Devil woman – Cliff Richard 

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Rain, nothing but rain. Not the gentle pitter-patter of rain, but the heavy downpour that veils everything in a thick gray haze. Thunder roared loudly as lightning clawed its way to earth, striking a tall tree and bringing it down. Even before the tree touches ground the fire had being put out by the hard rain. 

The grounds of the ruins were bare of grass and as the rain beats down causing erosion. The mud bleeds down from the two gentle slopes covering the path with red earth. Like a vicious wound burning on Nature’s skin. 

The group of ten warriors had taken shelter within one of the huts that still has a roof and at least three and the half walls. Nakaruru hugging her knees and as she stares blankly into fire, ignoring the equally cold Galford. 
  

Haohmaru glugs down another mouthful of wine from his seemingly bottomless wine gourd, he was listening to the tune that Shizumaru was blowing. The young lad was playing a lighthearted tune from the reed flute he had created. With this rain they are likely to be stuck here for awhile. So why mind a little tune for company? 

Rimururu sat next to fire, bothering Charlotte, Chizuru and Zannah with endless questions. Half the time she wished she had brought her wolf - Shikururu along. She declined the wine gourd as Haohmaru passed it to her. 

The endless barrage of questions had numbed Charlotte, Chizuru and Zannah that they accepted the wine gourd gladly. To a point they would rather brave the cold wet rain and chance a bout of pneumonia. They shot a somewhat envious look at Ryu and ChunLi. 
  

The couple seemed to be lost in cuddling each other. Ryu sitting with his back against the wall and ChunLi sat sideways with Ryu’s legs flanking her. His cheek pressed against the top of her head. Her body pressed against his as her right arm held onto his waist, 

Her head rested on the left side of his chest, listening to his heartbeat while her left hand snaked into his vest and rested on the right side of his chest. As for Ryu, his left arm was around her waist with his thumb unconsciously stroking her waist. His right hand resting on her thigh. 

The couple was completely oblivious to the sighs coming from the three women and the disgusted look on Nakaruru’s face. 
  

“No sign of the rain letting.” He whispered into ChunLi’s ear. Though the cold wind surrounds them they were warm inside. Partly wishing the rain would never stop. Time would stand still at this moment and let them escape the madness to come. 

Somehow in this cold rain even while ChunLi thought she was protected within the warmth that Ryu brings. She thought she felt a moment of numbing cold. A scream of jealousy and rage blasted quickly into her heart. 

Pleading and screaming. But as her mind held onto the moment she is sharing with Ryu now. The scream happened again now fully enraged and even more jealous, and then it was gone like it was never here before. She looked up at Ryu who smiled back her and kisses her forehead. 
  

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Only a mad man would take to the muddy road in such a lightning storm. And two mad men took their army with them as they trudged through the knee-deep mud. They have a carriage waiting for them at a less muddy area. Tonight speed is what they need. And failure they can’t afford. 

The younger blond hair man who wears a black cloak over his chain mail was getting more and more anxious as he approaches his target. He can feel her very presence even though the filthy presence of the Defender was wrapped around her. The sooner he is reunited with his angel of darkness the better. Maybe then that damn aura in that damn sword would stop screaming. 
  

His brother smirked seeing his frustration. Still he has a job to do. With gestures he directed his somewhat reluctant army around. He then realised something. This rain is rather unnatural, it was raining longer than expected but who cares? The sooner this is over the faster he can return to his plan. 

As the brothers worked together, hailstones started to fall. Falling on the weaken roof of the ruin. The size of the hailstones began to increase until the roof was full of stones. One large stone about the size of a fully-grown man drops onto the roof sending it crashing down. 

“Get them!! I want them alive!!!!” Gill yelled. 
  

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The ten warriors sensed the roof was about to collapse. All except Ryu drew their swords and rushed outside just as the roof collapses raising a dust cloud allowing them to escape unseen. The rain betrayed them clearing up slightly for the enemies to see them. 

Standing back to back the ten warriors stood at ready. Ryu glanced at ChunLi who stood at his left. This was starting to remind the couple of a fight they both had being in. 
  

“A Storm-weaver!” Zannah yelled, she knew, she had seen them in action before, they have to find the Storm-weaver or this storm will add on to their odds. ChunLi acknowledged. It would be easy, keeping alive and working to counter the storm-weaver. One has to see one’s enemy first. Somehow their enemy had saw them well enough to hide away. 

Left hand slashing with her slim blue blade, right hand drawing a rune. It won’t stop the storm but all it does is trace the one who cast the spell. Now ChunLi and Ryu stood back to back. Ryu still not using the big black broadsword on his back. They were isolated from the main group. The veil of rain thickens once more, the couple lost sight of where the main group was now. 
  

Somehow the skirmish was rather obvious, the main group was kept busy and the couple was prevented from rejoining the main group. Though not a good idea to even face the couple, many soldiers still fall to the legendary fists of the Dragonlord. But yet as the couple fought on they realised that were greatly outnumbered. The couple agreed on a solution. ChunLi stabbed her sword into the ground and gathered her qi. 
  

“KIKOSHO!!” she yelled as the giant ball of qi shielded both Ryu and her. For a moment they weren’t surrounded. Right after taking a breather a fresh wave of soldiers appeared, weighing the couple down once more. 
  

Gill was enraged at how ineffective the direct approach was, his brother smirked at his failure but said nothing. He relishes the look of anguish on his younger brother’s face. 

