AZ/DZ: ^_______________________________^
Shuichi: Eh? You look happy.
AZ/DZ: ^____________________________________________^
Tsuzuki: Yes, she's definitely happy. Well…? *smacks DZ with FPOD (frying pan of doom)
AZ/DZ: @_@ OW!!! Hey! What was that for?!
Tsuzuki: You need to get on with the fic!
AZ/DZ: Hai…ok, but I'm just so happy today! ^________________________^
Shuichi: Why?
AZ/DZ: I dunno… ^_^;;
Zero: Onna! What an idiot.
AZ/DZ: Why you-?! When did you get here?! Come here and say that to my face. *grabs pan from Tsuzuki and chases Zero with it*
Tsuzuki: This is where we say. "On with the fic."
Shuichi: If she'll stop chasing Zero and starts writing. Oh well, u_u0, DZ does not own Gravi, Beyblades, Yamo no Matsuei and Megami Kouhosei. If she did, many young bishie would never have to sleep alone at night ^_^
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Kyojyu was afraid. He could feel his horse beneath him tremble in fear, too. He looked at his master beside him on his own horse. The priest's passive face gave away nothing. If Kyojyu's master felt the evil force that was following them, he didn't show it. Kyojyu hoped his master felt it too, and was formulating a plan to either escape or confront the evil without loosing their lives.
"Kyojyu." His master's voice interrupted his thoughts. "We will be nearing the Air Palace soon. Do not worry. See those blue towers, that is our destination."
"Yes master." Kyojyu nodded, but he still couldn't help contain the fear within him. He had felt the evil presence yesterday, a few hours after they had left the Fire Palace. He tried to meditate to calm himself down a bit, but it wasn't working. 'Amaterasu-sama, please look after us.'
The silence did not help Kyojyu's nerves at all. Yes, it was usually quiet, but not this quiet. A deathly kind of silence. As if the animals were afraid to move, to make a sound. Kyojyu's heart skipped a beat. It seems that the evil had become stronger, at least his aura did. Like it was getting closer. Kyojyu's master motioned for him to stop and waited a moment, closing his eyes. Then his head snapped up.
"Kyojyu! Run!" The master shouted at his novice as he spurred his horse onward. Kyojyu did the same, the feeling the evil aura coming closer. He knew his own horse could feel it, and urged it to go faster. He could see the blue towers of the Air Palace just within reach. Kyojyu focused on the blue towers, feeling a little better. The evil aura seems to be disappearing. Maybe the sight of the Air Palace made it give up. A scream from his master made him look up. Something big and dark was ahead of them. Kyojyu also screamed. He could feel the evil aura, the strongest he's ever felt, and that was saying something. His master reined his horse to a stop and took out some magic talismans, casting a kekkai around Kyojyu and himself.
"Master, what are we going to do?" Kyojyu asked.
"We must reach the Air Palace! We will find help there." The head priest shouted and started to urge his horse onwards. Kyojyu did so, too, keeping his eyes on the monster. It looked like a shadow, with no particular form. The only thing distinctive about it was it's eyes that glowed in green. A shadow monster, a powerful one, Kyojyu thought. They charged head on, the monster not moving from it's spot. Just before they could almost run over the monster, it jumped. Kyojyu and his master took the opportunity to go faster.
Kyojyu could see the Air Palace's gates. His master called out to the watch tower, holding up a piece of blue cloth with a dragon gilded in gold. Seeing this, the men in the watch tower quickly opened up. They were almost at the gates when the shadow monster appeared yet again. It jumped towards the head priest, shattering the kekkai he made around himself. Kyojyu screamed in fright as he saw the monster strike at his master. His master managed to dodge the full blow, but the monster had to thrown him off his horse. He landed just inside the courtyard.
