Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ The New Game ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter
Four

**********

<Kasina>

**********

Blackness was all that I could see.

When I was trying to clear my vision, it
had taken a moment to realize that it wasn't my eyes,
but the very outside that was so totally pitch-black
that I couldn't see anything. I felt wind blow into my gaze and
water my eyes, and I knew I was outside, but there was no light.
No sight. No idea what was happening.

The concrete was cold under me. I realized
that I was lying down. Had I fallen? What had happened? I
couldn't remember . . . I had been walking with . . . No, more
like running . . . Something had been wrong . . . I could feel
that much, even now. What was going on? Wait. Where was
Seidi?!

I forced myself to sit up . . . And fell
back onto my elbows. Oh. Gee, was it bad to have your back hurt
quite that much? I bit my lip and, grimacing, sat up
into a sitting position. I turned my head every which way--Which
only made my neck start to throb--But only found blackness.
Everywhere.

But I wasn't scared.

I was . . . I don't know. Just . . .
Indifferent. Like it wasn't really me, sitting somewhere in total
darkness, with no sound but the breeze blowing past my ears. I
felt strangely calm. Worried, extremely worried, but it was as if
that emotion belonged to someone else, not me. Like I was really
far off, watching this happen on a screen. Like it wasn't me.

"Nice to meet you, Halo."

I was on my feet before the sentence was
through. I automatically assumed a fighting position--Thank
you, dad--and faced the place where the voice had come from.
I still wasn't frightened. Just tense. Like the way you feel just
before you know something big is about to happen. Like there were
butterflies playing tag in your stomach. I was tense. Ready.

"I see you have good instincts. That
is fortunate, for you."

"Who are you, and where am I?" I
demanded of the voice. I didn't care if I was rude. Didn't care
if somehow the . . . person . . . could see me while all I could
see was darkness. I wanted answers, and I was going to get them.

"Have you trained well?" The
voice asked, ignoring my questions. "I was glad to be
assigned to you. Of all the others, you might have very well been
a warrior as you are now."

I snorted. "Look, whoever or whatever
you are, and I'm guessing psycho, why don't you just leave me
alone? I am not as defenseless as you may think I am." It
was true. Okay, so I had never really fought anybody,
but I had gotten almost as good as my dad was at fighting over
the years, and that was no easy feat.

For the very first time in my life, I began
to feel thankful for all those after-school lessons my dad had
forced me to do.

"Ah, but that is what I am counting
on. A defenseless opponent brings no honor when defeated. I only
wish you could call upon your armor; now wouldn't that
be a fight?"

"Ok, you are psycho." I muttered
under my breath. I checked over my form to make sure it was
right, tried to be relaxed and light on my feet like my dad had
taught me. It was looking like I was going to have to fight this
guy to get out of here. Wait. How in the world could I possibly
fight like this? Blind?

"Are you beginning to see?" The
voice asked. It sounded amused. Damn it! "Or should I say, understand?
I didn't want to give you too much of an advantage."

"An advantage?" I called loudly.
I slowly began to move, criss-crossing my feet but keeping my
hands up. Had to be ready. "You seem to be the one with the
advantage here."

"I suppose it might seem so." I
jumped. The voice had been in front of me a second ago! Hadn't
it? No matter. I turned towards where it was coming from now.

"Who are you?" I pretended to be
uncertain. Truth was, I was angry.

A sigh. "If I must. . . I am known as
the Warlord of Age."

A psycho through and through.

"Or," It continued softly,
"Orian."

<Orian?> A voice murmured in
my head. <Ah. It begins to make sense.>

What the. . .

"Young Warrior, ready to fight?"

Fight? Now he was ready to fight?
"Look, perhaps you don't know who I am. Why would you want
to fight me? I'm just a lost girl."

<Oh no, so much more.> The
voice was gentle, soothing. Calm and sure.

"Those words prove that you truly are
lost. Yet you are more then that. So you might have become a
worthy adversary some day. I'm truly sorry to have to kill you
now."

Kill?! Nani?! Oh shit. . .

<He will kill you. Unless somehow
you can call on your power; quickly. Orian will not wait like the
others.> Was the whisper inside my head. I had no doubt
that it was really there.

"I want to get this over with. Believe
me, had I my choice, I would wait. Not defeat you as you are now.
But I must do what I am ordered, you understand."

The others? I formed my thoughts
into words, hoping that was the way. Who are you, little
voice?

<Hello, Halo.>

I talked aloud. "Ordered? Ordered by
who?" So I was staling. He would kill me unless I called on
some power? What power? Was there no other way?

Hello. Who are you?

<A friend. That is all you need
know, for now.>

A friend? Will you help me? Can you
help me?

