Warriors Sacrifice: Chapter Seven
Fading Memories.

He ran...and ran and ran and ran. He just couldn't run fast enough though...or far enough. They were all gone...they had all disappeared. They'd left him...The promised they'd never do that! He fought against the tears that threatened to overwhelm him...he fought against the fate the gods had chosen for him. He stumbled...falling down on to the hard ground, his knees giving out under him. He layed there for a long while..giving in to the pain...giving in to the fear as his body shook from his sobbed filled cries. He sobbed quietly, unable to keep it locked up inside anymore. He looked up, up at the small deep blue light emanating from his clutched hand. He stopped his sobbing and pulled himself to his knees, opening his tear filled eyes. He looked down at his hand with a sudden curiousity. The curiousity seemed to overwhelm the pain, to make him forget about the sting of his tearfilled eyes as he carefully opened his small hand. He stared down at his open palm. In the middle of his palm was an armor orb...his fathers armor orb to be exact. It glowed a deep sky blue as the kanji of life glowed upon the young boy's forehead. He felt a strange heat upon his forehead and instinctively allowed his free hand to feel his forehead, letting his fingers explore what he could not see. His crying had stopped, his pain had been forgotten. All this because of his natural curiousity.
"Taro?" The young boy jerked straight, turning his head so that he could see the young man who stood behind him withut getting up. "Taro Hashiba? I...I was a friend of your father's." Taro's eyes grew wide as he quickly pulled himself to his feet and wiped his tear stained cheeks. "Yes...yes, you're Rowen's son alright. The same blue locks and the same blue eyes full of endless curiousity." The man stated. He watched as Taro began to probe his forehead yet again, using his fingers to feel under the thick locks of blue hair. The young man kneeled down in front of the boy, using his hand to sweep away Taro's bangs in one quick motion, to reveal the kanji of life burning bright on the boy's forehead.
"I....I found this." Taro said quietly. It seemed more of a question then a statement as Taro brought up his closed hand to the man's face and slowly opened it to reveal the armor of Strata.
"The armor.... so then they didn't die with them." The young man said. He turned his deep blue eyes to the small boy. "How old are you Taro?"
"Nine, sir."
"Well Taro...you must have been put through alot in the past few days...losing both your parents. My name is Arren. How about I bring you to your new home...on Earth? The Dynasty won't be safe for too long once word gets out that your mom has left it open... the heir too young to take his place." Arren smiled as Taro silently nodded in agreement. "I've already sent someone to get the things you'll need." Arren said as he sweeped Taro into his arms. "It's about time we got your training started, that is, if you plan to be the next bearer of Strata."

