Thanks to my reviewers for supporting my story!
Quiet Chaos- *blush* You're too kind. You made my universe with your comments. I'm glad I properly portrayed him and I'm glad you stuck with me to see it through. I just tried to subtly improve him, so I improved his language quite a bit and just tried to make him understand the world a bit more. Before Ryo just wanted to save the world; now he has purpose and direction, even if he is still a bit stupid about some things. Thank you very much. I appreciate your honesty. I hope you stay with me through the next Part, though I'm starting to be quite reluctant about putting it up. *chews nails* I'm not sure how everyone will react to the story.
A/N: {I hope you all don't think he's just talking weird when he says, "do not" instead of "don't" and small things like that. –I just have the urge to express this- He's talking in more and more proper grammar throughout the story because most angels speak properly and Orion and Zoë talk a bit more with slang throughout the story, so they adjust to each other.}
Bunch-o-Nuts- Thanks. I'd actually been toiling with this story for a while to fine-tune the story. I kinds just wanted to see how many reviews I'd get before posting the next chapter. Sorry for the wait. I was so antsy about it, I wanted to post the whole damn thing in one shot and be done with it. But where's the suspense in that? And trust me... if you read Part II, almost every chapter just so happens to fall on a suspense bit. Anyway, hope you like.
Tschubi-chan- Thanks for the compliment. I appreciate all my reviewers.
Feana-chan- *blush* Love? We? *blush* You're too kind. This measly old thing I've had sitting around for ages. A few years at least. Never posted anything else before. I'm just glad you like it at all.
Az-Strawberry- I'm thrilled you like my story so much and yes, I have that sneaky habit of leaving off at little cliffhangers, just so you keep reading. To tell you the truth, the whole thing was just one long story, but to edit it and be able to remember where I was the night before I broke it up into chapters that are all pretty much the same size. Maybe a bit bigger in the next part. So what do you think of my OC's, Orion and Zoë? Who's your favorite character?
This is the second to last chapter, so enjoy!
Please read and review!!!!!!!!!!
CHAPTER 5 Blast From the Past
*****
Orion opened his physical bodies eyes and sighed. He touched his lips and stood up. Ryo's room was in a secluded part of the building that angels had created in the trees centuries ago.
Orion walked back to his own room, informing everyone he met up with to leave him alone for the remainder of the night and morrow explaining that he wanted to be left alone for personal reasons. They spread the word and everyone pretty much stayed away from that corridor of the structure.
*****
Ryo slipped out of Seiji's grasp leaving his love to sleep some more and gain some strength. He walked around for a long while watching the sun, still relatively high in the sky. It would be another four hours until it got dark. Ryo would meet Orion soon, but he decided to go early.
When he reached Orion's room he opened the door without knocking and shut it quickly putting all his weight on the door. He sighed; when he looked up, he saw Orion staring at him from the window. He wore baggy pants and an open over shirt. He left it open as the cool breeze teased his long silver hair.
Ryo walked up to Orion and sat in the large window with him. They both stared out into the beautiful sky until they saw the sun start to set. It was about six o'clock now.
"Orion?" Ryo whispered and Orion looked at him. "You don't have to do this. It doesn't matter either way. I don't plan on dying any time soon." Ryo spoke knowing that Orion probably knew better than he did. He strode over to the window and sat opposite of Orion patiently, just enjoying Orion's presence.
"I will protect you with my life, Ryo, my heavenly spirit of light, my Cherub... but I don't want you to die without experiencing the true happiness you've had coming to you for the longest time. Please. Let me do this for you, just in case you can't get happy dreams back." Orion leaned forward closer to Ryo who sat up straight and stared out the window.
"I'd like to repay you somehow." Ryo whispered eyeing Orion as he smiled, blushing. Ryo didn't need to be a psychic to understand what he wanted. "A kiss?" Ryo wondered looking at the clouds as they turned red and orange.
"You don't have to give me anything in return. Your happiness is enough for..." Ryo had kissed Orion without warning. He threw his tongue into his mouth and craned Orion's neck so he could get a better angle. Orion enjoyed every second, but it ended too soon for him. Ryo pulled his hands away from Orion opening his eyes. "Thank you." Orion whispered. Ryo nodded and Orion's eyes wandered to his shoulder where the marks from his nails were. He had bled, he dug his nails so deep.
He stood up with Ryo.
They walked over to his bed and Ryo stood several feet away. Orion laid down gently and closed his eyes. He relaxed his body, a shimmer forming around his form. It began to manifest, changing shapes and colors until it formed a ghost of Orion's body. He let his spirit leave his body entirely and it floated off the bed and on the floor to stand in front of Ryo, naked. They both didn't move, as a gentle wind blew through the room and Ryo picked up his hand, ready to start. He lifted both of his arms to stick out totally. Orion's form did the same. Their fingers touched gently and that form of Orion started to disappear. They each took a step forward on the same foot and the two became one. Ryo's hair had been flying back as the two merged and now calmed to be on his back gently once again.
Ryo opened his eyes and they glowed for a moment, but then nothing, he was normal again, but he felt stronger now. He looked over to the bed and saw Orion's form lying there as if asleep or in a coma. He left the room quickly out the window, using his wings to fly back around to his room. His wings felt stronger as well, but Ryo didn't want to waste the precious gift Orion had given him, he hurried sensing Orion inside of him somehow. The essence of Orion filled him, leaving him quite revived and energetic.
