Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Fire vs Ice

Toshiro gritted his teeth in anger as he walked a distance away while Amane was talking. The desert sun baked them in heat while Toshiro tried to keep his calm and his cool in the process. His hands trembled as he prepared for the rematch with his old best friend. A man he now considered a monster. He balled his hands into fist as he still shook with anger and fear as much as he tried not to show it. His mind was clouded by what he thought happened and even more clouded by what he was shown. The delusions and illusions brought on by the figure who gave him more power...power to remove his friend's life. Toshiro drew his blade and prepared himself to attack.

Amane took a stance as he saw his friend trembling in his mind even though he knew what was going on, he still considered his enemy...his friend. Toshiro would always be his friend, his first friend, and his best friend. No matter what they went through he'd always consider that and try to bring him back around to his side.

With a running start Toshiro charged Amane with his blade. He began swinging quickly and aggressively. Amane noticed his speed increase and smirked to himself. It was faster than he was before but not as fast as he could have been. Amane saw the potential in his friend a long time ago. Even though Toshiro had gotten faster so had Amane as he was just dodging the attacks Toshiro aimed at him.

Hearing the grunting coming from outside Kitanni took off out the door followed closely by Kyra and Teo.

"We'll pay for the water when we come back inside." Teo yelled as he left.

The old man chuckled to himself. "The energy of the young and youthful." He smiled watching them leave.

Kitanni watched on seeing the dust rise from the speed the two were using but her mind turned towards Amane seeing that he wasn't even taking it seriously while Toshiro was giving his all or what looked like his all to her.

"I thought you were gonna take this seriously?" Amane asked.

"I'm just gauging you." Toshiro replied.

Kyra watched on having no problem viewing them at all or hearing them. "So neither of them is taking this seriously. Seems accurate for Amane, of course. Toshiro on the other hand I don't know much about but he seems like he can do better. He told Amane that he was gauging him."

Teo agreed with what he had seen so far,"That does seem accurate, neither of them seem to be actually trying. What's up with Amane though? He really seems to just be playing around."

"He's wearing spiritual armor. To even move he has to keep his energy up at peak while it suppresses it at the same time." Kyra replied.

Teo placed his hand on his chin and watched on,"I see. I can also see some unique abilities coming with that skill set. I think Amane is going to go far in this world."

"He told me once that his destiny was to stop the Sorcerer and free the souls in the vortex above the palace. " Kyra added.

Kitanni listened to Kyra speak and just stayed quiet. She was still trying to think of a way to help him. She elected to cheer while she stood there watching,"Come on Toshiro! You can do this!"

Toshiro felt the support from her and started moving faster while Amane stayed at the same speed. He swung down, cutting Amane's gi shirt. "Finally connected." Amane said out loud. "Now let's be serious."

Amane blocked the next slash with his gauntlet on his left arm and narrowed his eyes. He reached his arm out quickly and pushed his hand up against Toshiro and let out his energy from his palm. The push forced Toshiro back a distance away from him.

"What the?!" Toshiro said, confused while grabbing the center of his chest.

"Spiritual energy." Amane replied, his eyes sharpening and growing more narrow. A sheen of silver around his gray eyes is visible.

Toshiro took a deep breath and chilled his entire body, a white frost forming around his hands and arms. His breath was visible as the area around him became chilled. His eyes became a pale blue with a white circle around them.

Amane was impressed but Toshiro wasn't the only one who had an ability like that, he just wasn't going to use it yet. Toshiro froze his blade over and created another one out of ice. He began his onslaught again charging and swinging both of his blades at Amane at the same time. As fast as he could go. Amane took on a defensive stance and began blocking the attacks with his gauntlets again. Sliding back and forth as the two swords got dangerously close to him. He could see now that Toshiro wasn't playing around.

The force of the steel blade against his gauntlets created sparks each time he struck at them but Amane wasn't worried about it. The armor had been through so much with him and he knew it could handle the damage. If not he knew where he could get it repaired. Blocking it could probably handle; but the elements he wasn't sure about.

Toshiro became increasingly annoyed about the situation and was losing focus at the same time. He was too busy trying to live up to the expectation of defeating Amane; he was losing grasp on his own skills.

Amane could see this in his friend and as Toshiro swung his steel blade down, Amane blocked it and knocked it out of his hand sending it flying out of the way. With his right hand he caught the new ice sword and started applying heat. His flames engulfed his right hand as he pressured Toshiro's sword and body. The ice began to melt as the heat rose quickly around it. "Getting hot?" Amane asked.

