Demon Lord

by: Malaca

Chapter 5

Kento shifted nervously as he watched Kayura preparing to teleport them all to California. He had never liked teleporting. He didn't think anyone would, the whole prospect of your molecules being ripped apart and then being put back together was slightly freaky to him. What would happen if they were put make together wrong? Would he come out as a whale or something? Kento shivered slightly as he pushed it out of his mind. No way was he jumping through hoops the rest of his life.

Sai nudged him in the side, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Kento denied.

Sai shrugged and pulled back recognizing the silent plea for him to retreat and leave it alone.

"Everyone get in a circle around me holding hands!" called Kayura concentrating.

Sage gave Mia one last hug good-bye before joining the circle of power that they were forming. Mia waved as the circle got brighter and brighter until it finally faded away. She sighed and patted Ulie's shoulder as she went in.

Ulie was silent giving them his luck.

Ryo shook his head to clear it from confusion as he looked around briefly in wonderment. They were in a different house all right. It matched the description that Mia gave them of the house that Malaca had rented with Mia's help. The rest of the Ronin's glanced around as well taking in they're surroundings. Kayura lowered her arm and staff as she too looked around.

There was no Malaca to great them. Ryo frowned and cast out his senses looking for her. She was there, a bright blaze of power and made no attempt to hide herself from them meaning that she was expecting them even if she wasn't there to greet them herself. Ryo recognized it as a calling. He sighed.

"Where's Malaca, Ryo?" Kento asked picking up the couch and looking underneath it.

Dais pushed the couch down, "I don't think that she is underneath the couch Kento."

Kento glanced up; "He said my name! It's a miracle!"

Dais scowled and whacked the warrior over the head with a hand.

"This isn't funny guys. I think Malaca's on a hunt and we are going after her as backup," Ryo said.

Sage glanced up, "Maybe it would be better for us to stay here and wait for her to return. We shouldn't chase after her all night. We might continue to miss her as we go around."

"Sage's got a point," Kale commented.

Sage raised an eyebrow at Kale. Kale just shrugged in answer.

"We are going after her," insisted Ryo.

Rowen pulled him back, "Chill man, I want to go after her as well, but we have to think about this before we do anything."

"I think I've solved this problem Ronins," Kayura said stepping up, "I will stay behind with the Seasonals. We'll wait here until you return with her."

Ryo nodded, "Fine, lets go then. We're wasting time here."

Malaca stalked after them quietly, although it wouldn't matter if she didn't because her target was driving in three different cars. She wrinkled her nose at the choice the watcher had made. It looked like it was falling apart as he drove it although she had to give the car credit. It was still running for the watcher, so she'd leave the looks alone for now.

When Malaca had first found out that Cordeila, the one who had first snubbed her at school helped the Slayer out on emergencies, Malaca had about fallen out of her chair in surprise. She had never expected that such a person could possible in any way ever be useful. Apparently she hadn't expected the un-expectful this time around.

They were heading North and stopped at a park to park the cars. Giles was motioning towards his trunk. The others followed and watched as he opened up the trunk and brought out the mother load of medieval weapons. The vampire grabbed a broadsword that had been sharpened on both sides; Oz grabbed one of the crossbows. He wasn't the only who grabbed one. Cordeila and Willow grabbed one as well leaving Xander and Giles with a stake each that they promptly hid in their belts.

Malaca chuckled underneath her breath. They were certainly prepared for the worse, but could they handle the amount of demons that had been converging at this spot. Malaca doubted it. Vampires were running in packs all over the place. The smallest group that she had come around was twenty-five and that wasn't the norm for vampires. Something big was coming down. The Demon Lord was bound to show up sometime soon. And with the Slayer in his hands, anything could happen.

Malaca froze as a massive power suddenly appeared in her senses. She relaxed as she recognized the power searching around. It stopped once it hit her leaving her with the feeling that it didn't approve searching for her. Malaca smiled, it took Ryo long enough to show up. The fun was about to begin and she wanted them in for the show. After all, they had to get used to fighting demons more often if they ever were going to beat Talpa and the Dynasty.

Malaca jerked out of her revue as she heard a car door slam. She glanced down. Make that a trunk door slam. The slayer's friends were out on the chase. She sighed knowing she would have to follow. She stalked off silently following them keeping to the shadows so she wouldn't be seen.

"Now in a normal case I would suggest we split up, but for the severity of this situation I think it would be better to stay together. We don't want anyone else to be captured," Giles whispered to them.

Angel nodded agreeing. Even if he doubted that the thing that took Buffy could take them while they were together, he'd seen the uprising of demon activity lately and it would be wise not to give the demons an easier time to stop them.

"Do you really think that we can stop this thing?" asked Oz skeptical.

Giles glanced at him.

"It's just that tomorrow is the night before a full moon, you'll be down two people instead of one. Those are not good statistics."

Giles sighed and pushed up his glasses, "We still have to try."

"Trying is good," exclaimed Willow nervous.

"I'm still all for waiting for the four hundred year armor guys to show up and save us," Cordeila pointed out.

Xander rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah they are just going to show up out of nowhere."

