Shosuro Daichi’s last act on this world was to ensure his son’s upbringing. He presented himself to his daimyo and asked that he be allowed to commit seppuku in order to preserve the honor of his family. The daimyo granted the request, and agreed to be his second. He also agreed to foster Daichi’s son, the four year-old Katsu, with a respected teacher.
Shosuro Katsu was placed in the care of Shosuro Hisao, a great teacher and a friend of Daichi’s. He spent his youth learning the secret arts of the Shosuro family from Hisao-sama. The hidden blade, the shadowed death…he learned it all. He also learned the arts of courtly intrigue at his master’s feet. He learned that a well-placed sword could cut a man, but a well-placed word could cut a Clan.
As he grew, in between the lessons imparted by his foster father, Katsu learned the story of his true family. He learned of his family’s honor. He learned the truth of his mother’s death at the hand of Kaneka’s thugs. He learned of his father’s great sacrifice. He learned how Daichi’s seppuku effectively halted Saburo Kaneka’s plot to dishonor him and his family.
On the day of his gempukku, Shosuro Katsu swore a secret oath. While he pledged his loyalty to his Daimyo and to the Clan, he secretly vowed to his ancestor’s that he would finish the work his father started. He would see Saburo Kaneka exposed as a dishonorable dog, and would destroy him and his family.
Fate is not without a sense of humor, however. Shortly after his gempukku, Katsu was asked to travel with a small contingency of samurai as an envoy to a neighboring estate. On this trip he met and befriended a young samurai-ko named Saburo Kaede.
What began as a friendship, developed quickly turned into romance. Their duties did not allow much free time, but what little there was, they spent together. Their connection grew and, despite their better judgment, their love flourished. Once the assignment ended, however, they were forced to separate. It was as they said their good bye that Katsu’s world was crushed. It was not until then that he learned that Kaede’s father was none other than Saburo Kaneka.
Katsu has spent the last few months trying to reconcile his love for Kaede with his oath of vengeance. He can see no way out of this predicament, and does not know whom he can turn to for advice. In his desperation he finds the only solution is to leave his homeland of Tian Xia to forget his love and find himself again to throw away the weakness in his heart, even if he thinks of it as an impossible task.