Dragon Flames

Chapter 7

By: Malaca

Malaca was blinded by the power of her friends auras. She struggled to get away from their colorful hues of the rainbow. The Ronins that were standing over looked at each other in puzzlement at her odd behavior of squinting and moaning in pain. They look to Kayura in hope that she knew what was going on. The chiming of the ancients staff suddenly stopped when Malaca raised a single hand weakly and mental commanded it to become quiet. The Ronins held their ears in pain from the mental shock of her demand. Dais looked up at Kayura in shock.

"How did she do that?" he asked quietly.

Kayura was silent in answer.

Sekhmet glanced down at the huddled figure in Ryo's arms, "I thought only the clan of the ancients could command the staff."

"Even then it does not always listen," Kayura told them in amazement.

Malaca pushed herself deeper into Ryo. The colors had flared up farther after she had told the staff to stop. It hurt bad.

Kayura kneeled down even with Malaca, and placed her free hand upon her forehead. Malaca instantly found relief; the colors retreated behind a wall that the kneeling figure had given her. Malaca sighed before she fell unconscious from the strain. Kayura looked up.

"This one is sensitive, her mental barrier was trashed from the battle. I placed a ward around her so that your auras would not bother her so much."

"Well," Sekhmet stated as he stood up as brushed off some dirt, "I guess we should get her and Halo, I mean Sage inside."

Kayura nodded and then watched as Sekhmet helped Ryo up. She glanced over at Sage and Mia. Kayura smiled shortly as she also saw Kale help her get the wounded Ronin inside.

'Amazing, after all this time the nine armor bears are beginning to trust each other. What brought about this change of heart? Certainly not of their own free will, or was it? The girl, it had to be the girl. And what of this armor she called to herself? The Ronins didn't seem to surprised about it, so she must have worn it before. I have to ask Mia about her and her armor. I wonder if it has its own virtue? Oh well, I'll just have to wait and see.'

Mia sat at her computer desperately trying to erase memories. They came unbidden to her mind, trapping her in guilt. She slammed her hands down on the keyboard, the tears coming freely now.

'If only..'

"NO!" she cried as she held her head between her hands.

'If only I wasn't there, then Sage wouldn't have jumped in the way to protect me! I love him so much, but how can I tell him that. The Flirt King loving me back! Ha, that was too funny to be true.'

'Then why aren't you laughing?' her conscious asked.

Mia sighed confused about it all. She jumped when the door opened.

"Who's there?" her voice was shaky.

Rowen's head popped out from behind the opening door. He waved shortly. Mia sighed again.

"Mia what's wrong?" Rowen asked moving over to her side.

"Nothing, you just scared me, that's all," Mia answered rubbing her temples slowly.

"Mia, what's wrong seriously? Your not upset about Sage are you?"

Mia was silent.

"I was right, you are blaming yourself about Sage!"

No answer.

Rowen touched Mia gently on the shoulder. Mia jumped as though she had been shocked. Rowen tried to make her look at him, but Mia kept her face away from him, ashamed by her thoughts.

"Mia what happened to Sage is not your fault," Rowen told her gently.

Mia sniffed, "Yes it was. If I was never involved with you guys, you all would have never had to hurt yourselves in an attempt to save me!"

Rowen hugged her gently, "I know that we wouldn't have it any other way, Mia."

She looked at him in the eye, tears running swiftly down her face, "The things I said to you guys this morning! Rowen, I'm so ashamed!"

Rowen chuckled slightly, "We didn't take any of those things seriously Mia. We knew you were stressed out and everything."

She sniffed again, "Really?"

"Really," Rowen answered.

"Now, don't worry about Sage, he'll be all right, you'll see!" Rowen told her pulling away.

Mia nodded shortly, and then smiled at Rowen.

"Thanks."

Rowen nodded as he walked away, "Good luck Mia with what you were doing."

Mia smiled again, and then looked up in surprise as she saw Rowen watching her in the door way.

