IT WASN'T UNTIL A WEEK LATER that Miyamoto brought up the knife incident in the kitchen. He had kept to himself most of the week, yet still trained the young child, all while using his spare time to read books and try to figure out what was going regarding her uncanny healing abilities. He'd call them powers, because there are no enchantment or spells being used; it all just happened so naturally. That was the part that was worrying the warrior the most, as there was no doubt that he was going to have to share an uncomfortable truth with Calissa and her father. Miyamoto had taken the time to catch some fish that afternoon and used it to create a dinner that was worthy of his homeland. He laid out the fish rolls and platters of raw fish, eager to share some more of his culture while at the same time hoping the experience would soften what he was about to share with them. He waited until the meal was nearly over, and then took the time to pour some special tea. While it steeped, Miyamoto used this opportunity to speak with them.

  "I have been doing a great deal of thinking since the accident," he started, looking at them both. "And with the new details about the day Calissa was born, I was able to figure out what is going on and why she can naturally heal so fast."

  "Alright," Alfred said, trying to brace himself for it. "I have my own theories, but let's hear what you've got to say."

  "There are only two ways a Hakken can come into this world," Miyamoto started, "The first is through infection. If someone is bitten or scratched by another Hakken, the person will themselves become a Hakken if they survive the attack. After the person is infected, they would go through some strange changes and then fully transform at the next full moon."

  "What is the other way?" Alfred asked.

  "By natural birth," his friend answered, "The Hakken that are born into this world are quite rare. Less than five percent of the Hakken are naturally brought into this world, and as a result their strength and powers are superior to the other Hakken who are created through infection."

  "How superior?" Alfred asked.

  "Vastly superior," Miyamoto said, "While all Hakken will heal from their attacks if left to do so, what can take an infected Hakken weeks and months to recover from takes mere seconds and minutes for a natural Hakken to heal. Their regeneration is faster and similar to what we witnessed earlier this week with Calissa. When I first received your letter, I made a terrible assumption. You said your wife was attacked the day she was born, but I had assumed the attack had occurred after she was born. I now know she was still in the womb when her mother was infected. But Calissa was not bitten or scratched by a Hakken, her mother was. She was birthed into the world so if she is Hakken, she is one of natural origin."

  "Then why hasn't she changed into a wolf during the full moons?" Alfred asked.

  "Yes!" Calissa agreed, "Where are the fangs and fur?"

  "There is rumor I once heard from some of the wisemen," Miyamoto started, "That the moon only forces those who are infected to change. They are not given a choice and when the moonlight touches their skin, they are compelled to transform. It is believed that natural Hakkens are not affected by moonlight and have the ability to change whenever and wherever they please. If Calissa is indeed a natural Hakken, she can go her entire life without ever changing if she doesn't want to."

  "This is uncanny," Alfred said, thinking about it. "But her hand healed so quickly. So, what else can she do?"

  "If she has indeed inherited the powers of a natural Hakken," Miyamoto replied, "Then she will develop more natural abilities as she grows older. Her sense of smell and taste are already considerably advanced for a child, and that will only get better with time. Her speed and strength will also grow tenfold and that will only make her a more formidable warrior as we continue our training."

  "So, you believe that I'm Hakken?" Calissa asked.

  "I don't want to believe it, but the evidence appears to point that way," Miyamoto said, "You didn't choose this life, little one, but it is the life you've been dealt. I will continue your training and teach you the discipline you'll need to control the powers that are inevitably coming. The way of the samurai will give you all the discipline you require to control your new gifts."

  "Gifts?" Alfred repeated, as he didn't appear amused. "I'm not sure that's the word I'd use to describe them."

  "They are gifts," Miyamoto said, "She will benefit from all the good things the Hakken enjoy, while not having to deal with the bad things that come with it. She's going to have to learn how to live with them because ignoring it will only make things worse for her."

  "I'm sorry if I don't sound that grateful," Alfred said, his anger evident. "The Hakken have already taken so much from me already, only to learn years later his plunder isn't finished yet."

