The Dragon and the Fox Part 2

Raizen held his arms in front of his head as the wind pushed him back as he saw her charging up her energy as he grinned “Now we’re talking kid!”he roared out as he charged up his own fist with his whitish green aura before leaping off the ground towards here once more, fist fully extended to collide with hers as a large explosion rang out around the area blowing everyone away

“Oh? Are you know?”Yukine said curiously before blinking “Me? You can tolerate me? Well that’d be a first...most people, besides my sister, just see me as a pompous princess, even if it is out of my control sometimes”she said as he tail wagged behind her “What’s this big decision you are trying to make? And how can I help?”

Artemis looked down at him, his aura was powerful she could feel it even from here as he waited and smirked. He loved battle she could see that, as she soon would rush to meet him, their fists meeting causing the large explosion to slam against any who still stood and watched. Asura grabbed her brother quickly as she pushed them behind a wall, as she coughed a bit through the smoke "damnit....those two are going to level the whole court yard with this..." she stated as she looked out to see through the smoke, but instead of seeing anything all she heard was the sound of fists slamming into one another...each blow sending a ripple of power as the two continued to rush into one another.

“I am at a cross roads. I can either continue to blindly serve Lucifer in his endeavors or betray him and fall from grace and serve alongside all of you to save this land and my sister, Artemis’s mother. But I am unsure. My faith and my life have been to serve and protect Lucifer and man kind. To forsake them now means my entire life has been a waist and a lie. But to stay...would be to betray myself and accept the ugly truth.”

Raizen met her blow for blow and though it seemed like a reckless display of power, with each blow he was actually slowly raising the strength of the hits so her power could learn to rise with his own until the point when his years of experience overcame her newfound raw talent as he broke her guard but instead of striking a power blow he simply landed on the ground and gave her a thumbs up "Great job kiddo, we're done for today. I figured out just how much power you really got before I start building you up. Now clean all this shit up before I get in trouble with my blind kid."he said

"Did he really just refer to the Dragon Sage as his blind kid?"Akuma said with a laugh as he ducked down with his sister "How long until you think Dad comes out here? I can sense he's in Mom's chamber right now, so I know he felt the explosion..."he said "So whaddya think? You think she's as strong as we are? Those angelic powers are pretty impressive, she definitely has more than Mom's Dragon's Blessing gives her that's for sure."

"Welllll...."Yukine said as she waved her finger as magical script began transcribing in flames in the air as a small ball of fire wrote and spelled out her lists "So the person I see in you, from our first adventrues together, I see someone who is passion about their duties to serve. Protect those he deems worthy, even with a sassy attude, and you wish to grow stronger and gain power, that was apparant by you attempting to use the Monks training with use, which by the way worked wonders for my youki control, Mizen's magic is much more tame when I unleash it now so that's great. Anyway. Based on all of that, by staying where you are at, you are not going to obtain that power to protect which you seek. Lucifer has turned against you and Artemis. Why else would he send you blindly into enemy territory without even your powers. We would instantly know you weren't a human, you don't smell like one. You smell like burning sage, I oddly like it for some reason"she said blushing shaking her head "Anyway back to the point with all that in mind, it only makes the fall from him and unlock your true potential. You have to realize WE are the ones protecting mankind. Humans, youkai, oni, and everything else in this land are ALL under the protection of the Empress. The Angels haven't spared humans in their destruction of villages where all walks of life live united. If you truly want to protect those humans you love, you would. Your sister met Raizen, and she did. Why else would she be locked away? Ariel was known as the Champion of Mankind...she was locked away because she learned the truth and wanted to protect them too....at least that's my educated guess anyway."she said as the ball of fire went out "So choose now...Angels or Demons?"

Artemis was breathing heavily as he stopped the 'training' as she landed, her body bruised and rather beaten up but she would look around her. "How am I suppose to clean this up?....you made the craters!" she stated pointing at him, it wasn't like she could use some divine ability to suddenly change the landscape. Though as she went to say something Asura, would step out from hiding "Ya...he did..." she chuckled, moving towards them. "Raizen, you know he's already figured out what you've done. Akuma can sense him with mom so its not like your going to NOT get in trouble...." she then looked at Artemis smiling, "you faught really well!, once your done training with him I'd like to have a go!...fighting my brother and Raizen all the time gets boring...Akuma chants....Raizen yells...kinda annoying.."

Sabriel sighed and looked over her lists. Weighed the options in his mind. Neither choice would be easy for him to make. He could fight against the demons and be a loyal little soldier and suffer in silence. Or fight against his own kind. A betrayer. Fighting against those that were once his compatriots and friends. but he would be free. He would save Ariel.

"it will not be an elegant fall from grace. But fall I will."

