What seemed like hours had passed as Ryu and his allies kept an eye out for those that they were looking for. Fighting warrior after warrior was taking its toll. With every one of them that they were able to fell on the battlefield, shortly after, they found themselves fighting that same person again. And while the Blood Thorn numbers showed no sign of decrease, the numbers of their forces were being dwindled. At first, it was little by little. But, as the battle dragged on, and weariness set in among their warriors, more and more of them fell against their enemies’ blades, quickly allowing Blood Thorn to gain their advantage.
Ryu felt another surge of energy course through him, but a twinge of awareness came through when he realized just how little of a surge of energy this truly was. A quick glance over to Julian revealed that, even with his emotionless face, he was also beginning to show the effects of weariness. Ryu remembered back, when the war finally began its full swing, that Julian had mentioned he disliked using his abilities to heal others, and he had reluctantly used them to keep them all up and fighting. He had truly become one of their greatest allies, even though he had only become known to them less than a week before that time.
Julian, I truly am grateful for your assistance with all of this. I don’t think that we would have been able to survive this long without your help.
Keeping his fellow warriors in view, Ryu could see that even Tommy, who had been the loud and taunting one before, so befitting of their army commander, was now quiet and stone faced. With all of the energy that he bolstered, even he was running down. They all couldn’t keep this up.
As Ryu continued fighting, he glanced around as one after another of his fellow soldiers fell. Sadness took a spot in his heart. He couldn’t describe what he felt. It seemed like he was powerless to stop the onslaught, the massacre that was happening around him. He could already feel the sting of his own injuries. He felt like there was nothing that he could do. But, in spite of that, he knew he must keep fighting.
He gave a signal, and soon all of their warriors began to close ranks. They all moved closer to each other, bringing each other together to watch one another’s backs. They didn’t have any more time to be spreading out. They were going to be falling quicker as long as they were spread so thin. In a matter of sorts, this would be their final stand. They would not go down without a fight. They would hold things down until their reinforcements arrived.
As they closed in around each other, Blood Thorn also closed in around them. They moved in until they were surrounded on all sides. If they would have had any intention of escape, that chance had now passed. They were closed in. There now was no escape. The seemingly innumerable amounts that had faced them were now completely there.
Ryu looked briefly around them as he recognized many of the faces that had been in the files he had reviewed in the meeting hall back in the village. Face after face passed before his sight as menacing glares looked back at him. Every single one of those who had been in those files had made an appearance now… except for those two.
He also thought back to two nights ago when he was sitting around that campfire with Erman and Tommy. He had thought about how it was odd that none of these warriors, each of them so powerful and deadly just on their own, had made an appearance in the battle so far. It had been a mystery to him, but everything had suddenly become clear when he realized the plan that Blood Thorn had in mind.
Blood Thorn had figured out that Enen and his brother were not participating in the war. They intentionally withheld their more powerful warriors. It was a smart move on their part, keeping their main battle strength back to take on Lord Enen as soon as he made an appearance. They knew he would not be an easy one to take down, so they waited. But, their plan changed when they didn’t see the two brothers on the battlefield on the third day of battle. They knew that Enen was no coward. He definitely would not leave his allies to fight alone. He would come, and so their new mission became as such as to completely annihilate Enen’s allies, leaving him with no one to fight alongside, and destroying all hope in his heart.
As Ryu brought his mind back to the field of war, he saw just how desperate the situation was. Although he didn’t care to mention it, they had effectively wiped much of their fighting force.
After enclosing them, Blood Thorn stood still for a moment, staring at their warriors with what seemed like a primal bloodlust. But, then they sent out cries in unison, and began to charge them with animalistic ferocity. This was it….
Even though he didn’t have the ability of Lord Enen, Ryu could feel the intense amount of danger that was around them. They fought with a dying will of the mission to not let down their leader, to fulfill their mission as long as they drew breath. Even as they gained injury after injury, they continued to fight. Ryu himself could feel the sharp stings of the injuries that were being incurred, but he could not allow himself to go down. He must keep going…
He could feel his consciousness beginning to slip, but he forced himself to awareness. His body was slowing, his mind numbing. He could feel the blood at his back, on his forehead, in his side. He was fading fast. Whirling in a gust of self-created wind, he caught just a glimpse of a young woman further back in the ranks of their soldiers, aiming an arrow directly at him. She let the arrow fly. He told his body to move, but it just wouldn’t obey anymore. He couldn’t react in time as the arrow lodged itself in his abdomen.
