Kirari - We Endure

((OOC note from the author:
I have created this species as a fanfic based on some understanding from original naruto materials that demons in fact exist in the world of the storylines. My intention with the Roh was to raise an awareness to social and cultural bias as well as more deep-rooted issues within topics of race and culture.

The Forsaken Clans -
Excerpts from Konohagakure's Book of the Lands.

Chapter 23: Oni No Kuni -
ep.5: The Kirari
[p341]
Kirari. Glittershine Murderers. The Shining Fury. They were called by many a name, none of which do justice to their supposed origins, assumed tendencies, or true nature. It is widely believed though, that the many tribes and clans which fall under the term of "Kirari" are in fact descended from some manner of otherworldly origin. This is largely supported by their appearances, widespread stories regarding their tendencies to eat human flesh and steal the souls of those they come into contact with. Furthermore their speech patterns and when they refer to others as "Ningen" and themselves as "Roh" also suggests that they are at least a different species from the rest of us humans. (...)


Nomenclature
[p344]
The Kirari receive their name from a certain type of presence or aura that they seem to be surrounded by at all times. This presence reads chakra-negative as do the Roh themselves. Instead it appears to be capable of densing up to the point of becoming semi-penetrable, mostly impervious and difficult to avoid due to its translucent composition. (...)
Kirari have been observed to use this "Cloak" to move objects or even themselves around, as well as use it as a form of weapon in times of battle. (...)
Dubbed "Glittercloak", this asset is the Kirari's primary line of defense and primary weapon of choice all in one.

Appearance
[p347]
(...)Many of the Roh sport dark red hair and crimson eyes with a pale complexion to create an alien contrast. Some have been seen with horns and some gossip speaks of even tails, wings or hooves. Kirari the author of these books has only ever met have all been human-looking and mostly similar in appearance with the rarest occurrance of fangs and clawed hands.

Subtypes of Glittershine
[p349]
The Kirari are still believed to fall into the following different categories that have been spotted in the far-out recesses of Oni no Kuni in the past fifty years. (...)
1. Those who refer to themselves as Kirari and speak fluent Japanese are often out and about in the wide world, if few remain. These individuals are highly talented in various trades, though mostly excel in being hunters, warriors or even shinobi. They are often employed as bounty hunters and trackers by the feudal lords. (...)
These Kirari are dubbed Upland Roh by their counterparts.

2. Those who refer to themselves as Roh, usually speak their own language and broken Japanese. Their tendencies are more tribal and adhere to their nomadic habitats more readily. They are culturally shy and rarely, if ever seek contact with any other tribe let alone the outside world. (...)
The most common type of Roh; called Wanderers among themselves.

3. One never seen but often mentioned in scriptures and texts of old, Kirari with horns which slay humans and eat flesh are believed to be a mere myth. Perhaps centuries ago the Roh had these tendencies but other than hushed whispers of odd villagers near Oni no Kuni, there is little to no evidence to the existence of the supposedly ravening and cannibalistic subspecies. (...)
Called "Lowland Roh", these supposed mazoku-descendants are believed to be imaginary or extinct.

4. Nightmarish by illustration and description, the fabled Akuma Kirari is hardly something to worry about. More of a scare-story for your children or by a campfire on late summer nights, the Crimson Roh are most likely a figment of some scholar's too vivid imagination. Or racist propaganda.

Tribal Wars
[p360]
Among tribes of Roh several cases of territorial conflict have been noted. Those who mean ill or enjoy to blacken the reputation of folk they know nothing of suggest that chieftains face off in a duel for territory and the victor consumes the defeated enemy, gaining its tribesfolk and lands as one's own. The author of these books can clearly deny the existence of such dreadful habits among these peaceful folk.

[p367]+ missing pages, blood stains...

Prodigal: Hinako's Story
Chapter 1 - Origins.

