The shadow figure gazed upon the current situation that had taken place. "….There's no doubt…." It said. He opens his chrome eyes at Kaden, "But it seems…" he vanishes back into the shadows.
In an isolated location from beyond the mountains, inside an unknown volcano. Darkness filled the atmosphere, shadows appeared everywhere, and not a light was in sight. Ten different stoned pedestals represented individuals with different elements of powers. The isolated volcanic village was home to the evil rogues of any realm out there. Each and every villager has been on a killing rampage, and hasn't been captured by an official. This village was based off of a certain hideout particularly for the containment for rogue serial killers that have taken refuge away from officials.
"…..Nine Gods of Sudikakio. Arise from your duties. I call you to spread your Intel" the shadow leader called. And at that moment nine different individuals appeared before his eyes and each of them standing on their assigned pedestals. "Galthorb, Assassin of the Flames".
"Sui, Assassin of the Waters"
"Kyro, Demon of the Shadows"
"Warui, Assassin of the Earth"
"Jubaro, Assassin of the Rain"
"Halee Umenyiora, Assassin of the Demon Mist",
"Nina, Slayer of the Frozen Wastes"
"Krash, Vanquisher of the Clouds"
"Xicor, Assassin of Inferno".
And the leader who was centered from the entire group, "And Spawn, GOD of the Demon World". They all assembled together in an orderly fashion. "I have called you all here because of our world order of new ruling" the GOD stated. "You all are aware of the calamities that have been seen throughout each and every realm right?... All of whom stand before me. It is destined that we must all protect the portals of which our brethren dwell upon" "Heh please" the cocky Sui butted in. The focus turned towards him. "What mortal be foolish enough to overthrow our plans. It's a death wish if you ask me"
"That's the point! Who asked you Sui!? Always speaking out of line in front of Lord Spawn!" Halee attempted to silence him.
"Heh just what I expected from you Umenyiora. Always gotta speak for others than yourself. That's so pathetic"
"Y-Y-you!"
"Enough!" Jubaro silenced them both. "The more you two argue about your petty differences the less information we receive from Lord Spawn."
"B-but Sui..."
"Shut it!".
"...". Silence once again filled the atmosphere. "...Now in order for us to maintain power over the realms of Kalidon. You must assemble all demons that relate to your elemental powers. And create an army impenetrable to the mortals that stand before us." he began.
"..." Xicor remained quiet only to turn his head over Spawn. "Lord...". He calmly called. "Yes there is a disturbance in our atmosphere. A mere spy I presume...",
"A spy!?" Halee repeated. "...It is not of concern. However he must be dealt with, we cannot afford any secrets given" he began to eye the quiet but deadly Kyro of the Shadows. "...Understood" he vanished away from the rest of the nine rogues. "Master...Do you believe it is wise to send our top assassin to execute such a peasent misson? Why not send a civilian?" Jubaro asked.
"...Have faith in our comrade. Take it as a warm up for better challenges in the future.". the God had that same look on his face since the beginning, both calm and deadily. "But what if this menace...?" he was stopped. "His authority shouldn't be questioned. It's important that you should honor his decisions." Nina bugded in also.
"...You're right. Forgive me Lord".
"I admire your concern for your brother. However, if one is to be loosened of his restraints, he must be familiar with his mechanics." Spawn explained. "Come there are still so much to do" he left the meeting area; the rest followed.
Spying from an outside location,
"..." a spy sees gazes upon the mountain of the rogues. "Location found, but the only thing that is of concern is that they outnumber us all.". He peeked this his binoculars again,
"You think you have seen too much?" the shadows appeared in his eye-sight. "Huh" the spy falls backwards. "Your energy level wasn't difficult to detect. It was a matter of time until one of us were to be sent to eradicate you" he gazed with his pupil-less eyes in the all black background.
"You...can't be real" the spy backpedals away from the intimidating being in front of him. "Don't worry...your life will be shortened before you will ever feel the pain I shall bestow upon you". He walked closer,
"N-no!" he stares at him. Kyro lifts his arm up to the boy, and at that moment, the spy's shadows turned against him and held him in a choke hold. "I...C-can't breathe" he tried to break loose. "Your struggling is pointless...I shall devour your shadows as they put you under!".
*Whash!*. "Argh!" Kyro turns his to his left to see the sword impaled in his shoulder blade. "No! Leave him be".
"Who dares throws this child's toy at me?!" the surprised rogue said. "Hmhm" a small cool laugh was heard behind him. *Swish* an unknown person dashed with such speed behind him. *Sing!*,
"Argh!" Kyro was stung by the blade that was now pulled out. "Hurt much?" the spy rose back up. "You talk too much for a mere weakling. As a spy, you must be well prepared for the worst. Once compromised, you must be well taught of any system of fighting in order to prepare for the worst.".
