Defenders of the 12 Walls

[Kunoichi]

INDEX
Prologue Part 1: Creation (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3859613&postcount=2)
Prologue Part 2: Nero's Folly (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3881475&postcount=8)
Prologue Part 3: Nero's Trial (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3906527&postcount=15)
Prologue Part 4: The Lesser Rebellion (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3935113&postcount=24)
Prologue Part 5: The 12 Walls of Rah (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3944335&postcount=29)

Chapter 1, Part 1: Untitled (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3964142&postcount=30)
Chapter 1, Part 1: Also Untitled (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3978244&postcount=33)

TL;DR? (I don't blame you)
Summaries:

Prologue Part 1: Creation (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3859613&postcount=2)
Everything started in Chaos, 26 Anomalies occurred, 12 of them created a game called Reality outside of Chaos. The first 12 became Gods of Reality. The Chaos Anomalies got jealous and wanted to play too *tear* The 12 Gods led by Ordo, allowed 13 of the Anomalies to join Reality, these 13 became the Lesser Gods. The Lesser Gods agreed to be submissive to the original 12 Gods in exchange for passage into Reality. One Anomaly is left behind in Chaos. 12+13+1=26

26 - Anomalies (Chaos)
12- Original Gods (Reality)
13- Lesser Gods (Reality)
1- Last Chaos Wielder *Anomaly* (Chaos)

...yeah I added that right

*Places sort of...

Prologue Part 2: Nero's Folly (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3881475&postcount=8)
The Lesser God, Nero, created weapons. Man found and stole his weapons. Ordo took Nero's swords away from the mortals and sealed them inside a mountain. The mortals began to craft their own weapons. That's about it.

Prologue Part 3: Nero's Trial (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3906527&postcount=15)
Nero is punished for basically creating murder. He's imprisoned inside the mountain where his weapons are sealed.

Prologue Part 4: The Lesser Rebellion (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3935113&postcount=24)
The Lesser God Feirro desides to rebel against the 12 Ancient Gods with the help of 4 other Lesser. (3 Lesser were loyal to the 12, all other Lesser Gods stay neutral.) He opens up the gate to Chaos and lets the last Anomaly in. The 12 Gods are bound by their own rules and can not kill the last Anomaly (The last Anomaly has no rules and basically has a license to kill) so the 12 sacrifice their immortality to give god-like powers to their favored people, who become known as the 12 clans. The 12 clans seemingly defeat the last Anomaly in an epic battle where everyone died.

Prologue Part 5: The 12 Walls of Rah (http://naruto.viz.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3944335&postcount=29)
The Ordo clan (the people that were blessed by Ordo) have a new leader named Rah. Rah founds a city (called the City of Rah) and wants to protect his people in the future so he finds the Oracle (Lesser God that chose no side.) She tells him to build 12 walls over 12 generations. They do. When they 12th wall is finished they are attacked. After 17 years, the 12th, 11th, 10th, and 9th walls have all fallen. (they've got 8 walls left) Refugees from other nations live behind the 7th and 6th walls.

[Kunoichi]

Prologue Part 1: Creation
It began in Chaos. A place of blinding darkness and unyielding alterations, simple yet utterly complex. A place where the word "impossible" had every meaning. A silent din raged, distorting itself, collapsing, and rebuilding; constant and never ending. For an eternity this was the path of Chaos. Until, like many things in Chaos, something changed. The Anomalies occurred.

In an instant they happened and it was as if they had always been. Upon their existence they became aware. Aware of Chaos, aware of each other, aware of all that was, and all that was... impossible. The Anomalies found they could alter Chaos itself, control it, use it, understand it. They became the 26 wielders of Chaos and the first degree of order to exist within it.

For a long time the Anomalies were content to simply be, but eventually they too began to transform. They became restless and bored, so they turned the world of Chaos into a game. They shifted pockets of discord, they created, they destroyed, waging an eternal war against each other. Some grew obsessed, other ambivalent; for the longer they played the game the more frustrated they grew. The Anomalies knew undeniably that the game was never ending. That in Chaos they would play forever and there would be no winner.
Knowing the game was futile, an Anomaly, who would come to be known as Ordo, devised a plan. Ordo gathered the other wielders and conveyed his desire for a new game, a game outside of Chaos, a game... that could be won. Ordo's proposal was met with mixed reactions. Many rejected his idea, believing it to be unobtainable, even within Chaos. Others were simply suspicious. In the end Ordo could convince only 11 of his fellow wielders to join his new game.

