Song of Fate
Summary: A golden age has passed, what was once united, separate. An object of power rises up, as twelve from the four corners of the earth must unite.
Prelude
Long ago, it was a golden age in the world, one of peace, one of knowledge, one of prosperity. In unity was strength and the separate regions all over were not indeed separate, they were just slightly short of being a large united society. Then, as all kingdoms are doomed to become, the unity and light crumbled as all fell. Soon there were only large kingdoms, separate strictly except in certain matters.
There was the Yagami kingdom, in the west, where there were deserts and tropical forests. They were particularly known for their warlike nature and was the predominate power in the world. A standard flew proudly over their battlements of an orange sun in a blood red field framed with swords.
Next were the Ishida and Takaishi kingdoms to the north, an area of snowcapped mountains and pine forests. The two kingdoms were roughly joined together, although they had two different standards, for they had two rulers. The people of the north were skilled metal workers and breeders of horses. The standard of Ishida was a sickle moon in a midnight blue background with an axe on the bottom and the standard of Takaishi was of a upward firing shooting star colored gold on a turquoise blue field.
To the east was the Tachikawa kingdom, a lush region of varied forests and meadows. They were more peaceful than the other kingdoms, known for their expertise in plants and living creatures. Their standard was a lily and a rose, a teardrop crowning them, on a green background.
The south had the Kido kingdom, an area of plains and valleys. In that land, knowledge and education was considered the most important and they were known for raising excellent military tacticians and mages of war. Their standard was of a staff and a bolt of lightning crossed on a gray background.
In the islands to the southwest was the Takenouchi kingdom, an alliance of all the islands. They were violent fighters, like their western neighbors in the Yagami kingdom, and mostly aloof, interfering only if gain was in their favor. A standard of a gold hawk on a burgundy field was borne in battle.
Some distance across the sea was the Ichijouji kingdom, old and bound deeply in tradition. They kept their distance from the other kingdoms, and were mysterious in their ways. Few had ever even dared to try to send fleets of ships to attempt to conquer them; the men and the ships would disappear, never to be seen again. Whispered rumors spread that they practiced dark magic there, conjuring demons and taking over the minds of others. Old documents revealed sketches of their standard, which was a silver dragon upon a field of black and surrounded by a jagged circle of silver.
The kingdoms then reached a sort of uneasy truce between one another for centuries, each minding their own business and not caring about the conditions of others. This particular story is about how they were connected and a second golden age was brought about again.
~*~
Angry yells rang about the palace. "No! I will not allow it! You are the Crown Prince!"
"Mother, I must do it! How can I be a good king if I do not know about the world more?"
"I forbid it, your father is mad," the Queen, a woman with blonde hair and a usually sweet natured appearing face (which currently was red and contorted in anger and frustration), said flatly, shooting a glare at the King, a man with brown hair and a rugged, slightly harsh visage.
"I believe it is best if he has this experience out on the border patrols," he said mildly.
"I am not endangering the life of our son!" the queen shouted.
The king got up. "You cannot shelter him forever!" he roared back. "You have to realize he is becoming a man and he will not be your little child for much longer!"
"Father-" Yamato started, but his father raised his hand.
"Go out of the room, son, your mother and I need to talk."
Hesitantly, the blonde backed out of the room, quietly closing the door after. Yamato sighed and scuffed his foot on the carpet as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, his parents' angry yells echoing after him, but muffled through the walls, carpet, and hangings.
His younger brother, Takeru, nearly crashed into him, as he hurried along the hallways for some mysterious reason and Yamato himself brooded silently. Both brothers had gold blonde hair and ice blue eyes, similar in height and skin coloring as well, despite their age difference of about three years. They were also skilled at fighting. For some odd reason, they were given magical powers that had never appeared before in their family line. Yamato had abilities over ice and Takeru over emotion and light.
"Takeru, what's your big hurry?" Yamato grumbled.
"Nothing," the younger boy said hastily.
"Nothing my ass, little brother."
"Mother will kill you if she heard you say that."
"Currently she and Father are having a screaming match. again."
Takeru sighed. "What time is it this week?"
"I believe it's the tenth, within three days."
Takeru ran a hand through his blonde locks. "I hate it when they do that. Not only does it hurt, they happen to have very loud voices."
"I know, where are you off to?"
"Down to check out the marketplace." He cringed as Yamato gave him a look that said clearly, 'Don't bother lying because I know what you're up to.'
"You're going to see Taylor, aren't you?" Yamato asked flatly.
"No, not really," Takeru said, trying to slip past.
"Takeru, the kid's a damn thief."
"So, you go down to the tavern all the time," Takeru challenged. "And get drunk and there was that one time with that pretty serving maid."
"Never mind that!" Yamato snapped, stifling a blush. "You are not going down there alone."
"I promised him I wouldn't bring anyone!"
"Then you aren't going," Yamato growled. "Go back to your room, now."
Takeru shot Yamato an angry look and said quietly, "Someday you have to learn that I'm not always your baby brother that's in need of protecting." Then he walked swiftly to his bedroom.