"Not yet." Toshiro said as he stretched his left leg kicking Amane back and coming down hard upon him with his ice sword. Amane took the hits and fell to the ground leaving charred marks where his hand was.

"AMANE GET UP!" Kyra yelled.

"GET HIM TOSHIRO!" Kitanni shouted.

Toshiro swung his blade down again in an attempt to take advantage of Amane being on the ground. Amane smirked and caught the blade pulling it down and Toshiro along with it. The quickness caught Toshiro off guard as he stumbled and fell onto the ground next to Amane.

Amane got up quickly and placed his hand on Toshiro's head. "Are you gonna stop fighting me or do I need to boil your brain?" Amane said his eyes changed to red as his fire abilities were heating up within him.

Kitanni yelled,"GET OFF OF HIM! YOU MONSTER!" As she ran towards him as quickly as she could.

"Kitanni, stop." Toshiro said in a commanding manner.

Amane turned his head,"Kyra stand down, please."

"No." Kitanni replied back to Toshiro as she drew her two daggers from her hips.

"Kyra. I'm asking you to stay your hand." Amane pleaded. Kyra's bow was already drawn back with an arrow knocked. She was ready for the kill if necessary. Her eyes focused on Kitanni's hands and daggers. "Please, Kyra. Stand down." Amane asked again of her.

Sighing, Kyra lowered her bow and put the arrow away for now. "Fine since you asked so nicely."

Amane removed his hand from Toshiro's head. "I told you: I won't fight you if she's involved." He stood up and turned completely around walking back to his allies. He looked at Kyra,"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Next time I won't hesitate. She better be prepared for a fight and you better be prepared to not go easy on your enemy." Kyra replied strictly.

"Compassion is what makes me different from those I fight. If it's necessary to remove them, I will. Killing Toshiro isn't necessary or wanted. As long as it's just him, I'll fight him however many times he wants. Once someone else steps in I won't fight anymore and I can use my speed to flee.” Amane stated matter of factly.

"Good show, Amane." Teo added. "Though if you really want to show your skills off, actually use them.” He said with a slight chuckle.

"I didn't want to hurt him." Amane said calmly.

Toshiro watched on as Amane humbly removed himself from the field. He did exactly what he said he would...stopped fighting. The fight was over but now it was inconclusive. Neither had won and neither had lost, at least in his mind. "Kitanni, what are you doing?" Toshiro asked.

"Trying to save your life." She said sternly.

"I see that. It was never a fight to death...for me." He said looking back over Amane who was now sitting down. "Amane was seemingly alright with whatever outcome may happen."

"He was." Kyra stated. "He's difficult to understand. His emotions are a source of power and skills are highly developed. He's never at a disadvantage. He's always willing to make the sacrifice.. This is just how I'm viewing him for the little time I've known him." She offered her hand. "You could have killed him and he'd have been okay with it."

Toshiro took Kyra's hand and got off the sand. "He carries a lot of guilt..but for what I don't really know."

"You know, just think about it." Kyra replied before walking off. She personally had no qualms with Toshiro other than he was after Amane but after watching that fight she didn't see a reason to not be somewhat friendly to him.

Teo walked over and sat beside Amane,"Are you alright?" He whispered.

"I am. Just thinking about how all of this would have turned out if what he's blaming me for hadn't happened at all. Would the four of us have been traveling together before meeting you? Would Kitanni even be here? There are questions but I don't really need the answers." He sighed,"Does that make sense?"

Teo smiled,"It does. One cannot hold onto what ifs and what futures there may be. We have the present, the here and now, and nothing else. We continue from here and enjoy our lives in the time we have them."

"So it doesn't really matter at all. We'll press forward. I'll press forward." Amane replied.

"That's all you can do." Teo responded. "In time, Amane, we'll find the ingredients we're looking for. We'll see what really happened on that dark day."

"Thanks." Amane said quickly. "Let's go inside." He looked over at Toshiro,"All of us."

"Yeah." Toshiro added.

Amane pushed the door open and walked back inside behind him followed: Kyra, Teo, Toshiro, and Kitanni. Amane sat down at the large circular table at one end of it. Kyra next to him, Kitanni on the other side of him, Teo next to Kitanni, and Toshiro across from Amane. It was as if Toshiro was just watching him sit there. A new light in his eyes and a confused heart. He had a job to do and he couldn't see it through at the current moment.

