RPG Ronin's Quest to Destroy the Masamune

[JW_Ronin]

J.W. Ronin walked along the dirt path. He had left behind his friends yesterday to set out on a quest to destroy the ancient sword Masamune so that it could no longer posess and harm his friends. As he walked along he thought to himself "Why? What makes me risk myself for these people I've known only a short time?"
JW shifted his sword from one shoulder over to the other, "Have I come to care for these people?" He thought about this to himself. He thought about Aeris, V and DARKdragon, and what had happened when the Masamune posessed DARKdragon to kill Aeris.
When he saw Aeris laying there something snapped inside JW, he had come to care for the young princess, but how much he didn't understand. V had gone into an uncontrolable rage when the posessed DARKdragon had cut down his love, the princess Aeris, however Aeris wasn't dead as we had all thought...she was in fact an angel and therefore could not die.
JW thought about Aeris as he walked along the rough path, "What was it, why had he been so enraged whenever he saw her hurt...have I come to care for her beyond that of a friend? NO, that couldn't be..."
He thought of the night when he had traveled into the depths of hell to save V for Aeris, and he thought of how Aeris held JW in her arms after the demons had overwelmed him and shredded his body...she had healed him that night and it had awakened something within the ronin that had been long dead. "No" he thought to himself, "I could never"
JW turned his thoughts to his new friend V. JW believed that V had come to trust him and JW could never betray the trust someone placed in him. This all weighed heavy on the vagabond warrior's chest and mind, so much that he never noticed the goblin-like tengu that were stalking him.
"My honor can never be sacrificed, even for a selfish reason as love...I cannot stab a friend in the back." JW was startled, what had he just thought?..."love" ...No, that wasn't it ....was it? Fear plagued on JWs mind. "I would loose everything I've just gained back....I've been so long without friends, if I was to betray one now...." The ronin could not finish his thought.
WHACK!!
All faded into darkness for JW. Over the body of the fallen ronin stood a band of tengu goblins, they searched through JWs items, then spoke in a languge unknown to humans. JWs body was then dragged away to a mysterious realm.

[BH_DARKdragon12]

YAY I AM IN THE STORY HEH, I KNEW THAT ALREADY!

[JW_Ronin]

JW awoke in a damp, dark prison cell made out of an ebony stone. His hands had been chained above him and all his items removed save for the cloths on his back. The air within the cell was stale with the smell of death, looking around he saw that skeletons of previous prisoners were still chained to the walls near him.
Looking closer at the skeletons he saw that their skulls had been smashed in. "....Well, at least it was an easy death" JW thought to himself. JWs mind wandered off, he wondered who had captured him and how they had.... Then he recalled a blunt pain striking him over the head. *sigh* "If I hadn't been so distacted by my thoughts"
JW looked around the cell some more, there was nothing he could see that would allow him to escape. He could hear screams from down the hall of the dungeon. He thought more to himself, "...If I could return to the times when I served only myself and helped no other for less than a large sum of gold and silver..." JW shook his head, "God, it was so much easier when I didn't think of others." JW closed his eyes and tried to forget that he was going to die here, his only comfort was that even if he couldn't destroy the Masamune as he had vowed, V would still be there to protect princess Aeris and hopefully prevent DARKdragon or any other person from being posessed by the Masamune in the future. JW drifted off to sleep.
A bright flash of light appeared before JW forcing him to open his eyes to see what it was.
A shapeless light hovered in front of the chained ronin.
"Huh!!?? What is this?" JW asked himself out of fear...and yet he felt calm coming from the light.
Then words began to form inside of JWs mind "You will not die here ronin, you still have a great destiny to fulfill"
"What??!! what's going on? who's in my head? What is this light?"
"I am the light, I am speaking to you and you will escape this place."
"Huh!? b..but..how?" JW asked the light.
"I will set you free" With that the chains holding JWs hands crumbled into dust and rained down on to his head. JW lowered his hands and looked at them unbelieving.
"W..Why have you done this?" he asked.
The light flashed bright for an instant, "It is not only your friends whom you save by destroying the Masamune sword, it is all the world."
"Wha...what? JW looked up at the light, shocked to hear such a thing.
"There is more within you than you realize JW the ronin"
"Huh, you know who I am."
"Yes, you are the only person who can put the Masamune to rest"
"...I...am...."
"Be silent, guards approach. I will be with you ronin and I shall tell you more soon, but first you must escape this place. you're equipment is in a storage room at the end of the hallway, hurry"
The light flickered away and JW saw that the gate to his cell had also crumbled to dust. He could hear voices of an unknown language nearing him. JW rose to his feet and stalked out of the cell, checking down the hallway to see if guards were in sight yet.
They were not but the sound of their voices was getting closer, JW made a sprint down the hall for the storage room to find his equipment.
Entering the room, he saw that a goblin-like creature was already in the room sleeping on some crates. JW froze for a minute until he realized that the creature was asleep, then he scaned the room for his belongings. They were resting on a table in the corner of the room. JW grabed his weapons and bag of gear, then turned around to leave.
Outside the room he could hear the guards yelling, JW figured they must have seen that he was gone now. He looked around the room and noticed that the sleeping creature was begining to wake from the noise outside the storage room, JW quickly darted over to the creature and knocked him over the head with the sheath of his katana, the creature fell over and was out cold.
JW then turned his attention to the door and could hear that the other guards were getting closer to the room he was in, he dashed over to hide behind the door as it opened and the first guard walked in, JW hit the guard over the head with his sheath again then slamed the door into the face of the following guard. He flung the door open and drew his katana expecting to see more guards but there were none. He grabed the bodies of the goblins and draged them inside the storage room then crept outside into the hallway.
Looking down the hall he could see no other guards, so he proceded to leave the dungeon, and prowl up the stairs, his Katana in one hand and his Wakizashi short sword in the other.

[Fall]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by BH_DARKdragon12 [/i]
[B]YAY I AM IN THE STORY HEH, I KNEW THAT ALREADY! [/B][/QUOTE]
do you feel proud now...........?!

and jw ronin, that's a good story you got there......

[Suikojin]

-meanwhile-

V!*aka vegeta* and his angel aeris along with there friend DD, were at there new home resting after there mighty battle with the possesed DD!
V:hey angel, im going to practice my katana skills!*the very skills tought to him by JW!*
aeris: kk!^_^
DD: SPOONKIES!
V:ummm.....coo coo!
as V, practices his katana skills he wonders about his new friend an ally JW. and if he is alright, and if his quest for the legendary masamune with has caused us all so much grief was nearly over or was it just beginning!
V:*V glances back at aeris and DD* good grief!
aeris is in a fit of laughter as DD is doing some sort of chicken dance! V just laughs!
V: its good to have peace! at last!

