Strength Of The Heart
Chapter 5
By Butterfly

Mia swung her fist, slamming into Cale. He fell to his knees, holding his stomach in shock and pain. "Wretched girl! How... how dare you!" Shakily he stood. "I the warlord of corruption will teach you your place!" With that he charged Mia and slammed her into the wall. Seemingly he had knocked her out. "Stupid woman..." He grumbled. He kneeled before her, preparing to carry her back to her room. Unaware to him though, Mia was wide-awake, and cleverly planning to strike back.

Just as he placed his hand upon her, Mia lashed out, grabbing the sword from his armor. Cale gasped in a breath as the cold steel was brought against his throat. In a low threatening voice she breathed, "Where are the ronin warriors?" Cale scowled and refused to answer. But as Mia pressed the sword harder to his throat, he reluctantly started talking.

"Kayura, she is luring the ronins here. They have not arrived yet as far as I know but when they do get here, they will be captured and destroyed! You haven't got a chance! Lord Rahucas will rule all!" "Will see about that. I wont let that happen"

***
The ronins had just arrived at the castle, when two familiar faces confronted them. "Hello ronin warriors, I the warlord of illusion have come to welcome you!" he laughed. Sekmet also joined in with a smirk. "I the warlord of destruction will enjoy tearing you limb from limb." Ryo placed his hands on his hips smiling and turned to his fellow ronins. "Well, it seems even after all this time, these tin heads still don't know that they can't beat us!" "That's right boy, mock us if you will, and have your fun. For it will not last long. We will dispose of each and everyone of you sorry fools!" laughed Dais. Sage clenched a fist. "We don't have time for you, where's Mia?" "Who? Oh, the woman... don't worry, we've taken good care of the little darling. Feisty little thing isn't she?" Sekmet smirked. "If you laid one hand on her I swear..." Rowen growled.

"Now, now, no need for anger. She's fine. I bet that Cale is taking very good care of her as we speak." Ryo's filled with rage, the thought of Cale watching Mia terrified him. What would Cale do to her? Would he hurt her? Would he... No! He wouldn't let that happen! "RONIN WARRIORS TO ARMS! ARMOR OF WILDFIRE..."

"ARMOR OF HALO,"

"ARMOR OF STRATA,"

"ARMOR OF TORRENT,"

"ARMOR OF HARDROCK,"

"DOW CHI!"

In a burst of cherry blossom leaves, and lights, the four boys transformed into the armor clad ronin warriors. "Stand back if you don't wanna get burned." Growled Ryo. Just as the ronins and warlords were about to clash in battle, a voice echoed from the distance. "Hold it, You will have your chance to battle soon enough. For now do as you are told and bring them to the throne room." Dais scowled. "Woman, who put you in charge?! We will handle this! Go away!"

Kayura appeared before them, an arrogant smirk on her face. "You will do as you are told! My brother Rahucas wants these fools in the throne room immediately! Do you dare defiy him?!" Sekmet glared at her coldly, but dissapeared without a word." Dais sighed heavily. "It seems that our master wishes you to live for just a little longer. Follow if you dare." Dais dissapeared as well and the gates to the castle opened with a rusty screech.

Kento stood wairly, and glanced at his fellow warriors. "So, we follow?" Ryo nodded. Cye looked ahead reluctantly. "Well, lets get this overwith and get Mia out of there. I'm getting worried about her. I don't like the thought of her in this dreadful place." Sage wordlesly walked forward followed quickly by Ryo, rowen, cye and kento.

***

Mia smirked gazing happily at her accomplishment. She had succeeded in knocking out cale, though It had taken longer then she planned. "I always new he had a hard head, now I know just how right I was." She quickly made her way to the throne room, assuming that's where she would be able to listen in to Rahucas' plans. Peering around the corner, she spotted him. Sitting in the darkness. His figure was outlined by a faint candlelight shining from a distance.

"Come in my dear... it's not nice to linger in the doorway." Mia was disgusted, even in the darkness she could still make out his evil smirk. His laughter nausiated Mia, but she held her head high as she made her way inward. "Where are the ronin warriors!" Rahucas was silent for a moment. He disreguarded her question and replied, "I thought I left you to the care of the warlords. I wasn't expecting you to be wandering my castle halls. this is very dissapointing."

"Well thanks to all that training of yours, Cale was a sinch to dispose of. I thought you of all people would have guessed my power has surrpassed theirs by now." She spat, not even believing her own words because of the fright in her voice. No matter how hard she tried, her mind couldn't escape the remembrance of the incident in her bedroom. It terrified her. "There's that spirit I love so much. Yes, I suppose you are right. I did know you would eventually surpass those fools. You will be one of the most powerful creatures in the universe. You will rule all. .. with me as your master of course. Doesn't that sound enticing my dear."

"Not in the least! I'll repeat my question, Where are the ronin warriors!" Rahucas stood and approached her. Immediately, Mia took a fighting stance. "Stay where you are!" She growled. But he paid little attention to her words and soon grabbed her wrists tightly. "You may be powerful, but never underestimate the power fear has. It can overcome the strongest of fighters!" He roughly twisted her around and pulled her to him, her arm tightly locked behind her.

"Your little ronins are on their way to this room as we speak. But don't get your hopes up. After our little reunion.. I will destroy them one by one. Their feelings for you will be their downfalls! You will be the cause for the destruction of the ronin warriors!" "Never!" She cried out sternly. Rahucas' hand came from behind her, grasping her chin. He turned her head to look into his eyes. What she found there was far from comfort.

She was yet again terrified by this man. She felt alone and afriad. With all her might she hoped for someone to help her. His face seemed to be coming coler to hers. She couldn't stand in any more. She let out a wimper and his graps on her arm tightened.

***

Walking down a narrow corridor rowen suddenly stopped. The others looked at him in confusion. "What's up man?" asked Ryo. Rowen's face was filled with worry it seemed. "I thought I just heard her." Kento scratched his head. "What? I didn't hear anything." But before any other objections could be made Rowen ran around a corner and burst into a dark room. The others foolowed him shortly after.