Together the 12 forged Reality, the world outside of Chaos. A place of rules and order. They created elements, concepts, laws, and life. In this world they were no longer Anomalies, they were Gods.

As time passed the remaining Anomalies grew curious. They sat at the edge of Chaos and watched the new world in awe. Soon curiosity became fascinations and fascination gave way to envy. They too wanted to play the new game. They began shifting Chaos, thrusting waves of bedlam to assault the world outside of Chaos, but despite their efforts they could not force their way into Reality.

Feeling the jealous eyes of Chaos, Ordo consulted the other Gods. Collectively they decided to extend an offer to the Chaos Anomalies. The 12 Gods agreed to open the gate of Reality and allow the others to join, but since the others had no hand in the creation of Reality they would be subject to the rule of the 12. The others would not be Gods in the way that the 12 were. And once they set foot inside Reality they could not return to Chaos until the game had officially ended.

Although unhappy with this punishment, 13 of the remaining Anomalies consented to Ordo's offer, considering it a fair price to pay for entry into Reality. The 14th, and last Anomaly of Chaos, rejected Ordo and his offer, vowing never to submit to the rule of anyone. With that the bargain was made, and the die cast. The 13 Anomalies entered the world outside Chaos and became the Lesser Gods, leaving the last Anomaly alone in Chaos.

[kejon16]

Nice!!!!!
You should read mine.

[Kiseki]

Holy fugde! This is so interesting :D

[Ishtar]

I love it. 8D

[Kunoichi]

heh thanks, I think it's still kinda confusing and reeeeally cliche lol

[Jonesy]

Awesome.

[Kunoichi]

Prologue Part 2: Nero's Folly
At first the Lesser Gods barely noticed to influence of the 12; so taken were they with the fruits of Reality. They marveled at the creation all around them, the animals, the nature, the people. For a time they came to believe that, perhaps, the 12 were meant to be greater, and relished the tasks the 12 would request of them. The Lesser Gods became the conduit between the people of Reality, and the 12 Ancients. The Lesser Gods acted on behalf of the Greater Gods and guided the mortals when the 12 could not spare their time. In this regard they gained praise from both sides and found themselves to be content. In Chaos they had purely existed, but in Reality they felt... needed. For generations peace reigned. In time, however, a nexus of trouble formed, a precursor of conflict and disputes to come. And the first dispute would fall upon the shoulders of the Lesser known as Nero.

Nero, the celebrated blacksmith, longed for the ability to create as he once had in Chaos. Bound by the rules of the 12, Nero could not create life in any form inside Reality. Knowing this, he set his talents upon the materials the 12 had already formed. He placed them upon his mighty forge and built the first true weapons of creation. Swords of breathtaking beauty that resonated a power deep within the cool ores they were bonded from. His satisfaction grew with each new weapon he produced. Before long one sword became dozens and dozens spawned into hundreds; all meticulously crafted, and each greater than the last.

Although overjoyed by his own success, Nero grew more fearful that one day the 12 might discover his deeds. Concerned that the 12 would be displeased with all that he had made, Nero hid his achievements in the depths of a mountain, a place he felt sure the other Gods, both Lesser and Great, would never seek them. True enough Nero's prized possessions were not unearthed by his immortal brethren, it was the mortals that would be his downfall. While mining the depths of the mountain they stumbled across Nero's treasures. Mesmerized by their glamor and awestruck by their potency the mortals stole Nero's works and brought them to the surface. It was there, in the light of a fresh dawn, that the power of Nero's swords took hold. Blood lust grabbed the men who brandished the blades. Armed with cold steel and unable to resist the force of Nero's weapons the men began to slaughter all that lay in their path.

When Ordo saw the bloodshed sweeping across Reality he rallied the Gods who descended from their keeps to intercede the massacre taking place. With little effort Ordo and his companions stopped the slaying. Ordo took the swords and cast them back into the mountain sealing it's entry from mortal creatures. Alas, the damage had been done. More paramount then the blades themselves was the knowledge they contained. Man had learned of a new and deadly force. Fires light up across Reality as the mortals began to forge their own weapons. Never could their blades match the art of Nero, yet the seeds of murder would be sown into their own crafts.

