Blood Bond

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It's been a while and I have a little bit of time. Don't know if I can finish posting the whole story as this one is longer than the rest. First, some background material: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rurouni_Kenshin For those not manga/anime inclined, the only things you really need to know is that Rurouni Kenshin was a former assassin. He learned superhuman sword techniques from his master. He renounced his assassin past and refuses to take another life and even uses a special sword. There was another article that I borrowed heavily from for the names of the sword techniques, but I cannot remember where I found that article. Enjoy!

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Blood Bond​

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Chapter 1 – Into the Light


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She ran. To a casual observer, she looked almost like an average woman running headlong in a mad chaotic fearful run through a thick dark forest in the middle of the night. She wasn’t. Her seemingly panicky run was interspersed by frequent prodigious leaps and bounds from one tree trunk to another. She would stay near a tree for several precious seconds before leaping away to another with a mighty jump that would have put any Olympic class athlete to shame. Her long heavy overcoat, capable of deflecting knives, claws and even bullets became a liability in her flight. After being caught more than once on an errant branch, she shrugged the overcoat off and threw it with all her might in another direction. She hoped that it would throw off pursuit for a few more minutes. She tightened her weapons harness again and touched her sole remaining weapon with an intimate caress. Her sword, which had been with her for so long, which had seen her through so many battles, was about to see her through one last battle.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It wouldn’t be long now. Already, she could hear the howling as her pursuers found her scent once more. Where had it all gone wrong? As she ran, she gave the question serious thought. It had all started when she and her Elder Amelia had come to this accursed country. It was time for the coven to reunite once more and she had gone ahead of her Elder, at Amelia’s request to scout out the situation from the shadows. The vampires in this country had become decadent without the direct leadership of their Elder Viktor. She snorted at the thought. How anyone could willingly put their destinies in the hands of that scheming pervert was beyond her. Still, at least he was better than the sniveling Kraven. Her full lips arched upward in a smile of contempt. At least they both got what they had deserved. Her investigation into her Elder Amelia’s murder had led her into the heart of the lycan nest. She had watched from the shadows as Viktor’s Death Dealers were massacred by the savage lycans. Served them right! Who in their right mind attacked a lycan nest during a full moon? Her investigation had pointed her right to Kraven. She had followed him into the warren and had barely managed to escape with her life. She did manage to witness Viktor’s death at the hands of his precious Selene. She had not been close enough to hear what was said between them, but she was sure it hadn’t been pleasant. She had tracked Kraven back to Viktor’s mansion and again, had watched from the shadows as he and his team tried to murder Marcus but was in turn killed by the first true vampire. Being stupid was a trait that Kraven had taken to the grave. Marcus had left the mansion after that. She was not sure where or on what errand, and she certainly didn’t want to find out. With her Elder dead, she really had no where else to go. A few days later, she had felt a severe headache that had threatened to tear her head apart. That was when she knew that Marcus was dead too. She didn’t know how and she didn’t really care. Unfortunately, the lycans seemed to have known that something was up, hence her current mad dash through this evil forest with dozens of blood thirsty lycans on her trail.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]So why was she running? Wouldn’t it be better to turn around and face her enemies in one final glorious battle? She was outrageously outnumbered, that was true, but she was used to overwhelming odds. She touched the sword on her back lovingly. She thought about her sensei, dead these last couple of hundred years. He had not wanted to teach her at first but she had been most persuasive. Perhaps it was time to unleash everything he had taught her. Perhaps it was time for these vile savage lycans to feel the full wrath of her sword techniques. Her master’s techniques had not been seen in hundreds of years - techniques that were reinforced by the might of her immortal body and vampire strength. Yes…Perhaps it was time.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]An abnormality up ahead almost made her pause in her flight. It was a man…no, a boy. He was standing in the middle of the forest, looking around as if he were in wonderland. He was dressed in faded jeans and a torn t-shirt. Her eyes met his briefly before she dashed pass him.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Damn it! Who was he? What the hell was he doing here? She glanced back to see him take a fighting stance, right in front of a charging lycan. Shit!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Before she could think twice, she zipped back down her flight path, grabbed the boy and hauled him after her. She jumped once, twice and then decided to take a short break when the boy she had just rescued tried to break free.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]What the hell is going on?” he demanded.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She didn’t have time for this! The pack was closing in! “Come with me if you want to live.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The boy gave her a firm nod. She decided that she would have to increase the estimate of his age. He was showing a lot of maturity for someone caught in the middle of a waking nightmare.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Her enhanced vampiric hearing caught the sound of a running lycan. “Too late,” she said quietly. The young man followed her gaze until he too saw the lycan. Instead of cowering in fear though, the young man stood firm. What an idiot! She pushed the young man roughly to the ground behind her and charged the lycan.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Her sword flashed in her hand as she leapt. It flashed again as she swooped out of a picture perfect somersault. The lycan’s head flew off its shoulders in a spray of thick viscous blood. Her sensei would have been proud of her Ryukansen-Arashi technique.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The young man approached and asked, “What the hell is that?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She replied in a grave voice, “That is a lycan.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A what?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A lycan. Short for lycanthrope.” The young man looked confused so she looked him straight in the eyes while trying to ignore how pretty they looked. “A werewolf.” She saw the dawn of comprehension and gave him a grin that purposely showed off her extended canines.

 

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“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Oh shit,” said the young man in a soft voice that showed his understanding. The young man’s soft brown eyes were slightly upturned at the ends, giving him a look that was undeniably Asian. In fact, the young man very much reminded her of –


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A long howl punctuated the darkness. She grabbed the young man’s hand and pulled him after her. She kept a fast and furious pace and the young man was hard pressed to keep up with her.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The duo came upon some very large trees and the vampire saw an opportunity to try to throw off the pursuit. She grabbed the young man from behind and jumped up to the nearest branch that was about twenty feet off the ground. She tightened her grip on the young man and leapt to a higher branch on a neighboring tree.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She leapt again and again until she decided to settle on a large branch, some eighty feet off the ground.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]As soon as the young man had gathered his wits, he asked the question that must have been paramount in his mind. “What the hell is going on?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She didn’t answer right away. Instead she stared at him for several seconds, trying to decide how much to tell the young man. She hated getting innocents involved in the war, but she had to accept that the young man was involved the second she had crossed paths with him. She looked away, and then looked back; her mind was made up. “There is a world, underneath the regular day to day mundane drag, and this…Underworld, is at war.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]War?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She nodded gravely. “For centuries, the lycans and the vampires have been at each other’s throats. Literally.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The young man mulled that over and then asked, “So, that thing back there…that was a lycan…a werewolf?” The woman in black nodded again and he forged ahead. “And…you’re a vampire?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She flashed her fangs at him again. To another vampire, the flashing of fangs during a smile was usually an early sign of flirting. Was she flirting with this young man? Certainly she was impressed with his bravery, but that didn’t mean she was attracted to him, did it? “What was your first clue?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The young man barely managed to avoid rolling his eyes. A normal human probably would have missed it, but she was anything but a normal human. Her attempt at humor had been understood. Good.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]My name is Alexandra,” she said. “My friends call me Lexi, but if you say it’s because I look sexy, I’ll suck you dry!” she finished with a close-mouthed grin.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The young man returned the impish grin and said, ““My name is Shoryu.” He held out his right hand and she shook it firmly. “Thank you for saving me back there.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]You’re welcome.” His hand left a warm imprint on hers it almost made her miss his next question.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Um, I don’t want to seem ungrateful or anything, but why did you? Save me, that is.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She said the first thing that came to her mind. “Well, I am a vampire after all. Perhaps I wanted to snack on the run!” Damn it, she thought, she [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]was[FONT=Arial, sans-serif] flirting!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]They shared a laugh that probably had more to do with sudden nervousness on her part than actual humor.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Seriously, I think you had a pretty fair lead on that lycan back there. If you hadn’t stopped to pick me up, you could have outrun him and his friends.” Shoryu was looking at Lexi with a rather intense gaze.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She looked around in a vain attempt to pierce through the thick branches. Not even her vampiric vision was up to the task though. “Perhaps,” she said with a shrug. “But, most of the Death Dealers are dead along with the Elders. The coven is destroyed. The lycans appear to have finally won the centuries old feud. Perhaps I’m only running to see how many of the bastards I can take with me before my turn to die comes.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu looked confused but tried to rally. “Death Dealers? Is that what you are?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi shook her head and held her head up proudly. “Not just a mere Death Dealer. I am a Kill Master! My Elder, Amelia, named me herself.” Her expression turned dark once more. “She was treacherously struck down by the lycans and their traitorous vampire co-conspirators.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She saw the confused look on his face and decided to explain further. “The Death Dealers are the militant arm of the vampire clan. No, not just the militant arm. They specialize in the hunting and killing of lycans. Their skills and strength are well beyond those of the average vampires – most of whom are weak and decadent. A Kill Master is one whose skills and strength are beyond even those of the Death Dealers and whose lycan kills number in the thousands.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A faraway howl silenced the pair. They listened for several moments but when they didn’t hear anymore howls, they relaxed a bit. “The war has raged for over eight hundred years. I have been fighting it for a very long time and I’m tired. I’m tired of the constant fighting, tired of losing my comrades one by one to those disgusting animals, and most of all, I’m tired of seeing innocent parties be dragged in against their will. If that lycan had bitten you, you would have turned into one as well, and I would have had to kill you.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu didn’t say anything. Instead, he kept looking at Lexi with the same intense look, almost as if he understood exactly what Lexi was trying to say. She flushed under the intensity of Shoryu’s gaze and looked away to hide her flush. When she got her temperature under control, she looked back and when she next spoke, her voice conveyed her curiosity and wonderment. “You weren’t scared. A fully changed lycan was charging at you full bore and you weren’t scared. By the time I turned around to grab you, you looked as if you were prepared to fight the lycan bare handed. Not a very smart move, but incredibly brave.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]As a warrior, Lexi could understand and respect the spirit of a fellow warrior. She could still remember how Shoryu had looked as he adopted a fighting stance and prepared to meet the lycan head on. Not many seasoned Death Dealers would attempt to fight a lycan barehanded. That was one of the problems with this war. With the advent of new weapons capable of bringing down both vampires and lycans, like the UV rounds and the silver nitrate bullets, both sides were losing much of their combat prowess. Battles shouldn’t be fought from a distance with tiny bullets capable of killing a vampire with one shot. It should be fought up close and personal, steel against claws.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]So, that sword of yours, is it made of silver?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi was a little surprised at the naiveté of the question. Then she remembered who she was talking to. She chuckled softly and then said, “Silver? Where did you get that silly conception? Never mind. I know. Many of the stories concerning the weaknesses of lycans were told by the lycans themselves. Call it a campaign of disinformation. Silver will slow down a lycan, whose speed by the way, is incredibly fast, but will not ultimately kill it. However, I have always found that a lycan without its head has a hard time staying alive.” In fact, her sword was an almost priceless artifact from an almost forgotten age. It had been presented to her by her sensei when she had completed his rigorous training. Thinking of her sword made her think of her long dead sensei, and suddenly she realized why she was so attracted to the young man in front of her. He reminded her very much of her sensei. She knew the dangers of prejudging based upon appearance, but not only was Shoryu of the same race as her sensei, his face held the same battle-hardened maturity combined with a youthful zeal. What was with her attraction to Japanese men anyway?


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Oblivious to her inner musings, Shoryu nodded his understanding and asked, “How about vampire weaknesses? Are they all false too?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Her face turned grim, as she said quietly, “Not all of them.”

