Chapter 39: Legend of the Five Dragons
322 AD - Land of the Kitsunes
Lady Sora is instructing Senko on her past life as Kitsune, the Darkness, and how to fight it.
"We may have a chance to defeat the Darkness, or at least weaken it enough to contain it, or perhaps even use it for good" Sora said "Nakano hasn't given into the Darkness yet, every previous Dark One became the Dark One by taking a life and giving into the Darkness… with the Darkness binding itself to him without him taking a life… is unheard of. The Sorcerer, long ago, foretold of someone arising who could wield the Darkness without giving into it. Nakano may very well be this Guardian, although we cannot count on it. You need to guide Nakano, ensure he resists the Darkness. If he is the Guardian, he will turn the Dark to Light. If he is not, and he is able to resist the Darkness anyways, he may be able to weaken it to the point the Original Powers can do something about it"
"I will watch over him" Senko said
"Make sure to make his life as easy as possible" Sora said "cook his meals for him, clean, and whatever other chores he needs done. The Darkness will leave him on edge, do anything you can to take the edge off. Dark One's don't need sleep, although they can, and the Darkness makes it difficult to actually sleep, which doesn't help the Dark One's mental state, so do anything you can to help him relax"
"Don't worry, Lady Sora" Senko said "I will pamper him to his heart's content!"
The Enchanted Forest - Fairy Tale Realm
"Senko, this meal is well… something" Nakano said
"You don't like it?" Senko asked
"It's just… very well done" Nakano said
"Oh, I'm sorry" Senko said
"It's okay, Senko" Nakano said "you have limited memories of your past, it makes sense you've forgotten how to cook. Let me teach you how to cook again, and then if you really want to cook for me, you can take over"
"I was supposed to be helping you, not you helping me… but okay…"
Later that night, Senko is outside washing the dishes, while Nakano is trying to fall asleep, Senko hears someone call her name and turns to see an old man
"Do you remember me, Senko?" the man asked
"You were there when I first gained consciousness, but I don't really remember much about you, sorry"
"That's okay, Senko" the old man said "we didn't know each other much before you gained consciousness. I am like you in many ways, both of us are apprentices to Original Powers who want to get rid of the Darkness. Lady Sora wants you to try and help Nakano turn the Darkness to Light. If Nakano truly is the Guardian, then that is best outcome, as it would essentially make Nakano a second Sorcerer. However, we must be prepared for all possibilities, so I would like to help you remember how to use your magic, so you can help me remove the Darkness from Nakano and destroy it once and for all. You had powerful magic before, you should still have some remnants of it, you just need to remember how to use it. I can teach you that. Once you have relearned your magic, you can help me develop a spell to destroy the Darkness"
"Can you teach me how to use my magic to help him fall asleep?" Senko asked
"What?" the Apprentice asked
"Lady Sora said Dark Ones have trouble sleeping and I should help him fall to sleep" Senko said
"Ah" the Apprentice said "yes, a fully rested Dark One should remain stable for longer"
"Is that something I can use the Dagger for?" Senko asked, pulling out the Dark One's Dagger
"You could use the Dagger to force him to sleep, but I think that would be worse for him than not sleeping" the Apprentice said "I would not use the Dagger unless you absolutely have to. Using the Dagger forces the Darkness to force him to do something, using it for even something helpful will cause him to slowly slip into the Darkness. If it was up to me, the Dark One's Dagger would remain with me, where I could protect it, but the Original Powers overruled me on that and want you to keep it. But to answer your original question, yes I can teach you a sleeping spell. Note that if you use the sleeping spell on mere mortals it will instantly knock them out, regardless of whether or not they want to be. But if you use it on the Dark One and he's already trying to go to sleep, it should make him drowsy enough to fall asleep. But before I teach you any magic, I need to teach you the most important thing to learn about magic. Magic always comes with a price…"
Japan - TMNT2k3
As the tengu created by the Darkness razed Japan, the Emperor summoned five powerful warriors: Hisomi, Chikara, Juto, Kon, and the most skilled and ambitious of them all, Oroku Saki.
