Hermm…Ya this idea popped out of nowhere today while I was rereading the Lord of the Rings. I absolutely had to write it down because it sounded really good. I think it has a good potential and could replace my first story. Of course I'm not really sure. Well I guess it'll depend on how the first chapter turns out. Hope it will turn out well…Hey…when I think about it, you guys won't be reading this if I think it's not good enough anyways…

And then…She happened…

"Shin we've spotted a caravan not far away from the road." A dark haired man whispered to a boy sitting on a rock. The brown haired man looked at the middle-aged man distantly. He looked thoughtful.

"Oh is that so? Is it already time for another one of your carnages?" The young man called Shin answered sardonically. The man didn't answer turning his back to him as if he hadn't heard what he said. He jumped off his rock and followed the other man into the woods. They crouched silently between the trees until they arrived near the edge of a cliff. He signaled Shin to look down.

"The caravan is unusually big and it's heavily guarded…I think we caught a very big fish this time!" The man murmured visibly excited. Shin looked at him. His ranger outfit was especially made to cloak him in the forest. He was Jin Tae, the leader of the Asuna gang, a band of crooks who skimmed and raided the villages of the northern parts of Genoa. He wondered how he had ended up with these bandits who killed and stole from the others to survive.

"We might need your sword for this sortie. I don't think we'll be able to pull this one without some losses." Jin Tae whispered. Shin glared at him coldly.

"You know how I feel about this! You promised that you'd never ask me to help you do this. I'm fine with attacking tax collectors but I hate the idea of attacking innocents to enrich ourselves!" He bit back venomously.

"Alright…Alright! I won't insist…you know…when we found you 5 years ago dirty like a rat; that day…do you remember how you fought off Kain and Berg when they tried to attack you? You were a wild one! At first, I thought that was why you were always so uncooperative still…I wonder who you really are sometimes… You really sound like a lord from the legends when you talk like that.

The man shrugged and got up. He inspected his equipment bending his bow to test the string. "If you only knew Jin…" Shin sighed wearily.

"Well I don't" He answered squarely and walked back into the woods.

"Jin I won't allow any useless bloodshed…If one of them loses it; I won't be responsible for the injuries that I might inflict to him." Jin Tai stopped in his tracks for a second but quickly walked into the bushes, disappearing in the vegetation.

Shin stood above the road for what seemed to him like hours. He felt sorry for the travelers. They would surely lose everything they possessed…He looked up at the sky, it was clear and the sun shone brightly over him, a big yellow smile… The sun smiled at him as if unaware of what was about to happen.

He suddenly felt the wind on his face. Its sweet caress brought him into a trance. He suddenly heard voices; it felt as if the wind was trying to warn him about something…His body reacted to the call. He could feel a powerful aura getting closer! Who could still possess this kind of spiritual energy! "Could it be…?" He jumped up realizing that this person would surely be with the convoy. He cursed unsheathing his sword and jumped down the cliff.

His heart made a leap when he heard the screams down on the road. He wouldn't make it in time and if that person was a soldier he'd surely be dead by the time he got there! He ran as fast as his leg could allow him. He could hear the swords clashing; he was almost down the hills!

He was getting closer to the presence. He doubled the efforts and jumped over the last bushes in front of the road. The scene that awaited him there didn't make him smile at all. He had arrived too late. The bandit's attack had been a complete success. The soldiers protecting the convoy had been taken completely off guard. Jin Tae had placed archers on the two hills that overrun the road they had shot down most of the soldiers before the real assault was launched.

Dead men from both sides drenched the road with their blood. Shin stood silent and unfazed then, a light glimmered in his eyes and he looked up at the sky. He fell on his knees and looked up to the sky. He stood there for a moment completely obvious to his surroundings. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped away from the hand, quickly turning around ready to strike. His sharp blade shone dangerously in the sun.

"Calm down it's me boy!" Jin Tai exclaimed moving away from the sword.

"Sigh…" He sighed relieved he sheathed his sword and peered at him curiously.

"I wonder why you always do that. Why do you stare at the sky like that every time you see…well you this!" He looked around too and covered his mouth.

"The sun…it's not smiling anymore…" Jin-Tai looked at him curiously. Shin felt miserable. He hadn't felt like that since a long time ago…since that time…His face hardened and for a second he looked like a stone giant, fearless and invulnerable. It only lasted a second but then he felt the aura. It flickered weakly calling and reaching out for him.

