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The Shadow's Game
Prologue
The Yamikage, the Dark Shadow. She was a legend in the world at one time, a mysterious figure that worked for peace in all nations. She inspired loyalty, drove fear into the hearts of her enemies, and pushed past what many believed to be impossible, making it possible. She lived only for a time when her dreams had come to be reality and after that…well; she had planned her death many times and finally settled on poison.
People whispered about all those years ago before they knew she was the Yamikage. Broken, shattered, empty, a dead soul walking; they said. They didn't know what kept the poor thing going, and many believed it was a promise made to the dead. Others simply said she was insane, muttering to things that weren't there and jumping at noises no one else could hear. She was an odd girl to say the least.
Thinking back on it now, I don't ever believe she was insane. Cursed is more like it. Shunned by all in her clan except her mother, who loved her unconditionally, she had long since decided to make her own path. She went about it her own way too, never listening to anybody's advice. That girl had plans and she'd be damned if they didn't succeed.
Of course, after the death of her best friend, she gained that haunted look most war veterans get. Her eyes would often be glazed over with grief and guilt, and she'd turn her gaze to the ground, clench her fists, and you could tell she was merely a hairs-breadth away from shattering.
It only got worse once her mother died.
After her mother's death to the Kyuubi, I think it was only her promise to complete her dreams that kept her from taking her own life. She never was one to break a promise and this time wasn't any different. Her eyes would be empty, lifeless, and dead; but she'd keep going. Of course, she had her death planned for when her dreams were complete. She didn't plan on living past that point in time really. I heard her talk about it once and won't ever forget what she said:
"They've all passed onto the next world, only hoping a promise will keep me alive and kicking. Well, what's to stop me from downing a bottle of poison once I've kept that promise? Nothing, that's what," she said.
Her voice was calm, like she'd been talking about the weather. She didn't believe she'd ever find another reason to live and didn't really want too.
But of course, life wasn't too keen on going along with her.
It was about six years after the death of her mother that she was given a reason to live. The only problem was, she wasn't too determined to accept that and tried to play it off like she didn't care.
And that, my friends, is where the tale of the Yamikage truly began.
The Yamikage, the Dark Shadow. She was a legend in the world at one time, a mysterious figure that worked for peace in all nations. She inspired loyalty, drove fear into the hearts of her enemies, and pushed past what many believed to be impossible, making it possible. She lived only for a time when her dreams had come to be reality and after that…well; she had planned her death many times and finally settled on poison.
People whispered about all those years ago before they knew she was the Yamikage. Broken, shattered, empty, a dead soul walking; they said. They didn't know what kept the poor thing going, and many believed it was a promise made to the dead. Others simply said she was insane, muttering to things that weren't there and jumping at noises no one else could hear. She was an odd girl to say the least.
Thinking back on it now, I don't ever believe she was insane. Cursed is more like it. Shunned by all in her clan except her mother, who loved her unconditionally, she had long since decided to make her own path. She went about it her own way too, never listening to anybody's advice. That girl had plans and she'd be damned if they didn't succeed.
Of course, after the death of her best friend, she gained that haunted look most war veterans get. Her eyes would often be glazed over with grief and guilt, and she'd turn her gaze to the ground, clench her fists, and you could tell she was merely a hairs-breadth away from shattering.
It only got worse once her mother died.
After her mother's death to the Kyuubi, I think it was only her promise to complete her dreams that kept her from taking her own life. She never was one to break a promise and this time wasn't any different. Her eyes would be empty, lifeless, and dead; but she'd keep going. Of course, she had her death planned for when her dreams were complete. She didn't plan on living past that point in time really. I heard her talk about it once and won't ever forget what she said:
"They've all passed onto the next world, only hoping a promise will keep me alive and kicking. Well, what's to stop me from downing a bottle of poison once I've kept that promise? Nothing, that's what," she said.
Her voice was calm, like she'd been talking about the weather. She didn't believe she'd ever find another reason to live and didn't really want too.
But of course, life wasn't too keen on going along with her.
It was about six years after the death of her mother that she was given a reason to live. The only problem was, she wasn't too determined to accept that and tried to play it off like she didn't care.
And that, my friends, is where the tale of the Yamikage truly began.