordering. You have a great destiny that awaits you and I, Omi the Enlightened Custodian, will be your guide and teacher." He turned to his double-sabre staff and wrenched it from the Earth with the same soul-rending sound as before. It was the sound of earth twisting against metal and for most people it was a harbinger of death, but for Yenn, it'd be a delightful sound. The sound of her protector's proximity.

She has an new identity but she'll need a new name to match. Hizashi had been gracious enough to let him keep his birth name. His parents had named him after a legendary Tetsudashi Clan Leader. Omi had been one of the nine great Earth Country clan leaders to have survived the wave of assassinations ordered by the Bloody Emir. It was a name that evoked strength, hardiness, and leadership. It was the only thing that Hizashi had let him keep that his parents had given to him. Omi had been grateful at the time, but he wondered if it had been less cruel to have simply taken that too. Whenever he said his own name, he could only remember all that he had lost. Then again, Omi's memories of his parents were very much unlike Yenn's. He toyed with the idea of stealing her name but had ultimately decided against it. If she was to shed that, it would be her own choice and not his. He did think of a new name though. One that was evocative of the woman that he hoped she'd become but still paid homage to all that she had been through.

"Yen-Lì" he whispered mostly to himself. It was the first word that he had uttered in her presence that was not carefully crafted before spoken. "You walk a higher path now."

As soon as Yenn placed her small hand into Change’s larger one, she felt him squeeze her hand gently and then suddenly she was lifted forwards. She had been expecting to be lifted to full standing, perhaps taken to some holy temple or further up the mountain range to observe a stunning vista while Change imparted wise counsel. But her forward momentum was stopped abruptly as she felt Change’s hand envelope her forehead with his thumb pressed firmly between her eyes. Yenn let out a gasp as their eyes locked and she was thrust out of her kneeling body and into the unending vastness of space and time.

She had no form, no physical sensation at all. And yet somehow she did. Things she had only dreamt of swirled around her. Stars and planets moved in dizzying sequences, chaotic and seemingly random. And as Yenn floated through them she began to see their constructs, their purpose. Whole worlds were born; tiny specks of light that exploded with the violent need to exist. She felt their pain as they keened, the universe twirling around them. The universe unable to assist in their birth, or uncaring in their beautiful anguish. Force and light ebbed and flowed to form the elements, cycling in an infinite geometric pattern as they coalesced into reality. Yenn could feel her heart crying as she watched. Everything she had taken for granted; every leaf and tree, every drop of water, every storm. . . This is how they came to be. An enchanting dance that left her stunned and humbled. Nothing was random. Everything that lived and died was part of a larger whole, a magnificently ordered event that she knew would continue and then begin anew long after anyone alive could appreciate it. The universe was eternal.

In that transcendent eternity Yenn lived out the birth and death of the universe and beyond. A single point in the infinite anchored her to her present reality. She could feel Change working his way through her mind. Her memories and thoughts, hopes and fears being dredged up one by one and sorted. Some were left alone, others were not. Simple innocuous things were left untouched; the first time she’d written her name, the smell of pine trees, the hand seals she needed to use her techniques. These were all surface level memories, things that made up her skills yet did not define her personality. As he dug deeper though she felt the pain she had been given a brief reprieve from return in full force.

In her mind Yenn screamed in agony as the true realization of what was happening hit her. Change was not just taking her pain - he was taking everything that had caused her pain. Memories of Quan and Tien, her father and mother, crashed against her. A dark room beneath the house with a shackle and chain to keep her there. A too small space that left her stunted in her growth and desperately afraid of the indoors. Angry words and menacing looks from the two people that were supposed to care for her, to protect her. Violence and torture from the same for sins they never voiced. A solitary friend and confidant ripped from her, leaving her alone and at their mercy. The eyes of the entire clan looking elsewhere as she suffered. Every imaginable torment at the hands of her caregivers and by the permission of cowardice from those that noticed. Yenn kept silently screaming as she had no choice but to watch and feel as these and countless more memories were sifted through and taken from her.

It could be argued that it was for her own good, that she could not only survive but thrive without the memories of her parents and the trauma they had dealt to her. Though Change did not stop there. Her first time meeting Tamwyn, the fight with the Wind Demon, their time in a secluded cave. The day she had agreed to move in with him, the first time he had followed her to the forest as she walked in her sleep. He went with her everywhere, he defended her and protected her. He loved her. She never doubted it for a second. She doubted many things, but never that. Scenes from their life together flashed in front of her and she wailed and laughed and despaired. They had both been so happy together. That happiness had eventually turned to fear though as they had watched so many die. The last memory she had of him, the last memory of seeing his face. . .

As memories of her children, Chloe and Damien, began to surface she resisted. She fought back with every bit of power she had. All the suffering she had been through; the torment from her parents, the loss of her husband. . . her children had made it worth it. They were her hope, they were her future. They were the only reason she had not thrown herself from a cliff the day she had found out about Tamwyn. They were why she got up every morning and they were the very last thing that went through her mind when she slept. They were her world. This time her screams formed words. “I’ll kill you! Leave them!” Her hopes manifested before her as she continued fighting.


“Please, I’m begging you, I need them!” Her words were full of righteous anger and hatred that swiftly cycled to pleading and misery.

She understood Change’s warning now, all too late.

She imagined them as they would grow, the thread of their lives weaving an intricate tapestry against the galaxies that she drifted through. She saw visions of the time they would never get to have together. Curled up in her bed, one child tucked beneath each of her arms as she sang to them. The excitement on their beautiful faces as she taught them all the wonders of the world. She imagined taking them to her favourite spots in the forest, teaching them how to survive as she had, but unlike her they would be able to do it with a parent’s love. She saw herself grow older as they did, her hair slowly turning grey to match the white of Chloe’s, Damien ever brooding as his mother did. She saw herself in them, and she saw their father. Tears filled the void she was locked in as she knew she was about to lose them. And she wasn’t ready. How could she be? Her children looked up at her trustingly as hands made of stars held them close. “My darling children, I will always be with you, I will always love you. You are my light and my life, I will never forg-”

Her power was too little and as much as she resisted it felt ineffectual. Whether he heard her or not she could not determine. The memories that were rushing through her faded as three sentences were spoken in her mind.

Suffer no more. Be Reordered. Be Reborn.

And then the world went quiet. Yenn’s spirit settled back into her body and she looked up at her saviour, her protector, the one person she knew she could trust with every fiber of her being. And now she knew his name. It was a name she felt she’d always known; Omi. She would look up at him with adoration in her violet eyes and a serene smile on her lips. Omi was, in her mind, a god. He had saved her from the uncaring universe, and her present peace and happiness she knew was owed to his actions. She stood immediately as he bade her to arise and embrace her destiny. “Thank you, Omi.” Her words were quiet and slow, her awe still evident in the tone of her voice.

The sound of Omi’s weapon being wrenched from the earth made her heart skip, and a shy smile would settle on her features. She would move towards him, not wishing to be away from him if she could help it. And she was just close enough to hear him speak her new name. She knew her old one, Yenn, but the name that Omi spoke just felt right. If he allowed it she would move to face him, standing a handbreadth away as she tentatively reached out a bare hand towards him to. . . touch him? Embrace him? She didn’t know for certain, she only knew that she felt an instinctive need to be close to him. Looking up at the taller man she would whisper her acceptance of his gift. “I am Yen-Li now, and I walk a higher path with you.”

