Chapter One:

Running and screaming. Hatred, rage, resentment, bitterness, and fear, all these described what the Humans were feeling as it hit. The demonic powers of hell, the holy fires of Heaven’s fury, how could any one Human stand up to that?

There was an angel and a demon that brought around the most destruction. They were Tyreal and Confusion, the two most powerful beings in this world. And, as the fires of their hellish demise slowly swept away the buildings of metal and stone, the Humans ran. Just…ran. No matter how much they screamed, how far they ran, they could never get away. Confusion made sure of that. While Tyreal continued to decimate their homes.

They would all die eventually. Some, however, would be spared, but not many.

As the fires burned, large comets pummeled the earth’s surface, creative craters and hole and many, many gorges. How could any one person survive the brutal attack?

However, there were a few who survived. How, no one knew. Most hid underground, but even then, many died. Others hid in caves high in the mountains, but, again, many died.

This story is about their love, hate, and their wars. ‘Why?’ you ask? Because that is what our world is about. Why am I going to tell you this story? Because this is how I wish our world was like. I do not like the crime, hunger, homelessness, fear, hatred, and war. I want you to learn from our mistakes, no matter how much we forget. However, I wish to welcome you to this world, known among its residents as Kawagiri.

A woman stepped out onto a vast field. Well, it used to be a beautiful field. Now it was just a barren wasteland of dirt, craters, and death. The woman smiled a cold smile that was easily identified with hunger. And, as the sent of decaying bodies, fire, water, and some sent unknown to most humans drifted in the stagnate air; the woman’s smile widened.

Her name was Kyonshi and she was the Vampire Queen. She’d led her people for many centuries; through the endless torment and hatred they faced from the mortal-Humans.

Behind her a man stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. “My dear Kyonshi, are you having that much fun?” he whispered, rubbing his nose to her neck. His voice, gentle in tone, was a low tenor, seductive and mystical. His dark red-brown hair fell to his shoulders and into his gold eyes. He was taller than Kyonshi by several inches, but his slightly muscular frame held the woman gently, as if she were something fragile that would break at the slightest touch.

“Yes, my darling Akutarou,” she murmured. Her voice was a soft soprano, sweet and hypnotizing. She tilted her head to the side, almost falling into his arms. Her long bluish-black hair was tied up into an elegant bun, her fire-red eyes hidden behind dark eyelashes. Her slender from seemed to melt into his arms, a perfect fit. “I have never tasted fear like this before…”

“Mm, you’re right. Indeed, it is very good.” He smiled darkly. Suddenly, the smile dropped from his face, he backed away from Kyonshi, his gold eyes growing cold as he stared ahead.

Humans stood before them, scared and alert. They looked to Kyonshi’s lover with reverence.

“Welcome, my friends,” she said cheerfully, or in a voice that she thought was cheerful. In reality, her voice was colder than ice, freezing the bone.

Behind her several people appeared, seemingly out of thin air. One was a tall, muscularly built man. His dark brown hair fell to just above his collar, falling into his dark brown eyes. He smiled at several Human women, a smile so charming they almost fainted at the sight of it—some even did! He was Damien, one of Kyonshi’s top men.

Another was Gabriel. (Now, don’t get the wrong idea about him! He isn’t the angel ‘Gabriel’! He was Turned vampire by one of his favorite rock bands. I would think that would be a horrible way to treat a fan, but Gabe actually enjoys being a vampire.) He was wearing a pair of dark black leather pants and a ‘80s band t-shirt (which happened to be the band of vampires that Turned him). Gabriel’s grey-purple eyes studied the Humans, his shaggy dark brown hair falling into those orbs and around his ears. Half amused, half cynical, his grin showed both his pointed fangs.

Standing slightly behind Kyonshi and Akutarou, but in front of the other two (hundred), Ishiyumi Juushin gently touched Kyonshi’s robe and bowed. The woman’s cold smile turned to him and seemed to warm slightly. Juushin’s milky-blue eyes were blank, almost unseeing, his salt n’ pepper hair tied back from his face in a tight tail. Across his back rested a large ornate crossbow, at his side were the bolts, small daggers, and one small kodachi. None of the humans could see these weapons; however, seeing as a large dark brown trench coat covered these weapons as well as his body.

