Author's Note: Okay so this chapter ended up being very long and well one of my favorites if only because of Nasuti. Yes she was a side character to Ronin Warriors but she was a character I liked very much. Okay so this is an extra chapter update this week because I have a few in the edit stage.

Disclaimer: As before I don't own either Ronin Warriors or Winx Club.

Chapter 6) Filial Piety

Thanks to their mental link both Shu, and Shin knew that Ryo, Touma and Seiji were heading back to the manor with Lady Kayura. Though their leader kept his tone calm both Shu and Shin knew this wasn't a good sign. Thankfully Nasuti wasn't going to let them stew in their worry and fears of the worst. She just couldn't. Standing in the doorway of the dining room she looked at both Shin and Shu. Shu was leaning back in a chair eyes closed but his brows were knitted together, while Shin had his elbows resting on the table and his chin propped on his laced fingers. It was sad to see them like this. There had to be something that she could do. There had to be something just as important to distract them full….

"That's it!" Nasuti smiled and both Shu and Shin looked at her in surprise. "Come with me both of you. It's not doing any good to sit here and fret." Nasuti ordered wagging her finger at them a little. She smiled as they exchanged looks and stood up to follow her. Thankfully they'd learned long ago that she was as stubborn as they were and though she lacked martial prowess she was clever and smart.

"So what's on your mind?" Shu asked as she walked into her study, though there was still many things and books that her grandfather had done research and now she'd turned it into her own study room. Nasuti had continued her grandfather's work looking into legends trying to trace what could ever threaten the people and if maybe there was something else like the nine armors out there. It had been a thought she'd toyed with after the events at New York City. When she found a the slightest hint Nasuti devoted herself to learning more.

"Well just some pieces that I've found here and there." Nasuti stated taking a seat in front of her computer and quickly booting it up. There were papers and books scattered around the desk making it nearly look like Touma's workspace, only his was messier…. With a lot more food wrappers, more papers, endless highlighters, and at least one coffee mug.

Shin shifted some of the papers carefully reading the notes on them and the reference numbers clearly to books around here. Out of the words he glanced over demon, witch and warlock were most common and circled with addition note that he couldn't see without picking up the paper.

"Nasuti, what have you been up to?" Shin asked smiling as he saw Shu being waved back by Nasuti. He'd been leaning over her to see the screen and had apparently drawn too close to her personal space.

"Well I started thinking about how every culture has universal truths, a universal consciousness where certain ideas are agreed upon. Of these there is the dichotomy that is good and evil. Where there is a representation of evil there is a force of good to combat it or challenge it." Nasuti started and Shu blinked at her and Shin hummed thoughtfully. "I found that many cultures have demons and things similar to them. With you guys talking about fairies I started to look more into those legends and I may have found some information." Nasuti continued before pulling up a map of Europe. "Most come from Europe, and they are steeped in magic and not to clear…"

"So you're saying that you think maybe these girls protect Europe like we guard from the nether realm?" Shu asked not sure where Nasuti was going with this.

"Hmmm, I don't know. What I can say though is when I started trying to find more recent tellings of the tales I found this." Nasuti pulled up her saved windows and links and the boys gaped. People loved recording the mysterious and wonderful, they'd learned that in New York City, and thanks to Kayura the evidence of the armors' appearance in New York was gone. Yet it seemed these videos hadn't been pulled down. There was images of fairies flying over towns, one of them even posing a bit.

"Looks like they knew they were being filmed." Shu pointed out.

"Yeah, well I guess when everyone's around its hard to not be noticed." Nasuti countered. "I mean imaged what would have happened if the Dynasty didn't take the souls of most everyone here." Nasuti pointed out and Shu frowned. "But look at this piece…" Nasuti said pulling up a video of the fairies battling four men each seeming to have magic. "Shin both you and Seiji mentioned dark dressed women who used magic. What if these women are similar to them?" Nasuti said pointing to the dark dressed men. "From what I found in search these men could either be sorcerers or maybe warlocks." Nasuti said leaving out the idea that some held that sorcerers and warlocks were the same thing.

"So what? The dark haired women would be witches?" Shu ventured staring at Nasuti like this was crazy.

"Actually I think they are. Musa said the woman she and I fought the one with control over lightning was a witch." Shin pointed out and Shu just gaped at the news. "Nasuti are you thinking that there's a connection to Europe somehow?" Shin asked out of curiosity.

