Warning: This story contains shounen ai, which implies male/male love, graphic violence, and angst. Please do not read if such ideas upset you. Please use your good judgment. This fiction also contains character death.
Rated R for violence, strong language and sexual situations.

Disclaimer: "Yoroiden Samurai Troopers" does not belong to me. I am but a lowly slug.
Any comments or suggestions are welcome as long as they are constructive. Heck, if you just want to chat samurai troopers, feel free to drop me a line.
Comments can be made at: Li_bell_ule@yahoo.com


Chapter Three
Revelations

Pale light filtered in through the dingy windows, falling soundlessly on the sleeping forms. Curled in the large chair, his legs drawn up onto the seat cushion, Seiji opened his eyes tentatively, letting them adjust to the morning light.
        He had been awake for some times now, listening silently to the rhythm of Ryo's steady breathing. Glancing down at him, a slight smile upturning his lips, Seiji gently tousled Ryo's black hair. Ryo had turned in his sleep, resting his head against Seiji's legs.
        Of all the places to fall asleep-- Ryo could have opted for any one of the other chairs in the room, even the couch. Instead, Ryo had chosen to sleep on the hard floor by his chair.  It was almost as if Ryo wanted to be near him.

Why did Ryo's closeness bring a great deal of comfort to him? 
        Seiji shook his head, not allowing himself to entertain such a thought-- such thoughts led to trouble.

Carefully, he slipped his legs over the arm, gently guiding Ryo's head to the seat cushion, trying not to disturb him as he rose from the chair.
        Not more than three steps away, he heard Ryo groan softly, shifting his position on the floor. Drowsily, he asked, "What time's it?"
         "It's early still, Ryo." Seiji answered with an amused smile. "Go back to sleep."
        Ryo moved again, trying to find a comfortable position on the hard wooden planks, mumbling, "Mmm, hmm," before drifting back to sleep.
            Stepping into the bright morning light, Seiji smirked, relieved that Ryo was not awake to see the grin spreading across his face. How is it that Ryo made such a smile spring to his lips?

*****
        After dozing in and out for about an hour, Ryo finally forced himself to get up.  Groaning, he massaged the tender muscles of his aching back. The floor did not make for an ideal bed. Stretching his arms behind his back until he felt a satisfying pop in his spine, Ryo walked through the back door to find where Seiji had gone.  He wasn't entirely sure if Seiji's unexpected presence was anything more than a dream. 
       
        Seiji was sitting on the steps, staring blankly off into the distance, his violet eyes transfixed. Ryo watched him for a moment, waiting for him to move from the stock stillness he sat in. But Seiji didn't move, he was like a statue of living stone.
            Frowning, Ryo came up behind him, "Seiji, you okay?"
        He noticed Seiji flinch as he looked up at him sharply.  It was evident that Ryo had startled him, though Seiji tried his best to hide it.  Sinking down, Ryo sat beside him on the top step, concern creasing his brow.
        "I'm fine, Ryo," Seiji said.  Ryo was unconvinced, prompting Seiji to add, "Sometimes my mind wanders, that's all."

Ryo knew he wouldn't get Seiji to admit to anything else, so he let it drop.  
         "I don't think I've ever been able to sneak up on you." Ryo grinned, obviously pleased with himself.
        Seiji smiled wryly, "Let's not make it a habit."


        They sat in companionable silence, until Seiji, whispered, "Something's not right." He spoke quietly, as if someone were lurking nearby, his words reserved only for Ryo's ear. "Do you feel it, Ryo? Something has drawn us here and I fear it's not Nasuti..." He paused before voicing his unease. "Ryo, you don't think that--."
        "I don't know," he interrupted. "I never found him, you know, not even a trace of that monster who came through the sky."
        The two were quiet, both reflecting on all that they had been robbed of that day.

        "I missed you, Seiji," Ryo spoke softly, looking straight ahead, his blue eyes scanning the horizon. "Maybe, more than the others..."

