Kaiouden - Origins

         War is a disease; an infection that mankind suffers from. It’s an inescapable downfall passed down from their existence. In this world, men forge their destinies with the corpses of defeated foes, grasping victory with a swing of a sword. Chaos and destruction covered the land like a blanket of sorrow, leaving no room for any light to flourish. Kingdoms were overthrown, pushing the people to live in agony and fear. This world is a dark place, an unholy place. However, legend says a Hero will be born to defeat the evil that plagues these lands.

         Among the brave warriors that perished, a lone warrior came from the shadows. His name was Kyo Shimomura, of the Kingdom of Ryuu-ju. The Shimomura Clan were one of the oldest renowned families in Ryuu-ju, serving from the High Counsel to the Ryuu-ju Army. Kyo began his studies of swordsmanship at the age of 7, quickly showing great promise. At the age of 17, he joined the Ryuu-ju Army to follow in his father’s footsteps. Through many battles, Kyo proved his loyalty finally becoming High General Kyo at the age of 30. For years the land knew peace through war, however, it wasn’t till the “Battle of the Kings” that the kingdom faced true despair.

Of the many foes that Ryuu-ju fought, the Barbarian Horde proved to be the most formidable. Great in numbers, the horde showed no mercy to even messengers. The war campaign was projected to end in months, however, the horde pushed to last a year. King Tian of Ryuu-ju grew tired of the horde and ordered General Kyo to the Barren West, the Barbarian Horde home land. General Kyo reluctantly followed the order for he didn’t want to leave for fear of a horde attack. As nightfall welcomed the march, General Kyo made his way to the entrance to the Barren Waste taking a final look towards the kingdom. A peaceful moment passed as it was engulfed in unforgiving flames, illuminating the night sky. He then quickly routed his army back to Ryuu-ju. The Barbarian infiltrated the kingdoms walls as beggars and common help. It was the plan of the Barbarian King Gouban, and took months for enough spies to be welcomed. He first captured the lookout post, and then destroyed the unexpected army from the inside out. Chaos and destruction stalked screaming women and children as men fought helplessly against berserk-ed barbarians. King Tian awoke to hellish sights and sounds of his people. He quickly realized this is what General Kyo was trying to explain. Responsible for this calamity, King Tian sought to face the Barbarian Horde head on. King Tian and his personal guards fought the formidable horde till only he stood. Outnumbered, he challenged King Goudo to a duel to the death. With his last ounce of strength King Tian charged; as the two swords gave life to bright sparks, the barbarians encircled the “Battle of the Kings.” As the battle raged on, King Goudo proved too powerful for King Tian, plowing his sword threw his chest. With his last breath, King Tian asked for his people to be spared.

General Kio finally reached the front gates of Dragikin. Hundreds of severed heads mounted on improvised stakes greeted their savior from the kingdom's high walls. General Kyo was lost for words at the horrid sight of his brethren erratic expressions. A bold voice broke the eerie silence of the now uneasy Army of Dragikin. In order to kill any hope the the Army had to ever stepping into their once radiant kingdom; King Goudo rose the severed head of King Tian and began to wail it around, speaking a bizarre language finally roughly mounting it on a rusted spear. General Kyo began to order his army to take siege on their former kingdom. As his army distracted the barbarian horde, General Kio headed for the hidden passage way from the royal graveyard. As he made his way, King Goudo sat on the throne, pondering about his new obtained kingdom. Out of the shadows, General Kio leaped downward on the barbarian king, catching a piece of his ragged cape. General Kyo recovered aggressively pointing his royal sword at his target. The two warriors charged with tremendous force, each of them blocked and parried each assault with ease, making the two equal in strength and skill. As the battle progressed, they stood, exhausted cursing their mortal bodies. Cool sweat ran down their faces as they slowly motioned their swords behind them. The two warriors lunged in an instance. After they passed each other, silence echoed for a brief moment. General Kyo fell to his right knee, holding a wound on his left side. King Goudo stood with a smirk turning his neck, revealing a thin red line. Falling to his knees, King Goudo's head slid slowly, painting the floor with fresh thick blood. General Kio slowly stood, and painfully ran towards the horde still in the kingdom. As the savior slashed the final threat, sunlight broke through the clouds. Dead bodies flooded the streets, the charred kingdom hardly recognizable. General Kio gathered the survivors and with his army, began to rebuild the once Great Kingdom of Dragikin. With the whole royal family killed, the grateful people of Dragikin made General Kyo king. The tale of the great victory of now King Kyo, reached far and wide across the sea to the Kingdom of Saga who learned of the great tale.

