The Twelve Signs written by Len-chan The 12 Signs are based on the Asian Yearly Zodiac (year of the dog, tiger, rooster, etc.) and the 10 Stems are based on the Asian elements (wood, fire, water, etc.). The characters of this story are property of me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thunder roared through the halls of the Great Palace of Lotus. Lightning illuminated the blood soaked halls of the palace as a lone woman ran through the halls holding a crying baby close to her breast. She could hear their foot steps behind her, slow and clam, knowing she could not escape them. She could feel her heart beating powerfully underneath her chest as lightning struck the towers of the palace. Her breath became short as she turned the corner. "Oh, thank the gods!" the Queen gasped. She ran closer to a soldier standing by the wall at the other end of the palace hall. "You have to help me, young man!" The soldier stood still, a blank look on his face as he stood in front of his queen. "Young man do you hear me? It is I, your Queen! Listen!" She grabbed his armored shoulders and shook him. "Oh, by the Gods!" She screamed. The soldier fell limply at her silk shoed feet, his back sliced opened by a knife, still protruding from his back. Her breath quickened once again as she stared down at the corpse of a dead soldier. She saw the shadows of the Warlord's soldiers begin to turn the corner. In desperation she look up the tower steps to her bedroom and ran. She threw the door open as she reached the top step and looked inside. Silence calmed her, yet sent fear down her spine at the same time. On a chair, by the window, a silhouette of a rotund old man sat. The Queen gave a sigh of relief as she walked over to it. "Sire," she gasped, clutching the child closer to her. "My husband, it is I! They are after us! What shall we do?" She placed her hand on the man's velvet robed shoulders. Her finger tips touched a warm, fresh liquid on her husband's shoulders. "Sire?" She stood their in silence when she heard it. Not the footsteps of the soldiers, but the quiet dripping of a sink. She looked towards their bathroom, the sound did not echo from there. Her toes began to feel damp and she looked down at her feet. Something wet was soaking them. She sniffed the air and stepped back from the chair. "Oh, God no..." she whispered. She turned on a lamp and looked at the floor. "Blood?" The iron smell of freshly bleed human blood engulfed the room as she looked at the puddle of thick red liquid. It poured around her feet as she followed it to the source. "My King!" she screamed. She grabbed the man's shoulders and turned her around. "AHHHHHH!" Her scream echoed through the tower as she fell to her knees and closed her eyes. On the chair where her husband had once sat, putting their baby son to sleep, he sat. His neck, freshly cut from ear to ear, soaking his rich royal clothing in blood. The woman's breath quickened as she threw her arms around her dead husband's body. "God, why?" She sobbed. "Clinging to him now will not do you any good my ever dearest Queen." a voice from the door slowly hissed. The woman looked up and brought her son closer to her. "Who are you? What do you want from us!?" she screamed. Her eyes were red and swollen, yet dry. "I am the Warlord King Saburo. This," he pointed to the busty brunette next to him. "Is my sister, Raku. We have come to take your kingdom for our own." "Your dear king," Raku said sadly, as she put her arms around the King's dead shoulders. "Refused us. What more could we do but," Raku slammed her hand against the King's head, cracking his neck and making his head tilt over unnaturally. "Kill him." "You, on the other hand," Saburo said, slyly, "Have a choice. Surrender Lotus to us and live. Or we take over Lotus and kill you. Either way, we get Lotus." The Queen stood up, warily and spat on his armored chest. "I shall never give up this kingdom to you! I'd rather die!" Saburo slowly wiped away the spit on his chest and looked at the Queen. With one swift move, he took out his sword and put it to her neck. "Very noble, Queen, but what about you baby boy, hm?" Saburo saw the look of fear in her eyes as he placed the tip of the sword dangerously close to the baby's head. "Would you let him die?" "You wouldn't dare kill a child!" the Queen gasped. "You monster!" "You are in no position to say that," Raku said. She tore the baby from the Queen and handed it to one of the soldiers behind her. "Now...Lotus...or your son?" Raku asked. "No! My baby! Give him back you treacherous bitch! Give him back and leave with your bastard of a brother!" the Queen shrieked. "Ouch," Saburo replied sarcastically. He held his hand to his chest. "You