The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Book I: War

The Challenger: Why does the Sentinel move without restrain? Why is the sword fired to hot iron and hammered too thin. We hold no truth in us any more; it dies with the loss of Serenity.

Andramlec: To what do you deny? Is the fistful vigor lost in the torrent to which we live? Let there not be fear in those come here. Fear is the mind killer. It lives only in the eyes of the Weaker. To let all go to here desire. Let the bonds be broken and the unity lost? Let all come to beckon here on the steps of subterfuge. If you so desire!

The Challenger: To what do you hold now? The death in amber comes from the end of time. The Dragon waits with its talons stretched over the pool. Dismay lives and silence of destruction will prey us all!

Andramlec: To what do we hold death? You see me on the steps of flame and you call for Armageddon. The end will never come while the truth lives the whole. We keep our own. To all who seek and all who pain this place lives as life and rebirth for the dying. Why do you fear the archer? Why does the death of the Weaker come close to your soul?

The Challenger: I live as the mountain. We live; as the mighty rock of ages we held the metal of the cosmos and the heart of the world. We are worn away by the steps of subterfuge stocked by the Assassins! Our walls stay strong but our heart is mined of its power. We cry from our soul and spill blood on the white shore that has been turned black! Lies have beckon truth and the true lies have lived with us. Cast them down! Cut this rope and give us our wings!

Andramlec: The mountain stays strong with the fuel of the fist. We live as the gods of the Weaker and give power to them. The death is false. The fear is false. Live to live, not to die. Open your eyes to the world of which you speak. What was is not longer true. Truth was born a new with the soul of the Godsend. You speak of death as if it rules me. See the fire behind. See the eternal power of the glory of or deeds. To be the mightiest is to be the Lord. Truth was made by those who live not by those who are dead.

The Challenger: The death has you in its grip as you lie to me now and you lie with the machine clear in your eyes. I challenge for your reason. I challenge for his reason! To live is to die. I challenge for the righteousness that is our spirit!


Tanneth bent low, reminding himself of all the old principles of swordsmanship. The five basics, thrust and blow deflect and counter, all of which he had not practiced for years upon years, and his opponent had the speed and the shrewdness the rivaled many of his peers when he was of a young age, but that was very long ago. He pulled the black up, forcing a strong attack toward his opponent's neck. He always the same moves over and over Justin different fashion at first when he thought. Devise the best way to beat the defense and great around the offense and stick to it, unless forced to change was the common practice among dominion swordsmen. Some with in the ranks practiced that it made them to predictable to other elites, even when no domino swordsman had ever fallen to a none dominion. Still, all the variations of the basic skills and attacks were made fresh in their minds. Each variation unto itself was a different maneuver. Commando units, elite in all forms of hand-to-hand warfare, had the most brutal training of the sword. With that they were the best of all swordsmen to live. Stories echo through even to that day, in the dominion ranks of greatest of the commando arm. The amazing speed their blows came with amazing force and cut all in the way down. Only a few in the Legionnaires boast enough skill to compete with a commando swordsman. It was rumored that Praetor Warlock was the only commander to best a commando with a sword. Yet he was legend among all the dominion. Tanneth knew as the swung round the strike at the legs of his opponent his skill was most likely greater than whom he was fighting, but the sheer speed of the attacks, the sharp blocks, and the ingenious counters made his more weary of the fire demon he versed in combat. In strength he was no comparison to the old commando, but quickly he found a technique which had allowed him to hold his own up until that point which Tanneth decided to cripple him into submission.

He needed the demon alive, and in fairly good health. He knew plenty of ways to do that. Flipping back and over, he watched as the demon took a new stance pointing the tip of the blade at Tanneth. He breathed heavily and despite the extreme cold he was sweet almost like he had fever. He was not nervous but definitely anxious about the break in the combat. What now? I don't know what he is, or who he is so I can't exactly predict what is to come. This is the worst idea I jumped into. Whatever it is suppose to do, Shuro, Do it! His partner or rather the demon which had convinced him into the combat seemed to just be watching as the two duke it out over the whit snow, which then had trails of blood over the powder.

Kevin Spite some out but didn't take his eyes away. He knew by that time that he could bat the demon on his won but he still needed to buy more time from him. The cold determination of his stare wasn't helping either. He noticed that his arm was shaking from the exhaustion of blocking his attacks. He was stronger than he had ever thought a demon could, but he still had chance.

