Jade and Obsidian Part 1

            Evil’s Second Coming

            By: Togashi

 

           ***WARNING***

This series contains some minor

violence, and most episodes also

contain underage human or digimon

sex. Read at you own risk

 

                                                Also, most of the characters contained

                                                herein are my own creation, and are to

                                                be used only by me, or by expressed

                                                consent by me. Thanks

 

 

Character Sketches Can Be Found Here

 

 

The young child’s eyes opened slightly. Through the darkness of the room he could see his father putting on his armor, readying himself for battle. Daini rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Across his room, he could see his mother dressing his sister. The nine year old was even more confused than Daini was. The child sat up in his bed, feeling the cold outside his blankets. “Mother? What’s going on?”

            Daini’s voice broke the silence, startling his mother. She turned to face him with fear in her eyes. “Nothing Daini.” She lied. “We’re leaving for a while. Just get dressed. We need to go right away.” Daini could sense the apprehension in her voice. He jumped down and began to throw on his clothes. He looked at his father again, now completely ready for battle. A vision straight out of ancient Japan, his scarred lacquered armor  reflected the faint light in the room. At his side were 2 swords, as was customary for their clan. A small wazizashi and a larger katana. His face wore a mask of grim determination, the firelight playing on his weathered features. “Where is father going?”

            “He’s going to guard the Wall, like every night. You know that, Daini.”

            Daini knew he wasn’t. He had been to the Wall many times, and had seen many warriors guarding it. It was merely a ceremonial job, a position of honor, but not very demanding. Many times his father and him would play on its vast walkway, mock fighting with sticks. His father rarely wore armor, and certainly never to the Wall. Something was up. Daini needed to know what. He headed for the door, and slid it to the side. His mother spotted him to late. “Daini! No, you can’t go with your father tonight! Come back!” She ran to the door as Daini ran from her cries. “Daini!” she screamed out again. But her voice only fell upon the darkness of the night.

            Daini ran through the chaotic village that was his home. All around him, villagers gathered up as much as they could and hurried down the path to the north. The boy felt as though he was fighting a sea of people, trying to go the wrong way. He searched desperately for his father, hoping to be out of this place. Then, as suddenly as he was in among people, there was a complete absence of anyone. The streets were completely deserted, littered with trampled objects left behind to lighten loads. Daini endured the eerie silence all the way to the edge of the village. From here, Daini could see the Wall spread out endlessly in both directions; a great spine of rock and mortar sprouting from the earth. It was different then all the other times Daini had seen it. Its outline against the horizon was alive with the heat of battle. Figures fought along its surface, their silhouettes moving gracefully along it. Daini ran towards it. His father would surely be there. Thick clouds blotted out the moon and stars, hiding light from the boy as he ran. To the south, eerie red and orange flashes lit up the clouds, reflecting oddly on them, and illuminating the battle below. Daini increased his pace, his sandals threatening to fly off his feet as he sped towards his father.

            Nearer to the wall, a sickening smell arose, the fetid stench of battle. The gory smells of newly cut flesh assailed Daini’s senses; the sight of death was all around him. Friends of his father, great samurai with shining gold armor, now mixed in the dirt and grime of the trodden field, their banners trampled and stained in blood. Daini felt a sharp chill of fear run along his spine, the silence of the immediate area surrounding him. The boy picked up his pace, aware of figures following his every move. He ran for the safety of the Wall, away from the open expanses of the village and closer to the stone safety it provided. Daini suddenly slowed his pace, and then stopped, squinting at the path in front of him. A human form was standing there. Daini could sense it was not human, though. It was something far worse. Thin eyes narrowed at him, glowing an eerie green in the night. The creature crept closer to the boy, but Daini could do nothing but stand there in fear. The monster could not believe it’s luck! This child, no more then 12 or 13 years old, would make a perfect meal.

            “A child this close to the battle?” The figure said quietly in a seductive female voice. “Hehe, the Gods must surely be with me tonight.”

            The creature moved into the light. He gasped the oni came into view, her naked body constantly changing colors from red to purple. Daini assumed the thing was female, but there was no way of telling for sure. She had legs, but didn’t appear to walk at all. She seemed to slide toward him, like some sort of snake. Her hair flamed up about her head, to a great height above her body. The only garment she wore was a circlet covered in eldritch symbols, a gift from her dark Gods. Her eyes now were flaming brightly with green light, gazing hungrily at Daini. “What’s wrong, boy? Does my appearance frighten you?” She leaned seductively against a beam of a nearby hut. “Some men just can’t handle a true woman, you know.” She laughed silently, her voice echoing off the surrounding area. She came towards Daini. The boy backed off, searching for some way out of this predicament. “What’s the matter?” The oni walked towards him. “Don’t you want to play?” She smiled at him. Then she opened her mouth slightly, displaying a row of long sharp teeth, which seemed to grow before his eyes. “I’ve been told that the flesh of children is especially sweet, you see…. and I’d like to find out for myself!” The oni lunged at the boy, her hair flying wildly out behind her, her mouth opened in an unearthly scream. Suddenly, out of the darkness, a flash of light shone through the night one, then twice. The female oni, screamed once more, losing her bloodlust in a wave of pain, as a swordsman stepped out from behind the hut Daini was by, his sword readied in front of him. The oni crippled over in pain. The first attack had cut into her abdomen, spilling her demonic innards on the ground. The second had been a simple slash to her neck, neatly severing the veins. The demon was dead within a few moments.

            “Father?” Daini whispered.

            The lone swordsmen sheathed his sword, and then turned. He removed his helmet, and smiled at the boy. “You shouldn’t be out this late, Daini. Your mother will be worried sick!”

            Daini smiled, his father’s words comforting him.

            His father’s mood suddenly changed. The sounds of battle could be heard nearby, breaking the silence. “Daini, it’s time for you to go. Now, go run and find your mother. You’ll be fine. We can hold the demons back here.” Mirumoto looked back at the wall. A burst of purple light exploded on the parapets, flinging men to their deaths on the stones below. Screams of his men were everywhere. “I’ll be with you all shortly.” Mirumoto put his helm back on, securing the silk straps beneath his chin. Daini broke into tears.

            “But I want you to come with me now. I don’t want you to go, father.”

            Mirumoto got on his knees, and hugged his child. “Daini, I want you to be strong and take care of your sister and mother while I’m gone.” Daini still was sobbing. “I will be back, Daini. Remember, son, for the hero, there is no death…” Mirumoto got up, smiled at his child, and turned towards the battle. He walked into the fray, his heart filled with thoughts of his family rather than the evil that surrounded him, and his mind focused only on the cold steel in his hands. Daini watched his father go, still crying. He started to turn to leave, but couldn’t. He turned back to the Wall, racing after his father.

 

‘Follow him Daini, follow him back into Hell.’

