Legend Of a Fire

8.Change

2012-06-25T18:38:00.003-07:00

5 Years Later

The thunderous clouds created an atmosphere of terror in the minds of the life below on earth. The sun, with all its glory, with all its fire was hidden behind the lightning and roaring clouds that seemed to be bent on spreading darkness across the lands.

Admist the angry clouds flew the phoenix of fire, not red, but black. It's feather's had lost the royalty. It had turned into a dark phoenix, of dark fire, burning the rain drops to vapors as it flew. Upon its back was the familiar face of Kane Firecaster. His eyes, wet, not by the crying clouds, but because of his crying heart. In his memories resided his lost brother, the brother he hated with all his heart.
"Why? Brooklyn... we could have had a happy life... why? why did you have to be so good?", Kane's heart asked his brother, who according to people's belief, would now be somewhere here in the skies, in a place called heaven. Even the Phoenix could feel the darkness, the hollowness in Kane's heart, so strong it was. His memories were creating his life into his mind.

*FLASHBACK*

"kane! come here my son!", his cheerful mother called him, "look what i brought for you"
"mommy!," the cute little boy smiled as he ran happily to his mother...

how happy our life was.....

"i am proud of you Brooklyn, my son, you bring proud to the whole Firecaster clan.", Kane's father said proudly keeping a hand on Brooklyn's shoulder who beamed with pride himself.

you were my strongest ninja...

walking through the streets, a conversation between the street vendor and his customer caught Kane's attention, "hey did you hear about Brooklyn Firecaster? that boy is amazing isn't he?"

"yeah, i had heard he activated his sharingan at the age of seven!", the shopkeeper replied.
"i am a ninja myself but i cannot even imagine how some people are so gifted with talent and a genius mind.. he has been chosen as the leader of Anbu cops today.. he makes us proud.", the customer said joyfully as if Brooklyn was his relative, in a sense he was, they shared the Firecaster blood.

my role model, everything i aspired to become, were you..

"elder brother! please, teach me the jutsu you promised to teach me..", a seven year old Kane demanded.
"not today little kid, i have a very important mission, for which i have to leave soon for a while," Brooklyn replied poking his brother's forehead with two of his fingers.
"no you're so bad you do this all the time!!," cried Kane.
"hey i promise the next time i will ok?.. now c'mon lets go back", the elder brother made a false promise again as he carried his beloved onto his back

you lied to me every time, but still, i wanted to become like you. i thought you loved me.

It was a dark alley, in a destroyed village, in a dark night. Kane walked through the alley, looking around at the lifeless bodies. He walked ahead to his home slowly, scared and worried for his family. His mind was full of questions, but the answers did not matter more than his family. He ran to the palace, his home..

"Ma!.. papa!" he called out. The palace had the same scenario like the streets outside, guards dead, lights blown out, silence everywhere. His voice echoed in the thick air. He had never been so scared. When he ran his way back to the village after training for hours in the forest and learning his new jutsu, he thought he would tell his father of his new accomplishment and hopefully he might this time praise him for his hard work. But what he saw when he reached near the palace shook him. As he walked into the King's room to look for his father, he was more than scared and dumbfounded. "Brother! wha...what are you doing? what is happening? who is this man?" he asked as he looked towards the man. "Brooklyn! no!" Kane screamed as he saw his brother slice his hand equipped with a dark jutsu across their father's neck. Their father's dead body fell on the ground besides their dead mother. "NOOO!!!!!" Kane screamed .

And then, you killed... our happy life, our parents, our clan, and you killed yourself, to let me live...

"brother....why? who is this man.. our parents,...!", Kane's voice was cold, not finding its way out of his throat anymore as he burs into tears. He did not fail to notice the lifeless eyes of his brother which reflected no mercy, no love. Since an year now, he had known his brother to be so, he had changed over time. his relation with their father had turned bitter but never in his dreams Kane could imagine he would go this far. Even their loving mother, he killed...

"This is Diedara.", Brooklyn finally spoke and signaled Diedara to move out. Kane watched Dieadara walk out and asked, "why?"

i asked you the truth.. it was not a play, not one of your false promises, you ... how could you....

"because i want power. hatred and ruthlessness is the only way. i had to kill everyone to get that power.", Brooklyn replied. "Then i hate you more!", Kane rose up from the floor and ran towards Brooklyn but was punched in the face and thrown back into a wall.

Before he could fall after hitting the wall, a fast Brooklyn caught him by his neck against the wall, watching his mouth bleed.

How could you lie again? how could you keep me in the dark? why could you not trust me with the truth back then?

Brooklyn spoke again,

"Kane.. my brother.. i see your love for me dying already. that is good. in time, you will too learn the path to power. I could kill you too little brother. But as always, you are too weak. look at yourself, crying like a girl. I will let you live and die everyday when you remember this night, and realise how much of a weakling you are. but i will leave you with an advice, Hatred, ruthlessness, are the only paths to power, only the stronger has the right to live. Like me, i live because i can, Father couldn't, because he was not strong. i will leave you alive to feel my hatred. When you can hate me with all your heart, when you won't hesitate to seperate my head from my body, that will be the day you can call yourself strong. Until then, run for your life little brother, so that you do not waste this chance that i gave you. Do not forget little brother, always remember, i am your brother, a wall that you have to climb, when you have eyes like mine, come to me", he finished as a tear rolled down his emotion less eyes which was immediately noticed by the little brother.

how could i have missed that tear? i had to know.. i should have seen it.. i should have...

"Grow up kid, i will not leave you everytime. c'mon Zan, tell Diedara your mission cannot be finished because you have to come with me for an important mission. Killing a kid is not our job" Brooklyn pushed back Kane's hand making him fall back on the ground. "wait!" Kane screamed but Brooklyn and his partner disappeared into smoke.

Kane was left alone in the forest with his horrible childhood, the feeling of weakness that he hated, one moment he was all strong and dominant over Zan but Brooklyn once again brought up the weak Kane. The Kane who feared, who cried, did nothing to hide his feelings. The rain drops made their way down his cheeks along with the tears Brooklyn had left. The strong prince of fire sat their in the darkness, 'crying like a girl'.

You wanted me to become stronger, we could do that together.. why brother.. ? why did you not tell me then, when you had one more chance?

*END OF FLASHBACK*

The clouds held back their tears for now, but continued to keep the lands dark, under their shade. Kane stood up on Dranzer's back, letting the winds travel through his dark hair. Looking far ahead into the clouds, Kane talked to his dead brother,"You wanted to make me a hero, in the eyes of those people, people who caused you to kill your parents, who used you, pushed you through hell, for their benifit, and you wanted me to be a hero for those? i cannot understand how you care about them, but walking on your path will be foolishness... i will avenge you, our clan, and regain our royalty, our pride, a

Later,

In the land of life…

The night sky was covered with thick clouds, the moon couldn't spread its light no matter how much it would try. On the window of her lonely Palace, Scarlet sat in a red colored, thin, silk robe starting much below her neck, leaving her shoulders bare, its straps hung at her arms, her knees folded up into the embrace of her arms as she looked outside in the dark. The city looked like just a shadow until it was illuminated by a loud thunderous lightning for a second or so. The sky was crying again, slowly. Its tears came down upon the earth as soft drizzles. Scarlet's eyes could never stop shedding tears as her mind was filled with memories of her love.

*FLASHBACK*

A bright day it was, but not very good, at least, for Kane and Scarlet...

The lovers were enjoying the cool winds of the waters in an attempt to escape the hot land, Dranzer was pleased as ever to be their ride. Flying above the vast sea, Dranzer's speed caused the water below to ripple apart as it flew. Scarlet giggled as she fought with all her strength to stay up while Kane tried to push her down into the water..

"NO KANE!!!.. hahaha.. please! oh... ", Scarlet seemed to be enjoying this as much as Kane did, "whah!!?"

A fast arrow, missing the head, passed through Scarlet's blonde hairs that were flying with the wind. Kane quickly held Scarlet back into his arms as his eyes looked into the direction from where the arrow came.
"where the hell did that come from?", Scarlet asked horrified as she looked around, the arrow having just missed her head.

"there's more to come...," replied Kane who seemed to be lost as he stared at the west. Scarlet's eyes followed his gaze and widened with shock, as they saw several ninjas flying on some kind of bird like creatures she had never seen before. They were grey colored and had no feathers, "turn back Dranzer!"

Dranzer flew upwards as it turned, trying to avoid the numerous arrows that filled the sky all of a sudden as an attack was launched by the ninjas.

"these are the wind ninja!.. we must've gotten into their territory while flying..", Kane explained as Dranzer tried to escape them to safety, catching a few small arrows into its chest and wings.

"there are so many of them!! its raining arrows and in the wrong direction! they should rain down not up!" Scarlet said and saw some ninjas flying above her closing the distance between them slowly, "i didn't really mean it..", she said as she backed into Kane's chest.

"jump down ? from here?", She questioned but rather than answering, Kane just jumped down holding her by her waist with him, they descended upside down towards the sea below (head down legs up). Scarlet's mind soon realized it was under a free fall and she began to scream, no matter what Kane said, nothing could pass her scream and go into her ears. "SCARLET!" Kane screamed, "do you love me?"

"more than yourself" she replied without thinking..
"do you trust me?" he inquired again.
"more than myself", she said, looking into his eyes, forgetting everything.A bright light illuminated the depth of the sea as Dranzer shrieked, it burnt like hell, the arrows could never reach its body, not being able to sustain the heat around the fire bird and Dranzer went on to clear the skies of ninjas as it was now free to burn not caring who else it could burn.

Kane brought his lips to hers and they pressed their lips together, #SPLASH# as they fell into the water, tearing through the sea's chest, they kept falling down deeper, slowing down. Sealing their mouths with each other's they remained for a while under the water, sharing their breaths through their mouths.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

"i trust you.. i love you..", She whispered into the air. Scarlet still remembered how sudden his departure was, at a time when she would never expect. Scarlet waited for him so long after that but he never came back. Today was the day when she had first met him years ago. And she couldn't bring herself to forget him. She didn't want to beause deep in her heart, she had a light of hope, that they will be together.

"scarlet..", the Suchikage whispered as he walked into her chamber towards her, "forget him my dear.. don't cry for him anymore.. you have waited 5 Years.. its a long time.. i am sure, he will come back, but you don't have to wait, not like this."

"Travyan!", Sche cried and ran to him, bursting into tears as she held onto the fatherly shoulders, "we were so happy.. why... did he have to.."

Travyan caressed the back of her head, "things never remain the same princess... change, is tha law of life, change, can bring joy, or sorrow, but we should not fear change, rather, face it, like a bad dream, which will be over soon, and another change, a good one, will replace it."

...................................................................................................................................................................

7. Good has earned me hatred

2012-06-21T22:12:00.001-07:00

King's Palace,

Land Of Fire,

"my lord... do not worry.. we will find the girl and Kane.. i could never in my dreams think that our beloved Prince would become a traitor," said the old advisor of the king.

Diedara turned his back to the old man and grinned, "yes.. he is a traitor..and not a prince anymore.. we need him back, dead or alive.. go declare him wanted all over the world."

"what? but my lord this isn't.."the old man tried to speak but was cut off in the middle by the king, "do as i say.. i have to think of the interests and welfare of all people and not just one."

The advisor nodded and left a grinning Diedara behind who whispered to himself, "Prince..... heheh..."__________________________________________

The word spread everywhere that the Land of Fire was looking for its Prince, many of the people from fire had turned against him, but the secret followers of the third hokage knew he was good, as they had always seen him as a light of hope after the third hokage.
The world was worried for if the fire prince was doubted to be hiding in their land, it would mean either they find him or prepare for an attack from the fire.

There was a tension among the political class, which feared a fourth ninja war.__________________________________________
Tree of Life,
Land of Life,

The suchikage, and Scarlet were sitting under the tree of life, while Kane stood upon one of its strong branches.
"so i am making way for a fourth ninja war.. is that what you mean?", Kane asked looking seriously at the dark sky in front of him then looked at Scarlet who was looking at him already.

"unfortunately yes my child, but this was not included in the prophecy, and what will happen in the war, we do not know", confirmed the suchikage.

Kane jumped down from the tree in front of the Suchikage, "why don't you tell me the complete thing once and for all? do not feed me pieces of a biscuit like you feed your dog.. what is this prophecy you talk of?"

the suchikage stood up, "as you wish my child... this goes back long long ago in time... to the very first ninja...", the suchikage walked past Kane as he went on to speak, "approximately one thousand years ago, one man, Parashu Hashirama, put all his vedic knowledge of human to practical use, and found the weak points, and he knew so many ways to kill without the use of any chakra or weapon, just by a finger. but as his thirst for knowledge grew, he learned about the chakra from many gurus and he achieved so much power gradually, his chakra combined with his knowledge of human body, he was invincible. He was the first Ninja. He had enormous chakra, and a dream, to create an army of Ninja, which will establish peace all over the world, and protect the people. But he couldn't bring himself to trust anyone else. Since, he had mastered all six paths of pain, he had the power to switch between worlds. Using all his spiritual chakra along with the natural process to impregnate his wife, He became a father to two young boys, Agni and Senju. He taught them all he knew, they shared his chakra which was divided equally among the two. They grew up under the guidance of their father, but.. the brothers were not as alike in their thoughts as they were in strength. While Senju, like his father, considered peace could be established by equal distribution of power among all the nations, Agni was of the opinion that True peace could only be established by fear, and monopoly of power. Their different ways made them walk seperate paths after Hashirama travelled to the eternal world leaving this world. They went on to create seperate clans, but because of Senju Hashirama spread the knowledge of his father, several other clans too came into existence and in time, with developing imbalance of power even though senju tried to balance it through out the world, a war was inevitable, and Agni used the chance to fuel the war, He launched an attack on one of the ninja clans, and slowly all its allies and enemies jumped into it, it was the first time, all ninjas of the world were at war."