[Kiseki]

First!! Oh my gawd, Im loving this.
Kinda bloody though, haha. But awesome!

[Monster Addict92]

nice, kinda seems like greek mythology to me

[Kiseki]

I thought of the Roman Empire for a moment... :mrgreen:

[Monster Addict92]

well, i thought of Greek Mythology because there was like 12 Gods right? idr how many there actually was, and Hephaestus created fire for man behind Zeus' back and it caused chaos within mankind, like what Nero did with the weapons

[Kunoichi]

Well Greek and Roman mythology is basically the same thing, they just had different names for the gods. (Like Hephaestus was called Vulcan by the Romans) So you're both kind of on the same track :) Although Nero is also the name of a Roman Emperor, not that that has anything to do with the story I just like the way the name Nero sounds.

well, i thought of Greek Mythology because there was like 12 Gods right? idr how many there actually was, and Hephaestus created fire for man behind Zeus' back and it caused chaos within mankind, like what Nero did with the weapons

There were actually alot more than 12 gods (although there are 12 specifically that were called the 12 Olympians) but there were 12 Titans which came before the Olympus Gods. And Hephaestus wasn't the one who gave fire to man, I think that was Prometheus (though he stole it from Hephaestus's forge) and then I think to punish him they chained him to a rock and everyday birds peck out his eyes or something...

anyway, all of this God nonsense isn't really the main story, it's just prehistory that I felt I had to explain before I got into the actual main characters. I hope you guys like it so far, like I said it's kind of cliche with all the Immortal jazz, lol, but I'm trying to get to the interesting parts `o.o"

[Monster Addict92]

that's right, it was Prometheus, it's summer, my brain isn't in school mode ._. i hope i can get back into it though before school O_O

[Kunoichi]

Prologue Part 3: Nero's Trial
After the weapons had been sealed away Ordo held a gathering of the immortals to discuss the folly of Nero. Many of the Gods were more than unsettled by the incident. The Ancient known as ?????? was particularly displeased, as it was her favored people that had discovered the swords and become corrupt. She shook with ire and demanded Nero be punished, that his immortality be stripped and his powers relinquished.

Nero pleaded with the others, he had not intended for anyone to find his possessions. He argued that the mortals had stolen from him and reminded the Gods that he had not broken any of the 12's rules.
?????? insisted there was no excuse. Nero had created the swords that fell into the hands of men and thus was responsible for creating murder. Debate rang out amongst the Gods all voicing their opinions. Accusations flew, names were called, and ego's bruised as the debate became a maelstrom of voices.

Once again, Ordo took it upon himself to restore order. Though he agreed that Nero had not broken any rules outright, he also agreed with ??????, Nero must be held responsible for his actions no matter how unintended they may have been. As punishment Ordo would not stripe Nero of his Lesser God status; he would remain immortal. Instead he would be sealed away with his toy inside the mountain. There he would stay out of sight, guarding the corrupt arsenal until the end of time.

[yondaime]

You know you could link to the post itself? Just click on the number of the post at the top right corner. It will take you to a new tab that has that post only. Good for linking the chapters in the OP.

[Kiseki]

Short chapter, but I like it! What's up with the questionmarks? :P

[Kunoichi]

You know you could link to the post itself? Just click on the number of the post at the top right corner. It will take you to a new tab that has that post only. Good for linking the chapters in the OP.

Thanks for the suggestion I suppose I could do that.... eventually :lol:

Short chapter, but I like it! What's up with the questionmarks? :P
Yeah this one was longer but the second half I wasn't content with so I posted what I had. Question marks? *goes back to look* OH! yeah... I can't think of a name I like so I just ????? lol, damn I forgot about that!

[yondaime]

I can do it for you... if you want.

[Kunoichi]

sure that would be awesome, thanks

[yondaime]

Done. Also, on the third chapter, on the post it says Nero's Trail. But, on the OP, it says Nero's Trial. Which one is it? Your welcome!