Years later, on one stormy night, an old mystic traveled to the Kingdom of Dragikin to seek King Diao. He pleaded for assistance from the great king explaining his situation. King Diao was mostly interested in the elemental powers the mystics possessed. The representative of Saga and King Diao reached an agreement and Dragikin was on the war path once again. Saga and the neighboring Kingdom of Razorith had been waging war for decades, However, Razorith forces had been closing in on Saga's kingdom due to the help from the savages from the north. The Brutal war stretched out for years, however, King Diao's army drove the fierce foes back. Finally bringing peace to the kingdom. Sage was known to be the oldest Kingdom in all of the world. They are direct decedents of the ancients, and have obtained elemental powers through their research of their past. Further investigation revealed a portal to a connecting realm which had animal spirits representing the great beast roaming the world and possessing elemental powers. In their findings, they experimented the fusion of the animal spirit and body of a human, gave that person direct control of the spirit and its elemental power. The fusion process itself was nearly proven fatal, and those who lived through it lived to be powerful beings. However, King Diao's fusion was unique in that not only one spirit was infused. Every spirit extracted and conjured from the realm at the time was infused into his blood. The idea was that his offspring's would be born with a spirit and the once fatal process would become natural.

A grand celebration was in order for the king's return. In addition, an Allie from the west, the Kingdom of Sai, offered their beautiful young princess, Lyra Sai to become queen. It was then that peace and prosperity shined from Kingdom to surrounding kingdom for many years. The king of queen of Dragikin had twin sons, the eldest Shirou, and Kioji. King Diao spared no expense to train and educate the young princes'. The King also appointed high guardians; Larc Otage, a master of the dark arts to watch over Shirou. Hudan Roushi, a High Protector of Dragikin, to watch over Kioji. Larc Otage was a ninujitsu master who learned the way of the mystic. He lead King Diao's black operations and earned the king's trust through his duty of his kingdom. Hudan Roushi was King Diao's captain during his high general days. As master of the spear, Hudan earned High Protector of Dragikin due to his loyalty and devotion to his king.

//rewrite in progress

SHIROU WAS VERY TALENTED LIKE HIS FATHER AND VERY AGGRESSIVE. LARC PICKED UP ON HIS TALENTS AND TOOK INTEREST QUICKLY IN THE BOYS NATURAL ABILITIES. KIOJI WAS VERY KIND LIKE HIS FATHER, AND A NATURAL SWORDSMAN. HUDAN WAS VERY HAPPY TO TEACH THE BOY BECAUSE HE REMINDED HIM OF HIMSELF. THE YEARS QUICKLY PASSED AND BOYS SLOWLY DRIFTED APART, DUE TO THEIR OWN INTEREST AND VALUES. AT THE AGE OF TWELVE, THE PRINCES WERE READY TO LEARN FROM THEIR HIGH GUARDIANS. AS SHIROU LEARNED NINJITSU AND DARK MAGIC, LARC STUMBLED ACROSS OLD SCRIPTURES OF THE SPIRITS FROM THE CONNECTING REALM AND HOW THE BLOODLINE OF KING DIAO POSSESSED THIS GREAT POWER. LARC THEN REALISED THAT HE CAN MALIPULATE YOUNG SHIROU TO OVERTHROW HIS FATHER AND BECOME KING OF PAGUAN WITH SUCH POWER. AT THE AGE OF FIFTEEN SHIROU MASTERED NINJISTU AND DARK MAGIC, LARC THEN PREFORMED A PAINFUL RITUAL TO AWAKEN SHIROU'S SPIRIT WITHIN. A STORM BREWED AND WILDLIFE RAN RANCID AS LARC READ THE SCRIPTURES, SHIROU SCREAMED IN AGONY AS A DARK PURPLE AURA FILLED HIS SURROUNDING BODY. AS THE AURA GREW, LARC COULD FAINTLY SEE A LARGE SERPENT REVEAL ITSELF TO ITS NEW MASTER, SHIROU. LARC STARED IN AMAZEMENT AT SHIROU'S NEW FOUND POWER, FOR HE NOW KNEW HE CAN PLAN THE TAKE OVER OF THE KINGDOM. AT THE SAME TIME KIOJI MASTERED HIS SWORDSMANSHIP AND AID SKILLS. HUDAN WAS VERY PROUD OF THE YOUNG MASTER FOR HE SURPASSED HIM IN SKILL AND POWER AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE. THE LEAVES ON THE TREES TURNED COLORS THREE MORE TIMES. THE TWINS FINALLY REACHED THE AGE TO JOIN THE KINGDOM'S GREAT ARMY. A GRAND FESTIVAL WAS HELD AND KING DIAO EMBRACED HIS SONS IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE KINGDOM. HOWEVER, LITTLE DID KING DIAO KNOW, OTAGE'S PLAN WAS ALREADY IN EFFECT. A FULL MOON FILLED THE KINGDOM IN AMBIENT LIGHT, SHOOTING STARS RACED IN THE CLEAR SKY. THE SOUND OF CLANGING METAL ECHOED DEEP WITHIN

