Warlords and Wildfire

                                            Chapter 2: Fallen Glory
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It was her fourth year at the orphanage; she didn't remember anything else.
They had found her, they said, by the street in front of a grocery store. Why
a grocery store? They had no idea.  Today they were bringing new kids, three
of them. Winter was excited. Her friend, Karrie, had a big sister and Winter
wanted one too. Maybe one of the new kids would be her sister. Karrie said
she was stupid. Karrie was six.  She didn't eat with the big kids either.
What did she know? Winter wanted a sister and she was going to get one.

She sat looking out a frost-covered window to the left of the door.  A big
green van pulled up. A very large woman got out with three kids, all boys.
Karrie pointed and laughed. "See, Winter? Told ya it was stupid!" Winter
wanted to cry. She would have, but Karrie was there.  She wouldn't let Karrie
see her being a baby. Winter would show her. Maybe one of them would be her
sister anyway.

The woman was leading the kids up the sidewalk now.  One of the boys was even
younger that she was. He had brown hair and was sniffing like he had a cold.
He wouldn't make a good sister. She didn't want a sick sister.  The oldest
one had black hair and very pretty green eyes. He was also about twice her
height.  Winter decided he was perfect.  She raced to the door and waited for
them to come in.  She wanted to talk to her new "sister", but the last boy
was in her way. He looked Karrie's age and had dark hair. Winter stopped for
a second and looked at his eyes. They weren't green, Winter liked green,
but…They were blue, a color that a person just instinctively associated with
tigers. Of course, Winter didn't know what a tiger was so she couldn't
describe the color.  She just blinked and tried to push past him.

"Hey watch where you're going, stupid!" The blue-eyed boy shouted.  Winter
started to cry.  Her "sister" looked over.

"Hey, who's the squirt? You made her cry! Aw, poor baby want her bottle?" he
taunted.

Winter wanted to run. He wouldn't be her sister after all. She tried to think
of something to say but couldn't. Her vocabulary wasn't that big; after all,
she was only four.

"You shut up, fatso!" Winter looked up. It was the boy she had shoved.  
"Leave her alone! You cried too!" The older boy looked like he was about to
attack Winter's protector, but the lady who had brought them stepped in.

"Cool it, boys! We had enough of this on the trip here. And you, girl," The
woman looked at Winter, "Don't you know not to cause trouble?"

Winter looked to her earlier rescuer for help but he was busy glaring at the
oldest boy.  The youngest was hiding behind the woman and so far hadn't said
a word.  Winter started to cry again. A nurse came and took her back to the
girls' room. Karrie made fun of her for being so stupid, but, for the first
time, Winter ignored her.  She was thinking about how she could get a sister.
*   *   *
Cye shot up, waking from his dream.  He looked over to the other bed, hoping
he hadn't woken anyone up. Kento, as usual, slept like a rock. He didn't hear
any movement outside the room either; the hallway was dark.  Breathing a sigh
of relief, he lay back down and started to turn over.

"What's the matter buddy? Bad dream?" Cye turned back. Sure enough, Kento was
awake. Cursing inwardly Cye put on his best innocent face. He was very good
at it, being the warrior of trust. Unfortunately that also made it very hard
to lie, but he was not telling Kento, the master tease, that he had dreamed
that he was a girl. No thank you, he wasn't that stupid. Of course Kento
wasn't that bad. He usually stopped before he went too far, and if he didn't
Ryo would always…Cye tried to think of something else.

"Yo, Cye. You there, man?" Kento asked again.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine.  Go back to sleep, Kento. I didn't mean to wake you
up."

"You didn't. I was thinking, about… ya know."

"Yeah, I get it."

"Well, see you in the morning. Don't over sleep. After yesterday, I couldn't
bear Rowen's cooking."

Cye laughed softly, "How about your own?"

"Ha ha ha. Very funny. Now, good night."

"Ditto."
*   *   *
Sage woke up at 9:37. (How's that for an irrelevant bit of information?) His
shoulder hurt. "Uhh." He groaned as he tried to get up. Life sucked right
about now. Then he smelled breakfast. Maybe not, he thought.

"Cye, you're a lifesaver." Cye looked up as Sage entered the kitchen. "I was
contemplating suicide until I smelled the food."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Sort of."

Cye put down the bowl he was mixing and frowned at the blond.  "Sort of? 
Sage, what the hell do you mean?"

"Cye!" Sage affected a look of astonishment. "Did you just swear?" He shook
his head. "No, I'm not going to kill myself. My shoulder is just giving me a
slightly more cynical outlook right now."

"I can't imagine why." Rowen said from the doorway.

"Uh oh, everyone run for cover! The world's about to end; Rowen got up before
noon," Cye quipped.

Rowen ignored him. Instead he turned to Sage. "Um, aren't you supposed to be
in bed?"

"What Mia doesn't know won't hurt her."

