Rescue of Keyoto

Demon Keyoto was captured in an ambush on March 29 while paying homage to former CM Lord Hamuru by minions of Dark O Fu's clan. For over a month, the identity of Keyoto's abductors was unknown. Only a April 10 picture released to press outlet even acknowledged he was alive. Ten of his Elite Guards were captured as well. Yellow Demon, who had helped scout the caravan Keyoto was traveling in, was forced to tell his clan of Keyoto's abduction. He blamed the Commando Massacre empire and prepared to fight a war with them, sending troops to the six Demon Ninja enclaves. Yellow Demon sent Erisu to the CM to investigate the abduction with Tang Fu Lii. Lord Zando Yokomoto ordered a blockade of the enclaves as troops moved in and his son Zando Jr. began a propaganda war to discredit Yellow Demon. By late April, a large minority of the villages within the enclaves had signed a letter of neutrality, being dissatisfied by Yellow Demons calls for war with no evidence. On May 2, Dark O Fu issues a statement claiming he has Demon Keyoto hidden in a mine and he wanted the Demon Ninja clan to leave the Kogasuma nation and to hand over Erisu, Estrada, and Demon Devin for bombing a dam the year earlier. Yellow Demon refused. Lord Zando dismissed any attempts to help, but okayed a small group consisting of Tang Fu Lii, Valerie Fox, and Yakenzo to help as a strike force to bring peace with the two group.

Tang Fu Lii, Valerie Fox, and Yakenzo meet Erisu, Estrada, and Demon Nobu on the CM-Kogasuma border with plans on how to attack Dark O Fu's compound. The CM groups ride up on horseback and Tang greets Erisu, "Good morning to you. We will have to travel deep into Kogasuma territory to Dark O Fu's compound. The information I received from Yamada said his compound is about thirty five miles from here." Tang dismounts from his horse as Erisu says, "Are you sure this information is correct? We are not too trusting of Yamada. He is a sworn enemy of our clan." Tang replies, "We are confident that this information is correct. He has ill feelings for Keyoto, but hates Dark O Fu even more." Valerie adds, "Let's just say he wouldn't put us at risk in this mission, the consequences to him wouldn't be too good." Yakenzo says, "Yamada's word is the truth. Let us be on our way." The group of six rides off down through a valley into the Kogasuma.

Meanwhile Yellow Demon has cabled Juki Wu from his village hideout in one of the Demon enclaves. Juki is alone with Demon Devin as lead Demon Ninja officials on Demon Ninja Island. In the cable, Juki learns Yellow Demon has agreed to a plan hatched by Gen. Hiroto  to pose an attack on the CM mines near enclave #2 to keep Dark O Fu's guard down. Juki is concerned that any fighting will upset her native Kogasuma nation and possibly starting a greater war. Juki knew when she was the fiancé of Juno "Royal Dragon" Kamihoto, that the Kogasuma leadership would never tolerate any major movements of Demon troops on their territory. As Juki reads the cable and silently cries, feeling how heavy the weight of power is on her love Yellow Demon's shoulders, Demon Devin walks into the communications room. Devin snaps, "So any news from YD? Is he still thinking over another attack? Boy, he really can't handle power. He is so madly obsessed with Keyoto, he has ruined what took years for my family to create." Juki turns and wipes away her tears and hisses, "You rotten devil. My YD is doing what he sees fit to do to save our clan. You better consider yourself lucky he hasn't booted you from the clan. You bring nothing we find desirable." Devin simmers at Juki's comments. Juki stands and walks to he doorway and pass Devin. Devin grabs the cable note from Juki's hands and walks to the communications desk. Juki barks, "You rude little bitch, never do that again. That letter was intended for me." Devin laughs and says while reading the note, "You really think Yellow Demon will be able to handle this clan. He has failed to do so thus far. We have village after village pulling away from us and all he does is threaten war with the CM's. Who was he going to attack? CM villagers?" Juki replies with her fist clinched, "My YD has the weight of the world on his shoulders. The honor of our clan is at stake here. He feels that the CM had to play a part in Keyoto's abduction. Why are you so sure the CM has nothing to do with this?" Devin says, "Well, because Dark O Fu has Keyoto! It's so odd, YD still is so narrow minded that he wants to attack the CM or really anyone in general. He's like a little boy with toy soldiers. He is incompetent and Gen. Hiroto doesn't have the strength and fortitude to remove him from power. The troopers all know this as well as our villagers." Juki roars, "You are talking treason. I swear, if you do anything to hurt YD, I will destroy you. I am a REAL Demon now." Juki walks up to Devin and grabs the note and coldly hisses, "Never insult my YD again or else you will pay dearly." Devin breath heavily, trying to keep her composure, and replies, "Any time, any place. You have no idea of what you speak." Juki turns and slams the door to the room as Devin stares with intense rage.

