Chapter 21: Sanctuary
Kai was earlier than usual to arrive at the class. He walked into the room and not a single person was there aside from Stein who casually prepared the days lesson at his desk. He looked up and was startled by Kai, due to the regular noise the students make, he forgot how quiet Kai was when he walked and ran.
"A bit early today aren't we ?" Stein said as he turned his attention back to his papers. Kai simply walked up to his seat and leaned his chair against the risen desk behind him with his feet on the table.
"Yea well, I had to make some preparations before I began my morning exercises from Mifune." Kai answered as he got even more comfortable in his chair.
"I see, well can you elaborate on why you needed to make these preparations?" Stein asked, although the tone in his voice suggested that he wasn't really interested. Kai simply smiled and Stein had his answer. "Well if your not going to tell me could you at least hand out these sheets to the class seats since your here?" Stein requested as he held out one of the piles of work sheets he was organizing.
Kai groaned and jumped down to the front and proceeded to hand out the papers to the seats at a almost impossible speed. Stein watched in amusement at his new found energy, something had him in an, out of place, good mood. After Kai finished he relaxed back into his seat and waited for the class to file in. After awhile Bella, Soul, Maka, Kid, Liz, and Patty lazily made their way into the class followed closely by Black*Star.
"Hey it looks like Kai's already here." Soul said as he pointed to Kai lounging in his seat. Everyone slowly turned their gaze towards him, only Maka managed to snap into a happy mood at the site of seeing Kai. She ran up the stairs and gave him a hug.
"Why are you so early?" Maka asked as she smiled when she gazed into Kai's eyes with her arms still wrapped tightly around him.
"Just reasons." He responded as he kissed her cheek. She giggled and excepted his answer. It wasn't long before everyone found their seats.
"Alright class settle down, today we have a special class planned, but first you may look at the scores of your last pop quiz on soul theory." Everyone flipped over their pages to reveal their marks, Maka beamed at the 100% on the top right corner of her page while everyone else looked at their marks with little to no interest.
"Now then, I want all the weapons and Meisters to get into their partners and follow me to the training room." Stein announced, the class all looked at each other in confusion as they got up and moved to their partners in the line. Eventually Kai found Bella and took his place beside her.
"Where did you go this morning?" She whispered to him, curious as to his sudden disappearance since he didn't inform her or Angela about what he was up to.
"Can't say, sorry." Kai responded as they walked down the hall. When they arrived at the large wood doors Stein pushed them open to reveal another class lined up the exact same way with Azusa watching over them..
"For the next little while class Crescent Moon shall be training with Class Half Moon" Stein announced. Everyone looked around shocked, they were going to train with the class of two-star meisters. Bella and Kai surveyed the other class and found Petra and Lyra amongst the students, they both waved towards them and they smiled briefly before being scolded by Azusa for lacking focus.
It wasn't long till teams were divided in between the two classes, with Kid, Liz, Patty, Black*Star and Tsubaki paired with some unknown two-star team, while Bella, Kai, Soul, Maka, and a weaponless meister named Hiro were paired up with Petra and Lyra.
"Hey guys how's it going?" Lyra asked as she walked over with Petra in tow, only sluggish because she was busy listening to her Ipod and sketching.
"Oh you know it's going." Bella responded as she high fived Lyra upon her arrival. Maka tried to peek over of Petra's shoulder to see what she was sketching.
"Hey what do you drawing?" She asked loudly, scaring Petra who was quickly brought back to reality.
"Oh...nothing..." Petra said as she began to blush. Soul walked up and snatched the sketch book from her much to Petra's chagrin.
"Petra Suavis 3 Justin Law huh?" Soul began to tease as he passed around the sketch book with Petra's decorative heart. Kai eventually got the notebook and handed it back to Petra.
Thank you." She said with her face bright red from embarrassment. Kai simply smiled and turned towards the weaponless meister.
"Hey you, Hiro, you know what we're supposed to be doing?" Kai asked in a serious tone after realizing only he had payed attention to what Stein had explained.
"We are supposed to be doing trust exercises I believe." Hiro said as he joined the group. They all nodded and proceeded tell stories of their adventures in order to get a better idea of each other. Kai stayed out of the conversation and continually kept looking at the clock. At ten Kai stood up and walked out of the room with out explaining a thing to anybody.
"Where do you think he's going?" Stein asked Azusa as they noticed him leaving. Stein was especially worried over Kai's early arrival and sudden bursts of energy this morning.
" I don't know..." Azusa said as she pulled out her cell phone. She dialled a number and held it to her ear. "Hello, Justin, Kai's leaving somewhere, I want you to follow him, ok, ok." Azusa said as she hung up and turned her attention back to the class.
