The Bare Truth: Reveal of Pasts

Introduction
The four mages continued to walk up the mountain in search of the menace that terrorized the village and it's people. They still had quite a ways to go. Becoming bored of just walking and scanning, Sakura decided to break the silence due to Ryuunouske and Ray's little silent feud.

"So where are you two from?" Sakura asked attempting to start a conversation. "I'm a former mage of Mermaid Heel."

"I'm kind of a bounty hunter myself, used to go on taking any jobs with Dark Mages, still do from time to time, but I most just work with Ray most of the times" Sonia said looking over to Ray who was still leading the team with his nose. It had been a few hours since their walk so not much had changed other than the sun slowly beginning to set down. "How about you Ryu?"

"I am nothing more than a wandering mage." Ryuunosuke said without changing expression. "My past is none of your concern."

"Ryu-chan, don't act so cold towards them!" Sakura exclaimed. She then walked up next to Sonia."You know what? Ryu-chan used to be a member of the Elite 10 Rune Knights, a group with abilities above SS rank who work for the Magic Council. I don't know why, but he left that group."

"I see, in a way he kind of reminds me of another person I know" Sonia said looking over to Ray who felt her eyes on him, but simply continued to look forward.

"But you know, Ryu-chan isn't completely a bad person." Sakura said as she looked back at Ryuunosuke who had been staying at the back of the group. "He's like this a lot due to a dark past he hasn't even told me about yet. But because of that, he has a huge sense of justice and he's very kind. He just needs some time to be able to show it."

"Same with Ray, he'd kill me if I told anyone this, but he was raised a warrior, for him it was killed or be killed every single day of his life, it was only after he broke free of the past that he began to move forward. The old Ray would've kept fighting until he or Ryu were killed, in a way, the two of them are exactly what they need" Sonia said with a chuckle as both of the men heard them, but decided not to say anything.

"If you two weren't so involved in your conversation and dog nose, you would have noticed that the sun is starting to go down." Ryuunosuke said getting their attention and Ray's annoyance. "Being on a mountain, it'll be dangerous to be continue at night. We'll stop here." He then took his tonfas and smashed a hole large enough for them into the mountain.

"Ryu-chan, you went overboard again." Sakura said with an anime teardrop. Ray and Sonia had the same reaction but they went in nonetheless. Soon they started a fire and ate what food they brought with.

"Hmm, I've been looking over some of the routes, a lot of them are nearly treacherous, but I did find some safe paths for us" Sonia said taking a drink from her cup.

"I think it'd be best if we took..." Sakura began to say.

"It'd be faster if we went up the mountain." Ryuunosuke interrupted. "It's most probable that the enemy is in an area that they can easily defend which would be upward."

"But Ryu-chan, nobody's a superhuman like you, you know!?!" Sakura exclaimed refering to her partner's physical abilities. "I for one can't jump all the way up there."

"Consider the possibility that they have calculated all the risks mutt, we stay smart, not jump off so you can get your fix of battle" Ray said with a snarl, grabbing the map as he looked it over, "The most we can do is take the Okon Trail, it will take a bit longer, but it's a less probable risk than just charging full frontal" He said looking at the others.

"I'd be able to handle myself up there." Ryuunosuke said coldly while eating what looked to be jerky. "I do this type of  thing  on a normal basis. If I have to resort to it, I'll kill them all. Besides, using your release limit magic, couln't you do the same easily Sakura?"

"But still..." Sakura replied hesitantly

"There's a difference between going full out and fighting with all you got, we don't know what's happening up there, we need to take it step by step" Sonia said as she looked over to Ray who simply cracked his neck.

"I say let the mutt go, if he can't control his own desire, then he'll be a wash out" He replied before leaning against the walls of the cave. Sakura however just looked scared.

"Ryu-chan, don't go up there!" Sakura exclaimed. "You might actually slaughter all of them!" The other two becamed confused, Sakura then scooted to them and explained how all of the dark guilds that Ryuunosuke fought when he was serious were no more and that there were no survivors. He had left them all a bloody mess.

"At this point, nothing the mutt does surprises me, just his lack of control and focus makes me laugh" He said chuckiling as Sonia scoffed and got up.

"Sakura, mind helping me fill up the canteen's? We're gonna need our supplies filled for tomorrow" Sonia asked as Sakura nodded and went following her, only to look back as both Ryu and Ray were simply sitting there and not talking to each other.

"What drives you to fight?" Ryuunosuke asked finally breaking the silence. "You said earlier that my resolve was weak. What makes you think that yours is stronger?"

Ray looked over to him, in his mind he could see himself before he left everything he knew, cold and ruthless to murder easily, but he also knew that there was a sliver of hope inside Ryu. "I was like you once, tortured, beatened, force into things no human should ever go through" He stood up as removed the top of his kimono as it revealed his scarred body, different stab sounds, sword slashes, scars all on him. "My resolve to improve and become stronger through the right is what motivates me, the simple fight for blood doesn't satisfy me anymore" He said looking over to him.

