Prologue – Birth of a new Tenkai Star

Disclaimer: I do not own any parts of Suikoden video game series. Neither do I own their individual game stories and the wonderful characters that brought the games to live. I desperately wish the Suikoden series would continue on, but at current time, it seemed that there's no plans for a new Suikoden game. So in the meantime, to keep my hopes up and continue to remember the fondness I have for the games, I've decided to write a few fanfics devoted to these series.

All characters to be told in this story are either from Suikoden IV and Suikoden V. Regretfully, the timeline for the story does not allow me to recruit characters from other Suikoden series without becoming not canon. I am no fan of O.C(s) original characters especially in a fanfiction. Thus I am keeping O.C(s) count to a minimum. Currently there's only one. I am afraid I can find no other Suikoden characters to fill her role though hers is but a supporting role. The fic will resolve around the Suikoden characters as they formed a new 108 stars of destiny.

And so the story continues on…

In the beginning, there was "darkness."

Then, the "darkness" shed a "tear."
From that "tear," the brothers Sword and Shield were born.
Shield claimed it could defend against any attack.
Sword claimed it could slice through anything.
The brothers began a legendary battle.
At the end, both Sword and Shield shattered.
Sword became the sky, Shield became the earth, and the sparks from the battle became the stars.
As for the jewels, they fell to the ground and became the True Runes--The runes that all other runes were born from.

They are the Gods of the Suikoden World.

Kyle swung his sword in a wide arc, catching the two tarantulas – a species of huge poisonous spiders, over their bodies. There was a satisfying crunch as steel blade meets the tough hide of the spiders, resulting in two huge gashes over the monsters' stomachs, which were now spilling green fluid, causing the two spiders to trash weakly in their death tolls. Kyle moved in for the kill and loped off their heads.

Carefully, with practiced ease, he used a pair of small knives to pry open each of the spider head's mouth, cutting out the rows of poisonous small fangs and then carefully wrapping it in tough bull hide which he stowed away in his back pouch. In his line of work, the poison of the tarantulas could be put to a lot of uses. Kyle gave a snort as he entertained that thought.

He was a treasure hunter now, living the trill and excitement of adventure every moment of his life. He used to be a Queen's knight at the Sun Palace, but eight years ago, after the Falena Civil war has ended, he had resigned, wanting a life free from politics and intrigues. The Prince and Princess, or rather, the new Queen's Knights Commander and the Queen of Falena, have many powerful allies protecting them now, and although it was selfish, Kyle was glad he had chosen this path. For the first time in many years, he was able to really relax, even though he had to deal with quite a few dangerous beasts in his search in hidden ruins for treasure.

Calling upon his water rune for light, he gave a quick scan in the shadows of the corridors for anymore creatures that might be awakened by his entry into the depths of the ruins. There was nothing but silence in front of him, except for a quiet muttering behind him, where his treasure hunting partner was crouched over a tablet of writings done by the Sindar, an ancient race of mysterious people who exists many hundreds years ago, but suddenly disappeared, leaving only the ruins and hidden treasures of their great civilization. Satisfied that the coast was currently clear, he headed back into the dark room where the only source of light was from the flaming fire rune borne by his partner, Zweig.

"So, do the writings speak of any wonderful treasures waiting for us to uncover?" Kyle asked, wiping his sword clean and then sheathing it.

Zweig looked up in annoyance. "I hadn't finished deciphering the message. But according to this tablet, this whole ruin is built upon some sort of Sindar ship, with untold powers inside." Zweig's eyes light up with excitement. "Just imagine, a Sindar ship, which means that there should be a huge underground cavern underneath the ruins. No one that I know off has seen a Sindar ship before. It'll be the discovery of a lifetime!"

Kyle held up his hands in a warding sign before Zweig could go on rambling about the lost Sindar civilization. After working with him for a year, he knew the signs when Zweig will go on a lengthy lecture and bore him to tears. "You can keep the discovery of a lifetime, I just want the treasures on that Sindar ship."

Zweig scowled at him. "Not everything is about money."

