Synopsis

The Heavenly Sword - legend says that it was forged in heaven and once wielded by a deity, and that no mortal may wield it in battle without paying the ultimate price. The prophecy says that this deity will return in the body of a mortal man, born as a son to the leader of the clan which protects the sword from falling into the wrong hands, and whose destiny it will be to wield the sword once more to unite the people and show them the way to the Promised Land. In truth, a girl, Nariko, is born instead, and soon after the mother dies, and is immediately reviled by her clanmates as a target of blame for all their misfortune. Fast forward 23 years, and King Bohan seeks the Heavenly Sword. Nariko, now a highly skilled young warrior, is shouldered with the task of protecting the sword from him - but when she eventually decides to wield the Heavenly Sword and exact vengeance for all those who have died in its name, can she end Bohan's invasion and fulfil the prophecy before the sword drains the life from her? Looking back over the last few days of her life, Nariko tells her story...