The kunoichi formerly known as Yenn put up little resistance as Omi took away the memories of Tamwyn and her parents. The latter was freely given and the former, while reluctant, was likewise surrendered without struggle. It was when Omi came to take Chloe and Damian that the true resistance began. Omi could hear her shouting as he began ripping out the memories like weeds. She was begging him to stop, begging him to let her keep the one thing that had been worth the years of trauma and pain. He knew this would happen and it was why he had not been forthcoming about what she was turning over to him. If he had told her that she'd lose her children,  she'd have refused him. She'd have refused her destiny. He needed to be deceptive, to tell her just enough that his technique would take, but not enough to engender true resistance. By the time she was ready to fight, he had already taken so much.

He continued to rip away every moment that she remembered with her children. She said she needed them but that was only half-true. In her current state, she absolutely needed them to survive. However, the person he was molding her to become would not need such trivial distractions. Yenn knew the end was coming though and soon her grief moved from denial, bargaining and anger to acceptance. She said her goodbyes but was cut off just as he tore the last image from her mind. There was nothing now.

Yen-Li had no children.

When he brought his disciple back from the edge of eternity, she was a new woman. Reborn. Reordered. He had re-made her in the image Hizashi wanted and there was no turning back. He knew his work was complete when he saw the gratitude in her eyes and the smile on her lips. She rose and thanked him for bringing her into a new state of awareness. Every aspect of his technique had been a success even the name-change which was more spur of the moment than planned. When Yen-Lì reached out to touch him, Omi snapped towards her and grasped her wrist suddenly. He looked down at the petite young woman with sternness in his eyes. Yen-Lì would recognize that he was not only her gentle savior, but also her chief disciplinarian. He squeezed her wrist before speaking in a severe tone.

"Tread carefully Yen-Lì...this path is not for the faint-hearted and if you stumble, I may not always be able to pick you up. You answer to me, Nozomi Himitsu, and above all else, our leader Hizashi. He is the one who will decide if you truly deserve the highest honor our organization can bestow upon a member"

Omi was alluding to giving her the status of "Descendent of the Lightning Disciple." If Yen-Lì was not worthy of the title then he had no problem with keeping her on as another asset of the Society, but the choice would ultimately not be up to him. Hizashi was notoriously fickle when it came to such presentations. If a kunoichi or shinobi was brought before him with claims of having his Brother-Disciples' blood in their veins, he expected them to prove it. If they could not, the consequences were almost always more severe than a mere demotion or rejection. Omi did not release his grip on Yen-Lì's hand. He stared into her eyes menacingly and communicated his concerns.

"I am going to bring you before my liege and if he deems you blessed then you shall walk closer and further than most other kunoichi in this Society. If he deems you an accursed failure....then your life may be taken. For there is one man that I cannot and will not save you from."

She needed to know how serious this was. He had given her a honeymoon phase of a few precious seconds before he brought the full reality of their mission to bear. Yet as intense as Omi could be, he also knew what this sort of pressure could do to a person. She needed to know that he was still in her corner. That he believed in her. Omi loosened his grip and brought her delicate hands to his lips. He pressed his lips against the back of her hand and planted a firm kiss against her scarred skin.

"I have faith in you Yen-Lì. I know you will not disappoint me."

He let her hand drop down as he gazed into her eyes. He placed a large hand on the small of her back and walked with her. Even with minimal contact, Yen-Lì  would be able to feel his strength and masculinity. As the two walked a few short paces, the storm that had been surrounding the mountain range began to disappear. Another meteorological miracle was born as the skies above the land known for its clouds, rainstorms, and lightning strikes began to clear. Sunlight bathed the area in a warm and fresh glow. Omi led her to one of the decimated corpses of the shinobi outpost. The scene was frightening but he wanted her to see what he had done. None of the bodies could hurt her and so long as Omi's guiding strength was present, she had nothing to fear. For now.

"Do not look away....there is still more to do here. We have killed the old you in mind and spirit. Now we must kill the body so that the world knows that Yenn is no more."

Yen-Lì let out a surprised gasp as Omi grasped her wrist, she hadn’t even known why she had reached for him in the first place, not consciously at least. His grip tightened along with the intensity of his gaze and Yen-Lì found herself torn. She was not afraid of Omi, not in a disrespectful or rebellious way. She just knew she could trust him, and so no matter what happened she believed that it was in her better interest. However she believed that she must have erred, and it grieved her.  She met his gaze and held it, even though a small part of her wanted to look away in shame. She didn’t understand exactly what she had done to cause such a reaction and could only attribute it to her bold familiarity that she had displayed. He didn’t hurt her, but she could feel the strength in his grip and knew that if he so chose she would be as a dried out twig snapping in the might of a wind storm. That was not to say that his grip was not uncomfortable, it was a physical reminder of the position she had accepted. Omi was her teacher, her guardian and very clearly her master. She would blush slightly in embarrassment at her imagined wrongdoing, listening as he laid out the near future for her. His words were stern and to the point, something that she appreciated. They showed her that he trusted her with the truth, and being trusted by him gave her peace, her discomfort lessening only slightly as she began to understand.

His first warning, that he may not always be there to pick her up, was not taken nearly as seriously as it should have been. She did not believe for one second that he wouldn’t be there for her. She knew that as long as she had his strength with her, she would be fine. He did not need to physically be present, if that was what he meant. However as he spoke of Nozomi Himitsu and someone else she didn’t recognize, her brows would furrow slightly. She knew a little about Nozomi; that she was considered a missing-nin by nearly everyone, and that she was aligned with the Society. She had never given it much thought as she had never had any interactions with the legendary warrior, but she could easily see the connection between what Omi had told her and the downplayed ‘Society’ run by a supposed criminal. After being the subject of Omi’s rescue she doubted whether the stories she had heard were even true. She remembered feeling disillusioned with. . . something. ‘Kumogakure.’ She believed it was Kumo, but she could quite place her finger on the source or precipitating event for her displeasure. It was easy for her to believe that similar propaganda had been spread about the destiny she had just been set towards.

Omi’s revelation of the name of the Society’s leader was a confusing one. Yen-Lì was a very smart woman, though her intelligence was of the more practical variety. She could construct an entire campsite with only a knife, could name every tree and herb in all of the Land of Lightning and tell you exactly what they could all be used for; to heal the sick, to feed the hungry and even those substances that could kill. Names and history though, these were her failings. The name Hizashi meant nothing to her, other than the importance that Omi placed on it. She would open her mouth to speak, to ask a million questions, but as the giant stared down at her menacingly she thought better of it and pressed her lips back together. She swallowed her questions as she paid attention to his plan for her, and his promise.

She thought she understood the darkness in his gaze, the way he held eye contact as he told her that she may be killed. And moreover that if that were to happen, he would not save her. She felt her head shaking back and forth as she subconsciously said ‘no’ before her brain caught up with her. She could only assume that when Omi mentioned taking her to his ‘liege’ that he meant Hizashi. She didn’t understand why Omi would take her to someone who might kill her, or why he wouldn’t protect her from the same. Omi had protected her from everything else, saved her from unimaginable horrors. . . Why was this the line? As he still held her hand in his tight grip she would finally give voice to her concern. “Master, I don’t understand. I don’t need to because I trust you, but I don’t understand all the same. Anything you ask of me I will do, happily and without question. I just want to understand. . . why won’t you. . .” She let her question ‘why won’t you save me from him?’ go unfinished, she didn’t want to question his intentions, she simply wanted to understand. But she didn’t have the words. So she gazed up at him with all the trust and love that she felt towards him radiating from her violet eyes. In the end it didn’t matter why, she could live without knowing, it only mattered to her that she was with him now.

