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Zolo Jubei

In the distant land of Shou Expatriate a storm rages. A bear of a man clad in battle worn samurai armor with unusual silver hair watches the storm with dread of what it could mean for him and his family. From the chamber behind him comes the screams of his wife as she gives birth to his first child. The storm intensifies as her screams grow silent the expected cries of the infant never come. As he begins to think the child didn't survive one of the nursemaids comes running towards him drawing his sight from the storm to the woman.

She has a simile on her face as she comes to a stop and says "My lord it is a son born this night, a healthy son." She becomes confused that his somber face does not change as he walks by her to the chamber.

He enters the now candle light room first only seeing more nursemaids cleaning the birthing table. Then a soft coo draws his gaze to the bed on his right. He walks over to the source of the sound. As he nears he sees a beautiful young woman holding a baby sitting on the bed.

She looks up similes and says "My love you have returned come meet your son." holding up the infant.

The samurai grips the baby over her hands, looks into the surprisingly aware golden eyes and speaks "Hello my son Jubei of the clan Zolo."

She quickly pulls the baby back, cradling him to her breast and looks upon her husband's somber face with horror "You can not name our son that!" she cries looking into his eyes seeing her fear matched in his golden eyes. Then for the first time she hears the storm raging against the very walls that has protected their respective families for generations. Tears begin to well up as she realize the truth "But you did not name him fate did that." Weeping she curls around her baby as he hugs back seemingly trying to comfort his mother. The samurai sits down on the bed wrapping his arms around them both in a gentle and protective hug.

Seven years later young Jubei trains in the courtyard with a wooden katana. His hair is as sliver as his father's. The pupils of his golden eyes have long since become catlike slits unlike his father's. As the boy trains an elderly man in blue robes steps out of a darkened doorway and says "Come young master it is time for your lessons." then stepping back through the door.

"What does that old fool of a mage want now." Jubei mumbles to himself. He quickly finishes the set he was working on and follows the wizard through the door.

"Ah, there you are young master. I know that you are well on your way to becoming a samurai like your father and do not like my lessons but some of your opponents will be spell casters and you will need to know what they are using against you." said the old wizard

At a distant battle field Lord Zolo stands surrounded by the dead bodies of two armies. Several broken arrows stick out of his armor. His katana and wakizashi are covered in the blood of many slain soldiers. "What could compel some of my own men to attack me?" he asked the restless wind.

"What indeed samurai." spoke a cold voice causing Lord Zolo to spin around swords at the ready. To find a white haired old man wearing white wizard robes with a white staff but what sent a shiver down Lord Zolo's spine was the man's ice blue eyes.

"Are you the one responsible for this chaos wizard?"

"Yes I am samurai."

"Then you shall die. Raaahh." He runs at the wizard and swings the katana and misses but the wind from the powerful attack causes the wizard to brace himself. Lord Zolo quickly spins around and slashes with his wakizashi but it meets unexpected resistance as it strikes against an invisible shield.

The wizard jumps back and says "Impressive samurai but try this." He thrusts out his hand and bolts of pale blue energy spring fourth and race towards Lord Zolo.

Lord Zolo blocks them with the wakizashi and says "No thanks, you can have it back." and sends the bolts racing back towards the wizard. The wizard watches unconcerned as they disappear a foot from impact.

"That was unexpected samurai but it will not save you." With a few quick hand signs and mumbled words a transparent scimitar shimmers into existence.

"That will not help you wizard." as he walks forward to continue the battle.

The scimitar suddenly comes to life and attacks Lord Zolo. After several blocked strikes it lands a blow at his neck decapitating him. As he falls "Yes it did help samurai."

At the castle Lady Zolo awakes in a cold sweat "No my love can't be dead, he just can't be." she says weeping.

Three days later a messenger arrives and is brought to Lady Zolo. "My lady I bring terrible news your husband was slain three days ago by a mysterious white wizard. I am sorry my lady we were only able to retrieve his katana." He presents the katana. "The white wizard took his wakizashi, my lady."

