Author's Ramble: After many months of the terrible disease of Writer's Block, I have finally updated this fic that only 26 reviews have requested I update. So, to my loyal fans and myself.here it is.but is it the end?

The Bandit and the Lady

By: Jade Ishtar

Sakura looked around. Riyanu had left her lying on the bed. She hugged her knees to her body and cried softly. She was cold, naked, hungry, and madly in love with a bandit named Koji. Yes, she finally admitted to herself that she loved him. She looked around for something to wear. Unfortunately for her, her dress was torn to shreds. The only thing left was a sheer kimono. VERY sheer.almost see through like glass. She got up, wobbling on her feet, and took the kimono and put it on. She looked around again and then left the room. She had barely gotten a few feet from the door when Riyanu grabbed her. She let out a cry of shock. She had thought he had left her there to die!

"Going somewhere my pretty little flower?" He snarled and threw her to the ground. Sakura squirmed away and crawled down the hall only to crawl to Riyanu's feet. Riyanu looked dow non her coldly and she braced herself for the blow she knew would come. She could defend herself but this was a demon. Riyanu yanked her to her feet and held her close. His face softened when he looked at her.

"Sakura." He whispered, his hand stroking her cheek gently. He kissed her lips and Sakura began to struggle again. Riyanu raised his hand to strike her into submission when an arrow landed at his feet. Sakura looked in disbelief and Riyanu's face twisted in rage. Koji and Genrou had arrived.

Koji could not contain his rage for long. Sakura was bruised, bloody, beaten, and broken in more ways than one. Genrou and Riyanu fixed each other with a cold stare, the hatred pure, raw, and undiluted.

"Ya got nerves of steel ta be showin' yer ugly face around here Riyanu." Genrou sneered. Riyanu spat at him, still holding Sakura to him, who was still frozen with shock.

"Well Tasuki it would seem you have a way of finding yourself in my home. What brings you here? And who is your angry little friend?" He asked. Genrou raised his tessen. ((I wanted so much to put Tekken but that's just me.lol))

"REKKA----"

"Genrou wait!" Koji cried. Genrou looked at Koji, startled.

"What is it?"

"You might hit Sakura.let me get her first before you get any of yer bright ideas." At this Genrou did one of these numbers (-_-;;).

Sakura squirmed again and finally wriggled free of Riyanu. He didn't seem to notice her crawl away. That is, she thought he didn't notice. All she thought of was Koji and how much she wanted to kiss him and maybe more.

"REKKA SHINEN!!!!" Genrou roared and the flames erupted and engulfed Riyanu for a few minutes. Then they died down and Riyanu stood, unfazed, and looking as cold and angry as ever. He raised his hand and black flames enveloped him. When they diminished there was a large black demon. It's tail was about as long as Genrou was tall. It's teeth, sharper than the bladed edge of Koji's sword, were about as long as Sakura's upper arm. A great length of tongue lolled out of the slimy mouth and the eyes, if there were any, were cold and dead. It reached with one huge three fingered claw and grabbed at Sakura. Sakura backed away as quickly as she could but the demon managed to draw blood on her thigh. Since it was too large to be quick, it would take a while before it could turn and run after her. Koji and Genrou launched an attack. The demon swung mindlessly at them. Koji hacked away one finger on the right claw before the tail whipped up and wrapped around his leg and began flailing him about. Genrou used his magical tessen again and again until the entire hall was in flames. Then he decided to wrestle with it. It pinned him to the ground and brought it's face almost nose to nose with him. Then, in a voice that could freeze you to the core and shatter the very things you hold dear, it spoke.

"I have long awaited the day where I would feast upon your blood Celestial Warrior of Suzaku." Genrou's eyes widened and then, in typical Genrou fashion.

"Man yer breath could use more help than you could use a bath." He smirked and Riyanu roared in rage and prepared to decapitate the handsome warrior with his teeth. He froze and looked up. Several arrows were sticking in his side. The archer?

Sakura Matsuri.

She regarded him coldly and angrily. Riyanu roared again, dropped Koji and released Genrou, and made a rush for Sakura. Sakura drew a long sword. She ducked beneath Riynu seeing as he was pratically blind, and winced as his claw drew blood in her side but she had managed to embed the sword in his neck. Riyanu fell to the ground, his head feet from him. Sakura staggered a few feet and fell, unconscious.