Chapter 7
Kaneda raced back to Renshu's house and to the room that Sharon was in. He slid into the room and skidded to a stop in front of the couch that she lay on. "Well this had better work." He muttered uncapping the flask and kneeling down beside Sharon. He used his free hand to sit her up then he poured the contents of the flask into her mouth.
Sharon swallowed the water then mumbled something.
Kaneda let out a sigh relief and slinked down beside the couch. "Well now that, that is done." He smirked. He reached behind his chest armor and pulled out his book, setting aside the flask. He reached up onto a nearby table and pulled down a lamp and used it so he could see what he was reading. "Ahh, now this is much better."
Katako walked into the room followed by Kayko.
Kayko let out a dreamy sigh as watched Kaneda.
"That is ridiculous..."Katako muttered "how could someone read the same book all of the time?"
"It is a good book is how," Kaneda said not taking his eyes off of the book. "You should try to find a copy."
"No, thank you." Katako smirked "I have better things to do then sit around and read a beat up old book."
Kaneda slammed shut his book. "Why I outta!" He growled jumping up and waving the book around. "Beat up old book nothing! This is the greatest book of all time!"
"Well that is a matter of opinion." Katako said calmly grabbing the book and reading the cover, "anything with a name such as vulgar as "make out Paradise" isn't worth anyone's time."
Kaneda stared to say something back but instead he snatched back his book folded his arms and sat down beside the couch. "Not worth my time...bull." He muttered "this is a whole load of crap.. Can't even relax after I save the day, always have someone riding me..."
"Everything went over well then." Renshu said walking in
"Yes father everything went smoothly." Katako said.
"Good, then all of you should get some rest you are to help us rebuild the wall in the morning." Renshu commanded
"WHA?! I think that we should do what the morning brings.. Which is usually sleep." Mitzuki muttered. "Which I need a lot of now I am pooped."
"Well get it while you can.." Renshu mumbled
"What do you mean?" Mitzuki asked
"You'll see." Renshu said walking out of the room.
"Great...that helps..." Mitzuki sighed
What are you up to Father? Katako thought. What are you planning, or is there a plan that you aren't telling us about.... Whatever it is I doubt that it can be good.
Driretlan couldn't sleep that night; she couldn't get her mind to stop wandering, So she took a walk around the monastery. She came to a large courtyard and sat on a cold stone bench. She sat staring off into the distance thinking, about anything and everything. She felt a bit worried on the condition of Kixston. Which surprised her.
"I wonder what happened to him...It isn't like him to be gone this long for a fight, and I know that he would take his sweet time getting here because he is obsessed with getting to places on time." Driretlan wondered aloud. "Damn Kixston you idiot you had better get here...I don't know what these monks are up to.. But it is freaking me out." Driretlan let out a heavy sigh and laid her head in her hands "who would have guessed that I would stress over that idiot."
A gust of wind caused a little dust devil in front of Driretlan. "I would have thought of it." Jin said walking into the courtyard from the entrance behind Driretlan.
Driretlan turned and looked at him. "Did you have some problems sleeping too?" She asked
Jin shuddered, "To say the least." He muttered remembering the dream that he had about Driretlan and this guy just beating the hell out of her.
"Something wrong?"
"Um.. No.." Jin smiled sitting on the bench next to her.
"Then why do you look It.. Or is it just my imagination...probably is..." Driretlan muttered "My mind has been going crazy tonight anyway."
"As has mine" He paused "....If you don't want to do something that those monks ask you to, then don't. It is your choice."
"I know that..." She sighed "I don't think that they have it in for me or anything, but I am not willing to risk it...you back me up on that right?"
"Yes one hundred percent." Jin smiled
Driretlan let out a heavy sigh and started off into the distance.
She looks sad again...what is she thinking about that is making her upset? Jin thought.
"Dri, what's wrong?" Jin asked
She didn't answer she just looked around the courtyard.
Jin let out a long sigh. "Well if you aren't going to tell me I can't help."
"I don't need help." Driretlan snapped "I need for everything to go back to normal. Don't get me wrong I love fighting but having some new psycho after you daily gets old. I mean if they are going to try to kill me, you would think that they would find different attack styles."
Jin laughed "You know most people would rather have it that no one tried to kill them, but you just want them to use different attack styles."
"Well that is me for you." She sighed. "The sooner that Kixston gets here the better. Then he can explain all of this stuff to me."
"What if he doesn't know anything about this place either?" Jin asked
"Well then we are screwed." Driretlan said dryly.
It was quiet for a minuet and a breeze ran through the courtyard.
"Jin, I've got a question for you." Driretlan muttered
"What is it?" Jin asked
"Well with the way that everything is going lately, I think that I have made a decision about something." She said slowly.
"Yes what is your decision about?" Jin asked
"After whatever is going on blows over. I am just going to travel around the world. I kind of have been stuck on my home since I was little, so I think that I am going to travel." Driretlan chuckled "That is after I do whatever weirdo ceremony that those monks want me to do."
"Is that what you weren't able to sleep?" Jin asked
"No, when I was walking around I heard them talking. it was weird. They kept calling me the descendent of Lady Luludi." Driretlan said "only once did they refer to me as Driretlan. I kind of found it creepy."
[Well at least she knows now, Shuvanis.] Jin said
[There is still allot that I am sure she doesn't know. She probably only knows that she will have to under go a ceremony. But after that they will either send her through a place called the caves of trails, or they will send her to Aviris to train with the high monk there.] Shuvanis explained.
[As long as I can go I am fine with it...or will they allow that?] Jin asked
[It won't be allowed but we will get around that. Both the caves and Aviris are very dangerous, I have been to both places many times in the past. In fact the caves is where the Shuvanis Panch were foraged.]
[That is great, so much for helping.] Jin sighed
"So what do you think Jin, wanna come with me? I know that this all sounds weird, but everything lately has been." Driretlan muttered
"I would love to come with you...but what about Kixston and the others? Are you going to bring them too?" Jin asked
"I have been living with Kixston for a long time, and I kinda want to break free, get away from it all." Driretlan smirked "Find some new challenges, new fights. Everything that has happened lately has made me realize how boring it is to sit around and wait for something that will never come...So I am going to start over, forget the past and use my experience to help me along in my fights."
"Your bent on fighting aren't you." Jin asked
"Fighting is how you decide your destiny. If you win you become stronger, if you lose and aren't killed you also become stronger but at a higher price. But if you are killed, well then that was your destiny. Destiny isn't given it is taken." Driretlan explained
Jin nodded. "I understand."
Driretlan looked at Jin and yawned. "Well I guess that all of this thinking has gotten me tired." She laughed "First I can't sleep because I am thinking and now I am dead tired because I was thinking. how Ironic." She stood up and stretched. "Want to walk back to the rooms with me? I kinda forgot where they were."
Jin smirked "I remember, so I'll walk you." He stood up and they walked out of the courtyard and back into the building.
Kixston slowly drifted back to consciousness. He found him self lying on a cold stone floor with a horrible head ache. He slowly started to sit up but stopped when the searing pain from his muscles stretching shot through his body. "Shit...where am I..." He wondered aloud.
Cronic Hazel walked into the room and a bright light turned on filling the entire room from floor to ceiling with a brightness. "You are in my home, welcome." He chuckled walking from the large stone door way to the center of the room where Kixston lay. The walls were covered in various weapons of every sort and there was a table in the corner of the room where dismantled guns lay.
"Who. who are you?" Kixston asked trying to sit up again, this time ignoring the pain that shot through him.
"You have a horrible memory. I am Cronic Hazel, but call me Cronic...or master if you will." He said dryly pulling a chair over and sitting on it.
"You. you were that guy...on the motorcycle..." Kixston coughed.
"Correct. So your memory isn't so bad after all." Cronic sighed.
"How...did I get...here....and why am I here?" Kixston asked
"Firstly I brought you, and secondly you are here because I need you to be. See at first I just saved you from dieing to piss a few people off. But then it dawned on me that you might serve a better purpose." Cronic explained
"What kind...of purpose?"
"Well, you see since I saved your life and all now you owe me. There is something going on, on the main land soon. It is a little competition for this very special weapon. I want you to get me this weapon. See I would enter that competition myself, but I have other things that I must do when it is taking place. so I want you and your little friends to enter and win."
"What if....they don't want to?" Kixston asked
"Then I kill all of you. See if you don't do this then you still owe me. So I can kill you with out feeling bad about it. Which will tick off your friends and I will have to kill them too." Cronic said "So it is a win situation for me."
"You...have really thought this one over hu?" Kixston muttered "But there is one problem..."
"And what is that?"
"I can't fight......like this so you've...lucked out buddy." Kixston smirked "And even if I could...neither of us know where, 'my friends' are."
"Oh, you know.." Cronic sneered "But you don't want to involve them, listen you don't have to make this hard on yourself. Just tell me where your friends are and I will get you to them. Then I will arrange for you to get to the competition. It is simple."
"Well...you drive a hard bargain.....but you have to make me a deal with in a deal." Kixston coughed
"Listening."
"After we win this for you....you have to leave us alone....got it?"
"I got it. So where are your friends?" Cronic asked
"It depends on which ones you mean. Some are in a village and some are elsewhere." Kixston smirked
"both...we'll get them in the same place." Cronic smirked
This guy is a total idiot. Cronic thought. Once I get that weapon I will be unstoppable and I will kill him and all of his friends, so they cannot interfere with any of my future plans. This whole thing is fool proof, this idiot just doesn't know it.
The next morning came far too early for Driretlan. She woke up to sunlight shining right into her eyes.
"Great," She muttered "Nature's wake up call." She rolled over and looked at Ichigo's bed to see that she was gone. "Well seems as though that I have been abandoned." Driretlan sat up and threw the blankets aside. She got up and spun her legs to the side of her bed, she got up and walked to the door. As Driretlan touched the door knob she remembered her weapons. "Shit...Can't go on with out those, might need me." Driretlan walked over to the side of her bed and bent down reaching for the weapons. They weren't there."What the...I put them there last night, before I fell asleep. I know it..maybe Ichigo took them, for some reason..." She stammered trying to reassure herself that they weren't stolen. Driretlan shook her head and walked out of the room and smacked right into Jin in the hall way. "Watch it......oh it's just you." She sighed
"You look stressed." He said in a nervous tone.
"Yea, my weapons are gone." Driretlan said plainly, she looked at Jin. "Do you mind if I borrow your sword again? I promise I won't burn it to a crisp this time."
"Sure I guess so." Jin smirked uniting the sword and sheath from his back. He handed it to Driretlan and she tied it to her waist.
"What's up with you....you look bugged."
"I am not....not really. The high priest want you, he says that it is time." Jin stammered.
"Oohh...all right." She smirked. Driretlan placed a hand on Jin's shoulder, "Don't worry about it, if I can deal with an army of the undead then I can do some stupid ceremony for a monk."
Jin started to say something then thought better of it.
Only if you have seen what I have seen, maybe then you would quit being so cocky. Jin thought. Let's hope that it isn't anything like Shuvanis's vision.
Driretlan walked down the hall to the main chamber where there were a large groups of monks gathered around a candle lit table. Jin was close behind her. "Let's hope that they aren't holding demon sacrifices here, if so we are toast." Driretlan smirked looking back at Jin.
Jin managed a nervous smile.
[There is no need to fret. From what I have seen of her this should be very simple for her.] Shuvanis said.
[Fighting and having some one administer pain to you with out you being able to fight back are two totally different things.] Jin sighed [She might fight back though so those monks will have to watch it.]
[Then maybe once and for all they will learn their lesson about this ceremony....even back in the days after Lady Luludi's death they used it, and it had the same result. It either badly injured the participant or....]