His vision slowly began to dim. Breaking off the larger portion of the arrow, he tried to keep fighting, but beyond his action of breaking the arrow, he could do nothing. His vision grew dark as he began to fall. He fell to the ground, landing on one knee before falling to his face. Someone called out to him. Although they were all so close by to each other, whoever called to him sounded so far away. His body could no longer respond to his commands. Dread came over him when he realized how he had not been able to do as he had been asked his leader. He truly believed himself to be powerless. His eyes closed, and even sound seemed to slip away.
Lord Enen, I’m sorry. I was unable…
An earth-shattering trembling brought him back to a state of awareness. He still couldn’t see, but he could feel the ground shake from some major force. His ears could hear shouts and yells and pained cries, and he could vaguely tell that they were not from his own warriors, but rather, they were from Blood Thorn. Something was happening.
The cries continued and they seemed to grow louder and closer. Soon, he felt someone lift him from the ground. A sudden burst came surging through him. He suddenly found the strength to open his eyes. He was surprised to find himself covered in water. He looked down and saw a hand remove the arrow from within his side. He smiled as he became aware of what was happening.
He discovered he had the strength to support his own strength, although he still could only crouch. He looked over himself, and saw his wounds healing at a fast rate. He looked to see who had helped him up. Looking back at him, he saw a woman with long, dark hair. Next to her was another woman with short, dark hair. She was the one healing him. Standing to his side was a young man, a teenager. He was spinning a kunai on his finger. And then standing directly in front of him, he directed his eyes upward, seeing the two men like towers, standing in front of him.
He first saw the incredibly large man, the giant that stood before him. Then, standing next to him was a shorter man, but by no means a short man himself. Clad in white and black, three blades were holstered at his back. Ryu smiled once again. His mission apparently had been completed, after all.
“…Good to have you back, Lord Enen.”
The man turned his head to look back at Ryu. Even though his face was covered by a mask, it was thanks to those eyes of his that Ryu could tell it truly was his master. He breathed a sigh of relief as he stood to his feet. He was fully revived now, and his injuries had disappeared.
“Thank you, Lady Myst.”
She stood up with Anon. On Myst’s back was a large gourd, and knowing Myst well, he knew that there was a large amount of water inside. She smiled, but not without taking her eyes off of the enemies that they had sent scattering and dumbfounded when they made their entrance. Their enemies stood around, bewildered at this group of five new people that shown up. Even though they knew that their main target, Enen, had finally shown up, they stood in silence in front of him and all around them. The look on Enen’s face held something that showed absolutely no hint of fear. It was almost anger. It was like they were afraid of him.
It doesn’t matter who it is. Our Lord Enen simply commands respect, no matter if they are friend or foe.
Enen glanced about him, surveying the area and seeing what kind of enemies they were all against.
“Myst, we’ll need the rest of the fighting force. You’re up.”
“Yes, sir.”
Myst went into a flurry of motion, running through all of the ranks of their forces. As she passed each living warrior, she placed a hand on them, immediately encasing them in a bubble of water. Shortly after being encased in this bubble, the warriors soon rose to their feet, all injuries gone along with all fatigue.
As a user of water, Myst could harness the healing properties that lied within. Inside the gourd on her back, there was water stored up for her to use on the injured warriors. The bubble that she covered the warriors in was her special healing treatment. It was the same treatment that allowed Ryu to be standing now, instead of…
After she healed all of the warriors that she could, she returned to where the rest of them were, followed by Erman and Tommy. Julian found his way to where they all were. And the young princess gathered with them as well, particularly curious about HiroNaz and her father standing with each other.
Ryu trembled, not out of the fear of the seriously outnumbered situation that they found themselves in, but rather at the fact that their nation’s most powerful warriors were all assembled together. This battle may not have been going well, but that was about to change.
