A Tale of Two Torrents

By Dixxy

Chapter Eleven: The Jewel of Hope

(Cye)

I struggled against my ropes, trying to break free so I could get to Sara. Termini was going to KILL her, and I couldn't do anything to stop him unless I was able to free myself. "Sara!" I cried out in determination. "Termini! Don't you dare lay a finger on her!" But to no avail.

I saw Sue Lee and the Gruff trying to sneak over to me. I looked to them with desperation. If they could untie me, I could try using my Torrent powers- I had been using them a little longer than Sara had and had been under more intense training schedules. All else failed, I would have to use my powers as the Child of Destiny to save Sara.

IF I could figure out how to use them.

Ever since I had learned I had inherited some of my father's armor powers, I hadn't a clue as to how to use them. Anubis tried to teach them to me, but, it just wasn't happening. I could make flowers grow (one of the elements of that armor is Spring), but that was pretty much it. I couldn't use any attack magic, elemental magic, or, if Anubis was right, combination magic. Combination magic is just what it sounds like, a combination of two or more kinds of magic, and if it's used on you, you're screwed. That's why the Child of Destiny is supposed to be so dangerous- when I figured out how to mix up my Torrent powers and Anubis' Ogre powers. . . I was a walking lethal weapon.

Our host turned enemy noticed Sue Lee and the Gruff as they made their way over. Taking his attention off of Sara, Termini raised his hand, creating a force field around them. A magical cage. Sue Lee clung to the Gruff, looking scared. She was going to watch us get killed. Then, she was probably going to get killed, too.

We had to do something!

In my desperation, I tried to cast some sort of spell. Even a rainstorm might distract him long enough for Sara to recover, though I wasn't sure how badly she'd been hurt, or if she was unconscious. I raised a few fingers and pressed my palms together. Maybe. . . maybe. . .

I gave out a silent cry of joy as a beam of blue light spasmodically smacked Termini in the back. It didn't do much, but it did take his attention away from Sara. He growled at me, not looking too happy over me striking him. He growled, getting really frustrated.

"You little brat!" he said, shaking a fist at me. "I hope your take-over is as painful as they come for that backhanded insult! No one DARES to strike the great Lord Termini! No body! Not even you, you little bastard! No one strikes Termini and lives to tell about it!"

I took notice that Sara had recovered enough to get away and was slowly backing up, trying to formulate a plan of some sort. She smiled at me weakly and gave me a quick thumbs up. I glanced behind Termini and smiled at her, glad she was going to be all right. Now we could kick his butt from here to kingdom come.

Termini saw my eyes wander and cursed when he saw that Sara had escaped. He screamed, beginning to pitch a fit. "You little wench! I'm going to rip you to shreds! Nothing can stop me from taking the Child of Destiny! Nothing! Not even you, you stupid Chosen!"

While I had no idea what Termini meant by "Chosen" as he yelled at Sara, I got an idea. Water might've been able to weaken the ropes. Better yet, it might've been able to rot them out to the point I could break them. I concentrated on the ropes, gathering moisture from the air. I felt my wrists dampen and knew it was beginning to work. While the spell ran its course, the ropes began to get heavy with water. I closed my eyes, advancing the spell.

With that, I began to try and use what little strength I had to rip the ropes apart. Then Termini would have a problem. Slowly, I could feel the fibers of the rope begin to snap. Yes! I thought to myself. I intensified my struggle until the rotted out ropes fell into my lap. I flicked the remainder of my bindings of, then stood up and summoned my yari. I was going to run the bastard through.

I silently charged forth, only the have Termini jump out of the way at the last minute. I cursed, snapping my fingers in frustration. He used some very colorful language when he saw I'd escaped. Sara went to my side, the two of us staring down our former host. Now that both of us were free, he was doomed.

"How sweet of you to defend the little bitch," said Termini. "Well, that's not how it's going to work. I'm going to win this battle, I'm going to control Cye, and I'm going to use him to take over your world!" He raised the Jewel of Death high over his head and began to chant.

We both fell to our knees, both of us suffering from agonizing pain. The Gruff and Sue Lee were screaming for Termini to stop it, Sue Lee pounding her fists up against the force field. "Cye! Sara!" she cried out. The Gruff butted its head against the force field, occasionally trying to burn in (!). Termini just laughed evilly at their fruitless efforts to try and help us.

I was somehow able to look up at Termini. There had to be a way to stop him, but what was it! I was the Child of Destiny. I was supposed to be able to use not only my own power's but my father's powers as well. I was supposed to be dangerous! But here I was, someone who most Dynasty lords feared, and I was totally helpless. So what the bloody devil did I have to do to use my powers?

Patience, Torrent. Your powers will awaken all in good time. . .

