Name: Amaya Nyte (Sere Barton)

E-mail: sere_barton@yahoo.com

Title: River of Blood

Anime: Ronin Warriors

Short Description: Someone from Ryo's past appears in Toyama just before Talpa's invasion of the mortal realm searching for the meaning of her mysterious nightmares. And what's going on between her and Anubis?

Comments: I haven't decided whether or not to finish this, so if you like it tell me and I'll write more.

River of Blood

By Amaya Nyte

~It surrounded her, covered her arms and legs, drenched her hair, and filled her lungs. She kicked her legs frantically, trying desperately to reach the surface. The red liquid was thick and held her down.

She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound escaped. The liquid ran into her mouth, filling her lungs…~

Jazelyn awoke, sweat pouring down her face. "That dream again…" She looked around the room, slightly reassured by the two duffel bags sitting by the door to the small hotel room. A chill ran down her spine as the dream flashed before her eyes once more. She'd been having the same one for over a year now, night after night. Only when the dream began to creep into her waking hours did she decide to take action. That was why she was here, so far from home, something drew her here, something told her she would find peace here…

* - * - *

Jazelyn wondered the streets of Toyama, thoroughly lost. Looking down at the map she held, then looking at a sign nearby, she sighed in frustration. Japan was much different from America. Why couldn't anything be in English?!

Hearing screams she turned her face to the left. There in the middle of the street stood a young man with a white tiger by his side. He was handsome with wild black hair and sapphire blue eyes. There was something familiar about him… Ryo! How could she have forgotten with the white tiger and all? What was he doing here?

Maybe for the same reason as you, a corner of her mind suggested. Was it possible? Could whatever had drawn her here have also drawn him?

A young boy on a skateboard skid through the crowd, tripping he fell at Ryo's feet. He smiled and the boy laughed, shamefaced. They said a few words she couldn't hear (and most likely wouldn't have been able to understand) and then the boys' parents suddenly ran out of the crowd to snatch him up and run off.

A squad of policemen arrived, encircling the boy and his tiger. About to interfere, she paused as an earthquake racked the earth. Lights danced before her eyes as she felt the earth's pain and she had to duck into an alleyway to avoid the mobs of running and screaming people. This was no natural quake.

Ryo was trying to warn the people, although that's what she thought he was doing, though she wasn't entirely sure. Confusion filled her, what was going on? Out of nowhere a suit of armor, seemly functioning by itself, appeared and began to attack Ryo. It pulled a weapon from somewhere, attacking him with it. She wanted to scream, but she was incapable of making any sound. The armors' weapon slashed across Ryo's back, tearing his shirt. She saw red and feared the weapon had drawn blood, but the thought quickly passed as the cut began to glow. Ryo seemed to shed his clothes and underneath was a sort of body armor.

They continued to fight and Ryo was slowly losing. He was knocked down and the armor prepared its killing blow, but quickly found that hard when a young man in body armor similar to Ryo's, but dark blue, appeared. Others followed after him.

"Kento of Hardrock,"

"Cye of Torrent,"

"Sage of Halo,"

And the young man in dark blue called himself, "Rowen of Strata."

Now she was thoroughly confused. She recognized each of the new comers, but all from different places. What was happening?

They continued to fight, at some point a young woman and the little boy from earlier appeared and the fighters had to save them. Shock filled her when the scent of cherry blossoms filled the air and armor formed around the five young men.

Yet again, the fight continued.