Sun & Moon: Nichigetsu - Chapter 1
Gaia flexed his wings. He was preparing to take flight, for it was time. The legend will soon become reality, and reality would soon be no more.
Chapter 1: Confessions
"The Moon is rather beautiful tonight isn't it?" asked Suzushii with a hint of admiration in her voice.
"Indeed it is." Answered Engatsu.
"I have seen many admirable moons before but never this beautiful. Perhaps it means of greater things to come." Suzushii said aloud.
She stood up from her seat and turned towards Engatsu.
"You are trying to forget about the things that had already occurred." What Suzushii said she already knew was true.
Engatsu did not look up instead he took out a small parcel wrapped in fine silk from his robe and started to open it. Inside its fancy outer layer was a small ring with the legendary symbol of the Gods carved onto its crest.
"Maybe it is not just I that is trying to forget, but everyone. The legend written in the Book of Moon had said the ancient battle would repeat itself when the time is right. In fact, its very legend read: When the time is ripe, the full moon will descend upon us guided by Gaia the Prince and God of Earth, along with Uranos the Prince and God of Sky. Thus the ancient battle will repeat itself once again. This time, with the fate of the world at stake." Recited Engatsu.
He started to wrap up the ring, but stopped to look at it once more.
"You are trying especially hard to deny your emotions. Am I wrong?" asked Suzushii knowingly.
She didn't wait for an answer from Engatsu, she already knew what she said was true. She and Engatsu were very close, almost like siblings. Suzushii was seven years older than Engatsu who was only eighteen, and she was sort of like an adviser to him too. Suzushi walked towards Engatsu and stood next to him. Engatsu turned his head until he was clearly facing the exact opposite of the direction Suzushii was standing. On his face was an expression of shame.
"You needn't be ashamed of yourself. I am positive everyone has a weak point." Suzushii said without moving her body one bit. It was only her eyes that darted back and forth between them.
"It's not that, its just...Atsushii would never forgive me if I don't..." he trailed off.
The sun rose signaling morning and the beginning of a new day. Suzushii walked out of her room and headed towards the training grounds where all of her students were. She was Second General in Command, so it was her job to train the chosen children into warriors.
When those children grew up, they would become the soldiers of the Bei Long Empire. The Bei Long Empire was only one of the four Empires. The four Empires were, Dong Hu, Bei Long, Nan Hu, and Xi Long. They were the empires of the north, west, south, and east. Suzushii didn't expect the Prince to be out on the training grounds too, but for some reason he was.
"Your Majesty, I was not expecting you to be here." Suzushii questioned bowing.
"I needed to talk to you." Answered Prince Asakumori.
"Well then, exactly what did your Majesty want to talk to me about? Perhaps you were planning to speak to me about upcoming battles, or is it about my students?" asked Suzushii.
When the ruler of an Empire comes to speak with you personally, it usually is something quite important.
"It is neither." Replied the Prince. "What I came here to speak to you about is quite personal in fact, the only reason why I am telling this to you is because I thought it best. You see, Engatsu has been acting very strange ever since yesterday night when I saw him coming in from the royal garden. Since you and he are close, I thought it would be best if I came to speak to you about him." The Prince said with a bit of worry in his voice.
"I- I'm not sure why he's acting that way either." Suzushii lied not wanting to mention the talk she had with him last night.
"Perhaps he is not feeling well." Suzushii said even though she knew it wasn't true. The Prince is quite smart, Suzushii thought. Maybe he knew I was lying.
"Since you seem to have no idea, I'll leave you be. Continue on with your work now." The Prince dismissed Suzushii.
"Engatsu, you are acting quite strange today." Yuudachi the Third General in Command said with a bit of suspicion in her voice.
Yuudachi was Atsushii, the First General in Command's, younger sister though she was four years older than Engatsu.
"I'm always like this." He replied lamely. "I can't get any more normal then this." He continued on.
"Though I don't quite believe you, I guess I'll have to take your word on it." Yuudachi said.
Engatsu knew better. In his mind he silently thought, yes, there is something very wrong with me.
"Engatsu, did what I say last night effect you that much? I didn't mean anything really important out of what I said." Suzushii asked with concern.
It was noon already. Suzushii was done with all of her usual morning work for the time being.