He flew up to his window swiftly and a great breeze flowed through the room. Seiji awoke in time to see Ryo at the window, banishing his wings.
"Out for a fly?" Seiji questioned smiling and Ryo nodded.
"How was your sleep?" Ryo asked sweetly and Seiji gasped. He realized that Ryo had marks on his arm, and figured they were self-inflicted.
"You couldn't sleep." He stated and Ryo looked at his arm. Ryo just gazed into Seiji's eyes calmly as Seiji walked up to him and called his Ronin power forth. He touched Ryo, healing the marks and pulled away gently.
Orion felt that power now apart of his spirit as well. He sighed and tried to close his thoughts from what Ryo was about to do.
Ryo let his hands wander over Seiji's body, down to his groin. Seiji groaned with pleasure putting his hands on Ryo's chest.
"Are you sure?"
Ryo smiled and pushed him onto the bed. Seiji pulled Ryo down and switched it so he was on top. Seiji and Ryo rid themselves of the cloth barrier between themselves and sighed with relief as pure hot skin touched pure hot skin. Seiji gasped feeling Ryo's hotter body. He had always been a hotter temperature because of his element, but Seiji had never really felt Ryo like this. Seiji gave Ryo a thousand and one sensations kissing, sucking, and licking everything he could touch while constantly keeping one hand on Ryo's already hard shaft.
Ryo's hands massaged Seiji's stiff body. Neither of them had done this, at least not for a good many years and they were both tense, but learning well.
Much later on in the night Ryo and Seiji lay together in the heat of each other a comforter over them both. They were exhausted and weak. Seiji forced himself to stay awake while Ryo fell asleep. He wanted this night to be special and without terrors for Ryo.
Eventually, sleep claimed Seiji after he was no longer able to resist its' call. Orion finally got to speak with Ryo freely then. He took Ryo to the plain in Ryo's mind to speak again.
*****
Ryo sat at the open gate that had been closed before. He was on the inside meaning his physical body was asleep, but he was barely inside. Orion's bare form floated up to him, slightly inside the gate.
"Ryo? What's wrong?"
Ryo sat there crying. He looked up to Orion's form and smiled.
"It was wonderful." He breathed and looked back into his lap. Orion sat down with him.
"Well?"
"I feel it." He whispered. "Like you said. Death will come for me in my battle to free the others. I'm happy I was able to be with Seiji, but he will be broken. Who will look after him?" Ryo cried looking into Orion's eyes, but no sob came to his voice to make it waver. Orion opened his arms to Ryo and his friend fell into his warm arms openly. Ryo cried until he could feel Seiji moving with their physical bodies. He pulled away and pushed his way into the gray area again.
Orion flew over to be behind him. He put his arms around Ryo.
"You mustn't let him know. Act normal beautiful. He would rather that."
Ryo smiled, sighing. Orion was right, as per usual.
*****
Ryo's physical body's eyes opened to see Seiji sitting up on his elbow with one hand on Ryo's chest.
Ryo laid on his back still, missing Seiji's heat.
"What's wrong?" Ryo asked moving onto his elbow.
"You didn't have a nightmare?" Seiji asked happily and Ryo laughed feeling another tear come down his face. Seiji leaned forward and licked the tears away. "What are those for?" Seiji smiled and kissed Ryo again.
"I'm so happy that we're finally together." Ryo whispered and Seiji leaned into his warmth. He cradled his head in the nape of Ryo's neck. Ryo held Seiji like there was no tomorrow for him.
The morning had crept up on the two love birds and they got up to get dressed. Seiji pulled on his slacks and T-shirt, but he enjoyed watching Ryo dress.
Ryo put on a very tight black shirt, then his baggy pants and funky shoes, that looked like Indian shoes. Pulling on some gloves with the fingers cut off he looked very punk-like. Seiji liked Ryo in his new outfit. It really brought out each individual muscle beautifully. They walked about the compounds holding hands until they ran into everyone else.
"Feeling better?" Yuli questioned smiling and Ryo smiled too.
"Did you two have a nice sleep last night?" Kento asked, insinuating a lot. Seiji blushed and Ryo smirked. He moved toward Cale and Rowen who had remained quiet for a long time and put his arms on their shoulders.
"I bet you two had a *very* good sleep?" They blushed deeply as everyone else laughed. Ryo glared around to each of them.
"It's only funny if you didn't do anything last night!" Ryo pointed out and saw everyone, but Kento and Yuli silenced. It embarrassed them as well and they shut up. White Blaze came running up and Ryo knelt down happily to welcome him open armed. The large tiger pinned Ryo to the ground as two angels came running up to the group. They seemed quite worried. Ryo looked up to them curiously from the ground.
"Lord Ryo! The Master is nowhere to be found on the compound!" They complained.
"Yes, I know. He's in his room resting." Ryo raised his eyebrow at the two as he scratched his friend's fur.
"Would you please go fetch him!?" They cried, fidgeting. Ryo pushed White Blaze off and stood gracefully.
"What has conspired now?" Ryo groaned and scowled again.
"The Wraiths have shown themselves again! They insist on finding the Master and if they do not they will go on a killing spree!"
Ryo scowled and waved the fledglings away. He turned back to his friends.