"Taro? please wake up Taro..." Kei asked, looking over the still form. Vesta and Azrael were drawing closer... he was afraid. He would admit that much, and the fact that he couldn't wake Taro wasn't to reassuring.
Kei looked up as he saw Azrael and Vesta approuching. He knew he couldn't stop them. He wasn't strong enough yet. But Tara was hurt..and hurt badly. Kei was afraid to think of what would happen to him if those two got their hands on Taro. He watched them as the approached. Cold icy eyes looking at him. Kei couldn't deny his fear...he couldn't deny that his knees were shaking... He'd been in fights before... but they'd never been this intense. He watched as Azrael and Vesta stopped...they were but a few meters before him. He couldn't bear it.
"Give us the heir and no harm shall fall upon thee." Azrael stated, in that old fashioned speech that was so unnerving. He had been said to have been alive during what was called world war one... they said he was considered young. Seeing such people...who had given in to their inner demons.. only made Kei ponder more questions. "Will ye give'im to us or will ye stand their like the simple minded mortal ye are?!" Azrael cried, becoming annoyed at Kei's silence.
"I won't." Kei stated, his sea blue eyes full of loyalty to his friend and determination. "I will not give Taro to some bloody demon like you. He trusts me to keep him safe...to protect him as he protects me." Kei stated again. He stared up at the boy, Azrael being a giant over Kei's small height. It was times like these that Kei wished he was tall like Joe... though Joe often complained about how he always ended up banging his head in doorways, it must be better then always being looked down upon...being spit upon. Kei watched them as they mind spoke to one another, deciding what to do about him.
"Well then little boy..." Vesta began, a sinster grin crossing her face. "..we'll just have to take him without your permission." She snarled as she pulled a dagger from her belt. Azrael remained behind as she began to approach Kei menacingly, the dagger blinding in the Dynasty's foreign sunlight. Kei watched her, unmoving, emotionless to the fear that struck him in his belly. He waited. He waited for the right moment. He felt as though he waited forever until she was close enough. Kei backflipped through the air just as she sliced through the air with the knife, cutting of a few strands of Kei's white locks. Though in return, she recieved a hard kick in the chin, hard enough to throw her of her feet as Kei's backflipping feet slammed into her face. Kei performed four more backflips until he was sure he was at a safe distance. Kei landed on his feet, like usual. Just like an alley cat...Tell me Kei, what will happen when you land on your face? The memory popped into his head so suddenly that he couldn't help a small smile at the fodness of that time. It had been so long ago.... Kei shook his head. This was NOT the time to remines... He was in the middle of a fight! Kei looked up to see Vesta launching herself at him, clearly mad. Blood trickled from the side of her mouth where he had hit her. Kei easily dodged the attack, only to see Azrael running towards Taro. A distraction! they're trying to get me far away fro Taro..and They're succeeding! I have to stop them...Azrael still has alot of space to cover before he reaches Taro and--
"AAAAGH!!" Kei let out a cry of pain and surprise as he felt a dagger cut through the soft flesh of his arm. He grabbed the wound, the cut just under his shoulder, in the middle of his upper arm. His ees flashed a bright pale blue as energy pale blue enrgy began to swirl around his small form. Both Azrael and Vesta stopped in their places, their mouths opening in awe at the sight of the armor of Torrent's true power.
"...super..." Kei began, his voice a small whispering echo. The ribbonlike energyshe have a good figure?" began to take the shape of crystal clear water. It swirled about his small frame as he brought both his arms above his head, crossing them at his wrists.
"...wave..." He continued, the water swirling faster and faster about the young boy until nothing could be seen but the outline of his body within the swirling torrent.
"..SMASHER!!!" He cried, throwing his still crossed arms down beneath his waist, his legs bending slightly as the water was let loose upon the Dynasty warriors. Vesta and Azrael cried out as each of them were overwhelmed by the surekill, throwing each of them through walls as the buildings surrounding Kei were lifted from the ground and destroyed by the water pressure. The water suddenly began to die down, as quickly as it had begun. Kei began to appear from within the water, his eyes shut and his arms still straight out and crossed at the wrists.
"...Kei-chan.." Kei turned his head ever so slightly, his eyes half open, half closed. Taro sat on his knees, a small blue forcefield surrounding him, his kanji of life shining brightly upon his forehead.
"..Kei-chan..." Taro repeated, his voice filled with not only disbelief, but concern as well. Taro knew that it was possible to use the elements powers without the armor...but it was risky...dangerous, since a large amount of the user's life energy was taken in performing such a task. Taro stared, eyes wide as a small smile appeared on Kei's face. Taro's forcefield dissipitated and he stood up, slowly walking through the deep puddles of mud as if he was walking on dry ground, paying no heed as the mud covered his pants and shoes. He stopped short as he saw a small trickle of blood coming from Kei's nose as his knees buckled. Taro ran towards Kei, catching the small boy in his arms as he collapsed, his energy spent.
"...Kei-chan...it apears you've landed on your face this time..." Taro whispered as he gazed sorrowfully at the small boy in his arms.

"WILL YOU PLEASE STOP FREAKIN' STARIN' AT ME FREAKIN' BACK?!"
"WELL SORRY IF YOU GOT DAIS' KNIVES SLAMMED DOWN INTO YOUR BACK AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN FLINCH?! DON'T YA THINK THAT'S A BIT STRANGE?!"
"First of FREAKIN' all....it's not a bit strange... IT'S VERY FREAKIN' MUCH STRANGE!!! Now... could you please help me get these FREAKIN' things out of my FREAKIN' BACK?!" Joe yelled, too tired to get into a fist fight. It's been a long day, my body just turned to stone, and I'm hungry as hell. The fact that the 'Oh so mighty Kento of Hardrock' is so busy staring in disbelief at the blades that're protrudin' out of mah back ain't helping...HEY WAIT A SEC!! PROTRUDIN'?! Aw freakin' shit...I'm starting to sound like Taro!!!!
"Uh...why's yer back made o'stone?!" Kento asked trying to find a good spot to grab onto the blade.
"That's an easy one. See, our armors freakin' power sur..uh...surpa... OUR FREAKIN' ARMORS ARE MORE POWERFUL THEN YOURS! ...that's it...I been spendin' WAAAAAAY too much freakin' time around Taro..." Joe added, still trying to figure out how to pronounce surpasses. "Well...we can each do things that are connected to our armors. My freakin' body turns freakin' to stone the moment before I recieve a fatal blow. I can't turn completely into stone, only the part of my body that recieves the freakin' blow can." Joe finished, reaching onto his back a ripping off a piece of dead skin. "Only my second layer of skin turns to stone tho'...and everything within that layer. My first layer just..well...sorta peels off." Joe turned around to see kento clutching his mouth, his face VERY pale. "HEY!!! If yer gonna freakin' spew then spew over there! I don't want yer freakin' lunch all over mah back!!!" Joe yelled, obviously annoyed.
"Uh..just what DID you have for lunch anyway?" Joe asked, grinning slyly. He watched as Kento ran over and spewed all over the ground as Joe peeled off another large piece of skin off his back. "Geez..talk about a weak stomach!"

