Chapter 5: Strength and Power

Shu made his way up the stairs and through the door at the top. He walked out onto the roof of the hospital. It was a wide open area where people could go to smoke. Wooden benches were bolted to the ground with cement ashtrays sitting beside them. The area was fenced in by a seven-foot tall chain link fence so as not to take away from the views of the city around. The sun had already set and the stars were barely visible in the night sky when Shu found himself walking over to one of the benches and flopping down. Surprisingly no one else was on the roof at this time, even though the night had proven to be quite nice. He leaned against the fence and looked up into the partially cloudy sky.

“Shin, why are you doing this to yourself? Why do you fight everything so much?” Shu asked as he followed the path of a bird into the horizon, “I can’t figure out what’s going through your head. Why are you questioning yourself now? We figured out everything in Africa didn’t we? The armors were tools and we controlled them with the virtues. It’s as simple as that! Trust, Benevolence, Courtesy, Wisdom, and Justice. We can control them now!” Shu clenched his fist and punched the seat next to him leaving a dent in the soft wood and then turned his head and looked over his shoulder though the fencing at the street below. People of all ages and cultures walked the terrain of the city day in and day out. This day was no different. They were like small animals being watched on a nature show on TV; unaware that they were being watched at all, going about their business.

“Lei Fuan. I am giving this responsibility to you. You must not use it rashly,” An older man with black hair peppered with white kneeled down before the young boy, their equal blue eyes looked into each other, “Kongo will give you great power, but you must gain the strength to use it.”

“I will Grandfather, I promise.”

“My god, how did I forget this? A promise I made to him, to Grandfather Shu. He told me that day in the museum. I needed strength to wield Kongo. Not power, but strength. I don’t have that strength, I never did. I relied on its power too much.”

 

“We’ll be friends forever right? Comrades till the end?” Shu asked his eyes bright with victory.

“As long as another evil doesn’t destroy us,” Ryo laughed and tossed the glowing jewel of life into the air and then tossed it to Jun.

“As long as these yoroi and the kikkotei exists the world will be safe,” Seiji stated coolly as he lightly laid his arm on Nasuti’s shoulders.

“That was only the beginning. We thought that our yoroi, plus the kikkotei, were all powerful. That nothing could defeat us. Arago and Rajura showed me that it wasn’t true, but I really didn’t learn anything. We used power to fight. Even in the battle against the black kikkotei we relied too much on the power of our hearts rather than the strength they yielded.

“It’s my Justice. That’s all it is, isn’t it? Nothing more than my own opinion,” Shu sighed as he continued to watch the people below. “But it’s not like I can go down there and ask every one of them what their justice is. That’s just not logical. But do I have strength to find out what kind of power ‘Gi’ has?” With a grunt, Shu pushed himself away from the fence and stood up. He followed the links of metal to the top; a small portion was turned inward to prevent people from climbing the fence. With a firm jump, Shu grabbed onto the edge, the barbed wire cutting into his hands, and using one of the sturdy poles, he kicked himself over, crashing against the other side. He turned to face the city before him, his fingers clinging to the links, his only source of safety.

“I’m not the type to just sit and think about it. I’m not that patient,” Shu chuckled as a smirk crossed his lips, “If I’m ever supposed to find out the truth of ‘Gi’ and the reason I haven’t seen Kongo yet… I will force it to show itself to me.” With a deep breath, Shu shoved his hands deep into his pockets and quietly fell forward.

“Has anyone seen Nasuti? I can’t find her anywhere,” Ryo asked walking into the waiting room.

“She took Michio home to put him to bed for Sayoko,” Seiji replied as he sipped on a bottle of green tea. “Sayako’s in with Shin for the night. She’s trying to get the staff to let us stay as well, but it’s not looking too good.”

“Ah, so we’ll have to stay at Shu’s or something. Say, do you have your cell phone?”

“Yea, though I think the battery is getting low,” Seiji pulled his green cell from his front pocket just as it began to chirp with an incoming call. He jumped a bit and quickly opened the phone to answer it.

“Seiji! Ryo!” Touma exclaimed running through the door, “It’s Shu…”

“Nasuti, calm down. Are you sure? Okay, we’re on our way.” Touma stopped in mid sentence and looked at Seiji who was now wearing a very serious look.

“There was a big explosion at the lake. Nasuti doesn’t want to leave Michio to check it out, which I think is a good idea.”

“So, which of us will go?” Ryo asked looking between Touma and Seiji.

“All of us,” Touma stated, “I was just up on the roof looking for Shu, found him standing on the ledge on the other side of the fence. I called out to him, but he just smirked and leaned forward and disappeared.”

“Minna,” Sayoko called as she rushed into the room, “Shin’s gone! I was dozing in the chair when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I thought it was Shu, but when I looked no one was there. Then there was a flash of light and Shin was gone.”

“Get your things,” Seiji told her, “We’re going to Nasuti’s.”

“What? But Shin?”

