Chapter Three – Best Laid Plans

Chapter Three – Best Laid Plans

The Ronin Warriors gathered in their living room again, with Mia, Yuli, Anubis and the Ancient on hand for the discussion. White Blaze was there, too, watching protectively over Ryo. "And as I was driving down the road, that's when he appeared from the tree. He almost would have caught me by surprise had it not been for my Awakening."

"What did he want?" Ryo asked, his eyes narrowing with thought.

"What do ya think he wanted? Dais wanted my armor. But we didn't have much time to talk about it. I was too busy getting ready to kick his butt."

"Well, did ya, Rowen?" inquired an eager Kento.

Rowen sat back into his seat on the couch. "Now that's the funny thing. As soon as I transformed and got into battle position, he headed for the hills, literally."

"Maybe he was scared of you," Sage suggested. "You are pretty scary."

"Ha ha, Sage. No, I don't know why he left, but I have a funny feeling I don't want to."

From the corner, the old man in the reed hat stirred. His golden staff beside his leg jangled slightly as he straightened. "You are right to be wary of Dais, Rowen of Strata. Most assuredly he has something up his sleeve. Perhaps he felt your newfound power as well. You said you used your Awakening, correct?" Rowen nodded that he had. "Yes, I see. Then maybe Dais has returned to the Dynasty to tell Talpa that you Ronins have finally discovered another secret behind your armors – the secret of the Awakening.

"Now is the time you must be on guard constantly. Talpa will try anything to take away your new powers from you. He will surely want to possess all of your Awakenings."

Sage tilted his head in confusion. The others did almost the same thing at the same time – the Ronin connection. "But, Ancient One," he began to question, "how could Talpa get what's inside of us? I mean, the Awakening is like a ghost in our bodies, isn't it?"

"True, Sage of Halo. But what you do not understand is that the Awakening is not just a part of your armor, but also your spirit. If Talpa can get a hold of you and your armor, he will literally wrench the soul from your body by any means necessary."

"Well, that does NOT sound pleasant," Kento observed.

"And it isn't," Anubis explained, speaking up for the first time since last night. "I've seen him do it to regular humans before. It is a most painful process for the person, which involves tearing the physical body into confetti, then magically removing the spirit for assimilation into yourself. The actual death isn't even the most painful part; the afterdeath is what really hurts."

"Afterdeath?" Cye asked, looking about confusedly. "Tell me I'm not the only one who's lost here." The other Ronin Warriors shook their heads that he wasn't.

"Normally, the soul goes up to Heaven or some form of the place after the body has died. It is there that the spirit is able to find eternal rest and everlasting peace. But when the soul is kidnapped from the body right before death and eaten, if you will, it can never reach that peace. Instead, it will suffer an eternity of torment while remaining in a state of limbo inside the person who stole it. Truly, it is a Fate worse than Hell itself."

The room quieted. The Ronins were in a state of shock. All that could be heard was the pounding of their hearts – like Apache war drums on the bluffs. Thumpa! Thumpa! Thumpa! Mia got up to answer the front door, only to realize that the sound wasn't a knocking, just the Ronins collective hearts pounding out of fear and disgust.

The Ancient surveyed the room with his eagle eyes. "Now, Ronin Warriors, do you see why we must find Dais immediately? We must know why he abandoned his fight with Rowen of the Strata so expediently."

"All right then, guys, let's get moving on this ASAP! First, we have to find out where Dais ran off to after he left," Ryo instructed.

"Isn't it obvious? He went back to the Dynasty to tell Talpa. I thought we already established that?"

"Yeah, Kento, we did, but how'd he get there?"

"Couldn't he just do that teleporty-thingy he always does? That gets him back really fast."

From over in the front door came a sultry voice carried on a whistling breeze. "He could do that, but that's not what Dais did this morning." She stood outlined by the rising sun, her silhouette – a striking figure of the perfect woman – glowing midnight black on sanguine red. Her hair curled around her slender neck with feathery fingers and ravaged the air behind her, cutting the sky into a million pieces. She relaxed against the doorframe before entering the stunned room.

All heads turned at once, and Sage, Ryo and Rowen shouted in unison, "Mirichu!"

Her eyes widened at the unusual greeting. "Good to see you fellows, too!" Mia frowned enviously at the beauty, who had mystically appeared in her house, because she had captured all of the boys' attention away from her, previously the only woman.

The Ancient disregarded his warriors' behavior for the more important issue of the moment. "What do you mean 'that's not what he did?'"

Mirichu gladly elaborated. "As I was walking home through the woods, I saw what I thought – and correctly thought, mind you – was Dais climbing up a tree over the roadway. Not knowing what was going on, I waited to see what he would do. Then, when I saw Rowen's jeep rounding the corner, I immediately knew what he had planned. I was getting ready to attack him from behind–"

"You were going to ambush Dais?" Rowen started in disbelief and anger.

