He slid down the vertical incline of the building using his pick only to slow his fall and maintain balance. He watched the world slow to a standstill as the glowing red energy blades sliced by his face, chest, and knees each slicing open a portion of his clothing. "Ayami, why do you continue this?" he spat as he plunged his sickle into the wall and planted his feet on a pain of glass.
"It is a new world, Kage." She began dodging a flaming orb by jumping down a few feet on the wall. "The overlord now has control of the world. You cannot stop this flood of order." She finished with another strafe of three energy blades and a charge toward him.
"The balance of chaos over law can only be set by one versus one Ayami, you know that." He countered as he parried a double slice form her blade. He spun low bringing his sword up neatly slicing the white silken obi from her small waist. After all these years she still was a beautiful woman, he thought as the obi fluttered the fifty stories down to the ground.
He gave a smile and a wink as he parried another slice, then jumped off of the wall about twenty feet and angling down as the hang-kite swooped below him. His body flattened and spun to find position in the vehicle and turned the glider into the night. He couldn't hear what his opponent was saying but he saw the energy blades whirl over him.
Next time fight me with everything you have Ayami, he thought to himself as he dropped to another rooftop three miles away from the skyscraper. This building was smaller than the skyscraper he had traversed thirty minutes ago. From the outside it looked like a ramshackle house that had stood too many years to even be considered livable. The roof itself seemed to almost contour to the young warrior's feet as he landed the hang- kite. The growl that met him seemed to frighten him more than the unsteady footing.
It stood before him, its metallic claws digging into the soft roof as its crystalline eyes scanned the intruder with intense scrutiny and a low growl as it watched the man pull Cypher from his back. Looking at the sword it padded over, its huge tiger-like legs leaving huge paw prints on the unstable roof. It softly sniffed the blade and opened its fanged mouth to softly lick Kage's hand.
It's a cyborg, he thought as he moved the blade back and let the saber-toothed animal get used to his presence. Moving slowly he walked to a corner of the roof, the saber-toothed cyborg in toe as he lifted a hidden entrance and dropped in. The cat dropped in as well, landing softly to the left of Kage, and walking down the narrow hall and into the very far left door.
The hall they landed in seemed much like any other inn, doors lined each side each numbered and an equal distance apart. The ceiling now looked as if brand new, no mark or sign of wear or weather marred the tile planks. After surveying his surroundings, Kage followed the cat to the door and entered.
This room was filled with machinery. Blinking lights, automatic weapons, and constant blips were the main attractions here. Standing at a computer at the very far end of the room was a hunching man in a lab coat with long black hair down to his back. He seemed to be interested with whatever was on the screen and never noticed the approaching Strider.
"What are you staring at Cyto, you dirty old man?" Kage asked as the man literally jumped three feet in the air spinning to face the intruder. Kage could get a better look at his friend now.
His face seemed very young; his high cheek bones never letting his mouth seem to leave a smile. His eyes, however, seemed more troubled, the spark of life still there but somewhat diminished as he calmed at the sight of his friend and the cat. "I see you have met Legion," He said, dropping the "gun-bunnies" site he had on his computer and handing Kage a ring, "this ring will allow Legion to track you and find you anytime, just give a whistle and he'll be there."
Kage took the ring and nodded to him. "It was Ayami this time."
"Ayami's joined Overlord?" Cyto asked shocked.
"I don't know," Kage answered with a sigh, "but it does seem she has lost hope."
"What are you going to do?" Cyto asked genuinely concerned.
"What I must to stop Overlord" he said with renewed resolve, "I'll do what I must if she tries to stop me again, as well."