His maw alight with crimson gore, he howled out into the thick mist of the night. His every muscle tense, his breathing slow and heavy, he'd kneel with his face towards the clearing starry sky across the window panes for a moment longer. Curls of his hair fell in bloody tresses past his shoulder. His curling horns adorning his forehead, both soaked in the very same. His eyes - cast aside and aloft, below and astray repeatedly, seeking perhaps solace from his madness, or...

The child in the corner was young, perhaps not more than five years old. Her similar porcelain skin and crimson hair made her quite obviously cut from the same clay as this foraging beast. Her eyes however were not alight with madness but with fear. Her forehead lacked the horns and instead inherited the curve of the woman who lay beneath the heaving heap of muscle and rage.

Rushing steps, approaching quickly. He fled the room, leaving mother and daughter locked in the stillness of loss.
The woman's last breath spread across the ground, her shaking arm landing hard on the wooden floor in the girl's direction. Three words and her name spoken, words the girl has yet to fully grasp.

"Roh mok dúl, Hinako..."
And with that, the bleeding body ceased to live.

Prodigal: Hinako's Story
Chapter 1 - Origins

She sat in the room next to the cooling body of her dead mother.
"The woman, dead. Torn apart. We should track and investigate, taicho." - say one voice but Hinako knew not their meaning. All she knew is that she has to get away from these people. Their words meant nothing, their meddling meant nothing. She was to return to the forest as soon as she could.
"In all truth, we know little of their species." - She would try to flee but be held at bay. Her eyes darting around in the bloodied room, daylight being an ally to her would-be captors, not herself.
"Whoa there kid. Slow down. Where would you even go?" - She paused, coming to a rigid and motionless halt. Adrenaline burst through her system, her cloak stirring and coming to life around her. Her breathing grew heavy and her stance lurched forward as she rose. She did not even hear their screams through her own.

She fled from the house, leaving behind the flames to consume the cooling body of her mother, and the two would-be captors whom in reality just wanted to investigate and help.
Little did she know, little did she care. Roh mok dúl. We endure.

She fled through the forest path, using her uncanny sense of smell to find her way home... if there was yet a home for her without Mother anymore.

Prodigal: Hinako's Story
Chapter 2 - The meaning of Endure

It wasn't the first night she had climbed this cliff. The deer always came to this same location and she just had to leap at one. They died so easily. Then she would feast and the hunger would cease for a good few days. In her head, this was what "Roh mok dúl" meant. To fend for herself, to feed.

She perched awaiting her next prey, hence. Muscles and tendons ready to pop, preparing to leap. And to the sign of a long shadow, they would release, making her fly towards her destination.
Leap.
Flight.
Collision.
What she caught however, was not a deer. The woman was old, her face wrinkled, her crimson hair turning grey in traces. Her scarlet eyes cast upon the little one she'd caught with a practiced whip of her Glittercloak.
"Dok nak tor, Roh?" - The elderly woman asked with a kind tone. "What's the matter, Kin?" and Hinako just fell into her arms, that being her only response and nothing else.

Prodigal: Hinako's Story
Chapter 2 - The meaning of Endure

It wasn't the first night she had climbed this cliff. The deer always came to this same location and she just had to leap at one.
However, this was the first time she had others with her. Kanako, the chieftain of this tribe was adamant that no Roh will ever go hunting on their own.

It has been weeks since she's been found and though she never said a lot, the elderly woman has treated her as one of her own. She'd even taken her to a memorial where her son's carved face reminded this aging matriarch of battles and losses.
She would tell the story of the young chief who would die in battle to a stronger chief yet take the chief with himself as well thus sparing both tribes the humility of having to live a life of submission.
A hero.

Leap. Leap. Leap.
Flight. Flight. Flight.
Collision. Miss. Miss.

She had beaten the other two at catching the deer yet again. It was hers to present to the tribe. She was about to pick it up when she remembered to bow. She curtly bowed to the deer and picked it up, beginning to carry it back to the tribe.

Fifteen minutes and they were there, though there was something wrong.
A circle of villagers and within the circle, granny Kanako facing off with a younger man.
Hinako dropped the deer and rushed ahead.