THE KINGDOM'S SEWERS, AS LARC WAS AT WORK DISCOVERING A WAY TO CONJURE MINDLESS NINJITSU FOOT SOLDIERS TO DO HIS BIDDING. AFTER THREE YEARS HIS PLAN WAS READY TO COMMENCE, SHIROU WAS READY TO BECOME KING.

KIOJI WALKED THE CASTLE'S MAIN LOOKOUT BORED OUT OF HIS MIND. PULLING GUARD WAS NEVER HIS FAVORITE DUTY. LOOKING UP AT THE STARS, HE SIGNED, AND WONDERED WHAT THE FUTURE HELD. SUDDENLY, A LOUD ABNORMAL CRY ECHOED THROUGH THE KINGDOM, FOLLOWED BY SCREAMS AND EXPLOSIONS. A LARGE FIGURE COULD BE SEEN IN THE DISTANCE WRECKING HAVOC. KIOJI QUICKLY ALERTED HIS POST; HOWEVER, HIS WORDS FLEW THROUGH THE COOL BREEZE FOR EVERYONE WAS DEAD. HAND ON SWORD, HE WALKED CAUTIOUSLY - THROWING STARS RAINED DOWN, KIOJI QUICKLY PREFORMED A SERIES OF BACK FLIPS TO AVOID GETTING SHREDDED. UNIDENTIFIED MASKED SOLDIERS EMERGED FROM THE SHADOWS READY TO STRIKE. KIOJI TRIED TO IDENTIFY THE MASK SOLDIERS BUT HIS WORDS FELL ON DEAF EARS. THE MASKED SOLDIERS CIRCLED THEIR OBJECTIVE SLOWLY, THEIR STANCE RESEMBLED A NINJISU WARRIOR'S. A HORRID VOICE BROKE KIOJI'S TRAIN OF THOUGHT. OUT FROM THE SHADOWS STOOD A MUCH BIGGER MASK SOLDIER EXPLAINING RESISTANCE MEANS A SLOW AND PAINFUL DEATH. KIOJI UNSHEATHED HIS ROYAL SWORD, POINTING IT AT THE LEADER, SMIRKING IN EXCITEMENT.