[JW_Ronin]

JW moved up the spiral staircase quickly and quietly, the stairs were lightened by torches about every twenty steps. A few hundred steps up JW began to hear the now familier voice of the goblins, he slowed his pace, leaned his back against the wall and began to stalk up the steps.
He reached the bend just outside of the goblins vision and peered around to see how many there were, "Only two, hmmm... but they would see me for sure if I charged out there...and probibly alert others."
JW looked around the staircase and settled his sight on the torches hanging on the wall, a smile crossed JWs face, he knew what he was going to do now.
JW backed down about ten steps to be sure the guards didn't see what he was about to do, when he was out of their range of sight JW stood in the middle of the stairs, sheathed his wakizashi and grasped his katana with both hands. Then he entered a meditative state of mind, he focused his spirit into his blade.
Blue-white energy began to glow around him, growing brighter, a breeze of air began to swirl around him, JW raised his katana above his head and the energy from his body began to flow into the sword.
In one swift slice JW lowered his blade sending the energy flying up the stairs in a violent whirlwind that blew out the torches leaving the staircase a black coffin for the ronins prey.
He could hear that the goblins were now making a ruckus over the blast of wind that took out the lights. JW drew his wakizashi again and darted up the stairs.
In his meditative state he did not need his eyes to know where his enemy was, he could simply feel where they were, JW rounded the bend and stabed the closest goblin in the back and through its heart, then continuing his momentum he thrust his other sword into the second guards shoulder, in one continuous motion JW whips his sword up and to the side slicing the second guards head clean off at an angle. His meditative trance then left him and JW could feel the heartbeat of the first guard vibrate through his sword then stop, he steped back and drew his weapon from the dead guard then pulled a cloth from a pocket inside his shirt and wiped his swords clean of their blood.
He sheathed both weapons, then took out some flint and steel from another pocket. Using the Flint and steel, JW relightened one of the torches and stood looking at the platform he now stood on, it split here into three paths. One way he had just come from another the stairs kept going up, and the final set of stairs went down in another direction.
JW listened in each of the new directions, the stairs that countinued up were silent, a noise the weathered warrior knew could be dangerous. The other stairs that lead down sounded like water flowing, and JW knew that where water flowed an exit must be near.
He proceded down the stairs to find his way out.
Nearing the bottom of the stairs he put out his torch, leaned his back against the wall and moved closer to the edge to look around the corner. JW peered around the corner and saw about a hundred yards away was an opening to the outside, it was night time and there were at least ten goblins protecting the opening. He withdrew back, and thought about how he could get past them. Then, looking at the flowing river, it's waters dark and moving at an easy pace he had an idea.
JW searched through his bag and pulled out a bamboo stick, it was hollow inside, perfect for sneaking past people underwater. He looked around the corner, most of the guards were looking outside and the few looking his direction were too far away to see him in the darkness of the cavern.
JW crept over to the waters edge and slipped in, the icy cold water made his flesh tighten against the muscles in his body. He took a few moments to get used to the water's temperature then placed the bamboo to his mouth and dived below the surface.
Moving along underwater at an even pace so not to alert the guards JWs clothes began to feel heavy and were starting to drag him down. He kicked a bit harder to stay up far enough to breath through the bamboo but low enough not to be seen.
It wasn't possible for him to see out of the dark river water, so his fears of being seen below the water were eased. He kept moving along below the surface, his muscles becoming weak from the weight of his soaked clothing.
Above the water the guards never noticed the bamboo floating past them or if they had noticed it they paid no attention to it.
When JW figured he had reached a safe distance past the guards, he rose his head from the water slowly and cautiously so that his eyes were just above the surface and turned around to see how far he had gone down river. The guards were about fifty yards behind him, he scaned the area and saw a bend in the river, JW slowly lowered below the water again and made towards the bend where he could exit the river unseen.

[JW_Ronin]

At the bend and out of veiw, JW crawled up on to the shore of the river. He kneeled there for a few moments staring at the ground on the shore. His clothing was plastered to his body, limiting his movements.
JW looked up and around at his suroundings, the river ran through a forest and the treeline was not far from where he rested. When he recovered his stength, JW rose to his feet and made way towards the trees to find cover.
The forest was full of shadows, but the moon gave JW just enough light to see where he was going. Walking deeper into the forest, JW found a small clearing where he decided to rest and dry his clothing.
JW removed most of his soaked clothes and hung then from the branches of a near by tree, then sat under a tree and opened his bag to examine his items. He pulled out a few things and made sure they hadn't been damaged by the water, some blow darts, silk rope and a small grapple, a few caltraps and his bottle of saki were all ok.
However the loaf of bread he had was now drenched, "Ahhh, I hate bread when it gets wet!" JW complained.
Checking the rest of his food supplies, JW found that the rice he was keeping in a covered bowl had become soaked as well, *sigh* "...and I wanted to save this for another day." JW shrugged his shoulders and began to eat the rice.
JW wasn't worried at all about his weapons being damaged in the river, they had been forged by a master swordsmith that JW had apprenticed with in his youth. He knew that the fine workmanship of his old teacher would never rust or chip. His Katana, Wakizashi and Tanto had been gifts from his master when JW left him and decided that he was going to explore the world.
Finishing his rice, JW leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. He drifted off to sleep and began to dream.
In the dream JW was walking in nothingness, then someone apeared before him. It was Aeris, JW walked up to the beautiful princess, looking into her eyes he fell within their emerald green depths. Everything swirled arond him, Aeris eyes transformed into the green grass he stood on the day she was attacked by the posessed DARKdragon. JW began to run to Aeris and try to stop DARK, Aeris didn't seem able to move away from DARK.
No matter how much he tried to run to her, JW only moved further away. He fell to his knees and could only watch Aeris be stabed by the Masamune again, JW lowered his eyes and looked at the ground then raised his eyes and saw he was sitting beside her body laying on the ground. V appeared beside Aeris and flew her up to the clouds, JW rose to his feet and tried to attack DARK, but nothing was hurting her.
JW looked up to see Vegeta unleshing a violent assult down on him, "ITS ALL YOUR FAULT!!! YOU DIDN'T SAVE HER!!!" The energy blasts exploded around JW...
JWs eyes flew open, "Huh! ...ahh...a..a nightmare." JW reached up and held his head in his hands.
"Do not fear ronin"
"What!?" JW looked up to see the guiding light glowing before him.
"Your friends are alright, and the woman isn't dead. She lives."
*sigh* "Yes, I know shes alright, I know they are all alright, but..."
"Do not fear these things any further" the light spoke within JWs mind.
"Yes, I will try not to..." JW paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, "Umm, you spoke to me before about my destiny, What did you mean?" JW asked the light.
"Your family has always been willful travelers with a strong sence of balance and justice. Each of your ancestors had wandered along roads unknown and always helped those in trouble. Each generation they became more and more willful and honorable."
JW listened silently to the guiding light tell him about his heritage.
"JW, you are the most skilled warrior in your entire family line, your will power is stronger than any other warrior that has walked this world. That is what you will need to put the Masamune to rest."
"What do you mean?"
"In a time long past, an evil wizard had once been the wielder of the Masamune, when he died he placed a curse on the ancient weapon and enforced it with his own willpower. None who have ever picked up the Masamune since, have been able to resist destroying the lives of others. The wizards soul has always been too powerful. You however, you can rival the wizards will. You are the only one strong enough within to do so."
"...." JW was silent for a while. "You said before, that it was all the world I save by destoying the Masamune."
"Yes, If the wrong person ever gets ahold of the Masamune, they can use the power inside of it to destroy every form of life around world. Such a person does exist in a distant land. You must find and destoy the Masamune before that person discovers it."
"Who is this person?" JW asked.
"Nevermind who they are, your journey is to find the sword before they do."
"But where do I look? after the sword made contact with Aeris it vanished."
"Yes, that is because her soul rivals the power within the Masamune, when it made contact with her, it counter attacked in a natural way and sent the Masamune flying to the distant arctic lands far to the south."
"Alright, then I'll make my way south." JW said to the light. Then JWs began thinking to himself again.
"Your thoughts of the princess, you wonder if it is love you feel for her."
"Huh!!" JW lowered his head "......yes."
"In a way, it is love you feel for her, but you also feel it for your other friends as well. Your love goes beyond just a single person. Within yourself, you care for all those you know and all those you don't know, if it had been your other friends, Vegeta or DARK, you would have felt the same fear and pain inside yourself."
JW thought on this for a while, "Thank you, I know what to do now."
"I shall continue to be with you whenever you need me." with that the light faded away leaving JW alone as the sun began to rise.
JW stood, gathered his items and placed them back into his bag. He took the loaf of bread that had become wet from the river and broke it up to feed some birds, then he gathered his clothes and dressed again, they still felt slightly damp, but were good enough for now and JW knew that as he walked under the sun today his clothes would dry completly.
After gathering all his items together, JW placed his wakizashi and tanto in his belt, then slung his katana over his shoulder and made his way southward through the forest.

