Into the Beginning of the End
By Quiet Chaos
Chapter Two
"Damn them!" she cursed into her bike helmet as she streaked along the winding road at break-neck speeds. Her motorcycle whined as she pushed it even faster, wishing all the way that it was fast enough to outrun the night's failure.
The road turned sharply, but she made no move to take the bend. Instead, she drove straight off the pavement through a narrow gap in the guardrail and into the woods. The motorcycle wheels screamed as they sped over the dirt trail. After a few minutes of zigzagging between trees and expertly avoiding hidden stones, she arrived at a small house, buried deep within the forest.
"Welcome home," she muttered as she parked the bike. The house was small, fitting for one person. On the outside it was dark brown with a few lighter tans around windows that were decorated with crisscrossing frames. A vine of ivy had latched itself onto the front porch, and was making a valiant attempt to climb to the second floor.
Everything in and around the residence was silent, save for the girl as she released her hair, which hissed as it fell free of the helmet, and ascended the stairs. She stopped short of the last step to the doorway.
"What are you doing here?" she asked to the air.
"What do you think?" The response came from a dark form behind her. "I came to see if it was true. You failed?" It was said more like a statement than a question, and she inwardly winced at its truth.
"I did." She fingered her sword, keeping her back to the speaker. "How could you already know that?"
It laughed. "We figured you would." At this, she spun around, unsheathing her sword. In that one fluid movement, she had the blade at the form's neck, who had immediately stopped laughing.
"You set me up," she seethed, eyeing the figure before her. It looked like a man wearing an enormous cloak to cover up his immense bulk. As a night breeze fluttered the fabric, she caught glimpses of dark metal beneath it. But his face remained in shadow.
"In a sense." He raised his chin a little, retreating from the blade's edge. "My master knew that in your present state, you would never have succeeded."
Master? "If he knew I'd fail, why did he bother to send me?"
"It was a test. He wanted to see what it is you can do on your own."
"Is he satisfied?" she asked, letting the sword fall a little.
"Yes." He stepped back, inching out of the weapon's reach. "He's still willing to pay you for the time." He pulled out a bag and tossed it at her feet, where its contents, gold coins and precious jewels, spilt onto the wood. "And you needn't worry about the publicity of your failure." He began to panic as she scowled at his words and tightened her grip on the sword. "Remember that this whole transaction occurred between only us."
"I don't take money from cons." Holding the blade straight at his heart, she growled, "You go and tell your 'master' that he can go find some other guinea pig to play his game." She advanced a step, and smiled as he retreated more. "I'll not work for someone who sets me up."
"You don't have much choice," he snapped back, his fear subdued by the distance between the sword and his neck. "It is the fate of all assassins to serve those who'll pay. My master will call upon you again, and you will serve him!"
"Ha!" She leapt off the porch and slashed off the man's left arm as he, too late, staggered backwards in surprise.
She turned to face him as he screamed and cradled the smoking stump. Her brow furrowed in surprise, and she glanced at the severed arm. In the moonlight, she saw that it was nothing more than an empty green gauntlet, which was smoldering instead of spewing blood. The putrid stench made her wrinkle her nose in disgust. Laughter pulled her attention away from smell.
The man stood, swaying slightly. "You will serve my master." She could hear the grin behind the words. "We'll be calling again soon." His whole body then melted into dust, leaving her glaring into the empty woods.
***
"Come to me."
"Master? You summoned me?" He knelt in the dimly lit room before the dark shadow.
"Report."
"Yes." He rose, but kept his head bowed. "As expected, she failed. I suspect the tiger awoke from sensing my presence, but had to attack her first. I paid her as you ordered, but she refused the gold and took my arm instead." He held out the stump for his master's inspection.
"No loss." His master laughed, a low rumble that echoed in the vast room. The eyes of the shadow momentarily lit with emerald green energy, and the stump was extended with a jagged silver hook. "You are a fool," he growl at the soldier who flexed the new appendage. "But I have need of you before the end. Leave."
