Ronin Warriors: Next Generation: Forever You Will Know Me

Ronin Warriors: Next Generation: Forever You Will Know Me

By: Shadow Chaser

Chapter 2

Mia made a point to stay away from Ryo, embarrassed and a little shy, when the Ronins and C-Ronins were in a meeting in her living room. Lady Kayura had called the Future warlords and they were in a new kind of armor.

"Okay, so you're saying that your armors are somehow connected to ours. Almost like a clone of them right?" Ryo said, piecing the information together, he got from the C-Ronins.

"Yes. The dark-warlords you encountered came from the Red Dungeon," Kayura said, bringing the Ronins heads up in surprise.

They all looked at one another, each face mirroring the other, 'Red Dungeon? Didn't we defeat them a month ago?'

"But," Kayura said, startling the Ronins from the thoughts, "Their leader is from the Shadow Realm. Shadow Lord was banned from the Nether World by Badamon."

Kayura shuddered at the memory of being possessed by the evil Nether spirit.

"Badamon and Shadow Lord were twin brothers, both equal in mind and both swift at what they plan to do. Technically, Shadow Lord is stronger and meaner than Badamon, but Talpa intervened on Badamon's behalf, and casted him out. The co-leader of the four dark-warlords is Raven."

Rowen sat up straighter, hearing the name. His memory flashed to something his father and mother told him about and what he read later.

Flash!

"Ro-kun, there's something daddy and mommy have to tell you," Neiuaga Hashiba said, taking nine year old Rowen's hand and walking him towards the couch in their home.

"Mommy, is it something to do with my intellectual cranium?" Rowen asked, using some big words not often heard from nine-year-olds.

"No, Rowen. This is about our line of family. Today, I spoke with your history teacher and he was talking about the history of a Great War between good and evil," Genichiro Hashiba, Rowen's father said.

"Does this hafta do with the blue ball you gave to me dad?" Rowen said.

Genichiro smiled slightly at his son's unusual perceptiveness.

He ruffled Rowen's blue hair, "In a slight way. You see, back about a thousand years ago, there was a Great War between an evil entity named Talpa and our country. Talpa had recruited many people to fight and die for him. Your great-great-great-great-great grandfather Sanjuro had a twin brother named Tokoshino. Tokoshino wanted and craved power. The military thought he was a great asset to their cause, but they did not give him powers for the fear of him becoming an emperor or something of this nature in which they had no authority over him. Tokoshino looked to Talpa and there by breaking the close bond he had with Sanjuro. He along with others were trained and given armors of mystical abilities. Sanjuro also had a mystical armor, but it was for good. Eventually, Sanjuro and his team defeated Tokoshino now known as Raven and his team and cast them to a realm of fears. This is the true history of the Hashiba line, do not listen to what your teacher says, Rowen. Remember, if there is anything that has to do with Tokoshino, then be careful, know him as the traitor."

Know him as the traitor…

Him as the traitor…

Traitor…

Traitor…

Flash!

Rowen jumped a bit startled, as he felt a tapping on his shoulder.

"Earth to Rowen. Come in Strata," Kareyn said waving a hand in front of his face.

"I'm awake," Rowen said bringing himself from the memory.

"What's the matter Ro?" Sage asked, looking at the warrior of Strata with concern.

"I…um, nothing," Rowen started then shut his mouth up.

"Is there something you like to share with us?" Sayli said.

"Raven is my ancestor," Rowen said judging the reactions he got from his fellow Ronins.

They were mixed, pity, horror, disgusted, and unemotional.

"He was once known as Tokoshino Hashiba, and fought in the first war against Talpa. He had a twin brother, Sanjuro, who was the first wearer of the armor of Strata. You warlords might know him," Rowen said, glancing at the three quiet warlords.

"Yeah, I first thought he was a kid with a hair problem," Sekhemet said, "but after he joined Talpa's side and became known as Raven, and fought in the first battle against the Ancient's Ronin Warriors, I was impressed. During one of the battles, I heard that he was defeated by the warrior of Strata, and he vowed that he would get revenge upon his family."

"Soon after the war, when Shadow Lord was banned from the Nether Realm, Raven went with him faithfully, since he was the commander-in-chief. I heard that he got a new armor called the armor of Darkness, not like Cale's but different. I don't know what kind of powers it holds," Kayura continued the narrative.

