Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Chapter 30
Jade opened the bathroom door, drying his jade green hair. He throws the towel aside and hits Sicily with it.

"Sir. It seems that Lord Roswell is serious this time." Sicily says handing Jade three knives that he straps to his left thigh. He takes his katana from her and puts that on his back.

"Lead the way." Jade says.

Sicily leaps through the window and Jade follows right behind her.

*****************************

"As I recall you made your own presence known during the volleyball game. Had you stayed in the crowd you could of just stayed undetected. But it was your fault for showing yourselves." Nara says.

Kogamaru falls silent.

"Exactly. Aside from that, what brings all of you here this fine afternoon?" Nara says.

"We are on a little sight seeing trip. That's all. My guys were getting tired of doing nothing so I thought they could stretch their legs." Roswell says.

"That's a lot of words for that small brain. I think I see smoke coming from your ears." Ta says crouching down.

Aurora and Lust watch from behind a building corner.

Roswell glares at Ta and snaps his fingers.

The large ogre-demon smashes the ball into the ground where Ta was crouching.

*****************************

"What's going on over there?" Amelia asks pointing to the center of the storm.

"I'm betting Roswell has brought some powerful demons with to try and get Lord Nara and the others to fight." Koji answers.

"Well, tough guy." Becky says to Ashen, "I suggest you get prepared for battle."

"Aren't you a sharp one." Koji says to her.

"I didn't get to where I was because of my looks or (blushes)..... (Ahem). Nevermind. Ashen get ready. Your opponent will be here in a few minutes." Becky says and looks away.

"Perhaps you could show me later what you won't say." Koji whispers as he walks by her.

"Why does Ashen have to fight again?" Amelia asks.

"Because he is the greatest and strongest." Becky snaps back sarcastically.

Steven chuckles for a second before he sees Amelia glaring at him.

"Its alright. I'll be fine." Ashen says confidently.

*****************************

Roswell snaps his fingers again and the ogre-demon pulls the chain back but to his surprise the ball splits in half and destroys a building on either side of him causing the buildings to collapse into the street. Once the dust settles, the building has completely blocked the road behind them and Nara, Shin, Ta, and Sessaru all stand before them.

"Guessing everything was worked out?" Ta whispers.

"Not exactly." Sessaru replies.

"Let's go check on Kareen." Lust says.

Aurora nods and they run off.

Nara sits down on a nearby bus stop bench and looks around.

"What is you want here?" Nara asks.

"Do you mean aside from watching you die by my hands?" Roswell asks.

"Yes, because we both know that won't ever happen. That is what you call delusional thinking." Nara replies.

The ogre demon whips his chain at Nara but it smashes into a barrier.

"I knew you were a coward. Hiding behind a barrier." Roswell says with a laugh as the other demons step forward.

"Like you have room to talk. Who is hiding behind an ogre demon with a large chain and other demons?" Nara replies.

"Perhaps Roswell should look before he speaks." Kogamaru says.

"That would require a brain." Shear says.

"ALL OF YOU DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP!!" A cop shouts through his mega phone.

"Sessaru." Ta says.

"If I must." He replies and sprints at the cop. He tackles him and puts him in his car then slams on the gas.

*****************************

Sephile leaps out of a tree and a smaller ogre demon lands next to her.

"My what an interesting gathering we have here." Sephile says looking everyone over, "Koji, why would you turn your back on Lord Roswell? Have you no sense of loyalty?"

"Why would I respect Lord Fatass? He showed no compassion for us scouts. To him we were just tools. And I didn't betray him. In order for me to of betrayed him I would of had to betray my first Lord, Nara." Koji replies.

"You shall not speak ill of the great Lord Roswell! Show him the respect he deserves!" Sephile snaps.

"Lord Fatass deserves no respect therefore I am showing him the proper respect." Koji says with a smirk.

"You insolent wretch shall die for your betrayal!" Sephile says.

Koji pulls out a scroll and throws it at her.

"Perhaps you should read before acting. I know you have a brain unlike Fatass." Koji says.

She reads the scroll and Koji motions for Amelia and Steven to hide.

While she reads an arrow pierces her right thigh. She drops the scroll and falls to her knees in pain.

"You bastard!" Sephile shouts and rips the arrow out.

"That wasn't from me. I don't use arrows. I prefer poison tipped darts." Koji replies.

"If anyone asks I will just say I killed you cause you attacked me first." Sephile replies.

Another arrow pierces her right thigh.

"Zeggy, kill them all." Sephile says gritting her teeth and rips out the second arrow.

"Go on, Ashen. Protect us." Becky says shoving him forward.