Like before, he readied a fire ball to throw so he could avoid whatever was coming. He doubted it would work a second time, but anything was less than a fifty-fifty chance of working, and at least that had had worked once for him. He scrapped the last bit of strength from his arm and focused it into his hand. His lost focused as he did. He blinked once to straighten them out. This was very bad considering what kind of speed he had seen in the opening attack. Doubt in his mind came to a certainty; he wasn't going to able to dodge the next one.

Tanneth wasn't sure what to make of his opponents fatigue; he felt that his energy was waning, but it was still enough to give him some trouble. He knew the demon was likely to have slowed to the point where he could easily run him down. He scolded himself mentally to charge him and crush his neck into the ground. It would be so simple fore him. True he was suffering from a wound made by Sincion, but he was dominion, this one, was apparently only half fire demon. Why am I giving charity even at moment? This is risky for me, and he tired and beaten. He can barely hold his sword. It will soon be over no matter what I do, I'll fight him until he falls on his own blade. The speed and power of the demon was great like a dominion but it lacked greatly in longevity. It was then a battle till Kevin fell from extreme exhaustion and the victor was already decided.

From his vantage point in the sky Shuro saw the futility which he had put his friend on the line and he ached for it. But he was ready to step in when the timing was right. When he would turn the tide of the battle from the demon's favor. He was hoping for something to be revealed in the conflict but with each attack that had gone though his eyes, that hope faded. The storm was nearly ready to be set free. His skill with the art was as beast as it could have been, he knew, and it was taking longer to ready it, especially with the extra burden of maintaining his won absence from the demon's senses. Glancing another look to the ground bellow his feet, he the drawn out aura of Kevin start to wane at last, and he knew time was set against him then. He was close to victory yet if he was one moment to soon or late it could no or little effect in helping his firry friend.

The demon himself was imposing to him. It was how he noticed him. The strange way the sky gave to his mind as he walked through the world. He had felt it a few times before in his life. It always frightened him in avoiding the creature or even running in fear. This hit him as he flew in the air heading to one of his favorite cities. It hit as a wave hitting a shore. It sent down and down all the way to the Earth, where he laid motionless for hours. When his strength came back, he knew the force to be that not of a human or demon; of what he needed to know. Feeling his old friend close he called upon him for help. Though he kept his truth hidden and used the opportunity to also reopen the fire demon's mind to the world. He was sure he had succeeded until then, when he saw the true strength of the entity. With such power and strength to wield how could Kevin beat him? He planned then to bring the force of thunder upon him and paralyze him, even if only for a second, it could be enough for a beaten Kevin to make a crippling move. This entity was the key; he knew it and he must have it.

Tanneth went low in preparation. He needed none of the dominion powers to win at that point. He chose the simple strategy of cutting off his offense and there of knock him senseless and then beat information out of him about the whereabouts of the other assassins and Sincion himself if he so knew. His finger gripped the hilt firm. Kevin could barely see anything as it came and stuck him down. He might as well have disappeared and reappeared. He felt a sharp strike into his elbow making his fingers num, and knocking Glamdring from his hands. He then he felt the familiar touch of a fist in to the back of the neck. Right below the collar bone. It was like he was freed from his body. For just a moment he felt nothing and heard nothing, but the curses of his own mind. The snow felt warm as it mixed with is red blood, boiling with adrenaline. He was so spent. He felt like a huge weight sitting idle, like there was no possibility of him ever moving again.

The sight was pitiful to Tanneth, most of all. He lay there spread out. His arms stretched wide and as limp as new born child. Not that long before he had been having stiff competition in swordplay. It seemed that anyone caught off guard is as helpless as an infant. He gripped the fire demon by his hair and pulled his face out of the blood. He coughed and spat while Tanneth released him to fall to his knees.

"Now if you want to live to see another sun rise fire demon, I would like to know of the contract that has sent you to find me."

So he thinks I'm a bounty hunter, and more importantly that I am lone. Kevin looked up and about to see if he could spot Shuro, but the storm wizard wasn't to be seen. He felt Tanneth's hand secure by the neck and he was lifted form from the ground. "Now, before you run out enough air to speak."