I knew that voice all too well. I knew who was speaking with me. Ancient? I asked. Yes, it was the Ancient One. The Ancient would help me! He always helped the Ronins whenever we were in trouble. Ancient One, help me! This fellow is winning. He's going to kill us!

The Chosen Mate will take care of the Jewel of Death- you will take care of Lord Termini, just have patience, was the Ancient One's response to my pleas. Have patience, Child of Destiny. Your time will come soon enough and you will live up to your every expectation.

. . . the what?

"GRROAARRRRR!"

Apparently the Gruff took that opportunity to bust out of Termini's force field. Sue Lee cheered for the Gruff, jumping up and down. Apparently the Jewel of Death wasn't affecting the beast, since it pounced on Termini, breaking his hold on us. The Jewel of Death flew from his hand and landed a few feet away.

Sara recovered just a little faster than I did. She wasn't as vulnerable to the talisman as I was-it still had the power to control me. She stood up and darted over to where the Jewel of Death sat. She picked it up by the string attached to it. She held it out in front of her, keeping it as far away from her as she could.

"Sara, what are you doing!" I asked, now in a kneeling position. "Get rid of that thing!"

"No. . . someone's telling me to change it," she said.

"Change it! What the bloody hell do you think you can do to change it!" I asked.

"I. . . I don't know. . ." she said. At that moment, the Gruff bounded away from Termini and stood by Sara, taking the Jewel of Death in his mouth. My partner in arms looked at the beast as it stood before her, talisman dangling from one of its fangs. "You're helping me?" The Gruff nodded, bumping her side with its head. Her eyes suddenly widened and she nodded, taking the dagger from her subarmored leg and holding it out in front of her.

"I don't think so you little brats!" roared Termini, who looked royally peeved. My yari still in hand, I charged him again, distracting him. I had to keep Termini away from Sara and the Gruff. Sara must be the "Chosen Mate" that the Ancient was talking about. But what does that mean?

Just like last time, Termini was able to get out of the way. He summoned a very sharp and dangerous looking sword, ready to fight. Termini and I circled each other for a few minutes, never taking our eyes off the other. Both of us knew that one of us was not going to leave alive. This was going to be a fight to the death.

I was hoping it was going to be HIS death and not mine.

Clang. . . clang. . . clang. . . clang. . .

The battle field was set into silence. I looked around, wondering where the clanging of rings had come from. Sara, the Gruff, Sue Lee, and Termini were all doing the same. The Ancient One's spirit was here. We could all sense it, even Sue Lee and the Gruff. Those rings always meant the Ancient.

A strong gust of wind appeared out of nowhere, the shadowy image of the Ancient standing before the Gruff and Sara. The Gruff seemed to bow, the Ancient lowing the Staff to his head. "Scarred one, protect the Child of Destiny and his Chosen Mate," he said to the strange beast. The beast nodded, yapping in response. With that, the Ancient lifted the Staff into the air and slammed it into the ground with a mighty cry.

With that, the Ancient disappeared. At first, nothing happened, leaving us all dumbfounded. "What was THAT?" said Termini. He snorted. "So, it would appear as if I'm more powerful than the mighty Ancient One. Ha! This is going to be even easier than I originally thought!"

Termini spoke just a LITTLE bit too soon.

Once the last word escaped his lips, Sara was bathed in a golden glow. The Gruff glowed as well, bowing its head. Some of the glow seeped from the dog-like creature, empowering the Senshi of the Torrent. She was lifted a few feet off the ground, panicking at first. Then, seeing she was in no harm, my partner in arms straightened herself and extended her arms, closing her eyes as her long blue hair flew up behind her. The Jewel of Death lifted into the air, the Gruff letting it go. The Jewel floated between Sara's open hands, glowing white as it spun madly in the air.

After a bright flash of white, Sara returned to the ground, the Jewel of Death now a bright blue in color as opposed to the deep black we were used to. Sara stared at it in bewilderment, not seeming to remember much after she was lifted into the air. She looked at me in question, somehow expecting me to know the answer.

I didn't have a good answer for what had just happened or what was about to happen.

The next thing I knew, my yari faded away. I looked around in confusion, wondering where it had gone. I looked at my hands, twisting them from the back to the palm, expecting my weapon to reappear. When I turned them to see the backs of my hands, I saw my hands begin to glow.

"Uh oh," said Termini.

I watched in curiously as the kanji symbol of "Trust" lit up my right hand, the kanji symbol of "Loyalty" on my left. Each glowed with the color of the respective armor that went with it. As they did, I felt a power from deep within my stomach begin to awaken, almost as if it had been asleep for a thousand years, maybe more. It began to channel itself straight through my left arm to my left hand. I felt the familiar Torrent magic thrust itself through my right arm.