[Kunoichi]

Done. Also, on the third chapter, on the post it says Nero's Trail. But, on the OP, it says Nero's Trial. Which one is it? Your welcome!
Wow, thanks! Lol uhh trial, I got kinda lazy with the last one if you couldn't tell :lol:

But really thanks again, that was really cool of you.

[yondaime]

It's alright. Just using my mod powers to do good and help out members. xD Anyways, I will try to read your fan fic when I get the chance.

[Kunoichi]

Prologue Part 4: Lesser Rebellion
After judgment had been handed down to Nero whispers began among the Lesser Gods. How quickly Ordo had passed blame, how arrogant the 12 had grown. Many of the Lesser Gods began to question the rule of the 12 and resent their former kin of Chaos. Lesser or not, where they not still Gods? The idea that the mortals meant more to the 12 then they, soured the hearts of some.

The Lesser, Feirro, even went as far as approaching the 12 and asking to return to Chaos. When they denied him a bitterness began to build in Feirro. He realized now that the Lesser Gods were merely slaves to the 12 and swore in secrecy that he would end their reign. Feirro plotted quietly for many years before finally arriving at his own solution. He sought out the Lesser Gods one by one and asked them to help him overthrow the 12 and return to Chaos. 4 agreed to aid Feirro, 3 refused swearing their loyalty to the 12, and the rest remained neutral.

Due to the laws the 12 had put in place Feirro and his allies could not attack openly, for the first Law in Reality was that an Immortal could not kill another Immortal. In combat the Lesser were weaker and could not possibly hope to trap even one of the Ancient as Ordo had done to Nero. When Feirro's companions reminded him of this he merely smiled. Of course they could not kill the 12, and they did not have the strength to trap them, but there was still one entity that could. The others grew confused, what in Reality could possibly be strong enough to end the 12? Feirro's smile only widened into a wolfish grin. Nothing in Reality could stop the 12, he admitted. So they would open the gates to Chaos and let their lost kin join the new game at last. Once the final Anomaly crossed into Reality he would not be bound by the rules of the 12. Feirro's accomplices murmured softly to each other, was it possible? Could it be done? There would only be one way to find out.

Together Feirro and his followers forced open the gates to Chaos. The final Anomaly entered and all of Reality shook in his wake. He brought with him legions of his own Chaos creations and wasted no time beginning the destruction of Reality. Ordo and the 12 realized what Feirro had done and burst into action. They forced the gates closed, but it was too late. The last Anomaly had arrived and Ordo and the 12 could not stop him. They fought the Anomaly and his legions but it became clear that even the 12 were bound to their own rules, they could not kill their former kin of Chaos.

As darkness spread across creation the 12 had to make a choice. Either surrender now and return to Chaos or sacrifice everything to save the world they had created. The Ancient Gods soon realized that surrender was not an option. They had grown to love their mortal subjects and refused to abandon them in their darkest hour.

With their minds made Ordo and the 12 sacrificed their immortality, each blessing their favored people with God like powers, in hopes that man could rise against the last Anomaly. The 12 blessed clans joined forces each represented by their greatest warrior. The 12 warriors met the last Anomaly and an epic battle took place. The ground shook and the sky became dark and glassy. The sound of swords clashing could be heard throughout Reality and the battle cries of the chosen champions embodied the hope of all creation. There was a great blast and then silence. The sky grew clear and the land still as the remaining mortals waited to see what had become of their champions.

When no word was sent the 12 clans grew fearful. They dispatched scouts to the battlefield and what they saw astounded them. A massive rift was torn across the earth and the bodies of the chosen warriors lay strew about. The shell that had once been the last Anomaly also lay motionless, a single hand print burned into its chest. Reality and all within it had been saved, but at the price of creations greatest warriors.

[Kiseki]

It's getting kinda complicated now, so many people in the story.
But I think I can still follow etc. ;)
I bet if this was made into anime it would look awesome! o-o

[Jonesy]

Interesting. I love it. :)

[Kunoichi]

It's getting kinda complicated now, so many people in the story.
But I think I can still follow etc. ;)
I bet if this was made into anime it would look awesome! o-o
Yeah I warned you it's confusing :lol: I'll try to put up more summaries, but it should get easier to fallow in a bit. I have one more prologue chapter and then the actual story should start. All the Gods and Lesser Gods and what not aren't key in the story, I just needed to get it all down so I can reference them later I guess. Thanks for sticking to it and continuing to read it though and for the encouragement. :)

