Ronin Warriors: Next Generation Part 6
Tears of Ice
I do not own Ronin Warriors (drag)
"Are we there yet?" Gail demanded with a dry moan.
"Gail, come on! Hurry up!" Yuli tugged on her arm.
"We'll be there soon," Lady Kauyra said. "Almost there." They already made it to the Neatherrealm of Snow and were on their way to Snow Tulpa's temple. They could almost see it. She stopped.
"Why'd you stop, Lady Kaurya?" Yuli asked.
"The wind has changed. Do you feel how strong it is?"
"Yeah," Gail glared at Yuli.
"Hey, it's not me!" Yuli snapped.
"Something's not right," Lady Kauyra whispered.
"Of course it isn't," Gail chuckled, "this Snow Tulpa guy has all our friends and for all we know they could be—,"
"That's enough, Gail!" Yuli shouted. "I've waited half my life for this! The ronin warriors have always come through for me and now it's my turn to save them!" he started running in the direction of Snow Tulpa's temple. "Hold on, Ronin Warriors, I'm coming!"
"Yuli, wait!"
"She's getting worse," Amarantha noted, looking over Selket. "She won't make it if we find some poison soon." She raised her eyes up to Sebek. "I'm sorry, Sebek, but—,"
"Stop," he said, "you musn't talk like that. We'll find poison even if we have to go to another world to get it. I'll go search for it."
Amarantha nodded, "hurry."
Sebek nodded back. left the temple to look for poison and Amarantha stayed to watch over Selket.
"We have to free Ryo and the others," Mia said, "just in case Yuli doesn't get here in time."
"Sure he will, Mia," Akira said.
"Yuli?" Dais mumbled, "You mean, Yuli, the boy?"
"Yes," Mia confirmed. "But he's no longer a boy. Yuli is now a Ronin."
"How did that happen?" Dais asked.
"Wake up, Dais," Sekhmet grumbled, "obviously that Yuli has found some armor and he's a Ronin warrior now." He looked at Mia, "Are there more, Mia?"
"Yes, I am one too now." Mia explained, "So is Akira, Yuli's cousin and Rose here. Gail, Yuli's twin sister is also a Ronin. There are nine more armors out there somewhere."
"Who made them?" Kale asked.
"We think it was Lady Kauyra."
"Wait," Kale stopped and rubbed his head. "I'm remembering something."
"What is it, Kale?" Rose asked.
"We fought Snow Tulpa one time, don't you two remember?"
"Yes, we do." Sekhmet nodded, "but what does that have to do with anything?"
"You think it's possible that we made them?" Kale asked.
"I'm not sure, Kale," Dais groaned, "I wish I could remember."
"You were in ice for a long time," Akira said. "Don't worry."
They walked passed the secret room were Amarantha was watching over Selket. Sekhmet stopped and looked through the room. Amarantha was trying to calm Selket down, who was gasping for air and talking nonsense. Selket was close to death and in a panic.
"Find the others without me," Sekhmet said, grunting as he lifted his arm off Mia's shoulder.
"But Sekhmet--," Mia began.
"Go on without me," he pressed, "I'll catch up. There's something that I need to do first."
"Are you alright?" she asked.
Sekhmet smiled, "I'll be fine. Go on."
"Alright, Sekhmet. Be careful." She and the others walked down the cold, icy dark corridor.
"I will," and Sekhmet walked into the secret room, startling Amarantha.
"You, you don't come any closer!" Amarantha cried, jumping up and taking out her icicle sword.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Sekhmet said. "Just calm down, young one."
"Wait, I know you!" Amarantha mumbled, "You're, you're Sekhmet, Warlord of Venom, aren't you? But, I thought---,"
"Forget what you thought," he stepped closer to her and Selket.
Thinking he was going to harm her, Amarantha shielded herself over Selket, "Go away!" she cried, "she is dying!"
"From what?"
"Her poison is changing into human blood. It is weakening her. Only poison will help her and…" she looked up at his katanas, "give me your sword!" she ordered. "Give it to me!"
