Chapter 1

Shadows danced along the walls swerving against the warm light coming of the opaque white curtains floating slowly onto the ground, burning up until smoking unrecognizable pieces was all that was left. His eyes followed the lights dazedly, trying to understand why his head hurt, why he throbbed so much, why he was so cold. That is until he heard him calling him and a few seconds later saw his face above his own.

"Akira? Akira, son, look at daddy." The gentle strained voice caught his attention and he blinked, focusing his senses on the man who was lifting him up off the cold floor. Tears made their way down his face, following the still wet paths of the ones before.

"I'm here, I'm here." Kiyoshi Kogane looked at his bleeding four year old who was crying his little heart out on his shoulder. His little body was cold, bleeding from the multiple cuts oozing blood on his back. His cotton shirt was sticking onto his back, blood mixed with dried mud and who knows what else. His dark hair lay in jagged clumps on his head, apparently cut off with a knife. His little feet were barefoot and bruised, obvious signs of countless hours of running. Kiyoshi was furious. He felt his blood boil and pound in his head until all he felt was rage. What stopped him from hunting down the bastard who had betrayed him was the child in his arms.

Kiyoshi's heart broke even more every time his son let out a sob.

He quickly took off his heavy woolen cloak and tucked it around his frightened son. He lifted him into his arms, adjusting his sword and exited the burning kitchen, leaving behind the engulfed building that used to be his home. Swords clashing and shouts were the sounds that greeted him as soon as he stepped into the courtyard, his men clashing swords with their very own friends and for what? One man's lust for power. He quickly bundled his son to his chest and raced through the fighting throng until he made it to the gate unhindered until he saw his way was blocked by the very man who had destroyed their home and their peace.

"I knew if I was patient enough you'd show up, my Lord. Akira was gracious enough to entertain me during your delay." Aidan sneered, a smirk finding its way onto his lips. His green eyes never left the grey pools that belong to his one-time schoolmate, friend and now rival. He laughed, cackling when he heard the scream from the bundle in the other man's arms.

Kiyoshi unconsciously tightened his hold around the coat, wordlessly apologizing to his son for everything he had to go through. His eyes burned with fury as they stared at Aidan. His 6 foot 1 slim build was clad in pristine silver armor, a billowing red cloak around his broad shoulders and his chestnut hair barely touching it. In his hands he held a broadsword, and though Kiyoshi knew Aidan was good with it, he was better.

"I'll make you pay for everything you've done, Aidan. You think that forcing your way into this place will make my people acknowledge you, you're wrong."

"I don't want your people's acknowledgement. I want their submission. Their total surrender. That," he added, thrusting his arm out pointing at the fighting throng, "Or their total annihilation." He shifted his hand back and placed it on his sword, staring blankly at his foe.

"Give me the Black lion and these people will be spared. There's no need for any more bloodshed tonight."

"Never. I will never allow you to use him to destroy everything our kingdoms have built. You spit on the legacy of my great grandfather, of Ariella and that of the other kingdoms because you seek the lions. The Black chose to be here, it has entrusted us with keeping Arus together. I won't let you destroy our world, Aidan."

"And how do you intend to stop me? Once the Black lion Lord falls the other kingdoms will crumble. The Fire kingdom will be my next challenge after this, then again Hunter is as stubborn as you. Once I have all five lions the world will be under my control. I'll be supreme ruler and Zarcon can once again enjoy his reign in the sun."

Shocked, Kiyoshi couldn't believe the stupidity of the man. He was about to unleash a menace so evil to stroke his ego.

"You fool!", he shouted. The clambering throng behind them stopped mid strike at his shout, suddenly drawn in by the urgency of the Lord's voice.

"You traded our lives for a throne you can never sit on? Do you think that once you possess the lions Zarcon will let you live? Will let anyone live? Why would he let his marionette rule when he can do it himself? Given the chance he is going to march and destroy all of Arus! The seal to the other world cannot be lifted!"

