by Honie Jar
“Which we suspect they would, bringing the official clan count to six,” added Yamato Jonin-Gashira. “Since we do not count the Band as an official clan with the inability to unify.”
With this explanation, Hikari peered down since she knew that there were seven clans. Just the seventh was a secret.
Yamato continued, “We have reason to believe that the Mirror of Purity, which Lady Rose had us protect is really in the Jewelry Casket that we picked up from the Hildebrandt House. We got word from a reputable source after the Himitsu Agency questioned everyone this morning. The mirror is thought to still be in the jewelry box, and it is being house in a barn outside of Nara.”
Interesting. Hikari was certain that Cain and the Clan of the Dark Harvest had the mirror, but what if they were mistaken?
She listened intently to the plan that was being handed out. Rika will lead her troop on the east side, with Jiro descending with his troop from the north. Hikari, you and Yoshi will come from the south side, and Karin, your troop will attack form the west. That way all the sides of the barn will be surrounded during the ambush,” started Shizue Jonin.
Made sense for Hikari, she and Yoshi would take their band of six Chunins each and attempt to block the rogue ninjas from escaping with the jewelry casket on the south side.
Within moments the troops were deployed with their marching orders and Hikari and Yoshi led their troops, running through the streets. As Hikari passed several landmarks she realized that this was the direction where Shinobu lived. That was fortuitous as she could bow out early to make it to his training before the dawn. Perfect.
The troops ran, hiding amongst the shadows as they made their way to the outskirts of Nara. Some of the troops branched off as they were to attack the barn from opposing sides, surrounding the barn where the Band of Tsuiho kept the jewelry casket.
Emerging from the fog that settled among the hills, the troops of Yoshi and Hikari worked themselves through the crevices of rocks, hiding in the nature that surrounded them.
The barn was small and brown, with no livestock or crops. Obviously the Band used this only as a shelter and stole and robbed for food. Neighbors probably suspected that the barn was abandoned since not one light came from the windows.
“I see Karin’s troop,” whispered Yoshi, standing in front of his troop next to Hikari.
“That is a good sign,” Hikari whispered back.
Hikari looked around and made out Rika’s troop. Being that her and Yoshi were on the opposite side from Karin and Jiro, she did not expect to see them. They were ninjas after all.
Creeping on the ground Hikari crawled on her belly, staying within the shadows, Yoshi next to her, their troops of ninjas following them.
They approached the barn and scaled it with stealth-like abilities, not making a sound as the eight ninjas sat on the roof. “Ssshhh!” Hikari hushed one of her ninjas, placing her finger over her lips.
Yoshi lifted the grate that was over the skylight, which was used to air-out the smelly barn. Tying a rope to the chimney, he descended first, hardly holding the rope with his dominant hand as he twirled and descended to the ground, Hikari and the remainder of the troops coming right behind them.
Each of them spun as they held the rope, their body weights used as counters for the other, maintaining the rope to stay centered, hardly swaying. Each of them landed, soft like a cat, rolling to the side by using a backward summersault so the next ninja could land.
While the ninjas of Yoshi and Hikari’s troops filed in, they realized that there was no one in the barn. “Weird,” muttered Hikari, looking around the vacant and abandoned barn.
She kicked around several pieces of debris, strangling hay that was left on the floor. There, she revealed a hidden trap door in the floor.
“Hey! Yoshi, look at this!” Hikari whispered with a forceful breath and pointed at the revelation.
Without hesitation, Hikari lifted the door and plunged down it, not even taking a moment to survey her surroundings. Falling for what felt like ten stories, her legs flailing in the air as she fell, she landed with a thump in the middle of a ceremony.
“Mildred, I was wondering where you were,” a familiar voice came from one of the hooded figures that stood in a semi-circle.
“I thought the ceremony was taking place until tomorrow night,” Hikari said.
"We moved the ceremony, we found that tonight's moon had much more power than tomorrow night. I thought I told Wilber to tell you." Cain paused and looked around. “Where is he, I’ll ask him if he relayed the message to you.”
Thinking quick on her feet, Hikari said, "Yes, yes he told me. No need to get him. I was on my way, but I got lost."
“Well glad that you are here for this. It is truly going to be spectacular.” Cain helped Hikari up to her feet and then searched the crowd. He shouted, "Brun! Get Mildred her robe!" Cain demanded.
The familiar, overweight woman who wore a robe as if it were a sausage casing came over to Hikari in a hurry with the robe in her hand.
She looked at Hikari up and down, and then belted, "Hands up!"
Hikari shot her hands up straight into the air and without realizing it, Brun put the robe right onto her body, covering up the uniform that she wore that bore the insignia of the Erito Preparatory Academy.
Cain then whispered in close proximity to Hikari, "Mildred, stand next to me. You will get a better view of the summoning."
Hikari nodded and followed him to where he stood in the semi-circle.
She took a moment to look around, with her hood pulled over her head she could hardly see the cavernous enclosure that encapsulated the ceremony. With at least 50 ninjas, all standing and anxiously waiting the return of their fearless leader, she realized where she was and what she had to do. The Mirror of Purity!
