Bloodhun

                                                            By Mardrena

 

     “Mmhmm...there, that’s it.” Mia cut the bandaging strip and sealed it with tape.

     “I feel like a mummy with all these,” Kento commented.

     “Well, you have to figure after fighting Mal Daggur. Still, you came out in pretty good shape after fighting a Noble of his size,” Mia admitted.

     “How’d he come out?”

     “Well...let’s just say Mal Daggur might need some artificial teeth. Now, let me take a look at how your other arm’s doing.” Mia carefully peeled off the blood-soaked bandages covering Kento’s left arm. “The leaf’s helped a great deal. So has Sage’s healing. At least the bone’s not showing anymore.” Mia unwrapped a fresh Richtho leaf and tied it around the injured arm. Then she bound the arm in bandages and sealed it with tape. “Those should heal up by tomorrow. Now, I need to check for bite marks.”

     “Bite marks?”

     “Yes. You don’t remember? He bit you on the face several times.” Kento vaguely recalled staring down Mal Daggur’s gullet. Mia leaned close and ran her fingers along the sides of his face. “That’s odd...I can’t find anything.” She ran her fingers along his sideburns where Mal Daggur struck him with his tail. “Hmm...pull up your shirt.” Kento obeyed and Mia took a look at his chest. “Not so much as a scratch,” she remarked, recalling the numerous times Mal Daggur tried to tear Kento open. “Gee Kento, I don’t know what happens to you when you do that, but doing it saved you a lot more injury than you already have,” she commented.

     “So, is that it?”

     “No. He smacked you on your head.” Kento reached up and ran his fingers though his hair. He winced when he touched the raw flesh where Mal Daggur whacked him with the business end of his tail. Mia walked behind him and carefully parted his hair. He winced again. “Sorry...still tender. Here, take this and press it over the wound.” Mia took a damp cloth and wrapped a Richtho leaf around it. Then she handed it to Kento. He reached up and held it to his bloodied scalp.

     “Hey Kento.” Rowen stood in the living room doorway. “Tar wants to talk to you down in the ‘firmary.”

     “Okay. Thanks Mia.” Kento stood up and walked out of the room.

     “Oh Rowen, where’s Ryo?” Mia asked.

     “He’s down in the Roost talkin’ to that professor guy.”

                                                                 *****

     “My theory is that Mal Daggur targeted Kento because he is the only one out of all you who is able to produce the amount of energy required to sustain such a dramatic physical metamorphosis,” Professor Duncan explained.

     “You’re saying...Mal Daggur picked Kento....because of his appetite?”

     “Especially....the appetite.” Ryo turned away and looked at the floor. “If this had happened to any other person the strain would’ve killed them.” Ryo closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. Then he turned around and walked towards the door of the conference room. “Ryo,” Ryo turned back around. “I’m going to return to New Zealand soon, and I know it isn’t my place to say this, but you shouldn’t be kicking your own ass. It’s not your fault. We didn’t see this coming.” Professor Duncan reasoned.

     “I can’t help it,” Ryo muttered sadly. “It’s the way I am.” He walked out into the Hangar Bay where some of the others practiced.

     Sage took a swing at the Noble’s jaw but it stepped away. It snapped but Sage vanished. He reappeared behind the Noble. The Thunthen snarled in anger and lashed its tail but Sage vanished again. This time he reappeared in the air to the right of the Noble. The Noble turned around only to have Sage deliver a powerful kick to its jaw. Then he landed on the ground, popped out of view, then reappeared on the other side of the Noble. With the skill of a gymnast he placed both hands on the floor and swung both legs to the side. The double kick knocked the legs out from under the Noble. It dropped to its back and groaned in defeat. Sage stood up. He faltered and sat down on the floor. He clutched his shin and swore. “OWWCH! Damn sonofabitchin!” He bit his lip and tried to soothe the pain in his legs. Sul Phathrax stood up and rubbed his jaw.

     “Not every opponent will give you time to attend to your injuries,” he chided.

     “I know, but it feels like I banged my leg with a sledgehammer!” Sage complained.

     “So, now Kento has this ability to change into another form whenever he is threatened?” Anubis asked.

     “Yeah, but he’s still trying to cope with it,” Cye answered.

     “Hi guys,” Ryo mumbled as he approached. “What are you doing?”

     “Practicing using teleport in Noble fighting,” Sage said.

     “Which means if this method is successful you can take care fighting the Nobles,” Dais said from his perch on an outcropping. Suddenly Ryo made the “Hush Up” signal when Kento walked into the Hangar Bay. The group waited until he entered the Infirmary before speaking again.

     “So...what do we do now?” Sage asked in a hinting tone.

     “Give him space. Don’t talk to him about it. It’s still new to him. Don’t treat him any differently or make any jokes. That goes for you too, Dais,” Ryo said.

