Naru slowly made her way through the forest that lead back to the park. Her speed increased to a run as she left the woods behind her. Nearing the parking lot Naru saw a small glimmer of hope walking by.
"Angel, what are you doing here?!"
"Aw the 1D's body-guard, Paul, kicked me out", Angel explained.
As she approached him panting for air, Angel got a clear view of just how scared Naru looked.
"Naru are you okay", Angel asked, "You look freaked."
"Angel, Keitaro took off!"
"Took off? What do you mean took off", Angel asked in confusion.
"He just took off", Naru asked "I don't know what happened! We were watching the butterflies in the forest, then they started dying and Keitaro ran away like he saw a ghost!"
"Woah wait", Angel stopped her. "You said the butterflies started dying?"
"Yeah, they just started dropping to the ground."
Angel tried to process these set of events. He searched around for any sign of help. It was only a matter of seconds before his eyes fell onto Keitaro's motor bike.
"Is that Keitaro's", Angel pointed.
After Naru confirmed it with a simple, "Yeah", Angel went to work. He started up the bike with a spare key before telling Naru to get on.
As the two sped off Naru asked, "Why do you have a spare key to Keitaro's bike?"
"We made a deal once. I keep a spare key to his bike, and he keeps an epipen for my peanut allergies."
"I see", Naru said to Angel. "Are we going to look for Keitaro?"
"We don't need to, I know exactly where he's going."
"Where?"
"The one place those butterflies mean something", Angel grimly told her. "The Oni-Zakura Dojo."
Running along the dirt path leading to the dojo, Keitaro maintained his inhuman speed. He couldn't remove his mind from the events of what happened in the forest. It was supposed to be a big moment for Keitaro. He was going to finally tell Naru what he felt for her. He had been working up the courage nearly all night, and it went all down the drain. However, a bigger problem may have been at hand, one big enough to shake even Keitaro's military focus.
From the path up ahead, Keitaro head a thick boom. He had been in the military long enough to know what en explosion sounded like, and this was definently one. He pulled himself out of his trance before continuing back to his training school. A bad lump appeared in the bottom of his stomach when he saw a red flicker of light in the distance. Faster and faster he moved to see where this light was coming from, but he wished he hadn't made it to the top at all.
The school could only be described as total destruction. Some of the buildings had collapsed, fire engulfed much of the dojo many of the sacred statues had been destroyed, and screams of terrified student filled the air. Keitaro could see a shadowy figure approach through the flames. Keitaro readied himself for battle, thinking this could be the enemy. His guard dropped when he saw this wasn't an enemy, but a bloody, beaten down student. The trainee tried to reach for Keitaro before falling down into the Urashima's arms.
"Keitaro, they slaughtered us!"
"Who did this to you", Keitaro asked the student as he laid him on the ground.
"It was a dragon and someone else lurking in the shadows", The student choked.
Keitaro could see three gashes across the student's stomach, reminding Keitaro who exactly did this. He was torn between beating this opponent to death, or saving the student in his arms.
"Urashima", Keitaro turned his head as more students approached. "Don't worry, we'll take care of him. We can really use your help right now."
Keitaro handed the wounded apprentice off to the others.
"Where is the Sensei", Keitaro questioned.
"Away fro the time, but the enemy is near the north of the second training ground!"
"I'm on it", Keitaro said as he dashed off. Keitaro ducked and dodged various hazards and flames, before arriving to the first training ground. A large pillar had fallen on a female student and three others tried lifting it up for her. However, the pillar was way too big and they didn't have enough strength on their side.
"Urashima, I could really use a hand over here!"
Keitaro took up position to one side of the pillar.
"On three", The a pupil ordered. "One, two, three."
Together they tried to lift the wooden plank off of her. Even with an extra person, it looked as if it wasn't going to be enough. Keitaro tapped into his extra power, better known as the "Demon Blood Marking", to save the trainee. They bid him a thanks before getting to safety. Keitaro was too angry to respond. He didn't hear what the students said to him, and the marks of the sseal refused to disappear. With rage to fuel his power, Keitaro moved towards his destination. In the first training ground, two students waved to him.
"This way Urashima!"
In an attempt to lead him away, a great ball of purple energy struck the ground beneath them. A crater formed from the impact of the explosion. Keitaro followed the trail from where the attack came from. He could have sworn he saw a cloaked person disappear behind the dojo's roof. He didn't pursue this person since another pupil called him forth.
At last, Angel and Naru arrived at the beginning of the trail that would lead to the Oni-Zakura Dojo. The two stepped off the bike as they heard the chaos emerging from the school. Angel pulled out a comlink from his pocket.
"This is Angel calling Captain Tokui."
There was no response on the line.
"Captain Tokui!...There's no signal up here. Naru I need you to..."
Angel realized he was talking to himself. Naru had taken off immediately when she set foot off the bike. Worried for her safety and Keitaro's well-being, Angel pulled off a metal case from the bike. Inside, was his disassembled sniper rifle. The soldier began assembling the weapon as fast as he could, for he was going to need it.
