Besides the kink in his neck the first thing Ryo was aware of was the smell of sulfur mixed with the dampness of stale water. A drop of cold water dropped onto his face making him wince. Carefully he moved a hand to wipe it away. Slowly opening his eyes he saw that he wasn't outside, instead he was now in a small room. His feet touched one wall while he was within arm's length to another.
"Good, you're awake." He heard Riska murmur above his head.
With a groan Ryo rolled onto his back and looked over from where he heard her. Riska was sitting against the wall nearest to his head while she leaned to the right against a set of rusting jail bars that locked them in.
He froze as he looked over the bearer of Souls. Riska's bare feet were covered in dried mud up to her knees. Even her hands that were locked together as she sat curled up due to there not being space were covered in dried mud as if she had to crawl in it. The dress she wore had tears, nothing that would expose her but he could still see her side and the start of her ribs through one hole. She also had a bruise under her right eye and scratches all over her arms and legs. Her hair had twigs and dirt in it and looked as if it were drenched then dried just recently.
"I'm so sorry, Ryo." She whispered as she hugged her knees to her chest tighter. "I hope you can forgive me."
"Oh, god. Riska." Ryo made himself get up so that he could grab the girl near him and hold her close. His body ached from sleeping in an awkward position but it was nothing compared to the cold girl in his arms. "Why did you let them do this? I could've taken it."
He felt Riska shake her head against his chest. "No, you couldn't. Not until the others had gotten us to our resting places in the real world. You would've only lasted a few minutes with the Tengu and their games."
"Their torturing is just a game?" Ryo demanded.
"To them it is. They have guarded Perdition for centuries but they're notoriously troublesome and like to help spirits get revenge or lose their way. I knew I could handle it because I'm tethered to the spirit realms through my armor and the Ancients." Riska sounded tired and Ryo could sense she was fighting off sleep.
"Why is Hariel doing this? Why does he want to return to the living world?"
"It's to punish me… for killing him… and to punish the Ancients for… cursing me. He's turned into a Goryō, a vengeful ghost."
Ryo rose as eyebrow and looked down at Riska. "Curse?"
"Hariel was the reason that I was finally freed from Talpa's control. He was able to convince the Ancients to create a spell to break the hold Talpa had on me which caused me to remember everything. How I died trying to kill Zetsumei and how they killed my twin to resurrect me…all the innocent people I killed…" Riska choked up remembering the moment she woke up from Talpa's control, it had nearly broken her. Ryo held her tightly. Riska swallowed and continued. "Together Hariel and I became double agents for the Ancients, told them when Talpa would attack, where, and how. That is until Talpa found out and had us both imprisoned. The Ancients helped us escape and I helped fight in the final battle with The Ancient One. Then when I died again and they resurrected me they decided that I still needed to pay for my crimes against the innocents. So…"
"They used her gift to see spirits and turned it into a curse." Hariel's voice came from down hall. Ryo and Riska watched him approach the cell the two Ronins were in. Ryo held Riska closer but he was unable to move any further back from the cell door than they already were at.
The Goryō Hariel stopped in front of the cell and looked down at the two. Jealousy flashed over Hariel's face as he looked at how Ryo held Riska close to try to shield her from him.
"They learned that Riska could see spirits and even speak to them. So they cursed her to also be able to move sprits from the living world to the afterlife, more specifically the souls of the Ancient clan and any Ronin. It was the perfect punishment for a former princess of the Nether Realm. Then when they learned that she was also immortal because of how Talpa had the Nether Spirits resurrect her they made her go through a blood ritual so that she would have to mentor and assist the Ronins whenever they called for her or were in dire need." Hariel opened the gate to the cell Ryo pulled Riska to go behind him, she didn't fight him.
"They were supposed to give her freedom, but instead they once again made her a slave." Hariel spat.
"The Ancient One promised to break my bond when the time came." Riska whispered.
"And when is that time? Do you not think that I know that he died? His death was felt across all dimensions!" Hariel roared. "He died you're still stuck as this Ronin's slave." He pointed at Ryo.
Ryo stared into Hariel's red eyes unafraid. "She's not our slave."
Hariel laughed, "You would like to think that wouldn't you? Have you ever asked her how she felt? Ever watch as she marched to the front lines before you and your brothers every time, seemingly fearless? Perhaps you never realized that she does so against her will." He reached down and grabbed Ryo by the shirt lifting him. "If she were truly free, do you believe she would actually stay at your side? She's has been forced to watch every Ronin die in battle, sickness, or old age just to find new ones over and over again."
"Hariel." Riska said softly. Ryo watched the red in the warrior's eyes flicker to brown for a second at hearing Riska call his name. "Hariel please let him go."
Hariel stared Ryo down and Ryo returned the stare. They were sizing each other up.
"I will enjoy banishing your soul here, Ryo." Hariel put Ryo back down before turning his attention back to Riska, "I can free you, Riska, come with me. I will forgive you if you come with me." He offered his hand to her.
Riska looked to Hariel's hand then to Ryo. "I can't." She whispered.
Hariel made a fist then slammed the cell door on Ryo's face. "Fine, then enjoy the Tengu ripping your soul apart until your body breaks in the living world!" He marched out of sight once again.
Riska closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly reopened them to look at Ryo.
"Riska…" Ryo paused trying to find the right words. "Do you… I mean…"
"Let's not talk about that right now." Riska whispered sadly.
"So, you do feel like you're our slave." Ryo realized, "does that mean everything you have helped us with, everything you said has been against your will…"
Riska felt her eyes burn as salty tears tried to develop, she swallowed them back. "I can't answer that question, Ryo. There are more important things to discuss."
