A/N: I'm back already! WOW! I've never updated so fast! Hee hee. I'm evil aren't I? Here's another plot twisting chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Sense of Power

The Wise One stood on top of the shrine tower, tightly grasping the scroll of the Ancient Dragon. He knew this day would come; the day the Fire Clan would once again attack the village of Vale to obtain the powerful Elemental Stars. History repeats itself as the villagers were horribly overpowered by the samurai's more advanced weapons and their powerful Psynergy spells.

Kallis Heidachi watched as the gates of Vale burned with orange flames and black smoke. The Fire Clan army were like a black plague running through the streets, consuming innocents in it's path towards the shrine. Bodies lay everywhere. Hundreds of them, both ninja and samurai, lying in the streets as battles emerged from left and right around the massive army. His men stood no chance against them.

It is time…

He could no longer watch as each of his fellow ninjas were easily slaughtered by the blood-thirsty samurais. Closing his eyes in deep concentration, he clasped his hands together, holding the scroll between both thumbs and both index fingers. Rapidly moving the fingers and hands to form symbols in a particular order, he performed a summoning seal.

Summoning a creature as powerful as the Ancient Dragon drains a large sum of Psynergy out of the user. Deep concentration is needed to call forth such energy to unlock the magic barrier that contained the great beast within the scroll. As well, in order to control the beast, the user must transfer some of his Psynergy to the creature to gain command.

Once summoning is complete, the user must then create a protective barrier around himself and around the villagers. Usually another person standing by would perform the duty, but Kallis stood alone. He would have to do all those steps in order to protect himself and the villagers from the Ancient Dragon's onslaught.

Ignoring the noises ringing down below, he quietly chanted the words written on the scroll he had memorized ever since he sealed the dragon with his very own hands. Since that day, he had grown attached to the scroll, like a very old friend. There was no other choice but to use it now, as the enemy advanced through the devastated gates and onto the streets leading to the shrine, and behind it, Mt. Aleph.

Goodbye, old friend. He made the last seal, but stopped suddenly, midway through. His eyes snapped open when he felt an immense amount of Psynergy coming from somewhere in the village. It couldn't possibly be coming from anyone ninja or samurai, the power was too great. No single person can summon so much Psynergy, only creatures or Demons could ever come close. Or maybe not. The power was gradually growing, stronger and stronger with each passing second. It felt like a First-Level summon creature, second to the Legendary Beasts. No one was given permission to carry any of the scrolls without Kallis knowing.

Kallis averted his eyes down below to find the creature summoned, but saw none. The dragon's scroll in his hand suddenly glowed with a golden aura, as if the Ancient Dragon was corresponding with the power itself. But in an instant, the great power faded away, leaving no trace of it. Then the golden aura faded as well. Kallis cursed, realizing the summon had failed. Quickly, he performed the seal once again to unleash the Ancient Dragon.

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Yime followed closely behind Dora, exhausted and out of breath for they all ran non-stop for over a day. His muscles screamed for him to stop, but he ignored it the best he could. Trouble was brewing in Vale and he had to get back home, or else…

He shook his head. He was pretty sure the villagers were holding up okay. Pretty sure…

An explosion sounded off in the distance, alerting everyone's attention. Black smoke rose in the sky, coming from Vale!

"We're too late!" Yamaka cried from behind.

"Keep going!" Dora panted, exhausted.

They continued on, hearing two more explosions following the first. Yime bit his lower lip, dreading for what will be left for Vale.

The gates, or what's left of them, were in their sight. An army, clad in black and red, were charging through the fallen, burning gates as ninjas from above shot crossbows and threw shurikens at the invaders. Both armies from both sides clashed together in an onslaught battle at the front gates.

Dora watched fearfully, waiting for the rest of her team to catch up. "Here's the plan," she began, "I'm going inside. All of you can help the front lines. Got that?"

"Hidekeru-sama, I'm going with you!" Yime cried.