The seriousness of his words was not lost on her, and although she could not help but to gaze up at him adoringly, she would nod and voice her agreement. “I will do as you wish, Master.” It was then that he surprised her again, this time he loosened his grip on her hand and brought her hand to his lips to firmly kiss the back of her hand. Her blush had been fading as she had been mulling over his words, but it returned in full force. This time her cheeks turned pink not out of shame, but out of desire. As Omi told her that he had faith in her, Yen-Lì’s heart swelled with joy. She would look up at him and smile, bringing her hand close to her and cradling it as though it were now the most precious piece of her. “With that faith I can do anything. I will not let you down.”

She wanted to stay there forever, to stand and look into Omi’s eyes. She wanted more than that, for him to hold her close to him so she could rest safe and cared for while they enjoyed the sunlit mountaintop. Yen-Lì was calm now and peaceful, her movements were graceful and reflected the serenity she felt while in Omi’s presence. Her anxiety and fears were washed away and with it the flinching and tension that had made her more akin to a cornered and wounded animal before. She would sigh quietly as she felt Omi’s large hand come to rest on the small of her back, guiding her towards one of the corpses that lay nearby. She could feel the strength radiating from him and that small touch filled her with confidence. She had been lost before Omi had saved her. Now she was safe and secure, cared for even. She knew that she would go to any length to hold on to this feeling, fight any foe and do any deed. Just to be close to him and to show her gratitude.

The bodies that they passed were horrifying to behold, the field of death at their feet was like something from a nightmare. She would lean instinctively towards her protector as they moved toward one body in particular. As they moved the skies opened up and warm sunlight poured over them, and while beautiful also better lit the corpse in front of her. Had Omi not told her to not look away, she would have turned. She had nothing to fear with her master at her side, but the scene was still disturbing and frightening. When he spoke of there being more to do, she made the instant assumption that he meant they needed to bury the bodies. It seemed the most logical conclusion to draw, but again she was surprised. As much as she trusted the man it was growing clear that she did not yet understand him. She would struggle to keep her eyes on the body at her feet as he told her that they must kill her body. She wanted desperately to look up at him, to search his face for answers. Instead she would keep her gaze locked on the corpse and ask her questions, the concern and confusion clear in her tone. “What do you mean, kill the body? Is this a technique or. . . or. . .” Her voice faltered momentarily as she considered what else a phrase like that would usually mean. “Or am I to die now? I don’t want to, but if you will it, then my life is yours.” If the last thing she was allowed to experience was Omi’s warmth against her, the sound of his voice. . . If this was what would bring him happiness, then she was glad to do it. She had thought that she would have more time before she met Hizashi and ultimately her end, but she was content with the time she had been given.

As he uttered the name of their leadership, Omi watched Yen-Lì's expression carefully. He was curious as to how his technique had nested in her mind with respect to the organization. He did not implant additional knowledge about the group as he thought it best to let her learn about it organically. That said, he had tweaked certain memories and cleared paths of resistance so that upon hearing the name, she'd be receptive to it and its teachings. Omi could read his disciple like a book and the trust he saw in her eyes told him all he needed to know.

She was his and by extension she was loyal to the Society, irrespective of what the fools in Kumogakure had taught her.

However, Tte problem wasn't the mainstream view on the Society. It was what Omi had told her with regards to Hizashi. She looked up to him and trusted him. The thought that he might take her to someone who would harm her and not intervene was painful, but it would be even more painful if she failed him and did not know why he couldn't protect her. Additionally, if she knew what was at stake then maybe she'd dig deeper and find a power so great that even Hizashi could not deny her. Yen-Lì wanted to understand and in turn, he wanted to explain to her. He wanted to tell her everything. Why he had chosen her. Why he served his master Hizashi. All of it. But now was not the time.

"You will learn in time my disciple....In time...." was all he offered in response to her interrogatories. She'd simply have to trust him for now. He knew she would. His skill with Genjutsu was good enough to ensure it, but a small piece of him hoped that in time she'd trust him regardless of what he had done to her mind. It would be nice to have a follower not totally corralled by brainwashing, intimidation, or bribery. That sort of connection appeared to be reserved for his betters but it did not stop him from longing for it. It was what Honiko had with Hizashi and what Nozomi had with Honiko. He finished his words as planned and planted a kiss on the back of her hand. Yen-Lì's blush warmed his heart and her next words hardened his resolve. She would do what was necessary to keep his faith in her and that meant he would need to prepare her as best as he could. There was not much they could do in the time they had but there were a few things he could impart from one Disciple Descendent to another.

Omi could feel his disciple's small frame cling to him as they walked past the corpses he had made. As they walked, his eyes searched the bodies. He was analyzing their size, sex, and overall build for a suitable candidate. Once he found the body of a kunoichi that approximated Yen-Lì’s he stopped in his tracks. When Yen-Lì asked him what he meant and he did not reply right away. She was scared. He had no intentions of killing her, but he wanted to see how she'd react if he didn't repudiate the notion immediately. As he suspected, she was so devoted to him that she was perfectly willing to die if he decided it was necessary. Fortunately, he had much greater plans for her.

"No." Omi broke the embrace and crouched down to examine the body he had selected. He placed the corpse face up and reviewed every detail before turning his gaze to Yen-Lì. "The kunoichi the world knew as Yenn is dead....but Kumo won't see it that way. They will be expecting you to return and when you don't they will come looking for you. We need to give them a corpse so that they stop looking or at the very least we can slow them down. I am going to transfigure this corpse into an identical version of you and leave it here. We will stage a scene for them. A tragic story of a woman driven so mad by loss and hopelessness that she took her own life" By now it should be clear what the burly man intended. They were going to fake Yen-Lì’s death. Omi flickered through a set of seals and a cloud of bees slowly poured out of his sleeves. Once, the bees were out and about he made another set of seals and focused chakra into into his thumb as he began marking a complex fuuin formula all over the deceased.

"Be still" he commanded. The insects flew towards Yen-Lì and rested on her skin. They wouldn't sting her for now but he wanted to get her used to them. Omi's bees were a signature part of his Ninjutsu style and getting people acclimated to their presence often took time.

Yen-Li was relieved to hear a clear ‘no’ to her question about whether she was to die. She was willing to, but being willing to do something and wanting to do something were very different. She would give a half smile at his response, being that she was slightly disappointed to have him break their embrace. As Omi knelt and examined the corpse on the ground in front of them she studied him more than the body. She was curious about everything he did and she wanted to memorize every detail of her teacher and saviour. The way he moved, the steadiness of his breath, the way his eyes seemed to gaze straight into her soul when he looked at her. She knew she had much to learn from him and she didn’t want to miss any of it.

