Story: Imperial Child (chapter 2)

Authors: Rena_Dante_Cub

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Chapter 2

Title: Two: Vows

Chapter 2

Vows

A man sits on a large black bull whose eyes are flaming red. Dark eyes drink in the sight of the resistance in front of him. A hundred villagers with pitch forks and swords. His lips curl upwards.

“So this is all the State of Gan can offer. Such primitive animals,” he whispers.

“It is befitting that you die like that dogs you are.” He pulls on the reins of his bull as it snorts in agitation.

“Easy my pretty you’ll soon have blood soaking your horns.” Turning he looks to his troops all fully armored and ready for destruction. Taking his sword from its sheathe he points towards Gan.

“You will be mine.” The anticipation of lost lives and the metallic taste of blood causes madness to stir within him. The thirst for power becomes stronger as it pulses through his veins. The desire to destroy peaks within him as adrenaline pumps through veins. Unable to hold back any longer his voice roars.

“DESTROY EVERYTHING!”

The dark soldiers and the villagers clash as each seek to dominate the other. Cries fills the air as metal clashes against metal. The once dry grounds soon become tainted with blood. The leader of the Gan rebels rides her white tiger slashing her sword through soldiers as she pushes her way through the grounds to get to the leader of the opposition. Finishing off one soldier the dark lord turns in time to deflect the sword of his new attacker. His eyes glow slightly red sending chills down his opponents spine.

“Such dirty tricks for a lady considered to be a noble.” Her sword rises and they clash against each other. A group of soldiers come between them and soon they are slashing through their enemy troops.

“Get out of my way you dogs,” comes the cry as the dark lord decapitates yet another villager. Arrows fly through the air and several men fall. One arrow hits the dark lord’s back and another hits his side. His red eyes glow in anger. Grabbing the arrow from his side he pulls it out and plunges it into a villagers eye. The sword in his hand glows slightly and he swings it angrily swiping all around him in a vicious blow.

“DIE! DIE! DIE!” he cries as madness enters his eyes. Villagers fall in groups as the demon lord makes his way towards the Gan leader who fights the surrounding forces of his dark troops. His eyes blaze as he charges towards her. Swiftly she finishes off two men before turning to the dark lord. She brings down her sword as he plunges his towards her.

“LADY LAE!” a voice cries. Several of the villagers to the side watch in horror and are quickly drawn towards a brown haired man.

“We must intercept them,” he shouts and several men nod in agreement.

Blood trickles down the Gan leaders lips as fierce green eyes look at the dark lord who smiles despite his own injury. Beneath them their beasts growl and snort at each other.

“I’ll be taking my hand back now.”

The dark lord reaches out to grab his dismembered right hand which is still holding onto his sword. Before he can take it the Gan leader reaches to her bloodied side and pulls out the sword with the attached hand. Once out she coughs up some blood and swiftly throws the sword to the ground.

“Pick it up like the dog you are,” she whispers while trying to maintain her balance on her tiger. The dark lord smirks at her cockiness before his eyes blaze in rage.

“I shall take joy in cutting that pretty head of yours.” Before anymore can be done a swift group of men come between them. One mounts the tiger, while the others parry and thrust their swords at the wounded lord.

“What are you doing Raul?”

“You must survive Lady Lae.”

“The villagers,” Lae whispers as her side throbs in pain.

“We knew we could not stand against Him, but your courage moved us greatly my lady.”

“Raul, then why?”

“We would rather die than be under His reign. Though this battle is lost we want for you to remember the love your people had for you and their sacrifice for Sol.”

Emerald eyes fill with tears.

“There is someone waiting at Omeri. Go there.” The tiger stops at the base of a hillside where Raul gets off.

“Raul,”

“Go my lady. I must set off the explosives. Perhaps we will meet again.”

“I shall never forget you,” comes the whisper. The white tiger soon leaps and races towards the Omeri with a barely conscious Lae on top.

“May the Gods be with you,” Raul whispers.

As Lae travels an explosion sounds through the air and she can hear the landslide of rocks falling onto the village destroying it in the process. She closes her eyes and lies on top of her tiger as she cries for her people.

“Raul, I’ll never forget.”

An image of the dark lord burns within her.

“I will have my revenge,” she vows before closing her eyes.


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A three year old is sitting in the warm waters of a bathtub. Kora leans over and pours water over the toddlers head. Inside the tub is a yellow rubber ducky and a small red ball. Small giggles and squeals escape the toddler who smacks the waters excitedly.