"Where did you take the women? I only see men and children there!" He barked pointing the prisoners on the road.

"I don't really know. If you really want to find them you'll have to look around for soldiers who seek a little more then gold…" Jin-Tae mumbled sinisterly.

Shin's ocher eyes widened and he tightened his grip on the handle of his sword. "How could you let this happen!"

Jin-Tae shook his head "I can't control everyone of them…"

"They wouldn't dare! Where are they! I know you saw some them!" He hissed trying to sound confident, but he looked at Jin panicked. The bandit sighed and pointed north.

"They went that way. You better hurry up before they do it. Please don't kill them, we already lost enough men today." He tried to joke but the young man was long gone. He ran after them They hadn't ventured too far off in the forest and he quickly picked up their tracks. He followed them up to a river. He heard a scream to his right quickly, dread overcame him. He had to make it in time! He ran as fast as he could making his way through the bushes and the thorns to end up in a clearing.

The bandits looked up at the intruder their pants halfway down. Women where gathered next to them screaming and crying desperately. One of the bandits hadn't noticed his arrival and was still trying to force himself on one of the women. This woman however didn't cry like the others; she shouted and slapped him frantically, trying to get him off her.

"Don't worry pretty girl I'll make sure that you enjoy yourself." He licked his lips and grinned dumbly. The women kicked him in the stomach. He doubled back and stumbled off her. She took this opportunity to get back on her feet and tried to run in the woods but the man reacted quickly. He pounced on her and slammed her on the ground.

"Tsk…Tsk why do you squirm so much! You know it's useless!" He was about to kiss her when Shin intruded. He knocked the man out with the blunt of his sword. He fell on the ground with a thud. Shin spit on him disgusted.

"Bastards! If one of you beasts touches them I'll tear you apart and disperse your remains all over Genoa!" The brigands cowered in fear and scrambled away; barely able to run with their pants stuck between their legs. He smirked and turned around to look at the girl. She looked at him defiantly.

"Do you think I'll give myself to you now my hero!" She sneered venomously.

"Oh? A spirited girl I see!" He smiled haughtily. He stretched his hand at the sitting girl. She shrugged it off and got up on her own. "I save you and that's how you thank me?" The girl glared at him and he noticed how beautiful her emerald eyes were. Green was his favorite color…

"You kill all these people and you ask me to thank you for that!" Shin's face darkened. He turned around and looked at the other women. They all sat trembling as far away from him as possible.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you today… Unfortunately, I couldn't stop it! These crooks like you call them are just trying to feed their families. Of course there are a couple who take it too seriously." He added feeling the girl's glare on the back of his head.

"I know you don't understand how hard it is for them and I won't ask you to understand or to forgive them." He looked at them, they still trembled fearfully but some of them were actually starting to calm down.

"Do any of you have families?" The women around him started to discuss with another as if not sure if they should answer or not. Finally one of them spoke up. "What did they do to with our husbands and our children?"

He smiled at her reassuringly "Don't worry no harm will be done to them if they don't resist. The Asunas probably finished their plundering. Your husbands must be worried sick. You should walk back to the road to meet up with your families." The women got up one by one and took off hastily. Some of them murmured "thank yous" before disappearing into the bushes.

"Why are you so nice?" A feminine voice asked behind him.

"I don't like to see sad faces" Shin answered simply. He looked at the green-eyed girl. She wasn't moving and didn't seem to want to walk back with the other women.

"Don't you have somewhere to go girl?" The girl fumed.

"You should watch your tongue little commoner; don't you know how to behave in front of a lady!"

"Oh I didn't know I was in front of a lady! My most sincere apologies milady! I was just trying to figure out why you didn't leave with the other women." He replied humorously.

"Not now…your men killed the escort who was supposed to hide me!" She blurted out before she could stop herself. Shin eyed her suspiciously. Her clothes weren't from this region. She looked like a noble from the capital. He could tell just by looking at her pearly dress.

"Milady why were escorted by the royal guard. I thought it was a mistake but now I'm sure that the crest on the soldier's uniforms was the crest of the Kinomotos! Are you related in anyway to the royal family!" He asked staring at her intently. She squirmed unable to sustain his intense gaze. She wondered why he was so mad all of a sudden…

"Why don't you tell me who you are first Good Sir? You speak like a noble yet you live withand seem to lead these crooks." She asked back.