"Why?"
"I heard that each one of your swords if filled with venom. It is the very thing that can help Selket. Give me your sword or I'll--," she lunged at Sekhmet and he pulled up his sword up just inches from her forehead.
"You are testing my patience, young one. You do not know how to use my weapons. Let me do the honors."
Amarantha gasped and nodded as she backed away. "Alright, just don't hurt me, alright? Your swords are too poisonous for me."
"Good," Sekhmet walked to Selket. Selket was muttering crazy, twisted words. She couldn't wear her armor of Pain anymore and she was in her black and orange sub armor. Her black braid was oily and her yellow eyes were full of horror. The only skin that showed was her face and neck. Her skin was pink instead of her usual olive-yellow skin color. Sekhmet moved his sword to her neck and her eyes bulged and she sat up, screaming.
"I am Goddess of Pain!" she cried, squeezing her hands around Sekhmet's neck.
Sekhmet gasped in surprise and pushed her down with his hand, "easy now, I'm just going to help you." His sign of Piety started flashing on his head. "Just hold still." He scratched his blade from Selket's ear and down to her collar bone. The scratch started glowing dark green and she got her usual color back.
"Selket, how do you feel?" Amarantha asked.
Selket closed her puffy yellow eyes and as she oepend them they looked the same before. Strong and dignifed. "What, what happened?"
"You almost died for one thing," Amarantha explained. "You look better now."
Selket tilted her head at Sekhmet, "who, who are you?"
Sekhmet was quiet for a while. He looked at her like she was supposed to know.
"Well?" Selket asked, "who are you? Do I know you?"
"You should, Selket," Sekhmet said, "don't you remember?"
"Wait," Selket pushed herself up, "now that I think about it, you do look very familiar. Have we met?"
"Yes, a long time ago."
"You, you know each other?" Amarantha mumbled.
"You're, Sekhmet," Selket said, trying to understand, "Warlord of Venom, aren't you?"
Sekmet smiled, "yes, Selket. We knew each other as children. We're cousins, don't you remember?"
"That's right," Selket said, "I remember." She smiled back and took his hand. "Sekhmet. My cousin. Been so long." Now she remembered. They were cousins and played together a lot. When they were young, both of their parents died from poisouness beasts. As they were trying to get away, they were separated. Selket fell down a ravin were there were hundreds of scorpions. Each one of them began stinging her at once. Unlike her parents and family, she didn't die. Her blood became to poison and she could no longer feel pain. Sekhmet's experience was the same. He met a cobra. He tried to avoid it but it lunged after him and bit his arm. He was immune to the cobra's venom and that's how he became the warlord of Venom.
"We must get you out of here," Sekmet picked up the weary Selket in his arms.
"Wait, cousin," she mumbled, "I have to serve my Master Snow Tulpa!"
"Trust me, you don't want to do that."
"Why not?" she raised an eyebrow.
"I'll explain later," he said, "let's just get you out of here."
"Stop at once!" Sebek shouted, "where do you think you're going with her?"
"I'm trying to save her, what else?" Sekhmet muttered, "get out of my way!"
"No! Let her go!"
"Sebek, stop!" Selket cried.
Sekhmet put Selket on her feet. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be."
"Wait, I know who you are," Sebek said, "you're one of Tulpa's warlords. Sekhmet of Venom."
"That's right."
"Failure," Sebek mumbled, "it was you and the other three that led Tulpa to his destruction! Now Snow Tulpa will have to pick up where he left off!"
"You really think if you find all the armors that he will repay you?"
"Of course he will!" Amarantha barked.
"Jaws of damnation!" Sebek threw his attack at Sekhmet.
"Stop it, Sebek!" Selket cried but Sebek paid no attention to her.
"You don't want to make me angry," Sekhmet raised his head and placed his helmet over his head. He reached for his katanas, "Snake Fang Strike!"
Sebek's eyes went wide as it appeared that Sekhmet grew two more pairs of arms. Just as he thought the poisouness swords were going to pierce his skin and destroy him, Selket jumped in and knocked the swords down with her hand.
