The War of the Four Kingdoms

(The Four Kingdoms Volume 3)

Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King

"Your Highness... Wake up..."

He slowly rose up from the cold white marbled floor to follow the familiar voice that was calling him. It took some time to adjust his eyes because everything was so white. When he finally did, he found himself in some brightly-lit vacant room that had no doors or windows. He was wearing an impeccable white suit, quite a contrast to his dark hair and maybe too white for his liking.

"Master Yoh..."

There was only one person in Kasai who was old-school enough to call him that.

"Amidamaru..."

He turned around to face the source of the voice. The Kasai warrior stood in front of him in full armor. The prince only saw him once in that attire when his father commissioned an artist to paint his portrait. His painting was displayed in the Hallway of Heroes along with the portraits of Kasai's greatest swordsmen.

"You overslept again..." His eyes were frowning. He had that look whenever he showed up late to his training.

"I'm sorry..." the prince scratched his head. It was the same reply he gave every time the swordsman was disappointed in him.

"It's time for you to go back. They need you..."

"Is Kasai in trouble?" Prince Yoh looked anxious. He was supposed to do something but he couldn't remember what it was.

Amidamaru confirmed with a nod then turned around to leave. "She needs you, Master Yoh..."

The prince saw a doorway appear at the end of the room. He watched him walk noiselessly towards it despite the heavy armor. As he did, Yoh noticed that the warrior's weapon was missing. He felt a hilt at his side and upon realizing what it was, he called out to him, "Wait, you forgot your sword!"

"It's yours now. Take care of the Harusame..."

"When can we see each other again?" The Kasai prince asked.

"Not too soon I hope..." Amidamaru took one final look at him before passing through the door which vanished afterwards.

"Die!" Someone screamed from afar.

Prince Yoh ran towards the direction of the enraged voice.

"Anna!"

The blond princess stopped on her tracks and pointed the sword at the person in front of her.

Prince Ren had his arms spread out to block her attack on the King of Kaminari. He had outrun her to reach his father in time.

"Get out of the way... Why are you protecting him, Ren?" She gripped the hilt of the Harusame tightly. Her hands were shaking as she pointed the tip of the sword at his chest.

"I'm not. I'm protecting you from what you are about to do. There's no going back once you kill a person. This is not who you are, Anna..." the Kaminari prince reminded her.

"My sweet princess... I know I have done horrible things to you and your family... But I regret all of them... I beg for your forgiveness... " King Yuan pleaded from behind his son.

"Shut up!" The blond girl screamed "My parents were shown no mercy! Why should I bestow it upon you?!"

"Anna.. You have every reason to be angry... I am, too. I will make this right, I promise.. Please... put down your sword..." The Kaminari heir placed his hand over the dull edge of the blade.

The princess lowered her head as angry tears streamed down her cheeks yet she never lowered the weapon. How could she do it? Ren was asking for the impossible. His wretched father had caused her immense pain and she could only be appeased through retribution. She wasn't as forgiving as Yoh...

"Anna..." Someone whispered her name on her ear and suddenly wrapped his arms around her so that they both held the Harusame. She never thought that she would be hearing that reassuring voice again, smelling that musky scent of earth, and feeling that warm touch that reminded her of the early morning sun.

"Yoh...?"

The blond girl removed her grip of the Harusame to cover her mouth. She turned around to face the boy who she thought had left her forever.

With her hands free of the sword, the Kasai prince immediately dropped the weapon on the floor so that he could pull her towards him in a tight embrace.

Anna couldn't believe it! By some miracle from the Great Spirit, her Yoh was back from the dead. She placed her hand over his chest to feel his heart beat.

"You're alive..."

"Everything is going to be alright, Anna..." He kissed her forehead and let her weep on his shoulders. "I'm here."

The look of shock on Prince Ren's face was replaced with hurt as he watched the couple hold on to each other's arms like long-time lovers. He wouldn't blame Anna if she would choose the Kasai prince over him especially now that she abhorred his father. A promise was a promise though. He had to fulfill it regardless of what her choice would be. He picked up the Harusame and pointed it at King Yuan's throat.

"Yoh!" King Horokeu ran to his friend. "I'm so glad you're alive! We all thought you were gone! Your father... though... " The Kouri king nodded towards the direction of the throne.

"I will be back." The Asakura prince squeezed Princess Anna's hand before rushing to his family.

The blond girl then noticed her best friend pointing the sword at his father.

"I, Prince Ren Tao, sentenced you to exile for the crimes you committed against the Kyouyama royal family and the Kouku people. You will never set foot on the Four Kingdoms again."

