Of Her Nature II

Part Four: Damascus Defense


Jorja looked at herself in her battle regalia. The thin white pantsuit, open on the sides from breast to ankle. Her thick wide belt cinching it closed around her waist and the ankle cuffs made sure she didn’t trip over herself. The magickal symbols on her belt and cuffs were pulsating shifshifting getting antsy for battle. The batlet on her hip gleamed, it too, was blood-thirsty. Her headdress vibrated softly, *yes, it is time.* Staff in hand, she turned to leave her chamber. The clasps of her cape sparkled as they caught the light.

She waited by the door for the others. Scarlet walked up to her, “The teams are in position. The scouts in the east have engaged and then broken off as you requested. They are being funneled into the east side of town.”

“Good.” Jorja looked at the woman who wore the same battle gear. “You know, you are good enough to not need the chain-mail.”

Scarlet smiled. Jorja was the kind of charismatic leader she had always looked for. Jorja was competent, strong, talented and caring. “I just feel better with it.”

“Head’s up ladies!” Mikia tossed four metal cuffs in the air, her chain-mail rattling as she did so. “They’re arm bands, in case we need some additional offensive options.” Mikia winked.

“Good thinking, Mikia,” Jorja put the two arm bands on.

Scarlet looked at Mikia, “You know, while we are engaged, we will be visible.”

Jorja looked at her, “We shouldn’t be so vain as to assume we aren’t visible now.”

Scarlet thought that was rather cryptic, but let it go….for now.

The trio turned and faced the door. The door opened and they walked past the sentries. They had heavier armor on, just in case they were found.

Jorja stepped into the darkness, looked at her staff, “Torch.” The crystal at the top glowed brightly and warmly. The jet-haired woman was flanked by blonde and crimson as the dashed through the caves, their capes fluttering behind them.

As they approached the mouth of the cave, Jorja barely slowed her pace as she thought of her time with Sanzo. She assumed there’d be time to reminisce later.


The circle-shaped town had a maze of twisty windy roads when viewed at ground level; however, maps indicated there were two main roads. Two roads wide enough and sturdy enough for a demon contingent. One went north and south, the other traveled east and west. The women stood in the middle of the road, scanning the east gate. They wanted the contingent to get into town; they wanted channelized access to this group; they positioned themselves so that the east gate appeared only as a suggestion of something solid.

The town was on lock-down, sealed up tight. All windows and doors closed and locked. No one was on the street, not even a stray animal. Jorja was pleased.

The three women stood still, muscles on edge. Their arms about six inches from their hips. Their shoulders were squared, jaws set, the wind pulling on their hair and flapping their outfits. Jorja was in the middle, Scarlet on her left. Mikia on her right. They were poised and ready to pounce.

The demons came charging in like banshees. They were yelling and offering up battle cries. The three women held their ground. The demons tore down part of the east gate as they came through. Jorja didn’t know if it was carelessness or some act to show their power, she didn’t much care either. Their siege ended here. The women didn’t move, they didn’t flinch.

The first wave of the demons charged down the street, seeing the women. As if someone had called out an order the women began a solid, steady stride down the street. Each had silently picked her own first target and each was going to take that target.

Jorja flicked her wrists and her Damascus steel modified samurai swords appeared replacing her staff. The others conjured their swords also. Mikia’s and Scarlet’s swords were a shiny, silvery steel…not the silver accented Damascus that Jorja wielded.

Jorja narrowed her vision to her first target, a demon about her size. He was looking right at her. Jorja brought both blades up to the left. The last thing that demon saw were two gleaming streaks.

Scarlet focused on her target, a demon several inches taller than she. She sped up her solid steps and charged him, the demon felt both her blades slide between his diaphragm and ribs. He saw a steak of crimson and breathed no more.

Mikia tilted her head down and looked at her target. Crossing her arms in front of her breasts, the blades tilting up, she threw her hands out straight and the blades crossed at his neck. The demon saw a horizon of silver and a golden globe rising, then nothing.