           

            The battle went poorly for the defenders on The South Wall of Otosan Uchi. Completely overwhelmed by the horrific forces of the Demons and Undead together, the humans were not only losing physically, but mentally. Every time one of the defenders would be slain, their corpse would be raised by some sorcerous powers, their lifeless limbs attacking those who they had once fought with. Mirumoto rejoined the battle, and shouted orders from along the Wall, watching his force slowly fall into chaos. The undead attackers had taken the Wall in several places, and now were pouring into the unprotected city.  He screamed out at his enemies, “You may have the victory tonight, sorcerer, but I will have my vengeance!” He leapt from the wall, his katana and wakizashi flashing in wide arcs as he drew them from their sheaths, crashing through the brittle bones of long dead warriors, their forms now raised to serve their General. Rusty katanas glanced off his lacquered armor, while some made contact with his undefended arms and legs. Mirumoto absorbed the pain, relishing it, as he spun through his foes, cutting them down like children with his two ancestral swords. His eyes focused on a great figure sitting on an undead steed, great balls of purple death coming from his withered hands. This must be the Undead force’s general. If he could kill him, they might have a chance…

“Face me, Sorcerer! Your murdering ways end here!” Mirumoto screamed at him. The figure looked at him, his eyes strangely calm in the midst of all the death. He was human, or at least very close. He wore a gigantic suit of red armor, spikes curving in odd directions from his shoulders and chest. His gaunt form looked intimidating inside his blood red battle armor, but his face showed the signs of an ancient man with a tortured soul. In places his skin had sloughed away from using his black arts, and his arms and hands were nothing more than that of a skeleton.

            “Who dares to challenge me? The master of the Undead and new ruler of this land?” The figure said in a low quiet voice. All of the surrounding undead army stopped when their master spoke. His voice penetrated the battle easily, a hollow sound that seemed to echo from far away. He looked at Mirumoto, chuckling. “Go back to your city’s peasant army. Your pitiful force offers no challenge to me. You are certainly no different then any of the other lambs I’ve slaughtered tonight. Just another foolish samurai with a pretty blade looking to kill me.”

            “You think highly of yourself, Sorcerer. Should I know you?” Mirumoto said, never losing his focus.

            “For one getting his city destroyed, you know very little!” The figure laughed. “Don’t you see who I am? I am the pain that comes before death, the vision of horror that haunts your last breath.” He leapt off his horse, flinging his cape off. It burst into an unearthly blue fire, and vanished in the air. “My name is not important to those who will meet me in death. You will have no need of it.” The general motioned towards the North, and the destruction he had wrought. “I’m sorry about destroying your pitiful province, but I’m off to conquer your capital and kill your emperor, and you just happen to be right in the way!”

            Mirumoto laughed slightly. “A very boastful remark. You speak of much more than you know. Your army may be able to defeat our small force, but you will never stand against the Emperor and his defenders.” Mirumoto paused shortly. “Humor me, sorcerer, who are you?”

The general smiled. “Very well. Since you will be joining my ranks shortly, I will tell you.” Junzo smiled shortly “A long time ago a great evil was vanquished. I am that evil returned, samurai. I am Yogo Junzo!”

Mirumoto smirked at the Sorcerer. He then gave a wide grin to the Undead Sorcerer. “You are the great Yogo Junzo? A shriveled husk of a man such as yourself? And you wish to challenge the emperor?”

“I will do more than challenge him, I will cloud his whole empire with my darkness. The second coming of Junzo is here, and this time, all will serve me in the afterlife. An undead empire ruled by me!

“Enough talk, sorcerer! Actions speak louder than words!” Mirumoto flung himself at the Sorcerer, his twin blades arcing towards the general’s head. Mirumoto struck quickly, but his swords hit nothing but air. Mirumoto whirled around wildly, searching for his foe. Junzo’s form coalesced in the air behind the samurai.

 

Daini crept carefully through the rocks, creeping closer to his father’s voice. All around him the undead minions seemed momentarily distracted and confused. They did not seem to notice him as he slunk by in the darkness. Ah, he could see them now! All around the battlefield, the darkness seemed more defined here, but in the circle where his father and Junzo assessed each other, he could see clearly. He must get closer…

He slid down a boulder, landing right on top of a small stack of chests, knocking them over and sending their contents scattering about the ground. He quickly regained his feet, but surely the noise attracted some attention? He looked around. All of the undead still watched their master, their bony sockets fixed on his every action. Daini carefully edged away from the mess he made, inching his way around the rock.

 

‘Pick it up, Daini.’

 

            Daini found himself looking at the ground suddenly. He looked at the various trinkets that had fallen out of the chests. All kinds of strange gems, some glowing with a faint light, a selection of rather wicked looking daggers, a set of fine looking chimes, and all manner of scrolls and books. But something shone brighter then the rest. A small, metallic object, somewhere near the bottom of the pile. Daini reached out and took it, the cool metal neatly fitting in the palm of his hand.

 

‘Take it Daini. It’s yours.’

 

            Daini dropped the object in his pocket. He was instantly aware of something watching him. He peered past the undead warriors, and saw their leader, Junzo, once more. His eyes burned with a strange light, and a smile grew on his ravaged face. He was staring right at Daini. Daini pressed back against the rock, hoping the earth would just consume him and take him away. He felt as if something were piercing into his mind, amplifying his fear beyond anything he had ever felt. Junzo had stared at him for but a moment, but it was enough. Daini found he could do nothing but stand there in silence.

 

            Junzo glared back at Mirumoto. “Haha, how amusing. How good it is to find some sport in this place. You have proven yourself more of a man than most samurai I’ve faced. I offer you a proposition.” The general motioned towards the nearby rocks. Daini cried out as an unseen force ripped him from the stones, and dragged him before the Sorcerer. Unseen hands dropped him at Junzo’s feet. “Do you know this child?” He grinned.

            Mirumoto glared at the withered face of his enemy. He inwardly cursed the child for following him here, but at the same time, could not help but feel a swell of pride at his courage. “Just another child in this city.” He said calmly. “Leave him be, or are you in the habit of taking children as hostages to defeat your foes?”

            Junzo chuckled. He stared at Mirumoto, piercing his soul with his own mind. He smiled. “Ah, now I see.” He held Daini up by the arm, causing the child to scream out.

 

‘Hold onto it tightly, Daini’

 

Mirumoto motioned forward with his sword, but Junzo held the boy out threateningly. “Ha, he is your child! How amusing! I will offer this deal to you, then, samurai.” Junzo let the boy go, his form hovering in air above the ground. “We will fight. Defeat me, and the boy shall go free. If not, your soul will be mine for eternity, serving in my army. Do we have a deal?”

            ‘Yeah, right.’ Mirumoto muttered under his breath. “Yes, we have a deal. Junzo.” He spoke out.

            “Excellent! We’ll put our prize out of the way, alright?” Daini levitated to the edge of the now growing circle of undead watching the spectacle. Their empty sockets captivated by the one man ever to face their general in such a manner.

            “Are you all ready, samurai? I would hate to think I caught you off guard!” He smiled at Mirumoto. “You really could be a worthwhile foe, I can feel it. I will enjoy this immensely.”

            Mirumoto leapt at the talking sorcerer, swords quickly flashing out at their target. The sorcerer moved with unnatural quickness out of their path. “Not much for talking, are we?” Junzo smirked.

            “Talk is the last resort of a coward, evil one.” Mirumoto swept his larger blade around at Junzo, catching only air once more. The sorcerer had dodged below the blade, his fetid breath hot in Daini’s face.

