The Fall of Itsuka
Prologue
The Illusion of Perfection
Young Boy: I recall when I was little… I would pretend I fought off demonic creatures. In the rolling, lust hills of Itsuka, my home planet, I didn't think anything could, or would want to, destroy this peaceful home. It wasn't until I was thirteen years old that I realized how naïve my thoughts were. How hopeless peace really was in this forsaken universe.
The sun blared down on the soft green grass as it waved carelessly in the soft wind. The falling blue petals of the Itsukarian Cherry blossom fell like rain around a young boy, who lay half asleep under its gracious foliage. Occasionally opening his eyes to stay awake, the boy's violently red eyes lazily viewed the falling petals before sliding shut again as he enjoyed the passive sounds of the bird's above him.
The day was lazy as many others in the past. After fighting off the many demons that roamed the lands (invisible to all but Kyou), there wasn't much left to do but nap under his favorite tree with a good book draped over his stomach. Rolling onto his stomach and pulling himself up, Kyou made his way in a sprint to the stream leading into a thinly populated forest. The cool, clear water splashed around him as he made a point to step into the stream at least once in his journey. With a final duck, Kyou helped himself out from beneath a low, fallen tree trunk, and paused a moment to view the castle in the low valley before him.
The walls were made of sparkling stone, with bright green gardens, rows of blooming Cherry Blossom trees, and winding paths of black river-stones. The sky overhead was dark lavender, with clouds of orange as the two suns began to set behind the horizon of the mountains in the distance. High towers with wide windows overlooked the grounds of lush flora beauty.
Taking a deep breath, Kyou continued with his short legs down the steep slope, the gates becoming higher and higher with each yard. Arriving with a stumble, he entered the opened gates as they glowed a soft white light, looking back at the small rock he'd lost his footing on. Deciding it was such a silly thing to make the better of him, he turned back to look at his path, only to fall to his butt in a sudden impact with a soft figure.
"Kyou…" A soft, misty voice stated in some surprise. Placing a thin, pale hand out to him, the tall woman smiled down at him with glowing white teeth and electric blue eyes. Her long, flowing blonde hair fell over her shoulders and draped down only inches from the ground as she bend at her waist to help up the young boy at her feet. "What are you doing outside the gates?"
Kyou took the hand, and stood, brushing off his white, bagged, silk shirt and his black pants. With a final sweep of his knee-high, black leather boots, he smiled up at the woman as he ran his fingers though his long hair, "Oh, nothing." He held the book up in a gentle gesture, "Just getting some reading done."
The woman flipped her long hair back behind her slender shoulder, straightening her long, flowing, green silk dress. Her long sleeves hung over her hands as she placed them on the shoulder of the young boy, guiding his gently toward the gardens, "Your father would worry you know…"
"He shouldn't! Evil only exists in fairy tales!" Kyou protested stubbornly.
The smile washed over the woman's face, "You have much to learn… Peace does not last forever."
Kyou's confusion stayed with him, for a sudden flash of light erupted in the sky high above. Placing her arms around Kyou, the woman looked around as she protected him maternally. Through her arms, Kyou watched the lavender sky bleed crimson as a black crystal fell from the sky. In a sudden crash, the sound of flaming air dissipated, leaving behind an eerie silence.
"What was that?" Kyou asked, looking up at the woman, "Mother?"
The wide, frightened eyes of his mother showed through her shaking being. Her frightened voice was closer to a whisper than anything, "Get inside… Find your father…"
"What do I tell him?" Kyou asked as his mother gently but forcefully pushed him toward the inner gates of the palace.
His mother stood tall, eyeing the ominous red glow coming from behind the mountain to the west, "They've come at last…"