Princess Taken!: The Phoenix Flies To The Rescue.



Chapter 1! A nice day at the beach!!
It's a lovely day on Aries Beach located just south of Braavos City on Mochina Island. Hundreds of poeple both young and old are enjoyign the sun, sea and sand, among the people are a group of 4 individules unique amoung the others and infinatly more powerful. These 4 people were the Hotaru family; Markus and Ellena Hotaru and their twins Itachi and Motoko. While the twins were running around playing Markus was resting with Ellena molding a mermaid body out of sand over him.

"Do you have to do that all the time?" Asked Markus openning one of his eyes. "And why in Bolterus' name do you keep giving me mermaid body and not a merman?"

"Well it's fun and i'm curious to see what you'd look like as a woman." Smiled Ellena stopping while posing cheekly. "Call me weird."

"Your weird..." Said Markus closing his eye again and return to his rest, blasting off the sand with a quick thunder pulse. "That'll teach ya."

Ellena pouted as sat next to Markus watching their children. who were now perstering Sting and Rogue who had decided to show up at the beach for some underwater training.

"Oh talons...." She said holding her head in her hands. "They're at it again hon."

"Who's the target this time?" Asked Markus sitting up.

"Sting and Rogue.....Shouldn't we do something." Ellena asked looking at Markus.

"Nah let see how well they react." Smirked Markus watching the terrible two cause problems again.

Itachi and Motoko dropped water from their sand castle buckets onto Sting and Rogue who turned around and chased after them intent on throwing them into the sea as payback.

"They delt with that better than i thought...." Said Markus watching the four run around like crazy people.

Just then Lector and Frosch appear from the sky using their Aera magic. "yo! Where is Sting?" Asked Lector waving at Markus and Ellena.

"Over there." Said Ellena pointing at Sting who was still chasing after Itachi.

The two Exceeds smiled at their partners having fun and decided ot join in flying after them trying to land on their heads.

Markus then got up and walked off towards the city.

"Where are you going Markus?" Asked Ellena watching him walk off.

"The King wants to see me....Just got a message from his aide." Said Markus looking back to his wife. "I won't be long....Zero is already there waiting for me."

"Oh ok...Good luck!" Said Ellena laying back down to work on her tan.

Markus got dressed along the way and arrived at the entrance to the palace. Two guards stepped in his path.

"Markus we gotta ask you something..." Said one of the guards.

"Oh? Whats up?" Replied Markus smirking slightly knowing whats coming.

"Who would win out of a fight between a phoenix and a dragon?" Asked the other guard. "He says a dragon would win but i think it would be a phoenix cos of the whole coming back to life and healing."

"Wouldn't know....Dragon's and Phoenixes tend to avoid eachother." Said Markus patting the two on the shoulder. "Unlike those they teach."

Markus made his way up the steps to meet with Zero who was waiting in the main hall.

"Markus! Any idea on whats happening here?" Asked Zero closing his issue of Sorcerer Magazine. "I got asked here by the aide."

"Same...He kinda skipped the details..." Said Markus smirking at the magazine issue (the post-Grand MAgic Games issue). "Wonder where the king is...He's normally sleeping in his throne at this time."

The aide walked into the hall making Zero jump into the air out of shock.

"Will you stop doing that!!!" Shouted Zero clamped down on Markus' back.

"Why are we here Vincent?" Asked Markus as he pushed Zero off his back.

"Come with me the king will explain." Said Vincent as he led the two to the youngest princess' room.

In the room was the king, crown prince, the crown prince's wife and they're oldest son. The prince was holding his wife close who was crying in his arms holdign the tiara the young princess is never seen without. The king however was holding his sword which he hasn't held in nearly 30 years.

"What happened?!" Said MArkus with a tone of anger, hate and fear for the young girl's life. "Tell me now!"

"Some men broke into the palace and kidnapped her...." Said the king standing up and drawing his sword. "I'm going to lead the Wolves to find her."

"Father don't be an idiot!" Said the crown prince. "Let Markus and Zero lead the rescue!!"

"Your son is right...We can lead a small team in to rescue her and punish those who kidnapped her!" Said Zero pleading with the king to calm down while Marku' magical pwoer began to flare. "Your not helping...."