"What is it Rowen?"

He was silent in answer. Mia was confused by his actions.

~I just wanted to let you know that Sage really cares about you, and would never let you come to harm~

Mia gasped in amazement as Rowen left her to her thoughts.

'The Flirt King cares about me?'

Colors floated blending together in a magical dance of the seasons. The world was changing yet again; Malaca was balking.

"DRAGON! DRAGON WHERE ARE YOU?"

Smoke formed up, collapsing upon itself. Glowing a bright shade of green, the Eternal Dragon appeared in front of her. His eyes glowed yellow, reflecting the massive galaxies in their vast pupils.

"What is your wish to speak?" he asked in his throaty voice.

"Dragon, why have the demons returned to the Eastern World? Do they follow me from the Western world?"

"Malaca, you should know that the demons have existed in the Eastern World for as long as there have been people there. These demons are referring to are from the Western World, but I must inform you that they are after you."

"Why, what is going on over there?"

"The demons have rebelled against the Hunt in all nations."

"What, the demons are winning the battle against the Demon Hunters?"

"Yes, Malaca, they are winning."

"What should I do?"

"The Hunt from all over are coming here to destroy the impending evil. You need not to hide this from the Ronins, they will support you in your quest. You are the one that must destroy the Demon Lord. Only then will the Hunt once again be winning the wars."

"I understand, Dragon. I will do your bidding."

Malaca bowed to the dragon.

"Rest now, dragon-child, rest."

The muted colors faded away leaving Malaca in pitch black darkness of rest.

"Kento, what are you doing?"

"KENTO STOP IT'S NOT DONE YET!" yelled Sai.

A loud crash could be heard in the kitchen. Kento ran out holding his head cursing in Chinese. Dais burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing at spider boy?" Kento exclaimed.

Sekhmet held in a bit of laughter as well. Another crash sounded in the kitchen. All eyes turned towards Kento. He raised his hands in defeat.

"It wasn't me!"

"Sai, what is wrong with you? SAI?"

"I SAID OUT OF HERE! GO AWAY!"

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TORRENT?"

*Owww*

Kale came running out of the kitchen, also holding his head in pain. Sai emerged from the kitchen's swinging door. He shook his spatula in warning.

"If any of you come in this room again, I'll personally shove this thing up your butt!"

"Geez Sai, what's wrong?" Kento whined.

"I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG KENTO! HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO COOK WHEN YOU ARE DROOLING OVER MY SHOULDER?"

Kento cowered at Sai's raised voice. Rowen looked up from his reading in the living room. He sighed loudly exasperation.

'Can't they ever be quiet?' he asked himself as he entered the kitchen.

He came from the quiet living room into the room of absolute chaos. Sai was chasing Kento around with his Spatula raised high. He yelled a battle cry charging forward. Rowen dropped his book on the ground in shock.

"Sai, what are you doing?" Rowen asked in amazement.

Kale ran out from behind an overturned table to cower behind Rowen.

"Strata, you've got to stop him! He's going crazy!" Kale yelled into his ear.

Rowen looked up to see Dais dodging an attack from Sai's spatula. Sai turned around sharply and connected with Kento in the same swing. He looked around again trying to see who else was in the room. He saw only Sekhmet smirking in the corner watching Dais and Kento getting bashed by his formal enemy. Rowen rolled his eyes. He wouldn't have quiet until they stopped. Rowen pulled Kale forward to stand next to him. Kale whimpered.

"Have some guts man!"

Kale looked at Rowen like he was crazy, "He doesn't have a death wish about you Strata."

Rowen rolled his eyes, "My name is Rowen, Kale. I don't use your armor name, do I?"

Kale looked at him strangely again, as if saying can we discuss this at some other time?

Rowen sighed, "Okay, help me then?"

Kale snorted, and Rowen took that as a yes.

"Come on!" Rowen yelled pulling Kale forward.

Kale jumped away to hind once again behind the table.