"You're right, but without money, we can't eat or buy things." Kyle said good-naturedly. "Sometimes, I have to be the practical one here. So, where's this great ship filled with wondrous treasures?"

"Power, it says here, the ship is filled with power, not treasures."

"Power, treasures, they're all the same." Kyle said with a shrug. "Come on, you've stayed by the tablet long enough, where should we go next?"

Zweig gave a defeated sigh and get up, heaving on his backpack which contains his tools and food. "Alright, alright, come on, it's this way." He walked out of the room with Kyle following behind. Both of them alert for any dwelling creatures that might do them harm. Clutching his metal staff in his right hand, and raising his left hand which pulsed with a fiery glow from the fire rune, Zweig walked forward until they came to on intersection.

"Let's see, according to the tablet, we'll have to turn right here and take three more turns before we reach the entrance leading to the ship."

"What are we waiting for then? Come on, I want to be out of this cold musty ruins before dark." Kyle said, feeling the rush of adrenaline settle on him. He had a feeling this trip will turn out to be quite the adventure.

Natasha awoke. It had been many years since anyone had dared entered this ruins or even found their way to her. All had failed the test, but she did not despair, because her creators had not given her human emotions. She only knew her duty, and the prophecy. It was nearing the time of the prophecy, the time when a new Champion is chosen. Natasha contemplate whether these two are the ones spoken of long long ago, deep down, in her once human heart, she hoped they were. She had kept vigil for a very long time and she did not want to fail in her duty.

The show all rune that she bears allows her to monitor the two intruders. She could not do anything while they are in the ruins. But if they do manage to make their way to her, then she will have a welcome for them.

Natasha smiled as she gathered power to herself. Those two looked like a bunch of common ruffians, with dirt smirched faces and dusty clothes, but they may have some hidden qualities which she can use. After all beggars can't be choosers.

Kyle looked at the blank wall in front of them skeptically. "O-kk, are you sure we went down the correct path? Because this wall doesn't look very entrance like to me."

Zweig gave an irritated sigh. "It's a hidden entrance, there should be a switch around here that should move the wall. Look for it." He said, crouching down on his feet and started feeling around the base of the wall.

Kyle rolled his eyes, sometimes Zweig can be so easy to annoy. He moved around so he could also feel around the top of the wall. There was a tiny crack in the wall at the far corner. When he slotted his finger in, he felt something gave way inside the crack. There was a low rumbling and the sound of ancient gears turning, and then the wall started to slide to their left.

Zweig straightened up and sent a flare of fire into the pitch black darkness in front of them. "Looks like a room of some sorts." Zweig said as they saw level ground and empty space for as far as Zweig could stretch his fire flare. "I would have thought there would be some stairs leading to an underground cavern, after all, the tablet did say a ship." Zweig said as he summoned a ring of fire in front of him, stepping into the room with Kyle following behind. "It's like there's no ending." Zweig said as they walked across the room but still could not see the other side.

All of a sudden, the fire ring went out, enveloping them in darkness. There was a grinding sound behind them and Kyle has the sinking feeling that their way out was blocked. Holding his right hand out to call forth light from his water rune, he felt a surrounding pressure that quickly snuffed out the light.

"Something is blocking my magic." Zweig muttered, bringing out his staff in front of him defensively. He could not even see his fingers in front of him, but he could still hear Kyle's breathing behind him.

"Same for me." Kyle said reaching for his sword. With his other hand, he felt about in the darkness in front of him. "Where are you? We need to make sure we don't hit each other…. Garhh!!..." Kyle did not have time to finish when a lance of pain shot right into his brain. He heard Zweig crying out beside him as he collapsed onto the floor, and then he knew no more.

There was a humm as a rune suddenly came into existence above the two unconscious men's heads.

"Now to judge." Natasha said walking into the room. The rune flares up with a brilliance that light up the whole room.

"They bullied me." The young boy said crying. Running to the man who was like a father to him.

The man gave him a hug and then looked at him straight in the eye. "A true man must not crumple so easily. You must grow up to be strong, stronger and better than those who bullied you."