broke my heart." "You don't have a heart, you black soulless demon!" the Queen hissed. "I'll take that as a no," Saburo brought his sword to the Queen's neck. "Say good-bye to your son. But then again, he'll join you soon enough." He was about to plunge the sword deep into the Queen's graceful neck, but paused. "What's the matter, Saburo?" Raku asked. "I can't kill such a beautiful Queen!" Saburo told his sister. He stepped back and took the baby from the soldier. It began to cry as soon as he held him. "Come on, Raku." Saburo ordered. "What?" Raku asked. She followed him out the door. "Go downstairs, Raku and take the baby," Saburo ordered. Raku nodded and took the baby. "Throw it down the stair well," Raku nodded and dropped the baby down the stair well, not the stairs itself. There was crying...then silence. Saburo turned to a soldier. He looked at the Queen then back at the soldier. "Kill her." The screams were drowned out by the thunder. Saburo went down the steps with Raku. "I threw him down," Raku stated as they went down the steps. When they got their, their soldiers were all laying on the ground. "What happened!?" "Saburo, Raku, so we meet again," an old voice mumbled. A shadow stepped from the marble columns and held a bundle in his arms. "You looks surprised? Do you not remember me?" "Siro!" Saburo growled. "You God dammed wizard! You have some nerve showing here!" "As you see, your soldiers did nothing to stop me." Siro said as he motioned to the bodies laying around him. "We defeated you once with the help of my Ten Stems, Siro. Do you really think you stand a chance against the elements themselves?" Saburo asked, laughing as he pulled out his sword. "And do you remember this? The Sword of Darkness itself from my father. Your enemy." "You father was a forsaken fool. And so are you." Siro told them. "Move it old man! Give the child!" Raku yelled. "Stubborn as your father, Raku. Stubborn. Do you know what this child is?" Siro asked, lifting up the baby. "Taro...the ones the Gods have shined on. I know," Saburo, "He will be the next Ultimate ruler! That is why I plan to kill him. If he rules, the dark forces will be driven in the ground!" "Exactly..." Siro agreed. "Which is why you will never be able to kill him." "What makes you say that old man?" a female voice hissed from behind the Warlord siblings. "We have you out numbered and out powered!" added another voice. Ten shadows appeared from behind the two. "Is that so?" Siro asked. "Twelve evil demons, the 10 signs and their leaders, the beholder of the Sword of Darkness and the beholder of the Demoness staff. Is that all?" "What more could you want?" asked Raku, as they advanced on him. "When the full moon shines during the day light, the first few of the twelve signs will be revealed to fight. They will protect the child and innocent life. To save and help the people is their born right. Woe unto those who stand their way, they will come and you will pay. The ties you have created will not bind, you will all come against the TWELVE SIGNS." The old man lifted his arm and disappeared in a puff of smoke. "The twelve signs? Is he mad?" Saburo asked. "It is just a myth, my brother. Do not worry about it." Raku told him. "A myth? We thought the Ten Stems were a myth, we thought the Sword of Darkness was a myth, we thought the Demoness staff was a myth, also, Raku," Saburo told her. "What makes us so sure that the Twelve Signs are?" "Who in the right mind," Raku asked as they stepped over the dead bodies in the hall, "Would take on us?" ~~~~~~ High School Field Trip ~~~~~~ "Okay, group, welcome to the Tokyo Public Library. I'm your tour guide, Wendy." A girl with blond pig tails escorted the group of sixteen year old high school students. "I wish they'd just let us walk around and explore for our selves, huh, Chi?" Mitsu asked. She sighed quietly as she stood next to her friend. "Yeah, we could spend more time checking out books." Chi added. For the two best friends. It seemed to be hard to waste time when they wanted to do something. The girls liked reading. "If you'll just follow me, I'll show you the areas of the library, then we you can go look around." Wendy told them. She turned around and began to walk down the hall of the library. The library was the biggest in the city. The walls were lined from the floor up with books. Chi and Mitsu walked at the end of the tour group, taking their time to take note of the sections. Mitsu knelt down. "Hey, Chi, I have to tie my shoes, I'll catch up with you later." She began to tie her shoes on. They were the raised white tennis shoes that almost all the girls wore under their uniform skirt. As much as Mitsu hated wearing skirts, she was forced to