"Attack! Attack! We're under attack!"
Chaos quickly filled the streets as warriors donned their armor and weapons as a large number of men advanced on the village. Gunshin quickly heard the noise and readied himself for battle.
"Raiga, Shisei, go rally the people and take them to safety. The path beyond the western hills should lead you to Sanyou."
"But I want to fight!" Raiga cried out. "I've become much stronger!"
"That's exactly why you're needed there. Please, Raiga, take your mother and go."
Raiga put aside his frustration and began to get ready to leave.
"Shinjin, go find Shika and then follow Raiga to Sanyou. Make sure nothing happens to her."
Before Shinjin could agree, a group of troops barged into the house. Gunshin quickly drew his sword and charged at them. They fired at him but his armor and sword protected him. He leapt right at them and killed all of them instantaneously. He then ran toward sounds of battle.
Shocked at their father's power, Raiga and Shinjin could only stand in shock for a few moments. As they exited the house, they saw a large group of Sanyou soldiers fighting against a similarly sized group of ShinRa soldiers. Leading the attack was Gunshin, slaying men left and right as he cut through enemy lines. Flames danced across the battlefield, devouring all they touched. Regaining his senses, Shinjin yelled farewell to his brother and mother and quickly ran off to find Shika. Shisei and Raiga then began to rally the villagers.
In the chaos, they found Shika's father Kanbu.
"Are you alright?" Raiga asked.
"I'm fine," he murmured, "Have you seen Shika?"
"No, but Shinjin is out searching for her. I'm sure she'll be okay."
Kanbu took these words to heart and joined the group. Raiga burst through many door, rescuing those inside from groups of enemy soldiers and the rapidly spreading fire. Raiga ran ahead of the group, and spotted Shika in an alley. He ran toward her and saw that she was being harassed by five enemy soldiers. With the speed and strength of a lion he lunged at the men and ripped them to shreds with his sword. Shika stood there for a moment in shock, leaning against the wall of the alley, her clothing ripped in a few places. Catching his breath, Raiga picked her up off the ground and carried her to the rest of the refugees.
"Have you seen Shinjin?" He asked her.
She shook her head.
"Damnit, he was supposed to be looking for you. That idiot better make it back."
Realizing what was going on, she suddenly tried to wrestle herself away from Raiga. He grabbed her arm.
"Where do you think you're going?! Do you want to die?!"
She tried to brush off his hand, but to no avail.
"Shinjin... He's still out there. And my father..." Her voice was full of panic.
"Your father is safe here," he said, pointing to Kanbu in the crowd. "Shinjin should be able to escape by himself. Don't endanger yourself so easily!. We'll probably find him on our way out."
"Shika! Shika! Where are you?! Shika!" Shinjin raced through the streets calling out every few steps. Seeing the bloodshed around him, Shinjin could not avoid becoming hysteric. His shouts became louder, his breathing became harder. Three ShinRa soldiers saw him running and attempted to block his way.
"Get out of my way!" He screamed.
Somewhat disoriented by the frantic nature of the shout, they hesitated briefly. The hesitation was enough. Shinjin drew his blade and immediately cut two of them down and beheaded the other before they could react. Panting heavily, Shinjin continued his search.
"Shika! Shika!"
He suddenly heard something behind him. He turned around and saw quick flash of blue. Then everything went black.
Running through the streets, they saw a battle raging in the center of the village. They quickly noticed Gunshin leading a different group of Sanyou soldiers, this one significantly smaller. Raiga and Shisei stopped and told the rest of the group to push on ahead. They watched Gunshin slaughtering massive numbers of enemy troops when a strange looking group began to move toward the battle. The man leading them was a tall, slim man with dark brown hair, dressed in a navy blue business suit. He was carrying a long, dangerous looking rifle, which slowly began to follow Gunshin's movements. Raiga noticed this and screamed, "Father! Look out!" Gunshin turned to face Raiga when his chest suddenly burst. Shisei collapsed onto the ground and Raiga ran as fast as he could to his father's body, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Father....Father!"
Catching him as he fell, Raiga knew that these were his father's last moments.
"Raiga .....take... Shisei .....and.....run....now! ...I...."
He was silenced by another bullet lodging itself in his neck. Raiga bowed his head. Shika, her own face stained with tears, ran toward him and pulled him up.