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]There was an awkward silence as both Lexi and Shoryu searched for a topic that was less sensitive. The sound of a branch cracking was all the warning they hand. In a flash, she jumped to her feet just as a snarling snapping lycan leapt onto the branch. As it lunged for her, she planted one foot solidly on its head and then somersaulted into a vertical back flip. As she came back around to face the lycan, her sword flashed straight and true and bisected the lycan’s head down the middle. As it fell, Lexi allowed her back flip to carry her off the branch and down and down towards the ground. As she glided down, she fervently hoped that the young man she had saved would have the good sense to stay on the branch. The lycans wanted her, and may decide to leave him alone in favor of the more attractive prize.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She saw several dark shapes below her, milling around at the base of the tree where she and Shoryu had been sheltering. She was in a perfect position for a Ryutsuisen strike. She landed briefly on a small branch, picked her target and then dived off.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A large dark bundle of snarling savage fury hit her from the side and knocked her off course and away from her intended victim. It was all she could do to keep the lycan’s snapping jaws away from her unprotected face and neck. One bite of those fangs would mean instant death for her.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The reverse, of course, was also true. She pulled the lycan close and blocked one taloned arm with the hand holding her sword. With her other hand, she gripped the lycan’s lower jaw and pushed up, exposing the lycan’s throat. She ignored the lycan’s other arm and let it thrash uselessly behind her. She bared her fangs and bit the lycan’s vulnerable throat. It thrashed around in agony as her fangs transmitted the vampiric virus. She knew of only one being who had ever survived having both the lycan virus and the vampire virus in its system. Unfortunately for this lycan, it was not related to Alexander Corvinus. Lexi used the momentum from the lycan’s death throes to rotate their falling bodies so that the lycan was beneath her as they hit the ground.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She bounced instantly away. She transferred her sword to her left arm and held the sword reversed, with the blade pointing upwards. In the dark, and in their currently changed and enraged state, the lycans wouldn’t see the sword as a threat until it was too late.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A man emerged from behind the ranks of the massed lycans. “Kill Master Alexandra,” said the man. “We meet at last!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi spit on the ground and grated, “Dog! How did you become leader of the pack?” Similar to the way her Elder Amelia had used Lexi as an inconspicuous shadow to scout out potentially dangerous situations, Lucien had often used Dog to sniff out vital information. Far from being the strongest lycan after Lucien’s death though, Dog was intelligent and cunning in both of his forms.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Dog threw back his head and laughed. “With Lucien dead, I of course, emerged as the strongest.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi spat again. “Lucien was 10 times the lycan that you will ever be. He, at least, was worthy of my blade!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Ah, but he’s dead - killed by his own treacherous vampire co-conspirators. I, on the other hand, have no intention of placing my trust in vampires!” Dog gave a wordless signal and the horde of lycans moved in.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A lycan charged her from the side. The sword blade dropped to her side, and her right hand grasped the tsuka just under the fuchi. The blade of the sword rested on her left forearm, simulating the saya that was on her weapons harness. Her right foot was forward, and with her sword against her side, the lycan didn’t see it as a threat.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]As a lycan came up, Lexi hunched her shoulders and swung her sword out in a deadly arch and pushed off with her feet in a forward jumping lunge. The lycan’s blow went over Lexi’s head at the same time that Lexi’s sword swept through the lycan’s stomach.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Ryushosen,” hissed Lexi under her breath as the lycan fell to the ground in two separate pieces.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rather than halting her lunge and contemplating her handiwork, Lexi used her momentum to start a spinning motion that allowed her to avoid another lycan’s attack. As her body completed a full rotation, her sword swept around and cleanly beheaded her adversary.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She landed with the gracefulness of a cat, her sword was held in a ready position in front of her. No more lycans attacked her. They were obviously intimidated at the ease with which she dispatched her foes. Her sensei had taught her the Ryukansen-Tsumuji technique, but only someone with superhuman strength and speed could have strung two of her sensei’s sword techniques together.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The bulk of the horde formed a large circle around her. She was effectively trapped. Now, it was just a question of how many of the disgusting creatures she could kill before they pulled her down.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A strident authoritative voice called out, “Hold!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]As one, the lycans held their ground. Lexi stayed in her fighting stance, awaiting the next lycan attack with her sword at the ready.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Kill Master Alexandra, I’m sure we can pull you down eventually,” said Dog in a haughty tone. “But, allow me to entertain you with one last game before your death!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi followed Dog’s gaze and looked back. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene. Her new friend Shoryu was in the arms of a huge lycan. The lycan’s virus tipped fangs were inches from Shoryu’s unprotected throat. “No! Leave him alone!” cried Lexi. “He’s not part of this!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Ah, but he is my dear,” crooned Dog. “He became a part of this the minute we saw him. We can always use more cannon fodder for our ranks.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The lycan’s jaws snapped shut in an unspoken threat. Lexi understood the implications immediately. Drop her sword, or the boy would get bitten or eaten. Lexi scanned the group. She could still get away. She was much faster than her adversaries and much more agile too. She could get away, but then what? The chase would continue, only this time, the young man who so reminded her of her sensei would be one of the disgusting animals baying for her blood.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She saw the expression on Shoryu’s face. He wanted her to run. Lexi straightened out of her stance and dropped her sword.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Please,” she said softly, “let him go.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The surrounding lycans all howled their laughter at the full moon. Dog grinned evilly as he gestured to someone behind Lexi. Two brutish lycans sauntered up and each grabbed one of Lexi’s arms. When she was safely immobilized, Dog wandered up, picked up Lexi’s discarded sword and stood in front of her.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]You surprise me, Kill Master. I didn’t realize vampires had hearts. You make this all too easy!” As if to punctuate his last word, Dog drove Lexi’s sword into her right shoulder. If possible, her pale ivory face turned even paler. She clenched her teeth, but refused to cry out in pain. She would not give them the satisfaction! Dog arched an eyebrow and said, “Impressive, Kill Master. The night is young though. I wonder if we can make you scream before the sun comes up!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]At the mention of the sun, the first signs of fear crossed Lexi’s face. She had seen only a few vampires die from sunlight. It was not as quick a process as popular fiction often portrayed. It was a slow burning that leaves the victim screaming right up to the moment when the poor unfortunate’s throat was burned out.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Dog held up his right hand in front of Lexi’s face, letting the moonlight settle on it. It changed into a large fur covered hand with long razor sharp talons. Slowly and with agonizing precision, he drew the talon of his index finger down the front of Lexi’s outfit. She bared her teeth again, and again refused to cry out. Her dark blood flowed down the line of the cut and was barely visible against the background of her black outfit. Dog grabbed the cut ends of the outfit and pulled them to the sides, exposing Lexi’s pale breasts to the moonlight. The lycans howled their anticipation to the moon.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It zips from the back, you moron!” said Lexi through grated teeth.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I know it does,” responded Dog with an evil grin. “But, this is much more fun!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]With his left hand, he fondled Lexi’s exposed breasts with a tauntingly gentle caress. “You know,” he said conversationally, “rumor has it that vampires are great lays. In fact, I hear they rutted on Amelia like animals before they ripped her throat out!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi hissed in anger at the mention of her dead Elder’s name. Dog threw his head back and laughed. How dared he?! Lexi knew it was a lie. Amelia’s beautiful and perfect body was marred only by the raw bloody wound that was once her throat. It had been done intentionally since death by blood loss was second only to death by sunlight.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Dog!” Every eye turned to look at Shoryu. “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi saw the resolute expression on Shoryu’s face and she instantly knew what he was planning. No! She couldn’t let him sacrifice himself. She strained against her captor’s embrace and almost missed what happened next.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]GUYVER!!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A brilliant sphere of light engulfed Shoryu. There was a brief splash of blood as the lycan who was holding onto Shoryu became separated from his arms. Strange tentacle like things sprang from Shoryu’s back and encapsulated him. They wrapped themselves around his head, his chest and arms, as well as his legs and feet. An instant later, the tentacles flattened and merged with each other, leaving Shoryu completely covered in some kind of armor. Twin vents of compressed air streamed out of two rectangular-like holes on the helmet, where a mouth should have been. The armor was completely black. The eye pieces were blue and bug like. There was a tall fin cresting the helmet and a high collar protecting the back of the neck.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The figure that used to be Shoryu took one step forward and Dog drew back, fear was etched all across his face as he beheld something that was totally beyond his simple understanding. “K-kill it!” he cried. Terror infused his quivering voice.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The mysterious figure flexed his arms and two long sword-like weapons extended from the forearms, just above the wrists. Lexi had never heard the word Guyver before, but strongly suspected that whatever it was, she was looking at one right now.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A lycan lunged at the Guyver’s back and clamped its jaws on the armored collar. Lexi winced as she saw several fangs snap off. The Guyver dove forward, rolled and then leapt into the air. The left sword swept through the lycan and cut off its head. Another lycan attacked and the Guyver ducked under the talons and cut the lycan in half with his right hand sword. A third lycan managed to hit the Guyver from the rear, but the Guyver recovered quickly and retaliated.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi used the commotion to her advantage. As soon as she was sure that all eyes were on the unfolding action, she broke free and wrenched her sword out of her right shoulder with her left hand. With the same motion, she parted Dog’s head from his shoulders.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Just as the lycans who had been holding her began to react, she somersaulted backwards and lashed out with her sword. The lycan on the left fell and its head rolled away. Lexi landed in a crouch as the other lycan charged her. It swung a mighty blow that went over her head. Lexi straightened from her crouch and slashed upward with her sword. The lycan fell back with a spray of blood that came from a vertical wound that began from its groin and reached to its throat.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Everything became chaotic after that. Lexi’s sword left a trail of blood and death as it wove through the ranks of the lycans. Gone was conscious thought. Gone was the self acknowledgement that she had allowed herself before for her earlier kills. All the techniques she had learned from her sensei, techniques that were designed to confront multiple opponents while protecting the weak, blurred together until they became an endless stream of movement that left no prisoners.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Her new friend needed no protection though. His odd swords clove through the lycans as if they were immaterial shadows. His movements were somewhat clumsy though, and he was hit several times. However, none of the hits managed to make even the smallest dent in his armor. What the Guyver lacked in skill, he more than made up for it with his ability to leave as many dead lycans littering the forest floor as Lexi.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Perhaps it was from a silent signal. Perhaps the lycans all lost heart at exactly the same moment. Whatever it was, the result was the same. As one, the surviving lycans broke from the fight and fled into the night.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]In the sudden absence of battle, the silence of the forest was stunning. Lexi and the Guyver were left staring at each other. Neither was completely unscathed, but neither had suffered any major wounds. The various cuts and scratches that had managed to penetrate her tough outfit were already healing. Even the wound in her shoulder from the sword thrust was almost healed.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi walked up to the Guyver and gave him an appraising look. His appearance was utterly alien to her, but the warrior in her could respect the power and agility that the Guyver had. She reached up with her right hand and touched the Guyver’s chest. “So soft,” she said softly, almost as if to herself. Her left hand brought up her sword and tapped his chest with it. The sword and the armored chest made a high-pitched metal on metal [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]chink[FONT=Arial, sans-serif] sound. “Yet hard,” her eyes widened in astonishment.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Their eyes met, and Lexi could feel nothing but admiration and respect for her friend. There was also a certain amount of attraction but she made sure to guard those feelings. “I like the look. Your sword work on the other hand, is positively atrocious. We need to work on that!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I like your look too,” the Guyver said in a bantering tone. His voice, however, came out metallic sounding. “You look just as sexy as your name implies!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi blushed and then remembered her earlier words. She flashed her fangs while a little voice in the back of her head accused her once more of flirting. She didn’t care. She caressed her canines along the Guyver’s cheek and then planted a warm kiss on the same cheek. This had gone beyond flirting now. It was almost in the courtship stage! It had been a long time since Lexi had even bothered with vampire courtship. However, her emotions were riding high right now, and it felt right to ride the crest of the wave.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She pulled back and looked for signs of mutual attraction in the Guyver’s bug like eyes. They were unreadable, but she thought that she could see at least some interest in the way the Guyver’s head was tilted to the side ever so slightly.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Suddenly, a mad chorus a howls interrupted the almost intimate moment. Both the Guyver and Lexi stared down the path where the howls were coming from. She didn’t know how good the Guyver’s eyesight was but she counted well over fifty lycans.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She tightened her grip on her sword and held it in a ready position. Her face froze in an expression of barely contained fury and determination. This was it! She was going to die now. There was no way, not even with the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu techniques that she possessed, could she hope to live through the mad titdal wave that was surging towards her right now. However, she vowed that she would not go down easily, nor would she die alone.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi was surprised when a surprisingly gentle hand grasped her shoulder and pushed her back. The Guyver’s hands reached up to his chest plates and Lexi heard a strange sound that made her think of wet rags being shredded.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A strange unnatural light came from the Guyver’s chest while a low barely audible hum vibrated in the night air. The hum rapidly grew in volume and intensity. At the same time, the light coming from the Guyver’s chest grew brighter and brighter. Lexi didn’t know if she should cover her ears or close her eyes.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Before she could decide, the choice was taken from her. A vast tidal wave of light burst from the Guyver’s chest and smashed into the horde of lycans. Just before she was forced to close her eyes and cover her face with her hands though, she saw the lead lycans simply disintegrate under the destructive beam.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Even with her eyes closed and her hands covering her face though, the light was too intense to be completely blanketed out.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A few seconds later, the light disappeared, and Lexi hesitantly uncovered her face and opened her eyes. The silence in the forest was deafening, but it was nothing to what her eyes saw when they adjusted to the darkness of the night. There was nothing left of the lycan horde. It fact, there was nothing left of the forest directly in front of her. It was as if God had laid down His mighty hand and negligently backhanded the lycan horde away. There were several charred and smoking lumps though, and Lexi wasn’t sure if they were the remains of trees or lycans.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]What on earth was the Guyver? What kind of power did this being possess? Lexi touched a hand to the Guyver’s shoulder and turned him around. She stared directly into his eyes and she could feel the wonderment and amazement spilling from her own.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]All of a sudden, the Guyver’s armor split and lifted up and off. The tentacles regained their individuality and pulled back into the back of Shoryu’s neck. The young man who had identified himself as Shoryu stood revealed once more.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi gazed into his face. The similarities to her sensei were still there. Of course, Shoryu lacked her sensei’s blazing red hair. His beautiful face also lacked the X shaped scar that had adorned her sensei’s face for most of his life. There was a haunted look around his eyes though. It was the look of a person who was used to wandering. A vagabond. She was sure, without asking, that Shoryu had spent much of his life running.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She touched Shoryu’s face lightly for a moment before reaching around to the back of his head and pulled him close. She kissed him, full on his lips, and the electric thrill of the contact spread through her entire body. She felt his arms encircle her in response and she nearly melted into them. As her body leaned in though, she felt a different kind of response from the young man.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She pulled away slightly, glanced downward and then back up to his furiously blushing face. “Is that a roll of quarters in your pocket or are you glad to see me?” she asked tartly.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]His hands stroked down her back and came to rest piously at her waist. “Definitely glad to see you…alive that is.” His hands stroked up her arms and onto her shoulders. He gently pushed her back a bit so that he had a clearer view. “And I’m definitely glad to see so [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]much[FONT=Arial, sans-serif] of you!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She was sure her own flush matched his as she suddenly remembered that she never did have a chance to pull her outfit back over her exposed breasts!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu gently grabbed the cut edges of her outfit and pulled them together to cover her breasts. Now her outfit looked as if it had a cleavage all the way down to her waist. She flashed him a brilliant smile and leaned into his neck. Her fangs caressed his skin before she moved her mouth up to his and gave him another full-blooded kiss. This was definitely in the courtship stage!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The kiss ended slowly as both of them came to realize that the night was no longer as dark as it once seemed. As they broke the kiss, they both turned as one to look at the light that had appeared as if by magic about twenty feet away. He took her hand and led her towards the light.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi was entranced by the light. She knew, instinctively, that the light was a doorway of some kind. Was this how she had come to meet Shoryu tonight? She had lived for over eight hundred years and had never heard of anything that remotely resembled the Guyver. Was he from a different world? Or a different dimension?