His explanation regarding their next course of action made perfect sense to her. No matter what the truth of anything was, she knew Kumogakure would look for the old her - the one Omi had saved. She was no longer that person but Omi was right, Kumo would not see it that way. She had watched them start a war over the death of a civilian, they would never let a member of their military go. “I hadn’t thought of that, I’m ashamed to say. They would come looking for me most likely. I guess it’s a good thing I’m not in charge of plans.” She was joking, mostly. Had she been left to her own devices she knew that this death wouldn’t have been staged; as Omi spoke of a woman driven mad with loss she had a vague recollection of the losses she had suffered. The memories were incomplete, as though her old life were a nightmare and she had awoken to half remembered tragedies. She had the impression of loss and hopelessness; the feelings and emotions that she expected were a result of a tragic past but those feelings were disconnected from her present self. She was Yen-Li now, and Yen-Li was at peace. She wasn’t overly concerned with the blank slate that was her past because she knew why it existed. Omi had saved her from it. She trusted the man with her very existence and truth be told she was happy that she had no eidetic memories from the things that Omi had rescued her from.

She allowed the brief introspection to wash over her and away into the aether. It made no sense to her to be rescued from a sinking ship only to dive under the water once more to observe the vessel as it sank. With a nod of trusting agreement she held Omi’s gaze for a moment. “The past should stay where it is, behind us.” Her use of the word us was telling of her mental state; there was no future without Omi and she wanted it to be said out loud. “I wish only to be Yen-Li now, and this body is already here. . . it would be wasteful to not use it to help secure that future. How are we going to do it?” She let her question hang in the air as she watched Omi perform a set of hand seals and then summon a swarm of bees from beneath his sleeves. She let out a tiny gasp as the bees poured out and hovered around the area. She had her fair share of experience with bees out in the wilds around Kumogakure but she had never seen anyone simply conjure them before. It occurred to her briefly that they might not be conjured at all, they could have been naturally existing bees that were transported somehow. She immediately dismissed the notion as ridiculous, as the idea of carting around thousands of bees seemed entirely impractical.

The answer to her question seemed to be; bees. She had no concept of how that would work, nor was she particularly well versed in the intricacies of fuuinjutsu and so she stood looking on, somewhat at a loss as how to assist. She was just about to crouch beside him to get a closer look when she heard his command to be still. Without even thinking she stopped her movements and awaited further instructions. And then she saw the bees flying directly for her. In the wild Yen-Li knew that bees were virtually harmless. Her experiences with them had been a ‘live and let live’ mentality. They existed over there, and she existed over here and never the two did meet. She knew that most creatures were harmless as long as you didn’t invade their space. And now it seemed that an entire swarm of bees were about to invade her space. This did not make Yen-Li happy.

She knew that the bees would not hurt her, and as they covered her skin she tried to keep that thought in her mind. She was aware that sometimes, at least in honeybees, bees swarmed like this when they were preparing a new queen and that although it may look frightening it was a rather peaceful affair. But even knowing this she found that actually following Omi’s command was incredibly difficult as the buzzing grew louder and she began to feel thousands of little feet crawling across her. She would close her eyes and keep her mouth shut, breathing delicately through her nose as she tried not to panic. Yen-Li knew that if she didn’t find some positive thing to focus on soon though that panicking would be inevitable. With her eyes closed it was easier, and she started imagining that the bees were an extension of the giant man rather than some terrifying force of nature. That helped considerably and she allowed her mind to drift in time with the buzzing and to feel as though she were wrapped in Omi’s embrace as she stood still and awaited the next step in his plan.

Omi ignored her attempt at humor. He wasn't the jovial sort and it wasn't because he saw anything wrong with comedy. It was a useful enterprise for those that did not have chains on their souls. Omi continued to work on the corpse by marking it with his thumb, which was by now soaked with chakra created ink. The black substance was slathered over the deceased individual's face and body with a level of detail and focus that would put even an expert tattoo artist to shame. Yen-Lì agreed with his plan, as he knew she would, but it still warmed his heart to hear. She was learning from him. In time, she would not just feel that he was her leader, she'd intellectually know it to be true by watching him work. While Omi did not see fit to respond to her joke, he did answer her question on how he intended to fake her death.

"Kumogakure's morticians are no doubt experts in forensic analysis so in order to fool them, we will need to use a technique that they could never even conceive of" Omi turned to Yen-Lì and was pleased to see that she obeyed his order to remain still, even as his insects were loitering on her skin. "The Society's Chief Engineer assisted me in developing this technique." he commented. Menza Sukiyama had been haughty during the whole affair and nothing annoyed him more than working with that brat of a man. Even now, he could hear the metrosexual's mocking laughter. "A Custodian ought to be able to clean up after his betters no?" If Omi was his own man he'd have strangled Menza right then and there, but his position in the organization had forced him to swallow Menza's insults. As aggravating as his snickering was, Menza was every bit the scientist that Hizashi needed him to be. Together they had devised a jutsu that allowed Omi to take DNA from another and inject it into a corpse, transfiguring the appearance while simultaneously triggering a micro-illusion that would make discovery nigh impossible. The technique involved a complex interplay of Genjutsu, Fuuinjutsu, Ijutsu and Kanchijutsu. It was the kind of combination technique that took months to learn and years to decipher without prior knowledge. Menza was disrespectful but he was right. This was the perfect technique for a Custodian. "Bees, or Apoidea, have curious genetic properties that no other species on Earth share. Through intense study and experimentation, we devised a way to use their bodies as histone reproduction centers.....in other words...miniature DNA laundering sites. I am going to take your DNA, launder it within my bees who have been bio-engineered for the task, then re-inject it into this corpse. The corpse will then become an epigenetic 3-D printer capable of re-constituting itself with all of your physicals features down to your DNA. To further secure against their meddling, the cells themselves are sealed with a compact illusion that makes analysis impossible. Leads them down rabbit holes that will get them no closer to a definitive finding. It should be able to fool even someone as smart as Akihiro but if not, it will provide a useful distraction"

It was a lengthy explanation and normally he wouldn't have been bothered to give it. The fundamental science behind it was largely beyond him. He was responsible mainly for the sensory-spoofing and fuuinjutsu aspects of the technique, but the true genetic science that made it possible was not his doing. He had given Yen-Lì the same cliff notes that Menza had give him minus the condescension. If she was to be his student then she should know how he did what he did. It would also give her comfort knowing that he wasn't going to hurt her without reason.

"Brace yourself. In order for this to work, the bees must collect a significant amount of DNA......this is going to hurt." He said the statement in a factual tone. He wanted her to understand what was about to happen, but he did not want to coddle her. The road ahead would be painful and if he babied her, then she would never grow to be stronger than her past self. Yenn had experienced pain without purpose. Yen-Lì would not suffer the same fate. Every trial he put her through would bring her closer to her destiny. It was a kind of love that most wouldn't understand. With the corpse prepped and the bees in place, there was only one thing left to do. Omi made a half tiger seal and at the same time every single bee on Yen-Lì's body slammed their stingers into her skin.

The pain would be excruciating. They would sting not once, not twice, but thrice. All in unison and all without restraint. Omi watched Yen-Lì sternly as the bees mined her body for her DNA. He wanted to see how much suffering she was willing to endure for him. Would she curse? Would she cry out? Omi's brainwashing was potent but it had its limits. She was not incapable of hating him or disagreeing with him although it would not feel as natural as obedience. Omi's actions served a dual purpose as did much of what he and the Society did. He wanted to efficiently cover up her death, but he also wanted to see if Yen-Lì could endure the difficulties ahead. Once the extraction process was complete, Yen-Lì would be covered with sting marks. They did not draw enough blood to seriously injure her, but the wounds would still burn. Omi sent an armada of bees to assist with the healing process. He was capable of using them to hurt people but he also could undo the damage that he inflicted. The bees would secrete a special wax that would assist the body's ability to clot and seal the stings. Even the scars would fade in a few minutes and though she'd be sore for a few hours, the final result was as if nothing had ever happened.

