Ten Little Ninjas: Chapter 1

THE AGE OF MAN

            Once upon a time long before the Sun knew the Moon, there was The Balance.  So while the world was young five humans were chosen to shape the new Age of Man.  These individuals known as the Five Elements were promised immortality for their contributions toward Man’s tomorrow as long as balance was maintained in their decisions. 

            Each Element was chosen at the same time and allowed one-thousand years to reign as an Element, then when the stars aligned in the shape of the moon east of the north star, they would relinquish their powers by transferring them into the next five chosen – two women, two men and one true neutral human. This task had to be completed before the setting of the sun on the eve of the aligning of the stars or all things made by the power of the Five Elements would be undone ending existence as it is known.

            For years the House of Getsu carried the Honor of replenishing the next generation of Elements with members of its House, but with the Age of Technology on the horizon, The Balance had chosen a second House to challenge for the new millennium, the House of Nichi. 

            As a result an underlining of misguided jealousy and a chance to prove oneself as a whole has clouded the minds of those challenging for the right to be called an Element.

            Arguments on one side of the challenge from the House of Getsu have proven itself as the established and perfected choice for The Balance, certainly more so than the nearly unheard of and inexperienced House of Nichi.

            No response was given by the House of Nichi as Master Morohashi Tetsuji and his members merely bowed at the accusations thrown at them by the House of Getsu.

            Seeing Master Tetsuji’s answer fueled Master Todo Asada of The Getsu House and he deemed it as a sign of extreme dishonor.  He believed that the inexperienced House of Nichi should have bowed out of the challenge for the Five rather than accept the invitation.  And so his hatred consumed his judgment and his words to his House were that all were forbidden to consort with the House of Nichi. 

            All but one that day agreed in their bow toward their Master.  Naoki Higuchi during the ceremony saw one of the House of Nichi like only a man could see a woman.  His gaze fixed onto Taki Harada and love had anchored in his heart.  Taki smiled at his stare and she too held a special place in her heart for Naoki, but Master Asada made it clear that any of his members that consorted with the House of Nichi would be punished by their dishonor and death by Seppuku was the only way to redeem such an action.

            Naoki was crushed by his Master’s decision to forbid him from finally finding love, but not nearly as much as when he learned that Taki was challenging for the Element of Water.  Master Asada had chosen him to challenge for the Element of Fire and in order to become an Element, Water must defeat Earth, Wood must defeat Metal, Metal must defeat Fire, Earth must defeat both Fire and Water and Fire had to defeat Water in the final battles.  There was a chance that she could not defeat her challengers and not advance as the Element of Water, but destiny and The Balance was always his weakness.

            Shortly after both Houses settled into their training Naoki secretly met with Taki.  They talked long hours into the night for weeks and fell even more in love with each other, but destiny still held the darkness above them and the challenge was at hand in one month’s time.  So, they vowed to concentrate on their training and let The Balance choose their destinies.  If they were to fight it would not be because they did not do their best, it would be because destiny and The Balance chose their life for them.

1.2 Forward unto War

            The battlefield is full of death and many have fallen at the feet of the chosen.  Taki the chosen Element of Water smites those of the Army of Mirror with her mighty blade of Ages, the Chalice.

            Naoki recovers from a barrage of arrows fired at him from behind.  A warning from his great katana Magma, allowed him to turn and protect himself from the onslaught of the ranged attack.  One of his own attacked him without warning and has taken off on foot away from the battle.   Both Elements are fighting together, for the right to be called one the Chosen Five.  The House of Getsu and its Master Asada have fallen and The House of Nichi is next unless these two Elements can defeat the shroud of darkness that has consumed the minds of all others.

            “Go!” Taki yells toward Naoki.

            “I won’t leave you to die Taki!”

            “Who says I will,” she says striking an attacking barbarian, “go after him.  Follow and conquer Michio or the sun will down without the last Element in place.”

            Naoki hesitates momentarily and takes one last look at Taki, then runs after his betraying House member Michio.

            Taki and the remaining band of the House of Nichi fight valiantly across the plains of Rozenaji against the overwhelming forces of Mirror.  They push back until the Horde begins a quick-stepped retreat and so they give chase toward the base of the Mountain Omaji and the Great Gorge of the Ancients.

“If we can force them to the gorge then we will be victorious and with nowhere to run we will gain the glory and honor by defeating those that betray existence,” Taki yells to the House Members near to her.

            As per Taki’s plan the Army of Mirror run out of room to retreat.  Trapped at the rim of the bottomless gorge they turn to view their conquerors, not with fear or worry on their faces, but with smiles of an evil plot to unfold.

