Origin of a Combat Mage.
Astral space.
As the two figures meet in the astral plane one can see both differ in their traditions, one a shaman of healing, the other a wielder of death. Both are of the Elven race but from completely different worlds.
“I need to tell someone of my past, the trauma I went through before coming to Seattle.“ the mage speaking mournfully to the unknown shaman. “I fear retribution from those from back then so I do not wish to tell anyone I currently associate with. Will you hear it?”
“How do you know I do not associate with those from your past?” the shaman asks curiously.
“I can sense your innocence and lack of cruelty towards others, that and you’re an elf as I am..” The mage speaks confidently. “Those in my past despise metahumans, especially those not of Japanese descent.”
“Just had to make sure, I have a feeling I know what type of group you speak of. I will hear your story so you may heal your heart.” States the shaman with a caring gesture.
“Then I will begin, please bear with my english, I have only been able to study it for the past five years that I have been in Seattle. It began in 2048, the year of my birth….”
Osaka, Japan – 2048.
After 12 hours of agonizing labor a couple gave birth to their first child. When they look upon their child for the first time they are horrified at what they saw, his ears are pointed. No one in Japanese society wishes to give birth to an elf or any other metahuman type, seen as both a disgrace and a birth defect.
The shame brought upon their family could never be revealed. Shortly after birth the month old infant was sold the Akitomi family, a major yakuza family in the area at the time. He is destined to be a slave for the crime boss Hatosho, a servant. Fifteen years pass and still without a name, he knows nothing else and does his job well.
Hitomi, the boss’s daughter always blushes in his presence, and her heart races. Unlike most Japanese she does not display the xenophobic and bigotry most Japanese are taught. Near each night at dinner an argument occurs over the still yet unnamed elf.
“Hitomi!” her father barks. ”I will not say it again; you will not dishonor me further by your love for the help.” He glares as he continues to consume his evening meal.
“I am sorry father, I do not see them as lower beings to be used the way you do.”
“Leave now!” he growls at the elven servant. “These metahumans are worse then gaijin, they are but animals.”
“I know it is our way but I don’t see them that way, I don’t carry the bigotry you do.”
“How did I fail raising you, leave my sight.” He states coldly. ”I will not have your love of these… things disgrace my presence.”
Hitomi hasn’t a choice but to leave as even a loving fathers wraith is great in this family.
Her age is the same as his, her ebon hair shines with glints of brown as she walks down the lengthy hallway to her room. Her short but shapely frame moves gracefully even as her frustration and heartache runs strongly through her veins. In a bold decision she turns back towards the stairs. Instead of going up to her father she goes down, to the slave quarters. Hitomi had never been down there, it was forbidden for her to do so. After a few minutes of hunting from room to room, she comes upon the room that contains the elf that makes her heart race. She is almost thrown back by awful surroundings he is forced to endure, a simple sheet on the floor for a bed and nothing else.
“What is your name?” She asks eagerly. He simply shakes his head no.
“It’s ok to speak with me, my father is not here.”
“I…” he stumbles with the words as he has never been allowed to speak. “I don’t know.”
“Do you even have a name?” concern in her eyes.
“I don’t know that either, I’ve never even known my parents. They didn’t want me which is how I ended up here. You, your father and this house are all I have ever known.”
“You’ve never been outside the estate?” He just shakes his head. “Well we’ll just have to change that wont we?” more a statement then a question.
“If I leave and your father finds out the consequences will be dire.”
“If that happens I will take the blame and punishment.” Winking.
They proceed to stealthily leave the estate only narrowly being seen by one of her fathers’ bodyguards. In the city of Osaka there is much nightlife. Hitomi’s secret indulgence is revealed, the Osaka goth scene. Her father would be enraged to find his daughter in such a place, filled with decadence and the western influence of dark music it is unfit for the traditional yakuza to associate with such a place. Our friend with no name indulged his ever sense to the music and style which he had never knew existed. Many hours they spent together dancing and falling deeply for one another.
“You don’t have to go back, you can be free now.”
“You know your father would hunt me down, besides if I leave I wont get to be with you.” He stared into her eyes before kissing her.
“We need to return, my father will be looking for me. As long as you’re not seen he’ll never know you were gone. ”Confidence and fear both seen in her eyes.