“I wish to welcome you once more, my friends,” the woman smiled, extending a hand to her lover, and another to the Humans. “I am…”

“We don’t flippin’ care who in all the hells you are!” a woman from the army shouted. Almost instantly, they parted, revealing the young woman to the vampire leader and her council. She was tall with perfect long legs, shoulder length tawny-brown hair, and almond shaped grey eyes. Her voice was raised in anger; however she still held the non-squeaky tendency of a woman’s voice. Her short leather miniskirt was torn in a place, showing off more of her right leg than was needed, whereas her leather crop-top was just barely held together.

Her smile still in place, Kyonshi motioned toward Juushin. The bodyguard, still emotionless, stepped forward in front of the Vampire Queen, his crossbow notched and ready.

“My dear,” she whispered, “you do. You all do. Because, from now on…I, am your queen. I rule Kawagiri. There is nothing you can do to stop me.” Seeing the young woman’s—as well as the other Humans’—eyes widen, Kyonshi’s smile turned fierce. The smell of Fear wafted off them into the Immortal’s nostrils, tantalizingly sweet.

“I am Kyonshi, Vampire Queen! I have ruled my people for over three hundred years! My lover, Akutarou, who has served with me for just as long. Damien and Gabriel, my closest advisors and warriors. The rest are my loyal subjects, soldiers, and healers. However, Ishiyumi Juushin here is my bodyguard. I would be wary of him if I were you.” Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she stared out at all the frightened faces before her. “Welcome to my world, my life, my dream. My fukkou.” Her feral smile turned toward the young woman. “Juushin…”

The man turned to her, whispering something to her quietly. All could hear him, no matter how much he tried to be quiet. The language his spoke was one that none of the Humans recognized, powerful and hypnotic. As it was, his voice made them step away: no mortal should have that powerful a voice. Kyonshi smiled again and turned toward her bodyguard, murmuring to him in that same powerful language. Juushin looked up and his cold, blue eyes met those of the young woman.

“You are…Makani of the Wind,” he murmured softly, his stare seeming to lessen in strength. He raised his crossbow, aiming for her chest, and fired with out a second of hesitation. The woman’s eyes widened and, with out thinking, threw up her arms. Strong wind picked up around her suddenly, throwing the crossbow off course and back towards its owner, landing at Juushin’s feet.

“How…how did you know my name?!” the woman, Makani, shouted, outraged and appalled: this man had read her mind!

“You are also neither woman nor man.”

Yes, a collective gasp came from every single mouth in the general area. Even from the Immortals’. Makani turned beet red.

“Well, so what if I’m not!?” she shouted through clenched teeth. With out realizing it, wind had started to gather around her white-knuckled fists. “I’m proud of it! It was my choice!”

If she—or he—hadn’t been that mad, she—or again, he—would’ve realized that Kyonshi and Damien were attempting to hide smiles behind their hands, Gabriel was blushing slightly, and Akutarou was snickering subtly. Juushin, however, was still emotionless, whereas the Humans around her had backed away, well away. The sent of Fear was very plain in the air; even the Humans could smell it, heavy and dank. Added, faintly, was a new smell. Some would call it Yearning, others would call it Envy. I, however, call it Lust. Some Humans in that small army, upon hearing those words, felt…intrigued and aroused. Not what you’d expect from most.

“So it was,” Juushin said, lifting his crossbow again. This time, while Makani attempted to control her rising anger, he aimed, not at her, but at a man standing closest to her--but still rather far away. “I want to test how quick you are.”

A quick twitch of his finger proved that he wasn’t joking. The man, who was wearing a large, long orange monk’s robe with the hood pulled over his face, seemed to be frightened. Of course, none could tell, what with the stench of Fear all over the place and his hood in his face. Makani barely wasted time, she ran toward the man, raising her hands as she did so. In a moment or less the man would be dead! She wasn’t going to make it!

The man pulled back his hood, revealing yellowed skin and almond shaped hazel eyes, and looked up, seemingly as if he’d just come out of a daze. Seeing the bolt traveling towards him, he lifted up his hands just before it connected to his skull. In a hairs breath of time, he whispered a prayer…

And shattered the bolt! Just by touching it? Skidding to a stop just before she hit the old man, Makani stared at the dust in the wind before her: all that was left of the attacking bolt.

“Very interesting,” a rich, but quiet, voice murmured from behind the Vampire Queen. Smirking as if he owned the place, Gabriel stepped forward and sized up the old man. He really wasn’t much to look at; he was short, hardly 5 feet tall, with no hair to speak of, but his almond shaped hazel eyes shone excitedly in his old, yellow face. His body was round and mushy, bulging in some places. His yellow skin and face told all that he was of oriental decent.