"Toshiro. I want to make you an offer." Amane said.

Raising his right eyebrow,"What would that be?"

"I already know you're not going to let me go here. I also know you won't just go back home. I want you to come with me. That way you can keep an eye on me for what you think is necessary and when I find what ingredients we're looking for Teo can help us find out what happened that day." He looked over at Teo,"Is there a way to show them my memory of the day my mother died?"

"There is. Just might take a little time as well." Teo added.

"You want me to join you to follow you around and when the time comes see your memories?" Toshiro asked.

"Yeah..that was much quicker than what I said." Amane replied.

"Always were terrible with words." Toshiro shrugged while shaking his head.

"Sorry, my father was a drunkard. I picked up his bad habit of not speaking clearly." Amane said jokingly. "What do you say: join me or die?"

Toshiro gave him a confused look mixed with a scared reaction. "Or die?"

"Stop it, Amane." Kyra added.

"I was just joking. You're welcome to come or go, Toshiro. I just know you're not going to let me walk away on my quest and you know I won't return with you. So the only logical answer is for you to join me so you can stay close." Amane replied.

"I'll stay with you for the time you're here, for sure. I need a night to think about this. It does seem logical to do and you're right but I'm not traveling alone. Kitanni needs a say in this as well. If she says no then I'll have to take her back home and find you again." Toshiro responded.

"I'm not leaving without you Toshiro." Kitanni argued.

"Seems like your answer is up to you now." Teo added.

"Yeah. Seems to be." Toshiro replied.

"Amane." Kyra whispered. "Are you sure about this? Seems a little dangerous."

"Don't worry about it. He's not going to harm anyone but me if he even does that. I'm not concerned with him coming with us. He's skilled. He's got cryomancy to my pyromancy. An added skill set is always a good thing." Amane replied.

"If you say so. It's your life." Kyra said, placing her hands behind her head and leaning back a little in her chair.

As they conversed the bartender brought a large pitcher of water to them and their glasses from the counter as well as two extra ones for Toshiro and Kitanni.

"Welcome, welcome. My young friends." He said, smiling at Toshiro and Kitanni as he poured their glasses.

"Thank you." Toshiro replied.

"Thank you very much." Kitanni followed.

Toshiro drank his water until he felt a stingy feeling at the bottom of his neck right above his chest. "What is this burning pain?" Toshiro grabbed at his shirt trying to look.

Teo looked down at his arm and saw another piece appear as he looked up at Toshiro,"The Delta symbol. Placement of it makes sense. Amane's is on the back of his neck and yours is on the front. He's fire and you're ice. Opposites. Amane lived a hard life and is full of fire to change the world. You had a mostly good life and you're cold after the event."

"You don't know anything about me." Toshiro added.

"That's semi accurate." Amane replied. "Toshin was a bit of a strict father and kind of perfectionist but you did have a pretty peaceful life until recently."

"So did you." Toshiro retorted.

"My father was a drunk who wasn't around. My mother did her best to look after me. I went to war with my own clan because people wouldn't believe what happened. Seems to be a running theme in my life." Amane said, thinking about it for a moment. "I lost everything, Toshiro. I had to hold my mother in my arms as she died. My father was killed in a war not soon after. I lost my clan. I lost my family. I lost my best friend and the worst thing about that is..." He stopped. "You know what, never mind."

"No continue, Amane." Toshiro replied. "What do you have to say?" He pushed Amane to tell him.

"You're not even dead...you just left. At the worst possible time ever and I don't even know why or what happened other than what I've been told. I just lost my mother and my father became more of a drunk after her funeral until his death. Friends our entire lives..and it was just thrown away without even second guessing what happened." Amane got up from his chair and walked to a corner of a room and put his hand on it. He was pushing back his sorrow and his anger.

"I lost my family because of that too. Training to stop you, my father, came at me with full force. He wasn't just training me..he was helping me survive. I didn't want any part of that...but when he came at me instinct took over and we locked eyes." Toshiro paused, seeing Amane look over at him from the corner. "The Cold Stare activated...and he was forced to kill himself because of his murderous intentions. The same move that you broke out of and no one knows how."

"Toshiro, what are you talking about? I don't think that technique has ever been used on me." Amane said, confused.

"The day your mother died, my father tried it on you because you wouldn't stand down. You yelled at him: 'I don't have murderous thoughts. I have thoughts of Justice.' and the skill was broken and then you stared at a guy until he caught fire." Toshiro added. He thought to himself, He really doesn't remember that day at all.