"Ryo slow down!" cried Sai.

Ryo tried to skid to a stop when he saw Xander standing in his direct path. His speed proved too much for him and he ran right into Xander sending them both tumbling down to the ground.

"Oomph!" Sai and Rowen the two fastest stopped more successfully, but their sudden stop was unexpected for Kento's large frame. Kento slam right into them causing the two Ronin to fall face first on the ground with Kento sitting on top of them. Sage trotted after them and gave them a simple grin. He was the only Ronin that had managed to stay on his feet. Oz blinked, "Remind me never to do that." Cordeila looked them over, "They don't look four hundred years old." Ryo sputtered lurching to his feet. He shook his head to clear it and then looked around. Where had all these humans come from? He thanked whatever entity in the sky that they weren't wearing their sub-armor when they came upon them. He glanced down-wards at the boy that he had run over. He reached down and offered Xander a hand up which Xander promptly took. "Kento get off!" cried Sai.

Kento looked down, "Oh, do you want me to?"

Rowen fumed, "KENTOGETTHEFUCKOFFBEFOREIBEATYOURASSALLAROUNDWITHMYBOW!"

Kento blinked, "I guess you do."

"KENTO!"

"Okay, okay, hold your horses."

The Ronin of Hardrock pulled himself up off of his friends and then offered them a hand up. Sai took it without a second thought. Rowen waved it away.

"Give a man time to groan flubberbutt," he muttered crossly.

Kento snorted undignified, "At least I offered."

"Hey, who are you guys? What are you doing wandering around here?" Cordeila called out to them.

Sage raised an eyebrow at the girl. He learned a long time ago not to mess with a female holding a potential weapon whether they could actually use it or not. Kento was more tactful.

"Why is she holding a crossbow?" Kento asked in surprise finally looking around. "And why is she holding a crossbow?" he asked turning to Willow. "And why is he holding a crossbow?" he asked one more time looking at Oz.

Giles scratched his head; "Yes, um…well we're hunting."

Sage cocked the other eyebrow, "What are you hunting in these woods?"

"Um.." answered Xander.

"Deer," rushed Willow.

Rowen rolled his eyes, "No you're not. If you were hunting you wouldn't be using those old fashioned crossbows from the 1900's, or would you be hunting in a underdeveloped residential area, nor would you be hunting when it's not hunting season."

He then shrugged at the looks he got; "A guys got to have his hobbies."

"It doesn't matter why we are out here, why are you?" Cordeila asked with a turn of her nose.

Sai scratched his head, "Well mates, would you believe that we were hunting too?"

Angel moved in front of Buffy's friends. Rowen and the other jumped back.

"HOLY SHIT A VAMPIRE!" cried Rowen as he shifted into a defensive stance.

Angel blinked, "How did you know that?"

Sage wrinkled his nose; "Your aura is…dead…"

Ryo frowned, 'If this was a vampire then why hadn't Malaca killed him yet?' He glanced around, 'I can feel her close too, she's probably watching us right now. It would figure she likes watching us confused. But why is he alive?'

"I don't like this guys, I don't know what to do with this thing," Kento shifted nervously.

Rowen looked over at Ryo; "Do you know why he's alive?"

Ryo shrugged in answer.

~She's here isn't she?~Rowen asked.

Ryo nodded.

~Then call her out to explain.~

"GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW, MAL! WE KNOW YOU'RE HERE!" he shouted.

Cordeila winced at his voice; "Ouch, warning next time."

"She's right Ryo, you don't need to shout. My hearing is fine," Malaca said as she emerged silently out of the shadows making the Slayerettes jump.

Xander dropped his jaw, "Malaca?"

"Oh look it's the Jap," Cordeila sighed.

Malaca gave her a look that could melt steel. Cordeila looked away and Malaca smirked. She still had it.

"Malaca," Giles asked flustered, "Do you know these people?"

She nodded and Ryo ran over and gave her a hug. As he released her Rowen tackled her from behind.

"Rowen," she wheezed.

"Hm?"

"I can't breath!"

Rowen blinked and then dropped her. Malaca panted from lack of oxygen.

"Thanks."

"Do I know you?" asked Angel feeling as though they've met.

"Yeah, Mal. Why isn't the vampire dead? I thought you were better than that," Kento smirked.

Malaca rolled her eyes, "Oh come off it Kento. I knew he was one, I let him live for a reason."

"And that would be?" Sai asked.

Malaca gave Angel a soul-searching look, "Because he has a soul."

Rowen blinked, "Oh shit. Is it just me or does this seem to get freakier and freakier by the minute?"

Hey all!

Looks like I got this part out pretty fast! Are you surprised as I am?
Well it’s because I have limited internet access right now ‘cause I have
to use my aunt’s until we get our own service. In a way it’s a good
thing. I actually can get some writing done without interruptions.
Sigh Well this series is running smoothly, and what I really can’t wait
to write is the short story after this called “Just a little vacation”
with the Ronin’s going on vacation together including the warlords and
Keller, the soon to be introduced Mystic Ronin of the Centaur armor.
Gotta run, ja!

Malaca

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