Realm Remix
Chapter 18
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The Ronins felt a chill in their hearts at Cosa's words. "Secret chambers? That's not good," Rowen said, understating as usual. Then he realized something. "Ya know guys, we should restrain Kento... oh, he's already gone."
Kento had long since lunged at Cosa, knocking him to the floor. Cosa's eyes were glazed, a nasty smile on his face, his mind half elsewhere. When Kento tackled him, Cosa's head hit the floor with a thud, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he passed out.
Shiree was just standing there, laughing like a deranged hyena. "Hardrock's damn amusing. You can't break the connection that way. In fact, you've just made matters worse for yourself. Since you helpfully knocked him out, Cosa's mind can concentrate completely on keeping Hariel under control," Shiree shrugged.
"I've had enough of this," Ryo growled, stepping forward. "I am the Warrior of Virtue, and I think it's time you answered to me."
Shiree just smirked. "For crying out loud... you heroes are *so* freaking dramatic."
The white-haired woman waved her fingertips slightly. A wall of bamboo shot up, surrounding Ryo, Sage, Rowen and Cye in a small, completely shut off enclosure.
Kento leaped to his feet, moving with surprising grace. Shiree half-closed her eyes, making a cupping, twisting motion with her hands. More supple bamboo vines crackled out of the floor, their flexible strands wrapping around Kento's body.
"You I want alive, handsome," Shiree purred. Slinking up to Kento, she brushed her hand along his jawbone.
There was a glint in her eyes that would have made Kaye furiously angry.
But Kaye had a few troubles of her own.
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Kaye cried out as Hariel's hands locked around her arms. She tried to twist out of the way, but Hariel was larger than her and it was easy for him to keep her pinned.
At that moment, Kaye did a dishonorable thing. She buckled forward and sank her teeth into Hariel's wrist. Biting was a dirty way to fight, but Hariel was playing beyond dirty. Kaye would worry about fair fighting later.
Hariel screamed with two voices as Kaye bit him to the bone.
Kaye wrenched herself free of his grasp, choking and spitting up bitter blood. "Just like a Tigress," she snarled, twisting herself upright.
Hariel's blue eyes glazed over with green. "Why, you little--"
Kaye dodged as he tried to punch her, impolitely, in the face. She pivoted on her heel, gritting her teeth against the pain that shot through her already beat up body. Hariel managed to block her high kick, and caught her foot, twisting it back and pulling her against him. Kaye used their momentum to tumble over his hip, slapping the ground with her forearms to break her fall.
Kaye's hair fell into her face, throwing her eyes out of focus. She heard Hariel's breathing behind her; it was even and deep, which meant he wasn't tired yet.
But at least he was honorably giving her the time to scramble back to her feet. Did this mean Hariel was fighting back against Cosa?
Kaye wriggled onto her back, catching her breath, before rolling forward onto her feet. There was a sharp pain in her abdomen, and the bandages across it were stained red.
Against one wall was a display of ancient Japanese weapons. Kaye realized that if she got close enough to grab one, she would be able to defend herself more evenly.
Hariel's eyes flickered, then went green again. Kaye lunged for the weapons.
==================================================
Sekhmet's arm snapped out with incredible speed and caught the shaft of Ikari's naginata, centimeters away from it giving Dais a whole new haircut. The white-haired Warlord hit the ground and twisted, his leg scything up to hit Ikari in the jaw.
Ikari slapped the ground as she fell and spun away, joining Doste against the wall. He was ducking out of the fight while Siren held the Warlords, tiger, Mia, Kayura and Tigermoon back with clouds of fog.
"I don't get these guys, they shouldn't fight so well out of armor," Doste panted, holding his arm.
"Well, you can chalk it down to about four hundred years of fighting practice. And that one --" she pointed to Sekhmet, who was healing Dais- "--isn't entirely human. Kayura, with the blue hair, she's from the Ancient's clan. Cale is a samurai lord in his own right, and Dais is tricky as a fox. As for the short girl -- that's a sad story." Ikari laughed nastily. "But I don't doubt our Tigermoon will come through in the end."
"Our Tigermoon?" Doste asked in confusion.
There was a faint smile on Ikari's lips. "Of course, little one. Didn't Shiree and Cosa tell you? No, I suppose not. You're not--"
She choked as Doste held a dagger to her throat. "Tell me who the hell Tigermoon is!" he roared. He'd been teased about his status for long enough, and now Ikari had pushed him over the edge.
