A/N: This chapter is fully revised.

The Elementals

Chapter 2

Ryo didn't feel like eating anymore. To be honest he no longer wanted Seiji asking him questions. So where was he now? In the streets, the once place he's been avoiding all week. His crystal was held securely in his hand, a habit. He needed to get out anyway, staying at Natsuti's only made Seiji and Shin more suspicious.

He wasn't the person to stay indoors a lot. His friends normally found him in the forest practicing with his katanas, that or either trying his best to teach Touma how to use a sword. He sighed helplessly. Touma was just not made to wield a sword. Whether his friend has noticed his lack of sleep Ryo couldn't tell. Shu was doing very well hiding his concern, not something the wielder of Kongo is known for.

He looked around, not really paying attention to where he was going. He mind was too occupied to worry about his direction, and not having enough rest to care. It must have been noon; he forgot to look at the clock before he left. The sidewalk was busy, crowded with people, and he was constantly moving out of the way of kids running after each other. Which wasn't at all hard for him. He shielded his eyes from the autumn sun, still peering around for anything out of the ordinary.

There really wasn't much that was unordinary in the area he decided to take his walk on. This was where all the skater punks come and random, very odd stores that shoot in front of you and start badgering at you to buy something. Some old, little, pruney man had once appeared in front of him and asked "Do you want a man… or a woman?" in a very odd kind of accent. Sounded like the guy was Chinese or something. Then another one started following him around nagging that he should buy stuff and saying. "Five dollah! Five dollah!" Though the currency was yen.

He should have worn a sweater, even though it was bright outside it was still cold. He didn't like to be cold. He yawned loudly then stopped. His grip on his crystal tightened immediately. His eyes shot around searching for whatever he sensed just then. He definitely sensed something and even though nothing around him seemed to be effected he searched out what was disrupting the balance around him. He covered his eyes as a bright flash of light suddenly filled the entire street.

The silence that filled the usual noisy street startled him and he opened his eyes. The people were gone, the cars were gone, the street was empty, and he was alone. Just like with Arago. Cars were frozen in the middle of streets, streetlights stuck on their last command. The wind blew the abandoned papers across the street, scattering the remains of once packed streets. Ryo was thankful, even though he doubted that was the enemy's intention. Most likely didn't want them in the way. At least no one will get hurt.

"This is exactly why I didn't want to…" the rest of his sentence was never finished as he saw his nightmares come to life.

The two dark figures appeared from the dark alley. They stopped and spoke to each other. The one with the daggers turned his way, a sly smile appearing on his face. That was the only twisted feature Ryo could pick out. A thick gray fog blanketed the streets, making the buildings look ghostly and dark. It made the air even colder and froze his senses. Ryo stepped back uncertain of what they would do. But he was not the one to run from a fight.

"Hey bunch of scum bags you going to fight me? Or just hide in the dark." He called on his yoroi knowing that it will be extinguished. He drew his swords slowly and positioned them in front of him. He was ready for any attack.

He watched as the dagger wielder walked towards him, not quickly, but smoothly. His movements smug and confident, he was going to take down Rekka down easily.

"You could have saved yourself some pain and not summon your yoroi. That can easily be dealt with though," He sheathed one dagger seeing no use for it. The dagger emanated a dark green energy then suddenly turned into a sword, almost identical to the other katana wielder's.

Leaving no time for idle chat he called forth his sure kill, Rekka was just another pest to be taken care of anyway. No use giving the boy special attention. It might go to his head.

"Screams of the Shadows!" the man yelled raising his sword high in the air then in one smooth motion cut down.

The darkness swallowed the light only leaving the glow of the man's sword. Dark velvet energy hurdled toward Ryo in furious blasts. The dark energy beared with it screams of agony and anguish of tortured souls that were trapped within it. He lost his handle on his twin katanas and was smashed into a building. He did not yell; he didn't in his dream he will not now. His yoroi only being able to protect him from the one hit vanished, leaving him only in civilian clothes.

"Just one hit," he muttered annoyed and painfully rose to his feet grabbing his crystal from the ground quickly. His swords didn't even hold up against the blast, and now he wondered what happen to them. They never just disappeared.

"Well look at that, I thought your yoroi would at least stand against one of my attacks." He laughed mockingly.

Ryo hated that laugh. Though his yoroi never did stand against more than one attack from either of them. That was only in his dreams. He was hoping this was different but he should have known better unless he takes some kind of action the prophetic dreams will replay themselves in reality.

"I'm guessing you have a master?" the same tight grip on his yoroi crystal returned, he didn't notice.

"Ah yes…" his voice suddenly sounded submissive like the thought caused him to feel fear. "But you won't need to know since you will die anyway. Master needs you foolish troopers out of the way."

