Disclaimer: don't own it

A/N: Sorry for the lateness, but I'll be busy over the next few months (yes months) and so my postings may become much more infrequent (but won't disappear completely!). For now, however, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Of Age and Era

Chapter 4: Devastation Strikes

Takao led the new comer to his room. He hadn't been prepared for this; that was for sure. In the span of the last thirty minutes, Takao's entire life was turned around: the discovery of his grandfather's death, a new sword and status as samurai knight, and now this enigmatic Hiwatari coming to stay with him, it was all so exigent. Takao, as representative of the palace, offered Ojisan's bed to Hiwatari Kai, as much as it pained him to do.

"I won't be needing it," replied Hiwatari, closing his eyes, disinterested. "I will be on alert at all times," he continued, as if it made his answer more comprehensive.

"You don't sleep?" questioned Takao bewildered.

"I get by." Hiwatari didn't seem interested in continuing the conversation and Takao didn't persist. He knew enough not to bombard the guest with questions on the way he did things, even though Takao was curious to know more about this individual.

"I am going to look around the castle. If the King needs me, call out my name, I'll hear you," the samurai spoke again. He left abruptly, not waiting for an answer from Takao.

"What a weird guy," Takao muttered to himself, raising an eyebrow.

---

Takao thought he saw a glimpse of Hiwatari Kai in the Great Hall during the evening meal, but apart from that, Hiwatari stayed hidden somewhere amongst the stone walls of the palace. Takao wondered to himself whether he was being a good enough host, but he didn't dare bother Hiwatari; if Hiwatari didn't want to speak to him, that would look even worse for Takao. Either way, playing host to Hiwatari seemed even easier than he had expected.

A few days after Ojisan's death, Takao came back to his room from training, sweat on his forehead glistening and muscles weak from exhaustion. There, against the wall, he found Hiwatari sleeping, his eyes closed, face emotionless, and hand on his sword. Even asleep, Hiwatari seemed prepared for battle with his usual stoic personality. Takao sat down, watching the samurai sleep. It was the first time Takao saw Hiwatari sleep at all over the past three days.

As Takao continued to stare at the young samurai, he realized how alike and yet how different Hiwatari Kai was in comparison with him. What must have Hiwatari been through to be such an accomplished samurai at his young age? Was he forced into this world of bloody sword fights, proper etiquette and war tactics as well? Although he seemed so cold and distant, Takao saw another air about him, a sadness that seemed to surround him. His shoulders appeared to droop down, his hair wept over his face, his calm facial expression was broken slightly by a lift of the brow; something troubled him in his dreams.

Takao jumped as Hiwatari's eyes snapped open, focusing instantly in the light of the room. He got up. Looking down at Takao who had fallen to the floor in his surprise, Hiwatari ordered, "Stay here. Whatever you do, don't leave the room." Hiwatari then bolted to the door and was gone. Takao was left alone, still sitting on the floor, eyes frozen open in shock.

Takao, after regaining the ability to move, shut the door and sat back. He wondered what was troubling the young samurai. He closed his eyes to think and heard a faint noise in the background; a wispy twirl of wind which swirled and roared quietly. He felt a warm blow of air come from his window and brush his cheek. The soothing feeling it gave him was soon taken over by fear. In a matter of minutes, the smell of burning wood and ash filled his nostrils. Something was going on. The castle was burning.

He could hear screams from the lower levels, becoming louder as they came nearer to his room. 'It must be the assassin,' thought Takao. 'He has come back to finish what he started.' Minutes later, a putrid smell filled the room; the smell of burning bodies paralyzed Takao even more to his spot. He wanted to go, he wanted to help, but he was still in training. He would hardly be worth the assassin's time. If this assassin could defeat his grandfather, Takao would be dead before he even drew his sword. Besides, Hiwatari told him to stay here. But he couldn't.

Shrieks on his level told him that the intruder had already made it there. A corridor away from his room was that of the King's. It had been planned that way in order for Ojisan to be able to reach the King in time, should anything ever happen. Now the King needed his help. Takao left, withdrawing the Dragoon Sword as he went.

The hallways were already filled with smoke. It was hard to breathe or see. Takao made his way to the King's room by memory. He reached the thick wood doors only to find that the King had already fled. The room was completely deserted. Not even the hand maidens remained.

