Chapter 1 Life Forgotten

Kazuma stood up as Xorn took hold of the situation, and activated the city's defenses, seemingly destroying the too golems completely.

"Well that could've saved us a lot of trouble." Kazu spoke with slight frustration.

He quietly put away his sword as he glanced over at Hoffman, who seemed a bit annoyed at the whole thing, even blurting out a question. Kazu simply rose his shoulders as he let out a sigh. He brought his attention back to Xorn, who at this time had put away his own weapon, as if it weren't there in the first place.

"Well?" Kazu sent the question in Xorns direction.

"Something shut down the defenses for a couple of minutes. Something to do with their teleportation system." Xorn explained.

Closing his eyes, Kazu responded with, "How convenient."

A quick realization came to Kazu when he saw Hoffman's jetpack fly into the trash without it's occupant. "Um, where's Kuzei?"

"Wasn't she with you?" Xorn asked.

After a momentary pause, the silence broke with a faint screaming coming from above. Kazu looked up and saw Kuzei plummeting towards him. Nonchalantly he extended both arms to caught her in a bridal position.

"Well hello there." Kazu smirked as he greeted his catch.

"Get your grubby hands off of me!" Kuzei quickly retorted back.

"Alright." Kazu stated, "Suit yourself."

He immediately dropped both of his arms and she dropped like a rock onto the ground as he turned around and walked towards Magnus and Hatizu. He immediately overhears some various insults thrown at him. Ignoring them, he spoke to the two he was walking towards.

"You two okay?"

"Well then, that ended rather quickly."

Hatizu said as he watched the destruction of the Golems. He rubbed his metal shoulder, realizing his arm was still gone, even though he could feel himself moving his fingers.

"Damn, well, not much more here to do. I guess its time to go and attach my prosthetic."

He said as he started walking to his bag to pick it up, but was cut off by Kazu, who was checking on everyone. Hatizu looked at him and gave him a thumbs up, leaning his metal rod on his shoulder as he did so.

"Yeah man, everything's good on this end, I had that golem, even with my handicap. How about you, no worse for the wear, right?"

Hatizu asked as he picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder.

"HELLAN!!" Ryder yelled as his eyes overflowed with dark powers and his hand was burning with power before he snapped out of it and saw it was Xorn and calmed down.
Ryder look down has his breath became heavy
"Whats with you? Shes not around. Hell he doesn't look a thing like her." A voice echoed in his head
"I know..."Ryder mummbled trying not to draw attention to the fact he was talking to himself"I...don't know what I saw...."
"Are you ok Ryder?"Another voice echoed in his head/
"Im fine Mayrull...Just a bit shaken up over everything" Ryder whispered back.

Ryder looked up for a moment as the goloms where destroyed in the air.

"Man...If I had my powers" he mummbled as his swords blades dissapper as he clipped the handles to his belt.

"But you don't"

Ryder turned to Kazu "Hey...er....you...the one that was keeping up with me. What the hell where those things?"

Watching from a nearby perch I wonder what I should do. I know my mother told me to stay out of it but I couldn't. I had plans to make that bitch pay for destroying my family. I continued to watch this group, hoping to hear something on her location. Just because I hadn't heard anything yet didn't mean I wouldn't. These looked like the type to know her.

Hoffman stepped in front of Kazu.

"I HAPPEN TO BE AN EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT!  Or at least have some documented findings..." He pulled out a folder, and flipped through some papers pulling out a graph followed by an illustration that looked like a 9 year old drew it.  It was a crude picture of Hoffman with a smiley face throwing his hats into an oval, with a bomb coming out on the other side, guided by arrows, and notes. "Now I could be completely wrong about this, but were dealing with portals here.  The kind that take ordinary objects, and make them hostile."

He ran passed the blazing fire to a news stand and grabbed a newspaper "Everyone remember this?" He pointed to an add "TERRORISTS BLAMED FOR RAINING BOMBS OVER CITY"

"All because of this." He took out the crystal he picked up yesterday, it sat in a jar, glowing against its glass prison.  He handed it to Kazu "Hold this before it happens again.  It will only end like at Mavericks Bar...  Any way.  The most important thing I 'DISCOVERED' is that someone can control these portals, and sent one of them back towards me."

He flipped the drawing.  On the other side an angry faced figure with a question mark hat, was throwing the bomb back at a frowny face Hoffman.

"So what were those?  Rocks...  ANGRY MAGIC ROCKS!" His eyes slide down and catch another article in the paper "FARMER TO POLICE:MUSTACHE MANIAC RESPONSABLE" "Huh...  apparently I'm a wanted criminal " He shrugged crushing the paper, and tossing it in the glowing blaze behind him.  "Not the first time..."

Kazu examined the crystal inside the jar as Hoffman explained his theory to what the creatures were, thinking back to that day at Maverick's bar.

"Yeah that was a mess." He said quietly as he put the jar inside his coat.

He watched as Hoffman threw away a paper, exclaiming that he was a wanted criminal. Kazu simply crossed his arms and spoke. "And it's certainly not surprising with you." He smirked as he commented.

He turned his attention to Hatizu, Ryder, and Magnus once again. "Well, I guess that's the only theory we have so far. But that doesn't explain the woman they were chasing."

Kuzei chimed in afterwards, to which Kazu remembered that she was in the sky with her during the battle. "I believe she flew towards the east on her dragon."

"Well, that's a lead at least. Besides we still need to figure out about Kaine as well." Kazu turned to Hatizu after speaking. "Well, about how long do you think it will take to get that arm attached?"

Hatizu looked back to Kazu, readjusting his satchel around his shoulder, making it easier to carry.

"Well, honestly, it would only take a couple of hours, given whoever puts it back on knows what they're doing."

He stated as he started looking around, searching for a path to a prosthetic shop. The tall man smiled as he spotted exactly what he was looking for, then turned back to the others.

"Alrighty, I'm going to head over there, and get whoever works there to fix me up. Meanwhile, if you guys don't mind, couldya find some information on Kaine for me? Thinking logically, if he finds out his target is alive, and you never want an assassin finding you before you find him."

Without waiting for a response, Hatizu jumped back and fell down onto a passing platform heading in the direction of the prosthetic shop he saw. He waved to the group as he turned and jumped off to the shop. He walked in with a grin on his face, and rang the bell with enthusiasm. A massive, burly man stepped out, crouching as he stepped through the doorstep. The giant stepped to the counter, and lay his hands down. He looks at Hatizu, blowing smoke out of his pipe, then he holds his hand out.

"70,000 Credits for an arm, up front."

Shocked, Hatizu reached behind him, and pulled his satchel towards the man, and inquires.

"What if I have an arm but need someone to insert it."
-
"5,000"

Hatizu groaned and payed the man his money. The giant then called someone from the back to help out.

"Rockbell, you have a customer."

"We'll see, Hatizu." Kazu said to Hatizu as he went on his way.

Kazu looked towards the other Guardian's, Xorn and Kuzei, pulling the jar back with the crystal inside back out. "Know anyone who can analyze this?"

Xorn bowed his head towards the jar, looking at it's contents intently. "I actually have a few people who might know something about this. Do you mind if I hold onto it?" He asked as he pulled himself back up.

"I don't see why not." Kazu smirked as he handed the object to Xorn. Before heading off, Xorn turned to Kuzei. "You stick with Kazu for now. I'm sure he could use the help."

"Alright." Kuzei responded to her disdain. She pointed at Kazu immediately after. "But only if he apologizes for dropping me!"

Kazu closes his eyes with a toothy grin as he raises both his hands in front of him. "Alright, Alright. But you did tell me to let go."

"Not drop me, you jerk!" She retorted.

"That's enough you two." Xorn interrupted with a sigh. "Just try to get along."

"Fine, fine." Kazu gave up on his fun. "Sorry, Kuzei."

"Just don't do it again." Kuzei said as she whipped her head up.

"Anyway..." Kazu said as he turned towards the others. "Ryder was it? I'm not sure what brought you here. But thanks for the help." He then turns his head to Nerifes and Magnus, "You two want to join us on a little journey?"

