The noble-woman weaved through the large halls of the castle, deliberately,
knowing exactly where she was going and her business for being there, her
posture and dress challenging any males to question her place. Her many
layered silk kimono trailed on the ground behind her, and her slippered
feet made no sound on the tiled floor. She ignored the hushed whispers of
servants that were hidden by the shadows; they mattered not to her.
She walked out a small set of doors, out into the garden. Her garden. The place was empty, but for the magical birds and animals that roamed it, and the exotic plants she collected. Her garden was sacred to her, and none were allowed into it, unless she invited them. She didn't have much of a problem with unwanted guests; servants and slaves dared not mess with anything of hers without permission, and all the lords knew she was the Master's favorite, and not to be trifled with.
She was the Lady Satori, the most powerful sorceress in all of Master Talpa's Evil Dynasty. Satori was not only the only woman in a position of power within the Dynasty, but at 18 she was also the youngest of Talpa's retainers, and that made her both hated and loved, both feared and awe- inspiring. She had learned the magic from the Talpa himself, and looked upon him as a second father. In addition, her brother was one of Talpa's most powerful and respected warriors, Kenbukyo- Lord Saber-Stryke himself.
On the surface, Satori appeared very cool, strong, and sure of herself. She dressed finely, but not audaciously- silk, yes, but dark colors- black, midnight blue, deep purples and deeper reds. Her face was pale with makeup, as a "proper" lady's should be, with only a little decoration about her eyes, and dark red lips. She wore her dark brown hair up in a complicated series of bindings.
She paused at the large pond in the center of her garden for only a moment; she did have business to attend to, after all. This afternoon, she was without her usual companionship- an unnaturally huge, golden female tiger, her familiar, that she had raised herself. Toura was resting in the shrine in the middle of the garden, soaking up the curative magics Satori had placed around the shrine, to give her strength for the time when the birth would come. Satori was looking forward to the event, as were other sorcerers and warriors in the Dynasty- offspring of her Toura would be powerful indeed.
As she reached the shrine, she felt a tiny ripple of pain along the psychic connection she held with her familiar, followed by tiny pulses of magic, that grew stronger with passing seconds.
"Is it time, then?" She said aloud as she opened the doors. Toura looked up at her, letting out a small purr as she stepped inside. The tiger laid on her side upon a pile of cushions she'd set up on the small dais, with magic candles and torches burning in a circle around her.
"Don't worry, I'm here to help you," Satori murmured, as she knelt beside Toura, and stroked her large head, allowing magic to flow freely from her hand into the tiger.
It did not take long, with Toura's great strength and Satori's added magical aid. Soon, Satori was cleaning off a pair of male cubs with the towels she'd stored in the shrine building for the occasion. The tiger cubs were handsome, and she could feel that they were going to grow up to be very strong, indeed.
"Well, then, 'Mother'... what should we call these little lords?" She asked, as Toura tiredly rubbed her head against her hand.
Satori looked at the cubs, now rolled up, asleep at Toura's side.
One was snow white, with black stripes. The other, black as night, with gray stripes.
She looked at the white cub first, the older of the twins.
"...Byakuen..." She whispered, touching a fingertip to the fuzzy little forehead of the cub. A little glyph shone there for an instant. "Yes.. Byakuen is your name. Byakuen- White Blaze... And so.. it would only be fitting, that you be Kokuen." She touched the black cub, and smiled as the name was accepted, and the little glyph flashed on his forehead. "Kokuen- Black Blaze... These two are destined for great things, I can tell, Toura."
At that moment, she felt a small ripple in the magic around her-- she felt a familiar aura. Her brother was standing at the edge of the garden.
"I'll be back," She said to her familiar, as she gathered her skirts and pushed back a stray strand of hair, and hurried to meet her brother.
Kenbukyo was leaning against the gate of the garden, facing outward when she arrived. As always, she made no sound when walking, and was nearly upon him before he turned around.
