Disclaimer: Yoroiden Samurai Troopers is the property of Sunrise. Ronin Warriors is the property of Bandai Entertainment. "Ways to Be Wicked" is from Disney's Descendants 2 and is the property of the Walt Disney company.
Trigger Warning: Drowning
Author's Note: Okay, here we go. This chapter is one of the reasons this story is rated for adult audience. I didn't want to take any risks. Additionally, this was one of the hardest chapters to write. It actually went through two or three rewrites before I was satisfied with it.
Another new character is introduced here - a heroine this time - and the chapter is told entirely from her perspective (third person limited). I thought that would be an intriguing way for you to meet her. I'll talk about her origin in a later chapter, as I don't want to give too much away.
So, I know I always ask for reviews, but this is the chapter that has me the most anxious, so please be kind and tell me what you think.
Beta's Note: Guys. Guys, guys, guys. This chapter gave me CHILLS when I read it the first time. Grab a comfort object, because you're probably gonna need it.
The Wicked Knights
by Jake the Fearless Leader
Chapter Ten
"Crossing the Line"
Night had always been Zion's favorite time of the daily cycle. It wasn't just because of her connection to the moon. Saura City happened to be very beautiful once the sun went down. It was different than the other four cities found in the Nether Realm, primarily because Saura was a refuge. Those who didn't have anywhere else to go had found their way to this place and made it their home. Demons and monsters alike lived together in peace.
Zion was one of those who had found sanctuary in Saura. She had come to the Nether Realm a very long time ago with her beloved Aiden. They had chosen it more for his benefit than hers. Aiden hadn't wanted her to sacrifice life in the sunlight. Of course, Zion had already proven she'd do anything as long as it meant they could stay together. The fiery sun didn't matter to her, anyway. She preferred moonlight anyway, even as a child. That was probably one of the reasons why Lady Silena had chosen her all those centuries ago.
Silena… It had been a while since Zion thought of her, of the sisterhood she had chosen to leave behind. She didn't regret her decision. Being with Aiden was what she truly wanted. In following her own passion, however, she had broken her sacred oath. Lady Silena had been very understanding, given the unusual circumstances. She let Zion go with her blessing and even allowed her to keep the power she had been granted when she joined the sisterhood. It was a very useful gift and served her well many times in the past, especially during reconnoissance.
(Ah…!)
We got all the ways to be
W-I-C-K-E-D
We got all the ways to be
W-I-C-K-E-D
(C'mon!)
(Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!)
Speaking of which, from her perch on the roof of a popular restaurant, she had just spotted a group of demons from Akuma City emerge from one of the back alleys in the entertainment district. While strangers weren't a rare sight in Saura, these demons weren't welcome. Alfirin only ever sought to stir up trouble, and they knew from past experience that the people living in this city wouldn't fight back. If Zion and Aiden didn't intervene, the bloodsuckers would be free to dine on the locals whenever they wanted.
But tonight was different. They weren't stalking one of the denizens of the city, but rather another newcomer - a human teenager in steampunk attire with black-streaked light auburn hair. Zion's eyes narrowed as she got a good look at the boy's face. This was no ordinary human.
"A Ronin Warrior? Why is he here, of all places?" she wondered aloud.
Aiden and Zion had both gotten a glimpse of the Ronin Warriors the last time they were in the Nether Realm. It was a couple months ago, when they were going up against the self-proclaimed Emperor of the Dynasty. The two hadn't made contact with the kids from the Mortal Realm, instead opting to observe their progress from afar. It was only after Talpa was destroyed that the two had announced their presence to the emperor's former allies.
Crashing the party, guess they lost my invitation
Friendly reminder — got my own kind of persuasion
Looks like this place could use a bit of misbehavior
Happily ever after, with a little flavor
Bad to the bone, with even worse intentions
We're gonna steal the show, and leave 'em all defenseless
A fairy tale life can be oh, so overrated
So raise your voices, and let's get it activated!
"Are you lost, little boy?" called out one of the Alfirin with a twisted grin.
The Ronin stopped walking, but did not turn around. Zion watched as his face seemed to light up with anticipation. Odd. She had assumed Hardrock was the battle-hungry of the five, and she recalled him having dark blue hair.
"Is it that obvious?" the teen responded with an almost child-like tone.
His voice helped Zion to identify him. It was the Ronin who wore the Torrent Armor.
"We'll help you out, kid," sneered another Alfirin as the group charged him.
Zion was prepared to jump in and help ward off the demons, but Torrent didn't need any assistance. He swiftly avoided all five, causing two of them to crash into a nearby wall and knock themselves out. The other three were taken out in seconds with a couple well-timed kicks. Two of the three fell unconscious, but the remaining Alfirin had just been brought to her knees. Despite appearing to be a young girl around Torrent's age, Zion knew that she was likely much older.
"Well, that was boring…" Torrent sighed unhappily, approaching the girl.
"You… you're not human. What the hell are you?" she demanded.
