~ He's better than I thought, ~ Balin's mind raced, as he found himself tiring, knowing Kasukio would corner him any moment. Cye of Torrent hung back, observing the battle nervously. The Wildfire lad had made him promise not to intervene upon the battle until the last possible moment.
Suddenly, an image flashed across the Dark Ronin's mind, and he smiled, feeling the energy emitted from the terrible sin Trox was committing in the parking lot outside. And he could feel Reia of Strata's hate and anger...
"Well, well..." He laughed, closing his eyes. "The moron finally did something right. Even if the Strata girl will likely kill him now, because he was too stupid to spirit the Halo girl away, and took her right in the street... the fool..."
"What?" Kasukio hissed, as he faltered in mid sword-thrust. "What did you say?"
"Oh, my, was that out loud?" Balin's handsome lips twisted into a devious smile. "So sorry."
Kasukio stood still, his green eyes wide with surprise. Balin took the hesitation, deciding it was time to kill the boy...
However, when he lunged forward, he found himself practically bouncing off a wall of scorching, intense heat.
Cye stepped back from the heat, knowing his armor wouldn't protect him as well as Kasukio's or maybe even Balin's would.
Kasukio did not rant, or make threats. He merely raised his swords over his head, and eerily calm, whispered the words "Flare Up Now."
Cye reflexively covered his fast at the sudden explosion of white light and heat.
Throughout the entire museum, windows shattered, walls collapsed, and things caught on fire. The building shuddered, and Cye found himself thrown to the floor. He somehow managed to gather his wits and follow Kasukio out the window through the burning light and smoke.
The two hit the pavement, and looked back at the building. Cye blinked, still dazed.
"Well... did you get him?" He asked.
Kasukio shrugged. "Who cares... I just want to find Lys..."
The boy in red took off at a sprint down the street. Cye shook his head, and followed after at the same pace.
They followed the destruction, knowing they would find Lys- or Reia- eventually.
Suddenly, the sound of someone screaming hit their ears, and both young men skidded to a stop.
"...That sounded like Reia!" Cye gasped. "...She may be in trouble!"
Kasukio held his hand up, listening to the screaming again. It didn't sound like cries or pain or fear...
"...She sounds really pissed off, actually," He muttered, glancing at Cye. The two stood there for a moment before taking off again, running even harder than before.
Lady Kayura paused in her writing, quill in mid stroke. Ink dripped off of it, creating a tiny blot on the parchment scroll.
She looked up, and stood, pushing her chair away from the table in the small library of the Koji estate.
"...Reia?" She whispered, just as a rumbling sound passed through the room. She gasped. ~ No! ~
Kayura's instincts took over, and she ducked, just as a sword swiped where her head had been only an eye blink before. A couple of strands of black hair floated to the ground, belying how close a mark it had been. Moving only with well polished warrior instincts, Kayura rolled on the ground, kicking the chair she had been sitting in towards her still unseen foe.
He had apparently not expected this. Her attacker grunted in surprised, and staggered long enough for Kayura to roll away and get to her feet. With the nimbleness and speed of a cat, Kayura was on the opposite end of the room, and fully armored. The rings on her staff jangled and a huge sickle swung on a chain at her belt.
The warrior threw his cloak off in frustration, and glared at Kayura through wild red-blond bangs with dark, guileful green eyes. The lamp light glowed against his deep gold armor. "Greetings... Lady Kayura." He said in a low voice, as he licked his lips.
Kayura stared at him with narrowed eyes. "...You are... the Dark Warrior of Treachery..."
He smirked. "You're pretty quick. Yeah, but you can call me Fiian, since I'm makin' free use of your name, Kayura."
Kayura glared at him. "Leave this place or die, minion of the Dynasty."
"Wa-ho, the chick's making threats!" Fiian laughed, and twirled his sword in his hand. "None of you guys have been able to beat any of us Dark Ronins one on one yet. Even as we speak Ronin Warriors are getting the tar kicked out of them in the city." He laughed again, and continued to show off his sword tricks. "Isn't one of them Reia of Strata?"
