Eight years had passed since my training had started, now I had mastered my master's
technique the Juu Hyaku Ryuu. Daichi had a plan for this morning, while I waited for him to
wake, I thought taking a dip in the lake would be a clever idea. I was now eighteen, my muscles
had grown in quite nicely in my arms and lower body such as my legs. I still felt like I could
have more muscle like Daichi. He would always get all the ladies when we went into town. No one ever looked my way. He was a well-built man his chest was big, he had a six pack, and his
arms looked like he could easily pick up a boulder and throw it. I know I sound jealous of him
and I am. I wish I could have his body anyway. I considered the water, my blond hair was down
to my hips, my ocean blue eyes had grown fiercer with the training, and knowing one day I
would have to use it to hurt or even kill someone. I looked over my body as I took my kimono
off. I'm skinny everywhere I swear I look like a woman instead of a man. My body was not
where I wanted it, but my body was still strong I was a lot stronger than I looked. No women
would want me like this. I heavily sighed as I took a step into the icy water. I had been
swimming for an hour, it was odd that Daichi hadn't come out yet. It was only day break when I
woke up. I swam to where my cloth laid on the ground and sluggishly got out of the water and
placed my clothes upon my girly figured body. I walked to the cabin and saw Daichi standing in
front of the cabin door looking as though he had seen a ghost. His crimson eyes fixated on the
sword he was holding.
"Isn't that…" I said but was interrupted.
"Yes, the dragon sword… I swore.. I would never use this sword again. Now is the time
to pass it on." He said the look of sadness and loneliness shot across his face.
"Daichi? What do you mean pass it on?" I asked.
"Someone new must claim his power, I have considered many people… You are the one
who should take the dragon and use his power as your own." He said with a frosty tone.
I was confused but at the same time excited. To get the dragon sword would be so cool.
Then I'm sure the ladies would be all over me, having that powerful sword by my side.
Something wasn't sitting in my heart well. If all he wanted to do was give it to me why was he so
sad?
"Are you ready to take the responsibility that this sword holds for you?" he asked.
"… Yes, I'm ready Daichi." I hesitated.
Daichi turned towards me and pointed the sword towards me. I was shocked, I looked up
to Daichi and his eyes were on fire you could see the smoke come from his eyes as the flames
roared through his eyes. I had no idea what I just got myself in to. I closely examined the sword
the handle of the sword was shaped like a dragon; the dragon's tail ran down the sword it almost
touched the tip of the blade. The sword wasn't normal I could see purple smoke rise from the
blade.
"Well, draw your sword boy!" he yelled in a deep and somewhat intimidating voice.
"That voice…" I said surprised.
It was him that night on the horse the one who saved me and watched as my mother died
horribly. How did I not realize it earlier, he saved me but let her die as those men did what they
wanted with her. He just let it happen, he never helped her not once. Didn't even try to save her,
just me. I could feel the hate start flowing throughout my body like a fire I couldn't control.
Before I knew it, my body was moving on its own dueling Daichi. All my swings where serious
swings my body wanted him dead for what he had done, or should I say what he didn't do. He
could have saved her, but he didn't. I jumped back and started a final attack on Daichi, I lashed
at him and at the last second Daichi dropped his sword and let me pierce him. I could feel the
blood from Daichi's body poor out of him on to my arm. I let go of my sword in shock. Daichi
fell to the ground in what felt was slow motion, it took me a minute to come back to my senses. I just killed my master… "Boy, your name for now on will be Junjie Manchu you have earned the power of the
dragon's sword. Now listen to me closely before I die." He said as he coughed out some blood
on the ground and drug himself up to a tree to lean on. "The responsibility you just took was to
take on the seven swordsmen who killed your family. You have taken one out me the dragon, the
dragon sword when you pick it up will change into a weapon just for you. it changes to what
your heart chooses, if you are filled with hate it will be a weapon of mass destruction. It will also
change your soul, if you choose the path of revenge like I did. When you pick up that sword you
will see everyone with the sign of the zodiac that they are on their forehead. You will only see
the ones who have already unlocked their power, by that I mean their weapon. If they have not
unlocked their power then you won't know who they are. From what I heard they have all been
unlocked but for the monkey. So be careful who you trust." He smiled and closed his eyes to
never open them again.