"You wanna know?" asked Torrent, genuinely curious. "Tell you what. How about we make a deal?"
"What makes you think I'll cooperate?" the girl sneered.
Torrent summoned the spear that accompanied his armor. "Because if you don't, I'll be forced to disfigure that pretty face of yours."
Long live havin' some fun
We take what we want
There's so many ways to be wicked
With us, evil lives on
The right side of wrong
There's so many ways to be wicked
Zion was taken aback by the malice in Torrent's voice. He had meant it, was even pointing the tip of his spear at the Alfirin's cheek. The look of fear on the girl's face indicated that she certainly believed him. But still, he was a Ronin Warrior, the bearer of the Armor of Torrent, the purest of the armors. Surely, he was just bluffing?
"Alright, what do you want?" the girl squeaked out.
"Information. I'm looking for somewhere quiet, a somewhere folks aren't likely to go. Do you know of a place like that around here?"
"Y - yes, the Poica River is usually deserted at this time of night. The young blood tend to flock around the clubs or the park," the girl answered.
"Is that a fact?" Torrent acknowledged the girl in front of him for a moment longer before pulling his spear away from her. "What you say is true. Smart girl. Get your friends, and get out of here before I change my mind." With that, he turned on his heel and stalked away from the Alfirin.
Apple, apple
Dip, dip
Wanna try it?
Tick, tick
Take a bite
C'mon, be bold
Change the way the story's told
Zion had lost all interest in the group of five. After that confrontation, she was sure they'd take off for the night, anyway. She focused on the inner light within, and her body changed, shifting into the shape of a majestic silver wolf. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, she kept the Ronin in her sights. Why had Torrent threatened an Alfirin for information about the city? Was he looking for something in particular? She had to know what was going on.
It was a few minutes before Torrent finally came upon the banks of the Poica River. The river was known for it's serenity, as the flow was consistently steady, so it was quite the popular spot on a hot day. Although, the Alfirin girl was right when she said that no one came to the river at night, which is why it was such a surprise to find a young demon wading ankle deep in it's waters. She must have been around the same age as the Ronin, with a soft orange complexion, cat-like green eyes, and cropped black hair. Torrent froze at the sight of her, and he frowned. He had clearly wanted to be alone.
Zion observed from up above, having positioned herself on top of a nearby building. Her eyesight was already more advanced than an average human's, but in her wolf form, her sight was further enhanced, as was her hearing. She could have easily been standing next to the two of them. And so she saw the moment when Torrent suddenly winced and heard him release a pained groan.
This time, the dark is finally getting your attention
We're wicked by the book, and class is back in session!
You like it, steal it
Gotta beat 'em to the treasure
A rite of passage
Bad just doesn't get much better
The demon girl gasped, startled, and spun round. Her eyes widened. "Who - who are you?" she asked.
Torrent didn't answer her. He pressed his fingers against his left temple as he slowly opened his eyes.
"I - I'm really not supposed to talk with strangers. My father would be furious with me if he found out I was even out here on my own," she stuttered. Stupidly, in Zion's opinion, but it couldn't be helped. Even demons felt fear, and that fear tended to loosen the tongue.
Torrent snorted. "Yeah. I've heard fathers are like that. Not that I would know," he said cryptically.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know —" the girl blurted out, having realized her blunder.
"I don't need your pity," he spat at her angrily.
The Ronin reached into his pocket and pulled out an egg-shaped vial. Unstoppering it, he swiftly chugged down the amber liquid within. The effect was instantaneous. Zion and the demoness watched as more strands of his auburn changed to black. Torrent tossed the empty vial aside, his eyes flickering deep red as he did so.
"There, much better," he muttered. "I was starting to get a headache."
Long live havin' some fun
We take what we want
There's so many ways to be wicked
With us, evil lives on
The right side of wrong
There's so many ways to be wicked
Zion could tell that the girl was really starting to get scared. She was slowly stepping back in an attempt to put some distance between them.
"I - I really should be getting back," she said. "If my brother wakes up and I'm not there, he's going to tell our father, and I'll be in a lot of trouble."
"You're lying."
The girl stopped moving. Her terrified eyes locked on his. "N - no, I'm not?" she said.
"You don't have a brother. It's just you and your father. Has been for years since your mother was killed," said Torrent.
How could he possibly know that? Zion wondered.
Again, Torrent winced, twisting his head sideways as he did so. But the girl didn't seem to notice.
"I'm sorry. Please, just let me go. I'll give you anything you want, I promise," she begged.
"I can still hear you," he whispered.
"Wh - what?" The girl looked confused.
"Your voice, it's still in my head. I don't understand. Why isn't it going away?" questioned Torrent, sounding frantic.
Mother always knows best
Show her, pass every test
Hear her voice in my head
Evil is the only real way to win
Telepathy. Interesting twist, thought Zion.
"I don't know what you're talking about," said the demon girl.
"No, of course you don't. You're just a pathetic little bitch. I wouldn't expect you to know anything," sneered Torrent.