"Well yes, but what I was hoping to find was maybe a way to reach these fairies. Especially since these battles have been more recent than your own." Nasuti pointed out. "As well as learn about their origins and well I figured it would be better to be prepared." Nasuti smiled and both Shu and Shin smiled back.

"Man Nasuti, you always know what to do." Shu grinned and looked over the computer screen. "So any luck?"

"No… But I'll keep trying." Nasuti answered. Shin was first to look away from the computer screen and out of the room. He'd heard the shutting of the main door and could hear the steps of Ryo, Seiji, Touma and who he guessed was Kayura. He didn't need to say a word though because Shu and Nasuti noticed rather quickly too. Nasuti had become overly aware of the people in her home, after Naaza attacked Ryo, Jun, and her here. "Well why don't you guys go see what Kayura has to say. I'll keep working here." Nasuti smiled and both boys nodded. She was glad that at least for a moment she was able to distract them, and she had noticed the glint of hope in Shin's eyes. Nasuti chuckled to herself after the boys left, thinking back to how badly Shin had blushed when Shu had teased him about the blue haired fairy. She also had noticed he remembered the fairy's name.

~~~~~~~(Scene Change)~~~~~~

Kayura had stuck close to Touma only to make sure the girl with wings, or fairy, had been right that the curse was completely gone. She didn't like the idea that these women could use magic beyond Halo's healing and it made her worry about Naaza, Anubis and Rajura. The stupid stubborn fools. As she saw Shu and Shin joining them in the living room she placed her hands on her hips and gave them a hard stare.

"I'm surprised with the flood of negative energy only Wildfire, Halo and Strata came to check it out." Kayura scolded catching Shin off guard and Shu just narrowed her eyes. She enjoyed teasing the ronin still even if they didn't enjoy it.

"Hey, we would have-"

"Oh sure you would."

"Kayura, don't you think we should talk about the dynasty? Where's Naaza, Anubis, or even Rajura?" Touma cut her off when he saw her smirk forming. He knew she enjoyed riling Shu up the most because of how frustrated he used to get when fighting against her or sparring with her. Touma couldn't help it when he smiled at her pout. It was like a constant game of go, or chess with Kayura. To bad they didn't work out.

"Yes… They stayed behind to cover my escape. We learned those women were after the orb of Spring. Since no new bearer has shown it has remained in my possession." Kayura explained as the Ronin gathered around. "It will be easiest from the beginning I hope you boys have some free time for me." Kayura said and though her words were playful her tone was sad.

~~~~~~(Scene Change/Flash Back)~~~~~

Naaza growled as he looked over the landscape, the ill corruption that Arago had brought was returning. His snake like eyes took in everything, before he sneered. Worst they were hiding like rats while the demons that had remained loyal to Arago had united. For all the time that had passed the demons never united and the soulless soldier just shambled about. Now though they flocked around three women and the nether spirits gave those women more strength than their armors.

"Damn that wench." Anubis growled as he tested out his hand. He'd taken a hard hit from the woman with the very curly purple hair, during an earlier struggle. Naaza watched him carefully as it would do his sworn brother no go to injure himself more.

"Yes, well at least there seems to be one less active." Rajura said as he thought about the last battle. It'd been lead by the storm based women and a legion of dynasty soldiers, and demons, some of which he'd never seen the like of. "I think it would be safe to assume something happened to her." Rajura finished. He was relaxing against a wall with his eye closed trying to take a moment of peace while he could. Those women had hounded them and even forced them out of the palace making them run and flee. It would be easy to open a gate and get to the ronin but that was exactly what the women wanted. They wanted the gates opened so darkness would flood into the mortal world.

"Damn them." Anubis growled again, and Kayura placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Well at least we know what they are up to. They lack the restraint that the ronin showed when we battled them." Kayura chimed in. "Yet their ability to gather the nether spirits, is not a good sign." Kayura held the staff of the ancients in her hand the rings jingling with the slightest movement.

"Still we should moved. Pinned down like this, is less than thrilling." Naaza grumbled only to growl as Anubis smirked at him. He didn't need Anubis to speak to know he was taunting him. His eyes said it all. Still the scarred man stood since Naaza had a point.