"Women....women should be in the kitchen... not the battlefield." Cale sneered evily.
"Oh you did not just say that. Congrads Calie...I didn't think ANYONE was STUPID enough to say that anymore!" Krystal yelled, lunging after him with the halo sword. He dodged easily, but he was a bit late to miss her foot as she did a roundhouse kick, making a large cracking sound come from his jaw. He blocked her next kick, taking good hold of her, and threw her down into the ground. The impact of her body against the ground not only made a large trembling noise, but also left cracks in the earth surrounding her. Clae dove down, his sword pointed for a clean kill by cutting off her head.
"Owie...." Krystal moaned as she regained her composure...only too late to notice the sword aimed for her throat. "..aah...." she gasped as the sword stopped, barely an inch away from her throat.
"Need some help?" She looked up..as far as she could with a sword pointed at her, to see Shiro standing over her, his sword digging in to the sie of Cale's armor. He swiftly brought his other katana from beneath him, jabbing Cale's throat with it's cold metal handle. Cale drew back, coughing and hacking, grabbing his sore bruised throat.
"What took you so long baka?" Krystal asked as she accepted his offerd hand.
"Had to take care of some business." Shiro said grinning. Krystal didn't bother to ask questions since she was to busy trying to focus at the task at hand. Cale lunged after them, his eyes red with anger. "Oh great.. just what did you do to ole' scarface here?" Shiro asked, flipping over Cale while Krystal ducked the lunge, sending a hard punch into Cale's stomach while Shiro gave him a fierce kick to the end of his spine.
"This..that...nothing more painful then the stuff I do too you."
"Gee...I feel so sorry for him." Shiro said sarcastically, glaring at Krystal.
"Oh you be quiet and just shut your mou--AAAGH!!!" Krystal cried as Cale threw an energy blast that she dodged, but not without it scorching her upper arm.
"KRYSTAL!" Shiro cried. He turned back to Cale, his eyes flashing red for an instant as he placed his swords togethor. "...flare...up...NOW! "He cried as he jumped into the sky, unleashing his surekill upon the unsuspecting warlord. Cale found he had no way to escape the blast, as it came down upon him, consuming him. He cried out in agony as the fire melted his armor. Shiro grabbed Krystal's arm and practically dragged her into one of the surrounding complexes as his surekill not only consumed Cale, but almost bounced off the surrounding walls, sending it straight back at them! He pushed her into a corner of a wall and covered her with his own body, holding her trembling form in his arms as the fire washed over them.
The last thing he heard was Krystal...whispering his name as a piece of a wall was blown off and slammed into the back of his head.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This chapter is dedicated to none other then the spectaculer Lady Saendie. Who I talked to very recently and who will most likely be overjoyed to receive this chapter... yet will already be begging me for chapter eight by the time you read this dedication.

~* Ami-chan

Oh my, oh my....What shall happened to our pair of star crossed lovers now?! aww...ain't it romantic?! And just think! we made it through a whole chapter without declaring someone's death!!! Now I know you guys thought Joe was dead, but you must remember....DON'T THINK!! The sargeant general has made a statement that thinking is not goo for your health!!! gee..I guess that means Joe's on the right track...probably the healthiest Ronin....right next to Kento that is!

Now I know this chapter isn't as long as the latest ones I've been sending out, but I did this all in one night, (I got into one of my typing frenzies...) and decided that the end of that paragragh was too good a cliffhanger too let go! So I'm giving this chapter a little bit early, but you can expect chapter eight out soon. nd it won't take two weeks either! what did this one take? a week? week and a half since the last chapter? Well...many thanks to all those who made this chapter possible. Blah blah blah, and a load of other stuff. sorry....it's almost one in the morning and I don't feel like saying all the techniacl stuff.

Well....That takes care of everything for now..enjoy the cliffhanger!!!

Ami-chan

Luv ya! ^_~

Don't forget ot e-mail me with your comments! if you don't...I might have Minako cast you guys in her next fanfic... as the helpless bystanders that have their heads cut off!