Chapter 7: Kenshin fights the forces of darkness.

The party at Aoiya didn't end very happily, as they wanted it to. The creatures that appeared in the night, near, Mt. Hiei attacked Saito and Aoshi and now they lie unconscious at the Aoiya. They shared the same sleeping room. Megumi properly tended to their wounds. Misao lay beside Aoshi because of her feelings toward him.

Sano came into the room and squatted down near her, "how are they doing Megumi?"

"They're alright, Sano," replied Megumi, "although Saito is very stubborn when it comes to his fighting spirit."

Sano agreed, "yeah, you're right. I have a lot of issues with him, ever since he injured me the day we first met. Not to mention he made me believe he died at Mt. Hiei. This creep and I still have our differences, but I don't wish him to go like this. Even if he is that creepy."

Megumi nodded in agreement.

Okina went to where Kenshin and Kaoru were and told them the news. "Himura, it seems that Aoshi and Saito are going to make it, thanks to Megumi."

"Thank you, sir Okina," said Kenshin, "I'm very relieved, that I am."

"Your friend truly has the amazing medical skills that you say she has."

Kaoru is also relieved as she told Ayame and Suzume, "see, children, Megumi has done it again!" The children cried with joy.

Okina started to speak again, "Himura… have you told the others of what you told me… as incredible as the story is?"

"Not yet, Sir Okina. But I think that now is the time, after what happened to Saito and Aoshi, to tell everyone about my encounter 9 years ago, that it is."

"Tell us what, Kenshin?" asked Kaoru as she remembered his behavior this morning, "…is it what you were told to expect?"

Before Kenshin could begin…

Wind began blowing and a flash of light appeared before their eyes…

An opening manifested, as it formed into a portal. Kenshin maintained his determined face and instructed Kaoru to take the children inside.

Moments later, creatures came out of that portal, to wreak havoc upon the Aoiya. The creatures looked horrible. They wore strange armor and armed with even more strange looking swords. Painted on their faces and armor, was a white hand… the same white hand that Aoshi found on Mt. Hiei.

"Are these the creatures you expected Himura?" Okina asked.

"I believe they are," replied Kenshin. More of these creatures appeared one by one.

Kaoru ran inside to inform everyone, "people! We're under attack! We're under attack!"

The shouting ran throughout the Aoiya, awaking Misao. Saito and Aoshi woke up as well. "So, it seems we have company," noted Saito.

"Lord Aoshi," cried Misao, "you shouldn't move. I'll defend the Aoiya."

"I believe it's time for some payback!" stated Saito with a vengeance. Megumi tried to stop him.

"Hold it Saito! You still need to rest."

"Look, woman, "said Saito, "injuries never stopped this moron with you." Saito pointed out to Sano. Truly these two have a grudge against each other as Sanosuke growled at Saito's insult.

Saito went on, "…and besides, woman, I've face more of these life or death situations than any of you have."

Nevertheless, Megumi wouldn't relent…

"Let him go, Megumi," said Sano, "I don't think anybody or anything could stop this creep." Megumi reluctantly agreed to Sano's request.

"I hope I don't regret this," she said.

"Don't worry, you won't. I promise," Saito assured her. He went out the door with Sano behind him.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight Saito!" said Sano.

"You moron," retorted Saito.

"What did you say…?"

Aoshi still wished to go to face their attackers. But allowed Misao to go anyway, bowing his head to her. She left also.

Megumi and Aoshi were left alone. "I hope I can count on you to rest, Mr. Shinomori."

"Yes, indeed you can, Megumi. It's been a long time, especially after Kanryu."

"Yes Aoshi. And its good to know you're no longer after Sir Ken," she smiled. Aoshi smiled along with her.

"I think this battle will be tough for them," said Aoshi, "…when I fought these creatures…I saw a portal…a portal that showed an eye… a fiery eye."

Megumi was filled with worry in her heart…

Back in Bag End, Gandalf and Frodo drank tea together, discussing the ring. "This is the one ring," stated Gandalf, "forged by the dark lord Sauron, in the fires of Mount Doom. Taken by Isildur, from the hand of Sauron himself."

Frodo spoke, "Bilbo found it, in Gollum's cave?"

"Yes, for 60 years the ring lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying old age." The remark that Gandalf made clearly explained Bilbo's mysterious condition of how he was unable to age like everyone else. Gandalf continued, "but no longer Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The ring has awoken. It's heard its master's call."

"But he was destroyed," Frodo objected. "Sauron was destroyed."

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the black speech of Mordor came from the evil ring. A moment of silence followed…

"No Frodo," said Gandalf. "The spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the ring, and the ring survived. Sauron has returned." Frodo went speechless after hearing about the dark lord's return.

Gandalf continued further, "his orcs have multiplied. His fortress of Barad-dûr is rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron needs only this ring to cover all the lands in a second darkness. He is seeking it… seeking it, all his thought is bent on it. The ring, yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are one… the ring and the Dark Lord. Frodo, he must never find it."