HUDAN HEARD THE CHAOS FROM HIS COTTAGE AND QUICKLY TOOK ARMS AND RAN TOWARDS THE FRONT DOOR. AS HE REACHED THE DOOR, TWO BOMBS CRASHED THROUGH HIS WINDOW. HUDAN BROKE DOWN THE DOOR AND AS THE BOMBS EXPLODED, THEY PROPELLED HIM 20 FEET FROM HIS COTTAGE. A LITTLE SHAKEN-ED, HUDAN STOOD ON HIS FEET ANGRY AND CONFUSED. OUT FROM THE SHADOWS, MASKED SOLDIERS SURROUNDED HUDAN. A LARGE MASKED SOLDIER APPEARED IN FRONT OF HUDAN WITH HIS ARMS CROSSED DEMANDING HUDAN TO DROP HIS ARMS AND JUST DIE. HUDAN SMILED AND CHARGED THE ENEMY HEAD ON, THROWING STARS FLOCKED TOWARDS HUDAN, HE QUICKLY DEFLECTED THEM AS THREE MASKED SOLDIERS ENGAGED HIM IN CLOSE COMBAT. AS THEIR SWORDS STRUGGLED TO HIT THEIR MARK, HUDAN GRACEFULLY SLICED ALL THREE OF THEM IN ONE SWIPE. COUNTLESS MASKED SOLDIERS SWARMED HUDAN, TRYING TO WEAR DOWN THE GREAT PROTECTOR OF PAGUAN. IMPATIENT, THE LEADER SHADOW STEPPED, ATTACKING HUDAN IN A DOWNWARD MOTION WITH HIS MASSIVE SWORD. AT THE LAST SECOND, HUDAN SENSED THE FATAL BLOW BLOCKING IT WITHOUT LOOKING. TO THE LEADER'S SURPRISE HUDAN WASN'T GOING OUT WITHOUT A FIGHT. THE LEADER ROARED AND ATTACKED IN A BERSERKING RAGE. HUDAN BLOCKED AND PARRIED THE CRUSHING BLOWS WHILE THE DODGED BLOWS HIT POOR UNSUSPECTING MASKED SOLDIERS. BODY PARTS FLEW WILD AS THE LEADER BLINDLY ATTACKED. HUDAN, ON THE DEFENSIVE, COULDN'T HOLD OUT MUCH LONGER. WITH EACH STRIKE, HE COULD FEEL THE RAW MASSIVE POWER THE LEADER POSSESSED. THE LEADER PREFORMED A FINAL BLOW - HUDAN BLOCKED, SENDING HIM HITTING A SOLID WALL. THE LEADER SATISFIED, MOTIONED HIS MASKED SOLDIERS TO FINISH OFF THE GREAT PROTECTOR. HUDAN LOOKED UP, EXHAUSTED WITH BLOOD SPEWING OUT OF HIS MOUTH. JUST BEFORE THE MASKED SOLDIERS REACHED HIM, A SHOCK-WAVE OF POWER ILLUMINATED FROM HUDAN, KNOCKING THE MASK SOLDIERS BACK, KILLING THEM IN AN INSTANCE. THE LEADER WINCHED AS THE BRIGHT BLUE AURA SHINED. HUDAN STOOD UP, EYES FILLED WITH KILLING INTENT AND FIXED ON THE TEMPORARY BLINDED LEADER.

AS THE SHADOW SOLDIERS CIRCLED THE YOUNG KIOJI, HE STOOD, WITH HIS SWORD POINTED AT THE LEADER. ANNOYED, THE LEADER QUICKLY SENT ALL THE SOLDIERS TO ATTACK AT ONCE. THE SHADOW SOLDIERS REACHED KIOJI FALLING BY HIS GRACEFUL SWORD ONE BY ONE. HEADS, TORSOS, ARMS, LEGS AND WHOLE BODIES CONCEALED KIOJI, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE HIM. AS THE LEADER LOST SIGHT, KIOJI APPEARED BEHIND THE LEADER, SWINGING DOWNWARD. THE LEADER REACTED LATE, FALLING FORWARD AND GETTING SWIPED ACROSS THE BACK. THE LEADER WAS SURPRISED NOT TO SENSE ANY MAGIC OR NINJITSU, THIS WAS PURE SPEED. KIOJI STOOD IN HIS STANCE, SMIRKING IN EXCITEMENT. BLOOD EVENLY RAN DOWN THE WOUNDED LEADERS BACK, FORMING A THICK PUDDLE OF BLACKNESS ON THE GROUND. KIOJI STEPPED FORWARD, VANISHING - THE LEADER STEPPED BACK SEARCHING NERVOUSLY WITH HIS WANDERING EYES. KIOJI COULD BE FAINTLY SENSED BUT HE TRACE QUICKLY FADED. KIOJI APPEARED IN FRONT OF THE LEADER STRIKING UPWARD. THE LEADER SHADOW STEPPED TO AVOID THE FATAL BLOW; HOWEVER, KIOJI BEAT HIM TO HIS DESTINATION, IMPALING HIM TO THE CASTLE'S WALL. COUGHING UP BLACK BILE, THE LEADER SCREAMED IN LAUGHTER AS A HORDE OF SOLDIERS AND LEADERS SURROUNDED KIOJI. KIOJI QUICKLY REMOVED HIS SWORD, LETTING THE CORPSE DROP, POINTING IT TO HIS ENEMY AS HE SMIRKED IN EXCITEMENT.