*****************************

Sicily and Jade when Jade sees Lust out of the corner of his eye. He stops and chases Lust. Sicily glances back over her shoulder and sees Jade run into an alley. She to follows.

*****************************

"Why don't you send those mercs at us?" Ta says from the top of a street light.

Shin kneels with his sword laying in front of him as Sessaru leans against the street light.

"Well?" Sessaru asks popping his knuckles.

"Soneskin. Gok. Cloud. Ling. Ting. Corr. Weiv. Kill them." Roswell says and the seven demons split up.

Shingi watches as Shin stays on his knees while Corr approaches him.

Corr being the biggest of the seven laughs at Shin.

"Guess I get the blind samurai who has given up before the fight even started." Corr says laughing.

In the blink of an eye Shin is now kneeling behind Corr with his back to him and his sword laying in front of him.

"I wouldn't move to much." Shin says and picks his sword up before walking away.

"Shingi, what just happened? Why is Shin walking away?" Shear asks.

"Amazing." Shingi says in awe.

"Shingi?" Shear says and nudges him.

"Sorry. Shin made his attack. Due to his small stature and weak appearance, every opponent underestimates his skill. Add in the blind appearance and right there gives Shin the victory." Shingi says.

"You really were his pupil weren't you?" Kogamaru says.

"Yes. He would always say never judge something based on its appearance. Now you see why." Shingi says.

*****************************

Silmeria sits on the couch inside completely unaware of the battle going on in the backyard. She is still lost in thought about everything that has happened this morning.

*****************************

An explosion sends Koji and Becky flying.

Ashen lays unconscious and bleeding from dozens of cuts.

Kareen catches Becky and sets her down against a tree out of harms way.

"Now, grovel and beg for Lord Roswell's forgiveness." Sephile says to Koji.

"I'll die before that happens." Koji says drinking a small vial and throwing a smoke ball.

"How appropriate. Just before his death a scout runs from battle." Sephile says boastfully.

Kareen takes aim with her bow and fires an arrow straight through Sephile's right knee cap.

"That does it! I was told to bring you back alive but since you insist on pelting me with these damn arrows you can die as well!" Sephile says angrily and Zeggy swings the large black ball over his head.

He smashes the ball into the ground and it explodes sending Kareen flying into the hot spring.

Zeggy laughs and starts looking over each shoulder repeatedly before dropping his ball and chain and spinning in circles swatting at nothing. It looks just like he walked into a cob web and is trying to get it off.

"What is your problem? Stop screwing around and finish the job." Sephile says cracking her whip.

Kareen scrambles out of the hot spring and looks around for her bow.

Sitting on the roof is her bow.

Koji appears out of nowhere and smiles at Zeggy.

"Its over for you." Koji says and tugs an almost invisible thread that slices Zeggy to bits.

"You bastard!" Sephile shouts and wraps her whip around his leg then sends him hurling through the air and through the wooden fence of the neighbor's yard.

Aurora and Lust show up with Jade and Sicily right behind them.

The four of them look on trying to piece together what has transpired.

Aurora runs to Becky's side and Lust is grabbed by Sicily.

"You're not going anywhere." Sicily says tying her hands behind her back.

Shocked that she didn't sense them behind her, Lust is unable to think clearly for a moment.

Koji sits up slowly and sees Lust being tied up. He draws a kunai knife from a pouch on his hip.

Jade steps away and sees Sephile with Kareen tied up and unconscious over her shoulder.

"I've got what I came for. Jade you can kill the rest." Sephile says.

THUD!!!

Jade turns around and sees Sicily on the ground with a kunai knife in her thigh and Lust still tied up.

He rips her pants open and removes the kunai knife.

"Hang on. It'll be alright." He says to her.

Around the wound the blood vessels and veins are turning blue.

"SICILY!!" He shouts but she doesn't respond.

"The poison is working its way through her blood stream. She has a minute left or less." Koji says removing Jade's katana from Jade's back.

Sicily convulses a few times and dies.

"What are you doing Koji?" Jade asks.

"Nice and easy." Koji says holding Jade's own katana to Jade's neck.

Aurora unties Lust and ties up Jade.

"Just be quiet and don't try anything stupid. Once the skirmish is done I shall let you go regardless of the victor." Koji says.

"Fine. Take me there so I can watch." Jade replies quietly as he watches Sicily's body disintegrate. He says a small prayer for her and he and Koji head back to the city.

*****************************

Ling has Ta in a full nelson while Ting punches his ribs.

Sessaru is trapped in a bear hug from Weiv, (the second biggest) while Shin dodges the attacks from Cloud's katana.