Kevin was about to answer when he heard the clap. It was long and thunderous. Hit like a huge explosion in the sky. Tanneth dropped Kevin and stood away. He was deceived! There was another with him. He looked through the sky by the flashes blacked his sight from focusing on the flyer. Bolts rained down hitting the land and sending chocks into Tanneth through the ice. He fell to his knew from the sting. It wasn't bad enough to kill, but it still was extreme pain to him. He closed his fist and one light sphere came to life from the air. He opened and closed the sphere in his fist before releasing it into the air. It split into several smaller spheres, creating a volley of energy flying in the air.

Shuro increased the pressure around him and the gust created traveled toward the blasts slowing them down so he could fly up. The sphere went aimlessly off course crashing into each other and making a magnificent explosion. Kevin recalled seeing the detective using energy as that but nothing to that scale. He watched in awe, and ducked his head down from the sting. A cut had formed on his brow. It bled freely from the head as if it was war wound. Tanneth searched everywhere for the other demon. He jumped from the ground and onto a clean rock. He saw him, suspended in the air by controlling the wind. He knew of demons such as that. He drew back and shot a black arrow streaming with blue energy at him. Like a missile it flew locked on to the target specified by Tanneth. Shuro released the current around him and let himself fall to Earth. He heard the wail of energy behind him and broke into a run when his feet touched the ground. The arrow stayed true and detonated its power above the demon of storms. Shuro felt himself being lifted from the aground and then fall back again rolling along the snow, helpless to his momentum. He put out his arms and gripped anything around to stop himself. He rolled until a stone broke his speed. He then felt a horrible sting on his back. Reaching back he felt the red blood flow free from open wounds. He tried to lift himself but every movement of his limb began to cause him anguish. H e gave up trying to run as the entity stood over him. His eyes shone not the look of malice but of anger. He brought up his sword to finish off the annoyance when he instead turned around to stop another attack from slicing him open on the back.

Somewhere in the pain of hid own defeat Kevin found the strength to regrip Glamdring and turned the blade to combat Tanneth. He launched at him with his sword held high to slice the head away from Tanneth's neck. Tanneth's sword met his like wall stopping him in place. Wow, He is strong. He wasted no time staring at his opponent. He jumped back slashing across at the black blade. Tanneth pushed off his right leg to launch him at the Kevin, parrying the attacks they came.

Push back his arm and break his stance!

Tanneth wrenched up the tip, throwing Glamdring from Kevin's hands. Kevin saw what was going to happen. He needed to move or he would be pinned to the ground by his superior muscle. He already had readied his counter. He flame set in his hand came to life again and glided into the open chest of Tanneth. His armor protected him from such uses but it was enough to slow, giving Kevin the time push of with his hand from the snow and slid to his weapon. Grasping the hilt he stood ready to meet the next onslaught of blows.

I'll annoy him with some firey tactics, and then see what I can to break that armor, and to slow his speed. Kevin tried to judge on how to do that. Long before the moment he suspected that he was capable of a speed ten times that of which he boasted then. To Kevin it was a life or death chance now to weaken him to a point which he could win, and hopefully with the help of the released Shuro could that happen. I'll reveal some of my other tricks now, but I have to save my trump car when he is most vulnerable. Eh, how much can that armor take? He in all his fights had seen some tough specimens. The black armor that most high level demons were so found of was the toughest he knew of, but the material used for Tanneth's he knew of now metal or composite material to use for it. It was unworldly for certain, and whatever he was he had to break it with some sort of heat.

The flame had not hurt Tanneth at all. He almost found the heat comforting to his overworked body. He hjad giving the demon his full creadit he had some shrewd techniques, that stopped even a dominion commando in combat. He had great skill that could be fostered not something of a greater nuisance in the future to one of his kind. Still he had no reason to threat victory was still firmly in his hands at that point He remembered the other demon that had used lightning against him. He turned and saw that he was still gasping because of the pain on the ground. He wasn't too much of a threat but still he needed this to end quickly and a tag team demon offensive was not going to speed things up. But first off he had to immobilize the fire demon boasting a red blade. His strategy of breaking the speed of the demon then pinning him to the ice was seeming to be undersating the demons slyness. Tanneth hated when other s played coy with him. He truly wanted a show of pure muscle at this point but the call of information to which they both held was too important to his longer term needs. I may to break some bones after all. He should live unless he allows me to grasp his neck. Tanneth knew what limg to go for as well, and he would use a different speed that time.