"I have business to attend to! Please excuse me!" He snapped quickly and flew over them, headed through the trees to Orion's room.
Seiji wasn't about to be left behind, he ran through the building asking people where Orion's room was. He wasn't in much luck as no one wanted to speak to him. When he started to threaten a few people with brute force, he got directions.
*****
Ryo made it there long before him though and kneeled on the bed in front of Orion's sleeping form. He relinquished Orion's spirit from his body, giving Orion all the power he had started with. Ryo felt very weakened afterward. Orion sat up knowing exactly what was going on. He caught Ryo as he fell onto his chest.
Orion shook Ryo furiously. "Open your eyes, angel."
Ryo opened his eyes and gasped. "What will we do?"
"You should probably just stay here." Orion whispered as Seiji burst through the door and shut it quickly. He saw Ryo in Orion's arms and ran over to the bed. Orion was perfectly calm as was Ryo. No matter how bad it looked, Ryo trusted Seiji not to get worked up.
"What happened? You were fine a moment ago!" Seiji shouted.
"Orion had cast a spell on me to help me sleep without the terrors haunting me. It came with a price." Ryo whispered and Orion found the answer fairly accurate.
Seiji sat down and pulled Ryo into his grasp. He called the power of the Halo and gave Ryo every bit he could spare. Ryo smiled and he and Seiji kissed for an instant then it was over. Ryo sat up and put his hand on Orion's shoulder.
"We should go alone." Orion informed Seiji who hesitated, but Ryo glared at him determined.
"I will get everyone back. Your power has given me the strength. Don't be afraid." Ryo smiled briefly.
Seiji nodded reluctantly and they kissed again. Ryo put his whole heart into the kiss, using his tongue as well. He almost cried, but knew it would give him away. He smiled and stood up with Orion. They flew out the window going on the information Orion had picked up from being inside Ryo's head. He figured out what all of Ryo's dreams meant and knew exactly where the Wraiths were hiding.
They headed to a river with swirling salts going around, under a bridge. It was the only place that the monsters could be. An evil dark cloud covered the bridge that normal people didn't seem to be able to see. Orion and Ryo landed swiftly on the very peaks of the bridge. They watched as the normally speeding cars below moved very slow and sped up as they left the bridge. Ryo tripped into Orion's grasp.
"I feel dizzy." Ryo admitted holding his head. Orion didn't look surprised.
"This cloud of magic is doing it. I am positive that this is the place. Let us dive into the waters and swim to the very bottom. I should be able to sense where the entrance to the cave is." Orion steadied Ryo near the side of the metal beam and Ryo put a hand on his stomach to stop him.
"Won't the people see us?" He asked wobbling.
"Yes, but this bridge is destroying their ability to care anymore. It doesn't matter much though they will only be a bit groggy for the rest of the day, then they will be fine."
Ryo nodded and they leapt off the beam diving perfectly straight into the water. They kept their wings, knowing that it would give them a shield against the shock they were about to receive from jumping at that height.
Their glossy white wings would also help them swim faster. They hit the water at sixty miles an hour and were completely protected. The freezing water was the only shock they had. Ryo swam ahead of Orion, feeling exactly where the dream had come from. Orion started to cry, and it was totally visible as perfectly clear water droplets leaked from his eyes. It was a drastic contrast to the murky water near the riverbed. Orion didn't want Ryo to die, but he felt helpless to stop it. He just wanted to stop Ryo from going any further and hold him for all eternity, but he couldn't stop the inevitable. It would happen one way or another.
Orion sped up to be near Ryo as they both spotted the caves entrance. Ryo suddenly stopped and Orion stopped a few feet ahead of him. He looked questionably at Ryo, who merely floated there moving his wings so that he stayed in that spot. Ryo used his mind to talk to Orion.
'I'm afraid to go in there.' He sighed. Orion swam up to him. He wanted to lean forward and kiss Ryo, but he figured that his companion wouldn't like that too much.
'Everything will be alright. We will save Zoë, destroy this place of evil, and you will be able to dream again.'
Ryo nodded and they kept going toward the cave. Entering, they saw a cemented pipe as an opening. It led up into a pool and a large underground cave. They got out of the water and Orion dried them both off. It was very quiet as they approached two large doors about a third the size of the bridge.
The doors opened as they got closer without a fuss. Orion gaped as he saw the corridor of cylinders on each side of them. Ryo shuddered feeling like he was back in his dream again, only now he could see more of the cylinders clearer. These casings were smaller than the ones at the end of the hall, but large creatures still fit in them. The first case on Ryo's right held a girl with no clothes, but she also had no nipples, privates, or belly button, as if she weren't human. Ryo walked over to the plaque near her container and read:
Mermaid of Seldar
Ryo looked at her again and could tell that she did have the long nails, webbed hands and feet, and aqua marine color hair. The only thing she wore was a shell around her neck. It was said that a mermaid's shell, held her true voice.
Orion tugged on Ryo's arm and pulled him further on. They passed many different creatures of all different types and sizes.
Orion stopped at one man who floated in his tank with a miniature cat in his arms. He held onto it as if his life depended on it. Orion read the plaque, which said:
Bounty Hunter of Coro
Ryo came up on his side and pulled Orion across the lain to another girl dressed in a one piece of black and a vest and gloves. Her plaque was gold, and read:
Sky Racer
Master of Dragons
They looked at each other oddly and walked on. Ryo eyed the werewolf he had seen in his dreams and stopped to look a little longer.