     “Huh? Why me?” Dais protested.

     “Because of the whole grudge thing,” Cye snapped.

     Tar Uhnin leaned against a table inside the Infirmary, apparently napping. “Tar?” He looked up. “You wanted to talk to me?” Kento asked.

     “Hmm? Oh, yes.” Tar picked up a set of neatly folded clothes. He turned around and handed them to Kento. “I made these for you for everyday wear in case you are unable to use your armor. They will expand to any size but won’t mend themselves.”

     “Wow....uh...gee, this is the strangest time I’ve ever gotten new clothes before...other than my birthday. Uh, thanks Tar,” Kento mumbled. Tar frowned. He sensed how troubled Kento felt. Kento turned around and took a step towards the door.

     “Kento, wait. I must tell you something.” Kento stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Ryo gave me a...rather graphic account of your duel with Mal Daggur. For us Nobles,” Tar lifted up his tail infront of him and began to stroke it. “A tail is a very special possession. If symbolizes strength, social standing, and combative power, not to mention pride.” He lowered his tail. “To touch a Noble’s tail in spite is an insult. To pull it is a grave taboo. You not only pulled Mal Daggur’s tail, but also threw him by it, twice! He will seek retribution...for the desecration of his tail. I suggest you be careful when out alone, at any time.” Tar warned.

     “I’ll keep my guard up then.”

     “Please Kento, take me seriously when I say this. Throwing him by his tail is one thing. The extent to which you battered him is another!”

     “Hey, I said I’ll take care of myself,” Kento said in a warning tone and walked out of the Infirmary. Tar frowned in worry.

     Kayura stood beside Bak in the Comm Room and studied the screen. “Clear skies, no activity. Why did Mal Daggur halt his entire assault because he fought Kento?”

     “Because he pulled his tail!” Bak snapped. He scowled with an expression of anger and irritation, but also of concern....

                                                                 *****

     “You are cleared for landing. You may proceed.”

     “Otoin.” A white claw taped the communications regulator then moved back near the control handles. The pilot of the triangular craft eased the controls back. The craft cleared the bay doors and carefully fired its boosters. The bay and vacuum doors sealed tight as the craft landed. A group of twenty four Nobles in formal regalia stood in two lines facing each other. The cockpit opened and a tall majestic figure stepped out. The Thunthen at attention saluted the pilot by splaying their claws at their throats and coiling their tails. “At ease.” The pilot walked between them and through an open doorway guarded by two heavily armored Nobles. They saluted as he walked past.

     The person strode down the hallway and entered a lift. From there he found his way to his destination. The doors slid open. He saw a single solitary Noble standing by the wall with its back turned. The Noble turned around. “Ah hah, you’ve arrived.” Mal Daggur saluted and bowed in respect. “Greetings friend of my family.”

     A fully grown Noble with a long whip-like tail and white crest and beard returned the gesture. “Greetings in turn Mal Daggur.” Plaedarr Bloodhun replied. “What request of yours draws me to your honored presence?” Plaedarr asked casually. The dim light of the chamber threw shadows on a dark spot on his face where a patch covered one eye.

     “Yesterday I attempted a full-scale assault on this planet. The initial diversionary tactic backfired. I have created a mistake, an unwanted variable. I need that mistake eliminated,” Mal Daggur turned around and poured a blue-colored drink from a cask into a short, fat cup and quaffed it. Plaedarr raised a bright white eyebrow when his single eye fell upon two jagged stumps where two spikes should have been. A large fresh scar marred the green shell.

     “What’s wrong Mal Daggur, did someone pull your tail?” Plaedarr mildly inquired. Mal Daggur whirled around.

     “YES!!” he hissed. Plaedarr stared at him calmly.

     “Relax Mal Daggur, it is not wise to lose your composure.” Mal Daggur scowled and turned back around. “May I ask what is this desired target?” Mal Daggur tossed a palm-sized metal pad with a screen in the center over his shoulder without looking. Plaedarr caught it and tapped the screen with his thumb. He carefully examined the display.

     “He is one of the Ronin Warriors. He is a commendable fighter...” Mal Daggur threw a shifty glance out the corner of one eye. “His...talents are quite amazing.”

     “Very well then. I will correct this ‘mistake’ which you created yourself, quite foolishly I might add. I cannot possibly understand how a human defeated the great Mal Daggur, son of Sur Daggur. Perhaps your ego once more got the better of you.” Mal Daggur turned around and glared at Plaedarr.

     “Remember Rammaz Plaedarr, just because you are the oldest Noble alive doesn’t exempt you from my wrath,” he reminded in a warning growl.

     “No Mal Daggur. It is because I knew your father,” Plaedarr calmly corrected. “I saved his life. Without me you would never have come into existence.” Plaedarr shouldered his leather pack and walked out of the room. Mal Daggur bared his teeth and snarled. Then he whirled around and slammed his fist against the wall. He growled in rage, bitterly recalling his life as a fledgling.