The semicircle enclosed a cauldron, larger than the one in the last ceremony. It bubbled and toiled with purple and blue vapors in escaping from its surface. It does not appear to be liquidy, but instead thick and gooey. A form of matter in between solid and liquid.
The same Kage who led the last ceremony, Mitsubikage, led this one as well. With Cain as a ranking member, he was close to the action with Hikari standing just to the side of him.
“Blood of slain sister, unknowingly given, you will renew our father of our clan! Flesh of the servant, willingly sacrificed, we will revive you, master. Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, we'll resurrect our leader."
The Scripture that the Mitsubikage read, along with the potion in the caldron was an old piece of the Dark Arts to resurrect Amun-Ra.
This incantation required a cauldron large enough for a grown man to sit in as well as three crucial ingredients. The bone of a unicorn, the flesh of the dark wizard, and the blood of a servant. The flesh from the dark wizard had to come from someone willing to offer themselves as a sacrifice for the cause. Hikari was told that Beatrice was sacrificed earlier that morning, willingly giving up her body for the good of the order. Cain had whispered that notion in her ear as they stood by each other. The blood had to be freshly taken from the source, so a day could not pass without the ceremony being done after the sacrifice as a unicorn was hunted that morning. Finally, the servant’s blood was from the sacrificed virgin that Hikari watched them murder. The remaining ingredient was enough water to fill the cauldron.
Hikari watch the bubbling increase, as the sludge came to a boil, heated from forces from a different realm since there was no fire below the bottom of the cauldron.
Hikari turned her head to the side to get a closer look at the ceremony, and there, she could not believe her eyes. Mitsubikage pullout the jewelry casket that Lady Rose was last seen with. She made an audible gasp as she saw the artifact once again. Speaking of Lady Rose, Hikari took a moment to survey the faces of the others. And after about four or five faces she looked from across the way, she found that of Lady Rose. Right away she saw across her vision:
Emotional Bond to Lady Rose: Jealousy
As
the jeweled casket sat just a few feet from her, the visions of becoming a member of the Kanga Clan rushed through her head. Mitsubikage took the lid of the jewelry casket and broke it off with one action. Next he took a knife from the side of his hip, under his cloak, and pride the mirror off of the lid.
There, Hikari saw what everyone else did. The mere which was no larger than 6" x 6" was practically transparent as Mitsubikage held the mirror in his hand. It illuminated, something strange from your to do. It illuminated the blue, then gold, then purple, then red. Obviously, this was no ordinary mere and the rumors were correct, the jewelry casket held the mirror of purity.
Excitement overcame Hikari and she launched, grasping for the mirror. Since Mitsubikage did not expect the little girl who stood only two feet from him to rampage at him, he did not have a moment to react. Within a millisecond, the mirror was now in Hikari's hand and she could gain admittance into the Kanga Clan.
"Mildred! You can't do that! I know you know better!" Cain shouted.
Having the emotional bond with him, Hikari felt instantly sorry and guilty for disobeying her love interest. However, she had a higher mission ahead of her. That was getting into the Kanga clan.
Cain did not launch at her, but several of the other hooded ninjas took Hikari to the ground.
Damage rendered -9 points
Using Hand-to-Hand Combat, Hikari took damage
DMG = (0 + 30) * 7/8 - (9 + 18) * 5/8
Lost Attribute: Combat
Hikari watched the update come across her vision. All of the skills she had in the Combat category were useless. However, she did not need to alert them of that.
Evasion was one of her skills she could utilize. She looked to her left to access the meaning of Evasion. She found it, it read:
Escape and avoid sticky situations. Master at excuses for why something did not happen.
She knew what to do. Taking the sword from the holder from her back, she peached herself close to a cave wall and waited.
Mitsubikage asked, “Where did you get that sword from?" Why was everyone wondering where she received this sword?
She checked her inventory by looking toward the right.
Inventory
Equipped:
Black Shinobi Ninjutsu Stealth Uniform
Black Tabi Boots
Black Tabi Socks
Arm Gauntlets
Hood with Mask
Pouch
1 Gold Coins
5 Silver Coins
2 Shuriken
Blade: Silencer
Armor: Cloak of the Shadow
Not Equipped:
Ninjatō
Civilian Clothing: Travel Cape with Hood and Pants
Armor: Karuta Chest Plate
Ah! It was a coveted sword. One that had its own name and everything. She checked the glossary to find out what it did, even though she could not use it because of the damage she took. She wanted to know why people were so scared of this thing.
Silencer
Forged from an ice mage from the mountain of Kusimari, this sword is made from frozen Shizen Steel, denser than normal steel, therefore it is more sturdy and can cut through metal if the swing is performed with the correct user. The user must be pure of heart, above the 3. Self in their convictions.
Attack: 95
She said, “It was a gift.”
“From who?” Cain asked standing behind Mitsubikage.
“An old friend,” responded Hikari. Shinobu was not a long friend, but old he sure was, so she was not lying.
“I see,” retorted Cain.
