[color=gray][right][i]Time is an illusion,
But memories never forget.[/i].[/right]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/lNnPcGc.png?1[/img]
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[indent][indent]Time flew by Raiko’s eyes at a rate that he had not yet realized until he took a step back and looked at himself in the reflective sheeting of his bed. As a boy, he was reckless and fearless, yet entirely sure of what he was, though he didn’t know where he came from. Still, to this day, he wasn’t any closer to figuring that out. Those who took him all those years ago, while they had similar abilities to that of his own and promised to look after him as if he was one of their own. Unlike most demons, the Shadows of Serpent Mountain kept their word. 

For the past decade, as the seasons changed, Raiko was raised by the one they called Ryoshi. The one who bore the Serpent Gauntlet also happened to be the defacto leader of the shadows. He also was the one who personally took the responsibility of young Raiko. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. While the weather around him changed as often as the seasons themselves did, something was always the same: Ryoshi’s off-beat personality. Truly, when Raiko was initially taken by them, he wasn’t sure what to expect. His human side alone was fearing the worst, but it was the complete opposite. As intimidating as he was, underneath his rough exterior, Raiko soon learned not to judge a demon by their reputation.

[color=b5484b]“Can we not do this again, Yoshi?”[/color] Raiko let out an annoyed sigh.

He had come to Ryoshi’s home, which was just a glorified hut with a lot of human-made alcohol and various trinkets. 

“Oh, come on, Raiko! Where’s that fun-loving spirit of yours?”

[color=b5484b]“It’s taking a vacation. Now please, for the last time, will you stop acting like a baffoon and help me train? Or do I have to kick your ass [i]again[/i].”[/color]

“Hah! I’d like to see you try, ya arrogant punk!”

Just a few feet behind Raiko and ryoshi, were Ryoshi’s right and left-hand men, Kage, the one often referred to as Lord Shadow and Aoi, the Blue Serpent. Along with Ryoshi, Raiko has known those two for the past ten years he’d been living with the Shadow Serpents. They also were two who knew Raiko’s pseudo-father the most. As much as they respected him, it couldn’t be denied just how much this demon they called their leader often presented himself in a rather - well, to put it into a word - embarrassing. 

“This is the fifth time this week the Young Master has asked to train,” Kage commented, echoing Raiko’s sigh.

“It’s not like he is asking for much. Honestly, if Ryoshi would put some thought into teaching the boy - erm, he young master - something to hold him off, it wouldn’t be as bad.” Aoi rubbed his scaley chin.

“You’ve said it.”

“So what should we do now? Train him ourselves?”

“Not a bad idea, but you remember what happened last time, right?”

“How could I forget, Aoi? Ryoshi nearly had a meltdown when he heard we tried teaching the boy [i]that[/i] technique.” Kage started to shiver, remembering last month when Ryoshi nearly killed him [i]and[/i] Aoi for showing Raiko about how to control his demonic energy in a way that would project itself as an aura.

[color=b5484b]“Would you two pipe down, already! I can’t hear myself scowl!”[/color] Raiko snapped, turning his head around, red eyes flickering at both Kage and Aoi.

“Sorry, Young Master!” Both said simultaneously.

Truth be told, Raiko was at a loss when it came to Ryoshi. He thought, of all days, he would be willing to make an exception for drinking. Today was the tenth anniversary of when Raiko left Seiki. It had been exactly ten years since he last saw the faces of the villager of Seiki, since he last saw Ren, since he's been to his hut, and since he was a menace to the farmers of the lands surrounding it. Ten years since he picked on Ren when she would go for her daily strolls or when the Elder Tanaka would berate him for running too fast and not bearing in mind he could hurt someone.

Ten years since he had forsaken all that he was used to so that he could save the village from the then-scary Shadow Serpents. Did they warm up to him? Or were they simply a lot frightening when he was eight years old? Looking back, while Raiko didn’t necessarily fear for them, he felt drawn to them. It was almost as if there was something to them that had seemed familiar, though Raiko wasn’t really sure what it was. They had rarely told him anything in the ten years he’s been all around these mountains. Though, for the lack of information shared, he’s gained some useful new tricks. 

[color=b5484b]“Ah, forget it,”[/color] Raiko shrugged, giving up on today’s training session. [color=b5484b]“I’m going to go train in the grasslands. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to keep out of sight. Wouldn’t want you guys to have to come to get me like three years ago.”[/color]

‘You better not. Our deal with Seiki, while still in place, revolves around you keeping away.” Kage reminded Raiko.

[color=b5484b]“Still can’t believe that facade you lot put on just to get me. Low blow.”[/color] Raiko laughed, letting his laugh carry him as he went sliding down the mountain. Something, something oh he’ll be coming down the mountain when he comes~

Getting from the Caverns of the Serpent Kings to the main roads of the mountains was easy enough. In his time here, Raiko has acquired some skills that allowed him to navigate the terrain with relative ease. His Shadow Skin, for one, has evolved into something that was no longer a simple cloaking ability that hid his presence. With it, he could manipulate his own shadow to blend with it and follow wherever the sun created shadows, though the time limit for this was not that long at all. At most, he could only maintain it for a few minutes. That was plenty of time for him to get to where he needed to be.

In record time, Raiko had made it from the peak of Serpent Mountain to the base of the mountain where it met the Eternal Grasslands. And all while being able to keep to the shadows. [color=b5484b]“That’s gotta be a new record.”[/color] Rai let out a proud chuckle, admiring his new feat.

He took in the morning air, letting the familiar breeze take him in. It wasn’t like when he was younger. Back then, this breeze would’ve been enough to throw him off his game. It was so crisp that, had he been eight years old again, Raiko was likely to be at Elder Tanaka’s, asking for an extra wool blanket, or something to heat him up. But now? Well, now Raiko felt nothing but a feeling of joy when he let the wind embrace him.

Opening the sparkling, matured silver eyes of his, the first sight he took in was Seiki. Even from this distance, the village was as clear as ever; maybe even more now that he had acquired the Sense Skin. His senses were enhanced to the point where he could see, feel, and hear everything that was going on in the village and the land surrounding it. Some things were out of his reach, but something he picked up wasn’t exactly the kind of thing that Raiko was expecting. The sound of some woman being harassed by two men. He didn’t hear the last thing the woman said, but these two men by a broken down cart were obviously being insistent about something that wasn't appropriate.

[color=b5484b]“Technically, if I’m not setting foot inside Seiki, I’m not breaking any rules.”[/color] That was the only justification that Raiko needed. [color=b5484b]“To be safe, I better use the Shadow Skin,”[/color] searching his reserves, Raiko felt his demon energy recovering. He probably had about a minute to get across the grasslands before it ran out. [color=b5484b]“It’s time!”[/color]

With great speed, Raiko wrapped himself in a transparent cloak of sorts and hug to the shadows created from the sun and the long blades of grass. The sounds of his rustling through the grass were hindered by the wind that had picked up. So this created the perfect cover to surprise the two men. Before long, he was behind them and with two motions, he had effectively rendered them unconscious. For one, he used a left roundhouse kick to the jaw, sending that one flying through the already-broken down cart. The other, who had seen his friend wasn’t ready for Raiko’s one-two-three jab combo to the stomach, which sent him flying, hitting a tree just three paces behind him.

And as the minute ran up, Raiko’s Shadow Skin ran out. [color=b5484b]“Whew, that’s gotta be a new record, too,”[/color] Raiko collapsed on the ground, his butt making contact. He looked up at the woman. [color=b5484b]“Sorry about that. Those guys were real creeps, weren’t they?”[/color] He said, breathing heavily.

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