Ronin Warriors Who wants to live forever

Disclaimers: No I don't own Ronin Warriors, they belong to people who have a heck of a lot more money than me.   
  
  
Who wants to live forever?   
By: ~~R~~   
A loud, horrible clashing sound suddenly broke the silent night air. It was the distinct sounds of metal meeting metal. Two young children cowered in their hut behind their mother's skirt. A man entered the hut, slapping away the children's frightened mother, as if she were nothing more than an annoying insect. An armored hand reached out and grabbed the two young girls. The woman cried out for the warrior not to take her two babies, but it was too late the warrior and the rest of his regiment had disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.   
  
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With the distinct pop of displaced air, the dynasty soldier returned to his master's citadel with his squirming load. He knelt in front of the large throne that adorned the main audience chamber of Talpa's castle. The warrior set the frightened children down on the ground, as his master appeared in the throne before him.   
  
Talpa gazed dispassionately at the two wide-eyed eight-year-old girls cowering before him. He heard the cackling laugh of his high priest sound from somewhere in the room. "Badamon, show yourself," Talpa commanded of the spirit.   
  
"Yes, Master Talpa." An eerily silent, yet loudly booming voice said. The youja priest appeared near the ceiling of the chamber. He wordlessly floated down from his lofty position. A wide grin broke the contours of his eternally old face. The spirit eyed the twins with a lecherous glint in his eyes.   
  
Both of the girls were powerful in their own right, the eldest, she seemed to have the power that Talpa had been searching for the power of the Clan of the Ancients. However, the younger sibling seemed to have powers that drew his very essence towards her. She was powerful, but untrained, in reality both girls had very little training over their powers.   
  
Badamon pleaded with Talpa to hand over the girls, saying that he would train them in the use of their powers, for Talpa's armies. The Demon lord mulled this turn of events over in his head, but eventually granted the youja his wish, if only to shut up his incessant pleading.   
  
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Hikara looked around hers and her sister's new room, it was painfully bare. There were no toys here like at their real home. She sniffled a little causing her sister to look up. "It'll be otay Hika," the eight-year-old Kayura said as she wrapped her small arms around her sister, not able to hold back her tears any longer.   
  
In the room across the hall from the two crying sisters, were an eighteen-year-old and a twenty-year-old. Both men looked up from their own tasks at the sound of faint crying. Kale, the one with a mass of wild blue-black hair moved out of the room and across the hall. He slid open the door, and was greeted by the sight of the two sisters. He called for Anubis to come over and check it out.   
  
Hikara looked up at the two men who stood in her doorway, she gave them the best death glare her young face could manage, which was pitiful compared to what Kale was capable of. The Warlord of Cruelty scowled at the new additions of the castle, he wasn't pleased by the fact that the master had thought to house them on the same hall as the rest of the Warlords. He gave a short laugh at the young girl attempting to scare the hell out of the two battle-hardened warriors. They turned and left the two children alone once more.   
  
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Morning dawned to find Hikara and Kayura sitting in the middle of Lord Badamon's temple, listening to the nether spirit drone on about the use of their powers. "Now Hikara, I want you to calm your mind, reach into yourself and then out towards the heavens above you." Badamon rasped out. Now this was just to much to ask of the small child, her mind, let alone her attention span wasn't the greatest the world had ever seen.   
  
"I don't wanna, I wanna play with my ball." Hikara said.   
  
"Well you can't play with your ball until you do what I ask you to do,"Badamon said as the girl got up to run around the room. The high priest had already noticed that Kayura was the calmer of the two, where as her sister was slightly hyperactive. He watched as the child began to tire of her ceaseless wondering.   
  
Hikara made her way back over to where her sister sat quietly. She hunkered down on her hunches and looked into her sister's cobalt blue eyes. With a nod of silent agreement, Hikara sat beside her sister and began, what would be, years of long and unforgiving training.   
  
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Kale sat in his and Anubis' room, he was studying one of the various tomes the generals had required the new Warlords to read. Kale blinked and rubbed his, boredom was starting to set in. He looked up as his room door slid open, a head with electric blue eyes, and blue/black hair popped in and looked around. Deciding that the coast was clear, Hikara entered the room and began to bug the Warlord of Darkness.   
  
"Whatcha doin'?" she asked, laughter bubbling on the edge of her voice. Kale looked over the rim of his book and just grunted at the girl. Hikara was nonplused by the warlord's reaction or the lack thereof. She moved over to the bed and sat down. Kale looked up and over at the girl sitting on his bed.   
  
"What do you want now, girl." He said the last word with a sneer. Hikara just looked at the man and smiled, she knew that at this exact moment her sister was annoying the living daylights out of Anubis. Both of the girls had just celebrated their 13th birthday, and their fifth year in the clutches of the Dynasty. Hikara absently fingered the golden amulet that hung about her waist, her sister having one just like it around her neck.   
  
"Nothing much, just to talk. However, if you want I can go find something else to do instead." She said, her eyes pleading for the warlord to take pity on her. Kale on the other hand really didn't care one way or the other. Hikara glared at the warlord's back as he ignored her. She got up from her sitting position on the bed and made her way to the door. "Have a goodnight Kale," she snapped at him as she slid the door shut behind her.   
  
Kale watched as Hikara left his room; the youthful way that her hips swayed ignited something deep with in him. He growled at his now closed door, he thought of Hikara as nothing more than annoyance. Kale got up and stretched, he could still detect Hikara's scent as it lingered on his bed sheets. He growled yet again, as the door opened again, admitting Anubis, Dais and Sekhmet.  
  
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Hikara stood in front of the mirror, or at least the thing that passed as a mirror. She glowered at the reflection that looked back at her. She studied her sixteen-year-old body, she had been in the nether world for eight years, and yet she didn't have a clue as to who and where she was from. She and Kayura had been moved to a small temple connected to the castle by a small wooden bridge. Talpa had started to worry that the warlords and the young priestesses would start to distract each other.   
  
Kale watched as his own personal annoyance crossed the wooden bridge and entered the castle's inner courtyard. She had grown a lot in the past three years. She had developed both physically and mentally. She carried herself with a sense of grace and an uncaring abandon for life and the things she loved. An arm was flung carelessly over his shoulder; he looked over at the owner, and growled.   
  
Dais just laughed at him and said, "You know Kale if you don't stop drooling, you're going to drown in it. Then we'll have to explain why to a very pissed off Master Talpa." Kale shrugged the offending limb off his shoulders and headed towards his quarters. Dais chuckled at his friend's sudden interest in the young priestess walking across the inner courtyard. He could use this knowledge at another time.   
  
