"What is it that you want?"

Her voice shook. Her thin hands trembled, despite her efforts to control them. Her feet remained planted, frozen to the floor. Only the rain could be heard, a slight pitter-patter from above. She paid no attention to it. Her eyes, drawn into a steely glare, were focused on the one she feared, the one she knew was coming for her. So bliss was the ignorance she had fooled herself with, and now she paid the price.

"You cannot hide from me," the man's voice, barely above a whisper spoke. He smiled a rather rueful smile, although it could hardly be detected in the shadows of the room. He didn't need to raise his voice to be a powerful presence. To her, he was a living symbol of fear, but when you live in a world full of shinobi like this one, it's either fear that consumes you, or death.

"I'm done hiding," the young woman stated, her voice steadying as her courage, or maybe it was foolishness, grew, "I have no need to fear you."

And in an instant, the man was behind her, his warm breath in her hair and a blade around her neck. She froze instantly, as expected.

"Are you sure about that now?" His voice mere centimeters from her ear, "Because the way I see it, you have everything to fear, blind child as you are, Shyla."

"You have nothing to gain by killing me, and I have nothing to lose," Shyla laughed bitterly, but that laugh was stopped abruptly by the blade's sudden cut into her skin. "Cut me, torture me, kill me, I don't care. My reason to live has been fulfilled, and it seems nothing can replace it," she said as a smile graced her lips, despite the immediate danger she was in.

"Oh, I can do much worse," the man's voice in her ear threatened, "You may've forgotten, but I haven't. I still hold the one thing you care about, the one thing that can move your seemingly stone heart. Shinobi's don't show emotion, but of course now, it's difficult to call you a worthy shinobi," Shyla could almost feel the smirk on his lips as he said those words, "I used to respect you. A shinobi of your skill was one to be feared, but you no longer hold that authority. You are still a child, but even children have their uses."

Shyla's eyes narrowed at these words, her expression a blank mask in an instant. "Continue," she said, keeping any signs of curiosity or worry from her voice.

"I have need of you," the man said simply, "and I believe I have something that can, let's say, convince you to listen. After all," he leaned closer, his lips grazing her ear and whispered, "You are still mine. You belong to me."

He left her side and laughed a deep, dark laugh that echoed off the walls of the room. Shyla stood rooted to the spot, her gaze transfixed on the floor. She could hear his quiet footsteps and knew that he was no longer behind her, but standing before her with his sword in its sheath. A sudden fear had gripped her and she found it hard to meet his eyes, knowing that even after all this time, they were coming back.

Her emotions were coming back.

"My dear Shyla," the man said as he was on his way out, "There is but one thing I need you to do and in return," he smiled another one of his sly smiles as his voice dropped, "I can give you back the one thing you want." And then he was gone.

"Wait!" Shyla called out, losing her composure and emotional façade completely. It was only a second later that she realized what she had done. A foolish mistake, that one, even a used-to-be shinobi should never make.

His voice, a bitter laugh danced throughout the room thought the man himself could not be seen.

"Tell me," Shyla's voice quivered as she repeated her question she asked not too long ago, "What do you want from me?" Silence. The rain had let up and all that could be heard was the steady dripping of rain. Drip…drip…drip…

"All I want," the voice reappeared as soon as it left, "is one thing." Shyla waited and listened. She braced herself for anything this bane of existence could throw at her, but she wasn't prepared for this.

"I want you... to kill Lexis Nerezza, of the Hidden Leaf Village."

A short prologue, I know, but it is the introduction to my story I hope I can develop well. Feedback and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated and if you think this story can turn out well, despite the fact that it wasn't much to read, let me know. Thanks for reading!