**

Chapter 47: Into The Storm

**

Nihon, the Quiet Kingdom..

Asia sat happily, her legs swinging to a beat over the edge of the cliff. Despite the cold and isolated mountain, she had a lot to smile about. Regaining her voice, surviving the knights that killed everyone in her village, being around other survivors; Aiden gave her much to be thankful for in spite of it all.

Now she waited anxiously for him to return from Ishikawa with the rest of the warriors. There was no doubt in her mind that they would be successful; the good spirit was with them, after all.

Ishikawa looked closer than she expected from her vantage point, its massive castle towering over the thick fog.

It was her first time laying eyes on the impressive structure. She could hardly wait to see it up close. “Asia!” Nezuma called from below. “How did you get up so high? Come down before you fall!”

“I’m okay!” Asia smiled.

Nezuma waved a finger of disapproval. “You will fall and hurt yourself and there’s no one around to heal you! Now come down from there!”

“Yes, Nezuma,” the young girl said, reluctantly.

“And be careful, please!” She positioned herself under Asia as the child shimmied down the small cliff, and grabbed her when she came within reach. “I’m not letting you out of my sight again.”

“I can see Aiden and Ino on their way back from up there.”

“Well, if you can see them then others can see you, too,” Nezuma said, taking the girl by the hand. “Others that might want to do us harm. And we don’t know if the men will make it back, either.”

We don’t? Asia looked back in the direction of Ishikawa feeling more worried than ever. Aiden was impressively gifted and the men were masters of their swords.

What could go wrong?

*

Invisibility was a useful ability, no doubt about it. Led by Yamato, Ino and Matsuo were at least five yards away from the enemy, yet the shadow knights stood cluelessly in the field. They and twelve other men approached their targets slowly, not for fear of being seen, but heard. The folding armor they wore was great for mobility and designed for surviving many blows. Unfortunately, it was also noisy.

Invisibility was great, but it was not a sound nullifier.

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As the men continued their methodical advance, Aiden tapped into his power to manipulate weather in a vain attempt to clear the fog. Someone in Ishikawa was using the Rebirth of Storms, commanding the same ability he had. Only theirs was strengthened by Damnation’s influence; the exact same influence that spawned the shadow knights from the surrounding fog.

Too much of its negative energy flowed freely across the land, challenging Aiden’s power to change the weather. He would have to either destroy the Rebirth of Storms or kill its user.

Aiden returned his attention to the others, now close enough for a strike, and touched their blades with fire. As usual, the knights’ bodies evaporated into the deep fog. It was an ingenious method of resupplying their forces and overwhelming the living.

While keeping a close eye on the men, fast movement in the field captured his attention. He warped behind Matsuo, deflecting one flying sickle after another. With a telekinetic wave, Aiden launched the sneak attacker into a twisted fall of fog and rice. It was the man in lizard armor and after their last encounter, Aiden was anxious for a rematch. But before he could follow up, the man rolled backward along the ground and vanished into the fog.

“That was him,” Matsuo observed. “The one I told you about.”

And he was using the fog, too, almost like the knights. With the men being scattered out, keeping them alive would be a task Aiden wasn’t willing to take. “How are you with heights?” he asked Matsuo.

“I’m not afraid of them if that’s what you mean.”

“Glad to hear it,” Aiden said, sending Matsuo into the sky. His comrades weren’t far behind as Aiden kept them high above the ground and on the way to Ishikawa. Mister Lizard armor would need to grow wings to attack them now.

“I know you wanted a ground advance,” Aiden said. “But you all are easier targets that way. Plus this is quicker.’

“I feel like a bird!” Ino exclaimed, admiring the aerial view of the city.

“Keep your head on our mission, Ino,” Yamato ordered.

“Kind of hard not to at this angle.” As they passed over the center of the city, Ino pointed at a long and narrow scar in the street. “Where’d that come from? It looks deep!”

“Best stay clear of it,” Yamato said. “Set us down in front of the castle, Aiden.”

The wispy fog briefly scattered as Aiden lowered the men. Their weapons were drawn and ready by the time their boots were on the ground. In the midst of still, cold air, the men formed a tight circular formation and watched their surroundings carefully.

“Ahmya!” Yamato shouted, standing at the bottom of the castle’s lengthy steps. “We’ve come to take back what’s ours!”

A woman appeared from the shadows, her long traditional robe vanishing into the fog. Her dark hair curled into a tangled mess around her head. Standing at the pinnacle of the steps, she smiled menacingly and glanced over the group of men, settling her sights on Aiden. “With that?” Ahmya asked with an accusing tone.

Her smile exploded into a loud cackle. “Oh, dear father, that’s the reason you were chased out of Ishikawa in shame. Not me.”

“If you call me that one more time...!” Aiden threatened. “My name is Aiden!”

“Well, Aiden, explain to everyone how you brought all of this madness to Nihon and much of the world, for that matter.” Ahmya sat back in a high chair of fog and crossed her legs. “I’m sure my father would be interested to know all about it.”

“What is she talking about?” Matsuo asked Yamato.

Aiden stood silently and didn’t bother looking up at the others, Matsuo especially. The fact that Damnation was of his creation, willingly or not, was something he never wanted to share.

“I know all about Aiden,” said Yamato. “And what corrupts you, Ahmya.”

“Of course you do. You were always an annoying, self-righteous, know-it-all!” Clouds overhead mimicked the anger in her voice with rolling thunder and several flashes of lightning. And cold, hollowing wind gusts added more drama.

Bolts of lightning struck the ground, dropping five men wearing identical lizard armor. Aiden quickly summoned a pair of swords and turned to the only one that was real.

Ahmya’s eyes illuminated as white lightning coursed through her arms and hands. “Don’t damage Damnation's vessel, Zaki. He’s expecting him in one piece."