Interesting. I love it. :)
Thank you very much :)

[Monster Addict92]

epicness

[Kunoichi]

Prologue Part 4: The 12 Walls of Rah
When the dust had settled the people of Reality felt safe, at last peace would reign, and they the people had the power to defend themselves. The blessed people of Ordo elected a new leader, a man by the name of Rah. Rah was a great and powerful warrior. He founded a city nestled at the edge of mountain and there his people flourished. But Rah was a cautious man and a seed of doubt grew in his heart. He feared this time of peace would be fleeting and wished to secure the safety of his people. So he set out on a quest.

Rah travelled the land and sought out the Lesser God known as the Oracle. The Oracle was the great seer of Reality and her word was not taken lightly. She had remained neutral during the great battle and Rah believed her wisdom was invaluable. After months of searching he finally found her. He pleaded with her to tell him where his people's future lie. She considered him for a long moment, her eyes far and distant. Carefully crafting her words she finally spoke to Rah, "Fate has many paths, the Ancient ones have given the 12 clans great power, and with power lies conflict. I have seen many futures for your people, each one lies in darkness and peril. The great demon has not been slain, only cast aside. One day he shall rise again and devour the souls of creation, though your life will have come to an end long before his return."

Rah's stomach twisted, "Tell me great seer, is the no way I can ensure the safety of my people?" he begged, "Is there nothing I can do?" The Oracle once again paused, sighing deeply. "As I have already stated, fate has many paths. I can make no promises, only wisdom, only suggestions."
"Then tell me Oracle, what do you advise? What must I do?"
"Build a wall around your city.Spare no expense, build it strong, build it well. And when you wall is complete so shall your reign be. When you've passed your title to your successor he too shall build a wall, as will his successor, and his successor's successor, and so on and so forth until 12 generations of walls protect your city."
"12 walls? And this will protect my people?" Rah asked.
"For a time, yes. But heed my words Rah, blessed son of Ordo, there will come a time when the walls will begin to fall. If the first wall is ever breached all of creation will be destroyed and this world will come to an end, do you understand mortal?"

Rah nodded and thanked the Oracle before returning to his city.
He fallowed her instructions and built the first wall of Rah. When it had reached completion he named his successor who began work on his own wall. This was done for 12 generations, each wall larger and more spectacular than the last, until the city of Rah was surrounded by stone. When the 12th wall was finished the a celebration was held and the City of Rah rejoiced. Their jubilation was soon cut short by a mighty earthquake. A screeching wind rang bells in their heads so shrill it caused ears to bleed. For a moment everyone stood in nervous anticipation and then the drums of war began.

Signal fires lit up across the city, the 12th wall was under attack! An army of phantoms and walking dead assailed the 12th wall. In a matter of hours they had broken through and began their march to the 11th wall killing any in their path. Panic and confusion swept through the city. The cries of children barely audible over the sirens of chaos. The people of Rah had been caught of guard and before they could properly react the 11th wall fell. The Oracle's prophecy had come to fruition. The demon was reaching out from the depths of hell to destroy creation.

The entire Ordo clan, raced to the 10th wall and there they held the hell spawn at bay. For years they remained stationed there holding the wall, repairing it, and keeping the city safe. But the dark creatures could not be content to attack in a mere physical sense. Their very presence took its toll on the minds and hearts of those defending the 10th wall. Eventually their souls grew too weary. They began to wither. There motivation faltered, they fought with less zeal and after 7 years they stopped fighting at all. The 10th wall fell and nearly the entire clan of Ordo was wiped out.

The City of Rah, learning from their mistakes had already began training fresh warriors. They stationed them at the 9th wall and pulled them out periodically. Still defending the wall would eventually drive a man mad. Meanwhile, the Rah was not the only place that felt the touch of darkness. Soon refugees from other clans fled to Rah. They arrived on giant birds begging for sanctuary. Unable to refuse, the people of Rah agreed to harbour the refugees, but demanded they stay behind the 7th and 6th walls.

17 years after the first attack the people of Rah were down to 8 walls.