[JW_Ronin]

JWs travels southward towards the arctic lands had been uneventful thus far. While he traveled, he thought of the memories he had of his friends. He recalled teaching Vegeta the arts of swordmanship, traveling with DARK to explore an old tomb and talking with Aeris in a forest grove. The memories were vivid, as though they just happened yesterday...

"Wow, your skill with a sword is amazing." said Vegeta with astonishment, right after JW had sliced seven bandits across the stomach in a blinding series of moves.
JW had sheathed his katana and shrugged off Vegeta's comment. "I only do what I must."
"..But you just killed seven bandits as fast as I can blink my eyes!"
"hmmm..... do you think I like killing?"
"No, I didn't mean that."
"You seem to do just as well with your fists, Vegeta."
"hehe yeah, I could've helped you out if you would've givin me a chance."
"If I had givin you a chance, there would of been a chance that you would be laying on the ground dead too." JW returned harshly.
Vegeta became angry at that last comment, JW could see.
*sigh* "...well anyway ...." JW tried to think of the words. "...Thank you."
"Yeah sure." Vegeta returned.
The day had gone on, the two warriors had been silent to one another most of the day. While sitting around a campfire JW noticed Vegeta looking at his swords with intrest from across the fire. JW thought to himself for a while.
"Umm, Vegeta." JW said from across the fire.
"Huh...what is it ronin?"
"..." My he can be rude sometimes JW thought, but I guess I was too this afternoon. "...ah, would you care to spar with me a little, I need to work on my technique." JW lied, he didn't need the practice but he wanted to know about Vegeta's intrest in the swords.
"Huh, umm" Vegeta was startled JW had asked him to spar. " I don't know how to fight with a sword properly, I don't think I'd be much of a sparing partner."
"Its alright, I can teach you."
"Really? You would teach me to use a sword."
"The truth is I don't think you need it, you're very skilled at fighting with your fists."
"Yeah but, I've been interested in learning to sword fight too."
"First of all, its not sword fighting. Swordmanship is an art."
"An art....hmmm, I never thought of it like that."
"Yes an art, most people who fail in their quest to learn sword skills, do so because they think of it only as fighting. They never learn to unlock what is within both sword and the spirit. Together the sword and the spirit are an artform that very few enemies can oppose."
"Oh, so when can you begin training me?"
JW thought for a moment, He had learned Vegeta's intrest now. "Get some sleep. We will begin in the morning."
"Alright" Vegeta said with a smile.
Vegeta was so excited that he couldn't fall asleep for several hours, and his lack of sleep showed too the next day.
JW used some tree branches to begin teaching Vegeta the Way of the Sword. As Vegeta progressed JW began to notice he could indeed learn to control the spirit of the sword. Training went on for a couple weeks, then JW decided it was time for Vegeta to use a real sword.
"Now since a piece of wood or bamboo isn't going to be as effective against a real sword its time you recieved a sword to train with."
"Thats great!, but I couldn't accept one of your swords JW."
JW looked at Vegeta dumbfounded. "ahh...I wasn't going to give you one of mine."
"Oh, then where do I get one?"
"We will make one."
"Your kidding right?"
"No."
Vegeta scratched his head. "How?'"
"Follow me."
JW and Vegeta went to a swordsmith shop on the outside of a small village. There JW paid the smith a few days earnings so that he could borrow the shop to forge a sword for Vegeta.
They selected a fine ore from the Genji mines in the eastern world, the ore was strong and light weight, it would serve Vegeta well.
JW and Vegeta worked together for three days forging the weapon, JW teaching him how to layer the metal to enhance the strength and how to properly hammer and cool the metalwork.
When the sword was completed, JW took Vegeta to an open field to begin testing Vegeta and the Sword. As Vegeta's skill countinued to grow, JW and he were matching strike for strike, slash with counter-slash, stab with parry and so on.
"You have been a talented student Vegeta, keep up your practice and remember, The sword has a spirit within it. Meditate on this and you will begin to hear the sword speak to you, it shall grant you skills to heal as well as harm."
"Thanks JW, I'll remember that. and you don't have to call me Vegeta, my friends just call me V."
"Heh...alright V. I will see you again soon, I've business to attend to in another city. Until then my friend."
"Until then." Vegeta returned.

[JW_Ronin]

JWs southward journey to the arctic lands countinued. One evening while sitting beside a fire, he layed back and looked at the stars in the clear night sky. Scaning the heavens, JW rested his sight on the Stars of Drago and recalled his memories of exploring a tomb with his friend DARKdragon...