HUDAN REVEALED HIS TRUMP CARD, A CONJURED SPIRIT GIVEN TO HIGH PROTECTORS OF PAGUAN BY THE GREAT MYSTICS. THE BRIGHT BLUE AURA SHOWED A GIANT EAGLE SOARING ABOVE. WITHOUT HESITATION, HUDAN ATTACKED, LANDING MASSIVE BLOWS, KNOCKING THE LEADER DOWN. AS THE LEADER STAGGERED TO HIS FEET, HE FELL TO HIS KNEES. HUDAN LEAPED FORWARD DECAPITATING THE DEFEATED FOE - HE THEN HEADED TO THE CASTLE AS HE ENGAGED OTHER SHADOW SOLDIERS ON THE WAY. KIOJI ENGAGED HIS ENEMIES USING HIS SUPERIOR SPEED TO DESTROY SHADOW SOLDIER AND LEADER ALIKE. KIOJI MADE QUICK WORK OF THE SHADOW SOLDIERS, GIVING HIM TIME TO ENCHANT A HEALING SPELL. NOW A 100%, HE MADE HIS WAY INTO THE CASTLE.

KING DIAO AWOKE FROM A NIGHTMARE AND BEGAN TO CLOSE HIS EYES WHEN HIS PERSONAL GUARD BUSTED THROUGH HIS DOOR EXPLAINING THE CITY WAS IN EMINENT DANGER. KING DIAO QUICKLY TOOK HIS ARMOR AND SWORD AND HEADED TO THE CASTLE'S ENTRANCE. THE MASSIVE DOOR EXPLODED; SPLINTS OF WOOD RANDOMLY ATTACKED THEM. AS THEY CAUTIOUSLY WAITED FOR SOMETHING HUGE TO CHARGE IN, THE DUST REVEALED A SILHOUETTE OF A MAN COVERED BY A DARK PURPLE AURA. KING DIAO MOTIONED HIS PERSONAL GUARDS TO ATTACK. THEY RUSHED WITHOUT HESITATION ONLY TO GET STOPPED BY A MASSIVE SERPENT. THE SERPENT PROTECTED THE MYSTERY MAN, SWALLOWING THE BRAVE PERSONAL GUARDS. THE MYSTERY MAN MOTIONED HIS BEAST TO RETREAT TO THE CITY AND HIS AURA FADED REVEALING SHIROU. KING DIAO COULDN'T BELIEVE HIS EYES, HE PLANTED HIS SWORD IN THE FLOOR AND KNELLED. SHIROU STARED DOWN AT HIS FATHER, HIS EYES EMPTY AND SORROWFUL. KING DIAO STAYED KNEELING AS SHIROU SHADOW STEPPED FORWARD. SHIROU UNSHEATHED HIS SWORD MOTIONING IT BACK TO STRIKE. KING DIAO LOOKED UP AT HIS SON, EYES FILLED WITH BETRAYAL AND FURY. KING DIAO LUNGED FORWARD SWORD-LESS PUNCHING AND KICKING SHIROU. SHIROU STOOD THERE TAKING THE MASSIVE BLOWS WITH EASE. KING DIAO STEPPED BACK FALLING TO ONE KNEE COUGHING UP BLOOD. EACH CONNECTING BLOW INJECTED KING DIAO WITH A SLOW POISON. SHIROU RAISED HIS