<Not in all ways. But I will do what
I can.>

Thank you. I said automatically.
Then I paused. But will it be enough?

"Let us begin, young warrior."
Time was up.

<We shall see, Halo, we shall
see.>

**********

<Tys oni>

**********

What a rush!

I could not explain it. But it was like my
mind was going full speed. The memories were clear, as if I were
reliving them. Fire exploded around my feet, twisting and
swirling upwards, around my body, flames sometime reaching out
from the mass swirl to touch my skin, yet I felt no heat or
burning. Amazingly real flames made a cylinder around me. It swam
in front of my eyes, cutting off all vision, cutting off all
sound, yet I felt no fear. Amazingly real, yet why was I not
burned? It was like the dream, but different. It felt. . . right,
somehow, now.

I suppose in reality it lasted only a few
moments. It might have been an eternity for all I knew at the
time, though. It was intense!

The flames suddenly pushed in, framing my
body. It was like a cast, but the flames still hovered just
inches from my skin. Then. . .

The fire! Pushing and straining, it fit
around me. Pinpricks all up and down my skin, but so much more.
Power. Utter and raw power surged through me, filled my veins,
filled me to an almost painful level. But I took it all in, as
much as I could bear to hold.

Then the immortal fire was gone.

I blinked. I stood there, in front of the
same woman, who was looking stunned, watching me. With a start I
looked over myself; what in the world happened? It was
making no sense at all! I had no idea what was going on, still,
and what was I wearing?

Like a bodysuit. Strangely shaped like the
one the woman wore. White and red, red like the fire that had
enveloped me only seconds before. I moved my arms, expecting the.
. . the armor. . . to be too stiff to allow the movement. I was
wrong. I moved my other arm, in wonderment. What was this?

<It acts like a buffer.>

A what?

<Like a stopping device, it helps
you hold in all that power you felt just before now, and stops
you from taking to much of the power in. Which you should not
have strained for.> It sounded re-approving.

What do you mean?

<Too much can kill you. But don't
worry. Like I said, this Sub-Armor acts like a buffer. Believe it
or not, in time you will be able to hold much more of that same
power, once your body gets used to it.>

Sub-Armor? Is that what it's called?
And why would it kill me? And how could I possibly hold more. .
.power. . .than this?

A laugh, or what could have been a laugh. <So
many questions. I am sorry I cannot answer them all now. But I
must go.>

Go?! Go where? I need your help! I
still don't understand!

<Other's need my help as well,
Wildfire. Do not worry. I will be with you when you need me.>

When I need you? I need you now! How
will you know?

No answer.

Wait! I have so many questions!

But my mind was silent.

I took from my gaze from the strange--What
had she called it? Oh, yeah--Sub-Armor, and looked up, ready. I
felt much more confident then a few moments ago. I looked up, and
jerked.

The lady was gone.

Disappeared. Like she'd never been there.
Puzzled, I ran to the entrance of the alley way. Which was an
experience in itself! Never before had I felt such power in my
legs. I got to the mouth of the alley in half the time with the.
. .Sub-Armor. . .--It would take a while to get used to
that--then I would have without it. I stepped out. Saw no one.

The strange girl was gone.

I paused. Now what? Hopefully
there would be no unpleasant surprises waiting around the next
corner.

I looked down at myself again, studying the
material around me. A buffer? What in the world. .? And how did
it come off? I began to realize just how little I knew about this
thing. This power. Wildfire? Was that what it was called? It
certainly wasn't my name; no matter what that voice had said. I
wished it was still with me! I had so many questions to ask.

I bent my legs, testing the armor. No
strain at all. With an idea, I quickly ducked down until the tips
of my fingers touched the ground, and then. . . Jumped! Whoa!

I flew! I jumped almost three
times as high as I was tall. I lost my balance, and hit the wall
of the building--With my feet! Instinctively, or perhaps it was
something else, I pushed off with all my might. I fell vertically
through the air, flipped, then landed perfectly back on the
ground.

And grinned.

**********

<Seidi>

**********

My head pounded.

My eyes cracked open. What...?
What happened? Where was I?

I gave a start as I realized I was hanging
in air. "Suspended" was more the word, actually. Metal
chains--Yes, chains!--were wrapped around my middle, upper arms,
my wrist and forearm, and three more strands encircled my legs,
holding them together. Four more made a square around my neck; I
could hardly breath. Where the end to the bonds that held me
were, I didn't know. Mist covered me like a thin blanket in every
direction. I couldn't see more then about ten feet in any
direction.

I looked downwards--as much as the chains
allowed me to--and gulped. I couldn't see the ground, and I had a
feeling I was very far up. I tore my gaze away from the hidden
earth. My head was starting to spin. I did not do well with
heights, not at all.