"Go ahead without me." Rajura stated and the gaze of the other three turned to him. He didn't need to even open his eye to know that Kayura was getting ready to protest. "Without their illusion master I can buy you more time now. Naaza, Anubis get Lady Kayura to safety." Rajura stated moving to the entrance of their hideout. His armor clacked with each heavy step, and the weapons strapped to his back glinted with the ill yellow light of the realm.

"Rajura, be safe." Kayura whispered as he faded from her view. She knew it was the power of his armor the armor of Summer, or Illusions. His illusions had always proven effective and dangerous, and his ability to stay calm was why he was the tactician and why Anubis would let him execute his idea even though he wasn't the leader.

Naaza and Anubis didn't dare say a word to their sworn brother as he left, there was only one thing they would have said but none of them would dare speak it. Even after all this time, years according to the ronin, the lost of their original leader still was with them. It didn't hurt but it was a reminder that things can and do go wrong in war, that casualties happen and which side you are on doesn't matter. They waited in tense silence until Rajura's voice rang clear in their minds.

~Go.~ He ordered.

"Now." Anubis growled out taking hold of Kayura's wrist and leading her out while Naaza covered the rear guard. It didn't matter to Anubis how skilled Kayura was, she was the last of the ancient clan and right now the protector of the armor of Spring, the ogre. She had to stay safe. "Damn these patrols." Anubis growled as he saw a large group of the dynasty soldiers blocking the exit out of the main city. "Naaza guard Lady Kayura." Anubis stated when he saw the purple haired woman floating above the soldier.

"I'm going to kill you this time." Stormy sneered as the scarred man in the cape drew his sword of darkness. Yet her gaze turned to Naaza and Kayura who were inching away. "Hey where do you think-"

"Black Lightning slash!" Anubis snapped the dark lightning leaping forth from his blade. It didn't surprise him the woman dodge. He wasn't truly trying to hit her, he just wanted her full attention. "We have a score to settle girl!"

"Fine I'll play with you. I'll break you this time!" Stormy grinned maliciously as the wind whipped around them. She'd learned from an earlier encounter that this man seemed to have a touch of all their powers. Darkness, Lightning, and Ice. While his control over ice and cold rivaled her sisters his power over the storms and darkness was laughable compared to her and Darcy.

~~~~~~~(Scene Change)~~~~~

Naaza hated the order Anubis had given. He was hurt and in no condition to fight that woman alone, but his own duty… He could feel his kanji warming underneath his helmet. Filial Piety. With an aggravated sigh he continued to run with Kayura at his side.

"You want to go help him don't you?" Kayura asked glancing at the half demon man. Naaza's blood was no secret to her, nor anyone else who looked closely at the man. His eyelids were naturally a near bruised purple while his eyes lack an iris and were pure white with a vertical black pupil that were more reptilian like than human.

"What I want is for these women to leave." Naaza growled hating the smirk that was on Kayura's face. Of course he wanted to help but the best way to serve his sworn brother was to listen to him. It was something he was sure Kayura still didn't understand. Even if he wanted to help his brother he would never again forget his guiding virtue. He would not return to what he was when Arago reigned. Running through the maze of walls and pathways was annoy, but there was little Naaza could do, since jumping above the wall would just give their position away.

"Naaza look out!" Kayura yelled and Naaza glanced over his shoulder in time to see the sword of one of the sand demons. The sharp clang of metal sounded with a ringing laughter as its echo. Naaza grit his teeth as he looked passed the sand demon to see the blue woman who controlled ice and snow.

"Did your friend really think that little stunt would fool us?" She sneered at Naaza only fueling his anger. How dare she speak of Rajura so dismissively. He would make her pay, but he had to protect Lady Kayura. With his other hand he drew another one of his six snake fang katanas, this one he impaled into the wall. "Lady Kayura run! Get to the Ronins!" Naaza ordered as the wall began to melt away from his venom. He wasn't going to let the sand demons or the ice woman pass if he could help it.

Kayura tightened her grip on the staff of the ancient before she took off. The hole was big enough for her to sneak through and the angle Naaza placed the sword, the poison had dissolved the ground until it revealed the underground chambers. None of them had gone back down in those caverns after all it was down there Arago had tortured the ronin, and subjected the warlords to the painful power of the nether spirits to continue his control over them. Naaza was far smarter than most gave him credit for. He knew when to lay low and just how to to give himself, or someone else more time.

Kayura smirked to herself as she heard the frustrated yell of the leader of the three women. Yet her smirk and step faltered at the pained cry of Naaza. She whipped back around and in that instant she almost ran back but she couldn't. If she did than the actions of her warlords would be in vain. Taking the ancient one's staff Kayura held it before her and started to focus. There was a way to bridge the worlds without the gates, and that was with the staff. The amount of energy it took though would draw the attention of their enemy. It was why they hadn't used it to escape as a group. As the light started to gather around the staff and envelop her, cold winds whipped through the underground layer. Kayura's heart began to beat faster as she saw the woman in blue coming her way a cruel smile on her face. She was nearly to to when the gateway opened and Kayura dived through, the witch attacking her as she fled.

As her feet touched the ground of the mortals world she dismissed the robes of the ancient in favor of her green leotard, white leggings and simple armor. Her sais of the stars appearing at her sides, and glancing over her shoulder Kayura saw the woman coming through as the portal faded.

