Chapter 18

"Mars Celestieo Fire! SURROUND!" Jenna called as 8 rings of fire went flying at Sekhmet.

"Flare up! NOW!" Ryo called, a pillar of fire going across the venom swamp, almost burning his friends as he set them free.

"Hey! Watch it would ya! Bad enough I've been poisoned." Kento yelled, pointing to his face.

"Anubis! You get out of here with him, Jenna and I will take care of him."

Anubis nodded and then went to take Kento's shoulder and lead him away, but the warrior of Hardrock fought against him. "Come on Kento. You are in no shape to fight right now."

Knowing that Anubis was right, he sighed and the two left. Jenna gritted her teeth as she stared at Sekhmet. Ryo looked at her quickly out of the corner of his eye. "Be careful Jenna. his swords can kill you with one blow."

Jenna nodded to him. "Right.. What about White Blaze?"

"He knows what to do. don't worry about him." Jenna nodded again and then looked at the tress slightly above Sekhmet.

"I got an idea." She whispered and then took a run at the warlord.

"Jenna! No!" But Ryo's call had reached her too late. Already had the warlord started to move his swords, looking like he had multiple arms.

"What!? Six arms?!" But none the less did she grab a hold of the tree branch above the warlord's head and kicked him square in the chest, knocking him back. But one of the swords went flying from his hand towards her.

"Mars!" Ryo exclaimed as she began to jump down from the tree branch. "Watch out! The sword!"

But the warning was far too late as he began to run to her. Just as Jenna looked up, the sword went over her eyes, the venom on them seeping into them. She screamed in pain and held her eyes, trying to wipe the venom from them.

Ryo got to her and dropped his katanas, kneeling beside her. "Jenna?! Can you open your eyes."

"No! It hurts!" She began to sob, her tears filled with the poison that was eating at her. Ryo tried to get her hands from her face as White Blaze fought off Sekhmet, and was doing a good job at it.

"No. Let me see, Jenna." She then gripped her hands around his wrists as he rubbed his thumbs over her eyelids. Gently he tried to open one of her eyes for her, resulting in her screaming with pain and gripping his wrists tighter. As he let go from the shock of her scream, she threw herself into his arms. He hugged her close, remembering what had happened when Sekhmet got him a similar way. But Sage was no where near to help heal her sight in time.

This thought got him mad. Anger started to simmer in his veins. "White Blaze! Watch over Jenna."

He kissed her forehead. "Don't worry, Jenna.. You'll be fine.."

Jenna let her grip loose on him, and then when she felt the tiger near, she sobbed into his fur. The venom would not effect White Blaze as it did her, so he did not mind. Ryo stood, looking at Sekhmet, his katanas tight in his fists. "Now you pay, Sekhmet."

"Oh I am so scared." The warlord laughed. Ryo growled and then his eyes flashed red. This got venom-breath's attention. "What the."

Ryo's swords began to pulsate red and then he connected them. Twirling the long sword over his head, he called, "Adazan! Flame Demon!"

He then threw the sword discuss at Sekhmet, hitting him. But before the attack cleared, and Ryo stood holding his long sword again, Sekhmet disappeared.

Ryo slethed his katanas once he separated them and then looked over at Jenna. He walked over to her, powering down to sub armor. He knelt besides her, looking at White Blaze, whom had eyes filled with worry for her.

The tiger looked at his master with 'I am sorry' written all over his face. Ryo pet his tiger behind the ears. "It's okay boy.."

Then he pulled Jenna close again. "Ryo. it hurts so bad. sooo bad."

Ryo nodded. "I know. I know, sweetie."

He rocked back and forth with her, cradling her. He didn't want her to loose her sight. There was so much he had to show her. Just the thought now made tears of his own fall. Then a small, white, aura like light standing in front of them and the sound of metal clanging. Ryo could see White Blaze bowing out of the corner of his eye, and knew it was the spirit of the Ancient.

"Poor Princess.. You have done much. you do not deserve this punishment.." He then held something out to Ryo. "Give her this flower. it will heal her sight."

Ryo leaned down and kissed the flower, but when he opened his eyes, he was kissing Jenna. Somehow, the pollen of the flower had gotten into her system through him and she then blinked open her eyes. He pulled back from kissing her, and the Ancient was gone.

"Kauso. thank you." Jenna whispered and cuddled again Ryo.

"Are you okay?" He asked, still worried slightly. Jenna nodded.

"Better then I have ever been." White Blaze then nuzzled against Jenna's arm, apologizing for the way he had been acting. Jenna smiling and scratched him behind the ear. "It's okay boy."

Ryo then helped her stand. "Come on. we gotta get to Kento and Anubis."

Jenna nodded and then looked in her hand. There was a red petal from the same flower that the Ancient had had for her. "This is for him to get that wound cleaned."

Ryo nodded and then they got onto White Blaze and went off. Jenna held onto Ryo tightly, clenching the petal softly in her fist. "Where do you think that they went?"

"White Blaze is following their scent. but I think that they ran to another clearing." Ryo said, holding on to the tiger tightly, but gently. He then placed his right hand over Jenna's hands, which were latched together at his waist. "Don't worry.. They are fine, I am sure of it."

Jenna nodded and as if on cue, she saw Kento's orange armor up ahead. "Ryo!! There they are!"

Ryo nodded and then called out to them. "Guys! Wait up!"

Anubis turned and stopped, stopping Kento as well. "What happened?"

"Jenna pulled one of my tricks with Sekhmet. don't worry.. she's fine." They then got off of the white tiger and walked over to them. "How's Ken?"

"He's starting to loose his sight." Jenna gasped at Anubis's words and then ran over to Kento.

"Kento... it's Jenna.. Let me see your wound." He lifted his face and then she placed the petal to the still bleeding wound. Kento winced as the pollen began to seep into his system, cleaning it out of the venom. As he opened his eyes and the other two sighed in relief when Kento hugged Jenna in thanks, an earsplitting, and familiar laugh cut through the air as pink sakura petals danced on the eerie wind that blew by.