Disclaimers and author's note on first chapter
++++Two armors++++
Japan (a thousand years later)
"Laurë!" Jordan turned hearing the name. The girl who had screamed was being held by a boy in blue armor. A net was wrapped around her neck preventing her from breaking away. He pulled it tightly making the girl, who was dressed in dark pink to stop fighting him, trying to pull the netting away.
"Mel!" Jordan reached for her trying to get to her. Lightning hit the ground before him, stopping him from going any further.
"Bring Estel Fëa to lord Talpa, and maybe we'll let you see your girlfriend again." A figure in a smoky gray armor said as he lowered the staff, which he had used to call the lightning.
A girl in purple screamed trying to break free from another man who held her, this one in green. It was clear he was trying to protect the girl.
"ANE!"
"No..." Jordan thought as he sat up in his hotel room. He felt as if someone was watching him and reached to turn on the light. A woman dressed in a white flowing kimono blinked back the light.
"About time you woke up Laurë. I"m sorry that I had to force a dream to you, but they chose you, and with with the other side gaining Taur already, I need your help to find Estel Fëa." She said calmly. Jordan felt the rune stone that hung around his neck glow faintly as if knowing who the woman was. His mind was still fuzzy. 'With the two of us together it should draw her out of hiding."
"Telepë."
The woman nodded to him. "I'm glad that your spirit remembers me. It's also good to see that it chose a body much like the last one." She smiled and he blushed pulling the blanket over his legs. She laughed.
For waking up with a strange woman in my room... I'm remarkably calm....Though Somehow I don't think that this is the first time that she's walked in on me... And this time I seem to be more clothed. He thought looking at her. "And yours hasn't changed at all, though, you are Elf, not Human."
"And you already act the same. Now, get some clothes on, we have work to do." She tossed him the slacks that were lying across the chair behind her and walked out of the room. He watched as her clothes shimmered with each step, turning into a pair of tight jeans and short boots with a baggy white blouse over it. Her hair went from white to a rich black with red highlights.
I think this might be a mistake... He thought as he quickly got dressed, grabbing the yellow tee from where he had tossed it earlier.
He caught up with the strange girl in the lobby. She was talking to a girl with blue hair and violet eyes dressed in a skirt and blouse. She didn't look much older than thirteen or fourteen. The girl looked at him and paled slightly. Wonder what's up.
Jordan felt a wave of anger hit him as he looked at the girl.
"Not now Davis." The black haired girl said grabbing his arm. "I'll explain what you missed while you slept." She said leading the two of them outside, careful to keep herself between the two. Once they were in the safety of the shadows Jordan moved the shape shifter.
"You were in the village when it was destroyed." He growled. "What happened to Kara?" He growled remembering a girl that he had loved living in the village.
"You aren't the only one who lost family there Laurë." She said staying back away from him. There was a shimmer of gold light and the smell of European flowers as he armored up and grabbed her. "Laurë! Let go... I don't know what happened to her." She gasped. Yuurei tried to pull him off her.
"Stay out of this Elf." He back handed her, sending her flying back. He looked over realizing what he did.
"Let her go." Jordan looked over at the speaker as he drew one of two swords.
Kayura was thrown to the ground.
"Rekka! Laurë! No." The other girl threw herself between the gold armored boy and the red Ronin.
Ryo looked at the girl remembering her from somewhere. The gold armor looked familiar as well.
"They're both Elven armor. Yuu-chan, Please, get Laurë to calm himself... I'll deal with Wildfire." Kayura said darting past the two of them. She stayed behind Ryo rubbing her neck lightly.
Two hours later: Mia's house
The others all looked at Jordan and Yuurei. Jordan was still glaring at Kayura, but he had refrained from killing her for the time being.
"I lost contact with two of them. One I know is here in Japan... The other was taken, that's the only way I could lose the Taur Rune. The other warriors were taken by Talpa about the time that Kayura was taken. If he was ever killed.. Then Lómë had orders to bring him back. His armor allows him to turn back time. Only problem is... He needs the others to do anything drastic." Yuurei said from where she sat on the floor near the couch, which was filled with, Kento, Rowen, Mia, and Yuli. The other couch held Jordan, Ryo, Sage and Cye, while the chair was occupied by Kayura, who looked as if she was ready to bolt if Jordan moved.
"What's this last one like?" Ryo asked.
"She's an animal person. And would be wearing a necklace like the two of us, only it would have a purple stone." Jordan said remembering her. "She was a kid last time all of us were together. The only full blooded human of the group." She had brown hair and large green eyes. Though... I'm not sure if that will change."
"It didn't with the Ronin." Mia said looking at him.
There was noise outside the house. The Ronins and the two Elven warriors stood. Yuurei growled low feeling the darkness around them. "We have to get out of here. It's Lómë..." She said in a low whisper. "Gomen, I put you in danger." She bowed.
"I'll get them to the neither realm," Kayura said. "With luck they'll follow us and leave you alone."
"You think I'm going to let them search for her alone? I can handle a couple of warriors..." Jordan started.
"No you can't. You're not fully wakened yet... And I don't want to risk destroying anyone just yet." Yuurei grabbed his arm and pulled him through the gate. The noise outside silenced.