An impatient Kane interrupts, "i am waiting for the prophecy part..."
"c'mon listen quietly Kane its you who wanted to hear everything", Scarlet whispered loud giving a stern look to her lover.

The Suchikage continues, "where were we... yes.. the war.. it was the first war.. very destructive indeed, mountains were shattered like stones.. the war was a good opportunity for Agni to defeat his brother and gain control on everything through power, as he wanted, rather than distributing the power as Senju wanted. The brothers fought, and fought till there was no moon, there powers were immense.. Senju had the Byakugan, and Agni had his all powerful Sharingan, which had both been derived from their father's rinnegan, that split into byakugan ang sharingan and passed into the two brothers. Senju Hashirama, finally won somehow, and the war was ended. It was decided in a meeting of all the nations that Senju's way was correct and that everyone should have the power to defend and that if everyone has equal strength, nobody would want to fight. Every nation then had its own ninja village. Where ninjas were trained. But the descenders of Agni, everytime caused a war, everytime a powerful ninja appeared that would drag the world into war.. Your clan, Kane, is Agni's clan.. Agni means Fire, thus the name of your clan, Firecaster clan. Of course you know what the land of fire has done under the increasing influence of your clan as it rose to power. The fourth hokage of your land, had once made a prophecy, while he was dying"

"what was it?" Kane asked.

The Suchikage thought for a while, trying to recollect the exact words he had read in his book, "the devil's son will burn to be the light"

"what does that mean?", Scarlet asked confused.

"you mean my father was a devil? how can you think i will not cut your head off your body if you call my father a devil?" Kane leered at the old man as he spoke calmly.

"Kane!", Scarlet shouted, "you shouldn't talk to the Suchikage like this.
"sorry, should i say thankyou for calling my father a devil? he was misguided ! not a devil !!"

"just misguided people don't go as far as killing the parents of an infant girl Kane" Scarlet replied to Kane in his style.

"calm down you two..", the suchikage said.

Kane was still staring at Scarlet..her eyes were wet, and said she hated the reasons for his very existence, his father. Kane was not in any mood to think and understand.

He turned, raising his hand up in the air, he brought it back with a force as he screamed, "DRANZER!!!!!!"

His locket, shined with a bright light burning in a sudden fire. The fire kept rising up in the air taking the shape of his beloved Phoenix.
"what are you doing?", Scarlet shouted.

"Kane!!" Suchikage called too but neither he nor the girl got a reply untill Kane was already on Dranzer, in the air, "i have burnt enough. i gave away every bit of patience i had trying to be good. But in the end, there is only hatred everywhere. Good has earned me hatred. The world hates me already for things i have not done, my people hate me for things i have done. I do not hate to be hated, because i am filled with hatred, hatred that i had supressed for long. I will be strong... and i will do, what i am destined for"

Dranzer flew away slowly as Kane talked disappearing into the clouds. Scarlet did not know what just happened to him, where had he gone when will he come, but all she knew was she had to cry. Her eyes couldn't stop flowing as she watched him disappear.

6.Troubles for Life

2012-06-08T03:10:00.002-07:00

The third Hokage

Office of the Hokage,

Hidden Leaf Village,

The third hokage sat in his office looking into his evana ball, watching Kane as he approached with three iron ninja.

"hmm.... Kane.. there is no surprise that you have come..", he said to no one, "but i did not expect this would happen so soon.."

He kept watching as Kane sent the three men in three directions and walked towards the office alone. He smiled knowing exactly what Kane was trying. soon he heard the chaos outside that was caused by the iron ninja to distract all the security ninjas. Kane walked freely making his way to the office. The door broke open but the hokage did not turn as he said, "welcome prince of fire.. how may i help you?"

The sound of a sharp metal sliding against metal ran through the room as Kane pulled out his katana sword and kept the sharp blade on the hokage's neck, "first of all, the answer that i wanted since a long time, why do you hide in the hidden leaf?"

The Hokage couldn't help smiling. He couldn't make out if it was over-confidence, foolishness, or an attempt to feel powerful that made Kane visit the most powerful ninja of the land of Fire in such a way, "i have always failed to understand your father and it seems....", The old man said, "you are just as unpredictable ....."

"Answer me!," Kane snapped back showcasing his fearlessness while in his full knowledge he knew even though old, the hokage was still pretty much unbeatable.

"It is a long story my child.....", he replied, "it was a long time ago... your father had just come back after plundering the land of life.... and he was furious for he couldn't get the princess who was just a newborn back then... i was always against the ways of your father, his lust for power, even before him, our kings took our land in the wrong direction... i have studied deeply how the land of fire, its people under the wrong guidance of the kings made their own laws, all their wrong desires were right to them... their lust for women and power just kept growing and as you can see, today, in the name of establishing peace by becoming the dominant world power, our people are all kings in other lands.. because they know the result of insulting any individual of the fire... this is tyranny Kane, not peace, and i have throughout my life tried to prevent this.. but why would anyone like the man who says they're wrong?"

As the hokage kept talking, Kane couldn't help loosing himself in his thoughts, his mind kept playing slideshows of images, burning houses, murdered people, crying children, women being dragged mercilessly.. "i have seen all those images in your books.. with my own eyes, and it is very disappointing to know our people take pride in it."

"get to the point..", Kane ordered.

The hokage smiled again at the young man," where was i... yes.. your father.. he was furious.. he was furious because he could not bring a baby girl who he wanted to use as another of his sex slaves when she grew up.. it was a disgusting thought to even touch a woman so young to yourself with lustful hands... and i tried to convey the same to him, so he would forget the girl..but he was sick of my constant opposition through the years of his Kingship i think, and he attempted to kill me.. i managed to escape but my family..... was not so lucky. they were murdered. Your father was powerful, as a ninja and as a King, i was no match. So with a stone upon my heart, i got over my loss, my family, and decided to stop worrying about this world anymore where nobody cared for me.. it was useless being right among a crowd of wrong, and i disappeared into the hidden leaf, and as i tell you this now, i am curious to know how did you find me? and the hidden leaf?"

Kane smirked, "With your evana ball being used so much, Dranzer can easily sense the energy... not to mention, the third hokage is the only one to have used his ninjutsu to create the evana ball...this is my second time to the leaf, and probably last."

The hokage couldn't help being impressed, this boy had the legendary Phoenix of Fire under his control..."that is impressive, now if you can stop pretending you're not afraid, i would like to take this.."

"huh?" Kane was surprised when he realized his sword had been so smoothly pulled out already from his hand and now it was upon his neck, in the hands of the old man standing behind him... his eyes couldn't believe the hokage was not in front of them anymore as they went wide in disbelief, "how did you....??"

"i am now the most powerful fire ninja ever Kane... you did know it didn't you?", the Hokage asked as he closed the distance between him and Kane's back, sliding the sword to the frot of his neck.

"the most powerful... heh.. not for long.." Kane said in a voice as cold-hearted as ever,"tell me why Brooklyn killed my clan and family."

"are you in a questioning position here my child?", the hokage chuckled lightly but was replied with silence, "ok... i'll tell you... i do not know.."

"why don't you? you are the wisest and the most knowledgeable living ninja in the fire.. you have to know!", Kane screamed.

"you have a sword over your neck, and you demand like the neck is mine...", the hokage smiled, "i do not know if i should be impressed, call you brave or foolish.. you confuse me since the moment i saw you in my evana ball... neither the wisest man of fire understands you Kane, neither he knows about your brother and his problems"

"uaAARGH!!" the hokage screamed and stepped back leaving the sword which Kane quickly grabbed again, he turned back to see his kunai knife firmly stuck into the old man's thigh, "powerful but old... rmember the book you wrote, 'path of the ninja'?"

"ugh.. y.. argh,, yes,"the hokage replied groaning in pain as he tried to pull out the thick but sharp knife.

"then you must not forget your own writings," Kane walked to the door and turned back to look at the hurt man, "never get too over confident..."
Having shown his unpredictability and impressive ninja talent, Kane ran away as fast as he could disappearing into the dark corridor.

Soon the informer of the hokage arrived, "oh my god! Lord Hokage!"
he ran to the silver haired man and helped him to a seat, "i'll bring help!"

"No!... i am fine.. a little knife can't do much.. why are you here?",asked the hokage.

"My lord, we have captured the three ninjas that were attacking people around the office, they are from the land of iron"

"good...argh...let them go with a warning...they've been used", the hokage struggled with the knife wondering what kind of a kunai it was that caused so much pain.

"leave them??", the informer asked surprised.

"yes.. do not question... blind fold them and let them loose in the jungle", he ordered again and the informer left.

The old man groaned again as he finally pulled out the kunai, panting, he muttered under his breath, "Kane.........."

King's Palace,

Land of Life,

"i think they know that Kane has been working against them for a while now.. i can't imagine what would have happened had they caught me...", Scarlet expressed he thoughts sadly to the Suchikage as she sat on the Cathedra of the Queen of Life, which was left vacant since the death of her mother.

"hmm... this isn't good.", the Suchikage said appearing to be in a deep thought, " If they know you're here it will be even bad than it is now."
"let it be Lord Suchikage.. it is now or never.. we will talk out with other lands and reduced cities to join forces with us and fight back.," the girl draped in black said immediately with a firmness.

"why would they fight with us Sunaina?", Shikamaru raised a questioning eyebrow,"because OUR princess is in danger?"

Scarlet interrupted the conversation,"Shikamaru is right, nobody will help us.. even if they do, we still have pretty less chances.. i shouldn't have come here.."

"no.. no my dear... where else would you go? after all this is your home.. ", the Suchikage smiled, "we will find a way.. i am calling a meeting of all the top officials...you go and have some rest. we will talk later. where is the Phoenix?"

"it went back to find Kane..", she replied as she rose from the throne.

The princess was taken into her mother's chamber, the Queen's chamber, while the others sat back trying to think of something.

Sitting back in her comfy bed, Scarlet wondered how her life was turning and where would it go, what was Kane up to?

She heard the sound of a rumbling cape behind her from the window, which was so familiar and she knew was not of the curtains, she didn't had to look and she knew Kane was here. Her heart skipped a beat and her tensed face glowed with a soft smile as she felt his warmth behind her as he got closer, his strong arms slowly wrapped around her slender waist and she was pulled back against him. She let her body fall back into his arms, leaning her head to one side making way for Kane's lips to fall on her neck and love her skin. Kane softly kissed her neck pouring his love on her skin that loved being burnt by it.

She moaned softly, "oh Kane...", and breathed deep.
"i am glad to see you're fine," he whispered into her year and planted another kiss below her ear making her body jerk backwards into him. Scarlet breathed deeply again as she spoke, "you knew they were going to come after us?"

She felt his lips slide up her neck and then his face pressed into her cheek,"yes", was all he said. She turned to face him feeling such a sudden eruption of love from her heart like lava erupts from a volcano, "promise me we'll be together my love", she said before her lips found his and they shared their immense love for each other... a promise was made in the kiss, that not even the air around could sense, only the two united souls did.

5.Good Morning Scarlet, Run away !

2012-05-08T21:46:00.004-07:00

Morning rays kissed Scarlet's closed eyes as they came in through the window. She put her hand to block them as she opened her eyes, she sat up in bed and yawned spreading her arms above her head. As her eyes accustomed to the light, she looked beside her. Kane was still asleep. He lay on his side, looking so innocent. Scarlet smiled as she remembered the last night and covered her front with the blanket they had been sharing. For someone who just woke up, she was looking too fresh and active and her face was glowing.

"i love you", she whispered softly as she slipped back under the blanket with Kane, putting his arms around her, she went closer into his chest and breathed in his manly smell, sighed happily and lay there burying her face into his naked chest, pushing her soft breasts against him wanting to feel him on every inch of her skin. Her hands slid all over his muscular arms and chest.

"wish i could tell you...", Scarlet whispered into his chest and cuddled closer.

"tell me what?"

"huh?", Scarlet looked up to see Kane looking down at her, "uh...n..nothing. i just..", her eyes were trying to look for a certain something in his, "i...", but before she could find it, she leaned up and kissed him softly before he could sense she was hiding something, "wanted to say good morning Kane ('my love', she said in her mind)"

Kane just smiled and pulled her body even closer to his, looking into her green eyes, his breaths were changing their style slowly as he felt hypnotized by the green loving eyes.

[Notice : it would be better if you listen to this song before reading further Tere Naina (full song)]

tere naina..... (your eyes)
has diye.. (smiled)
bas gaye mere dil mei (settled in my heart)
tere naina (your eyes)

"Scarlet.."

tere naina.. has diye (your eyes.. smiled)

"hmm?"

bas gaye mere dil mei (settled in my heart)
tere naina (your eyes)

Scarlet felt her own heart start to pound as she wondered why was the world so different and unvaluable when Kane was around as she found herself drowning in the crimson orbs she was staring into.

"do you posses the power of genjutsu too?"

Mere dil mei jo armaan hain (Desires that are in my heart)
Paas aake zara dekho na (come close and just see them)

"no... why?", Scarlet answered with a soft smile feeling her heart trying to fly like a butterfly.

Dil ke taar mei hai sargam (tunes in the chords of heart)
Chhede hai ab koi anjaana (now strummed by a stranger)

"i felt you have.. something.. ", Kane replied.

Mere dil mei jo armaan hain (Desires that are in my heart)
Paas aake zara dekho na (come close and just see them)

Dil ke taar mei hai sargam (tunes in the chords of heart)
Chhede hai ab koi anjaana (now strummed by a stranger)

"why do you start staring at me sometimes Kane?"