"You almost snuck up on me this time, Satori," He said, his deep voice echoing eerily inside the shadows of his armor helm.
"I wish you'd take that beastly mask off once in awhile," She remarked, shaking her head. Her brother ignored her comment.
"I came to get you... Master Talpa wants to see us." He replied after a pause.
She looked back to the building where her tigers rested. "All right... I only hope he doesn't keep me long.."
"Is Toura all right?"
"Oh, yes... she's just resting now... with her new cubs," Satori said, as she followed Saber-Stryke out of the garden, back into the dark shadows within the palace.
"I should like to see them," He told her, as they headed for their Master's throne room.
She nodded. "When they're a bit bigger.. I shall give one to you, brother, if the tiger will agree.. and I think he will. You would be the undisputed champion of the Dynasty then... nothing could stop our Master from his goals, with your sword, and my magic to aid him..."
"You mustn't be cocky, Satori.."
"I'm not being cocky, I'm being honest.."
Saber-Stryke shook his head, and Satori held in a sigh. She knew her brother was uncomfortable with the ideas of their Dynasty dominating others, adding to the Empire. She tried not to bring the subject up often, she did not want to think about what could happen if her brother ever openly disagreed with Master Talpa..
In any case, her little train of thought was cut short, as they arrived at the large gate-like doors that marked the entrance to the throne room.
Satori squinted at the shadows as she knelt at the base of the dais, before Talpa's throne, with her bother at her right.
"Lord Saber-Stryke... Lady Satori," A deep voice, that made the dark magics in the air around them tremble, and the cold flames of the many candles waver.
"Master," They both replied, in unison, bopwing their heads to him.
"You summoned us, Master?" Saber-Stryke asked. Satori remained silent, knowing she should only speak when spoken to.
"Yes... as I shall soon summon all of my Warlords.. but I wanted to inform you two first."
Talpa's huge armored hand moved in the shadow's barely visible in the shadows he kept the room bathed in.
"We shall prepare an invasion of this mortal world... and add to the evil Dynasty's empire!"
"An invasion.." Saber Stryke muttered.
"Have you a problem with that?!"
"...No, Master.."
"Good... and Satori?"
"Yes Master?" She looked up, wondering what kind of task she could have that could aid his endeavors.
"This invasion will take time to prepare.. there is a barrier between our world and theirs that I cannot yet cross. I want you to spend the years it takes to prepare gathering the dark powers, to make me stronger, until it is time to cross over, and to examine the magic in the mortal's world..."
"Master... if a great one such as yourself cannot breach their shield, how can I?" She excaimed, astonished.
"Trust me, Satori, you can... Now, both of you, GO!"
"..Yes.."
*Five Years Later*
Satori raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun.
~What does Master Talpa WANT with this world?~ She wondered, cringing against the garish sun. She preferred the sparkling mage lights and pristine moonlight that brought light to the Dynasty's world.
She was perched atop one of the highest towers in the castle, looking through the barriers between worlds. She'd traveled into the mortal plane a few times now, and didn't see any use for it. But, it was not her place to question Talpa's motives or desires, she had to remind herself.
~At least this world will not be hard to crush,~ She thought. ~I will soon have the barrier down completely, and then my Master can go through and conquer it... quite easily, even if he did not have the magic I am reinforcing his armor with...~
She turned away from the sun of this seemingly totally primitive world her Master wanted to dominate, and teleported back to her garden. Almost immediatly upon setting foot in the grass of the garden, she felt compressed by all sides by the now very powerful auras of Toura and her cubs, now full grown.
~Kokuen has been working well with Kenbukyo... He will probably leave the garden for good soon, to be with him..~ She thought, as Toura presented herself for a scratch between the ears.
Satori looked at the black tiger, lounging in the sun.
"Perhaps you can teach my noble warrior brother to relax sometimes, hm, Black Blaze?" She asked, chuckling lightly at the perplexed look the tiger gave her.
