Part 3: Storm Watch

Next night

It was nearly three in the morning when Mia, Ryo, Rowen, Sage, Sai, Kento, Trace, Zoe, and Zane left the club. They walked down the street, enjoying the beautiful night. It felt good to get out and celebrate for a change. Too bad they couldn’t convince Gilgamesh, Astarte, and Anubis to join them. Kento was really working on Anubis, trying to make him more social, but Mia didn’t think it was working. He always preferred solitary, meditative walks to nights on the town. White Blaze had gone off with Anubis because they didn’t think the owners of the club would let a giant wild animal into the place. And Gilgamesh and Astarte probably just wanted to spend a quiet evening at home. Most of their lives had been filled with fighting and war—the peace and quiet of home was probably like heaven to them.

Ryo and Mia walked arm in arm, sleepy expressions on their faces. Most of the others talked quietly, strolling with an easy pace. But not Kento and Zoe. They were still going strong. They danced around each other, laughing and twirling past the others.

A rumble in the distance startled them all. Thunder.

Kento moaned. “Aw, man! We’re gonna get soaked.”

Rowen shook his head furiously. “No way, Kento! The forecast said absolutely no rain all week.”

“Then what did we just hear?”

Sage smirked. “Maybe it was your stomach.”

Even Mia couldn’t help the little laugh that escaped.

Another clap of thunder boomed louder and closer. Dark clouds swirled overhead in a sky that was clear and bright with stars only moments before.

Rowen was worried. “This isn’t right. Storms whip up fast sometimes, but not this fast!”

Ryo started cautiously looking around. The other Ronins started moving around as if danger were nearby.

Zoe looked puzzled. “Guys. It’s just a storm. What are you going to do, fight the rain?”

Ryo was deadly serious. “You can never be to careful. When we fought the Dynasty and Talpa, we learned real fast that anything out of the ordinary could be trouble.”

“You think evil forces are at work?”

Rain suddenly poured down on them like crazy.

Rowen nodded his head. “Yes. There were no conditions for a storm, especially not like this. Something is powering it.”

Now everyone got serious. Lightning struck in the distance. Mia kept watching. Another strike—in what looked like the same spot. Then another. What was that saying about lightning never striking twice in the same place? What were the odds against three times? “Guys. I think we should check out that weird lightning. It’s a little ways off, but if we hurry, we can get there quickly enough.”

“Do we have to? I’m already drenched. Man, it always rain when I’m stuck outside without an umbrella.”

Trace laughed. “A little rain won’t hurt you, Kento. Besides, the plants needed it anyway.”

“You would say that, ‘Mr. Warrior of Gaea’.”

“The faster we check this out, the sooner we can get somewhere dry.” Mia took off running into the park, Ryo right beside her. The others followed, leaving Kento standing alone.

“Great! Now we’re chasing lightning.” Kento then noticed he was by himself. “Guys? Wait for me!”

As they headed towards the area, they saw lightning strike there again and again. Now they were all convinced the storm was unnatural. They weaved their way through the trees in the park, watching for the strikes to pinpoint their destination.

“Can we go home, now? We’ve been out here for half an hour. I’m going to catch pneumonia!”

Zoe rolled her eyes. “If you do, Kento, I promise I’ll take care of you. I’ll bring you nice hot soup and blankets.”

“Hey, that actually sounds kinda nice. You’ve got a deal.”

Zane laughed. “You’ve made a big mistake now, Zoe. He’ll probably get pneumonia just so you can wait on him.”

“Well, I’ve had plenty of practice. You certainly turn into a big baby every time you catch cold.”

“Shhh. I hear something.” Sai was looking into the clearing up ahead. “I think we’ve found the spot. And I could’ve sworn I heard someone.” They all slowly crept towards the clearing. Another bolt of lightning streaked through the sky, illuminating the area. There was a park bench under a tree. Someone was laying on it. Mia and Ryo went to check on whoever it was while the others kept watch.

It was a young man. He was wearing worn, lightweight clothes soaked through. His whole body was shivering. He was mumbling something. Mia and Ryo tried to wake him up, but he didn’t even know they were there. They rolled him over just as a bolt of lightning struck nearby, illuminating his face. The guy from the university lounge!

“Ryo, look at his eyes. He’s feverish, maybe even in shock.”