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Hikara crossed the inner courtyard on her way towards Badamon's inner sanctum. She was blissfully oblivious to the eyes watching her. She spotted Kale as he trudged towards his and Anubis' room. "Morning Kale," she said as she caught up to the warlord. Kale looked at the armor-clad woman walking next to him. He studied her in silence for awhile, 'She is exquisite, a warrior princess.' He thought as she bade the warlord farewell, as she entered Badamon's rooms.   
  
Kale acknowledged the fact that the girl had left him, but his mind seemed more engrossed with what it was starting to conjure up about the girl. He shook his head to clear the unsavory thoughts from his mind. He glared at a passing youja foot soldier, causing the poor being to start just a little. Kale slid the door to his shared quarters open. Anubis looked up from his position on the floor, "What's wrong?" he asked worry crossing his features.   
  
Kale glowered at the man and threw himself on to his bed. "That girl is what is the problem," he snarled "She's nothing but an annoyance, yet I can't stop thinking about her. Whenever Dais or Sekhmet seem to close to her on the practice field I want to rip their heads off and shove them down their necks. Whenever she leaves that leering old bastard's inner sanctum, shaking and ready to fall apart, I want to exorcise him.   
  
"When I close my eyes, I see her behind them, starring back at me. In the dead of night, I can hear her heart beating out its steady rhythm. She means nothing to me, but I can't stop her from entering my mind unbidden," He said looking over to Anubis, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"   
  
The auburn-haired warlord stretched his legs out and looked up at his friend. He could fully understand where he was coming from; he had the same problem concerning Kayura. Only he had finally accepted that he was in love with the girl. "You love her my friend, but you're denying it to yourself. Moreover, you are right to want to exorcise that demonic priest, Badamon. And maybe if you keep telling yourself that she is nothing more than an annoyance, you might start to believe it. However, I don't think so."   
  
"I can't love her, I'm a warlord." Kale growled, "Can I?"   
  
"You'll have to find the answer to that question for yourself, my friend." Anubis said.   
  
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Hikara studied the fading light of the Nether World's sunset. She and her twin sister Kayura had just turned eighteen, and Talpa had bestowed immortality upon them. Their powers had matured though Talpa kept their bodies at the physical age of sixteen. Hikara felt alone and troubled on this night, she allowed the firepower that was hers to control dance across her fingertips.   
  
Kayura leaned her head against Anubis' shoulder, "She's lonely, isn't she?" Kayura asked the warlord.   
  
"Yes she is. I believe your sister is seeking something that you have already found." Was the warlord's answer; as he looked down at the demon priestess that he loved with all his heart and soul. With a gentle smile, Anubis brushed his lips across Kayura's lips.   
  
Hikara looked across the water at her sister and Anubis, she smiled wistfully at the picture they made. Climbing to her feet, Hikara stalked towards the palace and her own little temple that abutted the building. As she made her way to the temple, she thought bitterly to herself 'Who wants to live forever?'   
  
Sliding the door open to the temple, Hikara entered the temple. With a sigh, she threw herself onto her bedroll and brooded about all the things that had been happening to her in the last few days. She was immortal she would never be able to die like other people. Hikara tried vainly to remember her earliest childhood memory, but all she could conjure up was the memory of Talpa finding her and her sister alone and lost. With a small sob, she cradled her head in her arms.   
  
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The youja that surrounded the young summoner felt her pain. They offered what little comfort they could. She was like the fire that drew the moth; they found her to be intriguing. She could command them and they would do everything in their power to help her, but even, the one wish she harbored was beyond their ability.   
  
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After an hour of sulking, Hikara got up and changed into a rather short robe that stopped about mid-thigh on her. She headed towards the bathhouse.   
  
Once there she scrubbed herself with the cold water that was the first step in the bathing process. She then headed into the steam room that would loosen the dead skin, after that the bath servants would scrape the skin away and rubbed her down with scented oils. After that, she was going to soak in the hot water pool.   
  
As Hikara entered the heated area, she stripped down yet again. She dove into the hot water. The heat helped to soothe her raw nerves and relax her tense mussels. While she was under the water, another entered the heated pool. As she came up breaking the surface tension of the water, she gave the person standing in the pool behind her a rather arousing shot of her posterior.  
  
The movement of water and the sound of an exhaled breath was what alerted her the fact that she wasn't alone in the pool anymore. Turning slowly, she faced the new comer with wide eyes. Kale stared at the demon priestess with equally wide eyes, which grew wider as she turned to face him. He thanked whatever Gods were watching over the two bathers at that moment. Hikara on the other hand was thanking her long hair and shaggy bangs, for hiding her nudity from the view of the warlord.   
  
It was one of those priceless moments where one, or both of them felt like they should be about an inch or so high, and be able to dissolve themselves in to the water. A light rose color stained Hikara's cheeks, and wouldn't you know it Kale would notice. "I should go." Hikara said as she made her way over to the side of the pool, but was greeted with the sight of her robe hang on one of the pegs on the side of the room. 'Damn it, those damn servants would be on their toes today of all days' she complained to herself.   
  
Kale could only watch, he was afraid of what would happen if he did move. The first sight of Hikara breaking the water had been enough to send his hormones racing. Frightened eyes turned to him and a wistful smile played on the priestess' lips as she spoke again, "I guess we're stuck here, together, until the servants return or we shrivel up and look like prunes."   
  
"Hai, I guess so" Kale said even as he grimaced at the mental picture that she had provided him, and he had to guess that it had done the job she had intended it to, as he felt some of his arousal relieve. Kale wasn't given that respite for very long, as Hikara splashed him with the hot water. He sputtered as he wiped the water away from his eyes, the young priestess laughed at him as she made to splash him again.   
  
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The youja watched as the young adults frolicked in the water together. They were highly pleased that their light was happy again.   
  
"What is going on here?" a voice seemed to boom from all corners of the poolroom. The youja looked up to see their overlord floating above them. Badamon followed the gazes of his priest's and servant's, one of his ghostly eyebrows raised in surprise as he watched the demon priestess and warlord of darkness slap at the water and splash the other.   
  
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Hikara turned to look up at the ceiling as she felt eyes burning a hole in the back of her head. This also left her open to a surprise tackle attack from Kale, her eyes widened in shock as she hit the water. She could feel Kale's weight on her slight frame, and the skin-to-skin touch. She gasped as the water rushed around her; she wasn't fast enough in closing her mouth as the water entered her windpipe and then her lungs. Kale saw the look of shock that played on her face and then the panic that pushed its way into her eyes.   
  