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]About two steps away from the light, they paused. Here, the feeling that the light was actually a doorway was even stronger. But a doorway to what? There was only one way to find out and an almost overpowering sense of curiosity gripped Lexi.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu took a step forward and Lexi followed. He took another step, but Lexi resisted. He looked at her and she looked back with an anxious expression on her face. She glanced around at the forest, and even though she wasn’t thinking about the forest, her meaning was quite clear. If they took that next step, Lexi would be leaving the world that she knew, possibly forever. They had no idea of what lay on the other side of the door of light, but only knew that to step through was to step into the unknown.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu gave her a small smile and a lopsided shrug. It was a comical gesture that said, ‘where’s your sense of adventure?’ However, his eyes said something else entirely.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi didn’t know much about her new friend, but she did know a few things. He was obviously a warrior, used to a life of war and loss. In her mind’s eye, she could once again see anguish on his face as he silently urged her to run and the defiant look on his face just before he changed into the Guyver. How many times had Lexi felt the same surging emotions? Too many times. This world held nothing for her now, other than bad memories of endless centuries of death and war. She had no ties to anyone, except to the strange warrior holding her hand. She may not trust the door or what lay beyond, but she knew that she could trust Shoryu.



[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She smiled at him then. An open faced, honest smile that showed her understanding, acceptance and trust in him. Her eyes glowed with anticipation and excitement. They gripped each other’s hands tightly, and together, they stepped into the light.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Chapter 2 – Blood Memories


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu was rudely awakened by the sounds of screams. Not just any screams though. These screams were anguished painful screams from a person’s core. He opened his eyes and squinted in the bright sunlight.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]SUNLIGHT!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu suddenly remembered what had happened and who he was with. More importantly, he remembered [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]what[FONT=Arial, sans-serif] he was with. Lexi lay on the grassy ground beside him, writhing in agony. Her face as well as her hands were smoking and the outer skin had burned away to reveal the raw bloody flesh underneath. Her black outfit was smoking too, as if her body’s internal heat was suddenly more than the tough material could endure.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Damn it! What the hell had happened? Shoryu didn’t let himself be paralyzed. Lexi was in trouble! He tore off his t-shirt and threw it over Lexi’s face. It didn’t help. His t-shirt suddenly burst into flames and Shoryu threw it away with a violent curse. “Shit!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He looked around to find that he and Lexi were on a hill of some sort and there didn’t seem to be any sort of cover. He thought he could see some trees in the distance though. It was his only option and it was better than watching his friend burn to death.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He stepped away from Lexi and yelled, “Guyver!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The killer within burst forth and covered his body. It only took a few seconds for the transformation to be complete, but in that time, Lexi’s combat outfit had started to melt off her body and Lexi screamed in fresh agony as more flesh became exposed to the sun.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu picked Lexi up and tried to shield her as best as he could. He oriented himself towards the distant trees and took off like a land rocket. His telescopic vision told him that there was indeed a forest of sorts in the distance. He fervently hoped that he would reach them before it was too late.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The soft grassy ground didn’t provide decent footing and Shoryu couldn’t reach his top land speed. In his arms, Lexi squirmed and writhed and Shoryu had to tighten his grip to make sure she didn’t slip out.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He saw his chance when he spotted a large boulder. He ran to it and timed a jump that maximized his momentum. At the same time, he concentrated on the orb in his midsection and forced it to bend gravity. As a result, he hit the boulder and then rebounded off and arrowed away from it much faster than before.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]In mid air, he shifted his body in an effort to block as much of Lexi’s body from the murderous light as possible. It helped because Lexi’s screams trickled off into inarticulate murmers.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The momentum from his jump didn’t last forever though. Fortunately, Shoryu was almost to the forest’s edge. He hit the ground running and though this meant shifting his grip on Lexi so that she was more exposed, he didn’t have a choice. Lexi was silent though. She had passed out.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The forest provided some cover but Shoryu had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be enough so he kept running. As he ran, he kept swiveling his head from side to side, trying to spot a good place where he could hide Lexi. He remembered how quickly Lexi had healed from her wounds the night before, and he fervently hoped that her healing ability also worked on burns.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He spotted a clearing off to the left. The sun streamed down through the break in the trees and Shoryu would have avoided the area except that beyond the clearing, there was a cave. Before he could second guess himself, he changed course and headed for the clearing. At the edge, he lunged for a large tree, rebounded off it, and then with the help of the gravity orb glided into the cave head first.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Once safely inside, he gently laid Lexi on the rocky ground and took stock of his friend. Lexi’s once beautiful face was gone. In its place was a bloody and raw facsimile of a face. For a horrible moment, Shoryu thought that Lexi was dead, and that he had betrayed her trust by leading her into sunlight. When he leaned his head down towards her chest though, he could barely make out the beating of her heart and the unevenness of her breathing. She was still alive!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu released his hold on the killer and the bio boosted armor slid off his body and retreated back into the two scab-like sores on the back of his neck. Lexi let out a pain filled groan and Shoryu looked down at her. He wished he knew what to do. Maybe there was something he could do…what did vampires need? He gently rolled Lexi to her side so that he could get at her sword. He quickly undid the straps holding it in place and removed it from her weapons harness. When he pulled it out, he was amazed at how light it felt. Like its owner, the sword was absolutely beautiful.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The blade was about twenty-six inches long and the leather wrapped tsuka was another eight inches or so. The hamon was an irregular wavey line that ran down the entire length of the blade. While growing up, Shoryu had seen many imitations, but somehow, he knew that what he was now holding was the real thing. How on earth did a vampire with a European accent get her hands on a real authentic historical Japanese katana? And not just any katana! On the blade, just above the habiki, there was engraved a name written in ancient Japanese: Arai Shakkuu. The name sounded familiar to Shoryu, but at the moment, he could not place it.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A groan escaped from Lexi’s charred lips and Shoryu pushed all other thoughts from his mind. He quickly drew the blade across his wrist and ignored the sharp pain. His blood flowed from the wound and he held his wrist to Lexi’s mouth. The blood dripped down and Lexi unconsciously swallowed the fluid of life.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The change was almost instantaneous. The charring around her lips disappeared and her lips regained their luscious fullness. The skin around her face healed and Lexi’s beauty was restored. Shoryu glanced down her body and noted with satisfaction that the flesh that had been exposed when parts of her outfit had burned off was healed too. He quickly glanced away when he realized that many of the holes in Lexi’s outfit were in embarrassingly strategic places.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Suddenly, a strong hand with a grip like a vise gripped his hand. It pulled his hand down towards a blood filled mouth that had two extended canines. Shoryu instinctively resisted the pull and a feral growl escaped from Lexi’s throat. Her eyes were glowing blue, just like the night before, but this time they had a wild untamed look.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi! It’s me, Shoryu!” exclaimed Shoryu. He remembered what Lexi had said the night before about being bitten by a lycan. He didn’t know what would happen if Lexi bit him and he didn’t really want to find out. “Lexi! Snap out of it!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi snarled and pushed herself up. She grabbed Shoryu with her other hand and pulled him closer. Shoryu tried to resist but found that he couldn’t. In his current state, she was much stronger than him. Her fangs reached for his throat and he closed his eyes and prepared to call the killer forth. At this range, transforming into Omega Guyver would severely harm Lexi, but he couldn’t let her bite him.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Suddenly, Shoryu flew back as if pushed by a rushing bus. He hit the far wall with an audible [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]thunk[FONT=Arial, sans-serif] and he fought to stay conscious. He looked up and saw that Lexi was still in a crouch that made her look like some sort of wild animal. There was a crazy look in her eyes, as if she were barely holding back a rampaging beast inside of herself.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Get away!” The voice didn’t sound like Lexi at all, even though it came from her mouth.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi, it’s me! Are you alright?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Get out!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]But –“