Thanks monster

[Kunoichi]

Chapter 1, Part 1: Untitled

The market place was already beginning it's daily routine when Cage dashed through on his way to the academy. The smells of fresh fish and baking bread beckoned him to stop, but he refused to be late on his first day back. For the past three weeks he had been confined to his quarters with a multitude of bruises and a broken arm. "For his own good" they had said, "No training until the cast is off" they had warned. Cage had scoffed and fumed, but Master Yoshin had been firm, and as stubborn as Cage was he wasn't ready to argue with the only man he truly respected. So he fallowed orders and after almost of month of solitude the cast was off and he was allowed to return to school.

As he neared the academy he heard a familiar voice calling out his name. He turned to see a familiar youth jogging up behind him. The boy was small for his age, almost a foot shorter than Cage himself. His skin was the color of mahogany and his head a quiet mass of dark curls. He was painfully skinny and looked like he might blow away with the next gust of wind. Despite his small stature his eyes were bright with intelligence. He might have been the smallest student at the 2nd wall academy, but he was also the smartest. He was Cage's best friend, and his name, Shin Shinto, had been the only one on Cage's cast.

"Geez man where's the fire?" Shin panted when he had caught up.
Cage grinned, "Hey Shin, long time no see."
"No kidding. I see the cast is off, does that mean what I think it means?"
"Yep, sweet freedom." Cage said as he lifted his arm for Shin to inspect.
Shin chuckled, "So they finally let Cage out of his cage, huh? How's the arm feel?"
"Fine I guess, it still itches a little, but I think that's just her was of telling me she's ready for a rematch with that ape that broke her." Cage replied with a wink.
"Yeah well, don't hold your breath." Shin said as they two turned and continued walking towards the academy.
Cage gave him a puzzled look, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Stein graduated, he's not at the academy anymore, he's not even behind the 2nd wall."
"What?!" Cage was aghast and slightly disappointed, "When did that happen?"
"Couple weeks ago. They sent him and a couple other guys to the 7th wall. My Dad says there's talk of rebellion. The elders are afraid the refugees might try to rise up and push their way closer to the central walls, so they've been sending more units the 7th and 6th walls. Lucky for us Stein was one of them."
"Is that true? Are the refugees really going to rebel?"
Shin rolled his eyes, "I doubt it. It's just the elders being alarmists again. There's no way the refugees are going to try a coup."
"What makes you so sure?"
Shin stopped walking and frowned. He was quiet for a moment before speaking softly, "I've been to the outer walls Cage. Everyday is a struggle for those people. The birth rate keeps dropping, every year they bring in less crops." he sighed and shook his head. "Even if they wanted to fight I don't think they have it in 'em. I mean, when you look into their eyes they..." he paused again, "It's like they've all given up hope, like they're all just... waiting to die."

Cage swallowed slowly and looked away awkwardly. Shin's father was an important man in the city. He was a captain of the guard and responsible for ensuring the stability of the walls. As a result he travelled frequently between the walls, and Cage was aware that on some occasions Shin would accompany him. When Shin had first visited the outer walls Cage had bombarded him with questions, but Shin never seemed to want to discuss it. After awhile Cage stopped asking and the topic became taboo. Cage had spent his entire life behind the 2nd wall, and though it was common knowledge that the quality of life decreased the further away one got from the center, he still could only imagine what it was like on the edges of the city. But if Shin's hesitance to speak on the matter was any indication, then Cage was thankful he was behind the safety of the 2nd wall.

Shin gave a weak smile and broke the silence between them, "Well, we better hurry up. Master Yoshin'll flog you if you're late your first day back."
"Heh, yeah we wouldn't want that would we?" Cage agreed and together they entered the 2nd wall academy.

[Monster Addict92]

dude, this should totally be a movie

[Kiseki]

I agree on that, its movie-worthy :D

[Kunoichi]

Chapter 1, Part 2: Also Untitled.

The footsteps of Cage and Shin echoed slightly in the empty halls. They walked leisurely down the corridors and turned right at the end of the hallway where the classrooms of the oldest age brackets were located. They opened the third door on the left and entered quietly. As they walked over the threshold the heads of their classmates swivelled to look at them. When they saw it was only Cage and Shin they returned to their private conversations, some pausing just long enough to throw Cage a sour look. Cage barely noticed. He was used to the disapproving glares of his peers.

