The air blew harshly as the two groups stood still. It was as if time had stopped, and the only thing running were the thoughts that echoed in everyone's mind. Why were they all here? There were a few expressions such as Hache addressing Darian who just merely nodded. The scene was intense as the bodyguards were poised for combat.
"Don't tell me now that this was all a trap, Danjo-kun?" Ogen said in a calm tone with a smile.
"I could say the same to you, Ogen-chan. Here I thought that there was actually a spy. It turns out it was all part of your trap." Danjo replied with a shaky voice.
"Then... this could only mean.." Ogen started.
"That someone set us up." Danjo continued.
"This was a trap." both of them spouted at the same time.
The eyes of the two leaders looked together at the temple roof as a new figure's shadow shone in the hazy afternoon sun. Ogen pulled the handle of her umbrella, revealing a sword hidden within. At the same time, Danjo pounded his cane on the ground, causing the wooden exterior to fall off, revealing a sword beneath.
"What's the meaning of this? Who are you, child?" Ogen inquired calmly while facing the figure.
"Child? You're quite mistaken, Ogen-dono." a familiar yet unnervingly new voice resonated through the temple. The sun's rays prevented anyone from clearly seeing the new adversary. "The only children here are all of you."
"You have the nerve to mess with us, you ignorant fool. I hope you are ready to face the consequences that not even the GOVERNOR of this town wanted to be dealt upon him." Danjo threatened as the figure merely echoed out a soft laugh.
"Can we all please drop the act? We're all sinners here, aren't we? Danjo-dono, Ogen-dono." the figure addressed them all as it stepped down to a lower part of the roof. "All of you came here on the notion that there would be a traitor from either side. You shameless elders. To think that you'd be willing to use underhanded tactics to win a war? You dare speak of honor and glory when all you've done is taint your already bloody hands with the blood of the innocent?"
"For a stranger to make an accusation, isn't that hypocrisy, child?" Ogen replied with her eyes closed.
"Stranger? I guess you don't recognize me anymore, Ogen-dono, and after you boasted that you loved all your children equally. A tongue coated in silver, a heart painted with night." the figure retorted with a scornful voice. "Then again, no one knew the real me. Not even the proud Darian-kun, not even you, Kouga-san, or should I call you Hache-kun?."
The figure stepped down from the sunlight, revealing its features. A slender and female figure, clothed in black garments that resembled those of assassins. She wore a black mask that covered half of her face. Her yellow eyes were staring yet unseeing. Her long and jet black hair just fell to her back as it was blown by the furious winds. Her pale face was still quite obvious although there are obvious tints of tan. A sword hung at the hilt of her waist, sheathed in a red container.
Ogen and Danjo stared blankly at the girl, their faces showed no emotion. "Perhaps you need a little more of a clue." the woman chuckled softly as she kneaded her hair, and tied it into a bun within a matter of seconds. Her hair had now become shorter. The pale skin, the unseeing eyes, the familiar sword, the black garments; it was all coming to place.
"Enma." the two elders said at the same time.
"So you were a girl after all. I thought you would be more graceful." Ogen smiled as Enma let go of the bun, causing her hair to fall naturally.
"Women. Always our problems begin with a woman." Danjo seethed as he gripped his blade.
"Let me tell you a bedtime story... Especially, you, Darian-kun." Enma chuckled, ignoring the insults. "Once upon a time, in a village called Iga, there were tons of powerful warriors. They were so powerful that their own leader, Ogen, was afraid of them. Sooner or later, Ogen knew that someone more powerful than her would take her place. So what did she do? She used the Akahimes; you're familiar with them are you not, Darian-kun, and silently killed off each and every famous warrior until only their children remained. Ogen knew that these children would grow to be more powerful, so what did she do then? She led these children to the Kanzashi river, and instructed hired mercenaries from the Kouga to kill the children, hence, the river in Kanzashi ran red for three days. Have you ever wondered why there are only small numbers of children in the Iga, Darian-kun? Now, you know." Enma narrated as she cleared her throat. "Ogen still causes the vanishing of strong warriors. In fact, she has a listed protocol on how to kill every strong warrior in the Iga, including you, Darian-kun. I wasn't in the list because I was blind, and thus, not even a threat. What a mistake that was, Ogen."
Enma turned to Danjo as she winked at Hache. "Do you want to hear a bedtime story as well?" Enma chuckled as Danjo whistled. Kuma, one of the burly bodyguards, rushed forward as he equipped his kusarigama, and swung the scythe at Enma. In a flash, Enma turned her ear to the side, and dodged quickly. As Enma regained her balance, Tama, one of Ogen's guards, jumped behind Enma and swung her sais at the assassin. Enma pulled out her katana, blocking Tama's attacks.
Enma dashed backward as she stood in the center of the temple, the two factions surrounding her on both sides.
Ogen and Danjo uttered only one command to their retainers, a command that they placed their emotions into. "Kill Enma."
Enma chuckled as she faced the guards. "Here's a choice... You attack me now, and possibly kill me, then, you can live on with your blind lives, or you drop your weapons and listen to another bedtime story, and perhaps, know the truth of your existence." Enma smiled as she pulled down the mask. "Choose wisely."