Surumu Nakmura, The Kitsune Scartailed Slayer

## Backstory

No one remembers my home, because few ever knew it existed. A hidden kitsune village by the name of Lakehaven. One of the few, and most hidden locations in the world. You could only find it by walking along the lake shore, into a little valley. If you didn't follow the lake, you'd walk right past it. All the paths twisted around and either doubled back, or went right around. The valley hid the noise and the lights. The cliffs were death to try and descend. Back then, I never thought of leaving. It was so nice, and we weren't part of silly human politics. We really had nothing to worry about.

I guess that's why we fell victim to the attack so easily.

It was sunny that day, I looked up when I felt shade all of a sudden and froze. Bombs, spells, and all manner of weapons rained from the cliffs. Our natural defence from infiltration turned us into a fiery cauldron. The entrance was broken in minutes. Our warriors were ready for attacks, but this was some kind of warfield. Someone had prepared this for some time, we didn't have a chance.

Screaming, shouting, crying, it's all kind of a blur, I remember faces from people who I went to school with, impaled or charred. The school got hit with some kind of acid attack from above i think, as the western wing, where I had my classes the day before was just missing... a bubbling green puddle in its' place. I remember my parents running ahead of me, and a hail of fire arrows coming at us. My mother, the best rogue you'd ever hire, deflected anything physical coming at us expertly. And my father, the spells he used to use to make a little reading light for me, were now blasting at shadows on the cliffs nearest us, a hundred times bigger and more terrifying. It was then I understood the stories of them traveling together, it would be the only time I got to see it. A ballista hit near me. An instant of worry, and a large lightning spell from the cliffs struck my father. The fury in my mother's eyes is something I'll never forget, she grabbed me and bolted for the back of our village.

I had gone into shock while she ran. I remember her setting me down in a cave. I never knew caves even existed in this valley. She told me to go to the village we used to visit and wait, that I'd know the way at the other side of the cave. I remember her getting about 30 meters out when a man in robes stepped in front of the cave facing her. A flurry of ice slivers flew from his hand and  hit her in the back. She dropped, unmoving, I moved in a rage and sunk my dad's knife as far into the back of his skull I could. When I heard others coming I sliced off the sigil on his robes, and ran into the cave.

I don't remember how long I sat there, my eyes locked on the blood on my hands. It felt like forever, just listening to the horror my home had become. Until eventually, there was a few final blasts, and silence. Of all the things I heard that day, that silence is the one thing that I've never gotten over. It wasn't until sunrise my body finally started to move, so I went where my mother told me. She was right about knowing where to go, I came out at her favorite spot in the woods. A piercing reminder of what happened. I traveled down that road nearly a day. My mind just shutting down.

Scartail, that's what he first called me. He frowned, and recognised me instantly for what I was. I thought I messed up my transformation somehow. Now, I know it wasn't me.

He took me in and was instantly curious as to what happened. I just refused to talk, I don't think he blamed me. Something told me he knew when he saw me. Why else accept one of us? Humans aren't known for loving us. The also aren't known for seeing through our illusions like that either. He was strangely accepting of my behaviour, I acted like a complete ass and he just took it in stride. I'd shout and call him useless, how wrong I was. A little brat with too much on his mind, that's all I was. I guess I haven't changed much.

I told him my name one day. He said "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, just as you without your tail, would be just as scarred." He taught me to calm myself, to control my rage. How to fight and how to out think the enemy. He was really good, said my mother used to spar with him when they were younger. I always found him oddly familiar. Like a fellow kitsune but, he acted like a human, sounded like a human, hell he even smelt human, it wasn't till a year later, when I told him what happened.

After my whole story he simply gave me a sad smile, and said, "I know, I went back there a month after you arrived." After I questioned him on how he could know where we were as a human. He gave a smirk and said "What human?" My blink of confusion was all it took to miss it, as a nine tailed kitsune now stood in front of me. In the months that passed, he told me of where he traveled, more information than kids stories. He taught me more weapons and how to keep fighting even when injured.

I started working with him. We did some mercenary work, I think now it was just to get me some practice, and spending money. When I showed him the sigil, he didn't know anything about it. We searched for clues, but without the knowledge of someone in politics, we wouldn't be able to know much beyond our region.

When the letter arrived, I almost ignored it. But my master told me, "It's time we both began on our journey. Ask them for information when you complete the task. If you find something, follow it. Learn and grow strong. One day, they will regret everything they've done to us. But we must be patient, and smart, we don't want a war if they can find a village like that. I will head to one of the other villages and see what I can get you, but my time for fighting has long past." He handed me his old mithril vest, and we helped each other pack.

When I was about to leave he said, "I'll find you if I find anything but I have my own past to finish. And Scartail, don't come back here, I won't be, and it's best we keep moving around. Good Luck." With a nod and a wave, I shifted to a human from the village and set my eyes forward, for revenge, and to get as strong as I could. But first, I'll need some real weapons.