Ch. 2 A Hail of Fire
Melody, Jackson, and Davis exited the chamber to the chaotic streets. The ninjas of the village desperately defended what was left of the city from the deadly strikes of the shadowed figures. But the Kaiomi people had little to no chance for survival.
Administrator Basil was leading the children of the town through the secret passage beneath the village. The three ran to the tunnel where Basil had entered, but the door was locked.
"What now? There's no other way out!"
Suddenly a figure from atop a building could be seen; he without regret released raging bolts of flame from his hands. The fireballs zoomed to the earth and burned the buildings around. His chuckle filled the air.
"Move!" someone called.
The young ninjas dodged each flaming stone that came close; they then ran through a huge crowd of panicked warriors.
"Move quickly, through here." Davis commanded pointing to the weapon hall.
They rushed inside. Quickly, each began to scavenge for supplies. In a few minor moments, another flaming stone fell through the roof, shoving them to the ground and scattering blades all over the room. Jackson leaped to his feet and assisted the others two up.
"We've got to get out of here," Davis stated.
Then twelve of the cloaked figures, blades in hand, entered the hall with a leader in a scarlet cloak up front. Then the black capes came near, raised their broad swords, ready to strike, when Jackson formed an energy disc from his hand and threw it toward the men. One fell over with ten still coming. They quickly searched around, Melody noticed behind the broken scraps of wood, a bow. She swiftly snatched it up and blocked the striking swords.
Her golden aurora had surrounded the staff, protecting it from harm. She held back as many of the men as she could but the hooded figures eventually relinquished her from the protection of the stick.
Davis drew the kunai strapped to his ankles and fought off a few. Jackson threw his discs one by one at everyone that came close, while Sara lifted her bow and pushed back who she could. Then, the scarlet figure released a surge of lightning at the young ninjas; they fell to the ground.
At this time a midnight black shadow appeared below them and Administrator Basil arose from the portal on the ground. "You touch any of them and I'll crush you." Basil pulled out his blade. "All of you move into the portal behind you, now!"
Sara backed up into the portal Basil had made. Jackson and Davis followed.
"Basil, it's been a long time. So you left Lord Roval for some kids? How pathetic could you possibly get?"
"What's your game, Ridacus?"
"Now's not the right time, but soon." A strike of lightning filled the room and Ridacus vanished. Basil then stepped into his shadow and left.
-The Hinetoya Forest-
About a hundred miles from the Kaiomi Village, the ninjas fell onto the broken branches below the oaks. Multiple young children were surrounding them from all sides, screaming and panicking without cease.
"Calm yourselves; it'll be okay." Davis pleaded the inexperienced ninjas. Thankfully, Basil appeared behind a cedar close by.
"I couldn't find the other students." Basil regretted. "But I'm sure the other administrators rescued as many as they could." The children began to get louder. "Quiet!" he yelled and silence fell upon the crowd. "There's a safe ground four hundred yards south of here. Follow me. Davis, make certain that no one falls behind."
They followed Basil through the thick bush of the forest to a pool at the foot of a small waterfall. Basil eyed the rocks, where he then pushed in a segment of the stones, and a rumbling noise came from behind the water. He motioned his hand, and they stepped behind it one at a time. The room was lit with lanterns and once the last students entered the hidden cave, the stone replaced itself into its original position.
"What now?" Jackson worried, "The Kaiomi Village is gone; there's nothing left of our home."
"Your job right now is to protect the immature ninjas from harm. They could be the last of the Kaiomi left and it's our sworn duty to guard them with our lives, and if I know the Dark Army like I do, they will be looking for any survivors," Basil explained.