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]GET OUT!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu edged towards the cave entrance. Lexi’s eyes followed him like a predator stalking a prey. Her body made a half lunge towards him.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]GET OUT!” she screamed again.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]This time, Shoryu turned and ran out of the cave. There was a wordless howl behind him that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up, but he didn’t look back. He paused in the clearing, to let the sun warm the goose bumps on his arms. Another howl from the cave behind him kick-started his heart and made him run once more. What had happened? He was only trying to help! He recalled the crazy angry expression on Lexi’s face and prayed that he wasn’t the cause of it.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi screamed and writhed on the cave floor. It had been centuries since she last drank live warm blood from the source. The bloodlust that currently possessed her was goading her to run out, seek the source of the blood and drink it dry. She fought it though. She fought it with all her might. She just needed a few more moments and then she would have control once more…just a little more…


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Like a snap in her mind, the bloodlust vanished. Lexi sat down on the rocky ground and panted deep hoarse breaths. Sweat dripped off her brow in rivers. The fight with her bloodlust had left her physically and mentally drained. When the memories hit her a moment later, she was completely unprepared for them.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The world around her disappeared and in its place, a flood of images and sounds overloaded her consciousness. She found herself on a battlefield…


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]GUYVER!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]GUYVER!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]GUYVER!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A swarm of monsters crested a large hill and charged down towards her. They were practically all shapes and sizes. There were ones that resembled monkeys, some that looked liked rhinoceroses, and others that waved long scaly tentacles in the air as they ran.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Other monsters stayed back on the ridge, as if the charging monsters were simply cannon fodder. If the charging monsters were hideous mockeries of normal animals, the ones that held back were monstrous mockeries of normal humans. They were smaller, but she intuitively knew that their power dwarfed anything else on the battlefield.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]To either side of her, were two beings that looked familiar. One was light blue and the other was dark purple. Somehow, she knew that these two were Guyvers. The two Guyvers waded into the ranks of the monsters and clove a path through them. Suddenly, she was moving too, even though she had no control over her body. Her hands came up, into her vision and she could see that they were armored like the other two Guyvers, but her armor was completely black. A ball of light formed between her hands and the orb in her midsection. It grew in size and then the hands pulled back before throwing the glowing ball of super condensed pressure at the charging monsters. As the ball left a trail of destruction in its wake, a word came to her mind: Zoanoids.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The monsters were called Zoanoids and the leaders that were hanging back were called Zoalords.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A painfully thin Zoanoid jumped out of the ground in front of her. Before she could think to react though, a brilliant beam of light shot from her forehead and decapitated the Zoanoid. It fell to the ground and immediately started to dissolve.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Her conscious mind finally caught up with her. She wasn’t part of this battle. This battle had happened a long time ago. She was seeing it again through Shoryu’s eyes. Thanks to his gift of blood, she was now witnessing the memories that were embedded in it.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The battlefield blurred and suddenly, she was face to face with a beautiful Japanese girl. The name Miyu flashed through Lexi’s mind. Miyu closed her eyes, pursed her lips and leaned in…


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Miyu’s face blurred and then took on another expression. This time, Miyu’s face was frozen in a combination of anger, terror and pain. Her hair was tangled in the grasp of a gigantic beetle-like Zoanoid. Her neck was dripping blood from where it had been ripped from her body…


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The scene shifted...she was on a lonely hilltop, accompanied by the light blue and the dark purple Guyvers. The light blue Guyver screamed a scream of defiance and madness. Lexi watched on in horror as he reached up to his own forehead and ripped a round metal medallion out. It trailed long vine-like tentacles that reached forlornly for the empty hole where the medallion used to be. The blue Guyver’s scream of madness turned into a scream of pain. The light blue armor turned into a mush-like substance that dissolved inward. With last of its strength, the light blue Guyver crushed the metal medallion. A few seconds later, nothing remained of the light blue Guyver but a pool of acidic slush.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Father!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi’s black armored hand reached out in a vain attempt to do something. A dark purple armored hand grasped her forearm and a metallic voice spoke to her. “Let him go Shoryu. It was his choice. He has lost everything in this war, including the will to live. You are his legacy. Come, we must rebuild.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi’s arm pulled itself away from the purple Guyver. “You caused much of his pain. You betrayed him time and again. You used him…used me like a pawn. Never again Agito!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Don’t be a fool Shoryu! The world lies open for us to remold to our liking. We can take control of the Builder’s technology. As Guyvers, we have a natural affinity to everything that the Builders built. We can remake this world!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]My father’s pain drove him mad. Your ambitions have driven you just as mad Agito. I have lost Miyu, and now I have lost my father. I’m done with this war!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]You’re not done until I say you’re done, boy!” The purple Guyver stepped back and ripped open both of its chest plates. The twin lenses of his megasmasher glowed as they charged up.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi’s/Shoryu’s right arm sword flashed out and swept through Guyver III’s unguarded neck. His head rolled off his shoulders and his megasmasher fired blindly into the air. After the blast, the headless body fell to the ground a couple of feet from the head. The arms groped blindly in a vain search for the missing head.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]You think you can stop me this way?” Foolish boy! I’ll crush you!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I am Omega Guyver old man. I am what you will never be: a natural born Guyver. Your weakness is the control medal in your head. I have no such weakness because I AM the control medal!” Lexi raised up her foot and stamped down on the dismembered head. She ground her heel in and the control medal popped out. Almost right away, the Guyver organism that made up the bio armor began to dissolve and eat its own host.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Guyver III writhed in silent agony. Lexi pulled out her chest plates to reveal her own megasmasher. A few seconds and a mighty tidal wave of light later, she became the sole surviving Guyver…


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The visions stopped as suddenly as they had begun. Lexi collapsed onto the cave floor in exhaustion. Damn it! The memories had been so intense but so completely disorganized. She had no idea as to what order the memories happened in, but at least now, she had had a glimpse into her new friend’s history. It appeared that Shoryu’s life had been every bit as tragic and bloody as her own had been.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi glanced down at her body. It had completely healed from the effects of the burning sun. She had vague memories of being carried but couldn’t remember exactly how she had gotten into the cave. She did remember what had happened after that though. She had screamed at Shoryu to get out while in the midst of fighting her bloodlust. She hoped that he hadn’t misunderstood. He had saved her life, both from the sun and with his gift of blood. She looked towards the mouth of the cave and squinted when she saw the sunlight outside. Shoryu had run outside. There was nothing she could do right now. She would have to wait until nightfall before going out to find Shoryu. She owed him her thanks as well as a heartfelt apology. With her plan set firm in her mind, she lay back down on the rocky ground and closed her eyes. It wouldn’t be the first time in her long life that she had to take her rest on such a hard surface, but never before had the rocky terrain felt so…comfortable. She didn’t give it anymore thought though, as she molded her body into a shallow depression. She quickly fell asleep, completely unaware of the changes going on inside her body.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Chapter 3 – Survival


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Unbeknownst to Lexi, the gift of blood from Shoryu carried something else. The bio boosted organism that was the Guyver, existed in every part of Shoryu. It was in his body, his genes, and most especially, his blood.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]While not quite aware in its own right, the bio boosted organism was definitely alive, with preprogrammed instructions for survival. As it was absorbed into the bloodstream of its new host, it took stock of its new environment. It quickly realized that its new host was flawed. While its new host was powerful and fast, it had one critical weakness - UV rays. The bio boosted organism didn't have enough intelligence to analyze why this was so. All it knew was that somehow, when UV rays hit the cells of its new host, a chain reaction was started that generated and magnified heat.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]This would not serve the bio boosted organism's survival mandate. The bio boosted organism had no choice. It had to merge with the cells of its new host to ensure mutual survival. Unfortunately, this would also mean that the bio boosted organism would no longer technically be a Guyver, but that was a small thing compared to living.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The merger would take some time to complete. Though the organism had patience, it noticed another more alarming occurrence. There was not enough of itself to completely merge with its new host. Not only that, it was slowly losing cells. It would need to replenish itself somehow.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Since there was nothing that the organism could do about that particular fact, it ignored it and proceeded with the merger. As it continued, it noticed one other thing about its new host. It had latent abilities that were not currently fully enabled. It was as if the host was slowly evolving, and after a few more hundred years, these abilities may surface. Again, the organism had no way to activate these abilities, so it simply ignored them for now and kept merging itself with its new host with single-minded purpose.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Chapter 4 - Courtship


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It was nightfall when Shoryu finally returned to the cave. He had explored the countryside in an effort to forget what had happened earlier that day. He hated himself for running out on Lexi earlier. She had put her trust in him and he had abandoned her. God only knew what she thought of him now!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The night was quiet as Shoryu entered the cave. His eyes were already adjusted to the darkness, but he could not see Lexi anywhere in the cave. He suppressed a sharp feeling of panic as he went deeper into the cave. He could not see any trace of Lexi anywhere. He thought he could see a dark patch on the ground where Lexi had been and tried not to think about the dark patch being Lexi's blood.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He turned around and raced out of the cave. Where was she? Was she still mad at him? Was that why she had left?


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Outside of the cave, Shoryu found several tracks that he had missed on his way into the cave. Most of the tracks were his; going in and out of the cave. There was one set, however, that was made by a smaller set feet. These footprints wandered around the clearing before making their way purposefully into the forest.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]One of the more useful skills that Shoryu had picked up in the great Kronos war was tracking. However, in the dark, without the aid of any artificial lights, it was very challenging. A warm breeze briefly surrounded him, making him feel a bit more comfortable, even though he didn't have his shirt. He had found the remains of his shirt earlier, but hadn't bothered to retrieve the rags that it had become.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu followed the tracks as best as he could, with the aid of the half moon and the stars. He lost the trail a few times before finally losing it completely. There just wasn't enough light to see the tracks! He briefly considered calling forth the killer. As Omega Guyver, he would have amplified vision. He cast away the notion as quick as it had come. No. He would do this as himself!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A faint sound wafted through the forest and tickled his eardrums. If he didn't know any better, he could've sworn that it sounded like trickling water! He listened carefully for several minutes. Yes! Definitely water!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He followed the sound while carefully making his way through the tall grass and densely packed trees. After several minutes, he came to another clearing. In the moonlight, this clearing almost made him gasp in amazement. In a word, the scene before him was beautiful!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]At the far end, there was a tall hill from where a small waterfall flowed. The pond that was formed at the base of the waterfall foamed slightly before allowing the water to flow into a small river. In the middle of the pond, was Lexi. She stood briefly, illuminated by the moon in all of her natural glory, before diving under the water's surface. She emerged like a mythological mermaid under the waterfall, and let the water flow over her naked body.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu was mesmerized. He knew that it was wrong to peek at Lexi at what was obviously a private moment, but he found that he just could not pull his eyes away. She was easily the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had a trim atheletic body, a heart shaped face, full pouty lips, a cute nose and large luminous eyes.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi turned her back to Shoryu for a moment before turning around again. She had something dark in her hands as she emerged from the waterfall. There was a sensual predatory sway to her walk as she strolled through the water to a large rock. She laid the dark object on the rock and Shoryu could see that it was her combat outfit. Of course! She was letting the waterfall clean it.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu finally got control of himself and managed to look away. He was feeling even more guilty now, having watched Lexi as she bathed and washed her outfit. He took a step backward and was chagrinned when he heard an audible snap. Damn it!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He glanced back at Lexi and saw that she was looking his way. Busted!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rather than look angry though, she gave him a warm smile and beckoned him to come closer. He hesitantly stepped forward. At the water's edge, he took off his shoes and socks and waded into the water. Chills ran up and down his body. The water was freezing! How could she stand it?


