Hello my peoples, I have returned. Sure there are plenty of reasons why I haven't updated sooner—one is that I've been lazy, and two I've been working. But the biggest reason of all is that when me and moms moved, my computer decided it wanted to crash to the point where I couldn't even turn the thing on anymore—plus we had a month and a half break from school, so there was no computer for that either…yeah, just a bunch of garbage. However, thanks to a relatively recent review from Angel of Midnight Darkness, it proved for motivation to get my butt in gear. I have this chapter ready (obviously) and another that's in the works. After that I'm looking to give the entire story from chapter one down a face-lift—no major plot changes, just fixing some spelling, grammar and other odds and ends. Well, enough of my banter, on with the eleventh edition of my second posted fic, enjoy!
(As always, my characters are mine, and Sunrise's characters are theirs)
Chapter 11
He quickly shook the presence from himself.
"NOOOOO!!!!" Soja-no growled angrily, his eyes shut tight, fists clenched and teeth viscously bared.
"Damn you!!! He lives!!!"
'I don't understand it, how? The mother was killed in the proper fashion, so why should he still be alive?!' He questioned himself, his mind racing for answers. This had NOT gone as he had planned, not at all.
"This calls the alternative…"
***
"Master Talpa," said Badamon, his voice quite in the ears of his overgrown emperor. "We are experiencing a massive power flux from the enemy."
"And what does this mean to me?"
"It means sire that you will not have to expend as much energy fending this intruder off."
"Well, that's all fine and good Badamon, but I need to DEFEAT this thing, not break even with it!! Think of something quickly before it has a chance to recover!!"
***
"It would appear that the attacks have let up quite a bit." Dais concluded after taking a look around.
"But now what though?" asked Cale.
"It is obvious that Master Talpa is over burdened, we are going to have to think of something ourselves." Sekhmet stated.
"I'll tell you what we're going to do now; we're going to look for Kayura. She's our best bet at getting to the bottom of all of this." said Anubis.
"Hmm? Why would Kayura know anything?" Dais inquired.
"Because…" Anubis hesitated remembering his promise to Kayura.
"Go on." Sekhmet prodded.
"…Because Kayura mothered the creature that has been attacking us, that's why."
"Say again? Anubis, what the hell are you talking about?" Cale demanded.
"Look, it's a very long story and I don't have time to explain it now. Let's just go find Kayura and she can tell you for herself."
It wasn't long before the Warlords found themselves outside of Kayura's building.
"I just hope she's all right, I have a very bad feeling." Anubis muttered more to himself than the others. Before they could go inside, however, a man in black with piercing gray eyes met them.
"If you are looking for Lady Kayura, you won't find her."
"Who the hell are you, and how do you know that?" Anubis snapped.
"I am Soja-no."
"Who?" Cale questioned.
"Kayura spoke of this man…she says he's some sort of demon." Anubis replied, deadly teal eyes trained on the man before him.
"You, what have you done with Kayura?" Sekhmet demanded.
Soja-no sighed. "It's not what I've done to her, it is what she has chosen to do."
"Just answer the damn question!" Dais growled.
"If its answers you seek, I will gladly oblige. My name is Soja-no; I am a demon from another dimension. I have been sent here to help my master, the Grand Overlord, take over the Nether Realm in order to conquer Earth. For him to enter this dimension, he had to be planted in the womb of a woman, i.e. Lady Kayura. However, it was my plan all along to kill the Overlord. To do this, the mother—Lady Kayura--had to be sacrificed in a special ritual. It has worked to point, but was mostly a waste of time."
"So you're saying that Kayura is--" Anubis trailed, stunned by the notion.
"Humph, you're a quick study." Soja-no quipped.
"You scoundrel!" Cale spat, unsheathing his sword, Sekhmet following suit.
"A moment before you stain your blades with my blood—allow me a chance to explain-"
"The time for words is over, prepare to DIE!!" Came Sekhmet's battle cry, rallying the others into a vengeful charge.
"WAIT! I can tell you how to defeat him!"
The Warlords by now were mere feet from him, angry and primed for revenge.
"You've got two seconds before I gut you like a fish…friend." Anubis hissed.
