Here I come... The Start of a Journey

[Retane]

Retane looked down listening and watching it all. He watched Jack lookp at him and even saw his smirk. Arith had done his job, stupidly and risky, but the job had been done. All the Namekian neededwas time, time to figure out his next actions, and time to sift through some inner turmoil that was eating at him.

------------

"I hear you, but I can't understand. Speak a little louder, and maybe I can help you." Retane had left Asuma, but as he moved he touched the trees. He felt their pain. He felt their screams. Something was wrong and he wanted to help them. They called out to him. Annoyed the namekian dug his fingers deep into a tree. It was almost as if he felt a new life within him when he did. His next breath was strong. He smelt Jack, Airyonna, Alaina, Arith, and Asuma. He smellt the stench of orcs and even two more foul smelling figures. They all had scents that lingered in the air. They even left different tastes on his tongue.

The two that were not allies, nor exactly orc; One wsa clearly stronger then the other he stunk even more then the orcs comined. The other was the slick one;p The one that the ninja wanted. It was Gollum.

"They hurt us. They are foul. They desolate and attack us. They soak our roots with blood when we only want to live in peace. Only want to provide the earth and watch our offspring grow and flourish."

Retane looked at his hands and saw that there was a low glow where he had peirced the bark of the nearest tree in frustration. He felt regret then, but he knew that had ne not done so, perhaps he may ever have been able to hear the trees in his thoughts. "I am sorry for digging into you. It seems it is a habit. "

"We've wanted to do this for a while. We tried to whisper and we tried to call out to you, but your ears are near deaf to our pleas and struggles. You can hear us now, however. We can feel you now though. You make us happy and make us scared."

"Why? Why do I make you so?" The Emereald Warrior had questions and the namekian in him seemed curiously concerned.

"You have a dark side, but you also have the side we desire. The side we need."

Retane shook his head and almost laughed, "I may be a namek, but I don't thin I have the side you need."

"You do. We can help each other. Just trust us. We know you have your own goals, but you can help us."

The Emerald Feind let out a sigh and nodded. He sought power, and if the trees could help his acheive the power he sought, then he would strike a deal with them. He accepted them creating a small bond to share with them, allowing the glow to reach out from the tree and envelop his body.and with it, he felt a strange tingle in his body, especillay in his legs. "Let us remove the roots that that tie you to the ground. Let us open your mind to let you see what it should see. You can be our eyes, our ears, our eagle that forever watches."

He knew the feeling was almost like dejavu, but let himself lift up into the air, the leaves caressing his face as he ascended into the night sky.

---

"It's easy precious" Gollum grinned as he thought he had the answer.

"Wrong." Retane interupted as dropped from the sky and landed in a low crouch. "Your answer is wrong. No matter what answer you are going to choose with that logic, you will not get it right. There is no answer to the question. It is unkown."

Gollum wriggled a bit mumbling nervously as he looked up at the Emerald Feind and his eyes showed he wanted to shout in protest. He wanted to ague and spit at the namek, but Retane wasn't about to give him a chance, as he took a step closer and loomed over the grotesque creature.,"So, you think eating my allies is fun? You think torturing these people and eating them are fun? You think you are going to get your belly full and then some do you?"

The Emerald Feind created an orb and shot it at the face of a nearby orc before the coward could even let out a whimper in protest.

"ANSWER ME!" Retane's voice boomed, it echoed and reverberated into the trees. Gollum still hadn't had a chance to speak, but the dark warrior really never had any intention of letting him speak. He had threatened the lives of his comrades. He had promised them torture, and death from the cannibalistic creature

The pale-green creature squirmed and fell back, trying to get away. Retane was quick to react though and stomped his boot on the ankle that he had injured previously. Gollum screamed out in pain as the boot hit hard, a grumbled crunch coming from beneath the foot of the Horsemen. The namekian twisted his heel once more before pulling his leg back. Where he had stomped, the skin was already swelling and bruising. It was obvious sometihng had been broken, or more so, shattered.

Explosions erupted around the outskirts of the encampent in random spots. The namekian didn't flinch. He knew that it was the shinobi's doing. It was expected and had been welll timed. Most of the orc's would run towards the commotion, or at least some of them would and divide the troops. It would take a lot of the danger from the four that were captured, while they were being freed and once they were free. But, the Emerald Namek was not concerned with that now. He looked on at the himpering slug that wailed in front of him as he used his arms to pull himself away.