I grinned, knowing EXACTLY what was going on.

Apparently, so did Termini. He had turned an interesting white color, knowing that his time was suddenly very limited. He was about to get blasted by a very powerful, and very angry, Ronin Warrior. A Ronin Warrior who could use combination magic. "Would you like to die slowly and painfully or quickly and instantaneously?" I asked Termini.

"This is what you get for trying to mess with us," said Sara, who had walked over to me. She now stood beside me, somehow seeming older and wiser her hair flowed off to the side. The Gruff was at her side, towering well over a foot above her. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it was a bad idea to try and take on two really angry Ronins?"

Termini stared at us in disbelief. He knew it was over for him. Once I combined the two magic forces radiating from my hands, he was going to be blasted to smithereens. He narrowed his eyes. "Kill me if you will, but not before I fight back!" he cried, creating a mass of dark energy high above his head.

I raised my hands over my head clasped them, and threw the clenched fists before me, sending a blue and yellow explosion of energy headed straight for Termini. The black energy he'd sent towards us was swallowed up by my attack. His last ditch effort was no use. My attack had won.

It struck him full force.

I held the attack out as long as I could, listening to his deafening wails of agony, unclenching my hands once I was certain he was dead. I fell to my knees, resting my hands on my thighs. I felt drained and tired, but happy. I had finally awoken to my true potential, and I was quite proud of myself. Sara dropped to my side, smiling.

"Nice work," she said. "You saved our lives."

"So did you," I said, smiling at her. I raised one hand to her cheek, turning her face to mine. Her smile softened, getting somehow very pretty. In fact, she looked very pretty. Knowing it was something I wanted to do and something she wanted me to do, I closed my eyes and leaned in to kiss her lightly on the lips.

And it was good.

Sue Lee giggled, breaking my attention from Sara. "Kissy-kissy!" she said.

"Some day you'll be 'kissy-kissy' with a boy, too, Sue Lee," said Sara, laughing. She stood up, lending me a shoulder so I could get up, too. Sue Lee rushed over, hugging us both. The Gruff whined, lowering its head to nuzzle me and Sara. Sara laughed, patting the creature on the forehead.

"Well, it's good to see you've resolved your argument."

The four of us turned to see my father and Ria looking at us, the Fire Senshi in subarmor and Anubis in the robes of the Ancient One. Ria stared at the Gruff and pointed at it, one eyebrow raised in confusion. "What's that wolf thingy with you guys and where are its back legs?"

Anubis stared at our friend. "A Gruff?" he asked. "You've befriended a Gruff?"

"After it chased us halfway across Boston for a bag of chips in Cye's backpack," said Sara, nodding enthusiastically. Sue Lee giggled, scratching our friend behind the ears. "But yes, it's our friend. He helped us take on a Dynasty bad guy. If it weren't for him. . . I don't know if we could have held off long enough for you guys to get here."

"Look at what Sara made!" said Sue Lee, holding the blue jewel high above her head.

"What IS that?" asked Anubis.

"Well, it WAS the Jewel of Death," I said. Anubis looked at me, raising an eyebrow. Part of it sent a message that plainly said that while he was glad to see me, I hadn't been home for two days, and I had been grounded already, and without a decent explanation, I wouldn't see the light of day for a very long time to come. "Sara did something to it and now it's. . . different."

"It's good now," said Sara, taking the jewel back from Sue Lee. She walked over to Anubis and dropped it into his hands. "I don't how I did it or even why I did it, but it isn't evil anymore. When I changed it, Cye awoke to his powers as the Child of Destiny. It gave us a ray of hope."

"You finally used your powers?" asked Anubis excitedly, running up to me. His eyes were twice as wide as normal and he had a huge grin on his face. I nodded, getting a bear hug from my father. He lifted me off the ground, obviously happy with me. "Congratulations, my boy! You've finally done it!"

"Does this mean Cye's off punishment?" asked Sue Lee.

My father folded his arms and tapped his food. "Well. . . I'll consider it," said Anubis. "But don't think that every time you defeat a Dynasty villain you'll be let off punishment if I do." I mentally gave a whoop of joy- being confined to the apartment was beginning to get boring, despite the adventure I had just been on.

"I have an idea- let's get home so Sara and Cye can tell us what happened!" said Ria, speaking up for the first time in a while. She clasped her hands together and rocked back on her heels. "Does everyone agree, or do the three of you want to spend a while in the Dynasty?"

"Yeah, that sounds nice, let's get home before my mom has kittens," said Sara. She took the former Jewel of Death and put it around her neck. "Besides, we have a few things to take care of. We gotta come up with a name for this thing AND our new friend, here."

"The Jewel of Hope," said Sue Lee.

"I like that," said Sara. "Now let's get out of here."