"Are you crazy?" Ryo finished, equally as disbelieving and angry.

"You could have been hurt!" Sage added, putting his hand to his forehead in surprise.

"What is this, the Big Brothers Unite meeting? I was trying to help Rowen! Anyway, I never got the chance, if makes you three happy. But I hung around in case Rowen would need back-up, and it was a good thing I did," she emphasized proudly, "because I know where Dais skittered off to, as none of you genius warriors seem to."

The old man jumped up from his chair in his excitement, knocking over his mysterious staff. Quickly, he retrieved it, silently smiling wryly to himself because his hat was just big enough to cover the embarrassment on his face. "Excellent, Mirichu! Please enlighten us."

"Well, at least somebody approves of my tactics! There's this cave in the foothills of the Great Mountains, disguised by the surrounding layers of igneous rock. It's impossible to locate by the naked eye because of the terrain and an illusion Dais has created for its protection."

Rowen narrowed his eyes at Mirichu, a shade of disapproval in their depths. "Tell me you didn't follow him inside the cave."

"Sorry, but I had to." Rowen bowed his head, sighing resignedly. "You know me better, Rowen. Remember, always impetuous."

Kento saw his chance to make his own move. "A girl after my own heart. Can you cook, Miri?"

Once again in unison, Sage, Rowen and Ryo cried, "Kento!"

"What?"

Cye chimed in after remaining quietly sitting in the corner for almost the entire conversation. "Excuse me, guys, but could we keep on subject here? This is very important if we are going to nail Talpa before he nails us."

"Thank you, Cye," Mirichu said, smiling her sweetest in his direction and winking at him.

He blushed furiously at the female attention he had received. "Na… no problem."

"Oh brother," Mia whispered under her breath. Then, in her most sugary voice, which also happened to be the one coated with arsenic, she turned to the other woman. "Miri, dear, where can we find Dais?"

"Well, since Dais is the Dark Warlord of Illusion, you have to be extremely careful not to get caught up in his traps inside the cave. There are thousands of different ways to get lost, and even more ways to get killed. The only way you'll manage to get to his home base is…"

"Oh no," Rowen began, shaking his head roughly. "If you're gonna say what I think you're gonna say, you may as well put that thought in the garbage disposal along with all your other insane ideas!"

"It's the only way! I couldn't give you the correct directions from memory if my very life depended upon it," Mirichu protested, swinging her silken black hair seductively over her shoulder.

"Funnily enough, luv, it does."

"What are you two talking about?" wondered a very intrigued Cye.

"Mirichu wants to physically show us how to get to that spider's lair. She expects to come along."

In a great chorus, similar to the sounds that Rowen heard when he experienced his Awakening for the first time, the Ronin Warriors sang their verdict. "No way!"

"And just why the hell not?" Mirichu barked, her hands resting sternly on her hips. "Mia always gets to come along and she's a girl, so don't even give me that lame excuse!"

Sage was the first to answer. "Because you have no experience with battle…"

Then Ryo said, "And you've never used a weapon…"

Cye added, "And you won't know what to expect…"

Rowen threw in his two cents, too. "And you're as foolhardy as they come, almost worse then Kento…"

"Hey!" Kento yelped. "Oh yeah, and you're a girl!"

Yuli ventured out of his corner and into the middle of the fuss, taking Mirichu's feminine hand in his own tiny hand. "I think you should let Miri go."

"And why is that, Yuli?" asked Mia, bending down to his level.

"Because she's pretty and she'll distract Dais long enough for you Ronin Warriors to kick his butt!" Oh, not you too, Mia griped to herself, leading the boy off of the floor.

"See? I'm useful."

"Yeah," Sage mumbled, "so says a little kid."

"Well, I'm sorry, boys, but you're not finding Dais without me to help!" Mirichu folded her arms resolutely and stood her ground amongst the five anxious warriors. Obviously, five muscular men, who also happened to be ancient warrior, didn't scare her any. They actually looked nervously at each other, silently conferencing about what they should do.

"The way I see it, you fellas don't have another option to pick from; they've all been exhausted. You want Dais, and Mirichu's the key. And she's got you right where she wants you, so you may as well give in to her. It appears there is no other way."

"Anubis is right, you know. It's my way or the highway," she said, gesturing behind her.

Rowen exhaled heavily. Mirichu had always gotten her way with him when they were little kids, even in kindergarten; what was so different from nowadays? There was simply no way around this impasse. How was it that one woman could always manage to manipulate him so? No matter. Miri had done it, and he and the other Ronins were merely going to have to live with it. "Very well, you can go, if – and only if – you promise to stay in the middle-"

"But, Rowen, how can I lead if I'm in the middle?"

"You're just going to have to, otherwise we'll find another way to get to Dais' place that doesn't involve you. This is the only way I'll feel at least mildly comfortable with the thought of you coming along – if you are protected by us."

