Chapter One: Daunting Termination

"Mommy, I'm sleepy…" The mother squeezed the child's tiny hand harder. Their breaths showed up too clearly in the morning's cold air. They wore multiple layers, consisting of things like scarves, boots, kimonos, and furry coats, and the covers were mostly drenched. The clan up brought icy morning dew with every step, damping their worn boots. Sometimes the raindrops flung up to awake their faces, probably due to the force of the clan's long strides.

"Don't worry love…" The mother lied. Her pale face was painted with frost and fear. "We'll be home soon. You can rest then." The women stumbled over a small rock shortly after; it revealed how her movements were blocky and uncertain. She caught herself before falling, but still surged very easily. Sheena's cold eyes moved to observe another target. Her clan… Was weakening… And she couldn't do anything about it! She was supposed to stop it!

Sheena felt very tempted to crash her heel onto the wet grass violently. The force, however, would only send dew drops up her leg and make her to shiver more. The ninja had refused to put on extra layers this morning, and now was rethinking the decision. Normally things were better traveling in the morning; the clan started moving early to avoid having to walk during the hot afternoons, if it every got that bad. They would usually just take breaks for the afternoons and travel on the colder hours of dusk and dawn. However, the climate seemed to be getting colder and colder as they traveled on. The land seemed to get worse… Things were seeming to get hopeless.

'I shouldn't…' Sheena thought to herself, 'Be thinking those things... It's me who needs to be the strongest right now…' She paused in her walking to take a few deep breaths, which ending up being a minute or two of soppy panting. The ninja repositioned her sacks, heaving them up higher on her back, and walked onward. Oh well. At least the labor of moving the clan's possessions was keeping her hot.

… Okay, it was keeping her back hot. Her feet, shins, hands, and face were still freezing. And what was hot was burning from the inside; her outside was frozen. The unbalance made things worse.

And worse.

And worse.

Things weren't extremely interesting, just hard work, and every day passed slowly. Though the clan was, mostly, in excellent physical condition and the ninjas could move quicker than most people. It did bring in the extra task of trying to stay hidden, though, being ninjas. They'd have to walk around several places. The longer routes weren't too bad, though… Right? Sheena was beginning to wonder.

The children complained again – they had to put in their whining every few hours. "Mommy, it's cold…" "Daddy, are we there yet?" "Can we take a break, please?" "Mom, can you carry my load..? Just for a bit? I'm tired!" The guardian would hush them quickly, sending worrying glances to the rest of the clan; hoping they hadn't been disturbed. They always apologized to Sheena, but she was never cross with them. The chief felt badly for them, actually.

Terrorized screams interrupted the children's moaning, however. And no one liked those sounds more. Most of the people glanced at Sheena for orders. The chief ninja was already dropping her bags, and excitement was pulsing through her. It wasn't child's play, though. There was something bad up ahead and she couldn't get juvenile…

"I'll go up ahead and see what's going on," Sheena began to bark out orders, taking a few leaps into the direction of the pained shouts, "Yukio, Sashin, Kaname, and Sachi," Sheena motioned to the more elite members of the clan, pointing at each one of them as she said their name, "You come with me. Everyone else… Take a break for awhile. It's almost afternoon, anyway." And not waiting for her selected to follow, Sheena began to take more fast, long jumps in the destined direction. She loved how the frost would leave her feet, and she'd soar for a moment; then Sheena's body would jerk back when her foot hit the ground, but soon she'd be leaping again…

The chief's selected ninjas soon where pacing themselves by her side. "What will we do, Chief?" They asked, eagerly.

"Just see what's going on. We'll probably help." Sheena answered. All of the warriors dipped down their heads in understanding, and then focused back on their jumps. It didn't take long for the small group to cross the field, and they quickly emerged into the scene of the crime.

A growl welcomed them. "It's dirtying the grass. Do you want to dirty the grass as well?" In the clearing stood a small man, wearing a townman's plain, brown and tan clothing. Expect in his hand he had a great, big sword. All of his hair was white, though he didn't seem that old.

"W-what's dirtying the grass..?" Sheena managed to gasp. Her elites were manning their face to keep cool, but Sheena's true expression showed, and she failed to act calm. She was afraid.

The man chuckled, looking at the ground. Soon after, however, he snarled again, "Their blood!" He roared, "Their fifthly blood!"

The gaze of the ninja's instantly saw the collapsed body of two beaten half-elves. One was a tiny girl, with a sweet cream dress and a clump of purple hair. The other was probably her father; his glasses were crushed right next to his face. The corpse also had on the plain clothing, and sliver hair. Both of them were splattered in blood. Their own blood.