"We have to go! Hurry! You won't be able to mourn for him if you're dead as well!" She pushed him toward the running peasants and he took one last look at his father and the man who killed him. His emotions changed from sorrow to anger. Somehow preventing himself from charging at the man, he suppressed his feelings and lifted up his mother, who was completely paralyzed with grief. With her in his arms, he and the other villagers fled to the west past the hills.
When they reached a safe distance, they took a quick rest at the top of a hill. Now that they were no longer in the chaos, Shika began to think clearly. She began to look among the people frantically.
"Shinjin! Are you there?! Shinjin!"
No one turned around. In a panic, she looked desperately. She felt a hand land on her shoulder. She turned a saw her father giving her a look of sympathy.
"No...No! He has to be here!" She ran to the edge of the hill and looked at the burning village. She collapsed on her knees.
"Shinjin..."
Shinjin felt a wave of pain emanating from the back of his head. Remembering what happened, he quickly tried to open his eyes. When he came to, Shinjin noticed several other men from the village bound as he was. He looked around again and saw a larger number of ShinRa soldiers. "Father...Mother....Shika...Raiga...." He closed his eyes and his heart filled with sorrow. Before he could fully recover himself, and officer addressed them.
"You men are our prisoners now. You have no rights and your lives belong to us. There is no salvation, but if you agree to help us, you will surely be rewarded. We could always use more soldiers or whatever crafts you posses. If you remain on our side and are loyal till the end of the war, I guarantee that your futures will be pleasurable. If you choose not..."
The man standing to the right of Shinjin spit in the officer's face. Without a moment's hesitation, the officer punched the man in the stomach, kicked him to the ground and drew out his pistol. The bullet crashed into the man's forehead and all signs of life left him immediately..
"Well, now I don't need to explain what happens if you try to rebel." He wiped his face and motioned to a group of soldiers. "Take them away. Keep them locked up and without food or drink until they agree to our terms."
Without a word two ShinRa soldiers raised Shinjin to his feet. As he was being led to his cell, Shinjin made eye contact with a strange looking man. He was wearing a navy blue suit, and a pair of dark sunglasses covered his eyes. In his hand was Shinjin's sword. The man didn't react to Shinjin's glare and soon he was out of sight.
[Author's Note: Now the meat of the plot is finally beginning. There will be quite some twists and turns before the end. Keep reading!]
Chaos quickly filled the streets as warriors donned their armor and weapons as a large number of men advanced on the village. Gunshin quickly heard the noise and readied himself for battle.
"Raiga, Shisei, go rally the people and take them to safety. The path beyond the western hills should lead you to Sanyou."
"But I want to fight!" Raiga cried out. "I've become much stronger!"
"That's exactly why you're needed there. Please, Raiga, take your mother and go."
Raiga put aside his frustration and began to get ready to leave.
"Shinjin, go find Shika and then follow Raiga to Sanyou. Make sure nothing happens to her."
Before Shinjin could agree, a group of troops barged into the house. Gunshin quickly drew his sword and charged at them. They fired at him but his armor and sword protected him. He leapt right at them and killed all of them instantaneously. He then ran toward sounds of battle.
Shocked at their father's power, Raiga and Shinjin could only stand in shock for a few moments. As they exited the house, they saw a large group of Sanyou soldiers fighting against a similarly sized group of ShinRa soldiers. Leading the attack was Gunshin, slaying men left and right as he cut through enemy lines. Flames danced across the battlefield, devouring all they touched. Regaining his senses, Shinjin yelled farewell to his brother and mother and quickly ran off to find Shika. Shisei and Raiga then began to rally the villagers.
In the chaos, they found Shika's father Kanbu.
"Are you alright?" Raiga asked.
"I'm fine," he murmured, "Have you seen Shika?"
"No, but Shinjin is out searching for her. I'm sure she'll be okay."
Kanbu took these words to heart and joined the group. Raiga burst through many door, rescuing those inside from groups of enemy soldiers and the rapidly spreading fire. Raiga ran ahead of the group, and spotted Shika in an alley. He ran toward her and saw that she was being harassed by five enemy soldiers. With the speed and strength of a lion he lunged at the men and ripped them to shreds with his sword. Shika stood there for a moment in shock, leaning against the wall of the alley, her clothing ripped in a few places. Catching his breath, Raiga picked her up off the ground and carried her to the rest of the refugees.
"Have you seen Shinjin?" He asked her.
She shook her head.
"Damnit, he was supposed to be looking for you. That idiot better make it back."