"I know your not blind." Cloud says backing away a little.

"I never claimed to be. Just because my eyes are closed, people assume that I am blind." Shin replies drawing his katana.

"This is not good." Shingi says.

"Why?" Shear asks watching Sessaru get slammed into the sidewalk.

"Shin is getting serious." Shingi says.

Shear and Kogamaru look at each other.

"Getting?" They say together.

Ling hits Shear and they hit the wall together.

"Missed." Ta says snapping his fingers.

Kogamaru glares at Ta.

Shear gets up and throws Ling back at Ting. Both Ling and Ting tackle Ta while the sounds of blades clashing.

Cloud backs away holding his bloody left arm.

Sessaru gets up holding his chest.

"Bastard." He says and his claws extend.

Ta throws a punch and nails Ting right in the jaw. Ling grabs Sessaru from behind and German suplexes him.

"How about you deal with them?" Sessaru says to Ta.

Blood sprays all over Ting, Ling, Ta, and Sessaru.

Soneskin and Gok stand before Nara grinning.

"Something funny?" Nara asks.

"Just laughing at how the mighty have fallen." Soneskin replies.

"Especially at how old and decrepit you've become." Gok says flexing.

"That may be true but I am still too much for you to handle." Nara says smiling.

Cloud falls forward and a large gash goes down his back. Shin stands before him sheathing his katana.

"The rest are yours to deal with." Shin says and walks away.

Ting hollers in pain as Ta twists his arm behind his back even further.

"Nara whenever you decide to jump in it would be greatly appreciated." Sessaru says blocking a kick from Ling.

"In due time." Nara replies.

Sessaru digs his claws into Ling's shin and calf, cutting out a large chunk.

"Tell you what. I will spare you the humiliation of losing to an old decrepit demon such as myself and give you a large plot of land if you attack Roswell." Nara says quietly to Soneskin and Gok.

"How big are we talking?" Gok asks.

"A third of the Eastern Lands." Nara says holding his hand out.

They shake on it and walk back to Roswell.

"Did he just..." Kogamaru asks.

"I believe he did." Shear says.

"Oh, that's not right." Shingi says as the three of them watch Soneskin and Gok continue walking over to Roswell.

"Think he noticed?" Kogamaru asks.

"Not a chance." Shear says.

"Nope." Shingi adds.

"What's up?" Roswell asks.

"Nothing personal but we got a better offer." Soneskin says just before Gok sucker punches him.

Ta stabs Ting's own arm into his own back, popping out his heart while Sessaru slices up Ling's leg.

Shin stands next to Corr, who has not moved, and therefore not fallen to pieces.

"Impressive." Shin says and with that slight breath Corr falls to tiny pieces.

Weiv gets behind Sessaru and wraps his powerful arms around Sessaru and pins his arms to his sides.

Weiv turns and Ta nails Sessaru dead in the chest and Sessaru goes limp.

"Pathetic. You just killed your own friend." Weiv says dropping Sessaru's lifeless body.

*****************************

Several blocks away Kareen is barely able to stand from the dozens of deep cuts all over her legs. The loss of blood has blurred her vision slightly and she can't concentrate fully.

"To think that the greatest Demon Lord of all time would want some old whore like you." Sephile says and slams Kareen against a large store window cracking it and Kareen's skull.

Kareen spits in her face and Sephile slams her again against the window.

"Defiant old whore aren't you. It doesn't matter. Soon you will be Lord Roswell's personal property. Although, I should be the one pleasing him. What makes you so damn special that all he can think about is you. He won't even look at me twice if I stood before him completely nude." Sephile says angrily.

She ties Kareen up again and continues to limp towards Roswell.

*****************************

Koji and Jade arrive at the roof over looking the Lords as they battle below.

Koji unties Jade and gives the weapons back.

"What's your deal?" Jade asks, "You kill Sicily and take me hostage only to release me. Why?"

"Killing you would of angered Lord Sessaru. You and him were once good friends. I don't want to be the one to get on his bad side. If you wish to battle me then first settle your score with him. Right now lets just watch the show." Koji says and looks over the edge.

Jade thinks for a moment and flicks his wrist sending a knife straight into Koji's thigh.

"Alright. We will put our battle on hold to I defeat Sessaru." Jade says, "That's for Sicily and to serve as a reminder."

*****************************

Roswell is on the ground as Soneskin and Gok land devastating kicks and punches.

"What are you doing?" Roswell asks trying to get to his feet to retaliate.

"Nara offered us a better deal. So being a mercenary we took the better deal." Gok says.

"Each of us gets a third of the Eastern Lands." Soneskin says.

