Ascension of Ren Yuto

It was rice harvest and he did not know yet about his powers, but he would find out today. Another harvest like any other, Ren just put a bundle of rice on the rack to dry and turned around to grab his sickle, and as he bent down the sickle suddenly leaped up from the ground and right into his hand. Stunned by the occurrence, he looked around in amazement to see if anyone noticed. His heart racing with fear and excitement. He shook his head and brushed his hair back out of his face as he thought to himself “What was that?” He looked at the sickle from all directions with curiosity then carried on with his work. Little did he know that his caretaker did notice the whole thing. Ren continued his work with the harvest as the sun was setting on the rice paddies of Inabuchi. A little village south of Nara Japan. Chiyo, his caretaker, Called out to him to come inside. "In a moment." He proclaimed. "I am almost done Chiyo." Ren laid the final bundle of rice on the drying rack but the harvest was far from over so covering the rice was not needed at the moment. Ren turned to his sickle and paused. Will you do it again? He thought to himself. Reaching out for it slowly until his hand wrapped around it laying on the ground, he sighed with relief that it did not jump to him. Carrying the sickle back to the minka he paused and took a look back at the sunset and, for a moment, all was well in his life. "Ren-Yuto! Come in for dinner." "I’m coming!" Ren entered the cottage. A traditional home of a rice worker at the time. Simple bamboo construction with a thatched straw roof. There is a stone fireplace and living area to the right and a small kitchen and dining area to the left. Chiyo has a bowl of meshi with the catch of the day from the local fishermen. “Dinner is ready.” She said. “Wash up Ren.” “Ok, Chiyo.” Ren walked over to the bucket of water and dipped his hands in and scrubbed them and splashed some water on his face a few times. He reached for the towel hanging nearby and the towel gravitated to his hand. He gasped as he stood staring at the towel in his hand shocked that it happened again he turned to Chiyo slowly to see if she saw it. Thankfully she was spooning meshi into his bowl. He dried his hands and face and put the towel back with hesitation. “Here you go, Ren.” She said. Ren walked over to the chabudia and sat on the tatami and scooted forward as Chiyo placed his bowl on the table. “Ooo what’s this?” He proclaimed. “Oikawa meshi.” “Alright! My favorite!” Ren practically dove into the dish head first. “Wow woa woa there sailor! Pace yourself. It’s not going anywhere” Her statement did not phase him in the slightest. With every spoonful rice flew in all directions. “How was your harvest today?” Stammering to finish his mouthful to respond. “It was good.” “Anything special happen?” Curious she would ask such a thing, he thought “Did she see it?” Nervously he answers “No…. Just a normal day like any other.” “Are you sure you don’t want to tell me anything?” “Why do you ask?” “I saw you pick up your sickle, or rather it picked itself up to you.” He pulls his head back in shock as he feels his eyes triple in size. “You saw that?!” “Yes, I did. And I think it’s time we have a little chat.” “Ok.” He says shakily. “Finish your dinner first. Then we will talk.” Confused, he continues eating. Chiyo makes herself a bowl and sits opposite him at the table. Ren glares at her with a thousand questions in his head fighting for their chance to be said. He can barely eat but is hungry at the same time. Ren finishes his food and sits patiently. Chiyo finishes shortly after and takes his bowl to the kitchen. His heart was racing. Chiyo returns to her seat at the table and puts her hands together and takes a deep breath. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions. No doubt you have guessed that you look a little different than other people here.’ “Yes, I have.” “You are not from here.” She says. “Your parents are…(she pauses in hesitation, afraid to speak the truth) different Ren.” “How so?” “They too have special abilities.” Ren stares at her with a blank look of shock on his face. “To be honest, they are not of this world either.” “What do you mean?” “There are higher powers. People not of this world that have special abilities. Devine people. Ones who have created the world we live in and ones who have destroyed parts of it. Your parents protected our world from evil forces.” Ren looks on in disbelief. “Your parents are….Gods Ren.” Ren, not knowing what gods are as there was not any sort of formal education in those times. Feeling confused and out of sorts like he does not belong there asks “So what does that make me?” “You are the son of a god and a goddess so…. That makes you a god also.” She notices the color rush away from his skin and the fear in his eyes. “You see your parents we’re not together as husband and wife and had one night with each other and now here you are. Your mother, married to another god, knew that it was not time for you to be part of that world so she brought you here to stay with me until you are ready, and I think that is today. Your parents love you dearly. But they knew that if any of the other gods knew about you there would be trouble.” “So what am I supposed to do now?” “Your mother told me to send word to the temple that you are ready. You will go there to train in the ways of energy control and self-awareness.” “Energy control?” “You are a gifted child and you must become one with your abilities. That is why I have sent the word to the temple of your situation and they will be here soon to take you to be trained.” “I uh…….uuuum.” “I know that this must be hard to take and understand. You can ask me anything you want and I will answer the best that I can.” Ren takes a deep breath. He has always wondered why he was a different color than everyone. Feeling a little out of place now more than ever he picks one of the thousands of questions swimming in his head. “Who, exactly, are my parents?” Chiyo sighs with relief that he does not reject this information. “Your mother is Nin-Ayo. The goddess of the morning. She is seen in the sunrise. The way the warm sun shines on your face. The pretty colors across the clouds. Your father is Ishkur, the god of the thunder and rain. He comes to bring a bountiful harvest by giving the rice the rain it needs at the right time.” “So what do you mean they are not together?” “They are not married to each other. They are married to another god and goddess.” “Will I ever see them?” He questions with confusion. “That may be possible. As you are a god you will be able to enter “the realm of the gods” one day when you are ready. But for now, your next step is to go train at the temple.” Ren rubs his hands through his hair and takes a deep breath and exhales in a sigh. “So where is this temple?” “It’s to the north. Not far. You can get there in less than a day.” Ren looks away in frustration. She tries to calm him. “I know this is a lot for you right now so let’s just go to bed and we can talk more tomorrow. Ok?” “Ok. But…” “No buts. Straight to bed with you. Long day ahead and there is still more to harvest. So go get some rest, Ren. I’ll see you in the morning.” “Ok.” He says with disdain while he rolls his eyes. Ren heads off to bed but is unable to sleep. Thousands of questions populate his mind. All of the emotions fill him up. Anticipation gets his heart racing. Morning comes and he can hear Chiyo in the kitchen rustling around. He can smell breakfast. He sits up and thinks to himself “What is today going to bring?”