King Yuan bowed in acceptance then took off his crown and gently placed it on his son's head. He knelt down and kissed the boy's hand. "Please be a better king than me, Ren."

The newly-appointed ruler beckoned a trio of Kaminari soldiers to leave his presence and take the former king with them. "Bring him to my mother first so he could say goodbye. Let him pack some food and clothing then accompany him to the port and send him over to my sister. She will know where to put him."

Princess Anna approached him after the soldiers had left with the disgraced king. "That took some courage, Ren..."

The young Kaminari ruler handed her the Harusame. "I told you I will make it right..."

The blond girl sighed as she took the sword from him. "I should have never doubted you..."

"Well, if you want this relationship to work, you should start trusting me more. That is, if you still want this relationship..." King Ren Tao mumbled.

His fiancée did not answer him. Instead, she grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the Kouku and Kaminari soldiers who were beating General Tori up earlier. They were not making a raucous anymore. They just stood there ogling at something. The last Douji descendant was sprawled on the floor with a pool of blood. His face was badly beaten and a knife was sticking out from his chest. Next to him was the Kaminari foot soldier from whom he had stolen the bow and arrow.

"What happened here?" the blond princess asked.

A Kouku soldier pointed at the dead Lee Pailong. "We thought he was killed but then he walked into our circle with a knife in his hand and stabbed the general to death. He eventually succumbed to his injuries..."

"Ohhh... Jun..." King Ren thought of his older sister. How would he tell her about another unfortunate news? This would definitely break her heart. He waved at his men nearby and instructed them.

"Please bring Pailong's body back to camp and clean it. We will give him a hero's funeral when we come back to Kaminari."

Princess Anna also beckoned a lieutenant in the group to approach her. "Bring General Tori back to Kouku for a proper burial. He is an enemy but he is dead. We give respect to the dead no matter how despicable he is."

"Yes, my queen..." the lieutenant bowed down to her. The rest of the Kouku soldiers followed him.

King Ren beamed at his fiancée who was astonished by the soldiers' display of loyalty to her despite her long absence. He offered his hand which she gladly accepted. They walked towards the crowd that had gathered in front of the throne. Apparently, the commotion there was far from over. It was not a happy scene that they found.

King Mikihisa was down on the floor with an arrow piercing his chest. He was being held by Prince Hao. His other son, Prince Yoh held his hand as he knelt beside them. His wife and her parents, Faust, Tamao, Manta, Ryuu, Tona, Lyserg, Pirika and Horo Horo surrounded him with tears in their eyes.

"You... You took the arrow for me..." Prince Hao was shaking as he propped up his father.

In his quest to end the lineage of the Asakuras, General Tori shot an arrow towards the other Kasai prince. Without hesitation, King Mikihisa pushed his son aside and took the hit. It was a fatal shot.

"Of course, you are my heir, Hao..." The dying king wiped the tears from his son's cheeks. It was the first time he saw him cry since he was an infant. He then addressed his other son. "I knew you would come back, Yoh... I've lost you for a moment but you're here... "

He motioned the twins to come closer so he can whisper his dying wish. "Please take care of your mother.. . Don't give her heartaches... Please take care of Kasai... I trust that you would lead this kingdom with benevolence. Above all, please take care of each other... You are brothers... Brothers help and support each other... Remember that... I love you, my sons..." The Kasai monarch breathed his last and the weeping progressed into wails.

Faust knelt down in front of the dead king and said his prayers. Then he gently took the crown from his lifeless head. He looked at Prince Yoh, paused for a while before shifting his gaze at his twin.

"As my dear friend, King Mikihisa wishes..." He placed the crown on Prince Hao's head to the surprise of everyone in the throne room. He would have to say a lot of prayers to the Great Spirit afterwards asking if he made the right decision.

"Long live King Hao Asakura!" The Kasai palace guards raised their swords.

"Long live King Ren Tao!" The Kaminari soldiers raised their fists.

"Long live Queen Anna Kyouyama!" The Kouku soldiers shouted with all their might.

"Ohh brother, don't..." Princess Pirika shook her head at her older sibling while Tona covered his ears with his fingers.

"Long live King Horokeu Usui!" The Kouri king screamed at the top of his lungs.

A/N: This is the end of Volume 3.

In case you're wondering what happened to the rest of the chapters, I have decided to split the story into four volumes. I find it lighter to read and easier to manage that way. Here's the list of volumes for your reference:

Volume 1: The Four Kingdoms

Volume 2: The Heirs of the Four Kingdoms

Volume 3: The War of the Four Kingdoms

Volume 4: The Reign of the Four Kingdoms

Thanks for your understanding!