Heart: A Ronin Warriors Fanfic

By: Malaizjan De Jesus

Author's Notes: This story was inspired by a young woman only known as 'Aleksa.' No one seems to know what happened to this young woman except that others are claiming to be this woman, and I am assuming that this is a woman, and that is simply not true. I do not know who this person is but I have thought of writing such a thing and I hope that this is almost at the standard of the other author that I mentioned.

Story Notes: I an focusing on Sage of the Halo, or in the Japanese version, Kourin no Seiji. I will stick with the American version names and armor, except for Sage. I am using the name Seiji. However the other Ronins will call him Sage. Secondly, This is part of a concept that I came up with and I am using it. There are others out there that are trying to use such a concept. This is mine and cannot be used without permission.

Chapter 9

"To the greatest upset in demon history." Matriatrix raised her goblet to the warlords before her, Cale included. The once-old witch was now younger and prettier. Who knew that this witch was a blonde? Almost at the age of her own daughter. Leigha-Shae stood at her right, smiling as she sipped her own goblet. "Now that I'm in charge, there are going to be changes around here."

"AS in what?" asked Angelus.

"The Ronin Warriors, Kayura and Dais are at the other palace, Catelyn's secondary palace. We will prepare ourselves first. Then we let them attack us."

"And what about Sehkmet?" asked Druxon.

"You have his armor now. He's no longer needed," said Leigha-Shae.

"So he dies?" asked Vaeyon.

"Oh yes. He dies. But I want Catelyn brought to me. Alive. I have plans for that child. Since she's not really Catelyn anymore." Matriatrix's mind was turning over other plans, plans that were unknown to the others.

"We'll being the search right away." Gregoran turned on his heels and left the throne room.

"I want someone to spy on the Ronins. I want to know what plans they have," Matriatrix continued.

"I have a demon for such a thing," Angelus commented. He left as well.

"Ka'Ishiaria. Kill Sehkmet."

"Yes, Empress." The female warrior left as well.

"The rest of you, prepare. I have nearly every piece in place."

"Will we go after Sage of the Halo?" asked Treyon.

"Of course. I need that Ancient Armor for my new army…"

As her mother planned with the twins, she stole a look at her. Her long white hair was now golden, with gems adorning her long locks. Her skin was flawless, a gold tint to it. Her long robes were dark but elegant. Having a powerful mother had finally paid off. All of the schemes, all of the set backs…

It was too bad her mother would have to die now.

Alia and Catelyn opened the door to the prisoner's chambers. Closing it behind them, the two worked fast to find Sehkmet. Luckily for them, he was the only one still hanging from his chain in the middle of the interrogation room. Alia freed the battered warrior and Catelyn watched the door.

"Sehkmet?" Alia whispered.

The green-haired warrior moaned, then pried open his eyes. "Who-?" his voiced cracked.

"I'm Alia. Listen, I have to get you to Dais and Kayura. Catelyn is going after the Ancient Armor. We need to leave now. Can you walk?"

"Barely." His voice wasn't really audible. His throat needed water, it was too dry to utter a sound. But with Alia's help, he was able to stand on his feet. The broken bones and shredded skin ached. But Alia was supporting most of his weight, so his body didn't feel so bad.

"I'll get the armor. You head over to Ina and Amari. I'll catch up." Catelyn turned to leave. She took a long look around, seeing some twenty rooms. She then started out.

"Princess?"

Catelyn paused in her stride.

"Be careful. Both of you." Then Alia flapped her wings gently, getting them both airborne.

Catelyn took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She then left the prisoner's chamber.

Ka' Ishiaria was skipping her way to the prison, giddy about killing the traitorous warlord. She couldn't wait for her daggers to severe major arteries as he lay, choking and dying…

Catelyn ran passed her, not knowing that she had a price on her head.

Ka' Ishiaria stopped in her tracks. She grinned. She would have much favor in Matriatrix's eyes if she brought the girl to the Empress. Everyone else had the same thoughts. Matriatrix was now the one to curry favor with. "CATELYN!" cried the female warrior.

Catelyn turned to see who called her out after she stopped in her tracks. Ka' Ishiaria threw a blade at her head. Catelyn ducked, the blade stuck in a wall where her head was just seconds earlier. "What the hell!" cried the princess. "What is wrong with you!"

"Your father is gone, princess. I have orders to take you to my Empress." the dark warrior explained.

'Oh shit! Matriatrix made her move. You're not safe here, Catelyn. We need to leave. Screw the armor!' said Katie.

"Not if I take you out first." Catelyn pulled out her sais. To Katie, she lowered her voice dangerously, "I will not run. Are you helping or not?"

