Destiny (Ronin/Witchblade Crossover)
By: Yin-Yang & JanimeLee

~Chapter Five~

            Cale finished off the last of the soldiers, wishing that he could bury his tri-claw into Reficul's throat. Soon now, he thought. Very soon.

            "All clear?" Anubis called.

            "Yes," answered Sekhmet. He looked over towards the palace looming not far off.

            "Almost there, Naomi," he said quietly.

            "Listen," said Dais. "It's quiet." Too quiet, he thought.

            A shadow slithered quickly across the ground.

            "The hell..." Sekhmet muttered.

            "Be careful," said Cale.

            "Anubis! Behind you!" Dais shouted.

            The Cruelty Warlord spun around and blocked a strange hideous shadow creature that had jumped out of nowhere. It grabbed the chain of the kama-giri with its long razor-like teeth, hissing and drool flying from its open jaws.

            "Why do these things look so familiar..." Cale muttered under his breath, holding his sword out before him as more of the creatures appear. Just as ugly as the first one and apparently as hungry as it lunged at him.

            Sekhmet loaded one of his swords and let it fly but the creature dodged the poison blade, lunging at him as well. Even with the armor protecting him the thing sank it's teeth and held on like a rabid dog. His eyes widen as he looked at the glowing red eyes. "These are Reficul's blood demons!"

            "You mean these are literally from him?" Dais shook his head and knew it was useless to use his illusions. "Just great. We barely escaped with our limbs attached the last time we went against these things!" His mace went flying and connected but all it earned him was an angry hiss.

            "I do remember my haircut," Anubis grunted and finally managed to knock the blood demon away from him. As the shadowy creature tried to get up, Anubis sent the spiked end of his kama-giri through the demon's chest. It let lose an unearthly howl.

            Reficul grabbed his wrist and tried to calm his breathing. "So they killed one," he said painfully through his teeth. "I would have thought you four would be dead by now from your lack of training. It appears that I was mistaken."

            Anubis pulled the spikes out of the blood demon. The other shadows jumped off the other Warlords and headed straight for Anubis.

            "Look out!" shouted Cale.

            Anubis jumped into the air, flipping backwards and landed near the other Warlords. "I seem to have upset them," Anubis said.

            "Upset?" Sekhmet asked. You've gone beyond pissing them off.

            "Well let's hurry this up. We've got more important things to worry about right now," Sekhmet hissed, flexing his arm and knew the armor would take a lot of energy to heal back the way it was when this was over. Holding two of his swords tightly he let them fly and already had his hands resting on the hilts of his remaining weapons. He hurled them all at once and smirked to himself as the demon was guard off guard and was caught in the throat was it went clean through. As it shrieked in pain black blood swelled from the fatal wound.

            Reficul growled as felt the pain. Two were gone and that left two more. "Damnit. I need to think of something else..." His eyes flickered to the screen that showed the girls. A evil smirk appeared on his lips and he stood up and headed out of the room. He had something planned alright and it wouldn't fail. Not this time.

            "Two down and two to go," Dais said absent-mindedly as he scanned the area of what to do. The remaining two were circling them like a pair of sharks and they looked hungry for their blood. "Any suggestions, gentlemen?"

            "Shadows make things hard to find," said Cale. He held up his right hand and the four of them were surrounded in darkness.

            The two blood demons stopped and looked in confusion at the blackened area. Suddenly the scythes from Dais' Armor shot out and sliced the two demons.

            Reficul growled from the double sensation of pain and stared at the cut on his wrist. It turned black then vanished.

            Damn them! he thought and stormed down the hallway to the girls' dungeon. "Your fathers are rather determined," Reficul announced to them. "They've defeated some of my most powerful shadow demons."

            "Never mess with our families!" Lupia yelled up to him. "Nothing stops our dads!"

            "Is that so?" Reficul raised an eyebrow. "I do believe that there is one thing that will stop them from this silly little crusade of theirs."

            "Shove it!" Naomi shouted. "Nothing you can do will stop them."

            "Naomi and Lupia," Reficul grinned and pulled out two silver collars, each holding a black diamond. "I thank you for volunteering." He threw the collars down and they went around the two girls necks.

            Both girls stepped back and hands flew to their throat but they couldn't remove them. They looked at each and were about to say something but that's went something attacked their minds.

            Zenida watched wide eyed as the other two stood there, rigid as shadows and could barely make out the black diamonds shining brightly from them. "What have you done to our friends??" she asked the enemy, slowly getting to her feet while Dini still remained sitting against the wall. She was tied and her arm was still a dumb pain.

