A Part
Chapter Seven
They had arrived back in Ryo's apartment an hour ago. No one talked about what had happened, they had just been sitting around the apartment trying to processes everything.
While they had more information than when they started, they still felt like they had almost nothing. Even though that wasn't true. No matter how any of them looked at it this did look like a revenge thing. Two apprentices coming after them to avenge their master. Yes it made sense, but what didn't make sense is why it took a few years for this to come around.
If their battle with Shikaisen was any indication how bad things could get…
Ryo's eyes darted to the blonde. Sage had already been stressed out before this happened and now… they had already gone after Cye, a failed attempt thank god, if they went after Sage next things would get bad for everyone. Not that Ryo was questioning his friend's ability to fight under pressure-the swordsman excelled in that-it was the history he shared with the enemy that had Wildfire worried.
They cannot do to him what they did last time. He is too strong and protected for that. A tiny, childish voice said.
That voice startled him a little and when he looked at his friends he realized he was the only one who heard it. Ryo was about to ask when
"How should we tell the girls about this?" Kento asked, "They need to know since they'll be in danger too."
"We tell them what we were told. Rachel and Sil are big girls, and unfortunately, this is not the first time they've been in danger because of us. After what happened I'm sure they know they are in danger." He looked to his roommate, "What about your sister?"
Cye looked at his friend concerned, "Does she know what happened to you?"
The blonde hesitated, "Satsuki knows that I was captured and that you guys came to save me. She knows Mia and Yuli got caught too but I didn't tell her about anything else." He closed his eyes, "It wasn't and still isn't something I like talking about. I will call her tomorrow and give her the heads up."
"I think I'm going to leave White Blaze with Rachel and Sileny," Ryo announced.
The eldest warrior looked at him, "Sorry Ryo, I'm taking the girls side on this, if you leave White Blaze with them that leaves you vulnerable."
"Cye, White Blaze was here in the apartment with me when I got kidnapped the last time." He hated bringing that up even if it was true.
"We were fighting against magical beings who used a sleeping spell on us!" Hardrock reminded him, "Also that bitch brought a bunch of hell hounds in with her."
"After what happened with Mia, Yuli, and Luna I'd rather Rachel and Sileny have a little more protection. Or maybe he could go look after Satsuki?"
"She has roommates that have no clue who White Blaze is," Sage said, "And I'd rather not advertise just who my baby sister is. And White Blaze stays with you we aren't talking further about that."
Ryo went to argue when Cye put his hand up, the water warriors eyes fixed on his tall friend, "Rowen?" All eyes turned to him.
The archer's head was tilted a bit to the side, his brow furrowed.
"..What is it?" Kento asked.
"I'm not-"
There was a whistling sound before it happened. A pair of daggers came flying through the window, shattering the glass into a valley of shards. The troopers didn't have time to wonder if they got cut before the enemy catapulted in on ropes.
Kento was the first to stand and landed a sucker punch square in the face of one of the ninjas, sending the enemy back into the group. "Don't these guys know how to use the front door?!"
Ryo kicked another back, "Guess they knew I wasn't going to answer."
One of them brought a sword down on Sage, who raised his arm to block it out of habit, forgetting about his street clothes. The gauntlets of his armor appeared at their own will, saving his arm from injury.
That's new, he pushed back just as his roommate shot an arrow into the ninja's arm.
"How did they even know you lived here?!" Cye swung his trident, knocking another out the window.
Ryo summoned his swords in time to block an attack from another. "Let's ask them!"
The archer shot another arrow, taking the face mask off one of them; his eyes widened. "I don't think they can talk." He kicked the ninja back onto the sofa.
When the others turned to look, they saw the enemy had his mouth sewn shut and a milky tint to his eyes.
Kento cursed loudly.
"What the hell?!"
Two took this change to try and spring on the ronin. Ryo and Sage saw them coming and knocked them back with their swords, sending them out the window. Cye looked out the window and saw on the rooftop across from them was a larger number of ninjas.
"You've got to be kidding!"
"We can't fight them here, there's people in the building."
"Then we take the fight to them," Rowen looked at them. "They'll keep coming if we don't."
"Might as well," Sage sighed.
"Rowen will you clear us a path?"
"On it," He knocked his arrow, "Wanna help? The path will be larger."
Ryo held his katanas tightly, he could feel the flames dancing on the blades before he saw them, "Alright."
Strata loosed his arrow and watched as the flames from Wildfire darted after it, engulfing the arrow before both crashed into the crowed.
They stood back watching from a safe distance as the fight unfolded before them. Yes, the report was correct, these armors where certainly not the ones from before. One of the figures held up a picture of the scene when three armors fought each other.
"I dare say this set is much grander."
"Indeed." Said the other figure, "Their power has easily doubled. See how easily they take down the dolls we sent?"
"Was that not the point, brother? To draw them out this way and see for ourselves what they can do."
"Yes brother, it was. With this kind of power properly dissected we can break the gates with ease."
"This country-no-this world will not know what hit it."
The figure nodded, his eyes widened with excitement when he saw the warrior with the green armor create an attack of balled lightning. "The one our master caught still has that spark."
"No doubt he will expect to be caught first."
"No doubt," the other agreed, "Taking all at once might be a fun challenge."
"Oh it would be. Lets toy with them a little longer, we've come so far and they took so long to find. We best enjoy ourselves."
"Then let the fun begin."
Kento winced as he hit the concrete wall the lead to the stairwell. That was going to bruise. Swinging his weapon he pulled stones from the building sending them at the enemy, knocking several back.
A swirl of water sent another group back over the edge of the building, Guys is it me or is this almost easy?
No it's not just you, Rowen glared at the ninjas around them. Honestly the Dynasty Solders put up more of a fight than these guys did.