Together they return, escorting him they sneak successfully back to his humble room. AS she returns upstairs her father waits, his burly frame against the wall near the stairs.
“So, you disobeyed me and saw that wretched thing against my wishes. What were you doing in there with it?” his booming voice startles her to the floor.
“Father, we did nothing I swear it. I just wanted to know his name.”
“It doesn’t have a name, being what he is, he doesn’t deserve one.” The anger in his eyes appear as razor sharp daggers. “I will make sure it fears your presence.” He snaps his fingers and proceeds downstairs with two thugs.
“Father no! Punish me, it was my mistake.” But her tear eyed pleads went unheard.
His heart drops as the two cyber thugs’ barge into his room. He has no idea of what is about to happen.
“Hold him, face first against the wall.” Boss Hatosho barks, grasping a large barbed whip. “Hitomi is to blame for this. Do not fear me, fear her, for every time I find out she comes to see you what is about to transpire will happen.”
Two hours pass before Hatosho leaves the room. As the door shuts a glimpse of the unnamed elf can be seen, wrapped in bandages still wet with blood.
“What did you do to him father?” She pleads, tears streaming down her face.
“He is still alive if that is what you are asking. He is worth more alive, good servants are hard to come by.” He says with disgust.
“Why did you punish him, it was my mistake?”
“Tell me, are you in love with that, thing?”
She looks away, “of course not, I was only curious.” Hiding her true feelings fearing what would happen if she were to answer honestly.
“You are never to speak to it again. I shall say no more on this.”
Over the next three years their love remained a deep secret, never seeing each other for more then a few minutes due to heavy guard watch. For three years their hearts were tortured longing for each other. Hitomi could stand it no longer and did something quite rash; she decided to forsake her family. She would do this for him, risk everything to take him from this place and be with him forever. Little did she know, it would alter his course in a completely different direction.
Carefully did she plan their escape. Sleeping pills in their tea, cameras suddenly offline and no one to would know. A month she waited plotting her scheme. She managed to slip a note to him the night before she was to make their escape.
‘Soon we will be together, for always, away from this place. Be ready.
Love,
Hitomi
He lay sleeping, startled awake by Hitomi barging into his room.
“It’s time, let’s go.” There was much haste in her voice.
“What about the security?”
“The guards are asleep, we must hurry the surveillance drones will only be offline for 4 more minutes .“ She grabs his arm and yanks him out the door. “Once we leave here we can never return. This is a risk for both of us but your worth it my love.”
The pair fled Osaka, settling in Tokyo hoping to blend into the large population there.
They arrive in Tokyo under night fall and are awed in to bright life of the Tokyo nightlife. The safest area for them was the Kisukowashi district, full of others their age and a surprisingly low population of yakuza. Hitomi had plenty of cred for a decent hotel for a while. Alone at last in their suite they can relax without fear.
“Finally I can have you to myself, no fear of my father or his goons. I can now show you the passion I feel for you.” She embraced him tightly.
“I have waited a long time for this moment my beloved.”
Their love grew even stronger after that night. A month passes, no word of the yakuza searching for them. The Tokyo goth scene has become a frequent for the lovers, Our elven friend adopts the style, sporting a deathhawk, fishnets, and leather. Their passion becomes infamous on the dance floor of the Tokyo clubs. This would be their undoing.
Their apartment is dim, the only light from the candles around their bed as they lay passionately intertwined. Suddenly a loud crashing came from the front door. A large figure burst into the room, even in the dim light Hatosho was recognizable as the man intruding on the couple. His face horrified as he saw his daughter naked with the elf he refused to give a name.
“Father!” Hitomi shrieked in fear.
“Hitomi! How could you? And with this creature of all things. We are leaving, now!”
“What will you do with us?” she asked tears streaming freely drenching the sheets below.
“You are going home, where you will stay under watch at all times until I deem fit to release you. As for this betrayer, you shall never know what I will do with him.”
“No! Father please don’t hurt him, it was all my idea.” Pleading to closed ears.
“Take her home now.” Two thugs drag her sheet and all out of the apartment. Her shrieks and screams could be heard all the way to the car.