                                                                 *****

     At the dinner table all Ronin household members ate their evening meals. “You gave the Nobles ice cream?” Anubis asked Mia.

     “Yes. I bought a gallon-size tub and gave it to Naz. I was about to hand out spoons and bowls. Know what he did? He opened it and took a lick, right out of the tub! Then he gave it to Sul, who also took a lick, and they passed it around taking licks one at a time until the whole thing finished!”

     “Mia, you’re spoiling them,” Tanya scolded.

     “There’s nothing wrong in giving them dessert.” Tanya rolled her eyes. “Honestly, those folk don’t know the value of a spoon,” Mia muttered.

     “Speaking of Nobles, who’s got patrol tonight?” Rowen asked.

     “I’ll go,” Kento answered and set his utensils on his empty plate. He deposited his dishes in the kitchen before leaving. Cye was about to follow but Ryo stopped him.

     “Let him go alone. He needs time to think.”

                                                                 *****

     Kento sat on a roof edge with his bo in his lap. A lot of thoughts ran across his mind. At first he said he didn’t remember details of the fight. Then, the memory of the defeated Mal Daggur came back to haunt him. In his mind he saw Mal Daggur, limping and injured with a bloody muzzle. *“This is not over yet human!”* Then Tar Uhnin’s warning played in his mind.

     *“He will seek retribution...for the desecration of his tail.”*

     Kento shook his head to dismiss the thought. *Come on, you’re supposed to keep watch. Stay focused,* he told himself. Then he heard a sound. He glanced out the corner of his eye when he heard the sound of a heavy, but stealthy footstep. He tensed as it approached. Suddenly Kento stood up and whirled around. He struck with his bo but a hand gripped the metal shaft. “Wha?”

     A fully grown Nobel with a white crest and beard gripped the weapon. It socked him with a right hook then thrust its tail tip against his chest. The blow threw Kento off the building and onto a car. The Noble leapt down and began seizing every heavy object in sight. It grabbed tires, cinder blocks, and trash cans and threw them into an ever growing pile around Kento. Kento tried to push himself up but gasped when he saw the Noble lift up a dumpster. With great effort, the Noble heaved the metal bin onto Kento.

     Plaedarr Bloodhun snorted in disgust and held up a small palm-sized device. “Hunter’s Chronicles, Quarry 786. Not the glorious capture I anticipated. Mal Daggur said he would be devious, but target was easily subdued.” He paused when he heard a creaking originating from the pile. Loud groans and growls emitted from deep beneath the heap. Plaedarr stepped back a few feet when he saw five pointed objects pierce the metal and squeeze. The metal groaned as five fingers tore a hole in the walls of the dumpster. Then an armored hand gripped the edges of the hole and shoved to the side. A second hand grabbed the opposite side and shoved the hole open, wider and wider. Like some fell beast a heavily armored figure hauled itself out of the dumpster. It leapt onto the ground and stood straight. Plaedarr raised an eyebrow. The human looked bigger now, considerably taller than before. The warrior’s face plate concealed all but his eyes. He stared at Plaedarr with glowing white eyes. A low guttural growl escaped his throat. Plaedarr held up the recording device. “Note to self: Inquire as to why Mal Daggur omitted the human target having a transforming ability.”

     Kento flexed his grip on his bo and narrowed his eyes. In his mind he saw him, the white haired one with one eye who taunted him. He growled deeply.

     Typically Plaedarr wasn’t one to be intimidated by a quarry, but he had heard of the ten heroes the Thangiens chose as protectors. Then he remembered Mal Daggur’s scarred shell. Kento stepped closer. Suddenly Plaedarr folded his arms over his chest and stood with legs together. “Perhaps another time. I prefer the easiest catch.” He crouched and jumped onto the wall. He continued to wall jump until he reached roof level and took off running. Despite his size he bounded across buildings gracefully with amazing speed. He stopped when he felt sure he lost Kento.

     “AHHARRANN!!”

     “Wha-” The edge of the building Plaedarr stood on crumbled and fell to the alley below. He landed on his feet with no injury but ducked his head to avoid falling rubble.

     “Grrrrr....” Kento stood several feet away with his bo held ready. Plaedarr had never encountered a quarry that fought back. Most he either intimidated or defeated easily into submission. He scowled and cocked his head to one side.

     “Some may find his amusing, even sporting. I was instructed to capture you. Apparently you don’t understand: I’m the hunter, and you’re the prey!” Plaedarr lunged and snapped. Kento avoided but the Noble lashed his tail. Kento grabbed the base of the tip with one hand and tugged sharply. Plaedarr cried out in protest as Kento swung him around and threw him back-first into a wall. He fell to his side amid a pile of rubble knocked down by his spikes. He stood up shakily and looked at Kento.