"Hmm," Ryo said in deep thought, "who were the others next to him?"

"One of them is you," Kayura said.

"Excuse me? Me?" Ryo said baffled.

"Wait one moment! Ryo can't be a warlord," Kento said standing up.

"Kento sit," Cye said, tugging on his best friend's sleeve.

Kento sat down fuming.

"Let me clear it up," Kayura intervened before any broken bones happened, "he is a clone of you Ryo. Made when all of you Ronins and C-Ronins were captured in the future. You, Ryo, after being freed, were forced to fight him, and you won, but you were knocked out in the process. My guess is after Kareyn defeated Talpa, he joined an alliance with Shadow Lord. He wears the armor of Blackfire, an evil version of the Wildfire armor. He knows you inside out, and about the Wildfire armor, Ryo, so when you and Sayli happen to battle him, be extra cautious."

Ryo's mood darkened a bit as he took in the information Kayura was feeding him.

"Who's the hot chick in the group," Sama asked and received a glare from Kaira and Sayli.

"Like Rowen, I also have a family member on the opposing side. She is Kamagati, my older sister," Kayura said, her voice a little shaky.

Sama immediately wiped the stupid grin off his face as he realized he just about insulted Kayura.

"Don't get me wrong, I hated her. When the clan was starting to battle Talpa, Kamagati immediately wanted to join. That wasn't part of the clan's code of laws. She was ruthless and bloodthirsty. She disobeyed the Ancient's code and we cast her out of the clan. She disappeared and we thought she had perished along with others. It wasn't until our clan was attacked and I was taken, that they realized she had come back to take her revenge. When I was first in the presence of Talpa, Kamagati was there. After talking, she pulled me aside and asked me to join her on her quest, for who knows what. I said no, and after that, I never saw her again," Kayura said angrily, and pounded her fist against the wall, "Later I learned that she wore the armor of Fears. Her power is incredible. She can delve into your mind and pick up your deepest fears and make them a reality in front of you. She is no longer a sister, but an enemy."

Mia handed Kayura a cup of hot tea and she took it gratefully.

"Alright, the next warlord is not new to the C-Ronins," Sayli said unconsciously moving herself into leader mode, "Blackhawk is overactive, eager and just wants to battle. He first appeared in about 2008, when we were just learning how to use our armors. Eh, in my opinion, he's easy as icing on a cake. Just get him to over exert his powers and he'll be easy. Though sometimes, he's a bit psychotic when he fights. He wears the armor of Demons, and can summon dead people or Nether spirits at his will."

After finishing her description, the room was silent except for the ticking of Mia's grandfather clock.

"So what now?" Kareyn asked, looking at everyone in the eye.

"Now we wait," Ryo said, his mood going a notch lower.

* * *

Shadow Lord appeared into the past where the dark-warlords were waiting in the now uninhabited wing of the Nether Realm.

"WHY DID YOU RUN!" Shadow Lord yelled into the face of Raven, his red glowing eyes boring into Raven's dark blue ones.

"My lord, I thought it would be the best course of action to let them wait with fear," Raven said, brushing a few strands of blue hair away from his face.

Shadow Lord sat back onto the unoccupied throne chair, gazing at Raven with blank unemotional eyes. He looked pissed, Raven concluded, shaking a bit at what his punishment would be.

"For this Raven, Kamagati, your lover, will pay," Shadow said and he lifted a finger.

Raven's eyes widened with fear and desperation as he saw tendrils of dark lightning engulf and electrocute Kamagati. He winced as Kamagati screamed out in pain. He had served Shadow Lord faithfully for at least five hundred years and this was the only time, someone else had to take his punishment.

"Master! Please, stop! Kamagati does not deserve this. Please, Master!" Raven yelled, falling to his knees.

Shadow stopped, and faced Raven. Raven looked up into the glowing red eyes; they were full of contained anger. He shivered slightly.

"You will spend sometime in the Spirit Pool as your punishment," Shadow said.

Raven winced inwardly, he hated the Spirit Pool, it was just about ten times worst than the Nether Pool Talpa had.

"Yes, Master," Raven said and Shadow teleported him away.

Shadow turned to face the rest of the dark-warlords.

"For the rest of you, I want you to heed this as a warning," Shadow said.

The three dark-warlords bowed, Kamagati holding her side in pain.