Listening to Hoffmens speech about the crystals "Mysterious crystals? Sheesh first the two other soul that wont shut up... now this..."

"HEY" Chimara shouted in his head

"Whats so bad about us?" Mayrull whimpered

Ryder turns to Kazu "Mmm? Yea no problem man. I always enjoy a party even if it was a lame was such as that. I do have a question tho. Did any of you happen to see a couple of girls? Ones an albino, really tall, regal, always wears black. The other has long wavy blonde hair, dresses like a hick."

"Shouldn't we be more worried about why your powers are all haywire?"

"They're all....whacky really"

"I need to know this" Ryder muttered to himself in a low tone

Hoffman looked at the party "To my understanding we all have a need, or want to get out of this town."   At that time military officials poured out of trucks.
"Stop scumbag"  All guns pointed to Hoffman, as he slowly raised his hands.

"Alright where is my booster pack"  He turned to the flaming news stand, and lowered his arms like he was carrying heavy bags of broken dreams.  An individual walked up with hand cuffs and grabbed Hoffman's wrist, he spun him around and used him as a shield he drop his gun "H-help!"

Hoffman pushed him away, and activated his armor, his mustache, and blonde hair had returned as his disguise turned faded.  They all opened fire, the bullets bounced off it like rain drops on an umbrella.  They stop firing.  Hoffman lifted his hand, and pointed to the rest of the party "They helped!"

Hoffman turned around hauled ass pressing his hand on Nerifies' shoulder, and leaping over his small feminine body.  All guns were pointed at them.

Sprinting full force through the plaza towards the ghettos heading to the rural outskirts of the city, a barricade was already in place, Hoffman shoulder checked through it breaking it apart, and continuing full sprint to safety "OOOHHH YEEEEAAH!"

Concealing my sword within my cloak, I answer Kazu's question promptly. "I see no reason not to."

The newcomer seemed concerned about something, apparently looking for some individuals. This being seemed a bit.... otherworldly to me, but I decided to keep my comments to myself. But as I was looking over there, in the background the armor clad man, Hoffman, was becoming a target of the local military.

"This man will be the death of us." I said to the group as I watched him create another mess with his antics.

After getting the responses from Nerifes and Magnus, Ryder asks about something. Kazu crosses his arms for a moment while he ponders on Ryder's question. He closes his eyes for a moment to see if he can bring up anything, but to no avail. He scratches his head, "I'm afraid I don't. Are they friends of yours?" He responds as he lowers his hand.

"Stop Scumbag!" Kazu overhears someone to his right. Turning, he sees Hoffman once again causing a scene in the middle of city, even so much as bullets flying at him. Immediately he points to the group. Hoffman immediately jumps over Nerifes in full sprint and rushes away from the area. As Kazu turns, he notices the soldier pointing their guns at his group.

"Wait a second, Lady Kuzei?" One of the soldiers recognized the guardian. "Are in league's with that criminal?"

Kuzei lets out a sigh. Do I look like I would work with such a buffoon?" She responded.

"W..well the group your with is pretty suspicious looking. I..I mean they are all well armed." A nervous looking soldier spoke out.

Kuzei's tail started to fray and straiten in frustration. Kazu glanced over with a sinister smile, but deigned to continue as he spoke. "If you don't believe her, just go ask Xorn. After all he is standing right over there." He pointed to Xorn's figure in the distance.

"Wait, isn't he the new guardian." Another soldier exclaimed to the others. The first one who spoke responded in kind. "If he knows the commander on a first name basis. He must, that or he's arrogant. I'll go speak with him." He stated as he walked off towards Xorn while the other's kept their guns pointed.

"Are all of your friends this idiotic, Kazu?" Kuzei asked.

Kazu shook his head with his arms raised in a sigh. "No, I think something simply broke his mind." He exclaimed as the soldier returned, waving the others to return with him.

"We're sorry for the trouble, but we just got word of his whereabouts. Soldier's MOVE OUT!" Within seconds they all ran off in formation after Hoffman.