"!?" he couldn't speak. "Enough! I'll be your opponent!" the heroine speaks up. "Hmm do you really consider me a pushover? ….Because I doubt that you will know when I have already killed you or not" he responded with such confidence. She pulled out her shield with her sword. "You done talking? Because I'm ready to rumble" she prepared herself.
"Hmmph…foolish". She charged with such determination. She gave out a straight stab attempt. Kyro jumps and proceeds to claw her, but her shield prevents such action. His left leg comes across to strike her head.
"Ugh!" he notices it but still had time to use her other arm to endure the pain. Kyro back flips out of the way. "You are skilled with you rash decisions. But still there is something you lack….." he watched her catch her breath. "And what would that be?!" she questions. He closes his eyes to keep her in suspense. "?!...Answer!?" ,
"The acknowledgement of your surroundings!". "Huh!?" she then feared for her life. Gazing upon the ground, her own shadows turned against her. "N-no how?!" she couldn't move from her spot ass the shadows were restraining her every movement. Kyro walks over to the trapped heroine. "Betrayal is a pain isn't it? It isn't what you have expected is? That's the whole morale of betrayal" he walks over. "The shadows that were once yours have chosen to turn against without you knowing. Tell me if I'm wrong, if that's the whole moral of betrayal…." he touched her caressed her chin. ".!?" she tried to turn her head away.
"Hmph….you are a brave fool. Your friend is a mere peasant as he still believes he can make a surprise attack on me!" he whispered onto her. "Kenshi! Run! Get out of here now!" she tried to warn him. *Tuck Whaaaaa!*. The spy attempts to attack from the side. "Haaaaa!" he leaped to the rescue. The calm Kyro lifted his hand to the face of Kenshi, and completely stopped him.
"Foolish mortal, you really assume that my rank is the same as an inferior waste of space like you!" he said onto him. "Ugh!" he struggles to break free from the hold as Kyro's hand covers his entire face. "N-no! Kenshi g-get out of here!" she still tried to help. "Your friend is a mere insect that will just keep pestering until I squash him. Why don't I make that happen?" he said.
"Ahhhhhhh!" his voice mumbles through his palms. Kyro's shadow's coming from his palm, and then covered the face of the held spy. "Kenshi!" she continued to struggle for her life.
Second by second, Kenshi loses his strength to struggle, and his arms begin to droop downward. "NO! Kenshi!" she still tries to struggle. "Shut it!". The shadows that were restraining her grew stronger and tighter. She couldn't move at all. "ARGH! I can't…".
"It's hopeless….." he gazed upon her. "Now let's end this little pointless quarrel". His right hand was flexed as he prepared to deploy his shadows to transform it. It morphed into a dark claw with indescribably sharp claws. He lifts it up and begins slashing her.
"Ahhh! Ahhhh! AHHHHHHH!" s he felt the enormous pain of him clawing her nearly to death. "If you want to act like a hero, then you will be treated like one consequently". "AAAAAAAAAHHH!" she continuously felt it, and began to tear while blood began to spill out. "Now! Begone you worthless garbage!" the shadows dropped her. Kyro then grabbed her, then threw her blasted her body to the forest.
"…." He looks at her soaring through the air. "It is done." He turns and vanishes into the shadows.
Meanwhile at night back at the Memorial Grounds,
"Now then…..I might say I am amazed of everyone's performance back in the forest. Gunther I am quite fond of your leadership skills, how you owned up to your responsibilities." Kairo congratulated. Gunther rose from the others sitting near the campfire. "Thank you, but like I said before, I will own up to my duties and I shall do what I can to take whatever comes at us".
He presents himself with such nobility,
"Hmph…interesting tactics." Kairo began. "Though all those bravery actions can blind and abandon you in your moment of need". Kaden stares into the stars ignoring the conversation; he seemed very dazed about his past….experience.
"Minus your teammate over there, how about we introduce ourselves as planned". Kairo gazed upon Dante sitting on the hand of the large statue, also staring at the stars. "I'll go first, I mean after all I did ironically put you all in harm's way" he smiled.
"Agreed" Gunther smiled,
"Awesome" Pandora laughed and looked at the distracted Kaden.
"…..Sure" Siege continued to wear her hoodie.
"…" Kaden was still distracted.
"Very well then. My name is Kairo Itami, I am highly known throughout this country. I tend to be mysterious and optimistic as can be. But the only detriment is at certain times I lose my temper, which ruins the whole morale of optimism. Anyway, I'm from the Realm of the Shadows, I've been trained to master such complicated tactic of the Shinobi world. It was tough but I was able to grow familiarity of the maneuvers themselves." he began to gain the interest of everyone except Kaden.