The bees flew over to the corpse he had marked and began their work. Their stingers were slick with the Descendant's blood. All they needed to do was drop them into key places on the sealing formulae and the process would begin. The corpse would shift and change as its bone density, facial structure, and even eye color shifted. Omi stood up and looked on as the bees staged the scene he wanted. If Yen-Lì had not succumbed to the pain and showed admirable strength, then he would reward her. It was not coddling when your student stood on their own power. It was a sign of trust and respect. He walked over to Yen-Lì and stood right beside her. She'd feel his gentle hand on her back and if she looked up at him, she'd see the pride in his eyes.

Yen-Lì could do this. She could walk this journey.

Yen-Li had her eyes closed and was trying her best to remain calm and still as Omi had instructed. When he began explaining what he was doing in detail however, it became more difficult. She would carefully and slowly open her eyes as Omi started speaking, feeling the need to look at him during his explanation. Her violet eyes watered with the strain of the movement, she didn’t want to disturb the bees and she was terrified of them crawling onto her actual eyeballs. The details of the technique he was preparing was not entirely lost on her, she was a remarkably smart woman, but she had little to no practical experience with fuuinjutsu or iryojutsu and so pieces of it were still a bit confusing. The mild confusion might have been evident on her face, but it would have taken a master to see it at all underneath all the bees. There were two things in particular that piqued her interest, beyond simply being interested in everything that Omi said and did. The Chief Engineer of the Society and the mention of the name ‘Akihiro’.

She knew very little about the Society and its hierarchy, but it was interesting to note that not only did it employ engineers, it had enough of them to have a Chief Engineer. This meant that the Society was much bigger than she had been led to believe it was. The Society was always explained away as some disorganized zealot group, giving the impression of a handful of people with an ad-hoc base in a cave somewhere. Engineers though, that implied that it was much more stable and less ‘rebellious gang’. She wondered what it needed engineers for in the first place. Was it for rebuilding the world? She didn’t know, but she did tuck that bit of information away to ask Omi about later.

The second thing, the name ‘Akihiro’, summoned a half formed memory. A memory of the day she was promoted to Chuunin in the Royal Audience Chamber. She remembered something about the town of Moonspire and how it had been destroyed. She might have been there, but she couldn’t quite remember. What she did know was that she had been present when the name of those responsible was announced. She remembered the Queen. . . Ryuko. There were others there as well, but like most long distant memories the faces and names attached were fuzzy. The details of the event wasn’t important so she let the memory fade, what was important was that Omi brought up Akihiro. Now, she did know that Akihiro was somewhat of a household name, in much the same way that Nozomi was. But what was telling was how Omi seemed to have opinions about Akihiro’s intelligence. That spoke of a more intimate amount of knowledge about the man, rather than the general knowledge that everyone else had. She was insanely curious and while she definitely wanted to ask Omi about it, just like before she filed it away to bring up later. It was difficult to have a conversation with someone while you were covered in bees anyway.

When Omi told her to brace herself and that whatever was about to happen was going to hurt, Yen-Li would just blink once as though to communicate that she understood. And she really did think she understood. She’d been stung by a bee before, pretty common and not too bad all things considered. A sharp prick, bit of stinging and a bit of swelling but not much to write home about.

Yen-Li did not understand.

Not only was she not prepared for all the bees to sting her simultaneously, she was definitely not prepared for them to do it three times. She braced as best as she could, what that looked like was, well, nothing really. Internally she steeled herself and, unfortunately, held her breath. When the first stings came the breath she had been holding was expelled all at once in a gasp of surprise as alarmingly sharp stings were felt all over her body. Yen-Li would keep her eyes locked on Omi, using his visage as a guiding beacon to endure the pain. In her eyes would be reflected the trust and adoration she held for him. She was not afraid of pain, and especially not from Omi. She knew that anything that he asked of her was reasonable and would be with her betterment in mind. As much as she did not fear it however, pain there was, in abundance. It was made slightly easier by her understanding of why it was happening. This was not purposeless, it was uncomfortable but it would lead to greater things in the future. The security and safety that she knew only Omi could grant her would be the pay off for the discomfort.

And the first round of stings really could have been referred to honestly as ‘discomfort’. Not something she would wish on anyone, but bearable all the same. As the stingers of the bees slammed into her a second time she would wince slightly, still gazing up at her protector as what had once been ‘uncomfortable’ quickly turned to excruciating. She did not move, or cry out, she stood and willed herself to stay still. It was the hardest thing she remembered ever having to do, to stay still and fight the urge to fling the bees off of her. She knew that even something as simple as reflexively tightening her fingers into a fist would cause problems and could even hurt some of the bees. More than anything she didn’t want to let Omi down, she had promised that she wouldn’t, and so she stood and endured. On the third set of stings Yen-Li felt white hot tears form in her eyes to match the searing pain she felt everywhere else. She remained quiet, but this time only because she had taken the inside of her bottom lip between her teeth and had clamped down on it to stifle any noise she might otherwise have made. She could taste a tiny amount of blood in her mouth and she knew that that was the least of her worries.

Once the bees were finished extracting DNA from her and flew over to the corpse on the ground, Yen-Li released the hold of her teeth on her lip while letting out a ragged breath. Unbidden, tears would fall down her cheeks, her body’s automatic response to the extreme pain. Despite the pain she felt she managed a half smile in Omi’s direction, and even opened her mouth to speak before closing it abruptly as another armada of bees flew towards her. She stood still again, but she was terrified of a repeat of what the last swarm had done. The second swarm of bees did not harm her however, as they landed on her she felt a strange substance on her skin and the pain lessened. This time instead of a gasp she let out a relieved sigh. Everything still hurt, everything was still on fire, but less so and that was good enough.

With the small amount of relief that had been offered, Yen-Li would look towards the corpse and watch with fascination as it shifted and morphed into an identical copy of herself. It was surreal, seeing herself lying on the ground, very much dead. As though she were in a dream she would look back up towards Omi, who by now had moved to her side and placed a hand on her back. Leaning into him she would blush slightly at the pride she could see in his eyes, feeling overwhelmed by how much that pride mattered to her. “Thank you.” She spoke quietly as she gazed up at the giant man, her hand coming up to rest as close as she could manage to above where Omi’s heart was. She was still sore, but all of that faded when she felt his touch and looked into his eyes. “I will try for the rest of eternity, but you must know that I could never fully repay what you’ve given to me. You had to have known before you even offered.” She would sigh softly and break eye contact with him to rest her head against his side, her gaze returning to her twin corpse before them speaking her next words so quietly they were almost a whisper. “And for that as well you are a god among men.”

Yen-Lì had handled herself well in enduring pain. She did not move, cry out, or interrupt the process while it had been effect. She had sunk to the ground and gasped after the deed was done, but he could forgive that. Maybe the sentimentality he had installed in her went both ways. Or maybe he just wanted her to think that so that he could more effectively use her as Hizashi's tool. The Enlightened Custodian listened as she declared her undying loyalty to him. He knew that she would never stop trying to repay him. He had placed the debt in her heart and he had made it infinite for a reason. She called him a god among men, but the man shook his head. She'd adore him no matter what but he could not take on such a title. Especially not when the true "god" of this world would sever his neck if he ever deigned to even think of himself in those terms.