"Yes, my Master." The soldier faded away.
"Jahku."
A nether spirit, wearing dark blue robes with silver lining, materialized before the shadow. "Yes, Lord Akumara."
"Your report, Jahku."
"Yes, Lord." He bowed. "I have gathered ten thousand Dynasty soldiers at your request. However, there are only three warriors left who have some wit amongst the lot of them, aside from the one you just dismissed. Mostly, they are all like the weaklings who served under Talpa."
"Bring me those three soldiers and nine Nether spirits."
"Yes, my Lord." Jahku disappeared, and a few seconds later, reappeared with the requested company. "May I ask what you will do, Lord?" He spoke tentatively as he floated to his master's side.
Lord Akumara scoffed. "Jahku, you fool, you should know." He rose and stepped into the light before the soldiers as Jahku cowered behind his master's immense form. Lord Akumara bore almost the exact same armor as the soldiers who bowed before him, save for a few differences: his armor was a deep, dark crimson, highlighted with gold swirls, and bore several menacing spikes upon his gauntlets and greaves. Deadly metal talons extended from each finger.
His helmet was crowned with seven blades, which curled upwards like a gold flame. His mask was sharper than the soldiers', having defined and narrow slits for the eyes, and the empty mouth was framed with a sinister metal-fanged smile. Around his neck was a black stone, shaped like half a yin-yang, tied on with gold string.
A large black cape flapped behind Lord Akumara as he began his spell, his eyes glowing like emeralds. Holding his palms towards the soldiers, fingers spread with the thumbs and forefingers together in a triangle, he spoke, "To each of you I bind the power of three. Spirits of nothing shall join with these empty souls to create a void of darkness and power." The Nether spirits grouped off around the soldiers. They began to circle the warriors, as Akumara continued to chant, "I am Lord Akumara! The true ruler of the Nether Realm!" They spun faster. "Everything in existence in this realm is bound to me in creation and destruction!" The spirits were nothing but blurs now, their transparent forms melting into three glowing tornados of energy.
"Merge!" he shouted, breaking his fingers apart and flinging his arms outward. The Nether spirits' energies balled around the soldiers. Dark light crackled and flashed, and the glowing spheres faded to reveal the new warriors.
"Now, Jahku," Lord Akumara eyed his work with pride, "we're ready for the next step."
"Yes, Lord Akumara."
***
Kayura...
"Anubis? Is that you?" she called out into the darkness.
Yes, Kayura.
"Where are you, Anubis?"
I'm coming back, Kayura. The Ancient One is sending me back.
"You're coming back...to life?"
Yes. The Ancient One demands my return, for something darker, stronger, and deadlier than Talpa is stirring in the Nether World. It is imperative that I return, but we need you to bring me back.
"Of course Anubis. Anything. Tell me what needs to be done."
Kayura slowly opened her eyes, bringing herself out of her meditation and back to her palace room. "Anubis..." she whispered as she looked at the Ancient's staff that lay quiet across her lap. She stood, holding the staff at arms length to stare at the gold orb. "What did you mean, 'something darker, stronger, and deadlier?'"
She strode out of her room, her kimono billowing around her as she headed for the ex-warlords' rooms. They would want to hear this. She would speak to them first, then the Ronin Warriors.
She happened upon Dais's room first. "Dais?" she knocked on the door. It opened for her, and she entered. Dais was sitting on his bed, a piece of parchment spread before him.
"What's the matter, Kayura?" he asked, not looking up from the scroll.
"Would you please have everyone join me in the throne room? I've got something to tell everyone."
"Oh?" he sighed, as he glanced at her with his good eye. His brow furrowed as he analyzed her stern expression. "All right," he shrugged his shoulders and rolled up the scroll.
He closed his eye and cleared his mind as he summoned the link between the armors. He gave the lines a mental tug and found Sekhmet in the stables and Kale talking to some soldiers in the dungeon.