"So where are we going JW." DARK asked as she walked along beside the ronin in her human-sized dragon form.
"A tomb, to find an old artifact that was stolen from a friend of mine."
DARK stopped in her tracks, "a...a...tomb?"
JW stopped and turned around, "Don't tell me your afraid of a few ghosts DD."
"Ghosts, no....but..."DARK's face twisted into uncertain fear.
"But what?" JW asked.
"Tombs, they have....." DARK chewed on her claws for a minute.
"Have what?" JW folded his arms across his chest.
"umm...." DARK looked down at her feet, "...spiders"
JWs eyes flew open and he broke into laughter.
DARK looked up surprised, "Hey I'm serious."
"Hahahaha, no way, your kidding. A dragon afraid of spiders."
"YES!!" DD growled.
"Ok ok, I'm sorry DD."
"Its so creepy when they crawl all over you and get in your scales...yucky."
"hmmm...well I can't say I've had spiders crawl in my scales, but ok you can go back if you want to."
DARK thought for a minute, "No I'll stay with you." They countiued down the road. DARK disappeared for a while and JW stopped to wait for her under a tree. A while later DARK came trotting up the path happily, carring a bag on her back.
"What do you have there DD?" JW asked.
"Oh just some apples."
"Apples? Where did you get them? Did you steel them from that farmers field?"
"Of course not... I only borrowed them."
"DD you've been eating them, I can see the apple skin stuck in your teeth."
DARK picked the apple from her teeth. "Well I get hungrey when I'm scared, it"ll help me calm down about the spiders."
JW sighed, "Alright....let's go."
The two continued on down the path to the tomb.
"Besides, the apples didn't taste very good, somebody should thank me for eating them."
When JW and DD reached the tombs they searched for the grave in which the object was said to be in. They opened the door and moved down into the darkness, JW grabed a torch and DD lit it with a small flame. JW lead the way, cuting through cobwebs, making DARK a little more comfortible.
"DD its getting a little tight in here, I think it would be best if you changed into your human form."
"Yeah, I noticed." DD said.
Dust began to swirl up and around DARK, JW covered his face with his arm to prevent dust from getting in his eyes. When the dust settled DD was in her human form waring a basic travelers outfit with a black robe and holding a longspear. "Ok I'm all set to countinue on."
"Alright." JW said.
The two warriors search the tomb completely, looking around every corner and searching all the rooms inside the tomb. They couldn't find the stolen object anywhere. JW leaned against a wall and thought for a moment.
"Where could it be?" DD asked as she looked up and around to make sure no spiders were crawling near her.
JW thought, "Fish do not live where the waters are clear." JW mumbled to himself.
"Huh??.. We're looking for fish." DD said.
"Eh?! No DD, its a figure of speach, The item we seek may not be in plain veiw. Thats what I meant."
"Oh...." DARK thought about this for a minute, "Well, can we go fishing after this?"
"Ah..sure DD."
JW walked along and ran his hand over the walls to see if their were any hidden rooms. On the forth wall he checked JW found a small separation in the wall, the two warriors pryed the wall open to discover another room. It was some kind of treasure room, with all the valueables of the people buried within the tomb.
Scaning the tomb JW saw a single skeleton laying against the wall, clutched in the skeleton's hand was an object JW recognized right away. JW went over and removed the object from the skeleton's hand and held it up to examine it. It was a pendent hanging by a thin, silver chain.
"What's so special about that?" DD asked.
"It was my old teachers pendent handed down in his family for more than three hundred years, it was very special to him."
"Oh, well it looks very nice."
"Yes, pendents like this cannot be found anymore, I imagine thats why this thief wanted it."
The two warriors left the room and re-sealed the hiddin door, then they made their way out of the tomb. Outside the tomb DD shook off all the cobwebs that had become attached to her clothes.
"See DD, we didn't even find any spiders down there."
"Yeah, I'm glad. Ya know I never really was afraid of them. I just said that in case you were scared."
"Yeah..hehehe I know."
As they started to walk down the path JW saw a spider crawling on DDs back and brushed it off.
"Huh? What?" DD asked.
"Oh nothing, just... good job today." JW laughed to himself as they walked down the road to return to the village.

[JW_Ronin]

JW's journey south had lead him to the Misty Valleys, it was the shortest path to take in order to reach the port city where he could find a ship to the arctic lands.
When he entered the Misty Valley, JW began to feel the presence of others watching him, though he tried to focus on them, they were more elusive than he thought. Continuing on, the presence always seemed to be around him, but he couldn't make out what it was, suddenly JW was struck in the shoulder by an arrow, then another one hit him in the leg and another in his side.
JW fell to his knees and and began to feel feverish, his head felt like the weight of a mountain had crashed down on it and he fell forward on his face. His eyes remained open, but heavy as he tried to look for his attackers.
Then emerging from the trees, JW saw the blurry form of human like figures with the faces of panthers. He closed his eyes for a while to re-adjust what he had just seen, then he heard growls and yelps of pain coming from the panther-like figures.
"What is going on..." He thought to himself.
JW re-opened his eyes to see a tattooed man walk up to him and kneel beside him, then all faded away for the ronin.
JW awoke and looked up, he was staring at a ceiling of stone, then he turned his head and looked around the room he lay in. It was a simple place, JW saw a monk sitting beside him praying.
"...e..excuse me sir." JW asked.
The monk looked up, and smiled. "You are awake, we are glad."
"How long have I been out?" JW asked.
" We found you one week ago, after you were attacked by Cat-folk in the Misty Valley."
" A week ago...!! I've got to get going!" JW tried to rise quickly but pain jolted through his body leaving him stuck in the bed he lay.
"You must rest, the poison Cat-folk use in their arrows is very dangerous. Your fever has passed, but you still need some time to rest and fully heal from the toxic affects."
JW sighed, he couldn't argue, the strength just wasn't in him. "Alright."
JW slowly rose to a sitting position to look out the window beside his bed, outside he saw more monks and beautiful flower gardens. Looking at the gardens, JW remembered the day he had talked with Aeris in a flower grove...