"Okay," Ikari choked, realizing her mistake a few seconds too late. "She's from here!"
"What?!" Doste hissed, pressing the blade closer. "Why don't I know this!"
"She fell apart from us. The rest of us agreed to betray her to Talpa. He stripped her powers to make the Gates. Talpa left her with a shattered mind and barely any powers. She probably doesn't remember any of it," Ikari summed up quickly, trying not to breathe.
"But we needed her, so we brought her to Earth, and the Ronins, and predictably enough, she brought them all here..."
"Why the hell do we need her?!" Doste yelled.
"Well, besides helpfully bringing all our enemies here to us, she used to be a Guardian..."
================================================================
Kaye's fingers locked around the hilt of an ancient katana. The katana wasn't her best weapon; she would have preferred a naginata or bo, but Hariel didn't seem to have any conveniently lying around.
Hariel/Cosa stayed out of her range, eyeing her warily. He couldn't get at the weapon rack with Kaye there. He put up his hands. "I surrender," he said in Cosa's voice.
Kaye relaxed slightly, her blue-gray eyes guarded. "Really?"
"No," he smirked. Moving quickly, he smashed his foot into the weapon rack. Kaye had to run and duck as swords, daggers and armor went flying past her head. She skidded on a floor mat, biting her lip as she struggled into a fighting stance while trying to protect her head and injuries.
Hariel/Cosa caught two matching katanas out of the air. "Dance with me?" he smiled, stepping forward.
"No thanks." Kaye managed to block his swords with her own, twisting away. They clashed blades as gracefully as if they were dancing. Kaye's injuries held her back and he was naturally stronger built; but she was faster. Then Kaye performed a version of a 'forbidden move' that she'd learned a long time ago. Hariel's swords went flying and he fell back as Kaye got back into a defensive position.
Hariel/Cosa glared at her. Then he held up his hands, his eyes glowing. Kaye recognized Cosa's power to call on beasts. She looked around wildly, wondering what the hell he was summoning to attack her.
The air between them rippled and became a huge, dark doglike creature. It seemed to be made entirely of black bones with thin spiderwebs of flesh stretched across its dark skeleton. Its eyes burned red in its empty bone sockets as it sniffed the air through bony nasal cavities. Kaye stared at it in disgust and horror. "What the hell *is* that?!"
"Good question," Hariel/Cosa shrugged. "It just came."
The thing leapt for Kaye and she slashed her blade against its neck with force that could behead a normal dog. It slashed off a lot of thin stringy skin but the bones were unaffected, and the creature skidded on its toenails and turned around for another charge.
"Sick," Kaye said in disgust, "I'd expect it of you, Cosa."
"Of course."
"Hariel, I know it's hard, but listen to me," Kaye said, backing away from the creature. "If there's any way you can help me, this would be a good time, ya know?"
Kaye watched the prowling creature, calculating. It had to be powered somehow. Her next step was to stab her katana into its chest cavity, then whip the blade through its ribs, trying to destroy its internal organs. Apparently it had none. The creature shook loose the shredded skin and went for her throat. Kaye knocked it back with a simple punch, the creature falling in a clatter of black bones. The air went out of her lungs in a sigh of relief.
"Sorry, Tigress, but it's never that easy." Hariel/Cosa had slipped behind her while she kept an eye on the creature.
Kaye had time for a scream....
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Tigermoon had time for a scream too. She immediately regretted it, screaming was such a damsel-in-distress thing. But there were times when a girl really needed to vent her pain and/or rage. Such as when a naginata blade slashes you right in the face.
Kayura, Dais and White Blaze were up against a wall, surrounding Mia. Doste was calmly shooting firebolts at them like he had all the time in the world. Siren had knocked Cale out, but had collapsed in the process. Sekhmet had fallen in a crossfire. He'd been defending Tigermoon, who wasn't allowed a weapon, due to her mental instability. And now Tigermoon was down and defenseless, Ikari standing triumphantly over her.
Tigermoon spaceshifted but only managed to get a few feet away. She knelt on the floor with her hands over her face. Ikari easily covered the distance, setting the tip of her naginata against Tigermoon's collarbone.
"Sorry, little one. But don't you remember? Wherever you go I will find you," Ikari whispered.
"Not everywhere," Tigermoon muttered.
"What?" Ikari leaned forward, which forced her blade against Tigermoon's collarbone.
"Not everywhere, girlfriend!" Tigermoon laughed disturbingly, her eyes glowing. "Catch me if you can!"
She vanished.
