The Twelve Kingdoms Fan Fiction ❯ The Shadowed Land, The Northern Arrow ❯ The Shadowed Land, The Northern Arrow: Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

The Shadowed Land, The Northern Arrow: Chapter One

Greetings, I have just recently come across the anime Juuni Kokki or The Twelve Kingdoms which ever you prefer. I have fallen in love with this anime and could not stop myself from writing this story. Please enjoy and any comments good or bad will be welcomed.

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"This is exciting Kari, soon we will have the pleasure of caring for the new master of Mt. Hou. It is hard waiting for this joyous event to happen." Giggles of excitement filled the still air as the sun climbed in the sky to awaken the world. This day was like any other and yet it felt a little different, more exciting as the special event came closer.

"Naya, it is best if we stop going to the Sashinboku like this every morning. Lady Tei-Ei would scold us if she knew that we were lingering around the ranka like this." Kari murmured as she and her companion started up the stony hill in front of them. Brown eyes locked on the lively woman walking slightly ahead of her. Naya was the most recent addition to the clan of sages called the Nyosen. Naya pushed her long black hair which was pulled in twin braids from her shoulders and let it trail down her back. The two remained silent as they climbed the hill, which was becoming rockier as they made their way up the well beaten path. The hill quickly was in closed on either side by large rocky outcroppings. As the two reached the top of this hill the outcroppings met in a protective circle, forming a barrier of high stone walls. The hill leveled off and exposed a large snow, white tree in the center of the top of the hill.

"Look Kari, the Ranka is much larger than yesterday morning, this time must be close!" Naya whispered as they came to a stop just 5 feet from the large tree. The pale tree was empty save for one branch just above their heads; on this single branch was a large fruit. It was the size of a very large egg colored a pale gold that glistened slightly in the sun that was creeping higher in the sky. A low hiss brought them out of their trance from staring at the egg shaped fruit. A pair of amber eyes locked on them with fierce anger. Sitting beneath the tree was a humanlike figure with pale fur covering her body, large wings of a midnight color with white streaks were folded at her back. Black tipped catlike ears twitched at the slightest sound. The catlike creature turned her attention to the golden fruit, the Ranka, once more. She stared at it with a sense of longing, as if waiting for something.

"Come Naya, we must return so we may start our duties for the day before anyone notices that we have left. It is best that we leave for now, the Ranka is well taken care of by the Nyokai." Kari motioned to the catlike creature now oblivious to them. Naya looked once more to the ranka before nodding her head to comply with her companion's suggestion. The two sages made their way down the hill towards the main dwelling past the rocky maze that protected the Sashinboku. After arriving at the main dwelling the two sages left each others company to tend to their duties. Naya walked swiftly to grab a basket of long cloths that needed to be washed and headed towards a spring with in viewing distance of the Sashinboku.

"Are you becoming accustom to Mt. Hou yet Naya?" questioned a soothing voice. Naya looked up from her half finished basket to the owner of the voice. Kneeling in front of her was a woman with light brown colored hair that was pulled in to almost rabbit shaped ears, one on either side of her head. She was wearing the same blue and white robes as the other sages; however she seemed to have an air about her that set her apart. Naya smiled at the women as she bowed slightly to her out of respect.

"Yes Lady Tei-Ei, I am becoming very accustomed to Mt. Hou. I am very happy here, I am honored that I am able to be here." Naya whispered to the older sage. Tei-Ei smiled at the younger women, she was an interesting addition to the sages. It was rare now that a new one was added for the Nyosen were immortal. They were granted immortality to do their duty to care for the young Kirin born from the ranka of the Sashinboku.

"I am very glad to hear that Naya I know you will make a great effort to help the best you can. I know how much this Kirin will mean to you." Tei-Ei looked at Naya's silent reaction to this statement. Tears brimmed in her bronze colored eyes, it was no secret on Mt. Hou that she had been rescued from a devastated kingdom where both precious Kirin and ruler had perished. After many years of hardship and poor governing on the rulers part the Kirin suffered and eventually died from shitsudo, which was a disease that the Kirin contracts when the ruler acts against the heavens. After the ruler died, about 4 months after the Kirin passed, the kingdom turned to chaos. In one small town was a family, here Naya began her story. None of the sages knew her story except that she prayed to become a Nyosen on Mt. Hou for she knew the new ranka of her kingdom would soon grow. Naya pushed away the few tears in her eyes as she stood up and gathered her finished washing that now needed to be dried.

"Yes Lady Tei-Ei I am very much looking forward to seeing the new Kirin. I have waited this day since my village was destroyed. I…I was the only one left alive, I don't know why but I was. That is why I came here; I wanted to do everything I could to make sure that this didn't happen again." Naya smiled as she gathered everything that she had brought with her and started up a hill. Tei-Ei followed her up the hill, a slight wind picked at their robes. Naya and Tei-Ei each pulled a cloth from the basket and started to beat it in the wind to dry it off.

