the same. She is used by Ito to lure Hikage out so that she can kill him, but the plan fails and immediately results in a battle. Hikage forgets about Aya until it is too late and cannot prevent her from drowning herself. After the battle in the shrine, Hikage finds Aya's corpse and cries over her loss. The second Aya is a kunoichi from the Kōga clan of ninjas. She is hunted down by members of her clan for killing their leader (though she insists that she did not do it) and is rescued from them and Majumi no Miko by Hikage. Though annoyed by him at first, she quickly warms up and falls in love with him as they continue journeying together. After a series of battles against the yōma and the death of Kazami, Aya tries to dissuade Hikage from his quest to find Marou, but to no avail. She follows him anyway and has her face stomped on by Majumi, and is knocked out for the rest of the final battle as a result. After the battle has ended, Aya, now sporting a scar similar to the one that the first Aya had, is relieved to see that Hikage has survived, and embraces him. They take in the infant reincarnated Marou and raise him. Kotone The deceased lover of Marou, Kotone was killed by Marou during his journey before becoming Kikuga no Miko. Though he told her to run, Marou lost control of his body while slaughering a village and sliced Kotone's heart, killing her. She is the first to realize that Aya is in love with Hikage. Kotone rescues the two by possessing the snake yōma, Shiratsuyu, and disappearing. When the final battle between Hikage and Marou has ended, Kotone approaches Marou and gives him her lifeforce so that he can be reborn. Kazami Kazami is Hikage's other friend and immediate superior within the Takeda clan. Though he tells Hikage that there is no need to chase Marou after the Takeda's enemies get wind of their leader's death, he allows his friend to continue the search. Later, Kazami is sent by Katsuyori to meet with Kikuga so that the Takeda can barrow the power of the yōma. Kikuga will only allow it if Kazami can kill Hikage. Though he confronts him, Kazami can not bring himself to kill his friend and allows Hikage to fatally