"Oh, okay. As long as you recognize the real power in this house."

Mia came in. "Ha ha, guys. Would you rather pay rent?"

They just looked at her.

"Alright. Well, now that you are rested, what happened?"  Again, the blank
look. "Last night was hardly an explanation; you all just went to sleep.  And
left me to deal with Yulie, I might add."

Predictably, they didn't say anything. Then Kento came down. "Hey what's up?"
Silence reigned.

Rowen broke the hush, but his comment was directed at Mia. " Well, I guess
I'll tell ya. Since I was there the whole time. Cye was too, sort of. And
Kento and Sage only came in time to see the grand finale." He stopped,
knowing he was rambling. After that pause, he began…
*   *   *
It was dark. There wasn't any other way to describe it. Rowen could barely
make out the walls. He knew that he and Ryo were in a complex network of
caves in the netherworld, but that was all.  They had decided that moving
would be better than acting like sitting ducks.  After their latest turnoff,
they still had no idea where they were or even where they had started out.
There was only the vague sense that they were heading towards the castle. 
The passages were getting progressively bigger and this one hadn't forked for
the last half-mile or so.  Rowen searched the walls for exits as he followed
Ryo down the long corridor. The warriors had been split up after that last
blast and they still didn't know how they had even gotten into the
netherworld.  They were heading to the castle, hoping they'd be able to find
Kayura and the warlords.

None of the warlords had so far appeared in the new emperor's fight against
the ronins. Cye said they were being held in the castle if they weren't
helping the Dynasty. That was, assuming Sage was correct when he said they
weren't dead. Unfortunately Sage could only say that for certain of the
warlords. He could not sense Kayura as she rarely wore Anubis's armor and was
apparently not wearing it now. She preferred her kimono.  All he knew was
that the armor of cruelty was there, whatever "there" meant. Sage didn't know
if he would still sense it if the wearer was dead, but he did his best to be
optimistic.

Rowen was also optimistic. In all logic someone who needed the warlords three
armors with the bearers alive would also need Kayura. He hoped so at least.
Logic hadn't failed him yet, unless this new emperor was as insane as Talpa.
Rowen shivered involuntarily. He hadn't been captured, but… Sage was usually
careful about his mental powers. However, once or twice his nightmares,
though not as frequent or as fierce as Ryo's, would overflow into his
roommate's mind.  Rowen had a pretty good idea what it had been like in that
dungeon.

He halted as Ryo slowed to a stop. "Soldiers," he said by way of explanation.
Suddenly a light blue blur went flying by them into the wall across from
them.

"Ohhhhhhhh," I don't know how you moan with an English accent but he managed.

"Cye!" Ryo rushed over while Rowen tried to fight off the soldiers. " Where
you been?"

Cye waved his hand in the general direction from which he had been thrown. "I
don't know. I guess I'm lost. Ouch."

"Hold on I gotta go help Ro." Ryo got to the battle just in time to brain a
soldier that had decided Rowen would look better without a head.

"Thanks. Cye?"

"He's-"

"I'm fine." They looked up to see that Cye had gotten up and was helping them
bash the soldiers.  "I'm just glad we haven't run into any of those new
warlords. They're strong."

"Me, too," Ryo looked around, "but I'm worried. If there're not here, where
are they? We still don't know what happened to Kento and Sage."

"Damn, hadn't thought of that," Rowen muttered. "Come on, let's get out of
here before any more show up."

They started for the nearest turn off. Without warning, the ground started to
rumble. Ryo and Cye fell while Rowen simply floated slightly above the
shaking ground. "huh?" he said. "That's the iron rock crusher..." he started
to turn when a light, cheery voice rang out.

"Perfect timing, Hardrock. My thanks!" A girl maybe a few years younger by
appearances (who knows how old she really was?) with long, silver hair
levitated a few yards above them. Beyond her was Kento in full armor, looking
confused.

"Huh?" he said. He looked past her. "Oh, shit! Ryo, Cye you okay?"

"They're fine, Kento. Don't let her bug you." A new voice advised from the
shadows. Rowen could make out Sage in sub leaning against a wall, but why
wasn't he wearing his armor?

The girl raised her hand, silver light streamed from it. The power looked
like Sage's except that it was…slimy.  "Thanks for the power, Halo! I
wouldn't have been able to defeat you two with out it." She laughed.

"You're welcome, leech." Sage was revealed in the eerie glow. He had his back
to the wall for support while he gripped his left shoulder with his other
hand. When he removed it, Rowen gasped. The subarmor was shattered. Pieces of
it were lodged in the bleeding wound.  "Oh shit." He murmured.

The girl turned towards Sage, "Please, such formality makes me sick. Call me,
Dementia." Rowen heard Ryo draw in a sharp breath.