Three Hours Later
Kai walked out of the airport in Birmingham, England and took a look around the parking lot. He noticed the dark grey motorcycle in the parking lot with the name Shadow Rider. He smiled and walked up to it and proceeded to drive off, unaware that he was being followed by Justin Law. It was a long drive to what appeared to be an abandoned castle in the middle of a forest that had over grown trees and foliage.
"Vesania castle." Kai said to himself as he turned Shadow Rider off and walked through the gates. He walked into the foyer and found a ceremonial outfit that fit over his clothes and looked as if it was used for Kendo sparring with less armouring. He slipped the pitch black robes that appeared to be shrouded in darkness over his head and fastened Nox back onto his back.
Kai walked deeper and deeper into the castle followed closely by Justin until he reached a large courtyard that was surprisingly well maintained and cared for. Kai walked over to a large stump and sat cross legged on it and proceeded to wait for time to pass.
"Kai..." An all to familiar voice said from behind him. Kai opened his eyes and turned to see Gaia walking towards him. He was dressed in attire similar to Kai's, however his was an extremely pale grey that moved as if it was being blown by the northern wind.
"Gaia, long time no punch." Kai responded not even bothering to get up in his brothers presence.
"I think it's long time no stab in your case isn't little brother." Gaia responded as he stood a few feet from behind Kai. Kai finally stood up and turned to look his brother in the eye. "You've healed well." Gaia said to him.
"No thanks to you." Kai spat back to his brother. His eyes were like daggers towards Gaia, Kai began to reach for Nox from his back as Gaia began to move his hand towards the handle of Whirlwind.
"ENOUGH!" a loud voice boomed, the two brothers turned their heads towards their oldest cousin. A boy by the age of twenty-one walked down the steps from a doorway and into the courtyard. He was a head taller than Kai and had very short dark brown hair that was spiked as best it could get, with Hazel eyes. His robes were also similar to Kai's except were a wild fiery orange and red colour, with a large claymore on his back.
"Conrad..." Kai and Gaia said in unison as they lowered their weapons upon the older youths approach. As he walked closer both Kai and Gaia took small steps away from each other till they were out of their own reach but as well as Conrad's.
"Are you two kids still at each others throats?" He asked as he turned his head from side to side out of disappointment. "Honestly, when will you two grow up." He stated to them both, the disapproving tone very noticeable in his voice.
"Conrad, would you mind telling my younger brother that the Vesania family are not puppets to that miserable excuse for power and training that is the DWMA." Gaia said as he eyed his brother with hostilities. Kai simply shook off his brothers gaze and kept his attention on Conrad who had taken his place on the stump that Kai was sitting on.
"We aren't the puppets of the Kishin either!" A female's voice rang out through the courtyard, it was as commanding as Conrad's they all turned their heads to see a girl who matched Gaia's height and age was walking down the same steps that Conrad emerged from, her robes were more close fitting and were a dark blue that matched the ocean in colour, with her cutlass secured tightly to the ornamental belt. As she walked her shoulder length, brown hair swayed from side to side and remained out of her hazel eyes as she finished her descent.
"Ah if it isn't my little sister...Alexis" Conrad stated as he watched her approach the three of them. Kai seemed to lose his tension at her approach. She glanced around and shot Gaia and Conrad a cold glare and gave Kai a smile.
"At least one of you has your free will intact." She grinned as she stood beside Kai, her gaze now shifting from both Gaia and Conrad, her glare almost challenging them to try and counter back. Conrad remained silent knowing how stubborn she can be, while Gaia murmured to himself.
"So Kai, how's it going, you get any stronger with your blood techniques?" Alexis asked, curious as to how much stronger he'd gotten. Kai simply smiled and turned his glare towards Gaia.
"I dunno, hey Gaia, how are my blood techniques going?" Kai asked him sarcastically, earning a laugh from Alexis and even a small grin from Conrad. All Gaia could do was grit his teeth at the memory of being blasted through the building.
"Anyways, have you kept up your training?" Alexis said after finally calming herself down at the thought of Kai embarrassed his brother. It took Kai a bit longer to wipe off his grin and get serious.
"They're good actually," Kai began as he turned so only Alexis was in his line of sight, "Mifune has incorporated my blood powers into my training, even letting me practice the exercises that you made me, but mostly I just work on my skills and techniques by themselves these days, I incorporate my souls extension after I get a good flow going during a strike." Kai finished explaining.
"As you should." Another voice responded from behind the group of cousins. Another boy with brown hair that was swept to both sides of his head and hazel eyes, and the same age and height as Kai, walked through an opening on the opposite side of the courtyard where Alexis and Conrad appeared. With his brown earthy robes on and a large drag sword secured to his back he made his way, pushing past Gaia and completely ignoring Conrad he took his place on the opposite side of Kai.