"Master!" Concerned for his master, Kyojyu got off his horse and ran to his master. The monster readied for another attack jumping into the air. Kyojyu was frozen in fear. His master fumbled inside his cloak for more talismans. The monster was coming back down from his jump, a shadowy claw poised for attack. Kyojyu looked away, tensing himself for the blow. It never came, only a swishing sound and something wet and warm trickling down his arm. Kyojyu looked and wished he hadn't. It was blood that trickled down Kyojyu's arm. His master's horse laid dead, shredded to ribbons in front of them. Kyojyu was going to be sick.
The monster jumped back, preparing for another assault. Kyojyu's master had found fudas from his cloak, and started to chant a spell. As the demon came back from his ascent, Kyojyu's master shoved his hands forward and a huge amount of energy came from his hands aimed straight at the demon. The energy blast collided with the demon and a huge explosion brightened the sky over the palace.
"Kyojyu." Kyojyu looked at his master. He looked pale, and very sick. Sweat poured from his brow and he was breathing hard. His dilated eyes tried narrowed, trying to focus on Kyojyu. "That was the last of my energy. It was the only thing I could do to save you. Soon I will be…"
"No!" Kyojyu exclaimed.
His masters hand dug into his cloak and took out a scroll, placing it into Kyojyu's hand. "Take this, you are now the next head priest for Amaterasu-sama. Take good care of Dizzara for me. I know she will like you, as she liked me."
The master's eyes slowly closed and his breathing stopped. Kyojyu shook, and tears started to slide from his eyes. Kyojyu buried his head on his dead master's chest as a sob escaped from him. This was the one person that he cared about the most. The person who raised, and cared for him. How could he be gone?
This is all my fault. If I hadn't been so helpless… Kyojyu thought. But before Kyojyu could grieve further, one of the monks shouted out. Kyojyu looked up to see the demon still in one piece. No! I can't be! But master…
As if hearing Kyojyu's thought the demon cackled and said, "Your master is strong. But not strong enough."
Kyojyu's eyes widened, once again frozen in fear. If master's spell couldn't destroy it, then even he couldn't do anything. He was only the priest's novice-in-training. Well, technically he was the head priest now, but…Kyojyu didn't think he was even powerful enough to defeat a weak demon, let alone this one.
"What can you do against me, little one?" The demon taunted Kyojyu. "Hahahahahahaha!!!!! Your master was a fool wasting his life force on trying to destroy me. Now, no one can stop me!"
"Oh, I don't think so." A voice said. Kyojyo looked behind him to identify the disembodied voice. By the palace entrance he saw a boy around his age with long blue hair tied low. Judging by his clothes, the boy was no ordinary monk. His cocky smile disappeared when he looked at Kyojyu and asked, "Are you okay?"
Kyojyu nodded, and the boy proceeded to walk forward. He stopped right behind Kyojyu. "Hey mister, I don't know what your problem is, but this is the Air Palace. The Air god, Seiryuu, one of the four Shitennou, lives here, and I assure you, he will not be pleased when he hears of this. So, instead of his consequences, I've decided to take pity on you, and just kill you now."
"You arrogant fool." The demon seemed to smile, although there was no change in it's face. "I do not fear you. A mere boy like you cannot defeat me. Even that old priest cannot defeat me, how could you defeat me?"
"Easily." Takao smirked. He was horrified at the scene he stumbled upon after he ran from his room to the courtyard. He didn't know who the man and the boy was, and why the demon was after them, but when the old man died, Takao felt the boy's sorrow. It made him angry how the demon laughed at him. The demon would pay. "I am Takao Kinomiya, Blue Dragon Order, Keeper of the Air Bey, Master of Dragoon, Guardian of the East, and Seiryuu's Chosen." (A/N: Hehehehehehe, he likes titles)
"Titles do not impress me." The demon said. He made a move for another attack. Takao moved forward, shielding Kyojyu. The monster cackled loudly his claws poised for another attack. "Mwahahahahahahahahaha!!!! Foolish human!"
