it's almost midnight. Shizu and the others went to the Sage's Shrine for the wedding. they saw a lot of people there...mostly famous and wealthy people. Genjuro and Hanzo doesn't really like weddings, so they stand outside waiting...
"HERE THERE'S SEATS..!!!! FRONT ROW!!! YEAAAAAAAAHH..!!!!" smiles Hoahmaru
"but there's an old woman sitting there.." whispers Charlotte
"hmm...oh well." Hoahmaru sits down, and pushes the old grandma down, "SEE??
NOW WE GOT PLENTY OF SPACE FOR ALL OF US!!"
"@#$%..!!!!" freaks grandma, and sits somewhere else
they all sit down and wait for the wedding to start.
"this shrine is beautiful..." whispers Rimururu, looking around. she saw that statue in the front. it's a statue of a woman....an angel. she wears a pendant....
"this is the Sage's Shrine." said Jubei, "there was an old legend of the Sage and Kojiro. Kojiro is the "heart" of Ambrosia (the world of evil). every 1000 years he will create or "give birth" a messenger...... who is destined to free Kojiro from his seal. the messenger is the true evil in our world....he will slay anything in his path. anything that tries to stop him to reach his destiny. no creature or human too strong nor powerful can defeat him. he is the TRUE DEMON..."
"..so what happened?"
"see that statue? that's the Sage." said Jubei, "the legend has it that there used to be a group of ancient people in the past, who have mysterious powers to seal away all evil. the "Aura of Heaven" is the key to seal Kojiro away, and the key to free him from his eternal prison. only the chief or the leader of those ancient people can use that aura to seal him away. when the messenger is born into this world....the descendant of the chief will awaken as a Sage and uses the Aura to stop the messenger and seal Kojiro's powers." "...." Shizu listen to the story...
"WOW. that's pretty amazing." smiles Hoahmaru, "the messenger can even BEAT ME?"
"even samurai ten times stronger than you." said Jubei
"....?" Hoahmaru blinks, "NAH!!! old man, u listen to too many stories!!!
that legend is just a little tale to scare kids!!"
"..so the Sage is the "hope" of this world?" said Charlotte
"yes...without the descendant, Kojiro and the messenger can break the seal, and bring the Apolocapse unto the world...no..the UNIVERSE.." whispers Jubei "SO ARE YOU AND CHARLOTTE GOING TO BE MARRIED???" smiles Rimururu
...............
"....uhmm.." Charlotte and Hoahmaru didn't say anything.
"HEY, THE WEDDING HAVEN'T START FOR HOURS..!!! this is getting boring.." said Hoahmaru, trying to change the subject
"hmm.." Shizu get up from his seat, and went to see Akane...

[KNOCK] [KNOCK]
"come in." said Akane, fixing her dress...
Shizu comes in..., "hello Akane.."
"[smiles]...hey Shizu-chan!!!" smiles Akane, "SO...HOW DO I LOOK???"
"....!!" Shizu is stunned. she looks BEAUTIFUL. she wears a pure white dress made out of silk, her hair is down... as the moon shines on her, it's like she's glowing like the moon itself....
she also wears the pendant with her...(as always)
Shizu never seen her like this before...
"SO HOW DO I LOOK, SHIZU-CHAN???" smiles Akane
".....uhmm..uh.." Shizu is very surprised, "[blushes] the dress fits you..." "really??? thanx!!" smiles Akane, then she went to the window, looking outside...
Shizu joins her, "...Akane, you don't have to do this..."
"...."
"just let me and Shogun fight. you have nothing to do with this...you shouldn't be involved." "..." Akane didn't answer him. then she said, "...ya know what i wish for?" "what..?" "i mean, not only world peace and harmony...but..but.." whispers Akane, "...i even had a dream about it too. i was waiting for someone in the Meadow...waiting desperately. don't know when he will show up...don't know how long i should wait for him....but i just know he will be there. then when that day comes when he finally shows up....."
then she looks at Shizu, "...i don't have to pretend anymore. i don't have to pretend to trip just to get a hug..."
"....." Shizu stare at her..
"instead, i will be welcomed by open arms." whispers Akane, "whenever i need a hug from him, i don't have to pretend to trip just to get it.... cuz he will want that hug too."
then she sighs, "that's what i wish for. to meet that person again and welcomed by open arms...TO FEEL BELONG..." then she turn to Shizu, "...TO MEET MY TRUE LOVE.."
"....Akane.." whispers Shizu..
"and the best of all.." whispers Akane, "i knew when that day comes...true peace will finally arrive to the world..."
[KNOCK] [KNOCK]
"Ms.Akane, the wedding is about to start.." said the soldier
"i'm coming." nods Akane
she looks at the mirror again, fixing her hair and dress...
"Akane...please.." whispers Shizu, "you don't have to do this....just let me fight him.."
"...." she didn't say anything
"...AKANE...DO YOU EVEN LOVE HIM???!!" shouts Shizu
[silence]
"..." she ignores him, then she said, "Shizu-chan, after this...i have so much to tell you....something that i disovered during these 7 years.." then she turn to him, "[smiles] wish me luck..."
then she exit the room..

