Sana proceeded to keep watch over Kento as he was still unconscious in his cell. It shouldn't take long for him to regain consciousness. She was patient for the most part. It has been a long time coming. Sana hasn't seen Kento since they were children back in Shigong. She was interested if he remembered.
Through the years, Sana grew to be an influential leader. She made the Jade Thorns the most feared assassin's clan in China. No one attempted to challenge them. Even the local authorities didn't even risk mentioning the killers. Other law organizations tried to investigate the Jade Thorns. But, the local law enforcement would either disavow any information of their presence. They would make sure there would be no evidence. For, any outsiders come across in whatever investigation. Who may or may not be associated with the clan.
Inside the Jade Thorns itself, not one member tried to confront Sana for leadership. She welcomed whatever challenger came her way. Sana still attained whatever method she could to succeed. The last challenger she had was close to ten years ago with her deceased husband. He wanted to leave the clan with their son. But Sana declined and said their son had to stay, but he could leave. He was not going to leave his son in the hands of his wife. The father didn't want his son to turn out to be an assassin. So instead, he challenged his wife. The trial commenced. The two of them were equal in skill. But during the match, she used their son as a shield from an attack her husband launched. He halted in mid-action within an arm's reach of penetrating his weapon into his son. He understood once she released the boy, and she struck him down. The late husband relinquished his weapon to the ground and accepted his destiny. Sana shoved the boy out of the way and plunged her sword into her husband's heart. Once he collapsed to the ground, she whipped the blood from her blade and sheathed it. Sana turned her back on her dead husband and had her son delivered to a cell for the time being.
Sana snapped her thoughts back to the present when she heard her son from behind. "Mother."
"Ammon, are you here to see the one brought in to be your future stepfather?"
He stood alongside her and examined Kento. Ammon crossed his arms and glanced elsewhere, "Not impressed. If you ask me to accept him as my stepfather, then you're mistaken. I remembered who my father was once. I won't forget him no matter what you say or do."
Sana narrowed her eyes at him. Her voice had a hint of irritation, "I don't care if you accept him or not. He will be your stepfather. Plus, if you ever mention him again in my presence..."
Ammon wheeled around and confronted her. His eyes narrowed, "You'll, what? Kill me just like you did him? I don't believe you will. You still need me alive for the time. Why, exactly I haven't figured out, though, but I will one way or another."
Sana was about to reply, but then Kento started to regain consciousness. He groaned while his hand raised and rubbed the back of his head. "Ow, man, what a headache." She and Ammon watched as Kento took his time to sit up and lean back against the wall. His eyes started to refocus, "What? Where?" He glanced around and saw he was in a cell. Kento dropped his hand and plunged it into his pocket as he tried to find his kanji ball. When he pulled out his hand, it was empty.
"Is this what you're looking for, my dear Kento?" Sana inquired as she presented his orb in front of him out of his reach.
"Hey! Give it back to me if you know what's good for you!"
Sana laughed as she put away the orb, "I don't think so, Kento. I'm keeping this for the moment."
Kento growled low in his throat as he rushed the door to his cell. He yelled when he felt the energy from the door as it shot him back a bit. "Damn..." He rubbed his hands and then glared at the two of them. "Just who are you? You seem somewhat familiar, and where are we?"
"We are in a secret compound in China. But you should be able to remember me. We crossed paths a long time ago, in Shigong. The two of us were just kids. My father killed your uncle Shen. Then I killed my father in turn..." Sana started to explain.
His eyes went wide as he remembered, "Sana..." Kento scowled at her and then noticed Ammon as he stood alongside his mother. "Who's he? One of your flunkies?"
Ammon growled at him as he uncrossed his arms and clenched his fists at his sides. "I'm no one's lackey!"
Sana laid a hand on her son's shoulder, "Leave us Ammon, Kento and I require to have some alone time."
He glanced at her, "Whatever," Ammon glared at Kento one more time and then left the two of them alone.
"From what my late uncle Shen told me the stories of the Jade Thorns, you're not the type to take prisoners. You're more kill on the spot and then take what you want. Or has it changed since we were kids?" Kento asked as he backed up and sat down on the bed.
Sana shook her head, "Not a thing has changed. Our clan is the most feared in China. I still lead the Jade Thorns."
"Why did you have your flunkies bring me here then? What are you trying to get from me?" Kento demanded as he kept his sights on her.
"My clan has increased in size. We are persisting to grow from China to Japan. But first, a few things need to take care of before it can transpire. I've heard rumors about what you and your friends have been up to over the years." Sana started to explain.
"Should I tell you I'm impressed? Well, guess what I couldn't care less. I'm not by any means fascinated."
Sana shook her head, "Kento, it's rude to interrupt," Her eyes phased white as she approached the side of Kento's cell where the bed was, and she reached in the cell and touched his arm. Sana sent a wave of intense pain through his arm and then stepped away as her eyes phased back to their regular color.
Kento yelled as he clutched his arm. The agony radiated from his shoulder to the tip of his fingers. He felt his heart race, and his breathing was ragged. Sweat started to form on his forehead under his headband. Kento narrowed his eyes at her, "How the hell were you able to cause pain just by touching? You didn't have powers when we were kids?"