Akuma punched his sister in the arm “Not all of us are unrefined brutes like you and grandpa you know. Dad and I actually know how to channel our aggressions”he said shaking his head

“Perfect, all three of you, clean this up”Raizen said before suddenly leaping away just as Wu materialized holding one of his talismans as he threw it into the air creating an energy net that wrapped up the fleeing Raizen sending him falling to the ground once again “I don’t think so Lord Raizen. Empress Ayame already came out here once to tell you to stop.”he said as Raizen kicked his legs on the ground trying to free himself “GET ME OUTTA THIS SHITTY THING!”he grumbled out “I haven’t had a chance to crack my fists against your skull recently!” “You wouldn’t stand a chance anymore.”Wu said shaking his head simply as he looked over at the three children “You are all free to go.”he said with a smile “I will take care of the damages.”

Yukine blinked in surprise as she heard him and looked up “What? Really? Does that mean you are really going to join our cause?”she asked as her ears perked up “Reallllly? Let me ask what makes you finally decide that our side is worth fighting for?”

Asura would turn to see her father and smirked as he trapped Raizen, moving to Artmis she placed her hand on her shoulder “come on we’ll get you cleaned up while dad deals with this.” She smiled and lead Artimis away and couldn’t help but laugh at Raizens tantrum. “And Akuma I’m. It a brute...I just happen to break a bone or three when I fight people.”

“I started this fight for my sister and her freedom. But being here I have discovered that I am also fighting for myself and my freedom.” He said andbmet her eyes, “but I am starting to discover other reason to fight and to fight hard.”

"And how else would you describe a brute hm?"Akuma said shaking his head again as they walked "It's nice when things go according to plan. I still can't wait to get our weapons back. When we do, Artemis, you gotta do some weapons training with us and your new powers. Grandpa may prefer to use his fists but we like using everything."he said

"Oh really?"Yukine said as she looked up at him with her usual bright smile "Well I'm glad you're finally deciding to join the winning team for a change."she said as she held out her hand to him "If it hurts for you to fall, then I'll be the one to soften the landing."she said "I think you deserve a chance to find out just who you really are."

"A weapon?" Artemis asked walking with them, holding her arm which the bone might have been fractured though she ignored it as she usually healed quickly as is. "I suppose, but the only weapon I've ever used in the past was a sword, and I didn't have the best balance with them....so I just went with my hands." "Don't worry we trained on everything, if you don't want to learn a sword our father is great with a staff....our mother uses this large ass fan which still is pretty cool you could try that....though your wings could act as that...which how is it with wings? wouldn't they get in the way?" she couldn't help but poke them some as Artemis giggled a bit "stop that tickles..."

“Thank you Yukine. And if I may ask one more thing if you? Would you be there with me when your young friend Akuma preforms this spell?” He asked, his icy blue eyes have a shimmer of vulnerability with in them under their determination

“Well don’t you use that one thing that Asura tried to grab that drained all her energy? The thing your mother said came from Raizen’s fang. How is that thing going to react with your angel powers now? I would imagine that it’s a lot stronger now right? Since it needed a strong host in order to wield it?”

Yukine looked at him in a slight surprise but nodded her head “Of course I’ll be there. You didn’t have to ask that.”she said “I’m kind of curious to see how he does it anyway. All of those monk techniques always fascinate me.”she said “I never realized how blue your eyes were”she said as he bright orange eyes twinkled slightly as she brushed her black hair behind her ear “When are you going to go through with it?”

Artemis would pause some, she almost forgot the sword that had been created from her own 'fathers' fang more or less one that her mother ripped from his mouth during a fight or after a high intensity romping scene. "I havn't tried using it since the monks..its felt off since......I don't know if its the oni's aura within it or what but....every time I've tried to touch it...it seems to bite at me so I've put it away for now."

"Tonight, give the twins time to rest and recuperate from their grandfather's activities." he said and looked at his own injuries, "And...perhaps myself as well." He said with a sigh

"Well, then what a perfect chance to get some weapons training in."Akuma said excitedly "Grandpa can train you on using your raw abilities, and we can work on our weapons. I might ask Dad for some help too. Despite all his lecturing, he's quite good with any weapon he picks up. All those years studying techniques as a monk paid off."he commented "It is weird that your weapon is reacting that way, especially after so much time has passed though."he said tapping his chin

