“I call on the four guardians of Heaven. Hear my prayer and heal the wounded form,” Princess Indu chanted. She held a talisman between her fingers that shined a pure white.

Tiny balls floated from the paper down onto the open wound on the man’s bloody chest. The gash glimmered as it stitched up the wound.

The talisman dulled and winkled. Princess Indu’s body lightly trembled. Her eyes remained shut. Trickles of sweat built up on her brow as a shinning aura flowed around her.

The last of the samurai’s wounds finished closing. Princess Indu took a breath. She rested her hands upon her ample chest.

“Princess Indu.”

The princess opened her emerald eyes. They gazed up at the nurses dressed in white kimonos. “There is no need for you to push yourself so hard, milady,” one of the women spoke. “Please rest and we will take care of what remains.”

Princess Indu stood up in the large tent which spread over a good mile in length. Hundreds of wounded soldiers lay in make-shift beds. Only nearly a third of them had been healed from the war that raged just outside.

The princess over laid her hands on the lower part of her kimono. “There are far too many for you to handle. I came here to help not act as a spectator. Please worry less about me and help these men. My brother is at far greater risk than I.”

Conviction held in the princess’ gaze. Her lovely brown locks flowed down her back like a waterfall. She stood up tall despite being the youngest there at the mere age of eighteen. Her body small yet curved like hills in the proper places. She glittered like the night sky in her jewel embedded kimono dress.

The nurses looked at one another with worry. However they bowed to her. “Yes, princess.”

Princess Indu walked over to the next injured man who had blood spilling from his mouth. She kneeled down beside the man. She rested her hand on his arm and brought a new talisman up to her mouth. “I call on the four guardians of Heaven…”

*

The clashes of metal rang out throughout the battlefield. The blazing sun beat down on the boarder land of the Akiraian Empire. The forest dwelling barbarians fearlessly charged at the samurai warriors.

Battle axes swung against katana blades. Shouts, pleads and screams sung like a war song in every ear. Fallen bodies littered the ground to make it harder to press forward or move back. Broken helmets acted as decoration to the painting of death.

Shamans of the barbarians chanted spells, shooting waves of fire. The samurai cut through them with their enchanted katana that had magic of their own.

The Akiraian samurai ran forward to push their foes further back into the thick forest they had sprung from.

In the middle of all the chaos, a katana blade smashed against that of an ax. Both men stood firm so not to give their enemy the advantage. Prince Ojas who had long lost his helmet stood face to face with the ax wielder, his green eyes as solid as any.

He pushed harder on his katana against the ax, driving them closer toward his opponent. “Retreat now and we will not slaughter you all.” The prince glared down his opponent. He took a step forward, putting even more strength behind his sword.

“Then trade with us,” the barbarian shouted out.

“You have nothing to offer.” A white aura wrapped around the prince’s body. “Now tear through all things with your claws, Byakko.” Black tiger stripes appeared on Prince Ojas’ cheeks along with his hands. His eyes became even sharper and his combed back brown locks edged upward.

He broke through the barbarian’s ax with ease as his sword glowed in the same light as his body. The barbarian was cut down only to have two more take his place. He swung his sword in front of him, releasing a blade of white light.

Both men vanished into the light. The echoes of their screams burst through the air.

Prince Ojas planted his hand down on the bleeding ground. He crouched forward and lifted his heels up. Without warning he launched forward, slicing through the very air itself to fly into the heart of the barbarian army.

He sliced his sword down with all the force and magic he held at the moment. A dome of light ripped out from his katana destroying everything it touched. Men and earth were tossed to the air like rag dolls.

The destructive force only ended after it cut through a mile of enemies. Its brilliance faded with dirt and bodies raining down. When the dust and light cleared from the prince’s vision he saw the barbarians fleeing.

“After them, don’t let a single one escape.” He pointed forward.

Like wild beasts the samurai chased after the men who ran for their lives.

*

The flap to the royal tent fluttered open. Prince Ojas entered the dwelling after the long day of battle. Inside he was greeted by the presence of his twin sister who sat on his bed. A glass lamp was lit to keep the tent warm and bright. A proper bed lay in the back of the tent along with a rack on one side to keep his equipment.

“Brother.” Princess Indu immediately jumped to her feet. She made her way over to him and dare rest her hand on his cheek. “You were injured, allow me to heal you.”

Prince Ojas grabbed his sister’s hand that cupped his cheek. “I am fine. This is the enemy’s blood not mine.” The young prince’s armor, face and hair had all been stained in the crimson color. Despite this it couldn’t hide his charming features.

“I see, thank goodness.” Princess Indu slipped her hand from her brother’s cheek. She moved it down to his shoulder. There she untied the knots to his shoulder pads. She took them off of him before helping him remove his breast plate.

The only damage the princess could find on her brother was a slash on his kimono sleeve that didn’t cut deep enough to touch the skin. After the two had finished removing the armor and his swords, Prince Ojas went over to the bed to sit down.

“The enemy combatants are dead, too injured to fight or scattered,” Prince Ojas explained. “It should be easy enough for the next general to finish up here?”

“Wait, new general?”

“Father sent a message. The two of us are to begin our return to the capital in the morning. Another general will replace me here,” Prince Ojas explained to his sister.

“But why?” Princess Indu placed her hand over her chest.

“He is about to embark on his yearly trip to Eden to negotiate with their king for what we need.”

Princess Indu rushed up to her brother. “But we-”

The prince’s hand grabbed his sister’s, pulling her onto his lap. He planted his tender lips over her forehead. The act made her blush. He softly looked into her shimmering eyes. “Everything will be all right.”

Princess Indu swallowed hard. “Father, can handle the negotiations himself. I don’t understand why he needs us.”

“He wishes for us to continue to foster a friendship with the neighboring kings’ heirs.”

“The Princes of Eden.” Princess Indu turned her head away from her brother. Her gaze became downcast.

“Do you not like the princes?”

Princess Indu shook her head. “It’s just…you do know of their reputation when it comes to women, correct?”

Prince Ojas’ body became rigid. His eyes were steadfast. “If they even thought about seducing you I cut them to pieces.”

Princess Indu turned her head back toward her brother. Her gorgeous locks swaying around her head like moving poetry. “But you’re friends with Prince Kovu.”

“Prince Kovu is a dear friend, yes.” Prince Ojas brushed his sister’s hair back over her shoulder. “But you are my dear little sister.” He gave her a sunny smile.

“Excuse me, Prince Ojas.” A voice called from the tents’ entrance.

The two royals instantly stood up. “What it is?” Prince Ojas called.

A samurai entered the tent. He dropped on one knee and bowed. “Excuse me. We have gotten news from one of our spies.”

“What do they have to report?”

“The enemy is preparing to perform a high level summoning. They already have several sacrifices and mages at the ready.” The samurai lifted his head. “Prince Ojas, what shall we do?”

Princess Indu rested her hands on her kimono as she turned toward Ojas. “Brother?”

“Prepare what troops are capable. We end this tonight.” The prince headed for his armor as he dismissed the retainer. He began to strap on the equipment once more.

Princess Indu bowed her head. “Good luck, brother. May your victory be blessed by the heavens.”

Prince Ojas looked back toward his sister. “I will be back.” He sheathed his katana and headed out of the tent.