"Blackhawk, you are to stay, I have a mission for you," Shadow said, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture at the two other dark-warlords who instantly teleported to another section in the Nether World.

"Yes? Will I be able to kick those Ronin butts?" Blackhawk said, jumping from one foot to another, the battle lust barely contained in him.

"I want you to target the ones called, Kento of Hardrock, Cye of the Torrent, and their sons, Hiro and Shino. Getting rid of Torrent will be easy. He's a pacifist. Conjunction Torrent won't be. And for both Hardrocks, be extrememly careful. Use you powers to the utmost for Hardrock," Shadow said.

"What about those bastard warlords, Kayura and the other Ronins?" Blackhawk asked.

"They will be of no concern. I will deal with them," Shadow said, and Blackhawk grinned like an idiot as he teleported to Earth.

* * *

Kareyn was thankful it was summer, instead of the fall season, because then they would have to go to school. Tension and wariness was in the air as they were all outside. She watched as Kaira and Sayli run another lap around the mansion. She found out the two were best friends, but had an odd way of showing it. Kareyn looked around and saw that Cye and Kento weren't in the front yard where most of the Ronins were, and neither were their sons. 'Oh well, guess either Cye and Shino either went swimming or they are being hounded to cook something for Kento or Hiro,' Kareyn thought as she settled down next to Rowen, by a tree, and brought out the Lensman book to read.

* * *

"Cannonball!" Kento yelled in the air as he grabbed his knees and prepared to splash into the water.

Cye ducked under water and swam away quickly to get out of the way for Kento's infamous cannonball into the lake that was on Mia's property. He resurfaced only to be splashed in the face by the after effects of the cannon ball. Spitting out lake water, he glared at Kento, who was laughing.

"BONZAI!!" Hiro's voice cried out as he leapt into the middle of the glaring-laughing contest.

Both Cye and Kento were soaked to the skin. Both dripping wet, and both glaring at Hiro.

"Yeah, score one for Hiro, the mast of cannonballs," Hiro exclaimed, grinning at the wet Cye and Kento.

"You missed one," Shino said, popping his head out of the water, near Cye.

Hiro gritted his teeth and dove after the Conjunction Torrent.

"Do they remind you of us?" Cye commented to Kento as he saw Hiro surface for air then go back down to catch the elusive C-Ronin of Torrent.

Suddenly, Cye felt a slight pressure in his mind. He looked at Kento and saw that he also felt it too. At the same moment, Shino and Hiro popped up, feeling the oppressive pressure.

"Kento, Hiro, better get on land. The dark-warlords might be here," Cye warned, transforming into his sub-armor, the cool metal reflecting in the water.

"Now, now, no need to dress up for me," Blackhawk said, appearing in the air in the middle of the lake.

"Well, look it here," Shino said, his mother's Cajun arrogance rubbing on him came into play, "look what the cat has dragged in. A dead warlord."

He had already transformed into his sub-armor and saw that Kento and Hiro did the same. Hiro's sub-armor, looking like someone built it all out of stones and rocks, and his looking like scales on a fish.

"Shut up, and fight! I brought a friend. Meet Leviathan," Blackhawk said as a dark snake-like figure glided though the water towards the four Ronins.

Shino immediately felt regret, as he remembered he had a pet baby Leviathan named Algae who he was training to battle. All thoughts of the Leviathan were washed away when the current Leviathan broke the surface of the water and reared back to show twenty feet of it's head the body. Shino looked at the triangular shape of hit's head and wide mouth it had. Its eyes were a deep ocean sea blue, and it looked mightily pissed.

"Now, that's one uh-gah-ly dude," Hiro said.

Blackhawk laughed with maniacal glee as he saw the Leviathan lift his paddle-like tail out of the water and prepared to smash it on the group.

"Kento, Hiro, get to land! You're going to get hurt if you stay in water!" Shino cried out as the tail swung down.

Shino reacted quickly, using all his swimming lessons, his father had taught him, to get out of the way. Diving under, he looked back to see the tail enter the water, and caught a glimpse of Hiro's sub-armor in the after wash of the hit. 'Oh, no. Hiro,' Shino thought with dread, as he saw his best friend's lifeless body float tow the surface.

"Torrent! Conjunction!" Shino cried out determined to end this water snake's reign.