Rowen rolled his eyes, "Warlords."

Rubbing his hands together he jumped forward, catching Sai by the collar in the same movement. Sai struggled to get free, kicking his legs out in an attempt to kick anyone in his path. Rowen sighed, and spun him around. Sai positively glowered.

'Something must be really bugging him to make him go ballistic like that. He's normally so mellow,' thought Rowen.

Sai spat out, "What do you think your doing, Rowen?"

"And what do you think your doing, Sai? Do you not remember what happened yesterday? Sage and Malaca are hurt, so you might want to keep it down to a low roar."

Sai stopped struggling. He looked down, ashamed of his actions. Rowen sighed and patted him on the back, motioning him to go back into the kitchen.

"It's okay Sai. We are all a little testy lately."

Sai nodded before heading back into the kitchen, his spatula waving backwards in a silent warning to the rest of the Ronins and Warlords. Kayura, who had been outside meditating during the whole mess, walked in. Her eyes gapped at the destruction.

"What did I miss?" she asked in confusion.

Rowen sighed walking off to his books, "Nothing."

Kale appeared from behind the overturned table, "You missed Torrent, I mean Sai, go absolutely insane Kayura! If Rowen didn't do something we'd be all dead!"

Sekhmet snorted, "At least 'we' didn't cower for protection Kale."

Kento looked over at the warlord, "I didn't see you help any Sekhmet!"

Sekhmet chuckled softly to himself, I wasn't the one who was bothering the young Torrent."

"WHAT IS WARLORD'S OBSESSION IN CALLING US BY OUR ARMOR NAMES!" Kento yelled in frustration.

"SHUT UP!" returned Rowen from the living room.

The Ronins and Warlords were instantly silent except for quiet mutterings from the Warlords.

"I never thought I would see the day when I would be bossed around by someone not even twice my age," muttered Dais.

The rest of the warlords nodded in agreement. Kento snorted; where were the other Ronins when he needed them to prove a point.

"Ahh!" he exclaimed slapping his head with his hand.

"What now?" exclaimed the warlords.

"I forgot to get something!" he yelled running out the door.

Dais dropped to the ground holding his head.

"It's a scary thing when Dais gets a headache," Sekhmet whispered to Kale.

Kale nodded and followed Dais out of the room at a running pace. Kale stopped when he realized Kayura wasn't following them. He ran back to find Kayura still watching Dais in concern. He grabbed her arm quickly and dragged her out of the room against her protests.

"What is wrong with you Kale?" she exclaimed rasing her voice higher than they had ever heard in their life.

Sekhmet raised his eyebrows and stepped in before Kayura could kill Kale.

"It was for your own good, Kayura. You've never seen Dais get a headache; it's murder to stay in there with him," Sekhmet hushed her.

Kayura pulled back, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ALL OF THIS BEFORE?"

Yelling was exchanged back and forth. Rowen sighed from his position in an armchair across the room.

'Is there no God?'

Ryo sat stiffly curled in a hard chair. He watched her slowly breathe in and out. His thoughts drifted far away. Ryo heard his friends making a ruckus downstairs, and yet he ignored it. He smiled briefly at Malaca's resting form. Her wounds had been bandaged, and according to Sekhmet, the poison was nearly completely out. That was good, for what Malaca said had disturbed him. He didn't know that she was a healer. Who was she exactly? They knew little to nothing about her life before becoming a Ronin. It was one of the things she had avoided ever since she came to live with Mia and them. Ryo sighed in thought.

'We moved back here after the first attack, and yet that isn't entirely true. Rowen and I had nowhere to go because of our parents. I have none that I know of, and Rowen's are divorced. He only told me and Sage the truth about his father and mother though, as Ryo had only told Rowen the truth about his father's death. Rowen's mom had left him with his abusive father, who constantly beat him after and before his mother left him. He was to drunk to even notice that Rowen never did anything to deserve it.'