  Calissa wasn't willing to hear anymore as she left the table and retreated to her room and cried about it for a few hours. She didn't want to be a Hakken, but she was never given a choice and would have to deal with her issues rather than run away from them. She could hear her father and Miyamoto arguing downstairs and she waited to hear the slamming of doors before leaving her room. Calissa noticed that Miyamoto was outside doing some practice, so she decided to go out into the backyard and join him.

  "I'm sorry," she said as she walked out and bowed, "It was lot to deal with."

  "It still is," Miyamoto said, bowing back to her. "I will let you have all the time you need to come to terms with this unfortunate twist, and when you do, we'll use it to our advantage and turn you into the finest warrior this side of the world shall ever see. You will harness the power of a natural Hakken to make yourself unbeatable."

  "Are you sure I'm a natural?" Calissa asked, "I could just be infected."

  "I was curious about that myself," Miyamoto confessed, "But now I am more certain than ever that you are a natural Hakken. Look up, little one."

  Calissa look up into the night skies and staring down at them was the full moon, beaming it's light down onto the village. She had been standing out in the moonlight for several minutes and there was no change at all.

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  "If you were infected," Miyamoto said, "The light from the full moon would have compelled you to change, and it would have been a very painful experience."

  "How would you know that?" Calissa asked.

  "I have my sources," her master replied, "And I have also witnessed the change myself in my homeland. It was the most ruthless thing I had ever seen. Skin would split open, and hair would rapidly grow while bones would break as the structure of the person is changed. The individual who changed before me was screaming the whole time while it happened. It wasn't a pleasant experience for him."

  "What happened to him?" Calissa asked.

  "I killed him," Miyamoto answered, "And rid my people of his torments."

  "I thought you said they couldn't die," Calissa reminded him.

  "I said they could only be killed by a certain weapon," her master corrected, "And in order for that weapon to work, it had to be made of a special alloy."

  "What kind of metal?" Calissa asked.

  "This kind," Miyamoto said, as he drew out his katana. "This blade is made of pure Sliver, and it is the only thing that can kill those creatures. If you stab one of them through the heart or decapitate them with a blade made of this material, then they will perish and meet their maker."

  "I want one," Calissa said, sounding very determined.

  "I see," Miyamoto said, grinning as he could predict what was going through her young mind at the moment. "And what would you do with such a weapon?"

  "I would find the Hakken that attacked my mother," the young child answered.

  "And what would you do if you found the beast?" her master asked.

  "I will avenge my mother and kill it." Calissa answered.

  "That is a noble quest," Miyamoto said, "But revenge is a full-time job, little one. A quest you shouldn't burden yourself with until our training is complete, and you feel ready to pursue such a difficult undertaking."

  "You're not going to try to stop me?" Calissa asked.

  "I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to," her master explained, "So if I cannot stop you, the least I can do is prepare you. That way when you do seek your revenge, you will have the means to attain it successfully."

  "How will I know?" She asked.

  "You'll know," Miyamoto told her, "You'll feel it in the pit of your stomach, and it will be the only thing you can think about, every morning when you wake up and every night when you put your head down to rest. It will consume your mind, and you'll feel an ache that pulls you to venture out and seek it like a person possessed. When that happens, no one will be able to stop you."

  "How do you know so much about this?" Calissa asked, "Especially about the Hakken?"

  "Because I've killed a few," Miyamoto told her, "That's why I came here as soon as I could after your father wrote to me. I knew exactly how he felt and was compelled by honor and duty to be here to help him."

  "Why did you kill it?" Calissa asked.

  "I could say something like he and his kind were attacking my people, which was true." Her master started, "The Hakken were quite a menace in my homeland for the longest time, until we learned their secrets and used it to repel and kill them in great numbers. But the Hakken I killed was for the same reason you want to kill yours, revenge. That Hakken had also taken someone very special from me, and I vowed to dispatch him of his life for that atrocity."

  "Who did it kill?" Calissa asked.