There was a sigh in her head. Then a response. 'I would never leave you to battle alone, Catelyn. That's not my way.'

"As you wish…" Ka'Iahiaria charged her.

Cale was in the bowels of the palace, shaking his head. Matriatrix out-smarted the Dark Emperor. Talpa was gone. Where, he didn't care.

He just wanted out.

Since Talpa was gone, there was no reason for him to stick around. She hadn't noticed that the Ancient Armor she had was now gone. That worked in his favor. Now, he was going to get Sehkmet out of here and get him medical attention.

Then get ready for the beat-down of his life.

Sehkmet would not take what he did to his oldest friend lightly. He was going to pay for it with a similar beat-down. Sehkmet was known for holding grudges. That's why you didn't really mess with him. He could make you sick with a simple mix of poison and other herbs. A smile came to his face, a memory coming to him about the time Dais pissed off Sehkmet and the poison expert gave Dais a bad case of the runs for a week. The toilet was Dais' new best friend for that week.

Cale turned the corner, ready to enter the prison section when he saw Catelyn give Ka'Ishiaria a swift kick to the mid-section, followed immediately by a punch to her jaw with one that sent the older, more experienced warrior into the far wall. "What's going on here!" he cried, making the females turn to him.

Ka' Ishiaria turned her face to Cale, her jaw aching and mouth bleeding. "Matriatrix wants her brought to her."

Catelyn must've sensed a threat from Cale, because she turned to him. "Go away, Cale."

Cale's eyes widened. 'That voice! That's not Catelyn's!' "Who are you!" he asked Catelyn.

"You're an ass," came Catelyn's response. She tossed her sai and her aim was deadly as it struck Ka' Ishiaria in the head, killing her instantly. Blood trickled from the head wound as the warrior slumped to the floor. "I'd appreciate you not telling the whole fuckin' world."

Cale gaped. An experienced warrior like Ka' Ishiaria got taken out by a girl with no true combat experience. What a way to go. "You…Catelyn wouldn't have done that." He knew. From the notes that Talpa had left behind, he knew exactly what was done to bring Catelyn back. That was knowledge that the Ronins needed.

"Which is why I'm not Catelyn. If you're not going to help me, then leave." She was getting irritated.

Cale swore he knew the voice. But he couldn't place it. "I was going to free Sehkmet."

"Alia took care of that. They're heading for the second palace. You should go. I'll join you as soon as I get that armor."

"You need to know a few things. First, Talpa's gone. Matriatrix is in charged. Second, Strata has the Ancient Armor. But he doesn't know it yet, Third, Matriatrix knows that the Ronins are at that palace. They're planning to go on the offensive."

"Then I better thin the ranks here. You go." Catelyn turned to leave.

"Wait! You're not Catelyn. She's only ten."

"Which is why I'm fighting." The glare Catelyn gave was enough to crush someone with its mere presence.

Cale had a bell go off in his head. "You're…you're Halo's sister."

"His twin, actually." Catelyn had confirmed as she went over to the dead warrior and pulled out her sai. "Don't say anything, okay?"

"Matriatrix knows you broke her spell. She is not happy," Cale warned.

"She can kiss my ass." That was Katie's response. "Look, I'll thin the ranks, then head there. Give me a day. Tell them that."

"Okay," he caved. "But I better warn you-you can't stop them all."

"But I will slow them down." Determination laced with anger. Not a combo anyone would want to go up against. Catelyn turned to leave the area.

Cale waited until she left. 'That's Halo's sister! Oh, crap!' He then took the girl's advice and hauled his own ass out of the castle…

Rikshiran was not a happy warrior.

His Master was dead, replaced by a female. One that could kill him, but a female, nether-the-less. He wanted to find Catelyn, just so he didn't get killed so soon. His daggers were in his hands and he entered the enclosed courtyard carefully.

He didn't understand why Catelyn had wanted such a thing, let alone an open courtyard when her castle was built. He didn't care, just as long as he didn't get his head taken off, he was good…

Above him in the rafters, was Catelyn. She gently moved among the beams, watching the warrior take a leisurely stroll. Her sais were tucked away, and her ring was in her hand. And while Catelyn couldn't wait for the fight to start, there was that part of her that hated to kill.

'Katie, are you sure that you want to do this one?'

'Yeah. You don't kill, Catelyn. You're too young. Me, it's in my blood.' Katie watched him stop, presumably to think. 'I don't want to kill, either. But it's kill or be killed. And while this is my body, I'm responsible for you now. At least, until I can figure out how to get you your own body.'

'What part of, 'I'm already dead,' didn't you get?'

