Dreamwalker, Prologue

"There is a place between the waking and the dreaming. It is know only to those that have walked the dreamscape and the Astral. The modern Mystics have no name for it, just as the mystics of the past had no name for it. It is here that the tale that I am about to tell you unfolds."

"My name is Kaijin Yotaka, Please sit down and make yourself comfortable for this is a tale that is long and involves a very special set of people. What? Oh, please call me Yotaka and I will tell you the story of a Mystic in the Dreamscape, A special group of warriors and a very special group of mystics known to the world as the Ancients."

Sips at his tea as he settles to tell the story. "Yes, It was a very long time ago, and yet, not that long ago in the mystic eye…"

The Ronins had defeated Talpa and the world had been at peace for many years. It was believed by those that know the Ronins and of their abilities to fight the evils that would invade the world that they would never be needed again. The summer days were hazy lazy for all of them now that school was out and the five had graduated.

Mia was working hard as ever at her research on the Ronin armors and their past, but now she had information and friends that would be able to help her in her research. After the war with Talpa, she had grieved for several months for the loss of the lives that had happened in the war. Not the least of these losses was that of her grandfather.

Professor Koji had been a kind and generous soul, giving what he knew freely even unto death. It was his knowledge of the Ronin armors and the legends associated with them that allowed Mia to help the five warriors.

It is always the days you never think anything but relaxation could be done when there was a package delivered to Mia's house. The long box was fairly flat and Mia had no idea as to who sent such a thing to her. She signed for it however thinking that it was an artifact of some sort that one of her constituents had sent to her for the Mythological connections.

For it's size the package was fairly light and so she pulled out her knife and pried the staples out of the boxing and opened the lid. What she saw made the fairly unshakable woman scream.

In the box was the Staff of the Ancients. That wasn't what made her scream and the guys come running. No, what made Mia scream was the bloodied tissues that wrapped the staff as it sat in the box. The thought that the last of the ancients had died in battle with out calling on them was unthinkable and so they all looked through the messy box to see if there was a clue to its origins.

It was Cye that found the small hand written scroll. Handing it to the now calmer woman she cracked the seal on it and started reading. What she read there made the blood drain from her own face causing the Ronins to wonder if she was going to feint.

Fortunately the historian was of enough presence that she sat down on her own. Looking up at the faces of her friends and protectors she slowly started reading the missive aloud.

"Miss Koji" The small scroll started. "You are a brave woman to survive what you have and still befriend the young warriors. However there is a new danger and you will be needed to guide them once again. The Clan of the ancients is being exterminated and it is with a slow and dying hand that I am writing this to you."

Take up the staff, Learn of its ways and guide the young ronins well for if these continue as they are, they will be with out guidance both in the past and in the future. You are strong to have survived this long and now I entrust you with these duties."

There was no signature to the letter, but there was no doubt that it was from one of the clan. How they managed to send such a precious treasure through the post and still get it to them was a miracle in modern times and then the import of the letter hit her.

She had been chosen as the successor to the clan of the ancients should they not survive what ever battle it was that was slowly killing them off. Looking at the staff Mia could only wonder what kind of horror could kill off an entire clan that was as steeped in mysticism as the ancients.

As she reached out to take up the staff she could feel an unusual warmth radiating from it as she came close to it. Strangely enough she had not felt any warmth from it before. Yet as they watched, Mia did not even need to touch the staff as it rose into the air and removed the blood from itself. An image of the Ancient One came to the fore and that image seemed to be holding the staff. Smiling slightly it spoke.

"You have received your duties and you seem prepared to do what you can. I praise you for your spirit and commitment Mia Koji. Take care of the ancients still found in your time, and if at all possible, find a way to protect the past for you know better than most what the disappearance of the clan will do to the past battle with Talpa."

The image simply faded out of existence and as the hand disappeared from the staff, it floated to hang in front of the woman. Taking it up she looked at the others she nodded. "Well guys, it looks like there is yet another adventure to save the world."