"I believe that you make morning tracks to view the ranka on the Sashinboku, is that correct?" Tei-Ei questioned. Naya blushed slightly as she gave her cloth a hard whip, almost loosing it in the wind.

"Yes Lady Tei-Ei that is correct, I like to look at the ranka because it brings hope to the others in the kingdom. I know this Kirin will be very special in its own way. I hope that it will grow healthy and happy." She said as she pulled her cloth towards her and started to fold it. Tei-Ei smiled at Naya and she started to fold her own cloth. A cry echoed through the rocky hills and valleys of the mountain palace. It was a joyful cry, one that was long awaited and welcomed through out all of Mt Hou. Tei-Ei and Naya looked toward the Sashinboku and both were overjoyed at the sight that they saw. The catlike Nyokai was bending down beside the tree cradling a small figure that they could not make out.

"Come Naya, it is now time to meet the newest Kirin for our world." Tei-Ei said as they dropped the cloths into the basket and left it forgotten on the hillside. Naya walked briskly ahead of the older sage in an effort to gaze on the new born Kirin. Other sages were also making their way up to the Sashinboku but none as quickly as Naya. She was the first to reach the large tree and gasped at the site that met her. Cradled in the Nyokai's arms was a small creature that looked like a horse, it was a bleached white color paler than any snow fall. The most striking thing of this creature was its short spiky mane. It was a light brown color streaked with silver; the short tail was in the same fashion brown with silver streaks. The newborn Kirin surveyed its surroundings with indigo colored eyes. The sages gathered around in a semi circle staring in wonder at the Kirin.

"Never in my time on Mt Hou have I seen hair like hers. This is truly a wonder; she is defiantly one of a kind Kirin." Tei-Ei whispered. All the Nyosen remained silent, unsure of what to say with this unique situation. Most Kirin born on Mt. Hou were born with shades of golden hair, every so often a black Kirin is born but they are very rare. Hair like the newborns was never seen until now. The Kirin shook its head slightly and started to wiggle out of its Nyokai's arms. Slowly and shakily it attempted to stand on its own for the first time. It failed as it fell to the ground with a gentle thud. Many of the sages giggled at its antics as it retreated to the caring arms of the Nyokai.

"Such a joyous occasion this is, a one of a kind event we have been blessed with. Never in all my years have I seen such hair as she has. This is truly a wondrous day for this king of event to grace Mt. Hou." A gentle voice broke through the laugher. All the Nyosen stopped laughing when the voice broke, they all quickly bowed low to the owner of that voice. Standing before the bowing sages was a woman dressed in an elaborate version of the light blue and white robes the other Nyosen were clothed in. Her azure colored hair was pulled into elaborate loops at the back of her head. Flowers were intertwined in the loops held in place with two golden combs.

"Lady Gyokuyou, welcome to Mt. Hou. It has been a while since you have last visited." Tei-Ei greeted the women inform of them. Lady Gyokuyou turned her attention to the Nyokai resting next to her. The Kirin was attempting to stand again, after a few seconds it shakily stood on its delicate legs. Ever so slowly, one foot at a time it tried its turn at walking for the first time.

Naya watched in awe at the holy creature in front of them. The future of her former home rested on the heart of this wondrous Kirin. The Kirin was a holy creature was granted from the heavens, one to each of the 12 kingdoms in this world. The Kirin's main calling was to chose the ruler of its kingdom and help its ruler keep peace in the kingdom. The birth of a new Kirin was a time of celebration and also of anticipation. Many wished her a speedy growth full while others wished her a happy growth. The newborn Kirin shakily walked around in a circle in and effort to become more accustom to moving around. The Nyokai kept a close watch on its precious charge. The Nyokai was a youma born with a special mission to help care for and protect the Kirin while it was still young. It is a very loving creature and will protect its Kirin at any cost.

The unsteady Kirin plopped itself on the ground in front of the very startled Naya. The youngest sage locked her bronze eyes with the indigo of the creature in front of her. Naya shakily extend her right hand her right hand towards the Kirin in front of her. The holy creature extended her head slight lot met the sage's hand. Naya gently rubbed just above her nose in a soothing manner. Indigo eyes started to drift close as the Kirin was starting to drift off in a slight slumber.

"It seems that she is becoming tired of all this attention. We must take her to some where more suited for her to rest. Come Kisa you may collect her for now we must take her to Houro palace." Tei-Ei said as she faced the Nyokai. Kisa rose to her feet and gently picked up the now sleeping Kirin from the ground. She held her charge close to her and started to follow the Nyosen down the hill. All the sages save Lady Gyokuyou and Tei-Ei returned to the palace to return to their duties.

"Well this was certainly a very pleasant yet puzzling surprise. I believe that we can expect great things from Ryuurin. She seemed to pick up on Naya's harbored feelings almost instantly and tried to comfort her. Her mane and tail color is unique and that is what will most likely cause trouble for her in the future. It will be quite an adventure to watch her grow up." Lady Gyokuyou said as she watched the last sage descend the hill. Tei-Ei nodded her head slightly in agreement. The next few years would prove quite an adventure.

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