The Awakening

Part 3: The Search Begins

"Dear Ronins," Kayura spoke. "We must make haste to the Realm of the Night to save our friends, Strata and Halo. The evil Empress Kilmoina has taken them captive and will take their armors in time. She has also obtained the Armors of the Forgotten Ones." She folded her arms, casting an ominous glance at the Ronins.

"Sounds bad. Will we be able to save them?" Cye asked.

Ryo cut in, "What about these 'Forgotten Ones' you were talking about, Kayura?" He glared at her inquisitively.

Before Kayura could speak, Mia butted in and explained that the armors fought earlier were from a race that time had almost forgotten. Thanks you her grandfather's computers database, they were able to find out who these newcomers were.

"So, their queen was taken over by this evil that sprouted from the Black Omen?" Kento bluntly said, giving a "Huh?" look.

"Sadly, yes," Kayura spoke solemnly. "But, before she had the chance, she was defeated. After that, the Gateway for Tulpa to enter the Mortal Realm had carelessly been left open, and he attacked."

"Coupled with the loss of the queen and the fighters," Mia added, "The world was left unprotected until one of the survivors of the mess decided to fight Tulpa, making him the first Ancient." As she finished, she pulled out her laptop.

Suddenly, Ryo jumped up. "And that's history up to now!" He spurted. "We need to go and rescue Rowen and Sage!"

"You know that we can't just go barging in and demand our friends back, or we'll end up getting caught," Cye said with some thought.

"You're right. With us along with you Ronins, Ryo will be able to form the Inferno Armor, giving us a good chance of surviving out there," Cale remarked while shifting his position to an overstuffed couch.

"Torrent has a good point. We must think this out carefully and prepare for the worst," Dais said, crossing his arms.

"Now, all we need is a plan," Ryo spoke, everyone looking on as the room remained quiet.

***Meanwhile***

"How can she control our armors?" Sage spoke.

"She used the power that was given to her to create magical duplicates that practically are the same as you or me. She gives them our armor orbs, thus giving them power to summon the armors for themselves."

"So, this translates to the fact that she can easily steal our armors right from under our noses and leave us high and dry?" Rowen spoke bluntly.

"I am afraid so," Sosu replied in a dire tone.

"Then why keep us alive?"

"Because, we are still attached to the souls of the armors. And if we die, the armor is given to another. Kilmoina will lose her control over it."

"So, she keeps us alive so that she can continues her control over the armors we have?"

They solemnly nod their heads as the two Ronins look with worried eyes for their friends who were, they hoped, coming to save them.

***Back in the House***

"Well, for starters, how do we get into this Realm of Night?" Ryo asked Lady Kayura, the others' eyes looking towards her.

" It isn't that simple, young ronins, because if I break the seal of the ancients I could unleash the evil queen's power into the mortal realm" she said with much distress

The room silenced for a moment while the staff ancients momentarily glowed a faded, in this Lady Kayura looked into the thin air with dread. As darkness started to envelope her vision, she noticed white cherry blossoms being carried on an invisible air blowing through the now open door. It beckoned her to the moist warm ocean air where they began to swirl into a tight vortex. Slowly a female form appeared before her, the light began to fade as the Staff glowed once more.



" This weak pathetic realm will fall to me. whether you like it or not. Your Ronins stand no chance against my will. I will crush them." Spoke the woman enshrouded in light



" How.How..How can you?" Lady Kayura only managed to studded out

" Quite Amusing, you seem to be at a lost of words. I shall leave you with a gift of things to come." It said as the pale woman faded from her view.



Then suddenly visions of a wickedly transformed fortress seemly rose out of the ocean. The skies darkened as the sounds of wailing an agony sailed around her was the wind picked up. She turned to what used to be a prosperous city, now only a soot-covered wasteland.

--

Finally her eyes readjusted to the light of the room, she noticed that hadn't moved an inch from her spot with the memory of spoken word in here head. The memory of the lady and the image still lingered in her mind.



"Kayura," Cye said as he gently shook her "is everything alright?"

End of Chapter 3