She then turned to Byakuen, who was pacing the wall of the garden again.
~Byakuen wants out... but he hasn't chosen someone to be with... perhaps he is destined to be free..~ Satori sighed, as a chill breeze rustled through the air, making her shiver. She sat down on the grass, to try to make herself meditate or something. It had been awhile since she allowed her magic to replenish itself.... especially since she had invested so much energy lately into the task Talpa had set her to.
*
*
Satori half staggered back to her garden, her head dropping slightly and her hair falling lank into her eyes.
~Master nearly drained me completely this time,~ She thought. ~But this should have been the final session... his armor is now unlike any other, within or without of the Dynasty..~ Satori had just spent several hours within Talpa's study, pouring all her energy into imbuing his dark armor with the best of magic.
She had worked hard at bestowing nine magic spells into it, nine of the most powerful ones in existence, and she had them at her command. She'd given the armor power from the five elements- Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, and Spirit, as well as four of the most highly regarded creature spirits among the dark sorcerers of the Dynasty. Satori was the only sorcerer to hold power over all four of them- the ogre, the wolf, the snake, and the spider.
Talpa had suddenly grown quite insistent that she finish his armor NOW- not slowly over the coming months, before winter would arrive in the mortals' world. As always, she never questioned him, only obeyed-- as was her place, being his minion, and a woman, albeit a powerful one. She knew she was supposed to go into the other world again, to walk the city, but at this point all she cared for was rest.
Toura arrived almost immediatly to support her as she headed for her rooms.
By now, Kokuen had left the garden completely. The black tiger had assigned himself over to Saber-Stryke wholly, and was no longer of much concern to her. She rarely saw her brother or the black tiger these days.
Kokuen's sibling, on the other hand, had simply up and vanished a few nights ago. Talpa was not particularly happy about it, although she tried to explain to him that the tigers' wills were their own, and she could not control what the White Tiger did. Still, that was one of the many reasons she had to go back to the mortal world-- to find Byakuen, for her Master was never much a fan of listening to reason.
Satori dropped into a dreamless sleep almost immediately upon arriving in her small set of rooms.
She walked out a small set of doors, out into the garden. Her garden. The place was empty, but for the magical birds and animals that roamed it, and the exotic plants she collected. Her garden was sacred to her, and none were allowed into it, unless she invited them. She didn't have much of a problem with unwanted guests; servants and slaves dared not mess with anything of hers without permission, and all the lords knew she was the Master's favorite, and not to be trifled with.
She was the Lady Satori, the most powerful sorceress in all of Master Talpa's Evil Dynasty. Satori was not only the only woman in a position of power within the Dynasty, but at 18 she was also the youngest of Talpa's retainers, and that made her both hated and loved, both feared and awe- inspiring. She had learned the magic from the Talpa himself, and looked upon him as a second father. In addition, her brother was one of Talpa's most powerful and respected warriors, Kenbukyo- Lord Saber-Stryke himself.
On the surface, Satori appeared very cool, strong, and sure of herself. She dressed finely, but not audaciously- silk, yes, but dark colors- black, midnight blue, deep purples and deeper reds. Her face was pale with makeup, as a "proper" lady's should be, with only a little decoration about her eyes, and dark red lips. She wore her dark brown hair up in a complicated series of bindings.
She paused at the large pond in the center of her garden for only a moment; she did have business to attend to, after all. This afternoon, she was without her usual companionship- an unnaturally huge, golden female tiger, her familiar, that she had raised herself. Toura was resting in the shrine in the middle of the garden, soaking up the curative magics Satori had placed around the shrine, to give her strength for the time when the birth would come. Satori was looking forward to the event, as were other sorcerers and warriors in the Dynasty- offspring of her Toura would be powerful indeed.
As she reached the shrine, she felt a tiny ripple of pain along the psychic connection she held with her familiar, followed by tiny pulses of magic, that grew stronger with passing seconds.