In order to attend the 2nd wall's academy students fell into one of two categories. Either there families were of high status, like Shin's, or they displayed exceptional skills and excelled in combat. Cage was neither. He had no family and was considered the worst student behind the 2nd wall. He was stubborn and pigheaded. He could barely shift the elements and his strategy skills were on par with that of a four year old. It was natural for the others to question his presence here, and he could blame them. Even he couldn't figure out why he hadn't been kicked to the 3rd or 4th walls yet.

Whatever the reason Cage had stopped caring long ago. He just kept pushing and telling himself that someday he would prove his worth. Someday he would earn his place here and make his own reason. Until then all he could do was try his best.

Cage and Shin took their usual places in the back corner of the room. Shin pulled a book from his bag and began reading while Cage scanned the room. Cage saw instantly that Shin had been telling the truth. Stein and some of their former classmates were no longer present, but what caught Cage's eye was an unfamiliar set of faces. A few rows ahead of him to his left Cage stared at two people he had never seen before. The first was a boy with blond hair who's eyes were a deep gray like the color of slate.Though he was on the shorter side his body was lean and fit. His features made him look young, but the dark circles beneath his eyes reminded Cage of someone who's seen too many nightmares come true. Beside the blond boy sat a girl with long auburn hair pulled back and braided. Her eyes were the color of fresh moss that peaked out beneath dark lashes. Her skin looked like soft porcelain and was accented by the subtle blush of her cheeks. She was stunning.

Without taking his eyes off the breathtaking beauty before him, Cage nudge Shin with his elbow.
"Shin, who is that?" he whispered.
Shin looked up from his book to fallow Cage's gaze, "Oh, those are the new kids." he said simply.
Cage gave him an icy look, "Obviously they're new, who are they?"
Shin shrugged, "I dunno, they're new kids. They showed up two days ago. Master Yoshin just said they'd be joining the class. The blond one's named Kai and the girl is Anara, other than that no one really knows anything about them."
Cage frowned and furrowed his brow, "That's it huh? They just showed up?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
While Shin resumed his reading Cage chewed his lip, "They had to come from somewhere." he finally muttered. "Someone's gotta have seen the before right? What about Lee? He came from the 4th wall has he ever seen them before?"
"No."
"Gable?"
"No."
"Well they couldn't come out of nowhere. Has anybody talked to them?"
Shin sighed and put his book down, "Cage, no one knows. They keep to themselves. They don't talk much, in fact I've never even heard the blond guy speak."
"And that doesn't make you curious?"
Shin shifted uncomfortably and looked away, "It's none of my buisness."
"What? What is it?" Cage asked recognized the nervous virtue of his friend.
"It's nothing really, just... rumors."
"And?"
Shin hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice further so that Cage had to lean forward to hear him, "Well, I heard they might be... from the outer walls."
"What?!?" Cage blurted louder than he had meant. A wave of fresh glares washed over him.
"Shhh! Keep your voice down." Shin waited until their classmates had looked away before continuing, "Look, no one's seen them on the other walls, not even Creed and he came all the way from the 5th wall. So if no one here's seen them then they must have come from the 6th or 7th walls, right?"
"You've been to the outer walls, have you ever seen them?"
"No, but they definitely look like they're from the outer walls. Especially the guy, you see the dark circles under his eyes? I'll bet he's from the 7th wall for sure."
"They must be pretty elite if they made it all the way here." Shin nodded in agreement as Cage observed the two once more. "What did you say their names were again?"
"Anara and Kai." as Shin spoke the blond boy turned abruptly and looked directly at them with a suspicious look on his face. The girl beside him glanced at the blond boy before looking over her shoulder. She turned her head and looked directly at Cage. Cage froze, locked in place, he felt his ears burning and his heart began to race. The girl's face showed little emotion but Cage swore he saw the hint of smile flash across her face, before she turned forward again.

The door opened and Master Yoshin entered making Cage jump. There was the scraping of chairs as the students began to stand.
"Good morning Master Yoshin." the class chimed in unison. "Good morning." he replied with a gentle sweeping of his head, "Please take your seats." The class sat as the lesson began.

[Kunoichi]

dude, this should totally be a movie


I agree on that, its movie-worthy :D

Thank you both :) I'm glad you guys have stuck around to read it. I hope it's less confusing now:mrgreen: