Light and Dark.
Chapter 3
The Hina Blade

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"So, Haruka whats the deal? Why call me down here?" I said. Staring at one of the many weapons that hung on the walls. The room I was in right now was a room Elyon built for Haruka. It seems every top officer needs a secret base and this is obviously hers. It resides right below her tea shop. A secret elevator is installed inside her tea shop that goes directly here. Also another one in one of the many secret rooms and passageways scattered in the Hinata-sou.

Haruka sat down on her personal chair right in the middle of the room.

Facing monitors and computer consoles of all sorts.

"Because I have another mission for you Keitaro."

She pushed a single button.

A picture of a single man popped on screen.

The man had a rugged face. The look of a serial killer with a ruthless smile. He had black short hair with a black thick beard that stopped close to his side burns. He had a black eye patch that covered his right eye while his left eye was perfectly fine. I could tell instantly that he meant bad news because I've seen them before.

"This man's name is Kai Wothfield. Also popularly known as Spike Wolf. He's the leader of the Black Wolf gang done by the docks. The gang is known for murder, theft, rape, the works."

I looked at the man's face carefully. "So...what do I do?"

"Right now its eleven o clock on Christmas eve. In about an hour Christmas is about to show its holy, good self. But Spike Wolf is about to turn this holy day into a complete hell. He plans to raid the Hinata province and all surrounding cities into burning ashes if nothing is done."

"And let me guess. That will not do for Elyon. They want today to be all good and holy. Full of construction. No radical destruction and endless killings."

Haruka nods. "Exactly. We want you to go down there and completely incapacitate them by assassinating the leader. They have stepped out of bounds with this filthy act.They must be stopped, and your the only man close enough to stop them."

I turned around and started to walk out of the room.

Haruka stood up. "Keitaro. One more thing."

I stopped, and looked over my shoulder. "Yes?"

"Put up a good show. Our 'partners' are going to see you in action so bring the Hina blade. This might convince them to join us and fund us."

"I was already on that."

And I was gone.

Haruka sat back down and pushed a button.

All the men from earlier popped on screen again.

"Okay boys. We have a little show for you today. A sort of demonstration." Haruka smiled.

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I stepped into my solitary manager room.

I had on my black trench coat, a spare one of course. The other one was still in laundry full of blood from earlier. My black gloves fit snuggly in my hands as I picked up one very important piece of my costume.

My black shades.

I twirled them, stopped, and placed them over my eyes.

I felt almost complete.

"..."

I shuffled over to my desk, and pushed it aside.

There behind it was a sheathed silver Katana. It was long and slender, with a very unique criss crossed pattern as its hilt. I could feel its dark aura calling out to me. I responded by grabbing it by the hilt and pulling it out of its scabbard. I put the desk back as it was before twirling the blade expertly.

To anyone it might look like an ordinary sword. But to an expert, he could see it was a cursed blade. Inside this blade lives an accursed monster. The Black dragon. It was sealed in this sword a thousand years ago in one huge fight, along with its brother the Red dragon and its sister the White dragon. Legend has it that these three monstrous beasts called the Dragon Trinity represent the spectrum of the world.

Red represents destruction. It symbolizes all that is unholy and evil in this world. Just like the color of blood when it pours out like a fountain when a throat is slit or the color of fire when it burns everything in sight, scorching the land. If one was to master the red side of the spectrum, that person would literally become the reaper itself. Wasting the land with its red deadly glow and leaving behind a trail of blood at its wake.

White represents construction, the opposite of red. It symbolizes all that is holy and good in this world. Like the color of a cloud when a person looks up at the sky. It gives the person a feeling of happiness and tranquility as the cloud floats above, gentle, over seeing. When a baby is born and the feeling of seeing it come into the world from a mother's womb, so innocent, so fragile, so carefree. That is construction. If one was to posses this unearthly side of the spectrum she would become an angel, coming down from the heavens to fight off the evil and save thousands with her angelic powers.

Black represents balance. If red destruction was the fire that scorches through the land, and if white construction was the cloud that loomed above the fire, then black balance would be the smoke in between them. This power has to stay in the middle to oversee the two polar extremes and balance them out. Just as the person who masters this potent side of the spectrum. This person wouldn't be a demon, nor be an angel, but just a simple force of power. Who's sole purpose is to be what it has to be. An equalizer.

These three swords were said to be lost after they were made, but a few generations ago this sword popped up out of no where. The black dragon sword, or what is now known as the Hina blade.

Elyon seeks balance in the world to keep it harmonized, and what other instrument is more perfect in carrying out that ideal then a sword with a dragon of balance sealed in it.

None...

And that is why my family has been using it. My family has been with Elyon for generations after the Hina blade was discovered. We were the ones who found it after all and we were responsible for it. So we decided to join up with Elyon and become their...so called right hand in the fight for balance.

Now this magnificent sword has been passed down to me. But usually when a person unsheathes this blade the dragon takes over the host's body and rampages out of control. But me and my family had tamed the black beast. Now only a person of the Urashima line and blood can hold this weapon of balance and utilize its full potential.

Luckily enough. I have all the requirements.

All right you stupid dragon. Lets get back to work...

A dark pulse of black came from the sword.

Suddenly the sword changed from silver metal to black metal right before my eyes.

I grinned and concentrated some more as black smoke started to warble out of the swords hilt.

Slowly the obsidian energy of smoke crept up my arm and I could feel the power engulf me.

"Nnnggnn..."

My back jerked, forcing me to arc backwards.