wear the green skirt and vest. "I'll wait for you." Chi told her. She turned back and stood next to Mitsu as her friend untangled the mass of shoe laces that appeared to be knot. "I really did it this time. It'll take me a while to get them undone. You go ahead and I'll catch up with you later." Mitsu told her. "Don't worry about it. They won't even miss us. Besides, what if you get lost trying to find your way back?" Chi asked with a grin. "Oh, so funny, Chi," Mitsu replied. She was almost done un- tangling her shoe laces. "For your information, I have a good sense of direction." "I know, that's why I like to tease you about it." Chi giggled, Mitsu flashed her an annoyed look. "You can be such a pain, Chi." Mitsu said. She finally finished tying her shoes and stood up. "Okay let's go." Chi told her. They began to walk around the corner towards where their tour group was headed. "Uh-oh..." In front of them were three huge book shelves. One led down the hall to a door marked 'Librarian'. The one to the left went downstairs and the one to the right when up the stairs. "Where should we go?" Mitsu asked. "Let's go up the stairs!" "Do you think they went there?" Chi asked reluctantly as they began to move to the right. "What if they went downstairs?" "Then we'll go downstairs," Mitsu said as she pulled open the heavy door to reveal old wooden stair way. "AFTER we look what's up there." She pointed up the stairs and began to walk up. "The steps look old, Mitsu, maybe we should go back downstairs. It looks dangerous. There isn't even a railing." Chi told her. The two girls stuck close to the left side of the spiraling wooden stair way, so as not to fall off the side. "We're almost there, Chi. Don't worry..." Mitsu's voice was shaky as she tried to encourage her friend. They reached the last step and there was another heavy wooden door. "They're obviously not here, Mitsu. Let's go back down." Chi told her. She put her arms around herself, shrugging off the odd chill. "Come on, Chi, we're already here. Let's just see what's behind the door. Then we'll go back downstairs. Help me with this door, Chi, it's heavy," Mitsu and Chi put their hands on the brass handle and pulled. "Come on!" The door opened and the girls fell back on the top step. Mitsu blew some air to move her misplaced bang. Chi helped her up. "It looks old." Chi mumbled. "Yeah, but that's so weird because this library opened less then ten years ago. How can there possibly be anything this old in a modern library?" Mitsu asked. The girls stepped inside a dust filled room. It was like a tower. There was an old wooden table with an feather in an ink pot. The room was circular with a curved book shelf containing books, jars, and a human skull. "It looks gothic, Chi. Very European Dark Ages." Mitsu mumbled. She walked over to the book shelf while Chi looked around the room. The book on the table was thick, leather bound, and dust covered. Slowly, the book opened and Chi let out a surprised shriek. "Mi...Mi...Mitsu!!!" Chi whispered nervously. "The book..." "What about the-" Mitsu turned around and fell back against the book shelf, knocking over the human skull on the ground. "What's going on?" Mitsu asked. The book opened wide to exactly them middle page. "I don't know...I just opened." Chi said. The two girls hugged each other nervously. "We should see what it is..." Mitsu began to walk toward the book. "Mitsu!" Chi grabbed on her friend. "Are you insane? That book could be haunted!" "It didn't open itself up for nothing," Mitsu said. She pulled her arm away and looked at the book. "It's nothing, Chi, just some story." "Are you sure?" Chi asked. Mitsu nodded. Chi, whose hair was cut to her shoulders, framing her face in blue, stepped closer to her purple haired friend. Mitsu's hair was purple in the sunlight and faded to black in the shadows, but it was purple. "What does it say?" "It's just a story about...let's see...the Twelve Signs..." Mitsu told her. The two girls stood by the table, looking down at the old book. "It's a legend. Let's read it, I like legends. And hey! That girls looks so much like you!" "Oh, please. Well, that one looks like you! Come on, Mitsu, we already saw what was in here. Can't we go back down stairs? I'm sure everyone is looking for us!" Chi exclaimed. "They can wait longer. Let me just read the first part, then okay?" Mitsu asked. Chi let out a surrendering sigh and Mitsu smiled. "Thanks! The Twelve Signs." "Every hundred years the gods whom reined in the stars choose one baby to grow and become an Ultimate ruler. The Ultimate ruler will serve and protect his people, driving all demons and monsters into the ground for a his reign. If the baby is killed, there will be no