===========================================================
Kento was completely trapped by the net of living bamboo. He strained to break free, but the bonds held. Shiree watched, making his blood boil. From time to time she would laugh creepily.
"Look, lady, I don't like being played with. What the hell do you want?" Kento burst out.
Shiree started off laughing again. "I think it's kind of obvious," she said, touching his jaw again.
Kento finally caught on. "Oh. EW!" Kento made a face like a little kid.
"Oh come on Hardrock. That's hardly flattering. Aren't I at least as pretty as the Tigress?" Shiree stepped back and struck a pose.
"Ew!" Kento didn't seem to be listening; he still seemed stuck on 'disgust.'
"Men..." Shiree rolled her eyes.
===========================================================
Kaye managed to dodge the worst of the blow, but Hariel's sword caught her on the shoulder and put her off balance. She grabbed another katana that happened to be nearby and copied his two-handed style.
There was a whoosh of air behind her. Kaye took a step back and half turned.
The black bone creature soared through the air, aiming for her neck. But by stepping aside, Kaye had placed Hariel/Cosa in its path. Unable to stop itself in midair, the creature knocked him to the floor, where he lay stunned.
The creature shook itself in confusion and fixed its red eyes on Kaye.
And then it promptly collapsed. A long thin arrow had buried itself in its eye socket, right in one glowing red eye. The bones hit the floor and crumbled.
"Thanks, Tigermoon," Kaye said calmly.
Tigermoon's fingers shook slightly as she relaxed her grip on the longbow. "I can use a longbow! Why was I not informed of this!"
"Tigermoon, we have to get out of here."
"How come I can use a longbow? I mean, the bloody thing's bigger than I am! Look, it's like six feet long, and I'm five two..."
"Tigermoon, before he got knocked out, he summoned another creature. I saw his eyes glow. We have to get out of here." Kaye tried to stay calm as she took Tigermoon's arm. Tigermoon continued to stare at the arrow through the skull of the creature.
"Granted it's not the most practical weapon. Like, you can't go through any really short doorways with it. But I still --" Tigermoon's confused look gradually changed to one of dawning horror as she stared past Kaye.
Kaye groaned. "It's behind me, isn't it?"
Tigermoon bit her lip and nodded slowly.
Chapter 18
============================================
The Ronins felt a chill in their hearts at Cosa's words. "Secret chambers? That's not good," Rowen said, understating as usual. Then he realized something. "Ya know guys, we should restrain Kento... oh, he's already gone."
Kento had long since lunged at Cosa, knocking him to the floor. Cosa's eyes were glazed, a nasty smile on his face, his mind half elsewhere. When Kento tackled him, Cosa's head hit the floor with a thud, his eyes rolled back in his head, and he passed out.
Shiree was just standing there, laughing like a deranged hyena. "Hardrock's damn amusing. You can't break the connection that way. In fact, you've just made matters worse for yourself. Since you helpfully knocked him out, Cosa's mind can concentrate completely on keeping Hariel under control," Shiree shrugged.
"I've had enough of this," Ryo growled, stepping forward. "I am the Warrior of Virtue, and I think it's time you answered to me."
Shiree just smirked. "For crying out loud... you heroes are *so* freaking dramatic."
The white-haired woman waved her fingertips slightly. A wall of bamboo shot up, surrounding Ryo, Sage, Rowen and Cye in a small, completely shut off enclosure.
Kento leaped to his feet, moving with surprising grace. Shiree half-closed her eyes, making a cupping, twisting motion with her hands. More supple bamboo vines crackled out of the floor, their flexible strands wrapping around Kento's body.
"You I want alive, handsome," Shiree purred. Slinking up to Kento, she brushed her hand along his jawbone.
There was a glint in her eyes that would have made Kaye furiously angry.
But Kaye had a few troubles of her own.
============================================
Kaye cried out as Hariel's hands locked around her arms. She tried to twist out of the way, but Hariel was larger than her and it was easy for him to keep her pinned.
At that moment, Kaye did a dishonorable thing. She buckled forward and sank her teeth into Hariel's wrist. Biting was a dirty way to fight, but Hariel was playing beyond dirty. Kaye would worry about fair fighting later.
Hariel screamed with two voices as Kaye bit him to the bone.
Kaye wrenched herself free of his grasp, choking and spitting up bitter blood. "Just like a Tigress," she snarled, twisting herself upright.
