THE MISSING EMPEROR ~ The Elemental Seven Book I

CHAPTER VI: THE ELEMENTAL MASTER

It had been three days since Myoku left. River thought to himself. Hope and Cray play with Kimbro inside one of the ice tents, while he sat under a palm tree beside a creek. I'm kinda worried about her.

Away from the beach, Myoku tried to finish her mission. She had to retrieve an amulet. It looks like a seal made of gold with an embossed fleur-de-lis on it. Myoku is very much determined to retrieve the emblem not just because of the money she will be paid for the mission, but also because the symbol of the French emblem reminded her of her mother's favorite flower, the Iris. Fortunately, she did. It was taken by the Arai Clan from the Katagai ninjas who were hired by the French Military to defend their territory. The Arais sealed it inside a small chest and placed it on an altar inside a temple at the heart of the forest within the Alhanbra Prefecture. Myoku was able to sneak into the temple unnoticed by any of the guards. After taking the amulet, she left and headed to the forest without being pursued. Or so she thought.

Alright my job here is done. I have to go back to the beach with my friends. She thought to herself. I promised Cray that I will... gaaah!

Something hit her back.

"Give me back that amulet, you scoundrel!" a man on a tree said. An excruciating pain crawled from the back of her right shoulder down to her hip. She looked towards the sound of the voice with her sharp eyes and saw a ninja with two shurikens on his hand. "That amulet belongs to the Katagai Clan. It's not yours!" Myoku said as she pulled out whatever hit her. It was a kunai. It pierced the back of her right shoulder making her right arm feel numb. It must've hit an artery. Damn. "Darn it! I do not want to fight you, that I don't. Leave me be won't you please?" she said trying to sweet talk her attacker. "Not without the amulet back," the ninja said and he threw the shurikens to Myoku who dodged quickly. "Come on. I still have a party to attend to, you know." Myoku complained. The ninja pulled out a kodachi and lunged at Myoku. Oh brother! She activated her Ryuugan, prepared to fight wounded. Another ninja jumped off the tree behind her and pulled out a long sword. She assumed defense position when a young man, about the same age as her, blocked the attack of both ninjas. He looked at Myoku and shouted, "GET OUT OF HERE, MYOKU!" "But~..." Myoku said. The young man smiled at her. "I'll deal with them, don't you worry." he said.

I think we might need to contact Myoku. River got up and went to the ice tent to call Cray and Hope. "Hey, you guys. We..." he saw them sound asleep, with Kimbro between them. I guess I just have to do it myself. He left the tent and walked closer to the beach. He willed the water to rise. Water Element: Dreamscape. He whispered softly. The water rose and turned into a mist. It created an image of Myoku in the forest. River's eye color changed to the color of the ocean as he concentrated his energy to gather more water energy. Fortunately, Myoku is near a body of water large enough for River's technique to be completed. Dreamscape allowed him to see and talk to Myoku wherever she is.

Myoku was slumped under a tree beside a river, panting, her right shoulder & left thigh bleeding. She felt a strong presence in the river. She held her spear, ready to defend herself, her hand shaking. With her head down, she said, "Who... who's there?" The river water rose, and she heard a familiar voice. "Myoku?" Myoku slowly looked up with the Ryuugan, panting. "Master River. Is... is that... you?" she asked. "Oh my goodness Myoku what happened to you?" River panicked. Myoku's eyes reverted to normal. She smiled as she looked at River. "River... I'll be... ok," she assured him and reached for his image. "I just... need to... rest." Her voice faded and she fell on the ground unconscious. Shoot! My water control is limited in this form. River said to himself, worried. Just then, a stranger approached Myoku. "Myoku! Oh no!" the stranger cradled her then looked at the image of River. "Who are you?" he unsheathed his sword and pointed at River's image. "Stay away from her!" River said. "Who did this? If you lay a finger on her..." 

"YOU stay away from her!" the stranger said and slashed the water image. River smirked. "Sorry, but you're looking at me as an image of water right now. You, however..." he willed the grass around them and each grass sharpened. "...ARE NOT!" With just mere will power, River pulls some grass out of the soil around Myoku. The grass floated and in an instant, they hardened and sharpened. He willed the grass tips to point toward the stranger. All at once, the grass flew toward the stranger being the target. "Oh snap!" the stranger held Myoku shielding her that all the sharpened grass stabbed his back.