The Torrent armor's facemask tinted everything to a slight orange as he saw Cye form the original armor of Torrent. Swimming to the surface, he broke the surface of the water and saw the Leviathan preparing to strike again at Kento who was already in armor, carrying the unconscious Hiro to land. Shino yelled and waved at the Leviathan, trying to divert its attention to him, and instead of Kento.

"Hey ugly! Yeah! I'm talking to you, walrus breath! Come and get me!" Shino yelled.

The Leviathan turned his attention away from Kento and focused on Shino. Shino, treading water, unhooked his trident from his back, and held it in front of him. Suddenly, Cye popped up next to him, his yari ready too. The Leviathan glided over to the two of then and opened his maw and prepared to swallow the two pesky water rats.

"Super Wave Smasher!" Cye yelled his sure-kill.

"Ice Freeze!" Shino cried out, his trident sending a continuous wave of ice at the Leviathan's mouth, along with a tsunami wave of energy water from Cye's yari. The Leviathan thrashed in the water in pain, as it's supply of oxygen was cut short. Finally it crashed into the water, dead. Shino felt no remorse, for killing one of Earth's rare sea creatures. He breathed out in relief. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck tingled, and Nether soldiers filled the air and water. 'Damn,' Shino thought as he lifted his trident once again to do battle.

* * *

Sage blinked in surprise, as he was startled from his mediation. He looked around to see what had startled him. Ryo was still playing a game of soccer with White Blaze; Sayli and Kaira had given chase to Sama, and Kaira looked about ready to brain him with a bat. The warlords were still in deep discussion with Kayura and Mia. Kareyn had fallen asleep and was using Rowen's shoulder once again as a pillow. Rowen had one of his arms wrapped around her and was absently stroking her hair as he read on big fat book on astronomy. 'All looks normal,' Sage thought, but the nagging feeling in his mind did not tell him so. Suddenly there was an explosion and behind Mia's mansion shot up two streams. One energy water and one a column of ice. Sage felt his kanji burning on his forehead and realized that one of the Ronins or C-Ronins was seriously hurt. Another explosion filled the air and Sage looked up to the sky to see black lightning heading straight towards the ground. He jumped back and summoned his sub armor as one tendril hit the ground next to him.

"Armor up!" Ryo cried out, seeing shadow like soldiers appear from the black lightning.

"Armor of Wildfire! Dao Ji!"

"Wildfire! Conjunction!

"Armor of Halo! Dao Chi!"

"Halo! Conjunction!"

"Armor of Strata! Dao Inochi!"

"Strata! Conjunction!"

"Armor of Elements! Dao Shi!"

Sage felt himself going through the hand motions that he went though a thousand times before. A flash, then pain as the shock of the armor forming went through his system. He gritted his teeth against the pain, and suddenly found himself engulfed in cherry blossoms. The cherry blossoms touched his skin and hardened into the Halo armor. Another flash, and Sage found himself back in reality, his Halo armor prepped and ready. Unsheathing his no-daichi from his hip and held it read.

"Alright shadows! Come and take your best shot!" Sayli said.

"As if you have any," Kaira muttered under her breath.

Sage slashed his no-daichi at the nearest shadow soldier and it fell, fading away. He ducked as a scythe blade curved over where his head used to be. Stabbing the sword up, he felt a slight shudder emitting from the shadow soldier as it died, impaled from the jaw of his sword. Yanking the sword out of the fading shadow's body, he stood up and kicked another in the jaw, sending that shadow reeling.

"Come on shadows, afraid of the light?" Sage taunted.

The shadows surrounded him in a semi circle. 'Gotcha!' Sage thought as he prepared his sure-kill.

"AHH!! THUNDER BOLT CUT!" Sage yelled, lifting he sword above his head, then swiping it at the semi circled shadows.

The shadows screamed in pain from the bright light, then they faded away. Sage breathed a sigh of relief, and looked over to his fellow warriors and warlords who were battling. He ran over to see if he could help.

* * *

Sayli felt like she was about to explode into a furious anger.

"If I was a volcano, then you guys would be smashed into shit by now!" she yelled angrily as she attacked with her twin katanas.

Blocking a sword from a shadow soldier, she pushed him out of the way and rammed one of her swords into the stomach of another. 'That's it! There is no way I am going to wait around here for the welcoming party!' she thought as she put the ends of her twin katanas together.

