Chronicles of Kinmoku
Written by the Guardian Gods of Delphi, from their eyes
The Book of Gold: Starlights
Prologue: They Return.
Kasei.
I am Kasei, a Guardian God of Delphi. My name means "Fire-star." I will tell you now that my love for Fire exceeds almost everything. I can manipulate wind and air.
**********
Life was rich. The Queen knew it, her courtiers knew it, and so did the whole world. They prospered on their little planet in their little Star System, on the edge of the galaxy. Yes, life was sweet.
Everyday, everybody woke up to a clear blue sky, to the sounds of birds, and to the sweet scent of olives. Well, obviously not every day- five months of the Kinmoku year were cold and unbearable.
The seasons on Kinmoku were rather irregular. At the start of the year, three months were cold and unbearable. Everybody stayed in their homes, preferring the warm fire place to going out and freezing into live ice blocks.
After that, were three months of windy and rainy days, and the occasional hot day.
The next four months of the year was spent plowing the fields, planting seeds, growing crops to prepare for the next years' hard winter. Days here were so hot that many people were tempted to abandon their fields, but all with common sense knew that they would regret it when winter came again.
The final season was their favorite. Made up of two months, days were always clear, the temperature perfect for them to relax. The people used the last month here before the cold months came to prepare themselves before the next season set in. They gathered their crops, took to the markets to trade, returning home with warm furs and other necessities.
So on one particular day, a lady stood at the balcony, face turned up to the sky. She couldn't have been more then twenty-two years old, with long red hair, pale skin and rosebud lips. She was short, and slender, and graceful even in the simplest movement; from lifting a goblet to her lips, down to brushing a strand of hair out of her face- if one managed to escape somehow.
She was the old Queen of Kinmoku, ruler for years, and now her time was coming to an end. Already, two of her most faithful soldiers had departed the land of the living to exist among the stars, and it was only her, another, and the final one- the most faithful?
'My baby lies in its crib. She is safe,' she thought, relieved. With a soft sigh, she lowered her gaze down to the land, and a moment later, someone stood by her side.
"My time is near, My Queen," murmured a deep voice. It was a woman; tall, body hardened by years of battle, an attractive face and long hair… the color of the night skies.
"I know, Fighter, I know." She smiled sadly. "And soon, you will leave me, just like Healer and Maker did."
"Death is someone no one can control. She comes of her own will [1]." She nodded at the words of her Soldier.
"Li, Vittorio, Yukio, Kasei [2][3]." Her voice was quiet, as she summoned Us.
"Majesty," murmured Li from behind her a moment later. The Queen smiled, and so did We; We knew what she thought; she had the two of the people she needed most with her.
"What did the Guardian Gods of Delphi see?" Grey eyes, the color of fog gazed into hers. The tall men that stood before her: like she and the Starlights, like myself and the others, had never aged past their early twenties. Li then (and still is) was tall, slender, his skin so pale. His hair was the color of blue ice, and that framed his face.
Though he may deny it, Vittorio was considered just as handsome, with his forest green hair, pale skin and golden-brown eyes.
Yukio was the most volatile of us, and it showed in his crimson eyes. Blonde hair framed a pale face, he was worshipped from afar for his beauty.
People often wondered; 'Who were they? Who were the men that stood behind the Queen? What power did they have over her?' We never bothered answering any of the whispers, and those whispers would soon turn to understanding.
"We saw many things."
"Times have been peaceful for a long while now, and it will continue to be like that for centuries to come."
"We have a feeling, that after you and Fighter leave, we will not be seeing the Soldiers of Kinmoku for a long time."
"Don't ask foolish questions, Queen."
I could hear Vittorio's wry thought: 'Was Yukio the only one then that dared speak like that to the Queen- to any of the Queens? He that would come with what others would consider brazen answers and remarks.'
"It should not come as a surprise. They are not yet needed, and neither, are we."
"'Yet' would be the key word, Queen."
"We do not know when, and We are not certain as to whether this event will truly come to pass, but when and if, Yukio, if it does, we must be ready."
I think that even then, he was the only one who truly knew everything, yet did not understand anything.
"A new enemy will rise, and She will take the galaxy. Nobody will be able to stop Her, save one, with the purest heart."
If the thought that we would not see the Starlights again, nor the Queen herself, upset us, the words that came from Vittorio's mouth did.
"We have seen the destruction of the Kinmoku Star System."
**********
Vittorio
I am Vittorio, one of the Guardians of Delphi. My power comes from deep with in the earth. I am certain that those who hear my name will forever remember it.