Seeing Seiji again had stirred something deep within him that had been dormant since the swordsman had disappeared five years ago.  It was with difficulty that he tried to express it. 
            Turning his violet eyes on him, Seiji studied Ryo's profile, taken aback by his admission. "I always thought you were glad to be rid of me," he murmured.
         Ryo looked at him then, shaking his head, "Never."
            Bringing his hand up slowly, Ryo dared to brush Seiji's hair away from his face, running his fingers through the golden strands. He wanted to see Seiji's eyes, hoping to catch any play of emotion that might sweep through them.
        They were wide, attentive to anything that might happen.  Light danced in his violet eyes.

Gently, Ryo held his face, caressing Seiji's cheek with his thumb, "...so many things I wanted to say." He leaned forward, hot lips hovering above pale flesh, "...so many regrets."
            Pressing towards him, Ryo's lips ghosted across Seiji's neck. At such closeness, he could feel Seiji's every move, feel his heart pounding in his chest, and feel his throat tremble as his breath caught there.
        Hand against his chest, Ryo's fingers deftly released the buttons of Seiji's shirt, and he pulled the material back, exposing Seiji's shoulder. Ryo kissed the white scar that marred the soft skin, wishing he could take back the mark of his affliction.

            Suddenly, Seiji tensed, his body becoming rigid against Ryo. A pained cry escaped him, and Ryo instantly drew away.
        "I-I'm sorry." Ryo stammered, feeling rejected. "I didn't mean..." He began, moving to get up.
        "No!" Seiji's hand shot out, snagging his wrist. "…something's wrong."
         His grip became lax, and Seiji unexpectedly fell forward from the steps, only barely managing to catch himself on his hands and knees on the grass.
        "Seiji!" Ryo shouted, jumping down from the porch, immediately dropping by his side.
            Heaving, he coughed up a small amount of blood. As the red liquid dripped from his lips, Seiji sputtered, "...it's not me-- not my pain."
            "What?" Ryo asked, as he laid a hand on Seiji's back, gently rubbing comfort to his trembling form. "I don't understand."
        "After all this time," Seiji gasped. "It's Anubis..."
        "He's doing this to you?"
        "No, Ryo. He's hurt... he's calling for help."
        "That's one hell of a call."

            Pushing himself up, sitting back on his heels, Seiji closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating on the pain.
        Ryo slipped an arm around his shoulders to steady him when he began to sway. "I don't understand what's going on, Seiji."
        "This has never happened before, not once in all those battles we fought." Seiji disclosed. "I don't know what's going to happen... but I do know where Anubis is, and I must go to him."

        Ryo helped Seiji to his feet, and did not let his grip loosen as the warrior of light led him to a place he never wanted to see again.
        The clearing was at the edge of the forest, in the field-- in that field. It was the very place where Nasuti had been killed.
        And there on the ground, lay Anubis-- or what was left of him. He had been slit from sternum to navel and could only lie there in his own life's blood and wait.
        Ryo hesitated going near Anubis, but Seiji slipped from his grasp and knelt beside the body, on the blood-soaked earth, checking for signs of life.
        Eyes opened slowly and lips parted, laboring for air. "...knew you'd come..." Anubis rasped.
            "Shhh... Don't try to talk, just breathe." Seiji admonished.

        Anubis and he were connected through their armors-- the only two warriors to have such a connection. The pain he had experienced before was the shift in balance of the scales of light and darkness.
            Closing his eyes, Seiji tried to direct his life force to Anubis, but was stopped by his gentle touch.
        "...too late fo'me..." His speech was starting to slur.
        "No, I won't let you die, Anubis." Seiji said, although it was fairly obvious that there was very little he could do for him.
        With wavering strength, Anubis reached up and roughly clasped Seiji's face in his hands, so as to have his full attention. "Listen to me... you know what will happen to you when I...?"
        Seiji shook his head in affirmation, never taking his focus off the dying warrior.
        "Then you must take it... now, before he gets it."
            "Before who gets it Anubis?" Seiji asked gently, "Who did this to you?"
        It was sheer will that kept him alive now, his desperation to let them know what was happening.
            "...Arago... he's killed the others... all of them... my comrades are dead..."
        "No!" Ryo shouted. "No, it can't be!"
            "Arago..." Anubis continued, barely breathing. "...took their armors..." Struggling against the inevitable, he looked up at Seiji. "...don't let it take you with me... you will bear the weight alone... you have to... Seiji..."
        The jagged rise and fall of his chest stopped.
            "Anubis..." Seiji whispered, searching his eyes for any spark of life. Finding them devoid, he whispered, "Oyasumi, Anubis." Good night.
        Ryo crouched beside him, reaching across to gently shut his unseeing eyes. He sat back, stunned. "I can't accept this..." Shock kept him in disbelief-- such a horrible thing could not be true.
            Glancing at Seiji he asked him, "Are you okay?"
        "I'm so cold..." Seiji murmured sullenly as he wrapped his arms around himself. Ryo could see his breath rebounding in traces of white.
        His eyes narrowing, Ryo surveyed around them. A thick fog was forming in response to the drastic change in temperature.
        "Seiji, it is cold," Ryo replied. "Unnaturally cold."

