Ranger24: Up date time! Enjoy.
Chapter 35: Fighting shadows
Disclaimer: I own nothing. (Doesn't mean I don't pwn!)
Naruto shot up in his bed eyes alert. He had been feeling his power on the edge of his mind for hours now but now he felt it as strongly as ever. He decided to do a quick test. Grabbing his power he whispered. "Risa."
His blanket flew up into the air and he smirked. He then turned to the lock and used magic to force the lock open. He leapt out grinning ear to ear.
He then realized the first thing he should have done was try and contact Cortana. He opened the link.
'Cortana, you there?' He though.
'It's about time kid, stay put. Ichigo's on his way.'
At that moment the door to the hall opened and several guards including Grif stepped inside.
"Holy shit! He's out of his cell!" One of the guards shouted!
"Take him down!" Shouted another drawing his sword. Naruto knew he was in big trouble. He couldn't fight them all with magic. He didn't have the strength. As they charged however an arrow struck one in the back!
Standing in the door frame was what looked like an old man with a phoney crutch. He shot again and another guard fell dead! Naruto quickly killed two more with magic. Then the old man shot a fifth soldier, only Grif was still alive. Grif threw down his weapons and put his hands over his face.
"I SURRENDER! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!" He shouted quivering like a wet dog.
Naruto walked over to him.
"Okay then talk buddy. First, where is the elf? And second, where is my sword and bow the sheath is black!" Naruto said before slapping him.
Grif didn't respond.
"Better start talking or I'll a grain of sand burn from your shoulder to your toes for the next twenty years." Naruto threatened.
Grif still didn't reply and Naruto picked a clump of dirt of the floor.
"This is a bit more than a grain of sand but on the bright side it will go through you faster." Naruto said putting on an evil smile.
"OKAY! The elf's on third room down the hall on the right side. As for your crap its all up in the confiscated items room." Grif said trying not wet himself.
Naruto nodded. "Slytha."
Grif dropped to the ground and began snoring.
"Did you kill him?" Asked a familiar voice.
"Ichigo is that you?" Naruto asked as the man pulled aside the false beard. Indeed it was Ichigo.
"Damn right, now come on." Ichigo said knocking another arrow.
"What about the elf?" Naruto asked.
"What elf?" Ichigo asked blankly.
Naruto grabbed Grif's keys.
"Come on." Naruto said brushing past Ichigo who grumbled before following after Naruto.
Naruto reached the door and unlocked it. Inside the elf was sitting their her hair still a mess over her face. She was aware of them and stood up. Then she fell forward and Naruto caught her in his hands. Ichigo blinked in surprise.
"Is she okay?" Ichigo asked.
"I have no idea." Naruto admitted.
"Well then let's get the hell out of here." Ichigo said and they made their way out of the cell and up into a cafeteria. Ichigo glanced at the ceiling.
"Naruto, tell Cortana to wait another five minutes." Ichigo said.
"You don't understand there's a shade here!" Naruto replied.
"A shade!" Ichigo shouted! "God damnit! Tell her to come now."
He set the elf down on the ground.
"Okay you wait here, I'll go find your junk." Ichigo said.
Naruto did as he was told and then pulled the still out cold elf under a table and quickly grabbed some food that had been left out. The guards he and Ichigo had killed must have been in the midst of dinner. Once he thought he heard boots and he kept close to the shadows until he heard the boots pass the door.
It was two minutes before Ichigo came back with Yamato and Naruto's bow. In his other hand were a sword and bow of gracefull design.
"I found these with Yamato. I think they might be the elfs." Ichigo said. Naruto shrugged.
"Lets find out." They found out that Ichigo's guess was correct as the sword fit the elfs sheath perfectly. The bow matched the sword so that fit. Naruto drew out Yamato and the black blade glimmered in the dim torch light.
"Now let's just hope the shade doesn't find us." Ichigo said.
"Yeah to late for that stud." Hissed the shade's deadly voice.
Naruto and Ichigo whirled around! There in the door way was the shade who held a long pale sword with a scratch along it's length. Then he pulled off his cloak and Naruto and Ichigo's eyes bruned seeing the horror of the shade's hot pants!
