Chapter 04 – The Seeker

"I – My God, how could anyone survive that drop?"

Eliot spoke softly to Kokoro as the strong cold wind rushed over the balcony, making the fabric of their canvas parkas ripple and their hair whip about. He shook his head dubiously and looked back over the rail at the impossibly tiny ribbon of swiftly rushing water nearly a thousand feet below.

Kokoro turned and walked across the windswept terrace back into the gallery. She wanted to take another look at the chandelier. Something about it called to her.

Bayman was also in the gallery trying to picture the scene he had recently viewed on the video. He looked at the blood stained manacles, turning them over in his hands. Then standing roughly in the position Ayane had been when she made that fateful throw, he looked up at the knife high in the wall, and the severed end of the rope still on the floor below. Then his gaze crossed over to the huge smashed up chandelier and Kokoro kneeling next to it.

Ryu was outside not far from Eliot. He was looking at the little red stripes on the rail. The marks that had been left by Ayane's hand when she made her desperate escape from Kouta and his thugs only a few days ago.

He gently touched each one. He could feel the rough, yet delicate texture of the blood crumble under the tips of his fingers, contrasting with the smoothness of the marble rail.

I will find you…

Giving the rail a thoughtful pat – he forced himself to turn away and strode back in to where Bayman was standing. He found him by the empty manacles – still staring at the wall, gently shaking his head.

They stood there together for a moment regarding the knife high above. Ryu broke the silence.

"She sure can throw the hell out of a knife."

Bayman turned to him, dark eyes smouldering from under the brim of his cap.

"She is incredible warrior."

Ryu stared straight ahead as he spoke.

"Yes, she is… and t's easy to under estimate her. She's small and delicate looking – but when she goes off – it is sudden and deadly."

He took a step away from the manacles and looked down at the faint streaks of blood that still remained after the cleaning. They showed the path Ayane took when she dragged herself to the balcony. Looking at the trail he continued to talk and as he spoke, Bayman noticed the muscles around Ryu's jaw tense as he looked at the signs of the terrible ordeal Ayane had to endure.

"She specialized - sorry - specializes in lightening swift, intense strikes. Ayane has been trained to inflict massive overwhelming, concentrated damage – shocking and confusing her opponents and then melting away into shadow."

He and Bayman followed the subtle trail of blood back outside to the railing joining Eliot who turned to listen as Ryu continued speaking.

"The – the problem is… she's…not cut out for a stand up toe to toe brawl like that. It's not what she was trained for and that beating she took from this slime ball – Kouta… that… cowardly filth… the way she appeared in that abominable video… When she crawled away – "

While he listened, Eliot's eyes widened as he noticed hairline cracks appearing on the rail where Ryu's hand was gripping it.

Ryu looked over the railing to the stream far below.

"Bayman…I don't know if she can survive those injuries she sustained for long… Not without help – and even then…"

The three of them looked into the chasm in silence. A few seconds passed as they stood lost in their own thoughts.

"We need to move now."

They looked back at Kokoro in the gallery. She was kneeling next to the chandelier, it looked like she was talking to it… softly. She reached carefully into the sparkling wreckage and pulled a crystal from its center. She stood and said something then bowed and turned quickly running to join Ryu and the others on the balcony.

"What did you pull out of that old chandelier?" Eliot asked her.

"It's not a chandelier." she replied, "…it's a skeleton."

Bayman was confused – "Uh, what?"

Eliot interceded, "It's okay, it's been a pretty crazy day and – "

"Wait." It was Ryu. Then turning to Kokoro, he asked her with gentle urgency, "…go on, what do you mean?"

"It's a dragon skeleton." She said with certainty. "It contained the soul of a beautiful crystal dragon… A celestial."

She pointed into the smashed and broken remains of the magnificent chandelier as she continued.

"It had been trapped there for so long and yearned for freedom. It was watching when Ayane was being hurt and tortured by the men who held them both prisoner."

Kokoro looked down at the crystal in her hand. She could see the sunlight sparkling off of its many facets.

"He wanted to protect her – but couldn't… his heart was breaking. But then, it was Ayane! She – she found a way to set it free! It was so grateful that it willingly chose to sacrifice its life to thank her by slaying the evil man who was causing her so much pain."

She looked up at them tears welling in her eyes.

"Oh, Ryu – he died happy! He roared with joy as he removed evil from the world and saved the woman who chose to free him."

She held out her hand showing them the sparkling crystal she retrieved from the wreckage.

"It loved her and died to save her. I found his heart and when we find Ayane – I will give it to her so they can be together."

Bayman looked wide eyed at Eliot who shrugged.

Ryu was focused like a laser on Kokoro.

"Do you know where Ayane is? Did it say? Is she alive somewhere?" he asked.

"I do not know…" replied Kokoro thoughtfully. "…I…I am not sure where Ayane is – or even if she is still alive. I can tell you she survived the drop… but then, it's hard to… well, the winds only whisper that bad men are looking, but have not found her… yet."

Ryu had learned long ago to trust Kokoro's geomantic sense and took solace in the fact that at least for the moment, Kouta did not have Ayane, dead or alive.

"Okay – there's a chance. Bayman – stay with Kokoro and Eliot and follow the road back down the stream. Keep those tracker's eyes of yours peeled for anything unusual. Stay in touch and let me know if you find out anything at all."

"Is good, Da – but you come with us no?"

Ryu sprung up to the railing.

"No. I'm taking the quick way down. I'll work faster and more quietly on my own anyway. I'm going to find this Kouta animal and shadow his team. If they do manage to find Ayane before us – then I'll be there."

Tapping his ear piece, he continued.

"Let me know if you find anything. ANYTHING."

Just as he was about to hurl himself off the railing, he paused and looked back at his three companions who were regarding him curiously, wondering why he was hesitating. When Ryu spoke it was with an uncustomary warmth.

"It is in situations such as this one, when you know who your friends are. Your real friends. Thank you."

Eliot was touched deeply.

"Why Ryu – you know it is our privilege to help our dear – oof!"

"Shut up..." Bayman growled interrupting as he ignored an irritated glance from Eliot.

"…thank us when find her."

Kokoro only blushed and waved shyly.

Smiling to himself beneath his mask, Ryu sprung straight down into the canyon like an ebony missile and, disappearing through the treetops lining the river bank far below, was gone.