He wrapped his arms around the girl and lifted her bodily out of the water. He held her close to his chest as Hikara's body was wracked with by coughs. As her lungs were cleared of the water that had invaded them, she became very aware of the position she was in now and croaked out "I'm fine now Kale, you can put me down now."   
  
"No," Kale choked out as he slowly got out of the pool, and gathered her robe. He draped the garment over her shoulders; he set her down on the side of the pool as he put on his robe. Picking the still shaken priestess back up and carried her back to the small temple, she and Kayura shared.   
  
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Kayura looked up from what she had been doing as Kale barged into her living quarters. However, what shocked and scared her more was the fact that he was carrying her twin sister in his arms. "What in the seven hells happened to her!?" Kayura yelped as the Warlord of Darkness stalked past her and into Hikara's room.   
  
"Nothing" Kale snapped at the hovering sister.   
  
"Oh, like I really believe that line of fodder." Kayura blasted back at the warlord.   
  
"Shut up, the both of you" Hikara rasped out as she coughed once more. Kale's arms instinctively held her closer as her body shook from the force of the cough. Kale placed Hikara on her bedroll and brushed her bangs out of her eyes.   
  
"I'm so sorry about what happened." He whispered into her ear as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her temple. He smiled as he felt the strong and steady throbbing of her pulse.   
  
"Thanks for the fun." Hikara said in a raspy whisper as the warlord got up and left her there to rest. Kayura watched the exchange between her sister and Kale; she followed him out of her sister's room.   
  
"Will you please tell me what happened to my sister and NOW" Kayura all but shrieked at the poor man.   
  
"What do you think happened?" Kale snarled out at the raving shrew that Kayura had turned into in the last few minutes. Kayura opened her mouth to say something, but snapped it closed with an audible click of teeth. Kale didn't wait for the girl to start in on him again as he exited the temple.   
  
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Kayura woke the next morning to find her sister in their meditation room. She studied her sister with a wary eye. .:Okay, what happened last night:. Kayura shot out telepathically at her sister.   
  
.:Nothing:. Hikara 'pathed back to her twin. With a sigh of frustration, Kayura entered the room all the way.   
  
"Come on Hika, tell me what happened last night. And don't give me any of that 'oh nothing, nothing at all'" Kayura said as she joined her sister in starting to meditate.   
  
With a sigh and shake of her head, Hikara finally relented and told her older sister about the events that had taken place the night before. "No wonder, you were hacking up a storm and Kale was acting like a cornered wolf." Kayura said as she slowed her breathing and allowed her mind to drift on the currents that made up the spirit plane.   
  
Hikara cocked an eyebrow at her sister and finished her morning routine. She left Kayura to her own meditation. Hikara returned to her room and dressed in her armor, she placed her jitte in their scabbards on the back on her breastplate. She exited the temple quietly and made her way towards the inner sanctum of Lord Badamon.   
  
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Hikara stalked past Dais and Sekhmet as they planned their next round of practical jokes. Dais raised an eyebrow in question as the girl brushed past him, "Uh oh, this looks like it could be bad." He said to his partner in crime as he turned to follow the pissed warrior priestess.   
  
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Hikara entered Badamon's inner sanctum without waiting for a summons. She slid the door closed, blocking the view of the room from the two warlords that had been following her since she had passed them. She pulled one of her jitte and placed it against the spirit's throat. Hikara snarled out, "You know what I can do. Now if you don't mind we're going to talk about what you saw last night."   
  
"What I saw was two people acting with indecent intentions." Badamon said as he floated away from the jitte's sharp point.   
  
"No what you saw was two people placed in an embarrassing situation and making the best of it that they could. And had you not been there spying on me, I wouldn't have gotten a lung full of water. If you ever come near me when I'm alone or with one of the others I'll place the pointed in of this jitte into your heart and pump as much of my power into it to as I can and fry you to a crisp." Hikara all but snarled at Talpa's high priest.   
  
"And you my dear friends," she said to the youja that hovered about the room unseen "if you even try to pull a stunt like you did last night again I'll summon you into a sacred fire." The youja sent her an acknowledging wave of emotion, and left her to her own devices.  
  
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"What's going on here?" Anubis asked as he turned the corner and spotted Dais and Sekhmet leaning against the paper door of Badamon's inner sanctum. Sekhmet shot his leader a venomous look and motioned him to be quite. It was at this time that Kayura charged around the corner and made for Badamon's door, she muttered something about having to kill her sister.   
  
However, all the threats came up empty, as the door to Badamon's inner sanctum slid open. This caused Dais and Sekhmet to fall on their face, since they had been leaning against it while eavesdropping. Not even pausing to look down at the two warlords at her feet, Hikara just stepped on their backs and grinned at the 'oofs' that the two issued.   
  
"Well that was fun and interesting." Hikara said as she passed her sister and Anubis, "So are we going to train this morning or stand around gawking all morning." Anubis couldn't help but smile at the younger of the two sister and nodded.   
  
"Alright you two slackers get up and get to the training field on the double." Anubis barked at the still down Dais and Sekhmet. The two aforementioned warlords groaned and climb to their feet and started for the training field. "Shall we ladies," Anubis said offering both arms to the sisters, Hikara waved him off and walked over to one of the shadows in the hallway.   
  
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Kale was surprised when Hikara made her way over to the shadow he was lurking in. "Come on out Kale, I know you are there." Hikara said starring straight at Kale, electric blue locking on cobalt blue.   
  
"How did you know where I was?" Kale asked as he stepped from the shadows.   
  
With a Cheshire grin and a shrug of her shoulders, "I don't know, but I did figure that if 'Nubis, Dais, and Sekh were skulking around here you wouldn't be that far away."   
  
"I was not skulking, I was lurking. There is a difference, you know." Kale said with an indigent sniff.   
  
"Oh come off it, will you, I was just joking. I don't care why you were here." Hikara said as she turned on her heel and marched down the hallway towards the exit that would lead her to the training field. Kale watched her go and then followed her, there was no way around it considering he was expected on the training field along with the others.   
  
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Kayura had teamed up with Anubis, and was practicing sword-fighting techniques, when her sister stalked on to the field. With an eyebrow cocked she studied her sister briefly as her attention was needed on attacks, counter-attacks, and blocks. Hikara stood at the edge of the field, heaved an exasperated sigh, and thought to herself 'Great now I'm going to have to team up with Kale, and that prickly exterior.' Kale was thinking much the same thoughts as his normal partner was teamed up with his lady.   
  
As the morning wore on the youja foot soldiers that also trained on the field stop what they were doing and focused their attention on the pair fighting. Looking up when a flash of black lightening split the heavens, Kayura cursed and ran over to where the foot soldiers had gathered. Sure enough, she found her sister and the Warlord of Darkness going at it full force.   
  
