Chapter 10: Land of the Dragons 4

The forests of Uldava were far different than the quiet and calm lands of the island from which the Claymores had come. Exotic birds filled the trees, singing their songs as loudly as they could in hopes of finding a suitable mate. Gargantuan trees loomed overhead watching over the entire forest for as long as they stood. The smaller trees nodded graciously in the wind to the visitors who strolled admiringly through the teeming woodland. Large rodents scurried about excitedly at the feet of the new comers. It was as though Uldava was welcoming the Claymores into its wilderness.

"We should stop here," Renee said dropping down onto the soft grass of the clearing. "The city is only a few miles ahead. We should resume the journey before nightfall."

Vyra and Hyral immediately dropped their swords and turned towards one of the immense trees. "We've not eaten since we left the island." Vyra said eyeing a bundle of oddly colored fruit high in the tree top. "We'll gather whatever fruit is growing in this tree."

Hyral grinned as her sister leaped high into the air and clung to the trees massive trunk. "How unusual you look. You're like a squirrel, Vyra."

The twin sister scurried further up the tree, clinging to the prickly bark using little strength. After reaching the top, she swatted several of the heavy leaves away to grab hold of the bushel of strange fruits. "I've never seen anything like this before. It's strangely shaped indeed."

"Why don't you try it while you're up there," Rachel teased. "If its poisonous then you'll save us all the worry."

"As if poisonous fruit could bring any harm to us." Audrey said settling down opposite of Renee. "Even if it were extremely toxic, you'd feel nothing at all."

Anastasia stood with her arms folded looking through the clearing down the length of the smoothly flowing stream. "I suppose being half yoma does have its advantages."

The twins turned their attention back to the other Claymores. Vyra, carrying multiple oblong shaped fruits, placed her bounty between Audrey and Renee. "I honestly couldn't begin to tell you what these are. But they don't taste so bad. A quick meal would do us all well before continuing."

Audrey grabbed the nearest to her, a ripe, thick purple specimen. She inspected it closely, noting the light speckles that covered the tight, sweet-smelling skin. "I've seen worse." She muttered before biting lightly into it. A quick glance at Renee indicated that her comrade was most certainly not at ease.

"What?" Renee said defensively behind a furrowed brow and beads of sweat collecting upon her forehead.

"It's nothing," Audrey answered taking another bite. "But you seem a mite disturbed by something."

Renee turned towards stream, dodging Audrey's remark. "I'm fine."

"It wouldn't happen to be that incredible youki you felt just now, would it?" Anastasia asked taking her seat next to Audrey. "I'm sure I could not have been the only one to feel it."

"Does it not concern anyone but me?" Renee asked wiping her forehead. "From Daryn's description the number eight should not have been that strong. We were not even feeling the extent of that power. I fear for our comrades."

Rachel smacked on her own purple meal shrugging at the conversation. "What's the worry? There are six of them. Even if that soldier were strong, there's no way Deneve and Helen could be beaten by her, this Dancing Assassin Luka."

The discomfort in Renee's eyes became increasingly apparent as she stared back at the others. "I want to believe that. But I still feel very uneasy about this entire journey altogether."

"That's to be expected," Anastasia reasoned. "We are on an unfamiliar continent, led by a man we hardly know against the true might against the organization. It's amazing you've concealed it up to this point."

Turning to the curly haired Claymore, Renee waved her hands through the air to emphasize her point. "I'm not talking about being nervous. No. I feel as though this was mission will not end well. I mean how realistic does it sound?"

"What'cha mean?" Rachel asked, continuing to feast on the fruit.

"I mean that Daryn tells us we have to defeat roughly twenty of the organizations top soldiers. On top of that he wants us to do it within a two week time frame and remain undetected hoping that the organization, after losing contact with its top twenty, will just accept things as they are. It's been two days already and we've not even reached the city! Not to mention the fact that he failed to tell the other groups exactly how powerful that soldier would be. I'm really starting not to trust him."

The Claymores sat in silence for a moment, pondering the details of Renee's small rant. After all, she wasn't entire wrong. Though the finer points of their mission seemed unusual, they all believed it was their obligation to see to the destruction of the organization. In that knowledge, they had all failed to see the flaws in Daryn's plan.

"She's right," Hyral said wiping away the juice that dribbled down her mouth. "My sister and I were thinking that very same thing for some time. But we held our tongues fearing we would appear cowardly. Seeing as how you now feel the same way we do, I simply suggest we carry out our duty here and confront Daryn."

Vyra nodded in agreement. "Yes, his plan never made much sense from the beginning. If these warriors are as strong as you all were in your enlistment, then yes they'd be manageable. But we're assuming they haven't undergone any extensive training. After all, this is the mainland. Would not the organization focus its most effective efforts upon the soldiers here?"

At a loss for words, Audrey grabbed another lump of fruit turning to Rachel. "What do you think, Ray? Does it really seem that odd to you?"

"The hunting down the warriors doesn't seem so unusual in our case. Of course he couldn't do it himself without raising suspicion. But I don't understand how we'll kill them all in two weeks. Personally, I'd rather just go to the organization's front door and see what they can do."

"That number one," Anastasia interrupted. "Daryn seemed terrified of her. After feeling his own youki, I'd hate to think the organization has a warrior that can scare him somewhere on this place. Also, we've got to consider the fact that there are other soldiers like him around."

"He said they were 'furies'. Those sound like awful creations, do they not?" Vyra said staring down at the ground trying to imagine what monstrosities existed on Uldava.

Hyral tossed the hefty seed from the fruit into the foliage. "There's no need worrying about them now. He told us they'd be dealt with when the organization fell."

"That's another thing," Renee added. "He said 'when the organization fell' as though he was so sure this plan would work. He, a lone soldier of the organization coming to our island, was clearly trusted by the organization. For what purpose did he come exactly?"

"Remember the ship was carrying the organizations men. They were the ones who were delivering the awakened beings-"

"Delivering awakened beings," Audrey said. "Does that not sound odd? The organization had awakened beings that were willing to come to our island? So what, they control yoma here on Uldava?"

"I wouldn't put it past them," Vyra speculated. "It does seem unlikely. Daryn admitted to Miata that he was ordered to destroy us. But he hates the organization, the same as we do."

Renee shook her head. "There are so many things that do not make sense. Why were they shipping yoma to defeat us? Why not just have their number one do it?"

"Because they'd never risk sending the number one too far away. That's why they chose Daryn. He's the only one that could compare to her power probably." Rachel said. "Daryn is a bit overconfident in this mission, I admit. I'm ready to fight the organization, but he's taken several risks already just bringing us here and entrusting us with the task of defeating the twenty superior warriors."

"I'm with Renee," Hyral said nodding towards the nervous Claymore. "Things still don't really add up. How could Daryn be sure that we'd defeat the twenty soldiers here?"

"He has faith in us," Anastasia on Daryn's behalf. "At the very least, I'm assuming his own resolve is on par with Miria's. How quickly she agreed to join his fight here on the mainland. I guess when the organization cuts you so deeply, there's nothing you wouldn't do to settle the score. Even if that means having unrealistic expectations of oneself."

Audrey stared hard into the sky preparing to speak what the others had been thinking. "Do you think it was a mistake to come here?"

No one answered.

"I don't want to believe that," Renee said at last. "But it was a rash decision from Miria to agree to Daryn's proposal. I cannot believe that in three months' time she did not once stop to consider these things."

"Or maybe it's like Anastasia said," Vyra argued. "Maybe her and Daryn's resolve are so great that they did not stop to actually consider the finer details. Maybe their expectations are unrealistic."

"Does that mean we should not continue our quest?" Hyral asked rhetorically looking at each of their faces. She was met only with silence. "I thought not."

They reveled in the silence that followed Hyral's remark, knowing that no matter what they'd all willingly fight the organization to their last breath. Its unforgiveable crimes against humanity had to be brought to an end for the sake of those doomed to become nothing more than disposable tools. None of them had forgotten that it was the organization itself that had been responsible for the creation of yoma and awakened beings in the first place. It was simply an unforgiveable situation that would lead to an inevitable conflict.

"None of this makes sense to me," Renee said standing up, she wiped off what little dirt clung to her clothes. "But one this is for sure: the organization must be defeated at all costs. Even if Daryn and Miria don't have things figured out at this point. Are we not capable of finding a way?"

"Right!" Rachel yelped grabbing her sword and shoving high into the air. "What do ya say!?"

The other followed suit and formed their warrior's salute bringing together the tips of all their swords in a circle.

"Denahil is very near," Audrey said. "Let's take down this soldier as fast as possible. We need to return to Cremac within two days."

So the six Claymores set off further eastward towards Denahil, taking another step in their fight against the organization.

"Well, I can't say I expected this," Deneve said forcing a laugh. Her arm had been severed for the third time by woman known as Luka. She released another surge of her yoma power to begin the speedy regeneration. "But we simply cannot allow you to leave this place, Luka!"

Slashing down hard, Luka caught Cynthia across her back. It was a deep wound from the left side of her hip to her right shoulder. The blow sent Cynthia tumbling to the ground, cringing in pain. "I cannot understand why you won't die. I've slice you all up quite a bit. No one has ever driven my body to these limits." Her face had grown contorted with the increase in yoma energy. "Unfortunately, the next strike will take off your head. I doubt you'll regenerate that."

"Good idea," Dietrich hissed lunging forward swinging her sword upward. "Go, Helen!" She barked catching a hard kick to the face.

Helen was the most severely wounded of the six. She'd suffered a massive blow to the head and several deep wounds over her body, yet fought with a greater intensity still than the others. "Eat this!" She roared, sword raised above her head. It was a swift attack that had come from above the arch that would have originally been the ambush. The fast soldier did not hesitate to whirl around dodging by a hair's breadth.

"I'm serious though, I can't keep this up. It's time for you to die." Her sword plunged into Helen's gut, tearing through her back.

"HELEN!" Deneve screamed forcing her arm to full regeneration. "Dammit! I'll kill you!" she screamed, grieved by the fate of her comrade.

The Dancing Assassin merely side stepped the attack, catching Tabitha's own sword arm as it came from her left side. "Honestly, you're all well-coordinated. But as I've told you-" A deep chop through Tabitha's collarbone felled her. "I can't keep this up for long."

Deneve erupted into a fury that the others had never witnessed. Her rage turned to strength and flowed through her sword arm as she swung the blade faster, looking for an opening. Her advance soon had Luka's back to a wall where she surged her own power and, using her technique, evaded the closed quarter combat.

"What's the matter? Watching your friends die upsets you? That makes a poor soldier!" She lashed out hard with her left arm, smashing Deneve's jaw just as she missed her last attack. Blood poured down her face as she suffered several more heavy blows from the flat side of Lukas sword.

"Damn," Dietrich whispered holding her eye where she'd suffered her latest punch. "She's fast…just too fast."

"Don't talk like that," Helen muttered, coughing up blood. "There's no way some little soldier from the organization is going to beat us! Help Cynthia up!"

"I'm fine," Cynthia said calmly standing, her wound healing already. "She's not as strong as she thinks she is. Very fast yes, but her attacks that were meant to be fatal wouldn't have even killed a human."

The three gathered themselves, watching Deneve and Luka exchange attacks. Deneve's rage had only been fueled by Luka's assault, pushing her to fight even harder.

"I'll help Tabitha heal up her chest. She took a pretty good hit just now." Cynthia said turning around to help her ally.

Tabitha was already kneeled upon the ground, seeing that wound was closed. "It's like you said. She doesn't hit very hard for a number three."

Glancing over the shoulder of Deneve, Luka saw four of the Claymores back on their feet. "Dammit, why don't you all just stay down!" She evaded another of Deneve's stabs and, grabbing the back of her head, threw her hard into the wall. "You're really starting to bother me!"

"Why can't you land a killing blow?" Helen taunted. "Come on! Is this all the number three is!?"

Luka stopped her attack for a moment, eager to understand why she'd been attacked in the first place. "You never even told me why you were here?"

"You don't need to worry about that!" Deneve hissed, her youki raging. "All you need do is die!"

Nina was having trouble reattaching her legs. She sat against lamp post only paces away from the battle struggling to focus her yoma energy. Through tears of frustration and fear, she tried in vain to force her limbs onto her body. "Guys!" she yelled out after coming to the realization. "She's stalling!"

Halfway through her own charge, Deneve stopped short of reaching Luka. She turned slowly towards Nina who now had the attention of both Cynthia and Tabitha. "What!? What do you mean!? How could you possibly know that!?"

"She cut my legs off quickly and that took me out of the battle-"

"She's right!" Tabitha yelled out, only inches away from Nina's here. "There's youki approaching. A lot of it!"

Nina grimaced as her legs returned to their original position on her body. The unusual sensation was one of which an offensive type soldier would never grow accustomed. "You all didn't sense it because she was purposefully releasing as much youki as she could without pushing her limit. She isn't half awakened but she is very powerful. Her limit isn't what I'd first thought it to be."

"Yes I too see that now," Cynthia added staring hard at Luka. "She was shielding the presence of the approaching presences. They aren't nearly as powerful as hers, but then again they may be withholding their true power just as she did."

"I don't understand," Dietrich said still quivering. "How can someone, a soldier, who hasn't had extensive youki manipulation training mask her energy so well?"

Luka sighed heavily, disappointed that her ruse was up. "Fine, you've got me." She giggled sheathing her sword and halting her flow of yoma power. "I wasn't really interested in killing you. But my comrades might be."

"What!? Comrades!?" Nina asked..

"Other soldiers," Deneve spoke keeping her own yoma power as it was. "So it appears Daryn has made yet another mistake. The soldiers here are not mindless weapons of the organization-"

"So you're the lot that Daryn brought back from that island, eh?" She smiled a sincere smile having obtained the new information. "Well now I almost feel bad. I didn't think he'd actually go through with his plan. That one has always been all talk-"

"WAIT!" Helen screamed. "You know of Daryn's plan!? You're on his side in this!?"

The Claymores all froze awaiting the answer of the soldier. She stepped lively towards them all, smiling broadly now. "I wouldn't say I was 'a part' of it. More like I know what's happening. I can't say I'm a fan of the organization, but this? An insurgence? This is beyond what I thought that idiot Daryn would ever do."

"We've got to go," Tabitha said helping Nina to stand. "The others are close. If they join her, we'll all die here."

Deneve tightened her grip on her sword. "Why didn't you say anything earlier!? What are you playing at, Luka!?"

"I told you," She said, stopping her advance. "I haven't taken a side. You are the ones who attacked me regardless of what I said. I have the unique ability to shift between strength and speed. I can find a balance of the two and would make a formidable opponent or choose an extreme and harass my enemy. I tend to lean towards speed when fighting multiple targets."

"So that's why you couldn't strike anyone down," Deneve reasoned.

"Actually, I just chose not to. I was hoping to leave just before the others arrived, but it appears that plan isn't going to work. I suppose I could still allow you to live."

"We should kill her now!" Dietrich yelled. "If we focus every ounce of our power and unleash a full assault, she couldn't stand up to it. She knows that. That was why she sealed our movements separately with her speed."

"Make a choice!" Cynthia said louder. "They're nearly upon us."
Deneve stood stock still, sword drawn, yoma power steady flowing. She glanced around at her comrades and then back towards Luka. This woman was devious and powerful. She had no true allegiances and that, though it would save them now, could be fatal in the end. The crucial decision making of a leader was upon Deneve. "Answer me this."

"Fine." Luka said. "But just so you know, I could have killed you multiple times and I didn't. Perhaps your combined powers could bring me down….or that may be over speculation on your comrades' part. If I had known for certain who you were, things could have gone much smoother."

"We were told that the soldiers here were mindless weapons. Yet, you have displayed quite the opposite. Your comrades, are they like you? Do they have free will?"

Luka tapped her chin, patronizingly. "I wouldn't say that they didn't, but they don't. I'm sure Daryn told you that the soldiers under number twenty receive a different sort of training. Though they maintain the ability to make decisions, most of those decisions would be in favor of the organization. It's a different sort of youki manipulation; one that affects the mind more so than the body. You can't expect they'll be at all reasonable when they discover you're enemies of the organization."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Deneve murmured. "One more question."

"Go ahead."

"If everything goes to hell and the organization calls out to you, the number three, to stand with them, would you abandon your title to join us?"

It took only a moment for the arrogant soldier to respond in her soft voice. "Of course I would. Would I fight? That's a different story. It depends on how well off you all were. But as of now I can't say."

"I figured you say that," Deneve sighed.

"So what will it be?" Luka laughed. "If you stay here you'll be exposed to the organization, especially when the underlings don't return to their posts. The superior warriors like myself have the privilege of doing as we please. Once your rank is above twenty, all youki manipulations that affect the mind are ceased. It's better to have powerful warriors that choose to fight. They're less likely to turn on you…just ask Daryn."

"They're here!" Tabitha blurted out. "They are in the city! They don't have our location I believe, otherwise they'd be moving much faster."

"As I've said, I can't leave. It's an option, but I was ordered to be here and I prefer to play the role of dutiful soldier till the organization buckles."

Dietrich winced at her words. "If you do not stand for us, you are against us!"

"Then release all of your yoma power and defeat me so that my comrades may discover you. It's at least eight of them. I don't think you'd win if you gave up your location like that." She turned back towards the bridge near the arch way. "I'm afraid this is where we part, my friends."

"You are no friend of ours!" Dietrich spat.

"Why would you say that!?" Luka whined extending her hand to Dietrich. "If all goes as you plan, mayhap we can be good-"

The words never left her mouth as her head rolled onto the pavement. Deneve's sword cutting through the air silenced the Dancing Assassin for good. "One down," Deneve said. "Nineteen to go."

"Deneve!" Helen screamed in surprise. "What did you…Why did you…"

"It's like Dietrich said. If you do not stand for us then you are against us. Besides, I hated that bitch. She talked far too much."