Shadow Lands: Shinobi Rebirth
A Guild Turned Novel
By: Haku Needles
Prologue
A Guild Turned Novel
By: Haku Needles
Prologue
There was a thump. And then another. And then another. Where was it coming from? What was it? Why did it sound so loud? There it was again. And again. One more time. What was it?! “Ah!” There was ripping of flesh, spurting of blood, and a wicked laughter. There was a blade wrenched into the chest of a man, the metal tip of the blade piercing his heart and pinning him to the stone wall he was pushed up against. The man against the wall coughed, blood pouring from his mouth and down his chin. “Why?” he managed to say through a gurgle and spray of blood.
“Why?” came the voice of a man who appeared from the shadows. One green eye was staring at the man who was pinned against the wall. “Why? Because I can. Because the desire to presents itself.”
The man against the wall coughed up more blood, his body shaking due to the loss of his precious crimson liquid. “You...traitorous...b*****d.”
“Careful, now, my old friend, wouldn't want to use the last of your strength trying to speak when it could be used to view the last of what you worked so hard to build fall into ruin.”
“You seem so sure of yourself....” He screamed in pain again as the blade was pulled out of his chest and he fell to the ground, landing on his hands and knees as blood began to pool around him.
“You could never listen to reason, could you, Arashi? Always had to twist everything towards an end which benefited you, even by the tiniest sliver.”
“You lie.”
“Do I?” The man laughed. “You are in no position to judge my honesty, to judge my character. You are a weak, pathetic man who could do naught but delay the inevitable.” The man speaking to to Arashi kicked him in his side and sent Arashi reeling along the balcony they were on, now laying on his back, sputtering in pain as more blood stained his pale flesh. The man then knelt over Arashi, placing his hands and knees on either side of Arashi so Arashi could stare into his eyes. “You have failed, Amekage-Sama. You have lost.” The man now trailed a finger over Arashi's cheek, making small swirls in the blood. “You could not even save that woman you so dearly love.” A dark chuckle echoed from the man as Arashi could feel his strength leaving him.
“Then why torment me like this? Why not kill me and make your victory complete?”
“Why not indeed?” The man chuckled again. “I want you to be around for the final moment; the deciding moment from when the world turns from being divided, to united. When all the world will unite under one banner, where men swear not loyalty to Lords or Kage, but to Gods. When this night is over, a new world order shall exist. A world order that will come with the dawn, a dawn painted with the blood of the old, becoming a shining remembrance of that which failed and died off as the banner of red clouds upon a black canvas becomes that which all swear fealty to. Can you imagine such a world, Arashi?”
“Never....” Arashi coughed and spat a bit of blood at the cheek of the man above him.
“Never the visionary. Good-bye, old friend.” The man's headband fell off, revealing five separate eyes, all of different color and design, all of which were fixated on Arashi. Arashi then let out a bloodcurdling scream of pain and agony; he felt like he was being burned away from the inside out; he felt as if liquid metal were poured into every orifice and every organ burst in twisting, agonizing pain. Then, there was silence and the vision of the man blurred into blackness.
Arashi then bolted up into a sitting position in bed, dripping in cold sweat. He was breathing heavily as the cold moonlight shown on him through the open window; a cool breeze blew against him, making him shiver. He flung his legs over the side of the bed, the sheets conveniently covering him as he stared at the floor below his feet, his mind running over the vivid nightmare he just had. “What was that?” he asked himself and ran a hand through his hair. There was a woman in his bed, sleeping next to him. Her black hair cascaded down her back like the a waterfall of midnight; her body slender and slim. She groaned softly as she was awoken from her sleep and was going to tell off whatever woke her up; that was, of course, until she saw Arashi.
Arms slid over his shoulders as the woman placed her chin on his shoulder, yawning as she spoke, “What's the matter?”
Arashi, who had been lost in thought only to be broken away from his mental film grasped one of her hands, tightly. “I am not sure.... I had a terrible nightmare. It's already fading.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.
“No, 'Lani. Don't worry about it. I am sure it is nothing. Go back to sleep.” He then pulled on a robe and went into the small kitchen and opened a cupboard, pulling out a canister labeled “Morning Breakfast” and poured it into a filter which he placed in the coffee-maker after pouring water into the compartment. He then pressed the button and went back to bed, shedding his robe and climbing in under the sheets, listening to the gentle perking of the coffee. Noelani was already sleeping again, which meant he was alone with his thoughts – well, those, and the sound of brewing coffee.
Miles away, there was a man sitting on the roof of a ruined tower, soaking in the moonlight. A headband covered his face, leaving only a single, green eye visible on his visage. Other than that, all he wore upon his face was a sickening grin.