Realizing what was going on, she suddenly tried to wrestle herself away from Raiga. He grabbed her arm.
"Where do you think you're going?! Do you want to die?!"
She tried to brush off his hand, but to no avail.
"Shinjin... He's still out there. And my father..." Her voice was full of panic.
"Your father is safe here," he said, pointing to Kanbu in the crowd. "Shinjin should be able to escape by himself. Don't endanger yourself so easily!. We'll probably find him on our way out."
"Shika! Shika! Where are you?! Shika!" Shinjin raced through the streets calling out every few steps. Seeing the bloodshed around him, Shinjin could not avoid becoming hysteric. His shouts became louder, his breathing became harder. Three ShinRa soldiers saw him running and attempted to block his way.
"Get out of my way!" He screamed.
Somewhat disoriented by the frantic nature of the shout, they hesitated briefly. The hesitation was enough. Shinjin drew his blade and immediately cut two of them down and beheaded the other before they could react. Panting heavily, Shinjin continued his search.
"Shika! Shika!"
He suddenly heard something behind him. He turned around and saw quick flash of blue. Then everything went black.
Running through the streets, they saw a battle raging in the center of the village. They quickly noticed Gunshin leading a different group of Sanyou soldiers, this one significantly smaller. Raiga and Shisei stopped and told the rest of the group to push on ahead. They watched Gunshin slaughtering massive numbers of enemy troops when a strange looking group began to move toward the battle. The man leading them was a tall, slim man with dark brown hair, dressed in a navy blue business suit. He was carrying a long, dangerous looking rifle, which slowly began to follow Gunshin's movements. Raiga noticed this and screamed, "Father! Look out!" Gunshin turned to face Raiga when his chest suddenly burst. Shisei collapsed onto the ground and Raiga ran as fast as he could to his father's body, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Father....Father!"
Catching him as he fell, Raiga knew that these were his father's last moments.
"Raiga .....take... Shisei .....and.....run....now! ...I...."
He was silenced by another bullet lodging itself in his neck. Raiga bowed his head. Shika, her own face stained with tears, ran toward him and pulled him up.
"We have to go! Hurry! You won't be able to mourn for him if you're dead as well!" She pushed him toward the running peasants and he took one last look at his father and the man who killed him. His emotions changed from sorrow to anger. Somehow preventing himself from charging at the man, he suppressed his feelings and lifted up his mother, who was completely paralyzed with grief. With her in his arms, he and the other villagers fled to the west past the hills.
When they reached a safe distance, they took a quick rest at the top of a hill. Now that they were no longer in the chaos, Shika began to think clearly. She began to look among the people frantically.
"Shinjin! Are you there?! Shinjin!"
No one turned around. In a panic, she looked desperately. She felt a hand land on her shoulder. She turned a saw her father giving her a look of sympathy.
"No...No! He has to be here!" She ran to the edge of the hill and looked at the burning village. She collapsed on her knees.
"Shinjin..."
Shinjin felt a wave of pain emanating from the back of his head. Remembering what happened, he quickly tried to open his eyes. When he came to, Shinjin noticed several other men from the village bound as he was. He looked around again and saw a larger number of ShinRa soldiers. "Father...Mother....Shika...Raiga...." He closed his eyes and his heart filled with sorrow. Before he could fully recover himself, and officer addressed them.
"You men are our prisoners now. You have no rights and your lives belong to us. There is no salvation, but if you agree to help us, you will surely be rewarded. We could always use more soldiers or whatever crafts you posses. If you remain on our side and are loyal till the end of the war, I guarantee that your futures will be pleasurable. If you choose not..."
The man standing to the right of Shinjin spit in the officer's face. Without a moment's hesitation, the officer punched the man in the stomach, kicked him to the ground and drew out his pistol. The bullet crashed into the man's forehead and all signs of life left him immediately..
"Well, now I don't need to explain what happens if you try to rebel." He wiped his face and motioned to a group of soldiers. "Take them away. Keep them locked up and without food or drink until they agree to our terms."
Without a word two ShinRa soldiers raised Shinjin to his feet. As he was being led to his cell, Shinjin made eye contact with a strange looking man. He was wearing a navy blue suit, and a pair of dark sunglasses covered his eyes. In his hand was Shinjin's sword. The man didn't react to Shinjin's glare and soon he was out of sight.
[Author's Note: Now the meat of the plot is finally beginning. There will be quite some twists and turns before the end. Keep reading!]