Yamato heaved a sigh and leaned on a wall, burying his face in his hands. Why was his family so full of chaos?
~*~
A cloaked and hooded figure sat in front of a small, crackling fire in the forest. Something stirred behind it, a brief crunch of crushed leaves and sticks below the soft sounds of the night, but whoever the person was; he or she ignored it. Then a shadow crept closer and closer, ready to attack at any moment. But the person was gone.
The attacker then felt a slight pressure of a knife on the unprotected skin of the neck.
"Got you," someone whispered.
The shadow laughed. "Damn, you get me all the time."
"Of course." The other person disappeared and reappeared by the fire.
Moving toward the light, the first shadow pulled back the hood revealing a young man in his early twenties with red brown hair and sparkling mahogany eyes. His face was tanned and ruddy, as well as good-natured, if sarcastic at times. He was well muscled and tall, a strong fighter obviously and used to handling weapons. As his equipment and clothing went, he was wearing a loose brown shirt and trousers under the cloak along with brigandine armor. Few of his enemies ever knew that he had elemental magic, few that were alive to tell the tale anyways. The young man had control over steel and metal, a skill that he practiced with earnest.
The figure in front of the fire lifted their own hood, revealing a young woman with blue green hair and glittering beryl green eyes set in a pale skinned face. Pointed ears stuck out from under the mass of aqua blue green hair that was tied in a braid, marking her as an elf. As beautiful and delicate she appeared at first glance, a second and third glance would show that she had the hard, smooth muscles of an expert fighter below her green shirt and gray trousers. However, few would ever imagine that she had killed many a skilled warrior with those slim, seemingly frail hands, either with her bare hands, or with a weapon in them. Below the fierce skills and often-cold appearing face she displayed many times, a kind, compassionate heart rested within her. She was an elemental warrior with power over animals, being able to communicate with them and shift into different forms, including those of mythical animals.
"Saraia, if you weren't such a close friend and a hell good fighter, I'd consider luring to my bed," the brunette joked.
"Ha, Daisuke, you dare do that and I will rip a piece off of you, a piece I believe you prize highly," the elf snorted.
"You are too vindictive. And most elves are supposed to be peaceful, gentle, compassionate."
"Well I am not like 'most elves,' Daisuke. So what do you have to report?"
"Not much, the royals are torn apart."
"Damn," the elf growled. "Mortals are such fools at times."
"Hey, I'm a mortal for your information."
"And you act like a fool."
"It is tempting to agree with that." A quiet, grave voice was then heard in the clearing.
"Iori, you're back," Saraia turned to face a young man with light brown hair and bright green eyes.
Iori was a calm, quiet man, with much resemblance to a priest, or a scholar. Few would ever imagine how deadly he was with a staff or a rapier in his hands. Dressed simply in sensible clothing of a beige long sleeved tunic and matching breeches, he presented an ordinary, benign image that was very reminiscent of a scholar or a member of clergy. As well as being a skilled warrior, but with strong ethics and firm beliefs about honor, he was an elemental fighter, with powers of psychic abilities.
"Of course," he said calmly, stepping into the clearing and toward the fire. He gently tossed her a small package that was slightly warm. "I thought you might like a treat from the bakery in town. Also I checked on the horses."
She opened it. "Thank you so much. How did you know I liked these?" She fished out one of the cakes inside and took a bite.
"Intuition," Iori shrugged innocently and she shot him a glare.
"You read my mind again, didn't you?"
"Give me one!" Daisuke demanded, and she handed him a few.
"My, my, is it a party?" Yet another voice appeared.
"Yes, bring out the wine, Dia'," Saraia said, brushing off a few crumbs.
"The name's Andia, elf," a man dressed in crimson grumbled, going in.
Andia, or known as Dia, was slightly shorter than everyone else, but no less of a fighter. He had flowing black hair that was streaked with silver, although he was not old at all in appearance, and dark eyes that were lightly dotted with amber. His eyes resembled cat's eyes to a point where it was positively eerie. Dressed only in crimson, he let the twin sabers at his belt hang in full view, preferring to take the "Walk softly and carry a big stick" approach to intimidation. He had power to animate nonliving objects, sometimes permanently and sometimes temporarily, and minor telekinesis. He was aloof and sometimes flat cold, but he was a warrior that always stayed by the side of his comrades.
"The name is Saraia, male," the elf shot back, and he only grinned at her.
"Look at what we're reduced to," Dia grumbled. "Some of the best warriors, now acting as part time mercenaries."
"We are not mercenaries, Andia," Iori said quietly, sitting down in front of the fire. "And it is highly likely we would never be."
"It is unusual for an elf to sell her services in the ways of a warrior, but I am not like most of my kind," Saraia said, stringing a long bow and examining it. "But I will not be a mercenary. I still appreciate life, thank you very much."
"Leave to an elf, and a female elf nonetheless, to be sentimental," Dia muttered, and barely dodged a swift blow from Saraia's direction.
"My friends," Daisuke shook his head, rubbing his head.
