Ch 11
'Man, this is crazy. I never imagined something like this would actually happen. Huh, even with everything we've been through this definitely tops them.' Rowen mused, as he looked around. The area within the lamp was a lot bigger than it appeared to be. It was almost the size of a huge mansion. 'This is remarkable! Even though I wouldn't mind looking around more, I would rather not stay in here longer than I have to. There has to be a way out somehow.'
While Rowen was preoccupied with the contents of where he was, the sultan walked over towards the stand where Fahd left the lamp. He glanced at Dammar who also glanced back with his arms crossed and hovering nearby. "I just want to check on your guest and see how he's adjusting."
Dammar gave a slight nod as he turned his focus to something else.
The sultan smirked evilly as he lifted the lid off of the lamp and peered inside. "How are you adjusting in there?"
Rowen looked up as he heard the loud voice echo. "Who are you?"
"I am the sultan of this land, and you will address me as your eminence, or master." the sultan replied with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
Rowen frowned deeply as he clenched his hands. "Forget it! There's no way that I'll submit to someone wearing pajamas that's accessorized with bandages wrapped around his head!"
The sultan grew furious, he picked up the lamp and shook it, then slammed it down. "You will show me the respect that I demand of you! Do you understand me?"
"Whatever, look, my friends will figure out a way to come after me!" Rowen shot back angrily as he was pushing himself back to standing position.
The sultan smirked. "I'm counting on it. I know exactly how Shaheen's mind works. He'll find a way back, and when he does, Fahd will have a surprise waiting for him and your friends. In the meantime, get accustomed to being in the lamp. I can see that its effects are already affecting you."
Rowen raised a brow at him. "What are you talking about? I don't feel anything happening."
"Your physical changes, are what I'm talking about. Your hair has already turned blue." the sultan pointed out.
"News flash pal, my hair has always been blue! It's natural!" Rowen shot back with a glare.
The sultan growled and stormed away, grumbling angrily as his thoughts whirled with different ways of inflicting pain and suffering to the guests that Fahd will soon be bringing back.
Dammar smirked inwardly as he stayed there hovering near the lamp. He knew that the only way to be totally free is to have the third talisman. As for the one that's inside the lamp, well, the genie knew that it only would be a matter of time before Rowen to become a full fledge genie.
'No, the others can't be caught. Who knows what this so called sultan has in store for them. I wonder if it's possible to somehow link up with the others and warn them of Fahd's ambush?' Rowen wondered as he went to sit down. He closed his eyes and started to concentrate.
In a blink of an eye, the ronins, Kaye and Shaheen found themselves in a shadowed alley within the market place. Shaheen looked around to make sure that no one was wise to their arrival.
"I don't believe it. We're actually here." Sage stated as he and the others were looking around in amazement.
Shaheen gave a slight nod. "Yes, we are. Now, I'd advise all of you to stay together and be very careful."
Ryo looked around a bit more and then noticed a partial sign that was hanging from an entrance. "Shaheen, what does that say?"
The immortal looked over to where Ryo was gesturing and winced inwardly. "It's as I feared."
"What?" Kento asked with a confused frown. "What are you talking about?"
"It seems that Fahd has beaten us here. That's the sultan's official declaration. It says that there's a reward for our capture." Shaheen replied in an angry tone.
"Wait a minute. We just got here and you're telling us that there's a bounty on our heads!" Kaye asked in disbelief.
"Yes, it seems that way. We must keep moving in order to avoid capture. Every cut throat from miles around will be searching for us now. Come, this way." Shaheen replied with a slight nod, taking the lead further into the alley.
Kaye frowned slightly as she looked around at the other ronins. "Guys, I'm not so sure about this."
Cye nodded, "I know, but there's nothing we can do about it for now. We're going to have to stay with Shaheen. He's the only one that knows this place."
"He's also the only one that knows how to get Rowen out of that lamp." Sage reminded them with a slight frown.
Shaheen glanced back and noticed that the ones he brought back are not behind him. He turned around and walked back. "Come on, what's taking you? It isn't a good idea to stay here, we need to find a safe place and keep out of sight for a while."
"Hey, I don't hide when there's trouble." Kento stated as he looked over at the immortal sternly.
"Look, now isn't the time to be a hero. We need to find a place so we can make plans." Shaheen replied. "I understand why you don't trust me, considering what I did. Fine, but this isn't the time or the place to discuss it."
"Kento.." Kaye started to say as she looked over towards him with concerned eyes.
The orange ronin looked back into his wife's eyes and then gave a slight nod. He looked back at Shaheen. "Alright, we'll go. But keep this in mind Shaheen. Once this is settled, and we get our friend back and the talisman out of my wife, then we'll see where we stand."
"Fair enough, now let's go before we are discovered." Shaheen nodded in agreement.
"Lead the way." Ryo suggested, looking over at the immortal.
Shaheen gave a quick look around and then motioned for them to follow further down the alley.
'Hang on Rowen. We're going to figure a way to get you out of there before it's too late.' Sage vowed mentally as he and the others continued running.
Ryo frowned deeply, so many questions, and feelings of uncertainty were gnawing in the back of his head. He didn't like feeling this way. Before, they could prepare themselves better for whatever would come their way. But now, for the first time in a long time he wasn't sure what to expect.
Ever since they first received their armors, each of them knew that it was their destiny to fight whatever evil that threatened their world. For some reason, Ryo felt this time seemed somehow different from all the others, and that worried him the most.
At the heart of the market place, Fahd's recruits circled around their leader as he started to speak. "Now, all of you remember what I told you. I described what your targets look like. Do what you have to in order to capture them, but whatever you do, don't kill. The sultan wants them alive, for now. Is that understood?"
A chorus of yells pierced the sky as they raised their weapons above their heads and then brought them back down to their sides.
"Good, now go! Search and bring them back to the palace!" Fahd yelled out as he and his recruits took off further into the city.
Further into the market place, Shaheen and the others were trying their best not to be found by Fahd or his search party.
'Guys…' Kento started to say telepathically to the others.
'We know what you're going to say Kento, and we agree with you. But at the moment we don't have any other choice. We can't take the chance and fight them, especially in a major crowded area. We might hurt innocent people.' Ryo interrupted as they turned a corner.
'Besides, we can't form the Inferno without all five of us. So, until Rowen is out of the lamp, we're just going to have to do what we can with what we have.' Sage interjected when he saw that Shaheen was ducking into what seemed to be an abandoned building.
'In the meantime, we're going to have to find a safe place so Shaheen can fill us in about this place and so we can also figure out our next move.' Cye pointed out while dodging into the same building.
'Yea, yea ok, I get it. I guess that I'm just a little on edge with everything that's happened.' Kento explained as all of them now are inside.
'We don't blame you for feeling that way Kento. We're on edge too, but all of us are going to have to stick together in order to pull this off, alright.' Cye replied as he looked at him.
Kento gave a slight nod to Cye's words as he crossed his arms.
Shaheen glanced back towards them. "Shhh, don't move, I hear something in the alley."
The ronins and Kaye tensed up as they wondered what or who could have possibly be in the alley. Did someone from the search party find them already, or is it something else entirely?