"Enough, cousin!" Selket shouted at Sekhmet.
"Cousin?" Sebek mumbled. "My love, did you say? Cousin?"
"Love?" Sekhmet choked on his laugh.
"Of course he's my cousin!" Selket snapped, "who do you think he was? My other lover?"
"Well, I--," Sebek groaned.
"Wait a minute cousin," Sekhmet muttered, "you and this pile of seafood here are?…" he couldn't finish his sentence.
"Yes," Selket nodded.
"Now I've seen everything," Sekhmet folded his arms. "We should get out of here."
"Why?" Selket demanded, "we need to stop the Ronin Warriors so---,"
"You don't understand," Sekhmet said, "He doesn't only want the Warriors' armors. He wants yours too."
"You're lying, cousin!"
"Cousin, when have I lied to you?" Sekhmet questioned. "I know because it happened to me. That is why Anubis is gone."
"But Snow Tulpa is different!" Sebek said, "he awards us."
"So did Tulpa and then he took our armors away." Sekhmet explained. "We were no longer his warlords but his pawns."
"That's not true!" shouted Selket.
"It is true!" Sekhmet shouted back. "You have to believe me."
"How did you come here anyway?" Amarantha demanded, changing the subject.
"I got captured by Snow Tulpa with Dais and Kale and we were prisoners here for a long time." He explained.
"You've been inside the temple all this time?" Selket asked. "Where?"
"Some hidden room."
"If I knew that then--" Sebek started than Amarantha cut him off.
"How did you escape?" she asked.
"Mia saved us." Answered Sekhmet.
"Mia?!" Selket shouted, "Mia of the Sun? Unbeleiveable!"
"How did she get free?" Amarantha gasped. "She was frozen too!"
"You fool," Selket cried, "she as the armor of the Sun! You can't freeze her! She's probably about to thaw out the others and--" she started to walk out of the room and Sekhmet stopped her.
"No, I can't let you go, cousin," Sekhmet said.
"Why not?! It is my duty to crush the Ronin Warriors!"
"You won't win, you know that don't you?" Sekhmet demanded, "if you get their armors then Snow Tulpa will get yours too. That's all he wants is your armors!"
"I am not going to stand here and take this cousin!" she took his arm and threw him to the side. Sekhmet hit a wall, grunted and fell down, too weak to get up. He was still a little out of it from being thawed from his frozen prison.
Selket looked at her hand. "I never been that strong before," she said, "what, what did Sekhmet do to me?"
"He cut you with his sword and it gave you the poison you needed." Amarantha explained. "I think he had cut you a little too deep."
"Never mind that," Selket said, "let's stop the Ronin Warriors before they escape!"
***********************************
Ancient One, I've failed again, Ryo thought. He was in another place that didn't exist except in his dreams. He was floating around with cherry blossoms and there was nothing but darkness and then light. It was the same beautiful place he was at when Tulpa took the nine armors. I can't do anything. I and the other four Ronins are too weak to fight and the younger ones are too experienced. I'm sorry, Yuli. I let you down most of all, haven't I? You always had such faith in me. Huh? What's that? He saw some bright light up ahead. Then he saw someone wearing the armor of inferno walking in front of him. It was Hariel.
"Hariel?" Ryo whispered.
"Yes, Ryo of Wildfire," Hariel spoke. His voice was something like the ancient, only difference was when the Anicent One spoke, his voice sounded far away, dreamlike and ringing. But Hariel's voice was something like Ryo's. Meaningful and tough. "I have come to see you for a small moment."
"You're the first--" Ryo smiled.
"Yes, I am," Hariel smiled back, "the first Ronin Warrior and your ancestor."
"What? How can--"
"Nevermind how that ever came to be," Hariel said, "I don't have much time, Wildfire."
"Hariel, please," Ryo pleaded, "my friends need your help. Snow Tulpa is stronger than Tulpa. How can we stop him? Can we stop him?"