"My parents have deceased of old age, and my brother has dead of an early age, so it was tough to be able to support myself. Because my parents were workaholics, I did indeed run a life of a thief. I was quick and uncatchable, it was considered impossible for anyone to know of my doings. I was quite skilled in my position, but it was also a matter of time until a companion of mine was victimized by the carelessness of my doings. But other than that I am here as a Shinobi Raven teaching all of you to one day become Ravens to…I guess better yourselves for the good" Kairo smiled.
He looks upon the eager Gunther, whom seems more than ready to go next. "That's all I can say about me. Gunther why don't you go?" he asked. "Heh thank you very much Sensei Itami. Well to start things off" he sits down on a log near the campfire, gazes among the other individuals. "Well as you all know my name is Gunther Minutashi, I am how Sensei Itami says, loyal to my duties. I am from the Realm of Flames also, son to both loving parents that are still in that realm. I came here to seek the training of the Ravens so I too can learn "The way of the unknown warrior". He paused as his teammates took in his words. "Hold up!" Kaden snaps out of it,
"The way of the unknown warrior?" he repeats. "Yes" Gunther resumes. "This beautiful tactic consists of one being acquainted with the surroundings. Being able to maneuver through them with such ease, and confidence, one is able to show such strength, such amazing acrobatic-like evasiveness. He too knows the way of the Shinobi, mastering 10 different types of martial arts, and being able to completely surpass mastering his own weight." He continued to explain,
"How do you know of this?" Kaden stood up beyond interested. "Because….my father was once an honorable Raven, Hunter Minutashi was the greatest throughout the Realm of Flames. After years and years of training, he returned home to honor his home land. He was greatly praised and respected, but jealousy showed its face, and interfered with my father's work. Permanently disabling him, the men who try to take his place failed miserably, but however their actions caused the villagers to shun him." He pounds his fist. "So I took it upon myself to restore everything and have them honor my father once again" he stared at Kaden.
"Heh don't be too ahead of yourself, remember there's a lot of stuff to be done here" Kaden responded. "Don't make me laugh. This is going to be the easiest thing ever done I swear" . "Yea just don't let it get to your head! Or else soon the objective will totally change!"
"I resent that! Look you! Nothing is going to neither slow down nor stop me from achieving what I want. Not even you Nosebleed!" he pointed at him,
"What!? Nosebleed!?"
"Yea I saw you bled when you ran into a tree on the way here!"
"WHY YOU!? LOOK TESTIE! I'LL SURPASS YOU BEFORE YOU EVEN BECOME A RAVEN AND THEN SOME!" they both angrily stared each other down.
"TESTIE!? HOW DARE YOU!?" he contacted his head with Kaden's as their eyes glared at each other's.
"I see so your parents are separated because of war?" Kairo asked Pandora. "Huh?!" the two of them snapped out of it.
"Yes it was depressing at first but now that I've grown a little since then. I'm used to the whole thing, but still one day we'll reunite".
Kaden and Gunther looked other ways from each other. "Oh you guys have finally stopped, I was wondering when you will listen to your comrade Pandora Hoshino, whom is the daughter of an admiral and a sister of five. You said you're from the Realm of Winds correct?" Kairo asks.
"Mhm yep that's right!" she smiled at the two confused individuals. "(That explains the thrashing wind she brushed against me…..incredible)" he thought to himself. "So if you don't mind please set aside your petty differences and proceed onward with the introductory".
"Fine!" they both said and sat down away from each other. "Kaden since you haven't said anything and is eager to top Gunther's story, why don't you go next?" Kairo suggested. "You ready?" Gunther looked at his new rival,
"Yea of course I am…unlike some people I know. Anyway, my name is…Kaden…." He paused. "…." He couldn't think of a last name because of his memory loss. "(Damn it! I forgot my name! I was too busy on applying for the Ravens that I never took the time to give myself a name)" he thought.
"So…?" Gunther began. "Is that all?"
"…Gunther….allow him to speak…" Kairo calmed him down. "(Think Kaden think…Ah-HA!)" he looked up.
"My name is Kaden Yamakatsu, and I…" he paused again. "(Damn damn damn damn! The hell!? I don't even how I got up here!)".
"Uh?...I too am from the Realm of Flames. My father was a gladiator and my mother was a hard worker."
"A gladiator?" Pandora questioned,
"Interesting….." Kairo mentioned,
"Showoff…." Gunther commented.
"…" Siege and Dante remained quiet, they have been this entire time. "Yea haha" he scratches his head. "My father died a loyal man, uh…..Rouke Yamakatsu that was his name." he smiled