"We have to find that gem though," Saraia said seriously, slipping her bow away and unstringing it. "That guy sounded serious."
Daisuke snorted. "Yeah, he's one of those prophet types, predicting the end of the world. It's just horse crap, I tell you."
"He wasn't lying," Iori said seriously. "I can tell when someone is lying."
"Where is the gem anyways?" Dia asked, mildly curious.
"He said that we have to go the center of the continent and gather certain elemental warriors, just like us. But not me or you, Dia. There are these elemental warriors that have certain very powerful abilities, as well as these blessings upon them," Saraia said.
"And then?" Daisuke prompted.
"They do something, and they are able to bring up the gem. Then it must be destroyed; it's too powerful, he said, and evil can easily corrupt it." A silence fell over the camp as the inhabitants mused.
"So what does it look like?" Dia asked finally.
"Like a perfectly round blue orb about the size of Daisuke's head," Saraia said and grinned wryly. "And that boy has hell of a large head."
"I resent that," Daisuke grumbled.
Iori looked to the south. "So we must gather these elemental warriors together."
The elf nodded. "The man said that we could sense if one is around, and he said also, this would glow if one was close." She held up her right gauntlet, a fingerless leather glove reinforced at the seams and well made. Set on it was a moonstone of a fairly good size. It was glowing faintly but she willed it to go out.
"We'll have to separate," Dia said finally.
"No," Saraia said firmly. "We must stay together."
Daisuke then thought for a moment and said, "You know, when I passed by the princes, I sensed something about them."
"They could be two of the elemental warriors," Saraia mused. "I can send one of the eagles here to make sure."
"Do it and damn well be done with it then," Dia told her.
She chuckled and let out a sharp whistle. In a flurry of wings, an eagle landed on her left wrist, clad in a gauntlet as well. She then had a short conversation as she then bound a small crystal orb around its leg. The bird then took off.
"Get some sleep, we should stay in the village later," Saraia said. Elves didn't need much sleep, having odd abilities in endurance and healing.
"I feel pity for any man who tries to take your services other than fighting," Daisuke muttered and collapsed into his bedroll.
She laughed dryly. "I know."
Dia sat by her as Iori joined Daisuke in slumber. "Saraia, why are you so. diverse in personality?"
The question, which had been posed many times before, would have irked the elf and she would give some tart answer along the lines of "It is none of your business."
"I guess because I have been around humans for too long," the elf shrugged, poking the fire. "I am a lot older than I look, as you are too, Andia. Sometimes, you just have to adjust."
Dia nodded, pulling out a long knife and sharpening it. "I know that very well."
She looked up at the sky and suddenly the eagle from earlier came hurtling down. In time she barely caught it on her gauntlet-clad arm. She looked at the crystal, which was glowing brightly, and nodded, as she untied the gem. "They both have the blessings." Then she had a brief conversation with the eagle. "Thank you, wing sister." Saraia then offered the bird a piece of dried meat from the stores. Taking it, the eagle took to the air once more.
"Apparently, the brothers are also in turmoil," the elf said, fumbling with the crystal.
"None of our problem," Dia said, whittling at a stray stick.
Saraia went to her pack and picked up a mirror from within it. "I keep contact with my kin around the world. I will ask them to help me find the remaining warriors."
"How many are there?"
"Twelve," she answered, plucking a long, blue-green hair from her head and setting it on the smooth glass of the mirror. She then furrowed her brow as she had a conversation with whoever it was in the mirror in her native language, Elven. Finishing it, she put the mirror away.
"What was that all about?" Dia asked.
"A conversation with a friend of mine. She and her clan live to the east, in Tachikawa. They are on good terms with the mortals there."
"And you're from the east, aren't you?"
"Yes, pretty much. My friend said that she would pass on the word to other clans to the east, south, west, southwest, and to the continent across the sea."
"Ichijouji? Some of your kind dwells there?"
"Yes, distant kin. For a shadow being, you are very inquisitive."
"I thank you for that," Dia said, amused.
Saraia laughed, a clear, rich sound, like a bell. Then she gazed into the fire, musing to herself.
~*~
Sora looked around from her perch among the leafy boughs of a large tree. Nodding, she turned to her friend Miyako and signaled all clear. Jumping down, the Amazon leaned on the tree trunk. She was very pretty, with a lean, well-muscled body, blazing scarlet-gold hair, and bright, almost ruby red eyes. Yet many a man or enemy had seen cold death within those bright colored eyes right before she killed them. Dressed in a loose tunic with knee length leggings colored red brown and barefoot, she presented the natural image of an Amazon, complete with the spear in her hand. The woman was a well-trained fighter, along with elemental powers of illusion and healing. A slim gold band set with a single, round blood red ruby around her head marked her rank as the chieftain and queen of the Amazons in all of the islands of Takenouchi.
