Ronin Warriors: Next Generation: Forever You Will Know Me

Ronin Warriors: Next Generation: Forever You Will Know Me

By: Shadow Chaser

Chapter 11

Sayli ran quickly towards the prison-like Nether pool where her future Uncle Sage was being kept. She slashed at two Nether soldiers quickly, decapitating them from navel to groin. They hissed as the spirits that possessed them were extinguished. Her twin masuame glistened in the dim purplish light and she smiled faintly as she remembered during her timeline, Sage had given her the masuame as a present to go along with her Rekka armor. He said that they were from a great warrior who dedicated her life to protecting him forever.

"Hold up," Ryo ordered and Sayli stopped for a moment catching her breath.

"What's the matter Ryo?" Rowen asked as he fingered his bow that he had taken off of his armor since he did not fully transform. Rowen didn't want to transform yet because he was still healing.

Sayli noted that Ryo had closed his eyes and his eyebrows were creasing with effort. She closed her own black eyes and let the power of her alternate armor flow throughout her. She felt darkness around them, but as she extended her senses she noted that Halo's power was very faint and there was a giant black presence practically knocking on the door of his psyche. Sage, don't worry we're coming, she felt Ryo's mental message pour through the barriers of darkness eliminating some of them.

"I don't think so…You guys aren't getting near my Halo," a sharp voice said and Sayli snapped her eyes open to see Kamagati the dark warlady of Fears.

"I don't think so," Sayli snorted in disgust, "Sage isn't your plaything. Not while he's my Uncle!" She realized that she had been spending too much time around Kaira and picked up on her type of sarcastic language. She slashed at Kamagati who raised up her Starlight Swords in a parry. Sayli spared a glance at Ryo and Rowen. "Go! Get Sage! I'll be fine!" she yelled to them and turned her full attention to Kamagati who glared at her through her dark blue eyes.

"You will die where you stand Rekka," Kamagati snarled as she pressed her swords against Sayli's masuame.

* * *

Kaira ran, not looking back as she made her way down a darkened passage in the halls of the Nether palace. The calling she had felt earlier was much stronger than before and Kaira ran blindly to it. She knew that it was not evil, but very familiar to her yet she could not place the source of it. In her mind she saw Sayli battling Kamagati and her future father and Ryo freeing Sage from his torturous bonds. She also saw her future mother, Kareyn healing people the best she could all the while talking to something she could not see. Mia was next to her also communicating with the thing.

"What is my destiny in the battle?" she whispered to herself as she ran.

* * *

Rowen crouched down and sprang up towards his friend who was hanging limply from the chains and bonds. He extended his right arm towards the single chain that was holding Sage above the pool and sliced through it like a knife through butter. "Catch him Ryo!" Rowen shouted to the leader of the Ronins as he landed on the other side of the pool. Ryo was standing in the middle of the pool unaffected by the swarms of Nether spirits trying to fry him with their lightning.

"Got him!" Ryo shouted as he rescued carried Sage out of the pool and set him down near the wall of the room. Rowen ran over and picked up his discarded bow from the ground.

"Ro…Rowen?" Sage managed to get out as Rowen saw his eyes flutter open slowly. Under his breath, he sighed in relief for his friend.

"You okay buddy?" Rowen asked, placing a hand on Sage's shoulder.

"Yeah," Sage whispered then his eyes shifted to Ryo who smiled.

"Glad you're fine Sage, we're gonna need your help," Ryo said as the two healthy warriors lifted Sage up by the arms and Sage leaned heavily against the two of them. "Let's get going. I just hope Sayli's done with Kamagati," Ryo said worry evident in his voice for his future daughter.

Rowen nodded in agreement and in a slight part of his mind, he wondered where his future daughter was. Kaira, be strong and safe, he mentally thought hoping that she would receive his telepathic message.

* * *

Kamagati backed away cautiously, eyeing the warrior of Rekka. She didn't like this at all. Wildfire's daughter wasn't supposed to get the armor on this soon. The armor was supposed to kill her back when I created it, Kamagati thought to herself as she crossed her Starlight Swords together.

"Had enough warlord?" Sayli said as her black eyed glare found Kamagati's dark blue ones.