"Yes, not alone. The five of you were able to stop Tulpa ten years ago but the five of you can't destroy Snow Tulpa." Hariel said, "even if you were to put on my armor of inferno, it still wouldn't be enough."
"What can I do?"
"When the ronins combine all of their armors," Hariel said, "your power will be like a tornado of fire."
"Power like a tornado of fire?" Ryo echoed.
"You must believe in the new Ronin Warriors, especially Yuli of the Hurricane."
"Yuli's just a--" Ryo started.
"You were just his age when you became a Ronin, weren't you, Wildfire?" Hariel joked.
Ryo blushed, "yes, I was."
"Remember what I said," Hariel uttered.
"Power like a tornado of fire?" Ryo said.
Hariel's voice started to become quiet, "Remember…" he floated backwards.
"Hariel, wait! Please, tell me more! I don't quiet understand!" Ryo tried running after him, but he seemed like he was running in slow motion, "please don't' go!"
"Use my armor wisely, my descendent of fire." Hariel said, "goodbye…."
"NO! Wait! Hariel, come back!"
"Phoenix Warm Wave," Mia held her Sun Swords up and out to the sides. The ice melted away from the Ronin Warriors and they fell down.
"Hariel, wait! Don't go!" Ryo shouted, still lost in his little dream moment.
"Wake up, Ryo," Mia knelt down and shook him.
"Mia," he looked into her eyes, "I saw him."
"Who?" she looked right back into his.
"Hariel, I saw him."
"Shh," she hushed, "you were frozen. It's over now."
"But I saw him. I really did!"
"I believe you, Ryo," Mia whispered, "on your feet," she helped him up. "The fight isn't over yet."
******************************
Yuli, Gail and Kauyra took different entrances into the temple. "Ryo, I'm coming for you!" he turned a corner and ran into Amarantha of the Avalanch. "Amarantha!" he hopped back, "you weren't the person I wanted to see!"
"Likewise, Hurricane!" she reached for her icicle sword but Yuli reached for his own sword of hurricane and crossed it over hers.
"Don't even try it, girlie," Yuli mutterd, "or I'll smash your sword into pieces and you too."
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
She pulled her hand away and crossed her arms. "So be it. Just let me pass."
"No way!" Yuli cried, "you think I'm stupid? How did a girl like you end up working for an evil menace like Snow Tulpa anyway?"
"What do you care?" she snarled, forgetting what he had just told her and reached for her sword again. He raised his up between her eyes.
"Just tell me the story and I'll let you live, okay?" Yuli demanded, "I'd rather not fight you."
"Alright, I'll tell you. I used to live in this world of snow. But it wasn't always this cold. It never snowed." She said, "then one day, it got really cold really fast. First it began to snow, starting with the mountains. A little at first then a lot. The wind was blowing and the snow was falling the size of rocks. Laban and I escaped from our village. It was covered in snow. Then there was an avalanche when there was too much snow in the mountains. We went to some cave and--"
"We heard this voice," Laban said to Gail. "It said, 'welcome, my children. Please, enter so you can get warm'. We didn't have much of a choice, so we did."
"Snow Tulpa," Gail whispered, her hand on Whiterain's head.
"Yes," Laban nodded, "when we got closer, we saw just the face of Snow Tulpa floating above us. It scared us, Amarantha especially. But it told us not to be frightened. We asked if we could go back to see our home and then his face disappeared and we saw our village covered in snow. Everyone, even our parents were dead. He reappeared and told us not to worry, that he'll look after us. Then our armors appeared on each side of him. If it werent' for him we would have died. We owe him our lives. That is why I serve him and if our task is finished he will reward us well!" he lunged forward to Gail but she blocked him with her sword.
"You believe that?" she demanded and pushed him back, "you believe his lie?"
"It's not a lie! Snow Tulpa cares for us!"
Gail laughed, "he only said that because he knew you would be easy to control." Whiterain stepped between them and snarled at Laban. "he's only using, you, Laban."
"Snow Tulpa is our Master. He's a lot like our father."
"Your parents died in the snow and it was because of Snow Tulpa! He made that snow storm just lure you to his temple!"
