Yamada Asaemon Eizen

The heavy footsteps of Eizen Yamada Asaemon echoed across the floor as he stepped into his home. The smell of rice and smoldering coals mingled with the cool night air, but it didn't bring him the comfort he was accustomed to. Everything felt foreign to him, as if he had left this house an eternity ago.

Light footsteps sounded from the depths of the house. She came out to meet him - his wife.

Eizen nodded, but said nothing. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword, as if it were the only reality he could still trust. His body was exhausted, covered in the marks of many battles, but the hardest battle was the one that had unfolded inside him. He knew that he had returned a different person.

Silence filled the space between them. There were no loud words, tears, or outbursts of emotion. Only the night, the house, two people who had to learn to be together again.

The sound of light footsteps sounded behind him. Two boys stood in the doorway, peering at him. One with pride and hope, the other with caution and curiosity. Eizen looked at them, and at that moment his hand finally let go of the sword.

He took a step forward, closing the distance between himself and his family.

He was back.