I stood for only a moment after he died, I didn't know what to think, I just killed my
master. Also, what he said about the sword kept replaying in my mind. I had to be careful when I
pick up the sword but first things first. I pulled the sword out of my master's chest drug his body
to the lake to clean him up for burial. When I was done cleaning his body I drug him to the grass
by the cabin grabbed a needle and thread out of the cabin and stitched the cut that was in his
chest placed new robes upon his lifeless body. The same robes I saw him wear the night he saved
my life. The regret I felt for killing the man that has always helped me was more than my heart
could handle. The rage that took me over in the matter of just minutes was what made me want
to destroy him. He was the only one who could save me, this is my destiny. I looked to the sword
that lay on the ground and felt as though I was not ready for the responsibility it had in store for
me. To choose to take on the six that ruined my life from a youthful age, or to turn from this path
and maybe fall in love and have a family. As I started to dig a hole to place Daichi's body in I
kept thinking what path I should take. The one I saw was in my mother's eyes before she died or
a new path which one should I choose?
As I placed Daichi's body into the hole, I watched as I started to pour the dirt over his
body. His pale face still looked perfect but there was something different with his face, he always
seemed to be in pain or thinking of something, now he looked completely in peace. What if the
other six wanted the same thing to be at peace for all the wrong that they have done, I thought
about the peace I would be bringing to them all. When I was finished burying Daichi, I grabbed
my dagger and cut my hair to shoulder length then pulling it into a bun. I changed my kimono
into the special kimono that Daichi had laid on the bed for me. The color was a deep black it was
made of a heavy material but was very comfortable. I slid on my sandals before I walked out the
door. Then looked back at the place that I lived for the last few years. I sluggishly walked out of
the cabin and stared at the sword that still lay on the ground and thought carefully.
If I choose the wrong path I will be possessed by the swords anger and become someone
I don't want to be. But at the same time, I knew I wanted revenge for my family there were two
sides of me one that wanted to be happy and not have to worry about things. As I contemplated
on what was more important and which path I must choose for myself, I walked towards the
sword and picked it up.
At first there was nothing, I didn't feel different. I felt normal, then a thought of my
mother entered my head how she was embracing me that night and how the tears rolled down her
cheeks. I remembered how much I loved her for saving me that night. When I looked at my right
hand that was wielding the sword, it began to change. The dragon moved to the back of the blade
and laid its tail on it, the handle of the sword, the dragon itself wrapped its body around my hand.
Its golden body was beautiful against the blade of my sword. The head of the dragon faced me as
if he was asking me a question or to see which path I may take. I felt a pain in my right eye,
almost unbearable, I dropped the sword on the ground and walk to the edge of the water. I gazed
into the water and my right eye was glowing green with smoke coming from it. It looked like I
had a dragon's eye where my right eye used to be. Shortly the smoke lifted and my eye was
normal again.
I thought nothing of it at that moment, I got up sluggishly and placed the sword in its
sheath. I felt different it was hard to explain, like my whole life finally fell into place. Life had
begun for me for the first time. Like everything that once mattered, no longer mattered. Only the
new path I have chosen mattered. I had no home here anymore it was time to move on.
I found myself wondering through the forest before long, my sight and senses where
more intense I could see farther than I ever could before and feel the earth tremble under my feet
every step I took. I could feel the life of the planet flow through me, I felt stronger than I ever
have before. The sword felt heavy on my side, which was the only thing I could feel. For the first
time, I felt truly free to do what I wanted. I felt that I was missing something deep down inside,
as if everything that was important was pushed aside for a bigger adventure for me. I started to
think of my family and how happy we were before that fateful day. How my father and mother
would play with my sister and I remembered my father's name Junjie Manchu. Live the life of
my proud father and one day I will exceed at what no one else could accomplish.