Her second in command, a lavender-haired, amber-eyed female named Miyako, leapt gracefully down beside her. She was slimmer than Sora but swifter on foot and in the trees. Her eyes often sparkled in amusement, but could become chips of amber ice within seconds as war rage settled. Dressed in a sleeveless shirt with part of the bottom cut off, and thus revealing her bare, well conditioned stomach, as well as trousers hacked off to knee length, both colored tan, she posed a wild but unthreatening image. Or at first, before she killed those foolhardy enough to attack her or who threatened her people. She was also the shaman of the tribes, having abilities of air and weather.
"Something troubles you, my Queen?" the sorceress asked.
"Nothing," Sora said. "I feel an ill storm coming, something unsettles my heart."
Miyako frowned. "I will have to see my crystal tonight then." She was referring a round ball of clear crystal she used to see the future and spy upon the actions of others.
"You have no need to," Sora said.
"But I shall, and nothing you say will stop me." The lavender-haired girl set her hands on her hips.
Sora laughed. "Alright my friend, but let us hunt, for that was our original plan."
~*~
Princess Mimi looked around quickly, hiding under her cloak. As the guards passed, she slipped out through the door and hurried to the stables. Leading her mare out through the gates, she cast one last look at the castle that was her home for all of her life.
Mother, Father, I am sorry but I cannot live a life without love.
She then rode swiftly away. As she rode, tears trickled down her fair cheeks. If her hood was off, one could see that she had long, rich brown hair framing a delicate and pale face with innocent brown eyes. She was obviously not a warrior, but had an air of magic about her, which was true, for she was an elemental mage of plants.
~*~
Jyou sighed, frustrated. He ran a hair through his blue hair as his dark blue, almost black, eyes were flashing in irritation. A tall and lanky man, he was deceptively weak appearing but was a formidable opponent with a good staff or a glaive, a long staff with a foot long leaf shaped metal blade in one end. He was usually mild mannered but flustered easily. Thus the powers of water were suited to him as an elemental warrior.
He gazed at the document in front of him angrily. His parents betrothed him?! How could they? It was to the princess of the Tachikawa kingdom. Both royal families must have wished for an alliance of both of their kingdoms, before his parents died anyways, leaving him the sole ruler of Kido. Angry, he wished to rip apart the parchment but restrained himself. Then he sighed again and buried his face into his hands.
~*~
Taichi, ruler of Yagami, gazed over the deserts in the eastern region of his kingdom with a cool, impassive face as he observed everything with a critical brown eye, perched easily on his large blood bay stallion. He was a huskily built man, with a mane of wild brown hair and deep brown eyes set into a tanned and weathered face, easily distinguished as a warrior, a very skilled one. A flicker of spirit and an air of command rested within those eyes, despite the youth of the face that held them. His spirited nature and hot temper went in harmony with his elemental powers over fire.
His sister, the Crown Princess Hikari, rode up beside him on her gray mare. She was a conventionally pretty woman, with lighter brown hair than her brother's but with the same brown eyes. A calmer air was in those brown orbs, along with a sense of compassion. Despite her frail appearance and kind face, she was a deadly fighter in archery. She had powers over light and healing skills.
"Something troubles you, brother?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered slowly. "You know the Dark City? The one far to the east?"
"Those are just stories, brother," Hikari said.
"Apparently not, I sense something from there, two things in fact. One is good, and powerful, and the other is somewhat evil, weaker but easier to spread out to corrupt everything."
"It does not suit you normally to have your head in the clouds," the princess said, adjusting the veils that covered the bottom half of her face and all of her hair.
"It is not dreaming, it is more of a premonition." Taichi responded, still gazing at a minute dark spot upon the horizon.
~*~
"My son," the man on the bed rasped. "Please, it is my time for the shadows to take me."
"Father?" A young man stepped forward, indigo eyes sorrowful. He was handsome, tall and slim, built for speed and strength at the same time. A pale, finely chiseled face was framed by blue-black hair. Ken, the sole heir to the throne of Ichijouji, gently clasped his father's hand in his own fine-boned strong one. He had an aura of magic, the magic of shadows, but not true darkness.
"Rule well for me," the king said. "But you have a different destiny coming. My son, use the power of the shadows well, but do not let true darkness take you."
"I promise," Ken responded gently and the king smiled for one of the few times in his life, and peacefully slept in a deep slumber no one could wake him from. A single tear fell from Ken's eyes as he mourned the passing of his father's spirit. "I promise I will find my destiny and use my powers well."
~*~
Koushiro Izumi, traveling sorcerer, staggered to a clearing, looking very pale. His equally exhausted gelding trotted behind him slowly. The mage was a slightly short, yet slim man with a shock of bright red hair and jet black eyes. His simple mage robes were torn under a large black cloak. He was exhausted, having been ambushed by trolls and forced to use his elemental powers of lightning swiftly with no notice before hand. Besides being a mage, he was also used to fighting with knives and throwing daggers, which came to be useful. Leaning against a tree, he sighed, sliding to the ground, and sunk into a half daze, barely remembering to ward his camp.
~*~
Five kingdoms. Twelve people. One destiny.
A/N: I hope you like this so far, I am writing on different stories currently, but I promise I will try to continue my other stories quickly. Please review!
