The outside courtyard (outside; ground floor.)

Ikai Boontai wrote:Ikai smirked. He knew there was a reason he was brought back to Beijio. "My terms..." Ikai thought before replying, "...the same terms I gave Sango when we first trained. We can fight until one individual surrenders though a consequence be held for each of us. If I lose then you can select something for me to do but if you lose then we go to bed. These are my terms do you agree?"

As Ikai spoke he started to prepare for a fight. He started to clear his mind and focus on his opponent.

Miko blushed. "Well... I guess this means this is a title match." she says her deep rouge face drained back to her semi pale complexion. She gripped her gloves and brought up her closed fists. "I'm guessing your unaware, but if I do such an act... I could loose everything I've trained my entire life for." she says closing her eyes briefly before blowing out a steady sigh. She slowly reopens her now red colored eyes. "I accept your challenge, this will make me truly at my limits."

barduwulf wrote:Barduwulf sighed, pulled out his phone, and contacted his lieutenants. "Everyone, this is General Barduwulf, we have a Code Pink situation, scramble the troops and get them into position." He said, and hung up. Code Pink was a plan enacted when Ikai challenged someone to a duel in Beijio, signaling the guards to be placed at strategic points to limit collateral damage and prevent civilian death."You haven't changed much, have you Ikai." He sighed, as he sat down on a nearby bench with Katsumi.

Her guard drooped suddenly, and she looked to the General with her left hand scratching at the back of her head. "General... A Code Pink? I've never heard of Code Pink before...are you sure you didn't make that up? I mean...is this... is this completely necessary? I mean, he's just a single man..." then it hit her. Her eyes widen and she then pouted. "Wait a minute...there isn't a code for me if I'm going to fight is there?!" she asked puffing her cheeks in a slightly irritated manner.

"First off, you're unaware what has happened the last time Ikai challenged someone to a match. Add in your strength, I'm just preparing for the collateral damage. As for you, your not reckless enough to warrant a code. Yet." He replied.

Ikai smirked and commented, "Apparently my reputation has changed too much..." He stood at attention to Miko before bowing and a moment later disappearing behind a cloud of smoke from a small smoke pellet that started to fill the courtyard with black smoke. As the black smoke came over Miko she would hear from her left, "You should've said no weapons..." before hearing on her right side, "...this is just too much fun."

Ikai changed tactics from silently circling around Miko in the smoke to crouching ten feet in front of her and silently moving forward until he was in a range of three feet from her. At this point he dropped to a knee used it to pivot his body crashing the knee of his other leg into the bag of Miko's knees. Her balance would surely be tested and her sight if she could tell where he was in a field of black smoke when his entire body was also covered in black.

Spoiler:

barduwulf wrote:Barduwulf sighed, pulled out his phone, and contacted his lieutenants. "Everyone, this is General Barduwulf, we have a Code Pink situation, scramble the troops and get them into position." He said, and hung up. Code Pink was a plan enacted when Ikai challenged someone to a duel in Beijio, signaling the guards to be placed at strategic points to limit collateral damage and prevent civilian death."You haven't changed much, have you Ikai." He sighed, as he sat down on a nearby bench with Katsumi.

Lieutenant Myamoto got to the loud speaker and started to speak: "Warning, warning; Code Pink is in effect, I repeat: Code Pink is in effect; this is NOT a drill! All soldiers report to required stations on the double, no the quadruple!"

From all around, Samurai and Beijionese Troops stopped what they were doing and immediately went to work. They ran, equipping armor as fast as they could if they were off duty or out of uniform, gathering weapons and pushing workers and civilians into the allocated 'safe zones'.

Outside in the poor district, a group of samurai were Gambling with 'Dice', literally his name was 'Dice', a new samurai who just recently joined the Beijionese guard. When the message that Code Pink was initiated, it was Dice's turn to toss the dice when his C.O. stepped upon the cube and grinds it into the dust, kicking up the other player's jack-pot of cash and letting it set sail to the wind.

Dice was distraught. "What the hell was that fo-" but before he could finish his C.O. forced Dice upon his feet and shook him by the shoulders, his eyes wide with horror and pinpricked with panic. "Are you deaf son?! It's a Code Pink! A bloody fucking code PINK!" he screamed, shaking Dice further.