Ye pyar ki hain baatein (These are the talks of love)
Kuch ankahi mulakatein (some untold meetings)
aise hi milte hain (o ho this is how they meet)
mil ke machalte hain (meet and flutter with joy)
do dil jawaan (two young hearts)

"i ..... don't know.. i think it is a natural act that a male stares at female", said Kane trying to show he knows it all. Scarlet giggles again.

Tere naina...
Tere naina...
has diye....

She was getting certain now that she did have a great impact on Kane. He did feel what she felt. Is he too proud to admit? or is he really naive like he shows?

Bas gaye dil mei tere (settled in your heart)
Mere naina (My eyes)

Ab dekho mil gaye ho to (look now that we have met)
Phir se na kahin kho jaana (don't get lost again)

"oh Kane.. you are cute"

Aankhon mei hi rehna (Live only in my eyes)
Baahon mei meri so jaana (and sleep in my arms)

"i am not cute.. i am strong", he replied like a growing kid who wants the world to look at him as a strong grown up man.

Ab dekho mil gaye ho to (look now that we have met)
Phir se na kahin kho jaana (don't get lost again)

Aankhon mei hi rehna (Live only in my eyes)
Baahon mei meri so jaana (and sleep in my arms)

Scarlet couldn't help giggle more, she loved how he acted like a kid at times and yet ried to show he is all grown up. Mostly he was, but some times he is not all so grown up. Watching Scarlet giggle on his words, Kane always felt proud to be the reason of her happiness. It gave him a manly feeling. The one he loved, but he loved more to see her smile and giggle when he is the reason.

"always be happy Scarlet.. i like it."

mere paas tu jo aaye (close to me when you come)
to khuda mujhe mil jaye (i achieve the god)

Kane leaned down closing the gap between their lips.. covering every inch slowly..

hothon ko hothon se milne de silne de door na ja...
(let lips meet lips let them get stitched don't go away)

Scarlet leaned up, and his lips found hers.

tere liye chaaro ore dhoondha maine (for you i searched all four directions)
mil gayi jo tu mujhe mil gaya sara jahan (that i got you, got the whole world)
sara yahan ab chahoon main kya? (whole here, now what else should i want?)

Scarlet's hands slid up his chest and went around his neck as she claimed him as his, pulling him deeper in the kiss.

Mere liye sapna tha ye pyar tera (for me, it was a dream, this love of yours)
kholi jab aankhein saamne tha mere liya (when eyes i opened, was in front of me)
yar mera pyar mera ab chahhana aur kya? (friend my love now what more i wish?)

They were wrapped up in the warmth of each other's bodies, warmth of love as the world slowly faded away from their minds. It was just darkness, nothing, but two naked bodies against each other.

Aise na mujhko sata de (don't tease me this way now)
Paas aa na mujhko saza de (come close don't punish me)

Their lips were glued together , breaths mingled together, hearts pounding hard against each other's as they pressed their naked bodies so close under the blanket.

Sabse chura loon main (from everyone, i'll steal you)
jag se chupa loon main (hide you from the world)
itne paas aa (come that close to me)

Mere dil mein jo armaan hain paas aake zara dekho na (Desires that are in my heart come close and just see them)
Dil ke taar mei hai sargam chhede hai ab koi anjaana (tunes in the chords of heart now strummed by a stranger)

nana na nana nana
Paas aake zara dekho na.. (come close and just see them)
Dil ke taar mei hai sargam chhede hai ab koi anjaana (tunes in the chords of heart now strummed by a stranger)

Kane was all over Scarlet, and so she was on him. Scarlet felt Kane gaining all control on her body, and she enjoyed handing it over to him and relaxed.

Ye pyar ki hain baatein (These are the talks of love)
Kuch ankahi mulakatein (some untold meetings)
aise hi milte hain (this is how they meet)
mil ke machalte hain (meet and flutter with joy)
do dil jawaan (two young hearts)

Her soft breasts felt so good to Kane as they were crushed against his chest, he wondered if Scarlet liked his strong chest as much. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes again, she stared back just as lovingly....

Tere naina...

Tere naina...
Tere naina...

Naina.... Naina... Nainaa

Later.....
Hidden Leaf Village,

Land Of Fire,

The Hidden Leaf Village, Land of fire

Three unfamiliar figures walked out through the gates of the hidden leaf village, covered in loose grey pants and t-shirt, and a dark grey jacket enclosed their upper body like an armour. Head wrapped up in a grey cloth, mouth covered.
"He said the leaf village, but where in the leaf?", asked one of the men.

"i think we should wait here at the gate", other suggested.
They heard a rumbling sound from the forest behind them and turned to look. The third said,"i think he has come"

An inch above the tall trees of the forest, flew the Phoenix of Fire, carrying the Prince of Fire on its back. The men were stunned to have seen the legendary bird in front of their eyes. Untill today, they had only seen it in their school books. It was a sight to watch the Fire Prince standing on its back as it descended down and sat on the ground. Kane jumped down and looked towards the three men.

"Finally, you have come my lord,", said one of them, "we searched the village for you before deciding to wait here". Kane ignored him as he turned back to caress his friend., "go bac now Danzer, and take Scarlet to the city of life. If she refuses," he smiled, " take her still. Stay with her, in case she needs your protection". Dranzer rubbed its neck on Kane's hand in affection and hits curved beak on his cheek before Kane walked back. Dranzer moved its wings, throwing such strong winds at the ground to lift itself up in the air slowly...watching Kane as it rose and then looked up into the sky. It streamed through the air and went like an arrow into the clouds disappearing somewhere. Kane turned to the amazed men, "Follow me"

As they walked behind Kane to somewhere in the village, their curiosity grew, specially by the strange looks they were getting from the people who had never seen iron ninja in their village. One of the men gathered courage and asked,"can i ask where we are going and for what? sir? if it doesn't dis respect you?"

"to the hokage", Kane replied, making them even more curious now.
"ho.. hokage?", they exclaimed in unison.

Kane's home,

City of Fire,

"coming!", Scarlet replied to the knock at the door as she quickly slipped into her robe and walked to answer the door. Two Fire Ninja were standing in front of her when she opened the door, "yes?"

"The Great King has sent for Prince Kane, he needs to show at the King's court right now.", said one of them. "King's court?", Scarlet asked, "why?". She feared something bad. "we are not told the reason.", came the reply.

Scarlet felt happy that Kane wasn't there at the moment, god knows what Diedara wanted to do, she replied,"i am afraid that's not possible soldiers.. Prince is not home, he has gone away for some work."

"this is urgent. we need to check the house to confirm what you say is truth."

"go ahead."

They searched and found no one, and left to report to the King. As soon as they left, Scarlet heard Dranzer's voice. She turned and saw Dranzer's face on the other side of the window. "Dranzer..where is Kane?", She stroked its cheek from the window as she looked out for Kane. She remembered their conversation this morning,Kane wanted her to go back to her land. She almost felt like someone hit her heart with sharp knives... She was relieved when he said it was only because he wanted her to meet her loved ones again. "So you're here to take me hmm?.. wait a minute..", Scarlet left and went to her room, picked up her bag and ran upstairs to the roof, "here i come!", she screamed while running and then jumped off falling onto Dranzer's back which was only inches below the roof. "She's running away!" a voice echoed around, Scarlet looked back to realize several Fire Ninja were heading her way, "what?", she screamed, "Dranzer go go go.. fly!"

Before they could know the fire ninjas had surrounded her as they stood on roof tops of the houses around Kane's house, dressed in blood red clothings. "ugh.. i am not running..! Kane told me to go somewhere!" she shouted.

"neither you nor Kane is going anywhere! It is the King's order! if you are caught Kane will come out on his own. i considered that scrawny rat a prince but he betrayed the fire! not once but many times. the King knows who is behind the continuous losses of our secret organizations! " The Genin of the army said., "capture the slave!"

"uh! no! stay away!," Scarlet stood up on Dranzer's back, "C'mon Dranzer fly!"

Dranzer rose up slowly, moving through the gaps between houses. It was not an easy task for such a big bird to fly from among houses. Several of the ninjas had jumped upon it's back as they followed it even though Dranzer had swiped many by it's long tail.. Jumping from roof tops was not a very difficult task for the ninjas.

Scarlet ran towards the middle of Dranzer's back as she readied her jutsu with hand signs, the ninja were all around her, "Wood style wood release jutsu !"

Scarlet let her hands down with a force and her body threw pointed and wooden pieces in all four directions along the horizontal plane, Dranzer rose up further getting clear of the houses and fire ninja kept falling down its back like water droplets in rain. Dranzer shrieked and flew up high, swiftly moving ahead once the houses were no trouble.

An understanding of the Chakra

2012-05-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

The concept of chakra originates in Hindu texts and features in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning" (cakraṃ चक्रं [ˈtʃəkrə̃], pronounced [ˈtʃəkrə] in Hindi; Pali: cakka चक्क, Thai: จักระ, Telugu: చక్రo, Tamil: சக்கரம், Kannada: ಚಕ್ರ, Chinese: 轮, Tibetan: འཁོར་ལོ་; khorlo).^[1]

The chakras are believed to be a number of wheel-like vortices which, according to traditional Indian medicine, exist in the surface of the subtle body of living beings. The chakras are said to be "force centers" or whorls of energy permeating, from a point on the physical body, the layers of the subtle bodies in an ever-increasing fan-shaped formation. Rotating vortices of subtle matter, they are considered focal points for the reception and transmission of energies. Different belief systems posit a varying number of chakras; the best-known system in the West has seven chakras.

Chakra Centres

It is typical for chakras to be depicted as either flower-like or wheel-like. In the former case, "petals" are shown around the perimeter of a circle. In the latter, spokes divide the circle into segments making the chakra resemble a wheel (or "chakra"). Each chakra possesses a specific number of segments or petals.

Although there are various interpretations as to what exactly a chakra is, the following features are common to all systems:

They form part of a subtle energy body, along with the energy channels, or nadis (Thai: นาฑีส์), and the subtle winds, or pranas (Thai: ปราณส์).
They are located along a central nadi, Sushumna (Thai: สุษุมฺนา), which runs either alongside or inside the spine.
Two other nadis, Ida (Thai: อิทะ) and Pingala (Thai: ปิงฺคละ), also run through the chakras, and alongside Sushumna. They occasionally cross Sushumna at the location of the chakras.
They possess a number of 'petals' or 'spokes'. In some traditions, such as the Tibetan, these spokes branch off into the thousands of nadis that run throughout the human body.
They are generally associated with a mantra seed-syllable, and often with a variety of colours and deities.

A chakra is believed to be a center of activity that receives, assimilates, and expresses life force energy. The word chakra literally translates as wheel or disk and refers to a spinning sphere of bioenergetic activity emanating from the major nerve ganglia branching forward from the spinal column. Generally, six of these wheels are described, stacked in a column of energy that spans from the base of the spine to the middle of the forehead, the seventh lying beyond the physical world. It is the six major chakras that correlate with basic states of consciousness...

Once moulded, it can be channelled through the chakra circulatory system, which is to chakra as the regular circulatory system is to blood, to any of the 361 chakra points in the body. Through various methods, the most common of which is hand seals, the chakra can then be manipulated to create an effect that would not be possible otherwise, such as walking on water, exhaling fire or creating illusions.

Most warriors have a natural affinity to one type of chakra, but they have the capacity to create elemental chakra apart from their own affinity. There are five basic types, each stronger and weaker to another, but their relations, weaknesses, and strengths to each other are all explored. For instance, Fire is weaker against water but stronger against life. It matches Death equally while all others fall weaker to death except life which is stronger to death. Wind style chakra is weak against lightning style.

Chakra System

Each chakra in your spinal column is believed to influence or even govern bodily functions near its region of the spine. Because autopsies do not reveal chakras, most people think they are a fancy of fertile imagination. Yet their existence is well documented in the traditions of the Far East...

Chakras are described as energy centers along the spine located at major branchings of the human nervous system, beginning at the base of the spinal column and moving upward to the top of the skull, through which, believers assert, pass 3 major energy channels, Sushumna, Ida and Pingala. Chakras are considered to be a point or nexus of biophysical energy or prana of the human body. Shumsky asserts that "prana is the basic component of your subtle body, your energy field, and the entire chakra system...the key to life and source of energy in the universe."

There is also the dealing of Yin and Yang and the balance of mental and physical energies. In addition to these five elements, certain kekkei genkai can mix elemental chakra to form new natures, for example it is possible to mix water and wind into ice. While many ninja can use more than one type of chakra, very few are able to use them simultaneously.

chakra takes time and a great deal of training to gradually build up. Thus, the key is not actually having chakra, but being able to sufficiently control and conserve it. Everyone has chakra, but only skilled ninja warriors can correctly "mould" and "manipulate" it to its fullest extent.

The Great Eye Techniques

2012-05-03T21:50:00.002-07:00

The Three great eye techniques, sharingan, byakugan and the rinnegan, require a little amount of Chakra to be used. The more they are used the more chakra is used up making the body weaker. The Chakra flows to every part of the body through a Chakra System pathway through vessels just like the blood. Taijutsu-physical attacks do not use chakra while Ninjutsu and Genjutsu use chakra depending upon the power of the attack used.

The Sharingan
( Literally meaning "Copy Wheel Eye", Meaning (Viz) "Mirror Wheel Eye") is one of the three Great Eye Techniques, which appears in some members of the Firecaster Clan. Along with the Byakugan and the Rinnegan. The Sharingan is also called "Heaven's Eye" because of the many abilities it grants the user.