            “A nice try, samurai. But now I believe I’ll give it a try.” Junzo flew backwards, reaching his gnarled hand into the air, muttering some long forgotten script. The air around his hand darkened and swirled in the night air, an eerie wind blowing from the sorcerer’s hand. Suddenly a dark blade formed from the void, 3 feet long and glistening with a wet appearance in the moonlight. The sickening smell from it reached Mirumoto. “Blood…’

Junzo saw the look of disgust on his face, causing him to smile. “Yes samurai, I have many toys such as this one. The ancient Bloodspeakers of the Pheonix clan might have been pathetic opponents, but a few of their treasures interested me.” He held out the sword, admiring it like a small child looking in glee at a new toy. “This sword steals the essence of those struck by it, constantly flowing with the blood of all those slain by it. Soon you shall see for yourself. I think you’ll appreciate its fine craftsmanship as I carve your heart out with it!”

He suddenly leapt towards Mirumoto, with surprising speed for his withered form. He seemed to disappear in midair, flickering in and out of sight as he sped closer to Mirumoto. The samurai closed his eyes momentarily, clearing his mind. Just as Junzo appeared to deliver his blow, Mirumoto flashed his blade out to meet the Undead general’s sword. His short glimmer of relief was cut short, as the cursed Bloodsword cut  through Mirumoto’s katana instantly, following through into the samurai’s shoulder, shattering the armor. “AGHHhh……! Mirumoto stifled a scream of pain. As quickly as the blade entered, Junzo was gone, passed through to the other side of Mirumoto. Daini watched as his father clenched his shoulder, blood streaming from the new wound. Mirumoto whirled immediately to the sorcerer, finding him facing him, smiling. “A well met blow, my friend. But this sword cannot be stopped by mere steel and conviction alone.” He held the black blade up to the moonlight; it’s length glistening in the darkness. “A lesson you and your son will pay dearly to learn, I’m afraid!” He came at Mirumoto, the samurai bowing his head in defeat. Junzo was filled with the lust of his expected victory. His sword poised to land the final blow; Mirumoto quickly whipped his legs around, knocking Junzo to his knees, straight onto the waiting blade of Mirumoto’s wakizashi. The blade cut through the thin fabric between Junzo’s armor, and plunged 12 inches into his chest, bursting through the other side in a crimson explosion. Junzo fell to the ground, clutching the weapon, gasping for breath. Mirumoto began to withdraw the weapon for the killing blow, but a figure cloaked in black immediately began to run towards Junzo’s form. ‘A bodyguard, no doubt.’ Mirumoto thought. He left the sword buried in Junzo, and looked at his son. Daini had fallen to the ground a short ways away, and was getting to his feet. Mirumoto ran to him, lifting him up and running to the wall of Undead that blocked their escape.

            Surprised to see their master fall in a duel, the shambling warriors were at a loss of what to do. But the form of an enraged wounded samurai sprinting towards them prompted them into action. They met Mirumoto with their drawn weapons, and clawed at him with bony hands. Mirumoto lifted Daini on his shoulders, his lower body absorbing all the attacks of the undead warriors. He gasped to his son, “I…need to…. get you out of here.” Mirumoto fought with his broken sword, shattering the warriors with the sheer power of his blows. He raced for a small wall nearby. He knew this area well. If he could get Daini to the wall, he might escape.

            Meanwhile, Junzo was recovering from the wound. The black-cloaked figure helped him to his feet. With the sword still in his chest, he cried out after the samurai. “Don’t let him get away! I will have his blood to match my own today!” He leaped into the crowd of undead after Mirumoto. “You fought well, samurai, but I will always be victorious!”

            Mirumoto was growing weak from the attacks of the skeletons. His armor was shredded and useless, and his body was covered with wicked gashes. He summoned his last strength and crashed into the wall, boosting his son to the top. Daini turned to look at his father. Mirumoto looked into his son’s eyes, and smiled. “You need to find your mother and sister, Daini, and take care of them.” Mirumoto said. Daini started crying. “Father, no, you’re coming too!” He pulled at his fathers form, but he was being dragged down the wall by undead hands, grasping at him. Mirumoto reached with his sword hand, and put the hilt of his broken sword into Daini’s hand, blood streaming down Mirumoto’s arm onto Daini’s. “I always said I’d give you this sword when I died, Daini. Take it….agh…” A skeleton stabbed Mirumoto in the back, dragging him down. “Take it! Go now, find your mother!” Daini’s fingers slipped further from his father’s. His face wet with tears, he begged his father. “Please, no, come with me….”

            Mirumoto’s hand suddenly gripped Daini’s with great force. Mirumoto cried out, as Junzo’s sword plunged into his back. Mirumoto’s fingers went slack, and Daini’s hand slipped from his father’s. Mirumoto looked into his son’s eyes with slowly glazing eyes. He spoke in a slow tortured breath one last time. “I’m not going anywhere, remember? For the hero there is no death….” He smiled weakly at his son, before falling back into the mass of undead.

Daini looked into the sorcerer’s eyes, the soulless black orbs looking back at him. His face adorned with a twisted grin of death. Daini ran down the wall, and ran from that scene. He ran from his home, and his village. He ran from that withered face with it’s wicked grin, the one who took his father from him. As he ran, his fear turned to anger, focused on the one who had taken so much from him.

            Soon he met his mother along with the other refugees of the village. She was glad to see him, of course. But Daini lied to her. He said he had only gone to a nearby hill to see the battle. He couldn’t tell anyone that his father was dead. He couldn’t even face it himself. His mother said that their father was coming back one day. He liked to believe that sometimes.

Their whole clan left that place behind. Left the smoking huts, and the fields of death, left all the memories behind. They fled to the North away from the armies of undead and their wicked general. And behind them came the armies of Junzo, always following, like a wave of pain and death to all those in their wake.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~1 Year Later~~~~~~~~~~~

 

            “Mother, where is Hitomi?” Daini asked as he came in from his morning exercises.

            “Your sister? She has gone to the valley for the day. Don’t you remember? The Council of all the Clans is today, and you children would just be underfoot. Such serious matters shouldn’t worry you, anyway.” Kaede assured her son. “I believe your friends are there, as well, Matsu, Kori, and Isawa.”

            “Yes, everyone will be here today. But it’s very strange for all the Clans to come together unless for the Festival at the Palace every year. Is something wrong?”

            “No, nothing to worry about.” Kaede smiled at her son. “Go find your sister.”

           

            Daini walked down the narrow stairs to the valley below. The crisp mountain air billowed the banners of the Dragon clan from the walls of the stronghold. Mixed in here and there were banners with ravens upon them, the mark of the Monks of Shinsei that had taken in their clan a year before. Daini and his clan knew little of these monks, except that they owed them a great dept of service for their new home. The monks tended the temples in the area, silently going about their daily duties; prayers, Ninjitsu training, and their haunting chants that filled the mountainside with their strange melody. Daini couldn’t explain it, but he felt a certain peace when he heard their song. The wind brought Daini back to the present as he made his way down the stairs.

            “Hitomi? Hitomi! Where are you!” Daini yelled out.

            A young girl with a green and yellow geisha style dress jumped from the long grass behind Daini, startling the young boy. She tackled him, rolling with him in the long grass. They both started laughing. “Hey, who are you trying to surprise? I knew you were there all the time!” Daini stated.

            Hitomi got off of Daini, and rose to her feet. “Hehe, sure you did!” She winked at him.

