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Library: Shinto

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Author: bippo
Date:Apr 10 2004


In dark ages long ago, in a land far off, wars waged and villages burned. The
earth was still anew and mere mortals had only just begun to rule. The gods
themselves hadn't all left the mortal world behind, some still lingered
helping mortals, but not nearly as often as they caused chaos and destruction.
A large island mass had once lay off the coast of the main Batworld, that land
was called Zentao. The island was overrun with war
two tribal leaders feuded over the true rule of the land. Tiak and Linuk, both
heads of great armies, both tried and true warriors, both vowing to rule the
same land, had waged war for 10 years. The blood of the people ran thick in
the streets of their cities, but the end to such war was far from sight.
Little did either of the warlords know, there had been a buildup of forces
which had planned to take down both leaders and claim their rights as a true
leader, a descendant from the gods, a demigoddess, Shinto. Shinto was known as
'The Assassin' to most, those she killed never heard her coming and those that
did see her, never managed to live long. 
On the eve of a great battle Tiak had sent for his senior general, Reasa, to
amass a small army in the town of Mu-ka, a small fishing town, which had put
up little resistance but nonetheless Reasa killed all the men in the town, and
burned many of the houses to the ground. When word of this had spread to the
resistance Shinto was enraged, she had set out alone to teach a lesson to
those who would bring pain to the people of Zentao. 
Shinto stood nearly six feet tall and had a slender but athletic build. She
had flowing brunette hair which when unkempt, lay nearly as far as her belt.
She was a master of the bladed weapon and always carried Kilitaino, a deadly
katana given to her by the gods, and a wakizashi, she had crafted her self
from diamond. Also she was well versed in the art of explosives. 
The sun had just set, but the town was still illuminated by the full moon.
Reasa had taken hold in the towns hall, with his troops and close men. They
had been drinking but were still in a fighting spirits. When Shino reached the
town a strange fog began to creep into the streets and the moon suddenly
turned an eerie blood red. Shinto had made it into the town unnoticed and now
casually strolled up to the town hall, dressed as a beggar and under the cover
of fog she was hard to spot, not until she had reached the steps of the town
hall did she come across Reasa's men. As the men approached her they drew
their swords, they planned to do to her what they had done to the rest of the
town. However when they were within swords length from her, the first guard
suddenly felt the cold blade of Kilitaino enter his chest and exit through his
scalp. Before the second guard could raise his weapon he too had felt the
sword reach through his chest and out his back. The beggars garment fell to
the floor and she darted for the door. With a swift kick the door was kicked
open and three guards jumped up. Shinto reached into her vest and pulled out 3
short daggers which gleamed in the light of the men's fire. She tossed the
blades into the men without hesitation. As she mad her way to the top floor
she sent every guard she encountered to their death. When she reached the top
floor she came face to face with Reasa, the commotion in the building had
caused him to stir and ready himself for combat. Kilitaino had already been
drawn and their swords locked, and their eyes met, inches apart Reasa's last
images before death were the cold dark stare of his killer. Before he could
react her wakizashi had landed into his back. His body fell lifelessly to the
floor, where she had left him for dead. 
Her mission accomplished she began to leave the building, but to her surprise
and delight she met Tiak on his way into the town and a fierce battle broke
out in the streets of the town. She quickly laid rest to the guards which had
surrounded their warlord vigilantly. The two met with ferocious swordsmanship,
the sound of metal clashing on metal could be heard throughout the town, and
fiery sparks shot out from between their weapons. In the end Tiak was no match
for Shinto, years of training and the blood of the gods would take her further
then any mortal had gone before. Tiak's body was separated from his head and
only his body was left on the streets. Outside of Tiak's city she mounted his
skull atop a post as a message that the end of his reign was upon us. 
When news of Tiak's death and rumors of Shinto had spread to Linuk, his
curiosity got the best of him and he wished to set up a meeting with this
woman, he had hoped to form an alliance between the two. He sent out
messengers to contact the assassin, none of which returned. After nearly a
month of waiting for a message or sign
there was a wild commotion at the gates to his city. Shinto had come at last
she was unarmed and willing to speak with Linuk. His guards brought her
directly to him in the grand hall and a feast was prepared for the two of them
to honor her for dealing death to his long time enemy. 
The two sat and spoke, not once did she mention the death of Tiak, but instead
she asked as polite as one could expect for him to relinquish his claim on the
land and leave before he too ended with the same fate as his rival. When he
refused, fighting broke out, but Linuk's had become more cautious since he had
sent for her, and the room was quickly filled with his guards as he fled to a
safe room. Before a single guard could lay their blade upon her flesh, an
immense shiek was heard from her, and then a vast light enveloped the room
blinding the guards. When effects of the light wore off, all those within
reach of Shinto lay lifeless, light could still be seen flickering from the
blade in Shinto's hands, Kilintaino. She mad quick work of the remaining
guards and then chased after Linuk. He was sure to call all of his royal
guards into the keep, but he had not realized the furious rage that fueled his
new adversary. Her will was unwavering and no mere mortal would stand in her
way. 
She reached a locked door that lead into the inner keep, inside was Linuk and
several guards, her will would finally be realized in this moment, she would
be supreme ruler of the lands and all that stood in her way was a door and men
whom she had already counted as dead. She kicked the door open with a
thundering explosion knocking back two of the guards standing closest to the
door, incapacitating them. Fear now had consumed the rest of the men but their
honor forced them into battle. One guard after another she laid to rest with
her blade, until only Linuk and herself remained standing. The two began to
duel, he was far superior in swordsmanship then she had expected after
defeating Tiak, but the gods were not on his side this day. She asked him once
again to leave the island with his life and he refused yet again, locking in
his fate, he brought one last assault upon Shinto but before his sword could
come down across hers, she side-stepped quickly and promptly brought her sword
down across his neck severing it from the body it which adorned.
Shinto had brought an end to a war which had lasted longer than any folk in
this land wished to remember. Although her methods were amongst the same as
her foe's her message was heard louder and clearer then ever before. She was
worshipped, she was followed, she was feared amongst other things, but she now
reigned supreme over the island if Zentao. To this day she lives on ruling
with a cold blade and a love for her people, there is seldom any conflict in
those lands which requires actions that she had taken to free them, but no
mortal or even a god, has yet to test her abilities to repeat history.



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