Moving progress was very slow for Keitaro, because of the debris in the way. Separating him and the temple was one more court-yard. In the training field were many students.
"Out of the way, we got the Cheetah Demon", One particular student announced.
This pupil was known to dislike the students of the Shinmei-Ryū by the girls of Hinata Sou, but to Keitaro he was the honorable grandson of the sensei.
"Taka, where is the Sensei", Keitaro asked the grandson.
"He's been away on a quest for a few days. We've evacuated most of the students, but when we try to move from this point the enemy attacks."
Keitaro looked around for any signs of the threat. None could be seen to the eye, but Keitaro knew they were there. Keitaro looked to the sky as if he spotted his target.
"Taka, take the other students out of here", Keitaro ordered.
"Keitaro we can't", Taka tried to reason.
"It's okay, they'll be safe to leave. I'll deal with the enemy myself"
Taka wasn't sure about what he should do. It wasn't right to just abandon a fellow student. However, if he didn't leave Keitaro to deal with the enemy, then the other students could be caught in the cross fire. Even with all the smoke and ash, Taka took a deep breath.
"Everyone, retreat and follow me", Taka ordered the other students.
The Oni-Zakura pupils took the shortest and safest route to exit the school. The only one to stay behind was Keitaro. At first nothing happened, the only signs of movement were the flames in the distance, and Keitaro's dancing hair from the wind. In the blink of an eye, a red flash landed a mere twelve feet from Keitaro. It's form was that of two scaly wings, and a spiny tail.
"Hello Keitaro", The creäture spoke as the wings showed its face.
The face of Draconian was all too disgusting and familiar to Keitaro.
Back down the trail, Naru was approaching the entrance to the Dojo. Naru reached the top of the stairs where her eyes met the same scene Keitaro found. It was a horrible sight to see. Naru covered her mouth in a saddened shock, imaging what could have happened to the students who lived here.
"Naru", Someone called her name.
From the burning academy emerged Taka and other students.
"You", Naru remembered this person when they last visit asking questions about Keitaro. "I remember you! What happened here?"
"We were attacked. They hit us when and where we least expected, right from above in the center."
"Where's Keitaro?"
"He stayed behind to fight the enemy off."
Without a second focus other than Keitaro, Naru insanely ran through the burning school.
"Naru wait, it's too dangerous to go in alone!" Taka yelled.
Draconian flew through the air around the academy with Keitaro hanging onto his chest. His course was off-balance as Keitaro continued to drill him in the face. There were a few times when they crashed into a buliding or a statue. Tghe flight ended when they hit the ground. They skidded and tumbled to a stop after separating from each other. Now within a good distance from the Cheetah Demon, Draconian unleashed a blazing stream of fire. Keeping to his speed card, Keitaro hid behind a broken piece of the statue.
When the fire attack stopped, Keitaro pulled out his gun and fired at Draconian, still staying behind the statue. The dragon experiment protected his still human body by using the dragon wings. The gun shots stopped. Once the firing ceased Dcraconian dashed for the statue. However, looking behind the stone, Draconian found nothing. He had no time to respond as Keitaro's flying kick put him through the temple.
"You've dug your own grave this time Draconian", Keitaro roared as he entered the room.
Surrounding them were more statues, but more noticably, weapons of ancient japanese warriors. Keitaro picked up the nearest spear and readied it to counter Draconian.
"This spear was said to slay Dragons", Keitaro told his enemy. "But you wouldn't know that, would you?"
"Your little stories and toys aren't going to be enough to stop me", Draconian said as he blasted another fire breath attack.
Keitaro took refuge behind a pillar until the flames died down. He didn't have enough time to counter before Draconian's tail nearly slammed Keitaro in the chest. Keitaro was now upon the dragon. Claw met spear head in rapid clashes.
"This temple is a sacred place meant to bring peace to a person! You barged into this school slaughtering young women and children!"
Keitaro raked the spear across Draconian's face before tripping him with a good sweep of the spear.
"Now, I will bring peace to their souls! By killing you", Keitaro shouted as he raised the spear above his head.
With a new killer instinct ready to deliver a vengeful execution, Keitaro brought the spear down. There was the sound of squirting blood that filled the once sacred temple.
Naru was now running through the last court yard leading to the temple. She didn't have an exact place where Keitaro was right now, but something told her that he was inside this small sanctuary. The door entrance was ignored. Instead, Naru entered through the broken wood that was a clearly forced entrance. As she entered Naru Narusegawa say something that was an even more horrible sight than the destroyed school.
Keitaro stood over Draconian, with the spear still in his hands. It was just inches away from finally finishing off the dragon. Standing right behind Keitaro was someone dressed in complete black. They were completely covered in black with a purple energy surrounding them. Her hand had pierced Keitaro's back and came through his midsection with the same purple energy. Keitaro dropped the spear as he struggled to stay on his feet.
"Keitarooooooo", Naru shouted in horror at the top of her lungs.
I had some spare time to write another chapter up. This chapter is kinda short compared to my last one, but I thought it would be good to end this one here. Trust me, it will be a better for the next chapter updates if I end this chapter right here. Till then, I'll update as soon as I can.