Rowen, Hisoka, Takayuki and Tomio

Nether World

"It's time to put my plan in action," a man with black hair and eyes said as he stood at a window and looked out at the rolling clouds that covered the sky.

He turned as a door opened and two men walked in. One had blue hair and grey eyes and the other had black hair and light blue eyes.

"You summoned us Hiroshi?" one of them said.

"Yes Takayuki and Tomio," he said crossing the room and dropping into a chair. "It's time to take the Ronin Warriors down one by one before help arrives in Toyama."

"And who will be first?" Tomio asked.

"Rowen of Strata," Hiroshi said. "By my studies he's always the last one home to the house they stay at. Intercept him on his way home."

"How will we know it's him?" Takayuki asked.

"You'll know," Hiroshi said. "Now go and don't fail to bring him to me."

With a sharp nod, they vanished to do his bidding.

Toyama

Rowen glanced at the clock and saw it was almost eight. He closed his book, put it in his bag and slung it over his shoulder and left the library.

As he stepped from the library, he stopped and looked around sensing he was being watched. He shrugged it off and started walking. He was meeting Sage at a store two blocks over.

From the shadows, Takayuki and Tomio watched as he headed for the corner.

"Has to be him," Tomio said as they silently followed him. "Nobody else is emitting a blue glow like he is."

They stopped as Rowen went into the store and they waited in the shadows.

In a temple not far from Toyama

A man with long white hair stood before an altar on the very top floor of the temple.

"You wanted to see me Master Xiu?" a young girl with shoulder-length jade hair and silver eyes asked coming in behind him.

"Yes Hisoka," he said turning around. "Hiroshi is on the move. My meditations have shown he is targeting Rowen of the Strata first. I need you to go to Toyama and stop him from getting Strata."

"What about the others?" she asked.

"I'll send them as soon as they return," he said. "I will open a portal to take you to Toyama. You won't be far from Strata."

Using magic, a portal opened and Hisoka stepped through and disappeared.

Toyama

Sage had been running an errand for Mia when Rowen came in the store and walked over to him.

"Ready to roll?" Sage asked stuffing the receipt in his pants pocket.

"Let's go," Rowen said and was soon walking down the street heading for Mia's, not realizing they were being followed.

"Looks like we found two Ronins," Takayuki said as they saw the green glow around Sage.

"Focus," Hiroshi demanded telepathically. "That is Sage of the Halo. Do what you want with him, but bring Strata to me."

It wasn't long before Sage and Rowen entered the woods that separated Toyama from the house.

Not far away, a portal appeared and Hisoka appeared and as it disappeared, she glanced around, seeing nothing but trees.

"A forest? Great," she said. "No people anywhere. Now what?"

Just then she heard talking and footsteps and quickly hid behind a tree and watched as Rowen and Sage walked by.

As they went further, she stepped out from behind the tree and wawtched them disappear from view.

Suddenly she looked up as two shadows darted through the trees and know who they were going after and started after them.

"I hope Kento left some dinner for us," Rowen said.

"I'm sure Cye made extra," Sage said. "He just had to keep it from Kento's hands."

Just then Takayuki dropped down in front of them, a sword in his hand and a black and grey armor on.

"Not so fast," he said as they came to a full stop and their subarmors appeared. "Out master has requested your presence, Strata."

"Not going to happen," Rowen said glancing over at Sage.

Before they knew it, a chain wrapped around Rowen and he was sent flying and landed in front of Tomio who had been behind him.

"Armor of Halo, dao rei."

Rowen struggled to get to his feet and tried to free himself but the chains seemed to get tighter the more he struggled.

"I'll take care of him," Tomio yelled over to Takayuki. "Make short work of his buddy."

Just then a strong gust blew through the clearing blowing Tomio away from Rowen but the chains still held. With a flick of Tomio's wrist. Rowen was slammed into a tree.

"Free him, Tomio," Hisoka demanded as she appeared in the clearing, the wind blowing her hair back.

"You stay out of this Hisoka," Tomio yelled jumping to his feet, the end of the chain still grasped in his right hand. "It's none of your business."

More wind picked up, completely surrounding her and when it died down she had on a dark blue and grey armor, with a sword strapped to her back.

Rowen was dazed from slamming into the tree. Shaking his head, he was able to get to his knees, then tried his hardest to get back on his feet, but the chains made it hard, but finally was on his feet.

"Now I'm not going to tell you again," Hisoka said. "Let him go."

Tomio just grinned and jumped right over to Rowen, grabbed ahold of him and disappeared.

Takayuki laughed and disappeared, leaving Sage and Hisoka alone in the clearing.

"What is going on and where did they take Rowen?" Sage demanded as he turned to her, his armor fading.

"If you take me to the other Ronin Warriors," she said, "I'll explain everything."

Sage nodded and started walking toward the house once more, all the while worried about Rowen and what could be happening to him right now.

Nether World

Hiroshi turned as Tomio appeared behind him with Rowen, the chain still wrapped around him.

"Good job," he said as Takayuki appeared. "Take him to the dungeons until I'm ready."

Rowen was forced out of the room and down the stairs until they reached the bottom. Takayuki opened one of the cell doors and Tomio shoved him in, slamming and locking the door behind him.

Rowen was finally free of the chain as they disappeared and he rubbed his arms.

"My friends will find me," he yelled at the two as they turned and started walking away.

Rowen lowered himself to the floor and looked around at his surroundings. There was no windows and the only way out was through the way he had come in.