A promise delivered
Yasuka and Namiku had grown up together in a small remote village called Mura. In the horrors that plagued the village the 2 young girls found strength and companionship together. In each other they found something rarer than pure jade, in each other they found someone they could depend on, someone to look after them and most precious of all, someone they could trust. The girls were more than kindred spirits and fellow survivors they became as sisters.
One day there arrived a hooded stranger. He looked well traveled and road weary, yet in spite of his outward appearance he had a remarkable cheerful demeanor. He spoke with such wisdom and smiled so brightly it was as if he was not aware of all the suffering, darkness and death all around him. His attitude was contagious and within a few days his presence had noticeably lifted the spirits of the rest of the inhabitants of Mura village.
Before the fall of the Thunders on the second day of thunder and the victory of Fu Leng Mura village was a dead end. A village only those seeking to stay lost sought out. In the times of darkness Mura village’s lack of resources and remote location served to keep it safe, or as safe as anything could be in these evil times.
It was this remoteness that made it especially odd when the hooded ronin came into town. He claimed to merely be wandering the world yet one did not merely wander and stumble upon Mura village. Whatever the ronin was seeking he kept his true reasons for coming to himself. Given his cheerful and wise demeanor the other villagers quickly accepted him in as one of their own.
The ronin was well traveled and very eager to share his stories of the world outside of the village. The villagers eagerly listened to each tale trying desperately to escape vicariously through this ronins travels. So it was for several months with the villagers feeling more at peace and life being better.
On a cold clear morning Namiku and Yasuka were awoken to the sounds of screams and heavily armored men running about the village. Yasuka quickly made for the window intent on seeing what the commotion was. Right as she opened the shutter the ronin burst in, tumbling through the now opened window. He landed, almost cat-like, on his feet and immediately slammed the shutters closed.
“It would seem our morning stroll along the stream will have to wait today my young ladies. We have unwanted guests.” “Who are they?” Namiku asked absently, her attention turned towards the rush of spirits who came to warn her of danger and to protect her from harm. “more importantly,” Yasuka whispered, “what do they want?”