"Why did the Wraith stop near him?" He whispered and Orion turned around quickly to look at the half man, half wolf creature. Ryo walked up to the glass and slowly touched his hand to the glass. He closed his eyes concentrating on the man inside. Orion interrupted him and pulled Ryo along before he could say a word.
"We should keep moving." Orion insisted. Ryo saw the child in his dreams from the mid-evil period. She looked like she had been a very important person. On either side of them there were countless different people: important ones, royalty, peasants, warriors, the hunters, the hunted, ones that could morph... they had even passed an Atlantian. Ryo had wanted to marvel in his beauty a while longer, but Orion urged him on. They finally made it to the stairs Ryo had been dreading.
There were the six cylinders from ceiling to floor that held more people than in his dreams. To his left there was a woman clad in a kind of ancient battle uniform Ryo had seen on some other person on the way down the hall. The mark on the side of her face was easier to notice as the color red from up close. It must have been with her since birth because it didn't come off in the slowly moving water.
On the opposite wall was the statue of the tiger. It looked even more like White Blaze up close, still it seemed more ferocious. Its claws were longer, like its teeth and it also wore armor over its body. Ryo reached his hand out to the armor as it gleamed a brilliant gold. They continued on up the stairs until they reached the container next to the tiger. It held a tall girl with long hair reaching her back. She –like that tiger- didn't look happy to be there. There was a bandana on her forehead with a lot of slack in the back a little longer than her hair. Her clothes looked something like what the angels wear now as well.
Orion looked at his wardrobe, then at this girl.
"She can't be!" Orion rasped, and gulped down a breath quickly. He leaned forward looking at her plaque and gasped. Ryo quickly looked at the plaque.
Arigazi
Ruler of the Skies
Ryo wondered what it meant, then he remembered Zoë telling him a story about the ruler of all angels who called herself Arigazi. She was a kind and gentle ruler, but she had died thousands of years ago in a battle over the Skies: A place where the angels had perfect rights to be, but warrior demons wanted it for their own. It had started a war, but Arigazi was the one to finish it and banish them away. She never came back from the battle, but everyone praised her for her great abilities in every category. She was therefore deemed, Ruler of the Skies.
Ryo gasped and looked into Orion's frightened eyes.
"How could anyone have captured the great and powerful Arigazi?" He questioned his voice breaking.
"Orion!" Ryo pointed to the next container, holding Zoë. He rushed over watching her float there. He felt very helpless. She dawned her wings and her angelic apparel, but she only looked like her shell was there. Her soul was somewhere else it seemed. Ryo looked around to the last eight containers. An elf inhabited one, an over sized wolf in another, a dragon coiled up in another, and the last five containers held, to Ryo's horror, his friends!
Those cylinders held no water though. The five sat in the cases asleep around the thrown. Seiji, Rowen, Cale, Sekmet, and Yuli. Dais, Kento and Sye were not there. He assumed they had gotten away, but how did the Wraiths get them here so fast? Orion and Ryo both looked up as they heard clapping and saw a figure started to walk down the steps out of the shadows. The Ronins awoke as he walked by them. Ryo scowled and Orion tried to rush up and be near Ryo's side, but with a wave of this man's hand Orion was frozen. Ryo stepped back a few steps and bumped into Arigazi's tank.
He didn't want to come into contact with this shadowy figure and growled when the man got close to him. He stepped out of the shadows and leaned closer to Ryo who called his power as a Ronin to him. The man smiled.
"Your power is beautiful." He whispered and licked his lips.
"You like it so much?" Ryo turned up the heat so much it affected the girl in the tank he leaned against. She warily opened her eyes and saw Ryo burning up his power. She felt the warm rays and the power he was giving off. Her own power started to return and she started to move around. The supposed statue of a tiger at her side started to move, making it seem as though it weren't a statue. Some of the gold on his fur broke away and he could growl again.
The man looked around at this, his green eyes flashing hatred. His thin body clenched in fear and anger. Seeing everyone around Ryo start to recover. He turned back angrily and called his Wraiths down from the ceiling with a swish of his hand. Hundreds of Wraiths surrounded them all. The Ronins inside the containers stood up afraid for Ryo. The Wraiths grabbed a hold of Orion keeping him from moving and they grabbed Ryo even tighter. One of them hit him in his gut so hard his knees buckled. The man turned to the Wraith and threw him in the other direction with a wave of his hand.
"Let the boy be! You will not harm him!" The man calmed down and smiled at Ryo again, who looked at him scowling and trying to get a breath into his now bruised lung.
"Sparticus!" Orion yelled. "Why have you taken all of these living beings hostage?" He screamed, fighting against the Wraiths holding onto his arms.
"My dear, Orion!" He sarcastically grunted. "You have tried to take after that witch Arigazi and rule over the angels, but it will not be so! I will rule over them all and use this army I've created to do it with. Each creature with their own abilities, I can manipulate their moves with a potion I've created and I'll use them against anyone who stands in my way. I will rule over this world. You just watch!" Sparticus laughed maniacally.
A/N: PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even if you think I'm an evil maniacal bitch. Tell me what you think of my OC's???????? Who is your favorite character so far in the story? I'd appreciate it, even if you don't want to really write anything in the review if you could just write a name. I would love you forever.