Abilities :
The Sharingan's abilities consist of two parts: the "Eye of Insight" and the "Eye of Hypnotism"

Sharingan eye

The first of the Sharingan's powers is being able to see the flow of chakra. The Sharingan itself gives colour to chakra, allowing the wielder to differentiate them. They are also able to tell if a person is under a genjutsu because the person's chakra flow would be irregular. The Sharingan's second-most prominent ability grants the user an incredible clarity of perception, allowing them to easily recognise genjutsu and different forms of chakra, and see through objects, though not to the same extent as the Byakugan. This also allows the user to pick up on subtle details, enabling them to read lip movements or mimic something like pencil movements.
As the Sharingan evolves, gaining more tomoe seals, this ability extends to being able to track fast-moving objects before finally giving some amount of predictive capabilities to the user, allowing them to see the image of an attacker’s next move from the slightest muscle tension in their body and counter attack or dodge without any wasted movement. However, even though the user may be able to see an attack or know it is coming, their body may not always have time to react. The maximum tomoe seals one can evolve are three.
The Sharingan's third and most well-known ability is that it grants the user the ability to memorise almost any technique that he or she witnesses, apart from other kekkei genkai techniques.
(Kekkei Genkai techniques are the techniques that only the members of a certain clan can develop, like the sharingan and byakugan)
The user can memorise ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu with near perfect accuracy, allowing the user to use the techniques as their own, or even modify them to create their own new techniques.

The Byakugan

Byakugan eye

(Literally meaning "White Eye", Meaning (Viz) "All Seeing White Eye") is the Great Eye Technique of the Deathcaster clan. Those who inherit the blood of this clan have almost featureless white eyes. When the Byakugan is activated, the user's pupils become more distinct, and the veins near their temples bulge. It also appears that unlike the other two great dōjutsu, all members of the clan possess and can use the kekkei genkai from birth, as opposed to needing to awaken or not inheriting it at all.

Abilities :
The first ability of the Byakugan gives the user a near 360º field of vision, except for one blind spot at the back of the neck above the third thoracic vertebra. Upon activation, the wielder is granted an automatic 50 metre field of vision around themselves. The second ability is being able to see through solid objects, and can use a degree of telescopic sight. The distance and the degree of telescopic sight varies from person to person, and can be improved, the 50 metre range can be improved to 800 metres to 10 kilometres!
One of the most powerful aspects of the Byakugan is the ability to see the chakra circulatory system, which is the key aspect of using the Gentle Fist style to attack said system. If sufficiently developed, the Byakugan is able to see individual chakra points, potentially allowing the user to shut off the opponent's chakra flow completely, such that the opponent cannot perform techniques that require chakra. Seasoned Byakugan users are even capable of killing with a single blow. There are several techniques developed specifically for Byakugan users that are performed through the Gentle Fist style, which complement and make use of the Byakugan's abilities.

Rinnegan eye

The Rinnegan
is characterised by a ripple-like pattern over the eyeballs, with a light purple iris and sclera. It is said to be the most powerful of the Three Great Eye Techniques. It was admired as being able to bring forth all ninjutsu.
It was said that in times when the world is in disorder, a person is sent down from the heavens to become either a "God of Creation" who will calm the world, or a "Destroyer" who will reduce everything to nothingness.
It also allows the user to use all of the six paths techniques, as well as the seventh- that is "beyond life and death"
The first and only person to possess the Rinnegan was the Sage of the Six Paths, who is believed to have been the first ninja of the world. Because of the Sage's mythical status, many people believed the Rinnegan was only a legend or a mutation.
The Six paths are, Asur Path, Animal Path, Human Path, Dev Path, Pret Path, Narak Path and the seventh, Outer path to sansar. It was believed the Sage of Six Paths could transition from different dimensions. He could disappear from life using the Sansar of Heavenly life technique.

Rinnegan is a legend, no one at present or in the recent past has possessed it. The sharingan and byakugan are believed to have parallely evolved from Rinnegan.

Using these great eye techniques for very long durations can cause eye stress making the eye so weak that it might not be able to differentiate between two people for a long while.

4.The beginning of the end

2012-05-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

Land of Iron ,

"Welcome sir..", A fat man said as he opened the door to his house, "i have been waiting for you."

Kane and Scarlet walk into his house and he closes the door. "what do you have that you think can interest me?", Kane asked as he walked to and sat on a couch, "sit Scarlet", he patted the space next to him on the couch. Scarlet hesitated for a moment, Did Kane not care what people would say about him for letting a slave sit with him?

"Sir this dirty slave can't..", The man tried to speak but was interrupted by Kane, "Do not... utter.. a word... DI..EG..O", he certainly was angry Diego guessed by the way he spoke his name, "Scarlet isn't dirty like your woman, and she is not YOUR slave. Another act of disrespect for Scarlet and i shall be leaving with nothing but i will make sure your head does not remain in it's place!"

Having said that Kane pulled Scarlet on the couch with him. Scarlet did not want any blood, specially in her name. "uh.. i.. i am sorry my lord forgive me..i apologize Princess," Diego managed to speak. Scarlet wondered if she was referred as 'Princess' really or were it her ears? It had been years since she visited her land, and the people of life, the only people who called her 'Princess'.

"Now speak that for which you had sent for me," Kane said crossing his legs one on the other.
"uh.. right.. sir..," Diego sat on the other couch,"i heard from my sources that King Diedara has been conspiring against you for a while now, if you ever wondered why he has been sending you to so many missions lately, if my sources are to be believed, it is because he wants you to never come back from one such mission. He has been giving you missions so everyone gets used to it and nobody doubts him when one day only the news of your death returns. Now i hope you know why could i not come to you to tell what i knew."

"Anything else?", Kane asked un-moved by the information he was given, but Scarlet was.
"uh? my lord.. you do not seem worried?," Diego inquired but Scarlet interrupted the conversation, "WHY?? why does he wants to kill Kane now!? i mean.. kill master now?"

Kane spoke first before Diego could, "well, Diego, now if you can answer Scarlet, that would be something i don't know already." Diego realized that Kane knew about his death being planned, he could not make out why it wasn't affecting Kane, it wasn't like he was the strongest and nobody could kill him, yet his face did not show a little discomfort either. Rather Scarlet felt more fearful and worried."i cannot be sure yet but i believe, Diedara wants your eyes sir. he wants the sharingan. That is what i know for now."

"What does he needs the sharingan for? that pervert can find no use of sharingan.. nothing better than looking through women's clothes!!," Scarlet screamed in anger and punched the table as she stood up. Kane stood up too and spoke as he walked to the door,"Send two of your best men to the hidden leaf village tomorrow morning, do not ask me why."
"y.... yes sir..but.. what about the deal?," Diego asked worried. Scarlet took out a small green bottle from her waist bag, and handed it over to Diego, "here it is.. you can summon the beast using this shinigami potion.. use some of this on your hands before you summon to avoid any damage to them."
"c'mon now Scarlet." Kane said and walked out, Scarlet followed, Diego was left alone in his home with an evil grin as he stared at the bottle.........

later...

in the Raikage's Royal home,

City of water,

"Why are so many women being raped!!? WHY IN OUR WATER!!? I NEED AN ANSWER!! ITS BEEN 6 YEARS! the people are going crazy! they want us to do something more concrete in the matter! and their demands are obvious!," The Raikage was screaming and shouting at the Jounins of water, who after so many years weren't able to find out anything.

The Raikage

"Sir we have tried consulting the medics too. last year more than a hundred women were raped and we conducted tests before leaving them outside the city, but they said they weren't raped. while it was so obvious because all of them have been seen on the spot while things happened. the situations have changed, earlier the medics said they did see signs of rape but since a couple of years these signs have ceased to show. and someone from the family is always present and chained into a chair or wall while the woman's purity is taken by some unknown man who has never been spotted anywhere else in the water other than when he is raping our women. all this is so confusing. we have searched for the man everywhere.. is it possible that our women are watching dreams of such horrible acts?", One of the Jounins explained.

"Don't ask me that Abdul ! it is your job to find out!," the Raikage shouted back. The door to the Hall suddenly fell down with a loud bang. "wha?", The Raikage turned quickly and the Jounins quickly took attacking positions as they got up from their seats. "How about i help you find it out?", A voice came from where the door used to be.
"Kane...", The raikage calmed down a bit, "what are you here for?"
"To protect your women which you can't," He replied with a proud smirk and walked in. The eyes of the Jounins followed him as he walked with Scarlet and took one of the seats. The Raikage was pissed at his statement but smiled, he for some reason loved the way this boy made himself comfortable. His confidence impressed the Raikage who would have usually considered this a disrespect but for some reason he didn't. Kane definitely acted like a spoiled Prince but since a few years now, people of all other clans too have started building some respect for him for all the good work he has done ever since Scarlet came into his life 5 years ago.
"and how do you plan to do that?," asked one of the Jounins.
"your women, as i heard you found out 2 years before were being raped by shadow clones.", Kane answered," What you still do not know is that who was behind the clones.. am i right? or am i..... right?"
Scarlet stood behind his chair keeping her hands on his shoulders, she continued for him, "the fire and death were behind it"

"WHAT!!?", The Raikage screamed banging the desk,"Diedara just came a few months ago to dissolve the issues and have friendly relations with Water! that scrawny puny!"
"Diedara never does anything unless he gains something from it," Scarlet said. Having lived in the City of Fire, she has now known a lot about the land of fire, mostly from Kane and Sarah.

"so this friendly visit had to do something with the rapes?", Abdul asked. Scarlet did not speak so Kane did,"It was an excuse. He had come to visit a hidden base outside the borders of your city in the Land of Fire. He could be questioned if he travels this far from the City of Fire for no reason."

"ok.. if only the land of death was behind this, it was fine to believe you but why are you revealing the secrets of Fire?", another jounin asked. This had the Raikage thinking, he spoke while rubbing his chin,"hmmm.... he is right..why to believe you?"

Kane smirked and said,"i did not say you have to believe me... your choice." The Raikage thought for a moment and could make out what Kane meant and he said, "Jounins of the water, we here have no other choice now than to believe this boy as far as i can see. Any questions?" Everyone nodded a no then Kane spoke again, "Now the mystery of women and a witness admitting case of a rape... to be honest, none of the women you have thrown out of the city in last two years have been raped, if i estimate, probably half of your city is under a genjutsu. Some one is using some sort of Genjutsu on people and making them see and hear things that have not happened."

"Genjutsu?" The Raikage looked confused. "uh... i think they don't know what it is master.. the art of genjutsu is limited to the lands fire and death" Scarlet said to Kane, then went on to explain, "Just like Ninjutsu is for the chakra moves, Taijutsu for physical moves, Genjutsu is for... you could say, use of chakra with the eye.. my master possesses sharingan, a form of genjutsu eye. He is the last survivor of his clan except for his brother so at present they are the only two possessors of Sharingan. In the same way there is Byakugan and Rin'negan."

"do you mean your brother could be behind this Kane?" Scarlet asked wanting to here a negative answer. She did not want Brooklyn and Kane together, because after seeing Brooklyn she knows her Kane wouldn't be normal.

Kane shook his head slowly,"Brooklyn won't be involved in such acts. Rin'negan in history has been possesed by only the Sage of Six paths. and he is dead for a good many years. It is someone with a byakugan, from the land of death"

"Now leave the rest to me! i will find and beat up those involved in all these un-heavenly acts!", The Raikage said furiously. In a land where purity of women mattered so much, where women were something to feel proud of, such acts shook up the whole city, specially when they keep happening since years. Kane refused, "i gave you what i needed, you give me what i need."

"so you came up here for a deal huh?", asked the Raikage," i had to know a fire won't be so generous. do you know i can finish you in one blow and there won't be a trace of you Mr.Fire?"
Kane only smirked a little, "go ahead then"
The Raikage smiled, "i like this cocky confidence of yours. what is it that i can give you young boy?"
Kane looked at the Jounins carefully before speaking, "You"
There were sudden eruptions of questions like what? why? accompanied with opinions 'no way'

The Raikage had everyone quiet, "what do you want from me?."
"Loyalty," was the only thing Kane said. The Raikage looked confused, "Loyalty?"
"I have a goal to achieve and i will need men. Strong men. You are going to be one of them." Kane declared rather than requested.
"huh.. if it needs a strong man, I am the only one in the world!" Said the Raikage with proud. Anybody by a look at him could tell how he loved to fight. An epitome of the male species' warrior insticts he was.

Kane stood up and walked to the door as he spoke and Scarlet followed, "i will come back when i need you" and the two disappeared outside the broken door.

The sky was cold now as Kane and Scarlet flew on the back of Dranzer. The sun had set and evening was on the verge of being a night.

"i still do not understand Kane, as far as i know you, you wouldn't have given that potion to Diego. why would you give such a power to someone like Diego? what if he really releases the beast of its seal?" Scarlet asked all of a sudden. Kane looked at her and spoke in his usual 'tone of no feelings', "your answer for a kiss.. deal?". He still looked at her not showing anything on his face. The only thing that could distinguish him from Brooklyn were his eyes, that had a fire of life. A passion. Brooklyn's eyes were as dead as his soul. Scarlet looked back into those warm crimson orbs that had her at hello, she smiled and leaned in closer, pressing her lips to his and kissing him with all her love. Kane responded to the kiss passionately. Any further questions were given a rest as the lovers kissed there way back to the City of Fire....