         They watched in horror as Anubis' corpse began to move.

Seiji looked up quickly, realization dawning. "Ryo, get back!" He shouted, "It's Arago!"
            Laughter erupted from Anubis, but it was not Anubis' voice that roared through his lips-- Arago now possessed Anubis.
        The body was wrecked beyond any repair, but Arago pushed it to rise anyway. Blood streamed down the torso as he stood, one arm wrapping around the body protectively, as if to keep the entrails within. Arago soon found that the amount of damage done was too great for him to survive long in this body. He had miscalculated once again how fragile the human form was.
        The troopers reflexively backed away from Arago, ready to armor up at a moments notice.
        "Poor Anubis! Thinking he was warning you when all he did was lead you straight to me." Arago hissed.

            Seething with a collected rage, Seiji barely kept his indignation in check-- how dare Arago defile Anubis so.
        Not as restrained, his fury evident, Ryo screamed, "Give it up, Arago! You will answer for those murders!"
        "Not before you've joined them in death!" He snarled. It was obvious that Arago's newly acquired body was failing.
        "I don't know how you got free, but you're going back." Ryo's sense of virtue was stoking his anger.
        "And you two think you can defeat me?" Arago's deprecating cackle set Ryo off in a rage. Foolishly about to charge forward, Ryo wasn't able take more than a step before Seiji snatched him by the waist.
        "What do you think you're doing?" Seiji demanded. "He's trying to goad you. Arago won't last long in that body-- we may be able to wait him out."

        "You think you have any chance against me? I possess the power of four armors!" Arago sneered. "Soon, it will be six!"
         Winds swirled around him as Arago chanted, summoning the four stolen yoroi to him. Tortured cries resonated in the violent gust-- Lady Kayura, Rajura, Naaza, and Anubis screamed out from death against the violation of their lives.
            Wearing the mixed mass of armors, Arago stepped forward, challenging them to attack. "I'll enjoy beating the life out of you Rekka no Ryo."
        The temperature was steadily dropping, and resulting mist billowed thickly across the ground, producing eerie forms and shapes in the darkened morning.

        Ryo's defiant temper could not hold out any longer. "Dao Jin!" He shouted, the unbridled power of Rekka coursing through him as he transformed.
        Seiji followed suit, taking his cue from Ryo, though he feared his impetuous actions might get him killed. He didn't always think things through before acting on his judgments.  While he stood at Ryo's shoulder, prepared to defend him to the death, Seiji readied himself to take extra caution watching against Ryo's impulsiveness.

            Though his helmet obscured his face, it was obvious that Arago was amused by their defiance. Swiftly, he charged forward, clashing swords against Ryo's.
            Counteracting the strike with both his katana blades, Ryo felt the surge of four yoroi powered against him. Despite all his courage and skill, he had to fallback. Ryo blocked Arago's brutal strikes, sparks flying, but lost his footing on the last. He smashed harshly against a tree, splintering the trunk with a loud crack. The breath knocked out of him, Ryo struggled to get his disobedient body to stand. Stunned by the combined strength Arago possessed, Ryo braced himself for a shocking blow.
         In a flash of light, Seiji darted in front of him, impeding the attack with his no-datchi.
         "Ryo, get up!" He shouted, matching each strike, as if he could beat Arago out of Anubis' body. Making only defensive maneuvers, Seiji coerced Arago to expend his energy and managed to lure him away from Ryo, giving the fire warrior time to recoup.
       

