When Shadows Rise
Chapter 22
Aki groaned as the Reapers dropped him to the ground. The more blood he lost, the less he felt the Shadow power influence his thinking. "You were right old man," he whispered.
Ichuru's voice filled his mind, "You still have a chance boy. Help the Light." Aki lay still on the ground, trying to breathe through the broken ribs and other injuries. The bandage he had roughly wrapped about his arm yesterday was gone, torn away during the hours that he had endured.
When Kaneda signaled his army to attack the glowing warriors of Light even his guards disregarded him. He was just a fallen foe to both sides. Very slowly he levered himself off the ground, hissing. Time had allowed some clotting but if he moved too quickly, he knew he would start bleeding again. As the Reapers moved to engage Jaeoh, he looked toward the cave. If he could get there he should be able to bring down the shield without having any of the Light warriors transported to Shadow.
He panted as he reached his knees, and then managed to climb to his feet. When a troll head crashed into his side, he was staggered to the side. He gasped and holding his ribs he kicked it away. The battle moved away from him briefly and he managed to work his way closer to the cave mouth.
***
Instead of facing his former leader, Steve spoke directly to Gregor. 'So you get pretty red armor and become a dog of the light. How do you like being second fiddle to a weak woman Rage? Does she tell you how to play with Hana?" He gave Hana a long appraising look before whistling low. "She sure looks good dressed like that. That girl has become a real looker." After a moment he grinned "I see you broke her in for me." Turning to Hana, he licked his lips. "How about you join me. After old Gregory here some finesse should be welcome."
Gregor growled as his eyes grew red. "Keep your mouth off her, traitor." He stepped forward fist clenched.
Hana ignored the byplay between Steve and Gregor and counted. Beside the two that had brought Aki forward there were 8 more Reapers. Added to the 15 werewolves and the huge number of other creature, the new formed Army of Light was seriously out numbered.
When his master gestured all hell broke loose and they two Reapers attacked Jaeoh, who had turned his attention toward Suteko.
***
Uhanzee and Samuel flanked Shayla and Iriko. The gentle healer was pulled toward the wounded former Shadow general. She paused when she felt Iriko's hand on her sleeve. "Not till we are sure Shayla-san."
Shayla stepped back and nodded. The two women clasped hands and Iriko sent a tendril out with more ease than ever before. She slipped into the mind of Aki and generally searched his mind. It was filled with confusion, shame and a new determination. The general had been wavering for the past few weeks and now she could see the touch of a minion of Light on his mind. She smiled tightly at the beating he had suffered. He had been paid in full for the damage he had caused to Suteko. "He is almost one of us now Sweetwater."
Shayla nodded and once more started toward him. Her mate blocked her path, his great bow drawn. "He is no longer Shadow beloved."
Uhanzee nodded but before he could let her move the hoard surged forward. Werewolves, vampires, oni and more attacked the seven. He started to draw and fire, chanting in Cheyenne. The arrows blazed bright as they left his bow, taking out lesser beasts ache time. He pushed the women back as Samuel stepped out with his Si in hand.
The weapons glittered like diamond in the half light and the normally slow moving warrior spun and stabbed like a man half his size. In moments three bearlike Oni had surrounded him, their claws glowing black. Iriko gasped and pulled power into her hands. She flung Levin bolts toward the monsters. The vampires who had been circling around the warriors hissed, grabbing their heads.
Hana watched as the two former friends swung and slashed at each other. Gregor's new weapon flowed like a river of steel, leaving sizzle wounds but Steve's weapon changed from one moment to the next. The hooked blade managed to crack and pull one vambrace and sunk briefly into the muscle below.
Hana took her watch chain in hand and started swinging. Flashes of Light filled the clearing as she spun her fob. She concentrated and slowed the time for the attacking beasts. The ring had given her more control over time. It was still limited to a finite space but she could now reach more of the creatures. She did her best to guard the back of Jaeoh and Gregor. Instead of her watch fob striking the monsters and pulling all their time form them it now destroyed the shadows within. On the creatures who had been co=opted it left a living host who quickly scampered out of the clearing. On those who were shadow entire it caused them to flare and burn. They became piles of dust and black pearls that glowed briefly before going dull.