**********
As times came and went events were recorded into three books: the Book of Gold, story teller of all the myths and legends, political events and trade in the Book of Silver, the Book of Bronze for war and death. Famines, tragedies, anything that had the whole world weeping were recorded. The crowning of the Queens of Kinmoku were recorded, the death of their greatest heroes.
What started all this, was a woman. Another Queen of Kinmokusei, nobody said her name out of respect, and until this day she was known as just, the Old Queen.
It began just after the death of her beloved soldier, the great Sailor Star Fighter. Nobody knew why she started it, all knew that it had began with the making of three books, large in sizes, wrought with Gold, Silver or Bronze respectively. White paper filled the covers, with an olive design as the border.
The first entry went into the Book of Gold:
This first entry goes not in Bronze, but in Gold, for in this way I am able to write down the stories of the Starlights. Three heroes of Kinmokusei…
The deaths of Healer, Maker, and now, Fighter. Kinmoku weeps with me. Let us honor their memory.
Sailor Starlights
Since the beginning of time, as we are all have been aware, Soldiers have existed to protect us. Soldiers that have been gifted with the power of their respective planets.
… not all soldiers are known, it can be said that there have been cases where Sailor Soldiers have been unaware of the existence of others outside their Star System.
Can it be said that perhaps we are the luckiest? Of course, that is what every one would think, for the Soldier they know is also their friend.
To one, who has never met the Starlights, it would seem that They were actually Gods, and not mere mortals like the majority of the people, unable to die or be wounded in battle, or in the heart. But that is not true and that's what makes them all the more great…
… and that never have they faltered in battle to protect their Queen, or, more importantly, their planet from evil…
… their hearts know no evil, and so in this way…
… that they fear nothing, that their purpose is to defend…
… and in this way, they have sacrificed their lifes for the sake of millions of more.
Underneath that, were three illustrations, drawn by four men, the four men sharing the same title of 'Shugoshin'. Us. Writing filled the next few pages in the Queen's own hand, telling the great stories of the legendary fighters of Kinmoku. She refused to let anybody else save Us and herself write in the book. When she completed the final chapter, she laid down her pen, and shut the books.
Let only the heart of Kinmoku near.
The book will open of its own accord. When anything great has happened, no matter how horrible or magnificent, you will write. And after that, you will open Silver, and tell of the recovery from those events.
She died, the books a part of her legacy to her daughter. Her daughter kept the tradition going, as did her daughter, as did her daughter.
Each Queen made sure to write in the book at least once. The stories were written in every form available; illustrations, song, everything, and every time the pages ran out, another would appear for the next Queen to continue her chapter.
One of her descendents wrote the following.
"They have not been seen for a long time. After the death of the Old Queen, they did not come. They did not show themselves to the world, but then again, why would they? Times were wonderful, there was no evil foe to deal with.
"Before the Old Queen died, four men by the names of Li, Yukio, Kasei and Vittorio warned her of a future peril. They could not give her enough details, only that it would be in the distant future, and that once it had risen, it would be near invincible. It was later learnt that they each shared the title of Shugoshin no Deruphui. Guardian Gods of Delphi.That secret place where none but a precious few can go and come bach with their minds unchanged. It is unclear as to where the other two were.
"It is said that after the Book of Gold was shut, that the existence of Shatter Glass was revealed. It is unclear as to what Shatter Glass truly was, who and when it was created…
"But it is said, that Shatter Glass will herald the return of our greatest warriors."
**********
Li.
I am Li, Guardian God. I will control as is my want, though I will follow if need be. I can be as calm as still water, or as wild as the raging storms of the seas. That is my element; water.
**********
So when the time came for Us to wake, well, it seemed... rather strange.
We were in a dark room... perhaps room would not suit what I am trying to say.
...There is no proper way to describe what we were in, I suppose. Just this dark space in Delphi. And it was so dark, and so quiet.
From what I, and the others have observed of the people, they sometimes need something to wake them up, especially if they've had a late night. So you would think that it were rather strange when we just... woke. In that space, there couldn't have been any sound created, or anything else for that matter that would warrant us waking, but still we did.
We opened our eyes at the same time. And through each of our minds, thoughts and flashes of memory passed through.
Women, all with pale skin, ruby eyes and red hair.
Three women standing together, in skimpy black suits, hair in ponytails.
A red planet, in space.
And so We stood, stretching slowly.
'God,'
'But my neck hurts…!'
"The Queen," I murmured, I admit, unnecessarily. The others looked at me sadly.
"Is it starting already?" asked Yukio. Kasei sighed, his platinum hair moving in the breezeless space.
"It's coming to pass. There's still time. To meet her," rumbled Vittorio. I nodded, and opened a portal, and we all walked through.