Kevin could see the calculating maneuvers shooting light electricity through his yes. He had to distrupt that somehow, and what better way to attack fist then. He kept ready a fall back power just incase he decided to use some of his own energy attacks. He began simply, running straight at his opponent and then ducking to the left and attacking across. Once he heard the clang of the two blades, he twisted the body over bring the attack again but with a stronger force. Glamdring that time skipped free of the black blade and he brought out and up to swing down at the dominion. Tanneth moved to the side with a reaction time that surprised Kevin, it seemed almost precognetal. Like he knew what he was to do. Tanneth could have ended it then and there with a quick turn around and thrust into the gut, ending Kevins life quickly and painlessly but he was waiting until he could deal pain rather than death. War was his craft and Kevin was learning that the hard way.

When the black blade stopped Glamdring he slid it to the right, free of the blade and landed a kick to Tanneth's armor. Tanneth didn't even try to stop this he let the kick throw him a step back, still waiting for the right opening.

Kevin was feeling the fatigue of his muscles from his previous beating and the lightning had struck him as well, stealing more adrenaline from his muscles. He wouldn't keep this volley of blows up for long. The time he was buying was till too small for Shuro to counter with something, and he was moving fast enough to where it could end for him and Shuro very soon if he were to judge even slightly off. He could still imagine how he could win though all he needed was few second where Tanneth was preoccupied enough to where he needed some seconds to react. Though then it wasn't looking that grand.

Tanneth was relaxed at this time. He needed not show his speed until he got the clear form his opponent. Still even with his despising of demons he could appreciate the skills which they had mastered from his kind. Most of what hey knew came from dominion knowledge. Most demons themselves had some origin with the dominion. Only the few that rebelled constantly and fought back freciously did they ever mar for extinction. The black demons that dwelled in some of the deeper regions of Makai were the one who kept much animosity towards them. The higher the strength they had the more arrogance and hatred seemed to come with them. These attacked them constantly only to be over killed each time. Like many others they couldn't accept the superiority of he dominion to their race, and thus the hatred came alive. These bred with other lower races and made a mixed race of beings who soul joy was to see a dominion fall. It was this behavior that earned them the name demon, which the Master himself had called one of them when he stood before the glory of the steps. After the Master died and the Dominion was no more. The suppression of demons in Makai was given up and all of the older ones were se free form their cells. They bred like flies and quickly devoured the beauty which the Dominion had created out of their home. This most of all the demons earned the hatred of the Dominion, and Tanneth was no different in that respect. But, any other, including the level minded Bashar and the hot tempered commando Gaol, would not stand to let a demon fight one of them. Kevin would have died instantly it was any other. He might have still if Tanneth hadn't decided he could be useful.

Through most beings pumped the blood of life. A force which; make there body naturally humble, and loving in nature. It is a making of soul the loved peace, and sweet serenity. This was not true for Tanneth. From birth, it was amplified by years of hard discipline and even harder pain. Wrought into every cell very molecule and every bit of energy that flowed fiercly in his eyes, was war. Bred for war he was. Him along with many others before him. It was a true example of the Masters design which torn the once superior to all masters, into the docile and anger driven dominions. All the other things which others of the Dominion had and shared he was barred from at the moment when he was conceived in the mind of the Master. Though he, himself, had not thought of ever creating one that could evolve far enough to usurp him. Tanneth was the rue warrior, perfect in all respect if you discount the injury he suffered at the time of that battle. He loved war and could not live without it, but something else had awakened inside him that never had or would for Gaol, Jean, Ambrose, or Amon. Maybe it was because of the deaths of three of them, that could awake something, thought commandos were meant not to have those many conflicts. Even with an anomaly inside of him the war in his blood drove him to love the battles he had, and never realsie in a quick victory.