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi was showing no signs of being embarassed. She was as natural in her nakedness as she was the night before in her combat outfit.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"I'm glad you finally made up your mind," said Lexi as Shoryu approached. "I could hear you stomping though the forest like a herd of elephants!"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu felt his face heat up at the words. She had known that he was watching the whole time! "Um...uhhh..." he stammered. He fervently hoped that his blush was not too visible.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]His hopes were quickly dashed when Lexi smiled broadly and said, "Awww, you are very cute when you blush, you know that?" said Lexi humorously with her strange but appealing accent.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu couldn't think of a quick come back. He was still trying to find a place where he could safely rest his eyes. Yes he had seen Lexi's breasts the night before, but those circumstances were different. Besides, here and now, Lexi looked infinitely more sensual and desirable. Thanks to the great Kronos war, he didn't have much experience with members of the opposite sex. Miyu had been his only love, and that had been back in high school when he still had a somewhat normal life.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Strangely enough, this time, the thought of Miyu hadn't caused him any pain. He finally rested his own eyes on Lexi's. As with the night before, he was sure he saw something in them...acceptance? Desire? Understanding? Maybe even a connection of sorts? Women were so hard to understand!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi came a little closer and said, "The water is quite nice, once you get used to it. Why don't you put your pants under the waterfall? A few minutes of soaking under that torrent will rinse out the worse of your dirt."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi's words were said so matter of factly that Shoryu almost complied automatically - almost. His hands had reached down to his belt buckle when they suddenly froze in indecision. What was he going to do?

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi watched the emotions range across her friend's face and fought to hide her amusement. Any show of humor at this point might scare away Shoryu and destroy the trust and the burgeoning relationship that was growing between them. He had seemed so mature the night before that she had raised her estimate of his age. Now, it looked as if she would have to lower that estimate once more. Shoryu looked as if he was barely out of his teens. She knew that on the outside, she didn't look much older since she was eighteen years old when her Elder Amelia had turned her into a vampire.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]When she had first heard Shoryu bulldozing his way through the forest, she had thought that something bad had happened, due to his careless approach. He had not been trying to be quiet or stealthy at all. However, when she had first caught a glimpse on him, standing at the edge of the forest, and seen the look of relief on his face, she realized that he had only been concerned for her. That realization had touched her, and had prompted her to pretend as if she did not know he was there. Of course, that had also had the effect of giving Shoryu an unintentional show, but being an eight hundred year old vampire meant that she was comfortable with her body and was not afraid to show if off.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Judging from Shoryu's reaction though, he had nowhere the years or experience that she had. She would have to lead this courtship very carefully.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]That last thought almost gave her a shock. What was she thinking of? Courtship? With a boy who was a small fraction of her own age? That wasn't robbing the cradle. In fact, she didn't think there was a word invented for something like that! She shrugged it off though. Like herself, Shoryu was a warrior, who had faced odds every bit as bad if not worse than the ones she'd faced all of her long life. If nothing else, they had that in common.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu appeared to still be in a state of indecision. What should she do? Should she play the vamp, the tramp, or the girl next door?


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She covered herself demurely, as if she had just realized that she was naked and stepped back. She retreated all the way to where she had laid her combat outfit, turned her back to Shoryu, and pretended to examine the fresh holes in her suit.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Behind her, she heard small splashing sounds and then felt the movement of the water as Shoryu moved past her and headed for the waterfall. After a while, she felt him return. Before she could apologize for her earlier behavior though, Shoryu cleared his throat.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"I'm sorry Lexi."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi turned around in surprise, completely forgetting to cover herself. "Whatever for? You saved my life."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu shook his head vigorously. He was standing in waist deep water and Lexi couldn't help but to notice how finely detailed his muscles appeared on his lean body.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"I almost killed you today. And then later...I'm sorry if I offended you with my blood..."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi let out a disbelieving huff. "Silly boy! You saved me from the sun and then gave me the gift of your blood. I'm the one who is sorry. I almost killed you today."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu's face creased briefly in a frown when Lexi called him 'boy', but then his expression changed into one of perplextion. "Killed me?"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi nodded. "It has been a long time since I have drunk real live blood. Mostly, I have subsisted on cloned blood, like most of the militant oriented vampires. Drinking your blood brought on a bloodlust that I had not felt in centuries. In the midst of such a lust, I would have almost no control over myself and I would have sucked you dry."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu swallowed hard. At first, Lexi thought that he was disconcerted about the bloodlust, but then he surprised her by asking, "Centuries? Just how old are you? You look like a teenager."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi chuckled. "Do you really want to know?"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu nodded his head slowly, almost as if he was uncertain that he wanted to hear the answer.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"I was turned into a vampire during my eighteenth year. That was just over eight hundred years ago."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu's eyebrows went up. "Eight hundred years? That's not so bad. That means that you're only about four times my age."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Now it was Lexi's turn to be surprised. "Excuse me? You don't look a day over twenty!"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu chuckled loudly and swiped a hand over his face. "Thanks! All those years of using Oil of Olay have really paid off!"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi's eyes widened in shock. He was flirting back! Before she could think twice, she launched herself at him and pushed him into the water. They both came up sputtering but Lexi used her superior strength to hold Shoryu down. "You smart ass! How old are you? Tell me the truth!"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Instead of answering, Shoryu reached down under the water, hooked a hand under Lexi's left knee, and then pushed up with his legs. Lexi may be strong, but she weighed less than Shoryu.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi let out a loud [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]whoop[FONT=Arial, sans-serif] as she was lifted out of the water and then barely managed to close her mouth in time as Shoryu dunked her in the water.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She came up sputtered half serious curses but didn't see Shoryu right away. She turned around, just in time to get a face full of water that he had sent her way with perfect timing.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"Ahh! You little brat!" she cried with a laugh in her voice.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"Little?! I may not be older than you, but I'm certainly bigger!"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi tried to charge Shoryu, but was forced back by the water that he kept splashing at her. She tried to splash back, but in this she obviously had less experience than her friend. Of course, she hadn't had very many opportunities to play in the water over the course of her life!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She decided to play smart. She pretended to get water in her eyes and hunched her head down. "Ow, my eyes!" she cried.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu immediately stopped his splashing and came closer. "I'm so sorry Lexi! Are you alright?"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]As he approached, Lexi flexed her knees and jump somersaulted over his head. She landed in a big splash behind him, spun around, and quickly trapped one of Shoryu's arms behind him in a submission hold.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"Hey, no fair!" cried Shoryu indignantly.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"All's fair in love and war, my young friend. Now talk! How old are you?"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu slumped his head forward in mock defeat. "Alright, you win. I'm not sure of the exact number now, but I do know that I'm somewhat older than two hundred."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi released him in shock. Two hundred? Does that mean that he was an immortal? "But what about Miyu?"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu was just about to smack his hand down into the water for a giant splash when he froze. "How did you know that name?"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"It...it was in your blood. Your memories. I saw them. The war, Miyu, your father...I...I was not able to understand them very much, but I think Miyu was very close to you, wasn't she?"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu became serious. He didn't answer right away. He turned and headed for the large rock where Lexi had put her outfit and pulled himself out of the water. "We were high school sweethearts...before the war caught up with us."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi followed and pulled herself up onto the rock beside him. All signs of embarrassment over their respective nudity were gone.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"I...I lost her early on in the war. In fact, I didn't want to fight in the war at all, until she got caught in the middle. I'm not even sure how those Zoanoids found out about her, but I suspect that Agito Makashima had something to with it. He always was a manipulative son of a bitch."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"He manipulated both you and your father, didn't he?" asked Lexi gently.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu nodded solemnly. "My father lost even more than I did. He lost his father, his best friend, and even my mother who died in childbirth. In the end, he had nothing left but the war and when that was over, he had nothing at all."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"He had you."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"We were never close. He blamed me for my mother's death. He never said it to my face, but it was there, every time he looked at me."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"And then he took his own life." said Lexi.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu nodded. "You saw that? Sorry, it wasn't a pretty sight, eh? Anyway, he confided in me of his plans and he told me all of his suspicions about Guyver III, Agito. He told me that after he was gone, to pay Agito back for all the wrongs that he had committed over the long years. After they were dead, I wandered the world for several decades, not knowing what to do with my life. I think I was actually happy when I found that nest of Zoanoids. I guess in the end it was a good thing. Thanks to that last battle, I was able to meet you."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi felt her heart flutter at those words; however, she tried to lighten the mood. "I hate to say this, but you are not as shy as you were when you were spying on me earlier."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu gave her a lopsided red faced grin. "Heck, when in Rome, wear a bed sheet, right? Besides, I'm not as naive as you might think. I may be a little dense sometimes, especially about women, but even I can get the point."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He leaned over and kissed Lexi softly on her lips. She was about to retort with another smart assed remark when the heat of the kiss hit her like a brick wall. She let out an involuntary moan and kissed Shoryu back hard.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The rock was pretty uncomfortable, so without a word, they slipped off and headed for the grassy shore. They stopped in front of a tree where Lexi’s sword was propped up against the trunk and lay down together. There, under the light of the moon and the stars, they expressed their unspoken feelings for each other in a language that was older than either of them.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The bio boosted organism could feel itself slipping away bit by bit. It had merged as much of itself with its new host as possible, but there just wasn't enough actual substance to work with. Its host was still flawed, but the weakness was not as bad as before. Suddenly, it sensed something. There was an influx of more bio boosted material! It didn't understand how this was possible, nor did it care. It just accepted the gift of life and absorbed it into itself. There was precious little of the bio boosted substance, but it was enough for this time, the vehicle for the bio boosted substance dealt with life from a completely different angle. The bio boosted organism learned the message the vehicle taught and applied its new knowledge. Bit by bit, the merged cells began to split and replicate, and a new being began to evolve from the old.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Chapter 5 - The Sensei