I was interrupted from my thoughts when I heard a horse coming up the path. I slipped
behind a tree thinking it was the man that came years ago. I peeked out enough to see the road. It
wasn't a man at all it was a woman, her beauty made me breathless as her long black hair flowed
through the wind. Her face was like a painting that could never be erased out of my heart. Her
lips were full and lush, her eyes were deep brown, she looked as though she was a little older
than me maybe in her 20's but looked as though she could pass as a teenager. She wore a kimono
that was a green teal color that looked like it was made of silk. As she rode by, it felt like
minutes. I looked at her but it was only a matter of seconds. I knew I had to keep going due to
the deed I had just done. I quickened my pace since I knew that in any moment that she would
probably be looking for the person who killed master.
I started to run as fast as I could to get to the next town to buy some food and supplies
with the money I found by my outfit that master had laid out for me. I should have been paying
more attention to where I was going, because suddenly, I ran into something. It was hard as a
rock and knocked me back, I fell to the ground hard. I looked up and saw a man standing there
looking down at me with a huge smile on his face.
"Well, hello there." The strange man said
I stared at him in confusion as he gave me his hand to help me up. When I got to my feet
he was still smiling his orange hair reminded me of a cat it was messy but was a good look for
him. His eyes where gold and looked like cat eyes he stood about five feet tall, pale skin, looked
fragile he was so thin and brittle. He looked as though he couldn't lift anything but this man
knocked me down. So, I knew he was stronger than he looked.
"Hello sir, I'm sorry I ran in to you." I bowed as I apologized
"Oh, your fine I didn't feel it at all." He said as he laughed
He then put his hand towards me and smiled his big smile that kind of reminded me of
the chester cat in the story master would tell me when I was a child. His eyes sparkled as he said.
"My name is Light I have been waiting for you for quite some time master." He said as
his orange gold hair moved through the wind and the light of the sun shined through his golden
cat eyes. I reached out for his hand, and he shook my hand so hard and tight I thought my hand
would break or be torn off.
"My name is Junjie Manchu, why have you been waiting for me?" I questioned while I
rubbed my arm to make sure it was still there.
"You are the leader of the zodiac warriors. The dragon leads us, am I wrong? I mean
you'll have a lot of work to do and fighting to get them to join you." he laughed. "The dragon is
the leader."
"The leader of the zodiac warriors?" I stood there dumbfounded I thought about the
revenge they deserve after destroying my life.
"Yeah, you know very little for taking all this responsibility on." He said with a sigh.
"So which Zodiac are you then? Since you know so much?" I questioned.
"I'm the cat…I…" He started to say something but was interrupted by my laughter.
"Is there a problem?" I could feel his eyes pierce my skin.
"Um… the cat isn't part of the Zodiac anymore… or so I thought?" I said as serious as
possible.
"The cat isn't thanks to that damn rat, I will get my place back in the zodiac." He said
with a grin.
"Light, was it? How can I be your leader if you're not part of it?" I questioned.
That was the wrong question to ask he picked my six-foot four-inch body off the ground
and over his head with one arm. I was shocked with how strong he is.
"You will help me become part of the zodiac again. If you know what's good for you,
Junjie. I am going to get that rat back for what he did to me." He said with revenge on his
tongue, I could also see the pain in his eyes.
" I will help you, Light, but please call me Manchu it's more respectable." I said, as he sat
me down slowly he smiled again.
"I think I will call you Junjie instead, you call me by my first name. We will be the best
of friends anyway no point in going formal, Junjie." He laughed.
Somehow, I felt like Light was toying with me like a rat in a cage, he was definitely an
interesting character. He was also serious about becoming part of the zodiac again. I didn't want
to not help him from something he wanted to work towards. Plus, we could work together to gain
what we both want.
"You think a lot huh, Junjie?" he said.
"Sometimes, yes. I have a lot to do now that I have this sword by my side." I replied as I
grasped the grip of the sword.
"Well let's get to town we aren't so far from town now. That's where you were going
right?" Light questioned.
"Yes, I was actually, let's head out then." I replied.