While walking along an old path between towns one morning, a small grove of trees just off of the path had caught JW's attention. going to explore the grove he discovered exotic colorful flowers all around within the grove, " My, it is quite peaceful here." JW said to himself.
Overcome by the beauty of the grove, JW decided he would stay and meditate among the peace and quiet. He spent over half the day in meditation, before he felt a presence nearing him. It was strong, mysterious yet kind and quiet.
JW broke his trance state of mind and looked up to see Aeris standing at the entrance of the grove looking back at him. JW rose to his feet and Aeris walked over to him.
"What are you doing here?" Aeris asked. "I didn't think anyone else knew about this place."
"I just found it this morning. I found it to be a peaceful place for meditation."
"Oh..." was Aeris reply, "Yeah, I guess it is. I come because I like the flowers though."
"Yes they are quite unique. Some of them, I've never seen at all in my travels."
"Oh really." said Aeris.
"Yeah"
Aeris turned her back to the ronin and held up her hand, a small bird flew down and rested on her finger. She feed the little bird some seed out of her other hand and sat down among the flowers.
JW watched Aeris feed the bird silently for a while, until the bird became startled by something and quickly flew away.
"Huh!?" Aeris was surprised and turned around to look at JW. "Did you scare the bird away?"
JW shook his head, "Not me my dear, nature did." JW turned his head to look into the trees.
Aeris followed JWs look.
The brush around the tree line began to rustle, and a pure black wolf emerged from the woods.
Aeris jumped up to her feet and took a step back.
JW turned back to Aeris, "You're not scared now are you?" JW asked.
"OF COURSE NOT!" Aeris said defiantly. "I've just never seen a wolf in this grove before."
"Well, normally a wolf wouldn't come here..." JW turned to the wolf, kneeled down and pulled a small slice of rabbit steak from his bag. "Except, that I called him here while meditating." JW held out the steak and the wolf approached him.
"What!" Aeris said.
"Come 'ere Hunter." JW called to the wolf. The wolf came right up to JW and ate the steak from his hand, JW scratched behind the wolf's ear and under his chin. "There ya go my friend."
"Friend? This wolf is your friend?"
JW turned to look at Aeris, "Yes, Hunter has been a more loyal friend to me than any person I've ever met."
Aeris was silent for a little while, "...you really don't trust people much do you?"
"...people haven't givin me any reason to trust them..." JW gazed at Aeris silently, "...but they haven't givin you any reason to trust them either, have they?"
"Huh!" Aeris looked at JW shocked, "..." She lowered her head in thought.
JW rose to his feet, "You carry more within yourself than you let most people know about, don't you?"
Aeris remained silent.
"Anyway I have to be on my way now, if you are going to the next village, you are welcome to come with us."
"I don't need you to protect me ronin." Aeris said with narrow eyes.
"No, I know you are strong enough to watch out for yourself." With that said, JW and Hunter left the grove.
Aeris watched them leave then looked down at the flowers and thought for a moment. She looked up to see both JW and the wolf gone, Aeris walked out of the grove and looked around. "Where did they go so fast?" She asked herself.
"Hehe...you may be able to take care of yourself, but I think you still like the company of friends."
Aeris looked up to see JW sitting in a tree, she smiled to herself. "Get down here."
JW jumped out of the tree and landed near Aeris, then he stood up and looked at her.
Aeris punched JW right in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him. "Don't assume you know anything about me again JW."
"...ok" *cough cough* JW replied.
Aeris looked around, "Where did that wolf, Hunter go?"
As soon as she asked, Hunter peered around from behind the tree and Aeris could have sworn the wolf was smiling at the scene that just took place.
After JW regained his breath, the three of them made their way back on the path and walked on to the next village together.

[JW_Ronin]

JW's blinked his eyes as he woke up, when he looked around, he saw that he was no longer in the simple room he had been in before. In fact this place didn't look like a monastery at all he thought, it looks like an inn.
JW sat up and rose from the bed, he saw that laying on a dresser against the wall were his clothes and equipment. The pain and fatigue he had felt before had left him, but the scars of the arrows would always be there as a reminder.
JW dressed and gathered his equipment together, checking to ensure he had everything, it was all there. JW picked up his swords and left the room, going down a hallway and some stairs.
Downstairs at the front counter JW questioned the hostess, "Excuse me, but how did I arrive here miss?"
"Oh, your awake. ahh, it was the monks of the Msty Vlley who brought you here two days ago."
"Two days...ok. umm, where is this place?"
"You are in the port city south of the Misty Valley."
"The port city, good. Do you know where I can find a ship to the arcticlands?"
"hmmm, try the docks. I believe you'll find a ship there."
"Alright, thank you. Umm, what do I owe you for the stay?"
"Nothing, the monks already took care of it."
"Oh... well, will you tell them thank you for me when you see them again?"
"Heh, it wouldn't matter. The monk's way is to help others without a thank you or a reward. Besides, they don't come here often, only when they've found someone hurt like you were."
"Oh... well thank you then." JW turned, left the inn and made his way down to the docks.
There were at least a dozen ships in the port, JW began to make his way around to all of them.
The second ship he tried, agreed to transport him to the arcticlands, JW exchanged nearly all his gold in the deal, but it didn't matter to him. All that mattered was getting and destroying the Masamune.
The following morning the ship set sail, it would be a four day journey the captain had told him. The first two days went by well, JW learned some basic sailing skills from the ships crew, however while resting in his cabin on the third night a storm came up.
JW stayed in his cabin, violent winds were blowing, and thundering waves splashed against the hull of the ship. The ship rocked back and forth on the rough seas, throughout the entire storm JW's cabin had been in complete darkness.
The following morning, JW woke to calm waters and went up to the deck to see the captain, "One hell of a storm last night huh?" JW said.
The captain looked a JW curiously and began to laugh, "What storm, you must of been dreaming my friend, we've had nothing but calm seas this entire voyage."
JW looked back at the captain and wondered to himself if it had just been a dream, then he walked over to the edge of the ship and leaned on the railing to think.

-ELSEWHERE-

A delicate, but deadly hand waved over a crystal ball.
Inside the crystal ball was the image of JW leaning on the railing of a ship, lost in thought.
"hehehehe, your journey will be for nothing ronin. The sword shall be mine."
The figure rose her head and looked over to a doorway on the other side of the darkened room. "Enter!"
The doorway opened and a bright golden light shinning from it, made it difficult to see who or what stood there. All that could be made out, was the shadowy outline of a man with eyes that flashed red from time to time.
"Are you prepared?" the woman asked in a beautiful, haunting voice.
Continuing to stand in the doorway, hidden by the light from behind him the figures eyes flashed an intence red for a moment.
"Verywell, I'll send you to face him."
The doorway closed and the room was completly dark again, looking back to the crystal ball, "Soon JW Ronin, your quest will be over, and you will be dead at the hands of an enemy whos skill matches your own...hehehehehehehe."

-ON THE SHIP-

While resting in his cabin JW heard the voice of the guiding light in his mind, "Be careful JW, another now exists that can wield the Masamune. You must hurry and recover it before it can be used for evil." The voice of the light became distant, until it was gone.
JW sat up in the bed, "Another exists?" What could the light mean he thought to himself.
"It had said that myself and one other could control the Masamune, but now there is someone else?"
JW was lost in thought when the captain of the ship came to tell him that they were arriving in the arctic lands.