"Is it time, then?" She said aloud as she opened the doors. Toura looked up at her, letting out a small purr as she stepped inside. The tiger laid on her side upon a pile of cushions she'd set up on the small dais, with magic candles and torches burning in a circle around her.
"Don't worry, I'm here to help you," Satori murmured, as she knelt beside Toura, and stroked her large head, allowing magic to flow freely from her hand into the tiger.
It did not take long, with Toura's great strength and Satori's added magical aid. Soon, Satori was cleaning off a pair of male cubs with the towels she'd stored in the shrine building for the occasion. The tiger cubs were handsome, and she could feel that they were going to grow up to be very strong, indeed.
"Well, then, 'Mother'... what should we call these little lords?" She asked, as Toura tiredly rubbed her head against her hand.
Satori looked at the cubs, now rolled up, asleep at Toura's side.
One was snow white, with black stripes. The other, black as night, with gray stripes.
She looked at the white cub first, the older of the twins.
"...Byakuen..." She whispered, touching a fingertip to the fuzzy little forehead of the cub. A little glyph shone there for an instant. "Yes.. Byakuen is your name. Byakuen- White Blaze... And so.. it would only be fitting, that you be Kokuen." She touched the black cub, and smiled as the name was accepted, and the little glyph flashed on his forehead. "Kokuen- Black Blaze... These two are destined for great things, I can tell, Toura."
At that moment, she felt a small ripple in the magic around her-- she felt a familiar aura. Her brother was standing at the edge of the garden.
"I'll be back," She said to her familiar, as she gathered her skirts and pushed back a stray strand of hair, and hurried to meet her brother.
Kenbukyo was leaning against the gate of the garden, facing outward when she arrived. As always, she made no sound when walking, and was nearly upon him before he turned around.
"You almost snuck up on me this time, Satori," He said, his deep voice echoing eerily inside the shadows of his armor helm.
"I wish you'd take that beastly mask off once in awhile," She remarked, shaking her head. Her brother ignored her comment.
"I came to get you... Master Talpa wants to see us." He replied after a pause.
She looked back to the building where her tigers rested. "All right... I only hope he doesn't keep me long.."
"Is Toura all right?"
"Oh, yes... she's just resting now... with her new cubs," Satori said, as she followed Saber-Stryke out of the garden, back into the dark shadows within the palace.
"I should like to see them," He told her, as they headed for their Master's throne room.
She nodded. "When they're a bit bigger.. I shall give one to you, brother, if the tiger will agree.. and I think he will. You would be the undisputed champion of the Dynasty then... nothing could stop our Master from his goals, with your sword, and my magic to aid him..."
"You mustn't be cocky, Satori.."
"I'm not being cocky, I'm being honest.."
Saber-Stryke shook his head, and Satori held in a sigh. She knew her brother was uncomfortable with the ideas of their Dynasty dominating others, adding to the Empire. She tried not to bring the subject up often, she did not want to think about what could happen if her brother ever openly disagreed with Master Talpa..
In any case, her little train of thought was cut short, as they arrived at the large gate-like doors that marked the entrance to the throne room.
Satori squinted at the shadows as she knelt at the base of the dais, before Talpa's throne, with her bother at her right.
"Lord Saber-Stryke... Lady Satori," A deep voice, that made the dark magics in the air around them tremble, and the cold flames of the many candles waver.
"Master," They both replied, in unison, bopwing their heads to him.
"You summoned us, Master?" Saber-Stryke asked. Satori remained silent, knowing she should only speak when spoken to.
"Yes... as I shall soon summon all of my Warlords.. but I wanted to inform you two first."
Talpa's huge armored hand moved in the shadow's barely visible in the shadows he kept the room bathed in.
"We shall prepare an invasion of this mortal world... and add to the evil Dynasty's empire!"
"An invasion.." Saber Stryke muttered.
"Have you a problem with that?!"