1.3 Michio’s Secret

            Naoki follows Michio into a small keep’s courtyard, “come out Michio, I know you gave the order.”

            There is silence.

            “Michio, show yourself!  You’ve no more room to run from me.”

            “Really,” Michio’s voice echoes in the courtyard.

            “However, I doubt you would do anything by mistake or without design,” Naoki exclaims, “because all of our training teaches us to always have a plan of attack.  So, either send out your men or face me yourself!”

          “Do you actually believe that I would have to have someone else with me to beat you Naoki?  All I had to do was draw the favored, that’s you in case you have forgotten, away from the one thing stopping him from becoming the Element of Fire.  Although, you are correct in believing I had a plan, but there is little you can do to help your beloved Taki now.”

            “If you harm her in any way, I’ll kill you.”

            “So kill me,” Michio says walking into the courtyard drawing the sword of Law.

            Naoki draws his sword, “do I dare look behind me for archers?”

            “It got your attention didn’t it?”

            “You are going to answer for killing our Master.”

            “One day perhaps, but that is not today.  You see you now have a choice, fight me, lose and Taki Dies, or go after her, not get there in time and Taki dies.  Either way… TAKI DIES!”

            Naoki lowers his sword, “How could you?  We are brothers of the House of Getsu!”

            “NOT ANYMORE!  I’m through taking orders from anybody!  I will be an Element and soon I will have the ability to create and destroy with just a thought.  There will be known things in the Age of Technology, darker still than the evil that stir in the human soul.  I will see it and all you will be is a pile of ashes.”

            “But we are bound and sworn to guard and protect the honor of each other, through all perils and trials.”

            “And I am doing so… Brother.  I have seen how you look into Taki’s eyes with love and adoration above all others,” Michio lowers his head as a tear rolls down his face, “and so ours is a love that could never be…,” he looks back up past his blade at Naoki with a new found anger, “so if I must be an Element living eternally with your choice in this life, so must you.”

            “What, you?  Michio, I never knew you that… but you challenged for Wood.  Why would you have needed to defeat me?”

            “Because Earth, must defeat Fire.”

            “Earth?  You are Earth?  I had no idea you sought after Earth Michio, but now it makes sense as to why we were so close.  Why you seemed to attack those who wanted to spend time with me.”

            “Sharing was something I never learned as a child – you knew that Naoki.”

            “Sharing?  Did you have…,” Naoki shakes his head in disbelief, “you mean, you had feelings for me.  Did you?”

            “Once, but you have made that go away by loving everyone else, especially her,” Michio jumps into the air toward Naoki with his blade at the ready, “Defend yourself whoremonger!”

1.4 Smiling Shadows

            Taki stood at the gorge unsure of why they smiled at her and her band like that, but one thing was for sure, it had ambush written all over it, “If standing still and smiling is your way of surrendering, then I accept!”

            The crowd of men in front of Taki part and a form begins to rise up from the ground, “we have no intention of surrendering to the likes of you Taki Harada.”

            “That voice,” Taki thinks to herself, “I have heard it before.”

            The form finishes and a familiar face grins at Taki.

            “MICHIO,” Taki yells.

            “I thought you would figure it out eventually.”

            “How can this be?  I saw you run and Naoki gave chase.”

            “Sometimes looks can be deceiving.  I mean take me for example.  I am now a contender for an offspring.”

            “Who in this world would lay with the likes of you?”

            “Why, you did.”

            “Perhaps in your sick and twisted dreams,” Taki spits.

            “Perhaps, but I would add that I love how you feel in the dark.”

            “Again Michio, in your dreams.”

            “Not this time.  It was about three weeks ago to the day, if I remember correctly.  You and Naoki in the unlit manor house attic… or was it you and me?  By the way, how is the bite on your shoulder?”

            Taki touched her shoulder where Naoki bite her in the Manor house, “it was not you, it was Naoki.”

            “Was it?  Naoki was on the training grounds that night preparing to challenge for the right to be called Fire.”

            “You spoke with his voice.”

            “I spoke nothing.  You are remembering what you aim to remember.”

            Taki is silent.

            Michio moves closer to Taki, “Say what you will Taki, but who else would know such intimate details as that without being trusted to secrets?”

            “I thought you were Naoki,” Taki whispers.

            “A part of the façade I’m afraid.  Which is why it was oh so much more than I hoped for?  So soft, so ripe, so perky…”

            “Enough!”  Taki erupts, “you violated what I had for one man and one man alone!  And, for that Michio, I will slay you right here, right now.”

