Timeline: after episode 33 [Mia, Yuli and Anubis found the Jewel of Life]
CHAPTER 8:
Premonition
It seemed a mere days ago that his life had run a predictable course. He had followed Talpa's orders, battled enemies of the Dynasty, fended off Kale's alluring propositions, fought with Dais over leadership and, generally, spent his time doing evil deeds. Then Wildfire - Ryo - had come along and that had been the beginning of the end. Their battle at the volcano still held stinging memories of defeat. It had been good to go back there to help Wildfire - Ryo - teach Lady Kayura the very same lesson about humility and defeat.
She was now the Dynasty's foremost weapon, and as much as he hated to admit it, she was a formidable weapon. He hadn't known about her, while he lead Talpa's army and that irked him. How had Talpa managed to conceal such a grand warrior in their midst? What else had he hidden from them? Ah, it wouldn't matter much longer. With the help of that doe-eyed woman Mia and the boy, they'd defeat Talpa once and for all.
He wasn't sure what had happened really. There had been doubt - doubt will be your downfall, Anubis; Talpa's words still rang in his ear - doubt that he wasn't able to live up to the Ancient's legacy, that maybe he wasn't the right person to wield the Ancient's staff. He did believe that he wasn't an evil person at heart, but centuries of living with Talpa's evil might have tainted whatever goodness still resided within him. Could he have fooled the Ancient? He certainly fooled himself? That had been a difficult lesson to learn. His life, his goals, everything that he had thought was his, should have been his, was really a lie pushed on him by Talpa? Sold to him with a minimal amount of effort.
He had spoken the truth when he had told Mia and Yulie about himself. He had been ambitious and greedy. He had been born with the need to prove himself, to become the best. He had been his father's son, to the core, he thought. He had inherited a pure bloodline and the blinding faith in his leader. Never question your lord! Falling into the hands of the enemy might have had a crushing effect on his young confidence, but Talpa had soothed his ego easily enough with promises of power and grandeur. And he'd been eager to swear loyalty to a new lord after he learned of the betrayal of the old.
For the first time in his life he had true freedom to choose, had freedom to live without a master. But he wasn't comfortable without a leader. He had inherited that, too, he mused. He had never been meant to be a ronin, to be without a master. Following the Ancient's leadership and upholding his legacy was a grand master, but doubt about his ability, about his worthiness to follow that path had nearly crippled him, until he fought Lady Kayura at the temple.
His fighting spirit, his need for combat for the pure sake of fighting and the joy of proving himself over and over again, had left his heart. He wasn't evil. He didn't need to fight. And if he could learn, if he could change, then maybe Kale, Sehkmet and Dais could, too. Though, they weren't ready yet. His fight with Dais in the city had clearly shown him that. If Dais despised him as a traitor, then his comrades surely did, too.
So when had his doubt left him? Where had this sudden belief in himself come from? He knew, simply knew, that if ever there came an opportunity to prove himself worthy of the Ancient's trust and legacy - there is was again, that need to prove himself - he wouldn't hesitate. He'd give his life.
____________________________________________________________________
Mia watched Anubis and wondered if he had done the right thing. The Jewel of Life might turn out to be their only hope to destroy Talpa and his dynasty. While she had faith in the Ronins and their ability, she was clear headed enough to realize what they were up against: one thousand years of unchecked evil let loose on the mortal world. Reigning that in was a formidable task.
Yes, she wanted to be there for them, help, fight even, but being entrusted with the Jewel of Life was a responsibility she wasn't sure she was able to live up to. She wondered what had changed Anubis' mind. He'd been so adamant about not getting Yulie and her any more involved then they already were. He had been right, of course, the Dynasty not being a safe place. So why had he changed his mind? What had changed his mind?
She had spent enough time with the former warlord now to see the change in him. It had secretly amused her how he'd walked around the house, trying to conceal the bafflement and wonder he must have experienced. The marvel of four hundred years of progress! He had never questioned her faith in her grandfather's research. She harbored the suspicion that he ... well, he seemed awed by her trust. It had seemed almost as if he wasn't sure of himself, of his new role.
The few times she had had the displeasure of his company before the Ancient talked some sense into him and freed him from Talpa's influence ... he'd been so arrogant and self-assured. Seeing him questioning himself had been a sobering experience and, if she was honest with herself, not very trust evoking. He'd promised Ryo and Rowan he'd help as best as he could, but she'd wondered about that.
Not anymore. He had that air about him again. Confidence. Faith. In himself. In his quest. The simple grace of a man on a mission. She recognized it immediately. Ryo possessed it. Passion. That's what it was. Finding the jewel had restored something that had been missing in his soul. And like Ryo, he'd be willing to sacrifice it all. Where he might have faltered before, he would now step into the fray. There was no question anymore, Mia knew. Anubis would lay his life down in a heartbeat. To prove to himself and the Ancient, that he had been a worthy choice. He would die to save the mortal world.
