Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Troopers. Just Shakalli. And if the story seems a little slow, well that's because I'm trying to choose which of my ideas to use in this story. Oh and if anyone reading this story is a fan of, or is, or has read my other story 'Cursed Maidens', it may take a while for me to come up with newer chapters. As for this story, I bring to you, chapter 5 of 'The Path of a Leader'.
The Path of a Leader
Chapter 5 The New Mission
"It seems that time has treated you better than I had anticipated. But worse than it has treated me, Keno-kun." Hearing his old name, made Ryo cringe. Kaos saw this and filed this action away for future conversations. Seiji looks at Ryo and can't help, but feel sorry for him. He hears someone clearing their throat and sees his sisters and Tomokazu are all looking at him, as if to ask what this is all about.
"Kaos-sama, are you absolutely sure that he is one of the nine? Let alone that he is the leader?" Kayura, it seems, likes to voice her opinions.
"Hai, Kayura-kun. I am absolutely positive about this. He is the leader. Judge for yourself." And with that, Kaos steps out of the way, so that Kayura can walk up to Ryo and read his mind, exactly like she did to Seiji only minutes earlier. She places her right hand on the left side of Ryo's forehead and her left hand on the right side of his forehead. And closes her eyes in consentration.
The next thing Ryo knows, is pain. Not the pain he has become accustomed to over the past three and a half weeks. No, this pain felt more like someone was looking through his memories and trying to remove various ones. A few seconds later, and Ryo almost passed out. Seiji feels sympathy for him, as Kayura had done the same thing to him. She frowns and shakes her head.
"I can't believe it. How is this possible? Why of all people is he one of the nine?" Satsuki, tired of being left out of the loop, steps toward the others and asks, as politly as she can,
"I sorry, but what the hell is going on here?" Ryo, Seiji, and Kayura turn to look at her, stunned to see her there. Kaos, who hasn't taken his eyes off of Ryo since first talking to him, merely smiles. He slowly turns his unseen gaze toward the young woman, and Ryo is relieved. He knows that Kaos-san was staring at him to determine if he was worthy of something. And Ryo didn't like someone staring him down like that. 'Nice save Satsuki-san, that is a very good question.'
"Satsuki-san, my name is Kaos. This young woman with me is, Kayura-kun, she is my apprentice. The two of us are on a mission to collect nine special, skilled warriors in order to fight a powerful demon named Arago. We know that your older brother is one of those warriors and the young man here is another of those warriors. Or rather, he is the leader of these nine warriors. Arago is a very dangerous demon. For several decades, no for a few centuries, he has been locked away in the Youjakai. Over the years, the seal holding him back has weakened. And as of six months ago, he was freed for his prison. There is more to the story, but instead of rambling on and on, if you, or anyone else here has questions, we will answer them. Is that okay with everyone?" he says as he looks from Satsuki to Yayoi, to Tomokazu, to Seiji, to Ryo and looks back to Satsuki. Everyone can only nod, as they are to awe struck to speak.
"Kaos-san, I've heard of a story similar to the one you have told us. But I heard that instead of nine warriors, there were nine people that used the different abilities of nature to seal Arago away. Could you please explain that to us?" Yayoi had won several stares with that question. Kaos' smile slowly disappeared, but he had just promised to answer questions. He took a deep breath and readied himself for the explaination.
"You are very learned on this subject, Yayoi-san. True, they were not warriors, and they did use the abilities of nature. They died after using those abilities, either because they couldn't fight and defend themselves, or they were badly injured before they sealed him away. The elemental and seasonal abilities they had have found there way to nine new persons, nine warriors. This time, they will not be killed or defeated. Thye will be able to kill Arago. I have seen their fates. These nine will live into their 60's, 70's, and even 80's. But Kayura-kun and I need them to fight Arago. They are the only ones that can fight him. If any of the nine choose not to fight, none of them can fight, and no one else can even stand a chance of defeating him. That is why we need your younger brother and your guest to help us fight Arago. Does that answer your question?" Yayoi nods slowly as her sister and Tomokazu try to pick their jaws up off of the ground. Seiji can only stare at Kaos, who is most definately telling the truth. Kayura and Ryo are, seemingly, the only ones who are not listening, as they are busy having a staring contest with each other.
Finally after, maybe ten or fifteen minutes, Kayura growls at Ryo and he returns the favor. Kaos looks to the two of them before sighing and shaking his head. Kayura, who looks like she might just strangle Ryo, finally screams.