By the time Kale had let loose his sure kill, Hikara's fury could be considered 'controlled' at best. With a startled yelp and a glare directed at the owner, she too let fly her sure kill. The column of fire made it's way over to the warlord, who was shocked that the girl had lasted this long against him. Kayura on the other hand just wanted to run out in the middle of the scorched land and make her sister stop this nonsense, but she was being restrained forcible by Anubis and Dais. "This is something they have to work out between them," Anubis said as he held Kayura in place.   
  
Kale moved out of the way of the attack and charged the girl standing in front of him. His anger and rage broke, like black thunderheads of a coming storm. Hikara had anticipated the oncoming charge, and sidestepped the warlord. As Kale swung around to make another pass, a small, but powerful, foot connected with his armored chin. The force of the kick caused his head to snap back.   
  
"Wow, I think I'm in love." Sekhmet said as he watched Hikara deliver the well-placed kick to Kale's head. With a goofy grin on his face, Dais nodded his head in agreement. Anubis just rolled his eyes at the two warlords standing next to him. He had often wondered about those two, by his way of reckoning Sekhmet was the least sane of the group. Moreover, Anubis had a few theories on how the Warlord of Venom had lost what little sanity he had had. The three main ones currently topping his list were, Sekh had been dropped on his head when he was an infant; He had taken one to many hits in the head from Dais; Or he had taken one to many hits of the various poisons he had stashed away in his room.   
  
It was about this same time that Kale and Hikara snapped out of their trance, or whatever they had been in, and looked around before looking back at each other. Anubis and Kayura, both of who had been watching the display, thought that they had seen something pass between the two combatants as they walked off the field together. Looking down at the young woman who was standing next to him and said, "Why do I have this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that there was more going on here than two people taking a simple training exercise one step to far."   
  
With a shrug Kayura answered as best as she could, "Because there is." Poor Dais and Sekhmet were left standing in the center of the training field, still looking like goofballs with their goofy grins plastered to their faces.   
  
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It was later, more like well past midnight, and Hikara was still wide-awake. Sliding silently from her bedroom, as not to disturb her slumbering sister, she exited the temple. Walking across the small bridge that connected the temple to the palace, Hikara managed to make her way to the lake that bordered Talpa's citadel. She sat on the edge of the wall that enclosed the citadel.   
  
Shivering as the cold night air hit exposed flesh, Hikara pulled the long robe tighter against herself. She watched as the nightly patrols made their ways back and forth. She studied the night sky, looking for an answer to the questions that seemed to be plaguing her as of late. The only thing the stars seemed to be giving up that night was a playful wink and continued in their long existence in the sky.   
  
A hand was suddenly on her shoulder, looking up to find the owner was Kale, she invited him to sit next to her. "The night is so lovely, but you shouldn't be out here in only a robe." Kale said as he saw the girl sitting next to him shiver. He studied the girl closely making sure that she wasn't watching him. Her eyelids were closed hiding the electric blue of her eyes from the world. The robe she was wearing was slightly open at the neck, giving the Warlord of Darkness a good shot of her youthful breast.   
  
Kale took a shuddering breath and berated himself for thinking such unchaste thoughts of the girl sitting next to him. He shivered as he felt something spider walked up his spine, stopping at the base of his skull. A voice seemed to whisper into his ear, and he was compelled to look back over to the girl who was sitting next to him. He was surprised to find her looking back at him, something clearly written in her eyes.   
  
Slowly reaching over and cupping Hikara's face in his and whispered "What is it that you want, my bewitching priestess of the light and shadows.   
  
"Hikara sighed and whispered, "I don't know, but at this moment I'm happy right where I am." With a smile, Kale leaned over and started to kiss her, but that was not to be as a blast of cold air knocked Hikara away from Kale. "Alright that's it!" Hikara snarled as she stood up.   
  
Glaring at the night sky she began to intone the words that would allow the nether spirits been seen by them all. Kale blinked in astonishment as a host of nether spirits appeared before him and Hikara. "I meant what I said this morning. Leave me alone; I was perfectly safe with Kale." The nether spirits coalesced and formed a rather large floating face.   
  
"We didn't mean to cause you any trouble. We were afraid that this isn't what you wanted to do." The spirit face said.   
  
"This is what I want," Hikara said as she released the spirits she had called.   
  
Kale blinked at the girl who sat back down beside him. "Wow, I didn't know you could do that." He said placing a hand on her shoulder, "By the way, I think we should get some sleep. I have a feeling that Talpa is going to be sending us on a mission."   
  
Hikara smiled at the warlord, but made no move to get up. Kale looked over at the girl sitting next to him as she laid her head against his shoulder. She sighed as the warlord draped an arm around her and pulled her closer. It was her low and even breathing that alerted Kale to the fact that the young priestess had fallen asleep. Standing and gently picking Hikara up, Kale made his way back to the temple in which she resided with her sister.   
  
Pausing at the door of the temple, he silently cursed. Calling for the shadows to cloak him and Hikara, Kale entered the temple and placed the sleeping priestess on her bedroll. Exiting the same way he entered, Kale left the two sisters sleeping peacefully.  
  
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Hikara paced silently before the closed door of Talpa's throne room. Dais and Sekhmet were talking amongst themselves, occasionally glancing at the restless priestess. Anubis, Kayura and Kale leaned against the wall watching Hikara. "I think I'm going to be sick." Sekhmet said as Hikara pasted by him for the umpteenth time. She hardly spared the Warlord of Venom a scathing glare.   
  
As she passed by Kale again, his arm snaked out and grabbed her by the waist. Pulling her to his side, Kale used his arm to anchor the girl in place. "Thank you." Dais said as he shot Hikara a grin. Hikara shot Dais a wilting glare and shifted her position next to the Warlord of Darkness.   
  
The doors to the throne room opened and the demon emperor called out, "Come in my Warlords, Kayura and Hikara."The group of immortal teens entered the grand chamber. Each time she entered the room, Hikara had the feeling of impending doom and dread. "There is a village in the Tohoku region that I want you to secure for me. Warlords you will take Kayura and Hikara. My young priestesses you will use the youja to help control any captives the Warlords many bring back to the camp." Talpa said with that evil laugh of his.   
  
The group exited the room, the warlords left the two girls standing in the hallway as they went to go and gather their armies. Kayura wore a look of great pleasure on her face, while Hikara was very uneasy with the whole idea.   
  