Quiet Chaos- *blush* You're too kind. You made my universe with your comments. I'm glad I properly portrayed him and I'm glad you stuck with me to see it through. I just tried to subtly improve him, so I improved his language quite a bit and just tried to make him understand the world a bit more. Before Ryo just wanted to save the world; now he has purpose and direction, even if he is still a bit stupid about some things. Thank you very much. I appreciate your honesty. I hope you stay with me through the next Part, though I'm starting to be quite reluctant about putting it up. *chews nails* I'm not sure how everyone will react to the story.
A/N: {I hope you all don't think he's just talking weird when he says, "do not" instead of "don't" and small things like that. –I just have the urge to express this- He's talking in more and more proper grammar throughout the story because most angels speak properly and Orion and Zoë talk a bit more with slang throughout the story, so they adjust to each other.}
Bunch-o-Nuts- Thanks. I'd actually been toiling with this story for a while to fine-tune the story. I kinds just wanted to see how many reviews I'd get before posting the next chapter. Sorry for the wait. I was so antsy about it, I wanted to post the whole damn thing in one shot and be done with it. But where's the suspense in that? And trust me... if you read Part II, almost every chapter just so happens to fall on a suspense bit. Anyway, hope you like.
Tschubi-chan- Thanks for the compliment. I appreciate all my reviewers.
Feana-chan- *blush* Love? We? *blush* You're too kind. This measly old thing I've had sitting around for ages. A few years at least. Never posted anything else before. I'm just glad you like it at all.
Az-Strawberry- I'm thrilled you like my story so much and yes, I have that sneaky habit of leaving off at little cliffhangers, just so you keep reading. To tell you the truth, the whole thing was just one long story, but to edit it and be able to remember where I was the night before I broke it up into chapters that are all pretty much the same size. Maybe a bit bigger in the next part. So what do you think of my OC's, Orion and Zoë? Who's your favorite character?
This is the second to last chapter, so enjoy!
Please read and review!!!!!!!!!!
CHAPTER 5 Blast From the Past
*****
Orion opened his physical bodies eyes and sighed. He touched his lips and stood up. Ryo's room was in a secluded part of the building that angels had created in the trees centuries ago.
Orion walked back to his own room, informing everyone he met up with to leave him alone for the remainder of the night and morrow explaining that he wanted to be left alone for personal reasons. They spread the word and everyone pretty much stayed away from that corridor of the structure.
*****
Ryo slipped out of Seiji's grasp leaving his love to sleep some more and gain some strength. He walked around for a long while watching the sun, still relatively high in the sky. It would be another four hours until it got dark. Ryo would meet Orion soon, but he decided to go early.
When he reached Orion's room he opened the door without knocking and shut it quickly putting all his weight on the door. He sighed; when he looked up, he saw Orion staring at him from the window. He wore baggy pants and an open over shirt. He left it open as the cool breeze teased his long silver hair.
Ryo walked up to Orion and sat in the large window with him. They both stared out into the beautiful sky until they saw the sun start to set. It was about six o'clock now.
"Orion?" Ryo whispered and Orion looked at him. "You don't have to do this. It doesn't matter either way. I don't plan on dying any time soon." Ryo spoke knowing that Orion probably knew better than he did. He strode over to the window and sat opposite of Orion patiently, just enjoying Orion's presence.
"I will protect you with my life, Ryo, my heavenly spirit of light, my Cherub... but I don't want you to die without experiencing the true happiness you've had coming to you for the longest time. Please. Let me do this for you, just in case you can't get happy dreams back." Orion leaned forward closer to Ryo who sat up straight and stared out the window.
"I'd like to repay you somehow." Ryo whispered eyeing Orion as he smiled, blushing. Ryo didn't need to be a psychic to understand what he wanted. "A kiss?" Ryo wondered looking at the clouds as they turned red and orange.
"You don't have to give me anything in return. Your happiness is enough for..." Ryo had kissed Orion without warning. He threw his tongue into his mouth and craned Orion's neck so he could get a better angle. Orion enjoyed every second, but it ended too soon for him. Ryo pulled his hands away from Orion opening his eyes. "Thank you." Orion whispered. Ryo nodded and Orion's eyes wandered to his shoulder where the marks from his nails were. He had bled, he dug his nails so deep.
He stood up with Ryo.
They walked over to his bed and Ryo stood several feet away. Orion laid down gently and closed his eyes. He relaxed his body, a shimmer forming around his form. It began to manifest, changing shapes and colors until it formed a ghost of Orion's body. He let his spirit leave his body entirely and it floated off the bed and on the floor to stand in front of Ryo, naked. They both didn't move, as a gentle wind blew through the room and Ryo picked up his hand, ready to start. He lifted both of his arms to stick out totally. Orion's form did the same. Their fingers touched gently and that form of Orion started to disappear. They each took a step forward on the same foot and the two became one. Ryo's hair had been flying back as the two merged and now calmed to be on his back gently once again.
Ryo opened his eyes and they glowed for a moment, but then nothing, he was normal again, but he felt stronger now. He looked over to the bed and saw Orion's form lying there as if asleep or in a coma. He left the room quickly out the window, using his wings to fly back around to his room. His wings felt stronger as well, but Ryo didn't want to waste the precious gift Orion had given him, he hurried sensing Orion inside of him somehow. The essence of Orion filled him, leaving him quite revived and energetic.