Summary: A golden age has passed, what was once united, separate. An object of power rises up, as twelve from the four corners of the earth must unite.
Prelude
Long ago, it was a golden age in the world, one of peace, one of knowledge, one of prosperity. In unity was strength and the separate regions all over were not indeed separate, they were just slightly short of being a large united society. Then, as all kingdoms are doomed to become, the unity and light crumbled as all fell. Soon there were only large kingdoms, separate strictly except in certain matters.
There was the Yagami kingdom, in the west, where there were deserts and tropical forests. They were particularly known for their warlike nature and was the predominate power in the world. A standard flew proudly over their battlements of an orange sun in a blood red field framed with swords.
Next were the Ishida and Takaishi kingdoms to the north, an area of snowcapped mountains and pine forests. The two kingdoms were roughly joined together, although they had two different standards, for they had two rulers. The people of the north were skilled metal workers and breeders of horses. The standard of Ishida was a sickle moon in a midnight blue background with an axe on the bottom and the standard of Takaishi was of a upward firing shooting star colored gold on a turquoise blue field.
To the east was the Tachikawa kingdom, a lush region of varied forests and meadows. They were more peaceful than the other kingdoms, known for their expertise in plants and living creatures. Their standard was a lily and a rose, a teardrop crowning them, on a green background.
The south had the Kido kingdom, an area of plains and valleys. In that land, knowledge and education was considered the most important and they were known for raising excellent military tacticians and mages of war. Their standard was of a staff and a bolt of lightning crossed on a gray background.
In the islands to the southwest was the Takenouchi kingdom, an alliance of all the islands. They were violent fighters, like their western neighbors in the Yagami kingdom, and mostly aloof, interfering only if gain was in their favor. A standard of a gold hawk on a burgundy field was borne in battle.
Some distance across the sea was the Ichijouji kingdom, old and bound deeply in tradition. They kept their distance from the other kingdoms, and were mysterious in their ways. Few had ever even dared to try to send fleets of ships to attempt to conquer them; the men and the ships would disappear, never to be seen again. Whispered rumors spread that they practiced dark magic there, conjuring demons and taking over the minds of others. Old documents revealed sketches of their standard, which was a silver dragon upon a field of black and surrounded by a jagged circle of silver.
The kingdoms then reached a sort of uneasy truce between one another for centuries, each minding their own business and not caring about the conditions of others. This particular story is about how they were connected and a second golden age was brought about again.
~*~
Angry yells rang about the palace. "No! I will not allow it! You are the Crown Prince!"
"Mother, I must do it! How can I be a good king if I do not know about the world more?"
"I forbid it, your father is mad," the Queen, a woman with blonde hair and a usually sweet natured appearing face (which currently was red and contorted in anger and frustration), said flatly, shooting a glare at the King, a man with brown hair and a rugged, slightly harsh visage.
"I believe it is best if he has this experience out on the border patrols," he said mildly.
"I am not endangering the life of our son!" the queen shouted.
The king got up. "You cannot shelter him forever!" he roared back. "You have to realize he is becoming a man and he will not be your little child for much longer!"
"Father-" Yamato started, but his father raised his hand.
"Go out of the room, son, your mother and I need to talk."
Hesitantly, the blonde backed out of the room, quietly closing the door after. Yamato sighed and scuffed his foot on the carpet as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, his parents' angry yells echoing after him, but muffled through the walls, carpet, and hangings.
His younger brother, Takeru, nearly crashed into him, as he hurried along the hallways for some mysterious reason and Yamato himself brooded silently. Both brothers had gold blonde hair and ice blue eyes, similar in height and skin coloring as well, despite their age difference of about three years. They were also skilled at fighting. For some odd reason, they were given magical powers that had never appeared before in their family line. Yamato had abilities over ice and Takeru over emotion and light.
"Takeru, what's your big hurry?" Yamato grumbled.
"Nothing," the younger boy said hastily.
"Nothing my ass, little brother."
"Mother will kill you if she heard you say that."
"Currently she and Father are having a screaming match. again."
Takeru sighed. "What time is it this week?"
"I believe it's the tenth, within three days."
Takeru ran a hand through his blonde locks. "I hate it when they do that. Not only does it hurt, they happen to have very loud voices."
"I know, where are you off to?"
"Down to check out the marketplace." He cringed as Yamato gave him a look that said clearly, 'Don't bother lying because I know what you're up to.'
"You're going to see Taylor, aren't you?" Yamato asked flatly.
"No, not really," Takeru said, trying to slip past.
"Takeru, the kid's a damn thief."
"So, you go down to the tavern all the time," Takeru challenged. "And get drunk and there was that one time with that pretty serving maid."
"Never mind that!" Yamato snapped, stifling a blush. "You are not going down there alone."
"I promised him I wouldn't bring anyone!"
"Then you aren't going," Yamato growled. "Go back to your room, now."
Takeru shot Yamato an angry look and said quietly, "Someday you have to learn that I'm not always your baby brother that's in need of protecting." Then he walked swiftly to his bedroom.
