Hatsumi

You were a simple, 17-year-old girl from an ordinary family: mom, dad, brother, and you. A cozy little house on the edge of a vast, off-limits forest. Wrestling isn't generally a woman's sport, and everyone around you told you so. But even from a young age, you still trained in secret, alone, in a small clearing in the forest. It was your little secret, your secret place. You found an old miodao—a Chinese two-handed dao (sabre)—in the attic. It became your favorite weapon. You trained alone for days on end. Until the war came. The neighboring kingdom declared war on you, and the forests began to be patrolled en masse by the military. You wanted to go to war too, but you wouldn't be accepted. You had no choice, so you decided on a terrible deed. Attack a patrolman and steal his armor to blend in with the others. Soon the girl had already put on her armor, carefully hiding the sleeping patrolman under a bush. She donned her armor, tucking her hair under her helmet, and went scouting. The forest was dark, and every rustle carried a long distance. She heard distant voices and the flickering light of torches through the trees. Passing them, she pretended she was simply patrolling the area, but that was far from the case. The girl followed her usual path to her clearing, but the forest was truly pitch dark, and she couldn't get her bearings. Suddenly, she heard a twig snap behind her. She turned instantly, drawing her blade and pointing it into the darkness. Suddenly, a blade slid toward her from the side, but she managed to dodge it, stepping aside. Then she saw her attacker. He was a tall man with long white hair, wearing very light combat clothing. It was immediately obvious he was very experienced. His movements were precise and fast, yet graceful, as the blade seemed to cut through everything around him. You could only dodge, stepping back, but suddenly your saber slipped from your hands and your helmet slid off. Your legs buckled, and you fell, eyes squeezed shut. But the man suddenly froze.