It was believed in this land that people from the Western countries (what we Earthlings would call the East) are people of great fear. They had an in-born ability to control the elements of magic. Why would these people be feared? It was because all the great conquerors of their pasts were of Oriental decent. Powerful, strong, potent; not only were they powerful magic users, but—not only because those of the East couldn’t control magic—they had also built up their strength as well. This made for a strong dominating force, mind games included.

The man grinned cheekily at the dark haired vampire. “My name is Chi-Long, and I am Xi-Ju. A sorcerer of the great Lord Shodan!” The Humans pulled back even farther. Not only was he oriental, but from Xian and Jiu!

Xian was the land farthest to the West, closest to the Sun—as most believed. They were considered the most spiritual of all the peoples, as well as the strongest mages. Jiu was the land right next to it, closest to the Moon. The sun and moon where symbols, just like in our time, of light and dark. Night and Day. Order and Chaos. Good and Evil.

However, Chi-Long was from both Xian and Jiu, hence he was Xi-Ju. If he was both day and night, he completely contradicted himself. How could one person hold both of the universe’s laws?

“Xian…and Jiu?” Gabriel asked softly. His gaze took in everything about Chi-Long. “I’m impressed. The only other person I’ve met like you was my dear Samuel-sama.”

“Ah, Master Samuel, the leader of my clan." The sorcerer smiled widely, showing off sparkling white teeth. “I am surprised, however, that my Master knows a vampire like you sort.” He waved his hand in Kyonshi’s direction.

“Oh, I’m sorry you feel that way, dear Chi-Long,” the vampire queen laughed coldly, “however you will also be sorry to hear that your dear Master Samuel is in my army now.” Her cold laugh echoed around the valley as a young man stepped forward from Kyonshi’s army. He glanced at the woman, his orange eyes filled with warmth and reverence; when he turned to Chi-Long his eyes were mocking and dark.

“Chi-Long, my apprentice,” the vampire laughed. “Why am I not surprised to see you still living? Perhaps, now would be as good a time as ever to drain you of your blood, as I promised all those years ago. Wouldn’t that be fun, my apprentice?”

“Master Samuel!” the sorcerer’s face drained of color. In his mind he could see his master all those years ago: he was exactly the same. Taller than most of the other vampires, his long purple-red hair fell into his slit-orange eyes, with his long black and green robe draped around his slim, but broad, shoulders. The mocking smirk on his face caused anger to flush the sorcerer’s face a dark, tomato red.

“I’m afraid that I had to lie to your family, my dear apprentice. All those years I’ve told them that I’m just not a normal human, I suppose that’s partly right…” A cold, mocking laugh left his lips. “You’re still nothing but weak humans! After all these years, you’re weak!”

“My, my, Master Chi-Long.” Gabriel grinned as Damien finally spoke up. His voice was deep, hypnotic even, commanding and soft. Those women from the group of Humans started to swoon and faint again. “Why are you so angry at us, dear Chi-Long?” He pronounced the mage’s name as if it were a curse word he’d rather not say. His dark brown eyes were full of contempt; easily he found this man dirty and beneath him.

“You…” The mage rasped the word, reaching for any sort of sentence to form. His mind was clouded with anger, his hazel eyes snapping wilding, and steam seemed to poor out of his ears. “You…you…you…LIAR!” Rising his arms above his head, his eyes screwed shut, a large ball of light radiated between his palms. “I WON’T LET YOU GO ON WITH THIS LIE ANY LONGER!” Reaching forward, his palms facing the vampires, he shouted an arcane word. Instantly, all was black.

A/N: Well? What do you think? - I think it’s cool! One of the better chapter’s I’ve ever written! And, lookit that! Five pages! W00g w00g! XD

Glossary:

Mokushi—Apocalypse
“In all the hells”—a term used in this world. There is more than one “hell” that the people believe in (that’s all people, including immortals and demons)
Fokkou—revival/renaissance/reconstruction
Xi-Ju—a breed of humans who live between the lands of Xian and Jiu.
Shodan—The god of Judgment to the people of Kawagirir
Xian—A land far to the West of Sorairo Kusa, South of Jiu. People who live here are usually very gifted with Black Magic.
Jiu—A land far to the West of Sorairo Kusa, North of Xian. People who live here are usually very gifted with White Magic.
-sama—a suffix in Japan, sometimes means “lord”

Hope you all enjoyed! - R&R, please? Pretty please? With sugar, and a cherry on top?

Maz