Yamato heaved a sigh and leaned on a wall, burying his face in his hands. Why was his family so full of chaos?
~*~
A cloaked and hooded figure sat in front of a small, crackling fire in the forest. Something stirred behind it, a brief crunch of crushed leaves and sticks below the soft sounds of the night, but whoever the person was; he or she ignored it. Then a shadow crept closer and closer, ready to attack at any moment. But the person was gone.
The attacker then felt a slight pressure of a knife on the unprotected skin of the neck.
"Got you," someone whispered.
The shadow laughed. "Damn, you get me all the time."
"Of course." The other person disappeared and reappeared by the fire.
Moving toward the light, the first shadow pulled back the hood revealing a young man in his early twenties with red brown hair and sparkling mahogany eyes. His face was tanned and ruddy, as well as good-natured, if sarcastic at times. He was well muscled and tall, a strong fighter obviously and used to handling weapons. As his equipment and clothing went, he was wearing a loose brown shirt and trousers under the cloak along with brigandine armor. Few of his enemies ever knew that he had elemental magic, few that were alive to tell the tale anyways. The young man had control over steel and metal, a skill that he practiced with earnest.
The figure in front of the fire lifted their own hood, revealing a young woman with blue green hair and glittering beryl green eyes set in a pale skinned face. Pointed ears stuck out from under the mass of aqua blue green hair that was tied in a braid, marking her as an elf. As beautiful and delicate she appeared at first glance, a second and third glance would show that she had the hard, smooth muscles of an expert fighter below her green shirt and gray trousers. However, few would ever imagine that she had killed many a skilled warrior with those slim, seemingly frail hands, either with her bare hands, or with a weapon in them. Below the fierce skills and often-cold appearing face she displayed many times, a kind, compassionate heart rested within her. She was an elemental warrior with power over animals, being able to communicate with them and shift into different forms, including those of mythical animals.
"Saraia, if you weren't such a close friend and a hell good fighter, I'd consider luring to my bed," the brunette joked.
"Ha, Daisuke, you dare do that and I will rip a piece off of you, a piece I believe you prize highly," the elf snorted.
"You are too vindictive. And most elves are supposed to be peaceful, gentle, compassionate."
"Well I am not like 'most elves,' Daisuke. So what do you have to report?"
"Not much, the royals are torn apart."
"Damn," the elf growled. "Mortals are such fools at times."
"Hey, I'm a mortal for your information."
"And you act like a fool."
"It is tempting to agree with that." A quiet, grave voice was then heard in the clearing.
"Iori, you're back," Saraia turned to face a young man with light brown hair and bright green eyes.
Iori was a calm, quiet man, with much resemblance to a priest, or a scholar. Few would ever imagine how deadly he was with a staff or a rapier in his hands. Dressed simply in sensible clothing of a beige long sleeved tunic and matching breeches, he presented an ordinary, benign image that was very reminiscent of a scholar or a member of clergy. As well as being a skilled warrior, but with strong ethics and firm beliefs about honor, he was an elemental fighter, with powers of psychic abilities.
"Of course," he said calmly, stepping into the clearing and toward the fire. He gently tossed her a small package that was slightly warm. "I thought you might like a treat from the bakery in town. Also I checked on the horses."
She opened it. "Thank you so much. How did you know I liked these?" She fished out one of the cakes inside and took a bite.
"Intuition," Iori shrugged innocently and she shot him a glare.
"You read my mind again, didn't you?"
"Give me one!" Daisuke demanded, and she handed him a few.
"My, my, is it a party?" Yet another voice appeared.
"Yes, bring out the wine, Dia'," Saraia said, brushing off a few crumbs.
"The name's Andia, elf," a man dressed in crimson grumbled, going in.
Andia, or known as Dia, was slightly shorter than everyone else, but no less of a fighter. He had flowing black hair that was streaked with silver, although he was not old at all in appearance, and dark eyes that were lightly dotted with amber. His eyes resembled cat's eyes to a point where it was positively eerie. Dressed only in crimson, he let the twin sabers at his belt hang in full view, preferring to take the "Walk softly and carry a big stick" approach to intimidation. He had power to animate nonliving objects, sometimes permanently and sometimes temporarily, and minor telekinesis. He was aloof and sometimes flat cold, but he was a warrior that always stayed by the side of his comrades.
"The name is Saraia, male," the elf shot back, and he only grinned at her.
"Look at what we're reduced to," Dia grumbled. "Some of the best warriors, now acting as part time mercenaries."
"We are not mercenaries, Andia," Iori said quietly, sitting down in front of the fire. "And it is highly likely we would never be."
"It is unusual for an elf to sell her services in the ways of a warrior, but I am not like most of my kind," Saraia said, stringing a long bow and examining it. "But I will not be a mercenary. I still appreciate life, thank you very much."
"Leave to an elf, and a female elf nonetheless, to be sentimental," Dia muttered, and barely dodged a swift blow from Saraia's direction.
"My friends," Daisuke shook his head, rubbing his head.