The men looked at each other, hesitant to throw the next blow considering what had just been said, looking warily at each other. Aidan smiled slowly at Kiyoshi, the feeling never reaching his cold green eyes as he said coldly, "What if it already has?"

A man clad in a dark blue hakama and gi raced his way through the stock still fighters and stopped beside his cousin, eyeing Aidan in disbelief. The shock of the news still hadn't passed Kiyoshi.

"What did you do? You told me that to protect Altaire we have to free the Black lion and use it to stop the other kingdoms coming to war. You showed me the army of Lartis forming on our Eastern border!"

Kiyoshi stared at his cousin in shock. Although not related by blood, his father had taken Takahiro in and raised him in the same castle, with the same hand that fed them was the closest he had to a brother. And he had betrayed him.

Takahiro had been played.

"Why?" It was a simple question yet Kiyoshi couldn't believe the answer was that simple.

"I wanted to protect Altaire. Our home. But you were reluctant. Do you know what will happen when the other kingdoms decide to fight us. We have no defense against them. What will set us apart from them is if we get the lions and unite them…"

"The other kingdoms do not attack us because we protect the peace. The lions protect each kingdom, Takahiro. There is no war between kingdoms unless you seek on. And you have sought one."

Takahiro shook his head, stubborn to the core. "No, you just can't see it Kiyoshi because you're blinded by stories. The lions are a blessing, yes, but they are our security."

"They have a will, Taka. And they will never obey one man's desires, let alone evil. You're the one that's been blinded." Kiyoshi said, eyes blazing at the betrayal.

"I'll protect Altaire. I'll take…" Takahiro didn't finish his sentence as Kiyoshi struck him across the face with his sheathed katana. He leaned over his fallen cousin in disbelief, asking vehemently. "You'll protect Altaire, just like you protected its sole prince while he was being tortured. My Son, Takahiro. My Son!"

Takahiro had the shame to look guilty. He had been there when Kiyoshi first met Anastasia at a fair. He had watched his cousin fall in love, get married and care for his pregnant wife. When she had gone into labor with Akira he was at Kiyoshi's side. It was difficult but after so much pain he heard the first cries of his nephew, and when he was called to meet him for the first time he saw that he had his mother's obsidian eyes. The same eyes of that woman closed that day when she made him promise to take care of her men.

And those eyes shed countless tears because of him. He was ashamed.

"Now you know that loyalties can easily be bought. It's such a shame you're so trusting Kiyo-chan. Maybe you'll learn that in your next life!"

With that, Aidan suddenly lifted his sword into the air and arrows started raining down in the courtyard. The light from the fires around them couldn't reveal where their enemies were and men were crying out in pain, steel stems protruding from their limbs.

Kiyoshi jumped through the broken window of the watch house that lay next to the gate, folding his body carefully around the precious bundle in his arms, weaving past the broken shingles that were falling due to the burning roof. He heard Takahiro call his name before he cried out as an arrow struck his shoulder. Aidan was screaming for his bowmen to kill him before he escaped. He broke through the back door of the guardhouse, jumped onto stacked water barrels and rounded back toward the burning building. He heard arrows zip past his head and hit the walls behind him but he didn't stop. The men who had returned to the castle with him followed a distance behind him, shielding him as best they could with their own bodies. Kiyoshi continued to run against the wall until he encounters the stables. He opened shut the door behind him and looked at his prized breed. The horses were petrified, kicking stable doors trying to escape the fire that had started to engulf the stables. He rushed through, opening the doors one after the other until he came to a beautiful white mare. He soothed her as best he could, climbed onto her back and kicked her hard, sending her vaulting out of the stables causing the other horses to stampede out of the stable.

Aidan was shouting orders at his men, insulting them for letting Kiyoshi escape that he barely had the time to jump out of the way of the stampede.

"Kiyoshi!" he screamed, watching his hope at supremacy dash away. Arrows rained after the man, but he had disappeared into the night.