Armor of the Cherry Blossom
By: Keila Tenshi
Part Four: The Past is Now Again
Ronin Japan
The sliding door to the room opened and Kim stepped back gasping. The force of the evil that came with the person who entered hit her like a punch. The Ancient tightened his grip on her shoulder and the feelings subsided.
"That is a part of your power, you can feel evil. It will take some getting used to. When you get back you'll have to train yourself to feel for it but try not to feel it when you are in it's presence. It's like a warning system," he explained.
The person who entered was a man. He was tall and dark, his eyes holding an evil within them that Kim didn't like. He walked over to the armors and stood before them. He laughed evilly. "Stolen right from under their noses," he said softly running his hand over the red set of armor. He turned away and moved to the middle of the room. "Badamon!" he ordered.
A misty form appeared in the air. The mist became the solid form of a man. He was dressed in traditional robes and a wicked look flashed in his eyes. "Yes my lord Talpa?" he asked.
Kim was filled with immediate disgust.
"I wish to be rid of this mortal body. Let us begin."
"Yes my lord," Badamon hissed. He began chanting low words that made Kim cringe back against the Ancient. She concentrated hard and was able to reduce the feeling of evil floating around her senses.
Badamon quit chanting as Talpa's form suddenly flickered and grew dim. It disappeared and the only thing left was a floating head in the form of an elaborate armor helmet surrounded by darkness. He laughed. "Now it is time," he said. "Armor of Corruption," he said.
The brown, black, and red colored armor became a ball of brown, red, and black light that flew into the darkness surrounding Talpa.
"Armor of Illusions."
The pink and green colored armor followed suit.
"Armor of Venom."
The green, red, and brown colored armor disappeared.
"Armor of Cruelty."
The dark blue, yellow, brown, and red colored armor was gone.
Suddenly an explosion sounded nearby. A soldier entered the room. "Sir! The Yamabushi Monks are attacking!"
"Hold them off! I need more time!" Talpa ordered.
The soldier bowed and left.
"Armor of Hardrock."
The orange and brown colored armor disappeared in a swirl of it's colors.
"Armor of Torrent."
The light blue colored armor was gone into the darkness that was slowly taking shape.
Four Armors remained.
Another explosion sounded closer by and the sounds of battle could be heard.
"Armor of Strata."
The dark blue colored armor disappeared.
Kim found herself whispering, "Come on! You've got to stop him!" Her breathing was becoming faster and her body was tense with want to stop him.
"Armor of Halo."
The green colored armor was gone and the darkness gained more form. The form of armor.
Two more armor's were left.
Suddenly a soldier came flying through the rice paper wall. He hit the floor and smoke poured out of the openings.
Standing in the hole was the Ancient. Behind him was Jun and another man who looked like an older version of Jun. A white tiger stood with them.
Kim gasped as she recognized White Gold with them.
"Armor of Wildfire," Talpa said ignoring them.
The red colored armor disappeared into the darkness. The darkness swirled and became the solid form of armor.
"No!" the Ancient yelled.
Talpa turned to them. "Ancient," he said. "And the other two high priests of the Yamabushi Monks. You're too late. This world is mine!"
"It never will be!" the Ancient said. He sprung at Talpa his staff raised above his head.
Talpa fired a bolt of energy at the Ancient who took the blow. But he was able still to strike Talpa with his staff that let out a bolt of white energy.
Talpa yelled in pain.
"My lord!" Badamon yelled. He started toward the two fallen figures.
"Oh no you don't," the older version of Jun said. He pointed at him with his staff, it's two prongs pointed down and bells on the ends of it. Out of the orb came strips of light surrounded Badamon and held him immobile.
Talpa struggled to his knees and reached out to the last remaining Armor.
"No!" Kim exclaimed. She started to move forward to stop Talpa. The Ancient held her back.
"You can't do anything to help. You must watch," he told her.
Kim stood still and just watched.
Talpa's voice said, "Armor of-" He never finished.
"Armor of the Cherry Blossom!" Jun yelled out pointing with his staff at the gold and white armor.
The armor, in swirling gold and white light disappeared into the orb on Jun's staff.