Dice rattled in his armor, and shook his head violently to try to balance his imbalanced body. "Wh-what's a code pin-" before he could finish his C.O. slapped him across the face and then simultaneously backhanded him.

"DON'T PANIC MAN, JUST GET TO THE PALACE AND PROTECT THE PRINCESS!!!" He screamed with foam spilling out of his mouth. Dice, face reddened and eyes in shock had his jaw drop. "Sir, don't you mean the Empre-" but again, before Dice could finish:

"WRAUUUBRAAAAAA!!!" His C.O., stocky as a gorilla with veins sticking out of his tight red face and neck simply yanked the boy up over his shoulders and THREW HIM over the fence that lead to the field that ran along the road leading to the palace. He jumps the fence and grabs Dice by his armored collar and began to run through the street like a wildman, leaving poor Dice to Ragdoll.

Ikai Boontai wrote:Ikai smirked and commented, "Apparently my reputation has changed too much..." He stood at attention to Miko before bowing and a moment later disappearing behind a cloud of smoke from a small smoke pellet that started to fill the courtyard with black smoke. As the black smoke came over Miko she would hear from her left, "You should've said no weapons..." before hearing on her right side, "...this is just too much fun."

Ikai changed tactics from silently circling around Miko in the smoke to crouching ten feet in front of her and silently moving forward until he was in a range of three feet from her. At this point he dropped to a knee used it to pivot his body crashing the knee of his other leg into the bag of Miko's knees. Her balance would surely be tested and her sight if she could tell where he was in a field of black smoke when his entire body was also covered in black.

Spoiler:

Miko smiled as the smoke appeared. "Well, I don't mind weapons myself; General! A bokken or shinai if you may?" she asked, when she sensed the Ninja's presence behind her. Her grin deepened and she back flipped, tucking her body close together as he swung out with a leg sweep; her backwards falling arch allowed her to perch her legs onto the Ninja's shoulders, her thighs crushing his neck while her pelvis was wrapped behind his head. She chuckled. "Nice try," she says, leaning back with her weight into a back roll, releasing her thighs and letting the man fly behind her, crashing into the wall beside the General and his wife.

"Gotta love Reverse Dragon Wing!" she said before she rolls on her side, within the smoke cloud-now being the one hidden a midst Ikai's black clouds.

The form of Ikai smashed against the wall and puffed into a cloud of black smoke adding into the fray due to Ikai's shadow clone jutsu. As much as Ikai had been damaged he had been able to use the jutsu as he was flung towards the wall and disappear back into the smoke. Miko hadn't noticed the difference. Ikai's face glinted by Miko's with a slight wink before feeling her legs come out from under her body as his knee connected with the back of her legs and his arms pushed her legs with even more momentum while rolling his body so that his right heel came down and connected with Miko's solar plexis. Upon contact Ikai released his grasp and connected a fist into Miko's inner left thigh right on a pressure point causing damage to the mobility of her left leg.

Barduwulf tosses Miko a Shinai. "Here, have fun." He said.

Orihime had returned after changing back into her BDU to go to lunch with the Samurai General and the Priestess when she notices the smoke covered entrance way. "Wh-what's going on here?" she asked, her arms pinned close together. "Are we under attack again?" she asked out loud, turning to mindless troops who didn't seem to notice her panic-each were far too busy for that. She was still relatively new to the 12 swords, so Code Pink was still not in her list of registered commands so to speak.

Barduwulf motioned Orihime over to the bench, Katsumi's head in his lap. "We're not under attack, no need to panic about, Ikai Boontai has just challenged Miko to a sparring match. And since the collateral damage those two could cause is higher than any assault a group of monsters or the Crimson Knight Bridage could cause, you can panic about that. For now though, you should probably take a sest with us on this bench, you're starting to look rather pale." He replied, answering Orihime's questions.

barduwulf wrote:Barduwulf motioned Orihime over to the bench, Katsumi's head in his lap. "We're not under attack, no need to panic about, Ikai Boontai has just challenged Miko to a sparring match. And since the collateral damage those two could cause is higher than any assault a group of monsters or the Crimson Knight Bridage could cause, you can panic about that. For now though, you should probably take a sest with us on this bench, you're starting to look rather pale." He replied, answering Orihime's questions.