Prodigal: Hinako's Story
Chapter 2 - The meaning of Endure

The old woman lay in her arms like her mother lay months before. Confused, frightened ,she looked up to the young man, the victor. Pushed aside, she fell into the dirt.

Roh
Mok
Dúl

His shout chilled her very heart, and as he grasped Kanako's, she couldn't help but roar out herself. Adrenaline rushed through her system, her eyes flaring up, her cloak churning with the fury of an abandoned child.

"How dare you challenge me?"

Prodigal: Hinako's Story
Chapter 3 - Forsaken

"Dok... tor mok" - What are you, he asked her as his beating heart fell from his chest, his last breath coming as a hiccup of blood and bile. The gigantic hole gaping through his ribcage severed his left lung as well and as Hinako's blood rage devoured the girl with all her humanity whole, so did she do to the man's heart what he was about to commit against the only person this lonesome girl has held dear since her loss of family and tribe to that man.

The elders of Kanako's tribe were already making the young flee.
"Akuma. Akuma dar lok!" - They all screamed, running for their lives.

Hinako woke in the cold dirt next to the lifeless body of her only and last friend.
She sat and cried.

And those cries were a sweet lure to a pack of wolves...


The poor, unfortunate prey.

Prodigal: Hinako's Story
Chapter 3 - Forsaken

"Taicho?" - Her glasses glistened with the rays of the sun, her Leaf headband shining alike.
"Burned down. The bodies well past recognisable." - His byakugan did not deceive. "Three skulls. One female, two male. Headbands are Suna."
"Suna this far inland?" - She found this excursion to be droll. She yawned, stretching her arms out and back, kicking at the rocky ground with her sandal catching a stone. With an unpleasant grumble she lifted her foot, hopping, prying the stone from beneath her sole.
"Nara-nee, you are a clown." - The Hyuga boy stated plainly and returned to scanning the remains.
"it-it-itaaaai..." - She exclaimed as the sharp rock made its way further into her footwear, tickling AND stabbing her delicate underfoot. "b-by the way, footprints, all-seeing-sama."
His expression grew more annoyed by the second.
"Lovely."

Prodigal: Hinako's Story
Chapter 3 - Forsaken

It was by three days' night that the two tracking shinobi finally reached the site of the massacre.
"An old woman and some wolves.. problem solved I guess?"- she moped lazily.
"Why would an old woman burn two shinobi and a woman in a house? Also, this is a Roh not a woman."
"Don't be a racist, Taicho."
"I am not, they are demons not people."
"Oh come on you don't buy into that crap do you. No such thing as demons."
"There were during the Sento age. Look at it. The heart's missing."
"Pfff you're a demon of dorkery."
"Oh shut it. Anyway, see any more tracks? I'm picking up nada except for a few deer, a bear in a cave a mile away, and a caravan headed south. Two women, three children."

One of those children however, was Hinako.

Prodigal: Hinako's Story
Chapter 3 - Forsaken

"Aww, you poor little thing." - The old woman exclaimed, looking Hinako and her various bruises and scars over. Her daughter holding the reins and her two grandchildren observing Hinako curiously, she just huddled up under a blanket, remaining silent.
"Is she hurt, mother?" - The young woman asked, glancing over her shoulder for a moment. The next moment she turned back around, though, it was when the horse came to a shrieking halt. A man of similar complexion as Hinako, wearing only ragged pants stood on the road. His powerful legs took an inhumane leap, landing next to the young woman and lifting her by the throat.
"So you like ningen, brat? How about I gut this one then." - The young woman gasped for air, the old woman begged him, the children cried. Hinako's every muscle tensed as she turned back around, erect to her fours from her huddled position.

Leap. Flight. Collision. Hinako and the male rolled off the roadside, growling and howling and tearing at one another. The man at the clothes, Hinako at the man's uncovered flesh.

"They are monsters, mother! We need to get away!" - The young woman cried.
"Don't be ridiculous. She's fighting to save us. Get me my bow."