Cold fear gripped me in every spare inch of
my body. I was high up, I wasn't sure how I had gotten there,
these stupid chains might choke me soon enough, and I had no idea
where Kasina was.

Taking a deep breath, which didn't help, I
pulled my arms toward me hesitantly. The chains did not give. I
tugged with my legs, my waist, even my head; but the chains
wouldn't move at all. I started to yank with every part of my
body, frantic to get loose, but I just couldn't.

God, what am I gonna do?

<Torrent. Don't worry.>

Those silent words startled me so much that
I froze for a moment.

<Don't have fear. That is exactly
what he wants.>

Don't. . . have. . . fear?

<Don't be afraid, Torrent>

That name stirred memories within me.
Sadness that I thought I had over come surfaced in my mind.

Flashback. . .

~~Water surrounded me. I couldn't
breathe, couldn't move, when suddenly. . .

I broke the surface. Still couldn't
breathe. Arms encircled me, yanked on me, in a slightly familiar
movement, and I coughed up water, trying to take in a breath at
the same time. I hurt. I hurt all over.

<Torrent, she may very well
be. But we will take someone!>

"Take me, then. . ." Said my
savior, the person I would never forget. . ~~

Who. . . who are you? Now, sadness
colored my words. I had thought. . . Torrent? It couldn't be. . .
Please don't let it be.

<Oh, Seidi, don't be sad. Sadness
will eventually lead back to fear. Seidi; is that better?>

Yes. Thank you. But who are you? And
how did you know to call me...

<Torrent? Wait, don't be sad!
Please. I only mean to help.>

Help? Help me how?

A sudden clanking caught my hearing. The
same clanking. . . footsteps. . . that I had heard earlier. Fear
began to grip me once again.

<No! Don't fear! He is stronger when
you fear him!>

That's easy for you to say! You aren't
here, I'm the one who. . . The one who. . .

<Is hanging suspended by chains in
who-knows-where?>

Yes, I suppose. God.. Help me. .

<Please don't worry. Just trust in
me. Know that I can help.>

Trust in you? I don't even know you!
Who are you? Who is "He?"

Clank. Clank. Clank. The mist cleared below
me. My gaze fell down, down. . . my air cut off from the strain
and I yanked my head back up. I was up high. That was an
understatement. My stomach twisted.

A man. . . just at the edge of my sight.
Dressed strangely. It looked like a battle armor, like from olden
times. What was..

<That is who "he" is.
Tighdes. He is your enemy. He will kill you, if he gets the
chance. Please, Seidi, Torrent, trust me! I can help you!>

Help me? How in the world can you help
me?

You have the power of the sea within
you! You have to call upon it!

NO! The fear before was nothing to
what I felt now!

<Seidi, you will die if you
don't!>

I will never, EVER. . .

"Torrent." Said the man, Tighdes,
as he crossed his arms over his chest. "So nice to finally
meet you."

<He will kill you, Torrent!>

Don't ever call me that! And I don't
care! The sea has never helped me before!

<Yes you do, and yes it has. It's
saved your life before.>

Tighdes walked slowly under me, circling
me, like a vulture would stalk it's pray... only I was up in the
air, and he was down on the ground. He tilted his head
thoughtfully at me, studying me. "Torrent?" I winced.
"I supposed that does bring up bad memories, now doesn't
it?"

Now I felt mad. How dare he. . .?
"I don't know who you are," I called out, "But
let. Me. DOWN!" My voice did not shake.

He shook his head slowly, making a
"tisk, tisk" sound. I was surprised I could hear it
from up there.

"Sorry, Torrent, can't do
that. Especially with all the trouble it took to put you
up there."

"You. . . you put me up hear?" I
asked slowly. I wished that the fear wasn't so obvious.

<He will kill you, Tor-Seidi!
Please trust me in this!>

I think I. . . I think I do. I
admitted slowly. I. . . I know you. I remember you, from
somewhere.

<I've never tried to hurt you, only
help.>

I-I believe you. Now my tone was
of bewilderment.

"I"m giving you one chance,"
Tighdes said, drawing a bow--a very unfriendly looking bow--out
from behind his back. "To call upon your armor." He
drew an arrow from a quiver at his side. My eyes followed the
string as he nocked the arrow, pulling it tight. "I don't
know what the witch has taught you, if anything at all. . ."
He said as he leisurely raised the bow until it pointed strait at
me. "But even I must obey rules."

<Witch?> The voice sounded
annoyed. <Is that what they call me?>

What rules? You're a witch?

No! And never mind the rules. That is
for me to know.

"You have ten seconds. One." The
straps holding my arms broke apart, freeing them. Unfortunately,
this made me lose me balance and I cried out, as I started to tip
over. Two more chains flew from the shadows, and circled around
my chest, studying me.

