~I promise to slow down soon~~~~ *

Chapter Twenty Three

Ruby used the sword to cut her way through the denser part of the forest. They walked mostly in silence, but she didn't mind. She was following the wolf's energy, she probably could have gone to search for Raleigh with out giving them such a hard time but she was trying to protect Hoshi as well. She had to keep her thoughts close to her though, because she was sure that they still didn't trust her. Not that she expected to them to trust in her in the least. Her father was Talpa, she didn't trust herself at times.

Cye came up to her, he was decent enough, "you're sure she's this way?"

"That wolf has a pretty distinct energy, besides she's skulking and wolves skulk in the most terrible of places," she laughed and shrugged. "Who knew my mom would pick such a sensitive wolf to be my guard."

"Who was your mum?"

"Hm? I don't know, some Old One I suppose, I heard she died when I was little when she left," Ruby answered as she pushed some brush aside.

"I'm sorry," he said solemnly. She could depend on the armor of Torrent, to be slightly empathetic.

"Why, I'm not sad for something that happened over a thousand years ago," she answered abruptly.

Kento came up, "I've been meaning to ask, how do you look so hot for being 1000?"

"I'm a nether being, not human," she answered dryly. "Is that all you think about, Hardrock?"

"He's pretty one tracked," Ryo laughed , "why do you need see Raleigh?"

"She's done enough moping for the both of us," she said growled. "She's a yojimbo, she needs to start acting like it for Hoshi."

"But she's your yojimbo," Sage asserted.

"As such, I can tell her to take over for, besides I'm assured she's already given Hoshi her life debt," Ruby said and Cye nodded. "See, she needs to stop moping, even if means I need to whoop her ass a bit."

"My kind of girl," Kento teased, "reason with whoopings!"

"I am not your type, Hardrock," she growled, her eyes flashing red.

"Ooh, burn," Ryo snorted and Ruby shook her head.

"you boys beat my father, geez, that says something for the human spirit," She smiled softly as they came to a clearing with a small pond and a stream trickling down the rock side on the far side. The was a red wolf lying on the other side of the pond, its head resting near the water.

"That's her, Cye?" asked Kento. "I thought she looked like suzunagi?"

"When you said wolf, I didn't think you meant wolf," Ryo said to Sage softly.

The wolf perked up and looked at them with its teeth barred.

"Geez," Ruby said as she walked into the clearing. "You really do know how to mope."

The wolf stopped and starred at her, princess?

"Yup, indeed," Ruby smiled as she thumbed the hilt of the sword. "Now, you need to stop this nonsense, now is not the time to be feeling sorry for yourself."

But Princess, she paused as she returned to her other form, and the tow other ronins gasped. I failed you, I thought you were dead, and I let your father corrupt me. It is unforgivable.

"No what's unforgivable, is that you are moping while the girl your supposed to own your life debt to has had her soul sent to the nether realm."

"What," asked in shock as they over heard her scolding Raleigh.

"She's fine, I think she might have made a deal with an Old Ones too switch souls," Ruby said as she walked into the clearing. "You wouldn't have felt it happen, I just know what an Old One feels like when it enters this realm."

Sage looked angry, "you're okay with that?"

"It's better than her dying, at least this way your armors won't be killing her," Ruby replied as Raleigh looked down.

I have failed again...

Ruby slapped her instantly, "knock it off! Stop this self pity, yojimbo. I'm going to find my armor and it would nice to have some back up because your armor might be the only armor that's effective right now."

Raleigh looked up at her with with big green eyes, If this how I reclaim my honor, then I will.

"Good, now that's settled," Ruby said as she looked back at the ronins. "It's time we get Strata and head to the nether realm."

"Wait, what," asked Ryo instantly. "Why?"

"Offensive strike," Ruby smiled, it was almost demonic looking. "Let's take em down before they have a chance to take us down."

"That's suicide," Said Sage. "We don't even know what's in the void."

"Perhaps, but are you going to let the warlords die for you," she said as she looked up at the sky. "I can tell which armors are suffering, and your warlords are not doing so well. Besides, my armor is in the nether realm."

The guys looked to Ryo, and Cye said, "this is crazy."

"Any crazier than it normally is?"

"She's right though, we can't just leave the warlords to take care of this," Sage paused to think things through a little bit more. "We owe them that still."

"Let's go bash some nether heads," Kento grinned as he crunched one hand inside the other. "Hopefully, Rowen will feel up for it."

"He will," she paused and looked up at the sky. "He's the only one who loves that girl more than I do."

The boys turned red and Raleigh tilted her head.

"What, you thought I was fighting this for you? I've been on Earth for a thousand years, and haven't fought a single war. Why would I Join this fight now?"

"Because you love Hoshi," asked Cye, he was even more flush than the rest.

"I do, if there is ever a better reason to fight than that, I don't know what is," she smiled as she disappeared into the forest heading back into the house.

Well, that's motivation, Raleigh mumbled she had a blush to her cheeks as well. Can I have my sword back?

Sage handed it to her and she sheathed it, "how are we supposed to defeat any of those creatures then, this is going to be suicide."

I doubt Suzunagi was dumb enough to give you new armors, and not new weapons to go with them, she said as she walked quickly after Ruby.

Ryo nodded and asked of her, "will the inferno armor be of any help?"

Perhaps, she said as she walked with them. She sheathed her sword. It is not like the other armors, I once saw Saber Strike take down a hydra using the swords of Fervor.

"Hydra," asked Cye with a gulp. "You mean most of those creatures exist?"

Even the Gorgons, she grinned. She moved down the hakama on her shoulder to reveal two very deep puncture wounds, This was done by a naga I fought when I was a young fool, thinking I could be the best of the best. Don't let your egos get the best of you.

"Ego," Kento fumed. "I think it's all the moping that needs to be dealt with."

There is nothing wrong with being sad, Raleigh said quietly.