     “I don’t think so,” Kento growled. Plaedarr scowled and stood to his full height.

     “So, this is how it goes? Know why I am the most feared of all Nobles!” He threw open the black leather vest covering his chest and pulled out two pistols from their holsters over his chest. He aimed and opened fire. Kento spun his bo and deflected the shots. Then he leapt back out of the line of fire. He landed and thrust his fist into the ground. Plaedarr jumped to avoid the surge as the ground ripped open below. He began firing again and leapt onto the walls. Again Kento avoided, except this time Plaedarr drew out a third pistol and fired. A blue white pulse shot out and struck Kento at the waist. A thick sheet of ice covered his legs and left arm along with his bo. He struggled and pounded at the ice with his fist. The ice began to crack but he stopped. “Uh uh uh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Plaedarr aimed a pistol right between Kento’s eyes. “I am a bit tired of all this. Change back into your original form.” Kento glared at him and growled. “Do it now or else!” Plaedarr ordered. Kento scowled but reluctantly obeyed. The ice covering him cracked and fell off as his body shrank but Plaedarr kept his aim so he didn’t move. Kento’s face plate slid up.

     “Dude, I don’t know who you are or what you want, but if anything happens my friends will come!” Plaedarr laughed and holstered the other two pistols. Then he scratched his beard in thought. Plaedarr Bloodhun: most feared bounty hunter native to Thunthen: Captor of the ten Ronin Warriors....

     “Not quite. I’ll save them the trouble. I’ll bring them for you!” With that Plaedarr turned the pistol around in his hand and whacked Kento in the side of his head with the butt of the weapon, knocking him out cold.

                                                                 *****

     Tanya squealed as Dhr Aurir tossed her into the air with his tail. She dive-attacked when she fell back, but the Noble jerked to one side and locked his jaws around her waist. She squealed again as he lifted her up. “Mmphmm phemphmm mmffin!” Dhr mumbled.

     “Whatchyousay!?” Dhr swung his head forward and spit her onto the landing pad.

     “*pthoo!* I said that’s the fourth time I’ve caught you today! You are supposed to be the most skilled fighter among the Ronin Warriors. Don’t you think you should put in a bit more effort?”

     “Yeah, but, I’m not used to this! I,” Tanya’s shoulders drooped. “I-I’m used to fighting big dumb Dynasty Warriors...and lame-ass robots,” she admitted feebly. Her arms hung at her sides for a few moments. Then she slipped into a fighting stance. “Okay you bastard, let’s try again.” Dhr lunged and whipped his tail but Tanya jumped and latched her arms around his neck. He tossed her off but she managed to land safely. He charged but Tanya ducked down and head-butted him in the gut. Dhr cried out and fell onto his back. Tanya staggered around then fell to her knees and leaned back.

     “Augh! Ohhhh Bhazzak!” Dhr moaned and curled up.

     “It is an effective maneuver, but if she’s your best fighter she should not be rendering herself unconscious,” Bak commented as Tuv and Bau carefully dragged Dhr back.

     “That’s what the rest of us are for. Okay Sehk, you’re up,” Dais said.

     “Who’s my opponent?” Sehkmet asked. Then he saw Ita standing on the landing pad. She thumped her tail against the floor and tapped her foot impatiently. Sehkmet sighed and walked onto the pad. “Just to let you know I’m not partial to hitting girls-”

     “Your mother sucks snail anuses!” Ita screamed.

     “Allright bitch, you’re going down!” Sehkmet pounced and pulled his fist back. Suddenly Ita opened her mouth wide. Her tongue shot out nearly three feet and smacked Sehkmet in the face, tossing him onto the floor.

     “Whoa! I didn’t know Ita was a Rare!” Ryo remarked.

     “She’s not,” Bak corrected.

     “Then what’s with the tongue?”

     “All females have it.”

     “What for?” Sage asked. Bak averted his gaze and coughed. He pursed his lips and nodded his head to one side. “Eww!” Sage grimaced at the implication. Ryo looked down when he heard a beep from his wrist-com. “This is Ryo, Kento, what is it?”

     <“Some of you ought to come down here. There’s a bunch of Dynasty Droids but there’s also some of those green ones with the stun weapons!”>

     “We’ll go. It doesn’t take much with Dynasty Droids,” Anubis scoffed. He, Dais, Sage, and Rowen teleported. Ryo shrugged and looked back to the landing pad where Ita continued to beat the smack out of Sehkmet.

                                                                 *****

     “You really think you can take on my friends­?” Kento demanded from where he sat on the floor of a cave with his arms and legs bound in cord.

     “I’ve confronted entire Ranks of Thangien warriors. Fighting your friends will be no different.” Plaedarr replaced the voice imitator in his shell.