Steve leapt back, hissing as Gregor's longer blade opened his arm to the bone. The big man fought as powerfully as ever but his focus was now laser sharp. Even angry from Steve's taunts, the undisciplined Rage did not peek out. It was as if the Light had found and destroyed his battle madness. Panting he used his new darkness powers to call creatures from more than common myth.
Steve had always loved monster movies and tales. The creatures about were all good at scaring the common people but he needed something to take Gregor down. Something bog and strong and best yet, unexpected.
****
Jaeoh swung his crackling blade, chopping the scythe=like arm off his opponent, dodge the swing of the second Reaper. The open space gave them more room to maneuver but it also gave him room to move. Fighting in a split robe should have slowed him down but between the new power and the old body memories it was like coming home. He spun and slashed, skipping up he flipped up and over the now howling creature to take its head. He turned to strike the second when he felt movement behind him. Flowing into a low crouch, he felt another pair of scythe blades pass over him. Flowing to the side and up he pulled a ball of green crackling energy and sent it into another Reaper. Another downward slash and he formed a second blade and started to battle again. cursing as he was surrounded by Reapers. Each scythe he parried was followed by blows that he barely dodged. He felt more than saw as one got through and scored his side from arm pit to hip.
Uhanzee fired glowing arrow after arrow taking down the large manlike beasts as fast as he could. The women were behind him, safe for the moment but the arrows, while effective against the smaller beasts and vampires do little to the werewolves. Three dashed forward and he tossed the bow to the side and pulled the twinned blades. Soon he was battling intently, trying to keep the beasts away from the women.
*****
Suteko poured everything she had into her blade, bringing it back to the full length sword that she fought with as Unicorn. Sweat poured down her sides as she fought grimly on. knowing that outside the circle her friends were fighting for their lives. She hoped they trusted their new gifts and could overcome.
"They are going to die Suteko. Each of your friends will be torn to bits." Kaneda's voice curled about as she circled him once more. "They are seven and my army is immeasurable. He waved and the mist cleared enough for her to see the battle beyond.
Her eyes darted about as she took in the battle, keeping a part of her senses on Kaneda. To her horror she saw each of her friends battling multiple opponents with more circling. The Bearlike creatures bore forward and engulfed Samuel in claws and fur. The werewolves circled and slashed at Uhanzee who was holding his own but she could see blood streaming down his face and one arm hung unless at his side.
Iriko was throwing purple bolts of energy into what looked like movie vampires. She was shielding Shayla, who knelt with her hands on the ground, her green healer's energy making plants dart up and tangle any feet she could. She could see Han's watch fob, flashing whitely as it spun but something dark was slithering up behind her.
With a desperate gasp she watched as what could only be an ogre formed from the ground and brought a massive hand down on Gregor's shoulder, sending the man to his knees. With her heart in her throat she searched for Jaeoh and saw a flare of his green crackling energy as he was surrounded by six Reapers.
"That's right woman. Your lover and his little army of Light are doomed. You should have given me what I wanted so long ago bitch. Now you can watch as they die, knowing that it is your fault."
Suteko growled and her anger flowed down her arms, making her sword glow brighter still. She jumped forward, using every ounce of her skill to try and kill Kaneda. "You," she swung, "will not," she hammered down, "KILL THEM TOO!" Her blows rang down over and over on the shadow sword Kaneda raised. In her rage she never noticed his second blade and she stumbled as it pierced her tight, in the one place where she had not been fully healed. Gasping she tried to step back and staggered as the Shadow flooded into her weak spot. Before she could recover, Kaneda pulled the blade free and stabled it into her belly, twisting it. He breathed Shadow into her face and laughed as she slowly slid to the ground.
