Purpose of the Warrior

You wake up in a field of rain, mud and blood. The corpses of horses and men lay steaming all around you. The battle of Shinganshina had concluded long before you come out of unconsiousness. You try to remember... what is your name? [[Toshiro]] [[Minoto]] [[Wanako]]

//Father no... General Koichi... Must kill him....// You were 14 when Koichi arrived at Miyamoto. A small village, but it's where your father settled after the first big war. He was an acredited soldier and was known throughout the lands, which is why it was so easy for Koichi to find him. Koichi made you watch as he strung up your father's head to his belt. It wasn't even a fair fight either, as 8 out of the 23 of Koichi's men also died that day. "I'll kill you", you said to Koichi. Him and his remaining men laughed. "There's a another [[war]] brewing, kid. Find me there" he told you. You fall back into unconsciousness...

The smell of blood is familiar for you. It reminds you of the forest and all the game you would hunt when you were alone. This was before Takezo brought you in... Toshiro... Wanako... You hear Wanako yell in the distance. You wonder for a second if the cut on your leg is enough excuse to avoid battle. The future best swordsman in Japan would not hesitate to save a friend. You [[get up]].

You awake to the laugh and chatter of refugee hunters around you. You count 6 sets of legs as you play dead. The nearest one to you pokes a dead body, then proceeds to take his sword and helmet. You have to think of something to do and fast. [[Attack.]] [[//Run away from the hunters.//|Running]]

You awake again to the sound of swords clashing and a man screaming. It seems the violence is not over. Koichi... You never did find him here. Will you ever? Can you even kill him? You should just give up... But... Minoto and Wanako might still be alive. [[//Get up.//|Toshiro awakes]] [[//Give up.//|Toshiro gives up]]

You finally come to the source of the commotion. Your friends are there. Minoto has what appears to be a refugee hunter upon him. The hunter has a grip on his neck and Toshiro is struggling to get him off and to take a breath. Wanako is retreating, his eyes set on another hunter who is approaching him with a spear. [[Save Minoto]] [[Save Wanako]]

Father is not here. There is no point. He's not here for me to bring him honor... You [[//fall asleep easily...//|Start]]

As you run towards the shouts and yells, you scan the ground for a weapon. The only corpse on your path had a bow and a couple arrows on him. You were a horrible shot back in your village. Lying a couple of feet from the body is a spear. Take the [[//spear//|rock]]. Take the [[bow and arrow]].

As you get up on your feet, a hunter grunts and yells at the sight of you. You bolt in the other direction and start running. You then hear the rest of the hunters start to pursue. You look back and notice they are quite a bit of ways behind. You start to feel relief that is soon replaced with a feeling of sharp pain. You look down and there's an arrow that has pierced you right knee. You tumble forward and land on your back. You cannot move your leg. The sky is gray yet peaceful as you lay there aware of your imminent death. Your vision starts to get blurry but you are not dead yet. You look towards the hunters and see a man with tousled hair tied up with a ribbon evading sword swings. One of the hunters is immobile, his head under a rock. "Where is your sword, Minoto", you think as you slip back into unconsiousness. A few minutes later he is laying beside you, dying. You turn to him and he says, "Hello, friend". You see that he has killed all of them. "I managed to grab one of their swords". "I see", I respond. "Let's hope Toshiro is still alive" "Of course", he says. The sky and ground are familiar, you go back to the [[//darkness//|Start]].

You grab the nearest rock to you and strike the back of his head. He yells out and drops his sword. You pick it up as you notice the 5 other hunters notice their injured friend who is clutching his head and cursing you. You prepare for an honorable death as they start closing in on you. Just then, Minoto comes rushing in behind the farthest soldier on the right and kicks him down. The confusion allows Minoto to stand with you. "Switch with me" He gestures toward the sword you hold and then the bow strung on his back. You chuckle as you prepare for the [[//battle//|battle-Wanako]]. You were always the best shot of the village...