“Well, everyone. I wish I could stay and see the rest of this ceremony. I’ve grown to love these ceremonies, but I must get going,” mused Hikari.
“Fine. Give us back that mirror,” Mitsubikage requested.
“You know, I need it to check my make up,” countered Hikari. She grinned as she made slashing motions in the air. “I look OK, right?”
With the intent of getting out of the cave as soon as she could, she put the mirror in her pouch. While she continued to dance with her sword, spinning and twirling with it. She worked her way to the corridor that she presumed led to the exit of this cave.
She continued her dance, while the Black Harvest followed her, taking a step where she took one. When her back was to the exit, she turned and sprinted as fast as she could down the entryway. One by one the ninjas descended on her, chasing her down the corridor made of rock. Hikari was aware that she could not fight them off, especially see seeing the Cain’s ability to summon demons from alternate planes and the fact that she had lost all of her combat skills. She knew she did not stand a chance, however she needed to get out of the cave, and get out with the Mirror of Purity.
Running as fast as she could through the cavernous maze, she was trailed by the horde of hooded ninjas who clambered at her heels. With the cave exit in sight, the moonlight shining illuminating her her escape, she increased her speed.
As he went to cross the threshold of the cave exiting into freedom, she felt something grab at the pouch that contained the mirror. She wasn't sure what she felt but she thought she felt something, and needed to check just to be sure. She placed her hands on her side of her hip as she ran, and sure enough the pouch was gone. She came to an abrupt halt.
She took a second to look back to see where it was. Well aware that she did not have much time as the hordes of hooded ninjas were right at her heels. Turning around, her gaze was instantly met with that of Sho. Except show wore a different outfit, she wore the uniform of the Kanga clan, a red, stealthy outfit clinging to every curve of her body. She was only able to recognize Sho from her high cheekbones and the fact that her hair was still done in up like a geisha.
"Sho!" Hikari yelled.
"Lose something?" Sho responded in a cavalier manner.
Realizing that Sho may not be on the same side that Hikari was on, Hikari demanded, “Hey! Give that back. It is the agreement I have with the Kanga Clan. I have to get this mirror back to them."
"Not if I give it to them first!"
Anger and rage filled Hikari’s body. She could not contain herself, as she lunged at Sho. However, it was already too late. The hordes of hooded ninjas came out of the entranceway, surrounding Hikari and Sho was no where to be found. She peered over the shoulders of the hoods who surrounded her, seeing nothing but rocks.
"Mildred! What got into you?” Cain asked.
Hikari did not know how to respond, so she just looked blankly at Cain as Lady Rose came up behind him and grabbed his arm.
Find out what happens in the next installment of Kunoichi Online: Blade Wars coming out soon. Sign up for updates to be the first to know about the next upcoming release.
Kunoichi Online: Clans
1 Kagaku Clan
Kagaku Clan
Asset: Technological advancements
Description: A clan comprised of scientists, engineers, technologists.
Mission: Want to obtain the advancements from all of the clans.
Rival Clan: Himitsu Agency
These are the smartest of the smart, ready willing and able to invent something at a moment’s notice. They are the world’s tinkerers, thinkers, and engineers who have found a calling to protect the streets of Nara from the evil that lurks below the surface.
They main goal is to propel the advancements of invention forward and to live in an age with an explosion of technology.
This inventors felt a high calling and thus are proud to keep the streets of Nara safe on their terms.
2 Himitsu Agency
Himitsu Agency
Asset: Manipulation, secrecy, scheming, conniving, conning
Description: A government-run clan ran under the direction of the Crown Prince.
Mission: Protect the interests of Ukiyo Komerebi.
Rival Clan: Clan of the Black Harvest
These clan members are the Crown Princes’ secret intelligence agency. They have a vested interest in seeing that the capita
l city of Nara live in harmony.
They have the backing and the funds of the government at their disposal. Their highest priority is to ensure the safety and sovereignty of Ukiyo Komerebi.
Their primary tools using their influence of political and economical power by manipulation, secrecy, scheming, conniving and conning. They are not a reputable government agency, and are more like rogue FBI agents who abuse their power.
However, the one thing that they absolutely despise are the shadowy world of the Clan of the Black Harvest, who threaten the seat of the Crown Prince with the return of his older brother Amun-Ra. They also don’t like the magic and the rituals that clan performs as they view it as evil and satanic.
3 Senshi Clan
Senshi Clan
Asset: Combat abilities in the martial arts
Description: A clan comprised of guards, spies, warriors, and soldiers who have excelled in military combat. Many of them are part of the Ikko-Ikki and sohei classes.
Mission: Want to obtain the advancements from all of the clans.
Rival Clan: Kagaku Clan
A clan of warriors, some were once warrior-monks. They are masters of incredible and powerful martial arts. They use their fit bodies, their strength, and their warrior spirts to defeat their enemies.
They patrol, ensuring the menacing wraiths keep to the mountains and do not come into Nara. They are proud and honorable.
4 Erīto Preparatory Academy
Discover secrets of the other clans.
Erīto Preparatory Academy
Asset: Strategy and wisdom