"Leave her out of this," Kayura growled, although on the inside she was growing more worried for not only her daughter, but for all of the young Ronins.
"Anyhoo... You'll be happy to know I'm not here to kill ya. Lord Arcane wants me to bring you back to him, in one piece. He didn't say you had to be in good condition, however." He whirled suddenly, and with one strike, sliced the table she'd been sitting at clean in half. "Shall we fight?"
The entire house trembled suddenly, making everyone within it jump.
"What was that?" Xanthe exclaimed. He dropped his Magic Eight Ball, and it rolled under the couch.
Kento paused in mid sandwich bite. Junichi and Sage's eyes flew to the stairs, for some reason. Ryo and Rowen came out of the kitchen, alarm apparent on their faces.
Kawai winced, as a sharp pain ran through her body. "...They're here... the Dynasty!"
Reia kept coming at Trox with a feral strength. Her eyes, rather than their tranquil sky color, had turned dark and deadly, taking on an almost reddish tone.
Although the Dark Ronin was fighting back, she was clearly overpowering him. She fired a never ending stream of arrows, and too many of them were beginning to nick him and leave flesh wounds. When too close for arrows, she fought hand-to-hand, viscously, clearly intent on no mercy.
A roundhouse kick to the jaw, with all of her body weight behind it, finally sent him to the floor.
Reia leveled an arrow directly between his eyes. There was no way she could miss.
Trox laid on the ground, battered and bloody, and stared up at the girl with smoldering rage in his eyes... and only barely suppressed fear. He was a berserkor... his battle rage was supposed to be more powerful than any being's. And yet, here he was, cornered by some teenage FEMALE upstart.
"...Have you got any last words before you die?" Reia asked, her voice as cold as an arctic wind, and the muscle-bound Netherworld warrior actually shuddered.
"You can't do it," He growled under his breath, making eye contact with her.
"...Watch me..."
"You're the Ronin of Life-Force, ain't ya? Bet you never killed nobody ever in your life, 'cept maybe those animated Dynasty soldiers, but they don't count, right?" Trox smiled, but it was a hate-filled smile. "You don't got the courage to kill me, baby-doll."
Laughing, he stood up, still shaking, from his wounds. Reia's initial rage was wearing off. She would be weak now.
"And now I'm gonna do you the way I did your fr-"
*THWIP*
Reia's mouth was hanging open in surprise... but not as widely as Trox's when he looked down at the gold arrow, buried all the way to the feather, in his chest. He raised a shaking hand to the white feather, and the deep red-black blood spreading over it. He looked back at her, and fell to the ground with a small gurgle.
Reia's bow clattered to the ground, and she fell to her knees, shaking too hard to stand. "Oh... Oh, God..." She moaned to herself, as her head began to throb, and tears began to flow again from her sore eyes. She pulled her helmet from her head and tossed it aside, holding her head in both hands as she felt her stomach pitch suddenly, and she vomited onto the pavement. "...Lys... I...I avenged you..."
"R...Rei-chan..." A tiny, meek voice reached her ears, and she sat up suddenly, her head whipping around. Lys' battered form was moving, slightly.
"LYS-CHAN!" Reia jumped to her feet, banishing her armor and subarmor even as she moved towards her friend. The jagged, broken pavement cut her bare feet, for she'd lost her shoes back in the museum. She now had a run in her stockings as well, but of course that meant nothing to her.
Lys' hair had come free from her braid, and upon inspection, Reia realized the end of Lys' braid had been chopped off. Her friend's hair was now about as long as her own, about waist length, as opposed to its former knee-length. Reia cast a look over her shoulder at Trox's still body in utter disgust and the blackest contempt. ~ That slime bag took a trophy off of her?... I'll go search him, and get it back... later. After I've helped Lys. ~ She cupped her best friend's face in her hands, feeling her pulse with her fingertips. It was weak, but steady. ~ Hang in there, girlfriend... You took care of me, when I was injured... so I'm gonna take care of you...~
"...Rei-chan..."