What's up, Dais? Sekhmet asked as he handed the saddle he'd just used over to the stable hand.
Kayura wants to talk to us in the throne room. Can you get Kale on your way up?
All right, we'll be there in a few. The snake lord sighed and stretched. What could that girl want now? he grumbled in his mind as he left the stables. He spotted the former warlord with a group of soldiers. He walked up just as their conversation ended. "Kale!"
"Yeah, I heard," the blue-haired man answered the unspoken question. "Let's go."
"What were you talking with those soldiers about?" Sekhmet asked as soon as he'd matched strides with his companion.
"There's a rumor going around about a new division whose purpose is to invade and conquer the mortal realm."
Sekhmet laughed. "You're kidding." His smile diminished upon seeing Kale's still serious face. "Even if such a division was being formed, why would the soldiers join? Lady Kayura had a talk with everyone in the city. There's no reason to join."
"I'm not sure either, Sekhmet," he sighed. "All I could do was ask those soldiers to notify me if they are approached by the recruiters ."
"That seems like the best approach. We can tell Kayura at this meeting of hers." They found their way into throne room and settled themselves down at the heavy oak table. Dais sat placidly reading another scroll, not bothering to greet their arrival.
"Where's Kayura?" Kale asked.
"Getting ready I suppose," Dais languidly replied.
Sekhmet smirked at his comrade's apathetic attitude. Suddenly he leapt across the table top and snatched the scroll away from the illusionist. "What could this scroll possibly be about that could captivate our dear Dais so?" he mocked over the one-eyed warrior's protests. Sekhmet tossed the parchment to Kale just before Dais managed to lock the green head beneath his arm.
"Demon History," Kale read aloud. "Why on earth would you read such a fictitious piece of nonsense?"
"Because I asked him to," Kayura answered as she strode into the room. She eyed the struggle between Dais and Sekhmet with a silent command to stop before she took her seat at the head of the table. They succumbed to her order, but continued to glare at one another across the table.
"First off," she began, "Anubis will be coming back."
"WHAT?"
"You all heard me. The Ancient One is sending him back to us. Apparently, something is coming that is so powerful and evil that we'll be needing all the help we can get."
"Whatever this something is," Kale interrupted, "it still needs the help of the Nether Realm's inhabitants."
"What do you mean?" Kayura asked.
"Rumors have been spreading throughout the city of a new army for the conquest of the Mortal Realm," Sekhmet answered her.
"But I had addressed the soldiers long ago; they know that they haven't the power to conquer the Mortal Realm, so there is no reason for them to join. What is the bribe?"
"We don't have that information just yet," Kale said. "I've taken the liberty of asking soldiers to inform me if they are approached by those recruiting."
"Yes," Kayura sighed aloud, "That seems like the only thing we can do for now. I don't like being in these situations where we're trying to win against an enemy in a game where we can't even see the playing board." She slouched tiredly in her chair.
Suddenly Dais jumped up from his seat, parchment gripped tightly in hand. With a quick smirk at Kayura, he raced out of the room. "I think I've finally found something!" he called over his shoulder before disappearing.
"What was that all about?" Sekhmet said as he watched the white head vanish.
"Tell us, Kayura, just what were you having Dais research in those old scrolls?"
"Well, Kale, ever since I received the staff of the Ancients, I've been feeling uneasy. The feeling worsened when we returned to the Nether Realm, and so I've been wondering what's been making me feel so strange." She leaned forward as though she were going to whisper a secret. "I think there's something here, older than Talpa, and much more powerful."
Sekhmet scoffed. "How can you even fathom such a thing? If something so powerful did exist, why would it reveal itself now?"
"I have no idea," she tossed her arms up in defeat. "That's why I've been having Dais researching Dynasty history. Our existence here is but a blink in the eye of time. I'm sure the Nether Realm existed far beyond the era of Talpa."
Dais then entered with an armload of scrolls. "Kayura," he said, "you're not going to believe what I've found."