After nearly a day of travel, the CM/Demon Ninja team reaches the compound they believe Keyoto is being held. This compound is a former mining headquarters building. Erisu orders Estrada to scout the area, Tang helps. Erisu looks around and sees the evening stars over the horizon and says, "We will have the night on our side. Keyoto will be back with us by the morning." Demon Nobu walks past Valerie while she looks into the sky as well and says, "I heard you are a horse trainer as well as a master archer and martial artist." Valerie looks down and replies, "Indeed, I help to train horses for those who wish my services. Demon Nobu is it? I've read about your skills as Demon Ninja cavalry leader." Nobu replies, "Well, it is an honor to meet the Blue Arrow." Nobu notices the powerful muscles in her arms and her commanding posture while she calms her restless horse, he thinks, "This is a powerful woman who can control these beast of burden. I've heard Keyoto talk of her and her straight forward manor." Nobu asks, "Why have you come to help our cause?" Valerie replies as she leaps off of her horse, "Because I believe Keyoto is a decent man. We have had our disagreements, but he as always given me respect. Many CM elites discouraged us for helping you." Erisu asks, "Do your sisters feel the same way as you or are they with Yamada and Zando Jr.?" Valerie looks at Erisu and thinks for a minute, "I wouldn't be here if my sisters objected. Let's leave it at that." Valerie and Yakenzo leave and hide their horses. Erisu says to Nobu, "Beware of Valerie, she is very devious. I do not trust these Fox sisters." Nobu asks, "Why are you so untrusting?" Erisu replies with anger, "Her sister harmed out master and the Blue Arrow has no fear of him. I just don't trust her."

After an extensive scouting, Tang and Estrada return and state that the building is minimally guarded. Erisu and Tang agree to attack soon after sunset. Valerie and Estrada review maps of the mine which was collected from the provinces achieves. Nobu and Yakenzo ready flash bombs and await their positions. Tang and Erisu agree to lead the attack. Soon after sunset the attack is launched. The group quickly enters the compound with little resistance. The building is old, more than fifty years old and in a state of disrepair. Valerie and Yakenzo soon make their way to the control room, and locate the mining shafts that go to where they believe Keyoto is hiding. Erisu, Tang, and Estrada fight the small group of Dark O Fu's minions that come to the compound from the shafts. With little effort, the compound is quickly secured. Nobu questions a few captured minions and it is soon found out that Keyoto was last held in shaft #41. Estrada and Valerie are told to keep a lookout at the top of the mine as Tang, Erisu, Yakenzo, and Nobu go into shaft #41.

The four are lowered into the mine. The air is very stagnant and the electrical system is very old and in a bad state. The group carried lanterns as some of the lighting within the mine is out of service. Tang questions, "We have had such a small amount of resistance, I hope this isn't a set-up or wild goose chase." Erisu replies, "I will be very angry if we had bad information on this. Our master has been missing for over two months. Yellow Demon is beside himself with grief over this. I told my father I would lead the rescue. I can't return to my home without my master." After a long journey they reach the bottom of the shaft and into a large opening. They soon see a large group of minions and attack them. A fierce fight ensues. An alarm is sounded as they viciously fight the minions. Valerie and Estrada notice the alarm from their position in the control room and notice minions trying to enter the room. Valerie fires one of her explosive arrows into the door and destroys the minions behind it. Estrada runs to the door and calls for her to follow him to the shaft #41. Valerie turns and notices more minions coming and follows Estrada.