Scarlet's P.O.V.

and here we were.. kissing gain... his lips had me crazy always.. i wonder if mine had his.. of course they did.. or else why would he kiss me? i had to smile inside when his lips felt mine. i felt so relaxed. his lips were softly caressing mine.. and i was drawn into it again.. i kissed him back.. with all my heart.. i wanted him to feel what i felt.. my hands wrapped around his neck and i pulled him closer.. i forgot we were on Dranzer as we kissed.. he leaned forward and had me fall on my back as he lay on me.. we kissed passionately for how long i don't know.. his hands were all over me.. mine were on him.. we were exploring each other.. i felt his tongue softly kissing my lips and i knew what my little lover wanted.. i let him in and sucked him softly.. i caressed him with my lips and let him make out with my own tongue because i was busy with my Kane.. we kissed and our tongues were dancing together.. his hands grabbed mine.. sliding them above my head.. holding them down on the soft feathery back of our friend.. he loved to dominate.. he had a love for power.. lke all the men of fire.. infact, most of the men in the world loved power.. but i loved his domination on me.. i responded his kisses with mine.. and then he broke the kiss.. as he made his way down.. he left my hands and i was quick to wrap them around him as he pressed his soft fiery lips on the nape of my neck. i let out a sigh of pleasure.. smiling.. i wonder if he forgot the world too like i did when we loved each other..

________________________________________________________________________

In the bright sky, Dranzer flew away into the sun, soaring through the skies and above the clouds at great speeds.. The legendary bird of Fire, as the world knew it had never had a master as loving as Kane. He treated Dranzer as a friend. He had Dranzer since his childhood. And as far as it remembered, this was the youngest man to have such incredible will, summoning dranzer and then providing it so much strength that it can take its full form in feathers and not in fires was not an easy task. Not even many Kings of Fire in the previous generations could summon it. If they did, they couldn't provide enough chakra for Dranzer to take its complete form.

Watchig the sun glowing bright in front of his eyes, Dranzer knew what went on upon his back, it's soul smiled, for it had never seen the Prince of Fire so lost into something other than his thoughts. It seemed Dranzer was very much non-existent to the lovers. It shrieked loudly into the yellow sky. Its shriek echoed all over the lands and waters. Kane and Scarlet lay entangled to each other.. her lips not ready to leave his. But Kane pulled back.. he stared into her green eyes and whispered, "Scarlet.. "
"yes..", she whispered back
"you don't have to call me master everytime.. i have had enough.. i don't like being called master.. i don't care anymore what the world thinks"

"i could see that at Diego's home.. and i am happy.. not because i get to be equal to you.. but because you have chosen the right path."

Kane got up from her and said, "no.. i haven't.. i am just being what i actually am.."
Scarlet sat up and smiled, "that is exactly the same thing kane... when i met you.. i knew you were not like others.. you are a fire that will burn all the evils.. a fire that will light up the world.. i have faith in you."
Kane looked ahead.. his crimson orbs stared at the sun so determined, Scarlet felt the sun might look away when Kane spoke, "probably not..."

________________________________________________________________________

"You want me to hate you, I already hate you. I hate you with a passion. This is the beginning of your end, I will climb over you, I will be stronger, I will avenge the death of our parents. You began this story Brooklyn, but i will write the end... the end of Brooklyn Firecaster, the beginning of a new beginning"

3. Hatred : The Path to Power?

2012-05-02T04:17:00.001-07:00

Scarlet walked her way back home. The surroundings now felt familiar to her but it still held some beauty. The animate fire designs on walls made it feel like some of those houses were burning, but now she knew it was the fire paint. The Land of Fire was not only a military super power but it was technically more advanced too.
"hey scarlet!" a voice called her from behind, she turned and saw a girl running towards her, "Sarah!", she replied and smiled happily. Sarah was another slave, she belonged to King Diedara, his favorite slave of the hundreds he had. Over the time She had grown friends with Scarlet being of about the same age.

Sarah came running and hugged Scarlet, throwing out apologies the moment she pulled back from the hug while she was panting, "i am so sorry i could not wish you on your birthday, Lord Diedara kept me busy for days.. i..." She took a break to breathe when Scarlet giggled, "its okay Sarah... relax...i know how the fire king is and i enjoyed my birthday a lot with Kane.. and he said that you may not have been able to make it but your blessings did make it to me and i too think the same"
Sarah looked at Scarlet and her face gleamed with a naughty smile, "oooh! a lonely birthday with the Prince huh? How ROMANTIC!!!", she exclaimed like a tease and was successful in making the blonde girl blush.

"uh... yes, i think.. it was ...romantic," Scarlet admitted feeling the blood filling her cheeks as they turned further red. Sarah like the curios lady she was, was more than curious to know more, "Tell me the details at your home!" she declared and caught hold of Scarlet's hand dragging her along as fast as she could. "wait wait Kane is gonna be back i can't tell it in front of him! Sarah wait!", Scarlet's resistance went in vain and she shook her head. Sarah was like the small girl next door who would be curious about such things and she was a specimen of 'girlishness' and followed all the girly activities like a religion. She always looked her best and did not care who lusts for her for no one would try to harm the King's favorite.

Meanwhile....

In the Forest of the Hidden Leaf,
Land of Fire,

"aaargh! ... huh... huff...You! You're just a kid! and yet you're stronger than Diedara for sure! why are you not the King then?", Zan asked rather annoyed that after fighting for an hour he was still loosing the battle.

"I do not feel the need to answer Zan", Kane replied coldly, "all you need to know is that your time on this land is over. You have taken many innocent lives, it is time you go to them and say sorry" Kane's eyes shined with fire as his body began to glow blue.

Zan laughed, "you are telling me you will revenge the lives of those innocents?" Zan made some hand signs

"as if i care who you killed, your mistake was to think you could kill ME, who paid you pest? this is your last chance to answer!" Kane declared his un-questionable intentions to kill Zan right their as he did his own hand signs

"hahaha...i walk around ready to be buried in the soil anytime, i do not fear death. I.... AM ......DEATH!" Zan ran towards Kane with his broad and heavy sword on his back, "Death style point death jutsu!"

Zan pushed forward his right hand with the death jutsu, all he had to do was get a hold on any of Kane's body parts

"as you wish!", Kane moved towards Zan too with his recently learned lightning style attack, " Chidori !!"

Kane's hand held a blue ball of energy that was generating electricity in the air up to some distance as he approached Zan but suddenly another man from the Land of Death appeared who kicked Kane out of the way sending him straight into a tree.

"what? what are you doing here!! you! i was almost about to kill him!!" Zan shouted at the little man in front of him. wearing a black robe designed with a few red clouds, the collar completely covered the neck and even reached up to cover the mouth just like the one Zan was wearing.

"i can't believe you would work for a King who can't even kill a kid. Let the kid live" the man said and looked at the fallen Kane who was getting up again holding his stomach.

"urgh..! uh! .. this... hurt...", Kane mumbled under his breath as he absorbed the pain while still not believing a kick could hurt him so and looked at the attacker. His eyes widened with surprise and fear, which were soon replaced by the familiar fire and rage...hatred for the man, "Brooklyn..."

"good to see you remember me little brother," Brooklyn said without even showing a hint of any feeling on his face. Zan looked at Brooklyn then at Kane, "ah.. so this is your little brother huh? i thought he would be weak by the way you had always described him."

"he is pretty weak, unfortunately, you are weaker." , Brooklyn said making Zan angry but he never cared what others think. His face had shown lesser expressions than many animals since Zan has known him.

Rain started to fall slowly from the sky when Kane finally got up, "I am not weak! i am strong! and i will prove it tonight Brooklyn! i will prove it by sending you to where you sent our parents! TO HELL!!!", Kane screamed his last two words as he lunged forward, his eyes had a passion, a passion to kill the man in front of him, his elder brother.

"Chidori swarm!!", he used his most powerful lightning style jutsu and moved faster than he ever did reaching his attackers almost in a flash but his chidori was effortlessly caught by Brooklyn.

"huh?", Kane looked up into Brooklyn's eyes, surprised, confused, fearful. "wohohow!" Zan moved back surprised at the ease with which such a powerful attack was caught like a kid's ball.

Brooklyn looked back at Kane as expression-less as one could be. The emptiness in his eyes further scared Kane who was once again feeling like the little kid who was crying for his life. "you are still weak Kane.. remember what i told you? hatred, it is the only path you can become strong. When you have enough hatred, when you have no other feeling, when you will not hesitate to kill anyone no matter how kind he has been, only then you will become as strong as me. I am your brother, a wall that you have to climb."

Brooklyn's words brought back the memories of a childhood, that was destroyed.

*FLASHBACK*

"Ma!.. papa!" he called out. The palace had the same scenario like the streets outside, gueards dead, lights blown out, silence everywhere. His voice echoed in the thick air. He had never been so scared. When he ran his way back to the village after training for hours in the forest and learning his new jutsu, he thought he would tell his father of his new accomplishment and hopefully he might this time praise him for his hard work. But what he saw when he reached near the palace shook him. As he walked into the King's room to look for his father, he was more than scared and dumbfounded. "Brother! wha...what are you doing? what is happening? who is this man?" he asked as he looked towards the man. "Brooklyn! no!" Kane screamed as he saw his brother slice his hand equipped with a dark jutsu across their father's neck. Their father's dead body fell on the ground besides their dead mother. "NOOO!!!!!" Kane screamed as his eyes instantly watered and he ran towards his now dead parents, "papa!!", he looked at Brooklyn, "brother....why? who is this man.. our parents,...!", Kane's voice was cold, not finding its way out of his throat anymore as he burs into tears. He did not fail to notice the lifeless eyes of his brother which reflected no mercy, no love. Since an year now, he had known his brother to be so, he had changed over time. his relation with their father had turned bitter but never in his dreams Kane could imagine he would go this far. Even their loving mother, he killed...

"This is Diedara.", Brooklyn finally spoke and signaled Diedara to move out. Kane watched Dieadara walk out and asked, "why?"

Before he could fall after hitting the wall, a fast Brooklyn caught him by his neck against the wall, watching his mouth bleed, Brooklyn spoke again,

Kane listened to every word that his brother had to say and then he fell to the ground as Brooklyn left hold of his neck and walked out. Kane was feeling the hatred for the person he loved the most, his insides were burning with a fire. His breathes were heavy and burning when he hear footsteps approaching. Looking up he saw Diedara walking towards him with a sword, and a grin on his face, "looks like he could not kill his beloved brother so he left the job to me. Kane, i will show some mercy poor child, i will end your pain, because i know this pain. when your father killed my father, i felt so weak, but i will end this for you"

Diedara raised his sword but Kane punched hard on his belly with a burning fist.

Diedara's eyes bulged out in surprise and pain as Kane's fist remained connected for a second. Dieadara fell to his knees and with a kick on his head, Kane ensured his way was clear, he ran out and away far from the reach of Dieadara, crying into the silent streets looking for his brother who was nowhere.

*END OF FLASH BACK*

Kane's home..

"its so late, Kane said he would be back in two days and the night is almost over too.", Scarlet expressed her concern to Sarah.

"oh c'mon he is the PRINCE of FIRE! what can happen to him? he is fearless and strong, and i have seen many great legendary warriors praise him while talking to Lord Diedara.. now tell me what happened after you were in the boat?"

"umm...okay..", Scarlet agreed but she was still concerned, "so.. we were in that lake in a boat and......."

*FLASH BACK*

"what are you looking at?," Scarlet asked blushing as she felt something happen in her body with Kane's constant gaze at her. "i am watching you" Kane replied normally, his voice held that usual command, "you look very much more beautiful under the moon. now i know why men are after possessing as many women as they can"

"uh..umm... lets not talk about all that Kane.. its just us.. i wanna spend this time with you", Scarlett said it straight knowing Kane is never gonna understand things like a guy should. "hmm...", was all he said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "you like the moon?"

"yes, it is beautiful." Scarlet replied.

"i like it too. it chills me. i like cold", he said.

Scarlet smiled at how unromantic this man could be in such a situation. They were in the middle of a lake, on a boat, the two of them alone under the full moon in a cold night. Scarlet found it difficult to believe this was Kane's idea to bring her here for her birthday, "who told you i would like being in the middle of nowhere with the most un-romantic boy of the world?"

"Sarah.. i told her if it failed i would kill her." Kane told bluntly making Scarlet giggle, "what? you said you'll kill her? really?"

Kane smiled watching her giggle, "yes..i wanted this to be special for you"

Scarlet's heart felt like a butterfly that had just come out of her cocoon, she looked lovingly at him and slowly leaned closer.. closing her eyes just as slowly, "you've made this special already", she whispered before her lips joined his and expressed her joy to him as they danced upon his lips. He kissed her back pulling her closer by her waist and leaning more into her. Time passed but the kiss only deepened with every passing second. Kane's love for Scarlet was resurfacing as her lips pulled out all his love for her. His kiss began to exhibhit the same fire that............

*END OF FLASHBACK*

"...... and i don't wanna give all those small details to you but we made love.. passionate love and i just love him so much!", Scarlet said beaming with pride.

"you are such an actor! you never let me know that you knew it was my plan!..", Sarah giggled, "but if you love him, and it is so certain he loves you so much too then why don't you confess it?"

"is there a need?" Scarlet asked seeming obvious. they already did live like lovers when no one was around. "and besides.. i don't know if Kane knows he loves me and if he does, i don't know if he will accept me.. he is not that normal being from the fire clan and all. he does not even knows that a man can love any woman and not only a woman of his clan"

"yes... that is a fact.. ", Sarah admitted when they heard a knock at the main doors. Scarlet jumped out of her seat, "its him i know!" She ran to the door and pulled it open, smiling like the happiest woman on the planet, she hugged the handsome boy in front of her "i missed you so much,.. what took you so much time?"

Scarlet's smile faded as she noticed the bruises on his arm when he did not speak. He pushed her aside and walked in, "i need a shower.. i am tired" he said as he walked past Sarah. Sarah took it as the signal for her to leave, "i guess i'll leave you lovers alone" she said as she hugged Scarlet and left.