He flew up to his window swiftly and a great breeze flowed through the room. Seiji awoke in time to see Ryo at the window, banishing his wings.
"Out for a fly?" Seiji questioned smiling and Ryo nodded.
"How was your sleep?" Ryo asked sweetly and Seiji gasped. He realized that Ryo had marks on his arm, and figured they were self-inflicted.
"You couldn't sleep." He stated and Ryo looked at his arm. Ryo just gazed into Seiji's eyes calmly as Seiji walked up to him and called his Ronin power forth. He touched Ryo, healing the marks and pulled away gently.
Orion felt that power now apart of his spirit as well. He sighed and tried to close his thoughts from what Ryo was about to do.
Ryo let his hands wander over Seiji's body, down to his groin. Seiji groaned with pleasure putting his hands on Ryo's chest.
"Are you sure?"
Ryo smiled and pushed him onto the bed. Seiji pulled Ryo down and switched it so he was on top. Seiji and Ryo rid themselves of the cloth barrier between themselves and sighed with relief as pure hot skin touched pure hot skin. Seiji gasped feeling Ryo's hotter body. He had always been a hotter temperature because of his element, but Seiji had never really felt Ryo like this. Seiji gave Ryo a thousand and one sensations kissing, sucking, and licking everything he could touch while constantly keeping one hand on Ryo's already hard shaft.
Ryo's hands massaged Seiji's stiff body. Neither of them had done this, at least not for a good many years and they were both tense, but learning well.
Much later on in the night Ryo and Seiji lay together in the heat of each other a comforter over them both. They were exhausted and weak. Seiji forced himself to stay awake while Ryo fell asleep. He wanted this night to be special and without terrors for Ryo.
Eventually, sleep claimed Seiji after he was no longer able to resist its' call. Orion finally got to speak with Ryo freely then. He took Ryo to the plain in Ryo's mind to speak again.
*****
Ryo sat at the open gate that had been closed before. He was on the inside meaning his physical body was asleep, but he was barely inside. Orion's bare form floated up to him, slightly inside the gate.
"Ryo? What's wrong?"
Ryo sat there crying. He looked up to Orion's form and smiled.
"It was wonderful." He breathed and looked back into his lap. Orion sat down with him.
"Well?"
"I feel it." He whispered. "Like you said. Death will come for me in my battle to free the others. I'm happy I was able to be with Seiji, but he will be broken. Who will look after him?" Ryo cried looking into Orion's eyes, but no sob came to his voice to make it waver. Orion opened his arms to Ryo and his friend fell into his warm arms openly. Ryo cried until he could feel Seiji moving with their physical bodies. He pulled away and pushed his way into the gray area again.
Orion flew over to be behind him. He put his arms around Ryo.
"You mustn't let him know. Act normal beautiful. He would rather that."
Ryo smiled, sighing. Orion was right, as per usual.
*****
Ryo's physical body's eyes opened to see Seiji sitting up on his elbow with one hand on Ryo's chest.
Ryo laid on his back still, missing Seiji's heat.
"What's wrong?" Ryo asked moving onto his elbow.
"You didn't have a nightmare?" Seiji asked happily and Ryo laughed feeling another tear come down his face. Seiji leaned forward and licked the tears away. "What are those for?" Seiji smiled and kissed Ryo again.
"I'm so happy that we're finally together." Ryo whispered and Seiji leaned into his warmth. He cradled his head in the nape of Ryo's neck. Ryo held Seiji like there was no tomorrow for him.
The morning had crept up on the two love birds and they got up to get dressed. Seiji pulled on his slacks and T-shirt, but he enjoyed watching Ryo dress.
Ryo put on a very tight black shirt, then his baggy pants and funky shoes, that looked like Indian shoes. Pulling on some gloves with the fingers cut off he looked very punk-like. Seiji liked Ryo in his new outfit. It really brought out each individual muscle beautifully. They walked about the compounds holding hands until they ran into everyone else.
"Feeling better?" Yuli questioned smiling and Ryo smiled too.
"Did you two have a nice sleep last night?" Kento asked, insinuating a lot. Seiji blushed and Ryo smirked. He moved toward Cale and Rowen who had remained quiet for a long time and put his arms on their shoulders.
"I bet you two had a *very* good sleep?" They blushed deeply as everyone else laughed. Ryo glared around to each of them.
"It's only funny if you didn't do anything last night!" Ryo pointed out and saw everyone, but Kento and Yuli silenced. It embarrassed them as well and they shut up. White Blaze came running up and Ryo knelt down happily to welcome him open armed. The large tiger pinned Ryo to the ground as two angels came running up to the group. They seemed quite worried. Ryo looked up to them curiously from the ground.
"Lord Ryo! The Master is nowhere to be found on the compound!" They complained.
"Yes, I know. He's in his room resting." Ryo raised his eyebrow at the two as he scratched his friend's fur.
"Would you please go fetch him!?" They cried, fidgeting. Ryo pushed White Blaze off and stood gracefully.
"What has conspired now?" Ryo groaned and scowled again.
"The Wraiths have shown themselves again! They insist on finding the Master and if they do not they will go on a killing spree!"
Ryo scowled and waved the fledglings away. He turned back to his friends.
"I have business to attend to! Please excuse me!" He snapped quickly and flew over them, headed through the trees to Orion's room.