'Um, that you're dead.' Katie grinned. 'Besides, we should focus on the task at hand. Let's get rid of this one and then go.'

'Why? What are you anxious about?'Catelyn asked.

'The longer we're here, trying to help the Ronins, the more likely we'll get ourselves in trouble and we'll be at the mercy of Matriatrix. I don't know about you, but I don't want my fate decided by that witch. My fate should be decided by the end of a blade.'

' Wow.'There was a lost of words for Catelyn at first. At length, she said, 'Your Mayan blood is strong. They battled to win, no matter the odds. Let's see this through.' Catelyn threw her ring.

With no audible sound, the ring hit Rikshiran in the neck, seemly through the neck. Catelyn leaped to the ground silently behind him.

Rikshiran turned his head around…and it fell off, blood sprayed, going everywhere. His body fell to the ground next, and blood poured from where his head was once attached.

It was a gruesome sight, but Catelyn, stood there, almost stoic.

"So here's the great Mayan Princess." Gregoran stood at the other end of the courtyard. His katana poised to strike, he took careful steps forward.

"How dare you-" came Catelyn's voice but the warrior cut her off.

"I know you're not Catelyn, not anymore."

"Well, since you want to be a party pooper, if you want a fight, I won't back down." Catelyn pulled out her sais carefully, as much as not to spook Gregoran. Knowing the rep that he had as an assassin and as a warrior, Catelyn knew better than to take him lightly.

"I'm to take you in, alive, to the new Empress," Gregoran announced, taking a few cautious steps forward. "But uninjured…well, things happen." With that, he leaped in for a maiming injury.

Catelyn leaped up, catching his katana with her sais and pulled the weapon free from him hands. It clattered against the stone ground as it skidded to a tree trunk base. She then kicked him in the jaw, throwing him back.

But the warrior stopped his back decent with a flip, righting himself. Gregoran smiled. "If I didn't know that you were Catelyn before, I would know now."

"Just walk away," came Catelyn's voice.

"Why would I? Did you know that I was there, in those battles against the Maya?" Gregoran pulled a jagged dagger from behind him. "This blade cut many of those short warriors down as I relished in standing in their blood. They bleed almost continuously, as if they had more blood than the average human." He was rewarded by the sudden flash of anger in Catelyn's eyes. "All of them gods your people worshipped, and not a one helped you? I find that odd for such an empire as yours."

Catelyn felt rising anger that came from Katie. She did her best to calm the girl. 'Katie, he's just trying to make you lose focus. Fight him, take him out!' She wanted to take control, to see if she could take on an assassin. Things would have been different if she'd been able to when she was alive.

Katie shook her head, trying to clear the anger that rose within. Her people were gone, a few fragments left in the entire world. She wanted revenge; it was a bad taste in her mouth, one that she was growing accustomed to.

That wasn't good.

"That may have been so, but revealing such a detail tells me you're very old. Too old to stop anything I do." Katie/Catelyn pulled her ring from her side. The metal glistened in the reflected light that came from the water fountain. It was cracked at the moment. "This princess bows to no one." She threw the ring.

Gregoran dodged the ring as it came at him and landed by his katana. Picking it up, he heard the whirl of metal and brought his weapon up to deflect the ring that took a second shot at him. It bounced away but took a wide arch and came at him for the third time. His eyes widened before he brought up his blade. He barely got it up in time and he paid for it with a cut on his arm.

The ring took another wide arch as it bounced back off the katana and it returned to its master. Katie/Catelyn caught the ring expertly, smiling as they noted the damage done, however slight.

He nodded, as in to give the respect he had felt in the slightest toward the young girl before him. "So tell me, Mayan Princess, are you ready to suffer as your mother had?"

That statement caused the girls to pause. Catelyn knew that Katie wanted to know the truth about her biological family. When she freed Katie, she learned about her adoptive family. How the Dates did their best to protect the young baby. But the Mayan wanted to know about her real parents, like why they never came back for her. "What does that mean?" Catelyn asked.

"You don't know?" Gregoran smiled, a sinister smile that caused a sense of horrible dread to crawl into their souls. "I enjoyed whipping the Mayan Queen's back, watching all of that blood ooze from each blow. Then I raped her in front of the rotting corpse that had been her beloved king, at least that was what was told to her. After months of torture, I gave her a slit throat." Such pride radiated from the assassin.

Katie let loose a cry of such lost. Her hope, her dream of seeing her real parents, dashed in mere moments. The rage took over, even Catelyn's spirit could not calm the Mayan half of Katerina Date. Her real parents had been murdered for the armor she now wore. She was going to show this demon what happened to the enemies of the Maya. Her blood screamed for revenge and for the first time in her young life, she wasn't worried about any destruction. "Armor of the Crescent Sun! Diya-nichi!"