            "I want to see how the Warlords can stand up to fight their own daughters," Reficul said. "I know that you girls won't fight against them willing, so I had to improvise. I only had two collars, for now. Don't worry, I'll one for you two soon enough. Sekhmet and Cale are in for a interesting surprise."

            "You bastard!" Dini screamed as tears started down her face.

            "As is Naomi's father, but that story is for another time." Reficul turned to Naomi and Lupia. "Come now, girls. Time for you to show your fathers what you can do."

            "Yes, master," Naomi and Lupia said together, and they jumped up through the hole, landing next to Reficul.

            "No! Naomi, Lupia fight it! Please!!" But nothing as they walked out of line of vision. "No..." Silently she dropped to her knees, hands closing into fists and bit her lip to keep from crying. Why this? Why them? Why? She looked startled when Dini hugged her and held onto her tightly. All they could do right now was pray.

            Silence and darkness. That was it and it was beginning to becoming so predictable, so boring. "Now what is he going to throw at us?" Cale asked in an almost bored tone but deep inside his heart he felt something wrong. Very very wrong. He stopped and held his arm out to stop the others as well. Footsteps that were too soft to belong to soldiers.

            Reficul clapped and stepped up to them so he could be seen. "Very nicely done Warlords. Seems I underestimated you all. A fault on my part but now I have the upper hand."

            "What do you mean?"

            He smirked and held his hands out. "Ladies?"

            Ladies? They all pulled their weapons out, ready to do battle but what they saw made their limps go slack and almost drops them to the floor. Standing at either side of their worse enemy were Lupia and Naomi, still dressed in their street clothes from before and looked unharmed but their eyes were so dark and emotionless. it was like they had no sign of independence or spirit in them.

            Sekhmet was the first to snap out of the stupor and growled angrily, tightening his hands over the hilts of his swords to the point of pain. "What the hell have you done to our daughters?!"

            "That's for me to know and you all to find out. I've been watching you all for quite some time and it just occurred to me what would happen if the mighty Dark Warlords had t fight against their own flesh and blood. To get to me you must go through them," he smirked and stepped back but not before brushing the back of his hands along the girls' blank faces. This earned a growl from Cale as the other two were force to hold Sekhmet back from charging blindly. "Ladies... Your opponents are right before you. Show them what happens when they don't side with me." With a laugh he vanished into the shadows as both girls dropped into guard stances in reflex. Each girl was strong in her own right and knew a bit of the martial arts but now... it was anyone's guess.

            Anubis and Dais ran through the palace grounds maze, taking the route they knew best. Soldiers and shadow beasts appeared but the two Warlords sliced through them like paper. They reached the castle door. Looking at each other briefly, the two men kicked it open.

            Anubis looked down the too silent corridor, waiting for something to spring from the shadows. "He's probably watching us," Anubis said quietly.

            "Wouldn't put it past him but we have to go in," was all he said and almost hesitantly they went in. True to word their hated enemy was watching them but just smirked to himself. So what if they were already inside? There were still some traps to be held in here but still... he had to get them away from the girls. Thinking to himself he headed back to the ladies and decided on a little welcome back present for the two warlords.

            Zenida ran her hands along the walls, feeling for any tiny crack or indent.

            "Anything?" Dini asked weakly.

            "Not yet," her friend answered quietly. They had to get out of this oversized gopher hole and help Naomi and Lupia. Zenida's fingers round a crevice not far from the floor. She ran her fingers along it, removing the dirt and outlining a loose square stone. "Dini, come here."

            Dini crawled over next to Zenida. "What is it?"

            "I think I found a way out." Zenida held on to the sides of the stone and started to pull, the stone slowly inching its way from its place.

            Despite her wounded arm, Dini also held onto the stone and pulled. Once the stone was out, Zenida pushed it aside and peeked through the opening. "I think we can make it. There's light up ahead. It shouldn't be too far... Dini?"

            The pink haired girl was leaning against the wall, breathing a little hard. A little blood had soaked through the bandage on her arm. "I'm okay..." Dini panted. "Let's go."

            Zenida let Dini crawl through the hole, and then followed.

            Reficul tossed the two collars up in the air, catching them as they came down again. He smiled, knowing that having the Warlords' daughters under mind control and fighting against their fathers was more damaging than any kind of wound.