Ryo sighed again; what secrets did Malaca possess? Who was she? That demon, Yara, had called her Eclipse and Niccole. Is Malaca not her real name? The demon also called her a Slayer and one of the Hunt; what did that mean. Ryo rested his chin on his raised knees.

'So many questions, and yet no answers in sight. We know that she has parents, a family. At least her father is not dead like mine. Her mother at least cares for her. I don't even know if my mother is even alive.'

Ryo looked towards the opened window, 'Sage, Sai, and Kento persuaded their parents to allow them to come to school in Tokyo which was good. They couldn't tell them the truth. That evil once again threatened the Earth and that they were needed to fight a millennium old battle. No, that would do no good. With the warlords here because of some strange reason they wouldn't explain until Malaca woke up, we need something to pull us together as a team. Something to unite us in the battle against evil. Maybe some kind of project that would allow us to learn to work together.'

He huffed perplexed, 'If only Anubis was here; he would know what to do in this situation. He always had good ideas in this manner.'

Ryo pulled back surprised. He hadn't had any thoughts about the dead warlord since he had been buried a year ago. Shaking his head he stood and stretched. He was worried about Malaca, and yet in his heart he knew that she was perfectly capable in handling herself. A loud yawn startled Ryo from his pondering. He looked over to see Malaca sitting up holding her sore ribs in one hand. Ryo's face brightened in a smile.

"Hey," he said softly, "how do you feel?"

She looked up at him and smiled as well, crocking out, "I feel like I was hit by a semi and dragged for several miles."

Ryo chuckled, "In a way you were. Hey, what are you doing?"

Malaca looked up from trying to stand, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"You just woke up from a really bad battle, and you expect that I'll let you get up already?" he asked in shocked amazement.

Malaca grunted as she felt her legs go out from beneath her. Luckily Ryo caught her before she hit the ground.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"My legs, are spazing out on me."

Ryo cocked his head in confusion. Malaca sighed.

"Muscle cramps," she told him simply.

Ryo nodded, and picked her up, cradling her in his arms.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she squawked.

"Warm water is the best solution to those cramps," he replied.

He walked off towards the connecting bathroom. Ryo swung open the door with his hip, and carried her to the toilet. Malaca sat down on the toilet seat with a sigh. Ryo looked at her with concern before starting the warm water in the bath tub. Malaca looked at him accusingly.

"You aren't staying in here are you?"

Ryo smiled, "You have clothes on."

Malaca huffed, "I can handle myself."

Ryo caught her again as she tried to stand up. He pushed her back to the toilet seat.

"Not in this condition you won't," he told her firmly.

"I'll get you some clothes to change into after your done with your warm bath."

Malaca sighed as he walked off, 'He's so nice, and I like him so much. But, I know that no man would ever like me at all. That's what he said.'

She sniffed ignoring the tears that welled up in her eyes, 'I can't think of that now, with the Hunt being overwhelmed.'

Ryo entered the room again with a clean pair of jeans and shirt. Malaca nodded in his direction. He frowned as he saw the remains of a tear streak down her face.

'Something has hurt her, and yet she still stands strong.'

Ryo walked over to the bathtub and tested the water. It was warm enough. He shut off the water, and looked over at Malaca. She was watching him warily. Ryo smiled mischievously in her direction. Malaca half smiled back. He picked her up gently to carry her to the waiting tub. The water swelled around her as she softly was placed in by Ryo. The water instantly soothed her tremors. Malaca sighed in relief. Ryo smiled in happiness, and sat down to wait for her to be done. He could wait as long as he had to.

Hey all-

Malaca here. Glad to finally get this chapter done. Yes, I'm going to put Malaca and Ryo together, maybe! And what is Malaca's unknown past? Who are the Demon Hunters, and what does Malaca have to do with them? You questions will be all answered in time! HEHEHE, I love leaving such strange clues. Oh, well. More sugar on my part.

Malaca

Note to self: Talk to a psychologist.