"There is no god.....at least not one that we could possibly comprehend" Omi declared. "There is only destiny. And we are its humble servants." Unlike Honiko and Hizashi, Omi did not beleive in Jashin. He did not worship at the altar of death. Whatever cosmic force had granted them power was nothing more than what they fancied themselves: beings of extraordinary power using others for their own ends. Omi speculated that this might be all part of some multi-dimensional chess game happening far beyond their comprehension. Maybe Hizashi had insight into it and maybe he did not. He was talented enough to be a god among shinobi but he would never truly be as the idol he worshipped. Omi cared little for these games, it was all irrelevant. Whatever entity had put them on their path had done so and trying to understand the "Who's" and "Why's" was utterly unimportant. All that mattered was the "What." That was the very essence of destiny. They'd fulfill their purpose and then they'd die. Even if Omi never met the thing responsible for all that he was and would do, he could make his peace with that so long as he was given the oppurtunity to see his birthright through.

Once he got Yen-Lì to her feet, he'd give her one last chance to admire his handiwork. The deed was done and now it was time to meet her maker so to speak. Omi flickered through another set of seals and a pair of clouds were conjured up. The storm of bees would circulate around the cloud's bottom. They gyrated with the construct's current and increased its velocity. The combination produced a means of propulsion that could carry them vast distances. Omi sat atop his nimbus-like cloud and affixed himself in the Lotus position. He gestured to the adjacent cloud and his eyes bid that she do the same. Once she sat in an identical posture to him, the clouds would raise into the air. As it did, Omi closed his eyes and spoke to her:

"During this journey, I will teach you the art of meditation. The real tradition. Not the fetid imitation that this world has become accostomed to. A true method of harmony rivaled only by what was attained by the Buddha. Both of our respective elements are reactive to our emotions. You cannot control yours and that is a liability. I have unlocked the door to your progress but it is only you who can step through it" he said loudly as their clouds began to pick up speed. They were now high in the sky and still climbing, their vehicles increased in acceleration wtihout threatening to push them off.

"Let us begin...." he said before communicating a series of secrets. The art of true meditation and chakra control had been lost for centuries. There was only one living man that possessed those secrets and he had passed them down to Omi. A man who had lived since the time of the Sage and had received such mysteries directly from him. It was a true gift from the heavens and now it would be imparted on to her. He knew that she would take heed of every word and that was good. She would need it for the trials to come.

Travel to ->???

[Exit]

It was a simple truth, and one that Yen-Li accepted instantly. There is no god. Omi could have told her anything; he could have told her that the sky was actually orange, that the sea was made of pure chakra, that no one else in the world existed. It wouldn’t have mattered what he said, she would have accepted it as truth. In an instant Yen-Li did away with the notion of mythological divine and clung to the concept of Destiny and what role she might play in it. She would nod in affirmation of her new beliefs and even smiled at her protector as she commented. “Believing in a god seems trivial when you put it that way. If there were gods they would of course be beyond our understanding, but we would still try to squash their magnificence down into a morsel that we could digest. It would make them nothing but a pale imitation of their true power. So whether there is, or isn’t, it seems as though it's best that my simple mind does not reduce their grandeur.” As an afterthought she added onto her muddled speech. “I would love to hear more about Destiny one day though. If you have time.” She knew that such an important man as Omi would likely not have time to explain the details of the universe to her, but she still hoped anyway.

Yen-Li would take one final look at her doppleganger, examining the marvelous work that Omi had done. She knew it wasn’t her, because she was her, but even still it was difficult to not become confused as she scrutinized the body on the ground. “Remarkable. . .” she would breathe out the word as one small hand would tentatively sweep a stray strand of hair from the corpse’s face. It looked exactly like her, in every way, right down to her scars. Despite her fascination she did manage to pull her gaze away as Omi performed another set of hand seals and two clouds with a swarm of bees holding them aloft formed. Yen-Li was minorly concerned, as the last set of bees had been quite painful to deal with. It only took a moment for her to realize their purpose however as she watched Omi sit atop one of the clouds and gestured for her to sit on the cloud next to him.

She climbed onto the cloud and mimicked his posture, the lotus position, a position she was familiar with in theory but had never practiced. It took a moment or two for her to bend her legs the right way, back straight and arms atop her knees - all while not falling off her cloud. As the clouds began to move, propelled by the swarm of bees beneath them, she couldn’t help but laugh in surprise. She quieted herself as Omi began to speak, explaining to her the training he would give her on their journey. She listened attentively to both the instructions she was given and the undertone of the person who gave them. He was practical and direct but his word choice was telling. He was a learned man and clearly with much skill, but he seemed to take great pride in the skills he had, it wasn’t arrogance. . . it was more like ownership. She could hear in his choice of words that he did not respect those that watered down what he had mastered. Mentally she made a note to never take any bit of wisdom or advice he gave her for granted. It was clear to her that Omi had worked incredibly hard for what he had attained and she never wanted to give the impression that she didn’t recognize or appreciate that.

As Omi explained the secrets of true meditation, Yen-Li gave him her full attention. She took everything he said to heart, and understood that what he said was true; she needed to get control of her emotions. Closing her eyes she would follow his instructions and try to absorb the mysteries that he was gifting to her. She was excited for the future, but she also knew she needed to be prepared for whatever Destiny would send her way.

[Exit Thread - Travelling with Omi to -> ???]

Yellow eyes peered through the flying snow and wind as he moved along the mountaintop in the search of his missing wife. Shoulder length white hair was pulled into a ponytail to help keep it under control through the savage winds as he trudged through the fallen snow. The mountains in the Takoyaiba Mountain range were well up into the North Western part of the Land of Lightning closer toward the edge of the Land that met with the sea that would lead toward the Land of Snow. As such it was no surprise that the mountaintops were covered in vicious storms or snow and rain. One such storm had been what Yenn had been out here to take care of. The Seraph of Lightning had gone to the Mission Control Center and pulled the mission Yenn had taken. Seeing as she was a Chuunin and he a Jounin he was able to do such a thing in the case of something odd happening. Which her disappearance would count as. The mission she had been sent on should not have taken eight months. It should have only taken her long enough to arrive, disperse the storm with chakra. Which, granted, could take a while given the raw power of even a small storm. Much less one of the larger ones that buffeted the land in this region. It would not have taken more than at best a few hours to at worst a day or so. So Tamwyn had taken the information and done with it what he thought best.

He had damn well come out here himself.

So here he was, looking for signs of Yenn from eight months ago in a blizzard of all things. Was it insane? Yes probably, but one of the first steps in actually investigating something was to go to the scene of the last known appearance and look for signs. One never knew what one might find in such locations. Or what the weather had not been able to destroy. Besides, the cold up here did a remarkable job of keeping things intact long past the point that they should not be. So he continued the search and would do so for days if necessary. He had done so already actually, the mountains were a vast range and while Yenn would have had a wonderful clue in where she was needed when the mission was current due to the giant storm cell that was in the area. He himself did not have that particular clue. So he had to search throughout the range, but he would not give up. Not if he had to turn this entire mountain range to scrap stone by stone in order to find some clue as to whether or not something had happened. Or even if she had actually made it there. Tamwyn pulled his cloak tighter against him. It was fur lined and of thick wool, designed for the cold of this region. It was the only thing keeping him somewhat warm as his boots crunched through the snow and ice.