“Yes we all know you love the water Bunny,” Kora smiles as she gently massages the toddlers head with a scented shampoo.

“Ah the smell of lilacs is so refreshing,” Kora smiles as she tenderly gazes at the young empress.

“How’s the bath coming along?” the voice startles Kora who almost falls into the tub. Turning she casts a quick glance at Kou in annoyance.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” she chastises.

“Sorry,” Kou mumbles. The sound of crying brings Kora back to her task. The shampoo has fallen into the toddlers eyes. The burning sensation causes the toddler to cry out as she tries to wipe the foam from her eyes.

“EEEKKKKKS!” Kora squeals as she turns on the water and quickly douses the toddler in lukewarm water. The golden haired toddler continues crying.

“By the Gods, her eyes, her eyes.. what do I do?” Kora pulls her hair slightly. She has never had to care for a child before. Kou bends down trying to soothe Bunny. Lady Ula who happens to pass by hears the commotion in the bathroom and quickly pops her head in.

“Is everything alright?” she asks.

“LADY ULA!” Kora calls as her eyes widen with unshed tears.

“What’s the matter?” Lady Ula asks worriedly as she enters and hears Bunny’s distress.

“Shampoo fell into her eyes and she can’t see,” Kora shrieks. Lady Ula looks at her youngest Sage realizing the girl has no experience with children.

“Calm down Kora,” Lady Ula whispers and swiftly goes to the tub. Kora and Kou watch as Lady Ula tends to Bunny.

Several anxious minutes pass. Soon Lady Ula wraps the toddler in a towel and then gently carries her. Bunny’s cries subside as Lady Ula gently rubs her back soothingly.

“There, there Bunny.” Soon Bunny is resting her face against Lady Ula’s shoulder.

“Feeling better now little one?” she asks as she holds Bunny out so she can see her face.

“La la,” the toddler smiles. Lady Ula can’t help but kiss the toddler on the forehead as she hears her name.

“Phew,” Kora sighs deeply. Lady Ula turns to Kora and Kou.

“I think you two should attend a few child care classes,” Lady Ula informs. Kora and Kou exchange glances and sigh.

“I’ll ask Jeres to prepare the class for you,”

“Jeres?” Kora squeaks and Lady Ula looks at her.

“Is there something wrong?” she asks raising an eyebrow. Kora sighs and shrugs her shoulders.

“No..”

“Good, you’ll start tomorrow morning then.” Lad Ula nods to the two who nod back and soon she disappears with Bunny who waves at them.

Kora looks at Kou.

“What?” Kou asks.

“This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t sneak up on me.”

“Shouldn’t you know how to care for a child? You were once a child weren’t you?” Kora’s left eyebrow twitches slightly.

“Just because I was a child doesn’t mean I know how to care for one.”

“Interesting...”

“Ugh.. and now we have Jeres teaching us,” Kora frowns sighing.

“Whats wrong with that?” Kou asks.

Kora’s head falls to the side.

“Well being the oldest Sage she often falls asleep while teaching.”

“So just wake her up,” Kou states. Kora looks at Kou smugly.

“Easier said than done. When you try waking her up her first instinct is to throw something in your face.”

Kora rubs her forehead absently as she remembers a time when the other Sages pushed her to wake up Jeres. Being new she didn’t understand what the big deal was so she simply poked and called out to Jeres. A large dictionary which sat on Jeres’s desk went flying towards her forehead. She fell seeing a fitful of stars spinning around her. Jere’s sleepy face peered over the desk to look down at her. Adjusting her glasses the oldest Sage looked at the youngest Sage.

“Kora what are doing on the floor? This is no time to be sleeping,” Jeres chastised not remembering any of the events that took place before.

Another time Jeres had fallen asleep while writing something on the board. It was Kora’s turn to wake up Jeres. She used a long meter ruler and poked the Sage hoping the distance would be enough to avoid contact with any objects. The Sage turned swiftly and with her eyes still closed threw a chalk piece on Kora’s forehead.

“Why does she always aim for my forehead?” Kora asks softly.

Kou sighs watching as Kora is off in her own world.

“I’m going to check on Bunny, you coming?” she asks. Kora snaps out of her flashback and looks at Kou.

“Huh?”

“Coming to see Bunny?” Kou asks and Kora nods her head.