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Much later, by mutual unspoken consent, they moved into the cave where they made love once more before settling into each other's arms. The dirty and rocky floor of the cave would have uncomfortable in normal circumstances, but neither cared very much.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi lay with her head on Shoryu's chest, luxuriating in soft warmth of his body. Shoryu's right had trailed up and down her body, sending ticklish shivers of pleasure through her. They were not enough to arouse her, but she reveled in the loving attention of the caresses.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"You know, it's not fair," said Shoryu out of the blue.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi tilted her head up an bit and asked, "What's not fair?"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"You know so much about me, thanks to the memories in my blood, but I know next to nothing about you." Shoryu propped himself up on his elbow, dislodging Lexi from her warm perch. "I know that you're a warrior, and that you have fantastic sword skills, but beyond that, I don't know much."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"We can fix that. What would you like to know?" Lexi sat up and leaned her back on the cave wall. At the mouth of the cave, the light from the early morning sunrise filtered in. Normally, the thought of being this close to the sun was cause for alarm but this time, for some reason, she felt oddly comforted by it.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu looked thoughtful for a minute. "Anything and everything. Like, who are you, and how the hell did you get so good with a sword, and how did you get your hands of an authentic katana? I don't know how different your world is from mine, but in my world, the Japanese strictly control their historical artifacts." Shoryu sat up and crossed his legs.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi smiled a toothy and impish smile. She considered briefly a smart assed remark but decided against it when she saw the serious expression on Shoryu's face. Now was the time for honesty, not play! "In my world, it is very difficult to acquire a Japanese katana as well, unless you were in Japan before all the restrictions came in."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu nodded and indicated with the jut on his chin that Lexi should go on. "I was born in a small village, outside what is now modern day Sweden. It was arranged by my parents that I should marry the son of the pig farmer from a nearby village. Needless to say, I did not find this arrangement to be particularly attractive. However, being the obedient little peasant girl that I was, I respected my parents' desires and went along with it. On the eve of my wedding, a wave of wild lycans attacked both villages and wiped out everyone. I had been collecting mushrooms during the attack. I arrived back in my village just in time for the dead corpses to start turning into lycans."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi suppressed a shudder and Shoryu immediately shuffled over beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. Normally, Lexi shied away from such comforts, but found Shoryu's actions to be very appealing. She snuggled gratefully into him and continued her story.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"I was crying over the ravaged bodies of my dead parents when suddenly, they began to move. My first thought was that they had miraculously survived, despite the dreadful wounds on their bodies. I was wrong...so so wrong.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]My father changed first. I backed away from the ferocious beast that he had become, only to see my mother rise from the dead too. I ran out of our hut and was immediately confronted with dozens of undead corpses that were quickly changing into something else. I would have died then, if my savior had not thundered into the village at that moment with a troop of armored warriors. The mounted warriors dispatched the half changed lycans with brutal efficiency and much later, I found myself looking into the blazing blue eyes of the vampire Amelia.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Amelia was the leader of the troop of vampires. I remember how she had led me through the village where I had grown up. She refused to let me hide my face and explained the lycan menace to me. Then, she asked me the most critical question in my life: 'What is your will, little one?' I wiped the tears from my face and replied with one word: 'Vengeance'. Amelia was not surprised. She turned me into a vampire that very night and I have not regretted my decision once.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Soon afterward, the war ended but I continued to train in the arts of wars. When war broke out again a couple of hundred years later, Amelia dispatched me to track down a pack of lycans that seemed to be making their way across the country. I had a troop of Death Dealers under my command, but one by one, they died along the way. Our one great weakness as vampires meant that we were completely helpless during the day. The lycan leader, Rupert was a canny fighter and he used this weakness to his fullest advantage. When the last of my companions were dead, I continued the chase alone. No matter how many lycans I killed though, Rupert kept swelling his ranks with anyone who was unfortunate enough to cross his path. I suppose that I could have done the same, but I was reluctant to involve innocents. Besides, a newly turned vampire is no match for a changed lycan with the power of the full moon behind it.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I did not know it at the time, but Rupert was ordered by Lucien to create a new branch of lycans in a faraway land, to ensure the survival of the lycans, in case they lost the war. I ended up following Rupert and his band of lycans to a group of small islands. The warriors of this country were reputed to be incredible fighters, and it was probably Rupert's plan to turn these warriors into fierce lycan warriors that were dangerous in both human and lycan form."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi paused in her story and Shoryu put two and two together. "This country was Japan, wasn't it?"


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi raised her face and kissed Shoryu on his cheek. "Where you were born, I believe."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu kissed her back. "You're very observant."


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi said nothing but just smiled. After a few moments, she picked up her story again. "Unfortunately, I lost Rupert's trail. I followed my instincts and began to investigate the sword schools. Of course, my investigations were hampered by the fact that I could only visit the schools after the sun had set. One night, I got careless. In the courtyard, I was suddenly attacked by a woman with a stick. At first, I was hesitant in fighting back, but she was quite skilled. In the end, I was forced to defend myself with my sword. Thanks to my sensitive hearing, I heard the sound of a child crying before she did. That was when I realized that the woman was simply attacking me because she thought I was an intruder of some sort bent on attacking her family. I pulled away and dropped my sword, to show that I had no intention of harming her. She backed away too, and at that moment, a young boy with blazing red hair ran out and hugged the woman. The woman comforted the child and a man who was obviously the child's father strolled leisurely into the courtyard. He had a sheathed sword at his side but he made no attempt to draw it.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He bowed to me and said, "Welcome to my home." He was well mannered but I could tell from his movements that he was poised to attack at a moment's notice. I noticed that he had a fading X shaped scar on his left cheek.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The woman rattled off in Japanese faster than I could follow and the man with the red hair tried to calm her. He was pointing to the sword at my feet and was holding his hands up in a placating manner. At this point, my Japanese was not very good, but I caught the words giant sword and small hands.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I remember thinking; my hands are not that small! But then I compared my claymore to the sheathed sword that the man had, and I realized that for these people, my sword would indeed seem large. In the end, the woman seemed to calm down and the man turned back to me.


‘[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I am sorry,’ he said slowly, as if he understood that my command of the language was weak at best. ‘My wife mistook you for an attacker. There have been many mysterious disappearances lately and she is nervous. I thank you for your restraint and for not harming my wife.’


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The man was incredible! I knew that he had been watching from the shadows. I knew that if I had been overly aggressive with the woman, I would have been in real trouble. I said as much to the man but he shook his head. He gestured to my sword and said, 'You are obviously not Japanese but you are not much bigger than my wife, yet you swing that sword as if it were a feather. You are very strong.'


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I picked up my sword and sheathed it. The man invited me into his home and introduced his wife as Kaoru and himself as Himura Kenshin.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]We talked in his home for much of the night. They told me of the mysterious disappearances, and how during the full moon, there would always be several brutal murders, but the dead bodies always vanished from their graves the next day. I decided then to be honest with my hosts and told them of my mission. They didn't believe me at first but they did after I showed them a little proof.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi smiled a toothy smile that gave Shoryu a pretty good idea of the kind of proof she must have shown.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]"I stayed with them for several nights. They put up with my daytime weakness and we spent the nights talking until they grew too tired to talk. I tried many times to convince my hosts to teach me the ways of their sword style, but while Kaoru-san was more than willing, Himura-san refused. One night, our discussions were interrupted most rudely. It was a full moon that night and a fully changed lycan burst into the courtyard. The lycan was wearing the remnants of a large white cloak. It had a sword that had somehow remained strapped to its waist. I was about to kill the lycan but Himura-san prevented me. Instead, he attacked the lycan with his unusual sword. Himura-san's sword was blunt on the attacking edge and sharp on the inside curve. I had never seen such skill or bravery. He knocked the lycan out, without killing it.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The next night, I was introduced to a tall young looking man. Himura-san told me that his name was Hiko Seijuro[FONT=Arial, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]and that he was his sensei. The full moon phase had passed and Hiko Seijuro told us of his plans. He had been bitten by a lycan belonging to a pack that was hoping to use his skills as a sword master. However, Hiko Seijuro would have none of it, and had come here, hoping that Himura-san would kill him so that he could die as a man. Himura refused, saying that he would do whatever he could to reverse the curse. Of course, there was no way. Once turned, a lycan or a vampire could never again become a true human. The discussion grew in intensity and volume and ended with Hiko Seijuro challenging Himura-san to a duel to the death. Hiko Seijuro threatened that everyone that Himura-san cared about would suffer the same curse if the challenge was not met.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I didn’t understand at the time why Himura-san refused to kill, or why he had such an unusual sword. However, I saw an opportunity here to kill two birds with one proverbial stone. Hiko Seijuro was my link to Rupert and his pack. I interrupted the discussion and accepted Hiko Seijuro’s challenge.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hiko Seijuro looked disdainfully at me and said, ‘Foolish woman, do you want to die so much?’


‘[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I am a Death Dealer, and I am here to exterminate the lycans who have cursed you.’


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hiko Seijuro did something strange then. He took off the remnants of the white cloak that he had been wearing and he threw it at me. From his body language and the haughty expression on his face, I knew that he was fully expecting me to drop the cloak. I did not drop it, but the weight of it certainly surprised me. I handled the cloak easily, thanks to my vampire strength, but Hiko Seijuro’s face registered his shock. He gave me an appraising look then and then said, ‘I accept your challenge.’ Then he looked at Himura-san and said, ‘My stupid apprentice, if you do not want your friend to die, then you will teach her the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. I will give you two months. Meet me in the place where you learned on the night before the full moon. Death Dealer, I will bring the cursed pack, and after you have killed me, they are yours to do as you like.’ Then Hiko Seijuro gave me the sword that he had been wearing the previous night and then left.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi paused in her story again and this time, got up and retrieved her sword. The saya was completely white and there were Japanese characters written on it. Shoryu looked carefully and could make out the words, Hiko Seijuro the Fifteenth.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I was still wondering why he would give me his sword when Himura-san quietly said, ‘He does not want the lycans to have his sword. He is fully expecting that you will kill him.’


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I said, ‘Does that mean that you will teach me?’


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]He did not answer me right away. Instead, he asked me, ‘Do you swear to only use my teachings against lycans?’


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I recognized a formal oath taking, so I kneeled in front of Himura-san and said, ‘I swear it.’


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Then he said, ‘Do you swear to use the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu to protect innocents?’


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I bowed low and said, ‘I swear it!’


‘[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Do you swear to pass this technique down to only one student when the time is right?’


‘[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I swear it!’


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Himura-san gave me a low bow and he said, ‘I will respect my sensei’s wishes. I will pass on the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu to you, an immortal vampire. In return, you will do what I cannot. You will avenge my sensei, and you will cleanse the world of this lycan plague!’”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]There was silence in the cave for several moments as Shoryu digested the story. “So he taught you his sword techniques?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Yes,” said Lexi. “It was not easy, but my vampire strength and speed helped a great deal. The Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu style is based upon using incredible speed to deliver blows that will kill an opponent with one stroke. Against lycans, this is a good thing because usually, if you do not take out a lycan with one stroke, you leave yourself wide open for a counter attack. Most vampires and do not survive the counter attack.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu gestured to the saya and asked, “What does this mean?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi lovingly caressed the length of the white saya and said, “The white cloak that Hiko Seijuro was wearing is the mark of a master Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu practitioner. I managed to salvage enough of the cloak to wrap the saya with it. The name Hiko Seijuro is actually a title given to all masters. I am the last living master of the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu, and hence, my title is Hiko Seijuro the Fifteenth. Even though Himura-san did not want the title, he was still technically the fourteenth master.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]So you killed Hiko Seijuro in your duel?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi yawned tiredly and said, “I did. It was the single toughest battle of my life. Hiko-san was the only human I had ever met who could have killed me in an even fight. It was only after it was over though, that I realized that he was actually testing me the whole time. He was testing my mastery of the Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. If I was just a fraction slower, or a little bit weaker, he would have killed me. If fact, he almost did. He managed to block every one of my strokes. In the end, I was forced to use the succession technique – a technique which I had never performed correctly before that night.” Lexi yawned again.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu moved beside her again and slipped his arm around her shoulders once more. “We can finish this later if you want to get some rest.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi shook her head. “Perhaps I’ll go into more detail some other time. Fighting Hiko-san was the closest I have ever come to dying. He used a special technique called the Kuzu-ryusen which is basically nine strokes that are performed so fast that they look like one. During my training with Himura-san, I never once defeated this technique and always came away with bruises. Against Hiko-san, I knew that it was do or die as there is no way to block the Kuzu-ryusen. I stepped into Hiko-san’s attack with my left foot forward and with the knowledge that the next micro second would determine my fate; every pore of my body was focused in utmost concentration.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]As I spun, I felt my body pierced in several places. Hiko-san’s sword actually became embedded in my chest, a fraction of an inch away from my heart. Hiko-san actually smiled triumphantly after I completed the Amakakeru Ryu Hirameki technique. Hiko-san’s hands were still on the tsuka of his sword. My first strike had cut off both of his hands. My second more powerful strike cut Hiko-san right through his chest. He got his wish. He died as a man, killed by his official successor.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu shuddered. “That is a very gruesome image.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It is a very gruesome technique. If I were not a vampire, I would have died as well. As it was, I healed quickly from my wounds. Rupert and his fellow lycans were caught in their human forms. Himura-san and his companions managed to seal off the duel area with a hastily erected fence so that they could not escape. I have to give Rupert and his lycans credit though. When they realized that they could not escape, they decided to die fighting with swords in their hands.” Lexi yawned a third time. “And now, my young lover, it is time for that sleep you promised me. Will you stay with me while I sleep?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu adjusted his body so that he was lying on his side, spooning Lexi’s body with his own. He kissed the back of her neck and said, “I will stay with you for as long as you want.”