Kevin didn't stand down for long and brought up quickly to attack Tanneth again, and again. Two swipes at the brace which he though might free the armor if it was cut. He never hit it find out. Tanneth seemed to easily stop him. Okay, it seems that I need something to change this or his going to pounce me into the snow! He tried multitasking, which he wasn't the best at, but could do it well enough to survive a battle with a giant from the Rockies tow years before then. Though, Tanneth would not be that slow to react. He focused heat onto his blood blade, Glamdring. He bent it low as he did so, and his crimson fire came to life around it. He swung a little lower to melt the snow behind Tanneth's legs. Then with a furry of volleys, he thrashed his blade down over and over again with all the muscle he could bring forth from his muscles. Tanneth kept firm with each time, not minding the flame on the blade. He stepped back twice and let his foot slide forward on the ice. He felt him self fall and saw the relief on Kevins then it was time to use his speed.

Kevin as surprised it had worked so well. He began to have more confindence in his power, perhaps too much for the opponent he had. He knew this chance wasn't going to just come out and show it self again. So he brought Glamdring and came down while the black blade was out of range to block in time. He didn't have the imagination at that time to invision what Tanneth had next to show him in terms of power and speed.

Tanneth made no attempt to block the attack, sense it was soon going to be of no consiquence to him. He took his free hand and his opposite leg, garbing firm hold of Kevin so quickly he didn't realize till after. With a jerk Kevin found himself no longer attack but helpless in fight about to smack in the snow. He did so with a several bounces and then rolled over before he threw himself back to his feet. His eyes came back to focus from the tumble then he saw what he had only had glimced before. Tanneth moved in a blur. Like his body for the time he was traveling was not in their time conitnuim. The black blade was raised high ready to smite him into dust. He stepped sway just in time. The attack created a wave of momentum once it was stopped. It tore into the ice sending shards which flew into Kevin's eyes. Then another verticle strike came hitting the ground he dead on as he narrow escaped it. He then felt and sharp hit to his face and heard the cracking of his jaw clearly in his head. Then Tanneth finished the attack by grabbing his arm and pulling it out till he heard the joints separate and the ligament disengage from the bone. Kevin he was finished then. He could use that arm effectively even if put up with all the pain it would give. His speed would so sort handed he would be as simple as hitting a tree for his opponent to win. It was all up to his companion, Shuro, to save them, and that wasn't looking to great at that point.

Tanneth ad him now his would concede if he was wise, and would continue to try and fight he was true bull headed demon. It didn't matter at all then, what he planned to do to retaliate against him.

Shuro by that time had moved from his previous vulnerable position and had taken up another one. This one was not of combat though. He held in his hands a aura of lightning which seemed to catch Tanneth's attention. Tanneth starred at him staright, he knew hat he trying at point negotiate. He wondered what he was trying to pull though. The sphere might pose a small danger to him, that wasn't a huge edge for negotiating. He looked nervous though. Incredbilly nervous, it was almost as he was looking into the blank face of death. Maybe to him, he really was.

He began to speak with firm but beneath the surface, timid voice. "That's enough. It's obvious we can't best you in combat, even with my powers." The aura in his hand grew stronger which caught Tanneth's eye. "You might be interested to know, that I am responsible for all this bad weather you have been expiencing. The snow storm, the lightning, but I wasn't the one who sent fireballs from a red halo in the sky."

"I suppose you are going to ask me what it was."

"I do ask you that, and I asked who are you, what it s your race and your class in power?"

"Are those the questions that you need to ask at this moment?" Tanneth walked slowly toward him. Shuro stepped back twice as he did.

"If you must know, I am a worshiper of nature. The god of the humans has called one in particular of evil. What I felt in the sky seemed as ancient or even older than night itself. It overwhelmed me with its power. I heard confusion and he cry of someone young and wail of pain of someone older than. I fell far from the sky and was at the mercy of my own demons which had been set free. The force which did that, I know to of animosity only. It was a malice that was seen only once before in the world and will be seen only once again. You know of what I speak of. It is written in many different languages in many different scriptures. When it happened I felt you too. I felt the war of life flow in you. It was only for a moment. But there were others as well s you. Who are they? What is coming? Those are the questions which I can't get out of me. I need you to give the reason for it. I called upon Kevin for is one strongest I know. I needed to get you too listen to me. Please hear me."

"Mm, I've hard of demons such as yours. You have some power in you. Though the halo in the sky was something which does not concern you. Be assured it will never happen again. I know of what you saw too for it is potent in my dreams. My people are in a state which we are slowly dying. It does not involve you. There are a lot of conflicting forces which we are trying to settle. It is our problem not your."

