Slipping between the cracks of the Doombringer defenses, Ki was kept wound like a spring. Here, in this citadel, numerous members of the Doombringer clan had been spawned, raised, and obliterated. Here was where he could prove himself, once again to be known as Steel Thorn. For the five minute reprieve that his mother would grant him, before she kicked him out of the clan. Sighing, the dark blade master crept into the lair. ----- Dark Heart High Chapter 69 Infusions! ---- Tapping the device in his ear once more, Ki leapt to cling to the ceiling, just in time to miss the Doombringer clansman running down the hall. So far the mission had been well within his abilities. Oh, the mystical defenses were impressive, even by his clan's standards. However, he and Midori had often played games avoiding such traps since they were in their early teens, so he was somewhat better than average in their detection, disarmament, and disassembly. The mundane pit-falls, while less exotic, were more numerous. Ki was forced to admit, to himself at least, that without Craig's sensor life would have been much more difficult. While tuned to look out for Doombringers and hell hounds, all sorts of other data was being fed into the device; including readings of pressure sensors, hidden traps, and the occasional micro filament wire. Hmmm, might have to buy the Knight a bottle of wine or something. Crawling further into the fortress, Ki frowned at the sight of a Doombringer staying in one place. Probably a guard, but he was right in the way of his path. Ah well, maybe he could avoid him if quiet enough. Dropping from his ceiling perch, he hurried through the shadows hoping to catch the lone figure unawares. *FLUSH* Seeing said figure leaving the bathroom, the ninja forced back a sweat drop. One quick slice of the katana, and it was over. ----- Funny thing about beings that were magically imbued with power of hell flame; It made them fairly sensitive to those who possessed it. Or, to those who now lacked it, such as a dead clansman. "INTRUDER!!" ----- Staring at the night sky, Yuri couldn't hold back a shiver. Out there, Ki was fighting to stop this war, to prove himself worthy of his name. But all she could do was watch. She couldn't even bring herself to shift as her door was opened. "Yuri, what's the matter?" Looking into the burning eyes of her father, Yuri smiled sadly. It was funny how her father always knew when she was depressed, simply from the fact that he would start feeding off of her pain. Of course, it had taken several years before her mother had managed to convince him to actually make his daughter feel better when this happened. "Oh daddy, it's Ki. He's out there fighting ... and, you wouldn’t understand." Nodding his formless head mass, Troi replied, "Ah, so the Steel Thorn's decided to send him out after all. Have to remember that in my bill." Twisting around, Yuri focused on him in shock. "You, you know?!" "Of course. Who do you think suggested this plan in the first place?" Shaking her head in denial, she had to choke back a sob. "But why Ki!? Why make him throw his life away?" ----- "Come back here Steel Thorn!" Ki dodged another burst of destructive flame, wincing as the shrapnel from the resulting explosion cut into his flesh. Last time he ever killed someone straight from the toilet. Ever since the Doombringer's had realized that someone had infiltrated their stronghold, Ki had been dodging attack after attack. The good news was that many of his opposition were hired guards, and thus lacking the cursed flames and strength of the Doombringers. The bad news was that said Doombringers had no problems cutting through their guards in order to get at him. Oh, and lets not forget the unfriendly terrain. Punching a random guard, Ki pushed him into the path of a poison dart trap, triggering it with messy results. Rushing through, he barley managed to clear the trap in four seconds before the darts reset (.9 seconds slow by Steel Thorn Standards) and a wall came down sealing him in. Taking a deep breath, the dark ninja suddenly reacted without thought, an instinct that usually meant danger. Twisting to the side, Ki saw the hole where he had been but a moment ago. "I am Sojiro the Fifth, Doombringer." Looking up, Ki was forced to rely upon his earlier training to control all muscle reaction, from swallowing in fear, to soiling his pants. Sojiro outmassed him by a factor of two, betrayed nothing with his movement, which meant extensive training, and one other thing. Both of his arms were encased in flames as black as night. Feeling his blood burning though his heart, Ki was overcome with a new feeling as he drew his sword once again. "I am Ki Tamaida, Steel Thorn." Exhilaration. ----- "Why did I send your friend?" Troi Mikagami sighed at the