Eight months was a long time for ice and snow to accumulate. However the wind tended to blow the ice and snow off the mountain after a time. So light such things were given the size of the individual bits and flakes. Because of the wind's capabilities to move such fragmented bits around the general snow and ice level at the top of the mountains tended to remain at a relative constant. So anything he might be looking for shouldn’t be too difficult to find if there was something. However he kept his senses upon for anything he could just in case. It was getting pretty late into the evening as he searched and while he could perform the search at night the darkness did make it more difficult to do so and the drop in temperature even made it somewhat dangerous. As such he would have to return to camp soon. A cave not entirely unlike the one he and Yenn had first bonded in during the fight against Yuan-Ji the Wind Demon. Remember that day brought a reflexive act of placing a hand upon the brand mark. Or at least the general vicinity of the brand mark, over his attire.

Yuan-Ji had cast them both away with a wind technique that was ludicrously strong and they had flown for the lord only knew how long. Even this far into the future of that event Tamwyn wasn’t sure. He had been a disoriented mess during the fast and brutal trip. However one thing did stand out. The woman he had been on the mission with. That tiny, beautiful, violet eyed, and scarred woman, had been in grave danger because of the impact she would have made. So he had used his own body as a shield for her. Hugging her tight for the inevitable impact against the cold stone. A shadow of a pang of long lost pain twinged in his chest as he remembered the violent impact of his form against the stone. A thin spike had not been bowed by the combined weight of his and Yenns forms with the force of their violent descent. It had persevered through the impact. It had done so well at that that it persevered straight through Tamwyn’s chest on the right side of his body. He hadn’t been able to move well then. However the spike had missed Yenn’s head, and she had survived the impact with his own form working as a cushion.

Then she had gotten up, surveyed the damage, found them shelter for the night, and brought him to it, holding him up with her own form as they went. Then she went out and found firewood. Then like the ‘stupid man’ he was he had gotten up, despite his injuries and dug a pit for the fire. The words of long remembered jokes and remembrance between them bringing a fond smile to his features for the briefest of moments. When she returned she had not been pleased, but she had then proceeded to cauterize the wound in his chest, front and back, with the very necklace she always wore. Then, with him out of danger, they simply needed to rest out the night while a storm blew through the area like a god throwing a tantrum. They bonded that night, spoke together, and learned about one another. It had been love before that night had even ended and even now, to this day it still amazed him that such a thing could be possible. He remembered as if it was yesterday the look of her as they had shared in each other's warmth, and so much more. The orange glow of the firelight reflecting off his pale skin and casting parts of her in shadow had only added to the effect. The memory never left him, and he doubted it ever would. What had followed was the assault upon Moonspire and months of them performing mission after mission together. Months of them never being separated and never getting tired of one another. She had moved in with him after that first night. They had never once regretted that choice, that step.

Moonspire had been a disaster. What had started as a meeting between Yenn and Damien Darhk, the CEO and founder of Darhk Industries. Had turned into an assault from Akihiro Uchiha, Ikomiki, and Hana Kaguya. They had destroyed the town, killed thousands, including Damien himself. Damien had been about to place a seal of Black Raiton upon Yenn when the attack struck and Damien had ordered Tamwyn to stay with her. When both of them had known damn well his job had required him to stay with the man himself. Still an order had been an order, and he, Yenn, and several hundred employees had been underground when the town above had been taken to the slaughter. He had held her tight as they watched upon the cameras until the last of them had been destroyed. Then they felt the tremors as Damien’s ship crashed upon the ground, destroyed by the attackers. That attack had been what started Kumo’s involvement in the war. Tamwyn had never been more ready to take the fight to someone. The hours after the attack had consisted of Tamwyn and Yenn leading the survivors out through one of the emergency exits that hadn’t been flooded by the large scale water jutsu of Hana Kaguya, or caved in from the impact and destruction of Damien’s ship and the annihilation of Darhk Tower itself. They had done so, and reported in. The experience together haunting them for a long time. But bringing them ever closer.

The missions they had gone on had done a lot to make them disillusioned with the village as a whole. Yakuza having brothels and drug caches within the village was something that was supposed to be stopped before there were victims. Paid off officials, ignorant police forces and too few people who truly cared made for a bad combination of factors. Then they met the crew of Serenity. A small smuggling crew that they had been tasked with infiltrating and determining whether or not they were a threat to Kumogakure. They had not been, and in fact had been working against an organization that was hell bent on controlling Kumogakure. Yenn and Tamwyn bonded with that crew together and loved them all dearly. He thought of them at times, and wondered how they did once they had moved on from the Land of Lightning. During the entire time Yenn and Tamwyn had only gotten closer, if more disillusioned with the village as a whole. The place had lost it’s shiny ‘innocence’ that many shinobi had toward their home. It was just a place, as corrupt as any other. They had even contemplated leaving it a time or two, together. But they had never done so. Everyone contemplated that at least once or twice he thought. Still, the fond memories of how he and Yenn had first bonded, of their adventures afterwards and fond memories of their time with the crew of the Serenity had brought a warmth to him as he searched. It had been around that time, shortly after actually. That Yenn had discovered that she was pregnant with twins. Tamwyn had never been so happy in his life. He, who had never had a family in his life, now had a woman who wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. As well as children on the way. He didn’t know what to do with himself, so he settled for simply kissing the woman he loved so dearly. Held her close, loved her with everything he was, and proved it via his actions.

Then of course the war took a more prevalent turn and Tamwyn was needed on the front lines. He and Yenn had married beforehand, and she had given him her last name. Surprised him with it actually. He had never had one before, never had a family. She had literally given him everything in his life. Love, a home, not a house, but a home, a reason to fight, a reason to live. Children, and now, even a name. She had been the most beautiful woman in the world to him and he left to fight in the slew of conflicts that followed between the combined might of Kirigakure, Konohagakure, Sunagakure, and even Iwagakure due to Konoha’s attempt to reclaim it being successful. Against one Kumogakure. The war had been bloody, vicious, but the Kumogakure shinobi had held firm. Had stood back the assaults, the attacks, led some of their own. Had stood strong together over their universal anger over what had been called ‘The Moonspire Massacre’. Tamwyn himself had acclaimed himself during the Battle of Meijing, and the slew of vicious conflicts that had universally been referred to as ‘The Trenches’. In the first, he had fought, even after all other allies had been defeated and even defended the Tsuchikage himself when the man had fallen unconscious. A lone shinobi of Kumogakure, defending the Tsuchikage. It was an amusing thought. In the Trenches he had played a pivotal role in the Kumogakure victory there. Leading his own command to a sweeping victory in their portion and spreading out, causing massive losses to the enemy. Then when he had returned, he had spoken to his wife. Had talked to her of his intent to fight the beast of lightning that wanted to partner with him. So that he could master it’s power. She had given him her blessing then. Ryuko had disappeared right after Moonspire, and Shimiko herself had been the one to agree to assist him. Something he was eternally grateful to her for. However he had not been good enough, and Raijū had killed him when he had taken a calculated risk.