"We have to find that gem though," Saraia said seriously, slipping her bow away and unstringing it. "That guy sounded serious."
Daisuke snorted. "Yeah, he's one of those prophet types, predicting the end of the world. It's just horse crap, I tell you."
"He wasn't lying," Iori said seriously. "I can tell when someone is lying."
"Where is the gem anyways?" Dia asked, mildly curious.
"He said that we have to go the center of the continent and gather certain elemental warriors, just like us. But not me or you, Dia. There are these elemental warriors that have certain very powerful abilities, as well as these blessings upon them," Saraia said.
"And then?" Daisuke prompted.
"They do something, and they are able to bring up the gem. Then it must be destroyed; it's too powerful, he said, and evil can easily corrupt it." A silence fell over the camp as the inhabitants mused.
"So what does it look like?" Dia asked finally.
"Like a perfectly round blue orb about the size of Daisuke's head," Saraia said and grinned wryly. "And that boy has hell of a large head."
"I resent that," Daisuke grumbled.
Iori looked to the south. "So we must gather these elemental warriors together."
The elf nodded. "The man said that we could sense if one is around, and he said also, this would glow if one was close." She held up her right gauntlet, a fingerless leather glove reinforced at the seams and well made. Set on it was a moonstone of a fairly good size. It was glowing faintly but she willed it to go out.
"We'll have to separate," Dia said finally.
"No," Saraia said firmly. "We must stay together."
Daisuke then thought for a moment and said, "You know, when I passed by the princes, I sensed something about them."
"They could be two of the elemental warriors," Saraia mused. "I can send one of the eagles here to make sure."
"Do it and damn well be done with it then," Dia told her.
She chuckled and let out a sharp whistle. In a flurry of wings, an eagle landed on her left wrist, clad in a gauntlet as well. She then had a short conversation as she then bound a small crystal orb around its leg. The bird then took off.
"Get some sleep, we should stay in the village later," Saraia said. Elves didn't need much sleep, having odd abilities in endurance and healing.
"I feel pity for any man who tries to take your services other than fighting," Daisuke muttered and collapsed into his bedroll.
She laughed dryly. "I know."
Dia sat by her as Iori joined Daisuke in slumber. "Saraia, why are you so. diverse in personality?"
The question, which had been posed many times before, would have irked the elf and she would give some tart answer along the lines of "It is none of your business."
"I guess because I have been around humans for too long," the elf shrugged, poking the fire. "I am a lot older than I look, as you are too, Andia. Sometimes, you just have to adjust."
Dia nodded, pulling out a long knife and sharpening it. "I know that very well."
She looked up at the sky and suddenly the eagle from earlier came hurtling down. In time she barely caught it on her gauntlet-clad arm. She looked at the crystal, which was glowing brightly, and nodded, as she untied the gem. "They both have the blessings." Then she had a brief conversation with the eagle. "Thank you, wing sister." Saraia then offered the bird a piece of dried meat from the stores. Taking it, the eagle took to the air once more.
"Apparently, the brothers are also in turmoil," the elf said, fumbling with the crystal.
"None of our problem," Dia said, whittling at a stray stick.
Saraia went to her pack and picked up a mirror from within it. "I keep contact with my kin around the world. I will ask them to help me find the remaining warriors."
"How many are there?"
"Twelve," she answered, plucking a long, blue-green hair from her head and setting it on the smooth glass of the mirror. She then furrowed her brow as she had a conversation with whoever it was in the mirror in her native language, Elven. Finishing it, she put the mirror away.
"What was that all about?" Dia asked.
"A conversation with a friend of mine. She and her clan live to the east, in Tachikawa. They are on good terms with the mortals there."
"And you're from the east, aren't you?"
"Yes, pretty much. My friend said that she would pass on the word to other clans to the east, south, west, southwest, and to the continent across the sea."
"Ichijouji? Some of your kind dwells there?"
"Yes, distant kin. For a shadow being, you are very inquisitive."
"I thank you for that," Dia said, amused.
Saraia laughed, a clear, rich sound, like a bell. Then she gazed into the fire, musing to herself.
~*~
Sora looked around from her perch among the leafy boughs of a large tree. Nodding, she turned to her friend Miyako and signaled all clear. Jumping down, the Amazon leaned on the tree trunk. She was very pretty, with a lean, well-muscled body, blazing scarlet-gold hair, and bright, almost ruby red eyes. Yet many a man or enemy had seen cold death within those bright colored eyes right before she killed them. Dressed in a loose tunic with knee length leggings colored red brown and barefoot, she presented the natural image of an Amazon, complete with the spear in her hand. The woman was a well-trained fighter, along with elemental powers of illusion and healing. A slim gold band set with a single, round blood red ruby around her head marked her rank as the chieftain and queen of the Amazons in all of the islands of Takenouchi.