            “Well, I am Daini, the greatest samurai of all time!” Daini stood up, trying to look his toughest. Hitomi punched him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him.

            “Excuse me if I don’t applaud.” She smiled at him.

            From over the hill, two other figures came into view. Both were smaller children, outfitted in the red and black garb of their clan. Daini called out to them, “Hey guys! I haven’t seen you for months!”

            They ran up, both gasping for breath. The boy spoke up first. “Well, we would have been here sooner, except Kori here couldn’t keep up!”

            The girl elbowed him in the ribs. “Hey! I waited for you half the way, Isawa! I should have left you behind as Oni chow.”

            “Um, did any of you see Matsu? He should have been the first to come to this meeting. He was made proclaimed a samurai by his clan just last month. I was looking forward to congratulating him, and hopefully talking over some fighting strategies…” Daini looked into the distance. His keen eyes picked up a Bright yellow flag waving from an approaching horse. “There he is! Fashionably late, as usual.”

            The group watched as his horse approached them. Something was wrong. The figure riding it was slouched in the saddle. The horse was one of the Emperor’s finest, chosen only for special missions of his defenders, the Lion Clan. It rode up to the group; the figure ridding it clung motionless to the reins. Hitomi cried out. “Matsu! No! What has happened to you?” she ran out, and gently brought him form the horse and laid him on the ground. Matsu opened his eyes, and saw Daini, his eyes wild with fear and exhaustion. “Daini, you must tell your clan…. monsters…and the living dead…the Emperor is in danger…please…” Matsu fell limp to the ground. Hitomi leaned over with concern. “He’s still breathing, Daini. We have to get him to the monks, they can cure him, I know it!” They all helped carry the body of their friend to the stronghold.

            When the monks were gone, Daini looked back towards the South, where Matsu had ridden from. ‘Something must be happening there…’ he thought. ‘Something that involves our Emperor.’ Daini’s face went emotionless for a moment. ‘Something that involves Junzo.’ His hand absently crept into his pocket, and he carefully clutched the small piece of metal he had found when he first saw Junzo. ‘Still cool to the touch…’ he thought. He drew it out and looked at it. A small green colored oval, it had a variety of buttons on it that never seemed to do anything. In fact, it had served no purpose other then being an interesting doodad since he had found it. A small black rectangle sat in the middle, the use of which Daini did not know. Daini kept it as a remembrance of that night. And also because whenever he set it down, he had a strange feeling he had to pick it up again…

 

“Daini, your friend will be fine. He was just exhausted from riding for days just to get here. But you must leave him for now. He brought important news for the Council, and they must hear it as soon as he is recovered.” Kaede told her son. “You can talk to him soon enough.” She held him in her arms, sensing that he felt great sympathy for his friend, but was too strong to show it. “Daini, I know how much you care about Matsu. He’s going to come through this fine. Do you need me to stay here?”

Daini looked into his mother’s caring eyes. She looked at him thoughtfully, her eyes reading his face. “No mother, I’ll be fine. I want to stay here for a while.”

“I understand. Stay as long as you want, I will be in the prayer shrine praying for the Ki-Rin to watch over Matsu.”

She turned to leave. “Mother, you don’t believe that the Ki-Rin actually exists, do you? It’s just a story for children…”

“Daini, of course it exists. The monks worship the shrine, and say that it is a beacon of light against the darkness. You’ve heard the stories before, Daini.”

Daini looked at the emptiness around him, his sister waiting alongside the door to Matsu patiently. “Well, a few of them, but can you stay for a bit, perhaps, and tell me?”

Kaede smiled. “Yes, Daini, I’ll stay for a while and tell you. Would you like to hear, as well, Hitomi? I don’t think I’ve ever told you these stories before.”

Hitomi shook herself from the slight trance she was in. She nodded, and came over.

“Make yourself comfortable, this is a long story.” Kaede sat back in the padded benches of the monastery infirmary. “It starts a long time ago. Perhaps as far back as 100 generations, but no one remembers for sure. A great evil spread across the land, from the South, across the plains of Otosan Uchi. A great wave of undead forces and demonic spirits, raised from long forgotten battles, followed an evil general called Yogo Junzo. He sought to turn the whole world into a vast empire of undead.”

Daini shuddered a bit at his name. His eyes shone with a steely look. His mother went on. “He was unopposed in his movements, as the Walls of Otosan Uchi were not built at that time. He swept up through the Southern Mountains like a tsunami, raising more of his infernal horde with every innocent he cut down. He swept into the lands of the Lion and even the Emperor’s palace with such ferocity that even a warrior clan like the Lion could not stand against them. Junzo marched into the ImperialPalace, and crowned himself king.”

“His dark influence spread across the land from there. When the emperor fell, the other clans lost their will to fight. All except the monks of Shinsei. They would not allow the evil of Junzo’s army enter their sacred temples. He sent many warriors to their temples, trying to rid himself of them once and for all. But the monks defeated them all, fighting from hidden watchtowers high in the peaks, and raining sorcerous missiles and arrows down upon them.”

Hitomi looked on with a very interested look. “They used magic back then?”

“Yes, all sorts of magic. Most used to cure their wounded, and sick, but some mages used ancient spells of destruction that devastated their foes, but at the same time ate away at the soul of the caster, and drove them insane. The monks felt it was necessary to defeat Junzo, though. Their efforts infuriated the undead sorcerer. He grew angry that he could rule all he saw except the NorthernMountains. It consumed him. Some say he spent decades staring into the North, until at last his pride overrode his judgment. He summoned his vast armies, and left the ImperialPalace unguarded. He took all his vast troops and marched on the Brotherhood.”

“The monks were very wise, and saw this as a great opportunity. The majority of their forces rode on horseback to rally the rest of the clans that remained and take back the Palace from the few defenders left there by Junzo. A few monks led by the descendant of Shinsei himself stayed behind to defend the temples to the last breath, and buy the others some time to succeed at their task. It was an honorable sacrifice.”

“Junzo rode at the front of his army, leading them through the rocky peaks. He felt victory was at hand. He would crush the remaining opposition to his rule, and then all would be united under his banner. He met with little opposition as he pressed forward into the monk’s territory, all the monks fighting a brave battle, but overcome with the ferocity and size of the horde commanded by Junzo himself. The monks retreated to the lofty temple of the Ki-Rin, awaiting the enemy’s last charge.

“Why was it called the temple of the Ki-Rin, mother?” Daini asked.

“Long before the monks had formed their temples, the temple of the Ki-Rin still stood in that very place. It is as ancient as the stones of the mountain. When Shinsei himself came to that place, he saw great winged beasts that resembled the dragons of ancient legends. They flew about with such grace and serenity, that Shinsei knew they had been sent by some higher power, and built his temples in that place, as a lookout and gateway to that temple. Most have forgotten that was the true purpose of the Brotherhood, was to guard that shrine, and the Gateway to the North.

