Title: Rise - Birth of the Crow -

Author: Brad

Disclaimers: Kazuya Minekura

Spoilers: Reload Vol. 3

It was time...

Ukoku continues to smile grimly through the mirror one last time, his smile reaching his dark and cold green eyes. He slowly opens the door of his room, looking at both ends of the ominous narrow hallway without being caught by eyes of working guards of the palace. He then exits from the palace, and disappears mysteriously without a trace...

Twenty years ago.

Koumyou sat outside quietly with hands placed atop of his white cream robes, smiling delightfully as he watch the golden star slowly setting across the horizon. From the opposite direction, a young boy wore dark-brown robes walking steadily towards the temple. Koumyou stood up from his spot, padding off the wooden steps from the temple to greet the boy. "You made it just in time..." As he starts walking off from the direction where the boy has just came.

Kenyuu glance at the elder high priest with a puzzled look written on his face. All he could do was follow. Koumyou answers with a graceful smile on his face, walking gracefully ahead of the young boy. Kenyuu continues to follow from behind, "Where are we going?" He asks with confusion lingering in his voice. Koumyou turns his head over his shoulder, "To claim your title..." He answers calmly with his hands placed inside his robes as he continues with elegant strides following the trailed path, while leading the boy to their destination. From then, not a single word exchanged, only silence.

Darkness soon came as the moon finally shows itself from behind the black shadows, shining brightly above the skies. The small stars light dimly from dark atmosphere. The elder high priest and his student soon arrived to the palace of the setting sun. Taking their time as they walk up the thousand steps. "Where are we?" Kenyuu questions, looking around at the large building that stood before him. "Chang-An..." Koumyou replies quietly, heading up the large red corridors to the palace.

"Are these doors open? I do have serious matters to attend to..."

Kenyuu watched silently as the gigantic crimson corridors magically opened from the inside. Koumyou elegantly made his way inside the palace, "Come this way, Kenyuu..." He smiles calmly, walking down the large hallway and leading them into a large room. "Wait here..." He says walking out the room as he then disappeared into the wide and dark hallway. The boy made himself a spot on the floor as he waited for his teacher to return. Several minutes later, Koumyou returns with white creamed robes held in his hands, entering the back inside the room once more with doors closed behind him.

Kenyuu gaze at the older man and then the robes, standing up from his spot. The elder priest walked over, placing the white creamed robes on the bare table while gesturing his head towards his student. The boy walked over where his teacher stood. The elder priest then handed a pair him of slacks. Without a word, Kenyuu quietly places on the pair of pants, pulling them up to waist and zipping them up. He then retrieves his brown robes to the floor, placing on the black shirtless sleeve, and then putting on the black gloves.

Koumyou grabs the white robes from the table, and letting them naturally unfold themselves. The boy slips his both hands through the sleeve of the white robes, he stares quietly at the older man, and his unquestionable actions. Koumyou takes part of the robes and fold them across from another, tying a small secure bow in place; he then takes the golden breastplate and placing it gently over Kenyuu's shoulders. Kenyuu observed silently as the elder priest then reaches inside his robes as takes out a scrolled up scripture, and unfolds it with care and positioning the scripture over his shoulders.

"Follow me..." Koumyou finally spoke, breaking the silence between them as he walks out the room and down the hallway. Kenyuu followed from behind once again, gleaming over his shoulder at the scripture with a dark smile on his face. They enter a large chamber with sum numbers of disciples talking among themselves as they head in front the room. An awkward silence held in the room as the disciples suddenly stopped talking.

An elder high priest brought over a crown. Kenyuu lowered his head slightly with his eyes closed. Koumyou took the golden crown and slowly placed atop of Kenyuu's head. "I hereby recognize you as Priest Ukoku Sanzo of China... The thirtieth successor of the nothing scripture..." The disciples look at each other wondering whom this man who just gained the position of a high priest. The ceremonial ended fairly shortly.

The moon continued to shine as it still hanged from a different position in the skies, but the night was taking form of another colour as time shifted again as journey days end.

Koumyou and Ukoku exit from the palace side-by-side.

Ukoku stares up into the sky, and then turns his head facing Koumyou, "I must leave now..." He says quietly, gazing at the older man. Koumyou too look at the now blue colour sky as he then turns towards the young man, "When will you be back?" Koumyou asks gracefully through his smile.

Ukoku slowly taking his leave, "I am not so sure myself..."

"If you must..." Koumyou answers, still smiling as he watches Ukoku takes his leave.

END