Dora nodded, "Fine, but you'd have to watch your back. We're sneaking through the side gates."

Solien Yamaka grinned. "I'm coming with you too," he said. "Someone's got to cover your backs."

"Alright then. Everyone split into a group of three. My group will sneak through the back, you others flank the Fire Clan army. Please… Be careful," she warned.

They all nodded and ran off.

"Let's go!"

Dora led Yime and Yamaka the western gates. She leapt high over them with the aid of the Wind Element.

Yime took a deep breath and summoned the Wind Element as well to give him a lift as he jumped up and over, landing softly on his feet. Yamaka landed beside him. Dora was already up and running on top of the roofs. Yime knew what she was looking for.

He quickly followed behind her. But stopped suddenly when he spotted something fly in front of him and embedded before his feet. A shiny silver knife, exactly like the samurai knife from before.

"Hmmph. I missed." A woman, dressed in black and red armour appeared before him and Yamaka. She had the bottom half of her face hidden behind a red shawl. Her long, golden hair flowed over her shoulders and her cold, red eyes glared right at them. In right her hand, she held a long metal staff with both ends ending in a sharp pointed blade, much like a spear's. She narrowed her eyes to slits as she scowled at Yime.

Yamaka smirked at the woman as he drew out his sword. "What's a fine young woman like you doing with a bunch of barbarians?" he asked in a sly tone.

The woman chuckled as she twirled her staff in a circle and held it in her left. "Are you insulting me?" she asked in a calm matter.

Yamaka shook his head, "Why, no, my lady."

"Well, I think you are!" she hissed as she drew out a knife in a blink of an eye and flung it directly at Yamaka who didn't evade in time. The knife tore deep into his left shoulder, blood gushing from the wound.

"Yamaka-san!" Yime cried as he quickly went to his side. Yamaka pulled the knife out, still smirking at the woman.

"Sorry if I insulted you, my lady," he said, "Let me repay you…" He threw the knife back at her but she repelled it with a flick of her staff.

Yime placed a hand over Yamaka's wound and summoned the Water Element. Water Psynergy had the power to heal mostly anything: poison, pain, fatigue, and wounds.

A light blue aura covered the wound, healing it completely without leaving a scar. Dizziness fell upon him when he was finished. He staggered slightly on his feet. He was too exhausted.

The woman gasped as she pointed a finger towards him. "You!" she hissed, "You're a Lemerca!"

Yime was confused by her accusation. He looked over at her and saw her eyes, flaring bright red as she fumed with both hatred and anger.

"Thanks, boy," said Yamaka as he stepped up front. "Go find Hidekeru, I'll handle this."

Yime nodded. He turned to run but the woman screamed at him. "I'm not finished with you yet!" she snarled.

"My lady, you're going to have to deal with me first," Yamaka calmly said. "Go. Get out of here!" he told Yime.

Yime nodded and followed the direction Hidekeru-sama went.

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Dora looked left, right, and below as she jumped from one building to another, desperately searching for Isaac. She made it home, but no one was there. Then she began to hope that he was with Shina.

She headed towards her friend's home, almost tripping over her feet as she ran to jump. She collapsed on her knees and hands, sweating and out of breath. A pounding headache was jack-hammering away in her head as she slowly climbed to her feet. Rain began to gently fall, slightly relieving her aching muscles.

Her head snapped suddenly to her right as she felt an immensely growing power rise from that direction. Something was telling her to go there. Something … was happening there…

Obeying her inner instincts, she headed towards that direction. As sudden as it came, the immense power faded away as she got closer to the source. Stopping dead in her tracks, she forced herself from crying out at what she saw: a large warrior of the Fire Clan held her son by the neck who wasn't moving in his grasp.

Biting back sobs, she grabbed her two remaining shurikens and threw them at that man's arm. He didn't notice until it was too late as each struck painfully deep into his arm, along with a protruding knife.