“But when Junzo attacked, the monks rallied around the shrine, ready to die for their faith. They held off the armies of Junzo for 12 days and nights, resisting his constant attacks, each more furious and savage than the last. The monks were weary and the temple stones ran red with their blood, and still they faced the horde with a grim defiance. The descendant of Shinsei looked around at his defeated friends, and looked out into the ranks of undead camped around their stronghold. In the night, their fires blazed like a thousand torches in the night. He didn’t want any more of his brethren’s blood to be spilled. At the first light of morning, his fellow monks noticed him missing. They looked in horror to see their leader walking towards the evil horde unarmed. Shinsei’s descendant walked past the visions of horror, and they fell back before him, and gave him a path to their master’s tent. He called Junzo out, and faced him in single combat in front of his army. When Junzo made his first strike however, the monk looked towards the heavens, and bowed his head, letting Junzo’s blade cut him down in a single blow. His brethren cried in horror as they watched him die with a serene look on his face. Junzo grinned, and looked at the few remaining monks, calling a final crushing attack on their stronghold.”

“But at that very moment when Shinsei’s descendant breathed his last, the temple of the Ki-Rin burst into a bright, white light. It flowed down the mountain, and wherever it shone, evil was forced back, unable to bear the sight. Even Junzo shielded his eyes from its brightness. Sounds of great beasts rose from its ancient stone halls, and echoed through the mountainside. A giant winged dragon made up of the Void itself flew from its entrance, the very visage of the Ki-Rin, and immediately flung itself down to the undead horde, breathing great gouts of flame. Still more odd and unusual beasts came from the temple, following the mighty Ki-Rin to battle. Junzo tried to rally his troops, but they had already committed themselves to chaos. They ran from the temple, only to be caught and destroyed by the creatures. Junzo himself fought the Ki-Rin in a fit of rage, striking at it with his black sword and horrible magics. The Ki-Rin shrugged off his attacks, and moved in for the final blow. It lashed out at lightning speed, and cut the dark sorcerers stomach open in a single slash. As Junzo fell to his knees cradling his rapidly deteriorating form, the Ki-Rin glared at him with a stare that he could not forget, even in death. Junzo gasped in shallow breaths, as the large dragon breathed out a giant spout of flame, enveloping the sorcerer, and sending him from the living to the dead once more.”

Kaede smiled at the 2 children, now completely caught up in the story. “So you see, the Ki-Rin is a symbol of light and hope prevailing over evil. Every prayer to it will bring fortune to those who pray.” She looked at Daini. “With its help, Matsu will be alright. Don’t worry.”

Daini looked at her with questioning eyes. “But why has the Ki-Rin let our people suffer so much from Junzo coming back again? Does it not care about the Dragon Clan?”

Kaede looked surprised. “Who said it was Junzo that attacked our clan? You should not know about that.”

“I…just know somehow.”

“Very well, it does not matter.” She said to him. “But Daini, the Ki-Rin has been asleep for many years. And Junzo has not won yet. He will never defeat the Emperor. Perhaps when we need hope, then we will see the Ki-Rin..”

“Yes, perhaps.” Daini said as he sat down against the wall once more.

Kaede started to speak again, but stopped. She turned and started to walk away. “I will be in the temple, then. I will see you tonight.”

“Bye, mother.” Hitomi said. Daini said nothing. He stared out thoughtfully at the mountains, thinking of what he had heard.

 

Hitomi awoke at dusk as the sun shone in on her, laying on one of the thick cushioned benches that littered the room. She looked at the monk for a few moments, before he spoke again. “So he was a good friend of yours?”

Hitomi looked at Matsu before answering. She loved the way his feature caught the firelight. She turned to the monk. “Yes, we were close friends, but that was…long ago.”

“Well, he certainly could use any friends he could get right now. He’s stable, at least, but I fear he has seen evils that even a man of my age should not have seen. His soul is greatly troubled.”

Hitomi nodded. “Yes, I fear something horrible has happened. And Matsu has seen it.” She paused for a moment. “But he is a true warrior. He’ll be fine.”

“Yes, you are right. A true warrior will not be beaten by something as simple as exhaustion, right?” He smiled once more.

Hitomi’s stomach rumbled audibly. She blushed at the sound, apologizing. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t eaten since lunch.”

“Well, I can at least cure that. You wait here and guard the patient, all right? I’ll be back with food for two deserving doctors!” The old monk walked out the door with surprising quickness. He ran off to the kitchen to make something.

When he was gone, Hitomi immediately walked to the small bed which cradled Matsu. The once mighty warrior looked about as harmless as a kitten, swathed in thick quilts as he was. His condition was greatly improved since they had found him, and the color was back in his face, while his breathing was now deep and steady. He was sweating from the heat of the room. Hitomi pulled back the covers, offering his still motionless body some relief. He had been left only his linen undergarment for modesty while the monks had dressed his wounds. Hitomi looked at his near naked body with great interest. He was much more of a man than when she had been with him 2 years ago. She wondered what else had changed…

She reached out to his brow to wipe the sweat from his face. She traced her fingers down his neck, still wet with his own sweat. She followed the well-developed lines of his chest, down to his firm stomach. She massaged his whole body, feeling the heat of him in her still cool hands. He started responding subconsciously to her, his member tenting his sparse clothing. Hitomi noticed this, and felt herself getting aroused by this intimate contact with Matsu, and felt the need for relief. She looked out for the monk, but saw no signs of his return. She quickly decided to just go for it.

Hitomi felt wetness spread through her underskirt, and she pulled it down past her knees with one hand to service herself. She kicked her underskirt off completely, and felt up her dress to her now dripping sex. She rubbed her little nub with her thumb as she thrust a couple fingers into herself. She gasped at this sudden feeling of fulfillment, but didn’t want to wake her brother. She humped back at her hand, trying to take more into herself.

She whispered out to Matsu as she jilled herself off. “It’s been a while since we’ve been together, Matsu…Ohh.” A burst of pleasure through her body suddenly. “I’ve missed it so much…being with you.”

Hitomi knew he could hear her somehow. How long had it been? Maybe 2 years since they had been together. Too long, she thought. “Ahh...ahh…” That was a good spot, she thought, have to remember that one.

‘I can’t take this anymore’ Hitmoi thought. “We’ll have to wait, Matsu.’ She said softly to him. Hitomi knew she should stop. Seeing Matsu like this, it just wasn’t normal. An eerie feeling creeping through her senses was enough to snap her into action.

She re-clothed Matsu, who seemed to enjoy the whole experience as much as was possible in his condition. She pulled up her underskirt, using it to clean most of her juices off of her thighs. She sat down and tried to look as natural as possible as the old monk cam back with 2 cups of green tea and some rice patties.

“So have you been able to get re-acquainted with your friend?” He laughed.

She nervously laughed back. “Oh yes, he’s in a very talkative mood tonight.” She gladly accepted the food, but changed the subject as soon as possible.

 

Daini awoke to the sound of the monk’s shouts from the other room. “Let the Ki-Rin be praised, he is awake!” One hurriedly rushed from the room, gone to fetch his superior. Certainly he would want to be informed of the child’s recovery.

Daini looked into the room, the smell of salves and ointments heavy in the air. He purposely took a breath, and opened the door farther. Hitomi was kneeling next to Matsu, running her fingers through his hair. Daini smiled slightly at this. Matsu looked at him with his blue eyes, now clear and brighter than before. “Daini, are you the one I should thank for getting me back in one piece?” he smiled.

Daini smirked back. ‘No, you should thank my sister; she said we should bring you back. I was just going to leave you out there!”