Hariel's blue eyes glazed over with green. "Why, you little--"
Kaye dodged as he tried to punch her, impolitely, in the face. She pivoted on her heel, gritting her teeth against the pain that shot through her already beat up body. Hariel managed to block her high kick, and caught her foot, twisting it back and pulling her against him. Kaye used their momentum to tumble over his hip, slapping the ground with her forearms to break her fall.
Kaye's hair fell into her face, throwing her eyes out of focus. She heard Hariel's breathing behind her; it was even and deep, which meant he wasn't tired yet.
But at least he was honorably giving her the time to scramble back to her feet. Did this mean Hariel was fighting back against Cosa?
Kaye wriggled onto her back, catching her breath, before rolling forward onto her feet. There was a sharp pain in her abdomen, and the bandages across it were stained red.
Against one wall was a display of ancient Japanese weapons. Kaye realized that if she got close enough to grab one, she would be able to defend herself more evenly.
Hariel's eyes flickered, then went green again. Kaye lunged for the weapons.
==================================================
Sekhmet's arm snapped out with incredible speed and caught the shaft of Ikari's naginata, centimeters away from it giving Dais a whole new haircut. The white-haired Warlord hit the ground and twisted, his leg scything up to hit Ikari in the jaw.
Ikari slapped the ground as she fell and spun away, joining Doste against the wall. He was ducking out of the fight while Siren held the Warlords, tiger, Mia, Kayura and Tigermoon back with clouds of fog.
"I don't get these guys, they shouldn't fight so well out of armor," Doste panted, holding his arm.
"Well, you can chalk it down to about four hundred years of fighting practice. And that one --" she pointed to Sekhmet, who was healing Dais- "--isn't entirely human. Kayura, with the blue hair, she's from the Ancient's clan. Cale is a samurai lord in his own right, and Dais is tricky as a fox. As for the short girl -- that's a sad story." Ikari laughed nastily. "But I don't doubt our Tigermoon will come through in the end."
"Our Tigermoon?" Doste asked in confusion.
There was a faint smile on Ikari's lips. "Of course, little one. Didn't Shiree and Cosa tell you? No, I suppose not. You're not--"
She choked as Doste held a dagger to her throat. "Tell me who the hell Tigermoon is!" he roared. He'd been teased about his status for long enough, and now Ikari had pushed him over the edge.
"Okay," Ikari choked, realizing her mistake a few seconds too late. "She's from here!"
"What?!" Doste hissed, pressing the blade closer. "Why don't I know this!"
"She fell apart from us. The rest of us agreed to betray her to Talpa. He stripped her powers to make the Gates. Talpa left her with a shattered mind and barely any powers. She probably doesn't remember any of it," Ikari summed up quickly, trying not to breathe.
"But we needed her, so we brought her to Earth, and the Ronins, and predictably enough, she brought them all here..."
"Why the hell do we need her?!" Doste yelled.
"Well, besides helpfully bringing all our enemies here to us, she used to be a Guardian..."
================================================================
Kaye's fingers locked around the hilt of an ancient katana. The katana wasn't her best weapon; she would have preferred a naginata or bo, but Hariel didn't seem to have any conveniently lying around.
Hariel/Cosa stayed out of her range, eyeing her warily. He couldn't get at the weapon rack with Kaye there. He put up his hands. "I surrender," he said in Cosa's voice.
Kaye relaxed slightly, her blue-gray eyes guarded. "Really?"
"No," he smirked. Moving quickly, he smashed his foot into the weapon rack. Kaye had to run and duck as swords, daggers and armor went flying past her head. She skidded on a floor mat, biting her lip as she struggled into a fighting stance while trying to protect her head and injuries.
Hariel/Cosa caught two matching katanas out of the air. "Dance with me?" he smiled, stepping forward.
"No thanks." Kaye managed to block his swords with her own, twisting away. They clashed blades as gracefully as if they were dancing. Kaye's injuries held her back and he was naturally stronger built; but she was faster. Then Kaye performed a version of a 'forbidden move' that she'd learned a long time ago. Hariel's swords went flying and he fell back as Kaye got back into a defensive position.
Hariel/Cosa glared at her. Then he held up his hands, his eyes glowing. Kaye recognized Cosa's power to call on beasts. She looked around wildly, wondering what the hell he was summoning to attack her.
The air between them rippled and became a huge, dark doglike creature. It seemed to be made entirely of black bones with thin spiderwebs of flesh stretched across its dark skeleton. Its eyes burned red in its empty bone sockets as it sniffed the air through bony nasal cavities. Kaye stared at it in disgust and horror. "What the hell *is* that?!"