"Aaaaggh!" the man cried, dropping her son whom she flew and caught in her arms and leapt a few feet away.

Dora cradled Isaac in her arms, gently stroking the golden-brown strands of hair out of his face as tears fell from her eyes and landed softly on his pale cheeks. "Isaac…" she whispered, "It's me, sweetie… Open your eyes!"

No response. The boy wasn't breathing at all. She lightly shook her arms, "Come on, open your eyes… Mommy's here! Open your eyes!"

He didn't budge. He didn't flinch. He didn't breath…

Dora placed a hand on his chest, and summoned the remaining Psynergy she had into him, hoping for a miracle. Please Isaac! Come back to me, baby!

She hugged him closer, weeping as she wished.

Suddenly… his body jerked as he coughed and drew in a sharp breath. Dora hugged him tightly in her arms, relieved. Isaac was now breathing shallow breaths, but he remained unconscious. Gently she laid him down and turned sharply at the scowling man who had his injured arm dangling uselessly to the side while the other tightly gripped his massive blade. And on the ground in between them lay a motionless body of a fellow ninja with… familiar chestnut hair and knives protruding from his back.

She knew who it was… Biting her tongue from crying out loud, she charged blindly at her foe, sword drawn and ready. But, her movements were slow due to exhaustion and fatigue, and he knew every move she was about to make.

She swung sideways, totally missing her target who dodged backwards. He swung with much vengeance, driving his blade towards her open chest…. She was to slow to dodge or even block his attack, feeling the blade easily slide through her.

She coughed deep, crimson blood that stained her clothes and the shining sword in her chest. The man laughed and laughed but suddenly stopped as a deep, earth-shattering roar erupted the sky. Dora ignored the searing pain in her body to glance upwards, spotting golden scales covering the entire sky. Wings widely spread, covered every inch of grey she could see. The Ancient Dragon. It reared it's large gold head and roared once again, bringing fear to it's enemies.

Dora glanced over at her foe, amused by his frozen look of fear as he stared wide-eyed at the Legendary Beast above them.

"RETREAT!" he screamed, pulling the sword out of her and running back to the gates.

She smirked as she slumped backwards to the ground, beside her fallen husband. It's useless to run…

"Kyle…" she whispered, stroking the hair of her beloved as tears flowed freely from her sapphire eyes. She could feel her life slipping away… Cool drops of rain fell upon her in a relaxing and calming way. Slowly, she closed her eyes…

"Hidekeru-sama!" she heard a muffled cry far off in the distance, too far for her to focus. Then she felt someone cradling her body.

"Hidekeru-sama! Hang on!"

She felt a hand placed over her chest as a weak but warm aura covered her wound. It didn't do much… her life had already slipped far from recovery.

"… Y-Yime…" she choked, feeling him tightly grasp her hand in his. She tried to see his face, but it was all a blur. "Y-Yime…"

"Hidekeru-sama! Please, save your strength!" he cried as he uselessly cast another weak healing spell.

"I-It's… too late, Yime…" she whispered softly. "Promise… me something…"

"Hidekeru-sama! Please hang on!" she heard him sob.

"…Promise me… Yime, that… that you'll t-take… take care of Is… Isaac… for me… Okay?" she whispered as her eyelids grew heavy and her body felt lighter than air.

"I-I will, Hidekeru-sama!" Yime cried, feeling her hand slip from his as she said her last word…

"Hidekeru-sama!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. It was accompanied by the deep roar coming from above as the Ancient Dragon unleashed it's fury upon the people down below.

Leaving Dora's body behind, he picked up the unconscious Isaac and wrapped him tightly in his arms as the ground violently shook and cracked as bright, golden light erupted from the ground. The cracks grew wider and wider as blinding light burst from the ground, enveloping unworthy foes in a powerful force that evaporated their bodies to nothing.

Yime closed his eyes to shield from the bright light, but he couldn't cover his ears to block out the screams.