[Or what Shuvanis, I don't like to be kept when it comes to this type of thing.] Jin said coldly.
In his entire life I do not recall seeing Jin acting in such a way. Shuvanis thought. His outlook is normally very optimistic and he is normally very cheerful. This on the other hand has him acting oddly. Maybe this attitude change will change the outcome of some of my visions.
[Or someone else's life is taken in their place to give them more energy for the task ahead. IT is normally a family member, but in her case it would have to be the person who is closest to her out of you two.] Shuvanis explained
Jin's eyes widened and he swallowed hard, [and by that you mean me don't you? don't answer that.] he sighed putting on a nervous smile.
Driretlan walked to the center of the room. "So what is on the agenda for today?" She asked sitting down.
"The agenda, is you are going to be filled in on your heritage and your mission in life." One of the monks said.
"Sounds like fun to me fire away." Driretlan smirked.
The high priest cleared his throat and spoke in a loud booming voice. "You are the descendent of Lady Luludi, the great priestess who vanquished the evil Javelin." He started
"Okay rewind a bit, who is this Jevlin guy and why was he so evil? I could be considered evil to you know. I want the specifics on this." Driretlan smirked
The ought to tie up the priest for a while and hopefully by the time he is done, Kixston would have shown up, to help me with this ceremony thing. Driretlan thought.
"Well then I shall start from the beginning milady." The priest said, "Long ago there was a great and powerful magician named, Shuvanis. He lived for thousands of years traveling, collecting knowledge and great magical power as he explored our great world. When he decided that his time of ending was growing near, he traveled back to his traditional home to find that his only relative was his nephew Jevlin. By tradition Shuvanis was supposed to pass down his power to Jevlin. But Shuvanis saw that there was great evil in Jevlin's heart and he didn't want to pass on his powers to him. So Shuvanis went to a friend of this that was a great forger, and he had him forge weapons that he could put his powers into so that Jevlin would never get a hold of them.
Six long years the blacksmith worked on the design for these great weapons. Shuvanis grew doubtful in those long years that his friend would be able to keep Jevlin from obtaining the weapons, so Shuvanis came up with a grand plan. After he transferred his power to the weapons he would reincarnate his spirit. which in turn would allow him to watch over the weapons for the rest of eternity. But before he could even do that he had to go make a plea with the gods asking the right to have his soul passed on from generation to generation.
While Shuvanis was gone Jevlin discovered the plan and decided that he would take action. After Shuvanis got his plan approved he returned to earth from the heaven plane, the blacksmith had finished the weapons completely. Shuvanis started the ceremony to pass on his spirit then transferred his power to the weapons. Shuvanis had to break his power into five pieces, because it was so vast. The five weapons were then each separately named by the blacksmith's wife in order to honor their friend. Out of the five weapons there were two swords, a staff, an axe, and a spear. The two swords were named, Terrifen (meaning the darkness), and Kaulo (meaning black), these were the two weapons that held the most destructive power, their power was drawn from Shuvanis' dark magic. Then there were the other three, the spear Rarti, the staff Mumeli, and the axe Jivaben. the blacksmith then named the group of weapons "Shuvanis Panch" and placed them deep in the caverns of the cave in which they were foraged.
The blacksmith watched over the weapons for fifteen years before he was murdered by Jevlin. After the death of the blacksmith his only daughter Luludi swore revenge on Jevlin. With the weapons Jevlin went on a mass killing spree, he became known as the 'blood lord of Aviris.' Luludi went to the high monk of Aviris asking him to train her to help stop Jevlin. The high monk accepted and began Luludi's training. She had powers that no normal human or demon could have with out years and years of training. Luludi's training took three years in total. She had trained day and night to gather up enough power to match the "Shuvanis Panch." Alas while Luludi was training Jevlin had destroyed most of the world and he was killing all who opposed him.
Luludi came into a huge battle with Jevlin and with the help of a mysterious boy she defeated him. She then sealed Jevlin's wicked soul into weapons. During the battle the Terrifen had broken, a section of the blade broke off of it. Luludi then took the broken piece and created a new weapon, 'spell breaker' then she reformed Terrifen turning it into a Katana. After the battle was over she had taken some time to think, Lady Luludi vowed that for the rest of eternity her ancestors would watch over the weapons making sure that they would never be used for evil again. But the wicked soul of Jevlin turned the vow to a curse, if the weapons were ever to reach their full power, the descendent of Luludi was to loose their soul and his was to be released. The curse also took another horrible turn, the descendent whose soul released the power could only be female, so if the curse was ever to take full effect the line of protectors would end." The monk took a deep breath and looked at Driretlan desperately, "Another has come up that has Jevlin's admissions and we need you to stop him."
Driretlan was still adsorbing all of the information that was given to her, she let out a long sigh. "Whoa hold it old man...if that guy needs my soul to get the full power. Then why don't I lay low until he croaks? Problem solved right?"
The high priest shook his head. "He can still unite the weapons and use them to destroy the earth, with out them even having to be at full power. So we need you to kill him and dispel the energy."
"Hold it! I am not doing that. I will just get those weapons and lay low for a while okay. There is no way that I am facing some 'I want to take over the world psycho' not now not ever." Driretlan snapped
[You didn't expect that did you, Shuvanis.] Jin chuckled
[Actually, I did. But she will participate in the end.] Shuvanis said.
[Did you have another premonition?] Jin asked
[No, but I believe that she wouldn't back away from a challenge.]
"Milady please reconsider your decision." The priest said.
"If anything it would be a challenge, you would go through the toughest training that you have ever dared to endure. Making you the most powerful demon on the planet, beings you have those weapons and all." A tall man said walking out of the shadows. He had long black hair and deep cold brown eyes.
"Who are you?" Driretlan asked "And why do you give a care?"
"I am Darius, and i would be the one to do your pre-avrirs training. If you want to take this on that is." He smirked "But if you don't want to then I understand, I mean you wouldn't want to get embarrassed because you quit your training."
"Why I outta! I won't back down! I'll take on your stupid training! This will be a synch!" Driretlan yelled hopping up.
"I knew that you would agree milady, even if it did take Daruis' brute comments to do it." The high priest said
"Well, it did work did it not?" Daruis chuckled.
Driretlan shook her head and laughed, "Well you are in for hell buddy! you don't know who you are messing with."
"Oh contraire, I do know. You are Driretlan daughter of Rarti and Chirilo. Younger sister of Lunus." Daruis sighed "Am I close yet?"
"How did you know who my parents were?!" She demanded, she barely knew them herself and it was inconceivable that a complete stranger knew them.
"I will explain all of that after you undergo the ceremony and start my training...oh you might want these back." Darius tossed Driretlan her weapons.
She caught them then watched him as he went.
Who in the hell is that? She thought. And how does he know what he knows?
Daruis spun around and looked at Driretlan "As I said before, all will be explained in my training. So just listen to the high priest and do as you are told." Daruis turned back around and walked into the shadows of the dark hall.
Driretlan let out a deep sigh. "Well I guess that you should start that thing now hu?" She smirked "So what do I have to do?"
"You must enter and successfully escape the caves of Trials with out being killed. First you will have to undergo a simple test that will be administered by several of our highest trained monks. You will have thirty minutes to prepare for this test, after that time is up you are to report to the courtyard." The priest instructed.
Driretlan nodded. "Piece of cake." She sighed "So I'll be there in thirty minuets tell your monks to be ready for me." Driretlan sheathed her weapons and walked out of the room. She walked up a narrow hall to an outer door, which she flung open, soaking in the bright rays of sun which poured onto her thereafter. "Well I might as well enjoy the sunlight while I can. I doubt that the cave will be very bright."
Well you did get yourself into that Dri, you let your cockiness and quick temper get in your way. She thought. I only hope that this stupid test will be easy so I can get in and out of that cave, then I can find the blockhead and make him explain.
Jin walked out of the door then leaned up against the wall watching Driretlan train. "This isn't going to be easy Dri, so be careful." Jin muttered
Down in hell Johnny wasn't going to easy on Lunus. It was all fire and brimstone literally Lunus was in the middle of a huge cavern he was on a small island that was surrounded by lava. Johnny sat on a throne across from the small island glaring at Lunus. Lunus had an sickening look on his face as he lay in the center of the little island.
"So what are you going to do with me now?" Lunus asked "You can't exactly kill me."
"Silence you fool!" Johnny yelled "You have betrayed me! I do not tolerate betrayal."
"Well that is a bit obvious." Lunus chuckled
Johnny let out a low growl and all of the demons that had been watching fled for the had never seen him this angry before. "I am sick of your mouthiness!"
"Well it is just how I am." Lunus smirked
"It isn't how you are anymore. I thought that I would be doing you a favor by allowing you to keep your soul your identity. but now I see my fatal error. you could not be trusted, I should have known that by allowing you to keep your soul you would be flawed an imperfect solider." Johnny boomed "now I will transform you into the perfect solider. The soulless warrior the thing that won't disobey my orders, and won't have emotions what so ever!" Johnny stood up and raised his fist into the air. The air in the area thickened and all of the flames that were burning bright behind the throne were sucked into Johnny's fist. "Do you have any last words Lunus?"
"Yea I do. You are a total fool that deserves no ones respect. You make a joke out of being the ruler of hell. You are supposed to be the prince of darkness yet you hold open the door for women. Pch. It is sad. and I am sorry that I had to serve under a being such as you." Lunus sneered
Johnny clenched his teeth together and tossed the ball of mass fire at Lunus. It hit him with immense force and his body started to act as if he was being electrified. Lunus started to go into a violent seizer then his body rose into the air and he yelled out in pain as a deep red glow surrounded his body. A silhouetted version of his body came forth from the flames and went into Johnny's palm. Then Lunus' body quit moving and he fell back to the ground with a small amount of steam rising from the corpse. "It was your choice." Johnny mumbled as he sat back down at his throne. He signaled and a demon walked up to him.
"Yes.....sir..." It stammered
"Take this to the lake of fire and dispose of it. Then fetch me Darkwolf but when you do. Do not lay one finger on her." Johnny ordered
"Yes sir." it groaned walking off.
Johnny watched the corpse of Lunus, "I guess that I should give it some orders so it doesn't just lay there." Johnny sighed
Lunus sat up and rubbed his head. "Wha...what happened." He groaned, his voice sounded slightly different it was deep yet it had a different tone to it.
"What the?!" Johnny gasped "But I stole his soul!"
Lunus looked over at Johnny "Who! Who are you? And where... am I?" He scrambled backwards until he come closer to the lava. He stood up shakily and his arms fell at his side a bit limply.
"Your in hell Lunus, I brought you here." Johnny snapped "Don't play stupid with me."
"Johnny...I have never heard of you before....what do you want with me.....I have to get back...." Lunus stammered
"Get back where? To your little fight, that has been long broken up now you must pay the penalty for betraying me." Johnny growled
This is truly odd though. How is he able to function I haven't even given him the ability to yet. Johnny thought. How is he doing this? I need to fix this problem, and quick.
"I never did anything to you. I don't even know who you are....I have to get out of here." Lunus said quickly "I will be leaving."
"No I am afraid that you won't be." Johnny said "I will show you the true power of the Prince of Darkness. I will show you the side that no one else has seen before." Johnny's hair spiked up with intensity and his eyes glowed a deep red, the temperature in the room suddenly spiked to a unbearable high. "So the question is, are you ready."
Lunus took a weak fighting stance and stared down Johnny.
I can't fight this guy, I strangely don't have enough energy. and he seems to be feeding off the surroundings. Lunus thought. I have to find a way out. I don't have time to deal with this guy. I doubt that Kixston has the capability to take care of my sister for long or the patience for that matter. I have to get back and take care of her.
