Blaze Of Shadows [A World In Embers]

The Fall Of The Savages

Ryu stepped forward, his eyes scanning the room. Ten pairs of hostile eyes stared back. The Savage Lions formed a semi-circle around him, trapping him.

"Take him down!" Kazuki shouted, retreating to safety. Ryu drew his katana, its blade gleaming in the dim light. The air thickened with tension.

The first attacker, a burly man with a baseball bat, charged. Ryu sidestepped, using the momentum to fuel his counterattack. A swift slash sent the bat flying, followed by a precise kick that sent the man crashing into the wall.

Nine remaining opponents closed in. A knife-wielding thug lunged. Ryu parried with his katana, then delivered a rapid combination of punches, sending the attacker stumbling back.

Two more assailants rushed forward, one swinging a chain, the other wielding a pistol. Ryu dodged the chain's wild swing and disarmed the gunman with a swift kick. The chain-wielder stumbled into the line of fire, and Ryu took advantage, striking him down.

Six opponents remained. A snarling fighter with a scar above his left eyebrow charged. Ryu met him with a flurry of sword strikes, each blow aimed at vulnerable spots. The scarred fighter crumpled.

Five left. Ryu exploited the momentary confusion. Shadowy tendrils extended from his free hand, ensnaring two attackers. He yanked them into the path of an oncoming fist, taking down both.

Three remaining opponents hesitated. Kazuki's voice cut through the uncertainty. "Don't back down! Finish him!" A fresh surge of adrenaline propelled the trio forward.

Ryu unsheathed his shadow powers fully. Darkness swirled around him, obscuring his movements. He reappeared behind an attacker, katana slicing through the air.

Two left. A dual-wielding thug attacked simultaneously with both weapons. Ryu parried each strike, his katana dancing in the darkness. A swift kick sent the thug crashing.

One last opponent. The final fighter, a towering giant, swung a massive fist. Ryu dodged beneath the blow and struck upward, katana biting deep into the giant's shoulder.

The Savage Lions lay defeated. Ryu stood tall, chest heaving, katana still trembling with the force of his final blow. Kasumi approached, daggers at the ready.

"Clear," Ryu reported. Kasumi nodded. "Kazuki's still at large." Ryu's gaze narrowed. "Not for long."

***

Kasumi crept through the shadows, her dual daggers at the ready. Five Savage Lions remained, scattered throughout the room.

"Take her down!" Kazuki's voice echoed. The first attacker, a lean woman with a switchblade, lunged. Kasumi sidestepped and struck, her dagger slicing through the woman's wrist, disarming her.

A burly man with a crowbar charged. Kasumi dodged beneath the swing and kicked upward, sending him stumbling. Her dagger flashed, striking his shoulder.

Three remaining opponents closed in. A knife-wielding thug attacked simultaneously with a companion wielding a broken bottle. Kasumi parried each strike with precision, her daggers weaving a deadly dance.

She disarmed the knife-wielder and sent the bottle-wielder crashing into the wall.Two left.

A snarling fighter with a scar above his left eyebrow charged. Kasumi met him with a flurry of swift kicks, each aimed at vulnerable spots. The scarred fighter crumpled.

One last opponent.

The final fighter, a towering giant, swung massive fists. Kasumi dodged and weaved, striking at openings. Her daggers sliced through his defenses, finding their mark.

The Savage Lions lay defeated.

Kasumi stood tall, chest heaving, daggers still trembling. Ryu approached, katana sheathed.

Ryu and Kasumi burst through the smoke-filled corridor, pursuing Kazuki.

"Split up!" Kasumi shouted. "Cover more ground!" Ryu nodded and veered left, his shadow powers amplifying his speed.

Kasumi took the right path, her daggers at the ready. Their simultaneous shouts echoed through the hallways: "Kazuki, surrender!"

Kazuki's frantic footsteps led Ryu to a dead-end stairwell. Nowhere to hide, Ryu descended, katana drawn.Kazuki spun, pistol and trained his aim.

Ryu deflected the shot with his katana and disarmed Kazuki. A swift kick sent Kazuki crashing to the ground.Simultaneously, Kasumi arrived, securing the exit.

"You're finished," Ryu declared. Kazuki glared. "Hikari will rise again." Ryu's gaze hardened. "Not with our vigilance." Kasumi secured Kazuki's wrists. "Time to uncover the truth," Kasumi said.

***

Kazuki eventually spilled the beans after consuming a healthy sum of a special formula, Aiko the base's medical personnel had been working on, it was a special serum made to make a person who's been injected, tell the truth.

" So it's like a truth serum" Ryu said with a grin. Aiko raised an indignant eyebrow. " It's not just a truth serum! It is a medical concoction meant to make the user more receptive to answering questions honestly..."

" That sounds exactly like a truth serum" Hayato countered and winked at Ryu. " It's not..." Aiko started, red in the face before Hanzo rushed into the room, barely giving Aiko a glance he announced. " Hikari is after an archeologist who in someway might have some information concerning the ring."

" He also has started a ruckus close to the town square and managed to get a high casualty rate" Kasumi chimed in. " What's Master's view on this?" Ryu asked. Hanzo hesitated, they had all noticed how the mantle of KoKuryūkai's leadership was changing hands. " He said we should follow your orders." " This is turning into one heck of a fire ball" Hayato remarked.

***