"Well that escalated quickly." Kazu said with a blank expression. "At anyrate, I guess we can all go prepare for our little journey."

He turns to Ryder. "While we're out, I'll go ask about your companions if you want. We have to do some info gathering of our own anyway." He then looks over to Nerifes and Magnus, "You guys can come with us or do your own thing if you want. We'll all meet by the western exit of the city in two hours."

"Yea, They were pulled in a portal with me" Ryder responded with slight disappointment.

"Why are you so worried about them? Im sure Kade can take care of herself and Alice can out power almost everything"

"I haven't seen them in almost two years. Kinda want to as-"

Ryders stopped mid sentence as they where surrounded

"Oh come on. I always get blamed for shit I don't do"

Kazu quickly calmed them down and removed the blame

"Well then....that was easy"

Kazu mentioned something about information and a choice "As much as I would love to hang with you guys as much as possible...I gotta go check if a couple other friends of mine are fine. Check ya later"

Ryder ran off

"You dont know where that town is...do you?" The voice ran in his head.

Ryder quickly ran back and put an arm around Kazu

"Wouldn't happen to have a map on you would you?"

After receiving their answer, Kazu looks to Ryder who decided to head his own way for a while. "Alright, then." He said.

"Well then, shall we Kuzei?" He held out an open palm to the transportation device.

Suddenly he felt an arm around him. Apparently Ryder had returned, wondering if Kazu had a map on him. He rose his eyebrow at him as he looked over. "I don't have one on me, but I do have an encyclopedia of sorts on the local area."

I kept my silence as the situation was explained to the soldiers chasing down Hoffman. When the situation had resolved, I was asked what our plan was for the journey ahead. I turned my head towards Nerifes, who I had been placed in charge of guarding, for a fee of course.

"I'll leave the decision to him."

I promptly replied, and walked off for a moment to look out at the city from behind my mask. I thought quietly, keeping my left hand rested on the hilt of my sword beneath the cloak I wore.

"Perhaps this journey will give me some answers."

I followed behind the Almian as if I were his shadow, ever quiet, bidding a careful nod to the guardians. After a short trip inside an elevator, we arrived at a type of library of sorts. Apparently from what the receptionist said to us, the computer consoles granted access to their information database. The Almian began looking into a strange subject of "Rift Gates."

"Intriguing subject matter. Are these rift gates what brought you to this planet?"

I say quietly Nerifes, while taking a seat at a nearby computer console.

"What intrigues me even more is how your able to use these things. Or does your homeland carry a unique form of this technology?"

"Man..." Ryder slunk down in a comic depression "Oh well maybe I can find one in town"

Ryder looked over his left arm and gave a slight grin "I gotta get something anyways"

He ran at sonic speeds to town

"So whats with the grin? Your still kinda powerless"

He gave a slight chuckle to the comment

"I didn't need powers before..."

When he arrived in town he found a back ally, and pulled out what looked like a smartphone.
After if glowed with a slight blue flame it connected. A girl with short black hair with red highlights.

"Ryder? Where the hell did you go?"

"I had to jump into the between realm after the 'mother of the year' attacked. Alice and Kade got seperated dew to ...complications in the between realm."

"Are you ok?"

"Come on Rose this is me we're talking about" he said with a slight grin.

"Thats why I'm asking..." Rose had a slight sarcastic look on her face.

"Ouch...that's cold...Anyways that's not why I called, something happened. Something weird happened in the between realm. My spirit powers won't work. I need you to send Shadow Storm"

"...You intend to fight?..." she had a slight worry in her voice.

"It sounds like somethings going on here, I can't just leave. Whats the matter?"

She let out a sigh "Nothing...you just promised me something thats all. But its fine...I understand."

"Rose...Im sorry but I..."

"Its fine" the phone went dead

Ryder stared at the dead phone as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it up "Shit...hope I can make it up to her."

After about an hour a create flew out the wall. Ryder opened it up and picked up a blue oval shield with the front and back pointed and the edges were painted red. He put it on his left arm, sitting between his elbow and wrist. Picking up a couple purple crystals and loaded them into the shield. standing up he flicked his arm and the shield opened up. He pointed it out and a small blast let out of it.