"Do you even truly love Rowen, or do you feel as if you have been forced into that as well?" Ryo demanded, he stopped and bit his lip. He didn't mean for it to come out so sharply. He watched as Riska gripped the bottom of her dress, her knuckles that were scraped were starting to bleed again through the dried mud.
"He can't take over your body unless you give it to him willingly." Riska said emotionlessly. "As long as you don't offer it to him, he can't just take it. You have to swear that you won't give it to him. If you do he will trick the other Ronins into giving up their armors. He is cunning and…"
"Riska, you can't avoid answering my questions." Ryo interrupted.
Riska sighed and began to get up. Ryo reached out but didn't help as he watched her use the wall as support. Once she was sure she was upright and had the strength to stay there she looked Ryo in the eye. She looked like the strong and determined warrior he knew she was.
"Swear to me, Ryo of Wildfire that you will not give up your body to Hariel."
Ryo swallowed, "I swear that I will not give my body up to Hariel."
Riska nodded then took the two steps to the cell door; Ryo took a step aside to get out of her way. He watched as she reached up into her hair and pulled out a broken talon that he recognized was from a Tengu.
"What are you doing?" Ryo asked and the look Riska gave him in response made him stop talking.
Carefully Riska reached around the bars to the lock and inserted the talon and began to fiddle with the contraption. After a few minutes there was an audible click and the door open. Tired Riska slid down the wall back to the floor.
"Riska." Ryo reached out for the young woman but she raised a hand and shook her head.
"You won't be able to call the power of your armor here easily. You have to be near one of the fires to call upon it. Be careful if you do that because by doing so you will leave yourself exposed and Hariel isn't the only one here in need of a living soul or body." She explained, "This world will have a large temple. You will recognize it by the glyphs written on it. Once find it you can summon a portal to get you back to the living world by using this." She raised her hands and moved them parallel to her arms starting at her elbows without touching them until she made a circle with her fingers. A small purple orb appeared. A thin sheen of sweat broke out on Riska's forehead as if she suddenly developed a fever. She held the orb in one hand and raised it up to Ryo who took it. He was surprised that it felt solid and warm as he took a hold of it. "Give this orb to the guards there as payment. They are Gozu and Mezu; you will recognize them when you see them."
Riska shifted and winced, once again Ryo reached out to her without touching. "You shouldn't feel too much fatigue; the others had gotten our bodies to the resting places of our armors. It should give you enough strength to get out of here. Nonetheless, rest when you can and don't use your armor's power unless you absolutely need to." She took a deep breath, "Once you leave this world Hariel won't be able to go after you a second time."
Ryo watched Riska carefully, her skin was beginning to fade to a grey color and she looked weak.
"What about you?" He asked although the pit in his stomach knew what her answer was going to be.
"I'll serve as a distraction." She smiled crookedly. "I should be able to last until after you leave."
"No," Ryo shook his head, "no, you have to come back with me. We can find a way for Kayura to release you."
Riska laughed softly, "She won't want to. I'm the reason her village, her family are dead. In her opinion I could never make up for the atrocities that I had committed. And she's right."
Before Ryo could reject her statement he heard the shrill cries of Tengu and other demons coming down towards the prison cells.
Riska got up again, but this time with more effort. She was panting by time she stood back up.
"Go down the hall and turn to the right there's a small alcove you'll be able to hide in until the Tengu leave with me. Then run and get out of here." She reached for Ryo and pulled him until he was out of the cell. "Go."
Ryo stared at Riska as she leaned against the wall, despite her assurance of being able to take the torture she didn't look like it. "I can't stand the idea of them hurting you more, when we could stop them together."
"Ryo." Riska coughed up a laugh, "We are not in our physical bodies. Our souls are affected differently without them. We don't have the strength that we would normally have but we can endure so much more."
Ryo slowly nodded, he knew Riska was right. Even if she hadn't had the choice to help him or felt close to the Ronins he knew that she had always told the truth when it came to the facts of a battle or how to survive. Slowly he began to walk. The sound of the demons was growing closer, and he picked up the pace to a jog.
"Ryo." Riska called out as he reached the corner to turn. He turned around to look at Souls. She was standing outside of the cell now and she was smiling. "To answer your questions about if everything I did was against my will and what I really feel for Rowen. I-." Her words were drowned out by the Tengu and Riska made a gesture for him to hurry off.
Ryo turned and ran, not knowing what her answer had been.
Once Riska was sure Ryo was gone she turned around to face the horde of demons that came flying around the corner. The Tengu's beaks snapped at Riska and she closed her eyes briefly as one bit a part of her hair then spat it out. A demon that looked like a hag reached out and grabbed Riska's ankles to hold her still.
Riska winced as the squawking from the Tengu became louder and more furious; they had realized that Ryo was missing. She didn't react; she didn't want to hint towards what direction he had gone in.
Her head swam she was dizzy, which wasn't surprising, and it getting hard to stay upright. It had taken a lot of energy to create that orb for Ryo. The orb was made up of a part of her, of her very soul. It was the price the guards would ask for. A piece of a soul for them to feed upon, it was the only way Ryo would be able to escape to safety.
The Tengu suddenly pushed Riska making her fall to her knees and waking her from her thoughts. They pecked at her trying to get her to tell them where Ryo went, but she wouldn't tell them. She couldn't tell them even if she wanted to anyway; the Ancient's spell didn't allow her to speak the words.
When the Tengu got frustrated they tried to get her to stand back up but Riska's legs were too tired. They felt like rubber, there was no way they could support her right now. Angry two Tengu grabbed her under her armpits and began to drag her in the direction Ryo went.
As they turned the corner where Ryo had gone she was glad to not see him anywhere. She let her head drop with fatigue and didn't even turn to look into the dark alcove where she could sense Ryo was hiding and watching.
Closing her eyes she let darkness take over as the Tengu dragged her away to torture her some more.
