The bright and warm sun sat above the blue sky.
The sound of steel rang across the mountain as two blades clashed over and over again.
"Again."
Akihiro gripped his wooden blade as he charged towards his father.
His father's wooden sword moved, easily blocking his son's attack.
"Your stance is improving," he said before pushing his son onto the dirt.
Akihiro quickly stood, controlling his breathing.
His father was strong.
The warmth of the sun shone across the mountain shrine, bathing the shrine in a warm orange glow.
A calm, soothing voice came from across the training grounds.
"But you are still to rigid, Akihiro."
His mother walked into the training grounds, wooden blade in hand.
Unlike his fathers powerful stance, her stance was relaxed almost effortless.
"Strength alone will not help you," she said
Before he could reply, she moved.
Her wooden blade curved and moved through the air like moonlight gliding across water.
In an instant Akihiro felt her wooden blade hit is shoulder.
"Ho-How?"
His father, watching with a smile on his face, hung his wooden blade across his shoulders.
"That...Was the Moon."
Akihiro looked between the both of them.
His father raised his wooden blade.
"The Sun burns bright and powerful."
His mother also raised her wooden blade.
"The moon moves quietly and patiently."
They crossed their wooden blades together before synchronizing.
"The world exists because both of these shine."
In that moment of awe, Akihiro witnessed something no other could see.
Where the blades once crossed, now stood an Eclipse in its place.
The sun and moon crossing paths formed an eclipse.
"Akihiro, watch and observe your mother, and I spar."
Akihiro moved over to the side, closely observing his parents and their different stances.
His father planted his feet, leaning his weight more on his front foot. His wooden blade was raised above his shoulders, it looked as if his blade was ready to fall like the sun itself.
His mothers stance was different, she stood lightly on the balls of her feet. Her wooden blade rested across her body, it looked like she was waiting for her father's next mistake.
His father was the first to move.
He charged forward, wooden blade raised high above his head, as he brought it down in a powerful arc.
His mother effortlessly moved out the way, her wooden blade quickly approached his fathers head.
His father swiftly ducked underneath the swing and charged forward.
His feet planted as his wooden blade erupted in an upward slash.
His mother who was once vulnerable, quickly vanished from Akihiro's vision.
She quickly appeared to his fathers right side.
Swinging her wooden blade at his hand, disarming his father in one swing.
"See, Akihiro? Even the sun bows to the moon sometimes."
Akihiro nodded, not knowing what to say.
"Strength isn't the ability to win every fight," he said, looking directly into Akihiro's eyes. "Strength is the ability to be able to get back up and overcome adversity."
Akihiro didn't know it at the time, but those words were going to stick with him for the rest of his life.
His mother slowly approached him, pinching his cheeks with a motherly love before saying.
"I'll start dinner, so Akihiro, go take a bath and get dressed. Dinner will be done by the time you're done."
"Okay," he responded
Soon, chopsticks were used to pick up rice as the family were eating dinner.
Akihiro's father laughed at his son, who was eating like there was no tomorrow.
"The food isn't going anywhere," he teased.
His mother chuckled.
"Akihiro, swordsmen still require manners at the dinner table."
He quickly slowed down, always listening to his parents, trying to become better.
His parents turned to talk with one another.
"He has your strength."
"He also has your stubbornness," his mother said.
"One day, he will protect this shrine," his father said
They were talking as if he wasn't here. Those words made him feel a bit embarrassed.
After swallowing the rice in his mouth, Akihiro asked a question that has been on his mind for a while now.
"Why do I have to learn two different styles of fighting?"
The question caught them off guard.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
His mother was the first to speak.
"Because the world is never one thing," his father quickly added. "The sun wins battles, and The moon survives them."
Even though they answered, Akihiro still wasn't sure what those words really meant.
He decided to just leave it be, and continued with his dinner.
The night sky quickly took over.
Where the bright warm sun had once been, now stood the bright white moon.
Outside the shrine, Akihiro sat down next to his mother.
Both watching the bright moon in the night sky.
He had always felt comfort from his mother.
While his father was always direct and strict with his teachings, he loved him just as much as his gentler and kinder mother.
They sat in silence for a moment.
"Akihiro..."
"hmm?"
"Do you know why we worship the moon?" she asked
To be honest he had no idea why they did most of the stuff they did,
He would just follow whatever his parents would say.
He never really questioned anything.
She took his silence as an answer.
"Because even in darkness...it reminds us that light will return."
He stared at his mother for a moment, just staring at his mother's beautiful face.
The door quickly swung open.
His father, with a worried expression walked towards them.
Without a word he grabbed Akihiro's shoulders, rushing him inside the shrine.
His mother quickly followed behind them, sensing something was off.
After rushing Akihiro to his room, he urged him to stay inside.
Crouching down, his father grabbed his shoulders.
"Akihiro, No matter what happens tonight... remember what we taught you."
His mother, realizing what was happening, quickly but softly spoke.
"Akihiro...remember, the Sun and Moon will always guide you."
They quickly left his room as they shut the doors.
Those words echoed in his head.
What the hell was happening?
Outside the village, a tall man stood.
With a sword in hand.
He stood.
.....
End of Chapter 1