"...No, Master.."
"Good... and Satori?"
"Yes Master?" She looked up, wondering what kind of task she could have that could aid his endeavors.
"This invasion will take time to prepare.. there is a barrier between our world and theirs that I cannot yet cross. I want you to spend the years it takes to prepare gathering the dark powers, to make me stronger, until it is time to cross over, and to examine the magic in the mortal's world..."
"Master... if a great one such as yourself cannot breach their shield, how can I?" She excaimed, astonished.
"Trust me, Satori, you can... Now, both of you, GO!"
"..Yes.."
*Five Years Later*
Satori raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun.
~What does Master Talpa WANT with this world?~ She wondered, cringing against the garish sun. She preferred the sparkling mage lights and pristine moonlight that brought light to the Dynasty's world.
She was perched atop one of the highest towers in the castle, looking through the barriers between worlds. She'd traveled into the mortal plane a few times now, and didn't see any use for it. But, it was not her place to question Talpa's motives or desires, she had to remind herself.
~At least this world will not be hard to crush,~ She thought. ~I will soon have the barrier down completely, and then my Master can go through and conquer it... quite easily, even if he did not have the magic I am reinforcing his armor with...~
She turned away from the sun of this seemingly totally primitive world her Master wanted to dominate, and teleported back to her garden. Almost immediatly upon setting foot in the grass of the garden, she felt compressed by all sides by the now very powerful auras of Toura and her cubs, now full grown.
~Kokuen has been working well with Kenbukyo... He will probably leave the garden for good soon, to be with him..~ She thought, as Toura presented herself for a scratch between the ears.
Satori looked at the black tiger, lounging in the sun.
"Perhaps you can teach my noble warrior brother to relax sometimes, hm, Black Blaze?" She asked, chuckling lightly at the perplexed look the tiger gave her.
She then turned to Byakuen, who was pacing the wall of the garden again.
~Byakuen wants out... but he hasn't chosen someone to be with... perhaps he is destined to be free..~ Satori sighed, as a chill breeze rustled through the air, making her shiver. She sat down on the grass, to try to make herself meditate or something. It had been awhile since she allowed her magic to replenish itself.... especially since she had invested so much energy lately into the task Talpa had set her to.
*
*
Satori half staggered back to her garden, her head dropping slightly and her hair falling lank into her eyes.
~Master nearly drained me completely this time,~ She thought. ~But this should have been the final session... his armor is now unlike any other, within or without of the Dynasty..~ Satori had just spent several hours within Talpa's study, pouring all her energy into imbuing his dark armor with the best of magic.
She had worked hard at bestowing nine magic spells into it, nine of the most powerful ones in existence, and she had them at her command. She'd given the armor power from the five elements- Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, and Spirit, as well as four of the most highly regarded creature spirits among the dark sorcerers of the Dynasty. Satori was the only sorcerer to hold power over all four of them- the ogre, the wolf, the snake, and the spider.
Talpa had suddenly grown quite insistent that she finish his armor NOW- not slowly over the coming months, before winter would arrive in the mortals' world. As always, she never questioned him, only obeyed-- as was her place, being his minion, and a woman, albeit a powerful one. She knew she was supposed to go into the other world again, to walk the city, but at this point all she cared for was rest.
Toura arrived almost immediatly to support her as she headed for her rooms.
By now, Kokuen had left the garden completely. The black tiger had assigned himself over to Saber-Stryke wholly, and was no longer of much concern to her. She rarely saw her brother or the black tiger these days.
Kokuen's sibling, on the other hand, had simply up and vanished a few nights ago. Talpa was not particularly happy about it, although she tried to explain to him that the tigers' wills were their own, and she could not control what the White Tiger did. Still, that was one of the many reasons she had to go back to the mortal world-- to find Byakuen, for her Master was never much a fan of listening to reason.
Satori dropped into a dreamless sleep almost immediately upon arriving in her small set of rooms.