After a lengthy fight, Erisu, Tang, Nobu, and Yakenzo are victorious and begin a search of the mine for any sign of Keyoto. Yakenzo comes to a small group of cells near the bottom of a damp pit. He sees a few prisoners there and what he thinks is a nude Keyoto. He yells to the others, "Tang, Erisu, I think I found Keyoto. Over here, quick!" They run at top speed to the cells. A man in yellow is holding Keyoto's head in his lap and looks up with amazement and says, "Who are you? Is my brother with you?" Yakenzo cries, "Who are you? Is that Demon Keyoto?" The man says, "I am known as the Prowler. My brother is known as the Cheetah. This man was a leader to us for many weeks and gave all he could to save us from that monster Dark O Fu." Erisu comes to the cell and franticly tries to enter, screaming, "Master Keyoto, Erisu is here to save you. We are here to save you master!" Nobu finds keys to unlock the cells the group enters. Erisu and Nobu are totally stunned at the condition Keyoto is in. His nude body his swollen and bruised. Erisu screams, "Who did this to our master? Talk man or I will kill you!" Nobu tries to calm Erisu. Prowler says, "He fought like an animal to save us. Dark O Fu's men beat him with little mercy. After a attempted escape, lead by Keyoto, the minions forced Keyoto onto a mine drain and flushed it with water from the springs. The power of the water was more than this man, or any man could take. He was flushed deep under this level into absolute darkness, into a watery hell. We could hear him roar and pound from the depths below as he tried to free himself and help us. His strength was that of a monster, I've never seen anything like it. He was down there for weeks, roaring. One day he managed to return to this level but he had grow very weak and was quickly captured and beaten." Erisu is stunned with fury. He and Nobu try to pick Keyoto up and move him, blood pour down his legs, his jaw dislocated. Erisu screams, "You will be avenged master!" Prowler helps move Keyoto out of the cell and unlocks his few fellow captives. Tang asks, "How long has he been in this coma?" Prowler says with sadness, "Over a fortnight. He was groaned from time to time but has remained still. I have tried to nurse him as well as I could." Tang looks at Erisu as they place Keyoto on a cart in the shaft, "He needs surgery or else he will die. His brain has swelled." Erisu barks, "I'm glad Yellow Demon didn't see him like this." Nobu places a sheet over Keyoto as he is moved to the shaft.

As they put Keyoto onto a cart,  a flood of water comes down the shaft. Erisu screams, "They are filling this place with water, we have to move quick to save ourselves." The group of men frantically rush up the shaft as water rushes in. After a twenty minute battle, Tang and Nobu arrive first at the entrance level and are greeted by Valerie and Estrada fighting Dark O Fu's minions. Estrada yells, "Did you find Master Keyoto? We need him, we need to even the score here." The group from below exit the shaft and finds a group of over thirty minions engaged in battle against Valerie and Estrada. Nobu yells, "We are here to help you!" Erisu, Nobu, Yakenzo, Prowler, and the small group of prisoners attack the minions with a vengeance. More minions rush in and the CM/Demon Ninjas are greatly outnumbered. Several minions try to toss the comatose Keyoto back into the mine shaft. Erisu leaps to his master's aid and brutally kills those minions. As the battle begins to turns to the minions favor, a man in yellow appears and attacks the minions with lightning like speed. Prowler screams, "Brother, you have come for me!" This man yells back while fighting, "I'm here to save you my brother." Within twenty minutes the CM/Demon group is successful in repelling and killing the minions.

The group leaves the compound quickly as they believe more minions are probably on the way. They stop within the nearby forest and decide what to do with Keyoto. Prowler introduces his brother to everyone, "This is my brother, known as Cheetah." Cheetah says, "It is an honor to meet allies of my brother. I am very grateful that you rescued him. Our clan was destroyed by Dark O Fu and his minions months ago. I and my sister are the only ones left. We has search in vain to find my beloved brother." Yakenzo asks, "How did you know where we were? Did you follow us?" Erisu adds, "Yes, why did you wait to help us?" Cheetah replies, "I had been scouting this area for over a month, but never knew where to attack, or really how to attack. When I saw two of you scouting, I knew you had information on Demon Keyoto and knew my brother was probably with him." Valerie looks at the pale and beaten Keyoto and asks Erisu, "What do you plan to do with Keyoto? He needs surgery at once. I can go to the local village and cable Dr. Marcos to come to the CM border to operate." Erisu explodes in anger and yells, "Our master will never be operated on my a CM doctor. They will kill him. Yellow Demon will never have that. How foolish of you to say such a thing." Valerie replies with anger, "He is nearly two hundred miles from Demon territory, fifteen hundred from Demon Ninja Island. You expect to move him those lengths for treatment? You're an idiot." Tang interrupts, "Dr. Marcos is the best doctor in our nation. We can arrange for him to look him over when we reach the border and he can give his opinion there as to what is needed." Erisu grumbles with anger, "Marcos can see Keyoto, but he will never operate on my master." Tang turns to Valerie as she rolls her eyes. Nobu says, "Let's just move, we have to get help to him as soon as possible." Estrada asks Prowler, "Are you coming with us?" Prowler says, "I am going with Keyoto. That man put all he had into saving us prisoners. I owe him my life." The group quickly begins the move back to the border, through the night. Estrada asks, "I can't believe Dark O Fu himself wasn't there. You'd think he would engage us in some way." Tang replies, "I find that odd too. There is something larger going on here and we'll have to find out what it is." Erisu says with hostility, "He will regret that he did this to my master. I swear he will pay dearly."