Johnny stepped forward and gathered a ball of fire into his palm. "Wanna play?" he threw the energy at Lunus. He tried to dodge but he was stuck and he couldn't move. When the ball struck there was a loud bang and the room lit up for a second. When the light faded Hotaru lay in front of Lunus in a heap. "Hotaru?!" Johnny gasped
"Yea....it is me.....don't get all pissed.......I know something you don't is all......." Hotaru stammered standing up. "You can't...kill him....I'll explain later...." Hotaru grabbed onto Lunus
"Who are you?" He asked quickly.
"An old friend...don't worry." Hotaru said. She concentrated then teleported Lunus and her out of hell.
Johnny let out a frustrated sigh. "This is turning out to be a bad day." He groaned flying over to his throne and slumping down into it. "I need a plot...I haven't come up with one in a long time...and that would be the perfect way to vent my frustrations."
Cronic Hazel brought Kixston to the outer village and dropped him off. "Now don't forget to tell your friends about our little deal." He chuckled as he peeled out on his motorcycle.
"Jack ass." Kixston muttered as he picked himself up off of the ground. He dusted himself off a bit and looked around. "I guess that I will start with this group."
I don't want to go to Dri yet. I bet that there is more to Cronic's plan than what he is telling me. And I don't want to drag her, Ichigo, and the kid into it. Kixston thought. For now I will deal with Mitzuki and the others they will be the easiest to sway anyway.
Kixston walked up to the main gate and saw that it was partly destroyed. "What happened here?" He walked through the gap in the gate and into the village. The houses where mostly ruined form what seemed to be fire damage and the place was a wreck compared to what it was before he left. "What the hell....How did something like this happen? I thought that the outer wall kept the vampires out of the village." He wondered as he wandered through the village. He looked around and listened carefully the village was like a ghost town he didn't' see or hear anyone. "is everyone dead?" Kixston walked back to Renshu's house and he heard the noise of hammers and people working off to his left. He looked straight down the street and he saw the villagers working. He let out a sigh of relief and walked down the street. He could feel the pain in his body returning as he approached the group of workers.
Damn Cronic, he must have only given me a temporary healing mixture. Kixston thought. I should have known that he would pull a trick like that.
Renshu spotted Kixston and he dropped what he was doing and signaled for Katako to follow him. They both ran over to him.
"Kixston are you okay?" Katako asked
"I will be, I am just feeling a bit of pain." Kixston growled as another surge of pain rushed through him. "What happened here?"
"There was an attack several days ago by a winged man and a woman with immense power. They had a group of troops with them." Katako explained.
"A winged man......" Kixston muttered remembering his fight with Lunus.
A winged guy came and took Lunus it have been the same one that attacked the village? Kixston thought.
"I wonder the attack here and Lunus are connected." Kixston mumbled "Could they be?"
"What is wrong?" Katako asked
"Ah, it is nothing." Kixston smirked
"Well then lets get you cleaned up." Renshu said "See to it Katako, and while you are inside make sure that Sharon has what she needs."
Katako nodded and started to usher of Kixston.
"What happened to Sharon?" He asked as he was pushed through the front doors of the house.
"She was poisoned." Katako said plainly "But Kaneda and SuperX got the cure. So she will be fine. "
"Kaneda....why does that name ring such a bell."
"Because we've met before. and I am sure that my lazy little brother has mentioned me before." Kaneda said coming off the wall.
"I thought that you were working." Katako snapped
"I was, I just came in to get a drink." Kaneda smirked
"Your brother? I am not sure that I know who you are talking about."
"Sure you know him. He was traveling around with you a while back. His name is Lunus." Kaneda said
"Lunus?....Are you sure.....that means that you are!" Kixston gasped "We have to leave right away."
"Not before you are healed." Katako scolded
"I will heal with time....time which we don't have to waste." Kixston said urgently
"What in the hell are you talking about?!" Kaneda asked
"We have to get to the monastery! If we don't Driretlan could die!" Kixston yelled out of frustration.
"What?! She could die because I am Lunus' brother?"
"No! You are the blood guardian you have to be present at the monastery. I am not sure why but Lunus was very specific about it....I never thought about it before now..he told me that if he died and things started to happen that I should find the last blood guardian and take her to the monastery." Kixston explained
Then a memory suddenly washed over Kaneda.
Kaneda and Lunus were standing outside a cave in the middle of the night under a full moon and the air was thick with tension. Lunus was in a long cloak and you could barely see his shaggy blue hair poking out from under it. "Kaneda...I have something important to tell you before I leave to take care of something...if something ever happens to me...remember that you are the last blood guardian, since mother and father and me would all be passed on. You must take care of her it is your job as the guardian to be present at the ceremony. Or else it could prove fatal to both you and her."
"Who are you talking about Lunus? And why all the seriousness all of the sudden?" Kaneda asked
"I am speaking of your blood, you must take care of her...I must go now. I don't trust him with her in the night." Lunus said disappearing.
Kaneda faded back into reality. "So, what are we waiting for then lets get going."
Kixston nodded and both him and Kaneda headed for the door then Kaneda froze "Wait...does this mean that Lunus died?"
Kixston nodded slowly "Yes it happened seven years ago."
Kaneda mourned in silence for his brother for a moment then he walked out the front door. "Well then, I have just one thing left to ask you."
"What is it?" Kixston asked
"Have you taken good care of my blood?"
Kixston nodded "you wouldn't even recognize her if you saw her."
"Probably wouldn't. I didn't even know that I was related to her." Kaneda sighed
Every time I check my family gets bigger...well at least I might be able to make up with lost time on this one. Since I am her only living relative as of now. Kaneda thought.
Driretlan had already started her test thus far she was finding it far more simple than she ever thought that it would be. She spin kicked another monk that she was fighting away.
"Come on. If I am supposed to fight these guys as a test then I think that you should go back to the drawing board on it."She laughed looking at the fallen warrior monks.
The high priest smiled "Well, enact phase two."
The monks nodded and pulled them selves off of the ground. They all charged her at once chanting something under their breath.
"something tells me that isn't a good chant." Ichigo muttered as her and Jin watched from afar.
Jin nodded not taking his eyes off of the fight.
Driretlan tried to meet the monks with an attack but she seemed to hit some sort of barrier."What the" She gasped as the monks surrounded her in a tight circle. She tried to attack again with out any success. "Well this sucks." She tried to jump over the monks but she hit another barrier. "Okay this is unfair! Fight me fist to fist! Not barrier to fist!"
The monks chuckled a bit.
"You know nothing of the ritual do you?" Darius asked walking out from the monastery. "This is what is supposed to happen. Next you experience pain beyond any that you have ever experienced before. Then if you live through that you can enter the cave, if not you aren't worthy."
Driretlan let out a low growl, "What a dirty rotten trick!" She yelled "You guys are supposed to be monks!"
"You accepted the test, this was part of the test. Didn't your mother teach you to be more careful about these types of things?" Darius asked
"No, My mother and I didn't have a very long relationship." Driretlan growled
"Sorry, milady but you did agree. Begin phase two." The high priest commanded.
The monks nodded and a huge amount of energy started to emanate from their bodies. The monks chanted in a low tone and the air started to pop and crack from their energy out put. Then their energy burst inward onto Driretlan who put on a cocky smile as the attacks hit her. She just clenched her teeth as the amount of pain in her body rose up to a rate that she could barely stand.
"This isn't to smart of them." Ichigo commented
"Why do you say that?" Darius asked
"You haven't seen Driretlan in a real fight before. She feeds off of pain. It is almost like the more pain that is inflicted the stronger she becomes." Jin explained watched the whole thing very closely.
"No need to worry, kid. Well at least not yet." Daruis said
Jin glared at him for a second then focused back on Driretlan who looked like she was going to kill something.
"You do realize that you had best kill me now. Before I escape cause once I do, monk or not you going to get your ass kicked." She growled through clenched teeth.
I don't know how easy it will be to train her. she seems awful headstrong. Darius thought. I am not sure thought...that might be her downfall, I will see if she ever is able to escape the cave.
Driretlan's energy suddenly spiked and exploded out ward, but it was caught by the shield around the monks reflecting back at her. The ground underneath her crumbled as the energy hit her and her legs started to fail causing her to fall into the crater that she had created. "Damn...no wonder...my enemies don't have...a high..survival rate." She laughed picking herself back up. Blood ran down her arms and legs staining her skin light red.
"So when does this test end?" Jin asked a little nervous.
"I am not sure...I have never watched one before, all the others were far before my time." Daruis said
"What?!" Jin snapped
Crap, if they expect her to give in or something she will bleed to death long before her pride will allow her to submit. Jin thought. Then what good is their test if it kills her? What is that priest up to?
"Make them stop!" Ichigo yelled "She can barely stand up! What kind of whacked out test is this?!" Ichigo stomped her foot and glared at the priest coldly.
The air was still, and silent except for the crackling noise from the force field and the noise of blood dripping steadily into a puddle of crimson liquid. Driretlan looked up at the monks who were holding the force feild together above her. She took deep steady breaths to conserve what energy she had left.
Damn, why didn't I think about it being a trap...that is what this probably is. and why didn't my attack give me energy...normally that much pain would have spiked my energy level. Driretlan thought. Maybe it is because I know that I can't attack them, or because it was my attack.
A wind blew across the grass causing it to wave and leaves from the nearby forest flew by.
[Jin now would be the time to attack.] Shuvanis said
[But they are priests and monks.] Jin argued
[Trust me on this, attack them now! Unless you want her to die, do as I say.] Shuvanis commanded
Jin nodded, [They were starting to make me mad anyway...] Jin turned the light breeze that was in the area to a powerful whirlwind.
The priest turned his attention to Jin. "And what pray tell are you doing?" He asked
"I want you to stop your absurd test. I won't take it any longer." Jin growled
"Me too!" Ichigo said chiming in
The priest smiled and nodded to his monks who dropped the shield. "You passed." He said
Driretlan looked up at the priest "What in the hell...do you mean..." She growled
"You weren't the one who this test was for. It was for your friends, they did as they were supposed to do." The priest explained
"So...your..saying....that you bastards tricked me?!" Driretlan yelled "You did all of this for nothing?!" She started to climb out of her hole but wasn't doing the best job of it.
Jin walked over to the side of the hole and leaned down "Need help?" he asked out stretching his arm.
Driretlan nodded slowly and took Jin's hand. He pulled her out of the hole and helped her stand on solid ground. Blood had pooled in the bottom of the crater from Driretlan's heavy bleeding.
"I suggest that we get you taken care of." Jin smiled "Before your test starts."
"I am afraid that is not how the policy goes." Daruis said
"What do you mean? I thought that you haven't seen a test before so you didn't know what was going on." Ichigo pointed out.
"I haven't seen a test but I know how they work. Driretlan will go directly into the caves from here with out outside interference." Daruis explained
"That is ridicules." Jin growled "Let her heal a bit first. What good is she to you dead?"
"I will be fine..." Driretlan smirked "Just give me a few bandages.....and I can take care....of myself."
Jin looked at her and forced a smile.
There are times that I wonder about you, Driretlan. Jin thought. Sometimes you are far to cocky for your own good.
Ichigo brought Driretlan some bandages and she quickly wrapped her major wounds up.
"Are you ready to be lead to your test?" The priest asked
Driretlan smirked "Of course...let's move."
The priest nodded and started to walk off, he was closely followed by his monks. Driretlan started to follow him but she noticed that Jin and Ichigo weren't following as well. "You guys can follow...if that damned priest says anything about it I will back out of this test..so come on." Driretlan insisted
Jin and Ichigo nodded and followed Driretlan. They walked from the clearing into a small forest that was thick with energy.
