Prologue

Tenjia had been in the forest for some time, hidden within the trees, waiting for his target to come into his view before he saw it. His target had shown itself from it's hiding spot, raising his bow and readying his arrow, drawing it back as he measured the distance, wind speed and height from his target before he released it, a flashback soon over ran his mind.

A kid standing before the emperor, he had teal black hair but due to something in his veins, there seemed to be a light coloring of teal into the mixture of his hair, with hazel eyes, the child was being examined by some strange men in robes, before they looked at the man siting in a golden throne and nodded.

"This is the one to be." One of the hooded men said.

"He's destined to be by the heir's side." Another said behind the boy.

The emperor motioned him, "Come...You have been freed from your life as a commoner, an untouchable, freed from your birth name, Tei Zhong, for now, your new name will be, Kazatzani Tenjia." He said before the hooded strangers took Tenjia and walked him away from the throne room, looking behind him, Tenjia managed to catch a glimpse of a girl, with a maroon and gold colored kimono, her designs that of a Chinese dragon, must've been taken and cleaned from the Chinese princess from sometime, he didn't know the year, but it was Chinese. The girl's eyes were, what seemed a dark purple that fades into canary, almost almond shaped, her hair was up to her wait and a flaming red in color.

Tenjia was awe struck but was turned around by the men and he looked ahead and wondered where he was going, was he getting a shower? was he getting to eat something? Who knew, his life was going to change.

The target struggled to stand, Tenjia dropped down from his spot and walked over to the man in armor, the arrow was in the soilder's chest, pulling out his dagger, Tenjia grabbed his head and removed the mask before staring at rebel.

"Before I put you out your misery, tell me where is she." Tenjia asked calmly, hearing the soldier cough and stare at him with anger.

"I'll never tell, she must be executed in order to save the country...You must die also, the Emperor and his followers must be killed to save Japan." The man said before having the arrow removed carefully and the dagger shoved to the side of his neck, gagging, the rebel's mouth soon had blood coming out before the life drained from his eyes.

Tenjia stood up and placed the arrow inside his quiver and cleaned his dagger before placing it back into it place. He dragged the body to a hidden area before covering the blood on the ground with dirt and began to walk deeper into the forest, his hand at his katana's handle, Tenjia kept absolute silence, treading carefully and silently. Listening for any strange noise that could lead him to the camp where the one he's to protect is located at. Another memory flashed in his mind.

"Ten lashes for each mistake." A hooded figure said as he whipped a much older Tenjia, the 14 year old kept silent as he recieved his punishment before someone ran over and covered him. "Remember to keep silent, hidden in the shadows to prevent exposure and what could be your final breathe." He instructed and gave the whip to someone before they walked away. Tenjia got up and bowed before placing his cloth again and grabbed his katana, as well as his bow and arrow, usually, one would stay with just the katana, or just the bow and arrow, but Tenjia kept both.

He closed his eyes and opened them again before he started his excercise, to sneak past guards and retreive a scroll that the captain had. Going in to the shadows, Tenjia treaded as quietly as he could, distracting guards before quickly moving to another spot.

Tenjia blinked the memory away and heard some voices, instantly he ran to a tree and climbed it, pulling his bow out and a single arrow, He looked around and spotted a small light, walking from branch to branch, testing each one if they could hold his weight, He got closer and closer, realizing it was a small guard post. He listened to the conversation, hearing for any clues before he heard something.

"So, we slit her throat in public before we attack the palace and capture the emperor?" A soilder asked.

"Yes, that's the pla-" He was caught off by an arrow piercing his throat, the other rebel was about to sound the alarm before another arrow caught his back, making him fall and struggle to crawl. Tenjia jumped down and stepped on his back, dagger to his neck.

"Where is your main camp." Tenjia asked.

"Just far north, Close to a river." He said before the dagger entered his neck and pulled out. Tenjia pulled out the arrows and checked if they still worked before he moved the bodies away and headed up the dirt path, katana at hand and eyes scanning for any patrols heading to the post. Hearing what seemed to be horses, Tenjia quickly hid behind bushes and watched the patrol pass before staying in the shadows and continues making his way to the river.

After some time, Tenjia spotted the camp and looked for any cages, finding only a few before taking note of the guards and their positions, he quietly looked for and place to sneak into and found a cave leading to the camp from behind and he made his way down the river side and checked behind him and entered the cave. Some lanterns were hanging on the walls and he knew this was a mining camp. This reminded him of something he held close to his memories.

Hiding inside the cave near his destroyed village, a young Tenjia had been crying near the bodies of his parents, a shadow covered him as he looked up and stared at a hooded figure.