The armor rushed to her in dancing flames, as if it knew the urgency that the person who had summoned it had. While still flaming, Katie/Catelyn ran at Gregoran, sais raised to strike. The assassin's dagger caught one sai, his hand, the other. The two began to block each other's raised legs, to prevent the other from getting in a hit. This went on for several minutes, neither of them getting anywhere. Gregoran then head-butted Catelyn, forcing her back. With his dagger free, he thrust it at her-

With a quick side-twist, Catelyn threw her sai at him-

A cry.

A grunt.

Gregoran looked down. Blood seeped out from above his heart. The golden sai glowed and a searing heat invading his body, his temperature rising without warning. He staggered back, watching the girl before him. "A lucky shot, child. I will survive this wound." A vow.

"Not if I do this." Catelyn stared at the assassin, watching him intently.

The wound flared in pain and Gergoran saw the orange glow just under his skin. "You wouldn't…" A hint of fear in his voice.

"This is for my parents, you bastard!" Katie/Catelyn's eyes glowed.

Gregoran burst into flames, his screams of terror and pain difficult to hear. He ran, trying to put out the flames somehow, some way. But he fell to his knees when his shins became ash. Then his arms. Then his body.

His face turned to ash, landing on the pile that had once been his body. The golden sai was dislodged, landing on the ground next to the ash.

Katie/Catelyn went over to the ash and picked up her sai. She looked over at the ash face sitting so pretty on the pile of ash. They couldn't help themselves. They blew on the face and it was gone, blown across the ground. 'That was…wow. Are you okay?' Catelyn asked Katie mentally.

' No…I'm not okay. My parents, Catelyn…I'll never get to see them, meet them…'

Catelyn's spirit arms wrap themselves around Katie's soul, giving the teen girl the comfort she needed. Catelyn's soul felt aged, sudden wisdom flowing through her.

And somehow the girls forced themselves to walk away from the ash and the courtyard, a heavy heart in tow.

Alia flew as high as she was able without the air thinning around them. Sehkmet was still wheezing so once she knew they were far enough away, Alia landed, which was the midway point between Catelyn's main palace and her secondary palace.

"I would have been okay if you continued to fly," he commented.

"You're having trouble breathing," Alia commented. They began to walk.

"We are wasting time!"

"I will not injure you, further." Alia allowed Sehkmet to lean into her more. "You would not survive the healing process if I did."

"I am nearly 1900 years old! I have had many injuries, some worse than these!" he cried. His back throbbed for mercy.

"And I bet they weren't caused by Druxton. He enchanted that whip that was used on you. Its barbs were poison-laced. Your body is fighting his brand of poison." Alia stopped by a tree and pulled out a canteen. She took of the lid and pressed it to Sehkmet's mouth. He drank hungrily. He pushed it away and watched Alia take a small swig from it before recapping the canteen. "Let's keep you moving, Sehkmet. Once you're healed, you can cause your brand of rampaging." Alia shook her head. "Even I know not to mess with you. Obviously, they never got the memo."

Sehkmet grinned devilishly. His rep perceived him so well.

Katie/Catelyn entered the large dinning hall. The hall, which once held a grand, bronzed table about 15 feet long and the barren walls draped in gold tapestries, were gone. The tall matching chairs and the banner that once hung over the main dinning chair were in pieces. Sais in hand, the girls walked cautiously into the hall, watching the shadows.

"There you are. I was wondering when you two were going to stop messing with Gregoran and see me. It is me you want, isn't it?" Leigh-Shae emerged from the floor, coming from the smoking portal that was this warrior's signature.

"With every breath," answered Katie/Catelyn.

"Well then. Once you get pass me, you can go home. The Ronins are here. Including your brother, Mayan. Tell me, does it pain you to know that once I stop you two, he's mine?"

"He'd never go willingly to you," replied Katie/Catelyn. "He would die first."

"Ah…you Dates are so full of yourselves." Leigha-Shae had her bo ready at her side. Arrowhead blades now adorned the ends of the bo. "I already destroyed members of your family. Oh his, if you want to be technical." An aura of dark purple surrounded her body, which crackled with static. "You both are the last of your royal lines. Your deaths would end your families forever."

Katie/Catelyn vanish from sight and reappeared behind Leigha-Shae. It was meant as the start of a sneak attack. But Leigha-Shae was ready. She had turned and once they appeared, she struck out with her bo, the end catching them and they were thrown back by the force of the strike, hitting the stone wall rather hard. They stood shakily back on their feet.