tears in his daughters eyes. She still had so much to learn. "Yuri, you know who I was before I met your mother, don't you?" Shaking her head to clear the images of a burning Ki, his sword melted into his flesh, Yuri tried to remember. "You were a general right? Hellstorm Mikagami, one of the greatest forces of evil in the planes." Managing a small smile, she almost found the energy to giggle. "Your name still comes up a bit in school." "That's right, I was a general. I rallied armies in the name of darkness, killed heroes in massive shows of gore and power. Wiped out worlds with but a thought." Sitting down as heavily as a mass of sentient evil gas could, he sighed. "That meant I often decided who would live from my forces, and who would die." "Choosing who lives or dies is something that can be entertaining, and even fun. But do you think that I never lost anyone important to me? Useful lieutenants? Old allies? These were people I trained from their beginnings in boot camp until that moment that I used their loyalty to further my own plans." Getting up from the bed, the pinpricks of light began to pace the room darkly. "What you have to understand, Yuri, is that a leaders hardest choice is often going to be the one that will kill the fewest possible numbers of his own people for the greatest reward." ----- Backing up to catch his breath, Ki was forced to admit that this was going to be more difficult than he thought. While Sojiro sported a number of new scars, lowered visibility in one eye (courtesy of a lucky stab) and a limp in his right leg, Ki was significantly worse off. Any cut inflicted upon the Doombringer was cauterized by that cursed fire, while his counter punch was infused with a wall of flames. In other words, Ki now felt like a flipping barbeque platter. "So sad, this Steel Thorn is." Glancing over, it was clear to Ki that the Doombringer was indulging in one of evils greatest vices; SAM or Self Absorbed Megalomania. "Said to be one of the greatest of the new generation, Ki Tamaida is without peer with the death of his cousin." Seeing the flicker of his opponent’s eyes, Sojiro smiled. "Oh yes, we Doombringer's do our own research as well. In the latest generation, only your cousin was your match. And now she is dead." Edging closer, he was pleased to notice that the swordsman appeared unaware of his movement. So much the better. "But now, thanks to my own nephew, you are considered to be a freak within your ranks. All because of some girl!" Raising his blazing arm, Sojiro' smile shifted into a smirk at the look of pure rage now in Ki's eyes. "Shall we get to the HEART of the matter!?" Charging, it was over in a second. Eyes twisted in hatred and pure vengeance, nostrils flaring with new dark emotions not meant for mortal man, Ki stood over the now headless form of Sojiro the fifth, Doombringer. "Yes, let us do that." ----- Seeing that Yuri was at least trying to understand, Troi felt a moment of parental pride. It's amazing how much could change in a single year. "Now as to why I suggested Ki..." Seeing the questioning gaze, he sighed. This was probably going to upset her. "As far as skill goes, he has a higher kill rate than about ninety percent of his fellow clansman. Not just against hangers-on either, but beings with the Doombringer bloodline. He is smart, as evidenced by his ascension to principal at Evil Tech within a matter of about a month. And there is one other element that makes him perfect for this mission as far as the Steel Thorn’s are concerned.” Squaring his non-shoulders, he looked down at his daughter firmly. “He is expendable." Shocked by her father's statement, Yuri jumped to her feet. "Ki isn't expendable! He is strong, has saved me a couple of times, and can be a good friend underneath all that man of mystery thing that he keeps doing! The Steel Thorns should be thankful that he's on their side!" Seeing her father shake his head, Yuri bit her tongue to prevent any further outbursts. "You are very close to this, so it’s hard to face facts. First, Ki is strong, but is seen as a weakling because of his heart. Members of his clan have been killed on the spot for flinching during their initial training, so a set of emotions could be considered the ultimate failure. Secondly, he is young, and thus driven to achieve more than the older and more successfully placed members of his clan. Finally, there comes the simple fact that as far as the Steel Thorns are concerned, another Ki can be raised from within their ranks with a little patience. So effectively, he is replaceable." ----- Cutting down another Doombringer, Ki began to run towards the final door. According to his sensor, this was the central most room within the citadel, and as such the most logical place for the leader of the Doombringers to