SWORD ABOVE HIS FATHER. WITH ONE QUICK SWIPE, KING DIAO'S HEAD SEPARATED FROM HIS BODY. HUDAN AND KIOJI ARRIVED AT THE HORRID SIGHT. SHIROU CLEANED HIS SWORD ON THE BODY OF HIS FATHER AND CALMLY SHEATHING IT. WITH A BOASTFUL YELL, HUDAN UNLEASHED HIS SPIRIT. KIOJI STOOD CONFUSED AND AMAZED AT HUDAN. HUDAN LEAPED TOWARD SHIROU, ATTACKING IN A BERSERK-ED STATE. SHIROU DODGED EACH BLOW MOCKING HUDAN'S POWER AND SPEED. LAUGHING, SHIROU BEGAN TO BLOCK THE ATTACKS, MAKING HUDAN REALIZE HOW WEAK HIS ATTACKS WERE. HUDAN TURNED UP THE HEAT, WITH EACH ATTACK HIS STRENGTH INCREASED. FINALLY FEELING THE ATTACKS, SHIROU COUNTER ATTACKED, KNOCKING HUDAN ACCROSS THE GIANT ROOM, THROUGH A CASTLE WALL. KIOJI STOOD IN SHOCK AS HIS BROTHER BETRAYED EVERYTHING HE BELIEVED IT. SHIROU SHADOW STEPPED TO THE FRESH RUBBLE, GRABBING HUDAN BY HIS NECK. AS HUDAN HUNG HELPLESS, KIOJI LUNGED TOWARDS HIS BROTHER. STRIKING WITH HIS SWORD, SHIROU QUICKLY DROPPED HUDAN BLOCKING KIOJI'S ATTACK WITHOUT LOOKING, SMIRKING IN EXCITEMENT. SPARKS IGNITED AS THE TWO ROYAL TWIN SWORDS STRUGGLED TO MEET THEIR TARGETS. SHRIOU COULDN'T MATCH KIOJI'S SUPERIOR SPEED, HOWEVER, HIS MASTERING OF THE SHADOW STEP PROVED TO BE A CONTENDER. AS THE BROTHERS BATTED, HUDAN FINALLY CAME TO. EXHAUSTED, HE GRABBED HIS SPEAR AND STOOD UP, SCANNING THE NOW UNFAMILIAR ROOM. HIS EYES FELL ON THE DECAPITATED FORMER KING DIAO. HE SLOWLY MADE HIS WAY TOWARDS THE BODY WHEN HE FAINLY SAW SHIROU AND KIOJI CONSTANTLY VANISH AND SHADOW STEP THROUGH OUT THE ROOM. HUDAN POWERED UP AND JUMPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM. WITH THE HELP OF HIS EAGLE SPIRIT, HE COULD NOW SEE THE EPIC BATTLE BEFORE HIM. SHIROU WAS SURPRISED TO HAVE SUCH RESISTANCE FROM HIS YOUNGER BROTHER. KIOJI'S SPEED WAS BEGINNING TO WEAR DOWN SHIROU'S ENERGY, WHEN 100S OF SHADOW SOLDIERS CROWDED THE ROOM, AIDING SHIROU. HUDAN QUICKLY ENGAGED THE PESKY FOES. KIOJI COULDN'T SENSE HIS BROTHERS PRESENCE AS HE NATURALLY SLAUGHTERED THE