“Now for you. You must think I am going to kill you for this, and I should. Will I kill you? No, if Hitomi found out I did she would run away again and hate me forever. I love my daughter, she is more important to me then anything. She will forgive me for this eventually, if I kill you I will lose her forever.” Hate still burning in his eyes. ”Instead I am trading you to the Sanoto family. You see Sanotosan runs the local arenas in the area. They specialize in combat, often involving death matches. Seeing as you have never had any combat training, most likely you will die in the arena but it will not be of my doing, so Hitomi can not hold your death against me.
“What did you trade me for?” Hate also burning towards Hatosho.
“How dare vermin speak to me. Since you must know, I traded you for a single bag of rice.” Hatosho smirks, then clubs the elf across the cranium.
Upon awaking he realizes he is in chains in a room he has never seen before.
“Oh! He no longer sleeps.” A strange wrinkled man with two teeth approaches cackling. His breath smells of bad fish.
“Akitomisan asked me to make sure you got into the arena right away. Have you a name?” The odd old man cocked his head like an owl.
“No, I was never given a name.”
“How unfortunate, how will people know to bet against you with no name.” He looks at the ceiling appearing to be in thought. “hmm.. aww well we will just call you the stranger.”
“Doesn’t really matter anymore does it.” Stated with hopelessness
“No I suppose it doesn’t, you’ll be dead soon enough.”
Some large thugs enter and grab the stranger and escort him to the arena area. Upon entering the Arena, it appears to be what a sumo ring was stood. Now it is in shambles, bloodthirsty spectators fill the seats shouting and making bets. The stranger is lead to his corner of the ring and handed a small dagger.
“Your opponent will be here shortly, there are gun drones ready so escape is futile.” The thug says roughly, scars apparent on face. The opponent given to the stranger steps into the ring. A brute of an orc, a foot taller then the stranger easily, and a muscular build that would make a body builder quiver. He wields an axe as big as his leg in his hands. One of the thugs that lead the stranger to the ring slaps him with a patch.
“Maybe with this you can put on at least somewhat of a show before dying.” Chems rush through his body and his adrenaline surges, his first taste of a stim patch. Thoughts of Hitomi flood his mind giving him a reason to fight as hard as possible. In the crowd there’s more screaming from fans and betters awaiting the match.
“All bets are set. Betting is now closed.” An announcer shouts. “ Get ready and Fight!”
The orc lunges at the stranger with his axe, but he dodges if but barely. The axe of the orc smashes into the floor, but he swings it sideways smacking the stranger across the ring. Dazed on the floor, the stranger shakes it off just in time to see the orc over him with his axe raised about to bring on top of him.
“Nooo!” The stranger screams hands out as if to block the killing blow. Then suddenly the orc has a look of horror on his face as blood sprays from his eyes, ears and nose. He crumbles to the floor as his bones have become mush. The entire crowd gasps and falls silent. How could this be asks many in the arena, this small elf twist such a beast into a pile of nothing.
The odd old man shouts, “Quick get a barrier around the ring. It appears our little stranger is awakened.” A grin comes across his toothless face. “Much money will you make me.”
An hour passes from the end of the match. Stranger is lead to a room different then the one he awoke in. Another old man sit in this room, surrounded by texts and scrolls.
“This will be your new sensei stranger, sensei Togi. He will teach you to kill with your mind, but don’t get any ideas, if you try to kill me or the guards you will forfeit your life.” As he eyes the elf up and down grimacing. “hmm.. stranger wont due for a name here, only good for one that’s not going to live long. A new name for you, fitting your new career with us. Mahoutsukai, that will be your name from this day forward.” The old man cackled happily as if proud of himself. “Get started at once so you can make me many winnings, yes.” He cackled again as he shuffled from the room.
Mahoutsukai looks to Togi, “So what’s your story?”
“I am to train you as a combat mage, to compete in the ring.”
“I got that much, but why are you here? You don’t seem to be apart of this group, you seem a prisoner as I am.”
“Your sensing is already starting to develop, that is good. My reasons for being here is a painful one.” Sadness wells up in his eyes. “ I once owned a shop of magical goods in the Shotokami district. The Sanoto family ran the area. They demanded protection cred from everyone. When I repeatedly refused they kidnapped me and brought me here, they told me if I didn’t do anything they wanted my wife and children..” He hesitated. “ their lives would be forfeit if I tried to escape.”