 

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That's it for tonight. More later! Goodnight!

 

[Admiral]

Give the man a raise :good:

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Chapter 6 – The Giant


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Unfortunately for the lovers, Shoryu woke up the next night to find that Lexi was burning up with a fever. This was not like the burning of the previous day though. In fact, it almost looked as if Lexi had caught a cold. This was unusual because vampires do not get colds. That didn’t make it any more enjoyable for either of them though.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]For the next two days and nights, Shoryu tried his best to make Lexi as comfortable as possible. He gathered tree branches and large stones to block off the entrance of the cave. He salvaged the remains of his t-shirt and pulled the thread from the shirt. He used some of the thread to repair Lexi’s combat outfit and used some to weave into a snare. With the snare, he was able to trap rabbits live.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The first time he offered a live rabbit to Lexi though, she grimaced in distaste. “Ugh, I hate animal blood. There’s always a musky aftertaste. Besides, I hate killing these things because they always look so cute!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Still, blood was blood, and Lexi needed it. She pushed the rabbit’s head back and sank her canines into its helpless throat. She took a long drink and immediately spat out the blood. “Damn it! What is wrong with this thing?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]What’s wrong?” asked Shoryu.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi spat again, clearing her mouth of the foul taste. “It tasted terrible! Blech!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The second rabbit that Shoryu brought to Lexi made no difference. Lexi could not stomach the poor animal’s blood. Finally, with the lack of blood taking a toll on Lexi, Shoryu offered his own once more.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]No!” exclaimed Lexi. “I can’t take it again. I might not be able to fight off the bloodlust again!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu offered his left arm. “Take it Lexi! You need it. Besides, my body produces more than it needs anyway.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi looked at him uncertainly. “What if I can’t control it? What if I bite you by accident?” Her face was paler than usual from the lack of blood.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “I thought about that. You mentioned once that the vampire virus you carry gets transmitted into my blood when you bite, right? I wouldn’t worry about it. I’d pit my Guyver blood against your vampire virus any day.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]What do you mean?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I mean, that the Guyver looks after itself, ok? I heal almost right away from injuries, and I never get sick. The Guyver bio organism protects itself and me along with it.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu offered his arm again. When Lexi still did not take a step forward though, he drew Lexi’s sword and cut his wrist. He winced slightly at the pain and offered his bleeding arm to Lexi once more.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]This time, the hunger within Lexi would not be denied. She grabbed the bleeding hand almost greedily and lowered her lips to the wound. She drank deeply and Shoryu could feel the blood literally being sucked out of him. It was a strange feeling that bordered on pain and pleasure. When Lexi’s virus tipped canines penetrated his skin, it felt almost ecstatic.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu started to feel light headed but he couldn’t seem to pull his arm away. He willed his arm to move, but the feeling of having his blood sucked was so intense, a part of his brain refused to carry out the command. In the end, it was Lexi who disengaged first. She raised her head slowly and looked Shoryu in his eyes. “I bit you…”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu shook his head as if he were clearing out cobwebs in his mind. “Yeah…”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Aren’t you worried?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I…I…I think I need to sit down.” Shoryu collapsed unceremoniously onto the cave floor. “I feel woozy…light headed…”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi sat down beside him and pulled his head into her chest. “Shhh…rest my love. I am sorry. Your blood was so sweet. I drank more than I should have.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]That…that’s ok Lexi…” Shoryu took a deep breath and then blew it out. “Wow, that was intense…it…it was almost like…” Shoryu flounder around for a proper word.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Sex?” asked Lexi.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Sort of…wow…” Shoryu raised his head up and said, “It wasn’t quite like sex. I mean, it was intense and it felt like my body was on fire…” Shoryu trailed off again, lost in his inability to articulate what he was feeling.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]If it was like that for you, imagine what it was like for me, my love.” Lexi kissed Shoryu on his lips gently. “To have you willingly offer your blood to save my life like that…darling, words cannot express it properly.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Well, well, well. What have we here?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Both Shoryu and Lexi snapped their heads up at the unexpected voice. They saw three dark figures walking haughtily into the cave. “A mongrel and her bondie! How touching!” The lead figure was a man. He was wearing a long billowy cloak that seemed to blend in with the night. The two women behind him were wearing similar clothing.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu stood up shakily. “Who are you?” He was having trouble focusing his eyes on the trio. At first, he thought it was his recent blood loss that was making his eyes unfocused but as he concentrated, he realized that the mysterious trio moved with a slithering sliding grace that spoke of superhuman abilities.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The man sneered, “Not bad, bondie. Usually the question is ‘what are you?’ Do you always let your bondie speak for you mongrel?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi stood up and unconsciously rolled her shoulders back and pulled on the sleeves of her outfit. Her sword was lying on the floor and she slid her right foot under the blade, just above the tsuba. “Are you vampires?” asked Lexi in a voice that trembled ever so slightly. The way that the new arrivals moved awoke a primeval fear within herself.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]As one, the trio burst out laughing. One of the woman paused long enough to say, “There’s only two of them Nickololilu. Let’s show them what we are!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Nickololilu glanced back and said, “Yes, let’s!”

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]n unison, the mysterious trio underwent a startling transformation. Their shadowy cloaks swept back to reveal near skeletal bodies that were sheathed in black. The cloaks themselves solidified into large upswept reptilian wings. The most horrific change though, was in their faces. The trio’s skin turned dark grey, like ash and their facial structure elongated until the tops of their heads peaked into grotesque cones and their mouths and noses formed blunted lipless snouts. Nickololilu opened his monstrous mouth and revealed dozens of needlelike teeth and laughed once more.

“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]What the hell are you?” exclaimed Shoryu. He braced himself to call forth the killer but knew that he would need some distance from Lexi to avoid hurting her during his transformation.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Hell is pretty close to the mark!” said Nickololilu. “But that’s enough out of you bondie!” Nickololilu pointed a finger at Shoryu.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Suddenly, Shoryu went flying back and slammed hard against the cave wall. He tried to call forth the killer but his vocal cords weren’t working. It felt was if a tremendous pressure was pinning him against the wall. He tried calling with his mind but his mind was strangely befuddled.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi flipped up her sword with her foot and caught the tsuka with her right hand. Her movements felt clumsy and sluggish and she cursed the fever that was slowing her down.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]A sword?” said Nickololilu incredulously. “Put that away before I hurt you mongrel!” He made a gesture to one of the woman behind him. “Now, tell me. Where is the Gatekeeper? Is it you mongrel or is it your bondie? Or is there another mortal here?


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The woman on Nickololilu’s left stepped forward and raised a hand. All of a sudden, Lexi felt an enormous invisible hand grip her body. She couldn’t move!


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Where is the Gatekeeper?” demanded Nickololilu.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]What are you talking about?” asked Lexi through gritted teeth. “What’s a Gatekeeper?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The woman that was keeping Lexi immobilized said, “Do not lie, mongrel. Our Mother felt the expenditure of great power in this area a couple of days ago. Who is it? Who opened the gate?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The woman slowly closed her hand and Lexi could feel the pressure around her get tighter and tighter.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Now, now Molaralili,” admonished Nickololilu. “Not so tight darling. Can’t you see the mongrel cannot speak?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Maybe she needs something else to loosen her tongue,” said the woman on Nicklololilin’s left.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]That is an excellent idea Soszalili. Why don’t you go and taste her bondie’s blood?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Soszalili sauntered over with an evil grin on her face. Lexi fought against the invisible force that was holding her captive. Whatever these beings were, they were not vampires – at least not like the ones she was used to. For one, they were more powerful and demonic than anything she had ever seen.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi focused all of her concentration into her right arm. If she could just budge it… “I am the Gatekeeper!” she shouted.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]In that moment, the grip around her slackened. Lexi burst from the invisible bonds and lashed out her sword at Soszalili. “Kuzu-ryusen!” Lexi’s sword blurred as she struck nine times at the strange being that was approaching Shoryu.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Soszalili had a fraction of a second to glance at Lexi in bewilderment before her body split into multiple pieces and fell to the floor amidst a fountain of blackish blood.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Soszalili!!” cried Nickololilu.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]An odd thing happened after that. Soszalili’s body pieces dissolved into ash and fluttered away, leaving behind a wet black stain on the cave floor.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]You bitch! How did you do that?” Nickololilu’s body shimmered and blurred. In the next second, he was directly in front of Lexi. He grabbed Lexi by the throat with a monstrous claw-like hand and held her up. “Mongrel! How dare you kill a full blooded Lili!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Freed from his invisible bonds, Shoryu dropped to the floor. Before he could call the killer forth though, Molaralili dashed forward and wrapped Shoryu in invisible chains once more. “Tut tut bondie! Watch and learn what happens when a mongrel dares to attack Lilin!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Nickololilu threw Lexi across the cave. She hit the far wall with a loud thump. Her sword fell from her senseless hand. Nickololilu gestured and Lexi’s sword flew into his hand.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG? WHERE IS THE GATEKEEPER?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The monstrous voice came from outside of the cave, but its echoes lingered inside the cave for several moments.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Nickololilu answered in a casual tone, “We found two possibilities, but they are not talking Afrael.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]BRING THEM OUT! I WILL SNIFF OUT THE GATEKEEPER!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Nickololilu gestured to Molaralili and said to Lexi, “Count your life in seconds bitch. If it turns out that your bondie is the Gatekeeper, I will make you pay for Soszalili!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Wrapped in immobilizing invisible bonds, Lexi and Shoryu were force marched outside. What greeted them was a being that darkened the night sky with its sheer bulk. In simplest terms, Afrael was a giant. He was somewhat human shaped, but much larger in proportion. Afrael had a long blocky chin and a round bulbous nose under huge dinner plate sized eyes.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Afrael sniffed the night air and then promptly pointed at Shoryu. “IT IS HIM! HE OPENED THE GATE!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Nickololilu grinned triumphantly and said, “You are mine mongrel!” He gripped Lexi’s sword and plunged it into her chest at an oblique angle. The blade slashed through her left lung and pierced her heart. Blood burbled out of her mouth.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi! No!” cried Shoryu. He struggled vainly against his bonds. “Guyver! Guyver! Guyver!!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Nothing happened. The killer would not come.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Nickololilu let Lexi fall to the ground. “Who is this Guyver you keep calling? Is he your guardian angel? Come, Gatekeeper, tell us how you opened the gate. Our Mother is very interested.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu didn’t answer. Tears streamed down his face and his eyes never left Lexi’s still form.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Suddenly, light flashed in the clearing, making it as bright as day for a split second. Both Nickololilu and Molaralili screamed in agony and covered themselves with their wings. Two small forms materialized in the clearing.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Faye, take the Lili on the left!” exclaimed the smaller of the two figures.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I got her Rachel!” Faye raised her right hand and bright sizzling light flared from it. The light hit Molaralili square in her chest. Molaralili let out a blood curdling scream and dissolved into ashes.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Meanwhile, Rachel pulled a huge sword out of thin air and charged Nickololilu. Nickololilu had enough time to register the sword and exclaim, “Chalybian!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]In one gigantic swing that flared briefly against Nickololilu’s mystic defenses, Rachel neatly bisected Nickololilu down the middle. The two halves dissolved into ash.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu saw all of this, but his brain could not fully comprehend what was happening. He crawled over to Lexi’s still form and rolled her over. Her sightless eyes stared at nothing. He pulled her sword out of her body and laid his head on her chest and cried.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachel didn’t have any time to spare the young man. The giant being known as Afrael crushed several trees as he lunged towards her.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachielle you bitch! Have you come to eat my soul?!” Afrael fired off a jet of mystic lightening that Rachel deflected with her sword. Even with Chalybian’s power though, the blast rocked her off of her feet.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Faye!” she cried.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]On my way Rachel!” Faye waved her hands in front of her and formed crossing lines of light. With a final authoritative gesture, she threw the net at Afrael.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Afrael contemptuously dismissed the net with a mighty wave of his hand. “You are weak Fayatielle!” He blasted lightening back at Faye.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Faye raised a shield that barely deflected the attack. “You are crazy Afrael! What would your father say if he knew you were in league with Lilith!” She blasted back with a bolt of lightening but Afrael simply batted it aside.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]My father is weak! One day, I will kill him and send him back into the Abyss!” yelled the giant.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachel chose that moment to time her attack. She charged forward, jumped and swung her sword at Afrael’s right leg. It cut through Afrael’s mystical defenses and bit deeply into his thigh.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Afrael roared in pain and swung a mighty backhand at Rachel. She raised her shields, but could not prevent the hand from knocking her away. This was not going well! Though her own powers were growing exponentially every year, she was still no match in raw power against an ancient Nephilim. She touched the gold angel pendant that hung on her neck and prepared to call for back up. She didn’t really want to because it would mean admitting to him that she needed help. However, the way this battle was shaping up, she knew that she would just have to swallow her pride.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Faye screamed in pain as her shield failed once more. Rachel saw her fall to the ground with Afrael looming overhead.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Goodbye Fayatielle! I hope this will be your final death!” roared Afrael.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachel opened her mouth to call her guardian angel.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]GUYVER!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachel snapped her head around. Who was that? She saw a strange man shaped being charge in from the direction where she had left the young man and his companion. It was completely covered in black armor with weird bug-like eye lenses. A brilliant beam of light fired from the centre of the being's head. The laser flared against Afrael’s mystic shields and though it didn’t penetrate, Rachel could see that Afrael was taken aback by the new attacker.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The strange being held its hands above its midsection and a glowing ball of light formed. It thrust its hands out and threw the ball of light at Afrael. This time, the attack burst through Afrael’s shields and impacted high on his chest.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Afrael roared in pain and thick blood poured from his wound. He recovered quickly though. He pulled a large tree from the ground and swung it like a bat. The strange being was sent hurling over the tree tops by the impact.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Afrael stomped a titanic foot on the ground, causing the earth to ripple out like water flowing from a thrown rock. Rachel and Faye were knocked off their feet again.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachel got painfully back onto her feet and touched her pendant once more. Just then, another combatant entered the fray and the battle was fully joined!