Looking to the fight to the cool and calm look that was upon the General's face to the fight again made her dizzy. "Bu-when-wh-*sigh*" she drooped with her sigh and trudged over to the bench, her body weak and her head light from confusion. She claps her head and sighs again. "Orihime...there is going to be a day when you just don't question it and just accept it..." she sighs once more, her head falling back slightly while her stomach growls.

On her back, Miko let out a pain filled grunt. She felt her chest cave in with his foot, but she grabbed onto his foot before he could pull away. "Not so fast." she then propelled him forwards with what could be compared to a bull's strength, knocking him onto his back. As she stood, the shinai came into view and she grabbed it, ignoring the pain in her leg as she spun-forcing momentum into the swing as he was rolling onto his knees-the wooden sword's blade connecting with his right ear before she pulled back, realigned herself and slammed her sword down upon his forehead, hopefully with enough force to temporarily stun him. She hobbled back, taking this time to placing a balanced pressure in her leg to re-mobilize her leg. "We have similar skills you and I." she says.

Ikai was shocked by the strength of the priestess but he was more focused on her attacks. As she struck him with the wooden sword he was pulling out a pair of kunai from a rear pouch. As the last strike came down on his fore head he exhaled and swung the two kunai across the wooden sword with enough force to put slice marks into the wooden potentially weakening the wood. As she paused to state her comment Ikai smirked, "You think so?" Before he ended his question he spilt a container of water onto the ground and with a few hands signs caused a spout of rushing water to go crashing towards the priestess in the form of a dragon. When hit by this technique the opponent normally feels like being hit by car and rolling on the ground.

Without waiting to see the results of this technique Ikai threw a couple kunai in through the smoke that was now fading from the water clearing the area of smoke. The kunai from Ikai's calculations would land near the priestess' feet but not strike her. This would give him enough time for his next attack. Ikai jumped into the air where there was still a little bit of heavy smoke that he hoped would hide him before the priestess realized where he would be striking from next.

Her speed was increasing slightly due to the effects of her being near the Palace, which was a shrine to the War God Freyd in it's own light. She side rolled continuously to avoid the water dragon, a kunai striking past her ankle though and caused her to land upon her knee. She saw the other blade coming and brought up the blade, blocking the kunai and also embedded it within her blade. She closed her eyes, bringing her training into light searched Ikai out within the cloud. She suddenly opens her eyes, sensing the displacement of the air just around the center of the cloud before she yanked the Kunai and thew it back into it. She broke the weakened end, and back rolled collecting the other kunai. She tied the kunai to the end of the shinai and tightened it, making a make shift short spear. "General, I request a bow." she exclaims, bringing up the other broken half of the shiai for her other hand.

Fenrir drives by, produces a bow and quiver of arrows, and Barduwulf tosses them to Miko. Fenrir then parks itself behind the bench.

"Too slow." Ikai commented as the kunai whizzed past his head landing to the side of the priestess. Ikai puts a foot on the shadow of the priestess and with a few swift hands signs comments, "Shadow Imitation Jutsu." Ikai takes his hands and acts if releasing a grip; the priestess feels a compulsion for her to release the make shift spear and let it fall to the ground. As she resists to maintain her grip Ikai starts to play with her by moving his hands and using the shadow as puppet strings to the priestess. "Your move priestess unless you have decided to quit." Ikai commented with a smirk.

She smirked. "Flattered, but not a chance." She winked, and managed to will herself through the pain and the strain to take one step forward-before suddenly disappearing! Taking an abundant step, a move she inherited from her priestly duties, she magically slipped the distance away from where she was previously standing, and appeared before the ninja with a glowing left fist, her right hand held up into a prayer position she sends a gorgon's fist directly into his chest before his strings could have a hold onto her again and sent him flying back with the power of a said Gorgon's fist. She back steps, and slips magically into the void once more to appear farther away from Ikai. She quickly formed her body into a prayer position and stood there. She smiled, looking at him with a grin. "Let's see how well you can do without your use of Chakura." she states just when the shadows are to fall upon her once again, they crumple up and fall flat again, becoming a regular shadow once again. "Try as you might, you cannot use your Ninjutsu to your fullest now, not with my Ki Block." she says with a slight smirk.

