Ninjas are not recruited they are born. Born, then kidnapped. The infants are brought back to the Clan's hideaway, to be kept there for life, trained to be assassins. Kimura Uhei was one such child, stolen at birth, to lead the life of a professional, paid killer in the Koku Ten Tou Clan. The child is raised in a cold, Spartan environment; no familial connections are made, the parents are not a part of their memory, to nullify any distractions from training. The child is raised to have no emotion, to feel no guilt for killing another human being. Uhei was a perfect example. Until he broke one of the greatest, unspoken law of any ninja clan. He fell in love. Morikawa Yukina was another member of the Koku Ten Tou Clan. Over the years, Uhei became, at first, very good friends with Yukina. Actually, he was her first friend ever made since fledgling ninjas never leave the compound. Around Uhei's nineteenth birthday, it was very apparent that he liked Yukina, but it wasn't too apparent on how much he cared. The Clan decided that Uhei was going to be a threat as his emotions began to play with his judgement. Yukina then vanished. It was said that she decided to leave the clan. This was a grave offense to the clan as the culprit can leak secrets of the clan to the government or other clans. She was then branded a Nukenin. Another ninja was sent after her, called an Oinin. His job was to kill her. Uhei decided to also break the code and go save Yukina. Not ten miles from the compound he was ambushed by two ninjas: the Oinin and Yukina. Both had been given a contract by their superiors to kill Uhei. The Oinin was quickly dispatched, but Uhei refused to kill Yukina. Yukina, furious that her target didn't treat her like a true adversary, began to attack wildly and was not able to land even one attack. Finally, Uhei managed to disarm the girl and pin her to a tree. "Yukina! I don't want to fight you! I never want to fight you! You don't have to do this! We can run away together! We can leave this place and just vanish into the world." At this Yukina began to cry. "You know as well as I do that the Clan would never stop sending Oinins after us! And if I don't kill you, another Oinin will take my place and kill me!" "But Yukina..." "If you really love me, Uhei, then kill me here. You know what they do to failed Oinins. They don't just kill you...." Uhei began to tremble, then whispered, "I have loved you all my life, Yukina. I've always been there for you when you were growing up. I will not fail to grant your last wish." They looked into each other's eyes. For one moment they stood in silence. Then Uhei closed his eyes, kissed her, and slid a dagger between her ribs. He stayed there for much of the night, burying the girl's body and grieving. When there were no more tears to shed and dawn threatened to creep over the mountains, Uhei turned his back to the Clan's hideaway, and left. Ever since, there has been a wandering shadow that destroys evil in the darkness, fighting an eternal war resulting in true irony. For Uhei, in English, means "Peaceful Universe". Living in a paradox, he journeys to Khazan to fight for peace. |