"Hey Claude, it's been awhile." Kai said as he fist bumped his cousin, the two had devilish grins on their face at their reunion. They turned to face Gaia and Conrad their smiles slowly fell of their faces.
"So, what's Gaia wrong about this time?" Conrad asked, as he looked over his annoyed cousin. If Conrad hadn't been in between them, Gaia would have broke the tradition and attacked his cousins full power because of their mockery.
"He thinks that I should, side with the Kishin, while me and Alexis side with the DWMA." Kai informed his cousin. He nodded as he heard the fight that was tearing the family in two this year.
"I see, and who's the Kishin?" Claude asked as he looked back over to Kai, Alexis turned to face Kai in great interest as she wasn't aware of the Kishin's identity.
"It's Ruina." Kai put it bluntly, as if at the sound of the name, Alexis and Claude cringed at the name.
"Ooohhhh, that bitch..." Claude responded, the disdain very apparent in his voice. Gaia simply rolled his eyes while Conrad still remained seated, not caring about the family squabbling.
"She's stronger than all of us, and she'll let us live if we get Kai to join her side." Gaia began to explain, "I'm only trying to look out for my little brother." He finished, Kai, Alexis, and Claude all looked at each other unconvinced.
"Sounds more like your trying to save your self if you ask me." Alexis responded, "Besides, Kai can handle his own, you don't need to be so protective over him." She finished, as she slapped Kai in the back.
"Yea, besides stabbing me isn't the best way to get me to switch sides." Kai responded, Alexis and Claude went wide eyed when they heard that. They turned their gaze toward Gaia and looked at him with daggers.
"Ok that's it, I've had enough!" Gaia began as he drew Whirlwind from his sheath. A light grey aura began emanating from his person as a powerful wind began to swirl around around his body. "Forget tradition, I will not stand by and be mocked by my weaker cousins and idiotic brother!" He yelled, towards the three standing on the opposite side of him.
Alexis and Claude didn't hesitate to draw their swords. As Alexis drew her cutlass, a dark blue aura began emanating from her. As she stepped forward into a readied stance, ripples fled from where her foot made contact on the ground almost as if she was walking on water. As Claude drew his sword a brown aura surrounded his body and the ground quaked as he brought out his drag sword. The three contenders eyed each other, they all couldn't help but wonder if the old castle would be able to sustain the combined clashes of the Vesania elemental control that they had gained from witches.
Justin watched in awe from behind a hedge in the courtyard. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. As Kai's cousins and brother began charging each other a fiery blast put all three, would be combatants down. Justin squinted his eyes to try and find a source of the flames, and sure enough Conrad was the one who was standing in between all three fighters. His body was covered in flames that Justin assumed was his elemental aura.
"ENOGUH!" His voice rang throughout the courtyard again, "It's bad enough when I have to break up Kai and Gaia, but do I honestly need to punish my own brother and sister!?" Conrad scolded. "Honestly have you no respect for the family tradition of gathering here annually!" He yelled out.
"Fuck tradition!" a new voice echoed into the courtyard. Two more people came out of the entrance from behind Kai. The boy who had yelled wore robes with a light green pattern that looked as if they had been taken from trees themselves. His hair was done up in a faux hawk and was dark brown in colour and had hazel eyes. The girl wore close fitting robes that were as pale blue as a frozen lake, her hair was silver with brown tips and had hazel eyes.
"Ah, William, Crystal, happy you could grace us with your presence." Conrad said sarcastically as his own aura fizzled out. William walked ahead of Crystal in order to greet his family. As he approached, he stopped beside Kai.
"Hello, fool." Was all he said before he continued to walk toward Gaia. He helped him up and greeted him respectfully. "Honestly, you three can't possibly think that the DWMA can withstand the Kishin do you?"
"And who says he it can't?" Crystal said as she joined Kai's side. "I say the DWMA is stronger, especially with Kai." She finished as she eyed her brother.
"Oh please and what does a pathetic weakling like Kai offer the DWMA against Gaia and the Kishin?" William asked, knowing that Crystal would easily oppose but decided to amuse his mind with her response.
"For one he can kick both your asses!" Crystal responded, both Alexis and Claude began to laugh, but immediately stopped as Conrad turned his gaze towards his younger siblings. "And with Kai, they have the Kishin Killer Maka!" Crystal yelled, Kai's attention quickly shifted to Crystal, worried about how she was dragging Maka into a family dispute.
