The Truth

this fic is dedicated to Sapphire Amethyst and The Ultima Society for reviewing my other silly fic... sorry about that review... my head was killing me that day... hontoni gomenasai... enjoy this one!

Disclaimer: you are nuts if you think I own Saiyuki...

Prologue

A bird, in an attempt to escape a predator, wandered into a cave, flying into its depths. The bird was enveloped in fear, as it could no longer find its way back. There was light somewhere ahead. The bird flew to it, hoping that it was headed for a safe place. The light was emanating from white crystals situated at specific places on the cave walls, and inside and outside houses. Strange, the bird never knew that someone dwelt in a place such as this. Cheers could be heard coming from the center of that strange city, and the bird could not help but be drawn there.

"I yield!" cried the man, whose nose was millimeters away from a dagger's tip, his purple eyes fixed on the sharp point. The bird, more curious than ever, landed on a rooftop. The man's opponent, was much younger than he... about eight or nine years of age. His braided blue hair was like that of the crystal clear sky it always flew up to, but his eyes were like fire, with no hesitation or whatsoever. Who was this boy? Before it could contemplate any further, sharp claws pierced through it - it did not even get to chirp a single sound.

The boy heard the slight rustle for a moment, but quickly returned his attention to his opponent. "You should be more careful, Captain Arjan..." he said, sheathing his dagger, and helping his companion.

"Ch! I gave you that advice two years ago... It is strange to hear the same words directed at you.." the older man confessed, sheathing his dagger as well. "You will not be as lucky next time, you hear, Niccolo Nehru?"

"Yes, captain!' the boy grinned up at his leader and gave a two fingered salute. "Can I go play now?" He didn't even wait for a reply and ran off. "Thank you!"

"I did not give you permission to leave, young man!" Arjan called out, but he was smiling.

"That is because I know you will let me anyway!"

Arjan sighed as he watched the boy run towards his home not too far away. "That boy sure is something..." he muttered and was overheard by his companion.

"Definitely something..." he added. "No one could ever be a Khalsa at his age... but he defied that! He definitely has the skill... although I wonder what future he will have... given our situation and –"

"-The oracle's words..." Arjan continued. "I know... but let us pray for his safety."

Several months had passed since that day, and today, Niccolo was out with his mother at the lake. Even though the water was freezing cold, he went for a swim in search for white crystals. It was a hobby of his, although they do not pay him, it was always fun for him. White crystals always formed on the sides of the lake and he used his dagger to chip off a bagful of them. He headed back to the surface and took a deep breath of air. He wiped the water from his eyes and looked for his mother by the shore. She was unconscious.

"Mother!" he quickly swam to shore, threw aside his bag and put a hand behind his mother's head. "Mother! Please wake up!" His mother opened her eyes and smiled sadly at him.

"The sign..." she whispered and pointed at the yin and yang sign on his pendant. "Always remember what it means... Niccolo... the others... have started to escape... you must.... go with them..."

"What about you?" tears were not forming in his eyes, for he had promised his late father that he would never cry.

"The negative wave... has already taken... my soul..." his mother explained. "I am good for dead... Niccolo... always remember what the sign means!" she touched the pendant and let her son be teleported to the escape path. She continued to smile until the boy disappeared, feeling very tired and decided to sleep – forever.

"Mother..." he choked out, recognizing where he was – it was the tunnel he had helped dug months ago, but this place was now a place of mourning, for the bodies of most of the people he had known and loved were there, in a heap of indescribable gore. He identified his captain, a spear right through his heart. He fought the urge to throw up and closed Arjan's eyes, offering a silent prayer. Something cold touched his knee. It was Arjan's dagger, stained with blood. Wiping it clean, he sheathed it and took the weapon as his own. Voices not too far away alerted him and he ran for the direction of the exit, swearing that one day, he will return and avenge the others. Heading out, a dark smoke surrounded him, blurring his vision, but he moved forward, determined to reach his goal. It was growing darker and darker, but he moved on, trekking up the rocky path with every ounce of his strength. He must not fail.

Tenno: oh, and Saph? don't worry, I threw away my flamethrower when I got banned.