"Two."

<Ready to fight?>

"Three."

. . .Yes. I finally admitted
dejectedly. If it's the only way.

"Four."

<Then you know what to do.>

"Five."

I guess so.

"Six."

I made sure I felt balanced, and brought my
arms in front of me.

"Seven."

I clasped them together. As I had half
expected, the little blue orb pressed into my palm.

"Eight."

My heart jumped into my throat. I
hesitated.

<Quickly!>

"Nine!"

I took a deep breath, then shouted at the
top of my lungs, at the same time Tighdes yelled
"Ten!":

"TORRENT!"

And water closed in around me.

**********

<Teren>

**********

Earth. . .? I repeated, strangely
hesitant.

<Call upon it.>

What are you TALKING about?

The voice began to sound mad. <I
think you know exactly what I'm talking about.>

That gave me pause to think.

"HA!" Shouted Brail, as the table
cloth flipped up to reveal him grinning triumphantly. As I had
done only moments before, I reacted. I was out from under the
suddenly vulnerable spot before the bladed staff crashed down. I
tumbled over on the ground, jumped up, and spun to face him. My
body took on an offensive position.

This only seemed to make the Warlord
amused. "Ready to fight, then?" He asked lazily,
raising the staff.

Wait a sec, where did I get 'Warlord?'

<Even your body knows it's power,
Hardrock. If you have a wish to live, please, I beg of you, call
upon it!> She was pleading with me. I felt my
resolve weaken.

How?

Without warning, Brail jumped forward, the
sharp blade of his staff heading for my chest. I dodged, but to
late, and I cried out as I felt skin come tearing open. Backing
away, I held my chest with my hand, seeing the red. It wasn't
deep, at least, not deep enough to be fatal. But deep enough to
weaken me.

How? I asked again. Tell me!

There was no answer.

Snarling, Brail jumped forward again,
brandishing his weapon. I jumped out of the way, falling behind
him. Brail turned with surprising agility, and once again, I
found myself evading him. To late, I saw his leg come up. His
foot connected solidly with my stomach. Grunting, I clutched at
my abdomen and fell. The pain was immense.

I would lose. That was simple. He was
faster, stronger, more agile. I had nothing!

<Hardrock!> I heard within
my head. The voice was weak. Somehow, just somehow I
felt strength from the words. Through a blurring vision, I saw
Brail move above me. The staff was raised then pointed directly
above my heart.

With all my strength, I pushed up and
rolled. The staff clanked down. . . missing me! I came into a
sitting position.

The. . . Warlord. . . let out a cry of
frustration. "Why delay the inevitable?" He cried,
yanking his staff out of the ground. I stared at the spot where
the weapon had been only moments before. The was a small, but
deep, gash in the floor. My eyes went wide as I followed the
staff back up to it's holder.

That could have been me. . . I
knew.

"You know," I said, gritting my
teeth when I found that it hurt to talk, "I don't. . .
think. . . It's inevitable." My words were strong. I was
strong. Something pressed into my palm.

"Brave words," He began, then
stopped, his eyes going wide.

The word formed on my tongue. My mind was
spinning with. . . energy. Raising my hand, I saw the small
orange orb, glowing. Brightly.

"Hardrock!" My mouth cried on
it's own. The glow expanded, growing, until it covered every inch
of me. A strange but powerful rumbling began to fill my head,
blocking out sound as it grew.

"No!" The other warrior cried,
lunging forward. He fell back suddenly, as if banging into a
wall.

I stood. The pain seemed far away now, as
though the wounds were a week old. My sight. . . something was. .
. couldn't describe. . .

I could never, not in a million years,
describe what happened, what was happening. All I can say was
that I felt. . . Grew. . . stronger. I felt something
form and harden around my body as the glow grew to be so intense
I could not see beyond it. Energy flowed through my veins.

When the glow began to finally fade, I
shook my head, looking around. With a start, I realized Brail was
gone. I spun, looking everywhere, but it was as if he had just
disappeared. Then, I looked down at myself, and received another
shock. An astonishing body armor. . .--The word 'Armor' just
popped into my head-- covered me from head to toe. I moved, and
it, orange and white, moved with me, providing no stiffness or
resistance.

Oh, I thought slowly. So that
was what she meant by Hardrock.

**********

A uthor's Note: I
really need to start getting towards the more important scenes .
. . it's really easy to let your story run off on it's own.

*Everyone waits expectantly*

*The writer blinks* Er . . .

*Still expectant silence from readers*

What? Oh! *Light bulb clicks on* I'm supposed to say,
"Please Review" right? Well, I guess I thought that
since you all knew anyway . . .