reside. The fact that a HUGE spike of energy was located within the center of the room only added to his conviction of this location. Cutting down the door, Ki was shocked by the raw dimensions of the revealed hall. Shaped like a small coliseum, there were rows upon rows of seats facing the center of the area. Rising from the floor of black stone, a platform ringed with black flame stood. Suddenly the flames dropped down to the point that Ki could view its contents. It was a simple arrangement really. On a tripod stood a crystal, filled with streaks of black and purple that ate at the ambient light of the room. In front of the crystal was a stone throne, dark, menacing and by the books evil. It was the person on said stone that gave Ki pause. He stood, at a towering seven feet tall, a literal cut above the rest of the Doombringers. His hair was solid white, flowing down his back in a thick ponytail, while his shirtless form was without an ounce of fat. His face was chiseled and scared, but his eyes were as sharp as a katana. Ki knew that this was going to be difficult. "Ah, Ki Tamaida of the Steel Thorn Clan. I am Shin the First, Doombringer; Head of the Doombringer line and your life’s final opponent. Please take a moment to breathe your last." The Imposing figure of the head Doombringer then proceeded to ignite like a bonfire. Scratch that, this was going to be f%$%ing impossible. ----- Craig Maimsworth sat at his new computer screen, stretching out before the main event. The room was a cross between an armory and mad scientist lair. Swords were stacked neatly between circuit boards, and maces next to memory cards. All in all, it was a work in progress. There just weren't enough role-models for evil technological knights. Smirking, Craig reviewed the data on the screen as Ki prepared to face off against the strongest Doombringer of the clan. Oh, he was flattered that Ki had decided to use the device, but also grateful for his limited understanding of it. It was a very complex sensor all right, but also a recorder and transmitter. Who knew? Maybe Ki would get a lucky shot in on this guy and win. But, playing the averages, having a detailed blueprint of the Doombringer defenses along with their relative power levels could be a useful item to sell to the Steel Thorns if he failed. Munching on some popcorn, Craig reached for his soda. And, if nothing else, it would make an EXCELLENT pay-per-view special. ----- In the first five seconds, it was clear who was stronger. After another ten, it was clear who would win. After twenty, Shin decided to play for a bit. This Ki fellow was surprisingly durable. "You are simply a child compared to me, you know." Ki dodged another blast of flame, breathing heavily. Smirking, Shin held out each hand, amusing himself by shooting out small balls of flame from his fingers to force Ki to weave and dodge. "You have seen our flame, you have seen our power, yet you continue to fight. Some would call that impressive, while others simply foolish or lucky." Cracking his fingers, Shin calmly blew the steam from his fingers. "I would say a combination of all three myself." Taking a breath, the Doombringer began to glow, preparing to end his amusement. "Regardless, it is time to end this. Please die with some dignity." So saying, a fireball, black as night, was hurled towards the bruised and bloody ninja. As the fire approached, Ki felt his life flash before his eyes. His rise to power, the formulation of his plan, the battles with Midori, Yuri's tears as she handed him... THE SHIELD!!! Quickly looking at the shield, slightly battered from enemy blades and singed with flames, he did the first thing that came to mind. Holding it in front of him, Ki leapt towards the stage, hoping that the momentum of the fireball would give him the necessary boost to clear the danger. Imagine his surprise when the shield seemed to PUSH upwards, launching him over the edge of the platform and into the tripod crystal. ----- Let us take a moment to overview the Doombringers. When asked what trait set the Doombringers apart from the average evil villain, an observer would, most likely, comment upon their destructive demonic flames. Of course, for neglecting to comment on their uncanny good looks, odds were good that said Doombringer would remove the helpful observer in a painful and gruesome fashion. The Doombringer flames had toppled empires, crushed worlds and slain gods, both known and unknown to mortal man. Truly, they have shown themselves to be a force apart from most men and demons alike. If any hardy beings remained to continue to comment upon the topic of the Doombringers in general, they would most likely have a number of theories concerning the origins of their powers. Some thought that they had become so evil in their