Chapter Eight

Hoshi was mad at Rowen. She didn't quite understand why she was mad at him, and Sage, but she was. She sat in silence while she road the subway with them. They seemed to understand her silence and didn't offer to make amends. She had lied though, she had seen the wolf before. The memory stirred in her mind, laying on the ground as the flames engulfed the car. Oil pouring out of the ground towards her, flames trickling along it, and she was unable to move from its grip.. But the wolf was there, she saw it in the flames. She didn't believe in omens, no more than she believed in the fairy tales the koji's wrote. She looked down at her scarred hand, it was shaking again. She hadn't had tremors since she was a child, it had to be her anger.

She followed them reluctantly off of the subway. They were heading to Shincha University, and she felt her phone buzz, and she fumbled for it. Leea was asking where she was and she replied. She didn't really want to deal with her right now. She loved her best friend like a sister, but often she annoyed her at best.

Rowen tried to take her hand as they walked, but she folded her arms against her chest. She was not pleased that there was some secret and it had to deal with that damn wolf. They found Mia Koji in her office, Hoshi remained quiet as she looked around. The office was much larger than her own, but the relics of armors and weapons took up the room she didn't have. They looked old, but she couldn't tell if they were replicas or original relics. Either way, she found the grossly overdramatic.

She heard Sage and Rowen telling Mia what had just happened as she skulked over to a large menacing armor.

Words rang in her head.

Sometimes the best power is hidden in plain sight.

She shook her head as Mia came over to her. Hoshi sighed, she could at least pretend to be friendly this time, "so you set me up with someone involved in you and your grandfather's nonsensical fantasy world. If this some sort of elaborate joke please tell me now, so I can get a bed at the closest asylum."

"I'm afraid not," she said as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why does that wolf scare you so?"

"I saw it when my parents died, and for years people told me I was crazy. I finally stopped believing what my own eyes had seen and got on with my life."

Mia wrapped her in a hug and Hoshi flinched as she cooed "oh, poor dear."

Hoshi frowned, "would you please explain to me what is going on? Obviously this wolf isn't a figment, or an ailment if those two can see it as well, and they also say they're friends with the black tiger as well."

"Well, you see. I know you have read my grandfather's books," she paused as Hoshi shoved her off. "There is much we left out though, the nether realm exists, but there is so much more. We have our enemies, but we also have our heroes."

Hoshi looked back Rowen and Sage, "them?"

"And Cye, and Ryo and Kento," Mia paused. "And Black Blaze...errr White Blaze. They bare mystical armors and protect us from the darkness. But it has been a while. A long while since anything surfaced from the other realm, I suppose it was only time."

Hoshi sighed, "well geez."

Rowen looked at Sage, who shrugged back. Sage was the last person to ask if he knew how girls worked. Rowen didn't know if he should walk over to her, but he decided she looked calmer when she glanced back at them, so he decided to come over, and she turned to him with pursed lips.

"I dont think I can be mad. I didn't think you would believe me, and you didn't think I would believe you," she mumbled but her frown turned into smile and she leaned up and kissed him. "It's a hard burden to bare fighting a war for humanity...I won't let you bare it alone."

"So you're okay," he asked naively.

She frowned and let an exasperated sigh, "Well, geez. I think I'm going crazy, I find out my boyfriend is a magical samurai of some sort, and there's a dark realm trying to invade ours. I sound like a american YA novel. I'm peachy."

Sage snorted at her sarcasm and she glared at him over Rowen, but it made him laugh. She looked down at her hand, and saw the tremors had stopped completely.

Mia frowned, " but here's the thing, I have no mention of a wolf in any of my research."

"Really," Rowen said as he held Hoshi, he exchanged glances with a frowning Sage.

Hoshi felt the pain in her head disappear and she looked out the window. She something odd, the wolf was there starring at her but she felt no pain. Rowen held her close, and Sage became defensive. The wolf paced along the roof top, and then leaped at them. Rowen shoved her behind them as the wolf broke through the glass. It chuckled and Hoshi felt the pain come back in a nauseating surge.

Give me the girl, Ronins.

"Girl," Hoshi mumbled as Mia came to her side. "I'm twenty five!"

Rowen replied defiantly, "not in a million lifetimes."

"Don't think so, wolfy," Sage added on.

Wolfy? My name is Raleigh.

The wolf bowed, and then barred its teeth in a ferocious snarling grin.

"I don't care for formalities," Rowen said as a bright light flashed from both him and Sage. Hoshi shielded his eyes, both were wearing very thin armor. Rowen's armor was blue as his hair, and Sage's as green as spring leaves.

Mia helped her up, "let's back up a bit, this could get nasty."

Hoshi asked of the wolf, "why are you following me?"

