Chapter 1: Murder In Gohda's Castle
Rikimaru awoke in a cold sweat, he was still having nightmares about his master Azuma Shiunsai being murdered by his friend and mentor Tatsumaru. He had trusted Tatsumaru and yet trust wasn't enough, his treachery ended in his death. Rikimaru missed him terribly, but he still had Ayame, his 17 year old apprentice in which he loved more then life in itself but he had to deny his feelings. He knew she had been in love with Tatsumaru and probably had no feelings for him.
He yawned and rose from his cot on the floor of his small ninja house that he shared with Ayame at the edge of Lord Gohda's Azuma village and walked out of the room. He walked toward the kitchen and past the living room where he saw Ayame already up and dressed performing her morning worship to Buddha. He stopped and watched her for a while, her beautiful perfect body moving up and down as she bowed to the small bronze statue on a small iron table in the middle of the living room. He sighed just low enough so she wouldn't hear him and continued toward the kitchen. He had just reach the door when he heard some muffled trumpet playing coming from the front of the house. Panicked he rushed from the kitchen and out the front door just in time to hear the trumpet player say, "I now present Sire Sekyia from Gohda Castle sent to speak to the warriors of Gohda," in a loud clear voice.
Just then Ayame rushed from the house and stood just beside Rikimaru. "Rikimaru, what is happening?" she asked in a confused tone. "It's okay, Sire Sekyia has decided to pay us a visit," he informed her. At these words a tall middle aged man stepped from the middle of the crowd of guards that accompanied him. "Rikimaru. Ayame, it is so nice to see you again," he said in a very somber voice. Ayame and Rikimaru bowed to Lord Gohda's advisor and stood up. "Unfortunately I come with bad news," he said to the two warriors, "Lord Gohda's nephew Temicaru was murdered while on his monthly visit to the castle. He was found this morning on the floor of the guest room, his thoat slit, his left eye missing and a strange symbol carved into his chest. Lord Gohda requires you assistance at the castle," he finished, and a pained smile spread across his face as if happy he had succeeded in finding them but they could tell the smile was forced. "Sire Sekyia, we will be ready and to the castle as soon as possible, thank you for imforming us," Rikimaru told him. He nodded and turned to his men, "Let us go home now," They turmed their horses around and started back toward the castle. Rikimaru turned back toward the door of his house, "Ayame get ready, we will depart in a half an hour," he said to her.
When back in the house Rikimaru and Ayame prepared to receive a new mission from Lord Gohda when they arrived at his castle, they packed weapons, shirikens, healing potions, smoke bombs and Ninja Cloaking Devices. They bathed and dressed, Rikimaru in his red ninja suit, with a black belt around his waist and a black headband that was half hidden under his light sliver hair, his sword pulled in a tight sheath on his back. Ayame dressed ina a light blue ninja suit also with a black belth around her waist, her two short swords placed in waist sheaths so that the crossed diagonally across her back. Rikimaru preformed his worships and they were out the door. Time was a factor so for extra speed the two ninjas crossed the twon to the Azuma stables and saddled up, they hopped on and headed off at a full gallop toward the castle.
When they arrived fifteen minutes later, Lord Gohda, Sire Sekyia and Princess Kikiu were standing outside waiting for them, the Princess was crying and in front of the trio there was a small structure covered in a red blanket. "Welcome Azuma Ninja, I'm quite sure Sekyia has told you our situation, Sekyia cna you take Kikiu inside please," Gohda said. Sekyia nodded and led the sobbing Kikiu into the castle.
Lord Gohda waited until the doors of the castle were closed then turned to the warriors. "This is...was my nephew," he said throwing the blanket off the small figure. At the sight of the small mutilated boy Ayame let out a sob and turned away nearly ramming into Rikimaru who looked down at the boy in shock. "He was murdered last night around sun up," he informed them. "Who would do somehting like this?" Ayame asked, still not looking at the body. "We don't know, we just found him like this," he answered. Rikimaru didn't know either, nor did he care, all he did know was that whoever did this would pay with their life.