A SHINOBI TO THE END

CHAPTER 1: THE TEAM

The story starts off with three of the shinobi from the depths of a stone castle. The three characters are: Takeshi, our protagonist, Tatsuki, team member, and Kohaku the team's instructor and leader. There is one more member of this team but we'll get to him later. There is not much mention of Hotsuma and even less of him being featured in this story. I know, that's kinda stupid, get over it, the story is from a different perspective of what happened to the Oboro. It's from the eyes of one of the families many teams. Right now the team is in a stone castle (I know, weird) camouflaged against the wall waiting to ambush some of the guards. Their mission: to gather inside info on the supposed traitor in the Oboro clan who wishes to resurrect Hiruko. Enjoy.

P.S.-a garrote is a cord used to strangle opponents from behind; it's wrapped around their neck then pulled hard to cut of the air flow of the wind pipe. In short, it chokes them to death. Sephou means teacher, like sensei, it's pronounced SEE-foo.

Takeshi laid flat against the wall, trying to control his heartbeat and breathing. If he screwed this up, the whole mission and possibly his life would be over

"Takeshi, don't lose control!" whispered Tatsuki. She was always trying to correct everyone else's mistakes, his in particular, and failed to see any of her own. Usually he let it slide but every once in a while he lost it.

"Just make sure you both use garrotes, if the knives 'clink' then we're screwed if the guards here it." That was the voice of their teacher, Kohaku-Sephou.

Yes Sephou," they both whispered.

They all went silent as the latched door opened and three guards walked in. they closed the door behind them and continued walking.

The wire-cord garrote in Takeshi's hand was cold as ice, as cold as death.

Takeshi made the first move, he lunged forward and round-house kicked the first two guards in the back of the triangle they formed in the hallway.

Kohaku-Sephou leaped at the last guard and strangled him with the garrote nearly decapitating him from the cord wrapped around his head being pulled so hard. The only things stopping it were a few strong tendons and the spinal cord in the guard's neck. Blood spewed and sprayed everywhere as the guard fell to the ground.

"If the castle were made of wood instead of stone we'd be in serious trouble right now. Can you tell me why, Takeshi?" Kohaku asked.

"Because if it were made of wood, more guards would have heard the crash and rushed to the source of the noise," Takeshi said shamefully.

"Can we take on a castle full of guards?"

"No Sephou, we can't.'

"Good answer, remember that. Finish the guards and take anything worth taking."

"Kohaku-Sephou, isn't that a little extreme? Do we have to kill them?" Tatsuki protested.

Kohaku sighed and asked, "Consider this Tatsuki, what would happen to the guards if we let them live? They will be punished and quite possibly be tortured for letting intruders get in. We do them a kindness by killing them while they sleep," Kohaku finished.

With that being said, Takeshi unsheathed his Wakazashi (short sword more commonly used by samurai but known to be used by ninja/shinobi. Shorter than a katana but larger than a Tanto/knife) from his back, twirled it twice in the air and impaled one of the guards with it in the back.

"Takeshi! How could you be so heartless! I can't believe you would…"

Kohaku cut Tatsuki off, "NO Tatsuki! Do not scorn Takeshi for his actions. He has his moments of folly (foolishness), as do we all, but he did nothing wrong. Those guards would have begged us to kill them. You're the one who is being heartless by not killing them. Kill the last guard so we can continue with the mission."

Tatsuki thought for a moment.

"Think of it as fulfilling his last wish," Takeshi said kindly.

Tatsuki seemed to make a decision. She pulled out one of hear knives, kneeled down to the guard, and slit the last guards throat.

"Now we're getting somewhere," Kohaku said.

End chapter #1

So what did you think? Sorry about some of the earlier comments, I'm a little grumpy right now. Please right a review about what you thought about the story. I need to know how nicely this is coming along. I'm writing the second chapter; give me some time to think this through.