"Just getting warmed up girl! You shouldn't contradict your elders you know," Kamagati hissed as she slashed at Sayli who brought her swords up in a parry. Kamagati then cranked her left hand upwards catching the young warrior off guard and sent her flying back into a wall; blood dripping down a slightly deep cut on her chin.

"Feel the wrath of my Starlight Swords! STAR SWORDS SCREAM!" Kamagati yelled as she unleashed purple lightning with great intensity at Sayli. She saw the young warrior block the sure-kill with her masuame; Kamagati narrowed her eyes. "You…will feel my WRATH!" she yelled as she saw Sayli's masuame thrown up into the air by her sure-kill and she slammed into a rock face. She grinned with maniacal glee as she saw the warrior of Rekka barely conscious.

Kamagati made deliberate steps towards the young girl and suddenly her hand shot out and grabbed Sayli by the throat, choking her and slamming her against the rock face. "So how does it feel Rekka? You on the receiving end of my power, you just don't know when to quit. Well, now…you will learn how I torture people, people whom I don't like," Kamagati said, giving her a cat-like grin.

"Bitch," Sayli spat blood into her face and Kamagati glared at her, her eyes flashing with uncontained fury.

"You little ass! You dare do that to me?" she yelled in Rekka's face as she wiped the blood-spit from her face. She took one of her swords and pressed it against Sayli's throat, wishing that she could just cut the soft flesh between the helmet and body-armor. No, not yet, she must know how to suffer. Killing her outright and she won't know pain, she thought as she sheathed the sword. She took a dagger and stabbed it into Sayli's wrist and straight into the rock.

She laughed as Sayli screamed in pain from the torn ligaments and muscles. Kamagati took out another dagger and did the same to her other wrist, pinning her to the rock face. "You…you are…you will…you will feel PAIN!" Kamagati yelled as she plunged another dagger into Sayli's right thigh. She then twisted the dagger as she looked at Sayli through inhumane eyes; her face was one of pure evil glee.

"Rekka, you will feel pain then die at my hands," she whispered to the young warrior as she saw her eyes starting to cloud over.

* * *

Ryo glanced around; his senses tingled with vibrations of an evil entity. He narrowed his eyes, as he saw nothing. Suddenly, pain flared up on one of his wrists, and Ryo almost dropped Sage as he fell to one knee.

"Ryo! What's the matter buddy?" Rowen asked, as Ryo was breathing heavily; sweat started to bead up on his face then drip down.

"It's Sayli…she's in trouble," Ryo managed through clenched teeth as he grabbed his right wrist. He took his hand off, and saw blood on the left armor glove. "What the…" Ryo started as he glanced from his left hand to his right, but saw no puncture wounds.

"Weird," Sage commented as he knelt down besides Ryo, taking his right wrist into his hands. He examined it carefully and Ryo saw that Halo's gaze was thoughtful, yet slightly puzzled.

"What's going on Sage? I see no puncture wounds, yet I'm bleeding," Ryo asked, confusion laced his voice.

"It's not your blood, I think it's Sayli's," Sage said as he took some of the blood that was oozing out of Ryo's wrist and placed it on his Halo sword. When the blood made contact with the mystical sword, it pooled to form the kanji of Wildfire, but altered. Suddenly Sage grabbed his head as flashes of pain swept throughout his body. "Ah…Kamagati is…torturing…Sayli," Sage managed through as he felt his link that the dark warlord implanted within him reveal what was happening to the leader of the C-Ronins.

"And you won't be here much longer to see it!" a familiar voice said behind them, only it was altered to have an echoed tone.

"Sekhmet," Ryo snarled as he turned around to face the warlord of Venom. He took a glance behind, "Rowen, get Sage back to Kareyn so she could heal him! I'll deal with old six-arms here."

"As ordered," Rowen said and willed his bow back to its dormant state, as he rescued lifted Sage and using Strata's natural speed in the sub-armor, he blurred off, making a green-blue streak in the distance.

"Now, Warlord of Venom, will you become traitor or will you become one of us?" Ryo said, narrowing his eyes. He readied his twin katanas, holding them out in front of his, in a crossed 'x'.

"This battle will be your last," Sekhmet whispered in a harsh voice and threw two of his six katanas at Ryo.