He watched as Enen raised his hand. All eyes gathered on him, wondering what he was about to do. He didn’t speak for a moment, but still kept his arm raised. Finally, after what seemed like ages, he spoke.
“…Ryu… I know that this has been a very difficult four days for you. I know that we have lost many of our proud warriors, and even now, I can sense the amount of danger that we are in. But, you have done well, and I am proud to have placed things in your care while I’ve been away. Thank you.”
Fully ready now to take the fight once again to Blood Thorn, Ryu nodded his head, and raised a hand in front of him. A small gust of wind came from his fingertips.
“Thank you, Lord Enen. It is an honor to hear those words from you.”
Enen kept his hand raised as he continued to speak to all of them.
“Erman and Tommy, my brothers. I appreciate you both for watching over the village, the nation, and my daughter. Let’s finish this, and bring peace once again.”
“Yes, Lord Enen,” they both spoke in unison. Tommy had one of his arms in a sling, and the other flickered in a slight flash of electricity. Ryu saw something move inside Erman’s shadow.
Enen turned his head to his daughter. Although the mask covered his mouth, Ryu could almost see him smiling.
“My daughter, you really have become strong. I’m so proud of the ninja that you have become.”
He turned his head back to face the enemy.
“Make your father even more proud.”
She smiled back at her father, and stood straight as her skin flashed grey.
“Of course, Daddy!”
Enen now turned his head to HiroNaz, and Ryu could see a mixture of apprehension and determination within the eyes of the young warrior that Enen had recruited.
“HiroNaz…”
The young man seemed to be jolted from his thoughts as Enen spoke to him.
“Yes, sir?”
“Have the preparations been finished?”
“Yes, sir. The seals are ready, and they’re waiting for my signal.”
“Very good. Now…you have your mission.”
Suddenly the young man’s eyes became clear with crystal determination. Two blades materialized in his hands from thin air.
“Yes, sir.”
The Blood Thorn warriors began to stir. They were still afraid of Enen, but their thirst for blood was slowly overcoming their fear.
“Julian…”
The young man with pink hair stood still and silent. He didn’t even look over to Enen. He was too busy focusing on the enemy.
“I placed you in an awkward position with your work, but I thank you. We know what we’re up against, thanks to you. Now, I just you need you to find those two.”
Murmurings among the enemy soldiers as they saw this young man, beginning to realize who he was. Julian still stood still, and held his tremendous and odd-looking sword pointed directly behind him.
Enen then turned once again, facing his younger brother standing right next to him. He then made an uncharacteristic move for their leader by shoving his elbow into his brother’s side. His brother didn’t even flinch, but looked over at his older, yet shorter, brother.
“It looks like the towers get to fight together once again.”
The giant nodded his head. Ryu watched as he clenched that huge fist of his, and Ryu thought he could see a flash of metal within his knuckles.
Anon and Myst stepped forward, coming close to where Enen stood.
“Blood Thorn is before us. Anon, Myst. I know that fighting against them is something we have been waiting for a long time. Each of us has our reasons for fighting them, but remember. We must not lose ourselves in this, no matter how justified we may be. Let’s finish this.”
Anon looked coldly at the warriors of Blood Thorn, and her eyes, unique just like Enen and Myst, peered through them, ready to strike. Myst crouched lower and lower to the ground, loosening the gourd from her back, and letting it fall to the ground.
Enen took a single step forward, still keeping his arm raised. As Ryu saw the step, he also felt the temperature around them all rise. Blood Thorn shrunk back a step, still keeping their distance from Enen.
Enen stopped moving forward. Ryu could feel his heart beating in his chest in anticipation of returning to battle. He was eager to finish this as well.
“Let’s begin.”
With these words, Enen finally dropped his arm. At that moment, Ryu and the others scattered, tearing through the ranks of Blood Thorn. As Ryu fought with revived intensity, he kept his mind on a multiple track.
We’ve been at war for four days now, but this is where the battle is really starting. This will be the real decider. This is where everything will really be finished. Within the next day or so, their warriors or Blood Thorn. One of them would fall…