Takao glowed blue. The air around him hummed, wind picking up. At first it was a slow breeze, then it became a raging wind. He put his hands together, making a small blue energy ball glow. Taking his hands apart slowly, the blue ball grew, until it was the size of a small boulder. (A/N: I wanted to say basketball, but I don't think they'd have that then ~_~;;;) He raised his hands and threw the energy ball at the demon. It took the demon's arm off, disabling his first try at attacking.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! You will pay for that!" (A/N: Couldn't resist the classic line) The demon screamed at Takao. It lunged at him, but before it could get to Takao, Dragoon's gargantuan form loomed above the demon. Then with a swish of his tail, the demon smashed against a nearby tree. It tried to stand up, but failed. Takao walked over to the demon, a grim expression on his face.
"Should I kill you, or banish you into the Dark Lands?" Takao thought for a while. "Or should I let Seiryuu deal with you…"
As Takao pondered this, he didn't see the demon reaching behind him pushing his remaining hand into a wound. Takao turned towards Dragoon who reverted into human form. "What should I do, Dragoon?"
Before Dragoon could answer, Takao heard the demon starting to chuckle. He turned quickly to see the demon's bloody claws. Takao looked a little bit nervous and backed away slowly. The demon rose slowly, now laughing maniacally. "You should have just killed me when I was down."
The demon flicked his wrist and the blood from it flew towards Takao. Takao panicked, frozen in shock. A strong demon's blood can be very harmful to human, even on the verge of death, a demon can use it's own blood as a last resort. But before the demon's blood could touch Takao, a big wall of flame shielded Takao, and Dranzer's phoenix form appeared.
"Fire Arrows!" Dranzer shot flames at the demon obliterating it. The only last visible evidence of the demon was it's ashes on the tree. Takao turned around to see Kai standing at the palace entrance. He ran over to him with a huge smile.
"Hey Kai! That was some move! Thanks for saving me!" He grinned at the boy placing a hand on his shoulder.
Kai's face was stoic, but his crystalline ruby eyes narrowed. "You're a moron. You should have killed that demon already. You need more skills." And with that, Kai walked off.
Takao stood there dumbfounded. Then he turned red, and angry red. He contemplated going after Kai and picking a fight, but he remembered about the boy. He turned around and walked towards the boy who was staring off into space. Dragoon, who had glomped Dranzer when she turned into her human form, stopped harassing Dranzer and also payed attention to Kyojyu.
"Hey," Takao shook Kyojyu. "Are you all right? I'm sorry about…um, him."
Kyojyu looked at Takao with tear-filled eyes. He didn't say anything, but his look was grateful. Takao nodded and accepted his thanks. He called a couple of monks over asked them to assist Kyojyu with his master. Kyojyu let them take his master away, trying to think of what to do. He didn't know much about the situation at hand, just that his master was to tell the Shitennou information about the trouble in Ryukku. But he didn't know anything about that.
What do I do?! Kyojyu thought.
*That is why I'm here*
"Who said that?" Kyojyu said aloud. Takao, Dragoon and Dranzer turned to him. Before they could ask anything, the scroll that Kyojyu's master had given began to glow. A flash of white, and then before them was a silver haired girl, in white flowing robes was standing before them. Dragoon laughed, instantly knowing who is was.
"Dizzi!!!" He cried and proceeded to glomp her.
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AZ/DZ: Ah, sorry that took so long. I'm not gonna be able to update a whole lot this month. Gomen. I'll try to update each week. This is gonna be a long one. ^_^
Shuichi: Don't worry, we'll be here to keep you company.
Tsuzuki: Yea! This is fun. And now thanks to the following people who reviewed:
Rem: Thank! I think so, too. ^_^ I do believe you're right. Takao is taking it very offensively coz he's definitely into Kai. Hehehehehe, and being reviewed make me feel giddy, so there. LOL
Ravens Quill: I'll keep them coming, don't worry.
AZ/DZ: Ah, well that's it. Thanks! And remember Read & Review. Ciao!