Coughing, Takao decided that he, too, needed to flee. If he didn't get out of this smoke, he would soon faint and this hallway would surely be his grave. He made his way down, level by level, searching for any remaining persons. The commotions he had heard earlier must have been the people leaving. It wasn't the assassin who was making his way up the castle floors, but the message that the residents needed to flee. But still, Hiwatari had gone to defend the castle for some reason. Someone must have started this fire. Making it to the ground floor, Takao felt the fires brush by his face. The smoke was so thick here. An orange glow illuminated the black mass that hung in the corridors. Takao fought his way out to the courtyard.

It was like entering a sauna. He was sweating and panting with the lack of oxygen. Numerous fires blazed in the once perfect gardens. The rancid smell of bodies was overwhelming. As the murky smoke cleared enough from Takao's eyes to allow him to see, he took a sharp intake of breath which left him gagging on the fetid air. It was worse than he could have ever thought possible.

All the samurai knights were out here, fighting and dying. The assassin had come back, with allies. At least an hundred samurai covered from toe to head in black were slaughtering the castle guards. Shadow-like against the warm red glow, these figures took on two or three men at once.

"NO!!!!!!!!" the yell rang. Takao's head turned to see Ronin jump in front of the King, taking a fatal blow from the sword of a stranger. Ronin's body fell with its dead weight. The black samurai tossed aside the body and attacked his target again. This time, the mark was dead on.

"The King is dead!" shrieked one of his servants. She was stabbed in the back immediately after.

It was a massacre. Takao had never seen a death before, and now, before his eyes, he saw something much worse. This would surely be his end as well. Tears filled his eyes. He began to shake his head. He didn't want to believe what he was seeing. He backed way wanting to retreat to his room. Wanting to wake up from this nightmare to learn that none of it had happened. That Ojisan was still alive. That the past week was just a bad dream. As he backed away, Takao tripped over something. Another body. He stared at the familiar corpse underneath his foot; Kisho lay looking so peaceful. A smear of blood glistened underneath his eye like a crimson tear.

Takao couldn't feel his own tears now running down his cheeks. He felt numb. How could this happen? How could his life change so drastically in such a short and abrupt moment? He could no longer hear the screams as people were slashed to death. He couldn't hear anything but the roaring of that fire. His head spun. The fumes were making him dizzy. His vision was blurred in tears and smoke. A distant yell caught his attention. His stomach was turning violently but he still tried to support himself. He drunkenly turned toward the call. It was Hiwatari. He was holding the Princess' arm, keeping her safely beside him.

A couple of the intruders attacked him and the Princess. Hiwatari skillfully held them off and defeated them. Hiwatari continued to approach Takao.

"Kinomiya," he yelled again. "I told you to stay in your room. You would have been safe there."

Takao couldn't answer. His head was swimming. He blearily turned toward the Princess. Her eyes were wide with fear. She seemed petrified.

"Never mind. Kinomiya, come here." Hiwatari stepped forward and grabbed Takao with his other hand. He dragged him to a hidden crevice in the castle walls. "Stay here. You must." It wasn't a request but a command.

A flash of Kisho's face appeared before Takao. He was willing to die to defend the castle. Takao was a samurai knight as well. He wasn't going to give up on the palace, to let go of this place, by hiding as a coward. He must do everything in his power to defend it, even if it meant to go to his death. 'It may be suicide', he thought, 'but I finally understand what it is to be a samurai. It is to fight for what you believe in to the very end. To have no fear of being killed because you know that what you're fighting for is worth it.'

"No!" Takao shouted to Hiwatari. "I am going to defend this castle, even if it kills me." Leaving the security of his hiding place, Takao pushed by Hiwatari. He wasn't going to let Hiwatari fight alone. He could see the shadow-warriors coming. This was it. He lifted his sword, felt a blow hit his head, and thought no more.

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So, what has happened to Takao? You'll have to wait to find out. And what will happen to the kingdom, now that their king is dead? Answers coming in future chapters. And to those of you who wondered who the assassin was... that's for me to know and you to find out.

Thanks to all those who reviewed. And to those who read and didn't, I hope you enjoyed the story too and you can take this chance to review and tell me what you think.

Next chapter will be The Town With No Name. Till then!

.:Fey Phantom:.