     “We’ve trained since fighting Mal Daggur. We’re not a bunch of sissies anymore!”

     “Yes, I’m sure you’re not.” Plaedarr waved his hand and returned to assembling a weapon. “I honestly don’t understand you humans. You are so stubborn and weak.”

     “So what if we’re weak compared to you! You’re nothing but a murdering monster!” Plaedarr stood up and turned around.

     “I am a monster? I am a monster!? We Thunthen only desire a new home. Do we plot and scheme against our own kind? Do we murder our children, our brothers, our kindred? You squander this planet and take life for granted. You oppress your own kind. You admit the doom of your world yet you do nothing to heal it. You persecute others for their beliefs and destroy their livelihoods. How many of you have dignity, honor, morality? Ohh how fickle the human race. One corner of the mouth quotes philosophy, while the other spouts blasphemy. Don’t call me a monster human,” Plaedarr snorted and returned to his work. Kento didn’t say anything for a while.

     “Why did you capture me? Mal Daggur paid you for this?”

     “There is history between us. I accept no payment. I am merely doing him a favor.”

     “Is this because I kicked his ass?” Plaedarr smacked Kento with his tail.

     “He is Mal Daggur, strongest Noble alive. You defeated him. You insulted him.”

     “Insulted him? If I said your mother sucks his ----, that would be an insult.”

     “If I said keiberach heyalhit nederat lurrokit, that would be an insult.”

     “Dude, I don’t know what you said, but I didn’t like the way you said it!”

     “Go ahead. Get as angry as you want. You can’t do anything to me. Even unbound you could not harm me. You are drugged. Even in your other form you would be unable to attack. I can do this,” Plaedarr shoved Kento back with his tail tip. He stood up and walked over to him and knelt down. “Or this.” Plaedarr rapped his knuckle against Kento’s helmet. “Had enough human, huh, huh? Answer me this, does the meager population of brain cells left in your cranium war amongst themselves for dominance?” Plaedarr sneered. Kento glared at him but remained silent. Plaedarr snorted and stood up. He paused and took out a beeping device. “Hmm, your friends are in the city.” He returned to completing his assembly of the weapon. He lifted a glass canister out of his pack and snapped it into the weapon. A blue liquid sloshed around inside.

     “You can’t fight all my friends alone!”

     “I’ve fought hundreds.” Plaedarr stood up and picked up a black roll of cloth. The roll unfurled and he turned around to show Kento. Inside numerous little pockets were tiny glass vials. Plaedarr gestured to them. “These vials contain the blood of every Thangien warrior I have vanquished.”

     “You’re sick!”

     “Call it what you want. I call it keeping score.” Plaedarr picked up the large rifle and carefully examined it for flaws.

     “I still don’t think you’ll win.”

     “Pretty soon, you won’t have to think.” Plaedarr pointed the weapon at Kento. The last thing he saw was a blast of glittering blue crystal that enveloped him.

                                                                 *****

     <“Ryo! The situation is worse than we thought. We need help fast! Rowen and Sage are down. We couldn’t find Kento, but something is shooting at us, problem is we can’t see it!”> Dais shouted over the wrist-com.

     “We’ll go. Ryo, you stay here,” Tanya said.

     “What!?”

     “If this is a trap there’s no sense in getting us all caught. Besides, you need to man the ship. If anything happens, call the Thangiens,” Cale said. He, Tanya, Cye, and Sehkmet teleported away. Ryo sighed.

     “Ah f***. Man, sometimes I just hate this leader position.”

                                                                 *****

     later....

     <“RYO! Mayday! Mayday dammit!”> Tanya screamed. Ryo jolted awake from where he napped at the conference table. <“It’s a trap! There’s this Noble called Plaedarr Bloodhun. He got the others. Cale tried his shadow trick and Dais used his illusion thingie, but he shot them both! It’s as if he knew where they were!”

     “Tanya! Get back here now!” Ryo shouted.

                                                                 *****

     In the city Tanya used her grapple line to elude her pursuer. She ran along the rooftops and leapt across streets to other buildings. She continued fleeing until she had to pause for a breather. “Whoo! Whoo! I...*ack*...I think I...lost...him.”

     “Guess again.” Tanya gasped and whirled around.

                                                                 *****

     Ryo heard a sound like a laser blast and his wrist-com fell silent. He stared at it in disbelief and lowered his arm. His friends...all of them, either captured or killed...

     “Ryo, what happened?” Bak and the other Thunthen ran into the room.

     “The...guys....this Noble....Plaedarr Bloodhun...”

     “Wait, Plaedarr Bloodhun? The Plaedarr Bloodhun!? Oui chiemyana! Do we have a lot of explaining to do!” Ita exclaimed.

     “Huh?”

     “You have James Bond and Indiana Jones. We have celebrities of our own,” Bak explained.