The Horsemen looked atthe crumbled leg and sneared, the wind began to kick up around his forearms, almost immediately becoming full force, showing the anger and outrage that pumped throughout the namek's veins. The namekian slached back, not once, but three times at different areas at the cage, and grabbed a rusty rod with his bare hand and yanked hard, creating an opening for his allies to be free. He took a step with the make shift spear in hand and brought it into the air, "ANSWER ME YOU FOUL BEAST!"

Gollum whailed and threw his arms up to try and protect himself, "No!! No precious noooooo!!!!"

Retane let out a snarl of anger and brought the rod down, slamming deep into one of the palms, the left one and empailing it straight into the right shoulder of the slimy, creature. The wails and cries got louder, loud enough to annoy the Namek. The Horsemen lifted his foot up and pressed the sole of his boot against the screaming purple lips of the foul being. The Emerald Warrior reached back and yanked another rod from the makeshift cage. He dove it straight into the uninjured leg of Gollum. The muffled cries got louder for a moment and even louder when Retane removed his boot. kicked off in a spin and planted his boot into the jaw of the ugly little creature.

"If you're so hungry for for sometihng raw and excited about torture, then maybe choking on your own blood will start as a a good appetizer." Retane was talking outloud, and not to GOllum, because the blow had knocked him out cold, He wasn't dead, but he wouldn't be any more trouble now. The namekian had spoken just to get it off his chest. He looked back behind him and saw the others. The kunouchi looked suprised by his actions, Jack did his best to hold his composure, and Arith stood there with his arms folded scratching the chin of his helm

The namekian reached behind him and produced the hooked staff of the Guardian. Jack moved forward and accepted with a "Thank you", and twirled it around.

"Well Ice boy looks a little less blue, or a little more blue. I'm unsure how that actually works," Arith stated as he threw his hands up.

Retane looked around then and saw that his actions had even shocked the orcs. Perhaps they were confused by his color or his actions. He wasn't sure. He didn't care. Two orbs appeared and grew in his hands. "You fools chose to harbor this bastard. You attacked me and my comrades. For that you will die."

There were snarls and roars of protest, but still none approached him, "You fools have also injured the tree's, you soil their roots and hurt their kind. For that, many more of you kind shall die. Here this and here this now, let it be known that I, Retane, have entered into agreement with the Wood. That I will be the Wood's hand."

The orc's roared and laughed at the namek then. The Emerald Warrior looked around at them, those that were to scared to come at him but laughed at them. He let a smirk etch his lips. They would soon learn their folly, "Here, let me show you a lesson you wont be able to remember."

WIth that, the namekian leapt up into the air, to get a vantage point and loosed a volley of energery blasts. The first few orbs were weak, but then he let the orgosynth enhance his power, and with each blast after, the tempo of power got stronger. Wave after wave, the Horsemen shot the Scatter Shot, spinning slowly over and over, covering all the area he could. Screams entwined with the sounds of cries of death and the explosions of energy. Dust and debris kicked up until the namekian felt it was enough.

Retane lowered himself to the ground and let out a heavy sigh. He used it to mask his heavy sighing. Not many remained alive, and Asuma seemed to be cleaning up the remaints. If one did get away, perhaps he would warn their kin. If they listened, perhaps they could survive. If they marched agasint him, or harmed the trees when it wasn't a need of survival, they would meet the same fate as well. He looked to the four who stood there lookng at him, "Gather this slimy thing up. Let go ba-"

The namekian stopped and turned in the direction of the center of the camp. The dust still hadn't settled, but there was still that one sour taste in his mouth and it was getting stronger and coming from that direction. The Horsmen cracked his neck and the Feral Wind on his arms got stronger. Asuma appeared beside the namekian and tossed him a glance. The shinobi wasn't smoking but had his knuckle blades at the ready. The Emerald Warrior nodded slowly and grinned, "Protect the others, get them out of here if it gets to rough. Your job is to complete the mission."

"That's our job, but a friend once told me, deserting a friend or ally was the foulest move ever." Asuma reached for his pocket but stopped and gave a sigh. "But you are a Prime. I guess I sho"

Retane nodded and focused on the shadow that soon stepped through, It was an orc, but bigger, stronger, and even uglier. Half it's face was ripped off, and only blackened muscle and grey bone shown around part of it's jaw. The namekian noticed that the orc was almost a few feet bigger then him, dragged a heavy rusty axe, and had a hammer of what looked liked bones,wrapped in bark and vegetational twine.

Getting hit by either weapon might mean death. Retane didn't care, he wouldn't back down. He wouldn't get struck by this foe, the namekian had confidence in that, he had to beleive it himself or else there was no reason sticking around.