"Fine, when shall we leave?" The entire room turned to the Ancient One, who sat observing the argument between the pair of best friends. The bemused smile on his lips made the two flush.

"You must go tonight, whilst the spider sleeps."

"Aren't you supposed to let sleeping spiders lie, or something along that line?"

Cye raised an eyebrow in amusement. "That's dogs, Kento!" The Ronin Warriors erupted into laughter once again, even managing to get the sullen Mia to smile faintly.

"Well, guys and girl, let's get cracking on our attack plan and get ready to kick some arachnid ass!" Everyone acted enthusiastic and positive about his future adventure, but Rowen was the only one to openly frown. He didn't want Mirichu coming along on their quest that was already fraught with all kinds of danger. It was like walking her blindfolded into the chilling arms of Death. Ryo and Sage had their reservations too, but, unlike Rowen, they were attempting to keep a lid on them. It wasn't like they'd change Miri's mind anyway, so what was the point?

As they were prepping one another, the Ancient approached Mirichu and pulled her aside, whispering something in her ear that led her to follow him out onto the verandah. Rowen watched as the pair spoke briefly, then walked together down the ivory steps to the lake – just as he had last night. Their black shapes faded into the scenery as Rowen stared until the sun burned his retinas. Strange. What were they talking about? "Where are those two going?" he asked Anubis, who was watching them as well.

"I am not sure exactly, but the Ancient said he had to talk about something very important with Mirichu. He told me not to concern myself with it too much though."

"Still, what could that possibly be? The Ancient doesn't even know Miri. Today was the first time they met… at least to my knowledge."

"Don't look at me. I'm a new guy here myself. The Ancient One is as much a mystery to me as he is to you," Anubis informed, glaring at the Great Mountains in the distance.

I know he is, thought Rowen, but he's not the one who's the mystery to me anymore…

@~~`~~~

Down by the crystal lake, beneath the house of the Ronin Warriors stood Rowen, Warrior of the Strata. He had come down to the shore after Mirichu and the Ancient One had returned. The conversation he had held with his best friend following their reunion had brought him here, to his thinking spot amongst the Ginkou trees. Her words were still burned fresh in his mind.

"What was it that the Ancient had to say to you that he couldn't say to the rest of us?"

"Exactly what you just stated, something he couldn't say to the rest of you."

"Was it that important?"

"More so."

"Shall we talk about it later tonight then – after the fight – or tomorrow morning in our meadow."

"Neither time, actually, because I can't tell you… not now."

"What? But, Miri, you tell me everything! I'm your best friend."

"Rowen, I just can't… I swear, someday in the future I will tell you, but, where you keep necessary secrets from me, so must I from you. I regret doing this to you, but it must be done. Farewell, until tonight, luv." And with those lashing words, Mirichu kissed him on the cheek, her hidden tear colliding hotly with the skin that she had just brushed with her silky lips.

Why was she acting like this! the warrior mused angrily. Mirichu had always been as candid with him as anyone could be. Now, suddenly, she was a different woman. She wouldn't confide in him like she used to, and she wouldn't smile at him like she used to either. It was like she was the body of the woman he knew, but the soul of a woman he didn't.

Rowen hated not knowing all things. He had no control over the unknown, and he hated not having control. Perhaps he was spoiled, but when Rowen couldn't command a person or situation, he felt lost and helpless.

So, now here he sat, on his tiny boulder shaded by the whimpering trees, wishing he could just turn back the clock to when he and Sage and Mirichu were all small children, playing on the asphalt at the school with their bouncy ball. Rowen wanted the closeness that they had shared back again, this time forever. He wanted no part of Talpa and his Dynasty; he wanted to destroy this armor; he wanted to rid himself of this infernal Awakening. Rowen desired his youth and nothing more.

A frog jumped from the shore of the lake, the ripples it created spreading slowly outward to the land. All else was still in the valley. It was so hushed in the lowland that he could hear his friends – all the way back up at the house – chattering excitedly about what they were going to do to Dais tonight. "Crush him!" "Murder him!" "Knock him into next week!" "Show him who's boss!"

Oh, and that was something else entirely. Now they had to challenge Dais on his own turf. It wouldn't even have bothered Rowen so much (in fact, he'd probably be just as eager as the other guys were now) if Mirichu weren't coming along. She was marching right to her demise if she accompanied them, but, for some reason, she didn't seem to either notice or care. And the scary thing was Rowen thought that it was the latter. He got the vibe that Miri wanted Death to come to her, and he didn't know why that was. He just prayed it wasn't true.

The Ginkous called him. "Rowen… Why won't you come play with us? We're waiting for you…" The life within the trees burned strong, so much so that he could feel the fire of the life inside him, too. It was warm and comforting in the valley wind that swooped down from the Great Mountains. Rowen, despite all the pain he experienced because of Miri, smiled. There was nothing that an hour in the valley couldn't cure. Except maybe broken friendships…