"I have summoned you five to defeat the tengu" the Emperor said "you five are our last hope. If you fail, I fear that not only is Japan doomed, but also the whole world. My greatest craftsmen have forged armor for you, armor engraved with protective spells. Now go, and save Japan… and the world"
The five warriors rode into battle with their armor. They fought against the tengu, slowly damaging him. Saki managed to use his enchanted sword to knock the tengu on its back. Saki prepared to run the demon through with his blade
"I am Oroku Saki, demon" Saki said "may my name be the last sound you hear" and then he hears a woman's voice say:
"There is greatness in you, warrior. I can make you a god among these insects, every wish fulfilled, every dream made real. You could rule all, have all. Just allow me inside your soul and the world will be yours" and Saki opened his soul to the Darkness, which transferred into him. Saki ran his sword through the tengu's body which then evaporated. To everyone else, it looked like Saki had killed the tengu, but Saki was now in possession of a fragment of the Darkness… or perhaps the other way around
Later, the Emperor held a great celebration in honor of the warriors
"These warriors have saved us all" the Emperor said "they will now and forever more be known as the Five Dragons! I award you you're own banner, the three-toed sign of the dragon" which he then presents to Saki
Hall of Legends
"So… what in the world just happened?" Ninjor asked
"It appears the armor I provided to the Emperor's forces was in vain" the Apprentice said "it appears I miscalculated, while the enchanted sword would have worked, I underestimated the darkness of the human heart. It appears Nimue successfully tempted Oroku Saki"
"Wait… you trusted a man named Oroku Saki?" Simultaneous asked
"What's wrong with the name Oroku Saki?" the Apprentice asked
"… never mind" Simultaneous said
"So now we have two Dark Ones?" Zeus asked
"Not quite" the Apprentice said "while Saki's powers are derived from the Darkness, they are much weaker than the Dark One. The Darkness can be destroyed by 'ordinary' magic, it doesn't need to be from Excalibur. The weapons the Five Dragons have now should suffice… the only issue is that Oroku Saki also has the same weapons"
"So what you're saying is that the Four Dragons need help with physically fighting Saki, not necessarily with magic?" Daimyo asked
"Magic wouldn't hurt, but yes I believe they need to increase their fighting abilities most of all" the Apprentice said
"Then I will teach them the art of ninjitsu" Daimyo said
"Hey, I invented ninjitsu, not you!" Ninjor objected "I should teach them"
"I thought you were more of a loner, but you're more than welcome to" Daimyo said
"… very well, you may teach them" Ninjor said
Japan - TMNT2k3
Oroku Saki gathered evil spirits under his command and used his power to destroy the Emperor's army. He established his own palace which he rules from and took on the name "the Shredder"
Elsewhere, the Four Dragons discuss what to do with the Shredder
"Even all four of us together can't defeat Saki" Kon said
"We need to find a way to increase our fighting abilities" Chikara said
"And our magical abilities" Juto said
"I can help with that" a voice said and they turn to see Daimyo
After much training with Daimyo, they had increased their abilities to the point they bordered on gods. They donned their armor and stormed the Shredder's palace.
"My old friends" the Shredder said "are you in such a hurry, to meet your doom?"
"It is time to pay for your crimes, Shredder" Kon said
"You fools are the only ones that will pay" the Shredder said "pay with your pathetic lives. The Shredder shot a blast of magic at the Four Dragons, which they deflected. The Four Dragons that shot a combined blast of magic at the Shredder, knocking him over
"Now, you shall taste the terrible beauty, of true power" the Shredder said "and you shall be destroyed" and he uses his magic to transform into a dragon and attacked them. The Four Dragons then used their magic to turn into literal dragons and they attacked the Shredder. The Four Dragons shoot their magic in unison at the Shredder, forcing him back into human form. They realized that they didn't have the magic to defeat him. They reverted to human form and then removed his helmet and gauntlet and sealed him in a coffin.
"What now?" Kon asked
"Even if you couldn't defeat him like we hoped, you did well" a voice said and they turn to see an old man
"Who are you?" Kon asked
"I am a colleague of Daimyo" the old man said "I am the Sorcerer's Apprentice"
"Daimyo said we should've been able to destroy the Shredder" Kon said
"Apparently the Darkness in him had grown more powerful than we thought" the Apprentice said "hide the Shredder's body, helmet, in gauntlet in three separate places. If they are ever re-united, the Shredder will return"
"We cannot allow that to happen" Kon said
"But it will" the Apprentice said "the future is always difficult to see regarding the Darkness, but I foresee the Shredder will return. But fear not, he will be destroyed not long after his return. In the meantime, pass on what you have learned from Daimyo. From your acolytes, I foresee the warriors that will defeat the Shredder once and for all…"