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]---​

​

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The bio boosted organism relished in the sudden influx of new bio boosted material. The merger was almost complete and now with the new influx, the bio boosted organism could not only complete the merger, but it could also unlock the hidden abilities of its new host. It got to work with mindless fervor.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Suddenly, its new host suffered a near fatal wound. That was fine with the bio boosted organism. It simply started a repair process while its host rested. It could not do anything about the shard of metal that was embedded in its host’s body, but when it was suddenly pulled away, the bio boosted organism continued its repair process. Both the repair and the merger were completed at almost the same time.

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]---​

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi opened her eyes to find Shoryu crying on top of her chest. She gently touched his head and pushed it away from her so that she could look into his eyes. “I am fine my love.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu wiped his tears away. “Lexi? Are you all right?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi nodded and said, “I feel fine. In fact, I feel more than fine. I feel…different.” She glanced at the battle that was happening in the clearing. “Looks like we got some help in the nick of time.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu followed her gaze. “Looks like they need our help now though. Who are they? They look like a couple of teenaged girls.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It doesn’t matter what they look like. Enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? Go, help them. I will be along shortly.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu glanced at Lexi and said, “I love you Lexi. When I thought that I had lost you…”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shhh…” Lexi touched his lips with her index finger. “Go my love. Fight!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu stepped back several paces and cried, “GUYVER!” Once more encased in the armor of Omega Guyver, Shoryu bounded away and joined the battle against the raging giant.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi rose slowly to her feet. It wasn’t because she was feeling any pain though, but rather the opposite. Her fever was gone and her body buzzed with a new kind of energy that she had never felt before. What had happened? She instinctively knew that it had to have been Shoryu’s gift of blood. Somehow, it had done something to her. Made her stronger. Evolved her. She looked down at her body but could not see any obvious changes. What was she capable of now? What had she become? Was she a Guyver now too or something else altogether? She thought back to the creatures that had accosted her and Shoryu. What was a Lilin? Was that what a fully evolved vampire was? Or was it just this world?


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She saw her sword lying on the ground and picked it up. She caressed the blade lovingly and sighed. It really was too fragile use in the kind of battle that was happening right now. Fighting lycans was one thing, but against a giant with incredible powers at his command? If only her sword was made of something stronger than steel!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Her body virtually hummed in response to her unconscious query. What was she capable of? She heard a vast rumbling and looked up in time to see Shoryu be slammed away by a tree. Shoryu needed help!


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Her body moved before her mind gave the command. With her sword in hand, she charged into the battle. She saw the giant repel several bursts of light and realized that he was using an energy shield of some sort. What good was her sword and her sensei’s sword techniques against something like that?


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]There was a huge explosion and the two girls who had rescued Lexi and Shoryu were knocked back. They got painfully back to their feet but it was obvious that they were hurting.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]As Lexi closed in, she was awed by the size of the giant. His head topped well over thirty feet. She would have to get higher up if she wanted to do any damage. Thought became action without any further interaction. No one was more surprised than Lexi when she suddenly levitated into the air. Her forward momentum was unchecked though so she pointed her sword at the giant and continued her flight.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She was almost there when a giant hand swung down towards her. She saw it and thought how nice it would be if the hand passed harmlessly through her. Again, thought became action and her body dematerialized and the huge hand passed through her. Of course, this had the result of allowing Lexi to pass completely through the giant as well without dealing any damage.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]When she emerged from the giant’s back, Lexi thought that she was in a perfect striking position. Somehow, she halted her flight, turned around, and lashed out with her sword while hoping that it would break through whatever defenses the giant had.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]She misjudged the distance. She was beyond the reach of her own sword as she swung, but as she swung, she focused her will on the edge of her blade. Though her blade missed by several feet, a long thin wound appeared on the back of the giant’s neck. It quickly spurted dark blood several feet in the air and Lexi had to dodge backward to avoid being showered with the blood.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The giant roared and swatted at Lexi with another humungous hand. It passed through an insubstantial Lexi without doing any damage.

 

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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Just then, two beams of light hit the giant in his chest, just as a small sphere of concentrated pressure hit his stomach. Shoryu was back as well as the two teenaged girls!



[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The giant took stock of his enemies at this point, saw that he was outnumbered and decided that a strategic withdrawal was in order. In a flash of light that rivaled anything that had already happened during the battle, the giant vanished.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi floated to the ground just as Shoryu came bounding up. The Omega Guyver armor was pulling back even as he approached.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi! Are you alright?” asked Shoryu with a worried expression on his face.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi hugged him and said, “I am fine, and yourself?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Not a scratch! How did you do that? I didn’t know that you could fly!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi shrugged and said, “I did not know either until just now.” She put a finger on Shoryu’s lips and said, “Later my love. We have other business to deal with.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi turned to face the two teenaged girls. From this distance, she could see that they looked no older than either Shoryu or herself. She wondered if these two girls were older than they appeared. “Thank you for helping us,” she said formally. “My name is Alexandra Seijuro Hiko. This is Shoryu Fukomachi.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The shorter of the two girls extended her hand which both Lexi and Shoryu shook. “My name is Rachel Ellis and this is my friend Faye Morgan. Which one of you is the Gatekeeper?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]We keep hearing about that ever since those Lilin things attacked us. What the heck is a Gatekeeper and what the hell was that thing we fought?” asked Shoryu incredulously.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachel looked as if she was about to ask a bunch of questions herself, but Faye touched her shoulder and said, “I’m sure we all have a bunch of questions to ask each other. Maybe it would be better for Alexandra if we asked these questions elsewhere?” Faye pointed upwards and everyone saw that the night sky was no where near as dark as it once was.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Oh no! Lexi! We’ve got to get you inside the cave!” cried Shoryu in a panicked voice.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi did not reply right away. Her body was still humming with power and she was suddenly struck with the feeling that everything was changed, and that things would never be the same again. Shoryu was tugging on her arm but she gently brushed his hand away. “It is fine Shoryu. I feel the changes in my body and I have always wanted to see the sun rise.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]What are you talking about? You’re a vampire. The sun will kill you. Remember when we got here?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I know, but I am different now,” said Lexi with a dreamy expression on her face. She raised her face to the sky and welcomed the first rays of the morning. The sunlight touched her face and she welcomed its warmth. “Ahh, that feels so good. I have missed the touch of the sun these last eight hundred years!”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]What’s going on?” cried Shoryu.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It was your gift Shoryu. It was your blood!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu smacked his forehead. “Oh my god! The Guyver organism. I passed it to you when I gave you my blood! It changed you, didn’t it?”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]It evolved me,” said Lexi with certainty.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachel firmly cleared her throat and said, “I don’t want to be a party pooper, but even though we don’t have to get Alexandra somewhere safe anymore, both Faye and I have some unfinished homework back at home, and I have it under advisement that there’s going to be a pop quiz today.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Faye nodded her agreement and said, “I’m exhausted. I spent most of the last couple of days trying to pinpoint the location of the gate. You two…you’re not from around here are you?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi and Shoryu shook their heads in unison. “I thought not,” said Faye. “Come on, you probably don’t have anywhere to stay. You can stay at Rachel’s house.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Why my house?” asked Rachel with a raised eyebrow.


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Because,” said Faye as if she were talking to a younger child. “My parents still don’t know about me, ok? Besides, your house is bigger and we need to tell Az that his son has resurfaced.”


“[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]One of his sons at least,” said Rachel sardonically.


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi didn’t understand much of what the two girls were saying, but one thing was clear. “You are offering us sanctuary?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachel looked at her and said, “Yeah, I guess we are. Not only do we need answers, but Lilith is going to be mighty pissed that we killed a couple of her children. We’re going to need Az’s protection before this is over.”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Shoryu ran back into the cave and came back right away. He was carrying Lexi’s saya which he promptly handed over. He said, “We have nothing else to pack. When do we leave?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi sheathed her sword and asked, “How do we reach your house?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Rachel and Faye exchanged looks and Faye suddenly piped up, “Dibs on the cute guy!”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Faye walked over and clutched Shoryu’s arm possessively. Rachel came over to Lexi and offered her hand. “Whatever you do,” said Rachel, “don’t let go of my hand, ok?”


[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Lexi nodded and watched as both Rachel and Faye closed their eyes. There was a flash and before Lexi could protest, she and her companions disappeared into the light.