Kane did not talk much that night, Scarlet's dinner was left uneaten as none of them ate. The night ended in thoughts for them, Scarlet was hurt by the way she was being treated, Kane di not like it but if he could not even hurt a slave how could he ever match the strength of his brother? 'Maybe he was right, ruthlessness and hatred is the path to power', he thought., 'it takes a great strength to hurt the people you love. it makes you stronger.. it does...'

the word 'love' in his thoughts brought Scarlet back into his thoughts and he wondered if he was in love with her. Scarlet never left his mind after that until he fell asleep.

The morning rays teared through the darkness of the night. The city of Fire was back to its chaotic state. Kane was ready with his red cape to leave with Scarlet after he had slipped into his dark blue Blue t-shirt and pants that were designed with yellow fire. Soon SCarlet came wearing her robe. They climbed on to his Dranzer, The Phoenix of Fire and left for the Land of Iron. As Scarlet sat comfortably on the bird's back, she leaned back into Kane's chest who was sitting behind her and asked "since you returned, you have been so.. quiet. what is it that troubles you?". Kane tried not to let her know about the humiliating night, "nothing.."

Scarlet turned towards him, held his cheek and looked into his eyes"Kane...trust me.. "

Kane sighed, "ok.. i.. i met my brother.. and.. he beat me.. over..ok?"

"your brother!? you mean.. the one they call Brooklyn?", Scarlet asked surprised, "why did he come?"

Kane clenched his fist, "i don't know..but he will have to pay.. pay for what he has done.."

She hugged him tight, "yes my lord.. he will pay.. don't worry.. we will make him pay for it.."

Kane hissed, "don't act like you understand me.. i don't need any sympathy". His voice was cold. full of hatred... hatred for his brother, hatred for those who thought he was weak and needed sympathy. "i.. i do understand you! we're almost the same.. we both lost our parents.. i know how it feels.." Scarlet was cut off in the middle by Kane, who almost shot back, "no you don't... you never had any parents since you had enough brains to understand this world.. i had them! and then i lost them! my very own brother killed them! you can never know how i feel.."

"uh.. Kane..?", Scarlet felt offended., "i think you need to visit the Suchikage again,..if something is troubling you, he will help guide you"

"i don't need any guidance.. i know what i have to do" Kane replied coldly again," i had a happy family once, The King of the most powerful land was my father, my mother was the most loving woman of the fire, so loving that people thought she was from the land of life, some still consider it a truth. Most of all, my brother.. we shared a bond, but it was broken, My happy world was ruined by my brother... i thought he loved me, but it was all fake, the love, the care, it WAS ALL FAKE! I live only to avenge the death of my people and my parents."

The red Phoenix flew away into the distance and disappeared from the sight of anyone who could see it from the ground below. Flying over the forests and mountains towards the land of iron....

"I am your brother, a wall that you have to climb"

2. Memories of the past

2012-04-28T02:41:00.000-07:00

The night was calm. Cool breeze from the sea blew through the Palace of the King. The streets of the City of Fire were full of men wearing fire robes. Some red some yellow, some both.. different designs different patterns, but the city streets seemed to be filled with only red and yellow.

Scarlet was sitting by the window writing her diary that her loving master had bought for her. She remembered, she had only showed some interest in the diary while they were at the shop and Kane asked her to keep it. Ofcourse, she refused but “no one refuses the prince and lives”, as the shopkeeper told her making her master smile. The shopkeeper thought it was an achievement to have made him smile. Scarlet loved how people of the city were fond of Kane. She felt proud for some reason. As she looked out the window she had to wonder, “if they want to show fire then why not wear blue or orange too? Those are also the color of a flame.. ” she sighed and remembered she was writing her diary.. She picked up the pen and continued…

Scarlet’s Diary

……. ……………….. ………….. …………. my people.. the ones I did not know, and the ones I loved.. I did all this for them. I had come here to destroy my life, for them, so they can live happily. I remember I promised myself that I won’t cry.. I was trying hard to not cry, but it made me cry more. I do not know what made me do it, but I ran to Kane and hugged him tightly. I don’t know what he thought. I didn’t care at that moment. I just needed comfort, and maybe deep in me somewhere I had the feeling that Kane would understand me. I don’t know why.

I was crying into his chest which I couldn’t help notice was muscular. I felt hands on my back.. they were his I knew.. they rubbed my back.. “stop crying,” he said, and it seemed more like an order. I looked up into his crimson orbs watching me carefully. His eyes had some magic I could tell that, for they seemed to pull me. I couldn’t help but stare into those eyes. Such eyes I had never seen before.

I don’t know how long we stared into each other’s eyes, but the next thing I know was that my lips were burning and I was in darkness.. I realized my lips moving so softly against something so warm and soft yet so powerful and dominating.. I realized the darkness was because I had closed my eyes..

My breathes were changing patterns and I realized I was kissing him. He was kissing me too. His lips were demanding me to kiss them and I just could not resist. My mind was blank. All it felt was the fire.. the warmth.. I felt so warm from all around as his tongue raided my mouth.. he didn’t ask or cared for my permission.. his tongue just came in and I loved as it raped my mouth.

I was in some dreamland. Not knowing the past nor future but that I had to please this man. Thinking back… I realize how he still has that control on me. His lips were enough to make me surrender my body willingly.. there was no regret. Was this the fire that women couldn’t resist?
was this the fire that consumed women of other clans? It was the fire indeed. I realize now why many women willingly acted like cheap whores. It was because they had felt the fire, they wanted more.. that night, I felt the fire too. I had been told all my life to stay away from it. And here I was, being consumed slowly..kisses after kisses.. warm and soft.. yet so dominating and powerful.. my body was responding.. there was a passion.. the moment i felt his warm lips upon my neck.. i knew there was no going back now.. and even my soul surrendered itself to him..my cheek presses tightly into his.. his lips were grazing on my neck, hands caressing my ample bottom..i felt like a prey.. like a lamb in the clutches of a lion.. yet it was so good.

His hands moved up all along my spine and then down to my bottom again.. they were caressing my body like i was a soft rose petal.. his lips had come to my fore head.. i light kiss.. and then upon my closed eyes... i was burning with desire already.. i felt his lips just below my eyes.. i had to moan.. it was like he was pleasing me instead of pleasing himself like men do. As i write.. i can feel the passion again... i want him again...the next thing i remember.. we were in the bed under the blanket.. laying besides each other..i had my hands all over him as we kissed.. i was dying to feel him...the more i touched him the more i wanted. i wish i could know if he was loving this as much..i did bite him in the neck... but i didn't do it on purpose.. i just felt hungry.. he bit me too..and it burned.. his teeth were on my right breast.. leaving the mark of his victory on me.. i didn't mind losing either.. i wanted him to tag me as his. i was moaning as he rolled over on me and began to kiss his way up..kisses that were so loving and so hot. my sex was burning with a passion.. i wanted him to make me his desperately.. but he was taking his own time... he cupped my soft breasts and caressed them so gently.. it didn't strike me back then but i should've noticed the softness and divinity of it all.. he wasn't rough like the men i had seen outside.. he wasn't as rough as i heard men of fire are..i felt him breathe on my neck.. he was probably smelling me.. i loved his breathes there.. my hips were pushing up into him.. teling him how i wanted him.. he looked at me and said, "are you sure you want a stranger to take your body?"
What could i answer? if i wasn't sure yu wouldn't have been there on me Kane.. but i just leaned up and claiimed his lips ... we kissed more and when we broke up.. i whispered in a husky voice, "you're mine"
i knew he was.. i wouldn't let any other woman near him now.. he was mine the moment he had kissed me.. i kissed him so deeply again... i had my hands around his neck.. caressing the back of his neck and pulling him closer.. he was responding.. this time i was the one dominating.. i was moaning into the kiss... soon i realized why... something was pressing against me.. i won't tell what... but dear diary.. it was so hot and loving ... it was hard and was pressed hard between my legs.. but yet it had a strange softness..

I remember the feeling, when Kane, my master lay on me.. our skins completely exposed to each other.., and his lips never left mine.. this was not what I had seen on the streets.. was he making love to me? Yes indeed.. my master was loving me.. and I was so consumed in lust to ever realize it back then.. I thought I was burning in the fire of lust.. but it was the fire of love instead.

No, he doesn’t love me..we just met. But whenever he takes me to bed, he always makes love to me. He does not use me. Does not have sex with me. My master loves me every night. I have completely devoted my life to him now. His fire has consumed me totally.. It made it so easy to forget all my bonds.. I broke all bonds.. all my life I had lived those bonds, those ties of loved ones, my love for Kane broke all of them.. the bonds that were 18 years strong were broken by him in one night. It wasn’t the physical pleasures. No I know I wouldn’t submit to just physical pleasures. It was more. He had something that made me feel complete. Made me feel that I was his. That he could use me for fun if he wished. I would never object. But he never did use me. I am blessed. I am obsessed. As I sit here thinking of that night.. Kane is out for some work.. he told me to be good and stay home.. but I will not because I will go out in a few minutes to buy food items so when he comes back, I will present him the best dinner he ever had..

I love to please him, The only thing I fear of is that if he ever asks for you my diary, I would have to let him read you and he would kill me if he knows I refer to him by name …

Scarlet chuckled at the last lines.. Kane said he wanted her to call him her master or lord. But she knew it was not because he wanted so, but because he did not want people to think his slave did not respect her. That would send the message that Kane was weak at heart. He hated hearing the rumours about him being the son of a Necromancer. Scarlet did not blame him for any of his bad habits, according to her, for a boy brought up in such a corrupt and evil environment with no parents, he was the best that someone could manage to be…

She closed her diary and kept it in her green bag, closing the zipper, “bundam” she said and moved her fingers around the zip of the bag.. it glowed green for a few seconds and she left it in the corner assured that no one can open her magical seal to retrieve her diary from the bag. It was made of a special life cloth that did not tear by any means and neither it burned. The cloth’s magic died only with the death of the possessor.

Moving around the markets carefully looking around, Scarlet was conscious of men lustfully looking the length of her long legs that were left uncovered by her fire slave robe. The slave women of the Fire clan were allowed to wear only skimpy clothes that show skin. Scarlet’s robe that was sleeveless, with a hood and reached a few inches above her knees was the most conservative clothing allowed to a slave and Kane had told her to show as less as possible.. He certainly did not want men looking her up. She smiled, her heart filled with the warmth of his care as she remembered him saying, “I do not want hungry dogs salivating for my woman.” Only if he knew what ‘my woman’ meant, he would have probably used some different words. Even though he grew up among men that never failed to show raw lust for women, he had never wanted a slave for himself.

Kane preferred being alone. People always wondered why had he kept Scarlet but the thought never lead to anything more than that Scarlet was a princess and so Kane keep her for himself. . In the matters of women, love and lust, he was naïve, he won’t show that. But the moment he opened his mouth on those topics, anyone could tell how less he knew even though he considered himself an expert at everything.

“What would you like Scarlet?,” a man’s voice shook Scarlet out of her thoughts as she realized she had stopped in front of a street vendor who sold vegetables and that she was staring at his goods.

“uh..um.. I need some potatoes..good ones for the prince” She said. Scarlet was a household name in City of Fire.. not only in the city but the whole nation. Scarlet’s story began 18 years ago, and she had been out of spotlight since the beginning, only her name was heard in rumours. But when she surrendered herself to the Fire Prince, a battle fought 18 years ago was finally won and The news spread everywhere.. All the clans knew that The princess of life was taken by the son of the previous King of Fire, Kane.

“here, let the prince know I have packed the best potatoes of the city for him..these are highly nutritious and this year my farms produced only around 10 potatoes from the will of fire.. I have packed those too..” the man said handing over the bag.

Scarlet took it, “sure I will let master know. But why only 10 such?”

“you know growing potatoes from fire is not a child’s play.. it takes a lot. And this year it rained too much so I am just lucky that these grew..i would try for potatoes with the calmness of fire in the next season”

“oh that would be nice..thank you” Scarlet said as she walked ahead. It seemed Kane lived a life that not even a real Prince lived ever. He was charged for nothing. Some never dared to charge and some did this out of love for him. Scarlet never found the reason for this love until last week when an incident brought out the softer side of Kane to her. And she was even fortunate enough to meet her people back at home..

*FLASHBACK*

Scarlet was reading a book about the history of the fire clan sitting on the floor as Kane sat in the bed reading about the great powerful people of the world trying to learn something from them .
Slaves weren’t supposed to be sitting at par with the master but Kane told her she can sit wherever she wants while they are alone. But gave her the job that no one shall see her sitting with him wherever they are. Scarlet never had any ego problems and she had no problem sitting anywhere though she was touched by the fact that she was allowed such privilege.

Soon there was a scream outside of a woman. Scarlet looked at Kane who just looked to the walls. She knew he was already watching what was happening outside and she ran to the window.
She saw a woman on the ground, laying on her back struggling to crawl away while four midgets kept her held in place and hungrily like a pack of wolves their mouths were devouring the woman’s face neck and breasts as one of them was forcefully kissing her. These small men in the land of fire were another entertainment thing, they were treated like dogs, and not allowed to earn. Enjoyed no rights of ordinary men because they were weak and small.Scarlet saw a man standing there laughing at the scene which was not more than a few metres away from the window.. It was midnight already and the screams of the woman brought other men too from their houses. Women too joined the crowd and soon the poor woman was invisible between legs.

Scarlet turned to Kane, “master we must save her!”

Kane who had gone back to reading his book looked up, “why?”

Scarlet did not want to waste time, “because she needs help my lord! That man is getting her raped by those midgets! It is not good! It is against her will !”

Kane tried to look proud though his insides were sad and knew this was wrong no matter what people believed, “she must have disobeyed her master enough to be given such a punishment. Women should know their only job is to please men”

Scarlet was stunned at the cold answer, her mind went blank as she tried to think of a way to answer back but she in her whole life had never known such mentality, “Master! I request you to atleast let me save her.. I would cover up and not let anyone know that your slave had made that woman flee”

The women cried loud and her voice echoed through the streets, “please forgive me master! Please!”