"Don't try to talk now," Reia murmured, trying not to get hysterical again as she looked over Lys.
Even if she hadn't witnessed it, it would have been obvious what had happened to her. Her skirt was ripped completely in half, her blouse in shreds. Stockings and underclothes- nearly non existent. Lys' pale, creamy skin was marred with cuts and bruises on all the surfaces Reia could see.
"...My whole body hurts..." Lys whispered. Her voice was hoarse. "Rei-chan..."
"I said be quiet, Lys... lay still, OK?" Reia pulled her sweater off over her head, and laid it across her friend's smaller body. She pushed some of the blood and sweat off of Lys' forehead, and wiped it on the black tank top she was left clad in.
"...Reia, please... he... did he do what I think he did? I... My mind's blocked most of what happened, after he pinned me..."
Reia swallowed, her eyes swimming with tears, and nodded slowly.
Lys said nothing, only turned her head away from Reia, biting her lip.
"I'm sorry," She whispered at last. "...I didn't come fast enough..."
Lys did not reply, and Reia feared she'd passed out again. Finally, she remarked weakly, "It's not your fault, Reia... Please... help me sit up..."
"You might have internal injuries..." Reia protested.
"...I want to sit up," Lys repeated, insistently.
A sound behind them caused Reia to look over her shoulder again. Terror washed over her at the sight of Trox, on his feet again, and lunging towards them, with the clear intent to rip them limb from limb with his bare hands, shining in his eyes.
~...And I disarmed! Stupid, STUPID GIRL!!! ~ Reia convulsively threw herself over her friend, clutching Lys' shoulders. ~ Forgive me, Lys! ~
"FLARE UP NOW!!!"
A weight came down upon Reia from behind, a cool, living shield against the intense heat of Kasukio's attack.
~ Cye...~
Reia held Lys tighter, as Cye's arms held them both tight.
She opened her eyes to see Trox fall back.
~ He HAS to be dead by now...~
Apparently, Kasukio was not going to take that chance. The young future bearer of Wildfire flew at the Dark Ronin of ignorance, one blade aimed to pierce the heart, the other, held aloft, to slice the head from the neck.
~ He's... he's not making any sound...~ Reia realized, watching him, as if he were in slow motion. ~...He's usually the most vocal of all of us... but now, he's too angry to even rant...~
She shuddered, despite the high temperature in the air. ~ If Trox stood a chance against me, he hasn't a one against Kasu...~
But, fate intervened for their nemesis again.
There was a high pitched metallic clang, as both of Kasukio's swords were deflected off of Balin's black armor.
Kasukio let out a shriek of rage, and struck again, clearly intent on killing SOMETHING.
There was a slash sound, and the shriek of metal on metal. Balin staggered backwards, now bearing a huge gash across the front of his armor, melted black metal falling onto the ground and hissing. The end of his blond braid floated to the ground, partially singed.
"Well. You ARE better than I thought," He whispered, staring down at his severed hair in a sort of awe.
"I'm gonna kill you, and all your buddies! You can count on that!" The red-head vowed, as he stood ready, both swords pointed out.
Balin did not laugh, as he would have during their battle in the museum. Was that only minutes ago? At that moment, it seemed like years ago. These Ronin Warriors had transgressed their own power limits... all over the ill treatment of one of their comrades. ~ Interesting. ~
He snapped his fingers. "Trox, come."
Kasukio moved forward for another attack, but both men vanished but a burst of light.
The Ronin Warrior stood there, staring blankly at the empty air that had a moment ago been filled by a pair of enemies he was VERY interested in killing.
Cye moved back, away from the girls. "...Are you OK?" He asked softly, his hands not moving from Reia's shoulders. Even though he was in his armor, Reia could still imagine the feeling of his warm hands against her bare shoulders...
~ Cut it out! ~ She reprimanded herself sharply.