By Quiet Chaos
Chapter Two
"Damn them!" she cursed into her bike helmet as she streaked along the winding road at break-neck speeds. Her motorcycle whined as she pushed it even faster, wishing all the way that it was fast enough to outrun the night's failure.
The road turned sharply, but she made no move to take the bend. Instead, she drove straight off the pavement through a narrow gap in the guardrail and into the woods. The motorcycle wheels screamed as they sped over the dirt trail. After a few minutes of zigzagging between trees and expertly avoiding hidden stones, she arrived at a small house, buried deep within the forest.
"Welcome home," she muttered as she parked the bike. The house was small, fitting for one person. On the outside it was dark brown with a few lighter tans around windows that were decorated with crisscrossing frames. A vine of ivy had latched itself onto the front porch, and was making a valiant attempt to climb to the second floor.
Everything in and around the residence was silent, save for the girl as she released her hair, which hissed as it fell free of the helmet, and ascended the stairs. She stopped short of the last step to the doorway.
"What are you doing here?" she asked to the air.
"What do you think?" The response came from a dark form behind her. "I came to see if it was true. You failed?" It was said more like a statement than a question, and she inwardly winced at its truth.
"I did." She fingered her sword, keeping her back to the speaker. "How could you already know that?"
It laughed. "We figured you would." At this, she spun around, unsheathing her sword. In that one fluid movement, she had the blade at the form's neck, who had immediately stopped laughing.
"You set me up," she seethed, eyeing the figure before her. It looked like a man wearing an enormous cloak to cover up his immense bulk. As a night breeze fluttered the fabric, she caught glimpses of dark metal beneath it. But his face remained in shadow.
"In a sense." He raised his chin a little, retreating from the blade's edge. "My master knew that in your present state, you would never have succeeded."
Master? "If he knew I'd fail, why did he bother to send me?"
"It was a test. He wanted to see what it is you can do on your own."
"Is he satisfied?" she asked, letting the sword fall a little.
"Yes." He stepped back, inching out of the weapon's reach. "He's still willing to pay you for the time." He pulled out a bag and tossed it at her feet, where its contents, gold coins and precious jewels, spilt onto the wood. "And you needn't worry about the publicity of your failure." He began to panic as she scowled at his words and tightened her grip on the sword. "Remember that this whole transaction occurred between only us."
"I don't take money from cons." Holding the blade straight at his heart, she growled, "You go and tell your 'master' that he can go find some other guinea pig to play his game." She advanced a step, and smiled as he retreated more. "I'll not work for someone who sets me up."
"You don't have much choice," he snapped back, his fear subdued by the distance between the sword and his neck. "It is the fate of all assassins to serve those who'll pay. My master will call upon you again, and you will serve him!"
"Ha!" She leapt off the porch and slashed off the man's left arm as he, too late, staggered backwards in surprise.
She turned to face him as he screamed and cradled the smoking stump. Her brow furrowed in surprise, and she glanced at the severed arm. In the moonlight, she saw that it was nothing more than an empty green gauntlet, which was smoldering instead of spewing blood. The putrid stench made her wrinkle her nose in disgust. Laughter pulled her attention away from smell.
The man stood, swaying slightly. "You will serve my master." She could hear the grin behind the words. "We'll be calling again soon." His whole body then melted into dust, leaving her glaring into the empty woods.
***
"Come to me."
"Master? You summoned me?" He knelt in the dimly lit room before the dark shadow.
"Report."
"Yes." He rose, but kept his head bowed. "As expected, she failed. I suspect the tiger awoke from sensing my presence, but had to attack her first. I paid her as you ordered, but she refused the gold and took my arm instead." He held out the stump for his master's inspection.
"No loss." His master laughed, a low rumble that echoed in the vast room. The eyes of the shadow momentarily lit with emerald green energy, and the stump was extended with a jagged silver hook. "You are a fool," he growl at the soldier who flexed the new appendage. "But I have need of you before the end. Leave."