dark and twisted past, that the Doombringer souls had spontaneously combusted. Others believed that they had created the flames from the heart of a lava dragon and the embers of a dark sun using forbidden alchemy. Yet others thought that the flames were a creation to counter the very essence of the Light. In fact, the truth was embarrassing enough that the clan routinely scoured creation for the spreaders of such “lies”. The flames were more in the nature of a demonic... child support payment. It was considered bad form to discuss in mixed company, but the first Doombringer, centuries before, had been the result of an unholy mingling of a dark god, a succubus, and a mortal man. Nothing too horrible on the face of it, except that they had all A.) Been drunk at the time B.) The Human outlasted the succubus and dark god long enough to take some precautions, C.) Said Human happened to be a lawyer. So before you could say alimony, both evil creatures found themselves oath-bound to spawn a child of great ability who would bring the man's line to power, wealth and prominence. And they couldn't eat him either. Thus the man became sire to the Doombringers. Their bodies became infused with insane durability. Their minds crushed and twisted by their dark desires and ambitions. And the spark of refined hell fire infusing their very souls. However, that spark did not come with birth. Upon the fifth year of a male Doombringer's life, they were brought before a crystal, forged of the blood of that Dark God who had one too many liquor shots. It's unholy radiance would infuse them with the power of the Doombringer flame. Those that survived the process were granted their title, and place in the line of succession. Shin aside; this crystal was the true head of the clan's power. And the key to its down fall. Its destruction would extinguish the flames of the Doombringers, fatally weakening them to the point of extinction. But of course, that would have been the easy ending. ----- The awareness awoke for a minute. It was but a fragment of its original power, thanks to the usurper. Its path had remained true to its nature though, under that foolish Apollyon. so nothing about the situation was TOO objectionable. Until said fool had gotten himself slain by the hero King Golden Blade forty years ago, that is. Since then, its form had been bound by the cursed Monks of the Sun, and their blasted magic. Of course on the dark side, it had been released a few days ago. On the other metaphorical hand, the freedom was granted by a Mikagami. Stupid spawn of Hellstorm. As much as his origin and Hellstorm had been rivals, it was galling to be 'saved' by his blood. That only reinforced the seals that placed him under the Hellstorm line or their designates. But now, this lieutenant had managed to find something... interesting. Oh, how the dark relic, commonly referred to as the Shield of Apollyon, wished that it could grin maliciously. One of the downsides of lacking a mobile face. ----- Ki was a little disturbed by the sudden and unexplained increase in velocity. He was somewhat shocked by the sharp impact against the odd crystal that Shin had been observing earlier. But when a snake of malevolent green energy emerged from the shield, he was nearly speechless. Nearly. "Yes Shin, it IS time that we end this." Feeling the power of the Shield whispering into his mind, the ninja had to smirk. Yes, when this was all over, he owed Yuri an Ice Cream, Bala or not. Watching the face of Shin, head of the Doombringers gape in shock, Ki willed the Snake to consume the crystal. Seeing the most important relic of the Doombringer line destroyed, Shin snapped. With a scream of unholy rage, he leapt at Ki, flames flaring around his form in a desperation move, strong enough to level a mountain, than the continent that it was standing upon. So imagine his surprise when the flames went out, leaving him defenseless to an uppercut. "You know Shin, I should be thanking you." The shield was glowing purple now, sparking as it absorbed the power contained by the dark crystal, funneling it into Ki, slowly but surely. "You know, the Doombringers can be blamed for a lot in my life; The heart that banished me from my clan, the death of my cousin, a war that left me with false hope of reconciliation with my honor." Ki now began to glow with his own purple radiance. "But you know what they say. Whatever does not kill you, can make you stronger." "Now, thanks to you and yours, I possess the ability to reclaim my position, my honor, oh, and most importantly, my Plan." Holding his sword aloft, he sighed in pleasure as the dark flames infused his unholy blade. "Unfortunately, you shall not be among those to experience my glory... or the glory of my friend and ally, Yuri Mikagami." Suddenly, the