I was born on the outskirts of Shoushi twenty-five years ago to a poor turnip farmer and his wife, Cho-ryu. Mother was tortured and killed eighteen years ago by marauding bandits while she was giving birth to their first son, whom they also butchered while father was restrained and forced to watch. They thought father had some ancient family treasures secreted away somewhere and were determined to locate their whereabouts. They didn't believe him when he told them there was no treasure, ancient or otherwise, until they'd killed his wife and newly-born child and burned both of his eyes out with one of his own farm tools. I live only because I was down by the river with my little sister, Kyara, trying to catch some fish for dinner. Even at the young age of seven, I felt a duty to help my father provide for us in any small way that I could.

When I returned and found him, he was already near death. I cleaned his wounds as best I could and buried my mother and brother's bodies under a willow tree near the river. I then ran for the village healer, but after he examined father, he said there was nothing he could do - father was beyond help. My heart was broken but I refused to let father know what the healer had said and tried to make him as comfortable as possible in whatever time remained for him. As I ministered to my father, a sense of peace seemed to fill him. The nightmares he had suffered from since the attack had lessened in both severity and frequency, and he appeared to heal a little more each day. His sight would never return, but after three months, he was well enough to return to the fields. The village healer looked at me intently and said that father's recovery was nothing short of miraculous.

When I was fourteen, father decided that it was time for me to choose a profession and try to apprentice myself to someone with a great reputation, so that I could become a success in life. Instead, I decided to travel to another village and find someone who would be willing to teach me how to use a sword so that I would never be afraid again. Father would be fine without me as Kyara was now eleven and old enough to help father on the farm. Father objected strenuously, as I anticipated he would, but I refused to allow his anger or worry deter me from my chosen path. So I packed my bedroll, a few momentos, and enough dried turnips to last several weeks and headed out to meet my destiny.

I spent several years honing my skills, learning to be a great fighter. I became an expert with the yaoji and shouken. I earned money working as a mercenary-for-hire, which usually consisted of assisting in ridding small villages of bandits. One day, while I traveled to Hebian-To, I was approached by a man in a dark hood. He carried the most beautiful tachi that I'd ever seen. He had a calm and friendly demeanor, and we struck up a conversation. I told him of my life and my quest, and he told me of his many adventures. He looked at me appraisingly when I talked of my father's injuries and how he had healed from what had seemed to be fatal injuries.

Suddenly, a half dozen banderlings came swarming out of the trees. The stranger and I stood back-to-back and fought for our lives. The stranger quickly killed two of the banderlings and was engaged with a third, while I had run my yaoji through one and crippled another with a shouken through its knee. The banderling I battled was fairly intelligent and fought well, it was a close match, but I saw an opening and stabbed my yaoji into his side and he collapsed. Before I was able to free my weapon, the banderling I had wounded with the shouken had crept up behind me and was about to hamstring me. I was unable to defend myself. But before I knew what was happening, the stranger finished off his remaining foe, then immediately turned and lopped the head off the banderling behind me. We'd won!

"I owe you my life," I said, trying to catch my breath. "Think nothing of it," the stranger replied. "Nay, you must allow me to repay you in some manner," I insisted.

"If you wish to repay me," he said, "you can do so by going to Mayoi. There you will find a man named Kang Guan. Tell him that Ben Ten sent you and he will know what to do."

It seemed such a little thing in return for saving my life, but I swore to do what he asked, then bid him farewell. I continued my travels south to Mayoi and found Kang. He listened carefully to my tale of the stranger in the dark hood, and raised his eyebrows when I mentioned the name Ben Ten. Then he told me something that changed my life forever.

"I am a priest of the Chiran Jou Gai, the Order of the Unicorn Temple. We are dedicated to the study of magic and healing. I believe Ben Ten sent you to us because he recognized your latent, but evidently very strong, talent for healing. If you choose to join us, as was apparently his wish, you will learn to help people by channeling your healing skills rather than by killing. We believe in healing all those in need, including those who would choose to do us ill. Compassion for others rules our lives. You will follow the Four Stones of Jojii, with the Stone of the Unicorn being the main guide for your life."

"Are you willing to give your life to the Unicorn?" he asked. "Are you willing to lay down your sword and take up the healer's robes instead?"

I thought long before answering. I had heard of the Chiran Jou Gai, and it wasn't an easy life. But was there any other choice for me? Wasn't I most concerned with helping others? "I will join you if you will have me," I heard myself say.

I followed Kang to the temple, where I put away my weapons, armor and all of my belongings. I studied for two years, learning all they could teach me. At last I felt ready. I took up my bedroll and walked out of the temple, searching for those in need of my assistance.