****
At the back of the clearing four figures appeared in a swirl of red. The Kouhei were fully engaged in their battles, barely holding their own as they looked about. Chris and Akuma scanned the battle and looked to Ranma. The Guardian stepped past the other three, looking for his sister. Over the years he had grown strong and had found that those tied close to his heart he could sense with little effort. Whether it was the time he had been under the spell or the fact that she had changed dramatically, the tie was weak.
"Go to the center. The one you all seek is there," Setsuna rested her hands on Phoenix and Dragon. "A moment Star knights." She whispered to them and as they nodded she faded from sight. As one they moved into the rear of the horde and started clearing a pat for Ranma with phoenix and Dragon fire. They were here clearly for a supporting role.
Ranma flew into the horde, kicking, punching and throwing beams of blue energy which incinerated the beasts in his way. This horde was bigger and nastier than he had ever seen. If he had been the boy Suteko last saw he would have been over run and defeated within moments but 7 years of hard fighting and growth had taught him much. He used the powers of his unlikely allies and they slowly cleared a way to the main battle.
*****
As Suteko fell to the ground Kaneda shouted in triumph and stood over his opponent. "Once more you are defeated woman. Now die!' He formed a massive shadow axe and raised it over his head.
Aki hissed and panted as he rests against a tree. He ignored the battle and scanned the ground. He could feel the keystone; it was within a few feet of him. Dropping back to his knees with a stifled cry and scrabbled about till his hand came down on object of his search. Following his instincts he grit his teeth and broke open the wound on his shoulder with his fingers. As the blood flowed he smeared it on the stone and then using the last of his strength he brought a fist down. The key stone made a sound like shattering glass and split in half.
Aki shuddered as the power contained by the shield flew outward. He could feel both the Shadow and Light flash past him. His eyes widened as Kaneda stabled Suteko deep in her belly. He felt something well up in his chest as his sensei slowly crumpled to the ground. As Kaneda raised the axe to kill Suteko, Aki did something he never had before.
Rushing himself back to his feet, he thrust out his hands and let out a cry. "Kaneda! NO!" A bright white flash flew out of him and smashed into the upraised weapon, blasting it into nothing. The Master of Shadows turned slowly, hissing as he watched his former general sink to the ground. He walked over and hissed again. "You dare interfere with my just punishment!" He sent a blast directly into Aki, sending him rolling back across the clearing. The flash of Light from the shield collapse caused a pause in the battle, pulling all eyes toward the Shadow master.
Ranma's eyes widened as he saw his sister fall and then as the Shadow Master turned to strike at a tattered and bloody figure. With a roar, Ranma brought together. When he was younger Ranma's power came from his confidence, as he grew older he learned to tap desperation. Today watching his sister fall tapped anger, he had not known he could have. The blue energy built and built till he let it go, with a cry of his sister's name. "SUTEKO!"
The beam of light cut a path through the Shadow army, causing those purely of shadow to dissolve and those possessed to tumble away. It kept going until it smashed into the Shadow Master, sending the robe covered form back into the cave. As the wave dissipated he sprang forward, racing across the clearing, Phoenix and Dragon a step behind.
The cry of Suteko's name spurred the other fighters on. Jaeoh's ancient rage surfaced and his own green crackling power blasted out, throwing back or completely destroying the Reapers surrounding him. He staggered toward his mate, slowly gathering speed.
Uhanzee and Samuel felt the power grow and something inside clicked. Power gathered about them each and then all around the clearing energy crackled bright and sharp and the shadows started to blow apart.
Jaeoh reached Suteko before Ranma. Dropping to his knees he gathered her into his arms. "No," he shuddered; his hair covered both their faces as he begged her in a whisper to hold on.
Phoenix and Dragon went to join the Guardian as he moved to his sister's side but they were stopped by a swirl of red. Teleported away from the clearing, they turned to rage at Pluto who shushed them both. "The army of Light must complete this. You can not affect the outcome."
Samuel moved toward Shayla and Iriko, clearing the startled vampires till he could protect them. Uhanzee ran to Rage's side, climbing the back of the Ogre and plunging his ancient blade deep into the back of its neck. As the blade severed the spine, he forced his deep brown energy through the blade and into the brain of the Ogre. The creature stiffened and then melted back into the ground. He leapt back and then moved to Gregor's side.