            "Zenida, Dini," he said when he reached the hole. "I have something for-"

            The dungeon was empty. Reficul jumped down and glared at the removed stone. Cunning little brats, he thought and snapped his fingers, summoning a small shadow beast. "Try to bring them back alive," Reficul ordered. The shadow hissed its reply and scurried through the hole.

            Softly and quickly the two girls through the dark tunnel. It was a bit crowded to the point where they had to hunch over a bit and use their hands to grope along the walls for balance. Occasionally Zenida looked back at Dini, worried about her from each time for she kept faltering farther behind. She paused and looked at her arm worried. She felt wetness and in the very dim like made out blood on her hand.

            "Dini... How are you holding up?" she asked quietly and reached for the hood of her shirt. She tugged on it until it was ripped off and tore it into strips.

            "I'm okay... just tired..." she said in a whisper, leaning heavily against her friend and let her pale blue eyes close as she dropped to her knees.

            "Dini!" The other girl knelt down next to her, looking at her worried and wrapped the stripes of cloth around her arm tightly. She needed to get to a doctor and fast. Carefully she shifted the injured arm around her shoulders to keep it elevated and helped her to stand on her feet.  "Just lean on me. Look we're almost there," she pointed out, trying to keep calm herself.

            Following several yards away the shadow beast was sniffing the air, trying to locate the girls. Then he caught the scent of fresh blood and growled softly. It followed the trail, knowing the girls couldn't be that far ahead at him.

            Zenida crawled along the floor, being careful to hold on to Dini and not her friend land on the ground. Almost there, she thought.

            Something growled behind her. Zenida swallowed hard and tried her best to move faster. She was almost out of the tunnel, the light a blessing to her eyes. She was halfway out when something grabbed Dini, yanking her off Zenida's back.

            "NO!" Zenida quickly turned and grabbed Dini's hands, pulling her friend out of the tunnel. The shadow beast pulled again, harder this time, which started pulling Zenida into the tunnel. "I won't let you have her!" Zenida shouted and pulled again, fear rising that this tug of war would rip Dini in half. "Let go!"  The demon released Dini's legs; Zenida flew backwards and Dini landed on top of her.

            The end of the tunnel did indeed have a lot of light but that was because it opened up to the outside where it was a very long drop into who knew what. Dini was already passed out but was looking paler than usual. The older girl held onto her tightly and desperately wished one of their fathers was here. The creature before them didn't look very nice.

            The demon growled in a low voice, seeing the end of the tunnel but darned not go to where the light reached. These two were trapped and they had very little options. Reaching out with a clawed limp it struck out and once more grabbed the younger girl's ankle and pulled hard.

            Zenida kept holding back, kicking at the thing's hand with her own foot but it wasn't doing much good. ~Oh Buddha, please give me the strength to fight this thing off!~ she prayed, still yelling at the demon and kicking at it.

            Anubis and Dais reached the dungeon, finding the cell where the girls had been imprisoned. Dais jumped down into the hole. "They're not here," he said, then he saw the stone and the hole. Peeking through, Dais saw the light and the shadow creature blocking the exit. Zenida screamed.

            Dais jumped out of the cell. "They're outside! There's a shadow demon after them!"  Anubis threw the spiked end of his kamagiri into the wall. A large hole soon appeared. Both Warlords ran through and outside above their daughters.

            "Zenida!" Anubis shouted as they jumped down.

            The shadow demon immediately released Dini and scurried backwards down the tunnel. Anubis helped Zenida moved Dini away from the hole. Dais took the scythes from his back and sent them down the tunnel. An agonized shriek followed.

            The scythes returned; Dais pulled off his helmet and took his daughter into his arms. "Dini?" he said. "Dini!"

            She didn't say anything but slowly her pale eyes opened to mere slits and smiled. "Hi dad... knew you'd come..." she said weakly and closed her eyes, going limp in his arms once more.

            "Daddy!" Zenida hugged her father tightly, so glad he was here. "Dad Dini needs to get to a doctor. I tried to stop the bleeding but... but..." She looked ready to cry as she pointed out the heavily soaked bandage on her arm.

            "Shh it's alright now, we're going to get you both out of here," Anubis said softly as he gently rocked her in his arms, stroking her hair and assured her that everything was going to be alright. He watched as Dais held his daughter tightly to his chest, unable to read the emotions on his face but cleared his throat to get his attention. "Let's go now. Once the girls are safe we'll come back and help Cale and Sekhmet."

            "Remind me to kill Reficul slowly and painfully," Cale said as he quickly moved from Lupia's impending kick.