You count 6. You rush the farthest one on your left as they close in on Wanako. You fling the spear at a hunter's head. You grab the dead man's sword and notice Wanako a few meters away, immobile and with an arrow through his knee. You look onto the sneering hunters. "Five versus one? I'll have you know I am the best swordsman from Miyamoto village...." Some time later you are laying besides your dear cowardly friend. You still cannot believe you are Wanako came to the war. You are both dying. He turns to you and you say, "Hello, friend". He sees that you have killed all of them. "I managed to grab one of their swords". "I see", He respond. "Let's hope Toshiro is still alive" "Of course", I say. The sky and ground are familiar, you go back to the [[//darkness//|Start]].

You count 6. You come in rushing in behind the farthest soldier on your left and you kick him down. They were closing in on Wanako but their confusion allows you to stand next to your friend. "Switch with me", you say as you notice he's holding a sword. He grins at you. Wanako was always the best shot in your village. The [[//battle//|battle-Minoto]] ensues...

You find yourself on the ground, backing slowly on all fours. There is a hunter in front of you, a spear pointed at you. Minoto seems to be wrestling another hunter in the corner of your view. You are not left with many choices, however, you are sure you don't want to go out a coward. Try to [[fight]] Keep [[backing up]]

You find yourself wrestling with an ugly looking hunter, mud and rain flying everywhere in your struggle. The hunter lunges at you with his knife. You dodge and manage to kick the knife out of his hand unto the ground. The hunter sees his opening and puts both hands on your neck and you fall onto your back. Under normal circumstances, you could beat this hunter in strength, but your energy is almost completely gone. You struggle. Your vision started blackening. Out of the corner of your eye lays Wanako, fear in his eyes as another soldier points a spear at his head. You also see the bodies. Some with arrows in their upper bodies and some slain by your sword. You wish you could help him. You slip more and more into unconsciousness. Behind the hunter, you see the silohuette of Toshiro. He recognizes your look and he asks for guidance with his eyes. "[[Help me]]" "[[Help Wanako]]"

You bolt towards Minoto and the hunter, who is substantially closer than Wanako and his predicament. You kick the hunter in the side of face which knocks him off of your friend. You proceed to pound him with your fists. When the hunter is unconsicious, you run past Minoto. Minoto is not breathing, his face is slightly purple. The hunter had pierced Wanako's upper torso with a spear when you jumped on the hunter's back, squeezing his neck with your arm. You manage to bite his ear which angers him and throws you off. You land on your feet while he buckles and drops his spear. You pick up his spear and drive it into the back of his neck. He is dead. You check on Wanako. He manages to grin slightly at the sight of you before wincing back into pain. "I do not think I will make it [[//friend."//|friends dying]]

You run towards Wanako. The hunter had nearly struck Wanako with a spear when you jumped on the hunter's back, squeezing his neck with your arm. You manage to bite his ear which angers him and throws you off. You land on your feet while he buckles and drops his spear. You pick up his spear and drive it into the back of his neck. He is dead. Wanako seems fine as you get up and look towards your other friend. You bolt towards Minoto and the remaining hunter. You kick the hunter in the side of face which knocks him off of your friend. You proceed to pound him with your fists. When the hunter is unconsicious, you check on Minoto. Minoto is not breathing, his face is slightly purple. You turn to Wanako who has not yet shaken off the near-death experience. "[[Help him]]", you say.

You were too late again. Your friends lie dead beside you. Minoto could not get enough air after the fight with the hunter. Wanako was the only one who studied the medical back in your village, but he died soon after the spear wound. Now you are completely alone. The pain that would only ever diminish due to your bloodthirst, was now completely gone. You felt at ease as you lay down and go to [[sleep.//|Start]]

The pressure on your neck vanishes, yet you still cannot breath. You cannot diminish figures anymore, everything fades into [[//darkness//|Start]]...