Gregor cursed as Steve leapt away, taunting as he stayed out of reach. Hana moved to her mate's side, softly chanting in a language no longer spoken. She slowed time in the clearing. Ranma's blast had cleared much of the creatures in the clearing but the wood about were still teaming. Unnoticed the shards of Suteko's crystal lifted and flashed before shooting away in the night.
When Gregor got back to his feet, he searched for his leader. Seeing Jaeoh bent over a blood covered Suteko he barked out a command. "Sweetwater! To Draco's side."
Before she took two steps Kaneda re-emerged from the cave of Shadow. The robe that had covered his face had been burned away. For the first time in three years Kaneda's face was clear to be seen. Once he had been a handsome boy, with high cheekbones, black hair and startling golden eyes. Shadow had eaten the flesh down so that his face was skin and bone. The battle weeks ago had burned the last of his humanity away. Now black flames glowed in the eye sockets of a carved skull. "Finally you come out of hiding Guardian." The skull turned to the limp form of Suteko and a laugh filled the clearing. "I told you your brother would not resist coming to your aid woman." His laughter grew stronger as he slowly began to absorb the shadows about him. The dull black pearls lifted from where the creatures had fallen and flew to circle the skeletal form. They spun faster and faster as the shadow magic built. A wind that drove clothing to flap and hair into the eyes of those in the clearing whistled.
Jaeoh felt the shadow power building but he didn't care. Suteko lay limp in his arms, her eyes closed. Only the very shallow movement of her breathing let him know she was still alive. His hand was pressing on the wound, trying to stifle the blood flow. From a distance it had looked like she had taken the sword in her belly but it had angled more upward, piercing a lung in the process. Praying in ancient words that tilled his mind, Jaeoh shuddered as a memory form a millennia ago filled his vision. Once before he held his love as she lay dying. Once before he was helpless in the face of the Shadow Master. His arms shook as he rested his forehead against Suteko's.
"Jae," came a ragged whisper.
He lifted his head and scanned her face, desperately. 'Suteko?" he whispered.
Very weakly he felt her hand touch his arm. "Stop him," he hand dropped away as her breathing shuddered.
He very gently placed a kiss on her lips and then laid her on the ground. Even as his heart cried out, he got up pulling his blade back into his blood covered hands. He stood and faced the Shadow Master. For a moment the building magic changed the face of those standing in the clearing to their ancient countenances.
As happened 3000 years ago the Prince faced the Shadow Master, he bride dying at his feet. If nothing altered it would be a repeat of that battle. But this time the Prince was not alone. Ranma stopped at Jaeoh's side, hands and eyes glowing blue, anger clear in each movement. In the ancient language of the Crystal Kingdome, Jaeoh challenged the Shadow Master, unconsciously repeating the exact words that had doomed him, Suteko and Kaneda to this cycle. Before he finished the ritual phrases Ranma cut in.
"*I don't know what you're saying or who you are but this creep has got to go down!" Shuddering and Ranma placed a hand on his arm, Jaeoh returned to the here and now. Nodding he took a breath, then as one they sprang forward, attacking the Shadow Master.
To those watching Ranma, Jaeoh and Kaneda lost physical form and became towers of light. Blow after blow was struck. Blue and green energy battled with the black. The Prince and the Guardian were stronger fighting together than apart but the Shadow Maser was much stronger. Swords flashed as they attacked. Somehow Kaneda kept both men at bay, each delivering wounds to each that would stop a lesser man.
Shayla and Iriko managed to dodge and weave till they were at Suteko's side. A quick glance told Shayla that the wound was mortal, well beyond her old gifts but Iriko placed her hands on the Heather's shoulders and together they poured energy directly into the wound. Shayla struggled to pull out the bits of Shadow that filled the wound. Even Iriko's energy was not enough.
