Hey there. I'm back! This story's probably stupid, but I saw that a lot of people read since then, and that made me happy. So here's the third chapter. I'm also spending some time with Soul of the Shell, and…I wrote my first lemons in that story. I was like "omfg!" and it's probably stupid, but I could care less! XD It's still gonna take a while until I post it up.

Yeah…this fanfic doesn't have chapter names because I planned this one from so long ago, I forgot to name them. I hope to finish it before January. Let's go!

Chapter 3

"Your family deserved it."

The blood-stricken child lay exhausted on the floor, staring across the room. The surrounding walls had crimson blood smeared everywhere, dripping down onto the decrepit ground. It coalesced with the recent liquid oozing out of the limp forms, slashed and beaten with no mercy. The celebration turned into a massacre as the sudden stranger wiped off the last bit of gore from her hands.

"Don't worry...I'll let you live. Try to kill me...if you can." She bent down in front of him and moved his sanguinary white hair. Another devilish grin spread across her face. "You can't, can you…Isamu Gogyou?"

His green orbs snapped open before immediately sitting upright. Sweat dripped down on his thick bed robes and soft covers. As Isamu caught his breath, he had time to observe all around him.

Delicate artwork draped on the walls. The floors were squeaky clean and completely untouched. Through deep thought, Isamu realized he fell asleep in the Ohgami Shrine.

'Gah!' he panicked. 'Why am I here!? What happened!? Where's Souma!?'

Just then, the doors slid open and Isamu turned. Souma Ohgami stood calmly with a platter of tea in his hands.

"Gogyou…good morning." He walked in and placed the tea next to Isamu. "I hope you're feeling better."

"…Souma?"

His mind continued to race, but remembered to keep his manners. "Sensei, I apologize for intruding onto your property. I saw Kasai last night and Ikazuchi insisted…"

But Souma only shook his head. "It's all right. No harm was done…except now we found you."

From behind, two girls entered the room in priestess uniforms: one was red and the other was purple. "How is he?" the girl in purple asked. "Is he ready to join the others?"

Souma took a deep breath and stood up. "Yeah. Time to lay it all out." He walked to the other side of the room and picked up a brown box. "We cleaned your uniform for you. Once you dress up, meet us outside." Setting the box next to Isamu, the older teens left the room in silence.

His mind was in total confusion. One day, he was an ordinary shy boy and then the next, a target of a weird person…or persons. Unquestioning their judgment, Isamu quickly dressed and prepared to meet them.

Katashi leaned against the tree as the impatient Hikaru paced back and forth. Raido sat on the porch as calm as ever, but the pacing did begin to annoy him.

"What are we doing here?" Hikaru suddenly asked. "Some chicks with Souma saved our asses last night, giving no frickin' explanation!"

Raido stood up angrily. "There is an explanation! It was obvious!" Hikaru stopped and glanced at him, confused. "Didn't you notice that sudden burst of wind when you screamed at that woman? And Aisu made that golden chain when Souma and the girls were in trouble." He took a deep breath as Raido tried to absorb the information himself. "There's something about us that Hebiko wants…some kind of power."

"That's right."

"He looked behind and saw Himeko looking at them with a peaceful aura. "You're all special. Chikane and I were sent to guide you to your destinies."

"Our…destinies?" Hikaru received even more thoughts until Isamu appeared in his school uniform, along with Souma and Chikane.

"If you boys are ready…" Chikane explained. "We'll begin to tell you the truth."

They suddenly began to take a high interest. Katashi stood up straight as Hikaru stayed absolutely still. Raido and Isamu joined them before the older teens faced them on the porch.

"This place…" Souma began, "the world that we live in is governed by a dimension far away referred to as the Nexus."

"Within the dimension are four realms," Himeko continued. "They help maintain balance in the entire universe. The realms store four natural elements: earth, water, wind, and fire. Any infiltration of them would lead to cataclysmic results."

Chikane laid down the gist of everything. "There's an organization trying to control the entire universe called the Kyuubi. It has nine followers ranked as 'tails', trying to pursue each and every one of you."

Isamu still didn't get the entire story. "What does it have to do with us? Why are we being chased by this 'Kyuubi'!?"

Chikane and Himeko looked at each other with a feeling of uneasiness. Pulling them out of their own reality was a big step, especially when they haven't known their whole lives. But their very existence hung in the balance, along with the fate of the universe.

