Silent Fall
To The Other Side Of Courage
Kayura paused, her hand hovering over another facedown tarot card, this one the left leg of the star. What fate would this card foretell? Was she sure she wanted to know? Before her courage could ebb, the Ancient flipped the second card.
The Knight of Cups displayed an ironclad warrior atop a gray horse, riding quietly and wearing a winged helmet. The winged helm often referred to the higher graces of the imagination.
In her mind, Kayura had always associated this card with Cye, the same reluctance to fight that so easily characterized him was apparent in the expression of this warrior as well.
The next card would depict the fate most realistic for him as of this time; though at any point it could change, that was unlikely.
Kayura turned up the card acting as the right leg of the star and gasped.
A black-clad soldier on horseback was making his nightly, solitary rounds. In the light of a setting sun, peasants and highborn alike knelt at the figures feet, praying, but dying as soon as the horse stepped one foot near them. Perhaps it was despair that struck them down, or perhaps the grayish skull that no longer hid its face behind the mask of its helm. Whichever it may be, this card was an ill-welcomed one. This card was Death.
Breaking her concentration, the Ancients Staff that stood in the corner of the room, discarded and dormant, leapt to life with a resounding chime.
Ryo tossed another load of sticks onto the waning fire and watched as the flames consumed them greedily. It was just about time to change watches and he was debating over how he was going to wake Rowen, if that was even possible. The fire was starting to give him an idea when a muffled whimper caught his attention.
Cye was tossing and turning in his sleep, something that wasn't uncommon of him as of late. Was this another nightmare like the ones he'd been having since his capture and release from the Dynasty? They all had, at one point or another, woken up screaming from a nightmare after fighting Talpa. Ryo wasn't the least bit surprised that Cye was having one.
Another detail worried Ryo now, When
did Cye remove his sub armor?
He was just about to go over and wake him when Cye just suddenly stopped struggling. Thinking the nightmare over, Ryo sat back on his heels.
But it wasn't over yet as Cye began to gasp for breath, as though choking, his back arching painfully.
Shit! Ryo thought and grabbed Cye's shoulders, trying to shake him awake.
"Cye, wake up! Dammit! Wake UP!"
His voice had woken some one else up as the other Ronins stirred behind him.
Nothing seemed to be working and the apparent pain his friend was in was sending him into a panic, something that didn't happen often. In a more drastic effort to help Cye, Ryo slapped him across the cheek.
In the recesses of Cye's mind this registered through his pain and hopelessness. It gave him something to home in on, as it wasn't a pain inflicted by his tormentor.
He bolted upright; his eyes round with fear not at the fact he would have died but that he would have been utterly alone. Cye wasn't solitary by nature; he hated being alone more than anything and strived to avoid it at all costs.
"Cye, talk to us, buddy." Kento was right next to him, noting the fact that he looked flushed.
Ryo noticed this too and out a hand to Cye's forehead. Even with his sub armor on he was still sensitive to temperatures. Cye was hot, warmer than he should have been even sitting so close to the fire.
"He's got a fever, we have to get him home." Ryo and Kento aided the dazed Cye in getting to his feet.
Cye objected to every movement and every sound. He was dizzy and nauseous though not enough so that he couldn't make out his surroundings.
Someone mentioned something about dousing the fire but other things held Cye's attention.
There was a draft, a strange breeze coming from the depths of the cave, from the direction of the room where they found the spheres. Riding on the breeze were barely audible words that Cye understood with startling clarity. They cleared Cye's mind of everything and took a firm hold of it.
Cye tore himself away from Ryo and Kento and took off down the corridors of stone while the others cursed and followed in pursuit. With every step the words became louder and closer and now he was certain of their origin as he stepped into the chamber.
In the cavern stood the demon from his dream, though now he had a name for that was what the wind had been chanting.
This was Feije.
By now the other Ronins had caught up to him and frozen, surprised at this new presence in the empty caves.
"Master Ar'Nakari will be pleased with what I have done once I am finished with you, for," his eyes scanned the assembled Ronins, "You will die!"
Cye jumped at the last word, startled that it could be said with so much conviction.
Feije, giving off the same aura of power as the spheres, though not as pure, transformed himself into a giant, winged demon that took up nearly the entire cavern. Extending a clawed hand he seized Cye, who was stunned and senseless from the feeling of power that Feije was emitting, pinning his arms to his sides. Without his sub armor he'd be crushed easily.
Though Cye could barely hear above the roar in his ears he could sense the Ronins calling their armors.
"Armor of Wildfire! Dao Jin!"
"Armor of Halo! Dao Gi!"
"Armor of Hardrock! Dao Ji!"
"Armor of Strata! Dao Inochi!"
Feije leaned his demon head close to Cye's, whispering into his ear, his voice permeating the fog of pain.
"Predators," He hissed, tongue flitting in and out of his mouth as a snake's does, "live by the prey they pursue and this time the predator's me!"
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