  "My beloved wife," Miyamoto answered, "And our only son, who was around your age when he was taken. I lost my very reason for living, so I hunted that filthy beast down and put this blade through its black heart. I then took his head back to the council to prove I had avenged my family."

  It was at this point where Calissa realized that her father was standing by the door and had been listening to everything that was said over the last several minutes. He walked over to his old friend and put a hand on Miyamoto's shoulder.

  "I had no idea," Alfred said, "I'm very sorry to hear that."

  "Thank you, my friend." Miyamoto said, giving a small bow. "I must apologize for not being as forthcoming with my true intentions. I am here to fulfill my debt and train the child, but I am also here to search for and kill any Hakken that I happen to discover. When they were on the verge of extinction in my homeland, the Hakken fled to other parts of the world in an attempt to evade our justice."

  "How long have you been hunting these creatures?" Alfred asked.

  "Longer than I'd like to admit," Miyamoto answered, "But long enough to know a great deal about them and how they work. I will train you both and give you the skills necessary to defeat them. The next time the Hakken dare to cross your path, it will be the last thing they ever do."

  "You've been hunting them around the world," Alfred said, thinking about it. "How many do you think there are around here?"

  "It's hard to say," Miyamoto said, "But like regular wolves, they do travel in packs. So, where there is one there are usually a lot more."

  "I only saw that one creature, and it didn't seem well." Alfred admitted, "Is it possible the illness killed it, like it did the town folk who were bitten by him?"

  "No," Miyamoto answered almost immediately, "Based on your details, the creature was definitely ill, but they don't die of such things. Depending on his status, their healing powers would eventually defeat whatever virus was ailing him. It might have taken time, but eventually their bodies would win out. Your wolf is still out there, that I have no doubt."

  "So, if he's still out there," Calissa said, "Then can I kill it?"

  "Can you, right now?" Miyamoto asked her.

  "No," she honestly answered.

  "That is the correct answer," her master confirmed, "You are no where near prepared to start the difficult task of Hakken hunting, but I will get you there. Combined with your newly discovered natural abilities that you appear to have inherited from them; you will make a formidable slayer of these foul beasts. You might even become a better wolf hunter that myself one day."

  "It's good to have goals," Calissa said, as she bowed to her master. "I am going to head for bed. I look forward to resuming my training in the morning."

  "I look forward to conducting it," Miyamoto said, returning the bow. "Good night, little one."

  Miyamoto watched as Calissa retreated back inside the house, and then looked back at his old friend who was now looking upon him with new eyes and a better understanding of his plight.

  "You've lost so much," Alfred said, "How do you fight to carry on?"

  "After I got my revenge," Miyamoto started, "I fell into a mental abyss that often comes at the end of the long journey. I had no purpose, and no one to come home to. For a while, I considered taking the warrior's way out and remove myself and my dark past from this world. And then I received your letter, and it felt like the gods were telling me that my work was not yet done. That I still had purpose and it made me very determined to come here and help you."

  "Thank you for that," Alfred said, "But now we're dealing with a natural Hakken?"

  "As your friends would say, we got lucky," Miyamoto admitted, "Normally someone doesn't find out they're Hakken until they transform or are gravely wounded in battle, and neither of them are an ideal time to make that discovery. Now we will use her training to hone those new skills and use them to become a legendary warrior that will protect this village and others like them from all sorts of creatures."

  "So not she's going to be a monster slayer?" Alfred asked, not that keen on the idea of his only child dispatching the world of all sorts of creatures.

  "Not really," Miyamoto replied, "But she could be if she wanted to. Right now, she is quite determined to resume her training, and I do not intend fail her. Tomorrow morning, I will step things up and intensify her teaching."

  "Are you sure that's wise?" Alfred asked, "I don't want Calissa to get hurt…"

  Alfred stopped mid sentence as he suddenly realized how stupid that comment was going to be from now on. Miyamoto chuckled as the irony was not lost on him, and both friends had a good laugh. Calissa could no longer be seriously harmed by her training, or by anything for the most part.