"Ah, Raizen got the best of you huh? Yeah that man is no joke. When I was a little kid, soon after Raizen joined our ranks, we found out that he conspired with the Lord Yami against the Black Inu youkai whose clan was blessed by Lady Luna and killed their leader Tao Ren which caused a huge war between the united North, South and West against the East. That huge chasm and canyon that the angels are attempting to cross to break down the Empress's barrier is known as Raizen's Rift. During that war the 4 Lords met in combat in that exact spot. Raizen himself split the ground in two like that during their fight. It took all three of them to beat him and force a surrender with Kurama being the one who orchestrated the deal since he was married to Raizen's sister and was also the command of Lord Yami."Yukine explained giving him the full backstory behind how Raizen's place came to be, and how he became such an important piece in all of this. "After that war, conflicts arose in the North between demons and humans and that is when Rei Yuan rose up to challenge Kurama's oppressive rule...and marry his daughter Ryoko. After Kurama's defeat he gave the North back to Fengyi and Ryoko and united the 4 lands ruling as the first Dragon Emperor and establishing the formal order of the Imperial Monks as peacekeepers between the lands. The human turned demon who killed the evil and brought unity and peace for many years....until Kurama's first return in which Rei Yuan sacrificed himself to seal he and Kurama in his sword for all of eternity. And peace was brought again...until Kurama escaped from the sword and returned again. Fengyi was imprisoned in the North, Raizen's eldest daughter Asuramaru was slain shortly after taking Wu to the palace for safety and Raizen was never the same after in the East, he used Izanami's magic to split apart Miaka and Sesshoumaru, Sol and Luna's reincarnations and sealed away the Mist Isles and the South's strongest magician after Sekai and Miaka with it, effectively weakening both the West and the South. With the 4 lands driven into chaos, Kurama launched an assault on the Imperial Palace. He killed the second Dragon Emperor Uryu Yuan but before he could kill Ayame, Wu took her and went off into hiding with Ryoko. Years later, Kurama is defeated, and here we are. Now you know the entire backstory, and how this is yet another conflict that has united all of us once again. Seeds of distrust have been sown over many years of war and conflict, but now we all stand united to face a common foe, and those angels will not win."she said before smiling "All done."she stated lowering her finger. The entire time she had been talking, her finger was letting out a subtle warm glow in a dome shape around them, the heat relaxing and soothing the muscles to help the healing process

“You all have such complicated history’s. After all of that, how can any of you trust one another?” He asked and gave a gentler sigh of relief at the healing warmth that rolled over him

"Its a holy blade I wouldn't expect it to be anything less than a fickle thing" Artemis stated as she walked with them, these two twins were weird some what as she sighed some. "Though with it also holding the power of an oni that could be why its stingy, with my abilities unlocked now I am not sure if its going to be more of a nusince or not.....though now that I think about it...it trully is just like the oni that is my father.....an annoyance...." she said with a heavy sigh.

Asura would laugh a bit glancing at her, "Ya Raizen can be a handful, father sometimes wonders if Raizen isn't just one large child but one things for sure....he's powerful. When push comes to shove, Raizen has the power and only a few have been able to put him down...I've gotten close but it always ends in a draw....before I lose it....and Akuma has to step in..."

"In terms of raw, unrefined power Raizen is probably only passed by Asura. But it is exactly that, raw and unrefined."Akuma said shaking his head "Even Mom mastered all of the monks techniques and dragon fighting style. You just have the fighting style down."he said to his sister "Well welcome to the family. It won't stop now."

"I don't think we could to be honest."Yukine said "There have been so much death and betrayal, and it all stems back to Sol, Luna and Yami and their tragic history. If it wasn't for the angels, I don't think we would ever be united again. But we are all hoping that after this is all over, we will truly have peace"she commented "No one comes out and says it, but it's a united ideology shared between us all. Because we found it after Kurama finally died. And we are fighting the angels to get it back again."

“I hope for your sake if nothing else, that is true. But be wary and prepared for a fall out Yukine. This many powerful beings in one place....your complicated pasts and history of wars and betrayals....I fear for those innocent as innocent as you to become mixed up in it all.”

"I can beat him when I really get down to it, but till I can handle my youkai no one wants me to really get to that point anymore......Akuma barely gets me to calm down now days..." she stated putting her hands behind her head thinking, "I guess cause im like...half of everything my youkai is just crazy" "Perhaps you just need to have proper training with your youkai....isn't the youkai a form of yourself?" Artemis asked looking at the twins.

Yukine laughed slightly to herself as she listened to him “I am not an innocent. I was born into aa royal lineage. I took a portion of my father’s power during his birth and weakened him. I play a role in this just like everyone else.”she said “But don’t worry, after all of this ,we will all go back to our lands and return to normal.”

“Ehh...it’s not that easy”Akuma said shaking his head “And it’s not as simple as Asura makes it sound either, because she forgets that my youkai is all the same parts hers is, yet mine is completely under control.”he commented “She’s just a wild child and hates to admit it. She’s the fox reincarnate.”

“If I survive this.....I think I would like to visit you in your lands. I know I will be banished a traitor for this.” He said and sighed. “I suppose....now is a good time as any for it. May as well seek out the boy and go through the transition.”

Asura would glare at her brother, "well sorry that I take after Kurama and you after the stick in the mud Rei" she said with an annoyed tone and Artemis couldn't help but chuckle listening to the two of them, "you two are really close...." she said with a small smile, and Asura turned to look back at them then to her brother. "Considering every step of our lives we've been together."

Yukine blushed slightly but nodded her heads "I would be honored to have you. You may be deemed a traitor to your people, but once we win this war, you'll be treated like a King.....well maybe a Prince."she said with a slight wink as she moved past him her tail brushing under his chin "Akuma and Asura are right over here."she said to him as her fluffy cloud appeared under her feet again as she floated off towards the twins with him in tow

"Rei was an honorable man!"Akuma growled back glaring at her before blinking as Artemis spoke "Pretty much. I mean we are twins after all, but we are different. I am brains, she is brawn. I am strategy, she is action. I am right, she is wrong. The natural order of things."he said with a laugh ducking a swing from his slightly older sister as he noticed Sabreal and Yukine land near them heading over "Back again? Something we can help you with?"he asked