Ultimate ruler and the servants of evil will continue to thrive. If three Ultimate rulers are killed, there will be no more and thus, evil will take over. In order to protect the third baby, whom is the target of evil, the Star Gods will summon the Twelve Signs. Each representing a majestic animal whom will fight, protect, and serve the baby. Their enemies-" "Mitsu! They're calling us!" Chi shouted through Mitsu's out loud reading. "What? What do you mean?" Mitsu asked. She closed the book. "Wendy and the others are calling us. They did notice we were gone. Oh! We're in trouble now!!!" Chi said. The girls ran out the door and down the wooden stairs. They threw open the heavy door to the library and walked out calmly. They turned the corner and saw Wendy walking around confused. "Are you two Chi and Mitsu?" she asked, annoyed. "Yes," Mitsu told her. "I'm sorry. I stopped to tie my shoes and we lost our way. I'm sure you can understand why. This library is extremely large. It's like a maze in here!" Chi smiled, knowing that Mitsu can usually talk her way out of something like this. Wendy nodded and motioned for them to follow her. "Okay, fine, just follow me, okay?" Wendy said. The two girls smiled as they followed their guide back to their group. ~~~~~~~~~~~ "You know," Mitsu said as she walked next to Chi the next day. She held her vest in one arm as she walked on the sidewalk. "I couldn't get my mind off of that book all night last night." "That's weird, because I couldn't stop thinking about it either. And especially those pictures. They looked like us a little too much." Chi agreed. "Do you want to go back to the library and sneak up to the room again?" Mitsu burst out. "I really want to know the rest of the story!" "So do I, but what if we're not supposed to be in there, Mitsu? We could get in serious trouble." Chi stopped in her tracks and stood behind Mitsu. "But I have to know," Mitsu answered. She looked at Chi and put her arms down. "Chi, aren't you the least bit curious about why those pictures resembled us? I mean they REALLY looked like us. Don't know even want to know why?" Chi stood silent for a while. She stared down at her shoes. After what seemed like moments, Chi looked up. "Fine. Let's go." "YES!!! I knew you'd say that!" Mitsu giggled. She grabbed Chi's hand and began to drag her towards the library. ~~~~~~~~ A blond girl sat down on a rocking chair by her turret window, looking down at the forest that surrounded the secluded house. How fortunate she was to be away at the time of her parent's brutal murder. She would have returned back to the palace at Lotus if Siro had not reached her first and told her of the death of her parents. Her only remaining family member was her baby brother, Taro. A knock on the door made her stir as the wooden door creaked open. "Princess Shiho?" a deep voiced asked. The Princess turned around in her rocking chair and stood up in the presence of the Wizard Siro's son, Toshio. He walked towards her and knelt down at her feet. "I have just returned, Princess, I am deeply sorry about the murder of your parents." "Toshio-sama," Shiho gasped. She twisted her fingers nervously together. "I didn't know you returned from your trip. As for my parents...I'm..." "It is all right, Princess, you do not have to explain anything to me." Toshio told her. He looked up at her with beautiful gray eyes. The Princess herself wished she had as nice eyes as he. "Thank you, Toshio...how was your...er...trip?" Shiho asked, sitting back down on her rocking chair. Toshio stood up, he was much taller than she was. He sat down on her bed, using it as a chair to talk to her. "It was fine, majesty. The trip took a while. I hardly recognized myself when I looked in the mirror once." Toshio smiled. Shiho blushed. She still had that childhood crush on Toshio. And him being a wizard's apprentice with a knight's looks made her crush even worse. "I see...have you see my brother? Is his still depressed? I have a feeling he had witnessed my mother's death and maybe even the horror that he saw in the palace drove him into silence." Shiho said. She leaned against the chair and closed her eyes. "Toshio," an older voice ordered. Toshio's father, Siro, came into the room, holding Taro, the baby in his arm. "I have a job for you." "But father I just returned from-" Toshio began, but his father narrowed his eyes and he nodded. He stood up, bowed to the Princess and walked out the door. "What is it now?" "It is about Taro and him being the next Ultimate ruler," Siro said as he bottle fed the child. "I need you to find the first of the Twelve Signs." "Father, please, that is just a legend! It's not real. There is no such thing as the twelve