“It seems they make many threats to get their way. I ran away with the bosses daughter Hitomi.”
“I am surprised you still live Mahoutsukai. He must have good reason for not killing you on the spot.”
“His daughter is his only reason, he didn’t want her to hate him. He believes she will forgive him eventually since he is not personally responsible for killing me. I am lucky to be alive even now.”
“Luck you say? You have always been awoken, you simply needed the proper motivation. Maybe you believed he would only beat you for what you did, but when your live was in jeopardy that’s when you chose to emerge your power.”
“If that is the case maybe there is a chance of seeing Hitomi again.”
“Don’t get your hopes up to high, you will only be crushed, unless of course you study. Study every single thing I teach you with vigor and determination. Only then will there be a slight chance.”
“Yes sensei Togi.” Bowing to his new teacher.
“That’s the spirit.”
“My new teacher is a Shinto shaman but he taught Chaos magic, stating that a pure Shinto teaching would not allow me to be as powerful as I needed to be as a combat mage.” Mahoutsukai looks to the unknown shaman. “The emotional trauma I spoke of does not end with being separated from the one I love. Before I made it to Seattle there was much more to experience.
“Please continue, I am much intrigued by your tale.”
“Sensei Togisan began my training that very day, never doubting my potential.
Four years pass, Mahoutsukai’s training is going strong, many spells have been learned and many matches won.
“Your progress is very fast, you have much determination, more then I have seen in many years.”
“Thank you Sensei Togisan. If I get strong enough perhaps I can escape this place and see my Hitomi once more.”
“Be wary, if you do escape many yakuza will hunt you. Unlike when you ran away with Hitomi, they will be hunting to kill you.”
“I am aware sensei, she is worth the risk. She is what keeps me going here, why I don’t lose hope or focus.”
“Your next match will be an emotional one. You must keep all focus.”
“What do you mean sensei?
“Your next battle will be against someone chosen to fight for the Akitomi family, chosen by Hatosho himself. It will be your biggest challenge yet.”
“I am ready, I will prove my worth to that bigot once and for all.”
“Calm yourself, your anger is a waste, the kami will not be in your favor if you waste you energies now.”
“I apologize sensei.” Bowing he then goes into meditative study.
Three days pass, the fourth day is the match Mahoutsukai has been prepping for, his greatest challenge yet. Mahoutsukai is lead to the ring as has been done a hundred times before, his challenger already awaiting his arrival. He is a man of pure Japanese descent, he lacks clothing except for a pair of shorts. Judging by the tattoos covering most of his body he is Yakuza. More then a few of the tattoos appear to be magical in nature, he has an obvious edge. As Mahoutsukai eyes is opponent carefully his is distracted by someone in the crowd, Hitomi is there. The emotion is obvious, both joy and sadness is clear in her eyes. Something else distracts him about her, there is a child with her, about four years old. Mahoutsukai’s emotions nearly overwhelm him as he realizes what he is seeing. He clears his head and slaps on a stim patch just as he hears the fight announcer.
“All bets are final. Get ready. Fight!”
“I bet seeing Hitomi again hurts you, doesn’t it nameless one.” Taunts the tattooed yakuza mage.
“I have a name now, it’s Mahoutsukai. If you think you can distract me from victory you are wrong.” He states as he casts increased reflexes. His nose bleeds slightly afterwards. The tattooed opponent casts a firebolt. Mahoutsukai rolls to dodge but gets scorched slightly. Cringing in pain he slaps another stim patch, then casts levitate lifting his opponent high off the ring floor. The tattooed mage tries to hit Mahoutsukai with a toxin attack.
“Dirty fighter are we?” dodging the toxin meant for him. A mana bolt from Mahoutsukai hits its mark but concentrating on the levitation spell was only enough to hit him with a flesh wound.
“Enough of these games.” Shouts the tattooed man. A yakuza from outside the ring tosses him an smg. He then fires at Mahoutsukai, who then drops the man from the spell.
“Cheater!” he shouts. The tattooed mage just smirks.
“I was chosen to kill you; the judges have been, persuaded to look the other way in this match.”