"Now, now, you must be calm, I'll help you honor them, their deaths shall not be in vain." A man said and removed his hood, he had graying hair, giving Tenjia a hand, he took him out the cave and the boy found himself staring at smoldering ruins, bodies on the floor, spears, arrows, dead soldiers everywhere. The rebels and local militia had a stand off and it ended in bloody massacre.

"Everything will be fine, you just have to trust me and let me take you to see the Emperor and decide your future, if your lucky enough, you'll serve him as a close guard and maybe you'll be able to avenge your village." The adult said and looked at Tenjia who stared at the remains and looked up at him before nodding.

He shook his head and the 19 year old began to make his way through the cave before he spotted two guards, he walked over before he hit one stunning them and shoved his dagger into the other guard's chest and pushed him down before grabbing the other and broke his neck. Looking around, Tenjia grabbed and dragged a guard and over a hole and did the same with other body before he set the two on fire to disguise anything as a simple fire before continuing down the cave, hiding behind a corner and watched another rebel walk past him and quickly went behind a cage covered with a cloth.

He looked around and took a peek into the cage, his eyes made contact with wolves, he was expecting for them to start barking but they simply stared at them.

"I hope you can understand, but please create a distraction and i'll get you free, all of you." He said and looked around and back at the wolves before he left and they began to bark, as if they understood what he said and took the chance to get into some tents, before he saw what he was seeking.

"M'lady Ritsu…." He whispered and ran over to the chained female before he looked behind him and back to the girl in chains before he began to pick the locks and gently grabbed her, preventing her from falling before he picked her, walking to the exit and looked for any guards and ran to the forest, going to a hiding spot and hid her before going back to free the wolves. More memories flooding him.

"Come on Tenjia." The girl said playfully and ran off, Tenjia ran after her.

"Wait, you'll get in trouble." He said and sighed before looking around, losing her from his sight, "M'lady Ritsu!?" He called out and looked around before hearing a muffled screaming and quickly grabbed his dagger and ran to a corner and peeked in, a kidnapper was trying to knock her out and keep her for ransom before Tenjia quietly walked through the shadows and ran, stabbing his back before pulling it out and continued to stab the intruder multiple times.

Tenja had been through many trials, punished many, but this kidnapping was unforgivable and he wasn't going to allow any of the rebels live, so, he went to the cage and began to pick the lock, hearing the click, he removed the lock and opened the door before he ducked and the wolves began to leap out and Tenjia got his bow and readied it, letting the wolves take the foot soldiers, while he got rid of the archers.

He released the bow and the arrow got stuck inside one of the archers' chest fell off the platform before he drew another arrow and aimed at another archer. He let go of the arrow as it flew through air, cutting it and getting stuck into the chest, hearing the cry, he looked away and switched to his blade and prepared himself before blocking an attack, the rebel screaming at him.

"Die, imperial scum." The man hissed and leaped away before running at him, Tenjia parried his attack and kicked his leg, making the man fall on his knee, Tenjia quickly walked behind him and slit his throat with the katana before turning to face two more rebels. He readied his weapon again before wolves tackled them down.

"Thanks." He said and ran off, letting the wolves finish the rest before he went to the forest. Reaching his target, he picked her up, setting her on his back and began to make his way out the forest. When he was at the riverside, he looked to his side, and the wolves he had saved stared at him, bowing to them, Tenjia watched them howl before they ran off.

He looked ahead and continued to walk to the imperial capital, keeping to the shadows before reaching a checkpoint and stepped out the bushes, the soldiers stared at him.

"I have the princess, I rescued her from some rebels near the river up north, but they're taken care off, let me pass." Tenjia explained bluntly before walking through the checkpoint, holding Ritsu carefully. Some guards walked with him through the streets of the city before he looked at the palace and looked at the guards.

"You may leave." He said and walked through the gates and to the throne room. The emperor watched him enter before he had Ristu taken and sent to her room before Tenjia bowed to the leader on the country and.

"I praise your successful rescue of the princess, Thank you, Tenjia." He said, "You may stand," Tenjia stood up an watched him. "I'm giving you a new assignment, to stand beside her and always protect her, the last one assigned to this role was captured and killed by the rebels, but you seem to do the opposite when it comes to her." He explained and stood up, making his way to Tenjia, "So please, may you have better luck than the last man."

"Yes, my lord." Tenjia said and bowed once more before the older man placed a hand on his shoulder, "Go and see her if you wish." He said before walking away and to one of the halls, "I have urgent business." Tenjia watched him leave before he turned and walked down the opposite hall and opened a door. There sat on the bed, Namine Ritsu, she turned her eyes and looked at him before smiling. She motioned him and Tenjia walked over and sat beside her, she looked at him and hugged him.

"Thank you…" She said and Tenjia nodded.

"It's my duty." He said and Ritsu leaned into his ear and whispered something.