"Alright," said Frodo as he grabbed the ring from the table and started walking away with it, hoping to find a way that it will never be found…

Frodo went on, " …we put it away. We keep it hidden. We never speak of it again. No one knows its here, do they?" Frodo then thought for a moment and turned to face the wizard, "…do they Gandalf?" he asked.

Gandalf started his reply, "there is one other, who knew that Bilbo had the ring." The thought of it frightened Frodo even more.

"I looked everywhere for the creature, Gollum," Gandalf went on, "but the enemy found him first. I don't know how long they tortured him, but amidst the endless screams and inane babble, they discerned two words: Shire! Baggins!"

"Shire… Baggins… but that would lead them here!"

That fact was made clear as the black riders rode ever closer to Hobbiton. A night watchman was unaware of the danger that he was in…

"Who goes there," he said.

The malevolent rider then drew his sword… and without warning… took a swipe at the watchman, killing him.

"Take it Gandalf!" Frodo cried out holding the ring towards the wizard. But Gandalf backed away, for he feared the ring.

"Take it!" Frodo cried out even more.

"No Frodo," refused Gandalf.

Frodo kept insisting, "you must take it!"

"You cannot offer me this ring!"

"I'm giving it to you!"

"DON'T… tempt me Frodo!" After the last remark, Frodo was finally convinced that Gandalf didn't want the ring and lowered his hand.

"I dare not take it," continued Gandalf calmly, "not even to keep it safe. Understand Frodo, I would use this ring from a desire to do good."

A few moments of frightening silence followed between the hobbit and wizard…

"…But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine," finished Gandalf.

Frodo still was concerned about his home, "but it cannot stay in the shire!"

"No! No, it can't," resolved Gandalf.

Frodo then balls the ring up in his hand. "What must I do?"

The creatures appeared at the back of the Aoiya. Kenshin draws his reverse-blade sword, and started to attack the creatures, one by one. Using his lightning quick reflexes of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style, he was able to make short work out of the creatures.

When Kaoru put Ayame and Suzume into a room, where they'll be safe. She immediately went to her room, and grabbed her wooden sword to defend herself with and proceeded directly to the backyard.

Kenshin continued to fight the creatures alone. Then, Misao came to the back and threw her kunais at the creatures…

"Kansatsu Tobikunai!" Misao cried out.

"Miss Misao," said Kenshin.

"Hey, I'm still with you, Himura," said Misao, "no matter what anybody says." Kenshin smiled and gave a nod to her.

The creatures kept coming. Saito and Sano charged in as also. Saito with his left-handed sword thrusting technique, the Gatotsu, and Sanosuke with his rock crushing Futae no Kiwami punch. Saito skewered some of the creatures with it. Sano was able to knock down. The fighting continued and Kaoru went outside and went by Kenshin's side.

"Miss Kaoru, I would appreciate if you went inside. I don't think you can handle these monsters."

"Don't worry Kenshin. I won't be in your way," said Kaoru. Kenshin smiled at her and continued the battle.

Omasu, Kuro, and the rest also joined along. Kenshin launches a few attacks of his own. When things couldn't get any worse, more creatures came out of the portal and started attacking…

They were large, dog-like creatures the size of a horse. Riding on top of them were more demonic-like creatures that walked like men. Everyone gasped at the new threat that lies before them.

"Oh great," said Saito, "not these things again. Shinomori and I fought these creatures last night." The fighters gasped at this fact that Saito fought the creatures.

The large dogs started to dash towards the fighters. Kaoru and Yahiko quickly jumped out of the way of the incoming creatures. Kenshin was able to stop one by launching an attack that struck nine places at once…

"Hiten Mitsurugi Style… Kuzu Ryu Sen!" Kenshin cried out his attack.

Sanosuke ducked under one of the dogs and punched it in its stomach, "Futae No Kiwami!"

Saito stood there waiting for another of the large dogs to come to it. As it jumped toward Saito, he quickly brought his sword up and stabbed the creature with an enormous amount of upper-body strength…

"Gatotsu, Zero Style!" Saito cried out his attack as well. "That's what you get for attacking me."

And more creatures came, and more and more, including the giant dog creatures. The odds were overwhelming and then, out of nowhere…

A flash of light overcame the creatures, causing them pain. And…

A strong force threw them backwards and they were somehow burned and thrown back into the portal. This has amazed everyone as shock overtook their faces. The portal closed afterwards. An old man in brown rags appeared before them.

"Hello Kenshin, we meet again," said the old man.

"Sir Radagast," gasped Kenshin.

"You know this old man Kenshin?" asked Yahiko. Kenshin nodded to him.

"This is the old man," stated Kenshin, "who told me to expect these creatures, wasn't it?"

Everyone gasped at the remark Kenshin made, except for Okina. He had already been told about this man who appears before them. Aoshi and Megumi made their entrance into the scene.

"Greetings, "said Radagast, "for those of you who don't know me, except for Kenshin, I am Radagast the Brown. I am an Istari… a wizard from Middle-Earth. The creatures you fought are called Orcs, and the large wolf-creatures are called Wargs. You have all fought gallantly against them. And indeed you are right Kenshin… the time of battle against Sauron… is now!"