Chapter 3: The Search Begins

Dakota Roxann Wind-Song watched the dark starless night with growing concern. "The power of dark spirits' threatens this land…Can nothing be done to stop them?"

As the young Lakota princess pondered the fate of her people, a soft humming sound was heard as a huge white opaque orb suddenly appeared in the sky overhead. Slowly five smaller orbs emerged and clung to it for a moment before they were launched out in different directions.

Thunder and lightning danced in the sky overhead as the dark blue orb swiftly passed by the field and gently settled down on the outskirts. The wind sighed as a crack slowly split the orb into several pieces and crumbled away, revealing a young man in a white kimono with dark blue hair.

Suddenly it began to pour and the young man slowly opened his eyes and sat up. "Where…where am I? What happened to me?" As if to answer his question, a loud crackle of thunder was heard accompanied by a vision:

Dreamy Sequence

KABOOM!!!

The soldiers were scattered across the muddy battlefield. A young 16 year-old girl with light blue hair andsilvery eyes stood up amongst them wielding a bo-staff, she slowly walked toward the towering, twisted black mass with fierce determination.

"NO!!" a young 18 year-old boy clad in emerald-green armor cried out, arm outstretched.

"DON'T GO NOW!!" a second called out, wearing sky blue armor.

"WE NEED YOU!!" a third in dark blue armor cried out.

Slowly the young warrior turned to face them with a warm smile on her face. "Don't worry my friends. Where I go, the Tokugawa cannot reach me, or my powers. If I stay here, I would only endanger you all. I couldn't bear it if something were to happen to you, I can no longer let you risk your lives for mine. Be happy and free from this curse. You must now be strong my guardians…my friends. I love you all. Farewell!"

The five young boys watched in silent horror as she turned back around to face the darkness and raced towards it with a mighty war cry. For a few minutes, screams and battle cries could be heard. The young boys watched as their attacks were discharged. Then all of a sudden, everything was still, calm, and quiet.

"NO!! Chiclaria!!!" the warrior in dark blue armor cried out. As he tried to run to the spot where the black cloud once stood, the other four grabbed him and held him back.

"She had no choice," a young boy in yellowish-orange armor said softly as he put a hand on his shoulder. "Let it go."

"But she was my best friend, and now she's gone forever." he whispered quietly as he sat down, and let his head rest upon his knees then began to sob quietly. "It's not fair, she was so young. How can I just let her go?"

"You let her go with the promise of her return." A young boy wearing red armor said as he smiled warmly at his friend.

End Dreamy Sequence

"Chiclaria I will find you…no matter what it takes." He whispered softly as tears welled in his eyes and he clenched his fist in determination. As if to remind the boy of his mission, thunder crackled in the sky overhead. "The others…"

With the grace and agility of a cat, the blue haired boy swiftly leapt down to the ground and took in his surroundings; an endless corn field stretched out to his right, just to the right of the corn field lay a small pond, and a long black river ran just in front of both as green rolling hills playfully ran by the other side of the river. Then he saw a dark green orb laying just to the left of the pond and took off in its direction.

Rowen slowed his pace as he approached the orb and noticed that a soft forest green light emanated from it. Carefully he climbed up the rocky surface of the orb's shell and let himself slip over the side down into the interior. Inside sat Sage with his legs crossed over each other, his hands were clasped together, and he had his head bowed, lost deep in his thoughts.

"Hey Sage you doin' okay?" Rowen asked inquisitively as he gently shook the meditating blonde haired warrior. Slowly he opened his violet eyes and stared unblinking at the blue haired youth in front of him and gave a wry smile.

"Never better…" here Sage trailed off as he looked up at the dark midnight sky overhead. "I'm sorry if I was ignoring you before, it's just that I could hear her. She's close Rowen, I can feel it…"

"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" the two looked at each other briefly before taking off in the direction of the scream that tore through the night sky.