"You are correct and wrong at the same time." Ryuunosuke replied. "Yes, I was tortured, actually, I was a human test subject. That was a painful past but however, you are wrong about me fighting for blood or revenge. I travel to make sure justice is preserved in the lands. I never fight without reason. Do not fear, unless there is no other choice, I won't kill a person."

"The blood I smell says otherwise, there is a difference between justice and murder, in any case this is not the time for selfish decisions, you're not alone" He said glaring over to him as he put his kimono top back on.

"Don't you think I know that?" Ryuunosuke said, his facial expression not changing. "I just told you I don't kill unless there's absolutely no other option. And, I've never thought of myself as alone. Not just because that annoyance Sakura is always clinging to me, but there are many people that I've met that I feel support me in a sense. God, that kid's cheesiness is rubbing off on me."

"Haha, I know how you feel despite your resolve to never show it, you have the resolve, but only through true training and temperment will you be able to fully harness real strength" He said sitting down in a meditation stance as he slowly focused his breath to slow down while listening to the quiet sounds of nature and the flickering fire that was still on.

"Then I still have quite a lot a ways to go before I can call my power strength" Ryuunosuke said. "I can only control 10% of it both physical and magic wise on a normal basis. That's why I seal the rest."

"The power you saw in me when we fought was only but a small glimps, I continously hone my skills to never allow my murderous intent to ever take over me, at least until the day I fully master it" Ray said taking in slow deep breaths as he continued meditaiting.

"It appears we have something in common for once." Ryuunosuke said as he laid back on the cave wall. To their unknowing, Sakura had used her magic to allow her and Sonia to watch their partners.

"Haha, This is really rare to see Ryu-chan like this." Sakura said with a giggle

"I told you, Ray may be hard-headed, but when given the right moment, he can be the best person to make anyone talk about their feelings" She said with a giggle as they both looked at their partner's just sitting quietly waiting for the girls to return.

ROARRR!!!!

"What was that?" Sakura with a worried expression.

"What is taking those two so long?" Ryuunosuke said back at the cave with an annoyed tone. "Women can't take so long with everything."

"Hyaaah!" Sakura screamed as she and Sonia ran into the cave. "Ryu-chan, there's some humungous monsters out there."

"Monsters?" Ryuunosuke said as readied himself. "That may be the Slickors, the creatures that live in these mountains. They're basically flying ice snakes. But they shouldn't be this low on the mountain."

"Something's not right, the way they sound, it's sounds more like they're afraid of something, and from what I hear, those beasts are quite strong in their own right" Ray said as the beasts were seen flying down the mountain, away from the top.

"I get the feeling that we're going into something that is gonna be trouble for all of us" Sonia said as she held Sakura who was shaking in fear.

"Sakura, stop being a coward and use your head." Ryuunosuke said tapping his knuckle on her head. "We need a scan on theim so I can determine what to do." Sakura then shook her head and regained her composure.

"Understood." Sakura said as she activated her magic. "They have high levels of adrenaline as if they just got away. Judging on their wingspan, I can conclude that what they were flying away from is 7-8 miles up."

"Now we have to figure out how to get through them." Ryuunosuke said. "There are too many to be able to charge through and also, we're on a mountain. We have to be careful as to not cause an avalanche or fall."

"The best course of action is to wait until they pass, forcing ourselves through them would waste our energy and make us vulnerable there" Ray said as he looked out the cave.

"Then we'll be here all month. They won't migrate for a while" Ryuunosuke replied as he jumped up towards them with his tonfas raised. "Fire Chain!" Large bursts of chains made of flames appeared and attacked the Slickors who responded by blasting their ice breath neutalizing the attack.

"Ryu-chan is trying to do that many at once!?!" Sakura said in surprise.

"Ugh that stupid...." Sonia said with a glare as Ray quickly ran outside of the cave with insane speed, easily jumping right next to Ryu as he quickly channeled his Fire Magic to create a powerful orb of fire as he broke it apart, sending multiple meteor-like flame orbs at all of the beasts he could hit.

"Gotta slow them down." Ryuunosuke said to himself. "Earth Chain!" Using the more solid chains, He attempted to bring the creatures down. However, they broke through it as if it were paper. "Damn it, they're strong!"

"Don't just force your way, see what they're weakness is, and exploit it" Ray said as he looked and studied them, noticing that they couldn't move at quick speeds and turn suddenly without losing control. "Aim at the back of their wings, their manuverability will be shot dead" He told them before using Fire Magic to propell himself high above as some of them began going after him. Ray combined both his Fire Magic and Light Magic, creating a shining like that felt like sunlight as it illumated the sky. He then shot it up into the air in what appeared to be a small meteor size until it broke apart.

"Heat Planet!!"

The split orb began to shoot down, hitting anything in it's direction as it began hitting the multiple beasts that were all flying, sending them down with ease.

"That'll work." Ryuunosuke said as he dropped down nearby them. "Special technique: Field of Chains!" Several chains came out of the ground and restrained the large beasts."Now it's time I end this! Large Scale Restriction!" Chain markings appeared on the creatures' bodies and soon, they could not move."

"Amazing, Ryu-chan was able to use restrict on that many targets!" Sakura said in awe. "That's never happened before!"