As if she heard it, Lady Dementia turned to the group of three. Quickly, she
leapt and landed in front of Ryo. He had managed to pull himself partly up.
Startled by her sudden appearance, he looked at her. Dementia's fist sent him
flying into a wall.  She walked and placed a sword that seemingly had
appeared out of thin air at his throat. "Master wants you alive. I'm not
supposed to harm you, but…I'm sure he'll forgive me for a little scratch."
She informed him gleefully.

"Sure, Winter, whatever you say." Rowen had no time to wonder why Ryo called
her by a different name, but he promised himself he'd talk with Ryo later. As
she reached for him (what she planned to do, nobody knew), White Blaze, also
mysteriously appearing (but, then, that's nothing new), slammed into her
side. She rocked slightly but did not fall. Rowen called his armor.

"Armor of the Strata! Dao Inochi!"

Rowen fired an arrow at her. He couldn't use his sure-kill; she was too close
to Ryo and Cye. Winter dodged easily, but Ryo used the time to call on his
armor. Cye quickly followed suit.
*   *   *
Rowen paused thinking. Seeing his reluctance to go on, Cye took over.
*   *   *
Ryo attacked, though hesitantly, while Cye hung back. There was something odd
about her that Cye could barely sense. While she fought the two ronins and
the tiger, her gaze once flickered to Cye. When he met her eyes, Cye put the
pieces together. That's it! A nether spirit! Dementia is possessed just like
Kayura was. Maybe I can break its hold. Then we'd have another ally, I hope.
And, besides she's majorly kicking Ryo and Ro's butt. Kento's joined in and
she's still winning. I have to stop her.  I don't think I'd be much help on
the battlefield anyway. Oh well, here goes.

Meanwhile, Dementia seemed to have lost interest in the ronins. She turned to
Sage. Lifting her sword she launched herself at him. Ryo predicted her
actions and beat her there. She lifted her sword to strike and found Ryo in
her way. She started to bring it down anyway but Ryo raised his hand. "You're
not allowed to hurt me remember?"

"Yes I am. As much as it takes to bring you to the castle."  She amended, but
she lowered her weapon anyway. Just then Cye broke through the nether
spirit's barrier.  A gray, opaque smoke gathered then dissipated. Winter
froze.  "I'm free," she whispered.  Winter blinked at Ryo in amazement.
"You!" she gasped. Cye was surprised, as she seemed so relieved, but, not
thinking anyone else had heard he didn't say anything.

"Hi?," Ryo offered tentatively. Winter stiffened as her eyes unfocused for a
second. Cye checked, but she was still under her own control. As Winter
seemed to become conscious again, she turned sorrowful eyes to Cye. Then she
did the last thing Cye, or any of them expected. She looked Ryo straight in
the eye and, gripping her sword, ran him through.

Ryo doubled over the sword as his blood dripped down.  He gripped the blade
and looked at her in astonishment. His breaths came in gasps and then
stopped. Small splinters of his armor littered the ground around him like
pieces of red M&M shells. He slowly toppled over as Winter pulled out her
sword, dyed red by his blood.  He was still holding on to it when she did,
and so, as it pulled away, it bit into his flesh and sliced through his
thumb.  Rowen blanched. Sage turned away.  The armor of Wildfire and its
subarmor disappeared before he hit the ground, its link to this world
terminated by the death of its wearer.  White Blaze roared.

"Traitor!" The accusation rang out as Winter screamed, dropping her bloody
weapon. A light surrounded her, but before she disappeared she raised her
hand. A shimmering gate to the mortal realm appeared near the remaining
ronins. Then Winter, the light, and Ryo's body vanished. Shocked, the four
warriors barely managed to leave the dynasty, not even bothering to worry if
the gate could be a trap.  Nor did they notice that White Blaze was no longer
there.
*   *   *
The emperor thought. He was doing too much of that lately, but he knew that
he must if he were to be victorious. He considered his dilemma, Wildfire was
an invaluable asset in his original plan. He clenched his fist in
frustration.  He would make that girl pay, but for now he needed her. The
door opened and the man that had escorted Dementia earlier entered, the
Warlord of Plague, Tane.

"Master, I believe I have the answer that can solve your problem."

The emperor looked up. Ah, yes. Tane, he had an answer to everything. His
answer usually caused mass destruction, but was that necessarily such a bad
thing? The emperor paused, I rely too heavily on him, an emperor must be
independent or he has no power. "Speak."

"You needed the boy, but you still have his body," Tane was trying to imply
something but continued when he saw that his master did not understand. "Why
not make a soldier?"

"We have many soldiers. Do you mean with Wildfire's body? It would be even
weaker than the others and it would have no power. What advantages could
possibly even out these problems?"

"My lord what would the Ronins do if they were forced to kill their leader?
Any distraction is useful against them. And as for the problems you
mentioned…they are easily solved."

"Tane you are my most valued servant. I still can't see the use of it, but I
will grant you the power you need. You see his body there. Do with it as you
wish. You are dismissed."

More to Come Soon From Abrakle
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