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As darkness fell on the mortal realm, several muted flashes could be seen on the horizon of the sleepy village of Sendi. A young man on the outer wall of the feudal lord's palace stared at the point in which the lights had been. However, the young man was unconcerned by the lights, for they were only on the horizon for a moment.   
  
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Hikara looked around at her surroundings, the copse of trees the warlords had chosen to use as their camp had an opening in the center. This opening would allow her the ability to call on the youja, awaiting her on the other side of the barrier separating the realms. In the distance, she could hear the roar of a waterfall. With a sigh, Hikara went over to where her sister was standing with Anubis.   
  
"I'm going to go to the river." Hikara said as she approached the two.   
  
With a raised eyebrow the Warlord of Cruelty said, "Sorry Hika, but that's not a very wise idea. We don't know if our arrival was noticed by the villagers."   
  
"'Nubis, even if the lights of our teleportation had been seen, we would be safe. We picked this area, because it is at least half a day's ride from the outer fringes of the village. Moreover, do you really think that they will send out a scout at this time of the night." Hikara said. Anubis could find no fault with her logic, but still commanded that she take one of the other warlords with her.   
  
Conceding to the compromise Anubis offered, Hikara went off in search of Kale. "Um...Kale, wonder you please accompany me to the edge of the river. Anubis will only allow Kayura or myself to leave the confines of the camp if one of the Warlords are with us." Hikara said as she rolled her eyes. She still couldn't get it through the Warlord of Cruelty's thick skull that she wouldn't be in danger.   
  
Kale smiled and offered the younger his arm and said, "Sure, and he is only doing it for your safety. Could you just imagine what Talpa would do to any of us if something were to happen to you or your sister."   
  
"I shudder at the thought," Hikara said as she and Kale left the confines of the camp. "I guess he is just doing his job, but as long as I can summon the youja, I'm safe."   
  
Kale pointed out a fallen tree branch that blocked the path in front of Hikara.   
  
The young demon priestess looked at the warlord in astonishment. "You can see in the dark." She said as a touch of awe entered her voice.   
  
Kale nodded and said, "Its part of the power my armor grants me. I can also use the shadows to move about and hide."   
  
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Hikara smiled as the Warlord explained the powers that his armor granted him. They exited the wooded area to the sight of a pristine and clear blue river. Sitting on the bank of the river, Hikara stared across the river. "So why did you want to come out to the river?" Kale asked as he studied the girl in sitting in front of him.   
  
Hikara allowed a small giggle to escape, before she stood up and willed her armor to disappear into thin air. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled the ribbon that held her hair up in its customary tail. A quick shake of her head, her hair came cascading over shoulders and down her back.   
  
Kale watched in awe as the girl divested of all of her clothing. Her laugh penetrated his senses first. "What's wrong Kale, its not like you haven't seen me in the nude before." Kale could feel his cheeks heating up, and was grateful for the fact that there was no moon out tonight. "Oh get over it Kale, and join me for a swim."   
  
Taking the girl's suggestion the Warlord of Darkness dispelled his armor and sub-armor and joined Hikara in the river. They picked up where they had left off the other day when Badamon, so rudely interrupted them. Hikara dove under the water as soon as he entered the river. The two teens laughed as they splashed water at each other.   
  
As the moon ascended high in the night sky, Hikara had moved closer to the waterfall. Through the cascading water, she could just make out the outline of a cave opening. The sound of a twig snapping and the rustle of leaves alerted the girl that someone was coming closer to the river. Kale had started to move closer to Hikara when he too heard the sound of approaching bodies. Kale dove towards Hikara and dragged her down into the rushing water.   
  
With strong strokes, Kale swam with Hikara in tow towards the waterfall. .:Kale, there is a cave hidden behind the waterfall. I saw the outline of it just barely through the waterfall,:. Hikara said using her telepathy to tell Kale about the safety of the hidden cave. She could barely see the movement of his head as Kale nodded in understanding.   
  
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Hikara gasped for air as she and Kale surfaced from their underwater swim. She was about to say something until she felt a hand cover her mouth. Kale's other hand was dangerously close to brushing against her exposed breast. Hikara blushed at the thought that seemed to skip through her mind at that moment. The two-trapped immortals were unable to hear what was going on outside the cave, because of the roar of the rushing water.   
  
Feeling that it was safe for them to talk Kale removed his hand from Hikara's mouth. Whispering close to her ear Kale said, "I wish I could hear what was going on out there."   
  
Looking up into the warlord's eyes she said, "If you'll let go of me, so I can call my priestess robes, we can hear what they are saying." Kale blushed and let go of the young priestess and called for his sub-armor.   
  
In a swirl of silk and apple blossoms Hikara was covered in her priestess robes. Moving towards the opening of the cave, sitting in the lotus position Hikara closed her eyes. She reached inward and upwards to the spirit plain. She called out for the spirits to help her and Kale, by bring the words to her mind. She reached out, and brushed Kale's mind with hers, and allowing him to hear what she was hearing. The words of the two people beyond the waterfall rang in their minds.   
  
"We'll stop here for the night and then continue on to Sendai in the morning," the first voice said.   
  
"Gee, I wonder why we have to stop for the night," another voice said with a sarcastic drip to it.   
  
"Look, I said I was sorry that I got us lost, but how was I suppose to know that the path would be blocked by a downed tree and we would have to travel around it," the first voice said with the same sarcastic tone.   
  
"Well at least we are near fresh water," the second one said.   
  
Kale and Hikara listened to the two-travel weary people bicker back and forth for a time, until Kale decided that they weren't a threat to them. "Well I guess we are stuck here until the morning," Kale said as he watched Hikara pull back from the spirit plain.   
  
"I guess so," Hikara said blinking to clear the stars from her vision.   
  
Kale studied the girl in front of him and asked, "How were you able to do what you did just now?"   
  
Hikara smiled and answered as best she could, "Well what I did was allow myself to travel to another plane of existence," when she looked at Kale, the warlord was wearing a look of complete befuddlement. "Err...let me try to explain it in better terms."   
  
"What I did was go into a meditative trance. I reached into my own mind and then outward towards a plane of existence that few others can obtain. It's hard, in this type of state I can hear the youja and kami whisper." She said as an idea struck her, "You know I can teach you how to listen to the spirits also."   
  
Kale was startled by what Hikara said, "Really?" he asked a tad leery of the offer.   
  
"Mm hmm...on one condition though." Hikara said electric blue pinning cobalt blue.   
  
"What?" he responded   
  
"Teach me how to use the shadows like you do," she said sounding very much like a young child.   
  