"Ki block chi block whatever..." Ikai scoffed though he wasn't quite sure how she got out of the jutsu seeing as once it normally attaches to someone they are incapacitated. Ikai shrugs the thought off before pulling out a couple of shuriken and jumping into the air tossing two at the priestess feet precisely between her toes, two more towards the her hair, and a last pair to the side of her torso to catch her clothing. Ikai then drew his katana and prepared a downward thrust towards Miko.

The shuriken would connect immobilizing the priestess to where she was via her feet and potentially distraction by the sure to be cuts in her hair and clothing. The downward thrust was pointed with the blunt side of the katana at the Priestess right shoulder. A strike here could potentially break her collarbone causing her right arm to be unable to be used except as a limp noodle which would induce serious pain. Ikai came down with his attack with strength and precision.

Ikai Boontai wrote:"Ki block chi block whatever..." Ikai scoffed though he wasn't quite sure how she got out of the jutsu seeing as once it normally attaches to someone they are incapacitated. Ikai shrugs the thought off before pulling out a couple of shuriken and jumping into the air tossing two at the priestess feet precisely between her toes, two more towards the her hair, and a last pair to the side of her torso to catch her clothing. Ikai then drew his katana and prepared a downward thrust towards Miko.

The shuriken would connect immobilizing the priestess to where she was via her feet and potentially distraction by the sure to be cuts in her hair and clothing. The downward thrust was pointed with the blunt side of the katana at the Priestess right shoulder. A strike here could potentially break her collarbone causing her right arm to be unable to be used except as a limp noodle which would induce serious pain. Ikai came down with his attack with strength and precision.

She remained still as her clothing was cut and her feet 'pinned'. As he comes down with the katana, she broke her prayer stance, catching the blade between her hands. She kept holding it, and soon a burning sensation in Ikai's palms would aware him of Miko's Burning disarm ability. She pulls back the blade with her strength, at the moment Ikai's hands were still upon it, and she leveled the butt of the blade up and slammed it into Ikai's neck. She pulls her feet back, her tabi socks and sandals still pinned to the ground however, and she swings her right knee into Ikai's core, all the while pulling back upon his burning blade which she of course didn't feel since she was the one who activated the move. She begins to charge her chi through the blade and when she strikes Ikai again, the blade blade splinters with an explosive energy which cuts them both. She let out a painful yelp and moves back, before rolling towards the Bow that the General had thrown to her, grabbing it and brought it up as if it were a melee weapon...

She pulls back the blade with her strength, at the moment Ikai's hands were still upon it, and she leveled the butt of the blade up and moved to slam it into Ikai's neck. Ikai ducked under the attack similar to a boxer ducking under a punch. While adjusting his hands to maintain a grip on the hilt Ikai thrust the hilt up into Miko's chin holding his grasp attempting to fight the disarm ability. She pulls her feet back, her tabi socks and sandals still pinned to the ground however, and she swings her right knee into Ikai's core causing Ikai to bend over slightly, all the while pulling back upon his burning blade which she of course didn't feel since she was the one who activated the move. Her chi through enters the blade and when she strikes Ikai again, the blade splinters with an explosive energy which cuts them both. Ikai disregarding the pain from the cuts drops his ancient blade with a snarl as he transforms into the form of a white wolf. A form he had not taken since 2639. She let out a painful yelp and moves back, before rolling towards the bow that the General had thrown to her, and as she went for the bow the nearly transformed Ikai took the opportunity as his mouth slowly turned into a snout which as he continued to transform. He charged Miko and as she grabbed the bow took a bite into Miko's right bicep pulling at the flesh and muscle with his canine teeth. His body having turned fully into the canine form with four paws, tail, and white fur. The only mark that it was Ikai was the pink-teal eyes.

Ikai Boontai wrote: ... Ikai disregarding the pain from the cuts drops his ancient blade with a snarl as he transforms into the form of a white wolf. A form he had not taken since 2639. She let out a painful yelp and moves back, before rolling towards the bow that the General had thrown to her, and as she went for the bow the nearly transformed Ikai took the opportunity as his mouth slowly turned into a snout which as he continued to transform. He charged Miko and as she grabbed the bow took a bite into Miko's right bicep pulling at the flesh and muscle with his canine teeth. His body having turned fully into the canine form with four paws, tail, and white fur. The only mark that it was Ikai was the pink-teal eyes.