That of course should have been the end of it. The end of the story between Tamwyn and Yenn, death has a habit of sticking after all. However this time it had not, and Ryuko, who returned, had called upon Arisu of Kirigakure to assist her in the matter. The woman had resurrected Tamwyn from death itself. Pulled him from the pure world and brought him back to being. He had a second chance and when he returned home found he had more family. A sister, and of course the twins that had been born. Although he had not seen them yet, a combination of fear, and nervousness. As well as the desire to find his wife overpowering him and preventing him, not literally, but psychologically, from doing so. He intended to find his wife and return home with her so they could live happily together and raise their children. Damien, and Chloe, named for the very target of the Moonspire Massacre and his little sister, who had been visiting Moonspire at the time of the assault. They would raise their children together, now with an aunt to spoil them rotten of course, and they would have the happy life they had dreamed of before on that night where he had told her of his intent to take on the spirit beast of lightning.

Of course that was when he tripped.

So lost in his own thoughts of the past, of his time and life with Yenn and the events of the war that had drawn their love even tighter together through the hardships they had faced. That he had actually failed to raise his foot high enough to clear a pile of snow. It had been a stupid mistake given his coordination but it was what it was. Pushing himself up and dusting the ice and snow from his attire he turned to look at where he had tripped. Something solid had been beneath the snow for him to trip over it. He turned to see a leg had been shifted out from under the snow. Stiff from time underneath cold flakes although it seemed remarkably well preserved. It was clothed of course, no one was stupid enough to come up here naked. Someone caught in the snow during their travels? Possibly, it could also potentially be a sign of his wife's previous presence. Moving toward it would carefully find the other leg in the snow to ensure he did not trip and took hold of both at the boots. It was when he laid hands upon the boots, feeling them in the snow, that he came to a realization. This body was wearing heeled boots. Most shinobi wouldn’t wear such things up here in the mountains but he knew one who would, no matter how uncomfortable they were. One who had worn them out on mission after mission with him. Now frantic, his eyes wide with fear he pulled the forms out of the snow. It was stiff due to the frozen air and snow having had so much time to work but he removed the body and as he did an indescribable feeling took him.

He looked upon the corpse of his own wife, her black hair frozen to her head from the ice. Eyes shut, her features neutral in the calm acceptance of death at the time. Upon her was the leather clothing he had always seen her in. The scars on her form that showed through in very few places acting as more identifying marks. However the most obvious showing of those lightning scars upon her form was that her arms were bare. Usually, Yenn wore elbow length gloves with fur lining them. However when she had come out she had evidently removed them. She would need to of course in order to do what she had come out here to do. The evidence of that decision showed upon her wrists in the vicious slashes across each of them she had made. Both would have had to have been made at the same time so two kunai with frozen blood were probably still within the snow bank. The angles of the cuts made it clear they were self-inflicted and as he looked on, his mind still not accepting the facts as reality he would etch that scene in his mind without ever intending to do so. There to haunt his nightmares for the lord only knew how long. Her necklace was gone, but that was not surprising after eight months. There were multiple explanations for that from something as simple as the wind having snapped it’s chain after so long to work on the deed to a corpse robber having come across her and taking it for it’s precious gems. Without remembering how, he would find himself upon his knees, hands at his sides as his yellow gaze continued to look. Unable to look away from the sight that was before him and he would never know how long he had been like that before it had all finally clicked.

With sudden clarity his mind came back into focus, his heart lurched as the same time a seeming lead weight dropped out of the bottom of his stomach. Heavy breathing came next, working to keep up with his body's emotional and physical reaction to what he was seeing and tears watered in his eyes in response to that reaction as the cry of a mortally wounded animal tore out of his throat and echoed across the mountains. The wind would carry it for miles and miles, and many would know of at least the shadow of the pain of one man in the mountains. Falling upon his hands, he would move toward her, unable to stop before he hugged the body against him, tears streaming down his features. His emotional state was so raw and ragged, his pain so devastating that he didn’t even know what time it was anymore. Didn’t acknowledge the world around him as he cried his heart and soul out into the wind and snow that buffeted the region. “I’m sorry...I’m sorry..” He would say under his breath, rocking the body of the woman he loved more than anything. She had done this because he had failed, she had done this because he had been too weak. Too weak to win, too weak to defeat Raijū. He had taken a calculated risk and failed, had failed in his promise to come back to his wife. She had taken her life because of him. Had he met her in the pure world? He didn’t know, he didn’t have any recollection of the place. Could he have met her there and been happier there than in this world? Would he have been able to find her in such a place with so many souls? He wouldn’t know consciously. Setting the body down he would rear back his head and cry out in a roar of pain, and agony that tore at the very soul of his being.

He sat there for who knows how long, the words ‘I’m sorry’ being repeated over and over with breaks to roar out again in agony. It took hours before he pulled himself even somewhat together enough to think coherently. It was late into the night now but when he had finally been able to think, his sorrow, his grief was temporarily met with pure, unfiltered rage. No one had looked for her. No one had looked for her at all. Not in eight months. Ryuko had disappeared out of the blue and had not left instructions for who should be in charge. Seigi had been the obvious decision but he had effectively been an absentee. He had done nothing. He hadn’t even looked for a single shinobi who had gone on a routine, for her clan anyway, storm dispersal mission and had not come back. Hadn’t even listed her as ‘MIA’ or else Kara would have told him. He had found out from Walter his civilian butler. The rage he felt at the village was brutally clear and his deep breaths of grief and anger turned quickly to heaving breaths of rage. He struggled, struggled mightily to control that anger and managed to leash it, barely. At least enough to not do something stupid like attack the village. The people had done nothing wrong after all. However words could not describe how much he hated the shinobi establishment there for this. She had suffered from her own family, being brutally tortured by her own parents. He had helped her to fix the emotional and mental trauma as much as he could and he didn’t know how far they had come down that road. But he had tried, but the village itself failed her later, when he was unable to do so due to his death. He had given everything for the sake of the village. The only reason he had been fighting Raijū in the first place had been to better protect it. He had gone to war for it, killed for it, and died for it. Yet it had failed in the one thing he could have ever asked in return. It had failed in taking care of his wife. Had sent her out on a mission, and when she did not return had not even bothered to look. He was shaking in rage now and this time a new cry tore from his throat. One that also echoed through the mountains.

This one however, was returned by another cry. The lonely cry of a great beast somewhere hidden amongst the clouds. He had heard that cry before, multiple times. Raijū shared in his anger, commiserated with him. The wolf did not regret it’s actions. The rules had been fair in it’s eyes and Tamwyn could not blame the wolf for winning. Even when doing so had killed him. However the creature had meant what it said when it had made it clear that due to Tamwyn’s failure he would not partner with him as an equal. That did not mean the two did not share a bond however. The wolf's fury was felt in the storm as lightning took hold within the clouds above. The storm took on a different cast as snow and ice turned to water and lightning danced across the clouds and struck the ground, it’s fury on behalf of it’s old companion known. Tamwyn removed his cloak, his adrenaline pumped blood keeping him warm enough as he wrapped the corpse of his wife within the cloak for the journey back to Kumogakure. The storm itself would herald his journey like a funeral procession for the fallen wielder of storms he carried. The thunder acting as a fitting dirge. Lifting her form, he moved.

And the storm followed.

Exit

[spoiler=Just To Clarify]kure from the Takoyaiba Mountain Range. Normal Travel time is 24 hours. Paved roads reduce this by half and I’ll be using Chakra to reduce this travel time by 22 hours with his S rank speed. Tamwyn will have -50 chakra total when he returns to Kumogakure. (Adding to the -25 he had when he came here.) Travel time, instant.

Just To Clarify: