Ch.2: The Nexus Calls

Meanwhile, over in Japan, a dark female figure was busy practicing her katas under the light of the full moon, slicing her crescent-shaped blades sharply through the air as her hair drifted in the wind. Her moves were smooth and flawless, and her amber eyes lit up with.

"Hmm," mumbled the figure, as she landed in her final pose. After all these years, she still had the skills.

"Shinigami" suddenly called out a voice to the figure in the dark " That is enough for now. Come inside and have some tea."

"Alright," said Shinigami, sheathing her weapons as she walked over to join her master, when all of a sudden, a strange sensation overwhelmed her brain, making her pause.

Instantly, fast and furious images flashed throughout Shinigami's mind, images of a young ninja in training, whose father was a powerful leader of a frightening ninja clan. Memories on how she was desperate to please her father, and how Shinigami befriended her one night.

"Karai," Shinigami thought, as the images finally stopped and she looked upward towards the sky.

The young witch could tell that something bad had just happened to her, like Karai was gone but still reaching out to be saved. The bond that Shinigami shared with the young ninja was still a mystery to her, and she hadn't seen Karai in a long time.

Now it was if the universe was calling out to her, saying that she needed to bring Karai back.

"But how?" Shinigami wondered, and pondered if the Elders in the Nexus should know about this.

"Shinigami," her master, and the witch decided to shelf all of her concerns aside.

For now, she would sit loyally and drink her master's tea. Then tomorrow, maybe a trip was in store.


Meanwhile, in a place where space and time had no cause, a pair of eyes slowly opened and closed themselves, awakening to the bright light.

"Wha…where am I?" wondered a female voice out loud.

Slowly, the weary figure rose, pressing a palm to her forehead as she tried to focus, taking in the details of the room. Colored a ghostly yellow-white, the room the female found herself in was large and bare. The only piece of furniture that seemed to be present was the bed she was laying on, and no doors or windows could be seen.

"Where am I?" the female thought again, and all of a sudden, a tall figure suddenly ghosted through the walls.

"Aw" said the figure " you are awake. Nice to meet you Karai."

The figure was that of a female, with long, dark hair and silver eyes. She looked old but felt ageless, and there was an aura of power around her that demanded respect. However, given Karai's current situation, respect was the last thing on her mind right.

"What's going on here? Where am I?" said Karai tired of being confused.

"You cannot remember?" said the women, ignoring the threat in the ninja's tone. " You died. You gave your life to save your family, and just may earn a second chance."

"My family," thought Karai, and started to think over the last moments of her death. Her father holding, telling him that she loved him. The pain of the memories nearly brought tears to her eyes.

"Yes" said the woman, as she read Karai's thoughts " It was hard for them as well, especially for the turtle who wielded the blade."

With that said, the walls around them changed, and an image of Raphael showed, depressed and guilty over what he had done, no longer feeling like he belonged.

"Raphael," Karai thought in her mind. " My death really hit him that hard?"

"The Fire Child needs our help" said the woman " Without him, darkness threatens to destroy everything in its path."

"Fire Child?" said Karai " What do you mean? And what did you mean by saying that I might get a second chance?"

"Patience Child and you will have the answers" said the woman " but right now, the Nexus calls."