Kyle blinked as he watched the scene in front of him. The young boy was him and the man was Volga, his adoptive father. A chill went down his back. What had happened? One minute he was under attack, and now he was watching… his past? Did he just die?

No you are not dead yet. A female voice said in his mind. Your life will depend on whether you pass this test.

"What test?" Kyle asked. The scene in front of him changed, he was twelve years old now and he was defending a young boy from the local bullies.

"Back off." His younger self said.

"Oh look if it isn't Kyle the goody two shoes. What are you going to do? Fight us?" one of the thugs jeered.

Little Kyle bailed up his fist, standing protectively in front of the eight year old boy. He did not know him, but he had seen the boy at school been picked on by others. Just like the way he was been picked on in the past. No one had stand up for him, and so Kyle was determined to stand up for this boy.

"Go away or I'll tell Volga." Little Kyle said, the young boy cowered behind him.

"Why you tattle tale, we're not afraid of Volga, and I'll make sure I give you a new face job." The leader of the bullies said, rushing forward with a punch.

Little Kyle had struggled valiantly, inspiring the one he was protecting to fight back. The two of them had lost and was badly beaten, but Kyle had made a new friend that day.

You have honor. The voice said.

"What? What are you talking about?" Kyle said trying to move, but found he was frozen in place, not even able to move his head, as all he had done in his life past before him. He could not even feel the connection to his magic. Resigned, he can only look in front of him, looking at his life.

You have desires. The voice said as Kyle found himself looking at all the women he had conquered. A personal pride to him, but now that he really see what he was doing with his life, he felt a bit ashamed, that someone else was also seeing it as it is.

The voice did not speak after that, though he could feel a sense of approval or disgust whenever he had done something right or wrong. Anger filled him, who was this person that had unrevealed the secrets of his life, what right has this person to judge? But he could do nothing, frozen in his memories, until whoever it is, is done with him.

It was as if his whole life was passing in front of his eyes. His childhood, his adulthood, when he became a Queen's Knight, the Civil war, and then he saw himself becoming a treasure hunter, hunting the ruins. A light began to shine in front of his eyes, Kyle had to blink hard to look at it.

"If you have power, what will you chose to do with it?" the voice asked.

"I never wanted power. I just want to live my life peaceful and content."

There was a pause at Kyle's angry reply.

"If the only way to save this world is to wield the power that you do not want, will you do it?" the voice asked again.

"I wouldn't want it. I wouldn't want trouble." Kyle said.

"That's not what your heart says." The voice said. "Why don't you tell me your true answer?"

Kyle glared angrily at the light in front of him. "Who are you? What do you want with me?"

"Answer my question and perhaps I shall tell you"

Kyle clenched his teeth, this was getting nowhere, he might as well answer the disembodied voice. "I will take the power and save the world."

There was a tinker of laughter and then the light enveloped him. "Very well then, I chose you."

Zweig woke up with a groan. He felt like his head had been spilt open even though he could not remember what had happened. However he had the nagging feeling that he had failed in something.

He looked around the brightly lit room woozily. The last thing he remembered was fumbling in the dark and getting attacked by something. Dark room. He froze as he looked at the room that was now lit up by some sort of light at the top of the ceiling. He could see the other end of the room now, a very very large room, and they appeared to be in the middle of it.

Zweig turned around to find Kyle and quickly snatched up his staff as he saw a black haired woman standing beside an unconscious Kyle.

The young woman raised her hand. "I will not harm you." She said, crouching down to turn Kyle over.

Zweig clutched his staff tighter as he saw the pulsing white rune attached to Kyle's head. "Who are you? What did you do to Kyle?"

The young woman looked at him and laughed. "He has been chosen by the white star rune. And I am Natasha, avatar of this ship, the White Star."

"The White Star?" Zweig edged closer to Kyle at the same time trying not to alarm the woman. He needed to check how bad Kyle was injured.

There was a moan coming from the boneless heap that was Kyle. Zweig gave a sigh of relief as Kyle opened his eyes blearily.

"Ah!!" Kyle exclaimed as he saw the young woman standing over him. He scrambled over to Zweig, one hand on his sword. "Who is she?"