"Magma Swipe!" she said, and her katanas' ends flashed a white color.

Lifting the sword above her head, she slammed it down towards the ground, sending a bright orange-yellow light towards all the shadows within her proximity of her sure-kill. The light faded, leaving a big burnt mark on Mia's lawn and a whole lot of dead shadow soldier bodies. Sayli could feel her armor burning like fire as she breathed heavily. 'Thank you, and now, this ends my demonstration,' she thought wirely as she sheathed her katanas. Looking to the others, she saw them dealing their sure-kills at their enemies. Closing her eyes for a moment, she felt her armor disappear, leaving her in her sub-armor.

"Come on! Torrent and Hardrock may be in trouble," Kayura said, and the little group ran in the direction of the lake.

* * *

Kento worked furiously to stop the blood from flowing in a nasty gash behind Hiro's head. Shino battled the remaining Nether soldiers. Cye was fighting against Blackhawk.

"Come on weakling. You're too much of pacifist!" Blackhawk taunted at Cye, waving his scythe-spear at Cye.

Cye didn't answer. He had already suffered many bruises to his arms and legs. Blocking a swing to his stomach he fell back a step. Suddenly, with too quick hands, Blackhawk reversed to his spear side of his weapon and stabbed it into Cye's stomach. Cye cried out in pain and dropped his yari as he sank to the ground. Blackhawk took the spear out and held it, ready to deliver another blow. He felt something impact him on the back and looked at his chest. Sticking out of the front area, was the lower part of Shino's trident. Pain came racing up to his lungs, and Blackhawk found himself short of breath. Gritting his teeth, he reached back and pulled the trident out, forcing himself not to scream. Discarding the trident into the lake, he turned around and faced Shino.

"You murderer! You killed my father!" Shino yelled, his hands balled into fists, and Blackhawk could see blue energy condensing on his fists.

'Better watch out. This is what Shadow Lord warned you about,' Blackhawk thought. "I will be back C-Ronin, so you better not be," Blackhawk warned.

With that, he teleported back to the Nether Realm.

Shino watched Blackhawk leave then dashed over to where Cye laid, one arm draped over his wound.

"Cye, Cye? Dad?" Shino said shaking him, to see if he would respond.

"Shino?" Cye said weakly, his sea blue eyes focusing on his future son's sea green ones.

"Hey, don't worry dad. Help is coming. Just hold on," Shino reassured him, barely able to contain the tears in his eyes.

"Hey! You alright!" Sama's voice said, over a hill.

Shino lifted his head up and saw the rest of the Ronins and warlords pile over the hill.

"Oh my god," Mia said as she surveyed the scene around the lake.

There were Nether soldier armors spread out the lake area. She noticed Kento tending to someone and Shino leaning over someone.

"Sage! Sama! Cye and Hiro are hurt!" Mia yelled to Sage and Sama as they were running down the hill.

"We're on it!" Sama said, running to Hiro, as Sage ran towards Cye.

* * *

All the Ronins and warlords were now crowded around Sage who was trying to heal Cye.

"Damn! My healing powers don't work!" Sage growled in frustration as he tried again to heal Cye's wound.

"He was stabbed by dark powers. Your healing won't help," Kayura said, as she crouched next to Sage, who was rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"So what do you suggest," Ryo asked, praying silently to God to save Cye.

"Let me try," Kareyn suggested.

"How can you heal?" Sama asked, his curiosity piqued.

Kareyn didn't reply as she placed both index fingers on either side of Cye's temple.

Kareyn closed her eyes, and concentrated. A faint gray glow began to surround Cye's body. Suddenly it turned black, then white and ended with a flash. Kareyn opened her eyes and saw that Cye's wound was completely healed.

"How…" Ryo gaped at her.

Rowen rushed to Kareyn's side as she began to teeter from exhaustion.

"Scratch one warlord, I think," Kareyn smiled then fell into unconsciousness.

The Ronins, C-Ronins and warlords looked at each other, their faces grim. The battle has only begun.

* * *

Comments? Send them to me! Tell me what you think of this fan fiction so far. I'll take flames, anything! If you have any ideas for me, just send them to shadow_chaser41@hotmail.com

Enjoy!!

Shadow Chaser ;-)

Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to my twin sister who always gave me comments and how I can improve in my writing.