As Anastasia carries the young Akubo upon her shoulders while climbing the many set of stairs. Akubo had been humming while the Elf would occasionally hum with the young boy. As they get near the top of the steps, the young boy lets out a gasp: "Wow! I can see the entire Palace from here!" he was rather excited, jumping about in Anastasia's shoulders, causing her peaked cap to push down into her eyes. Anastasia frowned for a moment, as she paused leaning her head back against Akubo's chest to raise the cap again so she was able to see where she was going. "Calm down Private, your pushing my cap into my vision." the Elven Commander says, and the young boy quieted down and settled quickly. "S-sorry. Here-I'll fix it." he says his small hands around the rim of her cap which he adjusted to help her see better. She tilts her head up, a semi sloped grin upon her face as she says "Thanks" to the young Private Akubo. As they got to the final steps, Akubo squinted his vision and covered his eyebrows with a hand to see what was going on up ahead. "A doggy...it's attacking someone!" he exclaimed, then he let out a sudden gasp of surprise as the Elf hastens her steps. He couldn't see it, but there was a fire in Anastasia's eyes. She reached the top of the steps and part way out onto the upper landing. Her back foot grinds against the expansive white tile of the Beijionese Courtyard, and grounds itself there. She looks up and notices the Priestess who's right bicep was clutched tightly in the canine jaws of a white wolf. Smoke obscured the area, so it appeared no one else was in the area.

Her eyelids narrow, then her eyes disappear altogether as she bows her head, the peaked cap's visor obscuring her eyes. She crouched down on one leg and softly spoke: "Akubo...I'll need you to get behind me and cover your ears. I'll also want you to look out at the sea...I want you to describe to me what the Ocean looks like from up here...Can you do that for me?" she says in an even tone. Akubo, who is rather confused nods. "Umm...Okay.." he says descending her back, covering his ears. He looks out to Anastasia's left, and past the few bonzai trees and the upper portions of the Guard Wall that surrounds the Palace Grounds, Akubo could see the twinkling of the ocean. "Wow!" he exclaimed, his hands still upon his ears, a wide goofy grin upon his face.

All the while, Anastasia slowly picks herself up, and slides her semi-gloved right hand upon the hardened leather of her holster. She unlatches the belt and slowly pulls out the well oiled and maintained Beijionese Type 45. She thumbs back the safety, and levels the rather powerful handgun with it's high iron sights aimed at the Wolf-Beast that was attacking the Priestess. He right eye appeared as the setting sun drew closer upon the horizon-an azure eye that shone fierce and cold appearance as the finger upon the trigger became a 'hair-trigger'. With her Eagle-Like vision, she could perfectly 'zoom in' upon her target. That is when she could see the creature's Pink-Teal eyes; such a unique colouration for an animal such as a wolf...and strange how the wolf was a rare white furred. "How...Unique." her mind spoke.

Type 45:

All the while, young ''Private'' Akubo was doing as he was told like a good soldier. "Wow! It looks like a deep purple Commander!" he starts. "It has a bunch of little twinkles that shine so bright--they look like the night stars!" he chirped when a slight squall picked up, blowing off his beret and taking it to the wind. He instantly becomes agitated, and desperately runs after the cap, his hands leaving his ears as he jumped for the hat. "My..my hat!" he cried, jumping up when he hears the first extremely loud and sharp crack. It was like the fireworks during the white light festivals, but it was louder, somewhat duller too. This loud noise caused Akubo's ears to ring, and he fell upon his chest behind Anastasia. He holds his ears, wincing as the ringing continued. "What was that?" Akubo thought. A faint acrid smell went with the loud boom, and he turned from his lost hat which blew out to the very ocean he was looking at to Commander Anastasia. His eyes widen slightly, her gun had smoke spilling out of it's barrel, a small brass tube had jumped from the top of the gun, and clattered upon the white tile, rolling over to Akubo's right hand. He winced again, the casing was still a little hot to the touch, but looked back to Anastasia as her 'scary look' took over her face. "Ka-Command...er?" he sniffled, unsure what she was doing.

Anastasia cursed under her breath, the unexpected squall had redirected her bullet which aimed for the Wolf's head and instead the heavy .45 calibre bullet was embedded in it's right shoulder. "I could have hit the civilian..." she thought to herself, another vision of fire in her head which was soon droned out by the second pull of the trigger.

Ka-BANG!