~~~~~~~~~(Scene Change)~~~~~~~

"And that was when she tried to catch me here. She had no regard for if she was seen using her magic." Kayura finished and the ronin's were silent thinking over what Kayura had told them. None of them were looking at her, but thinking over what she'd said. Ryo was looking at his own orb of Wildfire, Seiji was leaning against a wall his eyes closed and a tight frown on his face. Shin was looking down at the ground trying to hide his own thoughts and emotions from the others, while Shu was also looking down but his fist was trembling with his bottled up emotions, most likely he wanted to go and save their allies first. Touma was looking out the window his sharp gaze almost searching for the enemy to spring a surprise attack. They all were now concerned about the warlords, as what happened to them during their fights was unclear. Even if they'd been enemies once they now were friends and allies.

"Worst yet they now have one of the three things I know they are after." Kayura sighed. Kayura still couldn't believe she'd lost the armor orb of spring, the ogre and the second in physical strength of the armors. "The second is the jewel of life. It is still here right?" Kayura looked to the ronin.

"Yeah, Jun wanted to stay and continue to look after it but he's got big ambitions now." Ryo explained smiling fondly at the memory of Jun. He'd grown up just like they had, and was done with high school about to start college. Jun loved caring for the jewel of life, it had made him feel more like one of them, and Ryo knew this. "It's here with us."

Kayura nodded and brushed back part of her hair over her shoulder. "They also want something called the ring of Solaria…. I don't know what it is or why though." Kayura explained. This third item was a mystery to all of them.

"This doesn't seem good at all. It's bad enough if Arago is being revived, but…" Touma drowned off and the other ronin and Kayura looked at him. They knew he was right, since in the past Arago had been very straight forward, trying to capture their armors and while they were sure they could expect that the reason for wanting the jewel of life and an object they didn't know of truly confused them. The one thing they all were wondering was did the fairies maybe know something about their opponents plan.

"We need to talk with them." Ryo stated and Seiji nodded yet it was Shin who frowned.

"We can't push them. It'll only make them shut down more." Shin tried to stress wanting to let the fairies come to them and as he opened his mouth again Shu set a hand on his shoulder.

"I know dude. But we may not have a choice. We have to keep the dynasty from taking over first." Shu reminded Shin and his friend sighed heavily. There was a war coming and they all knew it. "We also have to get to Rajura, Naaza and Anubis as soon as we can." Shu added looking over his brothers in arms who just answered him with a nod.

"So Ryo what's our plan going to be." Touma asked looking to their leader. Within in seconds the ronin had come closer together discussing what they knew and what they could do. Kayura watched them for a moment before walking over to Nasuti.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked feeling rather drained now that her adrenaline rush was gone.

"Long enough. Come on let's get you some tea and a nice quiet room to rest." Nasuti smiled at Lady Kayura. Even though she was older than Kayura and Kayura had once tried to kill her and the ronin, she treated her as a dear friend now. "Don't worry they'll figure out something, and I'm sure the others are alright as well. Not one of them knows how to give up." Nasuti smiled and Lady Kayura could only return it. It was amazing how much optimism Nasuti had, but the fact that her gentle words could lift the spirit was more amazing.