[Where are they leading her?] Jin asked
[To the cave of trials, that is where the Shuvanis Panch were created and where I did much of my training. Many restless spirits inhabit that cave.] Shuvanis explained [I believe that they wish her to be able to fight off the spirits of the cave while trying to reach the end.]
[What is the point in that?] Jin asked
[In her journey to come her enemies will do anything to seize control of her body and more importantly her soul. They would even posses her body to do that. So she must learn how to fight off possession.] Shuvanis said dryly
[What if she is too weak to fight of possession?] Jin asked
[Then the ghosts will tear away at her soul by over crowding her body and she will never be the same again.]
[That is cheery.] Jin sighed
After walking through the forest for a while they came to a large cave mouth. Haunting noises came from the innards of the cave bellowing outward passed the group, the closer they came to the cave the louder the noises.
"Sounds like someone is upset....."Driretlan laughed "...I will give them a real reason...to...be...upset."
The priest nodded. "Then you are ready milady?" He asked
"Sure...it can't kill me...it is just some stupid cave.." She chuckled, Driretlan reached onto her belt and her hand ran across Jin's sword. "oh..yea...I had better give this back.." She pulled the sheath off of her belt and walked it over to Jin. "Here yaw go...I'll be back in a flash okay...do quit looking morbid...smile."
Jin smiled and took the sword. "Dri can you do me a favor while you are in there?" Jin asked
"Sure...what is it?"
"Don't get killed....there are still things that you have to take care of out here...besides I don't want to wait out here for too long." Jin smirked
Driretlan laughed "Gotcha..well see you guys on the flipside...." She turned on her heels and walked back into the cave and her figure faded into the shadows.
The priest said a quick prayer then him and his monks started to leave. Ichigo followed them but as they were walking into the forest the priest turned back and looked at Jin. "Are you going to accompany us?" He asked
"No. I'll just wait out here." Jin smiled "Go on with out me, and don't worry I won't go in."
The priest nodded and everyone but Jin left. He just sat up against a tree and started to play his flute drowning out all of the noises from the cave.
Lunus walked out of the area where Hotaru had brought him after transporting him out of hell. His head was swimming with everything that she had told him.
Has it actually been eight years? And was I really killed by that mysterious man that Hotaru was talking about? And did I truly work under that Johnny person? If so how come I am how I am now? How come I can't remember anything? And why did Hotaru help me? The way that she described my other personality was horrible, why would she help me after he treated her so badly. And why I am I so much different than him. It was like it was a whole other person. Lunus thought as he walked away. And if everyone believes me to be dead how am I to contact my sister? Or could I contact...him....Kaneda would surely believe me. We are brothers after all...I just hope that he is still his old self. but if somehow he has gotten word of my death what do I do then. And since I am still technically dead will my body dissipate? Like a rotting corpse, or is it possible that my death was just a rouse. I am here after all and if I was truly dead I wouldn't have been able to leave the underworld with out permission of the king.
"maybe you are still alive Lunus, maybe you are making a big deal out of nothing. You should just find your sister and make sure that it is taken care of." Lunus thought aloud. "I just wish that, Hotaru would have stuck around for me to properly thank her for her help and guidance. Or at least give her assistance with her wounds." Lunus slowly walked out onto a massive set of plains. He wasn't sure where he was or if he knew if he would be able to find the monastery in time.
Save up your energy Lunus, then you can teleport to your sister if you are needed. Lunus thought.
He slumped down and laid his head on the soft grass closing his eyes and taking a much needed rest.
"Yes, rest well Lunus. You will need all the energy that you can get...this world is not as you remembered it. Everyone is at each others throats wanting something, you had best be careful. I can't always rescue you." Hotaru muttered from the shadows of a large boulder. "Some day you will have to take care of yourself.....heck what am I saying he will always have to take care of himself...and that sister of his." she then picked her self up and disappeared.
Deep groans emanated from the hallows of the almost never ending cave. Driretlan walked through carefully trying not to trip or run into an enemy. The place was pitch black and the air was so thick with magical residue and spirits that it made it almost heard to breath. Driretlan took deep breaths of the air finding some sort of familiarity in the fragrance that it left in her nostrils. She reached onto her belt fumbling for spell breaker, when she found it she pulled it out of the sheath muttering a quick fire summon that didn't take a lot of energy. "erif catoris." A small flame appeared on Spell Breaker giving the cavern a light glow. Suddenly the flame erupted and covered all of Spell Breaker making the entire room visible. "Well that is an...improvement." As she ventured further into the cave, the sudden flood of spirits sent her senses wild. She could see the ghostly outline of some of them drifting in front of her making their low moans and groans as if it were a cry to her to help. "Sorry I don't' revive people..i kill them." The noises suddenly stopped as she jumped from a small ledge into the next cavern. The only noise was the steady drops of water hitting the cold stone. Driretlan heard the distant sound of raging wind and she spun around looking at the area that she had just exited. The sound of the wind suddenly stopped as quickly as it had come. "Man..i hate caves....I would rather face a flesh eating monster than this...wait I have already done that...oh well..." She walked on in the cave deciding to hum to her self t pass the time.
This is such a stupid test. where is the challenge in taking a joy walk in a cave? Driretlan thought.
Driretlan was sick of walking so she sat up against a wall sliding down to the cold ground. Her wounds bothered her, they stung as her warm blood trickled out. Even with the bandages tied tightly on she still felt the blood coming out.
If this doesn't stop soon I will bleed to death. and like Jin said I still have a lot to do before I can die. She thought.
Driretlan closed her eyes to gather her concentration when a sudden noise across from her caused to snap her eyes open. The ghostly figure of a woman stood before her, the ghostly figure of her mother. Driretlan stood up with her body pressed up against the wall tightly.
"No need to worry, my child. I will take care of you." The ghost said softly
"Yea, sure. After you kill me right...there is always a catch." Driretlan scooted away from the ghost and she sprinted across the room. She wasn't paying attention to where she was running and she tripped over a rock and Spell Breaker slid across the floor from her hands. "Shit."
She tried to get onto her feet but wasn't able to fast enough. The ghost was right in front of her again.
"Don't worry all of your pain will be relieved soon." The ghost disappeared then Driretlan felt a sharp pain in her stomach and she yelped as the ghost tried to integrate into her body and take control.
"You call that relieving pain?" She yelled as she curled up into a ball grabbing her stomach.
From the darkest parts of the cave the low moans started once more and a mass of ghosts swarmed to Driretlan. They forced their way into her body, each one bringing more pain with it. Driretlan crawled to a wall and climbed to her feet. She shakily started to walk toward Spell Breaker still holding her stomach. "You...think...that...you..can...take...me...down? Not...likely." she stammered. She walked forward a few more steps before she fell to the ground coughing. "Damned...dead..things....they always screw...me...over." She clenched her eyes closed as the pain tore through her entire body. Like someone had taken a knife and slowly dug it into her flesh turning it slowly every second. She heaved up and rolled over letting out a piercing scream as her soul started to be eaten away. She fought off every ghost with every once of energy that she could find. She rolled over to a wall and pulled out the Terrifen stabbing it deep into the rock and using it to stand back up. She then started to throw punches into the rock wall cracking it a little bit more each time. "DAMNIT!!!" She yelled
Why do you get yourself into these things again? And how will you get out of this one? She thought. There is no way out of this one...face it, you fucked up big time on this one.... And you are going to let every one down because you aren't strong enough. Because you can't fight off a few lousy ghosts. I thought that ghosts were supposed to be harmless anyway.... I am going to kill who ever started that.
Driretlan had another wave of tearing pain shoot through her body and she fell to her knees and started to punch the wall again. Then she pulled out the Terrifen and stabbed it into the ground. She stood up once more then took a step, then she lifted the Terrifen stabbed it into the ground a little further away and started the process over again. She walked across the room this way fighting off the urge to cut her own head off just to stop the pain, which took a while. She spotted Spell Breaker on the ground and slowly bent over to pick it up but she fell to the ground. "Great..." She sheathed spell breaker and used the Terrifen to stand once more.
"Give up!" A haunting voice echoed
"That is.. Wonderful...now...even...the...voices are...against me." She stammered in a daze.
Outside the cave Jin sat impatiently watching the mouth.
[You need to go in now.] Shuvanis said
[No, this is her test she can do it on her own.] Jin argued
[Not this time...Go inside Jin before it is too late.] Shuvanis urged.
[No. She can do it. I have faith.] Jin smiled
A scream echoed from the mouth of the cave and reached Jin's ears. He recognized the scream and he snapped to his feet.
[Faith does little if there isn't anything to back it up.] Shuvanis said [Go, now and hurry.]
Jin nodded and ran into the cave using the wind to speed him up. Once he was to a certain point in the cave his wind wouldn't work anymore and he just had to run hoping that he was fast enough. He followed the screams and finally came to the cavern where Driretlan lay. Her body glowed with an eerie light.
[You must do exactly as I say. The process has already began and we must stop it now.] Shuvanis instructed.
[What do I do?] Jin asked as he ran over to Driretlan
[Allow my spirit to control your body for a moment. I posses the power to reverse it.] Shuvanis commanded
[How do I do that?] Jin asked
[Just let go of everything. All though, all actions, all control. Quickly.]
Jin shut his eyes and did as he was instructed letting go of everything. He felt his control slip away from him and suddenly he was a by stander in a show that decided the fate of another.
Shuvanis took control of Jin's body and his hands started to glow with a light like the one that was around Driretlan's body.
The ghosts that were in Driretlan were dispelled and she was sent into a sudden seizure as the spirits left her body. Once Shuvanis was done with his procedure Driretlan's head fell to the side. She had passed out. Shuvanis gave Jin control of his body once more and Jin felt a drain of energy when he regained control. He leaned back onto his elbows and took a deep breath.
[Those spirits will not return I sent them on. You can rest easily now.]
[What about Driretlan? Is she okay?] He asked
[She will be fine with time.... but she is very low on energy.]
[She'll get it back I guarantee you. She won't give up that easily.] Jin smiled picking up Driretlan's head and laying it on his leg so it wouldn't be on the cave floor. Jin then laid down himself and drifted off into a deep sleep.
During the night Jin awoke suddenly, he looked around the room. He felt an immense amount of energy nearby and it didn't seem too friendly. He left out a long sigh and looked at Driretlan who laid half couscous.
"You saved me didn't you?" She asked
Jin smiled and nodded
"Well...thanks...I guess that I will have to repay you someday...for caring." She sighed sitting up.
"No, that isn't necessary." Jin said
"Sure it is.. You have saved my ass once again." Driretlan smirked
"That is because I don't' want to see you killed.... I.. I.." Jin stammered
Driretlan leaned in and softly kissed Jin on the lips cutting him off. "I hate it when people stammer.... Especially when the other person knows what they are wanting to say." Driretlan chuckled leaning her head on his shoulder. "I hope you don't mind....I am still really tired." She started to fall asleep again.
"Dri?" Jin muttered
"What?" She asked
"I am glad that you are here to save...otherwise I would still be some wandering wind warrior with out a care in the world." Jin explained
"Well.. I am glad that you are here to save me...." She mumbled falling asleep.
Kaneda, Kixston and the others who insisted on coming along came to the main gate of the Monastery.
So this is where I will meet my little sister, and where all will be explained eh? Kaneda thought. Looks a little bit plain to me.
You had better of kept her safe kid. Or I will rip you a new one when I see you. Kixston thought. I put my trust in you Jin, you had better not have broken it.
