A/N) Hi guys! guess that last chapter wasn't such a great one. I barley got any response. But don't worry I'll give you all a chance to make it up to me with this one. Again little action but it moves the plot forward AND guess what! I think this story is almost there! Maybe about 5 or 6 chapters to go. Anyway, HAVE FUN!
"The time draws near Croc. What information do you have now." Dyron spoke in a low horrible hiss.
Croc licked his dry lips uneasily, "I-nothing your majesty. The old ones, they are wise, I cannot get near the place without being detected by them." He held his breath, waiting for his master to blow up.
Nothing.
Dyron did nothing.
Croc opened his eyes to see what stopped his punishment.
Dyron was smiling!
No, more like smirking... or grinning? Croc wasn't sure but the horrible sigh sent chills down the mans spine. Dyron's face contorted into an even bigger, more sadistic looking smile. Croc felt himself shrink.
"Well then, I suppose they are the sons of the first master of spinjitzue. Hum, they defiantly live up to their name. But here is an idea Croc, why don't you wait for the ninja to come out? Hummmm." He was still abnormally calm.
Croc gulped, "Um? They are too busy trying to figure out how to... stop... you?" The sentence ended in a question as he looked at his master in fear.
That creepy smile was whipped off his face and the next instant he had Croc by the throat, choking him, his hand enveloped in deadly red aura as he brought the bigger man to his knees, "Well you incompetent slave. Then GIVE them a reason to leave the house~!" He growled out, applying more pressure.
Croc choked out between horse gasps a reply, before Dyron threw him onto the ground. Croc raised himself onto his hands and knees, taking in deep gulps of air.
"Then do IT! NOW! Time is running out, I am almost at full strength but those fools must be destroyed so my plans can go on."His eyes began to glow a deadly red, "Nothing can go wrong. Now finishe the job."
With that he threw Croc out and slammed the doors to his throne room.
Quickly he turned towards a heavy tapestry and pulled it aside revealing a monster carving with two heads ad only one eye for each. They eyes were incrusted with one jewel, blue for the right and green for the left. He reached out and pressed the green one making the wall move aside.
Without another thought he headed down the dark hall way that opened. He pushed through another stone door and slipped into a dimly lit room. Candles and black roses were everywhere. He walked up to what looked like an alter. On it was a carving of a beautiful woman.
She looked as stone as she felt. Her long hair straight, her clothes bellowed under her. And her eyes, a cruel dark red that could chill any man into one place.
"Grandmother." The young monster breathed, "I am almost there. So close I can practically feel the curses power now. The dark moon will rise." Dyron kneeled in front of the statue, "And with it, the new dark king."
He smiled viciously as the statues eyes seemed to twinkle with dark excitement.
"Yes, Grandmother. I promise, your prophecies will not go unanswered." He bent over and kissed the statues outstretched hand.
"And that witch, don't worry about her, I will take care of her." His eyes gleamed in hate now, "THAT part of the prophecy will not come to pass."
It seemed the statue agreed with all that he said. Her eyes glowing brighter with each promise made...
It was dark. Too dark... she knew this kind of darkness, she'd lived her whole life in it.
Ashlyn's heart sped up, it pounded in her ears. Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. But she was so good at hiding in the shadows, why-why were these shadows any different?
A voice, whispering haunting. It drilled into her mind. She stumbled on nothing and felt herself fall down into deeper darkness. Fear gripped her at not being able to grab onto anything for safety.
No, there was no safety here. This darkness was evil, her evil... or maybe somebody else's?
The voices grew louder. Harsher.
"You don't belong.."
"Evil, your evils spawn."
"Their using your weakness."
"You aren't free."
"Black heart, black heart."
She screamed, or at least tried. Her voice wasn't there, she couldn't see, feel, or hear anything.
"STOP!" Her heart screamed, "Please STOP THIS!"
"Never... you don't belong, you know that. You were made for the shadows you lived in." The voice continued inside her head, low raspy, horrible.
"Stop!"
"Leave.."
"Stop! Please, just go away.." She felt something stab her heart. A black bolt of hate.
"Die!"
"NO!"
Ashlyn bolted upright, her heart pounding in her chest, her forehead covered in cold sweat as she panted for breath. She was asleep in the room Misako had so graciously let her barrow until the could fix up another one. The sun was rising, it's soft white rays splaying across her room floor.
She slowly calmed her breath as she tried to get the stinging pain out of her heart.
Why couldn't this cursed darkness just leave her alone?
A tap came at her door. She yelped and fell off the bed. That was less then graceful. Quickly she wrapped a soft blanket around her petite form and opened the door slowly, still uneasy from that dream.
"H-hello?"
"Hi... um you ok?"
It was Nya, dressed in her usual pink kimono, her brown eyes inquiring sincerely, "I heard some yelling."
Ashlyn took a deep breath, "Fine. Thanks."
Nya didn't look convinced, "Well the guys are all up, Zane already made breakfast, you wanna go get some and then watch 'em practice?"
This confused her for a minute, "Um... all right?"
"Great see you in a bit." With that she walked away.
Ashlyn closed the door and decided she might as well go and find out what Nya meant. That girl had been a strange case to her. Still was. The first minute she was taking care of her and what not, the next she seemed distant, another she was back to chatting like they were best friends.
Ashlyn didn't understand her. Was she herself like this to others?
Oh well, maybe this was a good thing.
Shoving the remains of the horrific dream out of her mind, she gabbed a purple shirt that came mid-thigh, a pair of beigh slippers, some black leggings, and pushed back her hair in a messy fashion. It wasn't like she knew what fashion and hair styles was anyway. Locked in a tomb all her life with no such thing left that part of her female nature pretty much dead. But she knew she liked the color purple.
And black... for the most part.