            “Violated?  Ha!  You welcomed it!  You wanted me to welcome you again and again and…”

            Taki yells and charges Michio.  He greets her with the sword of Chaos.

            [CHINK!!] The two swords meet heavily.

            Several parries and swings are traded back and forth as Taki’s rage increases.  Blow after blow her passion fuels her embarrassment as her skilled fighting techniques suffer for her lack of focus.  She can feel herself losing control of her emotions, but she still attacks.

            She is losing the battle and Michio knows that.

            [CLANK!!]  Taki’s sword is deflected from a wild swing at Michio’s head.  He knocks if effortlessly from her hands.

            Taki lands hard on the ground beneath.

            Michio raises the Chaos sword high above his head and readies the strike to end Taki’s life.

            Taki looks in awe at how much power Michio has as Earth, then she feels the dirt between her fingers, “Earth,... if this is the end, etiquette is the least of my worries,” she thinks throwing dirt into Michio’s eyes.  Michio’s sword slams hard onto the ground beside her.

            Taki, as she tumbles out of the way of the strike, flips to her feet and calls her sword to her hand, “CHALICE!”

            Michio wipes the dirt from his eyes and laughs, “A little unexpected, but I can appreciate you wanting to prolong your death.”

            “Not mine Michio…, yours.”

            “Take a look at me Taki, there is no possible way you alone can defeat me.”

            Their eyes meet like distant gunfighters ready for noon to strike and as Taki starts to comment she pauses as a gash suddenly appears under Michio’s right eye.  The blood drops quickly to the ground.

            Michio wipes the blood away promptly.

            “It appears,” Taki states as she adjusts Chalice for the strike, “I may not have to.”

1.5 Torn

            In the courtyard Michio recoils as Naoki moves through his strike.  Michio is holding his face near the right side of his head.  He pulls his hand back to reveal that he has been cut below the eye.

            “You are too slow against Fire, I can do this all day Michio,” Naoki offers.

            “So can I,” Michio returns swinging.

            [CHINK!] Naoki deflects Michio’s swing.

            “Unbridled.”

            [CLINK!]

            “Unfocused.”

            [TINK!]

            “Unbalanced.”

            [KANK!]

            “Are you even trying Michio?”

            Michio pauses breathing heavily, “You were always better with the sword, there is no mystery there.  Master always pushed that in most of our lessons.”

            “Master always said I was the weakest,” Naoki says looking to the side.

            “Not by the sword Naoki, by the heart.  Taki is your weakness.”

            “No.  She is my strength.  Her Master told her that.”

            “You loved her but did you lay with her?”

            “That is none of your business Michio!”

            “Judging by the look on your face and the crackling in your voice, you never have.”

            “Well if you must know, we are waiting for the right time.  It would have been before my test of Fire, if not for the sudden change in the Master’s schedule.”

            “That is a shame.  Perhaps I have judged you wrong Naoki.  I yield.  Come and have my sword.”

            “Is this a trick?”

            “No trick… Brother,” Michio lays his sword hilt toward Naoki on the ground.

            Naoki moves to grab the hilt and Michio commands his sword Law to attack.

            Naoki yells and dodges the strike.

            Michio laughs, “you are so the fool!  First Taki, now this!”

            “What do you mean by that Michio?”

            “Oh I’m sure in time you’ll know, but for now we must settle this,” Michio suddenly attacks wildly and with no set pattern of approach slicing Naoki several times around the torso and arms.”

            [CHINK!!]  Naoki adapts and counters.  In pain he hears the echo of another set of clashing weapons very near to them.  He turns to avoid what he believes to be Michio’s Sword of Law and sees briefly The Sword of Chaos.

            [SINK!] Law pierces into Naoki’s left side and exits out through his back.  He spits out a large pool of blood and slides toward Michio.

            Michio pulls Naoki closer and whispers into his ear, “I still love you, but this way is better,” he twists the blade, “for both of us.”

            Michio slides his blade out of Naoki, who backs up slowly and barely balanced.  Magma clanks down next to him the sound echoes in the small area.

            Oozing life Naoki begins to cry, “It is too bad it had to end this way.  We could have been so happy together.  If only you would have told me about how you felt about me…”

[COUGH!] Blood flies once again from Naoki’s mouth caused by the internal damage, as he sways then drops to one knee.

            Michio stands in wait, “yes, yes, I know.”

            Naoki’s hand lands to keep him from falling over.  He looks up at Michio and sees a ghostlike vision of Taki behind him, swinging The Sword of Chalice, “Taki,” he thinks aloud, “I have failed,” he then falls lifelessly to the dirt.