Kaneda raced back to Renshu's house and to the room that Sharon was in. He slid into the room and skidded to a stop in front of the couch that she lay on. "Well this had better work." He muttered uncapping the flask and kneeling down beside Sharon. He used his free hand to sit her up then he poured the contents of the flask into her mouth.
Sharon swallowed the water then mumbled something.
Kaneda let out a sigh relief and slinked down beside the couch. "Well now that, that is done." He smirked. He reached behind his chest armor and pulled out his book, setting aside the flask. He reached up onto a nearby table and pulled down a lamp and used it so he could see what he was reading. "Ahh, now this is much better."
Katako walked into the room followed by Kayko.
Kayko let out a dreamy sigh as watched Kaneda.
"That is ridiculous..."Katako muttered "how could someone read the same book all of the time?"
"It is a good book is how," Kaneda said not taking his eyes off of the book. "You should try to find a copy."
"No, thank you." Katako smirked "I have better things to do then sit around and read a beat up old book."
Kaneda slammed shut his book. "Why I outta!" He growled jumping up and waving the book around. "Beat up old book nothing! This is the greatest book of all time!"
"Well that is a matter of opinion." Katako said calmly grabbing the book and reading the cover, "anything with a name such as vulgar as "make out Paradise" isn't worth anyone's time."
Kaneda stared to say something back but instead he snatched back his book folded his arms and sat down beside the couch. "Not worth my time...bull." He muttered "this is a whole load of crap.. Can't even relax after I save the day, always have someone riding me..."
"Everything went over well then." Renshu said walking in
"Yes father everything went smoothly." Katako said.
"Good, then all of you should get some rest you are to help us rebuild the wall in the morning." Renshu commanded
"WHA?! I think that we should do what the morning brings.. Which is usually sleep." Mitzuki muttered. "Which I need a lot of now I am pooped."
"Well get it while you can.." Renshu mumbled
"What do you mean?" Mitzuki asked
"You'll see." Renshu said walking out of the room.
"Great...that helps..." Mitzuki sighed
What are you up to Father? Katako thought. What are you planning, or is there a plan that you aren't telling us about.... Whatever it is I doubt that it can be good.
Driretlan couldn't sleep that night; she couldn't get her mind to stop wandering, So she took a walk around the monastery. She came to a large courtyard and sat on a cold stone bench. She sat staring off into the distance thinking, about anything and everything. She felt a bit worried on the condition of Kixston. Which surprised her.
"I wonder what happened to him...It isn't like him to be gone this long for a fight, and I know that he would take his sweet time getting here because he is obsessed with getting to places on time." Driretlan wondered aloud. "Damn Kixston you idiot you had better get here...I don't know what these monks are up to.. But it is freaking me out." Driretlan let out a heavy sigh and laid her head in her hands "who would have guessed that I would stress over that idiot."
A gust of wind caused a little dust devil in front of Driretlan. "I would have thought of it." Jin said walking into the courtyard from the entrance behind Driretlan.
Driretlan turned and looked at him. "Did you have some problems sleeping too?" She asked
Jin shuddered, "To say the least." He muttered remembering the dream that he had about Driretlan and this guy just beating the hell out of her.
"Something wrong?"
"Um.. No.." Jin smiled sitting on the bench next to her.
"Then why do you look It.. Or is it just my imagination...probably is..." Driretlan muttered "My mind has been going crazy tonight anyway."
"As has mine" He paused "....If you don't want to do something that those monks ask you to, then don't. It is your choice."
"I know that..." She sighed "I don't think that they have it in for me or anything, but I am not willing to risk it...you back me up on that right?"
"Yes one hundred percent." Jin smiled
Driretlan let out a heavy sigh and started off into the distance.
She looks sad again...what is she thinking about that is making her upset? Jin thought.
"Dri, what's wrong?" Jin asked
She didn't answer she just looked around the courtyard.
Jin let out a long sigh. "Well if you aren't going to tell me I can't help."
"I don't need help." Driretlan snapped "I need for everything to go back to normal. Don't get me wrong I love fighting but having some new psycho after you daily gets old. I mean if they are going to try to kill me, you would think that they would find different attack styles."
Jin laughed "You know most people would rather have it that no one tried to kill them, but you just want them to use different attack styles."
"Well that is me for you." She sighed. "The sooner that Kixston gets here the better. Then he can explain all of this stuff to me."
"What if he doesn't know anything about this place either?" Jin asked
"Well then we are screwed." Driretlan said dryly.
It was quiet for a minuet and a breeze ran through the courtyard.
"Jin, I've got a question for you." Driretlan muttered
"What is it?" Jin asked
"Well with the way that everything is going lately, I think that I have made a decision about something." She said slowly.
"Yes what is your decision about?" Jin asked
"After whatever is going on blows over. I am just going to travel around the world. I kind of have been stuck on my home since I was little, so I think that I am going to travel." Driretlan chuckled "That is after I do whatever weirdo ceremony that those monks want me to do."
"Is that what you weren't able to sleep?" Jin asked
"No, when I was walking around I heard them talking. it was weird. They kept calling me the descendent of Lady Luludi." Driretlan said "only once did they refer to me as Driretlan. I kind of found it creepy."
[Well at least she knows now, Shuvanis.] Jin said
[There is still allot that I am sure she doesn't know. She probably only knows that she will have to under go a ceremony. But after that they will either send her through a place called the caves of trails, or they will send her to Aviris to train with the high monk there.] Shuvanis explained.
[As long as I can go I am fine with it...or will they allow that?] Jin asked
[It won't be allowed but we will get around that. Both the caves and Aviris are very dangerous, I have been to both places many times in the past. In fact the caves is where the Shuvanis Panch were foraged.]
[That is great, so much for helping.] Jin sighed
"So what do you think Jin, wanna come with me? I know that this all sounds weird, but everything lately has been." Driretlan muttered
"I would love to come with you...but what about Kixston and the others? Are you going to bring them too?" Jin asked
"I have been living with Kixston for a long time, and I kinda want to break free, get away from it all." Driretlan smirked "Find some new challenges, new fights. Everything that has happened lately has made me realize how boring it is to sit around and wait for something that will never come...So I am going to start over, forget the past and use my experience to help me along in my fights."
"Your bent on fighting aren't you." Jin asked
"Fighting is how you decide your destiny. If you win you become stronger, if you lose and aren't killed you also become stronger but at a higher price. But if you are killed, well then that was your destiny. Destiny isn't given it is taken." Driretlan explained
Jin nodded. "I understand."
Driretlan looked at Jin and yawned. "Well I guess that all of this thinking has gotten me tired." She laughed "First I can't sleep because I am thinking and now I am dead tired because I was thinking. how Ironic." She stood up and stretched. "Want to walk back to the rooms with me? I kinda forgot where they were."
Jin smirked "I remember, so I'll walk you." He stood up and they walked out of the courtyard and back into the building.
Kixston slowly drifted back to consciousness. He found him self lying on a cold stone floor with a horrible head ache. He slowly started to sit up but stopped when the searing pain from his muscles stretching shot through his body. "Shit...where am I..." He wondered aloud.
Cronic Hazel walked into the room and a bright light turned on filling the entire room from floor to ceiling with a brightness. "You are in my home, welcome." He chuckled walking from the large stone door way to the center of the room where Kixston lay. The walls were covered in various weapons of every sort and there was a table in the corner of the room where dismantled guns lay.
"Who. who are you?" Kixston asked trying to sit up again, this time ignoring the pain that shot through him.
"You have a horrible memory. I am Cronic Hazel, but call me Cronic...or master if you will." He said dryly pulling a chair over and sitting on it.
"You. you were that guy...on the motorcycle..." Kixston coughed.
"Correct. So your memory isn't so bad after all." Cronic sighed.
"How...did I get...here....and why am I here?" Kixston asked
"Firstly I brought you, and secondly you are here because I need you to be. See at first I just saved you from dieing to piss a few people off. But then it dawned on me that you might serve a better purpose." Cronic explained
"What kind...of purpose?"
"Well, you see since I saved your life and all now you owe me. There is something going on, on the main land soon. It is a little competition for this very special weapon. I want you to get me this weapon. See I would enter that competition myself, but I have other things that I must do when it is taking place. so I want you and your little friends to enter and win."
"What if....they don't want to?" Kixston asked
"Then I kill all of you. See if you don't do this then you still owe me. So I can kill you with out feeling bad about it. Which will tick off your friends and I will have to kill them too." Cronic said "So it is a win situation for me."
"You...have really thought this one over hu?" Kixston muttered "But there is one problem..."
"And what is that?"
"I can't fight......like this so you've...lucked out buddy." Kixston smirked "And even if I could...neither of us know where, 'my friends' are."
"Oh, you know.." Cronic sneered "But you don't want to involve them, listen you don't have to make this hard on yourself. Just tell me where your friends are and I will get you to them. Then I will arrange for you to get to the competition. It is simple."
"Well...you drive a hard bargain.....but you have to make me a deal with in a deal." Kixston coughed
"Listening."
"After we win this for you....you have to leave us alone....got it?"
"I got it. So where are your friends?" Cronic asked
"It depends on which ones you mean. Some are in a village and some are elsewhere." Kixston smirked
"both...we'll get them in the same place." Cronic smirked
This guy is a total idiot. Cronic thought. Once I get that weapon I will be unstoppable and I will kill him and all of his friends, so they cannot interfere with any of my future plans. This whole thing is fool proof, this idiot just doesn't know it.
The next morning came far too early for Driretlan. She woke up to sunlight shining right into her eyes.
"Great," She muttered "Nature's wake up call." She rolled over and looked at Ichigo's bed to see that she was gone. "Well seems as though that I have been abandoned." Driretlan sat up and threw the blankets aside. She got up and spun her legs to the side of her bed, she got up and walked to the door. As Driretlan touched the door knob she remembered her weapons. "Shit...Can't go on with out those, might need me." Driretlan walked over to the side of her bed and bent down reaching for the weapons. They weren't there."What the...I put them there last night, before I fell asleep. I know it..maybe Ichigo took them, for some reason..." She stammered trying to reassure herself that they weren't stolen. Driretlan shook her head and walked out of the room and smacked right into Jin in the hall way. "Watch it......oh it's just you." She sighed
"You look stressed." He said in a nervous tone.
"Yea, my weapons are gone." Driretlan said plainly, she looked at Jin. "Do you mind if I borrow your sword again? I promise I won't burn it to a crisp this time."
"Sure I guess so." Jin smirked uniting the sword and sheath from his back. He handed it to Driretlan and she tied it to her waist.
"What's up with you....you look bugged."
"I am not....not really. The high priest want you, he says that it is time." Jin stammered.
"Oohh...all right." She smirked. Driretlan placed a hand on Jin's shoulder, "Don't worry about it, if I can deal with an army of the undead then I can do some stupid ceremony for a monk."
Jin started to say something then thought better of it.
Only if you have seen what I have seen, maybe then you would quit being so cocky. Jin thought. Let's hope that it isn't anything like Shuvanis's vision.
Driretlan walked down the hall to the main chamber where there were a large groups of monks gathered around a candle lit table. Jin was close behind her. "Let's hope that they aren't holding demon sacrifices here, if so we are toast." Driretlan smirked looking back at Jin.
Jin managed a nervous smile.
[There is no need to fret. From what I have seen of her this should be very simple for her.] Shuvanis said.
[Fighting and having some one administer pain to you with out you being able to fight back are two totally different things.] Jin sighed [She might fight back though so those monks will have to watch it.]
[Then maybe once and for all they will learn their lesson about this ceremony....even back in the days after Lady Luludi's death they used it, and it had the same result. It either badly injured the participant or....]
