Finally, it was the Tengu’s turn. The youkai waited with bated breath. He was their last chance and surely Tengu-sama would have something wonderful.

When he spoke, the Tengu’s voice was low and subduing. “This is a story of a woman, the youngest of an Onmyouji line, who found herself heir to the power when her hair turned crimson at birth. For it was the work of a curse that did so, the hatred of a thousand youkai or more who had been slaughtered by her ancestors and cursed their line to be so recognized and vanquished by any that crossed their path. But she was different, and she did not destroy all youkai in her path. She saw the need of living together, for without one there was no other. And she had many allies, she saw the wisdom of old youkai. She knew the Hyakki Yako had to go, for it was this ritual that killed so many, left families bereft and gave the chance for insignificant, foolish ones to gain power, power they did not deserve, to create destruction that benefited no one. But trying to take the Parade by herself, she was killed. She died young and her daughter died young as well, under the same hands.

“But this woman had a grandson, another bearer of the red curse, and he was powerful. The boy took the title at a toddler’s age, so it was up to her allies to see his growth, to honor the pact they’d made with her and to give him a chance to avenge his family. They would bring him up and educate him and one day, he would defeat the Hyakki Yako, for he was the chosen one. With the help of her allies, the Tengu, the Nine-tailed Fox and the Elder Tanuki.”