I believe that Kasei was the last to leave.
"It's starting…" was all I heard, before we were in another room. We all heard a tired voice, cooing to somebody.
"Kakyuu, my baby, my sweet little angel." She smiled, painfully at her young daughter, the future Queen of Kinmoku. The small baby gurgled with delight at the tiny noises she made, before finally falling asleep.
"My precious baby, I have foreseen, the times ahead. Perhaps… a hallucination?" She closed her eyes, and we could see in her memory she heard the sound of glass breaking. Blood stained shards.
"I cannot tell you exactly what it was that you saw," I murmured. She started, her ruby eyes searching the shadows desperately. Her thoughts were shining like a beacon from her mind, and Kasei laughed at that.
No energy, I cannot fight all four if they are-
'You have lost your touch, if you cannot sense who We am/what Our intentions are.' The Queen relaxed. True, she had worried over nothing. Out of the shadows, we appeared, four tall men. Like something out of a mystery. All with pale skin, all slender, and by the way We carried ourselves, we were obviously very experienced fighters. Vittorio with his green hair and brown eyes, I with my light blue hair and grey eyes, Yukio with his golden hair and crimson eyes and Kasei with his platinum hair and matching eyes.
"My time is near," she whispered the obvious. She had no strength left to communicate via the mind. We smiled, almost wistfully.
"We swore fealty to your ancestor, the first Queen of Kinmoku those long years ago."
"We oversaw the training of all the Starlights…"
"We were there when the Old Queen died, leaving the Books here." Her eyes widened in shock.
"You- can't- be- Not now!" Our mouths twisted wryly at that.
"The Starlights will receive the proper training, and in time, each of them will exceed our own combined power… if they don't at their first battle… You have our promise, Queen, that as the Guardians of Delphi We will protect Kakyuu with our life." She could only stare in horror at our bleak faces, a truly horrible way to enter the next world.
**********
Yukio.
I am Yukio, one of the Guardians of Delphi. "Snow" is my name, Fire is my game. Air will either make me, or break me.
**********
I doubt the others noticed then, but I did. I did not say anything thought, because there was no point. Telling them would not have done anything.
You see, there's a room in the palace. Few people visit it now, only several maids who have been assigned to take care of it, and of course, the Queen herself.
What was so special about this room? Read carefully.
Firelight shone into this room. Other then the flickering of the flames, there was no visible movement. The window showed the starry sky, and it was almost eerily silent. As if the world knew what was going on in the palace.
Inside this room, was a large stone pedestal. And resting on that stone pedestal, were two stone cats. They were facing each other, resting on their bellies, the paws in front of them, almost touching each other. Surrounded by the pedestal, were dishes of water, and some cakes, flowers, other cute toys. One of the ears on the cats twitched.
I must admit, that brown mouse was pretty ugly. Should've been burnt. And places were in need of a bit of dusting, too.
It happened again, a second time, only this time it had nothing to do with the cats.
A few months after the birth of Kakyuu, three celestial bodies in the sky flared to life, and I could swear, that there were three voices whispering. Right.
Princess, we are here.
I went out then, and I looked up. Really looked up. If one cared to look up at the sky, they would see three shooting stars streak through the sky. That got me for a moment.
Reunited again.
If one lived close enough to the palace, perhaps they would see three spectral forms hover above the palace, before streaking off in opposite directions. Coherent thought left my mind then. For some reason. It was probably because of the centuries spent sleeping away.
We are sorry, that we were not there for you these years.
But once coherent thought returned to my mind, I knew. Because if one thought hard enough of their myths and legends, then they would know that They had returned.
Once I listened outside, while an old lady told her grand child who 'They' were.
'Grandmaman, who are the They? What are Their names?'
'They, are the three bravest soldiers of Kinmoku.'
'Who?'
'The Book of Gold would tell you. The Book of Gold would tell you of all their deeds.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
1. Okay, look, it seems that what I said about Death being the sister of Hades was incorrect. What I heard actually came from... *gulp* Xena: Warrior Princess. So now, I am just referring to Death as She.
2. Yuki is Japanese for "snow". It is a female name. Yukio is the masculine version of that. The 'o' at the end is added for it to be the name of a man. Heh, snow-man. Kasei means 'fire-star'. More specifically, Mars. The logic? Read on.
3. Warning. Warning. Major changes alert. Alrighty, as you can see, there have been a few substantial changes. Who the heck is Vittorio? What about the other two unnamed men? Where in the heck is Delphi and who in the flying **** are the "Deruphui no Shugoshin"?? Find out next time in... Dragon. Ball. Z.