Seiji wasn't about to be left behind, he ran through the building asking people where Orion's room was. He wasn't in much luck as no one wanted to speak to him. When he started to threaten a few people with brute force, he got directions.
*****
Ryo made it there long before him though and kneeled on the bed in front of Orion's sleeping form. He relinquished Orion's spirit from his body, giving Orion all the power he had started with. Ryo felt very weakened afterward. Orion sat up knowing exactly what was going on. He caught Ryo as he fell onto his chest.
Orion shook Ryo furiously. "Open your eyes, angel."
Ryo opened his eyes and gasped. "What will we do?"
"You should probably just stay here." Orion whispered as Seiji burst through the door and shut it quickly. He saw Ryo in Orion's arms and ran over to the bed. Orion was perfectly calm as was Ryo. No matter how bad it looked, Ryo trusted Seiji not to get worked up.
"What happened? You were fine a moment ago!" Seiji shouted.
"Orion had cast a spell on me to help me sleep without the terrors haunting me. It came with a price." Ryo whispered and Orion found the answer fairly accurate.
Seiji sat down and pulled Ryo into his grasp. He called the power of the Halo and gave Ryo every bit he could spare. Ryo smiled and he and Seiji kissed for an instant then it was over. Ryo sat up and put his hand on Orion's shoulder.
"We should go alone." Orion informed Seiji who hesitated, but Ryo glared at him determined.
"I will get everyone back. Your power has given me the strength. Don't be afraid." Ryo smiled briefly.
Seiji nodded reluctantly and they kissed again. Ryo put his whole heart into the kiss, using his tongue as well. He almost cried, but knew it would give him away. He smiled and stood up with Orion. They flew out the window going on the information Orion had picked up from being inside Ryo's head. He figured out what all of Ryo's dreams meant and knew exactly where the Wraiths were hiding.
They headed to a river with swirling salts going around, under a bridge. It was the only place that the monsters could be. An evil dark cloud covered the bridge that normal people didn't seem to be able to see. Orion and Ryo landed swiftly on the very peaks of the bridge. They watched as the normally speeding cars below moved very slow and sped up as they left the bridge. Ryo tripped into Orion's grasp.
"I feel dizzy." Ryo admitted holding his head. Orion didn't look surprised.
"This cloud of magic is doing it. I am positive that this is the place. Let us dive into the waters and swim to the very bottom. I should be able to sense where the entrance to the cave is." Orion steadied Ryo near the side of the metal beam and Ryo put a hand on his stomach to stop him.
"Won't the people see us?" He asked wobbling.
"Yes, but this bridge is destroying their ability to care anymore. It doesn't matter much though they will only be a bit groggy for the rest of the day, then they will be fine."
Ryo nodded and they leapt off the beam diving perfectly straight into the water. They kept their wings, knowing that it would give them a shield against the shock they were about to receive from jumping at that height.
Their glossy white wings would also help them swim faster. They hit the water at sixty miles an hour and were completely protected. The freezing water was the only shock they had. Ryo swam ahead of Orion, feeling exactly where the dream had come from. Orion started to cry, and it was totally visible as perfectly clear water droplets leaked from his eyes. It was a drastic contrast to the murky water near the riverbed. Orion didn't want Ryo to die, but he felt helpless to stop it. He just wanted to stop Ryo from going any further and hold him for all eternity, but he couldn't stop the inevitable. It would happen one way or another.
Orion sped up to be near Ryo as they both spotted the caves entrance. Ryo suddenly stopped and Orion stopped a few feet ahead of him. He looked questionably at Ryo, who merely floated there moving his wings so that he stayed in that spot. Ryo used his mind to talk to Orion.
'I'm afraid to go in there.' He sighed. Orion swam up to him. He wanted to lean forward and kiss Ryo, but he figured that his companion wouldn't like that too much.
'Everything will be alright. We will save Zoë, destroy this place of evil, and you will be able to dream again.'
Ryo nodded and they kept going toward the cave. Entering, they saw a cemented pipe as an opening. It led up into a pool and a large underground cave. They got out of the water and Orion dried them both off. It was very quiet as they approached two large doors about a third the size of the bridge.
The doors opened as they got closer without a fuss. Orion gaped as he saw the corridor of cylinders on each side of them. Ryo shuddered feeling like he was back in his dream again, only now he could see more of the cylinders clearer. These casings were smaller than the ones at the end of the hall, but large creatures still fit in them. The first case on Ryo's right held a girl with no clothes, but she also had no nipples, privates, or belly button, as if she weren't human. Ryo walked over to the plaque near her container and read:
Mermaid of Seldar
Ryo looked at her again and could tell that she did have the long nails, webbed hands and feet, and aqua marine color hair. The only thing she wore was a shell around her neck. It was said that a mermaid's shell, held her true voice.
Orion tugged on Ryo's arm and pulled him further on. They passed many different creatures of all different types and sizes.
Orion stopped at one man who floated in his tank with a miniature cat in his arms. He held onto it as if his life depended on it. Orion read the plaque, which said:
Bounty Hunter of Coro
Ryo came up on his side and pulled Orion across the lain to another girl dressed in a one piece of black and a vest and gloves. Her plaque was gold, and read:
Sky Racer
Master of Dragons
They looked at each other oddly and walked on. Ryo eyed the werewolf he had seen in his dreams and stopped to look a little longer.