"You four…" Chikane turned to them. "…are the guardians of those realms. Shinobi of the four natural elements."

The boys revealed their shocked expressions at the same time. Given such a high title made their normal lives seem like a hobby.

"Shinobi…" Raido whispered. His optimistic personality began to ebb as a sense of pride catalyzed change.

Himeko could sense their need of explanation. "You've guarded these realms for generations, reincarnation every time. You protect and wield a certain element." She stepped off the porch and faced Raido.

"Raido Ikazuchi, you are the ninja of earth. Fierce, yet kind…you fight for what you believe in."

Chikane followed her, but instead went to Isamu's silent form. "Isamu Gogyou, you are the ninja of water. The kindest and softest; repudiating the idea of war."

Souma walked over to Hikaru with slight disgust, but it wasn't visible. "Hikaru Kasai, you are the ninja of wind. Fast and agile…yet dogmatic and proud."

Finally, Chikane moved past Souma and faced Katashi with firm blue eyes. "Katashi Aisu…you are the ninja of fire. Tough and callous, the strongest by brawn." She, along with Souma and Himeko, returned to the porch now that all information has been revealed.

Souma looked at all four of them once he turned. "The Kyuubi is moving fast to control the realms. We need to start your training as soon as possible." He looked at the girls, who nodded at him. Souma nodded back before instructing the boys again. "You have one free day until we start tomorrow. Meet us here in the morning."

Once all three of them left, Hikaru exhaled with what seemed to be exhaustion. "Man, this is too much!" he complained. "I'm gonna use this free day as much as I can." He turned around and waved at the others from behind.

"Smell ya later."

Raido's face turned a bit sour, for he agreed with Hikaru's idea of fun. They both left the Ohgami Shrine while Katashi skulked into the trees.

Isamu stood by himself, trying to absorb everything that's happened. A big turn in his life happened while he had the dream, the nightmare from so long ago. It was too much for him and he had no one to share it with, everything was kept up inside his shy form. He looked for a way to release himself.

He turned his head towards the exit Raido and Hikaru went through. Thoughts racing in his mind, Isamu sprinted off the property, finding a safe place…

Or so he thought.

On a planet so distant, arduous to search for, nine oversized cages shaped like a "U" shook and tremble, trapping the diverse species of certain animals. Dogs and foxes barked, felines and serpents hissed, weasels squeaked and water sloshed back and forth.

On top of the slithering cage of serpents, Hebiko formed from coalescing snakes and growled in frustration. "Damn it…Damn it!"

"Aw…did you lose your confidence again? Got your ass handed to you on a platter?"

Hebiko looked at the cage next to hers and sneered. "Fuck off…Mujina." The girl she despised featured natural brown hair with bright purple highlights at the tips. Her long coated nails tapped on the steel bars. Depending on her physical appearance, Mujina looked to be in her mid-teens.

"Fine, fine…" Mujina replied. "Just don't fail next time…baka."

Hebiko bared her fangs. "You are so full of it!!" Her eyes wandered into the cage beneath Mujina. "As if those things are of any worth." The critters within the cage squeaked as their elongated nails screeched along the cold iron.

"Anyway, did you hear?" Hebiko loved to fib with her big mouth and tongue. "Hikaru Kasai is the ninja of wind. Got lungs of steel, they say. Kinda tough, though."

"Well, of course he's tough for you. You're the ninth tail."

Hebiko began to steam until a chuckle was heard across from Mujina's cage. Both girls turned and saw a man with spiky hair in a dark orange color. Deep gray orbs stared blankly into the sky as his arm hung loosely on the side of his cage. The man looked to be in his very early twenties, still agile as he swung around and sat upright, slouching in a hunched position.

"Hikaru…he's grown. Haven't seen him in years."

Mujina cocked an eyebrow. "You know him?"

Another chuckle escaped his lips while the gray eyes released a sinister gleam. "Well…something like that." The creatures beneath him growled and splashed, channeling his excitement.

"Just don't overdo it, Fukaso. One wrong move and the first tail will have your neck," Hebiko warned.

"Whatever…" Fukaso stood up and leaned over his cage. Another smirk grew across his face at the thought of his prey.

"Smell ya later." He fell off and stayed unemotional as shark guppies surrounded him, teleporting Fukaso to Mortalis.

Okay, I'm starting to actually get into the story now. Yay! Don't forget to review!