A/N: I'm in mourning for what has happened in Japan. It breaks my heart to see what has happened to a country so dear to me, and in one of it's most beautiful cities. Sendai is the hometown of our favorite blonde ronin Sage-bit of useless trivia. I really wish I could do more than what donations I have sent.
Back to this fic, firstly, thank you for the reviews they make me feel warm and fuzzy. I'll be starting a summer job soon so that will likely effect my updates. Don't panic, I am writting, updates may just be slower than usual.
Chapter Two
Kento let out a yawn, "Man all this training really puts me out."
"Yeah me too," Ryo admitted, "But we need to stay on top of our game in case something happens."
"I second that notion," Kayura looked at them, "Still training every day can be hard on the body."
"See? It's not just us who think that!" Sileny added with Rachel nodding in agreement.
"Hm..."
Kento looked at the blonde, "What is it?"
"I just don't remember a storm in the forecast today," Sage nodded to the window.
They followed his gaze to the storm clouds over the horizon.
"Strange," Ryo stood up, "I thought it was supposed to be clear and sunny?"
Rachel raised an eyebrow, "That's weird... the clouds are moving but I don't see the wind blowing."
Sage went to say something but was cut off by a low growl, followed by the two tigers running past him and the others.
"What Blaze! Black Blaze!" Ryo yelled after them as they ran out the opened front door.
"What's gotten into them?"
"Lets find out," Ryo dashed out after the two large tigers, his friends just behind him.
"Ryo wait!" Kayura shook her head before running after him and the four other boys. "Rachel, Sileny stay here just in case."
Sileny blinked twice then looked at her friend, "Really?"
The young German girl just shrugged.
The white tiger roared loudly as he stopped just ten feet outside the cabin. Ear pinned back and the fur on his tail was starting to stand on end, he did not like this happening so soon. White Blaze would rather this not happen at all-too late for that now though. He felt Black Blaze stop just to his left flank, growling, so he let out another roar at the clouds that came closer.
"White Blaze! Black Blaze!" Cye was the first to catch up to them, "What's wrong boys?"
"Hey White Blaze," the Ronin of Wildfire looked down at his feline friend. Something is not right here, he thought before following the tiger's gaze to the clouds only five miles away.
"You guys don't think…?" Kento looked between his friends.
Kayura gazed up, "Those clouds."
"There's not wind," Rowen said, confirming earlier suspicions. His eyes narrowed, "Has to be company."
Ryo stance changed, "Already?"
"Guys?" Sileny called from the cabin.
Sage looked over his shoulder to the girls, "Stay back there,"
"Can you see what's over the clouds?" Sileny looked at them.
"What?" Now Kento looked back.
Rachel's head appeared over Sileny's shoulder, "There's something flying above the clouds and it's huge!"
Above the clouds? Ryo looked up; squinting still he couldn't see anything. "I don't see it."
"I think I do," Rowen answered as he pulled his bow and arrow from the air, a trick he recently learned.
Kento watched him, "You sure you want to do that?"
He took aim, "I won't hit it." Letting the arrow go, he saw it sore up until it past something that was several stories above them.
Cye held his hand over his brow, "I see it now, what is that? It doesn't look like a bird."
Sage squinted, "Looks like it's coming down."
Kayura blinked, "The hell… it looks like it has a tail?"
"White Blaze, you and Black Blaze go guard Rachel and Sileny just in case," Ryo glanced down at the two tigers.
Black Blaze twitched his ear before turning to head back to the cabin, however, White Blaze didn't move. The tiger stood in front of his master, as if he refused to move.
"What Blaze?"
He growled and crouched like he wanted to pounce on something. The other tiger came back and bit the white tiger's tail. White Blaze whirled around, snapped at Black Blaze with his ears pinned. Sneering, the back tiger puffed himself up before bearing his teeth and hissing aggressively. He growled but then followed Black Blaze back towards the cabin.
Kento gazed at the two, "What was that all about?"
"Let's debate that later, I'd rather know what the hell that is?" Cye's eyes focused on the thing flying down to them.
"Is that a dragon?" Kento stared.
Rowen shook his head, "I don't think so."
"There's someone on it!" Rachel's voice shouted.
Sage began to realize how much closer it was getting to them, "She's right."
"Move back!" Ryo said as the creature got closer and began to land.
The large reptilian animal looked almost more feline in the face and the skin was stone. It gazed at the Ronin with blank eyes as its rider slide off its back.
"What is that thing?" Kento asked.
A response came from the rider, "It's a gargoyle."
Ryo glared at the gargoyle before turning his attention to the girl in front of them.
She was of medium build with long black hair, curled just above her waist. Deathly pale and eyes the color of rubies, she smiled to reveal her less than pearly whites. "Lovely to make your acquaintances; we have been gathering such interesting information on all of you."
"Who are you?" Sage demanded.
"My name is Marijke."
"Marijke?" Kento repeated.
"Yes, I have been sent to greet you young men by Lord Haytie."
Haytie? Kayura glared, "So he has come here after all."
"What does he want?" Cye asked, "He was here once before from what we've found out."
"Ah you've done your research," She nodded, "Yes he has been here before. Now he's returned to take the powers your armors hold."