"We're calling him...." Said Markus turning to walk out. "The God Slayer....He's gonna help us with this..."

"Really? Your gonna ask him to help us out with this?" Said Zero slightly shocked. "Do you even know where he is?"

"I have a hunch...." Said Markus teleporting to a brothel in the Industrial Quarter of the city. "Yoshi! Where are you?!"

"Yo!" Said a voice from the back. "Hey Markus! Hows things?"

"No time for chit chat Yoshi....Got a job you might like...." Said Markus walking up to Yoshi.

"Oh? Depends on whats happening..." Said Yoshi sipping his drink.

"Daimon has taken the princess...." Said Markus.

"Your joking?!" Said Yoshi shocked and angry. "What's his plan? She's got no magical skill or power...."

"Moral breaker....I thought you'd like a chance at revenge.....Me and Zero are going in i thought you'd wanna help out." Said Markus as he started to leave.

"Hey wait up!!" Said Yoshi as he paid for his drink and followed Markus. "You know my stance of Daimon....I'll help out."

The two slayers met with Zero and a small team of Royal Guard Wolves. "Yo guys! Here's the team we'll be leading into the fight." Said Zero pointing to the group of men clad in black lightweight armour.

"Ok lets get going....We need to move fast." Said Markus leading the group onto a real adventure.

Chapter 2! Finding a Lead!
Markus and his team were heading to the People Quarter of the capital city, hoping to find a man who knows everything that happens in the streets. They entered the district and instantly saw him and began to chase him the instant he saw the Royal Guards.

"Damn it!" Said MArkus heading the roofs to chase him without getting slowed by the civilians. The contact was using lightning magic to zip through the poeple making it difficult for the Royal Guards to keep up even with their skills.

"We really couldn't get any Royal Guards with Lightning Magic?" Said Zero to Markus and Yoshi via telepathy. "I mean come on this is embarrising for them."

"Just focus on getting him." Said Yoshi replying over the telepathic link as he lept over a wall using his Hook of the Lightning God spell to get to a high roof.

Markus managed to catch him by by from a roof and landing infront of him causing him to run into a crate he was holding behind him with his Wind Mover spell.

"Bengo why are you running?" Said Markus as he picked up the small man. "We just wanna talk about a missing princess."

"What princess? I don't know anything about a princess!" Said Bengo looking around paniced. "I don't know everything on the street ya know."

Markus' face went dark almost animal like. "Don't lie to me you runt.....Tell me where she is or i will show you what happened to your old boss." He said letting a jolt of lightning travel from his left eye to his hand and back. "Now speak!"

Zero and the others arrived jsut as Bengo explained everything he new and ran for his life after Markus let him go.

"We're heading to Dragon Wing island.....Daimon's forces have taken it over as we all know....We'll sneak in find her and get her out." Said Markus walking in the direction fo the dock.

"Well looks like we're going on a trip boys and girls...." Said Zero shrugging and following Markus.

The group boarded a small fishing vessal willing to take them to the island, once there they quickly located the local resistance that had sprouted there during Daimon's occupation.

"Your late...." Said the resistance leader. "I'm Ryuske....I lead this band of misfits and renegades. You would be?"

"Markus Hotaru, Yoshi Kimura and Zero Asahi....The rest of Royal Guard Wolves." Said Markus holding out his hand for a handshake. With was given by the now smiling rebel. "We're happy to lend a hand...But we're here for the princess she was brought here after being kidnapped."

"We heard rumors about that from the security forces Daimon deployed...Ya know the human members of his legions." Said Ryuske walking to a convoy of horse drawn wagons. "Come with us we'll show you what we know."

Markus and his group got into the wagons with the rebels and set off for a canyon in the northern mountains. They hid the wagons in a cave and went up to one fo the higher caves to find out what they could.

"Ok so far we know the princess is being held in one of the castles on the island. We just don't know which one." Said Ryuske pointing to a map. "We've got teams scouting them out we'll let you know when we find her....But i have a favor to ask you guys."

"What is it?" Asked Markus looking up from the map.

"We need help training some of our newest recruits.....If we can find out what castle we can free her and then liberate our home." Said Ryuske dropping to his knees begging for help.