"The two of them better know what they're doing." Ryo muttered then looked at Mia, who was pouring over a few books trying to find a clue to where they'd find the purple armor.
"I doubt that those will be of much help Mia That's the legends of our armor."
"I thought I saw a passage once about the nine they were talking about." She smiled and held up the passage.
I'm not sure if this happens to be commenting on the Ronin armor... But there's a passage that tells about nine warriors who were friends, split up by a war. Four stayed in the mortal realm, while the other five disappeared...
"Mia That's your grandfather's handwriting isn't it?"
Mia nodded and skimmed the pages some more.
"Found it.
Three shall be reborn. One in a jungle, one in a desert. The last shall be born in the place where it all began.
The jungle warrior shall disappear, waking the elf that lead them all. The desert warrior shall be found within two risings, and the third shall find the ones that can help them defeat the evil.
The Ronin will know her when they see her, at a festival. She will be dressed in Korin's colors, which will look right, yet wrong."
"Looks like Sage is destined to meet this one."
"Shut up Rowen."
"But he's right." Kento agreed walking in from the kitchen with a sandwich.
"I don't care if he's right." Sage said walking out the door to meditate.
A week later
Jordan looked over at Kayura.
"You know I'm sorry about attacking you before."
"Don't mention it." She said as Yuurei and the other warlords walked up.
"Considering I didn't know what was going on..."
"You still feeling bad about that Jordan?" Yuurei asked tossing a bundle at him. He caught it looking at her.
"What's this?"
"Ryo and the others have figured out another part of the riddle. And we're going to a festival. Go get dressed. Cale, you make sure he doesn't get lost this time and the three of you escort him to Mia's?"
"You want him there in one piece?" Dais asked. Yuurei glared at him.
"Okay, okay, alive. Got it." Cale said keeping the two separate.
Kayura and Yuurei both walked up to the house. They were catching up on the past.
"You know, I missed you. When I felt you return I hoped it was for the best." Yuurei said then stopped, seeing White Blaze walking up. Sage was behind him.
"Korin." Yuurei said looking at him.
"The others are all pouring over one of the old books. Guess I don't have a lot of time to relax huh?" He said looking at the white dressed girl.
"Looks like I'm not the only one who needs to catch up with someone."
"He's not the same man as my Korin." Yuurei said calmly, then noticed that he was troubled. "Go ahead Kayura. It's nice out, and you said that you had to see what you could do with Lady Mia," She said. Kayura laughed as she walked off.
"My Korin?" Sage asked looking at the white haired girl.
"He was my friend. The others started joking that there was something more between us because he would spend time near my tree meditating. They didn't realize it was because I would watch over him and make sure he wouldn't get hurt." She said as they walked deeper into the woods. "You do not mind me coming out here with you do you?" She asked.
"Not at all, I wanted to ask you some things anyway."
"Go ahead Sempai Korin"
"I think I like it when the warlords address me instead..."
"Would you prefer I call you Halo as well?" She asked hearing his muttered words.
"No, I'm Sage."
"Sage... I am Yuurei Kokitsune." She said with a slight bow. She then held out her hand. "It is an honor to meet you." She said with a smile causing him to bite back a laugh.
"No, the honor's mine." He said kissing her hand lightly.
She blushed and dropped her hand as White Blaze growled low. "Byakuen!" She snapped looking at him.
Why don't you just make the rumors reality this time around Yuu-chan. She looked at him going red.
"When we find Estel Fëa I'll make her teach you some manners." She growled low. The tiger bounded off.
"What was that about?" Sage looked at her puzzled.
"Ani was just making a bad joke." She said turning to leave.
"You could hear him?"
"Of course Sage. I'm not human. Animals tend to talk to Elf-born more than Humans." With that she started towards the house. "Oh, if the Warlords come with Jordan, it means you're going to be late. Ryo said something about having to pick up some of Kento's and Rowen's friends before we go to the festival."
"I forgot about it!" Sage gasped running to catch up with Yuurei, who laughed, covering her mouth.
"Race you Sage." She grinned as she started down the trail jumping over the few fallen branches as she went. Sage had to shift to his armor to actually keep up with the fleet-footed elf.
"Do I have to wear this?" Jordan asked looking in a mirror. Dais and Cale both nodded.
"Yuurei said she wanted you to fit in. Be glad we're not going to make you wear a girl's kimono after what you did to Kayura." Dais said as he finished with the American boy.
"Great... And instead of the two of them helping me out with this... I'm stuck with her big brothers... Who both have a grudge against me?"
"You think this was my idea?" Dais asked glaring at him. "The previous wearer of your armor almost killed me twice before."
"Too bad he failed." Jordan growled reaching for his blade, then realized he wasn't in his armor. Sekhemet moved between the two of them.
"Kayura said he had to be alive. And I do think she meant he had to be unharmed."
"This is going to be a long evening...." Cale said as he turned walking off to get ready himself. "And I don't see why they want all of us there."
"In case we don't get to her before Lómë does. Yuurei thinks that it might be a good idea to have all of us there to stop him."
To be continued...