            "Take a number," Sekhmet growled as he blocked Naomi's punch.

            Cale! Sekhmet! Anubis' voice rang in their heads. We found Dini and Zenida!

            Are they all right? Cale asked.

            Zenida is fine, said Anubis. Dini's not too good, though. We're heading to the caves located to the northeast.

            As soon as we get our girls back to normal, we'll meet you there, Sekhmet said.

            Good luck.  Anubis closed the link.

            "We'll need it," said Cale.

            Sekhmet looked at Naomi. "I didn't want to use this on you," he said, "but I guess I don't have a choice." Raising his hand up, Sekhmet began to chant softly.

            The young girl didn't say anything but as she moved to strike at him again something about her felt different. She couldn't move and her eyes widen in mixed emotions they were barely readable in her eyes. The collar began to glow an eerie light as it tried to fight off this spell working on her.

            Lupia was taken back and actually stopped her assaults, wondering what was happening to Naomi yet her body was still tense as she was still prepared to fight.

            Cale, seeing the opportunity, grabbed his sword from his back and swung at Lupia's throat. She stepped back, eyes wide and placed her hands near the collar. The jewel shattered and the metal band fell from Lupia's neck, dissolving as it hit the ground. Lupia's eyes closed, and her father caught her as she fell.

            "Lupia," Cale whispered as he hugged his daughter. He looked at Sekhmet and Naomi.

            "Naomi," Sekhmet called out to her gently. "Remove the collar from your neck."

            Naomi reached her hands up and gripped the collar, pulling it. The jewel glowed brightly, as if trying to stop her from removing it.

            It should work, Sekhmet thought. She may be one-quarter but she should still have enough strength like me.

            Finally the band snapped and the jewel shattered. Naomi fell forwards and Sekhmet caught her. "Daddy..." she said faintly.

            He smiled and held her close, glad she was all right and lifted her in his arms and looked over at Cale. Both their girls were safe... for now but Reficul would die a horrible and painful death when the time came.  "Let's go now before anything else happens," he said simply.  The other Warlord nodded and together they quickly headed to an area that so far only the four of them knew about. Silently from the darkness a pair of gleaming red eyes watched and growled. Soon he would get them, very soon.

            Anubis and Dais were on full alert for any strange noises as the girls rested.  That's why when they heard footsteps just outside they picked up their weapons, ready to fight. They relaxed though when it was only their missing comrades. Both girls were out cold in their arms but any sign of the collars were gone.

            "Are they all right?" Zenida asked.

            "They just need their rest," said Cale. "How's Dini?"

            "She lost some blood," Dais said and cleared his throat. "She'll make it, though."

            Sekhmet and Cale placed their daughters gently on the ground. Knowing that they would have to wait until the girls woke up to try and leave the Dynasty, the Warlords decided to rest a little as well. Anubis had volunteered to take watch and then alternate with the others. Sekhmet's turn had just started when the girls woke up.

            "My head," Lupia groaned as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "How did we get here?"

            "Long story, sweetheart," Cale said, putting his arm around her.

            Slowly she leaned into him, rubbing her temple tiredly.  Zenida slowly sat up, looking at her father yet said nothing as she leaned against his chest. Anubis held her close, stroking her hair with an armored hand and wished they was something he could do t help her. Naomi sat up and Helped Dini.

            "Dini... how do you feel?" Dais asked softly, moving closer to her side and brushed some of her bangs from her face.

            "Weak... wish we were home..." she answered in a low voice and reflexively now covered the bandages on her arm. Dais gently kissed her forehead and promised they would all return home soon.

            "Dad... what happened?" Naomi asked as she looked at him. "Whatever you said... I can't really explain it..." she said as she narrowed her eyes. "What did you do to me?"

            "Something I wish I didn't have to use," her father answered. "Because I know what it's like."

            "Is there anything else I should know?"

            "I'm only half human."

            Naomi felt her jaw drop as she stared at her father. The other girls looked at Sekhmet with wide eyes.

            "Sekhmet," Cale spoke up, "I don't think that this is a good time to-"

            "They deserve to know the truth," Sekhmet turned back to his daughter. "I'm only half-human, Naomi, and you're three-quarters human."

            "Unless there's something Mom hasn't told us," she forced a laugh.

            "No, she's human," said Sekhmet. "I would be able to tell if she wasn't."

            Naomi covered her face with her hands, then ran them through her hair, pushing the green strands away from her face, "Why didn't you ever tell me?!" she yelled at her father. "What's the other half of you?! What's the quarter of me?!"

