The New Enemy
"There was something about the Warlords," Ryo said. Eiji looked to the floor. He didn't want to think about it. Talpa seemed like enough trouble. Something about his men reminded Eiji of the Organization. They used the same kind of tactics on him.
"If that's not normal," Kayin put in, "what is?"
"Who knows with them?" Rowen replied.
"They used Sho to threaten me," Eiji commented,"It makes me wonder about Uranus. . ."
"What about Uranus?"
"Could she be controlling them?"
"That's a bit of a wild guess. I highly doubt it."
"What are you two talking about?" Ryo asked looking at the two swords men.
"Never mind," Eiji replied, "Just forget I said anything."
He stood up and left the room. He went outside to see what his brother was doing. As usual Sho was training like the next fight would be his last. Eiji stood and watched how forcefully his brother struck. He then said, "I wish you wouldn't train so hard."
Sho heard and stopped. He turned away from Eiji and walked away. The young man called, "Wait, Sho! Where are you going?!"
"I need sometime to be alone. I'll be back before nightfall."
Eiji sighed and went back inside. He went to Kento's room to retrieve his sword, White Tiger. He walked back downstairs and was stopped by Kento.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"I have to follow Sho."
"Where is he?!"
"I don't know. That's why I'm going to follow his trail."
"You can't go out there! You can barely hold your sword!"
For once he had a point. Eiji couldn't keep a good grip on White Tiger, let alone manage to swing. Eiji put his sword down and sighed,"You win."
Hours had gone by. The sun was setting, and the mission had barely begun. Sho was outside of a large building. He went in calmly. No one seemed to worry about him as he stepped into the stair well. No one else was around, so he ran all the way down.
When he stepped out of the stair well he was in a circular room. There were several passages going in every direction. He looked down the north hall, then to th floor.
It's around here somewhere. He thought. I just need to find the right path.
He went down the southern hall. He walked carefully in case his enemy was there. There were two doors at the end of the hall. He tried the door to the right. Inside there was nothing but a giant hole in the ground. Sho looked down inside and saw flicks of blue.
He left that room and tried the door on the opposite side of the hall. The first thing he saw was the helmet to Cale's armor. He heard to voices in a separate part of the room.
"These experiments of yours are ruining us!" Cale shouted.
"What makes you say this?" A woman asked calmly.
"If it hadn't been for your experiments we would have been able to defeat those kids!"
"If you give me another chance I can actually make my experiments work. You have excellent night vision, Cale."
"I'm won't trust your experiments!"
"Think about the others. How well they turned out. My bodyguard is the best marksman in this world."
"I still don't trust you! Eiji got away with the Ronin Warriors!"
"I can't help it that all of you toy with your prey before killing it. Let me talk to Anubis."
Sho ran out of the room before Cale could spot him. The Warlord noticed some one had been there. He picked up his helmet and decided to say nothing to the scientist. He vanished.
It was about midnight before Sho returned. Kayin was getting restless, and before Sho came back he was searching for his guitar case. Ryo, Eiji, and Cye were in the living room talking. They couldn't sleep. When Ryo heard the front door open he jumped out of his seat and rushed to the door.
"I need to talk with all of you," Sho said quietly as he closed the door. Kayin came down the stairs asking, "Cye, what did Kento do with my sword?"
"Is it with your guitar?" Cye asked going to the stairs.
"I can't find my guitar, either."
Ryo rolled his eyes. He told Kayin just to wait in the living room. He ran upstairs to get the others.
Once every one was wide awake again, Ryo told them that Sho had something to tell them. That worried Eiji and Kayin. Sho said, "Uranus is working with the Warlords. I heard her talking to Cale."
"Who is Uranus?" Sage asked.
"A mad scientist who can make the perfect soldiers," Kayin replied, "I don't think I want to know what she's doing to them."
"Cale said that she's all ready started. He wasn't too thrilled that all of us made it out alive."
"I can imagine," Sage said.
"What now?" Kento asked.
"We can either go and stop them now or wait for everyone to die," Kayin replied.
"Well, I vote we go stop them now," Cye commented.
Every one agreed. They decided to wait until morning, when they would be more alert. They just needed a plan.
The next morning Mia was practicing to calm herself. Sho came out. Mia looked into his eyes.
"I remember everything you taught me last night. I won't fail Sho."
"Hmm........ I'm praying that we can defeat them."
"C'mon!" Kento shouted, "We want to get there soon!"
The group went off about to fight their Fate....
You Can't Escape Your Fate
Sho, Eiji, Kayin, Mia, and the Ronin Warriors stood before the Dynasty gate. Everything was silent and still. Kento started to open the gate.
"Wait!" Kayin said, "They might be guarding this entrance."
"We've handled it before," Kento said. Sho walked away from the group.
"Where are you going?" Mia asked. Sho glanced back at her.
"I will go to the Underworld," He replied, "I'll do my best to keep Uranus and her men out of the Dynasty."
He continued to walk. Mia ran after him. She called to him, "You can't fight them alone!"
"You stay with the Ronin Warriors," Kayin said as he walked forward, "I'm going with them."
He ran to catch up with the others. Eiji sighed. Ryo asked, "Does any one else want to go to the Underworld?"
"I don't trust just the three of them," Sage said, "I'm going with them."
"Okay," Ryo said, "Good luck."
Sage left silently. Kento opened the gate to the Dynasty. The group went in without looking back.
Sho walked into a cave. Blue mist covered the floor. Mia was right behind him. Kayin and Sage stood a few feet away from them. Sho knelt down and put his hand into the mist. He stood back up a moment later. His glove and right arm were soaked.
"He's calm," He said, "He doesn't know we're here."
"Who is 'he'?" Mia asked.
"The Master," Kayin replied. He turned to Sage, "Do you mind taking off you armor?"
Sage did as he was asked. He now wore his normal clothes. The group continued to advance. Sage stuck close to the left wall. He suddenly fell into a deep hole. He let out a cry of shock. The hole lead to a different level.
"Sage!" Mia called as she felt the floor.
"Don't worry!" He called back up, "I'll be all right."
"What's it like down there?"
"It's dark. The mist is thicker down here."
"Try to find your way to a room with two different passages," Kayin called down, "One of them should be a normal door; it should lead to Uranus' lab. The other is another hole; it goes to the Underworld."
"I'll try."
"Kayin," Sho said, "Go with him. He might need your help."
"I understand."
He jumped down with Sage. Mia looked at Sho. She quietly asked, "Are we going to meet up with them anytime soon?"
"If they make it. There's a quicker way to get to the Underworld. You go with them. I'll go alone."
"But it could be dangerous by yourself!"
"I know that. I want you to be safe."
"But-"
"Please. Do this for me."
Mia climbed down reluctantly. She didn't want to abandon Sho, but she trusted he would survive.
Meanwhile Eiji looked around the Nether World. It was bright, unlike the Underworld. He was very nervous to be there as were the Ronin Warriors.
I have to face my fears. If I'm not afraid, they can't hurt me as easily. Ryo put his hand on the swords man's shoulder, and he jumped a bit.
"Are you ready for this?" He asked.
"Of course, Ryo. I'm always ready to fight."
"Let's go then."
Ryo and Rowen lead the others into Talpa's castle. They all knew the possibilities of this fight. None of them feared it.