Dani ran down the long, empty hallway, her sword drawn and at the ready. Talpa's cronies were looking for her now, she knew. She hoped she would be able to find Ryo and Sage before the entirety of the Dynasty fell down upon her.

"There she is!" a voice cried. She whirled and saw Cale, his nodachi drawn. He was followed by a squadron of green goons. She raised her sword to the ready position, bracing her feet. Cale slashed down at her, creating a loud ring as his steel met hers. She held her sword firm, her muscles braced against his attack. While she was occupied, the goons swarmed her, slashing and attacking her from all sides. Dani tried to back away, pushing Cale's sword to the side. She elbowed a goon in the throat, slashing at the chest of another.

"There's no escape," Cale said with a smile. "We've got you surrounded!" It was true. With Cale in front of her and the soldiers around her, the situation was shaping up to be an ugly one. She lashed out again, but Cale caught her sword with his, then, quick as a snake, moved in and flipped her sword away from her body. She heard it clatter against the floor, then saw a soldier pick it up and move away.

She drew her bow and arrows, quickly notching one and sending it shooting at the chest of a goon. She hardly needed time to aim, since they were on top of her. The goon crumpled and fell with a sound of air whooshing out of the empty armor. Before she could notch another, a sword connected with her hands, then lashed at the bowstring. The snap of the bowstring breaking sounded as loud to Dani as a hammer landing on steel. With the breaking of her bow, her last vestige of hope for survival fled.

Even so, she glared Cale down. She was surprised that her enemies were just standing there, surrounding her. Weaponless, they could have taken her down by now, but still they stood.

"Kill me then," she said flippantly, her heart pounding in her chest. Though she would like to pretend otherwise, the concept of dying was still very unnerving.

"We don't want to kill you," Cale said. "Actually, Talpa is very interested in meeting you."

"Meeting me?" Dani asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Why?"

"I'll let him discuss it with you," Cale replied. With a nod from him, the goons surrounding her grabbed her arms, with the one who carried her sword also relieving her of her broken bow.

Dani relaxed her arms and led them march her down the hallway. After a few minutes – when the goons had relaxed just a tiny bit – she jerked her right arm from their grasp, snatched an arrow from her quiver, and stuck it through the eye socket of the nearest solider before any could react. She spun, yanking her other arm free as she did so, then sent a high kick into the chest of a second goon, who crashed backwards into the wall. She slammed the arrow into another eye socket, but then the arrow shattered in her hands. Before she could move to take another, she found Cale's nodachi at her throat.

"Now, girl, be good," he purred. "Talpa may want you alive for now, but you know you aren't getting away." He flashed a smile that practically made Dani's bones shiver in fear. "But once he's done with you, you'll be mine." He sheathed his sword as the remaining goons again latched on to Dani.

When Talpa's soldiers pulled her away this time, she could not find the will to fight back.

Anubis' sickle crashed into Ryo's chest that it sent him flying backwards. Ryo hit the ground hard, the metal of his armor squealing against the floor as he slid. His upper back and head connecting with the floor. Ryo felt his breath leave him in a rush, his lungs scream in pain, and his head begin to swim. Still, he rose quickly, grasping the Swords of Fervor with arms that were beginning to tremble with exertion.

"Sage!" he cried out desperately, looking around. All he could see around him were furious enemies. Some were running towards him in a feverish bloodlust, but not all. Chaos reigned in this gargantuan, echoing chamber of the fortress. Ryo looked around again, the sides of his helmet impeding his vision. "Sage!" he cried again as Anubis descended upon him once more, swinging his weapon by the chain. "We have to find them and get out of here! Sage! Where are you?"

"I'm here!" came Sage's muffled voice from somewhere to the left. Ryo felt a surge of relief, even as he had to block Anubis' blow with his swords. The clamor of battle from that direction told Ryo that his friend was deep in a fight, but at least he was alive. Anubis yanked free, then spun. He faked a blow with his sickle and kicked powerfully at Ryo's chest with his left leg. Ryo grunted, falling back a few paces. "Here we go," he muttered after he gained his balance. He took in a deep breath. Ryo held his twin swords out to his side, glaring at Anubis as the Warlord approached again, then crossed the two blades. "Rage…. Of… INFERNO!"

A sudden light bloomed within the castle. The ball of light grew to the size of an elephant, bursing through walls and ceilings. Wood and stone rubble flew to the sky, then clattered to the ground and ceilings around it. Meanwhile, a thick stream of fiery red energy connected with Talpa's front door. The doors bent and crackled in the heat. The gold inlay melted on contact, running in thick streams down the towering doors. From somewhere within, otherworldly screams of pain rose in a crescendo before slowly dying away.

"That's our cue!" Rowen announced. He turned to Mia and Yuli. "Stay hidden! We'll be back for you!" Mia nodded and ushered Yuli into the office building that the three Ronin had been standing upon, running with him to hide deep in the recesses. With a growl, White Blaze bounded after them as their ever-loyal guardian.

The three boys took off at a run, heading straight towards the mangled gates. As they ran, they could feel their armors reconnecting with them. It gave them renewed energy and fervor, helping them leap through the mangled gates, summoning their armor as they went.

Sekhmet entered Talpa's chamber alone. "My lord," he greeted, saluting Talpa again. "We have the Tempest. She is being held in your antechamber."

"Very good," Talpa responded, sounding very pleased. "And the others?" Sekhmet paused.

"The girl and child have escaped."

"No matter. We have what we wanted." Talpa's words were dismissive, but they still held an edge of annoyance.

The door burst open again. Cale entered quickly, giving only a hasty salute to Talpa. "My lord, Halo and Wildfire broke free. They are fighting Anubis. Wildfire is wearing the Inferno armor."

"As I expected. You four weak fools are incapable of capturing these boys who waltz into your gates." Talpa's voice dripped with disgust.

"I will take care of them for you, my lord," Sekhmet said smoothly, shooting a glare at Cale from the corners of his eyes. "It will be my pleasure."

"No."

"My… my lord?" Sekhmet questioned, his eyebrows coming together in surprise.

"Send in Dais. And then bring me that girl."