“A fine friend you are!” Matsu laughed shallowly, clutching at his bandaged side with both arms. “Hehe, guess I’m still not exactly one hundred percent yet.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get there soon.” Hitomi said reassuringly. She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

He looked over at her. “Well, I’m in no hurry, as long as you’ll be giving me some close personal care?”

“Well, I’ll see what I can do…” she sat on the bed with him, stroking his long flowing hair. Lion samurai always prided themselves on their ferocious mane-like hair in battles. They believed it frightened their enemies and brought the favor of Shinsei upon them.

The three were suddenly interrupted by a great procession of golden samurai parading into the room, the emperor’s own elite guard, stationed at the Monk’s temple to inform him of key events, and act as his will when he was not present. The leader walked to Matsu and bowed. “The other clans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Lion Clan representative, Matsu-san.”

Matsu nodded, and tried to rise from the bed. He winced momentarily, but soon got to his feet, and walked a bit around the room, always under the careful watch of Hitomi. He went to his clothing, and dressed himself in the simple linen garments he wore under his armor. He began to put on the armor at a great physical strain to himself, when the guards motioned for him to stop. “The Council has already ended officially, you need not appear in proper attire.”

Thankful for that, Matsu dropped the heavy lacquered armor and motioned for the guards to lead him to the council. “I’ll return shortly, Hitomi, it won’t take long to say what I have to say.”

“I’ll wait for you Matsu.” She sat on the bed. “I’m just glad you’re alive.”

 

Matsu entered the ancient hall that had been the meeting place for the Clan Council since before the land had been united under an Emperor.  The room was a perfect pentagon shape, with an aged banner representing each clan hanging on the walls. A plain gray banner with a black raven on it hung in the center along with a banner of gold and silver, directly over a simple wood throne and an elaborate jade and obsidian one, the green and black translucent colors glowing in the pale light. All of the clans were placed to represent their equality, with the chairs for the Emperor and the wisest of the Brotherhood to sit in the middle to address them. A man sat in the wooden one, a direct descendent of Shinsei, seemingly as old as the chair itself. His face old and worn, his eyes remained clear and piercing, the only sign of life in his face. The obsidian chair sat empty. Around the chairs sat various courtiers and famous warriors, representatives of their various clans. Their faces bleary and irritated from being awoken in the middle of the night. Matsu bowed to them, and took his place below the Lion mon, the only representative of his clan. His face was grim as he looked around the room.

The solitary figure near the middle spoke in a surprisingly clear voice. “All of you here are well aware that our Emperor has not arrived for this Council, nor has sent word to us. I would not like to think of it, but we have been thinking the worst for the past 3 days…”

A young Crane samurai yelled out suddenly, “Accursed Lion, what have you done with our Emperor!” His clan silenced him quickly after a sudden look from the monk in the middle.

“Calm yourself, Crane. The Lion have served and defended our Emperor for centuries. He has risked everything, including his life to reach us. We will let him speak.”

The Crane continued to challenge him. “Ha, this boy? He has probably brought us reports on his clan’s sandal supplies than anything important.”

Matsu ignored him. “Forgive my brother Crane, Shinsei, he knows not the importance of my mission here. I have come with 10 other samurai from the Emperor’s Palace at the Doji Plains. We were the only ones to escape…”

“10 others, Lion? Where have they….?”

“All dead. Slain by a massive undead horde.” His face tightened in a deep-rooted hatred. “They assaulted the Palace at night. The Lion held them long enough for the defenders to seal the castle and defend it. Over half of my clan…was destroyed. The Emperor is besieged now by these wretched creations, a prisoner in his own castle. I’m not sure how long his defenders can hold off this horde…”

The room fell into uncomfortable silence. Matsu spoke again in a quieter tone. “There’s more. As I was riding from the battle to the mountains, I saw a twisted soul riding a horse of bones and rotted flesh. He…controlled them through some black arts. And when he sensed me, his eyes, still whole in his rotting skull, they caused me to pause, to want to surrender. It was the face of death itself.”

The monk in the middle thought for a moment, then spoke in a knowing tone. “Then it is indeed true. I have felt him for some time, growing in power, wanting to return here. Junzo has come back from the dead once more.”

The other clans gasped at this. “Junzo, but he’s only a legend!”

“Junzo come back? What chance do we have against him?”

“He covered the world in death once, we are all doomed!”

“Silence!” The descendant of Shinsei’s voice was amplified by the huge chamber. “This has been foretold many times; the never ending struggle against the forces of the undead and their cruel leader. We will fight back, and die if we have to, to stop his black influence from spreading.”

The current leader for the Dragon Clan, Mirumoto Hoshi answered. “Our clan has been all but destroyed by these evil hordes already. I have told you of our failure in defending the South Wall from them. You believed they could not break the Lion and assault our Emperor. Calling our clan weak…”

He raised his voice slightly, glaring at the other clans. “It is your clans that are weak. The Dragon have suffered greatly by Junzo’s hand, yet still we will face him and send him back to his tomb. Long ago a simple monk faced Junzo unarmed, and thanks to him the demon and his army were sent back to the Shadowlands. We have pledged our allegiance to his descendants for his sacrifice. We must have faith he will drive them back again. The Dragon will march to save our emperor, and die for him if need be. We can be asked to do nothing less.” Hoshi rose and strode through the door, his courtiers following behind.

Ikomo Tsuke, daimyo of the Pheonix clan, spoke softly. “Our brothers the Dragon are few in number, but their strength is greater today then any clan in Rokugan. We have always helped our brothers in the past, and now is not the time to let pride or cowardice blind oneself. I hope you will reconsider your stance in this matter, my friends.” He followed Hoshi out.

The remaining clan daimyos remained seated, and whispered silently through the now quickly emptying room.

 

Hoshi stood on one of the many terraces set up in the mountains, looking down at the monks on the ground performing their daily duties in silence. Ikomo came from behind him silently, and the Dragon relaxed to sense his old friend nearby. “I am afraid we do not have the strength to stand against the Shadow, Ikomo. We have a great fire in our clan fuelled by the need to help our Emperor, but we do not have the means to direct it. Our numbers are dwindling, Ikomo…” Hoshi suddenly smiled slightly. “Although I would have liked to see the armies of the Dragon march into combat once more.”

Ikomo thought about these words as he gazed out mindfully at the valley. “The Pheonix have felt this way for many centuries, Hoshi. We are also few in number, yet we still have way to defeat our foes in combat. Sun Tzu once said, ‘When you outnumber your opponent, attack, when you are outnumbered yourself, outmaneuver them.’

“I have little use for the teachings of a long dead warrior poet, Ikomo.”

“He was right though. We are outnumbered, my friend. An attack at this point would be foolish. But all foes have a weakness. Let us send a group of samurai to assess the situation and bring us more information. Perhaps the other clans will help then…”

“I do not want the help of those cowards! They would sooner see the Emperor die and one of their own bloated samurai sit upon the throne still stained with our beloved Emperor’s blood. We need no help from them, Ikomo.” Hoshi walked away from the balcony.