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about Toshiro. " Amane replied. "I'm more surprised he was willing to go to that length with you there." He paused for a moment,"Did you say I stared at a guy until he caught fire?"

"You wouldn't stop, there were people dead all around you and yes you stared at him and he caught fire." Toshiro replied.

"Nice to know that last part. If I try hard enough, maybe I can do it again. That'd be a surprise for my enemies." Amane said with a slight chuckle.

"Amane sit down. That wasn't what you should have taken from that." Kyra scolded him.

"Kyra, I don't recall any of that. I don't even remember seeing any of it. I do know however that I have pyromancy and can set things on fire. That's real for me at this moment." Amane replied.

"Sit down." Kyra said sternly.

"Yes ma'am." Amane responded as he sat back down in his seat.

Teo laughed at Amane's predicament. "Seems like he can't tell a strong woman, no." He laughed again.

"She's a little pushy but she means well." Amane responded.

"Shut it." Kyra jokes. "No, this is just serious. All of it. Amane you're missing a chunk of time from your life. Toshiro can fill it in but it doesn't seem to fit your character that I've met. But can we view this from your memory in time?"

"That about sums it up pretty well. I can help find his memories but I don't know what ingredients we'll need here. So it could take some time." Teo replied. "But I'm going with you until we find them all. I want to know what happened."

As they talked the door opened as another man walked in short black hair with red intense eyes and a very muscular build. A scythe upon his back and light armor with metal shoulders and chest and light chain mail under it. A dark power trailing behind him as if he walked out of it.

Amane's eyes narrowed as he felt the dark power from across the room. He wasn't looking for another fight but something about this man seemed dangerous.

"What's up, Amane?" Kyra asked.

"You don't feel that?" He replied as a nervous sweat came down his face.

"Are you okay?" Teo asked as he turned around to see what was causing it. His senses caught it a moment later. "Ah. That's the issue." He stopped and paused for a moment,"Your senses are stronger than mine it seems Amane. He's definitely strong."

Toshiro looked over,"He could be trouble...I've never seen Amane sweat from that experience before."

Kitanni,"What's going on?"

Kyra replied to her,"He's dangerous."

"I'll handle this." Amane added.

"Don't." Toshiro retorted.

"It's fine." Amane stood up and wiped the sweat off his face.

He made his way over to the newcomer who was now standing at the bar.

"Be on your way. I mean you no harm." The man spoke.

"I'm not here to fight you." Amane replied. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He responded. "Things just seem different than I remember." He looked over to Amane,"I saw the sweat on your face." He drank a sip of water.

"I felt your tension. You're just as unsure about me as I am of you." Amane retorted. "I saw your trail of darkness."

"It is my specialty. Umbramancy. I am the darkness. I use the darkness. I conjure darkness. I conquer darkness." He replied. "I feel your heat, pyromancer but there is more inside you. Spiritmancer...and something else but I can't tell."

"Interesting." Teo spoke. "So much information from just a glance and walking to the bar."

"They're understanding each other without talking but through energy." Kyra added. "It's not hard to see but they do it so naturally." She was impressed with Amane's understanding of his power.

"This can't be good though." Toshiro added. "It's like they're pushing to see who will start a fight first by semi-insulting each other but not really. It's passive but they're calling each other out." He sighed, this was a side of Amane he hadn't seen before either. A smooth and confident but serious version of him.

"It's like a reunion of old allies." Teo added. "Destiny seems to be pulling us all here as if we're all connected. An interesting turn of events for sure."

Looking out from above Quadrant Two a lady watches to the distance looking in the area of Quadrant One. Seemingly hearing everything that was going on somehow. "If you only knew how much you were all connected. A third iteration of this timeline is in your hands. This has to be the last one...whatever happens here this time is permanent and I won't be able to change it again. You must all succeed." The lady sighs and then smiles looking over there way still,"Amane. Kyra. Teoctlamazqui. Toshiro. Kitanni, surprised me that she came. And now our resident of darkness...Te.." She pauses as she looks up for a moment and changes her view to the Palace Area. "Majz Ical."

"You remembered me and felt me looking in at you. I'm surprised." He replied.

"I can't forget you." She replied. "You're integral."

"Is that the only reason you can't forget me?" He responded. "Could have been for other reasons many years ago."

"You've changed since then so I'm not really interested in you that way any more." She playfully said but was dead serious about it.