Arago had to quickly rethink his attack, for his ruined human body was declining and soon he would be unable to control it.
         "You failed him, Seiji," Arago taunted. "You failed Anubis-- Darkness is mine."
        "Not until I've taken my last breath," Seiji retorted.
        "That can be arranged!"
     Arago leapt high in the air, raising his sword to the sky. Calling upon the fused attacks of the seasonal armors, he cast a wave of energy rushing towards him.
        Seiji knew he could not overcome such an assault, but Kourin might buy him some time at least.
            "Raikouzan!" He shouted, jumping up to meet the ancient warrior, unleashing a power of his own.
        The two opposing forces impacted with a deafening bang, causing a wave of absolute confusion to clash over the earth. Ryo was knocked to the ground as it shook from the collision. Seiji was thrown from the force, slammed hard into the ground and grazed back, into the haze and out of Ryo's view.

        Ryo struggled to his feet, glancing back in the direction Seiji had been projected. It had gotten so cold, that he felt the chill even through his armor of wildfire.
            Through the mist he saw Arago on the ground, lying trapped, helpless in Anubis' destroyed body. He had depleted more energy than the body could handle and was paying the price.
        Ryo stood over him, looking down on his mortal enemy, his swords drawn.

        "If I die..." Arago struggled with the words-- the body was fading fast. "If I die, Seiji will die too."
            "What?" Ryo asked venturing closer. "You expect me to believe that?"
            "...darkness and light are weights on a balance. When the bearer of darkness dies, he tips the scale-- he drags the bearer of light with him, unless he gives the armor to someone else... There can be no light without the contrast of darkness, and since I now bear darkness..." 

Arago smiled as he watched Ryo's face contort with ire.
        "Liar," Ryo seethed. This must be a trick, he thought. Right?
       
"Are you willing to take that chance with his life? I never thought you were that reckless..."
        Now Ryo wasn't sure... what had Anubis meant when he asked Seiji if he knew what would happen to him when he died? Ryo thought back to earlier that morning-- Seiji had thrown up blood as Anubis was dying-- the Yami Masho's final words replayed through his head, Don't let it take you with me... Seiji...
        Oh God. It could be true. This wicked, horrible lie could be a terrible, awful truth.
        Arago gasped, choking on his breath. "I guess Seiji dies too..."
        "No! Give darkness to me, Arago." Ryo demanded, sword at this throat. "Now."
        He clenched his hands into fists by his side.  "...you'll have to take it before I give it to you..."
        Ryo reached forward, mere inches from Arago.

        The world swayed a bit, as Seiji stood. It hurt to breathe and Seiji suspected he might have broken a rib in the fall. Peering through the fog, he saw Ryo hesitate before Arago's prone form.
        What is he doing? Seiji thought. Then he gasped in understanding-- he knew exactly what Ryo was doing.
       
"Ryo, no!" Seiji shouted, running towards him with an outstretched hand. "Don't touch him!"
        He was too far-- he would never reach Ryo in time.

            Exerting the last measure of his strength, Arago clenched a small dagger from his many armaments and thrust the weapon into Ryo's side. Surprised that the narrow blade could even puncture his armor, Ryo staggered forward, collapsing under the mist.  Laughing, Arago slid his hand through the blood, and Ryo screamed in pain as the transfer began.
       

Ryo's hoarse cries stopped abruptly as Arago rose from the ground in his new form.
            Stopping short in his tracks, Seiji uttered, "Oh my God..."

        The warrior that stood before him was the very same that had killed Nasuti all those years ago. It was Arago in possession of Ryo. The black and red armor was a combination of all those he had stolen, merged together in brutality.

        "In this body-- in this armor-- I can do anything." Arago snarled, the words coming through Ryo's mouth. He leered at Seiji, "I'll deal with you in a moment. But first, I must ensure my future!"
        With a slash of his sword Arago split the sky open-- a seemingly impossible act. But Seiji knew exactly where the portal led.
        "This is where it all begins, Seiji," Arago hissed, and stepped through the sky.


Continued in Chapter Four: Aria

Author's note: Don't worry!  More to come soon I promise ^_^

Thanks to everyone who responded to my story.  Keep on reading it gets even more twisted… er, I mean better, it gets much better :P

~ Li