Chapter 4
After dinner, Loren asked if everyone could meet in the living room. When everyone assembled, Loren lost no time in asking questions, "What was Anubis like?" She asked.
Everyone bowed his or her head; there were a few minutes of silence until Ryo spoke. "Anubis was different from the other Warlords. He always had a strong sense of honor and a desire to engage in fair combat."
Rowen spoke up next, "I was the one who discovered he was human. He was later kidnapped by the Ancient One and joined our side."
"Anubis then became the new Ancient One," Sage spoke in a low, respectful tone, "I can't forget all the times he saved our lives."
"Anubis was always the strongest," Cye said, "Even if he did have an ego problem."
"Our last memory of him, was watching him give up his life force to save Kayura from Talpa." Kento choked out, "We saw the whole thing in our mind's eye."
"It killed all of us that the cycle was now incomplete," Mia said in a solemn manner, "But I know it killed the Warlords more than it did us."
"You mean those three lunatics who attack you?" Loren asked.
"Yes," Mia said.
"What ever happened to Kayura?" Loren asked.
"When Cruelty chose you to be its new master," Mia began, "Kayura got into an fight with the other three Warlords about the whole situation. I guess they feared that she was going to try and stop them from kidnapping you."
"So they killed her," Loren smirked.
"Yes," Mia said.
Loren looked at the Ronins, "So when you look me, do you see Anubis, or do you see me?"
No one answered that question.
"Look," Loren stated, "I may be the new Warrior of Spring, but I'm not Anubis, and I don't intend to replace him."
"It's kind of hard," Rowen laughed, "Especially since the two of you have the same personality, look a lot alike, and have almost the same attitude."
Loren became annoyed, "I'm not here to replace Anubis. All I ask is that you treat me like a normal person. I am not Anubis and I never will be."
Loren looked at the clock, frustrated at the five Elementals, "It's 10 PM and I need to get some sleep before I register for classes. I'll see you at 6:00 in the morning."
Loren was in bed, reading a book about Oriental Mysticism, trying to understand why the Ancient One made nine armors.
'I can explain why the Ancient One made nine armors,' Cruelty offered.
'I don't want to know that from you, what I want to know is why you never told me about Anubis and the other Warlords?' Loren demanded.
Cruelty did not answer.
'Were you afraid of losing me like you lost Anubis?' Loren snapped.
'Yes,' Cruelty admitted.
'I'm sorry I snapped at you, but you know that I don't like being protected in a manner that keeps me in the dark about potential threats,' Loren said in a sympathetic manner.
'Corruption, Venom, and Illusion shared in their master's grief,' Cruelty said, 'I'm sure they would help their masters bring the both of us into the Dynasty without question.'
'Were they really a family unit?' Loren asked.
'Yes,' Cruelty said.
'Then why did they bring him into the Dynasty when he was only 17 years old? He wasn't even a legal adult.' Loren bit out angrily.
'Anubis was practically an adult at 15 years old,' Cruelty responded.
'I don't want to think anymore,' Loren told Cruelty, 'I'll see you in the morning.'
'Good night,' Cruelty told her.
Loren fell asleep quickly, but she was plagued by a strange nightmare:
She saw nothing, no faces, no clear pictures, but she felt strange feelings. She felt a feeling of resistance, of fear, and of a struggle. She felt someone pinning her to the ground, holding her still, and she felt a needle from a syringe in her right shoulder. She felt a drug from the syringe enter into her system. Her mind began to go blank as she slipped away from consciousness. She was still alive, but her mind was a complete blank. Then she heard laughing from three other men. She was open, vulnerable, and afraid. She felt nothing, remembered nothing, saw nothing, until she heard a voice saying, "Soon he will be prepared for brainwashing."
In her mind, Loren screamed in agony and pain.
Loren shot up from her bed in a cold sweat. 'What was that all about?' She thought as she looked at her alarm clock. It was 4:27 AM and Loren doubted she would get much sleep. For the rest of the night, Loren stared at the ceiling.
