"This is boring." Sekhmet idly tossed a sword in the air.

"We could have helped Sage look for Dais, but nooooo! He wants to go off by himself!" Cale punched the wall, then immediately shook his hand. "Owwww."

Anubis sat on the ground meditating. Thinking of as many peaceful things as he could, the ex-warlord of Cruelty tried to block out the noise of the other two. It wasn't quite working.

"I said shut up Sekhmet!!"

"No way! That was just too funny! Do it again!"

"Grrr...NO!"

"Aw, c'mon! Just one more time?"

"Absolutely not!"

Anubis sighed and, without opening his eyes, shouted "What in blazes are you two fighting about?!"

Sekhmet and Cale stopped arguing and stared at Anubis for a second before both spoke at once.

"Tell Sekhmet to stop annoying me!"

"Cale won't smash his hand on the wall again!"

"Make him stop!"

"Tell him to do it!"

"ENOUGH!" Anubis stood up and glared at his two associates. "Now, tell me, one at a time, what you are arguing about." He folded his arms across his chest and waited for an answer.

Cale was the first to speak. "Tell Sekhmet to leave me alone! He won't stop annoying me."

"But it was just so funny! He won't do it again."

"Do what again?"

"Smash his hand into the wall. Tell him to do it again!"

Anubis rolled his eyes. "Oh for the love of the Ancient! Would you two PLEASE grow up?"

The two looked at each other, at Anubis, then back at each other before arguing again.

"Ye gods these guys are annoying!"

--

"Do you think those guys will ever come back?"

"Who knows, Ryo." Kento tugged on his chains. "They are from the Dynasty, ya know."

Rowen, who had long since calmed down a bit, sighed. "So there's no telling when we'll get out of here!"

"It can't be THAT bad, Rowen." Cye turned and looked at his friend. "Sage and the others are probably looking for us right now."

"That's what you said an hour ago!" Ryo nearly screamed.

"Well, jeez, I'm sorry Ryo!" Cye yelled back. "It's about the only thing I CAN say!"

"Both of you Shut up!"

Ryo and Cye stared at Kento with their mouths wide open. Neither had expected his outburst. They were aware of how loud Kento can be, but he's, so far, never yelled at them like that.

"Oh leave them alone, Ken. We're ALL going crazy in here."

"Easy for YOU to say, Ro. You're already crazy!"

"I am not!"

"Yes you are." Kento, Ryo and Cye told him.

"Gee, thanks for the surround sound guys." Rowen rolled his eyes.

The clicking of the lock drew everyone's attention to the door. Each expecting someone different to come through. As the figures stepped inside, they all heaved a sigh of relief as they noticed Mia first.

"Mia you came!"

"Yes, Ryo, I did." Her eyes narrowed. "And I have a few questions for you."

Oh boy. Thought Cye. Here it comes. He braced himself for what he knew was coming.

"WHY ARE THE WARLORDS LIVING AT MY HOUSE?!"

The pitch of her voice was enough to shatter glass. However, since no glass existed in the cell, the chains restraining the four captive Ronins were shattered instead. Mia stood, staring, waiting for them to answer her. Finally, when the four regained use of their limbs, Rowen faced the angry Mia.

"They had no where else to go, Mia."

"What's that supposed to mean? They live here!"

"What he means is, Talpa kicked them out of the Dynasty. We're about the only other people they know, so they came to us."

Her mouth opened and shut several times, before she could form a coherent answer. "Wow." was all she said.

Ryo put an arm around his fellow Ronin. "Yeah. Kento's been doing that a lot lately. We go insane, but Kento gets a clue."

"Very funny, Ryo." He playfully socked Ryo's arm.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the four pathetic Ronin Warriors."

"Kayura!"

"Why Torrent, I'm flattered you remember who I am." Kayura stepped into the cell and stood next to Mia. "Now then..." The four got into fighting positions. "Have any of you seen Cale?" She blinked innocently at them. They just fell over.

"We haven't see him." Ryo said, getting quickly to his feet. "Ask Sage."

"If we knew where he was..." Webby stepped forward into the cell as well.

Sterling stood next to Kayura. "He would most likely be somewhere in the Dynasty looking for you."

"That doesn't quite help, Sterling."

"Sorry...Kayura."

"Hey Sterling?"

"Yes, Roanna?"

"Weren't we on a mission?"

"Oh yeah."

"Mission? What mission?" Kayura looked back and forth between Sterling and Roanna.

Roanna was the one to answer. "Well, Sterling said that we were going to help the Ronins."

Everyone present, except for Sterling, stood in shock. There was something they weren't expecting.

Kento finally broke the silence. "WHAT?! If you were going to help us, why did you wait 'til NOW?!"

Sterling shrugged. "I didn't have orders then."

Ryo blinked. "Orders? But don't you work for the Dynasty?" Sterling nodded. "Is this some kind of a trick?"

"No."

"Sterling," Kayura smiled as sweetly as possible. "did Cale tell you to help them?"

"Yes. He told me to take them to his location."

"And just where would that be?"

"Longest wall in the defense maze."

Cye stepped forward. "Could you please take us there? We really want to get out of here!"

"Sure."

"Follow us!" Roanna gave the group a very cheery smile and bounded off out of the cell.

Not wanting to get left behind, Mia, Webby, Kayura, Sterling, Cye, Ryo, Rowen, and Kento all rushed out after her.

--

I can't believe them! Rich thought as he stomped his was down a corridor. And Mia even joined in! I thought she was better than that. He turned a corner...and stopped right in his tracks. There, to the left of a horrendous looking throne, lay Sage, neatly trussed up.

"Sage!" He ran over to the bound blonde. Leaning down, he said "Sage, are you alright?"

Sage gave him a look that obviously said 'What do you think?'.

"Here, let me help you out." Before Rich could do anything, however, he was hit from behind. Sage watched as Dais proceeded to bundle Rich up the same way he was.

Dais laughed. "Stupid Strata. You should have been paying attention." He put Rich next to Sage. "Now the two of you can keep each other company."