“Shall we?” Urien suggested. 
“Let’s begin then.” Gill said in a low growl. 

Gill started a low mumble while Urien watches on, he wondered what level has his brother reached. And he wondered about how much his brother can give and how much the Bride of Darkness can take. 
  
  

Back to back the couple fought on, the slew of soldiers seemed relentless. The rain increase its intensity filled with an electrifying rage as lightning ripped through another tall tree. ChunLi had tracked down the presence of three magic users but still she can’t see them. She mumbled a curse, she should have put on any kind of counter spell that would useful before the fight began. 

And then she felt it. A numbing painful cold attacking her mind. Gone the moment she stabbed another a soldier, she shrugged the cold off just like that. She smirked, whoever this magic user is, he was not up to par. 
  

“I’m disappointed Ryu.” She said. A wide arc slash to her right warding off a soldier or two. 
“Yeah?” he answered, as his fist smashed the skull of one. 
“They send some low caliber sorcerer against me. Me. Second in command of my coven. Can’t they afford some high caliber mage?” She kicked away the soldier she had stabbed, freeing her blade. She shook her head, clearing her mind of the numbing cold. 

“Maybe they spent too much money on these cannon fodder soldiers to afford a mage whose worthy of a challenge,” Ryu smirked and was awarded with silence. Punching another soldier right into his comrade he took a look at his wife. 
  

ChunLi froze as Ryu handled another soldier who was out to get her. With sheer will on her side she fought it off and rejoined her husband. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked. 
“Two. One was no match. Now another joined him.” She grinned, he was worried for her but knew she can handle things. 
  
  

It was a tug-of-will. As the two combined strengths attempts to dragged ChunLi down. She was stronger and she knew it. As far as she is aware of there are few high caliber mages around that can take her down. 

There were moments when she felt numbed and unable to move. A moment in which the tide could turn against her. Yet she remained strong and fought physically and mentally to regain mobility. 

ChunLi could almost hear someone curse when she broke through the Pull again. She ducked automatically as Ryu flipped a soldier across her head. It seems that every time her concentration waned, the Pull attempts to drag her away like wild horses. Yet her grip on her will remains strong. 
  
  

The rain thins slightly and ChunLi thought she saw a slim figure of a woman a little distance away, strangely she could see the woman clearly. Despite the rain she remained dry. The red tint in her double braided long black hair seemed utterly familiar. Two locks of golden hair framed her face. 

The woman smiled a lopsided smile as her eyebrows arched cruelly. One has to assume that she was half-smiling and half frowning at the same time. Her facial structure was oriental yet her eyes are green. A very toxic green. 

ChunLi was set upon by the Pull created by Gill and Urien. Ryu fought to keep the soldiers from taking advantage of the situation. The woman with green eyes raised her right hand, a greenish glow covering her hand. ChunLi was now immobilized as the woman joined, as the third will to pull her down. 
  

“Li! Fight it!!” Ryu shouted as he heaved, sending the soldiers that were on him flying aside. 
“Arrhhgg!!!” ChunLi screamed as every ounce of will power she summoned bought her pain. She looked up again, those green eyes staring at her, smiling. A whispered word lost in the storm. 

“TREE!!!” ChunLi screamed, as she stood immobilized, her eyes widen in horror as Ryu leaped. Pushing her away only to be struck full in the chest by a large uprooted tree swung by some invisible force. Blood spurted from Ryu’s mouth upon contact. A loud sickening ‘thud’. ChunLi feared for Ryu. 
  

“RYUUUUUU!” She called out, a helpless feeling overcome her. She fought once again. For herself, for Ryu, to overcome this strong hold on her. But she couldn’t move a muscle, her spells muted. The harder she fought the harder it gets. 

The unconscious Ryu stirred. He screamed in pain as the floating tree drops onto his legs. He worries, not for himself but his wife. The rain continued to beat down upon his face. Mocking him. 

The woman with the green eyes stood some distance away, she pulled her hood up and walked away, the veil of rain thicken once again covering her tracks. Yet her hold on ChunLi still remained. 
  

Two large size men appeared on horseback. One of them got off his horse and trudged through the mud to ChunLi. Gently he picked her up and slung over his horse. He tied her legs and wrists, gagged her with her own scarf. 

“Li!!! Leave her alone!!!” he yelled. His legs are in excruciating pain and his chest feels like its on fire. His heart in anger as he lies helpless unable to help his woman. 
  

The man removed his hood. His thick blond hair slick with rain. He squatted by Ryu and slammed his head into the soggy ground while ChunLi watch in helpless muted horror. 
  

“There is nothing you can do. Some Defender you are. This exquisite woman is mine now. HA! Worry not. We will come back for you. And you will be reunited with your lady one final time. I am sure you will be greatly overwhelmed by the full glory of the Angel of Darkness. Afterall your task does not end here. Fare thee well Defender. AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!” Gill laughs maniacally as he heads back to his horse. Riding off with ChunLi and the rain slowly stops. 
  

“LI!!!!!!!!!” Ryu screamed alone in anguish. Rage builds up in him. He attempts to rise but the tree held his legs down. He failed in keeping his promise to his wife. But he won’t give up. He’ll find his ChunLi. He’ll pay those three back with interest. Nobody gets in his way. He swore deadly oaths about the things he’ll do when he finds them. He swore to bring ChunLi back safely. 

“LI!!!!!!!!” He screamed like a man insane as his friends found him in that sorry state. The sun remained hidden behind the clouds as if ashamed.