[Vol.1] Part 1 : Outcast And The Shadow Deity

"In death as in life, my lord, I remained your faithful servant," Kazuki's voice rippled through the cold silence, laden with a sorrowful resonance. His words reverberated off the cell's imposing stone walls, returning to him as a haunting echo of his lonely affirmation.

His mind painted to his master Shogun Tokugawa in the darkness - a towering figure of wisdom and kindness, his once familiar smile now a haunting reminder of a life unjustly lost. That smile became a beacon, a solitary spark of hope flickering in the grim reality of Kazuki's death row confinement.

Once the Shogun's trusted guard-official, Kazuki had protected his lord until the end. Yet here he was, a faithful samurai turned accused traitor, bearing the blame for the Shogun's untimely demise. The sting of the bitter irony didn't escape him.

"Rest assured, my lord," he whispered, his fingers tracing the cold, rough surface of the cell wall. "Though I lack the power to avenge your death, we'll meet again soon heaven. This I swear." His oath resonated in the stale air, a solemn promise made to the unforgiving world beyond his cell.

Kazuki, even at the young age of twenty two, was a picture of strength and resolve. He stood tall, with a well-built physique showing through his faded brown kimono. He hosted a pair of striking blue eyes that shone with an unyielding spirit.

In his prison cell, he often found himself absently running a hand over his beard, a gritty reminder of the passage of time. He would endure this trial, for his honor, for his loyalty, and for the Shogun to whom he had pledged his life.

"Please," whispered a fellow inmate, his voice quivering with fear, "I don't want to die here."

Kazuki glanced at the man, his eyes narrowing as he studied the frail figure curled in the corner. The cell was dark, damp, and reeked of death. It was cramped and filthy, an unfathomable place for a warrior of Kazuki's caliber to end up. But injustice had brought him here, and he refused to let it destroy him completely.

"Neither do I," Kazuki murmured, more to himself than to the trembling man. He turned his attention back to the wall, tracing the grooves between the stones as if they held some secret escape route.

The other prisoners faces etched with resignation and terror. They whispered amongst themselves, their words barely audible over the distant drip of water that echoed through the dark chamber and the cells separating them. None of them had any shred of hope left within them.

"Kazuki-san," another prisoner said hesitantly, "you were once a great samurai who guarded the great Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. Can't you save us from this fate?"

Kazuki clenched his jaw, feeling the weight of the man's plea. He knew his abilities, honed through years of disciplined training would be of little use in this forsaken dungeon. There was no enemy to strike down, no battlefield upon which to prove himself. Only the cold hard truth that his life was nearing its end.

"Even a samurai is powerless in the face of corrupt officials," Kazuki said, his voice low and bitter. He closed his eyes allowing his thoughts to drift away from the suffocating cell and towards the open skies that once held so much promise.

"Perhaps there's still hope," the first prisoner whispered, his voice barely audible. "Maybe someone will come to save us before it's too late."

"Hope won't save us," Kazuki muttered, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the stone wall. He knew that false hope would only prolong their suffering, yet deep within him, a small flame still flickered – a stubborn spark of determination that refused to be extinguished

"Then we are indeed truly lost," the first prisoner moaned, burying his face in his hands.

The other prisoners fell silent, their collective despair settling over them like a shroud. But within Kazuki, the flame of determination continued to burn, a testament to his unwavering spirit and the strength of a warrior's heart.

The stench of death lingered in the damp air as the prison walls closed in on Kazuki. The dark shadows cast by the flickering candlelight seemed to dance around him, taunting him with the cruel reality of his impending execution. He sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, his breathing measured and steady despite the turmoil raging within.

Amid the encompassing gloom, an ethereal presence began to take shape from the unseen corners. It stood tall and slim, its figure sketching an uncanny dance among the phantoms of the shadows. An unyielding terror, cold and stark, seized Kazuki, driving his heartbeat into a fierce rhythm that echoed his profound dread.

As he struggled for air, his voice escaped as a choked whisper, smothered by the encircling darkness. "What... Who are you?" His shaky words seemed devoured by the thick darkness, echoing back as a spectral plea drenched in fear.

However, amid the overwhelming terror, the figure emanated an unusual allure. It was like a solitary glimmer of light, bravely quivering in an infinite abyss of blackness.

"Kazuki," it murmured, its voice melting into the dank air like silk threading through frost. "I am Tsukuyomi, the god of shadows. I extend to you a tantalizing offer - revenge."

"Revenge?" Kazuki's voice sliced through the silence, its edges sharp with suspicion. He scrutinized the form shrouded in shadows, feeling the electric aura of danger prickle his skin. He noticed the terror-stricken gazes of his fellow prisoners, their breaths held hostage in their chests by the chilling exchange. "And what's the price for this 'tantalizing offer'?"

"Simply accept my gift, my shadow magic," Tsukuyomi offered, extending a hand woven from darkness. "This gift can be your salvation - a key to escape the gallows and exact the vengeance you crave."

His heart hammered against his ribs, matching the chaos in his mind. The flame of vengeance ignited his veins, countered by the adamant sentinel of his samurai code. To accept this profane power was to forsake his honor.

His fists tightened, and his voice, sharp as a freshly honed blade, cut through the silence. "And what of my honor, God spun from shadows? Must I exchange it for shadows and the thirst for vengeance?"

A tense silence stretched between them before the god responded, "Your honor's worth is for you to determine, Kazuki. Does it bind you to the laws of men who have wronged you, or does it lead you to the justice you seek?" The shadows around Tsukuyomi churned with a dark intensity, their silent weight pressing against the cell walls. "Is it not honorable to right the wrongs, to liberate the innocent?"

Kazuki's gaze locked onto Tsukuyomi, a storm brooding in his dark eyes. Could he dare to trade his honor for his own vengeance?

Kazuki hesitated, his mind racing with conflicting thoughts. While the desire for retribution burned fiercely within him, he had always believed in the samurai code. To accept this dark power would be to abandon everything he once stood for. Yet, as he glanced at the faces of his fellow prisoners, he could see their desperate hope for salvation mirrored in their eyes.

Tsukuyomi's voice was soft, yet it echoed in the cold stillness of the cell. "Your honor may demand that you accept your fate." The god of darkness' eyes gleamed, reflecting an unnerving understanding of Kazuki's inner turmoil. He leaned closer, his dark form blending with the shadows. The words fell like drops of ice water, sending chills through Kazuki's spine. "But what of justice?"

The god paused, allowing the question to hang heavy in the air. "And what of the lives that will continue to suffer under the tyranny of those who condemned you?" His words weren't just questions; they were accusations, challenges. Tsukuyomi was holding up a mirror to Kazuki's dilemma, forcing him to confront the potential consequences of his inaction.

Kazuki clenched his fists, grappling with his internal struggle. He could feel the weight of the decision bearing down on him, crushing him with the gravity of its consequences. Fear gnawed at his resolve, the unknown territory that lay beyond the pale veil of shadow magic sending chills down his spine.

"Can I truly bring justice by embracing such darkness?" Kazuki questioned, his voice wavering with uncertainty.

"Only you can answer that, Kazuki," Tsukuyomi said enigmatically, extending its hand further toward him. "But remember, sometimes it takes darkness to battle darkness."

Kazuki's eyes flickered between the shadowy figure and the desperate faces of the prisoners around him. The choice he had to make was not an easy one, for it challenged everything he believed in. But as his heart hammered in his chest, a growing sense of resolve began to take root.