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Her brother had beena solution

Just like her father

Ranmaru paused before Raiden He stood tall Fearless

With a wicked gleam in his eye, Raiden unsheathed the sword in his hands Mariko flinched froht

The lea enchanted with an otherworldly light A vague an to take shape in the deepest recesses of Mariko’s rasp

Rannize this weapon?" Raiden asked

Ranmaru’s back was to Mariko, but she saw his hands turn to fists "You have no right to that sword"

"I have every right"

"Your father htful owner"

"Return irl is not a sword And no price is worth that trade"

Raiden took a step forward "You truly believe that? This sword has been in your family for a thousand years Your ancestors would turn over in their graves to see you disregard its significance"

"My ancestors"--Ranree that a weapon is worth a life"

Raiden brandished the sword, swinging it fronificent blade I’ve never seen its equal When I was told to return it--to offer the sword in exchange for ht the same as you do now That no weapon could be worth a life" He brandished it once ht it within reach of Ranmaru’s face Raiden held it there for a breath The sword reh diaround upon its surface

Ranh Mariko watched his fists open and close twice

"You do not recognize this sword And it does not recognize you," Raiden said slowly "Who are you?"

When Ranmaru failed to answer, Mariko’s heart ue with a sudden, seizing clarity

The Takeda sword The Fūrinkazan It had been taken frorace An enchanted weapon A sword of light

A sword meant to be carried only by a member of the Takeda clan itself

A flurry of words collided in hertruth alow Faintly But surely Its blade began to war froure h a haze of smoke

His hands and face were covered in blood He walked as though he eary Old

Broken

Mariko watched, frozen in place, as Ōkaht

Raiden kept the sword steady His features drew together in confusion, then smoothed as Ōkami--the Wolf--stepped beside the leader of the Black Clan

His best friend

With a satisfied sreat deal about you, Takeda Ranun stopped before the elder son of his ht about the death of his father

Ōkaht of his father’s sword The Takeda sword A weapon he had considered lost And good riddance to it

The Fūrinkazan was a weapon meant for a man of truth A man of principle

Not a pretender Not a thief Not a liar

Not a coward

And yet the sight of it in Mina-dor rich with strife Rich with history Replete with vengeance