"I'll give you each half if you attack Nara." Roswell says.

Corr looks at Ta who simply stands before him.

"Why are you so calm? You just killed your friend." Corr asks.

"No. I killed you. If you would kindly look at the wall behind you." Ta says pointing to the wall.

Corr turns around and sees blood and organs all over the wall.

His entire back is hallow.

"How is that possible?" He asks as he falls to the side.

Sessaru stands up with blood all over his claws.

"That trick still works." He says high fiving Ta.

"Let me guess. He is giving you half of the Eastern Lands. No surprise. I'll give you (points at Soneskin) all of the Eastern Lands and you (points at Gok) all of the Western Lands." Nara says sitting on a bench.

Shear, Shingi, and Kogamaru all watch as the two walk back towards Roswell.

"What did he offer?" Roswell asks regenerating from the injuries.

"He is giving us each our own lands. Can you beat that?" Gok replies.

"Yes, what he offered plus half of the Northern Lands to each of you." Roswell says.

They turn back and head to Nara.

A familiar scent enters Nara's nose. He glances around and can't locate its origin so he shrugs it off.

"Alright, I'll give you each two lands, your choice plus Kareen, Lust, Aurora, and Silmeria." Nara says standing up.

"We have a winner!" Soneskin and Gok say together and extend their hands.

Nara shakes them and says, "You two can just relax on the bench."

Nara walks past them and straight for Roswell.

"Appears, Nara won." Shear says.

"Wonder what he offered them." Kogamaru says.

*****************************

Aurora and Lust land behind Koji and Jade.

"Took you long enough." Koji says never taking his eyes off Nara.

"So what is going on?" Lust asks.

"Any sign of Lady Kareen?" Aurora asks.

"Nothing at the moment and no sign yet. Sephile made off with her but hasn't arrived yet." Jade says.

Lust looks at Koji and points to Jade.

"I'll explain later." Koji says.

Silmeria, Ashen, Becky, Steven, and Amelia climb up the fire escape.

"The whole gang is here." Lust says looking back.

"I'm only here to make sure no one kills Lord Sessaru till I have had time to get my questions answered." Silmeria says before anyone says anything to her.

All of them line up and watch below.

*****************************

Shin, Sessaru, and Ta all disappear into an alley while everyone was distracted by the bidding wars.

"Damn! She's late. I need to stall till she gets here." Roswell says to himself and suddenly realizes there is a very large ogre-demon right in front of him.

"ATTACK!" Roswell shouts.

The ogre-demon smashes his fist onto Nara but the surrounding ground indents.

"So Roswell, what is it you are planning?................ Sorry. You are incapable of planning. I should of asked, what is your part in this scheme?" Nara asks as the ogre-demon continues to smash the barrier into the ground.

Roswell growls at Nara's words and has the ogre-demon smash even harder.

"That barrier can't hold out forever and once it fails you're dead." Roswell says.

"Tell you what, why don't you hold your breath on that." Nara says.

"He wouldn't?" Shear says.

Roswell inhales deeply.

"Dumbass." They say together just before Kogamaru is sucker punched in the jaw.

Shin steps in front of Shingi and they bow to one another while Sessaru stands before Shear.

"Why are you after my head exactly?" Sessaru asks.

Shear looks at him in disbelief.

Kogamaru stumbles back holding his jaw while Ta pulls out his gauntlets.

He puts them on and immediately they began to change. They grow in length and turn white and hard like bone. Small knicks and cuts in them show that they have seen many battles. At halfway up the forearm it stops and ridges rise up from it a couple inches forming razor sharp edges.

"Taking credit for my work is one thing but trying to kill me is unforgivable." Ta says.

"Sensei, it is good to see that you are alive and well." Shingi says.

"Lord Shingi, it pleases me to see you still have that katana you stole from me." Shin replies.

"Of course. It has not left my side since that fateful day. I plan on relieving you of its twin and your life before we are through." Shingi says.

Shin simply smirks.

*****************************

"This does not bode well." Becky says shuddering.

"I agree." Koji adds.

"The intensity burning in each of their eyes is absolutely amazing." Jade says awe struck.

*****************************

"How can you not know? You killed my father and left me homeless and alone. I have spent every waking moment plotting my revenge against you." Shear says angrily and draws his sword.

"I'm guessing you were one of the few that survived that day." Sessaru says sighing.

Sephile lands behind Roswell and drops Kareen at his feet. Her hands and feet completely bound. Sephile kneels before Roswell and he smiles.

"I have done as you asked my Lord." Sephile says.

Nara looks at Kareen and then up at Roswell.