Disclaimer: I still don't own digimon
A/N: A little note, you might recognize this is you've read The Mark (my favorite medieval takari). The beginning of the story was based on that story (it worked for this story). Please R/R.
----------Chapter One--------------------
King Yelsand sat at his throne, his servants running around beckoning to his every whim. He was still brooding a week after returning from the Ontak kingdom, and hated how he was supposed to present gifts to the king's sons, just because his kingdom wasn't as powerful. He stood and walked from his room, then down the stairs, and finally through the secret doorway, hidden through enchantment.
"What news, my Lord?" asked a voice from the darkness. Yelsand smiled at the orc.
"Not much. Have you found the Pendant yet?"
"Yes, Sire. It is sitting over there, on that table. How is the plan coming along?"
"We're moving ahead a few weeks. I found one of the Runes." Yelsand walked deeper into the Pit, where he picked up the black Pendant off of a table. "The Dark Pendant. How lovely. General, I want more orcs, and I want them fast. We're launching an invasion of the Ontak kingdom tonight."
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"So, Takeru. Let me get one thing straight. You wish for the freedom of this young lady," King Ontak paused, holding his palm out to Hikari, "so that she would no longer be in slavery."
Takeru bowed his head. "If I may, Father."
"Well, Takeru, as it is your birthday," the king walked over to Hikari, who bowed as well. The aging ruler placed his hands on her shoulders. "Miss Hikari, I now grant you your freedom from now until the end of time. Now, if my memory serves me, you've been living here for a week and have not yet received a grand tour. Takeru? Please show her around."
"Yes, Father."
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Hikari was overwhelmed at the sight of so many soldiers training. Takeru was in the process of showing her the kingdom's most powerful military fighting force. The army must have had over ten thousand men, all masters with the sword and bow. But one young man stood out to Hikari. He was muscular and had thick brown hair tied back in a ponytail. He seemed to be the best in the army.
"Here, I'll show you to the general," Takeru said. They walked over to a short man who seemed to be no more than eighteen. His short reddish-brown hair was spiked, and he wore a black uniform with dark red trimmings.
"Hey, General Koushiro," Takeru greeted.
"Greetings, Prince Takeru. Who is you're friend here?"
"This is Hikari. King Yelsand gave her to me for my birthday, and Father has just granted her freedom."
"Well, not every day the king gives consent to free a servant. You're very lucky, miss Hikari," Koushiro smiled.
"Oh, Hikari. Allow me to introduce you to General Koushiro. He's rumored to be the smartest person in the entire Ontak kingdom, so he's quite obviously a great leader. He's one reason Ontak is the most powerful kingdom in Kasen."
"General, may I ask you a question?" Hikari asked.
"Sure. Anything," Koushiro responded.
"Who's that down there?" she pointed to the man she saw earlier.
"That's Taichi, the best soldier in the army."
"W-what's his last name?"
"I don't remember. It's k-something. Kam, Kamo, Kami--"
"Kamiya?"
Koushiro laughed. "That's it. Do you know him?"
"More than you would ever guess."
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"What ever happened to you, Taichi? I thought you were dead," Hikari asked. She Takeru, and Taichi sat in a small room in front of a large, roaring fire.
"Dead? Is that how Yelsand twisted it?" Taichi laughed. "No. Five years ago I ran away. It took months to get out of the kingdom, and I wound up here. I enlisted in the Ontak Royal Army on the off chance that we would go to the Yelsand kingdom. I was worried sick about you. I had no idea you would just come here like you did. I'm impressed."
Takeru yawned. "The sun's beginning to set, and I have a big day tomorrow. I'm going to bed."
Hikari stood. "I'd better come, too. Are you coming, Taichi?"
Taichi shrugged. "I guess so. But I have to be back here before dark, so…"
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Before the four could reach the stairs, however they saw Koushiro in a mad rush coming down. Takeru halted him. "Why are you in such a hurry?" he laughed.
"The kingdom's been invaded. The entire town of Ky-fäthn has been-" The general was cut off by an ominous presence in the room. The feeling that something evil is lurking around the corner. Only Koushiro knew what it was. He turned to Hikari, "Can you fight?"
She replied, "A little." Koushiro handed her a small dagger from his pocket. "Why? What's in here?"
"Wraiths."
Ass if on cue, a black sword jettisoned out of the darkness, and Koushiro parried it, then kicked at whatever was there. There was an agonizing shriek as five more wraiths appeared. Each was shrouded in black cloth, with large hoods covering their faces. They all carried long, pitch-black blades. [A/N: I got the description from Lord of the Rings, but this is how I've pictured them since I played Final Fantasy when I was four]
Taichi ducked a swipe from one sword, and then stabbed at the wraith in front of him. His sword pierced the "chest" of the creature, which took off running.
Koushiro led two wraiths deeper into the hall, dodging and parrying blows with skill. As soon as he reached one pillar, he rolled between them, smashed one wraith's head into the pillar, and stabbed another one through the middle part of its body. Both took off running towards the entrance of the castle.
Takeru knew enough about swordsmanship to be able to withstand an attack, but he wasn't as experienced as the other two men. He kicked at one wraith's legs, knocking the evil being to the ground. He stabbed his sword down on top of it, and it ran. He turned to see Hikari struggling with one of the wraiths, so he ran up and sliced clean through the creature's hand. After another jab through the abdomen, the wraith took flight in the opposite direction the others were going, but Takeru didn't notice. He sheathed his sword and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
"Koushiro!" Hikari screamed. The general turned to see the remaining wraith bringing its black sword down on his head. But before the blade could reach its destination, the wraith shrieked as a dagger cut into the darkness inside the hood. It took off after the others with a knife in its face.
"I'm going to check on my father," Takeru stated as he ran towards the stairs.
"Me too," Hikari followed.
Koushiro looked at Taichi. "So, I guess that means we check on the ones that ran outside?" Taichi nodded.
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"Father! No!" The king was unconscious as the one-handed wraith grabbed as his neck. It quickly pulled something away and started to run-- into the edge of Takeru's blade. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" he mumbled through clenched teeth as he sunk the sword deeper into the creature. With lightning-fast reflexes, he pulled out whatever was in the wraiths hands, then walked it over to the window and proceeded to push it down two hundred feet to the ground. That's when he noticed the blaze in the soldiers' quarters. Screams of dying men cut through the air, and then were silenced by death.
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"Hundreds of brave men died last night." Koushiro mumbled in a hoarse whisper.
"Why did those things come here? No one's ever seen them for almost two thousand years." Taichi asked to no one in particular.
Koushiro shook his head. "Not since the Great War."
Takeru pulled out the crystal he found the night before. The king was being treated for minor cuts and bruises, but the Medic, Jyou, said he would be fine. He stared at the reddish-orange of the jewel. "I saw one try to take this from Father." Koushiro immediately snapped the crystal from his hand.
"My God. I can't believe it!"
"Is it for real?"
"Yeah, Taichi. I think it is."
"What is it?"
"This, Takeru, is one of the Runes. It's powerful enough to make the world prosper forever, or it can make it wither and die."
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Please R/R.