The Scarlet Shadow [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter 1: Haunted

His sword radiated a demonic power as the fresh blood of his victim dripped from it.  The metallic smell of blood surrounded a poor girl, her mind suspended because of shock. Her ocean-blue eyes mirrored the unmoving and breathless body of her beloved father, the leader of their village. Unable to think straight and move her body accordingly, all she could do was breath a quiet cry under the dim light of the full moon. Her eyes that just opened after a deep slumber darted to the shadow standing on a tree branch whose emerald eyes stared back at her. She couldn’t clearly see the assassin’s face, however, his hungry eyes were something she could not forget.

Hanabi flung her eyes open, her breathing was ragged as she felt her heart thumping wild in her chest. She was even dripping with sweat as if she just finished her daily training. Realizing that it was just the same nightmare, she got up from her bed and headed to the window where she could see the already rising sun.

"You've overslept," a soft voice said behind her.

"I'm sorry," Hanabi apologized to her mother without looking at her straight in the eyes. 

Noticing that she avoided eye contact, her mother knew that her nightmares were haunting her again. It was something she could not eradicate, and all she could do was hold her hand tight and tell her that what happened had long been done and she was not at fault at all.

However, Hanabi could not just forget about that incident, it was entrenched in her mind that no matter how hard she tried to forget it, it still comes back whenever she least expects it.
Her mother kissed her on the forehead before telling her to get ready for breakfast and left so her daughter could get ready.

Hanabi went straight to the washroom and washed herself, wishing that the water would also wash away the nightmares that haunted her. She immediately changed into her combat apparel before walking into the training ground, a place of solace that helped her temporarily forget about the tragedy.

She tied her long, black hair with the red ribbon that was given to her by her father when she was still young. She breathed in and out to calm herself down, her eyes scanning the training hall as if instilling in her mind every crook and cranny and plan her attacks.

10 years ago...

Hanabi just turned 10 that day, she and her father were currently at the village of the Shadow sect for an important meeting of the village leaders. She was told to play outside but instead of doing so, she was secretly eavesdropping on the meeting by staying at the very next room of the meeting place. Just by placing her ear on the thin wall that separated her and the people from the other room, she could hear their voices quite clear. However, she was not able to listen until the very end.

"Hanabi," her father suddenly called out to her upon noticing her presence. "Eavesdropping has not been taught so why are you doing it?"

"I'm sorry!" Hanabi turned red before turning her back, ran towards the long hallway and shut herself in her assigned room.

She clicked her tongue out of disappointment and rolled her eyes since there was nothing interesting for her to do. She peeked outside and tried to hear any footsteps, wondering if someone had followed her, yet no sign of any person which showered her with relief.

With nothing else to do, she simply got her kunai set tucked under her bed and started writing seals on several rectangular special parchment papers, which will help her enhance her weaponry.

At a young age, she had been very keen when it comes to fighting especially that she was the only heir to wield the Higanbana, an heirloom and a cross-blade weapon that only their bloodline could use.