Feel The Wrath*
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne or Tenchu. An: This is an alternate universe where Echigoya is alive.
Chapter 1: The Mercenary
It had been a year since Rikimaru and Ayame had left Gohda's service and become mercenaries. They were training in the Bamboo Forest when he heard something rustling in the trees. He raised a hand to silence Ayame and moved silently forward. He saw a movement between two trees and used his grappling hook to climb to the top of a tree. He looked down and saw someone walking along an overgrown path. These forests were full of ninjas, human and demon, spirits and wolves. Yet this stranger was walking as if he hadn't a care in the world. He was pale and had symbols tattooed on his right arm. He heard a click and a whirr as Ayame was pulled up beside him. "Who's that?" she whispered. "It looks like Onikage," Rikimaru answered, "But he is long dead. He is quite thin and pale but I can feel a strange power emanating from him. Perhaps he has magic." At that point the stranger stopped. He flicked his tongue out, as if to taste the air. A smile spread over his mouth. He drew five throwing daggers, not unlike the ninjas' crimson blades and spread them out across his hand. He spun around quickly, letting the daggers fly. There were several thuds, followed by gushing noises. Rikimaru looked down and saw five ninjas lying dead on the forest floor. The stranger made a sudden jump and stood on the top of a bamboo tree with expert balance. He looked at the two Azuma and their weapons. He looked disappointed. "I expected something bigger," he said "What a disappointing catch. Still, I could use a proper fight." He started to smile. "Azuma ninja?" "Yes," said Rikimaru. "Mercenaries?" "Yes," said Ayame. "Oh good. It has been a long time since I had a proper fight. Even those ninja demons are no match for me now." He drew a long katana with symbols engraved on it. Blue sparks danced along its edge. He jumped forwards into a clearing and beckoned to them. They both jumped down, drawing their weapons as they fell. They landed perfectly but He was already moving towards them with his sword in his hand. He swung and grazed Rikimaru's left arm. Rikimaru swung his sword and left a large slit in His shirt. He tore the rest of it off and threw it down. He ran at Ayame and grabbed her neck. He lifted her up off the ground and slowly tightened his grip. Rikimaru gave him a flying kick at the base of his spine and he dropped her. He stumbled for a moment and that was all Rikimaru needed. He took Izayoi and thrust it through his stomach. He stumbled for a second and fell over. Rikimaru took a health potion and gave it to Ayame. She was drinking it when something knocked it out of her hand. It landed on the ground with a shard of ice sticking right through it. She turned around and the stranger was there, Izayoi still in his chest, laughing. "Fools," he said "Poor weak, pathetic fools," he laughed mirthlessly. He grabbed Izayoi's handle and pulled it out of his stomach. Blood poured out for a second and then stopped. He swung his hand in an arc and glyphs appeared in the air. He pulled his fist back. "Ayame, run!" Rikimaru shouted, recognising the Wrath of Heaven. Ayame didn't need to be told twice. She had seen this very move performed on Onikage. It had left him a red stain on the wall. She ran back and stood behind a tree. Rikimaru dodged at the last minute and His fist hit a tree, which broke in two and fell on a wolf. "Damn!" He shouted. The Wrath of Heaven had left him completely drained of power. He had just enough to do one last thing. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and wrote something on it. He put it on a dagger, which he hurled at a tree. He then did a backflip high into the air. There was a boom and a flash and He was gone. Rikimaru took the note and read it. It said:
" Well done, ninja. Follow the trail and you will find me.
Yours,
Van Fanel."
"Who was it?" Ayame asked. "Someone called Van Fanel," Rikimaru replied. What did he mean by follow the trail? Rikimaru thought to himself. Little did he know, he would soon find out.
An: Read and review! Come on! It's my first fic in ages. No flames please. P.S (To everyone who's heard of me.) I bet you all thought I was dead, didn't you! * Aka Lord de Seis versus writer's block: Round 1
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne or Tenchu. An: This is an alternate universe where Echigoya is alive.
