One more chapter of this and we are finished!
Outside the castle
"We. we don't know where Sage is. We- we sensed his armor here," Sai mumbled out. Everyone was mortified at the hideous mutilated duplicate of the Ronin Warrior of Wisdom. "I am not surprised," Seisuke sighed angrily. "Your armor does look a lot like Sage's armor. How'd you get it? The Ancient One only made nine." Ryo decided to openly express his suspicions to Seisuke. He was the leader. His duty was to be strong and support the group. Did Seisuke kill Sage and get Halo? Seisuke smiled, "I assure you that I did not kill my brother if that is what you were thinking. I have a theory on why the Ancient One might make an extra of the same armor. Everyone who wears a Ronin armor, correct?" He waited for a response and got none. "Well?" "Yes, you are correct," Rowen stammered out. The Ronin Warriors had nodded mutely, not accustomed to being near a blind man. "Well, since Sage and I were born as identical twins, our ability to wear Halo was also equal. Therefore, since there were two people born to wear Halo, why not make two Halo armors?" "So you're saying that the Ancient One only made armors of nine different types?" Rowen wondered. "He certainly had the power to do that."
In Mia's room
Kento did not like Seisuke and did not like the castle. However, he never liked anything that had anything in common with the nether world. Arden's constant, hovering presence while they were with Seisuke unnerved them. Seisuke was Sage's identical twin! If Sage was captured by the Dynasty instead, he would be exactly like his demented twin. The Ronins agreed unanimously to speak with Mia before discussing Sage further. They wanted to know what Mia knew and compare her words with Seisuke's words. "Are you okay, Mia? Has he been treating you right?" Ryo asked her immediately. "Um, yeah, I'm fine," she replied quickly, but uneasily, "I'm just a little shook up about what happened to Sage. He was kidnapped and I don't know much else." They remained with her for a few moments until they were certain that she was okay. Then they left to find Seisuke again and to help Sage. Mia suddenly asked before they exited completely, "Sai, can you stay with me for a little while?" "Okay," Sai shrugged and looked at the others curiously, "I shouldn't be gone too long. Go ahead."
Seisuke's throne room
"My only theory as to my brother's whereabouts is that he was kidnapped by Lord Ryouzou," Seisuke told them. "Who's Ryouzou?" Ryo asked. "My rival. He hates me completely." Rowen asked Seisuke, "Shouldn't we tell Kayura and the former warlords about this? They are responsible for controlling the nether realm and it is our responsibility to inform them about rivalries and feuds." In addition, if Seisuke at first thought Sage was with us, why did Mia know Sage was kidnapped? Seisuke would get the information first and Mia second. We talked with Mia immediately after we met Seisuke and there was no time in between for her to get the information. Seisuke spoke smoothly, "Kayura and the others don't need to be troubled with our predicament, especially when we are fully capable of handling the problem by ourselves." Suddenly, the door flew open. Everyone grabbed their weapons in shock and surprise, but relaxed their grip somewhat when they saw Sai of the Torrent trip over his own rambling feet and sprawl across the floor. Arden ran in Sai's direction as though to help him, but ran past him and looked out of the swinging doors. "There's no threat," the youja said, confused at the Ronin's abrupt and loud entrance. Then, he helped Sai to his feet. "I'm sorry," Sai apologized. "I just wanted to get here as fast as I could." Seisuke sighed, "We were just discussing Sage. I fear Ryouzou would use him against us." "How?" Ryo demanded an answer. "Would he use a nether spirit?" "No. There are more dangerous ways of converting someone."
Near the entrance of Seisuke's castle
Seisuke heard the Ronin Warriors approach him. Everything was going according to plan - Arden's plan, essentially. His entire life was possible because of Arden and Seisuke felt a strange sense of. gratitude. Arden was the only good constant in his entire life. Mia merely filled a fragment. Arden always supported his decisions, offered advise, and cared about his well-being. "I believe there is something wrong with Sai of the Torrent that could hinder us," Seisuke told the youja and sensed his apprehension. He wanted to thank Arden somehow for his help and to repay him for all his troubles, "Don't worry. I will handle him." Sensing an increase in Arden's worry, Seisuke smiled wistfully and tried to joke, "I won't injure him nor kill him."
Ryouzou's castle
Ryouzou said to Sage, "I fear your brother has decided to attack us. He moves against us as we speak and the Ronin Warriors are following his every command." Sage sighed. He was still blind and he was angry that his friends allied themselves with his evil twin! "I must go to them. I must tell my friends that they're being mislead." "They are beyond saving!" Ryouzou told him again that night. Sage scowled. "You don't know my friends."