After dinner, Loren asked if everyone could meet in the living room. When everyone assembled, Loren lost no time in asking questions, "What was Anubis like?" She asked.
Everyone bowed his or her head; there were a few minutes of silence until Ryo spoke. "Anubis was different from the other Warlords. He always had a strong sense of honor and a desire to engage in fair combat."
Rowen spoke up next, "I was the one who discovered he was human. He was later kidnapped by the Ancient One and joined our side."
"Anubis then became the new Ancient One," Sage spoke in a low, respectful tone, "I can't forget all the times he saved our lives."
"Anubis was always the strongest," Cye said, "Even if he did have an ego problem."
"Our last memory of him, was watching him give up his life force to save Kayura from Talpa." Kento choked out, "We saw the whole thing in our mind's eye."
"It killed all of us that the cycle was now incomplete," Mia said in a solemn manner, "But I know it killed the Warlords more than it did us."
"You mean those three lunatics who attack you?" Loren asked.
"Yes," Mia said.
"What ever happened to Kayura?" Loren asked.
"When Cruelty chose you to be its new master," Mia began, "Kayura got into an fight with the other three Warlords about the whole situation. I guess they feared that she was going to try and stop them from kidnapping you."
"So they killed her," Loren smirked.
"Yes," Mia said.
Loren looked at the Ronins, "So when you look me, do you see Anubis, or do you see me?"
No one answered that question.
"Look," Loren stated, "I may be the new Warrior of Spring, but I'm not Anubis, and I don't intend to replace him."
"It's kind of hard," Rowen laughed, "Especially since the two of you have the same personality, look a lot alike, and have almost the same attitude."
Loren became annoyed, "I'm not here to replace Anubis. All I ask is that you treat me like a normal person. I am not Anubis and I never will be."
Loren looked at the clock, frustrated at the five Elementals, "It's 10 PM and I need to get some sleep before I register for classes. I'll see you at 6:00 in the morning."
Loren was in bed, reading a book about Oriental Mysticism, trying to understand why the Ancient One made nine armors.
'I can explain why the Ancient One made nine armors,' Cruelty offered.
'I don't want to know that from you, what I want to know is why you never told me about Anubis and the other Warlords?' Loren demanded.
Cruelty did not answer.
'Were you afraid of losing me like you lost Anubis?' Loren snapped.
'Yes,' Cruelty admitted.
'I'm sorry I snapped at you, but you know that I don't like being protected in a manner that keeps me in the dark about potential threats,' Loren said in a sympathetic manner.
'Corruption, Venom, and Illusion shared in their master's grief,' Cruelty said, 'I'm sure they would help their masters bring the both of us into the Dynasty without question.'
'Were they really a family unit?' Loren asked.
'Yes,' Cruelty said.
'Then why did they bring him into the Dynasty when he was only 17 years old? He wasn't even a legal adult.' Loren bit out angrily.
'Anubis was practically an adult at 15 years old,' Cruelty responded.
'I don't want to think anymore,' Loren told Cruelty, 'I'll see you in the morning.'
'Good night,' Cruelty told her.
Loren fell asleep quickly, but she was plagued by a strange nightmare:
She saw nothing, no faces, no clear pictures, but she felt strange feelings. She felt a feeling of resistance, of fear, and of a struggle. She felt someone pinning her to the ground, holding her still, and she felt a needle from a syringe in her right shoulder. She felt a drug from the syringe enter into her system. Her mind began to go blank as she slipped away from consciousness. She was still alive, but her mind was a complete blank. Then she heard laughing from three other men. She was open, vulnerable, and afraid. She felt nothing, remembered nothing, saw nothing, until she heard a voice saying, "Soon he will be prepared for brainwashing."
In her mind, Loren screamed in agony and pain.
Loren shot up from her bed in a cold sweat. 'What was that all about?' She thought as she looked at her alarm clock. It was 4:27 AM and Loren doubted she would get much sleep. For the rest of the night, Loren stared at the ceiling.