Beyond the Shadows Cast

Tojima held his hand up to block the wind as he reached the top of the hill. His hand dropped to the side as he laid eyes upon the small town below him. "This place,why did she send me here...she knows what memories I have of this unholy place." he thought looking upwards towards the sky.

---Previously at the Koma Inu guild hall---

"I have a special job for you." Samarra said as she passed him a wanted poster.He scanned the poster until he froze upon seeing the location where the man was believed to be hiding. "He's a fugitive,on the run after the small town dark guild he was a member of shut down a few weeks back" she said.Tojima stared at the paper for a few moments before speaking, "Aren't there better people for this type of job..? Why ask me?" he asked. " I think this is the perfect job for you...so will you take it?" she asked.Tojima nodded; knowing to decline a job given directly by the guildmaster would be foolish.

---Back at the town---

"It looks like it's going to snow soon...so cold" he thought as he lowered his head, before beginning his descent to the town.The morning turned to afternoon as he asked around town if anyone had seen the man on the poster.He finally stopped as he came upon the the burnt shell of an abandoned home on the edge of collapse.Memories flashed before his eyes; his mother hiding him as screams could be heard in the distance, the sound of the front door being kicked in and their screams, which was then followed by silence. An endless darkness that swallowed him as he hid away.Tojima grabbed his head as he stumbled back, resting against a nearby object.

"Yep,sad isn't?"an old woman asked as she stood beside him. "A reminder of what happened all those years ago when that dark guild from just outside the town went on a rampage they nearly destroyed the whole town. Then about eight years go that dark guild up and disappeared,poof. Good thing too if you ask me," she continued.

"Do you remember who used to live here?"Tojima asked.The woman thought for a second, "I believe it was a young couple and their child..." the woman said, "The parents were killed but I heard the child survived." she said.Tojima shook his head, "You're wrong..." he said. "The child died that day." Tojima began walking away. "What a shame..." the woman said. "Indeed." Tojima said under his breath.

He continued to walk the streets for awhile longer as he remembered the years he spent living on them,fighting everyday just to survive, while the anger and hate in his heart grew. He looked up towards the mountain where the dark guild once was "I should check there...just to be sure." he thought, beginning his treck up the mountain. He stood before the ruins of the once active dark guild "Shadowcast..." Tojima said under his breath; remembering the day he'd joined the dark guild. The very guild that claimed his families life. In order to grow stronger he did unspeakable things to innocent people.

All in an effort to gain the power he needed to get his revenge.Once he'd gotten strong enough he slaughtered them all without mercy. But after the deed was done he'd felt nothing but emptiness inside. He'd waited so long for the moment he'd take their lives, but all that he felt was regret. He'd given up his humanity."A man that would give up his humanity for revenge is no longer human,therefore he must not wear the face of one, less he be liar as well...this mask is my punishment." he thought as he touched his mask.

He was all alone,no place for him in a world already so full of monsters. He traveled,leaving to trace of his former self behind in hope that he would one day be swallowed by the endless darkness that he himself created. He was snapped back into reality as he heard something move within the ruins of the old guild. A figure darted from the guild throwing an ice shard at him as it ran away. Tojima brought up his hand engulfing the shard in shadows before crushing it into fragments. Another was shot,catching his mask and knocking it off.Tojima threw his hand up casting several shadow spikes. One caught the fleeing figure's leg,forcing them to fall to the ground.Tojima picked up his mask but it was beyond repair,throwing it down he began to walk towards the figure lying on the ground.

"Who are you?! What do you want?!" a young mans voice yelled. "I am Tojima Shisen, and I am here for you" He said. He stopped in his tracks as the figure came into view. It was a young man no older than fourteen "Are you gonna kill me? Fine go ahead.There's no place left for me now..."he said. Tojima looked down at the young man "What do you mean?" Tojima asked.

"The hell do you care?" he said "Just answer my question." Tojima said.The kid hesitated before lashing out, "It's not like I had a choice! Do you know what it's like....being an orphan? Living on the street? I did what I had to do to survive....and when that dark guild made an offer, I couldn't afford to turn them down!" he said. "And now that everything has gone to shit there's no place left for me to go anymore." he said wiping tears from his eyes.Tojima was silent for a moment. "It's getting dark,let's make a fire and camp here after I fix up your leg." Tojima said. "huh?"the kid said. "There's a few things I want to talk to you about."Tojima said.

They sat by the fire as the sun faded from the sky "So you're an ice mage?" Tojima asked.The kid nodded "Yeah....my dad taught me before he died." he said. "And your name is?" Tojima asked. "Izumo" he said. "Well Izumo,in response to what you said earlier....I know exactly what it means to be all alone,to live on the streets,to hurt others. I spent so many years believing that there was no place in the world for me ...until one day I met a young woman with a smile brighter than the sun,she reached out her hand to me and offered me happiness." Tojima said, thinking back. "What does this have to do with me..?" Izumo asked. "What i'm trying to say is that everyone has a place to call home,many just haven't found it yet." Tojima said, standing up. "I cannot offer you happiness,that is not within my power, but I can give you peace of mind in knowing that you are not alone."Tojima said.

"You're going to turn me in tomorrow aren't you?" Izumo asked. "Yes,that's my job and I intend to complete it." Tojima said. "However, seeing as how my guild has strong connections with the council, I'll do my best to make sure they go easy on you." Tojima said. Izumo looked relieved. "You should see about joining a legal guild. You're strong for your age...I'm sure at least one will let you join." Tojima said, acknowledging the boy's strength. Izumo nodded.Tojima smiled and reached into his cloak to pull out a spare mask. "Get some sleep,tomorrow is going to be a long day."

--A few days later--

Tojima entered Koma Inu, heading straight towards the library. He did his best to slip by unnoticed.He entered the library to find Samarra leaning back against one of the bookshelves "Hey! So how'd the job go?" she asked."Fine." Tojima said as he walked past her. "You know you don't have to be so shy, right? If you opened up a bit more I bet you'd be a lot happier..."she said.Tojima held a book in his hand as he turned to face her "Thank you for the advice ma'am but I assure you..." he said, taking off his mask and giving her a soft smile "I am completely happy with the way things are." Samarra grinned with a chuckle, "Alright,have it your way!"she said, leaving Tojima to escape within the pages of a book.