                                                                 *****

     Ryo sat on the top of the conference table with the Thunthen either seated or standing around him. “Plaedarr Bloodhun is one of the best known of Thunthen Nobles. He is a bounty hunter and a skilled fighter. It is rumored that he has claimed a thousand Thangien kills,” Sul said. Ryo let out a low whistle.

     “Jeez! Is he a Rare?”

     “Yes. His tail is longer than Mal Daggur’s but not as thick. He uses it for whipping attacks rather than strangling ones. He is also the oldest living Noble. He was born more than a hundred twenty years ago, well before the Dasphat Revolution,” Tuv answered.

     “You’re saying my friends were captured by a Thunthen geezer?”

     “We Thunthen are not like you humans. The older we age the stronger we become. Your kind are the only ones we know of who are weak when born and weak when you expire,” Naz corrected.

     “Okay, all that put aside,” Ryo said stiffly. “Is that the only thing he can do?”

     “No.” Ryo looked at Ita. “He sees through the eye of a demon with power to perceive the seen and unseen.”

     “In other words he has heat vision,” Tar interpreted.

     “Hmm, so that’s how he caught Dais and Cale. Why is he after us though?”

     “Mal Daggur obviously summoned him to avenge his defeat. They know each other very well.”

     “Are they related?”

     “No. Plaedarr Bloodhun was a friend of Sur Daggur. While Sur Daggur fought in the revolution, Plaedarr cared for the young Mal Daggur. However, he abused him when he was young,” Dhr said.

     “He molested him?”

     “No, nothing like that.”

     “He beat him like a little weakling,” Miz snorted. Bak growled in warning.

     “If Mal Daggur hates him then why did he send him to fight us?”

     “He is a master at his craft. Second only to Mal Daggur he is the most feared Noble alive,” Bak said.

     “Then what’s with his name? How come he’s different from the rest of you?”

     “Plaedarr Bloodhun was born of one of the High clans of the Greater Nobles, however, he broke tradition by giving himself a full name,” Ita said.

     “Full name? Oh, you mean that rule that your first names can only have three letters?” The Thunthen nodded.

     “He called himself Rammaz Plaedarr. Rammaz is a root meaning to damage, to desecrate, to...” Bak began.

     “To ravage?” Ryo asked. Bak nodded.

     “The name Bloodhun is reference to his reputation. When you fight him know that his ego is as big as Mal Daggur’s. He is very proud and can be fooled,” Bau advised.

     “You will need your strongest armor to fight him. To save your friends you must defeat him first,” Bak said. Ryo nodded and jumped off the table to teleport. “Ryo, wait.” Ryo paused and turned around. “While...while we talked, did you feel the least bit threatened or worried?” Bak asked.

     “No, not at all. Why should I?” Bak sighed gratefully than bowed his head.

     “We doubted if you and the Thangiens would ever accept us as allies. You didn’t. You accepted us as friends, and we are grateful.” He and the other Thunthen knelt on the ground and bowed their heads. “Thank you...for the honor of your trust.” Ryo smiled and closed his eyes then opened them.

     “Thanks guys. I really appreciated that,” he whispered and crossed his arms over his chest. “Wish me luck!” his voice echoed as he vanished. The Thunthen stood back up.

     “Do you think he can do it?” Ita asked.

     “He will. It will do Rammaz good to have his ego clipped,” Bak replied.

                                                                 *****

     Ryo followed his innate sense towards the forest where he felt the presence of his friends. He soared through the air on silver dragon wings and carefully searched about. Then he spotted a hidden cave opening that emitted an odd vibe. He folded his wings and dove down towards the entrance. He swooped inside and landed. He glanced about as he walked deeper into the cave. An active glo-stick lit the way. “So, you are Ryo of the Wildfire.” Ryo turned around and raised his arms defensively. He saw a figure hidden in the shadows. A fully grown white crested Noble stepped forward into the light.

     “And you are Rammaz Plaedarr.”

     “Plaedarr Bloodhun will suffice.”

     “Where are my friends, what have you done to them?”

     “The same I shall do to you!” Plaedarr raised a large rifle and aimed. Ryo raised one wing just as a glittering blue glob shot out at him.

     “Huh?” Ryo looked at the wing. Blue crystal enveloped it entirely. Plaedarr fired again but Ryo flapped his other wing and threw himself away. Then he jumped off a wall to avoid another shot. “What is that stuff?!” He took off running into the deep recesses of the cave. He gasped suddenly and skidded to a stop when he entered a torch lit chamber. His eyes widened in horror as he beheld nine glittering blue masses of crystal stuck onto the walls. Inside each he saw a shadowy form.

     “Amazing substance isn’t it.” Ryo turned around and saw Plaedarr standing a few feet away. “They sleep in crystal tombs. Although it is not the same stuff used by the Thangiens, still the same concept.” Plaedarr stepped closer but Ryo backed away and they circled each other. “You can run all you want but you will not evade me. I will eventually capture you and you will join your friends in their crystalline graves.”