I don't like this, the Halo Ronin was holding his sword so hard that his hand was hurting.
Ryo sent the last of the group off the edge with a fire ball, Neither do I. He looked around at the other buildings, trying to see if more might be hiding. It felt like he was being watched… then he saw the figures on the broadcast building a few blocks away. "Guys…"
The rest of the group turned to look at the figures. It had to be the apprentices since there was only two of them. Both were too far away to make out any kind of distinguishing features however they looked like they wore kabuki theater costumes, rather elaborate ones at that.
Out of habit the troopers got into a stance ready to really fight.
One of the figures, the one with the bright red wig, held up his hand. Tendrils of magenta and black energy shot into the clouds, they danced in the clouds before striking the building the troopers stood on like lightening hitting a tree.
Pain overcame the ronin and they dropped to their knees. This pain was intense, it felt like they were being pulled apart and squished together all at once. They couldn't stop their screams if they had tried.
Sage knew this pain and it sent a panic through him, especially when he saw the Sword of Halo glowing on its own. Sparks began to come off the blade and he noticed the other weapons of his friends were also glowing and reacting.
No! No don't you dare! This had been how the former Halo Armor had reacted when they first captured him. Someone make it stop!
We are making it stop. It was the childish voice he had heard before in that dream. I'm really sorry Seiji but this is going to hurt a lot.
He felt the energy drain from him before thunderbolts catapulted into the air, joined by fire, raging water, shards of stone and the whirl of wind. The attacks joined together, spinning in the air, destroying the other energy then hitting the building completely destroying it. Sage felt his body shaking from the pain that hit him all at once, he fell to the side before losing consciousness.
Everything was spinning. Everything hurt. A lot.
Just what had happened back there? One minute he was already in excruciating pain then his whole body felt like it was on fire before the flames roared out of his katanas. Ryo didn't recall trying to make an attack, nor had he told the others to join him.
"The window had been shattered?"
That voice. He knew that voice. Rachel's voice.
"When Kayura and I got here the window had been completely destroyed, she was able to repair it with the magic she's learning. Good thing too, we don't need to draw any more attention to this." It was Dais talking.
"All of them were out on the other building completely unconscious and as you can tell from their armors, it looks like it was a dog fight." Kayura sounded upset. "We can't tell if they are bleeding or inured."
"Well neither can I. Their armors have vanished for me in the past but they aren't now. I won't be able to know until they wake up, whenever that will be."
"How did you even know they were in trouble? Did they just tell you two and not Sekhmet or Dais?" Sileny was there?
"I could see strange lights out this way from where I work. There are only two reasons I would see something like fireworks this way, and the festivals aren't for another week, it had to be the guys."
"She told me and I called to Dais and Kayura," Sekhmet added. "We told them we wouldn't leave you two alone."
"It looks like the damage was mostly to the armor itself," Cale commented, "I don't see them bleeding anywhere or any evidence of cuts."
Ryo didn't feel like he was bleeding anywhere, heck he was sure nothing cut him, not even the glass from the window. He hadn't been hurt until the two apprentices struck, that was the only reason he was in pain right now. It felt like deep muscle pain and he wasn't sure that Rachel could do anything for that.
Someone lifted him up and took off his helmet, "Hand me the pillow," Rachel said. Damn it why couldn't he move yet? When she set him back down he knew instantly it was the pillow from his bed. At least it was softer than his helmet.
Sileny said, "Something doesn't make sense though, if the enemy did knock them out then why didn't they take them prisoner? They are out cold it would be the perfect chance."
"It would yes, we'll have to wait for the answer." The warlord of darkness stated, "A missed opportunity."
"Waiting for them to wake up might take a while," Sekhmet pointed out. "I think I'll go scout the area to see if I can find anything."
"I'll go with you," Kayura said.
"Please be careful," Rachel urged.
"We'll be careful, Rachel, I promise," Kayura gave her friend a reassuring smile.
He finally willed his eyes to open a little. Rachel was keeling down beside him, his helmet in her lap. Behind her he could make out the figures of the warlords, Sileny, and Cye laying on the ground. Taking a deep quiet breath, he ignored the pain running through him as he moved his arm and put his hand on her knee.
Rachel's head snapped down to look at him, sky blue eyes wide with fear and worry, "Ryo."
That killed him, "Are the others here?" His voice sounded way too raspy, like he'd been at a concert shouting all night.
"Everyone is here and counted for," She put her hand on his forehead. Good no fever, "What the hell happened?"
On the other side of him, he heard White Blaze give a soft growl before nudging his other arm. "We got ambushed… but these ninjas aren't that strong. The Dynasty Solders could probably beat them without breaking a sweat. We saw the apprentices."
Dais stepped closer, "You did?"
"Yeah.. they wore costumes like noah actors or-"
"By chance did one of them wear a huge white wig?" Sileny asked.
Ryo turned to look at her, however her eyes were staring at the window. Following her gaze he saw floating out the repaired window a few feet away was one of the apprentices; his face was covered by a malicious mask. Wildfire sat up and pulled the younger girl closer to him, his arm around her waist protectively, his other hand found one of his katanas.
She gasped when he pulled her over, one hand gripped the helmet in her lap and the other grabbed his arm. But her eyes never left the figure outside.
The Warlords got in a stance, Cale making sure he was close to Sileny, not caring that the black tiger was also there.
The figure outside didn't move to enter, instead he gave a deep bow. "My brother and I thank you for that spectacular display. You five are truly something fantastic." He stood upright then vanished in a flash.
Display? "Oh… Son of a bitch."
"Ryo?"
He looked at the auburn haired girl, then at the others, "They were testing us."