"No!" Talpa yelled. He shot a bolt of energy at Jun.
"No! Jun!" the other man yelled. He moved quickly and got in front of Jun. He took the death blow.
"Father no!" Jun yelled.
Kim gasped.
The white tiger and White Gold went over to the Ancient. Two priests entered the room. They went immediately to the Ancient and helped him up. The Ancient looked over to where Jun held his father.
Talpa started laughing.
The Ancient went over to Jun and gently lifted him to his feet. "We must go now!" he said.
Jun nodded and grabbed his father's staff. Then Jun, the Ancient, the white tiger, White Gold, and the last two Yamabushi Monks ran out of the hole in the wall and away from the building.
Talpa still stood laughing.
Kim closed her eyes against the sight of Talpa and suddenly his laughing was gone. She opened her eyes and found her and the Ancient in a softly lit, peaceful room.
"Now where are we?" Kim asked.
The Ancient didn't say anything.
Entering the room was the Ancient, Jun, the white tiger, White Gold, and the last two Yamabushi Monks.
Jun moved to a bench near the wall and sat leaning his staff on the wall next to him. He placed his father's staff on his knees and just looked down at it.
Kim knew what he was feeling. She reached up to touch the scar on her shoulder and a tear fell from her eye. Her hand slid from her shoulder to the locket around her neck. She had never been able to face it, to forget it. She had never said good-bye.
"Ancient what are we going to do?" one of the priests asked.
The Ancient turned to Jun. "Jun."
Jun looked up.
"You saved the Armor of the Cherry Blossom, so I place it under your protection."
White Gold went over to Jun and sat next to him.
Jun looked at White Gold who met his eyes. He gave a soft bark and wagged his tail briefly. Jun looked at the Ancient and nodded.
"Talpa will not give up until he gets the Armor, so I have a plan," the Ancient said.
They looked at him.
"Jun would you be willing to go to another world to protect this one?"
Jun looked at him startled. "But my sister, Kayura," Jun said.
"She will be cared for."
After a moment Jun nodded agreement. "Anything to save this world."
"Good. I will now send you into another world, same as this, but different. My friends," he said turning to the last two priests, "I will need you to give me your powers so I can open the portal and be able to banish Talpa into the NeatherRealm."
"Of course we will Ancient. Anything to stop Talpa," one of them said. The other agreed.
The Ancient nodded. "I will also need the power from your father's staff Jun," he said softly to the young man placing his hand on his shoulder.
Jun rose to his feet.
Kim smiled softly.
"Now gather around my friends," he said.
The two others came to him. The Ancient placed his hands on their shoulders and they started to glow with a light blue light. It disappeared. The two men moved weakly over to a bench and sat.
"I'm sorry I had to do that," the Ancient said concernedly.
"Ancient it is all right, we gave our abilities to you willingly," one of them said. "Besides I now have more time to write of what will happen."
"I hope that your writings will be known forever my friend," the Ancient smiled softly, knowingly. "Jun," he said turning to him.
Slowly Jun handed him his father's staff. "Good-bye father," he said softly.
The Ancient took it smiling reassuringly at Jun. He raised his own Staff of the Ancient and put two together in a blinding flash of light. He turned to Jun.
"Please take care of Kayura," he said.
"Do not worry," the Ancient said. He turned towards the wall and held his staff high. The rings animated themselves and the orb began to glow brightly. Suddenly the wall seemed to open and through it was a path in a forest in a familiar place in Kim's mind.
Jun looked over to the Ancient who looked at him seriously. White Gold licked Jun's hand and then moved through the gateway. The Ancient placed his hand on Jun's shoulder. Jun closed his eyes for a moment then reopened them. "Remember what I have shown you about the armor," the Ancient said. Jun nodded then went through the gateway. It closed behind him. "Good luck," the Ancient said. Then he disappeared.
The scene before Kim started slowly to melt into the darkness that they had started out in.
"I drove Talpa into the NeatherRealm that night an was able to save five of the armors. But I knew that Talpa would return one day and I was prepared for it. But that is another story. One the Ronin's will tell you. Now you must see something else that will help you."
The darkness faded out.