Laughter erupted from her throat as a dangerous gleam glinted from her eyes. "My secret. Like I know your secret regarding the capabilities you have with your mystical armor. Plus the battles you had against Talpa and the Dynasty. Along with your other enemies, you and your friends faced through the years."
He was taken aback by her revelation, "There's no way you could know about any of it."
"You're wrong. I have my way of finding out whatever I want to know. I was impressed and intrigued. So much, I decided to require you as my new husband."
Kento blinked in surprise and then burst out laughing, "You and me... To be married. You're crazier than I thought. My heart belongs to someone else. There is no way I'd ever marry someone like you."
A deadly gleam set off in her eyes, "Ah yes, the Nephilim, Kaye, the one you refer to as your angel. I'm surprised you promised your heart to someone who isn't human."
Kento narrowed his eyes as he glared at her, "Kaye is more human than you will ever be!"
"I imagine we will see. But in the meantime, I do believe I will be able to change your mind." Sana turned her back to him and reached into her pocket as she pulled out her cell. She pointed it to screens playing a live feed of his parent's home as well as their restaurant. Another showed a live feed of the rest of the guys and Kaye at the new amusement park, and another screen showed the manor. "As you can see, I have been keeping tabs on all of you for a while. Right now, I have assassins set up to take a hit out on your family and friends if I give them the word. Not a single one of them is aware of the fact. They are under the watch of my assassins. None of them know they are my next victims to be eliminated."
He was so enraged by what Sana said, Kento charged at the door repeatedly until he dropped to the ground from the intense pain he received from the energy which helped keep his door locked. It was the same signature he felt from Sana when she physically touched his arm. She somehow fused his cell door with her ability. His breathing labored as he was on his hands and knees to stabilize himself. Kento raised his head as he glared at her, "If your assassins try anything against the ones I care for, I swear..."
"You are in no position to threaten me, Kento. So, I ask you again. Will you accept my offer of marriage to me to protect the lives of the people you hold close to your heart? I await your answer but don't take too long. The more time you take to ponder your response, the less opportunity they have to live. In the meantime, I'll keep the live feeds on, so you can watch them while you consider your answer to me." Sana replied as she turned her back to him and walked away from the cell.
Kento clenched his fists and slammed them into the floor. An enraged roar exploded deep from his throat. He felt his body as it began to tremble from the rage he was undergoing at the moment. How dare she endanger the ones he cares for in regard to her scheme for marriage? What's her end game? Why did she choose him to wed? He couldn't wrap his head around anything right now. He was supposed to be on a training trip. But instead, he was captured by a psycho from his past. Kento closed his eyes and sighed as he repositioned himself to sit on the floor. He opened his eyes and turned his attention to the screens.
'Maybe I shouldn't have left Japan for my training. If I am back home, then I'd be able to be there to protect them. But no! I'm stuck in this caged cell! Alright, come on, Kento gets it together. Use your head. Sana has my orb, and I have no way of contacting anyone back home. Unless perhaps, I'm not sure if Kaye can connect with me through our dreams from this far. Man, It'll be hours before nightfall. Maybe I should have taken her up on those lessons on dream walking. But our bond with one another should be strong enough to get through. I hope. It's all I have to go on for now.' Kento pushed himself from the floor and walked over to the bed as he laid down. He laced his fingers behind his head and stared at the screens.
Ammon leaned over the railing on the overhead catwalk as he glanced between the screens and Kento. 'What is it about him, mother? Why does he have your interest so much? Is it because we're going into new territory? Is it because we are starting to deal with more people with real powers? We've never dealt with anything dealing in magic or supernatural before. Not until you obtained your abilities.' A deep frown appeared when he racked his brain to try and remember when his mother and her private assassins did acquire their abilities. For the life of him, he couldn't remember. 'Maybe they did when I was out on assignment. It would be the main time it would make any sense. Since most of the time, she has had me stay in the compound and train day in and day out. At least she doesn't have me being watched like a hawk anymore. So it leaves me free to work on a few things she doesn't know about either. I have to bide my time and watch how things transform. I need to be patient. My time will come. I'll make my play.'
"Ammon, what are you doing up here?"
He glanced over and saw his mother approach him from the side. "Nothing."
Sana raised a brow as she studied her son. She walked to the railing and looked down at Kento in his cell. "You're still not going to accept him as your stepfather?"
"You're a quick one. Why do you care if I accept Kento or not anyway? It doesn't make sense." Ammon shot back with a touch of annoyance.
"You're right. I don't care. But I will get my way, and Kento will marry me."
"By threatening his family, friends, and the woman, he loves? Then again, I'm not surprised by your tactics. Let me ask you something else, mother." Ammon started to say as he turned to face her, "Do you even love this man?"
Sana laughed, "Love has nothing to do with this. Come on, my dear son, think. What would be the other reason I'd want someone?"
Ammon scowled as he turned away from her, "Power. You believe if you marry Kento, then you'll be unstoppable no matter where you take the clan."
A twisted grin crept to her face, "There's the intelligent boy I know. Now you're starting to understand how things work in this world. Power is everything. No one will ever try to undermine the Jade Thorns ever again."
"People still fear you and the clan presently. Isn't what you have now enough for you?"
"Power is an addiction. Once achieved, people desire more until there is no more power to obtain. However, as long as there is magic in the world. Then I will continue to desire more. One day my son, you will understand." Sana replied as she turned and strolled away from him.