"So it is true he is dead." as she claims the katana. She looks at the gold dragon symbol mark of the Zolo clan on the sheath and thinks 'So this sword is now yours my son I hope you use it well Jubei.' Taking the large hall in her gaze she speaks "Now prepare for battle, I want the battlements the strongest they have ever been."

Lady Zolo walks down a hallway towards Jubei's room thinking 'That white wizard must seek to brake the seal. Then why did he leave the katana? Is it possible that he didn't know that both the katana and wakizashi are needed to undo the seal? If that is true he will soon know and will come seeking the katana. I must get it as far from here as I can before he gets here. And how will I tell Jubei of his father's death?' As she reaches the door she cloches the sword to her, she takes a deep breath and opens the door to see Jubei's back towards the door looking out the window watching the soldiers prepare. 'He already has so much of his father's strength at such a young age.'

Jubei turns around after hearing the door open. He sees his father's katana and ask "Father is dead?"

"Yes, he is." Jubei runs up and hugs her shedding a single tear for his fallen father. "I am sorry my son but you must prepare to leave in the morning and take your father's sword with you but tonight we will remember him."

"Why must I leave mother?" after receiving the sword.

"The man who killed your father will soon come here looking for the sword." putting her hands on his shoulders and kneeling to look Jubei in the eye. "He must never get it or a dark force will cover the land for centuries and you are the only one who can protect it."

As he looks into her sad eyes and says proudly "I will not fail you or father."

An hour or so before dawn Jubei stands in his room wearing traveling cloths looking at a backpack thats packed and ready to go. Then the room begins to shake as if it were struck. He quickly grabs the pack and runs to the courtyard away from the disturbance. While moving along the wall so not to be noticed he sees a colossal white wizard striking the castle. Suddenly he notices the wakizashi on the wizard's hip. His eyes grow big as he recognizes the gold dragon symbol on the sheath. "Thats father's wakizashi. Then that must be the man who killed father." As he enters a door in the back the wizard steps over the wall into the courtyard and shrinks back to normal size.

An arrow flies at the wizard from the far left and seems to have little to no effect. Then Lady Zolo comes charging out wielding a halberd. The wizard thrusts out his hand and pale blue energy bolts springs fourth and strikes her full on in the chest ignoring her breastplate "aaaahhh!" then it arcs from her to several soldiers behind her killing most of them. Breathing heavily Lady Zolo screams "You will pay for killing my husband aaaaahhh!" and charges again.

As she runs at him the wizard sends out more bolts of energy finishing off the soldiers and saying "This is between me and the lady, soldiers."

When she reaches him her halberd comes down hard leaving a bloody trail across the wizard's chest. "Your shield wont protect you from me wizard." Lady Zolo says with hatred in her voice.

'Go mother, kill him for father.' Jubei thinks as he silently cheers her on.

"Bitch, how dare you hit me woman!" His hand sparks with electricity as he strikes her stomach.

"AAAAAHHHH!" she screams as she falls to her knees.

"Now my dear be a good girl and tell me where the katana is." he says with an unnatural compulsion in his voice.

"Miles from here you bastard." Lady Zolo says spitting in the wizard's face.

He places his hands on either side of her face "Very well then my dear." then electricity arcs between his hands through her head as she tries to scream but no sound come out. When the attack stops her body stays kneeling. "Well thats annoying. I didn't think she part with it that fast. Back to the drawing board." The wizard jabs his staff into the ground and a shock wave destroys the castle as he disappears.

The sun rises over the remains of the castle. Some pieces of wood begin to move as Jubei climbs out of the rubble. He stands up and looks at the ruins around him. 'That white wizard will pay for what he has done.' "By my father's sword I swear he will pay." holding the katana to the rising blood red sun as if to cut it in half. He then goes about the grim business of dealing with the bodies of the dead. When he finishes the sun is beginning to set. So he grabs the usable supplies and walks towards the setting sun expecting to never see his home land again.