"Ha ha. Fair enough...Ama. Keep an eye on my boys. The fire and the snow." Majz replied.

Ama hesitated to answer for a moment and caught herself,"What are you doing with Toshiro?"

"You'll see in time. This way is more fun." Majz laughed as he cut off his connection to her.

The Sorcerer is sitting in front of a crystal orb watching the group more closely and as he does he feels an opportunity knocking. He scans over on his orb and sees a group of mercenaries. "Ah yes, the Jericho Crew. They should make excellent pawns in this game." He smirks and waves his hands over the orb.

"Jericho, I feel your lust for power and I feel your intense desire to kill just to kill. I can give this to you."

"Who is this?" Jericho replies.

"You know who I am. I offer you power for you and your crew. I can make you and them exponentially stronger. All you have to do is agree is to kill a group of people." The Sorcerer adds.

"I'm game." Jericho smirks. "Just one request."

"What is it?" He asks.

"I want to be at least five times stronger than my crew." Jericho responds.

"Deal. It was always the plan to make you stronger than them though. " He rolled his eyes.

The Sorcerer waved his hand over the orb and focused his energy on Jericho and his crew. "A power absolute....or close..we'll see." He laughed to himself. He knew he could make them stronger but he didn't know how strong the group actually was, just an idea based on what he saw from Amane and Toshiro's fight.

Meanwhile back in the bar at Riverpass Amane was still sitting there next to the new guy. They weren't doing much besides sitting there next to each other waiting to see what happened next.

"What's your name, pyromancer?" The man asked.

"Amane Fuseishutsu." He replied.

"Amane...That sounds very familiar. Like I've woken from a dream and wandered into another version of it." The man responded. He gripped his head as flashes of memory bathed his mind in remembrance. The Omega symbol burning into the same place...where the same symbol already was..but no one could see it.

Teo looked down at his arm seeing the symbol appear on him, The Omega. He thought to himself, That's it right? Is that all of them? Teo spoke aloud,"Seems like he's one of us too."

Amane watched him closer as the man's head got closer to the counter until he was leaning down upon it. It was almost as if he was getting new memories..from another time. "You said, your name is Amane Fuseishutsu, correct?" The man spoke through his headache pain.

"Yeah why?" Amane replied.

"You're too young to be.." He paused as he realized nothing was moving. "What's going on?"

A woman with black hair and purple eyes appeared before him. Her body was covered in a white and blue gown. "Ama Telesu." He said to himself.

"It's me, darling." She replied. "You remembered, didn't you?"

"Amane, I'd never forget him Ama. He saved my family. What is going on?" He asked.

"Tenkai. Before I answer, how are you here?" She replied.

"I was in the Umbra Realm. I gave up fighting, just like Amane did to be with Kyra, so I could be with my family as the world was saved from the Zodiac again." Tenkai replied back.

"I miscalculated." Ama said under her breath.

"Miscalculated what? WHAT did you do?" Tenkai asked.

"I reset time." She replied. "We thought you had died. No one knew where you were."

"WHY IN THE UNDERWORLD WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" He responded in anger.

"Amane died, Tenkai. He died fighting for the world against the stronger forces of the Underworld. He was alone with no help. He lost." Ama replied as tears started rolling down her face.

"No way, Amane lost?" He was taken back for a moment. "Why didn't you find me?"

"No one knew where you were. You vanished off the face of Aren." She sighed,"At least now I know the Umbra World can be used as a safe haven if necessary, even from time changes."

"What you're telling me is I'm in a new timeline? These people are my old friends but they don't remember anything or they're new iterations of them?" Tenkai asked for a double check.

"Yes this is a new timeline. They are your old friends but they are new people here. They know nothing of the past timelines." She took a step closer to him. "Please keep it that way. "

"For now." Tenkai added.

"Thank you." Ama replied.

"We have to end this conversation." Tenkai said as he noticed Amane was moving slightly. ”It was only a matter of time before he started moving willingly or unwillingly."

"Agreed. When you make it to Quadrant Two, come by my home." Ama added as she disappeared from the suspended time she had created. She hadn't actually been there but was projecting herself to him.

Amane looked at him for a moment,"Are you okay?"

"Just some thoughts in my head." Tenkai sighed.

"What did you mean by too young?" Amane asked.

"Too young to be traversing the desert out here." He said hastily. It didn't make much sense but he couldn't think of anything on the spot. "You shouldn't be out here even in a group."

"If I'm going to defeat the Sorcerer and his soul vortex I'm going to need to be much stronger." Amane replied.

