章節 8: Chapter 8

The sky was clear that night, the moon shines brightly. The cold wind blows, rustling the leaves as it passes by. The town of the Shadow faction was quiet, and it seems not a single soul lives.

At the house of the chief village, representatives from the two factions have gathered. Hanabi, Hyuuga, Haruno, Kagura, Hayabusa and Hanzo are all gathered in the place.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah! What's with this crowd?" Hanabi asked. "I thought it would be just us three?" she added as she points at the two leaders.

"Hanabi," Hyuuga said to behave his granddaughter.

"They also need to know the information since the four of you are responsible for capturing the traitor," Haruno explained.

"Ok?" Hanabi replied, feeling unsure. Her eyes met Hayabusa's, then Kagura's then to Hanzo. She stared at Hanzo for a while as if reading him.

"What?" Hanzo asked. "Am I too handsome now for you?"

"I guess," Hanabi jested which made the two leaders look at Hayabusa who seem to not care about it at all.

"Back to the original discussion," Hyuuga said before Hanabi could say something else.

"Hanabi, could you tell us more about the traitor?" Haruno asked.

Hanabi cleared her throat and started.

"Just like what I've said before, the traitor has this powerful sword, Ame no Habakiri, and he also has the blessing of the demon named Hanekage. Also, the sword and the demon feed on blood so the more blood it consumes, the more powerful the user becomes. According to my father, the sword and the demon was sealed in a mountain where no one could find it," Hanabi was interrupted when Kagura raised a question.

"If it was sealed in an unknown place, then how did the traitor find it?" she asked.

"That still remain a mystery to me as well, father did not mention anything about it. But something must have happened, my hypothesis is that the seal must have gone weak through the years and the traitor must have sensed the energy of that demon," Hanabi answered.

"Then, he must not just be an ordinary person," Hayabusa commented.

"What do you mean?" Kagura asked.

"An ordinary person would not be able to sense the energy of a demon unless he has received special training. And the death of Hanabi's father happened 10 years ago, the possible age range of the traitor by that time would be around 10 to 15 years old so he is around 20 to 25 years old by now," Hayabusa said.

"Exactly. In addition, he wields the sword excellently and I could still remember how fast he was back then so I agree that he must have received a special training," Hanabi added.

The room was filled with silence until Haruno spoke.

"The traitor must have received the blessing of Amaterasu as well," he said.

(Amaterasu is the central deity of Shinto who is personifying the sun and the ancestress of the rulers of Japan.)

"Amaterasu?" Kagura asked. "She could not possibly do that. She would not do anything to harm her people."

"I disagree with that, young lady," Hyuuga said. "You must have learned about the yin and yang for you are an excellent onmyouji. Amaterasu must have thought that there would be imbalance in the world if Hanekage is sealed. She must have given the traitor a special gift in order to find the location of Hanekage."

While the discussion goes on, Kagura noticed the silence of Hanzo. Hehad never spoken ever since they've started. Kagura thought for a while, spacing out, and she immediately figured something out.

She was about to speak, but someone opened the sliding door, interrupting her.

"I apologize for the intrusion and my disrespectfulness," Haru said as he knelt down in front of his grandfather.

"What is it?" Hyuuga asked.

"Someone came from our village with a letter from Hanabi's mother," Haru replied as he presented the letter. "It's an emergency."

Hyuuga got the letter and Hanabi immediately poked her head into it and immediately read the last sentence.

"Our village will be in trouble"

"We've got to hurry back home," Hanabi said as she stood up and swiftly moves out from the room before her grandfather could stop her.

"I apologize as well, Haruno, but we have to go back to the village before something worse arise," Hyuuga said.

"I shall send some troops to go with you," Haruno said but Hyuuga refused.

"We shall handle this on our own. It would be at your disadvantage if you get involved," he said.

Hanabi, together with the Scarlet faction members, readied themselves. Haruno provided the horses so they could get back to their village faster.

"What were you about to say back then?" Hayabusa asked his lover as they watch Hanabi and the others disappear from the dark night.

"I forgot about it," Kagura replied.

Hayabusa simply held her hand as they leave the chief's house. Kagura felt like she has forgotten something really important so she cracked her brain to remember it once more.

"Are you okay?" Hayabusa asked when he noticed the silence of his lover.

"Shhhh," Kagura hushed him. "I'm trying to remember something important."

When they reached the onmyouji's house, Hayabusa gave her a kiss on the forehead, then on her nose, then on her lips.

"Good night," he said to her with a smile.

Kagura smiled happily. "Good night."

The two parted ways. Kagura went in for a shower, she couldn't stop thinking the matter that she had forgotten. Her instinct tells her that she has buried something really important in her mind. She changed into her sleeping clothes but she haven't remembered it yet. She simply shook her head and laid down.

"I'll come to remember it someday," she told herself as she closes her eyes to sleep. She counted in her mind.

One...Two...Three...Four...Five...Six...Seven...Eight...Nine...Ten...

Kagura remembered it. She immediately threw her blanket down her bed and rushed out of the window. She jumped from roof to roof even though she is running out of breath. Finally, she reached Hayabusa's quarters. She knocked on his window and it was opened by her very own lover.

"Kagura, what's the matter?" he asked as he looked at her from head to toe.

"Hanzo," Kagura said, running out of air.

"What about Hanzo?" Hayabusa asked as he helped her come in his room.

"He is the traitor," Kagura replied.