Jorja saw the blade coming for her shins, she jumped up in the aitraitraightend one leg out and clocked her opponent in his temple with the Damascus armor on the top of her shoe. As she came down she threw her blades out and stabbed two demons in the chest. She smiled as she twisted the blades and removed her cold steel from the warm bodies.

Jorja began twirling her blades making them hum. She morphed into a whirl-wind of sparkle and obsidian.

Scarlet heard the blade whizzing through air. It was coming for her neck. She bent her knees and stepped into her misguided opponent. She jabbed an elbow into his abdomen and turned to place her steel in the notch between his collar bones. When she removed her blade, she heard him gurgling in his own blood. *I’m getting sloppy*, she thought.

Mikia saw the two blades coming for her knees. She jumped into the air, tucked her knees into her chest and somersaulted in the air. She landed facing her two bewildered opponents. She took her blades to the left and whirled . Both blades cutting clean through both opponents’ necks.

Scarlet jumped up on a wagon and conjured her staff. She held her staff above her head. A red ball of energy formed in front of her as she chanted. Her hair and cape billowing in the wake of magickal power and energy. She released her weapon and it disintegrated several opponents. She didn’t bother to watch the aftermath, she just began chanting again.

Jorja was entranced in her battle rush. Her movements were graceful, quick and strong. She dodged, ducked and slashed her way through countless foes.

Mikia dispelled her blades and pushed her hands together, her hands pulsated with a ball of yellow chi. She pulled her hands apart and tendrils of energy shetweetween them. She pushed her hands out and five waves of chain lightning sprung from her hands. It contacted one foe and strung itself from his metal adornments jumping to the next. Mikia figured about twenty were taken out before the energy finished its suicide mission. “Damn, I’m good.” She couldn’t help but be pleased with herself.

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As Hakkai, Sanzo, Gojyo and Goku approached the western gate, they noticed crowds of people sitting and camping just outside of the town limits. “Roadblock?” Hakkai asked to no one in particular, “This doesn’t look good.”

They noticed the crowd of men that had approached them earlier. The men were sitting around a fire drinking. Merchants had taken the opportunity to set up shop and try to make a few bucks.

Sanzo scanned the area, “This doesn’t look much like a town under attack.”

Goku looked between Hakkai and Sanzo and pointed straight ahead, “That does.”

Two sentries were outside the gate. They were dressed like Jorja, but more heavily armored. Their white outfits contrasted with the tan and brown landscape. They stood beside each other with their feet shoulder width apart. Their outside arms straight down to their sides. Their inner arms held staves. The staves were tilted toward each other, effectively blocking the road.

A man’s voice rose above the murmur of the crowd. “Forget it, they won’t let you pass.”

Hakkai brought the jeep to a stop about three feet from them. The women didn’t flinch or look at them. It was clear they expected anyone and everyone to stop. They just kept scanning the area with their eyes.

Hakkai spoke up, “Excuse me. Ladies, if it’s not too much trouble can you let us by?”

The women didn’t acknowledge him.

Gojyo stood up, “Hey, let us by!”

The women didn’t look at him. They stood their ground, not moving. The foursome noticed two more women emerge from the shadows. They stood to the outside of the sentries their hands in fists resting on their hips. The backup sentries were dressed in purple pantsuits instead of white.

Hakkai sighed, “Oh my, this isn’t good.”

Sanzo jumped out of the jeep, his robes flapping and popping in the wind. The two sentries wore identical attire. He couldn’t tell which one was of higher rank. Hakkai, not wanting the situation to get out of hand, got out of the jeep too. Gojyo and Goku not wanting to miss any action leaped out of the jeep. Hakuryuu not wanting to be stuck in the crossfire transformed and took flight.

Sanzo stood about six inches in front of one of the sentries. The women in purple didn’t move. “Let us pass.” He said firmly.

The sentry looked at him, “Sorry, Master Sanzo. I cannot do that. This town is under lock-down. No one in and no one out, Sir.” She woman locked eyes with Sanzo.