            “Taki I have failed?” Michio roars angrily moving to kick Naoki’s body for rubbing their love in his face even in dying.  Drawing his leg back to kick Naoki he yells out in anguish again and he falls backward as he feels his back cut by another blade of some sort.  He whirls around to see who attacked him, but no one is there.  His back screaming in pain as blood begins drenching his garment. 

1.6 Failure Evolved

            Taki moves away for another opportunity to take Michio apart one piece at a time.  For every time she could remember him touching her body, she would get her vengeance.  Her Chalice will not go away empty.  It will fill with the Michio’s blood, until she is satisfied.

            Michio calls for his Chaos sword and it flies through the air towards him.  Midway in flight Taki lands on top of it and halts its return, “if you want it, come and get it.”

            “Silly girl, I have already had it and I’m not sure if I like that particular tone in your voice.  It does not become you at all.”

            “I understand, I have hit you and you are no longer winning.”

            “I have won!  You are just too stupid to realize it!  See look at the sun… it is about set and Naoki hasn’t claimed the seat of Fire!  I win!!”

            “You fool!  All will be undone!  Is that what you want?”

            “If that means you and your beloved Naoki die too, then YES!”

            “Fine, then one of us will die before it does,” she jumps off of The Chaos sword and it continues back into the hands of Michio.  Taki follows it and strikes Michio again across the chest.

            In the courtyard Michio screams again holding his chest, “AAhhhh!  You irritating little…,” furious he hears Naoki’s voice above his own.

            “Hurts, doesn’t it?”

            “A little,” he murmurs bleeding profusely, “And yours?”

            “Not as much as I let on.  Although…. I have learned something else important.  Do you want to know what that is?”

            Michio stands and turns in Naoki’s direction, “enlighten me.”

            “You have to beat both of us.”

            “She is beaten, as are you.”

            “No.  She lives, I feel it.”

            “Not for long.”

            An overconfident Taki over strikes her target and loses grip of her sword Chalice.  It flies past Michio and lands on the ground behind him, “oops, I think you dropped something,” he speaks grabbing Taki by the throat and lifting her into the air.

            Gasping for air, Taki can feel her body going limp, “Na-O….,” she is losing consciousness, “Ki… give me strength.”

            Bleeding and weary Michio smiles a bit in victory.

            Taki struggles trying to raise her hand and call Chalice, “I can’t,” she thinks remembering Master Tetsuji’s voice, “If you believe you have the strength to complete the task at hand, then you do.  But, if you think the task takes more strength than you have, you are already beaten.” Taki closes her eyes as a single tear falls down her cheek, “cannot speak, hard to breathe… Think Taki. Chalice, come to me.”

            The Sword of Chalice doesn’t move.

            “Chalice…, come… to… me.”

            The Sword of Chalice doesn’t move.

            “Chalice!”

            The sword of Chalice moves.

            Michio stood battered and bleeding as the sky melded into twilight colors, “Any last words before I end your miserable life,” Michio mutters.

            Naoki smiles turning his back to Michio, “The sun is setting; I really don’t think that any words could sum up the ending of everything.”

            Grinning Michio moves quickly to strike Naoki.

            “CHALICE!”  Taki thinks commandingly.

            The Sword of Chalice flies toward Taki, blade end first and pierces through Michio’s back and into Taki.

            Turning before Michio can strike, Naoki lunges, drops into a slide and plunges his sword Magma deep into Michio’s chest. A brief sound of two blades colliding echoes in the keep and the gorge simultaneously.

            Michio and Taki collapse simultaneously and both The Sword of Chaos and The Sword of Chalice disappear.

            In the courtyard Michio falls and the Sword of Law disappears.

1.7 Element of Fire

            Naoki begins to glow as the sun starts its final descent to give way to the night.  He can hear everything now, the cries of joy and of sorrow.  He can hear everyone… except Taki.

            He looks at the sunlight disappearing and begins to tear up, “This is not right, we were supposed to be here together.  We beat him together.  We took his life at the same time, but ….,” he pauses and thinks, “But Taki knew that in order for me to become the Element of Fire I had to defeat Water as well.  How did she know?  How could she know?  Did she see me too?”

            Naoki howls frustratingly into the night air at The Balance and its part in this ending of the Age of Man, blaming himself for his now thousand year curse without his one true love, “Please, Please Taki, Tell me what to do.”

            Naoki’s sobbing echoes as he recalls a statement Michio made during their fight…. “I will be an Element and soon I will have the ability to create and destroy with just a thought.” 

            “The ability to create with a thought,” Naoki mumbles out loud, “Taki Harada, I command you to live now as you were before your death at the end of the Age of Man.” 