Ikomo waited for him to go, and then turned back towards the valley. He whispered silently to the valley below. “You are wrong Hoshi. Even if all the clans unite now, we would still be far short of the power Junzo wields. There must be something else if we are to win…”

 

Daini led the others down the steep mountain path away from the monastery. Isawa, Kori, Matsu, and Hitomi followed behind, all looking a little more then distressed. “Where have you gotten us lost this time, Daini? We are miles from the monastery now, and I have yet to see any shrine, let alone anything besides trees and grass.”

“Quiet, Matsu, as I said, we are looking for the Ki-Rin Shrine. I think that if we ask the Ki-Rin to help us, he’ll destroy Junzo all by himself. He did it before, remember?”

“Yes, but that was so long ago. Your mother said he would only come out when needed anyway.” Said Isawa.

“Well, I’d say he’s needed now!”

“Um, guys, I think we’re here…” said Hitomi.

A ruined walkway led up to a half destroyed dome in the forest. The forest was strangely thin near the walkway, and as they neared the dome, there was hardly anything growing around them at all. A few odd statues lined the path, of long dead monks that had done great deeds of some sort. The dome was actually much larger when the group approached it, and could easily have been 100 feet high. “I can’t believe they just left this here.” Said Isawa. His voice echoed through the dark reaches of the dome.

“Yeah, it’s strange. It seems like it was one of their largest most eleborate temples at one point.” Commented Matsu.

Daini walked off to one of the walls of the room, and noticed a thin trickle of light coming down from one of the cracks in the ceiling. “Mother was right, a huge battle took place here. They might have abandoned it after that happened, it must have been too painful to look at.” Daini whispered to himself. “I know the feeling…”

He peered through the darkness and saw the light illuminate a grotto in the side of the wall. There was something there, a large statue of some sort. He went closer, reaching out with his hands so he wouldn’t run into something on accident. He felt a cold clammy surface, the feeling of damp rock on his skin. He stared for a few moments, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. It was indeed a statue, of smallish size, compared to the others. Wings formed from the darkness, a long serpentine body, and then a small head. He saw the whole statue in the darkness. A statue of the Ki-Rin.

“Daini, what are you looking at?” said Hitomi. “What is that?”

“I…I think it’s the Ki-Rin.”

The others followed behind. Matsu heard Daini, and chuckled a bit. “The Ki-Rin? Isn’t it a little, hmm, small?”

“Indeed, I don’t think Junzo would be very frightened of this…” Kori said.

“Quiet! This must be the Ki-Rin! And I don’t think it will help if we make it angry!”

“Alright, alright, we’ll leave it alone. So what do we do now, anyway?” Matsu asked.

“Well, we ask it to help us.” Daini stated matter-of-factly.

“So ask it already.”

“Okay, okay.” Daini thought for a second. He bowed his head. “Mighty Ki-Rin, we humbly ask you to help us fight against Junzo and save our clans once more. Please help us in our time of need.” He stared at the stone statue expecting something to happen. It stared back with its stone eyes.

“I don’t think it’s doing anything.” Observed Kori.

Daini let out a little sigh and shrugged slightly. The trickle of light that once pierced the dome was fading, as twilight enveloped the shrine. “I think we should just get some sleep for now. We can try to talk to the Ki-Rin tomorrow, but we’ve been walking all day and I think we could all use some rest.”

“Fine by me. I’m not one to turn down some sleep.” Matsu said.

“I know, I know.” Chuckled Daini.

 

Matsu couldn’t override his training so suddenly. The thought of all 5 of them sleeping unguarded kept gnawing at him him, until eventually he gave in and surrendered to his insomnia. He jumped from his blankets, and sprang up a few boulders nimbly, surveying the area they were in. He had kept track of places on their way here, so that they could easily find their way back, but from this height everything appeared as a sea of shadowed green before him. He could barely even see the vigilant lights of the monastery, watching down on them from its craggy perch.

He turned to look back at the group and noticed something was wrong. It didn’t look like Hitomi was there anymore! He checked again, and he was almost positive that although her blankets were still there, she was not.

“Hey!”

“What the?” Matsu whirled around and found only a few boulders mocking him.

“Looky boys, a nice juicy samurai to eat!”

“But he looks kinda scrawny, I don’t know, will he make a good meal?”

“Scrawny?! Why don’t you show yourself, I’ll show you scrawny!” Matsu drew his long katana.

“Hehe, Matsu, you should see the look on your face!” a voice said from right behind him. He whirled around to face his enemy, and there he found…“Hitomi?!”

Hitomi flashed a quick victory sign. “Fooled ya!”

“But, how did you do that?” staggered Matsu. “I thought for sure a whole bunch of goblins had found our camp and were about to eat us!”

“I’ve been working on my shujenga training, silly.” Hitomi smiled. “I’m getting pretty good huh? I can even make my voice sound like other things now!”

“Yah, great.” Matsu smiled uneasily. “Well, if you’re done scaring me, I guess you’re going back to bed.”

“Nah, why don’t I stay here a bit. I knew you couldn’t sleep, Matsu. Some say the Lion never sleep, that they’re always awake and ready to strike!”

“I wish.” Matsu smiled. He sat down on a rock, with Hitomi next to him. He glanced over and noticed she was only wearing a thin silk nightdress, which did nothing to hide her developing chest from the chilled breeze blowing across the rocks. Every slight gust picked the dress up and drew it across her soft skin. The edges of it fluttered across Matsu’s arm, slightly arousing him.

“So what were you thinking about Matsu?” the words cut through the silence easily.

“Well, nothing really. I can’t get my mind off of the trouble we are in, you know? It’s too much for me to handle, and that angers me I suppose.” Matsu noticed Hitomi stretch out her legs, the breeze floating her dress hem up her thighs. It rose higher and higher until Hitomi absently reached down and re-adjusted it. Her eyes looked over and met with Matsu’s for a moment, but he stoically turned away from her.

Hitomi suddenly got up and turned away. “Damn, Matsu, you always were like this! I can’t understand how you can be like this! How you can be so, so cold!”

Matsu turned to look at her with forgiving eyes. “I am sorry for giving you the wrong impression, Hitomi. The code I follow forbids me from even being here with you. But it’s, hard, sometimes, hard to ignore you.” Matsu looked out at the treetops again. “Hitomi, you must understand, if I could, I would be with you. But I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“It’s that stupid code again! Matsu, you don’t have to follow a code of bushido established by some long forgotten samurai who knows how long ago!” Hitomi looked at him tearfully. “It wasn’t your fault they died Matsu. Stop doing this to yourself!”

“My clan has followed that code for generations Hitomi. And I follow it as well, which means I cannot associate with the sorcerous Dragon.” Matsu said. “You aren’t a Lion, you couldn’t understand.”

Hitomi left him on the rocks, and ran back to her makeshift bed. Now glad to be out of the cold, she sobbed quietly into her blankets. She thought back to the first time she had been with Matsu. She had been only slightly younger then, perhaps 9. She was visiting the Lion with her family, and was being shown around the clan’s grounds by Matsu. Daini, of course, was intently watching the Lion samurai train.

 

Hitomi slowly slid her hand down her cool silk dress as she remembered. She rubbed her inner thighs, as she remembered back on the story.

 

Matsu had led them both towards the ends of the clan’s great walls,  dwarfed in the shadow of the Emperor’s great castle. “You see, we are the last defenders of the Emperor. The Lion must not fail, or else the Emperor, and all hope, is lost.” Matsu said.