"I can't figure out how you can be one on the elemental users. I knew I remembered you from almost a decade ago. After looking through your memories, I now know why you looked familiar. You're the one who burned our wagon." at this everyone, except Kaos, is staring at Ryo. He only stares at Kayura, with a snarled mouth. (Like an angry dog.) "Kaos-sama and I were only passing through the forests of Yamanashi, when we came across what looked like a small village in the middle of a forest. We weren't causing any trouble, or trying to cause any trouble. I didn't know then how you did it, but now I know how you did it. What I want to know is why you did it? Hmmm? Why did you set our wagon on fire?" Ryo, still snarling at her, growls again, before he catches himself and starts to calm down. It takes a few minutes, but he finally calms down, well mostly anyway.
"I told you then, and I'll tell you now. I did not set your wagon on fire. Why do you think I was the one who set it on fire? And if I had, it would have been because you two were trespassing. Got anymore questions, Lady Kayura?" Kayura looks at Seiji as if to ask him if Ryo is telling the truth. Seiji nods his head and Kayura turns white. She looks back to Ryo and again reads his mind, but this time can do so without having to touch Ryo's head. (She can do so now just by looking at him.)
She sees young 'Keno' playing with an older girl, his onee-chan. She sees the two of them playing until Keno's onee-chan spots Kaos-sama and Kayura riding on their horses and the wagon being pulled behind them. Keno and his onee-chan hide behind some trees. His onee-chan gets angry and after the wagon passes the two ninja, she points the first two fingers of her left hand, at it. Keno sees what his sister is doing and stops her.
"Onee-chan, what are you doing? You'll only get in trouble. They'll see you and take us back to the village, or punish us themselves. Please don't onee-chan."
"No, Keno they need to be taught a lesson. Anyone who comes, wether to have one of us kidnap, injury, or kill someone, always brings misfortune upon themselves and their enemies. They will be punished for whatever they are doing here." and with that she pionts her fingers at Kaos and Kayura. Keno pushes her hand back toward the wagon. The wagon is set aflame. Kayura sees this from Keno's point of veiw. She gasps, if it hadn't been for Keno, she and Kaos-sama would have badly injured. Keno saved them from injury and got himself in trouble to keep his sister, who was on the verge of being kicked out of the village. After he couldn't defend himself against Kayura's accusations in front of the entire village, he was the one who was punished. His sister wasn't accused and she choose not to use her fire starting abilities anymore. And Kayura had wrongfully blamed him. Oops.
"Keno-kun. If I'm not mistaken, you are related to Sanada Kira, right?" Ryo turned from Kayura to look at Kaos with shock. 'How does he know that?' He nods.
"My father told me that she was his older sister. How do you know her?"
"She is the oldest child of a young woman, who was from our clan." Kayura looks to Kaos and then back to Ryo. "Which means, that you have the blood of the Ancients flowing through your veins. The Ancients are always the ones to be chosen to fight demons like Arago. You are the leader of this group.You have no choice. The others may choose not to fight, but they will not have a chioce in the matter. I'm truly sorry. Should any of the others decide not to fight, you will have to change their minds. The nine of you are the only ones. If you don't fight, all is lost." Kaos says before turning to face the other five in the hallway. "Seiji-san, if I may be so rude as to ask if Kayura-kun and I can be shown to our rooms. Everyone here will need a few days rest. The four of us need to desprately leave four days from now." Seiji nods and he walks past Seiji and back down the stairs with Kayura following suit.
'I'm truly sorry, but there is no other choice, young warriors.' he thinks sadly. His voice echos in the minds of Ryo and Seiji and they know they will have to fight, in order to protect what they love and care about. They look at each other before Seiji asks Yayoi and Satsuki to retrieve Ryo's horse, weapons and other things. He motions for Ryo to go with them and gather what he will need for this mission.
Ryo follows, but is suddenly over come with an image of himself, Kayura, and Seiji fighting Shakalli, Kayura now holding the shakujo in her hands. Kaos lying dead on the ground in front of them. Ryo regains his composure and sighs. The next few days are going to be very bad ones. He continues to follow Seiji-sans sisters down stairs.
Animefreak99-06 here again. Sorry for taking a long time to update minna-san. I had A.D.D. in middle school and high school, so that might be one reason. (I continue to be scatter-brained as a young adult.) And I'm also lazy. Gomen-nasai. Ja Na.