"Ok"   
  
With a grin that could light up the entire cave, Hikara started to instruct the Warlord of Darkness. Kale returned the smile and listened intently to the girl's instruction. After about an hour he was just about ready to give up, when Hikara placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "It will come to you after you practice. Hey it took me years of disciplining my mind and Badamon harping at me, for me to actually reach the spirit plane."   
  
Kale looked in to her eyes, gave her a weary smile, and said "Thanks, well I guess this means that it's my turn to become the teacher." Hikara nodded and Kale started teaching her how to summon the shadows. After another hour of instruction and practice, Hikara gave a large yawn.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Hikara shivered as the night air filtered through her robes, Kale was acutely aware of how she was feeling. He slowly encircled her in his arms, pulling her to his chest. Kale watched her for the briefest of moments, before slowly lowering his head, his lips bushing Hikara's lips in a tentative and gentle kiss. However, the longer it lasted the more hungry and demanding the kiss became. As they pulled away, Kale was highly pleased with himself, as he took note of the look in her eyes. Hikara's eyes were clouded with a passion hidden deep within her soul.   
  
Kale slowly reached up and brushed his knuckles across her cheeks. He removed the ribbon that had reappeared when she had summoned her robes. Kale watched with rapt attention as her hair cascaded down her back, like the waterfall that was outside of their hidden cave. He reached around the untied the sash that held her robes closed.   
  
Hikara's flesh prickled slightly as the night air hit it. The sash fluttered to the ground silently. Kale pushed the heavy robes off her shoulder and trailed his finger down her neck. Hikara sighed and leaned into his touch, her fingers itched to touch his flesh, but were the blocked by his sub-armor. Doing the next best thing, Hikara reached a hand up and ran it through his hair.   
  
Kale kissed her again, this time he trailed his lips down the same path his finger had traced. Her skin was on fire wherever Kale's lips touched. Kale pushed the robes off her completely, allowing the heavy garments to pool at her feet. He then lifted her from the pool of silk and cotton, pulling her close. Kale released his sub-armor, and stood before the priestess, in all of his naked glory.   
  
Hikara allowed her eyes to travel up and down the length of the warlord standing in front of her. Kale was no better; he studied her nude form with an appreciative eye. Hikara smiled as she stepped closer to the Warlord of Darkness, she ran a finger down his chest stopping just above the navel. Kale's eyebrow shot up and he growled in a low voice, "And here I thought I was taking an innocent."   
  
Hikara returned in kind with a husky whisper, "You are, my lord of darkness."   
  
Kale's ego was efficiently soothed over. Kale started his assault on her senses as he lowered his head. Hikara inhaled sharply as the warlord's lips began to lavish attention on her breast. She placed her hands on his shoulders, sighing as he moved from one nipple to the other paying that little bud of sensitive flesh the same amount of attention. Kale started to move lower, as he did he slowly pulled Hikara to the floor of the cave.   
  
The Warlord of Darkness ran his hands over her silky skin. A low moan escaped from Hikara's throat as the warlord lapped at her belly button, his tongue dipping into the indentation of flesh. He was greatly pleased by her reaction; he gently and slowly worked his way down to her center. As he came to the junction that hid her womanhood from sight, he kissed it lightly and started working his way down her leg starting with the her inner thigh.   
  
Hikara giggled lightly as the warlord brushed feather light kisses on the arch of her delicate feet. She sucked in a sharp breath as Kale made his way back to her center. He parted her nether lips and gently stroked the jewel of her sex, a shot of lightening coursed through her body. Her blood was on fire; a hand snaked out and tangled itself into his hair. His hungrily drank of her womanly essences.   
  
She lifted her hips as a primal instinct took over her mind. She felt Kale move on top of her. His lips came crashing down on hers, taking possession of them in a searing kiss. He ran is tongue across her lips and lightly tugged at her bottom lip. She opened her mouth against his, his tongue entered into the honeyed recesses of her mouth. As his tongue mimicked the sex act, he slowly entered her, stopping briefly when he felt her maidenhead.   
  
He pulled back slowly and thrusted back in quickly breaking that last barrier. He felt her stiffen and gasp against his mouth. He stopped and allowed her to grow accustom the feel of him inside her.   
  
Hikara felt the pain start to ease and be replaced by pleasure once again. She shifted slightly against him; the movement sent a tingle up and down her spine. She moaned and withered against him, causing more pleasure to course through her body. Kale grinned against her neck as the pleasure she was feeling also coursed through his body also. He started to move against her, pulling almost completely out of her; her whimper of disappoint turned into a sigh of immense pleasure as he re-entered her.   
  
There was a pressure building in the very center of her being, Hikara wrapped her slender legs around Kale's waist and scored his back with her nails. She moaned out her pleasure.   
  
Kale felt her muscles tighten around him, and he be damned to hell if it didn't make him feel very satisfied. As she moaned out his name as she tumbled over the edge of the abyss. At that Kale could no longer hold back, he groaned out her name as he felt his release come and he soon joined her in the slow downward tumble that was the abyss.   
  
In the afterglow of their lovemaking, Kale pulled Hikara closer to his chest and said, "You belong to me now and forever."   
  
Hikara smiled against his chest and ran a finger down it, drawing her symbol. In a husky whisper she said, "And you belong to me now and forever."   
  
It was with a light kiss and promise of love that lead the two into the blissful surrender of sleep.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Meanwhile, back at the camp, Kayura was starting to worry about her sister and the Warlord of Darkness. She looked up at an equally worried Anubis; she knew that the warlord was about ready to go in search of the missing team members.   
  
Kayura's mind was suddenly pulled into her sister's through the bond that they shared. She could feel every sensation that was coursing through her sister. As her sister reached the edge and fell over in spiraling downward into the abyss. Kayura smiled up at Anubis as her mind was returned to her own body.   
  
She looked up at Anubis, and said, "They're fine, and I don't think that they would appreciate us barging in on them." Anubis wore a puzzled expression on his face, until the realization of what she was inflecting was. With a knowing grin, the Warlord of Cruelty left Kayura and went over to join the other warlords.   
  
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As the morning light started to filter through the waterfall, an electric blue eye peered out. Hikara tried to sit up, but Kale's arm was preventing her from doing so. With a sigh, she turned over to face her lover, and poked him in the shoulder. "Wake up, Kale, its morning." She hissed out. Kale's eyelids fluttered opened and glared past Hikara, to the two figures standing at the mouth of the cave.   
  
Instinctively he pulled her closer, trying to shield her nudity and protect her in the off chance that it was someone trying to harm them. He whispered roughly in her ear, "Get up with me and call your armor, then stand behind me." Kale summoned his sub-armor and called for the shadows to hide Hikara as she too summoned her armor. Once she was again in her armor, Kale released the shadows surrounding her. As he stepped out of the shadows, he could make out the outline of Anubis' armor of Cruelty and Kayura's armor.   
  