[JW_Ronin]

JW stood on the deck of the ship and looked to the snow covered shores about two hundred yards away, he gathered some supplies and a heavy cloak to protect himself from the cold then lowered a rowboat into the water and made his way to the icy shore.
Upon reaching the shore, he checked his equipment one last time, JW then pulled his cloak around him tightly and made his way into the snowy arcticlands.
He moved slowly, trudging through the deep snow that came up to his knees, leaning into the chilly wind and covering his face from the cold he forced his way onward.
Trying to keep his mind off the cold, JW thought about the reasons he had come on this quest alone, "Yes, I do wish to protect them from the Masamune, but do they really need my protection? Their all so powerful, and I'm only a mortal human... Aeris is an eternal angel, DARK an immortal dragon and Vegeta is the mighty sayian prince of his people, more powerful than I could ever be, no matter how much training I had... Have they only been friendly to me because they feel pity for my weakness"
JW's spirit's began to weaken at such thoughts, "NO!" he said aloud to himself, "I must prove to them I am worthy to stand by their side. The light said I was strong enough to tame the Masamune. I must fullfill my vow, even if they do see me as just a human."
JW moved on with more vigor than before. He had traveled over two thousand yards into the harsh, bone chilling world of the Arcticlands, and continued on. He knew that the Masamune was close by, he could feel its dark power ebb around him.
Then the snow around him burst up to reveal twenty ebony armored warriors, all pointing their weapons at the ronin, he was surrounded with very little chance of escaping alive.
"Hahahahaha, its a pleasure to finally meet you in person JW Ronin." A lovely, yet sinister voice called from a small cliff above where JW was surrounded.
"Huh?!" JW looked up to see a dark haired woman, wrapped in a midnight cloak of dakness, in her hand JW recognized the Masamune.
"Yes, I see you know what this is, don't you." She held up the Masamune and admired it, "It's a beautiful weapon isn't it?"
JW growled under his breath, then shouted up to the woman, "That weapon is too dangerous, Who are you anyway?"
"Hehehehe...ohhh, ever the true hearted warrior, arn't you? I am Kamira, the Lady of Shadows, and you are going to die here ...ronin." Kamira said with a dark tempting smile.
Kamira steped to the side and a new figure wrapped in a midnight cloak appeared on the cliff. The figure removed his dark cloak as he jumped down off the cliff to the area below, he landed as a cat and rose to stand then gazed at JW.
JW looked on in horror, not knowing what to say or do, he took a few steps backward, but was stabed in the back by a soldier with a spear. "Oww..." JW turned to look at the soldier with scorn, then turned back to the figure who was now walking towards him.
The circle of soldiers parted as the figure came closer, allowing him to enter the circle then the soldiers closed the gap again.
Face to face with the figure gave JW a more chilling feeling than the Arcticlands ever could, JW looked at the figure and could swear he was looking into a calm lake surface, the figure was a perfect twin of himself in every detail.
"Hahaha..what do you think JW Ronin, How do you like my little doppleganger? hehehe."
"But..how?" JW asked.
"Remember the storm that only you seemed to experiance on the ship?"
"...It was magic?!!"
"Yes, hehehe. Now kill him my ronin."
"Yes my queen." The doppleganger ronin said aloud.
"Huh!" JW threw off his cloak and drew his swords.
"You die now JW ronin." The doppleganger's eyes flashed red, he drew his two swords and made a lunge at JW's arm, just missing it as JW twirled off to the side and swung his swords high towards the side of the doppleganger's head. The doppleganger ducked JW's swing, but there wasn't much room to move in the deep snow and Kamira could see it.
Kamira sheathed the Masamune inside her cloak, raised her hands up to the sky and they began to glow golden, then flames shot out from her hands down to the field, melting the snow around the fighters.
The snow not delaying them any further, the twin warriors fought on. They crossed swords and matched strike for strike, every time one slashed the other made an perfect counter slash. The fight went on, the clash of steal echoed throughout the snow fields, JW made an overhead strike at the doppleganger with his katana, which was blocked by the doppleganger's own katana, then the doppleganger used the force of his sword to swing JW's katana around in a circular movement crossing his arm over to the other side. JW swung his sword back which the doppleganger defended with his wakizashi, JW was counting on that and stabed the doppleganger in the stomach and out through it's back with his wakizashi.
The doppleganger took a few steps back clutched his stomach and looked at JW with a dark smile, "Well done, you are indeed skilled to strike your own equal."
"If you were my equal, you would of seen that move coming."
The doppleganger nodded, his eyes lit crimson and he charged back into the fight, slashing for JW's head, JW dodged the attack by rolling of to the side, but when he tried to rise to his feet he sliped and fell on his back, the melted snow had turned into ice.
JW rolled over on his stomach to see the other ronin walking towards him, he crawled up on his knees just as the clone reached him and stabed JW in the lower back out through his stomach.
"There, an eye for an eye as they say." the doppleganger said.
JW fell back to the ground, and the doppleganger removed his sword from the ronin's back. The battlefield was now stained with blood from each warrior.
The doppleganger stood waiting for ronin to rise, JW could see him waiting and didn't want to disappoint him. JW stood, stumbled a little then stood proud and held his katana to the doppleganger, "En guard"
The two charged at one another again, each slightly weaker than before, but both determind to overcome the other, steal once again echoed in the arcticland fields as they were matching blow for blow, slash for slash, the fight raged on, each warrior reaching within themselves for the stength to continue on.
Up on the cliff, Kamira was becoming impatient, she hadn't expected the battle to last long. She saw that indeed they were perfect equals, exactly alike.
Kamira decided to end this fight herself, she raised her hands up to the cloudy grey sky and began to mumble word's she had learned from the realm of magic, dark purple energy began to flow and swirl around her, the tips of her finger's lit golden and blasted into the sky.
Below on the field the fight ceased and everyone looked up to the Lady of Shadows, her eyes were lit golden. Then the sky rumbled and several dozen lightning bolts began to rain down on the field, striking every soul below the cliff, the lightning bolts were blinding as they continued to blast the snow field killing many of the soldiers and leaving the survivors unconscious.
Kamira lowered her arms and looked down on the field, everyone below had felt the blasts of lightning and she smiled.
"Hahahaha, none can challenge me! And now that I have the Masamune the entire world will tremble at my power."
Kamira turned and walked away laughing at her easy victory.