She turned around to face him.
"...No," She whispered, trying to keep her voice from cracking and failing. "...Cye, that...That man, he..."
Lys moved, groaning with pain. "...Where's Kasu-chan?" She managed, with cracked lips.
Cye seemed to notice Lys' condition for the first time. He managed to hold back the gasp of horror, but his eyes grew wide, and he looked utterly stunned.
"Lys! Hey, Lys?" Kasukio finally turned around, and was walking back towards them. "Hey, you OK? Come on, sit up, you can't be hurt that bad..."
Reia and Cye looked at each other with wide eyes, both thinking the same thing. ~ He didn't see! ~
She pulled on Cye's arm, motioning for him to get back. Getting the hint, he helped her up, and they got to their feet, stepping back a pace or two from Lys.
"...Lys?" Kasukio repeated, as he neared her. His pace slowed considerably. "...Oh, my God..." He dropped to his knees beside her, laying a shaking hand against her cheek. Swallowing hard, he peeled back the sweater Reia had draped across her, and nearly recoiled. "Oh, my God," He repeated.
It only took moments for complete chaos to erupt in Mia's house. As soon as Kawai announced the Dynasty's presence, every window in the house shattered, and flooded with foot soldiers, while Kayura continued her battle against Fiian.
Within seconds, the Ronin Warriors in the house were armed, but the odds seemed overwhelming.
"I don't think I've ever seen this many soldiers in one place before!" Kawai gasped as she pulled her sais from a would-be attacker.
"I have," Kento shot back, as he used his staff to take out five opponents at once.
"Hey, Ryo-" Rowen called, breathlessly, as he leapt clear of the furniture, letting arrows fly. "Things are getting ugly in here, and real fast..."
"We gotta get Mia and Yulie out of here!" Sage cried.
"Quite an obstacle course..." Ryo hissed, his eyes flying to the stairs. A sea of Dynasty soldiers stood between them and the stairs. "Sage, Rowen, Kento... let's clear a path!"
"Sounds good to me!" Sage replied.
"Rock n' roll!" Kento yelled, as he threw himself into the throng.
Suddenly, an image flashed across the Dark Ronin's mind, and he smiled, feeling the energy emitted from the terrible sin Trox was committing in the parking lot outside. And he could feel Reia of Strata's hate and anger...
"Well, well..." He laughed, closing his eyes. "The moron finally did something right. Even if the Strata girl will likely kill him now, because he was too stupid to spirit the Halo girl away, and took her right in the street... the fool..."
"What?" Kasukio hissed, as he faltered in mid sword-thrust. "What did you say?"
"Oh, my, was that out loud?" Balin's handsome lips twisted into a devious smile. "So sorry."
Kasukio stood still, his green eyes wide with surprise. Balin took the hesitation, deciding it was time to kill the boy...
However, when he lunged forward, he found himself practically bouncing off a wall of scorching, intense heat.
Cye stepped back from the heat, knowing his armor wouldn't protect him as well as Kasukio's or maybe even Balin's would.
Kasukio did not rant, or make threats. He merely raised his swords over his head, and eerily calm, whispered the words "Flare Up Now."
Cye reflexively covered his fast at the sudden explosion of white light and heat.
Throughout the entire museum, windows shattered, walls collapsed, and things caught on fire. The building shuddered, and Cye found himself thrown to the floor. He somehow managed to gather his wits and follow Kasukio out the window through the burning light and smoke.
The two hit the pavement, and looked back at the building. Cye blinked, still dazed.
"Well... did you get him?" He asked.
Kasukio shrugged. "Who cares... I just want to find Lys..."
The boy in red took off at a sprint down the street. Cye shook his head, and followed after at the same pace.
They followed the destruction, knowing they would find Lys- or Reia- eventually.
Suddenly, the sound of someone screaming hit their ears, and both young men skidded to a stop.
"...That sounded like Reia!" Cye gasped. "...She may be in trouble!"