* * *

Rowen suddenly stopped in his tracks as he felt something sinister in the air. He glanced around, his guard on full alert. Suddenly two spears flew out from the darkness and Rowen jumped away from them, landing near a pillar. "Sage stay here," he said to his best friend, who was semi-conscious.

"Yeah," Sage whispered as Rowen leaned him against the pillar.

"All right! Show yourselves!" Rowen yelled, standing in a battle stance in front of Sage. He peered into the darkness and suddenly ducked as an arrow came flying at him. There were bright flashes of purple-black lightning and Nether/Shadow soldiers appeared, surround him and Sage.

Rowen narrowed his eyes as he blocked a blow from a Shadow soldier. He kicked it in the stomach, and brought his elbow down on to the soldier's neck, cracking it. Rowen didn't hesitate as he spun around, arcing his left leg in a head kick that sent another Nether soldier flying into a nearby wall. Suddenly he went flying forward as a soldier kicked him in the back. Rowen crashed to the ground and rolled forward until he was resting on the balls of his feet.

"So, how do you like my new soldiers?" a voice said from the darkness, and Rowen tried to suppress an involuntary shudder that ran down his spine.

"Raven," Rowen spat as he noticed his ancestor walking out of the dark shadows, decked out in his armor. He stood up, and narrowed his blue eyes.

"You claim to be the rightful heir to the Armor of Strata? Well, let us see," Raven said and brought his crossbow up to bear on Rowen. He shot off multiple dark-energy arrows at Rowen who dodged.

"Armor of Strata! DAO INOCHI!" Rowen yelled, summoning his armor. Cherry blossoms fell around him as he held his arm steady from the onslaught of pure blue energy. Each blossom that touched him formed into a part of his armor. Last came his collapsible bow and there was a flash. Rowen found himself back where he was, fighting Raven.

"Your armor, the Armor of Strata. You think this worthless piece of armor is going to protect you from my onslaught?" Raven sneered and Rowen narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"You haven't met your match yet, you haven't faced what I can do," Rowen replied evenly and brought up his bow on Raven. He notched an arrow and his eyes flashed with power. "ARROW SHOCK WAVE!" Rowen yelled, and let the single arrow fly loose from his bow.

"THUNDER BOLT CUT!" he heard Sage's voice yell his sure-kill and Rowen spun around to see his friend, swiping his long sword, electric energy pouring off the blade and joined his sure-kill.

Rowen watched as both collided with Raven, engulfing him in a mass of air energy and lightning energy. When the two sure-kills died out, Rowen let out a small gasp of surprise. Raven was still standing, not even scratched from the sure-kills. "What the hell?" he muttered as he readied his bow again.

"Rowen, deal with Raven. I'll handle those super soldiers," Sage called out to him and Rowen spared a glance to see his friend start a battle with the juiced up soldiers. Sage, you're too weak, you're gonna get yourself killed, he thought as watched Sage battle, occasionally wincing as his wounds were not healed enough.

"Prepare to die!" Raven's voice alerted him to the danger and he ducked underneath a sword that Raven was holding. He flipped over another swipe from the sword and landed a bit away from Raven. Rowen brought up his bow in a parry; his muscles tensed as both warriors tested each other's strength.

"You are weak, just like your ancestor Sanjuro. All bearers of the Armor of Strata have weakness…their kindness towards others. Kindness is not needed in a battlefield, ever, even here. You are so weak, so full of good-hearted that it makes…me…SICK!" Raven yelled as he suddenly brought up his crossbow and shot a few arrows at Rowen.

Rowen gasped in pain as some glanced off of him, their corrosive acid eating at his armor and his flesh. He fell to the ground, slightly weakened and saw booted feet standing near him. Rowen looked up into the dark, evil, eyes of his ancestor. I have to survive, I have to make it, he thought to himself.

* * *

Sama watched Kareyn tend to Hiro and at the same time, talk to what seemed to be, the first wearer of the Armor of Strata, but in ghost form. He leaned back against the cool wall of the Nether poolroom they occupied. Suddenly he felt a flash of some sort, followed by a familiar insight and presence. Sama sat up from his position and glanced around.

