Stranger

The cloaked man ventured towards the Imperial Palace with the golden cube on his hand.

He watched at the sight and knew he had reached his destination. With a wish that he had, he'll be safe from the forces that would stop him. However, the wish's power has a limit. It does not affect the Troika. The cloaked man enters the crowd as the people of the kingdom started to celebrate their beloved princess's birthday.

"I don't remember my own birthday," Ashi said to her husband.

The noble prince smiled, "Then I make one for you."

"Thanks, Jack." She said. "But why today?"

"Because today is my great grandfather's birthday. He helped protect the people from forces of darkness before Aku, you know. I think it is the best day for your birthday."

But then one of the handmaidens came carrying a letter. She brought it forth to Ashi. "A message... from your sister."

The prince must've told Ami about it. Ashi quickly opened the letter and received her very first birthday greeting card. "Happy Birthday to you, sis! I'm happy that we got a birthday."

That one sentence struck the prince, "Uh... were you guys born on the same day?"

Ashi nodded.

"Whoa. Never imagined someone actually gave birth to seven children."

The princess was so proud that she received a gift from her sister. That was her first time. "Who else knows about this?"

"Everyone."

"Including your father?"

"Yes." The samurai said. "But he doesn't say much about it. He's not the same man when mother left."

"I'm sorry," Ashi remembered it happened last month. "Alright. Let's talk about something else. There has to be a feast, of course."

"Done."

"Parades?"

"Eh, still working on it."

"Plays for the kids?"

The prince knew what's in her mind. "Done. Everything you think of... I already prepared it."

Ashi gave him a kiss so pure. "I love you."

"I love you." He replied.

"Ehem..." Someone interrupted the two. An Imperial guard approached the two with a large scroll on his hand. "I'm sorry to ruin your moment, my lord. But you have to see this."

"Ashi, will you excuse me for a moment?" The prince asked.

"Sure." Ashi leaves and went to the gardens to have fresh air. She turned and watched her husband talked to the guard and opened up a scroll that revealed something surprising even for the prince. "He's trying to keep me out of it. I wonder." But then six of her handmaidens approached her from behind and started their daily task: accompany the princess at all times.

Meanwhile, the cloaked man reached the palace walls and looked up to see how high it is. The first thing he did, he hid the cube under his cloak and started to climb the walls in his own way. His dark cloak changed and turned into a murder of crows. They flew up to the top of the wall and formed back into one. Two Imperial guards saw him and cried, "Intruder!"

However, the stranger opened his eyes and showed them his red glare which quickly paralyzes them. The cloaked man has no time to hide the bodies. He has to reach his destination soon.

The prince read the scroll that was sent by a great seer. It was stated that a turn of events will come to the day of his great grandfather's birth. They will face a powerful enemy. "Where's Ashi?" That's what his first thoughts when he read the bad news.

The princess strolled across the garden, appreciating the green. Then she saw a ladybug crawling down a leaf. She went to take a closer look. "Well, well... how are you, little one?"

But then they heard the sound of imperial horns and the guards yelled, "Intruder!"

Ashi looked up and saw the cloaked man right in front of her. The stranger looked at the young woman and glared with his red bloody eyes. "Who are you?"

Quickly, her handmaidens undressed, removing their kimonos and drew out their weapons to protect the princess. They attacked the stranger two at a time. The man appears to be armed as he pulled out a kunai and blocked their lethal attacks. Ashi wanted to join in but one of her handmaidens grabbed her, taking her to safety. As the handmaidens continued their assault, the stranger just simply defends himself. He just blocks their attacks and evades the next.

All he wants to do was to have time with Ashi.

The prince came in with his imperial guards just in time to see the stranger getting ganged up by those quick female assassins. "Ashi?" He called her name.

The princess answered. "Over here!"

The stranger looked at the two about to reunite. He made some quick movement of his hands and then let out a large fireball from his mouth. The fire separated the two and the stranger quickly took down the handmaidens. He dashed towards the princess and grabbed her. She struggled but she froze when she saw his blood-red eyes.

"ASHI!" The prince watched in horror as she was taken away by the cloaked man.

The stranger climbed up to the imperial walls and leaves the gardens. Her handmaidens quickly get back up to go after their princess.

As the cloaked man took the princess away, he took her to the tallest tower of the palace and removed the trance that he placed on her. Ashi took a look around and saw the stranger holding her.

Swiftly, she pulled out a dagger and swung it to his neck.

Unfortunately, he disarmed her and speak. "Calm down. I just want to speak with you."

"Who? Who are you?"

"My name is not important but take this." He gave her the golden cube radiating on his palm. "I don't know why. But she chose you."

"She?" Ashi then felt the cube reacting as she touched it.

"Keep it safe." He lets go of the cube and moved a step back.

So many questions in her mind, the only one she asked. "Where are you going?"

The stranger said, "I'll try to slow them down. Leave and find the rest... before it's too late." The cloaked man slowly dispersed into a murder of crows, leaving the palace.

Ashi was left confused as she held the illuminating cube on her hand.

Her husband climbed up and saw her alive and well. "Ashi? Are you alright?"

"Yeah." She answered. "I think we have another big problem." She showed him the cube. "Jack, do you know where my sister is right now?"

Elsewhere in the forest of Japan, a doorway opened from thin air and it slowly opened from behind. But a great force struck the door opened like a kick.

Three people emerged with their presence brings a chill to their surroundings.

One held a sword, the other a spear, and the last a revolver.

The Troika is here.

"Is this the place?" The swordsman said.

"Affirmative. This is where he went." The spearman confirmed their location. "Dilek is here. She has chosen a new protector."

"Great. Another world to annihilate."

But the gunslinger interrupted them as he checked the ground. "We're close."

Both were surprised. "Seriously?"

"No. Something we need is getting close." The gunslinger looked forth and saw two strangers took a turn and encountered them. The three men looked at the couple.

The couple paused and check on the three.

The tall man in his purple coat commented, "Hey, baby... check out these guys. They're dressed for the occasion."

"Shut up, Scaramouche," Ami said. "Don't call me that."

"Uh, I see. You like me to say it alone."

The swordsman asked the gunslinger. "Who are they?"

In which, he replied. "She has the Heart of Pyralis." The three men spoke no words after that and their eyes focus on to the girl.

Scaramouche and Ami looked back at the three as they felt an ominous feeling. She pulled out her katana quickly as the three swiftly leaped towards them.

=X=