"Ah yes, the Kishin Killer..." William began to think, even Gaia was worried about the situation. "Well perhaps I'll assassinate this Kishin Kill-" He was cut off mid sentence by an enraged Kai.
Kai charged his older cousin, his Aura as black as night. He grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the ground. William looked up at his assailant to see that his pupils began turning white and that blood began to well up in his eyes as if he was going to cry blood. Justin was in awe over the power this family had. It wasn't long before he noticed Gaia completely alone and away from someone else he began to make his move and started to say a prayer, upon its completion he jumped into the air.
"Law Abiding Silver Gun!" Justin yelled turning all the Vesania's attention on him, they merely stood as the guillotine blade picked up speed as it travelled to Gaia, he simply scoffed and stepped aside avoiding the blade. As Justin began to fall in front of Gaia he felt the presence of two people coming from behind him.
"Lightning Strike!" A smaller boy yelled as the blade of his Wakizashi electrified as he propelled towards him. His hair was blond and his eyes hazel with dark yellow robes that resembled the colour of lightning.
"Beast Blade!" The older boy called out as his Soul created the apparition of a pack of wolves running around the blade. His robes were tan like an animals hide. His hair was Brown and long with yellow eyes.
Justin was thrown to the ground by the combined attacks. He began to cough up blood as the two newcomers landed. William got out of Kai's grip and manifested his forest green aura and made the foliage underneath Justin wrap him up like rope. Justin struggled but the plant life got tighter and tighter. He was completely helpless.
"NO let me go I must defeat Gaia for my glorious Lord Death!" Justin yelled as he continued to squirm.
"Sorry but, you are intruding..." William said as his aura remained active. He turned his gaze the older boy who was almost as old as Conrad. "Thank you Leon, for stopping our guest." He finished as he smiled to the boy.
"No problem." Leon responded as he walked toward everyone.
"Nice work Edward, but you got to learn to focus your aura into a single blow and not have it shoot of in random directions as you hit your target." Kai said to the smaller boy he was about fourteen in age. He ran over to his cousins and looked up to Kai.
"Ok I tried my best, but thanks." He said excitedly as Kai looked down on him.
"So what are you going to do with me?" Justin spat towards the group they all looked at each other and in seconds all, but Kai had circled him and had their blades pointed directly to him. Justin shut his eyes in defeat and prepared to meet Lord Death on a whole new level. The Vesania's raised their blades about to impale him.
"Stop!" Kai yelled, all of them turned toward him in confusion. It was a rule that any intruders were to be executed on site during the Vesania family gathering. "I know it's tradition but he is only here to make sure that Gaia didn't try anything, I asked him to come." Kai stated, they all sheathed their blades and groaned in disappointment.
"Fine but he remains tied up until the end." Conrad stated, Kai nodded in acknowledgement and began to move with the group into the castle. Justin remained tied up for what felt like hours. The moon was high in the sky and laughing at him as he remained tied up. Finally the members of the family descended down the stairs and into the courtyard. Kai and Gaia were the only two to approach Justin.
"So you learned your lesson?" Gaia scoffed at the restrained death scythe. Justin simply glared at him in anger.
"So Gaia, what are you and Ruina's plans so we can make it a fair fight?" Kai asked his brother not shifting his gaze from Justin.
"Hm, well for one thing you don't stand a chance..." Gaia began, "Ruina has created an army of clowns that obey only me and her, their will be a full scale assault on the DWMA in seven days time, be prepared." Justin looked at Gaia with worry in his eyes.
"Thanks brother, I'll kill you then." Kai responded. And with that Gaia walked away. Kai pulled Nox from it's scabbard and in one fluid motion freed Justin . As he stood up Justin cracked his stiff joints from sitting so long. They both began to walk out of the castle and not one of them said a word. After Kai had taken his robes off over his casual clothes they made their way out. Justin and Kai walked up to Kai's motorcycle and began to inspect it for the trip back to the airport.
" Thank you Kai." Justin said, his voice sounded grateful for Kai's intervention. Kai didn't turn around to look at him.
"Just prepare for war, and stop trying to spy on me will you." Kai said as he got on his motorcycle and started it up. "See you back home." Kai said as he drove off.
Author's Note: Hi guys, sorry for the long wait, I had notes for it and lost them, and then found them again. But even still it was hard writing this chapter, god I hate filler. But still, each Vesania can control an element, cool. Anyways so I'm gonna make you guys another promise to try and be quick, but were almost at the final war sequence were shit will get real, really quickly. But ya I hope you keep reading, and reviewing, cause it helps a lot. So yeah enough of my pointless blathering, I'm sure you guys got better things to do. So until next time, and I'll try to get these out more often. Bye.