Hakkai jumped for Sanzo’s hand, he smiled at the sentries and through that forced smile he said, “That won’t help our cause.”

“Why is the town under lock-down?” Gojyo sidled up to the other sentry.

She looked past him, and thought *Damn, he’s hot*. She glanced at Gojyo and returned to her eyes to their area scan. “Battle is underway, it is too dangerous for you.”

Gojyo exclaimed through his laughter, “Too dangerous for US?! For US?! Oh that is too much.”

Hakkai and Goku began to laugh. Sanzo did his best to stifle himself, but let out a little snerk.

The sentries remained stone faced. Gojyo looked at her, “Listen honey, nothing’s too dangerous for me, not fast cars, fast women, fast booze or fast battle.”

The sentry by Sanzo eyed him, ”Buddhism prohibits taking a life, right sir?”

Sanzo looked at her, “Yes.” *What is she getting at*?

“Well then, sir, you and your peacenik friends can stage your protest to the left of the gate, but not inside it. “

Sanzo wanted so much to be angry, but the visual of Gojyo in bell-bottoms and flowers in his teeth tickled him too much. He began to laugh. The others were shocked at his behavior. Sanzo laughing was unheard of, they quickly fell silent.

Gojyo leaned to Hakkai and whispered, “See? I told you Jorja wasn’t all that bad.”

Hakkai just stared at Sanzo.

Sanzo regained his composure. He scanned their faces, “What? Me laughing is not all that of a foreign idea. I’ve laughed before.”

Gojyo looked at him, “When? Name one time.”

“When we met the imposters.”

The others reflected and went back to tryinggaingain admittance to the town.

Santepptepped back and scanned the faces of the four sentries, he spoke firmly and clearly, “We’ve come for Jorja. Jorja called us.”

The sentries looked at each other. They knew of Jorja’s abilities including her cloaking talent and they knew she rarely gave out her real name. They nodded at each other, clicked their feet together, and separated their staves.

The four men walked through the gate. Hakuryuu, deeming it was safe to return, landed on Hakkai’s left shoulder.

The gate got smaller behind them and the buildings grew larger in front of them. About halfway to the buildings, Hakkai came to a solid stop. “You feel that?”

The others stopped.

Gojyo looked at him, “Now’s not the time for ghost stories.”

“Shh!” Hakkai flinched, there it is again. “The ground is shaking.”

They looked up and saw buildings burning and smoke rising from the east side of town. Without a word, they took off running.

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They rounded a corner and came to a complete stop.

The three warrior w sto stood with their backs to the foursome. They had fallen into a rhythm during their battle and the graceful deadly movements looked almost choreographed.

The demons attacked them, one at a time and in small groups. Each foe was swiftly and cleanly dispatched. The bodies hit the ground and were disintegrated by a red ball.

Sanzo saw the blonde, *A demon*?

Hakkai felt the anger rise in him when he saw the iridescent black curly hair shine in the sunlight. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. *I cannot be distracted now*.

Gojyo looked at the sight, trying to take it in, “Am I the only one not hearing the music?”

Goku pointed at one of the women, “Hey, Gojyo that woman looks like you!”

They all looked at the warrior female half-breed. She was still standing on a wagon creating and dispatching her energy balls.

Hakkai placed a hand on Goku’s shoulder, “Just because someone has red hair, doesn’t mean tare are …..ummm”, he eyed Gojyo, “have mixed heritage.”

Gojyo smiled, placed a finger under his right eye and looked down at Goku, “Yeah, they have to have red eyes too.” Gojyo winked at Hakkai and shrugged, “I am what I am.”

Goku looked at Sanzo, “I feel like we should be helping.”

Sanzo looked at the women efficiently and beautifully dispatching the foes, “They don’t need our help, but since you dragged me back here.“ Sanzo raised his left arm, took aim and fired.

