"Where am I?" the young man asked as he found himself sitting up in bed.

"Oh, so you're up," said the leader, who was sitting by his bedside. "You're at our headquarters. I am the captain of the troops. My name is Sanada Hagemi."

"What happened to the soldiers?" the young man asked weakly.

"They were routed by my men," Hagemi smiled. "But thanks to you, it was much easier. We could use someone like you. Join us. Help us take down the corrupt Hibiki clan!"

"You need not ask," the young man, who realized that Captain Hagemi was just around his age. "I have a score to settle with them."

"That's the spirit!" Hagemi exclaimed. "What's your name brave warrior?"

"Tatsuya," the young man replied. "Taira Tatsuya."

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Ugh, this dream again.

Brushing the cold snow off his cloak, Tatsuya got up to once again resume his upward hike. He was already halfway thanks to his determination, stopping only for a quick meal. He would only take a nap when the blizzard got too strong and he was forced to take shelter. Yet it seemed that the harshness of the elements was not enough, as Tatsuya was often plagued with the ghosts of his past. But Tatsuya felt that he probably deserved it. After what he had done, this sort of punishment was nothing.

It was a winter day just like this one. A winter day it was, when even the whitest snow was soaked with blood.

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"Fall back!" the Hibiki general cried. "Retreat!"

No one expected this outcome. Somehow the much smaller rebel force was able to push back the Hibiki army three times their size. Leading the charge was the brilliant Captain Hagemi, striking down anyone who stood in his way with his spear like a war god. And yet despite his valor, it was not Hagemi that the enemy feared. It was his strategist and top commander, swinging his flaming katana like a demon from the netherworld. There was no soldier who knew not the name of the Hunter Taira Tatsuya. Enemy troops called him The Butcher with how he ruthlessly slaughtered entire armies.

"Pursue them!" Tatsuya barked with eyes burning with bloodlust. "Strike them all down!"

"Tatsuya wait-" Hagemi called out, but Tatsuya already advanced forward.

Wherever Tatsuya swung his sword, blood gushed and heads rolled. The fiery swordsman was steamrolling through the opposition as if they were nothing. But that was what Captain Hagemi was worried about. It all seemed too easy. Something was off. This smelled like a trap.

Hagemi's fears were soon confirmed when ambush troops from all directions sprang out of hiding, surrounding Tatsuya. No matter how great a warrior he was, there was no way Tatsuya could hold off that many on his own. It would have been so simple for Hagemi to just abandon him, since they swore an oath to die for the captain if necessary. But throughout their countless battles together, Tatsuya had been more than just Hagemi's best warrior. He had become his best friend, and his most trusted ally. Hagemi was not about to let the enemy just take his head.

Damn it Tatsuya.

Hagemi spurred his horse forward, gripping his spear tight as he smashed through the right flank of the assailants surrounding his friend. Seeing his friend by side gave Tatsuya some renewed strength as he and Hagemi began to cut a bloody path.

"I owe you one," Tatsuya grinned. "I knew you'd have my back."

"Please don't be so reckless next time," Hagemi sighed. "Your strategies are all useless if you get yourself killed."

"I'm sorry, I got excited that's all," Tatsuya chuckled as he swung his sword to behead another opponent.

"Don't let all that winning get in your head," Hagemi smirked, plunging his spear at an enemy who was trying to slice him.

"It's like Suzaku Valley all over again!" Tatsuya grinned.

"You saved my ass back there," Hagemi smiled. "So how about we call it even?"

Just then they heard the voice of a woman singing. They turned around in horror to see that it was Lady Himei, the Yako of the Hibiki clan. Her voice hypnotized the soldiers fighting alongside the two warriors, turning them against their own allies. Tatsuya and Hagemi were forced to slay their own friends to save their lives. Just then, Tatsuya felt himself growing weak and succumbing to the effects of the Yako's spell. Seeing this Hagemi quickly rushed to his friend's side.

"Tatsuya! Snap out of it!" Hagemi screamed as he shook Tatsuya hard, trying to shake him off the trance.

"H-Hagemi..." Tatsuya spoke weakly. "H-Help me..."

"Fight it Tatsuya!" Hagemi cried with tears in his eyes. "Don't give in to this witch's power! You can do it my frie-"

Hagemi was cut short by a sharp pain, forcing him to cough up blood. Looking down, he saw that Tatsuya's sword has pierced through his chest. He smiled at his friend, whispering that he forgave him as his lifeless body crumpled on the ground. It was then that Lady Himei broke her spell. Tatsuya was horrified to find his friend dead by his own blade.

"No... What have I done?" Tatsuya cried.

"What a Hunter you are," Lady Himei mocked. "You killed your own friend!"

"You'll pay for this!" Tatsuya roared as he lunged at the Yako, only to have his blade blocked by the Hibiki daimyo himself.

"Insolent vermin!" the daimyo roared. "To think that you tried to harm my woman!"

"Kill him for me darling," Lady Himei flirted, egging the daimyo on.

Tatsuya and the daimyo exchanged blows, the sparks from their swords flying as they fought for about fifty bouts. Seeing them evenly matched, Lady Himei decided to resort to a bit of treachery. She tried to hurl poisoned darts at Tatsuya. But the hero saw them from the corner of his eye and deflected them with his sword. This however gave the opening the daimyo needed to give Tatsuya a powerful kick. This sent Tatsuya tumbling back, rolling on the snowy slope of the mountain. If he wasn't able to cling on the edge of the cliff at the last moment with one hand, he would have fallen to the watery ravine below. Lady Himei and the daimyo walked closer to Tatsuya, who was hanging on for dear life.

"Pathetic," Lady Himei scoffed as she watched Tatsuya struggle. "Just like that fool Ina."

"Y-You won't get away with this!" Tatsuya exclaimed.

"End him," Lady Himei commanded as she turned to the Hibiki daimyo.

The daimyo nodded and stomped on Tatsuya's hand. Tatsuya cried out in pain as he was forced to let go of his grip. And so, Tatsuya fell from a great height like a disgraced kami cast out of heaven. He crashed in the frigid waters below, the icy waves of the river slowly engulfing him. With his last ounce of strength, he swam for dear life to shore. The last thing he saw was the mouth of a cave as he finally escaped.

Then, everything faded to black.

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They say that a blade
Does not reach its full brilliance
Until it is tempered
In the raging flames of the forge
Like a dragon born of fire