"It's safe," Kale said holding his hand out behind him for Hikara to take. When he didn't feel her hand take his, he looked over to his side and spotted the woman standing beside him. He could tell she was ready to drop into a defensive position, if it was needed. He then knew that she would be there with him through thick and thin, they were connected, she beginning the light and he beginning the shadows that the light cast.   
  
Kayura and Anubis stepped out of the shadow of the waterfall and smiled knowingly at the two standing in front of them. Hikara moved over to where her sister stood when Kale nudged her into moving. "Dais and Sekhmet are outside waiting for us. If you are ready to go Kale we will ride for the village now." Anubis said. Kale nodded his head to let the warlord of cruelty that he was ready. "Kayura, you and Hikara will stay at the camp. You will help us out when we return with any captives." Anubis said.   
  
As the two Warlords passed by the two demon priestesses, Anubis placed a hand on Kayura's cheek. Kale, on the other hand, brushed his lips across Hikara's and whispered, "I shall be safe, my love." Then the two warlords left the priestess to make their way to their encampment.   
  
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The battle for Sendi was waged by the Warlords, in the name of Talpa, and the victory fell to the mortals. Anubis, Sekhmet, Dais, and a slightly wounded Kale staggered into their encampment, followed by the youja foot soldiers that led what prisoners they had been able to capture. "We leave for the Nether realm tonight." Anubis said in a low growl. Kayura and Hikara nodded and set forth on their tasks of controlling the captives, at least until they reached Talpa's citadel.   
  
Kale made his way over to where Hikara was sitting waiting for the barges to ferry the captives to the other side. Hikara looked up and caught sight of the rivulet of blood that flowed down the left side of his face. With a small gasp, she tore a portion of her robes and wiped away the blood. Once the blood was cleaned away, Hikara saw the jagged cut that ran across his left eye. Working quickly, she cleaned the cut with some hot water that had been prepared for just this reason.   
  
"I thought you said you would be safe," Hikara said with a slight laugh.   
  
Kale glared at her with his good eye for a moment and then joined her in laughing. "That I did," he said as she worked on cleaning the wound.   
  
"So what happened?" She questioned.   
  
With a sigh Kale began his explanation, "While we were fighting the villagers on the outskirts, someone sounded the alarm, the next thing I know we are being attacked by young warriors with armors like ours. The one with the Armor of Halo was the one that got the better of me."   
  
Hikara sighed and said, "Why didn't you have your helmet on?"   
  
With a sheepish grin he said, "And why should I do something as sensible as that?" Hikara just shook her head, but didn't say anything else.   
  
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~~~~~~~~~~~~A Century Later~~~~~~~~~~~~   
As one year passed into a century, every once in a while, Talpa would send the Warlords to the feudal villages, he would never tell them what it was that he sought, but always they would come up against the same five armor that had bested them when they had made their first assault on the mortal realm. Occasionally Talpa would send the two priestesses with them. On this trip someone else would be there awaiting the Warlords and the Priestess.   
  
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Kaosu watched silently as the battle began again, it was the same every time. Talpa would send the warlords to test the mortals that bore the mystical armors, and only this time Kaosu would be there to stop them. He silently strode on to the battlefield, killing youja foot soldiers as he went. As he drew nearer to the center of the battlefield, where the Warlords were located, he held up his staff, and called on the powers that the gods had granted him.   
  
A blinding light caused the Warlords, and the two female warriors fighting along side of them to stop. As Kaosu came forward he took notice that the staff refused to harm either of the female warriors, it was then that he knew. The two females were his heirs, his descendants, and his own grandchildren; enraged he attacked the Warlords without a thought. He was only able to get close enough to Hikara, before Anubis was able to call for a retreat.   
  
"HIKARA!" Kale screamed as he watched the monk disappeared with the summoner in his arms. Kayura watched as her sister was taken away from her. She tried to reach out with her mind to her twin, that was when she felt the block form; her sister was no longer in the mortal realm.   
  
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Kaosu watched as his granddaughter moved listlessly through his home. Beside him was White Blaze, the white tiger guardian of bearer of Wildfire, and Kiva, the black panther, who would become Hikara's guardian if she so wished it. The former of the two large cats looked at his master, as if asking him what was wrong with the young girl now in his care, while the latter of the cats silently padded over to Hikara. Kiva head butted the girl's arm, causing the limb to bob up and then down again. The black panther gave a rumbling purr as the girl looked down at him.   
  
Hikara looked down at the large cat that was pestering her, a small and wan smile graced her lips, before quickly disappearing again. She looked back at the man, who had captured her during the battle. "Why..." She croaked out as tears threatened to over take her again, for the umpteenth time in the last hour or so. Kaosu looked up as Hikara spoke to him, he blinked and rolled the question around in his mind before he even attempted to answer the question.   
  
"You don't belong there in the Nether Realm. You are a being of light, so is your sister, and I regret not having been able to get her too." Kaosu said he was startled when he felt the girl's hand connect with his cheek. Never had someone dared to touch him, let alone hit him, most of the villagers and various clans respected him.   
  
"You know nothing of light, old man. You think you have done me a great favor by taking me away from the darkness, but you haven't." Hikara hissed at the monk.   
  
Kaosu blinked as the young girl began to vent her anger. "You have taken from me what little light I have known. What little light I could offer to the heart of darkness, you have taken away. I loved him, I still love him, but you wouldn't know about that would you. Love is what light is and with it even the shadows of darkness is affected." Hikara said ending her triad with a cut off sob.   
  
Kiva, looked up at the young girl as she sobbed, the panther's liquid gold eyes seemed to understand how she was feeling. The black panther leaned his weight on the young girl. Kaosu watched as Hikara sank down to her knees, throwing her arms around the panther's neck and sobbing into its soft fur. Kaosu made the decision then that she would learn his ways, the ways of the Ancients, so she could save those she loved.   
  
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~~~~~~~~~~~~50 years later~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hikara glared at the man standing in front of her, they had been sparring with each other for hours now. Each was beginning to show signs of fatigue. Kaosu stood on the side of the fighting mat and watched as his granddaughter and the bearer of Halo fought. He had to shake his head at the rash and unnecessary battle the two were waging. Seiji, had foolishly spoken of his battle with the warlords, unwittingly insulting not only Hikara's friends, but her lover also.   
  