"Hey hey relax we're here to help in anyway....But we need to save the princess before any liberation takes place." Said Markus picking Ryuske up. "Take me to the new recruits....We'll see what we can do."

Markus and his group were led to a large clearing filled with about 50 young fresh recruits with little to no experience fighting.

"Well this'll be fun....." Said Yoshi looking at the group. "So how we gonna do this Mark?"

"Well i wanna test them first.....Stand back guys.....And Yoshi never call me Mark....." Said Markus stepping forward and pointing to the most nervous. "You! Step up and show me what you have...."

The young man barely out of his teens stepped forward looking like he was about to pee himself. He took a weak stance which to Markus ment "death sentance". Markus just sighed and walked towards him, taking his sword exmining it before handing it back.

"Ok mimic my stance....It'll save your life." Said Markus taking a basic sword fighting stance which the young man mimiced. "Ok lets see what you got."

The young man let out a long breath to relax himself he then charged showing surprisingly good skill with a blade. Markus however avoided the attacks effortlessly before coutnering with a standing slide knocking the man's rear leg out from under him.

"Not bad you got talent....I'll train you personally...." Said Markus picking the man up. "Ok Zero, Yoshi, Ellena and you two Wolves take 10 each to train in anything you can think of.....Except flirting Yoshi we need to stay serious here.....The rest of you Wolves gather your little pack and scout around."

The group nodded in agreement and went off to their assignments. Markus took the young man who reveiled his name to be Tasumi, to a quiet corner of the compound to teach him his unique fighting style and aid him in his magical abilities.

"Ok os what magic do you have?" Asked Markus leaning against a tree. "Don't say you don't cos i can sense it"

"Errr Fire and some Sword Magic sir....." Said Tasumi looking down as the floor. "I'm not that good though....I've been failing my magic classes at school."

"Ok first don't call me sir....It's Markus i'm not a teacher i'm your mentor for now....Ok i'll teach you how to use both those magics better as well as how to hold your own in a fight." Said Markus standing up and walking infrom of Tasumi. "If you do well i'll see about getting you into the guild i'm part of."

"Really?" Said Tasumi his face brightening up, before looking doubtful. "But i'm nobody....I can't even get a girlfriend."

"Oh wings....." Said Markus holding his head in his hand. "Look that'll be your own problem...I'm gonna teach you how to get better.....Simple as that.....First i'll teach you how to fight up close and personal with no sword."

Markus then began to show him various sequences from Twilight Phoenix Kenpo which Tasumi mimiced with a small degree of sucess. As the others trained their groups over several days Tasumi and Markus became good friends as the young man improved greatly and turned from a weedy runt to a potentual warrior.

Chapter 3! Starting the Fight!!
With the new recruits trained and ready for combat only one issues now remaind. "Markus we need more armour and weapons.....The only place we can get them from is the old guard armory in the northern section of Hibench Town." Said Ryuske looking at a large map. "If we can get those we can start taking back our homes."

"I understand.....Me, Yoshi and Zero will deal with it....We'll need a small team of your men to get the equipment out once we've secured the area." Said Markus as he started to leave. "Select your men and grab a wagon we'll see them there."

Markus walked out and gathered Yoshi and Zero who then followed him to the armory. Once they arrived they saw the place heavily guarded by Fakers and loyalists, Markus smirked seeing a relativly easy fight ahead.

"Markus...the wagon has arrived." Said Yoshi looking down below the three and they sat in a tree.

"Ok get ready to move....Yoshi head left, Zero go right." Said Markus climbing up to a higher branch.

Markus ten lept onto a roof before pulling a guard up for a fatal snap of the neck. Yoshi moved to the leftkilling two guards with his Speed of the Lightning God spell passing through them as a instantly fatal pulse of lightning. Zero however used a simple disguise to get close to two guards before stabbing them to death with a couple of sharp branches he found on the floor.

One the initial guards were killed Markus, Yoshi and Zero hid behind a large group of barrels. "Ok ready?" Asked Markus readying his lightning darts. "This is gonna be short but no less fun."

"Yep....I'm ready and waiting." Said Yoshi giving Zero a fist bump before the three lept over the barrels and massacred the grounds in afew minutes. "Well that was.....quick i was atleast expecting abit of a challenge...."

