Those Who Fear the Dark
Chapter 3
Within the restaurant the thinking fog swirled around their legs and waists. Fat grey fingers seemed to form and caress their faces, leaving a greasy film. Under their subarmors, Kento, Sage, and Ryo could feel themselves start to sweat. The air was hot, humid, and hard to breathe.
"Kento, I think your air conditioner is broke," Sage spoke.
"Hey Sage, you know what they say!" Ryo joked in an attempt to lighten the mood. "It's not the heat; it's the humidity!" Kento started to laugh but halted mid-chuckle as the dark presence in the air became even more palpable.
Sage barely stopped himself from slapping his palm against the subarmor encasing his thighs. Instead, he restricted himself to grinding his teeth. It could always be the Dynasty but… he knew
*Wham*
Sage's thought process was interrupted as he was sent flying through the room to slam into the wall. The breath knocked out of him, he slid his hands down the surface made slick by the unnatural moisture caused by the fog. Ryo and Kento whirled around to face their enemy, who apparently had finally decided to show itself.
His chest heaving, Sage craned his head around and began to turn his body. The first thing he noticed was the tail. The long, reptilian-like, drab green tail that flicked back and forth in the air- that must have been what had sent him slamming into the wall so violently. Ice blue eyes trailed the tail up to the humanoid form to which it was connected. Clothed in black, the male demon carried no open weapons other than his whip-like tail and the sharp, clawed nails that tipped his green-skinned hands. Sage continued to raise his gaze until it rested on the demon's sinister face. His complete hairlessness added to his snake-like appearance. The demon parted his lips in a cruel smile to reveal yet another weapon in his arsenal. Razor-sharp, pointed fangs glistened venomously in the now-dim lighting.
"What have we here?" The cool syllables stretched out in an oddly melodic manner. "Look, three little boys playing hero."
"I don't know what you are, why you're here, or who sent you but playtime's long over!" Ryo shouted, "Armor of Wildfire!" The flash of red light was soon followed by two more flashed.
"Armor of Hardrock!"
"Armor of Halo!"
Kento growled deep in his throat as his fingers expertly began to reconfigure his bo-staff into nun-chaku form. This monster had dared to invade his home and terrorize his family. He would make him pay.
The demon spoke again in his odd tones. "My master Kra'ak.." Sage sucked air into his throat with a faint whistling sound. So he had been right. The demon continued. ".. he has sent me to retrieve the keys that will open his prison world to this one. As for myself, you may call me Sybil."
"What the hell do you mean keys!?" yelled Kento.
"Now if I told you that, it would make it that much easier for you to stop me. And Lord Kra'ak wouldn't be very happy with me then now would he, hmmm… Enough talk!" The latter words escaped his scaly lips in a harsh shout as he sprang into attack.
Ryo barely had time to register the lightning quick whip of the tail. Swords lifted above his head, he leaped into the air, then lunged at the demon. His strike was blocked by the demon's steel-clad arm. Thrust-parry, thrust-parry, set the pattern as the flames of battle burst into a raging fire. Kento and Sage stood back, allowing Ryo his one-on-one battle and admiring the skill with which the leader of the Ronins kept the demon at bay. Pushed into a corner, Sybil grinned. Thrown off guard by his action, Ryo paused in his assault. Sybil licked his thin lips, once again revealing the snake-like fangs. His hands snapped and his claw-like nails lengthed into daggers. Surprised, Ryo stepped back as Sybil jumped forward with a vicious and deadly uppercut. An alarmed Kento and Sage readied themselves.
As the two Ronins prepared to enter the fray, their concern proved justified but it was just an instant too late. Some strange magic enabled Sybil's claws to slice straight through Ryo's armor and bite into his chest. Sage caught his friend as he fell to the ground, the dark red blood easily distinguishable from the brighter red of the Wildfire armor. Kento leaped into Ryo's place, nun-chaku swinging.
"All right Mr. Demon. It ends here. You endanger my family, hurt my friend! Now I get to have my say!" Kento grinned savagely. "And I warn you, I do a lot of my talking with these little babies," he said as he held up his weapon. As Kento attacked, Sybil was forced back by the large boy's almost berserk rage. Normally teddy-bear calm Kento was filled with new heights of fury.
Still holding Ryo, Sage watched in amazement as Sybil desperately tried to even the field. As he watched Kento reform his bo-staff, Sage knew Sybil didn't stand a chance.
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None of the Ronins were surprised when Ryo didn't show up for school the next day. Although the healing process had been speeded by Sage's powers, Wildfire still required a good deal of bedrest. As for collateral damage, seeing as Kento's family owned a whole chain of restaurants, it was quickly being paid for. Luckily the above apartment had been undamaged by the battle.
In the meanwhile, the insurance companies were throwing small fits about the freak earthquake that had wrecked the Rei Fung restaurant and other buildings on the surrounding blocks. Yet the medics were surprised by the minimal amount of injuries.
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Back in Perdition, a certain demon lord was strangely … happy. His minions whirled in a state of confusion; unable to ascertain why their master was in such a good mood when one of his best servants had been defeated. Explaining nothing, Kra'ak juggled in his hands a small object found by one of his demon mites inside a broken vase at the Rei Fung restaurant. Tossing the shiny object into the air, Kra'ak laughed aloud as the first key to unlocking his prison floated into his hand….