Samuel added his massive strength to the women and pulled directly from the Earth below. Slowly something appeared from the wound. A sliver of obsidian blade was forced out till Shayla could grip it with blood covered fingers. The shard was slippery and hard to grasp but Shayla pulled it out of the unconscious Light Bearer and threw it across the clearing. As she did Suteko arched up, blood gushing form the wound and her lips. Gasping, Shayla tried to hold her down as her body started to spasm. The Shadow was directly poisoning Suteko's bloodstream.
Hana stepped away from Gregor and Uhanzee and opened her watch face for the first time. Pressing on a single garnet gem in the center of the watch face, she closed her eyes and called.
Waiting in an alternate space, Setsuna sighed and handed Suteko's carved staff to Phoenix. No longer was it a just a simple carved Ironwood staff. It now glowed with white energy and atop it was fixed the reformed Star Knight Unicorn crystal. It glowed with the light of a small sun in the dark in-between place.
"It is time Phoenix. It is up to you to bring her back." Chris took the staff and nodded, turning to go. She stopped him with a glance. "Know this Phoenix; once she accepts the staff, she will no longer be just Unicorn. By returning this staff to her she will be princess Suteko of the Crystal Kingdom, the Light Bearer."
Chris looked to his friend and partner, as one they nodded. "She will always be Unicorn, Pluto, but we understand she has a more important destiny than being a Star Knight. What is important is saving her life."
Pluto smiled her special smile for Chris. He was no longer the silly child who first formed the Star Knights. He had grown into a fine leader. Depending on how things worked out the Star Knights would become a force to be reckoned with in the future.
With a swirl of her magic she transported Phoenix and Dragon to the clearing just as Suteko's body arched off the ground. Black and White energy swirled about her body, causing Iriko and Shayla to fall back.
As her brother and mate battled Kaneda, Suteko's body lifted from the ground. The black energy crackled about her skin, fighting to take over the Light Bearer. Slowly as the Star Knights watched the Light inside Suteko burned away the Shadow lighting.
The former Kouhei all turned to face Suteko and the battling men. From deep inside them each a chant started. They had no idea where the words were from but they followed Han's lead. Six voices blended as one and a tone emerged. IT rang out, echoing through the staff in Phoenix's hands. The staff pulled from his hands and shot toward the floating form.
Suteko's hand snapped out and light brighter than the noon day sun filled the moonlit clearing as she caught her staff. When the Nova bright light faded, she was floating upright. No longer dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with her hair bound tightly in a bun, she had transformed. White and silver kimonos floated about her form as she floated, her hair fell loose to her knees, rippling in the wind that blew form the battle. Her eyes snapped open as her feet touched the ground lightly. No longer were her irises visible as white light filled her eyes fully. She brought the staff around her body and then slammed it down making a bell like tone flood the air.
The sonic shock knocked any not ready to the ground. Phoenix and Dragon staggered back to their feet but they could see the Army of Light had stayed rooted to the ground. The 3 combatants flew apart as the wave of energy hit them.
Ranma and Jaeoh hit the dirt side by side, burns and blood clearly visible. Ranma panted heavily as he helped Jaeoh back to his feet. As one they turned and gasped as Suteko slowly started toward Kaneda. As one they said her name, one in wonder, the other in longing. She paused momentarily to look first at her little brother and then at her lover. She smiled, and then turned to face the Shadow Master.
"Kaneda/Shyama," Suteko voice was soft yet doubled as her ancestor spoke through her. "You have held on too long."
Kaneda's skull like head turned to stare at the white glowing form in surprise, "Sutemi?"
"Yes, uncle. My daughter has allowed me to use this form." She slowly stepped forward till she was flanked between Ranma and Jaeoh. "Your rule ended, 3000 years ago Uncle. You do not belong in this time and place."
"This boy willingly allowed me in, niece. He demanded power to claim your child."