"Yes, my Master." The soldier faded away.
"Jahku."
A nether spirit, wearing dark blue robes with silver lining, materialized before the shadow. "Yes, Lord Akumara."
"Your report, Jahku."
"Yes, Lord." He bowed. "I have gathered ten thousand Dynasty soldiers at your request. However, there are only three warriors left who have some wit amongst the lot of them, aside from the one you just dismissed. Mostly, they are all like the weaklings who served under Talpa."
"Bring me those three soldiers and nine Nether spirits."
"Yes, my Lord." Jahku disappeared, and a few seconds later, reappeared with the requested company. "May I ask what you will do, Lord?" He spoke tentatively as he floated to his master's side.
Lord Akumara scoffed. "Jahku, you fool, you should know." He rose and stepped into the light before the soldiers as Jahku cowered behind his master's immense form. Lord Akumara bore almost the exact same armor as the soldiers who bowed before him, save for a few differences: his armor was a deep, dark crimson, highlighted with gold swirls, and bore several menacing spikes upon his gauntlets and greaves. Deadly metal talons extended from each finger.
His helmet was crowned with seven blades, which curled upwards like a gold flame. His mask was sharper than the soldiers', having defined and narrow slits for the eyes, and the empty mouth was framed with a sinister metal-fanged smile. Around his neck was a black stone, shaped like half a yin-yang, tied on with gold string.
A large black cape flapped behind Lord Akumara as he began his spell, his eyes glowing like emeralds. Holding his palms towards the soldiers, fingers spread with the thumbs and forefingers together in a triangle, he spoke, "To each of you I bind the power of three. Spirits of nothing shall join with these empty souls to create a void of darkness and power." The Nether spirits grouped off around the soldiers. They began to circle the warriors, as Akumara continued to chant, "I am Lord Akumara! The true ruler of the Nether Realm!" They spun faster. "Everything in existence in this realm is bound to me in creation and destruction!" The spirits were nothing but blurs now, their transparent forms melting into three glowing tornados of energy.
"Merge!" he shouted, breaking his fingers apart and flinging his arms outward. The Nether spirits' energies balled around the soldiers. Dark light crackled and flashed, and the glowing spheres faded to reveal the new warriors.
"Now, Jahku," Lord Akumara eyed his work with pride, "we're ready for the next step."
"Yes, Lord Akumara."
***
Kayura...
"Anubis? Is that you?" she called out into the darkness.
Yes, Kayura.
"Where are you, Anubis?"
I'm coming back, Kayura. The Ancient One is sending me back.
"You're coming back...to life?"
Yes. The Ancient One demands my return, for something darker, stronger, and deadlier than Talpa is stirring in the Nether World. It is imperative that I return, but we need you to bring me back.
"Of course Anubis. Anything. Tell me what needs to be done."
Kayura slowly opened her eyes, bringing herself out of her meditation and back to her palace room. "Anubis..." she whispered as she looked at the Ancient's staff that lay quiet across her lap. She stood, holding the staff at arms length to stare at the gold orb. "What did you mean, 'something darker, stronger, and deadlier?'"
She strode out of her room, her kimono billowing around her as she headed for the ex-warlords' rooms. They would want to hear this. She would speak to them first, then the Ronin Warriors.
She happened upon Dais's room first. "Dais?" she knocked on the door. It opened for her, and she entered. Dais was sitting on his bed, a piece of parchment spread before him.
"What's the matter, Kayura?" he asked, not looking up from the scroll.
"Would you please have everyone join me in the throne room? I've got something to tell everyone."
"Oh?" he sighed, as he glanced at her with his good eye. His brow furrowed as he analyzed her stern expression. "All right," he shrugged his shoulders and rolled up the scroll.
He closed his eye and cleared his mind as he summoned the link between the armors. He gave the lines a mental tug and found Sekhmet in the stables and Kale talking to some soldiers in the dungeon.
