Chapter 1 - Intro

The wind, cold and scented with rain, seized the young girl’s hair with gentle fingers and set it to dancing. As had always been her habit she let it flow loose and free when running, the long, brown sun-touched locks dancing wildly to the winds caress. She was of average height with an athletic build that was the result of years of intense training and fighting. There was nothing about her appearance that noted her as being different. It was only when looking upon her eyes that she was sighted as different, and other worldly. Swirling mists looked out at the world, showing only a glimpse of the true power that was hidden within. Nature, as it always had, sensed her mood and felt the pain and sadness that was tearing away at her soul. The trees whispered words of comfort, trying to ease the ache of what they knew she must do but their words were lost on her as she stared, not at the rolling fields and forests and streams that flew by her, but into her past and the first day she had met him….

She was crying. She knew she shouldn’t have been. If her master found out she knew she would be punished again. The forest around her soothed her troubled young soul letting peace steal over her for a moment. She hated sword training. The stupid things were difficult to lift and her small arms weren’t strong enough to control it properly. Why couldn’t they be nice to me? She thought, Master knows I’m still too young for the sword training. A wind blew sharply across her face alerting her that people were approaching. Three of them, small, most likely children, she deliberated. Still, they could be dangerous so I mustn’t let my guard down. She stood tall, her body relaxed into a fighting stance ready, should a battle ensue. She heard their laughter before she saw them and then they rounded the corner of a tree still laughing at something but it stilled when they saw her. Two were boys and the other was a girl. She recognized them to be members of the Minazuki family like her.

The girl smiled at her and said, “Hello who are you?”

When she didn’t reply the girl turned to the taller boy and asked “Have you ever seen her before Kakuei?”

The boy named Kakuei shook his head. “Nope never seen her before. I think I’d remember those weird eyes. What about you Hiraku? You know her?”

Hiraku remained silent and watched her. He noticed that she had been crying and said gently, “I’m sorry if we startled you. Are you alright?”

He then went on to introduce himself and the others properly to her. When she heard their full names her eyes widened as she realized who they were. Automatically she fell to her knees and bowed her head. “Forgive me Sirs, madam. I apologize for my disrespect, please, don’t punish me,” she kept her head down but she could hear their responses to her comment.

“What does she mean, disrespect?” Kakuei wondered.

“She didn’t actually do anything wrong did she?” came the young girl’s response whose name was Kadiri.

Hiraku knelt down beside her and asked, “What’s your name? Furthermore, why do you think we would punish you?”

“My name is Shurui Minazuki. I am in training to become an assassin. I was rude and did not answer my Lords Kakuei, Hiraku and Lady Kadiri’s questions. Therefore I should be punished. My only role in life is to serve you!” There was a moment of silence and then hands were grabbing at her. She prepared herself for her punishment but instead the hands only helped her onto her feet then they let go. She glanced up and saw Kakuei and Kadiri standing in front of her smiling.

Hiraku just looked at her and said, “If you won’t tell then we won’t”

She started to reply but then Hiraku butted in, “Anyways we were just coming out here to play hide and seek. You wanna play?”

She looked at them for a moment before a smile broke out on her face, “Yes!”


“Hiraku,” she whispered.

Her first true friend. He hadn’t cared about her position, neither had Kakuei and Kadiri. They had accepted her as their friend and taught her that she wasn’t alone. She loved them all dearly. One week ago, her Lord Obake had given her a new mission, a mission that would ultimately show her complete loyalty to the Minazuki family and lead to the destruction of one of those she held close to her heart should it succeed. She began to slow her pace knowing she was nearing her destination. Finally closing in on the one she had been sent to destroy.

Her closest friend.

Hiraku Minazuki

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