Kasukio held his hand up, listening to the screaming again. It didn't sound like cries or pain or fear...
"...She sounds really pissed off, actually," He muttered, glancing at Cye. The two stood there for a moment before taking off again, running even harder than before.
Lady Kayura paused in her writing, quill in mid stroke. Ink dripped off of it, creating a tiny blot on the parchment scroll.
She looked up, and stood, pushing her chair away from the table in the small library of the Koji estate.
"...Reia?" She whispered, just as a rumbling sound passed through the room. She gasped. ~ No! ~
Kayura's instincts took over, and she ducked, just as a sword swiped where her head had been only an eye blink before. A couple of strands of black hair floated to the ground, belying how close a mark it had been. Moving only with well polished warrior instincts, Kayura rolled on the ground, kicking the chair she had been sitting in towards her still unseen foe.
He had apparently not expected this. Her attacker grunted in surprised, and staggered long enough for Kayura to roll away and get to her feet. With the nimbleness and speed of a cat, Kayura was on the opposite end of the room, and fully armored. The rings on her staff jangled and a huge sickle swung on a chain at her belt.
The warrior threw his cloak off in frustration, and glared at Kayura through wild red-blond bangs with dark, guileful green eyes. The lamp light glowed against his deep gold armor. "Greetings... Lady Kayura." He said in a low voice, as he licked his lips.
Kayura stared at him with narrowed eyes. "...You are... the Dark Warrior of Treachery..."
He smirked. "You're pretty quick. Yeah, but you can call me Fiian, since I'm makin' free use of your name, Kayura."
Kayura glared at him. "Leave this place or die, minion of the Dynasty."
"Wa-ho, the chick's making threats!" Fiian laughed, and twirled his sword in his hand. "None of you guys have been able to beat any of us Dark Ronins one on one yet. Even as we speak Ronin Warriors are getting the tar kicked out of them in the city." He laughed again, and continued to show off his sword tricks. "Isn't one of them Reia of Strata?"
"Leave her out of this," Kayura growled, although on the inside she was growing more worried for not only her daughter, but for all of the young Ronins.
"Anyhoo... You'll be happy to know I'm not here to kill ya. Lord Arcane wants me to bring you back to him, in one piece. He didn't say you had to be in good condition, however." He whirled suddenly, and with one strike, sliced the table she'd been sitting at clean in half. "Shall we fight?"
The entire house trembled suddenly, making everyone within it jump.
"What was that?" Xanthe exclaimed. He dropped his Magic Eight Ball, and it rolled under the couch.
Kento paused in mid sandwich bite. Junichi and Sage's eyes flew to the stairs, for some reason. Ryo and Rowen came out of the kitchen, alarm apparent on their faces.
Kawai winced, as a sharp pain ran through her body. "...They're here... the Dynasty!"
Reia kept coming at Trox with a feral strength. Her eyes, rather than their tranquil sky color, had turned dark and deadly, taking on an almost reddish tone.
Although the Dark Ronin was fighting back, she was clearly overpowering him. She fired a never ending stream of arrows, and too many of them were beginning to nick him and leave flesh wounds. When too close for arrows, she fought hand-to-hand, viscously, clearly intent on no mercy.
A roundhouse kick to the jaw, with all of her body weight behind it, finally sent him to the floor.
Reia leveled an arrow directly between his eyes. There was no way she could miss.
Trox laid on the ground, battered and bloody, and stared up at the girl with smoldering rage in his eyes... and only barely suppressed fear. He was a berserkor... his battle rage was supposed to be more powerful than any being's. And yet, here he was, cornered by some teenage FEMALE upstart.
"...Have you got any last words before you die?" Reia asked, her voice as cold as an arctic wind, and the muscle-bound Netherworld warrior actually shuddered.
"You can't do it," He growled under his breath, making eye contact with her.
"...Watch me..."
