Kana knew something was wrong when she saw her house ahead. Her mother always set a lantern outside after sunset. It was usually so that Hiroto could find his way back home after drinking most of the night.
The lantern was laying on the ground, broken. The front door was ajar.
The ominous feeling Kana had felt moments ago, returned. She had never felt this way. Every fiber of her being told her something was wrong.
She hastened towards her house and walked in. She smelled it before she saw the streaks on the floor.
Blood.
"Mother?" Kana's voice wavered. She barely heard the old man clanging his way inside and taking his place beside her.
She heard a gurgling sound and her heart leaped.
"Let me." The old man hopped to the side and she heard a flick of a match. Dim orange light filled the room and that was when Kara felt her world come crashing down.
"Mother!" She ran to Azumi who was sprawled in the corner of the room, lying on a pool of blood.
"Kana?" She gasped. "He...he...said he killed you."
"Father did this to you?" Kana tried to press down on the stomach wound to stop the bleeding but then saw the wound on her chest that was much deeper. "I can't stop it. I..." She turned to her companion.
"Help me."
The old man shook his head sadly. "I cannot."
"You have to! I know you can! You know magic!"
The old man looked at her with pity. "My powers are diminishing. I used them to protect you from the Hachishakusama. I don't have enough magic to help your mother. I am sorry."
Kana wailed as she tried to use her hands futilely to try to stop the bleeding.
"I'll kill him. He had no right to do this to you. How could he do this to you? He's supposed to be your husband and protect you. He's my father and he tried to kill me. I will never forgive him."
Azumi grabbed Kana's hand. "He's not your father."
Kana felt her heart sink. She felt like she had been struck.
"Listen to me..." Azumi gasped. "You are the emperor's daughter...he..."
"You must save your breath," the old man quickly said. "Do not give yourself more pain."
"This cannot be true." Kana wept.
"I told him tonight. That is why he did this to me."
"Mother..."
"The emperor threw me out...when he found out I was having you."
The old man put his feeble hand on Kana. "I think we should call for help."
Kana barely paid attention to the old man. "How dare he? He will pay for mistreating you. Hiroto will pay too. They will both suffer for what they did."
Azumi nodded slowly before her eyes flickered close.
Kana could feel the life leaving her mother's body. She wailed when her mother passed away, clutching her hand and wishing she could bring her back to life.
*****
Toshihiro felt sympathy for Kana. It was truly sad that the girl had to face such a tragedy.
But he hadn't wanted Kana to find out her origins just yet. The more she learned about her heritage, chances were great she would learn about her powerful bloodline.
Toshihiro had yet to determine how much power Kana had in the first place. He could sense the power in her but it was latent.
And it was a power he wanted for himself. He was going to siphon it from her without her even realizing it.
He heard a slithering sound and sighed.
He was probably not the only one who could sense her powers. It seemed the yokai in her hometown could sense her too.
He had to take her away from here. Perhaps if she was away from the place she was born, the yokai might not sense her. Also, he had to do something about her scar.
"What's that sound?" Kana asked.
Toshihiro pointed up.
Kana followed his finger and gasped.
From a hole in a ceiling, a woman with long hair, and a long tongue, slithered out. Her sickly yellow eyes immediately set on Kana and her tongue ran across her pointed teeth.
"What is that?" Kana asked, taking a step back.
"Tenjo Kudari. She has come for you."
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