'We are so screwed, Katie. We can't win against her.'

'I won't give up. I'm a Date too.' Determination was set in Katie's eyes. The kanji of heart appeared and glowed on her forehead. ' This won't be an easy fight, Catelyn. I need your help. If we can't kill her, at least let's injure her, take her out of the fight. I want her nowhere near my twin.'

'I can't believe I'm doing this. But at least this time, I have the power to slow her down.' Catelyn shook her head. 'But why would the Ronins be here?'

'Because our brothers are coming to our rescue.'

Leigha-Shae ran at them, and Katie/Catelyn blocked the bo with their sais. The two worked for some leverage but Leigha-Shae was extremely strong, and she grinned each time they fought for an inch of leverage, for she would quickly dispel it with a show of strength.

So Katie/Catelyn kicked the woman in the stomach, forcing her to let go of her bo as she fell back against the floor. The girls ran to put distance between themselves and Leigha-Shae.

'Need a new plan,' Catelyn announced mentally.

'Working on it,' came Katie's response.

Leigha-Shae flipped herself upright and smiled. "Oh, this is going to be fun. Tell me-have you recovered from the last ambush, girls?" With a sadistic grin, Leigha-Shae raised a finger to the ceiling-

And a beam of dark energy hit them, the girls knocked to the side, pain in their limbs. Katie/Catelyn raised their head, and saw that she was going to do it again. With a pained breath, they raised their hand at Leigha-Shae. A ring of fire flew at Leigha-Shae, throwing her back. They slowly rose to their feet, their body shaking.

With a startled cry, Leigha-Shae disbanded the ring of fire, and stood up, unhappy. Her stomach had been singed, the dominatrix bodysuit burned in spots. Her eyes flashed with intense anger, watching as they got to their feet.

"You…BRATS! How dare you!" With that, Leigha-Shae came at them.

Katie/Catelyn met her head-on. Sais and bo struck, blow after blow, trying to prevent further injury. The three were becoming more apparently equal as the fight wore on. Leigha-Shae's brute strength was a match for Katie/Catelyn's determination. The three leaped away from each other, sizing up the other.

' I can see how she took out members of my adopted family.'

' Don't lose focus, Katie! There has to be a way to take her out…Wait! Your ultimate! Use it on her!'

'It'll weaken us!'

' Do it! We're going to get our asses handed to us if we don't!'

Katie sighed. She knew which 'ultimate' Catelyn wanted her to use. It was the most dangerous of the two she had. Unlike the other Ronin Warriors, she had two of them, both covering a different aspect of her dual elements. Grabbing her ring, she threw it, calling forth her one ultimate, "Crescent Ring Shot!"

The jagged ring broke into three equal-sized parts, all aimed at Leigha-Shae, all glowing with an intense light.

Leigha-Shae dodged the three rings and almost missed their wide return until one caught her arm, and she yelped, feeling the hot light that did a number on her skin. She managed to dodge the other two.

But the rings would not be denied. All three became one ring again and plunged itself into the ceiling. The ring dug its way into the ceiling, and then shot its beam down into Leigha-Shae.

The evil warrior screamed as she was caught in the intensity of Katie/Catelyn's ring. Beams of dark energy erupted from the beam of light but the brightness remained.

The two lowered their sais, and took a few tentative steps forward.

"By the powers of Ku'Isu, release the beam!" The thunderous voice alone broke the beam of light, and the ring shrunk back to its original size before returning to Katie/Catelyn. The girls watched as Leigha-Shae slumped forward, her skin smoking but not burned. They looked up at the exit of the hall, and there stood Matriatrix, sinister grin and all. She stepped into the dining hall, and she stared at Katie/Catelyn with an intensity that would have crushed normal men. "Your fight is with me." A whisper of power. The only warning of power that the old hag had. Well, she used to be an old hag.

Katie/ Catelyn stared down the woman, the empress, determined not to back down from someone of obvious power. "You wish it was." A challenge, an answer.

Matriatrix pointed at Katie/Catelyn. Before the girls could steel themselves against whatever she would throw at them, they were tossed themselves into the stone wall, knocking them out with such force. Matriatrix held them there for several seconds, then allowed them to fall in a crumbled heap, a trail of blood following them. She watched as their shallow breaths filled the hall.

Leigha-Shae got up unsteadily, looking at her mother with shame. "Mother-"

"They would have had you if I didn't show! How many times to I have to tell you, never underestimate a Date!" Matriatrix bellowed. "Never mind. Bring her with us. I have a plan. And I need your power to do it."

"What plan, mother?" she asked.

"Why…Katerina Date will bring Seiji Date to us."