            "Nagashin," Sekhmet answered.

            "The reptile people?" Dini asked

            "But those are just myths," said Zenida. "The last one vanished over four hundred years ago."

            "That was my mother who vanished," said Sekhmet, "after she abandoned me." He walked to the entrance of the cave, taking watch.

            "Wait a minute! I have every reason to know why you never told me until now!" she continued to yell, getting quite fed up with all these secrets and struggled to get to her feet when a armored hand reached out and lightly took a hold of her wrist.

            "I know how you must feel right now but now is not the place nor the time to have an argument about it."

            Naomi sighed and leaned against the cave wall.

            "Still hasn't forgiven her." Dais said quietly.

            "Who?" Naomi asked.

            The three Warlords looked at each other. "Your grandmother, Naomi," said Anubis. "Sekhmet's mother. We all grew up together in the same village. Just after your father's seventh birthday, his mother left him in our village. Our three families took care of him, but…"

            "He never forgave her for leaving him like that," Cale said quietly and nodded to her. "We can continue talking about this later. Get some rest so we can all get home."  She just nodded and sighed, closing her eyes. She leaned against Cale though and was soon sleeping like the others.

            Sekhmet had heard everything yet chose to remain quiet about it. After all these years he barely remembered his mother, the way she looked, how she act how she felt... why did she just leave him like that? Why didn't she take him? He shut his eyes tightly as he forced himself to push the questions aside for now. He had more important things to worry about.

            ~I have a family and I will not let anything happen to them,~ he thought to himself. ~I swear this on my life.~

            Angry would be an understatement for describing the feeling that ran through Reficul. He was utterly livid. The dark man walked down through the long corridor of one of the foreboding areas of the dungeon. The atmosphere this place gave would cause anyone to shrink back, but Reficul could care less. He needed to hit the Warlords hard, and decided to start with Sekhmet.

            In the worse way possible.

            He finally came to a stop as a large, metal door that hadn't been opened in centuries with no visible signs of a handle and a small window that could be pulled back.  Reficul smiled as he opened it then shut it and waved his hand while saying a strange word.  Power glow along the edge of the door as it creaked open on heavy, rusty hinges and let him in before closing right behind him. The room was just like the one the girls were in with no opening in the ceiling though.  In one corner was a pile of straw and sitting on that pile was a thin figure wearing an old, tattered robe that looked in utter ruins. Narrow eyes looked up at him and a worn hiss was heard in the darkness of the room.

            "Oh come now I thought you would be happy to see at least me after all this time," he said in mock hurt and grinned as he stepped closer, ignoring the sounds of the figure keeping away from him.  "I have a mission for you.  How would you like to see someone you haven't seen for years once more?"

            The narrowed eyes widened as they stared up at him. Within the golden brown depths, Reficul saw surprised happiness mixed with a little hope.

            "Yes," he said with a dark grin, "he's here. You should never have hidden him from me, my dear. I do believe that you will be happy, for another generation is here as well. I hope that you are proud of your son."

            He watched as the figure slowly rose up, teetering on slightly unstable legs. "My son, Reficul. He's mine alone."

            "It takes two people to create another," Reficul said. "Don't forget that."

            Once the girls were rested the Warlords moved out from the cave, the girls more or less rested and looked for the place they opened the portal. Dini held onto her dad as he carried her, feeling a bit better but still looked a bit pale. The girls made sure to stay close so no one could be taken. Hopefully.

            "How much further?" Cale asked Anubis.

            "I'd say just over this hill and we'll be there," he explained. It had taken a lot to create a portal and they could create another one but it saved a lot of energy to just use the old one. Not to mention hopefully Reficul wouldn't notice the small level.

            "Let's go," said Cale. They descended the hill, but Sekhmet and Naomi stopped midway.

            Zenida turned her head and looked at them. "What's wrong?"

            The others also turned around. Someone wearing a cloak was walking along the path they had taken, and stopped about twenty feet away.

            "Who's that?" Lupia swallowed hard.

            "I don't know," said Naomi. And somehow I do…

            "It can't be…" Sekhmet whispered and slowly turned around.

            The figure pulled back the hood, revealing a woman's face with dark green hair and golden brown eyes, and strange markings across her forehead leading down the sides of her face and neck. She walked closer and stood just a few yards away. Then she spoke in a calm voice, "Sekhmet."

            All Sekhmet could do was stare at her. It had been so long but he felt the memories flood back into his mind. "Mother…"

~End of Chapter Five~