The bullet whizzed out from the barrel of Anastasia's weapon and the bullet hit its mark this time-a little south from the Wolf's head but between the wolf's shoulders and upper back. In any case, the bullet would have either embedded it self beside the creatures heart, pierced a lung, or shattered rib bone or caused spinal damage. In the worst case for the Priestess and Anastasia, and best case scenario for the White Wolf, the bullet would have missed all bones and avoided any organs...but with a wolf's body like that...it wasn't likely. She was about to fire again, to put the Wolf out of it's misery when she heard Akubo call out to her. Her eyes widen, and her aim dips slowly, her finger released from the trigger, keeping her from accidentally firing it as she turns to her left and looks down into the hatless Akubo's watery eyes. "Ak...Akubo." she says with wavering eyes and a slight frown, she winced, the fire returning in her head before she looked at him fiercely. "I told you to stay behind me!" she exclaimed.

Akubo winced from her yelling, and shrugged his shoulders. "But...my hat...I'm...sorry Lady Faizland.." he bawled, feeling tears well up behind his eyes. He could feel hot tears trickle down his cheeks and around his small chin. He didn't understand why the Commander was yelling at him with such a heated anger.

Anastasia felt her eyebrows go from their stern and angered position, and then tilt down into a more saddened and regretful pose. Her lips deepened her frown slightly, and she felt her right arm which held the gun drop, forgetting about the Wolf and the priestess for the moment. "Akubo..." she spoke softly, looking down at him with sorrow filled eyes. The fire returned in her head, and she shivered, turning her attention back to the Wolf again-realizing she had left herself open for attack. She brought up her gun again, aiming it in the direction of where the wolf was and got back into her fierce and 'scary look' again. She wasn't going to let the Wolf-if it wasn't injured enough bear its teeth into either Akubo or herself. She'd make sure of that.

Miko winces as the wolf bites her upper arm, feeling her blood trickle from the wounds and she slams the bow against the Wolf Form Ikai's head; it is then that the loud cracks of gunfire erupt. A spray of blood that wasn't her own shot up from a shoulder wound sustained by the forty-five caliber bullet smacking into Ikai's shoulder. Her eyes widen and her mouth droops. "What..?" she hears another deafening crack which lands between Ikai's shoulder blades. "No!" she screamed, not caring for her own arm which was still pinned in the Wolf form Ikai's mouth, struggling to reach her arm around and cover him from any further shots. His blood lands upon her skin, and her eyes widen.

The life of Ikai Boontai flashes before her eyes, from being disowned by his abusive Samurai father, to participating in the Grand War, otherwise known as the Beijio-Civil War. Then his teaching whom she could only guess was a young Empress...and now she could understand why the Empress would scribble such 'mean things' upon the large courtyard stone. She seen him teach Ninjutsu at Tenik University, and then his...his true love for Tenik Spy Amiko Suzumia, whom died by the hands of Tenik's top goon T.O.M. for disobeying her orders. She watched him fight the Crimson Knight Brigade and a brief battle against Sephiroth, the one-winged Angel of the War Gods...she seen him become a War Hero...live with the family of another War Hero, become a drunkard, become more spiteful of the world...and then saw him appear before her-where they were now. This transition of memory lasted half a second, but she felt as though she had been there for as many years as Ikai was old. She felt weak in her stomach, and felt a knot in her throat. "Oh...War Gods...what...what have you been through you poor...poor..." she says with a soft cry, stroking Ikai's fur softly, closing her eyes and letting the tears roll down. "I'm...so sorry." she whispered.

Ikai was biting into Miko's arm feeling her blood trickle from the wounds on his tongue. The iron type liquid didn't quite taste right but he wasn't going to be giving up on this fight. She slams the bow against the Wolf Form Ikai's head; it is then that the loud cracks of gunfire erupt. A sharp pain enters Ikai's right shoulder causing him to bite down even harder on the priestess' arm unintentionally before another shot rang and burned into Ikai's backside forcing his jaws to release as he fell backwards. "No!" Miko screamed, not caring for her own arm struggling to reach her arm around and cover him from any further shots.The form that was a white wolf slowly morphed back into the original human form of the ninjutsu master. There were visible bullet holes in his outfit at his right shoulder and a really close shot to the left side of his spine; blood flowed from the wounds like a river.