Suteko/Sutemi shook her head. For a brief moment the white glow faded from her eyes. Suteko's emerald green looked sadly at her once playmate. "You never understood that power and might would never get you what you want." She planted her staff before her and then reached out her hands to the sides. Jaeoh and Ranma clasp her fingers and her glow grew brighter once more as it flowed down her arms and onto theirs. Once more her voice doubled as Sutemi took back control. "We will give you one last chance to change Shyama. Reach out, touch the staff and release the boy. You can move on to the next life. You will be reborn in a clean soul."
Kaneda/Shyama snorted and fired a blast of black lightening directly into the breast of Suteko/Sutemi. "Why would I give up this world? This boy agreed and we both have the power to rule this time and this place."
Jaeoh and Ranma both felt a strong tremor in her hands. A small spot of red was starting to form on the robes but her voice stayed strong and stern. "Again Kaneda we give you one last chance to give up this battle! Relinquish the Shadow powers and you can go back to a human life."
This time Kaneda's voice sneered. "Why would I want a human life?" He threw another blast of concentrated shadow.
The staff flashed and the black lightening was absorbed, the transformed. It flowed as pure power into the three. It danced over them causing each pair of eyes to glow. As Kaneda/Shyama threw blast after blast at them the light grew brighter and brighter till three beams of light, one green, one blue and one pure white shot out and swirled together, twisting into am multicolored braid and then smashing forward to pierce Kaneda/Shyama between the eyes.
The Shadow Master stiffened and then howled as the light flooded past all his barriers. For a long moment the skeletal form was surround by light and then the body broke apart with an eerie scream.
"Now boy, replace the Marker!" Ichuru's ghost barked in Aki's mind. Dragging himself back to his fee, he wrapped his hand about a rough stone object and as the Shadow Master's body dissolved he saw a black streak head toward the cave. Before it could reach the safety of the shadows he threw the stone with all his might. It flew unerringly to the very center of the cave mouth where it stopped and flashed bright white. Before the last bit of Kaneda could escape the gate was sealed again. Kaneda's soul followed his master into the nothingness.
As the light faded many things happened at once. Aki sank back to the ground, his wounds bleeding freely. Gregor and Uhanzee moved to clear the area of any lingering shadow creatures as Samuel moved to Aki's side.
For a moment Sutemi stared out of her daughter's eyes and nodded to the ghost of Hiro. As they faded from this realm Suteko's kimonos blossomed with red and she sank to the ground between Rama and Jaeoh. They caught her as the magic faded. By the time Jaeoh gently laid Suteko on the ground the kimonos were stained bright red at the thigh and belly. Shayla reached and pushed him to the side. Hands flying she pulled the cloth from Suteko's wounds before her own transformation dropped.
Ranma studied Jaeoh over Shayla's shoulders. The black eyed man's whole being was focused on his sister. It was obvious that they were more than fighting partners. He could hear him whispering pleas. He felt the other two warriors come to stand behind him, the Phoenix and Dragon. His voice joined theirs in softly pleading with Suteko to hold on.
Shayla sank deep and flooded the injuries with her special brand of energy. The thigh wound closed with a soft popping noise that startled those gathering about. Something glittered as it fell free. Shayla ignored it as she fought to heal Suteko's lung. She carefully knit the tissue. The patch held and her lung re-inflated. She sighed as she patched the rest of the wound.
Transformation dropped across the clearing as the Sailor Senshi and other flooded the clearing. Various wounds still needed tending but Shayla focused on the worse of them only. She nodded to Jaeoh and moved away.
Her next patient was Aki. His actions during the battle decided the former Kouhei that he was an ally. Samuel added his strength to Shayla's. She didn't heal him completely but then she didn't have the time or the strength to heal everyone here.
Gathering Suteko into his arms, Jaeoh looked over the three men who knelt nearby. All three of them were important to Suteko but he didn't know what to say. Ranma nodded and then stood. "We need to get you both someplace where you can rest and heal. Where is your dojo?" Jaeoh gave him the address as he carefully stood. "We need to talk but it can wait." Ranma's voice was gentle as he turned toward the Star Knights. "I'll take these two back with me. Tell Sis that she is welcome at home anytime."
to be continued