Threats of Fate

Back then, she was still the girl with a different name—a name tied to the dark times of her past. For simplicity, her current name, Kiyomi, will be used here.

As a child, Kiyomi endured constant hardships. Her father, violent and often drunk, would return home in a fit of rage. It was never clear who would bear the brunt of his anger on any given day.

The little girl lived in perpetual fear of her father's beatings. Speaking about it was forbidden; neither her mother nor her father allowed her to mention it. Often, she wished she could become invisible to escape his wrath. She knew nothing of magic and never imagined she would one day become a mage.

Her deep fear of her father developed into a hatred of men. If her father, as a man, was like this, then all men must be the same. To her young mind, this was the only logical conclusion—she had never encountered a man who behaved otherwise.

The constant fear and her desire to stay hidden fueled the development of her shadow affinity. Without realizing it, she began to use her shadow abilities more and more. She would hide in the shadows of furniture and darkness, seemingly vanishing at night.

She didn't understand why her father found her less often, even though he searched for her. It wasn't until a teacher noticed something unusual about her behavior that the possibility of her shadow affinity was raised.

After class one day, the teacher approached her:

Teacher: "Why were you hiding in class? You weren't visible the whole time."

Kiyomi: "Not visible?"

Teacher: "You should see a magic doctor. They can tell if you really have a shadow affinity. Your parents can explain better."

Kiyomi replied that it was impossible to go and that she couldn't explain why to her teacher.

Kiyomi: "No, I can't. My parents won't allow it, and Papa will get angry if I tell him."

The teacher didn't fully understand why Kiyomi couldn't go but responded gently:

Teacher: "You should see a magic doctor. They can help you figure out if you have a shadow affinity."

Kiyomi: "A magic doctor? Like one that pulls rabbits out of hats? Why would I need that?"

Teacher: "Not that kind of magic doctor. They specialize in identifying magic abilities."

Kiyomi: "But I don't have a hat or a rabbit!"

Teacher: sighing "No hats or rabbits. Just… just tell your parents to take you, alright?"

Kiyomi: "Okay… but I think my dad's going to say you're the one pulling tricks."

The teacher insisted that Kiyomi visit a doctor to find out what was going on. However, Kiyomi had never heard of magic affinities and didn't understand why her teacher was so adamant.

Teacher: "Listen, if you have questions, the doctor can answer them. I'm just your teacher—I can't do anything about it."

Kiyomi: "Why see a doctor? I'm not sick."

Teacher: "You don't only go to the doctor when you're sick. They can also help you stay healthy."

Kiyomi: "Can they make my Papa and Mama healthy too?"

Teacher: "Maybe, but right now, this is about you."

Kiyomi: "Yeah, but Papa says there's a 'plague' in the house."

Teacher: "What do you mean by plague? What does he mean? The plague was cured long ago."

Kiyomi stood up and demonstrated how her father would stagger and bump into things. She picked up a vase, wobbled around, and pretended to collide with the wall.

Kiyomi: "Hey, get out of my way, you plague!"

Then she calmly returned the vase to its place. The teacher watched her with sadness.

Kiyomi: "That's what he always does!"

Teacher: "I don't think that's an illness, at least not the kind I thought of."

Kiyomi: "Papa says I make him sick. Am I sick?"

Teacher: "What else does your Papa say?"

Kiyomi: "He often asks, 'Do you want a beating?' I get scared when he says that."

Teacher: "He says that to you?"

Kiyomi: "Yes, but he never says it to Mama."

Teacher: "What does your Mama do when your Papa comes to her?"

Kiyomi: "Mama cries when Papa comes home. She says it's because of onions and smiles at me."

Teacher: "That sounds strange."

Kiyomi: "Why? Are my parents sick? Am I sick too?"

Teacher: "I understand why you can't ask your parents."

The teacher grew more concerned as Kiyomi continued to share.

Kiyomi: "Papa says he loves me, but I don't understand it."

Teacher: "I don't understand either. Why don't you just tell me what's happening?"

Kiyomi: "If I tell anyone he hits me, he'll lock me at home. I don't want that. I want to leave him!"

Teacher: "Why didn't you say this sooner?"

Kiyomi: "I'm scared."

The teacher realized the depth of Kiyomi's fear and decided to help her.

Teacher: "Your father is a monster."

Kiyomi glanced around to make sure her father wasn't nearby, then whispered:

Kiyomi: "Yes, but I can't leave!"

At the teacher's urging, Kiyomi made the decision to flee her home.

At 15, she finally managed to escape her father's grasp. Until then 25 years later on the Schoolyard while holding Akios Hand. To her, he was no longer a father, just an old, forgotten man.