"But still I need to now of what is coming. I have some sight, though I doubt it would be as great as what you can tell. I see your name in the future, along with three others. Four names, four others yourself, these circumstances are telling of something truly massive for all."

"Please, you are buying into ancient dogma which is all but allusions to a past which will never come to life again. I will make sure of that. I will spare you and if you wish this poor demon. Just tell me who told of me. Who told you my coming in this world?"

"I found you on my own, I later knew of the entity which was more powerful than any who came after him. I connected the dot s if you must know."

Within flash of sound Tanneth was standing face to face with Shuro and holding him by the neck. "But whom did? I am on the run form those who could destroy this world and any other that is in their way of completing their objective, which I gurantee will sum up your fears quite nicely. Who told you to come for me and what s Sincion up to?"

"That's what I need to know too."

Tanneth shot his head around to see who spoke. Someone had approached him with him noticing. It wasn't the first time but always gave him a shock to the nerves. When used to seeing things coming the more one is surprised when something comes beneath their nose. He looked around and met the eyes, of the spirit detective himself Yusuke.

"Hey how's the weather been for ya?" That was enough to make Tanneth want to silence his cocky attitude. He wasn't alone either. Five others stood around him and starred down at him from the bluff. "I have to say you are tough to catch up with. I guess it hard for anyone to keep in touch with you. By the way my name is Yusuke Urameshi, and you are under arrest."

It was not a smart move for Yusuke. An annoyed Tanneth only made the fight last shorter, since he is more inclined to kill.

"You come here with the predesposition you're going to be able to defeat me. Yusuke Urameshi. I know of whom you work for and that he must have told you all about me."

"The little brat Koenma told me of your little invasion a while back, and That's about it. Now you can come quietly or you will do this the hard way."

"You are an idiot, and you will die soon if you make one move towards me. I'll have no regrets leaving you to bleed on this ice."

Another voice came at him which he knew all to well. "It might not be as simple as you always seem put things into Tanneth. Then again, it may be even more simplier than that."

"Kyra," Tanneth spoke the name with an odd sense of relief and annoyance. Of course the pair could trace back their history to the days which he worked form Sentenal and she was the most infamous terrorist to exist, ironically.

She kept a certain degree of sterness when spoke, but she could never resist getting the nerves of Tanneth even more fired than they had been before. Tanneth himself was certainly fired up then, one by the insolence of a weak human, and the nagging of Kyra.

"Please Tanneth we have known each other so long and you barely take a look at me. All right, if you want to get to business. I helped him find you because there is a point you seem to missing all this time."

"Whatever could that be, Kyra daughter of Osiris?" Tanneth was angry then. The presence of the detective was enough, but Kyra was something he did not always have the patience for.

"That Sincion has you in his grip, and tightly at that! Can you not see he needs only the slightest vision of prescience before comes Argon like a hammer down on you! You need help and you accept none!"

"Who would help me?! The Dominion is a slip bunch of sub0federations now. They won't listen to the logic of any one!"

"There is help outside of dominion ranks, Tanneth! Or are you so bellow who you were that you can't see it?!"

"What help, humans, demons, most despise and they are of now aid."

"They can help. The other races are not as inferior as you always seem to think of them I never thought you to be so like Warlock in everyway!"

"They can give us aid, like they helped you in the revolution?!"

"Yes, for once let go of your pride!"

"We have solved on our own they can't even think of what is to done."

"Look where we are, Tanneth, and see that there that we must call for others to come."

"Enough of this, they can not help me or us more than help themselves besides what ever powers this mock up of a warrior can produce."

"More than you think. You have lived too long in the Moonscare there is a lot more to these younger than you think. You must see how much humans parallel dominions If you don't it seems that commandos do die young."

Tanneth remained silent to his once close companion. He never wanted to admit it but he id see the similarities as we have in the past of his thoughts. His eyes looked away from Kyra.

"Please hear me. You will let he give you assistance at least. These demons have skills we can't use, they can show us more of what we know."

Tanneth turned his haze toward Yusuke then. "These pitiful creatures can't beast Sincion, nor will they measure up to Argon. They rip through them like leaves. I am trying to put the risk of this only on me."