[Or what Shuvanis, I don't like to be kept when it comes to this type of thing.] Jin said coldly.
In his entire life I do not recall seeing Jin acting in such a way. Shuvanis thought. His outlook is normally very optimistic and he is normally very cheerful. This on the other hand has him acting oddly. Maybe this attitude change will change the outcome of some of my visions.
[Or someone else's life is taken in their place to give them more energy for the task ahead. IT is normally a family member, but in her case it would have to be the person who is closest to her out of you two.] Shuvanis explained
Jin's eyes widened and he swallowed hard, [and by that you mean me don't you? don't answer that.] he sighed putting on a nervous smile.
Driretlan walked to the center of the room. "So what is on the agenda for today?" She asked sitting down.
"The agenda, is you are going to be filled in on your heritage and your mission in life." One of the monks said.
"Sounds like fun to me fire away." Driretlan smirked.
The high priest cleared his throat and spoke in a loud booming voice. "You are the descendent of Lady Luludi, the great priestess who vanquished the evil Javelin." He started
"Okay rewind a bit, who is this Jevlin guy and why was he so evil? I could be considered evil to you know. I want the specifics on this." Driretlan smirked
The ought to tie up the priest for a while and hopefully by the time he is done, Kixston would have shown up, to help me with this ceremony thing. Driretlan thought.
"Well then I shall start from the beginning milady." The priest said, "Long ago there was a great and powerful magician named, Shuvanis. He lived for thousands of years traveling, collecting knowledge and great magical power as he explored our great world. When he decided that his time of ending was growing near, he traveled back to his traditional home to find that his only relative was his nephew Jevlin. By tradition Shuvanis was supposed to pass down his power to Jevlin. But Shuvanis saw that there was great evil in Jevlin's heart and he didn't want to pass on his powers to him. So Shuvanis went to a friend of this that was a great forger, and he had him forge weapons that he could put his powers into so that Jevlin would never get a hold of them.
Six long years the blacksmith worked on the design for these great weapons. Shuvanis grew doubtful in those long years that his friend would be able to keep Jevlin from obtaining the weapons, so Shuvanis came up with a grand plan. After he transferred his power to the weapons he would reincarnate his spirit. which in turn would allow him to watch over the weapons for the rest of eternity. But before he could even do that he had to go make a plea with the gods asking the right to have his soul passed on from generation to generation.
While Shuvanis was gone Jevlin discovered the plan and decided that he would take action. After Shuvanis got his plan approved he returned to earth from the heaven plane, the blacksmith had finished the weapons completely. Shuvanis started the ceremony to pass on his spirit then transferred his power to the weapons. Shuvanis had to break his power into five pieces, because it was so vast. The five weapons were then each separately named by the blacksmith's wife in order to honor their friend. Out of the five weapons there were two swords, a staff, an axe, and a spear. The two swords were named, Terrifen (meaning the darkness), and Kaulo (meaning black), these were the two weapons that held the most destructive power, their power was drawn from Shuvanis' dark magic. Then there were the other three, the spear Rarti, the staff Mumeli, and the axe Jivaben. the blacksmith then named the group of weapons "Shuvanis Panch" and placed them deep in the caverns of the cave in which they were foraged.
The blacksmith watched over the weapons for fifteen years before he was murdered by Jevlin. After the death of the blacksmith his only daughter Luludi swore revenge on Jevlin. With the weapons Jevlin went on a mass killing spree, he became known as the 'blood lord of Aviris.' Luludi went to the high monk of Aviris asking him to train her to help stop Jevlin. The high monk accepted and began Luludi's training. She had powers that no normal human or demon could have with out years and years of training. Luludi's training took three years in total. She had trained day and night to gather up enough power to match the "Shuvanis Panch." Alas while Luludi was training Jevlin had destroyed most of the world and he was killing all who opposed him.
Luludi came into a huge battle with Jevlin and with the help of a mysterious boy she defeated him. She then sealed Jevlin's wicked soul into weapons. During the battle the Terrifen had broken, a section of the blade broke off of it. Luludi then took the broken piece and created a new weapon, 'spell breaker' then she reformed Terrifen turning it into a Katana. After the battle was over she had taken some time to think, Lady Luludi vowed that for the rest of eternity her ancestors would watch over the weapons making sure that they would never be used for evil again. But the wicked soul of Jevlin turned the vow to a curse, if the weapons were ever to reach their full power, the descendent of Luludi was to loose their soul and his was to be released. The curse also took another horrible turn, the descendent whose soul released the power could only be female, so if the curse was ever to take full effect the line of protectors would end." The monk took a deep breath and looked at Driretlan desperately, "Another has come up that has Jevlin's admissions and we need you to stop him."
Driretlan was still adsorbing all of the information that was given to her, she let out a long sigh. "Whoa hold it old man...if that guy needs my soul to get the full power. Then why don't I lay low until he croaks? Problem solved right?"
The high priest shook his head. "He can still unite the weapons and use them to destroy the earth, with out them even having to be at full power. So we need you to kill him and dispel the energy."
"Hold it! I am not doing that. I will just get those weapons and lay low for a while okay. There is no way that I am facing some 'I want to take over the world psycho' not now not ever." Driretlan snapped
[You didn't expect that did you, Shuvanis.] Jin chuckled
[Actually, I did. But she will participate in the end.] Shuvanis said.
[Did you have another premonition?] Jin asked
[No, but I believe that she wouldn't back away from a challenge.]
"Milady please reconsider your decision." The priest said.
"If anything it would be a challenge, you would go through the toughest training that you have ever dared to endure. Making you the most powerful demon on the planet, beings you have those weapons and all." A tall man said walking out of the shadows. He had long black hair and deep cold brown eyes.
"Who are you?" Driretlan asked "And why do you give a care?"
"I am Darius, and i would be the one to do your pre-avrirs training. If you want to take this on that is." He smirked "But if you don't want to then I understand, I mean you wouldn't want to get embarrassed because you quit your training."
"Why I outta! I won't back down! I'll take on your stupid training! This will be a synch!" Driretlan yelled hopping up.
"I knew that you would agree milady, even if it did take Daruis' brute comments to do it." The high priest said
"Well, it did work did it not?" Daruis chuckled.
Driretlan shook her head and laughed, "Well you are in for hell buddy! you don't know who you are messing with."
"Oh contraire, I do know. You are Driretlan daughter of Rarti and Chirilo. Younger sister of Lunus." Daruis sighed "Am I close yet?"
"How did you know who my parents were?!" She demanded, she barely knew them herself and it was inconceivable that a complete stranger knew them.
"I will explain all of that after you undergo the ceremony and start my training...oh you might want these back." Darius tossed Driretlan her weapons.
She caught them then watched him as he went.
Who in the hell is that? She thought. And how does he know what he knows?
Daruis spun around and looked at Driretlan "As I said before, all will be explained in my training. So just listen to the high priest and do as you are told." Daruis turned back around and walked into the shadows of the dark hall.
Driretlan let out a deep sigh. "Well I guess that you should start that thing now hu?" She smirked "So what do I have to do?"
"You must enter and successfully escape the caves of Trials with out being killed. First you will have to undergo a simple test that will be administered by several of our highest trained monks. You will have thirty minutes to prepare for this test, after that time is up you are to report to the courtyard." The priest instructed.
Driretlan nodded. "Piece of cake." She sighed "So I'll be there in thirty minuets tell your monks to be ready for me." Driretlan sheathed her weapons and walked out of the room. She walked up a narrow hall to an outer door, which she flung open, soaking in the bright rays of sun which poured onto her thereafter. "Well I might as well enjoy the sunlight while I can. I doubt that the cave will be very bright."
Well you did get yourself into that Dri, you let your cockiness and quick temper get in your way. She thought. I only hope that this stupid test will be easy so I can get in and out of that cave, then I can find the blockhead and make him explain.
Jin walked out of the door then leaned up against the wall watching Driretlan train. "This isn't going to be easy Dri, so be careful." Jin muttered
Down in hell Johnny wasn't going to easy on Lunus. It was all fire and brimstone literally Lunus was in the middle of a huge cavern he was on a small island that was surrounded by lava. Johnny sat on a throne across from the small island glaring at Lunus. Lunus had an sickening look on his face as he lay in the center of the little island.
"So what are you going to do with me now?" Lunus asked "You can't exactly kill me."
"Silence you fool!" Johnny yelled "You have betrayed me! I do not tolerate betrayal."
"Well that is a bit obvious." Lunus chuckled
Johnny let out a low growl and all of the demons that had been watching fled for the had never seen him this angry before. "I am sick of your mouthiness!"
"Well it is just how I am." Lunus smirked
"It isn't how you are anymore. I thought that I would be doing you a favor by allowing you to keep your soul your identity. but now I see my fatal error. you could not be trusted, I should have known that by allowing you to keep your soul you would be flawed an imperfect solider." Johnny boomed "now I will transform you into the perfect solider. The soulless warrior the thing that won't disobey my orders, and won't have emotions what so ever!" Johnny stood up and raised his fist into the air. The air in the area thickened and all of the flames that were burning bright behind the throne were sucked into Johnny's fist. "Do you have any last words Lunus?"
"Yea I do. You are a total fool that deserves no ones respect. You make a joke out of being the ruler of hell. You are supposed to be the prince of darkness yet you hold open the door for women. Pch. It is sad. and I am sorry that I had to serve under a being such as you." Lunus sneered
Johnny clenched his teeth together and tossed the ball of mass fire at Lunus. It hit him with immense force and his body started to act as if he was being electrified. Lunus started to go into a violent seizer then his body rose into the air and he yelled out in pain as a deep red glow surrounded his body. A silhouetted version of his body came forth from the flames and went into Johnny's palm. Then Lunus' body quit moving and he fell back to the ground with a small amount of steam rising from the corpse. "It was your choice." Johnny mumbled as he sat back down at his throne. He signaled and a demon walked up to him.
"Yes.....sir..." It stammered
"Take this to the lake of fire and dispose of it. Then fetch me Darkwolf but when you do. Do not lay one finger on her." Johnny ordered
"Yes sir." it groaned walking off.
Johnny watched the corpse of Lunus, "I guess that I should give it some orders so it doesn't just lay there." Johnny sighed
Lunus sat up and rubbed his head. "Wha...what happened." He groaned, his voice sounded slightly different it was deep yet it had a different tone to it.
"What the?!" Johnny gasped "But I stole his soul!"
Lunus looked over at Johnny "Who! Who are you? And where... am I?" He scrambled backwards until he come closer to the lava. He stood up shakily and his arms fell at his side a bit limply.
"Your in hell Lunus, I brought you here." Johnny snapped "Don't play stupid with me."
"Johnny...I have never heard of you before....what do you want with me.....I have to get back...." Lunus stammered
"Get back where? To your little fight, that has been long broken up now you must pay the penalty for betraying me." Johnny growled
This is truly odd though. How is he able to function I haven't even given him the ability to yet. Johnny thought. How is he doing this? I need to fix this problem, and quick.
"I never did anything to you. I don't even know who you are....I have to get out of here." Lunus said quickly "I will be leaving."
"No I am afraid that you won't be." Johnny said "I will show you the true power of the Prince of Darkness. I will show you the side that no one else has seen before." Johnny's hair spiked up with intensity and his eyes glowed a deep red, the temperature in the room suddenly spiked to a unbearable high. "So the question is, are you ready."
Lunus took a weak fighting stance and stared down Johnny.
I can't fight this guy, I strangely don't have enough energy. and he seems to be feeding off the surroundings. Lunus thought. I have to find a way out. I don't have time to deal with this guy. I doubt that Kixston has the capability to take care of my sister for long or the patience for that matter. I have to get back and take care of her.