He felt drained from losing his yoroi but he fought the fatigue and stood ready to defend himself. Yoroi or not. He took another look around; he hoped his friends haven't sensed anything, though he doubted they didn't. He would never want them to get hurt, but how would he defeat these two without Kikotei? No, that would cause them pain anyway, and he would never want to cause them pain. They had it bad enough with Arago.

"Your fate has been decided Rekka," he repeated the same words raising two blood stained daggers in the air.

Ryo could easily dodge them and get pinned to the wall or he could not dodge. He didn't know what that outcome was. He never tried before, since, well in his dreams he can't always control exactly what he does. It's just like any normal person who remembers they're dreaming. Sometimes he forgets his previous visions and instead replays the same ones over and over again. When trying to change the outcome can help them in battle.

But he always dodged; it was a reflex his body was too accustomed with.

"It doesn't have to happen like in my dream," he whispered. If he knew what was going to happen then he could stop it but totally contradicting the truth. He knew he was going to lose.

The daggers were released from their master and soared towards him craving for the blood of a samurai trooper. He ducked this time, but that proved useless. They swerved sharply around and came after him again. He had to dodge, and was easily pinned to the wall. They hissed as the brick around them suddenly started to burn. He tried to struggle free as the bubbling acid seeped down his left arm. He barely held back a scream; it was much more painful in reality.

He quickly searched for the man while vainly trying to struggle free, but he was already in front of him pulling the acid-dripping dagger out of the wall and grinning at him madly.

"I will truly enjoy killing you,"

"No!" he yelled ripping his shirt away from the dagger already bringing his arm back to strike to the man. The enemy grabbed Ryo by the shoulder squeezing it so hard he heard and felt his bones crack and break. He shoved him hard against the building and plunged the acid dagger into his side. He gasped, still refusing to yell. But it did burn, burned like hell as he felt the acid seep into his wound.

It was amazing how weak and fragile he was in battle without his yoroi's protection. Attacks that would clash harmlessly against his yoroi instead sunk easily into his soft skin. Ryo was utterly and completely helpless and at the man's mercy. He could so simply kill him now but he would rather play with him enjoying how he squirmed and how his body reacted to the pain.

Here he was with his stupid stubbornness and total unselfish character taking these hits for his friends. Maybe if he had told them they would be here right now sharing the pain. There was no way they would get out of this. If Rekka could only stand up to one attack he knew the others would have the same effect. The only thing that could possibly aid them is Kikotei. That was the only weapon they had.

But he was fine with taking this by himself. He was only worried if he didn't get out of this would his friends be protected? What would happen to the yoroi? That was probably the only reason Ryo wanted to stay alive at the moment. His life was far too valuable for him to die. Too many people relied on him, though they didn't know it, so he really couldn't die.

The man laughed again, as Ryo tightened the grip that he lost around his yoroi crystal.

He forced himself off the ground, wavering on his feet; he used the wall for support getting only seconds to let the dizziness pass. He could take a lot as he was conditioned though battle to be able to. He knew how to block his body's weakness and only let his mind strive him forward.

Now he was just pissed off. He pulled all his weight in his punch, his side shot with pain but he ignored it. Not like he hasn't been in pain before. The man stumbled backwards from the impact a surprised look on his face.

"My Rekka, quite strong aren't you? When someone makes you mad." He turned his dagger over stabbing Ryo in the arm before he could react. He didn't want to kill him. No, what would be the point in wasting all this time? Rekka did hit him anyway. Just bringing himself more pain then he was going to inflict on him. He really was going to make it quick, but since Rekka decided to be physical, he'll make it much more painful.

Ryo fell to his knees, as much as he wanted to hold his arm, try to stop the bleeding he couldn't. His other hand held his yoroi crystal. Before he knew it the man was hold him by his shirt pulling him up then slamming his head against the building. He heard his skull crack. He bit his lip to hold back a scream, which wasn't very hard at all. As soon as his head hit the building every thought he once had was gone, including the impulse to scream.

Ryo slumped to the ground as the man released him. His vision blurred into swirling colors, and felt incredibly dizzy. He vaguely knew he was picked up again then slammed into the pavement. He lost all coherent thought and felt ready to sick up. His head no longer throbbed, it screamed and yelled in white-hot pain. He still held his yoroi crystal protectively in his hand. Ryo's mind was brimming with unconsciousness. The black void welcoming him to a world of no pain.

"Don't black out on me now Rekka," The man laughed again.

He moaned as he was lifted into the air again and a sharp pain appeared on his stomach. He couldn't think, but he could feel the life draining out of him. He was thrown on the ground; his left wrist twisted painfully backwards, and reluctantly released the crystal. Ryo forced his eyes to open and waited as his blurred vision did a pathetic attempt to correct itself. The man held his yoroi crystal the Kanji "Righteousness" still glowing brightly.

"This is the end of you," And with little effort crushed it in his hand.

Ryo watched the shards of his yoroi crystal fall the ground as empty blackness swelled around him.