"I am Natasha, avatar of the White Star Ship. And you, Kyle are the one chosen by the White Star Rune, to be captain of this ship." Natasha said, answering for Zweig.

Kyle stared, gaping at Natasha. The rune on his head had stopped glowing, but he could feel a strange sense of power and also of belonging. Kyle felt a chill as he recognized Natasha's voice, the one that talk to him in his head a few moments before he woke up.

"What do you mean captain of this ship? And what do you mean white star rune? I have never heard of a rune like that." Kyle asked.

Natasha smiled. "Ah many questions. Perhaps it will be best if I show you."

In your mind. Her voice whispered in their heads. Zweig and Kyle froze.

There was a sense of motion and Kyle and Zweig found themselves flying over the stars.

Natasha ignored their cries of incredulity as she continued. I was born in the stars, created by the Sindars, to contain the evil that was released by the elder race thousands of years ago. This evil, enslaved civilizations and infested several worlds with demonic creatures. This world was protected by the Sindars and so managed to stay free of the taint of the First Evil, but that was only for the time being.

And so the Sindars made seven starships to combat the First Evil and its demonic armies. I am part of the ship that flew in the stars, within me I possesses one part of the Time Rune. The True Rune of Time was too powerful to be bear by any mortal or sentient beings, even for the Sindars. But Time and the Rune of Punishment are the only hope for sealing away the great evil.

The Sindar race split the Rune of Time into thirteen pieces. Seven of the pieces were embedded into seven starship, each starship bears an avatar, an artificial life, to guide the ship. And through the union of the power of the Time and Night Rune, seven unique runes were created to control each of the starships. These were borne by the Sindars during the early days, for with the rune, they could command the ships, and overwrite any commands even of the avatars.

The starships were used against the demonic armies, but only the Rune of Punishment could seal the First Evil away. The Sindars thus began a purge of the First Evil, for they are guardians of all life. The use of the Rune of Punishment consumed many Sindars life, for the rune consumes the life of its bearer, though to a lesser extend for the Sindar race.

At last the Sindar sealed away all but the essence of the First Evil. They did this by traveling back and forth in time with the starships though it had its own dangers. Six of the starships were missing in the time stream by then. I am the only one who made it back to this world.

The remaining Sindars sealed me away. Before they left, they saw a vision that the First Evil will break out of its prison after a few thousand years. But this time, there will be no Sindar army, for only two humans will take up the mantel to lead an army and renew the seals, to seal the First Evil away for another few thousand years.

The stars vanished, and they found themselves back in the room. Natasha turned to Kyle. "You are one of those they saw, for you are chosen to bear the white star rune. However the bearer of the rune of punishment does not seemed to be here. We will need to find the bearer."

"That was an incredible tale." Zweig stared at Natasha in awe. "It explains so much about the Sindars…"

"Hold on." Kyle cut in, "Who said anything about us helping you find whoever you want to find? And that's a nice tale and all, but you really expect me to believe that?"

Natasha looked at Kyle, "Perhaps you will like a look at the First Evil."

Images flashed through both Kyle and Zweig's minds. An unfathomable force of evil corrupting men's minds. A wave of demons, vampires, and other horrific beings set lose upon the world. Despair, Doom…..

Kyle sighed as the images disappeared. "Alright you half convinced me. But this just seemed too incredible for me to take in at once. A ship that flies in the stars? How will you expect me to imagine that?"

Natasha smiled. "You will know when you have flown in the stars. But first, you have to awaken me and give me full authority to fly."

"Huh?" Kyle asked. But he replied obligatory. "I awake you and give you full permission to fly."

"Thank you Captain." Natasha said. The whole building seemed to shudder as a soft purr started resonating around the room. "Hold on tight everyone, we are breaking free of the ruins."

Author's Note: This was my very first attempt at writing a Suikoden crossover. Alas, it's not well-received and I've given up on it until now. ;) Anyway I've decided the review counts doesn't matter, and since this was my First, I'll try to update it when I have the time.

Thanks LittleAngel you know who you are D