signs." Toshio stood up and was about to walk away. "What about the Ten Stems?" Siro asked. Toshio froze in his place. He had seen them and they were are real as he was. "Didn't you think THEY were legends once?" "Father, they wiped out villages north of Lotus, I saw them with my own eyes. They may be real, but the Twelve Signs are not!" Toshio insisted as he glared at his father from across the room. Bangs of gray and silver hair tossed around his face as he stared into the eyes of his calm father. "I can prove to you that they are real..." Siro said. He slapped the baby's bottom and it began to cry. Somewhere deep inside Toshio, he grew protective of Taro as he cried. "What are you doing? Why did you hurt him?!" Toshio stepped forward, but his father stepped back. "Look in the mirror at the base of your neck," Siro said. Toshio gave an annoyed sigh. He turned around to the mirror in the hall way and tugged his shirt off. He lifted it over his head and looked at his neck. "What do you see?" Toshio stepped back as he stared at the silver symbol glowing oddly at the base of his neck, between his collar bones. "What is that..." Toshio asked. "I've never seen it before! It was not there this morning!" "That is the sign of the Snake. One of the Twelve Signs," Siro told him as he calmed the baby down. "Like was explaining to you earlier. Create a portal to another dimension. The first two of the Twelve Signs will be at the other end. Bring them to this dimension." "If Taro is here, why are the first two in another dimension?" Toshio asked as he touched the symbol. "As you know, the last baby to be the third Ultimate ruler in serious jeopardy also had the Twelve Signs to protect him. Although the Twelve Signs succeed in protecting the baby, two of them died. To of the female signs, Dragon and Goat, the fierce protector and the caring provider," Siro laid the baby in his crib and turned back to his son. "Go get them." "But I don't know how they look like-" Toshio began. His father cut him off once again. "There was a book that recorded the events of the Twelve Signs. It is in that dimension as well. It has a drawing of the two signs that died. Retrieve the book and you will see how they look like." Siro told his son. Toshio just nodded numbly. ~~~~~~ "Gee, Chi, that was so QUIET," Mitsu mumbled sarcastically. "Did you at least put the books back?" Chi had just brushed up against a pile of books while they were sneaking to the tower where the book was. "Yes! Hurry before we get caught!" Chi whispered back. The two girls quickly rounded the last corner before the librarian could see them. Chi let out a sigh of relief as Mitsu began to open the heavy door. After she pried it open, she and Chi went inside. They closed the door to prevent anyone from following them. "It's dark..." Mitsu mumbled. "Wait!" She opened the bottom pocket of her back pack and pulled out her key chain, which contained a lot of keys. "I know one of your hobbies is collecting key chains, Mitsu, but did you have to buy the glow in the dark frog?" Chi asked. "If I didn't collect key chains," Mitsu answered. She turned on a small flash light connected to her key chain. "We couldn't see." "Ah, good thinking." Chi added. She followed Mitsu up the stairs to the door. With one look at each other for encouragement, they slowly pushed opened the door. Mitsu stepped back and held Chi back, behind her. They peeked behind the door. A tall young man with straight, shoulder cut gray hair was looking at the book the two girls had wanted to read. He seemed very interested in it. "Chi...look at his clothes..." Mitsu whispered. The young man was wearing baggy white pants that looked like they were silk, black boots, and a white shirt. He wore a orange sweatband around his head. At the sound of Mitsu's voice, despite it's quietness, he stiffened. Without turning around, he snapped the book shut with his hand and lifted his hand. It seemed like particles of silver light were twisting around and around at his hands until it formed a silver hole in the air. The young man stepped through the door. "Where is he going?" Chi asked. "Only one way to find out," Mitsu said. She opened the door the rest of the way and began to walk to the hole. "Come on Chi." "What are you insane? Mitsu, who knows what is behind that... that thing!" Chi argued. "Fine, I'll go by myself!" Mitsu said. "See you later, Chi, and if I don't come back alive...huh...well...let's just hope that doesn't happen." Mitsu took a deep breath and stepped through the portal. "Mitsu!!!" Chi screamed. She stared at the slowly closing vortex. "I'll never forgive myself for this..." she murmured. Chi entered the portal. ~~~~~~~~ "AHHHH!!!" Mitsu screamed as she landed in a pile of old leaves behind a bush. "Great...compost heap..." "MITSU!!!" a voice echoed. Mitsu stood up and looked up at the sky. "Oh, God no!" Mitsu cried. She turned to run, but Chi's body fell on her anyway. "Chi! GET OFF ME!!" "I'm alive! I thought I'd die when I fell! But I didn't!" Chi gasped. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "Chi...you mind...I can't breath.." Mitsu said. Chi stood up and then helped Mitsu up. "Where are we?" "Beats me, you're the one that brought us here." Chi told her. "I don't see that gray haired guy with the book anywhere. What do you see?" Mitsu turned around and looked. She seemed to be on top of a hill overlooking a vast valley. "Uh..., Mitsu...turn around..." Chi stammered. Mitsu turned around and fell back at the view Chi was staring at. In front of them as a huge city with a palace shadowed in darkness. "Well, isn't that just great. An enchanted castle." Mitsu rolled her eyes. "Enchanted castle?...Oh this is too weird...!" "Maybe someone there can help us." Chi suggested. "Yes, I'm sure they'll let just any two teenage girls who dress differently go inside the castle grounds and look around." Mitsu said sarcastically. "Then we'll sneak in!" Chi said. She began her way the castle. "Humph, and I though I was the sneaky one." Mitsu smiled. She followed closer behind Chi. "Shut up." Chi and Mitsu crouched low in the bushes in front of the palace. "Chi, guards...up there." Mitsu pointed to the towers. There were two guards on each tower, each holding a spear that had electric charges at the top. "Hey!" the guard yelled. Mitsu and Chi froze. "Where do you think you're going?" "I...I..." a man stammered. He wore old and dirty clothing, like the clothes worn in the Dark Ages. There seemed to be much technology, but the style of clothing was from the Dark or Renaissance ages. The streets were clean and so were most of the people, as in the girls' modern society. The guards wore heavy metal armor."I asked you where you were going?" the guard's voice yelled again. "He's an assassin!" another guard yelled. "No! I was just looking for food!" the man yelled. "Liar!" the guard shouted. He pointed the spear at the man. As the man screamed and pleaded his innocence, the guard pressed a button on the spear and a bolt of blue lightning flew down from the metal tip and struck the man. "What are you doing?" another guard asked. "He was just one lousy bum, no one is going to miss him." the murder huffed. He turned around and began to pace back and forth in his tower. "Do you STILL want to sneak in?" Mitsu asked, her eye brows raised. Chi looked at her and nodded. "We have to. At least try to get in anyway." Chi answered. "Fine, but if we get fried..." Mitsu whispered. Chi looked along the wall and saw a hole by the bottom of the high stone wall. It was partially covered with bushes and hidden in the shadow of a tree. "There!" Chi whispered She pointed to the hole and began to make her way towards the hole. "Do you have a compact or mirror or something?" "Yeah." Mitsu opened her bag and took out a small purple compact containing a plastic comb and mirror. She handed it to Chi, who opened it and put the mirror side under the wall. She saw the area behind the wall was empty. "Okay," Chi gave Mitsu back her mirror. "Let's go." Chi laid on her back and put her arms through under the hole. She pulled herself through. Mitsu pushed her back pack under the wall then repeated the actions Chi used to get under. She slipped her bag back on and followed Chi. "Now what?" Mitsu asked. She brushed the dust off her shirt and looked around. Guards were on their posts by doors and on the walls. The two girls pasted themselves to the wall, beneath the shadows of the tree. "BRING HER IN!" a voice boomed. A girl with long blond hair, touching her feet and the ground behind her, walked into the castle. Her once beautiful dress was reduced to rags as she was forced in by guards. "Don't touch me!" she yelled helplessly. Mitsu tapped Chi's shoulder. "There's a window over there. Let's see what's going on." Mitsu whispered. Chi nodded and they began to move towards a palace window. When they were sure all the guards were looking away, they ran across the court yard and to the window. They looked into the window and saw a man holding a goblet. "Shiho..." the man said. His voice was deep and hiding a threat. The blond girl was pushed to her knees in front of him. "It's nice to see you again." "What do you want Saburo?" Shiho asked. She took in deep, angry breaths. "What...? You're not happy to see me?" Saburo asked. He leaned forward in his chair and grabbed Shiho's face. He kissed her and threw her face back. "Fuck you, Saburo!" Shiho