Dr. Marcos greets the tired group as they reach a border village. Erisu shouts, "Demon Keyoto need medical attention. I will go in as you examine him." Marcos agrees and Keyoto is carried into a small room in a village shop. After a brief examination, Marcos and Erisu return to the others and Marcos says, "He will have to have surgery now or else his risks of severe brain damage and death increase tenfold." Nobu asks, "What's wrong with out master?" Marcos looks stern and says, "He's had several severe blows to the head, his brain is swelling. His eyes dilated but he is in a deep coma. He also has internal bleeding, water in his lungs, poor circulation of blood in his feet, and numerous injuries from combat and beatings on his limbs and torso. I may have to operate on his feet as well as his brain." Erisu shouts, "You will never operate on my master. I will cable for one of our doctors." Marcos replies, "It will take days for that, he needs surgery now or else he will likely die." Nobu says, "We have to do it Erisu. At least he has a chance if he gets surgery now." Marcos says, "He has been in this coma for a long time, he may already have brain damage or if he awakes, he could be a totally different person than his once was. I can begin to release the fluid on is brain shortly is you agree." Erisu looks at Estrada and Nobu and reluctantly says, "Fine, do your best job. We will be in your debt if you save him." Marcos quickly gets his tools and prepares a makeshift operating room. The others leave and wait for the results.

Four hours later, Marcos greets the others and says, "The surgery is over. I was able to relieve the pressure on Keyoto's brain. He will have to say still and in my care for a dozen days. He is too critical to move. I may have to operate on his feet too. I was able to drain the water from his lungs with a small incision." Erisu simmers as he knows he has to cable Yellow Demon about the rescue and Keyoto's condition. Erisu leaves the small shop to cable Yellow Demon.

Nobu, Estrada, Tang, Prowler, Valerie, and Yakenzo all meet to part ways. Tang says while readying Yakenzo's horse, "I will remain here until Keyoto is able to be moved. You and Val go and inform Lord Zando of what happened." Yakenzo says, "We'll convey that message." Nobu says to the parting CM group, "It was an honor to meet you two." As Yakenzo and Valerie ride back to the CM fortress, Yakenzo asks, "I got the impression Demon Nobu was flirting on you. Am I correct?" Valerie replies, "I believe he was in a way. He has respect of others. I don't know a lot about him but he seemed like a decent guy. I do find it odd that he isn't of higher rank. How could Keyoto have that moron Erisu as a troop leader, I'll never know." Yakenzo asks, "You dislike Erisu?" Valerie replies, "There is something missing in his personality. I don't know exactly what, but he has always been hostile toward me. When we terminated Taketoshi and his clan, he never appreciated my help, unlike Keyoto. He is one of Keyoto's stars and has risen to the top over there quite fast, but I get the feeling he takes himself a bit too seriously. A man very full of pride, but a real jerk." Yakenzo laughs and asks, "What do you think about Keyoto now?" Valerie says, "Who knows what will happen, even if he wakes up. He may be a totally different man. I don't envy what Yellow Demon will have to go through. I just hope Yellow Demon can keep his cool for a while. Making threats of war against almost everyone has ruined his reputation in many areas."

Erisu returns to Tang, Prowler, Cheetah, Estrada, and Nobu and says, "I just cabled my father. He will let Yellow Demon know very shortly." Prowler asks, "I want to stay with Keyoto and help nurse him back to health. He saved my life and lead us while we were captives. My brother has business with the CM, but I am willing to travel to Demon Ninja Island and help this great man recover." Erisu says, "Yellow Demon will have to make that decision. You may meet him when we are able to move out master. I'm sure he and the other clan members will want to hear your story."

by Jesse Nightingale, ©2006

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