Kane got up from the bed angrily and moved towards Scarlet,“this is over now!”

Scarlet looked at him with wide eyes, forgetting to breathe in fear, she thought he was going to hurt her but Kane passed by her to the wardrobe and took out his robe, put it on and walked out in a hurry.. Scarlet took a moment to realise what he was going to do and ran after him. He was going to save the woman.

The crowd was enjoying the humiliation of the woman.. mostly men and a few cruel women of the fire too were enjoying when the Prince of Fire fell from the sky out of the blue in the centre of the crowd circle. All the laughs turned into gasps.

“Prince Kane?” The master of the woman looked surprised, “oh.. your highness if you wished we could have put up the show in your home for your personal view sir you need not have taken the trouble”

“I had to take the trouble Zagart.. to win beauty troubles must be won over.” Replied the Prince. Zagart smiled, “I did not get you my lord”

“I am challenging you to a duel for your slave. I want her for myself. ”, Kane said as he looked over to the almost naked woman who managed to get up to her feet, “her beauty needs to be held by powerful hands.. not weaklings”, Kane directed his palm towards the four midgets standing a few feet away, his palm caught a sudden fire.

“but..but your highness.! You.. you did not take any slaves offered to you earlier except the princess.. why mine? What have I done to displease you so my prince?”, Zagart inquired not wanting to lose his only slave.
The midgets ran for their life into the crowd… Kane let them run and then turned back to Zagart,”you did nothing, but your slave is beautiful, I have tasted a slave now and I need more..”

Kane’s voice told how he had build up the lust for the woman and Zagart knew he had no chance against the prince. He spoke sadly, “as you wish my lord. I have no will or strength either to fight you nor do I wish to how any disrespect to my prince. Rubella is yours from now”

Kane took Rubella by hand and turned to Zagart, “very well, I shall make Diedara pay you some gold.”

“you little punny show respect to the king you cannot call King Diedara by name!!!,” A man screamed from the crowd confident enough that Kane wouldn’t know who said that but the whole crowd turned to him and he was surely caught.

The crowd made way as Kane walked to him holding Rubella by her hand, his eyes seemed so furious they could burn holes into the ground if they wished. The man gulped down air, “uh..i.. was .. just telling.. but.. its so hot.. it just went out like a scream..and.. ihh..”
He quickly fell onto Kane’s feet asking forgiveness but was kicked away like some pest. Kane handed over Rubella to Scarlett, “take her to home.. let her have a bath in your bathroom and give her something to wear..”

Scarlet nodded and walked away with Rubella.
As she walked, she heard Kane speak to the man, “I do not show respect to weaklings like your king.. if he wanted respect, he should have killed me 18 years ago when he had the chance but a man who could not kill a small baby isn’t worth my respect, make sure you are the last person I have to answer.. I won’t be answering anyone else” He looked around at the crowd as he spoke the last lines.

As Scarlet sat in the bed and waited for Rubella to come out of the bathroom, she thought about whatever Kane had told Zagart, “her beauty needs to be held in powerful hands…” his lustful words echoed in her mind and she burst into tears at the thought of Kane wanting Rubella. She found herself crying hard in a corner of the bed, the bed that she had shared with Kane.. would she have to watch another woman, 10 years older than her and Kane, make love to her Kane? She cried more as she asked herself. She couldn’t bear the thought.. her hands went up to her mouth to silent her cries.
“No.. master.. please” she whispered to herself as tears continued to flow. All her dreams she had been watching since she met him were shattered. She cursed herself for even suggesting to save Rubella. She put her face in the pillow and cried more. She didn’t hear the bathroom door open and close, Rubella noticed muffled cries in the air and walked to Scarlet..

“hey.. Scarlet..?” Rubella lifted her head from the pillow, “why are you crying?”

Before she could answer, Kane came into the room. His eyes fell on the two ladies and he looked concerned as he watched Scarlet cry. He walked closer, “why are you crying?”

Scarlet looked up with the look of a cheated wife, “don’t.. don’t take Rubella.. please.. I will do everything it takes to please you.. ”

Rubella was shocked, since the word spread, she thought Scarlet had given her body for her people, but here she was crying like a wife whose husband was bringing another wife.

Kane looked into her eyes, “stop your mind from wandering over things that are not possible.. probable you will feel less pain and be strong like me.”

Scarlet cried more realising Kane wanted Rubella so much that he so easily unheard her request.

Rubella spoke, “stop crying scarlet, its not like you are master’s wife.. we are slaves and master shall use any of us as per his mood” She smiled at Kane trying to present herself as a good slave to him but when Kane spoke, he broke all illusions, “Master shall use his slave as he wishes, not slaves… Scarlet! I said stop crying. I told you to stop thinking that I am going to use Rubella. You have disappointed me by thinking such about me. I thought you were beginning to understand me. But women will always be stupid.”

“wha..what do you mean my master?” Rubella asked. Kane walked to the window as he spoke, “Scarlet is my slave, I do not need more. I did say that in front of others but Scarlet is enough for me. You are not my slave now”

It was now Rubella’s turn to flow into tears, “m… my lord.. p.. please.. don’t.. don’t abandon me my lord.. they.. they will.. please master.. they will make me a public slave..”

“I am not abandoning you.. I am setting you free. We shall leave you out of fire and you would be on your own then” Kane said. Scarlet wiped her tears like the little girl who got her candy back and listened the conversation as Rubella spoke, “b..but sir.. i.. I am from the land of water, they won’t accept me.. i.. I was captured 6 years ago. Since then I have been used by many men of the fire. And.. once I had lost hope, I allowed the fire to consume me. i.. I had let men use me and I willingly did anything to please them. I had 5 masters before you.. they would kill me if I step into their land again and make it impure.” She cried more as she went on to present her situation to the questioning eyes of Scarlet that clearly said she knew nothing of the water, “my.. my land.. I come from the water..it is a city that is a cluster of islands.. thousands of small islands clustered close together, it is like filling the streets here with water.. it is a beautiful land. Nothing compares to to its purity..and that is all that was left after the attack by the fire.. all our lands were captured and only the city of water was left. the people in my land give a great importance to purity. Purity of women. They consider women as respect of the house. A woman who cheats is given death outside the city so that not even her soul can enter. If it is a case of rape, the man is hanged in front of everyone so that no one else tries to do such an act, the woman is left outside the gates of the city to live herself if she can. Or else nobody cares. Her family even if they want, which is a rare case, cannot do anything against it. And the most they do is to come and leave the woman outside the gates with blessings and things they want to give her… and it is not surprising if they kill me for being even close to the city. My husband must have married a pure young woman.”

Scarlet took a moment to absorb all this when Kane spoke, “heh.. water and purity.. those disgusting men don’t realize why there pure land is the one creating the most number of impure women.”

“what do you mean my lord?” Scarlet asked

“last year I had gone to the water secretly to gather information on their counter attack planning but those poor earthworms in the skin of man had no intention to win their lands back. It came out that this was just a rumour, but I did gather some other information. There are secret organisations of the fire and death working in the city, they make shadow clones rape women, and when women are sent out of the city they are easily captured without any war or battles. Shadow clones are not living and it doesn’t matter what punishment you give to them.. they disappear only when attacked with a powerful strike.. hanging does not do the trick and so the stupid waters think they have punished the culprit.”

Rubella and Scarlet were shocked but any attempt to ask more was shunted and Kane spoke again, “we will take you to the land of life.. that is Scarlet’s home. They will help you. Wait until midnight. Scarlet, let rubella sleep here in your room, you come to mine.” Having said that Kane walked out to his room.

Rubella watched Scarlet jump from the bed happily and walk out closing the door behind her. She put out the light and went to sleep thinking about her future and her past, her once happy family. For all she knew, she did not want to go back either, she could not watch her husband and children with another woman. She decided to move on, and thank The Prince of Fire for the kindness. A tear fell down her eyes and she retired to sleep.

Rubella was awakened soon by a soft voice. As she opened her eyes, she saw Scarlet’s beautiful face, “its time rubella, get ready”, she whispered.

Putting on a green full length dress, Rubella came out of her room to join Kane And Scarlet in the main room. She followed them up to the roof of the house.

Phoenix of the fire

“step back you both” Kane said in his usual ordering tone. Once assured of their distance from him, Kane brought forward the pendant in his neck and clenched his fist around it. The two women watched from behind as Kane was caught up in a fire that rose high in the night sky, flames got carried away to great distances in the hot and cool air and the fire took the shape of a large bird, It cooled down slowly and their they had seen the legendary bird of fire. They knew this just had to be it. It looked beautiful, and powerful. It was rough and gentle looking at the same time, an exact image of Kane. Blood red in color with golden yellow on it. The bird descended down besides the roof and Kane simply jumped on its back, “come over you both..”
Scarlet jumped too but she had to pull the hesitating Rubella along. In the darkness of the night, the three soared through the skies on a fire bird whose fire mysteriously felt cool and calm, Scarlet was amazed and her hands constantly stroked the bird’s back upon which she sat, her fingers went through it’s soft feathers that were warm but the fire from them was cooler.
And the fire eventually died, but the bird continued to glow like a sun in the night sky.

Suchikage

In the City of Life,

Royal House of The Suchikage

The higher officials of the Life had gathered to discuss an oncoming danger, probably from the fire again. The Suchikage, was the highest ranked person after the death of their King 18 years ago. He was now old. At 80 years of age now, he still had another 30-40 years of life. The people of the life had magical healing properties. They lived more than normal men of the other clans.

“My lord! My lord!,” the messenger came in running, “It is reported that there is a bird seen in our skies moving towards here!! It hasn’t shown any form of threat yet and thus as per our rules, I as the Genin had restrained our Chunins from any attacks on the bird”

“That is very good Shikamaru. We shall not attack any innocent life unless it is proved to be of any harm”, the Suchikage said, “now you must leave young boy, and keep us informed of any other things. I had seen a great strategist in you, today you showed me your life”

“thank you my lord, I shall continue to follow the principles of Life and serve humanity under your guidance,” Shikamaru bowed in respect and left.

“Lord Suchikage, I do not think it is wise to let a potential threat come so close to us. If not kill the bird that then we must capture it first and make sure it is not from the land of fire,” The Life Jounin said.

“calm down Harrison. We must not forget our morals for which we have paid the price of our King. If the bird is from the land of fire, it will certainly do what it is sent for. If we capture it and disrespect fire, we will have to suffer. It is not like we have enough of an army to fight fire. No one has.,” The Suchikage made the Jounin realize the situation.

“But sir, that doesn’t mean we let the fires do what they wish, there has to be an end to this misery of the world by the fire. Maybe we should begin from here,” A girl clad in a black dress suggested. She had a cloth covering her face from her nose that ended up only on her knees beyond which her white legs were covered under black see through nettings just like her arms.

“yes, Sunaina my child. There has to be an end indeed. But it has to be at the right time at the hands of the right person,” said the wise man. Sunaina pouted, “And that right person is their slave now! She just ran away leaving everything to become a SLAVE!! Our respect, our love, our values nothing matters to her! She is another one of the burnt women that have chosen to be fire slaves. I just can’t know why? Why would someone not want to be the princess she was and be a man’s toy?”

Her sudden reminder of Scarlet, the princess of life brought a tear to the Suchikage’s eyes, “It is because the fires are corrupt, any woman they burn turns so too. Only women with the strong will can resist it. It was my fault. I never thought that one day Scarlet had to face the fire i had been protecting her from. She was meant to bring life back to the world. To end the misery by fire. But I never trained her to face the fire. She could not watch our misery. She was not strong enough yet to bring down the fire yet. So, she decided to give her flesh to those lustful men. She sacrificed everything for us. We must not blame her. She had done a great thing. No one loves to leave her kingdom to become a slave. But she accepted this. So we could live at peace atleast. The fires did keep their promise and have not attacked since then. We must be thankful to our strong Princess. Getting physical strength is easier, but as strong as she is from the inside, no one is. I wonder if I will ever have the privilege to share moments of my life with the strongest woman I have seen in 80 years of life.”

The Suchikage could not hold back his tears. Scarlet was like a daughter to him and he felt like the father whose young beautiful daughter sacrificed all the comforts he had showered her with to live a life of insult, disrespect and humiliation only so that her people could live with respect. The Princess that slept on soft beds chose to sleep on rough floors. As his mind pondered on what Scarlet would be doing now, all bad thoughts filled his mind, because that is only what happened to the slaves in the land of fire. Harrison and Sunaina tried to calm him and make him stop crying..

Meanwhile…

Near the Royal Society, City of Life

There was a large crowd gathered to watch the bird that had filled the night sky with its light as it approached the Royal society of the City of Life.

The bird flew over the heads of people and the very fast Chunin army was having trouble following it now as they moved swiftly from roof to roof like dark shadows flying and raining all over the streets.

Royal Society, Outside the King’s Palace..

“it is coming down! Sir shall we attack?” one of the Chunins asked the Genin of his batallion, Shikamaru. “no, the first attack has to be from the bird”, Shikamaru replied, “Everyone! Keep an eye!”

The other Chunins that had been following the bird soon reached, along with their genin.

“look how beautiful it looks even though it is from the fire..,” came a voice from behind Shikamaru who was standing on one of the roofs with his Chunins. He turned to see a girl walk to him.

“Ino! Did the bird do anything naughty while you followed?,” Shikamaru asked as he walked towards his comrade.