"Not really, guess I was just thinking about something." Engatsu replied without a shred of feeling.
"Is that so? Somehow I find that hard to believe when you say it like you don't mean it." Countered Suzushii.
Engatsu did not reply. There was an uncomfortable silence between them, which was rather strange since they almost never had that kind of situation between them.
"I don't want to talk about it okay?" Engatsu said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
He stood from the spot he was sitting on and started to walk towards the door.
"You know, walking away from your problems isn't going to solve anything." Suzushii called after him.
"I'm not walking away from them. I'm trying you know, to solve them. No offense but I can't have you solving all of my problems for me." Engatsu shouted back at Suzushii as he walked down the hallway.
"Hey Izumi! Wait up." Called Kiri.
"Come on slowpoke, we're almost there." Izumi said with a strange smile.
"It's not me that's slow, it's you that's too fast!" Kiri whined.
Izumi was always physically stronger then Kiri who's only fourteen, which still made her a child. They were on their way to Yue Shen Shrine to deliver a message to Hazakura, one of their friends' and a fellow Eternal Guardian too.
Eternal Guardians were a long line of chosen chidren that were born with very unique powers. There are also the Youkai Warriors who were children that were trained from a young age in mastering the demon arts.
When Izumi and Kiri finally reached Yue Shen Shrine, Izumi whispered to herself, "That's strange, for some odd reason I can't sense Hazakura's Ling Hun energy."
"Maybe he's just suppressing his Ling Hun energy." Kiri answered.
"I don't think so. Knowing Hazakura for seven years, I know for a fact that he would never do that unless it's some sort of emergency." Replied Izumi.
"Well, there's only one way to find out. Let's go and have a look." Kiri said taking a deep breath.
They knocked on the door of the shrine, no one answered. They tried again, still no answer.
"Okay now I'm convinced no one is there." Kiri said quickly.
"Hazakura said he would be here so why isn't he?" Izumi said to no one in particular.
Suddenly something shot out of nowhere and grazed Izumi's cheek. It was a rose, however where the rose stem touched the wood of the shrine, burned.
"I-Izumi, look at the poison aura surrounding the rose stem." Kiri said still staring at the rose.
Izumi used her powers of water to wash away the poison on the rose stem. When she was done, she picked up the rose to look at it more closely. All of a sudden six more roses shot out pinning both Izumi and Kiri to the wall of the shrine.
Somewhere in the forest came the sound of laughter.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" cried Izumi.
"As you wish." The person said.
Slowly a figure emerged from the shadows, on her face was the Chinese character for east.
"I'm truly sorry for the informal greeting. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Yamabuki of the rose. I am from the Dong Hu Empire." The person said smiling.
"Th-the Dong Hu Empire?" Kiri said dumbfounded.
"Indeed my dear. I was sent here to deliver an important message. However, the message was for the priest of the shrine only. Priest Oborodukiyo. Seeing as he is not here, I'll have to destroy you two instead!" she charged at them.
Izumi struggle to free her body from the roses pining her to the shrine, but only one arm came loose. Despite the excruciating pain, Izumi pulled out the last two roses pinning her to the shrine with her freed arm.
"You will not get away!" Yamabuki shouted at Izumi.
She pulled out what seemed to be a whip with sharp edged blades attached to the handle.
Yamabuki struck at Izumi with her weapon. Izumi dodged the first blow that was aimed at her head but she could not help being grazed on the cheek by the blade handle while doing so. Yamabuki struck at Izumi again but this time for her shoulder. She made a direct hit slowing Izumi down. Izumi eyed Kiri and kept on fighting. Kiri took that as a cue to get help, so she telepathically contacted Hazakura, the Eternal Guardian of earth. The crystal on her forehead flashed whiled she waited for a reply.
Izumi sent a wave of water at Yamabuki, but she dodged it all too well. "Is that the best you can do? I was expecting more of a challenge from you." Yamabuki said laughing.
Suddenly, Yamabuki made one mighty blow that sent Izumi flying straight towards the shrine. Kiri was shocked by the sudden noise and opened her eyes just in time to hear Yamabuki shout you're finished at Izumi and the sound of splintering wood.
"Izumi!" Kiri cried out in horror.