yelled. "Isn't that what you already did?" he asked. His face was twisted with superiority. Shiho spat on him. "You said you loved me and that you always would. You lying bastard! I was so stupid to believe you." Shiho shouted. Her eyes will filled with tears. "Not stupid...just...naive..." Saburo told her. His face lost the dangerous smile and began threatening. "Where is your brother?" "Why should I tell you?" Shiho asked. "Because," Saburo stood up and took out a sword. It glowed black as he placed it close to her throat. "Both you and I know why. He needs to be killed so there will no longer be any Ultimate rulers to drive evil back to hell." "Kill me now." Shiho stated. "I can't kill such a pretty girl..." Saburo told her. "And this scene looks so familiar...ah, yes...this is how your mother looked before I had my guards kill her." He laughed coldly as Shiho was about to lunge at him. She was pulled down by guards. "You mother fucking bastard-" Shiho yelled. "Now, now...watch your language you slut." Saburo slapped Shiho's face. Shiho's left side of her face had a red mark. "I hate you, Saburo! You'll never get away with this!" Shiho growled. She slowly began to regret her words as eleven shadows appeared behind Saburo. "With the 10 stems as my guardians, my sister who holds the Demoness staff, and I, whom is the master of the sword of darkness? I already have..." Saburo put his sword back at his side. "For all we have done together, I will give you and your brother five days to seek shelter which I doubt you will find. Then my guards will come looking for you two and kill you both." "You'll regret that decision..." Shiho said. The guards unchained her and she stood up. She turned the door and walked out calmly. "I don't think so, Shiho...I don't think so." Saburo mumbled. "I can't believe that jerk. The bastard!" Mitsu growled. "Shh...not so loud, Mitsu...someone might hear us." Chi whispered. "Don't worry, I have a plan if we get caught." Mitsu told her. "Hey!" a voice yelled. The two girls froze. "Who are you?" The two girls turned around and stared at an angry guard. "We're...uh...concubines?" Mitsu asked. Chi looked at her and mouthed the words 'concubines'. "I heard it in a movie!" Mitsu whispered back "Oh...hey wait a second..." the guard said. His eyes narrowed. "In those clothes? You're spies!" "What's your plan now?" Chi asked as the guard pointed the spear with the electric tip at them. "Umm...run!" Mitsu screamed at the top of her lungs. Chi took of while Mitsu slung her backpack at the guard. He fell back as Mitsu ran towards Chi. "Run?!?" Chi screamed as they ran away from the screaming guard. They could feel the lighting blots behind them as they ran. "THAT WAS YOUR PLAN!?" "We're still alive, aren't we?" Mitsu screamed back. "Yeah, but for how long!?" Chi yelled. The two girls continued to run as they heard the guards close behind them. "OhmiGod!" Mitsu screamed. "There's a wall coming up!" "AHHH!!!" Chi yelled. The two girls continued to run until they were up against the wall. The two girls pounded on it. "Chi, at this time, I would like to say that you were the best friend I could ever have and-" Mitsu's words were cut off by a ball of fire that exploded under the guards' feet. Mitsu and Chi looked up at the wall. A young man wearing a white Chinese like uniform with black boots and a gray sash around his waist stood above them. "Follow me!" he yelled. The two girls nodded and ran to the tree. They climbed up and leaped over the wall. They landed on their feet. The young man sat on a horse with the blond girl named Shiho behind him. There was another horse next to him. "Get on!" he yelled. Chi looked at Mitsu. "We don't have a choice, Chi, come on!" Mitsu said. Chi got on the horse and Mitsu sat behind her. "Grab the reins and let's go!" Chi did as she was told and screamed as the horse began to gallop into the forest away from the castle. ~~~~~ The Castle ~~~~~ "They got away, highness." the guard bowed and left. "Raku," Saburo said as he came into the room. His sister stood there, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "What did he say? "Two girls in odd clothing were just saved by Siro's son." Raku told him. "Odd clothing...not from here?" Saburo asked. His movements slowed as he sat down on his throne. "Not from this world..." Raku murmured. "Fuck it! They are real!" Saburo growled. "The Twelve Signs are REAL!!!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Author's Note: What do you think? Good, Bad, Decent? Want to know what happens next? That's easy, here's a taste: The Wizard Siro sends Princess Shiho, Baby Taro, Chi Mitsu, and Toshio to find the rest of the 12 Signs. Come back soon for more stories.