As Ikai had fell backwards he had glimpsed the priestess and the elf woman who had attacked him before his vision went black. He attempted to feel around for his surroundings but his body felt motionless and unresponsive. The darkness in front of him feeling like a void that he was entering. As he focused on moving a light white-blue form appeared in his vision that looked like his sensai. Operw Sensai stood there and with a mere smile and a nod conveyed what Ikai knew was happening. He had finally received such a damaging blow that his body was going into shock and he would potentially not return from the void. The form of Operw Sensai now spoke, "Ikai...get your lazy but off of the ground. Your in the lap of a priestess! I don't need to tell you what demons and hells you will have to endure if you try to take advantage of this situation! This fight is not over for you yet! You can still live!" (Start music: Godsmack - Serenity https://youtu.be/2A4Km5PTu5o )

Ikai heard his sensei's voice as clear as day yet he could not believe what he was hearing. He attempted to move a bit more but was only able to open his eye lids a little before realizing he could move his lips. Ikai's voice was thin and lightly audible, "Priestess...guess the fight didn't go the way we wanted to but the tears a bit early..." With a deep breath Ikai exhaled before rolling away from the priestess and taking a knee. After a moment Ikai coughed causing blood to spurt onto the ground and drip down his mouth. His insides had been racked by the bullets. His right arm was little if at all functional and his breathing was very little. The blood told Ikai that his lungs were starting to fill up with blood. Ikai's vision faded from clearly to foggy and back to clear again. Ikai smirked trying to shrug off the immense pain, "Well...haven't experienced this since the Beijio-Civil War."

Ikai slowly stood up his knees shaking the entire time as he stood. He positioned himself as if to continue the fight when his knees buckled from underneath him and his vision went pitch black. No visions came to him, and no thoughts except for a name that floated from his lips as he fell to the ground with a thud, "S-an-go."

"Ikai!" she cried out, rushing to his side, kneeling down and flipped him upon his back. She turned to everyone else, unable to say anything with a gaping mouth, and then turned to Ikai again. She can feel him still breathing, and was about to bring her hands to his wounds, preparing to heal him when she froze, her eyes wide staring upon the body. She came to a new question: Did he really want to be saved? After seeing him go through that pain, did he want to be saved? But...his struggle...his struggle to keep walking on his own...was that a sign that he wanted to live? She was distraught, confused-unsure what to do. "Bandages, get me bandages. We need to stop the bleeding, something-I..." she whines, looking down into his face. "Ikai... What do you want..? You want to see the Empress? What...what do you want?" she whispered to him, feeling tears rolling down her face.

Looking over towards Ikia and Miko, then the young. Elven woman and human boy, then back the the first two, and cursed under his breath. "Oh godsdammit... Guards! Get some medics, and clear the way for transport!" He then walked to Anastasia and told her. "Miss, you are going to have to come with me." He said in a stern tone.

(Start music: https://youtu.be/IrFs2hO1bLc )

Ikai's body lay motionless on the ground with breathing still possible. Inside Ikai's mind he was seeing flashes of his life go by. He saw Amiko, T.O.M., Rufus, the battlefields, his father, and Sango. Sango. The Empress that he had swore to protect since he was on his own and had yet to fail in his mission. Ikai would do his best not to let a couple of metal keep him from protecting the Empress and the rest of Beijio. The images flashed by so rapidly Ikai was not sure if he was even on Galiavan anymore or if he had died. He kept attempting to open his eyes and gain the ability to move his limbs yet again. As much as he tried his limbs remained motionless although he could feel his spirit's energy going into them. The same was for his eyes. Ikai did however feel his mouth contorting and mumbling uncontrollably calling out, "Sango! I must protect the Empress!"

Sweat started to form on Ikai's brow and the rest of his body as his body started to shake and shiver from loss of blood. His convulsing body would look similar to a fish out of water with his neck snapping back and from every so often. Ikai could feel his injured body fighting to survive in the midst of the convulsions and chaos that was happening to it. His spirit urged for the body to work. He prayed to the War Gods that he may continue his charge of protecting the Empress unless they had chosen otherwise. Why now? Why here? Of all places why not by the side of the Empress? The one he had trained and seen grow into the wonderful leader of Beijio. Ikai's spirit was restless and calm at the same time. He knew that he had lived a great life even though harsh beginnings yet he still wanted it to continue if it was in his destiny.