CHAPTER 8:
Premonition
It seemed a mere days ago that his life had run a predictable course. He had followed Talpa's orders, battled enemies of the Dynasty, fended off Kale's alluring propositions, fought with Dais over leadership and, generally, spent his time doing evil deeds. Then Wildfire - Ryo - had come along and that had been the beginning of the end. Their battle at the volcano still held stinging memories of defeat. It had been good to go back there to help Wildfire - Ryo - teach Lady Kayura the very same lesson about humility and defeat.
She was now the Dynasty's foremost weapon, and as much as he hated to admit it, she was a formidable weapon. He hadn't known about her, while he lead Talpa's army and that irked him. How had Talpa managed to conceal such a grand warrior in their midst? What else had he hidden from them? Ah, it wouldn't matter much longer. With the help of that doe-eyed woman Mia and the boy, they'd defeat Talpa once and for all.
He wasn't sure what had happened really. There had been doubt - doubt will be your downfall, Anubis; Talpa's words still rang in his ear - doubt that he wasn't able to live up to the Ancient's legacy, that maybe he wasn't the right person to wield the Ancient's staff. He did believe that he wasn't an evil person at heart, but centuries of living with Talpa's evil might have tainted whatever goodness still resided within him. Could he have fooled the Ancient? He certainly fooled himself? That had been a difficult lesson to learn. His life, his goals, everything that he had thought was his, should have been his, was really a lie pushed on him by Talpa? Sold to him with a minimal amount of effort.
He had spoken the truth when he had told Mia and Yulie about himself. He had been ambitious and greedy. He had been born with the need to prove himself, to become the best. He had been his father's son, to the core, he thought. He had inherited a pure bloodline and the blinding faith in his leader. Never question your lord! Falling into the hands of the enemy might have had a crushing effect on his young confidence, but Talpa had soothed his ego easily enough with promises of power and grandeur. And he'd been eager to swear loyalty to a new lord after he learned of the betrayal of the old.
For the first time in his life he had true freedom to choose, had freedom to live without a master. But he wasn't comfortable without a leader. He had inherited that, too, he mused. He had never been meant to be a ronin, to be without a master. Following the Ancient's leadership and upholding his legacy was a grand master, but doubt about his ability, about his worthiness to follow that path had nearly crippled him, until he fought Lady Kayura at the temple.
His fighting spirit, his need for combat for the pure sake of fighting and the joy of proving himself over and over again, had left his heart. He wasn't evil. He didn't need to fight. And if he could learn, if he could change, then maybe Kale, Sehkmet and Dais could, too. Though, they weren't ready yet. His fight with Dais in the city had clearly shown him that. If Dais despised him as a traitor, then his comrades surely did, too.
So when had his doubt left him? Where had this sudden belief in himself come from? He knew, simply knew, that if ever there came an opportunity to prove himself worthy of the Ancient's trust and legacy - there is was again, that need to prove himself - he wouldn't hesitate. He'd give his life.
____________________________________________________________________
Mia watched Anubis and wondered if he had done the right thing. The Jewel of Life might turn out to be their only hope to destroy Talpa and his dynasty. While she had faith in the Ronins and their ability, she was clear headed enough to realize what they were up against: one thousand years of unchecked evil let loose on the mortal world. Reigning that in was a formidable task.
Yes, she wanted to be there for them, help, fight even, but being entrusted with the Jewel of Life was a responsibility she wasn't sure she was able to live up to. She wondered what had changed Anubis' mind. He'd been so adamant about not getting Yulie and her any more involved then they already were. He had been right, of course, the Dynasty not being a safe place. So why had he changed his mind? What had changed his mind?
She had spent enough time with the former warlord now to see the change in him. It had secretly amused her how he'd walked around the house, trying to conceal the bafflement and wonder he must have experienced. The marvel of four hundred years of progress! He had never questioned her faith in her grandfather's research. She harbored the suspicion that he ... well, he seemed awed by her trust. It had seemed almost as if he wasn't sure of himself, of his new role.
The few times she had had the displeasure of his company before the Ancient talked some sense into him and freed him from Talpa's influence ... he'd been so arrogant and self-assured. Seeing him questioning himself had been a sobering experience and, if she was honest with herself, not very trust evoking. He'd promised Ryo and Rowan he'd help as best as he could, but she'd wondered about that.
Not anymore. He had that air about him again. Confidence. Faith. In himself. In his quest. The simple grace of a man on a mission. She recognized it immediately. Ryo possessed it. Passion. That's what it was. Finding the jewel had restored something that had been missing in his soul. And like Ryo, he'd be willing to sacrifice it all. Where he might have faltered before, he would now step into the fray. There was no question anymore, Mia knew. Anubis would lay his life down in a heartbeat. To prove to himself and the Ancient, that he had been a worthy choice. He would die to save the mortal world.