 

Hitomi slid her hand under her dress and drew it in long strokes down the outside of her hairless opening. The pleasure slowly drove her sorrow away, and she lost herself more in the fantasy.

 

Matsu had looked intently at this cute girl. “I never knew the Lion were this important, Matsu. You must be brave to defend against such evil!” she had said.

 

Hitomi smiled slightly as she parted her blossom and slowly pressed one finger inside. She took her other hand and started lightly caressing her nipple through the thin silk.

 

She remembered Matsu slowly reach out to kiss her. She had never kissed anyone before, and she had just sat there, not sure what to do! Matsu pressed his lips to hers and slowly parted her lips, passionately kissing Hitomi. She opened her mouth wider and welcomed him.

 

Hitomi’s eyes flashed as she found her clit. She made small circles around it with her thumb, teasing it slightly as she pushed more of her fingers into herself.

 

Matsu had been a caring lover. She remembered how the pain had been a little much for her, and he had stopped for a while until she was ok again. She didn’t reach an orgasm, so he had rubbed her until she did.

She knew he had broken the Lion’s code of bushido by associating with a sorcerer. But she never gave it a second thought.

 

Hitomi arched her back, trying to heighten the pleasure she was giving herself. She worked 2 fingers quickly in and out of her vagina, dwelling in the warm pleasure spreading through her as she increased the pace. She gently rubbed first one nipple, then the other, between her fingers. Finally she felt her orgasm reach her, and she bit her lip slightly to stifle any sounds. She had never felt so hollow after doing it.

 

A few months after she had left, Matsu’s parents had been stricken with a strange sickness. The Lion had access to even the Emperor’s personal physicians, but they simply said it was a matter of time. Matsu watched them die thinking it was his fault. Thinking that somehow, by breaking his code, his parents were suffering. He never forgave himself.

 

Hitomi cleaned her highs off a little with part of her blanket. She just wanted to get to sleep. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop crying.

 

 

‘Daini…’

 

‘Just a few more minutes, I promise to clean the armory when I wake up.’

 

‘Daini! Wake up!’

 

<groan> ‘I’ll use more polish this time, please, just let me be!’

 

‘Daini! Get up now!’

 

“Hmm….” Daini mumbled as he woke up. It was still dark out. How long had he slept? He rubbed the sleep nagging his eyes, trying to focus on his surroundings. It was even darker then usual here in the shrine. Thin cracks of moonlight still spilled through the cracked dome. They trailed up to a rather large patch of light shining through a sizeable hole in the ceiling. The light shone down on the previously darkened grotto. Daini could see the statue clearly now. It was carved from a single piece of dark green stone. “Probably jade…” Daini whispered. The creature sat on it’s own curled tail, it’s long, serpentine body supporting it’s weight. Two large wings had been skillfully carved so thin, that the light shone through them, the thin jade producing a slight green glow on the floor. Small spines ran up it’s back to it’s rather smallish head, where two fiery rubies had been set for it’s eyes.

“This thing looks pretty valuable.” Daini surmised. “I know this place is holy, but why leave it here?” Daini inspected it more closely. It didn’t appear to be firmly secured to the pedestal, and Daini figured he could probably move it. He reached out and grasped it by the base under the wings, trying to shift its weight slightly.

Nothing. Not even a budge.

“Well it can’t be that heavy.” Daini thought out loud. He didn’t really consider himself weak, there should be no reason why he couldn’t move it! He grasped the statue by the head, and pulled straight towards him. His hands slipped free from it’s polished surface, as his whole weight came across some insurmountable force.

“I guess it’s attached by something after all.” Daini said in a puzzled tone. He sat back against the cool stone column, trying to get back to sleep until the other woke up. He grumbled a little as he realized he was too wide-awake to sleep now. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small metal object once more. Whenever he was upset he would sometimes just stare at this little thing, remembering that night, and his current anger would simply melt away.

Tonight something else stared too. The small statue behind him at first appeared slightly more radiant then it had been. Light poured out of it from unnatural angles, bright green glowing waves reflecting off the walls. The 2 eyes grew white hot, as Daini slowly became aware of the object behind him and it’s strange metamorphosis. He wanted to back away, but found himself drawn to it, or rather, the small device was.

 

‘Do not be afraid Daini. Come closer.’

 

            Daini reached out with his outstretched hand, presenting the device. ‘Why was he doing this?!’ he thought. He wanted to run, to hide from this unnatural sorcery. But he found himself unable to. The usually cool metal of the device began to grow slightly warm to the touch as the light grew more intense, and flooded out of the dome, through the many cracks and recesses and into the night. The black rectangle in the middle suddenly came to life, as strange phrases started flashing across it. He had never seen anything like it. As his fear turned to wonder, he suddenly felt more comfortable in this place. All his fear left him, and calm pervaded his mind.

            Just when he thought he could no longer stand the intensity of the light, it subsided, seemingly drawn back into the statue. Daini stared as an eerie bluish light slowly grew in the shape of a circle in front of him. It appeared flat and one-dimensional, however, things appeared in it that he had never seen before. He could dimly see strange plants and unfamiliar places through the opening. The entire portal grew to about 6 feet in diameter before it stopped.

            Daini felt nothing but calm as he peered into the strange opening. He no longer felt the need to run; his whole being was fixed on the strange light before him. “What in the name of Shinsei is this?” Daini reached out towards it, feeling a strange pull towards it. He drew back his arm in surprise.

 

‘We’re coming Daini. Don’t worry. Everything will be ok soon.’

 

            Daini could see a strang figure head through the portal. It first appeared as a ghost, but then took substance, as the portal seemed to come alive at the creature’s coming. ‘An oni?’ thought Daini. ‘Or maybe something else?’

            Daini noticed he felt no fear as he looked at the creature, but rather a strange connection. ‘What must this creature be thinking, looking back at him?’ Daini smirked a bit. ‘He’s probably thinking I’m the weirdest thing he’s ever seen.’ he thought.

            The creature stepped forward through the portal, and Daini could see the strange pull as the thing seemed to be surprised all of a sudden, and then he was through, standing before Daini. Only he wasn’t alone, but rather 5 strange creatures standing before him. “Certainly not oni…” he muttered.

            One was a strange cat like creature, covered in black fur wearing 2 large purple gloves. Another appeared to be a small dog of some sort, only with wings replacing its ears. It was covered in short red fur. Another appeared to be nothing more then a flaming ball, its features flickering in and out as the bluish fire engulfed its body. The fourth was a rather large raven type creature, covered in black feathers. Daini was rather shocked, when he saw the last creature. It appeared just as the statue, except for its completely black appearance. Small stars formed in patches on its scaly skin, catching faint reflections in the pale light.

            “The Ki-Rin.” Daini exclaimed. He immediately dropped to his knees and genuflected to the group.

            The digimon looked at each other. ‘Oh that’s great.’ Thought Dracomon, aka, the Ki-Rin. ‘This is just perfect.’

 

To Be Continued

 

Author’s note: The black cat is a Black Gatomon, the red dog is a female Patamon. The other 3 digimon are of my own creation, and will be explained in future episodes ^_^

 

Stay tuned for future installments of my Jade and Obsidian Epic Lemon Series!

Feel free to contact me at togashi_tsuke@lycos.com with any feedback you like!