The Ronins stood in a circle around Riska in the living room, she had changed into a pair of borrowed jeans and her own shirt made of faded white lace and thin cloth. They had moved the couches aside at her insistence and were now watching her as she stood with her eyes closed and lips moving slowly in silent words. White Blaze stood with them at Ryo's side waiting patiently.
Mia stood outside the circle near the door that led to the kitchen. Although she looked calm and strong she felt nervous. Riska had insisted that Mia stay in her mansion and not to leave under any circumstances.
"You're strong Mia, but I fear not strong enough against this enemy." Riska had told her. "You must stay here and appeal to the leaders of this country that they must not act against Zetsumei, they cannot waste more innocent lives. You must prove to them it's in their best interest to try to evacuate at many people that are under the Nether Realm's reach instead of trying to push back against the Nether Realm."
Mia had agreed but with great hesitation, she itched to be along side the Ronins in their fight like before.
"Keep them safe." Mia had told Riska looking the other girl in the eyes.
"I will, or I will die trying." Riska had promised.
Finally, Riska opened her eyes, the green in her iris swirled as Riska looked off into the distance.
"Do not stray from me Ronins, we are to travel between channels of time and space. If we are attacked, stand together, for if you stray too far from me I may not be able to get you back." Riska ordered her voice was strong and almost sounded as if it came from a distance.
Suddenly, a bright light flashed in the room the glass on the fireplace mantel shook then suddenly silence.
Mia stood alone in the room the only sign that the Ronins were ever there were the gently falling dust that had fallen off their clothes.
Ryo gasped as he felt his stomach flip as he felt his body twist like laffy taffy through the dimensional channel. Around him he saw nothing but pillars of colors and lights. It was as if they were in a prism.
He still seemed to be in the circle of his fellow Ronins and everyone looked to be in one piece as they traveled but to him he felt his head swim with dizziness.
Each Ronins looked to their friends to make sure they were all there and to silently ask, "are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
Kento let his fingers reach out and go through the wall of color that was beside him like when you put your fingers through flowing what it moved softly around his finger tips.
Amazing. Cye thought, his eyes widened as he realized his friends heard what he had thought.
Amazing is right. Rowen replied, this place is… it's against any physics of the world.
That is because it is not a part of your world. Came Riska's reply
Rowen nodded as he looked around but he suddenly found himself blocking an attack that came from behind.
Nether spirits surrounded them quickly trying to break the circle and separate the group, but they held their ground as they were still able to transform into their under armour's to fight. Ryo glanced over his shoulder for a moment and saw Riska's face scrunched tight in concentration, she clearly wanted to fight but knew she had to hold on to their path.
Laughter surrounded the Ronins in a way that was not natural. It seemed like the sound ringed through to their nerves. Cye felt his fingers shake with the gleeful laughter.
"You think you can sneak past me, in MY world Ronins?"
Lady Yuri appeared in one place but all around at the same time. Her pewter staff was held tightly in her hand as she swept over the Ronins mockingly.
"I had no plan to sneak past you, Yuri. I knew you'd be here." Riska spoke up watching the warlady taunt them.
"Then you led your little Ronins to their deaths." Yuri replied as the Nether spirits attacked all at once.
Fighting rung out across the channel stretching it and turning it enough to make the Ronins not know whether they were right side up or upside down.
"Riska, we can't hold them back much longer!" Sage yelled out over his shoulder as he sliced at yet another spirit.
"Hold on, just a moment longer!" Riska called back, she chanted words quickly under her breath.
Just as the Ronins were ready to fall apart a portal opened in the middle of the circle by Riska.
"I will not let you pass through the gate!" Yuri screamed.
"You are not the only one with keys to the doors." Riska hissed, "boys now!"
The Ronins yelled out battle cries at the same time as they used their armours power to create a shockwave pushing back the Nether spirits and Yuri.
"Hurry, through the gate before they recover." Riska ordered.
The boys broke the circle one at a time.
White Blaze jumped through the portal first with Cye, then Kento followed a moment later, then Rowen.
"Go, go, go." Riska called urging them through.
As Ryo and Sage approached the opening that Riska stood beside they heard a whoosh and high pitched female screech.
Riska reached over to push both Ronins through desperate to get them to safety. Ryo and Sage fell through the portal with Riska just as the screech came close to their ears.
The portal closed instantly behind them as they tumbled on hard ground. Ryo looked around and saw that no Nether spirit or warlady had been able to follow them through.
"We made it!" Ryo yelled out and began to laugh.
Riska stood up and surveyed their surroundings with relief.
Ryo reached over and slapped Sage on the back out of happiness however the growl that came out of his friend's mouth made Ryo's head turn quickly and his laugh die in his throat.
"Sage? Are you alright?" Ryo asked as the other Ronins caught up with the trio.
Sage was on one knee, but his hair covered his face so that Ryo could not see it.
"Yes, fine, just landed a little rough." Sage sounded calm but his voice was obviously strained.
Riska looked down at Sage with concern, she reached one of her hands and placed it on Sage's shoulder only have him shake it off.
Riska raised an eyebrow but did not push the subject. The other Ronins followed her lead and began to laugh and talk about how they were amazed by the portal.
"It felt like we were floating in water." Cye said.
"Or among the stars." Rowen added.
"Ronins." Riska said catching their attention. "I want to welcome you to my sanctuary."
"What is this place?" Sage asked quietly.
The boys looked around to observe nothing but flat white ground that looked similar to the Bonneville Salt Flats that was in the United States, it was surrounded by rolling snow-capped mountains. A gentle wind flowed through the valley and in the distance they saw a building surrounded by a fence of wood.
"Some call it Purgatory, others simply the Void, and it has even been called the Invisible World." Riska replied, "I refer to it as the spirit realm, a place where some are stuck between life and death. It looks different with every person that finds their way here, what you see is my point of view."
"How-" Rowen began but then suddenly jumped into action as he caught Sage before his friend could fall.
Sage gripped his side as his under armour disappeared, Rowen saw blood staining his friend's shirt along his abdomen.
"Quickly." Riska said urgently, "follow me. Kento, help Rowen carry Sage."
She began to walk away from the Ronins without looking back to see if they were following.
"Where are we going?" Cye asked as he and Ryo caught up.
"The darkest prison that sheds the light." She replied.