Raleigh smiled, I am to protect you.

Rowen narrowed his eyes as the wolf launched at him, he took a defensive stance but sage caught the wolf in the side with a swift kick. The wolf landed and leaped at Rowen again with snarling jaws. He deflected the bits, kicked it under the chin. The wolf spit blood, and starred at Hoshi.

I will have her.

The wolf took its ground, and energy began to pulse around the wolf. And she started to mutate to Hoshi's horror the wolfs body crunched as it grew, and two more heads joined the first. The armor shifted and grew with her as well. And she roared. Her back was almost reaching the ceiling.

Rowen and Sage nodded at each other and summoned their full armor in a blinding light. Rowen's armor was ark blue as well trimmed in white and gold pieces. He held a large bow in his hand and Hoshi saw a cold look come over his face. In fact, Sage had that same look in his dark green armor as he pulled a large sword, a nodatchi from its sheath on his back.

Mia pulled her back behind a desk, "I don't understand."

Hoshi frowned, "what don't you comprehend, Miss Koji?"

"There is no wolf in the legends," Mia replied sternly, "all of it has been in the legends. I have none of this!"

Hoshi peered from behind the desk, as the beat leaped at Sage and Rowen. "I hate to sound like the one whose got it under control, but I doubt this is the time to be criticizing ancient lore."

Mia frowned, "How are you so calm about this? I wasn't half as collected as you are were I first met a creature from the dynasty!"

"Shell shock," hoshi replied as Rowen shot an arrow at the beast. The left head took the shot in the eye and gushed blood, but the beast didn't back down as it lunged for Sage and it bit down on his blade. The other snapped at Rowen who pulled an arrow from the sleave on his back. The arrow began to glow, and Mia pulled her down as a he shot the arrow. There was a massive shock wave, sending shards of glass flying. Hoshi looked at Mia, she was cowering next to her. Smoke filled the room, and she could only hear the clanging of Sage's sword and Rowen's bow.

Hoshi felt no fear though. Was she crazy? She looked down at her hand. It had stopped shaking, and the pain in her head was no longer there. She looked back around the desk and the smoke clear to reveal Sage and and Rowen were holding the beast off, Sage's sword was glowing. She looked into the light of the sword, and she felt dizzy. She leaned against the desk, her head was filled with immense pain again. She felt as if she saw a vision in the reflection of the sword.

I will find the light, said the first voice.

The vision was brief but a female knight, clad in silver with long red hair was kneeling at an altar. There was someone behind her that she couldn't see, who was speaking.

There will be no more kingdom to fight for. Talpa has won, the humans will only know of our darkness. You must remain and wait for my return. If I don't return, please protect her.

The red haired knight looked up and nodded her head.

Even Talpa, with all his force, can destroy one of us who is so young. The ancients cannot protect us anymore.

The red haired warrior nodded, and she saw a wolf crest on her silver armor. The vision flashed of a bloody fight, and all she heard was a child's cry as the warrior clad in silver fought but lost.

You shall live as a beast, a man's voice laughed, forever my servant in this new order!

Hoshi's eyes cleared, and she noticed Mia starring at her.

"Are you alright," Mia asked as Rowen and Sage beat the beast down. Blood was coming from it's mouth.

"Mia, do nether creatures bleed?"

"Bleed? No, I don't think so," she answered and Hoshi felt something utterly wrong. The creature was not their enemy. She knew it in her heart, the creature was good. She didn't know how she knew, but she did. She rose to her feet, and dashed forward as Sage raised the sword. She slid between the two warriors and burried herself in the beast blood stained fur.

"STOP IT," She cried! She felt sage's sword stop millimeters from her.

"What in the world woman, back off," Sage growled as the beast collapsed.

Hoshi shook her head, "no, you cannot do this! Do nether creatures bleed!?"

Rowen looked at her, "I...I don't think so.."

"What does it matter," Sage said as he leveled his sword at the beast's head.

Hoshi hugged the creatures center head, "you're mistaken!"

"Sage, I think she's right," Rowen said, he seemed less eager to finish the creature off.

Sage raised the sword, but Hoshi cried. She didn't know why she felt so sad. It wasn't like her to cry. She learned to stop crying as girl. Grown ups don't care for tears from an imperfect child. She felt the tears fall from her eyes and touched the metal plate on the beasts head. Sage backed up as the armor pulsed with light and the creature began to diminish in size. Hoshi backed up and notice a kanji appear on the creatures head, as its form turned human like. She couldn't make it out the kanji at first, but as the light lessened she realized it read: Hope. Soon a beautiful young warrior appeared. She had long red hair, and deep green eyes. Her armor's helmet was in the shape of a wolfs head and the the crest on her chest was made of pearl. It was a wolf with a chain in it's teeth. She looked dazed as she pulled up the snarling mask part of the helmet. Hoshi noticed two long scars that ran from the corners of her mouth to her temple. They were jagged scars, that had no signs of of sutures.