^refrence picture

"Seems like everything still works"

He noticed something else in the create, a note.

"Kick some ass, Im rooting for you"

Ryder let out a huge smile.

Looking at his phone "And tick tok tick tok the clock is ticking for the meet up"

Ryder put the note in his left inside pocket ran to the west to the meeting point.

Ryder seemed disappointed in Kazu's response, but decided he had some errands to run apparently. Without much, he ran off at blazing speed to take care of his business. Kazu started scratching his head for a moment, unable to comprehend what someone who just showed up could be doing.

"Well, that was strange." He said quietly as he lowered his left hand. He turned his attention to Kuzei. "Shall we then?"

"Let's head to Northview. We can check with a friend of mine there while we gather some supplies." Kuzei said as she walked towards a path leading past the right side of the Citadel.

"Taking the Scenic route?" Kazu stated as he starting walking with her.

"I like to stretch my legs."

"Fair enough, though I'm sure we could both find better company."

Kuzei closed her red eyes and shook her head."Well we had best get used to it. The three of us will be working together for a long time to come." She said as she looked at him with a slight smirk. "Besides why would you want to pass up company a beauty with like me anyway?"

Kazu laughed a little. "Well, someones quite sure of herself!" He shrugged his arms with a smirk on his face. "But hey, I can't deny it as fact."

Kuzei smiled as she whipped her head back to the front as they kept walking. "Well I think that's the first good thing you've said yet."

"Truth be told I was expecting some snarky remark at that."

"Oh, I want to, but I think we both have had enough fun getting at each other's nerves." She walks ahead a little, turning her head back at Kazu with a serious expression. "Just remember though, I know your past. It's why I'm not so sure of you like Xorn is."

Kazu looks away towards the buildings and vehicles on his right driving by. "I know. I don't blame you for that either."

Kuzei smiled a little. "Well, that understanding might help us get along better."

He turned his attention back at her as he walked up to her again. "Well, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself. Best to get to know each other, right?"

"Interested in me now?" She jokingly asked.

"Take that how you will, madam." Kazu smirked as they walked towards North side of the city.

"Thank you, Sig."

A man stated as he walked out, soon after came a two women.

"Hi there," He stated, looking at Hatizu with a smile and hand outstretched, "I'm Urey, and this is my wife Sara."

Hatizu shook Urey's Hand, then looked over at the other woman.

"You wife, and the other is your assistant?"

He asked, pointing his finger at lady behind them.

"Yeah, that's Izumi-"

"I'm just here to hold you down, kid." Izumi interrupted.

Hatizu shifted his eyes, then chuckled taking it as a joke. Urey then directed Hatizu's attention to the table, where his work was likely done. It was a clean, metal slab, covered with a thick cloth. Hatizu removed his shirts and lay his body on the slab, then Izumi latched his arm, and legs down. She then, Began to push down where his right shoulder was, feeling the cold metal. In no time, the Rockbells were grabbing tools of various kinds, then they were operating. For a while Hatizu barely felt anything. Then Urey looked up from his work.

"I'm terribly sorry, but whoever did this, they seem to have made several mistakes, Would it be okay with you if I-"

"Yeah, go ahead. Charge me whatever you think the damage is as well, and thanks"

Hatizu said aloud, having known in the back of his mind that the woman who implanted it meant for this to happen. He would have to go through the same pain as before. As that thought entered his mind, he heard a loud wet smack, and looked up to see Izumi with a balled up fist, as his vision faded to black. When he awoke, his face and his arm were both in minor pain, but that meant nothing when he realized he was rubbing his face with his right hand, though it be cold and metal. He jumped up with exitement, then looked to see the Rockbells, Izumi and Sig all looking at him. He ran over and began shaking each of their hands, and slowly asked the price.

"You've already paid your dues, friend. 5000 was the labor and that's what we charged you. Just know any time you need a touch up to come back here." Urey said with a smile. Hatizu said his goodbyes, speaking warily to Izumi for fear that she would hit him again, he then took off, and began his search for the others.

Dont bug meh