“no.. nothing.. I think there are some humans on its back.. was able to catch a glimpse of a handsome man.” Ino told. Shikamaru looked strangely at Ino who was blushing, “huh.. You’re a Genin now Ino! Stop acting like the little girl I knew.. grow up”

“shutup! He really was handsome! Oh look!,” She pointed to the bird that had come down near the King’s palace, “see how handsome he is?” She said blankly as she tried to look at Kane from the distance.

“forget that stupid, look there is Princess Scarlet with him!” Shikamaru pointed out, “lets go chunins!”

Shikamaru, Ino and the two Chunin armies swiftly leaped their way to the palace and covered the area stopping the people from getting near. The ground had been cleared fro the bird which was looking for a place to put its feet on.

“Ino! Go bring Lord Suchikage! I will handle the situation until then, be quick.” Shikamaru told as he stood firm in his place thinking of the numerous possibilities that could happen. Ino nodded in agreement and left. She knew when it came to brain work, Shikamaru could probably beat any Jounin easily.

Shikamru’s Chunins with the help of Ino’s Chunins had no trouble holding back an awestruck crowd who watched the beautiful bird stand on their land. The bird sat down folding its legs, its belly touched the ground as it lowered its long neck, Kane walked down its neck and jumped down, He helped Rubella down too when someone from the crowd claimed, “THIS IS THE PRINCE OF FIRE!!”, but his claim was put down by another voice, “the prince of ‘Fire’ helping a woman? Huh.. never possible”

But the voice that caught everyone’s attention was of a woman, “PRINCESS!!”, She exclaimed as she saw the boy,probably the Prince, help Scarlet get down the bird. After that there was a lot of chaos in the crowd and people were talking among themselves, the rumours they had heard, the truths they knew, why? What? And other questions came to the surface but were never heard among the noise.

“Keep them quiet!,” Shiamaru ordered as he walked forward to the Princess and bowed down, “Welcome back to Your Life Princess”

Scarlet smiled, she was a slave but still held respect in her people’s eyes, not everyone but many did respect her for the sacrifice, “Thank you Shikamaru, It is always a pleasure to be in the calm fresh, and lively air of the life. I have missed this peace. ”

“What brings you here my lady?” Shikaaru inquires but is answered by a strong voice that did nothing to hide the immediate jealousy, “She is MY LADY!” Shikamaru looked at the source, a handsome young boy, like Ino said. He seemed of around his age. His blood red cape and boots with yellow fire patterns told he was certainly a fire, But his dark royal blue pants and and top were very unlikely to be used by a fire.

“Who are you?,” Shikamaru asked not very pleased by the things he could see about him. Kane walked forward and held Scarlet by waist, “I am not obliged to answer you. Bring me your Kage”

Shikamaru gritted his teeth at the rowdy man, “you either answer or be ready to fight! There is no way one can meet the Suchikage without letting know of his purpose”

Realizing the situation and not wanting her childhood friend to fight Kane, Scarlet decided to take the situation in her hand, “Shikamaru! Please! Do not….this, this woman with us is Rubella, and this is my master Kane, The Prince of Fire”

The words ‘my master’ went through Shikamaru’s heart like an arrow, and so were the others among the crowd hurt. But they had to accept it. Their princess was a slave. She had accepted it. But it was hard for them. They knew they could not even imagine how hard it was for her. The day Shikamaru had heard of the news, he had promised looking up into the skies, that he would bring life back into power and would spread the message of life to the world and would make Scarlet’s sacrifice worthwhile.

“what.. what does the Prince wants from us? ” Shikamaru asked, trying to show respect which he did not have for any fire. He only had hatred to give to them, but he swallowed his pride for his Princess and friend, who had set an example to him.

“Master wants the life to help Rubella. She is from the water clan, she had been a slave and as you know her people won’t accept her now so my lord wants to give her refuge in the life. He saved her from her cruel master.” Scarlet replied for Kane, she knew it was the best option to not let Kane talk.

“why must we help the greedy fire!? What has he done for us?,” came a voice.

“did he not see when our women were might have been dragged on the streets outside his Palace and humiliated by men of his clan?” another voice came as a direct attack

“he must have some serious motive behind all this! I say kill him right here so that we can be at peace to have finished off the future fire king and revenge our great King!!”, this idea was accepted quickly by the people who started to shout in unison “KILL! TAKE LIFE FROM HIM!”

Shikamaru screamed for silence but the crowd was not going to listen. A Chunin too joined the crowd and ran towards Kane with a punch ready to show stars. Shikamaru screamed, “NO!!”

Scarlet came in the Chunin’s way and he withdrew his hand just inches away from her face, and fell to his knee shedding tears of humiliation.
The crowd had some learning students too who decided to take the situation in control. A girl dematerialised from the crowd and passed through everyone easily, running as fast as she could, she let out a scream as she reached behind Kane and materialised ready to hit him with a punch but Kane burnt away into the air in the flash of a second leaving the girl standing by Scarlet’s side. She looked around and suddenly felt her wrist being grabbed, she tried to turn but her arm was twisted by Kane to get her under control. She let out a scream when another of her classmates seemed to have made it past the chunins who could not leave the crowd, He took out his sword and lunged toward Kane. Kane threw the girl to the ground and ran to the boy and jumped up in the air, looking down, he made some hand signs, “Fire Style Fire Ball Jutsu!!”

As Kane came down he threw a fire ball towards the boy who tried to stop it with his sword but was not fast enough. The fire ball hit his chest and he was thrown back into the crowd with a burnt chest. Kane heard running footsteps behind him, His hand went behind him and just by the sound he aimed and shot a fire ball from his palm. There was a scream and he turned only to see another injured boy with a burn on his leg.

“hmm… I missed your face.. I must practice sound aiming more..,” Kane walked over to Scarlet looking at the few others who had managed to get past the Chunins but were now afraid to take another step closer. But the fire prince was in the mood to play as he raised his burning palm and aimed at one of the students. Their eyes went wide knowing there was no use running.

“No!!”, Scarlet screamed, “please! Don’t hurt my people!”

Kane looked into her eyes, the fire in his hands cooled and disappeared. He felt bad to have made Scarlet feel bad. But he wouldn’t show.

“Well, well.. what is happening here? ”, The Suchikage asked as he walked to the scene with Harrison, Ino and Sunaina, his eyes then spotted his princess and he stopped at his spot, “S….Scarlet.. ?” he whispered in disbelief.

Scarlet smiled happily, she was so happy to see the father-like old man who was old enough to be her grandfather, “Suchikage Travyon!” she exclaimed and ran towards him. Travyon, welcomed her with his trembling hands, “princess scarlet..! ”

“Stop right there!,” came an unexpected order from Kane bringing him to everyone’s notice again.

Scarlet looked at him confused, he could see Scarlet’s eyes asking questions and said, “no man touches another man’s slave. No man means no man.”

“b..but he’s like my .. he’s like a parent to me my lord,” Scarlet pleaded, her eyes locked into Kane’s.

Kane knew he could not stand firm on his word now, her eyes had some magic that he could not resist. The tears appearing in her eyes made him feel disgraced. He felt so weak that he could not even protect her from sadness. Knowing he was being the reason was more than enough for him to die right there. He sighed, “ok..do as you please but know that I don’t like it”

Scarlet looked with watery eyes towards the Suchikage and hugged him. Emotions flew freely as he gently held his dear Princess but soon realised it was not appropriate for a Kage to be hugging a Princess, no matter what their relation. As Kane watched them hug, he wondered why would he allow things he doesn’t want her to do?. Was he really soft hearted? Was he really weak at heart like some people believed? The questions could have troubled him had he been sitting alone like he usually did.

Travyon gently pulled away from the hug realising why the fire prince had stopped Scarlet earlier, “we never thought we could see you again Princess”. Scarlet just smiled her sweetest smile, “me too Travyon”

Scarlet went on to say, “you need to tell the people to stay calm. Lest they could be hurt.”

The Suchikage nodded in agreement and addressed his people, once the noisy crowd were silent, Kane, Scarlet and Rubella were taken into the Suchikage’s House. Travyon was told of the matter and he took his time to understand.

“We believe in equality and the right to life for every creature and so Master wants us to give her shelter,” Scarlet continued to say.

“we will be obliged, and we are very honoured to know the great Prince of Fire thinks so about us. Rubella would be given everything. A work that suits her and she can live in one of the guest houses until she can buy her own place.” Travyon confirmed. Rubella looked excited to live her new life, she wanted to thank everyone so deeply when she said, “I had never known of men that would understand a woman’s situation so much and look up at her with the same respect as they would at a pure woman.”

“The concept of pure and impure is not followed in life. Life is all about living and enjoying while performing your duties”, the Suchikage told her.

After being sure that Rubella will be living happily, Kane Firecaster, The Prince Of Fire along with his secret love Scarlet, left the city of life on the back of his beloved Phoenix. Though the two never spoke a word there minds were full. Scarlet’s love for her people had resurfaced again. She wanted to be able to see them again and was praying for their well being. While they soared through the skies, the wise words of the Suchikage made their way into Kane’s mind, “The concept of pure and impure is not followed in life. Life is all about living and enjoying while performing your duties” …….

“what is life Scarlet?,” Kane asked suddenly out of the blue. Surprised by such a deep question all of a sudden Scarlet replied, “life..master? ”

“yes, life.. not the city, the life.” Kane said trying to explain. Scarlet thought for a moment, “life.. is.. Life is great. I don’t know how to define it.. but.. just like Travyon told Rubella he has been telling me about life in those double meanings where life could mean the life clan or just life. I remember he had said once, If you have the power to control life, of yours or somebody else’s, you must use it to save life, life is precious, fire can burn it, water can drown it, air can blow it away, iron can crush it, but life still is the most powerful, for it never vanishes and makes it way out of nothing and survives and if used rightly, these harmful things can make one’s life luxurious and peaceful”

“hmmm…” Kane let out a sound as he stared ahead into the Dark sky. The Suchikage’s words of wisdom always had deep meaning, it not only applied to the Life clan but on every individual’s life too no matter which clan he comes from or even if its an animal. Kane’s mind that had been filled with ideologies of the Fire was readily and efficiently absorbing the ideologies of life. And he was interested in learning more…

“Life is all about living and enjoying while performing your duties”

*END OF FLASHBACK*

1. Introduction

2012-04-26T21:34:00.003-07:00

It was one stormy night, but wasn't dark as the full golden moon spread its light all over the land, water, and air.
A mysterious figure of a human walked through the crowds of the people of the fire clan. A khakhi robe and head covered with a hood.
Blonde hair perfectly hidden... the soft red lips seen in the moon light were enough to tell she was a very beautiful lady indeed.
As she moved along the streets of the village, she could hear people talk about a prince. They had praises for him but
a few looked down upon him for being soft at heart. and other things that she considered as a good quality.
Men were openly having fun using women. They stood proudly in several groups while women were at there feet and pleasing their symbols of masculinity.
It was disgusting. It was immoral, but this was the moral here in the land of Fire. Men were superior, women of the fire clan held the privilege
to marry the powerful Men of Fire but they had no say in what the men do. She remembered her mentor telling her about the fire clan, that
how they slept with any women they liked unless she was of the fire clan.
Only the women of fire were held the right to decline the offer to mate. and none other the men of fire could propose them.

"if i am to give myself, think it will be this prince..", she thinks as she moves around the city.. looking around carefully.
She asked a few about the prince's palace but none told, she was made to reveal her identity if she wanted to know.
The news of the Necromancer Princess being in the land of fire spread just like fire and within an hour, She found herself at the King's court.
The King wanted to take her body by force but when she pleaded that she would submit to the fire but only the fire of the Prince, The people that had brought her pleaded the King to not have her.
They were the higher officials in Army and the King knew anything that went against the Prince of Fire would be destroyed.
Yes, he was the king but only because the prince refused to take the crown. He was the King to only take care of the throne until the boy wonder was ready.
Princess was taken to the prince's place. She requested to be left alone and that they should just tell her the way.
She did not want people around when she met the stranger that she had already started to respect and fear.

Reaching the place, she doubted if she had come to the right place. A prince was supposed to be living in a palace, but in front of her was a small house
that looked different from the other normal houses in the area but it was too normal for a prince.. specially a prince of fire.

She moved closer and knocked on the red door painted with yellow fire. A young boy of probably her age opened the door.
Crimson eyes, the first thing she noticed about him.
His face was dripping confidence and power. He wasn't a white man but yet there was some mysterious glow on his face that shined more than the white skin of hers.
She was lost in observing the beauty of this man when his strong voice shook her out of her thoughts, "What do you need woman?"

"huh?", she snapped out of her own mind into reality, "uh.. i... Prince Kane.. i have to talk something serious.. please may i come in?"

Kane looked at her as if he could see it all behind her hood. His crimson eyes were moving,
his pupils rotated and three comma like black shapes appeared around the circumference of the pupils.

"what.. what are you doing?" She asked afraid if this would harm her.

He smirked, "you're very welcome Princess Scarlett"
Having surprised Scarlett he moved aside giving her space to move in.

She walked in and removed her hood as Kane closed the door. "why do your eyes..." She started to ask but was cutoff by Kane who said, "i don't think i am answerable to you."
She sighed, "i.. i am here to submit.. my body ... to you your highness.. " She continued to speak as images of her homeland,
her teachers and mentors started flooding into her mind. in the back of her mind, she knew she might never see them again. It became so hard to let out voice
from her throat, "and i know you will be kind enough to let my people live in peace. that is why i, .... the princes of life... submit my body to you prince of fire.."
Tears rolled down her cheek as she mouthed the words. Her pain she couldnot hide. She had decided not to cry when she ran away from her land. She had decided to present herself as a strong warrior princess.
But here she was crying in front of her enemy. Surrendering her life. her respect and everything to a stranger to protect her people from the wrath of fire.....

to be continued....
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Author's note : please comment and let me know what you think and if you find this interesting