Chapter 15

Cye gasped as he recognized Sage when he fell out of the shadows. "Mina! Look!"

Mina growled as she saw Dais follow suit out of the woods. But then again, she was sort of glad to see Rowen attacking him. "He's dead."

Mina then ran towards them, wasting no time. She pulled out her kunshin pen and called up her other form. The pen seemed to absorb her armor as she called out her planet to guide her. "Venus Star POWER!"

A chain of hearts sprung from her kunshin pen and encased her body. Yellow and orange light came from the encasing, breaking the chain and leaving her in her orange, yellow, and blue fuku. Once she was battle-ready, she prepared to attack. "Venus Love Chain. ENCIRCLE!"

The chain of hearts hit Dais just as Cye called his armor. "Armor of Torrent! TAO SHIN!"

As soon as the blue colors of the water form Torrent's transformation cleared, Cye ran right up to Dais as he went to hit Rowen on the back where he had fallen. He then latched the tip of his trident around Dais's neck. "Hold it right there!"

"Let go of me! Right now!" Dais squirmed, trying to fight Cye's tightening grip around his neck as Rowen took and tied his weaponless hands together.

"Yeah, right. you have to pay for what you have done." Rowen said as he picked up Dais's weapon and his own. "Are you gonna let him go, Cye?"

"No. I think that he needs to be held so that he won't get away." Cye growled slightly. "I DO NOT trust him."

"You're the one, Shin. not me." Cye then looked at Rowen quizzically.

"Shin? Where did you get that name?"

"Oh come on. you don't remember?" Rowen's symbol flickered on his forehead, and then Cye's followed.

Cye nodded in understanding. "I see now, Touma."

"What in the name of all that is evil are you idiots rambling about?!" Dais yelled. The two warriors in blue looked down at Dais.

"You will see." Cye smirked and then went to pull Dais to his feet, but then a cold chill went into the air. Everyone froze and then blue eyes shone in the sky.

"Rajura! Return!" Cye, Mina, and Rowen looked at the sky, but then Dais disappeared. Mina gasped as she recognized the eyes to be Zoisite's, but they disappeared as well.

Mina shook her head and sighed. Then she heard a weak and timid voice whisper, "No. please. stop.."

Turning, she saw Sage's armor fade from his body. She gasped and ran to him. Kneeling beside him, she wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulders. "Come on Sage. stay strong."

Cye and Rowen came over to them. Rowen kneeled on the other side of Sage as Cye stood behind Mina. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, Cye. I really don't." Mina whispered as she looked up at Cye, seemingly scared and worried. Cye leaned over her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Be strong for him, Minako. just as you were for me years ago." Mina nodded to Cye and then looked at Sage again.

Sage's mind ran mad with memories. He didn't know what to do but tremble and block out everything, letting the memories come. As he started to black out from lack of energy, he heard Mina call to him, "Seiji! Seiji-chan wake up!"

But her plea was too late, He was out cold.

~ "Seiji! Seiji-chan wait!" Sage turned slightly to where he saw a seven year old Mina running to him. Her blonde hair was long, but her blue eyes were lighter, like his. He grinned. Deciding to play the mean older brother, he went on, not answering the girl as if he never heard her.

Mina's young eyes teared as he ignored her and she ran faster in her small, pretty flower dress. "Seiji! Seiji!"

The girl then tripped over her dress as she stumbled over a rock. Hurting her knees, legs, and arms, her eyes over flowed with tears. Sage heard his sister's cry, and turned around. Seeing her on the soggy ground, trying to get up he ran to her. "Minako?! Are you okay?"

The little girl cried and wrapped her arms around her brother. Even tho he was two years older then her, he was a lot bigger and could still hold her in his lap. Sitting on a near by tree stump, Sage pulled his beloved little sister's bandana off. "I'm sorry, Minako. Are you gonna be okay, little sister?"

Mina wiped her eyes as her brother cleaned her up. She nodded and then hugged him again. "I'm okay, brother."

Sage hugged his sister back and smiled. Mina then climbed onto his shoulders. "I love you, Seiji."

Sage laughed and tickled his little sister, but held on to her tightly so she wouldn't fall off of his tall shoulders as he stood. "I love you too, Minako." ~

Sage had no time to open his eyes again and try to see his sister and friends' faces as another memory hit him, causing more pain.

~ "Seiji! Hurry! The castle is under attack!" A much older Mina called to him as he was training with Cye in one of the armories in the Venus Palace.

"Come on, Seiji! We have to get help!" Cye was about to dart off, when Sage stopped him.

"Shin, I want you to me a favor. What ever happens, protect my sister for me. My mother and father are gone, being they died in the last battle. my sister is the only one I have left now. protect her." Sage smiled as Cye nodded.

"In your honor, and for my love for her, I will give my life for the safety of Princess Minako." ~

Sage's eyes shot open as he felt a tear hit his nose. Looking up, he saw Mina crying over him. "God dang sis. why do you choose the worst times to get mushy-gushy?!"

Mina looked at her brother and hugged him tightly, exclaiming, "You're alive! Oh thank god you're alive!"

Sage grinned and then faked not being able to breathe, for her grip was a little tight. "Mina. I.. Can.. 't... bre... athe..."

Mina looked at him and then when Sage, Cye, and Rowen laughed, she punched him in the arm playfully. "Oh you big, blonde goon. Grow up!"

"I can't. cuz maybe if I did."

"He couldn't be a Toys'R'us kid." Cye and Rowen coursed, and they all laughed, but Sage wound up wincing.

"Come on you three. let's get him some where. where he is safe."