the wedding starts. Akane walks slowly to Shogun.... everyone stare at her. including Shizu. when she passes by him....
he wanted to get up and stop her....
but Galford stopped him...and tel him to calm down..
"..." Akane stops, standing beside her future husband.
the priest nods, "do you, Shogun, the leader of the French army, take this maiden Akane to be your wife?"
"i do." smiles Shogun
"do you, Akane, the daughter of Jubei, take this general to be your husband?" said the priest.
"....!!!" Shizu is pissed off now. he hold onto his umbrella....really tight....
"..." Akane closes her eyes, then she whispers, "..I DO."
"in the name of the Sage's powers of this shrine, i now pronounce you husband and wife. you two will share happiness together, what's his belongs to her, what's hers belong to him...." said the priest, "you may kiss the bride."
Shogun went up to her....
and about to kiss her....
[THUNDER]
"huh?? what's going on??" everyone is surprised. the sky have darkened quickly, and rain begin to pour. even the moonlight can't be seen...
"that's strange..." whispers Kazuki
Akane stare at the candle....
[WHOOSH] the fire is out........
"...[gasps]" Akane is a bit scared, "...he's here.."
[THUNDER] [RAINING]
everyone panics...!! the storm is getting worse...
"i don't like this.." whispers Rimururu
"....i can feel it.." whispers Shizu, his eyes closed...
"...damn it....he's here.." whispers Jubei
"...??? who??" blinks Hoahmaru
"[GROWL]" Poppy growls.....his fur sticking up...
"whoa boy, something is about to happen, right?" said Galford, and take his weapon out..
"...." Shizu opens his eyes, "Akane..." then he went to see her...
"WHERE THE HELL IS HE GOING NOW??" said Jubei

Shizu went to look for Akane and Shogun, but they're not there? where did they go?
[CLASH] [SLASH]
there's a fight in the back..!!
he quickly went outside...
[RAINING] it's raining like hell outside. Shizu doesn't care. he saw Shogun fighting someone...... Akane stand there watching them....
"I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HER..!!!!" shouts Shogun, "DEMON SCAR"
but missed....
"WHATTA????" gasps Shogun..
the enemy attacks...
[SLASH]
Shogun falls to the ground.....injured.....
"[GASPS]" Shizu went to help out Shogun. he couldn't see the enemy's face...it's raining too hard and there's no moonlight for him to see in the dark...
but he doesn't care.
he attacks..!!
but missed.... again and again...
"DAMN IT..!!!!" shouts Shizu, he was about to attack again...
"PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!!" scream a girl. she's being tied up in a rope....it's Cella.
"grr...!!!" Shizu wants to defeat that jerk, but he have to rescue the girl too.
"PLEASE...!!!! SAVE ME!!!!" screams Cella
Shizu went up to her, and cut off the rope, "you're Cella, right??! your father send me to save you....."
"YES, THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY LIFE..!!!!!" smiles Cella. she saw his face...and is very surprised.
"[SCREAM]" it's Akane..!!!
"AKANE..!!!!" freaks Shizu. he quickly went to see where she is...leaving Cella behind.
"WAIT...WHAT ABOUT ME???" cries Cella
"AKANE..!!" shouts Shizu, but she isn't there..
"SHIZUMARUUU..!!!!!!" scream Akane...
he turn around...
someone is pulling Akane away...
"AKANE..!!!!!!!! NO..!!!!!" he run to save her. he quickly take out his katana, and is about to strike the caped stranger.....
but he can't..
he can't move..!!
his whole body froze..!!
"....!!" the stranger open his eyes wide open....it's glowing like fire. and there's a SCAR in his face....
"[GASPS]" Shizu gasps....
his whole body is very weak......the glow in that stranger eyes are very scary....
"SHIZUMARU..!!!!" Akane is pulled by the stranger.....
and then disappears into the darkness...
"AKANE...NOOOOOOOOOO..!!!!!" shouts Shizu, trying to reach her...
[RAIN STOPS]
the sky begin to calm down again...it stops raining.
...and Akane and the prophet is gone...
"....." Shizu couldn't believe his eyes....
they just..disappeared...
"SHIZUMARU!! what happened???" freaks Rimururu, and run to his side Shizu can feel his body again..
but he's so tired right now...
he collapse to the ground..unconscious...


Chapter 14-----A New Journey