Johnny stepped forward and gathered a ball of fire into his palm. "Wanna play?" he threw the energy at Lunus. He tried to dodge but he was stuck and he couldn't move. When the ball struck there was a loud bang and the room lit up for a second. When the light faded Hotaru lay in front of Lunus in a heap. "Hotaru?!" Johnny gasped
"Yea....it is me.....don't get all pissed.......I know something you don't is all......." Hotaru stammered standing up. "You can't...kill him....I'll explain later...." Hotaru grabbed onto Lunus
"Who are you?" He asked quickly.
"An old friend...don't worry." Hotaru said. She concentrated then teleported Lunus and her out of hell.
Johnny let out a frustrated sigh. "This is turning out to be a bad day." He groaned flying over to his throne and slumping down into it. "I need a plot...I haven't come up with one in a long time...and that would be the perfect way to vent my frustrations."
Cronic Hazel brought Kixston to the outer village and dropped him off. "Now don't forget to tell your friends about our little deal." He chuckled as he peeled out on his motorcycle.
"Jack ass." Kixston muttered as he picked himself up off of the ground. He dusted himself off a bit and looked around. "I guess that I will start with this group."
I don't want to go to Dri yet. I bet that there is more to Cronic's plan than what he is telling me. And I don't want to drag her, Ichigo, and the kid into it. Kixston thought. For now I will deal with Mitzuki and the others they will be the easiest to sway anyway.
Kixston walked up to the main gate and saw that it was partly destroyed. "What happened here?" He walked through the gap in the gate and into the village. The houses where mostly ruined form what seemed to be fire damage and the place was a wreck compared to what it was before he left. "What the hell....How did something like this happen? I thought that the outer wall kept the vampires out of the village." He wondered as he wandered through the village. He looked around and listened carefully the village was like a ghost town he didn't' see or hear anyone. "is everyone dead?" Kixston walked back to Renshu's house and he heard the noise of hammers and people working off to his left. He looked straight down the street and he saw the villagers working. He let out a sigh of relief and walked down the street. He could feel the pain in his body returning as he approached the group of workers.
Damn Cronic, he must have only given me a temporary healing mixture. Kixston thought. I should have known that he would pull a trick like that.
Renshu spotted Kixston and he dropped what he was doing and signaled for Katako to follow him. They both ran over to him.
"Kixston are you okay?" Katako asked
"I will be, I am just feeling a bit of pain." Kixston growled as another surge of pain rushed through him. "What happened here?"
"There was an attack several days ago by a winged man and a woman with immense power. They had a group of troops with them." Katako explained.
"A winged man......" Kixston muttered remembering his fight with Lunus.
A winged guy came and took Lunus it have been the same one that attacked the village? Kixston thought.
"I wonder the attack here and Lunus are connected." Kixston mumbled "Could they be?"
"What is wrong?" Katako asked
"Ah, it is nothing." Kixston smirked
"Well then lets get you cleaned up." Renshu said "See to it Katako, and while you are inside make sure that Sharon has what she needs."
Katako nodded and started to usher of Kixston.
"What happened to Sharon?" He asked as he was pushed through the front doors of the house.
"She was poisoned." Katako said plainly "But Kaneda and SuperX got the cure. So she will be fine. "
"Kaneda....why does that name ring such a bell."
"Because we've met before. and I am sure that my lazy little brother has mentioned me before." Kaneda said coming off the wall.
"I thought that you were working." Katako snapped
"I was, I just came in to get a drink." Kaneda smirked
"Your brother? I am not sure that I know who you are talking about."
"Sure you know him. He was traveling around with you a while back. His name is Lunus." Kaneda said
"Lunus?....Are you sure.....that means that you are!" Kixston gasped "We have to leave right away."
"Not before you are healed." Katako scolded
"I will heal with time....time which we don't have to waste." Kixston said urgently
"What in the hell are you talking about?!" Kaneda asked
"We have to get to the monastery! If we don't Driretlan could die!" Kixston yelled out of frustration.
"What?! She could die because I am Lunus' brother?"
"No! You are the blood guardian you have to be present at the monastery. I am not sure why but Lunus was very specific about it....I never thought about it before now..he told me that if he died and things started to happen that I should find the last blood guardian and take her to the monastery." Kixston explained
Then a memory suddenly washed over Kaneda.
Kaneda and Lunus were standing outside a cave in the middle of the night under a full moon and the air was thick with tension. Lunus was in a long cloak and you could barely see his shaggy blue hair poking out from under it. "Kaneda...I have something important to tell you before I leave to take care of something...if something ever happens to me...remember that you are the last blood guardian, since mother and father and me would all be passed on. You must take care of her it is your job as the guardian to be present at the ceremony. Or else it could prove fatal to both you and her."
"Who are you talking about Lunus? And why all the seriousness all of the sudden?" Kaneda asked
"I am speaking of your blood, you must take care of her...I must go now. I don't trust him with her in the night." Lunus said disappearing.
Kaneda faded back into reality. "So, what are we waiting for then lets get going."
Kixston nodded and both him and Kaneda headed for the door then Kaneda froze "Wait...does this mean that Lunus died?"
Kixston nodded slowly "Yes it happened seven years ago."
Kaneda mourned in silence for his brother for a moment then he walked out the front door. "Well then, I have just one thing left to ask you."
"What is it?" Kixston asked
"Have you taken good care of my blood?"
Kixston nodded "you wouldn't even recognize her if you saw her."
"Probably wouldn't. I didn't even know that I was related to her." Kaneda sighed
Every time I check my family gets bigger...well at least I might be able to make up with lost time on this one. Since I am her only living relative as of now. Kaneda thought.
Driretlan had already started her test thus far she was finding it far more simple than she ever thought that it would be. She spin kicked another monk that she was fighting away.
"Come on. If I am supposed to fight these guys as a test then I think that you should go back to the drawing board on it."She laughed looking at the fallen warrior monks.
The high priest smiled "Well, enact phase two."
The monks nodded and pulled them selves off of the ground. They all charged her at once chanting something under their breath.
"something tells me that isn't a good chant." Ichigo muttered as her and Jin watched from afar.
Jin nodded not taking his eyes off of the fight.
Driretlan tried to meet the monks with an attack but she seemed to hit some sort of barrier."What the" She gasped as the monks surrounded her in a tight circle. She tried to attack again with out any success. "Well this sucks." She tried to jump over the monks but she hit another barrier. "Okay this is unfair! Fight me fist to fist! Not barrier to fist!"
The monks chuckled a bit.
"You know nothing of the ritual do you?" Darius asked walking out from the monastery. "This is what is supposed to happen. Next you experience pain beyond any that you have ever experienced before. Then if you live through that you can enter the cave, if not you aren't worthy."
Driretlan let out a low growl, "What a dirty rotten trick!" She yelled "You guys are supposed to be monks!"
"You accepted the test, this was part of the test. Didn't your mother teach you to be more careful about these types of things?" Darius asked
"No, My mother and I didn't have a very long relationship." Driretlan growled
"Sorry, milady but you did agree. Begin phase two." The high priest commanded.
The monks nodded and a huge amount of energy started to emanate from their bodies. The monks chanted in a low tone and the air started to pop and crack from their energy out put. Then their energy burst inward onto Driretlan who put on a cocky smile as the attacks hit her. She just clenched her teeth as the amount of pain in her body rose up to a rate that she could barely stand.
"This isn't to smart of them." Ichigo commented
"Why do you say that?" Darius asked
"You haven't seen Driretlan in a real fight before. She feeds off of pain. It is almost like the more pain that is inflicted the stronger she becomes." Jin explained watched the whole thing very closely.
"No need to worry, kid. Well at least not yet." Daruis said
Jin glared at him for a second then focused back on Driretlan who looked like she was going to kill something.
"You do realize that you had best kill me now. Before I escape cause once I do, monk or not you going to get your ass kicked." She growled through clenched teeth.
I don't know how easy it will be to train her. she seems awful headstrong. Darius thought. I am not sure thought...that might be her downfall, I will see if she ever is able to escape the cave.
Driretlan's energy suddenly spiked and exploded out ward, but it was caught by the shield around the monks reflecting back at her. The ground underneath her crumbled as the energy hit her and her legs started to fail causing her to fall into the crater that she had created. "Damn...no wonder...my enemies don't have...a high..survival rate." She laughed picking herself back up. Blood ran down her arms and legs staining her skin light red.
"So when does this test end?" Jin asked a little nervous.
"I am not sure...I have never watched one before, all the others were far before my time." Daruis said
"What?!" Jin snapped
Crap, if they expect her to give in or something she will bleed to death long before her pride will allow her to submit. Jin thought. Then what good is their test if it kills her? What is that priest up to?
"Make them stop!" Ichigo yelled "She can barely stand up! What kind of whacked out test is this?!" Ichigo stomped her foot and glared at the priest coldly.
The air was still, and silent except for the crackling noise from the force field and the noise of blood dripping steadily into a puddle of crimson liquid. Driretlan looked up at the monks who were holding the force feild together above her. She took deep steady breaths to conserve what energy she had left.
Damn, why didn't I think about it being a trap...that is what this probably is. and why didn't my attack give me energy...normally that much pain would have spiked my energy level. Driretlan thought. Maybe it is because I know that I can't attack them, or because it was my attack.
A wind blew across the grass causing it to wave and leaves from the nearby forest flew by.
[Jin now would be the time to attack.] Shuvanis said
[But they are priests and monks.] Jin argued
[Trust me on this, attack them now! Unless you want her to die, do as I say.] Shuvanis commanded
Jin nodded, [They were starting to make me mad anyway...] Jin turned the light breeze that was in the area to a powerful whirlwind.
The priest turned his attention to Jin. "And what pray tell are you doing?" He asked
"I want you to stop your absurd test. I won't take it any longer." Jin growled
"Me too!" Ichigo said chiming in
The priest smiled and nodded to his monks who dropped the shield. "You passed." He said
Driretlan looked up at the priest "What in the hell...do you mean..." She growled
"You weren't the one who this test was for. It was for your friends, they did as they were supposed to do." The priest explained
"So...your..saying....that you bastards tricked me?!" Driretlan yelled "You did all of this for nothing?!" She started to climb out of her hole but wasn't doing the best job of it.
Jin walked over to the side of the hole and leaned down "Need help?" he asked out stretching his arm.
Driretlan nodded slowly and took Jin's hand. He pulled her out of the hole and helped her stand on solid ground. Blood had pooled in the bottom of the crater from Driretlan's heavy bleeding.
"I suggest that we get you taken care of." Jin smiled "Before your test starts."
"I am afraid that is not how the policy goes." Daruis said
"What do you mean? I thought that you haven't seen a test before so you didn't know what was going on." Ichigo pointed out.
"I haven't seen a test but I know how they work. Driretlan will go directly into the caves from here with out outside interference." Daruis explained
"That is ridicules." Jin growled "Let her heal a bit first. What good is she to you dead?"
"I will be fine..." Driretlan smirked "Just give me a few bandages.....and I can take care....of myself."
Jin looked at her and forced a smile.
There are times that I wonder about you, Driretlan. Jin thought. Sometimes you are far to cocky for your own good.
Ichigo brought Driretlan some bandages and she quickly wrapped her major wounds up.
"Are you ready to be lead to your test?" The priest asked
Driretlan smirked "Of course...let's move."
The priest nodded and started to walk off, he was closely followed by his monks. Driretlan started to follow him but she noticed that Jin and Ichigo weren't following as well. "You guys can follow...if that damned priest says anything about it I will back out of this test..so come on." Driretlan insisted
Jin and Ichigo nodded and followed Driretlan. They walked from the clearing into a small forest that was thick with energy.