You awake next to a campfire. Wanako and Toshiro are sitting on either side of the fire. Your neck is stiff as you try and get up. Wanako tells you to not get up so fast. Your friends go on to explain that Wanako was able to resuscitate you. The rest of the night reminded you of late nights at the old dojo. You had your best two friends and comrades with you as you laughed and recount stories. At dawn, you decide it's best that you all should decide the next move. As expected, Toshiro wants to keep traveling, looking for the next war on his search for Koichi. Wanako says he has had enough violence and with your company he will return to the village. Accompany [[\\Toshiro\\|Go with Toshiro]] Accompany [[\\Wanako\\|Go with Wanako]]

You find yourself sitting at a campfire. Both Wanako and Minoto are beside you laughing and recounting our shared traumatic experience of war. You are grateful that you saved Wanako first. Without him, you wouldn't of been able to save Minoto from asphyxiation. You try and laugh with them but the guilt comes back. You did not find Koichi. Anger seeps through your face and Wanako notices. "We will find him", he says. Minoto is standing above you. "We will bring honor to our village, become known." He extends his hand. It is dawn and time to look for food. You hesitate to reach for your old friend's hand... Your only goal is to kill General Koichi. The anger inside you stirs. What you need is to let go of all ties. Think only of destroying and killing anyone that puts themselves in front of him. Wanako and Minoto would only slow you down. Yet... they are your friends... [[Take his hand]] [[Wave it off]]

~ 2 years later ~ You are surrounded by Koichi's bodyguards. You are at his palace, his home. The black cloth that evelopes your body also hides your face. Kunai in both hands you step back, colliding slightly with Wanako and Minoto. You are back to back, hunched a little, ready for battle. You smile and lunge forward [[\\The End\\|Start]]

~ 2 years later ~ You are surrounded by Koichi's bodyguards. You are at his palace, his home. The black cloth that evelopes your body also hides your face. Kunai in both hands you step back, but there are more of them behind you. The anger and bloodthirst fuel your body. You grimace and lunge forward. [[\\The End\\|Start]]

~ 2 years later ~ You are surrounded by Koichi's bodyguards. You are at his palace, his home. The black cloth that evelopes your body also hides your face. Kunai one hand and sword in another you take a step back, colliding slightly with Wanako and Minoto. You are back to back, hunched a little, ready for battle. You smile a little. Your name is known throughout Japan. You are grateful for another battle and lunge forward. [[\\The End\\|Start]]

~2 years later~ You and Wanako went back to the village. You became the new dojo master while Wanako becomes head of the village. There is not a day when you don't think of Toshiro. There is also not a day in which you regret the day you gave up the dream of being the best swordsman. That day after the [[\\war\\|Start]]...

You try and reach for the spear in front of you. You have a strong grasp on it and manage to take it out of the hunters hands before he kicks you. You catch a glimpse of the grey sky before he delivers several blows to your head. His fists keep coming until you are numb to the pain. In an instance you grasp the spear on the floor and strike him from the ground into the neck. He falls next to you, dead. You realize you are going to die soon as well. You catch another glimpse into the sky and think, "At least I wasn't a coward". You fall asleep once [[\\again\\|Start]].

You stick with your intuition and keep backing up. He is about to strike you when you throw mud in his eyes. He yells and curses you. At that moment, Toshiro appears. He jumps onto the hunter's back and in 3 seconds, he on the floor, [[dead]].

After resuscitating Minoto, you make camp and tend to your wounds and Toshiro's. When Minoto wakes up, it is just like old times. You are all laughing and recounting tales of the village. You decide, however, it is time to talk about what you all will do now. Minoto and Toshiro want to continue their goal driven journey. You want to go back to the village. [[Go with Toshiro and Minoto.]] [[Go back to the village.]]

~ 2 years later ~ You are surrounded by Koichi's bodyguards. You are at his palace, his home. The black cloth that evelopes your body also hides your face. Bow in one hand and arrows in another you take a step back, colliding slightly with Wanako and Minoto. You are back to back, hunched a little, ready for battle. This makes your fears ease a little. You are grateful for your friends and lunge forward. [[\\The End\\|Start]]

~2 years later~ You have just recieved news of Toshiro and Minoto. Their names grow popular, the whole village praises them. You wonder if you could've been as known as them if you continued on that journey. Your mind refocuses to the village. "I will never know", you think.