"Good question," Hariel/Cosa shrugged. "It just came."
The thing leapt for Kaye and she slashed her blade against its neck with force that could behead a normal dog. It slashed off a lot of thin stringy skin but the bones were unaffected, and the creature skidded on its toenails and turned around for another charge.
"Sick," Kaye said in disgust, "I'd expect it of you, Cosa."
"Of course."
"Hariel, I know it's hard, but listen to me," Kaye said, backing away from the creature. "If there's any way you can help me, this would be a good time, ya know?"
Kaye watched the prowling creature, calculating. It had to be powered somehow. Her next step was to stab her katana into its chest cavity, then whip the blade through its ribs, trying to destroy its internal organs. Apparently it had none. The creature shook loose the shredded skin and went for her throat. Kaye knocked it back with a simple punch, the creature falling in a clatter of black bones. The air went out of her lungs in a sigh of relief.
"Sorry, Tigress, but it's never that easy." Hariel/Cosa had slipped behind her while she kept an eye on the creature.
Kaye had time for a scream....
==============================================================
Tigermoon had time for a scream too. She immediately regretted it, screaming was such a damsel-in-distress thing. But there were times when a girl really needed to vent her pain and/or rage. Such as when a naginata blade slashes you right in the face.
Kayura, Dais and White Blaze were up against a wall, surrounding Mia. Doste was calmly shooting firebolts at them like he had all the time in the world. Siren had knocked Cale out, but had collapsed in the process. Sekhmet had fallen in a crossfire. He'd been defending Tigermoon, who wasn't allowed a weapon, due to her mental instability. And now Tigermoon was down and defenseless, Ikari standing triumphantly over her.
Tigermoon spaceshifted but only managed to get a few feet away. She knelt on the floor with her hands over her face. Ikari easily covered the distance, setting the tip of her naginata against Tigermoon's collarbone.
"Sorry, little one. But don't you remember? Wherever you go I will find you," Ikari whispered.
"Not everywhere," Tigermoon muttered.
"What?" Ikari leaned forward, which forced her blade against Tigermoon's collarbone.
"Not everywhere, girlfriend!" Tigermoon laughed disturbingly, her eyes glowing. "Catch me if you can!"
She vanished.
===========================================================
Kento was completely trapped by the net of living bamboo. He strained to break free, but the bonds held. Shiree watched, making his blood boil. From time to time she would laugh creepily.
"Look, lady, I don't like being played with. What the hell do you want?" Kento burst out.
Shiree started off laughing again. "I think it's kind of obvious," she said, touching his jaw again.
Kento finally caught on. "Oh. EW!" Kento made a face like a little kid.
"Oh come on Hardrock. That's hardly flattering. Aren't I at least as pretty as the Tigress?" Shiree stepped back and struck a pose.
"Ew!" Kento didn't seem to be listening; he still seemed stuck on 'disgust.'
"Men..." Shiree rolled her eyes.
===========================================================
Kaye managed to dodge the worst of the blow, but Hariel's sword caught her on the shoulder and put her off balance. She grabbed another katana that happened to be nearby and copied his two-handed style.
There was a whoosh of air behind her. Kaye took a step back and half turned.
The black bone creature soared through the air, aiming for her neck. But by stepping aside, Kaye had placed Hariel/Cosa in its path. Unable to stop itself in midair, the creature knocked him to the floor, where he lay stunned.
The creature shook itself in confusion and fixed its red eyes on Kaye.
And then it promptly collapsed. A long thin arrow had buried itself in its eye socket, right in one glowing red eye. The bones hit the floor and crumbled.
"Thanks, Tigermoon," Kaye said calmly.
Tigermoon's fingers shook slightly as she relaxed her grip on the longbow. "I can use a longbow! Why was I not informed of this!"
"Tigermoon, we have to get out of here."
"How come I can use a longbow? I mean, the bloody thing's bigger than I am! Look, it's like six feet long, and I'm five two..."
"Tigermoon, before he got knocked out, he summoned another creature. I saw his eyes glow. We have to get out of here." Kaye tried to stay calm as she took Tigermoon's arm. Tigermoon continued to stare at the arrow through the skull of the creature.
"Granted it's not the most practical weapon. Like, you can't go through any really short doorways with it. But I still --" Tigermoon's confused look gradually changed to one of dawning horror as she stared past Kaye.
Kaye groaned. "It's behind me, isn't it?"
Tigermoon bit her lip and nodded slowly.