The Will of Fire

25...Rising Warriors and Fallen Heroes

*Safe Shelter*
Koshinmaru spun a water bottle on the floor. He had noticed everyone was asleep, but he couldn't help but think of King Tskune, and that something was going on outside of his knowledge. Koshinmaru quietly crawled on his knees over to Iwabe.
"Hey. Hey. Iwabe? Wake up, man."
"What do you want, Koshinmaru? It's really late. Mr. Namikaze will be pissed that you're not sleep." Iwabe responded, rubbing his eyes.
"Let's get out of here. What do you say?" Koshinmaru asked.
"How? Mr. Namikaze has the keys, genius." Iwabe asked, rolling his eyes.
"What are you guys over here chatting about?" Asked Sarai, whispering and crawling over to Koshinmaru and Iwabe.
"We need to get out of here. Something tells me there's something fishy going on and I don't like it. Japan is our home. Our parents are out there. Something could be happening to them!" whispered Koshinmaru.
Another kid by the name of Kotsu had woke up. Rubbing his eyes and asking what was going on.
"That's risky, you guys." he said.
"I agree with Kotsu, you guys" said Sarai. "If there is something going on it is probably something way beyond our experience. We are only thirteen guys."
"Age doesn't matter. We are thirteen, not three. We can handle ourselves don't you think?" Koshinmaru asked.
Iwabe and Sarai hesitated, looking away.
"Iwabe. Your abilities as a Poison Type of the Parasitic Insect Class prove to have gotten incredibly better than before" said Koshinmaru. "Sarai. You may not have unlocked your full potential as a Strength Type of the Superhuman Class, but the strength you already do have is amazing. Plus, you have already learned a secondary type along with the class"
"Yeah, but my abilities from the Mystic Class aren't that great. My mom said that I'm a late bloomer like she was. And yes, I'm strong like my father, but I can't even bring this building down. I know he could with ease." Said Sarai.
"Look, we can't just sit around and doubt ourselves. We are young, yes. But most of all we are Power Warriors." Koshinmaru said, sternly.
"There's no denying that." Said Iwabe.
Sarai inhaled and exhaled deeply.
"How are we supposed to get out of here then?" Sarai asked.
Iwabe turned and looked at Pakun who was slouched against the wall, mumbling in his sleep.
"Dummy's over there sound asleep. Leave this to me, I wanna try something." Iwabe said.
Iwabe got up and walked over to the door. He held his hand out, releasing many small red bugs. The bugs swarmed around the lock of the door. Suddenly the door made a slight popping sound and the bugs returned inside of Iwabe's fingertips.
"Success" Iwabe said. "By releasing my insects, they ate the lock and now we're free to go."
"Perks of being of the Parasitic Insect Class. Nice job, Iwabe." Koshinmaru said.
They all turned to see Pakun awake, staring at them all.
"Just what are you three doing?" He asked sternly.
Koshinmaru, Iwabe and Sarai couldn't get words out. Just stutters. Suddenly, Pakun froze. He blankly stared.
"I have him in a daze! Hurry, go! I can't hold him in this forever!" Kotsu said.
Quickly, the three dashed out of the room, up the stairs, and through the door leading outside.
"Phew, that was close!" Sarai said.
"Thank goodness for Kotsu. Being a member of the Inoichi clan has it's perks. They're magical abilities are" said Iwabe.
"We better get going. His Power Energy isn't strong enough to hold Mr. Namikaze in that daze for long." said Koshinmaru.
A flash of lightning shot down from the sky in the distance.
"Over there! That's my uncle!" Koshinmaru shouted, pointing.
"And you can tell that just by seeing lightning?" Sarai asked.
"I'm telling you. That's my uncle." Koshinmaru responded, running off with Iwabe and Sarai behind him.

*Kujaku Ramen Shop, Outside*
Hanzo, along with Rashaad, Karui and Kikyo had arrived at Kujaku Ramen Shop. Outside of the shop laid Fukushima and Natsu.
"What happened!?" Hanzo shouted, running over to them with the others.
"We...we fought as hard as we could." Natsu strained to talk.
"He was too quick. He uses shadows." Said Fukushima.
"He? Who's he?" Hanzo asked.
"He goes by Hawk..." Natsu said while coughing.
Hanzo noticed Natsu had a stab wound on his stomach. Fukushima had cuts on his arms which tore the sleeves of his white cooking shirt.
"Kikyo! Karui!" Hanzo said, motioning his hands at Natsu and Fukushima.
With no response, Kikyo and Karui began healing Natsu and Fukushima.
"Natsu's injury is bad, but recoverable. A few inches to the left, his liver would've been struck." Kikyo said.
"Fukushima has severe cuts on his arms, seems like muscles have been torn. This may take a while." Karui said.
Natsu and Fukushima groaned in pain as the medicinal water stung their wounds.
"Where is Jared and Alisa?" Hanzo asked.
"When Hawk attacked us, I told him to run off somewhere safe with Alisa. There's no telling where they are by now." Said Natsu.
"Hawk also mentioned that Queen Kokoro and Kushina had returned. They've been with China this entire time." Fukushima said.
"Apparently, Queen Kokoro is married to Kang. She's the Queen of China. And Kushina has claimed her own throne as Princess of China." Said Natsu.
"Kokoro and Kushina as enemies? This isn't good at all." Kikyo said.
"We have to get to Jared. These three chicks with guns who apparently work in a military association called "The Kill Squad" are claiming Jared, Tristin or Luisa have dealings with the Sîwáng. Or that they all do." Said Hanzo.
"They cuffed Tristin and took him away. Apparently, they took Luisa too before they found Tristin. I know he's innocent..." Karui said.
"Where are Kokoro and Kushina? And where did this Hawk guy go?" Hanzo asked.
"No idea" said Natsu. "But he said the plan was to overthrow King Tskune so Kang can become the king of Japan as well. King Tskune is in danger."
"I don't know much, but doesn't King Tskune have a bodyguard?" Rashaad asked.
"Of course. That would be Jin'ichi. But Hawk also mentioned that there were  thirteen members of this Sîwáng association. If they all gang up on King Tskune and Jin'ichi, they're in trouble." Natsu said.
"Well, we took out three of them at the hospital. So that leaves ten standing." Hanzo said.
"Wait a second" Karui interrupted. "Lady Teikuya. Where is she?"
"Yeah. And come to think about it, no one has seen Rei either, huh?" Natsu asked.
Everyone hesitated, just now realizing that Teikuya and Rej had been a no show as well.
"Damn. Now that I think about it, Mai as well. She's been missing in action." Said Hanzo.
"Something's telling me they're in trouble. If one of these guys were strong enough to take down Natsu and Fukushima...I fear what could have happened to Rei, Lady Teikuya and Mai. Not to mention these two Jared and Alisa people you've mentioned." Said Kikyo.
"My wife...I pray nothing has happened to Naija" Rashaad said. "She is pregnant with our first child. My daughter."
"Kikyo. Karui. You two stay here and heal Natsu and Fukushima" Hanzo said. "Me and Rashaad will go on a search, okay? We have to find Jared, Alisa, Rei, Mai, Naija and Lady Teikuya."
"What about King Tskune?" Karui asked.
"With Jin'ichi, he'll at least survive. Even without him, he'd be okay. But there's too many people to retrieve" Hanzo said. "Rashaad? Let's move out!"
Rashaad nodded his head as he and Hanzo ran off.