Shimura's voice is followed by a moment of silence, time seems to stop in the misty island.

Then Ahalya's mention of the child agitates the calm and the trees moan in pain with the ruffling of their leaves as the coil of a cobra.

The murder speaks:

The Samurai you say to pursuit took my sister's child, our child: Kintaro, The child that can't be tainted. They came with resolve and tainted weapons that poisoned us. My sister cannot go back to her woman shape, she can only moan as a tree and there's nothing I can do to help her, her wounds are not healing and won't heal. I'm afraid her sadness is a killer. She breast fed Kintaro giving him the strength to resist taint.

The samurai were not alone, but they don't see the shadows that walk with them. Their resolve hides plans they don't seem to understand. What is their use? They who swore to guard the realm against the shadowlands when these grow under their footsteps and they don't see it?

What do they want? I cannot see! My dreams are obscured, I am an oracle without predictions. I might as well join my sister in dying.





From behind the branches of the large tree, a familiar voice hisses.


They tainted roots
and brought ill fate
their heads will roll


We are now crones, we are now the hags the humans say we are. Kintaro isn't here no more, and thus we end this incarnation. But our deaths spell misfortune for all of you, and your don't play with the same cards. You will be fortunate if your death brings an end instead of shadows and torture. The Crab don't know what they are doing and they'll open the gates they need to shut.