"Yep....Anyway get the wagon in here." Said Markus as he began to hide the bodies just in case. "Yoshi help me hide the bodies.....We'll need to get into some spare uniforms just incase an inspection group shows."

"Ok!" Said Yoshi using his speed to move the bodies hiding them on the roofs and in crates. Before getting into one of the few uniforms that fit him. "I guess most people here are shrimps."

"Seems that way...." Said Markus watching out for any patrols or inspections, while the rebels loaded hundreds of weapons and armour. "Hurry up guys! We wanna clear this out before the attack!"

"We're going as fast as we can!" Said one fo the rebels as he tossed up some armour into the wagon.

After several minutes the wagon was full and the rebels loaded the extra equipment into packs which they gave Yoshi, Zero and Markus to carry back. They made their way back avoiding the patrols just as one patrol discovered the remains of the armory guards.

"Honey we're home!!" Called Yoshi as they arrived. "We got some toys to play with!"

They piled the weapons and armour up and let the rebels who needed the gear grab it. After the gear was taken and ready for use, the local priest who joined the rebels during the occupation he said a prayer for the rebels who knelt infront of him. They then gathered and were told the plan.

"Ok once we reach the captial archer will need to be on the two cliffs here and here. You'll cover use and break up their lines. The rest of use will move through the city, Hyuga and Kakashi will lead the archers, taking back the towns along the way should be easy. They'll focus their defence on the main city as it has the most important places on the island." Said Markus as he pointed at the citadel in the centre of the city and threw it into it. "Once we've secured the city, me and my team will take out their leader.....We've got a princess to save."

"Don't worry we'll secure the city." Said Ryuske lifting his massive cleaver onto his shoulder. "you just get her outta here."

The rebels cheered and started to move out full armed and ready for the battle. They eventually arrived at the main city having cleared the surrounding towns with ese eliminating any taitors and faker troops. The rebels then formed up sticking to the plan Markus layed out for them, the faker army stood infront of them ready to hold their ground. The rebel archers lined the two cliffs armed with bows and fire arrows read to reign down death.

"Well this is gonna be fun." Smirked Markus cracking his knuckles and neck loudly. "Shall we put up the usual stakes?"

"Sure....50,000 jewels to whoever gets the highest kill count." Said Yoshi creating a lightning arc between his hands.

"Yeah well i'm not planning to loose this time guys." Said Zero readying himself for the fight.

The two Slayers laughed and turned their attention to the massive army of fake humans and zeolots. Afew several moment of just staring eachother down the two armies began to move, Markus calling down a rain of fire from the archers as the rest of the army slowly advanced.

The arrows came down directly ontop of the Black Hand army breaking it's front line as the now charing rebel army crashed into it. MArkus lept over the first few lines of fakers landing in the centre of the army cutting down as many as he could before the rebels rejoined him. Yoshi and Zero were deadling with their fair share of enemies Zero negating and mimicing any magic launched against him while Yoshi dodged, blocked or devoured it.

"Yoshi! Zero! Lets move the rebels can finish this!" Shouted Markus as he reached the gate. "Come on or i'm leaving you behind!

Yoshi and Zero charged through the enemy lines to meet up with MArkus who had just smashed down the large metal door.

As they entered they saw the bodies of the servants and guards all tore to peices and burnt. "Breka Beasts and what else?" Asked Yoshi examining the remains of one of the maids. "Does he have a fire based Breka?"

"No....This is something new....But some of these burns are black fire....Dark must be here but he only attacked the guards......He doesn't liek hurting people who remind him of Sakura." Said Markus looking around

"Yeah thats the oen advantage of him having her....She does curb his bloodlust abit." Said Zero closing the eyes of one of the maids then praying for a second ro two. "So what could've killed the servants?"

"Lets find out...." Said MArkus running off deeping into the castle.

They ran through the halls fiding more bodies and wrecked and blood stained rooms,  eventually they found the mosnter they were after. A large monster with red spikes acorss it's body that produced dark red fire and breathed the same fire. "I think we've found our prey." Said Markus readying himself for an attack.

"This is anew one....Glad we only have one to deal with." Said Zero readying a lightning spell.