Shin smiled, he touched his lips noticing how much he had smiled in the girl's presence. "Me lead them? You're sadly mistaken milady. I'm just…How could I define it…their guest, yes their guest! They took me in when I needed help and I really owe them a lot."

She looked at him up and down; he was a very handsome man. She estimated that he was about her age. His amber eyes glowed mysteriously in the sun and his tousled brown hair gave him a boyish look. She also noticed that his tunic hung over his figure like second skin revealing his chiseled torso. "It is rude to stare milady even though I'm very flattered by the attention…" She blushed and turned away so that he wouldn't her red face.

He forced himself to keep a straight face; the girl spread happiness and joy like a plague. "What are we going to with you…? Do you have any idea where they where taking you?" She shook her head sadly. "Hmmm…I guess I'll have to escort you back home then…"

"Where do you live?"

"I can't go back!" She cried gloomily.

"Oh! Why not? Your parents are trying to marry you off?" He saw a flash in her eyes and then she broke down and tears started pouring down her cheeks. He stared at her dumbfounded. Why was she crying?

"Oh! Excuse me I didn't mean any harm." He pulled out a handkerchief and walked towards the weeping girl. Hesitantly he raised his arm and gave it to her.

"Thanks…Don't mind me I just remembered something sad." There hands brushed and Shin felt a surge of energy. He stumbled back shocked. He looked at her face and he knew, the moment he noticed her stunned expression, that she had felt it too.

"She's the one I sensed!" He thought surprised. He thought he had lost the trace of that aura.

"What was that…!" She asked nervously. Shin stared at her she didn't look like she knew what she had just felt. Maybe she wasn't aware of her power…

"What are you talking about?" He decided to ignore it for the moment.

"N-nothing!"

"…"They looked at each other nervously.

"Thank you for your help back there… I don't want to think about what would've happened to use if you hadn't barged in…" The young woman whispered. Shin smiled softly. She was just a shy girl after all.

"You don't have to thank me. I only did what I thought was right."

"Who do you think you are answering like this when I just apologized to you!" She puffed.

"Ah I didn't want to offend her highness. Please spare me!" He joked and she gave him a dirty look.

"Sigh…"

"Sigh…"

"So what am I going to do with you now?" Shin thought out loud.

"I don't need your help…"

"I can't believe it I forgot to introduce myself. Shin, my name is Shin." He said before she could ask. She looked at him uncertainly.

"Why don't you tell me your real name Shin?"

"Oh and what makes you think that its not my real name?"

"I saw it in your eyes. You're lying!" He stared at her incredulously.

"Well let's just say I forgot my old name…" The look he gave her stopped her from pushing the conversation any further.

"My name is Sakura, nice to meet you Shin."

"Sakura…" He looked at the smiling girl in front of him. That name fitted her perfectly. She was as beautiful and delicate as a cherry blossom.

"I don't think I should call you by your name milady. I am unworthy of that honor; I'm only a little commoner. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get going. It was nice meeting you." He bowed and walked away.

"Hey are you really going to leave ME here!" He turned around grinning from ear to ear.

"But…Milady I thought you said you could manage on your own." He feigned shock.

"You fool I was just trying to test you! What kind of a man would leave a defenseless women alone in the forest!"

"Defenseless…you milady! I had a hard time believing you were from noble birth when I saw you fight and swear like a peasant. I do believe that you are capable of defending yourself."

"You are a real lout! I will not tolerate this kind of insolence! You will protect me now that you've killed my escort!"

"I will?" Shin asked unimpressed.

"You will peasant! You will or I'll make sure you regret it."

"Oh? You will? You know I could very much do anything to you here. We're alone in this forest…"Shin said with a weird look in his eyes.

"You wouldn't dare!" She squeaked.

"Oh?" He slowly moved towards her. She tried to back away but her body wouldn't listen. She stood speechless and watched him slowly make his way in front of her.

"Don't…!" She resisted weakly when he took her in his arms and gently pushed her on the grass.

"What happened milady? Cat got your tongue? Or do you surrender it to me?" He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. Sakura shivered feeling his touch. Why was she feeling so…so…? Shin lowered his head; she could feel his breath on her lips. She closed her eyes in anticipation. He was going to kiss her!

"I take it away milady…"She heard him mutter gruffly.

"Hoe…?" She opened her eyes to see that he was already back on his feet. He took her hand and lifted her up from the ground. She blinked unable to understand what had just happened.

"You're really defenseless after all…"

Male Author

Born to be the champ, after the girls that is…