Jorja’s ears perked up. She knew that sound. *Sanzo, what the hell?*, she thought as she turned her head to the left.

Hakkai saw the spiked club coming for her right shin. His anger delayed him just enough that he couldn’t get the words out in time, “Jor…!” He yelled and saw her go down.

Jorja felt a sharp pain shoot through her like a bolt of electricity. She saw the ground speeding to her face and pushed her hands out. Scarlet jumped down from the wagon to guard her. Mikia continued the offense.

Jorja turned on her side, her weight on her left foot and her left arm out straight, keg heg her off the ground. She bent her arm and pushed off the ground. She wobbled a bit as she regained her balance. She bent her right leg at the knee.

Hakkai could see that her white cloth was acting like a wick, drawing bright red blood up and down her pant leg.

Scarlet noticed that Jorja was upright and positioned herself her her back to Jorja--- just a foot between them. Scarlet looked up and saw Gojyo.

Gojyo noticed her red eyes. Scarlet noticed his red hair and saw his red eyes. Jorja threw her blades into the air, they blurred into oblivion. Scarlet and Jorja crossed their arms in front of their breasts and clasped their arm bands. When they removed their hands whips formed in their curved fingers. Scarlet’s were red. Jorja’s were black.

They flicked their wrists and dispatched foes, the bodies disinatinating before they could fall. They fell into a rhythm and they seemed to be encased in a shifting ball of red and black. Periodically, a tendril of black or red would snap out and bounce right back in place. When they practiced this maneuver, Jorja never thought she’d be the injured party.

Goku conjured his weapon, raised it above his head and leaped into the mix.

Gojyo whipped his shakujou staff and the crescent chained blade made a full circle around him; eliminating several enemies before returning to him .

Hakkai threw his deadly chi spheres, the few times they came in contact with Mikia’s they morphed and exploded taking with them countless enemies.

Gojyo made his way toward Scarlet and Jorja, being very careful to protecmselmself from the whips and attaching enemies. The women slowed their whirling, not wanting to be the giving end of friendly fire. Gojyo yelled at them, “You injured?”

Jorja gritted her teeth, “No! Just hurt.”

Gojyo looked at her as he blocked an attack, “What’s the difference?”

“Injuries take you out of the game” she said flatly, trying to hide the pain in her voice.

Gojyo maneuvered himself away from them and Scarlet slowly stepped away from Jorja.

Outside of everyone’s notice, a caped figure draped in shadow, appeared on a ridge looking down at the fight.

With Jorja’s back open, Hakkai could see she was still holding her leg up, her leg was bright red from her thigh to her ankle. Her shoe was red now. She was still fighting expertly. He looked closer at her and saw blood dripping off her toes. There was a small pool of blood under her. Hakkai looked at the redhead and the blonde, they were excellent fighters, but Jorja was definitely better. Hakkai looked over at Sanzo, “Sanzo,k!” k!” He pointed at Jorja as he ducked a swipe.

Sanzo looked over at her, “Cover me!”

Sanzo stepped back a bit and placed his crown and cloth on his head. He pressed his hands together, “Maten Scripture, hear my call. Where darkness is light and light is darkness, where darkness is light and light is darkness, where darkness shatters light and light shatters larkness, I call upon your powers to cast my enemies into OBLIVION!!!” The wind kicked up behind him and the Maten Scripture sprang from his shoulders wrapping around the remaining foes and struck them down with holy smite. The silence hung heavily in the air as the Maten Scripture fluttered away.

The women warriors looked around surveyed the area and they knew the battle was finished. Jorja shifted her foot and wobbled to turn around. She looked at Sanzo and Hakkai, “You distracted me,” she whispered. Hakkai noticed her face was stark white and saw her begin to fall over. Scarlet ran to Jorja, catching her in her arms and carefully sat down keeping Jorja’s head in her lap.

The dark caped figure softly whispered, ”Hmmm……yes.”
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Next
Part Five : Fractures, splinters and Oh, yeah, Jorja’s injured.