"You're the Ronin of Life-Force, ain't ya? Bet you never killed nobody ever in your life, 'cept maybe those animated Dynasty soldiers, but they don't count, right?" Trox smiled, but it was a hate-filled smile. "You don't got the courage to kill me, baby-doll."
Laughing, he stood up, still shaking, from his wounds. Reia's initial rage was wearing off. She would be weak now.
"And now I'm gonna do you the way I did your fr-"
*THWIP*
Reia's mouth was hanging open in surprise... but not as widely as Trox's when he looked down at the gold arrow, buried all the way to the feather, in his chest. He raised a shaking hand to the white feather, and the deep red-black blood spreading over it. He looked back at her, and fell to the ground with a small gurgle.
Reia's bow clattered to the ground, and she fell to her knees, shaking too hard to stand. "Oh... Oh, God..." She moaned to herself, as her head began to throb, and tears began to flow again from her sore eyes. She pulled her helmet from her head and tossed it aside, holding her head in both hands as she felt her stomach pitch suddenly, and she vomited onto the pavement. "...Lys... I...I avenged you..."
"R...Rei-chan..." A tiny, meek voice reached her ears, and she sat up suddenly, her head whipping around. Lys' battered form was moving, slightly.
"LYS-CHAN!" Reia jumped to her feet, banishing her armor and subarmor even as she moved towards her friend. The jagged, broken pavement cut her bare feet, for she'd lost her shoes back in the museum. She now had a run in her stockings as well, but of course that meant nothing to her.
Lys' hair had come free from her braid, and upon inspection, Reia realized the end of Lys' braid had been chopped off. Her friend's hair was now about as long as her own, about waist length, as opposed to its former knee-length. Reia cast a look over her shoulder at Trox's still body in utter disgust and the blackest contempt. ~ That slime bag took a trophy off of her?... I'll go search him, and get it back... later. After I've helped Lys. ~ She cupped her best friend's face in her hands, feeling her pulse with her fingertips. It was weak, but steady. ~ Hang in there, girlfriend... You took care of me, when I was injured... so I'm gonna take care of you...~
"...Rei-chan..."
"Don't try to talk now," Reia murmured, trying not to get hysterical again as she looked over Lys.
Even if she hadn't witnessed it, it would have been obvious what had happened to her. Her skirt was ripped completely in half, her blouse in shreds. Stockings and underclothes- nearly non existent. Lys' pale, creamy skin was marred with cuts and bruises on all the surfaces Reia could see.
"...My whole body hurts..." Lys whispered. Her voice was hoarse. "Rei-chan..."
"I said be quiet, Lys... lay still, OK?" Reia pulled her sweater off over her head, and laid it across her friend's smaller body. She pushed some of the blood and sweat off of Lys' forehead, and wiped it on the black tank top she was left clad in.
"...Reia, please... he... did he do what I think he did? I... My mind's blocked most of what happened, after he pinned me..."
Reia swallowed, her eyes swimming with tears, and nodded slowly.
Lys said nothing, only turned her head away from Reia, biting her lip.
"I'm sorry," She whispered at last. "...I didn't come fast enough..."
Lys did not reply, and Reia feared she'd passed out again. Finally, she remarked weakly, "It's not your fault, Reia... Please... help me sit up..."
"You might have internal injuries..." Reia protested.
"...I want to sit up," Lys repeated, insistently.
A sound behind them caused Reia to look over her shoulder again. Terror washed over her at the sight of Trox, on his feet again, and lunging towards them, with the clear intent to rip them limb from limb with his bare hands, shining in his eyes.
~...And I disarmed! Stupid, STUPID GIRL!!! ~ Reia convulsively threw herself over her friend, clutching Lys' shoulders. ~ Forgive me, Lys! ~
"FLARE UP NOW!!!"
A weight came down upon Reia from behind, a cool, living shield against the intense heat of Kasukio's attack.
~ Cye...~
Reia held Lys tighter, as Cye's arms held them both tight.
She opened her eyes to see Trox fall back.