"Not for sale," Rowen glared.
"We aren't here to buy them, he will take them. The only sad thing is that once he takes them the five of you will die."
What? Ryo gripped his katanas.
"It often happens when new powers are created. My lord is not a man without some sympathy, therefore you'll all have one week from today to say farewell to your loved ones-"
"SCREW THAT!" Kento yelled.
"We won't just hand over our lives to him!" Cye added.
Pulling an arrow out Rowen aimed it at her, "Or anyone for that matter!"
"So you are prepared to fight for this new power that has become part of you?" Marijke smirked, "How predictable. Let's hope your lot proves a better time had by all, the last time was a bit lax in their fighting."
Sage felt his stomach tighten, "And just what was it your lord stole from our country the last time?"
"I'm not at liberty to say."
"Humph, you ask them to give up their lives to your lord and offer nothing in return?" The blue haired girl tightened her hands into fists, "How typical."
She smirked, "Typical or not, this is what I had to offer. Since you all refuse to come you'll have to fight."
Cye's anger was building, "We've fought for our lives and armors many times already."
"Yes we are very aware of your history," leaning back against the gargoyle Marijke continued, "First you fought against Lord Talpa from the Nether Realm for the first time, a fight that only lasted a few months. Next came a few lesser lords, followed by a final battle with Lord Talpa and a lasting victory for you five."
Ryo could feel the others tense up around him; he opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.
"Next one of you was lured into a trap in the Americans, used as bait to bring in the other four. Of course you five won, despite the innocent lives lost at the time."
Sileny and Rachel looked at each other. They knew about the battles in America but not that lives had been lost. Rachel looked at Sage; she could tell at once how upset he was just by how still he stood. Her attention then went to Ryo, his shoulders had moved forward, he was just as-if not more-angry than Sage. What had they not told her?
"Move on a few months later and you're in Africa-"
"Okay we get it, you don't have to brag." Kento interrupted.
Rowen joined in, "Clearly you've done your own homework on us; you should have already known our answer."
"One can hope to gets things over with quickly and move on." She shrugged one shoulder, "Of course that never happens. I just really do hope that you're all ready for this fight. It's truly a shame to lose life in the prime."
Sage gripped his sword.
Kayura said, "We haven't lost yet; we won't lose now. You and your master should be the ones to brace yourselves for a loss."
Marijke looked at Kayura, "You're a bold one."
"If you are done here, then leave!" The blue haired girl glared.
Cye glanced sideways at the girl; he hadn't seen her like this before. Granted she hadn't fought with them since the fall of Talpa, but still…
"Hmm, perhaps I should. However I should leave on a note, should you have any living family who have strong powers, send them away. Myself and a fellow servant would show mercy, yet, my lord would seek out their powers for himself. This includes the two ladies you are trying to hide back there."
Ryo resisted the urge to strike the enemy in front of him.
Behind Marijke, the gargoyle moved and even made a growling sound. It walked up behind her and nudged her arm with a horn on the nose.
"I shall take my leave now, though I cannot say when others shall come to take your lives."
"Including you," Sage stated more than asked.
"Especially me," The dark haired girl mounted the gargoyle, "I look forward to adding those fantastic armors to our collection." Moving her ankles, she tapped at the flanks on the gargoyle with her heels. The creature ran forwards a few feet before taking off back into the sky, heading to the dark clouds.
Ryo watched with the others as the figure of the enemy vanished out of sight. Those dark clouds began dispersing like nothing happened. Something about all this was making the back of his head hurt, and his mouth go dry.
"Ryo."
Cye's voice snapped him out of his thoughts; he turned to look at the older of the Ronin. "It's some sick twisted form of déjà vu," He said.
"I agree," Sage nodded, "Always our armors and the powers they have."
"Not sure if we are better off with or without them," Kento added.
Rowen shook his head, "Either way there isn't anything we can do about it. Haytie or this Marijke may try to do something to the people."
"Yeah and she already warned us about targeting our families," Keno said through gritted teeth.
"Only if they have strong powers," Sage corrected.
"That included Rachel and Sileny," Rowen remarked as he glanced back to the cabin. "But they don't have powers."
"No," Cye nodded, "However we do know by now that Sileny has a fascination with magic. And because of that Rachel knows a little about it. Like Mia, they too, know a lot about myths."
Kayura offered another reason, "Or maybe Marijke thinks those two are your girlfriends."
"That would make a little more sense," Sage did agree, though both had become more like sisters to him.
"Either way…" Ryo trailed off before he started walked back to the cabin.
White Blaze made a soft grunt as his master came closer, he could see the mix of emotions on Ryo's face. His young master was getting ready for the war.
"What happened?" Rachel asked concern all over her face.
Looking at the tigers he said, "Black Blaze is going to be staying with you two until this is over."
Black Blaze snorted.
"Ryo-"
He interrupted Sileny, "Look the enemy may come after you guys when we aren't there, I want to be sure you two have some kind of protection."
White Blaze looked at the demon tiger, Be nice to these two. It is your fault after all that they've become as involved as they are.
You don't need to remind me of that, He growled.