On the way to Ryouzou's castle
Sai was crying and no one knew why. Something really upset him, but Sai was not crying because of whatever upset him. If everyone ignored him, he would not cry. For some reason Rowen saw how disturbed Sai looked and said, "Don't cry." Then, Sai started crying. Kento tried to ignore his friend. Sai was probably disturbed because of Seisuke's ghastly appearance and Sage's disappearance and he always cried whenever people tell him not to cry. Late at night when they were surveying a good place to camp, Kento saw Seisuke walk over to Sai. He did not hear what they said, but he recognized their tones. Seisuke sounded composed and threatening. Sai was almost hysterical, but restricted his voice. Seisuke walked away, looking very angry and perplexed. Kento was too tired and scared of Sage's twin to ask what the conversation was about.
Ryouzou's castle
Sage was nowhere to be found. He never attempted to sleep. Maddened with rage, Ryouzou stormed out of his castle. The brat ran off towards his brother and the Ronin Warriors!
On the way to Ryouzou's castle Early morning
Sai's urgent shout instantly awoke the Ronin Warriors. "Someone's coming!" he yelled. Everyone instantly pulled out their weapons and got into their battle stances. "Seisuke!" a familiar voice called out cautiously. Rowen shouted to the approaching person, "Sage!" The Ronin Warriors were overjoyed yet also wary. Seisuke sighed and move towards his brother. He remembered what Sai told him last night and he needed to take responsibility for his actions. The others were still blind to the truth. Ah, there were many different forms of blindness! How strange. Seisuke knew exactly what would happen because of his actions but he continued to feel comfort and gratitude for everyone who helped him willingly and knowingly. Sai ran next to him. "You are very obedient," Seisuke said, remembering last night's conversation. He stepped in front of Sai. "Sage is my brother. I must take care of him." Then Sage came into view. The two twins with identical armors stood face-to-face with each other, hearing and almost feeling the other's breathing. How strange that calmness can also be tense! "Seisuke?" Sage called out. "Yes." Then Sage struck his brother with his big sword. Seisuke barely blocked in time and the force of the blow knocked him down. Sai instantly stood defensively in front of Seisuke and blocked Sage's sword repeatedly until the nodatchi and the yari were stuck together. Sage pressed his sword closer to his opponent's head. "Sage, stop this!" Sai yelled under the strain. "Sai?" Sage wondered, confused. The weapons parted as he backed away shakily. "Is everyone here?" The Ronin Warriors faced a new horror. Sage was blind and they did not know why.
Outside the castle
"We. we don't know where Sage is. We- we sensed his armor here," Sai mumbled out. Everyone was mortified at the hideous mutilated duplicate of the Ronin Warrior of Wisdom. "I am not surprised," Seisuke sighed angrily. "Your armor does look a lot like Sage's armor. How'd you get it? The Ancient One only made nine." Ryo decided to openly express his suspicions to Seisuke. He was the leader. His duty was to be strong and support the group. Did Seisuke kill Sage and get Halo? Seisuke smiled, "I assure you that I did not kill my brother if that is what you were thinking. I have a theory on why the Ancient One might make an extra of the same armor. Everyone who wears a Ronin armor, correct?" He waited for a response and got none. "Well?" "Yes, you are correct," Rowen stammered out. The Ronin Warriors had nodded mutely, not accustomed to being near a blind man. "Well, since Sage and I were born as identical twins, our ability to wear Halo was also equal. Therefore, since there were two people born to wear Halo, why not make two Halo armors?" "So you're saying that the Ancient One only made armors of nine different types?" Rowen wondered. "He certainly had the power to do that."
In Mia's room
Kento did not like Seisuke and did not like the castle. However, he never liked anything that had anything in common with the nether world. Arden's constant, hovering presence while they were with Seisuke unnerved them. Seisuke was Sage's identical twin! If Sage was captured by the Dynasty instead, he would be exactly like his demented twin. The Ronins agreed unanimously to speak with Mia before discussing Sage further. They wanted to know what Mia knew and compare her words with Seisuke's words. "Are you okay, Mia? Has he been treating you right?" Ryo asked her immediately. "Um, yeah, I'm fine," she replied quickly, but uneasily, "I'm just a little shook up about what happened to Sage. He was kidnapped and I don't know much else." They remained with her for a few moments until they were certain that she was okay. Then they left to find Seisuke again and to help Sage. Mia suddenly asked before they exited completely, "Sai, can you stay with me for a little while?" "Okay," Sai shrugged and looked at the others curiously, "I shouldn't be gone too long. Go ahead."