“I will not allow you to kill me in front of my child.” Anger building up to rage. The tattooed yakuza laughs hysterically until he is hit with the lightning bolt Mahoutsukai had been conjuring. The yakuza fighter stops laughing and starts screaming as his insides begin to roast; Mahoutsukai is now overcasting at full power. The smg hits the ground as the rest of the sizzling corpse, the gun practically welded to the body. Mahoutsukai coughs up some blood then blacks out. Hitomi tries to run to her beloveds side but is dragged away by the guards.
“So your child was why Hatosho wanted you dead?” asks the unknown shaman.
“It was kept secret from me, it just made me that more determined to free myself. A year later I would wish I had never known.” A grim look came over his face as tears began to swell.
“What do you mean? Why would you regret knowing you had a child you wanted to love so much.?”
“Hatosho was driven so mad by his daughters love for me, and his hatred that he killed them both. He had no regrets murdering my child as he saw her as an abomination. He said he was freeing his daughter from her confused existence.”
“How did you coup with such loss?”
“I killed, in the ring I slaughtered many opponents. I spent five more years in that place after the day I saw my daughter.”
“Mahoutsukai.”
“Yes sensei Togisan?”
“Your time of freedom is approaching.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your next match, the bet is for you. Sanotosan insulted a Yakuza boss from San Francisco. The Visiting yakuza boss bet his fighter for you. Luckily he doesn’t want a deathmatch.”
“How is this luck?”
“I have sensed the fighter they want to pit you against. Despite his bosses confidence in him he is rather weak compared to your power.”
“How will this help me be free?”
“You are going to throw the fight.”
…..”Will it work?” Mahoutsukai looking surprised.
“Only if you make it convincing. The match is in five days, you will need to meditate and please the kami.”
Five days pass, Mahoutsukai meditates keeping the plan in mind.
“Mahoutsukai, it is time.”
“I understand, if all goes well this will be the last time I see you sensei.”
“I will ask the gods to see you through successfully.”
Mahoutsukai is lead to the ring for hopefully the last time. His opponent steps onto the ring as well.
“A troll? This is actually a first for me.”
“Heh, that pretty elf face of yours won’t last.”
“Confident I see, or is it jealousy?” The announcer signals the match start.
“Bets were made before hand by the yakuza bosses. The bets were for owner ship of the fighters. Get ready. Fight!”
Mahoutsukai immediately casts increased reflexes, while the troll throws a firebolt. Mahoutsukai slightly dodges taking more of the attack then usual.
Thinking to himself, a force two firebolt? Is he serious?
“Hahaha got ya, told ya you’d be going down.”
“You bastard.” The troll just laughs more. Mahoutsukai cast a low level mana bolt hitting the troll full on.
“Argg you will pay.” Blood pours from his mouth. He cant believe how weak this troll is, he is supposed to be their best combat mage? He wonders to himself.
“You will pay for that pretty boy.” He casts a mana bolt of his own but weaker then that of Mahoutsukai’s.
“This is probably the best its gonna get, time to go down.” Muttering to himself
“Argg. Damn strong troll.” Mahoutsukai falls to the floor.
“Mahoutsukai is down! For the first time in his career he is down! He is now property of the Yotoshi Family of San Francisco.”
“After the match I was loaded onto a ship destined for San Francisco. They wanted to make me a headlining fighter, under their troll of course. I had other ideas.” Turning to the unknown shaman again.
“So you battled in San Francisco as well?”
“No, we never made it there. The astral barrier they used to try to contain me was even weaker then that troll. I broke it easily. I killed every yakuza on that ship, even the captain was yakuza. I rerouted to Seattle, its where I have been for the past 5 years. Now I just try to make ends meet.”
“How do you do that? Magic is quite illegal there without a license.”
“Well my work isn’t exactly legal. My associates are a good group though, we may not get the job done smoothly but we can usually always work things out. That’s my story, nothing else to tell.”
“I hope now you can heal, you have been through more then any man should go through.”
“Thanks a lot I appreciate the open ears.” With that Mahoutsukai returned from astral space awaking in his room at the abandoned firehouse.
Thats my characters story, i appreciate it if you got this far... hopefully you enjoyed it.