My eyes shot open from under my glasses.

I could feel the smoke pour into my eyes.

I gritted my teeth.

My eyes burned as flickering black smoke escaped my eyes.

And as fast as it came in the pain stopped.

I straightened my self and looked into the mirror.

My whole body, including the Hina blade was surrounded in an onyx field of smoke energy.

My trench coat wavered around from my artificial wind and smoke.

I looked at my hands.

I concentrated...concentrated...and soon enough my entire hands became a swirling mass of smoke as well. That was one ability I gained from this sword. I have the ability to cloak myself into black smoke, hardly visible to the naked eyes. Perfect for an assassin who needs stealth.

I uncloaked my hands.

I took off my shades and looked in the mirror.

There I could see my own eyes. Eyes of black. They contained no pupil, no iris, no anything. My eyes were literally just two black holes, pitch black holes. With sparkles of smoke rising from them. But it helps me see in the dark very well.

I looked over the room a little.

I winced as my desk's lamp light stung my eyes.

I quickly put my sunglasses back on. Unfortunately my eyes became more sensitive to the light. So sunglasses are necessary for me if I don't want to get blinded during a fight. Then I'm screwed.

I sheathed Hina blade back in its scabbard and stepped out of my dark and lonely room.

With gentle feet, I stepped down into the main room.

My eyes caught a glimpse of light from the fireplace which lit up the room.

There I had a good view of my new sleeping 'family'.

My lips curved to form a wide smile.

I couldn't help it. They all looked so cute. Shinobu and Naru slept together, a blanket wrapped around the two as they shared a recliner chair right in front of the crackling fireplace. Motoko and Suu both slept sharing the same blanket on the sofa. But Suu was hugging Motoko from behind. Any normal person would be struggling for air but Motoko however slept soundly. Mitsune laid sprawled on the floor next to the sofa opposite Motoko's. Her blanket covering her bottom half while he slept soundly with a sake bottle in her grasp.

I snickered and walked over towards the down Mitsune.

Scooped her up with both arms and slowly set her down on the sofa. Tucking her in with the blanket.

"More sake for my buddies! We're having a Party! Party! Party! ZZZZzzzzzzz." She grumbled half wake, half asleep, and all drunk before going back to sleep.

Next was her bottle of sake.

I reached a hand and tried to grasp it out of her but of course her hand refused.

You and your drinking habits Mitsune...

I tried pulling harder but it was as if her hands were glued to the darn bottle.

Then an idea popped into my head.

I grabbed the bottle tighter.

I concentrated...

Moments later the bottle had completely turned into smoke, causing Mitsune's hand to pass through the puff of smoke.

I smiled, materialized the bottle back to normal just to place it on the table.

I patted my hands and headed out the door.

I took one final look back at the girls and sighed.

I stared at their happy grins. Happy grins that one is suppose to have during this holy night.

Merry Christmas girls...Merry Christmas...

And I disappeared into the shadows in a veil of smoke.

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Christmas eve...

Eleven years ago...

Three years into the trial...

A nine year old Keitaro entered an abandoned house through a window.

He looked around and found no one.

"Its okay Kanako-chan. No one's here. Grab my hand."

Keitaro helped a six year old girl get through the window.

Her blouse completely dirty and partially ripped down at the skirt.

"O-Onii-chan. Is it really okay for us to be in this house?" Kanako questioned as she looked around the room. The room itself was nicely furnished with a set of comfortable couches and chairs. All facing a warm lit fireplace that Keitaro started. Tables full of plants were neatly arranged through out the living room and picture of the family who lives here hung from the walls.

The boy smiled as he scavenged through a nearby closet. "I dunno. I don't care. I saw them leave to visit a relatives house yesterday and I wanted you to sleep in a house for once. It is Christmas eve, a night full of miracles. I don't want you to freeze in a dark alleyway like all the other nights."

Kanako's eyes moistened. "O-onii-chan. You..you..."

"Come on Kanako-chan." Keitaro was now laying on the sofa nearest the fireplace. A warm blue blanket over his small body and an open spot right next to him, just small enough for a specific little six year old girl to snuggle into. "Lets go to sleep. I have a feeling Santa will be coming tonight and he will only give you presents if you sleep under a warm blanket."

The girl nodded and joined her older 'brother' from under the covers. The both of them snuggled together with Kanako's head buried into Keitaro's chest and his arms wrapped lovingly around her petite body. And for the first time, the abandoned siblings of the streets enjoyed warmth from three different sources on this Christmas night.

The blanket...

The fireplace...

And from each other...

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Present time.

Thirty minutes till midnight.

Hinata Province.

The docks.

Snow continued to fall down from the white sky.

Massive cargo ships stood frozen on the murky waters from afar.

The moon hovered over everyone's head behind white clouds.

I stood firm on top of a municipal building just across the street from the docks.

Warehouse after warehouse after warehouse was all I could see from where I stood.

My gloved hand unclenched and clenched. Trying to stay warm from the chilly air.

My trench coat wavered in the breeze.

Kanako-chan...I hope your having a great time with Granny Hina right about now ...

I inhaled, closed my black eyes and took a couple of steps back.

Obsidian smoke started to surround my feet.

I opened my black eyes and did a quick dash.

With a burst of black smoke from under my feet I performed a huge leap off the rooftop towards the docks.

I soured through the Christmas air as if I was flying.

Thats when I exhaled.

Merry Christmas Kanako-chan.

----------End of chapter 3-----------