"Which you have done very well but it is about to be the end of you. He is too powerful now for you to take on. What remains of the Contingency is very willing to destroy what ever he wants. They also have a dislike of you or have you forgotten?"

"And you would have them fall with me?"

"No, because if we take their help we should not lose against Sincion in this war pf assassins."

Tanneth stood silent for a moment taking in all the chaos of their argument. He was wrong he knew. He was to die at Sincion's hands but not before stealing his life away as well. Could these lower races have chance? He thought of Mel then, the shadow demon which they employed as a spy. She could with some of them. Tanneth looked to Yusuke again. There was something to him he knew. Perhaps enough to challenge him. If he is as strong as these demons maybe they could. No, this is my fight.

"I will take on my own. And I won't fail. All of you can leave your efforts are worthless."

With a deep sigh, Kyra nodded to Yusuke.

"Okay, plan B."

Within a few seconds a blinding flash of blue light came thundering through the cold air. Tanneth moved quickly and the blast hit the snow, sending showers of ice through the air. Yusuke couldn't see Tanneth. He knew he missed, which was bad, and worse he had given him perfect cover to hide. So that's why she said not to. He had earlier been warned by Kyra not to use any of his energy attacks early on or often against him. He jumped down from the bluff of snow and ran into the fray of falling ice. It thick enough to where he couldn't see his hand front of his face, but that meant Tanneth couldn't see either. He calmed his senses and tried to feel to where he was. That for the most didn't work. The crashing of ice against the ground made hearing his approach impossible. She said I only need to stun him for a moment. How can I do that without seeing him. The vapor of the superheated water was too thick to see.

A moment later Yusuke felt huge force speeding like it was a bullet. He didn't waste time to thin of what it was but it was too late to escape. Tanneth landed the hilt of his black blade onto his back. Yusuke could feel in price the hilt as though it were a knife. He flipped over once then hit the round and tumbled until he smacked his head against a rock flinging him up and then crashed in a glorious landing on his neck. The dust began to settle by then and he saw Kyra standing there.

"I expected better than that."

"Just give me a moment I was caught off guard," he snapped back as he clumsily got to his feet.

"We don't have for you to frolock with him. Someone will be here soon."

"What?! Who?"

She didn't answer. She stepped for ward and fingered the bald dagger, jkeeping it low so that he wouldn't see.

"So now you will try and stop me?"

"No, I will succeed."

Tanneth bent low knowing that she favored a speedy opening he didn't have to take the first rush. With the bald dagger well hidden him her palm she rushed forward in a run faster than he thought she would open with but he dodged none the less. He brought the black blade around and tri to hit off balance with the dull side of the black blade. She jumped and pushed off the tip as it passed. Flipping over his shoulder she mocked him with a kick to the back of the head and the abdominium. It barely stunned him and grabbed he wrist and wrenched her forward, trying to knock he defense open so he could stop her. She let the force throw her about twenty paces back then stopped firm.

How do I do this? He is weaker but his defense is just unbreakable as ever. She had only a moment to come up with a strategy before he was her with a diagonal strike with the black blade. Kyra felt cut into her and she winced in pain as she fell back. She felt the snow rush over her face as her back slid on the ice. She covered the bleeding wound as she stopped with her hand as she stood. He thigh had been cut and it was dangerously large.

Tanneth saw the blood with disbelief. That wasn't meant to be done.

"What'd you do?!" he shouted before he noticed the bald blade in the snow, and the small scrape in his hand that held the black blade. It was too late for him then. He felt the paraltsys coming swiftly. His veins pertruded from his skin turning black in a horrific scene. His eyes went pale and he tried to call out but only a gargled growl came form him. He dropped the black blade and then fell back into the snow.

It all came again, the sting of defeat at his hands. Lying powerless on the floor as his master hands wielded his strings like the true puppet he was. No muscle responding and no nerve receiving. All removed from his grasp as another took control. The toxin was fast indeed for all who shared his flaw. Tanneth let it come upon him, almost embracing it like a man on dyer's eve. He knew the truth and wait he must until it wore off him, so he could act again. The light of world to him a vibrant flouresance turned to gray as did his thoughts in only the next moment of his fall. He let it be then, and let sleep come to his eyes once again as he was spent.