[Where are they leading her?] Jin asked
[To the cave of trials, that is where the Shuvanis Panch were created and where I did much of my training. Many restless spirits inhabit that cave.] Shuvanis explained [I believe that they wish her to be able to fight off the spirits of the cave while trying to reach the end.]
[What is the point in that?] Jin asked
[In her journey to come her enemies will do anything to seize control of her body and more importantly her soul. They would even posses her body to do that. So she must learn how to fight off possession.] Shuvanis said dryly
[What if she is too weak to fight of possession?] Jin asked
[Then the ghosts will tear away at her soul by over crowding her body and she will never be the same again.]
[That is cheery.] Jin sighed
After walking through the forest for a while they came to a large cave mouth. Haunting noises came from the innards of the cave bellowing outward passed the group, the closer they came to the cave the louder the noises.
"Sounds like someone is upset....."Driretlan laughed "...I will give them a real reason...to...be...upset."
The priest nodded. "Then you are ready milady?" He asked
"Sure...it can't kill me...it is just some stupid cave.." She chuckled, Driretlan reached onto her belt and her hand ran across Jin's sword. "oh..yea...I had better give this back.." She pulled the sheath off of her belt and walked it over to Jin. "Here yaw go...I'll be back in a flash okay...do quit looking morbid...smile."
Jin smiled and took the sword. "Dri can you do me a favor while you are in there?" Jin asked
"Sure...what is it?"
"Don't get killed....there are still things that you have to take care of out here...besides I don't want to wait out here for too long." Jin smirked
Driretlan laughed "Gotcha..well see you guys on the flipside...." She turned on her heels and walked back into the cave and her figure faded into the shadows.
The priest said a quick prayer then him and his monks started to leave. Ichigo followed them but as they were walking into the forest the priest turned back and looked at Jin. "Are you going to accompany us?" He asked
"No. I'll just wait out here." Jin smiled "Go on with out me, and don't worry I won't go in."
The priest nodded and everyone but Jin left. He just sat up against a tree and started to play his flute drowning out all of the noises from the cave.
Lunus walked out of the area where Hotaru had brought him after transporting him out of hell. His head was swimming with everything that she had told him.
Has it actually been eight years? And was I really killed by that mysterious man that Hotaru was talking about? And did I truly work under that Johnny person? If so how come I am how I am now? How come I can't remember anything? And why did Hotaru help me? The way that she described my other personality was horrible, why would she help me after he treated her so badly. And why I am I so much different than him. It was like it was a whole other person. Lunus thought as he walked away. And if everyone believes me to be dead how am I to contact my sister? Or could I contact...him....Kaneda would surely believe me. We are brothers after all...I just hope that he is still his old self. but if somehow he has gotten word of my death what do I do then. And since I am still technically dead will my body dissipate? Like a rotting corpse, or is it possible that my death was just a rouse. I am here after all and if I was truly dead I wouldn't have been able to leave the underworld with out permission of the king.
"maybe you are still alive Lunus, maybe you are making a big deal out of nothing. You should just find your sister and make sure that it is taken care of." Lunus thought aloud. "I just wish that, Hotaru would have stuck around for me to properly thank her for her help and guidance. Or at least give her assistance with her wounds." Lunus slowly walked out onto a massive set of plains. He wasn't sure where he was or if he knew if he would be able to find the monastery in time.
Save up your energy Lunus, then you can teleport to your sister if you are needed. Lunus thought.
He slumped down and laid his head on the soft grass closing his eyes and taking a much needed rest.
"Yes, rest well Lunus. You will need all the energy that you can get...this world is not as you remembered it. Everyone is at each others throats wanting something, you had best be careful. I can't always rescue you." Hotaru muttered from the shadows of a large boulder. "Some day you will have to take care of yourself.....heck what am I saying he will always have to take care of himself...and that sister of his." she then picked her self up and disappeared.
Deep groans emanated from the hallows of the almost never ending cave. Driretlan walked through carefully trying not to trip or run into an enemy. The place was pitch black and the air was so thick with magical residue and spirits that it made it almost heard to breath. Driretlan took deep breaths of the air finding some sort of familiarity in the fragrance that it left in her nostrils. She reached onto her belt fumbling for spell breaker, when she found it she pulled it out of the sheath muttering a quick fire summon that didn't take a lot of energy. "erif catoris." A small flame appeared on Spell Breaker giving the cavern a light glow. Suddenly the flame erupted and covered all of Spell Breaker making the entire room visible. "Well that is an...improvement." As she ventured further into the cave, the sudden flood of spirits sent her senses wild. She could see the ghostly outline of some of them drifting in front of her making their low moans and groans as if it were a cry to her to help. "Sorry I don't' revive people..i kill them." The noises suddenly stopped as she jumped from a small ledge into the next cavern. The only noise was the steady drops of water hitting the cold stone. Driretlan heard the distant sound of raging wind and she spun around looking at the area that she had just exited. The sound of the wind suddenly stopped as quickly as it had come. "Man..i hate caves....I would rather face a flesh eating monster than this...wait I have already done that...oh well..." She walked on in the cave deciding to hum to her self t pass the time.
This is such a stupid test. where is the challenge in taking a joy walk in a cave? Driretlan thought.
Driretlan was sick of walking so she sat up against a wall sliding down to the cold ground. Her wounds bothered her, they stung as her warm blood trickled out. Even with the bandages tied tightly on she still felt the blood coming out.
If this doesn't stop soon I will bleed to death. and like Jin said I still have a lot to do before I can die. She thought.
Driretlan closed her eyes to gather her concentration when a sudden noise across from her caused to snap her eyes open. The ghostly figure of a woman stood before her, the ghostly figure of her mother. Driretlan stood up with her body pressed up against the wall tightly.
"No need to worry, my child. I will take care of you." The ghost said softly
"Yea, sure. After you kill me right...there is always a catch." Driretlan scooted away from the ghost and she sprinted across the room. She wasn't paying attention to where she was running and she tripped over a rock and Spell Breaker slid across the floor from her hands. "Shit."
She tried to get onto her feet but wasn't able to fast enough. The ghost was right in front of her again.
"Don't worry all of your pain will be relieved soon." The ghost disappeared then Driretlan felt a sharp pain in her stomach and she yelped as the ghost tried to integrate into her body and take control.
"You call that relieving pain?" She yelled as she curled up into a ball grabbing her stomach.
From the darkest parts of the cave the low moans started once more and a mass of ghosts swarmed to Driretlan. They forced their way into her body, each one bringing more pain with it. Driretlan crawled to a wall and climbed to her feet. She shakily started to walk toward Spell Breaker still holding her stomach. "You...think...that...you..can...take...me...down? Not...likely." she stammered. She walked forward a few more steps before she fell to the ground coughing. "Damned...dead..things....they always screw...me...over." She clenched her eyes closed as the pain tore through her entire body. Like someone had taken a knife and slowly dug it into her flesh turning it slowly every second. She heaved up and rolled over letting out a piercing scream as her soul started to be eaten away. She fought off every ghost with every once of energy that she could find. She rolled over to a wall and pulled out the Terrifen stabbing it deep into the rock and using it to stand back up. She then started to throw punches into the rock wall cracking it a little bit more each time. "DAMNIT!!!" She yelled
Why do you get yourself into these things again? And how will you get out of this one? She thought. There is no way out of this one...face it, you fucked up big time on this one.... And you are going to let every one down because you aren't strong enough. Because you can't fight off a few lousy ghosts. I thought that ghosts were supposed to be harmless anyway.... I am going to kill who ever started that.
Driretlan had another wave of tearing pain shoot through her body and she fell to her knees and started to punch the wall again. Then she pulled out the Terrifen and stabbed it into the ground. She stood up once more then took a step, then she lifted the Terrifen stabbed it into the ground a little further away and started the process over again. She walked across the room this way fighting off the urge to cut her own head off just to stop the pain, which took a while. She spotted Spell Breaker on the ground and slowly bent over to pick it up but she fell to the ground. "Great..." She sheathed spell breaker and used the Terrifen to stand once more.
"Give up!" A haunting voice echoed
"That is.. Wonderful...now...even...the...voices are...against me." She stammered in a daze.
Outside the cave Jin sat impatiently watching the mouth.
[You need to go in now.] Shuvanis said
[No, this is her test she can do it on her own.] Jin argued
[Not this time...Go inside Jin before it is too late.] Shuvanis urged.
[No. She can do it. I have faith.] Jin smiled
A scream echoed from the mouth of the cave and reached Jin's ears. He recognized the scream and he snapped to his feet.
[Faith does little if there isn't anything to back it up.] Shuvanis said [Go, now and hurry.]
Jin nodded and ran into the cave using the wind to speed him up. Once he was to a certain point in the cave his wind wouldn't work anymore and he just had to run hoping that he was fast enough. He followed the screams and finally came to the cavern where Driretlan lay. Her body glowed with an eerie light.
[You must do exactly as I say. The process has already began and we must stop it now.] Shuvanis instructed.
[What do I do?] Jin asked as he ran over to Driretlan
[Allow my spirit to control your body for a moment. I posses the power to reverse it.] Shuvanis commanded
[How do I do that?] Jin asked
[Just let go of everything. All though, all actions, all control. Quickly.]
Jin shut his eyes and did as he was instructed letting go of everything. He felt his control slip away from him and suddenly he was a by stander in a show that decided the fate of another.
Shuvanis took control of Jin's body and his hands started to glow with a light like the one that was around Driretlan's body.
The ghosts that were in Driretlan were dispelled and she was sent into a sudden seizure as the spirits left her body. Once Shuvanis was done with his procedure Driretlan's head fell to the side. She had passed out. Shuvanis gave Jin control of his body once more and Jin felt a drain of energy when he regained control. He leaned back onto his elbows and took a deep breath.
[Those spirits will not return I sent them on. You can rest easily now.]
[What about Driretlan? Is she okay?] He asked
[She will be fine with time.... but she is very low on energy.]
[She'll get it back I guarantee you. She won't give up that easily.] Jin smiled picking up Driretlan's head and laying it on his leg so it wouldn't be on the cave floor. Jin then laid down himself and drifted off into a deep sleep.
During the night Jin awoke suddenly, he looked around the room. He felt an immense amount of energy nearby and it didn't seem too friendly. He left out a long sigh and looked at Driretlan who laid half couscous.
"You saved me didn't you?" She asked
Jin smiled and nodded
"Well...thanks...I guess that I will have to repay you someday...for caring." She sighed sitting up.
"No, that isn't necessary." Jin said
"Sure it is.. You have saved my ass once again." Driretlan smirked
"That is because I don't' want to see you killed.... I.. I.." Jin stammered
Driretlan leaned in and softly kissed Jin on the lips cutting him off. "I hate it when people stammer.... Especially when the other person knows what they are wanting to say." Driretlan chuckled leaning her head on his shoulder. "I hope you don't mind....I am still really tired." She started to fall asleep again.
"Dri?" Jin muttered
"What?" She asked
"I am glad that you are here to save...otherwise I would still be some wandering wind warrior with out a care in the world." Jin explained
"Well.. I am glad that you are here to save me...." She mumbled falling asleep.
Kaneda, Kixston and the others who insisted on coming along came to the main gate of the Monastery.
So this is where I will meet my little sister, and where all will be explained eh? Kaneda thought. Looks a little bit plain to me.
You had better of kept her safe kid. Or I will rip you a new one when I see you. Kixston thought. I put my trust in you Jin, you had better not have broken it.