"That's not true!" Laban snapped and turned around.
"Yes it is!" Gail cried, "I know because I'm a Ronin Warrior! You don't have to serve Snow Tulpa." She came closer to him and turned him around, "hey aren't you…oh my…" she backed up.
"I have to serve him," Laban whispered with tears shining in his eyes, "it is my duty."
"Laban, I understand how you feel but--"
"You can't keep serving a monster," Yuli went on. "Hey, are you alright?"
She sniffed and a tear shined in her eye.
"Amarantha, why are you crying?" Yuli asked.
The tear fell down her eye slowly and it began to crackle and change into ice. The tear of ice fell down her cheek, to her chin and off her face. It fell on the floor and crashed into tiny pieces. Whiteblaze stepped back to let Yuli step closer to Amarantha. He touched her arm and felt the coldest cold he ever did feel.
"I'm not doing it for Snow Tulpa," Amarantha answered, "it's for Laban."
"Your brother?"
"Yes. He's all I've got now that our parents died. I couldn't bear it if I lost him too. We've been inseparable since the time we were born." She explained, "that's how twins are. You and your sister are like that too, right?"
"Well, I suppose," he shrugged, "I just found out that Gail was my twin."
"Snow Tulpa may have prepared that snow storm on purpose just to bring us here and I know he was evil the first time I saw him."
"And yet you still serve him?"
"Because I want to be with Laban. He knew he was evil too but were else would we go? We were only children and he seemed to be nice to us. We've done a few tasks for him before and he always awarded us. He favors us more than the other warlords. He made us his children. His children of snow."
"You and your brother should just run away. Why don't you join us in defeating Snow Tulpa?"
"No, he'll destroy us!" Amarantha shouted, stepping back.
"He'll destroy you anyway," Yuli said and the words pricked her heart.
"What?"
"You know I'm right," Yuli told her.
Amarantha sniffed and the tears fell down her cold face. They broke when they hit the floor. "No."
Yuli took her hand and pulled her close to him. "It's better this way."
"I can't betray Master Snow Tulpa."
"You know you can't keep serving him. You told him that you already know htat he is evil."
"I don't belong anywhere else," she moaned. Her kanji symbol, benevolence came up on her forehead.
"Sure you do." He said, "join us."
"Join you?" Laban asked, "Join the Ronin Warriors?"
"We can sure use your help, Laban," Gail said.
Laban sighed. His kanji symbol, gratitude, came up on his forehead. "I'll think about it. Let me find my sister." He waved her away. "I'll let you go. Hurry, find your friends before I'll change my mind and kill you."
"Thank you, Laban," Gail reached her hand past his faceplate to feel his cold skin. "You won't regret this. Please, don't get killed in this."
"Go now," he stepped away and looked down, making her hand fall from his face.
"Alright." Gail walked passed him.
"Maybe you should find your friends, Hurricane," Amarantha said. "I'll let you live. Just go. Let me find my brother."
"Am---" Yuli muttered.
"Hurry or I'll change my mind." Amarantha told him, "I'll kill you, Hurricane and I really don't want to."
"Okay. I'll go. But remember what I said."
"Yeah, just go."
Yuli nodded and passed Amarantha. Amarantha stood there for a while, watching him leave. Time to choose sides, she thought to herself.
Snow and Ice, thow piericing cold
Still belongs to the season of winter
That changes into spring
Starting with a gust of wind
And a drop of rain.
Wind and Rain can change the world.
And bring new life.
Though the fire may go out
The volcano will erupt again to bring heat to the cold world
The earth will may become barren,
But it still lives and will move as the earth shakes.
The water may run dry,
But it will rain again
The air may be polluted,
But the wind will keep blowing
A cold, dark world will melt into a summer day.
As long as there is virtue, justice, trust, wisdom, life, loyalty, serenity, piety, obedience, honor, courage, truth, nobility, generosity, selflessness, benevolence, gratitude, mercy, devotion, humility, patience and everything that is good, our world will remain strong.
To Be Continued