"Why did the Wraith stop near him?" He whispered and Orion turned around quickly to look at the half man, half wolf creature. Ryo walked up to the glass and slowly touched his hand to the glass. He closed his eyes concentrating on the man inside. Orion interrupted him and pulled Ryo along before he could say a word.
"We should keep moving." Orion insisted. Ryo saw the child in his dreams from the mid-evil period. She looked like she had been a very important person. On either side of them there were countless different people: important ones, royalty, peasants, warriors, the hunters, the hunted, ones that could morph... they had even passed an Atlantian. Ryo had wanted to marvel in his beauty a while longer, but Orion urged him on. They finally made it to the stairs Ryo had been dreading.
There were the six cylinders from ceiling to floor that held more people than in his dreams. To his left there was a woman clad in a kind of ancient battle uniform Ryo had seen on some other person on the way down the hall. The mark on the side of her face was easier to notice as the color red from up close. It must have been with her since birth because it didn't come off in the slowly moving water.
On the opposite wall was the statue of the tiger. It looked even more like White Blaze up close, still it seemed more ferocious. Its claws were longer, like its teeth and it also wore armor over its body. Ryo reached his hand out to the armor as it gleamed a brilliant gold. They continued on up the stairs until they reached the container next to the tiger. It held a tall girl with long hair reaching her back. She –like that tiger- didn't look happy to be there. There was a bandana on her forehead with a lot of slack in the back a little longer than her hair. Her clothes looked something like what the angels wear now as well.
Orion looked at his wardrobe, then at this girl.
"She can't be!" Orion rasped, and gulped down a breath quickly. He leaned forward looking at her plaque and gasped. Ryo quickly looked at the plaque.
Arigazi
Ruler of the Skies
Ryo wondered what it meant, then he remembered Zoë telling him a story about the ruler of all angels who called herself Arigazi. She was a kind and gentle ruler, but she had died thousands of years ago in a battle over the Skies: A place where the angels had perfect rights to be, but warrior demons wanted it for their own. It had started a war, but Arigazi was the one to finish it and banish them away. She never came back from the battle, but everyone praised her for her great abilities in every category. She was therefore deemed, Ruler of the Skies.
Ryo gasped and looked into Orion's frightened eyes.
"How could anyone have captured the great and powerful Arigazi?" He questioned his voice breaking.
"Orion!" Ryo pointed to the next container, holding Zoë. He rushed over watching her float there. He felt very helpless. She dawned her wings and her angelic apparel, but she only looked like her shell was there. Her soul was somewhere else it seemed. Ryo looked around to the last eight containers. An elf inhabited one, an over sized wolf in another, a dragon coiled up in another, and the last five containers held, to Ryo's horror, his friends!
Those cylinders held no water though. The five sat in the cases asleep around the thrown. Seiji, Rowen, Cale, Sekmet, and Yuli. Dais, Kento and Sye were not there. He assumed they had gotten away, but how did the Wraiths get them here so fast? Orion and Ryo both looked up as they heard clapping and saw a figure started to walk down the steps out of the shadows. The Ronins awoke as he walked by them. Ryo scowled and Orion tried to rush up and be near Ryo's side, but with a wave of this man's hand Orion was frozen. Ryo stepped back a few steps and bumped into Arigazi's tank.
He didn't want to come into contact with this shadowy figure and growled when the man got close to him. He stepped out of the shadows and leaned closer to Ryo who called his power as a Ronin to him. The man smiled.
"Your power is beautiful." He whispered and licked his lips.
"You like it so much?" Ryo turned up the heat so much it affected the girl in the tank he leaned against. She warily opened her eyes and saw Ryo burning up his power. She felt the warm rays and the power he was giving off. Her own power started to return and she started to move around. The supposed statue of a tiger at her side started to move, making it seem as though it weren't a statue. Some of the gold on his fur broke away and he could growl again.
The man looked around at this, his green eyes flashing hatred. His thin body clenched in fear and anger. Seeing everyone around Ryo start to recover. He turned back angrily and called his Wraiths down from the ceiling with a swish of his hand. Hundreds of Wraiths surrounded them all. The Ronins inside the containers stood up afraid for Ryo. The Wraiths grabbed a hold of Orion keeping him from moving and they grabbed Ryo even tighter. One of them hit him in his gut so hard his knees buckled. The man turned to the Wraith and threw him in the other direction with a wave of his hand.
"Let the boy be! You will not harm him!" The man calmed down and smiled at Ryo again, who looked at him scowling and trying to get a breath into his now bruised lung.
"Sparticus!" Orion yelled. "Why have you taken all of these living beings hostage?" He screamed, fighting against the Wraiths holding onto his arms.
"My dear, Orion!" He sarcastically grunted. "You have tried to take after that witch Arigazi and rule over the angels, but it will not be so! I will rule over them all and use this army I've created to do it with. Each creature with their own abilities, I can manipulate their moves with a potion I've created and I'll use them against anyone who stands in my way. I will rule over this world. You just watch!" Sparticus laughed maniacally.
A/N: PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even if you think I'm an evil maniacal bitch. Tell me what you think of my OC's???????? Who is your favorite character so far in the story? I'd appreciate it, even if you don't want to really write anything in the review if you could just write a name. I would love you forever.