stupefied former warrior of flames, attempted to run, hoping to recover his position, his power, if he could only get away. A shame about the blade of flame to his neck. Ah Well. Feeling the dark energy of the enhanced shield slowly healing his injuries, Ki only had one thing to say. "Some girl, indeed." ----- "The one known as Ki has returned." The Clans hushed, stunned by this entire announcement. Either Ki had become a coward... or accomplished enough that he thought leniency would be granted. The chances that he had succeeded were astronomical at best. Sighing at the possibilities, the Steel Thorn matriarch signaled for silence. "Let him enter." The sight that greeted the clans was shocking, to say the least. Ki entered, blood splattered as befitted a returning warrior, armed with his sword and an odd shield, and carrying a head. All things to be expected really. But to see a Steel Thorn GRINING of all things... it boggled the imagination. Standing before the disapproving clan head, he tossed the prize at her feet. "I present Shin the First, Doombringer. Head of the Doombringer clan and most powerful warrior among their ranks. I present to you the downfall of the Doombringers." Examining the features, the matriarch sighed. Indeed, this was their leader, and a step towards lasting peace. The resulting inner conflict of the Doombringers should be sufficient to gain the upper hand at this point. Now to the more pressing matter. "The one known as Ki Tamaida." She intoned flatly and without intonation. "You have gained us a great victory this day and deserve a suitable reward. Such a victory could very well advance our ability to wipe the Doombringers out by several months." Looking at the grinning face of her child, she suppressed a shudder of disgust. "For this reason, you shall be granted five minutes to explain WHY you will not be removed once again from the clan for you previous failures." ----- Looking at her father, she shook her head. "Daddy, that's just not right." Feeling the metaphorical raised eyebrow more than seeing it, Yuri pressed on. "Even if the CLONED Ki, it would not make a replacement. It would make a shadow of the real thing. I don't know exactly what training methods the Steel Thorns have, or what ideas they teach their children. But Ki has them outstripped in one main aspect." Looking into the deep and slowly widening eyes of her father, she poured out relentlessly the litany which, years from then, would be essential to the training of future evil across all the darkness. "He has failed, but raised himself up to succeed. That is something that cannot be bred or trained in. It can only come from the heart." ----- Staring down the woman, who stood in judgment, that he had once called mother, Ki smiled. "There is a very simple reason why I should remain." Holding the Shield of Apollyon lightly, he again willed the dark flame now contained within to form a blade. Said blade launched faster than the eye could see, beheading the woman in front of him. "Unlike the Steel Thorn Clan, I still have a head." Watching the body fall, he was surprised at the extreme lack of feeling that this event generated. It was almost like his heart had once again been cut out. How curious. Observing the resulting shock of his kinsmen morph into violence, Ki smirked. "Hold!" Seeing that he had gotten their attention, if only for a second, Ki decided it was time to change a few things. Namely, the large numbers of weapons aimed at his throat. "As stated. I have presented the BOTH the head of the Doombringer's leader, and their doom." Noticing the tensing weapons, Ki decided that hurrying this up would be beneficial to his long term health. "Within the Doombringer fortress, I discovered a crystal. During my battle with Shin, I crashed into its base. It might have shattered, if not for the fact that the Shield of Apollyon here absorbed its power. Now, all the flames of the Doombringers are mine to control and, if necessary, remove. Thus their threat is, for the most part, ended." Thinking quickly, a Blue Winter Rose attempted to grab the shield, hoping to gain such power for himself. Imagine his surprise as his arm was blighted by unholy green fire. Noticing the shocked looks, Ki smirked. "Of course, the shield is attuned to me. So I would not advise doing that again." Realizing that had managed to gain their attention, Ki had to honestly smile. And they thought that his association with Yuri had been a waste of time. "Now then, someone remove that," he commanded, gesturing at the form of his now dead mother. "So that I might take my seat." Life was deliciously dark. Hmmm, better make that two gallons of blood berry ice cream. ----- "Hmmm," Principal Amakusa thought, carefully examining the situation. "Ms. Mikagami is good, but