     “Not if I have my way! FLAMES OF INFERNO!!!” Ryo changed back into Ronin sub-armor. The powers of his friends joined him. The white gauntlets and shin guards formed. Next followed the chest armor and waist plates. Ryo held a swirling ball if fire in his hands and donned the helmet of Inferno. He drew out the Soul Swords of Fervor and brandished them. “You put too much faith in you weapons. I’ve defeated forces capable of destroying Mal Daggur’s entire fleet with this armor. You won’t capture me like you did your friends.” Tiny tongues of flame danced over the blades.

     “So, this is the fate I shall meet. You can destroy me if you want, but what about your friends?” Ryo lowered his swords and frowned. “Crystal tombs are unbreakable. They decay over time and eventually fall apart. The Thangien kind decays after an orbital cycle’s worth of time. The Thunthen kind is untested. How long will your friends sleep? Ten, twenty, thirty years? Maybe centuries, a millennium. How long will they survive? Pegasus had no need for air or sustenance. He is a machine! Danaetanera traveled in stasis. How long can humans survive encased in crystal? Thangiens might help, but by then it will be too late.” Ryo stared at Plaedarr with fear in his eyes.

     *He’s right! I can kill him, but what about the others! Oh man, what do I do?*

     *Ryo...*

     *Huh? Rowen!*

     *Take our powers. It is the only way.*

     *Anubis? You mean....no..no, I can’t!*

     *Use Gea...It’s the only way you can free us!*

     Life Wisdom Justice Trust

     *NO! I can’t! What if something happens, what if something goes wrong!*

     Loyalty Obedience Serenity Piety

     *Guys! NO!*

     Hope

     The crystal covering the nine shattered. Plaedarr gasped and whirled around. The nine Ronin lay in the cavities but did not move. Shadows covered their eyes, almost as if they had no eyes at all! They seemed to hang suspended in the air. Suddenly they shrank into colored orbs and shot toward Ryo. All nine converged around his back. A blast of black light erupted from behind at an angle. Plaedarr scowled in concern as he beheld in the World Armor, the Armor of Gea. Ryo panted, both from the sudden rush of power and from fear. The armor was so unstable he feared losing control. Then he remembered Plaedarr. The cocky Noble aimed the crystalizing rifle.

     “You may have ascended to a new level of power, but help you it will not.” He fired but Ryo took out the sword of Halo and Corruption. A crackling wave of green-black light lashed like a whip and canceled out the crystal blast.

     “The Ronin powers are a force as old as history itself. The forces of Virtue, Trust, Wisdom, Justice, Life, Hope, Loyalty, Piety, Obedience, and Serenity have existed since man was able to think! A single Thunthen Noble cannot change that!” Ryo took out the swords of Strata and Cruelty and the sword of Purity. He swept them forward and loosed two massive spears of blue, gold, and white light. Plaedarr tossed away the rifle and held up his arms infront of his face. The gauntlets on his arms produced a large shield of rippling translucent energy. The twin energy spears struck and pushed him back but the shield held. Ryo growled in determination.

     *Energy remains the same whether generated by magic or machine, but you are of the world. You are stronger,* Inferno told him.

     “I am Rammaz Plaedarr! You cannot defeat me!” Plaedarr howled.

     “I will defeat you! I can off Mal Daggur’s entire fleet with this armor! Don’t underestimate the power of the Ronin Warriors! Whether it takes you death or a thousand years, you WILL learn your lesson!” Ryo reached back and took out the sword wheel. He reattached the two swords and held the Wheel of Gea infront of him. The six swords hinged forward and pointed at Plaedarr. “DARK SPEAR CANNON!!!” A gargantuan blast of flickering black light shot forward, so huge it filled the entire cavern. The blast caught Plaedarr and threw him back, yet he was not destroyed. He howled in agony as the blast sent him into the depths of the earth. Above ground the roof began to collapse, leaving a lengthening trench.

     “Uh oh.” Ryo looked up when chunks of rock began to fall. He clipped the Wheel of Gea to his back and ran towards the tunnel leading back to the exit. He jumped when the floor gave way. At first he feared he would miss the edge, but he hung suspended in the air. “Huh? Rowen?” He flew through the tunnel and sped towards the exit. Falling rocks clattered against the swords on his back. *If I lose that thing I’ll go psycho!* He grabbed the sword wheel and held it forward. He raised an eyebrow when the swords moved out to the sides. Now it almost resembled a glider with three swords on each side. Ryo held on tight and kept his speed. He swooped out just as the entrance collapsed. He landed on the ground and turned around. A massive trench nearly a mile long was all that remained of the cavern. Ryo watched as the sword wheel shifted back to its original form. He reattached it to his back then took out all six swords and threw them into the air. They fell to the ground blade first. Both swords and armor vanished as Ryo changed back into Ronin sub-armor. The nine Ronin appeared on the ground.