Seisuke's throne room
"My only theory as to my brother's whereabouts is that he was kidnapped by Lord Ryouzou," Seisuke told them. "Who's Ryouzou?" Ryo asked. "My rival. He hates me completely." Rowen asked Seisuke, "Shouldn't we tell Kayura and the former warlords about this? They are responsible for controlling the nether realm and it is our responsibility to inform them about rivalries and feuds." In addition, if Seisuke at first thought Sage was with us, why did Mia know Sage was kidnapped? Seisuke would get the information first and Mia second. We talked with Mia immediately after we met Seisuke and there was no time in between for her to get the information. Seisuke spoke smoothly, "Kayura and the others don't need to be troubled with our predicament, especially when we are fully capable of handling the problem by ourselves." Suddenly, the door flew open. Everyone grabbed their weapons in shock and surprise, but relaxed their grip somewhat when they saw Sai of the Torrent trip over his own rambling feet and sprawl across the floor. Arden ran in Sai's direction as though to help him, but ran past him and looked out of the swinging doors. "There's no threat," the youja said, confused at the Ronin's abrupt and loud entrance. Then, he helped Sai to his feet. "I'm sorry," Sai apologized. "I just wanted to get here as fast as I could." Seisuke sighed, "We were just discussing Sage. I fear Ryouzou would use him against us." "How?" Ryo demanded an answer. "Would he use a nether spirit?" "No. There are more dangerous ways of converting someone."
Near the entrance of Seisuke's castle
Seisuke heard the Ronin Warriors approach him. Everything was going according to plan - Arden's plan, essentially. His entire life was possible because of Arden and Seisuke felt a strange sense of. gratitude. Arden was the only good constant in his entire life. Mia merely filled a fragment. Arden always supported his decisions, offered advise, and cared about his well-being. "I believe there is something wrong with Sai of the Torrent that could hinder us," Seisuke told the youja and sensed his apprehension. He wanted to thank Arden somehow for his help and to repay him for all his troubles, "Don't worry. I will handle him." Sensing an increase in Arden's worry, Seisuke smiled wistfully and tried to joke, "I won't injure him nor kill him."
Ryouzou's castle
Ryouzou said to Sage, "I fear your brother has decided to attack us. He moves against us as we speak and the Ronin Warriors are following his every command." Sage sighed. He was still blind and he was angry that his friends allied themselves with his evil twin! "I must go to them. I must tell my friends that they're being mislead." "They are beyond saving!" Ryouzou told him again that night. Sage scowled. "You don't know my friends."
On the way to Ryouzou's castle
Sai was crying and no one knew why. Something really upset him, but Sai was not crying because of whatever upset him. If everyone ignored him, he would not cry. For some reason Rowen saw how disturbed Sai looked and said, "Don't cry." Then, Sai started crying. Kento tried to ignore his friend. Sai was probably disturbed because of Seisuke's ghastly appearance and Sage's disappearance and he always cried whenever people tell him not to cry. Late at night when they were surveying a good place to camp, Kento saw Seisuke walk over to Sai. He did not hear what they said, but he recognized their tones. Seisuke sounded composed and threatening. Sai was almost hysterical, but restricted his voice. Seisuke walked away, looking very angry and perplexed. Kento was too tired and scared of Sage's twin to ask what the conversation was about.
Ryouzou's castle
Sage was nowhere to be found. He never attempted to sleep. Maddened with rage, Ryouzou stormed out of his castle. The brat ran off towards his brother and the Ronin Warriors!
On the way to Ryouzou's castle Early morning
Sai's urgent shout instantly awoke the Ronin Warriors. "Someone's coming!" he yelled. Everyone instantly pulled out their weapons and got into their battle stances. "Seisuke!" a familiar voice called out cautiously. Rowen shouted to the approaching person, "Sage!" The Ronin Warriors were overjoyed yet also wary. Seisuke sighed and move towards his brother. He remembered what Sai told him last night and he needed to take responsibility for his actions. The others were still blind to the truth. Ah, there were many different forms of blindness! How strange. Seisuke knew exactly what would happen because of his actions but he continued to feel comfort and gratitude for everyone who helped him willingly and knowingly. Sai ran next to him. "You are very obedient," Seisuke said, remembering last night's conversation. He stepped in front of Sai. "Sage is my brother. I must take care of him." Then Sage came into view. The two twins with identical armors stood face-to-face with each other, hearing and almost feeling the other's breathing. How strange that calmness can also be tense! "Seisuke?" Sage called out. "Yes." Then Sage struck his brother with his big sword. Seisuke barely blocked in time and the force of the blow knocked him down. Sai instantly stood defensively in front of Seisuke and blocked Sage's sword repeatedly until the nodatchi and the yari were stuck together. Sage pressed his sword closer to his opponent's head. "Sage, stop this!" Sai yelled under the strain. "Sai?" Sage wondered, confused. The weapons parted as he backed away shakily. "Is everyone here?" The Ronin Warriors faced a new horror. Sage was blind and they did not know why.