Fell to the ground holding her bleeding wound as it flowed freely from her artery. It was potentially lethal, she knew. It was her hope that the detective would had been a much more challenging opponent for the hardened Tanneth, but she should have known better. She told herself that over and over again as the blood did not stop. Help was there at her side then. The fox had come to press he leg with her, and his hand as well turned red, as all the world was turning red to Kyra. When her mind recovered from the blow of the attack, she saw all the others standing there is disbelief. They all were concerned with her rather than there new prisoner. As touching as that might have been, Kyra would not have it.

"Idiots! That won't keep down forever get his secured and carry him along!"

"But…," was the general response that came back.

"Don't argue. I'll be fine on my own, you red headed dog! Now use your skill and bind him before others come that I will not be able to take on." She grasp from her a waist a small round packet. She fisted her hand a round it and cut open a hole near the wound. Once the packet made contact with the cold skin, it went to boil instantly then to a hot incineration. Kyra screamed as the wound slowly came to melt shut. She writhed on the ground betting her limb against all her all body parts, then twisted painfully as the last heat subsided. Almost as though she was out of shock she stood up. She felt it as due punishment for her lack of judgment, or more lack of planning. Tanneth could only be beaten by handful of strong other dominion in his lifetime. She was powerful, but his defence was almost perfect. There was no real way to break it. Thus she let the attack come close, and struck at the open pace. It was no where near enough to kill him, but she only needed to touch him with the gray blade, and let the volital toxin find its way to his spinal system. It was painful chance for her to take, for anyone of any stature to take. She did move far enough to move for the lethal nature of the striker's attack. It was just close enough to graze his skim, but not far enough to get away. It would and fight her the next day she knew as it would begin to grow back at the day's open. By then she would have Tanneth somewhere Sincion could not imagine with his power.

"Okay, the hell do you want him?" Yusuke carried the commando on his back and seemed to be struggling with it as well. She saw him and took no notice to his anger at her. She starred over and over the snow covered hills, her eyes never stopping to actually look at the detective.

"Get him over the small ridge, now!"

"What is wrong? He's not going to run anywhere now," Kuwabara asked not guessing what Kyra was looking for.

"We're not going be along for that much longer!"

She led the way. She could have beaten even Hiei at an open un but she let them pass so she could. See the area they were leaving. It was much longer than she wanted. She never enjoyed working with other races but they did get the job done no matter how much they nearly lost it during the process of. The ridge was very low indeed and it didn't serve for great protection form anything, but that wasn't what she needed. It his hid them from the previous area well enough for it to work.

"Keep your asses down, everyone. You will all be fine as long as don't shout or snese or do anything for that matter."

"Okay before we start to play hide and seek, why don't you tell us the fuck are we suppose to be afraid of," Yusuke's head had become red enough to where some woud have guessed it was going to explode. Kyra glanced at him once then continued to fiddle with a small device she had. "Did you not hear me!?"

"I don't know."

"What," was the unanimous response.

"I don't know, and we don't need to find out right now."

She stopped assembling the device and then laid still peeking the back of her head over to see.

He stood silent, holding his metallic staff firm. He saw the tracks were fresh and saw were the led. It wasn't anything to him, though the other agent was hiding well. Kyra saw the colors he wore. She seen them sparingly and knew what they meant, but she didn't believe the meaning was true then. Nor did Kyra expect anything to be common with him and Sincion. She was sure he saw the falseness of the disguise but he wasn't acting. Her heart raced as he paced the area. He stopped once and then removed a pack of snow. He let it set in his palm before letting the lifeless ice fall to lifeless ice. H smiled then. In the next moment he no longer stood there. Kyra searched for him but he was gone not just from the area but the entire square mile in which she was. Another party with interest in this is bad, and judging from his demeanor, he was an old sub-sect conspirator. He could be more dangerous than all of Argon's might. She was right in her assumption but it was all too late, all too late to stem the tide.

I didn't plan to put this chapter up for this is really only a fragment of what it was going to be, but it ended up that it probably would have gone into 20,000 words and I didn't thin of that as a good enough excuse to keep you guys waiting. Please, please review. I know a lot of you may not have much to say but some praise or mentioning a problem is good enough. Going over my sentences I'm finding loads of problems and mistakes, please tell me when you see them.

It may be a while till the next one. I'm starting a big project which will take up a great deal of writing time. So please be patient.

Thank you for reading.