If I am to tell my story, I shall speak of the night that changed my world. The year is 1336. Japan is divided. Warring Shogun vie for control after an attempt to restore Imperial Rule fails. It is Spring, but nothing is in bloom. My fields are ablaze. Fire sweeps over my farm manor. My family, friends, and those who served our land lie in ashes. Only I remain.

There is no time for mourning.

I equip the blade given to me by my father.

I dye the armor he had used to protect our land for generations in the ashes of my family. Even as the white turns into a harsh grey, the blood red sigils and Kanji bleeds through displaying the names of my ancestors: clan Yasunaga. Out from the shadows cast by the fire that took my family, my hand shall strike all those who failed to end our blood line. By my father's sword, the blood of those who trespass against shall fill the rivers and flow out into the sea.

This is my vow, and I shall keep it or die trying.

I ride for three days to the nearest village off the eastern shore, Mikawa. Dressed as a commoner, I spend three more days gathering information among the taverns, inns, and stables. Many share the same stories, the same tragedy and fate as my family. Farms burned. Daughters ravaged. Homes torn asunder in an attempt by a local Shogun to gather power. Without drawing attention to myself, a coalition is made in secret with those who remain loyal to clan Yasunaga and hunger for justice.

A week later, one hundred men and women gather with me in the hills above the Shogun's estate. We shroud ourselves in silence, hidden among the trees, moving as the wind and water gathering information on our prey. We learn the names, numbers and blood types of his staff, servants, and family. Each one of us has committed to memory the layout of the Shogun's manor. We study our target diligently to understand him better than he knows himself.

As the Spring ignites into Summer, on the first night of the solstice, we aim to strike and end the line of clan Yagami.

Our sun slumbers into the depths of the ocean while our rage continues to boil over all we have lost. Tonight, the scales of justice shall be even once more. Our group of silent assassins, the Shinobi, race into the manor house of Shogun Marth Yagami. We are as shadows hidden along the walls, roofs, and beneath his floorboards across the estate this man has built with the blood of our ancestors. We wait for the chime of the house bell to toll. With each strike, we slay the member of the house we've marked for blood. It has been decided that the honor of killing the Shogun himself, shall be mine alone.

With me, my loyal lieutenant, and lover. Amie Tokugawa and I brace ourselves in the rafters of the master's bedroom. No alarms have been raised to our presence. No house servants or staff have been reporting missing yet. All is silent. My heart races at the prospect that justice shall be restored. My heart leaps at what the future may hold for Amie and I. Fate would have it that she had been absent the day of the raid upon our farm. Luck would allow me to see our infant son before the dawn of a new day.

We further restrict our shallow breathing as at last, the master of the estate, Marth Yagami enters his chamber. As we've anticipated, he has finished bathing; defenseless, unarmed, and vulnerable. We watch him kneel upon his prayer mat and unlatch ourselves from our restraints descending as spider down from the rafters.

In a single motion, aided by the power of my descent, the blade of my father slices through Marth's heels in a single stroke. His cry of pain is as terrifying as a wolf in anguish. Aimie and I both step back to observe the horrifying miracle of Marth standing to his feet. His massive naked frame looms over us.

With blood spilling from his mouth, he asks us, "You dare invade my home? You dare impede my attempt to unify our lands?"

Removing my mask, I dare to answer this monster as a man of honor, "We reclaim what you've stolen, and demand repayment for the lives you've taken."

Marth laughs, spitting up more blood over the mats covering his floor, "Fools! The price to pay for unity is always blood. Without a united Japan, this land will descend into chaos."

I ready my blade to silence this beast; "Only the god-emperor has the right to unite our land. You shall only ever be a lord of hell, and I shall send you there myself!" As I swing my blade, Marth clasps his massive hands together, catching the steel between his palms. With a twist of his wrists fear overwhelms me as I witness the sword of my ancestors shatter into pieces. Fear begets anger as I remember the face of my father. With the broken hilt, I plunge the steel into Marth's neck. Pulling the blade around full circle, I peel the monster's head from its shoulders.

There is a moment of relief as I watch the body of the man who killed my family fall to the floor. That moment passes as I hear the wail from his wife and daughter. They run to the corpse of their father and husband. They mourn, praying to the gods to undo the justice my blade has done. I gather the shards of my family's sword. Our work is done, but the spirit of revenge has consumed Amie.

Possessed no longer by a sense of justice, Amie raises her blade above the necks of the wailing women. I plead with her to stop; there is no honor in following in Marth's path. Our clan will not be known for a legacy of murdering women and children.

She doesn't listen.

I watch as her blade rises higher.

I shed a tear for the mother my son will never know.

As my blade sinks into the stomach of my lover, she collapses forward. Her eyes gaze into mine. I did what had to be done before she lost her honor. Gathering her body into my arms, I leave with the surviving members of my clan to rebuild what we have lost. Until the day that the true emperor unities our land. We shall commit ourselves to honor, justice, and peace.