The others ran over. Rowen spoke. “We checked the area and there’s no one else here, but I still don’t like this storm. Let’s get out of here!”

Sai helped Ryo lift the young man and help him walk. He suddenly looked at them as if seeing them for the first time. He started to struggle. “NOO! You won’t take me! Leave me alone! Leave me alone!”

Trace summoned his armor, brown and green lights twining around him like living things. He tapped the ground with his staff. “RAGE OF THE WILD!” Vines came up from the ground to ensnare the stranger and hold him tight. The plants then released their hold on the earth in order to act like a straight jacket. “That’ll keep him until we get him back to the house.” Trace bowed his head. “Thank you.”

Kento looked around. “Who are you talking to?”

“The plants, of course. They just gave their lives to help us out.”

“Uhhh, sure. Okay.”

Zane, Rowen, Sai, and Ryo carried him through the woods. A bolt of lightning struck the ground right behind them. Then another hit a tree causing it to fall over, almost crushing them. They picked up the pace, but it was as if the lightning were following them.

Zoe remarked, “Boy, where’s Astarte when you need her? Her teleporting abilities would be handy right about now.”

Zane just stared at her. “You know. That’s not a bad idea. Trace! You and Astarte have a connection through your powers. Do you think you could signal her for help somehow?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never tried that. But I think if I concentrate hard enough, maybe she can sense my distress.”

Astarte and Gilgamesh were sitting on the couch watching television. Gilgamesh was confused. “I don’t understand. Why is this ‘global warming’ considered funny? Trace told me it was a serious problem, but this man makes jokes.”

“I believe it is called ‘stand-up comedy’. According to Zoe, nothing is taboo for such a forum. They will make fun of anything.”

“But then why…Astarte! What’s wrong?”

Her face had paled. She was sitting stock still, staring into space. “It’s Trace. Something is wrong. I don’t know what or how, but we are needed.”

“Then let’s go. ARMOR OF WAR!” His red and black armor flared up around him like a dark fire. Astarte raised her hand, the Jewel of Life glowing around her neck. They disappeared in a blaze of red.

They reappeared in front of the Ronins and Sentinels in the woods, momentarily blinding them all with a flash of crimson.

“Thank goodness you’re here! We weren’t sure if you’d hear Trace’s message.”

“I sensed he was in danger. What do you need?”

“Teleport us all out of here!”

Mia felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as a flash of light streaked towards her from the sky. She blinked only to open her eyes to see the living room of her house. Mia’s heart was pounding. “Astarte. You’re sense of timing is…dramatic to say the least.”

She gave a mocking bow. “Too dramatic is far better than too late.”

“Definitely.” Mia looked at their cocooned guest, the plants withering already. “Now what?”

“We need to get that young man dry and make him well.” Astarte took charge. She pulled the vines off from him and had the guys hold him. She forced him to look into her eyes, taking over his will with her power to control the minds of mortal men. Zane frowned disapprovingly, but said nothing. Astarte’s voice was melodic and restful. “You will sleep deep tonight. Your dreams will be pleasant, untroubled. When you wake in the morning, you will feel well-rested.” He fell back limp, a peaceful expression on his face. “Now we need to get him into dry clothes and a bed.”

Mia was looking around. “Sage. You look closest to the same size, although he’s a bit thinner. Do you have some pajamas he could use for the night, maybe some other clothes, too? For tomorrow? These are almost rags.”

“I’ll be right back.” While he was gone they carried their guest upstairs to one of the bedrooms that had been recently finished. When Sage came back, he used his healing touch to take away the fever and tremors that wracked the boy’s body. Sage then put an extra shirt and pair of pants in the dresser. Ryo and Rowen got him into some pajamas while the others waited in the hall.

Mia noticed that everyone looked worn out. When Rowen and Ryo were done, she convinced them all to go to bed. They wouldn’t be able to find out what was going on until the morning anyway. There was one more thing she wanted to do herself before going to sleep, though. She went to her room and called her Armor of Occlusion. She held her shadow katana over her head. “DARK FOG RISE!” A thick grey mist swirled up around her, spreading out, seeping through the walls, drifting outside. She’d just created a barrier to block the house from detection by physical or mystical means. Whoever controlled that storm shouldn’t be able to locate any of them or their guest through its occluding power. She sat down on the bed, exhausted. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.