"So young rider you want to try you're luck against me?" The shade asked drawing little circles in the air with the tip of his sword. Ichigo's hand went to the hilt of his sword.
"I'll take care of him." Ichigo said.
Naruto raised Yamato blocking Ichigo.
"This is my fight." Naruto said stepping forward. He rapidly recalled everything Ranger had told him about fighting a shade. None of it was very comforting.
Then the shade leapt at him! Naruto barely had time to bring Yamato up to block and try to counter but the shade's blow nearly knocked him over! 'Hell's fire he's strong!' Naruto thought. He ducked the shade's next blow and tried to counter but the shade side stepped his blow. Then he knocked Naruto's legs out from under him!
The shade brought his sword down to finish him! But Naruto rolled out of the way, rose to his feet and struck at the shade who easily blocked Naruto's blow. Then he swung at Naruto who jumped back to dodge and swung at the shade only for the shade to catch his blow with the sword. Naruto gritted his teeth in frustration as Yamato scraped against the shade's sword sparks flying from both swords.
The fight continued on like this but the shade did not make anymore moves for a fatal blow. Naruto then realized that the bastard was toying with him! Naruto couldn't dare use magic for fear of provoking the shade to do the same.
As Naruto threw one more stroke at the shade, the fiend punched Naruto in the gut and the kicked him across the room. Naruto cursed in pain as the shade walked forward gloating.
At that moment Naruto could hear a scrapping sound above and men shouting.
"You know, I expected more out of you rider." The shade mocked. The sound of scrapping was getting louder now.
"If this is the best the riders had then they controlled the empire through sheer numbers." The shade continued.
Naruto then realized what the sound was.
'Cortana!' He mentally shouted. 'Now would be a good time!'
"No, you've forgotten something." Naruto replied calmly.
"And what might that be?" The shade asked sarcastically.
Then the roof split apart! Shingles, stones, and wooden beams rained down upon the room!
"THE DRAGON'S!" Naruto shouted!
The shade cursed diving out of the way of the falling rubble. Ichigo fired a single arrow which caught the shade in the hip!
The shade laughed and snapped the arrow with his fingers.
"It'll take more than that…" Then Ichigo's next arrow caught him right between the eyes.
"Oh bugger." The shade muttered before he vanished in a burst of dark smoke. Naruto turned to Ichigo.
"Holy shit! You killed him!" Naruto shouted. He could only think of two other people who had survived killing a shade. Ichigo frowned.
"I'm not exactly sure." Ichigo said.
"That's it he failed go in and get them!" Came another voice from the door. Naruto recognized captain Flower's voice. In rushed a dozen soldiers with spears and nets! Many covered their heads with their shields to protect themselves from the falling debris.
Then as they surrounded Naruto and Ichigo the roof split in half! Then Cortana stuck her head in through the hole. Then she broadcast her thoughts to everyone present.
'Boo.'
All of the soldier's screamed like little girls and ran for their lives! Naruto miled and hugged Cortana's head.
'It's good to see you kid.' She said.
'You to.' Naruto replied. Then he pulled the elf out from under the table.
'Can you carry one more?' He asked. Her eyes flashed when she saw the pointed ears.
'An elf!' She exclaimed.
'Yeah and the chick from my dreams.' Naruto replied. 'Can you manage it?'
'I must,' she replied.
They all clambered up her neck and onto her back.
"Okay now let's get the hell out of here!" Naruto shouted. At that moment a dozen soldier's ran out with bows which they nocked arrows to.
'No need to tell me twice!' Cortana shouted lifting off into the air! They were only in the air for about twenty seconds when Cortana gave a roar of pain as arrows penetrated through her wings! Naruto cursed as he could also feel some of her pain.
'Are you okay?' He asked.
'No! I just got shot and one of the arrows didn't go all of the way through, it's stuck!' She shouted back.
'Can you get us far enough away?' Naruto asked.
'I can get us to the camp.' She replied as they flew away from Gilead. They had escaped but were they any safer?
Ranger24: Hooray new chapter finished. Next time, a really boring chapter but necessary to get us to the end faster. Read and review.