Kaosu had been able to hide her from the view of Talpa and Badamon's prying eyes. He had also taught her about the legendary Armors, and each of their powers. She in turn had told him of the love she and Kale shared, and that one day when the time was right, she would save him from the clutches of Hell. However, she was determined to pummel the rash and outspoken Seiji into the ground.   
  
Seiji had been surprised to find the young girl and her grandfather traveling alone without a contingent of guards, or at least another group of travelers. He had offered his services, with the hopes of getting to know the old man's pretty, young granddaughter better. Boy had he been shocked to find out that she had already known the touch of a man, and that she was bound to him by an oath made long ago. When the blond had asked the old monk if what his granddaughter said was true, all the old man had said was, "Things are not always as they may seem, she is far older and wiser than you my young lordling." Seiji had been wry of what he said around the strange old man and young girl.   
  
Hikara sorely wanted to call her armor and use her jitte to show the little wanna be a thing or two about how to fight with weapons, but she restrained herself with a great deal of effort. Soon Seiji dropped to one knee and called out, "Oncle".   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
~~~~~~~~~~~~Two weeks after Talpa's second attack ~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The sound of metal clashing against metal, reached her ears. She was safely hidden from the sights of the combatants. She didn't quite understand what was going on. Hikara looked up from her hiding spot as she heard a loud cackling laugh, penetrating her thoughts and her very being. Hovering above her was Lord Badamon, high demon priest for Talpa.   
  
Hikara shuddered as the spirit descended towards her, an evil gleam in his eyes; he had found her. She was the only one who could rival his powers and control of the youja. Hikara pulled back from the youja, drawing further into herself. She was afraid of what the creature would do.   
  
Badamon reached for the cowering girl, as his cold and lanky fingers wrapped themselves around Hikara's upper arm, the girl let loose a scream that would send shivers down the back of Hades himself. The scream rent the air, causing at least one of the combatants to look away from the battle at hand.   
  
The warrior, who had looked up at her scream, answered with an enraged roar of his own. He sent the foot soldiers that stood in his way flying in every conceivable direction. He wore an armor of Tan and black, with a following red cape. The warrior brandished his no-datichi with frightening accuracy.   
  
Hikara looked up at her savior, a cry of fright caught in her throat, she knew this man. He was the one who would visit her in the still of the night, the one who would hold her close while the storm raged on in the world outside. His eyes glinted dangerously as he glared at the bruise that was forming on her upper arm. He silently picked her up and carried her to safety.   
  
Then the world around her was filled with an ominous sounding laugh, it was something that could frighten even the most courageous of men. There standing in front of her and the others was a man, no a creature, that stood roughly about 10' in height. In a booming voice, he stated that the mortal world and the Armor of Inferno would be his and that nothing could stop him.   
  
The warrior who had saved her, looked down into the electric blue depths of her eyes and said, "Remember, you belong to me now and forever." Hikara blinked and nodded her head in understanding, the words meant something more, something primal, she watched as the nine warriors battled for the fate of the mortal world. The moments seemed to slow down to a mere crawl.   
  
She watched as the warrior, her lover, was cut down and left to die by the monster's sword. 'This can't be happening, not again, I have just found you and now you leave me!' her mind raged she looked up sullenly as the warrior flashed one last smile to his love. She could feel her heart being torn apart.   
  
She then heard the Bearer of Inferno, plead with his friends to end it now, that he wouldn't be able to hold the creature any longer. His friends were hesitant, but released him to the greater powers that be. Hikara was shocked, they had the jewel of life, but even that wouldn't help the Bearer of Inferno. She silently added her power to that of the other's, her spirit acting as an anchor for this brave soul. That's when she felt it, the power of the Jewel revive her and the Bearer of the Inferno.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Hikara shot up in her bed, the dream had seemed so real, and sweat beaded on her brow, she got up and moved silently through the darkened halls towards the bathroom. A rather large black cat followed behind her. "God, Kiva, it seemed so real. I saw nine warriors, in weird armor fighting against some ancient evil." She said in a whisper as she passed by Mother Roshi and Father Roshi's bedroom. As usual, she never got an answer from the one following, the black panther just 'hrmed' at her and followed.   
  
"Hika, is something wrong?" a motherly voice called out from the darkened room.   
  
Startled from her musing, Hikara looked up, electric blue eyes piercing the veil of darkness. "I'm fine Mama Roshi, just had a nightmare, go back to sleep." Hikara said as she continued towards her destination.   
  
The elderly woman known as 'Mama Roshi' poked her sleeping husband in the ribs, "Wake up." She hissed.   
  
The elderly gentleman stirred in his sleep, but woke up nonetheless. "What is it now, woman," he grumped as his wife pointed out the open doorway towards the shadowy figure that passed by once more heading back to her room, and the pet panther trailing behind.   
  
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Once she returned to her room, Hikara, fell into a dreamless sleep. She would sleep the night through with no other prophetic dreams of the future that was to come.   
  
The sound of an alarm woke her, causing the vision to become a half remembered dream.   
  
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Three weeks later was the graduation of Hikara from high school, the Roshi's sat proudly and watched as their ward crossed the stage. They knew that the girl who was being handed her high school diploma was well beyond the age she looked. They remembered vividly the day the Ancient appeared in their living room, holding the hand of the sixteen year old girl, and the Black Panther. They had listened as the leader and teacher talked of how she was older than both of them were. How he need her to be protected from the forces of darkness.   
  
Now she was having dreams, though these weren't normal dress, they were memories that Kaosu had blocked with the power of the staff. Ma and Pa Roshi had decided to take Hikara on a pilgrimage to their home in Sendi and Toyama.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
As the plane entered Toyama airspace, it wrenched from one side to another. This was no normal pocket of turbulence. Hikara woke from her light sleep, the plane suddenly took a nosedive and was heading straight for the runway, nose first. Knowledge poured into her mind, as the mental blocks were released. She willed her armor to her and studied the situation carefully, "Hika, go now, don't worry about us," Mama Roshi said looking at the girl sitting beside her.   
  
When it looked like Hikara was going to protest Mama Roshi spoke again, "We know who and what you are, your destiny awaits you on the ground. The Ancient shall protect us and guide us to the other side."   
  
In a flash of golden light Hikara was gone, as she landed on the tarmac, the plane that carried her foster family exploded mid-air, raining debris down around her.   
  
Kaosu's spirit appeared before her and said, "Now you must save the ones you love, with in you burns the powers of the kami, use their powers to guide you. Find the one named Anubis he too will guide you. Be safe." And, with those words, Hikara started out to find her lover, her sister, and her friends. She would save them from the dark grasp of Talpa.   
  
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With a muted flash of gold Hikara set out on her mission to save the others.   
  



End file.