~ He HAS to be dead by now...~
Apparently, Kasukio was not going to take that chance. The young future bearer of Wildfire flew at the Dark Ronin of ignorance, one blade aimed to pierce the heart, the other, held aloft, to slice the head from the neck.
~ He's... he's not making any sound...~ Reia realized, watching him, as if he were in slow motion. ~...He's usually the most vocal of all of us... but now, he's too angry to even rant...~
She shuddered, despite the high temperature in the air. ~ If Trox stood a chance against me, he hasn't a one against Kasu...~
But, fate intervened for their nemesis again.
There was a high pitched metallic clang, as both of Kasukio's swords were deflected off of Balin's black armor.
Kasukio let out a shriek of rage, and struck again, clearly intent on killing SOMETHING.
There was a slash sound, and the shriek of metal on metal. Balin staggered backwards, now bearing a huge gash across the front of his armor, melted black metal falling onto the ground and hissing. The end of his blond braid floated to the ground, partially singed.
"Well. You ARE better than I thought," He whispered, staring down at his severed hair in a sort of awe.
"I'm gonna kill you, and all your buddies! You can count on that!" The red-head vowed, as he stood ready, both swords pointed out.
Balin did not laugh, as he would have during their battle in the museum. Was that only minutes ago? At that moment, it seemed like years ago. These Ronin Warriors had transgressed their own power limits... all over the ill treatment of one of their comrades. ~ Interesting. ~
He snapped his fingers. "Trox, come."
Kasukio moved forward for another attack, but both men vanished but a burst of light.
The Ronin Warrior stood there, staring blankly at the empty air that had a moment ago been filled by a pair of enemies he was VERY interested in killing.
Cye moved back, away from the girls. "...Are you OK?" He asked softly, his hands not moving from Reia's shoulders. Even though he was in his armor, Reia could still imagine the feeling of his warm hands against her bare shoulders...
~ Cut it out! ~ She reprimanded herself sharply.
She turned around to face him.
"...No," She whispered, trying to keep her voice from cracking and failing. "...Cye, that...That man, he..."
Lys moved, groaning with pain. "...Where's Kasu-chan?" She managed, with cracked lips.
Cye seemed to notice Lys' condition for the first time. He managed to hold back the gasp of horror, but his eyes grew wide, and he looked utterly stunned.
"Lys! Hey, Lys?" Kasukio finally turned around, and was walking back towards them. "Hey, you OK? Come on, sit up, you can't be hurt that bad..."
Reia and Cye looked at each other with wide eyes, both thinking the same thing. ~ He didn't see! ~
She pulled on Cye's arm, motioning for him to get back. Getting the hint, he helped her up, and they got to their feet, stepping back a pace or two from Lys.
"...Lys?" Kasukio repeated, as he neared her. His pace slowed considerably. "...Oh, my God..." He dropped to his knees beside her, laying a shaking hand against her cheek. Swallowing hard, he peeled back the sweater Reia had draped across her, and nearly recoiled. "Oh, my God," He repeated.
It only took moments for complete chaos to erupt in Mia's house. As soon as Kawai announced the Dynasty's presence, every window in the house shattered, and flooded with foot soldiers, while Kayura continued her battle against Fiian.
Within seconds, the Ronin Warriors in the house were armed, but the odds seemed overwhelming.
"I don't think I've ever seen this many soldiers in one place before!" Kawai gasped as she pulled her sais from a would-be attacker.
"I have," Kento shot back, as he used his staff to take out five opponents at once.
"Hey, Ryo-" Rowen called, breathlessly, as he leapt clear of the furniture, letting arrows fly. "Things are getting ugly in here, and real fast..."
"We gotta get Mia and Yulie out of here!" Sage cried.
"Quite an obstacle course..." Ryo hissed, his eyes flying to the stairs. A sea of Dynasty soldiers stood between them and the stairs. "Sage, Rowen, Kento... let's clear a path!"
"Sounds good to me!" Sage replied.
"Rock n' roll!" Kento yelled, as he threw himself into the throng.