[JW_Ronin]

Ronin began to come around, he could hear two people talking and could feel his body being dragged through the snow.
"The Lady said to drop the body into the sea."
"Yeah, we can be rid of this guy."
Ronin felt his body droped, he could hear the crashing of waves against rock. Ronin remained still and kept his eyes closed.
"Whoa...thats quite the drop down there." one of the soldiers said.
"Yeah, nobody could survive a fall like that."
JW opened his eyes and looked over to the soldiers, they were looking over a cliff at the arctic sea below, "Now is the time." JW thought to himself.
He quietly rose to his feet, unseen by the soldiers. His swords were gone but his tanto was still in his belt, he reached into his belt and drew out the knife, quickly the ronin came up behind one of the soldiers and slit his throat and pushed him over the edge, as the second soldier was turning around, JW grabed him by the neck and pointed his tanto between his eyes, "Where is Kamira? Tell me now!" the weary ronin said fiercely.
The soldier lost his breath at JWs grip, he gasped for air and shook his head.
JW released his grip slightly, "SPEAK!" JW said with anger.
The soldier shook his head again, "I can't she'll kill me."
The Ronin smiled, "ohhh is that right? I can do worse...or I should say a friend of mine can." JW noticed a tattoo on the back of the soldiers hand, it was the mark of a wolf hunter.
"Do you know about the legendary Ebony Wolf..." JW saw the soldiers eyes open wide with fear, " I see you do, the wolf that eats men alive. Hunter is a friend of mine... I could summon him here if you wished to meet him"
The soldier began to tremble, shaking his head, "No...please no."
"You know hes not very happy about his brethren being hunted down and slaughtered by you wolf hunters. Mabye I should just summon him and let him deal with you."
"No, ok, ok... Lady Kamira has set up camp on the west coast of the Arcticlands."
JW thought for a moment, "Why dosen't she just teleport away? She is a sorceress. What other business does she have here?" the ronin asked.
"The Lady used up too much of her magic powers finding the Masamune, she must wait for a ship to arrive now." The soldier closed his eyes and cursed himself.
Ronin thought for a moment, "You know nothing of loyalty do you? If I was in the Shadow Lady's position, I certainly wouldn't want soldiers in my service that would betray me." JW looked at the fear in the soldiers eyes, "I think I'll do Kamira a favor." The Ronin lowered his tanto from the mans face then stabed it into his stomach and and drove it upwards into his chest.
The soldier gulped one last breath and fell into JW's shoulder and off to the snow covered ground.
The ronin looked down at the dead soldier and then kicked his body over the edge, watching his body fall and then watching the waves crash against the cliff face for a while.
Ronin then looked up from from the sea and off to the west, "Kamira...this is over."
JW sheathed his tanto and looked at the wound he had recieved from the other Ronin, he ripped off some cloth and dressed the wound, then began to make way towards the western edge of the Arcticlands.

It was night by the time Ronin came across the campsite, JW looked over the layout of the camp. There was a little more than dozen tents but only two of them with guards posted outside, one of those JW figured must be where Kamira and the Masamune are.
JW waited till later in the night, when fewer guards were around, then he silently made his way into the camp. Hiding around the corner of tents and avoding the light of the campfires, Ronin ducked from shadow to shadow making his way towards the guarded tents.
at the first tent, JW listened for any sounds within. There wasn't any noise, using his tanto JW made a cut in the back of the tent and sliped inside.
Ducking down inside of the tent and listening closely JW noticed the soft breathing of someone sleeping, looking over towards the noise he could see Lady Kamira was asleep.
Turning away and looking around, he saw the Masamune laying on a stand in the corner. JW crept low and stealthy over to the Masamune, then turned back to check Kamira, she continued to sleep. JW carefully removed the Masamune from its stand and slowly slung it over his back, then turned and began to creep back over to the cut he had made in the tent.
Stoping at the exit, JW looked over to Kamira. He could end this now, but JW wasn't a murder. He shook his head and thought to to himself, "Destroying this sword is more important."
He quietly left the tent through the opening he had made and began to sneak out of the camp.
Moving in the shadows again to avode any confrontation with the guards JW made his way to the edge of the camp, then he heard a pair of guards approaching.
"...yes the ship will arrive tonight, then we depart in the morning." One of the guards said to the other.
Ronin thought to himself, "...hmmm, I still need a way to get away from this place..."
The idea of knocking a guard out and stealing his outfit crossed his mind, but he decided it would be too much of a risk should the body be found.
JW made his way towards the coast and began to think more on how he could escape, "Kamira will see right away when she wakes that the sword is gone...I need to be gone before that."
Heading northwards Ronin made his way up the coast. A couple hundred yards up the coast, Ronin noticed an overturned rowboat covered in snow.
He brushed off the snow and checked it over, it was in good shape so he fliped it over and pushed it into the sea. The waters were calm tonight and the Ronin began to row out to sea.
By the time dawn broke, JW was so worn out from rowing in the icy sea that he could do nothing but lay back and fall asleep.
He found some peace at last, he had the Masamune.
Now he had to destroy it.

[BH_DARKdragon12]

KEEP IT UP JW, U R DOING GREAT!!!!!;)

[JW_Ronin]

A week had passed since Ronin set out into the chill, icy sea in the rowboat he had found on the coast. The third day out, he had woken up to a band of pirates who had captured his boat, they chained him to the ores of their ship making him a slave. The Masamune had been takin by the captain of the ship as a personal gift for himself.
JW had many welts and cuts on his back and arms from the lash of whips he had received from the cutthroats. He was sore and felt exhaustion throughout his body, but still he was forced to row on and on, from dawn till midnight for the last four days.

-ABOARD KAMIRA'S SHIP-

"M'Lady, he has requested you go explain yourself to him." a soldier standing in the doorway of Kamira's cabin told her.
The Lady of Shadows sat still for a while then nodded without a word.
She rose and left her cabin to stand on the edge of the ship, she mumbled a few words of magic and a sphere appeared within her hands, the sphere then began to grow larger as she spoke more of the spell, until she was standing inside of it.
Kamira then steped off the ship, over the water and slowly began to float down to the surface of the sea as if she was no more than a feather.
Protected by the bubble spell she had cast, the Lady of Shadows desended below the water and into the depths of the dark cold sea.
It took some time, but Kamira finally reached her destination, the undersea tower of the Abyssal Magus. The tower was lit by an aura of green-blue energy sitting in the middle of the pitch black floor of the vast, chilling sea.
She was escourted by freakish looking mermen with greyish skin and ebony tridents to the hall of the Abyssal Magus. There Kamira was left alone in complete darkness, no light toached the hall, she floated silently in the bubble waiting for her own master to appear.
Then a deep voice erupted directly in front of her, "YOU HAVE FAILED ME!"
"...no.. The sword was recovered... the ronin is dead." Kamira said trembling.
"THE WARRIOR IS NOT DEAD, AND YOU DO NOT HAVE THE SWORD"
"I...do...."
"YOU LIE TO ME LADY OF SHADOW!"
"...uh..." fear began to overcome Kamira, she could feel the chill of the deep waters reach within her spell of protection and into her very soul. She shivered at the icy feeling crawling up her spine.
Two evil, glowing green eyes appeared before Kamira, "I HAVE NO USE FOR THOSE WHO FAIL ME!"
With that the two green eyes flashed and Kamira's sphere of protection began to shrink, smaller and smaller. Realizing her magic was being dispelled, Kamira tried to escape, but it was shrinking too quickly and soon she was floating in the deep, dark waters within the undersea tower un-protected. The pair of eyes watched on as the Lady of Shadows couldn't hold her breath and began shaking in the freezing water. It took a single instant, the blood in her body body froze, the color of her flesh faded away and the pressure of the deep to cruched her into oblivion.
The two eyes closed and disapeared completly in the great darkness.