What's up, Dais? Sekhmet asked as he handed the saddle he'd just used over to the stable hand.
Kayura wants to talk to us in the throne room. Can you get Kale on your way up?
All right, we'll be there in a few. The snake lord sighed and stretched. What could that girl want now? he grumbled in his mind as he left the stables. He spotted the former warlord with a group of soldiers. He walked up just as their conversation ended. "Kale!"
"Yeah, I heard," the blue-haired man answered the unspoken question. "Let's go."
"What were you talking with those soldiers about?" Sekhmet asked as soon as he'd matched strides with his companion.
"There's a rumor going around about a new division whose purpose is to invade and conquer the mortal realm."
Sekhmet laughed. "You're kidding." His smile diminished upon seeing Kale's still serious face. "Even if such a division was being formed, why would the soldiers join? Lady Kayura had a talk with everyone in the city. There's no reason to join."
"I'm not sure either, Sekhmet," he sighed. "All I could do was ask those soldiers to notify me if they are approached by the recruiters ."
"That seems like the best approach. We can tell Kayura at this meeting of hers." They found their way into throne room and settled themselves down at the heavy oak table. Dais sat placidly reading another scroll, not bothering to greet their arrival.
"Where's Kayura?" Kale asked.
"Getting ready I suppose," Dais languidly replied.
Sekhmet smirked at his comrade's apathetic attitude. Suddenly he leapt across the table top and snatched the scroll away from the illusionist. "What could this scroll possibly be about that could captivate our dear Dais so?" he mocked over the one-eyed warrior's protests. Sekhmet tossed the parchment to Kale just before Dais managed to lock the green head beneath his arm.
"Demon History," Kale read aloud. "Why on earth would you read such a fictitious piece of nonsense?"
"Because I asked him to," Kayura answered as she strode into the room. She eyed the struggle between Dais and Sekhmet with a silent command to stop before she took her seat at the head of the table. They succumbed to her order, but continued to glare at one another across the table.
"First off," she began, "Anubis will be coming back."
"WHAT?"
"You all heard me. The Ancient One is sending him back to us. Apparently, something is coming that is so powerful and evil that we'll be needing all the help we can get."
"Whatever this something is," Kale interrupted, "it still needs the help of the Nether Realm's inhabitants."
"What do you mean?" Kayura asked.
"Rumors have been spreading throughout the city of a new army for the conquest of the Mortal Realm," Sekhmet answered her.
"But I had addressed the soldiers long ago; they know that they haven't the power to conquer the Mortal Realm, so there is no reason for them to join. What is the bribe?"
"We don't have that information just yet," Kale said. "I've taken the liberty of asking soldiers to inform me if they are approached by those recruiting."
"Yes," Kayura sighed aloud, "That seems like the only thing we can do for now. I don't like being in these situations where we're trying to win against an enemy in a game where we can't even see the playing board." She slouched tiredly in her chair.
Suddenly Dais jumped up from his seat, parchment gripped tightly in hand. With a quick smirk at Kayura, he raced out of the room. "I think I've finally found something!" he called over his shoulder before disappearing.
"What was that all about?" Sekhmet said as he watched the white head vanish.
"Tell us, Kayura, just what were you having Dais research in those old scrolls?"
"Well, Kale, ever since I received the staff of the Ancients, I've been feeling uneasy. The feeling worsened when we returned to the Nether Realm, and so I've been wondering what's been making me feel so strange." She leaned forward as though she were going to whisper a secret. "I think there's something here, older than Talpa, and much more powerful."
Sekhmet scoffed. "How can you even fathom such a thing? If something so powerful did exist, why would it reveal itself now?"
"I have no idea," she tossed her arms up in defeat. "That's why I've been having Dais researching Dynasty history. Our existence here is but a blink in the eye of time. I'm sure the Nether Realm existed far beyond the era of Talpa."
Dais then entered with an armload of scrolls. "Kayura," he said, "you're not going to believe what I've found."