A/N: Happy New Year! As I said here is the first chaper up for the sequel to Magic. Since I'll be going back to school this month chances are you'll only be getting one or two chapters a month. As usual, please R&R to tell me what you think. Also, this story picks up three months after Magic. Enjoy!
Power
Chapter One
Balls of glass hung from a circular-roofless room, each one flashing images of the Honshu island of Japan. Everything from trees, buildings new and old, people going about their lives, to the ghosts floating among the living. Not one image shown anything powerful enough to add to the others he had gained over the centuries.
Large double doors opened out and a large cream-colored fox, with three tails, entered the room.
"Ekin." A male voice echoed in the room, "I see you return from another excursion to Japan."
The fox reached the very center of the room before shifting into a humanoid form, dressed in a long furisode, one would only tell she was not human by her fox ears. "I have my lord," She bowed deeply.
"Where you successful?"
"Yes," She stood up strait and took a black mirror out of her obi, "I have seen them." Holding the mirror out so the glass faced upwards, images in the glass balls began to change, showing the faces of five young men. "These five have the powerful new treasure you seek. From what I can tell the power has become all but one with them, extracting the power from them is liable to kill them."
Ekin blew air over the glass and the images changed again, this time showing the youths wearing impressive samurai-like armor, "As you can see this power will truly make a grand addition."
"You have done well, Ekin."
She bowed again, "It is my pleasure, Lord Haytie."
The man stood up from a marble throne, "Inform all the troops of everything you know on your country. We shall go collect these armors in three days."
"As you wish," She turned and walked quietly out of the room. The large doors closed behind her without a sound.
Haytie stepped down from his throne, five of the glass balls moved in front of him, each with an image of the armored youths. "These armors shall be a new jewel in my crown. Such a pity the five of you must die in your prime, yet thus is fate." He took one of the glass balls into his hand, "Marijke."
Walking from the shadows the young girl bowed, dark curled locks falling over her shoulders, "My lord?"
"You will lead the first strike."
"I'm flattered. How would you like me to handle them?" She asked, standing up straight again.
"Introduce yourself to the enemy as only you can."
"SHEISSE!" Rachel yelled, as she stood stark still against a tree.
Groaning the soaking wet Ronin of HardRock sat up from the rubble that was a boulder until two seconds ago. "Ouch..."
"Past this tree is supposed to be the safe zone!" Rachel yelled to the group of warriors on the other end of the field.
"Sorry Rachel!" Cye called back, "I still have trouble with this attack."
The young German girl whimpered.
"I told you we should make the cabin the safe zone," Sileny said from the tree above, gripping a pen and paper.
"You okay Kento?" Sage called over.
"Just peachy," Kento answered as he stood up. Dusting the rubble from his armor, "Haven't been thrown around like that for a while."
"Let's take the dinner break," Rowen looked at their leader.
"Good idea, Kayura should be here soon anyways," Ryo put his swords away.
Sileny jumped down from the tree branch, "You sure you're okay Kento?"
Kento nodded, "Yeah I've had way worse," he grinned then glanced at the paper in the girls hand, "So who's winning today?"
Arching an orange eyebrow she answered, "I thought that was rather obvious at this point?"
"I only won with that last attack," Cye looked at the Swedish girl.
She nodded, "True but your water-jet-looking-thingy threw him farther in the last two minutes than his boulders did you in the last two hours."
"Sileny has a point, Cye. My helmets off to ya for that."
Rowen walked up behind the girls, "What about the rest of us?"
Rachel looked up and turned around, "For the day or the whole week?"
"Both."
Reaching over, the auburn haired one pulled the sheet of paper from her friend's hand, "The winner's today are Cye and Sage."
"So far," Sileny added.
"You two get to fight each other then after dinner," Kento sounded a little more amused than Cye thought he should.
"And the cabin will definitely be safe zone for that."
"Who won our match?" Ryo asked, looking at the paper.
"Sorry I didn't catch that."
Rowen looked at Sileny, "You didn't?"
Blue eyes looked up, "No. I was too busy trying not to fall off the tree while Kento went flying past my face, then crashed into that," She pointed at the rubble behind the warrior in question.