            Taki’s body appears at Naoki’s side; her eyes are open as she sighs, “Naoki?  Wh-- Where is Chalice….?  ” 

            “Shh..,” he smiles a bit. “Taki, you’re just over your battle, you should rest.”

            She exhales, “is it over?”

            He nods and whispers, “yes.”

            “Good…, I was getting hungry.”

            Naoki wipes away a tear that snuck down the side of his face, “yeah, me too.”

            “Look at you Naoki…. You are an Element, The Element of Fire.  For a minute there I thought I’d never see you again, and to think that I almost ended my life so that you could…,” she stops and begins to look around, “Do you hear someone other than us talking?  There are voices saying…something to me over and over again.  What are they saying?  Wait, they’re saying something’s different,” she stands up, “something’s definitely different, isn’t it?” 

            He shakes his head, “No. Other than me being an Element, nothing is different.”

            “No, something’s not right I can feel it in my soul.”

            “Everything is fine Taki, really,” Naoki says with a slight smile.

            “I don’t believe you,” she grips her head and winces in pain, “Someone…,” she exhales heavily, “…voices whispering to me constantly saying to me that you are not being truthful,” she hesitates and tears begin flowing down her face.  She is in pain and Naoki can see it.

            Naoki reaches out to comfort her, but she recoils and pushes away from him, “you won’t fool me twice with this.”

            “With what,” Naoki questioned confused.

            “Tell me Naoki, and don’t lie to me, why are there voices in my head and why don’t I trust you?  What happened in that gorge Naoki?  Huh?  One minute I’m fighting Michio and the next lying next to you without my sword.”

            Naoki exhales, “You did end your life.  You gave it so that I could become the Element of Fire.”

            Taki sits slowly upon the ground, “then am I dead?”

            “No, not anymore, the action has already been recorded by The Balance.  You live because I made it so.”

            “So my living now is a lie?  Now it makes sense why the voices are in my head.  Did you believe there wouldn’t be a hitch in your creation?  And where did you learn that you could do that?  Your Master? I’m not real Naoki.  I am only a shell of the Taki you once knew.  Do you want that in your head every time you look at me?”

            “Yes, as long as I can. Can’t you see what I have done for us?  I’ve given us a second chance.”

            “I am only a ghost pretending to be alive.  Can’t you see that?  I’ll see it Naoki if you do not.”

            “That will go away I trust and you’ll live again… with me.”

            “And the voices that will remind me every time I look into the mirror, that what I see would be the fake reflection of who I was.  Will I wish to die because of it?  Right now the answer would be yes.”

            “Please, stop this Taki,” Naoki pleaded.

            Taki drew a line in the dirt between them and looked up at Naoki with a subliminal plea of her own, “If you love who I was Naoki, let that person stay in your memory. Please.  Do not cheat her life by making her, me, live as a lie.”

            “Don’t ask that of me.”

            “I did not ask it the first time.  You’re cheating her, she gave her life for you to live not for - -“

            “No!!!  Do not ask me to do this Taki!”

            “I am not Taki!  I was Taki!” She cries out as if he is torturing her, “Release me from this illusion.  Please.  Please.  Please…. please,” she continues with her face now dirty from the dirt and tears mixture.

            Naoki says nothing as tears run down his face.

            “Please Naoki…. I beg of you.  Remember her as she was and how much she -- she cared you.  Take her love into the new Age, not..,” she motions at her reflection in a nearby pane of glass, “not that.”

            “I understand.  I believe I know now what I must do… thanks to you,”  his sad face lights up for just a moment, “I know you think that you are not who you say you were, but you would’ve said the same thing six hours ago.”

            She smiles, “she would want you to make good choices, remember her always and know that she will always be there for you.”

            He waves his hand and she disappears, “good-bye my love,” is all he hears echoing into the first night of the Age of Technology.

            As the sun paints a new picture on the horizon Naoki lifts his head up from his all night heartache and prepares to start his healing one day at a time for the next one thousand years, “I’ll miss you Taki,” he says loud enough for him to hear it.

            “Why are you planning on going someplace?”

            He whirls around to see Taki with Chalice in its sheath by her side.  She is the Element of Water and he is speechless.

            Taki shrugs, “I know.  I’m not sure either.  All I can recall is two beings speaking to me saying that I did a very honorable thing and that I completed the task of beating Earth before the sunset.  So, here I am.”

            Naoki still standing speechless moves closer to Taki and takes her by the hands softly, “I missed you.”

            “Missed me?  It was only one night.”

            “Yeah, but it was a very, very long night.”

            She smiles.

            He smiles back.

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CHAPTER 2