Sheena spotted elvin ears on the deceased bodies, and stared up at the murder to find elvin ears on him as well. "You… You're a pure elf, and you killed these two, just because they're half-elves?! You killed a daughter and her father?!"

"Did you know them, Sheena?" Yukio's mature voice surprised Sheena, and her body shook once in shock. She looked over at him; as always. He kept his angry, hurt, or twisted expressions hidden, and only displayed the 'good' ones. Right now he looked extremely cold.

"No." Sheena sputtered, "But just look. He is an elf with a sword. The deceased ones are at least somewhat elvin. He said they had filthy blood; that it was dirtying the grass! And it's a small girl, killed while she was in a man's grasp." The murdered froze for a moment, and then nodded, approving her logic. Sheena spat out, "Sick."

"…I call upon thee…"

The man seem ashamed, though his face was hidden. He remained quiet and looked down at the red-stained blades of grass once green. Sheena was unsure what to do. Finally, she sighed, "We're still reporting you to the police for murder-"

"…in the land of the dead to unleash thou fury of thunder…"

"Chief!" Sachi gasped, the only other girl among the group, as a panicking realization occurred upon her, "He was spell-casting!"

"What-?!" Sheena gawked, jumping back, but it was too late.

"Indignation!" The man yelled out.

"It's a powerful thunder spell," Sheena briefly informed everyone, in case they did not know. She recalled Genis unleashing it's might on their enemies… But she never imaged it'd be used on her. It was a horrifying spell. "Run!" She then ordered. If they could make it out of the circle on time, then perhaps—

"Gaaaaah!" Sashin screamed helplessly. The area where he was standing was hit first. Everyone else soon followed.

……………………………

"Did you hear those screams?"

"It had to be-"

"Yes! They're in danger. Let's go!"

The rest of the clan poured into the bloody scene. Some women had stayed behind with the children, but most of the ninjas were there. The murderer laughed, twisted, though he himself seemed to be in doubt. "I'll take you all on at once!" He declared through mad chuckles. The man slashed his sword wildly and began to spell-cast once again.

……………………………

"All right, you're good." An older woman kindly proclaimed. She was smiling weakly. Her spirit had probably been weakened by the horrible mob of the wounded.

"I don't feel like I'm good." Sashin muttered, popping up from the ninja's makeshift table: a tree trunk.

The older woman, whom was one of the many nurses helping out the clan, shook her head and sighed, "It just takes time to heal. I've done all I can."

Sashin glanced back at her, surprised that she replied, "Ah, no." He assured her, waving the comment away with his hand, "I… I mean, I didn't intend to offend you." The healer raised her eyebrows and nodded slowly. Sashin glanced around nervously. "Things aren't working." He finally mangled, "The whole clan got involved in that fight, and it was a bloody mess. I feel physically down," he glanced at his bandaged arms, "but mentally, I feel worse."

The woman nodded again, "I know – it is difficult." The healer didn't deliver much sympathy, however, "Now, I must heal the others." She raced him on. "I can do nothing for your spirit." Sashin bowed his head down maturely and quickly exited, back onto the damp fields of grass where the clan was resting.

"H-how do you feel?" Sheena asked Sashin, taking the last few steps towards him uncertainly. He hadn't noticed her coming; she had probably taken very light, careful, nervous steps. A true ninja. Sashin acknowledged her by glancing back, but it was with a dismissive appeal, briefly after looking back towards the depressing meadows. He didn't reply. Sheena shook her head, angling downwards as she did so. "Of course." She admitted, "That must be a difficult question right now. I'm sorry."

Sashin looked back at her. "Are you apologizing just for the question?"

Sheena bit her lip. This time it was her to look away. "No." She heaved, "For everything. I can't find us a home. I got everyone in danger. I'm making a mess of everything, and fixing none of it…"

Sashin shrugged. He shifted his gaze away as well. "It is not your burden alone. If it truly concerns the clan, they will push you in the right direction. If they have not rebelled against your actions yet, that means they approve of them, and that they trust you."

Sheena glimpsed over towards him with her eyes only. "They shouldn't." She mumbled, looking away again. Eye contact would make the conversation even more uncomfortable.

Sashin shrugged casually once again, "You can do great things." Sheena figured he was referring to the time she traveled and united the worlds.

"Only when I have others to carry me." She spat. Alone, she was worthless.

"You have this whole clan." Sashin argued calmly, "They will support you. They do trust in you. Now go and make their trust worthwhile." With that, Sashin walked off, leaving Sheena standing there alone.

Standing there alone, in the misty morning. Dew drops scattered across the clothing. Frost filling every breath. Behind her standing lines of bleeding wounded, before her standing the so-called healed. But they didn't look any better. Nothing was looking any better. Everything was getting worse.

And worse.

And worse.

And worse.

And…