“We’ll explain on the way,” Ryo stated as he ushered her out of the room.

As the taxi pulled up to the house an hour later, Nasuti was standing on the drive waiting for them. Everyone piled out of the car and Sayoko ran up to Nasuti immediately asking about Michio. Nasuti reassured her as Ryo and Touma met up with Byakuen and headed down to the lake to check it out.

Byakuen sat on his haunches as Touma and Ryo walked toward the dock. A shadowy figure that vaguely resembled a human sat on the end, it’s feet dangling just above the water.

“What is it?” Ryo asked as they reached the edge of the dock. Touma hushed him and took a step onto the dock. The second his shoe hit the wood the figure spoke.

“Don’t worry.” The voice sounded like Shu’s would if it were echoing endlessly off the walls of a cave. “We’re both fine. We’ll be seeing you soon, so wait up, okay.” Touma took another step forward but Shu spoke again, “Don’t come any farther, I said we’re fine. Just, go back to the house and wait, okay?” Touma didn’t reply but stepped off the dock and motioned to Ryo to head for the cabin. Ryo started to protest but Touma just shushed him again and pushed him into the cabin.

“What’s going on?” Ryo demanded as he stood by the window watching the shadowy Shu sit on the dock.

“I don’t know,” Touma replied curtly as he picked up the phone and dialed the house. “Seiji, there’s something weird going on down here….what? Are you sure? Alright, we’ll be right up.”

“Touma!” Ryo exclaimed as he pulled the door open and walked out onto the porch. Touma hung up the phone and followed. The rocky shadow stood up and was looking out across the lake. Ryo elbowed Touma and pointed off into the distance. Standing on the surface of the lake was another similar shadow, only it seemed to be made of liquid, varying shades of blues, and greens swirled within the figure. In one step the watery shadow had arrived next to the one on the dock.

“Thanks for waiting on me,” The watery one gurgled as if was speaking from the depths of the sea.

“I’m still not sure what’s happening,” The first echoed, but was cut off by the second.

“We can’t talk here, we have to go.” Ryo and Touma watched as the first shadow crumble into dust and the second splashed into a puddle that trickled through the boards of the dock and back into the lake.

“Come on, let’s get back up to the house.” Touma pulled on Ryo’s sleeve. Ryo followed Touma back to where Byakuen was waiting for them.

As they emerged from the trees into the clearing behind the house, Ryo and Touma were horrified at what they saw. In the middle of the clearing stood a figure that was short but lanky and covered in black clothing. The only thing visible were hands with long bony fingers that had gray skin stretched over them, and his yellow eyes that seemed to glow brighter from the glare of the light from the house. They had never seen the figure before, but they knew exactly who he was. It was the demon that had haunted all of their dreams. Seiji stood on the other side of the demon, an old sword that he had grabbed from Nasuti’s collection brandished before him.

“Seiji, the crystals!” Ryo exclaimed as he jumped from Byakuen’s back and took a fighting stance.

“They’re gone, disappeared just after I hung up with you,” Seiji growled, glaring at the demon.

“Two of your allies are no longer here,” The demon laughed, his yellow eyes narrowing to slits, “Not able to deal with their lack of power, they gave up.”

“You’re lying! You don’t know where they are anymore than we do!” Ryo exclaimed as Byakuen walked before his charges in an attempt to protect them.

“Does it matter? They are no longer here, and while I have lost access to their power, I still have access to three of the yoroi’s powers,” The demon cooed turning toward the warrior of fire. “Now you will get the deaths you and your ancestors deserved!” The demon lifted his bony gray hand and held it with its palm toward Ryo. Suddenly, as if the wind itself had turned solid a force picked Ryo up and threw him against a large tree. The force that had thrown him remained, holding him against the tree by the neck. Ryo scratched at nothing, grasping for breath. Seiji roared in anger, his blue eyes cold as ice as he attacked with the ancient sword. With another wave of his hand Seiji was thrown back, sliding on the damp grass.

“Seiji!” Nasuti cried from the balcony off the dining room.

“Shut up, you wench!” The demon growled throwing Nasuti through the wall of windows and into the dining room, “This is not your fight!” With another wave of his hand, the wind of power pounded the house causing all of the windows to shatter. The sound of glass shattering and wood splintering just barely drowned out the screams of Nausti, Sayoko, and Michio.

“Will you die fighting me?” The demon asked as Seiji forced himself to stand, using the sword as balance.

“If that is what it takes,” Seiji seethed, as he raised the sword in front of him once again.

“With or without our yoroi, we are the Samurai Troopers and we will protect this earth and the people who inhabit it,” Touma stated as he rushed the demon in an attempt to knock him off balance and free Ryo. Touma wasn’t even able to get into arms reach of the demon before he was sent flying across the ground, landing at the base of the tree where Ryo hung struggling.

“Then your deaths are assured,” The demon laughed with glee, his yellow eyes widening in a sickly smile.