Chapter 1: The Mercenary
It had been a year since Rikimaru and Ayame had left Gohda's service and become mercenaries. They were training in the Bamboo Forest when he heard something rustling in the trees. He raised a hand to silence Ayame and moved silently forward. He saw a movement between two trees and used his grappling hook to climb to the top of a tree. He looked down and saw someone walking along an overgrown path. These forests were full of ninjas, human and demon, spirits and wolves. Yet this stranger was walking as if he hadn't a care in the world. He was pale and had symbols tattooed on his right arm. He heard a click and a whirr as Ayame was pulled up beside him. "Who's that?" she whispered. "It looks like Onikage," Rikimaru answered, "But he is long dead. He is quite thin and pale but I can feel a strange power emanating from him. Perhaps he has magic." At that point the stranger stopped. He flicked his tongue out, as if to taste the air. A smile spread over his mouth. He drew five throwing daggers, not unlike the ninjas' crimson blades and spread them out across his hand. He spun around quickly, letting the daggers fly. There were several thuds, followed by gushing noises. Rikimaru looked down and saw five ninjas lying dead on the forest floor. The stranger made a sudden jump and stood on the top of a bamboo tree with expert balance. He looked at the two Azuma and their weapons. He looked disappointed. "I expected something bigger," he said "What a disappointing catch. Still, I could use a proper fight." He started to smile. "Azuma ninja?" "Yes," said Rikimaru. "Mercenaries?" "Yes," said Ayame. "Oh good. It has been a long time since I had a proper fight. Even those ninja demons are no match for me now." He drew a long katana with symbols engraved on it. Blue sparks danced along its edge. He jumped forwards into a clearing and beckoned to them. They both jumped down, drawing their weapons as they fell. They landed perfectly but He was already moving towards them with his sword in his hand. He swung and grazed Rikimaru's left arm. Rikimaru swung his sword and left a large slit in His shirt. He tore the rest of it off and threw it down. He ran at Ayame and grabbed her neck. He lifted her up off the ground and slowly tightened his grip. Rikimaru gave him a flying kick at the base of his spine and he dropped her. He stumbled for a moment and that was all Rikimaru needed. He took Izayoi and thrust it through his stomach. He stumbled for a second and fell over. Rikimaru took a health potion and gave it to Ayame. She was drinking it when something knocked it out of her hand. It landed on the ground with a shard of ice sticking right through it. She turned around and the stranger was there, Izayoi still in his chest, laughing. "Fools," he said "Poor weak, pathetic fools," he laughed mirthlessly. He grabbed Izayoi's handle and pulled it out of his stomach. Blood poured out for a second and then stopped. He swung his hand in an arc and glyphs appeared in the air. He pulled his fist back. "Ayame, run!" Rikimaru shouted, recognising the Wrath of Heaven. Ayame didn't need to be told twice. She had seen this very move performed on Onikage. It had left him a red stain on the wall. She ran back and stood behind a tree. Rikimaru dodged at the last minute and His fist hit a tree, which broke in two and fell on a wolf. "Damn!" He shouted. The Wrath of Heaven had left him completely drained of power. He had just enough to do one last thing. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and wrote something on it. He put it on a dagger, which he hurled at a tree. He then did a backflip high into the air. There was a boom and a flash and He was gone. Rikimaru took the note and read it. It said:
" Well done, ninja. Follow the trail and you will find me.
Yours,
Van Fanel."
"Who was it?" Ayame asked. "Someone called Van Fanel," Rikimaru replied. What did he mean by follow the trail? Rikimaru thought to himself. Little did he know, he would soon find out.
An: Read and review! Come on! It's my first fic in ages. No flames please. P.S (To everyone who's heard of me.) I bet you all thought I was dead, didn't you! * Aka Lord de Seis versus writer's block: Round 1