Rowen gasped, "she looks like Suzunagi!"

The warrior shook her head in silence, and shock.

Hoshi realized it quickly, "she can't speak!"

Sage grumbled as he sheathed his sword against his back, "who are you?"

The girl closed her eyes and they heard a voice in their minds. I am Raleigh, daughter of the Fenris clan, I don't quite remember how I came to the mortal realm...

Mia interrupted, "guys we better get out of here! I here sirens!"

Sage nodded in agreement, "Can we meet you at your house?"

"Sure, I'll call the others," Mia replied as she looked out the window. "I'll find a way out, it'll look odd if I just disappear from the building."

Rowen picked up Hoshi in his strong arms and she said, "please, I have to know who she is! Let her come!"

Sage shot suspicious look at the warrior who was still crouching with the pain they had inflicted. He knelt beside her, and lifted her arm over his shoulder and they jumped from the window. Hoshi clung to Rowen, she was confused and the anger that she felt about Rowen's "secret" had subsided. She only felt concern for the warrior who was just a monster. She looked down and saw Mia disappear into the building as the cops and firefighter's entered the building.

Rowen whispered as they jumped to another building, "Let us get a ways before we stop to talk to her."

Hoshi nodded, it was amazing how far he could jump in such a heavy armor and carrying her. She kissed him, "thank you for listening to me."

He nodded, "I figured you were right, I have never seen a nether being bleed. How did you know?"

"I don't know, I'm not sure," she mumbled, her head was still slightly pulsing. "But Sage's sword showed me something in its light, perhaps a memory of hers?"

"Sage's sword has some unique qualities," Rowen agreed as he looked at her, she was unarmed but there was some of the wolf's blood on her. They came to a roof far from the campus and they stopped. Their armors disappeared and they were back in their normal clothing. Hoshi blushed, Rowen smiled at her, but Sage seemed a bit angry.

Sage looked to Hoshi and fumed, "what was that?"

Hoshi blinked, she realized she might have hurt his warriors pride, "Isn't it better to safe a life than to take one? Besides it was your sword that showed it to me."

Rowen frowned, "guys, this probably isn't the best time argue." Some part of himself knew Hoshi could deal with Sage's attitude, and what arrogance he had. She had dealt with worse in her life, but he didn't want his friend mad at him either. Then he almost laughed, was this his first disagreement with his buddy over a girl? He took solace that it fit in with the rest of his weird life.

Hoshi frowned, "I really hope Cye isn't this arrogant."

Sage harrumphed, and dropped the argument, but he gave Rowen a look. He would deal with it later. The woman looked up at them, and shakily stood. Her armor disappeared, revealing an old styled men's hakama. It had the same wolf crest on the the breast of it. She was tall, even more than the boys, and seemed quite lean and not curvy. She pulled up her red hair into a bun, and a pair of wolf ears popped out.

She said, I thank you for freeing me, little one.

Hoshi frowned, "Little?"

Rowe interrupted, "why were you trying to take her to the nether realm?"

The warrior shook her head, I don't know. I've been trapped by Talpa's curse for a long while. I started to lose who I was. She reminded me of my Lord's daughter, but she can't be her. She is only human.

Hoshi smirked, "only?"

Sage looked at Hoshi then back at the woman, "It was mere coincidence then?"

I do suppose, she looks a lot like my lord's daughter, the woman paused. Forgive my curse. I have been fighting the darkness he put within me for years, all I remember was that I saw her when she was young and saved her from a terrible accident. His darkness must have drove me mad in the time since then, trying to reclaim my failure as yojimbo.

"Failure," Hoshi repeated.

The warrior nodded, she was our hope for reclaiming the nether realm, and I let Talpa take her.

Sage glarred, "you are from the nether realm."

Yes, she paused. I suppose but you only know of the realm that Talpa attacked the Earth with. It wasn't always that way, he stole his power, and destroyed most of the Old Ones when he took his part in the balance.

Sage and Rowen looked at each, and Hoshi just kind of starred clueless. Hoshi fumed, "what?"

Rowen explained, "he was our first enemy from the nether realm. He fed off darkness, and tried to take over the earth."

The warrior looked at her hand, she looked sad, I owed you a debt little one. I will repay it before I pay for my failures as a Yojimbo.

The warrior vanished and Hoshi looked at Rowen, "don't tell me, there's a lot of this nonsense?"

He smiled, she was catching on, and said, "semi mysterious people talking about half truths? Definitely."

Sage interrupted and said seriously, "we should get heading to Mia's house."