"Very well. There is a power on Earth that is strong enough to defeat the Overlord. It was placed there by my predecessors' many centuries ago when Earth's dimension was still mildly permeable. If you can find it, you can beat back the Overlord."
"If it were as simple as you say, then why didn't you do that instead of murdering Kayura!" Dais yelled.
"Because we can no longer enter the Realm of the Mortal World." Soja-no replied with infuriating calm. "That's why the Overlord is trying to gain entree via the Nether Realm; this dimension directly links to its."
"But you killed her!" Snarled Anubis grabbing a fist full of Soja-no's clothing and shoving him against the wooden wall.
"My apologizes, I did not anticipate failure—and I did not kill her in the way that you speak."
"For a man in your position, you seem awfully placid." Anubis whispered to his face, ready to choke the life out of the man in his grip.
"Its only because killing me would put you at a great disadvantage." Whispered back.
"…Maybe so," Anubis returned aloud, "but I assure you I'll feel much better."
"I wouldn't advise it. As of now, I'm the only one who can help you get rid of the Overlord."
"…Fine…I'll let you live until this 'Overlord' is gone—but mark my words I'll have your head as a trophy when this is over." The redhead threatened.
"As you wish."
Anubis released Soja-no roughly. Taking a moment to reposition his clothing, Soja-no regarded the four seething men. "Look to your mystical armors—there is a great untapped power within them. If you successfully harness it, your victory shall come much more swiftly."
"Is that so? Please tell us just exactly how you know this." Cale asked with a certain level of malice.
"We in my dimension have been studying the Nether Realm and its history for a very long time. We know more about your armors than you could ever possibly imagine. However this is beside the point and our time grows short. As I said, you must harness your armors' dormant abilities. For this you must go on a journey."
"Journey? We do not have time for pilgrimages; our world is being destroyed now!" Dais fumed.
"You'll have time enough for this." The man before them said condescendingly. "Your emperor is fairing better now than before; this gives you a window of opportunity. You have your Lady Kayura to thank for that."
"Don't you ever say her name." Anubis snarled.
Soja-no regarded him with an expressionless glance. "If it was not for her sir…this world would have been destroyed long before now." He said lowly. "And as for your journey, you must seek the Guardian of the Sleeping Stone. She will determine whether or not you are ready for your greater strength."
Finally offended by the stranger's incessant spiel, Cale stepped before him. "How dare you? Who are you to tell us about what we're capable of with our own armor? Master Talpa alone controls the fate of our armor, not you or anyone else across any dimension!"
"You are a foolish man indeed if you believe that. Your armor is your own; it will listen to you if it is your voice that commands it. If you let someone else control it, then that is your business. I am simply providing you with an alternative to enslavement."
Without warning, Cale brought about his fist for a left hook, taking Soja-no by surprise. He crumpled to one side with the unexpected blow. His eyes darkened as he looked into the curiously scared face of the man above him.
"You really ought to control that temper of yours." Soja-no grumbled as he wiped the blood from his mouth. "It could cost you dearly."
"It is not wise for a man on his knees to make threats."
"I could have easily killed any one of you—I still can. The reason you live now is because we share a common goal, I'm trying to help you. It would pay for you to open your eyes and see yourselves for what you can be. You should be as tired as I am from living under someone else's thumb."
"Our master is our master," Dais interjected, "we believe in him and what he tells us. We are not fools, we know that he has secrets and those are his to keep. You've already killed one of our own, and I also don't think it's wise to speak ill of the one we serve."
Soja-no sighed heavily as he climbed to his feet. "I suppose you are right. Everyone learns what they need to know in their own time. But as for now—I suggest you move swiftly, the Overlord is hardly spent, he regains his strength with each passing moment."
"So we're off then." Said Anubis. "But where exactly do we go to seek this Guardian?"
"It is deep in the woodland area of the Tembashi temple near Lake Biwaon, on the main island of Japan. There will be a cave, look for the Guardian there."
Sekhmet sneered. "If you are lying to us, so help me, may whatever god you worship have mercy on you."
AN: To all my usual reviewers, much, much love! Be on the look out for a new summery for the next chapter, peace!!^^