"Dad?" he whispered as he closed his eyes and searched with his mind's eye like his father in the future taught him too. He saw a faint scene with his father fighting a whole bunch of Nether and Shadow soldiers, but they seemed to be more powerful and had a stronger aura.

"I have to help him," Sama said in a loud voice, startling the rest in the room and he glanced up at them. "Uh, what?" he asked, as he scratched his short cropped blonde hair.

"Help who?" Mia asked, and Sama gave her a determined look.

"My father. Sage is in trouble, I can sense it," he said and got up, the metallic green of his sub-armor winked and reflected the faint light coming from the demolished Nether pool.

"You shouldn't go, you're not healed," Kareyn started, but Sama held up a hand.

"If I don't help, then my father won't survive, and I will cease to exist," Sama stated. He gave an even look at Kareyn and saw that she understood.

"Hiro, be careful. You'll need to protect Mia for Sayli's sake. I don't want her having a temper tantrum when she finds out you didn't do your job," Sama faced the younger warrior of C-Hardrock.

"Roger that, you be careful yourself Sama. Kaira will have my head if you get hurt," Hiro replied and Sama cracked a small smile. He nodded to the others in the room and left, headed towards where he sensed his father would be.

"Just where do you think you're going?" he heard a voice say from the shadows and Sama tensed.

"Show yourself," he demanded into the shadows and relaxed as Kaira stepped out of it.

"Sama, don't go. I can sense something bad, something evil that is waiting for us. You need to stay with Kareyn and the others," Kaira said, coming towards him, and Sama sensed that she had an extreme aura flowing around her.

"My father will die if I don't. Please Kaira, don't worry about me, I'll be fine," Sama replied wrapping an arm around her slim waist as he drew her close to him. He placed a small kiss on the top of her head, and felt her tense.

"Sama…just listen…" Kaira started, backing from his embrace and facing him.

Sama felt slight anger boiling in him and he narrowed his eyes. "Kaira can't you see, that if I don't do anything, then I will cease to exist! Why are you so persistent? Why can't you let me decide?" he yelled at her then stormed away, leaving her behind.

"Sama…" Kaira whispered then ran off in another direction. She hated him for doing this…she tentatively knew what was going to happen, but she had yet still to see for herself.

* * *

Kareyn watched as Sama left them and she stood up. She glanced at Hiro and Mia. "Let's go, let's go kick their asses," Kareyn ordered and Mia nodded.

"We're ready," Mia replied and Kareyn looked at her curiously.

"Uh, Mia, you need a weapon or else you're gonna get slaughtered out there," Kareyn stated and noticed that she looked sheepish.

"I have something you might want to protect yourself, Aunt Mia," Hiro said and handed her a small cylinder.

"What is it?" Mia asked, examining it. She found a button and pressed it. The cylinder's sides shot out in two different directions. Both measured to about three feet in length.

"It's a extendable staff that I sometimes use to practice. Just use it to bonk any Nether or Shadow soldier that is coming towards you," Hiro said and Mia nodded.

"Good," Kareyn added then glanced at Sanjuro. "Sanjuro, you read to fight?" Kareyn asked the spirit and Sanjuro nodded.

"Even I'm not part of the material world, I can still affect it," Sanjuro said and Kareyn grinned.

"All right, let's go and kick Shadow Lord's butt!" Kareyn yelled and led the way out of the Nether pool. Her eyes held power that she was itching to use, and she glared at the door to the open space of the Nether realm, ready to have a final showdown with Shadow Lord. Shadow Lord, you will be mine, as for my ancestors have proclaimed. The warrior of Nature shall destroy you.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Looks like the final battle's gearing up for the Ronin Warriors and their children. What will happen with the battle between Raven and Rowen, both of the same blood? What is Kaira doing…looking for what? Is Shadow Lord going to be defeated…? *Slows down* whoa, I'm sounding like the narrator here…this sucks. Okay next chapter: The final battle is hovering near…what will happen?

Dedications go out to Onyx, Caroline, Bunny, and the readers. You guys have been my supporters, telling me how good my story is or how I can improve it…thanks a million. Now hopefully there is about 2-3 chapters left in this story then the epilogue. Well, c-ya in a few weeks!