-ABOARD THE PIRATE SHIP-

JW continued his rowing, as he had been for the past few days. He made attempts to watch the guards and look for a way of escape, but each time he looked up and around he received another lash from the pirate's whip.
Several hours passed, the day seemed as if it would continue on as the others had, then the Ronin heard shoats from the crow's nest atop the main mast, everyone aboard was looking off to the port side of the ship. JW looked up also and in the distance could see a mammoth fin above the surface racing straight for the ship!
Everyone scatterd taking up positions to defend the ship. Just when the giant fin was nearing the ship, it dived under the surface and disappeared from veiw. The pirates searched around the ship, but couldn't see the monsterous creature anywhere.
Then JW felt his heart sink down into his stomach, the entire ship was knocked striaght up into the air from below, many, at least half the crew was throwin from the ship into the sea, the ship came down crashing hard on the surface and shattering parts of the hull, water began rushing into the lower areas of the ship. The men in the water were trying to swim back to the ship, but one after another a hollow hole opened under each of them and the mighty beast swallowed them whole.
JW's wrists were still chained to the bench he sat on, he was tossed around when the ship flew into the air, but wasn't thrown over. Regaining his thoughts, JW looked up and around, the captain of the ship was still aboard and so were a few of the crew. JW shoated to them, "Free me and I'll help you fight!"
The captain and his crew laughed at the ronin and looked around for the sea monster that crippled their ship, to their shock it appeared in an upward explosion of water that rocked the ship so fiercly it nearly tipped over completly.
The creature rose waist high out of the water, easily as tall as three ships long, and that was only above the water.
Ronin could hear the pirates calling, "It's a kraken! ...a kraken!"
The behemoth sea beast gave a deafening roar knocking over everyone in fear, then swinging its giant arm at the ship, the kraken smashed the mast of the ship into splinters that rained down on ronin and the pirates.
JW covered his head as best he could, and when the hail of wood stopped he looked up. The last of the pirates were either trapped beneth large fragments of the mast or impailed by the smaller pieces, JW noticed the captain lay impailed very near to him, with the Masamune attached to his belt. JW reached with his legs over to the dead body of the captain, grasping the sword with his feet he pulled it off the captain's belt and over to himself. Taking hold of the legendary sword, JW drew it from its sheath.
Instantly everything faded away for JW Ronin, there was no more ship, no more kraken, no more ocean.
JW stood in a void of darkness, then stars brightened above him and lit up a mountain ledge he was now standing on.
Appearing before him was a figure wrapped in a sorcerer's robe, his face hidden in the depths of his hood, "You dare to challange my will? I will control you as I have controled all who have wield the Masamune for thousands of years. hehehehe"
JW understood now, he was facing the soul of the ancient wizard who had cursed the sword so long ago, "This ends now! I will defeat you and destroy the sword!"
"Hahahahaha... you can never destroy the Masamune little fool, it will exist forever, that is why I chose it to carry my soul, this way I shall exist forever...hahahaha."
"What!"
"Hehehehe... you cannot win ronin" suddenly the wizard hurled a bolt of lightning at the ronin, JW took a diving leap to the side and rolled into a crouching position.
He looked down at himself, he was wearing his traditional armor and weapons, JW smiled and drew his katana and wakizashi from their sheaths.
"Hmmm, I see you know how to use the astral plain as well, this should be more entertaining than I thought." The wizard then cast a whirlwind spell and sent it flying at JW, quickly the masterless samurai called his own whirlwind attack to counter the wizards.
The two tornados met and swirled around one another, they were then shattered as the evil wizard hurled another bolt of lightning directly through them at JW. The ronin rose his swords up into an "X" formation to defend the lightning bolt, he was knocked backwards slightly, but the energy from the lightning was now within his swords.
JW closed his eyes and vanished...
Then reapeared behind the wizard and slashed at him with the lightning-charged weapons, the swords caught the robe and lit them on fire, but the wizards body wasn't in them.
"hehehehe...nice trick, but it failed." The wizard said standing off to the ronin's side. His cloak removed, JW saw that he was nothing more than a faceless wraith.
The wraith swung an arm at JW, and the ronin ducked below it. Then quickly droping one sword and positioning the other at the wraith's feet, JW made a strong upwards slash, spliting the unholy spirit in two, a shrill scream made echoes thoughout the astral plain.
The wraith vanished, then voice of the wizard spoke, "You may have defeated my astral form, but I still control the sword."
"Not for much longer." JW entered a trance within the astral plain. He quickly found the soul of the dead wizard and using his force of will, the faith of his friends and hope of the world banished the wizard from the ancient weapon.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH............" was the last scream the wizard made as he was cast out of the Masamune.
JW while still in his trance knew that the wizard could atempt to return to the sword, and all he had done would then have been a waste.
JW made a decision then and there..."If the sword cannot be destroyed, it should at least be a weapon to protect instead of harm." He would become the soul of the Masamune.
JW released his ties to his physical form and transfered his soul, will, mind, heart, his every existance completly into the Masamune. A brilliant explosion of light lit up the astral plain as well as the sea where the Masamune physicaly was.
JW was now one with the Masamune.

-THE PIRATE SHIP-

The great kraken had been startled by the eruption of light aboard the ship, it sank back below the waters surface and disappeared in the depths.
The ship continued to fill with water from the holes in the hull. The Masamune laying on the deck of the sinking ship, without an owner, slid off the deck and began its journey to the bottom of the sea. As the ancient sword peacefully drifted downwards, the soul within found happiness that all would now be safe from the once evil Masamune.

[JW_Ronin]

Did anyone enjoy the story? Was there things you liked or didn't like? Please let me know.

Thank you.

also let me know if any of you would like to see more stories with The Ronin and his friends.

[Suikojin]

jw that was a kick *** story! i luved it.
u had brilliant discriptions and made char u can get into!
i hope ppl did read it, if not they missed out big time!