"You crashed into a boulder?"
"Hm?" Turning his head the Chinese man grinned, "Hey Kayura, and yes, I crashed into a boulder." He nodded towards the pail of rocks.
"Wow… who did-"
"My fault," Cye answered, now in his subarmor.
"Sage and Cye are the winners today," Ryo looked at his two friends.
"I'd like to stay and watch that," Kayura looked between the two.
Sage shrugged, now also in his subarmor, "Let's go inside."
"Yes," Ryo agreed and led the way into the small cabin he had called home for so many years.
"So you did find something?" Rowen asked.
"Yes," Kayura nodded, "It's not really much to go on at all though." She pulled a scroll out from the sleeve of her kimono, "Cale and I found it in the records this morning. We kept looking to find it referenced again, however, this is the only scroll Haytie is mentioned in."
Unrolling the scroll across the table she set her figure down on a paragraph, "This states and I quote, 'Scouts in the Mortal Realm have seen Lord Haytie on the larger island of Honshu. What he is after has yet to be discovered, yet Lord Talpa has ordered a watchful eye be kept on this intruder.' Un quote."
"Sounds to me like whoever wrote that knew who Haytie is," Rowen observed.
Sage nodded, "I agree. Does it say anything else?"
"Yes," moving her finger she said, "Quote, 'Haytie seems to have found a power he desires and took it without hesitation and little opposition. Lord Talpa said to leave this matter alone since whatever it was Lord Haytie took is not something that Lord Talpa is after.' Un quote."
"That's all?" Cye looked at the girl across from him.
"That's all. We know that Talpa was after the armors but obviously that's not what Haytie came after."
Rowen thought for a moment, "So if Talpa knew who Haytie was then chances are they crossed paths at some point."
"It's very likely," Kayura admitted, "Talpa never talked about someone like this though. At least not to me-that I remember."
Kento spoke next, "What was this written?"
She looked back down to the scroll and found the dates written in red, "Um the Kamakura Period, winter and spring of 1241 to be exact."
"That's over seven-hundred years ago," Ryo observed.
"Would this record keeper know who Haytie is?" Rachel asked.
"He may have, however he was executed about ten years ago."
"Other than this we have nothing," Ryo sighed, "Well at least it's more than we had on Keitaro."
"You've fought enemies before without knowing anything about them," Sileny looked at her six friends, "Why is it so important to know everything now?"
Rowen answered, "It will give us an advantage. Keitaro is the only one we've fought so far that we haven't learned something along about along the way."
"Not everyone you come up against will tell you their life story, Rowen."
The taller boy just looked at her.
"I have to agree with her," Kayura looked at them, "Until Keitaro came along, it wasn't hard to figure out why you guys where fighting or being attacked. Talpa wanted your armors to be complete, Saranbo wanted the Inferno Armor so he could use it to take over the Dynasty, Saber Strike-to some extent-because of the injustice Talpa brought, then there was that creep who kidnapped Sage and used him as bait to harness the power of the armors."
The memories of those events brought a still silence to the five Ronin.
"The black inferno was the real suspect in Africa, and don't get me started on that ghost from Edo!" Kayura glared at the scroll, "Keitaro is the only one without a real motivation and he's also the first who didn't want the armors in any way, shape or form."
"He didn't even try to take over the mortal realm, like most of the other's we've fought," Cye's leaned back against the wall.
Rachel looked at Sage, "Didn't samurai used to go around challenging opponents to test their strength?"
"Yes, though I don't see how that's-" He paused, "Wait a minute. You think Keitaro was challenging us for that? He said it was for amusement."
"Yes."
Ryo thought a moment; "In a way that does make sense, he only won a battle against us once. Why keep fighting us unless it's really for strength?"
Kayura sighed, "While that makes sense I don't think we'll ever get an answer."
White Blaze entered the room and went straight to Ryo, lying down beside him. The large tiger was being unusually quiet during the first half of that conversation. One day he was sure his friends could find out the truth, he just didn't know when.
"Let's eat some dinner," Cye said before reaching into his bag for his bento.
"You hungry, Kayura?"