The Emerald Fiend took a step towards the foul creature. And another, matching the strides with the rotting behemoth as they approached each other, "So you are the ugly son-of-a-bitch that's been making this place miserable? You are the one that protetected the slimy bastard behind me and the one that was going to torture my comrades? How about you try to torture me, or are you gonna stand there thinking you are are a pretty little princess?"

"Grrrrrrrr-axessss", The behemoth snarled as he smashed his weapons together.

"I beleive that one there is actually a hammer", Arith called out from behind.

If the namekian paid the comment any attention, he didn't show it. He took another step and began his sprint gaining speed fast. Graxxis followed suit but with larger legs and a slower acceleration. The namek leapt with his fist leading the way, his knucles catching the exsposed bone of the rotting jaw with a hard crunch. The bone remained though, and the orc was able to launch an attack of his own, catching the side of the Emerald warrior with the butt of the axe. Retane took the blow in stride and rolled away. Standing up in defiance, a few ribs were cracked or bruised, but the namekian would not show thie monster any weakness. He didn't deserve it.

The Emerald Fiend ducked the swing of the axe, and then took to the air as the bone hammer swung quickly behind it. The orc looked outraged at the tactis and let out a roar of anger in his direction. The namekian noted that Graxxis actually had no pupils then and remembered what the shinobi had said about the darkspawn. How long had this orc been one? Had it been a while, or was this recent? The namekian shook his head. He'd ask him later, but the Emerald Warrior was going to have to kill him before that could happen.

The orc looked from hi, to his comrades and grinned, if that was what you would call it. Graxxis charged then, faster then he had been before. Retane realized his mistake a moment to late and let the orgosynth give him power once again. He called forth his own energy and an aura that was a mixture of red, green and black surrounded him. He charged forward at an angle trying to intercept the darkspawn, however the orcs speed increased, and even loosing energy orbs wouldnt slow this one down.

Arith reached for his blades, but realized he had never retreived them. Asuma reached for his knuckle blades, but it was Jack Frost that took the initiative. The white haired human jumped out infront "MOVE" he shouted to those behind him as he slammed his staff to the ground. A circle of ice began to surround his area, and with it, three walls began to form up as fast as they could. The Namekian pushed forward, as the orc used his hammer in mid stride to smash through the first wall. Graxxis swung his axe at the second wall and smashed it.

It was then time for the Guardian to grin, and Retane caught the smirk with his keen eyes. The dark spawn slipped on his next step, his momentum sending him head first into the last wall. This wallshattered as well on impcat, but parts of it held the behemoth for a moment. it was the only moment the namek needed.

Retane flew hard as he couls, he unleashed both of the Feral Winds at the neck and shoulders of his target. The orc let out a roar of anger arching his back and picking his neck up exactly where Retane wanted it. His hands, sharp as daggers, dove straight through the neck and spine of the orc leader, and with a sickening rip of muscle, severed the head of the dark spawn.

The head rolled and stopped, and while the brain struggled for air, the rotten jaw mouthed, "Grrrraxxxxessss". The body pulsated for a few moments and died with it's head. Retane stood up letting the orgosynth release itself and breathed hard. His adrenaline was nearing it's end and the pain from the single blow was setting in.

He eyed the others who looked at him worried about him. He accepted the pain and didn't speak, it would hurt for him to speak much. It hurt with every inhale and exhale. He stepped off his victim and walked over to the head of the decapitated he pointed at Arith and then to the head and received a nod from the Lythian. He looked at Asuma and notioned to the incompacitated Gollum. The ninja nodded.

Then the Horsemen looked at Jack. The Emerald Warrior gave a nod of approvement, and turned and started walking away, towards the ninja village.

"I have one question", Arith announced as he started towards the head that rested on the ice. "How the hell can we walk on ice but the ugly gremlin couldnt?"

Jack looked to the Lythian's Champion and grinned as he lost his footing, his armor scraping the ice until he arrived face first at the bodiless head.

"I'm sorry pretty little princess, but I think I'm taken by an ice lover", Arith was quick to answer

The namekian only shook his head as he could only imagine what the trip back was going to be. He thought about resummoning Inirtias, but he felt too weak and needed to save his energy in case anything else happened.

--------------
The group stepped through the gates of the Hidden Village. Retane still admired how the ninja had worked with the trees to make a strong defense around their city. Still though, Retane was ready to go see their new home. But first, they had to go see Lady Tsunade.

(This Thread is finished)