Information

Amatsu
Legacy Name: Amatsu

The

Nostalgic Zasaba
Owner:

Vanitas

Age: 11 years, 3 months, 2 days

Born: January 29th, 2013

Adopted: 11 years, 3 months, 2 days ago

Adopted: January 29th, 2013

Pet Spotlight Winner
April 25th, 2020

Statistics

Level: 10
Strength: 18
Defense: 11
Speed: 15
Health: 23
HP: 23/23
Intelligence: 41
Books Read: 44
Food Eaten: 0
Job: Sprout Tender

Amatsu has as many stories as it does cherry blossoms. There are even legends about the flowers themselves, and if you find yourself sitting in the park centre on a warm afternoon, a local will surely share a wistful memory or two about them.

It is said that a love promised under the ancient cherry tree will never die, blooming eternally on one of its countless branches. Because of this, it's become a favourite location for first dates, love confessions, proposals, and marriage ceremonies. Seniors often go there to reminisce about their budding romance from years past, whether together hand in hand after decades of wedded bliss, or alone with a bittersweet smile. It's also tradition for families to bring a newborn to the tree and pray for a lifetime of love, happiness, and protection.

North of Amatsu is an endless field of bamboo, and a secluded shrine partially submerged in the middle of a pond. The caretakers will tell you of the many spirits residing there. They say there are some that appear as umbrellas with a single eye, a lone foot, and a long tongue, while others take the form of scaled imps with webbed hands and feet. Supposedly Lord Ishida's mother was even once possessed by a fox demon and made very ill until it was banished.

Overlooking the town far above the trees is Amatsu Castle. One would think this would be a safe haven from such strange phenomena, but there are rumours of a gate to a monstrous dungeon within the palace itself filled with malevolent supernatural creatures. The first level is known as the tatami maze: the walls themselves become your enemy, disorienting and trapping you inside. There are fallen soldiers whose souls have never been laid to rest, who fire at all who enter. Grotesque ninja wait in the shadows to strike. And beautiful young women with hair as tall as they are, seemingly acting with a mind of its own, slink from room to room and watch your every move.

At the end of the labyrinth lies the underground battlefield, where wars of old were waged and countless lives lost. Their spirits still roam the grounds, eternally fighting a battle they will never win.

In the heart of the dungeon is the abandoned shrine, surrounded by paper demons who delight in tormenting any mortal who dares approach. Not much is known about who or what inhabits the shrine, but secrets are passed in hushed whispers every so often across Amatsu. According to legend, a priest once ventured deep into the dungeon to exorcise the shrine; some believe he slowly slipped into madness, while others claim he was possessed by the vengeful spirit of a formidable samurai who was murdered there. Either way, he was never seen in the outside world again. Only a few of the bravest adventurers have entered this area since and lived to tell the tale, but it seems they've left behind a piece of their soul in exchange for a haunting memory of the Samurai Specter.

With such tragic and nightmarish encounters, it may seem puzzling why survivors would choose to stay in the village. But even these mysterious horrors could never tarnish the beauty of Amatsu. Meanwhile to the townsfolk who have only ever known of its idyllic lifestyle, these are nothing more than myths, children's ghost stories, and the lonely ramblings of intoxicated men over glasses of sake. No... It couldn't be real.

Amatsu has as many stories as it does cherry blossoms...

Profile and story by Vanitas
Cherry Blossom background: Getty Images
Monster sprites, castle image, and story inspiration: Ragnarok Online