"I've already eaten, thank you."
"Sileny what time do you have class in the morning?" Kento asked.
"Eight-thirty, why?"
"Just want to be sure we can get you back in time."
"Kento, it's only six-thirty, I'm sure I can get some sleep. Thanks for worrying though."
"You work tomorrow too, don't you?" Rachel looked at her roommate.
Sileny nodded, "I close tomorrow night."
"What time does the call center close?" Rowen asked.
"At ten."
"Need a ride home? I don't work too far from you."
"Aw," She smiled, "That's cute Rowen, but you're driving skills scare me. So no thanks."
Kento chuckled, "Sage is worse than Rowen."
Sage cleared his throat.
"I'll stay with the rail."
Kayura giggled, "How are things going for the rest of you?" She looked at the Ronin.
Cye shrugged, "Can't complain too much. Even with all the training the shop's still doing good business."
"Wish I could say the same," Kento set his coffee drink down, "My siblings are really starting to get on my nerves with all their questions about the armor."
"I told you to just tell your parents and grandfather," Sage looked at his friend.
"I did," Kento answered, "Mei Ryu saw Ryo and I sparring in our subarmor the other night so the cat's officially out of the bag now."
"So that's what all that noise was," Rachel smiled, "And here I thought he was playing video games again."
"No he saw us," Ryo rubbed the back of his head.
"Are you settled into the apartment yet, Ryo?"
Groaning he replied, "As I'll ever be. I still can't believe my grandparents gave me their Tokyo apartment."
"I think that was nice of them," Rachel said.
"They told you that they weren't using it as much anymore and at least this way you get a place to live."
"Until they find White Blaze and Black Blaze," Cye said.
"Don't even joke about that," Ryo warned.
Sileny giggled.
"Is Black Blaze still being cold towards you?" Kayura asked, "You can always send him to us in the Nether Realm."
Ryo shook his head; "I mentioned that once to Black Blaze… that didn't go over very well."
"I think we should send him over to Rachel and Sileny's place."
The two girls stared at Cye.
"Um so he can eat our cats? I don't think so," Rachel shook her head.
"And I doubt that would go over well with the cops that live on our street," Sileny added.
Sage chuckled, "Probably not. However if Black Blaze was with you two then we'd have peace of mind during a battle."
"He doesn't even like us that much, why don't one of you guys take him to your place?" Rachel looked at everyone but Ryo.
"Not enough room in our apartment," Kento answered truthfully.
"Well?" Sileny looked at Sage and Rowen.
Sage went first, "I'm busy with the dojo and we don't get enough time to watch Ray as it is."
"I don't like Black Blaze anymore than he likes me."
Ryo shook his head; "Black Blaze can stay with me until spring. I have the room for them both." He looked at Sage, "How are things at the dojo anyways? You guys get that issue between the two kids solved?"
Rolling his eyes the blonde shook his head, "Not yet and I'm two steps shy from having them kicked out."
"What's going on?" Kayura asked.
"There are two students in my armature class with a very heated rivalry. From what another student tells me they are like this in school as well, and it's starting to cause problems."
"Can't you talk to their parents?" Kento asked.
"Tried, it hasn't really worked."
"Great."
"Anything new at the bookstore?" Kayura looked at Rowen.
"Not really," He leaned back, "My boss is trying to promote me but I'd rather he not."
"Why not?"
"Because I already feel like I live there as it is."
She frowned.
A low grunting sound came from the hallway, causing White Blaze to lift his head.
"That BB?" Sileny asked.
"Think so," Ryo replied before watching his tiger friend stand and walk back to the hall.
What is the matter? Brown eyes looked at the obviously tense black tiger standing by a window.
Tail twitching, Black Blaze answered, Look out the window and tell those clouds don't look familiar.
Without question, the other feline stood on his hind legs, propping his front paws against the wall. Yes he saw them. Dark storm clouds, at least seven miles away. They didn't have the green tint to them like the Dynasty's, no these looked like regular storm clouds.
White Blaze knew better, like his demonic companion, he could see the traces of magic in those clouds. He let out a low growl.
Company is coming. Black Blaze confirmed.