Art by  darkayrio


Yanagita Itsuko, a warrior that grew up within the Kikosunai Village. This village was a peaceful place, although the sounds of training could be heard from within. Despite not going out of their ways for violence, many villagers learned how to fight as was their way of life. Learning how to use a multitude of weapons at once made them known across the continent as weapon masters said to be able unleash a flurry of blows upon their enemies. The Village was watched over by several village elders, Ozaki Tadayoshi was the 3rd Elder, a man known to be strict with rules and training, yet everyone knew his heart to be within the right place. Nakayama Yutaka was the 2nd elder of the village, who always seemed distant with the stares he gave others, it was as if he was never fully there, yet at times he could give small pockets of wisdom his age and experience showing through that. Lastly was Kuwahara Iemitsu the first Elder of the village, older then the others yet still had his weapon skills as sharp as an arrow. Kuwahara was the kindest out of the three elders, always treating those around him well as he watched over the Clan.

Yanagita growing up trained hard under the elders guidance, her determination and strong will showing each time she practiced. She learned to be strict from Ozaki, to speak your mind and not hold back words so others may grow from their mistakes. Yanagita learned to offer wisdom from her life and experiences from Nakayama, making sure those could better follow a good path in life and move forward with their heads up. Lastly she gained much training from Kuwahara, as he saw potential in her talents and skills, so much so one could say it made some other clansmen and woman slightly jealous. To be trained by an Elder was an honor few had, yet to be trained by all three was a something no others besides Yanagita had. The reason for such events was because Yanagita was an orphan, her parents killed in a opposing clan raid, the enemy forces were quelled however they had sent a small force at the front as a distraction for a larger group to attack the village from a different angle. Yanagita's family noticed that and fought tooth and nail to keep the enemy at bay. They were very skilled, but even the most skilled warrior will eventually fall to numbers her family succumbed to their wounds after the battle was finished leaving only a young Yanagita remaining. The Elders saw the aftermath and acknowledged that if Yanagita was trained she herself could surpass her family that fought well, the last Itsuko.

With that Yanagita gained much training from the three elders, she met a few others in her lessons that she grew bonds with, one being Arakaki Naonobu a ratfolk that wielded a cursed blade passed down from his family. The Naobobu family used many such artifacts, known by the Clan as "Those that resist" for their strong will in resisting the affects of curses to use such things without penalty. Arakaki was a serious sort, always pushing himself to the limits of his body, encouraging Yanagita to do the same as the two had a strong bond through their rivalry to improve.

Another bond Yanagita formed was of Kamata Iona, a female human who was calm in her actions and words. She used a special technique that only her small family could use. A blade forged with the power of wind and light she could seemingly cut anything with but a single stroke, elegant in form she was known to be the strongest of the Iona family, seemingly held back due to a family blood curse put on them by a fey creature. The curse made it so she could not remain in a place for long, seemingly teleporting away at random or at the worst of times. Yet that aside she became fast friends with Yanagita and Arakaki.

The last one to form a bond with Yanagita was a Lychor named Hashimoto Ryu, a man of few words, a mute that not only was silent but his family had the ability to silence those he struck, locking them from using anything verbal. The Ryu family known for being powerful mage hunters should the enemy have such abilities. Hashimoto was not one capable of words himself, but he could still converse with gestures, his emotions conveyed through hand movements. Even with his lack of words he still had the ability to make fun with Yanagita and the other two.

The three were seemingly inseparable as they trained together, Yanagita would see Arakaki as he trained under the 3rd Elder, Kamata as she trained under the 2nd Elder, and with Hashimoto as he trained with the 1st. At the end of the day the three would meet up and converse about much of their trainings, even sparring amongst themselves. Yanagita may have lost her family but through these bonds she gained another.

When she grew older Yanagita still remained within the village, keeping an eye over and taking care of the Elders as their age was catching up to them, weaker, they helped raise her so to them they were family and meant a lot to her. One night however as she was walking within the halls to check up on the Elders, she found that all three had been met with a grisly fate. Seemingly to be cut down by many blades Yanagita was shocked to see the Elders in such a state. She rushed to check on them, to find out who had done this terrible crime, maybe even find the culprit still lingering around. Yet as she entered she heard footsteps behind her and she quickly drew her weapons, thinking it to be the killer. Only to see Arakaki walk to the door, she went to lower her weapon but was suddenly attacked by him. Barely able to defend against the blow she stumbled back into the bloody scene, her feet being stained upon the floor of blood. Arakaki continued his onslaught of blows in rage of what he assumed Yanagita had done, she remained on the defensive as she did not wish to hurt her best friend. She tried to explain herself yet he was not listening, rage consumed his heart blocking out reason. Yanagita was beginning to be overwhelmed by Arakaki and retaliated out of instinct, taking his right eye with a quick slash. She went to quickly apologize but nearly dodged a slash from Hashimoto, getting her voice stolen. The look she could see the two giving her was ones of anger and the pain of betrayal, both hurting her to the core, now with her words taken she turned and ran.

Yanagita was confronted by Kamata as she ran, the two fighting it out as the village became aware of the situation, Kamata asking Yanagita why she had done what she did, yet she could not answer her friend. Kamata managed to disarm Yanagita and was about to deliver a final blow before she vanished, her families curse saving Yanagita at the last moment giving her time to run.

Yanagita was grief stricken, losing both her new parents, her friends, her family and even her home in one night. She wished not to hurt them anymore more and went to try and find the true culprit of the Elders murders. Yet she was constantly on the run from warriors of the Village, she wished not to hurt any of them as she was innocent and those of the village were still family too her, even if they did not share that sentiment. The more she ran the guiltier she looked in their eyes.

Catching a boat to head overseas Yanagita made it to a different land, she knew her village and maybe even her old friends would follow her to take her head back to the village. But she needed to escape to get put on a path that would grant her the ability to get to the bottom of it all. She met the Viscount who offered her both protection and a job working with him. She accepted as even if her Village had a Dojo in the town they could not touch her so long as the Viscount was alive and kicking. However should that man fall this immunity would not last long so she knew she had to act fast.

Yet as a series of unfortunate events would transpire and the town would fall into an eternal night of chaos. Yanagita stayed, for she did not wish to let another place fall to ruin, if she could save lives here she would. Maybe her village would see her heart is not as corrupted as they think it to be.