     “Oui! What happened! I’ve got a headache like a volcano!” Tanya complained.

     “Hey Ryo, what’s wrong?” Rowen asked as he stood up. Ryo stared at the ground.

     “I....I used the Black Armor.”

     “We know, we told you to use it, remember?” Cye reminded.

     “But...I promised never to use it.”

     “It was the only way you could free us from that crystal,” Sage reasoned. Ryo didn’t look the least bit cheered.

     “Relax Ryo. A guy once told me 'if not use at all, use sparingly’,” Kento quoted.

     “Who said that, your dietrician?” Dais joked. Tanya regained focus and stood up.

     “Damn! Jeez Ryo, it took all that to kill that guy?” she remarked upon seeing the massive rend in the ground.

     “He’s not dead.” Everyone looked at Ryo. He turned around and walked away. “Come on, let’s get back to the Roost.”

     “Uh, Ryo, where’re you going? We teleport, remember,” Rowen reminded. Ryo stopped abruptly and swore. He squeezed his eyes shut and slapped his forehead.

                                                                 *****

     “Plaedarr Bloodhun is dead?”

     “Yes my lord. The Ronin leader used an immense energy discharge to destroy him. I saw it with my own eyes,” Bru Ranir testified.

     “Hmm.....friend of my father.....he will be greatly missed. If the Ronin Warriors defeated Rammaz Plaedarr then they are a force to be reckoned with. Send word to the fleet to retreat to the asteroid belt of this system. Dispatch mining patrols to scout for resources. I feel it is time for a tactical hiatus.”

     “What of the Ronin Warrior? The one who....the one you fought. What of him?”

     “Let him be. I can wait for my revenge. Let him struggle with his savage tendencies. Let him try to contain the beast within.....”

                                                                 *****

     “Question: Should we use Gea to wipe out Mal Daggur’s fleet?” Ryo proposed.

     “We’d be out of a job,” Rowen joked.

     “It wouldn’t be right. If the Thunthen eventually back down there would be no need to fight,” Anubis added.

     “But we still have to practice,” Sage said and nodded to where Cye and Rgn Chorrez squared off. Cye landed a few sharp jabs and kicks in the jaw. Then he jumped away, whirled around in the air, and landed a sweeping kick in the jaw. Rgn staggered back but regained his balance. Cye leapt into the air and launched a flying kick but Rgn reared back and swung his head forward. Two streams of freonine shot out from his nostrils and threw Cye back against the wall. Ice covered his chest and glued him to the rock.

     “Hey! That’s not fair!” Cye complained.

     “It is fair! You’ve seen me work. You know I am a rare! Rule #1; know your opponent!” Rgn scolded.

     “I thought that was Rule #3,” Tanya mumbled. Then...

     <“Guys! Dinner!”> Mia announced.

     “Oh boy, am I starved!” Kento was the first to the cables and zipped up the tunnel. The others ran off too.

     “Hey! You’re not gonna leave me here, are you!” Cye cried in protest.

     “Get yourself down, we’re leaving,” Ryo said before joining the others. Cye struggled and tried pounding at the ice.

     “Uh...guys...ummph...can someone help me?” He wiggled some more and tried to pull away from the wall. “Mmmph! This isn’t funny guys! Guys? Hellooo...Ah crap!”

                                                                 *****

     Beneath tons of rubble lay a limp figure. He tried to move but his body did not respond to his commands. A thousand pains plagued his body. *No....not like this...not this way... Please, let me die...let me die...PLEASE LET ME DIIIEEEE!!!* His howl of agony echoed through a myriad of passages between the cruel boulders that imprisoned him. Glittering black crystal surrounded him. *LET ME DIIIIEEEEEE!!!!*

                                                                 *****

So ends Foes From Another World. Mal Daggur retreats temporarily but Talpa remains. Next the Ronin face a new evil, this time amongst themselves.

 

-------------------------------------------------

Series Information: Rammaz Plaedarr Bloodhun

Is Plaedarr Bloodhun really dead? No, he’s not, and he comes back to haunt the Ronin in the sub-series Future Fight. In the original version, Ryo imprisoned him inside a magic bubble using the Ronin Cross and cursed him to lie awake in agony for a thousand years. He awakened, horribly mutated by a radioactive mineral inside the cave where Ryo trapped him. The idea survived with the change of Ryo wearing Gea. The power he used backfired and changed into black crystal that imprisoned Plaedarr. He returns after the Ronin are revived, infused with the evil power of Gea and one mother of a vengeance complex, not to mention a thirst for Ryo’s blood. Guess he didn’t learn his lesson.