"Come on green stack, give me your best shot!" Kai taunted the green ninja as he circled around him. Zane stood calmly behind, waiting for the next move.
Lloyd gritted his teeth, hiding his annoyance and threw himself forward, forgetting to watch his feet.
Kai took advantage of that and tripped him up easily before he grabbed him by the collar. Lloyd flipped the move, twisted around and brought Kai over his shoulder at the last second.
Zane came up from behind aiming a drop kick, which Lloyd blocked with speed. He threw his own kick, missed Zane, who rolled backwards, and landed in one of the dojo's poles.
"Ouch, that's going to leave a mark." Nya commented from where she was watching.
Lloyd shook his dizzy head as Zane reached a hand to help him.
"Good job Lloyd, just remember, you can't forget your surrounding, or else that will be against you." He patted the younger boy on the shoulder.
Lloyd pretended do be offended, "Yah whatever. I'm down for the day." He stomped off and out of the dojo.
Zane sighed, "Teenagers."
This made the others laugh, "Hey slow down Zane, your not even married yet. Stress over your own kids." Jay quipped.
Kai laughed, "Right, that way you won't get silver hair early."
Zane pretended not to understand and went to sit next to Nya who patted him nicely on the shoulder.
"All right, who's next?" Cole stepped into the dojo's circle.
Jay felt his back gingerly, "Actually Cole... I'm kinda beat maybe tomorrow-"
"Your just afraid I'll beat you like I did last time." Cole teased.
"Nu uh, I'm just... conserving energy for our real big battle. "The blue eyed ninja defended himself.
Nya stepped up and wrapped an arm around him, "Oh stop being a baby. Kai, why don't you get your butt kicked today."
This set her brother off, he poised himself, ready to show them up.
"I would like to try."
Everyone froze and looked at Ashlyn. She had been silently, intently watching them train.
"Um, I don't know Ashlyn maybe you shouldn't-" Cole started.
"No. I need to do some." She stood up, straightened her shirt and placed her self on the floor.
Cole stepped back, "Ok then, um Kai?"
Kai nodded, brushing his hair out of his face, "Sure, I think we need a rematch on more fair ground anyway." He winked at her before moving into a fighting stance.
For some reason, Ashlyn's entire persona seemed to change. She turned from quietly contemplative, to a dangerous warrior in two seconds.
The ninja's watched her pose, ready, her body tense, like a cat, waiting, watching it's prey.
Kai was to busy thinking about his victory to notice her deadly aura.
Nya watched, a glimmer of jealousy slipped through her. She wished she had that stance. She was a pretty great fighter but there was something in the way Ashlyn just stood that said more then if Nya showed off her best moves... It made her feel like she had a lot of practicing to do.
Kai moved first.
He threw himself forward, leaning into his punches. Ashlyn dodged easily. Too easily.
He moved into a low leg sweep perfectly. Ashlyn jumped and kicked him square in the chest before he even straightened.
He rolled backwards onto his feet as she flipped backward in the air and landed on hers. Her hair messily falling over her glittering eyes. They watched him.
Kai felt a familiar competitiveness bubble inside. Maybe he was being too easy.
He stepped in again.
Every move he tried she dodged perfectly, and while he was still in some moves she'd cast a blow of her own. It was like dancing to her, gracefully beautiful, yet extremely deadly.
Two hours and Kai had forgotten to hold back. He was throwing all he had now. He was actually breaking a sweat! This was deflating his ego, especially since Ashlyn looked as if this was a warm up to her.
Finally with one simple flip twenty feet in the air, she landed right in front of him. Kai coiled back to at least try a dragon punch. Sweat dripped off his body.
His arm never made contact. Ashlyn stopped it full force. Her eyes clicked with his as he suddenly looked afraid. One swift turn and Kai found himself back down on a mat. Barley breathing.
Everybody was silent. Nobody had moved. They all seemed to not realize the time that had gone by.
Finally Cole spoke, "Um... wow, I never realized how... good you were..."
"Good! She is AMAZING!" Jay threw himself on his knees, ignoring Nya's glares, he clasped his hands in front of him, "Please, we are not worthy!" He said over dramatically.
Ashlyn felt her face turn up in a smile, something she was not used to yet, "I guess so? I've trained since I could walk. My life was revolved around fighting and stealth and such. They are skills I was supposed to use to be Dyrons shadow slave without fail." Her face fell slightly, "But I suppose I'm not that good seeing as I have."
Kai lifted himself up tiredly, "You are crazy if you think your not good. I pride my self in my energy but that was..." He couldn't finish, still trying to catch his breath.
"It seems you have a birth skill for fighting arts." Zane smiled at her warmly.
"Yah, you do. I guess." Nya felt she should say something, wouldn't want to come off as rude now would she. It wasn't her fault she felt jealousy of how much attention ALL the ninja's were giving Ashlyn. Even Lloyd had come back half an hour into the fight to watch. Sensei's and Misako stayed for twenty minutes then went back to their work.
Whatever they saw, all said it was incredible and a valuable talent for their team.
While she was always the little sister, the damsel in distress, the only girl not allowed in the all boys club. And she'd known them all way longer.
Where was the justice here?
"Come on guys, I'm starving!" Lloyd put an arm around Ashlyn, "Hey, whatever Ashlyn wants."
The boys all agreed and followed after, Nya trailed behind, trying to drop these vial feelings.
It was ok, she was new. The rush would all be over soon.
Her eyes caught Cole as he pushed some of Ashley's messy black hair away from her neck. Nya's eyes widened..
Her heart gave a strange lurch. A not so good girl lurch. This girl had the same mark they had seen in the scroll... the mark that meant evil.
She fought with her growing excitement. Trying to pin it down. But the jealousy was already there. Making it grow stronger.
Ashlyn wasn't perfect after all.
Far from it...