this... this is interesting!" Such a shift in her pattern! Before, Yuri had always managed her manipulations so exactly, that no one could link her with the given situation. Making Craig believe that he was gaining a virgin sacrifice to ensnare Bala, manipulating Midori to make her a candidate for Dark Heart High Princess, goading his own person into a blood duel, starting false rumors in an institution prided upon their accuracy... Yes, her manipulation normally ran very deep. In fact, this was almost straight-forward in comparison. "She grants an item of power, the Shield of Apollyon, to Mr. Tamaida, hoping to end the Doombringer and Steel Thorn conflict. Ki uses the shield to ABSORB the Doombringer power, and furthermore, gain control of the Steel Thorn clan in the process. Of course, since the shield is linked to the Mikagami bloodline, she can use it as leverage not only over the Steel Thorns but the remaining Doombringers, at will. Rather simple but VERY effective." While both Ki and Yuri would, of course, be receiving top marks for their efforts over the summer, he had to wonder... Why did it feel like he was overlooking something? ----- Selune the Thirteenth, Doombringer observed the Great Hall of the Doombringer fortress. Noting the destruction wrought by both Shin the First (pompous old blowhard) and Ki Tamaida, she couldn't help but shudder. That wasn't exactly part of her plan... but she could work with it. The Steel Thorn and Doombringer conflict had elevated her position within the family, by the simple method of eliminating numerous family members above said position. The best part was, her hands were clean as far as evidence was concerned. Everything could legally be blamed upon the Steel Thorn's. Yet, she had not meant for the influence of her clan to be weakened so significantly. Although they possessed other resources, the loss of the hell flame and its crystal would devastate many of the male heirs, who had relied upon it to the exclusion of anything else. Thus making them easy prey for the more experienced members of the clan and evil in general. However, she had dreamed of eventually claiming the power long denied the females of her clan. After all, only the male heirs gained hell fire and the title of succession. The women simply received the title of progression and some extra weapons training, undermining their ability to gain in power. But the removal of the crystal would seriously put a crimp in her plans in the short term. Still, nothing she couldn’t handle. Although... "I wonder where that asshole got such an item in the first place?" ----- There, it is done! Hi everybody! It has been a while! I know that the e-mail is different, but I am back, and here to stay! Please excuse the hurried elements though, chores were a pain this week. First, thank you Samara Secor, Ciardra, and A.H. for proofreading this chapter. Your help was invaluable. Wow, I know that there are some elements here that might make people nervous, but I will try to only examine (what I believe to be) the most important. Firstly, I know that Yuri sounds overly mature for her role, but keep in mind that I am trying to push her more into a leadership role. While she ultimately takes that anyway, I was trying to create elements of her personality that would be more suited to the eventual assumption of principal duties. Secondly, the end of the Doombringer threat and Ki's power up. I know that this seems a little forced but I was getting tired of the threat of the Doombringer war and Ki's immediate expulsion. As shown here, he could still be thrown out if someone can get rid of the shield or gain power over it, but remember, it is tied to the Mikagami bloodline. So only Yuri or her father could retrieve it. Yuri probably wont because she likes Ki as a friend too much. Troi on the other hand would recognize the power over the Steel Thorns that this gives Yuri, and will probably leave the situation alone. As to the power up, well, that’s an area that Ki has been lacking in. Craig is becoming a tech user, Bala is without seals more and more, while Yasuko is moving beyond her previously ineffective habits as a succubus. I honestly think that reclaiming his heart is not a fair trade for this guy. Hence the sudden ascension. Finally, the issue of Selune. While it appears in the story that she was going to be a major foil to Yuri, I thought that this might be a rude awakening for her. She primarily wanted power form this war, so I showed that she gained less than previously thought. Also, I believe that the flames might be a guy only thing for the simple reason that we have yet to see a female Doombringer using them. So there. Thanks for reading! Dragon Claw ----- "Oh Yuri? What's that file you are reading?" "Ummm Dad?! It's not what it looks like!"