Fear The Hero

Chapter 3: Kokoro

Dear Alfred,

It's been a long time I imagine and I hope all is well with you. You've always been one to check up on me and I bet all these years have been worrying to say the least, so this letter will be two things. First, my progress...

Yamiyo scaled tall mountain in the middle of a blizzard, finding a seemingly abandoned temple waiting for her at the top. She shivered as she approached the temple and pushed through the doors into a dark room.

"Hello?" Yamiyo called out, only to receive no response.

She didn't know why but she could sense a strong presence within the temple, one that made sure she knew that it was there but would not reveal itself. She shrugged off her backpack and took out a lighter, taking a nearby candle and lighting it.

With that action, Yamiyo placed the lit candle in the center of the room and took off some of her clothing. Now in nothing but a vest and the tights she wore underneath her pants, Yamiyo sat down with her legs crossed with the candle in front of her and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Three weeks had past and Yamiyo had not moved from her spot, still waiting. She ignored the hunger and the searing headache she had from the lack of sleep as she continued to wait.

But then an old man in a purple robe walked out from the dark halls and stood in front of her.

"You may sweep the floor." He stated.

His name was Kirigi, my first master. The first month, I swept. For the next, I swept and washed dishes. For two more, I swept, washed dishes and boiled rice. In the fifth month though, was finally the time I had received the instruction I sought. Unfortunately, the eleventh month had been my time to move on...

"Nature has been kind to you. You are of exceptional intelligence and your physique is extraordinary. Reflexes, vision, strength—All are almost perfect." Kirigi praised as he walked around the temple gardens with Yamiyo "How terrible for you."

"Why?" Yamiyo asked.

"You cannot value what comes so easily. The only thing I can teach you now is how to ignore all I have taught you thus far." Kirigi states.

"I do not understand." Yamiyo says turning to him.

"Some great violence has marked you. It gives you your genius for combat technique. Unless you are very lucky, it will destroy you. But I can take you past it to what lies on the other side." Kirigi states as he looks out at the garden "I will require twenty years."

Yamiyo bowed her head and respectfully shook it "I don't have twenty years and I don't want to forget what I've learned from you."

He taught me patience, peace and clearance of the mind as well as honing one's strength, speed and reflexes to perfection.

"A terrorist kills because he's powerless, he may be striking back at an oppressor...or he may just want to publicize his cause." A large suited man stated as he smoked a cigar in a dark room and in front of a table littered with files and notes "Let's re-examine the list of victims."

"Yes sir." Yamiyo says with a nod, standing at the other side of the table.

Henri Ducard, a French detective with a means of committing immoral actions to solve his cases. He taught me that in order to find the truth, you will have to be brutal, deceptive and very cunning. When you hunter monsters, you'll have to become a monster yourself...