He had scared her again. She took another hasty step away from him. The water around her feet rippled.
"Please, I just want to go home," said the girl. She was beginning to cry.
The Ronin cringed. "Damn it, shut up! That shrill voice of yours is irritating," he growled.
"I'm sorry! I'll be quiet, I promise. Just, please, don't hurt me," she pleaded, sobbing.
Torrent's eyes narrowed suddenly, his face seemingly filled with a quiet rage. Zion was a bit stunned by the killer gleam in his gaze. Who knew a Ronin Warrior was capable of that dark a stare?
"You're lying again," he sneered. "You have no intention of shutting up. Your voice is still shrieking in my head! Just shut your mouth, and keep your thoughts to yourself!"
Zion saw another ripple form in the river. But the young demon hadn't moved this time.
We got all the ways to be
(Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!)
W-I-C-K-E-D
(Let's go!)
We got all the ways to be
(Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!)
W-I-C-K-E-D
"If - If you don't want to hear me, then - then why don't you just let me go?" asked the girl.
He glared at her. "You are really pissing me off, you know that? Do you not understand what the words 'shut up' mean? Are you that stupid?"
Torrent stepped closer to the demon. With a petrified cry, she backed up again. The ripples were now brushing her knees.
"HELP ME! Somebody, please!"
"Guess that answers that question," the Ronin groaned. His left hand was now gripping the left side of his head.
(Yeah… Yeah!)
Long live havin' some fun
We take what we want
There's so many ways to be wicked
With us, evil lives on
The right side of wrong
There's so many ways to be wicked
"You have no idea how exhausting you are, do you? None of you do," Torrent snapped. "That tonic was supposed to protect me from all your crap, but I guess Melaina screwed that up. And I know that the tonic's supposed to be for more than quieting the voices, but how am I supposed to get any kind of clarity when you won't stop begging for your pitiful life!"
The demon shook her head. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no sound came out.
"Stop it. Stop saying that. You're not sorry," the human teen said quietly.
A foreboding sensation began to fill Zion as she saw the teenager's eyes become cold and hateful. Whatever was going to happen next, she wasn't going to like it. Still, she dared not move in closer, even to try and save the squirming demon. It was important that her presence here go undetected.
Cruel and unusual
We're taking control
There's so many ways to be wicked
With us, evil lives on
The right side of wrong
There's so many ways to be wicked
"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" Torrent suddenly roared. He grimaced, raising his right hand up now to grip the other side of his head. "Your voice… too loud… hurts… Gah!"
He doubled over in pain. The girl's panicked thoughts appeared to be overwhelming him. Zion didn't know if she was trying to make him see reason, but if that was the case, it wasn't working. She was doing far more harm than good.
Slowly, Torrent struggled to straighten up. He opened his eyes, revealing an ethereal silvery-blue glow. It was a wondrous sight to behold, one that thoroughly stunned Zion to her core.
By the gods… It cannot be…
Then she realized what was happening, and any doubts she had instantly disappeared.
We got all the ways to be
W-I-C-K-E-D
We got all the ways to be
W-I-C-K-E-D
We got all the ways to be
W-I-C-K-E-D
The Poica River had practically erupted, the water rising like a large wave in the ocean. As it ascended, the shape of the water twisted and became cylindrical. It abruptly rushed forward and surrounded the terrified girl. Her scream was cut off as she was captured in the cylinder, which once more changed it's shape. The newly formed circle now trapped the girl fully submerged in a liquid tomb.
Torrent stared at the scene before him, his expression a mixture of confusion and shock. He obviously had no idea what was happening.
The demon girl struggled fiercely. However, no amount of clawing or kicking could destroy liquid walls of the prison. It was useless. There was no escape for her. Her motions became less frantic as time passed, continually slowing down until she just stopped moving all together. A few minutes passed, silent and still. Then, the water began to recede from the orb, returning to the river. The demoness fell to the pavement. Her eyes were half-open, but dull and void of life.
Torrent gazed down at the dead girl, shell shocked. Slowly, a small grin began to spread across his face. He started laughing.
"I guess that's one way to shut her up," he said, sounded delighted.
He took a minute to regain his composure before turning to go, leaving the body behind.
We got all the ways to be
So many ways to be wicked
Zion continued her stealthy pursuit of the teenage boy. She probably didn't need to, but she felt obligated. If one of the Ronin Warriors had gone rogue, then she would have to inform Kayura immediately. She needed to gather as much intel as she could. Anything she learned from watching Torrent could be useful in coming up with a plan that would stop him.
And they had to stop him. He may not have intended to kill the girl, but the fact was he had, and Zion could tell he was gearing up to do it again. She didn't doubt it for a second. From what Aiden had told her long ago, the desire to kill was a stain on the soul - a stain that never went away. Worse yet, for some, it was like a drug - do it once, and you never want to stop. If they didn't act fast, more innocents lives would be lost.
For Zion, that was unacceptable.