Disclaimer: I own Every Character in this story and the story itself, yet if those names are taken then they are not mine. But this is MY story and I take credit for it, BUT... Uhm... all from my imagination!! Yea...

---

Chapter Two:

Faded Heart of a Warrior

It would've been fine at first but when recent destruction had been made, no one knew the cause but the rumored return of the dark lord had already spread the country.

Kyo, entering a village that had been isolated and was living in poverty, he thought that maybe he had entered a wrong village. He was unsure if that was the correct village that may contain the legendary warrior that had killed off the long lasting feud of one man against a whole country.

"Maybe this is it" Kyo muttered under his breath as he stared at a piece of slightly ripped paper of where a close friend of his drew his directions, then he stared blankly at the dusty, cracked ground ahead of him, he couldn't help but wonder.

Was this all what was left of this village?

---

Pleased with a grin, the awakened war lord sat onto his throne with his head against his hand as he eyed each and every corner, crack and bone there ever was in the big mess hall of his.

Each blood had dripped down the walls and ceilings from his massacre, all done with his now red covered nails, or more likely claws at this stage.

Just eying the area had made the Kusanagi think; he knew that what he did made him go against a whole nation only by himself.

"Must recruit"

He stood followed with his lazy yawn and started to walk down the middle in between the pool of red liquid, everyone would be against him.

"But only fools are foolish enough to be in my side for power."

---

The old man was out of his bed; his nightmares had already faded from his thoughts but his hands had already been shaking since the moment he saw the dark thunders around the abandoned mansion of the Kusanagi.

It was clear that though he was old, people should recognize him and who he really was. But his elderly self couldn't bear to confront his village people after what had happened now, so his people fled to safety.

His granddaughter was what he had left, but she wanted to fled, fled from a world of hatred and taunted souls. But for his sake, she had willingly stayed from her love for her grandfather.

"Ojiisan..."

"Hai..."

"I-I... want to learn... Ojiisan"

The elderly man with his fragile body slightly turned in a slow motion with his wooden cane in his grasp, his eyes had spotted his granddaughter on the floor, on her knees bowing to him.

She looked up with a saddened look, it's been one whole year since she begged for her grandfather to train her, but the same reply would always convince her she wasn't capable of such a thing,

"No..."

"But Ojiisan... I want to learn! Kusanagi Kero has been unleashed and no one's doing anything about it! Why can't I? Since I am the granddaughter of the one who perished the man!?"

"Therefore you are forbidden to fight. A real warrior would leash out, he would become the one capable enough to kill Kusanagi Kero for good, as for you, you are capable of being a young lady like now."

"Why won't you let me?" Tears began to flee down her brown eyes.

"Because I don't want you to die like your mother did when she knew she couldn't save your father 10 years ago!" The elderly man growled, and by this the young woman stood with eyes of tears that stared at her grandfather, but he only beckoned her to open the door, and thus leaving him with thoughts of nothing but on how to defeat one man once again.

"So... up the hill then-" Kyo had walked up the stair that led to a big dojo, he gulped and walked up the steps and took off his sandals, he knocked onto the wooden sliding door and muttered as he had took in his surroundings.

"So he lives here..."

The door opened and Kyo was surprised to see a young woman, she seemed sad, but she was beautiful.

"Hai...?"

"Is Lord Bikichi here?"

She looked up at him as if she had known who he was, and glared.

"Follow" she muttered as she led him the way, but deep in her mind she knew that the guy that had just entered was someone that may be who her grandfather was talking about.

"Ojiisan... This man is here"

The old man nodded and beckoned Kyo closer to him, and the young man did, he bowed in front of the old man and bowed his head.

"And who are you?"

"I am Hyoga Kyo; I come here to ask for training as I have been the one to unleash the darkness over our nation."

The girl narrowed her eyes as she slightly frowned knowing he'll get more attention than she will in training, but what shocked her the most was the fact that she just saw her grandfather whack the young Kyo with his wooden cane, which she reckoned would've hurt a whole lot.

As for Kyo, his face met the ground as he rubbed the back of his head. He was certain a bump has now appeared on his head.

"That was for what you have done! You know this nation will suffer because of your foolish attempt!!!! And for doubting that an elderly man such as I would not be the warrior you thought I would be"

Kyo gulped and looked up at the elderly man and gulped once more.

"Kimiko... Take Lord Hyoga here to one spare room and get him set for the first training."

The young lady known as Kimiko, brightened with joy for being accepted to being trained, lifted the injured Kyo and practically dragged him to his room with his equipment.

As for the old man, his identity noticed by one young man wouldn't be enough for him to be confident and be able to face his training with two young people.

"You've grown weary already Genki?"

"No Kero... I've only just begun"

---

Author's Note: Well that turned out sucky as I thought.

Next Time:
"What's meditation got to do with our training!? This is useless!"

SLAP

"You can't just yell at him like that!"

What just happened? Tune in next time