"You were born a few minutes before I was. We're both 27, but you're still the elder."
"Alright. If you say so, I'll do it. You're the elder, after all."
"Boy, there's a lot of commotion out there. Looks like the shinigami know us exiles are back."
"No....Aw forget it. Just do what you want to do about him."
"Leave him if you want. To be honest, the guy's annoying. He barely knows how to wield a sword, too."
"Agreed. I won't keep any more secrets from you."
"Yeah, I remember....Thanks for sticking around."
Koza opened his eyes slowly. "Where are we?"
"Thanks....." Koza said before passing out.
"Because you're the only family I've got left." He said as tears poured down from his face again.
"They're after us because our clan holds an item called the Coro. It's one of four parts of a key that is used to release a demon of great and terrible ower. The key was divided between the four great clans to keep someone from releasing the demon. Our parents left you behind because they didn't want to get you caught up in this whole mess, and I've done you a terrible injustice by dragging you back in...."
"What are you talking about? If I hadn't have come, those assasins would have killed you....."
Koza struggled to keep his eyes open. "Fine....I deserve that much...."
"Then my sister is truly dead....As the last of the Ishidas, I shall join my family in eternity...." His eyes had a blank look as he drew his sword and stabbed himself through the chest. Tears streamed as he fell forward onto the ground.
"Why are you doing this?! Why must you deny the truth?" Tears streamed from Koza's eyes.
"Heh, have it your way, girl." The man moved forward to strike, but soon fell dead. "What the hell?!" Both of the remaining assasins stared at Koza. "Come on, we have to go tell the superiors!" The men ran off. "Good riddance. They didn't hurt you, did they sister?"
"What's happening, boss?" Tsuda asked non-chalantly.
The three assasins surrounded Maiko and drew their weapons. "Well well. We never thought you'd come out of there." "Now tell us where your clan hid the Coro." "If you do, we'll make yoyur death swift." *Elsewhere...* Koza beheaded the assasin that attacked him. Now to go find Maiko... He ran swiftly, in hopes that he wasn't too late.
""She's in there. Should we strike?" "No, we wait until she comes out. The captain told us to get the information on the treasure out of her first." "Would you two shut up? She's going to hear us." *Meanwhile....* "Just give up. Go back and tell your masters that I'll have their heads." "I don't think so. We'll deliver both your corpse and your sisters to our master before we'd ever consider surrender!" The assasin said as the battle continued to rage.
Tsuda walked into a small storeroom and sat down. This place is more maze-like than I remember it. I wonder where the rest of the exiles are at...