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A month has passed since the battle against the dark lord. Lae stands at the edge of cave in a cliff side. She wears a white shirt and pants and watches the lush green forests beneath. Cool winds whip her hair to the side. Emerald green eyes watch as the leaves and branches sway in the breeze. A figure comes and joins her looking outside.

“Its beautiful isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“It used to be even more beautiful when Emperor Koar reigned.” Emerald eyes cloud in confusion.

“Emperor Koar but that was over two hundred years ago,” Lae states. A frown graces the figures lips.

“Has it only been two hundred years? It feels like an eternity as though life before all this was merely a dream.” Lae looks at the figure questioningly. Her curiosity peaking.

“Who are you really?” Emerald eyes gaze at a pair of violet eyes.

“I’m a simple immortal cursed to walk the lands of Sol.”

“If my father taught me anything it was that immortals were never simple.”

“Is that so?” the figure grins at her guest’s humor. Lae smiles nodding her head.

“I suppose your father was quite wise.” Lae nods her head and looks out her eyes hardening at the reminder of his death.

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have,”

“It’s alright,” Lae interrupts.

“It was rude of me to pry. You’ve been kind to me and taken care of my wounds. I fear I have been nothing but a burden to you.”

“There are no burdens in friendship.” Lae smiles at this and soon both women return to the inner sanctuary of the cave where there is a small fire roaring.

They sit around it warming themselves up as a hot pot of stew cooks above the fire. As the older woman stirs the stew she speaks causing Lae to watch her.

“I said I was cursed to walk Sol. In truth I was given a vision by the Gods. I was to search for Sol’s senshi.”

“Sol’s Senshi?” Lae asks and the woman nods her head. She sits down making herself comfortable as she gazes at Lae across the flickering flames.

“In the Oylun System there are 20 planets and in each of those planets a protector is born to defend the planet against outside attacks. Once they come into power they are granted immortality by the Gods. These protectors then serve the heirs to the throne and aid in the potential threats across the System. They are known as the senshi and are usually named after their planet of origin, in some rare cases they are given a different name by the Gods.”

“Why haven’t I heard of this before?”

The older woman sighs.

“There has never been a need for a senshi before. Sol was a planet isolated from the rest of the planets. Our people were peaceful beings. That is before the wars and the bloodshed began. Soon the Gods turned away from us as we had on them. I was somehow granted immortality perhaps for the divine purpose that the Gods bestowed upon me years later. I received a vision from the Gods telling me that I was to look for a senshi. She would aid in freeing the people of Sol from the tyranny of darkness.”

“Have you found that person?” Lae asks wanting to know. The woman remains silent as she looks at the fire.

Lae is about to voice her question again when the woman speaks.

“I believe I have found the senshi,” Violet eyes look intensely at green eyes.

“Galaxia,” she whispers causing Lae’s eyes to widen her pupils turn a golden color for a few seconds before returning to their normal color.

“The Gods have chosen you Lae.”


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The dark lord sits in his study. His eyes shift to the robed figure before him.

“Are you sure?” he asks in agitation.

“Yes my lord.”

“The pool of Hikath has revealed that there is indeed an heir to the throne on the mountain tops of Jihon.” A feral growl escapes the dark lords lips as he throws his gold chalice of wine across the room. Getting up he begins pacing the room to ease his anger.

“There are no passages to such a place. How are we to gain access and capture this future heir?” the dark lord asks his voice rising as he speaks. The cloaked figure bows sensing his masters temper.

“If I may my lord. I have already thought of a way to capture her but it will require patience on our part.”

Turning the dark lord looks at his advisor waiting anxiously for his response. The advisor bows before beginning.

“The texts of Sol decree that when an heir is born three chosen priestess’s of the Holy city of Psa make a pilgrimage to the mountain top to welcome and bless the child.”

“So we accompany the priestess and take the child?”

“Unfortunately we would not be allowed access to the mountain top. Only the priestesses will be granted permission. They would be the only ones able to lure the child away from the God’s sanctuary.”

“I see.”

“The only problem is getting the priestesses to commit to such a thing.”

A smile spreads across the dark lords face.

“Instilling fear has never been a problem for me Gaor. We must change our attack. We will not proceed towards the state of Wa, instead our new tactics are to be focused on conquering Psa.” The dark lord smiles in anticipation of another battle.

“Call forth my council Gaor.”

“Yes my lord,” soon the advisor leaves. The dark lord sits back on his leather chair and contemplates in silence.

“Soon the light of the Gods shall be purged by the darkness of Hades.” His red eyes gleam at the thought.


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To be Contd...

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