Her second in command, a lavender-haired, amber-eyed female named Miyako, leapt gracefully down beside her. She was slimmer than Sora but swifter on foot and in the trees. Her eyes often sparkled in amusement, but could become chips of amber ice within seconds as war rage settled. Dressed in a sleeveless shirt with part of the bottom cut off, and thus revealing her bare, well conditioned stomach, as well as trousers hacked off to knee length, both colored tan, she posed a wild but unthreatening image. Or at first, before she killed those foolhardy enough to attack her or who threatened her people. She was also the shaman of the tribes, having abilities of air and weather.
"Something troubles you, my Queen?" the sorceress asked.
"Nothing," Sora said. "I feel an ill storm coming, something unsettles my heart."
Miyako frowned. "I will have to see my crystal tonight then." She was referring a round ball of clear crystal she used to see the future and spy upon the actions of others.
"You have no need to," Sora said.
"But I shall, and nothing you say will stop me." The lavender-haired girl set her hands on her hips.
Sora laughed. "Alright my friend, but let us hunt, for that was our original plan."
~*~
Princess Mimi looked around quickly, hiding under her cloak. As the guards passed, she slipped out through the door and hurried to the stables. Leading her mare out through the gates, she cast one last look at the castle that was her home for all of her life.
Mother, Father, I am sorry but I cannot live a life without love.
She then rode swiftly away. As she rode, tears trickled down her fair cheeks. If her hood was off, one could see that she had long, rich brown hair framing a delicate and pale face with innocent brown eyes. She was obviously not a warrior, but had an air of magic about her, which was true, for she was an elemental mage of plants.
~*~
Jyou sighed, frustrated. He ran a hair through his blue hair as his dark blue, almost black, eyes were flashing in irritation. A tall and lanky man, he was deceptively weak appearing but was a formidable opponent with a good staff or a glaive, a long staff with a foot long leaf shaped metal blade in one end. He was usually mild mannered but flustered easily. Thus the powers of water were suited to him as an elemental warrior.
He gazed at the document in front of him angrily. His parents betrothed him?! How could they? It was to the princess of the Tachikawa kingdom. Both royal families must have wished for an alliance of both of their kingdoms, before his parents died anyways, leaving him the sole ruler of Kido. Angry, he wished to rip apart the parchment but restrained himself. Then he sighed again and buried his face into his hands.
~*~
Taichi, ruler of Yagami, gazed over the deserts in the eastern region of his kingdom with a cool, impassive face as he observed everything with a critical brown eye, perched easily on his large blood bay stallion. He was a huskily built man, with a mane of wild brown hair and deep brown eyes set into a tanned and weathered face, easily distinguished as a warrior, a very skilled one. A flicker of spirit and an air of command rested within those eyes, despite the youth of the face that held them. His spirited nature and hot temper went in harmony with his elemental powers over fire.
His sister, the Crown Princess Hikari, rode up beside him on her gray mare. She was a conventionally pretty woman, with lighter brown hair than her brother's but with the same brown eyes. A calmer air was in those brown orbs, along with a sense of compassion. Despite her frail appearance and kind face, she was a deadly fighter in archery. She had powers over light and healing skills.
"Something troubles you, brother?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered slowly. "You know the Dark City? The one far to the east?"
"Those are just stories, brother," Hikari said.
"Apparently not, I sense something from there, two things in fact. One is good, and powerful, and the other is somewhat evil, weaker but easier to spread out to corrupt everything."
"It does not suit you normally to have your head in the clouds," the princess said, adjusting the veils that covered the bottom half of her face and all of her hair.
"It is not dreaming, it is more of a premonition." Taichi responded, still gazing at a minute dark spot upon the horizon.
~*~
"My son," the man on the bed rasped. "Please, it is my time for the shadows to take me."
"Father?" A young man stepped forward, indigo eyes sorrowful. He was handsome, tall and slim, built for speed and strength at the same time. A pale, finely chiseled face was framed by blue-black hair. Ken, the sole heir to the throne of Ichijouji, gently clasped his father's hand in his own fine-boned strong one. He had an aura of magic, the magic of shadows, but not true darkness.
"Rule well for me," the king said. "But you have a different destiny coming. My son, use the power of the shadows well, but do not let true darkness take you."
"I promise," Ken responded gently and the king smiled for one of the few times in his life, and peacefully slept in a deep slumber no one could wake him from. A single tear fell from Ken's eyes as he mourned the passing of his father's spirit. "I promise I will find my destiny and use my powers well."
~*~
Koushiro Izumi, traveling sorcerer, staggered to a clearing, looking very pale. His equally exhausted gelding trotted behind him slowly. The mage was a slightly short, yet slim man with a shock of bright red hair and jet black eyes. His simple mage robes were torn under a large black cloak. He was exhausted, having been ambushed by trolls and forced to use his elemental powers of lightning swiftly with no notice before hand. Besides being a mage, he was also used to fighting with knives and throwing daggers, which came to be useful. Leaning against a tree, he sighed, sliding to the ground, and sunk into a half daze, barely remembering to ward his camp.
~*~
Five kingdoms. Twelve people. One destiny.
A/N: I hope you like this so far, I am writing on different stories currently, but I promise I will try to continue my other stories quickly. Please review!