"I'll join you on your quest. I, too, wish to see the Sorcerer removed from power." Tenkai added but thought, Again, to himself afterwards.

Just as Tenkai had said that another group had busted into the doors of the establishment. The owner was clearly shaken and could see who it was and it was someone who had harassed him many times and taken his money and goods. By doing so, and doing it so frequently, he became a local hindrance to the Riverpass economy.

"Bring us some water old man." He commanded,"THE GANG HAS ARRIVED!"

"Jericho." Tenkai said under his breath as he recognized his appearance and attitude.

Jericho made his way up to the bar where Tenkai and Amane were. He placed his hand on Amane's shoulder and pulled him backwards out of the way. "Out of my way, kid."

Amane turned his head towards his friends and saw Toshiro shaking his head at him and mouthing: Don't do it. Sighing, he stepped back and watched what happened next since he was asked to not do anything.

"That's a nice scythe you have there. Let me see it." Jericho said to Tenkai

"Touch it and I'll take your arm off with it." Tenkai said, sipping his water.

Jericho smacked the glass out of his hand,"I said let me see it."

Amane,"Someone needs to teach you some damn manners. Leave him alone."

"Or what?" Jericho asked. "A snot nosed brat is going to do something about it."

"Amane stand down." Tenkai stated.

"I'm not gonna stand here and let him treat any of us like that." Amane replied.

"Amane." Jericho paused,"I know who you are. I'm on orders from the Sorcerer to kill you and your group. That must be all of you." He motioned with his right hand. "Seems about right

that you're all still here."

"Great..." Teo added. "I think he might need his swords now, Kyra."

"You're probably right." Kyra replied. "Amane you want these?" She asked.

"Not at the moment." He replied with a laugh.

"Confident aren't we?" Jericho stated.

"Always. If you're sent by the Sorcerer, I don't have to hold back." Amane replied, his eyes shifting from gray to red as the heat began intensifying around him. Jericho swiftly picked up a bar stool and swung at Amane only to be cut in half by Tenkai's scythe before any damage was dealt but Amane didn't move either way.

"If you're going to fight, please go outside. I can't afford to refurnish this place and it takes weeks to get wood here." The owner stated.

"I'll fight where I damn well please, old man." Jericho replied. "You want some of this too scythe man?"

"If you're going to challenge me, say it to me directly. I didn't come here to fight you." Tenkai added.

"I'll fight you..." Jericho said, being interrupted as Amane grabbed him by his collar and tossed him out the door.

"You're gonna fight out there." Amane interrupted as Jericho hit the sand outside.

"You'll pay for that." Jericho replied, growing increasingly annoyed.

“Put it on my tab, jackass.” He retorted.

"I could have handled him, Amane." Tenkai added.

"More fun this way. He brought more guys." Amane stated.

"I know he did." Tenkai replied.

Amane turned to his group,"Sorry for dragging you all into this."

Most of them just waved it off and didn't care except Toshiro who was shaking his head. "Just couldn't stay out of it." Toshiro stated.

"They were after us anyway. Orders from the Sorcerer." Amane said, rolling his eyes.

"You don't have to meet every fight head on." Toshiro added.

"YoU dOn’T hAve To FiGhT eVeRy FiGhT hEaD oN.”He said, mocking Toshiro. “You didn't see the owner clearly as he was shaking and scared of the guy who came in here. This wasn't the first time he did that." Amane retorted. "When people are in danger we protect them."

Amane walked out the door followed by Tenkai who stopped to talk,"We might need your help. I assume you can all fight."

"Most of us it seems." Kyra replied.

"Who can't?" Tenkai asked.

"I'd personally say Kitanni. She looks completely inexperienced." Kyra replied with a worried tone.

"I CAN FIGHT!" Kitanni added.

"Big words." She retorted.

"I'll watch her." Toshiro added. "She's not inexperienced but by the way you and Amane were talking they're probably stronger than she is." He turned to Kitanni,"Stand with me. We'll watch each other's backs."

"Alright, Toshi." Kitanni replied.

"Toshi..." Tenkai laughed. "Alright, I wasn't expecting that. Come on, I think Amane is having too much fun."

The group then walked outside into the blinding light of the desert to fight the Jericho Gang. The blistering heat down upon their faces. The gang was spread out among the area preparing for a battle with the smaller group. Swordsman, archers, fist fighters, and a mix of others awaiting orders from Jericho who was currently on the ground.