SHADOW SOLDIERS. AMONGST THE CHAOS, SHIROU REGENERATED HIS ENERGY, ABSORBING SHADOW SOLDIERS INTO HIS BEING. KIOJI BEGAN TO SENSE A POWER GROWING AS THE NUMBER OF SHADOW SOLDIERS DEPLETED. SHIROU, COVERED IN A PURPLE AURA, LUNGED AT HUDAN IN A BERSERK-ED STATE. WITH SHIROU FULLY POWERED, HUDAN COULDN'T HANDLE THE MASSIVE BLOWS BY SHIROU AS HE BARELY BLOCKED. WITH JUST TWO SWINGS, HUDAN STAGGERED BACKWARDS FALLING TO HIS KNEES. SHIROU QUICKLY JUMPED TOWARDS HUDAN MOTIONING HIS SWORD DOWNWARD. AT THE LAST SECOND, KIOJI'S SWORD APPEARED, STOPPING THE FATAL BLOW. HOWEVER, KIOJI COULDN'T STOP IT COMPLETELY. SHIROU'S RAW POWER PUSHED THROUGH KIOJI'S DEFENSE, STRIKING HUDAN ACROSS HIS CHEST AND SHATTERING HIS SWORD. SHIROU THEN ROUND HOUSED KICKED HIS BROTHER, SENDING HIM FLYING. HUDAN LAID FACED FIST NEARLY PASSED OUT. KIOJI RECOVERED, LOOKING DOWN AT THIS BROKEN SWORD, THEN AT HIS BROTHER. SHIROU STOOD WITH CALMNESS, SMIRKING IN EXCITEMENT, WONDERING WHO TO KILL FIRST. SHIROU QUICKLY SHADOW STEPPED TOWARDS KIOJI, STRIKING. KIOJI ON THE DEFENSE, DID WHAT HE COULD WITH A BROKEN SWORD, HOWEVER, HIS SUPERIOR SPEED WAS THE ONLY SKILL THAT PREVENTED HIM FROM BEING KILLED. AS THE BATTLE PROGRESSED, SHIROU STARTED TO WEAR DOWN KIOJI, WOUNDING HIM SEVERAL TIMES. HUDAN SLOWLY RECOVERED FROM THE NEARLY FATAL BLOW ONLY TO SEE KIOJI, BRUISED AND BLOODY. HE SCANNED THE ROOM LOCATING THE LATE KING DIAO'S ROYAL SWORD GLIMMER IN THE DIM LIGHT AND BEGAN TO CRAWL TOWARDS IT. KIOJI SCREAMED IN AGONY AS SHIROU LANDED BLOW AND BLOW. KIOJI'S ABILITY TO REGENERATE ALSO AIDED IN THE BRUTAL BATTLE, HOWEVER HE COULDN'T HOLD OUT MUCH LONGER. WANTING TO END THE BATTLE, SHIROU POWERED UP FOR A FINAL ATTACK. THE STORM SURROUNDED THE ONCE PEACEFUL KINGDOM. HIGH MYSTIC LARC SMILED, AS HE COMPLETELY TOOK CONTROL OF THE CITY, AND EMBRACED THE STORM AS A SIGN THAT SHIROU WAS ALMOST, IF NOT, KING OF PAGUAN. KIOJI BEGAN TO CHANT HEALING SPELLS; HOWEVER, HE WAS TOO FATIGUED TO PREFORM ANY MAGIC. HE BARELY HELD HIS BROKEN SWORD AS HE FACED HIS BROTHER, WATCHING WITH NERVOUS EYES AS SHIROU SHOOK THE CASTLE WITH TREMENDOUS POWER. HUDAN FINALLY REACHED THE ROYAL SWORD AND QUICKLY SNATCHED IT FROM THE GROUND, AND MADE HIS WAY BEHIND SHIROU. WITH OUT HESITATION SHIROU LUNGED AT KIOJI, AS KING DIAO'S SWORD FLEW BEHIND HIM. SHIROU INSTINCTIVELY DOGDED THE ROYAL SWORD AS KIOJI LEAPED FORWARD AND GRACEFULLY GRABBED IT OUT OF THE AIR. USING HIS MOMENTUM, KIOJI RAMMED HIS FATHER'S SWORD INTO SHIROU'S CHEST IMPALING HIM TO THE CASTLE WALL. AS KIOJI SLOWLY RELEASED HIS GRIP, SHIROU BLED OUT BLACK BILE AND EVENTUALLY PASSED ON. EXHAUSTED, KIOJI STARTED TO FALL ONLY TO GET EMBRACED BY HUDAN. AS THEY SLOWLY MADE THEIR WAY TO THE CASTLE'S ENTRANCE, A BLACK FIGURE MADE ITS WAY IN. KIOJI AND HUDAN FROZE AND CAUTIOUSLY WAITED. THE TORCH LIGHT REVEALED SHIROU, SMIRKING IN EXCITEMENT. KIOJI AND HUDAN QUICKLY LOOKED AT THE IMPALED CORPSE ONLY TO SEE A DEAD SHADOW SOLDIER. SHIROU SHADOW STEPPED TOWARDS THE SHOCKED DUO KNOCKING BACK KIOJI, AND PICKING UP HUDAN BY THE NECK, MAKING HIS WAY TO THE CASTLE ENTRANCE'S BRIDGE. AS SHIROU HELD HUDAN OVER, HE DREW HIS ROYAL SWORD. AS SHIROU MOTIONED TO THRUST HIS BLADE, KIOJI APPEARED IN FRONT OF HUDAN TAKING THE FULL IMPACT OF THE BLADE. SHIROU RELEASED HUDAN AND THEY BOTH FELL TO THE FAR DOWN RIVER. SHIROU STARED AT THE RIVER FOR A BRIEF MOMENT SAVORING HIS VICTORY. VANISHING IN THE SHADOWS, SHIROU NOW HAS HIS KINGDOM. KING DIAO RULES ONCE AGAIN - HIS KINGDOM OF PAGUAN. THE WILD STORM SETTLED WITH A MASSIVE DARK CLOUD STOPPING AND LINGERING OVER THE KINGDOM. THIS IS THE WAY OF MEN; THIS IS THE WAY OF GAIA. THIS IS KAIODEN - ORIGINS.